WO2023187276A1

WO2023187276A1 - Air guide for a motor vehicle cooling device having a round front upper edge for pedestrian impact

Info

Publication number: WO2023187276A1
Application number: PCT/FR2023/050241
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Rocha; Claude Riviere; Filipe GONCALVES; David Deshaies
Original assignee: Psa Automobiles Sa
Priority date: 2022-03-29
Filing date: 2023-02-20
Publication date: 2023-10-05
Also published as: FR3134042A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an air guide (110) for a cooling device (100) that is intended to be fixedly installed in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle between the front fascia and the cooling unit (10) of said vehicle, the air guide (110) comprising a hollow main body (111) having a substantially parallelepiped shape comprising a front face (112) bordered by a peripheral frame (113) extending therebehind, the front face (112) having at least one through-window formed in the lower portion thereof that is intended to face a controlled module (120) for regulating the incoming airflow; characterised in that the cross-section of the front upper edge (117) of the main body (111), connecting the front face (112) to the upper wall of the peripheral frame (113), has a rounded arc-shaped profile.

Description

AIR GUIDE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE COOLING DEVICE HAVING A ROUNDED FRONT UPPER EDGE FOR PEDESTRIAN IMPACT

[Technical area]

[1] The present invention claims priority from French application 2202795 filed on March 29, 2022, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is herein incorporated by reference.

[2] The present invention generally relates to air guide cooling devices intended to be installed at the front of the engine compartment of motor vehicles to cool the heat exchangers of these vehicles.

[Prior art]

[3] The regulation of the incoming cooling air flow of a motor vehicle is generally ensured by at least one first air inlet called the lower channel provided on the front bumper skin of the vehicle and extending vertically between the beams lower and upper reinforcements of the front bumper of this vehicle.

[4] Thus, when the vehicle is moving, a quantity of more or less cool air is received inside the engine compartment by the vehicle's cooling cassette bringing together the various elements necessary for cooling the engine such as generally a radiator engine cooling water, a condenser, and possibly a second radiator for cooling the turbo or the battery of the hybridization electric motor.

[5] The quantity of air entering under these conditions depends directly on the speed of the vehicle, the dimensions of the air inlet(s), as well as the power of the fan(s) of the motor-fan unit, when the latter are Operating.

[6] However, these air inlets are of fixed dimensions so that the cooling air flow rates and temperatures cannot be controlled because they are directly linked to the speed of movement of the vehicle and the temperature of the outside air. Consequently, the components of the vehicle's engine compartment located under the hood of the vehicle may be excessively cooled in certain conditions, particularly in winter, when the outside temperature is low.

[7] In addition, this air entering the vehicle via the grille has the effect of degrading the aerodynamic drag coefficient SCx of the vehicle (this coefficient corresponding to the drag coefficient (Cx) multiplied by a reference surface (S)) and to consequently increase the vehicle's CO2 emissions.

[8] It is known, in particular from document FR 3010947 A1, to insert longitudinally, between the front shield and the cooling cassette of a motor vehicle, a cooling device comprising an air guide comprising a hollow main body of the shape substantially parallelepiped fixed to the structure of the motor vehicle and comprising a front facade bordered by a peripheral frame extending behind the latter.

[9] This front facade has at least one passage window provided in its lower part opposite an air inlet provided on the front shield of the vehicle.

[10] Such a cooling device also includes a module for controlling the flow of incoming air with concealment shutters, attaching to the air guide at the front and opposite this passage window.

[11] This regulation module comprises a plurality of shutters mounted pivoting around parallel axes between a shutter position and an open position as well as means for controlling the movement of said shutters between these two positions, so as to regulate the incoming air flow.

[12] Regulatory impact tests simulating an impact at 40 km/h between a pedestrian and the front of a motor vehicle unfortunately show that the upper front edge of the main body of the air guide (ie the edge connecting the front facade to the upper wall of the peripheral frame of this body) constitutes a hard point opposing the recoil of the grille area located just in front of this edge, which can lead to risks of injury to the pelvis and/or parts upper legs (femur areas) of this pedestrian. [Disclosure of the invention]

[13] The present invention therefore aims to improve the situation.

