Wind direction adjustment device

Abstract

To provide a wind direction adjusting device which attains comfortable operability while inhibiting failure caused by contact between a bearing part and a fin, is inexpensive, and has high flexibility in selection.SOLUTION: A wind direction adjusting device includes: a case body having bearing parts 12; a fin 10; and shaft parts 13 each of which rotatably connects the bearing part 12 with the fin 10. The shaft part 13 is formed separately from the bearing part 12 and the fin 10 and has a weak part 22 having a rigidity lower than that of the other portion of the shaft part 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wind direction adjusting device including fins rotatably supported by a bearing portion of a case body.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in an air conditioner used in a vehicle such as an automobile, there is a wind direction adjusting device for adjusting the blowing wind direction. The wind direction adjusting device includes a case body partitioning an air passage inside, and a plurality of fins disposed inside the case body. The fins are rotatably disposed with respect to the case body, and the wind direction blown out from the air passage is adjusted by the rotation of the fins (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In order to unify the texture in appearance, when the case body and the fins are formed of a material having appearance and strength, when the case body and the fins of the same material come into sliding contact due to the rotation of the fins, they are easily worn and tend to generate low-level noise. Therefore, it is conceivable to rotatably receive the case body by a separate bearing portion (spacer) formed of a different material. However, in this case, there is a concern about an increase in design man-hours and a complication of the structure, and depending on the layout, it may be difficult to set the bearing portion in a place that is difficult to visually recognize from the passenger side. Also, although it is desirable to be able to protect an object by breaking when a load is applied from the outside by an object, applying such a material to the case body and the fins is difficult because it impairs the rigidity of the case body and the fins themselves, and there are significant restrictions on the selection of materials.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of these points, and aims to provide a wind direction adjustment device that can suppress malfunctions caused by contact between the bearing and the fins, provide comfortable operability, and is inexpensive and offers excellent freedom in material selection. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The wind direction adjustment device according to claim 1 comprises a case body having a bearing portion, fins, and a shaft portion that rotatably connects the bearing portion and the fins, wherein the shaft portion is separate from the bearing portion and the fins. It has a first portion connected to one of the fin and the bearing portion, a second portion connected to the other of the fin and the bearing portion, and a flange portion located between the first portion and the second portion, and the base end portion which forms the boundary between the first portion and the flange portion is formed in a rectangular cross-section in which the thickness in the first direction of the cross-section is smaller than the thickness in the second direction intersecting the first direction, and is designed to withstand loads applied in the first direction The weak point of the aforementioned shaft, which has lower rigidity than other parts of the shaft. fu It is.

[0007] request request 2 The wind direction adjustment device described is, 1 In the wind direction adjustment device described above, the fin is formed in a plate shape, and the first portion is connected to the fin such that the thickness direction of the fin is the first direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the wind direction adjustment device described in claim 1, by selecting a shaft with lower rigidity than the bearing and fins, contact or sliding contact between the bearing and fins when the fins are rotated is suppressed. This suppresses problems such as powdering and low-pitched noise caused by abrasion or wear of the bearing and fins due to such contact. Furthermore, since the shafts can be individually molded, the shaft dimensions can be made uniform and stabilized. As a result, the operating resistance can be stabilized at a high level when the fins are rotated, providing good operability. Moreover, if an excessive load is applied to the fins, the shaft can break at a weak point to release the load and protect the object. This configuration can be easily realized, resulting in a device that is inexpensive and offers excellent freedom in selecting the materials for the bearing and fins.

