AIR CONVEYING DEVICE BETWEEN AN AIR INTAKE GRILLE AND EQUIPMENT ON A LAND VEHICLE
The integration of a rigid rear frame with stiffening ribs in air conveying devices addresses air leaks and noise issues, ensuring optimal equipment performance and airflow by minimizing deformation and maintaining airtight seals.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- STELLANTIS AUTO SAS
- Filing Date
- 2022-05-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-22
AI Technical Summary
Existing air conveying devices in land vehicles suffer from air leaks and deformation due to flexibility, leading to suboptimal equipment performance and noise generation under varying conditions, especially when exposed to gravity, vibrations, and shocks.
Incorporating a rigid rear frame with a flexible front frame featuring stiffening ribs to limit deformation, ensuring airtight seals and reducing noise by maintaining the geometry of the lower wall, even under stress.
The solution provides airtight seals and reduces noise, allowing equipment to operate optimally by preventing air leaks and turbulence, while maintaining efficient airflow and reducing manufacturing costs.
Smart Images
Figure 00000011_0000 
Figure 00000011_0001 
Figure 00000012_0000
Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: AIR CONVEYING DEVICE BETWEEN AN AIR INTAKE GRILLE AND EQUIPMENT ON A LAND VEHICLE Technical field of the invention
[0001] The invention relates to land vehicles comprising at least one piece of equipment to be supplied with air having passed through an air inlet grille, and more specifically to air conveying devices which are intended to be interposed between such air inlet grilles and equipment(s) to convey air to the latter. State of the art
[0002] Certain land vehicles include at least one piece of equipment requiring an air supply, and an air intake grille (for example, forming part of a bumper or front shield) designed to allow air to pass through it for supplying this equipment located behind it (or downstream). For example, this equipment may be a heat exchanger (possibly a radiator), a turbocharger, a heating and / or air conditioning system, or at least part of the engine compartment.
[0003] In this type of (land) vehicle, the airflow between the air intake grille and the equipment is generally ensured by an air conveying device interposed between them. To facilitate the positioning (or clamping) of this air conveying device against the rear face of the air intake grille, it has been proposed, notably in patent document FR-B1 2981887, that it comprise a flexible front frame fixedly attached to a front portion of a rigid rear frame (fixedly attached to the equipment). It will be understood that the flexibility of this front frame allows it to deform slightly during the installation of its air conveying device and thus adapt to possible variations in the distance between the air intake grille and the equipment.
[0004] A drawback of this type of front frame is that at least its lower wall deforms under gravity due to its flexibility. This means it does not provide a very good airtight seal at the interface with the air intake grille, and therefore allows air leaks that can prevent the equipment from operating optimally or at maximum capacity under certain operating conditions related to climate and / or topography and / or a specific performance requirement. This is the case, for example, when the equipment is a radiator and the outside temperature is very high, or when the equipment is a turbocharger that must provide supercharging. maximum when the vehicle is at altitude. It should be noted that the extent of the aforementioned air leaks can also vary depending on the vibrations produced by the land vehicle and / or the shocks it sustains. It should also be noted that the drawback described above is exacerbated when the lower wall of the front frame is, by design, inclined downwards relative to the lower wall of the rear frame.
[0005] Furthermore, the flexibility of the front frame can cause annoying friction noises when the deformation varies.
[0006] The invention therefore aims in particular to improve the situation. Presentation of the invention
[0007] In particular, it proposes for this purpose an air conveying device, on the one hand, intended to equip a land vehicle comprising an air inlet grille suitable for allowing air to pass towards at least one piece of equipment located at the rear, and, on the other hand, comprising a rigid rear frame suitable for being coupled to this equipment and at least one flexible front frame, fixedly attached to a first front part of this rear frame and suitable for contacting the air inlet grille.
[0008] This air conveying device is characterized in that its (each) front frame includes a lower wall provided with at least one stiffening rib extending in a general direction of air conveying between the air inlet grille and the equipment, in order to limit deformation by gravity of this lower wall.
[0009] Thanks to the rigidity given to the second lower wall, its deformation by gravity is significantly reduced, or even eliminated, and therefore it offers a very good airtight seal at the interface with the air inlet grille, including in the presence of vibrations and / or shocks, allowing the equipment supplied with conveyed air to operate optimally or at maximum.
