Vehicle Spoiler Sealing Lip Gap Airflow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing spoiler systems for vehicles experience air flow penetration into gaps between the spoiler body and receptacle during extension movements, which negatively influences airflow around the vehicle.

Innovation Solution

A spoiler system with a sealing device that provides sealing between the spoiler body and receptacle during extension movements, using a sealing means such as a sealing lip or labyrinth design to prevent air flow from entering the gap, ensuring effective sealing during both extension and retraction movements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the spoiler body is movably mounted between retracted and extended positions to influence air flow, then the aerodynamic performance can be optimized for different driving situations, but gaps form between the spoiler body and receptacle during extension movement allowing air flow penetration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaerodynamic performanceVSAvoidair flow penetration into gap

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A sealing lip made of elastomeric material is attached to the receptacle, forming a flexible sealing element that contacts the spoiler body during extension movement. The flexible nature of the elastomeric material allows it to deform and maintain sealing contact while the spoiler body moves between retracted and extended positions, preventing air flow penetration into the gap without compromising the movable mounting functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a sealing device is added to prevent air flow penetration during extension movement, then air flow influence is maintained, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair flow penetration preventionVSAvoidsealing device structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing lip is constructed from a single elastomeric material that inherently provides sealing functionality through its flexibility and deformability. This simple yet effective design prevents air flow penetration without requiring complex mechanical sealing structures, multiple components, or intricate adjustment mechanisms, thus minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The elastomeric sealing lip automatically adapts to the moving spoiler body and maintains sealing contact through its own elastic properties. The material self-adjusts to position changes and maintains contact pressure without requiring external actuation, control systems, or additional sealing mechanisms, thereby preventing air flow penetration with minimal added complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10442476B2Spoiler system for a vehicle

Publication Date: 2019.10.15 DR ING H C F PORSCHE AG

AI summary

A spoiler system for a vehicle includes a spoiler body having a spoiler surface for influencing an air flow around the vehicle; and a spoiler receptacle having a sealing device with a seal configured to provide sealing between the sealing device and a sealing surface of the spoiler body during an extension movement of the spoiler body from a retracted position into an extended position. The spoiler body is movably mounted on the spoiler receptacle between the retracted position in which the spoiler body is received at least partially in the spoiler receptacle and the extended position in which the spoiler body is extended at least partially out of the spoiler receptacle.