This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0060430 filed on May 20, 2020 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0028842 filed on Mar. 4, 2021, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The following disclosure relates to a cooling module for a motor vehicle, which modulates heat exchangers installed in front of an engine compartment of a motor vehicle, and more particularly, to a cooling module for a motor vehicle, which is more easily assembled and has improved assembly precision by including a plate housing encasing a plurality of radiators and preventing a core portion of the radiator from being damaged during assembling the radiators to each other.
In recent years, with regard to an assembling process of a motor vehicle, a technology has been proposed in which an assembly including a plurality of assembled components is assembled on an assembly line, i.e. modularization technology, to simplify and automate the process and to improve its productivity.
A typical example may be a front end module, which is modularized by assembling a cooling module, a headlamp and a bumper including a bumper beam to one another.
The front end module may be modularized as follows: the cooling module, which includes a radiator, a condenser and a fan shroud, is mounted on a cooling module mounting portion of a carrier centering on the carrier disposed in a center of the module; the headlamp is mounted on a headlamp mounting portion of the carrier; and the bumper beam is mounted on the front of the carrier.
Meanwhile, a plurality of radiators may be disposed in a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine requiring a large amount of heat dissipation, a hybrid electronic vehicle or an electric vehicle. In particular, hybrid electronic vehicles or electric vehicles may additionally include an electric radiator for cooling electronic equipment, so more assembly steps are needed to precisely assemble the plurality of radiators in their exact positions. In addition, when assembling the plurality of radiators, a header tank of one radiator and a core portion of another radiator may interfere with each other, and the core portion may thus be damaged or broken.
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to providing a cooling module for a motor vehicle having improved assembly convenience by using a plate assembly that guides assembly of a plurality of radiators and cases the radiators for motor vehicles having including a plurality of radiators, such as hybrid electronic vehicles, electric vehicles or a motor vehicle that has an intercooler.
Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to providing a cooling module for a motor vehicle that includes a core damage prevention structure formed on each of the plurality of radiators, thereby preventing a core portion of another radiator from being damaged by another radiator when the plurality of radiators are coupled to the plate assembly.
In one general aspect, a cooling module 1000 for a motor vehicle, including heat exchangers 200 and 300 and a fan shroud F, includes: a plurality of heat exchangers 200 and 300; a plate assembly 100 including a lower plate 110 to which lower ends of the plurality of heat exchangers 200 and 300 are respectively coupled to case the plurality of heat exchangers 200 and 300; and separation means 211 and 311 preventing a core portion 220 of a first heat exchanger 200 from being damaged when mounting a second heat exchanger 300 on the lower plate 110 after first mounting the first heat exchanger 200 on the lower plate 110, among the plurality of heat exchangers 200 and 300.
In addition, the first heat exchanger 200 may include a first header tank 210 formed on each side thereof in a width direction of a motor vehicle, and the core portion 220 is formed between the pair of first header tanks 210. Separation means 211 and 311 may prevent the core portion 220 and the second header tank 310 which is formed on each side of the second heat exchanger 300 in the width direction of the motor vehicle from being in contact with each other when the second heat exchanger 300 is coupled to the lower plate 110.
In addition, the separation means 211 (which may be a separation rail) and 311 may include a separation protrusion 311 protruding from the second header tank 310 toward the first heat exchanger 200. Separation rail 211 is formed on the first header tank 210 and protrudes toward the second heat exchanger 300 to come in contact with an end of the separation protrusion 311 when the second heat exchanger 300 is coupled to the lower plate 110, and formed in the vertical direction. Separation protrusion 311 may come in contact with the separation rail 211 and slide downward when the second heat exchanger 300 is coupled to the lower plate 110.
In addition, the separation rail 211 may have an end protruding further toward the second heat exchanger 300 than an end of the core portion 220 on a basis of the second heat exchanger 300.
In addition, a point at which the separation rail 211 and the separation protrusion 311 come into contact with each other when the second heat exchanger 300 is coupled to the lower plate 110 may be disposed to be spaced apart from the end of the core portion 220 toward the second heat exchanger 300.
In addition, the lower plate 110 may include: a first slot 111 to which the first heat exchanger 200 slides downward to be coupled, and a second slot 112 to which the second heat exchanger 300 slides downward to be coupled and which is formed in front of or behind the first slot 111 in front and rear directions of the motor vehicle.
In addition, the first slot 111 may include a first seating groove 113 formed on each side of the first slot 111 in the width direction, the first seating groove 113 seating a first fixing protrusion 212 thereon, and the first fixing protrusion 212 protruding outward from a lower end of the first header tank 210 in the width direction, and the second slot 112 may include a second seating groove 114 formed on each side of the second slot 112 in the width direction, the second seating groove 114 seating a second fixing protrusion 312 thereon, and the second fixing protrusion 312 protruding outward from a lower end of the second header tank 310 in the width direction.
