Fan module for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a fan module (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a fan frame (4) for a fan (2) and / or for a heat exchanger (3) and a fastening device (9) for holding the fan frame (4) in the motor vehicle, wherein the fan frame (4) has at least one joining element (7), and wherein the fastening device (9) has a holding element (13) that is mounted or can be mounted on the vehicle side and a mounting element (14) that is coupled or can be coupled to the frame-side joining element (7) and is detachably connected or connectable to the holding element (13).

Description

The invention relates to a fan module for a motor vehicle, having a fan shroud for a fan and / or for a heat exchanger and also a fastening device for holding the fan shroud in the motor vehicle. In this case, a motor vehicle is also understood to mean, in particular, an electric vehicle having an electric motor supplied by a rechargeable battery, and a hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine and having an electric motor supplied by a rechargeable battery.In an internal combustion engine-driven motor vehicle, an internal combustion engine to be cooled is usually located in the drive train. Since the heat radiation and convection are not sufficient for cooling the latter, such a cooling process is usually supported by a cooling air flow through the relative wind during the movement of the motor vehicle and also by a fan device (radiator fan). In this case, the intermediate connection of a cooler device in the form of a fluid cooling circuit is customary, wherein a heat exchanger (cooler) is exposed to the travel air stream and the air stream of the fan device. As coolant for maintaining the operating temperature of the internal combustion engine and also for operating an air conditioning system, a mixture of water and antifreeze and anticorrosive agents is generally used.The coolant typically conducted in pipes incorporated in the radiator network or radiator core of a radiator must in turn be cooled, for which purpose cooling air passes over cooling fins which are in heat exchange with the coolant. Since, in particular at low speeds of the motor vehicle, the relative wind serving as cooling air is normally not sufficient for cooling, the cooling fan usually has a fan wheel which is driven as a rule by an electric motor and which has a conveying element for air in the form of a fan wheel or propeller. Such a fan wheel is rotatably arranged within a fan wheel recess in the form of a continuous opening of a fan shroud of the cooling fan. The fan wheel is typically arranged behind the cooler network or cooling package of the cooler (heat exchanger) in the direction of travel. With the aid of the fan wheel of the cooling fan, also referred to as fan module, the air is sucked through the cooling network and directed onto the internal combustion engine. If, in addition to the cooler network, a condenser network of a condenser of an air conditioning system is present, then the condenser network is usually arranged upstream of the cooler network in the direction of relative wind (air flow direction).Motor vehicles which are driven or can be driven electrically or by electric motor, such as electric or hybrid vehicles, for example, usually comprise an electric motor as an electric drive system, with which one or both vehicle axles can be driven. For the purpose of supplying electrical energy, the electric motor is typically coupled to an in-vehicle, rechargeable (high-voltage) battery (accumulator) as electrical energy store. In this case, what are known as rapid charging operations are frequently desired, in which the vehicle-internal battery is charged within a time period that is as short as possible.In the course of such a rapid charging, comparatively high current intensities occur, which subsequently cause an increase in the battery temperature during the charging process. Since the charging of the battery generally takes place during a vehicle standstill, an air flow cooling the battery can be generated by means of the cooling fan. A fan module used in such motor vehicles, which has a fan and a radiator (radiator) and a condenser for an air conditioning circuit, is also referred to as a CRFM (condenser radiator fan module).The following details regarding the spatial directions are given in a coordinate system of the motor vehicle (vehicle coordinate system), wherein the axis of abscissa (X axis, X direction) is oriented along the vehicle longitudinal direction and the axis of ordinate (Y axis, Y direction) is oriented along the vehicle transverse direction and the axis of application (Z axis, Z direction) is oriented along the vehicle height.It is desirable that such a fan module can be disassembled and remounted several times, for example ten times, in the motor vehicle over the service life. In this case, it should be taken into account that the fan module should not be disassembled in the initial assembly direction, i.e. in the X direction oriented in the direction of travel with respect to the vehicle coordinate system. The reason for this is that components of the motor vehicle on the front side should not be disassembled for such disassembly or assembly of the fan module.The invention is based on the object of specifying a fan module which is particularly suitable with regard to installation and dismantling in a motor vehicle, in particular also for an electric or hybrid vehicle. In particular, the simplest possible, failsafe and / or multiple dismantling or mounting of the