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US 7,559,391 B2Granted
Engine compartment temperature sensitive louvers
AssigneeInternational Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
InventorsJames C. Bradley, Scott A. Wooldridge, Rodney J. Klinger, Joseph T. Penaloza
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A passive louver system providing supplemental and localized cooling for an engine compartment is implemented using magnetic catches for opening and closing of the louvers.
Claims12
A louver system for a motor vehicle engine compartment comprising:
- a vent through a motor vehicle hood or a vehicle body adjacent the motor vehicle engine compartment for air circulation between the motor vehicle engine compartment and ambient atmosphere;
- a fin mounted with respect to the motor vehicle hood or motor vehicle body and fitting with the vent for closure of the vent;
- a first magnet mounted with respect to the fin and a second magnet mounted in proximity to the vent for drawing the fin to close the vent by mutual attraction between the first magnet and the second magnets;
- and
- a catch made of a magnetic material located intermediate the first magnet and the second magnet in a location where exposed to heat from the motor vehicle engine compartment, the magnetic material having a Curie point at which the magnetic material loses magnetic susceptibility at a selected trigger temperature for opening of the fin.
2 more elements
A motor vehicle body comprising:
- a plurality of vents located through the motor vehicle body, including a hood, adjacent an engine compartment;
- a plurality of fins or louvers positioned relative to the plurality of vents for closing the plurality of vents to air circulation;
- a magnetic closure system associated with at least one of the plurality of vents and a fin or louver for that at least one of the plurality of vents, the magnetic closure system including first and second magnets positioned to draw an edge of the fin into closing contact with the motor vehicle body along one edge of the at least one of the plurality of vents;
- and
- a magnetic catch which releases the magnetic closure system responsive to temperature of the magnetic catch exceeding a Curie point of a material from which the magnetic catch is fabricated.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.