US 11,945,517 B2
Underbody panel with directed airflow
Matthew Arthur Titus, Livonia, MI (US); Jack Wiley Cooper, Novi, MI (US); Thomas Joseph Ciccone, Plymouth, MI (US); Erik Christensen, Ferndale, MI (US); and Brett Clarke Peters, Canton, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Feb. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/673,014.
Prior Publication US 2023/0257039 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
Int. Cl. B62D 35/02 (2006.01); B62D 21/02 (2006.01); B62D 21/11 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 35/02 (2013.01) [B62D 21/02 (2013.01); B62D 21/11 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An assembly comprising:
a front subframe extending along a vehicle-longitudinal axis, the front subframe having two frame rails and a control arm connector on each frame rail;
the two frame rails diverging from each other vehicle-rearward of the respective control arm connector, each one of the frame rails has a diverging portion vehicle-rearward of the respective control arm connector and diverging from the other of the frame rails;
a panel supported on the frame rails and spaced vehicle-rearward of the control arm connector, the panel having a front end and a rear end spaced vehicle-rearward of the front end along the vehicle-longitudinal axis;
the panel extending cross-vehicle from one of the frame rails to the other of the frame rails;
the panel including a channel elongated along the vehicle-longitudinal axis;
a vehicle component spaced entirely from the panel vehicle-rearward of the panel along the longitudinal axis with a space along the vehicle-longitudinal axis between the entire vehicle component and the panel; and
the channel being designed to discharge airflow vehicle-rearward from the rear end of the panel along the vehicle-longitudinal axis across the space to the vehicle component; and
the panel being connected to the diverging portions and fixing the frame rails relative to each other cross-vehicle to prevent relative cross-vehicle movement of the frame rails at the diverging portions, the panel being designed to limit the lateral movement of the two frame rails vehicle-rearward of the control arm connector.