FR3066565A1 - LEVER-ACTUATOR LINK DEVICE FOR FRONT-CLOSURE DEVICE FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE FASTENER, AND FRONT-FASTENER SEALING DEVICE THEREFOR - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an actuator-lever connection device (10) for a motor vehicle front end closure device (1) comprising: • a drive shaft (90), • a lever (11), • a device clutch (20) driven in rotation by the drive shaft (90) and adapted to cooperate with the lever (11), said clutch device (20) having a connecting element (50) for cooperating with the lever (11) and movable in translation parallel to the axis of the drive shaft (90) between a coupling position and a re-engagement position, said connecting element (50) being also movable in translation perpendicularly to the axis of the drive shaft (90) between a first position and a second position.

Description

The invention relates to an actuator-lever connection device for a shutter device on the front face of a motor vehicle, the shutter device for the front face comprising at least one flap and an actuator moving said at least one flap between a closed position and an open position. The invention also relates to the front face device comprising such a connecting device.

The front sides of motor vehicles are generally composed of an air inlet or two air inlets, called upper track and lower track, separated by a bumper beam. Behind this bumper beam is generally placed a motor vehicle heat exchange device, comprising one or more heat exchangers, such as those used for air conditioning the passenger compartment, intended to be traversed by an introduced air flow through the air inlet or air inlets at the front of the vehicle.

A shutter device, in a known manner comprising at least one panel of flaps, is also generally mounted in the air inlets of the vehicle. The flaps are for example formed by lamellae pivotally mounted on the panel, in particular substantially transversely. The inclination of the flaps can be controlled by an actuator between a closed position, for example vertical, blocking the passage of air and several intermediate positions to an open position, for example horizontal, in which a flow of maximum air can circulate. When the flap panel is closed, the vehicle has a better air penetration coefficient, which reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

According to a known solution, the flaps can be driven by means of a control lever coupled to the actuator.

The piloted flaps are therefore arranged in front of the heat exchange device, and are used to reduce the drag coefficient as well as to improve the performance of the heat exchange device.

However, in the event of an actuator failure, the flaps may find themselves blocked in the closed position, which obstructs the passage of air to the heat exchange device which can lead, under certain driving and climatic conditions, to

-2 overheating of the engine.

It is known to integrate a return spring integral with the actuator. This return spring urges the actuator in a flap opening configuration. Thus in the event of an actuator failure, for example due to a cut in the electrical signals, the return spring returns the flaps to the open position allowing air to pass through, and thus avoiding overheating of the engine. However, this system implies that the actuator must constantly overcome the return force of the spring, which has the drawback of oversizing the gearmotor and involves higher current consumption. In addition, if the actuator comes to suffer a mechanical failure such as for example a breakage of the reduction gear pinion at its gear, the possibility of reopening the flaps then becomes impossible, which inevitably leads to overheating of the motor and stopping. emergency.

In order to overcome this drawback, it has been proposed to couple the actuator and the shutter control lever by means of a movable core forming a connecting element between the control lever and the actuator. In the event of an actuator failure, this movable core is moved to a release position so as to separate from the actuator. For this purpose, a displacement means such as a solenoid makes it possible to move the mobile core. However, such a system can be cumbersome and requires a power supply to the solenoid which, in the event of an electrical failure, no longer works. In addition, if the fault is repaired or only temporary, it can be difficult to reset the moving core so that it again plays its role of connecting element between the control lever and the actuator.

The present invention aims to at least partially resolve the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a compact alternative making it possible to separate the flaps from the actuator in the event of failure of the actuator.

To this end, the subject of the invention is an actuator-lever connection device for a closure device for the front face of a motor vehicle, said connection device.

-3 including:

• a drive shaft capable of being rotated by an actuator, • a lever movable in rotation about the axis of the drive shaft between an open position in which the lever is able to open the device shutter and a closed position in which the lever is capable of closing the shutter device, • a clutch device driven in rotation by the drive shaft and intended to cooperate with the lever so as to transmit the rotational movements of the drive shaft to said lever.

