Air intake grille control system, vehicle and control method thereof

Abstract

The application provides an air intake grille control system, a vehicle and a control method thereof. The air intake grille control system comprises a fan blade, a main shaft, a transmission assembly and an air intake grille. The fan blade is coaxially connected with the main shaft. The fan blade can rotate under the action of wind pressure during vehicle driving and drive the main shaft to rotate. The transmission assembly connects the air intake grille and the main shaft, and can convert the rotation of the main shaft into the opening movement of the air intake grille. In this way, the wind energy generated during vehicle driving is used as driving force, and the air intake grille is driven to open through the fan blade, the main shaft and the transmission assembly, thereby reducing the low-voltage power consumption of the vehicle and improving the economy and endurance performance of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle technology, specifically to an air intake grille control system, a vehicle, and a control method thereof. Background Technology

[0002] The opening and closing adjustment of a vehicle's air intake grille is crucial for reducing wind resistance and improving energy efficiency. Among related technologies, some active grille shutters (AGS) can adjust the opening and closing of the air intake grille through an electrically driven actuator. The opening and closing commands can be issued by the vehicle's control system based on sensor signals.

[0003] However, since this solution relies on onboard electric power, the grille opening and closing adjustment system needs to continuously consume the battery or the vehicle's low-voltage power grid during vehicle operation, increasing the vehicle's low-voltage energy consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an air intake grille control system, a vehicle, and a control method thereof to solve the problem of increased low-pressure energy consumption of the vehicle caused by active air intake grilles.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of this application adopt the following technical solutions: In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an air intake grille control system comprising: fan blades, a main shaft, an air intake grille, and a transmission assembly. The fan blades are coaxially connected to the main shaft and are used to rotate under the drive of wind energy, thereby driving the main shaft to rotate. The air intake grille is movable between a first position and a second position to switch between an open state and a closed state. The transmission assembly connects the air intake grille and the main shaft and is configured to convert the rotation of the main shaft into an opening motion of the air intake grille.

[0006] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the transmission assembly includes: an elastic reset member, a first transmission mechanism, and a second transmission mechanism. The first transmission mechanism is connected between the input end of the elastic reset member and the main shaft; the elastic reset member is rotatable and accumulates elastic potential energy under the drive of the first transmission mechanism; the second transmission mechanism is connected between the output end of the elastic reset member and the air intake grille; the second transmission mechanism is used to: open the air intake grille when the elastic reset member rotates; and close the air intake grille when the elastic reset member releases its elastic potential energy.

[0007] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the resilient reset element includes a spiral spring; the first transmission mechanism includes a rotating rod, the first end of which is connected to the main shaft drive, and the second end of which is located inside the spiral spring and connected to the input end of the spiral spring.

[0008] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the first transmission mechanism includes: a first bevel gear and a second bevel gear; the first bevel gear is sleeved on the outer periphery of the main shaft; the second bevel gear is sleeved on the first end of the rotating rod; the first bevel gear meshes with the second bevel gear.

[0009] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the air intake grille control system further includes a frame; the second transmission mechanism includes a gear, a rack, and a swing arm. The gear is drivenly connected to the output end of the resilient reset member; the rack is slidably connected to the frame; the rack meshes with the gear; the swing arm is rotatably connected to the frame; a first end of the swing arm is hinged to the rack, and a second end of the swing arm is hinged to the air intake grille.

[0010] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, a damping structure is provided between the swing arm and the frame.

[0011] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the air intake grille includes multiple blades and a drive rod, the multiple blades being drivenly connected by the drive rod; the second end of the swing arm is hinged to any one of the blades, or the second end of the swing arm is hinged to the drive rod.

[0012] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the grille control system has a motor-driven mode; the grille control system further includes: a secondary shaft, a motor, and a clutch. The motor shaft of the motor is coaxially connected to the secondary shaft, and the motor is used to drive the secondary shaft to rotate; the clutch selectively engages the secondary shaft and the main shaft; the clutch is used to: engage in motor-driven mode to transmit the torque of the secondary shaft to the main shaft.

[0013] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the air intake grille control system further includes an energy storage device that is electrically connected to the motor and is used to supply energy to the motor.

[0014] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the air intake grille control system has a charging mode; the clutch is used to: engage in the charging mode to transmit the torque of the main shaft to the secondary shaft; the motor is also used to: generate electricity in the charging mode to charge the energy storage device.

[0015] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the motor is one of a DC motor, a permanent magnet synchronous motor, or an AC asynchronous motor.

[0016] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the air intake grille control system further includes a DC-DC converter electrically connected between the motor and the energy storage device.

[0017] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle, including: a vehicle body and an air intake grille control system, wherein the air intake grille control system is disposed on the vehicle body.

[0018] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle control method, including: controlling the air intake grille control system to operate in one of a fan blade drive mode, a motor drive mode, and a charging mode based on an air intake demand assessment value, a vehicle front wind pressure value, and a remaining battery power value.

