Heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device for a motor vehicle

Abstract

A heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device for a motor vehicle, including a first device component (10) which has a latching receptacle (12) with a receiving opening (14) for inserting a rigid latching tongue of a second device component which extends substantially along a mounting axis (24), wherein a first peripheral portion (16) of the receiving opening (14) is formed by a wall portion of the first device component (10) and wherein a second peripheral portion (18) of the receiving opening (14) that is opposite to the first peripheral portion (16) is designed to be substantially flexurally stiff, and third and fourth peripheral portions (20,22) which are situated peripherally between the first peripheral portion (16) and the second peripheral portion (18) are designed as a bending portions.

Claims

1. A heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device for a motor vehicle, comprising: a first device component which has a latching receptacle with a receiving opening for inserting a latching tongue, wherein a first peripheral portion of the receiving opening is formed by a wall portion of the first device component; and a second device component which has a substantially rigid latching tongue which extends substantially along a mounting axis, wherein a stiffness of the latching receptacle varies along the mounting axis, wherein the first and second device components can be moved towards one another along the mounting axis to form a latching connection by means of the latching tongue and the latching receptacle, wherein a second peripheral portion of the receiving opening that is opposite to the first peripheral portion is configured to be substantially flexurally stiff, and a third peripheral portion which is situated peripherally between the first peripheral portion and the second peripheral portion is configured as a bending portion, and wherein the first device component and the second device component are coupled via a tongue and groove connection in a latched state.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a fourth peripheral portion of the receiving opening is as an additional bending portion, wherein the second peripheral portion is arranged between the third peripheral portion and the fourth peripheral portion adjoining the third peripheral portion and fourth peripheral portion.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the third peripheral portion and/or the fourth peripheral portion, as viewed along the mounting axis, are or is at least partially arcuate.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the third peripheral portion and/or the fourth peripheral portion are or is situated opposite to the first peripheral portion.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein a mounting force for forming the latching connection and/or a demounting force for releasing the latching connection can be set by a wall thickness of the third peripheral portion and/or of the fourth peripheral portion.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second peripheral portion that is configured to be substantially flexurally stiff has arranged thereon a latching receptacle-side latching surface which, in the latched state, interacts with a latching tongue-side latching surface arranged on the latching tongue.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein a first portion of the latching receptacle which faces the second device component along the mounting axis is stiffer than a second portion of the latching receptacle which faces away from the second device component along the mounting axis.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the latching receptacle-side latching surface is arranged on the second portion.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein a reinforcing rib is arranged on the first portion.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second peripheral portion that is configured to be substantially flexurally stiff has arranged thereon a latching receptacle-side insertion surface which, during formation of the latching connection, interacts with a latching tongue-side insertion surface arranged on the latching tongue.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the latching tongue has arranged thereon a positioning element which, in the latched state of the first device component and the second device component, bears substantially with two opposite sides—against an inner periphery of the receiving opening.

12. The device according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the device components is a housing part of a device housing, wherein preferably one of the device components is a housing upper part and the other of the device components is a housing lower part.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second device components is an air duct part.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the latching tongue and the receiving opening each have a substantially rectangular cross section along the mounting axis.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein a first inspection surface is arranged on the first device component and a second inspection surface is arranged on the second device component, wherein the inspection surfaces are situated perpendicularly to the mounting axis and have a defined spacing from one another in the latched state of the first device component and the second device component.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the latching tongue is produced in one piece with the second device component and/or the latching receptacle is produced in one piece with the first device component.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the second peripheral portion and the first peripheral portion of the receiving opening is temporarily increased during formation of the latching connection.

18. A heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device for a motor vehicle, comprising: a first device component which has a latching receptacle with a receiving opening for inserting a latching tongue, wherein a first peripheral portion of the receiving opening is formed by a wall portion of the first device component; and a second device component which has a substantially rigid latching tongue which extends substantially along a mounting axis, wherein a stiffness of the latching receptacle varies along the mounting axis, wherein the first and second device components can be moved towards one another along the mounting axis to form a latching connection by means of the latching tongue and the latching receptacle, wherein a second peripheral portion of the receiving opening that is opposite to the first peripheral portion is configured to be substantially flexurally stiff, and a third peripheral portion which is situated peripherally between the first peripheral portion and the second peripheral portion is configured as a bending portion, and wherein a distance between the second peripheral portion and the first peripheral portion of the receiving opening is temporarily increased during formation of the latching connection.

