Air intake grille and motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an air intake grille (1) for a motor vehicle (2) with a honeycomb structure, wherein a connecting web (3) of the honeycomb structure transitions at a node (4) into adjacent connecting webs (3a, 3b) in a rounded manner. The essential feature of the invention is that the connecting webs (3, 3a, 3b) are formed in a tapered, i.e. constricted, manner at least in a central area (5). This allows for the creation of an air inlet grille (1) optimized in terms of weight, flow cross-section, material usage and cost.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an air intake grille for a motor vehicle with a honeycomb-shaped structure, according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle with such an air intake grille.

[0002] US Patent 2016 / 0031395A1 discloses a generic air intake grille for a motor vehicle with a honeycomb-shaped structure. Each connecting web of the honeycomb-shaped structure transitions into two adjacent connecting webs at a node connecting the connecting webs, with a rounded end.

[0003] From WO 2018 / 083 640 A1, an air intake grille for a motor vehicle with a honeycomb structure is known.

[0004] From the internet entry: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, “Honeycomb”, version of 03.11.2023URL:https: / / de.wikipedia.org / w / index.php?title=Bienenwabe&oldid=238755182 [accessed on 12.05.2025] a natural honeycomb is known.

[0005] From the internet entry: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, photo, “Apis_mellifera_carnica_comb”, version of 04.06.2007 URL: https: / / de.wikipedia.org / wiki / Datei: Apis_mellifera__carnica_comb.jpg#file [accessed on 12.05.2025], photo “Structure of the honeycomb cell” the exact structure of a honeycomb is known.

[0006] From DE 10 2018 108 470 A1, a radiator cover grille designed as a perforated metal sheet is known. In order to provide a radiator cover grille that, with a simple design, enables a further reduced pressure loss in an oncoming cooling airflow, the surfaces of the connecting webs facing in the direction of flow have a cross-sectional shape in which the surface portions of a connecting web adjacent to the nearest hole are inclined towards the hole.

[0007] From KR 10 2012 0 037 172 A another air intake grille for a motor vehicle with a honeycomb-shaped structure is known.

[0008] CN 212243249 U discloses an air intake grille for a motor vehicle with a honeycomb-shaped structure. A front end of the honeycomb-shaped structure is curved, and reinforcing ribs are additionally provided to stiffen the honeycomb-shaped structure.

[0009] Especially in sports cars, air intakes and / or air outlets are often fitted with so-called air intake grilles or air outlet grilles, which, in addition to complying with legal regulations, also serve to reduce dirt ingress. Typically, die-cut grilles with regular geometries, such as diamonds or hexagons, are used. These regular geometries are simple mathematical shapes consisting of straight lines.

[0010] A disadvantage of existing air intake and exhaust grilles is that they are often optimized solely for design and cost-effective manufacturing, neglecting important parameters such as weight, load-bearing capacity, and an unobstructed airflow cross-section. However, weight and an unobstructed airflow cross-section are of particular importance in sports car manufacturing.

[0011] The present invention therefore deals with the problem of providing an improved or at least an alternative embodiment for an air inlet grille of the generic type, by means of which in particular the disadvantages known from the prior art can be overcome.

[0012] This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0013] The present invention is based on the general concept of designing the individual connecting webs forming the honeycomb structure of an air intake grille with a honeycomb-shaped structure, i.e., with hexagons, to be tapered, i.e., constricted in a central region. This not only saves material and thus weight on the connecting webs in this region, but also increases the free flow cross-section for air passage. The air intake grille according to the invention for a motor vehicle has the aforementioned honeycomb-shaped structure, wherein a connecting web of the honeycomb-shaped structure transitions into adjacent connecting webs in a rounded manner at a node where three connecting webs are joined. A key aspect of the invention is that the connecting webs are tapered, at least in a central region.The width of the connecting webs, which influences the flow cross-section, is reduced. This reduction in width occurs perpendicular to the direction of flow. By tapering the connecting webs, at least in the central area, significant material savings can be achieved, allowing the air inlet grille according to the invention to be made considerably lighter overall. Furthermore, tapering the connecting webs increases the cross-section through which air can freely flow, allowing more air, for example, more cooling air, to flow through the air inlet grille with the same surface area. The air inlet grille according to the invention is modeled on honeycombs found in nature, which, upon superficial examination, resemble a regular hexagon. However, closer analysis has shown that individual connecting webs are constricted, i.e.,The tapered shape of the air inlet grille reduces weight and increases internal volume. This allows more honey to be stored in each honeycomb while requiring less wax, enabling bees to create an optimal structure in terms of labor, material usage, and honey storage capacity. A further significant advantage of the air inlet grille designed according to the invention is that both the rounded transition of a connecting web at a node into adjacent connecting webs and the tapered shape, at least in a central area of ​​the connecting web, prevent kinks and sharp edges, thereby reducing stress concentrations and increasing the load-bearing capacity of the air inlet grille.The invention utilizes for the first time the knowledge known from natural honeycombs for the optimization of air intake grilles in motor vehicles, whereby it is of course clear that all statements made regarding the air intake grille according to the invention can be transferred in the same way, for example, to an air outlet grille.

