Shutter device

Abstract

A shutter device (10) comprises a plurality of blades (200), which are plate-shaped members, and a frame (100) that rotatably supports the blades (200). When a first portion (221) of a blade (200) is defined as a portion to one side of a rotation center axis (AX1) along the width direction and a second portion (222) is defined as a portion to the other side, the rotation center axis (AX1) is provided at a position different from the center along the width direction so that the area of the first portion (221) is greater than the area of the second portion (222), air flowing from the front side of a vehicle (MV) toward the rear side hits the first portion (221), and the direction in which the blade (200) rotates due to receiving force from the air is a direction of changing from an open state to a blocked state.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-198350 filed on December 7, 2021, and claims the benefit of priority thereto, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Technical field]

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a shutter device. [Background technology]

[0003] Air is introduced into an engine compartment located at the front of a vehicle through a front grille. The air is used, for example, to dissipate heat in a radiator or a condenser of an air conditioner.

[0004] However, for example, during high-speed driving or in winter, the engine room may be cooled too much by the introduced air, which may reduce the fuel efficiency of the vehicle. In particular, in a vehicle that generates a small amount of heat from the internal combustion engine, such as a plug-in hybrid vehicle, it is necessary to keep the engine room warm. In addition, in order to reduce the air resistance of the vehicle, it may be preferable to temporarily suppress the introduction of air into the engine room.

[0005] Therefore, a shutter device for adjusting the flow of air introduced into the engine room is provided in the front portion of the vehicle. The shutter device may be provided near the front grille, or near the heat exchanger downstream of the front grille. For example, Patent Document 1 listed below describes an example of a shutter device (grill shutter) provided near the front grille. Also, Patent Document 2 listed below describes an example of a shutter device provided near the heat exchanger.

[0006] The shutter device has multiple plate-shaped blades that are held rotatably inside a frame. As each blade rotates, the gap between the blades changes, which changes the amount of air passing through the shutter device. The rotation of the blades switches between a blocking state in which the air flow is blocked and an open state in which the air flow is not blocked. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-55719 A [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-20538 Summary of the Invention

[0008] In order to miniaturize the shutter device, the rotation axis of the blade is generally not located at the center along the blade width direction, but is located at a position offset from the center. However, in such a configuration, when air hits the blade from the front side in the blocking state, the blade rotates slightly due to the force of the air, and there is a possibility that a gap will be formed between adjacent blades. As a result, the air resistance of the vehicle is not sufficiently suppressed, and problems such as a decrease in fuel efficiency may occur.

[0009] The present disclosure aims to provide a shutter device in which gaps between blades in a blocking state are less likely to form than in conventional shutter devices.

[0010] The shutter device according to the present disclosure is a shutter device for a vehicle. This shutter device includes a blade, which is a plate-like member provided in a plurality of pieces, and each of which rotates around a rotation axis along its longitudinal direction to switch between a blocking state in which the air flow is blocked and an open state in which the air flow is not blocked, and a frame that rotatably supports the blade. When a portion of the blade that is on one side of the rotation axis along the width direction is defined as a first portion, and a portion that is on the other side of the rotation axis along the width direction is defined as a second portion, the rotation axis is provided at a position different from the center along the width direction so that the area of ​​the first portion is larger than the area of ​​the second portion. When air flowing from the front side to the rear side of the vehicle hits the first portion, the direction in which the blade rotates due to the force of the air is the direction in which the blade changes from the open state to the blocking state.

[0011] In a shutter device configured in this way, when air from the front of the vehicle hits the blade in the blocked state, a force is applied to the first portion of the blade to rotate the blade in a direction that changes the state to the blocked state. Also, a force is applied to the second portion of the blade to rotate the blade in a direction that changes the state to the open state. Since the first portion has a larger area than the second portion, it receives a larger force from the air.

[0012] Therefore, when air hits the blade in the blocking state, the blade is subjected to a force from the air that rotates it in a direction that changes from the open state to the blocking state. As a result, the blade is pressed against the adjacent blade, so that gaps between the blades are less likely to form than in the past. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a shutter device according to a first embodiment mounted on a vehicle. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the shutter device according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3]FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing the blade separated from the frame. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a blade included in the shutter device according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a blade included in the shutter device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the operating principle of the link member included in the shutter device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a blade included in the shutter device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of a blade included in a shutter device according to a comparative example. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of a blade included in a shutter device according to another comparative example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of a blade included in a shutter device according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In order to facilitate understanding of the description, the same components in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and duplicated description will be omitted.

