GB2332656A

GB2332656A - Device for ducting airflow in a motor vehicle front assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2332656A
Application number: GB9828643A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alain Tourret
Original assignee: ECIA Equipements et Composants pour lIndustrie Automobile SA
Current assignee: ECIA Equipements et Composants pour lIndustrie Automobile SA
Priority date: 1997-12-24
Filing date: 1998-12-23
Publication date: 1999-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 2018-12-23
Also published as: GB2332656B; FR2772678A1; DE19860336A1; GB9828643D0; FR2772678B1; DE19860336C2

Abstract

The ducting device comprises a frame 34 delimiting an airstream passage and at least one slat 42 mounted so that it can rotate on two crossmembers 36 of the frame, between a position in which the airstream passage is open and a position in which this passage is shut off, by means of journals 46 of this slat which are housed in bearings 56 formed in the crossmembers 36. The ducting device additionally comprises means 58 of inserting the journals 46 into the bearings 56 by moving the slat 42 at right angles to its axis of rotation Z and by forcing the orientation of this slat into an angular position that this slat never adopts between its open and shutting-off positions.

Description

The present invention relates to an improved device for ducting an airstream and an arrangement of this device in a motor vehicle front assembly.

There is already known from the state of the art a device for ducting an airstream, of the type comprising a frame delimiting an airstream passage and at least one slat mounted so that it can rotate on two crossmembers of this frame, between a position in which the airstream passage is open and a position in which this passage is shut off, by means of end journals of this slat which are housed in bearings formed in the crossmembers, the journals and the bearings embodying an axis of rotation of the slat.

DE-A-38 36 374 and EP-A-0 421 098 each describe a ducting device of this type arranged in a motor vehicle front assembly, near to a heat exchanger of this front assembly.

The ducting device in particular makes it possible, once the vehicle engine has been started, to shorten the time taken by this engine, and possibly by the air for conditioning the cabin of the vehicle, to warm up. This shortening in warm-up time is obtained by closing the slats of the devices. The closing and opening of these slats is controlled as a function of a temperature parameter.

The object of the invention is to provide means for mounting and holding the slats on the frame of an airstream ducting device, which means are simple and lightweight and in particular allows these slats to be operated without a significant amount of force.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a device of the aforementioned type for ducting an airstream, characterized in that this device comprises means of inserting the journals into the bearings by moving the slat at right angles to its axis of rotation and by forcing the orientation of this slat into an angular position that this slat never adopts between its open and shutting-off positions.

According to other features of this ducting device: - the insertion means comprise, for each bearing and corresponding journal, a groove for accessing the bearing, this groove being formed in the corresponding crossmember so that it extends more or less transversely to the bearing, the journal comprising at least one forced-orientation flat intended to cooperate with a complementary forced-orientation face of the access groove; - the journal comprises two parallel forced-orientation flats intended to cooperate with two complementary forced-orientation faces of the access groove, these two forced-orientation faces preferably delimiting a restriction of the access groove; - the journals and the corresponding bearings comprise complementary axial bearing surfaces, the axial bearing surface of each journal being delimited by an essentially conical surface converging towards a face for reduced contact with the axial bearing surface of the corresponding bearing; - the frame comprises means, cooperating with the slat, for preventing the crossmembers from parting.

- the parting-prevention means comprise a pair of hooks borne by the crossmembers and intended to cooperate with annular stops built into the ends of the slat, so as to limit the axial movement of the journals relative to the corresponding bearings; - the frame and the slat are made of plastic.

Another subject of the invention is an arrangement of a ducting device as defined here in above in a motor vehicle front assembly.

The invention will be better understood from reading the description which will follow, given merely by way of example and made with reference to the drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of an airstream ducting device according to the invention arranged in a motor vehicle front assembly; - Figure 2 is a perspective view of the ducting device from the rear; - Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the ducting device from the front; - Figure 4 is an elevation of a slat of the ducting device; - Figure 5 is a sectioned view, on a larger scale, on line 5-5 of Figure 4; - Figures 6 to 10 are views from above of the slat depicted in Figure 4 showing successive stages in mounting this slat on the frame of the ducting device; - Figure 11 is a detail view, on a larger scale, of the ringed portion 11 of Figure 4; - Figure 12 is a sectioned view, on a larger scale, on line 12-12 of Figure 2; - Figure 13 is a sectioned view, on a larger scale on line 13-13 of Figure 2; - Figures 14 and 15 are sectioned views, on a smaller scale, on line 14-14 of Figure 12, showing the slats of the ducting device in the open position and the shutting-off position, respectively; - Figure 16 is a view similar to Figures 14 and 15, also showing the actuator for controlling the slats; - Figure 17 is a view in the direction of arrow 17 of Figure 16; - Figure 18 is a sectioned view, on a larger scale, on line 18-18 of Figure 2.

Depicted diagrammatically in Figure 1 is a motor vehicle front assembly 20 comprising, from the rear forward when considering the customary orientation of a vehicle, a device 22 for ducting an airstream according to the invention, a heat exchanger 24 (radiator and condenser) and a motor-fan unit 26.

As an alternative, the ducting device 22 could be placed in some other position in the front assembly 20, for example between the heat exchanger 24 and the motor-fan unit 26.

In a conventional way, the heat exchanger 24 is equipped with a body 28 joining two (an upper and a lower) manifolds for the liquid flowing through the exchanger. Each manifold assembly comprises a manifold plate 30 connected to a collecting box 32.

The ducting device 22 and the heat exchanger 24 are intended to have passing through them an airstream, the general direction of which is indicated by the arrows F in Figure 1.

It will be noted that the manifold plates 30 are delimited by an edge 30A that projects in the direction of the airstream relative to the body 28 of the exchanger.

Also depicted diagrammatically in Figure 1 is an engine M of the vehicle, situated behind the ducting device 22.

Referring in particular to Figures 2 and 3, it can be seen that the ducting device 22 comprises a frame 34 delimiting an airstream passage. This frame 34 comprises two end crossmembers 36 and an intermediate crossmember 38. These crossmembers 36, 38 are joined together by lateral uprights 40.

The intermediate crossmember 38 is arranged between the two end crossmembers 36, preferably essentially midway between these two cros-smembers 36.

Slats 42, just a few of which have been depicted in Figures 2 and 3, are mounted so that they can rotate about parallel geometric axes Z on the crossmembers 36, 38 between a position in which the airstream passage is open and a position in which it is shut off, these positions being depicted in particular in Figures 14 and 15. The slats 42 have the overall shape of profiled wings.

Referring once again to Figure 1, it can be seen that, with a view to reducing the bulk, the frame 34 of the ducting device 22 is pressed up against the heat exchanger 24, between the latter's manifold plates 30, so that the projecting edges 30A of these plates span across the end crossmembers 36 of the frame.

The frame 34 is fixed to the exchanger 24 by conventional means, particularly comprising lugs 44 built into this frame 34.

Referring in particular to Figures 3 and 4, it can be seen that each slat 42 has two end journals 46, two intermediate journals 48 joined together by a slat-control crank 50 and two profiled half-wings 42A extending between the end journals 46 and the intermediate journals 48.

Referring in particular to Figures 3, 12 and 13, it can be seen that the intermediate crossmember 38 forms a hollow housing. This crossmember 38 comprises two half-housings 38A, 38B, in the overall shape of channel sections, attached to each other, for example, using snap-fastening means 52. The half-housings 38A, 38B respectively form a leading edge and a trailing edge of the internal crossmember 38, if reference is made to the direction in which the airstream flows.

The intermediate journals 48 of the slats 42 are housed in intermediate bearings 54 formed in the intermediate crossmember 38 (see, in particular, Figure 12). Each intermediate bearing 54 is delimited by two cut-outs forming half-bearings 54A, 54B, these cut-outs being made respectively on the joining edges of the two half-housings 38A, 38B (see, in particular, Figures 3 and 12).

The end journals 46 of the slats are housed in end bearings 56 formed in the end crossmembers 36 (see, in particular, Figures 2 and 3).

The journals 46, 48 and the bearings 54, 56 embody the geometric axis Z of rotation of the slat.

The end crossmembers 36 comprise means of inserting the end journals 46 into the corresponding bearings 56 by moving the slats at right angles to their axis of rotation Z.

These means of insertion comprise grooves 58 for access to the end bearings 56, these grooves being formed in the end crossmembers 36 in such a way as to extend essentially transversely to the end bearings 56.

Each end journal 46 comprises two essentially parallel flats 60 intended to cooperate with two complementary faces 62 of the corresponding access groove 58. It will be noted that these two faces 62 delimit a restriction of the groove 58.

The flats 60 and the complementary faces 62 allow the orientation of a slat to be forced into a predetermined angular position like the one depicted in Figures 6 to 8 when the end journals 46 of this slat are being inserted into the corresponding end bearings 56. The successive stages of inserting an end journal 46 in a corresponding bearing 56, during which this journal 46 is slid along the access groove 58 transversely to the axis of rotation Z of the corresponding slat, have been depicted in these three figures.

