Device for supporting an object in a ventilation opening.

Abstract

The invention relates to a support device (1b) designed to fix an object in a ventilation opening (2) of a passenger compartment ventilator (3), the device (1b) comprising a plate (4) provided with fixing means designed to receive and fix the object, the plate (4) being mechanically connected to a rotation axis (5) around which is mounted, movable in rotation, a gearing element (9b) designed to engage by rotation with at least one rack element (18), integral with the ventilator (3), to translate the support device (1b) in the opening (2). The invention also relates to a passenger compartment ventilator (3) designed to diffuse air into the passenger compartment, the ventilator (3) comprising an opening (2) delimited by a perimeter (19), the ventilator (3) comprising at least one rack element (18) extending along the perimeter (19) of the opening (2) and intended to allow the engagement of a meshing element (9b). (Figure 2)

Description

Title of the invention: Device for supporting an object in a ventilation opening.

[0001] The technical field relates to devices for supporting an object designed to fix an object on a passenger compartment vent, passenger compartment vents, dashboards comprising such a vent as well as motor vehicles comprising a dashboard or such a vent.

[0002] Car manufacturers take great care to improve the comfort of their vehicles' passengers. Furthermore, for car manufacturers, the quality of their vehicles' finish, their aesthetic aspects and the features offered are essential to stand out from other brands.

[0003] Vehicle passengers frequently use their mobile phone or tablet to display various information, such as navigation information, play and control music and / or make phone calls. In order to access their phone, vehicle users then have two options. The first consists of placing the phone in a storage compartment located in a central console of the dashboard. This solution does not allow easy reading of the phone screen. The second solution makes it easier to read the phone or tablet screen. This solution consists of attaching the object, i.e. the tablet or phone, to a grille located in front of an air vent of the ventilation system. This second solution requires the use of a support designed to be attached to the fins or grille of the air vent.However, these supports have the disadvantage of not allowing stable fixing since the object thus fixed is very often subject to untimely vibrations which can cause the object to fall or make reading its screen difficult.

[0004] Furthermore, the evolution of the interior design of vehicles shows that the fins and ventilation grilles tend to disappear in favor of fine ventilation slots implementing, for example, the Coanda effect. However, with such fine ventilation slots, the use of a fixing support becomes impossible.

[0005] Furthermore, moving a support attached to fins or a grid is not possible, unless the support is dismantled to fix it in the desired location.

[0006] Thus, there is a need for a solution for stably fixing an object in a ventilation opening.

[0007] The present invention aims to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, one aim of the present invention is to provide a solution for fixing an object stably in a ventilation opening of a ventilator, possibly a fine ventilation opening implemented in a Coanda effect ventilator. The proposed solution must also preserve the aesthetics of the passenger compartment and allow the object thus fixed to be easily moved.

[0008] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a support device designed to fix an object in a ventilation opening of a passenger compartment ventilator of a motor vehicle, the device comprising a fixing plate provided with fixing means designed to receive and fix the object, the fixing plate being mechanically connected to a rotation axis around which is mounted, movable in rotation, a meshing element of the device, the meshing element being designed to mesh by rotation with at least one rack element, integral with the ventilator, to translate the support device in the opening of the passenger compartment ventilator.

[0009] The invention also relates to a passenger compartment ventilator designed to diffuse air into the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, the ventilator comprising a ventilation opening delimited by a periphery, the ventilator comprising at least one rack element extending along at least part of the periphery of the ventilation opening, the rack element being intended to allow the engagement of a meshing element of a support device according to the invention.

[0010] The invention further relates to a dashboard of a motor vehicle comprising at least one passenger compartment ventilator according to the invention in which at least one support device according to the invention is mounted in the ventilation opening so that the meshing element meshes with the rack element to, when the meshing element is rotated, move the device in the opening.

[0011] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least one air vent according to the invention or a dashboard according to the invention.

[0012] Thus, a support device according to the invention makes it possible, thanks to the support plate, to support an object such as a mobile phone and / or a tablet, for example. The device according to the invention can be mounted in an air vent according to the invention to provide a dashboard according to the invention in which the device is movable, thanks to the rotation of the meshing element. For this purpose, the air vent is provided with a rack element which is shaped to mesh with the meshing element. Thanks to the meshing of the meshing element and the rack element, the device is firmly fixed in the opening of the air vent. Furthermore, the arrangement of the meshing element in the opening makes it possible, if necessary, to partially conceal the meshing element and minimizes the impact of the device on the aesthetics of the passenger compartment.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention, the meshing element forms a star having a plurality of branches, each branch extending from a center of the star, designed to receive the axis of rotation, towards a toothed end provided of at least one gear tooth.

