U.S. patent application number 12/156453 was filed with the patent office on 2008-12-25 for louver roller.
Invention is credited to Ralf Kern.
Application Number | 20080318512 12/156453 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39719167 |
Filed Date | 2008-12-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080318512 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kern; Ralf |
December 25, 2008 |
Louver roller
Abstract
The invention relates to a louver roller (100) with louver
members and mounting in an air nozzle body. In order firstly to
ensure rapid installation of the louver members in the louver
roller (100) and secondly to provide a secure fastening of the
same, the invention proposes that snap-in segments (12) are
arranged between end sides (10, 11) of the louver roller (100) and
each have, on the louver-member side, a recess (14) into which the
louver members can be snapped in a frictional and/or form-fitting
manner.
Inventors: |
Kern; Ralf;
(Walldurn-Rippberg, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SANDRA J. THOMPSON;PATENT AGENT
335 KNOCK KNOLLS ROAD
NAPERVILLE
IL
60565
US
|
Family ID: |
39719167 |
Appl. No.: |
12/156453 |
Filed: |
May 30, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
454/317 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60H 1/00685 20130101;
F24F 13/075 20130101; F24F 13/1486 20130101; B60H 2001/00721
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
454/317 |
International
Class: |
F24F 13/06 20060101
F24F013/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 1, 2007 |
DE |
10 2007 025 506.5 |
Claims
1. A louver roller with louver members and for mounting in an air
nozzle body, wherein snap-in segments (12, 13) are arranged between
end sides (10, 11) of the louver roller (100) and each have, on the
louver-member side, a recess (14) into which the louver members can
be snapped in a frictional and/or form-fitting manner.
2. The louver roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the snap-in
segments (12, 13) have an arm part (15).
3. The louver roller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the arm part
(15) is of elastic design.
4. The louver roller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the arm part
(15) is provided with a bulge (16) within the recess (14).
5. The louver roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein a curvature
(17) is formed within the recess (14), with the recess (14) being
of curved design between the bulge (16) and curvature (17).
6. The louver roller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the arms of the
arm part (15) extend in the direction of the end side (11) which is
provided with an adjusting wheel (18) for pivoting the louver
roller (100).
7. The louver roller as claimed in claim 6, wherein the snap-in
segment (13) situated closest to the end side (11) is arranged
diametrically to the remaining snap-in segments (12).
8. The louver roller as claimed in claim I, wherein, between the
end sides (10, 11), the snap-in segments (12) are arranged on both
sides of the louver roller (100).
9. The louver roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein projections
(21) are arranged between the snap-in segments (12).
10. The louver roller as claimed in claim 9, wherein that side (22)
of the projection (21) which faces the recess (14) is of oblique
design.
11. The louver roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the louver
members and the snap-in segments (12) are all designed as identical
plastic molded parts.
12. The louver roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the louver
members and the snap-in segments (12) are made from a flexible
plastic.
13. An air nozzle, in particular for ventilating vehicles, which
comprises the use of a louver roller as defined in claims 1 to 12.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to a louver roller with louver members
and for mounting in an air nozzle body.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A louver roller of the type with louver members and for
mounting in an air nozzle body is known and familiar to a person
skilled in the art.
[0003] For example, a louver roller which is provided with
obliquely situated louver members and which is mounted in a nozzle
body is known, with the pivot axis of the louver members extending
essentially parallel to the pivot axes, which are essentially
parallel to one another, of the louver members of a louver array.
The louver array in turn is part of an air nozzle and serves to
deflect the direction of the airflow emerging from the air nozzle
which is mounted on the nozzle body, with the air nozzle also
having louver members which are mounted pivotably with respect to
one another and extend essentially parallel to one another.
[0004] Air nozzles which combine the advantages of a louver roller
with those of an air nozzle with louver arrays arranged thereon are
therefore available in the prior art. Said louver roller known from
the prior art is simple to manufacture and, as a compact part, can
easily be fitted. Nevertheless, if oriented appropriately, it
permits a comparatively large, free flow cross section and good
deflection of air in a plane transversely with respect to its pivot
axis. The louver array mentioned here is known per se from U.S.
Pat. No. 3,683,787.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] If a louver array is combined with a louver roller,
comparatively few louver members have to be fitted, but these then
extend over the entire width. The adjusting wheels both for the
louver array and for the louver roller can be fitted at the end
sides Such that not too much free flow cross section is lost, and
installation is possible even in the case of very narrow nozzles
and correspondingly restricted spatial conditions. In summary, it
is therefore to be stated that the combination of louver array and
louver roller in an air nozzle constitutes an innovative
development of air nozzles. Furthermore, it is also required for
the louver receptacle in the louver roller to firstly permit rapid
installation, but secondly to also prevent the louver members in
the louver array from easily becoming detached from the hinged
receptacle, for example due to significant vibrations in the
vehicle interior.