[0015] A first embodiment will be described. The shutter device 10 according to this embodiment is a device mounted on a vehicle MV, and is configured as a device for adjusting the flow of air flowing into an engine room SP of the vehicle MV. As shown in FIG. 1, the shutter device 10, a radiator 20, and a condenser 30 are arranged in the engine room SP in the front part of the vehicle MV. The shutter device 10, the radiator 20, and the condenser 30 are modularized, and the whole is configured as one "heat exchange unit". This heat exchange unit is mounted in the front part of the vehicle MV, specifically, at a position behind an opening OP provided in the front grille of the vehicle MV. The arrangement order of the heat exchangers in the heat exchange unit is not particularly limited. The number of heat exchangers provided in the heat exchange unit may be one, or may be three or more.

[0016] In this embodiment, the vehicle MV on which the shutter device 10 is mounted is a vehicle that runs on the driving force of an internal combustion engine (not shown), but the type of the vehicle MV is not particularly limited. For example, the vehicle MV may be a hybrid vehicle that runs on the driving force of both an internal combustion engine and a rotating electric machine, or may be an electric vehicle that runs on the driving force of only a rotating electric machine.

[0017] The shutter device 10 may be configured as a device separate from the heat exchange unit and may be disposed, for example, in a position near the opening OP. That is, the shutter device 10 may be disposed adjacent to the heat exchanger along the air flow direction (i.e., the direction from the front side to the rear side of the vehicle) as in this embodiment, or may be disposed as a "grill shutter" in a position near the opening OP.

[0018] The radiator 20 is a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between air and coolant. Coolant circulates between the radiator 20 and an internal combustion engine (not shown). The coolant, which has become hot after passing through the internal combustion engine, is cooled by heat exchange with the air as it passes through the radiator 20, lowering its temperature. The cooled coolant is supplied again to the internal combustion engine and used to cool the internal combustion engine. Note that the object cooled by the coolant passing through the radiator 20 may be the internal combustion engine as in this embodiment, or may be a device other than the internal combustion engine, such as an inverter.

[0019] The condenser 30 is a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between air and an air-conditioning refrigerant. The condenser 30 is configured as a part of a refrigeration cycle that constitutes an air conditioner (not shown). In the condenser 30, heat is dissipated from the air-conditioning refrigerant to the air. The condenser 30 is disposed at a position upstream of the radiator 20 along the air flow direction, i.e., the direction from the opening OP toward the rear side of the vehicle MV. The air that flows into the engine room of the vehicle MV from the opening OP passes through the condenser 30 and the radiator 20 in this order, and is subjected to heat exchange in each heat exchanger.

[0020] The shutter device 10 is a device for adjusting the flow rate of air passing through the condenser 30 and the radiator 20. As described above, the shutter device 10 is held at a position between the radiator 20 and the condenser 30 along the air flow direction. The shutter device 10 may be installed at a location different from that of this embodiment. For example, the shutter device 10 may be disposed at a position further forward than the condenser 30 or at a position further rearward than the radiator 20. In either case, when the shutter device 10 is provided as a part of a heat exchange unit, the shutter device 10 is disposed at a position adjacent to the heat exchanger along the air flow direction.

[0021] The configuration of the shutter device 10 will be described with reference mainly to Fig. 2. Note that the directions of "front", "rear", "left", "right", "upper", and "lower" shown in Fig. 2 respectively indicate the front side, rear side, left side, right side, upper side, and lower side of the vehicle MV. The same applies to the other figures. As shown in Fig. 2, the shutter device 10 includes a frame 100, a blade 200, an actuator 300, and a link member 170.

[0022] The frame 100 is a rectangular frame body made of resin. The outer shape of the frame 100 when viewed from the front side of the vehicle MV is approximately equal to the outer shape of the portions of the radiator 20 and the condenser 30 through which air passes. The frame 100 has an upper support pillar 110, a lower support pillar 120, a left support pillar 130, a right support pillar 140, and middle support pillars 150 and 160.

[0023] The upper support pillar 110 is a part that is disposed at the uppermost position of the frame 100. The upper support pillar 110 is formed so as to extend linearly along the left-right direction of the vehicle MV.

