Method for operating an air inlet

Abstract

Method for operating an air inlet (1) in a vehicle, wherein in a first method step the temperature and / or the volume flow of the air flowing into the vehicle interior through the air inlet (1) is set by means of a touch-sensitive control unit (5) in the airflow of the air inlet (1), characterized in that the control unit (5) is designed as a touch-sensitive bridge without coupling to air guide vanes, wherein the temperature and / or the volume flow of the air flowing into the vehicle interior through the air inlet (1) is set by rotating the control unit (5) about its longitudinal axis, wherein in a second method step the color of one or more light elements of the control unit (5) is controlled depending on the setting selected in the first method step.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for operating an air inlet for introducing air into the interior of a vehicle, comprising a first method step for adjusting the temperature and / or the volume flow of the incoming air.

[0002] Air inlets are a known technology. Motor vehicles typically have multiple air inlets distributed throughout the vehicle interior. These inlets supply fresh air to the interior. To increase passenger comfort and maintain concentration while driving, as well as to remove ice and condensation from windows, it is necessary to control the temperature and volume flow of the incoming air. The air inlet settings are usually adjusted using rotary knobs, sliders, or buttons located centrally in the cockpit or near the individual air inlets.

[0003] Adjusting temperature and volume flow using centrally located controls is not intuitive and can distract the driver from the road just as much as checking the settings on the air intake itself.

[0004] DE 10 2015 009 261 A1 discloses an inlet device with a touch-sensitive display for controlling the inlet device, wherein the display is located near the inlet device.

[0005] The disadvantage of this design is that although the control unit is more intuitively positioned, the driver still has to look at the display-style control unit to operate it.

[0006] German patent application DE 10 2015 004 062 A1 discloses a touch-sensitive adjustment element for setting a parameter of an air conditioning device. The setting can be adjusted by touching the element. However, it is not possible to adjust multiple parameters of the air conditioning device simultaneously with the disclosed adjustment element. German patent application DE 10 2012 020 539 A1 discloses a rotary push-button control that can be used to change the settings of a vehicle's ventilation system and also serves as a display. However, the rotary and push operation for adjusting the ventilation parameters is not very intuitive and is cumbersome. German patent application DE 10 2009 011 710 A1 discloses a display and control element designed as a capacitive slider for controlling the ventilation of a vehicle interior.However, intuitively adjusting multiple parameters simultaneously is not conveniently possible with the display and control element. German patent application DE 10 2013 111 175 B3 discloses an air outlet that can be controlled via a mechanical adjustment device (e.g., joystick) or input via a display. Similarly, a touch-sensitive surface for adjusting parameters of a vehicle's air conditioning system is known from patent application US 2015 / 0 328 958 A1.

[0007] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method for operating an air inlet in a vehicle which, compared to the prior art, is intuitive to operate and gives the user feedback regarding the selected settings without distracting him too much from road traffic.

[0008] This problem is solved by a method according to claim 1.

[0009] This method provides a way to operate an air inlet in a vehicle that, compared to the prior art, is characterized by highly intuitive operation and direct feedback to the user regarding the selected setting, without distracting the driver. The placement of the control unit in the airflow allows for direct, sensitive control of the selected setting by the user's hand, and the design of the control unit as a rotatable, touch-sensitive bridge ensures particularly intuitive usability.

[0010] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the temperature and / or the volume flow rate of the air flowing into the vehicle interior through the air inlet are adjusted by moving the control unit in one direction in the xy-plane. This provides an additional means of adjusting operating parameters, in addition to the option of using the touch sensitivity of the control unit. For example, the temperature could be adjusted by swiping along the control unit, and the volume flow rate could be adjusted by moving the control unit. This would allow for the particularly advantageous adjustment of two parameters with a single hand movement.

[0011] According to the invention, the temperature and / or volume flow of the air entering the vehicle interior through the air inlet is adjusted by rotating the control unit about its longitudinal axis. The ability to adjust an operating parameter of the air inlet by rotating the control unit provides a further advantageous way to adjust the air conditioning with just a single hand movement.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the temperature and / or volume flow setting is transferred to one or more other air inlets. Transferring the settings selected at one air inlet to other air inlets is particularly advantageous because it allows the air conditioning to be controlled in larger areas or the entire vehicle interior with a single hand movement.

[0013] Another object of the present invention is a device according to claim 4. This device provides an air inlet that can be operated particularly intuitively by swiping across the control unit. It is conceivable to position the control unit in the airflow. This allows for direct feedback regarding the selected settings of the air inlet. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit is designed as a capacitive display, particularly preferably as a multi-touch display. The variable color of the illumination elements of the control unit advantageously enables the selected air conditioning setting to be displayed.

[0014] According to the invention, the control unit is designed in the form of a bridge in the xy-plane. The bridge-like design is particularly advantageous because it facilitates operation as a touch-sensitive slider. Swiping across such a slider is especially intuitive and therefore less distracting from road traffic.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit is attached to a receiving part. Attaching the control unit to a receiving part advantageously improves the mechanical properties of the device. For example, vibrations that would be transmitted from the vehicle to the control unit can be dampened, or forces that arise when operating the air inlet can be absorbed and dissipated.

[0016] According to the invention, the control unit is mounted without coupling to the air guide vanes. The air guide vanes serve to control the direction of the airflow by tilting them. Not coupling the control unit to the air guide vanes is advantageous because it increases the positional stability of the control unit and reduces unintentional adjustment of the air guide vanes when operating the air inlet.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit is mounted above the supply air duct and is movable in the y-direction. The variable y-position of the control unit advantageously adds another degree of freedom to the operating options. In addition to the possibility of setting an operating parameter by swiping across the control unit, another operating parameter can be set by the user by changing the position of the control unit along the y-axis.

