WO2019138169A1

WO2019138169A1 - Movable flap for vehicle front end module

Info

Publication number: WO2019138169A1
Application number: PCT/FR2019/050001
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sylvain Gerber; Enzo MITIDIERI
Original assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
Priority date: 2018-01-12
Filing date: 2019-01-02
Publication date: 2019-07-18
Also published as: FR3076772A1; FR3076772B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a movable flap (3) for a vehicle front end module, comprising at least one sealing wall for closing an opening and a carriage (5) configured to help guide the movement of the movable flap (3), the carriage (5) being secured to the sealing wall (14) and configured to receive at least one rolling element (6) so as to form a roller carriage (7), characterised in that the carriage (5) and the sealing wall (14) form a one-piece assembly.

Description

MOBILE COMPONENT FOR FRONT FACE MODULE OF VEHICLE

The field of the present invention is that of vehicles, and more particularly shutter systems of an air intake that can be found on the front of these vehicles.

The vehicles are commonly equipped with heat exchangers, including cooling radiators, condensers or air conditioning, placed at the front of the vehicle and which take advantage of the outside air to the vehicle passing through to exchange heat with the circuit fluid. cooling. Openings for introducing the cooling air are placed at the front of the vehicle, at its front face, and radiator grilles are conventionally placed across these air intakes to allow the circulation of air to the exchanger or exchangers while limiting the entry of foreign bodies.

It is known to use mobile ohturation flaps on the front to improve the operation of cooling systems, air conditioning, or to improve the speed of temperature rise of the engine by preventing the entry of cold air outside the vehicle when starting. These flaps are usually arranged behind the grille grids, to be arranged across the flow. Mobile, they can indeed be controlled to be open to let the maximum air, or more or less closed in order to seal, partially or completely, the passage of air. The control of the degree of opening of these shutters can be done either manually or managed by computers according to the needs of the vehicle in terms of aerodynamics, cooling of components arranged in the engine compartment on the front panel, or of heat exchange involving the air outside the vehicle.

One type of shutter comprises a set of coplanar rectangular walls, arranged in pairs, which extend on each side of a guiding device moving the shutter located in the middle position of the shutter. These rectangular walls are housed in a structural element of the calender on which they are fixed at their ends by means of lateral arms, these lateral arms embodying an axis of rotation of the shutter carried by the structural element of the calender. The pivoting of the shutter around this axis of rotation allows complete or partial closure of the ventilation system by the shutter, as described above. A connecting rod system connects the shutter to an actuator, a suitable control module to drive to achieve the desired pivoting of the shutter, the pivoting of the shutter from one position to the other being accompanied by the arms lateral pivoting about the axis carried by the structural element of the calender. The guiding device associated with the shutter is configured to guarantee the maintenance of the trajectory of the shutter shutter and its position at a constant or almost constant distance from the calender grille. Thus, this guiding device in displacement of the shutter complements the movement given by the connecting rod and the maintenance provided by the lateral arms pivoting along the axis of rotation of the shutter.

This guiding device in displacement of the shutter comprises a carriage secured to the movable shutter, one or more rolling elements, facilitating the movement of the movable shutter when associated with said carriage, and a rail through which each roller element travels, this rail defining a direction borrowed by the mobile component. The carriage, an essential component of the guide device, is configured to accommodate one or more rolling elements, each rolling element comprising a support shaft provided with two wheels. These rollers are associated with the support shaft, and in particular being arranged respectively at its ends, the support shaft being adapted to fit into a bore provided in the carriage. Trolley and casters thus associated constitute an assembly attached to the movable shutter at the central position of said flap. The rail is positioned in front of the carriage to cooperate with the wheels thereof. This rail aims to ensure the correct position of the flap when moving relative to the structural element of the calender on which it is attached.

Such prior art has several drawbacks described below.

First, the design of the shutter itself involves multiple steps when mounting the shutter. Indeed, the shutters as described in the prior art consist of several elements requiring several handling actions. Initially, the device for guiding the movement of the flap must be equipped with casters: to the assembled parts of the carriage are added the constituent elements of the rolling element, namely the casters and the support shaft. The caster support shaft is inserted into each bore of the carriage provided for this purpose, before the casters are mounted on the support shaft at each end of this shaft to form the rolling element, to form a trolley. on wheels. The support shaft thus allows the rolling element to be held in the bore of the carriage. Then, the carriage thus provided with rolling element (s), constituting part of the guiding device in displacement of the flap, is fixed by clipping on the shutter which has been manufactured beforehand by molding. Thus, the guide device for moving the flap is attached to the shutter flap, clipped in its central position, before the assembly is installed at the vehicle front face module and therefore the front of the vehicle, for example, next to the grille. The shutter is connected to the actuator via the linkage system and to the vehicle structure via the side arms, and is arranged so that the wheeled carriage enters the guide rail.

The simplification of handling steps is a constant concern in the industry, as these simplifications are not done to the detriment of the quality of the finished product. Thus, the assembly of these components would benefit from being simplified. Minimizing assembly steps and reducing the number of parts involved, in particular to save time, is beneficial to any production line.

Secondly, the shutters may be subject to high air pressure constraints, especially when driving the vehicle. More particularly, when the shutters are in the closed or semi-closed position, they are likely to more or less deform under the resulting forces. This deformation is generally towards the interior of the vehicle, the shutter being pressurized by the air coming in front of the vehicle inducing the shutter to move away from the front face. By this thrust, the sealing is no longer ensured on the one hand, and on the other hand generates a high stress on the guide device which is retained by its rail. If the deformation of the flap is too great, the wheeled carriage can be detached from the shutter, over-stressed by the pulls induced by these movements of removal, and it is understood that in this case the guiding device and fragmented can no longer ensure its guiding and restraining function. As a result, the shutter flaps can be misplaced or even deteriorated. This lack of reliability of the device is energetically costly, since it causes a poor balancing of the ventilation of the heat exchanger system, which can have consequences on the consumption of the vehicle in particular, or the premature wear of other parts of the system. vehicle poorly regulated thermally. In addition, the resulting repairs involve immobilization of the vehicle, with a change of parts more or less heavy and expensive, depending on the impact that the damage has had.

