VENTILATOR INCLUDING A SPRING-MOUNTED VALVE FOR REDUCING PRESSURE LOSSES

Abstract

VENTILATOR COMPRISING A SPRING-LOADED VALVE FOR REDUCING PRESSURE LOSSES The present invention relates to a ventilator (2) for a trim element of a vehicle, comprising: - an airflow channel (4) (F) following a main direction and opening onto a main outlet of the ventilator; - an airflow guide element (8), housed in the channel and forming, on either side of said guide element, a first (10) and a second airflow channel (12), respectively; remarkable in that the ventilator further comprises a valve (14) connecting to the channel upstream of the guide element, said valve comprising an elastic return element (20) configured to allow opening of said valve in the presence of a pressure loss within the channel (4), so as to allow controlled escape of a portion (F') of the airflow. (Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Figure 3)

Description

Title of the invention: VENTILATOR COMPRISING A SPRING-LOADED VALVE FOR REDUCING PRESSURE LOSSES technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, more particularly to the field of air diffusers arranged in the passenger compartments of motor vehicles. Previous technique

[0002] Car manufacturers are increasingly offering modern dashboards that tend to be less "invasive" in the passenger compartment, and to be further back along the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle, which advantageously frees up more space for the two front passengers.

[0003] However, this type of aerator generally presents the risk of noise arising from pressure losses that may occur during airflow under normal operating conditions.

[0004] The published patent document IN 201821045140 A discloses a motor vehicle ventilator comprising a housing having a lower chamber and an upper chamber fluidically connected to said lower chamber which includes an outlet for venting air into the interior of the vehicle.

[0005] However, the aerator disclosed by the document has room for improvement in order to effectively reduce pressure losses as well as any associated noise. Description of the invention

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art. More particularly, the invention aims to provide a simple and effective solution for efficiently reducing pressure losses in airflow within vehicle vents.

[0007] To this end, the invention relates to a ventilator for a trim element of a vehicle, comprising: - an airflow channel following a main direction and opening onto a main outlet of the aerator; - an airflow guide element, housed in the channel and forming, on either side of said guide element, a first and a second airflow channel, respectively; remarkable in that the aerator further comprises a valve connecting to the channel upstream of the guide element, said valve comprising an elastic return element configured to permit an opening of said valve in the presence of overpressure within the channel, so as to permit a controlled escape of part of the airflow.

[0008] Preferably, the trim element may correspond, for example, to a dashboard of a motor vehicle.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the elastic return element includes a preconfigured stiffness to allow deformation of said elastic return element and opening of the valve according to a predetermined value of air overpressure in the channel at the right of said valve.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the valve is disposed in an inlet portion of the channel, opposite an upper airflow guide wall.

[0011] Advantageously, the channel comprises a lower guide wall opposite and facing the upper guide wall. Said upper guide wall is disposed above the lower guide wall, along a vertical direction of a vehicle, in the normal mounting position of the vent in said vehicle.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the inlet portion of the channel comprises an evacuation tube formed with the upper guide wall, and having a distal end forming a seat for the valve, said evacuation tube being perpendicular to a main direction of airflow or inclined at more than 45° with respect to said main direction.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the valve comprises a box-shaped housing around the discharge tube, said housing being provided with at least one opening for the controlled escape of the portion of the airflow.

[0014] Preferably, at least one controlled escape passage opening being arranged opposite an upper wall of the housing.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the valve comprises a stem having a distal portion sliding relative to the housing, and a proximal portion forming a cylindrical base cooperating with the distal end of the discharge tube.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the elastic return element comprises a helical spring arranged around the rod.

[0017] Preferably, the helical spring being sandwiched between an inner face of the upper wall of the housing and an upper face of the cylindrical base.

[0018] Advantageously, the pre-configured stiffness of the helical spring causes it to compress when an overpressure of air applied to the cylindrical base is greater than a pre-defined limit pressure.

