Grill shutter

Abstract

To provide a grille shutter which achieves excellent component assemblability and excellent durability with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A grille shutter is disposed at a front part of a vehicle and used to open or close ventilation passages for introducing air into the vehicle and includes: a frame body 110 having openings forming the ventilation passages and bearing grooves provided at outer periphery parts of the openings; flaps each having a rotary shaft fitted in the bearing groove on at least one end side and configured to open or close the opening through rotation operation around the rotary shaft; and side brackets each of which closes opening ends of the bearing grooves in a state where the rotary shafts are fitted in the bearing grooves to cause the flaps to be supported pivotally on the frame body. The side bracket has: slide fitting parts 164 which restrict the side bracket from moving in a direction away from the frame body; and a claw fitting part 163A which restricts the slide fitting part from moving in a direction along the frame body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 22

Description

[[TECHNICAL FIELD]]

[0001] The present invention relates to a grille shutter. [[BACKGROUND ART]]

[0002] Conventionally, a grille shutter for opening and closing an air passage that introduces air into the interior of a vehicle such as an automobile has been provided at the front portion of the vehicle.

[0003] In such a grille shutter, as an example of a configuration in which fins are assembled to a frame body, for example, there is known a configuration in which a recess is provided in the frame body, and a separate frame cover is attached to the frame body in a state where a shaft portion of the fin is inserted into the recess, thereby movably supporting the fin on a vertical frame (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes that the frame cover is attached to the frame body by, for example, inserting a clip portion provided on the frame cover into a clip receiving portion provided on the frame body and engaging the clip portion with a peripheral edge portion of the clip receiving portion. [[PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS]] [[PATENT DOCUMENTS]]

[0005] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Patent No. 7068141 [[SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0006] However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, the frame cover is merely assembled in one direction from the vehicle front side toward the vehicle rear side so as to close the open end of the recess. In this configuration, particularly when the grille shutter is in a closed state, when external pressure such as wind pressure or water pressure acts on the fins, the frame cover may come off, the fins may fall out of the recess, and this may lead to damage to the grille shutter or the like.

[0007] The objective of this invention is to provide a grill shutter with a simple structure, excellent ease of assembly, and superior durability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a devised structure for fixing the side bracket, which pivotally supports the flap to the frame body, to the frame body.

[0009] Specifically, the first invention relates to a grill shutter. The grill shutter of the first invention is a grill shutter positioned at the front of a vehicle and for opening and closing a ventilation passage that introduces air into the interior of the vehicle, and comprises a frame body having an opening that forms the ventilation passage and a bearing groove provided on the outer circumference of the opening; a flap having a pivot shaft at least one end of which is fitted into the bearing groove, and configured to be able to open and close the opening by rotational operation around the pivot shaft; and a side bracket that pivotally supports the flap to the frame body by closing the open end of the bearing groove when the pivot shaft is fitted into the bearing groove. The side bracket has a sliding fitting portion that restricts the movement of the side bracket away from the frame body, and a claw fitting portion that restricts the movement of the sliding fitting portion in a direction along the frame body.

[0010] The second invention relates to the grill shutter of the first invention, wherein the frame body has a holding piece and an engagement hole provided on the outer circumference of the opening. The side bracket is fixed to the frame body by sliding the side bracket along the outer circumference of the opening, so that the sliding fitting portion fits into the holding piece and the claw fitting portion engages with the engagement hole.

[0011] The third invention is a grill shutter of the first or second invention, further comprising a plurality of flaps arranged such that their pivot axes are parallel to each other. The sliding fitting portion of the side bracket is provided at a position corresponding to the distance between the pivot axes of adjacent flaps.

[0012] The fourth invention is a grill shutter of the third invention, wherein the side bracket has a weak portion provided at a position corresponding to the distance between the pivot axes of adjacent flaps. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] In the first invention, the flap can be pivotally supported on the frame body simply by assembling the side bracket with the pivot shaft fitted into the bearing groove, making flap assembly easy. Furthermore, the side bracket has two types of configurations, a sliding fitting part and a claw fitting part, which restricts movement in two directions: away from the frame body and along the frame body. Therefore, even when external forces such as wind pressure or water pressure act on the flap, the side bracket is less likely to come off the frame body.

[0014] In the second invention, the side bracket can be assembled simply by sliding it in one direction relative to the frame body, making assembly of the side bracket to the frame body easy. Furthermore, the claw-fitting portion restricts movement along the frame body where no external force acts, and the claw-fitting portion engages with the engagement hole simply by sliding, so there is no need to increase the insertion force of the claw-fitting portion, and the force required for assembly can be reduced.

[0015] In the third invention, when external pressure is applied to the flap, the load may concentrate on the part of the side bracket that blocks the bearing groove or the sliding fitting part. By positioning the sliding fitting part at a location corresponding to the distance between the pivot axes of adjacent flaps, the load can be distributed across the entire side bracket. In this way, the detachment of the side bracket can be effectively suppressed, and the detachment and looseness of each flap can be uniformly suppressed.

[0016] In the fourth invention, by providing the weakened portion at a position corresponding to between the rotation shafts of adjacent flaps, the side bracket can easily align along the frame body, particularly at the slide fitting portion, further improving the assemblability of the side bracket. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] [Figure 1] A front perspective view of a grille shutter in a fully open state. [Figure 2] A rear view of the grille shutter in a fully open state. [Figure 3] A rear view of the grille shutter in a fully closed state. [Figure 4] A rear perspective view of a lower right shutter portion before assembling flaps and a driving flap. [Figure 5] A cross-sectional view taken along line U-U in Fig. 4, showing only the frame body. [Figure 6] A perspective view of the center frame portion in Fig. 4 as seen from the right side. [Figure 7] A perspective view of an actuator. [Figure 8] (a) A front view of a flap for the lower right shutter portion and (b) an enlarged view of the front view as seen from direction K. [Figure 9] A rear perspective view of a driving flap and a flap for the lower right shutter portion. [Figure 10] An enlarged perspective view of the left end portion of the driving flap in Fig. 9. [Figure 11] A perspective view of the lower right side bracket. [Figure 12] A view of the lower right side bracket in Fig. 11 as seen from direction A. [Figure 13] A view showing a state where each flap and the driving flap are assembled to the lower right shutter portion in Fig. 4. [Figure 14] A cross-sectional view taken along line L-L in Fig. 13. [Figure 15] A view in Fig. 14 showing the flap when changed to a rotation posture in a fully closed state. [Figure 16] A rear view of the lower right shutter portion in a state where the lower right side bracket is set at a preparation position. [Figure 17] Enlarged view of section B in Figure 16. [Figure 18] Cross-sectional view along the CC line in Figure 17. [Figure 19] Cross-sectional view along the DD line in Figure 17. [Figure 20] Figure 16 shows the lower right side bracket slid into the assembly position. [Figure 21] Enlarged view of section E in Figure 20. [Figure 22] Cross-sectional view along the FF line in Figure 21. [Figure 23] Cross-sectional view along the GG line in Figure 21. [Figure 24] Cross-sectional view along the HH line in Figure 21. [Figure 25] Cross-sectional view of the JJ line in Figure 21. [Figure 26] Cross-sectional view along the MM line in Figure 25. [Figure 27] Figure 22 shows a modified example of the lower right side bracket. [Figure 28] Cross-sectional view along the NN line in Figure 27. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] The following describes exemplary embodiments in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that dimensions, ratios, or numbers in the drawings may be exaggerated or simplified to facilitate understanding of the present invention.