[0019] In some possible implementations of the third aspect, the intake demand assessment value, based on the intake demand assessment value, the vehicle front wind pressure value, and the remaining power value of the intake demand assessment value energy storage device, controls the intake grille control system to operate in one of the following modes: fan blade drive mode, motor drive mode, and charging mode. This includes: when the intake demand assessment value is greater than a first preset threshold and the vehicle front wind pressure value is greater than a second preset threshold, controlling the intake grille control system to operate in the intake demand assessment value fan blade drive mode; when the intake demand assessment value is greater than a second preset threshold, controlling the intake grille control system to operate in the intake demand assessment value fan blade drive mode; and when the intake demand assessment value is greater than a third preset threshold, controlling the intake grille control system to operate in the intake demand assessment value fan blade drive mode. When the air demand assessment value is less than or equal to the first preset threshold and the air pressure value at the front of the vehicle is less than or equal to the second preset threshold, the air intake grille control system is controlled to operate in the air intake motor drive mode; when the air demand assessment value is less than or equal to the first preset threshold, the air pressure value at the front of the vehicle is greater than the second preset threshold, and the remaining power value of the energy storage device is less than or equal to the third preset threshold, the air intake grille control system is controlled to operate in the air intake charging mode.

[0020] The air intake grille control system, vehicle, and control method provided in this application have the following beneficial effects: The air intake grille control system provided in this application includes fan blades, a main shaft, a transmission assembly, and an air intake grille. The fan blades are coaxially connected to the main shaft. The fan blades can rotate under the action of wind pressure during vehicle operation, driving the main shaft to rotate. The transmission assembly connects the air intake grille and the main shaft, and can convert the rotation of the main shaft into the opening motion of the air intake grille. Thus, by utilizing the wind energy generated during vehicle operation as a driving force, and driving the air intake grille to open through the fan blades, main shaft, and transmission assembly, it helps to reduce the vehicle's low-voltage power consumption, thereby improving the vehicle's economy and range performance. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of a vehicle provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0022] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the vehicle's air intake grille control system.

[0023] Figure 3 for Figure 2The diagram shows a perspective view of the air intake grille and transmission components of the air intake grille control system.

[0024] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The image shown is a perspective view of the air intake grille and transmission components from another angle.

[0025] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating a vehicle control method provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures Vehicle 1; Grille control system 10; Body 20; Door 30; Fan blade 100; main shaft 200; air intake grille 300; blade 310; drive rod 320; Transmission assembly 400; elastic reset component 410; spiral spring 411; first transmission mechanism 420; rotating rod 421; first bevel gear 422; second bevel gear 423; second transmission mechanism 430; gear 431; rack 432; swing arm 433; Countershaft 500; Motor 600; Clutch 700; Energy storage device 800; DC-DC converter 900; Controller 1000. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0028] In this application, the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and local features may be enlarged or reduced to more clearly show the details of the local features.

[0029] Unless otherwise stated, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. The term "and / or" as used in this application includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The singular forms "a," "the," and "the" as used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0030] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified. In the description of this application, "several" means one or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0031] In the description of this application, the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "height", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the purpose of simplifying the description of this application and do not indicate that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. In other words, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0032] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly defined, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," "setting," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can also refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0033] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly defined, the terms "above," "over," "on top of," "below," "below," "under," or "below" for "first feature over second feature" can refer to the first and second features being in direct contact, or to the first and second features being in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "below," and "over" for "first feature over second feature" can mean the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than the horizontal height of the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "below" for "first feature over second feature" can mean the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than the horizontal height of the second feature.

[0034] The opening and closing adjustment of a vehicle's air intake grille is crucial for reducing wind resistance and improving energy efficiency. Among related technologies, some active grille shutters (AGS) can adjust the opening and closing of the air intake grille through an electrically driven actuator. The opening and closing commands can be issued by the vehicle's control system based on sensor signals.

[0035] However, since this solution relies on onboard electric power, the grille opening and closing adjustment system needs to continuously consume the battery or the vehicle's low-voltage power grid during vehicle operation, increasing the vehicle's low-voltage energy consumption.

[0036] To address the aforementioned problems, some embodiments of this application provide an air intake grille control system, a vehicle, and a control method thereof. The air intake grille control system includes fan blades, a main shaft, a transmission assembly, and an air intake grille. The fan blades are coaxially connected to the main shaft. The fan blades can rotate under the action of wind pressure during vehicle operation, driving the main shaft to rotate. The transmission assembly connects the air intake grille and the main shaft, and can convert the rotation of the main shaft into the opening motion of the air intake grille. Thus, by utilizing the wind energy generated during vehicle operation as a driving force, and driving the air intake grille to open via the fan blades, main shaft, and transmission assembly, it is beneficial to reduce the vehicle's low-voltage power consumption and improve the vehicle's economy and range performance.