[0019] According to one embodiment, directional means disposed in the channel upstream of the guide element, configured to direct the airflow, selectively, towards specifically the first corridor, the first and second corridors or specifically the second corridor, the valve being disposed upstream of said directional means.

[0020] The invention also relates to a ventilation device for a vehicle, comprising a main airflow duct extending from a ventilation system of said vehicle, and a bifurcation fluidically connecting said main duct to at least one ventilator, notable in that said at least one ventilator is according to the invention.

[0021] Preferably, the motor vehicle ventilation system corresponds to a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system of said motor vehicle, said system being commonly referred to as "HVAC".

[0022] The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a ventilator for a trim element of said vehicle, remarkable in that said ventilator is according to the invention.

[0023] The measures of the invention are advantageous in that the aerator of the present invention makes it possible to combine the possibility of splitting the airflow into two and to take advantage of better directivity of the airflow, while significantly reducing pressure losses by means of the valve controlled automatically by means of the helical spring which is compressed by the simple presence of a local overpressure, resulting in regulation of the airflow and a notable reduction of associated noises.

[0024] Furthermore, the solution of the present invention is entirely passive and does not require an electrical sensor for measuring or detecting pressure losses, since the spring is designed by its shape and stiffness to open and close automatically. Brief description of the drawings

[0025] [Fig.1] schematically illustrates a perspective view of a ventilation device for a vehicle according to the invention;

[0026] [Fig.2] represents a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerator according to the invention, comprising a valve disposed in an inlet portion of an airflow channel, said valve comprising an elastic return element allowing a controlled escape of a portion of the airflow;

[0027] [Fig.3] represents the cross-sectional view of [Fig.2], in the presence of a pressure loss within the channel causing compression of the elastic return element and opening of the air valve. Detailed description

[0028] In this description, the terms "transverse" and "longitudinal," in relation to cross-sections, refer to the principal direction of the object in question. Upstream and downstream refer to the direction of airflow in the aerator.

[0029] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a ventilation device 3 for a vehicle 1 according to the invention. Said vehicle being preferably a motor vehicle 1.

[0030] The ventilation device 3 comprises at least one ventilator 2 according to the invention. This is a ventilator intended to be integrated into a trim element of the vehicle, and preferably into a dashboard of the motor vehicle 1.

[0031] Preferably, the ventilation device 3 comprises four ventilators 2, of which two central ventilators 2.1 and two lateral ventilators 2, the latter two being preferably according to the invention.

[0032] The motor vehicle 1 includes a ventilation system 7 corresponding to a heating, ventilation and air conditioning “HVAC” system of said motor vehicle 1, which is connected to the ventilators 2, 2.1 by means of a main airflow duct 5, and a bifurcation 9 fluidly connecting said main duct 5 to each of the ventilators 2, 2.1 of the motor vehicle 1, passing through corresponding airflow channels 4.

[0033] Advantageously, the aerator 2 according to the present invention has a valve 14 disposed at an inlet portion of the channel 4, which makes it possible to limit, or even eliminate, pressure losses within said channel 4, by means of a controlled release of a portion of the airflow. The valve 14 and its operation will be described in detail later in this description.

[0034] Here, the valve 14 is arranged on a wall of the lateral vent channel 2. However, said valve 14 can also be arranged at the level of the inlet portion of the channel and / or of the central vents 2.1.

[0035] Preferably, the valve 14 is arranged closer to the bifurcation 9 than to the air outlet 6.

[0036] Fig. 2 represents a cross-sectional and schematic view of the aerator 2 according to the invention.

[0037] The aerator 2 includes an air flow channel 4 F following a principal direction A substantially horizontal and opening onto a main outlet 6 of the aerator 2.

[0038] Preferably, an airflow guide element 8 is arranged in the channel 4 upstream of the main outlet 6. This element 8 is commonly referred to as the ogive 8 and allows the channel 4 to be divided into a first airflow channel 10 and a second airflow channel 12. Alternatively, the ogive 8 can be a thin, flat wall forming a separating plate between the two channels 10 and 12.

