Vehicle grill with reciprocal moveable louvers

A grill assembly for attachment to a vehicle front end including a base grill portion, having a front surface, a back surface, a perimeter portion, and cross-rail portions. The cross-rail portions define a plurality of grill openings therebetween. A plurality of louvers are configured to communicate with the plurality of grill openings. The assembly is in communication with a controller to effectuate generally linearly reciprocal movement of at least one of the base grill portion or the plurality of louvers in a direction generally defined by a direction of travel of the vehicle to vary an amount of air flow through the plurality of grill openings.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a grill for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a grill for a vehicle that utilizes linearly reciprocal movement between a grill portion and associated louvers to close off grill openings and selectively vary the flow of air through the grill to the interior engine compartment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vehicle grills are known to direct airflow into the engine compartment of a vehicle when it is driven. This airflow may be employed to cool components within the engine compartment, including the engine or transmission. However, engine components may not always require the full amount of airflow available to the vehicle. For example, under some conditions, such as when the ambient air and engine are cold, it may be advantageous to reduce airflow into the engine compartment to allow the engine to warm more quickly and provide warm air sooner through the heating and air conditioning system. Closing the openings of the grill, such as through the use of moveable louvers, may also be advantageous, provided that adequate cooling airflow is provided to the engine compartment, to reduce aerodynamic drag and improve fuel economy.

Grills with moveable grill louvers are known and the louvers are generally operated by an electric motor that drives a gear set to effectuate rotational movement of the louvers to block or restrict airflow through the grill openings. The louvers are typically configured to rotate between a fully open position where unrestricted airflow can occur through the grill openings and a closed position where airflow is blocked. Moreover, moveable louvers have generally been disposed behind the vehicle grill to close off the openings from their backside and thus are not prominently visible. As such, they do not contribute to the aesthetics of the vehicle. These systems also require the use of significant space in the engine compartment for proper rotation and operation, which is a disadvantage for packaging requirements.

As these systems all suffer from a variety of disadvantages, it is desirable to provide a vehicle grill that improves over these systems in both function and aesthetics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present disclosure to provide a vehicle grill that utilizes linear movement between the grill and grill louvers to open and close grill openings and vary airflow through the grill.

It is another aspect of the present disclosure to provide a vehicle grill that can selectively close or partially close associated grill openings depending upon engine and/or vehicle operating conditions to reduce drag when less airflow is required to the engine.

It is still another aspect of the present disclosure to provide a vehicle grill that enhances function of a vehicle to which the grill is attached and also enhances the aesthetics of the vehicle.

It is yet another aspect of the present disclosure to provide a vehicle grill that employs linear movement between the grill and associated grill louvers to selectively close the grill openings to allow for faster engine warm up and reduce the carbon footprint of the vehicle.

It is a further aspect of the present disclosure to provide a vehicle grill that utilizes moveable louvers and minimizes the amount of space requirements in the engine compartment for operation of same.

It is still a further aspect of the present disclosure to provide a vehicle grill with moveable louvers that are disposed on an outer surface of the grill.

In accordance with the above and the other aspects of the present disclosure, a grill assembly for a vehicle front end is provided. The grill assembly includes a base grill portion, including a front surface, a back surface, a perimeter portion, and a plurality of cross rail portions. The plurality of cross rail portions define a plurality of grill openings which are configured to permit air flow therethrough from an exterior of the vehicle to an interior engine compartment. The plurality of grill openings are each in communication with at least one louver. The assembly is in communication with a controller to effectuate linearly reciprocal movement of at least one of the base grill portion or the plurality of louvers in a direction generally defined by a direction of travel of the vehicle to vary an amount of air flow through the plurality of grill openings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present disclosure relates generally to a grill for an automotive vehicle. According to an aspect, as shown schematically inFIG. 1, the grill10may be attached to a front portion of a vehicle14. The vehicle14may include a central passageway16formed in the vehicle front portion12that extends between the exterior of the vehicle14and an engine compartment18. It will be appreciated that the grill may be attached to any suitable vehicle where air can flow into the engine compartment, including for cooling purposes, such as a car, a truck, or heavy equipment. The grill may alternatively be employed on other suitable structures other than vehicles.

According to an aspect, the grill10may be formed of a plastic material and may be formed by a suitable forming process, such as injection molding. Alternatively, the grill10may be formed of a metal, a composite material or any other suitable material. According to a further aspect, the grill10may have a decorative surface100applied thereto, which is intended to enhance vehicle aesthetics. According to an aspect, the decorative surface may be a metal coating, such as Chrome or Nickel that is applied to the plastic grill surface by a metal plating process, such as a conventional electroplating process. However, other types of metal may be employed as a coating and other metalizing processes may be utilized. According to another aspect, the decorative surface may be paint or a variety of other suitable decorative aesthetic finishes or coatings that can be applied to the grill surface. According to a still further aspect, a decorative surface could consist of molded-in-color or insert-molded film, which are available from Lacks Enterprises, Inc. of Grand Rapids, Mich. It will be appreciated that the decorative surface may be applied to all of the grill or only a select portion or portions thereof. According to an aspect, the decorative surface may be applied to only the class A surfaces. According to still a further aspect, the decorative surface or a combination of surfaces may be applied to only a portion of the class A surface. It will also be appreciated that multiple decorative surfaces may be applied to the grill, such as a metal plated layer as well as paint layer over top thereof. Other combinations, configurations, and types of decorative surfaces may also be utilized.

