Airflow control device, vehicle assembly and front end, in particular motor vehicle, comprising such a device

Abstract

An airflow control device, said device comprising a frame (2) having at least one passage (4) for said airflow, said device further comprising a set of adjustable blades (14) articulated for rotation about respective axes of rotation (16a, 16b) to modulate the circulation of said airflow through said passage as a function of the angular orientation of said blades (14), said device further comprising one or more mounting pieces (16) attached to said frame (2), said blades (14) being articulated for rotation on said mounting piece(s) (16). Figure for the abbreviation: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Device for controlling an air flow, assembly and front face of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising such a device

[0001] The invention relates to a device for controlling an air flow. It also relates to an assembly comprising such a device and a part of said device present in said assembly according to different types in order to allow said device to be used according to chosen orientations. It also relates to a vehicle front face comprising such a device, oriented according to a given configuration of said front face.

[0002] In this field, front faces of motor vehicles are known, comprising grilles allowing a passage for an air flow under the hood of the vehicle while blocking projectiles which could be dangerous, such as stones or gravel. It is also known to provide the front faces with a device for controlling said air flow in order to be able to open or close the passage, or even to control the flow rate more precisely.

[0003] Devices have already been proposed in this sense, comprising a frame and a set of adjustable blades articulated in rotation on said frame to modulate the circulation of said air flow through said device as a function of an angular orientation of said blades.

[0004] A disadvantage of the known devices is that they are each time custom-made and must be completely redesigned for each new front panel version, which represents significant development and industrialization times and costs.

[0005] The invention aims to at least partially overcome the above drawbacks and to this end proposes a device for controlling an air flow, said device comprising a frame having at least one passage for said flow, said device further comprising a set of orientable blades articulated in rotation about respective axes of rotation to provide modulation of a circulation of said air flow through said passage as a function of an angular orientation of said blades, said device further comprising one or more mounting parts attached to said frame, said blades being articulated in rotation on said mounting part(s).

[0006] The invention thus makes it possible to move from a first configuration of the frame with a first distribution of the axes of rotation of the blades to a second configuration of the frame with a second distribution of said axes of rotation by limiting the number of parts to be changed. By providing a specific part to define the location of the rotation axes, namely the mounting part, it is sufficient to change this part to obtain the desired configuration while keeping the other parts.

[0007] According to various additional characteristics of the invention, which may be taken together or separately and which form as many embodiments of the invention: - said armature is intended to be used according to a first configuration and a second configuration by passing from one configuration, in particular, to the other by a rotation around an axis parallel to a direction of flow of said flow and / or around an axis parallel to a direction orthogonal to said direction of flow, - the mounting part(s) of said device, called first mounting parts, make it possible to have a first distribution of said axes of rotation corresponding to the first configuration of said device, - said device is configured to accommodate one or more second mounting parts capable of being mounted in place of said first mounting part(s) to provide a second distribution of said rotation axes corresponding to the configuration of said device, the other parts of said device being common from one configuration to another, - said rotation around the axis parallel to the flow direction is substantially 180°, - said rotation around the axis orthogonal to the flow direction is less than 30°, - said mounting part has orifices for articulation of said blades, - said blades comprise articulation pins oriented along the axis of rotation of said blades, - said pins are movable in said orifices, - said mounting part has an elongated configuration, - said orifices are aligned in a direction of extension of said part of assembly, - said mounting part is located between a side of said frame and a lateral edge of said blades, - said mounting part is fixed to said frame by insertion between two opposite sides of said frame, - said device further comprises an actuator configured to orient said blades, - said actuator comprises a motor member and a lever driven in rotation by said motor member, - said actuator further comprises a connecting member movable in said frame under the action of said lever, - said connecting member is movable according to a movement comprising at least one component according to said direction of extension, - said blades are configured to be driven by said connecting member, - said frame comprises a first housing for fixing the member motor, said first housing being intended to be used in the first configuration, and a second housing for fixing the motor member, said second housing being intended to be used in the second configuration. - said frame comprises a first housing for fixing the motor member intended to be used in the first configuration and a second housing for the motor member intended to be used in the second configuration, - said connecting member has a center of symmetry, - said connecting member has an S-shaped configuration, - said connecting member has a central branch and two branches lateral, parallel to each other, - the central branch and a first of said lateral branches define a first corridor for passage of the motor member in said first corridor in said first configuration, - the central branch and a second of said lateral branches defining a second corridor for passage of the motor member in said second corridor in said second configuration, - said central branch has a first axis of articulation of the lever in the first configuration, - said central branch has a second axis of articulation of the lever in said second configuration, - said blades are in abutment against each other in a closed position of said device, - opposite longitudinal edges of all of said blades are in abutment against said frame, in said closed position of said device, - there are two of said blades in the or each of said passages, - said passages are two in number and said device comprises a said set of adjustable blades for each of said passages, - said frame comprises a central zone located between said passages, said actuator being located in said central zone.

