Air outflow device

Abstract

The invention relates to an air outlet (1) having a pivotable air deflection duct (4) in which a disk (6) is pivotably mounted. In order to pivot the disc (6), the invention provides an actuator (10) which is arranged outside the air deflection duct (4) in a stationary manner on or in the air outlet (1). A pivot link (13) for pivoting the disk (6) is guided through congruent openings (23) in opposite channel walls (22) of the air deflection duct (4) and has a slotted shaft tap which coordinates the relative movement during the pivoting of the air deflection duct (4).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an air vent having the features of the preamble of claim 1. Air vents are used to supply air into the passenger compartment of a truck and are typically recessed into a dashboard or other interior trim of the truck. Background Art

[0002] US Pat. No. 4,345,510 discloses an air outlet having a rectangular tubular air deflection duct which can be pivoted about a vertical axis in order to deflect the air flow through the air deflection duct laterally. Horizontal disks parallel to one another are arranged in the air deflection duct and are pivotably supported in the air deflection duct about a horizontal pivot axis, with which the air flow through the air deflection duct can be vertically deflected. The disks can be pivoted together and in parallel by means of two coupling rods which are arranged at diametrically opposite corners of the disks and are connected to the disks in an articulated manner by means of film hinges.

[0003] DE 10 2018 005 002 A1 describes an air outflow device having a drive for a guide disk, which has a gear with a guide slot, which is in mechanical engagement with the guide disk. This can be achieved by a guide pin (not described) guided through a channel element and by pivoting the guide disk. The air outflow device can be operated manually or alternatively by means of a motor.

[0004] DE 4,345,510 B describes an air outflow device having a channel element and a pivot pin which is located in the outer surface of the upper and lower wall of the channel element. The air outflow device can be operated manually or alternatively by means of a motor. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object of the invention is to design such an air outflow device in such a way that the disk can be pivoted from outside the air deflection duct by means of an actuator which is arranged, for example, in a fixed position outside the air deflection duct. "Fixed position" means that the actuator does not pivot with the air deflection duct. The actuator is not a mandatory feature of the invention, which is intended to determine the type of pivot drive, not its presence.

[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1 .

[0007] The air outflow device according to the invention has an air deflection duct which can be pivoted about a first pivot axis. The disk is pivotably mounted in the air deflection duct about a second pivot axis, wherein the two pivot axes intersect one another, in particular at right angles, as viewed in the flow direction through the air deflection duct. By pivoting the air deflection duct about the first pivot axis and pivoting the disk about the second pivot axis, the air flow can be deflected in two different directions through the air deflection duct at an angle to the direction which the air flow would have if the air deflection duct and the disk were not pivoted.

[0008] In order to pivot the disk, the air outflow device according to the invention has a pivot link which is connected to the disk, for example in an articulated manner and at a radial distance from the second pivot axis. According to the invention, the air deflection duct has an opening in the channel wall, through which the pivot link is guided outwardly in such a way that the disk can be pivoted from outside the air deflection duct.

[0009] The outwardly directed pivoting link enables, for example, the pivoting of a disk in a pivotable air deflecting duct by means of an actuator which is arranged fixedly outside the air deflecting duct in, at or outside the air outflow and which therefore does not pivot with the air deflecting duct. The actuator is not a mandatory feature of the invention, but the invention allows the drive of the pivoting link to pivot the disk in the air deflecting duct.

[0010] The dependent claims contain advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention specified in claim 1 .

[0011] A design of the present invention provides that the pivoting connecting rod has a crank arm, which can rotate around the rotation axis, and the crank arm has an axis that is radially spaced from the rotation axis, and when the pivoting connecting rod rotates around the rotation axis, the axis moves on an arc concentric with the rotation axis. The axis can extend straight or not straight, for example in an arc shape and / or parallel to the rotation axis or obliquely. The pivoting connecting rod can have two crank arms arranged at a distance from each other, the two crank arms can rotate around the rotation axis, and the axis extends between the two crank arms in a manner that is radially spaced from the rotation axis. In particular, the axis extends through an opening in the channel wall of the air deflection duct or through two openings in, for example, opposing channel walls of the air deflection duct, and one or more crank arms are arranged outside the air deflection duct and are rotatably supported outside the air deflection duct around the rotation axis.

