U.S. patent application number 14/368300 was filed with the patent office on 2015-01-22 for shutter device.
The applicant listed for this patent is MIKUNI CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Tsuyoshi Hosono, Takahiko Kimura.
Application Number | 20150020758 14/368300 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48697025 |
Filed Date | 2015-01-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150020758 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hosono; Tsuyoshi ; et
al. |
January 22, 2015 |
SHUTTER DEVICE
Abstract
Provided is a shutter device having a fail-safe function to
prevent occurrence of overheating even when an actuator becomes
inoperable. The shutter device includes a shutter valve (11) which
opens and closes an air port, a lever (14a) having one end
connected to a rotating shaft (16) of the shutter valve and the
other end connected to an actuator (12), and biasing means which
biases the shutter valve in an opening direction. Opening/closing
of the shutter valve is controlled by the actuator rotating the
lever when opening of the shutter valve is between the fully-open
and predetermined opening, and the shutter valve is closed by wind
pressure of travelling wind when the opening of the shutter valve
is between the predetermined opening and the fully-closed.
Inventors: |
Hosono; Tsuyoshi;
(Odawara-shi, JP) ; Kimura; Takahiko;
(Odawara-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MIKUNI CORPORATION |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
48697025 |
Appl. No.: |
14/368300 |
Filed: |
December 3, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
December 3, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2012/081244 |
371 Date: |
June 24, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
123/41.04 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60Y 2306/15 20130101;
F01P 7/02 20130101; Y02T 10/88 20130101; B60K 11/085 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
123/41.04 |
International
Class: |
F01P 7/02 20060101
F01P007/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 28, 2011 |
JP |
2011-287119 |
Claims
1. A shutter device, comprising: a shutter valve which opens and
closes an air port; a lever having one end connected to a rotating
shaft of the shutter valve and the other end connected to an
actuator; and biasing means which biases the shutter valve in an
opening direction, wherein opening/closing of the shutter valve is
controlled by the actuator rotating the lever when opening of the
shutter valve is between the fully-open and predetermined opening,
and the shutter valve is closed by wind pressure of travelling wind
when the opening of the shutter valve is between the predetermined
opening and the fully-closed.
2. The shutter device according to claim 1, wherein the biasing
means is a return spring which is arranged at a connection position
between the lever and the rotating shaft.
3. The shutter device according to claim 1, wherein connection
between the rotating shaft and the lever is performed owing to that
a convex portion which is arranged at a side face of the shutter as
being shorter than an elongate hole formed at the lever is fitted
to the elongate hole, the biasing means is formed of the elongate
hole and the convex portion, and the shutter valve is biased to the
lower side of the elongate hole due to own weight.
4. The shutter device according to claim 1, further comprising a
plurality of the shutter valves, and a linkage mechanism which
interlocks rotating shafts of the adjacent shutter valves, wherein
the lever and the biasing means are arranged at least at a single
shutter valve in common or a single shutter valve for each thereof
so that the shutter valves are rotated as being interlocked.
5. The shutter device according to claim 4, wherein the linkage
mechanism is configured so that the levers connected to the
rotating shafts are connected by a rod.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a shutter device which is
used for a grill shutter arranged at a front part of an automobile,
and in particular, relates to a shutter device in which
opening/closing of a shutter valve is performed by combination of
an actuator and a wind-force assisting mechanism.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A grill shutter arranged at the front part of an automobile
produces effects to prevent overheating as introducing air into an
engine room, to accelerate warming-up at engine operation, to
reduce air resistance during high speed operation, and so on, by
opening and closing a shutter valve in accordance with the
situation.
[0003] There have been various open/close mechanisms of a shutter
valve. For example, in a front grill disclosed in Patent Literature
1, a shutter valve is closed using travelling wind from the front
side. This produces an effect to reduce air resistance particularly
during high speed operation.
[0004] Further, in a grill open/close device disclosed in Patent
Literature 2, a plurality of grills are opened and closed by a
single actuator. This produces an effect that air amount can be
adjusted as desired.
CITED LITERATURE
Patent Literature
[0005] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Utility Model Application
Laid-Open No. 58-112625
[0006] Patent Literature 2: Japanese Utility Model Application
Laid-Open No. 58-139327
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] However, besides high speed operation, using travelling wind
does not contribute to warming-up acceleration because the grill is
in a fully-open state. Further, using an actuator brings a high
possibility of occurrence of engine overheating when the actuator
becomes inoperable in a fully-closed state due to a failure.
