Extendable flex door for evaporator division

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9688117-B2
Application number	US-201414219582-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2014
Priority date	Mar 22, 2013
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

An HVAC airflow door assembly including a pivot hub, a main body, and a flexible member. The pivot hub is connectable with a pivot member for pivoting the door assembly. The main body extends from the pivot hub and includes a distal end opposite to and spaced apart from the pivot hub. The flexible member is mounted to, and extends from, the distal end of the main body, and is configured for connection with a guide track. The door assembly is configured for rotation by the pivot member between a first position in which the flexible member is collapsed, and a second position in which the flexible member is extended relative to the first position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An HVAC airflow door assembly comprising:
a pivot hub connectable with a pivot member for pivoting the door assembly;
a main body extending from the pivot hub, the main body including a distal end opposite to and spaced apart from the pivot hub; and
a flexible member mounted to and extending from the distal end of the main body, and configured for connection with a guide track, a first end of the flexible member is coupled to the distal end of the main body, and a second end of the flexible member is coupled to a slidable member that slides along a length of the guide track;
wherein the door assembly is configured for rotation by the pivot member between a first position in which the flexible member is collapsed, and a second position in which the flexible member is extended relative to the first position;
wherein the flexible member includes a plurality of rigid sections connected by flexible joints configured to permit flexion of the rigid sections relative to one another; and
wherein the flexible joints and the plurality of rigid sections provide the flexible member with a plurality of folded portions between which extend generally linear portions from the distal end of the main body to the slidable member.

2. The HVAC airflow door assembly of claim 1 , wherein in the first position the main body extends perpendicular to the guide track.

3. The HVAC airflow door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexible member includes an elastomeric material.

4. The HVAC airflow door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexible member includes a coupling member at a distal end thereof, the coupling member configured to slidably couple with the guide track.

5. The HVAC airflow door assembly of claim 4 , wherein when the elastomeric member is coupled to the guide track with the coupling member, movement of the main body from the first position to the second position moves the coupling member along the guide track and away from the distal end of the main body, causing the flexible member to extend relative to the first position.

6. The HVAC airflow door assembly of claim 4 , wherein the coupling member is a plastic rod overmolded to the flexible member.

7. The HVAC airflow door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a polymeric portion and a backing on opposite sides thereof, the polymeric portion extending from a proximal end of the main body at the pivot hub to the distal end, the flexible member is overmolded to the polymeric portion to provide a spring force therebetween and maintain the main body in the second position.

8. The HVAC airflow door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the guide track extends entirely across a rear blower portion of a blower and across about half of a front blower portion of the blower, the rear blower portion and the front blower portion are arranged laterally to one another.

9. An HVAC airflow door assembly comprising:
a pivot hub connectable with a pivot member for pivoting the door assembly;
a main body extending from the pivot hub, the main body including a distal end opposite to and spaced apart from the pivot hub;
a flexible member mounted to and extending from the main body at the distal end thereof; and
a guide track to which the flexible member is slidably connected, a first end of the flexible member is coupled to the distal end of the main body, and a second end of the flexible member is coupled to a slidable member that slides along a length of the guide track;
wherein the door assembly is configured for rotation by the pivot member to a first position in which the flexible member is collapsed and the main body extends perpendicular to the guide track, a second position in which the main body is rotated relative to the first position and the flexible member is extended relative to the first position, and a third position in which the flexible member is rotated relative to the first and second positions and is extended relative to the first position, the first position is between the second and the third positions;
wherein the flexible member includes a plurality of rigid sections connected by flexible joints configured to permit flexion of the rigid sections relative to one another; and
wherein the flexible joints and the plurality of rigid sections provide the flexible member with a plurality of folded portions between which extend generally linear portions from the distal end of the main body to the slidable member.

10. The HVAC airflow door assembly of claim 9 , wherein the flexible member is connected with an overmold to the slidable member slidably mounted to the guide track.

11. The HVAC airflow door assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a polymeric member extending along a length of the main body, the flexible member overmolded to the polymeric member to provide a spring force configured to bias the flexible member in the extended position.

12. The HVAC airflow door assembly of claim 9 , wherein the flexible member is spaced apart from the evaporator at a constant distance in each of the first position, the second position, and the third position.

13. The HVAC airflow door assembly of claim 11 , wherein the pivot hub is configured to be mounted on a downstream side of an HVAC evaporator such that the main body is between the pivot hub and the evaporator, and the guide track is between the distal end and the evaporator, such that the guide track is spaced apart from the evaporator at a constant distance along an entire length of the guide track.

14. The HVAC airflow door assembly of claim 9 , wherein the guide track extends entirely across a rear blower portion of a blower and across about half of a front blower portion of the blower, the rear blower portion and the front blower portion are arranged laterally to one another.

15. An HVAC airflow door assembly comprising:
a pivot hub pivotably mounted within an HVAC assembly to a pivot member on a downstream side of an evaporator;
a main body extending from the pivot hub, the main body including a distal end opposite to and spaced apart from the pivot hub;
a polymeric member extending along a length of the main body to the distal end;
a flexible member connected to the polymeric member with an overmold, the flexible member extending from the distal end; and
a guide track extending parallel to the evaporator between the distal end of the main body and the evaporator, the guide track spaced apart from the evaporator at a constant distance along an entire length of the guide track, the flexible member coupled to a slidable member seated in the guide track that is slidable along the guide track, a first end of the flexible member is coupled to the distal end of the main body, and a second end of the flexible member is coupled to the slidable member that slides along a length of the guide track;
wherein:
the pivot member is configured to pivot the main body to a first position, a second position, and a third position;
in the first position the main body extends perpendicular to the guide track and the flexible member is in a collapsed position;
in the second position the main body is rotated in a first direction relative to the first position and the flexible member is extended relative to the collapsed position of the first position, the overmold between the flexible member and the polymeric member provides a spring force configured to maintain the main body in the second position, in the second position airflow generated by front and rear blowers on a side of the evaporator opposite to the main body is primarily directed to a first portion of the HVAC assembly at a front of a vehicle;
in th

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc

Inventors

• Stander James
• Korenchuk David
• Hayashi Kosuke
• Cochran William

Classifications

• B60H2001/00721

  Air deflecting or air directing means · CPC title

• B60H1/3414 Primary

  with means for adjusting the air stream direction (B60H1/345 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60H1/00678 Primary

  the axis of rotation being in the door plane, e.g. butterfly doors · CPC title