[0018] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the side surfaces of the supply air duct have a grooved structure. By skillfully shaping the grooved structure of the supply air duct, the flow direction of the discharged air can be adjusted.

[0019] According to the invention, the control unit is rotatable about the longitudinal axis, which lies in the xy-plane. This embodiment advantageously provides an additional degree of freedom for operating the device. In addition to swiping across the touch-sensitive control unit, the user could also control another operating parameter by rotating the control unit.

[0020] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the control unit is designed such that its surface temperature is adjustable along its longitudinal axis. The temperature sensitivity of human skin allows for a direct display of an operating parameter of the device by swiping across the control unit. This allows the user to be informed, for example, about the adjustable temperature, in a particularly advantageous manner.

[0021] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device is surrounded by a three-dimensionally designed device mount. The device mount could, for example, be made of 3D-formed glass, aluminum, carbon fiber, or wood. Receiving the air inlet in a device mount advantageously enables the integration of the component into an existing vehicle interior. This allows parts of the device, such as the control unit or the mounting part, to be enclosed so that there are no protrusions or edges that could be distracting during vehicle operation or pose a hazard in the event of an accident.

[0022] Further details, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the drawing and from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawing. The drawing merely illustrates exemplary embodiments of the invention, which do not limit the inventive concept. Fig. Figure 1 schematically illustrates the structure of the air inlet.

[0023] In Fig.Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of an air inlet. The air inlet 1 consists of a supply air duct 2, the side surfaces 3 of which have a grooved structure. The direction of airflow from the air inlet 1 into the interior of a vehicle can be controlled by appropriately shaping the grooved structure on the side surfaces 3 of the supply air duct 2. A rib-shaped control unit 5 is located on a mounting element 4, which is positioned centrally above the supply air duct 2 in the y-direction. The mounting element 4, together with the control unit 5, can be moved in the y-direction. The mounting element 4 is mounted in the sliding mechanism in such a way that its movement is dampened and provides the user with haptic feedback. This movement allows an operating parameter of the air inlet 1 to be changed.Furthermore, the receiving part 4, together with the control unit 5, is mounted to rotate about its longitudinal axis. In this embodiment, the receiving part 4 and the control unit 5 are also arranged such that rotation of 90° clockwise and 90° counterclockwise about the longitudinal axis is possible. After rotation by the user, the receiving part 4 and the control unit 5 return to their initial position. This rotation allows an operating parameter of the air inlet to be changed. The control unit 5 is designed as a touch-sensitive display. By touching the control unit 5 at a specific point or by swiping across the control unit 5 parallel to the y-axis, an operating parameter of the air inlet 1 can be set, corresponding to the y-coordinate of the touch or the difference between the y-coordinates of the starting and ending points of the swipe.This ensures that the user's hand is positioned within the airflow during the adjustment of an operating parameter, providing immediate feedback on the setting. In addition to this haptic feedback, the selected operating parameter is visually indicated by the color of the control unit 5. For the temperature operating parameter, the color of the control unit 5 corresponds to the temperature, with blue representing a low temperature and red a high temperature. Neither the mounting part 4 nor the control unit 5 is connected to any air guide vanes. The air inlet 1 is enclosed by a fixture 6. The fixture 6 embeds the air inlet 1 in such a way that no parts of the air inlet 1 protrude unfavorably into the vehicle interior.

Claims

[1] Method for operating an air inlet (1) in a vehicle, wherein in a first method step the temperature and / or the volume flow of the air flowing into the vehicle interior through the air inlet (1) is set by means of a touch-sensitive control unit (5) in the airflow of the air inlet (1), characterized by , that the control unit (5) is designed as a touch-sensitive bridge without coupling to air guide vanes, wherein the temperature and / or the volume flow of the air flowing into the vehicle interior through the air inlet (1) is adjusted by rotating the control unit (5) about its longitudinal axis, wherein in a second process step the color of one or more light elements of the control unit (5) is controlled depending on the setting selected in the first process step. [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature and / or the volume flow of the air flowing into the vehicle interior through the air inlet (1) is adjusted by moving the control unit (5) in a direction in the xy-plane. [3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the temperature and / or volume flow setting is transferred to one or more other air inlets (1). [4] Device for introducing air using a method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device has an air inlet (1) for introducing an airflow into a vehicle interior, wherein the device has a control unit (5) for adjusting the air inlet (1) and wherein the control unit (5) has light elements, characterized by, that the device is designed such that the temperature and / or the volume flow of the air flowing into the vehicle interior through the air inlet (1) can be adjusted by touching a control unit (5) designed as a touch-sensitive bridge, wherein the control unit (5) is rotatable about the longitudinal axis which lies in the xy-plane, wherein the control unit (5) is attached without coupling to air guide vanes and the color of one or more light elements is controlled depending on the selected setting of the temperature and / or volume flow. [5] Device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit (5) is attached to a receiving part (4). [6] Device according to one of claims 4 to 5, wherein the control unit (5) is mounted so as to be displaceable in the y-direction above an air supply duct (2). [7] Device according to claim 6, wherein the side surfaces (3) of the air supply duct (2) have a grooved structure. [8] Device according to one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the control unit (5) is designed such that the surface temperature of the control unit (5) is adjustable along its longitudinal axis. [9] Device according to one of claims 4 to 8, wherein the air inlet (1) is partially or completely surrounded by a three-dimensionally designed device receptacle (6).

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