Air intake housing for the radiator of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The present development relates to an air inlet housing (10) for the radiator of a motor vehicle (1), wherein the air inlet housing (10) comprises the following: - a frame (11) comprising a side wall (20) that defines an inlet channel (23) for incoming cooling air, - wherein the side wall (20) has a front end section (21) facing the incoming cooling air and a rear end section (22) opposite in relation to the flow direction of the incoming cooling air, - wherein the rear end section (22) has a mounting flange (30) designed for attachment to an air-conducting air duct (12), which is designed to be deformable at least in sections.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present development or invention relates to an air intake housing for the radiator of a motor vehicle, for example an air intake housing which has or provides a radiator grille closure or an actively controllable grille closure for the radiator grille of the motor vehicle.

[0002] In another aspect, the present development concerns a motor vehicle body equipped with an active radiator grille closure. background

[0003] Between the front radiator grille of a motor vehicle and the radiator located behind it in the direction of travel, so-called radiator grille closures are known, which, depending on the operating condition of the motor vehicle and depending on the requirements for the cooling performance of the radiator, may have one or more movably mounted air guide elements in order to regulate the air supply to the radiator.

[0004] For example, if the vehicle is started in cold outside temperatures, it is advantageous to keep the air intake closed to ensure that the engine can heat up to its operating temperature relatively quickly. At high speeds, the air intake housing, or a corresponding air intake grille, can also be actively closed to reduce the vehicle's wind resistance and thus lower fuel consumption.

[0005] Document CN 113 581 117 B describes, for example, a generic air intake grille which can be actively controlled or regulated in order to regulate the amount of air supplied to the cooler as required.

[0006] For the installation of an air intake housing comprising one or more air guide elements, such as radiator shutters, it is necessary, on the one hand, to seal the housing against an air channel located behind it in the direction of airflow. However, space is very limited in the front area of ​​the vehicle, for example in the area of ​​the bumper crossmember.

[0007] To achieve a sufficient seal, it is typically necessary to equip the air intake housing with a relatively large mounting flange in the area adjacent to the air duct. Such a mounting flange can, under certain circumstances, impede the effective positioning of the air intake housing, for example, in front of a bumper crossmember in the front of the vehicle.

[0008] In the event of a collision, such a flange can block the intrusion of the bumper cover in the longitudinal direction (x) of the vehicle, thus negatively impacting the crash test evaluation of the vehicle. Furthermore, a relatively large mounting flange, required to achieve a seal against the air duct behind it, can pose an increased risk of breakage due to its geometric dimensions and the potential for collision with load-bearing components of the vehicle body, such as the bumper crossmember or structural components attached to it. This means that even collisions of the vehicle front with external objects at low speeds can cause significant damage to the air intake housing.

[0009] Against this background, it is desirable to provide an improved air intake housing that is as simple and easy to manufacture as possible, that also has the best possible seal with an air-guiding air duct behind it, and that in particular improves the crash test properties of the vehicle and is far less prone to damage in the event of mechanical stress or overload. Advantageous designs

[0010] This problem is solved with an air intake housing and a motor vehicle body according to the features of the independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of dependent patent claims.

[0011] In a first aspect, an air intake housing for the radiator of a motor vehicle is provided. The air intake housing comprises a frame. The frame includes a side wall that defines an intake channel for incoming cooling air. The side wall typically defines the intake channel circumferentially, i.e., in a plane transversely or perpendicular to the flow direction of the cooling air entering the intake channel. The side wall has a front end section facing the incoming cooling air and a rear end section opposite the flow direction of the incoming cooling air.

[0012] The rear end section features a flange designed for connection to an air duct. This flange is designed to be deformable, at least in part. The partially or fully deformable design of the flange on the rear end section of the air intake housing enables a particularly effective and durable seal with the air duct, through which the cooling air flowing in via the air intake housing can be directed to the vehicle's radiator.

