Control element and assembly for an air vent as well as method for mounting a control element

Abstract

A control element (16) for an air vent (10) in a vehicle has a bearing portion which serves for the air-vent-side bearing of the control element (16) and includes a receptacle (22), in particular for a slat (12) of an air vent (10), and a spring element (34) which protrudes into the receptacle (22) of the bearing portion, wherein the spring element (34) is integrally molded to the control element (16).

Claims

1. A control element for an air vent in a vehicle, the control element comprising: a bearing part including a receptacle, wherein a slat is configured to extend through the receptacle to mount the bearing part to the slat; the receptacle having a recess that passes through to a front edge of the slat and extends along a longitudinal direction of the front edge of the slat; the bearing part forming a holding part wherein the holding part includes an integrally formed spring element, and wherein the spring element is a leaf spring which body ends thereof are integrally molded to the control element so as to bias against the slat within the receptacle by extending into the recess to rest against the slat in the recess.

2. The control element according to claim 1, wherein cooperating fastening elements, in particular latching elements, are provided at the bearing part and at the holding part.

3. The control element according to claim 1, wherein the spring element is formed substantially U-shaped, with the spring element with the legs of the U being integrally connected with the control element.

4. The control element according to claim 1, wherein the spring element includes two flexible webs extending away from the control element and a double-S-shaped transverse web connecting the webs.

5. The control element according to claim 1, wherein the control element is made of one or more plastics and metallic additives in the spring element.

6. The control element according to claim 1, wherein the spring element and/or the control element have an abrasion-resistant coating.

7. The control element according to claim 1, wherein the control element in a viewing region and the spring element are coated with a chrome plating.

8. The control element according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is a cutout extending through the control element, through which a slat of an air vent can be guided.

9. An assembly for an air vent in a vehicle, comprising at least one slat and a control element according to claim 1, wherein the slat extends through the receptacle and the control element with the receptacle is mounted on the slat, in part icular shiftable to a limited extent, and the spring element is biased against the slat.

10. The control element of claim 1, wherein the control element is configured to be biased between the spring element of the holding part and a spring tab of the slat.

11. The control element of claim 1, wherein a rear end of the holding part couples to a front end of the bearing part.

12. An assembly for an air vent in a vehicle, the assembly comprising: a slat; and a control element including: a bearing part including a receptacle, wherein a slat is configured to extend through the receptacle to mount the bearing part to the slat; the receptacle having a recess through to a front edge of the slat and extends along a longitudinal direction of the front edge of the slat; the bearing part forming a holding part wherein the holding part includes an integrally formed spring element, and wherein the spring element is a leaf spring which body ends thereof are integrally molded to the control element so as to bias against the slat within the receptacle by extending into the recess to rest agianst the slat in the recess.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the control element is biased between the spring element of the holding part and a spring tab of the slat.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages and features can be taken from the following description in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an air vent with an assembly according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective detail view of the assembly of FIG. 1 with a control element according to the invention, and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a side view of the assembly of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

(5) FIG. 1 shows an air vent 10 for a vehicle. The air vent 10 has a plurality of first, slats 12 which here extend horizontally, and a plurality of second, slats 14 which here extend vertically and are arranged behind the first slats. The slats 12, 14 each are pivotally mounted about their longitudinal axis in the housing 15 of the air vent 10 and can be pivoted in order to deflect the air stream from the air vent 10. A control element 16 is provided on one of the slats 12, in order to pivot the slats 12, 14. Furthermore, an adjusting wheel 19 is provided in order to regulate the air quantity flowing through the air vent 10.

(6) The control element 16 is shiftable on the slat 12 to a limited extent in two first actuating directions B1, B2 in longitudinal direction of the slat 12. The second slats 14 are coupled with the control element 16 via an actuating mechanism such that the second slats 14 are pivoted about their longitudinal axis by shifting the control element in the actuating directions B1, B2, so that the air stream is deflected to the left or right with respect to FIG. 1.

(7) Furthermore, the control element 16 can be pivoted in two second actuating directions A1, A2 extending perpendicularly to the first actuating directions B1, B2, in order to pivot the slats 12 about their longitudinal axis and thus deflect the air stream upwards or downwards with respect to FIG. 1.

(8) The assembly 17 of the control element 16 and the slat 12 on which the control element 16 is mounted, is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3.

(9) In this embodiment, the control element 16 has two components, namely a bearing part 18 and a holding part 20 attached to the bearing part 18. Alternatively, the control element 16 can also consist of one component which is formed in one part.

(10) The bearing part 18 includes a receptacle 22 extending through the bearing part 18, which is formed by a cutout. The slat 12 extends through this receptacle 22 so that the bearing part 18 is mounted on the slat 12. The receptacle 22 has a uniform cross-section along the entire length, which substantially corresponds to the cross-section of the slat 12. Thus, the control element 16 can be shifted in longitudinal direction of the slat 12, i.e. in the actuating directions B1, B2.

(11) On the back of the bearing part 18, there is furthermore provided a fork-like bearing 24 for an actuating mechanism of the second slat 14.

(12) On the front side 26 of the bearing part 18 facing the vehicle interior, an opening 28 as well as two receiving channels 30 are provided. The opening 28 extends from the front side 26 to the receptacle 22.

