Brake device for an adjustable vent outlet of a motor vehicle

Abstract

A brake device (100) for braking the movement of at least one movable element (1) relative to a housing (2) of an air outlet, wherein the movable element (1) is an air-flow-directing and/or air-flow-limiting element and/or an actuation element, wherein the brake device (100) has at least one resilient element (4), wherein the resilient element (4) has a main extent direction which is orientated at least substantially perpendicularly to a movement path of the at least one movable element (1). An air outlet, having such a brake device, is also provided.

Claims

1. A brake device for braking the movement of at least one movable element relative to a housing of an air outlet, wherein the movable element is at least one of an air-flow-directing element or air-flow-limiting element or an actuation element, wherein the brake device has at least one resilient element, wherein the resilient element is spaced apart from a pivot axis of the at least one movable element, such that the resilient element brakes the movement in a region which is arranged remote from the pivot axis; wherein the resilient element is arranged in a recess of the movable element; wherein the brake device further has at least one pin, which is arranged on the movable element; wherein the pin is also arranged in the recess, wherein the resilient element is arranged at least partially between the pin and the movable element; wherein the pin includes a free end that is located outside of the recess and that extends beyond an external end of the resilient member; wherein the resilient element includes at least one retention device, positioned within the recess, and engaged with the recess to retain the resilient element in the recess.

2. The brake device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient element has at least one further retention device engaged with the pin and configured to retain the pin in the recess.

3. The brake device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient element is directly or indirectly in frictional contact with at least one of a slot or a rib as a friction partner so that movements of the movable element relative to the housing are braked.

4. The brake device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the brake device further has at least one region of the housing, wherein the region of the housing has the slot or the rib.

5. The brake device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the resilient element extends as at least a single-member resilient element into the slot and comes into frictional contact with at least one inner side of the slot.

6. The brake device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a friction element which acts as a brake lining is arranged between the resilient element and at least one of the slot or the rib.

7. The brake device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of simultaneously functioning resilient elements are arranged on the movable element.

8. An air outlet, for a vehicle, which has the following: at least one movable element; a housing, in which the movable element is movably arranged; and at least one brake device as claimed in claim 1, which is constructed to brake a movement of the at least one movable element relative to the housing.

9. The brake device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one retention device comprises a hook element formed on the resilient element, and the at least one further retention device comprises another hook element formed on the resilient element.

10. A brake device for braking the movement of at least one movable element relative to a housing of an air outlet, wherein the movable element is at least one of an air-flow-directing element, an air-flow-limiting element or an actuation element, wherein the brake device has at least one resilient element, wherein the resilient element is spaced apart from a pivot axis of the at least one movable element, such that the resilient element brakes the movement in a region which is spaced from the pivot axis; wherein the resilient element is arranged in a recess of the movable element; wherein the brake device further has at least one pin, which is arranged on the movable element; wherein the pin is also arranged in the recess, wherein the resilient element is arranged at least partially between the pin and the movable element; wherein the resilient element has two members whose outer side or outer face presses in regions against mutually opposite inner faces of a slot of the housing; wherein the pin includes a free end that is located outside of the recess and that extends beyond an external end of each of the two members and through the slot of the housing; wherein at least one retention device is positioned within the recess and configured to retain the resilient element within the recess.

11. The brake device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one retention device comprises a hook element formed on the resilient element and engaged with the recess.

12. The brake device as claimed in claim 11, wherein a further hook element is formed on the resilient element and engaged with the pin to retain the pin within the recess.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the description of embodiments and the appended drawings.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a brake device for braking the movement of at least one movable element (plate in this instance) relative to a housing (an air outlet in this instance) according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the brake device according to FIG. 1, in which the housing of the air outlet is not illustrated;

(5) FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the brake device according to FIG. 1, wherein a resilient element and a pin of the brake device are shown outside a recess of the air-flow-directing and/or air-flow-limiting element; and

(6) FIG. 4 is an enlarged illustration of the resilient element of the brake device according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows a brake device 100 for braking the movement of a movable element 1. The movable element 1 is in this instance a plate. Therefore, a plate 1 is also referred to below. The plate 1 has a pivot axis A about which the plate 1 can be pivoted or rotated. The pivotable bearing of the plate 1 about the pivot axis A is carried out at the end face on an end of the plate 1. Preferably, this is carried out at both end faces of the plate 1 at one end (in the Figures, at a front end of the end face).

(8) As can be seen better in FIG. 2, a resilient element 4 and a pin 3 are also arranged at the end face on the plate 1. In particular, these are arranged at another end of the end face of the plate 1 as the pivot axis A.

(9) Consequently, the brake action is not carried out at the bearing location of the plate 1.

(10) Although in the Figures only an end face of the plate 1 can be seen, the structure at the other end face of the plate 1 is preferably the same as at the illustrated end face of the plate 1.

(11) The pin 3 extends in the assembled state, as can be seen in FIG. 1, in a slot 5 of a housing 2 of the air outlet.

(12) The position of the plate 1 (relative to the housing 2 of the air outlet) may, for example, be changed by means of an operating element which is not illustrated (handle/sliding knob). Consequently, it is, for example, possible to drive additional mechanical elements which are not illustrated by means of the pin 3.

