With Distinct Wind Deflector Patents (Class 296/180.1)
  • Patent number: 12291286
    Abstract: Tire cooling systems operatively disposed along a vehicle body adjacent a vehicle tire include a deflector panel displaceable between retracted and deployed positions. In the retracted position, a first nominal volume of air flows along the vehicle tire during operation. In the deployed position, a second nominal volume of air that is greater than the first nominal volume of air is directed along the vehicle tire. An actuator is selectively operable to displace the deflector panel between the retracted and deployed positions. A sensor registers data having a relation to a physical characteristic or health condition of the vehicle tire. A controller executes instructions to determine using the data whether or not the physical characteristic of the vehicle tire exceeds a predetermined threshold as well as control displacement of the deflector panel. Vehicles including tire cooling systems and method of operation are also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas A. Sams
  • Patent number: 12286050
    Abstract: A trailer that has a main body having a front bulkhead, an opposing rear bulkhead, an exterior wall operably engaged with the front and rear bulkheads, and at least one interior chamber defined collectively by the front bulkhead, the rear bulkhead, and the exterior wall. The at least one interior chamber is adapted to carry a load. The trailer also includes a removable false bulkhead operably engaged with the main body. The false bulkhead is located a distance away from one of the front bulkhead and the rear bulkhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Mac LTT, Inc.
    Inventor: James A. Maiorana
  • Patent number: 12286165
    Abstract: A vehicle accessory includes a body portion. The body portion is made substantially of aluminum composite material. The vehicle accessory further includes at least one connector for selectively attaching the body portion to a portion of an automobile. The body portion includes a front edge and a rear edge. The front edge is curved along at least a portion thereof. The front and rear edges are laterally opposed from each other. The rear edge extends substantially linearly from a first corner to a second corner. The first and second corners are formed at junctions between the front edge and the rear edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Liquivinyl LLC
    Inventors: Brian Tao, Brenden Beshore
  • Patent number: 12258076
    Abstract: A transparent spoiler for a vehicle including a first section, at least a portion of the first section having a first visual characteristic, and a second section, at least a portion of the second section having a second visual characteristic, the second visual characteristic defining a greater visibility through the second section than the visibility through the first section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Pirooz Moradnia, David J. Rose, Matthew L. Metka
  • Patent number: 12252185
    Abstract: Embodiments provide an aerodynamic fairing system that may comprise a base configured to mount to a vehicle, an arm coupled to the base at a proximate end and extending laterally, and a fairing mounted to the arm having an inboard and an outboard surface. The fairing outboard surface may provide an aerodynamic outer surface to direct flow to an angle to the rear. The arm may be a fixed or adjustable length arm. The arm may provide a mounting area for a mud flap such that aerodynamic system may act as a mud flap hanger. Embodiments also provide an adjustable mud flap hanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: FLOWBELOW AERO, INC.
