VEHICLE HAVING REAR SPOILER WITH ACTIVE VERTICAL SIDE PLATES, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME

摘要

A vehicle includes a rear spoiler having a central portion, a first vertical side plate that is disposed at a first lateral edge of the central portion, and a second vertical side plate that is disposed at a second lateral edge of the central portion. An actuating system is coupled to the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side plate for moving the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side plate independently of each other about a first vertical axis and a second vertical axis respectively. A vehicle controller senses a current operating condition of the vehicle, determines an optimal position for each of the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side plate respectively for the current operating condition, and signals the actuating system to move the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side into their respective optimal positions.

主权项

1. A vehicle comprising:
a body extending along a longitudinal axis and having a width perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; an aerodynamic control system attached to the body, the aerodynamic control system including:
a central portion extending laterally along the width of the body;a first side plate disposed at a first lateral edge of the central portion, positioned in a substantially vertical orientation, and extending in a direction substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the body;a second side plate disposed at a second lateral edge of the central portion, positioned in a substantially vertical orientation, and extending in a direction substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the body; andan actuating system coupled to each of the first side plate and the second side plate, and operable to move the first side plate and the second side plate independently of each other about a first vertical axis and a second vertical axis respectively.