Grille Shutter Frame Curvature for Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grille shutter designs suffer from weak rigidity due to rectangular frame shapes, making them prone to deformation under wind pressure, and are unsuitable for vehicles with short front overhangs due to increased length in the vehicle-front-and-rear direction.
Innovation Solution
A grille shutter with a frame extending parallel to the vehicle-left-and-right direction, featuring a movable louver and brackets at the end portions, and incorporating a curved configuration at the vehicle-rear-side edge of the frame to enhance rigidity and reduce length, allowing for efficient offset of external forces and improved mounting on vehicles with short front overhangs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the frame is designed with a rectangular shape extending linearly in the vehicle-front-and-rear direction, then the grille shutter can be mounted on vehicles with short front overhangs, but the rigidity of the frame becomes weak and it deforms easily under wind pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is designed with a curved configuration where the vehicle-rear-side edge is convex towards the vehicle-front side. This curvature increases the moment of inertia of the frame cross-section, significantly enhancing bending resistance and rigidity without increasing the overall length of the grille shutter in the vehicle-front-and-rear direction.
2Strength
If the frame is designed with a rectangular shape, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the rigidity is weak causing deformation under external forces
Solution Approach 1:
The curved configuration of the frame can be directly formed during the molding process, adding minimal complexity to manufacturing while dramatically improving rigidity. The curve is integrated into the overall frame design, allowing it to be produced as a single piece with standard manufacturing techniques.
3Strength
If the grille shutter is arranged in a slanted manner with the central end portion at the front side, then the rigidity is improved, but the length in the vehicle-front-and-rear direction increases making it unsuitable for minivans
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of slanting the entire grille shutter which increases length, the invention applies curvature locally to the frame's vehicle-rear-side edge. This provides the rigidity benefits of an angled design while maintaining a compact overall length suitable for minivans with short front overhangs.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved configuration is applied specifically to the frame portion that requires enhanced rigidity, rather than changing the overall geometry of the entire grille shutter. This localized modification achieves the desired strength improvement without the penalty of increased overall dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
A grille shutter includes a frame, a movable louver and a bracket provided at each of end portions of the frame. The frame includes an upper frame portion, a lower frame portion, a right frame portion and a left frame portion, wherein at least one of the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion includes a curved configuration in which a vehicle-rear-side edge of a portion of the one of the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion is convex towards a vehicle-front side, and the portion is positioned between the right frame portion and the left frame portion.