U.S. patent application number 11/257162 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-13 for air vent for ventilation systems.
This patent application is currently assigned to TRW Automotive Electronics & Components Gmbh & Co, KG. Invention is credited to Thomas Dippel.
Application Number | 20060079174 11/257162 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27763032 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060079174 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dippel; Thomas |
April 13, 2006 |
Air vent for ventilation systems
Abstract
An air vent is provided that is capable of delivering a
distributed divergent air flow with a predominant direction of flow
that can be changed within a wide range of mutually perpendicular
directions. In one embodiment, the air vent has an outlet grid that
is generally ball shaped and that is rotatably mounted at an end of
an air duct for rotation about its center. Each of the multiple
outlet openings of the grid points to a direction that is different
from pointing directions of all other outlet openings so that a
divergent air flow is obtained. By rotating the ball shaped grid
about its center, the predominant direction of air flow can
nevertheless be changed in a within a wide range.
Inventors: |
Dippel; Thomas;
(Neuhemsbach, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell, & Tummino L.L.P.
Suite 1111
526 Superior Avenue
Cleveland
OH
44114-1400
US
|
Assignee: |
TRW Automotive Electronics &
Components Gmbh & Co, KG
|
Family ID: |
27763032 |
Appl. No.: |
11/257162 |
Filed: |
October 24, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10388790 |
Mar 14, 2003 |
|
|
|
11257162 |
Oct 24, 2005 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
454/367 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60H 1/3407 20130101;
B60H 1/3414 20130101; F24F 13/065 20130101; B60H 1/345
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
454/367 |
International
Class: |
F24F 13/20 20060101
F24F013/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 15, 2002 |
DE |
202 04 189.1 |
Claims
1. An air vent for ventilation system in a vehicle, comprising an
outlet grid having multiple outlet openings, wherein said outlet
grid is generally ball shaped and is rotatably mounted at an end of
an air duct for rotation about its center.
2-17. (canceled)
18. An air vent for a ventilation system in a vehicle, comprising
an outlet grid having multiple outlet openings which deliver a flow
of air, comprising a cylindrical duct member having a first end
connected to an air duct and a second end closed by a wall, said
outlet grid forming a circumferential envelope area of said duct
member and adjacent outlet openings in a circumferential direction
pointing in different directions, said outlet openings thus
delivering a divergent flow of air.
19. The air vent according to claim 18, wherein said duct member
has a circumferential envelope area opposite said outlet grid and
comprising a plurality of axially extending slots defined by axial
webs spaced from each other in the circumferential direction of the
duct member.
20. The air vent according to claim 18, wherein a set of parallel
air deflection flaps are pivotally mounted within said duct member
on axes that extend diametrically of the duct member.
21. The air vent according to claim 20, wherein said deflection
flaps are provided with through openings.
22. The air vent according to claim 21, wherein said through
openings have cross sectional areas that become smaller from one
deflection flap to the next in the axial direction of the duct
member.
23. The air vent of claim 18, wherein the duct member is provided
with a connection sleeve for connection to an air duct with a
sliding fit permitting rotation of the air vent about an axis of
the duct member.
24. An air vent for a ventilation system in a vehicle, comprising
an outlet grid having multiple outlet openings, comprising a
cylindrical duct member having a first end connected to an air duct
and a second end closed by a wall, wherein said outlet grid forms a
circumferential envelope area of said duct member wherein, said
duct member has a circumferential envelope area opposite said
outlet grid and comprising a plurality of axially extending slots
defined by axial webs spaced from each other in the circumferential
direction of the duct member.
25. An air vent for a ventilation system in a vehicle, comprising
an outlet grid having multiple outlet openings, comprising a
cylindrical duct member having a first end connected to an air duct
and a second end closed by a wall, wherein said outlet grid forms a
circumferential envelope area of said duct member, wherein a set of
parallel air deflection flaps are pivotally mounted within said
duct member on axes that extend diametrically of the duct
member.
26. An air vent for a ventilation system in a vehicle, comprising
an outlet grid having multiple outlet openings, comprising a
cylindrical duct member having a first end connected to an air duct
and a second end closed by a wall, wherein said outlet grid forms a
circumferential envelope area of said duct member, wherein said
duct member is provided with a connection sleeve for connection to
an air duct with a sliding fit permitting rotation of the air vent
about an axis of the duct member.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a divisional of co-pending patent
application Ser. No. 10/388,790, filed Mar. 14, 2003.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to an air vent for ventilation
systems, especially in vehicles.
