US 12,187,356 B2
Vehicular aerodynamic device
Hideki Mizuno, Kariya (JP); and Yukihide Shibutani, Kariya (JP)
Assigned to AISIN CORPORATION, Kariya (JP)
Filed by AISIN CORPORATION, Kariya (JP)
Filed on Aug. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/821,919.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-145321 (JP), filed on Sep. 7, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0071962 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B62D 35/00 (2006.01); B62D 35/02 (2006.01); B62D 37/02 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 35/02 (2013.01) [B62D 35/005 (2013.01); B62D 37/02 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular aerodynamic device comprising:
a link unit that is configured by coupling a plurality of link members to one another; and
an aerodynamic member that is deployed and retracted based on drive force to be transmitted via the link unit, wherein
the link unit transmits the drive force to the aerodynamic member by integral rotation, around a coupling shaft, of a first link and a second link as the link members that are coupled to each other via a clutch mechanism,
the clutch mechanism includes:
a first engagement member coupled to the first link; and
a second engagement member coupled to the second link,
the first engagement member and the second engagement member rotate integrally around the coupling shaft by engaging with each other, and rotate relative to each other by external force being applied to the aerodynamic member and larger than force of mutual engagement,
at least one of a first coupling portion that couples the first link and the first engagement member to each other and a second coupling portion that couples the second link and the second engagement member to each other is a fitting-coupling portion including a clutch-side engagement surface and a link-side engagement surface that rotate integrally around the coupling shaft by engaging with each other, and
a first gap is generated, between the clutch-side engagement surface and the link-side engagement surface, in a first relative rotation direction in which the aerodynamic member is displaced in a deployment direction, based on the external force, a second gap is generated, between the clutch-side engagement surface and the link-side engagement surface, in a second relative rotation direction in which the aerodynamic member is displaced in a retraction direction, based on the external force, and the second gap is narrower than the first gap.