[0014] In an advantageous embodiment of the air inlet grille according to the invention, the inner surface of each honeycomb is free of kinks. Specifically, this means that both the connecting webs themselves and the transition between two connecting webs at a node have a rounded inner surface. The radius of curvature at the node is smaller than in the area of ​​the connecting webs. The kink-free inner surface reduces stress concentrations and thereby increases the load-bearing capacity of the air inlet grille according to the invention, allowing the connecting webs to be made even thinner.

[0015] In a further advantageous embodiment of the air inlet grille according to the invention, the connecting webs have a width B in the area of ​​their waist. T The width of the connecting bars is between 25 and 75% of the maximum width B of the connecting bars. The maximum width B of the connecting bars is determined by a regular hexagon placed against the inner surface of each honeycomb. If such regular hexagons are placed in all honeycombs, the maximum width B between two adjacent hexagons can be determined. With respect to this maximum width B, the connecting bars have a width B in the area of ​​their narrowing, i.e., in the area of ​​their maximum constriction. Tbetween 25 and 75% of the maximum width B. This already demonstrates the high potential for weight reduction. The weight reduction is achieved by reducing the amount of material used, so that the air intake grille according to the invention can be manufactured with significantly less material, thus conserving resources and cost-effectively.

[0016] In a further advantageous embodiment of the air inlet grille according to the invention, the inner surface of each honeycomb has exclusively concave wall sections. Compared to honeycombs formed from regular hexagons, this maximizes the possible flow cross-section for airflow while simultaneously minimizing notch stresses, resulting in a large flow cross-section available for airflow with high stability and load-bearing capacity.

[0017] For practical purposes, a neutral fiber in each honeycomb forms a regular hexagon. This neutral fiber runs centrally through the respective connecting webs to the nodes.

[0018] According to the invention, the respective end faces of the connecting webs are rounded, which offers the significant advantage of reducing flow resistance. Such a rounded end face can be produced relatively easily and cost-effectively, for example using a plastic injection mold, and helps to reduce the flow resistance of the air intake grille and thus indirectly of a motor vehicle equipped with such an air intake grille.

[0019] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the air intake grille according to the invention, it is designed as a radiator grille. Alternatively, it is of course also conceivable that such an air intake grille is arranged in the direction of travel in front of a vehicle wheel and serves to ventilate the brakes. Regardless of the chosen embodiment, the air intake grilles according to the invention can achieve a large free flow cross-section, low weight, high load-bearing capacity, and low flow resistance.

[0020] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the air intake grille according to the invention, it is designed as a plastic injection-molded part. This allows for the production of the air intake grille according to the invention not only to the highest quality, but also in virtually any color and at a low cost. Alternatively, it is of course also conceivable that the air intake grille is made of light metal, in particular magnesium or aluminum, and is thus also optimized with regard to its weight, while at the same time conveying a metallic and therefore high-quality appearance.

[0021] The present invention is further based on the general concept of equipping a motor vehicle according to the invention with an air intake grille according to the invention as described in the preceding paragraphs, thereby transferring the advantages described with regard to the air intake grille according to the invention to the motor vehicle. Specifically, these advantages lie in particular in a lightweight air intake grille with a simultaneously large free flow cross-section and low flow resistance, so that the motor vehicle according to the invention can be designed more cost-effectively and with improved cooling airflow, at least indirectly via the air intake grille according to the invention. It is, of course, clear that the air intake grille according to the invention can be arranged, for example, at the front on the fenders, but also at the rear.It is also clear that all statements made regarding the air inlet grille according to the invention can be applied analogously to an air outlet grille or other air-flowing grilles.

[0022] Further important features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the drawings and the associated description of the figures based on the drawings.

[0023] It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Components of a higher-level unit, such as a device, apparatus, or arrangement, mentioned above and those to be mentioned below, which are designated separately, can form separate parts or components of this unit or be integral areas or sections of this unit, even if this is depicted differently in the drawing.

[0024] Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar or functionally identical components.

[0025] Each schematically illustrates Fig. 1 a sectional view through an air inlet grille according to the invention, Fig. 2 a motor vehicle according to the invention with such an air intake grille according to the invention.

[0026] According to the Fig. 1 has an air intake grille 1 according to the invention for a motor vehicle 2 (compare Fig. 2) a honeycomb-shaped structure, wherein a connecting bridge 3 of the honeycomb-shaped structure transitions at a node 4 into adjacent connecting bridges 3a, 3b. For the sake of clarity, the following are shown in the Fig. 1. At node 4, all three connecting webs 3, 3a, 3b are shown. At node 4, for example, connecting web 3 transitions into the adjacent connecting webs 3a and 3b via a radius R. In contrast to a honeycomb-like structure with regular hexagons, the previously described rounded transition between two connecting webs 3, 3a, 3b thus occurs at the respective node 4. According to the invention, the connecting webs 3, 3a, 3b are now tapered, i.e., constricted, at least in a central region 5. Airflow through the air inlet grille 1 according to the invention occurs accordingly. Fig. 1 perpendicular to the plane of the leaf.

