DE20309978U1 - Diffusor for motor vehicle air conditioning has housing with manual adjuster wheel operating pivoting flap to control airflow - Google Patents

Abstract

The diffusor for motor vehicle air conditioning has a housing (1) with a large air outlet (2) and an inlet with a pivoting flap (3) mounted between them. The flap is manually adjustable (4) using an adjuster mounted on the front face of the housing. The adjuster is rotatable and connected to a shaft (5) on a bearing (6) and supporting a pair of plates (7) which actuate the flap.

Description

PATENT ATTORNEYS "*·* · "·· Reference number:

DIPLiNG. CONRAD KÖCHLING

DiPL-ING. CONRAD-JOACHIM KÖCHLING ^ ^:

P.O. Box 20 69 - D-58020 Hagen Sarnatech

Fleyer Straße 135 - D-58097 Hagen Paulmann & Crone GmbH

iSSiS=" ¹⁰ Losenbacher Landstrasse 158 E-mail: lnfo@patentanwaelte-koechling.de

Accounts: Commerzbank AG, Hagen 3 515 095 (bank code 450 400 42) 58509 LÜdenSCHeid

Sparkasse Hagen 100 012 043 (bank code 450 500 01)
Postbank: Dortmund 5989 - 460 (bank code 440 100 46)

^VNR: 11 58 51
^Lfä - ^No. 142 93/03 CJK/Bo.
27.06.2003

Diffuser for ventilation and/or air conditioning of the interior of vehicles

The invention relates to a diffuser for ventilation and/or air conditioning of the interior of vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, consisting of a housing having an air inlet with a large-area air outlet, wherein flaps are pivotably arranged in the housing between the air inlet and outlet, by means of which the connection between the air inlet and outlet can be blocked or released, wherein the flaps can be actuated by means of an actuating handle which is provided on the housing and is accessible from the interior.

Such diffusers serve to regulate the air inlet into

to even out the interior of the vehicle so that draughts are prevented. To this end, a flap is currently arranged inside the diffuser housing, which can be moved via a pivoting lever and closes or opens the air inlet opening.

The air outlet opening is formed by the top of the housing, which is covered by a perforated cover or a cover with many holes so that the air outlet is evened out and draughts are largely avoided.

In order to even out the air intake, it is also known to arrange several flaps inside the housing, so that not only one large air inlet opening is formed, but several smaller air inlet openings, which allow air to flow through when the flaps are pivoted open and leave the housing at the large air outlet. In order to be able to operate these flaps, a very complex kinematic system is required, which works by means of ball joints and the like, whereby such a design is difficult to manufacture.

can be realized, especially when the housing, the flaps and the functional elements are made of plastic.

Based on this prior art, the invention is based on the object of creating a flat diffuser of the generic type which, despite the arrangement of several flaps to be actuated, enables actuation by means of a simple kinematics which can be produced cost-effectively by means of primary molding from plastic.

To solve this problem, the invention proposes that the actuating handle is rotatably mounted on one side of the housing, primarily on the front side of the housing, for which purpose the actuating handle is rotatably mounted with a shaft arranged thereon in a bearing part of the housing, that at least one slide, preferably a pair of slides, is hinged to the flaps, which is guided on the housing so as to be displaceable parallel to the shaft axis and causes the pivoting movement of the flaps, and that the shaft is coupled to the slide or pair of slides in such a way that the rotary movement of the shaft

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is transformed into a translational movement of the slide parallel to the shaft axis.

Such a design is very space-saving and flat, with all functional elements being uncomplicated parts that can be manufactured inexpensively from plastic and ensure long-term functionality. To operate the flaps, the actuating handle can be rotated so that the shaft also performs a rotary movement, whereby the corresponding coupling of the shaft to the slide or the pair of slides causes the slides to be moved parallel to the shaft's longitudinal axis. The flaps coupled to the slides perform a pivoting movement about an axis directed at right angles to the shaft axis, so that in one position they close the air inlet openings of the housing and in another position they open these openings so that an incoming air flow can flow through the housing and exit at the large front surface of the housing, which forms the air outlet. By means of a corresponding, state-of-the-art

The front surface of the housing is covered by a known perforated plate or the like, which ensures an even air distribution without draughts.

