EP3475113A1

EP3475113A1 - Air inlet management system for the front panel of a motor vehicle and structure of such a system

Info

Publication number: EP3475113A1
Application number: EP17731227.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Enzo MITIDIERI; Frédéric Vacca; Thomas NORÉ
Original assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques SAS
Current assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques SAS
Priority date: 2016-06-28
Filing date: 2017-05-24
Publication date: 2019-05-01
Also published as: FR3053008B1; CN109689415A; CN109689415B; FR3053008A1; US20190315224A1; US10723218B2; WO2018002461A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a structure (2) of a system (1) for managing the air of an air inlet for the front panel of a motor vehicle, said structure (2) comprising: - a frame (3) intended to be positioned facing a heat exchanger (Ra), - one or more deflectors (7) that are secured to said frame (3) and are arranged in such a way as to intercept a flow of air and deflect it through said frame (3). The invention also concerns a system (1) for managing the air of an air inlet for the front panel of a motor vehicle having such a structure (2).

Description

Air intake management system for a motor vehicle front and structure of such a system

The subject of the invention is a structure of an air management system of an air inlet for a motor vehicle front end, as well as an air management system of an air inlet for a face. front of a motor vehicle comprising such a structure.

The invention also relates to a method of cooling a heat exchanger of a motor vehicle, implemented by such a system.

Such a system generally comprises at least one flap and a device for controlling the displacement of the at least one flap between a closed position of the air inlet and at least one open position of the air inlet.

Such a system is most often referred to by the acronym AGS, derived from the English phrase "Active Grid Shutter".

The air intake management system is preferably installed at a radiator grille of the motor vehicle.

In the open position of the air inlet, the air can circulate through the shell to pass through a radiator, notably participating in the cooling of the motor vehicle.

In the closed position of the air intake, the air does not penetrate via the calender which reduces the drag and thus reduces the energy consumption of the vehicle.

The air intake management system therefore reduces energy consumption when the vehicle does not need to be cooled by outside air.

In certain vehicle configurations, the radiator is arranged perpendicular to the direction of the air flow generated by the advance of the vehicle, that is to say substantially vertical.

In other vehicle configurations, often due to a lack of available space, the heat exchanger can not physically be positioned perpendicular to the direction of the air flow, which requires tilting by vertical ratio.

The air management system then comprises a structure defining a mechanical armature for the radiator, as well as a mouth defining said air inlet, this mouthpiece being deported relative to said armature. This structure channels the flow of air from the mouth to said armature, over its entire surface, and in a direction of pipe not perpendicular to the exchange surface of the body to be cooled.

This channeling direction, oblique with respect to the exchange surface, is at the origin of a heterogeneous distribution of the air flow over the length of the radiator. It is thus known to use the flaps, themselves, in their open position to ensure a better distribution of the flux on this exchange surface: these flaps direct the air flow in a preferred orientation, for example, a bottom flap oriented at 90 ° and an upper flap oriented at 75 ° (relative to the ver tical).

In order to optimize this distribution, the person skilled in the art voluntarily chooses shutters whose working surface is of large size in width, namely in the direction of the shutter perpendicular to its pivot axis: it is a question of shutters of the type Flag which are characterized by a pivot axis not centered on the width of the working surface.

According to the findings of the inventors, the use of such flaps (of the flag type) provides better guidance of the air flow and thus allows a better distribution of the air flow on the exchange surface of the radiator, compared with butterfly-type flaps (which are characterized by a pivot axis centered on the width of the flap working surface). However, this use requires the use of actuators having couples important motor, especially to maintain the shutters in position, especially when the working surface of the latter is subjected to the pressures exerted by the air flow.

The object of the invention is to remedy all or part of these disadvantages.

The invention relates first of all to a structure of an air management system of an air inlet for a motor vehicle front face, said structure comprising:

an armature intended to come opposite a heat exchanger,

- One or more baffles, which can be fixed to said frame, integral with said frame which are arranged to intercept a flow of air and deflect through said frame.

According to optional features of the invention, taken alone or in combination:

- The structure has a plurality of deflectors distributed along said armature and spaced relative to each other in the direction of the pipe;

the spacing between two consecutive deflectors is increasing as one moves further away from said air inlet;

the or each deflector has a curved section so as to intercept and straighten the flow of air directed through said armature.

According to one embodiment, said structure can comprise:

a first element defining said armature,

a second element, removable, forming a covering covering said armature, said pipe being defined in less part by the inter-space formed the first element and the second element, - Assembly means between the first element and the second element, and wherein the one or more deflectors are integral elements with the body of the first element.