[0009] request request 2According to the wind direction adjustment device described, 1 In addition to the effects of the wind direction adjustment device described above, it is possible to reduce the rigidity only against loads directed in the thickness direction of the fins, while ensuring the operational rigidity of the fins. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] (a) is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the wind direction adjustment device according to one embodiment of the present invention at a position corresponding to II in Figure 3, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the same wind direction adjustment device at a position corresponding to II-II in Figure 3. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the shaft portion of the wind direction adjustment device shown above. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the fins and bearing section of the wind direction adjustment device shown above. [Figure 4] (a) is a perspective view showing the wind direction adjustment device, and (b) is a perspective view showing the wind direction adjustment device with a damaged shaft. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] In Figure 4(a), 1 is an airflow adjustment device. The airflow adjustment device 1 is also called an air outlet, ventilator, register, etc., and adjusts the direction of airflow from an air conditioning system. To clarify the explanation below, the airflow adjustment device 1 is defined as having a front side, front side, or near side on the leeward side from which the air is blown out, and a rear side, back side, or far side on the opposite side, i.e., the windward side from which the air is received. The directions are defined as the left-right direction or width direction and the up-down direction when viewed from the front. In this embodiment, the airflow adjustment device 1 is applied to an air conditioning system for a vehicle such as an automobile. The airflow adjustment device 1 may be placed in any position, but in the drawing, it is assumed that the arrow FR side is the front side, the arrow RR side is the rear side, the arrow L side is the left side, the arrow R side is the right side, the arrow U side is the top side, and the arrow D side is the bottom side. These directions are illustrated as examples only and may be changed as appropriate depending on the installation position and orientation of the airflow adjustment device 1.

[0013] The airflow adjustment device 1 comprises a case body 3. The case body 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape with side walls 4. In this embodiment, the side walls 4 are formed in a cylindrical shape in the front-rear direction. In the illustrated example, the side walls 4 are formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape. The ventilation passage 5 is enclosed inside by the side walls 4. The direction parallel to the central axis of the side walls 4 is the ventilation direction of the ventilation passage 5. In this embodiment, the ventilation direction of the ventilation passage 5 is in the front-rear direction, and air is ventilated from rear to front. That is, in the ventilation passage 5, the rear side is the upstream side in the ventilation direction, and the front side is the downstream side in the ventilation direction.

[0014] The side wall 4 has a predetermined length in the ventilation direction of the ventilation passage 5. In this embodiment, the side wall 4 is flattened in the vertical direction and elongated in the horizontal direction, i.e., horizontally elongated. Therefore, the air direction adjustment device 1 is formed in a horizontal, thin shape. The side wall 4 integrally has a pair of side wall portions 4a that face each other across the central part of the ventilation passage 5, i.e., the central axis of the side wall 4 or the case body 3, and a pair of end wall portions 4b that connect these pair of side wall portions 4a. The pair of side wall portions 4a face each other in the horizontal direction, and the pair of end wall portions 4b face each other in the vertical direction. The rear end portion, which is one end of the pair of side wall portions 4a, 4a and the pair of end wall portions 4b, 4b, surrounds the inlet 6 that receives air into the ventilation passage 5, and the front end portion, which is the other end of the pair of side wall portions 4a, 4a and the pair of end wall portions 4b, 4b, surrounds the outlet 7 that blows air out of the ventilation passage 5. In other words, the rear end of the case body 3 is an inlet 6 that receives air into the ventilation passage 5, and the front end of the case body 3 is an outlet 7 that blows air out from the ventilation passage 5. The ventilation passage 5 is formed between the inlet 6 and the outlet 7, connecting them.

[0015] The case body 3 may be formed as a single unit, or it may be formed by combining multiple members. For example, the front end (air outlet 7) of the case body 3 may be formed by a finisher.

[0016] Fins 10 are arranged on the case body 3. The fins 10 are also called louvers. The fins 10 are positioned facing the air outlet 7. That is, the fins 10 are located on the downstream side of the air passage 5. The entire fin 10 may be located inside the case body 3 within the air passage 5, or a part of it may protrude from the air outlet 7 to the outside of the case body 3.

[0017] The fin 10 is formed in a plate shape. At least one of the main surfaces of the fin 10 serves as a guiding surface for guiding the wind. Also, in the present embodiment, the front end portion 10a, which is the end portion on the design side of the fin 10, is formed in a cylindrical surface shape whose axial direction is along the longitudinal direction of the fin 10. The fin 10 may be single or plural. In the present embodiment, one thin and slim fin 10 constitutes the wind direction adjusting device 1. In addition to the fin 10, a louver may be separately arranged upstream of the fin 10 as an air distribution body for adjusting the wind direction in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the fin 10. In this case, for example, an operation portion (operation knob) for operating the louver may be arranged on the fin 10, and the louver may be rotated by a mechanism connected to this operation portion.

