Abstract:
A fan shroud assembly for a vehicle including a fan shroud for the vehicle which minimizes a noise generated by utilizing additional or supplemental flow spaces for smoothing air introduction to sections in which a vent hole of the shroud and a circumferential part of the shroud are adjacent each other.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0009960, filed on Jan. 21, 2015, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0005806, filed on Jan. 18, 2016, in the Korean Intellectual. Property Office, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The following disclosure relates to a fan shroud for a vehicle. More particularly, the following disclosure relates to a fan shroud for a vehicle capable of reducing noise by securing additional flow spaces for further smoothing air introduction in sections in which a vent hole of a shroud and a circumferential part of the shroud are adjacent to each other. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Generally, an engine room of a vehicle is provided with an engine, a cooling means for cooling the engine, an air conditioning device, and the like. The cooling device, which is to cool the engine of the vehicle, is configured to include a radiator for cooling a coolant of the engine and a fan shroud generating an air flow of the radiator to improve heat radiation efficiency of a surface of the radiator, thereby further promoting cooling efficiency of the coolant. 
         [0004]    The fan shroud is configured to blow air to an air cooling type heat exchanger such as the radiator, a condenser, or the like, of the vehicle in order to promote heat radiation of the air cooling type heat exchanger, and is classified into a pusher type and a puller type depending on a form in which the heat exchanger is disposed. 
         [0005]    The pusher type is a type in which an axial-flow fan is disposed at a front side of the vehicle of the heat exchanger to forcibly blow air from the front of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle. Since air-blowing efficiency of the pusher type for the heat exchanger is low, the pusher type is used in the case in which a margin space behind the heat exchanger within the engine room is narrow. On the other hand, the puller type is a type in which an axial-flow fan is disposed at a rear side of the vehicle of the heat exchanger to pull air of a front side of the vehicle of the heat exchanger, thereby allowing the air to pass through the heat exchanger. Since air-blowing efficiency of the puller type is relatively higher than that of the pusher type, the puller type has been used in most of vehicles. 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fan shroud F according to the related art, and  FIG. 2  is a front view of the fan shroud F according to the related art.  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of an air flow narrow space on a shroud  30  taken along line A-A′ of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0007]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the fan shroud F fixed to a rear end of a heat exchanger in order to introduce air into the heat exchanger indicates an assembly of a fan  10  and a shroud  30 , and is configured to include the fan  10  for air-blowing, a motor  20  for driving the fan  10 , and the shroud  30  including a body  31  having a vent hole formed at the center thereof and a motor fixing part  32  fixing and supporting the motor  20  by a plurality of stators  33  extended from an inner peripheral surface of the vent hole in a radial direction. 
         [0008]    In the fan shroud F having the configuration as described above, noise due to friction with air at the time of rotation of the fan  10  and rotation noise of the motor  20  are necessarily generated. Therefore, the development of a technology for reducing the noise due to the friction with the air by changing a shape of the fan  10  or a shape of the shroud  30  has been actively conducted. 
         [0009]    Here, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the fan  10  of the fan shroud F has a circular shape, and the shroud  30  of the fan shroud F has a quadrangular shape in order to enclose the heat exchanger having a quadrangular shape, such that a distance between the vent hole and a circumferential part of the body  31  is short at upper and lower sides of the vent hole and is relatively long at left and right sides of the vent hole. That is, the body  31  may be divided into diagonal regions in which a length between the vent hole and the circumferential part of the body  31  is a first length L 1  that is long, upper and lower regions  31   b  in which a length between the vent hole and the circumferential part of the body  31  is a second length L 2  that is short, and left and right regions  31   a  in which a length between the vent hole and the circumferential part of the body  31  is a length between the first length L 1  and the second length L 2 . 
         [0010]    Here, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a portion from a distal end of the vent hole to the circumferential part of the body  31  is inclined in order to smooth a flow of air, thereby reducing overall noise depending on the flow of the air. 
         [0011]    However, since the length between the vent hole and the circumferential part of the body  31  is relatively short in the upper and lower regions  31   b , narrow spaces A 1 , which are narrow air flow spaces, are present, and the flow of the air is not smooth in the narrow spaces A 1 , which mainly causes blade pass frequency (BPF) noise. 