[0024] The lower support pillar 120 is a part that is disposed at the lowest position of the frame 100. The lower support pillar 120 is formed so as to extend linearly in the left-right direction of the vehicle MV at a position directly below the upper support pillar 110.

[0025] The left support pillar 130 is a portion of the frame 100 that is disposed at the leftmost position of the vehicle MV. The left support pillar 130 is formed to extend linearly along the vertical direction. The upper end of the left support pillar 130 is connected to the upper support pillar 110, and the lower end of the left support pillar 130 is connected to the lower support pillar 120.

[0026] The right support pillar 140 is a portion of the frame 100 that is located at the rightmost position of the vehicle MV. The right support pillar 140 is formed to extend linearly along the vertical direction. An upper end of the right support pillar 140 is connected to the upper support pillar 110, and a lower end of the right support pillar 140 is connected to the lower support pillar 120.

[0027] The middle support pillar 150 is a portion of the frame 100 that is disposed between the left support pillar 130 and the right support pillar 140 in the left-right direction of the vehicle MV. The middle support pillar 150 is formed to extend linearly in the up-down direction. The upper end of the middle support pillar 150 is connected to the upper support pillar 110, and the lower end of the middle support pillar 150 is connected to the lower support pillar 120. The position at which the middle support pillar 150 is provided may be a position that is the center of the shutter device 10 in the left-right direction of the vehicle MV, or may be a position different from this.

[0028] The middle support pillar 160 is a portion of the frame 100 that is disposed between the upper support pillar 110 and the lower support pillar 120 in the vertical direction. The middle support pillar 160 is formed so as to extend linearly along the left-right direction of the vehicle MV at a position directly below the upper support pillar 110. The left end of the middle support pillar 160 on the left side of the vehicle MV is connected to the left support pillar 130. The right end of the middle support pillar 160 on the right side of the vehicle MV is connected to the right support pillar 140. The position at which the middle support pillar 160 is provided may be the center of the shutter device 10 in the vertical direction of the vehicle MV, or may be a different position.

[0029] The rectangular opening surrounded by the upper support pillar 110, the lower support pillar 120, the left support pillar 130, and the right support pillar 140 is divided into four openings by the middle support pillar 150 and the middle support pillar 160. These four openings become the flow paths through which air passes through the shutter device 10.

[0030] The blades 200 are elongated plate-like members extending in the up-down direction, and a plurality of blades 200 are provided in the shutter device 10. The blades 200 are members for switching between opening and closing the four flow paths. The blades 200 are arranged in the portion between the upper support pillar 110 and the middle support pillar 160 and the portion between the lower support pillar 120 and the middle support pillar 160 so as to be aligned along the left-right direction of the vehicle MV, i.e., along the horizontal direction.

[0031] The illustrated blade 200 arranged above the central support column 160 is hereinafter also referred to as the "upper blade 201." The illustrated blade 200 arranged below the central support column 160 is hereinafter also referred to as the "lower blade 202." In this manner, the multiple blades 200 include the upper blade 201 arranged on the upper side and the lower blade 202 arranged on the lower side.

[0032] Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of each blade 200 separated from the frame 100. Fig. 4 shows a schematic shape of the blade 200 disposed above the central support pillar 160, i.e., the upper blade 201. Fig. 5 shows a schematic shape of the blade 200 disposed above the central support pillar 160, i.e., the lower blade 202.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, the upper blade 201 has a flat plate portion 220 , rotation shafts 211 and 212 , and a drive shaft 213 .

[0034] The flat plate portion 220 is a plate-like portion of the upper blade 201 that receives the airflow. The shape of the flat plate portion 220 is a generally rectangular flat plate. The longitudinal direction of the flat plate portion 220 is aligned with the up-down direction of the vehicle MV. As described above, the flat plate portion 220 need only be a "plate-like portion that receives the airflow," and its shape does not have to be strictly flat. The flat plate portion 220 occupies most of the upper blade 201. For this reason, the longitudinal direction of the flat plate portion 220 can also be referred to as the "longitudinal direction of the upper blade 201."

