Air distributor made of plastic material and method for manufacturing this air distributor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019257584-A1
Application number	US-201716342781-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 6, 2017
Priority date	Oct 18, 2016
Publication date	Aug 22, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

This air distributor (1) comprises two half-shells (2) made of plastic material and a stack of plates (4) made of plastic material, the two half-shells (2) defining a volume inside of which the stack of plates (4) is positioned, the stack of plates (4) comprising two end plates (40) and the stack of plates (4) defining between its adjacent plates (4) a set of intermediate spaces (10) suitable for a fluid circulation. The plates (4) of the stack of plates (4) are attached to one another, each end plate (40) is attached to one of the two half-shells (2), and the two half-shells (2) are attached to one another.

First claim

1 . An air distributor comprising two half-shells made of plastic material and a stack of plates made of plastic material, the half-shells delimiting a volume inside which the stack of plates is positioned, the stack of plates comprising two end plates and the stack of plates delimiting between its adjacent plates a set of intermediate spaces adapted to a fluid circulation, in which the plates of the stack of plates are fastened to each other, each end plate is fastened to one of the two half-shells, and the two half-shells are fastened to each other.

2 . The distributor according to claim 1 , wherein the plates of the stack of plates are fastened to each other by gluing and each end plate is fastened to one of the two half-shells by gluing, while the two half-shells are fastened to each other by welding.

3 . The distributor according to claim 1 , wherein the distributor comprises at least one guide and reinforcing column, this column passing through the plates of the stack of plates while connecting the two half-shells.

4 . The distributor according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two half-shells and the end plate fastened against it delimit therebetween an intermediate space adapted to a fluid circulation, this intermediate space being in fluid communication with at least one of the intermediate spaces of the set of intermediate spaces.

5 . The distributor according to claim 1 , wherein in at least one of the two half-shells and the end plate fastened against it comprise interlocking elements configured to allow the interlocking of this half-shell and this end plate.

6 . The distributor according to claim 5 , wherein the interlocking elements comprise a groove and a rib intended to be positioned inside the groove, this groove and this rib being shaped to extend according the shape of the contour of the end plate fastened to this half-shell.

7 . The distributor according to claim 1 , wherein the plates of the stack of plates each comprise two deflector elements extending from one side of the plates, the deflector elements of the adjacent plates being arranged to be superimposed in order to form a deflector wall intended to impede a passage of air between the plates and the half-shells.

8 . A vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising an air distributor according to claim 1 .

9 . A method for manufacturing an air distributor according to claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing method comprises:
fastening the adjacent plates of the stack of plates to each other, fastening the end plates respectively to both of the two half-shells, fastening the half-shells to each other.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the plates of the stack of plates are fastened to each other by gluing and each end plate is fastened to one of the two half shells by gluing, while the two half-shells are fastened to each other by welding.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the welding of the half-shells occurs after gluing the plates together and each end plate to the corresponding half-shell.

12 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein all the plates of the stack of plates are beforehand glued to each other so as to form a block, this block being then fastened to the half-shells by gluing each end plate to the corresponding half-shell.

13 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein one of the half-shells comprises at least one guide and reinforcing column, and wherein the method comprises a step of positioning the plates relative to one of the half-shells by translating the plates along the guide and reinforcing column inserted through an opening of the plates of the stack of plates.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the guide and reinforcing column is formed integrally with one of the half-shells.

15 . The distributor according to claim 2 , wherein the distributor comprises at least one guide and reinforcing column, this column passing through the plates of the stack of plates while connecting the two half-shells.

16 . The distributor according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of the two half-shells and the end plate fastened against it delimit therebetween an intermediate space adapted to a fluid circulation, this intermediate space being in fluid communication with at least one of the intermediate spaces of the set of intermediate spaces.

17 . The distributor according to claim 15 , wherein at least one of the two half-shells and the end plate fastened against it delimit therebetween an intermediate space adapted to a fluid circulation, this intermediate space being in fluid communication with at least one of the intermediate spaces of the set of intermediate spaces.

18 . The distributor according to claim 17 , wherein in at least one of the two half-shells and the end plate fastened against it comprise interlocking elements configured to allow the interlocking of this half-shell and this end plate.

19 . The distributor according to claim 18 , wherein the interlocking elements comprise a groove and a rib intended to be positioned inside the groove, this groove and this rib being shaped to extend according the shape of the contour of the end plate fastened to this half-shell.

20 . The distributor according to claim 19 , wherein the plates of the stack of plates each comprise two deflector elements extending from one side of the plates, the deflector elements of the adjacent plates being arranged to be superimposed in order to form a deflector wall intended to impede a passage of air between the plates and the half-shells.

Assignees

• Novares France

Inventors

• Coutant Thomas
• Rossignol Vincent

Classifications

• F02M35/104

  Intake manifolds · CPC title

• F28F21/06

  of plastics material · CPC title

• F28D9/0056

  with U-flow or serpentine-flow inside conduits; with centrally arranged openings on the plates · CPC title

• F02M35/10268

  Heating, cooling or thermal insulating means (air coolers F02B29/04; thermal treatment of combustion-air, fuel or fuel-air mixture F02M31/00; details of the throttle valve housing F02D9/1035) · CPC title

• F02B29/0475 Primary

  the intake air cooler being combined with another device, e.g. heater, valve, compressor, filter or EGR cooler, or being assembled on a special engine location · CPC title