fan module-in relation to the vehicle coordinate system-is to be made possible in the Z direction or in the ZX direction. In addition, the use of self-tapping plastic screws, in particular at decoupling elements between the fan module and the vehicle body, should be avoided.This object is achieved according to the invention with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and developments are the subject matter of the dependent claims (dependent claims).The fan module is provided and configured for a motor vehicle, in particular for an electric or hybrid vehicle. The fan module expediently comprises a fan and at least one heat exchanger, in particular a cooler (radiator) and / or a condenser for an air conditioning system. For example, the fan module is a CRFM (Condenser Radiator Fan Module). The fan module can comprise both a cooler and a condenser or, as a heat exchanger, only the cooler or only the condenser.The fan module has a fan shroud with at least one joining element and a fastening device for holding the fan shroud in the motor vehicle, in particular on a vehicle part and / or body part of the motor vehicle. Two pairs with joining elements of the same type are suitably provided in the upper and lower corner regions of the fan shroud in the direction of the vehicle height (Z direction in the vehicle coordinate system), wherein the upper and lower joining elements are or can expediently be different.The respective joining element is suitably configured on the fan shroud or on an, in particular rectangular, shroud body, preferably as a bow-like fastening element having a plug-in opening. Preferably, two such joining elements are provided in the upper corner regions of the shroud in the direction of the vehicle height (Z direction in the vehicle coordinate system) or are integrally formed on the shroud body. Particularly preferably, the joining elements are provided on an upper cross strut (running in the Y direction of the vehicle coordinate system) and project or project upward from the frame body in the Z direction. The plug-in opening of the respective joining element runs in particular in the direction of travel (X direction in the vehicle coordinate system) or parallel to the axis of rotation (fan axis) of the fan.The fastening device has a holding element mounted or mountable on the vehicle side and a mounting element, preferably detachably, coupled or couplable to the frame-side joining element. This is detachably connected to the holding element. The holding element suitably has, preferably on the end side of at least one fastening leg, a joining opening for producing a vehicle- or body-side holder or connection, in particular a screw fastening.In an assembled state of the fan shroud, the assembly element of the fastening device is connected in a suitable manner on the one hand to the holding element which is assembled or can be assembled on the vehicle side, in particular with a decoupling element being interposed, and on the other hand to the joining element on the shroud side in a releasable plug-in manner.In order to produce a detachable plug connection with the holding element mounted or mountable on the vehicle side and / or with the frame-side joining element, the mounting element has, in an advantageous embodiment, a first and a second mounting or plug leg. In other words, the mounting element, which is suitably provided and configured for producing detachable plug connections, expediently has a first plug leg for producing a plug connection with the holding element mounted or mountable on the vehicle side and a second plug leg for producing a preferably detachable plug connection with the frame-side joining element. Preferably, the frame-side joining element and the holding element of the fastening device have a plug opening. The plug legs of the mounting element (14) are at an obtuse angle to one another. This is in particular less than 180° and greater than 90°, and is preferably between 100° and 170°, more preferably between 110° and 160°, preferably (140±10)°.According to an expedient development, the fastening device has an expansion element. Particularly preferably, the spreading element is effective in the manner of a (spreading) expansion device or has a corresponding, in particular plug-in anchor-like, functionality. The mounting element has a (corresponding) receiving shaft or plug shaft for the spreading element. This receiving shaft is suitably provided in the (second) mounting or plug leg assigned to the frame-side joining element, and is in particular open from its free end side or accessible for the insertion of the spreading element.The fastening device suitably has a connecting element detachably connecting the spreading element to the mounting element. The spreading element has a plug-in shaft, which is accessible in particular on the end face, for the connecting element. The rivet-like connecting element, for example, is provided and configured to be inserted into the plug-in shaft of the spreading element inserted into the receiving shaft of the mounting element. By means of the connecting element, the spreading element can be spread open or widened in such a way that a firm, but detachable, seat of the spreading element is produced in the mounting element. Alternatively or additionally, a clip or latching connection can also be produced between the connecting element and the spreading element.The spreading element is inserted into the mounting element or into its receiving shaft after the mounting element or its corresponding mounting or plug leg has been inserted into the