[0013] Secondly, the sectionally deformable design of the mounting flange formed on the rear end section of the air intake housing can improve or contribute to an improvement in the crash properties or crash test characteristics of the vehicle body. In particular, it is intended that those areas or sub-areas of the mounting flange are designed to be deformable which, viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicle, are approximately aligned with a load-bearing structural component or a structural component of the vehicle body, so that in the event of a vehicle collision, the air intake housing comes into direct contact with the structural component of the vehicle body located behind it in the direction of travel, by means of, or predominantly by means of, the deformable section of the mounting flange.

[0014] The deformability of the mounting flange section allows for sufficient intrusion of the entire air intake housing, thus ensuring that the vehicle's crash test characteristics, particularly regarding pedestrian protection, are easily met. The deformable section of the mounting flange can be elastically or plastically deformable, so that adjacent areas or parts of the mounting flange or side wall sustain no or only minimal damage when the deformable section of the mounting flange impacts a structural component, such as the bumper crossmember.

[0015] The partial or section-by-section design of the system flange as a deformable section proves advantageous in terms of improved sealing effect with the air-carrying air duct as well as for improving the crash test properties of the motor vehicle.

[0016] In a further embodiment, the flange has a first flange section made of a first material and a second flange section made of a second material. The second material exhibits greater flexibility than the first material. In particular, the second material can exhibit greater elasticity than the first material. The flange section can thus be formed from at least two different materials or comprise two different materials, each of which is provided or formed section by section on the flange. This means that at least one or more sections of the flange can be essentially formed from the first material. Other sections or parts of the flange can be made from or formed from the second material.

[0017] The use of different materials in only certain areas of the system flange makes it possible to leave the existing material selection for the design of the air inlet housing in the western part unchanged and to selectively use or provide a second material only in certain areas, namely in those areas or geometric sections where deformability of the flange is required.

[0018] In this way, the manufacturing and cost effort for implementing the sectionally deformable plant flange can be kept as low as possible.

[0019] In a further refinement of the air intake housing, the first material is a thermoplastic polymer, such as polypropylene. The second material is a thermoplastic elastomer, such as synthetic or natural rubber. The second material can be reversibly deformable, allowing it to easily conform to the load-bearing structural component behind the air intake housing in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, for example, as a result of a vehicle collision. It can also slide past this structural component, even if only partially deformed, thus minimizing or preventing damage to the air intake housing itself in the event of a collision.

[0020] Following a further refinement of the air inlet housing, the system flange features a multi-component injection-molded component. By having the system flange at least partially comprise, or consisting of, a multi-component injection-molded component, the primary and secondary materials, such as a thermoplastic polymer and a thermoplastic elastomer, can be directly bonded together during the multi-component injection molding process and thus provided as a single unit. The implementation, or at least the partial implementation, of the system flange as a multi-component injection-molded component proves to be extremely efficient and cost-effective from a manufacturing and assembly perspective.

[0021] In a further embodiment of the air intake housing, the multi-component injection-molded part has at least one side section and a flange section projecting from it. The side section includes at least one fastening element by means of which the multi-component injection-molded part can be connected to or integrated into the side wall of the frame.

[0022] In the final assembly state of the injection-molded component on the air inlet housing, the cheek section of the injection-molded component may, for example, be integrated into the side wall of the frame and / or flush with the side wall of the frame. The flange section of the multi-component injection-molded component, on the other hand, may be integrated into the mounting flange of the air inlet housing or complete it.

[0023] Because the multi-component injection-molded part can be positioned, attached, and fixed to the air intake housing using the mounting element, the flexible deformability of at least a portion of the system flange can be achieved solely through the provision and assembly of the multi-component injection-molded part on the air intake housing frame. It is therefore unnecessary to manufacture the entire air intake housing as an injection-molded part. It is sufficient to design only a portion of the air intake housing—namely, the portion occupied by the multi-component injection-molded part—as an injection-molded component. In this way, the manufacturing and development costs for the injection-molded part, particularly for the injection mold, can be kept at a comparatively low level.

