Deflection plate for front bumper to improve air return to the heat exchanger

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, more particularly to the cooling systems of a motor vehicle.

[0002] The internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle requires cooling via a heat exchanger, which is typically located at the front of the vehicle. A front bumper is mounted at the front of the vehicle, from which a deflector extends to the underside of the bumper. It is also common to add baffles between the front bumper and the deflector. The deflector and baffles are designed to improve air recirculation towards the heat exchanger.

[0003] JP 2005 138690 discloses a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0004] The published patent document JP 2014-65322 A discloses a front structure for a motor vehicle, the structure comprising a shock-absorbing element extending from a front bumper to the front of the vehicle. A deflector is positioned on this shock-absorbing element to divert air towards the heat exchanger. Two embodiments are described in this document. In the first embodiment, a wall ending in a sealing lip extends from the deflector to a lower portion of the heat exchanger. The sealing lip is made of a flexible material to compensate for dimensional variations and prevent noise generation due to intrinsic vibrations caused by the vehicle's movement. In the second embodiment described, the lip is replaced by a flexible seal.Thus, both of these designs prevent air from passing through the space between the deflector and the heat exchanger by ensuring contact with the bottom of the front panel. However, these solutions are complex and costly to implement, due in particular to the use of different materials and the precision required for manufacturing and assembly.

[0005] The invention aims to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art. More specifically, the invention aims to improve the recirculation of air to the heat exchanger in a simplified and less expensive manner.

[0006] The invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising: a front fascia with a heat exchanger; a front bumper; and a front bumper deflector, with a wall extending from a lower edge of the front bumper to below, and at a distance from, the front fascia, forming a passage between said wall and said fascia; and an obstruction partition, configured to obstruct the passage; notable in that the obstruction partition extends from the wall of the front bumper deflector towards the front fascia to a free edge of said partition located at a distance from said fascia.

[0007] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the free edge of the obstruction partition is at a distance from the facade greater than 10mm and / or less than 40mm.

[0008] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the obstruction partition, including the free edge, is made of rigid plastic material as opposed to an elastomeric material.

[0009] According to the invention, the front facade comprises a lower face opposite the wall of the front bumper deflector, said face comprising at least one transverse rib extending along the free edge of the obstruction partition.

[0010] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the obstruction partition extends vertically from the wall of the front bumper deflector.

[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the front bumper deflector wall has a longitudinal profile with an inverted U-shaped portion forming a portion of the upper wall and two portions of the side walls, the obstruction partition extending from the portion of the upper wall.

[0012] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the obstruction partition extends from a front edge of the front bumper deflector wall.

[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the obstruction partition is fixed to the wall of the front bumper deflector at the level of a fixing of said wall to the lower edge of said bumper.

[0014] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the obstruction partition has a right-angled profile with a first portion of partition that is predominantly vertical and adjacent to the front edge of the front bumper deflector wall, and a second portion of partition that is predominantly horizontal and forms the free edge.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the free edge of the obstruction partition is adjacent to a lower and front edge of the front facade.

[0016] Advantageously, the obstruction partition and the deflector are manufactured as a single unit.

[0017] The features of the invention are interesting because they allow for the production of a less expensive and less complex system than those described in the prior art. More specifically, providing a controlled distance between the free edge of the obstruction partition and the front facade allows the use of more rigid, and therefore less expensive, materials, while preventing the partition from flapping against the front facade while the vehicle is in motion. The distance between the free edge of the partition and the front facade is advantageously chosen to optimize two conflicting requirements: obstructing the airflow under the front facade and preventing the partition from flapping against said facade. The vertical configuration of the obstruction partition results in a particularly simple construction.The right-angled configuration of the obstruction partition extending from a front edge of the deflector wall is advantageous in that the obstruction partition is attached to a more rigid area of ​​the deflector, particularly due to its proximity to the front bumper.

