An active front deflector assembly having a deflector panel, actuator, and linkage assemblies each with a predetermined ratio of the links to each other for motion of the deflector panel. The assembly deploys and retracts based on vehicle requirements, and, when deployed, redirects the air flow in the front of the vehicle to improve the vehicle aerodynamics for either fuel economy or performance characteristics. Additionally, it allows for the deflector panel to retract so the vehicle meets ground clearances, etc. The deflector panel is also both rigid and semi-rigid to absorb impact energy. The drive shaft transmits the drive from the actuator coupled to one linkage assembly to the other linkage assembly for moving the deflector panel between the deployed/retracted positions. The actuator is clutched to prevent damage to the system.

The invention concerns a trim panel arrangement for trimming a body element of a vehicle, with a pivotably mounted air guide device which is movable by means of a kinematic arrangement into a retracted first function position and a fully extended second function position and vice versa. At low speeds and also at high speeds, this should ensure an optimum aerodynamics of the motor vehicle in the air flow. This is achieved in that the air guide device is formed in two parts and comprises a first and a second trim part which are pivotably connected together, and that the kinematic arrangement is formed from a primary and a secondary lever drive. The invention furthermore concerns a method for forced movement of the air guide device.

The invention concerns a trim panel arrangement for trimming a body element of a vehicle, with a pivotably mounted air guide device which is movable by means of a kinematic arrangement into a retracted first function position and a fully extended second function position and vice versa. At low speeds and also at high speeds, this should ensure an optimum aerodynamics of the motor vehicle in the air flow. This is achieved in that the air guide device is formed in two parts and comprises a first and a second trim part which are pivotably connected together, and that the kinematic arrangement is formed from a primary and a secondary lever drive. The invention furthermore concerns a method for forced movement of the air guide device.

A motor vehicle body with an air-guiding device and with a trailer coupling mounting device. The air-guiding device is formed in a rear-end region of the motor vehicle body. The trailer coupling mounting device is adjustable into a rest position and into an active position. The trailer coupling mounting device, in at least the rest position, is at least partially covered with respect to surroundings by the air-guiding device, which is settable into a first operating position and a second operating position. For positioning the trailer coupling mounting device into its active position, the air-guiding device is settable into its second operating position and, after or together with the positioning of the air-guiding device into its second operating position, the trailer coupling mounting device is configured to be movable along a body vertical axis (Z) of the motor vehicle body.

A motor vehicle body includes an air-guiding device and a trailer coupling mounting device. The air-guiding device is formed in a rear-end region of the motor vehicle body, and the trailer coupling mounting device is adjustable into a rest position and into an active position. The trailer coupling mounting device, in at least the rest position, is at least partially covered by the air-guiding device, which is settable into a first operating position and a second operating position. For positioning of the trailer coupling mounting device into its active position, the trailer coupling mounting device is movable along a body longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle body, and, before or together with the positioning of the trailer coupling mounting device into its active position, the air-guiding device is settable into an intermediate position which has a pivot angle greater than a pivot angle of the second operating position.

A rear arrangement for a vehicle includes a trailer coupling mount and a rear diffuser having an adjustable air-guiding element which is adjustable between a retracted position and an extended position. The trailer coupling mount is pivotable about a pivot axis, which is congruent or parallel to the vehicle transverse axis (y), between an inoperative position and a use position. The air-guiding element in the retracted position at least partially conceals the trailer coupling mount, and the air-guiding element has to be brought into the extended position so that the trailer coupling mount can be pivoted into the use position.

A rear arrangement for a vehicle includes a trailer coupling mount and a rear diffuser having an adjustable air-guiding element which is adjustable between a retracted position and an extended position. The trailer coupling mount is pivotable about a pivot axis, which is congruent or parallel to the vehicle longitudinal axis (x), between an inoperative position and a use position. The air-guiding element in the retracted position at least partially conceals the trailer coupling mount, and the air-guiding element has to be brought into the extended position so that the trailer coupling mount can be pivoted into the use position.

A vehicle, a vehicle brake cooling system, a computer program product, and a method of controlling a vehicle in a manner to achieve enhanced aerodynamic performance of the vehicle and active cooling to the wheel brakes during operation of the vehicle. The vehicle includes one or more a vehicle air vents moveable between a first position and a second position, and one or more processors of a computing system. The one or more processors are configured to dynamically conduct, in response to a detection as sensor data one or more of a current position of the vehicle air vents, a current temperature of vehicle wheel brakes, and a current speed of the vehicle, a vehicle brake analysis of the sensor data. The one or more processors are also configured to dynamically control, in response to the vehicle brake analysis and wireless network data, the vehicle air vents between the first position to enhance the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle and the second position to selectively direct ambient airflow to the vehicle wheel brakes in a manner that selectively cools the vehicle wheel brakes.

A vehicle spat device includes: a spat that rotatably supported by a first rotation shaft and configured to be displaced between a deployment position and a storage position; and a link unit transmitting power of an actuator to the spat. The link unit includes a drive link rotating integrally with a drive shaft when the actuator is driven, and an intermediate link connected to the spat via a second rotation shaft and connected to the drive link via a third rotation shaft. The drive link rotates around the drive shaft between a first position where the spat is disposed at the storage position and a second position where the spat is disposed at the deployment position. In the drive link, the first position is a position rotated from a first neutral position in a first rotation direction.

A vehicle-body structure both protects a battery and provides a routing member below a floor panel that improves underfloor aerodynamic performance. Embodiments of a vehicle-body structure may include: a routing member that extends in a vehicle front-rear direction on a vehicle-width-direction outer side of a battery frame below a floor panel; a cover member that extends from a lower side of a battery to a lower side of the routing member; battery-frame fixation portions that fix the battery frame to side sills; and cover-member fixation portions that fix a vehicle-width-direction end portion of the cover member to the side sills. The routing member and the battery-frame fixation portions may be positioned on a vehicle-width-direction inner side of the cover-member fixation portions.