    Inventors: Joshua Butler, Kyle Walker, Redza Shah, Timothy Uys
  • Patent number: 12246778
    Abstract: A retrofit tailgate latching mechanism and method for a tailgate. This includes a retrofit housing configured to be connected to the tailgate. Also, there is an actuating handle joined with the retrofit housing. A linkage assembly is joined with the actuating handle at a proximal end of the linkage assembly and extending through and within the tailgate toward the stop catch of the truck bed sidewall. The linkage assembly selectively engages and disengages the stop catch of the truck bed sidewall at a distal end of the linkage assembly. A cable is connected between the proximal end and the distal end of the linkage assembly wherein actuation of the actuating handle to an open position pulls the distal end of the linkage assembly toward the actuating handle and disengages the linkage assembly distal end from the stop catch whereby the tailgate can pivot to a lowered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Inventor: Mark C. Blank
  • Patent number: 12233773
    Abstract: An exterior light structure is mounted in a vehicle including fender members and a hood member. The fender members are disposed in side parts of a vehicle body. The hood member is disposed adjacent to upper parts of the fender members. The exterior light structure includes lamp bodies 22. The lamp bodies 22 are disposed between the upper parts of the fender members and side edge parts of the hood member substantially in a vehicle body forward-rearward direction. The lamp bodies 22 radiate light to the outside of the vehicle through gaps d between the fender members and the hood member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Takori, Yuji Tsuchiya, Kei Oshida
  • Patent number: 12233957
    Abstract: A vehicle with an improved front aerodynamic characteristic includes a front exterior member disposed on a front surface of a vehicle body of the vehicle. The front exterior member includes a front inlet port, a funnel member, and a specially processed surface. The front inlet port is formed in the front exterior member. The front inlet port is configured to draw in an airflow in front of the front exterior member. The funnel member is formed around the front inlet port. The specially processed surface is formed on an inner surface of the funnel member, and has recesses that are arrayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Aoyanagi, Hideki Hata, Masaya Sato
  • Patent number: 12233958
    Abstract: A method for operating an air guiding device of a motor vehicle includes adjusting an air guiding element of the air guiding device from a starting position into an active position which influences aerodynamics of the motor vehicle. The method further includes exerting feedback pertaining to the adjusting of the air guiding element on a motor vehicle occupant in a form of a relative movement acting on the motor vehicle occupant, where the relative movement is generated by an adjustment of a chassis and/or a seat system of the motor vehicle from a first position to a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz Group AG
    Inventors: Alexander Link, Thorsten Ulferts
  • Patent number: 12221170
    Abstract: In a deflector device, when an external force acts on an deflector body while at a deployed position such that the deflector body is rotated in a stowing direction, even if further rotation of the deflector body in the stowing direction is restricted, the deflector body is rotated to the deployed position by an urging force of a torsion coil spring when the external force acting on the deflector body is released. This enables the deflector body to be rotated to the deployed position from anywhere over an entire rotatable range in the stowing direction by the urging force of the torsion coil spring. Thus, the torsion coil spring is able to rotate the deflector body to the deployed position in a suitable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Kazuya Umino, Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Nobuhiro Kudo, Shigeki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 12214863
    Abstract: A riblet structure includes a plurality of wave-shaped riblets on a surface thereof, in which each of the riblets has a smaller peak height as an angle formed between a ridge line and a fluid flow direction becomes larger, a width between peak bases in a direction orthogonal to the fluid flow direction becomes smaller as the angle becomes larger, and an angle formed between a slope of a peak of the riblet and the surface at the peak base or a curvature at the peak base is identical at any position in a cross-sectional shape in the direction orthogonal to the fluid direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
    Inventors: Mitsuru Kurita, Hiroyuki Abe, Hidetoshi Iijima, Seigo Koga
  • Patent number: 12208841
    Abstract: A motor vehicle with an automatically settable front wing and an automatically settable rear wing, each of which is settable under the control of an actuator. Owing to the incident flow of air at the front axle, a downforce at the front axle (FDF) can be set by positioning the front wing. Owing to the incident flow of air at the rear axle, a downforce at the rear axle (RDF) can be set by positioning the rear wing. A resultant downforce (DF) acting through a point (CoP) can be generated and an aero balance (AB) can be set. The rear wing and/or the front wing can be set automatically in dependence on an operating state of the motor vehicle such that a predetermined downforce (FDF) at the front axle, a predetermined downforce (RDF) at the rear axle, a predetermined resultant downforce (DF) and/or a predetermined aero balance (AB) is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Holger Bartels
  • Patent number: 12194834
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a technology for reducing air resistance when a vehicle travels or cooling the inside of an engine room by being coupled to an air inlet of a grill. An active air flap apparatus for a vehicle includes a frame coupled to a rear surface of a grill, a lower flap member and an upper flap member each having rotatably fixed to the frame to open or close an air inlet disposed in the grill, and a link member connecting the lower flap member to an actuator to open or close the air inlet, in which upper ends of the lower flap member and the upper flap member are inclined in a rearward direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jang Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 12187355
