Anti-vibration device for an automotive headlight fan

Abstract

The invention relates to an anti-vibration device for a fan (V) used to cool a motor vehicle headlight. The fan is provided, on the one hand, with a housing (C) opening to the outside via two faces, respectively, for air inlet (C1) and outlet (C2), extending in opposite directions along a longitudinal axis (X), and, on the other hand, with means for attaching it to a support fixed to the headlight. The device is characterized in that it comprises an intermediate housing (1) whose side wall (1a) is made at least partially of an elastomeric material, and into which the housing (C) is intended to be inserted under stress along the longitudinal axis (X) by elastic deformation of the side wall (1a) of the housing. Abstract figure: Fig. 2A

Description

Title of the invention: Anti-vibration device for a motor vehicle headlight fan

[0001] The invention applies to the field of cooling motor vehicle headlights.

[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to a vibration damping device intended to equip the cooling fans of motor vehicle headlights.

[0003] Motor vehicle headlights include electronic components, including LED lamps, which heat up considerably and are therefore necessarily equipped with cooling means.

[0004] In a known manner, these cooling means comprise radiators supplemented, if heat dissipation by convection proves insufficient, by fans which make it possible to force the air flow towards the electronic components.

[0005] Such cooling means are described, in particular, in patent applications FR3031571A1 and FR3031572A1 where a light source supported by a radiator comprising heat-dissipating surfaces is cooled by a fan capable of drawing air from these surfaces. The fan is here fixed to the radiator by clips formed on the sheet metal constituting the radiator.

[0006] However, these cooling means are only concerned with the methods of fixing the fans and are not concerned with the damping of the vibrations produced by these fans nor, consequently, with the reduction of the noise resulting therefrom.

[0007] Consequently, in the context of fixing fans ensuring the cooling of projectors, the invention aims to provide a technical solution allowing the damping of vibrations generated by these fans.

[0008] This object is achieved by means of an anti-vibration device for a fan ensuring the cooling of a motor vehicle headlight, said fan being provided, on the one hand, with a casing opening to the outside via two faces, respectively, air inlet and outlet, extending oppositely along a longitudinal axis and, on the other hand, with means of fixing on a support integral with the headlight, characterized in that it comprises an intermediate housing whose side wall is made at least partially of elastomeric material and in which said casing is intended to be inserted under stress along the longitudinal axis by elastic deformation of the side wall of said housing.

[0009] According to an advantageous characteristic, the housing comprises internal projections extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the casing and engaging in cavities provided opposite each other on the casing to ensure its positioning and retention in the housing.

[0010] According to a preferred embodiment of the anti-vibration device of the invention, the internal projections of the housing comprise housing positioning studs carried by transverse shoulders in contact with the air inlet face of said housing.

[0011] According to another alternative embodiment of the anti-vibration device of the invention, the internal projections of the housing comprise at least two retaining ribs provided on its side wall and cooperating with complementary ribs provided opposite on the side wall of the casing.

[0012] According to yet another alternative embodiment of the anti-vibration device of the invention, the side wall of the housing carries an external keying finger intended to cooperate with a complementary orifice provided on the fan support.

[0013] According to another characteristic, the side wall of the housing is provided with flexible external fins intended to come into contact with the fan support.

[0014] Preferably, these external fins are inclined relative to the plane of the side wall of the housing.

[0015] These fins are distributed uniformly on the side wall of the housing and extend in all directions.

[0016] Another object of the invention is a motor vehicle headlight equipped with a cooling fan provided with an anti-vibration device having the characteristics defined above.

[0017] The device of the invention ensures extensive damping of the vibrations generated by the fan.

[0018] Indeed, once housed in its support, the fan is suspended and enclosed in a sandwich in the deformable housing which, thanks to its structure and its constituent material, is capable of effectively absorbing vibrations.

[0019] The anti-vibration device of the invention thus contributes to improving the quality and acoustic comfort by eliminating, or at least significantly reducing, parasitic noise.

[0020] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the description which follows, with reference to the figures annexed and detailed below.

[0021] [Fig. 1] is an overall perspective view of a motor vehicle headlight provided with an embodiment of the anti-vibration device of the invention after assembly to the fan housing and a support.

[0022] [Fig.2A] is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of the anti-vibration device of the invention of [Fig.l] before assembly of the housing on the fan.

[0023] [Fig.2B] is a perspective view of the embodiment of the anti- vibrations of the invention of [Fig.2A] after assembly of the housing on the fan.

[0024] [Fig.3] is a top view of the anti-vibration device of Figures 2A and 2B.

[0025] [Fig.4A] is a top view in section along plane AA of [Fig.4B] of the anti-vibration device of the invention with the fan and its support.

[0026] [Fig.4B] is a side view in section along plane BB of [Fig.4A] of the anti-vibration device of the invention with the fan and its support.

[0027] For clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs throughout the figures.

[0028] Naturally, the embodiments of the device of the invention illustrated by the figures presented above and described below are given only as non-limiting examples. It is explicitly provided that different embodiments can be proposed and combined with each other to propose others.

