Active Wheel Spat Control for Lower Steering Force on Curves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle designs struggle to enhance both aerodynamic performance and drivability, particularly during high-speed travel and maneuvering on curves.
Innovation Solution
A spat control device that adjusts the deployment amounts of right and left spats based on road curvature and user-selected operation modes, increasing the deployment of spats on the outer wheel relative to the inner wheel during turns to enhance yawing moment and reduce steering force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the spat is deployed in front of the wheel during high-speed travel, then aerodynamic performance is improved, but drivability deteriorates due to increased steering force requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The spat deployment amount is dynamically adjusted based on vehicle operating conditions. During curve travel, the deployment amount is reduced compared to straight-line travel, allowing the system to adapt to different driving scenarios and resolve the contradiction between aerodynamic performance and drivability
Solution Approach 2:
The spat deployment amount is differentiated between left and right spats based on which side is on the outer wheel during a turn. The outer spat has a smaller deployment amount than the inner spat, creating asymmetric local adjustments that reduce overall steering force while maintaining aerodynamic benefits
2Reliability
If the deployment amount of spats is increased to improve aerodynamic performance, then airflow control is enhanced, but steering force required during turns increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deployment amount parameter of the spats is changed based on vehicle operating conditions. During curve travel, the deployment amount is reduced from the maximum position, directly changing the physical parameter to reduce the adverse effect on steering force while maintaining aerodynamic performance
Data Source
AI summary
A spat control device controls a spat device that includes a right spat and a left spat for front wheels of a vehicle. The spat control device includes: an acquisition unit acquiring a shape of a road in front of the vehicle; and a control unit adjusting deployment amounts of the spats by controlling drive units of the spat device. When the vehicle travels on a curve, the right or left wheel that is on an inner side of a turn is set to an inner wheel and the other wheel that is on an outer side of the turn is set to an outer wheel. When the acquired road shape includes the curve, the control unit performs an adjustment process of making a deployment amount of one of the spats, corresponding to the outer wheel, larger than a deployment amount of another spat corresponding to the inner wheel.