Passenger airflow control devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10507925-B2
Application number	US-201715719966-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2017
Priority date	Sep 29, 2017
Publication date	Dec 17, 2019
Grant date	Dec 17, 2019

Abstract

Airflow control devices are provided that may be employed in passenger transport vehicles (e.g., passenger transport aircraft, trains, buses, automobiles and the like) that allow individual passengers to selectively control direction and volume of incoming airflow to thereby enhance passenger comfort. According to certain embodiments, passenger airflow control devices are provided with an open-ended domed shell, a receiver immovably fixed to an upper end of the shell and a central air distributor assembly operatively connected to the receiver for receiving an incoming airflow and discharging the airflow to a passenger. The central air distributor assembly may include a central distributor bowl which defines a laterally oriented airflow discharge opening, a central disk which is positionally fixed to and closes a lower end of the central distributor bowl, and an air distributor hub having a lower end immovably connected to an upper end of the central distributor bowl and an upper stem having an air inlet cutout which is received within and rotatably connected to the receiver.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A passenger airflow control device comprising:
an open-ended domed shell;
a receiver immovably fixed to an upper end of the shell;
a central air distributor assembly operatively connected to the receiver for receiving an incoming airflow and discharging the airflow to a passenger, wherein the central air distributor assembly includes:
(i) a central distributor bowl which defines a laterally oriented airflow discharge opening;
(ii) a central disk which is positionally fixed to and closes a lower end of the central distributor bowl; and
(iii) an air distributor hub having a lower end immovably connected to an upper end of the central distributor bowl and an upper stem which is received within and rotatably connected to the receiver, wherein
(iii) the air distributor hub defines an interior space in fluid communication with the air discharge opening of the central distributor bowl and includes an air inlet cutout which is capable of fluid communication with the incoming airflow, wherein rotational movement of the central air distributor assembly responsively moves the air inlet cutout of the air distributor hub relative to the incoming airflow between open and closed conditions and concurrently moves the discharge opening of the central distributor bowl to allow directional control of the airflow discharged therefrom.

2. The device as in claim 1 , wherein the central disk is substantially coplanar with a lower circumferential edge of the shell.

3. The device as in claim 2 , further comprising an annular space defined between a perimetrical edge of the central disk and the lower circumferential edge of the shell.

4. The device as in claim 3 , wherein the shell is formed of a transparent or translucent plastics material.

5. The device as in claim 1 , wherein the air distributor hub includes a downwardly inclined and laterally oriented air deflection surface to redirect the air entering the interior space toward the air discharge opening and thereby provide an airflow direction which is downwardly and laterally oriented below a lower circumferential edge of the shell.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein
the shell includes an upper annular boss which defines an annular upper recess, and wherein
the receiver includes a lower flange which is received within the annular recess and positionally fixed therein to the upper annular boss of the shell.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the upper annular boss includes an annular slot, and wherein the device further comprises a split-ring retainer received within the annular slot to positionally fix the lower flange of the receiver within the upper annular boss of the shell.

8. The device of claim 1 , which further comprises limit stops to limit an extent of rotational movement between the central air distributor assembly and the receiver.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the limit stops comprise a stop boss associated with the receiver and a pair of circumferentially separated detents associated with the air distributor bowl.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the detents are diametrically opposed relative to one another.

11. An overhead passenger service unit which comprises at least one passenger airflow device as in claim 1 .

12. An interior aircraft cabin which includes passenger seats and an overhead passenger service unit (PSU) associated with the passenger seats, wherein the PSU comprises at least one passenger airflow device as in claim 1 .

Assignees

• Embraer Sa

Inventors

• Pugliesi Fernanda Loth
• Zanoni Cassio Karassawa
• Castanha Bruno Kimura
• Beever Jay

Classifications

• B64D2013/003

  Cabin ventilation nozzles · CPC title

• B60H1/3414 Primary

  with means for adjusting the air stream direction (B60H1/345 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64D2203/00

  Aircraft or airfield lights using LEDs · CPC title

• B64D13/00 Primary

  Arrangements or adaptations of air-treatment apparatus for aircraft crew or passengers, or freight space · CPC title

• B64D2013/0688

  with means for recirculating cabin air · CPC title