Active grille shutter mechanism and vehicle

Abstract

This invention discloses an active air intake grille mechanism and a vehicle. The active air intake grille mechanism includes a frame, multiple blades, and a drive mechanism. The frame includes an arc-shaped portion with an air inlet. Multiple blades are mounted on the arc-shaped portion. The drive mechanism includes a motor and a guide plate. The motor drives the guide plate to move along the extension direction of the arc-shaped portion, and the multiple blades are connected to the guide plate. Each blade has a rotating shaft and a connecting shaft. The rotating shaft is located on one side of the blade and rotatably connected to the frame. The frame has a guide groove, and the connecting shaft is located at the top of the blade and passes through the guide groove. The guide plate has a sliding groove, and the connecting shaft passes through the sliding groove. From the middle of the frame to both sides, the curvature of the arc-shaped portion gradually increases, and the linear distance between the rotating shaft and the connecting shaft of the corresponding blade also gradually increases. Because the linear distance between the rotating shaft and the connecting shaft of different blades is different, the rotation angle of different blades is different.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to an active grille shutter mechanism and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of automotive engineering, the active grille shutter is a core component for vehicle thermal management and aerodynamic optimization. Its structural design directly affects engine cooling efficiency, vehicle range, and driving stability. Existing active grille shutter mechanisms typically consist of multiple blades, a drive motor, and linkages. The motor drives the linkages to synchronously rotate all the blades, achieving the overall opening and closing of the grille.

[0003] While this integrated, interconnected structure simplifies control logic and reduces manufacturing costs, it presents significant technical limitations when adapting to curved front-end designs. In current vehicle designs, to optimize aerodynamics and aesthetics, front bumpers often feature curved surfaces. The blades of the active air intake grille must be arranged to conform to the curvature of the bumper, forming a curved grille structure that matches the front-end design. In other words, to accommodate the curvature changes of the bumper's exterior, the blades typically need to be arranged non-planarly along the styling surface to ensure overall aesthetics and a cohesive appearance.

[0004] In this type of curved active air intake grille, when the vehicle requires maximum cooling air intake, each blade should theoretically rotate to a position parallel to the vehicle's direction of travel to create the maximum effective ventilation area perpendicular to the airflow direction. However, because the blades follow the curve of the bumper, their initial installation angles and rotation axis directions differ. Therefore, to achieve the ideal parallel state, the actual required rotation angle for each blade is not the same.

[0005] However, in existing technologies, all blades are connected to the same linkage. When the motor drives the linkage, it can only cause all blades to rotate synchronously by the same angle, making it impossible to adjust the angle differently for each blade's installation position and orientation. This results in some blades failing to reach the optimal position parallel to the direction of travel during actual operation, thus reducing intake efficiency, affecting heat dissipation performance, and limiting the freedom of design. Therefore, how to achieve differentiated angle adjustment of curved active air intake grille blades without significantly increasing cost and structural complexity has become a technical problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention proposes an active air intake grille mechanism that can achieve the rotation of multiple blades at different angles through a motor and a guide plate.

[0007] The present invention also proposes a vehicle having the above-described active air intake grille mechanism.

[0008] An active grille mechanism according to a first aspect of the present invention is provided for a vehicle, the active grille mechanism comprising:

[0009] The frame includes an arc-shaped portion, wherein the arc-shaped portion is provided with an air inlet; Multiple blades are installed on the arc-shaped portion, and the blades are used to close or open the air inlet; A drive mechanism includes a motor and a guide plate, wherein the motor drives the guide plate to move along the extension direction of the arc-shaped portion, and a plurality of blades are connected to the guide plate; The blade is provided with a rotating shaft and a connecting shaft. The rotating shaft is located on one side of the blade and rotatably connected to the frame. The frame is provided with a guide groove. The connecting shaft is located at the top of the blade and passes through the guide groove. The guide plate is provided with a sliding groove, and the connecting shaft passes through the sliding groove. From the middle of the frame to both sides, the curvature of the arc-shaped portion gradually increases, and the straight-line distance between the rotating shaft and the connecting shaft of the blade at the corresponding position also gradually increases, so that the active air intake grille mechanism has a first state and a second state. In the first state, the plane of all the blades is simultaneously parallel to the forward direction of the vehicle. In the second state, all the blades simultaneously close the corresponding air intake.

[0010] The active air intake grille mechanism according to embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: The motor-driven guide plate can move, simultaneously rotating multiple blades. Because the linear distances between the rotation axes and connecting axes of different blades are different, the rotation angles of the different blades are different. Therefore, in the first state, all blades are parallel to the airflow, effectively reducing wind resistance. In the second state, the blades can completely seal the air intake, effectively reducing air resistance when the vehicle is traveling at high speeds and helping the engine to warm up quickly, thereby reducing fuel consumption or energy consumption and improving the vehicle's energy-saving performance.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the blade is provided with a mounting portion, the mounting portion is provided at the top of the blade and protrudes from the blade in the thickness direction of the blade, and the connecting shaft is provided on the side of the mounting portion away from the blade.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the moving direction of the guide plate is a first direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and the line connecting the rotating shaft and the connecting shaft in the first state and the second state is symmetrical about the second direction.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the guide plate is provided with a limiting groove, the limiting groove extends along the moving direction of the guide plate, and the frame is provided with a limiting protrusion, the limiting protrusion passing through the limiting groove.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of the blades together seal one of the air inlets.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the blade has a bent portion on the side away from the rotation axis. Along the thickness direction of the blade, one side of the bent portion avoids the adjacent blade, and the other side overlaps the plane of the adjacent blade in the second state.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the drive mechanism further includes a drive shaft and a pull rod, the drive shaft being connected to the motor, one end of the pull rod being connected to the drive shaft, and the other end being connected to the guide plate.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the present invention, there are two guide plates and two pull rods, the drive shaft has two connection points, each connection point is connected to one pull rod, and the two guide plates are respectively located on opposite sides of the motor.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present invention, each blade is provided with a first marking portion and a second marking portion, wherein the first marking portion is used to indicate the side on which the blade is located, and the second marking portion is used to indicate the sequence number of the blade arrangement.

