GB2292797A

GB2292797A - An adjustable air vent for a vehicle interior

Info

Publication number: GB2292797A
Application number: GB9417621A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Geoffrey Brown
Original assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Current assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date: 1994-09-02
Filing date: 1994-09-02
Publication date: 1996-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-02
Also published as: GB2292797B; GB9417621D0

Abstract

The air vent comprises a duct 30 having an outlet vent 39 and an adjustable member 32 comprising an air deflector 35, 36 for controlling the direction of air flow through the outlet vent 39 and a closure member 37 for interrupting flow completely. The adjustable member 32 comprises two elongate vanes 35, 36 which are inclined relative to each other and a closure member 37 having a periphery which is of substantially complementary shape to the cross-sectional shape of the duct. The two vanes 35, 36 are spaced apart with the closure member 37 therebetween. The vanes 35, 38 are also inclined relative to each other to provide a funnel-effect on air flowing therebetween. The outlet vent itself is provided with fixed horizontal and transverse vanes (Fig. 9, not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

AN AIR VENT FOR A VEHICLE INTERIOR The invention relates to an air vent for a vehicle interior and is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with an air vent of the kind which 15 normall found on a vehicle fascia.

Over the years, a considerable amount of development work has been carried out in relation to vehicle interior air vents. Air vents are now fairly complex in construction and utilise numerous components in rawer to provide adequate air flow and directional contrcl. Typically, an air vent for a vehicle will comprise an outlet vent from an air duct, an adjustable air deflector for controlling the direction of air flow through the outlet vent and an independently adjustable closure member fcr interrupting the flow of air through the duct. it such an arrangement, separate operating knobs or handles are provided to enable the air deflector and the closure member to be operated independently.In view of the number of movable components required with su=h an arrangement, air vents for vehicles tend t be expensive items and an object of the present inventIon is te provide an improved air vent for a vehicle n which the number of movable components is kept t a mi,.imum.

According to the invention there is provided an air vent for a vehicle interior comprising an outlet vent from an air duct and an adjustable member in the duct immediateiy upstream of the outlet vent, the adjustable member including an air def'ector for controlling the direction of air flow through the outlet vent and a closure member for interrupting the flow of air through the duct.

By making the air deflector and the closure member part of the adjustable member, the air vent can be made to operate efficiently without the provision of a separate operating nsb or handle for the closure member.

Preferably, the adjustable member is pivotally mounted in the duct.

The air deflector is preferably offset from the axis of pivoting of the adjustable member. Likewise, the closure member may be offset from the axis of pivoting of the adjustable member.

In a preferred emooåiment, the air deflector comprises an elongate vane which extends across the duct.

The closure member preferably has a periphery which is substant ai'y of complementary shape to the crosssectional shape of the duct. Tn that way, the closure member can close the duct effectively to prevent further flow of air therethrougn wner. required.

The air deflector and the closure member are preferably spaced apart in a direction transverse to the direction of air flow through the duct.

Preferably, two air deflectors are provided spaced apart in a direction transverse to the direction of air flow through the duct. Both the air deflectors may be in the form of elongate vanes and the vanes may be incline n relation to each other about their longitudinal aes.

that way, a funnel-like flow path can be defined by the air deflectors which helps tc control the direction of air flow through the outlet vent accurately.

Where two air deflectors are provided, the closure member may be arranged between them.

The outlet vent may comprise a plurality of spaced apart outlet vanes which may oe parallel and which are preferably horizontal. Further spaced-apart outlet vanes may oe provided transverse t tne first sa;d spaced-apart cutlet vanes.In such a case the further spaced-apart outlet vanes are preferably tr:entated so that the allow air to flow through a first region of the outlet en a direction substantially parallel with air flow through the duct but deflect sideways air which fiows through a second region of the outlet vent. Preferably the first region of the outlet vent is an upper region an the second region of the outlet vent is a lower region. In the latter case, the further outlet vanes may be orientated to gradually increase the amount of sideways deflection of the air from the first region of the outlet vent to the seccnd region.In order to simplify even further the construction of the air vent, the cutler vanes are preferably immovable.

An air vent for a vehicle interior in accordance wir se invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1 is a diagrammatic cross-section through a venicie fascia air duct of Inown and having a pivotable outlet vent shown in one extreme position of pivotal movement Fig 2 is a view similar to Fig 1 showing the outset vent in its other extreme position of pivotal movement.

Fig 3 is a perspective view of part of a vehicle fascia having the vent arrangement shown in Figs 1 and 2 and illustrating the area of air stream impingement n the vehicle which is available with the air vent.

