Ventilation arrangement, ventilation system and motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a ventilation arrangement (1, 1') - with at least one fan (2, 2'), - with a diffuser (3, 3') which opens into at least a first air outlet duct (4, 4'), a second air outlet duct (5, 5') and a third air outlet duct (6, 6'), - wherein a first flap (8, 8') rotatable about a first axis (7, 7') is arranged in the first air outlet duct (4, 4'), a second flap (10, 10') rotatable about a second axis (9, 9') is arranged in the second air outlet duct (5, 5'), and a third flap (12, 12') rotatable about a third axis (11, 11') is arranged in the third air outlet duct (6, 6') for controlling a respective air flow, - wherein the first axis (7, 7'), the second axis (9, 9') and the third axis (11, 11') are arranged parallel to one another. This allows for the creation of an easy-to-install ventilation arrangement (1, 1').

Description

The present invention relates to a ventilation arrangement. The invention also relates to a ventilation system comprising two such ventilation arrangements and to a motor vehicle comprising such a ventilation system. In modern motor vehicles, the installation space for ventilation systems in particular is extremely limited, and furthermore, it is severely restricted by the wide variety of geometries. These varied and complex geometries are also due to the arrangement of air outlet flaps in various locations within the vehicle. This usually also involves complex housing components for such ventilation systems, which must be assembled from various spatial directions during production. The disadvantage is that, in addition to different mounting directions, the use of identical parts, which would enable significantly more cost-effective production of such ventilation arrangements, is not possible. Furthermore, the different mounting directions result in comparatively complex and therefore expensive assembly. The present invention therefore addresses the problem of providing an improved or at least an alternative embodiment for a ventilation arrangement of the generic type, with which the disadvantages known from the prior art, in particular with regard to different mounting directions, can be overcome. This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims. The present invention is based on the general idea of arranging air outlet flaps, also referred to simply as flaps in the following text, as far away as possible from the outlet of a diffuser, whereby the flaps can be positioned more easily and a flap geometry can be designed independently of the air outlet geometry. By shifting the individual flaps, an axially parallel arrangement can also be achieved, which in turn enables simplified assembly of stepper motors actuating the flaps from a single assembly direction. The ventilation arrangement according to the invention has at least one fan, for example a radial fan, a diffuser, on which the fan is arranged on the inlet side and which opens into at least a first air outlet duct, a second air outlet duct, and a third air outlet duct on the outlet side.A first flap, mounted for rotation about a first axis, is arranged in the first air outlet duct, while a second flap, rotatable about a second axis, is arranged in the second air outlet duct, and a third flap, rotatable about a third axis, is arranged in the third air outlet duct to control a respective air flow. All three axes are arranged parallel to one another, which allows the stepper motors operating the respective flaps to be mounted on a common outer side of the respective air outlet duct or diffuser, and thus allows all stepper motors to be easily mounted from one and the same mounting direction. This not only makes the ventilation arrangement according to the invention extremely easy to install and therefore cost-effective, but also allows the complexity of the kinematics to be reduced to a minimum. In an advantageous development of the ventilation arrangement according to the invention, a stepper motor with a cam disk is provided, via which at least two flaps can be driven. This offers the significant advantage that, in contrast to an embodiment in which each flap is driven by its own stepper motor, at least two flaps can now be driven via a common stepper motor, thus eliminating the need for at least one stepper motor and thus significantly reducing manufacturing costs. In an advantageous development of the ventilation arrangement according to the invention, a fan designed as a radial fan is arranged on the inlet side of the diffuser. With a radial fan, the air to be conveyed is typically drawn in axially, deflected by 90° in the radial fan, and accelerated outward. The outlet direction thus runs radially to the axis of rotation, which allows higher pressures to be generated or greater pressure losses to be overcome than would be possible with axial fans. This allows for the installation of smaller fans, which not only offers advantages in terms of limited installation space, but also brings weight and cost advantages. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the ventilation arrangement according to the invention, the first air outlet duct is arranged above the second air outlet duct, and the second air outlet duct is arranged above the third air outlet duct. This enables a particularly compact arrangement of the individual air outlet ducts, which in turn provides space advantages. By arranging the individual air outlet ducts differently, individual areas in a motor vehicle, such as a foot area, a front area, and a head area, can also be individually ventilated. The present invention is further based on the general idea of equipping a ventilation system with two ventilation arrangements according to the previous paragraphs, wherein the two ventilation arrangements are arranged relative to one another such that a first axis of a first ventilation arrangement is arranged coaxially to a first axis of the second ventilation arrangement, a second axis of the first ventilation arrangement is arranged coaxially to a second axis of the second ventilation arrangement, and a third axis of the first ventilation arrangement is arranged coaxially to a third axis of the second ventilation arrangement. The two first flaps are arranged coaxially to one another, as are the two second and third flaps. The stepper motors for actuating the respective flaps of the two ventilation arrangements can be arranged opposite the two ventilation arrangements, thereby enabling a particularly space-saving design of the ventilation system.In addition, the advantages described in the previous paragraphs with regard to the ventilation arrangements can also be transferred to the ventilation system according to the invention. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the ventilation system according to the invention, the two ventilation assemblies are arranged as mirror images of a central plane. This results in the great advantage that the individual ventilation assemblies can initially be manufactured separately, each with a single mounting direction for the respective stepper motors, whereby the two ventilation assemblies can then be connected to each other at the central plane. The central part can be designed with greater rigidity and serve as a "supporting element." In an advantageous development of the ventilation system according to the invention, one inlet nozzle is provided for each ventilation arrangement, with one outlet of the two inlet nozzles being arranged between the two fans of the two ventilation arrangements when the ventilation system is installed. The inlet nozzles are arranged with their outlet side (outlet) not only between the two fans, but also between the two diffusers of the two ventilation arrangements, thus achieving a particularly space-saving arrangement. The two inlet nozzles taper in width toward the two fans, while the two diffusers widen in width from the fan to the individual air outlet ducts.This allows a particularly space-saving arrangement of the inlet nozzles and diffusers as well as the subsequent air outlet ducts to be achieved, since the tapering of the inlet nozzles and diffusers in the area of the fans allows the width there to be limited preferably to the width at the inlet of the inlet nozzles or at the outlet of the diffuser or the air outlet ducts. The present invention is further based on the general idea of equipping a motor vehicle with a ventilation system described in the previous paragraphs, thereby transferring the advantages described with regard to the ventilation system to the motor vehicle. Specifically, these advantages include, in particular, a particularly space-optimized design and particularly easy installation, since the individual flaps for controlling a respective air flow in the respective air outlet ducts are arranged axially parallel to one another, thus enabling the stepper motors that move the individual flaps to be installed from a single mounting direction. The ventilation system is expediently arranged in a center console of the motor vehicle. The particularly space-optimized design of the ventilation system according to the invention makes it possible to arrange it in a center console of a motor vehicle and to achieve individual ventilation of individual rear seats via the total of six air outlet ducts. The two ventilation arrangements of the ventilation system thus make it possible to provide particularly individual ventilation, for example, footwell ventilation, front ventilation, or head ventilation, for both a rear seat located behind a passenger seat and a rear seat located behind a driver in the motor vehicle. This allows for a particularly high level of ventilation comfort. Further important features and advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims, from