FR3123831A1 - Device for shutting off air flow from the front face of a motor vehicle comprising several support frames - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a flap (3) for a motor vehicle closing device (1), this flap (3) extending along a pivot axis (A) and comprising: - a flap body (11), - an illuminating member (12) arranged to be able to emit light, this illuminating member being linked to the shutter body. . Abstract Figure: Fig 2

Description

Device for shutting off air flow from the front face of a motor vehicle comprising several support frames

The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicle front face airflow blocking devices.

The front panels of motor vehicles generally comprise one or more main air inlets through which an air flow enters in the direction of the front compartment of the motor vehicle. Behind these air inlets are generally placed motor vehicle heat exchangers, such as the one used for the air conditioning of the passenger compartment and/or the one used for cooling the engine.

It is also known to arrange, in the air path passing through the main air inlets, a support frame comprising one or more flaps mounted pivoting and capable of assuming a multiplicity of different angular positions, comprised between an open position and a shutter position and thus forming a shutter device resembling a jalousie. This shutter device is sometimes called an active grille shutter, or even a controlled air intake module. Such a shutter device may also be referred to by the acronym AGS (for “Active Grille Shutter”).

The shutter device adjusts the air flow passing through the air inlets and arriving at the heat exchangers. It is thus possible to optimize the efficiency of these heat exchangers according to the needs by varying the quantity of air they receive. In addition, at high speed, the flaps in the closed position make it possible to reduce the drag coefficient of the motor vehicle and thus improve the aerodynamics of said motor vehicle. The shut-off device therefore makes it possible to reduce energy consumption and pollution when the motor does not need to be cooled by the outside air.

One of the aims of the present invention is to improve this type of device.

The present invention therefore relates to a shutter for a motor vehicle closing device, this shutter extending along a pivot axis and comprising:
- a shutter body,
-an illuminating member arranged to be able to emit light, this illuminating member being linked to the shutter body.

Thanks to the invention, it is possible to meet aesthetic and/or safety requirements due to the illumination capacity of the shutter. These illumination effects can be selected by the driver. The illumination of the shutters, in addition to the usual vehicle lights, also makes it easier to be seen by other vehicles, which improves safety.

According to one aspect of the invention, the illuminating member of the shutter comprises an optical surface from which light is emitted.

According to one aspect of the invention, the optical surface comprises a lens, in particular a smoked lens.

According to one aspect of the invention, the optical surface is arranged to diffract the light passing through it.

According to one aspect of the invention, the optical surface is a surface transparent to light.

According to one aspect of the invention, the optical surface extends along a longitudinal free edge of the flap.

According to one aspect of the invention, the shutter comprises a light guide arranged to conduct light from an active light source situated outside the shutter towards the optical surface.

According to one aspect of the invention, the light guide has an elongated shape, in particular extends along a longitudinal edge of the shutter.

According to one aspect of the invention, the light guide has a length greater than half the length of the longitudinal edge of the shutter.

According to one aspect of the invention, the light guide has an input portion which extends over an axis of rotation of the shutter, in particular this input portion extending through a pin which defines the axis of rotation of the shutter.

According to one aspect of the invention, the light guide has one or more bends, in particular between the entry portion and a main portion which extends along a free edge of the shutter.

According to one aspect of the invention, the shutter body comprises a housing to house the light guide.

According to one aspect of the invention, the optical surface is formed on the shutter body.

According to one aspect of the invention, the optical surface is formed on a separate part of the shutter body, and being assembled to the shutter body for example by gluing, snap-fastening or welding.

According to one aspect of the invention, the main portion of the light guide extends along the optical surface.

According to one aspect of the invention, the main portion of the light guide has ridges to send light out of the light guide.

According to one aspect of the invention, the light coming from the light guide passes through the optical surface.

According to one aspect of the invention, the shutter body is made of plastic material, and is hollow.

According to one aspect of the invention, the shutter has no active light source, in particular being devoid of LEDs.

As a variant, the shutter carries one or more light sources, for example one or more LEDs, in particular placed behind the optical surface.

According to one aspect of the invention, the optical guide is snapped onto the shutter body.

Another subject of the invention is a closure device for the air intake of the front face of a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a frame and a plurality of flaps as described above, these flaps being mounted on the frame pivotally between an open position and a closed position, in particular under the action of control means.

