Rear diffuser for a motor vehicle

Abstract

A rear diffuser on the underbody of a motor vehicle having an air duct which extends at the rear of the motor vehicle counter to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle toward the rear end of the motor vehicle. The air duct has at least one upper wall, which delimits the air duct in the upward direction. The upper wall has a first region, which is coupled in a nonadjustable manner to the motor vehicle and/or to the underbody. The upper wall has a second region, which can be moved relative to the motor vehicle and/or to the underbody. The second region is coupled in a movable manner to the first region by at least one hinge-type region.

Claims

1. A rear diffuser for an underbody of a motor vehicle, said rear diffuser comprising: an air duct at a rear end of the motor vehicle, wherein the air duct has at least one upper wall that delimits the air duct in an upward direction, wherein the upper wall has a first region that is coupled in a nonadjustable manner to the motor vehicle and/or to the underbody, wherein the upper wall has a second region that is configured to be moved relative to the motor vehicle and/or to the underbody, wherein the second region is coupled in a movable manner to the first region by at least one hinge, and wherein the at least one hinge comprises a plurality of hinges which, with the interposition of respective intermediate elements, connect the first region to the second region, and wherein the hinges are arranged in a chain arrangement with respect to one another.

2. The rear diffuser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second region extends toward the rear end of the motor vehicle and has at least one laminar element.

3. The rear diffuser as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second region further comprises a projecting wall that projects from the laminar element and projects upward from the laminar element.

4. The rear diffuser as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second region further comprises a spoiler lip that projects from the laminar element and/or from the projecting wall and projects substantially counter to a direction of travel.

5. The rear diffuser as claimed in claim 2, wherein the laminar element of the second region is configured to be adjusted by an actuator between a retracted, raised operating position and an extended, lowered operating position.

6. The rear diffuser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one hinge is formed by a flexible surface element, which connects the first region to the second region.

7. The rear diffuser as claimed in claim 6, wherein the flexible surface element is a film or a mat that is composed of a rubber or elastomer material.

8. The rear diffuser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hinge is formed by a flexible surface element, which connects a rigidly formed laminar element of the first region to a rigidly formed laminar element of the second region.

9. The rear diffuser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air duct extends counter to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle toward the rear end of the motor vehicle.

10. A motor vehicle having a rear diffuser as claimed in claim 1.

11. A rear diffuser for an underbody of a motor vehicle, said rear diffuser comprising: an air duct at a rear end of the motor vehicle, wherein the air duct has at least one upper wall that delimits the air duct in an upward direction, wherein the upper wall has a first region that is coupled in a nonadjustable manner to the motor vehicle and/or to the underbody, wherein the upper wall has a second region that is configured to be moved relative to the motor vehicle and/or to the underbody, wherein the second region is coupled in a movable manner to the first region by at least one hinge, and wherein a first intermediate element is connected in an articulated manner to the first region by a first hinge, and the second region is connected in an articulated manner to the first intermediate element or to a second intermediate element by a second hinge, wherein at least one third hinge, at least one third intermediate element and/or at least one fourth hinge are/is arranged between the first intermediate element and the second intermediate element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

(1) The invention is explained in detail below by means of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. In the drawing:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a rear region of a motor vehicle with a rear diffuser in an extended second operating position,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the rear region of the motor vehicle with the rear diffuser in the extended second operating position,

(4) FIG. 3 shows another schematic side view of the rear region of the motor vehicle with the rear diffuser in the extended second operating position,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic rear view of the rear region of the motor vehicle with the rear diffuser in the extended second operating position,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of the rear region of the motor vehicle with the rear diffuser in a retracted first operating position,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic side view of the rear region of the motor vehicle with the rear diffuser in the retracted first operating position,

(8) FIG. 7 shows another schematic side view of the rear region of the motor vehicle with the rear diffuser in the retracted first operating position,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a schematic rear view of the rear region of the motor vehicle with the rear diffuser in the retracted first operating position,

