Drive unit for actuating a plurality of functions of an air vent system of an air distribution system, and air vent system with a drive unit of this type

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12410851-B2
Application number	US-202017430096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2020
Priority date	Feb 19, 2019
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

A drive unit ( 1 ) for actuating a plurality of functions of an air vent system or of an air distribution system, having an electric motor drive ( 3 ) with a drive shaft which can be driven in a first rotational direction or in a second rotational direction, and a switching mechanism with at least one first and one second output shaft ( 5 ), via which functions of the air vent system can be actuated, the switching mechanism being configured, during a drive of the drive shaft in the first rotational direction, to transmit a torque from the drive shaft only to the first output shaft ( 5 ), and, during a drive of the drive shaft in the second rotational direction, to transmit a torque from the drive shaft only to the second output shaft ( 5 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drive unit for actuating a plurality of functions of an air vent system or of an air distribution system, for individually setting an air flow quantity which passes one air duct of a multiplicity of air ducts of the air distribution system per unit time, the drive unit having an electric motor drive with a drive shaft which can be driven as required in a first rotational direction or in a second rotational direction,
wherein the drive unit having a switching mechanism which is assigned to the drive shaft with a first output shaft and a second output shaft, via which one function of the air vent system can be actuated, the switching mechanism being configured, in the case of driving of the drive shaft in the first rotational direction, to couple one of the first output shaft or the second output shaft so as to be rotated by the drive shaft of the electric motor drive and to decouple the other of the first output shaft or the second output shaft from being rotated by the drive shaft, and, in the case of driving of the drive shaft in the second rotational direction, to transmit a torque from the drive shaft of the electric motor drive to the one of the first output shaft or the second output shaft that is coupled so as to be rotated by the drive shaft of the electric motor drive;
wherein the switching mechanism includes a bevel gear assigned to be rotated by the drive shaft, a first distribution gear assigned to the first output shaft and having a first rotational axis, and a second distribution gear assigned to the second output shaft and having a second rotational axis, wherein the switching mechanism is configured such that, during rotation of the drive shaft in the first rotational direction, the first distribution gear is moved along the first rotational axis to move the first distribution gear into and out of contact with the bevel gear and the second distribution gear is moved along the second rotational axis to move the second distribution gear into and out of contact with the bevel gear.

2. An air vent system with at least one air vent and the drive unit as claimed claim 1 .

3. A drive unit for actuating a plurality of functions of an air vent system or of an air distribution system, for individually setting an air flow quantity which passes one air duct of a multiplicity of air ducts of the air distribution system per unit time, the drive unit having an electric motor drive with a drive shaft which can be driven as required in a first rotational direction or in a second rotational direction,
wherein the drive unit has a distribution gear mechanism that includes a bevel gear assigned to be rotated by rotation of the drive shaft of the electric motor drive, with a first output shaft having an assigned first distribution gear, a second output shaft having an assigned second distribution gear and a third output shaft having an assigned third distribution gear, via which respectively one function of the air vent system can be actuated, the distribution gear mechanism being configured to selectively transmit a torque from the drive shaft of the electric motor drive to one or more of the first, second and third output shafts,
the distribution gear mechanism being configured, in the case of driving of the drive shaft in the first rotational direction, to couple one of the first, second or third distribution gears to the bevel gear and to decouple the other distribution gears from the bevel gear, and, in the case of driving of the drive shaft in the second rotational direction, to transmit a torque from the drive shaft of the electric motor drive via the bevel gear to the one of the first, second or third distribution gears that is coupled to the bevel gear.

4. The drive unit as claimed in claim 3 , the distribution gear mechanism having a control mechanism which is connected via a first freewheel to the input shaft of the distribution gear mechanism in such a way that, only in the case of driving of the drive shaft of the electric motor drive in the first rotational direction, a torque is transmitted from the drive shaft of the electric motor drive to the control mechanism, and the distribution gear mechanism having a distribution mechanism which is connected via a second freewheel to the input shaft of the distribution gear mechanism in such a way that, only in the case of driving of the drive shaft of the electric motor drive in the second rotational direction, a torque is transmitted from the drive shaft of the electric motor drive to the distribution mechanism.

5. The drive unit as claimed in claim 4 , the distribution gear mechanism having a coupling mechanism for each of the first, second and third distribution gears.

6. The drive unit as claimed in claim 4 , the control mechanism having a control element, in the form of at least one cam plate, at least one cam disk, at least one slotted guide and/or at least one eccentric.

7. The drive unit as claimed in claim 6 , the control element being configured, in the case of a drive of the electric motor drive in the first rotational direction, to selectively move the first, second and third distribution gears into or out of contact with the bevel gear.

8. An air vent system with at least one air vent and the drive unit as claimed claim 3 .

9. A drive unit for actuating a plurality of functions of an air vent system or of an air distribution system, the drive unit having an electric motor drive with a drive shaft which can be driven as required in a first rotational direction or in a second rotational direction,
wherein the drive unit has a distribution gear mechanism that includes:
a bevel gear assigned to be rotated by rotation of the drive shaft of the electric motor drive,
a first output shaft having an assigned first distribution gear and a first rotational axis, a second output shaft having an assigned second distribution gear and a second rotational axis, and a third output shaft having an assigned third distribution gear and a third rotational axis, via which respectively one function of the air vent system can be actuated,

the distribution gear mechanism being configured to selectively transmit a torque from the drive shaft to one or more of the first, second and third output shafts when driving the drive shaft in the second rotational direction,
the distribution gear mechanism being configured, in the case of driving of the drive shaft in the first rotational direction, to move the first, second and third distribution gears along the respective first, second and third rotational axes to define which of the first, second and third distribution gears is connected to the bevel gear.

10. The drive unit of claim 9 , wherein the distribution gear mechanism is configured, in the case of driving of the drive shaft in the second rotational direction, to transmit a torque from the drive shaft of the electric motor drive via the bevel gear to any of the first, second or third distribution gears that is coupled to the bevel gear.

11. An air vent system with at least one air vent and the drive unit as claimed claim 9 .

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Groben Manfred
• Pacher Thomas

Classifications

• B60H2001/3478

  acting on additional damper doors · CPC title

• B60H2001/3471

  Details of actuators · CPC title

• B60H1/34 Primary

  Nozzles; Air-diffusers · CPC title

• F24F2013/1473

  with cams or levers · CPC title

• F24F2013/1433

  with electric motors · CPC title