Shutter device for vehicle

The shutter device has a blade and a frame member which supports the blade in a rotatable manner. The device has a shaft arranged along the frame member, an actuator device for rotating the shaft, and a link member which opens and closes the blade by transmitting a rotational force of the shaft to the blade. The device has a calibration structure having a calibration member formed on the shaft and a calibration surface formed on the frame member. The calibration structure calibrates a rotational position of the shaft by coming into contact with the calibration member onto the calibration surface. The device further has a discharge structure which discharges foreign matters existing between the calibration member of the shaft and the calibration surface of the frame member.

TECHNICAL FIELD

A present disclosure relates to a shutter device for a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

A vehicle uses air to dissipate heat from a heat exchanger. Devices are developed to control an amount of air. In one aspect, the air also brings foreign matters such as mud particles and the like. The devices to control the air is required to work properly even in such an environment. In the above aspects, or in other aspects not mentioned, there is a need for further improvements in a shutter device for a vehicle.

SUMMARY

This disclosure provides a shutter device for a vehicle. The shutter device comprising: a blade; a frame member which supports the blade in a rotatable manner; a shaft arranged along the frame member; an actuator device for rotating the shaft; a link member which opens and closes the blade by transmitting a rotational force of the shaft to the blade; and a contact structure having a member formed on the shaft and a surface formed on the frame member which are come into contact with each other at a rotational end of the shaft. The frame member is formed with a discharge structure which discharges a foreign matter existing between the member of the shaft and the surface of the frame member. Alternately, the rotatable member of the shaft is formed with a discharge structure which discharges a foreign matter existing between the member of the shaft and the surface of the frame member.

According to this configuration, even if a foreign matter is clogged between the member of the shaft and the surface of the frame member, the foreign matter is discharged through the discharge structure. As a result, it is hard to occur a situation in which a rotational position of the shaft is erroneously learned based on a position where the member of the shaft comes into contact with the foreign matter. Therefore, it is possible to more surely perform the calibration of the rotational position of the shaft.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle shutter device are described with reference to the drawings. To facilitate understanding, identical constituent elements are designated with identical symbols in the drawings where possible with the duplicate description omitted.

A vehicle introduces air from a front opening to an engine room. The introduced air is used to dissipate heat from a radiator through which an engine cooling water flows or heat from a condenser of an air conditioner for a vehicle. A shutter device capable of temporarily blocking the air flow from the front opening to the engine room may be installed in such a vehicle.

JP2016-55719A discloses a shutter device which has a plurality of blades having a pair of shaft portions on both ends and a frame member supporting the shafts of the blades in a rotatable coupled manner. Each blade opens and closes by rotating around the shaft portions. In this shutter device, the air can pass through when the plurality of blades are in an open state, and the air can be blocked through the frame member when the plurality of blades are in a closed state. Notch shapes are formed on the shaft portion of the blade so as to extend along the axial direction thereof. As a result, the notch shape defines a gap between the notch shape of the blade and the frame member. Therefore, even if a foreign matter enters between the shaft portion and the frame member, the foreign matter may be removed by an air flow passing through the gap between the shaft portion of the blade and the frame member. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the blade from becoming sluggish.

A shutter device for a vehicle may be configured to have a frame member, a shaft arranged along the frame member, an actuator device for rotating the shaft, and a link member for opening and closing the plurality of blades by transmitting a rotational force of the shaft to the plurality of blades. It is possible to operate in opening and closing the plurality of blades at once by the actuator device by using the shutter device having the above-mentioned configuration.

On the other hand, in the shutter device having the above-mentioned configuration, if a rotational position of the shaft is shifted, an open position and a close position of the blade may be shifted. Therefore, it is preferable that the shutter device performs a so-called calibration operation which calibrates the rotational position of the shaft. It is possible to perform the calibration of the rotational position of the shaft by leaning an initial position of the blade from a rotational position of the shaft at a contact position where a calibration member formed on an outer surface of the shaft is operated to come into physical contact with a predetermined portion of the frame member.