According to the invention, said clutch device comprises a junction element intended to cooperate with the lever, said junction element being movable, in particular in translation parallel to the axis of the drive shaft, between a coupling position and a re-engagement position, said junction element also being movable, in particular in translation perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft, between a first position and a second position, the clutch device being movable around the axis of the drive shaft between an initial position, a control position and a re-coupling position.

According to one aspect of the invention, the actuator-lever connection device also comprises a re-coupling member capable of passing the junction element from its second position to its first position when said junction element is in its re position. engagement, in particular during the passage of the clutch device from its initial position to its re-coupling position.

According to another aspect of the invention, the lever further comprises a receiving member which is capable of passing the junction element from its coupling position to its re-engagement position, when the junction element is in his second position, by:

• rotation of the lever from its closed position to its open position when the clutch device is in its initial position, or

-4 • rotation of the clutch device from its initial position to its re-coupling position when the lever is in its closed position.

According to another aspect of the invention, the clutch device comprises a shape memory material which allows, under the action of heat, the passage of the joining element from its first position to its second position.

According to another aspect of the invention, the re-coupling member comprises a cam disposed on a fixed element relative to the clutch device.

According to another aspect of the invention, the cam is arranged on the support frame of the shutter device.

According to another aspect of the invention, the clutch device comprises an elastic element exerting a force on said junction element so as to constrain it and maintain it in its coupling position.

According to another aspect of the invention, the lever has an orifice through which the drive shaft passes, said lever being intended to be disposed between the actuator and the clutch device.

According to another aspect of the invention, the clutch device has a first oblong through hole, said first oblong hole extending perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft, and the joining element is a pin passing through said first oblong orifice.

According to another aspect of the invention, the lever comprises a second oblong orifice extending perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft, said second oblong orifice being configured to receive the junction element.

According to another aspect of the invention, the lever receiving member comprises a ramp, a first end of which is disposed at the level of a second oblong orifice so as to receive the junction element in its coupling position and in its second position, said ramp having a curved profile whose center is Taxe of the drive shaft, the surface of the ramp rising towards the face of the lever facing the clutch device so as to bring the junction element into its re-engagement position at the second end of said ramp.

The present invention also relates to a device for closing the front face of a motor vehicle comprising an actuator-lever connection device as described above.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description, given by way of illustrative and nonlimiting example, and of the appended drawings among which:

- Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective representation of a shutter device,

- Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective representation of a control element,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a lever actuator connection device mounted on a shutter device,

- Figure 4 shows a schematic exploded perspective view of an actuator-lever connection device,

- Figure 5 shows a schematic representation in semi-exploded perspective of an actuator-lever connection device in the operating position,

- Figure 6 shows a schematic perspective representation of the lever receiving member,

- Figure 7 shows a schematic perspective representation of a recoupling member,

- Figures 8 to 13 show schematic perspective representations of devices

-6 actuator-lever connection according to different operating positions.

In these figures, the substantially identical elements have the same references.

The following embodiments are examples. Although the description refers to one or more embodiments, this does not necessarily mean that each reference relates to the same embodiment, or that the characteristics apply only to a single embodiment. Simple features of different embodiments can also be combined and / or interchanged to provide other embodiments.

In the present description, it is possible to index certain elements or parameters, such as for example first element or second element as well as first parameter and second parameter or even first criterion and second criterion etc. In this case, it is a simple indexing to differentiate and name elements or parameters or criteria that are similar but not identical. This indexing does not imply a priority of an element, parameter or criterion over another and one can easily interchange such names without departing from the scope of this description. This indexing does not imply an order in time for example to assess this or that criterion.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a trihedron XYZ shows the angle of view of each of said figures with respect to each other. The axes of this trihedron can also correspond to the different orientations of the motor vehicle. The X axis can thus correspond to the length of the vehicle, the Y axis to its width and the Z axis to its height.

Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective representation of a shutter device 1 in the shutter position. This FIG. 1 shows more precisely the external face of the shutter device 1, that is to say the face directed towards the outside of the motor vehicle when the shutter device 1 is assembled on the vehicle.

