Air conditioning register

Abstract

To provide a technology which expands an area in which light can be emitted and achieves improvement of visibility and design in an air-conditioning register.SOLUTION: An air-conditioning register (100) used in a vehicle (VH) includes: a cylindrical retainer (30) including a retainer inner wall (30W) defining a retainer ventilation passage (30S) and a retainer opening (306) provided at a downstream end of the retainer ventilation passage (30S); and a lid member (60) provided in the retainer (30) and having an exposed surface (606) exposed from the retainer opening (306) and a retainer facing surface which faces the retainer opening (306) to define an air outlet with the retainer opening (306). The exposed surface (606) is configured to be able to emit light to the outside of the lid member (60).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to air conditioning registers. [Background technology]

[0002] An air conditioning register is known that includes a damper that adjusts the degree of opening and closing of a duct, a knob that adjusts the amount of operation of the damper, a variable resistor that changes its resistance value depending on the amount of operation of the knob, a light source that uses the variable resistor to change the brightness and color of its light depending on the amount of operation of the knob, and a light guide arranged around a ventilation opening (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-104842 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional technology, the light-emitting area is limited to the area around the ventilation opening, but there is a demand for an expanded light-emitting area for air-conditioning registers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present disclosure can be realized in the following forms. [Form 1] An air-conditioning register for use in a vehicle, comprising: a cylindrical retainer having a retainer inner wall that defines a retainer ventilation passage and a retainer opening provided at the downstream end of the retainer ventilation passage; a cover member provided inside the retainer, the cover member having an exposed surface that is exposed from the retainer opening and a retainer-facing surface that faces the retainer opening and defines an air outlet between the retainer opening and the cover member; a light-emitting unit that emits light to illuminate the exposed surface; a light-emitting control unit that controls the light-emitting unit; and a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information related to the vehicle in which the air-conditioning register is installed, wherein the exposed surface is configured to be able to emit light toward the outside of the cover member, and the light-emitting control unit causes the light-emitting unit to emit light in association with the vehicle information. [Feature 2] An air conditioning register for use in a vehicle, comprising: a cylindrical retainer having a retainer inner wall defining a retainer ventilation passage and a retainer opening provided at a downstream end of the retainer ventilation passage; a cover member provided inside the retainer, the cover member having an exposed surface exposed from the retainer opening, and a retainer facing surface facing the retainer opening and defining an air outlet between the retainer opening and the exposed surface, the exposed surface being configured to be able to emit light toward the outside of the cover member, the retainer opening having one side and another side facing the one side, the retainer facing surface defining the air outlets as a first air outlet between the retainer opening and the one side, and a second air outlet between the retainer opening and the other side, the first air outlet and the second air outlet being configured such that the direction of the airflow blown out from the first air outlet and the direction of the airflow blown out from the second air outlet intersect each other, and further comprising: a first retainer ventilation passage defined between the cover member and a first retainer inner wall that is continuous with the one side of the retainer opening, the first retainer ventilation passage communicating with the first air outlet; an air conditioning register comprising: a second retainer ventilation passage defined between the cover member and a second retainer inner wall that is continuous with another side of the retainer opening, the second retainer ventilation passage communicating with the second air outlet; and a diverter section disposed inside the retainer for diverting the retainer ventilation passage into the first retainer ventilation passage and the second retainer ventilation passage, the cover member configured to be rotatable inside the retainer and switchable between a first rotation state in which the flow path resistance of the first retainer ventilation passage is increased and the flow path resistance of the second retainer ventilation passage is decreased, and a second rotation state in which the flow path resistance of the first retainer ventilation passage is decreased and the flow path resistance of the second retainer ventilation passage is increased; the air conditioning register further comprises a light-emitting section that emits light, the exposed surface of the light-emitting section being configured to allow the emitted light to transmit toward an outside of the cover member, the light-emitting section being fixed inside the cover member and rotating together with the rotation of the cover member. [Mode 3] An air-conditioning register for use in a vehicle, comprising: a cylindrical retainer having a retainer inner wall that defines a retainer ventilation passage and a retainer opening provided at a downstream end of the retainer ventilation passage; and a lid member provided inside the retainer, the lid member having an exposed surface that is exposed from the retainer opening and a retainer facing surface that faces the retainer opening and defines an air outlet between the retainer opening and the exposed surface, the exposed surface being configured to be able to emit light toward the outside of the lid member, the retainer opening having one side and another side facing the one side, the retainer facing surface defining the air outlets as a first air outlet between the one side of the retainer opening and a second air outlet between the other side of the retainer opening, the first air outlet and the second air outlet being configured to direct the air flow direction of the air blown out of the first air outlet and the air flow direction of the air blown out of the second air outlet. and the directions of airflow and ventilation intersect with each other, further comprising: a first retainer ventilation passage defined between the cover member and a first retainer inner wall that is continuous with one side of the retainer opening and the first retainer inner wall; a second retainer ventilation passage defined between the cover member and a second retainer inner wall that is continuous with the other side of the retainer opening and the first retainer inner wall; and a diverter portion disposed inside the retainer for diverting the retainer ventilation passage into the first retainer ventilation passage and the second retainer ventilation passage; and a flat first fin provided in the first retainer ventilation passage and rotatable around a central axis that intersects the first retainer inner wall; and a flat second fin provided in the second retainer ventilation passage and rotatable around a central axis that intersects the second retainer inner wall.

[0006] (1) According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an air-conditioning register for use in a vehicle. The air-conditioning register includes: a cylindrical retainer having a retainer inner wall defining a retainer air passage and a retainer opening provided at a downstream end of the retainer air passage; and a cover member provided inside the retainer, the cover member having an exposed surface exposed from the retainer opening and a retainer-facing surface facing the retainer opening and defining an air outlet between the exposed surface and the retainer opening. The exposed surface is configured to emit light toward the outside of the cover member. According to this type of air-conditioning register, the exposed surface of the retainer opening is used as a light-emitting area, thereby expanding the light-emitting area and improving visibility and design. (2) The air-conditioning register of the above aspect may further include a light-emitting portion that emits light to illuminate the exposed surface. According to the air-conditioning register of this type, the exposed surface can be made to emit light with a simple configuration. (3) In the air-conditioning register of the above form, the light-emitting unit may be arranged inside the cover member, and the exposed surface may be configured to allow the emitted light to pass through toward the outside of the cover member. According to this type of air-conditioning register, by using the cover member as an area for arranging the light-emitting unit, it is possible to prevent the air-conditioning register from becoming larger in size due to the installation of the light-emitting unit. (4) In the air-conditioning register of the above aspect, the exposed surface may have a light guide, and the light-emitting portion may be disposed at a position where the emitted light can be introduced into the light guide. According to this type of air-conditioning register, the exposed surface can be made to emit light, thereby improving the visibility of the air-conditioning register. (5) The air conditioning register of the above aspect may further include a light emission control unit that controls the light emitting unit, and an air conditioning information acquisition unit that acquires air conditioning information related to air conditioning. The light emission control unit may cause the light emitting unit to emit light in association with the air conditioning information. According to this type of air conditioning register, by associating the light emitting process of the light emitting section with air conditioning information, the exposed surface can function as a display section that displays air conditioning information. (6) In the air-conditioning register of the above aspect, the air-conditioning information may include a wind direction of air blown out of the air outlet, and the light-emission control unit may cause the light-emitting unit to emit light in a light-emission direction associated with the wind direction. According to the air-conditioning register of this type, the exposed surface can be used as a display unit that displays the wind direction. (7) In the air conditioning register of the above aspect, the air conditioning information may include temperature information including at least one of an air conditioning temperature and an air temperature, and the light emission control unit may cause the light emitting unit to emit light in a color associated with the temperature information. According to this type of air-conditioning register, the exposed surface can function as a display unit that displays temperature information. (8) The air-conditioning register of the above aspect may further include a light-emission control unit that controls the light-emitting unit, and a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information related to a vehicle in which the air-conditioning register is installed. The light-emission control unit may cause the light-emitting unit to emit light in association with the vehicle information. According to this type of air conditioning register, the exposed surface can be used as a display unit that displays vehicle information. (9) In the air-conditioning register according to the above aspect, the vehicle information may include a driving direction of the vehicle, and the light-emission control unit may cause the light-emitting unit to emit light in a light-emission direction associated with the driving direction. According to this type of air-conditioning register, the exposed surface can be used as a display unit that displays the direction in which the vehicle is traveling. (10) In the air-conditioning register of the above aspect, the retainer opening may have one side and another side opposing the one side. The retainer opposing surface may define, as the air outlets, a first air outlet between the one side of the retainer opening and the retainer opposing surface, and a second air outlet between the other side of the retainer opening. The first air outlet and the second air outlet may be configured such that the direction of the airflow blown out from the first air outlet and the direction of the airflow blown out from the second air outlet intersect each other. According to the air-conditioning register of this type, the flow direction of the airflow blown out from the air-conditioning register can be adjusted by the simple method of adjusting the balance of the airflow volume. (11) The air conditioning register of the above configuration may further include a first retainer ventilation passage defined between a first retainer inner wall that is continuous with one side of the retainer opening and the cover member and communicating with the first air outlet; a second retainer ventilation passage defined between a second retainer inner wall that is continuous with the other side of the retainer opening and the cover member and communicating with the second air outlet; and a diversion section disposed inside the retainer for diverting the retainer ventilation passage into the first retainer ventilation passage and the second retainer ventilation passage. According to the air-conditioning register of this aspect, the air can be diverted into the first retainer-air-passage passage and the second retainer-air-passage passage with a simple configuration. (12) In the air-conditioning register of the above aspect, the cover member may be configured to be rotatable inside the retainer, and the rotation may be switchable between a first rotation state in which the flow path resistance of the first retainer-ventilation passage is increased and the flow path resistance of the second retainer-ventilation passage is decreased, and a second rotation state in which the flow path resistance of the first retainer-ventilation passage is decreased and the flow path resistance of the second retainer-ventilation passage is increased. According to the air-conditioning register of this type, the flow direction of the air blown out from the air-conditioning register can be changed by the simple method of rotating the cover member. (13) The air-conditioning register of the above aspect may further include a light-emitting unit that emits light. The exposed surface may be configured to allow the emitted light to pass through toward the outside of the cover member. The light-emitting unit may be fixed inside the cover member and may rotate together with the rotation of the cover member. According to the air-conditioning register of this type, the direction of the air blown out from the air-conditioning register can be correlated with the position of the light emitted from the light-emitting portion by the simple method of rotating the cover member. (14) In the air-conditioning register of the above form, the diverter section may be switchable between a first diverter state in which the opening of the flow path communicating with the first retainer ventilation passage is reduced and the opening of the flow path communicating with the second retainer ventilation passage is increased, and a second diverter state in which the opening of the flow path communicating with the first retainer ventilation passage is increased and the opening of the flow path communicating with the second retainer ventilation passage is reduced. According to the air-conditioning register of this configuration, the direction of the air blown out from the air-conditioning register can be switched by a simple configuration in which the flow rate is adjusted by the flow dividing section. (15) The air conditioning register of the above configuration may further include a flat first fin provided in the first retainer ventilation passage and configured to be rotatable around a central axis that intersects with the inner wall of the first retainer, and a flat second fin provided in the second retainer ventilation passage and configured to be rotatable around a central axis that intersects with the inner wall of the second retainer. According to the air-conditioning register of this aspect, the flow direction of air between the first air outlet and the second air outlet can be switched by the simple method of rotating the first fins and the second fins. The present disclosure can also be realized in various forms other than air-conditioning registers, such as a method for manufacturing an air-conditioning register, a vehicle equipped with an air-conditioning register, an air-conditioning device, a vehicle control method, an air-conditioning device control method, an air-conditioning register control method, a computer program for implementing these control methods, a non-transitory recording medium on which the computer program is recorded, etc. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of an air-conditioning register according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the air-conditioning register. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of each part of the air-conditioning register. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of each part of the lid member. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the air-conditioning register with the light-emitting unit turned on. [Figure 6] Cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in Figure 2. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow direction of air conditioning air inside the air conditioning register in a neutral state. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow direction of air conditioning air in the air conditioning register in the first rotation state. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of an air-conditioning register according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX in FIG. 9. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow direction of air conditioning air in the air conditioning register in a neutral state. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow direction of air in the air-conditioning register in the first flow division state. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the light-emitting unit emits light in a first current dividing state. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing other modes of light emission states of the light-emitting portion. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of an air-conditioning register according to a third embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a light emitting portion of the air-conditioning register of the third embodiment is emitting light. [Figure 17] 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XVII-XVII in FIG. 15. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow direction of air conditioning air in the air conditioning register in a neutral state. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a simulation result of the flow velocity of the airflow in the air-conditioning register in the first flow division state. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a simulation result of the flow velocity of the airflow in the air-conditioning register in the second flow division state. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of an air-conditioning register according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the air-conditioning register with the light-emitting unit turned on. [Figure 23] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of an air-conditioning register according to another embodiment. [Figure 24]FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of an air-conditioning register according to a fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] A. First embodiment: FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of an air-conditioning register 100 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the exterior configuration of the air-conditioning register 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the air-conditioning register 100 is mounted in the cabin of a vehicle VH. In the example of FIG. 1, the air-conditioning register 100 is incorporated, for example, in an instrument panel 10 near a steering wheel 12 of the vehicle. The air-conditioning register 100 blows conditioned air supplied through an air duct from an air conditioning unit (not shown) provided in the vehicle VH into the cabin. Note that X, Y, and Z shown in FIG. 1 and the subsequent figures represent three mutually orthogonal spatial axes. In this specification, the directions along these axes are also referred to as the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction. When specifying a direction, a positive direction is indicated by "+" and a negative direction is indicated by "-", and positive and negative signs are used in combination to indicate the direction, with the direction indicated by the arrow in each figure being the + direction and the opposite direction being the - direction. In the present disclosure, an example will be described in which the X direction coincides with the width direction of the vehicle, the +X direction coincides with the right direction when the vehicle is viewed from behind, the −X direction coincides with the left direction, the Y direction coincides with the traveling direction of the vehicle, the +Y direction coincides with the backward traveling direction, the −Y direction coincides with the forward traveling direction, the Z direction coincides with the vertical direction, the +Z direction coincides with the downward vertical direction, and the −Z direction coincides with the upward vertical direction.

