Active Air Flap Linkage for Lower Actuator Torque
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional active air flaps for vehicles experience increased actuator torque and potential twisting of flap members due to aerodynamic forces, leading to inefficiencies in cooling and aerodynamic performance.
Innovation Solution
The active air flap system incorporates a multi-path operation mechanism with a link unit and guide grooves to control flap members, allowing sequential opening and closing while preventing twisting and pushing, using a drive unit, loader shaft, link bar, and link panel to manage aerodynamic forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple flap members are rotated simultaneously by an actuator, then the outside air inlet can be opened or closed, but the driving pressure increases leading to higher actuator torque
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the simultaneous rotation of multiple flap members into sequential rotation through a multi-path mechanism. The link unit creates different operation paths (first path for opening, second path for closing) that allow flap members to rotate one after another rather than simultaneously, reducing the peak torque required from the actuator while maintaining the overall opening/closing functionality.
2Productivity
If flap members are operated to open/close air inlet, then cooling or aerodynamic performance is improved, but aerodynamic forces cause twisting of flap members
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric link bar lengths connecting to different flap members. The first link bar connects to a first flap member while the second link bar connects to a second flap member, with deliberately different lengths. This asymmetric configuration creates differential rotation that counteracts aerodynamic twisting forces, allowing the flap members to maintain structural stability while achieving the desired opening and closing motion for optimized cooling and aerodynamic performance.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an active air flap for vehicles, which includes a flap part configured to open and close an outside air inlet of a grill located at a front of a vehicle through a plurality of paths, a drive unit configured to provide a driving force to the flap part, and a link unit configured to transmit the driving force of the drive unit to the flap part, wherein the link unit includes a loader shaft configured to rotate in conjunction with an actuator shaft of the drive unit, a link bar having one end connected to both ends of the loader shaft in a longitudinal direction, and the other end located at both ends of the flap part, and a link panel configured to connect the other end of the link bar and both ends of the flap part.