On the other hand, a foreign matter may enters a gap between the calibration member of the shaft and the predetermined portion of the frame member. When the calibration of the rotational position of the shaft is performed, the initial position of the shaft may be erroneously learned from a position where the calibration member of the shaft comes into contact with the foreign matter. In order to prevent the erroneous learning of the initial position of the shaft described above, it is needed to remove the foreign matter entering into the gap between the calibration member of the shaft and the predetermined portion of the frame member. A method using the air flow similar to the shutter device disclosed in JP2016-55719A may be one method to remove the foreign matter. However, if the foreign matter is clogged between the calibration member of the shaft and the predetermined portion of the frame member, the air flow alone is not enough to remove the foreign matter. As a result, the calibration of the rotational position of the shaft may not properly performed. It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a shutter device capable of more surely performing a calibration of the rotational position of the shaft.

First Embodiment

First, a schematic configuration of a vehicle equipped with the shutter device of the first embodiment is described.

As shown inFIG.1, a front opening2is provided on a front of a body1of a vehicle C. Air in front of the body1is introduced into an engine room3of the vehicle C through the front opening2. In the engine room3, a radiator5and a condenser6are arranged in addition to an engine4of the vehicle C. The radiator5dissipates heat from a cooling water for cooling the engine4by performing heat exchange between the cooling water and the air introduced from the front opening2. The condenser6is a component of a refrigeration cycle for an air conditioner mounted on the vehicle C and dissipates heat from a refrigerant by performing heat exchange between the refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle and the air introduced from the front opening2. The radiator5and the condenser6are arranged between the front opening2and the engine4.

A shutter device10capable of temporarily blocking the air flow from the front opening2to the engine room3is arranged between the radiator5and the condenser6. The shutter device10enables early warming up of the engine4, for example, by temporarily blocking the air flow from the front opening2to the engine room3during a cold start of the engine4. Further, the shutter device10improves an aerodynamic performance of the vehicle C by temporarily blocking the air flow from the front opening2to the engine room3when the vehicle C travels at high speed.

Next, the specific structure of the shutter device10is described.

As shown inFIG.2, the shutter device10includes a frame member20, a plurality of blades30, and an actuator device40.

The frame member20is formed in a square casing shape and has an upper frame piece21, a lower frame piece22, a right frame piece23, and a left frame piece24. The frame member20is made of, for example, a resin material. The air introduced from the front opening2shown inFIG.1flows through within the casing of the frame member20. As shown inFIG.2, the frame member20has a vertical reinforcing frame piece25and a lateral reinforcing frame piece26which are arranged in a cross shape to reinforce the frame pieces21to24within the casing. The vertical reinforcing frame piece25is provided so as to connect between central portions of the upper frame piece21and the lower frame piece22. The lateral reinforcing frame piece26is provided so as to connect between central portions of the right frame piece23and the left frame piece24. The reinforcing frame pieces25and26define four regions within the casing of the frame member20.

Hereinafter, the longitudinal directions of the upper frame piece21and the lower frame piece22are also referred to as an X axis direction, and the longitudinal directions of the right frame piece23and the left frame piece24are also referred to as a Z axis direction. In this embodiment, the Z axis direction corresponds to the vertical direction. In the drawings, one of the Z axis directions is shown in a Z1direction, and a direction opposite to the Z1direction is shown in a Z2direction. The Z1direction is upward in the vertical direction, and the Z2direction is downward in the vertical direction. Further, a direction orthogonal to both the X axis direction and the Z axis direction is also referred to as a Y axis direction. The Y axis direction corresponds to a direction of the air flow.

The plurality of blades30are arranged in the four regions defined within the casing of the frame member20. In the four regions of the frame member20, the plurality of blades30are arranged so as to have a longitudinal direction in the Z axis direction and are arranged side by side in the X axis direction. The plurality of blades30includes the blades30arranged between the upper frame piece21and the lateral reinforcing frame piece26have shaft portions which are provided at upper ends thereof and are supported by the upper frame piece21in a rotatable manner, and shaft portions which are provided at lower ends thereof and are supported by the lateral reinforcing frame piece26in a rotatable manner. The plurality of blades30includes the blades30arranged between the lower frame piece22and the lateral reinforcing frame piece26have shaft portions which are provided at upper ends thereof and are supported by the lateral reinforcing frame piece26in a rotatable manner, and shaft portions which are provided at lower ends thereof and are supported by the lower frame piece22in a rotatable manner.

