Vehicle Ventilation Flap Segmentation and Trimming
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ventilation devices for vehicles face rigidity issues and aesthetic concerns due to large-size closure flaps, which are prone to bending under high air pressure and are complex to produce and install, compromising their integration with the vehicle's design.
Innovation Solution
A ventilation device with a trimming piece that covers the junction region between two sections of the closure flap, allowing for longer, curved, or cambered flaps while maintaining structural integrity and simplifying installation, and enhancing aesthetics by hiding the junction from the exterior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If large-size closure flaps (length ≥ 450mm) are used, then the ventilation device can achieve optimal engine operating temperature and aerodynamic performance, but the closure flaps become prone to bending under high air pressure and suffer from rigidity problems
Solution Approach 1:
The closure flap is divided into multiple sections (first section, second section, etc.) that can be manufactured separately and then joined together. This segmentation allows each section to maintain adequate rigidity while the overall structure achieves the required length, preventing bending under aerodynamic pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure flap sections are joined using a composite construction method involving fixing regions with complementary shapes that interlock, creating a structurally sound joint that maintains the rigidity of individual sections while achieving the desired overall length.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate closure flap devices are used to solve rigidity problems, then the closure flaps become easier to manufacture, but the device complexity increases and the transition between adjacent flaps becomes prominent, spoiling vehicle aesthetics
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple closure flap sections are merged into a single integrated structure through the fixing region connection system. This merging reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for multiple separate closure flap devices while maintaining ease of manufacture through modular section design with complementary fixing regions.
3Strength
If multiple separate closure flap devices are used, then rigidity problems are solved, but the transition between adjacent flaps is prominent from outside the vehicle, compromising aesthetic integration
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple closure flap sections are merged into a visually unified structure where the joints between sections are not prominent from the exterior. The fixing regions connect sections in a way that maintains smooth external surfaces, achieving both rigidity and aesthetic integration with the vehicle design.
4Productivity
If large-size closure flaps are used, then the ventilation device achieves optimal aerodynamic shape and engine temperature management, but the risk of bending becomes significant due to high air pressure on the closure flap
Solution Approach 1:
The closure flap is segmented into multiple rigid sections that resist bending under aerodynamic pressure, while the overall structure maintains the large size needed for effective engine cooling and aerodynamic performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlocking fixing regions create a composite structure that combines multiple sections into a unified rigid assembly, maintaining reliability under high air pressure while achieving the productivity benefits of large-size closure flaps.
Data Source
AI summary
A ventilation device for a vehicle includes a frame defining an opening and a closure device that includes at least one closure flap extending in the opening. The ventilation device includes a first section having a first external face and at least a second section having a second external face. The external face of the closure flap is formed by the first external face and by the second external face, the first section and the second section extending in continuity of one another. The first section is joined to the second section in a junction region, with a trimming piece that covers at least the junction region on the external face of the closure flap.