AIR SUCTION DEVICE OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE ENGINE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cover plate (1) for a motor vehicle radiator comprising an opening (4) for the passage of an element for closing an engine hood, characterized in that it comprises a suction pipe (7) comprising an air suction orifice located in the vicinity of the opening (4). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: AIR SUCTION DEVICE FOR THE ENGINE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of vehicles equipped with an internal combustion engine. More particularly, the invention relates to a cover plate for a motor vehicle radiator equipped with an air suction device and a vehicle subassembly comprising such a radiator cover plate.

[0002] For better performance of internal combustion engines it is preferable that it sucks in fresh air whose density is higher than warmer air.

[0003] Furthermore, the engine hood of the vehicle generally rests on a transverse part called a frame which notably includes an opening for the passage of the lock and another opening for the passage of the engine hood closing hook. These openings are also useful for allowing fresh air from the outside to be sprayed onto the top of the engine when the vehicle is traveling at medium or high speed.

[0004] However, during certain phases of the vehicle's life, in particular the engine restart phases or during idling phases or during heat waves or even when the vehicle is moving at low speed or during a traffic jam, the hot air inside the engine underhood infiltrates through these openings of this transverse frame towards the engine air intake inlet under the effect of the engine suction. This phenomenon of hot air suction negatively impacts the operation of the engine and degrades its performance as already mentioned.

[0005] One solution may be to use bonnet nose seals around the openings to prevent hot air from seeping into the intake, but as already indicated, the openings on the frame play an important role in the fresh air flow to the top of the engine at medium and high vehicle speeds. The implementation of the bonnet nose seals prevents the top of the engine from being sprayed.

[0006] The invention aims to solve this problem by proposing according to the invention a cover plate for a motor vehicle radiator comprising an opening for the passage of a closing element of an engine hood, characterized in that it comprises a suction pipe comprising an air suction orifice located in the vicinity of the opening.

[0007] The technical effect is to allow the suction of air passing through the passage opening of the closing element of the engine hood.

[0008] Various additional features may be provided, alone or in combination:

[0009] According to one embodiment, the suction pipe at least partially surrounds the passage opening.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the suction pipe comprises a plurality of air suction orifices distributed along the suction pipe.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the suction pipe forms a U around the passage opening.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the suction pipe is integral with said cover plate.

[0013] The invention also relates to a vehicle subassembly, characterized in that it comprises a cover plate according to one of the variants previously described, a valve fluidly connected to the suction pipe and an air suction pump fluidly connected to the valve.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the air suction pump is a vacuum pump of a vacuum circuit of the vehicle.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the subassembly comprises a valve control unit configured to open the valve and allow suction when the vehicle is below a determined speed threshold.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the speed threshold is between 0 and 25 km / h.

[0017] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a subassembly conforming to one of the variants previously described.

[0018] Other features and advantages will appear on reading the following description of a particular, non-limiting embodiment of the invention, given with reference to the figures in which:

[0019] [Fig. 1]: this figure represents a first embodiment of the invention.

[0020] [Fig.2]: this figure represents another embodiment of the invention.

[0021] [Fig.3]: this figure represents a detail of the suction pipe.

[0022] [Fig.l] shows a first embodiment of the invention. [Fig.l] shows a motor vehicle part 1 which is usually referred to in the trade as a frame, which has the shape of a plate extending transversely in the engine hood space, that is to say in the direction of the width of the vehicle (along the Y axis in [Fig.l]), at the front of the latter (the front of the vehicle is indicated by the direction of the X axis in [Fig.l]). This plate 1 is placed in the engine hood space above the engine cooling radiator and covers this radiator. The air intake inlet is located under this plate 1 and can be integrated into a beam. This frame 1 can for example be made of plastic. An engine hood, not shown, is positioned in the closed position above this plate 1 covering the radiator. The edge of the engine hood is positioned at the level of the dotted line 2. The frame 1 can be partly covered by a vehicle front grille 3.