    Abstract: A shield may be provided between a rear bumper and a silencer, the shield may be provided so as to extend in the vehicle width direction to overlap with at least a rear vertical wall of the silencer in the up-down direction in vehicle rear view, and the shield may be provided with a guider that guides underfloor traveling air downward, the underfloor traveling air flowing to the rear side through a lower portion of the silencer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiya Mizokane, Yuki Ikawa, Tomomu Arai, Shota Sato
  • Patent number: 12187109
    Abstract: A wind deflector for an openable vehicle roof having a displaceable cover element, the wind deflector may have a deployable deflector element which is made of a planar flexible material and forms a windward surface, the deflector element being attached to a pivotable deploying bow at its upper edge area and to a vehicle-attached base at its lower edge area and comprising a warp-knitted fabric having meshes. The warp-knitted fabric is a one-piece warp-knitted fabric. The windward surface is a curved surface whose curvature is defined by the interknitted meshes of the warp-knitted fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: WEBASTO SE
    Inventors: Rudolf Wimmer, Uwe-Gert Heiner
  • Patent number: 12187356
    Abstract: A vehicular aerodynamic device includes first and second links being coupled via first and second engagement members and integrally rotating, thereby transmitting drive force to an aerodynamic member. The first and second engagement members are coupled to the first and second links, respectively, and integrally rotate by engaging with each other, and rotate relative to each other by external force. At least one of a first coupling portion that couples the first link and the first engagement member and a second coupling portion that couples the second link and the second engagement member includes clutch-side and link-side engagement surfaces integrally rotating by engaging with each other. A second gap between the clutch-side and link-side engagement surfaces in a second relative rotation direction is narrower than a first gap between the clutch-side and link-side engagement surfaces in a first relative rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Mizuno, Yukihide Shibutani
  • Patent number: 12187177
    Abstract: A truck includes a passenger cabin and a truck bed located rearward of the passenger cabin in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The truck bed includes a bed deck and a pair of spaced apart sidewalls. A tailgate replacement extends across a rear opening to the truck bed and between the sidewalls. The tailgate replacement includes vertically-extending support rails and vertically spaced-apart, laterally-extending support rails that extend between the vertically-extending support rails. A slider is connected to the laterally-extending support rails. The slider includes a first connecting portion that slidably engages a first one of the laterally-extending support rails and a second connecting portion that slidably engages a second one of the laterally-extending support rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryan C. Harris, Scott L. Frederick
  • Patent number: 12179849
    Abstract: A rear spoiler system includes a roof portion forming an upper frame of a vehicle body, a rear spoiler positioned at the rear of the vehicle body, connected to the roof portion and including an opening through which air passes, a variable shutter positioned at the rear spoiler to adjust the opening amount and opening position of the opening, and an actuator operating the variable shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minsik Chung, Yongmin Park, Jimin Jeong
  • Patent number: 12176606
    Abstract: Disclosed is a roof antenna for a vehicle, comprising an electronics module and a separate antenna cap for protecting the electronics module or as a design element, said cap being provided with a positioning means for positioning the antenna cap on a roof panel of a vehicle. Also disclosed is an antenna assembly comprising a roof antenna and a roof panel of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Christian Albert Morscher, Lars Reichardt
  • Patent number: 12168382
    Abstract: A front frame assembly for a motor vehicle includes a suspension attachment structure fixable to a body cell, one or more attachment elements fixed relative to the suspension attachment structure to allow a suspension of the motor vehicle to be coupled to the suspension attachment structure, and an absorption element to absorb a front crash of the motor vehicle, the absorption element being fixed relative to the suspension attachment structure and extending in a projecting manner relative to the suspension attachment structure along a first straight axis until ending with one end opposite the suspension attachment structure, wherein the assembly comprises a channel extending with continuity through the absorption element and the suspension attachment structure between an inlet opening obtained at the end along the first axis and an outlet opening obtained in the suspension attachment structure along a second axis transversal to the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: FERRARI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Daniele Testa
  • Patent number: 12162539
    Abstract: A strut member to be secured to the floor structure includes a top skirt-contacting portion for the aerodynamic skirt panel to be secured thereto, a lower skirt-contacting portion for the aerodynamic skirt panel to be secured thereto distant from the top skirt-contact portion, and a strut portion connecting the top skirt-contact portion to the lower skirt-contacting portion. The strut member provides a clearance in which the skirt panel is free of contact with the strut member between the top skirt-contact portion and the lower skirt-contacting portion. The strut portion is configured to resiliently buckle between a buckled position upon the skirt panel undergoing a force exceeding a threshold value toward the strut member and an original position when no force is applied and when the skirt panel is undergoing a force that is less than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Transtex Inc.