19. A heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device for a motor vehicle, comprising: a first device component which has a latching receptacle with a receiving opening for inserting a latching tongue, wherein a first peripheral portion of the receiving opening is formed by a wall portion of the first device component; and a second device component which has a substantially rigid latching tongue which extends substantially along a mounting axis, wherein the first and second device components can be moved towards one another along the mounting axis to form a latching connection by means of the latching tongue and the latching receptacle, wherein a second peripheral portion of the receiving opening that is opposite to the first peripheral portion is configured to be substantially flexurally stiff, and a third peripheral portion which is situated peripherally between the first peripheral portion and the second peripheral portion is configured as a bending portion, wherein the first device component and the second device component are coupled via a tongue and groove connection in a latched state, and wherein the latching tongue has arranged thereon a positioning element which, in the latched state of the first device component and the second device component, bears substantially with two opposite sides—against an inner periphery of the receiving opening.

Description

(1) The invention is explained below with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a latching receptacle of a first device component of a heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device according to the invention for a motor vehicle in a perspective view,

(3) FIG. 2 shows the first device component and a second device component of the heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device according to the invention from FIG. 1 in a front view,

(4) FIG. 3 shows the heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device according to the invention from FIG. 2, with the first and the second device component being latched with one another,

(5) FIG. 4 shows the heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device according to the invention from FIG. 2 in a sectional view along line A-A,

(6) FIG. 5 shows the heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device according to the invention from FIG. 2 in a sectional view along line B-B,

(7) FIG. 6 shows the heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device according to the invention from FIG. 3 in a plan view along a mounting axis,

(8) FIG. 7 shows the heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device according to the invention from FIG. 6 in a sectional view along line D-D, and

(9) FIG. 8 shows the heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device according to the invention from FIG. 2 in a sectional view along line C-C.

(10) FIG. 1 shows a first device component 10 of a heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device for a motor vehicle.

(11) A latching receptacle 12 with a receiving opening 14 is arranged on the first device component 10, the receiving opening 14 being designed for inserting a latching tongue and having substantially a rectangular cross section.

(12) The receiving opening 14 comprises a first peripheral portion 16 which is formed by a wall portion 17 of the first device component 10.

(13) The receiving opening 14 further comprises a second peripheral portion 18 which is situated opposite to the first peripheral portion 16 and is substantially flexurally stiff.

(14) A third peripheral portion 20 of the receiving portion 14 is situated peripherally between the first peripheral portion 16 and the second peripheral portion 18 and is designed as a bending portion.

(15) The same applies to a fourth peripheral portion 22, which is likewise situated peripherally between the first peripheral portion 16 and the second peripheral portion 18 and is designed as a bending portion.

(16) In the embodiment illustrated, the second peripheral portion 18 adjoins the third peripheral portion 20 and the fourth peripheral portion 22.

(17) In the peripheral direction, the various peripheral portions 16, 18, 20, 22 are thus arranged in the following order: first peripheral portion 16, third peripheral portion 20, second peripheral portion 18, fourth peripheral portion 22.

(18) In the embodiment illustrated, the third peripheral portion 20 and the fourth peripheral portion 22 are arcuate if they are viewed along a mounting axis 24 which corresponds to a centre axis of the receiving opening 14 (see in particular FIG. 5).

(19) In this arrangement, the third peripheral portion 20 and the fourth peripheral portion 22 are opposite to the first peripheral portion 16, exactly like the second peripheral portion 18 (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

(20) The latching receptacle 12 is produced in one piece with the first device component 10 and in this respect is integrally formed on the wall portion 17 so as to be substantially U-shaped.

(21) A stiffness of the latching receptacle 12 varies along the mounting axis 24.

(22) In this connection, in the embodiment illustrated, a first portion 26 of the latching receptacle 12 is designed to be stiffer than a second portion 28 of the latching receptacle 12.

(23) In a latched state, the first portion 26 faces a second device component 30 along the mounting axis 24 and the second portion 28 faces away from the second device component 30 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

(24) Furthermore, the first portion 26 is equipped with a reinforcing rib 32.

(25) Apart from the first device component 10, FIGS. 2, 3 and 6-8 also illustrate the second device component 30 of the heating, ventilation and/or air-conditioning device for a motor vehicle.

(26) The second device component 30 comprises a substantially rigid latching tongue 34 which extends substantially along the mounting axis 24. In the embodiment illustrated, the latching tongue 34 is produced in one piece with the second device component 30.