[0012] In order to pivot the disk, an axis tap is provided in the air deflection duct, which axis tap has, for example, a slot and can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the axis in order to coordinate the relative movement between the pivot link and the air deflection duct when the air deflection duct is pivoted about the first pivot axis. The axis tap is fastened to the axis of the pivot link tangentially to the axis of rotation of the pivot link so that when the axis moves on an arc about the axis of rotation when the crank arm rotates, the axis tap moves with the axis transversely or radially to the axis of the pivot link. The spacing of the axis tap from the axis of rotation is preferably variable so that the axis tap does not necessarily have to move on an arc about the axis of rotation, but can, for example, move on a tangent to the axis of rotation. The disk is drive-connected to the shaft tap such that the disk is pivoted about the second pivot axis when the crank arm of the pivot link is rotated about the axis of rotation and the shaft of the pivot link is thereby moved on an arc about the axis of rotation and the shaft tap is moved with the shaft transversely or radially to the axis, for example tangentially to the axis of rotation. The shaft tap decouples the pivoting movement of the air deflection duct from the movement of the shaft of the pivot link on an arc about the axis of rotation of the pivot link.

[0013] The air deflection duct can in principle have any and for example a polygonal, circular or elliptical cross section. In an embodiment of the invention, the air deflection duct has a quadrilateral, in particular a rectangular cross section. The air deflection duct has, for example, the shape of a tube, whose cross-sectional shape and / or cross-sectional area can be constant or vary over the length of the air deflection duct.

[0014] Preferably, a plurality of disks are arranged side by side or above each other in the air deflection duct and are pivotably mounted in the air deflection duct about a pivot axis. In order to distinguish the pivot axis of the air deflection duct, this pivot axis is referred to as the "first pivot axis" here, and the pivot axis of the disk is referred to as the "second pivot axis" here. The disks are arranged in particular parallel to each other in the air deflection duct and are preferably pivotable about second pivot axes that are parallel to each other.

[0015] For the common parallel pivoting, the disk can be connected, for example, to a coupling rod which is connected to the disk in an articulated manner at a radial distance from the second pivot axis.

[0016] The air deflection duct preferably has two openings in the opposite channel walls of the air deflection duct, through which the pivot rod is guided in such a way that the pivot rod can be rotatably mounted outside the air deflection duct. In particular, the two openings in the opposite channel walls of the air deflection duct overlap one another as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the axis of rotation of the pivot rod.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the air outflow device has an actuator, which is used to pivot the air deflection duct and one or more disks. The actuator is a structural unit in terms of drive technology, which generates a mechanical movement. Typically, the actuator has an electric motor and a gear reduction transmission mechanism connected via a flange or arranged in a housing with an electric motor, wherein other embodiments are possible. In order to distinguish them, the actuator that pivots the air deflection duct is referred to here as the first actuator, and the actuator that pivots one or more disks is referred to as the second actuator. Embodiments of the present invention that only have the first actuator or only have the second actuator are also possible.

[0018] A common actuator for pivoting both the air deflection duct and the one or more disks is also possible. In this case, for example, the pivoting can be carried out using two freewheeling clutches, wherein the first freewheeling clutch pivots the air deflection duct in a first direction of rotation and the second freewheeling clutch pivots the one or more disks in a second, oppositely arranged direction of rotation. A distributor gear with two connectable and disconnectable outputs for pivoting the air deflection duct and, independently of this, pivoting the one or more disks is also possible, for example.

[0019] In particular, the second actuator pivots one or more disks via a pivoting link, which makes it possible for the actuator to be arranged in a fixed position in, on or outside the air duct or the housing of the air outflow device, for example outside the air deflection duct.

[0020] In addition to the actuator or actuators, the air deflection duct and / or the disk or disks can preferably also be pivoted by hand, ie manually, wherein the actuator preferably does not move when the air deflection duct or the disk or disks are pivoted manually.

[0021] In order to be able to manually pivot the air deflection duct without moving the associated first actuator, one embodiment of the present invention provides a first coupling in the drive connection between the first actuator and the air deflection duct, the first coupling having a defined free rotation angle so that the first actuator does not move due to manual pivoting of the air deflection duct. The free rotation angle is so large that the air deflection duct can be pivoted manually to the maximum extent in two directions without moving the actuator. Such a coupling can be, for example, a claw coupling with a gap between its claws that enables a free rotation angle. Another possible solution is a slot coupling with a corresponding gap.

[0022] Embodiments of the invention provide a similar second coupling in the drive connection between the second actuator and one or more disks in order to be able to manually pivot the one or more disks without moving the associated second actuator.

