Wind direction adjustment device

Abstract

The present invention provides a wind direction adjusting device that can adjust the wind direction with a simple structure while improving the appearance. The wind direction adjusting device (1) has a cylindrical housing (3) that tapers to one end in a predetermined direction and allows air to flow from the other end to the first end. The wind direction adjusting device (1) has a cylindrical wind direction adjusting body (26) that is configured inside the housing (3) at one end to be movable in at least a predetermined direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a wind direction adjusting device for adjusting wind direction. Background Technology

[0002] Traditionally, air conditioning systems used in automobiles and other vehicles include airflow adjustment devices to control the direction of the airflow. These devices are also known as air conditioning vents, exhaust vents, fans, or air conditioners, and are typically located in various parts of the vehicle, such as the dashboard or center console, to enhance comfort through heating and cooling.

[0003] Typically, airflow adjustment devices are configured with multiple fins rotatably arranged near the air outlet, and the airflow direction is changed by rotating the fins. In this case, the opening size of the air outlet must be increased according to the number of fins, and the design of the airflow adjustment device or its surrounding area is limited because the fins are visible from the user's side.

[0004] Therefore, there is a wind direction adjustment device that can adjust the wind direction without using fins near the outlet. For example, a wind direction adjustment device is known in which the main body is divided into multiple flow paths, and each of the divided flow paths is provided with an air supply blocking member. The wind direction is adjusted by switching the opening and closing of the flow paths using the air supply blocking member (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-86659 (pp. 5-8) Figure 1-1 1)

[0006] In the case of the aforementioned wind direction adjustment device, multiple air supply blocking components need to be linked together in order to adjust the wind direction. Therefore, when they are mechanically linked, a complex mechanism is required to link them. Furthermore, compared to adjusting the wind direction by rotating fins, it is not as easy to adjust the wind direction intuitively. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention was made in view of this, and its object is to provide a wind direction adjustment device that can adjust the wind direction with a simple structure while improving the appearance.

[0008] The present invention provides the following wind direction adjustment device.

[0009] [1] A wind direction adjustment device comprising: a cylindrical housing, one end of which is narrowed in a predetermined direction, and the housing is provided with air flowing from the other end of the housing to the other end; and a cylindrical wind direction adjustment body disposed inside the one end of the housing such that it is movable at least in the predetermined direction.

[0010] [2] According to the wind direction adjustment device described in [1], one end of the wind direction adjustment body is reduced in at least the direction that is the same as the direction in which one end of the housing is reduced.

[0011] [3] According to the wind direction adjustment device of [1], the device includes a fin that is disposed inside the housing on the upstream side of the ventilation direction relative to the wind direction adjustment body, and is configured to be rotatable in a direction that intersects the ventilation direction inside the housing and the moving direction of the wind direction adjustment body.

[0012] [4] The wind direction adjustment device according to any one of [1] to [3] includes an operating part movably disposed outside the housing, and the wind direction adjustment body is configured to move along the moving direction of the operating part.

[0013] Invention Effects

[0014] According to the wind direction adjustment device described in [1], the wind direction can be adjusted by changing the ratio of the amount of ventilation flowing between the wind direction adjustment body and the housing and blowing out laterally from one end of the housing in a narrowing direction, in accordance with the direction and amount of movement of the wind direction adjustment body inside the housing. Therefore, the wind direction can be adjusted by moving the cylindrical wind direction adjustment body with a simple structure while improving the appearance.

[0015] According to the wind direction adjustment device described in [2], in addition to the effect of the wind direction adjustment device described in [1], it can also accelerate the flow rate of the air conditioning air that flows through the wind direction adjustment body and blows directly out from one end of the wind direction adjustment body, and at the same time improve the directionalness of the air conditioning air that blows out from one end of the wind direction adjustment body and the housing along the narrowing direction, thereby improving the wind direction adjustment function.

[0016] According to the wind direction adjustment device described in [3], in addition to the wind direction adjustment that can be performed by moving the wind direction adjustment body, the wind direction can also be adjusted by rotating the fins in the direction that intersects with the direction that can be adjusted. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the wind direction adjustment device described in [1], the degree of freedom of wind direction adjustment can also be improved.

[0017] According to the wind direction adjustment device described in [4], the operation direction of the operating part is consistent with or approximately consistent with the direction of wind direction adjustment by the wind direction adjustment body. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the wind direction adjustment device described in any one of [1] to [3], the wind direction can also be operated intuitively. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the neutral state of the wind direction adjusting body of the wind direction adjusting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the wind distribution state of the wind direction adjustment body of the aforementioned wind direction adjustment device.

[0020] In Figure 3, Figure 3(a) is a cross-sectional view of the wind direction adjustment device described above, and Figure 3(b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion of Figure 3(a).

[0021] In Figure 4, Figure 4(a) is a side view of the operating part in the neutral state of the wind direction adjusting body of the above-mentioned wind direction adjusting device, and Figure 4(b) is a side view of the operating part in the wind distribution state after the wind direction adjusting body has moved.