The shutter device 1 comprises a support frame 5 comprising in particular

-7two longitudinal crosspieces 5a, extending parallel to the axis Y of the trihedron, and at least two lateral uprights 5b, extending parallel to the axis Z of the trihedron, and connecting the longitudinal crosspieces 5a. The support frame 5 is made for example of plastic. The two longitudinal crosspieces 5a and the at least two lateral uprights 5b are thus molded. In order to improve the rigidity of the support frame 5, the latter can be molded in one piece.

Within the support frame 5 is installed a plurality of flaps 3, the latter form rows of flaps 3 parallel to each other and form at least a first 3a and a second 3b set of flaps 3. Between these first 3a and second 3b sets of shutters 3 is arranged a control element 13 configured to control the rotation of the shutter (s) 3 around a pivot axis A, between an open position (visible in FIG. 2), where the shutters 3 are positioned so that an air flow can pass through the closure device 1, in particular inside the support frame 5, and a closure position illustrated in FIG. 1, where the flaps 3 are positioned so that a air flow cannot pass through the shutter device 1.

FIG. 1 more specifically shows a shutter device 1 comprising three sets 3a, 3b and 3c of flaps 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control element 13 comprises in particular a control member 7. The flaps 3 each comprise a control arm 30, perpendicular to their pivot axis A and carrying a connection axis B allowing the connection between said control arm 30 and the control member 7. The pivot axis A and the connecting axes B are all parallel to the axis Y of the trihedron. The control arm 30 generally comes in one piece with the flaps 3.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the control member 7 can be produced in a single piece comprising two connecting rods 70a, 70b. Said connecting rods 70a, 70b are interconnected by at least one spacing cross member 71, preferably by a spacing cross member 71 at each end of the connecting rods 70a, 70b. Such a control member 7 is rigid and allows good synchronization of the movements of the assemblies 3a, 3b of flaps 3.

-8The flaps 3 can each pivot about their pivot axis A defined by their connection with the support frame 5. The connecting axes B between the flaps 3 and the control member 7 are eccentric with respect to the pivot axes A of so that a translational movement, parallel to the axis Z of the trihedron, of the control member 7, under the action of the actuator 9, causes the flaps 3 to pivot about their respective pivot axes A and therefore the passage of said flaps 3 from one position to another.

All the flaps 3 being connected to the same control member 7, the passage from an open position to a closed position is synchronous for all the flaps 3.

During the translation along the Z axis of the trihedron of the control member 7, a shifting movement of said control member 7 along the X axis of the trihedron can be observed. This is due to the rotation of the control arms 30 around the pivot axes A which forms an arc of a circle.

The control element 13 also includes an actuator 9. The actuator 9 can be electric, such as for example an electric motor. The actuator 9 applies a translational movement to the control member 7 by means of at least one lever 11. This translation takes place along the Z axis of the trihedron.

As shown in Figure 3, the shutter device 1 comprises a linkage device 10 actuator-lever. This connection device 10 more particularly comprises a drive shaft 90 which is rotated by the actuator 9 and a clutch device 20 driven in rotation by the drive shaft 90. The clutch device 20 cooperates with the lever 11 so as to transmit the rotational movements of the drive shaft 90 to the latter.

The lever 11 is thus movable in rotation around the axis of the drive shaft 90 between:

An open position in which the lever 11 is able to open the shutter device 1, that is to say in which the flap or flaps 3 are in the open position, and

-9 • a closed position in which the lever 11 is able to close the shutter device 1.

The connecting device 10 also includes a re-coupling member 40 which will be described in more detail later in the present description.

In the example illustrated in Figure 3, the lever 11 is in the closed position. The lever 11 is connected to the control member 7 by an axis 70. This axis 70 is inserted in a housing 110 (visible in FIG. 4) disposed at one end of the lever 11.