[0037] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0038] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle 1 provided in some embodiments of this application. The vehicle 1 includes a grille control system 10, a body 20, and multiple doors 30. A portion of the body 20 forms a driver's compartment. The grille control system 10 is located at the front end of the body 20 and is used to adjust the opening and closing state of the grille according to various parameters during the vehicle's operation to optimize thermal management of the engine compartment.

[0039] The vehicle body 20 also has multiple door openings 20a connecting to the driver's cabin. Based on this, the door 30 is rotatably connected to the vehicle body 20 and corresponds one-to-one with the door openings 20a. When the door 30 is in the open state, the user can enter and exit the driver's cabin through the door opening 20a. When the door 30 is in the closed state, the door 30 can close the door opening 20a to protect the driver's cabin and ensure the personal and property safety of the user.

[0040] Some embodiments of this application do not limit the type of vehicle 1. For example, vehicle 1 can be a sedan, a sports utility vehicle (SUV), a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), a van (VAN), etc.

[0041] Please see Figures 2 to 4 , Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the air intake grille control system 10 of vehicle 1. Figure 3 for Figure 2 The diagram shows a perspective view of the air intake grille 300 and transmission assembly 400 of the air intake grille control system 10. Figure 4 for Figure 3 The air intake grille 300 and transmission assembly 400 shown are in a perspective view from another angle.

[0042] The air intake grille control system 10 includes: fan blades 100, main shaft 200, air intake grille 300, and transmission assembly 400.

[0043] The fan blade 100 is coaxially connected to the main shaft 200. The fan blade 100 rotates under the drive of wind energy, thereby driving the main shaft 200 to rotate. For example, the fan blade 100 is fixedly mounted to the end of the main shaft 200, and the two are coaxially arranged. The fan blade 100 is exposed to the windward front surface of the vehicle 1 so that it can efficiently capture oncoming wind energy and convert it into rotational kinetic energy when the vehicle 1 is in motion. The main shaft 200 is rotatably mounted on the frame or mounting frame of the vehicle body 20 through a support structure such as a bearing seat. When the fan blade 100 rotates under the drive of wind energy, it directly drives the main shaft 200 to rotate synchronously.

[0044] The air intake grille 300 is movable between a first position and a second position to switch between an open and closed state. For example, the air intake grille 300 is located at the air intake at the front of the vehicle 1. The air intake grille 300 is configured to switch between an open and closed state. When in the open state, ventilation gaps are formed between the multiple blades 310 in the air intake grille 300, allowing airflow to enter the engine compartment; when in the closed state, the multiple blades 310 can overlap each other or seal against the surrounding frame to significantly block airflow.

[0045] The transmission assembly 400 connects the air intake grille 300 and the main shaft 200. The transmission assembly 400 is configured to convert the rotation of the main shaft 200 into the opening motion of the air intake grille 300. Thus, during vehicle 1 operation, the fan blades 100 are driven to rotate by the wind. Through the main shaft 200 and the transmission assembly 400, the wind energy is directly converted into mechanical energy to drive the air intake grille 300 to open, thereby helping to reduce the vehicle's low-voltage power consumption and improving the vehicle's economy and range.

[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the transmission assembly 400 includes: an elastic reset member 410, a first transmission mechanism 420, and a second transmission mechanism 430.

[0047] The elastic reset element 410 includes, for example, a spiral spring 411. The spiral spring 411 has a spring body wound into a disc shape, with its inner end forming the input end and its outer end forming the output end. For example, the spiral spring 411 is housed in a fixed spring box, which is mounted on the frame of the air intake grille control system 10 or the vehicle body 20 structure. It should be noted that the frame can be a mounting bracket fixedly connected to the vehicle body 20, or it can be part of the vehicle body 20; this application does not limit this.

[0048] The first transmission mechanism 420 is connected between the input end of the elastic reset member 410 and the main shaft 200; the elastic reset member 410 can rotate and accumulate elastic potential energy under the drive of the first transmission mechanism 420. For example, the first transmission mechanism 420 can transmit the rotational motion of the main shaft 200 to the spiral spring 411, driving the spiral spring 411 to coil tightly and thus accumulate elastic potential energy.

[0049] Specifically, the first transmission mechanism 420 includes a rotating rod 421. The first end of the rotating rod 421 is connected to the main shaft 200, and the second end of the rotating rod 421 extends into the inner side of the spiral spring 411 and is fixedly connected to the input end of the spiral spring 411. When the main shaft 200 drives the rotating rod 421 to rotate, the second end of the rotating rod 421 tightens the spiral spring 411, increasing the elastic potential energy of the spiral spring 411.