[0018] Then, as shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the fin 10 are rotatably supported by a shaft portion 13 with respect to bearing portions 12 arranged in the case body 3.

[0019] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the bearing portions 12 are respectively arranged on both side portions of the case body 3, that is, inside the side wall portions 4a. That is, the bearing portions 12 are located within the ventilation passage 5. Preferably, the bearing portions 12 are located on the upstream side, that is, the rear side with respect to the air outlet 7 in the case body 3. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4(a), the bearing portion 12 integrally has an opposing portion 14 facing the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the fin 10 and a support portion 15 extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the fin 10.

[0020] The opposing portion 14 is a design portion that forms an integrated design with the fin 10 by being continuous in the longitudinal direction of the fin 10. In the present embodiment, the opposing portion 14 is formed to extend in the front-rear direction. The opposing portion 14 is formed in a plate shape having the same or substantially the same thickness as the fin 10. The front end portion 14a, which is the end portion on the design side of the opposing portion 14, faces the air outlet 7. The front end portion 14a of the opposing portion 14 may be located on the downstream side with respect to the air outlet 7.

[0021] The support portion 15 is the part that supports the bearing portion 12 relative to the case body 3. In this embodiment, the support portion 15 is formed extending vertically from the rear of the opposing portion 14. The upper and lower ends of the support portion 15 abut against the inside of a pair of end wall portions 4b of the case body 3, thereby supporting the bearing portion 12 in the case body 3.

[0022] Preferably, the bearing portion 12 and the fin 10, and more preferably the case body 3 and the fin 10, are molded from the same relatively rigid material such as fiber-reinforced resin, aluminum, or magnesium. For example, the bearing portion 12 is formed from fiber-reinforced polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). Even more preferably, the bearing portion 12 and the fin 10 are formed from the same material.

[0023] The bearing portion 12 may be integrally formed with the case body 3, or it may be formed separately from the case body 3 and assembled to the case body 3.

[0024] The shaft portion 13 shown in Figures 1(a), 1(b), and 2 constitutes the pivot center of the fin 10. The shaft portion 13 is formed separately from the fin 10 and the bearing portion 12 (case body 3). The shaft portion 13 is molded from a material with lower rigidity than the material that makes up the fin 10 and the bearing portion 12 (case body 3). Preferably, the shaft portion 13 is molded from a material with higher wear resistance than the material that makes up the fin 10 and the bearing portion 12 (case body 3). As an example, the shaft portion 13 is formed from polyacetal (POM), olefin elastomer (TPO), or polyamide (PA).

[0025] The shaft portion 13 is formed in an axial or longitudinal shape in a predetermined direction. The shaft portion 13 has a first portion 20 at one end and a second portion 21 at the other end.

[0026] The first part 20 and the second part 21 are each formed in a columnar or axial shape. The first part 20 and the second part 21 are arranged coaxially or substantially coaxially. In this embodiment, the first part 20 is formed to be longer in the axial direction than the second part 21. In addition, one of the first part 20 and the second part 21 is formed with a circular cross-section, and the other with a non-circular cross-section. In this embodiment, the first part 20 is formed with a non-circular cross-section, and the second part 21 is formed with a circular cross-section. Hereinafter, "cross-section" refers to a cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction of the shaft portion 13.

