JP5012474B2 - Aerodynamic structure for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an aerodynamic structure for a vehicle for rectifying an air flow around wheels.

  Conventionally, it is known that a turbulent air flow generated between a rotating tire and a wheel house inner wall adversely affects the movement of the tire, and the steering feeling and aerodynamic characteristics are impaired.

For this reason, the invention which exhausts the air in a wheel house out of a vehicle through an air passage from an air introduction port provided in the wheel house is proposed (for example, refer to patent documents 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-227436

  However, the above configuration has a problem that the structure becomes complicated and large because an independent air passage is provided, and the effect is lost if mud, snow, or the like is clogged in the air inlet. In addition, since the exit of the air passage is on the lower side of the vehicle body, there is a possibility that the exhaust efficiency may be impaired due to interference with traveling wind flowing on the bottom surface of the vehicle body.

  In view of the above-described facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle aerodynamic structure for effectively rectifying wind in a wheel house during traveling.

The aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to the first aspect of the present invention is directed along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body from the rear side to the front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body with respect to the rotational axis of the wheel on the inner wall of the wheel house facing the wheel. A rectifying groove provided on the wheel side and a plurality of exhaust passages branching outward from the rectifying groove in the vehicle body width direction on the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to the rotational axis of the wheel in the wheel house. In addition, at least one of the depth and the width of the exhaust passage branched from the rectifying groove is larger toward the outside in the vehicle width direction .

In a vehicle to which the aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 is applied, it is dragged by the rotation of the wheel in the wheel house as the vehicle travels (rotation of the wheel) and forward (downstream in the wheel rotation direction). A turbulent air flow toward This air flow interferes with the inner surface of the wheel house and the wheels, and may adversely affect the steering feeling and aerodynamic characteristics. In this vehicle aerodynamic structure, the air flow toward the downstream side in the wheel rotation direction in the wheel house is rectified by the presence of the rectifying grooves provided in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body along the inner wall of the wheel house, and from the rectifying grooves to the vehicle width. Due to the presence of the exhaust passage that branches outward in the direction, the exhaust is smoothly exhausted to the outside of the vehicle body. That is, since the airflow around the wheels is rectified, a better steering feeling and aerodynamic characteristics can be obtained. Moreover, since the cross-sectional area of the exhaust flow path at the branch point is larger toward the downstream side in the rotation direction of the wheel, the air volume for each of the plurality of exhaust flow paths can be made more uniform.

  The aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to a second aspect of the present invention is the structure according to the first aspect, wherein a plurality of the rectifying grooves are provided in the vehicle body width direction, and the vehicle body longitudinal direction is greater than the rotational axis of the wheel in the wheel house. The exhaust flow path branches after the plurality of rectifying grooves merge on the front side.

  In the vehicle to which the aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to claim 2 is applied, by providing a plurality of rectifying grooves in the vehicle width direction, even in a wheel house that clears a wider tire width, an air flow toward the front of the vehicle body is generated. It can be rectified without difficulty.

The aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to the present invention described in claim 3, in the structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, the rear side of the vehicle body longitudinal direction than the rotation axis of the wheel in said wheel house, car An airflow collision wall extending in the width direction and facing downward in the vehicle body vertical direction, and a lower wall extending downward in the vehicle body vertical direction from the rear end portion of the airflow collision wall in the vehicle longitudinal direction, Is provided .

In the vehicle to which the aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to claim 3 is applied, an air flow collision wall facing the vehicle body downward direction is provided at the rear of the wheel house, so that the wheel can be moved from the rear into the wheel house accompanying the entrainment. Airflow generation can be suppressed, and the effect of rectifying the airflow around the wheels can be enhanced.

  Since the aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to the present invention has the above-described configuration, an excellent effect that wind in the wheel house can be effectively rectified during traveling can be obtained.

<Outline of structure>
An embodiment of an aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In each figure, the arrow FR indicates the vehicle body front direction, the arrow RE indicates the vehicle body rear direction, the arrow UP indicates the vehicle body upward direction, the arrow IN indicates the vehicle width direction inside, and the arrow OUT indicates the outside.