[0019] A vehicle according to a second aspect of the present invention includes an active grille mechanism according to a first aspect of the present invention.

[0020] The vehicle according to the embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: by adopting the active air intake grille mechanism of the first aspect embodiment of the present invention, the drive structure is simplified, the manufacturing cost and failure probability are reduced, and the precise angle adjustment of the arc grille is achieved, thus achieving a better balance between structural complexity and functional practicality.

[0021] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the active air intake grille mechanism in one direction (in the second state) according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the active grille mechanism from another direction is shown; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the active grille shutter mechanism in its first state is shown; Figure 4 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the active air intake grille mechanism is shown. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the fit between the blade and the frame; Figure 6 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the guide plate is shown; Figure 7 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the blades is shown; Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing the blades of the relevant technology being opened; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the blade opening according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 A graph showing the required motor torque test curve for a single-sided blade assembly before optimization of the relevant technology; Figure 11 This is a test curve of the motor torque required for the optimized single-sided blade group according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure label: 100, Frame; 110, Arc-shaped part; 120, Air inlet; 130, Guide groove; 140, Limiting protrusion; 200, Blade; 210, Rotating shaft; 220, Connecting shaft; 230, Mounting part; 240, Bending part; 300, Drive mechanism; 310, Motor; 320, Guide plate; 321, Slide groove; 322, Limiting groove; 330, Drive shaft; 331, Connection point; 340, Tie rod. Detailed Implementation

[0024] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0025] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0026] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0027] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "set up," "install," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0028] To ensure the proper functioning of the cooling system in a car's engine compartment, an air intake grille is typically installed at the front of the vehicle to allow air to flow into the engine compartment and dissipate heat generated by the engine, battery, electronic control components, and other parts. With the automotive industry's increasing demands for energy efficiency and aerodynamic performance, active grille shutters have emerged. This mechanism integrates a control module that intelligently adjusts based on parameters such as vehicle speed and coolant temperature: under conditions where wind resistance is significant, such as high-speed cruising, and cooling requirements are low, it actively closes or reduces the grille opening to lower the drag coefficient, thereby effectively improving fuel economy or the driving range of pure electric vehicles; under conditions of low speed, high load, and high temperature, where heat dissipation requirements are high, the grille fully opens to ensure sufficient cooling airflow.

[0029] The front end of a car is typically symmetrical, with a certain angle between the left and right sides. To drive the blade assemblies on both sides, there have been two main technical solutions in the past: one is to use dual motors to drive each side independently, but this solution is expensive and increases control complexity and potential for failure. The second is to use a single motor to transmit power to the other side via a steering knuckle (or directional linkage), but the steering knuckle mechanism introduces problems such as reduced torque transmission efficiency, play, increased noise and vibration risks, and the need for more installation space.

[0030] In the first-generation improved scheme, the four-bar linkage has become the most widely used blade drive scheme in the existing technology due to its advantages of simple structure and low manufacturing cost. A conventional four-bar linkage usually consists of a drive motor, a driving link, a driven link, and multiple blades. The connecting shafts of all blades are hinged to the same driven link. The motor drives the driven link to make linear motion through the driving link, thereby synchronously driving all blades to rotate around the rotation axis to realize the opening and closing of the grille.

[0031] However, with the evolution of automotive design, the pursuit of overall vehicle technology, styling integration, and aerodynamics has reached new heights. A significant trend is the integration of active air intake grilles as a key visual and functional element, placed externally and fully integrated into the complex curved surfaces of bumpers. This "curved" or "arc-shaped" grille design presents new technological challenges.

[0032] The blades of the active air intake grille must be precisely aligned with the curvature of the bumper's outer surface to ensure a smooth front-end appearance and aerodynamic performance. The grille's core cooling function requires that the air intake area reach its maximum when the blades rotate to a plane completely parallel to the vehicle's direction of travel, thus meeting the high-load cooling needs of core components such as the engine and battery.

[0033] Because the bumper's outer surface is a continuously changing arc-shaped structure, the installation posture and spatial angle of the blades along the grille's transverse direction (from the middle to both sides) change synchronously with the increase of the curvature, resulting in differences in the initial installation position of each blade relative to the vehicle's forward direction. Therefore, to ensure that all blades are simultaneously parallel to the vehicle's forward direction, each blade needs to rotate at a different angle, with the central blades rotating at a larger angle, while the rotation angles of the side blades gradually decrease as the curvature increases.

[0034] The blades are mostly driven by a four-bar linkage, meaning all blades can only rotate synchronously at the same angle, and cannot be adjusted to different angles based on their installation positions. This structural defect prevents all the grille blades from being parallel to the vehicle's forward direction simultaneously, severely limiting heat dissipation efficiency.

