# US 11,077,892 B2 · Actively displaceable wheel spoiler having overload protection by way of a deflection element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,892 B2 - Document ID: US11077892B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/562,932 - Filed: 2019-09-06 - Published: 2020-03-26 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-24 - Assignees: Röchling Automotive SE & Co. KG - Applicants: Röchling Automotive SE & Co. KG - Inventors: Karsten Grebel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077892B2 ## CPC - B62D 35/005: {Front spoilers (B62D35/001 takes precedence)} - B62D 37/02: by aerodynamic means - B62D 35/02: Streamlining the undersurfaces {(B62D35/005, B62D35/007, B62D35/008 take precedence)} - Y02T 10/82: Elements for improving aerodynamics - Y02T 10/88: Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A wheel spoiler arrangement, encompassing: a wheel spoiler carrier; a wheel spoiler received displaceably relative to the spoiler carrier between inactive and active positions constituting operating positions; a motion guide arranged between the spoiler carrier and the wheel spoiler and guides the displacement of the wheel spoiler between its operating positions; a displacement drive system which is coupled motion-transferringly to the wheel spoiler by a coupling member that drives the wheel spoiler relative to the spoiler carrier to perform a displacement motion between its operating positions; the coupling member is a reversibly deformable component arrangement which has a first predetermined conformation under an operational load that does not exceed a predetermined limit load and which is embodied to deform into a second conformation, different from the first conformation, under an extraordinary load that exceeds a predetermined limit load, the reversibly deformable component arrangement being deformable from the second conformation back into the first conformation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wheel spoiler arrangement, encompassing: a wheel spoiler carrier; a wheel spoiler received displaceably relative to the wheel spoiler carrier between an inactive position and an active position constituting operating positions; a motion guide which is arranged between the wheel spoiler carrier and the wheel spoiler and guides the displacement of the wheel spoiler between its operating positions; and a displacement drive system which is coupled motion-transferringly to the wheel spoiler by a coupling member and is embodied and arranged to drive the wheel spoiler relative to the wheel spoiler carrier to perform a displacement motion between its operating positions, wherein the coupling member is a reversibly deformable component arrangement which has a first predetermined conformation under an operational load that does not exceed a predetermined limit load and which is embodied to deform into a second conformation, different from the first conformation, under an extraordinary load that exceeds the predetermined limit load, the reversibly deformable component arrangement being deformable from the second conformation back into the first conformation, wherein the coupling member is embodied as an elastic Eulierian flexible beam. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the coupling member comprises two toggle-linkage rods that constitute a toggle linkage and are preloaded by a preload spring into the first predetermined conformation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the first predetermined conformation is an extended conformation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the coupling member comprises a material strip that extends along a longitudinal strip axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the material strip is curved around an axis of curvature parallel to the longitudinal strip axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the material strip encompasses spring steel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the material strip includes at least one of strip spring steel and a sheet-metal strip from spring steel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the displacement drive system is a crank mechanism. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the coupling member couples a crank, drivable by a motor to rotate around a crank axis, to at least one of the motion guide and the wheel spoiler. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the coupling member is coupled at its drive-system-proximal longitudinal end articulatedly to the crank. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the coupling member is coupled at its drive-system-distal longitudinal end articulatedly to at least one of the motion guide and the wheel spoiler. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the coupling member is coupled at its drive-system-distal longitudinal end articulatedly to at least one of the motion guide and the wheel spoiler. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the motion guide encompasses a four-joint linkage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the motion guide encompasses a plurality of joints. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A motor vehicle having a wheel spoiler arrangement according to claim 1, the wheel spoiler carrier being arranged in vehicle body-mounted fashion. ### Claim 16 A wheel spoiler arrangement, encompassing: a wheel spoiler carrier; a wheel spoiler received displaceably relative to the wheel spoiler carrier between an inactive position and an active position constituting operating positions; a motion guide which is arranged between the wheel spoiler carrier and the wheel spoiler and guides the displacement of the wheel spoiler between its operating positions; and a displacement drive system which is coupled motion-transferringly to the wheel spoiler by a coupling member and is embodied and arranged to drive the wheel spoiler relative to the wheel spoiler carrier to perform a displacement motion between its operating positions, wherein the coupling member is a reversibly deformable component arrangement which has a first predetermined conformation under an operational load that does not exceed a predetermined limit load and which is embodied to deform into a second conformation, different from the first conformation, under an extraordinary load that exceeds the predetermined limit load, the reversibly deformable component arrangement being deformable from the second conformation back into the first conformation, wherein the displacement drive system is a crank mechanism, wherein the coupling member couples a crank, drivable by a motor to rotate around a crank axis, to at least one of the motion guide and the wheel spoiler, and wherein the coupling member is coupled at its drive-system-proximal longitudinal end articulatedly to the crank by a ball joint. ### Claim 17 A wheel spoiler arrangement, encompassing: a wheel spoiler carrier; a wheel spoiler received displaceably relative to the wheel spoiler carrier between an inactive position and an active position constituting operating positions; a motion guide which is arranged between the wheel spoiler carrier and the wheel spoiler and guides the displacement of the wheel spoiler between its operating positions; and a displacement drive system which is coupled motion-transferringly to the wheel spoiler by a coupling member and is embodied and arranged to drive the wheel spoiler relative to the wheel spoiler carrier to perform a displacement motion between its operating positions, wherein the coupling member is a reversibly deformable component arrangement which has a first predetermined conformation under an operational load that does not exceed a predetermined limit load and which is embodied to deform into a second conformation, different from the first conformation, under an extraordinary load that exceeds the predetermined limit load, the reversibly deformable component arrangement being deformable from the second conformation back into the first conformation, wherein the coupling member is coupled at its drive-system-distal longitudinal end articulatedly to at least one of the motion guide and the wheel spoiler by a ball joint. ### Claim 18 A wheel spoiler arrangement, encompassing: a wheel spoiler carrier; a wheel spoiler received displaceably relative to the wheel spoiler carrier between an inactive position and an active position constituting operating positions; a motion guide which is arranged between the wheel spoiler carrier and the wheel spoiler and guides the displacement of the wheel spoiler between its operating positions; and a displacement drive system which is coupled motion-transferringly to the wheel spoiler by a coupling member and is embodied and arranged to drive the wheel spoiler relative to the wheel spoiler carrier to perform a displacement motion between its operating positions, wherein the coupling member is a reversibly deformable component arrangement which has a first predetermined conformation under an operational load that does not exceed a predetermined limit load and which is embodied to deform into a second conformation, different from the first conformation, under an extraordinary load that exceeds the predetermined limit load, the reversibly deformable component arrangement being deformable from the second conformation back into the first conformation, wherein the motion guide encompasses a plurality of joints and wherein the plurality of joints are ball joints.