[0003] Conventional air vents in vehicles have an outlet opening
with a set of parallel lamellas that are jointly pivoted to deflect
an air flow. When an air flow is to be deflected both horizontally
and vertically, a second set of lamellas is provided upstream from
a first set, and the first and second sets of lamellas are pivoted
about mutually perpendicular axes. With an air vent of this
configuration, an air flow can be deflected in a wide range between
"up" and "down" and between "left" and "right", but always remains
a directed flow, causing turbulence and local zones of high air
flow velocities within the vehicle cabin whereas little movement of
air occurs in other regions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention provides an air vent that is capable
of delivering a distributed divergent air flow with a predominant
direction of flow that can be changed within a wide range of
mutually perpendicular directions.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In a first embodiment of the invention, the air vent has an
outlet grid that is generally ball shaped and that is rotatably
mounted at an end of an air duct for rotation about its center.
Each of the multiple outlet openings of the grid points to a
direction that is different from pointing directions of all other
outlet openings so that a divergent air flow is obtained. By
rotating the ball shaped grid about its center, the predominant
direction of air flow can nevertheless be changed in a within a
wide range.
[0006] In a second embodiment of the invention, the air vent has an
outlet grid formed of a plurality of parallel grid vanes the ends
of which are pivotally mounted at the outlet end of an air duct.
Each grid vane has multiple air escape openings. The grid vanes can
be pivoted between a condition where they together form a
substantially continuous grid surface, providing a distributed or
divergent air flow, and multiple conditions where they define
parallel air escape slots and act as lamellas to provide a directed
air flow.
[0007] In a third embodiment of the invention, an air vent device
is comprised of a cylindrical duct member that has a first end
connected to an air duct, a second end closed by a wall and a
circumferential wall that forms an air outlet grid. Multiple air
escape openings of the grid point into different directions,
delivering a distributed or divergent flow of air. Preferably,
movable air deflection flaps are mounted within the cylindrical
duct member so that a predominant orientation of air flow can be
adjusted.
[0008] Three different embodiments of the air vent are shown in the
accompanying drawings and are defined in the following claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Further features and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments
with reference to the appending drawings. In the drawings:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air vent with a ball
shaped grid that can be rotated about its center;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an air duct end with the ball
shaped grid in a first position;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an air duct end with the ball
shaped grid in a second position;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the air vent in FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an air vent with an outlet
grid formed of a plurality of parallel pivotal grid vanes;
[0015] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a distributed air flow delivered by
the air vent of FIG. 6:
[0016] FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a directed air flow delivered by
the air vent of FIG. 6:
[0017] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment generally
similar to that in FIG. 6, but having a set of air deflection
baffles upstream from the grid vanes;
[0018] FIG. 11 is a view similar to that in FIG. 11, but showing
the deflection baffles in a pivoted position;
[0019] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an air vent with a
cylindrical duct member;
[0020] FIG. 13 is a schematic radial section of the duct member;
and
[0021] FIG. 14 is a schematic axial section of the duct member.
[0022] An air vent as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 has a cylindrical tube
section 10 with one end connected to an end of an air duct 12 and
another end fitted with an outlet grid 14. Outlet grid 14 is
generally ball shaped and is assembled of a substantially
semispherical shell member 16 and an annular support member 18.
Support member 18 has an outer surface spherically curved to a
radius identical with that of shell member 16 so that shell member
16 and support member 18 together form a ball portion which is
about 60 to 80 percent of a total 360.degree. ball.
[0023] Support member 16 and shell member 18 each have multiple
outlet openings each of which forms a minute air escape nozzle.
Each of these multiple air escape nozzles may point into a
different direction so that, as a whole, outlet grid 14 acts to
provide a distributed or divergent flow of air from an air stream
supplied through air duct 12. Alternatively, as illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 3, these nozzles may all point into the same direction
to provide a rather directed air flow.
[0024] Support member 18 has four integrally molded baffle elements
20 that extend radially and are spaced circumferentially at
90.degree. from each other. Baffle elements 20 have radially inner
ends joined by a hub member 22. Hub member 22 is pivotally mounted
on a ball member 24 carried on a free end of an axially extending
grid carrier stud 26. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, grid carrier stud
26 is coaxial with air duct 12 and is mounted therein with radial
strut members 28.
