U.S. patent application number 14/877405 was filed with the patent office on 2017-04-13 for high-efficiency body-on-frame air deflector sealing system.
The applicant listed for this patent is FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC. Invention is credited to David Brian Glickman.
Application Number | 20170101001 14/877405 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58499451 |
Filed Date | 2017-04-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170101001 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Glickman; David Brian |
April 13, 2017 |
HIGH-EFFICIENCY BODY-ON-FRAME AIR DEFLECTOR SEALING SYSTEM
Abstract
An airflow sealing system for a body-on-frame vehicle includes
at least one flexible interface configured to control airflow
between a vehicle body-mounted cooling pack assembly and a vehicle
chassis-mounted air intake assembly. The chassis-mounted air intake
assembly may be a lower air scoop/deflector. The at least one
flexible interface includes a first end attached to a portion of
the chassis-mounted air intake assembly and a second end slidably
contacting a portion of the body-mounted cooling pack assembly. The
second end may be slidably biased against a sealing plenum
associated with the body-mounted cooling pack assembly. The at
least one flexible interface may define a wiper seal between the
body-mounted cooling pack assembly and the chassis-mounted air
intake assembly. Chassis-mounted air intake assemblies and
body-on-frame vehicles including the airflow sealing system are
provided.
Inventors: |
Glickman; David Brian;
(Southfield, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC |
Dearborn |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
58499451 |
Appl. No.: |
14/877405 |
Filed: |
October 7, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K 11/08 20130101;
B60Y 2200/141 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60K 11/08 20060101
B60K011/08 |
Claims
1. An airflow sealing system for a body-on-frame vehicle,
comprising at least one flexible interface configured to control an
airflow between a vehicle body-mounted cooling pack assembly and a
vehicle chassis-mounted air intake assembly.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the chassis-mounted air intake
assembly is a lower air scoop/deflector.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible
interface includes a first end attached to a portion of the
chassis-mounted air intake assembly and a second end slidably
contacting a portion of the body-mounted cooling pack assembly.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second end is slidably biased
against at least a sealing plenum associated with the body-mounted
cooling pack assembly.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible
interface defines a wiper seal between the body-mounted cooling
pack assembly and the chassis-mounted air intake assembly.
6. A vehicle including the system of claim 1.
7. A chassis-mounted air intake assembly for a body-on-frame
vehicle, comprising: a vehicle chassis-mounted front air
scoop/deflector; and an airflow sealing system configured to
control an airflow between the front lower air scoop/deflector and
a vehicle body-mounted cooling pack, wherein the airflow sealing
system comprises at least one flexible interface including a first
end attached to a portion of the chassis-mounted front lower air
scoop deflector and a second end slidably contacting a portion of
the body-mounted cooling pack assembly.
8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the front air scoop/deflector
is a lower air scoop/deflector.
9. (canceled)
10. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the second end is slidably
biased against at least a sealing plenum associated with the
body-mounted cooling pack assembly.
11. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the at least one flexible
interface defines a wiper seal between the body-mounted cooling
pack assembly and the chassis-mounted air intake assembly.
12. A vehicle including the assembly of claim 7.
13. A body-on-frame vehicle, comprising: a chassis element; a body
element; a chassis-mounted front air intake assembly; a
body-mounted cooling pack; and an airflow sealing system configured
to control an airflow between the chassis-mounted lower air
scoop/deflector and the body-mounted cooling pack, wherein the
airflow sealing system comprises at least one flexible interface
bridging the chassis-mounted lower air scoop/deflector and the
body-mounted cooling pack.
14. (canceled)
15. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the at least one flexible
interface includes a first end attached to a portion of the
chassis-mounted air intake assembly and a second end slidably
contacting a portion of the body-mounted cooling pack.
16. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the second end is slidably
biased against at least a sealing plenum associated with the
body-mounted cooling pack.
17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the at least one flexible
interface defines a wiper seal between the body-mounted cooling
pack assembly and the chassis-mounted air intake assembly.
18. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the chassis-mounted air intake
assembly is a lower air scoop/deflector.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This disclosure relates generally to airflow deflectors.
More particularly, the disclosure relates to an air deflector for a
body-on-frame vehicle, including a flexible interface regulating
airflow between a vehicle body-mounted cooling pack assembly and a
vehicle chassis-mounted air intake assembly.
BACKGROUND
[0002] As is known, body-on-frame vehicles include a rigid
chassis/frame supporting the vehicle drivetrain and a separate body
mounted to that frame. While tending to be heavier than unibody
vehicle constructions, body-on-frame vehicle construction provides
certain advantages, including comparative simplicity of design,
construction, and modification, high frame torsional strength,
reduced exterior noise due to isolation of the body from the frame
such as with rubber pads, and ease of repair of damage. For this
reason, body-on-frame is often the construction method of choice
for certain vehicle types including pickup trucks, truck-based
sport-utility vehicles, off-road vehicles, certain vehicles
subjected to heavy towing stress, and others.
