Air support for a portable display device

Abstract

The invention relates to an air support for a portable display device (3), the air support comprising, on a front face (10), a bearing surface (11) for the portable display device (3), and, on a rear face (12), at least one fluidic conduit (17) passing through the air support between an inlet opening (13) located on the rear face (12) of said air support and one or more outlet openings (14) located on the front face (10) and around the periphery of the bearing surface (11). Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig. 3

Description

Title of the invention: Aerodynamic support for a portable display device

[0001] The technical context of the present invention is that of motor vehicle interior fittings, particularly those related to the ventilation of motor vehicle passenger compartments. More specifically, the invention relates to an air support for a portable display device.

[0002] In motor vehicles, ventilation systems are known to be used to generate an airflow inside the passenger compartment. These ventilation systems allow for the control of airflow and temperature in order to regulate both ventilation and temperature within the passenger compartment. Such ventilation systems include a fan that produces an airflow which is then conveyed into the passenger compartment via fluid ducts. These fluid ducts open into the passenger compartment at ventilation grilles, which are generally adjustable.

[0003] In the prior art, air deflectors are known that allow the airflow to be directed within the vehicle's passenger compartment. Such air deflectors generally take the form of a grid that can be oriented along one or two axes of rotation in order to direct the airflow in a given direction.

[0004] However, the performance of such ventilation systems is reduced when an obstruction is placed in front of the ventilation grilles. In particular, when a user attaches a mobile phone to a mounting bracket located in front of the ventilation grille, the mobile phone and / or its bracket obstruct the ventilation grille, preventing all or part of the airflow exiting the grille. Naturally, the greater the obstruction, the greater the performance loss. In any case, this situation is undesirable.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a new aerodynamic support in order to address at least largely the previous problems and to lead to other advantages.

[0006] Another object of the invention is to reduce the obstruction of a ventilation grille when a mobile phone or a screen is placed directly in front of it.

[0007] Another object of the invention is to improve the performance of a ventilation system despite the presence of objects located in front of the ventilation grilles.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the invention, at least one of the aforementioned objectives is achieved with an air support for a portable display device, the air support comprising:

[0009] - a support surface for the portable display device and means for fixing the portable display device on the support surface, said support surface being located at the level of a front face of the air support;

[0010] - at least one fluidic conduit passing through the aerodynamic support between a rear face said aerodynamic support and the front face, at least one fluidic conduit opening, at the level of the front face, at the periphery of the support surface.

[0011] In the context of the present invention, the portable display device is generally a portable device intended to be temporarily placed in front of a ventilation grille. By way of non-limiting examples, such a portable display device includes, in particular, a mobile phone, a tablet, or a display screen, whether touch-sensitive or not.

[0012] In the context of the present invention, the air support is a mounting bracket that allows, on the one hand, the portable display device to be temporarily attached to said air support and, on the other hand, the air support to be attached, either detachably or permanently, to or near a ventilation grille of the ventilation system. Generally, the portable display device is intended to be attached to the front face of the air support by means of any known fastening method—such as, for example, snap-fit ​​or gripping—and the air support is configured to be able to be attached, either detachably or permanently, to a ventilation grille. To this end, the air support includes a fastening element on its rear face that allows, in particular, temporary or permanent attachment to a ventilation grille.

[0013] In the context of the present invention, the support surface is a bearing and / or fixing surface of the portable display device to the air support. The support surface may be flat or curved. In the context of the present invention, the support surface may take any shape and any dimensions.

[0014] In the context of the present invention, the fluidic conduit is a conduit arranged through the aerodynamic support, between the rear face and the front face, in order to allow the conduction of an airflow from the rear face to the front face through said fluidic conduit.

