Air spoiler device

Disclosed herein is an air spoiler device which comprises a base member; two rail members secured to the base member and extending in parallel with each other; two sliders slidably and respectively engaged with the rail members, so that each slider is slidable forwardly and rearwardly along the corresponding rail member; two supporting leg units respectively mounted on the sliders; a spoiler fin mounted on the two supporting leg units; and a drive for moving the sliders forwardly and rearwardly along the rail members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates in general to air spoilers for a motor 
vehicle, and more particularly to rear spoilers of a type which can move 
between an operative position and an inoperative position. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Hitherto, various types of rear spoilers for motor vehicles have been 
proposed and put into practical use in order to improve the high-speed 
stability of the vehicle. 
Some of them are of a fixed type in which a spoiler fin is unmovably 
mounted on a rear end of the vehicle. However, this type rear spoiler 
becomes a nuisance when the vehicle is parked or runs at a lower speed. 
In order to eliminate such drawback, a so-called "retractable rear spoiler" 
has been proposed, in which the spoiler fin is wholly retracted in the 
body of the vehicle when the stabilizing effect of the spoiler becomes 
unnecessary. However, this type of spoiler narrows remarkably the interior 
space, viz., the rear trunk room, of the vehicle due to the inherency of 
the retractable construction thereof. 
Furthermore, when the rear spoiler is mounted on a rear end of a 
spring-biased pivotal trunk lid of the vehicle, it becomes necessary to 
replace the hitherto-used lid spring with a high power one in order to 
bear the increased moment caused by the provision of the spoiler on the 
rear end of the trunk lid. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a rear 
spoiler device which is free of the above-mentioned drawbacks. 
In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air 
spoiler device which comprises a base member; two rail members secured to 
the base member and extending in parallel with each other; two sliders 
slidably and respectively engaged with the rail members, so that each 
slider is slidable forwardly and rearwardly along the corresponding rail 
member; two supporting leg units respectively mounted on the sliders; a 
spoiler fin mounted on the two supporting leg units; and drive means for 
moving the sliders forwardly and rearwardly along the rail members. 
In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air 
spoiler device which comprises a base member; two rail members secured to 
the base member and extending in parallel with each other; two sliders 
slidably and respectively engaged with the rail members, so that each 
slider is slidable forwardly and rearwardly along the corresponding rail 
member; two supporting leg units respectively mounted on the sliders; a 
spoiler fin mounted on the two supporting leg units; drive means for 
moving the sliders forwardly and rearwardly along the rail members; and 
folding and raising means which folds the two supporting leg units to 
lower the spoiler fin when the sliders are moved to front portions of the 
rail members and raises the two supporting leg units to raise the spoiler 
fin when the sliders are moved back to rear portions of the rail members. 
In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air 
spoiler device which comprises a base member; two rail members secured to 
the base member and extending in parallel with each other; two sliders 
slidably and respectively engaged with the rail members, so that each 
slider is slidable forwardly and rearwardly along the corresponding rail 
member; two supporting leg units respectively mounted on the sliders; a 
spoiler fin mounted on the two supporting leg units; drive means for 
moving the sliders forwardly and rearwardly along the rail members; 
folding and raising means which folds the two supporting leg units to 
lower the spoiler fin when the sliders are moved to front portions of the 
rail members and raises the two supporting leg units to raise the spoiler 
fin when the sliders are moved back to rear portions of the rail members; 
a flap pivotally mounted on the spoiler fin, the flap being pivotal 
between a raised position wherein the flap is raised from the spoiler fin 
and a rest position wherein the flap is neatly received in a container 
space defined in the spoiler fin; and two identical drive units mounted in 
the spoiler fin to actuate the flap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to the accompanying drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 to 4, there is 
shown a rear spoiler device according to the present invention, which is 
generally designated by numeral 10. 
As is seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, the rear spoiler device 10 is mounted on a 
trunk lid Al of a passenger motor vehicle A. As will be described in 
detail hereinafter, a spoiler fin of the rear spoiler device 10 is moved 
between its "in-use" (or raised rear) position as shown in FIG. 3 and its 
"not in-use" (or folded front) position as shown in FIG. 4. 
As is best seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the rear spoiler device 10 comprises 
generally a base member 20 securedly mounted on the trunk lid Al, a pair 
of supporting leg units 40 and 40 extending from the base member 20 and a 
spoiler fin 50 mounted on the supporting leg units 40 and 40. 