[0009] 1, the air-conditioning register 100 includes a light-emitting unit 70 and a control device 90 that controls the light-emitting unit 70. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the air-conditioning register 100 includes a retainer 30, a bezel 20, a cover member 60, an exposed surface 606, a first air outlet 101, and a second air outlet 102.

[0010] The light-emitting unit 70 is a light source that emits light to illuminate the exposed surface 606. In this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 70 is a so-called LED lighting module in which a plurality of LED light-emitting elements 72 are arranged in a grid pattern on a reflective substrate. In the example of FIG. 2, the plurality of LED light-emitting elements 72 are arranged in three rows L1, L2, and L3 along the vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the light-emitting unit 70 is disposed inside the air-conditioning register 100, more specifically, inside the light-transmitting cover member 60.

[0011] The LED light-emitting element 72 is an element including a semiconductor that emits light when a voltage is applied. In this embodiment, the LED light-emitting element 72 is configured as a so-called full-color LED, which is a combination of LED elements capable of emitting red, green, and blue light. Various types of LED light-emitting elements, such as a bullet-type element or a surface-mount device (SMD) type element, can be used for the LED light-emitting element 72. The LED light-emitting element 72 emits light using various methods, such as on / off, dimming, and color adjustment, under the control of the light-emission control unit 922. FIG. 2 shows a state in which all of the LED light-emitting elements 72 are off. The LED light-emitting element 72 is not limited to those capable of emitting red, green, and blue light; LEDs that emit only a single color may also be used. The LED light-emitting element 72 may be configured to emit light of a desired color by combining it with a fluorescent material or by using an ultraviolet or near-ultraviolet LED.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1 , the control device 90 is a microcomputer or logic circuit having a CPU 92 as a central processing unit, a memory 94 such as ROM or RAM, and an interface circuit 96. The memory stores programs for implementing the various functions provided in this embodiment, such as a light-emitting program 942 for implementing the light-emitting process of the light-emitting unit 70. The CPU loads these programs into RAM or the like and executes them to implement some or all of the functions of the light-emitting control unit 922, etc. The interface circuit 96 is connected to a vehicle information acquisition unit 98 for acquiring vehicle information used in the light-emitting process and an air-conditioning information acquisition unit 99 for acquiring air-conditioning information used in the light-emitting process. In this embodiment, the light-emitting control unit 922 acquires the on / off state of the supply of air-conditioning air from an air conditioner (not shown) from the air-conditioning information acquisition unit 99 and performs light-emitting process to switch the light-emitting unit 70 on and off in accordance with the on / off state of the supply of air-conditioning air.

[0013] The vehicle information acquisition unit 98 is a variety of sensors provided in the vehicle VH, and acquires vehicle information related to the vehicle VH. The vehicle information acquisition unit 98 includes, for example, an acceleration sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, a yaw rate sensor, a vehicle position sensor, and various ECUs provided in the vehicle VH. "Vehicle information" includes, for example, the traveling direction of the vehicle VH. The vehicle information may further include the traveling speed of the vehicle VH, position information of the vehicle VH, acceleration of the vehicle VH, yaw rate (rotational angular velocity) around the vertical axis of the center of gravity of the vehicle VH, and the driving mode of the vehicle VH. The driving mode of the vehicle VH includes, for example, information on whether the vehicle VH is in an autonomous driving mode or a manual driving mode. "Autonomous driving" refers to driving in which drive unit control, brake control, and steering angle control are all performed automatically without the driver performing any driving operations. "Manual driving" means driving in which the driver performs operations for controlling the drive unit (pressing the accelerator pedal), for controlling the brakes (pressing the brake pedal), and for controlling the steering angle (turning the steering wheel).

[0014] The air conditioning information acquisition unit 99 is a set of various sensors provided in the air conditioning register 100 or an air conditioning device (not shown) provided in the vehicle VH, and acquires air conditioning information related to air conditioning. The air conditioning information acquisition unit 99 includes, for example, a temperature sensor that acquires the temperature of the vehicle cabin, a sensor that acquires the angle and orientation of fins 66 (described later) provided in the air conditioning register 100, and various sensors and control devices provided in the air conditioning device. The "air conditioning information" includes information on whether the supply of air for conditioning is on or off, the wind direction, humidity, and temperature information of the air blown out from the air conditioning register 100. The "temperature information" includes at least one of the air conditioning temperature and the temperature inside the vehicle cabin. The "air conditioning temperature" may include, for example, the temperature of the air for conditioning blown out from the air conditioning register 100 and the set temperature of the air conditioning device. The air conditioning information may also include information on various settings of the air conditioning register 100 and the air conditioning device, such as air volume and air speed. In this embodiment, the air conditioning information acquisition unit 99 acquires only the on / off state of the supply of air for air conditioning as air conditioning information.

[0015] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of each part of the air-conditioning register 100. As shown in FIG. 3, the retainer 30 is a cylindrical structure having a retainer ventilation passage 30S formed therein. The retainer 30 can be formed using any material, such as a resin material, a metal material, or an inorganic material. The retainer 30 is configured to be opaque to visible light, for example, using a colored resin material. The retainer 30 has a first wall portion 302, a second wall portion 304, and a side wall portion 303.

[0016] The first wall portion 302 is a vertically upper wall surface that constitutes the retainer 30. The second wall portion 304 is a vertically lower wall surface. The side wall portion 303 is a wall surface that connects the first wall portion 302 and the second wall portion 304. As will be described later, the side wall portion 303 is provided with a fitting hole 308 for fitting with a protrusion 646 provided on the cover member 60. The inner wall surface of the first wall portion 302 is also referred to as the "first retainer inner wall 302W," and the inner wall surface of the second wall portion 304 is also referred to as the "second retainer inner wall 304W." The inner wall surfaces of the walls 302, 303, and 304 are also collectively referred to as the "retainer inner wall 30W." The retainer inner wall 30W defines the retainer ventilation passage 30S.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 3 , a retainer opening 306 is formed at one end of the retainer 30, and an inlet 305 is formed at the other end. The inlet 305 receives air supplied from the vehicle's air conditioning system. The retainer opening 306 is located at the downstream end of the retainer ventilation passage 30S and faces the vehicle interior. The retainer opening 306 is connected to the inlet 305 via the retainer ventilation passage 30S. The retainer opening 306 has a generally rectangular shape that is elongated along the vehicle width direction. One of the long sides of the retainer opening 306 is also referred to as the "first side 306s1," and the other side is also referred to as the "second side 306s2." In this embodiment, the first side 306s1 is located on the upper vertical side and is continuous with the first retainer inner wall 302W of the retainer inner wall 30W. The second side 306s2 is located on the lower vertical side facing the first side 306s1. The second side 306s2 is continuous with the second retainer inner wall 304W of the retainer inner wall 30W.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, when a cover member 60 (described later) is housed inside the retainer 30, a slit-shaped first air outlet 101 is formed between the first side 306s1 and the cover member 60 and along the first side 306s1, and a slit-shaped second air outlet 102 is formed between the second side 306s2 and the cover member 60 and along the second side 306s2. As indicated by arrows AR in FIG. 2, air for conditioning supplied from an air conditioner (not shown) flows into the retainer air passage 30S from the inlet 305 and is blown out into the vehicle cabin from the first air outlet 101 and the second air outlet 102. Note that in the present disclosure, a position closer to the air conditioner with respect to a predetermined reference position in the flow direction of the air for conditioning air may also be referred to as "upstream" or "upstream side," and a position farther from the air conditioner may also be referred to as "downstream," "downstream side," "front face," or "front face side."

[0019] The cover member 60 is a hollow structure through which air conditioning air can flow. In this embodiment, the cover member 60 is formed using a resin material such as polycarbonate, acrylic, or polyvinyl chloride, or a light-transmitting material such as glass. As shown in FIG. 3 , the cover member 60 is formed with a first slit 602 communicating with the first air outlet 101 and a second slit 604 communicating with the second air outlet 102. The cover member 60 has a substantially cylindrical exterior shape and is disposed in the retainer air passage 30S so that its axial direction coincides with the vehicle width direction. Note that all of the components of the cover member 60 may be light-transmitting, or, for example, only a portion of the cover member 60 corresponding to an exposed surface 606, such as a front wall portion 62 (described later), may be configured to be light-transmitting.

[0020] The lid member 60 is disposed in the retainer ventilation passage 30S near the retainer opening 306 so as to cover the retainer opening 306 from inside the retainer 30. By covering the retainer opening 306 with the lid member 60, the internal structure of the air-conditioning register 100 cannot be easily seen from the outside. Note that "the lid member 60 covers the retainer opening 306" means that the lid member 60 covers the retainer opening 306 to the extent that the internal structure of the air-conditioning register 100 cannot be seen from the outside, and allows flow paths for air-conditioning air, such as the first air outlet 101 and the second air outlet 102, to be formed between the lid member 60 and the retainer opening 306.

