Abstract
An air duct which extends substantially in a longitudinal direction (X), having a duct wall which encloses a flow cross section and has, on its inner side, at least one fastening means for fastening at least one functional element, which can be accommodated in the air duct, in a variable position in the longitudinal direction (X) of the duct.
Claims
1. An air duct, which extends essentially in a longitudinal direction (X), comprising a duct wall which encloses a flow cross section and, on its inner side, has at least one fastening means for fastening at least one functional element, which can be accommodated in the air duct, in a variable position in the longitudinal direction (X) of the duct.
2. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is configured to inhibit movement of the functional element from the duct wall section comprising the fastening means toward the duct interior.
3. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is configured to inhibit movement of the functional element in a transverse direction (Y) of the duct wall section comprising the fastening means.
4. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is configured to inhibit twisting of the functional element about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the plane of the duct wall section comprising the fastening means.
5. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is configured to prevent twisting of the functional element about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the flow cross-section.
6. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is configured to inhibit twisting of the functional element about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal section of the duct.
7. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means comprises at least one linear rail extending at least in sections in the longitudinal direction (X) of the duct.
8. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means has at least two undercut latching sections, wherein the functional element can be pushed onto the fastening means in the longitudinal direction (X) of the duct.
9. The air duct of claim 7, wherein the fastening means comprises two parallel linear rails, each having an undercut latching section.
10. The air duct of claim 8, wherein the undercut latching sections face toward or away from each other.
11. The air duct according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is integrally formed with or molded to the duct wall.
12. The air duct according to claim 1, which is configured as a flat duct and has a varying wall thickness, wherein the wall thickness in the corner portions is less than in straight wall portions, and wherein the wall thickness increases towards the center of the straight wall portions.
13. An assembly comprising an air duct according to claim 1 and a functional element mounted in the air duct.
14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the functional element includes two snap-in legs that engage behind the undercut latching sections to secure the functional element in the air duct.
15. The assembly according to claim 13, wherein the functional element comprises a support element supporting the air duct and extending between the fastening means and the duct wall section opposite the fastening means.
16. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the thickness of the support element increases towards the center of the duct and is smaller in contrast in the region of the duct walls.
17. The assembly according to claim 13, wherein the functional element has a cover extending between the undercut latching sections, by means of which a cable duct is formed between the cover and the duct wall section covered by the latter, which cable duct is separated from the flow area and extends in the longitudinal direction (X) of the duct.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] Further features, advantages and characteristics of the invention can be seen in the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which shows:
[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a flat duct according to the invention;
[0031] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a round duct according to the invention;
[0032] FIG. 3a is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a flat duct according to the invention with a fastening means;
[0033] FIG. 3b is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a flat duct according to the invention with two opposing fastening means;
[0034] FIG. 4a is a perspective view of a support web cable duct combination according to the invention;
[0035] FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional view of a support web cable duct combination according to the invention;
[0036] FIG. 5a is a perspective view of a cable duct;
[0037] FIG. 5b is a cross-sectional view of a cable duct; and
[0038] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a functional element inserted into a flat duct.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0039] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the air duct 301 in the form of a flat duct 316, which extends substantially in a longitudinal direction X, which corresponds to the direction of flow, in a transverse direction Y and in a vertical direction Z, the horizontal wall sections aligned in the transverse direction Y being longer than the vertical wall sections aligned in the vertical direction Z. The four wall sections shown together form the duct wall 302 enclosing the flow cross-section lying in the Y-Z plane, the corner regions of the adjacent duct wall sections each being rounded. The four wall sections shown together form the duct wall 302 enclosing the flow cross-section lying in the Y-Z plane, wherein the corner regions of the adjacent duct wall sections are each rounded. Centered in the duct interior 306 on the lower horizontal duct wall, a fastening means 303 is arranged in the duct wall section 305, which has two parallel linear rails 307 with latching sections 308 pointing towards one another, the latching sections 308 being of undercut design with respect to the duct interior 306. The parallel linear rails 307 thereby extend in the longitudinal direction X of the flat duct 316. It can be seen that a rib structure 315, so-called riblets, covering the walls is arranged on the duct wall 302 in the duct interior 306, the ribs extending in the longitudinal direction X of the flat duct 316. The fine riblets 315 impede transverse movements of the vortices in the turbulent flow prevailing in the flat duct, thereby minimizing frictional losses at the walls. It can further be seen that stiffening ribs 318 are arranged on the outer sides of the duct walls 302 in the longitudinal direction X of the duct 301, thereby increasing the torsional stiffness of the duct. As can be seen, the stiffening ribs 318 have a smaller spacing in the corner regions of the duct 301 than on the straight wall sections, with the spacing of the stiffening ribs 318 further decreasing towards the center of the straight wall sections.