    Inventors: Mathieu Boivin, Walid Deir, George Bassily, Swaroop Mulenahalli Kantharaju, Elizabeth Tome, Sylvain Daoust, Ali Fellah Jahromi
  • Patent number: 12134427
    Abstract: A vehicle has external bodywork including an upper surface and an under surface, the under surface having at least one aperture, and the vehicle comprising lower ducting located within the external bodywork and communicating with that aperture, the upper surface having at least one aperture, and the vehicle comprising upper ducting located within the external bodywork and communicating with that aperture, the upper ducting and the lower ducting leading to a fan adapted to selectively draw air through the respective ductings, the vehicle further comprising a control unit adapted to receive information as to the vehicle dynamic state and, in the light of that state, draw air through the lower ducting or through the upper ducting. Thus, a choice can be made between enhanced levels of downforce on the one hand, and low drag on the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Gordon Murray Automotive Limited
    Inventor: Ian Gordon Murray
  • Patent number: 12128955
    Abstract: A car having: two front wheels; two rear wheels; a body, which has two front wheel compartments, each housing, on the inside, a corresponding front wheel, and two rear wheel compartments, each housing, on the inside, a corresponding rear wheel; and two covering panels, each arranged in the area of a corresponding wheel compartment to close the wheel compartment. Each covering panel is mounted on the body so as to be movable between a contracted position, in which the covering panel is completely flush with the body, and an expanded position, in which the covering panel is at least partially spaced apart from the body. Two actuator devices are provided, each coupled to a corresponding covering panel so as to move the covering panel between the contracted position and the expanded position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: FERRARI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Fabrizio Favaretto
  • Patent number: 12128957
    Abstract: Movable skid plates for a vehicle are described that are configured to move in response to movement of a first or second link to which the skid plate is coupled. Preferred vehicles comprise a multi-link suspension system having a plurality of links, at least some of which can move independently of one another. The skid plate is preferably disposed below the two bottom links of the suspension system. The skid plate can be fixedly attached to one of the two bottom links. The skid plate can be coupled to the other of the two bottom links such that the skid plate can move with respect to that link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: XTravel Suspension, LLC
    Inventor: Nestor Alexander Berardi
  • Patent number: 12129835
    Abstract: A passive vehicle drag reduction system including an airflow capture inlet, a flow consolidating conduit, an air driven rotor assembly, and one or more flow exhaust conduits. The airflow capture inlet defines an airflow capture inlet direction. The flow consolidating conduit is close sided. The air driven rotor assembly has a rotor assembly inlet and an air driven rotor. The rotor assembly inlet defines a rotor airflow inlet direction. The air driven rotor has a laterally extending rotation axis transverse to the rotor airflow inlet direction and one or more air redirecting blades defining one or more rotor airflow outlet directions substantially parallel to the rotation axis. Each of the one or more flow exhaust conduits has a redirecting exhaust outlet located laterally of the air driven rotor assembly. The redirecting exhaust outlet defines an exhaust outlet airflow direction that is substantially parallel to the airflow capture inlet direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: PURUS POWER CORPORATION
    Inventor: John Michael Kourtoff
  • Patent number: 12122461
    Abstract: Various disclosed embodiments include illustrative wing assemblies, wing systems, and methods. A wing assembly includes first drive cables, a flexible wing section, and a motor. The flexible wing section includes a flexible surface and frame members. One of the frame members is couplable to the first drive cables. The motor is couplable to a proximal end of the first drive cables and is configured to apply a longitudinal force to the drive cables. The applied force results in the flexible wing section curving in a predefined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Jens Petrusson