[0022] Figure 5 This is an exploded perspective view of the aforementioned wind direction adjustment device.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional view of the aforementioned wind direction adjustment device.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the neutral state of the wind direction adjusting body of the wind direction adjusting device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the wind distribution state of the wind direction adjustment body of the aforementioned wind direction adjustment device.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0027] 1-Wind direction adjustment device, 3-House, 26-Wind direction adjustment body, 43-Operating part, 60-Fin. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Hereinafter, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] exist Figure 6 In the diagram, 1 represents an airflow adjustment device. This device is also referred to as an exhaust vent, ventilator, or air conditioner, and adjusts the direction of airflow from an air conditioning unit, etc. Hereinafter, for clarity, in the airflow adjustment device 1, the leeward side (where the air is blown out) is defined as the front side, the frontal side, or the directly forward side, and the opposite side (i.e., the upwind side, where the air is received) is defined as the rear side, the back side, or the inner side. When viewed from the front, these are defined as the left-right direction, the width direction, and the up-down direction. In this embodiment, the airflow adjustment device 1 is applicable to air conditioning units for vehicles such as automobiles. The airflow adjustment device 1 can be positioned arbitrarily. In the accompanying drawings, it is positioned such that the side indicated by arrow FR is the front side, the side indicated by arrow RR is the rear side, the side indicated by arrow L is the left side, the side indicated by arrow R is the right side, the side indicated by arrow U is the upper side, and the side indicated by arrow D is the lower side. These directions are only illustrated as examples and can be appropriately changed depending on the installation position or orientation of the airflow adjustment device 1.

[0030] like Figure 1 To Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, the airflow adjustment device 1 includes a housing 3. The housing 3 is also referred to as a duct. The housing 3 is cylindrical. In this embodiment, the housing 3 is cylindrical in the front-to-back direction. In the illustrated example, the housing 3 is rectangular cylindrical. The housing 3 encloses the air passage 5 internally. The direction parallel to the central axis of the housing 3 is the ventilation direction of the air passage 5. In this embodiment, the ventilation direction of the air passage 5 is the front-to-back direction, with ventilation from the rear to the front. That is, in the air passage 5, the rear side is the upstream side in the ventilation direction, and the front side is the downstream side in the ventilation direction.

[0031] The housing 3 has a predetermined length in the ventilation direction of the air passage 5. In this embodiment, the housing 3 is formed to be flat in the vertical direction and elongated in the horizontal direction (i.e., long in the lateral direction). Therefore, the airflow adjustment device 1 is formed as a horizontal thin type. The housing 3 integrally has a pair of end wall portions 6 facing each other, sandwiching the central portion (i.e., central axis) of the air passage 5, and a pair of side wall portions 7 connecting the pair of end wall portions 6. The pair of end wall portions 6 are facing each other in the vertical direction, and the pair of side wall portions 7 are facing each other in the horizontal direction. The rear ends of the pair of end wall portions 6 and 6 and the pair of side wall portions 7 and 7 surround the receiving port 8 for receiving air (i.e., air conditioning air) into the air passage 5, and the front ends of the pair of end wall portions 6 and 6 and the pair of side wall portions 7 and 7 surround the exhaust port 9 for discharging air conditioning air from the air passage 5. That is, the rear end of the housing 3 is the receiving port 8 for receiving air conditioning air into the air passage 5, and the front end of the housing 3 is the exhaust port 9 for discharging air conditioning air from the air passage 5. An air passage 5 connects the receiving port 8 and the exhaust port 9. Air conditioning air flows from the receiving port 8 to the exhaust port 9. The receiving port 8 and the exhaust port 9 are both horizontally long.

[0032] like Figure 5 As shown, the housing 3 can be formed integrally or by combining multiple components. In this embodiment, the housing 3 is formed by combining one housing component 11 and another housing component 12. One housing component 11 is formed to form an end wall portion 6. The other housing component 12 is formed to form another end wall portion 6 and side wall portions 7, 7. In the illustrated example, a locking portion 11a is formed on one housing component 11, and another locking portion 12a is formed on the upper part of the other housing component 12, and these locking portions 11a and 12a are locked together, thereby forming a cylindrical housing 3. For example, one locking portion 11a and the other locking portion 12a may be formed as a hole and the other as a claw. In this embodiment, one locking portion 11a is a hole and the other locking portion 12a is a claw.

[0033] And, as Figures 1 to 5As shown, one end of the housing 3, i.e., the outlet 9 side (i.e., the downstream side in the ventilation direction), narrows. The outlet 9 side of the housing 3, i.e., the front end, narrows in a predetermined direction (in this embodiment, in the direction of the short side of the outlet 9, i.e., the vertical direction). That is, a narrowing portion, i.e., a downstream narrowing portion 14, is formed at the downstream end, i.e., the front end of the housing 3. The downstream narrowing portion 14 is located at the center in the forward-backward direction away from the housing 3. In this embodiment, the downstream narrowing portion 14 has upper and lower portions formed by a guide portion, i.e., a downstream guide portion 15, formed at the front end of each end wall portion 6, and left and right portions formed by the side wall portion 7. A pair of downstream guide portions 15 and a pair of side wall portions 7 surround the outlet 9.

[0034] The downstream air guide 15 has an inclined portion, namely the downstream inclined portion 15a. The downstream inclined portion 15a is inclined towards the central axis of the forward housing 3. That is, the downstream inclined portion 15a of the upper downstream air guide 15 is inclined downward in the forward direction, and the downstream inclined portion 15a of the lower downstream air guide 15 is inclined upward in the forward direction. In the illustrated example, the downstream inclined portions 15a are inclined symmetrically or substantially symmetrically with each other in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, a non-inclined portion, namely the downstream non-inclined portion 15b, is integrally formed to be connected to the front end of the downstream inclined portion 15a. The downstream non-inclined portion 15b is a portion that extends forward from the front end of the downstream inclined portion 15a. In the illustrated example, the downstream non-inclined portion 15b is formed parallel or substantially parallel to the axial direction of the housing 3. In this embodiment, the downstream non-inclined portion 15b is formed to be shorter than the downstream inclined portion 15a in the longitudinal direction. The downstream non-inclined portion 15b forms the front end of the downstream air guide portion 15. The downstream non-inclined portion 15b is not an essential structure.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the other end of the housing 3, namely the receiving port 8 side (i.e., the upstream side in the ventilation direction), narrows. The housing 3 narrows in a predetermined direction (in this embodiment, towards the short side of the receiving port 8, i.e., the vertical direction) at the receiving port 8 side, i.e., the rear end. That is, an upstream-side narrowing portion, i.e., the rear end, of the housing 3 is formed with another narrowing portion, namely the upstream-side narrowing portion 17. The upstream-side narrowing portion 17 is located at the center in the rearward direction away from the housing 3. In this embodiment, the upstream-side narrowing portion 17 has upper and lower portions formed by an upstream-side air guide portion 18 formed at the rear end of each end wall portion 6, and left and right portions formed by the side wall portion 7. A pair of upstream-side air guide portions 18 and a pair of side wall portions 7 surround the receiving port 8.