(13) Furthermore, it is possible via the pin 3 to change the position of the plate 1 (relative to the housing 2 of the air outlet).

(14) As can be seen in FIG. 1, the resilient element 4 is tensioned in the slot 5 so that a friction force is produced between the resilient element 4 and the slot 5.

(15) In particular, the resilient element 4, as can be seen, for example, in FIG. 2, has two members 6 and 7 whose outer side or outer face presses in regions against mutually opposite inner faces of the slot 5.

(16) The width of the slot 5 in the housing 2 of the air outlet determines the possible deflection of the members 6 and 7 so that the friction force of the members 6 and 7 with respect to the slot 5 can also be adjusted by the width of the slot. Furthermore, by means of variation of the pretensioning of the resilient element 4, the friction force can also be changed.

(17) If the plate 1 is not moved, normal forces are applied to the inner side of the slot 5 by the members 6 and 7. If the plate 1 is rotated about the pivot axis A thereof, these normal forces result in friction forces which determine the movement forces of the plate 1. That is to say, the resilient element 4 brushes with the members 6, 7 thereof over the inner face or inner side of the slot 5 and produces a friction force.

(18) Since this is a particularly simple arrangement, it is possible to make statements relating to the movement forces in the system and to calculate such movement forces via the spring characteristic and friction coefficients. It is thereby possible, even before starting the development, to move significantly closer to the properties required in large-scale production.

(19) As can be seen in FIG. 1, it is further possible with the present brake device 100 to compensate for tolerances in the production. If, for example, the pivot axis A is displaced relative to the center point of the slot 5, one of the two members (for example, member 6) is unloaded, whilst the other member (for example, member 7) is more heavily loaded. Since the spring has a substantially linear characteristic line, the normal forces in one member 6 are reduced in the same manner as they increase in the other member 7. Overall, the friction force consequently remains almost constant.

(20) Production-related fluctuations in the width of the slot 5 are further compensated for by a spring characteristic line which is as soft as possible in such a manner that fluctuations in the movement force remain within the tolerances.

(21) The resilient force can further be controlled via the slot width in the path of the slot and can consequently compensate, for example, for final-position-related tolerances of the overall mechanical system.

(22) As can be seen in FIG. 2, the resilient element 4 is arranged together with the pin 3 in a common recess 12 of the plate 1. In the installed state, only a distal end of the pin 3 can be seen and extends from the recess 12. Only distal ends of the members 6 and 7 of the resilient element 4 can also be seen and also extend from the plate 1 or the recess 12.

(23) As can also be seen in FIG. 2, in the installed state the main extent direction of the resilient element 4 and independently of this also the main extent direction of the pin 3 is orientated at least substantially perpendicularly to the movement path or the movement direction of the plate 1. That is to say, the pin 3 and independently thereof the resilient element 4 in the installed state are arranged in such a manner that the main extent direction thereof (that is to say, the direction in which the main extent (longest extent) is present; (in the pin, also the axis of symmetry)) is arranged or orientated perpendicularly to the movement path.

(24) In the case illustrated in the Figures, in which the movement is a rotational movement about a pivot axis A, it is additionally the case that the pin 3 and independently of this the resilient element 4 in the installed state are arranged in such a manner that the main extent direction thereof (that is to say, the direction in which the main extent (longest extent) is present; in the pin, also the axis of symmetry) is arranged or orientated parallel with the pivot axis A.

(25) As a result of the fact that the pin 3 and the resilient element 4 are arranged in the same recess 12, the advantage is additionally afforded that the force production of the movement force may be carried out close to the application location of the actuation.

(26) FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show that the pin 3 and the resilient element 4 can be securely clamped by means of a suitable geometry (for example, retention devices 8, 9, 10 and 11) in a non-positive-locking and positive-locking manner in the plate 1. The resilient element 4 is thus retained in the recess 12 of the plate 1 by means of hook elements 10 and 11, which are formed on the resilient element 4. The pin 3 is in turn retained in the resilient element 4 by means of additional hook elements 8 and 9.

(27) In this instance, the pin 3 simultaneously supports and locks the fixing of the resilient element 4 in the plate 1 by a corresponding simultaneous tensioning of all the hook elements 8, 9, 10 and 11. A loss-preventing retention of the resilient element 4 and the pin 3 in the recess 12 is consequently ensured.

(28) Of course, in this context it would also be conceivable for one or more hook elements similar to 8, 9, 10 and 11 which act at the same time to be able to be used. Solutions with only one resilient member or with a plurality of resilient members or resilient arms which extend in the same direction would also be conceivable.

(29) The use with a linear or cam-guided movement would also be conceivable. In place of the slot 5, parallel ribs would also be conceivable and, for example, guide the pin 3 and/or are actively connected to the resilient element 4. With such ribs, an embodiment would also be conceivable in which the action of the normal force acts not from the inner side, but instead from the outer side on a single rib. An opposing action of resilient elements 4 with two members would also be conceivable.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(30) 1 Movable element 2 Housing 3 Pin 4 Resilient element 5 Slot 6, 7 Member 8, 9, 10, 11 Retention device 12 Recess 100 Brake device