According to one aspect of the invention, an active light source, in particular at least one LED, is placed on a support connected to the frame, and the light guide on the shutter is placed so as to receive light emitted by this source from light.

According to one aspect of the invention, the device comprises one or more sources of light of variable intensity and/or of lights of different colors.

According to one aspect of the invention, the light source is fixed relative to the frame and the light guide is movable relative to the frame.

According to one aspect of the invention, the optical input of the light guide is placed opposite the light source, for example opposite the LED.

According to one aspect of the invention, the active light source is connected to a control unit, such as the ECU of a motor vehicle.

According to one aspect of the invention, the active light source can be controlled by the passenger via a Man Machine interface.

According to one aspect of the invention, the passenger can for example choose the color of the light emitted by the illuminating member.

According to one aspect of the invention, the illumination of the shutters can be continuous or can be triggered by vehicle events such as engine start or engine off condition or high speed or night driving, etc.

According to one aspect of the invention, the illuminating member is arranged to produce multicolored light.

According to one aspect of the invention, the device is arranged so that the illumination of the shutters is triggered by an opening and closing event of the shutters.

According to one aspect of the invention, the members illuminating the shutters are arranged so as to be visible from outside the vehicle, both when the shutters are in an open position and a closed position.

According to one aspect of the invention, the device is arranged so that the illumination of the shutters is triggered by an opening and closing event of the shutters.

According to one aspect of the invention, the members illuminating the shutters are arranged so as to be visible from outside the vehicle, both when the shutters are in an open position and a closed position.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description, provided by way of illustration and not limitation, and the appended drawings in which:

The shows a schematic representation in perspective of the front face of a shutter device,

the shows a schematic representation of a shutter according to an example of implementation of the invention,

the shows a sectional view of the shutter of the ,

the shows a schematic representation of the pane of the with the light source,

the shows a schematic representation of a shutter according to another embodiment,

the shows a schematic representation of a vehicle with the device according to the invention.

In these figures, identical elements bear the same reference numerals.

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

In the following description, the term "upper" and "lower" means the arrangement of the elements on the front face air inlet shutter device in the mounted state of the shutter device on the motor vehicle.

The shows a schematic representation in perspective of a shutter device in the shutter position. That shows more exactly the outer face of said closure device 1, that is to say the face facing the outside of the motor vehicle. Said closure device 1 comprises a support frame 5 comprising in particular two longitudinal crosspieces 5a, extending parallel to an axis Y of a trihedron, and at least two lateral uprights 5b, extending parallel to the axis Z of the trihedron. , and connecting said longitudinal crosspieces 5a. Advantageously, the support frame 5 is made of plastic material and the two longitudinal crosspieces 5a and the at least two side uprights 5b are obtained by injection molding. In order to improve the rigidity of said support frame 5, the latter can be molded in one piece. As a variant, at least one of the crosspieces and uprights is made of a hybrid material, namely with a plastic material and a metal-based material. The uprights and crosspieces can be separate parts and assembled together, for example using screws.

Within said support frame 5 are installed the flaps 3. When there is a plurality of flaps 3, the latter form rows of flaps 3 parallel to each other and which form a set of flaps 3. At one of the ends of the flap 3 or of the set of flaps 3, is placed a control element 13 allowing the rotation of the flap or flaps 3 around a pivot axis A, between an open position (not shown), where the flap or flaps flaps 3 are arranged so that a flow of air can pass through the shutter device 1, in particular inside the support frame 5, and a shutter position illustrated in , where the flap or flaps 3 are arranged so that an air flow cannot pass through the shutter device 1. As illustrated in the , it is possible to have a device 1 for closing off a motor vehicle front face air inlet comprising several sets of flaps 3 extending over the entire width of the support frame 5. The sets of flaps 3 can be separated by the control element 13 in order to ensure their synchronous rotation.

One or more heat exchangers of the vehicle, not shown, are placed at the rear of this closure device 1, in particular exchangers which exchange calories with the flow of air which passes through this device 1, for example to participate in the thermodynamic cycle of vehicle air conditioning.

Each flap 3 with pivot axis A, parallel to axis Y, comprises:
- a shutter body 11,
-an illuminating member 12 arranged to be able to emit light, this illuminating member 12 being linked to the shutter body 11.