In the example illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, and as shown in the exploded perspective view of FIG. 4, in this exemplary embodiment, the lever 11 has an orifice 12 through which the drive shaft 90 passes. The lever 11 is free to rotate around the drive shaft 90 and is disposed between the actuator 9 and the clutch device 20. The re-coupling member 40 is in turn disposed opposite the lever 11 relative to the clutch device 20. In other words, the clutch device 20 is disposed between the lever 11 and the re-coupling member 40. It is however quite possible to imagine other modes in which the re-coupling member 40 is arranged between the actuator 9 and the clutch device 20.

The clutch device 20 more particularly comprises a connecting element 50 intended to cooperate with the lever 11 in order to transmit the rotational movements of the drive shaft 90 to the lever 11 and allow the latter to pass from its position closing in its open position and vice versa. In normal operation, when the lever 11 is in the closed position, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the clutch device 20 is in a so-called initial position. So that the lever 11 passes into the open position, the clutch device 20 rotates about the axis of the drive shaft 90 under the action of the actuator 9 and drives the lever 11. In the example illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, this corresponds to a clockwise rotation of 90 ° around the axis of the drive shaft with the clutch device 20 in the foreground.

The junction element 50 is movable in translation parallel to the axis of the shaft

-ΙΟά Drive 90 between a coupling position and a re-engagement position. Here, the coupling position is understood to mean that the junction element 50 is offset towards the lever 11. Conversely, the re-engagement position is understood to mean that the junction element 50 is offset towards the re-engagement member. coupling 40.

The joining element 50 is also movable in translation perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft 90 between a first position and a second position. In order to allow the junction element 50 to pass from its first to its second position, the clutch device 20 may in particular comprise a shape memory material (not shown). This shape memory material is configured to expand when heated and thereby move the junction member 50 from its first position to its second position.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, the clutch device 20 may include a housing 24 in which the shape memory material (not shown) is arranged. The connecting element 50 can be a pawn. This pin can be placed within a holding device 23 which can move in translation perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft 90, in particular under the action of the shape memory material. The pin can in turn move parallel to the axis of the drive shaft 90 within the holding device 23. The clutch device 20 may also include an elastic element (not shown), for example a spring. , exerting a force on said joining element 50 so as to constrain it and maintain it in its coupling position. This elastic element can in particular be placed within the holding device 23.

The clutch device 20 has a first oblong orifice 21 passing through. This first oblong orifice 21 extends perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft 90 and is crossed by the junction element 50. As illustrated in FIG. 5, within the first oblong orifice 21, the first position of the joining element 50 is a position proximal to the axis of the drive shaft 90 and the second position is a distal position. The shape memory material lengthens and pushes the junction element 50 from its first position to its second position when it is heated. Conversely, it is quite possible to imagine an embodiment where the shape memory material shrinks

-11when heated. Then the first position would be a distal position and the second position would be a position proximal to the axis of the drive shaft 90.

The lever 11 comprises a receiving member 14 which receives the junction element 50. This receiving member 14 is mounted in more detail in FIG. 6.

The receiving member 14 includes in particular a second oblong opening 111 inside which is inserted the end of the junction element 50 when it is in its coupling position, that is to say in the illustrated example, when the pin emerges from the first orifice 21 and is shifted towards the lever 11. In normal operation, the first 21 and the second orifice 111 have their openings aligned.

The receiving member 14 is in particular capable of passing the junction element 50 from its coupling position to its re-engagement position when the junction element 50 is in its second position. This passage of the junction element 50 from its coupling position to its re-engagement position is in particular possible due to the rotation of the lever 11 from its closed position to its open position, when the clutch device 20 is in its initial position. This is also possible by rotation of the clutch device 20 from its initial position to a so-called re-clutch position, when the lever 11 is in its closed position. This re-clutch position corresponds more precisely to a reverse rotation of the clutch device 20 relative to its rotation to pass from its initial position to its control position. In the example illustrated, this therefore corresponds to a 90 ° counterclockwise rotation of the clutch device 20 starting from its initial position.

