Air dam for motor vehicle

• US 4,585,262 A
• Filed: 03/07/1985
• Issued: 04/29/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Parks, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SONG, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US06/709,417
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 296/1 S, 296/91
• US Class Current: 296/180.1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/005 Front spoilers B62D35/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/82 Elements for improving aerodynamics

Abstract

An air dam is comprised of a plurality of flexible bristles which have upper ends fixedly mounted on a mounting bracket adapted for mounting on the underside of the vehicle front end so that the bristles depend generally vertically toward the road surface. The bristles are mounted in closely packed relationship providing an air impermeable wall which effectively functions as an air deflecting dam. The bristles are sufficiently stiff to resist being bent by the air flow and yet are sufficiently yieldable to bend rearwardly when the air dam brushes over a curb and then bend forwardly as the vehicle backs away from the curb. The mounting bracket extends in a curvilinear path to provide a desired plan form configuration matching the plan form configuration of the vehicle body.

Claims

1. An air dam for attachment to the underside of a motor vehicle and extending downwardly therefrom into proximity with the road surface and potential interference with curbs or like obstructions extending above the road surface;

comprising

a plurality of bristles having upper ends and lower ends; and

a mounting bracket adapted for attachment on the underside of the motor vehicle and mounting the plurality of flexible bristles in closely packed relationship along the length of the mounting bracket in a generally vertical depending orientation whereby the depending bristles normally function to provide an air deflecting dam and flexibly yield upon contact with an obstruction so that the bristles are restored to their normal air dam function when the motor vehicle is moved away from the obstruction.

2. An air dam for attachment to the underside of a motor vehicle extending downwardly therefrom into proximity with the road surface and potential interference with curbs or like obstructions extending above the road surface;

comprising;

a plurality of bristles folded in half;

a retaining wire located in the bight portion of the folded inhalf bristles;

a mounting bracket adapted for attachment on the underside of the motor vehicle and having spaced apart legs crimped around the bight portion of the bristles and the retaining wire whereby the bristles are securely attached to the mounting bracket to extend generally vertically downward therefrom in tightly packed relation to define an air impermeable curtain;

said bristles being sufficiently stiff to resist bending by an oncoming air flow at high vehicle speeds and yet sufficiently flexible to brush over an obstruction without permanent deformation thereto so that the air curtain function is assurely restored when the motor vehicle is moved away from the obstruction.