The illuminating member 12 of the shutter 11 comprises an optical surface 14 from which the light is emitted, as can be seen in .

This optical surface 14 comprises a lens, in particular a smoked lens.

This optical surface 14 is arranged to diffract the light passing through it.

In one embodiment, optical surface 14 is a light-transparent surface.

The optical surface 14 extends along a longitudinal free edge 15 of the flap 3.

Each flap 3 comprises a light guide 16 arranged to conduct light from an active light source 17 situated outside the flap 3 towards the optical surface 14, as can be seen in the .

The light guide 16 has an elongated shape, and extends along a longitudinal edge of the flap 15.

The light guide 16 has a length greater than half the length of the longitudinal edge 15 of the shutter.

The light guide 16 has an input portion 18 which extends over an axis of rotation A of the shutter.

This inlet portion 18 extends through a pin 19 which defines the axis of rotation A of the shutter.

The light guide 16 has several bends 21, between the entrance portion 18 and a main portion 22 which extends along a free edge of the shutter.

The shutter body 11 includes a housing 23 to house the light guide.

The optical surface 14 is formed on the shutter body 11.

The optical surface 14 can be formed on a separate part 25 of the shutter body, and being assembled to the shutter body for example by gluing, snap-fastening or welding, as illustrated in the .

The main portion 22 of the light guide extends along the optical surface 14.

The main portion 22 of the light guide includes, for example, ridges to send light out of the light guide.

The light coming from the light guide 16 passes through the optical surface 14.

The shutter body 11 is made of plastic material, and is hollow.

In the example of Figures 2 to 4, the shutter 3 has no active light source, in particular being devoid of LEDs.

Alternatively, as illustrated in the example of , the flap 3 carries one or more light sources 17, for example one or more LEDs, in particular placed behind the optical surface 14.

In the example of the , the optical guide 16 is snapped onto the shutter body 11 for example.

The flaps 3 are mounted on the frame, or support frame 5, pivotally between an open position and a closed position.

In the example of Figures 2 to 4, an active light source 17, in particular at least one LED, is placed on a support 27 linked to the frame, and the light guide 16 on the flap 3 is placed so as to receive the light emitted by this light source 17.

Each flap 3 is closed at its ends by an end piece 40 which presents the pin which receives the light guide.

The device 1 may comprise one or more light sources of variable intensity and/or lights of different colors.

The light source 17 is fixed relative to the frame and the light guide 16 is movable relative to the frame 5.

The optical input 29 of the light guide is placed opposite the light source 17, for example opposite the LED.

As illustrated on the , the active light source 17 is connected to a control unit 31, such as the ECU of a motor vehicle.

The active light source 17 can be controlled by the passenger via a Man Machine interface 32.

The passenger can for example choose the color of the light emitted by the illuminating member 12.

Claims (12)

Flap (3) for a motor vehicle closing device (1), this flap (3) extending along a pivot axis (A) and comprising:
- a shutter body (11),
-an illuminating member (12) arranged to be able to emit light, this illuminating member being linked to the shutter body. Shutter (3) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the illuminating member (12) of the shutter comprises an optical surface (14) from which light is emitted. Shutter (3) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the optical surface (14) comprises a lens, in particular a smoked lens. Shutter (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shutter (3) comprises a light guide (16) arranged to conduct light from an active light source (17) located outside the shutter towards the optical surface. Shutter (3) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the light guide has an elongated shape, in particular extends along a longitudinal edge of the shutter. Shutter (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optical surface (14) is formed on a separate part of the shutter body, and being assembled to the shutter body, for example by gluing, snap-fastening or welding. Shutter (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shutter body (11) is made of plastic material and is hollow. Shutter (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shutter has no active light source, in particular no LED. Shutter (3) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the shutter carries one or more light sources, for example one or more LEDs (17), in particular placed behind the optical surface. Closing device (1) for the air intake of the front face of a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a frame and a plurality of flaps according to any one of the preceding claims, these flaps (3) being mounted on the frame pivotally between an open position and a closed position, in particular under the action of control means. Device according to the preceding claim, according to which the device (1) is arranged so that the illumination of the shutters is triggered by an event of opening and closing of the shutters. Device according to Claim 10 or 11, in which the members illuminating the shutters are arranged so as to be visible from outside the vehicle, both when the shutters are in an open position and a closed position.