[0019] 《Embodiment》 The grill shutter 100 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, is located at the front of an automobile (vehicle) not shown. The grill shutter 100 is a device for opening and closing the ventilation passage P that introduces air into the interior of the automobile.

[0020] <direction> In this specification, the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions are based on the vehicle. The left-to-right direction may also be referred to as the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, the front side of a component may be referred to as the front side or front face, and the rear side of a component may be referred to as the rear side or back face.

[0021] Furthermore, the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions of the flap 131 and drive flap 133, as described later, are based on the automobile as described above, and also refer to the state when both are in a fully closed, rotating position.

[0022] Furthermore, the axial, radial, and circumferential directions of the flap 131 and the drive flap 133 are based on the rotation axis 131A of the flap 131 and the drive axis 133A of the drive flap 133, respectively.

[0023] <Overview of Grill Shutter> As shown in Figure 1, the grill shutter 100 has multiple (six in this example) shutter sections. Specifically, the six shutter sections are the lower right shutter section 121, the lower left shutter section 122, the middle right shutter section 124, the middle left shutter section 125, the upper right shutter section 127, and the upper left shutter section 128.

[0024] Furthermore, the grill shutter 100 comprises, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, a frame body 110, an actuator 151, a link member 141, a flap 131 and a drive flap 133, and a side bracket 161.

[0025] Each shutter section is provided with an opening 116 in the frame body 110. Multiple flaps 131 are arranged in the opening 116 of each shutter section. In addition to the flaps 131, a drive flap 133 is also arranged in the opening 116 of the lower right shutter section 121 and the lower left shutter section 122.

[0026] As will be described in detail later, the drive flap 133 is driven by an actuator 151 and is configured to open and close the opening 116 by a rotational operation around the drive shaft 133A. Similarly, the flap 131 is configured to open and close the opening 116 by a rotational operation around the pivot shaft 131A. The drive flap 133 and the flap 131 are connected by a link member 141, and the opening and closing of the flap 131 in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the drive flap 133 causes each shutter section to open and close. In this way, the ventilation passage P is opened and closed.

[0027] The lower right shutter section 121 and the lower left shutter section 122, the middle right shutter section 124 and the middle left shutter section 125, and the upper right shutter section 127 and the upper left shutter section 128 are each configured to be symmetrical with respect to the center frame section 112.

[0028] Furthermore, although the upper, middle, and lower shutter sections differ in size, the number of flaps 131, and the presence or absence of drive flaps 133, they are generally constructed in the same way. Therefore, in the following descriptions of each component, the lower right shutter section 121 will be used as an example.

[0029] -Opening and closing operation of the grill shutter- The opening and closing operation of the grill shutter 100 will be explained with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

[0030] First, let's explain the closing operation of the grill shutter 100. In the fully open state of the grill shutter 100 shown in Figure 2, the actuator 151 rotates the drive flap 133 90 degrees around the drive shaft 133A. As a result, the link member 141 connected to the drive flap 133 swings downward, as shown by the white arrow in Figure 3. Then, each flap 131 connected to the link member 141 also rotates 90 degrees, and the grill shutter 100 is fully closed.

[0031] The opening operation of the grill shutter 100 is the reverse of the closing operation. In the fully closed state of the grill shutter 100 shown in Figure 3, the actuator 151 rotates the drive flap 133 by -90 degrees, causing the link member 141 connected to the drive flap 133 to swing upward. As a result, each flap 131 connected to the link member 141 also rotates by -90 degrees, and the grill shutter 100 becomes fully open.

[0032] In this embodiment, the rotation angle of the drive flap 133 around the drive shaft 133A, and consequently the rotation angle of each flap 131 around its pivot axis, can be adjusted to any angle by controlling the actuator 151 with a control device (not shown). In this way, the drive flap 133 and each flap 131 can be fixed in any intermediate position between the fully closed state and the fully open state. By fixing the drive flap 133 and each flap 131 in any intermediate position, the amount of air introduced into the radiator can be precisely controlled.

[0033] The grill shutter 100 may be configured to be fixed only in two rotational positions, such as a fully closed state and a fully open state, or in three or more predetermined rotational positions in stages.

[0034] <Frame body> The frame body 110 constitutes the frame of the grill shutter 100 and is made up of a plate material having multiple (six in this example) openings 116.

[0035] Each opening 116 is provided so as to penetrate the frame body 110 in the front-to-back direction. The six openings 116 correspond to the respective shutter sections described above. That is, when each shutter section is open, the six openings 116 form a ventilation passage P.

[0036] The shape of each opening 116 is not particularly limited, but can be rectangular, polygonal, etc. The size of the opening 116 (the opening area of ​​the opening 116 when the flap 131 and drive flap 133 are not in place) is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to set it to the maximum size that is permissible in consideration of the layout of the automobile parts. This ensures that the flow area of ​​the ventilation passage P is maximized.

[0037] The frame body 110 comprises a center frame section 112 and side frame sections 114.

[0038] The center frame portion 112 is provided so as to extend vertically at the center of the frame body 110 in the left-right direction. An actuator 151 and a link member 141 are provided on the rear side of the center frame portion 112.

[0039] Furthermore, multiple frame body ribs 118 are provided on the rear side of the frame body 110, covering almost the entire surface. In drawings such as Figure 2, only a portion is shown for ease of understanding, and not all of the frame body ribs 118 are shown.

[0040] Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the lower right shutter section 121 before the flap 131 and drive flap 133 are assembled. As shown in Figure 4, a portion of the outer periphery 117 of the opening 116 is made up of a side frame section 114. A side wall section 117A is provided in the side frame section 114 adjacent to the opening 116, having a predetermined width in the front-rear direction and extending in the vertical direction.

[0041] Multiple bearing grooves 176 are provided in the side wall portion 117A. The bearing grooves 176 have an open end 176A at the rear end of the side wall portion 117A and are grooves formed by cutting out the side wall portion 117A in the front-rear direction.

[0042] The bearing grooves 176 are grooves for receiving the right end (other end) of the pivot shaft 131A of the flap 131 and the drive shaft 133A of the drive flap 133. The number of bearing grooves 176 is the same as the number of flaps 131 (and drive flaps 133, if present) arranged in each shutter section. That is, in the lower right shutter section 121 of Figure 4, there are four bearing grooves. The bearing grooves 176 in each shutter section are arranged at approximately equal intervals in the vertical direction.