[0035] To address the technical challenge of requiring differentiated rotation angles for curved grille blades, a second-generation improvement scheme has been proposed in the existing technology: all blades are connected in series by multiple independent small connecting rods. By using small connecting rods of different lengths, the blades can generate differentiated rotation angles during the linkage process to adapt to changes in the curvature of the bumper shape.

[0036] However, this solution suffers from two major technical flaws in practical applications, which severely restrict the performance and mass production feasibility of the active air intake grille: 1. Redundant number of connecting rods, high difficulty in error prevention, and poor mass production compatibility: Taking a 16-blade active air intake grille as an example, this solution requires 14 independent small connecting rods, and the length of each small connecting rod needs to be precisely customized according to the curvature of the corresponding blade position—the length differences of the connecting rods are slight but cannot be shared. In the production and assembly process, a large number of connecting rods of similar dimensions are prone to assembly errors, and it is difficult to quickly identify incorrect assembly. This not only increases assembly time and labor costs but also causes deviations in the blade movement angle, affecting the grille's functionality. At the same time, for the curvature of different vehicle models, the length of all small connecting rods needs to be redesigned and customized, resulting in extremely poor universality and significantly increasing the platform development cost.

[0037] 2. Excessively long transmission chain and large cumulative clearance lead to sealing performance failure: The blades are driven by multiple small connecting rods in series, forming an excessively long transmission chain. Because the shaft-hole fit of the mechanical structure must have a pre-existing clearance (typically designed to be 0.1mm on one side), this clearance increases cumulatively with each transmission stage. Taking a 16-blade grille as an example, from the first blade closest to the motor to the farthest 16th blade, it requires transmission through 7 connecting rod stages, resulting in a cumulative clearance of up to 0.8mm. This clearance manifests on the blades as a sealing gap of approximately 4.7mm between the farthest blade and the frame. Furthermore, the gap increases progressively from the motor end to the farthest end, making complete grille closure impossible. This defect directly leads to excessive leakage when the grille is closed, significantly increasing air resistance and severely impacting fuel economy and driving range. It also fails to meet sealing requirements for winter insulation and engine compartment dust prevention.

[0038] From the first generation of rigid single-link (which cannot achieve differentiated rotation angles and will jam) to the second generation of flexible multi-link series (which can achieve rotation angles but has accumulated errors, poor sealing, and complex assembly), the industry's exploration has failed to achieve an ideal balance between structural simplicity, motion accuracy, assembly convenience, and high sealing performance.

[0039] The following reference Figures 1 to 9 This explains how the active air intake grille mechanism of the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems.

[0040] Reference Figures 1 to 4 The active air intake grille mechanism of the first aspect embodiment of the present invention includes a frame 100, a plurality of blades 200, and a drive mechanism 300. The frame 100 serves as the mounting base and support structure for the grille, and its overall shape is adapted to the outer shape of the vehicle bumper. The frame 100 includes an arc-shaped portion 110, the curvature of which increases gradually along the transverse direction of the vehicle (from the middle to both sides) to ensure that the frame 100 fits snugly with the bumper shape. The arc-shaped portion 110 is provided with an air inlet 120 for airflow.

[0041] Multiple blades 200 are mounted side-by-side on the arc-shaped section 110, with the shape of each blade 200 matching the contour of the corresponding air inlet 120. The core function of each blade 200 is to rotate around its axis to open or close the corresponding air inlet 120, thereby regulating the airflow entering the engine compartment. A drive mechanism 300 provides power for the movement of the blades 200 and includes a motor 310 and a guide plate 320. The motor 310 is fixedly mounted on the frame 100, and its output shaft is connected to the guide plate 320 to drive the guide plate 320 to perform linear reciprocating motion along the extension direction of the arc-shaped section 110. The multiple blades 200 are connected to the guide plate 320, thus achieving synchronous drive of all blades 200 by a single power source.

[0042] Reference Figure 7Each blade 200 is equipped with a rotating shaft 210 and a connecting shaft 220. The rotating shaft 210 is located at one end of the blade 200 and is directly rotatably connected to the frame 100, forming a fixed fulcrum for the rotation of the blade 200. The connecting shaft 220 is located at the top of the blade 200, at a position on a different axis from the rotating shaft 210. (Refer to...) Figure 4 and Figure 5 The frame 100 is provided with a guide groove 130, as shown in the reference. Figure 6 The guide plate 320 is provided with a sliding groove 321. One end of the connecting shaft 220 is fixed to the blade 200, and the other end passes through the guide groove 130 of the frame 100 and the sliding groove 321 of the guide plate 320 of the drive mechanism 300 in sequence to realize the connection between the blade 200 and the guide plate 320.

[0043] From the middle of the frame 100 to both sides, the curvature of the arc portion 110 gradually increases, and the straight-line distance between the rotation axis 210 and the connecting axis 220 of the corresponding blade 200 also gradually increases, so that the active air intake grille mechanism has a first state and a second state. In the first state, the planes of all the blades 200 are simultaneously parallel to the vehicle's forward direction; in the second state, all the blades 200 simultaneously close the corresponding air intake 120.

[0044] Reference Figure 3 As the curvature of the arc portion 110 gradually increases, the angle between the blade 200 and the vehicle's forward direction becomes smaller in the second state, thus requiring a smaller opening angle. By correspondingly increasing the linear distance between the rotation axis 210 and the connecting axis 220 of the blade 200, the chord length remains constant while the radius increases in the rotational arc trajectory of the blade 200, resulting in a smaller central angle and consequently a smaller opening angle. From the center of the frame 100 to both sides, the increased linear distance between the rotation axis 210 and the connecting axis 220 of each blade 200 corresponds to a smaller opening angle, satisfying the requirement for varying opening angles of the blades 200 at each position.