The base member 20 has a flat casing 21 flatly mounted on the trunk lid A1. 
As is seen from FIG. 1, the base member 20 has an inclined front edge 21a 
positioned near a rear window A2 of the vehicle A. 
Within the base member 20, there is securedly installed a generally 
U-shaped guide rail structure 25 which serves also as a frame of the base 
member 20. As will be understood from FIGS. 1 and 7, the U-shaped guide 
rail structure 25 is of a channel member having its opening directed 
upward and includes a straight base portion (no numeral) which extends 
along the front edge 21a of the base member 20 and opposed side rail 
portions 26 and 26 (see FIG. 7) which extend rearwardly from respective 
ends of the base portion. 
The opposed side rail portions 26 and 26 have respective sliders 27 and 27 
slidably engaged therewith. Thus, each slider 27 is slidable forward and 
rearward along the corresponding side rail portion 26. 
Each side rail portion 26 has an elongate supporting plate 28 which extends 
therealong and is secured thereto. An elongate wall member 29a is secured 
to each supporting plate 28 and extends along the same. As will be seen 
from FIG. 1, each elongate wall member 29a has at its inside surface a 
longitudinally extending guide groove 29 which is bent at a middle part. 
That is, the guide groove 29 comprises an upper straight part (no numeral) 
provided at a front portion of the wall member 29a, a lower straight part 
(no numeral) provided at a rear portion of the wall member 29a and an 
inclined junction part (no numeral) provided between the upper and lower 
straight parts. 
As is seen from FIGS. 1 and 7, a power unit 30 is arranged at the straight 
base portion of the U-shaped guide rail structure 25. As is best seen from 
FIG. 7, the power unit 30 comprises generally a reversible electric motor 
31 and a reduction gear mechanism 32 which are secured to the straight 
base portion. The reduction gear mechanism 32 has an input gear (not 
shown) driven by the electric motor 31 and an output gear (no numeral) by 
which two geared cables 35 and 35 are driven in opposite directions. As is 
seen from the drawing, each geared cable 35 extends along the straight 
base portion and one of the opposed side rail portions 26 and 26. These 
two geared cables 35 and 35 have leading ends respectively connected to 
the aforementioned sliders 27 and 27. Thus, when, due to energization of 
the electric motor 31, the output gear of the reduction gear mechanism 32 
is rotated, the sliders 27 and 27 are moved in the same direction in and 
along the respective side rail portions 26 and 26. 
As is seen from FIG. 1, each supporting leg unit 40 comprises front and 
rear leg members 41 and 45. These leg members 41 and 45 have respective 
lower ends pivotally connected through respective pivot pins 41a and 45a 
to front and rear portions of one of the sliders 27 and 27. As is seen 
from FIG. 1, the front and rear leg members 41 and 45 have respective 
upper ends pivotally connected through pivot pins 41b and 45b to front and 
rear portions of a bracket 49 which is secured to the spoiler fin 50 by 
means of front and rear connecting bolts 49a and 49b. Thus, the slider 27, 
the front and rear leg members 41 and 45 and the bracket 49 constitute a 
foldable rectangular structure. 
As is seen from FIGS. 1 and 7, the front leg member 41 has, at its lower 
outside surface, a follower pin 42 which is slidably engaged with the 
aforementioned guide groove 29 of the elongate wall member 29a. Thus, it 
will be appreciated that when the sliders 27 and 27 are moved along the 
side rail portions 26 and 26, the supporting leg units 40 and 40 are 
subjected to a swinging movement. More specifically, when each slider 27 
is located at a rear portion of the corresponding side rail portion 26 
having the follower pin 42 mated with the lower straight part of the guide 
groove 29, the unit 40 assumes its raised rear position. While, when the 
slider 27 is located at a front portion of the side rail portion 26 having 
the follower pin 42 mated with the upper straight part of the groove 29, 
the unit 40 assumes its folded front position, as will be understood from 
FIG. 1. 
As is seen from FIG. 1, the side rail portions 26 and 26 each have a rear 
terminal end on which a stopper member 26a is securedly mounted. As is 
seen from FIGS. 1 and 7, two stopper members 26b and 26c are further 
provided at a relatively front portion of each side rail portion 26. 
Each front leg member 41 has at its upper end a stopper surface 44 which is 
brought into abutment with the head of the front connecting bolt 49a when 
the supporting leg unit 40 assumes its raised rear position. Furthermore, 
each front leg member 41 has at its lower end portion another stopper 
surface 43 which is brought into abutment with the stopper member 26b when 
the supporting leg unit 40 assumes its folded front position. 
