Electrically controlled air outlet device for a vehicle's air conditioning system

Abstract

Electrically controlled air outlet device for a vehicle air conditioning system, comprising an electrically driven actuator (2) for actuating louvers to adjust the amount of air passing through the louvers by means of a gear drive (3), wherein the louvers are pivotable in their position via an output (C, D) of the gear drive (3), characterized in that the louvers are designed in two louver structures (4, 5) with different adjustment directions and the gear drive is designed as a planetary gear (3), wherein a planet carrier (A) of the planetary gear (3) is coupled to the electrically driven actuator (2) and each louver structure (4, 5) is connected to a ring gear (C) or a ring gear (D).a sun gear (D) of the planetary gear (3) in an operative connection for the alternating actuation of the respective lamellar structure (4, 5) and the electrically driven actuator (2) actuates an air flap (19) via a deflection device (12, 14, 15, 16), wherein a switching between the actuation of the first and the second lamellar structure (4, 5) is carried out by means of a first actuating actuator (7) which locks or releases the ring gear (C) or the sun gear (D).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an electrically controllable air outlet device for an air conditioning system of a vehicle, comprising an electrically driven actuator for actuating slats to adjust an air quantity passing through the slats by means of a gear transmission, wherein the slats can be pivoted in their position via an output of the gear transmission.

[0002] DE 20 2018 104 362 U1 discloses a closing device for intake and exhaust openings of air conditioning and ventilation units in rail vehicles. The closing device is designed as an assembly with several rotatably mounted slats and has a web contour in which the respective bearing points for supporting the slats are positioned.

[0003] From DE 10 2020 120 614 A1, a drive device for adjusting slats of a ventilation flap for a vehicle is known, comprising an actuator, an output shaft for pivoting the slats and a gear connected between the actuator and the output shaft, wherein the gear is driven by the actuator and is designed as a gear transmission with non-circular gears.

[0004] From US 2022 / 0 145 970 A1 a drive unit for actuating a plurality of functions of a ventilation system or an air distribution system is known, comprising an electric motor drive with a drive shaft which can be driven in a first direction of rotation or in a second direction of rotation, and a switching mechanism with at least a first and a second output shaft, via which functions of the ventilation system can be actuated, wherein the switching mechanism is designed to transmit a torque from the drive shaft only to the first output shaft when the drive shaft is driven in the first direction of rotation and to transmit a torque from the drive shaft only to the second output shaft when the drive shaft is driven in the second direction of rotation.

[0005] CN 1 13 978 207 A relates to the technical field of vehicle parts, in particular to a clutch, an electric air vent, and a vehicle. The clutch consists of a drive unit; a clutch assembly arranged on a part of the drive assembly in hose mode; a first blade gear used to connect to the clutch assembly; and a second blade gear used to connect to the clutch assembly. When the power assembly drives the clutch assembly to move in the first direction, the clutch assembly is connected to the first blade gear, and when the power assembly drives the clutch assembly to move in the second direction, the clutch assembly is connected to the second blade gear.By arranging the clutch assembly, the drive unit can drive various blade gear wheels, an additional drive device does not need to be arranged, interior space of a vehicle is saved and costs are reduced.

[0006] Other relevant publications are CN 1 10 962 548 A and JP 2005- 55 061 A.

[0007] The object of the invention is to provide an electrically controllable air outlet device for an air conditioning system of a vehicle, which performs various control functions despite its very compact design.

[0008] The invention is based on the features of the independent claims. Advantageous developments and refinements are the subject of the dependent claims. Further features, possible applications, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the explanation of exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are illustrated in the figures.

[0009] The problem is solved by the subject matter of patent claim 1.

[0010] In the electrically controllable air outlet device for an air conditioning system of a vehicle explained at the outset, comprising an electrically driven actuator for actuating slats to adjust an air quantity passing through the slats by means of a gear train, wherein the slats can be pivoted in their position via an output of the gear train, the slats are designed in two slat structures with different adjustment directions and the gear train as a planetary gear, wherein a planet carrier of the planetary gear is coupled to the electrically driven actuator and each slat structure is operatively connected to a ring gear or a sun gear of the planetary gear for alternately actuating the respective slat structure and the electrically driven actuator controls an air flap via a deflection device.With just one electric drive, several functions of the air outlet device, such as freewheeling and the two louvre structures, can be adjusted independently of each other. This not only reduces the installation space of the air outlet device but also reduces its weight.