[0003] Body-on-frame vehicles which specify advanced cooling
requirements, which are common in certain vehicle types such as
pickup trucks, rely on multiple sealing parts in the vehicle front
end and under the vehicle to draw cooling air into the vehicle
cooling pack (radiator(s), condenser, oil cooler, transmission
cooler, power steering cooler, etc.). However, body-on-frame
vehicles present a unique design challenge in that certain sealing
components must be installed on the vehicle chassis/frame, but
others must be installed on portions of the vehicle body. Still
other sealing components are required to bridge the vehicle
chassis/frame and vehicle body. Because in a body-on-frame vehicle
there is typically relative movement between the body and the
frame, sealing components bridging the body and frame must
compensate for that relative movement.
[0004] Typically, this compensation for relative movement between
the body and frame is accomplished by designing "slack" in the
sealing components, i.e. by providing a seal that at least
partially regulates airflow despite relative movement between the
vehicle body and frame. While substantially effective, such slack
decreases cooling efficiency. This can be a significant issue in
light of modern requirements for vehicle efficiency, safety, and
other standards requiring high-performance sealing systems.
Accordingly, a need in the art exists for sealing systems for
body-on-frame vehicles which both accommodate the relative movement
between the vehicle body and frame, but which also provide highly
efficient airflow seals to meet modern cooling standards.
SUMMARY
[0005] In accordance with the purposes and benefits described
herein, in one aspect the present disclosure is directed to an
airflow sealing system for a body-on-frame vehicle, comprising at
least one flexible interface configured to control airflow between
a vehicle body-mounted cooling pack assembly and a vehicle
chassis-mounted air intake assembly. In embodiments, the
chassis-mounted air intake assembly is a lower air scoop/deflector.
The at least one flexible interface includes a first end attached
to a portion of the chassis-mounted air intake assembly and a
second end slidably contacting a portion of the body-mounted
cooling pack assembly, the second end in embodiments being slidably
biased against at least a sealing plenum associated with the
body-mounted cooling pack assembly. In embodiments, the at least
one flexible interface defines a wiper seal between the
body-mounted cooling pack assembly and the chassis-mounted air
intake assembly.
[0006] In another aspect, a chassis-mounted air intake assembly for
a body-on-frame vehicle is described, comprising a vehicle
chassis-mounted front air scoop/deflector and an airflow sealing
system configured to control airflow between the front lower air
scoop/deflector and a vehicle body-mounted cooling pack. In
embodiments, the front air scoop/deflector is a lower air
scoop/deflector associated with a vehicle front bumper. As
described, in embodiments the airflow sealing system comprises at
least one flexible interface including a first end attached to a
portion of the chassis-mounted front lower air scoop deflector and
a second end contacting a portion of the body-mounted cooling pack
assembly. In embodiments, the second end is slidably biased against
at least a sealing plenum associated with the body-mounted cooling
pack assembly to provide the airflow seal. The at least one
flexible interface may define a wiper seal between the body-mounted
cooling pack assembly and the chassis-mounted air intake
assembly.
[0007] In yet another aspect, a body-on-frame vehicle is provided,
comprising a chassis element, a body element, a chassis-mounted
front air intake assembly, a body-mounted cooling pack, and an
airflow sealing system configured to control airflow between the
chassis-mounted lower air scoop/deflector and the body-mounted
cooling pack. In embodiments, the airflow sealing system comprises
at least one flexible interface bridging the chassis-mounted lower
air scoop/deflector and the body-mounted cooling pack. The flexible
interface includes in a first end attached to a portion of the
chassis-mounted air intake assembly and a second end contacting a
portion of the body-mounted cooling pack, the second end in
embodiments being slidably biased against at least a sealing plenum
associated with the body-mounted cooling pack. In embodiments, the
at least one flexible interface defines a wiper seal between the
body-mounted cooling pack assembly and the chassis-mounted air
intake assembly.
[0008] In the following description, there are shown and described
several preferred embodiments of the described vehicle
body-on-frame sealing system. As it should be realized, the
described systems and devices are capable of other, different
embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in
various, obvious aspects all without departing from the sealing
system as set forth and described in the following claims.
Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as
illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
[0009] The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and
forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of
the vehicle body-on-frame sealing system and together with the
description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the
drawing figures:
[0010] FIG. 1 depicts a body-on-frame motor vehicle;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a vehicle chassis and
body prior to decking;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the vehicle chassis
and body of FIG. 2 after decking;
[0013] FIG. 4 depicts an isolated view of a portion of the vehicle
chassis and body of FIG. 2, including a sealing system according to
the present disclosure;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a side view of the sealing system of FIG. 4;
and
[0015] FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the sealing system of
FIG. 4.
