Stepped Vehicle Cooler Air Guide with Radiator Venting

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing air guides with a planar shape do not effectively cover condensers and radiators with different top surface heights, leading to reduced cooling efficiency due to partial obstruction of the radiator's front surface by the standing wall, which prevents outside air from reaching the radiator.

Innovation Solution

A stepped air guide design with a standing wall and air holes that extends from the top surface of the radiator over the condenser, allowing outside air to reach the radiator while preventing hot air from entering, and includes sealing members to enhance airflow and structural strength.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a planar upper air guide is used to bridge over the condenser and radiator, then hot air is prevented from flowing forward, but the cooling efficiency of the radiator is reduced when the top surfaces are at different heights

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehot air flow into condenser and radiatorVSAvoidcooling efficiency of radiator

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The air guide body is segmented into multiple functional parts: a first base face on the condenser, a second base face on the radiator, and a standing wall connecting them. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function - the standing wall blocks hot air while the air holes in it guide outside air to the radiator, resolving the contradiction between hot air prevention and cooling efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The standing wall is provided with air holes at specific locations to allow outside air to reach the radiator front surface. This local modification ensures that while the standing wall blocks hot air from the power units, it simultaneously maintains or improves radiator cooling efficiency by directing fresh air flow to where it is needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If a stepped air guide with a standing wall is used to cover different height surfaces, then the air guide can adapt to height differences, but the standing wall obstructs the radiator front surface and reduces cooling efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair guide adaptation to different heightsVSAvoidcooling efficiency of radiator

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The air holes in the standing wall act as intermediaries that allow outside air to pass through the barrier created by the standing wall itself. This mediator approach enables the standing wall to fulfill its hot air blocking function while still allowing necessary cooling air flow to reach the radiator

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This design maintains the cooling efficiency of the radiator by exposing its front surface to outside air through air holes and effectively blocking hot air from entering, thereby improving the overall cooling performance of the vehicle cooler.

Implementation Method 1

a standing wall extending in a height direction of a vehicle to couple the first base face and the second base face and facing a front surface of the radiator in a forward-rearward direction of the vehicle. The standing wall includes at least one air hole configured to guide the outside air to the radiator

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

a radiator for cooling a coolant of the engine

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

a condenser for cooling a high pressure refrigerant for air conditioner

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11529866B2Vehicle cooler

Publication Date: 2022.12.20 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

A vehicle cooler includes a radiator, a condenser, and an air guide bridging from a top surface of the radiator over a top surface of the condenser. The air guide includes a body part including a first base face placed on the top surface of the condenser, a second base face placed on the top surface of the radiator, and a standing wall extending in a height direction of a vehicle for coupling the first base face and the second base face. The standing wall faces a front surface of the radiator with respect to a forward-rearward direction of the vehicle, and includes air holes for guiding outside air to the radiator.