(27) With respect to the mounting axis 24, the latching tongue 34 has a substantially rectangular cross section.

(28) In addition, the latching tongue 34 has arranged thereon a positioning element 36 which can also be referred to as a positioning blade.

(29) The positioning element 36 is designed in such a way that, in the latched state of the first device component 10 and the second device component 30, it bears with two opposite sides 38, 40 against the inner periphery of the receiving opening 14 (cf. FIG. 7).

(30) A displacement of the first device component 10 relative to the second device component 30 in a direction transverse to the mounting axis 24 is thus prevented.

(31) In order to latch the first device component 10 and the second device component 30 with one another, they are moved towards one another along the mounting axis 24.

(32) The latching tongue 34 then engages in the receiving opening 14.

(33) In order to facilitate the latching, a tongue-side insertion surface 42 is arranged on the latching tongue 34 and a latching receptacle-side insertion surface 44 is arranged on the latching receptacle 12.

(34) When the first device component 10 and the second device component 30 are moved towards one another, the insertion surfaces 42, 44 initially come into contact and then slide on one another.

(35) Within the latching receptacle 12, the insertion surface 44 is arranged on the second peripheral portion 18, which is flexurally rigid.

(36) During the sliding movement of the insertion surfaces 42, 44, which is accompanied by the first device component 10 and the second device component 30 being moved further towards one another, the receiving opening is temporarily enlarged by virtue of the fact that a distance d between the second peripheral portion 18 and the first peripheral portion 16, which is formed by the wall portion 17, is temporarily increased.

(37) This is ensured by a bending of the third peripheral portion 20 and of the fourth peripheral portion 22.

(38) It is thereby made possible for a latching tongue-side latching surface 46 to engage with a latching receptacle-side latching surface 48.

(39) The latching receptacle-side latching surface 48 is arranged on the second peripheral portion 18.

(40) As far as the arrangement of the latching receptacle-side latching surface 48 along the mounting axis 24 is concerned, said latching surface is thus arranged on the second portion 28 of the latching receptacle 12.

(41) If the latching tongue-side latching surface 46 and the latching receptacle-side latching surface 48 are opposite to one another, the first device component 10 and the second device component 30 are in the latched state (see FIGS. 3 and 6).

(42) In the embodiment illustrated, the first device component 10 is additionally equipped with a groove 50 and the second device component 30 is additionally equipped with a tongue 52 such that, in the latched state of the device components 10, 30, a tongue and groove connection 53 is also formed between the two device components 10, 30. The two device components 10, 30 are thus also coupled via the tongue and groove connection 53.

(43) In addition, a first inspection surface 54 is arranged on the first device component 10 and a second inspection surface 56 is arranged on the second device component 30.

(44) The inspection surfaces 54, 56 extend substantially perpendicularly to the mounting axis 24.

(45) As is illustrated in particular in FIG. 3, the two inspection surfaces 54, 56 have a defined spacing a from one another in the latched state of the device components 10, 30. It is thus possible to check that the device components 10, 30 have been correctly latched by monitoring this spacing a.

(46) Demounting or unlatching is achieved by moving the device components 10, 30 apart from one another along the mounting axis 24.

(47) In this connection, the positive engagement between the latching surfaces 46, 48 must be released.

(48) This can take place either by pulling apart the device components 10, 30 by means of a sufficient force and/or through the use of a suitable tool by means of which the distance d between the first peripheral portion 16 and the second peripheral portion 18 can be increased.

(49) The forces which are necessary to form the latching connection, that is to say the mounting force, and/or to release the latching connection, that is to say the demounting force, can be set in a simple manner by changing the wall thickness of the third peripheral portion 20 and/or of the fourth peripheral portion 22.

(50) In this connection, the mounting force and/or the demounting force increase if the wall thickness of the third peripheral portion 20 and/or of the fourth peripheral portion 22 is increased.

(51) If the wall thickness of the third peripheral portion 20 and/or of the fourth peripheral portion 22 is decreased, the mounting force and/or the demounting force are or is reduced.

(52) The device components 10, 30 have been explained with general validity, but can be, for example, housing parts of a device housing, with one of the device components 10, 30 being a housing upper part and the other of the device components 10, 30 being a housing lower part.

(53) Furthermore, at least one of the device components 10, 30 can be an air duct part.

(54) Combinations are also possible such that, for example, the first device component 10 is a housing part and the second device component 30 is an air duct part which is latched with the housing part.