The first element may be a molded part, the one or more baffles being obtained during the molding of the part.

The invention also relates to an air management system of an air inlet for a motor vehicle front end, comprising a structure according to the invention, and a mouth defining said air inlet, and wherein said system of air management has at least one flap, disposed at the mouth, which, in at least one open position, is arranged to direct the inflow of incoming air towards said frame, and wherein the at least one deflector, which can be fixed, are arranged in such a way that, in the said open position of the at least one flap, the at least one deflector intercept the flow of air directed by the at least one flap and deflect it through said armature.

Thus, and advantageously, the distribution of the air flow is provided by the combined actions of said at least one flap, at said air inlet, and the or baffles, close to the working surface.

It is then possible to use shutters whose work surface is smaller in size compared to those used in the state of the art, and less powerful actuators for their control.

According to one embodiment, the one or more baffles are each in the form of a projecting flange, from said armature, according to the height in the internal volume of the pipe, and extending longitudinally along the direction of the longitudinal axis of said at least one flap.

According to one embodiment, said at least one flap is a flap pivotally mounted on a support of the structure, and in which the axis of articulation of the flap is centered on the width of the working surface of said at least one flap.

According to one embodiment, said system has a plurality of flaps, which in at least their open position are arranged to direct the inflow of incoming air towards said armature.

The invention also relates to a method of cooling a heat exchanger of a motor vehicle, such as a radiator implemented by an air management system according to the invention and wherein said at least one shutter, in said at least one open position, so as to direct the inflow to the baffle or deflectors and to evenly distribute the flow on the different zones of the frame defined by the or said deflectors.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description which follows. This is purely illustrative and should be read in conjunction with the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of an air management system of an air intake for a motor vehicle front end, typically used when the radiator is inclined with respect to the vertical, the system comprising a frame facing the radiator, a remote mouth, and two flag-type flaps, one lower and the other upper, ensuring, in their open position, guiding the incoming airflow towards the armature .

- Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view of an air management system of an air intake for a motor vehicle front, according to the invention according to one embodiment, used when the radiator is inclined relative to the vertical, the system comprising a frame facing the radiator, a remote mouth, and two butterfly flaps, one lower, the other upper, ensuring, in their open position, the flow guide of air entering towards the armature, baffles distributed along the armature participating with the shutters to a better distribution of airflow through the radiator.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view diagrammatically illustrating three structural elements of a system according to one embodiment, including a first element defining the armature with the radiator, and a second element intended to cover said armature to form the armature. channel, and a third element forming the mouth and a support on which are articulated or flaps,

FIG. 4 is a detailed view illustrating, by way of example, a possible dimensional arrangement between the different deflectors.

State of the art

We begin by describing the state of the art illustrated in Figure 1. It is a system 1 'of air management of an air intake for a motor vehicle front end used when heat exchanger Ra', typically a radiator can not physically be positioned perpendicular to the direction of the air flow F 'generated by the vehicle advance.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the radiator is positioned inclined relative to the vertical, and therefore not perpendicular to the air flow F '. The air management system comprises a structure 2 'having a reinforcement 3' facing the radiator, and a mouth 4 'defining said air inlet. This structure comprises a pipe connecting said mouth 4 'to said armature 3'.

As illustrated, the direction D 'of this pipe is substantially non-perpendicular to the surface of the member to be cooled Ra. The pipe 5 guides the flow of air from the mouth 4 'to said armature 3', to then come through the organ to be cooled Ra.

Two flaps 6 'are each pivotally articulated at the mouth. In the closed position, these shutters 6 'reduce the drag of the vehicle and thus its energy consumption. It is thus known to use the flaps, in their open position to ensure a better distribution of the flow on the exchange surface of the member to be cooled: these flaps 6 direct the air flow in a preferred orientation, for example, a bottom flap oriented at 90 ° and an upper flap oriented at 75 ° (relative to the vertical), and as shown in Figure 1.

In order to optimize this distribution, the person skilled in the art voluntarily chooses flaps of large size in width, namely in the direction of the flap perpendicular to its pivot axis: they are flaps of the flag type which are characterized by a Pivot axis not centered on the width of the flap working surface, and as shown in Figure 1.

According to the findings of the inventors, the use of such flaps of the flag type ensures a better orientation of the inlet air flow and therefore a better distribution of the air flow on the exchange surface of the organ to be cooled, and compared to butterfly flaps (which are characterized by a pivot axis centered on the width of the flap working surface). However, this use requires the use of actuators having significant engine torque, especially to maintain the flaps in position, particularly when they are subjected to the pressures exerted by the air flow

Air management system of an air inlet

The air management system 1 of an air intake for a motor vehicle front end, according to the invention, is typically used when the heat exchanger Ra ', typically a radiator, can not physically be positioned perpendicularly to the direction of the air flow F generated by the advance of the vehicle.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the radiator is thus positioned inclined relative to the vertical, and therefore not perpendicular to the air flow F.