[0045] Its working principle is as follows: The motor 310 starts, driving the guide plate 320 to move. The movement of the guide plate 320 acts on the connecting shaft 220 of each blade 200 through the sliding groove 321 on it, applying a lateral driving force to the connecting shaft 220. Since the connecting shaft 220 is also nested in the guide groove 130 of the frame 100, the guide groove 130 restricts the degree of freedom of the connecting shaft 220, making it only able to move along a preset, fixed trajectory. The movement of the connecting shaft 220 under this combined constraint forces the blade 200 to rotate around the rotation axis 210 as the center, thereby realizing the opening and closing of the blade 200.

[0046] When the guide plate 320 is driven by the motor 310 to make the same displacement, due to the different straight-line distances between the rotation shaft 210 and the connecting shaft 220 on different blades 200, according to the principles of geometric kinematics, the combined action of the slide groove 321 and the guide groove 130 on the connecting shaft 220 will automatically be converted into different rotation angles of the blade 200 around its rotation shaft 210. That is, for the same chord length, the larger the corresponding radius, the smaller the central angle. Specifically, under the same guide plate 320 displacement (same chord length), the blade 200 with a larger straight-line distance between the rotation shaft 210 and the connecting shaft 220 (corresponding to a larger radius) will have a smaller rotation angle α (a smaller central angle).

[0047] By precisely calculating and matching the curvature of each blade 200 with the required ideal rotation angle α, and setting the straight-line distance between its rotation axis 210 and connecting axis 220 accordingly, it can be ensured that when the guide plate 320 moves to the "fully open" position, all blades 200 can simultaneously and precisely rotate to the optimal position where their plane is parallel to the vehicle's forward direction, thereby achieving the maximum air intake area of ​​the curved grille and solving the problems of "jamming" in traditional single-link solutions and difficulty in precisely controlling the angle in multi-link series solutions.

[0048] Since all blades 200 are driven synchronously by the same rigid guide plate 320, and the rotational motion of each blade 200 is determined by its own fixed geometric parameters, the motion of the entire system does not have the cumulative error of the dimensional chain in a series mechanism. When the guide plate 320 moves to the "fully closed" position, all blades 200 can simultaneously and tightly close their respective air inlets 120.

[0049] Reference Figure 8 The arrows in the diagram indicate the direction of movement of the guide plate 320. The distance the guide plate 320 moves from the closed position to the open position is L1. When the connecting shaft 220 is directly fixed to the blade 200, and the blade 200 is in the closed position, the lever arm length of the guide plate 320 acting on the connecting shaft 220 is L2. When the blade 200 is in the open position, the lever arm length of the guide plate 320 acting on the connecting shaft 220 is L3. From... Figure 8 As can be seen, L2 is less than L3. According to the lever principle, the formula for calculating the torque required to rotate the blade 200 is: T = F × L. Where T is the torque, F is the driving force applied by the guide plate 320, and L is the lever arm of the driving force. Under the premise that the driving torque T remains constant, the smaller the lever arm L, the greater the required driving force F. Therefore, when the blade 200 is in the closed position, the lever arm L2 is at its minimum. At this time, the torque output by the motor 310 reaches its maximum value, which places higher demands on the power selection of the motor 310 and increases the energy consumption and cost of the entire vehicle.

[0050] Reference Figure 7The blade 200 is provided with a mounting portion 230, which is located at the top of the blade 200 and protrudes from the blade 200 in the thickness direction. The connecting shaft 220 is located on the side of the mounting portion 230 away from the blade 200. (Refer to...) Figure 9 The arrows in the diagram indicate the direction of movement of the guide plate 320. When the blade 200 is in the closed position, the lever arm length of the guide plate 320 acting on the connecting shaft 220 is L2. When the blade 200 is in the open position, the lever arm length of the guide plate 320 acting on the connecting shaft 220 is L3. Figure 8 and Figure 9 The comparison shows that by setting the mounting part 230 and placing the connecting shaft 220 on the side of the mounting part 230 away from the blade 200, L2 can be increased. With the torque T required to drive the blade 200 to rotate remaining constant, the increase in lever arm L effectively reduces the demand for driving force F, thereby significantly reducing the output torque of the motor 310. This effectively reduces the torque required by the motor 310 when the blade 200 is in the closed position. Because the starting torque requirement is reduced, a lower-power, lower-cost motor 310 can be selected, and the size of the motor 310 is also reduced, which is beneficial for nacelle layout.

[0051] By setting the mounting part 230 and moving the connecting shaft 220 outward, the core technology increases the driving force arm of the blade 200 in the closed position. Its technical advantages are twofold: the driving torque required in the closed position is significantly reduced, allowing for the use of a smaller motor 310, reducing the cost and size of the drive mechanism 300, and simultaneously lowering the energy consumption of the vehicle's electrical system. The smaller output torque reduces wear and tear on transmission components such as the guide plate 320, slide 321, and connecting shaft 220, reducing the risk of jamming during movement and extending the service life of the mechanism.