[0036] The upstream-side reduction section 17 has another inclined section, namely the upstream-side inclined section 18a. The upstream-side inclined section 18a is inclined towards the central axis of the rearward housing 3. That is, the upstream-side inclined section 18a of the upper upstream-side air guide section 18 is inclined downward in the rearward direction, and the upstream-side inclined section 18a of the lower upstream-side air guide section 18 is inclined upward in the rearward direction. In the illustrated example, the upstream-side inclined sections 18a are inclined symmetrically or substantially symmetrically with each other in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, another non-inclined section, namely the upstream-side non-inclined section 18b, is integrally formed in a manner connected to the rear end of the upstream-side inclined section 18a. The upstream-side non-inclined section 18b is a portion that extends rearward from the rear end of the upstream-side inclined section 18a. In the illustrated example, the upstream-side non-inclined section 18b is formed parallel or substantially parallel to the axial direction of the housing 3. In this embodiment, the upstream-side non-inclined section 18b is formed to be longer than the upstream-side inclined section 18a in the longitudinal direction. The upstream non-inclined portion 18b forms the rear end of the upstream air guide portion 18. The upstream non-inclined portion 18b is not an essential structure.

[0037] In the housing 3, the area between the downstream narrowing portion 14 and the upstream narrowing portion 17 is a general portion 20. That is, the downstream narrowing portion 14 is connected to the front of the general portion 20, and the upstream narrowing portion 17 is connected to the rear of the general portion 20. The general portion 20 is a non-narrowing portion that does not narrow in the axial direction of the housing 3. In the general portion 20, the cross-sectional area of ​​the air passage 5 is constant or approximately constant.

[0038] Furthermore, a panel 23 constituting a decorative part is mounted on the front end of the housing 3 at the outlet 9 side. The panel 23 is also referred to as a decorative element, forming part of the decoration at the installation location of the airflow adjustment device 1. The panel 23 protrudes outwards from the front end of the housing 3 in a flange shape. In this embodiment, the panel 23 is formed to be long in the left-right direction and short in the up-down direction. That is, the panel 23 is formed to be long in the lateral direction. An outlet 24 communicating with the outlet 9 is formed on the panel 23. The outlet 24 is the portion from which the air conditioning air flowing through the air passage 5 is blown out. The outlet 24 is formed to have a shape substantially the same as the outlet 9. That is, the outlet 24 is formed to be elongated in the left-right direction (i.e., long in the lateral direction).

[0039] Furthermore, the interior of the housing 3 (i.e., the air passage 5) is equipped with an airflow adjustment body 26 that adjusts the direction of the air conditioning air blown out from the outlet 24 in accordance with the movement relative to the housing 3. The airflow adjustment body 26 is also referred to as a shroud. The airflow adjustment body 26 is formed in a cylindrical shape. In this embodiment, the airflow adjustment body 26 is formed in a cylindrical shape in the front-to-back direction. In the illustrated example, the airflow adjustment body 26 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape. The airflow adjustment body 26 is configured to have an axial direction in the front-to-back direction. The interior of the airflow adjustment body 26 communicates with the air passage 5.

[0040] In this embodiment, the shape of the wind direction adjuster 26 corresponds to that of the housing 3, being flat in the vertical direction and elongated in the horizontal direction (i.e., long in the lateral direction). The wind direction adjuster 26 integrally has a pair of end walls 28 facing each other and sandwiching a central axis, and a pair of side walls 29 connecting these end walls 28. The pair of end walls 28 are facing each other in the vertical direction, and the pair of side walls 29 are facing each other in the horizontal direction. The pair of end walls 28 extend elongatedly in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the length of the airflow adjustment body 26 in the vertical direction (i.e., the direction that intersects or is orthogonal to the axial direction (ventilation direction)) is less than the length of the air passage 5 in the vertical direction. Therefore, flow paths 30 for air conditioning airflow are respectively defined in the air passage 5 between the pair of end walls 28 and the pair of end wall portions 6 of the housing 3. Furthermore, as shown in FIG3(a), the pair of side walls 29 are located near the pair of side wall portions 7 of the housing 3, and no flow path for air conditioning airflow is formed between the pair of side walls 29 and the pair of side wall portions 7.

[0041] And, as Figure 1 As shown in Figure 3, the length of the airflow adjustment body 26 in the front-to-back direction (i.e., axial direction) is less than half the axial length of the housing 3; in the illustrated example, it is set to approximately 1 / 4. The airflow adjustment body 26 is formed into a quadrilateral frame by a pair of end walls 28 and a pair of side walls 29. The rear ends of the pair of end walls 28 and 28 and the pair of side walls 29 surround the inlet 31 that receives air conditioning air into the interior of the airflow adjustment body 26, and the front ends of the pair of end walls 28 and 28 and the pair of side walls 29 and 29 surround the outlet 32 ​​that discharges air conditioning air. The inlet 31 and the outlet 32 ​​are both transversely long. In this embodiment, the opening area of ​​the inlet 31 is set to be more than half the cross-sectional area of ​​the air passage 5. Preferably, the opening area of ​​the inlet 31 is set to be less than 3 / 4 of the cross-sectional area of ​​the air passage 5.