[0040] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the air duct 301 in the form of a round duct 317. The duct wall 302 enclosing the round flow cross-section has on its inner side on a duct wall section 305 a fastening means 303 which, like the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, has two parallel linear rails 307 which have riblets facing each other. The inside of the round duct 317 is also lined with riblets 315.
[0041] FIGS. 3a and 3b each show cross-sectional views of a flat duct 316, with the embodiment shown in FIG. 3a having one fastener 303 and the embodiment shown in FIG. 3b having two opposing fasteners 303. As can be seen, the flat duct 316 has a varying wall thickness, with the wall thickness being less in the corner portions than in the straight wall portions, with the wall thickness increasing towards the center of the straight wall portions. As a result, the outside of the straight wall sections has a slight slope toward the center thereof. It can be seen that riblets 315 extending in longitudinal direction X are arranged distributed over the entire flow cross-section in the duct interior 306. Furthermore, stiffening ribs 318 extending in longitudinal direction X are arranged on the outside of the wall 302 of the duct 316. The fastening means 303 disposed at the bottom of the flat duct 316 includes two opposing linear rails 307, each linear rail 307 having a latching section 308 aligned parallel to the bottom wall section, the two latching sections 308 of the parallel linear rails 307 facing each other. The latching sections 308 are each connected to the lower duct wall section by a substantially vertically disposed first section spaced therefrom. Below the latching sections 308, the linear rails 307 have guide grooves introduced in the wall section associated therewith in the longitudinal direction X, which serve as an additional linear guide for the respective inserted functional element. Between the linear rails 307, the duct wall also has riblets 315 on its inner side, in case the air duct is used without a functional element and the relevant surface is exposed. In FIG. 3b, it can be seen that the wall sections 305 of the fastening means 303, which are of the same shape and are opposite each other in the height direction Z, are aligned with each other in the transverse direction Y.
[0042] FIG. 4 shows a functional element 304 which can be mounted in the air duct 301 and is in the form of a combination of a support element 311 and a cover 313. For fastening the functional element 304, this has snap-in legs 310 which can be inserted into the latching sections 308 of the fastening means 303 and engage behind these in each case. As a result, the functional element is displaceable in the longitudinal direction X of the air duct 301 and is restricted in all other degrees of freedom. The snap-in legs 310 are connected to the support section 320 of the support element 311 via snap-in legs, wherein the snap-in legs are designed to be curved in a semicircular shape so that a separate cavity is formed thereunder, which is separated from the flow cross-section and can be used as a cable duct 314. As can be seen in FIG. 4b, the thickness of the support section 320 increases towards the center and is smaller in comparison in the region of the connection points to the snap-in legs or the cover 313 and to the force introduction surface 319 on the upper side of the support element. The force introduction surface 319 joins the upper end of the support section 320 in a T-shape and protrudes laterally. The outer surfaces of the functional element 304, that is, the surfaces facing the flow duct, are covered with riblets 315.
[0043] In FIG. 5a, the functional element 304 is shown as a cover 313 in perspective, in FIG. 5b as a cross-sectional view. Under the cover, when inserted into the air duct 301, a cable duct 314 extending in the longitudinal direction X is formed. As can be seen, the cover has a semicircular, dome-like contour, although other cross-sections are conceivable. At the lower ends of the semicircle or the snap-in legs, the snap-in legs 310 extend horizontally and in mutually opposite directions away therefrom. The surface of the cover 313 is covered with riblets 315.
[0044] An assembly 309 of a flat duct 316 and a functional element 304 received therein is shown in FIG. 6. In this case, the accommodated functional element 304 is the support web and cable duct combination shown in FIG. 4, which serves on the one hand to support the flat duct in its height direction Z and on the other hand to provide a cable duct 314. For assembly, the functional element 304 is slid longitudinally into the flat duct 316 from one of its end faces, and the snap-in legs 310 of the functional element 304 are threaded into the latching sections 308 of the linear rails 307. In this process, the snap-in legs are compressed as they are inserted into the fastening means 303 under slight pretension for better fixation. It can be seen that the undersides of the snap-in legs are guided in the longitudinal grooves formed in the duct wall adjacent thereto. At the duct wall section 312 opposite the fastening means, the support element 311 supports the opposite duct wall by means of the force introduction surface 319 resting against the latter. Between the cover 313 and the duct wall section 305 covered by it and having the fastening means 303, a cable duct 314 is formed, which is fluidically separated from the flow duct of the air duct.
[0045] The features of the invention disclosed in the foregoing description, in the drawings as well as in the claims may be essential to the realization of the invention both individually and in any combination.