[0008] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a device described above, the mounting part(s) of said device, called first mounting parts, making it possible to have a first distribution of said axes of rotation corresponding to a configuration of said device, said assembly further comprising one or more second mounting parts capable of being mounted in place of said first mounting part(s) to provide a second distribution of said axes of rotation corresponding to another configuration of said device, the other parts of said device being common from one configuration to the other.

[0009] Advantageously, a control law determining the modulation of the circulation of said air flow through said passage as a function of the angular orientation of said blades in one of the configurations is retained in the other configuration.

[0010] According to various additional characteristics of the invention, which may be taken together or separately and which form as many embodiments of the invention: - said first and second mounting parts are configured to allow distinct orientation of said set of blades from one configuration to another, - said orientations are symmetrical with respect to a plane perpendicular to said flow direction, - said first and second mounting parts are configured to allow rotation of said blades in the same direction of rotation from one configuration to the other, - said first and second mounting parts are configured to allow stops of said set of blades against said frame by opposite faces of said blades from one configuration to the other.

[0011] The invention also relates to a front face of a motor vehicle comprising a device as described above, the mounting part(s) of said device having a configuration adapted to an orientation of said device in said front face.

[0012] The invention will be better understood, and other aims, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the detailed explanatory description which follows, of at least one embodiment of the invention given by way of purely illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings among which:

[0013] [Fig-1] illustrates schematically in perspective, according to an exploded view, a device for controlling an air flow according to the invention in a first configuration and in a first orientation,

[0014] [Fig.2] illustrates schematically in perspective, according to an exploded view, the control device of [Fig.l] in a second configuration and in a second orientation,

[0015] [Fig.3] schematically illustrates in rear view the device of [Fig.l], in closed position,

[0016] [Fig.4] schematically illustrates a side view of an internal part of the device of [Fig.l], in a closed position of said device,

[0017] [Fig.5] schematically illustrates a detail of the device of [Fig.l] in said closed position,

[0018] [Fig.6] takes up [Fig.4] in a semi-open position of said device,

[0019] [Fig.7] repeats [Fig.5] in the semi-open position illustrated in [Fig.6],

[0020] [Fig.8] takes up [Fig.4] in a fully open position of said device,

[0021] [Fig.9] repeats [Fig.5] in the fully open position illustrated in [Fig.8],

[0022] [Fig. 10] schematically illustrates a side view of an internal part of the device of [Fig.2], in said closed position,

[0023] [Fig. 11] schematically illustrates a detail of said device of [Fig.2] in said closed position,

[0024] [Fig. 12] schematically illustrates in a cross-sectional view the devices of figures 1 and 2, superimposed in the closed position,

[0025] [Fig. 13] schematically illustrates, in a cross-sectional view, the devices of figures 1 and 2, superimposed in the open position.