[0018] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood with the aid of the description and drawings, among which are: There figure 1 is a perspective view of a motor vehicle according to the invention; The figure 2 is a cross-sectional view at the level of a front facade of the motor vehicle according to a first embodiment of the invention; The figure 3 is a cross-sectional view at the level of the front facade of the motor vehicle, according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0019] There figure 1 This is a perspective view of a motor vehicle according to the invention. The motor vehicle 1 generally includes at least one front bumper 3 serving to protect a powertrain (not visible in these figures) of the vehicle 1. In this figure, a shield 3A of the bumper 3 can be seen in particular, which protects the vehicle 1 and improves its aesthetics. In the middle of the shield 3A is a ventilation grille 3A.1, which allows ambient air to enter and come into contact with a heat exchanger (visible in the figures 2 And 3) of the powertrain. This exchanger is capable of maintaining the temperature within the powertrain. It can also be a heat exchanger for an air conditioning system and / or a charge air heat exchanger for the combustion engine. A front bumper deflector 9 3 is also positioned below the vehicle 1, and serves, in particular, to redirect the air in question towards the heat exchanger (visible at figures 2 And 3 ).

[0020] There figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the motor vehicle at the level of the front bumper, according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0021] The front bumper 3 includes the shield 3A, which in this case has a lower reinforcement 3B. This shield 3A includes, in its upper part, the ventilation grille 3A.1, positioned parallel to and in front of the heat exchanger 5A. This heat exchanger 5A is mounted on a front fascia 5, itself located in front of the powertrain (not visible in these figures). The front fascia 5 also includes, below the heat exchanger 5A, a lower part 5B consisting of a vertical section 5B.1 and a horizontal section 5B.2. The vertical section 5B.1 extends from the heat exchanger 5A towards the deflector 9, and the horizontal section 5B.2 extends from a lower end of the vertical section 5B.1 towards the rear of the vehicle. Furthermore, the horizontal body 5B.2 has a lower face 5B.3, said face 5B.3 comprising at least one transverse rib 5B.4. Preferably, the lower face 5B.3 of the horizontal body 5B.2 has three transverse ribs 5B.4 which extend towards the deflector 9.

[0022] This deflector 9 consists of a wall 11 extending from a lower edge 3C of the bumper 3 to below and at a distance from the front fascia 5. Thus, a passage 7 is formed between the front fascia 5 and the deflector 9. A blocking partition 13 is provided to block the passage 7, this partition 13 having a free edge 13A located at a distance from the front fascia 5. More specifically, the free edge 13A of the blocking partition 13 is at a distance from the fascia 5 greater than 10 mm and / or less than 40 mm. Thus, the lower face 5B.3 of the front fascia 5 is opposite the wall 11 of the deflector 9. Advantageously, one of the transverse ribs 5B.4 extends along the free edge 13A of the blocking partition 13.

[0023] Specifically in the first embodiment of the invention, the wall 11 of the deflector 9 has a longitudinal profile with an inverted U-shaped portion 11A forming a portion of the upper wall 11A, and two portions of side walls 11B to the portion of the upper wall 11A. The portion of the upper wall 11A is preferably located below the front facade 5. Thus, the obstruction partition 13, which extends vertically from the wall 11 of the deflector 9 towards the front facade 5, extends preferably from the portion of the upper wall 11A.

[0024] Advantageously, an airflow R enters through the ventilation grille 3A.1 and reaches the heat exchanger 5A. A second, smaller airflow R' is directed downwards and deflected by the deflector 9. Conversely, the blocking partition 13, which obstructs the passage 7 between the lower part 5B of the front facade 5 and the deflector 9, diverts most of the second airflow R' towards the heat exchanger 5A. The presence of the transverse ribs 5B.4 also improves the redirection of the airflow R'. This embodiment reduces production costs, primarily because the blocking partition 13 has a simple shape and can be made of a rigid material, identical to that of the wall 11 of the deflector 9, or at least a material of the same type.

[0025] There figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the front of the motor vehicle at the level of the front bumper, according to a second embodiment of the invention. This figure uses the numbering of the figures 1 et 2 For identical or similar elements, the numbering is incremented by 100. Reference is also made to the description of these elements in relation to the first embodiment. Specific numbers between 100 and 200 are used for elements specific to this embodiment.