[0021] The exposed surface 606 shown in FIG. 2 is the portion of the cover member 60 that is exposed through the retainer opening 306. The exposed surface 606 can be decorated, for example, to improve the design. "Decoration" refers to the addition of decorative elements. Decoration can include, for example, painting, plating, printing, coloring, surface treatment, surface processing, and the addition of decorative members. Decoration may be performed during the manufacture of the air-conditioning register 100, or by the user of the vehicle or the air-conditioning register 100.

[0022] The bezel 20 is a frame in which a bezel opening 206 is formed. The bezel opening 206 has a rectangular shape that is elongated in the vehicle width direction, and in this embodiment, is formed to approximately match the shape of the retainer opening 306. The bezel 20 is connected to the downstream end of the retainer 30 so that the bezel opening 206 overlaps with the retainer opening 306, and an exposed surface 606 is exposed from the bezel opening 206. As a result, the bezel 20, together with the exposed surface 606, constitutes the design surface of the air conditioning register 100 when viewed from the front.

[0023] Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of each part of the cover member 60. As shown in Fig. 4, the cover member 60 is formed by assembling a front wall portion 62, an upper wall portion 63, a lower wall portion 64, fins 66, and a diverter portion 68 together so as to accommodate the light-emitting portion 70 inside.

[0024] The front wall 62 functions as the front wall surface of the cover member 60. The front wall 62 has a front surface 626 and a concave shaft fitting portion 628. The shaft fitting portion 628 is provided on the back surface of the cover member 60, opposite the front surface 626, and the diverter portion 68 is fitted into the shaft fitting portion 628. The front surface 626 is configured as a curved surface that convexly extends outward from the air-conditioning register 100. The front surface 626 has a linear edge 623 located at its upper end and a linear edge 624 located at its lower end. A portion of the front surface 626 is exposed through the retainer opening 306, and the remaining portion faces the retainer inner wall 30W. The surface of the front surface 626 exposed through the retainer opening 306 functions as the exposed surface 606. The surface of the cover member 60 that faces the retainer inner wall 30W is also referred to as the “retainer-facing surface.”

[0025] The upper wall portion 63 functions as the upper wall surface of the lid member 60. The upper wall portion 63 includes a top surface portion 632 and two side wall portions 634 continuous with both ends of the top surface portion 632. The top surface portion 632 is formed with the same number of fitting holes 638 as the number of fins 66 for fitting with protrusions 662 provided on the fins 66. A linear edge 632E is formed on the front side of the top surface portion 632. When the lid member 60 is formed, the edge 632E is spaced apart from and faces the edge 623 of the front wall portion 62. As a result, a first slit 602 shown in FIG. 3 is formed between the edge 632E and the edge 623.

[0026] The lower wall portion 64 functions as a lower wall surface of the lid member 60. The lower wall portion 64 includes a lower surface portion 642 and two side wall portions 644 continuous with both ends of the lower surface portion 642. The lower wall portion 64 has the same number of fitting holes 648 formed therein as the number of fins 66 for fitting with the protrusions 662 provided on the fins 66. A linear edge 642E is formed on the front side of the lower surface portion 642. When the lid member 60 is formed, the edge 642E faces and is spaced apart from the edge 624 of the front wall portion 62. As a result, a second slit 604 shown in FIG. 3 is formed between the edge 642E and the edge 624.

[0027] An upper end 644T of each of the two side wall portions 644 is joined to a lower end 634B of a side wall portion 634 of the upper wall portion 63. A protrusion 646 that protrudes toward the outside of the cover member 60 is formed on each of the upper ends 644T. The protrusion 646 has a generally cylindrical shape and fits into a fitting hole 308 formed in the side wall portion 303 of the retainer 30. This allows the cover member 60 to be rotatable about the central axis AX in the retainer ventilation passage 30S.

[0028] The fins 66 are housed inside the cover member 60 and switch the direction of the air blown out from the first air outlet 101 and the second air outlet 102 between left and right along the vehicle width direction. The fins 66 include a protrusion 662, a first fin 664, a second fin 665, an axis 666, and a connecting portion 668.

[0029] The first fin 664 and the second fin 665 are substantially flat plate-shaped members having an outer shape corresponding to the shape of the flow path inside the cover member 60. The first fin 664 and the second fin 665 are attached to the shaft portion 666 so as to be rotatable around a central axis AX2, which is the axial direction of the shaft portion 666. In this embodiment, the first fin 664 and the second fin 665 are integrally formed with one shaft portion 666 and a connecting portion 668, and share the central axis AX2.

[0030] The protrusions 662 are disposed at the upper and lower ends of the shaft 666. The protrusions 662 have a generally cylindrical shape and fit into the fitting holes 638 of the upper wall 63 and 648 of the lower wall 64. This allows the fin 66 to be rotatable about the central axis AX2 of the shaft 666 inside the cover member 60. In this embodiment, the central axis AX2 coincides with the vertical direction. However, the central axis AX2 is not limited to the vertical direction and may be configured to be in any direction that intersects with the first retainer inner wall 302W and the second retainer inner wall 304W.

[0031] The connecting portion 668 functions as a so-called link mechanism for rotating the shaft portion 666. In the present embodiment, for example, the connecting portion 668 can be connected to the front wall portion 62. In this case, by moving the front wall portion 62 back and forth along the vehicle width direction, the connecting portion 668 moves along the vehicle width direction. The back and forth movement of the connecting portion 668 is transmitted to the shaft portion 666, causing the shaft portion 666 to rotate around the central axis AX2. The rotation of the shaft portion 666 switches the surface directions of the first fin 664 and the second fin 665. As a result, the flow direction of air inside the cover member 60 switches between left and right along the vehicle width direction. The connecting portion 668 may be connected to an operating lever (not shown) or the like instead of the front wall portion 62.

[0032] The light-emitting unit 70 is housed inside the cover member 60 when the front wall portion 62, the upper wall portion 63, and the lower wall portion 64 are joined together. In this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 70 is fixed to the inner wall surface of the cover member 60 at a position closer to the front wall portion 62 than the fins 66. As a result, the light-emitting unit 70 can rotate around the central axis AX in synchronization with the rotation of the cover member 60.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 4, the flow diverter 68 is a shaft member that is long along the vehicle width direction. The flow diverter 68 divides the flow path inside the cover member 60 into two directions. The flow diverter 68 includes a support recess 682 for rotatably supporting the shaft 666 of the fin 66, and a protrusion 684. The flow diverter 68 is fitted into the shaft fitting portion 628 of the front wall 62 with the shaft 666 inserted into the support recess 682.

[0034] The flow diverter 68 has two slopes, a first slope 683 and a second slope 685, which are connected to each other with the protrusion 684 at the apex. The protrusion 684 is located upstream of the retainer-air-passage passage 30S. As a result, the flow diverter 68 is located in the retainer-air-passage passage 30S and protrudes toward the inlet 305. By forming the flow diverter 68 to protrude upstream, the flow path can be diverted upward and downward while suppressing an increase in flow path resistance. The cross-sectional shape of the flow diverter 68 is not limited to a triangle, and may be various shapes such as a flat plate, a circle, an ellipse, a rectangle, a hexagon, an octagon, or other polygon. In cases where the retainer-air-passage passage 30S has two flow paths corresponding to the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102, respectively, and air for conditioning is supplied to the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102 separately, the flow diverter 68 may be omitted. In the air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, by providing a diversion section 68, the flow path can be diverted to the first air outlet 101 and the second air outlet 102 with a simple configuration without providing a complex flow path in the retainer air passage 30S.

[0035] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the exterior of the air-conditioning register 100 with the light-emitting unit 70 turned on. FIG. 5 illustrates a state in which all of the LED light-emitting elements 72 provided in the light-emitting unit 70 are turned on. As described above, the cover member 60 is formed using a light-transmitting material. Therefore, light 72L emitted from the light-emitting unit 70 disposed inside can pass through the cover member 60 toward the vehicle interior, i.e., the exterior of the cover member 60. Note that, in this embodiment, the cover member 60 is processed to have a low light transmittance so that the interior of the cover member 60 cannot be seen, i.e., to be semi-transparent. This configuration allows light 72L from the light-emitting unit 70 to pass through from the interior, while the internal structure is difficult to see even when the light-emitting unit 70 is turned off and not emitting light, thereby providing an air-conditioning register 100 with a high level of design. Note that all of the cover member 60 may be light-transmitting, or, for example, only the front wall portion 62 may be light-transmitting. Alternatively, only the area of ​​the cover member 60 corresponding to the exposed surface 606 may be light-transmitting.

[0036] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 2. FIG. 6 shows the air-conditioning register 100 in a neutral state. The "neutral state" refers to a state in which the internal structure of the air-conditioning register 100 is configured so that the flow rate of air blown out from the first air outlet 101 and the flow rate of air blown out from the second air outlet 102 are substantially equal. In this embodiment, the internal structure of the air-conditioning register 100 can be switched by adjusting the orientation of the cover member 60 by rotating the cover member 60, as will be described later. Note that in FIG. 6 and in FIGS. 7 and 8, which will be described later, the cross-sectional structures of the front wall portion 62 and the diverter portion 68 are simplified to facilitate understanding of the technology.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 6 , in this embodiment, the neutral state is achieved by the internal structure of the air-conditioning register 100 being in a so-called mirror-symmetric state, in which the internal structure is vertically symmetrical with respect to the Y direction including the central axis AX. The orientation of the cover member 60 in the neutral state is a direction DT1 that substantially coincides with the Y direction. The “orientation of the cover member 60” can be defined, for example, by a line DT connecting the midpoint CP of the front surface 626 of the cover member 60 to the central axis AX. The “midpoint CP of the front surface 626” can be defined, for example, by a position on the front surface 626 where the linear distance to the edge 623 and the linear distance to the edge 624 are substantially the same. The light-emitting unit 70 is fixed inside the cover member 60 so that the direction of light emitted from the light-emitting unit 70 is in a direction DT1 that is substantially the same as the orientation of the cover member 60.

[0038] 6, flow paths are formed inside and around the cover member 60 to guide the conditioning air flowing in from the inlet 305 to the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102. Specifically, a first internal flow path 601 is formed inside the cover member 60 between the first inclined surface 683 of the flow dividing section 68 and the upper surface 632, and a second internal flow path 603 is formed between the second inclined surface 685 and the lower surface 642. The first internal flow path 601 communicates with the first slit 602, and the second internal flow path 603 communicates with the second slit 604.

[0039] A first retainer ventilation passage 612 and a second retainer ventilation passage 614 are formed on the outside of the cover member 60. The first retainer ventilation passage 612 is a flow path defined between the first retainer inner wall 302W and a front surface 626 of the cover member 60, and the second retainer ventilation passage 614 is a flow path defined between the second retainer inner wall 304W and the front surface 626. The first retainer ventilation passage 612 connects the first slit 602 and the first air outlet 101, and the second retainer ventilation passage 614 connects the second slit 604 and the second air outlet 102.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 6 , in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shapes of first retainer inner wall 302W and second retainer inner wall 304W are substantially arc-shaped corresponding to the outer cross-sectional shape of cover member 60. With this configuration, by rotating cover member 60, the balance between the flow path length of first retainer-ventilation passage 612 and the flow path length of second retainer-ventilation passage 614 can be changed while the flow path height of first retainer-ventilation passage 612 and the flow path height of second retainer-ventilation passage 614 are kept substantially constant. In other words, by rotating cover member 60, the balance between the flow path resistance of first retainer-ventilation passage 612 and the flow path resistance of second retainer-ventilation passage 614 can be changed. With this configuration, by rotating cover member 60, the balance between the flow rate, flow velocity, etc. of the air blown out from first outlet 101 and the air blown out from second outlet 102 can be easily adjusted.