[0026] It should first be noted that, in these figures, the same reference corresponds to identical or similar elements. Furthermore, the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, etc. are only used to distinguish the components concerned from each other and do not indicate an order or a possible importance of said components.

[0027] As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the invention relates to a device for controlling an air flow. It is in particular intended to equip a front face of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle. Said front face is more particularly configured so that said device is placed behind a grille of said vehicle.

[0028] As will be developed below, the devices of Figures 1 and 2 are identical, except for one of their parts, called the mounting part. Furthermore, they are oriented differently. It is understood that the devices in question are intended for different front faces. In other words, a device according to the invention having a first orientation will equip a first type of front face and a device according to the invention having a second orientation will equip a second type of front face. Thus, the mounting part(s) of said device has a configuration adapted to an orientation of said device in said front face which is provided with it.

[0029] The device illustrated in each of these figures comprises a frame 2 having at least one passage 4 for said flow in a flow direction, marked X, intended to correspond, where appropriate, to a direction of movement of the equipped vehicle. The The direction of movement of the said flow is indicated by the direction of the arrow. It is intended to be opposite to the direction of movement of the vehicle.

[0030] Said device further comprises a set of adjustable blades 14 for controlling the circulation of said air flow through said passage(s) 4.

[0031] In the illustrated example, said passages 4 are two in number and each is provided with a said set of orientable blades 14. Said blades 14 are here two in number in the or each of said passages. In other words, the blades 14 are two in number in each of said sets of blades. Said passages 4 are placed, for example, one next to the other in a plane perpendicular to the flow direction X.

[0032] In the illustrated example, said frame 2 has a rectangular shape with long sides 6, 8 intended to be substantially horizontal and short sides intended to be substantially vertical, in use. The device defines a passage surface having a normal oriented upwards in [Fig. 1] and a normal oriented downwards in [Fig. 2]. To this end, here, a first 6 of the long sides of said frame 2 has a larger surface than the second 8 of the long sides and / or a first edge 10 of the second side 8 is set back relative to a first edge 12 of the first side 6, along said flow direction.

[0033] Said orientable blades 14 are articulated in rotation around respective axes of rotation 16a, 16b, 16a', 16b' to provide modulation of a circulation section of said air flow through said passage(s) 4 as a function of an angular orientation of said blades 14.

[0034] According to the invention, said device further comprises one or more mounting parts 16, 16' attached to said frame 2. Furthermore, said blades 14 are articulated in rotation on said mounting part(s) 16, 16'. The invention thus makes it possible to switch from a first configuration of the frame 2 with a first distribution of the axes of rotation 16a, 16b, illustrated [Fig.l], to a second configuration of the frame 2 with a second distribution of the axes of rotation 16a', 16b', illustrated [Fig.2], by limiting the number of parts to be changed. By providing a specific part to define the location of the axes of rotation 16a, 16b, 16a', 16b', namely the mounting part 16, 16', it is sufficient to change this part to obtain the desired configuration while retaining the other parts.

[0035] In other words, in [Fig.l], the device is provided with mounting parts 16 corresponding to the first orientation of said device while in [Fig.2], it is provided with mounting parts 16' corresponding to the second orientation of said device but all the other members, in particular the frame 2 and the blades 14, have remained the same. It is thus possible to modify the configuration of the front face equipped with said device simply and quickly by replacing only the mounting part(s) 16 of a first type by the mounting part(s) 16' of the other type while ensuring the desired distribution of the axes of rotation 16a, 16b, 16a', 16b' for said blades.

[0036] Said mounting parts are here two in number per passage 4, i.e. four in total for said device. The number of parts to be changed to move from one configuration to the other is therefore four and only four.

[0037] Advantageously, to pass from one of the orientations of said device to another, said frame 2 is configured to be used according to a first and a second configuration by passing from one configuration to the other by a rotation around an axis parallel to the flow direction X of said flow and / or around an axis parallel to a direction orthogonal to said flow direction, in particular an axis, usually designated Y, intended to be horizontal and perpendicular to said axis of movement of the vehicle.