According to an aspect and as shown inFIGS. 2 through 4, the vehicle grill10can include a base structure20, having a top rail22, a bottom rail24, a pair of opposing side rails26, and a middle rail28. The top rail22, the bottom rail24, the side rails26, and the middle rail28all serve as cross-rails. According to an aspect, the grill10may also include a plurality of grill openings30that are formed between the rails in a front face32of the grill10. The grill openings30may be configured to permit air to flow through the grill10generally in a direction from the vehicle exterior into the engine compartment18. The grill openings30may also be defined by a plurality of side surfaces34that extend inwardly away from the grill front face32toward the engine compartment. According to an aspect, one or more of the plurality of side surfaces34may be sloped or angled inwardly. It will be appreciated that the grill front face32, the openings30and the side surfaces34may have a variety of different configurations. The grill may include any number of rails or none at all and may thus include a variety of different number of openings.

According to a further aspect, the grill10may include a system for selectively opening or closing the grill openings30. In the open position, full airflow may be permitted to flow through the openings. While in the closed position, airflow may be prevented from flowing through the openings30into the engine compartment.

According to an aspect, the system can include a plurality of louvers40that are in communication with each of the grill openings30. The louvers40may be configured to move with respect to each of the grill openings30to selectively block air from flowing therethrough or to allow air to flow therethrough unobstructed according to parameters defined by the system. The louvers40may also be moved to a variety of other intermediate positions to restrict airflow by partially blocking off the grill openings30. The degree of obstruction and position of the louvers40may be controlled by a suitable control system and algorithms for opening and closing the grill openings30based on a variety of predetermined conditions or factors.

According to another aspect, the system may be employed to control airflow into a variety of other vehicle locations and may be employed in connection with a variety of other suitable structures. For example, the system may be employed to control airflow into the vehicle passenger compartment, for combustion or for other uses. According to another aspect, the disclosed system may be employed to selectively open or close other airflow passages, holes or ducts.

According to an aspect, each louver40may be configured to generally match the size and shape of a corresponding grill opening30with which it is designed to communicate. As shown, the grill openings30may be generally rectangular in shape. According to an aspect, the louvers40may have a corresponding rectangular shape. It will be appreciated that the size and shape of the grill openings30and the corresponding louvers40may vary. According to an aspect, each louver40can include a front surface42, a back surface44, and a plurality of side surfaces46that extend between and connect the front surface42and the back surface44. According to a further aspect, the louver side surfaces46may generally match the shape, contour and slope of the inside side surfaces34. According to an aspect, the louver side surfaces46may be angled in order to generally match the configuration of the grill opening side surfaces34. According to an aspect, the shape of the louvers42may be designed to predominantly restrict airflow through the grill openings30when in the closed position.

According to an aspect, the louvers40may be moveable with respect to the grill openings30. According to an aspect, the louvers40may be moveable in a linear direction, i.e., fore and back with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle. This is contrasted with the rotational movement of louvers in prior systems. According to an aspect, the louvers40may be linearly moveable between an open position (see e.g.FIGS. 2 and 3) and a closed position (see e.g.FIG. 4) to expose or close off the grill openings30.

In the open position, generally shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, the louvers40may be displaced or spaced outwardly (forwardly with respect to the direction of vehicle travel) from the openings30such that air may flow around the louvers40and into the openings30. In the closed position, the louvers40may be nested in each of the grill openings30such that airflow through the openings is predominantly blocked. It will be appreciated that a variety of suitable structures may be employed to translate the louvers40between the open and the closed position. According to an aspect, linkage structures or moveable rods may be in communication with the louvers40to move them under direction of the control system in connection with a driving mechanism, such as a motor. It will be appreciated that any suitable structure may be employed for translating the louvers40. In the nested position, the side surfaces46of the louvers40may engage the side surfaces34of the grill10. It will also be appreciated that the louvers40may move linearly in a direction normal or perpendicular to the face of the grill.

According to an aspect, the louvers40may be constructed as horizontal slats that have elongated rectangular sides. The louvers40may have a variety of different configurations, sizes and shapes. The louvers40may be formed of a plastic material, however, it will be understood that they can be formed of a metal or a variety of other suitable materials. According to an aspect, the louvers40may also be formed of a plastic material and may have a decorative surface or coating100, such as a metal layer, thereon in the same fashion as discussed above in connection with the grill. Again, the decorative surface may be applied to just the front surface42, i.e., the class A surface. The decorative surface may consist of a combination of different types of aesthetic treatments.