[0024] Furthermore, by dividing the air intake housing into a one-piece frame or side panel and a separate multi-component injection-molded component, a comparatively flexible adaptation of the air intake housing to different vehicle types and body styles can be provided. The multi-component injection-molded component, due to its flexible material design, can be adapted to a specific vehicle body as needed. The entire air intake housing can be adapted to the respective vehicle body and its specific installation situation by selecting, arranging, and / or attaching a multi-component injection-molded component specifically designed for that body style.

[0025] In a further embodiment of the air intake housing, the mounting flange is designed as a closed, circumferential flange. With respect to its installation position in the vehicle, the mounting flange comprises an upper flange section and an opposing lower flange section, as well as two lateral flange sections extending between the upper and lower flange sections. The mounting flange is designed to be deformable in the area of ​​one of the two lateral flange sections adjacent to the transition to the upper flange section and / or adjacent to the lower flange section.

[0026] It may be provided, in particular, that the deformable section of the system flange is arranged or configured adjacent to the upper flange section on one of the lateral flange sections. Likewise, the deformable area of ​​the system flange may also be configured or implemented on or in one of the upper and lower flange sections adjacent to one of the lateral flange sections.

[0027] The side flange sections typically extend along the opposite longitudinal ends of the upper and lower flange sections. The upper flange section, the lower flange section, and the two side flange sections can be rectangular or square in shape. However, it is not essential that the flange sections be straight. They can have any geometry or shape required by the specific installation situation of the air intake housing in the vehicle or on the vehicle body.

[0028] In a further embodiment, at least one actively movable air guide element projecting into the intake duct can be arranged on the frame of the air intake housing. The air intake housing can also have one or more such air guide elements. The air guide element can be designed as a pivoting or sliding vane. The cross-sectional area through which air can flow in the intake duct can be variably changed by means of the air guide element. Typically, the at least one air guide element is actively controllable. It can be mechanically connected to an actuating element, including a servo motor or similar actuating devices, in order to move the air guide element into a configuration or orientation adapted to the respective driving situation or the respective condition of the radiator or engine.

[0029] According to a further aspect, the present invention relates to an air intake grille arrangement, or a radiator grille for the radiator of a motor vehicle, which can be arranged in the front area of ​​the motor vehicle. The air intake grille comprises the air intake housing described herein, as well as one or more air guide elements and associated adjusting and / or actuating elements for moving the air guide element(s).

[0030] In another respect, the present development also relates to a motor vehicle body. The motor vehicle body comprises a front bumper crossmember and a front bumper cover. The motor vehicle body further comprises a previously described air intake housing, which is arranged or attached to the bumper crossmember or the bumper cover. It is specifically intended that the air intake housing, with its mounting flange, is arranged or located between the bumper cover and the bumper crossmember when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0031] The mounting flange is attached to the vehicle body, for example, in front of the bumper crossmember with respect to the vehicle's direction of travel. Sections of the air intake housing overlap with sections or structural components of the vehicle body, either in the direction of travel or in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Within this overlapping or overlapping area, the mounting flange of the air intake housing can be designed to be deformable, at least in sections, so that in the event of a frontal collision, it comes into contact with a structural component of the vehicle body located behind it in the direction of travel, either exclusively or predominantly with a deformable section.Due to the relatively easy deformability of the deformable section of the mounting flange, the entire air intake housing can be inserted into the vehicle body in the longitudinal direction with relative ease, thus easily meeting the requirements placed on the vehicle with regard to its crash behavior and / or pedestrian protection.

[0032] Since the motor vehicle body includes a previously described air intake housing, all features, advantages and effects previously described with regard to the air intake housing also apply equally to the motor vehicle body; and vice versa.

[0033] In a further embodiment, the mounting flange of the air intake housing is positioned on the vehicle body in front of the bumper crossmember, relative to the vehicle's direction of travel. Viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a gap or mounting space may remain between the bumper crossmember and the mounting flange, which is only bridged or closed in the event of a collision, for example, by the air intake housing plunging into the bumper. Thus, the air intake housing can advantageously be arranged on or attached to the bumper cover located in front of the bumper crossmember.

