Vehicle brake cooling apparatus, and methods of use and manufacture thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9623848-B2
Application number	US-201514829358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2015
Priority date	Aug 18, 2015
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

Some embodiments are directed to a duct assembly for cooling a brake assembly of a vehicle. The duct assembly can include a hollow inlet section that is disposed at the vehicle sub-frame and configured to capture air from beneath the vehicle sub-frame; and a hollow intermediate section that communicates with the inlet section so as to form a contiguous channel therewith. The intermediate section can be disposed entirely within the vehicle sub-frame. A hollow outlet section can communicate with the intermediate section so as to form a contiguous channel between the inlet, intermediate and outlet sections. The outlet section can be disposed and configured to direct the air captured by the inlet section to the front end of the brake assembly to thereby cool at least a portion of the brake assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A duct assembly for cooling a brake assembly of a vehicle that is capable of traveling in at least a forward direction, the brake assembly including a front end that is disposed in front of a rear end in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle, the vehicle also including a sub-frame that is connected to the brake assembly by a suspension component, the sub-frame including an aperture in a bottom surface of a lower wall, the duct assembly comprising:
a hollow inlet section that is disposed within the vehicle sub-frame, the hollow inlet section defining an aperture that is contiguous with the aperture defined in the bottom surface of the sub-frame such that the hollow inlet section is configured to capture air from beneath the vehicle sub-frame;
a hollow intermediate section that communicates with the inlet section so as to form a contiguous channel therewith, the intermediate section being disposed entirely within the vehicle sub-frame; and
a hollow outlet section that communicates with the intermediate section so as to form a contiguous channel between the inlet, intermediate and outlet sections, the outlet section being disposed and configured to direct the air captured by the inlet section to the front end of the brake assembly to thereby cool at least a portion of the brake assembly.

2. The duct assembly according to claim 1 , further including an inlet flange that is connected to the bottom surface of the lower wall of the vehicle sub-frame, the inlet flange defining the aperture of the hollow inlet section.

3. The duct assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the vehicle sub-frame includes an upper wall spaced from the lower wall, such that the intermediate section extends between the upper and lower walls.

4. The duct assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the outlet and intermediate sections are unitary, while the intermediate and inlet sections constitute separate sections that are connected together by a duct connection flange.

5. The duct assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the upper wall of the vehicle sub-frame defines an inspection aperture that is disposed adjacent the duct connection flange to enable viewing of the duct connection flange from an exterior of the vehicle sub-frame.

6. The duct assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the inlet flange defines a planar lower exterior surface and a wall that extends substantially perpendicular to the lower exterior surface adjacent a rear side of the aperture of the inlet flange to direct air into the aperture when the vehicle is moving in the forward direction of travel.

7. The duct assembly according to claim 1 , further including an upper deflector connected to the vehicle suspension component, the upper deflector being disposed and configured to deflect air exiting the outlet section toward the front end of the brake assembly to thereby cool at least a portion of the brake assembly.

8. The duct assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the upper deflector includes a base, an upper side extending along the entire length of one side of the base, and a lower side extending along only part of the length of an opposing side of the base, the upper and lower sides extending substantially perpendicular to the base.

9. The duct assembly according to claim 8 , wherein a distance separating the upper and lower sides at a location closest to the outlet section is greater than a distance separating the upper and lower sides at a location furthest from the outlet section.

10. The duct assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the outlet section projects beyond a rear end of the vehicle sub-frame.

11. A sub-frame and duct assembly for cooling a brake assembly of a vehicle that is capable of traveling in at least a forward direction, the brake assembly including a front end that is disposed in front of a rear end in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle, the vehicle including a suspension component, the sub-frame and duct assembly comprising:
a sub-frame connected to the brake assembly by the suspension component; and
a duct assembly that includes:
a hollow inlet section that is disposed at the vehicle sub-frame and configured to capture air from beneath the vehicle sub-frame;
a hollow intermediate section that communicates with the inlet section so as to form a contiguous channel therewith, the intermediate section being disposed entirely within the vehicle sub-frame;
a hollow outlet section that communicates with the intermediate section so as to form a contiguous channel between the inlet, intermediate and outlet sections, the outlet section being disposed and configured to direct the air captured by the inlet section to the front end of the brake assembly to thereby cool at least a portion of the brake assembly, and
an upper deflector mounted on the suspension component and spaced away from the each of the inlet, intermediate and outlet sections, and the upper deflector being disposed and configured to deflect air exiting the outlet section toward the front end of the brake assembly to thereby cool at least a portion of the brake assembly.

12. The duct assembly according to claim 11 , further including an inlet flange that is connected to a bottom surface of a lower wall of the vehicle sub-frame, the inlet flange defining an aperture that is contiguous with a corresponding aperture defined in the bottom surface of the vehicle sub-frame at the inlet flange as well as the channel defined between the inlet, intermediate and outlet sections.

13. The duct assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the vehicle sub-frame includes an upper wall spaced from the lower wall, such that the intermediate section extends between the upper and lower walls, and at least a portion of the outlet section projects beyond a rear end of the vehicle sub-frame.

14. The duct assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the outlet and intermediate sections are unitary, while the intermediate and inlet sections constitute separate sections that are connected together by a duct connection flange.

15. The duct assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the upper wall of the vehicle sub-frame defines an inspection aperture that is disposed adjacent the duct connection flange to enable viewing of the duct connection flange from an exterior of the vehicle sub-frame.

16. The duct assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the inlet flange defines a planar lower exterior surface and a wall that extends substantially perpendicular to the lower exterior surface adjacent a rear side of the aperture of the inlet flange to direct air into the aperture when the vehicle is moving in the forward direction of travel.

17. The duct assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the upper deflector includes a base, an upper side extending along the entire length of one side of the base, and a lower side extending along only part of the length of an opposing side of the base, the upper and lower sides extending substantially perpendicular to the base.

18. The duct assembly according to claim 17 , wherein a distance separating the upper and lower sides at a location closest to the outlet section is greater than a distance separating the upper and lower sides at a location furthest from the outlet section.

19. A duct assembly for cooling a brake assembly of a vehicle that is capable of traveling in at least a forward direction, the brake assembly including a front end that is disposed in front of a rear end in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle, the vehicle also including a sub-frame tha

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Paul Scott Andrew
• Rosepiler Stephen G
• Dyar Lorne R
• Ishikawa Yoshio
• Roehl Matthew Vernon
• AKITA Yuichiro
• Koike Akihiko
• Smith Edward C

Classifications

• B62D65/04

  Joining preassembled modular units composed of sub-units performing diverse functions, e.g. engine and bonnet (B62D65/06 - B62D65/16 take precedence) · CPC title

• B62D21/11

  with resilient means for suspension {, e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions} · CPC title

• F16D65/78

  Features relating to cooling · CPC title

• F16D65/128

  characterised by means for cooling · CPC title

• F16D2065/1328

  internal cavities, e.g. cooling channels · CPC title