RU2716549C1 - Active radiator louver system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: motor vehicle industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to surface transport systems and passenger cars. Louver system is installed before radiator and consists of two sections with different flow section. In this way, the cooling air inlets through the radiator can be controlled successively by closing or opening the sections. System has four levels of flow section adjustment. First level – both sections are open, the second level – the greater section is opened, the third level – the small section is opened and the fourth level – both sections are closed. Depending on the ambient temperature and heat load of the vehicle engine, the automatic system controls the supply of cooling air. Section opening and closing is controlled by motor-reducers or solenoids.

EFFECT: technical result is reduced time of engine warming, reduced aerodynamic resistance of vehicle, reduced emission of hazardous substances, higher reliability of engine cooling system.

1 cl, 4 dwg

Description

The invention relates to ground transportation systems, cars.

Currently, active blinds on premium cars are becoming more widespread. A number of such cars can be noted: Ford Kuga, Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruze, Toyota Prius, Nissan Murano, active blinds will be replaced by such manufacturers as BMW, Honda, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, and Rolls Royce.

The most visual design and principle of operation of active blinds is demonstrated at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OKBwco1p0o (Actuator for Automotive Grill Shutter), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K4eh-BDR9g (Active grille shuters), https://www.voutube.com/watch?v-OdH6Fa9KxbA (HBPO Active Grille Shutter). The use of active shutters on a number of vehicles is described: “ZR Park - updated Ford Kuga and its turboappetite”, “Za rulyom.rf” magazine (www.zr.ru) July 8, 2017; "Ford introduced the new Kuga crossover in the face of the Escape model," Drive magazine (www.drive.ru) November 16, 2011; “Ford Galaxy minivan emphasized safety and comfort”, “Drive” magazine (www.drive.ru), April 2, 2015; “Trying to understand and forgive the latest generation Ford Mondeo,” Drive magazine (www.drive.ru), October 13, 2014; “Ford has noticeably updated lightweight passenger-and-freight models,” Drive magazine (www.drive.ru). December 6, 2017; “Updated Mazda 6 for Europe: without a turbo engine”, Autoreview magazine No. 6. March 12, 2018, (https://autoreview.ru/news/).

Active blinds are used to reduce aerodynamic drag at high speeds, improve car efficiency, reduce emissions, reduce the warm-up time of the engine and reduce its cooling. During the movement of the car along the highway, the blinds are closed, thereby improving its aerodynamics. If the vehicle tows a trailer or moves slowly, the blinds will remain open to maintain the set engine temperature. The regulation process takes into account the engine temperature and the temperature overboard, the operation mode of the air conditioner and the vehicle speed. When the engine is turned off, the radiator shutters open completely.

A certain “standard” of the design of active blinds and an automatic control algorithm have been formed. Blinds have a discrete automatic control system. At each step, the louvres of the blinds rotate 6 degrees. Thus, with a total opening angle of approximately 90 degrees, 15 steps are taken from a fully closed position to a fully open position.

Blinds consist of two sections located opposite the lower and upper air intake openings. The lamellas of the blinds are located horizontally. The lamellas of the lower and upper sections have a common drive and open and close synchronously. Actuation is carried out by a gear motor with a stepper motor.

The disadvantages of the active blinds designs used are that in order to provide discrete control of the blinds position, it is necessary to use expensive stepper motors and a complex position and control system. In this case, there is a possibility of the failure of an electric motor when foreign objects get between the lamellas.

Performing their functions, active shutters should not reduce the efficiency of the cooling system. Existing structures have a horizontal arrangement of slats (in the open position), this prevents the uniform distribution of air flow over the front surface of the radiator. This reduces the efficiency of the engine cooling system. The fact is that narrow horizontal air intakes are located above and below the bumper. The air flow in order to get to the surface of the radiator "shaded" by the bumper must be redistributed in a vertical plane. Occupying part of the space of the pre-radiator chamber, horizontally located louvres of blinds impede this distribution.

In the constructions used, due to the fact that the lamellas are long and connected by a common drive, the blinds are located at a distance from the surface of the radiator, there is a high probability of freezing (in the off-season, at temperatures close to ± 2 degrees) of at least one lamella, the whole system will be inoperative . If this malfunction occurs in the closed blinds position, a high probability of engine “boiling” appears.

These shortcomings significantly reduce the operational characteristics of the car and reduce the reliability of the engine cooling system.

The problem to which the invention is directed is to reduce the aerodynamic drag of an automobile, improve the operational characteristics of a passenger car, increase the reliability of the engine cooling system, and reduce the cost of construction.

The problem is solved due to the stepwise automatic control of the passage section of the channel for supplying air to the radiator of the cooling system and simplifying the drive.

