Self-Cleaning Radiator Grille via Corrugated Air Conduits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing radiator grilles face blockages due to accumulated chaff and fibrous materials, requiring frequent cleaning and additional energy inputs, which increases maintenance costs and leads to inefficient air flow to the radiator.

Innovation Solution

A self-cleaning radiator grille assembly featuring a radiator housing with a frame and a grill plate composed of trash filter units with corrugated sheets forming air conduits that allow ambient air to push clogging agents down an incline, facilitating their removal without additional drives or energy inputs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a perforated grille member is used to allow air flow, then air can pass through the radiator grille, but chaff and fibrous materials accumulate on the grill surface causing blockage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair flow to radiatorVSAvoidgrille blockage by chaff

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses corrugated sheets with curved surfaces instead of flat grill surfaces. The curved geometry creates inclines that prevent chaff accumulation by allowing gravity and air flow to naturally remove debris, eliminating blockage while maintaining air flow productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The radiator grille assembly performs self-cleaning through the interaction of air flow and inclined corrugated surfaces. The air flow pushes chaff down the inclines without requiring external cleaning mechanisms, making the system self-maintaining while ensuring continuous air flow to the radiator

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If a continuously moving screen is used to filter chaff, then the grill can be self-cleaning, but additional drive and energy are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveself-cleaning capabilityVSAvoidenergy for screen and brush movement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the existing air flow through the radiator as the cleaning mechanism. The corrugated sheets create inclines that convert air flow kinetic energy into cleaning action, eliminating the need for separate drives and energy inputs while maintaining continuous self-cleaning capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical moving screen and brush system with a passive aerodynamic system. Instead of using mechanical movement to clean the grill, the design uses air flow dynamics and gravitational forces on inclined surfaces to achieve cleaning, substituting mechanical energy with fluid dynamic forces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If the radiator fan direction is reversed periodically to clean the grille, then chaff accumulation is prevented, but a control system is required increasing cost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of chaff accumulationVSAvoidcontrol system for fan reversal

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The corrugated grille structure continuously prevents chaff accumulation through its geometric design and the natural air flow pattern. The inclines created by corrugation ensure that chaff cannot adhere to the surface, eliminating the need for periodic reversal control systems while maintaining reliable chaff-free operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Productivity

If a perforated grille is used, then air flow is enabled, but frequent stoppages are required for manual cleaning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair flow to radiatorVSAvoidstoppages for cleaning

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The corrugated grille assembly continuously self-cleans during normal air flow operation, preventing chaff accumulation that would require manual intervention. The design converts the air flow necessary for radiator cooling into the cleaning force that prevents blockage, eliminating stoppages and maintaining continuous productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Ensures continuous, blockage-free air passage to the radiator, reducing machine stoppages and maintenance costs while effectively filtering fibrous and leafy materials without the need for additional energy or control systems.

Implementation Method 1

an ambient air entering the air conduits facilitates removal of clogging agents by pushing the agents down an incline

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

hollow spaces between the corrugated sheets form air conduits, wherein an ambient air entering the air conduits facilitates removal of clogging agents

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir flow: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS9656542B2Radiator Grille

Publication Date: 2017.05.23 K J SOMAIYA COLLEGE OF ENG

AI summary

A self-cleaning radiator grille assembly having a radiator housing, a plurality of trash filter units forming a grill plate held by a frame wherein each of the plurality of trash filter units has at least one pair of filter lines, a plurality of corrugated sheets placed between the filter lines and parallel to each other such that hollow spaces between the corrugated sheets form air conduits for facilitating removal of clogging agents.