  1 and 2 show a schematic side view of an automobile S as a vehicle to which a vehicle aerodynamic structure 10 is applied. As shown in this figure, the automobile S includes a front wheel 12 and a rear wheel 14 as wheels. The front wheels 12 and the rear wheels 14 are respectively disposed in the corresponding wheel houses 15. The wheel house 15 in which the front wheel 12 is disposed is opened sideways so that the front wheel 12 can be steered by a wheel arch 16A formed in a substantially semicircular arc shape that opens downward in the front fender 16 in a side view. .

  Further, in this embodiment, the wheel house 15 provided with the rear wheel 14 exposes the rear wheel 14 by the wheel arch 18A formed in a substantially semicircular arc shape opening downward in the rear fender 18 in a side view. Is open.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vehicle aerodynamic structure 10 is applied to each of the left and right front wheels 12 and the rear wheels 14 (the wheel house 15 in which the vehicle S is disposed). Since the structure of the vehicle aerodynamic structure 10 applied to the left and right front wheels 12 and the rear wheel 14 is basically common, only one aerodynamic structure 10 for vehicles will be described below.

  FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the wheel house 15 in which the front wheels 12 are disposed. As shown in this figure, an inner wall as a wheel covering member, that is, a fender liner 20 is disposed in the wheel house 15. The fender liner 20 is formed in a substantially arc shape corresponding to the wheel arch 16A in a side view and having a slightly larger diameter than the wheel arch 16A, and covers the front wheel 12 in a plan view (not shown). Has been.

  With this shape, the general surface 20A, which is the inner surface of the fender liner 20 excluding the rectifying groove 21, the exhaust flow path 22 and the recessed portion 30, which will be described later, has a substantially constant distance from the outer periphery of the front wheel 12. Is covered from the front, rear, and top of the vehicle body. The lower end of the fender liner 20 is substantially coincident with the downward opening end of the wheel house 15, that is, the lower end portion of the vehicle body. In this embodiment, the lower side of the fender liner 20 is below the imaginary line Lh along the horizontal plane passing through the rotational axis RC of the front wheel 12. Is located. In a narrow sense, the space on the inner side (inner peripheral side) of the fender liner 20 corresponds to the wheel house in the present invention.

  The vehicle aerodynamic structure 10 includes a rectifying groove 21, an exhaust passage 22, and a concave portion 30 provided in the wheel house 15, more specifically, in the fender liner 20.

  The rectifying groove 21 starts from the rear of the vehicle body with respect to the rotation axis RC of the front wheel 12 in the fender liner 20 and is radially inward with respect to the general surface 20A at the approximate center of the fender liner 20 in the vehicle width direction as shown in FIG. By forming the concave portion so that the side facing the front wheel 12 is concave, a groove extending on the fender liner 20 in the rotation direction of the front wheel 12 (vehicle body longitudinal direction) is formed.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the exhaust flow path 22 branched from the rectifying groove 21 is installed in the front part of the vehicle body with respect to the rotation axis RC of the front wheel 12 in the fender liner 20. Therefore, the exhaust passage 22 is provided on the downstream side in the rotation direction (arrow R) of the front wheel 12 with respect to the rotation axis RC of the front wheel 12.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the exhaust passage 22 is a groove branched from the rectifying groove 21 and extending outward in the vehicle body width direction, from the vehicle width direction inner side / upper side to the vehicle body width direction outer side / lower side. Branch. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the exhaust flow path 22 branched from the main flow straightening groove 21 is branched from the flow straightening groove 21 by the separation wall 23 until the flow straightening groove 21 reaches the front lower end 20 </ b> B of the fender liner 20. .

  The exhaust passage 22A branches from the rectifying groove 21 to the outer side and the lower side in the vehicle body width direction, and further, the exhaust passage 22B is located on the downstream side of the rectifying groove 21 in the rotational direction of the front wheel 12 (arrow R). Further, the exhaust passage 22C branches from the rectifying groove 21 outward and downward in the vehicle body width direction further downstream.

