Air vent for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288624-A1
Application number	US-201614991269-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 8, 2016
Priority date	Apr 1, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An air vent is disposed between an air circulation device and an interior space is described, and includes a housing defining a first chamber in fluidic communication with a second chamber, wherein the first chamber includes a fluidic inlet in fluidic communication with the air circulation device and the second chamber includes a fluidic outlet in fluidic communication with the interior space. A first airflow control vane is disposed in the first chamber to direct the airflow from the air circulation device in a first direction. A second airflow control vane is disposed in the second chamber to direct the airflow in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction. A single operator-directed device is operatively coupled to the first airflow control vane and the second airflow control vane, and is disposed to independently adjust the positions of the first and second airflow control vanes.

First claim

1 . An air vent disposed between an air circulation device and an interior space, wherein the air circulation device is capable of creating an airflow, the air vent comprising:
a housing defining a first chamber in fluidic communication with a second chamber, wherein the first chamber includes a fluidic inlet in fluidic communication with the air circulation device and the second chamber includes a fluidic outlet in fluidic communication with the interior space; a first airflow control vane disposed in the first chamber and configured to direct the airflow from the air circulation device in a first direction; a second airflow control vane disposed in the second chamber and configured to direct the airflow in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction; and a single operator-directed device operatively coupled to the first airflow control vane and the second airflow control vane, wherein the single operator-directed device is disposed to independently adjust the positions of the first and second airflow control vanes.

2 . The air vent of claim 1 , wherein the single operator-directed device comprises a slider mechanism having a portion disposed in the interior space, and wherein the single operator-directed device configured to independently adjust the positions of the first and second airflow control vanes comprises the slider mechanism mounted on a slider axle, the slider axle coupled to a rack-and-pinion device coupled to the second airflow control vane and the slider axle coupled to a sliding gear element meshingly engaged to a first gear coupled to the first airflow control valve.

3 . The air vent of claim 1 , wherein the single operator-directed device comprises a joystick having a portion disposed in the interior space, and wherein the single operator-directed device configured to independently adjust the positions of the first and second airflow control vanes comprises the joystick disposed on the housing at an elevation pivot point and a lateral pivot point, the lateral pivot point coupled to a rack-and-pinion device coupled to the second airflow control vane and the elevation pivot point coupled to a sliding gear element meshingly engaged to a first gear coupled to the first airflow control valve.

4 . The air vent of claim 1 , wherein the single operator-directed device comprises a joystick having a portion disposed in the interior space, and wherein the single operator-directed device configured to independently adjust the positions of the first and second airflow control vanes comprises the joystick disposed on the housing at an elevation pivot point and a lateral pivot point, the lateral pivot point coupled via a longitudinal arm including a partial gear segment meshingly engaging an intermediate gear meshingly engaging a third gear coupled to the second airflow control vane and the elevation pivot point coupled to a sliding gear element meshingly engaged to a first gear coupled to the first airflow control valve.

5 . The air vent of claim 1 , wherein the single operator-directed device comprises a joystick having a portion disposed in the interior space, and wherein the single operator-directed device configured to independently adjust the positions of the first and second airflow control vanes comprises the joystick disposed on the housing at an elevation pivot point and a lateral pivot point, the lateral pivot point coupled via a longitudinal arm coupled to a second arm coupled to the second airflow control vane and the elevation pivot point coupled to a sliding gear element meshingly engaged to a first gear coupled to the first airflow control valve.

6 . The air vent of claim 1 , wherein the single operator-directed device comprises a center pivot joystick having an input device disposed in the interior space, and wherein the single operator-directed device configured to independently adjust the positions of the first and second airflow control vanes comprises the center pivot joystick including a vertical pin and a horizontal pin that couple at a pivot and is disposed in the housing, the pivot being a two-degree of freedom pivot device that includes an up-and-down movement and a left-right movement, the vertical pin including a lever arm coupled via a link to a lever arm connected to a second vertical rotatable pin coupled to the second airflow control vane and the horizontal pin coupled via a fork coupled to the first airflow control valve.

7 . The air vent of claim 1 , wherein the single operator-directed device comprises a rotatable thumbwheel having an input device disposed in the interior space, and wherein the single operator-directed device configured to independently adjust the positions of the first and second airflow control vanes comprises the rotatable thumbwheel coupled via a mechanical linkage, telescoping shaft, ball joint and a first fixed pivot point to the first airflow control vane, and coupled via a second fixed pivot point to a gear arrangement coupled to the second airflow control vane.

8 . The air vent of claim 7 , wherein the rotatable thumbwheel coupled via a mechanical linkage, telescoping shaft, ball joint and a first fixed pivot point to the first airflow control vane comprises the rotatable thumbwheel coupled to the first fixed pivot point which is coupled via a Cardan shaft to the second fixed pivot point.

9 . The air vent of claim 1 , wherein the single operator-directed device comprises a rotatable thumbwheel having an input device disposed in the interior space, and wherein the single operator-directed device configured to independently adjust the positions of the first and second airflow control vanes comprises the rotatable thumbwheel coupled via a mechanical linkage, telescoping shaft, ball joint and a first fixed pivot point to the first airflow control vane, and coupled via a second fixed pivot point to a rack-and-pinion arrangement coupled to the second airflow control vane.

10 . The air vent of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber is tubular-shaped with a longitudinal axis that is parallel to a lateral axis of the vehicle, including an arc-shaped upper wall section and an arc-shaped lower wall section.

11 . The air vent of claim 1 , wherein the second chamber is rectangularly-shaped.

12 . The air vent of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic outlet defining the fluidic opening into the interior space of the vehicle is configured with a rectangular opening defining a length and a height, and wherein an aspect ratio of the length in relation to the height is a high aspect ratio.

13 . An air vent for a vehicle, comprising:
a housing extending between a fluidic inlet and a fluidic outlet, the fluidic inlet disposed to receive airflow from an air circulation device and the fluidic outlet defining a fluidic opening into an interior space of the vehicle; a first airflow control vane configured to control airflow from the air vent in a first direction; a plurality of second airflow control vanes arranged to control airflow from the air vent in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and a single operator-directed device operatively coupled to the first airflow control vane and the second airflow control vane, wherein the single operator-directed device is disposed to independently adjust the positions of the first and second airflow control vanes; wherein direction of airflow out of the air vent coincides with an orientation of the single operator-directed device.

14 . The air vent of claim 13 , wherein the single operator-directed device comprises a slider mechanism having a portion disposed in the interior space, and wherein the single operator-directed device conf

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Albin Douglas
• Vaughan Ryan F
• Wexel Dirk Matthias

Classifications

• B60H2001/3471

  Details of actuators · CPC title

• B60H1/3428 Primary

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

• B60H1/3421 Primary

  using only pivoting shutters · CPC title

• B60H1/0065

  Control members, e.g. levers or knobs (B60H1/00985 takes precedence) · CPC title