Vehicle air dam assembly
A vehicle air dam assembly is provided which includes a motor, a drive linkage and an active air dam which can be deployed or stowed on a vehicle. The motor is mounted to a vehicle bumper. The drive linkage is coupled to the motor and is affixed to the vehicle bumper. The drive linkage includes a drive member and a biasing means. The active air dam may be coupled to the drive linkage via a four bar linkage.
1. A vehicle air dam assembly comprising:
a motor and a support bracket configured to mount to a vehicle bumper;
a drive member coupled to the motor and the support bracket at a proximal end of the drive member;
a sleeve having an upper end that is pivotally coupled to a distal end of the drive member;
a biasing member disposed in the sleeve and fixed upon an upper member of a four bar linkage; and
an active air dam coupled to the biasing member and the sleeve via the four bar linkage.
2. The vehicle air dam assembly of claim 1 wherein the drive member is movable between a stowed position and a semi-locked deployed position.
3. The vehicle air dam assembly of claim 1 wherein the biasing member is operatively configured to absorb energy from a load when the drive member is in the semi-locked deployed position.
4. The vehicle air dam assembly of claim 3 wherein the biasing member is a spring.
5. The vehicle air dam assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper member is pivotally coupled to the support bracket, and the four bar linkage further comprises:
a lower member pivotally coupled to the support bracket; and
an aft member pivotally coupled to the upper member through a first pivot and pivotally coupled to the lower member through a second pivot.
6. The vehicle air dam assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first pivot is slideably disposed in a slot of the sleeve to allow the four bar linkage to move relative to the sleeve and the drive member.