[0034] Following a further refinement of the vehicle body, at least a portion of the mounting flange of the air intake housing, which lies flush with and overlapping a component or structural element of the bumper crossmember with respect to the vehicle's longitudinal axis, is designed to be deformable. This allows for trouble-free intrusion of the air intake housing in the event of a collision. Furthermore, the flange section can be implemented and designed to be comparatively large or have a large surface area to ensure sufficient sealing with the downstream air duct. Brief description of the characters

[0035] Further objectives, features, and advantageous embodiments of the present development are explained in the following description of an exemplary implementation. These will show: Fig. 1 a schematic side view of a motor vehicle designed as a passenger car, Fig. 2 a perspective view of an air inlet housing connected to an air-carrying air duct, Fig. 3 a perspective view of the air intake housing, the air duct and a bumper crossmember in the front area of ​​the motor vehicle, Fig. 4 a side view of the air intake housing and the air duct according to Fig. 2, Fig. 5 a side view and partly cutaway view by the arrangement according to Fig. 3, Fig. 6 An enlarged isolated view of the arrangement of the air intake housing on the front bumper crossmember, Fig. 7 a further enlarged view of a section of the Fig. 6, Fig. 8 a top view of the sub-area according to Fig. 7 from the top, Fig. 9 a view of the rear end section of the air intake housing, Fig. 10 an isolated representation of a multi-component injection-molded part for integration or arrangement on the machine flange and Fig. 11 an exploded view of the air inlet housing with two multi-component injection molded parts to be arranged on the respective frame. Detailed description

[0036] The in Fig. 1. A schematically represented motor vehicle 1 has a self-supporting vehicle body 2 and an interior 3 functioning as a passenger cell. The vehicle body 2 has a front end 6 on which an air intake housing 10 is mounted according to the Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 10 to Fig. The air inlet housing 10 has one or two separate circumferential frames 11, 11', which are characterized by a more or less circumferential side wall 20, 20'. The side walls 20, 20', as they are found, for example, in Fig. The two components shown in Figure 2 each have an inlet channel 23 for supplying cooling air. By means of an airtight or nearly airtight connection to a downstream air duct 12, cooling air flowing into the inlet channels 23, 23' can be supplied to a vehicle radiator (not shown) as needed via the air duct 12.

[0037] One or more air guide elements 28 are arranged in the inlet channel 23, the position or orientation of which can be adjusted, for example, by means of a servo motor or a comparable actuator. For example, such air guide elements 28 can be implemented as louvers or flaps, which are movably arranged on the frame 11 in the inlet channel 23 with respect to a pivot axis or axis 29 extending horizontally between an open and a closed position, as well as intermediate positions. The flow of cooling air to the air-carrying air duct 12 can be regulated as required by such air guide elements 28.

[0038] The air inlet housing 10 has, as shown in particular in the illustration according to Fig. Figure 4 shows a front end section 21 and an opposing rear end section 22. Between the front end section 21 and the rear end section 22, at least one air guide element 28 is pivotably mounted approximately about the axis 29. For a particularly effective air-guiding and sealing arrangement on an air-conducting air duct 12 located behind the air inlet housing 10, it is necessary that a sufficiently large contact flange 30 be formed on the side of the air inlet housing 10 at the rear end section 22, i.e., facing the air-conducting air duct 12.

[0039] However, the design of a comparatively large mounting flange 30 at the rear end section 22 of the frame 11 of the air intake housing 10 proves advantageous for the arrangement in front of a bumper crossmember 40, 41 of the vehicle front, as shown in Fig. Figure 3 illustrates this as quite complex and difficult. There is often insufficient space in the vehicle to position the mounting flange 30 behind the bumper crossmember 40, 41 in the direction of travel. Positioning it in front of the bumper crossmember 40, 41 may, under certain circumstances, be problematic with regard to the crash behavior of the vehicle 1.

[0040] The longitudinal member(s) 43 of the motor vehicle body 2, which are in Fig. 3 which are only partially represented, for example by means of a crash box, can be structurally connected to each other in the area of ​​the vehicle front 6 via the upper bumper cross member 40 shown here and via a lower bumper cross member 41.

