초록 ▼

A retractable wheel fairing device for decreasing the aerodynamic drag and/or increasing downforce of a vehicle is described. The device includes a fairing body with a suspension-mounted support system such that the fairing body, when deployed, reciprocates up and downwardly with the corresponding w

A retractable wheel fairing device for decreasing the aerodynamic drag and/or increasing downforce of a vehicle is described. The device includes a fairing body with a suspension-mounted support system such that the fairing body, when deployed, reciprocates up and downwardly with the corresponding wheel of the vehicle. The suspension-mounted support system is adapted to functionally or physically disengage the wheel fairing device from the suspension of the vehicle upon lifting of the wheel fairing device with a separate retraction system.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A wheel fairing device adapted to reciprocate with a wheel of a motor vehicle, said wheel being connected to the body of said motor vehicle through a suspension system adapted to permit relative vertical displacement between said wheel and said body of said motor vehicle, said wheel fairing devic

1. A wheel fairing device adapted to reciprocate with a wheel of a motor vehicle, said wheel being connected to the body of said motor vehicle through a suspension system adapted to permit relative vertical displacement between said wheel and said body of said motor vehicle, said wheel fairing device comprising: a. a fairing body adjacent to said wheel and adapted to produce at least one of the following effects: a reduction in aerodynamic drag; an increase in downforce; an increase in airflow to the brake; a decrease in wheel spray,b. a fairing body guide adapted to determine the path of movement of said fairing body relative to said body of said motor vehicle, wherein said fairing body guide does not substantially limit the vertical movements of said fairing body relative to said body of said motor vehicle, andc. a suspension-mounted support for dynamically supporting said wheel fairing device when said wheel fairing device is engaged with said suspension system, said suspension-mounted support being adapted so that said wheel fairing device reciprocates with said wheel such that said wheel fairing device maintains a more constant distance above a roadway being traversed than maintained by said body of said motor vehicle when said wheel fairing device is engaged with said suspension system, wherein said wheel fairing device is constrained in the downward direction relative to said wheel and not substantially constrained in the upward direction relative to said wheel. 2. The wheel fairing device of claim 1, further including a wheel fairing retractor for elevating and lowering said wheel fairing device relative to said body of said motor vehicle, wherein elevation of said wheel fairing device to said body of said motor vehicle functionally disengages said wheel fairing device from said suspension system so that said wheel fairing device does not reciprocate with said wheel relative to said body of said motor vehicle, and wherein lowering of said wheel fairing device from said body of said motor vehicle functionally engages said wheel fairing device with said suspension system so that said wheel fairing device reciprocates with said wheel relative to said body of said motor vehicle. 3. The wheel fairing device of claim 2, wherein said wheel fairing retractor elevates and lowers said wheel fairing device through said fairing body guide. 4. The wheel fairing device of claim 2, further including a driver-operable retraction switch adapted to be actuated by a driver of said motor vehicle and operatively connected to said wheel fairing retractor. 5. The wheel fairing device of claim 2, further including a retraction control ECU and a vehicle speed sensor, wherein said retraction control ECU is operatively connected to said wheel fairing retractor and responsive to output from said vehicle speed sensor, wherein said retraction control ECU is adapted to deploy said wheel fairing device when the speed of said motor vehicle equals or exceeds a programmed vehicle speed threshold. 6. The wheel fairing device of claim 2, further including a wheel fairing upward constraint adapted to constrain movement of said wheel fairing device in an upward direction relative to said wheel when said wheel fairing device is engaged with said suspension system. 7. The wheel fairing device of claim 2, wherein said fairing body guide includes a linkage fixedly attached to said fairing body and pivotably attached to at least one of the following structures: said body of said motor vehicle; the basal portion of said suspension system of said motor vehicle. 8. The wheel fairing device of claim 2, wherein said fairing body guide includes two linkages, each pivotably attached to said fairing body and pivotably attached to at least one of the following structures: said body of said motor vehicle; the basal portion of said suspension system of said motor vehicle. 9. The wheel fairing device of claim 8, wherein said fairing body guide is adapted to substantially maintain the orientation of said fairing body with respect to said body of said motor vehicle as said fairing body moves vertically. 10. The wheel fairing device of claim 1, further comprising: a. a wheel fairing retractor for elevating said wheel fairing device relative to said body of said motor vehicle, wherein elevation of said wheel fairing device to said body of said motor vehicle functionally disengages said wheel fairing device from said suspension system so that said wheel fairing device does not reciprocate with said wheel relative to said body of said motor vehicle, and wherein said wheel fairing retractor is adapted to provide an upward force sufficient to maintain said wheel fairing device in a retracted position when said wheel fairing device is not subjected to a sufficient downward aerodynamic force acting upon a component of said wheel fairing deviceb. an aerodynamic deployer for lowering said wheel fairing device away from said body of said motor vehicle, wherein lowering of said wheel fairing device from said body of said motor vehicle functionally engages said wheel fairing device with said suspension system so that said wheel fairing device reciprocates with said wheel relative to said body of said motor vehicle, and wherein said aerodynamic deployer includes an aerodynamic element of said wheel fairing device adapted to produce a downwardly directed, aerodynamically induced force sufficient to deploy said wheel fairing device when the speed of said motor vehicle equals or exceeds a vehicle speed threshold. 11. The wheel fairing device of claim 10, wherein said wheel fairing retractor includes a spring adapted to maintain said wheel fairing device in a retracted position when the speed of said motor vehicle is below said speed threshold. 12. A wheel fairing device adapted to reciprocate with a wheel of a motor vehicle, said wheel being connected to the body of said motor vehicle through a suspension system adapted to permit relative vertical displacement between said wheel and said body of said motor vehicle, said wheel fairing device including: a. a fairing body adjacent to said wheel, said fairing body being adapted to produce at least one of the following effects: a reduction in aerodynamic drag; an increase in downforce; an increase in airflow to the brake; a decrease in wheel spray,b. a fairing body height adjustment actuator adapted to vary the height of said fairing body,c. a ride height sensor adapted to sense the ride height of said body of said motor vehicle in proximity to said wheel,d. a fairing body height electronic control unit responsive to said ride height sensor and operatively connected to said fairing body height adjustment actuator, said fairing body height electronic control unit being adapted to generate output to said fairing body height adjustment actuator such that said fairing body reciprocates with said wheel in such manner that said fairing body maintains a more constant height above the roadway than said body of said motor vehicle in proximity to said wheel as said motor vehicle traverses a roadway,e. a support linkage connecting said fairing body height adjustment actuator and said fairing body, said support linkage adapted to transmit vertical movement output from said fairing body height adjustment actuator to said fairing body, andf. a fairing body guide adapted to determine the path of movement of said fairing body, wherein said fairing body guide does not substantially limit the vertical movements of said fairing body relative to said body of said motor vehicle. 13. The wheel fairing device of claim 12, wherein said support linkage and said fairing body guide are the same structure. 14. The wheel fairing device of claim 12, wherein said ride height sensor is a suspension position sensor. 15. The wheel fairing device of claim 12, wherein said fairing body guide is adapted to substantially maintain the orientation of said fairing body relative to said body of said motor vehicle as said fairing body moves vertically.