frame-side joining element. The spreading element suitably has a contact collar which, in the mounted or plugged state, bears against a corresponding opening collar of the frame-side joining element. The connecting element subsequently inserted into the spreading element locks or locks the spreading element in the mounting element. In this way, the mounting element of the fastening device is detachably coupled to the shroud-side joining element, detachably connected to the fan shroud, or detachably fastened thereto.According to an expedient configuration, the fastening device has a decoupling element for reducing a structure-borne sound transmission between the joining element of the fan shroud or the shroud body thereof and the vehicle- or body-side holding element. The decoupling element, which is preferably made of an elastomer or is produced, is suitably accommodated by the holding element or in its plug-in opening. Expediently, the decoupling element is designed in the manner of a sleeve enclosing the mounting element or its first plug leg and / or a hollow cylinder with preferably rectangular cross section received in the plug opening of the retaining element.The strut longitudinal direction of the (upper or lower) transverse strut of the fan shroud or of the preferably rectangular shroud body and thus the fan shroud is expediently oriented perpendicularly to a (rotational axis) fan axis of an (electromotive) fan mounted in the fan shroud and / or, in the mounted state of the fan module in the motor vehicle, parallel to a vehicle transverse direction (Y direction in the vehicle coordinate system). In the assembled state of the fan module in the motor vehicle, the fan axis is set, for example, inclined or inclined with respect to a vehicle longitudinal axis (X direction in the vehicle coordinate system). An angle between the fan module and the vehicle longitudinal axis is, for example, between greater than 0° and less than or equal to 60°, for example (50±55°.Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. Shown therein are: FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a fan module with a fan shroud and with an electric motor-driven fan and with a heat exchanger and with a fastening device for mounting in a motor vehicle, FIG. 2 shows a plan view (rear view) of the fan module with an (upper) fastening device provided for a plug connection on the fan shroud and with a lower fastening device provided for a screw connection of the fan shroud, FIG. 3 shows the fan module in a side view looking at the upper and lower fastening devices, FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the (upper) fastening device with a holding element with a seated decoupling element and with a mounting element and with a spreading element (which can be joined) thereto and with a connecting element for locking or releasable locking of the spreading element in the mounting element, FIG. 5 shows a perspective illustration of the (upper) fastening device according to FIG. 4 in the assembled (plug-in) state, and FIG. 6 shows a detail in a perspective illustration of the upper right corner region of the fan shroud with the fastening device according to FIG. 5 mounted thereon,Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.FIGS. 1 to 3 show a fan module 1 in an exploded illustration and in a plan view and in a side view, respectively. The fan module 1 comprises a fan 2 and a cooler (radiator) and / or a condenser (condenser) as heat exchanger 3. The fan module 1 is provided and configured to have both a radiator and a condenser as the heat exchanger 3. Such a CRFM can also have only the cooler or the condenser as heat exchanger 3. The respective other heat exchanger 3 is then mounted as a fan module 1 during final assembly to the CRFM. The fan module 1 is provided and configured in particular for an electric or hybrid vehicle. FIG. 2 shows the fan module 1 with a view to the (rear) side facing away from the heat exchanger 3.The fan module 1 comprises a fan shroud 4 for the fan 2 or for the respective heat exchanger 3. The fan shroud 4, which is box-like in the exemplary embodiment, is rectangular with an upper transverse or shroud strut 4 aand with a lower transverse or shroud strut 4 aparallel thereto and with lateral longitudinal struts 4 b. The cross struts 4 aof the box-like fan shroud 4 in the exemplary embodiment are oriented in the transverse direction of the vehicle (Y direction in the vehicle coordinate system), and the parallel longitudinal struts 4 bare oriented inclined in the direction of the height of the vehicle (Z direction in the vehicle coordinate system) or in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (X direction in the vehicle coordinate system).The fan shroud 4 has a circular fan impeller recess 4 cbetween the struts 4 a, 4 b, in the center of which recess a motor receptacle 4 e, which is held via struts 4 d, is provided. An electric motor 5 is arranged in the latter, which drives a fan wheel 6 with cut fan blades 6 a, which are connected on the blade end side by means of an outer ring 6 b. The fan axis (axis of rotation) A of the fan 2 may be parallel or may be inclined at an angle to the vehicle longitudinal direction (X direction in the vehicle coordinate system).In the exemplary embodiment, the fan module 1 is arranged rotated or tilted in the installed state within the vehicle about an axis running transversely to the fan axis A or in the Y direction. The fan axis A is oriented at an angle of, for example, (45±55° to the X direction.In the exemplary embodiment, the fan shroud 4 of the fan module 