# US 9,517,803 B2 · Vehicle having rear spoiler with active vertical side plates, and method of controlling the same

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- Number: US 9,517,803 B2
- Document ID: US9517803B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/686,133
- Filed: 2015-04-14
- Published: 2016-10-20
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2015-04-14
- Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
- Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
- Inventors: J. William Handzel, Jr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517803B2

## CPC

- B62D 35/007: {Rear spoilers (B62D35/001 takes precedence)}
- B60W 40/10: related to vehicle motion
- B60W 40/114: Yaw movement
- Y02T 10/82: Elements for improving aerodynamics
- 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)
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

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.

## Claims

### Claim 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; and
an 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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle set forth in claim 1 wherein the first side plate is rotatable about the first vertical axis to change a yaw angle of the first side plate relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vehicle set forth in claim 2 wherein the second side plate is rotatable about the second vertical axis to change a yaw angle of the second side plate relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vehicle set forth in claim 1 wherein the aerodynamic control system includes a controller having tangible non-transitory memory having computer executable instructions recorded thereon, including an aerodynamic control module.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The vehicle set forth in claim 4 wherein the controller includes a processor operable to execute the aerodynamic control module to determine a spatial orientation of the body relative to a direction of travel of the body, and to determine an optimal position for each of the first side plate and the second side plate respectively, relative to the longitudinal axis, and signal the actuating system to position the first side plate and the second side plate in their respective optimal positions.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The vehicle set forth in claim 5 further comprising at least one sensor in communication with the controller for providing data to the controller, wherein the aerodynamic control module uses the data from the at least one sensor to determine the spatial orientation of the body relative to a direction of travel of the body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vehicle set forth in claim 1 wherein the actuating system includes at least one actuator coupled to the first side plate and the second side plate, and operable to move the first side plate and the second side plate in response to a control signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The vehicle set forth in claim 7 wherein the actuator includes one of an electric actuator, a hydraulic actuator, or a pneumatic actuator.

### Claim 9

A method of controlling a vehicle including a body, and a rear spoiler having a central portion, a first vertical side plate disposed at a first lateral edge of the central portion, and a second vertical side plate disposed at a second lateral edge of the central portion, the method comprising:
sensing at least one operating condition of the vehicle with at least one vehicle sensor;
determining a current spatial orientation of the body relative to a current direction of travel of the body, with a controller including tangible non-transitory memory having computer executable instructions recorded thereon, including an aerodynamic control module, and a processor operable to execute the aerodynamic control module to determine the current spatial orientation of the body relative to the current direction of travel of the body, from the sensed operating condition of the vehicle;
determining an optimal position for each of the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side plate respectively, relative to the longitudinal axis, for the current spatial orientation of the body relative to the current direction of travel of the body, with the aerodynamic control module of the controller,
signaling an actuating system with the controller to move the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side plate into their respective optimal positions for the current spatial orientation of the body relative to the current direction of travel of the body; and
moving the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side plate into their respective optimal positions with the actuating system.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method set forth in claim 9 wherein the at least one vehicle sensor includes at least one of a steering wheel angle sensor, a vehicle yaw sensor, a wheel speed sensor for each wheel of the vehicle, a throttle position sensor, or a brake fluid pressure sensor at a brake caliper of each wheel of the vehicle, and wherein sensing at least one operating condition of the vehicle includes sensing at least one of a steering wheel angle with the steering wheel angle sensor, a vehicle yaw position with the vehicle yaw sensor, a wheel speed of each wheel with its respective wheel speed sensor, a position of a throttle pedal with the throttle position sensor, and an applied brake fluid pressure at the brake caliper of each wheel with its respective brake fluid pressure sensor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method set forth in claim 10 further comprising sending data from the at least one vehicle sensor related to the at least one operating condition of the vehicle to the controller.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method set forth in claim 10 wherein determining the current spatial orientation of the body relative to the current direction of travel of the vehicle includes determining if a longitudinal axis of the body is parallel with the current direction of travel of the vehicle, or if the longitudinal axis of the body is not parallel with the current direction of travel of the vehicle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method set forth in claim 12 wherein determining the current spatial orientation of the body relative to the current direction of travel of the vehicle includes determining if a vehicle brake system is currently being applied to decelerate the vehicle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method set forth in claim 13 wherein determining the current spatial orientation of the body relative to the current direction of travel of the vehicle includes determining a current turn direction.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method set forth in claim 14 wherein determining the current spatial orientation of the body relative to the current direction of travel of the vehicle includes determining if a yaw angle of the body is angled, relative to the longitudinal axis, in the same direction as the current turn direction of the vehicle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method set forth in claim 15 wherein moving the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side plate into their respective optimal positions with the actuating system includes moving a forward vertical edge of each of the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side plate laterally outward, away from the longitudinal axis of the body, when the controller determines that the longitudinal axis of the body is parallel with the current direction of travel of the vehicle and the vehicle brake system is currently being applied to decelerate the vehicle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method set forth in claim 16 wherein the first vertical side plate is rotated about a first vertical axis a first yaw angle to move the forward vertical edge of the first vertical side plate laterally away from the longitudinal axis, and the second vertical side plate is rotated about a second vertical axis a second yaw angle to move the forward vertical edge of the second vertical side plate laterally away from the longitudinal axis, with the absolute value of the first yaw angle equal to the absolute value of the second yaw angle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method set forth in claim 15 wherein moving the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side plate into their respective optimal positions with the actuating system includes moving each of the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side plate into a parallel position, parallel with the longitudinal axis of the body, when the controller determines that the longitudinal axis of the body is parallel with the current direction of travel of the vehicle and the vehicle brake system is not currently being applied to decelerate the vehicle.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method set forth in claim 15 wherein moving the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side plate into their respective optimal positions with the actuating system includes rotating the first vertical side plate about a first vertical axis a first yaw angle to position the first vertical side plate at a yaw angle opposite the current turn direction, and rotating the second vertical side plate about a second vertical axis a second yaw angle to position the second vertical side plate at a second yaw angle opposite the current turn direction, when the controller determines that the steering wheels of the vehicle are angled in the same direction as the current turn direction of the vehicle.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method set forth in claim 15 wherein moving the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side plate into their respective optimal positions with the actuating system includes rotating one of the first vertical side plate or the second vertical side plate about a first vertical axis or a second vertical axis respectively to position the one of either the first vertical side plate or the second vertical side plate at a yaw angle directed in the same direction as the current turn direction, and moving the other of the first vertical side plate and the second vertical side plate into an parallel position, parallel with the longitudinal axis of the body, when the controller determines that the steering wheels of the vehicle are angled in a direction opposite the current turn direction of the vehicle.