[0050] The second transmission mechanism 430 is connected between the output end of the elastic reset member 410 and the air intake grille 300. The second transmission mechanism 430 is used to: open the air intake grille 300 when the elastic reset member 410 rotates; and close the air intake grille 300 when the elastic reset member 410 releases its elastic potential energy. Thus, when the spiral spring 411 is driven to rotate by the rotary rod 421, the second transmission mechanism 430 can transmit this rotation, thereby opening the air intake grille 300. Furthermore, when the driving force from the main shaft 200 weakens or disappears, the spiral spring 411 releases its accumulated elastic potential energy, and the output end of the spiral spring 411 rotates in the opposite direction along its rotation axis. At this time, the second transmission mechanism 430 can transmit this reverse rotational motion and convert it into a motion that drives the air intake grille 300 to close.

[0051] Based on the above structure, the operation of the transmission component 400 includes two stages. During the stage when the vehicle 1 is moving and there is sufficient wind energy, the fan blade 100 drives the main shaft 200 and the rotating rod 421 to rotate continuously, and the spiral spring 411 is continuously tightened, accumulating elastic potential energy. When the accumulated torque is sufficient to overcome the static friction resistance and air resistance of the air intake grille 300's motion mechanism, the spiral spring 411 begins to drive the air intake grille 300 to open slowly through the second transmission mechanism 430. During stages where the vehicle 1 decelerates, stops, or travels against the wind, resulting in insufficient wind driving force, the main shaft 200's speed decreases or stops, and the driving torque of the rotating rod 421 on the spiral spring 411 weakens. At this time, the elastic potential energy stored in the spiral spring 411 becomes the main power source, driving the second transmission mechanism 430 to reverse, thereby smoothly closing the air intake grille 300. This allows the system to not only achieve wind-driven opening but also utilize mechanical energy storage to achieve automatic reset closing, forming a complete and self-sustaining motion cycle that can complete the opening and closing actions without external energy input.

[0052] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first transmission mechanism 420 further includes: a first bevel gear 422 and a second bevel gear 423; the first bevel gear 422 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the main shaft 200; the second bevel gear 423 is sleeved on the first end of the rotating rod 421; the first bevel gear 422 meshes with the second bevel gear 423.

[0053] Specifically, the first bevel gear 422 is fixedly sleeved on the outer circumference of the main shaft 200 by means of key connection or interference fit. The second bevel gear 423 is fixedly sleeved on the first end of the rotating rod 421. The first bevel gear 422 and the second bevel gear 423 mesh with each other, so that the rotation axis of the main shaft 200 can intersect (e.g., perpendicular or approximately perpendicular) the rotation axis of the rotating rod 421. In this way, when the main shaft 200 drives the first bevel gear 422 to rotate, the second bevel gear 423 and the rotating rod 421 are driven to rotate through the meshing of gear 431, thereby realizing the reversal transmission of power from the axial rotation of the main shaft 200 to the axial rotation of the spiral spring 411. This arrangement allows the fan blade 100 and the main shaft 200 to be arranged along the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1 to improve the wind energy capture efficiency of the fan blade 100, while the transmission mechanism such as the spiral spring 411 can be arranged along the left-right or up-down direction, which is beneficial to improving the layout flexibility of the air intake grille control system 10 within the vehicle body 20.

[0054] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the second transmission mechanism 430 includes: a gear 431, a rack 432, and a swing arm 433.

[0055] Gear 431 is driven by the output end of elastic reset member 410. For example, gear 431 is coaxially fixedly connected to the output end of spiral spring 411. When spiral spring 411 rotates, it can drive gear 431 to rotate synchronously.

[0056] The rack 432 is slidably connected to the frame; the rack 432 meshes with the gear 431. For example, the rack 432 is slidably connected to the frame through a structure such as a slide rail, slide groove, or guide pin, so that the rack 432 can slide linearly along its own length. The rotational motion of the gear 431 is converted into the linear reciprocating motion of the rack 432 through the meshing relationship.

[0057] The swing arm 433 is rotatably connected to the frame; the first end of the swing arm 433 is hinged to the rack 432, and the second end of the swing arm 433 is hinged to the air intake grille 300. For example, the middle part of the swing arm 433 is rotatably connected to the frame, or the swing arm 433 is provided with a connecting part or connecting rod, and the swing arm 433 can be rotatably connected to the frame through the connecting part or connecting rod.

[0058] Specifically, the swing arm 433 is rotatably connected to the frame via a pivot shaft, allowing it to swing around the pivot shaft. The first end of the swing arm 433 is hinged to the end of the rack 432 via a hinge shaft. The second end of the swing arm 433 is hinged to a drive point on the air intake grille 300 via another hinge shaft. Thus, when the rack 432 moves linearly under the drive of the gear 431, it pushes or pulls the first end of the swing arm 433. Because the middle of the swing arm 433 is constrained by the pivot shaft, it is forced to swing around the pivot shaft, causing the second end of the swing arm 433 to move in an arc, thereby pushing or pulling the air intake grille 300 via the hinge shaft, thus opening or closing the air intake grille 300. It can be understood that this transmission mechanism is simple and durable, and the force amplification ratio is easily designed using the gear ratio of the gear 431 and the lever ratio of the swing arm 433, effectively converting the torque output by the spiral spring 411 into the torque required to drive the grille.