The system 1 comprises a structure 2 having a reinforcement 3 coming facing a heat exchanger Ra, such as a radiator, and a mouth 4 defining said remote position air inlet relative to the frame 3. A pipe 5 of the structure 2 connects the mouth up to said armature 3. This pipe 5 guards the flow of air from said mouth 4 to said armature 3.

As illustrated by way of non-limiting example in Figure 2, the direction D of this pipe 5 is substantially non-perpendicular to the surface of the member to be cooled, namely the heat exchanger Ra. This pipe 5 guides the flow of air from the mouth 4 to said armature 3, to then come through the heat exchanger Ra.

Said air management system has at least one flap 6, disposed at the mouth 4. In the closed position (not shown) said at least one flap 6 reduces the drag of the motor vehicle and therefore its consumption .

Said at least one flap 6, in at least one open position, is arranged to direct the inflow of incoming air towards said armature 3.

It is also noted that the structure 2 of the air management system has one or more fixed deflectors 7, internal to the pipe 5. This or these baffles 7 are arranged close to said armature 3.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, in said open position of the at least one flap 6, the baffle or baffles 7 intercept the flow of air directed by the at least one flap 6 and deflect it through said frame 3 to ensure the cooling of the organ Ra.

In other words, and advantageously, the distribution of the air flow at the reinforcement 3 is ensured by the combined actions of guiding said at least one flap 6, at the mouth 4, and the or baffles 7, near the frame 3.

The system may have several overlapping 6 wings, which in less their open position, are arranged to direct the flow of incoming air towards said mechanical armature 3.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, it becomes possible to use, for said at least one flap, a butterfly flap, which is characterized by an axis of articulation of the flap centered on the width of the working surface of said at least one flap. a part 6.

The use of such flaps type butterfly is advantageous in that they require a much lower torque than necessary to maintain in position a flag-type flap.

By way of example, the torque needed to control the flaps 6 'of the flag type of the system 1' according to the state of the art is estimated at 4 Nm. When the flaps 6 'of the flag type are replaced by a flap assembly butterfly6 / deflectors 7 of a system according to the invention, the torque necessary for the control flaps 6 is estimated at only 1, 2 Nm.

The invention advantageously allows the use of less powerful actuator for controlling flaps, and without reducing cooling performance.

deflectors

According to one embodiment, the system 1 has several deflectors 7 distributed over said armature 3 and spaced relative to each other in the direction D of the pipe.

The spacing between two consecutive deflectors 7 may be increasing as one moves away from said air inlet. Thus, and by way of example in FIG. 4, the distance X between the first deflector and the second deflector is smaller than the distance Y between the second deflector and the third deflector, which is itself smaller than the distance Z between the third deflector and the fourth deflector.

The one or more baffles 7 may each be in the form of a projecting flange, from said armature 3, according to the height in the internal volume of the pipe 5. This wing extends longitudinally along the direction of the longitudinal axis of said at least one flap 6, in particular over the entire dimension of the armature along this direction.

The or each deflector 7 may have a curved section. Such a section makes it possible to intercept and straighten the flow of air through said armature 3. Such a curved section is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in FIGS. 2 to 4. It should be noted that the distal end 71 of FIG. the curved section of the deflector 7 is inclined towards the mouth 4, while the proximal end 72 of the curved section is substantially perpendicular to the exchange surface of the organ Ra to be cooled. The section of the deflector extends along a curve between its two ends 71, 72.

The structure 2 of the system may comprise, a first element 20 defining said armature 3, a second removable element 21 forming at least part of the walls of the pipe 5 covering said armature 3, or even a third element 22, comprising a support frame on which are articulated or flaps 6. Assembly means allow the assembly of these various elements 20 to 22.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, it is noted that the second element 21 forms a covering covering the armature 3 of the first element 20. The pipe 5 is then defined in less in part by the inter-space formed between these two elements 20 and 21. The third element 22 is assembled to this assembly to form the mouth 4 of the structure 2.

It is also noted that the one or more baffles 7 may be integral elements with the body of the first element 20. Said first element 20 may be a typically plastic molded part, the baffle or baffles 7 being obtained during molding of the plastic part.

Cooling process

The invention also relates to a method for cooling an exchanger heat Ra of a motor vehicle, such as a radiator implemented by an air intake management system 1 according to the invention.

