Air curtain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9102217-B2
Application number	US-60717809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2009
Priority date	Oct 28, 2009
Publication date	Aug 11, 2015
Grant date	Aug 11, 2015

Abstract

An air shield is provided over a portal access opening between a vehicle access member and a stationary vehicle trim member. The vehicle access member provides access to a compartment of an interior of the vehicle. An air supply device is disposed within the vehicle. The air supply device is capable of producing a burst of air that discharges upon opening of the vehicle access member. An air concentrator device is in fluid communication with the air supply device. The air concentrator device outputs the burst of air that forms the air shield in a direction substantially transverse to the portal opening. The air shield is formed across at least a portion of a perimeter of the portal access opening between the vehicle access member and the stationary vehicle trim member. The air shield inhibits precipitation from entering the compartment of the vehicle during a pressure equalization phase that occurs in response to the opening of the vehicle access member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for providing an air shield over a portal access opening between a vehicle access member and a stationary vehicle trim member, the vehicle access member providing access to a compartment of an interior of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
an air supply device disposed within the vehicle, the air supply device producing a burst of air that discharges upon opening of the vehicle access member;
an air concentrator device in fluid communication with the air supply device, the air concentrator device outputting the burst of air that forms the air shield in a direction substantially transverse to the portal access opening, wherein the air shield is formed across at least a portion of a perimeter of the portal access opening between the vehicle access member and the stationary vehicle trim member, and wherein the air shield inhibits precipitation from entering the compartment of the vehicle during a pressure equalization phase that occurs in response to the opening of the vehicle access member, the air concentrator device including an elastomeric seal creating a seal between the stationary vehicle trim member and the vehicle access member, the elastomeric seal including an internal cavity and at least one orifice, the burst of air is directed through the internal cavity in the elastomeric seal and flows out of the at least one orifice of the elastomeric seal in the transverse direction;
wherein the air supply device includes an accumulator, wherein the accumulator is compressible, and wherein the accumulator is discharged by the vehicle access member compressing the accumulator during opening of the vehicle access member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air concentrator device is disposed on the vehicle access member, wherein the burst of air is directed toward the stationary vehicle trim member.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air concentrator device is disposed on the stationary vehicle trim member, wherein the burst of air is directed toward the vehicle access member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second air concentrator device disposed on the vehicle access member directing a burst of air toward the stationary vehicle access member, wherein the air concentrator device is disposed on the stationary vehicle trim member and, wherein the air concentrator device directs the burst of air toward the vehicle access member, wherein the respective bursts of air directed at one another cooperatively form the air shield for inhibiting precipitation from entering the interior of the vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a switch, wherein the opening of the vehicle access member actuates the switch, wherein the accumulator is discharge in response to the actuation of the switch.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a sensing device for sensing the opening of the vehicle access member, wherein the air supply device includes a pump, wherein the pump generates a burst of air in response to actuation of the sensing device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air concentrator device includes a plurality of nozzles for directing the burst of air in transverse direction substantially transverse to the portal access opening.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air concentrator device includes an elongated slit for directing the burst of air in the transverse direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air concentrator device comprises an active material that exhibits a change in shape creating at least one orifice, the at least one orifice created by the change in shape outputs a burst of air in the transverse direction, and wherein the active material returns to an original shape closing off the at least one orifice.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the active material comprises a shape memory alloy.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein active material comprises a shape memory polymer.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein active material comprises a shape memory ceramic.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the active material is selected from a group including shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, piezoelectric materials, electroactive polymers, magnetorheological fluids and elastomers, electrorheological fluids, and composites of the same.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air supply device comprises an active material creating the burst of air.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the air supply device comprises air jet generators formed by the active material.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein air jet generators include a synthetic air jet generator having a thin film diaphragm.

17. An apparatus for providing an air shield over a portal access opening between a vehicle access member and a stationary vehicle trim member, the vehicle access member providing access to a compartment of an interior of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
an air supply device disposed within the vehicle, the air supply device producing a burst of air that discharges upon opening of the vehicle access member; and
an air concentrator device in fluid communication with the air supply device, the air concentrator device outputting the burst of air that forms the air shield in a direction substantially transverse to the portal access opening, wherein the air shield is formed across at least a portion of a perimeter of the portal access opening between the vehicle access member and the stationary vehicle trim member, and wherein the air shield inhibits precipitation from entering the compartment of the vehicle during a pressure equalization phase that occurs in response to the opening of the vehicle access member;
wherein the air supply device includes an accumulator, wherein the accumulator is compressible, and wherein the accumulator is discharged by the vehicle access member compressing the accumulator during opening.

Assignees

• Stauffer Louise E
• Browne Alan L
• Gm Global Tech Operations Inc

Inventors

• Stauffer Louise E
• Browne Alan L

Classifications

• B60J9/04

  Air curtains (in general F24F) · CPC title

• B60H1/24

  Ventilating devices where the heating or cooling is irrelevant (nozzles or air-diffusers B60H1/34) · CPC title

• B60J5/04 Primary

  arranged at the vehicle sides {(panel mounted arm-rests B60N2/78; wall liners B60R13/02; door edge guards B60R13/043; padded linings associated with the side doors B60R21/0428)} · CPC title