Air Guide for front end cooling

Abstract

An air guide system ( 32 ) for a vehicle front end structure ( 20 ) includes a first air guide ( 34 ) and a second air guide ( 36 ). Each air guide ( 34, 36 ) includes a body ( 40 ) attachable to a front-end carrier ( 28 ) and a serpentine compression section ( 28 ) coupled to the body and configured to project from a frontward facing side ( 33 ) of the front-end carrier ( 44 ). The first and second air guides ( 34, 36 ) project toward a vehicle fascia ( 26 ), and each serpentine compression section ( 44 ) collapses in response to interference from the vehicle fascia ( 26 ) to create a seal between a cooling module ( 30 ) and the vehicle fascia ( 26 ).

1 . An air guide system for a vehicle comprising: 
 a body attachable to a front end structure of said vehicle; and    a serpentine compression section having a first edge coupled to said body and a second edge displaced from said body.    
   
   
       2 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said serpentine compression section is an S-shaped member.  
   
   
       3 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said serpentine compression section includes: 
 a first curved portion having said first edge; and    a second curved portion spaced from said first curved portion in a radial direction, said second curved portion having said second edge.    
   
   
       4 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein: 
 said first curved portion exhibits a first concave surface; and    said second curved portion exhibits a second concave surface arranged in opposing relation to said first concave surface.    
   
   
       5 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein: 
 said first curved portion includes a third edge; and    said second curved portion includes a fourth edge, said first and third edges of said first curved portion being in alignment with said second and fourth edges of said second curved portion and a transverse dimension of said body.    
   
   
       6 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein: 
 said first curved portion exhibits a first depth and a first width; and    said second curved portion exhibits a second depth and a second width, said second depth being greater than said first depth and said second width being greater than said first width.    
   
   
       7 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein: 
 said first curved portion exhibits a first depth and a first width substantially equivalent to said first depth; and    said second curved portion exhibits a second depth and a second width substantially equivalent to said second depth.    
   
   
       8 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said body exhibits a first thickness; and    said serpentine compression section exhibits a second thickness, said second thickness being less than said first thickness.    
   
   
       9 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said serpentine compression section is configured to project from a frontward facing side of said front end structure.  
   
   
       10 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said front end structure is a front-end carrier for supporting a cooling module, said vehicle further includes fascia positioned in front of said front-end carrier, and said serpentine compression section is configured to project toward said fascia to form a seal between said cooling module and said fascia.  
   
   
       11 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said air guide is a first air guide attachable to a first edge of said front-end carrier, and said air guide system further comprises a second air guide having a second serpentine compression section formed as a mirror image of said serpentine compression section, said second air guide being attachable to a second edge of said front-end carrier, and said second air guide being configured to project toward said fascia to form said seal between said cooling module and said fascia.  
   
   
       12 . An air guide system for a vehicle comprising: 
 a body attachable to a front end structure of said vehicle, said body exhibiting a first thickness; and    a serpentine compression section having a first curved portion and a second curved portion, said first curved portion having a first edge coupled to said body, said second curved portion being spaced from said first curved portion in a radial direction and having a second edge displaced from said body, and said serpentine compression section exhibiting a second thickness, said second thickness being less than said first thickness.    
   
   
       13 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 12  said first curved portion exhibits a first concave surface; and 
 said second curved portion exhibits a second concave surface arranged in opposing relation to said first concave surface.    
   
   
       14 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 12  wherein: 
 said first curved portion includes a third edge; and    said second curved portion includes a fourth edge, said first and third edges of said first curved portion being in alignment with said second and fourth edges of said second curved portion and a transverse dimension of said body.    
   
   
       15 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 12  wherein: 
 said first curved portion exhibits a first depth and a first width; and    said second curved portion exhibits a second depth and a second width, said second depth being greater than said first depth and said second-width being greater than said first width.    
   
   
       16 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 12  wherein: 
 said first curved portion exhibits a first depth and a first width substantially equivalent to said first depth; and    said second curved portion exhibits a second depth and a second width substantially equivalent to said second depth.    
   
   
       17 . An air guide system for a vehicle comprising: 
 a body attachable to a front end structure of said vehicle; and    an S-shaped compression section having a first edge coupled to said body and a second edge displaced from said body, said S-shaped compression section being configured to project from a frontward facing side of said front end structure.    
   
   
       18 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 17  wherein said front end structure is a front-end carrier for supporting a cooling module, said vehicle further includes fascia positioned in front of said front-end carrier, and said S-shaped compression section is configured to project toward said fascia to form a seal between said cooling module and said fascia.  
   
   
       19 . An air guide system as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said air guide is a first air guide attachable to a first edge of said front-end carrier, and said air guide system further comprises a second air guide having a second S-shaped compression section formed as a mirror image of said S-shaped compression section, said second air guide being attachable to a second edge of said front-end carrier, and said second air guide being configured to project toward said fascia to form said seal between said cooling module and said fascia.