Arrangement of a closure element in an opening of a wheel house of a motor vehicle used for cooling a brake system, method for producing and use of a closure element for such an arrangement

Abstract

Arrangement of a closure element in an opening (24) of a wheel house of a motor vehicle (10) serving to cool a brake system, wherein the closure element (32) is made of a flexurally elastic material, characterized in that the opening (24) is adjoined by an air duct (22) extending towards the front of the vehicle, wherein at least two opposite receiving grooves (30) for fixing the closure element (32) are formed in the air guide channel (22), which serve as guides for receiving and inserting the closure element (32) in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

Description

The invention relates to an arrangement of a closure element in an opening of a wheel arch of a motor vehicle serving for cooling a brake system, to a closure element and to a method for producing a closure element for such an arrangement.DE 10 2008 039 293 A1 discloses a motor vehicle having a cooling device integrated into a wheel arch. This cooling device serves for cooling charge air of an internal combustion engine and comprises a heat exchanger element with two flow channels separated from one another and is at least partially designed as an outer wall of a wheel arch cladding.DE 103 56 238 A1 discloses a wheel arch shell for a motor vehicle having an air outlet opening which is provided with lamellae or gills. Heated cooling air is to be conducted through the air outlet opening from the engine compartment into the wheel arch or towards the vehicle side. A deflector is formed above the air outlet opening in order to prevent the direct penetration of dirt which is released from a motor vehicle tire rotating inside the wheel arch shell.DE 11 2009 001 384 B4 discloses a fan unit for the radiator of a motor vehicle, which fan unit has an optional exhaust air duct leading to a brake and / or to an oil pan. In connection with this fan unit, it is disclosed to provide individual connection points on the fan unit with a blind plug in order to adapt the fan unit to different engine and vehicle variants. Specific configurations of such a blind plug are not described or shown.DE 10 2008 052 938 A1 discloses an interior trim for a wheel arch of a motor vehicle, which trim has a heat shielding part which is intended to protect against thermal loads. Details regarding an air duct leading to a brake cannot be gathered from the publication.Motor vehicles are known from practice, whose wheel houses have openings on the front side, which openings have a cooling air opening depending on the equipment of the vehicle, in particular depending on the motorization and the brake system of the vehicle, in order to guide relative wind through this opening, in particular from the underbody, via one or more air guidance channels, in a targeted manner as cooling air to the brake system. Such cooling air openings are provided and used, in particular, in the case of highly motorized vehicles and in the case of vehicles having brake systems of small dimensions relative to the engine power. The cooling effected with the aid of the cooling air opening is required, in particular, when high permissible charging limits and / or trailer loads are fully utilized. If cooling air openings provided by the manufacturer are not required in wheel houses because of the motorization and / or brake system of a vehicle, it is desirable to close these in a simple manner and reliably and permanently during production, in order to thus reduce the air resistance coefficient (c w- value) of the vehicle and thus the vehicle consumption.The invention is based on the object of providing an arrangement of a closure element in an opening of a wheel arch of a motor vehicle serving for cooling a brake system, which openings make possible a flexible and cost-effective production, assembly and configuration of a wheel arch. Furthermore, a cost-effective method for producing and using a closure element for such an arrangement and a method for configuring such an arrangement, which method can be carried out easily, in particular in a production line for motor vehicles, are to be provided.The object is achieved according to the invention with the features of the independent claims. Particularly practical embodiments are described in the dependent claims.In an arrangement according to the invention of a closure element in an opening of a wheel arch of a motor vehicle serving for cooling a brake system, the closure element is produced from a flexurally elastic material. In this case, the opening is adjoined by an air duct which extends in the direction of the vehicle front side. In the air guide channel, at least two opposing receiving grooves are formed for fixing the closure element, which grooves serve as guides for receiving and for pushing in the closure element in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The arrangement of the closure element can be particularly simple and cost-effective in this case. Further cost advantages result if the opening is adjoined by an air duct extending in the direction of the vehicle front side. In this case, it is not absolutely necessary for the closure element to terminate flush with the wheel arch, but it can alternatively also be arranged somewhat offset in the air duct in the direction of the front side of the vehicle. This enables a simple fixing of the closure element in the air duct, in particular if the latter has a corresponding geometric configuration for receiving the closure element.In particular, the closure element is arranged