阅读说明：本技术 用于制造机动车辆空气活门设备的安装-注射成型法 (Mounting-injection moulding method for producing air flap devices for motor vehicles ) 是由 里卡尔多·多里加蒂 于尔根·施奈德 于 2019-06-03 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种用于制造机动车辆空气活门设备的方法,机动车辆空气活门设备用于按量控制到车辆空间中的冷却空气流,空气活门设备包括：具有穿通口的设备框架；至少一个沿着活门轴线延伸的空气活门,空气活门围绕平行于活门轴线或者与活门轴线共轴的枢转轴线在两个不同地覆盖所述穿通口的工作位置之间可枢转地支承在设备框架上,其中用于制造机动车辆空气活门设备的部件中的至少一部分的方法包括注射成型法。根据本发明提出,所述方法为了制造机动车辆空气活门设备的至少两个通过形状配合彼此连接的部件而包括安装-注射成型步骤,借助于所述安装-注射成型步骤,以与相应另一部件部分地形状配合接合的方式制造这两个部件中的一个部件。(The invention relates to a method for producing an air flap arrangement for a motor vehicle for quantitatively controlling a cooling air flow into a vehicle space, comprising: an equipment frame having a through opening; at least one air flap extending along a flap axis, which is mounted on the device frame so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis parallel to or coaxial with the flap axis between two operating positions which cover the through-opening differently, wherein the method for producing at least one part of the components of the motor vehicle air flap device comprises injection molding. According to the invention, the method for producing at least two components of an air flap arrangement of a motor vehicle, which are connected to one another by means of a positive fit, comprises a mounting-injection molding step, by means of which one of the two components is produced in a partially positive fit engagement with the respective other component.)

1. A method for manufacturing a motor vehicle air shutter device (10) for metering a flow of cooling air into a vehicle space, the air shutter device (10) comprising: an equipment frame (12) having a through opening (14); at least one air flap (30) extending along a flap axis (K), which is mounted on the device frame (12) so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis (S) parallel to the flap axis (K) or coaxial thereto between two operating positions which differently cover the through opening (14), wherein the method for producing at least some of the components (16, 18, 20, 32, 36, 38, 40, 42) of the motor vehicle air flap device (10) comprises injection molding,

Characterized in that the method comprises, for producing at least two components (16, 18, 20, 32, 36, 38, 40, 42) of the motor vehicle air flap device (10) which are connected to one another by means of a positive fit, a mounting-injection molding step, by means of which one of the two components (16, 18, 20, 32, 36, 38, 40, 42) is produced in a positive fit engagement with a respective other component (16, 18, 20, 32, 36, 38, 40, 42) in sections.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second light sources are selected from the group consisting of,

Characterized in that the two parts comprise an air flap-side air flap bearing section (36, 38) and an equipment frame-side equipment frame bearing section (18, 20), the air flap bearing section having a pivot bearing structure (44, 46) defining the pivot axis (S) for pivotably supporting the air flap (30), the equipment frame bearing section having a pivot bearing counterpart structure (48) defining a bearing axis (L) for pivotably receiving the pivot bearing structure (44, 46) having a pivot axis (S) coaxial with the bearing axis (L).

3. the method of claim 2, wherein the first and second light sources are selected from the group consisting of,

characterized in that the equipment frame (12) comprises a base frame (16) and the equipment frame bearing sections (18, 20) as separate components, and the method comprises the step of connecting the equipment frame bearing sections (18, 20) with the base frame (16).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

Characterized in that the two parts comprise an air flap section (36) on the air flap side, in particular an air flap bearing section (36), and a entrainment arm (36) projecting from the air flap section (36) for coupling the air flap (30) to at least one further air flap (30) having a parallel flap axis (K) for a common pivoting movement about a respective parallel pivot axis (S), and/or for coupling with a pivot drive (26).

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

Characterized in that the two parts comprise an air valve section (36), in particular an air valve bearing section (36), and a connecting tab (42) for coupling the driving arm (40) with at least one driving arm (40) of at least one further air valve section (36) of at least one further air valve (30) having parallel valve and pivot axes (K, S), and a driving arm (40) projecting from the pivot axis (S).

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5,

Characterized in that the motor vehicle air flap arrangement (10) has a plurality of air flaps (30) with flap axes and pivot axes (K, S) parallel to one another, wherein one of the components is an assembly of a plurality of components (36, 40, 42).

7. The method of any one of claims 2 to 6,

Characterized in that the air flap bearing section (36, 38) is an end flap (36, 38).

8. the method according to any one of the preceding claims,

Characterized in that the method comprises: extruding a valve body (34) along an extrusion axis, wherein the extrusion axis runs parallel to the valve axis (K).

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

Characterized in that the two parts are manufactured by injection moulding from thermoplastic materials having different shrinkage characteristics, in particular having different coefficients of thermal expansion.

10. Vehicle having an air flap arrangement (10) produced according to the method of one of the preceding claims, wherein the air flap arrangement is accommodated in an opening of the vehicle at the front side of the vehicle.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for producing a motor vehicle air flap arrangement for the metered control of a cooling air flow into a vehicle space, comprising: an equipment frame having a through opening; at least one air flap extending along a flap axis, which is mounted on the device frame so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis parallel to or coaxial with the flap axis between two operating positions which cover the through-opening differently, wherein the method for producing at least one part of the components of the motor vehicle air flap device comprises injection molding.

Background

the process according to the invention is known from EP 3210811 a 1. This document discloses a multi-part injection-molded device frame and a multi-part air flap, each having an extruded flap body and an injection-molded end flap and a pivot bearing arrangement formed in one piece on the end flap for pivotably supporting the air flap on the device frame. The motor vehicle air flap device known from EP 3210811 a1 has a plurality of air flaps parallel to one another, each having a driver arm which are connected to one another via a connecting web for a common movement. In this way, it is sufficient to move the air flaps or the connecting webs in order to move all the air flaps coupled via the connecting webs in common between the differently covered operating positions.

The large number of parts of the motor vehicle air flap arrangement known from EP 3210811 a1 requires a plurality of injection molding tools and a large installation effort in order to obtain an effective motor vehicle air flap arrangement from a plurality of parts.

disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to optimize the production method known from EP 3210811 a1 or at least derivable therefrom, such that the number of required moulds and/or the number of required installation steps can be reduced.

The invention achieves this object by means of the initially mentioned method for producing a motor vehicle air flap arrangement, which method comprises, in order to produce at least two parts of the motor vehicle air flap arrangement which are connected to one another by positive fit, a mounting-injection molding step, by means of which one of the two parts is produced, which part produces one of the two parts in partially positive-fit engagement with the respective other part.

in this way, the earlier manufactured part of the two parts connected to one another by form fit forms an insert for the later manufactured part or forms a core in its injection molding cavity. The term "insert" is not to be understood here to encompass a process in which a component is actively inserted into an injection molding cavity. Rather, it is placed in the injection molding cavity for the part to be manufactured later, since it is already manufactured in the same mold and can remain there. Thus, the later manufactured component can already be injection molded with a form fit to the earlier manufactured component. The joint-like mounting of the two components, which were produced separately from one another in the prior art, is therefore no longer necessary. Furthermore, the number of molds can thus be reduced in the manner customary for the mounting-injection molding method, compared to the complete separate manufacture of each individual component.

in principle, any components that are connected to one another in a form-fitting manner at the finished motor vehicle air flap arrangement can be considered for the use of the mounting injection molding step mentioned above.

The at least one section of the at least one air flap and the one section of the device frame can be produced, for example, in a form-fitting connection with one another by means of a mounting injection molding process, which produces the pivot bearing of the at least one air flap at least one of its longitudinal ends, preferably at both longitudinal ends, already in function and ready when the two mentioned sections are produced at the sections of the device frame. This can be achieved by: the two components include an air valve bearing section on the air valve side having a pivot bearing structure defining a pivot axis for pivotably supporting the air valve and an equipment frame bearing section on the equipment frame side having a pivot bearing counterpart structure defining a bearing axis for pivotably receiving the pivot bearing structure having a pivot axis coaxial with the bearing axis. One of the two bearing sections, preferably the air flap bearing section, can therefore have, for example, journals projecting from the remaining sections as a pivot bearing structure, the longitudinal center axis of which defines the pivot axis of the air flap. Likewise, the respective other of the two sections, preferably the device frame bearing section, can have, for example, a bearing opening or a bearing recess through which the journal passes in the ready state as a pivot bearing counterpart. The longitudinal mid-axis of the bearing recess or bearing opening forms the bearing axis of the bearing recess or bearing opening. In the mounted state, i.e. in the present case the injection molding state, the journal passes through the bearing opening or projects into the bearing recess, wherein the pivot axis of the journal and the bearing axis of the bearing recess or bearing opening are then arranged coaxially in order to achieve a pivoting movement of the journal and the structure connected thereto for common movement relative to the apparatus frame bearing section about the defined pivot axis.

In this case, it is preferred that only the section which has the bearing opening or the bearing recess and which is used as an insert in the mounting injection molding process for producing the component or the section having the journal is produced by injection molding. The pivotability of the journal produced in the mounting-injection molding process in the bearing opening or bearing recess can be ensured by a suitable material selection with suitable shrinkage properties.

In this case, a more shrinkable material can be selected in the simplest case for the journal than for the component surrounding the journal. The journal can then shrink freely from the bearing opening or bearing recess surrounding it on cooling after its manufacture in the injection molding technique so as to ensure a relative rotatability of the bottom friction.

The air flap bearing section can be a section which is combined in one piece with the air flap and on which a pivot bearing arrangement is formed. The air flap bearing section can likewise be a component separate from the remaining air flap body, which is mounted as an air flap with the air flap body.

in order to simplify the assembly steps for the connecting elements, which are still necessary even when using the assembly injection molding method, it can be provided that the device frame comprises a base frame and a device frame bearing section as separate components. The method then comprises the step of connecting the device frame bearing section with the base frame.

In addition or as an alternative to the pivot mounting of the at least one air flap on the device frame, the two parts can comprise an air flap section on the air flap side and a entrainment arm projecting from the air flap section for coupling the air flap to a further component. The further component can be at least one further air flap having parallel flap axes, so that the air flap and the at least one further air flap can be coupled for common pivotal movement about the respective parallel pivot axes. Additionally or alternatively, the further component can be part of a pivot drive, so that the air flap can be coupled with the pivot drive for transmitting the drive force.

The mentioned air valve section can be the aforementioned air valve bearing section. In principle, if the air flap bearing section is a separate component from the remaining flap bodies, it is formed in one piece with the mentioned entraining arm. However, if this is not possible, for example because of the structural shaping of the air valve section, it is a very advantageous option to produce the air valve section and the entraining arm at the same time, and to install them in a form-fitting manner.

Since the driver arm and the air valve section should generally have to perform exactly no relative movement with respect to one another, the sections of the air valve section and of the driver arm, which engage into one another in a form-fitting manner, are connected in a press-fit manner by appropriate selection of the production sequence and the respective materials with respect to their shrinkage behavior. For this purpose, the component formed by the entraining arm and the air valve section, preferably the entraining arm, can be retracted onto the respective further component, wherein the component surrounds the respective further component on the outside.

A section of the above-mentioned journal can, for example, pass through the opening of the driver arm. In addition or as an alternative to the retraction of the entrainment arm onto the section of the journal or the other section of the air valve section, the sections that penetrate into one another in a form-fitting manner can be molded non-rotationally symmetrically, so that a relative rotation of the entrainment arm and the air valve bearing section is reliably prevented.

However, a relatively movable pivot bearing of the air flap at the device frame and/or a non-movable connection of the air flap section and the driver arm relative to each other can be established in the mounting injection molding process. In addition or alternatively, according to an advantageous development of the invention, the two parts can comprise an air valve section with a entrainment arm projecting from the pivot axis and a connecting web for coupling the entrainment arm to at least one entrainment arm of at least one further air valve section of at least one further air valve with a parallel valve and a pivot axis. The entraining arm and the connecting web can then already be produced by means of the mounting injection molding method with a transmission movement coupled to one another. Preferably, the connecting web is movable relative to the driver arm, in particular rotatable about the coupling point of the connecting web and the driver arm. For this rotary mounting of the driver arm on the connecting web, the above-mentioned references with respect to the pivot mounting of the air flap bearing section on the device frame bearing section apply accordingly: the structure formed by the driver arm and the connecting web can have a projection which projects into a recess in the respective further structure which surrounds the projection in the ready state or through an opening in the respective further structure. See the above description for the pivot bearing with regard to the projection material selection and the production sequence on the one hand and the opening or recess on the other hand.

The mentioned air flap section can preferably again be the aforementioned air flap bearing section.

Preferably, the air flap bearing section, the device frame bearing section, the driver arm and the connecting web are produced in succession by means of a mounting injection molding process and are connected to one another in a form-fitting manner as a result of the production. As already explained above, the entraining arm can be formed in one piece with the air flap bearing section or can be produced separately from it by injection molding, but in a form-fitting connection therewith.

According to a preferred development of the invention, the motor vehicle air flap arrangement comprises a plurality of air flaps having flap axes and pivot axes parallel to one another in order to be able to release as large an air passage opening as possible for throughflow or to block the air passage opening in order to prevent throughflow. In this case, one of the components mentioned above can be an assembly consisting of a plurality of air valve sections and/or entrainment arms which can be produced simultaneously in a mounting injection molding process.

The air flap bearing section can be an end flap as a component formed separately from the remaining flap bodies. The component formed by the valve body and the end valve can then have a plug-in connection, which can be connected by insertion to a mating plug-in connection of a respective further component. The plug-in connection and the mating plug-in connection can be provided with form-fitting locking means, for example with locking projections and locking recesses, for locking the mechanical connection of the valve body and the end valve. Preferably, the valve body has a recess as a mating plug-in connection into which a projection of the end valve can be inserted as a plug-in connection. Since the valve body is preferably produced by extrusion when using an end flap, it has in all cases a recess extending along the valve axis. Alternatively or even additionally, for example, when the end section of the end flap surrounds the valve body in the installed state of the air flap, preferably in a completely encircling manner, the longitudinal end section of the valve body as a whole can be introduced into the recess of the end flap.

Accordingly, the presently discussed manufacturing method can include: the valve body is extruded along an extrusion axis, wherein the extrusion axis runs parallel to the valve axis. The valve body can then be sized in the required length from the extruded valve body strand.

In order to ensure the relative mobility of the two parts produced in the mounting injection molding process or in order to ensure their immobility relative to one another, the two parts can, as already explained above, be produced by injection molding techniques from thermoplastic materials having different shrinkage characteristics, in particular having different coefficients of thermal expansion.

Since the motor vehicle air flap arrangement discussed above gives the motor vehicle special technical advantages, the invention also relates to a motor vehicle with an air flap arrangement manufactured according to the above-described method, wherein the air flap arrangement is accommodated in an opening of the vehicle at the front side of the vehicle. Preferably, the motor vehicle air flap arrangement is used for controlling a cooling air flow to a coolant heat exchanger of the motor vehicle. The through-opening in this case forms an inlet to the engine compartment of the vehicle.

Drawings

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the figures. The figures show:

Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a motor vehicle air flap arrangement according to the invention when viewed from the side facing the engine compartment of the motor vehicle in the ready state,

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a component assembly made of an end flap on the air flap side and a bearing section of the device frame, which is produced in a mounting injection molding process, in such a way that the side of the component assembly facing the air flap is viewed,

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the assembly of fig. 2, in a view from the side of the assembly facing away from the air flap,

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged perspective view of the valve body, driver arms, connecting tabs and bearing sections of the device frame closer to the drive of FIG. 1, an

Fig. 5 shows a detail view of the assembly consisting of end flaps and entrainment arms produced by mounting-injection molding; not only the parts but also the ready assembly are shown.

Detailed Description

One embodiment of the motor vehicle air flap arrangement according to the invention of the present application is generally indicated at 10 in fig. 1. The air flap arrangement 10 comprises an arrangement frame 12 which encloses an air passage opening 14.

The apparatus frame 12 here comprises: a base frame 16, which completely surrounds the air through openings 14; and a device frame bearing section 18 closer to the drive and a device frame bearing section 20 further from the drive. Bearing sections 18 and 20 are manufactured as separate components and can be mounted on base frame 16, where they are mounted in respective recesses 22 and 24 to form device frame 12.

The electric drive 26 can be mounted on the mounting structure 28 on the side of the device frame bearing section 18 which is closer to the drive facing away from the air passage opening 14. The electric drive 26 can then drive the plurality of air flaps 30 for a pivoting movement between a closed position, illustrated in fig. 1, in which the air passage openings 14 are blocked by the air flaps 30 to inhibit a flow through, and an open position, deflected relative to the closed position, in which the air flaps 30 allow a flow through of the air passage openings 14.

The air flaps 30 extend along parallel flap axes K, of which only the flap axis K of the lowermost air flap 30 in fig. 1 is shown for the sake of clarity.

The air flap 30 is furthermore pivotable about parallel pivot axes S to move between the aforementioned working positions, i.e. closed position and open position. The pivot axis S is parallel to the flap axis K. Here, "parallel" means, for the purposes of the present application, relative to the term "coaxial": the valve axis K and the pivot axis S, although extending in the same direction, have a constant, non-vanishing spacing from one another orthogonal to this direction.

The uppermost air flap 30 in fig. 1 has a hub connection 32 at its longitudinal end which is closer to the drive 26 and which can be coupled in a torque-transmitting manner to an output element of the drive 26, for example to a drive hollow shaft which is not shown in the drawing.

The air shutter 30 includes: a valve body 34 manufactured as an extruded profile; and two end side end flaps 36 and 38. The end flaps 36 closer to the drive pivotally support the flap body 34 on the equipment frame bearing section 18 closer to the drive. The end flaps 38 remote from the drive pivotably support the flap body 34 on the equipment frame bearing section 20 remote from the drive. The end flaps 36 closer to the drive have respective carrying arms 40, unlike the end flaps 38. The carrier arms can be coupled by connecting tabs 42 for common pivotal movement about their respective pivot axes S.

the end flaps 36 and 38 are arranged substantially mirror-symmetrically in this case. The drive end flap of the uppermost air flap 30 in fig. 1, which carries the grain structure 32, is formed differently from the remaining end flap 36 closer to the drive, since it has the grain structure 32.

The end flaps 36 and 38 have journals 44 and 46, respectively, which define the pivot axis S of the air flap 30 with the end flaps 36 and 38, respectively. The journals 44 and 46 pass through bearing openings in the associated apparatus frame bearing section 18 or 20 in the ready state. In fig. 1, only the bearing openings 48 in the equipment frame bearing section 20 that is located farther from the drive are visible. The central axis of the bearing opening 48 forms the bearing axis L of the bearing opening. In the ready configuration, the pivot axis S of the air flap 30 is coaxial with the associated bearing axis L of the device frame bearing sections 18 and 20 supporting the air flap.

According to the invention, the end flaps 38 and the equipment frame bearing sections 20 remote from the drive are produced, for example, by means of a mounting-injection molding process.

For this purpose, preferably only the device frame bearing section 20, which is remote from the drive and has the bearing opening 48, is produced by injection molding technology and subsequently used as an insert in the injection molding cavity to produce the end flap 38. The end flaps are produced during the mounting-injection molding step in such a way that they pass through the bearing openings 48 and engage them from behind, to be precise from a material which shrinks more strongly than the material of the bearing section 20, preferably when heat-cured from the processing temperature during the injection molding into the operating temperature common to the bearing section 20. The journal 46 can therefore be freely retracted from the bearing opening 48 around it and ensures a flexible rotational support of the end flap 38 at the bearing section 20.

The corresponding applies to the end flaps 36 and their journals 44, relative to the closer equipment frame bearing sections 18.

Fig. 2 shows in detail the assembly produced by the mounting-injection molding method from the apparatus frame bearing section 20 and the end flaps 38. It can be seen how the end flap 38 can be inserted into a corresponding plug-in recess of the extruded valve body 34 by means of a two-part plug-in projection 50 in the example shown, so that it can be connected to the valve body 34 for a common movement. The outer contour of each end flap 38 corresponds to the outer contour of the associated flap body 34 and thus to the outer contour of the air flap 30. Fig. 2 shows how sections of adjacent air flaps 30 overlap in the flow direction D in order to avoid undesirable unsealed gaps between adjacent air flaps 30.

The back side of the assembly of fig. 2 is shown in fig. 3. It can be seen how the radial latching projections 52 at the exposed longitudinal ends of the journals 46 engage the edges of the bearing openings 48 from behind in order to hold the end flaps 38 on the device frame bearing section 20 without loss until the installation of the air flap device 10 is completed.

fig. 4 shows a plug-in recess 54 of the valve body 34, into which the plug-in projection 50 of the end flap 36 is inserted in order to connect the valve body 34 and the end flap 36 to one another. In the same manner, the not shown journals of the end flaps 36 are connected to the device frame bearing sections 18 closer to the drive by means of mounting injection molding, as has already been explained for the end flaps 38 and the device frame bearing sections 20 further away from the drive with reference to fig. 2 and 3.

The driver arm 40 and the connecting web 42 are also preferably produced by means of a mounting-injection molding technique in a relatively movable form-fitting engagement, that is to say a latching engagement. For the reasons mentioned above for promoting the free shrinkage of the mobility, it is preferred to first produce the entraining arm 40 in an injection molding technique and then produce the connecting web 42 as an insert inserted into the injection molding cavity. The connecting tab 42 has a plurality of projections 56, preferably exactly one projection for each of the driver arms 40. The projection 56 passes through a through-opening 58 in the driver arm 40 (see fig. 5). In the same way as the free longitudinal end of the journal 46, the free longitudinal end of the projection 56 is formed in such a way that it engages the through-opening 58 from behind by means of the radial latching projection 52. As in journals 44 and 46, slots 60 extending axially from the free longitudinal end of the projection 56 or journal 44 or 46 into the projection 56 or journals 44 and 46 and the radial deformability associated therewith also contribute to the releasability of the journals 44 and 46 or projection 56 from their respective forming dies.

However, the slots 60 can also be used to transmit torque, for example via the grain structure 32 to the end flap 36 and thus to the air flap 30.

Thus, not only can the end flaps 36 and the apparatus frame bearing sections 18 closer to the drive be produced together in readiness for mounting-injection molding, but also the drive end flaps 36 and the grain structure 32 of the uppermost air flap 30 in fig. 1.

The driver arm 40 and the end flap 36 can be produced in one piece by injection molding technology. This is not necessary, however. Fig. 5 shows the end flap 36 and the entraining arm 30, which is formed separately therefrom and which can likewise be produced by mounting injection molding in such a way that the mounting is completed. In order to achieve a connection of the driver arm 40 and the end flap 36 that is as secure as possible, it is preferred that the end flap 36 is first produced by injection molding and that a section of the journal 44 is then injection molded with the driver arm 40 by means of a mounting injection molding process, wherein the connection ensures that the devices formed by the driver arm 40 and the end flap 36 are immovable relative to one another. Preferably, a material is used for the movable arm 40, which shrinks more strongly than the material of the end flap 36 when cooling from the processing temperature during injection molding to the operating temperature common to the end flap 46. The entraining arm 40 can thereby be retracted as if onto the section of the journal 44 carrying it. Alternatively, the journal 44 can have a rotationally asymmetrical outer contour in the section carrying the driver arm 40, so that the driver arm 40 is held in a form-fitting manner on the end flap 36 so as to be non-rotatable relative thereto.

In the case of the components described, a plurality of components connected to one another can also be produced in succession by means of injection molding.

If the driver arm 40 and the end flap 36 are formed in one piece, the device frame bearing section 18 can be produced closer to the drive, for example, in a first injection molding step. The end flaps 36 are ejected rotatably supported at the apparatus frame bearing sections by means of mounting-injection moulding. The grain structure 32 is injected onto the assembly by installation-injection molding at the journal 44 of the driver end flap 36 (which in fig. 1 is the uppermost end flap 36 closer to the driver). Likewise, by means of the mounting injection molding method, the connecting webs 42 are not only produced ready for positive connection with the driver arms 40, but are also "mounted" together with the driver arms 40.

The assembly consisting of the device frame bearing section 20 and the end flaps 38 is likewise produced by means of the mounting-injection molding method. The two device frame bearing sections fitted with end flaps are then connected by means of the plug-in connections 50 to the respective longitudinal ends of the flap body 34 in such a way that they are plugged into their plug-in recesses 54. The air flap assembly thus formed is inserted by its two device frame bearing sections 18 and 20 into corresponding cutouts 22 and 24 at the base frame 16. The base frame 16 is thus completed as the device frame 12 and the air flap device 10 has been produced.

Fig. 4 furthermore shows an advantageous projection 62 on a contact region 64 of the valve body which, in the closed position, lies opposite a mating contact region 66 of the further valve body 34 or of the base frame 12. Thereby, the contact surfaces of the contact area 64 and the counter-contact area 66 are advantageously reduced from each other, which facilitates: the movement blockage of the air flap 30 due to icing is released and the air flap 30 is again movable.

Additionally or alternatively, the projection 62 can be formed on the mating contact region.

the projection 62 extends over the entire length of the contact region 64 or mating contact region 66 carrying it and/or over the entire length of the valve body 34 in order to achieve the best possible sealing action. The projections 62 are preferably produced by means of a correspondingly designed extrusion die during the extrusion of the valve body 34.

For the sake of overview, not all contact regions 64 and mating contact regions 66 are provided with reference numerals in fig. 4.