  • Patent number: 12115850
    Abstract: An air guiding system for a vehicle including an air guide duct having at least one air inlet, the air guide duct further having a first air outlet, a second air outlet, and an internal flow splitter. The flow splitter is disposed within the air guide duct such that a first portion of incoming air flows to the first and second air outlets, and a second portion of incoming air flows through the flow splitter. The first air outlet is configured to discharge air into one of the pair of opposing front wheel wells and the second air outlet is configured to discharge air into another of the pair of opposing front wheel wells. A further aspect of the disclosure provides an underbody tray including a plurality of openings configured to allow airflow through the underbody tray, the underbody tray being disposed below the air guide duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Pirooz Moradnia
  • Patent number: 12115599
    Abstract: Method and device for producing riblets by applying the riblets by laser interference patterning by a carbon dioxide laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: 4JET MICROTECH GMBH
    Inventors: Heinz Leonhard Jetter, Tobias Dyck
  • Patent number: 12060113
    Abstract: An aerodynamics control system for a vehicle may include an underbody shield disposed at an underside of the vehicle, a strake assembly, and an actuator. The strake assembly may include one or more deployable strakes operably coupled to the underbody shield and having a deployed state in which the one or more deployable strakes extend away from the underbody shield to increase drag and reduce lift of the vehicle. The strake assembly may also have a retracted state in which the one or more deployable strakes do not extend away from the underbody shield. The actuator may be operable by a driver of the vehicle while driving to transition the strake assembly from the retracted state to the deployed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Titus, Brett Peters
  • Patent number: 12043320
    Abstract: An assembly for utility truck bodies having metal and/or composite reinforcement(s) and/or foam reinforcements and/or honeycomb reinforcement/and/or wood reinforcements encapsulated within a thermoformed thermoplastic, or thermoset or fiber-reinforced thermoset walking surface floor structure of the truck bed assembly or other composite floor structure with attachable components and junctions, e.g., sidepack(s), and methods of making the same are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Altec Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan J. McKinney, Austin Graham, Kyle E. Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 12037051
    Abstract: A flexible undercover for a suspension system including an undercover panel configured to be disposed inboard of the wheel assembly, the undercover panel being flexible and configured to expand and contract with movement of the wheel assembly, and an undercover mounting plate connected to an outboard edge of the undercover panel, the undercover mounting plate configured to be attached to the suspension system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Pirooz Moradnia, Matthew L Metka, Derik Thomas Voigt, Benjamin Bowlby
  • Patent number: 12017706
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to a moveable panel, such as a fairing, of a vehicle, such as a semi-truck. For a number of reasons, it may be desirable to gain access to the area behind the fairing, for example, to access batteries, air/gas tanks, auxiliary power units, and/or other components that are mounted to the vehicle frame. In order to move the fairing with respect to the vehicle frame, one or more examples of a mounting system are provided that enables the fairing to pivot/swing away from the vehicle frame in a first direction (e.g., forward toward the front wheel). In some embodiments, the fairing may also pivot/swing away from the frame in a second direction (e.g., rearward toward the rear wheels) opposite the first direction. This multiple pivoting/swinging movement of the fairing enables access to different locations behind the fairing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventors: Piotr Stegawski, Jeffrey Bobrowski
  • Patent number: 12012155