[0027] The connecting webs 3, 3a, 3b have a width B in the area of ​​their waist. T on, which is only 25–75% of the maximum width B of the connecting webs 3, 3a, 3b. The width B TThis represents the maximum constriction of the connecting web 3, 3a, 3b, such that the respective connecting web 3, 3a, 3b has its minimum width in this area. The maximum width B is determined by regular hexagons whose vertices are arranged at the respective nodes 4.

[0028] If one considers the honeycomb-shaped structure of the air inlet grille 1 according to the invention, Fig. Further, it can be seen that an inner surface 6 of each honeycomb 7 is free of kinks, so that the inner surface 6 of each honeycomb 7 preferably has exclusively concave wall sections. These concave wall sections have a radius R in the area of ​​the nodes 4 and a larger radius R1 in the area of ​​their waist.

[0029] Furthermore, one can, according to the Fig. 1. Recognize that a neutral fiber 8, which corresponds to the Fig. 1 is represented as a broken line, each forming a regular hexagon.

[0030] The inventive embodiment of the air inlet grille 1 allows for a significant increase in the available airflow cross-section of each honeycomb 7, thereby enabling more air, for example, more cooling air, to flow through the air inlet grille 1 during operation. At the same time, the constricted connecting webs 3, 3a, 3b of the air inlet grille 1 requires significantly less material, resulting in resource-efficient, cost-effective, and weight-optimized manufacturing. Furthermore, the crease-free inner surface 6 reduces stress concentrations, thus increasing the load-bearing capacity of the air inlet grille 1.

[0031] Furthermore, the connecting webs 3, 3a 3b are attached to an end face 9 (compare the sectional view in Fig. 1 rounded according to the section plane AA), wherein the rounded front face 9 is oriented against the direction of airflow and helps to reduce the flow resistance of the air inlet grille 1 according to the invention during operation.

[0032] The air inlet grille 1 according to the invention can, for example, be used as a radiator grille 10 (compare Fig. 2) be designed so that the air inlet grille 1 according to the invention can supply more cooling air to a cooler arranged behind it while simultaneously using less material and having a lower weight. The air inlet grille 1 according to the invention can, for example, be designed as a plastic injection-molded part, which enables not only cost-effective but also high-quality production. Alternatively, it is of course also conceivable that the air inlet grille 1 according to the invention is made of light metal, for example aluminum, which can convey a metallic impression that stands for high quality.

[0033] With the air inlet grille 1 according to the invention, which can of course also be designed analogously as an air outlet grille, an air inlet grille 1 can be created that is optimized with regard to possible load-bearing capacity, airflow rate, weight, manufacturing costs, and material consumption. The air inlet grille 1 according to the invention is based on the honeycomb shape of natural honeycombs, thus pursuing a bionic approach. Compared to, for example, air inlet grilles formed solely from regular hexagons, a significantly larger flow cross-section permeable to airflow can be created, while simultaneously offering high load-bearing capacity and low weight.

[0034] If one considers the corresponding motor vehicle 2 according to the Fig.2, it can be seen that the air intake grille 1 can be arranged both at the front and at the rear, whereby in a rear-facing arrangement the air intake grille 1 according to the invention is designed as an air outlet grille. Furthermore, such an air intake grille 1 can also be arranged on a fender 11 and serve to supply cooling air to a brake 12 of a rear wheel.

Claims

[1] Air intake grille (1) for a motor vehicle (2) with a honeycomb structure, wherein a connecting web (3) of the honeycomb structure transitions at a node (4) into adjacent connecting webs (3a, 3b), characterized by , - that the connecting webs (3, 3a, 3b) are at least in a middle area (5) tapered, i.e. constricted, - that the respective end faces of the connecting webs (3, 3a, 3b) are rounded. [2] Air inlet grille (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that an inner surface (6) of each honeycomb (7) is free of kinks. [3] Air inlet grille (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the connecting webs (3, 3a, 3b) have a width B in the area of ​​their waist. T between 25 and 75% of a maximum width B of the connecting webs (3, 3a, 3b). [4] Air inlet grille (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that an inner surface (6) of each honeycomb (7) has exclusively concave wall sections. [5] Air inlet grille (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that a neutral fiber (8) of each honeycomb (7) forms a regular hexagon. [6] Air inlet grille (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the air intake grille (1) is designed as a radiator grille (10). [7] Air inlet grille (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the air inlet grille (1) is designed as a plastic injection molded part. [8] Air inlet grille (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by , that the air inlet grille (1) is made of light metal, in particular aluminum. [9] Motor vehicle (2) with a front air intake grille (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

Images