Segmented Air Guide Cassette for Radiator Flap Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiator cooling devices with movable flaps face challenges in compact vehicle front designs, including fragility, high replacement costs, and lack of standardization across vehicle models, which affects aerodynamic efficiency and CO2 emissions.
Innovation Solution
A two-part air guide cooling device with a removable autonomous cassette for the concealment shutter, allowing for easier adaptation to various vehicle models, where the cassette can be optionally included or excluded, and the fixing means for the front and rear parts trap the cassette in place, ensuring secure positioning and standardization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If movable flaps are positioned in or close to the air inlet grille, then aerodynamic efficiency is improved, but the flaps become fragile and susceptible to damage from shocks
Solution Approach 1:
The air guide is divided into two separable parts: a front part that can be positioned close to the air inlet for aerodynamic efficiency, and a rear part containing the flap mechanism. This segmentation allows the front part to optimize airflow while the rear part protects the flaps from direct impact exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The air guide structure acts as an intermediary between the air inlet and the flaps, providing a protective channel that reduces direct exposure to shocks while maintaining aerodynamic flow paths. The guide's geometry mediates between the conflicting requirements of proximity to inlet and protection from damage.
2Loss of energy
If movable flaps are integrated into the technical front face, then aerodynamic efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to custom sheet metal design
Solution Approach 1:
The air guide is designed as a universal component that can be adapted to different vehicle models without requiring custom integration into each front face design. The standardized air guide module can be mounted on various vehicle architectures, reducing manufacturing complexity and enabling economies of scale.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of integrating flaps directly into custom sheet metal front faces for each vehicle model, the invention uses a standardized air guide template that can be replicated across multiple models. This copying approach maintains aerodynamic efficiency while avoiding the complexity of custom manufacturing for each variant.
3Strength
If the air guide is constructed as a single integrated piece, then structural strength is improved, but adaptability to various vehicle models decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The air guide is segmented into a front part and a rear part that can be separately manufactured and then assembled. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural integrity through standardized connection interfaces that ensure strength upon assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular air guide structure allows the rear part containing the flap mechanism to be nested within or attached to the front part. This nested configuration enables adaptability to different vehicle models while maintaining structural strength through the hierarchical assembly of standardized components.
4Force
If concealment shutters are placed at the air inlet level without recoil, then impact energy absorption is improved, but the shutters are exposed to all shocks including low-speed impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter system is segmented and positioned within the rear part of the air guide, separated from the front air inlet area. This segmentation allows the shutters to contribute to impact energy absorption at their designated position while being protected from direct exposure to low-speed shocks that occur at the front air inlet level.
Solution Approach 2:
The air guide structure provides beforehand cushioning by positioning the shutters in a protected location within the rear part, shielded by the front part's structure. This prior protective arrangement allows the shutters to perform their impact energy absorption function without being directly exposed to harmful shocks from the front.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
According to the invention, in a device for cooling a radiator, comprising an air guide (8) attached to structural portions of the vehicle and a device (20) having movable air-blocking flaps, the air guide (8) is made of at least two separate portions, i.e. a front portion (10.1) and a rear portion (8.1), respectively, which are provided with means for mutual attachment, said rear portion (8.1) being attached to said structural portions and comprising a receiving area adapted for receiving said device having blocking flaps (20), the entire assembly being held in place by means of the attachment of the front portion (10.1) onto the rear portion (8.1).