JP5163364B2 - Downforce generator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a downforce generator suitable for use in vehicles such as passenger cars, trucks, and buses.

  Conventionally, the purpose of generating a downforce that urges the vehicle in the direction approaching the ground to suppress the lifting of the vehicle on the road surface while driving, to ensure that the wheels are in contact with the road surface and to improve steering stability. Therefore, a spoiler is mainly provided at the rear end of the vehicle. However, since such a spoiler has a limitation in the installation angle with respect to the vehicle and also in a vehicle height including the spoiler, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, the underfloor of the vehicle is effectively used. Underfloor structures that generate downforce have been proposed.

The underfloor structure described in Patent Document 1 is as follows. A cross-section so that the left vortex generator and the right vortex generator that generate vortexes on both sides under the vehicle floor are directed outward in the vehicle width direction from the front to the rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction. It is provided under the floor in parallel with the shape, and a vortex is generated by the traveling wind generated as the vehicle travels, and a negative pressure region is formed in the lower part of the vehicle body. A downward force is applied from below.
JP 2007-62681 A

  However, the eddy current generating means described in Patent Document 1 as described above is configured by a wall surface extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction under the floor of the vehicle. The desired downforce cannot be obtained due to the change in the angle of the traveling wind that blows on the vehicle and the desired vortex cannot be generated, and therefore the desired steering stability cannot be obtained. There was a problem.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a downforce generator capable of obtaining desired steering stability.

In order to solve the above problem, a downforce generator according to the present invention provides:
The swirl flow generating means for generating swirl by the traveling wind is provided so as to be swingable about the vertical direction with respect to the vehicle floor, and includes an acquisition means for acquiring the steering angle of the steering device of the vehicle, and the directing direction of the swirl flow generating means the angle of the respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a swinging means for swinging the swirl generating means so as to coincide with the steering angle.

  According to this, the angle of the directional direction of the eddy current generating means with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction can be made to coincide with the steering angle of the vehicle steering device, that is, the turning direction of the vehicle. Can be made to coincide with the directing direction, and a desired vortex can be stably generated by the eddy current generating means, and a desired down force can be stably generated based on the negative pressure generated by the vortex. Thus, the desired steering stability can be obtained. That is, it is possible to suppress sudden fluctuations in the downforce.

  In addition, since the eddy current has a form extending from the front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle, the air resistance of the vehicle is avoided by preventing the flow of the traveling wind other than the traveling wind blowing on the eddy current generating means below the vehicle floor. Can be reduced. Furthermore, since the traveling wind can be guided from the front of the vehicle along the rear of the vehicle by the eddy current, the traveling wind is prevented from being blown out from the bottom of the vehicle to the side of the vehicle. The air resistance of the vehicle can be reduced.

Here, in the downforce generator,
The eddy current generating means may be a conical member having a spiral structure.

  In addition, the spiral structure is constituted by a plate-like member extending from the apex toward the bottom surface while being wound around the central axis of the conical member on the conical surface of the conical member. In this case, the directivity direction coincides with the central axis of the conical member.

  According to this, the eddy current generating means can be easily configured. In addition, the conical member generates the eddy current and can increase the diameter of the eddy current from the front of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, if the eddy current generating means is located at the front end portion of the vehicle, The eddy current generating means can be made as small as possible with respect to the eddy current.

Alternatively, in the downforce generator,
The eddy current generating means may be constituted by a flat plate member twisted about the longitudinal direction. In this case, the directivity direction coincides with the longitudinal direction.

  Also by this, the eddy current generating means can be easily configured.

Alternatively, in the downforce generator,
The vortex generating means may be constituted by a propeller. In this case, the directivity direction coincides with the central axis of the propeller.

  Also by this, the eddy current generating means can be easily configured.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the down force generator which can obtain desired steering stability can be provided.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a downforce generator according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic diagrams showing a vortex generation mode according to an embodiment of the downforce generator according to the present invention. It is a perspective view.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the downforce generator 1 includes a pair of left and right conical members 2 provided at the front end portion under the vehicle floor, and a conical member 2 that supports the conical member 2 in a swingable manner with the vertical direction as an axis. The bracket 3 includes an L-shaped bracket 3, an actuator (not shown) that is drivingly coupled to a portion of the L-shaped bracket 3 that protrudes on the vehicle floor, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) (not shown) that controls the actuator.

  On the conical surface 2a, the conical member 2 is provided with a plate-like member extending from the apex to the bottom surface while being wound around the central axis C1 of the conical member 2, and the helical structure 2b is provided by this plate-like member. And the conical member 2 constitutes a vortex generating means.

  The L-shaped metal fitting 3 is configured such that the vehicle front side end portion is coupled to the bottom surface of the conical member 2, the vehicle rear side end portion is bent upward in an L shape, and the vehicle rear side end portion is the vehicle. It penetrates from under the floor onto the vehicle floor and is supported by a bearing (not shown) so as to be swingable about the vertical direction.

  A portion of the L-shaped metal fitting 3 protruding on the vehicle floor at the vehicle rear side end is connected to a rotor of an actuator (not shown), and the stator side of the actuator is appropriately fixed to a structural member on the vehicle floor.

  The ECU is connected to an EPSECU (Electronic Power Steering Electronic Control Unit) (not shown) that configures the steering device according to a communication standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network), acquires a steering angle, and controls the actuator described above. The direction of the conical member 2, that is, the angle of the central axis C <b> 1 with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction is made to coincide with the steering angle of the vehicle steering device.

  That is, the initial position of the rotor with respect to the stator of the actuator is set so that the central axis C1 of the conical member 2 is positioned in front of the vehicle when the steering angle is zero, and the ECU obtains the steering angle acquired on the CAN from the rotor. The actuator is controlled so that the rotation angle becomes. That is, the ECU and the actuator constitute vortex generating means, that is, swinging means for swinging the conical member 2.