However, in order to guarantee their shutter function, complete or partial, it is crucial that these shutters maintain their position regardless of the air pressures encountered. In addition, the shutters must be able to be operated even when the vehicle moves. Thus, the qualitative aspects of the closure shutters and associated displacement guide devices are to be considered and their improvement would ensure a longer viability of all.

The object of the present invention is therefore to overcome the drawbacks described above by designing a vehicle air inlet closure device which would see its assembly simplified by reducing the number of parts constituting it, while preventing premature wear of said parts.

The subject of the invention is therefore a movable flap for a front vehicle module, comprising at least one closure wall of an opening, in particular formed in the front-end module and the front face of the vehicle, and a carriage configured to participate in guiding the movable flap in motion, the carriage being secured to the closure wall and configured to receive at least one rolling element to form a trolley with a wheel, characterized in that the carriage and the closure wall form a unitary assembly. More specifically, the wall of the movable flap is configured to close an opening arranged in a surface or in a frame.

This opening may for example correspond to an opening arranged on the front face of a vehicle so as to guide a flow of air towards the engine compartment to cool the latter, when the front-end module is mounted in the vehicle.

The front face of the vehicle corresponds to the elements of the vehicle constituting the front of the vehicle namely the front grille and the body, and the front panel module corresponds to the other elements arranged at the front face, such as the Active Grill Shutters ( set of shutters called AGS), bolster (heat exchanger support frame), heat exchangers, bumper beam, etc. These two terms may designate common elements.

The movable flap according to the invention comprises at least one closure wall of an opening. The opening is formed in the front face and the front panel module. This wall makes it possible to close if necessary an opening formed on the front of the vehicle. This opening, generally associated with a heat exchanger disposed in the path of the air flow brought to pass through this opening without this association being limiting of the invention, forms an air inlet allowing the outside air to the vehicle of rushing into the air circuit, for example the air circuit of said heat exchanger. It is understood that it is important according to the invention that the movable flap seals the opening forming the air inlet, and whatever the destination of the air flow thereafter, which may as an alternative example be directed directly to a motor compartment. The flow of air allowed through this opening must be regulated, according to the air supply needs in the air circuit of the heat exchanger. Thus, the octuration wall can come to interfere with the flow of air, blocking the passage thereof, wholly or partially, or on the contrary not to interfere with the flow of air to allow it a complete passage through the opening of the vehicle front panel module. The movable nature of the shutter wall is therefore essential in order to modulate shutter shutter action: these mobility faculties, accompanied by a guiding device, are implemented as follows. The carriage integrated in the shutter according to the invention forms part of a guiding device of the movable flap during its displacement, it being understood that one or more rolling elements are associated in a second time with the carriage to form a configured trolley with wheels to cooperate with a rail also forming part of the guide device.

The displacement of the movable flap, whether in translation or in rotation, is controlled by an actuator. The actuator and the shutter made mobile by it are associated by any transmission system for coupling mechanically to one another. Thus, this movement transmission system may be a transmission shaft or a connecting rod, for example, or any axis transmitting this movement.

Thus made mobile by the actuator, the shutter is accompanied in its path by a guide rail, the carriage provided with at least one rolling element cooperating with this guide. During its implementation, the shutter, placed within a structural element of the shell front face of the vehicle where it is housed and operated, can take different positions, including two extreme positions that are a first shutter position said closed, wherein the movable flap participates in closing the opening in the front face, and a second release position, said open, in which it is completely clear of the opening. The actuator can also be configured to maintain the shutter in an intermediate position, between the two extreme positions, in which the flap is partially released from the opening.

As has been specified, the movable flap according to the invention is characterized in that the carriage and the closure wall form a one-piece assembly. The term "monobloc assembly" here means that the movable flap consists only of a single piece comprising at least one closure wall and the carriage of the guiding device so that the separation of the closure wall and the associated carriage leads to the destruction of the movable flap. In other words, the carbide and the closure wall form a continuity of material and it is not possible to separate one from the other without causing irreversible damage. According to this aspect, it is therefore understood that the closure wall and the collar included in the guide device are not only related, but also indissociable, can not be separated without coming into contact with the integrity of the movable flap.

The movable flap according to the invention therefore does not correspond to a closure wall on which we would report a guide device, assembled beforehand. The busbar included in the guiding device is an integral part of the movable flap, shutter wall and carbide forming a single piece participating both in shutter functions and guiding. The structure of the shutter thus houses these two functions in one and the same structural block, without the need to relate them one on the other. The busbar of the guiding device is therefore not clipped on the closure wall, and thus does not risk detaching under the effect of too much tearing force. Melting the collar of the guide device and the closure wall with each other in the same movable flap eliminates many manipulations during assembly of said movable flap. Instead of forming the carbody then report it by clipping on the closure wall to form a movable flap provided with one of the components of the guiding device as described in the prior art, on which are still to be made each parts forming each of the rolling elements, the movable flap of the invention is ready to directly accommodate the rolling elements. The assembly is thus considerably simplified. Moreover, and beyond the assembly, a single piece is to be made to obtain the movable flap according to the invention, while the state of the art provides that be made apart from the carbody, see the various elements components of the carbody, and the closure wall. According to an example of the invention, the one-piece assembly, comprising the closure wall and the carbody, is molded by an injection of plastic material. The manufacture of the single piece constituting the movable flap according to the invention here involves a thermoformable material, more specifically a thermoplastic. The malleable plastic material is injected into a mold having the shape of the movable flap, thus including the closure wall and the collar of the guiding device, before taking its implementation form, the plastic being in solid form at room temperature . Once solidified, the monobloc assembly is demolded along a single demolding axis. According to another exemplary embodiment, the closure wall is formed of at least two closure panels associated with each other by a connecting wall, the collar being disposed on said connecting wall. In general, the shutter wall included in the movable shutter according to the invention is of rectangular overall shape and is divided into several surfaces over its extent, these surfaces taking the form of shutter panels which provide the function of the blocking of the air and cover any opening in the front of the vehicle dedicated to the ventilation system. These closing panels are particularly two in number for two respectively associated openings, but may be more numerous if the openings on the front face are itself more numerous. They are then arranged in series. More particularly, these shutter panels are coplanar.