[0008] To address the above issues, an object of the present
invention is to provide a shutter device having a fail-safe
function to prevent occurrence of overheating even when an actuator
becomes inoperable while contributing to warming-up acceleration
and air resistance reduction.
[0009] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides
a shutter device including a shutter valve which opens and closes
an air port, a lever having one end connected to a rotating shaft
of the shutter valve and the other end connected to an actuator,
and biasing means which biases the shutter valve in an opening
direction. Here, opening/closing of the shutter valve is controlled
by the actuator rotating the lever when opening of the shutter
valve is between the fully-open and predetermined opening, and the
shutter valve is closed by wind pressure of travelling wind when
the opening of the shutter valve is between the predetermined
opening and the fully-closed.
[0010] Here, the biasing means may be a return spring which is
arranged at a connection position between the lever and the
rotating shaft. Further, connection between the rotating shaft and
the lever may be performed owing to that a convex portion which is
arranged at a side face of the shutter valve as being shorter than
an elongate hole formed at the lever is fitted to the elongate
hole, the biasing means may be formed of the elongate hole and the
convex portion, and the shutter valve may be biased to the lower
side of the elongate hole due to own weight.
[0011] Further, the shutter device may include a plurality of the
shutter valves, and a linkage mechanism which interlocks rotating
shafts of the adjacent shutter valves, and the lever and the
biasing means may be arranged at least at a single shutter valve in
common or a single shutter valve for each thereof so that the
shutter valves are rotated as being interlocked. Here, the linkage
mechanism may be configured that the levers connected to the
rotating shafts are connected by a rod.
[0012] A shutter device according to the present invention produces
an effect that a fully-closed state is not maintained even when an
actuator becomes inoperable as well as effects of air resistance
reduction during high speed operation and warming-up acceleration
at engine operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shutter device using a
return spring as biasing means.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a front view and a side view of the shutter
device.
[0015] FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c) are sectional views; FIG. 3(a)
illustrates a fully-open state, FIG. 3(b) illustrates a
predetermined opening state, and FIG. 3(c) illustrates a
fully-closed state.
[0016] FIG. 4 is an explanatory view for attaching the return
spring as the biasing means.
[0017] FIGS. 5(a) to 5(c) are explanatory views for operational
directions of forces; FIG. 5(a) illustrates a fully-open state,
FIG. 5(b) illustrates a predetermined opening state, and FIG. 5(c)
illustrates a fully-closed state.
[0018] FIGS. 6(a) to 6(c) are perspective views of a shutter device
utilizing an elongate hole; FIG. 6(a) illustrates a fully-open
state, FIG. 6(b) illustrates a predetermined opening state, and
FIG. 6(c) illustrates a fully-closed state.
[0019] FIGS. 7(a) to 7(c) are front views and sectional views of
the shutter device utilizing the elongate hole; FIG. 7(a)
illustrates a fully-open state, FIG. 7(b) illustrates a
predetermined opening state, and FIG. 7(c) illustrates a
fully-closed state.
[0020] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a lever having the elongate
hole.
EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0021] In the following, embodiments of the present invention will
be described with reference to the attached drawings.
First Embodiment
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shutter device using a
return spring as biasing means. FIG. 2 is a front view and a side
view of the shutter device.
[0023] The present embodiment relates to a shutter device 10 which
is used for a grill shutter. The shutter device 10 has a structure
that a rotating shaft 16 of a shutter valve 11 penetrates a frame
15 to cause the shutter valve 11 to be rotatably attached to the
frame 15. The shutter device 10 is arranged at a front part of an
automobile. Here, when attached to an automobile, the frame 15
serves as an outer rim of an air port. In the first embodiment, two
shutter valves 11 are arranged. Here, the number of the shutter
valves 11 is to be determined for every car model without being
particularly limited. Further, in the present embodiment, the
shutter valve 11 has a plate shape. However, not limited to a plate
shape, it is freely designed, for example, to have a curved shape
to be matched to a bumper shape. The rotating shaft 16 includes a
connection portion 16a which is connected to a lever 14a and a
stopper 16b which limits rotation of the lever 14a. Here, biasing
means is arranged at a position where the lever 14a and the
rotating shaft 16 are connected. Details thereof will be described
later.
[0024] As illustrated in FIG. 2, one rod 14b is interlocked with an
actuator 12. Here, depending on a structure thereof, the actuator
12 may be directly interlocked with the lever 14a without using the
rod 14b. At the other side where the actuator 12 is not
interlocked, levers 14a are connected respectively to rotating
shafts 16 of two adjacent shutter valves 11 and the rod 14b
connects the levers 14a. Thus, a linkage mechanism 14 is formed.
