IP Library Granted Patent US 8,360,508
Granted Patent B2
US 8,360,508 · App. 13/028,749 · Granted Jan 29, 2013

Fastback for a passenger car

Inventors: Borris Ilse (Mainz, DE); Boris Jacob (Wiesbaden, DE); Nicolas Kruse (Mainz, DE); Ulrich Bauer (Mainz, DE); Bertrand Bach (Wiesbaden, DE)
Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,360,508
App. No.
13/028,749
Granted
Jan 29, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fastback for a passenger car is provided with a roof profile and a floor profile in the tail region. The roof profile initially descends from a highest profile point and the floor profile initially ascends from a lowest profile point in a rear axle region. The tail region forms an aerodynamic diffusor having a floor diffusor and roof diffusor. For this purpose, the roof profile features an S-shaped upward curvature toward an upper tail break-away edge and the floor profile features an S-shaped downward curvature toward a lower tail break-away edge. Due to the roof profile and the floor profile, the tail region of the passenger car has a shape with a fish-like profile.

Claims (32)

1. A fastback for a passenger car, comprising:

a rear wheel axle;

a tail region extending rearward of the rear wheel axle and adapted to form an aerodynamic diffusor including a floor diffusor and a rearwardly open roof diffusor;

the roof diffusor defined by a roof profile in the tail region having a curvature that initially descends from a highest profile point and features an S-shaped curvature toward an upper tail edge; and

the rearwardly open floor diffusor defined by a floor profile in the tail region having a curvature that initially ascends rearward from a lowest profile point near the rear axle and features an S-shaped curvature toward a lower tail edge.

2. The fastback according to claim 1 , wherein the aerodynamic diffusor extends over at least two-thirds of a width of the passenger car.

3. The fastback according to claim 1 , wherein the rearwardly open floor profile curvature that initially ascends rearward from a lowest profile point has a greater radii curvature over a shorter distance as compared to the curvature that initially descends from a highest profile point of the roof profile.

4. The fastback according to claim 1 , further comprising a partial cover that enlarges the rearwardly open floor profile in a driving direction in the tail region.

5. The fastback according to claim 1 , wherein the roof profile is formed by a shaping of the fastback.

6. The fastback according to claim 1 , further comprising a fastback liftgate forming the roof profile.

7. The fastback according to claim 1 , wherein the rearwardly open floor diffusor is bounded on a first side by a first aerodynamic lateral deflector part.

8. The fastback according to claim 7 , wherein the rearwardly open floor diffusor is bounded on a second side by a second aerodynamic lateral deflector part.

9. The fastback according to claim 7 , wherein the first aerodynamic lateral deflector part extends down to the lowest profile point.

10. The fastback according to claim 8 , wherein the second aerodynamic lateral deflector part extends down to the lowest profile point.

11. The fastback according to claim 1 , wherein the roof diffusor lowers aerodynamic drag and increases negative aerodynamic lift of the tail region.

12. The fastback according to claim 11 , wherein the rearwardly open floor diffusor at least partially compensates the increased negative aerodynamic lift produced by the roof diffusor.

13. The fastback according to claim 1 , wherein the roof profile and the floor profile form a fish-tail like profile providing lower aerodynamic drag in the tail region.

14. The fastback according to claim 1 , wherein the roof profile is defined at least in part by a rear window in the tail region.

15. The fastback according to claim 14 , wherein the roof profile is defined at least in part by pivoted trunk lid adjacent to the rear window in the tail region.

16. A fastback for a passenger car, comprising:

a rear wheel axle;

a tail region extending rearward of the rear wheel axle and adapted to form an aerodynamic diffusor including a floor diffusor and a rearwardly open roof diffusor;

the roof diffusor defined by a roof profile in the tail region including a rear window and a pivoting truck lid having a curvature that initially descends from a highest profile point and features an S-shaped curvature toward an upper tail edge providing lower aerodynamic drag and increased negative aerodynamic lift of the tail region; and

the rearwardly open floor diffusor defined by a floor profile in the tail region having a curvature that initially ascends rearward from a lowest profile point near the rear axle and features an S-shaped curvature toward a lower tail edge providing at least partial compensation for the increased negative aerodynamic lift produced by the roof diffusor.

17. The fastback according to claim 16 , wherein the rearwardly open floor diffusor includes first and second aerodynamic lateral deflectors bounding either side of the floor diffusor.

18. The fastback according to claim 17 , wherein the first and second aerodynamic lateral deflectors extend downward from either side of the rearwardly open floor diffusor to the lowest profile point.

19. A fastback for a passenger car, comprising:

a rear wheel axle;

a tail region extending rearward of the rear wheel axle and adapted to form an aerodynamic diffusor including a floor diffusor and a rearwardly open roof diffusor;

the roof diffusor defined by a roof profile in the tail region including a rear window and a pivoting truck lid having a curvature that initially descends from a highest profile point and features an S-shaped curvature toward an upper tail edge providing lower aerodynamic drag and increased negative aerodynamic lift of the tail region; and

the rearwardly open floor diffusor defined by a floor profile in the tail region having a curvature that initially ascends rearward from a lowest profile point near the rear axle and features an S-shaped curvature toward a lower tail edge providing at least partial compensation for the increased negative aerodynamic lift produced by the roof diffusor and includes first and second aerodynamic lateral deflectors extend downward from either side of the rearwardly open floor diffusor to the lowest profile point.

20. The fastback according to claim 19 , wherein the upper tail edge of the roof profile and lower tail edge of the rearwardly open floor profile form a fish-tail like profile providing lower aerodynamic drag in the tail region.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 28, 2012
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 028466/0870 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2011
From: ILSE, BORRIS; JACOB, BORIS; KRUSE, NICOLAS; BAUER, ULRICH; BACH, BERTRAND
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 026012/0937 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2010 008 348 · Feb 17, 2010 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110198886A1 · Aug 18, 2011