Wind direction adjustment device

Abstract

To provide a wind direction adjusting device which is improved in performance while restricting a number of components.SOLUTION: A wind direction adjusting device 1 includes a case body 3 for zoning a ventilation path 5 therein. The wind direction adjusting device 1 includes a fin 15 which is turnably disposed in the ventilation path 5 in the case body 3 in order to adjust a wind direction by turning. The wind direction adjusting device 1 includes a valve 30 which is turnably disposed in a direction orthogonal to a turning direction of the fin 15 in the ventilation path 5 in the case body 3 in order to open / close the ventilation path 5 by turning. The wind direction adjusting device 1 includes a link 35 for linking the turning of the valve 30 to the turning of the fin 15.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an airflow direction adjusting device equipped with a valve that can open and close an air passage. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, air conditioners used in vehicles such as automobiles include air direction adjustment devices that adjust the direction of air being blown out. Air direction adjustment devices are also called air conditioning air outlets, air vents, registers, etc., and are installed in various parts of the vehicle, such as the instrument panel or center console, to contribute to improving comfort through heating and cooling.

[0003] Among such airflow direction adjustment devices, there is known one that is equipped with fins that adjust the airflow direction and a shutoff valve that opens and closes the air passage, in which the fins are rotated using an operating knob and the shutoff valve is operated using an operating dial (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] In this configuration, an operation knob and an operation dial are required, which makes the mechanism complicated, places limitations on layout, and tends to impair the design.

[0005] Also, instead of a shut valve, a device is known in which a plurality of fins are overlapped with each other at the maximum swing position to close the air passage (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0006] In this configuration, it is not easy to keep the air passage sealed by simply overlapping the fins, and it may be necessary to use a structure that gives the fin surface adhesion or a structure that includes a mechanism that presses the fins in a direction that presses them down. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-106352 A (pages 4-6, Figure 1) [Patent Document 2] JP 2010-89529 A (pages 9-10, FIG. 7) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] As described above, it is desirable to improve the performance of an airflow direction adjustment device with a simpler configuration.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and has an object to provide an airflow direction adjusting device that has improved performance while reducing the number of parts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The airflow direction adjusting device according to claim 1 includes a case body defining an air passage therein, fins rotatably disposed in the air passage in the case body and adapted to adjust the air direction in response to the rotation of the fins, and a valve rotatably disposed in the air passage in the case body in a direction intersecting the rotation direction of the fins and adapted to open and close the air passage in response to the rotation of the valve. The valve is disposed between the fins of the air passage and the valve in the case body. a link that links the rotation of the valve with the rotation of the fin. The link is movable in a direction along the rotation direction of the fin, and the valve has a link connecting portion that is elongated along the rotation axis of the valve and is located on the opposite side of the link with respect to the rotation axis when the valve opens the air passage, and is connected to the link, and is rotated by an external force applied to the link connecting portion from the link side as the link moves. It is something.

[0011] The airflow direction adjustment device according to claim 2 is the airflow direction adjustment device according to claim 1, further comprising an operating unit that rotates the fins, and the fins are rotatable in the operating direction of the operating unit.

[0012] request request 3 The wind direction adjusting device described in claim 1 or 2 In the described airflow direction adjustment device, a plurality of fins are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the case body, and the valve is arranged longitudinally along the longitudinal direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the airflow direction adjusting device of claim 1, The link allows the rotation of the valve to be easily linked to the rotation of the fin,For example, there is no need to provide separate operating parts for operating the fins and valves, which reduces the number of parts while making it easy to keep the air passage sealed using the valve, thereby improving performance.

[0014] According to the airflow direction adjustment device of claim 2, in addition to the effects of the airflow direction adjustment device of claim 1, the fins can be intuitively operated by operating the operating unit, and when the fins rotate in response to operation of the operating unit, the valve can be rotated in conjunction with this, so that the fins and valves can be operated by a common operating unit, simplifying the configuration.

[0015] request request 3 According to the wind direction adjusting device described above, claim 1 or 2 In addition to the effects of the above-described airflow direction adjusting device, a thin airflow direction adjusting device can be configured. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of an airflow direction control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the internal structure of the airflow direction adjustment device. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are plan views showing the operation of the fins and valves of the same airflow direction adjustment device, where (a) shows the state in which the fins of the same airflow direction adjustment device are swung to the maximum in one direction, (b) shows the fins in their neutral state, (c) shows the state in which the fins are swung in the other direction, and (d) shows the valve in its closed state. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of an airflow direction adjustment device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the internal structure of the airflow direction adjustment device. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of the internal structure of the same. [Figure 8]1A and 1B are plan views showing the operation of the fins and valves of the same airflow direction adjustment device, where (a) shows the state in which the fins of the same airflow direction adjustment device are swung to the maximum in one direction, (b) shows the fins in their neutral state, (c) shows the state in which the fins are swung in the other direction, and (d) shows the valve in its closed state. [Figure 9] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0018] In FIG. 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a wind direction control device. The wind direction control device 1 is also called an air outlet, ventilator, register, or the like, and controls the direction of airflow from an air conditioner or the like. Hereinafter, for clarity, the windward side of the wind direction control device 1, from which air flows, is referred to as the front side, front side, or near side, and the opposite side, i.e., the windward side from which air flows, is referred to as the rear side, back side, or far side. The two-way direction, or width direction, as viewed from the front, and the up-down direction are defined. In this embodiment, the wind direction control device 1 is applied to an air conditioner for a vehicle such as an automobile. The wind direction control device 1 may be disposed in any position, but in the drawings, it is disposed so that the arrow FR side is the front side, the arrow RR side is the rear side, the arrow L side is the left side, the arrow R side is the right side, the arrow U side is the top side, and the arrow D side is the bottom side. These directions are merely shown as examples and may be changed as appropriate depending on the installation location and orientation of the wind direction control device 1.

