register
A unitized operating mechanism for vehicle air conditioning registers addresses component wear and malfunctions by using a rotation and sliding mechanism to adjust airflow, enhancing durability and airflow directionality.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-06
AI Technical Summary
Conventional vehicle interior air conditioning registers suffer from potential malfunctions due to wear and stress on multiple components, such as operation knobs and damper knobs, which are attached to attachment members and adjust airflow direction or volume.
A unitized operating mechanism is introduced, comprising a first louver and a second louver arranged perpendicularly, with a rotation shaft, operation knob, and sliding portion, where the operation knob rotates and slides to adjust airflow direction and volume, reducing wear and load on components by using a lever link and linking portion to tilt and rotate the louvers.
The unitized mechanism reduces wear and load on components, minimizing malfunctions and improving airflow directionality while reducing noise by positioning the operating mechanism outside the ventilation passage.
Smart Images

Figure 2026037806000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The technical field of the register described in this specification relates to a register used in an air outlet for ventilation or air conditioning in an automobile interior or the like, in which an operating mechanism is unitized. [Background technology]
[0002] Conventionally, a register for vehicle interior air conditioning has been known that has a structure in which a front movable louver and a rear movable louver are arranged in a perpendicular direction in front of and behind a retainer that forms an air passage. As a register of this type, Patent Document 1 listed below describes a register in which an operation knob for adjusting the air direction is arranged at the bottom of a bezel on the lower side of the retainer, and a damper knob for adjusting or shutting off the air flow rate is arranged on the right side of a bezel on the right side of the retainer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-318439 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] In this register, the operation knob rotates the front movable louvers and rear movable louvers via engaging members, link members, etc. to adjust the airflow direction, and the damper knob rotates the damper plate via a connecting shaft, connecting rod, etc. to adjust the airflow volume or shut off the airflow. The operation knob is attached to a guide shaft, which serves as an attachment member that moves in conjunction with the front movable louvers, and the damper knob is attached to a damper knob shaft, which serves as an attachment member that protrudes from the retainer. Conventional registers have an operation knob and damper knob attached to attachment members, and adjust the airflow direction or shut off the airflow via multiple members, which has the problem of potential malfunction due to wear and stress on the members during use.
[0005] The technology described in this specification aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a register that can reduce wear and load on components due to use and suppress malfunctions by unitizing the operating mechanism of the register. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the register according to the embodiment of the present specification comprises: A register in which a first louver and a second louver are arranged in a substantially perpendicular direction and in front and behind each other in an air passage in a substantially rectangular cylindrical retainer, and the first louver and the second louver are rotated by operating an operating mechanism to adjust the air blowing direction, The operation mechanism is a unit that includes a base portion fixed substantially parallel to one side surface of the retainer, a rotation shaft, an operation knob, and a sliding portion; the pivot shaft is disposed on the opposite side of the base portion from the retainer side along the direction of the edge formed by the side surface in a front view, and a lever link portion is provided at one end thereof for tilting the first louver by rotating the pivot shaft; the operation knob is attached to the rotary shaft and configured to rotate the rotary shaft and slide in the axial direction of the rotary shaft; the sliding part is connected to the operation knob and attached to the base part so as to be slidable in conjunction with the sliding of the operation knob, and a linking part is provided which rotates the second louver by the sliding of the sliding part; the first louver has a plurality of first fins that are substantially parallel to the direction of the side formed by the side surface, and one of the first fins is provided with a lever portion that tilts the plurality of first fins; The second louver has a plurality of second fins that are substantially perpendicular to the direction of the side formed by the side surface, and one of the second fins is provided with a linked portion that rotates the plurality of second fins, the lever link portion of the rotation shaft of the operation mechanism tilts the lever portion of the first louver to tilt the first fin of the first louver; The linking portion of the sliding portion of the operating mechanism rotates the linked portion of the second louver, thereby rotating the second fin of the second louver. It is characterized by:
[0007] The front and rear of the register refer to the downstream side and upstream side of the ventilation duct, respectively, and the up, down, left, and right refer to the up, down, left, and right sides when viewed from the front to the rear. Also, the direction toward the center of the ventilation duct when viewed from the front is sometimes referred to as the inward direction, and the direction away from the center of the ventilation duct as the outward direction.
