Vehicle register assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11660937-B2
Application number	US-201916594619-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2019
Priority date	Oct 7, 2019
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

A vehicle register assembly includes a register duct that has an end opening and the register duct directs air. A housing is coupled to the register duct proximate the end opening. A barrel is disposed within the housing and defines an upstream aperture and a downstream aperture. A plurality of vanes includes individual vanes and the individual vanes extend in a first direction between first opposing sides of the barrel. A linking vane is coupled to each of the individual vanes and extends between second opposing sides of the barrel. The linking vane includes a guide body that extends upstream from the plurality of vanes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle register assembly, comprises:
a register duct having an end opening, wherein the register duct directs air toward a passenger compartment;
a housing coupled to the register duct proximate the end opening;
a barrel disposed within the housing and defining an upstream aperture proximate the register duct and a downstream aperture proximate the passenger compartment;
a plurality of vanes including individual vanes, wherein the individual vanes extend between first opposing sides of the barrel adjacent to the downstream aperture of the barrel; and
a linking vane coupled to each of the individual vanes and extending between second opposing sides of the barrel, the linking vane configured to move between the second opposing sides as the individual vanes rotate, wherein the linking vane includes a guide body that extends upstream from the plurality of vanes, through the upstream aperture of the barrel, and into the housing to direct the air through the barrel, an upstream edge of the guide body being disposed adjacent to an inner surface of the housing to reduce a gap between the housing and the barrel to reduce airflow leakage between the housing and the barrel and deflect the air through the barrel, and wherein the guide body extends through the upstream aperture as the linking vane moves along an arcuate path between the second opposing sides when the individual vanes are in a center position relative to the barrel and in fully angled positions relative to the barrel.

2. The vehicle register assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the individual vanes defines a coupling member, and wherein the linking vane defines a plurality of apertures along a linking edge thereof configured to receive a corresponding coupling member.

3. The vehicle register assembly of claim 1 , wherein the barrel is rotatable to at least one angled position relative to the housing, and wherein the upstream edge of the guide body is disposed adjacent to the inner surface of the housing when the barrel is in the at least one angled position to reduce the gap between the housing and the barrel.

4. The vehicle register assembly of claim 1 , wherein a linking edge of the linking vane includes a plurality of receiving frames disposed around a plurality of apertures.

5. The vehicle register assembly of claim 4 , wherein outermost receiving frames of the plurality of receiving frames extend outwardly relative to side edges of the guide body.

6. The vehicle register assembly of claim 4 , wherein the linking edge includes a plurality of protrusions extending therefrom, and wherein the plurality of apertures correspond with the plurality of protrusions.

7. The vehicle register assembly of claim 1 , wherein a linking edge has a length greater than a length of an upstream edge of the guide body.

8. The vehicle register assembly of claim 1 , wherein the guide body has a width in a range of from about 8 mm to about 30 mm.

9. A register assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a register duct having an end opening;
a barrel coupled to the register duct via a housing proximate the end opening, wherein the barrel defines an upstream aperture and a downstream aperture;
a plurality of vanes including individual vanes, wherein the individual vanes extend in a first direction between first opposing sides of the barrel proximate to the downstream aperture of the barrel; and
a linking vane including a guide body, the linking vane and extending in a second direction, wherein the linking vane includes a linking edge coupled to the individual vanes within the barrel and the guide body extends outwardly therefrom and through the upstream aperture of the barrel into the housing proximate an inner surface of the housing to deflect air through the barrel and reduce airflow leakage between the housing and the barrel, the guide body extending through the upstream aperture as the linking vane moves along a path in the second direction when the individual vanes rotate and are in a center position relative to the barrel and in fully angled positions relative to the barrel, and wherein the linking vane extends between second opposing sides of the barrel.

10. The register assembly of claim 9 , wherein the linking edge has a length greater than a length of an upstream edge of the guide body.

11. The register assembly of claim 9 , wherein the linking vane has a thickness less than a thickness of each of the individual vanes.

12. The register assembly of claim 9 , wherein the linking vane is coupled to an upstream side of each of the individual vanes and extends upstream therefrom.

13. The register assembly of claim 9 ,
wherein the barrel is disposed within the housing.

14. The register assembly of claim 9 , wherein a distance between the linking vane and one of the first opposing sides is less than a distance between the other first opposing side.

15. A register assembly, comprising
a register duct having an end opening;
a barrel coupled to the register duct via a housing proximate the end opening, the barrel being at least partially disposed within the housing;
a plurality of vanes spaced-apart from one another and extending between first opposing sides, wherein each of the plurality of vanes defines a coupling member; and
a linking vane extending between second opposing sides and having a linking edge coupled to the plurality of vanes, wherein the linking edge defines a plurality of apertures for receiving corresponding coupling members and includes a guide body extending outwardly from the linking edge, the linking vane configured to move between the second opposing sides as the plurality of vanes rotates, and wherein a downstream edge of the linking vane is disposed within the barrel and an upstream edge of the linking vane is disposed outside of the barrel proximate an inner surface of the housing to deflect air through the barrel, wherein the guide body extends through the upstream aperture for the upstream edge to remain outside of the barrel as the linking vane moves when the plurality of vanes rotates between a center position relative to the barrel and in fully angled positions relative to the barrel.

16. The register assembly of claim 15 , wherein the upstream edge and side edges of the guide body define rounded corners therebetween.

17. The register assembly of claim 15 , further comprising:
a support member extending between the second opposing sides, wherein the support member is spaced-apart from the linking vane, and wherein the support member extends through an upstream aperture defined by the barrel.

18. The register assembly of claim 15 , wherein the linking vane includes a thermoplastic material.

19. The register assembly of claim 15 , wherein the linking vane is coupled to an end portion of each of the plurality of vanes proximate one of the first opposing sides.

20. The register assembly of claim 15 , wherein the guide body has a width in a range of from about 8 mm to about 30 mm.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ovando Sánchez José Fernando
• Nisbett Jason William
• Mcelroy Michael Murphy
• Baker Zachary Orion

Classifications

• B60H1/3428 Primary

  using a set of pivoting shutters and a pivoting frame · CPC title

• B60H1/3421 Primary

  using only pivoting shutters · CPC title

• F24F13/075

  having parallel rods or lamellae directing the outflow, e.g. the rods or lamellae being individually adjustable (F24F13/072 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60H2001/3464

  Details of hinges · CPC title