WO2018224384A1

WO2018224384A1 - System for managing an air intake for a vehicle and front-end module for a vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2018224384A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/064333
Authority: WO
Inventors: Enzo MITIDIERI; Sylvain Gerber
Original assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
Priority date: 2017-06-05
Filing date: 2018-05-31
Publication date: 2018-12-13
Also published as: CN110709269B; EP3609728A1; CN110709269A; FR3066958A1; FR3066958B1

Abstract

The system for managing an air intake (10; 100) for a motor vehicle comprises: - an air intake control device (12) comprising a frame (16) and a plurality of flaps (18) attached to the frame (16) and capable of being moved between a closed position and an open position and vice versa, and - an air guide (14) forming a housing (22) for positioning the air intake control device (12) and comprising attachment means (26, 28, 30; 14A, 14B) for attaching the frame (16) to the housing (22) in order to attach the frame (16) to the housing (22).

Description

AIR INTAKE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE AND FRONT PANEL MODULE FOR VEHICLE

Field of the invention

The invention relates to vehicles, especially automobiles. The invention also relates to the management of air intake of vehicles. More specifically, the invention relates to the air intake management systems which can in particular be arranged in the modules of the front face of the vehicles.

Technological background

A motor vehicle generally includes a front face that protects an engine compartment. In order to ensure the thermal regulation of the engine, the front face usually comprises an air intake management system.

The air intake management system mainly comprises an air intake control device also known by the acronym AGS for Active Grille Shutter. The air intake control device is attached to a vehicle grille and comprises a plurality of movable flaps, by means of an actuator connected to an electrical system of the vehicle, between an open position and a closed position and vice versa.

When the plurality of flaps occupies the open position, air can flow from outside the vehicle to a heat exchanger forming part of a thermal system for cooling an engine. In return, the drag is more important.

When the plurality of flaps occupy the closed position, the outside air does not pass through the plurality of flaps, which has the effect of reducing drag. Thus, the energy consumption of the vehicle is reduced. The air intake control device therefore limits the energy consumption of the vehicle when it is not necessary to use outside air to cool the vehicle engine.

The air inlet control device is usually attached to a structural part of the vehicle, such as the shell, using several screws. Thus, the attachment of the air intake control device to a vehicle structure is relatively long and tedious.

Object of the invention An object of the invention is to provide a vehicle air intake management system which is simpler to assemble.

Brief description of the invention

To do this, the invention provides a system for managing an air intake for a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises:

an air inlet control device comprising a frame and a plurality of flaps fixed to the frame and movable between a closed position and an open position and vice versa, and

an air guide forming a housing for positioning the air intake control device and comprising means for fixing the frame to the housing for fixing the frame to the housing.

Thus, the air guide includes means for fixing the frame to the housing which are sufficient on their own to secure the frame to the housing. It is therefore not necessary to provide specific fastening means on the frame or more generally on the air inlet control device. The air guide housing is shaped to accommodate the frame of the air inlet control device and position it. The frame can then have a simple general form. It is therefore easier to manufacture. In addition, the air intake management system is easier to assemble. Once assembled, the air guide carries the frame without requiring other structural elements such as screws. The frame is removably or removably mounted on the air guide. The air guide is arranged to carry the frame and hold it on the air guide. In other words, the frame is not obliged to present fastening means for its attachment within the air guide, the air guide can ensure the attachment of the frame within the housing of the air guide himself. According to some embodiments, the frame does not have fastening means such as tapped holes or screws for attachment to the air guide.