[0015] Thus, each at least one fluidic duct of the air support conforming to the first aspect of the invention allows the airflow exiting the ventilation grille intended to be located behind the rear face of said air support to be directed towards the front face. Consequently, the ventilation grille is no longer obstructed by the display device and the airflow can be properly directed into the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

[0016] The aerodynamic support conforming to the first aspect of the invention includes, but is not limited to: at least one of the improvements below, the technical characteristics forming these improvements being able to be taken alone or in combination:

[0017] - at the rear face, the air support has at least one opening an inlet configured to allow an airflow to enter at least one fluidic duct. In the context of the present invention, the at least one inlet opening has any shape and dimensions. The at least one inlet opening is provided on the rear face of the air support. Each at least one inlet opening is fluidically coupled to one of the at least one fluidic duct, or each at least one inlet opening is fluidly coupled to each of the at least one fluidic ducts. These advantageous configurations thus make it possible to capture the airflow exiting the ventilation grille and / or arriving at the rear face of the air support in order to direct it towards the at least one fluidic duct so that it is then sent to the front of the front face of the air support;

[0018] - at least one entry opening is located at the level of a central region of the rear face. In other words, each at least one inlet opening is located at a distance from the peripheral edges of the air support. This advantageous configuration allows for the capture of a greater proportion of the airflow arriving at the rear face of the air support;

[0019] - at least one inlet opening delimits a closed contour on the rear face of the air support. In the context of the present invention, the closed contour is defined by an elongation profile of at least one inlet opening on the rear face of the air support. In other words, the at least one inlet opening has an elongation on the rear face of the air support, this elongation having a closed contour on said rear face;

[0020] - the closed contour has a shape analogous to that of the air support. In other In terms, by way of non-limiting examples, if the air support has a rectangular shape, then the closed contour has a rectangular shape, and if the air support has an elliptical or circular shape, then the closed contour has an elliptical or circular shape respectively;

[0021] - according to a preferred embodiment, the air support comprises a single The inlet opening is fluidically coupled to each at least one fluidic duct. In this embodiment, the rear face of the air support has a single inlet opening, with each fluidic duct opening at the rear face at the level of said inlet opening.

[0022] - the rear face of the support includes a central island for fixing the air support.

[0023] - at least one entrance opening is peripheral to the central island. In other In terms of terms, at least one entry opening is located in an intermediate region between the central island and the peripheral edges of the air support. Particularly advantageously, the rear face of the support has a central island located at the level of a central region of said rear face. In addition, the air support has a single inlet opening which surrounds the central island, the inlet opening forming a peripheral groove of said central island, so that each fluidic conduit opens - at the level of the rear face - into the groove;

[0024] - the peripheral island has a shape analogous to that of the air support. In other In terms, by way of non-limiting examples, if the air support has a rectangular shape, then the peripheral island has a rectangular shape, and if the air support has an elliptical or circular shape, then the peripheral island has an elliptical or circular shape respectively;

[0025] - at the front face, the air support has at least one opening outlet configured to allow an airflow to exit from at least one fluidic duct. In the context of the present invention, the at least one outlet opening may have any shape and dimensions;

[0026] - for each at least one fluidic conduit, at least one outlet opening is located at a distance from the peripheral edge opposite it less than that of at least one corresponding inlet opening, opposite the same peripheral edge. In other words, at least one inlet opening is located at a central region of the rear face of the air support, while at least one outlet opening is located at a peripheral region of the front face of the air support, near the peripheral edges of said air support;

[0027] - each at least one exit aperture is associated with one of the peripheral edges of the air duct. By "associated", we understand that the outlet opening extends opposite and near the peripheral edge to which it is associated. In other words, each at least one outlet opening extends along the peripheral edge of the air duct to which it is associated;

[0028] - each at least one outlet opening has an elongated shape, and in particular a rectangular shape;

[0029] - the aerodynamic support comprises a plurality of fluidic conduits, each conduit fluidic being located opposite a peripheral edge of the aerodynamic support. Preferably, the aerodynamic support has a single inlet opening fluidically coupled to each fluidic duct;

[0030] - the fluidic conduits open at the front face of the air support through a plurality of outlet openings, each outlet opening being associated with one of the fluidic conduits;

[0031] - each fluidic conduit opens at the front face of the air support through an outlet opening independent of that of the other conduits fluidics. By "independent", we understand that the outlet opening of a first fluidic conduit is distinct and not communicating with the outlet opening of a second fluidic conduit;

[0032] - each at least one fluidic conduit has a curved and regular profile between at least one inlet opening and at least one outlet opening. This advantageous configuration helps to avoid or limit pressure losses in at least one fluidic duct. In the context of the invention, a regular profile defines a cross-section of the fluidic duct that does not exhibit abrupt changes in shape or dimensions in order to facilitate laminar airflow within said fluidic duct. Furthermore, a curved profile defines a fluidic duct that does not exhibit abrupt changes in orientation. Conversely, the radius of curvature of the fluidic duct in its curved portions is always greater than a minimum radius of curvature, for example, a few millimeters. This advantageous configuration helps to avoid pressure losses and facilitates laminar airflow within the fluidic duct.