[0019] The airflow direction adjustment device 1 includes a case body 3. The case body 3 is also called a duct. The case body 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape. In this embodiment, the case body 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape in the front-rear direction. In the example shown, the case body 3 is formed in a square cylindrical shape. An air passage 5 is enclosed inside the case body 3. The direction parallel to the central axis of the case body 3 is the ventilation direction of the air passage 5. In this embodiment, the ventilation direction of the air passage 5 is the front-rear direction, and air is ventilated from the rear to the front. That is, in the air passage 5, the rear side is the upstream side in the ventilation direction, and the front side is the downstream side in the ventilation direction.

[0020] The case body 3 has a predetermined length in the direction of airflow of the air passage 5. In this embodiment, the case body 3 is flat in the vertical direction and elongated in the horizontal direction, i.e., horizontally elongated. Therefore, the airflow direction control device 1 is formed as a thin, horizontal type. The case body 3 integrally includes a pair of end walls 6 that face each other across the central axis of the air passage 5, i.e., the central axis, and a pair of side walls 7 that connect the pair of end walls 6. The pair of end walls 6 face each other in the vertical direction, and the pair of side walls 7 face each other in the horizontal direction. The rear ends of the pair of end walls 6, 6 and the pair of side walls 7, 7 surround an inlet 8 that receives air, i.e., conditioned air, into the air passage 5, and the front ends of the pair of end walls 6, 6 and the pair of side walls 7, 7 surround an outlet 9 that discharges conditioned air from the air passage 5. That is, the rear end of the case body 3 is an inlet 8 that receives conditioned air into the ventilation path 5, and the front end of the case body 3 is an outlet 9 that blows out conditioned air from the ventilation path 5. An air path 5 is formed between the inlet 8 and the outlet 9 to communicate these. The conditioned air passes from the inlet 8 to the outlet 9. The inlet 8 and the outlet 9 are both long horizontally.

[0021] The case body 3 may be formed as a single unit, or may be formed by combining multiple components. In this embodiment, the case body 3 has a case main body 11 and a finisher 12, which is a design component. The case main body 11 is a main body that constitutes the majority of the upstream side of the case body 3. The case main body 11 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape. The finisher 12 is attached to the front end, i.e., the downstream end, of the case main body 11. The finisher 12 is also called a panel, and forms part of the design of the installation position of the airflow direction adjustment device 1. The finisher 12 is formed in a rectangular frame shape that surrounds the air outlet 9.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1 , fins 15 are arranged inside the case body 3, i.e., in the air passage 5. The fins 15 are also called louvers, and rotate relative to the case body 3 to adjust the direction of the conditioned airflow blown out from the air outlet 9 ( FIG. 4 ) in accordance with the rotation. The fins 15 are formed in a plate shape with one main surface and the other main surface serving as a straightening surface. The fins 15 have rotating portions 16. The rotating portions 16 are rotatably held by rotation receiving portions 17 ( FIG. 4 ) formed on the case body 3. The fins 15 rotate along the longitudinal direction of the case body 3 or the air passage 5, thereby adjusting the airflow direction in the longitudinal direction of the case body 3 or the air passage 5. That is, in this embodiment, the fins 15 have upper and lower rotating portions 16, each of which is rotatably held by a rotation receiving portion 17 ( FIG. 4 ) formed on each end wall portion 6 of the case body 3. The fins 15 have straightening surfaces on the left and right and are rotatable in the left-right direction. One of the rotating portion 16 and the rotation receiving portion 17 (FIG. 4) is a shaft portion, and the other is a hole portion or a recess portion. In this embodiment, the rotating portion 16 is a shaft portion, and the rotation receiving portion 17 (FIG. 4) is a round hole portion or a recess portion.

[0023] In this embodiment, fins 15 are located inside case body 11 of case body 3. That is, fins 15 are located upstream of and spaced apart from air outlet 9. Rotation receiving portion 17 is formed in case body 11.

[0024] The fin 15 may be singular or plural. In this embodiment, a plurality of fins 15 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the case body 3. Preferably, the plurality of fins 15 are arranged at equal or approximately equal intervals in the longitudinal direction of the case body 3. In this embodiment, the fins 15 are arranged aligned in the left-right direction. These plurality of fins 15 are connected by link members and configured to rotate in the same direction in conjunction with each other. Note that in the drawings, for clarity of explanation, only one fin 15 arranged in the center is shown, and the other fins 15 are not shown.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , in this embodiment, the fins 15 are connected to an operating unit 20, and a user such as a passenger can directly operate the operating unit 20 to rotate the fins 15. When there are multiple fins 15, any of the fins 15, preferably the central fin 15, is connected to the operating unit 20. The operating unit 20 is an operating knob, and the fins 15 can be rotated in the direction of operation of the operating unit 20. In the illustrated example, the operating unit 20 is movable in the left-right direction, and this left-right movement rotates the fins 15 in the left-right direction. The operating unit 20 is exposed from the air outlet 9 ( FIG. 4 ). In this embodiment, the operating unit 20 is formed as a thin, elongated member extending in the left-right direction. The operating unit 20 is formed with a connecting portion 21. The connecting portion 21 is rotatably connected to a connecting receiving portion 22 formed on the fin 15. One of the connecting portion 21 and the connecting receiving portion 22 is a shaft portion, and the other is a recess or a hole. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 21 is a recess that is long in the front-to-rear direction between a pair of arms that protrude from the rear of the operating portion 20 toward the fin 15, and the connecting receiving portion 22 is a cylindrical shaft portion formed on the fin 15 parallel or approximately parallel to the rotation axis.