[0014] Advantageously, the star comprises at least four branches, preferably eight branches.

[0015] According to one possibility, the support device comprises a connecting rod secured to the axis of rotation and extending from the axis of rotation towards a guide end designed to be engaged in a guide groove provided in the aerator.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the plate is connected to the rotation axis by a ball joint.

[0017] According to one possibility, the aerator comprises at least one guide groove extending parallel to a rack element intended to accommodate a guide end of a connecting rod.

[0018] According to one possibility of the dashboard according to the invention, when the device comprises a connecting rod secured to the axis of rotation and extending from the axis of rotation towards a guide end designed to be engaged in a guide groove provided in the aerator, the guide groove is through to allow the guide end to project from the dashboard to be movable by a passenger.

[0019] The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0020] [Fig-1] [Fig. 1] represents a front view of a dashboard according to the invention showing a passenger compartment vent in which a support device according to a first embodiment of the invention is mounted;

[0021] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a perspective view of a support device according to a second embodiment of the invention mounted in the opening of the aerator according to the invention;

[0022] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a sectional view of the device and the aerator of the [Fig.2] ;

[0023] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] represents a perspective view of the device of [Fig.2] with omission of a part of the meshing element.

[0024] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0025] A support device 1a, 1b according to the invention, illustrated in the figures, is designed to fix an object in a ventilation opening 2 of a passenger compartment ventilator 3 of a motor vehicle according to the invention, illustrated in Figures 1 to 3.

[0026] The support device 1a, 1b is, for example, suitable for supporting a telephone or a display device such as a digital tablet. For this purpose, the device 1a, 1b comprises a fixing plate 4 provided with fixing means, not illustrated, designed to receive and fix the object. For example, the fixing means make it possible to form a fixation of the suction, magnetism or gecko effect type.

[0027] The fixing plate 4 is mechanically connected to a rotation axis 5. In the example illustrated in the figures, the plate 4 is connected to the rotation axis 5 by a ball joint 6 formed by a ball joint shaft 7, at the end of which the plate 4 is fixed, cooperating with a ball joint casing 8 forming the rotation axis 5, as illustrated in [Fig.4].

[0028] As illustrated in [Fig. 4], a meshing element 9a, 9b of the device 1a, 1b is mounted to rotate about the axis of rotation 5. As illustrated in the figures, and in particular in [Fig. 4], the meshing element 9a, 9b forms a star 10a, 10b having a plurality of branches 11 extending from a center 13 of the star 10a, 10b, designed to receive the axis of rotation 5, towards a toothed end 14 provided with at least one gear tooth 15. As illustrated in [Fig. 4], the center 13 of the star 10a, 10b has a bore 16 sized to receive the axis of rotation 5 directly or with a bearing 17, shown in [Fig. 4], interposed between the axis of rotation 5 and the star 10a, 10b. In the example illustrated in [Fig.l], of the support device 1a, the meshing element 9a has a star 10a comprising four branches 11. In [Fig.2], the device 1b has a meshing element 9b forming a star 10b with eight branches 11.Advantageously, each branch 11 is perforated to minimize obstruction of the ventilation opening 2. Such an perforated branch 11 also makes the star 10a, 10b less visible and contributes to an optimized visual rendering.

[0029] The meshing element 9a, 9b is locked on the rotation axis 5 in translation on one side by a circlip 12 or a retaining ring (not shown) and, on the other side, by the shape of the ball joint housing 8.

[0030] The meshing element 9a, 9b is designed to mesh by rotation with at least one rack element 18, integral with the aerator 3, to cause a translation of the support device 1a, 1b in the opening 2 of the passenger compartment aerator 3. The rack element 18 is intended to allow the meshing of the meshing element 9a, 9b of the device 1a, 1b.

[0031] The ventilator 3 according to the invention is designed to diffuse air into the passenger compartment of the vehicle according to the invention. For this purpose, the ventilator 3 comprises a ventilation opening 2 delimited by a periphery 19. The rack element 18 extends along at least a portion of the periphery 19 of the ventilation opening 2. The rack element 18 is thus constituted by a series 20 of aligned teeth, illustrated in [Fig. 2], along a portion of the periphery 19.