[0023] The features and feature combinations, embodiments and designs of the present invention mentioned above in the specification and the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the drawings and / or shown in the drawings can be used not only in the respectively specified or shown combination, but also in any other combination in principle or individually. Embodiments of the present invention that do not have all the features of the dependent claims are feasible. The individual features of the claims can also be replaced by other disclosed features or feature combinations. The following embodiments of the present invention are feasible, which do not have all the features of the embodiments, but have any part of the features described in the embodiments in principle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present invention will be explained in more detail below based on the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Figure 1 The air outflow device according to the invention is shown in a perspective view obliquely from above;

[0026] Figure 2 Shown obliquely from below Figure 1 an air vent; and

[0027] Figure 3 Using a three-dimensional image from above with an angle Figure 1 The different sight directions show the Figure 1 and Figure 2 The internal parts of the air vent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Figure 1 and Figure 2 The air vent 1 according to the invention shown in the drawing is used to supply air into the passenger compartment of a truck (not shown). The air vent 1 is provided for installation in a recessed manner in, for example, the dashboard of the truck, wherein the air vent 1 is arranged on the back side of the dashboard facing away from the passenger compartment in such a way that the edge of the air outlet opening 2 of the air vent 1 is flush with the surface of the dashboard facing the passenger compartment (not shown).

[0029] The air outflow device 1 has a tubular air duct 3 with a rectangular passage cross section in the present embodiment, the shape and area of ​​which can be varied over the length of the air duct 3. In the present embodiment, the air duct 3 has a constant width and a height that decreases in the direction of the air outflow opening 2. In the embodiment of the air outflow device 1 according to the invention, the air outflow opening 2 is also rectangular. Parts of the air duct 3 that would obscure the air deflection duct 4 arranged in the air duct 3 are omitted in the figures.

[0030] The air deflection duct 4 arranged in the air duct 3 is pivotably supported in the air duct 3 about a first pivot axis 5 which runs transversely through the air duct 3. In the present embodiment, the air deflection duct 4 has a likewise rectangular tube cross section with a constant width, the height of which first decreases in a nozzle-like manner in the throughflow direction and then increases again toward the air outflow opening 2 depending on the type of diffuser.

[0031] The invention is not limited to the shapes of the air duct 3 and the air deflection duct 4 described and shown in the figures, but rather the ducts 3 , 4 can have any desired tube cross section or hollow cross section which varies over the length of the duct 3 , 4 .

[0032] The strip-shaped disks 6, which are parallel to each other and in the present embodiment are pivotably supported in the air deflection duct 4 about a second pivot axis 7. The second pivot axes 7 are parallel to each other and intersect, in the present embodiment perpendicularly, the first pivot axis 5 about which the air deflection duct 4 can be pivoted, as seen in the flow direction through the air deflection duct 4. By pivoting the air deflection duct 4 about the first pivot axis 5 and by pivoting the disk 6 about the second pivot axis 7, the air flow through the air deflection duct 4 or through the air outflow device 1 can be deflected obliquely to the direction in which the air flow through the non-pivoted air deflection duct 4 and would have in the absence of the disk 6, in two directions perpendicular to each other.

[0033] The third coupling lever 8 is connected in an articulated manner to the disk 6 at a radial distance from the second pivot axis 7 in such a way that the disks 6 are pivoted together and in parallel.

[0034] The air outflow device 1 according to the invention has a first actuator 9 for pivoting the air deflection duct 4 and a second actuator 10 for pivoting the disk 6. Both actuators 9, 10 are arranged outside the air duct 3 in a fixed position outside the air deflection duct 4, wherein the actuators 9, 10 can also be arranged in a fixed position at other locations of the air outflow device 1. "Fixed position" means that the actuators 9, 10 do not pivot with the air deflection duct 4 and with the disk 6, but do not move relative to the air duct 3.

[0035] The actuators 9 and 10 are drive technology structural units that generate mechanical motion. In the present embodiment, the actuators 9 and 10 each have an electric motor and a mechanical gear reduction transmission mechanism and generate a rotational motion.

[0036] The first actuator 9 has a first pivot lever 11 arranged at a first coupling lever 12, which articulately connects the air deflection duct 4 to the first pivot lever 11. The first coupling lever 12 is articulatedly connected to the air deflection duct 4 at a radial distance from the first pivot axis 5 so that when the first actuator 9 pivots the first pivot lever 11, the first actuator pivots the air deflection duct 4 about the first pivot axis 5.