[0026] The operation unit 20 is movably attached to downstream fins 24, which serve as operation guides. In the illustrated example, the operation unit 20 is slidably attached along the downstream fins 24. The downstream fins 24 are also called downstream louvers. The downstream fins 24 are formed in a plate shape with one main surface and the other main surface serving as a straightening surface. The downstream fins 24 are arranged downstream of the fins 15, with straightening surfaces in a direction intersecting or perpendicular to the fins 15. In this embodiment, the downstream fins 24 are arranged with straightening surfaces on the top and bottom. The downstream fins 24 are arranged longitudinally along the longitudinal direction of the case body 3. The downstream fins 24 are formed with restricting portions 25 that restrict the movement range of the operation unit 20. The restricting portions 25 are stoppers that abut against the operation unit 20 to prevent the operation unit 20 from moving further. The restricting portions 25 are formed on the rear side of the downstream fins 24. In this embodiment, the range in which the fin 15 can be rotated by the operating unit 20 is set by the restricting unit 25 so that it is wider in the right direction than in the left direction.

[0027] Preferably, the downstream fin 24 is arranged in the case body 3 to be rotatable in a direction intersecting or perpendicular to the rotation direction of the fins 15. The downstream fin 24 has a rotating portion 26. The rotating portion 26 is rotatably held by a rotation support formed on the case body 3. The downstream fin 24 rotates in a direction intersecting or perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the case body 3 or the air passage 5, thereby adjusting the airflow direction in a direction intersecting or perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the case body 3 or the air passage 5. In the illustrated example, the downstream fin 24 is arranged to be rotatable in the vertical direction. That is, in this embodiment, the downstream fin 24 has rotating portions 26 on the left and right, and each rotating portion 26 is rotatably held by a rotation support formed on each side wall portion 7 of the case body 3. The downstream fin 24 has flow straightening surfaces on the top and bottom and is rotatable in the vertical direction. One of the rotating portion 26 and the rotation support is a shaft portion, and the other is a hole or a recess. In this embodiment, the rotating portion 26 is a shaft portion, and the rotation receiving portion is a round hole portion or a recess portion. The downstream fin 24 is rotatable along the movement direction of the operating unit 20. In other words, the downstream fin 24 rotates up and down integrally with the operating unit 20 as the operating unit 20 is moved up and down.

[0028] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, the downstream fin 24 is located inside the finisher 12 in the case body 3. That is, the downstream fin 24 is located facing the air outlet 9. The rotation receiving portion is formed in the finisher 12. In the illustrated example, one downstream fin 24 is provided in the center of the air outlet 9 in the vertical direction, which is the short side direction.

[0029] 1 and 2 is disposed inside the case body 3, i.e., in the air passage 5. The valve 30 is a shutoff valve that opens and closes the air passage 5 in response to rotation relative to the case body 3. The valve 30 is formed in a rectangular plate shape. The valve 30 has an outer shape that is substantially the same as the cross-sectional shape of the air passage 5. The valve 30 has a valve rotation portion 31. The valve rotation portion 31 is rotatably held by a valve rotation receiving portion 32 (FIG. 4) formed on the case body 3. The valve 30 opens and closes the air passage 5 by rotating in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the case body 3 or the air passage 5. That is, in this embodiment, the valve 30 has valve rotation portions 31 on the left and right, and each valve rotation portion 31 is rotatably held by a valve rotation receiving portion 32 (FIG. 4) formed on each side wall portion 7 of the case body 3, allowing it to rotate up and down. Therefore, the rotation direction of the valve 30 intersects or is perpendicular to the rotation direction of the fin 15. One of the valve rotation portion 31 and the valve rotation receiving portion 32 (Fig. 4) is a shaft portion, and the other is a hole portion or a recess portion. In this embodiment, the valve rotation portion 31 is a shaft portion, and the valve rotation receiving portion 32 (Fig. 4) is a round hole portion or a recess portion.

[0030] The valve 30 is located upstream of and spaced apart from the fins 15. In this embodiment, the valve 30 is located inside the case main body 11 of the case body 3 and near the receiving port 8 (FIG. 4). The valve rotation receiving portion 32 (FIG. 4) is formed on the case main body 11.

[0031] The rotation of the valve 30 is linked to the rotation of the fins 15 via the link 35. The link 35 is rotatably connected directly or indirectly to the valve 30 and the fins 15. In this embodiment, the link 35 is rotatably connected directly to the valve 30 and the fins 15. The link 35 is movable in a direction along the rotation direction of the fins 15, and is configured to transmit an external force to the valve 30 side as the link 35 moves, thereby rotating the valve 30.