[0032] The support device 1a, 1b according to the invention further comprises a connecting rod 21 secured to the axis of rotation 5, which extends from the axis of rotation 5 towards a guide end 22 designed to be engaged in a guide groove 23, illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, formed in the aerator 3. In the example illustrated in [Fig. 3], the connecting rod 21 has a C shape. As illustrated in the figures, the guide groove 23 extends parallel to the rack element 18. The guide groove 23 is, for example, made in the dashboard 24 of the vehicle. Advantageously, the guide groove 23 is through, to allow the guide end 22 to protrude from the dashboard 24 into the passenger compartment, to be movable by a passenger.

[0033] Thus, in the dashboard 24 according to the invention, the device 1a, 1b is mounted in the ventilation opening 2 so that the meshing element 9a, 9b meshes with the rack element 18, to move the device 1a, 1b in the opening 2, when the meshing element 9a, 9b is rotated, for example by moving the guide end 22.

[0034] Advantageously, in order to preserve the aesthetics of the dashboard 24, the rack element 18 is easily concealed behind a rim 25 arranged along the periphery 19 to hide the rack element 18 from the passengers.

[0035] In the example illustrated in the figures, the aerator 3 is provided with at least one fin 26 arranged in the opening 2, in this case behind the meshing element 9a, 9b.

[0036] Advantageously, the device 1a, 1b is removable so that it can be removed from the opening 2.

[0037] Thus, the device 1a, 1b according to the invention makes it possible to fix an object, such as a mobile phone or a tablet, in an opening 2 of an aerator 3. The engagement element 9a, 9b makes it possible to move the support device 1a, 1b in the opening 2 by manipulation, for example, of the guide end 22. The aesthetics of the dashboard 24 according to the invention are preserved by the concealment, at least in part, of the engagement element 9a, 9b and of the rack element 18 in the opening 2.

[0038] The invention is not limited to the embodiments of the support device and the passenger compartment ventilator described above, only as examples, but other embodiments can be designed by those skilled in the art without departing from the framework and scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Support device (1a, 1b) designed to fix an object in a ventilation opening (2) of a passenger compartment ventilator (3) of a motor vehicle, the device (1a, 1b) comprising a fixing plate (4) provided with fixing means designed to receive and fix the object, the fixing plate (4) being mechanically connected to a rotation axis (5) around which is mounted, movable in rotation, a meshing element (9a, 9b) of the device (1a, 1b), the meshing element (9a, 9b) being designed to mesh by rotation with at least one rack element (18), integral with the ventilator (3), to translate the support device (1a, 1b) in the opening (2) of the passenger compartment ventilator (3).

2. Support device (la, 1b) according to claim 1, characterized in that the meshing element (9a, 9b) forms a star (10a, 10b) having a plurality of branches (11), each branch (11) extending from a center (13) of the star (10a, 10b), designed to receive the axis of rotation (5), towards a toothed end (14) provided with at least one gear tooth (15).

3. Support device (1a, 1b) according to claim 2, characterized in that the star (10a, 10b) comprises at least four branches (11), preferably eight branches (11).

4. Support device (la, 1b) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a connecting rod (21) integral with the axis of rotation (5) and extending from the axis of rotation (5) towards a guide end (22) designed to be engaged in a guide groove (23) formed in the aerator (3).

5. Support device (la, 1b) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the plate (4) is connected to the rotation axis (5) by a ball joint (6).

6. A passenger compartment ventilator (3) designed to diffuse air into the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, the ventilator (3) comprising a ventilation opening (2) delimited by a periphery (19), the ventilator (3) comprising at least one rack element (18) extending along at least a portion of the periphery (19) of the ventilation opening (2), the rack element (18) being intended to allow the engagement of a meshing element (9a, 9b) of a support device (1a, 1b) according to one of claims 1 to 5.

7. Passenger compartment ventilator (3) according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises at least one guide groove (23) extending parallel to a rack element (18) intended to accommodate a guide end (22) of a connecting rod (21).

8. Dashboard (24) of a motor vehicle comprising at least one passenger compartment ventilator (3) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein at least one support device (1a, 1b) according to one of claims 1 to 5 is mounted in the ventilation opening (2) so that the meshing element (9a, 9b) meshes with the rack element (18) to, when the meshing element (9a, 9b) is rotated, move the device (1a, 1b) in the opening (2).

9. Dashboard (24) according to claim 8, in combination with claim 4, characterized in that the guide groove (23) is through to allow the guide end (22) to protrude from the dashboard (24) to be movable by a passenger.

10. Motor vehicle comprising at least one air vent (3) according to claim 6 or 7 or a dashboard (24) according to claim 8 or 9.

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