[0011] Advantageously, switching between the actuation of the first and second louvre structures is achieved by means of a first actuating actuator, which locks or releases the ring gear or the sun gear. The use of the planetary gear and a single actuating actuator allows for a further reduction in the installation space of the air outlet device, as both louvre structures can be controlled via this.

[0012] In one embodiment, the first actuator has three positions for actuating or releasing the respective lamella structure via the planetary gear. These three positions allow freewheeling and the actuation of the first and second lamella structures to be realized independently of one another.

[0013] In one variant, the first actuator engages directly with the ring gear or the sun gear in a first position, while the first actuator is connected to the sun gear or the ring gear via a coupling device for engagement. The direct access to either the ring gear or the sun gear further reduces the structural complexity of the air outlet device, allowing it to take on a particularly compact form.

[0014] In one embodiment, the deflection device for adjusting the position of the air flap has a fixed output gear and an adjustable drive gear, wherein the position can be locked or released by a second actuating actuator. The position of the air flap can be conveniently changed by engaging the second actuating actuator with the adjustable output gear.

[0015] It is advantageous if the second actuator for operating the air damper has two positions. This allows the air damper to be easily locked or released.

[0016] In a further embodiment, the first and / or second actuators are designed as solenoids. The electromagnetic mode of operation further saves space in the air outlet device.

[0017] In a further variant, the first and / or the second actuator can be controlled by software, which allows convenient operation of the various functions of the air outlet device.

[0018] Further advantages, features, and details will become apparent from the following description, which describes at least one exemplary embodiment in detail. Described features may form the subject matter of the invention alone or in any meaningful combination, possibly even independently of the claims, and may, in particular, also be the subject matter of one or more separate applications.

[0019] Showing: Fig. 1 a schematic diagram of the air outlet device according to the invention, Fig. 2 a schematic diagram of the planetary gear according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 an embodiment of a side nozzle of the vehicle, Fig. 4 Examples of the function of the lifting magnets based on the Fig. 3 shown side nozzle.

[0020] In Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the air outlet device according to the invention, which is designed as an electric nozzle. Fig. 1a is a side view of the electric nozzle 1, in Fig. 1b a top view of the nozzle and in Fig. 1c shows a front view of the nozzle. In the side view 1a, the vertical lamella structure 4 is visible, while the horizontal lamella structure 5 in Fig. 1b is shown

[0021] The electric nozzle 1 has an electric stepper motor 2, which controls the switching of the actuation of the vertical slat structure 4 and the horizontal slat structure 5 via a planetary gear 3. In Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the planetary gear 3 driving the vertical lamellar structure 4. The stepper motor 2 acts as a drive on a planet carrier A of the planetary gear 3, which engages three planetary gears B. These transmit the torque generated by the servo motor 2 either to the ring gear C, which serves as the first output, or to the sun gear D, which is used as the second output. In the present case, the vertical lamellar structure 4 is driven via the sun gear D. Alternatively, the horizontal lamellar structure 5 is driven via the ring gear C. A gear 6 is used to adjust the transmission ratio of the drive to the vertical or horizontal lamellar structure 4, 5.

[0022] The switching between the actuation of the vertical slat structure 4 and the horizontal slat structure 5 is carried out by a first actuator designed as a lifting magnet 7. This lifting magnet 7 locks either the ring gear C or the sun gear D, depending on which slat structure 4, 5 is to be changed in position. If the ring gear C is blocked by the lifting magnet 7, the stepper motor 2 only drives the sun gear D and thus controls the vertical slat structure 4. In the opposite case, the horizontal slat structure 5 is controlled when the ring gear C is released by the lifting magnet 7 and the sun gear D is blocked by it. The slats of the horizontal slat structure 5 are rotated about the rotation axis 8, while the slats of the vertical slat structure 4 are changed in position about the rotation axis 9 ( Fig. 1). The slats of the horizontal slat structure 5 are placed on a coupling rod 10. The slats of the vertical slat structure 4 are positioned on another coupling rod 23.

[0023] If the slats of the horizontal slat structure 5 are to be moved, the solenoid 7 locks the sun gear D, and the output of the planetary gear 3 is only via the ring gear C, the gear wheel 6, and the coupling rod 10. The solenoid 7 thus assumes two positions. To ensure freewheeling of the planetary gear 3, a third position can be provided. The position of the slats of the slat structures 4, 5 is determined using a potentiometer 11.