[0039] It can be seen that the airflow F is split in two, being directed both towards the first corridor 10, and towards the second corridor 12.

[0040] The channel 4 comprises, upstream of the main outlet 6, an upper internal wall 4.1 and a lower internal wall 4.2, both of which are preferably curved around the ogive 8. This advantageously allows the airflow F to benefit from a Coanda effect, thus directing the airflow F upwards or downwards (in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main direction A). Alternatively, the walls 4.1 and 4.2 may be flat and parallel to the flat wall instead of the ogive 8.

[0041] It should be noted that the valve 14 can be adapted to any type of aerator exhibiting a significant difference in pressure drop during changes in flow direction. The present invention is therefore not limited to a Coanda-type aerator.

[0042] The aerator 2 preferably comprises directional means 18 arranged in the channel 4 upstream of the ogive 8, and configured to direct the air towards the first channel 10 and / or towards the second channel 12. In this regard, the directional means 18 comprise a pivoting central wall 21. Preferably, the directional means 18 may correspond to a rotating device commonly referred to as a barrel 18, which preferably comprises three pivoting walls, including a central wall 21 arranged between two walls (not shown), and which may delimit an orientable passage of the airflow F. In this regard, the barrel 18 may comprise a common axis of rotation (not shown) allowing the three walls to pivot together.

[0043] Alternatively, the directional means 18 may include directivity fins mounted on an axis perpendicular to the flat wall in place of the ogive 8.

[0044] Preferably, each of the two corridors 10 and 12 comprises a section corresponding to approximately 50% of a total section of the channel 4 upstream of the barrel 18 along the main direction A.

[0045] The inlet portion 4.3 of the channel 4 preferably comprises a discharge tube 4.5 formed with the upper guide wall 4.1, and having a distal end 4.6 forming a seat for the valve 14. Preferably, the discharge tube 4.5 is substantially perpendicular to the main direction A, or inclined at more than 45° with respect to said main direction A. In this configuration, the valve 14 protrudes from the aerator from the upper guide wall 4.1 of the channel 4. Advantageously, the inclination of the discharge tube 4.5 is between 45° and 90° with respect to the main direction A of airflow A.

[0046] The valve 14 preferably comprises a housing 16 forming a box around the discharge tube 4.5, and a stem 14.1 having a distal portion 14.2 sliding relative to the housing 16, along the vertical axis Z of the vehicle, and also comprises a proximal portion 14.3 forming a cylindrical base 14.3 cooperating with the distal end 4.6 of the evacuation tube 4.5.

[0047] Advantageously, the valve 14 includes an elastic return element 20, preferably corresponding to a helical spring 20 arranged around the stem 14.1. In the presence of a pressure drop in the channel 4 caused by an overpressure in the latter, said spring 20 is configured to compress in order to regulate the air pressure within the channel 4.

[0048] It should be noted that the aerator 2 according to the invention is schematically illustrated in a highly simplified manner to facilitate reading the figures. It is thus understood that a person skilled in the art is capable of configuring the dimensions of the walls and / or surrounding elements as required. The valve 14 can be positioned closer to or further from the air outlet 6, for example.

[0049] Fig. 3 represents a cross-sectional view of Fig. 2, in the presence of a pressure loss within channel 4 causing compression of spring 20 and opening of valve 14.

[0050] Advantageously, the spring 20 includes a pre-configured stiffness to allow its deformation and therefore the opening of the valve 14 according to a predetermined value of air overpressure in the channel 4 at the right of said valve 14.

[0051] Indeed, when the overpressure of air applied to the cylindrical base 14.3 is greater than a predefined limit pressure, a force E is then generated, the latter being sufficient to overcome the stiffness of the spring 20 and compress it to allow a controlled escape of a part F' of the air flow F.