  The exhaust flow path 22A branched from the rectifying groove 21 is separated from the exhaust flow path 22B by a separation wall 23A that is flush with the general surface 20A. Hereinafter, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a branch to the exhaust flow path 22D is shown.

  The exhaust passage 22 is configured to go outward in the vehicle width direction and have a shallow groove depth. That is, the exhaust passage 22 branches from the rectifying groove 21 to the outside in the vehicle width direction and below from the vehicle width direction inside and above the vehicle width direction, and becomes zero before reaching the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the fender liner 20. And become flush.

  Further, in this embodiment, the exhaust passage 22 is formed such that the depth and / or width of the groove increases from the upstream side to the downstream side in the rotational direction R of the front wheel 12. Specifically, the exhaust flow path 22A has a groove cross-sectional area smaller than that of the downstream exhaust flow path 22, that is, the depth and width of the groove, and the exhaust flow path 22 located on the downstream side in the rotation direction R. (The closer the branch point from the rectifying groove 21 is to the front lower end 20B of the fender liner 20), the greater the depth and width of the groove, and the larger the cross-sectional area of the groove.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a concave portion 30 is opened toward the front wheel 12 at a portion of the fender liner 20 at the rear of the vehicle body relative to the rotational axis RC of the front wheel 12. The concave portion 30 is independent (not communicated) with the rectifying groove 21 and has a substantially triangular shape in a side view in which the width along the circumferential direction of the fender liner 20 is maximum in the opening 30A. More specifically, the concave portion 30 includes an air flow guide wall 32 extending substantially upward from the lower edge 30B of the opening 30A, and a rear upper end 32A of the air flow guide wall 32 from the upper edge 30C of the opening 30A. And an air flow impingement wall 34 extending in the direction.

  Further, the fender liner 20 is provided with a plurality of (two in this embodiment) concave portions 30 in parallel in the circumferential direction of the fender liner 20. In this embodiment, the lower edge 30B and the upper edge 30C of the opening 30A substantially coincide with each other in the concave portion 30 adjacent to the fender liner 20 in the circumferential direction. That is, the plurality of concave portions 30 are formed so as to continuously form a triangular shape in the circumferential direction of the fender liner 20. Of the plurality of concave portions 30, the lower edge 30 </ b> B of the concave portion 30 located at the rearmost lower side is located at the rear lower end portion 20 </ b> C of the fender liner 20.

  As described above, the vehicle aerodynamic structure 10 applied to the front wheel 12 has been described. However, the vehicle aerodynamic structure 10 applied to the rear wheel 14 is also described above, as shown in FIG. The configuration is the same as the configuration.

<Effect>
Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the airflow F around the front wheels 12 is rectified as follows by the rectifying groove 21, the exhaust passage 22 and the concave portion 30 provided in the fender liner 20 according to the present embodiment. .

  That is, the airflow Fr generated behind the front wheel 12 by the rotation of the front wheel 12 indicated by the arrow R is blocked by the presence of the air flow collision wall 34 provided in the concave portion 30 and flows into the wheel house 15. Limited. Thereby, the so-called drag flow generated by the rotation of the front wheel 12 is reduced, and the turbulence of the airflow in the wheel house 15 can be suppressed. Thereby, excellent aerodynamic characteristics can be obtained.

  Next, the air flow F flowing in the rotation direction R of the front wheel 12 in the wheel house 15 by the rectifying groove 21 provided in the rotation direction R of the front wheel 12 in the rotation direction R of the front wheel 12 in the wheel house 15 from the downstream side toward the front of the vehicle body. Is rectified. That is, the airflow F flowing through the general surface 20A that is the inner side surface (the surface facing the front wheel 12) of the fender liner 20 is guided by the rectifying groove 21 in which the general surface 20A is concave in the radial direction, and in the rotational direction R of the front wheel 12. Flowing.