[0052] Furthermore, the guide plate 320 moves in a first direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The lines connecting the rotation shaft 210 and the connecting shaft 220 in the first and second states are symmetrical about the second direction. (Refer to...) Figure 9 When the active air intake grille mechanism is in its first state, the planes of all blades 200 are parallel to the vehicle's forward direction, and the air intake 120 is fully open. At this time, the line connecting the center of the rotation axis 210 of the blades 200 and the center of the connecting axis 220 is line S1. When the mechanism is in its second state, all blades 200 are tightly fitted against the grille frame 100, and the air intake 120 is completely closed. At this time, the line connecting the center of the rotation axis 210 of the blades 200 and the center of the connecting axis 220 is line S2. With the second direction as the axis of symmetry, lines S1 and S2 are mirror images of each other; that is, the angles between the two lines and the second direction are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, and the perpendicular distances from the two lines to the second direction are exactly the same.

[0053] It is understandable that during the opening and closing process of the blade 200, the connecting shaft 220 rotates around the rotating shaft 210. According to the motion trajectory of the connecting shaft 220, the lever arm length of the guide plate 320 acting on the connecting shaft 220 is the shortest when the blade 200 is in the two extreme positions of opening and closing, and the lever arm length of the guide plate 320 acting on the connecting shaft 220 is the longest when the connecting shaft 220 is in the radial direction parallel to the second direction. Therefore, the required torque of the motor 310 is the largest when the blade 200 is in the two extreme positions of opening and closing.

[0054] Since the line connecting the rotating shaft 210 and the connecting shaft 220 is symmetrical about the second direction, when the blade 200 is in the two extreme positions of opening and closing, the lever arm length of the guide plate 320 acting on the connecting shaft 220 is basically equal (or changes symmetrically). This makes the torque demand of the motor 310 relatively balanced during the opening and closing of the blade 200, reducing the maximum torque demand of the motor 310 and preventing excessive torque on one side. This further reduces the load fluctuation of the motor 310 and improves the smoothness of the operation of the drive mechanism 300.

[0055] Reference Figure 4 The guide plate 320 is provided with a limiting groove 322, which extends along the moving direction of the guide plate 320, and its length determines the movement stroke of the guide plate 320. The frame 100 is provided with a limiting protrusion 140, which passes through the limiting groove 322. The limiting protrusion 140 slides within the limiting groove 322, providing precise guidance for the linear movement of the guide plate 320, preventing the guide plate 320 from shifting laterally or twisting during movement, and ensuring that the guide plate 320 always moves along a preset linear trajectory. When the guide plate 320 moves to its limit position, the limiting protrusion 140 abuts against the end of the limiting groove 322, playing a mechanical limiting role and preventing the guide plate 320 from moving excessively and damaging the mechanism.

[0056] Reference Figures 1 to 5It is understood that multiple blades 200 collectively enclose a single air inlet 120. The air inlet 120, formed by the arcuate portion 110 of the frame 100, is an integral arcuate opening. Its lateral span covers the entire width of the arcuate portion 110, and its longitudinal height matches the dimensions of the blades 200. Multiple blades 200 are arranged in an equally spaced array along the lateral direction of the air inlet 120 (the extension direction of the arcuate portion 110). The shape of a single blade 200 is an arcuate plate, and its curvature is completely consistent with the arcuate curvature of the air inlet 120. The width of the blade 200 is slightly larger than the gap between adjacent blades 200, and the height of the blade 200 matches the longitudinal height of the air inlet 120. The rotation axis (rotation axis 210) of all blades 200 is located on the same side edge of the air inlet 120. The rotation trajectory of the blades 200 covers the corresponding area of ​​the air inlet 120. Adjacent blades 200 do not interfere with each other during rotation, and their edges can be tightly overlapped when closed.

[0057] The multi-blade 200 array overlaps and closes, which avoids the problem of needing to set up partitions between adjacent blades 200 compared to the independent closed structure of the split air inlet 120. This can reduce the obstruction of airflow, increase the air intake volume, and also improve the efficiency of the frame 100 in processing the air inlet 120.

[0058] Reference Figure 7 The blade 200 has a bent portion 240 on the side away from the rotation axis 210. Along the thickness direction of the blade 200, one side of the bent portion 240 avoids the adjacent blade 200, while the other side overlaps the plane of the adjacent blade 200 in the second state. That is, the side facing the rotation side of the adjacent blade 200 is the avoidance surface, and its bending arc matches the movement trajectory of the adjacent blade 200, ensuring that the bent portion 240 will not collide or interfere with the adjacent blade 200 during the rotation process of the blade 200 switching from the open state to the closed state, thus ensuring the smooth movement of all blades 200. The side away from the rotation side of the adjacent blade 200 is the overlapping surface, which is a flat planar structure to ensure a tight seal with the adjacent blade 200.

[0059] When the mechanism is in the first state (fully open state), the plane of all blades 200 is parallel to the direction of vehicle movement. The avoidance surface of the bent part 240 rotates with the blades 200 to a position away from the adjacent blades 200, so as not to block the airflow and to maximize the flow area of ​​the air inlet 120.

[0060] When the mechanism switches to the second state (fully closed state), the motor 310 drives the guide plate 320 to rotate all blades 200 synchronously to the closed position. At this time, the overlapping surface of the bent portion 240 of the blade 200 will tightly fit against the planar area of ​​the adjacent blade 200, forming a continuous sealed overlapping structure. Through the cooperation of the "blade 200 planar surface + bent portion 240 overlapping surface", the gap between the edges of the blades 200 is reduced, and the sealing performance of the air inlet 120 is improved.