(10) FIG. 9 shows a schematic sectional view of the rear diffuser to demonstrate one of the two operating positions,

(11) FIG. 10 shows a schematic sectional view of the rear diffuser to demonstrate the other of the two operating positions,

(12) FIG. 11 shows a detail view of an exemplary embodiment of a hinge-type region of the rear diffuser,

(13) FIG. 12 shows a detail view of an exemplary embodiment of a hinge-type region of the rear diffuser in the retracted first operating position,

(14) FIG. 13 shows a detail view of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 12 of the hinge-type region of the rear diffuser in the extended second operating position,

(15) FIG. 14 shows a detail view of another exemplary embodiment of a hinge-type region of the rear diffuser in the retracted first operating position, and

(16) FIG. 15 shows a detail view of the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 14 of the hinge-type region of the rear diffuser in the extended second operating position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(17) FIGS. 1 to 8 show a rear region 2 of a motor vehicle 1 in various views. The motor vehicle 1 has an underbody 3 which extends on the underside of the motor vehicle 1.

(18) A rear diffuser 4 is provided on the underbody 3, wherein, together with the rear diffuser 4, the underbody 3 defines an air duct 5 along which air can flow below the motor vehicle 1 when the motor vehicle 1 is moving through the air mass of the atmosphere. In this case, essentially only the relative component of the velocity between the air and the motor vehicle 1 is relevant for this air flow, that is to say the vehicle velocity, if the typically rather low wind-related air velocities are neglected.

(19) The air duct 5 extends at the rear of the motor vehicle 1 counter to the longitudinal direction 6 of the vehicle toward the rear end 7 of the motor vehicle 1.

(20) The air duct 5 has at least one upper wall 8 and optionally also lateral walls, which guides or guide the air between the roadway on which the motor vehicle is traveling and the motor vehicle 1 itself. In this case, the air duct 5 can optionally also be delimited laterally in a corresponding manner by substantially vertically extending walls in order to bring about a defined flow through the air duct across the width as well. The upper wall 8 of the air duct 5 delimits the air duct 5 in the upward direction. Typically, the air duct 5 is delimited on its underside by the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling.

(21) The upper wall 8 has a first region 9, which is coupled or fastened in a nonadjustable manner to the motor vehicle 1 and/or to the underbody 3. The upper wall 8 serves to guide the air along the air duct 5. Furthermore, the upper wall 8 has a second region 10, which can be moved relative to the motor vehicle 1 and/or to the underbody 3, that is to say can be pivoted, for example. The second region 10 extends up to the rear end 7 of the motor vehicle 1. Advantageously and optionally, the second region 10 is guided in its capacity for movement, in particular by guide means (not shown).

(22) The second region 10 is flexibly coupled to the first region 9 by means of at least one hinge-type region 11, see also FIGS. 9 to 14.

(23) According to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, the second region 10 has at least one laminar element 12. This laminar element 12 is preferably a flat or curved element, which serves to guide the air along the air duct 5.

(24) It can also be seen from FIG. 3 that the second region 10 furthermore has a wall 13 which projects from the laminar element 12 and projects upward from the laminar element 12, in particular optionally at an angle of approximately 90°.

(25) It can also be seen that the second region 10 furthermore has a spoiler lip 14, which projects from the laminar element 12 and/or from the projecting wall 13 and projects substantially counter to the direction of travel.

(26) FIGS. 1 to 4 show the setting of the rear diffuser 4 in a second operating position, in which the rear diffuser 4 is set in the extended second operating position. This optimizes the drag.

(27) FIGS. 5 to 8 show the setting of the rear diffuser 4 in a first operating position, in which the rear diffuser 4 is set in the retracted first operating position. This optimizes the downforce.

(28) The rear diffuser 4 can be adjusted between the first operating position and the second operating position, in particular it can also be adjusted into at least one intermediate position between the first operating position and the second operating position.

