Air inlet conduit for a cooler of a vehicle

• US 20050133287A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Schmid, Markus, Grammer, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,163,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/68.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/08 Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor radiator or grille guards B60R19/52

Abstract

An air inlet conduit for a cooler of a vehicle has an air conduction scoop inserted into an opening of a vehicle body skin part on its air inlet side. The air inlet conduit is supported by way of a surrounding collar section on an exterior side of the vehicle body skin part, a scoop section extending away from an outer collar section of the air conduction scoop, which scoop section projects into a hollow space of the vehicle body skin part situated behind the latter. The air conduction scoop is connected to an adjoining closed flow-through conduit. So that, during the mounting of the air conduction scoop and/or of the flow-through conduit without any gauge and independently of worker skills, a constant gap is always ensured between the air conduction scoop and the adjoining vehicle body skin part, several trim lugs, which are arranged in pairs on the edge of the opening and project into the opening, are provided. The trim lugs interact in a form-locking manner with positioning pins or positioning sections of the air conduction scoop and/or of the flow-through conduit.

Claims

1. Air inlet conduit for a cooler of a vehicle, which on its air inlet side has an air conduction scoop inserted into an opening of a vehicle body skin part and is supported by way of a surrounding collar section on an exterior side of the vehicle body skin part, a scoop section extending away from the outer collar section of the air conduction scoop, which scoop section projects into a hollow space of the vehicle body skin part situated behind the skin part, the air conduction scoop being connected to an adjoining closed flow-through conduit,

wherein several trim lugs are arranged in pairs on an edge of the opening and project into the opening, said trim lugs interacting in a form-locking manner with positioning pins or positioning sections of the air conduction scoop and/or of the flow-through conduit.

2. Air inlet conduit according to claim 1, wherein two spaced rectangular trim lugs respectively, are provided on a top side, a bottom side and a front side of the opening.

3. Air inlet conduit according to claim 1, wherein the outer edges of the trim lugs are used as a receiving device for the flow-through conduit, whereas the inner edges of the trim lugs are used as a receiving device for the air conduction scoop.

4. Air inlet conduit according to claim 2, wherein the outer edges of the trim lugs are used as a receiving device for the flow-through conduit, whereas the inner edges of the trim lugs are used as a receiving device for the air conduction scoop.

5. Air inlet conduit according to claim 3, wherein projecting position pins are molded onto the air conduction scoop which form-lockingly interact with the receiving device formed by the inner edges of the spaced trim lugs when the air conduction scoop is mounted.

6. Air inlet conduit according to claim 3, wherein two spaced positioning sections respectively are provided on the flow-through conduit in the area of the trim lugs, which positioning sections form-lockingly interact with the outer edges of the trim lugs.

7. Air inlet conduit according to claim 5, wherein two spaced positioning sections respectively are provided on the flow-through conduit in the area of the trim lugs, which positioning sections form-lockingly interact with the outer edges of the trim lugs.

8. Air inlet conduit according to claim 1, wherein the flow-through conduit is fastened to the vehicle body skin part by means of releasable connections.

9. Air inlet conduit according to claim 4, wherein the flow-through conduit is fastened to the vehicle body skin part by means of releasable connections.

10. Air inlet conduit according to claim 8, wherein holding lugs with one passage opening respectively are provided in fastening areas for the flow-through conduit on the edge side at the opening of the vehicle body skin part, a threaded nut being fittable on each holding lug, into which threaded nut a fastening screw can be screwed for fastening the flow-through conduit.

11. Air inlet conduit according to claim 9, wherein holding lugs with one passage opening respectively are provided in fastening areas for the flow-through conduit on the edge side at the opening of the vehicle body skin part, a threaded nut being fittable on each holding lug, into which threaded nut a fastening screw can be screwed for fastening the flow-through conduit.

12. Air inlet conduit according to claim 1, wherein the air conduction scoop interacts with the vehicle body skin part by means of at least one spring element.

13. Air inlet conduit according to claim 1, wherein the outer air conduction scoop is connected with the inner flow-through conduit by means of releasable detent connections.

14. Air inlet conduit according to one claim 1, wherein the air conduction scoop comprises an outer air inlet cover and an inner surrounding holding frame, which glued to one another in a correct position in a gauge.

15. Air inlet conduit according to claim 14, wherein locally molded-on webs with end-side detent noses are provided on the holding frame, which detent noses interact with holding clamps of the flow-through conduit in a locking manner.

16. Air inlet arrangement for a vehicle cooler, comprising:

an air inlet scoop which in use projects into a hollow space under an exterior vehicle body skin part, and

a flow through conduit disposed in use connected with and downstream of the air inlet scoop,

wherein the body skin part includes an air inlet opening having a plurality of trim lugs arranged in pairs around the air inlet opening and projecting into the air inlet opening, and

wherein positioning structure is provided on at least one of the air inlet scoop and the flow through conduit, which positioning structure form lockingly engages with the trim lugs to position the at least one of the air inlet scoop and the flow through conduit with respect to the vehicle body skin part.

17. Air inlet arrangement according to claim 16, wherein said positioning structure includes positioning pins on said air conduction scoop which form lockingly engage inner facing edges of lugs of respective ones of said pairs of said trim lugs.

18. Air inlet arrangement according to claim 16, wherein said positioning structure includes positioning sections on said flow through conduit which form lockingly engage outer edges of respective lugs of respective pairs of said trim lugs.

19. Air inlet arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said positioning structure includes positioning sections on said flow through conduit which form lockingly engage outer edges of respective lugs of respective pairs of said trim lugs.

20. Air inlet arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said positioning pins are molded onto the air conduction scoop.

21. Air inlet arrangement according to claim 19, wherein said positioning pins are molded onto the air conduction scoop.

22. Air inlet arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the flow-through conduit is fastened to the vehicle body skin part by means of releasable connections.

23. Air inlet arrangement according to claim 22, wherein holding lugs with one passage opening respectively are provided in fastening areas for the flow-through conduit on the edge side at the opening of the vehicle body skin part, a threaded nut being fittable on each holding lug, into which threaded nut a fastening screw can be screwed for fastening the flow-through conduit.

24. Air inlet arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the air inlet scoop interacts with the vehicle body skin part by means of at least one spring element.

25. Air inlet arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the air inlet scoop is connected with the flow-through conduit by means of releasable detent connections.

26. Air inlet arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the air inlet scoop comprises an outer air inlet cover and an inner surrounding holding frame, which are glued to one another in a correct position in a gauge.

27. Air inlet arrangement according to claim 26, wherein locally molded-on webs with end-side detent noses are provided on the holding frame, which detent noses interact with holding clamps of the flow-through conduit in a locking manner.