Aerodynamic system for vehicle

An aerodynamic system for a vehicle, includes: an air duct guiding air flow from a front compartment to the outside of the vehicle; and a rotating body mounted in the air duct and rotatable in the air duct. The rotating body may have a rotation axis along a transverse direction of the vehicle, and the rotating body may rotate around the rotation axis.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0081152, filed on Jun. 22, 2021, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an aerodynamic system for a vehicle, and to an aerodynamic system for a vehicle configured for improving the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle by generating negative drag while the vehicle is driving.

Description of Related Art

The aerodynamic performance of a vehicle is one of key factors in the development stage of the vehicle. During the entire vehicle's driving, drag is usually determined by three components, and the present drag has a large impact on the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle. The factors for the generation of drag that affects the aerodynamic performance include the streamlined styling of the vehicle, unevenness in a vehicle lower structure, the shape of a front portion of the vehicle, etc. which are determined at the initial styling stage of the vehicle. To improve the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle, several factors must be properly considered.

The vehicle includes a front end portion, and a front compartment located behind the front end portion.

The front compartment is partitioned from a passenger compartment by a dash panel. The front compartment receives a powertrain apparatus and heat exchangers (a radiator, a condenser, an intercooler, etc.). The powertrain apparatus includes a power source such as an internal combustion engine (of an internal combustion engine vehicle) or a motor (of an electric vehicle), and related components (transmission, driveshaft, differential gear, axle, etc.) that convert power of the power source into the movement of the vehicle.

Furthermore, the vehicle includes a grille mounted on the front end portion, and an undercover located under the front compartment. The grille has a plurality of openings that allow ambient air to flow into the front compartment. The grille protects the powertrain apparatus, the heat exchangers, etc. received in the front compartment. The undercover has one or more holes for air exit. The aerodynamics of the vehicle may be improved by allowing the air to flow into the front compartment through the grille, and to flow (exit) from the front compartment toward the bottom portion of the vehicle through the holes in the undercover.

An aerodynamic system according to the related art may fail to effectively utilize the flow energy of air from the front compartment to the outside of the vehicle through the holes in the undercover while the vehicle is driving.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing an aerodynamic system for a vehicle configured for improving the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle by generating negative drag using the flow energy of air directed toward the outside of the vehicle while the vehicle is driving.

According to various aspects of the present invention, an aerodynamic system for a vehicle may include: an air duct guiding air flow from a front compartment to the outside of the vehicle; and a rotating body rotatable in the air duct.

When the air is directed from the front compartment to the outside of the vehicle through the air duct while the vehicle is driving, the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle may be improved by implementing the Magnus effect in which a force acts on the rotating body as the rotating body rotates in the air duct.

The rotating body may have a rotation axis along a transverse direction of the vehicle, and the rotating body may rotate around the rotation axis.

As the air flows outwards through the air duct and the rotating body rotates around the rotation axis along the transverse direction of the vehicle, a pressure difference between the front-side pressure in front of the rotating body and a rear-side pressure behind the rotating body may occur. By generating negative drag in the opposite direction to the driving direction of the vehicle, the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle may be improved.

The aerodynamic system may further include a driving mechanism causing the rotating body to rotate in a predetermined rotation direction thereof. The driving mechanism may include an electric motor, and a transmission coupling the electric motor and the rotating body and transmitting power of the electric motor to the rotating body.

As the drive mechanism actively rotates the rotating body, the energy of air flowing outwards through the air duct may be actively utilized.

When air is directed toward the outside of the vehicle through the air duct while the vehicle is driving, the driving mechanism may cause the rotating body to rotate in the predetermined rotation direction to make the front-side pressure in front of the rotating body within the air duct lower than the rear-side pressure behind the rotating body. The rotation direction may be the same as a direction in which a front wheel of the vehicle rotates while the vehicle is driving.

As the rotating body is rotated by the driving mechanism in the same rotation direction as that of the front wheel of the vehicle, the front-side pressure in front of the rotating body may be lower than the rear-side pressure behind the rotating body. Due to a pressure difference between the front-side pressure and the rear-side pressure, the negative drag may be generated in the same direction as the driving direction of the vehicle, and thus the drag of the vehicle may be reduced and the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle may be improved.

The air duct may be mounted on an undercover located under the front compartment, the undercover may have a hole aligned with an outlet of the air duct, and an inlet of the air duct may face the front compartment.