[0042] Preferably, the end side of the airflow adjuster 26, i.e., the outlet 32 ​​side (i.e., the downstream side in the ventilation direction), is narrowed at least in the same direction as the narrowing direction of the end side of the housing 3, i.e., the outlet 9 side (i.e., the downstream side). That is, in this embodiment, the outlet 32 ​​side of the airflow adjuster 26 narrows in the direction of the short side of the outlet 32, i.e., the vertical direction. Specifically, the downstream end, i.e., the front end, of the airflow adjuster 26 has an adjuster narrowing portion 33. In this embodiment, the adjuster narrowing portion 33 has upper and lower portions formed by the adjuster air guide portions 34, 34 formed at the front ends of the end walls 28, 28, and left and right portions formed by the side walls 29, 29. The adjuster air guide portions 34, 34 and the side walls 29, 29 surround the outlet 32.

[0043] The air guide section 34 of the adjusting body is inclined towards the central axis of the forward-facing airflow adjusting body 26. That is, the upper air guide section 34 of the adjusting body is inclined downward in the forward direction, and the lower air guide section 34 of the adjusting body is inclined upward in the forward direction. In the illustrated example, these air guide sections 34 are inclined symmetrically or substantially symmetrically with each other in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the inclination of the air guide section 34 is parallel or substantially parallel to the downstream inclined section 15a of the housing 3.

[0044] The wind direction adjuster 26 is disposed inside one end side, i.e., the front end side, of the housing 3. The wind direction adjuster 26 is configured such that at least the front end side of the adjuster guide portion 34 is located inside the downstream narrow portion 14 of the housing 3, and the other general portions are located inside the general portion 20 of the housing 3.

[0045] Therefore, regarding the flow path 30 between the wind direction adjuster 26 and the housing 3, the upstream side located in the general part 20 of the housing 3 is inclined in a straight line in the front-back direction, and according to the inclination of the wind direction adjuster 26's adjusting body guide part 34 and the downstream side inclined part 15a of the housing 3, the downstream end of the upper flow path 30 is inclined downward, and the downstream end of the lower flow path 30 is inclined upward.

[0046] Furthermore, the airflow adjustment body 26 is configured to move relative to the housing 3 in at least a direction intersecting the ventilation direction (in this embodiment, in the vertical direction). That is, the airflow adjustment body 26 is configured to move in a predetermined direction, which is the direction in which the downstream-side reduction portion 14 shrinks. As shown in Figures 3(a), 3(b), and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the wind direction adjuster 26 is held slidably by the receiving part 36, and by fixing the receiving part 36 to the housing 3, it can move vertically relative to the housing 3. Furthermore, as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the ratio of ventilation volume (opening area) of one flow path 30 to another flow path 30 changes in accordance with the moving direction and amount of the wind direction adjustment body 26. As a result, the ratio of ventilation volume blown out in the direction of shrinking towards the downstream side shrinkage portion 14 (i.e., the direction of inclination along the downstream side inclined portion 15a of the downstream side air guide portion 15) changes, thereby changing the wind direction blown out from the outlet 24.

[0047] The receiving portion 36 shown in Figure 3(b) is also referred to as a spacer. The receiving portion 36 holds both ends (left and right sides in this embodiment) of the wind direction adjuster 26 along its long side. The receiving portion 36 has a guide portion 39 that guides the sliding contact portion 38 formed on the sidewall 29 of the wind direction adjuster 26, allowing it to slide. Either the sliding contact portion 38 or the guide portion 39 is a recess, and the other is a protrusion. In this embodiment, the sliding contact portion 38 is a protrusion, and the guide portion 39 is a linear guide-shaped groove (i.e., a recess).

[0048] The receiving part 36 is mounted and fixed to the mounting part 41 formed on the side wall portion 7 of the housing 3. In this embodiment, the mounting part 41 is a groove formed in the vertical direction on the inner surface (i.e., the surface on the side of the air passage 5) of the side wall portion 7 of the housing 3. In the illustrated example, the mounting part 41 is formed on another housing member 12 in the form of a groove connected to the upper end of the side wall portion 7. Therefore, the receiving part 36 is slidably inserted into the mounting part 41 from above relative to the other housing member 12, and the upper end of the mounting part 41 is closed by fixing one housing member 11 to the other housing member 12, thereby being held by the housing 3 in a way that prevents it from falling off.

[0049] In this embodiment, the airflow adjuster 26 can be operated by an operating part 43 movably disposed outside the housing 3. The operating part 43 is, for example, an operating dial for rotation. As shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the operating part 43 has a handle 45. The handle 45 is a part for a user such as a passenger to grip and rotate the operating part 43. An operating part main body 46, which serves as the rotation center of the operating part 43, is formed on the back side of the handle 45. A stop 47 is also formed on the back side of the operating part main body 46. Furthermore, a connecting rod hole 48, which connects to the airflow adjuster 26, is formed on the imaginary line L1 connecting the center (i.e., the rotation center) of the operating part main body 46 and the handle 45. In this embodiment, the connecting rod hole 48 is elongated along the imaginary line L1 connecting the center (i.e., the rotation center) of the operating part main body 46 and the handle 45.

[0050] And, as Figure 5 As shown, the main body 46 of the operating part 43 is rotatably mounted on the side of the housing 3. In the illustrated example, the main body 46 of the operating part 43 is coaxially mounted to a boss-shaped operating part mounting part 50 formed on the outer surface of a side wall portion 7 of the housing 3 via a cylindrical bushing 51 and a fixing member 52 such as a tap. The operating part mounting part 50 is located further rearward than the mounting part 41 on the side wall portion 7 of the housing 3.

