Patent ID: 7429074

Claim:
An air deflector apparatus hosted by a vehicle defining a longitudinal axis, said apparatus comprising: an air deflector having a flap that is fixedly coupled at one end to the vehicle, presenting a longitudinal orientation substantially traverse to the longitudinal vehicle axis and to an air flow when the vehicle is moving, and manipulable between a first position sufficient to occlude and block at least a portion of the air flow, and a second position wherein a different portion of the flow is occluded and blocked; an active material responsive to an activation signal by changing between first and second attributes, and drivenly coupled to the flap, such that the change in attribute results in the manipulation of the flap, so as to block said different portion of the air flow; a controller communicatively coupled to the material and operable to selectively generate and deliver to the material the activation signal; and a sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, operable to detect a condition, and configured to cause the controller to deliver the signal when the condition is detected.