(29) FIGS. 9 and 10 each show a section through the rear of the motor vehicle 1, wherein the rear diffuser 4 is shown in each case in one of the two operating positions. The laminar element 12 is shown, on the one hand, in the lower, folded-out second operating position, see FIG. 10, and in the upper, folded-in first operating position, see FIG. 9.

(30) Here, the hinge-type region 11 is shown, which extends over a defined laminar region and is not designed merely as a hinge with a single axis of rotation or hinge axis, see also the detail in FIG. 11. Thus, it is achieved that the transition from the first region 9 to the second region 10 takes place via a laminar curved or straight region, depending on the setting of the second region 10 relative to the first region 9.

(31) FIGS. 9 and 10 also show that the laminar element 12 of the second region 10 can be adjusted by means of an actuator 24 between a retracted, raised first operating position and an extended, lowered second operating position. The actuator 24 can be driven by electric motor, pneumatically or in some other way.

(32) FIGS. 12 and 13 show an illustrative exemplary embodiment of a hinge-type region 11, which is arranged and formed between the first region 9 and the second region 10. Here, FIG. 12 shows the first operating position of the rear diffuser 4 and FIG. 13 shows the second operating position of the rear diffuser 4.

(33) In FIGS. 12 and 13, the hinge-type region 11 is formed by a flexible surface element 20, which connects the first region 9 to the second region 10. In this case, a rigidly formed laminar element 21 of the first region 9 is connected to a rigidly formed laminar element 22 of the second region 10 by means of the flexible surface element 20.

(34) By way of example, the flexible surface element 20 is preferably formed as films or a mat made of a rubber material or of an elastomer material. In one exemplary embodiment, there may also be a reinforcement, of plastic and/or metal for example, which is connected to the rubber material or the elastomer material or is embedded therein.

(35) In FIGS. 14 and 15, the hinge-type region 11 is formed by a plurality of hinges 25 which, with the interposition of respective intermediate elements 26, connect the first region 9 to the second region 10, wherein the hinges 25, together with the intermediate elements 26, are arranged in a chain arrangement with respect to one another. In this case, a rigidly formed laminar element 21 of the first region 9 is connected to a rigidly formed laminar element 22 of the second region 10 by the arrangement of the hinges 25 and of the intermediate elements 26.

(36) Here, in one exemplary embodiment, a first intermediate element 26 is connected in an articulated manner to the first region 9 by means of a first hinge 25, and the second region 10 is connected in an articulated manner to the first intermediate element 26 or to a second intermediate element 26 by means of a second hinge 25, wherein at least one third hinge 25 and/or at least one third hinge 25, at least one third intermediate element 26 and at least one fourth hinge 25 are/is optionally arranged between the first intermediate element 26 and the second intermediate element 26. It is thereby possible to form a chain of intermediate elements 26 with hinges 25. The intermediate elements 26 are rigid bodies, in particular rigid laminar bodies.

(37) In the exemplary embodiment shown, four hinges 25 with three intermediate elements 26 are shown in order to form the hinge-type region 11. Alternatively, it is also possible for just two hinges 25 with one intermediate element 26 to be provided between the first region 9 and the second region 10, or for some other number n of intermediate elements 26 with a number n+1 of hinges to be provided, which connect the first region 9 to the second region 10, wherein n is an element of the natural numbers, i.e. in particular n=1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 or more.

(38) By way of example, the intermediate elements 26 shown are elongate laminar elements which extend transversely to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle 1 and exhibit an approximately trapezoidal section.

(39) The hinge-type region 11 is thus a hinge-type laminar region, as shown by the exemplary embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(40) 1 motor vehicle 2 rear region 3 underbody 4 rear diffuser 5 air duct 6 longitudinal direction of the vehicle 7 rear end 8 upper wall 9 first region 10 second region 11 hinge-type region 12 laminar element 13 wall 14 spoiler lip 20 flexible surface element 21 laminar element 22 laminar element 24 actuator 25 hinge 26 intermediate element