[0035] When the shutter device 10 is in an open state as shown in Fig. 2, the short side direction of the flat plate portion 220 is generally aligned with the front-rear direction of the vehicle MV. Hereinafter, the short side direction of the flat plate portion 220 may also be referred to as the "width direction" of the flat plate portion 220 or the "width direction" of the blade 200. Hereinafter, the direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the width direction may also be referred to as the "thickness direction" of the flat plate portion 220 or the "thickness direction" of the blade 200.

[0036] An arc-shaped cutout 223 is formed in the middle of the flat plate portion 220 along the longitudinal direction. The cutout 223 is provided for the purpose of preventing interference between the reinforcing frame 191 and the blade 200 when, for example, a reinforcing frame 191 as shown in Fig. 2 is provided in the shutter device 10. If the reinforcing frame 191 is not provided, the cutout 223 does not have to be formed.

[0037] The rotating shaft 211 is a cylindrical shaft formed so as to extend further upward from the upper end of the flat plate portion 220. The rotating shaft 212 is a cylindrical shaft formed so as to extend further downward from the lower end of the flat plate portion 220. The rotating shaft 212 is formed at a position directly below the rotating shaft 211. The central axes of the rotating shafts 211 and 212 are aligned with each other. The direction of the central axes of the rotating shafts 211 and 212 is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the upper blade 201.

[0038] The rotating shaft 211 is inserted into the inside of a groove 111 (see FIG. 3) formed in the upper support pillar 110. Also, the rotating shaft 212 is inserted into the inside of a groove 161 (see FIG. 3) formed in the middle support pillar 160. This allows the upper blade 201 to be supported in a state in which it can rotate freely around the central axis of the rotating shafts 211, 212. The central axes of the rotating shafts 211, 212 coincide with each other as described above, and serve as the central axis of rotation of the upper blade 201. This central axis of rotation is also referred to as the "central axis of rotation AX1" hereinafter.

[0039] By rotating each upper blade 201 around the rotation axis AX1, it is possible to switch between an open state in which a gap is formed between each upper blade 201 and a closed state in which parts of each upper blade 201 overlap with each other and no gap is formed between them. In this way, the frame 100 supports each upper blade 201 in a freely rotatable state around the rotation axis AX1 along the longitudinal direction of the upper blade 201. The rotation shaft 211 is prevented from coming out of the groove 111 by a support member (not shown) arranged near the groove 111. The rotation shaft 212 is prevented from coming out of the groove 161 by a link member 170 described later.

[0040] The above-mentioned "open state" refers to a state in which the shutter device 10 does not block the flow of air. Hereinafter, this open state is also referred to as the "open state." Moreover, the above-mentioned "closed state" refers to a state in which the shutter device 10 blocks the flow of air. Hereinafter, this closed state is also referred to as the "blocking state."

[0041] In the open state, air passes through each flow path of the shutter device 10. As a result, heat exchange occurs in each of the radiator 20 and the condenser 30. On the other hand, in the blocked state, the air flow in each flow path is blocked by the blades 200 of the shutter device 10. As a result, heat exchange hardly occurs in each of the radiator 20 and the condenser 30. In addition, since no air flows into the engine compartment SP, the air resistance experienced by the vehicle MV while traveling is reduced, and the fuel efficiency of the vehicle MV is improved.

[0042] The driving shaft 213 is a cylindrical shaft formed so as to extend further downward from the lower end of the flat plate portion 220. The position where the driving shaft 213 is formed is a position separated along the width direction of the flat plate portion 220 from the position where the rotation shaft 212 is formed. The driving shaft 213 is provided as a part that receives a driving force from the actuator 300 when the upper blade 201 rotates around the rotation center axis AX1. The driving shaft 213 is a part that receives a driving force necessary for the upper blade 201 to rotate around the rotation center axis AX1, and corresponds to a "driven part" provided on the upper blade 201.

[0043] 5, the shape of the lower blade 202 is vertically symmetrical to that of the upper blade 201. The lower blade 202 has a rotating shaft 212 and a driving shaft 213 at its upper end, and a rotating shaft 211 at its lower end.

[0044] Rotation shaft 211 of lower blade 202 is inserted into groove 121 (see FIG. 3) formed in lower support pillar 120. Rotation shaft 212 of lower blade 202 is inserted into groove 162 (see FIG. 3) formed in middle support pillar 160. As a result, lower blade 202, like upper blade 201, is supported in a state where it can freely rotate around the central axis of rotation shafts 211, 212 (i.e., around rotation central axis AX1).