the drawings and from the associated description of the figures based on the drawings. It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the respective combination specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Components mentioned above and those to be mentioned below of a higher-level unit, such as a device, a device, or an arrangement, which are designated separately, may form separate parts or components of this unit or be integral areas or sections of this unit, even if this is shown differently in the drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein the same reference numerals refer to the same or similar or functionally identical components. They show, schematically, Fig. 1 a sectional view through a ventilation arrangement according to the invention, Fig. 2 a view of a ventilation system according to the invention with two ventilation arrangements, Fig. 3 a view as in Fig. 2, but in an exploded view, Fig. 4 a view as in Fig. 3, but in a plan view. In the following description of the figures, the same components of the two ventilation arrangements 1, 1' are designated by identical reference numerals, but with and without an apostrophe, in order to be able to distinguish between the two ventilation arrangements 1, 1' of the ventilation system 18. According to Fig. 1 to 4, a ventilation arrangement 1, 1' according to the invention has at least one fan 2, 2' and a diffuser 3, 3', which opens on the outlet side into at least a first air outlet duct 4, a second air outlet duct 5, 5' and a third air outlet duct 6, 6'. In the first air outlet duct 4, 4', a first flap 8, 8' rotatable about a first axis 7, 7' is arranged, while in the second air outlet duct 5, 5' a second flap 10, 10' rotatable about a second axis 9, 9' is arranged and in the third air outlet duct 6, 6' a third flap 12, 12' rotatable about a third axis 11, 11' is arranged to control a respective air flow. The first axis 7, 7', the second axis 9, 9' and the third axis 11, 11' run orthogonally to the plane of the sheet and thus parallel to each other, as shown in Fig. 1. A first stepper motor 13, 13' (see Figs. 2 - 4 ) is provided to rotate the first flap 8, 8', while a second stepper motor 14, 14' is provided to rotate the second flap 10, 10' and a third stepper motor 15, 15' is provided to rotate the third flap 12, 12', all of which are located on the same outer side of the respective diffuser 3, 3' or on the same outer side of the respective associated air outlet ducts 4, 4', 5, 5' and 6, 6' and thus enable assembly from one and the same assembly direction. This allows the assembly effort for the ventilation arrangement 1, 1' according to the invention to be considerably reduced compared to ventilation arrangements as are known from the prior art, in which the individual axes of the respective flaps do not run parallel to one another. As an alternative to assigning a respective stepper motor 13, 13', 14, 14', 15, 15' to the respective associated flap 8, 8', 10, 10', and 12, it is also conceivable to provide a stepper motor with an unspecified cam disk, via which at least two flaps 8, 8', 10, 10', 12, 12' can be driven. This makes it possible to reduce the number of stepper motors 13, 13', 14, 14', 15, 15', which not only offers space and weight advantages, but also considerable cost advantages. The fan 2, 2' is arranged on the inlet side of the diffuser 3, 3'. This fan can be designed, for example, as a radial fan, thus enabling axial intake and radial exhaust. Such radial fans allow for higher pressures, allowing them to be smaller, lighter, and more cost-effective for the same performance. A closer look at Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 reveals that the first air outlet duct 4, 4' is connected to the diffuser 3, 3' above the second air outlet duct 5, 5', and the second air outlet duct 5, 5' is connected to the diffuser 3, 3' above the third air outlet duct 6, 6'. Similarly, the first flap 8, 8' is arranged above the second flap 10, 10' and above the third flap 12, 12'. Footwell ventilation, for example, can be enabled via the third air outlet duct 6, 6', while air outlet nozzles in a center console of a motor vehicle 16, for example, can be supplied with air via the first air outlet duct 4, 4'. On the input side, the respective fan 2, 2' of the respective ventilation arrangement 1, 1' is connected in a communicating manner to an inlet nozzle 17, 17' (see Fig. 2 ), wherein the inlet nozzle 17, 17' tapers in terms of its width B in the direction of the associated fan 2, 2'. According to Figs. 2-4, a ventilation system 18 according to the invention is shown, which comprises two ventilation assemblies 1, 1' shown in Fig. 1, and wherein the two ventilation assemblies 1, 1' are arranged relative to one another such that a first axis 7 of the first ventilation assembly 1 is arranged coaxially to a first axis 7' of the second ventilation assembly 1', a