[0051] As shown in Figure 3(a), with the operating part 43 installed in the housing 3, the handle part 45 is located at the front and the stop part 47 is located at the rear. The handle part 45 is inserted into the exposed opening 54 formed on the side of the blow outlet 24 on the panel 23 and protrudes forward from the panel 23. Furthermore, the stop part 47 is located below the abutment part 55 formed on the outer surface of one side wall part 7 of the housing 3. When the operating part 43 is rotated, the stop part 47 abuts against the abutment part 55, thereby limiting the rotation angle of the operating part 43.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in FIG3(b), the connecting rod portion 57 formed on the air direction adjuster 26 is inserted into the connecting rod hole portion 48 of the operating portion 43. The connecting rod portion 57 is provided to protrude from one side wall 29 of the air direction adjuster 26. In this embodiment, the connecting rod portion 57 is a shaft portion provided to protrude laterally from the front end of one side wall 29 of the air direction adjuster 26. After the connecting rod portion 57 is inserted through the insertion through hole portion 58 formed on one side wall portion 7 of the housing 3, it is led out to the outside of the air passage 5 (i.e., the outside of the housing 3) and inserted into the connecting rod hole portion 48. The insertion through hole portion 58 is formed along the moving direction of the air direction adjuster 26 relative to the housing 3. In this embodiment, the insertion through hole portion 58 is formed as an elongated hole in the vertical direction.

[0053] Furthermore, the preferred option is, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, fins 60 are disposed upstream of the airflow adjustment body 26 inside the housing 3 (i.e., the air passage 5). Fins 60 are also referred to as airflow guide louvers, etc. In this embodiment, the fins 60 are located at a position spaced behind and from the airflow adjustment body 26, and are disposed inside the general portion 20 of the housing 3. The fins 60 are formed in a plate shape, and the airflow direction can be adjusted in the direction of rotation by rotating in a direction that intersects both the ventilation direction and the moving direction of the airflow adjustment body 26. In this embodiment, the fins 60 are arranged within the air passage 5 such that their main surface, which serves as the rectifying surface, faces the left-right direction, thereby enabling adjustment of the airflow direction in the left-right direction. That is, the fins 60 are supported by the housing 3 so that they can rotate in the left-right direction. The fins 60 have a rotating portion 62, which is held by a rotating receiving portion 63 formed on each end wall portion 6 of the housing 3, thereby enabling rotation in the left-right direction. Either the rotating portion 62 or the rotating receiving portion 63 is a shaft portion, and the other is a hole or a recess.

[0054] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3(a) and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, multiple fins 60 are provided. These fins 60 are connected to each other by a link 65 so that they can rotate in the same direction. The link 65 is rotatably connected to a link receiving portion 66 formed on the fin 60 at a position away from the rotating portion 62. In the illustrated example, the link receiving portion 66 is formed on the upper part of the rear end portion of the fin 60.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fins 60 can be operated by a fin operating part 68 disposed outside the housing 3. The fin operating part 68 is, for example, an operating knob for sliding operation. Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the fin operating part 68 has a fin operating part main body 70. The fin operating part main body 70 is elongated. In this embodiment, the fin operating part main body 70 is elongated in the left-right direction, which is the sliding direction of the fin operating part 68 or the rotation direction of the fin 60. A handle part 72 is formed at the front of the fin operating part main body 70. The handle part 72 is for a user such as a passenger to grip and slide the fin operating part 68.

[0056] Another fin operating part body 74 is connected to the rear of one fin operating part body 70 (i.e., the side opposite to the handle part 72). The other fin operating part body 74 moves integrally with one fin operating part body 70.

[0057] A connecting portion 75 is formed behind the main body 74 of another fin operating section (i.e., on the side opposite to the main body 70 of one fin operating section). A connecting body 77 is connected to the connecting portion 75. The connecting body 77 is a direction conversion portion that converts the sliding of one fin operating section main body 70 into the rotation of the fin 60. A connecting receiving portion 78 connected to the connecting portion 75 is formed on the connecting body 77. The connecting receiving portion 78 and the connecting portion 75 are rotatably connected. Either the connecting receiving portion 78 or the connecting portion 75 is a shaft portion, and the other is a hole portion or a recess portion. In this embodiment, the connecting receiving portion 78 is a shaft portion, and the connecting portion 75 is a hole portion. Furthermore, a fin connecting portion 79 connected to the fin 60 is formed on the connecting body 77. The fin connecting portion 79 is connected to the rotating portion 62 of the fin 60. In this embodiment, the fin connecting portion 79 is connected to the rotating portion 62 of any one of the plurality of fins 60. In the illustrated example, the fin connecting portion 79 is connected to the rotating portion 62 of the fin 60 located at the center in the left-right direction. Either the fin connecting portion 79 or the rotating portion 62 is a shaft portion, and the other is a hole or recess. In this embodiment, the fin connecting portion 79 is a shaft portion, and the rotating portion 62 is a hole or recess.

[0058] Furthermore, in the fin operating section 68, one fin operating section main body 70 and another fin operating section main body 74 are mounted on the fin operating section mounting section 81 formed on the end wall section 6 of the housing 3, and the connecting body 77 is rotatably mounted on the mounting hole section 82 formed on the end wall section 6 of the housing 3. In this embodiment, the fin operating section mounting section 81 and the mounting hole section 82 are formed on the lower end wall section 6.

[0059] The fin operating part mounting part 81 serves as a guide for guiding the fin operating part 68 in the sliding direction. The fin operating part mounting part 81 is formed as an elongated guide rail in the left-right direction, which is either the sliding direction of the fin operating part 68 or the rotation direction of the fin 60. The fin operating part mounting part 81 is mounted such that one fin operating part main body 70 and another fin operating part main body 74 clamp it from the front and rear.