[0041] FIG. 6 schematically shows the blowing direction DS1 of air blown out from the first outlet 101 and the blowing direction DS2 of air blown out from the second outlet 102. The "air blowing direction" refers to the macroscopic flow direction of air at the outlet. The air blowing direction DS1 can be determined, for example, by a tangent to the first edge 306s1 of the first retainer inner wall 302W in a cross-sectional view or a tangent to the surface of the lid member 60 facing that position. The blowing direction DS2 can be determined by a tangent to the second edge 306s2 of the second retainer inner wall 304W or a tangent to the surface of the lid member 60 facing that position. In this embodiment, the blowing directions DS1 and DS2 intersect at an intersection IS shown in FIG. 6 , so that the air blown out from the first outlet 101 and the air blown out from the second outlet 102 converge near the front surface 626.

[0042] 6 shows a state in which air from the air conditioner is not being supplied to the air conditioning register 100. The light emission control unit 922 acquires air conditioning information from the air conditioning information acquisition unit 99 that the supply of air for conditioning has been turned off, and switches off the LED light emitting element 72 of the light emitting unit 70. Therefore, in FIG. 6, the light emitting unit 70 is in an off state.

[0043] 7 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the flow direction of air-conditioning air inside the air-conditioning register 100 in a neutral state. When air from the air conditioner is supplied to the air-conditioning register 100, the air-conditioning air that flows from the inlet 305 into the retainer air-passage passage 30S flows to the protruding portion 684 of the diverter portion 68, as shown by arrows S11 and S21 in FIG.

[0044] 7, when air from the air conditioner is supplied to the air-conditioning register 100, the light-emitting control unit 922 acquires from the air-conditioning information acquisition unit 99 that the supply of air-conditioning air has been turned on, and switches on the LED light-emitting elements 72 of the light-emitting unit 70. As shown in FIG. 7, when the air-conditioning register 100 is in the neutral state, all of the light LT1, LT2, LT3 emitted from the LED light-emitting elements 72 in rows L1, L2, L3 passes through the exposed surface 606 and is emitted forward of the air-conditioning register 100.

[0045] When the air supplied to retainer ventilation passage 30S reaches protrusion 684, it is diverted by protrusion 684 into first internal flow path 601 and second internal flow path 603, as shown by arrows S12 and S22. By operating fin 66 to rotate shaft 666 and switch the surface directions of first fin 664 and second fin 665, the flow direction of the diverged air shown by arrows S12 and S22 can be switched left and right along the vehicle width direction.

[0046] Air flowing through first internal flow path 601 is sent out to the outside of cover member 60 through first slit 602, and as shown by arrow S13, flows through first retainer ventilation passage 612. Similarly, air flowing through second internal flow path 603 is sent out to the outside of cover member 60 through second slit 604, and as shown by arrow S23, flows through second retainer ventilation passage 614.

[0047] 7, in the air-conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, in the neutral state, the flow path length W11 of the first retainer-air-passage passage 612 and the flow path length W21 of the second retainer-air-passage passage 614 are configured to be approximately the same. That is, in the neutral state, the flow path resistance of the first retainer-air-passage passage 612 and the flow path resistance of the second retainer-air-passage passage 614 are configured to be approximately the same. As a result, in the neutral state, the flow rates, etc. of the air blown out from the first air outlet 101 and the air blown out from the second air outlet 102 can be made approximately the same.

[0048] As indicated by arrows S14 and S24, the air blown out from first air outlet 101 and second air outlet 102 to the outside of retainer 30 flows over the surface of front surface 626 in accordance with the Coanda effect, and meets on the surface of front surface 626 or at a position separated from the surface of front surface 626 due to separation. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the air that meets with approximately the same flow rate and the like flows toward the front of air-conditioning register 100 in a substantially horizontal direction as indicated by arrow S200.

[0049] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating the flow direction of air-conditioning air inside the air-conditioning register 100 in the first rotation state. In the air-conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, the direction of the air being blown out can be adjusted up and down along the vertical direction by rotating the cover member 60. A user can adjust the direction of the air by, for example, rotating the cover member 60 up and down by manually operating the exposed surface 606. The cover member 60 does not have to be rotated by manual operation of the exposed surface 606, and may also be rotated by an operating lever or the like via a link mechanism connected to the cover member 60.

[0050] As shown in Figure 8, when cover member 60 is rotated upward as indicated by arrow D20, the orientation of cover member 60 switches from direction DT1 to direction DT2 shown in Figure 6. As a result, air-conditioning register 100 can be placed in the first rotation state shown in Figure 8. At this time, light-emitting unit 70 fixed inside cover member 60 rotates in synchronization with the rotation of cover member 60, and the emission direction of light LT1, LT2, LT3 from light-emitting unit 70 switches from direction DT1 to direction DT2.

[0051] In the first rotation state, compared to the neutral state, the flow path length of first retainer ventilation passage 612 is extended from flow path length W11 shown in Fig. 5 to flow path length W12 shown in Fig. 8. In addition, the flow path length of second retainer ventilation passage 614 is shortened from flow path length W21 to flow path length W22. In other words, the first rotation state is a state in which, compared to the neutral state, the flow path resistance is increased by the amount of the lengthening of the flow path length of first retainer ventilation passage 612, and the flow path resistance is decreased by the amount of the shortening of the flow path length of second retainer ventilation passage 614.

[0052] 8, the air conditioning air that flows into retainer-ventilation passage 30S from inlet 305 flows to protruding portion 684 of diverter 68, where it is diverted by protruding portion 684 into first internal flow passage 601 and second internal flow passage 603, as shown by arrows S32 and S42, and is then guided to first slit 602 and second slit 604. The air flowing through first internal flow passage 601 is sent out from first slit 602 to the outside of cover member 60, and flows through first retainer-ventilation passage 612, the length of which is extended, as shown by arrow S33. The air flowing through second internal flow passage 603 is sent out from second slit 604 to the outside of cover member 60, and flows through second retainer-ventilation passage 614, the length of which is shortened, as shown by arrow S43.

[0053] In the first rotation state, the flow rate of air blown out from the second air outlet 102, indicated by arrow S44, is greater than that in the neutral state due to a decrease in flow path resistance, and is also greater than the flow rate of air blown out from the first air outlet 101, indicated by arrow S34. Therefore, the confluence point of the air from the first air outlet 101 and the air from the second air outlet 102 is higher than that in the neutral state. As a result, as indicated by arrow S202 in FIG. 8, the air blown out from the air conditioning register 100 flows upward relative to the horizontal direction, i.e., in a direction at an elevation angle.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 8, air from the air conditioner is supplied to the air conditioning register 100, and the LED light emitting elements 72 in rows L1, L2, and L3 are turned on. In the air conditioning register 100 in the first rotation state shown in Fig. 8, the LED light emitting elements 72 in row L1 and a portion of the LED light emitting elements 72 in row L2 face the retainer inner wall 30W. Therefore, the light LT1 emitted from row L1 and a portion of the light LT2 emitted from row L2 are blocked by the retainer 30. In contrast, the light LT3 from the LED light emitting elements 72 in row L3 and a portion of the light LT2 from the LED light emitting elements 72 in row L2 pass through the exposed surface 606 and are emitted into the vehicle compartment.

[0055] The emission direction of the lights LT2 and LT3 shifts upward as the cover member 60 rotates, and the lights are emitted toward the vicinity of the first air outlet 101. Therefore, a user inside the vehicle cabin sees the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 70 in a state where it is biased toward the upper side of the exposed surface 606 compared to the neutral state. Therefore, with the air-conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, it is possible to associate the airflow direction from the air-conditioning register 100 with the position of the light emitted from the exposed surface 606 without acquiring information such as the amount of rotation of the cover member 60 or the air blowing direction from the air-conditioning information acquisition unit 99 or the like. Note that the lights LT1 and LT2 may be configured to transmit through the retainer 30 and the bezel 20. Even in this case, by switching to the first rotation state, the lights LT1, LT2, and LT3 can be directed toward the upper side of the exposed surface 606 compared to the neutral state, thereby achieving the same effect.

[0056] Although not shown, in the air-conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, by rotating the cover member 60 downward from the neutral state to a second rotation state, the air blown from the air-conditioning register 100 into the vehicle cabin can be directed more downward than in the neutral state. The second rotation state can be achieved, for example, by rotating the cover member 60 to a state in which the first rotation state is upside down with respect to the direction DT1. In the second rotation state, the flow path resistance is reduced by the amount of the flow path length shortened in the first retainer air passage 612 compared to the neutral state, and the flow path resistance is increased by the amount of the flow path length length extended in the second retainer air passage 614. As a result, the air blown from the air-conditioning register 100 can be caused to flow downward, i.e., in a direction at a depression angle relative to the horizontal direction. Furthermore, in the second rotation state, the emission direction of the light LT2 and LT3 is shifted downward as the cover member 60 is rotated, and the light is emitted toward the vicinity of the second air outlet 102. Therefore, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 70 can be biased toward the lower side of the exposed surface 606 compared to the neutral state, and similar to the first rotation state, the direction of the air flow from the air-conditioning register 100 can be correlated with the position of the emitted light displayed on the exposed surface 606.

[0057] As described above, the air-conditioning register 100 of this embodiment includes a retainer 30 and a lid member 60 disposed inside the retainer 30. The lid member 60 has an exposed surface 606 exposed from the retainer opening 306 and a retainer-facing surface facing the retainer opening 306 and defining an air outlet between the retainer opening 306 and the exposed surface 606. The exposed surface 606 is configured to be able to emit light toward the outside of the lid member 60. According to this embodiment, by providing the exposed surface 606 exposed from the inside of the retainer 30 through the retainer opening 306, it is possible to provide an air-conditioning register 100 in which the internal structure is not easily visible and which has a high design quality. Furthermore, by using the exposed surface 606 of the retainer opening 306 as a light-emitting area, the light-emitting area can be expanded, thereby improving the visibility and design quality of the air-conditioning register 100.

[0058] The air-conditioning register 100 of this embodiment further includes a light-emitting unit 70 that emits light to illuminate the exposed surface 606. Therefore, the exposed surface 606 can be illuminated with a simple configuration.

[0059] According to the air-conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 70 is disposed inside the cover member 60, and the exposed surface 606 is configured to allow light emitted from the light-emitting unit 70 to pass through to the outside of the cover member 60. Therefore, by using the cover member 60 of the retainer opening 306 as the arrangement area for the light-emitting unit 70, it is possible to prevent the air-conditioning register 100 from becoming larger due to the installation of the light-emitting unit 70.

[0060] The air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment further includes a light-emission control unit 922 that controls the light-emitting unit 70, and an air-conditioning information acquisition unit 99 that acquires air-conditioning information. The light-emission control unit 922 causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light in association with the on / off status of the air-conditioning air supply as air-conditioning information. By associating the light-emission processing of the light-emitting unit 70 with the air-conditioning information, the exposed surface 606 can function as a display unit that displays the air-conditioning information. This makes it possible to omit components that allow the user to visually check air-conditioning information, such as an indicator that shows the on / off status of the air conditioner, and reduces the number of parts in the air-conditioning register 100 or the instrument panel 10.

