Vehicle Air Flap Assembly With Mechanical Fault Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lamella-operated air flap devices in vehicles are susceptible to damage, leading to aerodynamic deterioration and increased fuel consumption, and current diagnostic systems are either unreliable or complex, making rapid and cost-effective manufacturing challenging.
Innovation Solution
The air flap device features specifically configured fastening sections and a control unit with receiving sections that generate a detectable force when an air flap malfunctions, allowing for reliable detection of single blade damage without additional sensors, enabling early warning and minimizing fuel consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lamella-operated air flap devices are equipped with diagnostic systems to detect single blade damage, then reliability of damage detection is improved, but device complexity increases making rapid and cost-effective manufacturing difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The air flap device performs self-diagnosis through the interaction between fastening sections and receiving sections. When an air flap is damaged or missing, the fastening section cannot properly engage with the receiving section, automatically generating a detectable signal without requiring external sensors or complex diagnostic systems. This self-service approach maintains high detection reliability while keeping the device结构简单 and cost-effective.
2Measurement precision
If additional sensors are added to detect air flap malfunctions, then measurement precision of malfunction detection is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electronic sensors and electrical detection systems with a purely mechanical detection mechanism. The fastening section's engagement status with the receiving section directly generates a mechanical signal that can be detected by the control unit. This mechanical substitution achieves precise malfunction detection while avoiding the complexity and cost associated with additional electronic sensors.
3Ease of manufacture
If the air flap device uses a simple structural design, then ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to reliably diagnose single lamella damage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The air flap device is segmented into modular components: multiple air flaps, corresponding fastening sections on each flap, and receiving sections in the control unit. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently and simply, while the collective interaction of these segmented parts enables reliable detection of single flap damage. The modular design simplifies manufacturing while maintaining diagnostic capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An air flap device for use in a motor vehicle can have an air flap unit comprising a plurality of air flaps pivotally supported about an axis of rotation between a closed position and an open position, wherein the air flaps each have a cover section for covering and uncovering air passages and a fastening section for fixing the air flaps in the air flap device, a drive unit for driving the air flaps, a control unit for controlling an operational capability of the air flaps the control unit having corresponding receiving sections for receiving the fastening sections of the individual air flaps, the air flap device being configured in such a way that a detectable force is generated in the event of a malfunction or non-function of an air flap, wherein the detectable force results from a direct interaction between the fastening section of at least one air flap and the corresponding receiving section of the air flap in the control unit.