Protective grille for motor vehicle

Abstract

Protective grille for a motor vehicle. Grille (10) for a motor vehicle, said grille (10) being intended to be arranged in an air intake area, the grille comprising a grid of cells (12), the cells (12) having an elliptical and / or polygonal shape, the grille (10) being characterized in that at least a portion of the cells (12) comprise a protrusion (16) having a free end (18) oriented towards the interior of the cell (12). Figure for the abbreviation: 6

Description

Title of the invention: Protective grille for a motor vehicle

[0001] The invention relates to a protective grille for an air intake area and more particularly to a protective grille for an air filter in a motor vehicle. The invention further relates to a motor vehicle equipped with a protective grille, or even with an air filter comprising such a grille according to the invention.

[0002] The object of the invention is to provide a protective grid having a structure that minimizes the amount of material used to offer maximum permeability while ensuring its protective function. Such a protective grid is configured to obstruct external elements having a size greater than or equal to predefined minimum dimensions.

[0003] The protective grille may be positioned in an air circuit, for example at an air guide or air intake scoop, or directly upstream of an air filter for an air conditioning system or for an air supply system for a component of a powertrain. The protective grille may be a motor vehicle grille.

[0004] To this end the invention relates to a grille for a motor vehicle, said grille being intended to be arranged in an air intake area, the grille comprising a network of alveoli, the alveoli having an elliptical and / or polygonal shape, the grille being characterized in that at least a part of the alveoli comprise at least one protrusion, one free end of which is oriented towards the interior of the alveolus.

[0005] In one embodiment, at least part of the cells have a polygonal shape.

[0006] In this embodiment, a base of a protuberance is located on a vertex of the polygon that forms a cell or on a side of the polygon that forms a cell.

[0007] In one embodiment, a free end of the protuberance is located between its base and the center of the alveolus.

[0008] In another embodiment, a free end of the protuberance is located substantially at the level of the center of the alveolus.

[0009] In one embodiment, a single cell of the network comprises a multitude of protrusions.

[0010] In one embodiment, the alveoli have protrusions having identical orientations.

[0011] In another embodiment, the alveoli have protrusions having different orientations.

[0012] In one embodiment, the protrusion and the wall(s) of the alveolus have identical thicknesses.

[0013] In another embodiment, the protrusion and the wall(s) of the alveolus have different thicknesses.

[0014] In one embodiment, the protrusion and / or the wall(s) of the alveolus have a draft angle.

[0015] In one embodiment, the cells have different shapes from each other.

[0016] In one embodiment, at least part of the cells have a hexagonal shape so as to form a honeycomb structure.

[0017] In one embodiment, the grid has a planar profile.

[0018] In another embodiment, the grid has a curved profile.

[0019] The invention further relates to an air filter for a motor vehicle which includes such a grid.

[0020] The invention further relates to a motor vehicle equipped with such a grille.

[0021] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with an air filter comprising such a grid.

[0022] These objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following description of a particular embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying figures, among which:

[0023] Figure [Fig. 1A] schematically illustrates a known state-of-the-art grid

[0024] Fig. 1B schematically illustrates another known state-of-the-art grid.

[0025] Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a first embodiment of a protective grid according to the invention.

[0026] Fig. 3A is a detail view of a cell of the protective grid of Fig. 2.

[0027] Fig. 3B schematically illustrates a variant of the alveolus of Fig. 3A.

[0028] Figure 3C schematically illustrates another variant of the alveoli shown in Figure 3A and 3B.

[0029] Fig. 4 schematically illustrates various variants of alveoli.

[0030] Fig. 5 schematically illustrates other variants of alveoli.

[0031] Figure 6 schematically illustrates another embodiment of a grid protection according to the invention.

[0032] Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a socket and a protuberance according to a first embodiment.

[0033] Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a socket and a protuberance according to an alternative embodiment.

[0034] Two examples of a 10' grid for a motor vehicle known from the prior art are described below with reference to Figures IA and 1AB. These figures each illustrate a sample of a 10' grid comprising a network of cells 12' forming a honeycomb structure. With reference to [Fig. 1A], the cells 12' have a square shape and are arranged in rows and columns to form a matrix. With reference to [Fig.1B], the 12' cells are rectangular in shape and are arranged in a staggered pattern.