and designed in the opening in such a way that, owing to its elasticity, it can be inserted into the opening and / or removed therefrom in a non-destructive manner. This can be effected in particular by a form-fit and / or force-fit arrangement of the closure element. It is important that the closure element resists the forces occurring during intended use of the motor vehicle without the position of the closure element relative to the opening changing. In this regard, reference is made in particular to extreme driving situations, such as occur, for example, when a motor vehicle enters a snowshare or when water is passing through (for example, at a water depth of 40 cm at a speed of 40 km / h). The arrangement according to the invention has the advantage that simple and cost-effective production can be effected. Furthermore, an arrangement according to the invention makes it possible to individually define the production of a motor vehicle in an assembly line whether an opening in a wheel arch is to be closed or opened in a closure and is thus to be available for cooling a brake system. Details in this respect and in particular also suitable material parameters for this purpose will be discussed in detail below.The invention relates in particular to arrangements in which at least one side of the opening of the wheel arch, in particular the underside, is bounded by a wheel spoiler. This means a component manufactured as a separate element, which is connected to the wheel arch, for example via a clip connection, a screw connection and / or via guide lugs. This is the case in many vehicles known from practice. In these vehicles, the opening is formed substantially by a cutout which extends from the underside of an element of the wheel arch and is bounded laterally by the element of the wheel arch and from below by the later arrangement of a wheel spoiler. Such an arrangement enables a particularly simple insertion of a closure element from the underside, in particular before the wheel spoiler is connected to the wheel arch.In a further practical embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention, the closure element is made of the same material as the wheel spoiler. In this case, the wheel spoiler and the closure element can be manufactured integrally in a common production mold. For this purpose, only the production form has to be designed accordingly. Apart from the shape adaptation costs, additional costs for the closure element arise in this case exclusively due to the additional material costs.In a further practical embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention, the air duct and the opening are formed integrally in one element of the wheel arch. This can be, in particular, a front part of a wheel arch formed in one part, two parts or in multiple parts.Particularly preferably, the air duct is only partially formed in the element of the wheel arch and is bounded from the underside by a subsequently arranged wheel spoiler. In this case, it is preferred if a circumferential, in particular U-shaped groove is formed in the air duct as a guide and receiving element for a closure element.The production of a closure element can be carried out in large numbers in a particularly simple and cost-effective manner if said closure element is produced from a thermoplastic plastic. A material composition comprising the materials ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and polyethylene (PE), in particular LDPE, is particularly suitable as the plastic. This material is also particularly suitable with regard to its elasticity and durability and also the temperature resistance in the application described here. In this regard, particular reference is made to material compositions in which the percentage by weight of LDPE is greater than the percentage by weight of EVA and the total density is less than 1 g / cm 3. Proportion ratios between LDPE and EVA of 60:40 to 90:10, particularly preferably proportion ratios of 70:30 to 80:20, are preferred. The material composition is further preferably selected such that a tensile strength according to DIN EN ISO 527-2 of at least 200 MPa, preferably at least 300 MPa and particularly preferably more than 400 MPa results. The elongation at break according to the same standard should be at least 200%, preferably at least 300% and particularly preferably at least 400%.The invention also relates to a method for producing and using a closure element for an opening serving for cooling a brake system in a wheel arch of a motor vehicle, according to which the closure element is produced integrally with a wheel spoiler. This relates in particular to wheel spoilers and closure elements which are produced from plastic, and preferably from a material composition of EVA and LDPE, in particular as described above. The connection between the closure element and the wheel spoiler in a production mold, in particular a plastic injection mold, is effected in that a film hinge is provided as a connecting element.The formation of a film hinge as a connecting element between the closure element and the wheel spoiler is particularly advantageous because the closure element subsequently remains folded over relative to the wheel spoiler and connected thereto. It can then be easily brought into a predetermined installation position relative to the wheel spoiler.In conjunction with the invention, it is also possible to use a method for configuring an arrangement of a closure element in an opening of a wheel arch, according to which method, during vehicle production, in particular in an assembly line of a motor vehicle manufacturer, first all vehicles of the assembly line