Air guiding arrangement for a motor vehicle front end

• US 6,033,010 A
• Filed: 01/27/1998
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dr. Ing. H.C.F. Porsche Ag
• Original Assignee: Dr. Ing. H.C.F. Porsche Ag
• Inventors: Preiss, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoge, Gary C.
• Application Number:
  US09/014,166
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 296/180.1, 296/180.5, 296/208
• 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

A vehicle-body-side air guiding device guides a first air current A such that it, is blown out directly in front of and exclusively in the area of the front wheels through blow-out openings provided on the bottom side of the vehicle in the direction of the roadway and, in the driving operation, forms an air wedge so that the air current B flowing through between the roadway and the bottom side of the vehicle is guided around the front wheels. So that the front wheel lift is not increased during the blowing-out of the air current, it is provided that, viewed in the flow direction of the air current, one deflection blade respectively is provided which is connected behind the blow-out openings and which deflects the air current emerging from the outlet openings toward the exterior side of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An air guiding arrangement for a motor vehicle front end, comprising:

an air guiding structure defining an air duct extending transversely in front of a front wheel of the motor vehicle, said air guiding structure defining a forward-facing inlet opening which communicates with said air duct, said air guiding structure defining a blow-out opening at a lower side of said air duct in front of said front wheel; and

a deflection blade arranged adjacent said blowout opening and exterior of said air duct, a surface of said deflection blade which faces said blow-out opening being inclined toward a lateral side of the motor vehicle.

2. An air guiding arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a forward movement of said motor vehicle generates a first air current which flows into said air duct via said inlet opening and flows out of said air duct via said blow-out opening, and wherein said forward movement of said motor vehicle generates a second air current which flows below said air guiding structure, said deflection blade being arranged such that said first air current generates an air wedge in front of the front wheel such that said second air current is guided laterally around the front wheel.

3. An air guiding arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a cooler is arranged in said air duct.

4. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the deflection blade is manufactured of a flexible material.

5. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the deflection blade is screwed to a bottom side of the air guiding structure.

6. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the deflection blade is adhesively connected to a bottom side of the air guiding structure.

7. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the deflection blade is positioned on a boundary edge of the air guiding structure defining the blow-out opening, said boundary edge being oriented toward a center of the motor vehicle, said deflection blade being at least as long as the boundary edge.

8. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the deflection blade is arranged in parallel to a locally existing current.

9. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a width of the deflection blade is approximately one-half of a width of the blow-out opening.

10. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a deflection radius of the deflection blade preferably corresponds approximately to a height of the deflection blade.

11. An air guiding arrangement for a motor vehicle front end having an air guiding structure defining an air duct extending transversely in front of a front wheel of the motor vehicle, said air guiding structure defining an forward-facing inlet opening which communicates with said air duct, said air guiding structure defining a blow-out opening at a lower side of said air duct in front of said front wheel, said air guiding arrangement comprising:

a deflection blade arranged adjacent said blowout opening and exterior of said air duct, a surface of said deflection blade which faces said blow-out opening being inclined toward a lateral side of the motor vehicle.

12. A method of manufacturing an air guiding arrangement for a motor vehicle front end having an air guiding structure defining an air duct extending transversely in front of a front wheel of the motor vehicle, said air guiding structure defining an forward-facing inlet opening which communicates with said air duct, said air guiding structure defining a blow-out opening at a lower side of said air duct in front of said front wheel, said method comprising:

arranging a deflection blade adjacent said blow-out opening and exterior of said air duct, such that a surface of said deflection blade which faces said blow-out opening is inclined toward a lateral side of the motor vehicle.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein a forward movement of said motor vehicle generates a first air current which flows into said air duct via said inlet opening and flows out of said air duct via said blow-out opening, and wherein said forward movement of said motor vehicle generates a second air current which flows below said air guiding structure, said deflection blade being arranged such that said first air current generates an air wedge in front of the front wheel such that said second air current is guided laterally around the front wheel.