[0060] Mounting hole 82 is formed in place of any rotating receiving portion 63 of housing 3. In this embodiment, fin connecting portion 79 of connector 77 is inserted into mounting hole 82 and extends within air channel 5, thereby connecting rotating portion 62 of fin 60 with fin connecting portion 79.

[0061] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, with the fin operating part 68 installed in the housing 3, the handle part 72 is located on the front side and is inserted into the exposed opening 84 formed on the panel 23 below the blow-out port 24, and protrudes forward from the panel 23.

[0062] Furthermore, the airflow adjustment device 1 configures the receiving port 8 to be connected to the air conditioning unit. The air conditioning air from the air conditioning unit flows through the air passage 5 from the receiving port 8, is distributed by the fins 60 and the airflow adjustment body 26, and is then blown out from the outlet 24.

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, when the airflow adjustment body 26 is in the neutral position, most of the air conditioning air flows straight into the airflow adjustment body 26 from the central part in the vertical direction of the air passage 5 via the inlet 31 along the upstream non-inclined part 18b of the upstream guide 18 of the upstream narrowing part 17. It then flows through the outlet 32 ​​(main stream W1) with the increased airflow speed (pressure) through the adjustment guide 34 of the narrowing part 33. The remaining part is guided to the upper and lower sides of the air passage 5 along the upstream inclined part 18a of the upstream guide 18 of the upstream narrowing part 17, flowing through the upper and lower flow paths 30 of the airflow adjustment body 26, and flowing between the adjustment guide 34 of the narrowing part 33 and the downstream inclined part 15a of the downstream guide 15 of the downstream narrowing part 14 of the housing 3 (secondary flow W2). Therefore, regarding the airflow direction, the airflow (mainstream W1) blowing out in a straight line from the outlet 32 ​​of the airflow adjustment body 26 is dominant, and the airflow blows out from the outlet 24 in the front direction along the axial direction of the housing 3 (i.e., the ventilation direction of the air passage 5).

[0064] Furthermore, when the direction of the airflow from the outlet 24 is changed, the passenger or other user can operate the airflow adjustment body 26 or the fin 60 by holding the handle 45, 72 to operate the operation part 43 or the fin operation part 68.

[0065] For example, regarding air distribution in the vertical direction, if the handle 45 is grasped and moved (i.e., rotated) the operating unit 43 in the vertical direction, the air direction adjuster 26, which is connected to the operating unit 43 via the connecting rod 57, moves vertically in accordance with the rotation direction of the operating unit 43. More specifically, as shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), if the operating unit 43 is rotated, the connecting rod hole 48 of the operating unit 43 moves vertically when viewed from the center of the operating unit body 46. Therefore, the connecting rod 57, which is inserted into the connecting rod hole 48, is subjected to an external force in the vertical direction, thereby guiding the air direction adjuster 26, which has the connecting rod 57, to move vertically by sliding contact 38 along the guide 39 of the receiving unit 36. At this time, the wind direction adjustment body 26 moves linearly in the up and down direction, while the operation part 43 rotates. As a result, the positions of the connecting rod part 57 and the connecting rod hole part 48 will shift in the front and back direction (i.e., the radial direction of the rotation of the operation part 43). However, since the connecting rod hole part 48 is formed as an elongated hole in the radial direction of the rotation of the operation part 43, this position shift will be absorbed by the movement of the connecting rod part 57 within the connecting rod hole part 48.

[0066] Figure 2 The diagram shows the airflow adjustment body 26 in its lowest position. When the airflow adjustment body 26 is lowered, the lower flow path 30 of the airflow adjustment body 26 narrows and the upper flow path 30 widens, corresponding to the amount of movement of the airflow adjustment body 26. This increases the volume of air conditioning air blown downwards from the outlet 24 along the downstream end of the upper flow path 30, and decreases the volume of air blown upwards from the outlet 24 along the downstream end of the lower flow path 30. In the lowest position, the lower flow path 30 of the airflow adjustment body 26 is closed or nearly closed. Therefore, regarding the airflow direction, the air conditioning air flowing downwards from the upper channel (secondary flow W2) dominates. This air conditioning air collides with the air conditioning air flowing through the airflow adjustment body 26 (main flow W1), and the air conditioning air blown from the outlet 24 is adjusted downwards corresponding to the amount of movement of the airflow adjustment body 26.

[0067] When the wind direction adjuster 26 is tilted upwards, it only reverses the up-down movement compared to when it is tilted downwards, so illustrations and detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the airflow adjuster 26 is positioned at its lowest or highest position, the outlet 32 ​​of the airflow adjuster 26 is entirely within the projection range of the airflow outlet 24 in the ventilation direction. That is, throughout the entire range of movement of the airflow adjuster 26, the outlet 32 ​​is entirely within the projection range of the airflow outlet 24 in the ventilation direction. Moreover, the axial direction of the airflow adjuster 26 remains parallel or approximately parallel to the axial direction of the housing 3, so the downstream reduction portion 14 of the housing 3 is not located on the projection of the airflow adjuster 26 in the ventilation direction (i.e., the direction in which the air conditioning air from the outlet 32 ​​blows out). Therefore, the air conditioning air (mainstream W1) blowing forward from the outlet 32 ​​of the airflow adjuster 26 will not collide with the downstream inclined portion 15a of the downstream guide portion 15 of the downstream reduction portion 14 of the housing 3 to generate turbulence, but will instead flow straight forward from the airflow outlet 24.