The essence of the proposed device lies in the fact that the active louvre system is installed in front of the radiator and consists of two sections with different flow areas and is equipped with a separate drive to ensure automatic opening and closing of the blinds at the right time. The system has two independent sections, due to this it has four levels of regulation of the flow area. The first level - both sections are open, the second level - a large section is open, the third level - a small section is open and the fourth level - both sections are closed. Depending on the ambient temperature and heat load of the car engine, the automatic system controls the flow of cooling air. The opening and closing of the section blinds is controlled by gear motors or solenoids.

In FIG. 1 shows an active radiator shutter system with the open position of the blinds of the large and small sections.

In FIG. 2 shows the active radiator shutter system with the open position of the blinds large and the closed position of the blinds of the small sections.

In FIG. 3 shows the active radiator shutter system with the open position of the blinds small and the closed position of the blinds of the large sections.

In FIG. 4 shows the active radiator shutter system with the closed position of the blinds of the small and large sections.

The active louvre system consists of a "shell" of rectangular shape 1 (Fig. 1, 2, 3 and 4). The height and width of which allows you to completely block the radiator of the cooling system and the radiator of the air conditioner, if any. The "shell" is divided by a partition 2 into two sections of different sizes. The "shell" is mounted in front of the radiators on the partition where the radiators are installed. The depth of the "shell" provides placement inside the radiators of the cooling system, air conditioning and louvre shutters in the open position. In each of the sections of the "shell" louvre shutters 3 are installed, the axis of rotation of which is located vertically. Lamels are made of plastic. At the lower end of the slats there is an axis, which is inserted into the hole on the lower shelf of the "shell". At the upper end of the lamella there is a diagonal groove and a centering hole into which the crank 5 of the lamella rotation drive is inserted, made of metal. Depending on the size of the shell sections, the required number of lamellas is set. The drive of the louvre system is mounted on a panel 10 made of plastic, which is fastened with special clips on top of the “shell”. On the drive panel there are protrusions with holes in which the lamella drive cranks are installed 5. The axis of the crank on the panel is fixed from the axial displacement by a thrust washer. The cranks of each of the sections are connected by a strip 6 with rivets 9, so that the lamellas of the section can simultaneously open and close. Two motor gearboxes 4 of linear displacement are fixed on the drive panel, actuating separately the blinds of both sections. As a drive, solenoids can be used. The rod of the gearmotor is pivotally connected to the extreme crank and the bar using the rod 8. The rod has a sufficient length to minimize the occurrence of transverse forces on the rod. To ensure the fixation of the lamellas of the blinds in the open and closed positions and to prevent vibration of the lamellas, springs 7 are provided. The spring is fixed at one end to the bracket on the panel and at the other end to a special rivet in the middle of the strip 6.

The device operates as follows. The louvre system is controlled by an electronic unit (ECU). Depending on the engine temperature, pressure in the air conditioning system, ambient temperature, vehicle speed and the fact of towing the trailer (if the vehicle is equipped with a towed trailer sensor), the ECU gives commands to the gear motors (solenoids) to open and close the blinds of both sections. The louvre system has four levels of regulation: the blinds of the large and small sections are open, while the maximum flow of cooling air is achieved; the blinds of the large section are open, and the small ones are closed; the blinds of the small section are open and the large are closed, the second and third state of the system provides an intermediate amount of incoming air; the blinds of the large and small sections are closed, while the air intake is completely absent. Four levels of regulation fully ensure reliable operation of the car at all load and speed modes and in climatic conditions provided for the operation of the car.

The greatest danger of such systems is jamming of the blinds drive in the closed state. In such conditions, there is a likelihood of the engine boiling due to insufficient cooling air, in the absence of the ability to get to the workshop. The proposed system is devoid of these disadvantages, since it is duplicated to a certain extent. If one section fails, then due to the second section there remains the opportunity to get to the workshop. The probability of jamming of the louvre system due to icing is minimized since the blinds and the drive are close to the radiator, and even if icing occurs, the system will quickly thaw when the engine is running.

The simplicity of the design of the blinds, the drive system and the electronic system makes it possible to significantly reduce the cost of production and operation of the proposed active radiator shutter system and increase its reliability.

Claims (1)

The active louvre system is installed in front of the radiator and consists of two sections with an unequal bore, so that the cooling air is regulated through the radiator, the system has two independent sections, due to this it has four levels of regulation of the bore, the first level - both sections are open, the second level - a large section is open, the third level - a small section is open and a fourth level - both sections are closed, depending on the ambient temperature and heat-loaded In the case of a car engine, the automatic system controls the flow of cooling air; the opening and closing of the section blinds is controlled by gear motors or solenoids.

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