[0038] Said rotation around the axis parallel to the flow direction X is substantially 180°. In other words, between [Fig.l] and [Fig.2], the armature 2 was rotated so that the first large side 6 went from bottom to top and vice versa for the second large side 8. As a variant, the orientation of the armature 2 is further adjusted by means of said rotation around said axis Y orthogonal to the flow direction X, by an angle preferably less than 30°. In other words, according to this variant, in addition to the half-turn around the flow direction X, the passage surface is tilted more or less upwards or downwards by means of said rotation around said axis Y orthogonal to the flow direction X.

[0039] As illustrated in Figures 4, 6, 8, 10, said mounting part 16, 16' has articulation holes 18, 18' for said blades 14. For their part, said blades 14 comprise articulation pins 20, oriented along their axis of rotation 16a, 16b, 16a', 16b'. Said pins 20 are housed in said holes 18, 18'. Said pins 20 are movable in said holes 18, 18' according to a pivot-type articulation.

[0040] Said mounting part 16, 16' has an elongated configuration. It is oriented, for example, in a direction corresponding substantially to the orientation of the blades 14 in the closed position of said device.

[0041] Said orifices 18, 18' are preferably aligned in a direction of extension of said mounting part 16, 16'. Here they are formed at the level of the material protrusion of said mounting part 16, 16'.

[0042] Said mounting part 16, 16' is located, for example, between a flank of the short sides of said frame 2 and a lateral edge 22 of said blades 14.

[0043] Said mounting part 16, 16' is fixed to said frame 2, in particular, by insertion between two opposite flanks of the large sides 6, 8 of said frame 2, for example a support in the lower part and by a snap-fastening in the upper part.

[0044] As illustrated in Figures 5, 7, 9 and 11, said device further comprises an acc- donor 24 configured to orient said blades 14. Said actuator 24 comprises a motor member 26 and a lever 27 driven in rotation by said motor member 26. Said actuator 24 further comprises a connecting member 46, movable in said frame 2 under the action of said lever 27. Said connecting member 46 is movable according to a movement comprising at least one component according to said direction of extension of the mounting part 16, 16'.

[0045] Said blades 14 are configured to be driven by said connecting member 46. For this, here, said device comprises drive flanks 28, fixed to said blades 14, in particular at one of their lateral edges 22, and movable in rotation with them. Said drive flanks 28 extend transversely, for example, perpendicularly, to said blades 14. Said drive flanks 28 have lugs 29, radially offset relative to the articulation pins 20. Said lugs 29 cooperate with said connecting member 46 so that the movements of said connecting member 46 cause rotation of the flaps 14. For this, said connecting member 46 comprises slots in which the lugs 29 are movable according to a pivot connection.

[0046] As is better seen by referring to [Fig. 3], said frame 2 comprises a central zone 3 located between said passages 4. Said actuator 24 is located in said central zone 3.

[0047] Said armature 2 comprises a first housing 30 for fixing the motor member 26, intended to be used in the first configuration, and a second housing 32 for fixing the motor member 26, intended to be used in the second configuration. This means that between the first configuration and the second configuration, said actuator 24 remains the same but the relative position of its motor member 26 with respect to the armature 2 changes. Said housings 30, 32 are here located in said central zone 3 of the armature 2.

[0048] Said connecting member 46 has, for example, a center of symmetry. It is, in particular, S-shaped. More precisely, here, said connecting member 46 has a central branch 34 and two lateral branches 36, 38, parallel to each other.

[0049] The central branch 34 and a first 36 of said lateral branches define a first corridor 40 for passage of the motor member 26 in said first corridor 40 in said first configuration. The central branch 34 and a second 38 of said lateral branches define a second corridor 42 for passage of the motor member 26 in said second corridor 42, in said second configuration.

