Vehicle Spoiler Air Duct for Trailing Vortex Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle spoiler devices fail to effectively reduce air resistance and trailing vortices at the rear of vehicles with steeply inclined rear windshields, as they are prone to increased lateral airflow drag and limited aerodynamic enhancement.
Innovation Solution
A spoiler device with an airflow controlling surface extending to the roof end and integrated air ducts that guide airflow from the roof surface to the border between the rear and lateral sides of the vehicle, featuring air inlets and outlets that form an air curtain to reduce pressure differences and prevent airflow drag.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If a rear spoiler with airflow controlling surface is provided at the roof end, then the generation of trailing vortex is restrained and aerodynamic characteristics are enhanced, but air resistance increases due to lateral flow being caught and dragged to the back of the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
An air duct is introduced as an intermediary component to guide the airflow. The air duct receives airflow from the airflow controlling surface and directs it toward the border portion between the rear side and lateral side, preventing the airflow from being dragged to the back of the vehicle and thus reducing air resistance while maintaining trailing vortex suppression
Solution Approach 2:
The airflow direction is changed by using the air duct to guide it from the roof end toward the border portion between rear and lateral sides. This parameter change in airflow direction prevents the lateral flow from being caught and dragged backward, reducing the harmful air resistance force
2Object-generated harmful factors
If protrusions are provided near the rear windshield to receive wind, then lateral flow separation is promoted and trailing vortex generation is restrained, but the effect is limited when the rear windshield has a steep incline due to increased lateral airflow drag
Solution Approach 1:
The air duct serves as a mediator that captures the airflow from the airflow controlling surface and redirects it to the border portion between the rear and lateral sides. This prevents the increased lateral airflow drag from being converted into trailing vortex generation, even when the rear windshield has a steep incline
Solution Approach 2:
The airflow is redirected from a lateral direction toward the border portion between rear and lateral sides, utilizing a different spatial dimension. This dimensional change in airflow guidance effectively handles the increased lateral airflow drag caused by steep rear windshield inclination
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
The solution effectively reduces the generation of trailing vortices by forming an air curtain and minimizing pressure differences between the rear and lateral sides, enhancing aerodynamic characteristics and design aesthetics.
Implementation Method 1
an air duct including an air inlet opening to the airflow controlling surface and being formed penetrating through the rear spoiler... configured to guide an airflow at a vehicle top surface to a border portion between a vehicle rear side and a vehicle lateral side
Data Source
AI summary
A spoiler device for a vehicle includes a rear spoiler including an airflow controlling surface that is configured to continue to a roof surface and configured to be provided at a roof end, and an air duct including an air inlet opening to the airflow controlling surface and being formed penetrating through the rear spoiler, the air duct including an air outlet positioned in vicinity to an edge portion of the rear spoiler in a vehicle width direction, the air duct configured to guide an airflow at a vehicle top surface to a border portion between a vehicle rear side and a vehicle lateral side.