    Abstract: A system of a side skirt for a car of a multi-car vehicle and a side skirt support, the side skirt configured to cover a space below the underframe of the car from a side, and having a coupler side edge that forms a side of the side skirt and arranged next to a coupler head of the car, the side skirt support suitable to attach the side skirt to the underframe of the car, the side skirt support having a bar with a first joint suitable to be attached to the underframe to allow rotation relative to the underframe, the bar being attached to a part of the side skirt via a second joint that allows part of the side skirt to rotate relative to the bar, the side skirt support having a rotation controller that limits the rotation that the part of the side skirt attached to the bar can perform relative to the bar, whereby the part attached to the bar can rotate into an end position, but cannot rotate beyond that end position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Dellner Couplers AB
    Inventors: Norman Dix, Philipp Krach
  • Patent number: 11981374
    Abstract: A drag reducing device includes an air flow turning component having a curved surface adapted to turn air flow passing over the curved surface, a first mounting component for connecting the air flow turning component to a rear door of the vehicle, and a second mounting component for connecting the air flow turning component to one of the opposite sides of the vehicle. The mounting components are configured so that the air flow component is automatically in a deployed position when the rear door is closed, so the air flow turning component turns air flow passing along the side the vehicle inward to thereby reduce drag. The mounting components are further configured so that the air flow component is automatically stowed between the rear door and the vehicle side when the door is fully opened. The air turning component is sized for a minimal prominence when stowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Aero Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan A. Reeder, John Vogel, James R. Tuerk
  • Patent number: 11970218
    Abstract: A strut assembly for mounting an aerodynamic fairing assembly for attachment to a trailer of a tractor-trailer having a centerline, transverse structural support members extending between sides of the trailer, and longitudinal members extending along a length of the trailer. The strut assembly may comprise a mounting plate, a strut body, and a composite spring. The composite spring may be substantially rectangular. The mounting bracket comprising a mounting plate and a pair of spaced apart sidewalls. The strut body rotatably may be coupled to the pair of spaced apart sidewalls on the mounting bracket. The composite spring may be coupled to an upper surface of the strut body and configured to contact an underside of the mounting plate of the mounting bracket to resist inward deflection from an external force applied to the strut body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Fleetaero, LLC
    Inventor: Richard P. Senatro
  • Patent number: 11958527
    Abstract: A skid-steer delivery autonomous ground vehicle has a drive train and suspension that aids in maneuverability. The AGV has six wheels, each of which is powered by its own motor. The AGV has features that diminish the dragging effect on the wheels, either by choice of wheel features or by taking weight off the front wheels during turning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas Kurczewski, Ennio Claretti, Nicolas Hostein, Brett Skaloud, Andrew Stubbs
  • Patent number: 11959406
    Abstract: A car having: two front wheels; two rear wheels; a bottom wall, which delimits a lower surface, which faces a road surface and, in use, is brushed by an air flow flowing under the car; an internal combustion engine; and an exhaust system, which is coupled to the internal combustion engine and is provided with an exhaust duct, which originates from the internal combustion engine and has an end chamber, which ends with an outlet opening, through which exhaust gases are released into the atmosphere. The end chamber of the exhaust duct has at least one movable partition, which can be moved to different positions so as to change the width of the outlet opening. The movable partition delimits a lower surface of the end chamber, which faces the road surface and, in use, is brushed by the air flow flowing under the car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: FERRARI S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Ballatore, Matteo Ausili, Simone Galuzzi, Emanuele Magliano