[0033] According to a second aspect of the invention, an air handling unit for a motor vehicle is proposed, the air handling unit comprising:

[0034] - a ventilation system configured to generate an airflow inside a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, the airflow entering said passenger compartment through at least one ventilation grille;

[0035] - an air support conforming to the first aspect of the invention or according to one of the any of its improvements, the aerodynamic support being associated with at least one ventilation grille, so that at least part of the airflow exiting the ventilation grille enters through at least one inlet opening of the aerodynamic support.

[0036] By "associated," it is understood that the air support extends across the ventilation grille. In particular, the rear face of the air support extends across, partially or completely, the ventilation grille.

[0037] The air duct support is, for example, attached at its rear face to the ventilation grille. Alternatively, the air duct support is attached at its rear face to a dashboard of the motor vehicle and across the ventilation grille. The air duct support is attached to the ventilation grille or to a dashboard of the motor vehicle by any means.

[0038] According to a third aspect of the invention, a motor vehicle is proposed comprising a passenger compartment ventilated by an air handling unit conforming to the second aspect of the invention.

[0039] Various embodiments of the invention are envisaged, incorporating, according to all their possible combinations, the different optional features displayed here.

[0040] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description on the one hand, and from several illustrative and non-limiting examples of embodiments given with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings on the other hand, in which:

[0041] [Fig-1] illustrates a three-dimensional view of the front of an example embodiment of a aerodynamic support conforming to the first aspect of the invention;

[0042] [Fig.2] illustrates a three-dimensional view of the rear of the illustrated air support on the [Fig.l];

[0043] [Fig.3] illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of an air handling unit conforming to second aspect of the invention.

[0044] Of course, the features, variants, and different embodiments of the invention can be combined in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variants of the invention may be conceived comprising only a selection of features, described hereafter in isolation from the other described features, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention from the prior art.

[0045] In particular, all the variants and embodiments described are combinable with each other if there is no technical obstacle to this combination.

[0046] In the figures, the elements common to several figures retain the same reference.

[0047] With reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, the invention addresses an air support 1 for a portable display device 3, the air support 1 comprising:

[0048] - a support surface 11 for the portable display device 3 and the fixing means of the portable display device 3 on the support surface 11, said support surface 11 being located at the level of a front face 10 of the aerodynamic support 1;

[0049] - at least one fluidic conduit 17 passing through the aerodynamic support 1 between a face rear 12 of said aerodynamic support 1 and front face 10, at least one fluidic conduit 17 opening, at the level of the front face 10, at the periphery of the support surface 11.

[0050] The air support 1 thus forms a base for the portable display device 3 – not shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The portable display device 3 is intended to be temporarily and detachably coupled to the air support 1, and preferably to its bearing surface 11. The air support 1 thus forms an interface piece between the portable display device 3 and a support to which it may be temporarily attached. Of course, the invention is more particularly liqually intended for all use cases in which it would be desirable to temporarily fix the portable display device 3 in front of a ventilation grille 21 of an air assembly 2 - as will be described for example with reference to [Fig.3] - the air support 1 thus allowing to redirect an air flow F in front of the portable display device 3 despite the presence of the latter in front of and opposite the ventilation grille 21.

[0051] The support surface 11 is a support and / or fixing face of the portable display device 3 with the air support 1. In the embodiment illustrated in the FIGURES, the support surface 11 is flat and has a general rectangular shape.

[0052] The support surface 11 is delimited by inner edges 16 forming a peripheral frame for the portable display device 3 intended to be affixed to the center and against said support surface 11. In the embodiment illustrated in the FIGURES, the inner edges 16 are straight and perpendicular to each other.