Fig 4 is a cross-section of a vehicle fascia air vent in accordance with the invention showing an adjustable member having a closure member interrupting flow of air through an air duct, and also having an air deflector in the form of two vanes, Fig 5 is a view similar to Fig 4 showing the closure member in an open position with the air deflector directing air out of the bottom of an outlet vent.

Fig 6 is a view similar to Figs 4 and 5 showing the air deflector positioned to direct air out of the full depth of the outlet vent, Fig 7 is a view similar to Figs , to 6 showing the air deflector positioned so as to direct air out of the top of the outlet vent.

Fig 8 is a perspective broken away view of the adjustable member shown in Figs 4 to 7 including the closure member and air deflector vanes, Fig 9 is a perspective view of te outlet vent of Figs 4 to 7, Fig 10 is a diagrammatic plan view of the outlet vent of Fig 9 showing variation in air flow direction between upper and lower regions thereof and Fig 11 is a view similar to Fig 3 showing the available area of air jet impingement.

Looking at the conventional form of air vent as shown in Figs 1 to 3, a duct 10 has a closure member 12 mounted therein. The closure member 12 is pivotable about an nazis 13 and has a soft seai 14 around its periphery. The peripheral shape oz the closure member 12 is substantially com::ementary to the internal crosssectional shape of the duct 10. An outlet vent 15 is positioned within an outlet orifice 16 of the duct 10 and is mounted on a suitable pivot for movement about an axis 17.In Fig 1, the cutlet vent 15 is shown pivoted full anti-clochwise and an Fig 2 the outlet vent 15 is shown pivoted fully clockwise. The duct 10 terminates at a fascia 11.

The outlet vent '5 comprises a series of parallel vanes 18. immediately behind the vanes 18 (but not shown n Figs 1 and 2) are several elongate vertical vanes which can be adjusted about their verticai axes to vary the way in which air leaves the outlet vent 5 n a side to s.e direct ion.

In Fig 1, the closure member 12 is shown in its open position in full lines and in its closed position in broken lines. In the full line position, air passes through the duct 10 and through the outlet vent 15 as ar air stream indicated by arrows A. To lower the air stream, the outlet vent 15 is pivoted clockwise towards the position shown in Fig 2. However, it will be noted that the air stream A is stiil generally upward and wi the arrangement shown in Figs 1 and 2, it is not possible to lower the air stream A to the horizontal as indicated by the broken line H.

Looking at Fig 3, the area of air stream impingement is indicated by a hatched area 20, the lowest level of air stream deflection being indicated at 22 and the side to side boundaries of air stream deflection being indicated at 23. The highest ievel of air stream deflection .5 indicated at 24. It will be noted tnat there is a ar-c unhatched area indicated at 25 which is not covered 7 the air vent as the air vent is unable to direct the ar stream beyond level 22 to the horizontal leve H.

Moreover the vent of Figs 1 to 3 requires pivotal mountings for both the outlet vent 15 and the closure member 12.

With the present invention as shown in Figs 4 to 1.

is possible to increase the lower level of air stream deflection and reference is now nade to those Figures.

In accordance with the present invention, a duct 30 houses an adjustable member 32. The adjustable member 32 comprises a plate 33 arranged centrally of the duct 3û and which is mounted for pivoting on the duct about an axis 34. A knob or handle (not shown) is provided on a fascia 11 for pivoting the adjustable member 32. The plate 33 carries air defectors in the form of two vanes 35, 36 offset from the axis 34. The plate 33 a.sc carries a closure member 37 between the vanes 35, 36 an which is also offset from the axis 34. The vanes 35, 3c extend each side of the plate 32. The closure member has a soft seal 33 around its periphery, the periphery being of substantially compiementary shape to internai cross-sectional shape of the duct 30.

The vanes 35, 36 are inclined relative to each other anc are of different widths.

An outlet vent 39 is arranged in an outlet orifice 40 of the duct 30. The outlet vent 39 has a series of parallel horizontal vanes 42 and a series of vertical vanes 43a 43e. The vanes 43a are generally parallel with ~.s direction of air flow through the duct 30. The vanes 43b - 43e are deflected increasngly as shown in Figs 9 and 10 so as to deflect air passing through the lower region of the outlet vent 39 more to the right as viewed In -l 10 than air passing through the upper region of the outlet vent. Unlike the outlet vent 15 in Figs 1 and 2, the outlet vent 39 s not pivotally mounted and the vanes 42 and 43a -43e are fixed.

The use of the air vent shown in Figs 4 to 11 will now be described.

With the closure member 37 in the position shown in Fig 4a, the soft seai 38 inhibits flow of air through the duct 30 to the outlet vent 39.

