Patent ID: 11945517
Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. An assembly comprising:
a front subframe extending along a vehicle-longitudinal axis, the front subframe having two frame rails and a control arm connector on each frame rail;
the two frame rails diverging from each other vehicle-rearward of the respective control arm connector, each one of the frame rails has a diverging portion vehicle-rearward of the respective control arm connector and diverging from the other of the frame rails;
a panel supported on the frame rails and spaced vehicle-rearward of the control arm connector, the panel having a front end and a rear end spaced vehicle-rearward of the front end along the vehicle-longitudinal axis;
the panel extending cross-vehicle from one of the frame rails to the other of the frame rails;
the panel including a channel elongated along the vehicle-longitudinal axis;
a vehicle component spaced entirely from the panel vehicle-rearward of the panel along the longitudinal axis with a space along the vehicle-longitudinal axis between the entire vehicle component and the panel; and
the channel being designed to discharge airflow vehicle-rearward from the rear end of the panel along the vehicle-longitudinal axis across the space to the vehicle component; and
the panel being connected to the diverging portions and fixing the frame rails relative to each other cross-vehicle to prevent relative cross-vehicle movement of the frame rails at the diverging portions, the panel being designed to limit the lateral movement of the two frame rails vehicle-rearward of the control arm connector.