  With such control, as shown in FIG. 2, when the vehicle is traveling straight with a steering angle of zero, the center axis C1 of the conical member 2 is made to coincide with the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the vehicle is A pair of left and right eddy current TVs whose diameter increases toward the rear of the pair of left and right conical members 2 with the central axis C1 of the conical member 2 aligned with the streamline direction L1 of the traveling wind flowing toward the rear. Is generated.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the vehicle is turning with a steering angle other than zero, the central axis C1 of the conical member 2 is made to coincide with the turning direction, and the vehicle is moved from the front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle. The center axis C1 of the cone-shaped member 2 is made to coincide with the streamline direction L2 of the traveling wind flowing along the turning direction toward the vehicle, and the pair of left and right cone-shaped members 2 expands from the front of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle. A pair of left and right eddy current TVs are generated.

  By these things, according to the downforce generator 1 of the Example described above, the following effects can be obtained. That is, since the angle of the directing direction of the conical member 2 with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle can be made to coincide with the steering angle of the vehicle steering device, that is, the turning direction of the vehicle, the angle at which the traveling wind blows on the conical member 2 Can coincide with the central axis C1.

  Thereby, a desired vortex can be stably generated by the conical member 2 which is a vortex generating means, and a desired down force can be stably obtained based on the negative pressure generated by the vortex. it can. Thereby, desired steering stability can be obtained. At the same time, rapid fluctuations in downforce can be suppressed.

  In addition, since the vortex formed by the conical member 2 has a form extending from the front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle, the flow of traveling wind other than the traveling wind blown to the conical member 2 below the vehicle floor is prevented from being obstructed. The air resistance of the vehicle can be reduced.

  Furthermore, since the driving wind can be guided from the front of the vehicle along the rear of the vehicle by the eddy current, the driving wind is prevented from blowing out from the underside of the vehicle to the side of the vehicle, thereby reducing the air resistance of the vehicle. can do.

  In the downforce generator 1, the vortex generating means is a conical member 2 having a spiral structure 2b, and the spiral structure 2b is wound around the central axis C1 of the conical member 2 on the conical surface 2a of the conical member 2. According to the configuration of the plate member extending from the apex toward the bottom while rotating, the eddy current generating means can be easily configured.

  In addition, the conical member 2 generates a vortex and has a conical surface 2a whose diameter increases from the front of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle, so that the diameter of the vortex can be increased from the front of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle. If the conical member 2 is positioned at the front end portion under the vehicle floor, the conical member 2 can be made as small as possible with respect to the desired vortex.

  Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions are made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. be able to.

  For example, the conical member 2 that is the eddy current generating means is not limited to the form that is located only at the front end portion under the vehicle floor. For example, as shown in FIG. A pair may be provided. The installation location and the number of installations can be determined as appropriate depending on how much the desired downforce is.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the eddy current generating means may be configured by a flat plate member 4 twisted about the longitudinal direction L3. In this case, the direction in which the eddy current generating means is directed coincides with the longitudinal direction. Also by this, the eddy current generating means can be easily configured. Here, the vehicle rear side of the flat plate member 4 is joined to the vehicle front end of the L-shaped metal fitting 3 as shown in FIG. 1, and the vehicle rear side of the L-shaped metal fitting 3 is penetrated from the vehicle floor to the vehicle floor. It is swung by an actuator under the control of the ECU.

  Alternatively, the eddy current generating means may be constituted by a propeller 5 as shown in FIG. In this case, the directivity direction of the eddy current generating means coincides with the central axis C2 of the propeller 5. Also by this, the eddy current generating means can be easily configured. Also here, the vehicle rear side of the propeller 5 is joined to the vehicle front end of the L-shaped bracket 3 as shown in FIG. 1, and the vehicle rear side of the L-shaped bracket 3 is penetrated from the vehicle floor to the vehicle floor. It is swung by an actuator under the control of the above.

  The present invention relates to a downforce generator suitable for use in a vehicle, and can obtain desired steering stability, so that it is useful even when applied to various vehicles such as passenger cars, trucks, and buses. It is.

It is a mimetic diagram showing one embodiment of a downforce generating device concerning the present invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the generation | occurrence | production aspect of the vortex | eddy_current by one Embodiment of the down force generator based on this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the generation | occurrence | production aspect of the vortex | eddy_current by one Embodiment of the down force generator based on this invention. It is a mimetic diagram showing one embodiment of a downforce generating device concerning the present invention. It is a mimetic diagram showing one embodiment of a downforce generating device concerning the present invention. It is a mimetic diagram showing one embodiment of a downforce generating device concerning the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Down force generator 2 Conical member 2a Conical surface 2b Spiral structure 3 L-shaped metal fitting 4 Flat plate member 5 Propeller

Claims (5)

The swirl flow generating means for generating swirl by the traveling wind is provided so as to be swingable about the vertical direction with respect to the vehicle floor, and includes an acquisition means for acquiring the steering angle of the steering device of the vehicle, and the directing direction of the swirl flow generating means downforce generating device characterized by comprising a rocking means for the angle of the respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle oscillating the swirl generating means so as to coincide with the steering angle.   2. The downforce generator according to claim 1, wherein the vortex generator is a conical member having a spiral structure.   3. The spiral structure is constituted by a plate-like member extending from a vertex toward a bottom surface while being wound around a central axis of the conical member on a conical surface of the conical member. The downforce generator described in 1.   2. The downforce generator according to claim 1, wherein the eddy current generating means is constituted by a flat plate member twisted about the longitudinal direction.   The downforce generator according to claim 1, wherein the eddy current generating means is constituted by a propeller.