In Figure 9, the slat 42 has been depicted in the open position (the half-wings 42A are essentially parallel to the direction in which the airstream flows) and in Figure 10 this slat 42 has been depicted in the shutting-off position (the half-wings 42A are essentially perpendicular to the direction in which the airstream flows). The slat 42 is moved from its open position into its shutting-off position by rotation by about a quarter of a turn in the clockwise direction when considering Figures 9 and 10.

It will be noted that the predetermined angular position of the slat 42 as depicted in Figures 6 to 8 is never adopted by this slat 42 between its open and shutting-off positions depicted in Figures 9 and 10.

This is because the flats 60 of the end journals 46 of the slat are never parallel to the faces 62 of the corresponding access grooves 58 when this slat is rotating from its open position into its shutting-off position.

As an alternative, each end journal 46 may have just one forced-orientation flat intended to cooperate with a complementary face of the access groove 58.

The end journals 46 and bearings 56 comprise complementary axial bearing surfaces 64, 66 (see, in particular, Figures 6 and 11). In order to limit the friction between the end journals 46 and the corresponding bearings 56, the axial bearing surface 64 of each journal 46 is delimited by an essentially conical surface 64C converging towards a face 64R for reduced contact with the axial bearing surface 66 of the corresponding end bearing 56. The bearing surface 66 is flat as is the reduced-contact face 64R.

The slats 42 are controlled by a linkage. 68 mounted to slide longitudinally in the intermediate crossmember 38. This control linkage 68, depicted, in particular, in Figures 3 and 12 to 15, is equipped with cut-outs 70 engaging with the cranks 50 of the slats 42, these cranks 50 also being housed in the intermediate crossmember 38.

In order to reduce friction between the intermediate crossmember 38 and the control linkage 68, the latter has projections 72, 74 for reduced contact with the internal surface of the crossmember 38 (see, in particular, Figure 13).

The linkage 68 is controlled by a conventional actuator 76, borne by a support 78 built into the trailing edge of the intermediate crossmember 38 (see, in particular, Figures 2 and 16).

The actuator 76 allows the control linkage 68 to be translated inside the intermediate linkage 38.

This translational movement is converted into a rotational movement of the slats 42 by the cooperation between the cranks 50 of these slats and the cut-outs 70 of the linkage, this cooperation producing a relative movement of the cranks 50 and of the cut-outs 70 that is essentially perpendicular to the axis of rotation Z of the slats (see, in partcular, Figures 14 and 15 in which the slats 42 are depicted in the open and in the shutting-off positions respectively).

The actuator 76 is equipped with a rod 80, which can be made to perform a translational movement, connected to the linkage 68 via two male and female members described below with reference, in particular, to Figures 16 and 17.

The male member is a lug 82, built into the control linkage 68, extending through a guide slot 84 formed in the trailing edge of the intermediate crossmember 38. The female member is the free end 80L of the rod 80.

The lug 82 comprises a free end which has two essentially parallel branches 84, 86 fitted into two complementary holes 88, 90 formed in the end SOL of the rod 80.

It will be noted that the branches 84, 86 extend essentially at right angles to the translational movement of the rod 80, which is depicted by a double headed arrow T in Figure 16.

The first branch 84 cooperates with the first hole 88 to transmit from the rod 80 to the control linkage 68 the driving forces that are essentially parallel to the translational movement T. The second branch 86 bears snap-fastening means 92 cooperating with the second hole 90 to lock the rod 80 and the lug 82 together. These snap-fastening rings 92 can be released by elastic deformation essentially parallel to the translational movement T.

As a preference, the free end 80L of the rod 80 comprises a pin 94 essentially transverse to the translational movement T, separating the two holes 88, 90 and cooperating with a complementary portion 96 of the lug 82 forming a connection between the two branches 84, 86.

It will be noted that the first force-transmission branch 84 prevents any inadvertent elastic deformation of the snap-fastening means 92 which could cause accidental detachment of the rod 80 from the lug 82.

As an alternative, the male member could be borne by the rod 80 and the female member could be borne by the linkage 68.

The slats 42 and the means of controlling these slats are very simple to mount.

Initially, the half-housing 38A forming the leading edge of the intermediate crossmember 38 is detached from the complementary half-housing 38B forming the trailing edge of this intermediate crossmember, as has been depicted in Figure 3.