(13) The holding part 20 includes two protruding latching webs 32 corresponding to the receiving channels 30. Furthermore, a spring element 34 is provided which is integrally molded to the holding part and, as will be explained below, protrudes through the opening 28 into the receptacle 22 in the mounted condition of the holding part 20 at the bearing part 18.

(14) At the receiving channels 30 and the latching webs 32, corresponding fastening elements 31, 33 are provided which here are latching elements. For mounting the holding part 20 on the bearing part 18, the holding part 20 is directed against the bearing part 18, in particular vertically to the slat 12, whereby the latching webs 32 are guided in the receiving channels 30 and the spring element 34 into the opening 28 until the fastening elements 31, 33 snap together and the spring element 34 protrudes into the receptacle 22.

(15) As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the spring element 34 includes two webs 36 extending away from the holding part 20, which webs can be designed flexible. These webs 36 are connected with a double-S-shaped transverse web 38, which is formed flexible.

(16) In the receptacle 22, the spring element 34 is urged against the slat 12 and biased against the same. As a result, the control element 16 is biased against the slat 12 without play so that the same can be shifted in longitudinal direction of the slat, i.e. in the actuating directions B1, B2, but a generation of noise, for example by rattling of the control element 16 against the slat 12, is reliably prevented.

(17) Furthermore, a spring tab 35 is provided on the back of the slat 12, which is biased against the receptacle opposite to the spring element 34 so that the control element 16 is biased between spring element 34 and spring tab 35.

(18) As shown in FIG. 2, a protrusion 40 is formed at the transverse web 38 due to the double-S shape, which protrusion rests against the slat 12 in a recess 44 arranged at the slat 12 in longitudinal direction of the front edge 42. Due to this recess 44, the shifting path of the control element 16 on the slat 12 is limited in the actuating directions B1, B2. The control element 16 can be shifted in the actuating directions B1, B2 until the protrusion 40 each rests against an end of the recess 44. Due to this limitation of the shifting path, an overload of the actuating mechanism for the second slats 14 by pivoting the control element 16 too far is reliably prevented.

(19) For cost reasons, but also to ensure an easy manufacture, the control element 16 is made of plastics. The holding part 20 and the bearing part 18 for example each can then be manufactured by an injection molding method. Due to the two-part shape with a holding part 20 and a bearing part 18, an easier injection molding of the components is possible since the individual components, the bearing part 18 and the holding part 20, have a much simpler construction with less undercuts.

(20) A one-part manufacture of the control element 16 is likewise possible, but distinctly more expensive due to the spring element 34 which in such embodiment protrudes into the receptacle 22 already during manufacture.

(21) To increase the abrasion resistance of the spring element 34 which rubs against the slat 12 during adjustment of the air vent 10, metallic additives for example can be provided in the spring element 34, which increase the strength of the plastic material. Alternatively, the entire holding part 20 also can include such metallic additives.

(22) Instead of such metallic additives it is also conceivable that the control element 16 is made of plastics and wholly or partly provided with an abrasion-resistant coating. To improve the abrasion resistance and also the slidability of the spring element 34 on the slat 12, a metallic coating, in particular a chrome plating, can also be used.

(23) The control element 16 can be provided with such coating merely in the viewing region and at the spring element 34 in order to provide the control element with a high-quality appearance. In addition, the control element thus can be formed more resistant in the visible handle region. Preferably, the entire holding part can also be chrome-plated. The coating can be applied already during the manufacture of the bearing part 18 and the holding part 20 or also only after injection molding of the components, for example electrochemically.

(24) In the embodiment shown here, the control element is formed in two parts, with the receptacle 22 for the slat 12 being provided on a first part, the bearing part 18, and the spring element 34 is provided on a second part, the holding part 20.

(25) This provides for easier mounting of the control element 16 on the slat 12. In a first manufacturing step, the bearing part 18 can be pushed onto the slat 12 in longitudinal direction, this being effected with a small resistance since the spring element 34 does not yet bias the control element 16 against the slat 12. When the bearing part 18 is positioned at the slat 12, preferably in the region of the recess 44, the holding part 20 is put onto the bearing part 18 whereby the spring element 34 is being against the slat 12.

(26) Thus, besides easier pushing of the bearing part 18, a damage of the spring element 34 due to the increased forces during pushing of the control element 16 onto the slat 12 is reliably prevented. For an easy disassembly of the control element, the holding part 20 can be removed, whereby an easy shifting of the bearing part 18 is possible.

(27) Instead of the double-S shape, the spring element 34 can however also have any other shape. It is merely required that the spring element 34 can exert a spring force on the slat 12, which acts substantially vertically to the same, in order to accomplish a clearance-free bearing on the slat 12. The spring element 34 for example can be formed U-shaped, i.e. have a straight transverse web instead of a double-S-shaped transverse web 38. It is also possible that the spring element 34 is a leaf spring which with one or both ends is integrally molded to the control element 16.

(28) Instead of the illustrated latching between bearing part 18 and holding part 20, other corresponding fastening elements 31, 33 can also be used. In particular, other cooperating latching elements can be used.