Ventilating Nozzle Including A Universally Swivellable Nozzle Member

Abstract

A ventilating nozzle in which a tubular nozzle member is swivellable universally in a tubular housing. The nozzle member contains an obturating member adjustable to vary the effective flow of air through the nozzle member. A sleeve mounted on the nozzle member for relative rotation therebetween but restrained by the housing from rotational movement about its axis is connected by gearing to the obturating member, whereby rotational movement of the nozzle member within the sleeve will effect opening or closing of the obturating member according to the direction of the rotational movement.

Description

The invention relates to a ventilating nozzle of the kind including a universally swivellable nozzle member and an adjustable flow control valve positioned within the nozzle member. Nozzles of this kind are particularly, but not exclusively, used for the ventilation and/or heating of the interiors of motor vehicles.

According to the invention, a ventilating nozzle comprises a tubular housing arranged to be connected at its upstream end to a source of ventilating air and a tubular nozzle member mounted in the housing and having an outer surface in the shape of a zone of a sphere, whereby the nozzle member is swivellable universally in the housing, the nozzle member comprising a tubular body in which an obturating member is adjustable to vary the effective flow of air through the housing, a sleeve mounted on the body for relative rotation therebetween but restrained by the housing from rotational movement about the axis of the body and gearing connecting the sleeve to the obturating member, whereby rotational movement of the body about its axis within the sleeve will effect opening or closing of the obturating member according to the direction of said rotational movement.

Conveniently the obturating member comprises at least one flap valve member mounted for pivoting about an axis extending diametrically of or chordwise of the tubular body of the nozzle member on a pivot carrying a gear member meshing with a toothed rack extending circumferentially of the inner surface of the sleeve.

The invention also includes the nozzle member for co-operation with the tubular housing of a ventilating nozzle in accordance with either of the two immediately preceding paragraphs.

By way of example, a nozzle member in accordance with the immediately preceding paragraph is now described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial section through the nozzle;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the nozzle as seen from the right side of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the nozzle.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 3, the nozzle member comprises a tubular body 1 having substantially cylindrical inner and outer surfaces 2 and 3. One end (the downstream end in use) of the body 1 has an integral outwardly-extending annular flange 4 and is also provided with a pair of crossed reinforcing ribs 5 by which the nozzle member can be swivelled in its housing, as later explained. The ribs 5 are shown in FIG. 2. The other end of the body is provided with outwardly-directed lip portions 6 provided on circumferentially spaced end portions of the body separated by short axial cuts to enable these end portions of the body to be slightly deformed inwardly and for a sleeve 7 to be fitted over them and held from axial movement between the lip portions 6 and the flange 4 when the end portions have been released. When the sleeve 7 has been fitted in position it is freely rotatable relatively to the body 1. The outer periphery 8 of the sleeve 7 is in the form of a zone of a sphere and the periphery of the flange 4 is a continuation of this part-spherical surface to enable the whole nozzle member to be swivelled in a tubular housing comprising a rear portion 20 and a front portion or bezel 21. The rear portion 20 has an integral spigot 22 to which an air delivery pipe from a blower is attached and the bezel 21 has integral lugs 23 by which the nozzle is supported from a facia or dash-board. An annular gallery 24 is formed around the sleeve 7 of the nozzle member between the portions 20 and 21 of the housing and this gallery contains a spring-strip 25 bent to a non-circular shape extending around the gallery and supporting a length of felt strip 26 which extends around the gallery in a ring and is held by the spring-strip 25 against the part-spherical surface of the sleeve 7 and from turning about the axis of the housing. The felt strip 26 acts to prevent leakage of air between the nozzle member and the inner surface of the housing portions 20 and 21 and also exerts a drag on the sleeve 7 to hold it from rotation in the housing when the body 1 is turned about its axis, while permitting universal swivelling of the nozzle member as a whole in the housing.