With the adjustable member 32 rotated to the Fig position, the vanes 35, 36 act as a funnei se that an ar stream A' is directed through the lower part of the outlet vent 39 as viewed in Fig 5, the vane 35 being inclined upwardly and the vane 36 and closure member being inclined downwardly in relation to the air flow through the duct =C. It will be noted from Fig 5 that the upper edge of the vane 36 lies close to the surface of the duct 30 whereby to restrict movement of air towards the upper region of the outlet vent 39. However, the lower edge of the vane 35 is spaced from the adjacent surface of the duct 30 so as to permit air to flow beneath the vane to the lower region of the outlet vent 39.

If the adjustable member 32 is moved anti-clockwise about the axis 34 to the Fig 6 position, air can flow under the lower surface of the vane 35 and over the upper surface of the vane 36 as weli as between the two vanes so tnat the air stream A' wi zlow through substantially the whole of the outlet vent 39.

If the adjustable member 2 is pivoted anti-clockwise to the Fig 7 position, the funnel-effect and positicning of the vanes 35, 36 causes the air stream A' to pass through the upper region of the outlet vent 39.

Looking at Fig 11, the maximum lower and upper levels of the air stream A availaoie with the air vent in accordance with the invention are indicated at 44 and 45 respectiveiy and the boundaries of sideways deflection of the air stream A are indicated at 46. The lowest evel of air stream deflection of the air vent of Figs 1 and 2 is indicated by broken iine 22 in Fig 8.Therefore, it can be seen that an air vent in accordance with tne present invention provides a much greater available area of air stream impingement extending down to the horizontal level H. A ocus of the centre of the air stream A is indicated in Fig 11 by a curve L, points 6 and 7 corresponding to te air flows shown in Figs 5 6 and 7 respectively. The locus L is dependent sn t gradually sideways deflection imparted to the air stream A' by the deflected vanes b - 43e and which as apparent from Fig 10.

With the conventional air vent shown in Figs 1 and both the closure member 12 and the outlet vent 15 require pivotal mountings thereby complicating the construction of the air vent. However, with an air vent in accordance with the invention as shown in Figs 4 to 11, it Is necessary te provide a pivotal mounting and an external operating kcb or handle oniy for the adjustable member 32 and the construction of the air vent is thereby simplified.

It is envisaged that one of the vanes 35, 36 couid be omitted. With such an arrangement, the directional control of the air flow would not be as positive but would still provide a greater of area of air stream impingement than would be cbtained with the conventiona air vent shown in Figs 1 and 2.

Claims

1 An air vent for a vehicle interior comprising ar; outlet vent from an air duct and an adjustable member in the duct immediately upstream of the outlet vent, the adjustable member including an air deflector for controlling the direction of air flow through the outlet vent and a closure member for interrupting the flow of air through the duct.

2 An air vent according to Claim 1 in which the adjustable member is pivotally mounted in the duct.

3 An air vent according to Claim 4 or 2 in which the air deflector is offset from the X,S of pivoting of the adjustable member.

4 An air vent according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the air deflector comprises an elongate vane which extends across the duct.

5 An air vent according to any preceding Claim in which the closure member Is offset from the axis pivoting of the adJustable member.

6 An air vent according to any preceding Claim an which the ciosure member has a periphery which .s substantially of complementary shape to the cross sectional shape of the duct.

7 An air vent according to any preceding Claim in which the air deflector and the closure member are spaced apart.

8 An air vent according to any preceding Claim in which two spaced apart air deflectors are provided.

9 An air vent according to Claim 8 in which both air deflectors are in the form of elongate vanes.

10 An air vent according to Claim in which the vanes are inciined in relation to each other about their longitudinal axes.

11 An air vent according to Claim 9 or 10 in which te ciosure member is arranged between the air deflectors.

12 An air vent according to any preceding Claim in which the outlet vent comprises a plurality of spaced apart outlet vanes.

13 An air vent according to Claim 12 in which the outlet vanes are parallel.

14 An air vent according to Claim 12 or 13 in which the outlet vanes are horizontal.

15 An air vent according to Claim 12 in which further spaced-apart outlet vanes are provided transverse to the first said spaced-apart outlet vanes.

16 An air vent according to Claim 15 in which the further spaced-apart outlet vanes are orientated so that they aliow air to flow through a first region of the outlet vent in a direction substantiaily parallel with air flow through the duct but defiect sideways air which flows through a second region of the outlet vent.

17 An air vent according to Claim 16 in which the first region of the outlet vent is an upper region and the second region is a lower region.

18 An air vent according to Claim 17 in which the further outlet vanes are orientated to gradually increase the amount of sideways deflection of the air =rcm the first region of the outset vent to the second reg;cn.

19 An air vent according to any of Claims '2 to ,8 ;i which the outlet vanes are immovable.

20 An air vent for a vehicle Interior constructed and arranged substantia::y as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.