[0006] Taking a louver roller of the type mentioned at the
beginning as the starting point, the invention is therefore based
on the object of developing a louver roller of the type mentioned
at the beginning in accordance with the preamble of claim 1 in such
a manner that firstly rapid installation of the louver members in
the louver roller is ensured and secondly secure fastening of the
same is provided.
[0007] This object is achieved according to the invention by claim
1. Advantageous developments emerge from the subclaims.
[0008] According to the invention, snap-in segments are arranged
between the end sides of the louver roller and each have, on the
louver-member side, a recess into which the louver members can be
snapped in a frictional and/or form-fitting manner.
[0009] For the frictional and/or form-fitting connection between
the snap-in segment and the louver members, bearing journals can be
provided, said bearing journals protruding away from the louver
members in opposite directions and snapping into the recesses.
[0010] One advantage of the invention can be considered that of
providing simple lateral installation of the bearing journals of
the louver members. In addition, it is ensured according to the
invention that the louver members are mounted in an unopened state
such that they cannot be squeezed out.
[0011] Within the scope of the invention, it is also provided for
this purpose that the snap-in segment has an arm part and the arm
part is provided with a bulge within the recess. In addition,
according to the invention, a curvature is formed within the
recess, with the recess being of curved design between the bulge
and curvature. These structural measures assist the frictional
and/or form-fitting connection between the snap-in segment and
louver members or bearing journals.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0012] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a louver
roller according to the invention; and
[0013] FIG. 2 shows, in a perspective view, an enlarged cutout of
the louver roller according to the invention, in which the snap-in
segment is arranged diametrically to the remaining snap-in
segments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a louver roller according to the
invention provided with the reference number 100.
[0015] The louver roller 100 is part of an air nozzle and has two
end sides 10, 11 and two side parts 19, 20. In addition, the louver
roller 100 has snap-in segments 12 for the mounting of louver
members (not shown). The snap-in segments 12 shown in FIG. 1 have
corresponding snap-in segments which are not shown in FIG. 1 and
are arranged along the side surface 19. The snap-in segments 12
protrude from an edge 23 which is formed along the side parts 19,
20. The louver members (not shown here) and the snap-in segments 12
are designed as soft plastic molded parts, and may be identical.
The snap-in segments 12 each have a recess 14 into which the louver
members provided for the louver roller 100 can be snapped in a
frictional and/or form-fitting manner. For this purpose, the louver
members can have bearing journals which protrude in opposite
directions from the louver members and snap into the recesses
14.
[0016] The snap-in segments 12 are structurally configured in such
a manner that they have an arm part 15 which is of elastic design.
A spring arm could therefore also be spoken of in the terminology
used here. The arm part 15 is provided with a bulge 16 within the
recess 14. In addition, a curvature 17 is formed within the recess
14. Said curvature is formed integrally in the edge 23 and is
located obliquely in relation to the bulge 15 within the recess 14.
The recess 14 is of curved design between the bulge 16 and the
curvature 17. In the embodiment shown here, the arms of the arm
part 15 ("spring arm"), with the exception of the arm part 16 of
the snap-in segment 13, extend in the direction of the end side 11
which is provided with an adjusting wheel 18 for pivoting the
louver roller 100.
[0017] Projections 21 which likewise protrude from the edge 23 are
arranged between the snap-in segments 12. In this case, that side
23 of the projection 21 which faces the recess 14 is of oblique
design. By means of this structural measure, a louver member which
is introduced from above can be guided by a journal along the side
23 in order to be guided in the direction of the recess 14 and to
be snapped into the latter. Easy installation of the louver members
is thereby obtained. Both the bulge 16 and the curvature 17 serve
to better lock the louver members in the snap-in segments 12.
[0018] It is revealed in FIG. 2 that the snap-in segment 13
situated closest to the end side 11 is arranged diametrically to
the remaining snap-in segments 12, i.e. through 180 to the
remaining snap-in segments 12. In the embodiment shown here, this
arrangement is necessitated by the structure. A projection 21 is
likewise arranged between the snap-in segment 13 and the snap-in
segment 12 situated closest thereto, but, in the embodiment of the
louver roller 100 according to the invention that is shown in FIG.
2, that side of the projection 21 which faces the recess 14 of the
snap-in segment 13 is not of oblique design.
[0019] The present invention is not restricted in its
implementation to the preferred exemplary embodiments indicated
above. On the contrary, a number of variants is conceivable, the
variants making use of the illustrated solution even for
fundamentally different types of embodiments. It is therefore not
required for the recesses to assume a curved profile in their
interior. Also, for example, the projections 21 may differ in
configuration.
* * * * *