As the inlet of the air duct faces the front compartment, and the outlet of the air duct is aligned with the hole of the undercover, the air may be rapidly directed from the front compartment to the bottom portion of the undercover through the air duct.

The rotating body may be internally disposed within the air duct. A front portion of the rotating body may be spaced from a front wall of the air duct, and a rear portion of the rotating body may be spaced from a rear wall of the air duct. According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a front gap between the front portion of the rotating body and the front wall of the air duct may be the same as a rear gap between the rear portion of the rotating body and the rear wall of the air duct. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a front gap between the front portion of the rotating body and the front wall of the air duct may be less than a rear gap between the rear portion of the rotating body and the rear wall of the air duct.

As the rotating body is spaced from the front wall and the rear wall of the air duct with the gaps therebetween, a front-side space of the air duct in front of the rotating body may be defined between the front portion of the rotating body and the front wall of the air duct, and a rear-side space of the air duct behind the rotating body may be defined between the rear portion of the rotating body and the rear wall of the air duct. As the rotating body rotates within the air duct, a pressure difference may occur between the front-side space of the air duct in front of the rotating body and the rear-side space of the air duct behind the rotating body.

The rotation axis of the rotating body may be aligned with that of a front wheel of the vehicle.

The rotation axis of the rotating body may be located in front of that of a front wheel of the vehicle.

The rotation axis of the rotating body may be located behind that of a front wheel of the vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals will be used throughout to designate the same or equivalent elements. Furthermore, a detailed description of well-known techniques associated with the present invention will be ruled out in order not to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention.

Terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used to describe the elements in exemplary embodiments of the present invention. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element, and the intrinsic features, sequence or order, and the like of the corresponding elements are not limited by the terms. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meanings as those generally understood by those with ordinary knowledge in the field of art to which various exemplary embodiments of the present invention belongs. Such terms as those defined in a generally used dictionary are to be interpreted as having meanings equal to the contextual meanings in the relevant field of art, and are not to be interpreted as having ideal or excessively formal meanings unless clearly defined as having such in the present application.

Referring toFIG.1, a vehicle1may include a front end portion2, and a front compartment3located behind the front end portion2.

The front compartment3may be partitioned from a passenger compartment by a dash panel (also referred to as a “firewall”). The front compartment3may receive a powertrain apparatus and heat exchangers (a radiator, a condenser, an intercooler, etc.). The powertrain apparatus includes a power source such as an internal combustion engine (of an internal combustion engine vehicle) or a motor (of an electric vehicle), and related components (transmission, driveshaft, differential gear, axle, etc.) that convert power of the power source into the movement of the vehicle. A support8supporting some components of the powertrain apparatus, the heat exchangers, and the like may be disposed on a lower portion of the front compartment3, and a top portion of the front compartment3may be opened or closed by a hood9.

Furthermore, the vehicle may include a grille4mounted on the front end portion2, and an undercover5located under the front compartment3. The grille4may have a plurality of openings4athat allow ambient air to flow into the front compartment. The grille4may protect the powertrain apparatus, the heat exchangers, etc. received in the front compartment3. The undercover5may have at least one hole5afor air exit. The hole5ain the undercover5may extend in a width direction of the vehicle.

Referring toFIG.1, an aerodynamic system10for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention may include an air duct11guiding air flow from the front compartment3to the outside of the vehicle1.

The air duct11may be configured to fluidly connect the front compartment3and the outside of the vehicle1. The air duct11may include an inlet11afacing the front compartment3and an outlet11bfacing the outside of the vehicle. The inlet11amay be provided in a top end portion of the air duct11, and the outlet11bmay be provided in a bottom end portion of the air duct11. As the outlet11bof the air duct11is aligned with the hole5aof the undercover5, the outlet11bof the air duct11may be opened to the bottom portion of the undercover5. The inlet11aof the air duct11may face the front compartment3, and the outlet11bof the air duct11may be aligned with the hole5aof the undercover5so that the air may be rapidly directed from the front compartment3to the bottom portion of the undercover5through the air duct11.

Referring toFIG.1, a portion of the air duct11adjacent to the inlet11amay be curved toward the grille4, and thus the air flowing into the front compartment3through the grille4may be rapidly directed into the air duct11.