A connecting wall associates each panel closing one to the other. The connecting wall may in particular be found in a plane distinct from the plane of elongation of the closing panels that it connects, and more particularly be set back from this plane of elongation of the closing panels with respect to the front face module, and by compared to the front too. According to a more particular aspect, the planes of the closing panels and the connecting wall associated with them, although in different planes, may be substantially parallel, a certain degree of moderate inclination of the planes relative to each other. the other being accepted. When they do not share the same plane, because the closure wall forms a single and the same overall structure, a recess is formed, revealing a cavity whose bottom corresponds to the connecting wall.

Thus, the invention also relates to a movable flap in which the connecting wall is arranged behind the shutter panels so as to form the bottom of a cavity into which the carbide integrates, the shutter panels defining a first plane for be disposed towards the front of the vehicle, and the connecting wall defining a second plane to be disposed opposite. In other words, the closing panels are located more in front of the vehicle than the connecting wall, the opening of said cavity being turned towards the front face of the vehicle during the implementation of the movable flap. The cavity, thus framed by the two closing panels, and whose bottom is constituted by the connecting wall, is the housing of the carbody of the guiding device. Closing panels, connecting wall, cavity and carbody are integral part of the one-piece structure forming the movable flap according to the invention.

As indicated above, the movable flap according to the invention is of rectangular overall shape. The panels closing the constituent may be of substantially equal surface, but also different. The regularity of the different surfaces may have a consideration aesthetic, but it also provides a better distribution of forces on the entire movable flap, while the shutter panels are directly subjected to air pressure during the movement of the vehicle, since placed frontally.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the movable flap consists of two shutter panels of equal area, connected in central position to the movable flap by the connecting wall. The closing panels are then arranged symmetrically with respect to the connecting wall, the connecting wall taking a central position on the movable flap.

According to one characteristic of the invention, the collar of the guiding device is disposed on said connecting wall, in the mass of the movable flap. Advantageously, the carbody extends in projection from one side of the movable flap which is turned towards the front of the vehicle when the movable flap is mounted on this vehicle.

The movable flap according to the invention, by virtue of its function and its frontal position, is caused to be exposed to a flow of air whose pressure can be high during the movement of a vehicle carrying it. This mobile flap is intended to be associated with the vehicle and its front panel module: it is integrated with a structural element of the calender provided for this purpose, and it cooperates with an actuator setting it in motion, and with a guide rail positioned vis-à-vis on the structural element of the calender for its orientation and maintenance in proper position. Thus, in consideration of the aerodynamics that must be given to its shape, but also in consideration of the structures with which it will cooperate in the vehicle, the movable flap according to the invention is imposed a defined orientation. The movable flap has a front face, which is intended to be exposed to the air intake through the opening on the front of the vehicle and an opposite rear face, which is intended to be turned towards the inside of the vehicle.

The movable flap according to the invention is a one-piece structure including the busbar of a guiding device configured to guide the movement of the movable flap. This structural unit is made by molding, and designed so that rolling elements can be directly attached to the carbody, without having to drill a bore. The technique of manufacturing the movable flap according to the invention, by molding and demolding along an axis, imposes the fact of not being able to form a bore by molding for the reception of the rolling elements. In the absence of a bore, the molding offers the possibility of including V-shaped cuts in the material of the movable flap, these cutouts forming arches formed in the case. The rolling elements will be housed and maintained. These arches result directly from the molding and do not have to be shaped in the monobloc structure of the mobile component, in line with a simplification of the mobile shutter design. The carriage is thus provided with arches from its design, these arches being intended to form a receiving housing of the rolling elements to be associated with the carriage to provide the guiding function in displacement of the movable flap.

At least one of the arches may include a corrugated portion, also included in the mass of the movable flap. This corrugated portion serves to ensure the contact between the various elements constituting the guide device, and in particular the contact of the rolling elements in the guide rail, and it can be used, if necessary, to absorb the vibrations induced during the implementation. of the cart.

According to a feature of the invention, the carriage has at least three arches configured to respectively accommodate one of the rolling elements. The movable flap according to the invention may therefore comprise three arches, designed to respectively receive one of the rolling elements, to form a trolley with three rolling elements, but can not be limited to this possibility.

The structural configuration of the arches allows to accommodate the rolling elements during assembly, and to maintain them in their housing during implementation in the mobile component. According to a characteristic of the invention, each arch has an open free end intended for the insertion of one of the rolling elements, a seat for receiving one of the rolling elements and at least one protuberance arranged at the entrance of the receiving seat, intended to hold the rolling element in the receiving seat. Each of the arches is thus configured to receive a rolling element and hold it there: each arch has a profile allowing not only to accommodate the rolling element, but also to keep the axis of the rolling element, materialized therein. by a caster support shaft. The arch, which has a V-shaped cut-out in the carriage structure, has an entry point, corresponding to the free end of the arch, whereby the support shaft of the rolling element is intended to be inserted during assembly of the rolling element on the movable flap. Once inserted into the arch, the rolling element is pushed into the body of the arch to the bottom of the V-shaped cut forming this arch, using a guide path. The bottom of the arch corresponds to the place where the support shaft of the rolling element will remain positioned during its implementation, namely the receiving seat of the rolling element. The arch is configured such that the associated guide path tapers from its free end to its receiving seat. It will be understood from the above that, moreover, in order to keep the rolling element in its receiving seat, a protuberance is present between the receiving seat and the free end of the arch, and more particularly at the entrance reception desk. This protuberance generates a narrowing a guide path formed in the arclie for clipping the rolling element. The protuberance has a gentle slope on the free end side so that a regular force supplied since the insertion of the rolling element into the arch makes it possible to pass this protuberance towards the receiving seat, and it presents side of the receiving seat a steep face so that it is necessary to provide a significant effort to bring out the support shaft of the rolling element from its position when in the receiving seat.