[0035] These prior art embodiments have several drawbacks. In particular, the walls 14' of the quadrilateral-shaped cells 12' obstruct a significant portion of the air cross-section when these grilles 10' are mounted in an air intake area of ​​the motor vehicle. For example, for a grille 10 of 100 cm² with square cells 12' spaced 8 mm apart and a wall thickness 14' of at least 1.5 mm, the permeability of these prior art grilles 10' is less than 71%.

[0036] Furthermore, the size of each individual cell 12' must be smaller than the predefined minimum size of the external elements to ensure effective protection against them, i.e., to prevent these external elements from entering air ducts. This is illustrated in Figures IA and IB, in which the ellipses 15 represent the predefined dimensions of an external element that the protective grid 10' must retain to prevent said element from entering the filter and / or the duct equipped with such a protective grid. However, this restriction on the size of the cell 12' requires a fairly substantial volume of material to form the entire grid 10', resulting in a relatively high weight for a protective grid 10'.

[0037] Several embodiments of a protective grid 10 according to the invention are described below with reference to figures 2 to 6. These embodiments aim to provide a solution to the problems identified with the known embodiments of the prior art by remedying the disadvantages described above and by proposing improved protective grids 10.

[0038] Common to all embodiments, a protective grille 10 for a motor vehicle according to the invention comprises a network of cells 12 forming a honeycomb structure. These cells 12 have an elliptical and / or polygonal shape. Furthermore, at least a portion of the cells 12 of the network includes a protrusion 16, a free end 18 of which is oriented towards the interior of the cell 12. The term "protrusion" here refers to a long, thin, straight outgrowth, similar to a rod or a nipple. Such a protrusion may have a cylindrical shape or the shape of a prism. The free end 18 of the protrusion may be flat or rounded.

[0039] The presence of the protrusion 16 at the center of the cell 12 ensures the protective function of the grid 10 against external elements exceeding a predefined minimum size, while allowing the cell 12 to be larger. In this way, the protective grid 10 offers improved permeability, resulting in better air circulation through the grid 10. protection.

[0040] Such a protective grid 10 can be made of plastic, for example by molding and / or plastic injection. Alternatively, such a protective grid 10 can be made of metallic material. In this particular case, the protective grid 10 made of metallic material is similar to a wire mesh and can, in particular, be made by braiding and / or welding metal wires. The size of the cells can be adapted according to the type of external elements against which the protective grid 10 is to provide protection. A cell can have such a shape that said cell fits within a circle with a diameter of between 8 mm and 40 mm, preferably between 10 mm and 20 mm. Thus, in the case where the protective grid 10 serves, for example, as a cigarette butt guard, a cell typically has a size of between 50 and 70 mm², thereby making it possible to obstruct objects with a length of at least 8 mm.In cases where the protective grid 10 is used, for example, as a stone guard, a cell typically has a size greater than 100 mm², thus allowing it to block objects with a length of at least 17 mm. The protective grid 10 can also include a network of cells whose geometry varies according to their position on the grid, which can, for example, serve both as a cigarette butt guard and a stone guard.

[0041] According to another embodiment, a protective grid 10 can be imagined in which the walls 14 of the cells 12 comprise one material while the protrusions 16 comprise another material. In this particular embodiment, the material used for the protrusions 16 is, for example, more impact-resistant than the material used for the walls 14 of the cells 12.

[0042] In this embodiment, the protuberances 16 can be added parts which can be attached to the walls 14 of the cells 12, either permanently or in a removable manner.

[0043] In this same embodiment, the protrusions 16 may have a different color from the color of the walls 14 of the alveoli 12. In this way, the colored protrusions can be arranged so as to form together an image that stands out from a background formed by the walls 14 of the alveoli 12. This image may, for example, correspond to a logo or a brand of a manufacturer.