[0045] In this way, frame 100 supports each lower blade 202 in a freely rotatable state around rotation center axis AX1 along the longitudinal direction of lower blade 202. Incidentally, rotation shaft 211 of lower blade 202 is prevented from coming out of groove 121 by a support member (not shown) disposed in the vicinity of groove 121. In addition, link member 170 prevents rotation shaft 212 of lower blade 202 from coming out of groove 162.

[0046] The "rotation axis" through which the rotation center axis AX1 passes may be a rod-shaped axis provided so as to protrude from the blade 200 toward the frame 100 as in this embodiment, but may also be, for example, a rod-shaped axis provided so as to protrude from the frame 100 toward the blade 200. The specific configuration for realizing the rotation of the blade 200 is not particularly limited.

[0047] The actuator 300 shown in Fig. 2 is a rotating electric machine attached to the upper part of the upper support column 110. A mounting part 112 is provided on the upper part of the upper support column 110 near the end part on the left side of the vehicle MV, and the actuator 300 is attached to the mounting part 112 from above. Note that Fig. 2 shows a state in which the actuator 300 has been removed from the mounting part 112.

[0048] The driving force of the actuator 300 is transmitted to the link member 170 by a power transmission mechanism described later, and causes the link member 170 to move in the left-right direction of the vehicle MV. At that time, the drive shaft 213 of each upper blade 201 receives a force from the link member 170 and changes its position, causing the upper blade 201 to rotate around the rotation axis AX1. Similarly, the drive shaft 213 of each lower blade 202 receives a force from the link member 170 and changes its position, causing the lower blade 202 to rotate around the rotation axis AX1.

[0049] 2 and 6, the link member 170 is a rod-shaped member extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle MV. The link member 170 is disposed in a position that is further forward of the vehicle MV than the middle support pillar 160 and at the same height as the middle support pillar 160. A small gap is formed between the link member 170 and the middle support pillar 160. The link member 170 is supported in such a position so as to be movable in its longitudinal direction, i.e., in the left-right direction of the vehicle MV.

[0050] In this embodiment, the link member 170 is supported by brackets 173, 174, and 175 shown in Fig. 2. The bracket 173 is attached to the left support pillar 130 from the front side of the vehicle MV, and the link member 170 is sandwiched between the bracket 173 and the left support pillar 130. The bracket 174 is attached to the right support pillar 140 from the front side of the vehicle MV, and the link member 170 is sandwiched between the bracket 174 and the right support pillar 140. The bracket 175 is attached to the middle support pillar 150 from the front side of the vehicle MV, and the link member 170 is sandwiched between the bracket 175 and the middle support pillar 150.

[0051] Instead of such an embodiment, the link member 170 may be held in a state in which it can move in the left-right direction of the vehicle MV by a structure such as a claw formed on the frame 100. In that case, for example, the configuration described in JP 2021-020538 A can be adopted as a specific configuration.

[0052] The configuration of the link member 170 and its vicinity will be described with reference to FIG. 6. As shown in the figure, a plurality of recesses 172 are formed in the link member 170. The recesses 172 are grooves formed so as to recess from the rear surface of the link member 170 toward the front side. The recesses 172 are formed so as to be aligned at equal intervals along the longitudinal direction of the link member 170. The drive shafts 213 of the respective upper blades 201 are housed inside the recesses 172. Similarly, the drive shafts 213 of the respective lower blades 202 are also housed inside the recesses 172.

[0053] The lower end of a drive shaft 180 is connected to a position near the left end of the link member 170. The drive shaft 180 functions as a power transmission mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the actuator 300 to the blade 200. An upper end 181 (see FIG. 2) of the drive shaft 180 protrudes upward from the mounting portion 112 of the upper support column 110, and is connected to an output shaft (not shown) of the actuator 300.

[0054] Actuator 300 rotates drive shaft 180 around its central axis. A portion of drive shaft 180 near its lower end is bent as shown in Fig. 6. In other words, the central axis of the portion of drive shaft 180 connected to the output shaft of actuator 300 and the central axis of the portion of drive shaft 180 connected to link member 170 do not coincide with each other. For this reason, when drive shaft 180 rotates as described above, link member 170 moves in the left-right direction of vehicle MV.

