Front Spoiler and Grille Shutter Control for Vehicle Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicles fail to efficiently cool the cooling targets, such as engines and heat exchangers, due to independent control of the front spoiler, which often results in inadequate air flow when cooling is required.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system that synchronizes the deployment of a front spoiler with the opening of a grille shutter based on vehicle speed and cooling target temperature, using a controller to manage the posture of the spoiler and shutter to enhance cooling efficiency while minimizing aerodynamic resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the front spoiler is controlled independently of the grille shutter, then the control system is simple, but the cooling efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the control of the front spoiler and grille shutter into a single integrated control system. The controller synchronizes the deployment of the front spoiler with the opening of the grille shutter based on vehicle speed and cooling target temperature, ensuring coordinated operation to maximize cooling efficiency while maintaining manageable system complexity.
2Temperature
If the front spoiler is deployed when the grille shutter is opened, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the aerodynamic resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic control of the front spoiler based on vehicle speed conditions. At low speeds where aerodynamic resistance is less critical, the spoiler is deployed to enhance cooling. At high speeds where aerodynamic resistance becomes significant, the spoiler is retracted to minimize drag. This dynamic adjustment optimizes the balance between cooling efficiency and aerodynamic performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system monitors vehicle speed and cooling target temperature as key parameters to determine spoiler deployment. By changing the operational state of the spoiler based on these parameter thresholds, the system achieves optimal cooling efficiency while minimizing aerodynamic resistance under different driving conditions.
3Temperature
If the grille shutter is opened to cool the cooling target, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system proactively deploys the front spoiler before opening the grille shutter when cooling conditions are anticipated. By pre-positioning the spoiler in the deployed state based on temperature thresholds, the system ensures immediate effective cooling when the shutter opens, reducing the duration the shutter needs to remain open and thereby minimizing energy loss.
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 synchronization improves cooling efficiency of the cooling targets by directing more airflow when needed, reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions by optimizing the timing of grille shutter closure and aerodynamic device posture changes.
Implementation Method 1
the front spoiler is disposed at a lower front portion of the vehicle and configured to be capable of changing between a storage posture and a deployed posture protruding downward of the vehicle relative to the storage posture
Implementation Method 2
The grille shutter is opened, for example, when the vehicle speed is low or when the temperature of the cooling target is high. This is for achieving both improvement of cooling efficiency of the cooling target and reduction of air resistance.
Implementation Method 3
The cooling target is, for example, a power source (e.g., an engine) of the vehicle, a heat exchanger (e.g., a radiator or a condenser), or both
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle comprises a grille opening, a grille shutter, an Fr spoiler, and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to open the grille shutter when the vehicle speed is less than a first threshold value or when the evaluation indices and of the temperature of the cooling target are equal to or greater than the reference values; and the controller is configured to bring the Fr spoiler into the deployed posture when the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than a second threshold value higher than the first threshold value, and to bring the Fr spoiler into the deployed posture in synchronization with the opening of the grille shutter when the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and less than the second threshold value.