[0059] For example, the sliding guide structure of the rack 432 can use a linear bearing to reduce friction, and a mechanical limit block can be provided at the end of the stroke to prevent the rack 432 from overtraveling out of engagement or interfering with other structures.

[0060] For example, in the various hinge structures described above, such as the hinge shafts at both ends of the swing arm 433, needle roller bearings or lubricating bushings can be installed to reduce wear and movement resistance.

[0061] In some embodiments, a damping structure is provided between the swing arm 433 and the frame. Specifically, the damping structure may be a rotary damper located at the pivot point, or a friction pad assembly integrated between the mating surfaces of the swing arm 433 and the frame. When the swing arm 433 drives the air intake grille 300 to close, the damping structure generates a resistance torque opposite to the direction of movement. This resistance torque buffers the swing speed of the swing arm 433, allowing the air intake grille 300 to smoothly abut against the closed position, thereby helping to reduce impact loads and operating noise, and improving the durability of the transmission mechanism.

[0062] In some embodiments, such as Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the air intake grille 300 includes multiple blades 310 and a transmission rod 320, with the multiple blades 310 being connected by transmission rod 320; the second end of the swing arm 433 is hinged to any one of the blades 310, or the second end of the swing arm 433 is hinged to the transmission rod 320.

[0063] Specifically, multiple blades 310 are mounted parallel to each other on the grid frame via pivot shafts. A drive rod 320 extends along the arrangement direction of the multiple blades 310 and is hinged to each blade 310 via a hinge structure. In this way, when any blade 310 is driven to rotate, all blades 310 will rotate synchronously through the linkage of the drive rod 320.

[0064] For example, the second end of the swing arm 433 can be hinged to one of the multiple blades 310 (such as the main drive blade), or the second end of the swing arm 433 can be directly hinged to the drive rod 320. In this way, when the swing arm 433 swings, it directly drives the drive rod 320 to move, and the drive rod 320 then synchronously distributes the motion to all blades 310. This simplifies the transmission system, reduces the number of parts, and saves costs.

[0065] In some embodiments, such as Figures 2 to 4 As shown, there are two air intake grilles 300 and two transmission assemblies 400, with each transmission assembly 400 corresponding to and connected to one of the two air intake grilles 300. The main shaft 200 can be connected to the first transmission mechanism 420 of the two transmission assemblies 400.

[0066] For example, the two transmission components 400 can share a first bevel gear 422, and the second bevel gears 423 of the two transmission components 400 are meshed with the same first bevel gear 422. In this way, when the main shaft 200 rotates, the torque can be synchronously transmitted to the two first transmission mechanisms 420, thereby driving the two spiral springs 411 to store energy respectively, and driving the corresponding air intake grille 300 to synchronously perform opening or closing movements through their respective independent second transmission mechanisms 430.

[0067] The above embodiments primarily describe the passive operating mode (i.e., wind-driven mode) of the grille control system 10 under wind power. To address situations where wind power is insufficient or requires active and precise control, such as vehicle 1 idling, low-speed driving, or special ambient temperature requirements, some embodiments of the grille control system 10 in this application also integrate an active driving mode (such as an electric motor driving mode). Figure 2 As shown, the air intake grille control system 10 also includes: a secondary shaft 500, a motor 600, and a clutch 700.

[0068] The motor shaft of motor 600 is coaxially connected to the secondary shaft 500, and motor 600 is used to drive the secondary shaft 500 to rotate.

[0069] Specifically, the secondary shaft 500 is mounted on a frame supported by bearings, and the motor shaft of the motor 600 is coaxially connected to the secondary shaft 500. The motor 600 is used to drive the secondary shaft 500 to rotate. For example, the motor 600 is one of a low-voltage DC motor, a permanent magnet synchronous motor, or an AC asynchronous motor. The power and torque of the motor 600 are selected according to the maximum load required to drive the grille.

[0070] Clutch 700 selectively engages the secondary shaft 500 and the main shaft 200; clutch 700 is used to engage in motor drive mode to transmit torque from the secondary shaft 500 to the main shaft 200. For example, clutch 700 can be an electromagnetic clutch, a jaw clutch, or a friction plate clutch, etc.

[0071] Specifically, when operating in motor drive mode, clutch 700 engages, and secondary shaft 500 connects to main shaft 200. The torque output by motor 600 is transmitted to main shaft 200 through secondary shaft 500 and clutch 700, and then drives air intake grille 300 to move via first transmission mechanism 420, spiral spring 411, and second transmission mechanism 430. Thus, in the absence of wind or when wind is insufficient, air intake grille control system 10 can actively control the opening and closing of the grille using onboard electrical energy, meeting thermal management requirements under all operating conditions.