[0024] The air flap 19, which is supported in a bearing 18, is changed in its position by means of an adjusting wheel 12, which is actuated by a deflection device that is also driven by the stepper motor 2. The deflection device comprises a plug-in axle 13 serving as the drive for the air flap 19, a first fixed output gear 14, and an adjustable output gear 15, which is supported in a bearing 16. To adjust the air flap 19, a further actuator designed as a lifting magnet 17 couples the output gears 12 and 14 to the adjustable output gear 15. The air flap 19 is driven via a further gear wheel 20, which is fixed to the planet carrier A of the planetary gear 3 and meshes with the first gear wheel 6, which is driven by the stepper motor 2. The second solenoid 17 requires a first setting position for the freewheel and a second setting position for engagement with the air flap 19.

[0025] Fig. Figure 3 shows an embodiment of a side nozzle 21 of the vehicle, which has a round nozzle body 22. The stepper motor 2 drives the plug-in shaft 13 of the air flap 19 via the first gear 6. The plug-in shaft 13 traverses the diameter of the nozzle body 22. The second solenoid 17 engages the end of the plug-in shaft 13 opposite the stepper motor 2. The planetary gear 3 with the first solenoid 7 is arranged in the area of ​​the stepper motor 2 and the first gear 6.

[0026] The functions of the lifting magnets 7, 17 in Fig. 4 will be explained in more detail. On average AA ( Fig. 4a) the two setting positions 0 - 1 of the second lifting magnet 17 are shown. Fig. Figure 4a shows the freewheel on the left, where the solenoid 17 does not act on the plug-in shaft 13. In this case, the air flap 19 cannot be operated. On the right side, the second solenoid 17 engages the plug-in shaft 13 and blocks it, allowing the air flap 19 to move.

[0027] In Fig.Figure 4b illustrates the freewheeling of the first solenoid 7. The servomotor 2 engages the planet carrier A of the planetary gear 3 via the gear wheel 6, whereby neither the ring gear C nor the sun gear D engages the solenoid 7. This means that both the lamellae of the vertical lamella structure 4 and the horizontal lamella structure 5 can freely rotate on the respective coupling rods 23 and 10, respectively. If the solenoid 7 acts on the ring gear C with a force F1, the vertical lamella structure 4 can rotate, while the horizontal lamella structure 5 is locked. If, however, the solenoid 7 acts on the sun gear D with the force F2, the horizontal lamella structure 5 moves.

Claims

[1] Electrically controllable air outlet device for an air conditioning system of a vehicle, comprising an electrically driven actuator (2) for actuating slats to adjust an air quantity passing through the slats by means of a gear transmission (3), wherein the slats are pivotable in their position via an output (C, D) of the gear transmission (3), characterized byin that the slats are designed in two slat structures (4, 5) with different adjustment directions and the gear transmission as a planetary gear (3), wherein a planet carrier (A) of the planetary gear (3) is coupled to the electrically driven actuator (2) and each slat structure (4, 5) is operatively connected to a ring gear (C) or a sun gear (D) of the planetary gear (3) for the alternate actuation of the respective slat structure (4, 5) and the electrically driven actuator (2) controls an air flap (19) via a deflection device (12, 14, 15, 16), wherein switching between the actuation of the first and the second slat structure (4, 5) takes place by means of a first actuating actuator (7) which locks or releases the ring gear (C) or the sun gear (D). [2] Air outlet device according to claim 1, characterized bythat the first actuating actuator (7) has three actuating positions for actuating or releasing the respective lamella structures (4, 5) via the planetary gear (3). [3] Air outlet device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the first actuating actuator (7) engages directly in the ring gear (C) or the sun gear (D) in a first position, while for engagement in the sun gear (D) or the ring gear (C) it is connected to these via a coupling device (10). [4] Air outlet device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that the deflection device (12, 14, 15, 16) has a fixed output gear (14) and an adjustable output gear (15) for adjusting a position of the air flap (19), wherein the position of the air flap (19) can be locked or released by a second actuating actuator (17). [5] Air outlet device according to claim 4, characterized bythat the second actuating actuator (17) has two actuating positions for actuating or releasing the air flap (19). [6] Air outlet device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the first and / or the second actuating actuator (7, 17) are designed as a lifting magnet. [7] Air outlet device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the first and / or the second actuating actuator (7, 17) can be controlled by software.

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