Air outlet for arrangement in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle

Abstract

An air outlet has an elongated housing including a flow channel. The air outlet has an outflow element which crosses the flow channel and is rigidly arranged on a longitudinal end of the housing. Furthermore, the air outlet has an insert which is pivotably mounted with an arched outer surface on a correspondingly formed arched section of an inner wall of the housing and is arranged offset to the outflow element in the longitudinal direction of the housing. The air outlet has an actuating element which protrudes into the flow channel, is pivotably mounted on the outflow element and is mechanically coupled to the insert.

Claims

1. An air outlet, comprising: an elongated housing having a flow channel; an outflow element crossing the flow channel and rigidly arranged on a longitudinal end of the housing; an insert pivotably mounted with an arched outer surface on a correspondingly formed arched section of an inner wall of the housing and arranged offset to the outflow element in the longitudinal direction of the housing; an actuating element that protrudes into the flow channel pivotably mounted on the outflow element and mechanically coupled to the insert, the actuating element protrudes with an actuating end from the outflow element and is coupled to the insert with an opposite adjusting end; and a throttle arranged upstream in the flow channel, the throttle coupled to the adjusting end via a first universal joint and a second universal joint, the first universal joint coupled to the second universal joint with a length compensation element, the second universal joint coupled to a control rod, the throttle including a plurality of fins each arranged parallel to each other and pivotably coupled to the housing, each fin of the plurality of fins having a rotational axis that is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the housing, each of the plurality of fins coupled to the control rod such that a rotation of the actuating element pivots each of the plurality of fins relative to the housing, with a first pair of the plurality of fins coupled to the control rod via a first driver and a second pair of the plurality of fins coupled to the control rod via a second driver, the control rod having a first end opposite a second end, the first end coupled to the first driver and the second end coupled to the second driver, the control rod extends along an axis that is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the housing, and the plurality of fins includes a first fin adjacent to a second fin, a third fin adjacent to a fourth fin, the second fin adjacent to the third fin, with the first driver coupled to the first fin and the third fin via at least one first extension arm and the second driver coupled to the second fin and the fourth fin via at least one second extension arm.

2. The air outlet according to claim 1, wherein the actuating element comprises a bearing section pivotably and rotatably arranged in a counter-bearing section of the outflow element.

3. The air outlet according to claim 2, wherein the actuating element penetrates the outflow element in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the adjusting end and the actuating end are disposed on different sides of the outflow element.

4. The air outlet according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting end rests on a rear end of the insert, which rear end is offset in the longitudinal direction in relation to the outer surface of the insert.

5. The air outlet according to claim 1, wherein the insert comprises at least one air-guiding fin which is rigidly connected to the outer surface.

6. The air outlet according to claim 1, wherein the insert comprises an inner ring which is concentric to the annular outer surface.

7. The air outlet according to claim 1, wherein the insert comprises a longitudinally extending hollow-cylindrical shaft.

8. The air outlet according to claim 7, wherein the adjusting end of the actuating element rests on an inner side of the shaft.

9. The air outlet according to claim 8, wherein the actuating element comprises a longitudinally extending rod section having an actuating end connected to the adjusting end.

10. The air outlet according to claim 9, wherein the rod section protrudes into the shaft and wherein a contact ring is connected on the adjusting end via at least one web to the rod section.

11. The air outlet according to claim 10, wherein the contact ring rests in a sliding manner on the inner side of the shaft.

12. The air outlet according to claim 1, wherein an inner wall of the housing comprises a radially outwardly extending inclined section, adjacent in the longitudinal direction to the arched section and the outflow element.