When the flaps are in a closed position, it is meant that the flaps are arranged to close the air inlet, that is, to prevent the flow of air to pass through the air inlet. When the flaps are in an open position, it is meant that the flaps are arranged to oppose at least the flow of air flow through the air inlet. In addition, in various embodiments of the invention, one and / or other of the following may also be used:

the housing has a shape complementary to that of the frame so that the frame is positioned in the housing;

the means for fixing the frame to the housing comprise elastic interlocking means for positioning the frame relative to the housing;

- The elastic engagement means comprise at least one resilient member forming a limit stop, in a direction perpendicular to a main plane of the housing, for the frame;

the elastic engagement means comprise a raised edge forming a limit stop for the frame, in the direction perpendicular to the main plane of the housing, complementary to the elastic member, so as to position the frame in the direction perpendicular to the main plan of housing;

- The air guide comprises two members having complementary shapes, each forming a half of the air guide and configured to sandwich the frame; it is therefore sufficient to fix the two members to position the housing, the latter therefore again need not wear specific positioning means;

the two members of the air guide and the frame each comprise a through orifice positioned so that the orifices respectively of the two members and the frame are aligned;

the system comprises means for fixing the two members of the air guide disposed in the orifices respectively of the two members and the frame; note that the port carried by the frame allows to pass the fastening means of the two members of the air guide; but maintaining the position of the frame is due to the two members of the air guide which sandwich the frame;

the fixing means comprise a fir-tree;

the air guide comprises means for fixing to a radiator of the vehicle;

the air guide comprises means for fixing to a radiator grille of the vehicle;

- More generally, the air guide may comprise fastening means to any structural part of the vehicle or more generally to any part of the vehicle.

It is also provided according to the invention a front-end module for a motor vehicle comprising an air intake management system as previously described. Brief description of the drawings

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of nonlimiting example, with the aid of the following figures, all in perspective:

FIG. 1 is a view of an air intake management system assembled according to a first embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of this system,

FIG. 3 is a view of a portion of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a view of an air intake management system assembled according to a second embodiment, and

- Figure 5 is an exploded view of this system.

Detailed description of two embodiments of the invention

FIGS. 1 to 3 show an air intake management system 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention. Similarly, there is shown in Figures 4 and 5 an air inlet management system 100 according to a second embodiment of the invention.

The air intake management systems 10, 100 are shaped to be integrated in a front face of a motor vehicle. Of course, they can also be shaped to be arranged on a rear face of the vehicle. More generally, the air intake management systems 10, 100 may be shaped to be arranged on any structural part of the vehicle.

Most often, the front of the vehicle contains a vehicle engine and a thermal system for cooling the engine. The front face further comprises a front face grille which is open and which is directly in contact with the air outside the vehicle. Between the front face grille and the engine, the air intake management system is arranged, so that air from outside the vehicle passes through the front face grille and comes to the engine management system. In fact, when the vehicle is moving forwards, outside air passes through the front face grille because of the relative movement of the vehicle relative to the air outside the vehicle.

The air intake management system 10, 100 comprises an air inlet control device 12 and an air guide 14.

The function of the air intake control device 12 is to allow or not to let air, coming from the outside of the vehicle and having passed through the front face grill, to reach a heat exchanger, function of a command issued by an electrical system of the vehicle. The heat exchanger is part of the thermal system whose function is to participate in the cooling of the engine. It can especially be a plate heat exchanger.

The air guide 14 has the function of guiding the air, coming from the outside of the vehicle and which has passed through the front face grille, towards the air inlet control device 12. In addition, the guide The function of air 14 is also to form an interface for attaching the air inlet control device 12 to another part of the vehicle. Thus, the air guide 14 is fixed, preferably by one of its ends, by means of fixing means which can be of any type and can for example comprise screws, to the heat exchanger of the thermal system for cooling the engine, a water box of a vehicle radiator and / or a vehicle grille and / or the front grille of the vehicle. In addition, the air guide 14 has the function of housing the air inlet control device 12. Thus, the air guide 14 is shaped to define a housing 22 for positioning the input control device The air guide 14 is a one-piece piece comprising a housing 22 for positioning the air inlet control device 12. In other words, the air guide forms a continuity of material so that it is not possible to separate it into two or more parts without causing irreversible damage, with a deformable part thus defining a housing.