[0027] In the illustrated example, the first portion 20 is formed with a non-circular cross-section. In this embodiment, the first portion 20 is formed with a polygonal cross-section. Note that the polygonal shape is not limited to sharp corners, but includes chamfered corners. Preferably, the first portion 20 is formed with a quadrangular cross-section. More preferably, the first portion 20 is formed with a rectangular cross-section. That is, the first portion 20 is formed in a prismatic shape having a pair of side portions 20a facing each other in a first direction (shown by arrow D1 in Figure 2) and a pair of end portions 20b facing each other in a second direction (shown by arrow D2 in Figure 2) that intersects or is perpendicular to the side portions 20a. The side portions 20a and end portions 20b are each formed with a rectangular shape. The side portions 20a are faces located on the longer side of the cross-section of the first portion 20, and the end portions 20b are faces located on the shorter side of the cross-section of the first portion 20. The side portions 20a are formed with a larger area than the end portions 20b. Furthermore, the first portion 20 has a thickness in the first direction that is smaller than its thickness in the second direction. That is, the first portion 20 is formed to be flat in the first direction. Also, the first portion 20 is formed to gradually narrow from the base end, i.e., the second portion 21 side, toward the tip. In the illustrated example, the first portion 20 is formed to gradually narrow in both the first and second directions toward the tip, from the base end side toward the tip. At the base end of the first portion 20, the long side of the cross-section is formed as a weak portion 22, which has lower rigidity than other parts of the shaft portion 13. In other words, the shaft portion 13 is formed to have the lowest rigidity at the weak portion 22. The base end of the first portion 20 acts as a weak portion 22 with respect to the first direction component of the load, and maintains the required predetermined rigidity with respect to components in directions other than the first direction.

[0028] In this embodiment, the first portion 20 is the portion connected to the fin 10. The first portion 20 is inserted into fin-side holes 23 formed at both ends of the fin 10 in the longitudinal direction. The fin-side holes 23 have a shape that extends along the longitudinal direction of the fin 10. The fin-side holes 23 are recessed to a depth greater than or equal to the length of the first portion 20. In this embodiment, the fin-side holes 23 are formed in a non-circular cross-section so as to hold the first portion 20 in a non-rotating state. In the illustrated example, the fin-side holes 23 are formed in a non-circular cross-section that is slightly larger than the maximum outer diameter of the first portion 20. A non-circular cross-section refers to any cross-sectional shape that is not a circle, i.e., has multiple regions with different distances from the center of the cross-section, such as an elliptical cross-section or an oblong cross-section, but preferably the fin-side holes 23 are formed in a polygonal cross-section, more preferably in a quadrilateral cross-section. In this embodiment, the fin-side hole portion 23 has a large area in the portion facing the thickness direction of the fin 10, and the shaft portion 13 is connected with its side portion 20a facing the thickness direction of the fin 10. That is, the first portion 20 is connected to the fin 10 such that the first direction of the shaft portion 13 is located in the thickness direction of the fin 10.

[0029] Furthermore, the fin-side holes 23 are positioned biased towards one side in the short direction of the fin 10. In this embodiment, the fin-side holes 23 are positioned closer to the front end 10a side of the fin 10. Preferably, the fin-side holes 23 are coaxially positioned on the axis of the shape of the front end 10a of the fin 10.

[0030] Furthermore, the second part 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The second part 21 is formed so that its tip gradually narrows towards the end. That is, the tip of the second part 21 is a tapered portion 21a that gradually narrows towards the end.

[0031] In this embodiment, the second portion 21 is the portion connected to the bearing portion 12. The second portion 21 is inserted into the bearing portion side hole 25 formed in each bearing portion 12. In this embodiment, the bearing portion side hole 25 is formed in the opposing portion 14 of the bearing portion 12. In the illustrated example, the bearing portion side hole 25 is located closer to the front end 14a side of the opposing portion 14 of the bearing portion 12. Preferably, the bearing portion side hole 25 is coaxially located on the axis of the shape of the front end 14a of the opposing portion 14. The bearing portion side hole 25 has a shape that extends along the longitudinal direction of the fin 10 to which it is attached, in the left-right direction in this embodiment. The bearing portion side hole 25 is recessed to a depth greater than or equal to the length of the second portion 21. In this embodiment, the bearing portion side hole 25 is formed in a circular cross-section so as to slide against the outer circumferential surface of the second portion 21. In the illustrated example, the bearing side hole 25 is formed in a circular cross-section that is slightly larger than the maximum diameter of the second portion 21.

[0032] Furthermore, preferably, the shaft portion 13 has a flange portion 27. The flange portion 27 is located between the first portion 20 and the second portion 21 and is sandwiched between the fin 10 and the bearing portion 12. The flange portion 27 is a thin plate portion that extends in a flange shape in a direction intersecting or perpendicular to the axial direction of the shaft portion 13. The first portion 20 is located on one side of the flange portion 27 and the second portion 21 is located on the other side. Preferably, the flange portion 27 is formed so that its thickness gradually decreases toward the outer edge. A gap 29 is formed between the fin 10 and the bearing portion 12 according to the maximum thickness of the flange portion 27.