[0010] The air conveying device according to the invention may include other features which may be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:
[0011] - the lower wall of the (of each) front frame may include two ribs of rigidification spaced apart from each other;
[0012] - each stiffening rib can have a cross-section in the shape general of U or V;
[0013] - the lower wall of the (of each) front frame may be at least partially inclined downwards relative to a lower wall of the rear frame which it extends forwards;
[0014] - at least the lower wall of the (of each) front frame may include a second front part having a thickness less than the thickness of one part complementary to this lower wall extending towards the first front part of the rear frame and designed to improve a seal against the air intake grille;
[0015] - the rear frame may include a lower wall extended forwards by the lower wall of the front frame and provided with at least one additional rib extending rearward from an associated stiffening rib and having a cross-section identical to a cross-section of the latter;
[0016] - in the presence of the first option, each complementary rib can include a rear face intended to be oriented towards the (corresponding) equipment and closed;
[0017] - the (each) front frame can be overmolded onto the first front part (corresponding) of the rear frame;
[0018] - it may comprise two front frames fixedly joined and respectively to two sub-parts of the rear frame.
[0019] The invention also proposes a land vehicle, possibly of the automobile type, and comprising a front part having, on the one hand, an air inlet grille suitable for allowing air to pass towards at least one piece of equipment located at the rear, and, on the other hand, an air conveying device of the type presented above and interposed between this air inlet grille and this equipment to channel at least towards the latter the air which has passed through the air inlet grille. Brief description of the figures
[0020] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from an examination of the detailed description below, and the accompanying drawings (obtained using CAD / CAM (“Computer-Aided Design / Computer-Aided Manufacturing”)), in which:
[0021] [Fig-1] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view from the front side, a example of an embodiment of an interface device to which is attached an example of an embodiment of an air conveying device according to the invention,
[0022] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view from the front side, the frame rigid rear of the air conveying device of [Fig. 1], before its attachment to the interface device,
[0023] [Fig.3] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view from the front side, a front assembly comprising two flexible front frames coupled by a connecting sub-part, before it becomes part of the air conveying device of the [Fig.1],
[0024] [Fig.4] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view from the rear, a part of the first and second lower walls of the air conveying device of [Fig. 1], at the level of their respective complementary ribs and stiffening ribs,
[0025] [Fig. 5] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view from the front side, a portion of the second lower wall and second front portion of a flexible front frame of the air conveying device of [Fig. 1], at the level of a stiffening rib, and
[0026] [Fig.6] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view from the rear side, a part of the second lower wall of a flexible front frame of the air conveying device of [Fig.1], at the level of a rear part of a stiffening rib, and before coupling to the rear frame. Detailed description of the invention
[0027] The invention aims in particular to provide a DC air conveying device intended to be interposed between an air inlet grille and at least one piece of equipment of a land vehicle, and with CVj front frame(s) with reduced deformation.
[0028] In what follows, it is considered, by way of non-limiting example, that the DC air conveying device is intended to be part of a motor vehicle, such as a car. However, the invention is not limited to this type of motor vehicle. Indeed, a DC air conveying device according to the invention can be part of any motor vehicle comprising at least one piece of equipment that must be supplied with air having passed through an air intake grille.
[0029] It will be noted that the air which is located in front of the front end of the (land) vehicle flows from the front to the rear of this vehicle (arrows fl and f2 of [Fig.l]).
[0030] Furthermore, in what follows and precedes, the terms front and rear are understood in relation to the longitudinal direction X of the (land) vehicle. Consequently, a front part or face of an element is oriented towards the front end of the vehicle, while the rear part or face of the same element is oriented towards the rear of the vehicle and therefore opposite to the front part or face.
[0031] In figures 1 to 6, the X direction is the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which is parallel to the side sides (including any side doors), the Y direction is the transverse direction of the vehicle, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X, and the Z direction is the vertical direction of the vehicle, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y.
[0032] Figure 1 schematically illustrates an example of an embodiment of a DC air conveying device according to the invention, intended to be interposed between an air intake grille and at least one piece of equipment on a (land) vehicle. In this example, the DC air conveying device is attached, for example by clipping, to an example of an embodiment of a DI interface device. This DI interface device includes, in particular, a frame (or support) to which the DC air conveying device is attached and which is intended to be fixedly attached to the front face of at least one piece of equipment, for example by screwing and / or clipping. But the device of DC air conveying could be fixedly attached to the front face of at least one piece of equipment.
[0033] For example, this equipment may be a heat exchange device, such as a radiator. But it may be any equipment that needs to be supplied with air that has passed through an air intake grille, and in particular a turbocharger, a heating and / or air conditioning system, or at least part of the vehicle's engine compartment.
[0034] By way of illustrative example, the equipment may be responsible for ensuring the thermal control of an electric motive machine forming part of the powertrain (or PMT) of the vehicle.