[0008] According to the embodiment, the register can be operated using a unitized operating mechanism. By rotating the operating knob of the operating mechanism, the first fin of the first louver can be tilted via the lever link portion of the pivot shaft and the lever portion of the first louver. Furthermore, by sliding the operating knob, the linking portion of the sliding portion connected to the operating knob slides, and the second fin of the second louver can be rotated via the linked portion of the second louver. The operating mechanism is unitized and composed of relatively few parts, which reduces wear and load on components during use and also reduces the occurrence of malfunctions.
[0009] Here, in the register, the rotation shaft has a planar locking surface in the longitudinal direction of a part of a side surface, and has a substantially cylindrical shape with a substantially D-shaped cross section in the lateral direction, the operation knob has a generally cylindrical shape with openings on both bottom surfaces and on parts of the side surfaces along the axial direction; The operation knob is provided with fitting ribs at two locations spaced apart in the axial direction. The fitting ribs are joined to the inner peripheral surface of the operation knob and fitted into the sliding portion. The fitting ribs are each provided with a shaft insertion hole into which the rotation shaft is inserted in the axial direction, The shaft insertion hole may be configured to have a face receiving portion that matches the shape of the locking surface.
[0010] With this, by rotating the operating knob, the rotating shaft can be rotated and the lever link portion can be tilted, and by sliding the operating knob, the linking portion of the sliding portion can be slid.
[0011] In the register, the second louver is configured to close the ventilation passage by rotating the second fin to a maximum extent, thereby shutting out the blown air, a biasing spring is provided between the two fitting ribs provided on the operation knob, and the biasing spring biases the locking surface of the rotation shaft; The locking surface may be configured to have a recess into which the urging spring fits at the urging position of the urging spring on the locking surface when the second fin is rotated to shut out the airflow.
[0012] With this, the biasing spring biases the locking surface, thereby applying an appropriate operating load to the sliding of the operation knob in the axial direction. Also, a recess into which the biasing spring fits is provided at the biasing position of the locking surface when the airflow is shut out. As a result, when the operation knob is operated to shut out the airflow, the biasing spring fits into the recess, providing a clicking sensation.
[0013] In the register, the sliding portion is provided with slide claws at four locations on both ends of the front and rear portions of the sliding portion on the side opposite the retainer side, the slide claws clamping the base portion in a slidable manner from the front to the rear direction, The base portion may be configured so that slide grooves into which the slide claws are slidably inserted are provided along the respective sides of the front and rear portions.
[0014] With this, the sliding portion slidably clamps the slide groove of the base portion with two slide claws at the front and rear, thereby reducing wear and load caused by sliding of the sliding portion and suppressing malfunctions.
[0015] Furthermore, the register may be configured such that two notches are provided at one end of the slide groove, into which two of the slide claws can be inserted toward the other slide groove.
[0016] According to this, when attaching the sliding part to the base part, the sliding part can be shifted to the other slide groove side and fitted in, and by shifting the sliding part to one slide groove side and moving it in the direction of the edge (the direction of the edge formed by one side of the retainer), the sliding part can be slidably clamped in the slide groove.
[0017] In addition, the register may be configured such that the operating mechanism is disposed outside the ventilation passage.