13. A motor vehicle, comprising: at least one air outlet including: an elongated housing having a flow channel; an outflow element crossing the flow channel and rigidly arranged on a longitudinal end of the housing; an insert pivotably mounted with an arched outer surface on a correspondingly formed arched section of an inner wall of the housing and arranged offset to the outflow element in the longitudinal direction of the housing; an actuating element that protrudes into the flow channel pivotably mounted on the outflow element and mechanically coupled to the insert, the actuating element protrudes with an actuating end from the outflow element and is coupled to the insert with an opposite adjusting end; and a throttle arranged upstream in the flow channel, the throttle coupled to the adjusting end via a first universal joint and a second universal joint, the first universal joint coupled to the second universal joint with a length compensation element, the second universal joint coupled to a control rod, the throttle including a plurality of fins each arranged parallel to each other and pivotably coupled to the housing, each fin of the plurality of fins having a rotational axis that is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the housing, a first pair of the plurality of fins is coupled to the control rod via a first driver and a second pair of the plurality of fins is coupled to the control rod via a second driver such that a rotation of the actuating element pivots each of the plurality of fins relative to the housing, the control rod having a first end opposite a second end and the first end is coupled to the first driver and the second end is coupled to the second driver, the control rod extends along an axis that is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the housing, and the plurality of fins includes a first fin adjacent to a second fin, a third fin adjacent to a fourth fin, the second fin adjacent to the third fin, with the first driver coupled to the first fin and the third fin via at least one first extension arm and the second driver coupled to the second fin and the fourth fin via at least one second extension arm.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the rotation of the actuation element rotates the control rod to laterally translate the first driver and the second driver to pivot each of the plurality of fins relative to the housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle in a side view;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an air outlet which can be arranged in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the air outlet according to FIG. 2 along A-A;

(5) FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the components arranged in or on the housing of the air outlet according to FIG. 2;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a side view of the components shown in FIG. 4;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the components arranged in the housing of the air outlet the final mounting position;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a further cross-sectional view A-A according to FIG. 2, but with a downwardly pivoted insert; and

(9) FIG. 8 shows a side view of the air outlet in the configuration according to FIG. 7, but without the housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description.

(11) The motor vehicle 1 schematically shown in FIG. 1 includes a self-supporting car body 2 and a passenger compartment 3 acting as a passenger cell. Several seats for passengers are provided in the passenger compartment 3. Several air outlets 10, which are shown in FIG. 2 in a perspective view, are arranged in the passenger compartment 3 in the region of a dashboard 4, which is merely indicated in FIG. 1. The air outlet 10 includes a housing 11, which forms a flow channel 5 for air supplied by the fan 8 for example.

(12) The air outlet 10, which is shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 in its basic position, includes an outflow element 12 on its outlet side, i.e. at its downstream end 6. The outflow element 12 is formed in the present case as a type of spoke rim. It includes an approximately annular rim section 16 which corresponds to the inner geometry of the housing 11 and from which several webs 14 extend radially to the inside.

(13) The inner ends of the webs 14 are connected to each other via a counter-bearing 15. The counter-bearing 15 is situated approximately centrically within the rim section 16. It acts more or less as a hub of the spoke rim. In the mounted position shown in FIG. 2, the counter-bearing 15 is disposed approximately radially in the center in an outflow surface 18 of the air outlet 10. A longitudinally extending actuating element 30 is pivotably mounted on the counter-bearing section 15, as shown from a comparison of FIGS. 3 and 7.

(14) The actuating element 30 includes an actuating end 31 which protrudes from an outer side of the outflow element 12. It is provided according to the cross-sectional view according to FIG. 3 with an actuating button 32. The actuating element 30 includes a bearing section 33 adjacent to its actuating end 31, which bearing section is pivotably mounted in the counter-bearing section 15 of the outflow element 12 and can accordingly be pivoted in any direction in relation to the outflow element 12. The actuating element 30 includes a longitudinally extending rod section 34 in extension of the actuating end 31, but on an opposite, inwardly facing side of the bearing section 33.

(15) A radially expanded contact ring 35 is arranged on an adjusting end 37 of the actuating element 30 which faces away from the actuating end 31. The contact ring 35 is connected to the rod section 34 via several radially extending webs 36.

(16) As is shown in FIG. 3, the rod section 34, and therefore the adjusting end 37, has a greater longitudinal extension than the actuating end 31 of the actuating element 30. Since the actuating element 30 penetrates the outflow element 12 in the longitudinal direction, i.e. in the direction of the flow channel 5, and is pivotably mounted on the outflow element 12 in the region of the bearing section 33 which is situated comparatively close to the actuating end 31, a comparatively small pivoting movement or adjusting movement of the actuating end 31 leads to a relatively big adjusting or pivoting movement of the adjusting end 37.