[0035] It should be noted that the air intake grille may, for example, be part of the front bumper (or shield) of the vehicle. But this is not mandatory.
[0036] As illustrated at least partially in Figures 1 to 3, a DC air conveying device according to the invention comprises a rigid CR rear frame and at least one flexible CVj front frame.
[0037] It should be noted that in the example illustrated, but not limited to, in Figures 1 to 3, the air conveying device DC comprises a rear frame CR having two sub-parts SPj (j = 1 or 2) to which two front frames CVj are respectively attached. For example, this can allow conveying part of the air from the air intake grille (arrow fl) via the first front frame CV1 (j = 1) and the first associated sub-part SP1 to an area of the engine compartment (in order to control the temperature under the hood), and another part of the air from the air intake grille (arrow f2) via the second front frame CV2 (j = 2) and the second associated sub-part SP2 to the front face of the equipment (here a radiator).
[0038] But the DC air conveying device could include a simple CR rear frame and a single CVj front frame.
[0039] The rear frame CR is designed to be coupled to at least one piece of equipment (here a radiator). Each possible sub-part SPj of this rear frame CR includes a first lower wall PII which contributes to conveying air to the rear.
[0040] Each front frame CVj is flexible, fixedly attached to a first front portion PV1 of the rear frame CR, and designed to contact the air inlet grille. Furthermore, each front frame CVj comprises a second lower wall PI2 equipped with at least one stiffening rib NR, and extending forward, at its first front portion PV1, a first associated lower wall PII of the rear frame CR. Each stiffening rib NR extends along the general direction of airflow between the air inlet grille and the equipment (arrows fl and f2, here parallel to the longitudinal direction X), in order to limit the deformation due to gravity of its second lower wall PI2.
[0041] It will be understood that each stiffening rib NR provides rigidity to its second lower wall PI2, and thus significantly reduces, or even eliminates, the deformation that gravity would cause in its absence due to the flexibility of this second lower wall PI2. Since the sagging of each second lower wall PI2 is now very small, or even nonexistent, this second lower wall PI2 retains essentially its original geometry and therefore offers excellent airtightness at the interface with the air inlet grille, preventing air leaks, even in the presence of vibrations and / or shocks. This allows the equipment supplied with conveyed air to operate optimally or at maximum capacity. Furthermore, with improved contact (or abutment) on the air inlet grille, the (each) front frame CVj is no longer likely to generate troublesome friction noises.
[0042] Furthermore, each stiffening rib NR advantageously creates turbulence in its DC air conveying device. Indeed, the non-planar shape of each stiffening rib NR breaks the incoming airflow and thus prevents the formation of a laminar flow at the lower walls PII and PI2 and the upper walls of the DC air conveying device, thereby preventing the generation of annoying whistling noises.
[0043] Furthermore, the invention makes it possible to avoid having to add inserts in the (each) second lower wall PI2 of a front frame CVj, which makes it possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the DC air conveying device.
[0044] For example, and as illustrated, but not limited to, in Figures 1, 3, and 4, each second lower wall PI2 of a front frame CVj may comprise two stiffening ribs NR spaced apart, and preferably parallel to each other. This further limits the possibility of deformation (or sagging) of each second lower wall PI2, and especially the magnitude of each deformation.
[0045] However, the number of stiffening ribs NR can take any value greater than or equal to one. It should be noted that when the (each) second lower wall PI2 comprises a single stiffening rib NR, the latter (NR) is preferentially centered along the transverse direction Y between the two opposite lateral ends of this second lower wall PI2.
[0046] Also, for example, and as illustrated without limitation in Figures 1 and 3 to 6, each stiffening rib NR may have a cross-section in the general shape of a U or a V. Preferably, this cross-section has the general shape of an inverted U or an inverted V, as illustrated. But this is not mandatory.
[0047] Also, for example, and as illustrated without limitation and at least partially in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the (each) second lower wall PI2 of a front frame CVj may be at least partially inclined downwards with respect to the The corresponding first lower wall PII of the rear frame CR. This is made possible by the presence of the stiffening rib(s) NR. This allows for a larger inlet cross-section of each front frame CVj, and therefore conveys a greater quantity of air into each sub-section of the air conveying device DC. Due to this partial inclination, each stiffening rib NR follows the curvature of its second lower wall PI2 and thus has a curved shape.
[0048] But in an alternative embodiment, the (each) second lower wall PI2 of a front frame CVj could be substantially flat.