[0025] By virtue of pivotally mounting support member 18 on grid
carrier stud 26, outlet grid 14 may be rotated in any direction
about its center, as materialized by ball member 24. Accordingly,
and as understood by contemplating FIGS. 2 and 3, an air flow
supplied by the air vent, whether directed or divergent, may be
easily oriented in space by simply rotating outlet grid 14,
manually or by means of a convenient adjustment mechanism (not
shown).
[0026] Turning now to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 11, an air
vent has an outlet grid, generally designated at 30, composed of
five parallel grid vanes 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d and 30e. Each of these
grid vanes is pivotally mounted in a frame (not shown). The pivot
axes of grid vanes 30a to 30e are parallel and spaced from each
other so that, in a condition shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, they
jointly assume parallel pivotal positions where they together form
a substantially continuous grid surface. Each grid vane has
multiple air escape openings that widen horizontally from the
center to both lateral ends, as seen in FIG. 5, thereby providing a
horizontally distributed air flow. Generally, each air escape
opening is a nozzle defined by air deflection surfaces oriented in
a way determined by a particular design.
[0027] In a pivotal condition shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, grid vanes
30a to 30e are substantially horizontally aligned to define five
parallel air escape slits as illustrated. In this condition, the
air vent supplies a rather directed flow of air.
[0028] With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, a set of baffle members
is provided upstream of outlet grid 30. Specifically, six parallel
and vertically extending baffle members 32a to 32f are arranged
upstream of outlet grid 30. Each baffle member 32a to 32f is
mounted pivotally on a vertical axis. By jointly pivoting baffle
members 32a to 32f, an air flow delivered by the air vent can be
given a predominant orientation, whether directed or divergent.
[0029] With reference now to FIGS. 12 to 14, an embodiment of an
air vent is shown wherein a cylindrical duct member 40 has a first
end connected to a sleeve 42 for connection to an air duct and a
second end closed by a wall. A circumferential envelope area of
duct member 40 is formed as an outlet grid 44 with multiple outlet
openings. As seen in FIG. 14, each outlet opening is defined by
directive wall sections and acts as a nozzle. As these outlet
openings are all located in a cylindrically curved wall section,
adjacent openings in a circumferential direction point to different
directions so that the outlet grid delivers a divergent flow of
air. In addition, outlet openings close to either axial end of the
outlet grid are inclined away from an imaginary radial plane
located midway between the axial ends of the outlet grid, the angle
of inclination being the greater the closer an outlet opening is to
an axial end of the outlet grid. As a result, the air flow
delivered by the air vent through outlet grid 44 is divergent both
in a radial plane and in an axial plane of the duct member 40, as
illustrated by arrows in FIGS. 13 and 14.
[0030] An envelope wall section opposite outlet grid 44 is provided
with parallel elongate outlet slots 46 separated by webs 48 which
extend in the axial direction of duct member 40. Pivotally mounted
inside of duct member 40 are generally circular baffle plates 50.
Each baffle plate 50 is mounted on an axis that extends
diametrically of duct member 40, and all baffle plates are linked
for joint pivotal movement between a radial position as seen in
FIG. 14 and any of a wide range of pivotal positions inclined to
either side of the radial position. Baffle plates 50 are provided
with through holes 52 that allow an axial passage of air flow
within duct member 40 in spite of the radial extension of baffle
plates 50. As seen in FIG. 14, through holes 52 are the wider the
closer the corresponding baffle plate 50 is to connection sleeve
42.
[0031] On the side of outlet slots 46, the air vent delivers a
directed flow of air, the direction of which is adjusted by jointly
pivoting baffle plates 50. On the side of outlet grid 44, although
a divergent flow of air is supplied, a predominant direction of air
flow is be obtained by adjusting baffle plates 50 to any pivotal
position different from the radial position shown in FIG. 14.
[0032] In addition, the air vent as a whole can be rotated about
the axis of duct member 40 if connection sleeve 42 is received in
an end of an air duct with a sliding fit that permits rotation, so
that the air vent can deliver either of a directed or a divergent
flow of air in any direction.
* * * * *