[0029] The invention relates to the field of cooling the headlights of lighting and signaling systems fitted to motor vehicles. More particularly, the invention concerns the treatment of vibrations produced by the fans ensuring the partial or total cooling of these headlights because these vibrations are the source of parasitic noise.

[0030] [Fig. 1] represents a projector P equipped with cooling means comprising, in particular, a radiator R associated with a fan V housed in a support S.

[0031] As shown in [Fig.2A], the fan V is enclosed, in a manner known per se, in an external casing C which is open at its two longitudinal ends and opens to the outside via its two faces, respectively, of inlet C1 and outlet C2 of pulsed air, these two faces extending here in opposite manner along a longitudinal axis X. The fan V is further provided with means of fixing on the support S which is itself made integral with the projector P.

[0032] The invention consists in providing the fan V with an anti-vibration device or, more precisely, with a device capable and intended to dampen or absorb the vibrations produced by this fan.

[0033] For this purpose, the device of the invention comprises an intermediate housing 1 whose side wall 1a is made at least partially of elastomeric material and in which the casing C, enclosing the fan V, is intended to be inserted under stress by elastic deformation of the side wall 1a of the housing 1 which is designed to absorb vibrations. The assembly is carried out in the axis X of the fan V by separating the flexible retaining zones which will be described in detail below.

[0034] Thus, once housed in its support S, the fan V is suspended in a deformable casing 1 covering the entirety of the casing C and therefore of the body of the fan V, with the exception of the faces C1, C2 located opposite the blades so as not to obstruct the flow of pulsed air.

[0035] Generally, the housing 1 comprises internal projections which extend parallel to the longitudinal axis X of the casing C and which engage, when the fan V is mounted inside the damping housing 1, in cavities arranged opposite each other on the casing C to ensure its positioning and retention in the housing.

[0036] More precisely, and as illustrated by figures 2A, 3, the internal projections of the housing comprise, on the one hand, studs 11 for positioning the casing C which are carried by transverse shoulders 10 in contact with the air inlet face C1 of the fan V. These studs 11 are introduced into the cavities C0 of the casing C, arranged in the corners of the casing C and previously used to house fixing screws therein, as illustrated by [Fig.4B].

[0037] These internal projections of the housing comprise, on the other hand, at least two retaining ribs 12, arranged on the side wall 1a and cooperating with complementary ribs N arranged opposite on the upper part of the side wall of the casing C, as illustrated by FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3.

[0038] The side wall 1a of the housing 1 carries an external centering or keying finger 13 intended to cooperate with a complementary orifice SI provided on the support S of the fan, as illustrated by [Fig.4B]. The cooperation of the finger 13 with the orifice SI makes it possible to avoid assembly errors by correctly orienting the faces C1 and C2 of the casing C corresponding, respectively, to the inlet and outlet of the pulsed air.

[0039] The side wall 1a of the housing 1 is, in addition, provided with flexible external fins 14 intended to come into contact with the internal wall of the support S of the fan V, as illustrated by [Fig.4A].

[0040] These fins 14 are distributed uniformly on the side wall 1a of the housing 1 and extend in all directions while being inclined relative to the plane of the side wall 1a of the housing to facilitate assembly.

Claims

Claims

1. Anti-vibration device for a fan (V) ensuring the cooling of a motor vehicle headlight (P), said fan being provided, on the one hand, with a casing (C) opening to the outside via two faces, respectively, air inlet (C1) and outlet (C2), extending oppositely along a longitudinal axis (X) and, on the other hand, with means of fixing on a support (S) integral with the headlight, characterized in that it comprises an intermediate housing (1) whose side wall (la) is made at least partially of elastomeric material and in which said casing (C) is intended to be inserted under stress along the longitudinal axis (X) by elastic deformation of the side wall (la) of said housing;said housing comprises internal projections extending parallel to the longitudinal axis (X) of the casing (C) and engaging in cavities provided opposite each other on the casing to ensure its positioning and retention in the housing (1); said internal projections of the housing comprise housing positioning studs (11) carried by transverse shoulders (10) in contact with the air inlet face (Cl) of the fan (V).;

2. Anti-vibration device according to claim 1, characterized in that said internal projections of the housing (1) comprise at least two retaining ribs (12), arranged on its side wall (la) and cooperating with complementary ribs (N) arranged opposite on the side wall of the casing (C).

3. Anti-vibration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the side wall (la) of the housing (1) carries an external keying finger (13) intended to cooperate with a complementary orifice (SI) provided on said support (S) of the fan (V).

4. Anti-vibration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the side wall (la) of said housing is provided with flexible external fins (14) intended to come into contact with said support (S) of the fan (V).

5. Anti-vibration device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said external fins (14) are inclined relative to the plane of the side wall (la) of the housing.

6. Anti-vibration device according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that said external fins (14) are distributed uni-

7. formed on the side wall (la) of the housing and extend in all directions. Motor vehicle headlight equipped with a cooling fan provided with an anti-vibration device according to one of the preceding claims.

Images