         [0012]    The BPF noise is repetitive noise of a high range generated at the time of rotation of the fan, and even though the overall noise is reduced, in the case in which the BPF noise is generated, sensitive quality of a user is not satisfied. Therefore, recently, the development of a technology for reducing the BPF noise has been demanded. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0013]    An embodiment of the present invention is directed to providing a fan shroud for a vehicle capable of reducing noise by forming additional flow spaces protruding toward a rear side of the vehicle in sections in which a vent hole of a shroud and a circumferential part of a body are short to smooth a flow of air introduced into the shroud. 
         [0014]    In one general aspect, a fan shroud for a vehicle fixed to a rear end of a heat exchanger for the vehicle in order to introduce cooling air into the heat exchanger, includes: a fan  100  for air-blowing; a driving motor  200  driving the fan  100 ; a shroud  300  or  600  including a body  310  or  610  having a vent hole formed at the center thereof and a motor fixing part  320  or  620  fixing and supporting the driving motor  200  by a plurality of stators  330  or  630  extended from an inner peripheral surface of the vent hole in a radial direction; and an additional flow space  500  formed by allowing a predetermined region of the body  310  or  610  in which an outer peripheral edge of the vent hole and a circumferential part of the body  310  or  610  are adjacent to each other to protrude toward the rear of the vehicle so that an extension space A 2  is formed inside the shroud  300  or  600  in which the outer peripheral edge of the vent hole and the circumferential part of the body  310  or  610  are adjacent to each other. 
         [0015]    One or more additional flow spaces  500  may be formed in upper and lower adjacent parts  312  or  612  in which the outer peripheral edge of the vent hole and upper and lower circumferential parts of the body  310  or  610  are adjacent to each other or left and right adjacent parts  311  or  611  in which the outer peripheral edge of the vent hole and one side and the other side of the body  310  or  610  in a width direction of the vehicle are adjacent to each other. 
         [0016]    The additional flow space  500  may include: a horizontal part  313  extended from the circumferential part of the body  310  toward the rear of the vehicle; and a vertical part  314  extended from the outer peripheral edge of the vent hole outward in a height direction or a width direction of the vehicle. 
         [0017]    When the longest length among lengths from the outer peripheral edge of the vent hole to the circumferential part of the body  310  or  610  is defined as a first length L 10  and a distance from the outer peripheral edge of the vent hole in a region in which the additional flow space  500  is formed to the circumferential part of the body  310  or  610  is defined as a second length L 20 , the second length L 20  may be 70% or less of the first length L 10 . 
         [0018]    In the case in which the body  610  of the shroud  600  has a shape similar to a square shape or in the case in which a ratio between a short length and a long length in a horizontal length of the body  610  of the shroud (length in the width direction of the vehicle) and a vertical length of the body  610  of the shroud (length in a height direction of the vehicle) is 1:1.2 or less, an angle formed by a straight line connecting one end of the additional flow space  500  formed in the upper and lower adjacent parts  612  and the center of the vent hole to each other and a straight line connecting the other end of the additional flow space  500  formed in the upper and lower adjacent parts  612  and the center of the vent hole to each other or an angle formed by a straight line connecting one end of the additional flow space  500  formed in the left and right adjacent parts  611  and the center of the vent hole to each other and a straight line connecting the other end of the additional flow space  500  formed in the left and right adjacent parts  611  and the center of the vent hole to each other may be 30 to 80 degrees, and may be, preferably 30 to 60 degrees. 
         [0019]    In the case in which the body  310  of the shroud  300  has a shape similar to a rectangular shape or in the case in which a ratio between a short length and a long length in a horizontal length of the body  310  of the shroud (length in the width direction of the vehicle) and a vertical length of the body  310  of the shroud (length in a height direction of the vehicle) exceeds 1:1.2, an angle formed by a straight line connecting one end of the additional flow space  500  formed in the upper and lower adjacent parts  312  and the center of the vent hole to each other and a straight line connecting the other end of the additional flow space  500  formed in the upper and lower adjacent parts  312  and the center of the vent hole to each other is 30 to 80 degrees, and may be, preferably, 30 to 60 degrees, and an angle formed by a straight line connecting one end of the additional flow space  500  formed in the left and right adjacent parts  311  and the center of the vent hole to each other and a straight line connecting the other end of the additional flow space  500  formed in the left and right adjacent parts  311  and the center of the vent hole to each other may be 20 to 60 degrees, and may be, preferably, 20 to 40 degrees. 
         [0020]    A first inclined part  315  having a predetermined curvature may be formed between the horizontal part  313  and the vertical part  314 , and the first inclined part  315  may have a curvature smaller than that of the body  310 . 