[0032] The link 35 is formed longitudinally. The link 35 is arranged in the air passage 5 with its longitudinal direction extending in the front-to-rear direction. The link 35 has a valve-side connecting portion 37 at one end, i.e., a rear end, which is connected to the valve 30. In this embodiment, the valve-side connecting portion 37 is directly connected to a link connecting portion 38 formed on the valve 30. The valve-side connecting portion 37 is rotatably and movably connected to the link connecting portion 38. The valve-side connecting portion 37 and the link connecting portion 38 constitute a linking portion that links the opening and closing of the valve 30 with the rotation of the fin 15, i.e., the operation of the operating portion 20. One of the valve-side connecting portion 37 and the link connecting portion 38 is a shaft portion, and the other is a hole portion. The valve-side connecting portion 37 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a hole 37a that penetrates in the tangential direction of the rotation of the fin 15, in this embodiment, along the rotation direction of the fin 15. The hole 37a is formed in an elongated hole shape in the longitudinal direction of the link 35. The rotation range (rotation angle) of the fins 15, which generates an external force that rotates the valve 30 by the rotation of the fins 15, i.e., the operation range of the operation unit 20, is set according to the length of the hole 37a. That is, the timing at which the valve 30 starts to open or close is set according to the length of the hole 37a. The hole 37a is a timing setting unit that sets the timing at which the rotation of the fins 15 and the rotation of the valve 30 are linked. The setting of the hole 37a enables the valve 30 to rotate in tandem when the fins 15 are swung by a predetermined angle or more. In this embodiment, the valve-side connecting unit 37 has a notched opening 37b that connects the hole 37a to the outside of the valve-side connecting unit 37. The notched opening 37b is intended to enable the valve-side connecting unit 37 to be connected to the link connecting unit 38. The notched opening 37b has a slit shape that extends in the left-right direction.

[0033] The link connection portion 38 is formed longitudinally along the longitudinal direction of the valve 30. The link connection portion 38 is formed in the shape of a long, thin cylinder or rod. The valve-side connection portion 37 of the link 35 is movable along the longitudinal direction of the link connection portion 38, and the link connection portion 38 is rotatable relative to the valve-side connection portion 37. The link connection portion 38 is disposed on the opposite side of the rotation axis of the valve 30 from the link 35, that is, upstream of the rotation axis of the valve 30, and is arranged parallel or approximately parallel to the rotation axis. Both ends of the link connection portion 38 are fixed to one main surface of the valve 30 by fixing portions 39. Therefore, when a force is applied to the link connection portion 38 from the link 35 in the forward / backward direction, that is, the upstream / downstream direction, the valve 30 rotates.

[0034] In this embodiment, link connection portion 38 has reduced portion 38a at one longitudinal end for connection to valve side connection portion 37. Reduced portion 38a is formed thinner than the rest of the general portion of link connection portion 38, and can be inserted or press-fitted into hole 37a through notched opening 37b of valve side connection portion 37. Preferably, reduced portion 38a is set outside the range of movement of valve side connection portion 37 of link 35 relative to link connection portion 38.

[0035] The link 35 also has a fin-side connecting portion 41 at its other end, i.e., its front end, which is connected to the fin 15. In this embodiment, the fin-side connecting portion 41 is directly connected to a link-side connecting receiving portion 42 formed on the fin 15. The fin-side connecting portion 41 is rotatably connected to the link-side connecting receiving portion 42. One of the fin-side connecting portion 41 and the link-side connecting receiving portion 42 is a shaft portion, and the other is a hole portion. In this embodiment, the fin-side connecting portion 41 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a hole 41a that penetrates parallel or approximately parallel to the rotation axis of the fin 15, i.e., in a direction intersecting or perpendicular to the rotation direction of the fin 15. The hole 41a is a circular hole. The link-side connecting receiving portion 42 is formed in a slender cylindrical or rod shape. The link-side connecting receiving portion 42 is located on the opposite side of the connecting receiving portion 22 relative to the rotation portion 16 of the fin 15. The link-side connection receiving portion 42 is formed parallel or approximately parallel to the rotation axis of the fin 15 .

[0036] The airflow direction adjustment device 1 is disposed with the inlet 8 connected to the air conditioner. The conditioned air from the air conditioner passes through the air passage 5 from the inlet 8, is distributed by the fins 15 and the downstream fins 24, and is blown out from the outlet 9.

[0037] The airflow direction control device 1 of this embodiment can blow conditioned air in any direction by combining the horizontal air distribution by the fins 15 and the vertical air distribution by the downstream fins 24.

[0038] First, regarding vertical air distribution, when a user such as a passenger pinches the operating unit 20 and moves it up or down, the downstream fins 24 rotate up and down integrally with the operating unit 20, causing the air conditioning air to be rectified in the vertical direction along the rectifying surface of the downstream fins 24 and blown out in the vertical direction from the air outlet 9.

[0039] In addition, for left-right air distribution, a user such as a passenger pinches the operating unit 20 and slides it left and right, causing the fins 15 to rotate left and right, and the air conditioning air is straightened left and right along the straightening surface of the fins 15 and is blown out left and right from the air outlet 9.

[0040] Specifically, as shown in Figure 3(b), when the operating unit 20 is located in the center of the downstream fin 24 in the left-right direction, i.e., when the fin 15 is in a neutral position, the conditioned air flows straight through the air passage 5 along the straightening surface of the fin 15 to the outlet 9, and is blown out from the outlet 9 toward the front along the axial direction of the case body 3, i.e., the ventilation direction of the air passage 5.