[0055] When the link member 170 moves toward the left side of the vehicle MV, each blade 200 rotates counterclockwise in a top view. When the link member 170 moves toward the right side of the vehicle MV, each blade 200 rotates clockwise in a top view. The upper blade 201 and the lower blade 202 each rotate as described above, whereby the shutter device 10 opens and closes the flow path.

[0056] A more specific structure of the blade 200 will be described. In Fig. 7, one of the multiple blades 200 arranged side by side in the cutoff state is illustrated in a schematic top view. The dotted line DL0 shown in Fig. 7 indicates the center position along the width direction of the flat plate portion 220. The dotted line DL1 indicates the position of the rotation center axis AX1 along the width direction.

[0057] 7, the rotating shafts 211, 212 are not provided at the center along the width direction of the flat plate portion 220, but are provided at a position offset to the right of the center. Also, the rotating shafts 211, 212 are not provided at the center along the thickness direction of the flat plate portion 220, but are provided at a position offset to the rear from the center.

[0058] The drive shaft 213 is provided at a position offset leftward from the center in the width direction of the flat plate portion 220, and offset forward from the center in the thickness direction of the flat plate portion 220. In Fig. 7, the reference symbol "AX2" is given to the center axis of the drive shaft 213. This center axis is also referred to as the "center axis AX2" below.

[0059] Although not shown in FIG. 7, flanges 228 and 229 are provided at the end positions along the longitudinal direction of the flat plate portion 220 as shown in FIG. 6. The flange 228 protrudes toward one side along a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the flat plate portion 220, and the flange 229 protrudes toward the other side. The flange 228 is also provided at the end of the flat plate portion 220 that is not shown in FIG. 6. The rotating shafts 211 and 212 are not provided directly to the flat plate portion 220, but are provided to the flange 228. Similarly, the driving shaft 213 is not provided directly to the flat plate portion 220, but is provided to the flange 229. With this configuration, it is possible to provide each of the rotating shafts 211 and 212 and the driving shaft 213 at a position offset forward or backward from the center along the thickness direction as described above.

[0060] A portion of the flat plate portion 220 on one side of the rotation axis AX1 along the width direction (left side in FIG. 7) is also referred to as a "first portion 221" below. A portion of the flat plate portion 220 on the other side of the rotation axis AX1 along the width direction (right side in FIG. 7) is also referred to as a "second portion 222" below. The first portion 221 is a portion of the flat plate portion 220 that is hatched in FIG. 7, and the second portion 222 is a portion of the flat plate portion 220 that is not hatched in FIG. 7. The main surface on the front side of the first portion 221 is also referred to as a "main surface S1" below. The main surface on the front side of the second portion 222 is also referred to as a "main surface S2" below.

[0061] In this embodiment, the position of the rotation axis AX1, which is the boundary between the first portion 221 and the second portion 222, is offset to the right of the center in the width direction, as described above. Therefore, the area of ​​the main surface S1 of the first portion 221 is larger than the area of ​​the main surface S2 of the second portion 222. In other words, the rotation axis AX1 is provided at a position different from the center in the width direction so that the area of ​​the first portion 221 is larger than the area of ​​the second portion 222.

[0062] When air flowing from the front side to the rear side of the vehicle MV along the arrow AR1 hits the blade 200, the air hits the first portion 221 and the second portion 222, respectively.

[0063] When air hits the first portion 221, the blade 200 receives a force in a direction in which the first portion 221 moves rearward with the rotation axis AX1 as a fulcrum. That is, a force in a direction in which the blade 200 rotates along the arrow AR2 in Fig. 7 is applied to the blade 200. When air hits the second portion 222, the blade 200 receives a force in a direction in which the second portion 222 moves rearward with the rotation axis AX1 as a fulcrum. That is, a force in a direction in which the blade 200 rotates along the arrow AR3 in Fig. 7 is applied to the blade 200.

[0064] In this way, the direction in which the blade 200 rotates when the air flowing from the front side to the rear side of the vehicle MV hits the first portion 221 and receives a force from the air is the direction indicated by the arrow AR2, i.e., the direction in which the blade 200 changes from the open state to the blocked state. On the other hand, the direction in which the blade 200 rotates when the air flowing from the front side to the rear side of the vehicle MV hits the second portion 222 and receives a force from the air is the direction indicated by the arrow AR3, i.e., the direction in which the blade 200 changes from the blocked state to the open state.