         [0021]    Second inclined parts  316  of which a curvature is continuously varied may be formed at both ends of the additional flow space  500  in a length direction in a boundary region between the additional flow space  500  and the body  310 . 
         [0022]    A waveform part  400  having a wave shape may be formed in a length direction at a lower end of the additional flow space  500 . 
         [0023]    The waveform part  400  may have a form in which it is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a flow direction of the cooling air. 
         [0024]    A plurality of protrusions  600  may be formed on an inner wall of the additional flow space  500 . 
         [0025]    Sizes and arrays of the plurality of protrusions  600  may be irregular. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fan shroud according to the related art. 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the fan shroud according to the related art. 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A′ of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a fan shroud according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the fan shroud according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B′ of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is a front view of a fan shroud according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 8  is a view illustrating an additional flow space region of a fan shroud according to the present invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of a waveform part of a fan shroud according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 10  is a plan view of an inner peripheral surface of a vent hole illustrating the waveform part according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0036]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of an additional flow space of a fan shroud according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MAIN ELEMENTS 
       [0000]    
       
         F: fan shroud 
           100 : fan 
           200 : driving motor 
           300 : shroud 
           310 : body 
           311 : left and right adjacent parts 
           312 : upper and lower adjacent parts 
           313 : horizontal part 
           314 : vertical part 
           315 : inclined part 
           320 : motor fixing part 
           330 : stator 
           400 : waveform part 
           500 : additional flow space 
           510 : first additional flow space 
           520 : second additional flow space 
           600 : protrusion 
         L 10 : first length 
         L 20 : second length 
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0056]    Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0057]    An entire perspective view of a fan shroud F according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 4 , and a front view of the fan shroud F according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . In addition, a cross-sectional view illustrating a detailed shape of additional or supplemental flow spaces  510  and  520  according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along line B-B′ of  FIG. 5 . 
         [0058]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the fan shroud F according to the present exemplary embodiment is fixed to a rear end of a heat exchanger in order to introduce cooling air into the heat exchanger, and includes a driving motor  200  fixed to a shroud  300  having a vent hole, and a fan  100  rotatably connected to the driving motor  200 . 
         [0059]    Since the fan  100  according to the present invention may be an axial-flow fan that is generally used, a detailed description for the fan  100  will be omitted. 
         [0060]    The driving motor  200 , which is a driving source allowing air-blowing to be performed while rotating the fan  100  in the same direction in order to cool a heat exchange medium passing through an inner portion of the heat exchanger of a vehicle, may be a motor driven by general direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC). 
         [0061]    The shroud  300  is a member guiding the air-blowing generated by the rotation of the fan  100  by the driving motor  200  and fixed to the heat exchanger of the vehicle in a state in which it supports the driving motor  200 , which is the driving source. 
         [0062]    The shroud  300  has the vent hole formed at the center thereof in order to guide the sucked blown air in an axial direction, and includes a body  310  having a quadrangular shape corresponding to a shape of the heat exchanger so that a rear surface thereof may contact the entire rear surface of the heat exchanger and formed of a synthetic resin. Here, the vent hole of the shroud  300  may be formed in a circular shape in order to reduce wind pressure loss to improve air-blowing efficiency. 
         [0063]    In addition, the shroud  300  is provided with a motor fixing part  320  fixing and supporting the driving motor  200  disposed at the center of the vent hole in a state in which it is supported and formed by a plurality of stators  330  extended from a plurality of points of an inner peripheral surface of the vent hole in a centrifugal or radial direction. 
         [0064]    Here, the fan shroud F according to the present invention includes additional or supplemental flow spaces  500  formed in order to smooth a flow of air at an inner side of the body  310  of left and right adjacent parts  311  or upper and lower adjacent parts  312  in which an inner peripheral edge of the vent hole and a circumferential part of the body  310  are adjacent to each other. 
         [0065]    The additional flow spaces  500  includes a first additional or supplemental flow space  510  formed between the inner peripheral edge of the vent hole and an upper end of the center of the body  310  in a width direction of the vehicle, and a second additional or supplemental flow space  520  formed between the inner peripheral edge of the vent hole and a lower end of the center of the body  310  in the width direction of the vehicle. 