In addition, the air intake control device 12 comprises a frame 16 and a plurality of flaps 18. The plurality of flaps 18 is fixed to the frame 16. Thus, the frame 16 serves to support the plurality of flaps 18. The plurality of flaps 18 is adapted to occupy an open position in which it passes air outside the vehicle that has passed through the front face grille so that it reaches the engine. In addition, the plurality of flaps 18 is also adapted to occupy a closed position in which it prevents outside air to the vehicle that has passed through the front grille before gaining the engine. The plurality of flaps 18 is movable between the open position and the closed position and vice versa.

To do this, the frame 16 also provides a control transmission function to the plurality of flaps 18. Thus, the frame 16 comprises three transmission members 20 which are connected to an actuator, which are themselves connected to an electrical system of the vehicle. adapted to pass the plurality of flaps 18 from the open position to the closed position and vice versa.

When the plurality of flaps 18 occupy the closed position, the outside air can not pass through the air inlet control device 12 to reach the exchanger heat. Thus, the drag of the vehicle is less important and it consumes less energy. Conversely, when the plurality of flaps 18 occupies the open position, the air outside the vehicle contributes to the cooling of the engine.

We will now describe the positioning of the air inlet control device 12 relative to the air guide 14 according to the two embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show the air intake management system 10 according to the first embodiment of the invention. The air intake management system 10 comprises two sets each comprising an air inlet control device 12 and an air guide 14. These two sets are arranged one on the other in one direction. vertical Z.

As previously indicated, the air guide 14 comprises a housing 22. This housing 22 comprises a main plane YZ and a direction X perpendicular to this main plane YZ. The X direction corresponds to a longitudinal direction or advancement of the vehicle. The Z direction corresponds to the vertical direction when the vehicle is in the normal position of use.

In addition, the housing comprises four walls which delimit a free space for positioning the air inlet control device 12.

As seen in Figure 3, a bottom wall, in the vertical direction Z, of the housing 22 comprises three pairs of resilient members 26 which normally extend to the bottom wall. These pairs of elastic members 26 form a deformable ramp in the X direction from front to rear of the vehicle. Conversely, these pairs of elastic members 26 form first end stops in the X direction from the rear to the front of the vehicle.

In addition, the bottom wall comprises, at its rear end edge in the X direction, a raised edge 28 which extends along the Y direction and forms a limit stop in the X direction of the X direction. front to the rear of the vehicle.

Thus, the three pairs of elastic members 26 and the raised edge 28 form complementary elastic interlocking means which make it possible to position the frame 16 of the air inlet control device 12 with respect to the housing 22 of the guide. air 14. In fact, to assemble the air inlet control device 12 to the housing 22, an operator must slide the frame 16 along the X direction from the front to the rear of the vehicle so as to distort the three pairs of elastic members 26 until the frame 16 abuts on the raised edge 28.

In addition, the housing 22 comprises a wall 30 having a wall projecting in the plane ZY from an upper wall 32 of the housing 22 and which also forms an end stop. In the same way, side walls of the housing 22 are shaped to fit side walls of the frame 16. The housing 22 of the air guide 14 therefore has a shape complementary to the frame 16 of the air inlet control device 12 .

Thus, as can be seen, only the housing 22 of the air guide 14 comprises fixing means. These fixing means are sufficient in themselves to secure the frame 16 to the housing 22. It is therefore possible to assemble the air inlet control device 12 more quickly to the air guide 14. The frame 16 of the air inlet control device 12 has a standard shape and does not include means for fixing the housing 22.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the air intake management system 100 according to the second embodiment of the invention.

As seen in Figure 5, the air guide 14 comprises two members 14A and 14B which each form one half of the air guide 14. The half 14A is disposed before the half 14B with reference to a direction of advancement of the vehicle.

In addition, the two members 14A and 14B have complementary shapes to form the housing 22 to accommodate the air inlet control device 12 as seen by comparing Figures 4 and 5. The two bodies 14A and 14B sandwich the frame 16 and therefore the air inlet control device 12.

Thus, the member 14A located upstream of the air inlet control device 12 guides the outside air having passed through the front face grille before it has passed through the plurality of flaps 18 and the member 14B, situated in downstream of the air inlet control device 12 guides the air that has passed through the plurality of flaps 18.