[0061] According to the air-conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, the retainer opening 306 has a first side 306s1 and a second side 306s2 opposing the first side 306s1. The front surface 626, which serves as the retainer-opposing surface, defines a first air outlet 101 between the first side 306s1 and the second side 306s2, and a second air outlet 102 between the first side 306s1 and the second side 306s2. The first air outlet 101 and the second air outlet 102 are configured so that the air outlet direction DS1 of the air blown out from the first air outlet 101 and the air outlet direction DS2 of the air blown out from the second air outlet 102 intersect at an intersection IS. By combining the air blown out from the first air outlet 101 and the second air outlet 102, the flow direction of the air blown out from the air-conditioning register 100 can be adjusted by a simple method of adjusting the balance of the air flow rates of the first air outlet 101 and the second air outlet 102.

[0062] Air-conditioning register 100 of the present embodiment further includes a diverting section 68 for diverting retainer-air-passage passage 30S into first retainer-air-passage passage 612 and second retainer-air-passage passage 614. By including diverting section 68, it is possible to cause air to flow to the multiple outlets of first air outlet 101 and second air outlet 102 with a simple configuration, without forming two flow paths that individually communicate with first retainer-air-passage passage 612 and second retainer-air-passage passage 614, and without providing individual air-conditioning air supply sources for first retainer-air-passage passage 612 and second retainer-air-passage passage 614.

[0063] In the air-conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, the cover member 60 is configured to be rotatable within the retainer 30. Rotation of the cover member 60 allows for switching between a first rotation state in which the flow resistance of the first retainer air passage 612 is increased and the flow resistance of the second retainer air passage 614 is decreased, and a second rotation state in which the flow resistance of the first retainer air passage 612 is decreased and the flow resistance of the second retainer air passage 614 is increased. Therefore, the flow direction of the air blown out from the air-conditioning register 100 can be switched by the simple method of rotating the cover member 60. Furthermore, since the flow direction of the air can be adjusted by balancing the flow rate of the first air outlet 101 and the flow rate of the second air outlet 102 that are merged, the flow direction of the air blown out from the air-conditioning register 100 can be adjusted over a wider range than conventional techniques that use fins or the like.

[0064] According to the air-conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 70 is fixed inside the cover member 60 and can rotate about the central axis AX in synchronization with the rotation of the cover member 60. It is possible to associate the airflow direction from the air-conditioning register 100 with the position of the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 70 using a simple method without obtaining information such as the amount of rotation of the cover member 60 or the air blowing direction.

[0065] The air-conditioning register 100 of this embodiment is provided with a flat first fin 664 that is provided in the first retainer air passage 612 and configured to be rotatable about an axis that intersects with the first retainer inner wall 302W, and a flat second fin 665 that is provided in the second retainer air passage 614 and configured to be rotatable about an axis that intersects with the second retainer inner wall 304W. By simply rotating the first fin 664 and the second fin 665, the air flow direction of the first air outlet 101 and the air flow direction of the second air outlet 102 can be switched between the left and right in the vehicle width direction.

[0066] B. Second embodiment: FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the exterior configuration of an air-conditioning register 100b according to the second embodiment. The air-conditioning register 100b of the second embodiment differs from the air-conditioning register 100 of the first embodiment in that it includes a cover member 60b instead of the cover member 60 and in that it also includes an operating lever 40, but the configuration is otherwise similar. In the first embodiment, the cover member 60 is rotatably supported within the retainer-air-passage passage 30S. In contrast, in this embodiment, the cover member 60b is fixed within the retainer-air-passage passage 30S. In this embodiment, the air flow rates of the first air outlet 101b and the second air outlet 102b are adjusted by operating the flow diverter 68b using the operating lever 40, as described below.

[0067] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX in Figure 9. Figure 10 shows the air-conditioning register 100b in a neutral state. As in the first embodiment, the air-conditioning register 100b in a neutral state is formed by the internal structure being mirror-symmetric with respect to the Y direction including the central axis AX.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 10 , lid member 60b includes a front wall portion 62b, fins 66b, and a flow dividing portion 68b. Lid member 60b differs from lid member 60 shown in the first embodiment in that lid member 60b does not include upper wall portion 63, lower wall portion 64, first slit 602, or second slit 604. First retainer-ventilation passage 612b and second retainer-ventilation passage 614b are formed on the exterior of lid member 60b. The flow path heights of first retainer-ventilation passage 612b and second retainer-ventilation passage 614b are substantially the same, and the flow path length W31 of first retainer-ventilation passage 612b and the flow path length W41 of second retainer-ventilation passage 614b are substantially the same. That is, first retainer-ventilation passage 612b and second retainer-ventilation passage 614b are configured to have substantially the same flow path resistance. The configurations of the first air outlet 101b and the second air outlet 102b are similar to those of the first air outlet 101 and the second air outlet 102 shown in the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0069] The front wall portion 62b is the same as the front wall portion 62 shown in the first embodiment in that it has a front surface 626 with a similar cross-sectional shape, but differs in that it does not have a shaft fitting portion 628. The front wall portion 62b is fixed to the retainer inner wall 30W by a fixing tool (not shown).

[0070] The light-emitting unit 70 is fixed inside the front wall portion 62b. The direction in which light is emitted from the light-emitting unit 70 is the direction DT3, which is substantially the same as the orientation of the cover member 60. In this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 70 is associated with the on / off of a switch for starting the vehicle VH, instead of the on / off of the supply of air-conditioning air. Furthermore, the light-emitting control unit 922 performs the light-emitting process of the light-emitting unit 70 using vehicle information acquired by a vehicle information acquisition unit 98 and information on the on / off, wind direction, and temperature of the air blown out from the air-conditioning register 100 acquired by an air-conditioning information acquisition unit 99, as will be described later.

[0071] The fins 66b rotate around the central axis AX2. The fins 66b differ in shape from the fins 66 shown in the first embodiment, but otherwise have the same function and configuration. The upper end protrusions 662 of the fins 66b are fitted into the fitting holes 302T of the first retainer inner wall 302W instead of the fitting holes 638 of the upper wall portion 63, and the lower end protrusions 662 are fitted into the fitting holes 304T of the second retainer inner wall 304W instead of the fitting holes 648 of the lower wall portion 64. In this embodiment, the rotation of the fins 66b can be adjusted, for example, by operating an operating lever (not shown). The amount of rotation of the fins 66b is acquired as air conditioning information indicating the vehicle width direction of the air blown out from the air conditioning register 100 by an air conditioning information acquisition unit 99, such as a variable resistor, for acquiring the amount of operation of the operating lever.

[0072] Diversion portion 68b is a plate-like member that is long along the vehicle width direction. Diversion portion 68b has an upstream end that functions as protrusion 684, and divides retainer-air-passage passage 30S into upper and lower parts. In the example of Fig. 10, diversion portion 68b is arranged in retainer-air-passage passage 30S so that its surface direction is in direction DT3, which is approximately the same as the horizontal plane.

[0073] In this embodiment, a first internal flow path 601b is formed between the upper surface of flow dividing portion 68b and first retainer inner wall 302W, and a second internal flow path 603b is formed between the lower surface of flow dividing portion 68b and second retainer inner wall 304W. First internal flow path 601b communicates with first air outlet 101b via first retainer air passage 612b, and second internal flow path 603b communicates with second air outlet 102b via second retainer air passage 614b.

[0074] As shown by arrow AG2 in Fig. 10, flow diverter 68b is supported by the inner wall of retainer 30 so as to be rotatable about a central axis AX set near the downstream end of flow diverter 68b. Flow diverter 68b is connected to operating lever 40 shown in Fig. 9 by a link mechanism (not shown). Flow diverter 68b can be rotated about central axis AX by operating operating lever 40 in the up or down direction shown by arrow AG1 in Fig. 9. This allows flow diverter 68b to be switched between a first flow diverting state in which protruding portion 684 is adjacent to first retainer inner wall 302W and a second flow diverting state in which protruding portion 684 is adjacent to second retainer inner wall 304W.

[0075] The first flow diversion state is a state in which the opening degree of the first internal flow path 601b communicating with the first retainer air-passage passage 612b is reduced, and the opening degree of the second internal flow path 603b communicating with the second retainer air-passage passage 614b is increased. The second flow diversion state is a state in which the opening degree of the first internal flow path 601b is increased, and the opening degree of the second internal flow path 603b is reduced. In this embodiment, the rotation amount of the flow diversion section 68b is acquired as air conditioning information indicating the vertical direction of the air blown out from the air conditioning register 100 by the air conditioning information acquisition unit 99, such as a variable resistor for acquiring the operation amount of the operating lever 40.

[0076] 11 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the flow direction of air-conditioning air inside the air-conditioning register 100b in the neutral state. In the air-conditioning register 100b in the neutral state, the opening degree of the first internal flow path 601b and the opening degree of the second internal flow path 603b caused by the flow diverter 68b are substantially the same. As shown by arrows S51 and S61 in FIG. 12, the air-conditioning air that flows from the inlet 305 into the retainer-air-passage passage 30S flows to the protruding portion 684 of the flow diverter 68b, and then, as shown by arrows S52 and S62, is diverted by the protruding portion 684 into the first internal flow path 601b and the second internal flow path 603b.

[0077] The air flowing through first internal flow path 601b flows through first retainer ventilation passage 612b as shown by arrow S53. The air flowing through second internal flow path 603b flows through second retainer ventilation passage 614b as shown by arrow S63. The flow path resistance of first retainer ventilation passage 612b and second retainer ventilation passage 614b is approximately the same, and the flow rate of air blown out from first outlet 101b and the flow rate of air blown out from second outlet 102b are approximately the same.

[0078] As indicated by arrows S54 and S64, the air blown out from first air outlet 101b and second air outlet 102b to the outside of retainer 30 flows over the surface of front surface 626 in accordance with the Coanda effect and meets together on the surface of front surface 626 or at a position separated from the surface of front surface 626 due to separation. The meting air flows toward the front of air-conditioning register 100b in a substantially horizontal direction as indicated by arrow S204.

[0079] When the air supply from the air conditioner is turned on, the light emission control unit 922 acquires the air conditioning information from the air conditioning information acquisition unit 99 and adjusts the brightness of the LED light emitting element 72 to increase the amount of light from the light emitting unit 70 compared to when the air supply from the air conditioner is turned off.

[0080] 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the air flow direction inside the air-conditioning register 100b in the first flow diversion state. When the flow diversion portion 68b is rotated upward as indicated by arrow D21 by operating the operating lever 40, the surface direction of the flow diversion portion 68b is switched from direction DT3 to direction DT4. As a result, the first flow diversion state shown in FIG. 12 can be achieved.

[0081] As indicated by arrows S71 and S81, air that has flowed into retainer-ventilation passage 30S flows up to protruding portion 684 of diverter portion 68b. The air that has reached protruding portion 684 flows into first internal flow passage 601b at a reduced flow rate by diverter portion 68b as indicated by arrow S32, and flows into second internal flow passage 603b at an increased flow rate as indicated by arrow S42. As indicated by arrow S73, the air that has flowed into first internal flow passage 601b flows through first retainer-ventilation passage 612b, and as indicated by arrow S83, the air that has flowed into second internal flow passage 603b flows through second retainer-ventilation passage 614b.

[0082] In the first branch state, the flow rate of air discharged into second retainer-air passage 614b is greater than in the neutral state and greater than the flow rate of air discharged into first retainer-air passage 612b. Therefore, the flow rate of air discharged from second outlet 102b, indicated by arrow S84, is greater than the flow rate of air discharged from first outlet 101b, indicated by arrow S74. Therefore, the confluence of air from first outlet 101b and second outlet 102b is higher than in the neutral state. As a result, as indicated by arrow S206 in FIG. 12, the air discharged from air conditioning register 100b is directed more upward than in the neutral state.

