# US 9,518,502 B2 · Apparatus for controlling air flow to engine room of vehicle and air flow control system including the same

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- Number: US 9,518,502 B2
- Document ID: US9518502B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/551,038
- Filed: 2014-11-23
- Published: 2015-11-19
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2014-05-13
- Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company
- Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company
- Inventors: Jongwoo Nam; Hyun Cho; Joonho Lee; Hanshin Chung
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518502B2

## CPC

- F01P 7/12: by thermostatic control
- B60H 1/00764: {the input being a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed (B60H1/00828, B60H1/00864 take precedence)}
- B60H 1/00885: {Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps (B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485)}
- B60K 11/04: Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds
- B60K 11/06: with air cooling
- B60K 11/085: {with adjustable shutters or blinds}
- F01P 7/08: by cutting in or out of pumps
- F01P 11/10: Guiding or ducting cooling-air, to, or from, liquid-to-air heat exchangers
- F01P 11/14: Indicating devices; Other safety devices
- Y02T 10/88: Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses
- 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)
- B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- 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
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An apparatus for controlling air flow to an engine room of a vehicle may include vertical support units provided as a pair, a plurality of flaps provided to be unfolded or folded in the vertical support units, a delivery unit configured to selectively fold or unfold the flaps, a rotary unit configured to selectively rotate the flaps, and a controller configured to control operations of the delivery unit and the rotary unit according to operational states of a vehicle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for controlling air flow to an engine room of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
vertical support units provided as a pair;
a plurality of flaps provided to be unfolded or folded in the vertical support units;
a delivery unit configured to selectively fold or unfold the flaps;
a rotary unit configured to selectively rotate the flaps; and
a controller configured to control operations of the delivery unit and the rotary unit according to operational states of a vehicle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vertical support units include guide rails having a width narrowed downwardly, wherein stoppers are provided in the plurality of flaps and have sizes corresponding to widths of the guide rails such that the plurality of flaps are placed in preset positions of the guide rails.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the delivery unit includes:
a delivery screw provided in any one of the guide rails;
a delivery plate supporting a lowermost flap among the plurality of flaps, and engaged with the delivery screw to adjust a position of the lowermost flap when the delivery screw rotates; and
a delivery motor selectively rotating the delivery screw.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the rotary unit includes:
rotary gears respectively coupled to the plurality of flaps;
a rotary screw provided in another guide rail and selectively engaged with the rotary gears; and
a rotary motor selectively rotating the rotary screw.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the rotary motor is a servo motor configured to rotate in forward and reverse directions and is controlled in revolutions per minute (RPM) and rotating speed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the rotary screw is a flexible gear configured to be selectively engaged with the rotary gears.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:
an operating motor selectively rotating a delivery screw or a rotary screw,
wherein the delivery unit includes:
the delivery screw provided in any one of the guide rails; and
a delivery plate supporting a lowermost flap among the plurality of flaps and engaged with the delivery screw to adjust a position of the lowermost flap when the delivery screw rotates, and
the rotary unit includes:
rotary gears respectively coupled to the plurality of flaps; and
the rotary screw provided in another guide rail and selectively engaged with the rotary gears.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the operating motor is a servo motor configured to rotate in forward and reverse directions and controlled in RPM and rotating speed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the rotary screw is a flexible gear that is configured to be selectively engaged with the rotary gears.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:
an operation conversion unit selectively engaging the operating motor and the delivery screw or the rotary screw.

### Claim 11

A system for controlling air flow to an engine room of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a fan shroud in which a cooling fan including a fan motor and a fan blade is installed;
an apparatus for controlling the air flow to the engine room of the vehicle including vertical support units provided as a pair, a plurality of flaps provided to be unfolded or folded in the vertical support units, a delivery unit configured to selectively fold or unfold the flaps, and a rotary unit configured to selectively rotate the flaps; and
a controller configured to control operations of the delivery unit, the rotary unit, and the cooling fan according to operational states of the vehicle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the fan shroud and the apparatus for controlling the air flow to the engine room of the vehicle are provided between an engine and a radiator.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, further comprising an encapsulation covering the engine.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein operation modes of the system for controlling the air flow to the engine room of the vehicle include:
a first mode in which the plurality of flaps are unfolded to be completely closed and the cooling fan is turned off;
a second mode in which an operating rotational angle of the plurality of flaps in the unfolded state is controlled and the cooling fan is turned off;
a third mode in which the plurality of flaps in the unfolded state are completely opened and the cooling fan is turned off; and
a fourth mode in which the plurality of flaps are folded and an operation of the cooling fan is controlled.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, further comprising an atmospheric temperature sensor configured to measure an atmospheric temperature and output a corresponding signal; a speed sensor configured to measure a speed of the vehicle and output a corresponding signal; an air-conditioning pressure sensor configured to measure internal air-conditioning pressure and output a corresponding signal; an air-conditioning switch sensor configured to measure an operating signal of an air-conditioning switch and output a corresponding signal; and a refrigerant temperature sensor configured to measure a refrigerant temperature and output a corresponding signal,
wherein the controller determines an operational state of the vehicle based on the corresponding signals from the sensors, and controls operations of the delivery unit, the rotary unit, and the cooling fan in any one of the first to fourth modes according to the operational state of the vehicle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, further comprising an intercooler temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the intercooler and output a corresponding signal,
wherein the controller further obtains a signal from the intercooler temperature sensor to determine an operational state of the vehicle, and controls operations of the delivery unit, the rotary unit, and the cooling fan in any one of the first to fourth modes.