         [0066]    Although an example in which a pair of additional flow spaces  500  is formed in the upper and lower adjacent parts  312 , respectively, has been illustrated in the present exemplary embodiment, a pair of additional flow spaces  500  may also be formed in the left and right adjacent parts  311 , respectively, in the case in which the body  310  has a shape similar to a square shape, such that the left and right adjacent parts  311  of left and right circumferential parts of the center of the body  310  in a height direction of the vehicle and the inner peripheral edge of the vent hole are adjacent to each other. This will be described later with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0067]    The first additional flow space  510  and the second additional flow space  520  have the same shape and are disposed to face each other. Therefore, hereinafter, a shape of the first additional flow space  510  will be described in detail. 
         [0068]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the additional flow spaces  500  include a horizontal part  313  extended from the upper and lower adjacent parts  312  toward the rear of the vehicle so that extension spaces A 2  are formed inside upper and lower circumferential parts of the center of the body  310  in the width direction of the vehicle, and a vertical part  314  extended from the inner peripheral edge of the vent hole toward the top or the bottom of the vehicle. 
         [0069]    Here, a first inclined part  315  having a predetermined curvature is formed on a boundary between the horizontal part  313  and the vertical part  314 . The first inclined part  315  is formed along a length direction of the additional flow space  500 . The first inclined part  315  has a curvature smaller than that of the body  310 . The curvature of the body  310  may be defined as a curvature of a straight line connecting an outer peripheral edge of the vent hole on the body  310  and a distal end of the circumferential part of the body  310  to each other. 
         [0070]    The extension space A 2  is formed through the additional flow space  500 , such that a flow of air passing through the extension space A 2  becomes smooth. The flow of the air is smoothed, such that blade pass frequency (BPF) noise due to air friction may be reduced. 
         [0071]    In addition, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , second inclined parts  316  of which a curvature is continuously varied are formed at both ends of the additional flow space  500  in the length direction in a boundary region between the additional flow space  500  and the body  310 . 
         [0072]    When the longest length among the lengths from the outer peripheral edge of the vent hole to the distal end of the circumferential part of the body  310  is defined as a first length L 10  and a length from the outer peripheral edge of the vent hole in a region in which the additional flow space  500  is formed to the distal end of the circumferential part of the body  310  is defined as a second length L 20 , the second length L 20  may be 70% or less of the first length L 10 . 
         [0073]    That is, when it is assumed that the longest length among the lengths from the outer peripheral edge of the vent hole to the distal end of the circumferential part of the body  310  is 100 cm, the additional flow space  500  may be formed in a region in which the length from the outer peripheral edge of the vent hole to the distal end of the circumferential part of the body  310  is 70 cm or less. 
         [0074]    The reason is that in the case in which the additional flow space  500  is formed in a region in which the length from the outer peripheral edge of the vent hole to the distal end of the circumferential part of the body exceeds 70 cm, the additional flow space  500  is also formed in a region in which a space in which the blown air may sufficiently smoothly flow is secured, such that overall noise may be increased. 
         [0075]    A front view of a fan shroud  600  according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0076]    As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , in the case in which a body  610  of the fan shroud  600  has a square shape, narrow spaces in which a distance between a vent hole and a circumferential part of the body is short, such that a flow of air is not actively made, may be formed at left and right sides of the body  610  as well as upper and lower sides of the body  610 . In this case, a pair of additional flow spaces  500  may be formed at the left and right sides of the body  610  as well as the upper and lower sides of the body  610 , respectively. 
         [0077]    That is, one or more additional flow spaces  500  may be formed in upper and lower adjacent parts  612  in which the outer peripheral edge of the vent hole and the upper and lower circumferential parts of the body  610  are adjacent to each other or left and right adjacent parts  611  in which the outer peripheral edge of the vent hole and one side and the other side of the body  610  in the width direction of the vehicle are adjacent to each other. 
         [0078]    In a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a first additional or supplemental flow space  550  formed at an upper side  612  of the body  610 , a second additional or supplemental flow space  570  formed at a lower side of the body, a third additional or supplemental flow space  560  formed at one side of the body  610  in the width direction of the vehicle, and a fourth additional or supplemental flow space  580  formed at the other side  611  of the body  610  in the width direction of the vehicle are included. 