Each rear leg member 45 has at its lower end portion a stopper surface 46. 
The stopper surface 46 is brought into abutment with the stopper member 
26a when the supporting leg unit 40 assumes its raised rear position, and 
the stopper surface 46 is brought into abutment with the stopper member 
26c when the supporting leg unit 40 assumes its folded front position. 
Furthermore, each rear leg member 45 has at its upper end portion another 
stopper surface 47 which is brought into the head of the rear connecting 
bolt 49b when the supporting leg unit 40 assumes its folded front 
position. 
As is seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the spoiler fin 50 is equipped with a flap 
mechanism. The flap mechanism has a flap 60 pivotally mounted on the 
spoiler fin 50. The flap 60 is pivotal between its "in-use" (or raised) 
position as shown in FIG. 6 and its "not in-use" (or rest) position as 
shown in FIG. 2. When the flap 60 assumes the rest position, the same is 
neatly received in a container space 51 (see FIG. 6) formed in a rear part 
of the spoiler fin 50. 
As is seen from FIG. 2, the pivoting movement of the flap 60 is achieved by 
two drive units 62 and 62 which are installed in longitudinally spaced 
portions of the spoiler fin 50. 
As is seen from FIGS. 9 and 10, each drive unit 62 comprises a reversible 
electric motor 61 and a raising mechanism which will be described in 
detail in the following. 
That is, the raising mechanism comprises a threaded shaft 63 which extends 
in a fore-and-aft direction in the spoiler fin 50. The threaded shaft 63 
has a worm gear 63a meshed with a worm 61a which is secured to an output 
shaft of the electric motor 61. A nut member 64 is operatively disposed on 
the threaded shaft 63. 
A channel-shaped arm member 65 is pivotally connected at its front portion 
to the nut member 64. That is, as is seen from FIG. 10, for the pivotal 
connection, side walls of the arm member 65 have at their front portions 
respective pivot pins 64a pivotally connected to spaced portions of the 
nut member 64. As is seen from FIG. 6, the arm member 65 has a rear 
portion which is projected into the container space 51 of the spoiler fin 
50 and secured to the flap 60. 
Referring back to FIG. 9, the arm member 65 has at the side walls thereof 
respective arcuate slots 66 through which a guide pin 52 fixed to the 
spoiler fin 50 passes. 
Although not shown in the drawings, a control unit is employed which 
functions to energize the electric motor 61 to raise the flap 60 when the 
associated motor vehicle A is braked. 
As is seen from FIG. 6, the spoiler fin 50 has at a bottom 53 of the 
container space 51 a stop lamp 70 which is turned on when the vehicle is 
braked. 
In the following, operation will be described with reference to the 
drawings. 
For ease of understanding, the description will be commenced with respect 
to the "in-use" position (viz., raised rear position) of the rear spoiler 
device 10 as shown in FIG. 3. 
Under this "in-use" condition, each slider 27 is located at the rearmost 
position of the corresponding side rail portion 26 having the follower pin 
42 placed at the lower straight part of the guide groove 29. Thus, the 
supporting leg unit 40 is allowed to assume the raised rear position 
causing the spoiler fin 50 to assume its raised or working position, as 
illustrated by a solid line in FIG. 1. The raised condition of the spoiler 
fin 50 may be well understood from FIG. 3. Thus, under this condition, the 
spoiler fin 50 can stabilize the high-speed movement of the associated 
motor vehicle. 
It is to be noted that under this in-use condition of the rear spoiler 
device 10, the stopper surface 44 of the front leg member 41 abuts against 
the front engaging bolt 49a and the stopper surface 46 of the rear leg 
member 45 abuts against the stopper member 26a. Thus, the rear spoiler 
device 10 can take the raised or working position without play. 
When, due to reduction in speed of the vehicle, the stabilizing effect of 
the spoiler fin 50 becomes unnecessary, the electric motor 31 is energized 
manually or automatically to rotate its drive shaft in a certain 
direction. With this, the two geared cables 35 and 35 pull the sliders 27 
and 27 forward. During this forward movement, the follower pin 42 of each 
slider 27 moves up from the lower straight part of the guide groove 29 to 
the upper straight part of the same through the inclined junction part of 
the same, folding the supporting leg unit 40. When the slider 27 comes to 
the frontmost position, the follower pin 42 is brought into abutment with 
a front terminal end of the guide groove 29. Thus, under this condition, 
the supporting leg units 40 and 40 are allowed to assume their folded 
positions causing the spoiler fin 50 to assume its sinked or rest 
position, as is shown by a phantom line in FIG. 1. The rest condition of 
the spoiler fin 50 may be well understood from FIG. 4. Thus, under this 
rest condition, the stabilizing effect of the spoiler fin 50 is suppressed 
or at least minimized. 