[0018] With this, since the operating mechanism is not disposed inside the ventilation passage, the register can improve the directivity and reduce noise caused by the airflow. [Effects of the Invention]
[0019] According to the register of the present invention, it is possible to suppress wear and load on the members due to use, and also to suppress the occurrence of malfunctions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view of the register according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the register as viewed from the lower left side. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] 1A is a perspective view from the rear left of the state in which the first louver, the second louver, and the operating mechanism are assembled, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view looking up from the lower left side. [Figure 6] (A) is a plan view of the base, (B) is a bottom view thereof, (C) is a perspective view from the rear left thereof, and (D) is a perspective view looking up from the lower left side thereof. [Figure 7] (A) is a plan view of the sliding part, (B) is a bottom view thereof, (C) is a perspective view from the front left, and (D) is a perspective view looking up from the front lower side. [Figure 8](A) is a plan view of the operation knob, (B) is a bottom view, (C) is a side view, (D) is a perspective view from above showing the state in which the biasing spring is attached, and (E) is a perspective view from above of the operation knob with the biasing spring attached. [Figure 9] (A) is a front view of the rotating shaft, (B) is a bottom view thereof, (C) is a perspective view from the front left, and (D) is a perspective view looking up from the lower right. [Figure 10] 10(A) is a plan view showing the state in which the sliding part is attached to the base part, and shows the state in which the slide claw is inserted into the notch part, (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XB-XB in FIG. 10(A), (C) is a plan view showing the state in which the sliding part is attached to the base part, and (D) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XD-XD in FIG. 10(C). [Figure 11] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a state in which the second louver is rotated to blow air to the left, where (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIA-XIA in FIG. 2, and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIB-XIB in FIG. [Figure 12] 1A and 1B show the state in which the second louver has been rotated to the right as far as possible to close the ventilation passage, where (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIIA-XIIA in FIG. 2, and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIIB-XIIB in FIG. 1. [Figure 13] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a state in which the first louver is tilted to blow air upward, where (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIIIA-XIIIA in FIG. 1, and (B) is a left side view of the register. [Figure 14] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a state in which the first louver is tilted to blow air downward, in which (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIVA-XIVA in FIG. 1, and (B) is a left side view of the register. [Figure 15] 1 is a front view of a register according to an embodiment of the present invention installed in an instrument panel inside an automobile. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Hereinafter, a register according to an embodiment of the present specification will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 15. Note that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope disclosed in the embodiment. The register according to the embodiment is configured by providing an air outlet 12a on the front side of a duct-shaped retainer 10 having an internal ventilation passage 11, a first louver 20 for adjusting the air direction up and down disposed immediately behind the air outlet 12a, and a second louver 30 for adjusting the air direction left and right disposed in the ventilation passage 11 behind the first louver 20. An operating mechanism 40 for tilting the first louver 20 and rotating the second louver 30 to adjust the air blowing direction and shut out the air is disposed below the lower surface of one side of the retainer 10, i.e., on the outside of the lower side of the retainer 10.
[0022] 5, the first louver 20 is configured by two horizontal first fins 21 arranged in the left-right direction (the direction of one side of the retainer 10) and arranged side by side at a fixed interval above and below. Each first fin 21 is pivotally supported by a bearing plate 24 attached to the left and right side walls of the front part of the retainer 10 so as to be tiltable.
[0023] A lever unit 23 for tilting the first fin 21 is provided on the left side of the upper first fin 21, and the two first fins 21 are each connected to one link bar 22. As a result, when the upper first fin 21 is tilted up or down by the lever unit 23, the two first fins 21 of the first louver 20 tilt up or down in conjunction with each other within a predetermined angle range, as shown in Figures 13(A) and 14(A).
[0024] As shown in Fig. 5, the second louvers 30 are disposed behind the first louvers 20, and are configured with seven vertical second fins 31 arranged vertically and side by side at predetermined intervals on the left and right. Each second fin 31 is rotatably supported by a bearing plate 34 (Fig. 4) attached to the upper and lower side walls of the retainer 10.
[0025] The third second fin 31 from the left has a gear-shaped linked portion 33 facing forward, which rotates the second fin 31, and each of the seven second fins 31 is connected to a link bar 32. As a result, when the third second fin 31 from the left is rotated left or right using the linked portion 33, all of the second fins 31 of the second louver 30 rotate left or right in unison, as shown in FIGS. 11(B) and 12(B). Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 12(A) and 12(B), by rotating the second fin 31 to the right to its maximum extent, the second fins 31 overlap in the left-right direction, thereby closing the ventilation passage 11. This allows the second louver 30 to shut out blown air.
[0026] Although the linked portion 33 is provided on the third second fin 31 from the left, the second fin 31 on which the linked portion 33 is provided can be changed depending on the left-right position of the operating mechanism 40 on the retainer 10.
[0027] The register of this embodiment has two first fins 21 arranged side by side in the left-right direction, and seven second fins 31 arranged side by side in the left-right direction, each shorter than the first fins 21. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the air outlet 12a has an elongated shape in the left-right direction.