According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the air duct11may be fixed to the undercover5using fasteners, welding, and/or the like.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the air duct11and the undercover5may form a unitary one-piece structure.

Referring toFIG.1, a height H of the air duct11refers to a dimension extending in a height direction of the vehicle. Referring toFIG.2, a width W of the air duct11refers to a dimension extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a length L of the air duct11refers to a dimension extending in the width direction of the vehicle.

Referring toFIG.2, the air duct11may have a front wall11cfacing the front of the vehicle, a rear wall11dfacing the rear of the vehicle, a left wall11efacing the left side of the vehicle, and a right wall11ffacing the right side of the vehicle.

Referring toFIG.2, the air duct11may extend between front wheel houses6of the vehicle1in the width direction of the vehicle. Each front wheel house6may have a cavity in which a corresponding front wheel7is received, and each front wheel7may rotate around a rotation axis X1in the cavity of the corresponding front wheel house6.

Referring toFIG.1andFIG.2, the aerodynamic system10for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention may include a rotating body12rotatable in the air duct11, and a driving mechanism13causing the rotating body12to rotate.

The rotating body12may have a rotation axis X2extending along the width (or transverse) direction of the vehicle, and the rotating body12may rotate around the rotation axis X2. Both end portions of the rotating body12may be rotatably supported by a pair of rotational supports14such as bearings, respectively. Referring toFIG.2, the rotation axis X2of the rotating body12may be aligned with the rotation axis X1of each front wheel7.

Referring toFIG.1, the rotating body12may be disposed between the inlet11aand the outlet11bof the air duct11in the height direction of the vehicle. Referring toFIG.2andFIG.3, the rotating body12may be disposed between the front wall11cand the rear wall11dof the air duct11in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A front portion of the rotating body12may be spaced from the front wall11cof the air duct11, and a rear portion of the rotating body12may be spaced from the rear wall11dof the air duct11. A front-side space51of the air duct11in front of the rotating body12may be defined between the front portion of the rotating body12and the front wall11cof the air duct11, and a rear-side space52of the air duct11behind the rotating body12may be defined between the rear portion of the rotating body12and the rear wall11dof the air duct11.

Referring toFIG.3,FIG.4, andFIG.5, a diameter D of the rotating body12may be less than the width W of the air duct11. A front gap G1between the front portion of the rotating body12and the front wall11cof the air duct11may be the same as a rear gap G2between the rear portion of the rotating body12and the rear wall11dof the air duct11so that the front-side space51of the air duct11in front of the rotating body12and the rear-side space52of the air duct11behind the rotating body12may have the same volume.

Referring toFIG.2, the driving mechanism13may allow the rotating body12to rotate in a predetermined rotation direction. According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the driving mechanism13may include an electric motor15, and a transmission16transmitting power of the electric motor15to the rotating body12. For example, the transmission16may include various transmission mechanisms such as a belt transmission mechanism and a gear train for transmitting a torque of the electric motor15to the rotating body12.

Referring toFIG.3, when the rotating body12does not rotate in the air duct11, the air passing through the air duct11may be uniformly distributed to the front-side space51and the rear-side space52, and a front-side pressure in front of the rotating body12may be the same as a rear-side pressure behind the rotating body12. The front-side pressure in front of the rotating body12may be an air pressure acting in the front-side space51of the air duct11in front of the rotating body12, and the rear-side pressure behind the rotating body12may be an air pressure acting in the rear-side space52of the air duct11behind the rotating body12.

Referring toFIGS.1and4, the driving mechanism13may cause the rotating body12to rotate in a predetermined rotation direction R2. Here, the rotation direction R2of the rotating body12may be the same as a rotation direction R1of the front wheel7of the vehicle1.

During the vehicle's driving, when the rotating body12is rotated by the driving mechanism13in the same rotation direction R2(a counterclockwise direction inFIG.4) as that of the front wheel7of the vehicle1in a state in which the air flows through the air duct11, a velocity V1of the air passing through the front-side space51in front of the rotation body12may be faster than a velocity V2of the air passing through the rear-side space52behind the rotation body12, and thus the front-side pressure in front of the rotating body12may be lower than the rear-side pressure behind the rotating body12. As the rotating body12rotates in the rotation direction R2which is the same as the rotation direction R1of the front wheel7of the vehicle, a pressure difference between the front-side pressure in front of the rotating body12and the rear-side pressure behind the rotating body12may occur. Thus, as illustrated inFIG.5, the Magnus effect in which negative drag N acts on the rotating body12in the same direction as the driving direction of the vehicle may be achieved. Since the rotating body12is connected to a vehicle body of the vehicle, the negative drag may equally act on the vehicle. While the vehicle is driving, drag (referred to as “positive drag” or “aerodynamic drag”) acts opposite to the driving direction of the vehicle. However, the aerodynamic system10according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention may generate the negative drag N that acts in the opposite direction to the positive drag by the rotation of the rotating body12, reducing the drag of the vehicle and improving the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle.

