Adjustable vehicular airflow control device

• US 6,926,346 B1
• Filed: 03/11/2004
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Inventors: Wong, Alec C., Farmer, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): ENGLE, PATRICIA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/797,955
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 296/180.1, 296/180.2, 296/180.3, 296/180.5
• US Class Current: 296/180.5
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/001 For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/005 Front spoilers B62D35/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/82 Elements for improving aerodynamics

Abstract

An adjustable vehicular airflow control device (10 and 100). The control device includes a deflector panel (12 and 112) adapted to be disposed on a front section (14) of a vehicle to selectively control airflow about the front section of the vehicle. The control device further includes an actuator assembly (28 and 128) coupled to the deflector panel for linearly moving the deflector panel, such as in vertical direction and/or a fore and aft direction, and rotating the deflector panel. Preferably, the deflector panel is adjustable while the vehicle is moving. A method of controlling a position of a deflector panel disposed on a front section of a vehicle. The method includes sensing a speed of the vehicle and automatically adjusting a position of the deflector panel relative to the vehicle based upon the sensed speed of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An adjustable vehicular airflow control device comprising:

(a) a deflector panel adapted to be disposed on a vehicle to selectively control airflow about of the vehicle; and

(b) an actuator assembly coupled to the deflector panel for moving the deflector panel, wherein the actuator assembly is adapted to move the deflector panel to independently adjust an inclination and an elevation of the deflector panel and wherein the actuator assembly is adapted to adjust the elevation of the deflector panel without resulting in a substantial change in the inclination or a longitudinal position of the deflector panel.

2. The adjustable vehicular airflow control device of claim 1, wherein the actuator assembly is adapted to move the deflector panel to simultaneously adjust the elevation and the inclination of the deflector panel.

3. The adjustable vehicular airflow control device of claim 1, wherein the actuator assembly is adapted to move the deflector panel to adjust a longitudinal position of the deflector panel.

4. The adjustable vehicular airflow control device of claim 1, wherein the actuator assembly moves the deflector panel from a stored position in which the deflector panel is substantially flush mounted in an opening in the vehicle, and a deployed position in which at least a portion of the deflector panel is disposed above the opening to engage an airstream flowing over the heed vehicle.

5. The adjustable vehicular airflow control device of claim 1, further comprising a controller coupled in communication with the actuator assembly, the controller operable to automatically control the actuator assembly to move the deflector panel based upon a sensed speed of the vehicle.

6. The adjustable vehicular airflow control device of claim 1, further comprising a controller coupled in communication with the actuator assembly, the controller operable to automatically control the actuator assembly to adjust the elevation and the inclination of the deflector panel based upon a sensed speed of the vehicle.

7. The adjustable vehicular airflow control device of claim 1, wherein the actuator assembly is adapted to rotate the deflector panel without resulting in a substantial change in the longitudinal position of the deflector panel.

8. An adjustable vehicular airflow control device comprising:

(a) a deflector panel adapted to be disposed on a vehicle to selectively control airflow about of the vehicle; and

(b) an actuator assembly coupled to the deflector panel, the actuator assembly adapted to selectively displace the deflector panel independently in three or more degrees of freedom.

9. An adjustable vehicular airflow control device comprising:

(a) a deflector panel for mounting on a vehicle;

(b) an actuator assembly coupled to the deflector panel, the actuator assembly adapted to adjust a position of the deflector panel relative to the vehicle; and

(c) a controller coupled in communication with the actuator assembly, the controller operable to automatically control the actuator assembly to adjust the position of the deflector panel in a vertical, horizontal, and rotational manner independently of one another based upon a sensed speed of the vehicle.

10. A front section of a vehicle comprising:

(a) a hood having a top surface, the top surface having an opening therein;

(b) an adjustable airflow control device comprising;

(i) a deflector panel; and

(ii) an actuator assembly for moving the deflector panel into a stored position in which the deflector panel is substantially flush mounted in the opening, and a deployed position in which at least a portion of the deflector panel is disposed above the top surface to engage an airstream flowing over the top surface, and wherein the actuator assembly is adapted to adjust the deployed position of the deflector panel by adjusting an elevation without resulting in a substantial change in an inclination or a horizontal position of the deflector panel.

11. A method of controlling a position of a deflector panel disposed on a vehicle, the method comprising:

(a) sensing a speed of the vehicle; and

(b) automatically adjusting an inclination and a height of the deflector panel independently of one another based upon the sensed speed of the vehicle, such that the height of the deflector panel may be adjusted without resulting in a substantial change in a longitudinal position or the inclination of the deflector panel.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising simultaneously adjusting a height and the inclination of the deflector panel based upon the sensed speed of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising decreasing an inclination of the deflector panel as the sensed speed increases.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising decreasing a height of a center of the deflector panel as the sensed speed increases.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising selectively positioning the deflector panel in a stowed position in which the deflector panel is flush mounted within an opening in a top surface of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising simultaneously lowering a height of a center of the deflector panel and decreasing an inclination of the deflector panel based upon an increase in the sensed speed of the vehicle.

17. An adjustable vehicular airflow control device comprising a deflector panel adapted to be disposed on a vehicle to selectively control airflow about of the vehicle, the deflector panel independently adjustable in a first linear direction, in a second linear direction, and in an inclination relative to the vehicle while the vehicle is moving.

18. An adjustable vehicular airflow control device comprising a deflector panel adapted to be disposed on a vehicle to selectively control airflow about the vehicle, the deflector panel independently adjustable in a fore and aft direction, in elevation, and in inclination relative to the vehicle while the vehicle is moving such that movement of the deflector panel is not restricted to a single predetermined path.

19. An adjustable vehicular airflow control device comprising a deflector panel adapted to be disposed on a vehicle to selectively control airflow about the vehicle, the deflector panel adjustable in a vertical direction relative to the vehicle and in inclination relative to the vehicle, and wherein the deflector panel may be adjusted in the vertical direction without substantially changing a fore and aft location or the inclination of the deflector panel.