A link member60is further assembled to the lateral reinforcing frame piece26. The link member60is formed so as to extend in the X axis direction. As shown inFIG.3, the link member60is coupled with a coupling structure33of each blade30. A lower end of the shaft50is coupled with an one end of the link member60.

As shown inFIG.2, the shaft50is arranged along the right frame piece23upward from a central portion of the right frame piece23. An upper end of the shaft50projects from an upper surface of one end of the upper frame piece21. A gear51is formed at the upper end of the shaft50.

The actuator device40is fixed above one end of the upper frame piece21with screws or the like. The actuator device40has a drive shaft which is meshed with the gear51of the shaft50, and rotates the shaft50in response to an electric power supply. The plurality of blades30are operated to open or to close in response to a relative displacement of the link member60in the X axis direction with respect to the lateral reinforcing frame piece26caused by rotation of the shaft50. That is, the link member60opens and closes the plurality of blades30by transmitting the rotational force of the shaft50to the plurality of blades30. When the plurality of blades30are in the open state, gaps are formed between the blades30, so that the air can enter the engine room3from the front opening2through the shutter device10. When the plurality of blades30are in the close state, the gaps between the blades30are closed, so that the air flow from the front opening2to the engine room3is temporarily blocked.

As shown inFIG.4, a disk portion52is formed at a base end of the gear51to have an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the gear51. A calibration member53is formed on an outer periphery of the disk portion52to protrude outward in the radial direction to have a protruding shape. The calibration member53is arranged within an arcuate shaped notch shape211formed on a first frame member210if the upper frame piece21. The first frame member210is a frame piece provided along an outer circumference of the disk portion52of the shaft50on the upper frame piece21. According to the structure described above, a movable range of the calibration member53is defined within a range from a first inner surface211aprovided at one end of the notch shape211to a second inner surface211bprovided at the other end of the notch shape211. The plurality of blades become the open state by rotating the shaft50to a position where the calibration member53comes into contact with the first inner surface211a. The plurality of blades become the close state by rotating the shaft50to a position where the calibration member53comes into contact with the second inner surface211b.

In the shutter device10in this embodiment, a calibration of rotational position of the shaft50is performed, for example, when an ignition switch of the vehicle C is turned on. Specifically, when the ignition switch of the vehicle C is turned on, the actuator device40rotates the shaft50in a direction indicated by the arrow D inFIG.4, that is, the direction in which the calibration member53comes into contact with the first inner surface211aof the frame member210. Then, the actuator device40learns a position where the calibration member53is stopped after the calibration member53is displaced in the direction indicated by the arrow D as an initial position of the shaft50. Hereinafter, the first inner surface211aof the frame member210is also referred to as a calibration surface211a. Further, the actuator device40subsequently rotates the shaft50in a reverse direction, and performs a calibration that sets a position where the calibration member53comes into contact with the second inner surface211bof the frame member210as the other end position.

By the way, If a foreign matter clogs in a gap between the calibration member53of the shaft50and the calibration surface211aof the frame member210, when the calibration of the rotational position of the shaft50is performed, the initial position of the shaft50may be erroneously learned from a position where the calibration member53of the shaft50comes into contact with the foreign matter and stops. In order to avoid such erroneous calibration, the frame member210is provided with a discharge structure for removing the foreign matter.

A discharge hole221is formed on a portion of the frame member210located below the calibration surface211ain the vertical direction so as to penetrate in the Z axis direction. The discharge hole221may be composed of a single hole shown inFIG.5or a plurality of holes.

In addition, the calibration member53on the shaft50has an opposing surface530which opposes the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210, and is formed in a convex shape. Specifically, the opposing surface530of the calibration member53of the shaft50is formed so that an upper end portion thereof in the vertical direction projects most toward the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210. A surface other than a tip end531on the opposing surface530on the calibration member53of the shaft50is formed in a tapered shape so as to be inclined with respect to the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210.

