IP Library Granted Patent US 9,446,660
Granted Patent B2
US 9,446,660 · App. 14/807,152 · Granted Sep 20, 2016

Vehicle grill shutter, vehicle flap member, and actuator

Inventor: Yoshiyuki Asai (Kawasaki, JP)
Assignee: FALTEC CO., LTD.
B60K11/085B62D25/085
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,446,660
App. No.
14/807,152
Granted
Sep 20, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle grill shutter includes an actuator, a flap member which is configured to rotate between a closed position and an open position by the actuator, and an attachment position regulation mechanism which connects the actuator and the flap member, and is configured such that the flap member is connected to the actuator only when the flap member is positioned at a regular position with respect to the actuator.

Claims (31)

1. A vehicle grill shutter, comprising:

an actuator;

a flap member which is configured to rotate between a closed position and an open position by the actuator; and

an attachment position regulation mechanism which is configured to connect the actuator and the flap member only when the flap member is positioned at a regular position with respect to the actuator, wherein

the attachment position regulation mechanism includes:

a shaft portion which is provided on one of the actuator and the flap member, and has a rotationally asymmetrical shape when viewed from an attachment direction; and

an attachment portion having a fitting hole which is provided on an other of the actuator and the flap member and to which the shaft portion is fitted, and

the shaft portion includes a plurality of teeth which are arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction, and a notch portion which is formed by notching at least one of the plurality of teeth.

2. The vehicle grill shutter according to claim 1 , wherein

the flap member includes:

a flap main body;

the shaft portion;

a breaking portion which is interposed between the flap main body and the shaft portion and has a smaller diameter than a diameter of the shaft portion; and

a reinforcing rib which is provided along the breaking portion with respect to a circumferential surface of the breaking portion, wherein

the reinforcing rib is disposed to overlap with the notch portion of the shaft portion when viewed from the attachment direction.

3. The vehicle grill shutter according to claim 1 , wherein

the notch portion is disposed at a position at which the notch portion is horizontally separated from a center of the shaft portion when the flap member is positioned at the closed position.

4. A vehicle grill shutter, comprising:

an actuator;

a flap member in which a position is changed between a closed position and an open position by the actuator;

a shaft portion which is provided on one of the actuator and the flap member;

an attachment portion having a fitting hole which is provided on an other of the actuator and the flap member, and into which the shaft portion is fitted; and

an interposing portion which is interposed between the shaft portion and the inner wall surface of the fitting hole, wherein

the shaft portion has a gear shape which includes a plurality of teeth arranged in a circumferential direction,

the interposing portion is formed by a protrusion which is provided integrally with the tooth on both sides of the tooth in the circumferential direction of the shaft portion,

a notch portion which is formed by notching at least one of the plurality of teeth is provided, and

the protrusion is provided with respect to each of the teeth.

5. The vehicle grill shutter according to claim 4 , wherein

the protrusion extends in a direction along an axial center of the shaft portion, and a height of the protrusion from the surface of the tooth decreases toward a tip of the shaft portion.

6. The vehicle grill shutter according to claim 4 , wherein

the protrusion includes an apex which is configured to come into contact with an inner wall surface of the fitting hole, and the apex is flattened.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2015
From: ASAI, YOSHIYUKI
To: FALTEC CO. LTD.
Reel/Frame 036248/0126 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160089971A1 · Mar 31, 2016