[0072] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the air intake grille control system 10 also includes an energy storage device 800, which is electrically connected to the motor 600 and is used to supply energy to the motor 600. For example, the energy storage device 800 may be a battery, a capacitor, or a combination thereof.

[0073] For example, the air intake grille control system 10 also has a charging mode. The clutch 700 is used to: engage in the charging mode to transmit the torque of the main shaft 200 to the countershaft 500; the motor 600 is also used to: generate electricity in the charging mode to charge the energy storage device 800.

[0074] Specifically, in charging mode, clutch 700 engages while motor 600 operates in generator mode. Thus, fan blades 100 can drive the main shaft 200 to rotate under wind power. Power is transmitted to the secondary shaft 500 via the engaged clutch 700, thereby driving the rotor of motor 600 to rotate and generate electricity. The electrical energy generated by motor 600 charges energy storage device 800. Based on this, the air intake grille control system 10 can not only utilize wind power to drive the grille but also convert excess wind energy into electrical energy and store it in energy storage device 800, achieving energy recovery and utilization, further improving the energy efficiency of the entire vehicle, and reducing the overall energy consumption of the vehicle.

[0075] For example, the air intake grille control system 10 also includes a DC-DC converter 900 (i.e., a direct current to direct current converter) electrically connected between the motor 600 and the energy storage device 800.

[0076] Thus, in motor drive mode, the DC-DC converter 900 can convert the voltage output by the energy storage device 800 into a drive voltage suitable for the operation of the motor 600. In charging mode, the DC-DC converter 900 can rectify, stabilize, and regulate the fluctuating voltage generated by the motor 600, converting it into a stable voltage and current that meets the charging requirements of the energy storage device 800. It can be understood that placing the DC-DC converter 900 between the motor 600 and the energy storage device 800 can provide isolation, protection, and energy optimization management, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the air intake grille control system 10.

[0077] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the air intake grille control system 10 also includes a controller 1000, which can act as a distributed control node for the vehicle and communicate with the control system of the vehicle 1 through a built-in communication module. That is, the controller 1000 can send information to the control system of the vehicle 1 and receive information from the control system of the vehicle 1. This information includes, but is not limited to, the intake demand assessment value calculated from engine coolant temperature, engine oil temperature, ambient temperature, vehicle speed, system status, etc., the wind pressure value at the front of the vehicle detected by the wind pressure sensor located at the front of the vehicle, and the remaining power value of the energy storage device 800.

[0078] Based on this, the controller 1000 can determine the current operating mode of the air intake grille control system 10 by means of built-in logic algorithms or lookup table strategies, according to the above information. For example, the controller 1000 is coupled to the motor 600, the clutch 700, and the energy storage device 800. When the vehicle speed is high, the wind pressure is sufficient, and heat dissipation is required, the controller 1000 can control the air intake grille control system 10 to prioritize or only allow the fan blade drive mode. That is, the controller 1000 controls the clutch 700 to disengage, thereby disconnecting the power connection between the main shaft 200 and the secondary shaft 500. When idling, at low speed, or when there is insufficient wind power due to special heat preservation requirements, the motor drive mode is activated. That is, the controller 1000 engages the clutch 700, starts the motor 600, and the electric drive path begins to work. In this way, the air intake grille 300 can be forcibly opened or closed to the target position. During driving, if the controller 1000 determines that the energy storage device 800 has low power and the wind power is sufficient, the charging mode can be operated. That is, the controller 1000 can control the clutch 700 to engage and make the motor 600 switch to the power generation state to perform energy recovery and charging.

[0079] In this way, automatic and smooth switching between wind power drive, electric power drive and energy recovery can be achieved. While ensuring the air intake requirements of the 300 air intake grille, wind power is utilized to reduce the energy consumption of the whole vehicle.

[0080] It should be noted that the materials of the above-mentioned components can be selected according to functional requirements. For example, the fan blade 100 can be made of lightweight, high-strength engineering plastics or aluminum alloy; the main shaft 200, secondary shaft 500, gear 431, rack 432, and other transmission components can be made of alloy steel and subjected to appropriate heat treatment to improve wear resistance; the frame can be made of die-cast aluminum alloy or stamped steel to balance strength and lightweight. The technical features described in different embodiments can be combined arbitrarily without causing contradictions or logical conflicts.

[0081] Some embodiments of this application also provide a vehicle control method. The method can be executed by a controller integrated into the grille control system, or by the vehicle's main control unit. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 5 , Figure 5 A flowchart of a vehicle control method provided in some embodiments of this application. The control method includes: step S10.

[0082] In step S10, based on the intake demand assessment value, the vehicle front wind pressure value, and the remaining power value of the energy storage device, the intake grille control system is controlled to operate in one of the following modes: fan blade drive mode, motor drive mode, and charging mode.

