VEHICLE INCLUDING AN AERODYNAMIC SYSTEM CONFIGURED TO SELECTIVELY VARY AN AERODYNAMIC FORCE ACTING ON THE VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A vehicle having a center of gravity, the vehicle comprising:
- a body extending along a longitudinal axis, between a forward end and a rearward end, wherein the forward end is configured to face an oncoming ambient airflow when the vehicle is in motion relative to a road surface;
wherein the body extends along a lateral axis, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, between a first side and a second side;
an aerodynamic element movably attached to the body and arranged to intersect the ambient airflow such that the ambient airflow circulates about the aerodynamic element and generates an aerodynamic force;
a movement mechanism movably coupling the aerodynamic element and the body, wherein the movement mechanism is configured to selectively move the aerodynamic element, relative to the body, along a longitudinal axis and/or a lateral axis;
a plurality of sensors configured to collectively generate input signals corresponding to an operating condition of the vehicle, as the vehicle is in motion relative to the road surface; and
a controller in operative communication with the movement mechanism and the plurality of sensors, wherein the controller is operable to;
determine a desired location of the aerodynamic element;
determine a desired position of the movement mechanism corresponding to the desired location of the aerodynamic element; and
transmit a movement signal to the movement mechanism to change position to the desired position and thereby change location of the aerodynamic element to the desired location.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle includes a body, an aerodynamic element, a movement mechanism, a plurality of sensors, and a controller. The body is located along a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis. The aerodynamic element intersects ambient airflow, which generates an aerodynamic force. The movement mechanism moves the aerodynamic element, relative to the body, along the longitudinal and lateral axes. The sensors collectively generate input signals corresponding to an operating condition of the vehicle. The controller determines a current position of the movement mechanism, corresponding to a current location of the aerodynamic element on the axes and determines a desired position of the movement mechanism, corresponding to a desired location of the aerodynamic element on the axes. The controller transmits a movement signal to the movement mechanism to change position from the current position to the desired position, such that the aerodynamic element moves from the current location to the desired location.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vehicle having a center of gravity, the vehicle comprising:
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a body extending along a longitudinal axis, between a forward end and a rearward end, wherein the forward end is configured to face an oncoming ambient airflow when the vehicle is in motion relative to a road surface; wherein the body extends along a lateral axis, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, between a first side and a second side; an aerodynamic element movably attached to the body and arranged to intersect the ambient airflow such that the ambient airflow circulates about the aerodynamic element and generates an aerodynamic force; a movement mechanism movably coupling the aerodynamic element and the body, wherein the movement mechanism is configured to selectively move the aerodynamic element, relative to the body, along a longitudinal axis and/or a lateral axis; a plurality of sensors configured to collectively generate input signals corresponding to an operating condition of the vehicle, as the vehicle is in motion relative to the road surface; and a controller in operative communication with the movement mechanism and the plurality of sensors, wherein the controller is operable to; determine a desired location of the aerodynamic element; determine a desired position of the movement mechanism corresponding to the desired location of the aerodynamic element; and transmit a movement signal to the movement mechanism to change position to the desired position and thereby change location of the aerodynamic element to the desired location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An aerodynamic system, for a vehicle including a body having a center of gravity and located along a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, and including a plurality of sensors configured to collectively generate input signals corresponding to an operating condition of the vehicle, the aerodynamic system comprising:
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an aerodynamic element configured to be movably attached to the body and configured to be arranged to intersect the ambient airflow such that the ambient airflow circulates about the aerodynamic element and generates an aerodynamic force on the vehicle; and a movement mechanism configured to movably couple the aerodynamic element and the body, wherein the movement mechanism is configured to selectively move the aerodynamic element, relative to the body, along the longitudinal axis and/or the lateral axis; and a controller configured to be in operative communication with the movement mechanism and the plurality of sensors, wherein the controller is operable to; determine a current position of the movement mechanism, corresponding to a current location of the aerodynamic element along the longitudinal axis and/or the lateral axis; determine a desired position of the movement mechanism, corresponding to a desired location of the aerodynamic element along the longitudinal axis and/or the lateral axis; and transmit a movement signal to the movement mechanism to change position from the current position to the desired position, such that the aerodynamic element moves from the current location to the desired location along the longitudinal axis and/or the lateral axis. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of controlling an aerodynamic force acting on a vehicle having a body located along a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis and an aerodynamic element configured to intersect an ambient airflow as the vehicle moves through the ambient airflow, the method comprising:
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determining, with a controller, a desired location of the aerodynamic element; determining, with the controller, a desired position of a movement mechanism corresponding to the desired location of the aerodynamic element, wherein the movement mechanism movably couples the aerodynamic element and the body, and is configured to selectively move the aerodynamic element, relative to the body, along a longitudinal axis and/or a lateral axis; and transmitting a movement signal to the movement mechanism to change position to the desired position and thereby change location of the aerodynamic element to the desired location along the longitudinal axis and/or the lateral axis. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification