JP2018114802A - Airflow control device and air guide - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To distribute travel wind to a radiator and an intercooler according to a coolant temperature in the radiator.SOLUTION: An airflow control device 7 has: an air guide 71 which changes a direction of air flowing from the front side of a vehicle toward an intercooler 6; a temperature detection part 72 which detects a temperature of a fluid flowing within a radiator 5 provided behind the intercooler 6; and a control part 73 which controls a shape of the air guide 71 on the basis of the temperature detected by the temperature detection part 72.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an air flow control device and an air guide for controlling an air guide provided in front of an intercooler of a vehicle.

  The vehicle is provided with an air guide that guides air to cool the heat exchanger. Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which the position of the air guide plate is controlled by the cooling water temperature in the radiator.

JP 2008-238855 A

  Conventionally, there is a structure in which an air guide fixed in front of an intercooler located in front of a radiator of a vehicle is provided. Depending on the temperature of the cooling water in the radiator, the radiator should be preferentially cooled and the intercooler should be preferentially cooled. However, when the fixed air guide is provided, the direction of the wind is fixed, and there is a problem that the wind cannot be distributed to the radiator and the intercooler according to the cooling water temperature in the radiator.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of these points, and an object thereof is to provide an air flow control device that can distribute traveling wind to a radiator and an intercooler in accordance with a cooling water temperature in the radiator. .

  In the first aspect of the present invention, an air guide that changes the direction of air flowing from the front of the vehicle toward the intercooler, and the temperature of the fluid that flows through the radiator provided behind the intercooler are detected. An air flow control device comprising: a temperature detection unit; and a control unit that controls the shape of the air guide based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit.

  Further, the air guide has a fixed portion fixed to the vehicle, and a variable portion whose position changes with respect to the fixed portion, and the control portion is between the fixed portion and the variable portion. The angle may be changed. Further, the control unit sets the angle to the first angle when the temperature of the fluid is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, and sets the angle to be a second larger than the first angle when the temperature of the fluid is lower than the predetermined temperature. It may be an angle.

  The air guide includes an air guide main body extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, a shape memory alloy that contacts the air guide main body and changes in shape depending on temperature, the shape memory alloy, and the shape memory. A heating wire that changes a temperature of the alloy, and the control unit may control a shape of the air guide by controlling a current flowing through the heating wire.

  In the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air guide provided in front of an intercooler of a vehicle, the temperature detecting unit detecting the temperature of a fluid flowing through a radiator provided behind the intercooler. Provided is an air guide characterized in that the shape is changed based on a control signal corresponding to a detected temperature.

  An air guide body extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; a shape memory alloy that contacts the air guide body and changes shape according to temperature; and a current value that corresponds to the shape memory alloy and corresponds to the control signal. And a heating wire for changing the temperature of the shape memory alloy.

  According to the present invention, in the air flow control device, there is an effect that traveling wind can be distributed to the radiator and the intercooler according to the cooling water temperature in the radiator.

The structure of the periphery of the airflow control apparatus in the vehicle which concerns on this embodiment is shown. It is XX sectional drawing of the periphery of the airflow control apparatus in FIG. The structure of an air guide is shown. The flow of running wind is shown.

<This embodiment>
[Peripheral structure of air guide 71]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration around an air flow control device in a vehicle according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the air flow control device shown in FIG. However, FIG. 2 also shows a control unit 73 included in the air flow control device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the air guide 71. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the flow of traveling wind. FIG. 4A shows the flow of the traveling wind when the angle between the fixed part and the variable part is the first angle. FIG. 4B shows the flow of traveling wind when the angle between the fixed portion and the variable portion is the second angle.

  The vehicle includes a side member 1, a cross member 2, an engine 3, a fan 4, a radiator 5, an intercooler 6, an air flow control device 7, a front underrun protector 8, a bumper 9, and a front panel 10.

  The side member 1 is a member that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The side member 1 is made of metal and has a U-shaped cross section. The plurality of side members 1 are parallel to each other. The cross member 2 is a member provided orthogonal to the plurality of side members 1 between the plurality of side members 1.

  The cross member 2 is made of metal and has a U-shaped cross section. The cross member 2 has a first cross member 21 and a second cross member 22. The first cross member 21 is a cross member located in the forefront of the vehicle among the plurality of cross members 2. The second cross member 22 is a cross member located adjacent to the first cross member 21 of the plurality of cross members 2 and rearward. The engine 3 is a diesel engine for vehicles, for example. The engine 3 is fixed to a cross member 2 provided at the lower part of the engine 3.

  The fan 4 is a device for cooling the engine 3. The fan 4 is provided on the front side of the engine 3. The fan 4 is an electric fan that is coupled to the engine 3 via a shaft and is driven to rotate by receiving power from the engine 3. The fan 4 operates when the vehicle is running.

  The fan 4 sucks air from the front side of the fan 4 and blows air to the rear side of the fan 4. Specifically, the fan 4 sucks the air on the front side of the radiator 5 and the intercooler 6 and exhausts the air toward the engine 3 on the rear side. The fan 4 can cool the engine 3 by exhausting the air sucked by the fan 4 to the engine 3 side.

  The radiator 5 is a device for cooling the cooling water of the engine 3. The radiator 5 is provided on the front side of the fan 4. The cooling water is circulated between the radiator 5 and the engine 3. The radiator 5 cools the cooling water heated when passing through the engine 3. The radiator 5 cools the cooling water by exchanging heat between the air flowing in from the front (for example, traveling wind generated when the vehicle is traveling forward) and the cooling water that has passed through the engine 3.

  The radiator 5 is fixed to the cross member 2 provided near the lower portion of the radiator 5 using a bracket. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper end of the radiator 5 is located above the upper end of the intercooler 6.

  The intercooler 6 is a device for cooling the air circulated from the turbocharger. The intercooler 6 is provided on the front side of the radiator 5. The intercooler 6 cools the air circulated from the turbocharger by exchanging heat between the air flowing in from the front (for example, traveling wind) and the air circulated from the turbocharger. The air flow control device 7 is a device for improving the cooling effect of the radiator 5 and the intercooler 6. Details of the air flow control device 7 will be described later.

  The front underrun protector 8 is a member for absorbing an impact at the time of a collision from the front with respect to the vehicle and preventing other vehicles from entering the lower portion of the host vehicle. The front underrun protector 8 is made of metal, has a quadrangular cross section, and has a cavity inside. The front underrun protector 8 extends in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle and is provided near the front of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the side member 1.

  The bumper 9 is a member for absorbing an impact when the vehicle collides from the front. The bumper 9 is made of metal and has an uneven shape. The bumper 9 extends in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle and is provided in the forefront of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the side member 1. The bumper 9 is located in front of the front underrun protector 8 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The lower end of the bumper 9 is positioned above the lower end of the front underrun protector 8 in the vehicle height direction.

  The bumper 9 has an opening 91. The opening 91 has, for example, a rectangular shape, extends in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, and is located near the center of the bumper 9. Opening 91 is located above the upper surface of front underrun protector 8 in the height direction of the vehicle.

  The front panel 10 is a panel provided in front of the vehicle. The front panel 10 includes a radiator grill 101. The radiator grill 101 is provided on the front panel 10 of the vehicle, and is, for example, a ventilation opening for applying traveling air to the radiator 5.

[Detailed Configuration of Air Flow Control Device 7]
As shown in FIG. 2, the air flow control device 7 includes an air guide 71, a temperature detection unit 72, and a control unit 73. The air guide 71 is a member for causing the traveling wind to flow near the front of the radiator 5 and the intercooler 6. The air guide 71 changes the direction of air flowing from the front of the vehicle toward the intercooler 6. The air guide 71 is provided in front of the intercooler 6 and is fixed to the first cross member 21.

  The temperature detection unit 72 detects the temperature of the fluid flowing through the radiator 5 provided behind the intercooler 6. The fluid is cooling water that flows inside the radiator 5. The control unit 73 is an electronic control device including a microcomputer having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. The controller 73 controls the shape of the air guide 71 based on the temperature detected by the temperature detector 72.

  The air guide 71 has a fixed portion 711 and a variable portion 712. The fixing part 711 is a part fixed to the vehicle. The fixed part 711 has a rectangular shape. The fixing portion 711 is fixed to the upper surface of the first cross member 21. The fixing portion 711 is horizontal in the vehicle height direction. The variable portion 712 is a portion whose position changes with respect to the fixed portion 711. The variable part 712 has a rectangular shape. The front end of the variable portion 712 in the vehicle front-rear direction is at the same position as the rear end of the first cross member 21 in the vehicle front-rear direction, for example.

  The control unit 73 has a function of changing the angle between the fixed unit 711 and the variable unit 712. When the temperature of the fluid flowing inside the radiator 5 is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the control unit 73 makes the traveling wind easily hit the radiator 5 by setting the angle between the fixed unit 711 and the variable unit 712 to the first angle. . Specifically, the control unit 73 is variable from the fixing unit 711 when the priority of lowering the temperature of the fluid flowing inside the radiator 5 is higher than the priority of lowering the temperature of the fluid flowing inside the intercooler 6. The angle with the part 712 is set to the first angle.

  For example, when the amount of air supplied to the engine 3 is less than a predetermined amount, the control unit 73 sets the fixed unit 711 and the variable unit 712 so as to lower the temperature of the fluid flowing through the radiator 5 with priority. The angle between them is the first angle.

  Further, when the temperature of the fluid flowing inside the radiator 5 is lower than the predetermined temperature, the control unit 73 sets the angle between the fixed unit 711 and the variable unit 712 to a second angle larger than the first angle, Makes it difficult to hit the radiator 5. Specifically, when the priority of lowering the temperature of the fluid flowing inside the radiator 5 is lower than the priority of lowering the temperature of the intercooler 6, the control unit 73 determines whether the control unit 73 has a gap between the fixed unit 711 and the variable unit 712. Is set to the second angle. For example, when the amount of air supplied to the engine 3 is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount, the control unit 73 is configured so that the temperature of the fluid flowing through the intercooler 6 is preferentially lowered. The angle between is a second angle.

  Specifically, when the angle between the fixed portion 711 and the variable portion 712 is the first angle, as shown in FIG. 4A, for example, traveling that flows from the radiator grill 101 toward the rear of the vehicle The wind flows along the upper surface of the air guide 71 and hits the vicinity of the upper portion of the radiator 5. In this case, for example, the variable portion 712 of the air guide 71 is inclined with the fixed portion 711 such that the rear end of the variable portion 712 is higher in the vehicle height direction than the front end of the variable portion 712.

  Further, when the angle between the fixed portion 711 and the variable portion 712 is a second angle larger than the first angle, the traveling wind travels along the upper surface of the air guide 71 as shown in FIG. It becomes a flow that flows and hits the front surface of the intercooler 6. In this case, the second angle is, for example, an angle between the fixed portion 711 and the variable portion 712 is 180 °, and the variable portion 712 is horizontal in the height direction of the vehicle together with the fixed portion 711.

  Therefore, when the temperature of the cooling water inside the radiator 5 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, the air flow control device 7 sets the angle between the fixed portion 711 and the variable portion 712 as the first angle, so that the traveling wind is supplied to the radiator. 5 directly. As a result, the air flow control device 7 can further cool the cooling water inside the radiator 5 when the temperature of the cooling water inside the radiator 5 is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the air guide 71 includes an air guide main body 713, a shape memory alloy 714, a heating wire 715, and an electric wire 716. The air guide body 713 extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The air guide body 713 is made of metal, for example.

  For example, the shape memory alloy 714 extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The shape memory alloy 714 is in contact with the air guide body 713 and changes its shape depending on the temperature. The shape memory alloy 714 is, for example, two shape memory alloys 714 whose rotation directions are opposite, and are located on both upper and lower sides of the air guide body 713. The heating wire 715 is in contact with the shape memory alloy 714 and changes the temperature of the shape memory alloy 714. The electric wire 716 is a wire connecting the heating wire 715 and the control unit 73.

  The controller 73 controls the shape of the air guide 71 by controlling the current flowing through the heating wire 715. Specifically, the control unit 73 changes the shape of the air guide 71 based on a control signal corresponding to the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 72. The heating wire 715 changes the temperature of the shape memory alloy 714 based on the current value corresponding to the control signal. In this way, the control unit 73 changes the shape of the air guide body 713 by changing the temperature of the shape memory alloy 714 with the heating wire 715.

  Since the air flow control device 7 has a structure in which the shape of the air guide 71 is changed by the shape memory alloy 714 as described above, the air guide 71 can be made compact.

  In the present embodiment, the air flow control device 7 has an air guide 71 having a shape memory alloy 714, and changes the temperature of the shape memory alloy 714 based on the temperature of the fluid flowing inside the radiator 5. Although the shape of the air guide 71 is changed, for example, the air flow control device 7 may have a motor, and the shape of the air guide 71 may be changed by driving the motor.

  In the present embodiment, the air flow control device 7 is configured such that the control unit 73 sets the angle between the fixed unit 711 and the variable unit 712 to the first angle and the second angle larger than the first angle. However, the control unit 73 may adjust the angle between the fixed unit 711 and the variable unit 712 to a plurality of angles of three or more levels.

  Further, in the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which the upper end of the radiator 5 is located above the upper end of the intercooler 6 and the shape of the air guide 71 is changed so as to guide the traveling wind near the upper end of the radiator 5. However, the lower end of the radiator 5 may be positioned below the lower end of the intercooler 6 and the shape of the air guide 71 may be changed so as to guide the traveling wind to the vicinity of the lower end portion of the radiator 5. Further, the left and right end portions of the radiator 5 in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle are positioned outside the left and right end portions of the intercooler 6 in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, and the air guide 71 is in the vehicle width direction of the radiator 5. The shape may be changed so as to guide the traveling wind to the vicinity of the left and right ends of the.

[Effects of the air flow control device 7 according to the present embodiment]
The air flow control device 7 according to the present embodiment includes an air guide 71 that changes the direction of air flowing toward the intercooler 6 from the front of the vehicle, and a fluid that flows inside the radiator 5 provided behind the intercooler 6. And a temperature detecting unit 72 for detecting the temperature of. The air guide 71 includes a control unit 73 that controls the shape of the air guide 71 based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 72.

  Since the air flow control device 7 according to the present embodiment controls the shape of the air guide 71 based on the temperature of the fluid flowing inside the radiator 5, the air flow control device 7 based on the temperature of the fluid flowing inside the radiator 5 Can be distributed to the radiator 5 or the intercooler 6. As a result, the air flow control device 7 can improve the cooling effect of the radiator 5 located behind the intercooler 6.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be added to the above embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Side member 2 ... Cross member 21 ... First cross member 22 ... Second cross member 3 ... Engine 4 ... Fan 5 ... Radiator 6 ... Intercooler 7 ... Air flow control device 71 Air guide 711 Fixed portion 712 Variable portion 713 Air guide body 714 Shape memory alloy 715 Heating wire 716 Electric wire 72・ ・ Temperature detector 73 ... Control unit 8 ... Front underrun protector 9 ... Bumper 91 ... Opening part 10 ... Front panel 101 ... Radiator grill

Claims (6)

An air guide that changes the direction of air flowing from the front of the vehicle toward the intercooler;
A temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the fluid flowing through the radiator provided behind the intercooler;
A control unit for controlling the shape of the air guide based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit;
An air flow control device comprising: The air guide is
A fixing portion fixed to the vehicle;
A variable portion whose position changes with respect to the fixed portion;
Have
The control unit changes an angle between the fixed unit and the variable unit,
The air flow control device according to claim 1. The controller sets the angle to a first angle when the temperature of the fluid is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, and sets the angle to a second angle larger than the first angle when the temperature of the fluid is lower than the predetermined temperature. It is characterized by
The air flow control device according to claim 2. The air guide is
An air guide body extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
A shape memory alloy in contact with the air guide body and having a shape that changes depending on temperature;
A heating wire in contact with the shape memory alloy and changing the temperature of the shape memory alloy;
Have
The control unit controls the shape of the air guide by controlling a current flowing through the heating wire,
The airflow control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. An air guide provided in front of an intercooler of a vehicle,
An air guide characterized in that the shape is changed based on a control signal corresponding to a temperature detected by a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of a fluid flowing inside a radiator provided behind the intercooler. An air guide body extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
A shape memory alloy in contact with the air guide body and having a shape that changes depending on temperature;
A heating wire that contacts the shape memory alloy and changes the temperature of the shape memory alloy based on a current value corresponding to the control signal;
It is characterized by having
The air guide according to claim 5.

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