[0061] Reference Figure 4 The drive mechanism 300 also includes a drive shaft 330 and a pull rod 340. The drive shaft 330 is connected to a motor 310. One end of the pull rod 340 is connected to the drive shaft 330, and the other end is connected to a guide plate 320. The position of the motor 310 connected to the drive shaft 330 is eccentrically positioned relative to the position of the pull rod 340 connected to the drive shaft 330. The motor 310 drives the drive shaft 330 to rotate around its own axis. When the drive shaft 330 rotates, the eccentric portion at its end drives one end of the pull rod 340 to perform a circular motion. Since the other end of the pull rod 340 is hinged to the guide plate 320, and the guide plate 320 is constrained by the limiting groove 322 and the limiting protrusion 140 and can only move in the first direction, the circular motion of the pull rod 340 is converted into a linear movement of the guide plate 320 along the extension direction of the arc-shaped portion 110. Through the cooperation of the drive shaft 330 and the pull rod 340, the rotational motion of the motor 310 is accurately converted into the linear motion of the guide plate 320, and the motion conversion is stable and reliable. In addition, the drive shaft 330 and motor 310 are arranged vertically, without occupying horizontal space, thus avoiding interference with components such as radar and cameras inside the bumper and adapting to the spatial layout requirements of the entire vehicle.

[0062] It is understood that there are two guide plates 320 and two tie rods 340. The drive shaft 330 has two connection points 331, each of which connects to a tie rod 340. The two guide plates 320 are located on opposite sides of the motor 310. The motor 310 is mounted at the center of the drive shaft 330, directly driving the drive shaft 330 to rotate around its own axis in a horizontal plane. The two connection points 331 of the drive shaft 330 are connected to one end of a tie rod 340. The other end of each tie rod 340 is connected to a guide plate 320. To adapt to the symmetrical arc-shaped angle of the grille and to achieve efficient power distribution driven by a single motor 310, this embodiment adopts a symmetrical drive structure of double guide plates 320 + double tie rods 340, dividing the blades 200 into two groups, left and right. A single drive system synchronously drives the two groups of blades 200 to move in coordination, solving the technical pain points of high cost and poor synchronization in the traditional dual-motor 310 solution.

[0063] As described above, to achieve the differentiated angle design of the blades 200, the position of the connecting shaft 220 on each blade 200 is different. This leads to assembly difficulties, making it hard for operators to quickly and accurately determine where the blade 200 should be installed. To solve the problem of error prevention in assembling multi-specification blades 200 and improve production assembly efficiency and product consistency, this embodiment adds a first marking part and a second marking part to each blade 200 to achieve rapid and accurate positioning and installation of the blades 200. The first marking part is used to indicate the side where the blade 200 is located, and the second marking part is used to indicate the sequence number of the blades 200.

[0064] In some embodiments, the first identification part is a character identifier used to clearly identify the mounting side to which the blade 200 belongs, adapting to the symmetrical layout of the two sets of blades 200 on the left and right sides of the grille. For example, the letter R is used to indicate that the blade 200 corresponds to the right set of blades 200 mounted on the frame 100, and the letter L is used to indicate that the blade 200 corresponds to the left set of blades 200 mounted on the frame 100. The second identification part is a number identifier used to clearly identify the sequence number of the blade 200 within the corresponding set, with the sequence number increasing sequentially along the moving direction of the guide plate 320 (first direction). For example, the number 1 indicates that the blade 200 is the first blade 200 closest to the center of the frame 100 in the corresponding set of blades 200, and the number 8 indicates that the blade 200 is the eighth blade 200 furthest from the center of the frame 100 in the corresponding set of blades 200. The two identification parts are combined to form a unique installation code for the blade 200. For example, R1 represents the first blade 200 in the right blade 200 group, and L5 represents the fifth blade 200 in the left blade 200 group, so as to achieve a one-to-one correspondence between the blade 200 and the installation station.

[0065] By adding a first and a second marking section, operators can determine the installation position directly by the markings without measuring or comparing the parameters of blade 200. This eliminates the steps of comparing blade 200 parameters and trial installation in traditional assembly, shortening assembly time. The precise positioning and installation of blade 200 ensures that the rotation angle and movement trajectory of each blade 200 meet the design requirements, maximizing the air intake area when the grille is fully open and ensuring optimal sealing performance when fully closed.

[0066] The present invention also provides a design method for an active air intake grille mechanism according to a first aspect of the present invention, the design method comprising the following steps: Step S100: Determine the load on the blades at the set vehicle speed.

[0067] First, based on the vehicle's design speed, calculate the wind load on the active air intake grille blades under extreme operating conditions. For example, calculate the load on the blades at a vehicle speed of 150 km / h. Then, use the wind pressure calculation formula... Calculate the load on each blade. Here, F is the wind load on each blade in N, ρ is the air density (taken as 1.225 kg / m³), V is the wind speed (approximately equal to vehicle speed, calculated based on vehicle speed), and S is the frontal area, i.e., the projected area of ​​each blade on a plane perpendicular to the vehicle's direction of travel, in mm². ρ is the drag coefficient; to allow for a safety margin, the maximum value of 1 is taken. The wind load on each blade on one side is calculated in the table below.

[0068]

[0069] The calculation results show that the total wind load of all blades on one side is 51.038N. In order to adapt to the load fluctuations in actual working conditions, this value is appropriately increased in the subsequent design, and 52N is taken as the design load of the blades on one side to ensure that sufficient safety margin is left.

