Modular aero device actuator and a modular active grille shutter system having a reduced number of vanes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12570139-B2
Application number	US-202017783044-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2020
Priority date	Dec 27, 2019
Publication date	Mar 10, 2026
Grant date	Mar 10, 2026

Abstract

A modular active grille shutter system that includes a frame connected to an automobile at a location forward of an engine or energy source such as a battery pack. The frame is formed from assembling several different sized components to create a cooling aperture. The modular active grille shutter system also includes an actuator pocket in the frame, the actuator pocket has an aperture and a surface that forms side walls of a pocket and the surface also includes a vane connection side. There is a plurality of alternate actuator output axes located within the actuator pocket, which depending on the actuator design they represent different possible locations for alignment of the actuator with the three vanes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A modular active grille shutter system comprising:
an active grille shutter system having a frame located in a cooling pathway of a power source for a vehicle, wherein the frame includes a base integrated end cap and a base non-integrated end cap, wherein the base non-integrated end cap has an actuator pocket with a surface having a plurality of alternate actuator output axes located within the actuator pocket, wherein the actuator pocket includes a first side wall extending from the vane connection side and a second sidewall extending from the vane connection side opposite the first sidewall, wherein the first sidewall includes a first aperture and a first datum cavity and the second sidewall includes a second aperture and a second datum cavity; a plurality of vanes rotatably connected at a first end to the base end cap and extending across the cooling pathway and connected at a second end to the base non-integrated end cap, wherein the plurality of vanes rotate between an open position and a closed position; an actuator having a housing with a rotatable output, wherein the aperture and rotatable output are formed at a location that is alignable with one of the plurality of alternate output axes, wherein the actuator is operably connected to the plurality of vanes such that rotation of the actuator output will rotate the plurality of vanes; a first datum feature and a second datum feature extending from the housing of the actuator, wherein radial movement of the actuator in the actuator pocket is prevented when the actuator is positioned in the actuator pocket the first datum feature extends into the first datum cavity of the first sidewall, the second datum feature extends into the second datum cavity of the second sidewall, and the third datum feature extends into the third datum cavity of the second sidewall; a first resilient male tab and a second resilient male tab extending from the housing of the actuator, wherein lateral movement of the actuator in the actuator pocket is prevented when the actuator is positioned in the actuator pocket and the first male tab extends through the first aperture of the first sidewall, the second male tab extends through the second aperture of the second sidewall, and one or more tunable retention features formed on the surface of the actuator pocket that engage an outer surface of the housing of the actuator when connected to the actuator pocket, wherein the one or more tunable retention features prevent the housing from rotating within the actuator pocket by engaging the outer surface of the housing of the actuator at one or more gap locations between the actuator housing and a surface of the actuator pocket.

2 . The modular grille shutter system of claim 1 further comprising:
a connector formed on the actuator housing, the connector having a connector axis that is parallel to the plurality of alternate output axes.

3 . The modular grille shutter system of claim 1 further comprising:
one or more additional apertures formed on the surface of the actuator pocket; and
one or more additional resilient male tabs extending from the housing of the actuator for snapping into a respective one of the one or more apertures of the actuator pocket.

4 . The modular grille shutter system of claim 1 wherein the housing of the actuator has a width that is no greater than about two millimeters greater than the width of one of the plurality of vanes.

5 . The modular grille shutter system of claim 1 wherein the frame further comprises:
a first universal rail and a second universal rail each connected at a first end to the base end cap and at a second end to the base non-integrated end cap, the first universal rail and second universal rail each form a side of the frame having a longitudinal axis with a longitudinal channel extending along the longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal channel has a deformable edge opening; and
a secondary attachment having at least one clip for connecting to the longitudinal channel of one of the first universal rail or the second universal rail, wherein the at least one clip has at least one post larger than the deformable edge opening, wherein the at least one post slides into the longitudinal channel and deforms the deformable edge opening to fix the secondary attachment to the longitudinal channel.

6 . The modular grille shutter system of claim 5 wherein the secondary attachment is an auxiliary mount used to mount a secondary component.

7 . The modular grille shutter system of claim 6 wherein the secondary attachment is a center bar that extends across an opening of the frame to provide support to the frame.

Assignees

• Magna Exteriors Inc

Inventors

• Lindberg Braendon R
• Peterson Ted E
• Shintre Sohan

Classifications

• Y02T10/88

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

• B60Y2410/10

  Housings · CPC title

• B60Y2306/05

  Cooling · CPC title

• B60Y2400/40

  Actuators for moving a controlled member · CPC title

• F24F13/10

  movable, e.g. dampers · CPC title