[0052] In this configuration, the valve 14 is advantageously able to limit aerodynamic disturbances and significantly reduce pressure losses, resulting in a reduction of noise related to the airflow in the channel 4.

[0053] As soon as the pressure within the channel falls below the predefined limit pressure value, then the stiffness of the spring 20 allows it to close the valve 14.

[0054] It can be seen that a part F' of the air flow F is evacuated from the channel 4, passing through the evacuation tube 4.5, and through the housing 16. For this purpose, said housing 16 includes one or more openings 16.2 on its upper wall 16.1.

[0055] The valve 14, arranged upstream of the barrel 18 and the ogive 8, can direct the air substantially vertically towards a predetermined portion of the dashboard of the motor vehicle, in order to provide heating or cooling of said portion. For example, the released air F' can cool an inductive smartphone charger (not shown), while limiting aerodynamic disturbances within the channel 4.

[0056] The opening and closing of the valve 14 are controlled exclusively by the spring 20, which is preferably lubricated; the present invention therefore proposes a passive and purely mechanical solution to regulate airflow in channel 4 and limit pressure losses.

Claims

Demands

1. Ventilator (2) for a trim element of a vehicle (1), comprising: - an airflow channel (4) (F) along a main direction (A) and opening onto a main outlet (6) of the ventilator (2); - an airflow guide element (8) (F), housed in the channel (4) and forming, on either side of said guide element (8), a first (10) and a second airflow channel (12), respectively; characterized in that the aerator (2) further comprises a valve (14) connecting to the channel (4) upstream of the guide element (8), said valve (14) comprising an elastic return element (20) configured to allow an opening of said valve (14) in the presence of overpressure within the channel (4), so as to permit a controlled escape of a portion (F') of the airflow (F).

2. Aerator (2) according to claim 1, wherein the elastic return element (20) comprises a preconfigured stiffness to permit deformation of said elastic return element (20) and opening of the valve (14) as a function of a predetermined value of air overpressure in the channel (4) at the right of said valve (14).

3. Aerator (2) according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the valve (14) is disposed in an inlet portion (4.3) of the channel (4), opposite an upper guide wall (4.1) of the airflow (F).

4. Aerator (2) according to claim 3, wherein the inlet portion (4.3) of the channel (4) comprises an outlet tube (4.5) formed with the upper guide wall (4.1), and having a distal end (4.6) forming a seat for the valve (14), said outlet tube (4.5) being perpendicular to a principal direction (A) of the airflow (F) or inclined at more than 45° with respect to said principal direction (A).

5. Aerator (2) according to claim 4, wherein the valve (14) comprises a housing (16) forming a box around the discharge tube (4.5), said housing (16) being provided with at least one opening (16.2) for the passage of the controlled escape of the portion (F') of the airflow (F).

6. Aerator (2) according to claim 5, wherein the valve (14) comprises a stem (14.1) having a distal portion (14.2) sliding relative to the housing (16), and a proximal portion (14.3) forming a cylindrical base (14.3) cooperating with the distal end (4.6) of the discharge tube (4.5).

7. Aerator (2) according to claim 6, wherein the elastic return element (20) comprises a helical spring (20) disposed around the rod (14.1).

8. Aerator (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein directional means (18) disposed in the channel (4) upstream of the guide element (8), configured to direct the airflow (F), selectively, to specifically the first channel (10), the first (10) and second channels (12) or specifically the second channel (12), the valve (14) being disposed upstream of said directional means (18).

9. Ventilation device (3) for a vehicle (1), comprising a main airflow duct (5) extending from a ventilation system (7) of said vehicle, and a bifurcation (9) fluidly connecting said main duct (5) to at least one ventilator (2), characterized in that said at least one ventilator (2) is according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Vehicle (1) comprising a ventilator for a trim element of said vehicle (1), characterized in that said ventilator (2) is according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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