[0041] 3(a), when operating unit 20 is slid leftward from the neutral position along downstream fin 24, the downstream side of fin 15 connected to operating unit 20 moves leftward, and fin 15 rotates clockwise around pivot 16. FIG. 3(a) shows the operating unit 20 slid to the maximum left until it contacts restricting portion 25 on the left side, i.e., the fin 15 is swung to the maximum left (maximum left swing angle position, e.g., 35° left). The conditioned air is then rectified leftward within air passage 5 along the rectifying surface of fin 15 and blown out leftward from outlet 9.

[0042] As the fin 15 rotates clockwise, the link-side connection receiver 42 also moves clockwise around the pivot 16. This causes the fin-side connection 41 of the link 35, whose fin-side connection 41 is connected to the link-side connection receiver 42, to rotate clockwise around the pivot 16. At the same time, because the valve-side connection 37 is connected to the link connection 38 of the valve 30, the link 35 slides to the right along the link connection 38 while maintaining its orientation along the front-to-rear direction. At this time, because the hole 37a of the valve-side connection 37 is elongated in the front-to-rear direction, the link 35 does not interfere with the link connection 38 of the valve 30, which is inserted into the hole 37a of the valve-side connection 37, in the front-to-rear direction throughout its range of movement. Therefore, the valve 30 is not moved in conjunction with the rotation of the fin 15, and the valve 30 maintains the air passage 5 open.

[0043] 3(c), when the operating unit 20 is slid from the neutral position to the right along the downstream fin 24, the downstream side of the fin 15 connected to the operating unit 20 moves to the right, and the fin 15 rotates counterclockwise in the figure around the rotating portion 16. The conditioned air is then rectified to the right in the air passage 5 along the rectifying surface of the fin 15, and is blown out to the right from the air outlet 9.

[0044] As the fin 15 rotates counterclockwise, the link-side connection receiver 42 also moves counterclockwise around the pivot 16. This causes the fin-side connection 41 of the link 35, whose fin-side connection 41 is connected to the link-side connection receiver 42, to rotate counterclockwise around the pivot 16. At the same time, because the valve-side connection 37 is connected to the link connection 38 of the valve 30, the link 35 slides leftward along the link connection 38 while maintaining its orientation along the front-to-rear direction. At this time, because the hole 37a of the valve-side connection 37 is elongated in the front-to-rear direction, the link 35 does not interfere with the link connection 38 of the valve 30, which is inserted into the hole 37a of the valve-side connection 37, in the front-to-rear direction within a predetermined range (for example, the range in which the fin 15 rotates to the right up to 35°). Therefore, the valve 30 is not moved in conjunction with the rotation of the fin 15, and the valve 30 maintains the air passage 5 open.

[0045] Then, as shown in FIG. 3(d), when the operating unit 20 is further slid to the right along the downstream fin 24 from the state shown in FIG. 3(c), the further rotation of the fin 15 causes the link 35 to further rotate, causing the valve-side connector 37 to interfere with the link connector 38 of the valve 30 in the front-to-rear direction, pulling the link connector 38 downstream, i.e., forward. Therefore, the valve 30 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the fin 15, closing the air passage 5 according to the rotation angle. FIG. 3(d) shows the state where the operating unit 20 has moved to the maximum rightward position, where it has come into contact with the right-side restricting portion 25, i.e., where the fin 15 has been swung to the maximum rightward position (maximum rightward swing angle position, e.g., 82° rightward). At least in this state, the valve 30 is positioned to completely or almost completely close the air passage 5.

[0046] Thus, according to the first embodiment, the rotation of the valve 30, which is arranged in the case body 3 so as to be rotatable in the air passage 5 in a direction intersecting the rotation direction of the fin 15, is linked to the rotation of the fin 15, which is arranged in the case body 3 so as to be rotatable in the air passage 5 in a direction intersecting the rotation direction of the fin 15. Therefore, for example, there is no need to provide separate operating parts for operating the fin 15 and for operating the valve 30, and the number of parts can be reduced while the valve 30 can easily keep the air passage 5 sealed, thereby improving performance.

[0047] In particular, in this embodiment, since the link 35 is directly connected to the fin 15 and the valve 30, a simpler configuration can be achieved, and assembly to the case body 3 becomes easier.

[0048] By making the fins 15 rotatable in the operating direction of the operating unit 20 that rotates the fins 15, the fins 15 can be intuitively operated by operating the operating unit 20, and when the fins 15 rotate in response to the operation of the operating unit 20, the valves 30 can be rotated in conjunction with the rotation of the fins 15, so that the fins 15 and the valves 30 can be operated by the common operating unit 20, simplifying the configuration.

[0049] Furthermore, when the air passage 5 is closed by the valve 30, the conditioned air does not flow through the air passage 5, so there is no need to rotate the fins 15. Therefore, even if the opening and closing of the valve 30 is linked using the operating unit 20 that rotates the fins 15, there is no problem with operating the fins 15 using the operating unit 20.

[0050] By making the link 35 movable in a direction along the rotation direction of the fin 15 and configuring the valve 30 to rotate by an external force applied to the link connection portion 38 from the link 35 side as the link 35 moves, the link 35 can easily link the rotation of the valve 30 to the rotation of the fin 15.