         [0079]    As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , an angle (θ 1 ) from the center of the vent hole of the body  610  may be used in defining regions of the additional flow spaces  500 . In the case in which the body  610  of the shroud has a shape similar to a square shape or in the case in which a ratio between a short length and a long length in a horizontal length of the body  610  of the shroud (length in the width direction of the vehicle) and a vertical length of the body  610  of the shroud (length in the height direction of the vehicle) is 1:1.2 or less, an angle θ 1  formed by a straight line connecting one end of the first or second additional flow space  550  or  570  formed in the upper and lower adjacent parts  612  and the center of the vent hole to each other and a straight line connecting the other end of the first or second additional flow space  550  or  570  formed in the upper and lower adjacent parts  612  and the center of the vent hole to each other or an angle formed by a straight line connecting one end of the third or fourth additional flow space  560  or  580  formed in the left and right adjacent parts  611  and the center of the vent hole to each other and a straight line connecting the other end of the third or fourth additional flow space  560  or  580  formed in the left and right adjacent parts  611  and the center of the vent hole to each other is 30 to 80 degrees, and is preferably 30 to 60 degrees. In the case in which the angle is 30 degrees or less in regions in which the additional flow spaces  500  are formed, a noise preventing effect is reduced, and in the case in which the angle is larger than 60 degrees in regions in which the additional flow spaces  500  are formed, a reverse effect that introduction of air into the fan is hindered occurs. 
         [0080]    Meanwhile, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , in the case in which the body  310  of the shroud has a shape similar to a rectangular shape or in the case in which a ratio between a short length and a long length in a horizontal length of the body  310  (length in the width direction of the vehicle) and a vertical length of the body  310  (length in the height direction of the vehicle) exceeds 1:1.2, an angle θ 2  formed by a straight line connecting one end of the additional flow space  500  formed in the upper and lower adjacent parts  312  and the center of the vent hole to each other and a straight line connecting the other end of the additional flow space  500  formed in the upper and lower adjacent parts  312  and the center of the vent hole to each other is 30 to 80 degrees, and is, preferably, 30 to 60 degrees. In the case in which the angle is 30 degrees or less in regions in which the additional flow spaces  500  are formed, a noise preventing effect is reduced, and in the case in which the angle is larger than 60 degrees in regions in which the additional flow spaces  500  are formed, a reverse effect that introduction of air into the fan is hindered occurs. 
         [0081]    In addition, an angle θ 3  formed by a straight line connecting one end of the additional flow space  500  formed in the left and right adjacent parts  311  and the center of the vent hole to each other and a straight line connecting the other end of the additional flow space  500  formed in the left and right adjacent parts  311  and the center of the vent hole to each other is 20 to 60 degrees, and is, preferably, 20 to 40 degrees. In the case in which the angle is 20 degrees or less in regions in which the additional flow spaces  500  are formed, a noise preventing effect is reduced, and in the case in which the angle is larger than 40 degrees in regions in which the additional flow spaces  500  are formed, a reverse effect that introduction of air into the fan is hindered occurs. 
         [0082]    A cross-sectional view of a waveform part  400  of an additional flow space  500  of a fan shroud F according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 9 , and a plan view of an inner peripheral surface of a vent hole illustrating the waveform part  400  of the fan shroud F according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 10 . Referring to  FIGS. 6, 9 , and  10 , a waveform part  400  is formed at a lower end of the additional flow space  500 . The waveform part  400  is formed in a length direction of the additional flow space  500 , and has a wave shape. The waveform part  400  is configured to guide cooling air flowing along the additional flow space  500  in order to smoothly discharge the cooling air. Particularly, the waveform part  400  has a form in which it is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a flow direction of the cooling air. Fluidity of the cooling air flowing along the additional flow space  500  is improved through the configuration as described above, thereby making it possible to minimize noise and vibrations generated due to the cooling air flowing along the additional flow space  500 . 
         [0083]    A cross-sectional view of an additional flow space  500  of a fan shroud F according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 11 . 
         [0084]    As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , protrusions  600  are formed on an inner wall of the additional flow space  500 . The protrusions  600  protrude inward from the inner wall of the additional flow space  500 . A plurality of protrusions  600  are disposed to be spaced apart from each other along the inner wall. In this case, sizes or arrays of the protrusions  600  may be irregular. 
         [0085]    The cooling air flowing along the additional flow space  500  becomes a turbulent flow through the configuration of the protrusions  600  as described above, such that the cooling air flows at a constant speed and in a constant direction within the additional flow space  500 , thereby making it possible to prevent resonance noise. 
         [0086]    In the fan shroud for a vehicle according to the present invention having the configuration as described above, the narrow spaces in which the flow of the air within the shroud is not smooth are minimized, thereby minimizing the BPF noise of the fan shroud. 
         [0087]    The present invention is not to be construed as being limited to the above-mentioned exemplary embodiment. The present invention 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 invention 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 invention.