[0043] The shape of the bearing groove 176 is not particularly limited as long as it can receive the right end of the pivot shaft 131A of the flap 131 and the drive shaft 133A of the drive flap 133, and can be, for example, an oval shape extending in the front-rear direction. The vertical width of the open end 176A can be about the same as the diameter of the semicircular front end of the bearing groove 176 if the bearing groove 176 is oval-shaped.

[0044] A side bracket mounting portion 171 is provided between the side wall portion 117A on the back surface of the side frame portion 114 and the outer wall portion 111 of the frame body 110. The side bracket mounting portion 171 is provided with a hook insertion hole 173, an engagement hole 174, and three pairs of holding pieces 175.

[0045] The hook insertion hole 173 and the engagement hole 174 are formed as holes that penetrate the side frame portion 114 in the front-rear direction.

[0046] The hook insertion hole 173 is a hole for inserting the hook 163 of the lower right side bracket 161A (described later) from the back to the front of the side frame portion 114. The shape of the hook insertion hole 173 is not particularly limited as long as the hook 163 can be inserted through it, but it can be rectangular, for example.

[0047] The engagement hole 174 is a hole for the claw-fitting portion 163A, described later, which is provided on the lower end (tip side) of the hook 163 to engage with the side frame portion 114 from the front side to the back side. The shape of the engagement hole 174 is not particularly limited as long as the claw-fitting portion 163A can be inserted through it, but it can be rectangular, for example.

[0048] The hook insertion hole 173 and the engagement hole 174 are arranged adjacent to each other, slightly spaced apart in the vertical direction via a partition wall portion 173A. The widths of the hook insertion hole 173 and the engagement hole 174 in the left-right direction are approximately the same, greater than the left-right width of the hook 163, and less than, for example, 2 / 3 of the left-right width of the side frame portion 114. The vertical height of the hook insertion hole 173 is greater than the vertical height of the engagement hole 174. The vertical height of the hook insertion hole 173 is greater than the vertical height of the hook 163. The vertical height of the engagement hole 174 is greater than the vertical height of the claw fitting portion 163A.

[0049] The side bracket mounting portion 171 has three through holes 175A provided at approximately equal intervals in the vertical direction. The holding piece 175 consists of a pair of convex portions extending rearward from the side bracket mounting portion 171, provided on both the left and right sides of these through holes 175A. As shown in Figure 19, a bent portion 175B is provided at the rear end of the holding piece 175. The bent portions 175B of the pair of convex portions are configured so that their tips face each other with a distance between them.

[0050] The holding piece 175 is configured so that the sliding fitting portion 164, which will be described later, is fitted into it. That is, the size of the holding piece 175 is set to correspond to the size of the sliding fitting portion 164 so that the sliding fitting portion 164 fits into the surface portion 175C of the holding piece 175. With the sliding fitting portion 164 fitted into the holding piece 175, the bent portion 175B has the role of a restricting portion that restricts movement of the lower right side bracket 161A away from the frame body 110, i.e., backward.

[0051] The holding piece 175 is positioned in the vertical direction between adjacent bearing grooves 176, preferably at a position corresponding to approximately the vertical center of adjacent bearing grooves 176.

[0052] A portion of the outer periphery 117 of the opening 116 is formed by the center frame portion 112. A center wall portion 117B is provided in the center frame portion 112 adjacent to the opening 116, having a predetermined width in the front-rear direction and extending in the vertical direction.

[0053] Multiple bearing holes 182 are provided in the center wall portion 117B. The bearing holes 182 are provided as holes that penetrate the center wall portion 117B in the left-right direction. The bearing holes 182 are holes for receiving the left end (one end) of the pivot axis 131A of the flap 131. The number of bearing holes 182 is the same as the number of flaps 131 arranged in each shutter portion. That is, in the lower right shutter portion 121 of Figure 4, there are three bearing holes.

[0054] The center wall portion 117B has a drive shaft insertion portion 183 between the second bearing hole 182 from the top and the lowest bearing hole 182. The drive shaft insertion portion 183 is a groove with an open end at the rear end of the center wall portion 117B. The drive shaft 133A of the drive flap 133 is inserted through this drive shaft insertion portion 183 into the drive shaft insertion hole 153 of the actuator 151, which is located on the back side of the center frame portion 112. The three bearing holes 182 and the drive shaft insertion hole 153 are provided at approximately equal intervals in the vertical direction.

[0055] The bearing hole 182 is provided with a notch 182A, which is formed by cutting out a portion of the edge of the bearing hole 182 radially outward, specifically forward (see Figure 5). The notch 182A is a groove for inserting the projection 131B of the flap 131, which will be described later. The vertical height of the notch 182A is smaller than the diameter of the bearing hole 182.

[0056] The notches 182A are provided in each of the three bearing holes 182 provided in the center wall portion 117B (see Figure 6). All of these notches 182A are provided so as to extend forward, that is, they are all oriented in the same direction.

[0057] As shown in Figure 5, the rear end of the center wall portion 117B is provided with a fully open link restricting recess 185A and a fully closed link restricting recess 185B, which are concave towards the front, on the rear upper and rear lower sides of each bearing hole 182, corresponding to each bearing hole 182. When the flap 131 is in the fully open rotation position, the link shaft 131C of the flap 131 (described later) comes into contact with the fully open link restricting recess 185A, stabilizing the fully open rotation position of the flap 131. Similarly, when the flap 131 is in the fully closed rotation position, the link shaft 131C of the flap 131 (described later) comes into contact with the fully closed link restricting recess 185B, stabilizing the fully closed rotation position of the flap 131.

[0058] The frame body 110 is formed by conventional methods such as injection molding and press molding. The material constituting the frame body 110 is not particularly limited, but examples include reinforced fiber resins, which are resin materials such as polypropylene resin (PP) and polyamide resin (PA) blended with reinforcing fibers such as glass fibers (GF). Specific examples of such materials include PP-GF40, PP-GF30, PP-GF35, PA6-GF30, and PA6-GF35.

[0059] Actuator The actuator 151 has the role of rotating the drive shaft 133A of the drive flap 133. The actuator 151 is mounted in the center frame portion 112 at a position corresponding to the lower shutter portion.

[0060] As shown in Figure 7, the actuator 151 includes a power coupler connection portion 155 and a drive shaft insertion hole 153 into which the drive shaft 133A is inserted. The actuator 151 is connected to a control device (not shown) and adjusts the rotation angle of the drive shaft 133A around the drive shaft 133A based on instructions from the control device. The configuration of the actuator 151 is not particularly limited, and a commercially available actuator 151 can be used as appropriate.

[0061] <Link component> The link member 141 is a member for connecting the flaps 131 and drive flaps 133, which are positioned on all shutter sections, via the link bearing hole 142. The operation of the link member 141 causes all of these flaps 131 and drive flaps 133 to assume the same rotational position relative to each other.

