PIVOTALLY DEPLOYABLE AIR DAM UTILIZING ACTIVE MATERIAL ACTUATION
First Claim
1. An active air dam adapted for use with a vehicle, said dam comprising:
- a deflector coupled and pivotally translatable relative to the vehicle, so as to define a pivot axis and achieve stowed and deployed conditions, wherein the deflector, when in the deployed condition, is configured to occlude an air flow beneath the vehicle, when the vehicle is in motion; and
an active material actuator including an active material operable to undergo a change in at least one fundamental property when exposed to an activation signal, and drivenly coupled to the deflector, such that the actuator is configured to exert a first force upon the deflector that causes the deflector to pivot to one of the stowed and deployed conditions as a result of the change,wherein the deflector includes at least one pivot arm defining the axis, the actuator includes a cable attached to the vehicle and a structural fastener interconnecting the arm and cable, the arm is caused to upwardly pivot, so that the deflector is caused to translate to the stowed condition by producing a force vector in the cable, and the deflector and vehicle cooperatively define a detent or a latching mechanism configured to retain the deflector in one of the stowed and deployed conditions, when the material is not exposed to the signal.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An active air dam adapted for use with a vehicle, includes a deflector pivotally translatable relative to the vehicle, so as to be caused to achieve stowed and deployed conditions, wherein the deflector, when in the deployed condition, is configured to occlude air flow beneath the vehicle, and further includes an active material actuator comprising an active material drivenly coupled to the deflector, and configured to cause the deflector to pivot to one of the stowed and deployed conditions as a result of activating the material, and the vehicle is preferably configured to cause the actuator to pivot the deflector when a pre-determined vehicle or external condition is detected.
50 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An active air dam adapted for use with a vehicle, said dam comprising:
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a deflector coupled and pivotally translatable relative to the vehicle, so as to define a pivot axis and achieve stowed and deployed conditions, wherein the deflector, when in the deployed condition, is configured to occlude an air flow beneath the vehicle, when the vehicle is in motion; and an active material actuator including an active material operable to undergo a change in at least one fundamental property when exposed to an activation signal, and drivenly coupled to the deflector, such that the actuator is configured to exert a first force upon the deflector that causes the deflector to pivot to one of the stowed and deployed conditions as a result of the change, wherein the deflector includes at least one pivot arm defining the axis, the actuator includes a cable attached to the vehicle and a structural fastener interconnecting the arm and cable, the arm is caused to upwardly pivot, so that the deflector is caused to translate to the stowed condition by producing a force vector in the cable, and the deflector and vehicle cooperatively define a detent or a latching mechanism configured to retain the deflector in one of the stowed and deployed conditions, when the material is not exposed to the signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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9. (canceled)
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14. (canceled)
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19-20. -20. (canceled)
Specification