Active grille shutter blade with improved sealing

Abstract

A typical active grille shutter blade interfaces with the frame at either end with a small amount of play between the parts to avoid the parts binding together. The invention adds a set of soft wings that are molded in a two-shot process to allow the blade to seal against the frame when closed, but sit clear of the frame when open. The play is achieved by adding a stepped wall to the frame part to create an interference between the blade wings when turned to the closed position, causing the wings to deflect in a progressive manner, so the actuator motor is not burdened by a sudden increase in torque required.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to active air intake grille blades with improved sealing. Background Technology

[0002] Current active air intake grille designs cannot completely block airflow when closed because air leakage exists around the blade assembly. Also, due to clearance requirements, the blades tend to beat against the frame in certain situations.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved blade that is connected to the surrounding frame such that the space around the tip of the blade is very small when closed, thereby improving sealing performance and reducing or eliminating unwanted slapping noise. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Conventional active air intake grille blades engage with a frame at opposite ends, with small clearances between the sections to prevent them from joining together. This invention adds a set of soft vanes, formed using a secondary injection molding process, to allow the blades to seal against the frame when closed and to be positioned unrestricted when open. This clearance is achieved by adding stepped walls to the frame components to create or increase interference between the blade vanes when turning to the closed position, resulting in a gradual deflection of the vanes so that the actuator motor is not overloaded by a sudden increase in required torque. Furthermore, because the vanes are formed into both the inner and outer portions of the blade, they provide a centering function, allowing the blade to remain centered within the frame—reducing or eliminating the possibility of flapping.

[0005] Other areas of application of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided below. While this detailed description and specific examples illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, they are intended for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting the scope of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0006] The invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

[0007] Figure 1 This is an enlarged perspective view of the end of the blade according to the present invention.

[0008] Figure 2 This is an enlarged side perspective view of the blade connection side of the frame according to the present invention.

[0009] Figure 3 It is an enlarged side cross-sectional plan view of the end of the blade that connects to the blade junction.

[0010] Figure 4It is an enlarged side cross-sectional plan view of the two blades connected to the blade junction.

[0011] Figure 5 This is an enlarged side view of the sound reduction features of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 6 This is an enlarged side perspective view of the sound reduction features of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0013] The following description of preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention, its application, or its uses.

[0014] Referring now to the accompanying drawings, an active grille system 10 for a vehicle having at least one blade 12a, 12b is shown and described. The active grille system 10 includes a frame 14 having at least one blade connecting side 16. In most applications, each blade 12a, 12b has pivot pins 18, 18' at each end that connect to two different locations on the frame 14. However, it is also within the scope of this invention that the blades 12a, 12b are connected to the frame 14 at one end, and that the blades 12a, 12b are connected to different frames or other vehicle structures at opposite ends.

[0015] Embodiments of the present invention depict an active grille system 10, which includes a frame 14 having a blade connecting side at an end opposite to a blade 12 for rotatably connecting the blades 12a, 12b to the vehicle active grille system 10. Each blade connecting side 16 includes a plurality of apertures 20a to 20b, each aperture rotatably receiving a corresponding pivot pin among a plurality of pivot pins 18, 18' extending from each blade 12a, 12b.

[0016] Now refer to Figure 1 The diagram shows enlarged views of the ends of each blade 12a, 12b. Each blade 12a, 12b has a body portion 22 with a first end 24 and a second end 26, wherein a corresponding pivot pin 18, 18' extends from the first end 24 or the second end 26. Since the ends of the blades 12a, 12b are identical, therefore... Figure 1 The reference numerals include both the first end portion 24 and the second end portion 26 of blades 12a and 12b. However, as mentioned above, some embodiments may have different structural or connection features at the ends opposite to blades 12a and 12b, therefore the scope of the invention is not limited to making the first end portion 24 and the second end portion 26 identical in all embodiments of the invention.

[0017] Each pivot pin 18, 18' connects to a corresponding aperture in a plurality of apertures 20a, 20b in the corresponding blade connection side of the plurality of blade connection sides 16. The plurality of blades 12a, 12b include raised collars 28, 28' surrounding the corresponding pivot pins 18, 18', which facilitate rotatable positioning of the corresponding blades 12a, 12b when connecting them to the blade connection side 16 of the frame 14. Each aperture in the plurality of apertures 20a, 20b on the blade connection side 16 includes a cylindrical portion 30a, 30b extending from the surface of the connection side 16 and surrounding the corresponding aperture in the plurality of apertures 20a, 20b. When the blades 12a and 12b are in the closed position, the cylindrical portions 30a and 30b fill a portion of the gaps 32a and 32b between the body 22 of the blades 12a and 12b and the blade connecting side 16. Each cylindrical portion 30a and 30b also includes flat surfaces 34a and 34b located between the orifices 20a and 20b and the cylindrical portions 30a and 30b.