[14] For this purpose it proposes an air guide for a cooling device designed to be fixedly installed in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle between the front bumper and the cooling cassette of this vehicle, said air guide comprising a hollow main body of substantially parallelepiped shape comprising a front facade bordered by a peripheral frame extending behind the latter, said front facade having at least one passage window provided in its lower part and intended to come opposite screw of a controlled regulation module of the incoming air flow; characterized in that the upper front edge of said main body, connecting the front facade to the upper wall of the peripheral frame, has a rounded arc-shaped profile in section.

[15] Such a rounded profile of this upper front edge facilitates its deformation and its depression in the event of a pedestrian impact with the front of the vehicle so as to allow the recoil of the grille area of the vehicle located just in front of this edge, which results in a significant reduction in the risk of injuries to the pelvis and/or upper parts of the legs (femur areas) of this pedestrian.

[16] According to preferred characteristics of said air guide according to the invention:

- said rounded profile has a radius greater than or equal to 30 mm;

- said radius is between 40 and 60 mm;

- said upper front edge has several deformation zones made of a more flexible material than the rest of this edge and distributed transversely at regular intervals from each other along this edge;

- said deformation zones are made of an elastomeric material;

- said deformation zones extend onto the upper part of said front facade;

- each deformation zone has a necking line of least resistance extending in a vertical longitudinal plane and configured to break under a predetermined longitudinal shear stress;

- said necking lines each consist of a groove thinning carried out on the exterior face of said upper front edge; and/or the side walls of said peripheral frame have an accordion profile in section or extending at an angle on the internal side towards said front facade.

[17] The invention also relates in a second aspect to a cooling device intended to be fixedly installed in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle between the front shield and the cooling cassette of this vehicle, said device comprising such a guide air as well as a controlled regulation module of the incoming air flow with movable shutters, mounted in a sealed manner on said air guide opposite said passage window.

[Brief description of the drawings]

[18] The presentation of the invention will now be continued by the detailed description of several examples of embodiment, given below by way of illustration but not limitation, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[19] [Fig 1] represents a three-quarter front perspective view of the front part of the engine compartment of a motor vehicle comprising a cooling device provided with an air guide according to the invention; And

[20] [Fig 2] is a perspective view of the air guide according to the invention shown alone.

[Detailed description]

[21] Figure 1 represents the front part of the engine compartment of a motor vehicle comprising a cooling device 100 according to the invention inserted longitudinally between the front shield (not shown) of this vehicle provided with an air inlet in lower part and the cooling cassette of this vehicle 10 comprising various heat exchangers 11, 12 (namely and from rear to front, the radiator 11 of the cooling circuit of the thermal engine and the condenser 12 of the air conditioning system circuit) .

[22] In the description which follows and by convention, we define in relation to the vehicle an orthogonal reference frame XYZ comprising three perpendicular axes in pairs, namely:

- an X axis, defining a longitudinal, horizontal direction, merged with the general direction of movement of the vehicle,

- a Y axis, defining a transverse, horizontal direction, which with the X axis defines a horizontal XY plane, and

- a Z axis, defining a vertical direction, perpendicular to the horizontal XY plane.

[23] In the remainder of the description and with reference to the reference defined above, the terms “longitudinal” or “longitudinal” will refer to a direction parallel to the axis reference to a direction parallel to the Y axis, and the terms “vertical” or

“vertically” will refer to a direction parallel to the Z axis.

[24] The terms “external” and “internal” will be used to define the relative position of an element with reference to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The element closest to this axis will thus be qualified as internal as opposed to the other element further from this same axis which will be qualified as external.

[25] The cooling device 100 comprises an air guide 110 covering the front face of the cooling cassette 10 and fixed to the latter as will be seen in more detail later.

[26] This air guide 110 comprises a hollow main body 111 of substantially parallelepiped shape extending longitudinally between, at the front, the metal beams 21, 31 of the lower 20 and upper 30 reinforcements of the front bumper of the vehicle, and at the rear the cooling cassette 10.

