Air vent for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016152116-A1
Application number	US-201414557913-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 2, 2014
Priority date	Dec 2, 2014
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An air vent for a vehicle includes a housing extending between an inlet and outlet end. The housing includes a first wall and a second wall that cooperate to define an interior volume therebetween. The inlet end defines an inlet opening and air enters the interior volume through the inlet opening. The outlet end has a length and a width that cooperate to define an outlet opening having a low aspect ratio. Air exits the interior volume through the outlet opening. The first wall includes a directional wall section that extends non-linearly from a transition location to the outlet end. Air travelling through the interior volume is directed by the directional wall section to create a flow direction of air exiting the outlet opening. Vanes may be disposed in the interior volume to allow directability of air exiting the outlet opening, while providing a low pressure drop therethrough.

First claim

1 . An air vent for a vehicle having a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the air vent comprising:
a housing extending longitudinally between an inlet end and an outlet end; wherein the housing includes a first wall and a second wall disposed in spaced relationship to the second wall such that the first wall and the second wall cooperate to define an interior volume therebetween; wherein the walls extend longitudinally between the inlet end and the outlet end; wherein the inlet end defines an inlet opening in communication with the interior volume such that air is permitted to enter the interior volume through the inlet opening; wherein the outlet end defines an outlet opening in communication with the interior volume such that air is permitted to exit the interior volume through the outlet opening; wherein the outlet opening is perpendicular to an outlet axis; and wherein the housing includes a transition location longitudinally disposed between the ends and the first wall includes a directional wall section that extends non-linearly between the transition location and the outlet end such that air travelling through the interior volume through the outlet end is directed by the directional wall so as to create a flow direction of air exiting the interior volume through the outlet opening that is angled with respect to the outlet axis.

2 . The air vent, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first wall and the second wall extending between the transition location and the outlet end cooperate to define an outlet chamber extending between the transition location and the outlet end;
wherein the air vent further comprises an outlet vane operatively disposed in the outlet chamber; wherein the outlet vane is configured to be disposed within the outlet chamber in a first position; and wherein, in the first position, the outlet vane is positioned such that air is allowed to enter the outlet chamber from the inlet end and be directed by the directional wall section of the first wall so as to create a flow direction of air exiting the interior volume through the outlet opening that is angled with respect to the outlet axis.

3 . The air vent, as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the outlet vane is configured to be disposed within the outlet chamber in a second position with the outlet vane immediately adjacent the one of the first and second walls such that air is allowed to enter the outlet chamber from the inlet end and flow between the outlet vane and the other of the first and second wall, whereby the air is directed by the directional wall section of the first wall when the outlet vane is immediately adjacent the second wall so as to create a flow direction of air exiting the interior volume through the outlet opening that is angled with respect to the outlet axis.

4 . The air vent, as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the outlet vane is pivotable about a first pivot axis between the first position and the second position.

5 . The air vent, as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the outlet vane extends longitudinally between a pivot end and a directional end, wherein the first pivot axis extends through the outlet vane proximate the pivot end and the directional end is pivotable relative to the first pivot axis.

6 . The air vent, as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the outlet vane is pivotable about the first pivot axis such that the directional end of the outlet vane does not contact any of the first wall and the second wall when the outlet vane is in the first position; and
wherein the directional end of the outlet vane is immediately adjacent one of the first wall and the second wall when the outlet vane is in the second position.

7 . The air vent, as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the outlet vane is disposed within the outlet chamber such that the first pivot axis is generally centered between the first wall and the second wall.

8 . The air vent, as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the outlet vane is disposed within the outlet housing such that the first pivot axis is proximate the outlet end and the directional end is pivotably disposed between the pivot end of the outlet vane and the transition location.

9 . The air vent, as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the outlet vane is a pair of outlet vanes operatively disposed in the outlet chamber;
wherein each of the pair of outlet vanes is pivotable about a respective first pivot axis; and wherein the first pivot axes of each of the pair of outlet vanes are disposed in spaced and generally parallel relationship to one another.

10 . The air vent, as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the outlet vanes are each pivotable about the respective first pivot axis between the first position, a neutral position, and the second position;
wherein in the first position, the directional end of the respective outlet vane is immediately adjacent the respective first and second wall; wherein, in the neutral position, directional end of the outlet end is spaced from the first and second walls and the outlet vane extends substantially parallel to the flow of air entering the outlet chamber; and wherein in the second position, the directional end of the outlet vane is located between the location of the directional end when the outlet vane is in each of the first position and the neutral position.

11 . The air vent, as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the pair of outlet vanes are pivotable about the respective first axis such that each vane is independently selectively positionable in each of the first position, the neutral position, and the second position.

12 . The air vent, as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the first wall and the second wall each include a directional wall section that each extend non-linearly between the transition location and the outlet end such that air travelling through the interior volume toward the outlet end is directed by the directional wall section toward the outlet end, so as to create a flow direction of air exiting the interior volume through the outlet opening that is angled with respect to the outlet axis;
wherein, in the first position, the outlet vane is positioned such that air is allowed to enter the outlet chamber from the inlet end and be directed by the directional wall sections of each of the first and second walls so as to create a flow direction of air exiting the interior volume through the outlet opening that is angled with respect to the outlet axis; and wherein in the second position, the outlet vane is positioned immediately adjacent the directional wall section of one of the first and second walls such that air is allowed to enter the outlet chamber from the inlet end and flow between the outlet vane and the directional wall section of the other of the first and second walls, whereby the air is directed by the directional wall section of the other of the first walls so as to create a flow direction of air exiting the interior volume through the outlet opening that is angled with respect to the outlet axis.

13 . The air vent, as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the first wall and the second wall each include an inlet wall section that extends linearly toward the transition location;
wherein the inlet wall sections are longitudinally disposed between the transition location and the inlet end such that an inlet chamber is defined by the inlet wall sections.

14 . A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body defining a vehicle interior; a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system; and an air vent assembly in fluid communication with the HVAC system, the air vent assembly including:
a housing extending longitudinally between an inl

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Inc

Inventors

• Albin Douglas
• Jia Mingyang
• Suarez Larry J
• Cerbolles Teresa L

Classifications

• B60H1/3421 Primary

  using only pivoting shutters · CPC title