[0062] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the link member 141 is a vertically extending plate positioned on the rear side of the center frame portion 112. The upper end of the link member 141 branches out to the left and right in accordance with the flap 131 positioned in the upper shutter portion, and the link member 141 as a whole has a Y-shape.

[0063] The link member 141 comprises a link member body 141A, a link member right wall portion 141B, and a link member left wall portion (not shown).

[0064] The link member body 141A is a Y-shaped plate-like portion that extends vertically from the upper end to the lower end of the frame body 110 and is parallel to the left-right direction.

[0065] A right wall portion 141B of the link member extends forward from the upper end to the lower end of the right end of the link member body 141A. The right wall portion 141B of the link member is provided with the same number of link member flange portions 141C as the number of flaps 131 and drive flaps 133 arranged in the right shutter portion, and link bearing holes 142 formed in the link member flange portions 141C. The positions of the link member flange portions 141C and link bearing holes 142 are set to be approximately equal in the vertical direction, corresponding to the installation positions of the flaps 131 and drive flaps 133.

[0066] Furthermore, the left end of the link member body 141A is provided with a link member left wall portion, which is configured symmetrically with the link member right wall portion 141B. The configuration of the link member left wall portion is generally the same as that of the link member right wall portion 141B, except that it is configured symmetrically with the link member right wall portion 141B, so its illustration and detailed explanation are omitted.

[0067] The link member 141 is formed by conventional methods such as injection molding and press molding. The material constituting the link member 141 is not particularly limited, but examples include reinforced fiber resins in which reinforcing fibers such as glass fibers (GF) are compounded with resin materials such as polypropylene resin (PP) and polyamide resin (PA). Specific examples of such materials include PP-GF30, PP-GF40, PP-GF35, PA6-GF30, PA6-GF35, PA66-GF30, and PA66-GF35.

[0068] <Flaps and drive flaps> The flaps 131 are provided on each shutter section and rotate around the pivot axis 131A to adjust the opening degree of the opening 116.

[0069] The drive flaps 133 are provided in the lower right shutter section 121 and the lower left shutter section 122 of the six shutter sections, and by rotating around the drive shaft 133A, they play a role in adjusting the opening degree of the opening 116 together with the flaps 131.

[0070] Figure 8 shows (a) a front view and (b) an enlarged view of the flap 131 for the lower right shutter section 121, viewed from the K direction, i.e., the left side. Figure 9 is a rear perspective view of the drive flap 133 and flap 131. Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the left end of the drive flap in Figure 9.

[0071] As shown in these figures, the flap 131 and the drive flap 133 are elongated plate-shaped members that extend in the left-right direction.

[0072] The flap 131 comprises a pivot shaft 131A, a link shaft 131C, and a flap body 131D.

[0073] The pivot shaft 131A serves as the rotation axis of the flap 131. The left and right ends (ends) of the pivot shaft 131A are configured as projections that protrude to the left and right sides, respectively, on the left and right sides of the flap body 131D.

[0074] Projections 131B are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the tip end at both the left and right ends of the pivot shaft 131A, projecting radially outward, i.e., upward. The projections 131B serve to suppress the axial dislodgement of the flap 131 when the flap 131 is assembled to the frame body 110. The radial height and circumferential length of the projections 131B are smaller than the radial height and circumferential length, respectively, of the notch 182A. The shape and axial length of the projections 131B are not particularly limited, as long as the projections 131B can pass through the notch 182A when the flap 131 is attached to the frame body 110, and the axial dislodgement of the flap 131 is suppressed in rotational positions other than the fully open rotational position.

[0075] The link shaft 131C is located at the left end of the flap body 131D, but not at the right end. The link shaft 131C is configured as a projection that protrudes to the left on the left side of the flap body 131D. The link shaft 131C is inserted into the link bearing hole 142 of the link member 141.

[0076] The flap body 131D is essentially the part that adjusts the opening area of ​​the opening 116. When each shutter section is fully closed, external pressures such as wind pressure and water pressure act directly on the flap body 131D. On the back surface of the flap body 131D, for example, a grid-like flap reinforcing rib 131G is provided over the entire surface to increase the strength of the flap body 131D. For ease of understanding, only a portion of the flap reinforcing rib 131G is shown in the drawing, and the rest is omitted. The shape of the flap reinforcing rib 131G is appropriately configured according to the required strength of the flap body 131D, manufacturing costs, etc.

[0077] The lower end front side and upper end back side of the flap body 131D are provided with a lower end anti-slip portion 131E and an upper end anti-slip portion 131F, respectively. These are composed of, for example, multiple grooves that extend in the left-right direction and are spaced equally in the vertical direction. When each shutter portion is fully closed, the ends of adjacent flaps 131 overlap in the vertical direction. At that time, the front side of the lower end of the upper flap 131 and the back side of the upper end of the lower flap 131 come into contact with each other. In this way, the lower end anti-slip portion 131E of the upper flap 131 and the upper end anti-slip portion 131F of the lower flap 131 engage with each other, stabilizing the rotational position of the flap 131 when it is fully closed.

[0078] The drive flap 133 comprises a drive shaft 133A, a drive flap link shaft 133C, and a drive flap body 133D.

[0079] The drive flap 133 is equipped with a drive shaft 133A in place of the pivot shaft 131A.

[0080] The left end of the drive shaft 133A is the part to which the driving force of the actuator 151 is transmitted, and therefore it is configured in a gear shape to match the shape of the inner circumferential surface of the drive shaft insertion hole 153. Note that the left end of the drive shaft 133A does not have a projection corresponding to the projection 131B that was provided on the pivot shaft 131A.

[0081] The configuration of the right end of the drive shaft 133A is the same as that of the right end of the pivot shaft 131A, and a projection 133B is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the tip side, projecting radially outward, i.e., upward. The projection 133B has the same configuration as the projection 131B.

[0082] The configuration of the drive flap link shaft 133C is the same as that of the link shaft 131C.

[0083] Furthermore, the configuration of the drive flap body 133D is the same as that of the flap body 131D. The drive flap body 133D is provided with a drive flap reinforcing rib 133G, which has the same configuration as the flap reinforcing rib 131G. Although not shown in the figures, the drive flap body 133D is also provided with the same configuration as the lower end anti-slip portion 131E and the upper end anti-slip portion 131F, and is configured to engage with the lower end anti-slip portion 131E and the upper end anti-slip portion 131F of the upper and lower flaps 131 of the drive flap 133.

[0084] The flap 131 and the drive flap 133 are formed by conventional methods such as injection molding and press molding. The materials constituting the flap 131 and the drive flap 133 are not particularly limited, but include reinforced fiber resins in which reinforcing fibers such as glass fibers (GF) are compounded with resin materials such as polypropylene resin (PP) and polyamide resin (PA). Specific examples of such materials include PP-GF30, PP-GF35, PP-GF40, PP-GF45, PA6-GF20, PA6-GF30, PA6-GF35, PA6-GF40, PA66-GF30, PA66-GF35, etc.