[0037] In order to pivot the disk 6, the air outflow device 1 according to the invention has a pivoting connecting rod 13, which in the present embodiment is designed in the manner of a crank drive or crankshaft: the pivoting connecting rod 13 has two crank arms 14, which can be pivoted together about a common rotation axis 15 and which overlap one another when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis 15. An axle 16 which is radially spaced from the rotation axis 15 and parallel to the rotation axis 15 connects the two crank arms 14 rigidly to one another. A journal 17 coaxial with the rotation axis 15 projects outward from the outer sides of the crank arms 14 facing away from one another, with which the pivoting connecting rod 13 is supported in the air duct 3 so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis 15. If the crank arms 14 are pivoted about the rotation axis 15, the axle 16 moves on an arc concentric with the rotation axis 15.

[0038] In order to pivot the pivot link 13, the second actuator 10 has a second pivot rod 18, which is articulatedly connected to one of the two crank arms 14 of the pivot link 13 at a radial distance from the rotation axis 15 via a second coupling rod 19 so that the crank arms 14 of the pivot link 13 are pivoted together around the rotation axis 15 by pivoting the second pivot rod 18 using the second actuator 10, wherein the shaft 16 connecting the two crank arms 14 moves on an arc around the rotation axis 15.

[0039] Arranged in the air deflection duct 4 is an axis tap 20 which in the present embodiment has the form of a sheet metal and has a slot 21 which is as wide as the diameter of the axis 16 of the pivot link 13. The slot 21 of the axis tap 20 extends radially toward the axis of rotation 15 of the pivot link 13 in the starting position and moves on a straight line tangential to the axis of rotation 15 and transverse or radial to the axis 16 of the pivot link 13 when the pivot link 13 is pivoted.

[0040] The third coupling rod 8, which articulates the disk 6, is articulatedly connected to the shaft tap 20 so that when the crank arm 14 of the pivot link 13 is pivoted about the rotation axis 15 and the shaft 16, which connects the crank arm 14, moves in an arc about the rotation axis 15, the third coupling rod 8 is displaced and the disk 6 is pivoted in parallel.

[0041] The shaft tap 20 can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the shaft 16 and the shaft 16 can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the slot 21 by means of the slot 21 of the shaft tap 20 arranged on the shaft 16 of the pivot link 13. In this way, when the air deflecting duct 4 is pivoted, the shaft tap 20 coordinates the relative movement between the pivot link 13, which is pivotably mounted in a fixed position in the air duct 3, and the air deflecting duct 4, which is pivotable about the first pivot axis 5.

[0042] For guiding through the pivot link 13, the mutually opposite passage walls 22 of the air deflection duct 4 have openings 23 through which the pivot link 13 extends. In the present embodiment, the openings 23 in the opposite passage walls 22 overlap perpendicularly to the central longitudinal plane through the first pivot axis 5.

[0043] It is not mandatory that the openings 23 in the opposing channel walls 22 are identical and have the same shape. The shape, size and arrangement of the openings 23 are such that the shaft 16 of the pivoting link 13 can move on an arc about the axis of rotation 15 and the air deflection duct 4 can pivot about the first pivot axis 5. For this purpose, a circular arc-shaped gap in the opposing channel wall 22 of the air deflection duct 4, which is concentric with the axis of rotation 15 and is so wide that the air deflection duct 4 can pivot about the first pivot axis 5, will be sufficient. In addition, the opening 23 must be so large that the pivoting link 13 together with the crank arm 14 can be guided through the opening 23 in the opposing channel wall 22 of the air deflection duct 4 for assembly. This results in, for example, a T-shaped opening 23, wherein the transverse structure of the "T" can be circular arc-shaped (not shown) instead of straight. The invention does not exclude openings 23 formed in other ways. In principle, the opening 23 should be small in order not to disrupt the air flow through the air deflection duct 4 and in order to keep the air outflow from the air deflection duct 4 or the air inflow into the air deflection duct through the opening 23 small.

