Aerodynamic system and method for diagnosing the aerodynamic system and verify downforce estimation based on electric motor current

• Main Authors: Auden, Joshua R, Heil, Edward T
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 24.04.2018
• Subjects: LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS; MEASURING; MOTOR VEHICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORVEHICLES; TESTING; TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES ORSTRUCTURES; TESTING STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TRAILERS; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILARDEVICES FOR VEHICLES

A method can be executed to diagnose an aerodynamic system and includes the following steps: (a) determining, via a controller, a first expected downforce acting on an aerodynamic element of a vehicle based, at least in part, on a current position of the aerodynamic element relative to a vehicle body of the vehicle, wherein an electric motor is operatively coupled to the aerodynamic element; (b) determining, via the controller, a second expected downforce acting on the aerodynamic element of the vehicle based, at least in part, on an electrical current used to move the electric motor in order to move the aerodynamic element from the current position to another position; (c) determining a deviation, via the controller, based on the first expected downforce and the second expected downforce; and (d) controlling, via the controller, the aerodynamic element based, at least in part, on the deviation.