[0070] Step S200: Select the maximum rated torque of the motor and determine the rotation radius of the drive shaft.

[0071] Based on the blade load calculated in step S100, select the maximum rated torque of the motor. The rotation radius of the drive shaft is the distance from the rotation center of the drive shaft to the connection point. For example, if the maximum rated torque of the motor is known to be 2.8 Nm, and according to the table above, the load of all blades on one side is 52 N, then the radius of the active output shaft R < 26 mm can be initially determined according to the torque formula T = F × R (T is the torque, F is the load, and R is the rotation radius).

[0072] Step S300: Determine the limit distance of the guide plate's movement along the direction of motion.

[0073] The guide plate is connected to the drive shaft's connection point via a tie rod. When the drive shaft's connection point rotates 180°, it represents the theoretically longest distance the drive shaft can move the guide plate (i.e., the drive shaft's rotation diameter is twice its rotation radius). Given that the maximum radius R of the active output shaft is less than 26mm, it can be deduced that the guide plate's movement along the direction of motion cannot exceed 52mm. However, a certain clearance must be maintained between the mechanisms (the movement clearance of components such as the guide plate, tie rod, and frame must be reserved to avoid mutual collision and interference) and the strength of the connecting rod must be ensured. Furthermore, to guarantee the maximum output lever arm, the guide plate's maximum movement distance along the direction of motion must be less than twice the drive shaft's rotation radius.

[0074] In addition, it is understandable that the greater the moving distance of the guide plate, the longer the lever arm of the rotational power provided by the guide plate to the blade. Under the same load, other things being equal, the smaller the torque required by the motor.

[0075] Taking all the above factors into account, by simulating the rotation angle of the drive shaft and selecting the larger value of the angle within a suitable range, the limit distance of the guide plate can be obtained. For example, the limit distance of the guide plate is selected as 45mm.

[0076] Step S400: Match the curvature of the arc section and adjust the straight distance between the blade rotation axis and the connecting axis.

[0077] One of the core design logics of this invention is that the curvature of the arc-shaped part of the frame gradually increases from the middle to both sides, and the straight-line distance (wheelbase) between the rotation axis and the connecting axis of the corresponding blade also gradually increases synchronously. Based on this principle, this step achieves synchronized and precise opening and closing of all blades through precise adjustment of the wheelbase. From a geometric kinematics perspective, when the guide plate is driven by the motor to make the same displacement, blades with different wheelbases have different rotation angles around the rotation axis: for the same guide plate displacement (equivalent to chord length), the blade with a larger wheelbase (equivalent to a larger radius) has a smaller rotation angle (equivalent to a smaller central angle). This characteristic is adapted to the curvature change of the arc-shaped part; the larger the curvature, the smaller the required rotation angle of the blade. Precise matching can be achieved through gradient adjustment of the wheelbase.

[0078] In the specific design, the curvature of the arc-shaped part at the location of each blade is first accurately calculated, as well as the ideal rotation angle α required for the blade at that position to be fully open / fully closed. Then, based on the geometric relationship, the straight-line distance between the rotation axis and the connecting axis of the blade is derived and set. Finally, through multiple rounds of simulation and optimization, it is ensured that when the guide plate moves to the "fully open" (first state) position, the plane of all blades is simultaneously and precisely parallel to the vehicle's forward direction, achieving the maximum air intake area of ​​the curved grille. When the guide plate moves to the "fully closed" (second state) position, all blades synchronously close the air inlet, and the bent parts overlap tightly without gaps or leakage.

[0079] Step S500: With the rotation axis as the center, adjust the position of the output shaft along the circumferential direction so that the lever arm of the guide plate acting on the blade is equal in the first state and the second state.

[0080] In step S400, the rotation radius of the connecting shaft around the rotating axis (i.e., the straight-line distance between the rotating axis and the connecting shaft) has been determined by matching the curvature of the arc section with the rotation angle of the blade. The core of this step is to accurately determine the specific spatial position of the circular motion trajectory formed by the rotation of the connecting shaft around the rotating axis, under the premise that the rotation radius remains unchanged, so as to ultimately achieve that the lever arm of the guide plate acting on the blade is completely equal in the first state (fully open) and the second state (fully closed).

[0081] During the switching process from fully open to fully closed, the connecting shaft rotates in a circle with a fixed radius around the rotation axis. Looking at the lever arm variation pattern, the length of the driving force lever arm applied to the connecting shaft by the guide plate through the groove dynamically changes with the circumferential position of the connecting shaft: when the connecting shaft is in the radial direction parallel to the second direction (perpendicular to the direction of guide plate movement), the lever arm length reaches its maximum value, at which point the required output torque of the motor is minimum; while when the blade is in the two extreme positions of fully open and fully closed, the circumferential position of the connecting shaft precisely shortens the lever arm length, which also causes the torque demand of the motor to reach its peak under these two critical operating conditions.

[0082] In related technologies, the connecting shaft is directly fixed to the blade body without optimizing its circumferential motion trajectory. This results in a significant difference in the lever arm length between the fully open and fully closed states. Typically, the lever arm is shorter in the fully closed state, leading to a much higher motor torque requirement than in the fully open state, sometimes even exceeding the motor's rated torque range. (Refer to...) Figure 10 Simulation analysis verified that the peak torque required by the motor for a single-sided blade group before optimization was 1.425 Nm, which exceeded the rated torque threshold of the motor selected in this design, posing a risk of motor overload and mechanism jamming.

