Movable Wheel Fairing Panels for Aerodynamic Drag Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing car designs face a trade-off between reducing aerodynamic resistance and maintaining dynamic performance and trunk space, particularly when closing front wheel compartments for steering, as it reduces the front axle track and affects steering capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A car with movable front wheel fairing panels that expand outward when the front wheels steer, using pneumatic actuators to maintain a standard front axle track and allow for proper steering while minimizing aerodynamic resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the front wheel compartments are closed with removable covering panels, then aerodynamic resistance is reduced, but the front axle track is significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the front wheel compartment covering panels movable rather than fixed. The panels are designed to move outward when the front wheels need to steer, allowing the wheels to pivot freely while maintaining aerodynamic efficiency when the panels are in the closed position. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between reducing aerodynamic resistance and maintaining adequate front axle track for steering operations.
2Loss of energy
If the front wheel compartments are closed with covering panels, then aerodynamic resistance is reduced, but the space available in the front trunk is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The movable covering panels allow the front trunk space to be optimized. When the panels are closed, they create a streamlined shape that reduces aerodynamic resistance. When opened, they allow access to the front wheels for maintenance while minimizing the impact on trunk space. The dynamic nature of the panels allows the design to achieve both aerodynamic efficiency and adequate trunk space utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A car having: two front wheels; two rear wheels; a body, which has two front wheel compartments, each housing, on the inside, a corresponding front wheel, and two rear wheel compartments, each housing, on the inside, a corresponding rear wheel; and two covering panels, each arranged in the area of a corresponding wheel compartment to close the wheel compartment. Each covering panel is mounted on the body so as to be movable between a contracted position, in which the covering panel is completely flush with the body, and an expanded position, in which the covering panel is at least partially spaced apart from the body. Two actuator devices are provided, each coupled to a corresponding covering panel so as to move the covering panel between the contracted position and the expanded position.