[0028] The operation mechanism 40 is equipped with a base unit 50 that serves as the base of the operation mechanism 40, a rotating shaft 80 that is arranged on the left-right side below the base unit 50 and that rotates to adjust the airflow direction of the first louver 20 up and down, and a sliding unit 60 that slides left and right to adjust the airflow direction of the second louver 30 left and right. An operation knob 70 that operates the operation mechanism 40 is attached to the operation mechanism 40 so as to cover the rotating shaft 80 in the circumferential direction, and the operation knob 70 is configured to rotate the rotating shaft 80 and slide the sliding unit 60.
[0029] 5, operation by operating mechanism 40 involves rotating operation of operation knob 70 to tilt lever link portion 85 via rotation of pivot shaft 80, tilting lever portion 23 via link member 86, and tilting first fin 21 of first louver 20 up and down, thereby adjusting the airflow up and down. Furthermore, for left and right adjustment, as shown in FIG. 5(A), sliding operation of operation knob 70 left and right causes linking portion 63 of the rack gear of sliding portion 60 to slide left and right, rotating linked portion 33 of the pinion gear of second louver 30, and rotating second fin 31 of second louver 30 left and right, thereby adjusting the airflow left and right.
[0030] The base 50 of the operating mechanism 40 is a base that holds the components that make up the operating mechanism 40. In this embodiment, the base 50 is made of a hard plastic, 45% by mass glass fiber-filled polybutylene phthalate (PBT-G45%), to reduce wobble and load on the components due to wear when the components that make up the operating mechanism 40 are rotated or slid, and to reduce malfunctions. As shown in FIG. 6, the base 50 has a generally rectangular shape that is long from side to side, and locking claw receivers 59 are formed at the four corners. When the base 50 is assembled to the retainer 10, as shown in FIG. 2, the base locking claws 15 of the retainer 10 are fitted into the locking claw receivers 59 at the four corners, and the base is fixed to the lower outer side of the retainer 10 with reduced wobble and deflection.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 5(B), the base part 50 is provided with a pivot shaft 80 having a lever link part 85 on the left side on the lower left-right direction outside the retainer 10, and bearings 54 for supporting the pivot shaft 80 are provided at two locations on the left and right ends of the lower side of the base part 50. A shim housing part 55 is provided inside the right bearing 54, and a load-applying member 56 made of synthetic resin (POM (polyacetal)) is housed in the shim housing part 55 (FIGS. 5(B) and 11(A)). The load-applying member 56 applies an operating load to the pivot shaft 80 when it rotates, and also prevents the pivot shaft 80 from being accidentally rotated due to vibrations or the like.
[0032] As shown in Fig. 3, an operation knob 70 is disposed on the rotation shaft 80 between the left and right bearings 54. The operation knob 70 rotates the rotation shaft 80 and slides left and right in the axial direction of the rotation shaft 80 to slide the sliding part 60 left and right. A fitting rib 71 of the operation knob 70 is connected to a rib receiving part 67 of the sliding part 60 so that the sliding part 60 can move in conjunction with the sliding operation of the operation knob 70. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 5(A), an opening 58 is provided in the base part 50, penetrating in the vertical direction, in accordance with the sliding range of the operation knob 70 so that the fitting rib 71 can be connected to the rib receiving part 67.
[0033] As shown in Fig. 6, left-right slide grooves 51 are provided on the front and rear sides between the left and right locking claw receivers 59 of the base part 50. As shown in Figs. 10(C) and 10(D), the front left and right slide claws 61 of the sliding part 60 are inserted into the front slide groove 51 so as to be slidable left and right, and the rear left and right slide claws 61 of the sliding part 60 are inserted into the rear slide groove 51 so as to be slidable left and right. The sliding part 60 is slidably fitted to the base part so as to sandwich the base part 50 between the front and rear slide claws 61. The sliding part 60, which is connected to the operation knob 70, is configured to be able to move in conjunction with the operation knob 70 because the slide claws 61 can slide left and right in the slide grooves 51 in response to left and right sliding operations of the operation knob 70.
