Venturi brake duct assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9573571-B2
Application number	US-201414529610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2014
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes a body. The body includes a forward end and a rearward end spaced from each other along a longitudinal axis. The forward end of the body defines an opening for allowing airflow into the body. The vehicle also includes a venturi brake duct assembly positioned relative to the opening to receive the airflow from the opening and to guide the airflow to a brake device for cooling the brake device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a body including a forward end and a rearward end spaced from each other along a longitudinal axis, wherein the forward end of the body defines an opening for allowing a first airflow into the body; and
a venturi brake duct assembly positioned relative to the opening to receive the first airflow from the opening and to guide the first airflow to a brake device for cooling the brake device;
wherein the venturi brake duct assembly includes a first tube and a second tube defining a space therebetween, with the space allowing a second airflow into the first tube which bypasses the second tube;
wherein the first tube includes a first inlet and a first outlet;
wherein the second tube includes a second inlet and a second outlet, with the second inlet coupled to the forward end of the body and the second outlet coupled to the first inlet of the first tube;
wherein the first tube defines an aperture and includes a plurality of ribs extending into the aperture, with the second outlet of the second tube supported by the ribs.

2. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first tube and the second tube cooperate with each other to increase a velocity of the airflow guided to the brake device, with the second tube partially disposed inside the first tube such that a portion of an inner surface of the first tube and a portion of an outer surface of the second tube face each other and are spaced from each other to further define the space that the second airflow enters when bypassing the second tube.

3. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first tube cooperates with the opening to guide the first airflow through the first tube.

4. The vehicle as set forth in claim 3 wherein the aperture of the first tube is disposed along a central axis, with the opening aligning with the aperture coaxially relative to the central axis to guide the first airflow to the brake device.

5. The vehicle as set forth in claim 4 wherein the aperture of the first tube presents a first cross-sectional area and a second downstream cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area which increases a velocity of the airflow through the first tube.

6. The vehicle as set forth in claim 5 wherein the first tube includes a first inlet and a first outlet spaced from each other along the central axis, and wherein the first tube includes a middle portion disposed between the first inlet and the first outlet, with the first cross-sectional area being adjacent to the first inlet and the second downstream cross-sectional area being along the middle portion.

7. The vehicle as set forth in claim 6 wherein the first tube includes an inner surface that faces the central axis, with the inner surface of the first tube defining an inner diameter that gradually decreases in size from the first inlet toward the middle portion which increases the velocity of the airflow through the first tube.

8. The vehicle as set forth in claim 4 wherein the second tube is supported by the forward end of the body and the first tube such that a hole defined by the second tube aligns with the opening and the aperture coaxially relative to the central axis to guide the first airflow through the second tube and into the first tube.

9. The vehicle as set forth in claim 8 wherein:
the aperture of the first tube presents a first cross-sectional area and a second downstream cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area which increases a velocity of the airflow through the first tube;
the first inlet and the first outlet are spaced from each other along the central axis;
the first tube includes a middle portion disposed between the first inlet and the first outlet; and
the hole defines a second tube cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area of the first tube.

10. The vehicle as set forth in claim 9 wherein the first inlet of the first tube and a second outlet of the second tube overlap in a spaced relationship to define the space between an inner surface of the first tube and an outer surface of the second tube.

11. The vehicle as set forth in claim 10 wherein the body defines an engine compartment proximal to the forward end, and wherein the second airflow, which is from the engine compartment, enters the first tube through the space due to the configuration of the first tube increasing the velocity of airflow through the first tube.

12. The vehicle as set forth in claim 9 wherein the second inlet and the second outlet are spaced from each other along the central axis.

13. The vehicle as set forth in claim 12 wherein the second tube includes an inner surface facing the central axis, with the inner surface defining the hole, and wherein the inner surface of the second tube defines an inner diameter being constant between the second inlet and the second outlet of the second tube.

14. The vehicle as set forth in claim 12 wherein the forward end of the body includes a front bumper fascia defining the opening, with the second inlet of the second tube supported by the front bumper fascia such that the hole and the opening align to guide the first airflow through the second tube.

15. The vehicle as set forth in claim 3 wherein the first outlet of the first tube is supported by a bracket.

16. A vehicle comprising:
a body including a front bumper fascia defining an opening for allowing airflow into the body;
a venturi brake duct assembly positioned relative to the opening to receive the airflow from the opening and to guide the airflow to a brake device for cooling the brake device;
wherein the venturi brake duct assembly includes a first tube defining an aperture along a central axis, with the opening aligning with the central axis such that the aperture and the opening cooperate to guide the airflow to the brake device; and
wherein the aperture presents a first cross-sectional area and a second downstream cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area which increases a velocity of the airflow through the first tube;
wherein the venture brake duct assembly includes a second tube defining a hole along the central axis, and wherein the aperture and the hole are coaxial relative to the central axis;
wherein the first tube includes a plurality of ribs extending into the aperture toward the central axis, with the second tube supported by the ribs.

17. The vehicle as set forth in claim 16 wherein the second tube is supported by the front bumper fascia and the first tube such that the first tube and the second tube partially overlap, and the hole of the second tube aligns with the opening and the aperture coaxially relative to the central axis to guide the airflow through the second tube and into the first tube.

18. The vehicle as set forth in claim 17 wherein an inner surface of the first tube and an outer surface of the second tube define a space therebetween where the first and second tubes overlap, and wherein the body defines an engine compartment proximal to the forward end, and airflow in the engine compartment enters the first tube through the space due to the configuration of the first tube increasing the velocity of airflow through the first tube.

19. The vehicle as set forth in claim 16 wherein the first tube includes a first inlet and a first outlet spaced from each other along the central axis, and wherein the first tube includes a middle portion disposed between the first inlet and the first outlet, with the first cross-sectional area being adjacent to the first inlet and th

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Weber Steven J
• Lee Heewook

Classifications

• B60T5/00 Primary

  Vehicle modifications to facilitate cooling of brakes · CPC title

• F16D65/847

  with open cooling system, e.g. cooled by air · CPC title