1 has two joining elements 7 (in the Z direction) protruding in the upper corner regions on the upper cross strut 4 a. The respective joining element 7 is designed in the manner of a bow, forming a preferably rectangular plug-in opening 8. In other words, the respective joining element 7 is formed on the fan shroud 4 as a bow-like fastening element with a plug-in opening 8. The plug-in opening 8 of the respective joining element 7 runs in the direction of travel (X direction in the vehicle coordinate system) or parallel to the fan axis A. The fan module 1 has a number of fastening devices 9 corresponding to the number of upper joining elements 7 for the detachable mounting of the fan shroud 4 and thus of the fan module 1 in the motor vehicle, in particular on a vehicle or body component (not shown).A further pair of joining elements 10 is provided in the lower corner regions of the fan shroud 4 in the direction of the vehicle height (Z direction in the vehicle coordinate system). These lower joining elements 10 are formed as dome-like screw studs on the fan shroud 4 and, in the exemplary embodiment, form a contact surface 11 which is set or inclined against the fan axis A, for example by an angle of approximately 50°, for in each case one further fastening device 12. This has a screw (screw bolt) 12 awith a metric external thread, which corresponds in a manner not shown in more detail to a metric internal thread of a screw sleeve or screw nut firmly connected to the respective joining element 10 for producing a releasable screw connection. The lower fastening devices 12 each have a holding element 12 bwhich is fastened, in particular screw-fastened, on the vehicle or body side, and a decoupling and / or mounting element 12 ccoupled thereto.With reference also to FIGS. 4 to 6, the respective upper fastening device 9 has a holding element 13 which can be mounted on the vehicle side and a mounting element 14 which can be coupled to the upper joining element 7. The mounting element 14 is detachably connected to the holding element 13. The holding element 13 has a fastening leg 13 awith a joining opening 13 bto produce a vehicle- or body-side screw fastening and a plug-in opening 13 cfor the mounting element 14.As can be seen from FIG. 6, in the assembled state of the fan shroud 4, the assembly element 14 of the fastening device 9 is detachably connected in a plug-in manner to the holding element 13 mounted on the vehicle side and to the shroud-side joining element 7. The mounting element 14 has a first plug leg 14 aand a second mounting or plug leg 14 b. The plug connection with the holding element 13 mounted or mountable on the vehicle side takes place by means of the first plug leg 14 a. A decoupling element 15 is provided in this plug connection. The decoupling element 15 is formed hollow-cylindrically with a rectangular cross section and sits like a sleeve on the first plug leg 14 aof the mounting element 14 or lines the plug opening 13 cof the holding element 13. Decoupling element 15, which is produced from an elastomer, for example, serves to reduce a structure-borne sound transmission between fan shroud 4 and a vehicle part or body part to which retaining element 13 is or is fastened.The plug connection with the frame-side joining element 7 takes place via the second plug leg 14 bof the mounting element 14. The spreading element 17 is inserted into the receiving shaft 16, which is accessible via the free end side of the plug leg 14 b, during assembly. The spreading element 17 has a plug-in shaft 17a accessible at the end for a rivet-like connecting element 18 of the fastening device 9.During assembly, when the spreading element 17 has been inserted into the receiving shaft 16 of the corresponding plug leg 14 bof the mounting element 14, the connecting element 18 is inserted or pressed into the plug shaft 17 of the spreading element 17 in order to expand or spread it in such a way that a fixed, detachable seat of the spreading element 17 is produced in the mounting element 14. Alternatively or additionally to (spreading open) the spreading element 17 in the mounting element 14, a snap-in or clip connection can also be produced in that the spreading element 17 inserted into the receiving shaft 16 latches in the corresponding plug leg 14 bof the mounting element 14.During assembly, the second plug leg 14 bof the mounting element 14 is inserted into the frame-side joining element 7 or into its plug opening 8. The spreading element 17 has a contact collar 17 bwhich, in the mounted or plugged state, bears against a corresponding opening collar 19 of the frame-side joining element 7 (FIGS. 1 and 3 ). The connecting element 18 subsequently inserted into the spreading element 17 locks or locks the spreading element 17 in the mounting element 14.In the assembled state, the assembly element 14 of the fastening device 9 is detachably coupled to the shroud-side joining element 7, and the fastening device 9 is detachably connected to the fan shroud 4. By means of the plug connection of the mounting element 14 of the fastening device 9 with its holding element 13 connected on the vehicle side, the fan shroud 4 or the fan module 1 is on the one hand reliably secured in the motor vehicle and on the other hand releasably fastened for the purpose of simple mounting and multiple dismantling.The fan axis A of the fan module 1 mounted in the motor vehicle can be inclined with respect to the vehicle longitudinal axis (X direction in the vehicle coordinate system). An angle between the fan module 1 and the vehicle longitudinal axis can be between 