[0034] Two notches 51a into which two of the slide claws 61 can penetrate facing forward are provided at the left end of the rear slide groove 51 and at the inner side that is aligned with the left-right spacing of the slide claws 61. As a result, as shown in Fig. 10(A), when attaching the slide part 60 to the base part 50, the slide part 60 can be fitted by shifting it forward, and by shifting it backward and moving it to the right (Fig. 10(C)), the slide part 60 can be slidably fitted into the slide groove 51.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 9, the rotating shaft 80 is a cylindrical shaft, and is provided on its left side with a lever link portion 85 that tilts the lever portion 23 of the first louver 20. The rotating shaft 80 is substantially cylindrical, and is provided with a planar locking surface 82 in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) of a portion of its side surface, and its cross section (cross section perpendicular to the axial direction) in the up-down, front-rear direction (short side direction) is substantially D-shaped. As a result, the rotation of the operation knob 70 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 80 without idling by the locking surface 82 and a surface receiving portion 72a (FIG. 8(D)) provided on the operation knob 70, which will be described later. The locking surface 82 is provided with a grease groove 83 in the left-right direction (longitudinal direction), to which grease (not shown) is applied. By applying grease to the grease groove 83, the sliding properties of the operation knob 70 can be improved.
[0036] The pivot shaft 80 is rotated by rotating the operating knob 70, and as a result, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, the lever link portion 85 is tilted, and the first fin 21 of the first louver 20 is tilted up and down via the link member 86 and the lever portion 23, thereby adjusting the air flow up and down.
[0037] 9, a flange 87 is provided on the pivot shaft 80 on the right side of the lever link portion 85 to prevent the pivot shaft 80 from moving to the left and coming off when the base portion 50 is fixed to the retainer 10. A flange receiving portion 17 is provided near the two base locking claws 15 on the lower left side of the retainer 10 to restrict movement of the flange 87 of the pivot shaft 80 to the left when the base portion 50 is fixed to the retainer 10, and as shown in FIGS. 3, 11(A), and 12(A), the flange receiving portion 17 prevents the pivot shaft 80 from coming off to the left.
[0038] As shown in Figures 13(A) and 14(A), the operating knob 70 is attached to the pivot shaft 80 so as to cover it approximately in the circumferential direction, and is a knob that operates the first louver 20 by rotating the pivot shaft 80, and operates the second louver 30 by sliding the sliding portion 60 left and right by sliding it in the axial direction (left and right direction) of the pivot shaft 80.
[0039] As shown in Figure 8, the operating knob 70 has an approximately cylindrical shape (approximately a half-cylindrical shape) with openings on both bottom surfaces and a portion of the side surface along the axial direction on the ventilation channel side, and a convex engagement portion 70a is provided on the radial outside of the axial center, which the operator can touch to check the state of the operating knob 70, such as the air blowing direction.
[0040] 13 and 14, by rotating the operation knob 70, the lever link portion 85 is tilted via the rotation of the rotary shaft 80, which tilts the lever portion 23 via the link member 86, tilting the first fins 21 of the first louver 20 up and down, thereby adjusting the airflow up and down. Also, by sliding the operation knob 70 left and right, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the connecting portion 63 of the rack gear of the sliding portion 60 that interlocks with the operation knob 70 is slid left and right, rotating the connected portion 33 of the pinion gear of the second louver 30, which rotates the second fins 31 of the second louver 30 left and right, thereby adjusting the airflow left and right.
[0041] In addition, the operating knob 70 is configured so that it can be slid to the right as far as possible, and as shown in Figures 12(A) and (B), the second fins 31 are rotated to the right as far as possible, causing the second fins 31 to overlap in the left-right direction, thereby closing the ventilation passage 11 and shutting out the air.
[0042] 8, the operation knob 70 has a generally half-cylindrical shape with openings on both bottom surfaces and on portions of the side surfaces along the axial direction on the ventilation channel side, and is provided with fitting ribs 71 at two locations spaced apart in the axial direction. The fitting ribs 71 are joined to the inner peripheral surface of the operation knob 70 and fit into the rib receiving portions 67 of the sliding portion 60. The fitting ribs 71 that fit into the rib receiving portions 67 of the sliding portion 60 have chamfered portions 71a formed on the radially outer side thereof, so that the fitting ribs 71 can rotate smoothly into the rib receiving portions 67 in response to the rotation of the operation knob 70.
[0043] The mating ribs 71 are each provided with a shaft insertion hole 72 through which the rotating shaft 80 is inserted in the axial direction (left-right direction), and the shaft insertion hole 72 is provided with a surface receiving portion 72a that matches the shape of the locking surface 82 of the rotating shaft 80, as shown in Figures 8(C) to (E), so that when the operating knob 70 is rotated, the rotation is transmitted to the rotating shaft 80 without spinning freely due to the locking surface 82 and the surface receiving portion 72a.