[0083] In some embodiments, step S10 includes steps S11 to S13.

[0084] In step S11, when the intake demand assessment value is greater than the first preset threshold and the front wind pressure value of the vehicle is greater than the second preset threshold, the intake grille control system is controlled to operate in fan blade drive mode.

[0085] Specifically, the controller can continuously or intermittently acquire intake demand assessment values, front-end wind pressure information of the vehicle, and the remaining power value of the energy storage device.

[0086] It should be noted that the intake air demand assessment value is the basis for determining whether the grille needs to be opened and to what extent. This assessment value can be obtained from the vehicle bus or direct sensors, including but not limited to engine coolant temperature, oil temperature, boost air temperature, air conditioning system condenser pressure, and predicted heat dissipation demand calculated based on engine load and speed. The front wind pressure value represents the amount of natural wind energy currently available to drive the fan blades. This value can be directly obtained from the wind pressure sensor installed at the front of the vehicle, or estimated based on the vehicle speed signal through a pre-calibrated mapping relationship. The remaining battery charge value indicates the current state of charge of the energy storage device.

[0087] Based on this, when the controller determines that there is a clear demand for air intake and cooling (e.g., the air intake demand assessment value is greater than a first preset threshold), and the wind pressure value at the front of the vehicle indicates sufficient airflow (e.g., the wind pressure value at the front of the vehicle is greater than a second preset threshold), the system prioritizes operation in fan-driven mode. In this mode, the controller keeps the clutch disengaged, and the motor does not operate. The system relies on wind power to drive the fan blades to rotate, and drives the air intake grille to open through the transmission components. The opening degree is determined by the dynamic balance between wind pressure and air intake demand.

[0088] In step S12, when the intake demand assessment value is greater than the first preset threshold and the front wind pressure value of the vehicle is less than or equal to the second preset threshold, the intake grille control system is controlled to operate in motor drive mode.

[0089] Specifically, when the controller determines that there is an air intake demand (e.g., the air intake demand assessment value is greater than a first preset threshold), but the wind pressure value at the front of the vehicle indicates insufficient airflow (e.g., the vehicle is idling, driving at low speed, or stationary; that is, the wind pressure value at the front of the vehicle is less than or equal to a second preset threshold), the system switches to motor drive mode. In this mode, the controller first controls the clutch to engage, linking the motor output shaft with the main shaft, and then controls the motor to start, driving the main shaft to rotate forward or reverse according to the air intake demand, thereby forcibly opening or closing the air intake grille to the target position through the transmission components. This mode ensures that thermal management requirements are still met under windless or weak wind conditions.

[0090] In step S13, when the intake demand assessment value is less than or equal to the first preset threshold, the front wind pressure value of the vehicle is greater than the second preset threshold, and the remaining power value of the energy storage device is less than or equal to the third preset threshold, the intake grille control system is controlled to operate in charging mode.

[0091] Specifically, when the controller determines that there is no urgent or significant air intake demand (e.g., the air intake demand assessment value is less than or equal to the first preset threshold), and the wind pressure value at the front of the vehicle indicates sufficient wind energy (vehicle speed is high, i.e., the wind pressure value at the front of the vehicle is greater than the second preset threshold), and the remaining power value of the energy storage device is less than or equal to the third preset threshold, the system can operate in charging mode. In this mode, the controller controls the clutch to engage and controls the motor to operate in generator mode. The rotational kinetic energy generated by the fan blades under wind power is transmitted to the motor through the main shaft and clutch, driving the motor to generate electricity. The generated electrical energy is conditioned by the DC-DC converter and stored in the energy storage device. This mode realizes energy recovery and reserves energy for the subsequent motor drive mode.

[0092] It should be noted that the judgment logic of the above modes may overlap and have different priorities. For example, the motor drive mode can be set to have the highest priority to ensure forced heat dissipation under extreme heat loads; the charging mode usually has the lowest priority to avoid affecting normal heat dissipation. Detailed logic thresholds and hysteresis intervals can be preset inside the controller to prevent frequent switching of modes under critical conditions and ensure stable system operation.

[0093] It is understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the sequence number of each process does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0094] It is understood that the various implementation methods described in this application can be implemented individually or in combination, and the embodiments of this application are not limited in this respect.

[0095] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method implementations, and will not be repeated here.