[0044] According to another embodiment, the alveoli 12 may have protrusions 16 having identical orientations, as illustrated in [Fig.2], or different orientations, as illustrated in [Fig.6]. In the example illustrated in [Fig.2], all the protrusions 16 are oriented in the same direction.

[0045] In the case where the alveoli 12 have protrusions 16 having different orientations from each other, as illustrated in [Fig. 6], these protrusions can be arranged so as to form together an image that is distinct from a background formed by the walls 14 of the cells 12. Here again, this image could for example correspond to a logo or a brand of a manufacturer.

[0046] A great many geometries can be envisaged for the alveoli 12 and for the protrusions 16 of such a protective grid 10.

[0047] Thus, according to a preferred embodiment of a protective grid 10 according to the invention illustrated in [Fig. 2], the protective grid 10 comprises a network of hexagonal cells 12 forming a honeycomb structure. Other polygonal shapes are conceivable for the cells 12, in particular a triangular shape, a quadrilateral shape such as a square, rhombus, or rectangle, or even a pentagonal shape, or any other polygonal shape. Cells 12 with elliptical shapes, in particular circular or oval, can also be considered. These variations in cell shape are illustrated in particular in Figures 4 and 5. However, a hexagonal shape appears to offer the best compromise.

[0048] According to one embodiment, at least part of the cells 12, or all of the cells 12 of the protective grid 10, comprise a protrusion 16 of which a free end 18 is oriented towards the interior of the cell 12.

[0049] According to a first embodiment, a base 20 of the protrusion 16 is located on one side of the polygonal cavity 12, and more particularly at the midpoint of one of the sides of the polygon that forms the cavity 12. This is illustrated in particular in [Fig. 3A] for the preferred embodiment and in [Fig. 4] for variants of this first embodiment. In addition, a free end 18 of the protrusion 16 is located at the center of the cavity 12, which is also illustrated in [Fig. 3A]. Alternatively, the protrusion 16 may be shorter, so that its free end 18 is not located exactly in the center of the alveolus 12, but closer to the wall 14 to which the base 20 of the alveolus 12 is attached, as illustrated for one of the pentagonal-shaped alveoli 12 in [Fig.4].

[0050] According to one variant, the base 20 of the protuberance 16 can be located at the top of the polygon which forms the alveolus 12. This is illustrated for example in [Fig.3B]. It will be noted that a height hl in the case where the base 20 of the protuberance 16 is located in the middle of one of the sides of the hexagon which forms the alveolus 12 is less than a height h2 in the case where the base 20 of the protuberance 16 is located at the top of the polygon which forms the alveolus 12. A location of the base 20 of the protuberance 16 in the middle of one of the sides of the polygon which forms the alveolus 12 is therefore generally preferred, on the one hand because this embodiment requires less material and on the other hand because such a location of the protuberance 16 proves less restrictive in the case where the protective grid 10 is manufactured by plastic injection.Indeed, in the case where the base 20 of the protuberance 16 is located at the top of the polygon that forms the alveolus 12, this can induce a knot which can complicate the injection of the material to the . manufacturing process.

[0051] It is, however, quite possible to imagine a protective grid 10 comprising both one or more cells having a polygonal shape, and for each of said cells a base 20 of a protrusion 16 located on one side of the polygon; and one or more cells having a polygonal shape, and for each of said cells a base 20 of a protrusion 16 located at the apex of the polygon. Several examples of polygonal cells 12 having a base 20 of a protrusion 16 located at the apex of the polygon are illustrated in [Fig. 5].

[0052] According to another embodiment, a single cell 12 of the network forming the protective grid 10 can have a multitude of protrusions 16, as illustrated in particular in [Fig. 3C]. In this particular embodiment, a polygonal cell 12, in this case hexagonal in [Fig. 3C], has two distinct protrusions 16. The bases 20 of these protrusions 16 are each located in the middle of one of the sides of the polygon forming the cell 12. It should be noted that in the case illustrated in [Fig. 3C], the two sides bearing the protrusions 16 are not adjacent; this allows for a good compromise between the permeability of a protective grid 10 comprising such cells 12 and the material required to manufacture said protective grid 10.