[0044] 8(D) and (E), a biasing spring 74 that biases the locking surface 82 is incorporated into the spring fitting portion 73 on the inner peripheral surface of the operation knob 70 between the two fitting ribs 71, and the biasing spring 74 biases the locking surface 82, thereby applying an appropriate operating load to the sliding of the operation knob 70 in the axial direction (left and right direction) and preventing malfunction of the operation knob 70 due to vibrations, etc. The biasing spring 74 is made of SUS302 (stainless steel). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12(A), the engagement surface 82 is provided with a recess 84 (Figure 9(B)) into which the spring 74 fits at the biasing position (movement position) of the spring 74 on the engagement surface 82 when the air flow is shut out by rotating the second fin 31. When the air flow is shut out, the spring 74 fits into the recess 84, giving a clicking sensation, and the operator can feel that the air flow is shut out when operating the device.
[0045] The sliding part 60 slides left and right in conjunction with the left and right sliding of the operating knob 70, and as shown in Figure 5(A), the sliding part 60 is a member that rotates the linked part 33 of the pinion gear by the linking part 63 of the rack gear that protrudes upward from the front of the sliding part 60 and has teeth on the rear side, thereby rotating the second fin 31 of the second louver 30 left and right.
[0046] The sliding part 60 has a rectangular planar shape, and has slide claws 61 provided at the four corners on the lower side facing inward in the front-to-rear direction, and the slide claws 61 slidably hold the sliding part 60 between the front and rear slide grooves 51 of the base part 50 from the front and rear. Since the sliding part 60 is slidably held between the front and rear slide grooves 51 of the base part 50 from the front and rear by the four slide claws 61, rattle during sliding is suppressed.
[0047] 11(A) and 12(A), the sliding part 60 is connected to the operation knob 70 by fitting the fitting rib 71 of the operation knob 70 into the rib receiving part 67 of the sliding part 60, and is configured to move in conjunction with the axial (left-right) sliding of the operation knob 70. In the portion of the base part 50 sandwiched between the sliding part 60 and the operation knob 70 in the up-down relationship, an opening 58 is provided that matches the sliding range of the operation knob 70, as shown in FIGS. 5(A) and 6, and the fitting rib 71 of the operation knob 70 fits into the rib receiving part 67 of the sliding part 60 through the opening 58.
[0048] As shown in Figure 3, the retainer 10 is an approximately square cylindrical body having an air passage 11 in the front-to-rear direction on the inside, and as shown in Figures 13(A) and 14(A), a first louver 20 is arranged at the front of the air passage 11 and a second louver is arranged behind it.
[0049] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, four base locking claws 15 protruding downward are provided on the underside of the retainer 10 at locations that correspond to the positions of the locking claw receivers 59 at the four corners of the base part 50, and the base part 50 of the operating mechanism 40 is fixed to the retainer 10 by fitting the base locking claws 15 into the locking claw receivers 59 of the base part 50.
[0050] Additionally, a flange receiving portion 17 is provided near the two base locking claws 15 on the lower left side of the retainer 10 to restrict movement of the flange 87 of the pivot shaft 80 to the left when the base portion 50 is fixed to the retainer 10. As shown in Figures 3, 11(A), and 12(A), the flange receiving portion 17 restricts movement of the flange 87 to the left, preventing the pivot shaft 80 from coming off to the left.
[0051] The register having the above configuration is mounted on the instrument panel or dashboard of an automobile interior by connecting the end of the retainer 10 to an air duct (not shown). FIG. 15 is a front view of the register of the embodiment installed in the instrument panel IP of an automobile interior, with the operation knob 70 of the operation mechanism 40 located slightly to the left of the lower part, outside the ventilation passage 11. The register is covered by the instrument panel IP except for the air outlet 12a, the operation knob 70, and its sliding range. This allows the operator of the register to find the operation knob 70 by touch without looking at the register or the operation knob 70. By touching the engagement portion 70a of the operation knob 70, the operator can check and adjust the airflow direction. Furthermore, because the operation mechanism 40 is not located in the ventilation passage 11, the register can improve directionality and reduce noise caused by the airflow.