[0033] In this embodiment, the flange portion 27 has cut portions 27a formed in the first direction, which are surfaces formed by cutting out a part of a virtual outer shape that is an extension of the outer shape on the second direction side. The cut portions 27a are formed in a planar shape that extends in a direction intersecting or perpendicular to the first direction. The flange portion 27 has an elliptical or oblong shape with its major axis in the second direction.

[0034] When assembling the wind direction adjustment device 1, the first portion 20 of the pre-formed shaft portion 13 is inserted and fitted into each fin-side hole 23 of the pre-formed fin 10 and fixed in place. At this time, the first portion 20 is inserted into the fin-side hole 23 until the flange portion 27 contacts the longitudinal end of the fin 10. In other words, the flange portion 27 acts as a stopper when inserting the first portion 20 of the shaft portion 13 into the fin-side hole 23. The first portion 20 is mounted so that its side portion 20a faces the thickness direction of the fin 10.

[0035] Next, the fin 10, with the shaft portion 13 fixed to both ends, is assembled to the bearing portion 12 of the case body 3, which has been molded separately in advance. That is, the second portion 21 of the shaft portion 13, which protrudes from both ends in the longitudinal direction of the fin 10, is inserted into the bearing portion side hole 25 of the bearing portion 12. At this time, the second portion 21 is inserted into the bearing portion side hole 25 until the flange portion 27 contacts the bearing portion 12, or in this embodiment, the opposing portion 14. That is, the flange portion 27 acts as a stopper when inserting the second portion 21 of the shaft portion 13 into the bearing portion side hole 25.

[0036] In this state, the flange portion 27 of the shaft portion 13 is sandwiched between the end of the fin 10 and the opposing portion 14 of the bearing portion 12, and the end of the fin 10 and the opposing portion 14 of the bearing portion 12 face each other with a gap 29 in between. The fin 10 is positioned so as to be able to rotate vertically between the bearing portions 12, 12, facing the air outlet 7 of the case body 3, and the airflow direction adjustment device 1 is formed.

[0037] When the fin 10 is rotated up and down, the first part 20 of the shaft 13 rotates integrally with the fin 10 while being fixed to the fin-side hole 23, but the second part 21 of the shaft 13 slides against the inner surface of the bearing-side hole 25, creating a smooth operating resistance. As the fin 10 rotates up and down, the guide surface is tilted with respect to the ventilation direction, and the wind direction adjustment device 1 changes the direction of the air blown out from the outlet 7. The fin 10 may be rotated manually by the occupant, or it may be rotated by a rotation mechanism consisting of a dial or gear, or it may be rotated by a rotation mechanism via a motor or the like.

[0038] In this way, by forming the shaft portion 13, which rotatably connects the bearing portion 12 and the fin 10, separately from the bearing portion 12 and the fin 10, and by selecting a shaft portion 13 with lower rigidity than the bearing portion 12 and the fin 10, it is possible to suppress contact or sliding contact between the relatively rigid bearing portion 12 and the fin 10 when the fin 10 is rotated. This suppresses problems such as powdering or the generation of low-pitched noise caused by abrasion or wear of the bearing portion 12 and the fin 10 due to such contact.

[0039] Furthermore, since the shaft portion 13 can be molded individually, by using shaft portions 13 molded using the same mold, for example, the shaft dimensions can be made uniform and stabilized. This allows for a high level of stability in the operating resistance when the fins 10 are rotated, resulting in good operability and stable production of high-quality products. For example, in the case of a wind direction adjustment device 1 equipped with multiple fins 10, by using shaft portions 13 molded using the same mold for each of the multiple fins 10, the feel of operation can be easily unified, and comfortable operability can be appropriately maintained. In addition, by standardizing the shape of the shaft portion 13, it can be applied to a variety of vehicle types, shortening the design review period and reducing production costs.