[0085] <Side Bracket> The side bracket 161 is a cover member that covers the right end of the flap 131 and the drive flap 133 to prevent them from falling off the frame body 110.

[0086] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the lower right side bracket 161A. Figure 12 is a view of the lower right side bracket 161A from direction A, i.e., from the left side.

[0087] The lower right side bracket 161A is a component that extends in the vertical direction.

[0088] The lower right side bracket 161A comprises a bearing groove closing flange 162, a hook 163, a claw fitting portion 163A, a slide fitting portion 164, a hold piece insertion opening 165, a bridge portion 166, a side bracket reinforcing rib 167, a relief opening 168, a weak point 168A, and a shaft relief recess 169.

[0089] The bearing groove closing flange 162 is a plate-like portion parallel in the vertical, horizontal, and vertical directions, and serves to close the open end 176A formed at the rear end of the side wall portion 117A of the frame body 110. Four bearing groove closing flanges 162 are provided in the vertical direction, corresponding to the number of open ends 176A.

[0090] A side bracket vertical wall portion 162A extends forward from the right end of the bearing groove closing flange 162. The left side surface of the side bracket vertical wall portion 162A is a shaft relief recess 169 formed to prevent contact with the right end of the pivot shaft 131A.

[0091] A side bracket front wall portion 162B, which is parallel to the vertical and horizontal directions, extends from the front end of the side bracket vertical wall portion 162A.

[0092] The side bracket vertical wall portion 162A and the side bracket front wall portion 162B are provided in four units, corresponding to the four bearing groove closing flanges 162.

[0093] The bearing groove closing flange 162, the side bracket vertical wall portion 162A, and the side bracket front wall portion 162B are provided corresponding to the bearing groove 176. Therefore, even if external pressure is applied to the flap 131 and the drive flap 133, which are in a fully closed rotational position, for example, it is necessary to prevent the right end of the pivot shaft 131A and the right end of the drive shaft 133A, which are fitted into the bearing groove 176, from coming out of the bearing groove 176. For this reason, a side bracket reinforcing rib 167 is provided extending from the bearing groove closing flange 162 to the side bracket vertical wall portion 162A and the side bracket front wall portion 162B. In this way, the strength of the bearing groove closing flange 162, the side bracket vertical wall portion 162A, and the side bracket front wall portion 162B is increased.

[0094] The uppermost side bracket front wall portion 162B is provided with a side bracket opening 162C. The side bracket front wall portion 162B is provided with a hook 163 that extends forward from the upper outer circumference of the side bracket opening 162C. The hook 163 has a hook base portion 163B that is connected to the side bracket front wall portion 162B and extends forward, and a hook tip portion 163C that is connected to the front end of the hook base portion 163B and extends downward. On the rear side of the front end of the hook tip portion 163C, a claw fitting portion 163A is provided, which is formed as a convex projection in the rearward direction.

[0095] A relief opening 168 is provided between adjacent bearing groove closing flanges 162 and side bracket vertical wall portions 162A. In other words, the relief opening 168 is a through hole formed across the plate-shaped portion constituting the bearing groove closing flange 162 and the plate-shaped portion constituting the side bracket vertical wall portion 162A, at a position corresponding to the space between adjacent bearing grooves 176 (a position corresponding to the space between the pivot shafts 131A and drive shafts 133A of adjacent flaps 131 and drive flaps 133).

[0096] In the plate-shaped portion constituting the front wall portion 162B of the side bracket, a slide fitting portion 164, a hold piece insertion opening 165, and a bridge portion 166 are provided at a position corresponding to the relief opening 168 (a position corresponding to the space between the pivot axes 131A and drive shafts 133A of the adjacent flaps 131 and drive flaps 133).

[0097] The hold piece insertion opening 165 is a through hole that penetrates the plate-like portion constituting the front wall portion 162B of the side bracket in the front-rear direction. The hold piece insertion opening 165 is formed as a pair of through holes on the left and right sides of the columnar bridge portion 166 that extends in the vertical direction. The hold piece insertion opening 165 is a hole for inserting the hold piece 175, which is provided in the side bracket mounting portion 171 of the frame body 110, from the front to the rear.

[0098] Furthermore, the relief opening 168, the hold piece insertion opening 165, and their outer periphery constitute a weak point 168A. By forming the relief opening 168 and the hold piece insertion opening 165 and providing a weak point 168A, the flexibility of the lower right side bracket 161A can be increased, and the ease of assembling the lower right side bracket 161A to the frame body 110 can be improved.

[0099] The slide fitting portion 164 is connected to the upper end of the bridge portion 166 and is configured as a U-shaped projection with cross-sections parallel to the front-rear and left-right directions and cross-sections parallel to the front-rear and up-down directions that protrude toward the rear (see Figures 22, 23, etc.). The rear surface portion 164A of the slide fitting portion 164 is configured to be able to abut against the surface portion 175C of the holding piece 175.

[0100] As shown in Figure 2, the side bracket 161 used for each shutter section is the one that matches that shutter section. Specifically, for example, the middle right shutter section 124 uses the middle right side bracket 161B, and the upper right shutter section 127 uses the upper right side bracket 161C. The length in the vertical direction and the number of sliding fitting sections 164 of the side bracket 161 are adjusted according to each shutter section, but the basic configuration remains the same.

[0101] The side bracket 161 is formed by conventional methods such as injection molding and press molding. The material constituting the side bracket 161 is not particularly limited, but examples include reinforced fiber resins, which are resin materials such as polypropylene resin (PP) and polyamide resin (PA) blended with reinforcing fibers such as glass fibers (GF). Specific examples of such materials include PP-GF40, PP-GF30, PA6-GF30, PA6-GF35, PA6-GF40, PA66-GF30, and PA66-GF35.

[0102] <Method for assembling flaps and drive flaps to the frame body> As shown in Figure 4, with the actuator 151 and then the link member 141 installed on the center frame portion 112 of the frame body 110, the flap 131 and the drive flap 133 can be assembled. At this time, the link member 141 is positioned such that the link member flange portion 141C is located in or near the fully open link restricting recess 185A.

[0103] The flap 131 and the drive flap 133 are configured to be assembled to the frame body 110 when in the fully open rotational position.

[0104] Figure 13 shows the flap 131 and drive flap 133 assembled to the lower right shutter section 121 of Figure 4. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view along line LL in Figure 13. Figure 15 shows the state in Figure 14 when the flap 131 has changed to the fully closed rotation position.

[0105] The assembly method of the flap 131 will be explained with reference to these diagrams.