According to the method, said at least one flap 6 is oriented in said at least one open position, so as to direct the incoming flow towards the deflectors 7 and to distribute the incoming flow homogeneously over the different zones Z1 to Z6 of the armature delimited by the at least one deflector 7.

Such a method is illustrated in Figure 2. It is noted that the air flow F generated by the vehicle advance is distributed by the action of two flaps 6 superimposed at the air inlet. In this illustrated example, the fixed deflectors 7 are five in the direction D of the pipe 5. These deflectors 7 define six zones Z1 to Z6 distinct from the frame 3. The orientations of the flaps 6 distribute the air flow in six flux veins f 1 to f 6 respectively feeding the six zones Z1 to Z6. The flaps are oriented in preferred directions, which may be different, and so as to ensure a homogeneous cooling of the member to be cooled Ra over the entire exchange surface of the member to be cooled.

Advantages

As already indicated, the management system according to the present invention, as well as the cooling method makes it possible to obtain a homogeneous cooling of the radiator, advantageously without requiring the use of large flaps, in particular of the flag type, which require for their control, a large operating torque. The invention advantageously allows the use of less powerful and less expensive actuator for the control of the flaps or the state of the art. NOMENCLATURE

Invention (Figures 2 to 4):

1. Air management system,

2. Structure,

20. First element (structure),

21. Second element (structure),

22. Third element (structure),

3. Armature,

4. Mouthpiece (Air Inlet),

5. Channeling,

6. Shutter,

7. Deflectors,

D. Directorate of the pipeline,

F. Air flow generated by vehicle advance

Ra. Heat exchanger,

Z1 to Z6. Zones of the frame delimited by the deflectors 7, f1 to f6. Veins of airflow. State of the art (Figure 1):

1 '. Air management system,

2 '. Structure,

3 '. armature

4 '. Mouth,

5 '. Sewer

6 '. Shutter,

D '. Direction of the pipeline,

F '. Air flow generated by the vehicle advance, Ra '. Heat exchanger.

Claims

1. Structure (2) of an air management system (1) for an air intake for a motor vehicle front, said structure (2) comprising:

an armature (3) intended to come into contact with a heat exchanger (Ra),

- One or more deflectors (7), integral with said armature (3) which are arranged to intercept a flow of air and deflect through said armature (3).

2. Structure (2) according to claim 1, having a plurality of deflectors (7) distributed along said armature (3) and spaced relative to each other in the direction (D) of the pipe.

3. Structure (2) according to claim 2, wherein the spacing between two consecutive baffles (7) is increasing the further away from said air inlet.

4. Structure (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising:

a first element (20) defining said armature (3),

a second element (21), removable, forming a covering covering said armature (3), a pipe (5) being defined in less part by the inter-space formed the first element (20) and the second element (21); )

connecting means between the first element (20) and the second element (21), and wherein the one or more deflectors (7) are elements integral with the body of the first element (20).

5. Structure according to claim 4, wherein said first element (20) is a molded part, the one or more baffles (7) being obtained during the molding of the part.

6. Structure (2) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the or each baffle (7) has a curved section so as to intercept and straighten the air flow directed through said armature (3).

7. System (1) for air management of an air intake for a motor vehicle front, comprising a structure (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and a mouth (4) defining said air inlet, and wherein said air management system has at least one flap (6), disposed at the mouth (4), which, in at least one open position, is arranged in a manner directing the incoming air flow towards said armature (3), and wherein, said one or more deflectors (7) are arranged such that, in said open position of the at least one flap (6) the at least one deflector intercepts the flow of air directed by the at least one flap (6) and deflects it through said armature (3).

8. System according to claim 7, wherein the one or more deflectors (7) are each in the form of a wing projecting from said armature (3), according to the height in the internal volume of the pipe (5), and extending longitudinally in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said at least one flap (6).

9. System according to claim 7 or 8, wherein said at least one flap (6) is a flap pivotally mounted on a support of the structure (2), and wherein the pivot axis of the flap is centered on the width of the working surface of said at least one flap (6).

10. System according to one of claims 7 to 9, having several flaps (6), which in at least in their open position are arranged in order to direct the incoming air flow towards said armature (3).

1 1. A method of cooling a heat exchanger (Ra) of a motor vehicle, such as a radiator implemented by an air management system (1) according to any one of claims 7 to 10, and in wherein said at least one flap (6) is oriented in said at least one open position so as to direct the incoming flow towards the baffle (s) (7) and to homogeneously distribute the flow over the different zones (Z1 Z6) of the armature (3) defined by the one or more baffles (7).