Vehicle Structural Member Airfoil Imaging Window

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicles' door mirrors create turbulent airflow that leads to dirt and mud adhering to their surfaces, causing visibility issues during rear checks.

Innovation Solution

A structural member with a symmetrical airfoil section projecting from the vehicle body, featuring a longer lower airflow surface and a shorter upper airflow surface, inclined to reduce vortex formation and dirt adhesion, equipped with an imaging window and camera for rear monitoring, and adjustable to maintain airflow velocity differences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If door mirrors are provided with flat mirror surfaces to enable rear visibility, then imaging function is improved, but turbulent airflow and vortex formation occur causing dirt and mud adhesion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging functionVSAvoiddirt and mud adhesion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by using an airfoil-shaped structural member instead of a flat mirror surface. The airfoil cross-section creates curved upper and lower airflow surfaces that guide airflow smoothly around the member, preventing vortex formation and dirt adhesion while maintaining imaging capability through the transparent portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs asymmetry by making the lower airflow surface longer than the upper airflow surface in the front-rear direction. This asymmetric configuration optimizes airflow patterns to reduce turbulence and prevent dirt accumulation on the imaging surface, while still providing adequate rear visibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

2Area of stationary object

If door mirrors project from the vehicle body to provide rear viewing angle, then imaging coverage is improved, but aerodynamic turbulence increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging coverageVSAvoidaerodynamic turbulence

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The airfoil-shaped structural member with curved upper and lower surfaces guides airflow smoothly around the projecting element, reducing turbulence and energy loss while maintaining the necessary projection from the vehicle body for adequate rear viewing coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the structural member by using an airfoil cross-section with specific curvature characteristics. This parameter optimization reduces aerodynamic turbulence and energy loss while preserving the imaging coverage function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If flat mirror surfaces are used for rear monitoring, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but vortex airflow forms behind the structure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidvortex airflow

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The airfoil-shaped structural member with curved surfaces prevents vortex airflow formation by guiding air smoothly around the structure. While slightly more complex than flat surfaces, the curvature can be efficiently manufactured using molding techniques, balancing manufacturing feasibility with aerodynamic performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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 structural member effectively reduces dirt and mud adhesion on the imaging window, ensuring clear rear visibility and minimizing aerodynamic turbulence, thus maintaining vehicle aerodynamics and camera functionality.

Implementation Method 1

the structural member has an airfoil section in which the first airflow surface and the second airflow surface face away from each other from the front edge to the rear edge

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAerodynamic flow: Aerofoil

Implementation Method 2

airflow that flows along the side surfaces of the vehicle in the front-to-rear direction becomes turbulent due to the door mirrors. Vortex airflow that swirls toward the flat mirror surfaces from above and below may be formed behind the door mirrors

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVortex suppression: Vortex Generator

Data Source

PatentUS10246142B2Structural member for vehicle

Publication Date: 2019.04.02 SUBARU CORP

AI summary

A structural member for a vehicle projects from a vehicle body. The structural member includes a first airflow surface and a second airflow surface along each of which airflow flows, and an imaging window. The first airflow surface and the second airflow extend between a front edge and a rear edge of the structural member in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body and face away from each other. The first airflow surface has a length longer than a length of the second airflow surface in the front-rear direction. The imaging window is provided in the first airflow surface, and an image of an area outside the vehicle body is captured through the imaging window.