Vehicle Grille Shutter Failure Cooling Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle systems with grille shutters fail to effectively prevent overheating and device degradation when the grille shutter malfunctions, as they only inform users of the failure without providing concrete measures to mitigate overheating.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system that includes a controller to detect shutter device failures and restrict the operation of the driving source by adjusting the air intake, limiting engine rotation speed and torque, or stopping the engine when a temperature threshold is exceeded, and switching between different travel modes to manage cooling and reduce heat generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the grille shutter is closed to reduce air resistance during high-speed travel, then fuel efficiency is improved, but the driving source cannot be sufficiently cooled and may overheat
Solution Approach 1:
The grille shutter is designed to be dynamically adjustable between open and closed positions. The control unit automatically switches the shutter between fully open (when cooling is needed) and fully closed (when air resistance reduction is prioritized), enabling the system to adapt its state based on real-time operating conditions rather than being fixed in one position.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit monitors the opening/closing state of the grille shutter and the operating conditions of the vehicle. Based on this feedback information, the control unit determines the appropriate shutter position to maintain optimal balance between cooling performance and air resistance reduction, ensuring the driving source remains properly cooled while maximizing fuel efficiency.
2Loss of energy
If the grille shutter remains in a closed state due to failure, then air resistance is reduced, but the driving source overheats and may fail
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors the operating state of the grille shutter and detects failures before they lead to overheating. When a failure is detected (shutter remaining closed when it should be open), the control unit proactively issues a failure notification to the driver, enabling preliminary action to be taken before thermal damage occurs to the driving source.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary between the grille shutter system and the driver. It monitors the shutter's state, detects failures, and communicates this information to the driver through a failure notification, serving as a mediator that bridges the gap between system malfunction and driver awareness, enabling timely response to prevent damage.
3Temperature
If the grille shutter is opened to ensure cooling, then the driving source is protected from overheating, but air resistance increases and fuel efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The grille shutter operates dynamically, switching between open and closed states based on real-time vehicle operating conditions. The control unit determines the optimal shutter position by considering factors such as vehicle speed, cooling requirements, and air resistance, allowing the system to maximize fuel efficiency when possible while ensuring adequate cooling when necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously monitors vehicle operating conditions and shutter position, using this feedback to make real-time decisions about shutter control. This feedback mechanism ensures the shutter is opened only when cooling is genuinely needed, minimizing the impact on fuel efficiency while protecting the driving source from overheating.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a driving source, a shutter device, and a controller. The driving source is configured to generate a driving force. The shutter device is configured to adjust an amount of air for cooling the driving source. The controller is configured to control the driving source and is configured to restrict an operation of the driving source based on a temperature of the driving source when a failure of the shutter device is detected.