In order to pass the junction element 50 from its coupling position to its re-engagement position when the junction element 50 is in its second position, the receiving member 14 of the lever 11 has a ramp 140. The first end of the ramp 140 is disposed at the second oblong orifice 111 so as to receive the joining element 50 when the latter is in its coupling position and in its second position. The ramp 140 has a curved profile, the center of which is the axis of the drive shaft 90 and forms an arc of a circle at an angle of 90 ° counterclockwise. The surface of the ramp 140 rises towards the face of the lever 11 facing the clutch device 20 so as to bring the junction element 50 to its re-engagement position. At its second end, the ramp 140 comprises

In particular a stop 141. The receiving member 14 may also include a guide rail 142 which allows the guiding of the junction element 50 so that it can pass from the second end of the ramp 140 to the first oblong orifice 21 while said junction element 50 is in its re-engagement position.

The re-coupling member 40 is capable of passing the junction element 50 from its second position to its first position when said junction element 50 is in its re-engagement position, during the passage of the device d clutch 20 from its initial position to its re-coupling position. For this, and as illustrated in more detail in FIG. 7, the re-coupling member 40 comprises a cam 41 disposed on a fixed element relative to the clutch device 20. This cam 41 can in particular be disposed on the frame support 5 of the shutter device 1 or then fixed to the actuator 9. The cam 41 is notably configured to receive the junction element 50 when it is in its re-engagement position.

Below, we will describe the kinematics of the various elements described above during a malfunction of the actuator 9, in order to illustrate at first the possibility of decoupling the lever 11 with the actuator 9 and in a second time their re-coupling.

As described above, FIG. 5 shows the actuator-lever connection device 10 in normal operation. The clutch device 20 is in its initial position and the lever 11 is in its closed position. The joining element 50 is in its first position and in its coupling position. If the actuator 9 applied a clockwise rotation of 90 °, the clutch device 20 would pass into the control position driving in its rotation the lever 11, causing it to move to an open position of the shutter device 1. The device clutch 20 and lever 11 remain coupled to each other. The joining element 50 remains in its first position and passes through the first oblong opening 21 and is inserted into the second oblong opening 111 of the coupling member 14.

Figure 13 shows the actuator-lever linkage device 10 when there is a malfunction while the lever is in the closed position. This malfunction can for example directly heat the shape memory material or the latter can be heated by means of a heating or electrical element which is supplied electrically when a malfunction is detected. This malfunction can affect for example the actuator 9 which can directly heat the shape memory material. Because the shape memory material is heated, the latter expands and brings the joining element 50 into its second position. The junction element 50 nevertheless remains in its coupling position due to the action of the elastic element.

However, the coupling between the clutch device 20 and the lever 11 is no longer effective and the latter can pass into its open position while the clutch device 20 remains in its initial position, as illustrated in FIG. 9. The passage of lever 11 to its open position can be done by the action of a spring pushing said lever 11, or another element such as the flaps 3, the control arm 30 or even the control 7. The flaps 3 can also passively pass into the open position due to the air pressure when the motor vehicle is in motion.

The passage of the lever 11 in the open position, due to the ramp 140 of the receiving member 14 allows the junction element 50 to pass from its coupling position to its re-engagement position. The joining element 50 then comes against the stop 141 of the lever 11 and against the cam 41 of the re-coupling member 40.

When the malfunction is finished or repaired, it is possible to re-couple the clutch element 20 and the lever 11 without having to completely change the connecting device 10.

As shown in Figures 10 and 11, a first step of re-coupling the clutch element 20 and the lever is performed by rotating the clutch device 20 from its initial position to its re-coupling position. This rotation mainly allows the junction element 50 to pass from its second position to its first position under the action of the cam 41 of the re-coupling member 40. If the lever 11 was in position

Opening as in FIG. 9, this rotation of the clutch device 20 also allows the lever 11 to rotate towards its closed position, in particular by virtue of the stop 141. If the lever 11 was already in the closed position, this rotation allows the junction element 50 to also pass from its coupling position to its re-engagement position by following the ramp 140. The cam 41 has a radius of curvature less than the radius of curvature of the ramp 140. In addition of center of curvature of cam 41 is offset with respect to the axis of curvature of ramp 140 so as to pass the joining element 50 from its second position to its first position when the clutch device is rotated 20 from its initial position to its re-coupling position.