[0065] These forces are in opposite directions, but since the area of ​​the first portion 221 is larger than that of the second portion 222, the force of the first portion 221 is larger. Therefore, the blades 200 try to rotate in a direction (arrow AR2) that changes from the open state to the blocked state. At this time, since the shutter device 10 is already in the blocked state, each blade 200 is pressed against the adjacent blade 200. As a result, gaps between the blades 200 are unlikely to occur.

[0066] The dotted lines DL12 and DL13 in Fig. 7 each represent the position of the end of the flat plate portion 220 along the width direction. If the portion of the blade 200 excluding the drive shaft 213, which is the driven part, is defined as the "main body", then the range indicated by the arrow AR10 in Fig. 7 can be said to be the "range along the width direction of the main body". The entire drive shaft 213, which is the driven part, is contained within the range along the width direction of the main body (arrow AR10).

[0067] In order to clarify the advantages of the above-mentioned configuration, a configuration according to a comparative example will be described. As shown in FIG. 8, the blade 200A according to this comparative example differs from the present embodiment in the arrangement of the rotating shafts 211, 212 and the driving shaft 213. Specifically, the rotating shafts 211, 212 of this comparative example are provided at positions offset to the left of the center along the width direction of the flat plate portion 220. As a result, in this comparative example, the area of ​​the main surface S1 of the first portion 221 is smaller than the area of ​​the main surface S2 of the second portion 222. Also, the driving shaft 213 of this comparative example is provided at a position offset to the right of the center along the width direction of the flat plate portion 220.

[0068] In this configuration, when air flowing from the front side to the rear side of the vehicle MV hits the blade 200A, the force received by the second portion 222 is greater than the force received by the first portion 221, so that the blade 200 tries to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow AR3, that is, in the direction in which the state changes from the blocked state to the open state. As a result, even though the state is the blocked state, the blade 200 may rotate slightly in the open direction, and a gap may be formed between the adjacent blades 200. As a result, the air resistance of the vehicle MV may not be sufficiently suppressed, and problems such as a decrease in fuel efficiency may occur.

[0069] One method for solving this problem is to change only the positions of the rotation axes 211, 212, and to change the position to one offset to the right of the center along the width direction of the flat plate portion 220, as in the case of blade 200B shown in Fig. 9(A). With this configuration, as in the present embodiment, the force from the air causes blade 200B to rotate in the direction of arrow AR2, and the problem of the formation of a gap can be solved.

[0070] 9(A), however, the rotating shafts 211, 212 are too close to the driving shaft 213, which causes a problem that the torque to be applied to the driving shaft 213 becomes too large. Also, when the blade 200B is formed by injection molding of resin, for example, there may be a problem that it becomes difficult to remove the portion between the rotating shafts 211, 212 and the driving shaft 213 from the mold.

[0071] As a method for further solving these problems, it is possible to offset the position of the drive shaft 213 further outward in the width direction, as in the blade 200C shown in Fig. 9(B). However, in this case, a part or all of the drive shaft 213 protrudes outside the range (AR10) in the width direction of the main body. As a result, the dimension in the front-rear direction in the open state becomes too large, causing a new problem that the mountability of the shutter device 10 becomes poor.

[0072] In contrast, in the blade 200 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the problem of the gap being formed in the cut-off state is solved by devising the positions of the rotation axes 211 and 212 (which may be called the position of the rotation axis AX1) as described above. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the drive axis 213, which is the driven part, is provided at a position on the opposite side (left side) to the side (right side) where the rotation axis AX1 is provided, rather than the center along the width direction of the flat plate part 220, and a sufficient distance is ensured between the rotation axes 211 and 212 and the drive axis 213. Therefore, unlike the comparative example shown in FIG. 9(A), the torque to be applied to the drive axis 213 does not become too large, and the mold removal during molding does not become difficult. Furthermore, by arranging the rotation axis AX1 on one side and the drive axis 213 on the other side of the center of the flat plate part 220, it is possible to accommodate the entire drive axis 213 inside the range (AR10) along the width direction of the main body part. As a result, unlike the comparative example shown in FIG. 9(B), the problem of deterioration in mountability of the shutter device 10 does not occur.