[27] This main body 111 comprises a rectangular front facade 112 bordered by a peripheral frame 113 extending behind this facade 112 and fitting fixedly and tightly around the perimeter of the cooling cassette 10.

[28] As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the fixing of the peripheral frame 113 of this air guide 110 to the cooling cassette 10 is ensured via four fixing tabs 114 projecting from the side faces of this frame 113 and being screwed onto corresponding fixing members 12A provided on the condenser 12. [29] With reference to Figure 2 and in order to ensure sealing with the periphery of the cooling cassette 10, the rear portion 113A of this peripheral frame 113 is made of a more flexible material than the front portion 113B, for example example in an elastomeric material.

[30] The front facade 112 has in the lower part a window of substantially rectangular shape 115 extending over its entire width and arranged vertically between the metal beams 21, 31 of the lower 20 and upper 30 reinforcements of the front bumper of the vehicle, so as to be facing the air inlet of the front shield of the vehicle.

[31] The air guide 110 also includes a guide conduit 116 extending at the front of the body 111 from and along the peripheral periphery of the window 115, flaring laterally.

[32] As illustrated in Figure 1, the cooling device 100 further comprises a controlled regulation module of the incoming air flow 120 projecting at the front of the guide conduit 116 in which it is fixedly and tightly fitted , so as to be located opposite the window 115 and the air inlet of the front shield of the vehicle.

[33] Still with reference to this figure 1, this regulation module 120 comprises a hollow housing 121 defining two lateral support compartments of identical widths extending symmetrically on either side of a central compartment of smaller width.

[34] This regulation module 120 also includes several concealment shutters 122 arranged one above the other in each of the lateral support compartments and pivotally mounted around their axes oriented transversely between a closed position illustrated in Figure 1 and a open position.

[35] A motorized control mechanism (not visible) installed at the central locker and intended to be connected to the vehicle's electrical power circuit also makes it possible to control the movement of said shutters between their open and closed positions.

[36] The fixing of this controlled regulation module of the incoming air flow 120 on the guide duct 116 is for example ensured by clipping means not shown provided on the housing 121 and intended to cooperate by snap-fastening with corresponding means provided on this conduit 116.

[37] This fixing can also be carried out by different means, for example by screwing.

[38] In order to ensure sealing with the periphery of the housing of this regulation module 120, the front portion 116B of the guide conduit 116 is advantageously made of a more flexible material than its rear portion 116A, for example in a material elastomer.

[39] According to the invention, the upper front edge 117 of the main body 111, connecting the front facade 112 to the upper wall of the peripheral frame 113, has in section a rounded profile in the form of an arc of a circle, the radius of which is advantageously greater than or equal to at 30 mm, is preferably between 40 and 60 mm.

[40] Such a rounded profile of this upper front edge 117 facilitates its deformation and its depression in the event of a pedestrian impact with the front of the vehicle so as to allow the recoil of the grille area of the vehicle located just in front of this edge 117 which results in a significant reduction in the risk of injuries to the pelvis and/or upper parts of the legs (femur areas) of this pedestrian.

[41] Still with the same objective of facilitating the depression of at least one lateral portion of this edge in the event of a pedestrian impact with the front of the vehicle, the upper front edge 117 advantageously presents a plurality of deformation zones 118 produced in a material more flexible than the rest of this edge 117, for example in an elastomeric material.

[42] The deformation zones 118, the width of which is for example between 10 and 30 mm, are distributed transversely at regular intervals from each other along this edge 117.

[43] This interval is preferably between 50 and 200 mm.

[44] As illustrated in Figure 2, these deformation zones 118 preferentially overflow onto the upper part of the front facade 112 in order to also facilitate the depression of this upper part of this facade 112 on at least a portion of its width. [45] Each deformation zone 118 further presents, at its vertical longitudinal midplane, a necking line of least resistance 118A extending over most of its length and configured to break under a predetermined longitudinal shear stress .

[46] Extending along parallel vertical longitudinal planes, these necking lines 118A are each constituted by a thinning groove made on the exterior face of the upper front edge 117.