[0026] In this embodiment, the deflector 109 includes, at its wall 111, a front edge 111A from which the blocking partition 113 extends. A fastener 111B, positioned on the front edge 111A, allows the blocking partition 113 to be fixed to the wall 111. Furthermore, the blocking partition 113 has an L-shaped profile, formed by a first, predominantly vertical partition portion 113B and a second, predominantly horizontal partition portion 113A. The first portion 113B is adjacent to the front edge 111A of the wall 111 of the deflector 109, while the second portion 113A forms, at its rear end, a free edge 113A.1. This free edge 113A.1 is adjacent to a lower, front edge 105B.5 of the front face 105.

[0027] Advantageously, the airflow R enters through the ventilation grille 103A.1 and arrives at the heat exchanger 105A. The second airflow R' is directed downwards and is deflected by the obstruction partition 113, which also limits the size of the passage 107 between the lower and front edge 105B.5 of the front facade 105 and the deflector 109. This partition 113 allows the diversion of the majority of the second airflow R' towards the heat exchanger 105A.

[0028] Similar to the first embodiment, this embodiment reduces production costs, primarily because the obstruction partition 113 can be made of a rigid material identical to that of the wall 111 of the deflector 109, or at least a material of the same type. It also has the advantage that the partition 113 is attached to a potentially more rigid area of ​​the deflector 109, due to the attachment of the front edge 111A of said wall 111 to the bumper shield 103A.

[0029] In general, the blocking partition (13; 113) is made of rigid plastic material as opposed to an elastomeric material. The distance between the free edge (13A; 113A.1) of the partition (13; 113) and the front face (5; 105) prevents flapping noises while ensuring sufficient obstruction of the air passage (7; 107) under said face (5; 105).

Claims

1. Motor vehicle (1) comprising: - a front panel (5; 105) with a heat exchanger (5A; 105A); - a front bumper (3; 103); and - a front bumper deflector (9; 109) (3; 103), with a wall (11; 111) extending from a lower edge (3C; 103C) of the front bumper (3; 103) to below, and at a distance from the front facade (5; 105), forming a passage (7; 107) between said wall (11; 111) and said facade (5; 105); and - an obstructing bulkhead (13; 113), configured to obstruct the passage (7; 107); the obstructing partition (13; 113) extending from the wall (11; 111) of the deflector (9; 109) of the front bumper (3; 103) towards the front facade (5; 105) as far as a free edge (13A; 113A.1) of said partition (13; 113) situated at a distance from said facade (5; 105), characterised in that the front facade (5; 105) comprises a lower face (5B.3; 105B.3) facing the wall (11; 111) of the deflector (9; 109) of the front bumper (3; 103), said face (5B.3; 105B.3) comprising at least one transverse rib (5B.4; 105B.4) extending along the free edge (13A; 113A.1) of the obstructing partition (13; 113).

2. Motor vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the free edge (13A; 113A.1) of the obstructing partition (13; 113) is at a distance from the facade (5; 105) greater than 10 mm and / or less than 40 mm.

3. Motor vehicle (1) according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the obstructing partition (13; 113), including the free edge (13A; 113A.1), is made of a rigid plastic material by report with an elastomeric material.

4. Motor vehicle (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the obstructing partition (13) extends vertically from the wall (11) of the front bumper deflector (9) (3).

5. Motor vehicle (1) according to claim 4, wherein the wall (11) of the front bumper deflector (9) (3) has a longitudinal profile with an inverted U-shaped part (11A) forming an upper wall portion (11A) and two side wall portions (11B), the obstructing partition (13) extending from the upper wall portion (11A).

6. Motor vehicle according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the obstructing partition (113) extends from a front edge (111A) of the wall (111) of the deflector (109) of the front bumper (103).

7. Motor vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the obstructing partition (113) is fixed to the wall (111) of the deflector (109) of the front bumper (103) in level of a fixing (111B) of said wall (111) to the lower edge (103C) of said bumper (103).

8. Motor vehicle according to either of Claims 6 and 7, characterised in that the obstructing partition (113) has a profile at right angles by a first mostly vertical partition portion (113B) adjacent to the front edge (111A) of the wall (111) of the front bumper deflector (109) (103) and a second mostly horizontal partition portion (113A) and forming the free edge (113A.1).

9. Motor vehicle according to one of Claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the free edge (113A.1) of the obstructing partition (113) is adjacent to a lower and front edge (105B.5) of the front façade (105).