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 5, an upper wall 34 of the frame 16, with reference to the vertical direction Z, is covered by a portion 36 of the member 14A and by a portion 38 of the member 14B. The portion 38 of the member 14B directly covers the upper wall 34 of the frame 16. In addition, the portion 36 of the member 14A directly covers the portion 38 of the member 14B. The upper wall 34 of the frame 16 comprises three through-holes 34A. Likewise, the portion 36 of the member 14A and the portion 38 of the member 14B comprise respectively three orifices 36A and 38A through. When the air intake management system 100 is assembled as shown in FIG. 4, each of the three orifices 34A is aligned with one of the three respective orifices 38A, 36A of the respective portions 38, 36 of the members 14B, 14A. in the direction X. Thus, the air intake management system 100 comprises three sets of three through-holes aligned in the direction Y. These three series accommodate means for fixing the members 14A and 14B forming the air guide 14. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the fastening means of the members 14A and 14B are here in the form of three fir-tree pins 40 which extend in the direction Z. Of course, according to variants of the present embodiment, it may be rivets or more generally any other type of fastening means.

It will be noted that a lower wall of the frame 16 can be connected to two portions of the members 14A, 14B in a similar manner.

It will be further noted that the fir-tree pins 40 and the orifices 34A, 36A and 38A form here means for fixing the two members 14A, 14B which form the air guide 14. But, the frame 16 of the control device of air inlet 12 is sandwiched by the two members 14A, 14B. Thus, again, it is the air guide 14 which comprises means for fixing the frame 16 to the housing 22 of the air guide 14. These means are sufficient in themselves to fix the frame 16 to the housing 22.

The frame 16 of the air inlet control device 12 may therefore have a standard shape.

Of course, we can bring to the invention many changes without departing from the scope thereof.

In particular, the shape of the members 14A, 14B which form the air guide 14 may be varied.

The shape of the elastic members 26 can also be varied.

Claims

claims

1. Management system for an air intake (10; 100) for a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises:

an air inlet control device (12) comprising a frame (16) and a plurality of flaps (18) fixed to the frame (16) and movable between a closed position and an open position and vice versa, and

an air guide (14) forming a housing (22) for positioning the air inlet control device (12) and comprising means (26, 28, 30; 14A, 14B) for fixing the frame ( 16) to the housing (22) to secure the frame (16) to the housing (22).

2. Air intake management system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the fastening means (26, 28, 30) of the frame (16) to the housing (22) comprise means of elastic interlocking ( 26, 28) for positioning the frame (16) relative to the housing (22).

3. Air intake management system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the elastic interlocking means (26, 28) comprise at least one resilient member (26) forming a limit stop, according to a direction (X) perpendicular to a main plane (YZ) of the housing (22) for the frame (16).

4. Air intake management system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the elastic interlocking means (26, 28) comprise a raised edge (28) forming a limit stop for the frame ( 16), in the direction (X) perpendicular to the main plane (YZ) of the housing (22), complementary to the elastic member (26), so as to position the frame (16) in the direction (X) perpendicular to the plane main (YZ) housing (22).

An air intake management system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the air guide (14) comprises two members (14A, 14B) having complementary shapes, each forming one half of the guide of air (14) and configured to sandwich the frame (16).

6. The air intake management system (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the two members (14A, 14B) of the air guide (14) and the frame (16) each comprise an orifice (34A, 36A, 38A) traversing positioned so that the orifices (34A, 36A, 38A) respectively of the two members (14A, 14B) and the frame (16) are aligned.

7. Air intake management system (100) according to the preceding claim, comprising means for fixing (40) the two members (14A, 14B) of the air guide (14) disposed in the orifices (34A, 36A, 38A) respectively of the two members (14A, 14B) and the frame (14).

8. Air intake management system (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the fixing means (40) comprise a fir-tree (40).

An air intake management system (10; 100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air guide (14) comprises means for attaching to a radiator of the vehicle and / or a grille of the vehicle.

10. Front-facing module for a motor vehicle comprising an air intake management system according to any one of the preceding claims.