The invention relates to the field of heat-exchange modules for motor vehicles, in particular to heat-exchange modules with fans mounted on fan shrouds.
Heat-exchange modules can be placed in the front section of a motor vehicle, for example at the level of a grille of such a vehicle, and they generally comprise an air inlet duct, a set of heat exchangers, a conduit for these exchangers, and a motorized propeller whose role is to convey the air captured directly from the outside of the vehicle by a front grille to the heat exchangers of the heat-exchange module. The heat exchangers are stacked to be housed and fixed in an interior volume delimited by the conduit. In other words, the conduit surrounds the exchangers that it supports. In addition, the conduit can guide the air entering the heat-exchange module through the heat exchangers by guaranteeing that a maximum level of the airflow is conveyed.
When the airflow is insufficient, for example when the speed of the vehicle is not high enough, the motorized propeller, otherwise known as a fan, is utilized to force the airflow within the conduit.
The air entering the conduit may contain water, moisture or other foreign matter. Presence of such matter can be detrimental to the operation and longevity of the heat-exchange module and its components, in particular when the vehicle is subject to varying temperature including freezing conditions.
The object of the invention is, among others, a fan shroud for a vehicle heat-exchange module, comprising: a wall configured to at least partially block the airflow through the fan shroud between a front and a back thereof, with a first opening for enabling airflow through the fan shroud between a front and a back thereof, fasteners adapted to mount the fan shroud in an inclined position with respect to the ground, a first drainage opening for a fluid, arranged at a bottom of the fan shroud and a first slope with a lowest point being at the level of the first drainage opening when the fan shroud is in the inclined position.
In one embodiment, a first wall part of the wall terminates at the first slope.
In one embodiment, the wall includes a second opening for enabling airflow through the fan shroud between the front and the back thereof.
In one embodiment, the fan shroud includes a second slope sloping in a direction opposite than the sloping direction of the first slope.
In one embodiment, the fan shroud includes a second slope sloping in a direction opposite than the sloping direction of the first slope, wherein the wall includes a second opening for enabling airflow through the fan shroud between the front and the back thereof, the first opening being arranged over the first slope and the second opening being arranged above the second slope.
In one embodiment, the fan shroud includes a second slope sloping in a direction opposite than the sloping direction of the first slope, wherein the wall includes a second opening for enabling airflow through the fan shroud between the front and the back thereof, both the first opening and the second opening being arranged over the first slope.
In one embodiment, the lowest point of the second slope terminates in a second drainage opening.
In one embodiment, a second wall part of the wall terminates at the second slope.
In one embodiment, the first slope and the second slope have a common highest point.
In one embodiment, the first slope and the second slope have a common lowest point.
In one embodiment, the first slope and the second slope are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central portion of the fan shroud.
In one embodiment, the fan shroud includes a first gutter arranged at the bottom and connected fluidically with the first drainage opening to evacuate the fluid remotely with respect to the first drainage opening.
In one embodiment, the fan shroud has a rectangular outline.
In one embodiment, the first drainage opening is located at a bottom corner of the fan shroud.
In one embodiment, the fan shroud has a rectangular outline, the first drainage opening being located at a bottom corner of the fan shroud, and the lowest point of the second slope terminating in a second drainage opening, wherein the second drainage opening is located at the opposite bottom corner of the fan shroud.
Another object of the invention is a heat-exchange module including at least one heat exchanger, a fan shroud for a vehicle heat-exchange module, comprising: a wall configured to at least partially block the airflow through the fan shroud between a front and a back thereof, with a first opening for enabling airflow through the fan shroud between a front and a back thereof, fasteners adapted to mount the fan shroud in an inclined position with respect to the ground, a first drainage opening for a fluid, arranged at a bottom of the fan shroud and a first slope with a lowest point being at the level of the first drainage opening when the fan shroud is in the inclined position; a fan attached to the fan shroud, a conduit encapsulating the at least one heat exchanger and including an air inlet, so that the air entering the air inlet is guided through the at least one heat exchanger and the at least one opening in the fan shroud, wherein the at least one heat exchanger, the fan shroud and the fan are arranged in the inclined position with respect to the ground.
The present invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:
The heat-exchange module 1 includes a conduit 2 encapsulating at least one heat exchanger. In the shown embodiment, the heat-exchange module 1 includes a first heat exchanger 5 and a second heat exchanger 6. In general, the invention is applicable to various architectures of heat-exchange modules with a different number of heat exchangers, for example those including only the first heat exchanger 5, or those including more than the first and second heat exchanger 5, 6, depending on the cooling or heating needs of the heat-exchange module and the vehicle in which it is installed. The description below will focus on an embodiment with the first and second heat exchangers 5, 6, i.e. with two heat exchangers.
The conduit 2 includes an air inlet 3. The air entering the air inlet 3 is guided through an air guide 4 to and through the first and second heat exchangers 5, 6.
