Active grille shutter for curved surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10017048-B2
Application number	US-201515306952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2015
Priority date	May 5, 2014
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

An active grille shutter system having a frame with a first side facing a vehicle exterior and a second side opposite the first side that generally faces a vehicle engine compartment. The frame also includes at least two opposing cross-sectional curvilinear sides that form part of a curvilinear opening to allow air to selectively pass through the frame from the first side to the second side. Multiple rotatable vanes are placed within the curvilinear opening in order to selectively block airflow through the frame member. During operation of the active grille shutter system the vanes do not extend beyond the perimeter of the curvilinear opening of the frame when in the open and closed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An active grille shutter system comprising:
a frame with a first side and a second side, the frame has a first side facing a vehicle exterior and a second side opposite the first side, at least two opposing cross-sectional curvilinear sides that form at least part of a curvilinear opening to allow air to selectively pass through the frame from the first side to the second side;
two or more vanes each having a pivot pin and a guide pin formed on at least one end of each of the two or more vanes, wherein the two or more vanes extend across at least a portion of the curvilinear opening, the two or more vanes being moveable between an open position allowing air to flow past the two or more vanes and a closed position where the two or more vanes substantially close the curvilinear opening and prevent air from flowing therethrough, wherein the two or more vanes close in a curvilinear position that aligns the two or more vanes with the at least two opposing cross-sectional curvilinear sides of the frame, and
at least one vane mounting plate forming part of the frame and having a a plurality of rotational apertures and a plurality of curved slots, wherein a set of one of the plurality of rotational apertures and one of the plurality of curved slots connects to one of the two or more vanes such that the pivot pin of the one of the two or more vanes connects to the one of the plurality of rotational apertures of the set and the guide pin of the one of the two or more vanes connects to the one of the plurality of curved slots of the set; and
a linkage bar connected to the two or more vanes, wherein the linkage bar has a round driving aperture for rotatably receiving the guide pin of one of the two or more vanes and an elongated slot for rotatably connecting each one of the other two or more vanes, wherein the linkage bar transfers and distributes force needed to open and close the two or more vanes between the two or more vanes.

2. The active grille shutter system of claim 1 wherein the two or more vanes are arranged to rotate along a path of rotational movement and form a cross-sectional line that matches the curvilinear opening when the two or more vanes move to the closed position, wherein the two or more vanes do not extend beyond the first side of the frame when closed and when moving between the open position to the closed position.

3. The active grille shutter system of claim 2 wherein a path of rotational movement is defined by the guide slot and the linkage bar guides the two or more vanes along the path of rotational movement.

4. The active grille shutter system of claim 1 wherein the two or more vanes when in the open position are arranged parallel to each other to allow air to pass through the curvilinear opening, wherein when each one of the two or more vanes move to the open position from a closed position the two or more vanes move with respect to the curvilinear opening so that the two or more vanes do not extend beyond the first side of the frame during movement.

5. The active grille shutter system of claim 1 further comprising an idler link bar connected between the at least one vane mounting plate and the linkage bar, wherein the idler link bar is configured to rotate and move with the linkage bar when the at least two vanes move between the open and closed positions.

6. The active grille shutter system of claim 1 further comprising an actuator connected to one of the two or more vanes, wherein the actuator rotates the one of the two or more vanes and force is transferred from the one of the two or more vanes through the linkage bar to all other the two or more vanes.

7. An active grille shutter system comprising:
a frame with a first side and a second side, the frame has a first side facing a vehicle exterior and a second side opposite the first side, at least two opposing cross-sectional curvilinear sides that form at least part of a curvilinear opening to allow air to selectively pass through the frame from the first side to the second side;
a rotary actuator connected to the frame;
a primary vane having a pivot pin and a guide pin formed on at least one end of the primary vane, wherein the primary vane extends across at least a portion of the curvilinear opening, the primary vane is movable between an open position allowing air to flow past the primary vane and a closed position where the primary vane substantially closes a portion of the curvilinear opening and prevents air from flowing therethrough, wherein the primary vane closes in a curvilinear position and the primary vane is connected to the rotary actuator that provides rotational force to the primary vane causing the primary vane to move between the open position and the closed position;
two or more secondary vanes each having a pivot pin and a guide pin formed on at least one end of each of the two or more secondary vanes, wherein the two or more secondary vanes extend across at least a portion of the curvilinear opening, the two or more secondary vanes being moveable between an open position allowing air to pass the two or more secondary vanes and a closed position where the two or more secondary vanes substantially close the curvilinear opening and prevent air from flowing there through, wherein the two or more secondary vanes close in a curvilinear position that aligns the two or more secondary vanes with the at least two opposing cross-sectional curvilinear sides of the frame,
at least one vane mounting plate forming part of the frame and having a rotational aperture connected to the pivot pin and a curved slot connected to the guide pin of the primary vane and a rotational aperture connected to the pivot pin and a curved slot connected to the guide pin of each two or more secondary vanes; and
a linkage bar connected to the primary vane and each of the two or more secondary vanes, wherein the linkage bar has a round driving aperture for rotatably receiving the guide pin of the primary vane and one or more elongated slots for rotatably receiving the guide pin of a respective one of the two or more secondary vanes, wherein the linkage bar transfers and distributes opening force and closing force from the primary vane to the two or more secondary vanes.

8. The active grille shutter system of claim 7 further comprising an idler link bar connected between the at least one vane mounting plate and the linkage bar, wherein the idler link bar is configured to rotate and move with the linkage bar when the primary vane and the two or more secondary vanes move between the open and closed positions.

9. The active grille shutter system of claim 8 wherein the idler link bar slides within a curved slot formed in the at least one vane mounting plate, wherein the curved slot that the idler link bar slides in is identical in shape to the curved slot of the primary vane.

10. The active grille shutter system of claim 7 wherein the primary vane and two or more secondary vanes are arranged to rotate along a path of rotational movement and form a cross-sectional line that matches the curvilinear opening when the primary vane and two or more secondary vanes move to the closed position, wherein the primary vane and two or more secondary vanes do not extend beyond the first side of the frame when closed and when moving between the open position to the closed position.

11. The active grille shutter system of claim 10 wherein a path of rotational movement is defined by the guide slot and the linkage bar guides the primary vane and two or more secondary vanes along the path of rotational movement.

12. The active grille shutter system of claim 7 further comprising a round stabilization aperture formed through

Assignees

• Magna Exteriors Inc

Inventors

• Manhire Jeffrey B

Classifications

• B60K11/085 Primary

  with adjustable shutters or blinds · CPC title

• B60R19/52

  Radiator or grille guards {; Radiator grilles (cooling aspects B60K11/08)} · CPC title

• B60R2019/525

  Radiator grilles · CPC title

• Y02T10/88

  Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses · CPC title