Patent Document

[0001]     This application claims the priority of German application No. DE 10 2005 030203.3, filed Jun. 29, 2005, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.  
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a spoiler for a motor vehicle, in particular a moveable spoiler for a passenger vehicle.  
         [0003]     German Patent DE 30 19 150 C2 describes a spoiler for a motor vehicle, in particular for a passenger vehicle, situated in an upper rear-end area of the vehicle and comprising a spoiler element which can be shifted from a resting position, in which it is integrated into the shape of the rear-end area so that it is flush with the surface, into an extended operating position.  
         [0004]     With this arrangement, the spoiler is formed by an inverted one-piece airfoil wing, which can be moved by means of an operating device from the resting into the operating position and vice versa.  
         [0005]     German Patent DE 43 05 090 C2 discloses a spoiler for a motor vehicle which is located in the rear-end area of the vehicle and comprises a spoiler element that can be shifted from a resting position into an extended operating position. The spoiler element is formed by a rear spoiler arranged in a recessed receptacle of the vehicle body and movable by an operating device from a retracted resting position in which it is approximately flush with the surface of the adjacent vehicle body into an extended operating position.  
         [0006]     The one-piece spoiler element has the same transverse extent in the resting position and in the extended operating position. The aerodynamic drag coefficient of the vehicle (cw value) is improved with the spoilers described above and a downward pressure on the rear axle is created.  
         [0007]     The object of the present invention is to improve upon a spoiler of the generic type defined in the preamble so that the aerodynamic properties of the vehicle, in particular the downward pressure on the rear axle, are further improved.  
         [0008]     The main advantages achieved with the present invention may be regarded as the fact that the effective aerodynamic oncoming flow area is increased in operating position D by increasing the size of the spoiler in the transverse direction of the vehicle, thereby further increasing in particular the downward pressure on the rear axle when the vehicle is being driven. The spoiler then also extends on both sides of the central part of the body in the area of the side parts and/or the fenders of the vehicle in operating position D.  
         [0009]     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings for example.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view obliquely from above of a rear-end area of a vehicle having a spoiler, whereby a spoiler element in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention assumes a retracted resting position A,  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a view according to that shown in  FIG. 1 , whereby the spoiler element assumes a raised intermediate position B,  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  shows a view according to that shown in  FIG. 2  whereby the spoiler element assumes a partially extended intermediate position C in the transverse direction,  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  shows a view according to that shown in  FIG. 2  in the completely extended operating position D of the spoiler element. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     A passenger vehicle  1  includes a vehicle body  2  which has a large windshield  4  in the rear-end area  3  shown here and a body part  5  behind that. The rear windshield  4  and the body part  5  are each bordered on the two longitudinal sides  6  by a rear side part  7  in which a rear side window  8  is provided. A light unit  10  running transversely is connected to the rear end  9  of the side part  7 . The body part  5  and the rear windshield  4  may be designed separately from one another, but they may also be combined to form a joint structural unit mounted pivotably on the vehicle body  2 , for example. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the body part  5  is formed by an engine cover on the rear end.  
         [0015]     A spoiler  11  including a spoiler element  12  that cooperates with an operating device (not shown here) is provided on the rear end body part  5  of the rear-end area  3  designed in the manner of a fastback. The spoiler element  12  is movable by means of the operating device from a resting position A, in which it is integrated into the shape of the rear-end area  3  to be approximately flush with the surface, to an extended operating position D by way of intermediate positions B, C and vice versa. In the resting position A, the spoiler element  12  is accommodated in a countersunk receptacle of the rear end body part  5 , the top side of the spoiler element  12  running approximately flush with the surface of the adjacent body contour. The spoiler element  12  in the exemplary embodiment is formed by a rear spoiler  13  which can be pivoted outward and is connected with an articulated connection to the adjacent body part  5  on its forward end  14  with the help of at least one hinge (not shown here). The rear end  15  of the rear spoiler  13  is pivoted upward when the spoiler  1  is extended ( FIG. 2 ).  
         [0016]     However, the movable spoiler element  12  could also be formed by an inverted airfoil wing profile (not shown here).  
         [0017]     According to this invention, the spoiler element  12  in the extended operating position D has a greater transverse extent than in the retracted resting position A. This is achieved by the fact that the movable spoiler element  12  is designed in multiple parts—as seen in the transverse direction of the vehicle E-E—with at least individual parts of the spoiler device  12  being designed to be movable in the transverse direction E-E of the vehicle.  
         [0018]     According to a first embodiment, the spoiler  12  has a relatively wide central part  16  and two definitely narrower side extension parts  17 ,  18  that are on the outside, whereby the two side extension parts  17 ,  18  are movable in the transverse direction E-E of the vehicle with respect to the central part  16 . In the retracted resting position A of the spoiler  12 , the two side extension parts  17 ,  18  are inserted into the wider central part  16  in at least some areas. In the exemplary embodiment, the side extension parts  17 ,  18  have upright bordering webs  19 ,  20  running in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on their outer ends, these bordering webs protruding upward beyond the top side of the rear spoiler  13 . The side extension parts  17 ,  18  are movable by means of a drive device (not shown) from their retracted end position F ( FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 ) into their extended end position G ( FIG. 4 ) via a telescoping shifting movement or a flipping movement. This adjusting movement of the side extension part  17 ,  18  in the transverse direction of the vehicle takes place only when the complete spoiler element  12  has been moved from the retracted resting position A into a raised intermediate position B. The side extension parts  17 ,  18  are partially extended in  FIG. 3 , whereas  FIG. 4  shows the completely extended operating position D of the spoiler element  12 , i.e., the side extension parts  17 ,  18  are extended now completely in the transverse direction E-E of the vehicle and the spoiler device  11  has a greater transverse extent.  
         [0019]     The second extraction movement of the spoiler element  12  in the transverse direction E-E of the vehicle may be accomplished pneumatically, hydraulically or by an electric motor or the like. In the resting position A, the two narrow sides extension parts  17 ,  18  are inserted almost completely into the wider central part  16  and only the two upright longitudinally directed bordering webs  19 ,  20  are situated outside the central part  16 . However, no bordering webs  19 ,  20  need be provided on the extension parts  17 ,  18 .  
         [0020]     According to a second embodiment (not shown here), the spoiler element  12  has two halves which in the retracted resting position A have each been pushed over a central means part in some areas and area in contact with one another in the area of a central longitudinal plane H-H of the vehicle. In the completely extended operating position D, the central part extends between the halves that have been pushed apart.  
         [0021]     Air inlet openings may be provided locally on the spoiler element  12  so that cool air can be directed to an internal combustion engine situated behind it.  
         [0022]     In the inventive arrangement, the spoiler element  12  is moved from a resting position A in which it is flush with the outer skin into a raised intermediate position B by means of a first adjusting movement (pivoting or raising) and then there is a second adjusting movement of the spoiler element  12  in the transverse direction E-E of the vehicle into the extended operating position D.  
         [0023]     In the extended operating position D the spoiler element  12  is widened by a measure L by means of the two side extension parts  17 ,  18  on the two longitudinal sides.  
         [0024]     The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

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