  Further, an exhaust passage 22 provided on the downstream side in the rotation direction (arrow R) of the front wheel 12 with respect to the rotational axis RC of the front wheel 12 exhausts the airflow F outward in the vehicle body width direction. That is, the exhaust flow path 22 that branches from the rectifying groove 21 in the vehicle width direction inside / above to the vehicle width direction outside / downward branches the air flow F sufficiently rectified by the rectifying groove 21 in the rotation direction R of the front wheel 12. The airflow F branched sequentially along the direction is exhausted toward the side of the front wheel 12 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction.

  Thereby, the airflow F flowing through the wheel house 15 as the front wheel 12 rotates is exhausted on the average in the circumferential direction of the front wheel 12 according to the number of branches of the exhaust passage 22. Since the presence of an air current that blows out locally strongly affects the aerodynamic characteristics and steering feeling, an aerodynamic structure for a vehicle having good steering feeling and aerodynamic characteristics is provided by providing an exhaust passage 22 that uniformly exhausts with low wind pressure. can do.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment of the vehicle aerodynamic structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a fender liner 120 provided with an exhaust passage 22 branched from the rectifying groove 21, as in the first embodiment.

  In this embodiment, the rectifying groove 21 does not reach the front lower end 20 </ b> B of the fender liner 120, and is structured so as to escape to the outside in the vehicle body width direction as the exhaust passage 22.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the rectifying groove 21 is directed outward in the vehicle body width direction as an exhaust passage 22 </ b> D provided on the most downstream side in the rotation direction R of the front wheel 12. For this reason, in the first embodiment, the portion where the rectifying groove 21 extending from the front lower end 20B of the fender liner 20 to the vehicle body lower side is provided as a general surface 20A in the present embodiment.

<Effect>
Also in the above configuration, the airflow F flowing through the wheel house 15 as the front wheel 12 rotates is exhausted on the average in the circumferential direction of the front wheel 12 according to the number of branches of the exhaust passage 22 as in the first embodiment. The airflow Ff flowing below the vehicle body from the front of the automobile S is less likely to collide with the front wheel 12 in front of the vehicle body, and as a result, the turbulence of the airflow can be suppressed even in front of the front wheel 12.

  In addition, in the present embodiment, the rectifying groove 21 does not reach the front lower end 20 </ b> B of the fender liner 120, and is structured so as to escape to the outside in the vehicle body width direction as the exhaust passage 22. Before the airflow F flowing in the wheel house 15 reaches the lower side of the vehicle body, it escapes to the outside in the vehicle body width direction. For this reason, there is little possibility that the airflow Ff flowing under the vehicle body from the front of the automobile S and the front wheel 12 will collide in front of the vehicle body, and the vehicle aerodynamic structure having a good steering feeling and aerodynamic characteristics can be obtained.

<Third Embodiment>
Next, a third embodiment of the vehicle aerodynamic structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes a fender liner 220 provided with an exhaust flow path 22 branched from the rectifying groove 21 as in the first embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, the rectifying groove 21 starts from the rear of the vehicle body with respect to the rotational axis RC of the front wheel 12, as in the first embodiment, and at the approximate center of the fender liner 20 in the vehicle body width direction as shown in FIG. By forming the concave portion so as to be concave inward in the radial direction with respect to the general surface 20 </ b> A, a groove extending on the fender liner 20 in the rotational direction of the front wheel 12 is formed.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, a plurality of the rectifying grooves 21 are provided in parallel in the vehicle body width direction of the fender liner 220 (two in FIG. 6).

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the two rectifying grooves 21 </ b> A and 21 </ b> B provided in the vehicle body width direction branch off the exhaust flow path 22 </ b> A provided on the most upstream side in the rotation direction R of the front wheel 12. They merge before this, and once become the rectifying groove 21C.

  A plurality of exhaust passages 22 are branched by the separation wall 23 from the rectifying grooves 21C. The exhaust passage 22A branches from the rectifying groove 21C outward and downward in the vehicle body width direction. Further, the exhaust passage 22B is downstream and outward in the vehicle width direction of the rectifying groove 21C in the rotational direction (arrow R) of the front wheel 12. This is the same as in the first embodiment in that the exhaust flow path 22C branches from the rectifying groove 21 to the outer side and the lower side in the vehicle body width direction further downstream.

