Air distribution arrangement for use with vehicle HVAC system and method of distributing air

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9278605-B2
Application number	US-201213428280-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2012
Priority date	Mar 23, 2012
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

An air distribution arrangement for distributing a flow of air produced by an HVAC system of a vehicle includes, but is not limited to, a body having an upper surface and a lower surface. The body is configured for attachment to the vehicle downstream of the flow of air. The arrangement further includes a channel associated with the upper surface disposed to receive a first portion of the flow of air and configured to guide the first portion along a length of the upper surface. The arrangement further includes a duct associated with the lower surface and extending along a path corresponding with the length. The duct is disposed to receive a second portion of the flow of air and configured to guide the second portion along the path. The duct is in fluid communication with the channel at a plurality of locations along the path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air distribution arrangement for distributing a flow of air produced by an HVAC system of a vehicle, the air distribution arrangement comprising:
a body having an upper surface and a lower surface, the body configured for attachment to the vehicle downstream of the flow of air;
a channel defined in the upper surface, the channel disposed to receive a first portion of the flow of air and configured to guide the first portion along a length of the upper surface, the channel having a generally U-shaped configuration in cross section along substantially an entire length of the channel, an upper portion of the channel being open to a passenger compartment of the vehicle and free of a covering along substantially the entire length of the channel, and an inner portion of the channel being substantially free of structure along substantially the entire length of the channel; and
a duct associated with the lower surface and extending along a path corresponding with the length, the duct disposed to receive a second portion of the flow of air and configured to guide the second portion along the path, the duct being in fluid communication with the channel at a plurality of locations along the path,
wherein the channel and the duct are aligned with one another such that the channel and the duct direct the first portion and the second portion, respectively, in substantially the same direction along the body.

2. The air distribution arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the channel is integral with the body.

3. The air distribution arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises an upper surface of a vehicle instrument panel.

4. The air distribution arrangement of claim 1 wherein a plurality of holes are defined along the path, the plurality of holes providing fluid communication between the channel and the duct.

5. The air distribution arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of holes are arranged along substantially an entire portion of the path.

6. The air distribution arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the duct comprises a channel member having a U-shaped profile across a lateral cross section of the duct, wherein an upper end of the duct is closed off by the lower surface.

7. The air distribution arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the channel includes a disrupting body configured to direct the first portion out of the channel.

8. The air distribution arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the disrupting body comprises a ramp.

9. The air distribution arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the disrupting body is disposed proximate an end of the length.

10. The air distribution arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the disrupting body is configured for selective adjustment between a retracted position and a deployed position.

11. The air distribution arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the body defines a duct opening and wherein an end of the duct is in fluid communication with the duct opening, whereby the second portion of the flow of air vents through the duct opening.

12. The air distribution arrangement of claim 11 , further comprising a cover member disposed proximate the duct opening and configured to selectively close the duct opening.

13. The air distribution arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a facade member positioned above the body and configured to at least partially conceal the channel.

14. The air distribution arrangement of claim 13 , wherein the facade member includes a register opening disposed to correspond with an end of the channel.

15. A method of distributing a flow of air produced by an HVAC system of a vehicle, the method comprising:
guiding a first portion of the flow of air with a channel defined in an upper surface of an instrument panel along a length of the upper surface of the instrument panel of the vehicle, the channel having a generally U-shaped configuration in cross section along substantially an entire length of the channel, an upper portion of the channel being open to a passenger compartment of the vehicle and free of a covering along substantially the entire length of the channel, and an inner portion of the channel being substantially free of structure along substantially the entire length of the channel;
guiding a second portion of the flow of air with a duct along a path below the upper surface of the instrument panel, the path corresponding with the length, and the duct being in fluid communication with the channel at a plurality of locations along the path;
entraining the first portion of the flow of air in the channel with the second portion of the flow of air flowing through the duct.

Assignees

• Vander Sluis Daniel
• D Alessandro Anthony
• Paulsen Kyle
• Faurecia Interior Systems Inc

Inventors

• Vander Sluis Daniel
• D Alessandro Anthony
• Paulsen Kyle

Classifications

• B60H1/0055 Primary

  the housing or parts thereof being integrated in other devices, e.g. dashboard · CPC title

• B60H1/00564

  of air ducts · CPC title

• B60H1/3407

  providing an air stream in a fixed direction, e.g. using a grid or porous panel · CPC title

• B60H1/242

  located in the front area · CPC title