According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as illustrated inFIG.6, the rotating body12may be relatively adjacent to the front wall11cin the air duct11, and a front gap G3between the front portion of the rotating body12and the front wall11cof the air duct11may be less than a rear gap G4between the rear portion of the rotating body12and the rear wall11dof the air duct11. Thus, a front-side space61of the air duct11in front of the rotating body12may have a smaller volume than that of a rear-side space62of the air duct11behind the rotating body12. When the rotating body12rotates in the same rotation direction R2as the rotation direction R1of the front wheel7of the vehicle during the driving of the vehicle, a velocity of the air passing through the front-side space61may be relatively faster than that in the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.3,FIG.4, andFIG.5. Accordingly, a pressure difference between the front-side pressure in front of the rotating body12and the rear-side pressure behind the rotating body12may increase compared to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG.3,FIG.4, andFIG.5, and thus the greater negative drag with respect to the rotating body12may be generated. Furthermore, since the front-side space61in front of the rotating body12has a relatively narrow cross-section compared to the rear-side space62behind the rotating body12, the negative drag due to the Magnus effect may be generated more smoothly even when a rotation speed of the rotating body12is relatively reduced.

According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as illustrated inFIG.2, the rotation axis X2of the rotating body12may be aligned with the rotation axis X1of the front wheel7.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated inFIG.7, the rotation axis X2of the rotating body12may be located in front of the rotation axis X1of the front wheel7, and thus the rotation axis X2of the rotating body12may be closer to the front of the vehicle than the rotation axis X1of the front wheel7.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated inFIG.8, the rotation axis X2of the rotating body12may be located behind the rotation axis X1of the front wheel7, and thus the rotation axis X2of the rotating body12may be closer to the rear of the vehicle than the rotation axis X1of the front wheel7.

Referring toFIG.9, the aerodynamic system10for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention may include a plurality of air ducts21and31, a plurality of rotating bodies22and32rotatable in the plurality of air ducts21and31, respectively, and a plurality of driving mechanisms23and33causing the plurality of rotating bodies22and32to rotate, respectively. The undercover5may have a plurality of holes aligned with the plurality of air ducts21and31, respectively. For example, the two air ducts21and31may be disposed symmetrically on the left and right sides of the vehicle. That is, a left air duct21may be disposed on the left side of the vehicle, and a right air duct31may be disposed on the right side of the vehicle. A left rotating body22may be rotatable in the left air duct21, and a right rotating body32may be rotatable in the right air duct31. A left driving mechanism23may cause the left rotating body22to rotate, and a right driving mechanism33may cause the right rotating body32to rotate. The two driving mechanisms23and33may allow the corresponding rotating bodies22and33to rotate at different speeds so that different magnitudes of negative drag on the left and right sides of the vehicle may be generated.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the driving mechanism13,23and33may be connected to a controller to control the rotation of the motors in the driving mechanism13,23and33.

As set forth above, the aerodynamic system for a vehicle according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention may generate the negative drag using the flow energy of air directed toward the outside of the vehicle during the vehicle's driving, achieving the drag reduction and improving the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle.

The control device may be at least one microprocessor operated by a predetermined program which may include a series of commands for carrying out the method disclosed in the aforementioned various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

The aforementioned invention can also be embodied as computer readable codes on a computer readable recording medium. The computer readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data which can be thereafter read by a computer system. Examples of the computer readable recording medium include hard disk drive (HDD), solid state disk (SSD), silicon disk drive (SDD), read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy discs, optical data storage devices, etc. and implementation as carrier waves (e.g., transmission over the Internet).

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each operation described above may be performed by a control device, and the control device may be configured by multiple control devices, or an integrated single control device.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the control device may be implemented in a form of hardware or software, or may be implemented in a combination of hardware and software.