According to the mechanism, movement of the actuator 12 is
transmitted concurrently to the two shutter valves 11 as being
interlocked therewith.
[0025] FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c) are sectional views; FIG. 3(a)
illustrates a fully-open state, FIG. 3(b) illustrates a
predetermined opening state, and FIG. 3(c) illustrates a
fully-closed state. In the first embodiment, the right side in the
drawings is set as the front of an automobile. However, the left
side may be set as the front of an automobile.
[0026] The fully-open state as illustrated in FIG. 3(a) is provided
when an engine and the like are required to be cooled while
introducing a more amount of air. Here, the fully-open state
denotes a state that opening of the shutter valve 11 is the
maximum. In the first embodiment, the shutter valve 11 is in a
state of being horizontal just as an example. There may be a case
that the shutter valve 11 is not horizontal in the fully-open
state.
[0027] The predetermined opening state as illustrated in FIG. 3(b)
is provided for accelerating warming-up at engine operation or for
preventing overcooling which occurs in the fully-open state. Here,
the predetermined opening state denotes opening which is determined
between the fully-open and the fully-closed. In the first
embodiment, the shutter valve 11 is at an angle of 45 degrees.
However, not limited to 45 degrees, the angle of the shutter valve
11 in the predetermined opening state is determined by design.
[0028] The fully-closed state as illustrated in FIG. 3(c) is
provided for reducing air resistance by preventing travelling wind
from being introduced to the inside during high speed travelling
and the like. Here, the fully-closed state denotes a state in which
air is prevented from being introduced to the inside of the shutter
device 10 from the front side. In the first embodiment, the shutter
valve 11 is in a state of being vertical. However, it is not
limited to the state of being vertical. Here, air resistance
reduction provides an advantage to improve fuel efficiency.
[0029] When the opening of the shutter valve 11 is between the
fully-open state of FIG. 3(a) and the predetermined opening state
of FIG. 3(b), the movement of the shutter valves 11 is controlled
by the actuator 12 rotating the lever 14a. When the opening is
between the predetermined opening state of FIG. 3(b) and the
fully-closed state of FIG. 3(c), the shutter valve 11 is moved in
the closing direction by wind pressure of travelling wind and in
the opening direction by the biasing means. Basically, travelling
wind inflows from the front of the automobile. However, depending
on location of the shutter device 10, there may be a case of
inflowing from a position other than the front. At the fully-closed
position, a projection 15a arranged at the frame 15 and the shutter
valve 11 are contacted, so that excess rotation of the shutter
valve 11 can be prevented. When end parts of the shutter valves 11
are formed into hook shapes and the end parts of the shutter valves
11 located one above the other are mutually overlapped, air leakage
in the fully-closed state can be reduced.
[0030] Overheating is more likely to occur after changing from high
speed travelling to low speed travelling or a stopped state. In
such a case, the opening is required to be fully-open or at least
at the predetermined opening to prevent occurrence of overheating.
Here, if movement between the predetermined opening state and the
fully-closed state is controlled by the actuator 12, the
fully-closed state is maintained when the actuator 12 cannot be
moved due to a failure, for example, in the fully-closed state. In
this case, there is a high possibility that overheating occurs. To
prevent such a situation, the present invention includes the
biasing means which causes movement of returning from the
fully-closed state to the predetermined opening state. According to
the above, since the actuator 12 operates only between the
fully-open state and the predetermined opening state, the
fully-closed state is not to be maintained even when the actuator
12 fails to operate properly. In this case, it is possible to avoid
at least overheating.
[0031] Next, the biasing means will be described. FIG. 4 is an
explanatory view for attaching a return spring which is an example
of the biasing means. In the first embodiment, a return spring 13
is arranged between the rotating shaft 16 of the shutter valve 11
and the lever 14a as the biasing means. The lever 14a includes a
space 14c which is capable of accommodating the return spring 13.
The return spring 13 biases the lever 14a in a direction to open
the shutter valve 11. Here, the return spring 14a being the biasing
means is not necessarily arranged at the lever 14a which is
connected to the actuator 12. When a plurality of the shutter
valves 11 exist, the shutter valves 11 are interlocked. Therefore,
it is not particularly required to limit where the return spring
14a is arranged. Naturally, it is possible to arrange at a
plurality of positions.