The sleeve has an inwardly directed flange 9 at its upstream end, adjacent the lip portions 6. The axially inner face of the flange 9 is formed with a circumferentially-extending rack portion 10 over part of its circumferential length. An elliptical butterfly valve flap 12 is mounted on diametral pivots inserted in the circumferential wall of the body 1 and is pivotable between a fully open position in which it extends edge-on in alignment with one of the ribs 5 and a closed position in which it lies obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the body 1 and completely closes the flow-path through the body. In this position the flap 12 abuts against an elliptical shoulder 13 formed in the inner peripheral surface 2 of the body 1. One of the diametral pivots of the flap 12 has a gear quadrant or pinion 14 formed or mounted on it and located in an annular space 15 between the body 1 and the sleeve 7 where it is in mesh with the rack portion 10.

In use, the nozzle member is fitted between the two portions 20 and 21 of the tubular housing to which a stream of ventilating air is to be supplied through the spigot 22 at the upstream end of the housing. The air stream will issue from the nozzle member under the control of the flap 12 and in a direction according to the inclination of the nozzle member. The outer periphery 8 of the sleeve co-operates with the tubular housing to permit universal swivelling of the whole nozzle member when the user grips the thicker of the two ribs 5. The sleeve 7 is held from turning about the longitudinal axis of the nozzle member by the felt strip 26 and thus when the user turns the body 1 in the direction of either of arrows X in FIG. 2 by gripping the thicker rib 5, the body 1 will turn relatively to the sleeve 7 and so the flap 12 will be swung from its open to closed position or vice versa in the direction of one of the arrows Y in FIG. 1. The fully-closed position of the flap 12 is determined by the flap engaging the shoulder 13 and the fully-open position of the flap 12 is determined by the flap engaging a protuberance 16 extending from one of the ribs 5.

The nozzle member and the housing portions are conveniently made of a synthetic plastics material.

Instead of the crossed ribs 5, a single diametral rib, a plurality of parallel ribs or a grid structure of ribs may be provided. The rib or ribs may incorporate a knob to be gripped by the operator.

Claims

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A ventilating nozzle comprising a tubular housing arranged to be connected at its upstream end to a source of ventilating air and a tubular nozzle member mounted in the housing and having an outer surface in the shape of a zone of a sphere, whereby the nozzle member is swivellable universally in the housing, the nozzle member comprising a tubular body, an obturating member positioned within said tubular body and adjustable to vary the effective flow of air through the housing. a sleeve mounted on the body for relative rotation therebetween but restrained by the housing from rotational movement about the axis of the body and gearing connecting the sleeve to the obturating member, wereby rotational movement of the body about its axis within the sleeve will effect movement of the obturating member in accordance with the direction of said rotational movement.

2. A nozzle as claimed in claim 1 in which the obturating member comprises at least one flap valve member mounted for pivoting about an axis extending transversely of the tubular body of the nozzle member, a pivot for said flap valve member, said gearing comprising a gear member carried on said pivot and a toothed rack meshing with said gear member and extending circumferentially of the inner surface of the sleeve.

3. A nozzle as claimed in claim 2 in which the housing includes a rubbing ring extending around an inner surface thereof and engaging the sleeve, thereby to hold the sleeve from turning about the axis of the housing while permitting the nozzle member to be swivelled as a whole universally in the housing.

4. A nozzle as claimed in claimed in claim 3 including a spring strip of non-circular shape located in a gallery extending around the inner wall of the housing, the spring strip engaging said rubbing ring and holding it from rotation in the housing.

5. A nozzle member for use in a ventilating nozzle comprising a tubular body in which an obturating member is adjustable to vary the effective flow of air through the nozzle member, a sleeve mounted on the body for relative rotation therebetween and gearing connecting the sleeve to the obturating member, whereby rotational movement of the body about its axis within the sleeve will effect movement of the obturating member according to the direction of said rotational movement.

6. A nozzle member as claimed in claim 5 in which the obturating member comprises at least one flap valve member mounted for pivoting about an axis extending transversely of the tubular body of the nozzle member, a pivot for said flap valve member said gearing comprising a gear member carried on said pivot and a toothed rack meshing with said gear member and extending circumferentially of the inner surface of the sleeve.