[0018] Each of the plurality of blades 12a, 12b includes at least one flexible flap 36a, 36b, which is shown as two separate flaps connected to a first end 24 and a second end 26 of each blade 12a, 12b, and is made of a soft material such as rubber, silicone, vinyl ester, or other suitable material. Although this embodiment of the invention depicts two flexible flaps at each end of the blades 12a, 12b, the use of a single flap extending through the entire first end 24 and second end 26 or positioned on only one side of the pivot pins 18, 18', as required by a particular application, is also within the scope of the invention.

[0019] The flexible blades 36a and 36b of the first end 24 and the second end 26 each extend toward the frame 14. When the blades 12a and 12b rotate to the closed position, the flexible blades 36a and 36b of the first end 24 and the second end 26 each span the gaps 32a and 32b between the body 22 of the blades 12a and 12b and the frame 14. Figure 2As shown, the blade connecting side 16 has an inner edge 38 and an outer edge 40, which define the edge or periphery of the frame 14 near the blade connecting side 16. The inner edge 38 and the outer edge 40 each have corresponding angled shoulders 42, 42', which are angled surfaces transitioning from the blade connecting side 16—which is flat and closer to the body 22 of the blades 12a, 12b—towards the open area outside the periphery of the inner edge 38 and the outer edge 40. This allows the soft flaps 36a, 36b to relax when in the open position, thereby reducing the torque load on the actuator of the vehicle's active grille system. When the blades 12a and 12b are rotated to the closed position, the flexible blades 36a and 36b engage the corresponding inner edge 38 or outer edge 40 and are gently bent by the corresponding angled shoulders 42 and 42'. These two angled shoulders 42 and 42' transition the flexible blades 36a and 36b from a relaxed state to a bent state that contacts the blade connection side 16, thereby providing a better seal due to the contact between the flexible blades 36a and 36b and the blade connection side 16.

[0020] Now refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 It illustrates frame anti-rattle feature 44 and blade anti-rattle feature 46. According to a specific application of the invention, frame anti-rattle feature 44 and blade anti-rattle feature 46 can be used individually or in combination. For example... Figure 6 As shown, when the blades 12a and 12b are rotated to the closed position, they provide blade noise reduction feature 46. When the blades 12a and 12b are rotated to the closed position, the flexible blades 36a and 36b press against the blade connection side 16 of the frame 14 and act as springs. This provides the benefit of noise reduction and centering of the blades 12a and 12b due to the elasticity of the flexible blades 36a and 36b. The clearance between the flexible blades 36a and 36b and the frame when in the open position can be varied so that, depending on the specific application, the flexible blades 36 and 36b do not contact the frame, contact the frame, or form a slight interference contact with the frame.

[0021] In addition to the blade noise reduction feature 46, Figure 5 The frame noise reduction feature 44 is shown. The frame 14 includes a support bridging portion 48 extending from the surface of the frame 14 to a location adjacent to each of the apertures 20a, 20b. The support bridging portion 48 has a notch 50 that rotatably grips the ends of the pivot pins 18, 18' of the respective blades 12a, 12b. The notch 50 forms a snap-fit ​​engagement with the ends of the pivot pins 18, 18' and prevents axial and lateral movement of the blades 12a, 12b, thereby limiting or eliminating unwanted noise generated by the blades 12a, 12b and the frame 14, which is also within the scope of the invention.

[0022] The description of this invention is merely exemplary in nature, and therefore, variations that do not depart from the spirit of the invention are also intended to be within its scope. These variations should not be considered as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle active grille shutter system with sealed blades, the vehicle active grille shutter system comprising: A frame having a blade connection side having a plurality of apertures for rotatably receiving pivot pins of corresponding blades among a plurality of blades. Each of the plurality of blades includes a body portion having a first end and a second end, and a pivot pin extending from the first end for rotatably connecting to a corresponding aperture in one of the plurality of apertures of the blade connection side of the frame. and Each of the plurality of blades includes at least one flexible flap connected to the first end of the corresponding blade of the plurality of blades, wherein the at least one flexible flap extends toward the frame and, when the corresponding blade of the plurality of blades is rotated to a closed position, the at least one flexible flap spans the gap between the body of the corresponding blade of the plurality of blades and the frame, wherein the blade connecting side has an inner edge and an outer edge, each of the inner edge and the outer edge having an angled shoulder, the angled shoulder allowing the at least one flexible flap to relax when one of the plurality of blades is in an open position, thereby reducing the torque load on the actuator of the vehicle's active grille system.