  • Patent number: 11932312
    Abstract: An extension for a truck bed may include a main extension flap configured to overlap a top surface of the truck bed and extend rearwardly beyond a rear edge of the truck bed and a lower reinforcing flap configured for arrangement below the truck bed and extending rearwardly and upwardly to support the main extension flap, wherein the main extension flap and the lower reinforcing flap are configured to form a removable sandwich connection on the rear edge of the truck bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: One Chul Lee, Timothy James Bromenshenkel
  • Patent number: 11926416
    Abstract: Methods comprise flying an aircraft at cruise which results in an aerodynamic lift force on a flight control surface of the aircraft that urges the flight control surface away from a stowed position. Concurrently with the flying, the methods include counteracting the aerodynamic lift force with a magnetic force that urges the flight control surface towards the stowed position and that results in the flight control surface being maintained in the stowed position during the flying. Flight control systems comprise a flight control surface and an adjacent structure. The flight control surface or the adjacent structure comprises a magnet and the other of the flight control surface or the adjacent structure comprises a ferromagnetic structure. A magnetic force urges the flight control surface toward a stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Kevin Raylin Tsai
  • Patent number: 11919578
    Abstract: A movable wing assembly has a wing capable of moving laterally (left or right) on a vehicle as the vehicle is being driven such the positioning of the wing on the assembly corresponds to the optimum or desired downforce required by the vehicle for the driving action undertaking by the vehicle at that time, e.g. if cornering to the left the wing is positioned to the left on the assembly or if cornering to the right the wing is positioned to the right on the assembly or if driving straight the wing is positioned midway on the assembly. The wing is attached to a carriage moveable on a elongate beam mounted to a vehicle such that the wing is able to move relative to the vehicle as the vehicle is moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: SHIFT WINGS LIMITED
    Inventor: Nicholas Gerard Maarhuis
  • Patent number: 11904956
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rear spoiler arrangement (3) including a displaceable air-guiding element (4) and a lower shell (5), wherein the lower shell (5) is arranged on a rear component (6) of a motor vehicle (1), wherein the air-guiding element (4) is arranged displaceably above the lower shell (5), and wherein the lower side of the lower shell (5) has a lip (9) which is composed of an elastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Thomas Huebener
  • Patent number: 11904955
    Abstract: An active aerodynamic assembly that includes a lift gate having a cavity formed between two panels. An aperture of formed on the outer panel providing access to the cavity. A frame connected to the lift gate within the cavity. A spoiler slidably connected to the frame and moveable along the deployment axis between a stowed position and a deployed position. At least one coupler link connected between the spoiler and the frame that is driven by the actuator along one of the plurality of tracks on the frame. There is also a moveable D pillar contained with the cavity that moves between a stowed position within the cavity and an extended position such that a winglet of the moveable D pillar extends outside of the cavity past the outside surface of the lift gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: MAGNA EXTERIORS, INC.
    Inventors: Braendon R. Lindberg, Michael Cowan, Ted E. Peterson
  • Patent number: 11897547
    Abstract: An active liftgate spoiler used on a liftgate of a vehicle. The liftgate has an upper surface and is typically a rear liftgate or hatch on the rear side of the vehicle. A housing is connected to the upper surface of the liftgate. There is a moveable panel connected to the housing using a connection. The connection is formed by a four bar linkage that forms a portion of the connection between the moveable panel and the housing. An actuator, which in one embodiment is a single rotary actuator is connected to the four bar linkage and causes the movement of the moveable panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Magna Exteriors Inc.