[0050] As is more clearly seen in Figures 5, 7 and 9, said central branch 34 has a first articulation axis 44 of the lever 27 in the first configuration. As is more clearly seen in [Fig. 11], said central branch 34 has a second axis articulation axes 47 of the lever 27 in said second configuration. Said first and second articulation axes 44, 47 are located at two opposite ends of said central branch 34.

[0051] In Figures 12 and 13, the device according to the invention is illustrated in solid lines [in red in the provisional figures] when it is oriented according to said first configuration and in dotted lines [in black in the provisional drawings] when it is oriented according to said second configuration. [Fig. 12] makes it possible to better visualize the orientation of the passage surface mentioned above, the latter being occupied by the blades 14 of the same set of blades in the closed position of said device.

[0052] Still in [Fig. 12], it can be seen that said blades 14 are preferably in abutment against each other in a closed position of said device, this by respective longitudinal edges 50, 52 of said blades 14. In addition, still preferably, opposite longitudinal edges 54, 56 of all of said blades 14 are in abutment against said frame 2.

[0053] Such stops promote good sealing of said device in the closed position. They are made possible, despite the change in orientation of the device, by the change in distribution of the articulation axes 16a, 16b, 16a', 16b' from one mounting part 16, 16' to the other.

[0054] [Fig. 13] also shows that, if the vertical position of blades 14 changes to the fully open position between the first configuration and the second configuration, they are all in a horizontal position at the end of the stroke, whatever the orientation of said device.

[0055] As will have been understood, the invention therefore also relates to an assembly comprising a device as described above, the mounting part(s) 16 of said device, called first mounting parts, making it possible to have a first distribution of said rotation axes 16a, 16b corresponding to a configuration of said device, said assembly further comprising one or more second mounting parts 16' capable of being mounted in place of said first mounting part(s) 16 to have a second distribution of said rotation axes 16a', 16b' corresponding to another configuration of said device, the other parts of said device being common from one configuration to the other, in particular the armature 2, the blades 14 and all of the components 26, 27, 46 of the actuator 24.

[0056] As already stated, said first and second mounting parts 16, 16' are configured to allow a distinct orientation of said set of blades 14 from one configuration to another. Here, said orientations are symmetrical with respect to a plane perpendicular to said flow direction X.

[0057] It is further noted that said first and second mounting parts 16, 16' are configured to allow rotation of said blades 14 in the same direction of rotation from one configuration to another. On the other hand, said first and second mounting parts 16, 16' are configured to allow stops of said set of blades 14 against said frame 2 by opposite faces 60, 62 of said blades 14 from one configuration to another, in the closed position of said device, as is better shown in said [Fig. 12]. It is noted on this occasion that said frame 2 has stop ribs 70.

[0058] Referring again to Figures 4 to 9, the device according to the invention can be seen moving from the closed position to the open position in the first configuration.

[0059] In the closed position, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the blades 14 of the same set of blades are in abutment against each other and substantially parallel to the direction of extension of the first mounting part 16. The motor member 26 is mounted in the first passage 40 and the lever 27 is fixed to the first articulation axis 44. The connecting member 46 is in the high position.

[0060] In the semi-open position, as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the blades 14 of the same set of blades have begun to move apart from each other by rotating around their axis of rotation 16a, 16b, in an anticlockwise direction, to allow the air flow to pass. This rotation is obtained by the rotation of the drive flanks 28. Said drive flanks 28 are themselves actuated by said connecting member 26 which has moved downwards under the action of the lever 27.

[0061] In the fully open position, as illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, at the end of the stroke, the blades 14 are positioned to allow the air flow to pass with minimum resistance. Said connecting member 46 is then in its lowest position, in the configuration in question.

[0062] Figures 10 and 11 make it possible to visualize the differences when the device is used in the second configuration with the second connecting member 16', by comparison with Figures 4 and 5, these figures all corresponding, as a reminder, to a closed position of said device.