[0083] Although not shown, in the air-conditioning register 100b of this embodiment, the air diverter 68b can be rotated downward from the neutral state by operating the operating lever 40 to set a second diverter state, thereby directing the air blown from the air-conditioning register 100b into the vehicle cabin in a more downward direction than in the neutral state. The second diverter state can be achieved, for example, by rotating the diverter 68b to turn the first diverter state upside down with respect to the direction DT3. In the second diverter state, the opening of the first internal flow path 601b is increased to increase the flow rate, and the opening of the second internal flow path 603b is decreased to decrease the flow rate, compared to the neutral state. As a result, the air blown from the air-conditioning register 100 can be caused to flow downward, i.e., at a depression angle, relative to the horizontal.

[0084] 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the light-emitting unit 70 emits light in the first flow dividing state. In this embodiment, the light-emitting control unit 922 acquires the vertical wind direction of the air blown out from the air-conditioning register 100b from the air-conditioning information acquisition unit 99, and causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light in accordance with the light-emitting direction associated with the acquired wind direction. The "light-emitting direction associated with the wind direction" means that the light-emitting state of the light-emitting unit 70 has a directionality that allows the wind direction to be visually recognized by utilizing the on / off arrangement of the LED light-emitting elements 72, changes in light intensity, etc.

[0085] In this embodiment, as indicated by arrow S206, the wind direction is upward, so the light-emission control unit 922 controls the light-emitting units 70 to emit light in such a way that the light intensity of the rows L1, L2, and L3 increases in order according to the wind direction, such that the light intensity of the bottom row L3 is the smallest and the light intensity of the top row L1 is the largest. Note that in this embodiment, the light-emission control unit 922 adjusts the light intensity according to the number of emitting LED light-emitting elements 72 in each of the rows L1, L2, and L3, but the light intensity may also be adjusted by dimming the rows L1, L2, and L3 of the LED light-emitting elements 72 individually.

[0086] FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the light-emitting state of the light-emitting unit 70. In this embodiment, the light-emitting control unit 922 further acquires the wind direction in the vehicle width direction of the air blown out from the air-conditioning register 100b from the air-conditioning information acquisition unit 99, and causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light in accordance with the light-emitting direction associated with the acquired wind direction in the vehicle width direction. In the example of FIG. 14, the wind direction of the air blown out from the air-conditioning register 100b is directed to the right in the vehicle width direction, i.e., in the +X direction, due to the rotation of the fins 66b. Therefore, the light-emitting control unit 922 causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light so that the amount of light in the +X direction is increased, for example, by causing the LED light-emitting element 72 located at a position corresponding to the right side to emit light.

[0087] In this embodiment, the light-emission control unit 922 further acquires vehicle information from the vehicle information acquisition unit 98 and causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light in association with the acquired vehicle information. The light-emission control unit 922 acquires, for example, the traveling direction of the vehicle VH as vehicle information from the vehicle information acquisition unit 98 and causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light in accordance with the light-emission direction associated with the acquired traveling direction. The "light-emission direction associated with the traveling direction" means that the light-emission state of the light-emitting unit 70 has directionality that allows the traveling direction of the vehicle VH to be visually recognized by utilizing the on / off arrangement of the LED light-emitting elements 72, changes in light intensity, and the like. For example, when the vehicle VH is turning right, the light-emission control unit 922 causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light so that the light intensity in the +X direction is increased, as shown in FIG. 14 .

[0088] According to the air-conditioning register 100b of this embodiment, the flow diverter 68b is switchable between a first flow diverting state in which the opening degree of the first internal flow path 601b communicating with the first retainer-air-passage passage 612b is reduced and the opening degree of the second internal flow path 603b communicating with the second retainer-air-passage passage 614b is increased, and a second flow diverting state in which the opening degree of the first internal flow path 601b is increased and the opening degree of the second internal flow path 603b is reduced. Instead of switching the flow path resistance within the air-conditioning register 100b, the direction of the air blown out from the air-conditioning register 100b can be switched with a simple configuration in which the flow diverter 68b adjusts the flow rates of the first internal flow path 601b and the second internal flow path 603b.

[0089] According to the air-conditioning register 100b of this embodiment, the light-emission control unit 922 causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light in accordance with the light-emission direction associated with the wind direction of the air blown out from the air-conditioning register 100b. Therefore, the air-conditioning register 100b can function as a display unit that displays the wind direction.

[0090] According to the air-conditioning register 100b of this embodiment, the light-emission control unit 922 causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light in association with vehicle information. Therefore, the air-conditioning register 100b can function as a display unit that displays vehicle information.

[0091] According to the air-conditioning register 100b of this embodiment, the light-emission control unit 922 causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light in accordance with the light-emission direction associated with the traveling direction of the vehicle VH. Therefore, the air-conditioning register 100b can function as a display unit that displays the traveling direction of the vehicle VH. This makes it possible to omit components that allow the user to visually recognize vehicle information, such as indicators that show the traveling direction of the vehicle VH, such as turn signals, and thereby reduce the number of parts in the vehicle VH.

[0092] C. Third embodiment: FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the exterior configuration of an air-conditioning register 100c according to the third embodiment. The air-conditioning register 100c of the third embodiment differs from the air-conditioning register 100 of the first embodiment in that it includes first and second air outlets 101c and 102c, a cover member 60c, a bezel 20c, and a light-emitting unit 70c instead of the first and second air outlets 101 and 102, the cover member 60, the bezel 20, and the light-emitting unit 70. The remaining configuration is similar. In this embodiment, the cover member 60c is fixed within the retainer air passage 30S, similar to the cover member 60b shown in the second embodiment. The air flow rate of the first and second air outlets 101c and 102c is adjusted by operating the diverter 68c. The light-emitting unit 70c differs from the light-emitting unit 70 in the number and arrangement of the LED light-emitting elements 72, but is otherwise similar to the light-emitting unit 70. The light-emitting unit 70c is fixed inside the cover member 60c and is smaller than the light-emitting unit 70 of each of the above embodiments so as to correspond to the size of the cover member 60c. Specifically, in the light-emitting unit 70c, the LED light-emitting elements 72 are arranged in two rows, rows L4 and L5.

[0093] 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the light-emitting unit 70c of the air-conditioning register 100c of the third embodiment is emitting light. The light-emitting unit 70c is fixed inside the cover member 60c, and light 72L emitted from the light-emitting unit 70c passes through the exposed surface 606 and is emitted to the front side of the air-conditioning register 100c. The light-emitting unit 70c is switched on and off by the light-emission control unit 922 in synchronization with the on and off of the supply of air-conditioning air, as in the first embodiment.

[0094] Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XVII-XVII in Figure 15. Figure 17 shows the air-conditioning register 100c in a neutral state. The neutral state of the air-conditioning register 100c can be achieved by aligning the direction of the diverter portion 68c substantially with the Y direction. In this embodiment, the direction of the diverter portion 68c can be determined, for example, by a straight line DT5 connecting the tip of the protrusion 684 and the rotation axis AX5 of the diverter portion 68c.

[0095] 17, lid member 60c includes a front wall portion 62c, fins 66c, and a flow dividing portion 68c. Lid member 60c differs from lid member 60 shown in the first embodiment in that it does not include upper wall portion 63, lower wall portion 64, first slit 602, or second slit 604. First retainer ventilation passages 612c and second retainer ventilation passages 614c are formed on the outside of lid member 60c.

[0096] The front wall portion 62c is the same as the front wall portion 62 shown in the first embodiment in that it has a front surface 626, but differs in that it does not have a shaft fitting portion 628. The front wall portion 62c is fixed to the retainer inner wall 30W by a fixing device (not shown). A light-emitting portion 70c is fixed inside the front wall portion 62c.

[0097] Fin 66c is composed of a first fin 664 and a second fin 665, which are separate bodies, and each have their own central axes AX3 and AX4 shown in Fig. 17. Connecting portion 668c connects first fin 664 and second fin 665, and synchronizes the rotation directions of the respective fins with each other.

[0098] The connecting portion 668c has a long, flat plate shape extending in the vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. 15, the connecting portion 668c extends to the outside of the air-conditioning register 100c and is connected to an operating lever (not shown) outside the air-conditioning register 100c. The first fin 664 and the second fin 665 rotate around the central axes AX3 and AX4 when the connecting portion 668c is slid along the vehicle width direction by the operating lever (not shown). As a result, the direction of the air blown out from the first air outlet 101c and the second air outlet 102c is switched between left and right along the vehicle width direction. The first fin 664, the second fin 665, and the connecting portion 668c are arranged around the light-emitting portion 70c so as not to interfere with the light-emitting portion 70c.

[0099] Flow dividing section 68c has two inclined surfaces: first inclined surface 683 and second inclined surface 685. First inclined surface 683 and second inclined surface 685 are connected to each other with the tip of protruding portion 684 serving as an apex. First inclined surface 683 defines a first internal flow path 601c between first retainer inner wall 302W, and second inclined surface 685 defines a second internal flow path 603c between second retainer inner wall 304W. First internal flow path 601c communicates with first air outlet 101c via first retainer air passage 612c, and second internal flow path 603c communicates with second air outlet 102c via second retainer air passage 614c.

[0100] As shown by arrow AG3 in FIG. 17 , the diverter 68c is supported by the retainer inner wall 30W so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis AX5 located downstream of the diverter 68c. The diverter 68c can be rotated around the rotation axis AX5, for example, by operating an operating lever (not shown). This allows the diverter 68c to switch the retainer-ventilation passage 30S between a first diverter state in which the protruding portion 684 is adjacent to the first retainer inner wall 302W and a second diverter state in which the protruding portion 684 is adjacent to the second retainer inner wall 304W. In the first diverter state, the opening of the first internal flow path 601c is reduced and the opening of the second internal flow path 603c is increased. In the second diverter state, the opening of the first internal flow path 601c is increased and the opening of the second internal flow path 603c is reduced. According to the air-conditioning register 100c of this embodiment, similar to the second embodiment, the direction of the air blown out from the air-conditioning register 100c can be switched by the simple method of adjusting the flow rate using the flow dividing section 68c.

[0101] In the air-conditioning register 100c of this embodiment, the first retainer air passage 612c and the second retainer air passage 614c have a structure that is asymmetrical in the up-down direction, and the internal structure is not mirror-symmetrical with respect to the Y direction. Specifically, the flow paths and the like within the air-conditioning register 100c have the following characteristics (1) to (3).

[0102] (1) The opening width of the first air outlet 101c is set to be larger than the opening width of the second air outlet 102c. Although not shown in the drawings, the first air outlet 101c and the second air outlet 102c are configured so that the air outlet directions intersect in front of the front surface 626. (2) The total length W51 of first internal flow path 601c and first retainer-ventilation passage 612c is greater than the total length W61 of second internal flow path 603c and second retainer-ventilation passage 614c. That is, in the flow paths after branching by branching section 68c, the flow path to first outlet 101c is longer than the flow path to second outlet 102c. (3) In the flow path after the flow is divided by the flow dividing portion 68c, the average value of the height 612h of the flow path to the first outlet 101c is greater than the average value of the height 614h of the flow path to the second outlet 102c.

[0103] The above features (1) to (3) are set values ​​derived to make the flow path resistance of the flow path up to the first air outlet 101c and the flow path up to the second air outlet 102c substantially equal in the flow path after the flow is divided by the flow dividing unit 68c. By having the above features (1) to (3), even in a case where the air conditioning register 100c has an asymmetrical structure in the up and down direction as in this embodiment, the flow rate of the air blown out from the first air outlet 101c and the flow rate of the air blown out from the second air outlet 102c can be made substantially equal in the neutral state.