[0096] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An air intake grille control system (10) characterized by, include: The fan blades (100) and the main shaft (200) are coaxially connected. The fan blades (100) are used to rotate under the drive of wind energy and drive the main shaft (200) to rotate. An air intake grille (300) is movable between a first position and a second position to switch between an open state and a closed state; A transmission assembly (400) connects the air intake grille (300) and the main shaft (200), and the transmission assembly (400) is configured to convert the rotation of the main shaft (200) into the opening movement of the air intake grille (300); The transmission assembly (400) includes: an elastic reset member (410), a first transmission mechanism (420), and a second transmission mechanism (430); the first transmission mechanism (420) is connected between the input end of the elastic reset member (410) and the main shaft (200); the elastic reset member (410) is rotatable and accumulates elastic potential energy under the drive of the first transmission mechanism (420); the second transmission mechanism (430) is connected between the output end of the elastic reset member (410) and the air intake grille (300); the second transmission mechanism (430) is used to: drive the air intake grille (300) to open when the elastic reset member (410) rotates; and drive the air intake grille (300) to close when the elastic reset member (410) releases its elastic potential energy.

2. The air intake grille control system (10) of claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic reset member (410) includes a spiral spring (411). The first transmission mechanism (420) includes a rotating rod (421), the first end of which is connected to the main shaft (200) for transmission, and the second end of which is located inside the spiral spring (411) and connected to the input end of the spiral spring (411).

3. The air intake grille control system (10) of claim 2, characterized in that, The first transmission mechanism (420) includes: a first bevel gear (422) and a second bevel gear (423); the first bevel gear (422) is sleeved on the outer periphery of the main shaft (200); the second bevel gear (423) is sleeved on the first end of the rotating rod (421); the first bevel gear (422) meshes with the second bevel gear (423).

4. The air intake grille control system (10) of claim 1, wherein, It also includes the framework; The second transmission mechanism (430) includes: Gear (431), the gear (431) is connected to the output end of the elastic reset member (410); A rack (432) is slidably connected to the frame; the rack (432) meshes with the gear (431); A swing arm (433) is rotatably connected to the frame; the first end of the swing arm (433) is hinged to the rack (432), and the second end of the swing arm (433) is hinged to the air intake grille (300).

5. The air intake grille control system (10) of claim 4, characterized in that, A damping structure is provided between the swing arm (433) and the frame.

6. The air intake grille control system (10) of claim 4, wherein, The air intake grille (300) includes multiple blades (310) and a drive rod (320), wherein the multiple blades (310) are connected by the drive rod (320); The second end of the swing arm (433) is hinged to any of the blades (310), or the second end of the swing arm (433) is hinged to the transmission rod (320).

7. The air intake grille control system (10) according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The air intake grille control system (10) has a motor drive mode; the air intake grille control system (10) further includes: Sub-shaft (500); A motor (600) has its motor shaft coaxially connected to the secondary shaft (500), and the motor (600) is used to drive the secondary shaft (500) to rotate. A clutch (700) selectively engages the secondary shaft (500) and the main shaft (200); the clutch (700) is used to: engage in the motor drive mode to transmit torque from the secondary shaft (500) to the main shaft (200).

8. The air intake grille control system (10) of claim 7, characterized by Also includes: An energy storage device (800) is electrically connected to the motor (600) and is used to supply energy to the motor (600).

9. The air intake grille control system (10) of claim 8, characterized by, The air intake grille control system (10) has a charging mode; The clutch (700) is used to: engage in the charging mode to transmit the torque of the main shaft (200) to the secondary shaft (500); the motor (600) is also used to: generate electricity in the charging mode to charge the energy storage device (800).

10. The air intake grille control system (10) of claim 9, characterized in that, The motor (600) is one of a DC motor (600), a permanent magnet synchronous motor (600), or an AC asynchronous motor (600).

11. The air intake grille control system (10) of claim 8, characterized by, Also includes: DC-DC converter (900) is electrically connected between the motor (600) and the energy storage device (800).

12. A vehicle (1), characterized in that, include: Vehicle body; According to any one of claims 1-11, the air intake grille control system (10) is disposed on the vehicle body.

13. A method for controlling a vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle is the vehicle according to claim 12; The control method includes: Based on the intake demand assessment value, the vehicle front wind pressure value, and the remaining power value of the energy storage device, the intake grille control system is controlled to operate in one of the following modes: fan blade drive mode, motor drive mode, and charging mode.

14. The control method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The step of controlling the air intake grille control system to operate in one of the following modes—fan blade drive mode, motor drive mode, and charging mode—based on the air intake demand assessment value, the vehicle front wind pressure value, and the remaining power value of the energy storage device, includes: When the air intake demand assessment value is greater than the first preset threshold and the vehicle front wind pressure value is greater than the second preset threshold, the air intake grille control system is controlled to operate the fan blade drive mode. When the air intake demand assessment value is greater than the first preset threshold and the vehicle front wind pressure value is less than or equal to the second preset threshold, the air intake grille control system is controlled to operate the motor drive mode. When the intake demand assessment value is less than or equal to the first preset threshold, the vehicle front wind pressure value is greater than the second preset threshold, and the remaining power value of the energy storage device is less than or equal to the third preset threshold, the intake grille control system is controlled to operate the charging mode.

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