<Effect>
Also in the above configuration, the airflow F flowing through the wheel house 15 as the front wheel 12 rotates is exhausted on the average in the circumferential direction of the front wheel 12 according to the number of branches of the exhaust passage 22 as in the first embodiment. The airflow Ff flowing below the vehicle body from the front of the automobile S is less likely to collide with the front wheel 12 in front of the vehicle body, and as a result, the turbulence of the airflow can be suppressed even in front of the front wheel 12.

  In addition, in the present embodiment, since the two rectifying grooves 21 are provided in parallel in the vehicle body width direction, the size of the fender liner 220 in the vehicle body width direction is required depending on the necessity of clearing the front wheel 12 fitted with a wide tire, for example. Even when is increased, an excellent rectifying effect can be expected by the plurality of rectifying grooves 21, so that a vehicle aerodynamic structure having a better steering feeling and aerodynamic characteristics can be obtained.

  The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the embodiments. However, these embodiments are merely examples, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, it goes without saying that the scope of rights of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and can be implemented in various modes without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  That is, in the above embodiments, the exhaust flow path 22 has a groove shape. However, for example, a cover may be provided to form a tunnel-shaped closed cross-sectional shape. The cross-sectional shapes of the exhaust flow paths 22 may be all the same, or the cross-sectional area of only the most upstream exhaust flow path may be reduced, or the cross-sectional area of only the most downstream exhaust flow path may be increased.

  In each of the above embodiments, the front and rear wheels have been described as examples. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention can be applied to only one of the front wheels and the rear wheels, for example. That is, it is good also as a structure which implemented the aerodynamic structure for vehicles based on this invention only to the front wheel. Or it is good also as a vehicle aerodynamic structure of a different structure in a front wheel and a rear wheel.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, the tire is stored in the body and covered with a fender as an example. However, an open wheel body structure may be applied to the fender with the aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to the present invention. .

1 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing an automobile to which a vehicle aerodynamic structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. (A) is a sectional side view which expands and shows the principal part of the aerodynamic structure for vehicles which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention, (B) is sectional drawing which shows the AA cross section of (A). . It is a side view which shows the aerodynamic structure for vehicles which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a perspective view showing an aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view which shows the aerodynamic structure for vehicles which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the aerodynamic structure for vehicles which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Aerodynamic structure 12 for vehicles Front wheel 14 Rear wheel 15 Wheel house 16 Front fender 16A Wheel arch 18 Rear fender 18A Wheel arch 20 Fender liner (inner wall)
20A General surface 20B Front lower end 20C Rear lower end portion 21 Rectification groove 22 Exhaust flow path 23 Separation wall 30 Concave portion 32 Air flow guide wall 34 Air flow collision wall 120 Fender liner 220 Fender liner F Air flow S Automobile

Claims (3)

A rectifying groove that is provided along the vehicle body longitudinal direction from the rear side to the front side of the vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to the rotational axis of the wheel on the inner wall of the wheel house facing the wheel, and opens to the wheel side;
A plurality of exhaust passages branched from the rectifying groove to the outside in the vehicle width direction on the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the rotational axis of the wheel in the wheel house;
An aerodynamic structure for a vehicle, wherein at least one of a depth and a width of the exhaust passage branched from the rectifying groove is larger toward an outer side in the vehicle width direction .   A plurality of the rectifying grooves are provided in the vehicle body width direction, and the exhaust flow path branches after the plurality of rectifying grooves merge on the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the rotational axis of the wheel in the wheel house. The aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to claim 1. An airflow collision wall extending in the vehicle width direction and rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the rotational axis of the wheel in the wheelhouse, and facing downward in the vehicle body vertical direction; and the airflow collision wall The aerodynamic structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising: a lower wall that extends downward from a rear end portion of the vehicle body in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body .

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