[0069] Furthermore, regarding the left-right air distribution, if a user such as a passenger holds the handle 72 and slides the fin operating part 68 left-right, the fin 60 connected to the fin operating part 68 via the connecting body 77 will rotate left-right in accordance with the sliding direction of the fin operating part 68. More specifically, if the fin operating part 68 is slid left-right, the other fin operating part main body 74 and the fin operating part main body 70 will move left-right together, and the connecting body 77, which is connected to the other fin operating part main body 74 via the connecting receiving part 78 and the connecting part 75 of the other fin operating part main body 74, will rotate left-right. Therefore, the fin 60, which has a rotating part 62 connected to the fin connecting part 79 of the connecting body 77, will rotate in accordance with the rotation of the connecting body 77, and the other fin 60 connected to this fin 60 via the connecting rod 65 will rotate in the same direction. Therefore, the air conditioning air flowing through the air passage 5 is redirected in the left-right direction along the straightening surface of the fin 60 and then blown out from the outlet 24.

[0070] In this way, by combining the vertical air distribution by the air direction adjuster 26 and the horizontal air distribution by the fins 60, air conditioning air can be blown in any direction.

[0071] According to this embodiment, by arranging an airflow adjustment body 26 inside the downstream side of a cylindrical housing 3 that tapers in a predetermined direction at one end (the downstream side), so as to be movable at least in a predetermined direction along the taper direction, the airflow direction can be adjusted by changing the ratio of the airflow volume of the air conditioning air corresponding to the direction and amount of movement of the airflow adjustment body 26 inside the housing 3. This air conditioning air flows through the flow path 30 between the airflow adjustment body 26 and the housing 3 within the air passage 5, and is blown out from the downstream side of the housing 3 in the direction along the taper direction. Therefore, it is not necessary to arrange multiple fins near the outlet 24, thereby reducing the opening size of the outlet 24 and easily ensuring the actual opening area. Furthermore, it is not necessary to use a complex mechanism, thereby reducing the number of parts with a simple structure. That is, it is possible to improve the appearance by reducing layout or design constraints while adjusting the airflow direction with a simple structure by moving the cylindrical airflow adjustment body 26. In addition, it is also possible to increase the design freedom of the installation position of the instrument panel, etc., near the outlet 24.

[0072] By narrowing one end of the airflow adjustment body 26, i.e. the downstream side, in at least the same direction as the downstream side of the housing 3, the flow velocity of the air conditioning air (mainstream W1) blowing directly out from the downstream side of the airflow adjustment body 26 can be accelerated, while the directionality of the air conditioning air (secondary flow W2) blowing obliquely out from the flow path 30 between the airflow adjustment body 26 and the housing 3 in the narrowed downstream direction can be improved, thereby enhancing the airflow adjustment function. Furthermore, in this embodiment, even when the airflow adjustment body 26 is moved by allowing the airflow adjustment body 26 to move in the vertical direction, the direction of the air conditioning air (mainstream W1) blown out from the outlet 32 ​​of the airflow adjustment body 26 will not change, and the inclination of the adjustment body guide section 34 of the adjustment body reduction section 33 of the airflow adjustment body 26 and the inclination of the downstream side inclined section 15a of the downstream side guide section 15 of the downstream side reduction section 14 of the housing 3 are parallel or approximately parallel to each other, thereby reliably improving the directivity of the air conditioning air (secondary flow W2) blown out at an angle along the reduction direction from the downstream side of the flow path 30 between the airflow adjustment body 26 and the housing 3.

[0073] By configuring the fins 60 to rotate in a direction that intersects the ventilation direction inside the housing 3 and the moving direction of the airflow adjustment body 26 on the upstream side of the airflow adjustment body 26 in the ventilation direction, in addition to the airflow adjustment that can be performed by the movement of the airflow adjustment body 26, the airflow adjustment can also be performed by the rotation of the fins 60 in a direction that intersects the direction that can be adjusted, thus improving the degree of freedom of airflow adjustment.

[0074] The wind direction adjuster 26 can move along the moving direction (rotation direction in this embodiment) of the operating part 43, which is movably disposed outside the housing 3. Therefore, the operating direction of the operating part 43 is consistent with or approximately consistent with the direction of wind direction adjustment by the wind direction adjuster 26, so the wind direction can be operated intuitively.

[0075] Next, refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 The second embodiment will be described. Furthermore, structures and functions identical to those in the first embodiment will be labeled with the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0076] In this embodiment, the wind direction adjuster 26 is rotatably disposed on the housing 3. That is, in this embodiment, the support portion 86 is rotatably supported by the housing 3 in the wind direction adjuster 26. In the illustrated example, the support portion 86 is formed on the side wall 29 of the wind direction adjuster 26. As an example, the support portion 86 is formed at a position that protrudes rearward from the rear of the side wall 29. The support portion 86 is rotatably supported by the side wall portion 7 of the housing 3. Therefore, the wind direction adjuster 26 of this embodiment can rotate in the vertical direction (i.e., in the direction in which the downstream side narrowing portion 14 of the housing 3 at one end, i.e., the downstream side narrowing portion 14 narrows (i.e., in the inclination direction of the downstream side inclined portion 15a of the downstream side air guide portion 15)).

[0077] In this configuration, the operating unit 43 can be directly connected to the support unit 86, and the wind direction adjustment body 26 can be directly rotated by rotating the operating unit 43.

