Air register assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11697325-B2
Application number	US-202117323221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2021
Priority date	May 18, 2021
Publication date	Jul 11, 2023
Grant date	Jul 11, 2023

Abstract

A vehicle air register assembly includes a housing defining a cavity. An upstream portion of the cavity is disposed proximate to an inlet and a downstream portion of the cavity is disposed proximate to an outlet. Vertical vanes are disposed within the upstream portion. The vertical vanes direct air in a horizontal direction. A horizontal vane assembly is disposed within the downstream portion. The horizontal vane assembly directs the air in a vertical direction. The horizontal vane assembly includes at least one horizontal vane including a driver portion rotatably coupled to the housing proximate to the outlet and a follower portion coupled to the housing proximate to the upstream portion. The follower portion is rotatably coupled to the driver portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air delivery system for a vehicle, comprising:
a housing defining an interior cavity in fluid communication with an inlet and an outlet, wherein the interior cavity includes a first cavity portion and a second cavity portion;
a pivoting vane assembly disposed within the first cavity portion, wherein the pivoting vane assembly includes vanes coupled via a link bar;
a linked vane assembly disposed within the second cavity portion, wherein the linked vane assembly includes:
a first linked vane having a first driver portion rotatably coupled to a first follower portion, each of the first driver portion and the first follower portion having a convex surface and a concave surface; and
a second linked vane spaced from the first linked vane, wherein the second linked vane includes a second driver portion rotatably coupled to a second follower portion, each of the second driver portion and the second follower portion having a convex surface and a concave surface, wherein the convex surfaces of the first linked vane are oriented toward the convex surfaces of the second linked vane and the convex surfaces of the second linked vane are oriented toward the convex surfaces of the first linked vane; and

an actuator operably coupled to the linked vane assembly to adjust a position of each of the first linked vane and the second linked vane.

2. The air delivery system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a link feature coupled to each of the first driver portion, the second driver portion, and the actuator, wherein the first linked vane and the second linked vane are adjusted concurrently by the actuator.

3. The air delivery system of claim 2 , wherein the link feature extends through the housing to engage the actuator.

4. The air delivery system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bezel coupled to the housing proximate to the outlet, wherein the bezel has an upper curved surface and a lower curved surface to assist in directing airflow exiting the housing.

5. The air delivery system of claim 4 , wherein the bezel includes a first edge and a second edge defining an airflow opening, wherein the first edge is disposed proximate to an end of the first linked vane that is coupled to the housing and the second edge is disposed proximate to an end of the second linked vane that is coupled to the housing to at least partially obscure the linked vane assembly.

6. The air delivery system of claim 1 , wherein each pivoting vane rotates to direct air in a horizontal direction, and wherein the linked vane assembly is adjusted to direct airflow in a vertical direction.

7. The air delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the pivoting vane assembly adjusts airflow in a horizontal direction and the linked vane assembly adjusts the airflow in a vertical direction.

8. A vehicle air register assembly, comprising:
a housing defining a cavity, wherein an upstream portion of the cavity is disposed proximate to an inlet and a downstream portion of the cavity is disposed proximate to an outlet;
vertical vanes disposed within the upstream portion, wherein the vertical vanes direct air in a horizontal direction; and
a horizontal vane assembly disposed within the downstream portion, wherein the horizontal vane assembly directs the air in a vertical direction, wherein the horizontal vane assembly includes a first horizontal vane and a second horizontal vane each including:
a driver portion rotatably coupled to the housing proximate to the outlet, the driver portion having a convex surface and a concave surface; and
a follower portion coupled to the housing proximate to the upstream portion, the follower portion having a convex surface and a concave surface, wherein the follower portion is rotatably coupled to the driver portion, and wherein the convex surfaces of the driver portion and the follower portion of the first horizontal vane are each oriented toward the second horizontal vane.

9. The vehicle air register assembly of claim 8 , wherein the driver portion defines apertures and the follower portion defines coupling features, and wherein the coupling features extend through the apertures to snap engage the driver portion.

10. The vehicle air register assembly of claim 8 , wherein the housing defines a slot, and wherein the follower portion is slidably adjusted along the slot as the follower portion is rotated.

11. The vehicle air register assembly of claim 8 , wherein the driver portion of the first horizontal vane is coupled to the driver portion of the second horizontal vane via a link feature.

12. The vehicle air register assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a first actuator operably coupled to the vertical vanes to adjust a position of the vertical vanes; and
a second actuator operably coupled to the horizontal vane assembly to adjust a position of the horizontal vane assembly.

13. The vehicle air register assembly of claim 12 , wherein each of the first actuator and the second actuator include a motor and a position sensor.

14. An air register assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a housing defining an interior, wherein the housing defines an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the interior;
a first linked vane coupled to the housing, wherein the first linked vane includes:
a first driver portion rotatably coupled to the housing proximate to the outlet; and
a first follower portion rotatably coupled to the first driver portion;
a second linked vane coupled to the housing, wherein the second linked vane includes:
a second driver portion rotatably coupled to the housing proximate to the outlet; and
a second follower portion rotatably coupled to the second driver portion, wherein the first driver portion and the first follower portion are convex relative to the second driver portion and the second follower portion, and wherein the second driver portion and the second follower portion are convex relative to the first driver portion and the first follower portion; and

at least one link feature coupled to the first linked vane and the second linked vane, wherein the at least one link feature is adjusted to adjust the first linked vane and the second linked vane to direct airflow through said air register assembly.

15. The air register assembly of claim 14 , further comprising:
a pivoting vane assembly coupled to the housing, wherein the pivoting vane assembly directs the airflow in a direction perpendicular to the first linked vane and the second linked vane.

16. The air register assembly of claim 14 , wherein the at least one link feature includes a first link feature coupled to a first side of the first linked vane and the second linked vane and a second link feature coupled to a second side of the first linked vane and the second linked vane.

17. The air register assembly of claim 14 , wherein the at least one link feature is coupled to the first driver portion and the second driver portion proximate to a hinged engagement of each of the first linked vane and the second linked vane.

18. The air register assembly of claim 14 , wherein said air register is a high aspect register having the outlet with a width that is at least 150 mm and a height that is less than 25 mm.

19. The air delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the first driver portion and second driver portion are snap coupled with the first follower portion and second follower portion, respectively, via multiple coupling bars, and wherein a first of the multiple coupling bars is disposed on the first driver portion proximate to a first side of the housing, a

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Smith George David Koch
• Fidh Steven Nicholas
• Dalton Brent Clifford
• Esser Anthony Michael
• Lindell Martin Alfred

Classifications

• B60H2001/3471

  Details of actuators · CPC title

• B60H1/3421 Primary

  using only pivoting shutters · CPC title

• B60H1/3414 Primary

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

• B60H2001/3464

  Details of hinges · CPC title