As shown in Figure 12, the clutch device 20 then returns to its initial position. During this rotation, the joining element 50 follows the guide rail 142 in order to join the second oblong orifice 111. Once the clutch device 20 has returned to its initial position as illustrated in FIG. 13, the junction element 50 is inserted again into the second oblong opening 111 thanks in particular to the elastic element which brings it back by default to the coupling position.

Thus, it is clear that the actuator-lever connecting device 10 allows the lever 11 and the actuator 9 to be uncoupled so that the shutter device 1 can pass into the open position in the event of a malfunction. In addition, the actuator-lever linkage device allows, when the malfunction ceases, to re-couple the actuator 9 and the lever 11 without the need to manipulate or change the linkage device 10.

Claims (10)

1. Connecting device (10) actuator-lever for shutter device (1) of the front face of a motor vehicle, said connecting device comprising: • a drive shaft (90) capable of being rotated by an actuator (9), • a lever (11) movable in rotation about the axis of the drive shaft (90) between a position d opening in which the lever (11) is able to open the shutter device (1) and a closed position in which the lever (11) is able to close the shutter device (1), • a device for 'clutch (20) rotated by the drive shaft (90) and intended to cooperate with the lever (11) so as to transmit the rotational movements of the drive shaft (90) to said lever (11 ), characterized in that said clutch device (20) comprises a junction element (50) intended to cooperate with the lever (11), said junction element (50) being movable, in particular in translation parallel to the axis of the drive shaft (90), between a coupling position and a re-engagement position, the said junction element (50) also being movable, in particular in translation perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft (90), between a first position and a second position, the clutch device (20) being movable around the axis of the drive shaft (90) between an initial position and a re-coupling position. 2. Connecting device (10) actuator-lever according to claim 1, in which the connecting device (10) actuator-lever also comprises a recoupling member (40) able to pass the junction element (50) from its second position to its first position when said joining element (50) is in its re-engagement position. 3. Connecting device (10) actuator-lever according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lever (11) further comprises a receiving member (14) which is adapted to pass the connecting element (50 ) from its coupling position to its re-engagement position, when the junction element (50) is in its second position, by: • rotation of the lever (11) from its closed position to its open position when the clutch device (20) is in its initial position, or • rotation of the clutch device (20) from its initial position to its re-coupling position when the lever (11) is in its closed position. 4. Connecting device (10) actuator-lever according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clutch device (20) comprises a shape memory material which allows under the action of heat the passage of the joining element (50) from its first position to its second position. 5. Connecting device (10) actuator-lever according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the re-coupling member (40) comprises a cam (41) disposed on a fixed element relative to the device clutch (20). 6. Connecting device (10) actuator-lever according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lever (11) has an orifice (12) through which the drive shaft (90) passes, said lever (11) being intended to be disposed between the actuator (9) and the clutch device (20). 7. Connecting device (10) actuator-lever according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clutch device (20) has a first oblong opening (21) passing through, said first oblong opening (21) s' extending perpendicular to the axis -17from the drive shaft (90), and that the junction element (50) is a pin passing through said first oblong orifice (21). 8. Connecting device (10) actuator-lever according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lever (11) has a second oblong orifice (111) extending perpendicular to the axis of the shaft drive (90), said second oblong orifice (111) being configured to receive the joining element (50). 9. Connecting device (10) actuator-lever according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the receiving member (14) of the lever (11) comprises a ramp (140), a first end of which is disposed at the level of the second orifice. oblong (111) so as to receive the junction element (50) in its coupling position and in its second position, said ramp (140) having a curved profile whose center is the axis of the drive shaft (90), the surface of the ramp (140) rising towards the face of the lever (11) facing the clutch device (20) so as to bring the joining element (50) into its re-engagement position at the second end of said ramp (140). 10. Sealing device (1) of the front face of a motor vehicle comprising a connecting device (10) actuator-lever according to one of the preceding claims.