In addition, the first heat exchanger 200 may slide vertically to be coupled to the first slot 111, and the second heat exchanger 300 may be slide-coupled to the second slot 112 in a state in which the second heat exchanger 300 is tilted outward from the first heat exchanger 200 to have an upper side further spaced apart from the first heat exchanger 200, and the second heat exchanger 300 completes its coupling with the lower plate 110 by pivoting the upper side of the second heat exchanger 300 toward the first heat exchanger 200 in a state in which the second heat exchanger 300 completes its slide.
In addition, as the second heat exchanger 300 slides downward, the second fixing protrusion 312 may be seated in the second seating groove 114, and the second heat exchanger 300 may then be pivoted using the second fixing protrusion 312 as its rotating shaft to be closely coupled to the first heat exchanger 200.
In addition, a recessed rail groove 215 may be formed on a lower end of the separation rail 211, which comes in contact with the separation protrusion 311, to prevent interferences by the separation protrusion 311 and the separation rail 211 when the first heat exchanger 200 and the second heat exchanger 300 are closely coupled to each other.
In addition, the plate assembly 100 may further include: an upper plate 120 disposed above the lower plate 110; and a pair of side plates 130 respectively coupled to left and right sides of the lower and upper plates 110 and 120.
In addition, the plate assembly 100 may be completed by coupling the first and second heat exchangers 200 and 300 to the lower plate 110 and then assembling the upper plate 120 and the side plates 130 thereto.
In addition, the separation protrusion 311 may protrude toward the first heat exchanger 200, and have an end bent inclined downward, and the end of the separation protrusion 311 may have an inclination angle corresponding to an inclination angle of the second heat exchanger 300 when the second heat exchanger 300 is slide-coupled to the second slot 112.
In addition, the separation protrusion 311 may have any one shape of a sphere, a square or an ellipse, having a smaller cross-sectional area toward the end.
In addition, the first header tank 210 may include a connection portion 216 formed at each of upper and lower ends of the separation rail 211 and extending to the opposite side of the second heat exchanger 300.
In addition, the first header tank 210 may include a plurality of first reinforcing ribs 213 each formed in front and rear directions of the motor vehicle and spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, and the first reinforcing rib 213 may connect an end of the second heat exchanger 300 to the separation rail 211.
In addition, the first header tank 210 may include a second reinforcing rib 214 formed in the vertical direction, and the second reinforcing rib 214 may be connected to the plurality of first reinforcing ribs 213 and an end of the connection portion 216.
Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A cooling module 1000 for a motor vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure only distinguishes a plurality of radiators as a first heat exchanger 200 and a second heat exchanger 300 for convenience. The first and second heat exchangers 200 and 300 may each be a radiator allowing a coolant to flow therethrough and exchanging heat with outside air.
In addition, the cooling module 1000 for a motor vehicle may further include a plate assembly 100 including a plurality of plates 110, 120 and 130 assembled to form a casing surrounding the top, bottom, left and right of the plurality of heat exchangers 200 and 300, and coupled to a front end module FEM.
The present disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and the plate assembly 100 may be a device which is fixed by inserting and receiving some other external devices therein, and then mounted on and fixed to another external structure. That is, when the external devices are the plurality of heat exchangers 200 and 300, and the external structure is the front end module FEM, the plate assembly 100 may be used for the casing of the cooling module, and when the external device and the external structure are other devices or structures, the plate assembly 100 may be used depending on the purpose. Therefore, in the description based on the following embodiments, the plurality of heat exchangers 200 and 300 may be changed to any other external device, and the external structure may be changed to any other external structure.
In addition, a mounting coupling protrusion 115 may be formed on the lower plate 110 and fitted to a carrier of the front end module FEM, and a coupling hole 121 may be formed in the upper plate 120 and bolt-coupled to the carrier.
In addition, the lower plate 110 may include a first slot 111 to which the first heat exchanger 200 slides downward to be coupled, and a second slot 112 to which the second heat exchanger 300 slides downward to be coupled, which are respectively formed thereon. In addition, the first slot 111 may include a first seating groove 113 formed on each side of the first slot 111 in the width direction, the first seating groove 113 seating a first fixing protrusion 212 thereon, the first fixing protrusion 212 (see
As shown in the drawing, the first heat exchanger 200 may slide downward into the first slot 111 (see
Here, it may be assumed that a distance between a pair of header tanks disposed on both sides of the first heat exchanger 200 in the width direction of a motor vehicle is longer than a distance between a pair of header tanks disposed on both sides of the second heat exchanger 300 in the width direction of a motor vehicle. In this case, during the assembling process, the second header tank 310 disposed on both the sides of the second heat exchanger 300 in the width direction of a motor vehicle may interfere with and impact a core portion 220 of the first heat exchanger 200. Accordingly, the core portion 220 may be damaged or broken. Therefore, the cooling module 1000 for a motor vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure has the following characteristic configuration to prevent such damage or breakage of the core portion 220. Hereinafter, the characteristic configuration is described in detail with reference to the drawings.