second axis 9 of the first ventilation assembly 1 is arranged coaxially to a second axis 9' of the second ventilation assembly 1', and a third axis 11 of the first ventilation assembly 1 is arranged coaxially to a third axis 11' of the second ventilation assembly 1'. The two ventilation assemblies 1, 1' are arranged mirror-inverted to a center plane, so that the respective stepper motors 13, 13', 14, 14', 15, 15' can each be attached to the associated ventilation assembly 1, 1' from one mounting direction. An outlet of the two inlet nozzles 17, 17' to the respective fan 2, 2' of the associated ventilation arrangement 1, 1' is arranged between the two fans 2, 2' and between the two diffusers 3, 3', whereby a solution optimized in terms of overall width can be created, which can be significantly better integrated, in particular, into a center console of the motor vehicle 16. Furthermore, two such ventilation arrangements 1, 1' enable individual ventilation of two front seats in the motor vehicle 16 according to the invention, independently of one another, thereby significantly increasing ventilation comfort for the passengers of the motor vehicle 16 according to the invention. All in all, with the ventilation arrangement 1, 1' according to the invention, the ventilation system 18 according to the invention and the motor vehicle 16 according to the invention, a space-optimized and significantly easier to assemble design can be achieved, since the axes 7, 7', 9, 9', 11, 11' of the individual flaps 8, 8', 10, 10', 12, 12' are arranged parallel to one another or, in the case of the two ventilation arrangements 1, 1' of the ventilation system 18 according to the invention, coaxial to one another. The individual air outlet ducts 4, 4', 5, 5', 6, 6' can be manufactured cost-effectively using respective double-shell housings, which are designed as plastic injection-molded parts.

Claims

Ventilation arrangement (1, 1'), - with at least one fan (2, 2'), - with a diffuser (3, 3') which opens into at least a first air outlet duct (4, 4'), a second air outlet duct (5, 5') and a third air outlet duct (6, 6'), - wherein a first flap (8, 8') rotatable about a first axis (7, 7') is arranged in the first air outlet duct (4, 4'), a second flap (10, 10') rotatable about a second axis (9, 9'), and a third flap (12, 12') rotatable about a third axis (11, 11') for controlling a respective air flow is arranged in the third air outlet duct (4, 4'), - wherein the first axis (7, 7'), the second axis (9, 9') and the third axis (11, 11'), 11') are arranged parallel to one another.Ventilation arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that a first stepping motor (13, 13') is provided for rotating the first flap (8, 8'), a second stepping motor (14, 14') is provided for rotating the second flap (10, 10') and a third stepping motor (15, 15') is provided for rotating the third flap (12, 12'), all of which are arranged on the same outer side of the associated air outlet ducts (4, 4', 5, 5', 6, 6').Ventilation arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one stepping motor (13, 13', 14, 14', 15, 15') has a cam disc, by means of which at least two flaps (8, 8', 10, 10', 12, 12') can be driven.Ventilation arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fan (2, 2') is designed as a radial fan.Ventilation arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first air outlet duct (4, 4') is arranged above the second air outlet duct (5, 5') and the second air outlet duct (5, 5') is arranged above the third air outlet duct (6, 6').A ventilation system (18) with two ventilation arrangements (1, 1') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the two ventilation arrangements (1, 1') are arranged with respect to one another such that a first axis (7) of the first ventilation arrangement (1) is arranged coaxially with a first axis (7') of the second ventilation arrangement (1'), a second axis (9) of the first ventilation arrangement (1) is arranged coaxially with a second axis (9') of the second ventilation arrangement (1') and a third axis (11) of the first ventilation arrangement (1) is arranged coaxially with a third axis (11') of the second ventilation arrangement (1').Ventilation system according to claim 6, characterised in that the two ventilation arrangements (1, 1') are arranged mirror-symmetrically to a central plane.Ventilation system according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that each ventilation arrangement (1, 1') is assigned an inlet nozzle (17, 17'), the outlet of which is arranged between the two fans (2, 2') of the two ventilation arrangements (1, 1').Motor vehicle (16) having a ventilation system (18) according to one of Claims 6 to 8.Motor vehicle according to Claim 9, characterized in that the ventilation system (18) is arranged in a central console of the motor vehicle (16).

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