[0051] By forming hole 37a of link 35, which is connected to link connecting part 38, longitudinally in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of link connecting part 38, it is possible to set the timing at which link 35 transmits an external force from fin 15 to link connecting part 38 of valve 30 according to the length of hole 37a. Therefore, the amount of operation of operating part 20 required for valve 30 to open or close air passage 5, i.e., the swing angle of fin 15, can be easily adjusted with a simple configuration.

[0052] A thin airflow direction adjustment device 1 can be configured by arranging a plurality of fins 15 in the left-right direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the case body 3, and arranging the valve 30 longitudinally along the longitudinal direction.

[0053] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a thin, compact airflow direction control device 1 with a simple design.

[0054] Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 9. Note that the same components and functions as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0055] In this embodiment, the link 35 is indirectly connected to the fin 15 .

[0056] In the illustrated example, the hole 37a of the valve-side connecting portion 37 of the link 35 is formed as a round hole that is slightly larger in outer diameter than the link connecting portion 38. A joint 45, which serves as a connecting body, is connected to the fin-side connecting portion 41. The link 35 is connected to the fin 15 via the joint 45.

[0057] The joint 45 is located in the air passage 5. The joint 45 has, at one end, a rear end, a first joint connecting portion 47, which is a first connecting body connecting portion that is rotatably connected to the fin side connecting portion 41 of the link 35. One of the fin side connecting portion 41 and the first joint connecting portion 47 is a concave portion and the other is a convex portion. In this embodiment, the fin side connecting portion 41 is formed as a concave portion, and the first joint connecting portion 47 is formed as a spherical convex portion. The fin side connecting portion 41 has a hole 41a that penetrates in the vertical direction, intersecting or perpendicular to the penetration direction of the hole 37a of the valve side connecting portion 37.

[0058] The joint 45 also has a second joint connecting portion 48, which is a second connecting body connecting portion that is rotatably connected to the link-side connecting receiving portion 42 of the fin 15, at its other end, i.e., the front end. One of the link-side connecting receiving portion 42 and the second joint connecting portion 48 is a recess or hole, and the other is a protrusion or shaft. In this embodiment, the link-side connecting receiving portion 42 is formed as a cylindrical shaft, and the second joint connecting portion 48 is formed as a circular hole. In the illustrated example, the link-side connecting receiving portion 42 is located on the rotation axis of the fin 15. In this embodiment, the link-side connecting receiving portion 42 is formed coaxially with the rotating portion 16. The link-side connecting receiving portion 42 is located at the base end of the rotating portion 16, and the rotating portion 16 protrudes coaxially from the link-side connecting receiving portion 42.

[0059] Furthermore, the joint 45 has a cam connection portion 49 formed between the first joint connection portion 47 and the second joint connection portion 48. The first joint connection portion 47 and the second joint connection portion 48 are located on opposite sides of the cam connection portion 49. In a plan view, the joint 45 is arranged such that the first joint connection portion 47 and the second joint connection portion 48 are not located on an imaginary line connecting one of the first joint connection portion 47 and the second joint connection portion 48 and the cam connection portion 49. In other words, the joint 45 is formed in a bent shape.

[0060] A first cam member 51 is attached to the cam connecting portion 49. The first cam member 51 has an opening 53. The joint 45 is inserted into the opening 53, with the first joint connecting portion 47 located upstream of the first cam member 51, i.e., on the rear side that is the valve 30 side, and the second joint connecting portion 48 located downstream of the first cam member 51, i.e., on the front side that is the fin 15 side.

[0061] The first cam member 51 has a cam connection receiving portion 54 that rotatably receives the cam connection portion 49. One of the cam connection portion 49 and the cam connection receiving portion 54 is a recess or hole, and the other is a protrusion or shaft. In this embodiment, the cam connection portion 49 is a cylindrical shaft, and the cam connection receiving portion 54 is a hole. The cam connection receiving portion 54 is located in the opening 53.

[0062] Furthermore, the first cam member 51 has a first cam portion 55 formed at one end, which is the rear end, and a second cam portion 56 formed at the other end, which is the front end. The first cam portion 55 and the second cam portion 56 are located apart from each other. The first cam portion 55 and the second cam portion 56 are located on opposite sides of the cam connection receiving portion 54. In this embodiment, the first cam portion 55 and the second cam portion 56 are shaft portions formed in a cylindrical shape. The first cam portion 55 and the second cam portion 56 are arranged parallel to each other. The first cam portion 55 and the second cam portion 56 are each located at an upper portion of the first cam member 51.

[0063] In this embodiment, the first cam portion 55 is located on the left side of the first cam member 51 , and the second cam portion 56 is located on the right side of the first cam member 51 .

[0064] The first cam portion 55 and the second cam portion 56 are connected to a second cam member 61. The second cam member 61 is located above the first cam member 51 in the air passage 5. The second cam member 61 has a first cam receiver 63 and a second cam receiver 64 that receive the first cam portion 55 and the second cam portion 56. The connection relationship between the first cam portion 55 and the second cam portion 56 and the first cam receiver 63 and the second cam receiver 64 determines the position at which the joint 45 rotates in conjunction with the fins 15, i.e., the rotation range (rotation angle) of the fins 15 that generates an external force that rotates the valve 30, i.e., the operation range of the operating unit 20. The first cam member 51 and the second cam member 61 form a timing setting unit that sets the timing at which the rotation of the fins 15 and the rotation of the valve 30 are linked together.