[0032] FIGS. 5(a) to 5(c) are explanatory views for operational
directions of forces; FIG. 5(a) illustrates a fully-open state,
FIG. 5(b) illustrates a predetermined opening state, and FIG. 5(c)
illustrates a fully-closed state. A relative rotation range of the
lever 14a against the rotating shaft 16 is limited by the stopper
16b arranged at the rotating shaft 16. The stopper 16b has a
C-shape obtained by eliminating a part of a cylindrical rib and
accommodates the lever 14a whose width is smaller than a width of
an opening portion of the C-shape. Then, the return spring 13 being
the biasing means biases the shutter valve 11 in the direction to
be opened. The relative rotation can be performed only by the
amount of a gap s formed between the stopper 16b and the lever
14a.
[0033] Between the fully-open state of FIG. 5(a) and the
predetermined opening state of FIG. 5(b), a rotational force A is
exerted from the actuator to the lever 14a. In such a case, when
the shutter valve 11 is to be closed, transmission of the force is
performed by the lever 14a being contacted to the stopper 16b. On
the contrary, when the shutter valve 11 is to be opened, since a
biasing force F of the return spring 13 is exerted, transmission of
the force from the lever 14a to the stopper 16b is performed via
the return spring 13. Here, the rotation is performed without
changing a relative positional relation as maintaining the gap s
between the lever 14a and the rotating shaft 16.
[0034] Between the predetermined opening state of FIG. 5(b) and the
fully-closed state of FIG. 5(c), movement of the shutter valve 11
is determined by a balance between travelling wind W and the
biasing force F. That is, when the travelling wind W becomes larger
than the biasing force F, the shutter valve 11 is rotated toward
the fully-closed state. When the travelling wind W becomes smaller
than the biasing force F, the shutter valve 11 is rotated toward
the predetermined opening state. At that time, the lever 14a and
the rotating shaft 16 are relatively rotated. Here, it is also
possible that the lever 14a in the fully-closed state is contacted
to the stopper 16b at the opposite side to the side in the
predetermined opening state.
[0035] According to a grill shutter using the shutter device as
described above, the predetermined opening can be ensured without
being maintained at the fully-closed state even when the actuator
fails. Accordingly, it is possible to avoid at least overheating,
while producing effects such as air resistance reduction during
high speed operation and warming-up acceleration at engine
operation. Further, since movement of the actuator is limited
between the fully-open state and the predetermined opening state,
the actuator can be downsized and the device can be also downsized
as a whole. In addition, since the movement of the actuator can be
small, it is possible to produce an effect to suppress power
consumption.
Second Embodiment
[0036] Next, description will be performed on an embodiment of a
shutter device used for a grill shutter in which a shutter valve is
biased not by a return spring but by utilizing an elongate hole.
FIGS. 6(a) to 6(c) are perspective views of a shutter device
utilizing an elongate hole; FIG. 6(a) illustrates a fully-open
state, FIG. 6(b) illustrates a predetermined opening state, and
FIG. 6(c) illustrates a fully-closed state. Further, FIGS. 7(a) to
7(c) are front views and sectional views of the shutter device
utilizing the elongate hole; FIG. 7(a) illustrates a fully-open
state, FIG. 7(b) illustrates a predetermined opening state, and
FIG. 7(c) illustrates a fully-closed state. FIG. 8 is an enlarged
view of a lever having the elongate hole. In FIG. 6, a shutter
device 10 is viewed from the inner side thereof. Here, being the
same as the first embodiment, limitation is not particularly
applied on the number and shape of the shutter valves 11.
[0037] In the present embodiment, opening/closing of the shutter
valves 11 is performed by lifting and lowering a linkage mechanism
14 by an actuator (not illustrated). Here, it is not particularly
required to limit to which linkage mechanism 14 the actuator is
connected. This is because that the shutter valves 11 are
interlocked owing to that the linkage mechanism 14 has a structure
that a rod 14b connects the levers 14a located one above the other.
Here, when the shutter valve 11 is singularly arranged, there may
be a case that the rod 14b is not arranged. In such a case, it is
also possible that the actuator is configured to directly rotate
the lever 14a.