[0106] First, the left end of the pivot shaft 131A of the flap 131 and the link shaft 131C are inserted from right to left into the bearing hole 182 of the center wall portion 117B and the link bearing hole 142 of the link member 141, respectively. At this time, as shown in Figure 14, the position where the projection 131B is formed corresponds to the position where the notch 182A of the bearing hole 182 is formed, so the projection 131B also moves to the left side of the center wall portion 117B through the notch 182A.

[0107] Then, as shown in Figure 13, the right end of the pivot shaft 131A of the flap 131 is fitted into the bearing groove 176 through the open end 176A. Note that the projection 131B provided on the right end of the pivot shaft 131A is configured to be positioned to the right of the side wall portion 117A after assembly.

[0108] The drive flap 133 can be assembled in the same manner as the flap 131. That is, the left end of the drive shaft 133A and the drive flap link shaft 133C of the drive flap 133 are inserted from right to left into the drive shaft insertion hole 153 of the actuator 151 and the link bearing hole 142 of the link member 141, respectively. The right end of the drive shaft 133A of the drive flap 133 is the same as the right end of the pivot shaft 131A of the flap 131.

[0109] The lower right side bracket 161A is then attached to the side bracket mounting portion 171, including the side wall portion 117A, so as to close the open end 176A of the bearing groove 176, with the pivot shaft 131A and the drive shaft 133A fitted into the bearing groove 176. This completes the assembly of the flap 131 and the drive flap 133. Details on how to attach the lower right side bracket 161A will be described later.

[0110] In this embodiment, as described above, when the flap 131 is in the fully open rotation position, the position where the projection 131B is formed corresponds to the position where the notch 182A of the bearing hole 182 is formed (see Figure 14). That is, the projection 131B is configured to allow insertion through the notch 182A when the flap 131 is in the fully open rotation position (a predetermined rotation position other than the fully closed position).

[0111] More specifically, as shown in Figure 14, if the axis of the pivot shaft 131A is O, the flap 131 is configured to rotate around axis O by a rotation angle θ (0° ≤ θ ≤ 90°). The fully open rotation position is when θ is 0°, and as shown in Figure 14, the flap body 131D is approximately parallel in the front-rear, left-right, and right directions.

[0112] When the pivot axis 131A rotates 90° around the axis O from the position shown in Figure 14, the flap body 131D becomes approximately parallel in the vertical, horizontal, and vertical directions, as shown in Figure 15, and the flap 131 becomes the fully closed rotation position.

[0113] As can be seen from Figures 14 and 15, when θ is other than 0°, i.e., when it is in a position other than the fully open rotation position (Figure 14), i.e., at least in the fully closed rotation position (θ=90°), preferably in the fully closed rotation position and any intermediate position (0°<θ<90°), the projection 131B is positioned away from the notch 182A in an axial view. As a result, even when external pressure is applied to the flap body 131D, the projection 131B abuts against an edge of the bearing hole 182 other than the notch 182A, thereby restricting the axial disengagement of the pivot shaft 131A from the bearing hole 182.

[0114] Furthermore, the rotational position of the flap 131 through which the projection 131B can pass through the notch 182A may be a rotational position other than the fully open position (0° < θ ≤ 90°). In other words, the circumferential position of the notch 182A may be set to 0° < θ ≤ 90°. However, since the external pressure acting on the flap body 131D is minimum in the fully open rotational position (θ = 0°) and maximum in the fully closed rotational position (θ = 90°), it is preferable that the rotational position of the flap 131 through which the projection 131B can pass through the notch 182A be set to the fully open rotational position (θ = 0°). This effectively suppresses axial dislodgement of the pivot shaft 131A from the bearing hole 182.

[0115] The bearing holes 182 provided in the center wall portion 117B and the bearing grooves 176 provided in the side wall portion 117A are both provided at approximately equal intervals in the vertical direction and at corresponding positions in the left-right direction. Therefore, as shown in Figures 1 and 13, in each shutter portion, the assembled flaps 131 and drive flaps 133 are arranged such that the pivot shafts 131A and drive shafts 133A are parallel to each other and approximately equally spaced in the vertical direction.

[0116] It is preferable that the projections 131B of each flap 131 and the corresponding notches 182A are provided in the same orientation. In this example, all of the notches 182A provided in the multiple bearing holes 182 are notches that cut out the bearing holes 182 toward the front. Furthermore, the projections 131B are provided so as to protrude forward from the pivot axis 131A when the flaps are in the fully open rotation position (θ=0°). In this way, by providing the projections 131B and notches 182A in the same orientation (forward in this example) on multiple flaps 131, multiple flaps 131 can be assembled in the same rotation position, thus simplifying the assembly of the flaps 131.

[0117] The projection 131B at the right end of the pivot shaft 131A and the projection 133B at the right end of the drive shaft 133A protrude forward when the flap 131 and drive flap 133 are in the fully open rotation position (see Figure 25, projection 133B is not shown). Also, although not shown, the projections 131B and 133B protrude upward when the flap 131 and drive flap 133 are in the fully closed rotation position. Therefore, even if external pressure is applied to the flap body 131D, the projections 131B and 133B abut against the side wall portion 117A, restricting axial disengagement from the bearing groove 176 at the right end of the pivot shaft 131A and the right end of the drive shaft 133A (see Figure 26).

[0118] <How to attach the side bracket to the frame> Figure 16 is a rear view of the lower right shutter section with the lower right side bracket 161A set in the preparation position. Figure 17 is an enlarged view of section B in Figure 16. Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view along line CC in Figure 17, and Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view along line DD in Figure 17.

[0119] As shown in Figure 16, the lower right side bracket 161A is set in the preparation position of the side bracket mounting portion 171 from the rear to the front. At this time, as shown in Figure 17, the bearing groove closing flange 162 closes the open end 176A of the bearing groove 176 with the right end of the pivot shaft 131A and the right end of the drive shaft 133A fitted into the bearing groove 176.

[0120] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 18, the hook 163 of the lower right side bracket 161A is inserted through the hook insertion hole 173 of the side bracket mounting portion 171 from the rear to the front.

[0121] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 19, the holding piece 175 of the side bracket mounting portion 171 is inserted from the front to the rear through the holding piece insertion opening 165 of the lower right side bracket 161A. In this way, the bridge portion 166 is positioned between the pair of left and right holding pieces 175.

[0122] With the lower right side bracket 161A set in the preparation position, slide the lower right side bracket 161A downwards, i.e., along the side wall portion 117A, relative to the side bracket mounting portion 171, as shown by the white arrow in Figure 18, to set it in the assembly position.

[0123] Figure 20 shows the lower right side bracket of Figure 16 slid into the assembly position. Figure 21 is an enlarged view of section E in Figure 20, and Figures 22 to 25 are cross-sectional views of Figure 21 along lines FF, GG, HH, JJ, and MM, respectively. Figure 26 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 25 along line MM.

[0124] When the lower right side bracket 161A is set in the assembly position, as shown in Figure 21, the bearing groove closing flange 162 remains blocking the open end 176A of the bearing groove 176.