[0104] The bezel 20c differs from the bezel 20 shown in the first embodiment in that it includes a flange 210. As shown in FIG. 15 , the flange 210 is a portion continuing from the first side 306s1 of the retainer opening 306. The flange 210 has a shape that protrudes from the first side 306s1 toward the outside of the air-conditioning register 100c. This configuration makes the first air outlet 101c less visible to users in the vehicle cabin. Therefore, even when the opening width of the first air outlet 101c is formed large as in this embodiment, the first air outlet 101c can be made less visible, and the internal structure of the air-conditioning register 100c can be prevented from being seen by users. Note that the flange may be formed on the retainer 30 instead of the bezel 20c.

[0105] 18 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the flow direction of air-conditioning air inside the air-conditioning register 100c in the neutral state. In the air-conditioning register 100c in the neutral state, the opening degree of the first internal flow path 601c and the opening degree of the second internal flow path 603c caused by the flow diverter 68c are substantially the same. As indicated by arrows S91 and S101, the air-conditioning air that flows from the inlet 305 into the retainer-air-passage passage 30S flows to the flow diverter 68c, and then, as indicated by arrows S92 and S102, is diverted by the protrusion 684 into the first internal flow path 601c and the second internal flow path 603c.

[0106] Air flowing through first internal flow path 601c is sent to first retainer ventilation passage 612c as shown by arrow S93, and air flowing through second internal flow path 603c is sent to second retainer ventilation passage 614b as shown by arrow S103. The flow path resistances of first retainer ventilation passage 612c and second retainer ventilation passage 614c are approximately the same, and the flow rate of air blown out from first outlet 101c and the flow rate of air blown out from second outlet 102c are approximately the same.

[0107] The air blown out from second air outlet 102c flows over the surface of front surface 626 in accordance with the Coanda effect and merges with the air blown out from first air outlet 101c on the surface of front surface 626 or at a position separated from the surface of front surface 626 due to separation. The merged air flows in the Y direction toward the front of air-conditioning register 100c, as shown by arrow S208 in FIG.

[0108] 19 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a simulation of the airflow velocity in the air-conditioning register 100c in the first diversion state. The first diversion state can be achieved by switching the direction of the diversion section 68c to a direction DT6 above direction DT5. In the first diversion state, the flow rate from the second outlet 102c is greater than the flow rate from the first outlet 101c, and therefore, as shown by arrow S210 in FIG. 19, the air blown out from the air-conditioning register 100c flows more upward than in the neutral state.

[0109] 20 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a simulation of the airflow velocity in the air-conditioning register 100c in the second flow division state. The second flow division state can be achieved by switching the direction of the flow division section 68c to direction DT7, which is downward from direction DT5. In the second flow division state, the flow rate from the first air outlet 101c is greater than the flow rate from the second air outlet 102c, so that the air blown out from the air-conditioning register 100c flows more downward than in the neutral state, as shown by arrow S212 in FIG. 19.

[0110] According to the air-conditioning register 100c of this embodiment, even if the register has a vertically asymmetric structure, the air blowing direction can be adjusted by adjusting the flow rate of air blown out from the first air outlet 101c and the flow rate of air blown out from the second air outlet 102c, as in the second embodiment. The shape and position of the cover member 60c can be made vertically asymmetric, which increases the design freedom of the cover member 60c and the exposed surface 606. Furthermore, with the air-conditioning register 100c of this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 70c can be disposed inside the cover member 60c, which allows the cover member 60c to be used as a light-emitting area, improving visibility and design.

[0111] D1. Fourth embodiment: Figure 21 is a perspective view showing the exterior configuration of an air-conditioning register 100d according to the fourth embodiment. The air-conditioning register 100d of the fourth embodiment differs from the air-conditioning register 100 of the first embodiment in that it includes a cover member 60d and a light-emitting unit 70d instead of the cover member 60 and the light-emitting unit 70, but is otherwise similar in configuration. Note that Figure 21 shows the air-conditioning register 100d with the light-emitting unit 70d turned off.

[0112] In this embodiment, the exposed surface 606 of the lid member 60d has a light guide. Specifically, the exposed surface 606 is formed of a so-called light guiding panel (LGP). A "light guide panel" is a plate-like member made of a resin material with high light transmittance, with processing such as printing or groove formation to achieve a desired light-emitting state. By forming the exposed surface 606 from a light guide panel, light incident on the exposed surface 606 can be diffused to cause the entire surface to emit light. The other configurations of the lid member 60d are similar to those of the lid member 60 described in the first embodiment. Note that "the exposed surface 606 has a light guide" includes a case in which the exposed surface 606 is formed of a light guide, as in this embodiment, and a case in which a light guide separate from the lid member 60d, such as a sheet-like light guide, is attached to the exposed surface 606.

[0113] The light-emitting unit 70d is an LED lighting module for emitting light to the exposed surface 606, which serves as a light guide plate. The light-emitting unit 70d is disposed in contact with both ends of the exposed surface 606 in the vehicle width direction. The light-emitting unit 70d includes a plurality of LED light-emitting elements 72d having a size corresponding to the thickness of the light guide plate. Note that the light-emitting unit 70d does not necessarily have to be in contact with the exposed surface 606, and may be spaced apart from the exposed surface 606. The light-emitting unit 70d is not limited to being disposed at both ends of the exposed surface 606, but may be disposed at one end, or may be disposed in any position as long as the emitted light can be introduced into the exposed surface 606.

[0114] FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the air-conditioning register 100d with the light-emitting unit 70d turned on. Light emitted from the LED light-emitting element 72d is introduced to the exposed surface 606 and is refracted and diffused by the processed portion in the light guide. As a result, as shown in FIG. 22, the entire exposed surface 606 can be illuminated. However, the entire exposed surface 606 is not limited to being illuminated, and any desired area of ​​the exposed surface 606 may be illuminated, or any desired shape may be formed on the exposed surface 606.

[0115] In this embodiment, the light-emission control unit 922 can change the light-emission color of the exposed surface 606 in association with temperature information included in the air-conditioning information acquired from the air-conditioning information acquisition unit 99. The light-emission color of the exposed surface 606 can be changed by individually adjusting the light intensity of the LED elements corresponding to each of the RGB colors provided in the LED light-emitting element 72d. The light-emission control unit 922 acquires the cabin air temperature as temperature information from the air-conditioning information acquisition unit 99. If the air temperature is within the optimum temperature range, the exposed surface 606 emits light in a greenish color. If the air temperature is lower than the optimum temperature range, the exposed surface 606 emits light in a cool color such as blue. If the air temperature is higher than the optimum temperature range, the exposed surface 606 emits light in a warm color such as red. The "optimum temperature range" is, for example, 25°C to 28°C. The optimum temperature range may be arbitrarily set by the user or may be set for each season, such as 25°C to 28°C in summer and 18°C ​​to 22°C in winter. Instead of the air temperature, the set temperature of the air conditioner or the air temperature set in the air-conditioning register 100d may be used.

[0116] As described above, according to the air-conditioning register 100d of this embodiment, the exposed surface 606 is made of a light guide, and the light-emitting unit 70d is positioned so that light emitted from the LED light-emitting element 72d can be guided onto the exposed surface 606, which serves as a light guide. The light guide plate allows the exposed surface 606 to emit light with a highly uniform amount of light, thereby improving the visibility of the air-conditioning register 100d. Furthermore, by utilizing the surface emission of the exposed surface 606, it is possible to prevent the internal structure of the exposed surface 606 from being easily visible from the outside, even if the exposed surface 606 is made of a transparent material.

[0117] According to the air conditioning register 100d of this embodiment, the light-emission control unit 922 causes the light-emitting unit 70d to emit light in a color associated with temperature information. By associating the light-emission processing of the light-emitting unit 70d with temperature information, the exposed surface 606 can function as a display unit that displays temperature information. Furthermore, by associating the cabin temperature that a user in the cabin can sense with the emitted color of the exposed surface 606, the visibility of the exposed surface 606 can be improved.

[0118] D2. Other embodiments of the fourth embodiment: Fig. 23 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of an air-conditioning register 100d2 according to another embodiment of the fourth embodiment. In the air-conditioning register 100d according to the fourth embodiment, an example has been shown in which the exposed surface 606 is formed of a light guide plate. However, as shown in Fig. 23, a light guide other than a light guide plate, such as a light guide rod, may also be used.

[0119] As shown in FIG. 23 , the air-conditioning register 100d2 of this embodiment includes a cover member 60d2 and a light-emitting unit 70d2. The light-emitting unit 70d2 is an LED lighting module including a plurality of LED light-emitting elements 72d2 and a light guide rod 75. The light guide rod 75 is a light-transmitting member having any shape, such as a cylinder or a polygonal prism including a square prism, a hexagonal prism, and an octagonal prism. The light guide rod 75 can be made of any light-transmitting material, such as synthetic resins such as acrylic, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, silicone, and epoxy, or glass. The light guide rod 75 can internally reflect light incident from its end, causing the entire light guide rod to emit light. The light guide rod 75 does not have to be colorless and transparent, but may be colored.

[0120] The exposed surface 606 of the cover member 60d2 is provided with through holes 606p for inserting the light guide rods 75 along the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, three rows of the through holes 606p, rows L6 to L8, are provided, and the light guide rods 75 are inserted into the through holes 606p in each of the rows L6 to L8 and fixed to the exposed surface 606. The LED light emitting elements 72d2 are arranged in contact with both ends of the light guide rods 75 in each row, and introduce light into each of the light guide rods 75 in each row. With the air conditioning register 100d2 configured in this manner, the light guiding rods 75 arranged on the exposed surface 606 can be illuminated in a manner that matches the arrangement and shape of the light guiding rods 75, such as in a line.

[0121] E. Fifth embodiment: 24 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of an air-conditioning register 100e according to the fifth embodiment. The air-conditioning register 100e of this embodiment has a configuration similar to that of the air-conditioning register 100b shown in the second embodiment, but differs in that it includes a light-emitting unit 70e instead of the light-emitting unit 70. The light-emitting unit 70e has a configuration similar to that of the light-emitting unit 70 shown in the second embodiment, but differs in that it further includes a light diffusion sheet 77.

[0122] The light diffusion sheet 77 is, for example, a sheet-like resin material with a textured surface or with light-diffusing particles or materials incorporated therein, and transmits incident light in a diffused state. Light 72L emitted from the LED light-emitting elements 72 is diffused by the light diffusion sheet 77 and transmits through the exposed surface 606 with a substantially uniform intensity. In the example of FIG. 24, the LED light-emitting elements 72 of the light-emitting unit 70e emit light such that the light intensity increases in the order of columns L1, L2, and L3, as shown in FIG. 13. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 24, the light can be emitted from the surface so that the light intensity changes gradually from column L3 to column L1, further improving the visibility of the air-conditioning register 100e.

[0123] F. Other Embodiments: (F1) In each of the above embodiments, an example was shown in which the light-emitting unit 70 uses the LED light-emitting element 72. However, the light-emitting unit 70 is not limited to a configuration including only the LED light-emitting element 72, and various light sources such as an incandescent lamp or a fluorescent lamp may be used.

[0124] (F2) In each of the above embodiments, an example was shown in which exposed surface 606 emits light by light-emitting unit 70 including LED light-emitting element 72. However, light-emitting unit 70 may be omitted, and exposed surface 606 may be configured to emit light, for example, by being formed of a phosphorescent material.

[0125] (F3) In the above embodiments, the air-conditioning register 100 is provided with two air outlets, the first air outlet 101 and the second air outlet 102. However, for example, only one of the first air outlet 101 and the second air outlet 102 may be provided. Even in this configuration, it is possible to provide an air-conditioning register 100 with improved design, in which the exposed surface 606 emits light.

