Active Grille Shutter Rear Bearing Structure for Vane Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional active grille shutter systems face issues with vane deflection due to frontal loads, air leakage, mechanical failures, vibration, rattling noise, increased component count, and frictional losses, which affect their reliability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The active grille shutter system incorporates a frame with back supports that include bearing rods and cavities with retention and insertion features, providing rigidity and preventing deflection, while reducing bearing contact and component count.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If intermediate bearing clamps are disposed between the vanes to provide bearing support and hold the vanes securely, then vane deflection is prevented, but the vanes become axially discontinuous along the longitudinal axis, rendering them ineffective in preventing air leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the bearing support from an intermediate position between vanes to the rear end of the vane assembly. The rear bearing support structure provides axial continuity by supporting all vanes at their rear ends, eliminating the discontinuity caused by intermediate clamps while maintaining vane rigidity against deflection.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear bearing support structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides bearing support for all vanes, maintains axial continuity across the vane assembly, prevents air leakage, and supports the actuator mechanism. This multi-functional design resolves the contradiction by achieving both rigidity and leakage prevention through a single integrated structure.
2Area of stationary object
If the vanes are made flexible and long to cover the required area, then airflow control is improved, but the vanes become prone to deflection due to frontal loads and uncontrolled air-flow across gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides preliminary support to the vanes at their rear ends through the bearing support structure before frontal loads are applied. This pre-support prevents deflection by establishing a stable baseline position, allowing the vanes to be long and flexible for coverage while maintaining stability under load.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies bearing support specifically at the rear end of the vanes rather than uniformly across all vanes. This localized support at the critical rear position provides the necessary stability against frontal loads while allowing the vanes to maintain their long, flexible configuration for adequate airflow coverage.
3Strength
If more intermediate bearing clamps are added to support the vanes, then deflection is reduced, but the number of components increases and mechanical failures become more prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the bearing support function into a single integrated rear support structure that supports all vanes simultaneously, rather than using multiple separate intermediate clamps. This consolidation reduces the total number of components while maintaining adequate support for all vanes, thereby reducing the risk of mechanical failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the bearing support function from the intermediate positions between vanes and relocates it to the rear end of the vane assembly. This extraction eliminates the need for multiple intermediate clamps while preserving the essential support function, thus reducing component count and complexity.
4Reliability
If more bearing contact between vane shaft and intermediate bearing clamps is provided, then support is improved, but frictional losses increase rendering the system inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a bearing support structure at the rear end that acts as an intermediary between the vane shaft and the support frame. This intermediary provides reliable support while using bearing surfaces that minimize friction, thus reducing energy losses while maintaining support reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical friction-based support of intermediate clamps with a bearing-based support system at the rear end. The bearing mechanism reduces frictional contact while providing reliable support, thereby substituting a high-friction mechanical system with a low-friction bearing system.
Data Source
AI summary
An active grille shutter system (100) includes a frame (10) and vanes (20) disposed within the frame (10). Rotatable connection between the frame (10) and the vanes (20) permit angular movement the vanes (20) about longitudinal axis “X” thereof to define a blocking and an unblocking configuration thereof. The frame (10) includes at least one back support (12) disposed substantially orthogonal to the vanes (20) to prevent deflection of the vanes (20) in the direction of ram air. The back support (12) extends towards the vanes (20) and includes a plurality of bearing rods (12a) received in bearing cavities (22) formed on corresponding vanes (20). Each of the bearing cavity (20) encapsulates at least a portion of the periphery of corresponding bearing rod (12a). At least one of the bearing rod (12a) and the corresponding bearing cavity (22) configured with at least one of insertion assisting, locking and retention features.