[47] The resistance to shear stress of these necking lines 118A can be adjusted by varying their thickness which will for example be between 1 and 1.5 mm for a general thickness of the deformation zones 118 of between 2 and 2.5 mm.

[48] The front portion 113B of the peripheral frame 113, the front facade 112, the upper front edge 117 with the exception of the deformation zones 118, as well as the rear portion 116A of the guide conduit 116 are preferably formed in a material thermoplastic possibly reinforced with natural and/or synthetic fibers and showing good adhesion with the elastomeric material of which the rear portion 113A of the peripheral frame 113, the front portion 116B of the guide conduit 116 and the deformation zones 118 of the edge 117 are formed; this elastomeric material preferably consisting of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) such as for example a thermoplastic copolyester (TPE-E), a thermoplastic olefin (TPE-O), a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPE-U) or even a block copolymer styrenic (TPE-S) such as SEBS.

[49] Preferably, the main body 110 and the guide conduit 116 are molded in one piece using a bi-injection process of material: the elements made of elastomer material being overmolded by a second injection on the other elements carried out beforehand by a first injection.

[50] According to alternative embodiments not shown, the deformation zones 118 may be devoid of a neckline.

[51] According to other embodiment variants not shown, the frangible necking lines can be shaped differently. These can by example be constituted by a series of primer holes aligned and distributed at regular intervals.

[52] According to yet other alternative embodiments not shown, the side walls of the peripheral frame 113 of the air guide 110 have in section an accordion profile or extending at an angle on the internal side towards the front facade 112 .

[53] Such a configuration of these side walls makes it possible to confer a certain flexibility to the front portion 113A of the peripheral frame 113 making it possible to avoid, when a repairable shock occurs, the deterioration of the air guide 110 so as to to limit the repair costs of such a repairable shock and to obtain a better classification of the vehicle with insurance companies.

[54] Finally, we recall that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and represented, but also encompasses all the variants of execution within the reach of those skilled in the art, i

Claims

[Claim 1] Air guide (110) for a cooling device (100) intended to be fixedly installed in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle between the front shield and the cooling cassette (10) of this vehicle, said guide air (110) comprising a hollow main body of substantially parallelepiped shape (111) comprising a front facade (112) bordered by a peripheral frame (113) extending behind the latter, said front facade (112) having at less a passage window (115) provided in its lower part and intended to come opposite a controlled regulation module of the incoming air flow (120); characterized in that the upper front edge (117) of said main body (111), connecting the front facade (112) to the upper wall of the peripheral frame (113), has a rounded arc-shaped profile in section.

[Claim 2] Air guide (110) according to claim 1, characterized in that said rounded profile has a radius greater than or equal to 30 mm.

[Claim 3] Air guide (110) according to claim 2, characterized in that said radius is between 40 and 60 mm.

[Claim 4] Air guide (110) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said upper front edge (117) has several deformation zones (118) made of a more flexible material than the rest from this edge and distributed transversely at regular intervals from each other along this edge.

[Claim 5] Air guide (110) according to claim 4, characterized in that said deformation zones (118) are made of an elastomeric material.

[Claim 6] Air guide (110) according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that said deformation zones (118) extend onto the upper part of said front facade (112).

[Claim 7] Air guide (110) according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that each deformation zone (118) has a necking line of least resistance (118A) extending in a longitudinal plane vertical and configured to break under a predetermined longitudinal shear stress.

[Claim 8] Air guide (110) according to claim 7, characterized in that said necking lines (118A) are each constituted by a thinning groove made on the exterior face of said upper front edge (117).

[Claim 9] Air guide (110) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the side walls of said peripheral frame (113) have in section an accordion profile or extending at an angle on the internal side towards said front facade (112).

[Claim 10] Cooling device (100) intended to be fixedly installed in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle between the front bumper and the cooling cassette (10) of this vehicle, said device comprising an air guide (110 ) according to one of claims 1 to 9 as well as a controlled regulation module of the incoming air flow (120) with movable shutters (122), mounted in a sealed manner on said air guide (110) opposite opposite said passage window (115).