[0073] In this embodiment, the rotation center axis AX1 is provided at a position on one side of the center in the thickness direction of the flat plate portion 220, and the drive shaft 213, which is the driven part, is provided at a position on the other side of the center in the thickness direction of the flat plate portion 220. Specifically, the rotation center axis AX1 is provided at a position downstream of the center in the thickness direction of the flat plate portion 220 in the direction of air flow in the blocked state, and the drive shaft 213 is provided at a position on the opposite side. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the link member 170 and the rotation shafts 211 and 212 from interfering with each other while making the power transmission mechanism including the link member 170 a simple configuration.

[0074] A second embodiment will be described below. In the following, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and descriptions of commonalities with the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate.

[0075] In FIG. 10, two adjacent blades 200 among the blades 200 arranged in a line in the blocking state are illustrated in a top view. In this embodiment, the portion of the flat plate portion 220 indicated by the reference numeral "225" and hatched is made of a material, specifically rubber, which is softer than the other portions. This portion is also referred to as the "flexible portion 225" below. The flexible portion 225 is provided in a range including the entire portion of the flat plate portion 220 that contacts the flat plate portion 220 of the adjacent blade 200 in the blocking state. Therefore, in the blocking state as shown in FIG. 10, the flexible portion 225 is deformed by the force of the air, and is easily brought into close contact with the flat plate portion 220 of the adjacent blade 200. As a result, the possibility of a gap occurring between the blades 200 is further reduced.

[0076] Thus, in this embodiment, the entire portion of the blade 200 that comes into contact with the adjacent blade 200 in the cut-off state is the flexible portion 225 formed of a material that is softer than the other portions. The "other portions" in the above refers to the portions of the flat plate portion 220 excluding the flexible portion 225. The "soft material" in the above specifically refers to a material with a small Young's modulus. Note that the blade 200 may be configured such that only a portion of the portion that comes into contact with the adjacent blade 200 in the cut-off state is the flexible portion 225, rather than the entire portion. This embodiment configured as described above also provides the same effects as those described in the first embodiment.

[0077] The present embodiment has been described above with reference to specific examples. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these specific examples. Any design modifications made by a person skilled in the art to these specific examples are also included within the scope of the present disclosure as long as they have the features of the present disclosure. The elements of each of the above-mentioned specific examples and their arrangements, conditions, shapes, etc. are not limited to those exemplified and can be changed as appropriate. The combination of each of the elements of each of the above-mentioned specific examples can be changed as appropriate as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

Claims

1. A shutter device (10) for a vehicle (MV), comprising: a blade (200) which is a plurality of plate-like members, each of which rotates around a central axis of rotation (AX1) along its longitudinal direction, thereby switching between a blocking state in which the air flow is blocked and an open state in which the air flow is not blocked; A frame (100) that rotatably supports the blade; Among the blades, A portion on one side of the rotation center axis along the width direction is defined as a first portion (221), When the portion on the other side of the rotation center axis along the width direction is defined as a second portion (222), The rotation center axis is The first portion is provided at a position different from a center along the width direction so that an area of ​​the first portion is larger than an area of ​​the second portion, A shutter device in which air flowing from the front to the rear of the vehicle hits the first part, and the direction in which the blade rotates due to the force from the air is the direction in which the blade changes from the open state to the blocked state.

2. The blade is provided with a driven portion (213) that receives a driving force for rotating around the central axis of rotation, The driven part is The shutter device according to claim 1 , wherein the blade is provided at a position on the opposite side to the side where the central axis of rotation is provided, rather than at a center in a width direction of the blade.

3. the rotation central axis is provided at a position on one side of a center in a thickness direction of the blade, The shutter device according to claim 2 , wherein the driven portion is provided at a position on the other side of the center in the thickness direction of the blade.

4. In the interrupted state, The shutter device according to claim 3 , wherein the central axis of rotation is provided at a position that is downstream in a direction in which air flows from a center in a thickness direction of the blade.

5. When the portion of the blade excluding the driven portion is defined as a main body, The shutter device according to claim 2 , wherein the driven portion is entirely contained within a range along a width direction of the main body portion.

6. The shutter device according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the blade that comes into contact with the adjacent blade in the blocking state is made of a material that is softer than other parts of the blade.

7. The vehicle is provided with a heat exchanger (20, 30) for exchanging heat with air, The shutter device according to claim 1 , wherein the shutter device is disposed adjacent to the heat exchanger in a direction in which air flows in the vehicle.

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