[0016] Reference will now be made in detail to the present
preferred embodiments of the vehicle body-on-frame sealing system
of the disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawing figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Reference is now made to FIG. 1 illustrating a body-on-frame
vehicle 100 including a chassis/frame element 102 which supports
the vehicle drivetrain (not shown) and a body element 104. As
summarized above, modern body-on-frame vehicles 100 rely on
multiple sealing parts in the vehicle front end and under the
vehicle to direct cooling air to the vehicle cooling pack
(radiator(s), condenser, oil cooler, transmission cooler, power
steering cooler, etc.) and/or to underbody components requiring
cooling, and present unique design challenges relating to
installation of certain sealing components on the vehicle chassis
102 (referred to herein as the upper sealing system), installation
of other sealing components on portions of the vehicle body 104
(referred to herein as the lower sealing system), and installation
of still other sealing components which are required to bridge the
lower and upper sealing systems, all while compensating for
relative movement between the vehicle chassis element 102 and the
vehicle body element 104 and any sealing components installed on
those elements.
[0018] With reference to FIG. 2, the front end assembly of vehicle
100 is shown in isolation, including the vehicle chassis 102 and a
portion of the vehicle body 104. As shown, the chassis 102 and body
104 are depicted prior to a fully decked position, i.e. before
mounting the body to the frame (see arrow A). An upper airflow
deflecting assembly 200 includes at least side deflectors 202 which
on vehicle assembly are attached to a grille opening reinforcement
(GOR; not shown for convenience) and an upper airflow deflector
204. A lower airflow deflecting assembly 206 may include a front
airscoop/deflector 208, which when the vehicle is assembled is
disposed substantially behind a vehicle front bumper 210. In the
fully decked position (see FIG. 3), i.e. on mounting of the body
104 to the chassis 102, an interface 300 is defined between the
upper airflow deflecting assembly 200 and the lower airflow
deflecting assembly 206.
[0019] Interface 300 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 4, which
also shows a GOR 400 to which side deflectors 202 are attached as
described above. A sealing plenum 402 is associated with the upper
airflow deflecting assembly 200, which partially controls airflow
to a cooling pack (radiator(s), condenser, oil cooler, transmission
cooler, power steering cooler, etc.; not shown) of the vehicle 100.
As will be appreciated, because of relative movement between the
vehicle body 104 and the vehicle chassis 102, sealing plenum 402,
which does not attach in any way to the chassis 102, cannot
completely control the airflow path to the cooling pack. Thus,
efficiency of the direction of airflow to the cooling pack is
compromised.
[0020] To solve this problem, one or more flexible interfaces 404
are provided as shown, mounted to a portion of the vehicle chassis
102 adjacent the lower airflow deflecting assembly 206. As best
shown in FIG. 5, the one or more flexible interfaces 404 are
attached at a first end 406 to a portion of the vehicle chassis
102, adjacent to the lower airflow deflecting assembly 206. Any
suitable fasteners (one or more bolts, screws, rivets, etc.) are
contemplated for use. For reasons which will be described in
greater detail below, a second end of the one or more flexible
interfaces 404 are not attached to any element of the vehicle 100.
In an embodiment as depicted (see FIG. 4), a central flexible
interface 404a and two side flexible interfaces 404b are
provided.
[0021] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, on assembly/decking of the
vehicle body 104 to the chassis 102, the second end 408 of the one
or more flexible interfaces 404a, 404b slidably contact a portion
of the upper airflow deflecting assembly 200 at interface 300. In
the depicted embodiment, central flexible interface 404a slidably
contacts sealing plenum 402, and side flexible interfaces 404b
contact a portion of the vehicle body 104. By this slidable
contact, a wiper seal is formed, which as is known creates and
maintains a suitable seal during relative motion between the two
surfaces being sealed. Thus, despite any relative motion between
chassis 102 and body 104, the desired airflow seal is established
and maintained. The described contact/airflow seal is established
and maintained during decking of the chassis 102 and body 104, and
also during dynamic and static vehicle operation after
assembly.
[0022] As will be appreciated, by the described sealing system a
high-efficiency seal is provided imposing little to no stress on
any fasteners used, since only one end of the described flexible
interface 404 is actually directly attached to any portion of the
vehicle 100. The described sealing system further obviates any
requirement of a direct connection between the vehicle upper and
lower airflow deflecting or airflow sealing systems. There is
likewise no need for precise alignment of the upper and lower
sealing systems during vehicle assembly to provide the desired
airflow seal, and further no sealing parts must be installed at all
during line assembly of the vehicle. Rather, all needed sealing
parts/components are attached to the vehicle body and/or frame
prior to decking, thus decreasing labor and associated costs during
vehicle assembly.
[0023] The foregoing has been presented for purposes of
illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive
or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious
modifications and variations are possible in light of the above
teachings. All such modifications and variations are within the
scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with
the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably
entitled.
* * * * *