[0083] To address this issue, this step achieves lever arm balance through symmetrical optimization of the trajectory position: First, the direction of movement of the guide plate is defined as the first direction, and the horizontal direction perpendicular to the first direction is defined as the second direction; then, the position of the circular motion trajectory of the connecting shaft is adjusted, with the core constraint being the line connecting the rotation axis and the connecting shaft, which exhibits a strictly symmetrical distribution about the second direction in both the first state (fully open) and the second state (fully closed). The direct effect of this symmetrical design is that the lever arm of the driving force exerted by the guide plate on the connecting shaft is completely equal in both the fully open and fully closed extreme conditions, fundamentally eliminating the torque requirement difference between the two key operating conditions.

[0084] Reference Figure 11 Simulation analysis and verification showed that, after optimization, the peak torque required by the motor for a single-sided blade assembly was reduced to 1.219 Nm, which is well within the rated torque range of the selected motor. This optimization not only avoids the technical risk of motor overload, but also ensures the reliability of power transmission in both fully open and fully closed states without increasing the motor specifications. At the same time, it achieves an overall reduction in motor torque requirements, balancing design cost and operational efficiency.

[0085] A second aspect of the present invention also discloses a vehicle that integrates an active grille mechanism according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0086] The active air intake grille mechanism is fixedly mounted to the air intake area of ​​the vehicle's front bumper via the frame 100. The curvature of its arc-shaped portion 110 precisely matches the outer surface of the front bumper, allowing the grille to form a smooth, integrated curved surface with the vehicle body when fully closed, thus reducing the overall drag coefficient. At the same time, the grille's control unit is connected to the vehicle's vehicle control unit (VCU). The VCU can automatically control the start and stop of the motor 310 of the active air intake grille mechanism based on the vehicle's driving conditions (such as vehicle speed, engine coolant temperature, battery temperature, etc.), enabling intelligent switching of the blades 200 between fully open and fully closed states.

[0087] When the vehicle is cruising at high speed and the cooling demand is low, the vehicle controller sends a shut-off signal. The motor 310 drives the double guide plate 320 to rotate the left and right sets of blades 200 synchronously to the closed position. The overlapping surface of the bent part 240 of the blades 200 is in close contact with the adjacent blades 200, completely sealing the air inlet 120, effectively reducing air resistance during vehicle operation and improving range. When the vehicle is driving at low speed, the engine is running under high load, or the battery is fast charging, and the cooling demand is high, the vehicle controller sends an open signal. The motor 310 drives the double guide plate 320 in the opposite direction to rotate the blades 200 to the fully open position. All blades 200 are parallel to the vehicle's forward direction, and the air inlet 120 is fully open, maximizing the air intake area and ensuring the cooling efficiency of the core components in the engine compartment.

[0088] By incorporating the active air intake grille mechanism of this invention, the vehicle combines the advantages of low wind resistance and high heat dissipation efficiency, effectively improving the vehicle's power economy and operational stability.

[0089] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. An active grille shutter mechanism for a vehicle, characterized by, The active air intake grille mechanism includes: The frame includes an arc-shaped portion, wherein the arc-shaped portion is provided with an air inlet; Multiple blades are installed on the arc-shaped portion, and the blades are used to close or open the air inlet; A drive mechanism includes a motor and a guide plate, wherein the motor drives the guide plate to move along the extension direction of the arc-shaped portion, and a plurality of blades are connected to the guide plate; The blade is provided with a rotating shaft and a connecting shaft. The rotating shaft is located on one side of the blade and rotatably connected to the frame. The frame is provided with a guide groove. The connecting shaft is located at the top of the blade and passes through the guide groove. The guide plate is provided with a sliding groove, and the connecting shaft passes through the sliding groove. From the middle of the frame to both sides, the curvature of the arc-shaped portion gradually increases, and the straight-line distance between the rotating shaft and the connecting shaft of the corresponding blade also gradually increases, so that the active air intake grille mechanism has a first state and a second state. In the first state, the planes of all the blades are simultaneously parallel to the forward direction of the vehicle. In the second state, all the blades simultaneously close the corresponding air inlets; each blade has a mounting portion located at the top of the blade and protruding from the blade in the thickness direction; the connecting shaft is located on the side of the mounting portion away from the blade; the guide plate moves in a first direction, and a second direction is perpendicular to the first direction; the lines connecting the rotating shaft and the connecting shaft in the first and second states are symmetrical about the second direction; the guide plate has a limiting groove extending along the moving direction of the guide plate; the frame has a limiting protrusion passing through the limiting groove.

2. The active air intake grille mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple blades together seal off one air inlet.

3. The active air intake grille mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The blade has a bent portion on the side away from the rotation axis. Along the thickness direction of the blade, one side of the bent portion avoids the adjacent blade, and the other side overlaps the plane of the adjacent blade in the second state.

4. The active air intake grille mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism further includes a drive shaft and a pull rod. The drive shaft is connected to the motor, and one end of the pull rod is connected to the drive shaft, while the other end is connected to the guide plate.

5. The active air intake grille mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, There are two guide plates and two pull rods. The drive shaft has two connection points, each of which is connected to one pull rod. The two guide plates are located on opposite sides of the motor.

6. The active air intake grille mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each blade is provided with a first marking part and a second marking part. The first marking part is used to indicate the side on which the blade is located, and the second marking part is used to indicate the sequence number of the blade.

7. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the active air intake grille mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images