[0125] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 22, the hook 163 of the lower right side bracket 161A moves downward while remaining inserted through the hook insertion hole 173. In this way, the claw fitting portion 163A engages with the engagement hole 174 from front to rear, and the upper surface of the claw fitting portion 163A comes into contact with the partition wall portion 173A. As a result, the claw fitting portion 163A and the partition wall portion 173A function as restrictors that limit the upward movement of the lower right side bracket 161A (in the direction along the frame body 110, the sliding direction).

[0126] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 21 and 23, the sliding fitting portion 164 is fitted between the pair of left and right holding pieces 175. In this way, the back portion 164A of the sliding fitting portion 164 abuts against the front portion 175C of the holding piece 175. As a result, the sliding fitting portion 164 and the bent portion 175B of the holding piece 175 function as restricting portions that restrict the movement of the lower right side bracket 161A toward the rear (away from the frame body 110).

[0127] In this way, the lower right side bracket 161A is fixed to the frame body 110 by the sliding fitting portion 164 fitting onto the holding piece 175 and the claw fitting portion 163A engaging with the engagement hole 174.

[0128] Then, as shown in Figures 25 and 26, the lower right side bracket 161A closes the open end 176A of the bearing groove 176 with the right end of the pivot shaft 131A and the right end of the drive shaft 133A fitted into the bearing groove 176, thereby pivotally supporting the flap 131 and the drive flap 133 on the frame body 110.

[0129] Furthermore, the presence of the weak point 168A improves the flexibility of the lower right side bracket 161A, making it easier to slide the lower right side bracket 161A downwards along the side bracket mounting portion 171, thereby improving the ease of assembly of the lower right side bracket 161A.

[0130] <Features of the Embodiment> The grill shutter 100 of this embodiment is characterized by a structure for fixing the side bracket 161, which pivotally supports the flap 131 and the drive flap 133 to the frame body 110, to the frame body 110.

[0131] The grill shutter 100 of this embodiment is a grill shutter 100 positioned at the front of a vehicle and for opening and closing a ventilation passage P that introduces air into the interior of the vehicle, and comprises a frame body 110 having an opening 116 that forms the ventilation passage P and a bearing groove 176 provided on the outer circumference 117 of the opening 116; a flap 131 having a pivot shaft 131A at least one end fitted into the bearing groove 176, and configured to open and close the opening 116 by rotational operation around the pivot shaft 131A; and a side bracket 161 that pivotally supports the flap 131 to the frame body 110 by closing the open end of the bearing groove 176 when the pivot shaft 131A is fitted into the bearing groove 176. The side bracket 161 has a sliding fitting portion 164 that restricts the movement of the side bracket 161 away from the frame body 110, and a claw fitting portion 163A that restricts the movement of the sliding fitting portion 164 in a direction along the frame body 110.

[0132] In this configuration, the flap 131 can be pivotally supported on the frame body 110 simply by assembling the side bracket 161 with the pivot shaft 131A fitted into the bearing groove 176, making the assembly of the flap 131 easy. Furthermore, the side bracket 161 has two types of configurations, a sliding fitting portion 164 and a claw fitting portion 163A, which restricts movement in two directions: away from the frame body 110 and along the frame body 110. Therefore, even when external forces such as wind pressure or water pressure act on the flap 131, the side bracket 161 is less likely to come off the frame body 110.

[0133] In this embodiment, the grill shutter 100 has a frame body 110 which has a holding piece 175 and an engagement hole 174 provided on the outer periphery 117 of the opening 116. The side bracket 161 is fixed to the frame body 110 by sliding the side bracket 161 along the outer periphery 117 of the opening 116, so that the sliding fitting portion 164 fits into the holding piece 175 and the claw fitting portion 163A engages with the engagement hole 174.

[0134] In this configuration, the side bracket 161 can be assembled simply by sliding it in one direction relative to the frame body 110, making assembly of the side bracket 161 to the frame body 110 easy. Furthermore, the claw-fitting portion 163A restricts movement along the frame body 110 where no external force acts, and the claw-fitting portion 163A engages with the engagement hole 174 simply by sliding it, so there is no need to increase the insertion force of the claw-fitting portion 163A, and the force required for assembly can be reduced.

[0135] The grill shutter 100 in this embodiment includes a plurality of flaps 131 arranged such that their pivot axes 131A are parallel to each other. The sliding fitting portion 164 of the side bracket 161 is provided at a position corresponding to the space between the pivot axes 131A of adjacent flaps 131.

[0136] In this configuration, when external pressure is applied to the flap 131, the load may concentrate on the part of the side bracket 161 that blocks the bearing groove 176 and the slide fitting portion 164. By positioning the slide fitting portion 164 at a location corresponding to the distance between the pivot axes 131A of adjacent flaps 131, the load can be distributed across the entire side bracket 161. This effectively suppresses the detachment of the side bracket 161 and uniformly suppresses the detachment and looseness of each flap 131.

[0137] In this embodiment, the grill shutter 100 has a side bracket 161 which has a weak portion 168A located at a position corresponding to the space between the pivot axes 131A of adjacent flaps 131.

[0138] In this configuration, by providing a weak point 168A at a position corresponding to the space between the pivot axes 131A of adjacent flaps 131, the side bracket 161 becomes easier to conform to the frame body 110, especially at the slide fitting portion 164, further improving the ease of assembly of the side bracket 161.

[0139] <Other features of the embodiment> The grill shutter 100 of this embodiment is further characterized in that, preferably, a projection 131B is provided at the end of the flap 131 to suppress the flap 131 from coming out of the bearing hole 182.

[0140] The grill shutter 100 of this embodiment is positioned at the front of a vehicle and is used to open and close a ventilation passage P for introducing air into the interior of the vehicle. The grill shutter 100 comprises a frame body 110 having an opening 116 forming the ventilation passage P, a bearing hole 182 provided on the outer circumference 117 of the opening 116, and a notch 182A formed by cutting out a part of the edge of the bearing hole 182 radially outward. The flap 131 has a pivot shaft 131A inserted through the bearing hole 182, and a projection 131B provided at the end of the pivot shaft 131A that protrudes radially outward from the pivot shaft 131A, and opens and closes the opening 116 by a rotational operation around the pivot shaft 131A. The projection 131B is configured to allow insertion of the notch 182A when the flap 131 is in a predetermined rotational position other than the fully closed state. The projection 131B, when the flap 131 is in at least a fully closed rotational position, is positioned away from the notch 182A, thereby contacting the edge of the bearing hole 182 other than the notch 182A and restricting the axial disengagement of the pivot shaft 131A from the bearing hole 182.