It is understood that the dimension of the portion of the support shaft of the rolling elements intended to traverse the arcbe, and the internal profile of the arcbe, must be adjusted: the opening formed at the free end of the arcbe is greater than the diameter of the support shaft of the rolling element, while the passage permitted by the protuberance is slightly narrower than this diameter of the support shaft, the receiving seat having a shape and dimensions substantially equal to those of the support shaft. By substantially equal means that the support shaft having taken place in the receiving seat can be moved by rotation, to allow the rolling element to roll, without being braked by friction in the receiving seat. It should be noted that each arch is disposed in a plane which is perpendicular to the planes defined by the closure wall and the connecting wall.

According to another aspect of the invention, each arch does not exceed the first and second planes respectively defined by the closing panels, and the connecting wall. As has been previously described, the carriage forming part of the guide device according to the invention is disposed in the cavity formed between the closing panels. This cavity is framed by the shutter panels, and sees its bottom formed by the connecting wall. The carriage, like its arches, do not go beyond the edges of this cavity and are entirely housed there.

Each arch can see its orientation arranged independently of the orientation of the adjacent arch or arches. Thus, the free end of each arch is oriented towards the front or rear of the vehicle when the shutter is implemented. The movable flap can thus be configured so that at least one arch of the carriage has its free end oriented towards the plane defined by the shutter panels, or conversely to the plane defined by the connecting wall. According to a characteristic of the invention, the free end of the central arch to the carriage is oriented towards the first plane defined by the shutter panels. In this particular configuration, the free ends of the arches adjacent to the central arch are oriented opposite the plane defined by the shutter panels, that is to say oriented towards the plane defined by the connecting wall, making that the central arch and its adjacent arches are oriented alternately in opposite directions. For a movable shutter with more than three arches, this alternation can be find, so that at least one arch of the carriage has its free end oriented towards the plane defined by the closing panels, and at least one other arch has its free end oriented towards the plane defined by the connecting wall.

The present invention also covers a movable obturating assembly of a vehicle front end module comprising a movable flap on the front of the vehicle as just described and at least one rolling element configured to cooperate with the trolley. of the guiding device of this movable flap to form a trolley with wheels. This shutter assembly thus comprises the movable flap according to the invention as described above, associated with one or more rolling elements. A rolling element may comprise one or more wheels or wheels. The rolling element or elements are configured to cooperate with the mobile shutter carriage according to the invention, in order to be maintained while allowing it to roll. Thus, in a more specific example, each rolling element has two wheels, linked together by a support shaft. It is then this support shaft which cooperates with the carriage, in the seat of reception of the arch of the carriage, the wheels being disposed on either side of the arch for example. The carriage thus provided with wheels may allow the movable flap to be accompanied in its movement by rolling the rollers, thus able to exercise its mobility function.

The casters can be attached to the support shaft, or be one and the same part with the support shaft. In a particular case of the invention, the rolling element comprises two wheels and a support shaft integral and indissociable without breaking said rolling element. This support shaft is intended to cooperate with the carriage, at the level of the arch of the carriage and more specifically in the reception seat of the arch. The present invention thus also covers a movable obturating assembly of a vehicle front face in which each rolling element is in one piece and comprises two rollers arranged on a support shaft, with the support shaft configured to cooperate with the seat of reception. The actual structure of the rolling element derives from the existing cooperation between the rolling element and the arch. As mentioned above, the rolling element, made of a support shaft connecting the wheels together, may for example be constituted in one piece, forming a rolling element in a one-piece structure. The rolling element therefore only has to be clipped into the reception seat of the arch to be associated with the movable flap and be functional, thus allowing the assembly to benefit from further simplification.

The invention also relates to a vehicle front end module comprising a movable flap or a movable shutter assembly, movable flap or movable shutter assembly such as than previously described.

The integration of the movable flap according to the invention, or the movable shutter assembly according to the invention, in a vehicle, involves a particular arrangement with the vehicle structure so that the invention is implemented. Thus, the rolling elements are intended to cooperate with a rail. The rail is provided on a structural element of the vehicle and is more particularly formed on a structural element forming part of the vehicle front face module, for example on a wall of a structural element of the shell housing the movable flap. In particular, the rail may be advantageously arranged in the internal face of a structural upright extending vertically across the front face and the front face module at the same time. The rail is intended to accommodate the rolling elements equipping the carriage, and to allow their rolling, this rail serving as a guide to the movement of the movable flap. The rolling elements are thus inserted into the rail, and travel in its length when the actuator moves the movable flap. This rail has indeed a linear structure, and more particularly curved when the movement of the movable flap follows a rotation, to accompany the movement of the movable flap during its pivoting along its axis of rotation.

It should be noted that the rolling elements, besides the fact that they cooperate with the rail, rest on it. It is indeed important that the movable flap is perfectly positioned at the level of the front face module of the vehicle, and for example at a constant distance from the calender grille, and whatever its configuration, open, closed or semi-open . In addition to the guiding support provided by the rail during the setting in motion of the movable flap, said rail also allows the movable flap to be held in its correct position, despite the pressure stresses that occur on the closure surface during the movements of the flap. vehicle. To do this, the rolling elements are configured to bear on opposing walls participating in delimiting the rail. More particularly, these opposing walls extend transversely, that is to say perpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle. And as an example, these walls form a groove bottom and a groove edge, opposite one another in the groove. In other words, according to one characteristic of the invention, the rolling elements bear in the rail, on a bottom of the groove and a groove edge. The rolling elements are, during the implementation of the invention, arranged in the groove of the rail. In the case of a rolling element with two wheels, each pair of wheels bears either on the groove bottom or on the groove edge, the two wheels of the same pair bearing on the same side. Advantageously, and in the case of a plurality of rolling elements, at least one of the pairs of wheels is supported on the groove bottom, and another pair is supported on the groove edge, to distribute the bearing points of the trolley on two opposite surfaces in the groove of the rail. Thus, when the air induces a pressure on the movable flap on the front of the vehicle, the right positioning of the movable shutter is guaranteed thanks to the wheeled carriage held in the rail, resisting both a thrust and a suction of the shutter Mohile. Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the description given below as an indication in relation to drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of a portion of the front face and a front-end module of a vehicle equipped with a movable flap, represented here in the closed position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the front-face module of FIG. 1 with the mohile flap represented in the open position;