[0038] In the present embodiment, the shutter valve 11 and the
lever 14a are coupled and the rotating shaft 16 arranged at the
lever 14a is arranged as penetrating the frame 15. Accordingly, the
shutter valve 11 is rotated when the lever 14a is rotated. Here,
coupling of the rotating shaft 16 is not necessarily performed as
penetrating the frame 15. It is only required to be coupled in a
rotatable manner. Certain coupling between the shutter valve 11 and
the lever 14a is performed in a fixed manner and other coupling is
performed in a slidable manner with the elongate hole 20 arranged
at the lever 14a. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the slidable coupling
is obtained while a convex portion 11a being shorter than the
elongate hole 20 is formed at a side face of the shutter valve 11
and the convex portion 11a is fitted to the elongate hole 20. In
the second embodiment, the shutter valve 11 at the upper side is
fixedly coupled and the shutter valve 11 at the lower side is
slidably coupled. Here, both the shutter valves 11 and the levers
14a are coupled so as to be synchronously rotated.
[0039] Similarly to the description of the first embodiment, the
fully-open state as illustrated in FIGS. 6(a) and 7(a) is provided
when an engine and the like are required to be cooled while
introducing a more amount of air. The predetermined opening state
as illustrated in FIGS. 6(b) and 7(b) is provided for accelerating
warming-up at engine operation or for preventing overcooling which
occurs in the fully-open state. The fully-closed state as
illustrated in FIGS. 6(c) and 7(c) is provided for reducing air
resistance without introducing travelling wind to the inside during
high speed travelling. Here, similarly to the first embodiment, the
fully-open state denotes a state that opening of the shutter valve
11 is the maximum and the fully-closed state denotes a state in
which air is prevented from being introduced to the inside of the
shutter device 10 from the front side.
[0040] However, the predetermined opening state is obtained
slightly differently between the first embodiment and the second
embodiment. In the first embodiment, the predetermined opening
state denotes that the shutter valve 11 is at a predetermined angle
between fully-open state and the fully-closed state. In the second
embodiment, the angle of the shutter valve 11 in the predetermined
opening state is the same as the angle (in the drawing, 90 degrees)
in the fully-closed state. Here, the elongate hole 20 is formed in
a direction being obliquely downward at 45 degrees as directing to
the front side of the automobile. Accordingly, the convex portion
11a of the shutter valve 11 attached to the elongate hole 20 slides
along the elongate hole 20 due to own weight of the shutter valve
11, so that the shutter valve 11 is located at the lower side from
the fully-closed position by the amount of the elongate hole 20. In
this case, an opening section is created between the shutter valve
11 at the upper side and the shutter valve 11 at the lower side.
This state is considered as the predetermined opening state in the
second embodiment. Here, the elongate hole 20 is simply required to
be formed in a direction so that the shutter valve 11 is biased
downward when the shutter valve 11 is at the angle of fully-closed
state, without being limited to a specific angle. Further, the
location of the opening section is determined depending on which
shutter valve 11 is attached to the elongate hole 20.
[0041] Next, movement of the shutter valve 11 will be described.
When the opening is between the fully-open state and the
predetermined opening state, the movement is caused by an actuator
for both opening and closing. When the opening is between the
predetermined opening state and the fully-closed state, the
movement is determined by a balance between travelling wind from
the front side and a biasing force for sliding along the elongate
hole 20. That is, when wind pressure of travelling wind overcomes
the biasing force, the shutter valve 11 moves toward the
fully-closed state. When the wind pressure is smaller than the
biasing force, the shutter valve 11 moves toward the predetermined
opening state due to own weight. Here, to make sliding of the
shutter valve 11 more reliable, it is also possible to add weight
above or below the shutter valve 11.
[0042] According to the above configuration, in the second
embodiment as well, the fully-closed state is prevented from being
maintained even when the actuator fails. Accordingly, it is
possible to avoid at least overheating, while producing effects
such as air resistance reduction during high speed operation and
warming-up acceleration at engine operation.
[0043] In the present invention, not limited to the return spring
described in the first embodiment and the elongate hole structure
described in the second embodiment, the biasing means may be
configured variously as long as being capable of biasing the
shutter valve in the opening direction. For example, it is also
possible to adopt a configuration that the shutter valve is pulled
in the opening direction by an elastic member such as a spring.
[0044] In the description of the first and second embodiments, the
shutter device is used for a grill shutter. However, not limited to
a grill shutter, the shutter device according to the present
invention can be arranged in front of a radiator under a hood or in
front of an air compressor.
EXPLANATION OF REFERENCES
[0045] 10 Shutter device [0046] 11 Shutter valve [0047] 11a Convex
portion [0048] 12 Actuator [0049] 13 Return spring [0050] 14
Linkage mechanism [0051] 14a Lever [0052] 14b Rod [0053] 15 Frame
[0054] 16 Rotating shaft [0055] 16a Connection portion [0056] 16b
Stopper [0057] 20 Elongate hole
* * * * *