Next, an operation example of the shutter device10of the present embodiment is described.

In the shutter device10of the present embodiment, as shown inFIG.6, it is assumed that a foreign matter E such as mud is clogged between the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210and the calibration member53of the shaft50. In this case, if the calibration member53of the shaft50is displaced toward the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210in order to perform the calibration of the rotational position of the shaft50, at first, the tip end531of the opposing surface530of the shaft50comes into contact with the foreign matter E. Therefore, due to applying a force in a concentrated manner on a portion where the tip end531of the shaft50comes in contact with the foreign matter E, as shown inFIG.5, the foreign matter E is pushed downward in the vertical direction along the opposing surface530formed in the tapered shape on the calibration member53on the shaft50. The foreign matter E pushed out by the calibration member53of the shaft50is discharged to an outside through the discharge hole221formed in the second frame member220by its own gravitational weight and a force received from the shaft50. Therefore, the foreign matter E existing between the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210and the calibration member53of the shaft50can be removed. As described above, in the shutter device10of the present embodiment, the discharge hole221formed in the second frame member220functions as a discharge structure for discharging the foreign matter E.

According to the shutter device10of this embodiment described above, operations and effects described in the following (i), (ii), and (iii) can be obtained.

(i) The frame member20is formed with the discharge hole221which is provided below the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210in the vertical direction as a discharge structure for discharging the foreign matter existing between the calibration member53of the shaft50and the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210. According to such a configuration, the foreign matter can be removed through the discharge hole221. Therefore, since it is hard to occur a situation in which a rotational position of the shaft50is erroneously learned based on a position where the calibration member53of the shaft50comes into contact with the foreign matter, it is possible to more surely perform the calibration of the rotational position of the shaft50.

(ii) The tip end531of the protruding portion of the opposing surface530of the shaft50comes into contact with the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210. According to such a configuration, since a force is applied to the foreign matter in a concentrated manner at a portion where the tip end531of the shaft50comes in contact with the foreign matter, the tip end531of the shaft50may penetrate the foreign matter and come into contact with the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210. Therefore, even if the foreign matter clogs a gap between the calibration member53of the shaft50and the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210, it is possible to perform the calibration of the rotational position of the shaft50.

(iii) The surface other than the tip end531of the opposing surface530of the shaft50is formed in a tapered shape so as to be inclined with respect to the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210. According to such a configuration, since the foreign matter pushed out by the tip end531of the shaft50moves along the opposing surface530, the foreign matter can be easily removed.

Modifications

Next, a modification of the shutter device10of the first embodiment is described.

For example, as shown inFIG.7, the opposing surface530of the calibration member53of the shaft50may be formed in a convex shape so that a lower end portion in the vertical direction protrudes toward the calibration surface211aof the first frame portion210.

Alternatively, as shown inFIG.8, the opposing surface530of the calibration member53of the shaft50may be formed in a convex shape so that the central portion thereof in the vertical direction protrudes toward the calibration surface211aof the first frame portion210.

Alternatively, as shown inFIG.9, the opposing surface530of the calibration member53of the shaft50may have a shape formed with a central portion in the vertical direction protruding toward the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210and a groove532in a depressed shape placed on the protruding tip end531.

Alternatively, as shown inFIG.10, the opposing surface530of the calibration member53of the shaft50may have a shape in which valley portions533and peak portions534are alternately provided.

When the shape shown inFIG.9andFIG.10is adopted as the shape of the opposing surface530of the shaft50, the shape of the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210may be changed according to the shape.

Even when the shape shown inFIG.7toFIG.10is adopted as the shape of the opposing surface530of the calibration member53of the shaft50, the operation and the effect are the same as or similar to that of the shutter device10of the first embodiment described above.

The opposing surface530of the shaft50may adopt a shape shown inFIG.9orFIG.10. In those examples, the opposing surface530of the shaft50may have a plurality of protruding shapes protruding toward the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210. According to such a configuration, when the opposing surface530of the shaft50comes into contact with the foreign matter, the tip end531of each of the convexly formed portions may penetrate the foreign matter and come into contact with the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210, therefore, it is possible to perform the calibration of the rotational position of the shaft50more reliably.