It is to be noted that under this rest condition of the rear spoiler device 
10, the stopper surface 43 of the front leg member 41 abuts against the 
stopper member 26b and the stopper surface 46 of the rear leg member 45 
abuts against the stopper member 26c. Thus, the device 10 can take the 
rest position without play. 
Furthermore, since, in this rest position, the supporting leg units 40 and 
40 and the spoiler fin 50 are located near the front end of the trunk lid 
where a lid biasing spring is arranged, the opening operation of the trunk 
lid is easily achieved with a reduced force. 
In the following, operation of the flap 60 will be described with reference 
to FIGS. 9 and 10. 
Usually, the flap 60 is operated under the "in-use" (or raised) condition 
of the rear spoiler device 10. 
For ease of understanding, the description will be commenced with respect 
to the "not in-use" (or rest) condition of the flap 60, as is shown by a 
solid line in FIG. 9. 
Under this rest condition, the flap 60 is neatly received in the container 
space 51 (see FIG. 6) formed in the rear part of the spoiler fin 50. 
When, due to braking of the associated motor vehicle A, the electric motor 
61 of each drive unit 62 is energized, the worm 61a of the motor 61 turns 
through the worm gear 63a the threaded shaft 63 in a certain direction. 
With this, the nut member 64 meshed with the threaded shaft 63 is moved 
along the shaft 63 rearwardly carrying the pivot pin 64a of the arm member 
65 in the same direction. During this rearward movement, the arm member 65 
is moved rearward while pivoting in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 9 
about the pivot pin 64a due to the sliding engagement of the arcuate slot 
66 with the guide pin 52. Thus, finally, the arm member 65 is inclined as 
is shown by a phantom line in FIG. 9. Thus, under this condition, the flap 
60 assumes its "in-use" (or raised) position. 
Because the container space 51 becomes empty, the stop lamp 70 which is 
lighting can be viewed from the rear of the vehicle. 
When the braking of the vehicle ceases, the flap 60 is returned to the "not 
in-use" (rest) position compelling the drive unit 62 to carry out a 
reversed operation. 
Referring to FIG. 11, there is shown a modification of the flap mechanism. 
Each drive unit 62a of this modified flap mechanism comprises a reversible 
electric motor 61 and a raising mechanism which will be described in the 
following. 
The raising mechanism comprises a threaded shaft 63 which extends in a 
fore-and-aft direction in the spoiler fin 50. The threaded shaft 63 has a 
worm gear 63a meshed with a worm 61a which is secured to a rotation shaft 
of the electric motor 61. A nut member 64 is operatively disposed on the 
threaded shaft 63. 
A channel-shaped arm member 67 is pivotally connected at its front upper 
portion to the solid portion of the spoiler fin 50. For this pivotal 
connection, side walls of the arm member 67 have at their front upper 
portions aligned openings through which a pivot pin 67a secured to the 
solid portion of the spoiler fin 50 passes. The arm member 67 has a rear 
portion which is projected into the container space 51 (see FIG. 6) of the 
spoiler fin 50. The arm member 67 has at the front lower portions of the 
side walls respective and aligned elongate slots 68a through which a guide 
pin 64a from the nut member 64 passes. 
When, in operation, the electric motor 61 is energized, the worm 61a of the 
electric motor 61 turns through the worm gear 63a the threaded shaft 63 in 
a certain direction. With this, the nut member 64 meshed with the threaded 
shaft 63 is moved along the shaft 63 rearwardly carrying the guide pin 64a 
in the same direction. During this rearward movement, the arm member 67 is 
pivoted in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 11 about the pivot pin 
67a. Thus, finally, the arm member 67 is inclined as shown by a phantom 
line in FIG. 11. Under this condition, the flap 60 assumes its "in-use" 
(or raised) position. 
The movement of the flap 60 from the "in-use" (or raised) position to the 
"not in-use" (rest) position is carried out by reversely operating the 
drive unit 62a.