VEHICLE WITH FAN UNIT PRODUCING AN AMPLIFIED AIR FLOW TO A HEAT EXCHANGER

• US 20130146001A1
• Filed: 12/11/2012
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Klinkert, Carsten, Schwartze, Sebastian, Main, Eduard, Karmann, Siegfried
• Granted Patent: US 8,919,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/41.56
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00021 Air flow details of HVAC devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/08 Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor radiator or grille guards B60R19/52
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/02 Pumping cooling-air; Arrangements of cooling-air pumps, e.g. fans or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/08 the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F04F 5/16 displacing elastic fluids

Abstract

A vehicle includes a heat exchanger which is disposed in a cooling system, and a fan unit which forms part of a radiator grille and is constructed to generate an air flow through the heat exchanger. The fan unit has at least one fan which is constructed to generate a primary air flow, and a ring element which is constructed to generate from the primary air flow an amplified secondary air flow to the heat exchanger.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a heat exchanger disposed in a cooling system; and

a fan unit forming part of a radiator grille and constructed to generate an air flow through the heat exchanger, said fan unit having at least one fan constructed to generate a primary air flow and having a ring element constructed to generate from the primary air flow an amplified secondary air flow to the heat exchanger.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the ring element has a hollow configuration formed on an inside with a circumferential gap, said fan unit having a blower for blowing the primary air flow into the ring element.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the ring element forms at least in part a frame of the radiator grille.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the fan unit includes a plurality of said fan.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the ring element has a wing profile.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the fan unit is positioned in front of the heat exchanger, as viewed in a travel direction.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an internal combustion engine, said heat exchanger being arranged between the fan unit and the internal combustion engine, as viewed in travel direction.

8. In combination,

a radiator grille;

and

a fan unit including at least one fan constructed to generate a primary air flow and having a ring element constructed to generate from the primary air flow an amplified secondary air flow to a heat exchanger disposed in a cooling system of a vehicle, said fan unit forming part of the radiator grille.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein the ring element has a hollow configuration formed on an inside with a circumferential gap, said fan unit having at least one blower for blowing the primary air flow into the ring element.

10. The combination of claim 8, wherein the ring element forms at least in part a frame of the radiator grille.

11. The combination of claim 8, wherein the ring element has a wing profile.