According to an aspect, in operation, the louvers40may be in a closed position at startup of the vehicle14. As the vehicle14begins to travel, the louvers40may move to an open position for heat management purposes. Thereafter, as the vehicle increases to a certain predetermined speed, the louvers40can move to a closed position to reduce the coefficient of drag and provide improved aerodynamics for the vehicle. It will be understood that the louvers40can be controlled linearly to move at various predetermined different speeds and to different degrees of displacements depending upon the vehicle. For example, they can be partially closed under certain circumstances to allow limited airflow. Alternatively, the louvers40can be controlled to move under other conditions besides or in addition to vehicle speed. The exact conditions under which the louvers40move between the open and closed position is not critical and is not intended to be limiting. Moreover, under some conditions, the louvers40can also be partially open or partially closed to restrict air flow, but not totally blocking air flow through the openings30. The movement and timing of the louvers40may be effectuated by a controller (not shown) that is in communication with the motor unit. It will also be appreciated that the louvers40may remain stationary and the grill10may translate forwardly and rearwardly in a generally linear path to effectuate opening and closing of the grill openings30. According to an aspect, due to the angled configuration of the side surfaces34and the rails, in the closed position, the louvers40are recessed or flush with respect to the front face of the grill.

FIGS. 5A and 5Bschematically illustrate another configuration of an exemplary grill opening50and corresponding louver52for a vehicle grill10in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure. It will be appreciated that the grill10can include multiple grill openings50and multiple corresponding louvers52and that they can also have different or varying shapes. According to an aspect as shown, the grill opening50may be configured generally as a parallogram. According to another aspect, the louver52may also be generally shaped as a parallogram such that in the closed position, the louver52may nest in the grill opening50to block off air flow through the grill. According to another aspect, the grill opening50may be smaller than the grill opening30.

According to an aspect, the louver52may be configured to reciprocate between and open position where the louver52is removed from engagement with the opening50to allow airflow to flow through the opening and a closed position where airflow is blocked from passing through the opening. According to another aspect, the louver52may be disposed rearwardly of the opening50and may be configured to communicate with a backside of the opening50in the closed position. In the open position, the louver52may be disposed rearwardly from or behind the opening50such that airflow may pass through the opening50. Again, the louver52may be in communication with a controller and a control system to control movement of the louver52between the open position and the closed position, including one or more intermediate positions therebetween.

According to an aspect, the louvers40may be constructed as horizontal slats that have elongated rectangular sides. The louvers40may have a variety of different configurations, sizes and shapes. For example, the louvers40may have surfaces that are curved as illustrated by the lower surface41of the lower two louvers40inFIG. 1. As also shown and discussed herein, the side surfaces of the louvers41may also be curved or non-planar. The louvers40may be formed of a plastic material, however, it will be understood that they can be formed of a metal or a variety of other suitable materials. According to an aspect, the louvers40may also be formed of a plastic material and may have a decorative surface or coating, such as a metal layer, thereon in the same fashion as discussed above in connection with the grill. Again, the decorative surface may be applied to just the front surface42, i.e., the class A surface. The decorative surface may consist of a combination of different types of aesthetic treatments.

FIGS. 6A and 6Bschematically illustrate another configuration of an exemplary grill opening60and corresponding louver62for a vehicle grill10in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure. It will be appreciated that the grill10can include multiple grill openings60and multiple corresponding louvers62and that they can also have different or varying shapes. According to an aspect as shown, the grill opening60may be configured generally as an oval or circle. According to another aspect, the louver62may also be generally shaped as an oval or circle such that in the closed position, the louver62may nest in the grill opening60to block off air flow through the grill. According to another aspect, the grill opening60may be smaller than the grill opening30.

According to an aspect, the louver62may be configured to reciprocate between an open position where the louver62is removed from engagement with the opening60to allow airflow to flow through the opening and a closed position where airflow is blocked from passing through the opening. According to another aspect, the louver62may be disposed rearwardly of the opening60and may be configured to communicate with a backside of the opening60in the closed position. In the open position, the louver62may be disposed rearwardly from or behind the opening60such that airflow may pass through the opening60. Again, the louver62may be in communication with a controller and a control system to control movement of the louver62between the open position and the closed position, including one or more intermediate positions therebetween.

According to a further aspect as shown in the Figures, the louver62may be disposed forwardly of the grill front face in the open position and can include a front head portion64and a stem portion66. The stem portion66may extend into the opening60. In the closed position, the stem portion66may reside substantially in the opening60and extend from the front surface61to the rear surface63of the grill10. Also, in the closed position, the front head portion64can engage the front surface of the grill portion10. As also shown, an area65of the front surface of the grill portion10may be recessed or sloped inwardly adjacent the opening60such that the front head portion64can be flush with or recessed with respect to the front surface61. Additionally, the louver62can include an enlarged lower portion67that can engage with a corresponding surface68in the opening60to provide support for the lover62in the closed position.

The specification and illustrations of the embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of the various embodiments. The specification and illustrations are not intended to serve as an exhaustive and comprehensive description of all of the elements and features of apparatus and systems that use the structures or methods described herein. Many other embodiments may be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the disclosure. Other embodiments may be used and derived from the disclosure, such that a structural substitution, logical substitution, or another change may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure is to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Certain features are, for clarity, described herein in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any sub combination. Further, reference to values stated in ranges includes each and every value within that range.