Pivotable Underbody Paneling for Wheel Axle Aerodynamics
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Solution Overview
Problem
The underbody of motor vehicles contributes significantly to air resistance, with limited advancements in drag reduction, particularly in the area of the front axle where changing wheel positions pose a challenge, necessitating an effective and inexpensive solution for air resistance reduction.
Innovation Solution
An underbody paneling part with a plate-shaped base body, featuring a rotatable connection to the wishbone and a pivotable connection to the wheel carrier or tie rod, made from lightweight, rigid, and weather-resistant materials, with optional features like a pendulum rod, ball joints, and a flexible connection to minimize relative movement and adapt to various conditions, and an air duct design to reduce turbulence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fixed underbody paneling is used, then manufacturing is simple and cost-effective, but air resistance increases due to gap formation when wheels pivot
Solution Approach 1:
The underbody paneling is designed with a pivotable connection to the wishbone, allowing the panel to dynamically rotate and follow the wheel carrier's movement during steering. This dynamic adaptation eliminates gaps between the panel and wheel housing, reducing air resistance while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through a single rotational degree of freedom
2Strength
If the underbody paneling is made rigid to maintain shape, then structural integrity is improved, but adaptability to wheel position changes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is segmented into two functional parts: a rigid underbody paneling that maintains structural integrity and aerodynamic shape, and a pivotable connection mechanism that enables rotational movement. This segmentation allows the panel itself to remain rigid while the connection allows adaptation to wheel position changes
3Object-affected harmful factors
If complex attachment mechanisms are used to reduce gaps, then air resistance is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wishbone serves multiple functions: it is both a suspension link and the mounting structure for the underbody paneling's pivotable connection. By utilizing the existing wishbone structure, the invention avoids adding separate complex attachment mechanisms while still achieving gap reduction and aerodynamic improvement
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an underbody panelling part (22) of a wheel axle near the wheelhouse of a motor vehicle, which underbody panelling part comprises a substantially flat main part (24), a first mounting point (26) provided on said main part (24), which mounting point can be rotatably connected to a transverse link (28) of the motor vehicle (12), and a second mounting point (30) provided on the main part (24), which mounting point can be coupled to a wheel carrier (18) or a steering rod, such that the underbody panelling part (22) can be pivoted about the first mounting point (26) when the wheel carrier (18) is pivoted. The invention also relates to a subassembly having an underbody panelling part.