Grille shutter device
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing grille shutter device fails to detect abnormalities in the uppermost and lowermost fins due to the absence of adjacent fins, leading to potential undetected issues when motive power transmission is cut off in fully closed or open states.
Innovation Solution
A grille shutter device with a locking structure comprising a first locking portion on each fin and a second locking portion on the linkage member, which restricts movement when motive power transmission is cut off, allowing for proper abnormality detection by the abnormality detection unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the uppermost and lowermost fins are excluded from abnormality detection, then the detection system is simpler, but the reliability of abnormality detection decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system is segmented into two independent detection mechanisms: (1) mutual interference detection between adjacent fins using turn restriction portions, and (2) movement restriction detection using the locking structure for uppermost and lowermost fins. This segmentation allows each fin to be detected through at least one valid mechanism, improving overall detection reliability without requiring a single complex unified system.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking structure acts as an intermediary mechanism that translates the movement state of the uppermost and lowermost fins into detectable signals. When motive power transmission is cut off, the locking structure restricts fin movement, and this restriction is detected by the control unit, enabling indirect detection of abnormalities in fins that lack adjacent neighbors.
2Measurement precision
If the locking structure restricts movement of the linkage member, then abnormality detection accuracy improves, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking structure dynamically adjusts its locking state based on the operating conditions. It selectively restricts movement only when motive power transmission is cut off (abnormal state), while allowing free movement during normal operation. This dynamic behavior enables accurate abnormality detection without permanently impeding normal fin operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the movement restriction parameter conditionally: under normal operation, the locking structure allows full movement range; when motive power transmission is cut off, it transitions to a restricted movement state. This parameter change enables the system to maintain ease of operation during normal use while achieving high detection accuracy during abnormal conditions.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A grille shutter device including: a plurality of fins (20); a linkage member (30) configured to link the fins (20) such that the fins (20) move together; a driving device (40) configured to move one of the fins (20); an abnormality detection unit (61) configured to detect an abnormality of the fin (20) according to an operating state of the driving device (40); and a locking structure (L) including a first locking portion being a part of each of the fins (20) and a second locking portion being a part of the linkage member (30), wherein: in a motive power transmission cut-off state, a movement of the linkage member (30) is restricted by an abutment of the second locking portion against a first locking portion of an abnormal fin.