[0041] Thus, in the present embodiment and as in the Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7 to Fig. As shown in Figure 8, a structural component 42 is arranged on the upper bumper crossmember 40, which, for example, serves as a mounting plate for other functional components or trim components of the vehicle 1. This structural component 42 is made of a metal or steel and is comparatively rigid and / or structurally stable. In the arrangement of the air intake housing 10 in the direction of travel in front of the upper bumper crossmember 40, the approximately circumferential mounting flange 30 is located with a mounting gap 44 (see Figure 8). Fig. 8) spaced in the longitudinal direction (x) from the underlying structural component 42.

[0042] As especially from Fig. As can be seen in Figure 6, only a portion of the mounting flange 30 is aligned with and overlapping the structural component 42 in the longitudinal direction (x) of the vehicle. To provide a sufficiently large mounting flange 30 and simultaneously to allow sufficient intrusion of the air intake housing 10 into the vehicle body 2 in the longitudinal direction (x) or against the direction of travel, the mounting flange 30 is designed to be flexibly deformable in that section or portion.

[0043] In other words, the plant flange 30 has a first flange section 31 in some areas and a second flange section 32 in other areas, which together complete or form the entire plant flange 30. The second flange section 32 is made of or designed from a material that has a higher degree of flexibility or deformability than the material of the first flange section 31 or the material of the remaining flange section 31 of the plant flange 30.

[0044] As can be seen particularly from a synthesis of the Fig. 7, Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 10 to Fig. As can be seen in Figure 11, the air intake housing 10 has two frames 11, 11' arranged side by side in the transverse direction (y) of the vehicle and designed essentially identically, each forming an inlet channel 23, 23' for the incoming cooling air. Each of the two frames 11 has a side wall 20, 20' which has a circumferential mounting flange 30, 30' at a rear end section 22. The mounting flange 30 comprises an upper flange section 24 and an opposing lower flange section 25. The upper flange section 24 and the lower flange section 25 extend essentially horizontally, approximately in the transverse direction (y) of the vehicle. The longitudinal ends of the upper and lower flange sections 24, 25 opposite each other along the vertical axis (z) of the vehicle are connected to each other by respective lateral flange sections 26, 27.

[0045] The individual flange sections 24, 26, 25, 27 can be essentially manufactured as a single piece. In the embodiment shown here, each of the lateral flange sections 26, 27 has at least a partially deformable section. This is provided by a multi-component injection-molded part 34. The multi-component injection-molded part 34, which is Fig. Figure 10, shown in isolation, has a cheek section 35 and a flange section 36 projecting from it. The cheek section 35 has a fastening element 38 facing away from the flange section 36, for example in the form of a fastening clip or a snap-fit ​​element, which can be inserted precisely into a complementary counter-fastening element on or in the side wall 20 of the associated frame 11, 11'.

[0046] The flange section 36 can be precisely integrated or fitted into the lateral flange section 27, or form a portion thereof. At an upper end section, the flange section 36 has an injection-molded section made of a second material 32, which is typically a thermoplastic elastomer. This tongue-like section, made of a comparatively flexible or deformable material, lies approximately overlapping or flush with the structural component 42 of the upper bumper crossmember 40 or a lower bumper crossmember 41 in the final installation position, as in, for example, Fig. 7 or in Fig. As can be seen in Figure 8, when the final installation position is reached, a certain assembly gap 44 remains between the flange section 27 and the structural component 42.

[0047] In the event of a collision, the plant flange 30 can predominantly or exclusively come into contact with the structural component 42 via its deformable flange section 32 and consequently undergo a comparatively slight or easy deformation, so that other areas of the plant flange 30, such as first flange sections 31 made of the first material, can remain largely undamaged.

[0048] The air intake housing 10 can, as can be seen in particular from a review of the Fig. 2 and Fig.As can be seen from Figure 5, the air intake housing 10 can be arranged and fastened to an inner side of the bumper cover 50 by means of suitable fastening structures 14, which are provided or formed, for example, on the front end section 21 of the side wall 20. In this respect, the air intake housing 10 can be arranged on the vehicle body 2 without contact with the bumper cross member 40 and can be indirectly connected to or attached to the front bumper cross member 40, or to the vehicle body 2, via the bumper cover 50.