[0052] To adjust the air blowing direction upward, as shown in Fig. 13(A), the operation knob 70 is rotated so that the engagement portion 70a of the operation knob 70 is on the front side, and to adjust the air blowing direction downward, as shown in Fig. 14(A), the operation knob 70 is rotated so that the engagement portion 70a of the operation knob 70 is on the rear side. When the operation knob 70 is rotated back and forth, the operation knob 70 rotates the rotation shaft 80 and tilts the lever link portion 85. The tilting of the lever link portion 85 tilts the lever portion 23 of the first louver 20 via the link member 86, tilts the first fins 21 up and down, and adjusts the air blowing direction up and down.
[0053] On the other hand, to adjust the air blowing direction left or right, the operation knob 70 is slid left or right. When the operation knob 70 is slid left or right, the operation knob 70 slides in the axial direction (left and right direction) of the rotation shaft 80, and the sliding part 60 connected to the operation knob 70 slides left and right. As the sliding part 60 slides left and right, the connecting part 63 of the rack gear slides left and right, as shown in FIG. 5(A), and the connected part 33 of the pinion gear rotates left and right. Accordingly, the second fins having the connected part 33 rotate left and right, and as shown in FIGS. 11(A) and 11(B), each second fin 31 rotates synchronously via the link bar 32, changing the left and right orientation of the second fins 31 of the second louver 30, and the air blowing direction is adjusted left or right.
[0054] To shut out the airflow, the operating knob 70 is moved to the full right, and as shown in Figures 12(A) and 12(B), the second fins 31 of the second louver 30 are rotated to the full right, causing the second fins 31 to overlap in the left-right direction and closing the ventilation passage 11. This allows the register to shut out the airflow.
[0055] When the operating knob 70 is rotated, as shown in FIG. 5(B), the load-applying member 56 inserted into the right end of the rotating shaft 80, which rotates in conjunction with the operating knob 70, applies an operating load to the rotation of the rotating shaft 80, and prevents the rotating shaft 80 from rotating unintentionally due to vibration, etc.
[0056] 11(A), when the operation knob 70 is slid left and right, the biasing spring 74 incorporated in the operation knob 70 biases the locking surface 82 of the rotation shaft 80, thereby applying an appropriate operating load to the sliding of the operation knob 70 and preventing malfunction of the operation knob 70 due to vibrations, etc. Also, as shown in FIG. 12(A), when the airflow is shut out by tilting the second fin 31, a recess 84 (FIG. 9(B)) into which the biasing spring 74 fits is provided at the biasing position (movement position) of the biasing spring 74 on the locking surface 82, and when the airflow is shut out, the biasing spring fits into the recess, providing a clicking sensation and allowing the user to sense that the airflow is shut out.
[0057] The register of the embodiment can also be implemented in the following form.
[0058] In the register of the embodiment, the linked portion 33 of the pinion gear that rotates the second fin 31 of the second louver 30 is provided on the third second fin 31 from the left, and the operating knob 70 is provided on the lower left side of the retainer 10. However, the linked portion 33 can be provided on any second fin 31 in the left-right direction, which allows the position of the operating knob 70 to be moved left or right.
[0059] In the register of the embodiment, the first fins 21 in the left-right direction of the first louver 20 are arranged in pairs, one above the other, and the second fins 31 in the up-down direction of the second louver 30 are arranged in pairs, one above the other, but the first fins 21 can be arranged in pairs, one to nine above the other, and the second fins 31 can be arranged in pairs, one to nine above the other.
[0060] In the register of the embodiment, two first fins 21 are arranged vertically and two second fins 31 are arranged horizontally, and the air outlet 12a is elongated horizontally. However, the vertical and horizontal orientation of the entire register can be reversed to form an air outlet 12a that is vertically elongated. Also, for example, seven horizontal first fins 21 can be arranged vertically and two vertical second fins 31 can be arranged horizontally to form an air outlet 12a that is vertically elongated. In this case, the operating mechanism 40 can be provided to the left of the left side surface of the retainer 10 or to the right of the right side surface of the retainer 10.
