Heat exchange block for a motor vehicle

• US 8,936,121 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2010
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Vacca, Frederic, Ap, Ngy Srun, Sigonneau, Jacques, Henner, Manuel, Demory, Bruno
• Primary Examiner(s): FOLLMAN, BRODIE J
• Application Number:
  US13/498,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20120241128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.3, 180/68.4, 180/68.6, 180/69.22, 296/193.1, 49/741, 123/41.04, 123/41.48, 123/41.49, 123/41.51, 165/41, 165/44, 165/47
• 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: B60K 11/085 with adjustable shutters or blinds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses

Abstract

A heat exchange block (1) for a motor vehicle, includes at least one heat exchanger (2, 3, 4), wherein the block (1) is intended to be disposed behind a front grille (6) of a vehicle and to be traversed by air originating from an opening in the grille. The block includes a group of louvers (13) that can move between an open position and a closed position in order to modulate the flow of air (A) passing through the heat exchanger (2, 3, 4) and a channel (9) that can be disposed between the opening in the grille and the heat exchange block (1). The heat exchange block is suitable for any motor vehicle, but, in particular, hybrid and electric vehicles.

Claims

1. A thermal exchange block for a motor vehicle, including at least one thermal exchanger, wherein the block is intended to be disposed behind a front grille panel of a vehicle and is traversed by air originating from an opening in the front grille panel, the block comprising a group of louvers that can move between an open position and a closed position in order to modulate the flow of air passing through the at least one thermal exchanger, and a channel disposed between the opening in the grille panel and the thermal exchange block, wherein the channel includes an airtight fastening means configured to fasten the channel in an airtight manner to the grille panel in order to ensure that, when the louvers are in the closed position, the flow of air passing through the opening of the grille panel is not able to flow around the at least one thermal exchanger, and wherein the channel is dimensioned to constitute a pedestrian impact shock absorber having a mechanical rigidity in a longitudinal direction that is selected so as to contribute to an absorption of a shock associated with a pedestrian colliding with the front grille panel.

2. The thermal exchange block as claimed in claim 1, in which the thermal exchanger is surrounded by a supporting frame constituting an extension of the channel.

3. The thermal exchange block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one thermal exchanger is a plurality of thermal exchangers arranged one behind the other in order to be traversed successively by the air originating from the opening in the grille panel.

4. The thermal exchange block as claimed in claim 1, additionally comprising a fan for increasing the flow of air passing through the at least one thermal exchanger when the speed of the vehicle is insufficient.

5. The thermal exchange block as claimed in claim 1, additionally comprising at least one aerodynamic conveyor arranged between the group of louvers and a thermal exchanger.