Vehicle Fascia Recess Structures for Wind Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle noise control designs, particularly for wind noise, are costly, difficult to install, and lack durability, failing to effectively reduce or eliminate wind noise effectively.
Innovation Solution
The use of dentil protrusions and indentures on vehicle surfaces to create turbulent airflow, combined with a blocking material in voids, to disrupt and reduce wind noise without sealing gaps, and the strategic placement of fascia components within recessed portions to manage airflow and noise generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If seals are used to reduce wind noise, then noise control is improved, but cost increases, installation difficulty increases, and durability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, complex seals with simple, inexpensive foam tape that can be easily applied and replaced. The foam tape provides effective noise reduction without the installation complexity and durability issues associated with traditional seals, embodying the principle of using simple, replaceable components to solve problems that were previously requiring complex, durable solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dentil protrusions with specific geometric parameters (height, spacing, shape) to modify airflow characteristics. By changing the physical parameters of the surface structure, the patent transforms laminar airflow into turbulent airflow, which reduces wind noise without requiring seals or complex modifications to the vehicle assembly.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If dentil protrusions are added to create turbulent airflow, then wind noise is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dentil protrusions divide the continuous surface into discrete, repeating geometric elements. This segmentation allows the complex airflow modification function to be achieved through simple, standardized features that can be easily manufactured using conventional processes, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining noise reduction effectiveness.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If blocking material is disposed in void to prevent air entry, then wind noise is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The foam tape acts as an intermediary material placed in the gap between the fascia component and the vehicle surface. This simple foam intermediary blocks air entry into the void space, reducing wind noise without requiring complex structural modifications or sealed assemblies, thereby maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving noise control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively reduces, tunes, or eliminates wind noise by introducing turbulence and preventing air from entering voids, providing a cost-effective and durable solution that improves passenger compartment comfort without sealing gaps.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of dentil protrusions create a turbulent air flow that reduces, tunes, or eliminates wind noise
Implementation Method 2
a blocking material may be disposed in a void, where the blocking material reduces, tunes, or eliminates wind noise
Data Source
AI summary
A recessed portion of a vehicle surface may include an upper edge portion surrounding a portion of the recessed portion, an inner wall of the recessed portion, a plurality of dentil protrusions extending from the inner wall, and a fascia component disposed in a portion of the recessed portion, wherein a gap is disposed between the fascia component and the upper edge portion, wherein at least some of the plurality of dentil protrusions are a disposed in an air channel defined by the gap.