It is particularly preferred that the slide or the pair of slides surrounds the shaft with a molded sleeve, on the inner surface of which a groove in the form of a rising thread is formed, and that the shaft has a radial projection engaging in the groove.

This design makes it easy to convert the rotary motion of the shaft into a translatory sliding motion of the slides.

A particularly simple and extremely functional further development is seen in the fact that the sleeve is arranged at one end of the rod-like slide or pair of slides and the other end is guided longitudinally displaceably in slots in a housing wall.

A design which facilitates assembly is seen in that the radial projection is formed by a pin or a threaded pin which passes through the shaft so that the projecting end engages in the groove, the other end, preferably having a head, being accessible through a hole in the sleeve casing.

For assembly, the parts can be pre-assembled, whereby the slider with the sleeve is pushed onto the shaft. The pin, in particular the threaded pin, can then be fed through the hole in the sleeve casing and inserted into the shaft and positioned there. The end of the pin that passes through the shaft then engages in the groove in the inner wall of the sleeve, so that the kinematic connection is established.

Preferably, the actuating handle is designed as a wheel from which the shaft protrudes centrally.

In order to achieve a clear positioning in

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In order to achieve such a position that the flaps are either fully open or fully closed, a leg spring is clamped between the shaft and an adjacent housing wall, one leg of which is fixed to the wall and the other leg of which is fixed to the shaft, the leg spring supporting the rotary movement of the shaft in the closing direction or in the opening direction depending on the position of the shaft.

The leg spring, which is designed like a spiral spring, ensures that it jumps over when the handle is rotated, so that when the shaft rotates in one direction, the leg spring has a supporting effect in this direction of rotation, while when the shaft rotates in the opposite direction, the spring jumps over and again has a supporting effect in the new direction of rotation in the opening direction.

A particularly simple design is seen in the fact that ear-like surface elements are formed on the flaps and also on the slide or slide pair, whereby the ear-like surface elements

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the adjacent functional parts are connected by pins which form the joint connection between the slide and the flap.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and described in more detail below: It shows:

Figure 1 the essential components

a diffuser seen from above;

Figure 2 also in oblique view from above

seen.

The diffuser is used for ventilating and/or air conditioning the interior of motor vehicles. It consists of a housing 1, which has a large air outlet 2 on its top and at least one air inlet on the bottom. Between the air inlet and air outlet 2, flaps 3 are arranged so that they can rotate, by means of which the connection between the air inlet and air outlet 2 can be blocked or opened.

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In the drawing, the flaps 3 are shown in the release position. The flaps 3 can be operated by means of an actuating handle 4, which is provided on the housing 1 and is accessible from the interior of the vehicle, i.e. can be easily operated manually by the occupant of the vehicle.

The adjusting handle 4 is rotatably mounted on the front side of the housing facing the interior, for which purpose the adjusting handle 4 is rotatably arranged with a shaft 5 arranged thereon in a bearing part 6 of the housing 1. A pair of slides 7 is hinged to the flaps 3 and is guided in the housing 1 so as to be displaceable parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 5. The pivoting movement of the flaps 3 is caused by the displacement movement. The shaft 5 is coupled to the pair of slides 7 in such a way that a rotary movement of the shaft 5 is converted into a translatory movement of the pair of slides 7 parallel to the shaft axis.

The slide pair 7 surrounds the shaft 5 with a sleeve 8 arranged at one end of the slide pair, on

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whose inner surface is formed with a groove 10 in the form of a rising thread. The shaft 5 has a radial projection engaging in the groove 10, one end of which is indicated at 9. While the sleeve 8 is formed on one end of the rod-like slide pair 7, the other end of the elements of the slide pair 7 is guided in slots in a housing wall 11 so that it can be moved longitudinally.

The radial projection (at 9) is formed by a pin or threaded pin which passes through the shaft 5 so that the protruding end engages in the groove. The other end, which preferably has a head and which can be seen in Figure 1, can be accessed with a tool or the like through a hole 12 in the casing of the sleeve 5. The actuating handle 4 is designed as a wheel and protrudes centrally from the shaft 5. As can be seen in particular from Figure 1, a leg spring 14 is clamped between the shaft 5 and an adjacent housing wall 13, one leg of which is supported or fixed on the wall 13 and the other leg of which is fixed on the shaft 5. This

-11 -

In this arrangement, the leg spring 14 supports the rotary movement in the closing direction or in the opening direction depending on the direction of rotation and the position of the shaft 5, in that the spring jumps over the corresponding dead center depending on the rotation and thus its force in the opening direction or in the closing direction supports the rotary movement.

