- GM filed a patent for adaptive air intakes with america Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO)
- The inlet and outlet could be fastened with an movable ingredient within the center
- The idea might cut back prices and complexity of constructing varied automobiles
Basic Motors is creating an adaptive air consumption duct that would increase and contract based mostly on airflow, which the automaker claims will permit for elevated elements commonality throughout automobiles.
The adaptive consumption was the topic of a patent software filed by GM in 2022, however which solely surfaced when it was revealed by the United States Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO) June 27, 2024.
Basic Motors adaptive air consumption patent picture
Within the software, GM discusses an air consumption setup consisting of fastened inlet and outlet parts, with a movable ingredient within the center. That center half could be “made from a versatile materials having a cross-sectional space that expands and contracts attentive to the incoming air move quantity,” GM mentioned within the software.
Potential supplies that would obtain the required degree of flexibility embody varied polyethylene blends, in addition to “waterproof felt, silicone cloth, and platinum-catalyzed silicon,” based on GM.
Basic Motors adaptive air consumption patent picture
If the inside of an air consumption can increase or contract for various charges of air move, the packaging does not want to alter for various functions, GM notes. That reduces the necessity for various air consumption designs for various automobiles, together with related manufacturing prices associated to particular tooling for these design variations. An adaptive air consumption could be more room environment friendly as nicely, GM claims, making it simpler to package deal in a automobile in addition to simpler to ship to factories.
The cost-cutting powers of elements commonality are exhausting to underestimate. It is why automakers search to make use of big-ticket gadgets like engines and infotainment programs throughout as many fashions as doable. And that can seemingly be the motivation ought to this adaptive air consumption make it to manufacturing.