[0063] As in the first configuration, the blades 14 of the same set of blades are in abutment against each other and substantially parallel to the direction of extension of the second mounting part 16'. The latter is, however, oriented differently from the first mounting part 16. The axes of rotation 16a', 16b' of the blades 14 in this second configuration are thus positioned differently than the articulation axes 16a, 16b of the blades 14 encountered in the first configuration. The motor member 26 is mounted in this time in the second passage 42 and the lever 27 is fixed to the second articulation axis 47.

[0064] Under the actuation of the motor member 26, said connecting member 46, as in the first configuration will gradually descend and cause the blades 14 to rotate until they reach their fully open position, at the end of their travel.

Claims

Claims

1. Device for controlling an air flow, said device comprising a frame (2) having at least one passage (4) for said flow, said device further comprising a set of orientable blades (14) articulated in rotation about respective axes of rotation (16a, 16b, 16a', 16b') to provide modulation of a circulation of said air flow through said passage as a function of an angular orientation of said blades (14), said device further comprising one or more mounting parts (16, 16') attached to said frame (2), said blades (14) being articulated in rotation on said mounting part(s) (16, 16').

2. Device according to the preceding claim in which said mounting part (16, 16') has articulation holes (18, 18') of said blades (14) and / or said blades (14) comprise articulation pins (20) oriented along the axis of rotation (16a, 16b, 16a', 16b') of said blades.

3. Device according to the preceding claim wherein said mounting part (16, 16') has an elongated configuration and said orifices (18', 18') are aligned in a direction of extension of said mounting part (16, 16').

4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims in which said mounting part (16, 16') is located between a flank of said frame (2) and a lateral edge (22) of said blades (2).

5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said frame (2) is intended to be used in a first configuration and a second configuration by passing from one configuration to the other by a rotation around an axis parallel to a flow direction (X) of said flow and / or around an axis (Y) parallel to a direction orthogonal to said flow direction (X), the mounting part(s) (16) of said device, called first mounting parts, making it possible to have a first distribution of said axes of rotation (16a, 16b) corresponding to the first configuration of said device, said device being configured to accommodate one or more second mounting parts (16') capable of being mounted in place of said one or more first mounting parts (16) to have a second distribution of said axes of rotation (16a', 16b') corresponding to the second configuration of said device, the other parts (2, 14, 24) of said device being common from one configuration to another.

6. Device according to the preceding claim further comprising an actuator (24) configured to orient said blades (14), said actuator (24) comprising a motor member (26) and a lever (27) driven in rotation by said motor member (26), said actuator (24) further comprising a connecting member (46) movable in said frame (2) under the action of said lever (27), said blades (14) being configured to be driven by said connecting member (46), said frame (2) comprising a first housing (30) for fixing the motor member (26), said first housing (30) being intended to be used in the first configuration and a second housing (32) for fixing the motor member (26), said second housing (32) being intended to be used in the second configuration.

7. Assembly comprising a device according to any one of the preceding claims, the mounting part(s) (16) of said device, called first mounting parts, making it possible to have a first distribution of said rotation axes (16a, 16b) corresponding to a configuration of said device, said assembly further comprising one or more second mounting parts (16') capable of being mounted in place of said first mounting part(s) (16) to have a second distribution of said rotation axes (16a', 16b') corresponding to another configuration of said device, the other parts (2, 14, 24) of said device being common from one configuration to another.

8. An assembly according to the preceding claim wherein said first and second mounting parts (16, 16') are configured to allow distinct orientation of said set of blades (14) from one configuration to the other.

9. An assembly according to any one of claims 7 or 8 wherein said first and second mounting parts are configured to allow abutments of said set of blades (14) against said frame (2) by opposite faces (60, 62) of said blades from one configuration to the other.

10. Front end of a motor vehicle comprising a device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the mounting part(s) (16, 16') of said device having a configuration adapted to an orientation of said device in said front end.

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