(17) The bearing section 33 can especially be formed as a spherical section. The counter-bearing section 15 of the outflow element 12, which is formed in a corresponding manner thereto, can include a ball socket. The actuating element 30 can thus be pivoted in any radial direction with respect to the longitudinal extension of the housing 11. Furthermore, a rotatable bearing of the actuating element 30 with respect to a rotational axis can be provided by the ball-bearing-like connection of the actuating element 30 to the outflow element 12, which rotatable bearing coincides with the longitudinal axis of the actuating element 30.

(18) The outflow element 12 substantially acts in the present case as a design or decorative element. It can have a spoke-like or wheel-like geometry, as shown in the drawings. Completely different air-permeable geometrical shapes for the outflow element 12 can also principally be considered. The outflow element 12 can be fixed by a circumferential annular rim 13 to the longitudinal end 6 of the housing 11 of the air outlet 10. It can be fixed via a snap-on connection by the ring 13 to the housing 11.

(19) The air outlet 10 further includes an insert 20 which is pivotably mounted by an arched outer surface 21 on a correspondingly formed arched section 17 of an inner wall 7 of the housing 11. The insert 20 is arranged in an offset manner in relation to the outflow element 12 in the longitudinal direction of the housing 11. The insert 20 is situated completely and independently of its respective swivel position within the housing 11. The outflow element 12 acts as a kind of a baffle for the insert 20, which thus does not protrude from the longitudinal end 6 of the housing 11.

(20) The insert 20 is used as an air guide element. An air flow guided through the flow channel 5 is guided in a respective direction according to the respective orientation and position of the insert. In the neutral or zero position shown in FIG. 3, the insert is oriented substantially parallel to the housing 11. In comparison, the insert 20 is pivoted downwardly in FIG. 7. The air guided through the air outlet 10 is guided by the downwardly pivoted insert 20 via the outflow surface 18 in a downwardly directed manner into the passenger compartment 3.

(21) The outer surface 21 of the insert is curved in a convex manner in the cross-sectional view according to FIGS. 3 and 7. It is formed on the inner wall 7 of the housing 11 in a manner corresponding to the concavely curved arched section 17. The arched section 17 and the outer surface 21 which is formed in a corresponding manner can also be formed in the manner of a ball segment. The arched section 17 can be formed at least in sections in the manner of an articular cavity or ball socket, whereas the outer surface 21 is formed in the manner of a ball segment.

(22) The mutually adjusted geometric shape of the outer surface 21 and the arched section 17 enables a random pivoting capability of the insert 20 in relation to the rigid housing 11.

(23) As is illustrated by reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the insert 20 includes an annular outer section 27, on the exterior side of which the aforementioned outer surface 21 is formed. An inner ring 23 is provided concentrically in relation to the outer section 27. The inner ring 23 and the outer section 27 are rigidly connected to each other via several radially oriented fins 22. The fins 22, the outer section 27 and optionally also the inner ring 23 have a predetermined extension in the longitudinal direction, i.e. in the axial direction, so that a required air guiding effect can be provided.

(24) It is especially provided that the inner ring 23 coincides with a longitudinal extending shaft 24, which has a greater longitudinal extension than the outer section 27. The shaft 24, which is formed in a hollow-cylindrical manner, can especially form a rear end 26 of the insert 20 which faces away from the outflow element 12. The contact ring 25 of the actuating element 30 is in contact position on an inner side 25 of the shaft 24. The contact ring 35 is guided in an especially sliding manner on the smooth inner side 25 of the shaft 24. The inner cross-section of the shaft 24 substantially corresponds to the outer cross-section of the contact ring 35.

(25) A cooperation of insert 20 and actuating element 30 is now illustrated by reference to FIGS. 3 and 7. If the actuating end 31, as shown in FIG. 7, is pivoted downwardly starting from the neutral position in FIG. 3, the adjusting end 37 of the actuating element 30 moves upwardly in an opposite direction. Since the rear end 26 of the insert 20, which is mechanically coupled to the actuating element 30, is located axially or offset in the longitudinal direction to the outer surface 21 or to the outer section 27 of the insert 20, only a rear end 26 of the insert which faces away from the actuating end 31 is subjected to an upwardly directed adjusting movement.