[0065] In this embodiment, the first cam receiving portion 63 and the second cam receiving portion 64 are cam holes formed in the second cam member 61, into which the first cam portion 55 and the second cam portion 56 are inserted to regulate the positions of these first cam portion 55 and second cam portion 56. The first cam receiving portion 63 and the second cam receiving portion 64 may pass through the second cam member 61, or may be formed as recesses. In this embodiment, the first cam receiving portion 63 is located on the left side of the second cam member 61, and the second cam receiving portion 64 is located on the right side of the second cam member 61.

[0066] The first cam receiving portion 63 is formed in the shape of an elongated hole in the front-rear direction. The first cam receiving portion 63 has a first cam stopper portion 63a at the inner edge, which is the rear end portion at one end, and a first guide portion 63b and a second guide portion 63c extending in the front-rear direction and connected to both sides of the first cam stopper portion 63a. A second cam stopper portion 63d is formed at the front end portion of the first guide portion 63b, which is the other end portion, and the second cam stopper portion 63d and the second guide portion 63c are connected by a connecting portion 63e.

[0067] The first cam stopper portion 63a and the second cam stopper portion 63d are stopper portions that receive the first cam portion 55 of the first cam member 51.

[0068] The first guide portion 63b and the second guide portion 63c are portions that guide the first cam portion 55 of the first cam member 51 as the first cam member 51 rotates. The first guide portion 63b and the second guide portion 63c are curved in an arc shape that convexly extends to the left. In the example shown, the first guide portion 63b is connected to the left side of the first cam stopper portion 63a and extends in the front-rear direction, and the second guide portion 63c is connected to the right side of the first cam stopper portion 63a and extends in the front-rear direction. The first guide portion 63b extends further forward than the second guide portion 63c.

[0069] The second cam receiving portion 64 is formed as an elongated hole in the front-rear direction. The second cam receiving portion 64 is formed shorter in the front-rear direction than the first cam receiving portion 63. The second cam receiving portion 64 has a first cam stopper portion 64a at its inner edge, which is its rear end. A first guide portion 64b extends in the front-rear direction and is connected to the right side of the first cam stopper portion 64a. A second guide portion 64c extends in the front-rear direction and is connected to the front end of the first guide portion 64b. A second cam stopper portion 64d extends to the left at the front end of the second guide portion 64c, which is its other end. The second cam stopper portion 64d and the first cam stopper portion 64a are connected by a connecting portion 64e. The first guide portion 64b is curved in a circular arc convex toward the right. The first guide portion 64b is located concentrically with the second guide portion 63c. The second guide portion 64c is formed in a circular arc convex toward the rear.

[0070] The first cam stopper portion 64a and the second cam stopper portion 64d are stopper portions that receive the second cam portion 56 of the first cam member 51.

[0071] The first guide portion 64b and the second guide portion 64c are portions that guide the second cam portion 56 of the first cam member 51 as the first cam member 51 rotates.

[0072] The airflow direction adjustment device 1 of this embodiment can blow conditioned air in any direction by combining left-right air distribution by the fins 15 and up-down air distribution by the downstream fins 24 in response to operation of the operation unit 20. The up-down air distribution is the same as in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0073] As shown in Figure 8(b), when the operating unit 20 is located in the center of the downstream fin 24 in the left-right direction, i.e., when the fin 15 is in a neutral position, the air conditioning air flows straight through the air passage 5 along the straightening surface of the fin 15 to the outlet 9, and is blown out from the outlet 9 toward the front along the axial direction of the case body 3, i.e., the air flow direction of the air passage 5.

[0074] 8(a), when operating unit 20 is slid leftward from the neutral position along downstream fin 24, the downstream side of fin 15 connected to operating unit 20 moves leftward, and fin 15 rotates clockwise around pivot 16. FIG. 8(a) shows the state in which operating unit 20 has slid to the maximum left until it contacts left-side restricting portion 25, i.e., the state in which fin 15 is swung to the maximum left (maximum left swing angle position, e.g., 35° left). Thus, the conditioned air is rectified leftward within air passage 5 along the rectifying surface of fin 15 and is blown leftward from outlet 9.

[0075] As the fin 15 rotates clockwise, the link-side connection receiver 42 also moves clockwise around the rotating portion 16, causing the joint 45, to which the second joint connecting portion 48 is connected to the link-side connection receiver 42, to rotate clockwise and the first cam member 51 to rotate counterclockwise. However, the second cam portion 56 of the first cam member 51 abuts against the first cam stopper portion 64a of the second cam receiver 64 of the second cam member 61, restricting the rotation of the first cam member 51. Therefore, the joint 45, to which the cam connecting portion 49, which serves as the rotation center for the first cam member 51, is held, rotates counterclockwise around the cam connecting portion 49 relative to the downstream side of the fin 15. Therefore, the joint 45 maintains the same posture and position as when the fin 15 is in the neutral position, and the link 35 does not apply an external force in the front-to-rear direction to the link connecting portion 38 of the valve 30 inserted in the hole 37a of the valve-side connecting portion 37 throughout its range of movement. Therefore, the valve 30 is not linked to the rotation of the fin 15, and the valve 30 maintains the state in which the air passage 5 is open.

[0076] 8(c), when the operating unit 20 is slid from the neutral position to the right along the downstream fin 24, the downstream side of the fin 15 connected to the operating unit 20 moves to the right, and the fin 15 rotates counterclockwise in the figure around the rotating unit 16. The conditioned air is then rectified to the right in the air passage 5 along the rectifying surface of the fin 15, and is blown out to the right from the air outlet 9.