FIG. 3 is a general view, in the same perspective of FIGS. 1 and 2, of the single mohile shutter,

FIG. 4 is a close-up view, in perspective seen from the front, of a connecting wall of the mohile flap of FIG. 3, making the carriage visible to a guiding device associated with the moving flap;

FIG. 5 is a close-up perspective view from the rear of the connecting wall of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a side view of the connecting wall of the mohile flap and the trolley of the guiding device. partner,

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 in which the carriage is equipped with three rolling elements;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6 in which the carriage is equipped with three rolling elements, and in which there is furthermore illustrated a guide rail with which the guide carriage cooperates,

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along the sectional plane AA illustrated. in FIG. 8, making visible the cooperation of the rail and the casters of the guiding ring of the movable flap according to the invention,

and FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the front-end module in the configuration illustrated in FIG. 2, that is to say with the mobile flap represented in the open position, seen from inside the vehicle.

It should first be noted that the figures disclose the invention in detail to implement the invention, said figures can of course be used to better define the invention where appropriate.

In the remainder of the description, the lateral, upper, front, rear names refer to a movable flap 3 or to a movable shutter assembly 10 according to the invention and its operational positioning on the front face of the vehicle 1. The movable flap 3, as the movable shutter assembly 10 according to the invention, has a generally flat shape which sees one of its faces facing towards the front of the vehicle, while the other face is oriented towards the inside of the vehicle. vehicle. A movable flap 3 according to the invention, in its arrangement within the front face module of a vehicle 1 is movable between two extreme positions, among which a first position, illustrated in FIG. 1, which corresponds to a so-called closed configuration of the movable flap, and a second position, illustrated in Figure 2, which corresponds to a so-called open configuration of the movable flap. It should be noted that this same movable flap 3 can also be in intermediate position (s), not shown here.

The mobile flap 3 is to be considered in its integration in a movable shutter assembly 10, comprising movable flap 3 and one or more rolling elements 6, and an actuator 4 and a guiding device 2. Note that this device guide 2 includes a carbody 5 secured to the movable flap, the rolling element or elements 6, and a guide rail 11 formed in the vehicle structure, at the front face as will be detailed below.

The movable flap 3 has a generally rectangular shape with a shutter surface, called the shutter wall 14, comprising shutter panels 17 here in number two, as can also be seen in FIG. 3 having the integral structure of the movable shutter 3 These shutter panels 17 themselves have a globally rectangular shape and generally flat although they may have a certain aerodynamic curvature for follow the profile of the front face of the véfiicule. The curvature of the closing panels 17 is justified on two aspects. Firstly, the front face of the closing panel 17, in the closed or semi-open position, is intended to be exposed and confronted with the flow of air and with the pressure of this air flow, air coming from outside of the vehicle: the shutter panels 17 are slightly curved to allow the flow of air to slide on their surface. This shape also allows the movable flap 3 to integrate with the front face module of the vehicle when the movable flap 3 comes into open or semi-open position.

The movable flap 3 is inserted into the front face of the vehicle 1 in a structural element of the calender 24, here having two openings 15. In the closed configuration shown in FIG. 1, the openings 15 are both closed by the movable flap 3 · obturating panel 17 sees its shape perfectly adjusted to that of the opening 15 that it comes to close fully. The dimensions of the closing panels 17 are indeed intended to be slightly greater than those of openings 15 in order to fit the contours of the structural element of the shell 24 in which the openings 15 are formed, and to allow no passage of air in closed position.

During the implementation of the mobile component 3, it is associated with the rolling elements 6, forming the movable shutter assembly 10 as presented above. These rolling elements 6 are not visible in Figure 1 and Figure 2 although present on the movable shutter assembly 10, and will be described later in Figure 7. This movable shutter assembly 10 once actuated, goes from the closed configuration to the open configuration, or semi-open, and conversely according to the needs of the vehicle in terms of external air supply of the ventilation circuit. In the open configuration, as shown in FIG. 2, the openings 15 appear, the movable flap 3 and the shutter panels 17 forming it being raised. The movement of the movable shutter assembly 10 comprising the movable shutter 3 is enabled by the actuator 4 connected to the movable shutter 3 via a connecting rod 25, the connecting rod 25 being configured to pivot about an axis X pivoting. The mobile flap 3 is thus pivotally mounted with pivots 26 carried by the structural element of the calender 24 and configured to cooperate with lateral end walls 28 of the movable flap 3, the pivots 26 being configured to make the movable flap 3 pivoting about a pivot axis A. The two lateral end walls 28 of the movable flap 3 perpendicularly extend the panels closing towards the rear of the plane defined by these panels and they are each provided with of an orifice sized to receive one of the pivots 26. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the pivoting axis X of the connecting rod 25 and the axis A defined by the pivots 26 are distinct axes.