[0044] The air deflection duct 4 and the disk 6 can also be pivoted manually, for which purpose a handle element 26 is arranged on two disks that are hinged in the disk 6 in front of the air outlet opening 2. In order not to cause the actuators 9, 10 to move when the air deflection duct 4 and the disk 6 are pivoted manually, the air outflow device 1 according to the invention has a first coupling 24 in the drive connection between the first actuator 9 and the air deflection duct 4, and a second coupling 25 in the drive connection between the second actuator 10 and the disk 6. In the present embodiment, the couplings 24, 25 are arranged on the output shafts of the actuators 9, 10, and the pivot levers 11, 18 are arranged on the sides of the couplings 24, 25 that are opposite the actuators 9, 10. The couplings 24, 25 have a free rotation angle that is so large that the air deflection duct 4 and the disk 6 can be pivoted to the maximum extent in both pivot directions without causing the output shafts of the actuators 9, 10 to rotate. The couplings 24 , 25 can be designed as claw couplings with a gap between their claws or as slot couplings with a gap that allows a free rotation angle for pivoting the air deflection duct 4 and the disk 6 without rotating the actuators 9 , 10 .

[0045] List of reference numerals:

[0046] 1 Air vent

[0047] 2 Air outlet opening

[0048] 3 Air ducts

[0049] 4 Air diversion duct

[0050] 5 First pivot axis

[0051] 6 Platter

[0052] 7 Second pivot axis

[0053] 8 Third coupling rod

[0054] 9 First actuator

[0055] 10 Second actuator

[0056] 11 First pivot lever

[0057] 12 First coupling rod

[0058] 13 Pivot link

[0059] 14 Crank Arm

[0060] 15 Axis of rotation

[0061] 16 Axis

[0062] 17 Journal

[0063] 18 Second pivot rod

[0064] 19 Second coupling rod

[0065] 20-axis tap

[0066] 21 Gap

[0067] 22 Channel wall

[0068] 23 Opening

[0069] 24 First connector

[0070] 25 Second connector

[0071] 26 Handle element.

Claims

1. An air outflow device (1) comprising: an air diverting duct (4) which is pivotable about a first pivot axis (5); a disk (6) which is pivotably supported in the air deflection duct (4) about a second pivot axis (7) which intersects the first pivot axis (5) as viewed in the flow direction through the air deflection duct (4); a pivot link (13) for pivoting the disc (6) about the second pivot axis (7), It is characterized in that a) the air deflection duct (4) has an opening (23) in the duct wall (22), through which the pivot link (13) extends; and / or b) the air outflow device (1) has a first actuator (9) for pivoting the air deflection duct (4), and the air deflection duct (4) can be pivoted not only by means of the first actuator (9) but also manually, and / or c) The air outflow device (1) has a second actuator (10) for pivoting the disk or disks (6), and the disk or disks (6) can be pivoted not only by means of the second actuator (10) but also manually.

2. The air outflow device (1) according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The pivot connecting rod (13) has a crank arm (14) which is rotatable about an axis of rotation (15) and has a shaft (16) which is radially spaced from the axis of rotation (15). When the crank arm (14) rotates about the axis of rotation (15), the shaft moves on an arc concentric with the axis of rotation (15). The air flow outlet (1) has a shaft tap (20) which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the shaft (16) and moves radially with the shaft (16) and is drive-connected to the disk (6) in such a way that when the shaft (16) moves on an arc about the axis of rotation (15) when the crank arm (14) rotates about the axis of rotation (15), the shaft tap (20) causes the disk (6) to pivot about the second pivot axis (7).

3. The air outflow device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized in that The air deflection duct (4) has a quadrilateral, in particular a rectangular, cross section.

4. The air outflow device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized in that The air outflow device (1) has a plurality of parallel pivotable disks (6) which are arranged next to one another or above one another in the air deflection duct (4) and which can be pivoted together about a second pivot axis (7).

5. The air outflow device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized in that The air deflection duct (4) has openings (23) in opposite duct walls (22) of the air deflection duct (4), which overlap one another when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the pivot link (13) or the rotation axis (15) of the pivot link (13).

6. The air outflow device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized in that The air deflection duct (4) can be pivoted manually without moving the first actuator (9).

7. The air outflow device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized in that The one or more disks (6) can be pivoted manually without moving the second actuator (10).

8. The air outflow device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized in that The air outflow device (1) has a first coupling (24) in the drive connection between the first actuator (9) and the air deflection duct (4), which has a defined free rotation angle so that the air deflection duct (4) can be pivoted manually without moving the first actuator (9).

9. The air outflow device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized in that The air outflow device (1) has a second coupling (25) in the drive connection between the second actuator (10) and the one or more disks (6), which has a defined free rotation angle so that the one or more disks (6) can be pivoted manually without moving the second actuator (10).

Images