[0126] (F4) In the first embodiment, an example was shown in which the lid member 60 was cylindrical, or an example in which the exposed surface 606 was configured as a curved surface. In contrast, the lid member 60 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be any prismatic body such as a polygonal prism, or may be a sphere. When the lid member 60 is a polygonal prism, the exposed surface 606 may be any one of the flat surfaces of the polygonal prism, or may be two or more flat surfaces including corners.

[0127] (F5) In each of the above embodiments, an example was shown in which the outer shape of the retainer opening 306 was rectangular. However, the retainer opening 306 is not limited to a rectangle and may have any geometric shape, such as a circle, an ellipse, or a polygon. Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, an example was shown in which the shape of the bezel opening 206 matches the shape of the retainer opening 306, but this is not limiting, and the shapes of the bezel opening 206 and the retainer opening 306 may not match. In this case, the shape of the exposed surface 606 may be a shape that corresponds to the shape of the retainer opening 306.

[0128] (F6) In the above embodiments, the first side 306s1 and the second side 306s2 of the retainer opening 306 are arranged along the vehicle width direction. However, the air-conditioning register 100 may be arranged such that the first side 306s1 and the second side 306s2 of the retainer opening 306 are inclined at any angle, including perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, such as by being arranged so that they intersect with the vehicle width direction.

[0129] (F7) In the above embodiments, examples have been shown in which the first side 306s1 and the second side 306s2 are linear, but they are not limited to being linear and may be various curves such as an arc, or may be various shapes such as a wave. The same applies to the first air outlet 101 and the second air outlet 102.

[0130] (F8) In the first embodiment, the light-emitting unit 70 includes a plurality of LED light-emitting elements 72 arranged in a grid pattern on a reflective substrate. However, the arrangement of the LED light-emitting elements 72 can be adjusted as desired depending on the desired light-emitting method of the exposed surface 606. Similarly, the light diffusion sheet 77, light guide rod 75, light guide plate, and processed portions for diffusing light on these materials are not limited to those in the above embodiments, and may be adjusted to any shape or position depending on the desired light-emitting method of the exposed surface 606.

[0131] (F9) In each of the above embodiments, the air-conditioning register 100 includes the control device 90 that performs the light emission process. However, for example, in cases where the light emission process of the light-emitting unit 70 is not performed, the control device 90 may be omitted.

[0132] (F10) In the above fourth embodiment, the light-emitting control unit 922 switches the light-emitting color of the exposed surface 606 in association with the temperature information acquired from the air conditioning information acquisition unit 99. In contrast, the light-emitting control unit 922 may switch the light-emitting color of the exposed surface 606 in association with the vehicle information acquired from the vehicle information acquisition unit 98. The light-emitting control unit 922 can switch the light-emitting color for each driving mode of the vehicle VH, for example. Specifically, in the autonomous driving mode, the exposed surface 606 can be made to emit light in a greenish color to encourage the occupants to relax. In the manual driving mode, the exposed surface 606 can be made to emit light in a bluish color to increase the driver's concentration.

[0133] The control unit and the method described herein may be implemented by a special-purpose computer configured by configuring a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions embodied in a computer program. Alternatively, the control unit and the method described herein may be implemented by a special-purpose computer configured by configuring a processor with one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the control unit and the method described herein may be implemented by one or more special-purpose computers configured by combining a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions with a processor configured with one or more hardware logic circuits. Furthermore, the computer program may be stored as instructions executed by a computer on a computer-readable non-transitory tangible storage medium.

[0134] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be realized in various configurations without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each aspect described in the Summary of the Invention section can be appropriately replaced or combined to solve some or all of the above-described problems or achieve some or all of the above-described effects. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0135] 10...instrument panel, 12...steering wheel, 20, 20c...bezel, 30...retainer, 30S...retainer ventilation passage, 30W...retainer inner wall, 40...operating lever, 60, 60b, 60c, 60d, 60d2...cover member, 62, 62b, 62c...front wall portion, 63...upper wall portion, 64...lower wall portion, 66, 66b, 66c...fins, 68, 68b, 68c...flow dividing portion, 70, 70c, 70d, 70d2, 70e...light emitting portion, 72, 72d, 72d2...LED light emitting element, 72L...light, 75...light guiding rod, 77...light diffusion sheet, 90...control device, 92...CPU, 94...memory, 96...interface circuit, 98...information acquisition unit, 99...air conditioning information acquisition unit, 100, 100b, 100c, 100d, 100d2, 100e...air conditioning register, 101, 101b, 101c...first air outlet, 102, 102b, 102c...second air outlet, 206...bezel opening, 210...flange portion, 302...first wall portion, 302T...fitting hole, 302W...first retainer inner wall, 303...side wall portion, 304...second wall portion, 304T ...fitting hole, 304W...second retainer inner wall, 305...inlet, 306...retainer opening, 306s1...first edge, 306s2...second edge, 308...fitting hole, 601, 601b, 601c...first internal flow path, 602...first slit, 603, 603b, 603c...second internal flow path, 604...second slit, 606...exposed surface, 606p...through hole, 612, 612b, 612c...first retainer ventilation path, 614, 614b, 614c...second retainer ventilation path, 623...edge, 624...edge, 626...front surface, 628...shaft fitting portion, 632...upper surface portion, 632E...edge, 634...side wall portion, 634B...lower end, 638...fitting hole, 642...lower surface portion, 642E...edge, 644...side wall portion, 644T...upper end, 646...protrusion portion, 648...fitting hole, 662...protrusion portion, 664...first fin, 665...second fin, 666...shaft portion, 668, 668c...connecting portion, 682...support recess, 683...first inclined surface, 684...protrusion, 685...second inclined surface, 922...light-emitting control unit, 942...light-emitting program, CP...midpoint, VH...vehicle

Claims

1. An air conditioning register for use in a vehicle, a cylindrical retainer having a retainer inner wall defining a retainer ventilation passage and a retainer opening provided at a downstream end of the retainer ventilation passage; a cover member provided inside the retainer, the cover member having an exposed surface exposed from the retainer opening and a retainer-facing surface facing the retainer opening to define an air outlet between the retainer opening and the exposed surface; a light emitting unit that emits light to illuminate the exposed surface; a light emission control unit that controls the light emission unit; a vehicle information acquisition unit for acquiring vehicle information relating to a vehicle in which the air conditioning register is installed; Equipped with the exposed surface is configured to be able to emit light toward an outside of the lid member, the light emission control unit causes the light emission unit to emit light in association with the vehicle information; Air conditioning register.

2. An air conditioning register for use in a vehicle, a cylindrical retainer having a retainer inner wall defining a retainer ventilation passage and a retainer opening provided at a downstream end of the retainer ventilation passage; a cover member provided inside the retainer, the cover member having an exposed surface exposed from the retainer opening and a retainer-facing surface facing the retainer opening to define an air outlet between the retainer opening and the exposed surface; the exposed surface is configured to be able to emit light toward an outside of the lid member, the retainer opening has one side and another side opposite to the one side, the retainer facing surface defines, as the air outlets, a first air outlet between the retainer facing surface and one side of the retainer opening, and a second air outlet between the retainer facing surface and another side of the retainer opening, the first air outlet and the second air outlet are configured so that a direction of an airflow blown out from the first air outlet and a direction of an airflow blown out from the second air outlet intersect with each other, a first retainer ventilation passage defined between the cover member and a first retainer inner wall that is continuous with one side of the retainer opening and that communicates with the first air outlet; a second retainer ventilation passage defined between the cover member and a second retainer inner wall that is continuous with another side of the retainer opening and that communicates with the second air outlet; a dividing portion disposed inside the retainer for dividing the retainer ventilation passage into the first retainer ventilation passage and the second retainer ventilation passage, The cover member is The retainer is configured to be rotatable within the retainer, the rotation can switch between a first rotation state in which the flow path resistance of the first retainer ventilation passage is increased and the flow path resistance of the second retainer ventilation passage is decreased, and a second rotation state in which the flow path resistance of the first retainer ventilation passage is decreased and the flow path resistance of the second retainer ventilation passage is increased, Further, a light emitting unit that emits light is provided, the exposed surface is configured to allow the emitted light to transmit toward the outside of the lid member, The light emitting unit fixed to the inside of the lid member, Rotates together with the rotation of the cover member. Air conditioning register.

3. An air conditioning register for use in a vehicle, a cylindrical retainer having a retainer inner wall defining a retainer ventilation passage and a retainer opening provided at a downstream end of the retainer ventilation passage; a cover member provided inside the retainer, the cover member having an exposed surface exposed from the retainer opening and a retainer-facing surface facing the retainer opening to define an air outlet between the retainer opening and the exposed surface; the exposed surface is configured to be able to emit light toward an outside of the lid member, the retainer opening has one side and another side opposite to the one side, the retainer facing surface defines, as the air outlets, a first air outlet between the retainer facing surface and one side of the retainer opening, and a second air outlet between the retainer facing surface and another side of the retainer opening, the first air outlet and the second air outlet are configured so that a direction of an airflow blown out from the first air outlet and a direction of an airflow blown out from the second air outlet intersect with each other, a first retainer ventilation passage defined between the cover member and a first retainer inner wall that is continuous with one side of the retainer opening and that communicates with the first air outlet; a second retainer ventilation passage defined between the cover member and a second retainer inner wall that is continuous with another side of the retainer opening and that communicates with the second air outlet; a dividing portion disposed inside the retainer for dividing the retainer ventilation passage into the first retainer ventilation passage and the second retainer ventilation passage, a first fin having a flat plate shape that is provided in the first retainer ventilation passage and is configured to be rotatable around a central axis that intersects with the first retainer inner wall; a flat-plate-shaped second fin provided in the second retainer ventilation passage and configured to be rotatable around a central axis intersecting the second retainer inner wall, Air conditioning register.

4. The air conditioning register according to claim 1, the light emitting unit is disposed inside the cover member, The exposed surface is configured to allow the emitted light to transmit toward the outside of the lid member. Air conditioning register.

5. The air conditioning register according to claim 1, the exposed surface has a light guide; The light emitting unit is disposed at a position where the emitted light can be introduced into the light guide. Air conditioning register.

6. The air conditioning register according to claim 1, a light emission control unit that controls the light emitting unit; an air conditioning information acquisition unit for acquiring air conditioning information related to air conditioning, the light emission control unit causes the light emitting unit to emit light in association with the air conditioning information. Air conditioning register.

7. 7. The air conditioning register according to claim 6, the air conditioning information includes a wind direction of the air blown out from the air outlet, the light emission control unit causes the light emitting unit to emit light in accordance with a light emission direction associated with the wind direction; Air conditioning register.

8. 7. The air conditioning register according to claim 6, the air conditioning information includes temperature information including at least one of an air conditioning temperature and an air temperature; the light emission control unit causes the light emitting unit to emit light in a color associated with the temperature information. Air conditioning register.

9. The air conditioning register according to claim 1, the vehicle information includes a traveling direction of the vehicle; The light emission control unit causes the light emitting unit to emit light in accordance with a light emission direction associated with the traveling direction. Air conditioning register.

10. The air-conditioning register according to claim 2 or 3, The diverter section is switchable between a first diverter state in which the opening degree of the flow path communicating with the first retainer ventilation passage is reduced and the opening degree of the flow path communicating with the second retainer ventilation passage is increased, and a second diverter state in which the opening degree of the flow path communicating with the first retainer ventilation passage is increased and the opening degree of the flow path communicating with the second retainer ventilation passage is reduced. Air conditioning register.

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