[0053] It should be noted that the height h3 of these two protrusions 16 is less than the height hl of the protrusion 16 illustrated in [Fig. 3A], which is itself less than the height h2 of the protrusion 16 illustrated in [Fig. 3B]. Generally speaking, the height of the protrusion 16 partly determines the minimum size of the external element 15 that the protective grid 10 is able to retain.

[0054] According to a particular embodiment of the protective grid 10, it can comprise a multitude of cells 12 that have different shapes, as illustrated in [Fig. 6]. In this way, a single protective grid 10 can have distinct zones with different permeabilities. Furthermore, such a hybrid structure in the cells 12 can allow for greater flexibility in shaping the grid 10. Thus, one can imagine a flat protective grid 10 or a curved protective grid 10.

[0055] In the case where the alveoli are shallow, that is to say, where the thickness e1 of the wall(s) 14 of the alveoli 12 is less than 2 mm, the protrusion(s) 16 have a constant thickness e2, as illustrated in [Fig. 7]. The thickness e2 of the protrusion 16 may be less than, equal to, or greater than the thickness e1 of the wall(s) 14 of the alveoli 12. In general, a cross-section of the protrusion 16 may be less than, equal to, or greater than a cross-section of the wall(s) 14 of the alveoli 12.

[0056] Alternatively, in the case where the alveoli are deeper, that is to say in the In cases where the thickness e1 of the wall(s) 14 of the cells 12 is, for example, greater than 2 mm, the protrusion(s) 16 may have a variable thickness e2 along said protrusion 16 with a draft angle that facilitates the demolding of the grid 10 during its injection molding. This embodiment is illustrated more particularly in [Fig. 8].

[0057] It is also possible to imagine a protective grid 10 in which the cells 12 and / or the protrusions 16 have distinct thicknesses e1, e2 from one cell 12 to another. This makes it possible, for example, to reinforce the protective grid 10 by increasing the thickness of the protrusions 16 and / or the walls 14 of the cells 12 in certain areas. The protective grid 10 can thus include more rigid zones, particularly in a central area of ​​the protective grid 10 where the probability of an impact with an external element 15 is greater.

[0058] In addition or alternatively, the edges of the protective grid 10 can also be reinforced, in particular when the edges of the protective grid 10 serve as a connection zone with the environment in which said protective grid 10 is installed.

[0059] It is thus possible to design a protective grid 10 which minimizes the amount of material used for the cells 12 which form a honeycomb structure within the grid and which thus offers maximum permeability while ensuring its protective function.

Claims

Claims

1. Grille (10) for a motor vehicle, said grille (10) being intended to be arranged in an air intake zone, the grille comprising a network of cells (12), the cells (12) having an elliptical and / or polygonal shape, the grille (10) being characterized in that at least a portion of the cells (12) comprise at least one protuberance (16) of which a free end (18) is oriented towards the interior of the cell (12).

2. Grid according to claim 1, characterized in that at least a part of the cells (12) have a polygonal shape and in that a base (20) of a protuberance (16) is located on a vertex of the polygon which forms a cell (12) or on a side of the polygon which forms a cell (12).

3. Grid according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a free end (18) of the protuberance (16) is located between its base and the center of the cell (12) or in that a free end (18) of the protuberance (16) is located substantially at the center of the cell.

4. Grid according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the same cell (12) of the network comprises a multitude of protuberances (16).

5. Grid according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cells (12) have protuberances (16) having identical or different orientations.

6. Grid according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the protuberance (16) and the wall(s) (14) of the cell (12) have identical thicknesses or different thicknesses.

7. Grid according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the protuberance (16) and / or the wall(s) (14) of the cell (12) have a clearance angle.

8. Grid according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cells (12) have different shapes from each other.

9. Grid according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least part of the cells (12) have a hexagonal shape so as to form a honeycomb structure.

10. Grid according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a flat profile or a curved profile.

11. Air filter for a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a grid (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

12. Motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a grid according to any one of claims 1 to 10, or an air filter according to the preceding claim.

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