[0040] Furthermore, since the shaft portion 13 has a weak point 22 that is less rigid than other parts, if an excessive load far exceeding that of normal use is applied to the fin 10, such as in a collision with an occupant, the shaft portion 13 can break at the location of the weak point 22, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 2, causing the fin 10 to detach from the bearing portion 12. In other words, since the point of failure when subjected to a load is concentrated at the weak point 22 of the shaft portion 13, the shaft portion 13 can be deformed or broken before the fin 10, the bearing portion 12, or the case body 3, and the fin 10 can detach while maintaining the shape of the fin 10, the bearing portion 12, or the case body 3. Therefore, even if an occupant comes into contact with the wind direction adjustment device 1, for example, during a vehicle collision, the detachment described above pushes the fin 10 away from the occupant, mitigating the reaction force on the occupant. Therefore, since the bearing portion 12 and fin 10 do not need to be formed from easily breakable materials, a configuration can be easily realized in which the shaft portion 13 breaks at the weak portion 22 when a load is applied, thereby releasing the load and protecting the object. This is inexpensive and offers excellent freedom in selecting the materials for the bearing portion 12 and fin 10. For example, by changing the material of the shaft portion 13, the shaft portion 13 can be easily adjusted to the required strength, including the weak portion 22. Therefore, by setting the strength of the weak portion 22 according to the load absorption performance required as a vehicle performance, the required performance can be achieved by changing only the shaft portion 13 without changing the design of the wind direction adjustment device 1. In other words, by forming the fin 10 from a hard material, the rigidity of the fin 10 can be ensured while simultaneously achieving impact absorption performance, which is often conflicting with ensuring rigidity.

[0041] In this embodiment, by positioning the weak portion 22 on either the first portion 20 or the second portion 21 of the shaft portion 13, the shaft portion 13 can be easily fractured at the weak portion 22 when an excessive load is applied to the fin 10.

[0042] Furthermore, by making the first part 20 of the shaft portion 13 a non-circular cross-section and the second part 21 a circular cross-section, and with one end of the first part 20 and the other end of the second part 21 connected to the fin 10 and the other end connected to the bearing portion 12, and with the weak part 22 located in the first part 20, the weak part 22 can be easily formed by selecting the cross-sectional shape of the first part 20.

[0043] Furthermore, in the shaft portion 13, the first portion 20 connected to the fin 10 has a non-circular cross-section, and the second portion 21 connected to the bearing portion 12 has a circular cross-section. When assembling the fin 10, to which the first portion 20 of the shaft portion 13 is connected, to the bearing portion 12 of the case body 3, both the second portion 21 protruding from the fin 10 side and the bearing portion side hole 25 of the bearing portion 12 have a circular cross-section. Therefore, it is not necessary to match the angle between the second portion 21 and the bearing portion 12 side (bearing portion side hole 25) when inserting it, resulting in good workability even in the limited space inside the case body 3.

[0044] Furthermore, the first portion 20 is formed such that its thickness in a predetermined first direction is smaller than its thickness in a second direction which is different from the first direction. This makes the first portion 20 more susceptible to damage from the first-direction component of a load, and allows the first-direction portion at the base end of the first portion 20 to be easily formed as a weak point 22. Moreover, it can maintain high rigidity against loads from directions other than the first direction.

[0045] In this way, by setting the first direction of the first part 20 according to the direction of the excessive load to be absorbed, the load in that direction can be easily absorbed by the fracture of the weak part 22. In other words, regardless of the material or design shape of the fin 10 or the case body 3 (bearing part 12), it is possible to reduce the rigidity only against loads from a certain direction by the direction of the weak part 22 alone, and parts that do not need to be adjusted for rigidity will not be weakened. In short, the shaft part 13 can have a directionality of greater or lesser rigidity, so by setting the mounting direction or installation direction according to the required strength and the direction of the excessive load to be absorbed, it is possible to absorb only excessive loads from a predetermined direction while ensuring strength during normal use.

[0046] For example, in this embodiment, by connecting the first part 20 to the fin 10 such that the thickness direction of the fin 10 is the first direction, it is possible to reduce the rigidity of the fin 10 only with respect to loads in the thickness direction of the fin 10, which in the illustrated example is from upward to downward, while ensuring the operational rigidity of the fin 10. Furthermore, since the weak point 22 is created by the difference in thickness of the first part 20 rather than by slits or notches, the impact on the area where rigidity against load is desired is reduced.