[0061] In the register of the embodiment, the engaging portion 70a, which the operator touches to check the state of the operation knob 70, such as the airflow direction, is convex, but it can also be concave. The operator of the register can check the airflow direction and adjust the airflow direction by touching the engaging portion 70a of the operation knob 70 without looking at the register or the operation knob 70. [Explanation of symbols]
[0062] 10 retainer 11 Ventilation duct 12 Bezel 12a Air outlet 15 Base locking claw 17 Flange receiving part 20 First louver 21 First Fin 22 Link Bar 23 Lever section 24 Bearing plate 30 Second louver 31 Second Fin 32 Link Bar 33 Linked part 34 Bearing plate 40 Operating mechanism 50 Base 51 Slide groove 51a Notch 54 Bearings 55 Shim storage area 56 Load-applying member 58 Opening 59 Locking claw receiver 60 Sliding part 61 Slide Claw 63 Liaison Department 67 Rib receiving part 70 Operation knob 70a Engagement part 71 Mating rib 71a Chamfered part 72 Shaft penetration hole 72a Surface receiving part 73 Spring fitting part 74 bias spring 80 Rotating shaft 82 Locking surface 83 Grease groove 84 recess 85 Lever link part 86 Link member 87 Flange IP Instrument Panel
Claims
1. A register in which a first louver and a second louver are arranged in a substantially perpendicular direction and in front and behind each other in an air passage in a substantially rectangular cylindrical retainer, and the first louver and the second louver are rotated by operating an operating mechanism to adjust the air blowing direction, The operation mechanism is a unit that includes a base portion fixed substantially parallel to one side surface of the retainer, a rotation shaft, an operation knob, and a sliding portion, The pivot shaft is disposed on the opposite side of the base portion from the retainer side along the direction of the edge formed by the side surface in a front view, and a lever link portion is provided at one end thereof for tilting the first louver by rotating the pivot shaft, the operation knob is attached to the rotary shaft and configured to rotate the rotary shaft and slide in the axial direction of the rotary shaft; the sliding part is connected to the operation knob and attached to the base part so as to be slidable in conjunction with the sliding of the operation knob, and a linking part is provided which rotates the second louver by the sliding of the sliding part; The first louver includes a plurality of first fins that are substantially parallel to the direction of the side formed by the side surface, and a lever portion is provided on one of the first fins to tilt the plurality of first fins; The second louver includes a plurality of second fins that are substantially perpendicular to the direction of the side formed by the side surface, and each second fin is provided with a linked portion that rotates the plurality of second fins; the lever link portion of the rotation shaft of the operating mechanism tilts the lever portion of the first louver to tilt the first fin of the first louver; The linking portion of the sliding portion of the operating mechanism rotates the linked portion of the second louver to rotate the second fin of the second louver. A register characterized in that
2. the rotation shaft has a flat locking surface in a longitudinal direction of a part of a side surface, and has a substantially cylindrical shape with a substantially D-shaped cross section in a lateral direction; the operation knob has a generally cylindrical shape with openings on both bottom surfaces and on parts of the side surfaces along the axial direction; The operation knob is provided with fitting ribs at two locations spaced apart in the axial direction. The fitting ribs are joined to the inner peripheral surface of the operation knob and fitted into the sliding portion. The fitting ribs are each provided with a shaft insertion hole into which the rotation shaft is inserted in the axial direction, 2. The register according to claim 1, wherein the shaft insertion hole is provided with a face receiving portion that matches the shape of the locking surface.
3. the second louver is configured to close the ventilation passage by rotating the second fin to a maximum extent, thereby shutting out blown air; a biasing spring is provided between the two fitting ribs provided on the operation knob, and the biasing spring biases the locking surface of the rotation shaft; The register according to claim 2, characterized in that the engagement surface has a recess into which the spring fits at the spring's biasing position on the engagement surface when the second fin is rotated to shut out the airflow.
4. The sliding portion is provided with slide claws at four locations on both ends of the front and rear portions of the sliding portion opposite the retainer side in the direction of the side, the slide claws sandwiching the base portion in a slidable manner from the front to the rear direction, 2. The register according to claim 1, wherein the base portion is provided with slide grooves along the sides of the front and rear portions, into which the slide claws are slidably inserted.
5. 5. The register according to claim 4, wherein two notches are provided at one end of the slide groove, into which two of the slide claws can be inserted toward the other slide groove.
6. 6. The register according to claim 1, wherein the operating mechanism is disposed outside the ventilation passage.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Registor for adjusting air blow
JP2000318439A