Second Embodiment

Next, the shutter device10of a second embodiment is described. Hereinafter, differences from the shutter device10of the first embodiment are mainly described.

In the shutter device10of the present embodiment, as shown inFIG.11, the opposing surface530of the shaft50is formed as a plane parallel to the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210.

On the other hand, a notch shape213is formed on the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210so as to cut out a part thereof. The notch shape213is formed so as to open to the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210and a bottom surface211cof the first frame member210. The notch shape213is not limited to a single number, and is one of a plurality of notch shapes213.

Further, the discharge hole221of the second frame member220is formed over a portion located below the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210in the vertical direction and a portion located below the notch shape213of the first frame member210in the vertical direction.

Next, an operation example of the shutter device10of the present embodiment is described.

In the shutter device10of the present embodiment, it is assumed that foreign matter E such as mud enters and is clogged in a gap between the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210and the calibration member53of the shaft50. In this case, when the calibration member53of the shaft50is rotated and displaced toward the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210in order to calibrate the rotational position of the shaft50, the foreign matter E is extruded into the notch shape213of the frame member210by the calibration member53of the shaft50. The foreign matter E extruded into the notch shape213is discharged to the outside through the discharge hole221of the second frame member220. Therefore, it is possible to remove the foreign matter E existing between the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210and the calibration member53of the shaft50. As described above, in the shutter device10of the present embodiment, not only the discharge hole221formed in the second frame member220but also the notch shape213formed in the first frame member210discharges the foreign matter E and both function as the discharge structure.

According to the shutter device10of this embodiment described above, the technical solutions described in the following (iv) can be obtained.

(iv) The frame member20is formed with the discharge hole221provided below the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210in the vertical direction and the notch shape213provided so as to cut out a part of the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210as the discharge structure for discharging foreign matters existing between the calibration member53of the shaft50and the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210. According to such a configuration, it is possible to remove the foreign matter through the notch shape213and the discharge hole221. Therefore, since it is hard to occur a situation in which a rotational position of the shaft50is erroneously learned based on a position where the calibration member53of the shaft50comes into contact with the foreign matter, it is possible to more surely perform the calibration of the rotational position of the shaft50.

Modifications

Next, a modification of the shutter device10of the second embodiment is described.

As shown inFIG.12, a through hole214is formed in the first frame member210of this modification so as to penetrate an inside of the first frame member210from the calibration surface211atoward the bottom surface211c. In this modification, the bottom surface211cof the first frame member210corresponds to an outer surface different from the calibration surface211a.

Even with such a configuration, the foreign matter existing between the calibration structure53of the shaft50and the calibration surface211aof the first frame member210can be removed and discharged to the outside through the through holes214of the first frame member210and the discharge hole221of the second frame member220, therefore, it is possible to surely perform the calibration of the rotational position of the shaft50.

Other Embodiments

The preceding embodiments may be practiced in the following modes.

The notch shape213is formed on the first frame member210in the shutter device10of the second embodiment, alternatively, a notch shape535is formed on the calibration structure53of the shaft50as shown inFIG.13. That is, a foreign matter discharging structure may be formed in the calibration structure53of the shaft50. The calibration structure53of the shaft50may be provided with the through hole as formed in the first frame member210ofFIG.12instead of the notch shape535. Further, the discharging structure may be formed in both the first frame member210and the shaft50by combining the structure of the first frame portion210shown inFIG.11orFIG.12and the structure of the shaft50shown inFIG.13.

The present disclosure is not limited to the specific examples described above. The specific examples described above which have been appropriately modified in design by those skilled in the art are also encompassed in the scope of the present disclosure so far as the modified specific examples have the features of the present disclosure. Each element included in each of the specific examples described above, and the placement, condition, shape, and the like of the element are not limited to those illustrated, and can be modified as appropriate. The combinations of the elements in each of the specific examples described above can be changed as appropriate, as long as it is not technically contradictory.