Cooling air guide device for a motor vehicle

• US 8,485,295 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Mildner, Udo
• Primary Examiner(s): Restifo, Jeffrey J
• Application Number:
  US12/830,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20110000728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.4, 180/68.6, 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.3
• US Class Current: 180/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/12 vertically spaced
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/527 integral with bumpers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/084 Radiator supports

Abstract

A cooling air guide device is provided for a motor vehicle which, viewed in the travel direction of the vehicle, can be situated in front of at least one cooling component of the vehicle and has at least one first guide component, which can be situated on a load-bearing structural part of the vehicle and one second guide component, which is upstream from the first guide component in the travel direction. The second guide component protrudes at least regionally up to a bumper fascia and has a material which is more easily deformable than the first component.

Claims

1. A cooling air guide device for a motor vehicle configured to guide air to at least one cooling component, comprising:

at least one first guide component situated on a load-bearing structural part of the motor vehicle, the at least one first guide component situated upstream from the at least one cooling component in a travel direction; and

a second guide component configured to be situated upstream from the at least one first guide component in the travel direction to form an air channel to the at least one cooling component from the second guide component through the at least one first guide component,

wherein the second guide component is adapted to protrude at least regionally up to a bumper fascia and the second guide component comprises a material that is more easily deformable than the at least one first guide component.

2. The cooling air guide device according to claim 1, further comprising a bumper girder situated in front of the at least one cooling component in the travel direction and embedded in the second guide component.

3. The cooling air guide device according to claim 2, wherein the bumper girder or a damping element downstream there from are situated so as to b displaceable in relation to the at least one first guide component in a vehicle longitudinal direction.

4. The cooling air guide device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one deformable damping element situated between a bumper girder and the at least one cooling component.

5. The cooling air guide device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one deformable damping element is implemented as a foam layer that extends at least regionally over a width of the at least one cooling component.

6. The cooling air guide device according to claim 4, wherein a damping element is adapted to transmit a deformation or displacement of the bumper girder oriented opposite to the travel direction in a damped or attenuated form to the at least one cooling component.

7. The cooling air guide device according to claim 4, further comprising at least two first guide components that are situated spaced apart from one another in a vertical direction by a damping element, and an upper or a lower lateral surface of the damping element that form an upper boundary or a lower boundary of a upper guide channel or a lower guide channel.

8. The cooling air guide device according to claim 1, further comprising an upper guide channel lying above a bumper girder and a lower guide channel extending below the bumper girder.

9. The cooling air guide device according to claim 1, wherein a separate air intake channel for an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle is integrated in the at least one first guide component or the second guide component.

10. The cooling air guide device according to claim 1, wherein the second guide component or an air intake channel press essentially airtight against the bumper fascia.

11. A cooling air guide device for a motor vehicle configured to guide air to at least one cooling component, comprising:

at least one first guide component that can be situated on a load-bearing structural part of the motor vehicle, the at least one first guide component situated upstream from the at least one cooling component in a travel direction; and

a second guide component configured to be situated upstream from the at least one first guide component in the travel direction to form an air channel to the at least one cooling component from the second guide component through the at least one first guide component;

a damping element situated upstream from the at least one cooling component in the travel direction that coming to rest between the at least one cooling component and a bumper girder in an installed position on the motor vehicle, viewed in a vehicle longitudinal direction, is situated so as to be displaceable in relation to the at least one first guide component.

12. The cooling air guide device according to claim 11, wherein the damping element is adapted to transmit a deformation or displacement of the bumper girder oriented opposite to the travel direction in a damped or attenuated form to the at least one cooling component.

13. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a front structure;

at least one cooling component; and

a cooling air guide device configured to guide air to the at least one cooling component and situated on the front structure so as to be displaceable in a vehicle longitudinal direction, the cooling air guide device comprising;

at least one first guide component situated on a load-bearing structural part of the motor vehicle, the at least one first guide component situated upstream from the at least one cooling component in the vehicle longitudinal direction; and

a second guide component configured to be situated upstream from the at least one first guide component in the vehicle longitudinal direction to form an air channel to the at least one cooling component from the second guide component through the at least one first guide component,

wherein the second guide component is adapted to protrude at least regionally up to a bumper fascia and the second guide component comprises a material that is more easily deformable than the at least one first guide component.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising a bumper girder situated in front of the at least one cooling component in the travel direction and embedded in the second guide component.

15. The motor vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the bumper girder or a damping element downstream there from are situated so as to b displaceable in relation to the at least one first guide component in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

16. The motor vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising at least one deformable damping element situated between a bumper girder and the at least one cooling component.

17. The motor vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the at least one deformable damping element is implemented as a foam layer that extends at least regionally over a width of the at least one cooling component.

18. The motor vehicle according to claim 16, wherein a damping element is adapted to transmit a deformation or displacement of the bumper girder oriented opposite to the travel direction in a damped or attenuated form to the at least one cooling component.

19. The motor vehicle according to claim 16, further comprising at least two first guide components that are situated spaced apart from one another in a vertical direction by a damping element, and an upper or a lower lateral surface of the damping element that form an upper or lower boundary of an upper guide channel or a lower guide channel.

20. The motor vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising an upper guide channel lying above a bumper girder and a lower guide channel extending below the bumper girder.