[0023] The frame 1 comprises a first opening 4 which allows the passage of an element for closing the engine hood, here a lock 5. The frame 1 may comprise another opening 6 which allows the passage of another element for closing the engine hood, for example the hook for closing the engine hood.

[0024] According to the invention, provision is made to add an air suction duct 7 and at least one air suction orifice located in the vicinity of each opening 4, 6. In the vicinity here means sufficiently close to the opening so that the hot air passing through the opening 4, 6 can be sucked in through the suction orifice of the duct 7. As shown in [Fig.l], the suction duct 7 at least partly surrounds each passage opening 4, 6. In this embodiment, the suction duct 7 forms a common U-shaped suction ramp with two parallel branches 7b. The U-shaped suction duct 7 surrounds the two passage openings 4, 6 of the lock and the engine hood hook.

[0025] [Fig. 3] shows a detail of the suction pipe 7 in an embodiment where provision is made to distribute several suction orifices 7a along the pipe in order to improve the suction capacity.

[0026] The suction pipe 7 can be attached to the radiator cover plate 1. For reasons of integration, it can advantageously be provided that the suction pipe 7 is made in one piece with the plate 1, that is to say integrated into the plate so as to form a single piece obtained for example by molding.

[0027] The suction pipe 7 is fluidically connected, for example by means of a pipe 8 to a valve 10, for example a solenoid valve, this valve 10 itself being connected to a suction pump 9. The operation of the solenoid valve 10 and the pump 9 is controlled by a control unit, for example an electronic computer 11.

[0028] The suction pump 9 may be a vacuum pump of a vacuum circuit, not shown, of the vehicle. Such a vacuum pump already exists on the vehicle for other functions such as braking, this avoids adding one. The hot air is sucked in by depression by the pump 9 and can be evacuated to the brake amplifier, not shown.

[0029] Provision may be made to activate the air suction depending on the vehicle's running. Thus, the control unit 11 of the valve 10 may be configured to open the valve 10 and authorize suction when the vehicle is below a determined speed threshold.

[0030] When activating the suction when the vehicle is traveling at low speed, the speed threshold is preferably between 0 km / h and 25 km / h.

[0031] [Fig. 2] shows another embodiment. This embodiment differs from that shown in [Fig. 1] in that here each passage opening 4, 6 is framed by a separate U formed by the suction pipe 7. Optionally, the U can be partly closed by a return 7C as illustrated around the passage opening 4 of the lock 5 of the engine hood.

[0032] The invention thus makes it possible to prevent the passage of hot air through the openings and thus prevent this hot air from arriving in the air intake line of the engine. This improves the performance of the engine and its comfort, in particular in living situations where the vehicle is at low speed and reduces fuel consumption. The invention has little impact on the space taken up in the under-hood space and its production cost is reduced.

Claims

Claims

1. Vehicle subassembly, characterized in that it comprises a plate (1) for covering a motor vehicle radiator comprising an opening (4) for the passage of a closing element of an engine hood, the plate comprising a suction pipe (7) comprising an air suction orifice (7a) located in the vicinity of the opening (4), a valve (10) fluidly connected to the suction pipe (7) and an air suction pump (9) fluidly connected to the valve (10), the air suction pump (9) being a vacuum pump of a vacuum circuit of the vehicle.

2. Subassembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the suction pipe (7) at least partially surrounds the passage opening (4).

3. Subassembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the suction pipe (7) comprises a plurality of air suction orifices (7a) distributed along the suction pipe (7).

4. Subassembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the suction pipe (7) forms a U around the passage opening (4).

5. Subassembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the suction pipe (7) is integral with said cover plate (1).

6. Subassembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a control unit (11) of the valve (10) configured to open the valve (10) and allow suction when the vehicle is below a determined speed threshold.

7. Subassembly according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the speed threshold is between 0 and 25 km / h.

8. Motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a subassembly according to one of claims 1 to 7.

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