As previously described, the structural element of the shell 24 as shown in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 2 forms two openings 15 formed on either side of an upright 30 forming a median portion of the structural element of the calender 24. This upright 30 comprises a hollow body, which houses the guide rail 11 fixed to the structural element of the shell 24, and which has a shape complementary to that of the central part of the movable flap 3 formed between the shutter panels 17. The arrangement between the upright 30 forming part of the structural element of the shell 24, the rail 11 and the movable flap 3 will be described later. This central portion of the movable flap 3, connecting the two shutter panels 17 constituting the closure wall 14, is formed of a connecting wall 18, set back from the shutter panels 17 as shown in Figure 3, with respect to the module of the front face of the vehicle 1. This connecting wall 18 is formed in one piece with the closing panels 17. The recess of the connecting wall 18 with respect to the plane formed by the closing panels 17 forms a cavity 21. On this connecting wall 18, in the bottom of the cavity 21, the busbar 5, part of the guide device 2, is integrated in the structure of the movable flap 3, derived from the same material as that of the movable flap. In other words, and as can be seen in the figures, the collar 5 and the closure wall 14 form a one-piece assembly.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the collar 5 protrudes from the surface of the front face of the connecting wall 18 in withdrawal of the closing panels 17, that is to say the surface turned towards the front of the vehicle. It should be noted that FIG. 3 also shows, at the upper edge of the movable flap 3, a stop 27 forming an angle with respect to the overall surface of the movable flap 3. This stop 27 allows the movable flap 3 in the closed configuration to come into contact with the upper part of the structural element of the calender 24, blocking its displacement. FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show a close-up view of the mobile flap 3 according to the invention, at the level of the cavity 21 housing the guiding device 2 comprising the busbar 5. FIG. 4 is a view from the front of the moving flap. 3, and Figure 5 a rear view, these two views for detailing the integral structure of the movable flap 3 at the interface between the closure wall 14 and the bicarbonate 5 · The bicarbonate 5, occupying the most of the connecting wall 18, has three arches 8 successively arranged. This series arrangement is in the length of the connecting wall 18, a length defined in the direction of the trajectory taken by the carriage 5 during the rotation of the mohile flap 3 around the pivot axis A defined by the pivots 26. More particularly, the arches 8 may be aligned according to the length of the connecting wall 18.

Among these arches 8, there is a central arch 80 present in the middle part of the carriage 5, and two peripheral arches 8l, at each end of the carriage 5 · The central arch 80 is arranged on a corrugated portion 16 from the wall of connection 18, while the peripheral arches 81 are directly from the connecting wall 18.

As shown in Figure 5, the connecting wall 18 is not full but has breakthroughs. These breakthroughs originate from the molding of the movable shutter 3, and they find their interest in the assembly of the movable shutter assembly 10 and its implementation. In a central portion of the carriage, the corrugated portion 16 is carried by two amounts coming from the connecting wall 18 and between which is formed a rectangular breakthrough, present to allow the demolding of the corrugated portion 16. This rectangular breakthrough provides by molding a corrugated wall 16 of small thickness, so that it can remain flexible and have elastic deformation characteristics. The other two bores of the connecting wall 18, formed under the peripheral arches 81, are H-shaped. Their role is to provide a passage for the insertion of the rolling elements 6, the projected shape of which is also that of a H since consists of two wheels 22 connected by a support shaft 23, as will be described later in the description. Referring now to Figure 6, we see more precisely the structural profile of the carriage 5 of the guide device 2, the seat consists of the connecting wall 18. There are three arches 8, namely the 80 central arch household on the corrugated portion 16 and arches 81 peripheral.

The arches 8 are similar in that they include an opening called free end 20, through which the rolling elements 6 penetrate, and a receiving seat 19 of these rolling elements 6. In other words, the three arches 8 share a same overall shape in which the arches 8 comprise a guide path 29 configured to guide a rolling element 6 from one of these free ends 20, intended to see the rolling element 6, to one of these reception seats 19 of the rolling element 6, formed at the end of this guide path 29, opposite the free end 20. The receiving seat 19 has a section of circular shape, and it comprises, at the junction with the guide path 29, at least one protrusion 9 · More particularly, two protuberances 9 can face each arch 8, being dimensioned to clamp the rolling element 6 to the passage thereof in the guide path. The size of the reception seat 19 and the position of the protuberances 9 for the three arches 8 are here identical, the arches 8 being intended to accommodate an identical rolling element 6.

In contrast, arches 8 are distinguished by their orientation, size and structure.

The arches 8 are distinguished by their orientation first, since the peripheral arches 81 are arranged symmetrically on the carriage 5 with respect to the central arch 80, but in a direction opposite to that of the central arch 80. It is thus note that the orientation of the free end 20 is different depending on whether it is arranged in the central arc 80 or in the peripheral arches 81. In the example shown, the free end 20 of the central arc 80 is disposed in opposition to the connecting wall 18, that is to say facing the front of the vehicle when the movable flap 3 is in position in the front panel module, while the peripheral arches 8l see their free end 20 turned away towards the connecting wall 18. This distinctive orientation will be of interest detailed below, in the implementation of the invention, so that the traction / compression forces are distributed that the carriage 5 is applied following the air pressures experienced by the entire movable flap 3.

For the size of the arches 8, the noticeable difference in shape is raised at the height of the arches 8, that is to say the dimension perpendicular to the plane of the connecting wall. Indeed, the distance between the free end 20 of the arch 8 and the receiving seat 19 of the rolling element 6 within the same arch 8 is greater for the peripheral arches 81 than for the central arch 80, this central arch being carried by the corrugated portion.

As previously described, the central arch 80 differs from the peripheral arches 81 in that it is carried by the corrugated portion 16 rather than emerge directly from the connecting wall 18 as do the peripheral arches 81. This corrugated portion 16 makes it possible to absorb the vibrations induced during the implementation of the guiding device 2, and to adjust the position of said guiding device 2 as a function of the air pressures undergone.

It may be noted that the arches are arranged so that the centers of the receiving seats define a curve substantially parallel to the curve formed by the plane of the connecting wall 18. Figure 7 shows the association between the movable flap 3 and the rolling elements 6, forming the movable shutter assembly 10 as has been previously stated. This exemplary embodiment incorporates the bracket 5 of the guiding device 2 of the movable flap 3 shown in FIG. 4, added with three rolling elements 6 each arranged in one of the three arches 8. The rolling elements 6 here consist of a single formed part two rollers 22 connected to each other by a support shaft 23. It is the support shaft 23 which is intended to be positioned in the arch 8, at the reception seat 19. placing the rolling element 6, the support shaft 23 is guided through the guide path 29 to the receiving seat 19 to two protuberances 9, present in the arch 8. The shape of the protuberances causes a narrowing of the guide path 29 formed in the arch 8, keep in place the rolling element 6 when it is the receiving seat 19, and prevent its release, by blocking the support shaft 23 against the protuberances 9.