[0141] If the support for the end of the pivot shaft 131A is set to a structurally advantageous insert-type bearing hole 182, the ease of assembling the flap 131 becomes an issue. In this configuration, even if a projection 131B is provided at the end of the pivot shaft 131A of the flap 131 to suppress axial dislodgement, a notch 182A is provided at the edge of the bearing hole 182 through which the projection 131B can be inserted, making it easy to assemble the flap 131. Furthermore, when the grill shutter 100 is fully closed, external forces such as wind pressure and water pressure act most strongly on the flap 131. In this configuration, when the flap 131 is at least in the fully closed rotational position, the projection 131B suppresses axial dislodgement of the flap 131, thereby suppressing deformation and detachment of the flap 131.

[0142] In this embodiment of the grill shutter 100, the predetermined rotational position is the rotational position in which the flap 131 is fully open.

[0143] When the grill shutter 100 is fully open, the external pressure acting on the flap 131 is smallest, and the flap 131's resistance to external pressure is highest. In this configuration, when the flap 131 is in the fully open rotation position, the positions of the notch 182A and the projection 131B coincide, making it difficult for the flap 131 to come off even when external pressure is applied. Furthermore, when the flap 131 is in the fully open rotation position, it is easier to hold the flap 131, further improving the ease of assembly of the flap 131 to the frame body 110.

[0144] The grill shutter 100 of this embodiment includes a plurality of flaps 131 arranged so that their pivot axes 131A are parallel to each other, and includes a link member 141 that connects the plurality of flaps 131 so that they take the same rotational position relative to each other. The projection 131B of each flap 131 and the notch 182A corresponding to the projection 131B are provided in the same orientation relative to each other.

[0145] In this configuration, multiple flaps 131 need to be attached to both the frame body 110 and the link member 141. With this configuration, since the projections 131B of each flap 131 and the corresponding notches 182A are provided in the same orientation, multiple flaps 131 can be attached in the same rotational position while the link member 141 is positioned in a predetermined location, thus making the attachment of the flaps 131 even easier.

[0146] In this embodiment, the grill shutter 100 has a bearing hole 182 provided on the outer circumference 117 of the opening 116 located on one end side of the pivot shaft 131A. The frame body 110 has a bearing groove 176 provided on the outer circumference 117 of the opening 116 located on the other end side of the pivot shaft 131A. The flap 131 is pivotally supported on the frame body 110 by inserting one end of the pivot shaft 131A into the bearing hole 182 and fitting the other end of the pivot shaft 131A into the bearing groove 176, with the flap 131 being covered by a cover member that closes the open end of the bearing groove 176.

[0147] In this configuration, the other end of the pivot shaft 131A only needs to be supported by the bearing groove 176, further improving the ease of assembly of the flap 131. Also, if both sides were made into insert-type bearing holes 182, it would be necessary to set the ends of the pivot shaft 131A of the flap 131 to be long. However, by making the other end into a bearing groove 176, it is not necessary to lengthen the pivot shaft 131A of the flap 131, so the clearance between the frame body 110 and the flap 131 can be set to be narrower.

[0148] Other embodiments As shown in Figures 27 and 28, a bridge section reinforcing rib 166A may be provided on the back side of both the bridge section 166 and the slide fitting section 164, spanning both. This improves the strength of the slide fitting section 164.

[0149] As described above, preferred embodiments have been explained as examples of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and can be applied to embodiments that are modified, replaced, added, or omitted as appropriate. Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments are illustrative, and that various further modifications are possible in combinations of their components and processing processes, and that such modifications also fall within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0150] As described above, the present invention is useful for grill shutters. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0151] 100 Grill Shutter 110 Frame Body 111 Exterior wall 112 Center frame section 114 Side frame section 116 Opening 117 Outer perimeter 117A Side wall section 117B Center wall section 118 Frame body ribs 121 Lower right shutter section 122 Lower left shutter section 124 Middle right shutter section 125 Middle left shutter section 127 Upper right shutter section 128 Upper left shutter section 131 Flap 131A Rotary shaft 131B Protrusion 131C Link shaft 131D Flap Body 131E Lower end anti-slip section 131F Upper end anti-slip section 131G Flap Reinforcement Rib 133 Drive flap 133A Drive shaft 133C Drive flap link shaft 133D Drive flap body 141 Link member 141A Link component body 141B Link member right wall 141C Link member flange section 142 Link bearing holes 151 Actuator 153 Drive shaft insertion hole 155 Power coupler connection 161 Side bracket (cover component) 161A Lower right side bracket 161B Middle Right Side Bracket 161C Upper right side bracket 162 Bearing groove closing flange 162A Side bracket vertical wall section 162B Side bracket front wall 163 Hook 163A Claw fitting part 163B Hook base 163C Hook tip 164 Slide fitting section 164A Rear section 165 Holder piece insertion opening 166 Bridge section 166A Bridge section reinforcing ribs 167 Side bracket reinforcing rib 168 Reduced opening 168A Weak part 169 Axle relief recess 171 Side bracket mounting section 173 Hook insertion hole 173A Bulkhead section 174 Engagement holes 175 Hold Pieces 175A through hole 175B Bent part 175C Surface section 176 Bearing groove 176A open end 182 Bearing hole 182A Notch 183 Drive shaft insertion section 185A Fully Open Link Restriction Recess 185B Fully Closed Link Restriction Recess

Claims

1. A grille shutter (100) located at the front of the vehicle, for opening and closing a ventilation passage (P) that introduces air into the interior of the vehicle, A frame body (110) having an opening (116) that forms the above-mentioned ventilation passage (P), and a bearing groove (176) provided on the outer periphery (117) of the opening (116), A flap (131) has a pivot shaft (131A) at least one end of which is fitted into the bearing groove (176), and is configured to open and close the opening (116) by a rotational operation around the pivot shaft (131A), The system includes a side bracket (161) that pivotally supports the flap (131) on the frame body (110) by closing the open end (176A) of the bearing groove (176) with the pivot shaft (131A) fitted into the bearing groove (176), The side bracket (161) has a sliding fitting portion (164) that restricts the movement of the side bracket (161) away from the frame body (110), and a claw fitting portion (163A) that restricts the movement of the sliding fitting portion (164) along the frame body (110). The above-mentioned pivot axis (131A) is provided with a plurality of flaps (131) arranged so as to be parallel to each other. The slide fitting portion (164) of the side bracket (161) is provided at a position corresponding to the space between the pivot axes (131A) of adjacent flaps (131), A grill shutter in which the above-mentioned side bracket (161) has a vulnerable portion (168A) provided at a position corresponding to the space between the pivot axes (131A) of adjacent flaps (131).

2. The frame body (110) has a holding piece (175) and an engagement hole (174) provided on the outer periphery (117) of the opening (116), The grill shutter according to claim 1, wherein the side bracket (161) is fixed to the frame body (110) by sliding the side bracket (161) along the outer circumference (117) of the opening (116), so that the sliding fitting portion (164) fits onto the holding piece (175) and the claw fitting portion (163A) engages with the engagement hole (174).

Images