[0053] Furthermore, the front face 10 is laterally delimited outwards by peripheral edges 15. In the embodiment illustrated in the FIGURES, the peripheral edges 15 form a peripheral frame of generally rectangular shape.

[0054] With reference to [Fig.2], the rear face 12 of the air support 1 will first be described.

[0055] At the rear face 12, the air support 1 has at least one inlet opening 13 configured to allow an airflow F to enter at least one fluidic conduit 17. In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig.2], the air support 1 has a single inlet opening 13 arranged on the rear face 12. The inlet opening 13 thus forms an inlet for the airflow F impacting the air support 1 at the rear face 12, in order to direct it into at least one fluidic conduit 17 to which said inlet opening 13 is fluidically connected.

[0056] As can be seen in [Fig.2], the inlet opening 13 is located at a central region of the rear face 12, so that said inlet opening 13 is located at a distance from the peripheral edges 15 of the air support 1.

[0057] In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 1], the inlet opening 13 defines a closed contour at the rear face 12 of the air support 1. More particularly, the inlet opening 13 has a rectangular shape and extends around the periphery of a central island 121 for fixing the air support 1. In other words, the inlet opening 13 extends along a closed contour - here rectangular in shape - which extends around the central island 121.

[0058] The inlet opening 13, and the closed contour that defines it, thus extends in an intercalated manner between the central island 121 and the peripheral edges 15 of the air support 1.

[0059] As can be seen in [Fig.1], the inlet opening 13 thus forms a rectangular groove which extends around the central island 121 and which allows the incident airflow F to be directed towards fluidic conduits 17 arranged in the aerodynamic support 1, leading the airflow F from the rear face 12 of said aerodynamic support 1 to the front face 10 of said aerodynamic support 1.

[0060] With reference to [Fig.1], the front face 10 of the air support 1 will first be described.

[0061] The front face 10, the aerodynamic support 1 has at least one outlet opening 14 configured to allow an airflow F to exit from at least one fluidic conduit 17.

[0062] In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 1], the air support 1 has several outlet openings 14, all arranged on the front face 10 of the air support 1. The outlet openings 14 thus each form an outlet for the airflow F transported in the fluidic ducts 17 of the air support 1, from the inlet opening 13 at its rear face 12. More particularly, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the air support 1 has several outlet openings 14, and in particular 4.

[0063] Cleverly, as seen in [Fig.1], the outlet openings 14 are located at a peripheral region of the front face 10, on the periphery of the support surface 11, so that said outlet openings 14 are located near the peripheral edges 15 of the air support 1.

[0064] Each outlet opening 14 is located opposite one of the peripheral edges 15 of the air support 1. In particular, each outlet opening 14 has a rectilinear shape, preferably rectangular or oblong, and extends between one of the peripheral edges 15 and one of the corresponding inner edges 16 of the air support 1.

[0065] Thus, if the inlet opening 13 is located at the level of a central region of the rear face 12 of the air support 1, the outlet openings 14 are located at the level of a peripheral region of the front face 10 of the air support 1, near the peripheral edges 15, in order to allow a bypass of the portable display device 3 located in the center, at the level of the support surface 11.

[0066] With reference to [Fig. 3], the air support 1 comprises one or more fluidic conduits 17 enabling fluidic communication between the inlet opening(s) of the rear face 12 and the outlet opening(s) 14 of the front face 10. More particularly, in the embodiment illustrated in the FIGURES, the air support 1 comprises several fluidic conduits 17, all opening onto the rear face 12 at the inlet opening 13 as described above, and exiting, at the front face 10, through four outlet openings 14s each arranged along a peripheral edge 15 of the aerodynamic support 1.

[0067] Each fluidic conduit 17 is a conduit arranged through the aerodynamic support 1, between the rear face 12 and the front face 10, in order to transport the airflow F arriving at the rear face 12 towards the front face 10 of the aerodynamic support 1.

[0068] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3, each fluidic conduit 17 extends from the rear face 12, at the level of a part of the proximal inlet opening 13 of the central island 121 located opposite one of the peripheral edges 15, towards the outlet opening 14 located at the front face 10 opposite the same peripheral edge 15. Thus, the aerodynamic support 1 allows a large part of the incident airflow F to be diverted through its multiple fluidic conduits, thereby ensuring good ventilation despite the presence of the portable display device 3 - and the aerodynamic support 1 - in front of the ventilation grille 21.