In order to constitute the movable shutter assembly 10, the mounting of the rolling elements 6 can be achieved as follows, this mounting example not being limiting since not constituting the only possible embodiment. Each single-piece rolling element 6 is clipped into an arch 8 of the carbody 5 carried by the movable flap 3.

For the central arch 80, the rolling element 6 is brought from the front of the movable flap 3, that is to say from the inside of the cavity 21. The support shaft 23 of the rolling element 6 passes the free end 20 of the central arch 80, before being clipped into the receiving seat 19 of the central arch 80, by applying a pressure to force the passage of the protrusion 9 · Thus arranged in the receiving seat 19 and being held there by the protrusion 9, the rollers 22 of the rolling element 6 have the possibility of rolling around the axis defined by the support shaft 23. For the peripheral arches 8l, the rolling elements 6 are provided from the outside, ie the rear, of the cavity 21, so that the access of the rolling elements to the guide path 29 is through the rear face of the movable shutter assembly 10 Thus, the corresponding rolling element 6 passes the free end 20 of the peripheral arch 8l, e free end 20 whose cutout forms an H formed in the connecting wall 18, this shape corresponding to the profile of said rolling element 6 inserted. Then, the rolling element 6 is forced in its passage of the protrusion 9 disposed in the guide path 29 of the peripheral arch 81 before being positioned in the receiving seat 19 of the peripheral arch 8l where it is maintained to be able to roll. The mobile shutter assembly 10 is intended to be integrated on the front face of the vehicle 1, with the caster wheel which is made to cooperate with a guiding rail 11 in displacement of the movable flap 3, allowing both to guide the guide device 2, but also to maintain in position the movable flap 3 subjected to air pressure during its implementation. Thus, the cooperation between the guiding rail 11 moving the movable flap 3 and the carbody 5 must be adjusted, this adjustment resulting from the good positioning of the rollers 22 within the guiding rail 11 in displacement of the movable flap 3 FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show the close cooperation between the guiding rail 11 moving the movable flap 3 and the casters 22 carried by the busbar 5. FIG. 8 is a view in which the rail 11 has been cut off. guiding movement of the movable flap 3, in order to make visible the cooperation between rail 11 and rolling elements 6 associated with the bus 5-Y is in particular visible the interaction of the rollers 22 interact with the guide rail 11 in moving the movable flap 3 · Figure 9 is a cross section of the same rail

11 guiding movement of the movable flap 3, wherein the guide device 2 is shown top view, making visible only the rail 11 and the two pairs of wheels

22, the support shafts 23 of the rolling elements 6 are not shown, as the movable flap 3 itself and its corbel 5.

The guide rail 11 for moving the movable flap 3 shown in FIG. 8 has a slightly curved linear shape, corresponding to the path made by the movable flap 3 when the latter is set in motion and pivots around the axis of rotation X. Thus , the rail 11 forms part of the guiding device 2 serving as a guide to the movable flap 3, not hindering its mobility but accompanying it in its direction during the rolling of the rollers 22.

The guide rail 11 for moving the movable flap 3 has a T-groove. As shown in FIG. 9, this groove is delimited in a first direction by lateral edges and in a second direction by two parallel walls, one of which is which forms a groove bottom 12 and the other open at its center, to allow passage to the elements of the guide device 2 present in the rail 11, and which forms two groove edges 13. It should be noted that the second direction , transverse to the parallel walls forming the groove bottom 12 and the groove edges 13, corresponds to the longitudinal direction of advance of the vehicle when the rail 11 is mounted on the vehicle structure. The bottom walls of groove

12 and groove edges 13 serve to support the rollers 22 of the rolling elements 6, each pair of rollers 22 of the rolling element 6 finding its stability by contact with either the groove bottom 12 or the groove edges 13 The contact of the wheels is realized, in standard position, that is to say when no pressure constraint by the outside air is existing, as well with the groove bottom 12 with the groove garbage 13. It should be noted the role played for this purpose by the corrugated portion 16 which carries one of the arcts, here the central arc 80, and which compensates for its elasticity possible manufacturing games. Nevertheless, the air pressure can temporarily make the contact is not assured for one of the pairs of wheels 22. At the same time, the contact pressure of the other pair of rollers 22 is increased. The stop of the rollers 22 provided by the groove borders 13 allows the rolling elements 6 carried by the carbody 5 not to be dislodged from the guide rail 11 moving the movable flap 3 by returning to their initial position in support. As has been previously stated, the shape of the corrugated portion 16 of the guiding device 2 provides a certain flexibility in order to ensure simultaneous contact of the rollers on the parallel walls of the groove bottom 12 and the edges of the groove. groove 13. In a state at rest, the support shafts 23 of the rolling elements 6 are arranged longitudinally at a distance from each other so that they must be brought together by elastic deformation of the corrugated portion 16 to penetrate the rail 11. The elastic return of the corrugated portion 16 certainly plates the casters associated with the central arc 80 against one of the walls, here the wall of the groove bottom 12, and the wheels associated with the peripheral arc 8l against the other of the walls, here the groove borders 13.

The one-piece structure of the movable flap 3 also ensures that the carbody 5 does not separate from the connecting wall 18 under the constraint of the air pressures experienced by the flap. The carbody 5 and the movable shutter assembly 10 being formed integrally, they can not dissociate as easily as if they were individualized and associated by clipping. Indeed, the separation of the carbody 5 and the movable shutter assembly 10 would require a much greater force, having to involve the rupture of the material which is made the monobloc assembly. As to the preservation of the integrity of the roller casing 7, and to prevent the rolling elements 6 are dislodged from their receiving seat and remain in the guide rail while the carbody is pushed back away from the rail, each protrusion 9 ensures the maintenance of the rolling elements 6 in the receiving seat 19 of the arc 8 corresponding.

It should be noted that the orientation of the free ends 20 of the arches 8 induces the positioning of the support of the rollers 22 of the rolling elements 6 they maintain. The rollers 22 of the rolling element 6 inserted into the arch 8, the free end 20 of which faces toward the front of the vehicle, are in contact with the bottom wall of the groove 12. Conversely, the rollers 22 of the rolling element 6 inserted in the arclie 8 whose end liter 20 is turned towards the connecting wall 18 are in contact with the wall of the groove bends 13. In the example of FIG. pairs of wheels 22 carried by the central arch 80 abut on the wall of the groove bottom 12. The pairs of wheels 22 carried by the peripheral arches 8l come to bear against the wall of the groove edge 13. These supports distributed on either side of the T-groove of the guiding rail 11 moving the movable flap 3 allow the carriage 5 to reinforce the holding of the movable flap 3 in the housing of the structural element of the calender 24 despite tensile forces due to air.

To highlight the cooperation of the various elements of the front-end module of the vehicle with the movable shutter assembly 10, we will detail here a possible mode of assembly, but not limiting. The movable shutter assembly 10, mounted as previously described, and which comprises at this stage the rollers 22 carried by the carriage 5 of the guiding device 2, is brought opposite the structural element of the shell 24, by the back of it. The rollers 22 are slid into the rail 11, by its upper end left free for mounting. The movable closure assembly 10 then bears, via its rollers 22, inside the rail 11 at its T-slot. The rollers 22 thus inserted into the rail 11 are held there by the obstruction of the end of the rail 11 which had been left initially free for mounting. Cooperating with the rail 11, the movable shutter assembly 10 is then positioned so that the connecting wall 18 is located between the actuator 4 and the amount 30 of the structural element of the calender 24 carrying the rail 11, as is particularly visible in Figure 10.

The lateral end walls 28 of the movable closure assembly 10 are then fixed on the structural element of the shell 24 by means of the pivots 26 which fit into orifices formed in the end walls. The movable shutter assembly 10 can thus pivot along the axis A defined by the two pivots 26, the shutter panels 17 being able to be placed facing the openings 15, and the cavity 21 housing the carriage 5 can be placed under the upright 30 forming part of the structural element of the grille 24 separating the openings 15 and serving as a support rail 11. Two rods 25 are fixed to connect the actuator 4 two pins 3 '(visible in Figure 5) carried by the outside of the cavity 21 of the movable shutter assembly 10. Thus, when the two rods 25 are activated by the actuator 4, they cause the movable flap 3 in a rotary movement having axis axis Defined by the pivots 26. The carriage 5 and the casters 22 associated serve as a guide to the movable flap 3, so that the shutter panels 17 partially close the openings 15 or on the contrary leave them open. The movable flap 3 sees its rotational movement accompanied according to the trajectory defined by the rail 11 and limited in amplitude by the length of the rail 11. The rod 25 allows a complete opening of the air inlet when it is in the up position and it allows a complete closure of this air intake when it is in the low position , it being understood as previously described that the control of the displacement of the movable flap by the actuator can provide stable intermediate positions of the connecting rod 25 and therefore of the movable flap, partially closing the openings.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the present invention proposes a movable flap for a vehicle front face module configured to ensure good reliability of the assembly under the effect of the pressures of the air undergone by the flap in operation. and to allow a simple assembly of the assembly. Providing in a one-piece assembly a part which participates both in a shutter function and in a guiding function makes it possible to make the movable shutter more solid, since with a uniform reaction, especially with regard to the high pressure of the this mobile component. The tendency of the mobile flap 3 to move backwards relative to its position of implementation on the front face of the vehicle 1, under the effect of the pressure of the air entering through this front face, in particular when the vehicle is traveling, does not does not generate according to the invention of tearing of the carriage and the closure wall of the movable component due to the one-piece design of these elements.

The invention, however, can not be limited to the means and configurations described and illustrated here, and it also extends to any equivalent means or configuration and any technical combination operating such means. In particular, the shape of the mobile flap for vehicle can be modified without harming the invention, insofar as a movable flap for the front of the vehicle fulfills the same functionalities as those described in this document.

Claims

1. Moving shutter (3) for a vehicle front face module (1), comprising at least one closure wall (14) of an opening (15) and a carriage (5) configured to participate in the displacement guidance of the vehicle (1). movable flap (3), the carriage (5) being secured to the closure wall (14) and configured to receive at least one rolling element (6) to form a roller carriage (7), characterized in that the carriage (5) and the closure wall (14) form a one-piece assembly.

2. movable shutter (3) according to the preceding claim, wherein the closure wall (14) is formed of at least two shutter panels (17) associated with each other by a connecting wall (18), the trolley ( 5) being disposed on said connecting wall (18).

3. movable shutter (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting wall (18) is arranged behind the shutter panels (17) so as to form the bottom of a cavity (2l) in which integrates the carriage (5), the closing panels (17) defining a first plane intended to be disposed towards the front face of the front-facing module of the vehicle (1), and the connecting wall (18) defining a second plan to be arranged opposite.

4. movable shutter (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the carriage (5) has at least three arches (8) configured to respectively accommodate one of the rolling elements (6).

5. movable shutter (3) according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each arch (8) has an open end (20) open for the insertion of one of the rolling elements (6), a seat of receiving (19) one of the rolling elements (6) and at least one protuberance (9) disposed at the entrance of the receiving seat (19) for holding the rolling element (6) in the receiving seat (19).

6. movable shutter (3), any one of the preceding claims, wherein each arch (8) does not exceed the first and second planes respectively defined by the shutter panels (17), and the connecting wall (18). ).

7. movable shutter (3), according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the end liter (20) of the arc (8) central carriage (5) is oriented towards the first plane defined by the panels obturator (17).

8. Mobile shutter assembly (ΐq) of a vehicle front face module (1) comprising the movable flap (3) according to any one of the preceding claims and at least one rolling element (6) configured to cooperate with the carriage (5) to form the trolley (7).

9. Mobile shutter assembly (ΐq) of a front vehicle module (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein each rolling element (6) is integral and comprises two rollers (22) arranged on a support shaft (23), with the support shaft (23) configured to cooperate with the receiving seat (19).

10. Vehicle front face module (1) comprising the movable flap (3) according to claims 1 to 7 or the movable shutter assembly (ΐq) according to claims 8 and 9, wherein the rolling elements (6). bear in the rail (11), on a bottom of the groove (12) and a groove border (13).