The slats 42 are placed on the frame 34 engaging, on the one hand, their end journals 46 in the access grooves 58 then in the end bearings 56, as explained earlier and, on the other hand, their intermediate journals 48 in the intermediate half-bearings 54B formed on the half-housing 38B of the intermediate crossmember.

The linkage 68 is then placed in this half-housing 38B in such a way that the cut-outs 70 of this linkage engage with the cranks 50 of the slats.

Next, the intermediate crossmember 38 is closed by snap-fitting the half-housing 38A on the half-housing 38B, the cranks 50 and the control linkage 68 thus being housed inside the intermediate crossmember 38.

Finally, on the one hand, the actuator 76 is attached to its support 78, using conventional means, in particular by snap-fastening and, on the other hand, the rod 80 of the actuator is attached to the lug 82 by fitting the male and female members together.

As a preference, particularly in order to limit the weight of the ducting device 22, at least the frame 34 and the slats 42 are made of plastic.

To prevent the end journals 46 from accidentally coming out of their bearings 56, through elastic deformation of the frame 34, the ducting device 22 is equipped with means for preventing the end crossmembers 36 from parting.

These parting-prevention means comprise, for example, as depicted in particular in Figures 2 and 18, at least one pair of hooks 98 borne by the end crossmembers 36. These hooks 98 are intended to cooperate with annular stops 100 built into the ends of one and the same slat 42, so as to limit the axial travel of the end journals 46 of this slat relative to the corresponding bearings 56.

In order to reduce the pressure drops of the airstream passing through the ducting device 22, the end crossmembers 36 and the intermediate crossmember 38 each have a leading edge of profiled and rounded cross section, preferably delimited by an essentially elliptical contour, as is depicted, in particular, in Figures 12, 13 and 18. These leading edges of course face towards the body 28 of the heat exchanger (see, in particular, Figure 1).

As a preference, the leading edges of the uprights 40 of the frame are profiled in a similar way to the crossmembers 36, 38.

The advantages of the invention include the following.

The means of mounting and holding the slats on the end crossmembers of the frame are simple and involve no components other than the crossmembers and the slats, and this accordingly reduces the weight of the ducting device.

The axial bearing surfaces of the end journals according to the invention limit friction between these journals and their corresponding bearings, which allows the slats to be operated without a significant amount of force, and therefore without having to resort to a bulky actuator.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Device for ducting an airstream, of the type comprising a frame (34) delimiting an airstream passage and at least one slat (42) mounted so that it can rotate on two crossmembers (36) of this frame, between a position in which the airstream passage is open and a position in which this passage is shut off, by means of end journals (46) of this slat (42) which are housed in bearings (56) formed in the crossmembers (36), the journals (46) and the bearings (56) embodying an axis of rotation (Z) of the slat (42), characterized in that it comprises means of inserting the journals (46) into the bearings (56) by moving the slat (42) at right angles to its axis of rotation (Z) and by forcing the orientation of this slat (42) into an angular position that this slat (42) never adopts between its open and shutting-off positions.
2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the insertion means comprise, for each bearing (56) and corresponding journal (46), a groove (58) for accessing the bearing (56), this groove being formed in the corresponding crossmember (36) so that it extends more or less transversely to the bearing (56), the journal (46) comprising at least one forced-orientation flat (60) intended to cooperate with a complementary forced-orientation face (62) of the access groove (58).
3. Device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the journal (46) comprises two parallel forced-orientation flats (60) intended to cooperate with two complementary forced-orientation faces (62) of the access groove (58), these two forced-orientation faces (62) preferably delimiting a restriction of the access groove (58).
4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the journals (46) and the corresponding bearings (56) comprise complementary axial bearing surfaces (64, 66), the axial bearing surface (64) of each journal (46) being delimited by an essentially conical surface (64C) converging towards a face (64R) for reduced contact with the axial bearing surface (66) of the corresponding bearing (56).
5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (34) comprises means (98, 100), cooperating with the slat (42), for preventing the crossmembers (36) from parting.
6. Device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the parting-prevention means comprise a pair of hooks (98) borne by the crossmembers (36) and intended to cooperate with annular stops (100) built into the ends of the slat (42), so as to limit the axial movement of the journals (46) relative to the corresponding bearings (56).
7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (34) and the slat (42) are made of plastic.
8. Motor vehicle front assembly, characterized in that it comprises a ducting device according to any one of the preceding claims.
9. A device for ducting an airstream as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
10. An arrangement of a device for ducting an airstream in a motor vehicle front assembly as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings.