Air vent for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10099536-B2
Application number	US-201414557913-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2014
Priority date	Dec 2, 2014
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

An air vent for a vehicle includes a housing extending between an inlet and outlet end. The housing includes a first wall and a second wall that cooperate to define an interior volume therebetween. The inlet end defines an inlet opening and air enters the interior volume through the inlet opening. The outlet end has a length and a width that cooperate to define an outlet opening having a low aspect ratio. Air exits the interior volume through the outlet opening. The first wall includes a directional wall section that extends non-linearly from a transition location to the outlet end. Air travelling through the interior volume is directed by the directional wall section to create a flow direction of air exiting the outlet opening. Vanes may be disposed in the interior volume to allow directability of air exiting the outlet opening, while providing a low pressure drop therethrough.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An air vent for a vehicle having a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the air vent comprising:
a housing extending longitudinally between an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein the housing includes an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, and wherein a direction of airflow is defined between the inlet end and the outlet end;
wherein the housing includes a first wall and a second wall disposed in spaced relationship to the first wall such that the first wall and the second wall cooperate to define an interior volume therebetween that includes the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber;
wherein the first and second walls extend longitudinally between the inlet end and the outlet end;
wherein the inlet end defines an inlet opening in communication with the interior volume such that air is permitted to enter the inlet chamber through the inlet opening;
wherein the outlet end defines an outlet opening in communication with the interior volume such that the air is permitted to exit the outlet chamber through the outlet opening;
wherein the outlet opening is perpendicular to an outlet axis;
wherein the first wall and the second wall cooperate to form the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber including a directional wall section that extends non-linearly between the transition location and the outlet end and defines an outlet chamber;
wherein the first wall includes a first curvilinear wall section that terminates at the outlet end;
wherein the second wall includes a second curvilinear wall section that terminates at the outlet end;
wherein the first and second curvilinear wall sections define the outlet chamber;
an inlet vane being disposed in the inlet chamber, and pivotable about a first axis that is perpendicular to the direction of airflow;
an outlet vane being completely disposed within the outlet chamber and pivotable about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and perpendicular to the direction of airflow;
wherein the outlet vane includes a planar device that includes a pivot end and a directional end that are disposed within the outlet chamber, wherein the pivot end includes a pivot axis that is parallel to the second axis;
wherein the outlet vane is pivotable about the pivot axis to one of a neutral position, a first position and a second position;
wherein the outlet vane is disposed to direct the air towards the first curvilinear wall section when the outlet vane is pivoted to the first position;
wherein the outlet vane is disposed to direct the air towards the second curvilinear wall section when the outlet vane is pivoted to the second position; and
wherein the air is not directed towards either the first curvilinear wall section or the second curvilinear wall section when the outlet vane is pivoted to the neutral position.

2. The air vent, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the outlet vane is disposed within the outlet chamber such that the second axis is centered between the first wall and the second wall.

3. The air vent, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the outlet vane is disposed within the outlet chamber such that the second axis is proximate to the outlet end and the directional end is pivotably disposed between the pivot end of the outlet vane and the transition location.

4. The air vent, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the outlet vane comprises a pair of outlet vanes disposed in the outlet chamber;
wherein the outlet vanes are completely disposed in the outlet chamber and are pivotable about respective second and third axes that are both perpendicular to the first axis and perpendicular to the direction of airflow;
and
wherein the second and third axes are disposed in spaced and generally parallel relationship to one another.

5. The air vent, as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the outlet vanes are each pivotable about the respective second and third axes between the first position, a neutral position, and the second position;
wherein in the first position, directional ends of the outlet vanes are immediately adjacent the respective first and second wall;
wherein, in the neutral position, the directional ends of the outlet vanes are is spaced from the first and second walls and the outlet vane extends parallel to the flow of air entering the outlet chamber; and
wherein in the second position, the directional ends of the outlet vanes are disposed between the location of the directional end when in each of the first position and the neutral position.

6. The air vent, as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the pair of outlet vanes are pivotable about the respective second and third axes such that each vane is independently selectively positionable in each of the first position, the neutral position, and the second position.

7. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body defining a vehicle interior;
a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system; and
an air vent assembly in fluid communication with the HVAC system, the air vent assembly including:
a housing extending longitudinally between an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein the housing includes an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, and wherein a direction of airflow is defined between the inlet end and the outlet end;
wherein the housing includes a first wall and a second wall disposed in spaced relationship to the second wall such that the first wall and the second wall cooperate to define an interior volume therebetween that includes the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber;
wherein the first wall extends longitudinally between the inlet end and the outlet end;
wherein the inlet end defines an inlet opening in communication with the interior volume such that air is permitted to enter the inlet chamber through the inlet opening;
wherein the outlet end defines an outlet chamber in communication with the interior volume such that the air is permitted to exit the interior volume through the outlet opening;
wherein the outlet opening is perpendicular to an outlet axis; and
wherein the first and second walls cooperate to form the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber including a directional wall section that extends non-linearly between the transition location and the outlet end and defines an outlet chamber;
wherein the first wall includes a first wall section that terminates at the outlet end;
wherein the second wall includes a second wall section that terminates at the outlet end;
wherein the first and second wall sections define the outlet chamber;
wherein an outlet vane is completely disposed within the outlet chamber and includes a planar device that includes a pivot end and a directional end that are disposed within the outlet chamber, wherein the pivot end includes a axis that is parallel to the second axis;
wherein the outlet vane is pivotable about the axis to one of a neutral position, a first position and a second position;
wherein the outlet vane is disposed to direct the air towards the first wall section in the outlet chamber when the outlet vane is pivoted to the first position;
wherein the outlet vane is disposed to direct the air towards the second wall section in the outlet chamber when the outlet vane is pivoted to the second position; and
wherein the air is not directed towards either the first wall section or the second wall section when the outlet vane is pivoted to the neutral position.

8. The vehicle, as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the outlet end has a generally rectangular profile that includes:
a pair of first sides extending in spaced and parallel relationship to one another; and
a pair of second sides extending in spaced and generally parallel relationship to one another and extending in generally perpendicular relationship to the pair of first si

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Albin Douglas
• Jia Mingyang
• Suarez Larry J
• Cerbolles Teresa L

Classifications

• B60H1/3421 Primary

  using only pivoting shutters · CPC title