# US 10,870,344 B2 · Air flap apparatus having integrated light guides, for a motor vehicle

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- Number: US 10,870,344 B2
- Document ID: US10870344B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/510,085
- Filed: 2019-07-12
- Published: 2020-01-23
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2018-07-18
- Assignees: Röchling Automotive SE & Co. KG
- Applicants: Röchling Automotive SE & Co. KG
- Inventors: Peter Dill
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870344B2

## CPC

- B60Q 1/2661: {mounted on parts having other functions (on wheels B60Q1/326)}
- B60K 11/085: {with adjustable shutters or blinds}
- B60Q 1/50: for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
- F01P 7/10: by throttling amount of air flowing through liquid-to-air heat exchangers
- F21S 43/14: Light emitting diodes [LED]
- F21S 43/237: rod-shaped
- F21S 43/245: emitting light from one or more of its major surfaces
- F21S 43/246: {having two or more output branches}
- F21S 43/247: with a single light source being coupled into the light guide
- F21S 43/252: {Two or more successive light guides}
- F21S 43/281: {Materials thereof; Structures thereof; Properties thereof; Coatings thereof}
- B60L 2240/36: Temperature of vehicle components or parts
- B60Q 2400/20: Multi-color single source or LED matrix, e.g. yellow blinker and red brake lamp generated by single lamp
- Y02T 10/88: Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28)
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An air flap apparatus for a motor vehicle, encompassing a frame having a flowthrough opening, at least one air flap mounted movably relative to the frame that projects into the flowthrough opening; the at least one air flap being displaceable between closed and open positions in order to modify a gas quantity flowing per unit time, with a predefined flow impingement, through the flowthrough opening; the at least one air flap decreasing a flowthrough-capable cross section of the flowthrough opening greater in the closed position than in the open position; the air flap apparatus further encompassing a motion drive system that is coupled to the at least one air flap to drive the at least one air flap between the closed and open positions, at least one air flap, constituting a light-emitting air flap, having at least one light exit surface to radiate light to an external environment of the light-emitting air flap, the light-emitting air flap having at least one light-guiding light guidance component to guide light from a light entrance portion through to a light exit portion arranged at a distance therefrom, the light guidance component being embodied integrally with a structural component of the light-emitting air flap.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An air flap apparatus for a motor vehicle, encompassing a frame having a flowthrough opening, on which frame at least one air flap is mounted movably relative to the frame so as to project into or pass through the flowthrough opening; the at least one air flap being displaceable between a closed position and an open position in order to modify a gas quantity flowing per unit time, with a predefined flow impingement, through the flowthrough opening; the at least one air flap decreasing a flowthrough-capable cross section of the flowthrough opening more greatly in the closed position than in the open position; the air flap apparatus further encompassing a motion drive system that is motion- and force-transferringly coupled to the at least one air flap in order to drive the at least one air flap to move between the closed position and the open position,
wherein the at least one air flap of the air flap apparatus includes at least one light-emitting air flap, the at least one light-emitting air flap comprises at least one light exit surface that is embodied to radiate light to an external environment of the at least one light-emitting air flap, the at least one light-emitting air flap further comprising at least one light-guiding light guidance component that is embodied to guide light from a light entrance portion through to a light exit portion arranged at a distance therefrom, the at least one light guidance component being embodied integrally with a structural component, of the at least one light-emitting air flap.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one component from among the structural component and the at least one light guidance component is molded by injection molding onto the respective other component.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the at least one light guidance component is overmolded by the structural component.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the structural component and the light at least one guidance component are manufactured using a multi-component injection molding method.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one light guidance component comprises a flap light guide having a light entrance surface and a light exit surface; and the structural component is a portion of a flap body, arranged in the flowthrough opening, of the at least one light-emitting air flap, the flap light guide extending over at least half of the length of the flap body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one light guidance component comprises a flap light guide having a light entrance surface and a light exit surface; and the structural component is a portion of a flap body, arranged in the flowthrough opening, of the at least one light-emitting air flap, the flap light guide extending over at least two thirds of the length of the flap body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the flap body comprises a receiving recess for receiving the flap light guide therein, the structural component constituted integrally with the flap light guide being a cover that covers the receiving recess.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the at least one light-emitting air flap comprises, on its front side that is impinged upon by flow during operation, an emission opening through which light can be emitted from the flap light guide to the external environment of the at least one light-emitting flap.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the at least one light guidance component comprises an optical diffusor apparatus that is arranged in the emission opening and has a light input surface and a light output surface; and the structural component is a portion of the flap body, arranged in the flowthrough opening, of the at least one light-emitting air flap, the light input surface of the optical diffusor apparatus being arranged oppositely and at a distance from the light exit surface of the flap light guide.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the optical diffusor apparatus extends over at least half of the length of the flap body.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the optical diffusor apparatus extends over at least three quarters of the length of the flap body.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the length of the diffusor apparatus is equal to between 80% and 120% of the length of the light exit surface of the flap light guide.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the flap body comprises a receiving recess for receiving the flap light guide therein, the structural component constituted integrally with the flap light guide being a cover that covers the receiving recess; wherein the emission opening is an opening of the receiving recess in the flap body.

### Claim 14 (depends on 5)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the at least one light guidance component comprises an incoupling light guide having a light incoupling surface and a light outcoupling surface; and the structural component is a portion of the flap body, arranged in the flowthrough opening, of the at least one light-emitting air flap, the light outcoupling surface of the incoupling light guide being arranged oppositely and at a distance from the light entrance surface of the flap light guide.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one light guidance component comprises a flap light guide having a light entrance surface and a light exit surface; and the structural component is a portion of a flap body, arranged in the flowthrough opening, of the at least one light-emitting air flap, the flap light guide extending over at least half of the length of the flap body; wherein the at least one light-emitting air flap comprises, on its front side that is impinged upon by flow during operation, an emission opening through which light can be emitted from the flap light guide to the external environment of the at least one light-emitting flap; wherein the at least one light guidance component comprises an optical diffusor apparatus that is arranged in the emission opening and has a light input surface and a light output surface; and the structural component is a portion of the flap body, arranged in the flowthrough opening, of the at least one light-emitting air flap, the light input surface of the optical diffusor apparatus being arranged oppositely and at a distance from the light exit surface of the flap light guide; wherein the structural component that carries the incoupling light guide and constitutes a one-piece structural component is also the structural component that carries the optical diffusor apparatus.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one light-emitting air flap is a plurality of light-emitting air flaps that are arranged on the frame successively along a succession axis.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a plurality of flow-directing surfaces that are mounted on the frame immovably relative thereto and project into or pass through the flowthrough opening.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a frame light guide, which is light-transferringly coupled to at least one of the at least one light guidance component of the at least one light-emitting air flap, is retained on the frame.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The air flap apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising a light source which is light-transferringly connected to the frame light guide in such a way that light emitted from the light source is transferrable by the frame light guide.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

A motor vehicle having an air flap apparatus according to claim 1, such that a front side of the at least one light-emitting air flap, which is impinged upon in the closed position by wind blast when the motor vehicle is traveling forward, faces in a forward travel position in the closed position.