[0047] Furthermore, since the shaft portion 13 has a flange portion 27 that is sandwiched between the bearing portion 12 and the fin 10, the flange portion 27 creates a gap 29 between the fin 10 and the bearing portion 12, thereby reliably preventing direct contact between the fin 10 and the bearing portion 12. Therefore, even if the fin 10 and the bearing portion 12 are made of a hard (high-rigidity) material, it is possible to reliably prevent them from being worn down or abraded by friction caused by the rotation of the fin 10, and to prevent problems such as the generation of low-grade noise. In particular, by making the shaft portion 13 of a material with higher sliding properties than the bearing portion 12 and the fin 10, operating resistance due to sliding contact between the flange portion 27 and the bearing portion 12 when the fin 10 rotates is reduced.

[0048] Furthermore, since problems caused by sliding contact between the bearing portion 12 and the fin 10 do not need to be considered, the bearing portion 12 and the fin 10 can be formed from the same material, thereby unifying the texture of the appearance and improving the appearance, i.e., the design.

[0049] Furthermore, with respect to the flange portion 27, by making the first direction side a cut portion 27a that extends planarly in a direction intersecting or perpendicular to this first direction, in this embodiment, in the second direction, the shaft portion 13 can exhibit high rigidity against loads from directions other than the first direction.

[0050] Furthermore, for example, by applying the shaft portion 13 having a weak point 22 to only one end of the fin 10, when a load F is applied to the fin 10 in the first direction, downward in this embodiment, stress is concentrated at the one end, making it possible to configure the device so that only the one end breaks, as shown in Figure 4(b). Therefore, for example, in the case of a wind direction adjustment device 1 having multiple fins 10, by setting a link for connecting the rotation of the fins 10 at the other end, it is possible to prevent the scattering of parts such as the link when the shaft portion 13 breaks. In other words, when there are multiple fins 10, or between one end and the other end of the fin 10, the shaft portion 13 can have different material types and strengths for each part according to the load absorption performance, allowing for fine adjustment of the load absorption performance for each part.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the first part 20 is connected to the fin 10 and the second part 21 is connected to the bearing part 12. However, the first part 20 may be connected to the bearing part 12 and the second part 21 may be connected to the fin 10. In this case, the shapes of the fin-side hole 23 and the bearing part-side hole 25 can be set according to the shapes of the first part 20 and the second part 21, thereby suppressing problems caused by contact between the bearing part 12 and the fin 10, while providing comfortable operability, and achieving the same effects as the above embodiment, such as being inexpensive and offering great freedom in material selection.

[0052] Furthermore, although the wind direction adjustment device 1 is described as horizontal, it can be similarly configured as a vertical type, where the longitudinal direction of the fins 10 is vertical.

[0053] Furthermore, the wind direction adjustment device 1 is not limited to those for automobiles, but may be used for any other purpose. [Industrial applicability]

[0054] The present invention can be suitably used, for example, as an airflow direction adjustment device for the air conditioning system of an automobile. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0055] 1 Wind direction adjustment device 3 Case Body 10 fins 12 Bearing section 13. Shaft 20 Part 1 21 Second part 22 Weak part 27 Flange section

Claims

1. A case body having a bearing portion, Finn and, The system comprises a shaft portion that rotatably connects the bearing portion and the fin, The shaft portion is separate from the bearing portion and the fin, and has a first portion connected to one of the fin and the bearing portion, a second portion connected to the other of the fin and the bearing portion, and a flange portion located between the first portion and the second portion. The base end portion of the first part, which forms the boundary with the flange portion, is formed in a rectangular cross-section where the thickness in the first direction of the cross-section is smaller than the thickness in the second direction intersecting the first direction, making it a weak point with lower rigidity than other parts of the shaft portion when subjected to loads applied in the first direction. A wind direction adjustment device characterized by the following features.

2. The fins are formed in a plate shape, The first part is connected to the fin such that the thickness direction of the fin is the first direction. The wind direction adjustment device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a wind direction adjustment device.

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