(26) As a result of the pivotable bearing of the outer section 27 on the housing 11, which outer section is disposed between the adjusting end 37 and the bearing sections 33, the insert is subjected in its entirety to a downwardly directed pivoting movement which substantially corresponds to the pivoting movement of the actuating end 31.

(27) Since mechanical coupling of the actuating element 30 to the insert 20 occurs in an axially offset manner in relation to the pivotable bearing of the insert 20 on the housing 11 and on a side of the insert facing away from the actuating end 31, a similar pivoting movement of actuating element 30 and insert 20 is obtained. The insert 20 thus directly follows any pivoting movement of the actuating element 30.

(28) FIG. 3 further shows that the housing 11, which is substantially formed in a hollow-cylindrical manner, includes an inclined section 19 adjacent to the arched section 17 in the longitudinal direction and to the outflow element 12, which inclined section expands radially to the outside. The inclined section 19 is oriented in the extreme position according to FIG. 7 of the insert 20 in an approximately aligned manner in relation to the orientation of the outer section 27 and the air guide element formed thereby.

(29) In an end position, which is shown for example in FIG. 7 and is directed downwardly, a substantially swirl-free flow is obtained for the air flowing out of the air outlet 10. The inclined section 19 is typically formed in a radially symmetrical way. It can be regarded as a kind of conical expansion of the inner wall 7 in relation to the outflow surface 18.

(30) A throttle 40 is provided upstream of the insert 20 for throttling the air flow. It includes several fins 41, 42, 43, 44 according to the illustrations of FIGS. 5 and 6, which fins extend in parallel with respect to each other and are respectively pivotably arranged on the housing 11. The fins 41, 42, 43, 44 are pivotably arranged in the cross-section of the housing 11 with respect to a rotational axis 41a, 42a, 43a, 44a.

(31) The adjusting end 37 of the actuating element 30 is connected to a first joint 50, which is connected in a length-compensating manner to a second joint 52. The length compensation 51 between the first joint 50 and the second joint 52 can be provided for example by a torque-transmitting, but longitudinally displaceable coupling of a shaft 53 in a receiver 54 which corresponds thereto. The first joint 50 and the second joint 52 are connected to each other in a torque-proof manner via the length compensation 51.

(32) Each of the joints 50, 52 can be formed as a kind of universal joint for example. The two joints 50, 52 with the interposed length compensation 51 form a shaft 48 which is coupled to the actuating element 30 in a torque-proof manner.

(33) A control rod 47 is arranged on a longitudinal end of the shaft 48, which control rod extends in two opposite directions radially to the outside. The opposite ends of the control rod 47 are each coupled to a driver 45, 46. The drivers 45, 46 extend approximately horizontally in the illustration according to FIG. 6. Originating from the control rod 47, the upper driver 45 extends to the right; originating from the control rod 47 the bottom driver extends in the opposite direction to the upper driver, i.e. to the left.

(34) A rotational movement of the control rod 47, which is directed in a clockwise manner and is caused by a respective rotational movement of the actuating element 30 relative to the outflow element 12 or relative to the housing 11, leads to a mutually opposite horizontal displacing movement of the two drivers 45, 46. The drivers are pivotably coupled in pairs to the fins 41, 43 and 42, 44.

(35) An extension arm 49 is thus arranged on the fin 41, which extension arm extends radially to the rotational axis 41a and which is pivotably connected to the upper driver 45. During a deflection of the upper driver 45 in the horizontal direction, the coupling to the extension arm 49 leads to a pivoting movement of the fin 41 with respect to its longitudinal axis 41a.

(36) In the present embodiment, the upper driver 45 is coupled via the extension arm 49 to the fin 41 and via a further extension arm (not shown in closer detail) to the further fin 43. The same applies to the bottom driver 46 with respect to the two fins 42, 44. Finally, an oppositely directed displacing movement of the two drivers 45, 46 leads to the pivoting of all fins 41, 42, 43, 44 and thus to a closure or opening of the flow channel 5.

(37) As a result, the air-mass flow, which flows through the housing 11 and the flow channel 5, can also be regulated and throttled by the torque-transmitting coupling of the actuating element 30 to the control rod 47.

(38) While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.