[0049] The illustrated embodiments merely show possible configurations of the development, for which numerous further variants are conceivable during development. The exemplary embodiments shown are in no way to be interpreted as limiting with regard to the scope, applicability, or configuration possibilities of the development. The present description merely shows the person skilled in the art one or a few possible implementation(s) of an embodiment. Thus, a wide variety of modifications can be made to the function and arrangement of the described elements without departing from the scope of protection defined by the following claims or their equivalents. Reference symbol list 1 motor vehicle 2 Motor vehicle body 3 Interior 6 Vehicle front 10 air intake housings 11 frames 12 air duct 14 Mounting structure 20 side wall 21 Final section Section 22 23 Inlet channel 24 Flange section 25 Flange section 26 Flange section 27 Flange section 28 Air guide element 29 axle 30 Plant flange 31 Flange section 32 Flange section 34 Injection molded component 35 Cheek section 36 Flange section 38 Fastening element 40 bumper crossmembers 41 Bumper crossmember 42 Structural component 43 longitudinal beams 44 Mounting gap 50 bumper trim QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] CN 113 581 117 B

[0005]

Claims

[1] Air inlet housing (10) for the radiator of a motor vehicle (1), wherein the air inlet housing (10) comprises the following: - a frame (11) comprising a side wall (20) that defines an inlet channel (23) for incoming cooling air, - wherein the side wall (20) has a front end section (21) facing the incoming cooling air and a rear end section (22) opposite in relation to the flow direction of the incoming cooling air, - wherein the rear end section (22) has a mounting flange (30) designed for attachment to an air-conducting air duct (12), which is designed to be deformable at least in sections. [2] Air inlet housing (10) according to claim 1, wherein the mounting flange (30) has a first flange section (31) made of a first material and a second flange section (32) made of a second material, wherein the second material has a higher flexibility than the first material. [3] Air inlet housing (10) according to claim 2, wherein the first material comprises a thermoplastic polymer and wherein the second material comprises a thermoplastic elastomer. [4] Air inlet housing (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting flange (30) comprises a multi-component injection molded part (34). [5] Air inlet housing (10) according to claim 4, wherein the multi-component injection molded part (34) has a cheek section (35) and a flange section (36) projecting therefrom, wherein the cheek section (35) comprises at least one fastening element (38) by means of which the multi-component injection molded part (34) can be connected to the side wall (20) of the frame (11) or integrated into the side wall (20) of the frame (11). [6] Air inlet housing (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting flange (30) is designed as a closed and circumferential mounting flange (30) and wherein the mounting flange (30) has an upper flange section (24) and a lower flange section (25) with respect to the installation position in the motor vehicle as well as two lateral flange sections (26, 27) which extend between the upper flange section (24) and the lower flange section (25) and wherein the mounting flange (30) is designed to be deformable in the area of ​​one of the two lateral flange sections (26, 27) adjacent to a transition to the upper flange section (24) and / or adjacent to a transition to the lower flange section (25). [7] Air inlet housing (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one actively movable air guide element (28) projecting into the inlet channel (25) can be arranged on the frame (11). [8] Motor vehicle body (2) comprising: - a front bumper crossmember (40), - a front bumper cover (50), and - an air inlet housing (10) according to one of the preceding claims, which is arranged or attached to the bumper cross member (40) or to the bumper cover. [9] Motor vehicle body (2) according to claim 8, wherein the mounting flange (30) of the air inlet housing (10) is arranged on the motor vehicle body (2) in front of the bumper cross member (40) with respect to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle (1). [10] Motor vehicle body (2) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein at least a partial area of ​​the mounting flange (30), which is aligned and overlapping with a component or with a structural component (42) of the bumper cross member (40) with respect to the longitudinal axis (x) of the vehicle, is designed to be deformable.

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