are provided with closure elements and then the closure elements are selectively removed in those vehicles in which the opening is intended to be used for cooling a brake system. This method can be implemented in a simple and cost-effective manner in conjunction with the above-described arrangement according to the invention, because the production and the insertion of a closure element and the subsequent removal of such a closure element can be carried out cost-effectively in a simple manner and in particular without additional tools on an assembly line. In this regard, reference is made in particular to the simple removal of a closure element, which can be effected in that the closure element is removed from the opening by applying a sufficiently high tensile and / or compressive force. The method described above is advantageous in particular when more than 50 percent, in particular more than 70, 80 or even 90 percent, of a vehicle series with a closed opening are delivered.Further practical embodiments and advantages of the invention are described below in conjunction with the drawings. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a view of a motor vehicle in a perspective view obliquely from the front, FIG. 2 shows a multipart wheel arch shell arranged in the region marked II in FIG. 1 with a wheel spoiler in a perspective view obliquely from the front, FIG. 3 shows the region of the wheel arch shell with wheel spoiler identified by III in FIG. 2 in a view obliquely from the rear, FIG. 4 shows a detail of the wheel arch shell shown in FIG. 2 in a perspective view obliquely from the front and from above, FIGS. 5 a, b show a wheel spoiler with a closure element formed integrally thereon in a perspective view obliquely from behind (FIG. 5 a ) and in a perspective view obliquely from front (FIG. 5 b ), FIGS. 6 a- c show a wheel spoiler with a closure element formed in one piece in the installed position in a perspective view obliquely from behind (FIG. 6 a ), in a perspective view obliquely from the front (FIG. 6 b ) and in a perspective view from the rear in the installed position together with a front element of a wheel arch shell in a perspective view obliquely from behind (FIG. 6 c ), FIGS. 7 a- c show a second embodiment of a wheel spoiler which is formed integrally with a closure element in a perspective view from the front in the installed position (FIG. 7 a ), in a perspective view with the closure element separated and positioned in the installed position (FIG. 7 b ) and in a perspective view from the front with the closure element separated and positioned in the installed position together with a front part of a wheel arch shell (FIG. 7 c ).FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle 10. Such a wheel arch shell 12 is located on the motor vehicle 10 shown in FIG. 1, for example in the region marked II. It surrounds the front wheel 16.FIGS. 1 and 2 and all subsequent figures each show an x-y-z coordinate system, the arrow pointing in the x direction pointing toward the front side of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the arrow pointing in the z direction pointing upward in the vertical direction of the vehicle and the y direction being oriented in the transverse direction of the vehicle. On the basis of the coordinate system, it is possible to identify in each figure the position in which the element shown in the respective figure is installed in the motor vehicle 10.As can be seen in FIG. 2, the two-part wheel arch shell 12 consists of a front wheel arch shell 18 and a rear wheel arch shell 20, which are firmly connected to one another by means of screw connections and / or clip connections or in another suitable manner.As can be seen in FIGS. 2 to 4, an air duct 22 is formed in the front wheel arch shell 18. The air duct 22 extends substantially in the vehicle longitudinal direction (x direction) and conducts air, which flows in a targeted manner in the region of the front side of the motor vehicle 10 between the roadway and the underbody of the motor vehicle 10 via a duct to an opening 24 formed in the front wheel arch shell 18.As can be seen in particular in FIG. 3, the opening 24 is bounded laterally and at the top by the air duct 22 formed in the front wheel arch shell 18. The underside of the opening 24 is bounded by the wheel spoiler 14, which is connected to the front wheel arch shell 18 via latching contours 26, guide lugs 28 and screw connections (not shown).The mounting of the wheel spoiler 14 with the front wheel arch shell 18 takes place by pushing in the guide lugs 28 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle toward the front, until latching contours 26 formed on the wheel spoiler (these are locking elements which project upward in the z direction here) latch with the front wheel arch shell 18 in the position illustrated in FIG. 4 in such a way that pushing back of the wheel spoiler is counteracted. Subsequently, the wheel spoiler 14 is additionally screwed to the front wheel arch shell 18.As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, a circumferential, U-shaped receiving groove 30 is formed in the air guide channel 22 in the vicinity of the opening 24. This receiving groove 30 serves for receiving and guiding a closure element 32 which can be pushed in from below in the vertical direction of the vehicle upwards, as is illustrated as an exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 5 to 7.FIGS. 5 and 6 show a first exemplary embodiment for the one-piece production of a wheel spoiler 14 having a closure element 32, wherein FIGS. 5 aand 5 b show the wheel spoiler 14 and the closure element 32 in the tool position and