0° and 60°, for example (50±55°. For such oblique or inclined mounting of the fan module 1, the plug-in legs 14 a, 14 bof the mounting element advantageously run at an obtuse angle α to one another. This is suitably less than 180° and greater than 90°, and is preferably between 130° and 150°.In summary, the invention relates to a fan module 1 having a fan shroud 4 and having a fastening device 9 for holding the fan shroud 4 in a motor vehicle, wherein the fan shroud 4 has at least one joining element 7, and wherein the fastening device 9 has a holding element 13 mounted or mountable on the vehicle side and a mounting element 14 coupled or couplable to the shroud-side joining element 7, which mounting element is connected or connectable in a releasable manner to the holding element 13.The claimed invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Rather, other variants of the invention can also be derived herefrom by the person skilled in the art within the scope of the disclosed claims without departing from the subject matter of the claimed invention. In particular, all individual features described in connection with the various exemplary embodiments can also be combined in another manner within the scope of the disclosed claims without departing from the subject matter of the claimed invention.List of reference characters1 Fan module 2 Fan 3 Heat exchanger 4 Fan shroud 4 a Quer / shroud strut 4 b Längs strut 4 c Lüfterrad wheel recess 4 d Strut 4 eMotor receptacle 5 Electric motor 6 Fan wheel 6 a Lüfter blade 6 b Außenring ring 7 (upper) joining element 8 Plug opening 9 (upper) fastening device 10 (lower) joining element 11 Contact surface 12 (lower) fastening device 12 aScrew / screw bolt 12 bHolder element 12 c Entkopplungs and / or mounting element 13Holder element 13 a Leg 13 b Füge opening 13 c Steck opening 14 Montage element 14 a(first) Steck leg 14 b(second) Montage / Plug leg 15 Entkopplungs element 16 Aufnahme / Plug shaft 17 Spreading element 17 a Shaft 17 b Anlage collar 18 Connecting element 19 Opening collar A Fan axis α (obtuse) angle

Claims

Fan module (1) for a motor vehicle, having a fan shroud (4) for a fan (2) and / or for a heat exchanger (3) and a fastening device (9) for holding the fan shroud (4) in the motor vehicle, - wherein the fan shroud (4) has at least one joining element (7), and - wherein the fastening device (9) has a holding element (13) which is mounted or can be mounted on the vehicle side and a mounting element (14) which is coupled or can be coupled to the shroud-side joining element (7) and is connected or can be connected detachably to the holding element (13).Fan module (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the mounting element (14) is provided and configured for producing a releasable plug connection to the retaining element (13) which is mounted or can be mounted on the vehicle side and / or to the joining element (7) on the frame side.Fan module (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized - in that the casing-side joining element (7) has a plug-in opening (8) for the mounting element (14), and / or - in that the retaining element (13) has a plug-in opening (13c) for the mounting element (14).Fan module (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the retaining element (13) has at least one joining opening (13b) for producing a vehicle- or vehicle-body-side fastening, in particular a screw fastening.Fan module (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized - in that the mounting element (14) has a first plug limb (14a) for producing a plug connection with the holding element (13) mounted or mountable on the vehicle side, and / or - in that the mounting element (14) has a second plug limb (14b) for producing a plug connection with the frame-side joining element (7), and / or - in that the mounting element (14) has two plug limbs (14a, 14b) running at an obtuse angle (α), in particular less than 180° and greater than 90°, preferably between 100° and 170°, more preferably between 110° and 160°, preferably (140±100°, with respect to one another.Fan module (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized bya decoupling element (15), in particular made of an elastomer, which is accommodated by the retaining element (13) and / or surrounds the mounting element (14) in a sleeve-like manner, for reducing a transmission of structure-borne sound.Fan module (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the fastening device (9) has an, in particular dowel-like, preferably plug-dowel-like, expansion element (17), and the mounting element (14) has a receiving shaft (16) for the expansion element (17).Fan module (1) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the fastening device (9) has a connecting element (18) which detachably connects the spreading element (17) to the mounting element (14).Fan module (1) according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the spreading element (17) has an abutment collar (17b) for abutment on a corresponding opening collar (19) of the frame-side joining element (7).Fan module (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, in an assembled state of the fan shroud (2), the assembly element (14) of the fastening device (9) is detachably connected, in particular plug-connected, on the one hand to the retaining element (13) which is assembled or can be assembled on the vehicle side, in particular with the or a decoupling element (15) being interposed, and on the other hand to the shroud-side joining element (7).

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