Modular Active Grille Shutter Actuator Pocket for Reduced-Vane Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional active grille shutter systems are inefficient for electric vehicles due to their large cooling apertures and require a robust actuator pocket, which is not suitable for vehicles with fewer than five vanes, and existing actuators are not adaptable to smaller sizes or variable vane configurations, complicating assembly and software integration.
Innovation Solution
A modular active grille shutter system with a reduced actuator pocket size and a compact actuator that can fit within it, featuring alternate actuator output axes and a single-degree-of-freedom assembly method, along with preprogrammed modular communication software for standard application adaptation, allowing any vane to be driven and eliminating the need for custom software programming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a robust actuator pocket is used to support conventional actuators, then the actuator can reliably drive the vanes, but the vertical height of the active grille shutter system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator pocket is redesigned to utilize horizontal space rather than vertical space. Multiple actuator output axes are arranged horizontally within a compact pocket, eliminating the need for vertical stacking and reducing the overall vertical height of the system while maintaining actuator reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator pocket is designed with multiple alternate output axes that can accommodate different actuator configurations and drive different vanes. This universal design allows the same pocket structure to serve multiple functions and adapt to various vane arrangements without increasing vertical height.
2Length of stationary object
If the active grille shutter system is designed with fewer than five vanes, then the system height is reduced, but the actuator pocket size must be reduced which complicates actuator integration
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator pocket is segmented into multiple standardized mounting locations and alternate output axes. This segmentation allows the actuator to be integrated into a smaller pocket by providing discrete, modular attachment points that simplify the integration process despite the reduced overall size.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator pocket design incorporates multiple alternate output axes with different orientations and positions. By changing the operational parameters (which output axis is activated), the system can adapt to different vane configurations and sizes without requiring a larger pocket structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If the actuator is fixed to a specific location on the frame, then the assembly process is simplified, but the system loses adaptability to different vane configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator pocket incorporates multiple alternate output axes and standardized mounting locations that allow the actuator to be adapted to different vane configurations. The actuator can be positioned and oriented in multiple ways within the same pocket structure, providing versatility while maintaining assembly simplicity through standardized interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator mounting system is designed to be dynamically configurable, allowing the actuator to be positioned at different locations and oriented at different angles within the actuator pocket. This dynamic adaptability enables the system to accommodate various vane configurations while maintaining ease of assembly through consistent mounting procedures.
4Reliability
If custom software programming is developed for each application, then the actuator can be precisely controlled, but the development time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is pre-programmed with modular communication software and standardized control algorithms during manufacturing. This preliminary action eliminates the need for custom software development for each application, reducing development time while maintaining control precision through pre-tested and validated software modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator software is designed with a universal, modular architecture that can adapt to different applications through configuration rather than custom programming. The pre-programmed software includes standardized communication protocols and control algorithms that work across multiple vane configurations and vehicle types, eliminating the need for time-consuming custom development.
Data Source
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Figure 4A
AI summary
A modular active grille shutter system that includes a frame connected to an automobile at a location forward of an engine or energy source such as a battery pack. The frame is formed from assembling several different sized components to create a cooling aperture. The modular active grille shutter system also includes an actuator pocket in the frame, the actuator pocket has an aperture and a surface that forms side walls of a pocket and the surface also includes a vane connection side. There is a plurality of alternate actuator output axes located within the actuator pocket, which depending on the actuator design they represent different possible locations for alignment of the actuator with the three vanes.