[0049] Also, for example, and as illustrated without limitation in Figures 3 and 5, at least one (each) second lower wall PI2 of a front frame CVj may include a second front portion PV2 oriented towards the air inlet grille and having a thickness that is less than that of the complementary portion of this second lower wall PI2 that extends towards the first front portion PV1 of the rear frame CR. This thinner (or reduced-thickness) second front portion PV2 is designed to improve the fit of its second lower wall PI2 against the air inlet grille, and thus to further reduce the probability of an air leak occurring at the interface between this second lower wall PI2 and the air inlet grille.This results from the fact that each second part before PV2 is more easily deformable than the remaining part of its second lower wall PI2 and therefore allows a reduction of the bearing forces on the air inlet grille (which facilitates the assembly of the DC air conveying device).
[0050] Also, for example, and as illustrated without limitation in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the first lower wall PII of each subpart SPj can be provided with at least one additional rib NC extending rearward from an associated stiffening rib NR of the second lower wall PI2, which extends it forward. Each additional rib NC has a cross-section identical to the cross-section of the associated stiffening rib NR that extends it forward. This option allows the stiffening ribs NR to be extended into the rear frame CR, and thus increases the volume of the areas in which turbulence is created within the air conveying device DC.
[0051] It should be noted that in order to prevent air from escaping through the rear ends of the NC complementary ribs, it is advantageous, as illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig.4], that each NC complementary rib includes a rear face FR intended to be oriented towards the equipment and closed.
[0052] Also, for example, and as illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig. 6], the (each) second lower wall PI2 may include, in the extension of each stiffening rib NR (as well as preferably slightly on either side and On the other hand, there is a rear sub-section (SPN) of the latter (NR) which is shaped to pass under (and against) the associated complementary rib (NC). This improves the quality of the bond between a stiffening rib (NR) and the associated complementary rib (NC) at their interface, thus preventing local air leakage.
[0053] It should also be noted that the (each) front frame CVj can be overmolded onto the first front part PV1 of the rear frame CR. In the case of the DC air conveying device illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, it is a front assembly EV, comprising the two front frames CVj and a sub-part SP3 ensuring the connection between the front frames CVj and closing a gap in the rear frame CR, which is overmolded onto the first front part PV1 of the rear frame CR.
[0054] But in an alternative embodiment the rear frame CR could be made using a first mold, a front assembly EV could be made using a second mold, and this rear frame CR and this front assembly EV could be fixedly joined to each other, for example by gluing or welding.
[0055] For example, each EV assembly before the EV can be made of a flexible elastomer-type material. Thus, it can, for example, be made of Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer (or EPDM).
Claims
Demands
1. Air conveying device (DC) intended to equip a land vehicle comprising an air inlet grille adapted to allow air to pass towards at least one piece of equipment located at the rear, said device (DC) comprising a rigid rear frame (CR) adapted to be coupled to said equipment and at least one flexible front frame (CVj), fixedly attached to a first front part (PV1) of said rear frame (CR) and adapted to contact said air inlet grille, characterized in that said front frame (CVj) comprises a lower wall (PI2) provided with at least one stiffening rib (NR) extending in a general direction of conveying said air between said air inlet grille and said equipment, in order to limit deformation by gravity of this lower wall (PI2),and in that at least said lower wall (PI2) of the front frame (CVj) comprises a second front part (PV2) having a thickness less than the thickness of a complementary part of said lower wall (PI2) extending towards said first front part (PV1) of the rear frame (CR) and suitable for improving a seal against said air inlet grille.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said lower wall (PI2) of the front frame (CVj) comprises two stiffening ribs (NR) spaced apart from each other.
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each stiffening rib (NR) has a cross-section in the general shape of U or V.
4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said lower wall (PI2) of the front frame (CVj) is at least partly inclined downwards with respect to a lower wall (PII) of said rear frame (CR) which it extends forwards.
5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said rear frame (CR) comprises a lower wall (PII) extended forward by said lower wall (PI2) of the front frame (CVj) and provided with at least one additional rib (NC) extending backward a related stiffening rib (NR) and having a cross-section identical to a cross-section of the latter (NR).
6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that each complementary rib (NC) comprises a rear face (FR) intended to be oriented towards said equipment and closed.
7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said front frame (CVj) is overmolded onto said first front part (PV1) of the rear frame (CR).
8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises two front frames (CVj) fixedly attached respectively to two sub-parts (SPj) of said rear frame (CR).
9. Land vehicle comprising a front part having an air inlet grille adapted to allow air to pass towards at least one piece of equipment located at the rear, characterized in that it further comprises an air conveying device (DC) according to any one of the preceding claims, interposed between said air inlet grille and said equipment to channel at least towards the latter said air having passed through said air inlet grille.