Motor Vehicle Air Intake Flap Drainage Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle front face air inlet shutter devices are prone to being blocked by frozen water accumulation, leading to increased costs due to the need for stronger and more expensive control mechanisms to break the ice, which also affects aerodynamics and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a fixed wall between the lower part of the support frame and the lowest flap, with a space that allows water to drain and preventing it from freezing, reducing the power and resistance requirements of the control element and allowing for less expensive manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the control means and flaps are made stronger to break ice and prevent blocking, then reliability is improved, but cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful element (water) is extracted from the system by providing a drainage path that leads water away from the flap assembly, eliminating the root cause of freezing and blocking without requiring stronger components
Solution Approach 2:
The potential harmful effect of water accumulation is converted into a beneficial drainage function, where water that would otherwise freeze and block flaps is instead channeled through a dedicated drainage path to a collection reservoir, preventing the harmful freezing effect
2Reliability
If the control means is made more powerful to break frozen water, then reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Water is drained away from the flap assembly before it can freeze and cause blocking, preventing the need for high-energy ice-breaking operations later. The drainage action occurs continuously during normal operation, eliminating the need for reactive de-icing energy consumption
3Reliability
If the flaps are made more resistant to break ice, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Water is extracted from the system through the drainage path, preventing it from accumulating and freezing on the flaps. This eliminates the need for expensive ice-resistant or heated flap materials, allowing standard flap construction to be used
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design prevents flap immobilization by water freezing, enabling the use of less robust and cheaper components while maintaining aerodynamic benefits and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
This space, due to its height, allows water to be received which may trickle out of the device when the motor vehicle is stationary
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a sealing device (1) in particular for a front-end air intake of a motor vehicle, which comprises: a supporting frame (5) in which at least one flap (3) is installed, swivelling about a horizontal swivel pin (A) between a sealing position and an open position, at least one control element (13) controlling the position of the one or more flaps (3), the lower portion of the supporting frame (5) and the lower end of the flap (3) that is lowest when said flap (3) is in the sealing position being separated by a space (E).