[0069] Each fluidic conduit 17 has a curved and regular profile between at least one inlet opening 13 and at least one outlet opening 14, in order to limit pressure losses in the fluidic conduit 17. As seen in [Fig.3], the fluidic conduit 17 does not have any abrupt variation in shape, and / or dimension and / or orientation, in order to promote a laminar flow of the air flow F in the fluidic conduit 17.

[0070] With reference to [Fig. 3], the invention also relates to an air handling unit 2 for a motor vehicle, the air handling unit 2 comprising:

[0071] - a ventilation system configured to generate an airflow F inside a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, the airflow F opening into said passenger compartment through at least one ventilation grille 21;

[0072] - an air support 1 as described above associated with at least one of the a ventilation grille 21, so that at least part of the airflow F exiting the ventilation grille 21 enters through at least one inlet opening 13 of the air support 1.

[0073] The air support 1 is for example fixed by any means at the level of its rear face 12 to the ventilation grille 21 or to a dashboard of the motor vehicle and across the ventilation grille 21.

[0074] In summary, the invention relates to an air support 1 for a portable display device 3, the air support 1 comprising, at the level of a front face 10, a support surface 11 of the portable display device 3, and, at the level of a rear face 12, at least one fluidic conduit 17 passing through the air support 1 between an inlet opening 13 located at the rear face 12 of said air support 1 and one or more outlet openings 14 located at the front face 10 and at the periphery of the support surface 11.

[0075] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples just described, and many modifications can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the various features, forms, variants, and embodiments of the invention can be combined with one another in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, all the variants and embodiments described above are combinable.

Claims

Claims

1. Air support (1) for a portable display device (3), the air support (1) comprising: - a support surface (11) for the portable display device (3) and means for fixing the portable display device (3) on the support surface (11), said support surface (11) being located at a front face (10) of the air support (1); - at least one fluid conduit (17) passing through the air support (1) between a rear face (12) of said air support (1) and the front face (10), the at least one fluid conduit (17) opening, at the front face (10), at the periphery of the support surface (11).

2. Air support (1) according to the preceding claim, in which, at the level of the front face (10), the air support (1) comprises at least one outlet opening (14) configured to allow an air flow (F) to exit from the at least one fluid conduit (17).

3. Air support (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which, at the rear face (12), the air support (1) comprises at least one inlet opening (13) configured to allow an air flow (F) to penetrate into the at least one fluid conduit (17).

4. Air support (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the at least one inlet opening (13) is located at a central region of the rear face (12).

5. Air support (1) according to claim 2 and any one of claims 3 or 4, wherein, for each at least one fluid conduit (17), the at least one outlet opening (14) is located at a distance from a peripheral edge (15) of the air support (1) located opposite, said distance being less than that of the at least one corresponding inlet opening (13), with respect to the same peripheral edge (15).

6. Air support (1) according to the preceding claim, in which each at least one outlet opening (14) is associated with one of the peripheral edges (15) of the air support (1).

7. Air support (1) according to any one of claims 5 or 6, in which the air support (1) comprises a plurality of fluid conduits, each fluid conduit (17) being located opposite a peripheral edge (15) of the air support (1).

8. Air support (1) according to the preceding claim, in which each fluid conduit (17) opens at the front face (10) of the air support (1) through an outlet opening (14) independent of that of the other fluid conduits (17).

9. Aeraulic assembly (2) for a motor vehicle, the aeraulic assembly (2) comprising: - a ventilation system configured to generate an air flow (F) inside a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, the air flow (F) opening into said passenger compartment through at least one ventilation grille (21); - an aeraulic support (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the aeraulic support (1) being associated with one of the at least one ventilation grille (21), so that at least a portion of the air flow (F) leaving the ventilation grille (21) engages through the at least one inlet opening (13) of the aeraulic support (1).

10. Motor vehicle comprising a passenger compartment ventilated by an airflow assembly (2) according to the preceding claim.

Images