[0078] And, as Figure 7 As shown, when the airflow adjustment body 26 is in the neutral position, most of the air conditioning air flows straight into the airflow adjustment body 26 from the central part in the vertical direction of the air passage 5 via the inlet 31 along the upstream non-inclined part 18b of the upstream guide 18 of the upstream narrowing part 17. It then flows through the outlet 32 ​​(main stream W1) with the increased airflow speed (pressure) through the adjustment guide 34 of the narrowing part 33. The remaining part is guided to the upper and lower sides of the air passage 5 along the upstream inclined part 18a of the upstream guide 18 of the upstream narrowing part 17, flowing through the upper and lower flow paths 30 of the airflow adjustment body 26, and flowing between the adjustment guide 34 of the narrowing part 33 and the downstream inclined part 15a of the downstream guide 15 of the downstream narrowing part 14 of the housing 3 (secondary flow W2). Therefore, regarding the airflow direction, the airflow (mainstream W1) blowing out in a straight line from the outlet 32 ​​of the airflow adjustment body 26 is dominant, and the airflow blows out from the outlet 24 in the front direction along the axial direction of the housing 3 (i.e., the ventilation direction of the air passage 5).

[0079] Furthermore, for example, regarding the wind distribution in the vertical direction, the wind direction adjustment body 26 is adjusted by rotating the vertical rotation operation unit 43.

[0080] Figure 8 The image shows the airflow adjuster 26 in its lowest position. When the airflow adjuster 26 is in this position, corresponding to the amount of movement of the airflow adjuster 26, the direction of the air conditioning air (mainstream W1) blowing from the outlet 32 ​​of the airflow adjuster 26 is downward, and the lower flow path 30 of the airflow adjuster 26 is narrowed while the upper flow path 30 is widened. This increases the volume of air conditioning air blowing downward along the downstream end of the upper flow path 30 from the outlet 24, and decreases the volume of air blowing upward along the downstream end of the lower flow path 30 from the outlet 24. In the lowest position, the lower flow path 30 of the airflow adjuster 26 is closed or substantially closed. Therefore, regarding the direction of the air conditioning air, the air conditioning air flowing through the air direction adjustment body 26 (mainstream W1) is directed downwards, and the air conditioning air flowing downwards from the upper channel (secondary flow W2) is dominant, thus being adjusted downwards in accordance with the amount of movement of the air direction adjustment body 26.

[0081] Thus, by configuring the cylindrical wind direction adjuster 26 inside the downstream side of one end of the housing 3 so that it can rotate at least in the direction of reduction, it is possible to achieve the same effect as the first embodiment, such as adjusting the wind direction by moving the cylindrical wind direction adjuster 26 with a simple structure while improving the appearance.

[0082] Furthermore, by making the airflow adjustment body 26 a rotating structure, if the airflow adjustment body 26 is swung, the direction of the air conditioning air (mainstream W1) blown out from the outlet 32 ​​of the airflow adjustment body 26 will also change, thus further improving the directional accuracy of the airflow. Moreover, by using the rotatable operating part 43, there is no need for mechanisms for sliding the airflow adjustment body 26, thereby making it easier to rotate the airflow adjustment body 26 with a simpler structure, which can further reduce the number of parts or further reduce manufacturing costs.

[0083] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the wind direction adjustment device 1 is configured as a horizontal type, but it can also be configured as a vertical type with the long side as the vertical direction. In this case, by at least narrowing one end of the housing 3, i.e., the downstream side, in the left-right direction, and by enabling the wind direction adjustment body 6 to move at least in the left-right direction, the same effect as in the above embodiments can be achieved.

[0084] Furthermore, the wind direction adjustment device 1 is not limited to wind direction adjustment devices for automobiles, but can also be used for any other purpose.

[0085] Industrial availability

[0086] This invention can be suitably used, for example, as an airflow direction adjustment device for an automobile air conditioner.

Claims

1. A wind direction adjustment device, characterized in that, have: A cylindrical shell, which tapers at one end in a predetermined direction, and from which air flows from the other end to the first end; and A cylindrical airflow modulator, configured internally at one end of the housing to be movable at least in the specified direction, and allowing mainstream airflow through its interior. A first flow path on the upper side and a second flow path on the lower side are provided between the housing and the wind direction adjustment body. As the airflow adjuster moves, the opening of one of the first and second flow paths widens while the opening of the other narrows. The secondary airflow passing through the widened path alters the direction of the main airflow. The wind direction adjustment device also includes fins inside the housing, disposed upstream of the wind direction adjustment body in the ventilation direction, and configured to rotate in a direction that intersects the ventilation direction inside the housing and the moving direction of the wind direction adjustment body.

2. The wind direction adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein, One end of the wind direction adjuster is reduced in at least the same direction as the reduction direction of one end of the housing.

3. The wind direction adjustment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, It has an operating part that is movably disposed outside the housing. The wind direction adjuster is configured to move along the direction of movement of the operating unit.

4. The wind direction adjustment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The wind direction adjusting body has the following features: A pair of end walls; and An adjustable air guide body is connected to the pair of end walls and inclined inward relative to the pair of end walls.

5. The wind direction adjustment device according to claim 2, wherein, When the opening of the upper first flow path widens and the opening of the lower second flow path narrows, air is discharged from the housing that is oriented downwards relative to the mainstream airflow. When the opening of the first flow path on the upper side narrows and the opening of the second flow path on the lower side widens, air is discharged from the housing that is directed upward relative to the mainstream airflow.

6. The wind direction adjustment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The wind direction adjustment body is configured to move in the vertical direction.

7. The wind direction adjustment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The wind direction adjustment body has a support part. The wind direction adjuster is configured to rotate relative to the support.

8. The wind direction adjustment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The outlet of the wind direction adjuster is located upstream of the outlet of the housing.

9. The wind direction adjustment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The outlet of the wind direction adjuster is located within a position range corresponding to the inclined portion of the housing.

10. The wind direction adjustment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, Throughout the entire range of movement of the airflow adjuster, the outlet of the airflow adjuster is located within the projection range of the airflow outlet of the housing in the ventilation direction.

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