This invention relates to an automotive vehicle, especially a passenger car, having a bumper, at least two radiators, and an air duct for guiding the cooling air stream over the radiators. The air duct has an inlet port provided with air directing means.
German Unexamined Published Patent Application 2,306,317 shows an automotive vehicle which has two series-arranged radiators extending transversely to the driving direction. A common air duct is associated with the two radiators. The air duct includes two walls forming a tunnel and air directing means provided between the walls in the area of the cooling air inlet port. The air directing means is formed from a separately manufactured synthetic resin component.
A disadvantage of this arrangement is that the radiators, disposed in a common duct, are not exposed to an adequately defined throughflow of cooling air, as is required, for example, for a supercharger air cooler and an engine radiator.
Moreover, this air duct must be large in cross-sectional area to accomodate the necessary air flow for the radiators, since the cooling air inlet port is located in an area of relatively low dynamic pressure. Furthermore, design freedom in the front end space is impaired by the large-area structure of the air duct. Another drawback is that the air duct, which consists of several parts, is relatively expensive to manufacture and assemble.
It is an object of this invention to provide, for an automotive vehicle having at least two radiators, a cooling air guide system which is simple in construction, which functions satisfactorily, and which can be integrated into the vehicle with few problems.
These objects are attained in a cooling air guidance system which comprises a separate air duct for each radiator. Each air duct has an inlet port provided with means for directing the cooling air flow. The inlet ports and the air directing means are arranged in an elastic cover of the bumper. One of the air ducts extends, in part, through an opening in a rigid support member for the bumper. To increase cooling efficiency, at least one of the inlet ports is located in an area of maximum dynamic pressure, e.g., below a nose-shaped projection of the bumper cover.
The two radiators and their respective air ducts are preferably arranged in upper and lower vertical relation. Each air duct is formed by an air guide housing, detachably connected to the radiator and the inlet port. The housings are preferably made of a synthetic resin by a blow-molding technique.
The lower inlet port is formed by a plurality of vertically spaced slotted openings which extend transversely to the vehicle. Ribs in the bumper cover extend between the slotted openings and serve as means for directing the cooling air stream.
The bumper is supported by a rigid support member which is open, relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and which is situated directly behind the upper inlet port. The support member forms a portion of the upper air duct. The support is formed by two generally horizontal plate members, spaced vertically a distance from each other. The panels are held in position by locally arranged holders and spacer elements. The panels are fastened to the holders and spacers by fasteners, such as screws, rivets and the like.
The primary advantage attained by the invention is improved cooling as a result of providing each radiator with its own air duct. By locating the inlet ports in an area of maximum dynamic pressure, an increased air flow rate is attained with a smaller air duct cross section. This allows for reductions in the cross section of the air duct and the dimensions of the radiators. The inlet ports can also be made substantially smaller in size if they are located in an area of high, rather than low, dynamic pressure. Since the bumper (support and cover) is utilized for forming the cooling air guide system, the space available at that location is more effectively used.
By arranging the inlet ports and the air directing means in the elastic cover of the bumper and by manufacturing the air guide housings of a synthetic resin by a blow-molding method, a simple and economically producible cooling air guide system is created which can be mounted in a rapid and simple fashion. The bumper support, which consists of two panels with associated holder and spacer elements, is simple in construction and can be inexpensively manufactured.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.