[0077] As the fin 15 rotates counterclockwise, the link-side connection receiver 42 also moves counterclockwise around the rotating portion 16, causing the joint 45, to which the second joint connecting portion 48 is connected, to rotate counterclockwise, and the first cam member 51 to rotate clockwise. Regarding the first cam member 51, the first cam portion 55 moves along the second guide portion 63c of the first cam receiver 63 of the second cam member 61 to the first cam stopper portion 63a, and the second cam portion 56 rotates to move along the first guide portion 64b of the second cam receiver 64 of the second cam member 61. When the first cam portion 55 abuts against the first cam stopper portion 63a, the rotation of the first cam member 51 is restricted, and the joint 45, to which the cam connecting portion 49 serving as the rotation center with respect to the first cam member 51 is held, rotates clockwise around the cam connecting portion 49 relative to the downstream side of the fin 15. Therefore, joint 45 maintains the same posture and position as when fin 15 is in the neutral position, and link 35, throughout its range of movement, does not apply external force in the front-to-rear direction to link connecting portion 38 of valve 30 inserted into hole 37a of valve-side connecting portion 37. As a result, valve 30 is not linked to the rotation of fin 15, and valve 30 maintains a state in which air passage 5 is open.

[0078] 8(d), when operating unit 20 is further slid to the right along downstream fin 24 from the state shown in FIG. 8(c), first cam portion 55 of first cam member 51 moves along first guide portion 63b of first cam receiver 63 of second cam member 61 to second cam stopper portion 63d as fin 15 further rotates, and second cam portion 56 rotates to move along second guide portion 64c of second cam receiver 64 of second cam member 61 to second cam stopper portion 64d. As a result, valve-side connecting portion 37 of link 35 connected to joint 45 interferes with link connecting portion 38 of valve 30 in the front-to-rear direction, pulling link connecting portion 38 downstream, i.e., forward, causing valve 30 to rotate in conjunction with the rotation of fin 15 and closing air passage 5 according to the rotation angle. 8(d) shows a state in which the operating unit 20 has been moved to the maximum extent to the right, where it has come into contact with the right-side restricting unit 25, i.e., the fin 15 has been swung to the maximum extent to the right (maximum right swing angle position, for example, 82° to the right). At least in this state, the valve 30 is in a position in which it completely or almost completely closes the air passage 5.

[0079] Thus, according to the second embodiment, the rotation of the valve 30, which is rotatably arranged in the air passage 5 in the case body 3 in a direction intersecting with the fin 15, is linked to the rotation of the fin 15, which is rotatably arranged in the air passage 5 in the case body 3, and thus the second embodiment has a configuration similar to that of the first embodiment, thereby achieving the same effects as the first embodiment, such as improving performance while reducing the number of parts.

[0080] In addition, by using the joint 45, the first cam member 51 and the second cam member 61, the timing at which the external force from the fin 15 side is transmitted to the link connection portion 38 of the valve 30 by the link 35 is set, so that the amount of operation of the operating portion 20 required for the valve 30 to open and close the air passage 5, i.e., the swing angle of the fin 15, can be finely adjusted according to the shapes of the first cam receiving portion 63 and the second cam receiving portion 64.

[0081] In each of the above embodiments, the valve 30 is configured to rotate when the fin 15 is swung to the right by more than a predetermined angle, but this is not limited to this. The arrangement and shape of each part may be reversed left and right, so that the valve 30 is configured to rotate when the fin 15 is swung to the left by more than a predetermined angle.

[0082] Although the airflow direction control device 1 is horizontal, it can be configured similarly in a vertical configuration with the longitudinal direction being vertical. In that case, by rotating the arrangement of each of the above-described embodiments by 90° as viewed from the front, such as by making the fins 15 rotatable vertically and the valve 30 rotatable horizontally, it becomes possible to achieve the same effects as those of each of the above-described embodiments.

[0083] Furthermore, the airflow direction adjustment device 1 is not limited to being used in automobiles, but may be used for any other purposes. [Industrial Applicability]

[0084] The present invention can be suitably used as, for example, a wind direction adjusting device for an air conditioner in an automobile. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1 Wind direction adjustment device 3 Case body 5. Ventilation channel 15 Finn 20 Control section 30 valves 35 Links 38 Link connection part

Claims

1. a case body defining an air passage therein; a fin that is rotatably disposed in the air passage of the case body and adjusts the air direction in response to the rotation; a valve that is disposed in the case body in the air passage so as to be rotatable in a direction intersecting the rotation direction of the fins and that can open and close the air passage in response to the rotation; a link disposed in the case body between the fin of the air passage and the valve, and linking the rotation of the valve with the rotation of the fin, the link is movable in a direction along a rotation direction of the fin, The valve has a link connecting portion that is elongated along the rotation axis of the valve and is connected to the link on the opposite side of the rotation axis from the link when the valve opens the air passage, and is rotated by an external force applied to the link connecting portion from the link side as the link moves. A wind direction adjustment device characterized by:

2. An operating unit for rotating the fin is provided, The fin is rotatable in the operating direction of the operating unit.

2. The airflow direction adjusting device according to claim 1.

3. A plurality of fins are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the case body, The valve is arranged longitudinally along the longitudinal direction.

3. The airflow direction adjusting device according to claim 1 or 2.

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