    Inventors: Braendon R. Lindberg, Michael Cowan, Martin R. Matthews, Anthony J. Povinelli, Larry Erickson, Michael McAfee
  • Patent number: 11891126
    Abstract: A vehicle having a vehicle body including a front portion, an opposing rear end portion and an underbody portion configured to face a road surface; and an active diffuser assembly disposed on the underbody portion and configured to control ambient airflow passing under the vehicle body. The active diffuser assembly includes a fixed panel disposed on the vehicle underbody; a movable active panel disposed adjacent the fixed panel and configured for selective movement to be deployed away from the vehicle body and to be retracted toward the vehicle body for stowage; and an actuator configured to deploy and retract the movable active panel, the fixed panel and the movable active panel defining a continuous plane when the movable panel is in the stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Pirooz Moradnia, Matthew L. Metka, Benjamin Bowlby, Connor J. Torris, David J. Rose, Pratap Thamanna Rao
  • Patent number: 11858562
    Abstract: A drag reduction device for improving drag efficiency on a land vehicle includes one or more drag reduction devices that are coupled to an exterior portion or contained internally within the vehicle. The drag reduction devices include one or more fan assemblies each contained within a respective housing. The fan assemblies all include, in general, cross-flow fans and air foils that are configured to adjust the movement of air over and around the trailer unit as the land vehicle is being driven along a surface during normal use, and thus provide reduced resistance from air friction and pressure friction and contribute significantly to reduced fuel or other energy consumption as the land vehicle is being driven along a surface during normal use. The fan blades and air foils can be plasma-controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Energy Horizon LLC
    Inventor: Ibrahim Rafaat Mahmoud Morsi Hussein
  • Patent number: 11840288
    Abstract: An airflow adjusting apparatus to be installed in a vehicle includes an airflow generator and a controller. The airflow generator is provided on an inner surface of a wheel house or on a wheel. The wheel house provides a wheel containing section of a vehicle body. The wheel is contained in the wheel containing section. The airflow generator is configured to generate an airflow that flows from the wheel containing section toward outer side in a vehicle widthwise direction. The controller is configured to control the airflow generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoto Watanabe, Yusaku Dogahira
  • Patent number: 11834105
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a deployable fairing system to a tractor trailer. The deployable fairing system includes an actuator used to extend the deployable fairing from an unextended configuration to an extended configuration to occupy a portion of a gap area that exists between a tractor and an attached trailer. The deployable fairing includes deployable upper and/or lower horizontal assemblies that are pivotally coupled to a frame attached to the tractor/cab, and two side panels that are pivotally coupled to one or both of the upper and lower horizontal assemblies. The deployable upper and lower horizontal assemblies and the two side panels fold in on one another along multiple hinged axes in the unextended configuration, and extend rearward from the top and sides of the tractor in the extended configuration to cover a portion of the gap. The fairing may advantageously flair from front to the rear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel Burrows, Burk Kladde, Dagan Trnka, Ada Sierraalta, Roger LeMesurier, Adam Baumgartner, Pratik Bhagwat
  • Patent number: 11834106
    Abstract: An air conduction device for a motor vehicle including an air conduction element and a movement device with adjustment kinematics. The air conduction element is movable relative to the remaining body as at least part of a tail side part of the vehicle body. The air conduction element moves between an inoperative position and at least one final operating position. The tail side part has a flow guiding area along which air flows which is designed to face an area surrounding the motor vehicle. The air conduction element has a surface which is at least part of the flow guiding area. The air conduction element is configured in its final operating position to lengthen the flow guiding area in the direction of a longitudinal body axis (X) of the body. The adjustment kinematics are configured in the form of multipoint joint kinematics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Inventors: Dominik Beierl, Joachim Paul, Henrik Heidorn, Haiko Neher, Moritz Zeh
  • Patent number: 11827168
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle frame and a bumper supported by the vehicle frame. A bumper extension is supported by the bumper and is moveable downwardly relative to the bumper from a raised position to a lowered position. A reinforcement has a first end fixed relative to vehicle frame and a second end fixed relative to the bumper extension. The reinforcement includes a lock fixing the first end and the second end of the reinforcement relative to each other when the bumper extension is in the lowered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: S. M. Iskander Farooq, Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammad Omar Faruque, Saeed D. Barbat
  • Patent number: 11827284
    Abstract: A motor vehicle side spoiler arrangement with a spoiler blade which can be moved in a motorized manner between a retracted rest position and a laterally extended spoiler position. A spoiler shell is fixed on the vehicle and provided with a shell rear wall, a guide mechanism which guides the spoiler blade in the longitudinal direction, and an actuating motor. A sliding seal lip is provided between the spoiler blade and the shell rear wall, which sliding seal lip closes a front-side gap (S) between the spoiler blade and the shell rear wall in the spoiler position of the spoiler blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Inventors: Dominik Beierl, Joachim Paul, Henrik Heidorn, Haiko Neher