Ear-like surface elements 15 are formed on the flaps 3. Ear-like elements 16 are also formed on the pair of sliders. The adjacent ear-like surface elements 15 and 16 of the pair of sliders 7 and the flaps 3 are connected by pins or the like, which form the articulated connection between the pair of sliders 7 and the flaps 3.

According to the embodiment, an extremely flat design of the diffuser is achieved, whereby all parts can be manufactured inexpensively from plastic. In addition, a high level of operational reliability over a long period of time is guaranteed, since the

Moving elements are low-wear. For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that the flaps 3 are mounted on the housing 1 so that they can pivot about axes of rotation which run transversely to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 5.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment, but is variable in many ways within the scope of the disclosure.

All new individual and combination features disclosed in the description and/or drawing are considered essential to the invention.

Claims (7)

1. Diffuser for ventilation and/or air conditioning of the interior of vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, comprising a housing ( 1 ) having an air inlet with a large-area air outlet ( 2 ), wherein flaps ( 3 ) are arranged pivotably in the housing ( 1 ) between the air inlet and outlet ( 2 ), by means of which the connection between the air inlet and outlet ( 2 ) can be blocked or released, wherein the flaps ( 3 ) can be actuated by means of an adjusting handle ( 4 ) which is provided on the housing ( 1 ) so as to be accessible from the interior, characterized in that the adjusting handle ( 4 ) is rotatably mounted on one side of the housing, primarily on the front side of the housing, for which purpose the adjusting handle ( 4 ) is rotatably arranged with a shaft ( 5 ) arranged thereon in a bearing part ( 6 ) of the housing ( 1 ), that on the flaps ( 3 ) at least one slide, preferably a pair of slides ( 7 ), is articulated, which is guided on the housing ( 1 ) so as to be displaceable parallel to the shaft axis and causes the pivoting movement of the flaps ( 3 ), and that the shaft ( 5 ) is coupled to the slide or pair of slides ( 7 ) in such a way that the rotary movement of the shaft ( 5 ) is transformed into a translatory movement of the slide ( 7 ) parallel to the shaft axis. 2. Diffuser according to claim 1, characterized in that the slide or the pair of slides ( 7 ) surrounds the shaft ( 5 ) with a molded sleeve ( 8 ), on the inner surface of which a groove ( 10 ) in the form of a rising thread is formed, and that the shaft ( 5 ) has a radial projection ( 9 ) engaging in the groove ( 10 ). 3. Diffuser according to claim 2, characterized in that the sleeve ( 8 ) is arranged at one end of the rod-like slide or pair of slides ( 7 ) and the other end is guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner in slots of a housing wall ( 11 ). 4. Diffuser according to claim 2, characterized in that the radial projection ( 9 ) is formed by a pin or a threaded pin which passes through the shaft ( 5 ) so that the projecting end engages in the groove ( 10 ), the other end, preferably having a head, being accessible through a hole ( 12 ) in the sleeve casing. 5. Diffuser according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the adjusting handle ( 4 ) is designed as a wheel from which the shaft ( 5 ) projects centrally. 6. Diffuser according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a leg spring ( 14 ) is clamped between the shaft ( 5 ) and an adjacent housing wall ( 13 ), one leg of which is fixed to the wall ( 13 ) and the other leg of which is fixed to the shaft ( 5 ), the leg spring ( 14 ) supporting the rotary movement of the shaft (5) in the closing direction or in the opening direction depending on the position of the shaft ( 5 ). 7. Diffuser according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that ear-like surface elements ( 15 ) are formed on the flaps ( 3 ) and also on the slide or pair of slides ( 7 ), the ear-like surface elements ( 15 , 16 ) of the adjacent functional parts being connected by pins which form the articulated connection between the slide ( 7 ) and the flap ( 3 ).