Slim air vent for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11820205-B2
Application number	US-202117490030-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2021
Priority date	Apr 1, 2021
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

A slim air vent apparatus for a vehicle may include an internal wing, an external wing, and a support wing that are disposed and hidden inside a duct to realize a compact and slim air vent apparatus and to improve the appearance by hiding the components. Since the air vent is operated to fulfil the functions thereof by manual manipulation of a single knob, positioned at the center portion of the external wing, by a user, it is possible to improve the convenience in manipulation of a user and to reduce manufacturing costs, and the air vent is universally applicable to various kinds of vehicles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A slim air vent apparatus for a vehicle, the slim air vent apparatus comprising:
spacers fixedly coupled to first and second lateral sides of a duct;
an internal wing disposed in the duct;
an external wing positioned behind the internal wing, wherein first and second lateral end portions of the external wing are rotatably coupled to the spacers to be rotated in a predetermined direction;
a support wing rotatably coupled to a front end portion of the external wing, wherein first and second lateral end portions of the support wing are rotatably coupled to the spacers so that a length of the support wing is changed when the external wing is rotated; and
a knob coupling the internal wing to the external wing,
wherein the internal wing, the external wing and the support wing are positioned inside the duct,
wherein the knob includes:
a first coupler coupled to a vertical rod of the internal wing to be movable in a vertical direction; and
a second coupler coupled to the first coupler and to a portion of the external wing to be movable in a lateral direction,

wherein at a rear end of the external wing, a wing groove is formed, in which the second coupler is inserted to restrict a range of lateral movement of the external wing, and
wherein the second coupler is formed to completely enclose an outer periphery of the wing groove formed in the external wing.

2. The slim air vent apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the external wing includes an upper external wing and a lower external wing, which are spaced from each other in the predetermined direction,
wherein one of the upper external wing and the lower external wing includes a guide protrusion formed in at least a lateral side thereof, and
wherein at least one of the spacers include a guide slot, which extends along a rotational radius of the external wing and the guide protrusion is movable engaged in the guide slot.

3. The slim air vent apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the external wing includes an upper external wing and a lower external wing, which are spaced from each other in the predetermined direction and are pivotally connected to each other via a connecting rod to be rotated together.

4. The slim air vent apparatus of claim 3 , wherein each of first and second lateral sides of a rear end portion of the upper external wing and first and second lateral sides of a rear end portion of the lower external wing is provided with hinge protrusions fitted into hinge holes formed in the spacers so that the upper external wing and the lower external wing are rotated relative to the spacers in the predetermined direction.

5. The slim air vent apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the support wing includes:
an upper support wing, which is rotatably connected to a front end portion of the upper external wing and which is provided at first and second lateral sides of a front portion thereof with a hinge protrusion, which are fitted into hinge holes formed in the spacers so that the upper support wing is rotated relative to the spacers in the predetermined direction; and
a lower support wing, which is rotatably connected to a front end portion of the lower external wing and which is provided at first and second lateral sides of a front portion thereof with hinge protrusions, which are fitted into hinge holes formed in the spacers so that the lower support wing is rotated relative to the spacers in the predetermined direction.

6. The slim air vent apparatus of claim 5 , wherein air that has passed through the internal wing in the duct is discharged to a passenger compartment through a front flow path defined between the upper support wing and the lower support wing and through a rear flow path defined between the upper external wing and the lower external wing.

7. The slim air vent apparatus of claim 5 , wherein, when the knob is oriented horizontally, the upper external wing and the upper support wing, which are disposed above the knob, are positioned to be symmetrical to the lower external wing and the lower support wing, which are disposed below the knob.

8. The slim air vent apparatus of claim 6 , wherein, when the knob is oriented horizontally, a cross-sectional area between the upper support wing and the lower support wing decreases moving toward rear end portions thereof from front end portions thereof so that the front flow path is configured as a nozzle.

9. The slim air vent apparatus of claim 6 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the rear flow path is maintained at a predetermined magnitude regardless of a rotation direction of the upper external wing and the lower external wing.

10. The slim air vent apparatus of claim 6 , wherein air that has passed through the front flow path is discharged upwards through the rear flow path when the external wing is rotated upwards, and is discharged downwards through the rear flow path when the upper external wing and the lower external wing are rotated downwards.

11. The slim air vent apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each of the upper support wing and the lower support wing includes a cylinder and a cylinder rod is movably fitted into the cylinder so that lengths of the upper support wing and the lower support wing vary independently when the external wing is rotated in the predetermined direction.

12. The slim air vent apparatus of claim 6 ,
wherein the knob further includes a lug, which is configured to be manipulated by a user.

13. The slim air vent apparatus of claim 12 ,
wherein only a portion of the lug projects outwards from the duct to be exposed to the passenger compartment.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp
• Itw Ef&C Korea Llc

Inventors

• Lee Yong Woo
• Kim Chun Ha
• Kim Byung Jo

Classifications

• B60H1/3421 Primary

  using only pivoting shutters · CPC title

• B60H2001/3471

  Details of actuators · 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

• B60Y2304/01

  Minimizing space with more compact designs or arrangements · CPC title