As shown in the drawing, in a state in which the first heat exchanger 200 is fixedly coupled to the lower plate 110 (see
The separation protrusion 311 may have a predetermined thickness from the lower end of the second header tank 310 outward in the width direction, and protrude toward the first heat exchanger 200. Here, it is preferable that the separation protrusion 311 is thick enough to come in contact with the separation rail 211 formed on the first header tank 210 when assembling the second heat exchanger 300 in consideration of the difference between the distance between the pair of header tanks of the first heat exchanger 200 and the distance between the pair of header tanks of the second heat exchanger 300.
In addition, the separation rail 211 may have a predetermined thickness from the lower end of the first header tank 210 outward in the width direction and protrude toward the second heat exchanger 300, and may be formed in the vertical direction so that an end of the separation protrusion 311 comes in contact with the separation rail 211 and slides downward when the second heat exchanger 300 slides downward to be coupled to the lower plate 110.
Therefore, when the second heat exchanger 300 slides downward to be coupled to the lower plate 110, the separation protrusion 311 may come in contact with the separation rail 211 and slide downward. Accordingly, the separation rail 211 may guide the second header tank 310 of the second heat exchanger 300 not to impact the core portion 220 of the first heat exchanger 200, and to be coupled to the lower plate 110 while maintaining the separation from the core portion 220. To this end, the separation rail 211 may be formed to further protrude toward the first heat exchanger 200 than ends of the core portion 220 of the first heat exchanger 200 in front and rear directions of a motor vehicle.
Meanwhile, as the second heat exchanger 300 slides downward, the second fixing protrusion 312 of the second heat exchanger 300 may be seated in the second seating groove 114 (see
In addition, a connection portion 216 may be formed on the first header tank 210, i.e., formed at each of upper and lower ends of the separation rail 211, may extend to the opposite side of the second heat exchanger 300, and may protrude outward in the width direction of the first header tank 210. In addition, a plurality of first reinforcing ribs 213 may each be formed on the first header tank 210 in the front and rear directions of a motor vehicle, and may be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. The first reinforcing rib 213 may also protrude outward in the width direction of the first header tank 210, and may connect an end of the second heat exchanger 300 to the separation rail 211.
In addition, a second reinforcing rib 214 may be formed on the first header tank 210 in the vertical direction and may protrude outward in the width direction of the first header tank 210. The second reinforcing rib 214 may be connected to the plurality of first reinforcing ribs 213 and an end of the connection portion 216.
As shown in the drawing, the separation rail 211 formed on the first header tank 210 of the first heat exchanger 200 of the present disclosure may have an end protruding further toward the second heat exchanger 300 than an end of the core portion 220 of the first heat exchanger 200 on a basis of the second heat exchanger 300 (protruding by “G” in the drawing).
Therefore, the separation protrusion 311 of the second heat exchanger 300 may come in contact with the separation rail 211 of the first heat exchanger 200 before the second header tank 310 comes in contact with the core portion 220 of the first heat exchanger 200 when the second heat exchanger 300 is coupled to the lower plate 110. Accordingly, the second header tank 310 of the second heat exchanger 300 and the core portion 220 of the first heat exchanger 200 may always maintain the separation from each other.
For another example, a point at which the separation rail 211 of the first heat exchanger 200 and the separation protrusion 311 of the second heat exchanger 300 come in contact with each other may be disposed to be spaced apart from the end of the core portion 220 toward the second heat exchanger 300. Also in the above embodiment, the second header tank 310 of the second heat exchanger 300 and the core portion 220 of the first heat exchanger 200 may maintain the separation from each other when the separation protrusion 311 of the second heat exchanger 300 comes in contact with the separation rail 211 for the second heat exchanger 300 to be coupled to the lower plate 110.
As shown in
In addition, as shown in
In addition, as shown in
As set forth above, in the cooling module for a motor vehicle of the present disclosure having the above configuration, the plurality of radiators may be slide-fitted into the plate assembly, thereby requiring fewer assembly processes.
In addition, when the plurality of radiators are coupled to the plate assembly, the core portion of another radiator may be prevented from being damaged due to the header tank of one radiator. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a defect rate during producing a product and save cost and time taken to repair a damaged core portion.
In addition, the core damage prevention structure is simple, and may thus be applied to a process of producing the existing cooling module, at low cost.
In addition, the slide-coupling structure of the plate assembly may guide the assembly of the plurality of radiators. Accordingly, it is possible to easily guide the precise assembly of the plurality of radiators, thereby having the improved assembly precision.
The present disclosure is not to be construed as being limited to the above-mentioned exemplary embodiment. The present disclosure may be applied to various fields and may be variously modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure claimed in the claims. Therefore, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that these alterations and modifications fall in the scope of the present disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2020-0060430 | May 2020 | KR | national |
10-2021-0028842 | Mar 2021 | KR | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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6059019 | Brost | May 2000 | A |
9719734 | Takahashi | Aug 2017 | B2 |
10935331 | Pereira | Mar 2021 | B2 |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20210363911 A1 | Nov 2021 | US |