2. The vehicle active grille system with sealed blades according to claim 1, further comprising: in, Each of the plurality of blades includes a raised collar such that one raised collar surrounds a corresponding pivot pin, and the raised collar facilitates rotatable positioning of the plurality of blades when they are connected to the blade connection side of the frame.

3. The vehicle active grille system with sealed blades according to claim 2, further comprising: in, Each of the plurality of pores includes a cylindrical portion extending from the surface of the blade connection side and surrounding a corresponding pore of the plurality of pores, wherein the cylindrical portion fills a portion of the gap between the body of the corresponding blade and the blade connection side when the plurality of blades are in the closed position.

4. The vehicle active grille system with sealed blades according to claim 3, further comprising: in, Each cylindrical section includes a flat surface located between a corresponding pore and the cylindrical section of the plurality of pores.

5. The vehicle active grille system with sealed blades according to claim 1, further comprising: in, Each of the plurality of pores includes a cylindrical portion extending from the surface of the blade connection side and surrounding a corresponding pore of the plurality of pores, wherein the cylindrical portion fills a portion of the gap between the body of the corresponding blade and the blade connection side when the plurality of blades are in the closed position.

6. The vehicle active grille system with sealed blades according to claim 1, further comprising: in, Each cylindrical section includes a flat surface located between a corresponding pore and the cylindrical section of the plurality of pores.

7. A vehicle active grille system with sealed blades, comprising: A frame having a plurality of blade connecting sides, each of the plurality of blade connecting sides having a plurality of apertures for rotatably receiving a corresponding pivot pin among a plurality of pivot pins extending from each of the plurality of blades. Each of the plurality of blades includes a body portion having a first end and a second end, a pivot pin extending from the first end for rotatably connecting with a corresponding hole in a plurality of holes in a respective blade connection side of the plurality of blade connection sides of the frame, and a pivot pin extending from the second end for rotatably connecting with a corresponding hole in a plurality of holes in another blade connection side of the plurality of blade connection sides. Each of the plurality of blades includes at least one flexible flap connected to a first end of the corresponding blade and at least one flexible flap connected to a second end of the corresponding blade, wherein the at least one flexible flap at the first end and the at least one flexible flap at the second end each extend toward the frame, and when the corresponding blade of the plurality of blades is rotated to a closed position, the at least one flexible flap at the first end and the at least one flexible flap at the second end each span the gap between the body of the corresponding blade of the plurality of blades and the frame, and wherein the blade connecting side has an inner edge and an outer edge, the inner edge and the outer edge each having an angled shoulder, the angled shoulder causing the at least one flexible flap to relax when one of the plurality of blades is in an open position, thereby reducing the torque load on the actuator of the vehicle active grille system.

8. The vehicle active grille system with sealed blades according to claim 7, further comprising: in, Each of the plurality of blades includes a raised collar surrounding a corresponding pivot pin, the raised collar facilitating rotatable positioning of the respective blade when connecting the respective blade to the blade connection side of the frame.

9. The vehicle active grille system with sealed blades according to claim 8, further comprising: in, Each of the plurality of pores includes a cylindrical portion extending from the surface of the blade connection side and surrounding a corresponding pore of the plurality of pores, wherein the cylindrical portion fills a portion of the gap between the body of the corresponding blade and the blade connection side when the plurality of blades are in the closed position.

10. The vehicle active grille system with sealed blades according to claim 8, further comprising: in, Each cylindrical section includes a flat surface located between a corresponding pore and the cylindrical section of the plurality of pores.

11. The vehicle active grille system with sealed blades according to claim 7, further comprising: in, Each of the plurality of pores includes a cylindrical portion extending from the surface of the blade connection side and surrounding a corresponding pore of the plurality of pores, wherein the cylindrical portion fills a portion of the gap between the body of the corresponding blade and the blade connection side when the plurality of blades are in the closed position.

12. The vehicle active grille system with sealed blades according to claim 7, further comprising: in, Each cylindrical section includes a flat surface located between a corresponding pore and the cylindrical section of the plurality of pores.

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