FIGS. 6 ato 6 c show the wheel spoiler 14 and the closure element 32 in the installation position.In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the closure element 32 is connected to the wheel spoiler 14 via a film hinge 34. In order to bring the closure element 32 into the installation position shown in FIG. 6 cin a front wheel arch shell 18, it must either be initially separated from the wheel spoiler 14 and, before the mounting of the wheel spoiler 14 with the front wheel arch shell 18, inserted from below into the receiving groove 30 that can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4 or subsequently pressed in in the x direction.Alternatively, the wheel spoiler 14 can also be connected to the front wheel arch shell 18 together with the closure element 32 in the tool position. For positioning the closure element 32 into the receiving groove 30 formed in the air duct 22, the closure element 32 must then be folded upwards into the position shown in FIGS. 6 ato 6 cafter the connection of the wheel spoiler to the front wheel arch shell 18 and pressed with force under elastic deformation into the position shown in FIG. 6 c. The pressing-in described above requires that the closure element 32 be elastically deformable to the extent that it can be pressed non-destructively into the position shown in FIG. 6. The force required for this purpose must be greater than the maximum force which occurs during the intended use of the motor vehicle 10 in order to ensure that the closure element 32 does not leave the position shown in FIG. 6 cduring the intended use of the motor vehicle 10.FIGS. 7 ato 7 c show a second embodiment of a wheel spoiler 14 produced in one piece with a closure element 32, wherein the same reference numerals as in the preceding figures are used for identical or at least functionally identical elements. As can be seen in FIG. 7 a, which shows the tool position, only a small material tongue 42 is provided as a connecting element between the wheel spoiler 14 and the closure element 32. To form this material tongue 42, a so-called flow channel is formed in the production form. The material tongue 42 is dimensioned such that the closure element 32 can be separated from the wheel spoiler 14 manually, preferably without the aid of tools. This has advantages in the production of a motor vehicle 10, in particular if the element shown in FIG. 7 acan be separated and mounted in a production line without a tool. The closure element 32 can then be separated from the wheel spoiler 14 manually or mechanically in a simple manner and can be inserted or pressed into the circumferential receiving groove 30 of an air guide duct 22. Subsequently, the wheel spoiler 14 can be connected to the front wheel arch shell 18 in the manner already described above.As can be seen in FIGS. 5 to 7, the closure element 32 has a circumferential, U-shaped reinforcing web 36 on the side directed toward the vehicle front side. This reinforcing web 36 serves to reinforce the closure element 32 On the side of the closure element 32 which is directed towards the rear of the vehicle in the installed position, a depression 38 is furthermore formed, which extends over approximately 70 percent of the height of the closure element 32 and in each case runs obliquely outwards with respect to the lower edge 40.The features of the invention disclosed in the present description, in the drawings and in the claims can be essential, both individually and in any combinations, for the realisation of the invention in its various embodiments. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments. It can be varied within the scope of the claims and taking into account the knowledge of the responsible person skilled in the art.List of reference characters10 Motor vehicle 12 wheel house shell 14 wheel spoiler 16 front wheel 18 front wheel house shell 20 rear wheel house shell 22 air duct 24 opening 26 latching contour 28 guide nose 30 receiving groove 32 closure element 34 film hinge 36 reinforcing web 38 depression 40 lower edge 42 material tongue

Claims

Arrangement of a closure element in an opening (24) of a wheel arch of a motor vehicle (10) serving for cooling a brake system, wherein the closure element (32) is produced from a flexurally elastic material, characterized in that an air duct (22) extending in the direction of the vehicle front side adjoins the opening (24), wherein at least two opposing receiving grooves (30) are formed in the air duct (22) for fixing the closure element (32), said receiving grooves serving as guides for receiving and for pushing in the closure element (32) in the vehicle vertical direction.Arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that at least one side of the opening (24) is delimited by a wheel spoiler (14).Arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the closure element (32) is produced from the same material as the wheel spoiler (14).Arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the air duct (22) and the opening (24) are formed integrally in one element of the wheel arch.Arrangement according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure element (32) is produced from a thermoplastic material.Method for producing and using a closure element (32) for an opening (24) in a wheel arch of a motor vehicle (10), characterized in that the closure element (32) is produced in one piece with a wheel spoiler (14) and is subsequently folded over relative to the wheel spoiler (14) about a film hinge (34) designed as a connecting element and is thereby brought into a predefined position relative to the latter.

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