US 12,296,893 B2
Deployable aerodynamic side panel system
Anthony J. Povinelli, Romeo, MI (US); and Martin R. Matthews, Troy, MI (US)
Assigned to Magna Exteriors Inc., Aurora (CA)
Filed by Magna Exteriors Inc., Concord (CA)
Filed on Jul. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/860,855.
Application 16/214,892 is a division of application No. 15/128,023, granted, now 10,189,517, issued on Jan. 29, 2019, previously published as PCT/US2015/021701, filed on Mar. 20, 2015.
Application 17/860,855 is a continuation of application No. 17/022,717, filed on Sep. 16, 2020, granted, now 11,414,140.
Application 17/022,717 is a continuation of application No. 16/214,892, filed on Dec. 10, 2018, granted, now 10,807,657, issued on Oct. 20, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/968,482, filed on Mar. 21, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2022/0340213 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. B62D 35/00 (2006.01); B62D 37/02 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 35/008 (2013.01) [B62D 37/02 (2013.01); Y02T 10/82 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
23. A deployable side panel assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
at least one deployable panel, where said deployable panel selectively extends and retracts between a stowed position and a deployed position, where the deployment of the deployable panel improves aerodynamics;
at least one actuator and at least one drive shaft, where the actuator is in communication with the vehicle and automatically deploys the deployable panel under predetermined conditions and automatically retracts the deployable panel when predetermined conditions for continued deployment are no longer met; and
a rocker panel assembly connected to the vehicle, where the deployable side panel assembly is adjacent to the rocker panel such that the deployable panel lies at least partially up behind an inner rocker panel of the rocker panel assembly when in the stowed position.