The heat-exchange module 1 includes a fan shroud 7 to which a fan 8 is attached. The fan shroud 7 with the fan 8 are located downstream of the first and second heat exchangers 5, 6. The fan shroud 7 has a wall 11 configured to at least partially block the airflow through the fan shroud 7 between a front and a back thereof, while having a first opening 12 for enabling the airflow. The fan shroud 7 further includes fasteners 9 adapted to mount the fan shroud 7 in an inclined position with respect to the ground. Such mounting of the fan shroud 7, and consequently of the fan 8, is required in cases when the first and second heat exchangers 5, 6 are also mounted in inclined positons, as is the case in shown embodiment. Inclined positions of the heat exchangers 5, 6 can be required in view of packaging constrains within the vehicles body. Preferably, the conduit 2 is sealed with respect to the outer environment between the air inlet 3 and the fan shroud 7.
The first heat exchanger 5 can be a condenser, and the second heat exchanger 6 can be a radiator. The first heat exchanger 5 and the second heat exchanger 6 are arranged one after the other according to the direction of travel of the vehicle.
The heat-exchange module 1 is intended to be mounted behind a front grille panel of a motor vehicle. In operation, for example when the vehicle is moving forwards, air A passes through the grille and enters the air inlet 3 and travels through the air guide 4 before arriving to the first and second heat exchanger 5, 6 in order to pass through them. Subsequently, the air traverses the fan shroud 7 through the first opening 12 and leaves the heat-exchange module 1.
The first and second heat exchangers 5, 6, which are mounted one behind the other in the direction of travel of the vehicle, are supported within the same conduit 2, which surrounds and encloses them. The conduit 2 in this case constitutes an airtight envelope, which channels the air in order to ensure that the flow of air passing through the first exchanger 5 also passes through the second heat exchanger 6.
In order to create a sufficient flow of air A when the speed of the vehicle is too low, the heat-exchange module 1 is equipped on its rear side with the fan 8. Said fan 8 is thus situated opposite the second heat exchanger 6, and is attached to the fan shroud 5, which either extends the conduit 2 or is located inside of it. Thanks to such arrangement, almost all of the air displaced by the fan 8 is passed through the first and second heat exchangers 5, 6.
The fan shroud 7 can include one or more sidewalls 14 located at the edges of the wall 11, which can facilitate mounting of the fan shroud 7 to other components. The sidewalls 14 can also have an air sealing function and can enhance the rigidity of the fan shroud 7. The sidewalls 14 can extend along the air A flow path, i.e. substantially perpendicular to the surface of the wall 11. The fan shroud 7 includes the first opening 12 for enabling airflow between the front and the back thereof. The fan shroud 7 can include attachment arms 13 for attaching the fan 8 to the fan shroud 7, in particular to the wall 11.
The wall 11 of the fan shroud 7 includes a first wall part 18. The first wall part 18 can be located below the first opening 12. Below the first wall part 18, there is located a first slope 16. In other words, the first wall part 18 terminates at the first slope 16. The first slope 16 is a stepped element, which is inclined toward the bottom portion of the fan shroud 7, so that any fluid reaching the first slope 16 and subject to gravitational force is directed along it in a downward direction. In this case, the first slope 16 runs along the bottom portion of the fan shroud 7 towards one of its sides, towards the first drainage opening 20.
The first slope 16 has its lowest point at the level the first drainage opening 20 when the fan shroud 7 is in the inclined position. Thus, the fluid reaching the wall 11 will travel along the first wall part 18 to the first slope 16, and along it to the first drainage opening 20.
As shown schematically in
The second slope 16 can slope in a direction opposite than the first slope 15. The can have equal or unequal lengths.
In case there are two openings, i.e. the first opening 12 and the second opening 15, to let the air through the fan shroud 7, the first opening 12 can be arranged over the first slope 16 and the second opening 15 can be arranged above the second slope 17. In such case there are also two fans 8 associated with each opening 12, 15. In case of a single first opening 12, the first wall part 18 and the second wall part 19, as well as the first slope 16 and the second slope 17 can be both located below it, next to each other.
As shown in
It is to be noted that there can be a plurality of first drainage openings 20, and optionally a plurality of second drainage openings 21, depending on specific applications. The shape of the drainage openings can take various forms, e.g. square, rectangular, slit-like, circular, oval etc.
The first slope 16 may have a primary first slope portion 22 and a secondary first slope portion 23. The primary first slope portion 22 is arranged closer to the wall 11, while the secondary first slope portion 23 is arranged closer to the bottom, preferably to the bottom sidewall 14. The primary first slope portion 22 generally slopes in a direction opposite to the sloping direction of the secondary first slope portion 23 when viewed along the airflow general direction, i.e. viewed perpendicular to the wall 11. Since the primary first slope portion 22 and the secondary first slope portion 23 have common highest points, i.e. a ridge extending along the bottom of the fan shroud 7, they create two parallel depressions for the fluid. The fluid can thus be led to the corresponding drainage opening 20, 21 with risk of accumulating along its way being mitigated.
The embodiments of the first slope 16 described with relation to
The first gutter 24 is preferably designed in a way to ensure no additional turbulence is created, which could increase the audible noise. The first gutter 24 can be integral with the fan shroud 7, or can be a separate attachment.
The first drainage opening 20 is associated with the first gutter 24, while the second drainage opening 21 is associated with the second gutter 25. In other words, the fluid reaches the first gutter 24 through the first drainage opening 20, and the second gutter 25 through the second drainage opening 25, and then exits through respective gutter openings 27.
In any case, the first drainage opening 20 and the second drainage opening 21 can be also added on the bottom side of any first or second gutter 24, 25.
Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to the advantage.
Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to the advantage.
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