Air conditioning register

Abstract

To provide a technology which enables multicolor presentation using a light source 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); a light emitting part (70) which emits light (72L); and a liquid-crystal light control film (80) disposed on an optical path of the light (72L).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air-conditioning register.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an air-conditioning register including a damper for adjusting the opening / closing degree of a duct, a knob for adjusting the actuation amount of the damper, a variable resistor that changes a resistance value in accordance with an operation amount of the knob, a light source, and a light guide member arranged around a ventilation opening. This air-conditioning register is configured such that the brightness and color of light from the light source change in accordance with the operation amount of the knob via the variable resistor, so that a passenger riding in a vehicle can visually identify the amount of air supplied into the vehicle interior.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Outline of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] For the air supplied into the vehicle interior from the air-conditioning register, there are various setting conditions in addition to the air volume, such as temperature and air direction. Therefore, for air-conditioning registers, there is a demand for a technology that enables diverse expression using light sources.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0005] The present disclosure can be implemented in the following modes. [Form 1] An air conditioning register for use in a vehicle, comprising: a cylindrical retainer having an inner wall of the retainer defining a retainer air passage and a retainer opening provided at the downstream end of the retainer air passage; a light-emitting part that emits light; a liquid crystal dimming film arranged in the light path of the light; and a cover member provided inside the retainer, 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 it and the retainer opening, wherein the cover member is arranged to cover the retainer opening, 。 [form 2 An air conditioning register for use in a vehicle, comprising: a cylindrical retainer having an inner wall of the retainer defining a retainer air passage and a retainer opening provided at the downstream end of the retainer air passage; a light-emitting part that emits light; a liquid crystal dimming film disposed in the optical path of the light; a vehicle information acquisition unit for acquiring vehicle information relating to a vehicle on which the air conditioning register is mounted; and a light-emitting control unit that controls the light-emitting part and the liquid crystal dimming film in association with the vehicle information, wherein the vehicle information includes the direction of travel of the vehicle, and the light-emitting control unit causes the light-emitting part to emit light according to a light emission direction associated with the direction of travel. [form 3 An air conditioning register for use in a vehicle, comprising: a cylindrical retainer having an inner wall of the retainer defining a retainer air passage and a retainer opening provided at the downstream end of the retainer air passage; a light-emitting unit that emits light; a liquid crystal dimming film disposed in the light path of the light; a vehicle information acquisition unit for acquiring vehicle information relating to the vehicle on which the air conditioning register is mounted; and a light-emitting control unit that controls the light-emitting unit and the liquid crystal dimming film in association with the vehicle information, wherein the vehicle information includes the vehicle's travel speed, and the light-emitting control unit makes the liquid crystal dimming film transparent when the travel speed is faster than a predetermined speed threshold, and makes the liquid crystal dimming film scattering when the travel speed is less than or equal to the speed threshold, is an air conditioning register.

[0006] (1) According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an air conditioning register for use in a vehicle is provided. The air conditioning register comprises a cylindrical retainer having an inner wall of the retainer defining a retainer air passage and a retainer opening provided at the downstream end of the retainer air passage, a light-emitting part that emits light, and a liquid crystal dimming film disposed in the optical path of the light. This type of air conditioning register, by combining a light-emitting unit with a liquid crystal dimming film, can provide an air conditioning register capable of a variety of expressions using a light source. (2) An air conditioning register of the above form may further include 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 itself and the retainer opening. This form of air conditioning register provides a highly aesthetically pleasing air conditioning register in which the internal structure is not easily visible due to the presence of an exposed surface. (3) An air conditioning register of the above form, wherein the light-emitting part may be arranged inside the lid member. The exposed surface may be configured to allow the emitted light to pass through to the outside of the lid member. The liquid crystal dimming film may be arranged on the exposed surface. This type of air conditioning register allows for the expansion of the light-emitting area by utilizing the exposed surface as a light-emitting region. (4) An air conditioning register of the above form may further include an air conditioning information acquisition unit for acquiring air conditioning information relating to air conditioning, and a light emission control unit for controlling the light emission unit and the liquid crystal dimming film in association with the air conditioning information. This type of air conditioning register allows the air conditioning register to function as a display unit capable of displaying air conditioning information. (5) An air conditioning register of the above form, wherein the air conditioning information may include the direction of the airflow from the air conditioning register. The light emission control unit may cause the light emission unit to emit light according to the light emission direction associated with the airflow direction. With this type of air conditioning register, the air conditioning register can function as a display unit that shows the airflow direction. (6) An air conditioning register of the above form, wherein the air conditioning information may include temperature information that includes at least one of the air conditioning temperature and the ambient temperature. The light emission control unit may cause the light emission unit to emit light in a color associated with the temperature information. With this type of air conditioning register, the air conditioning register can function as a display unit that shows temperature information. (7) In the above-described air conditioning register, the light emission control unit may put the liquid crystal dimming film into a transparent state when at least one of the air conditioning temperature and the ambient temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature threshold. The light emission control unit may put the liquid crystal dimming film into a scattering state when at least one of the air conditioning temperature and the ambient temperature is equal to or greater than the temperature threshold. This type of air conditioning register makes it possible to provide an air conditioning register that can express temperature appropriately for high and low temperatures. (8) An air conditioning register of the above form may further include a vehicle information acquisition unit for acquiring vehicle information relating to a vehicle on which the air conditioning register is installed, and a light emission control unit for controlling the light emission unit and the liquid crystal dimming film in association with the vehicle information. With this type of air conditioning register, the air conditioning register can function as a display unit for showing vehicle information. (9) An air conditioning register of the above form, wherein the vehicle information may include the direction of travel of the vehicle. The light emission control unit may emit light from the light emission unit according to the direction of light emission associated with the direction of travel. With this type of air conditioning register, the air conditioning register can function as a display unit that shows the direction of travel of the vehicle. (10) An air conditioning register of the above form, wherein the vehicle information may include the vehicle's travel speed. The light emission control unit may put the liquid crystal dimming film into a transparent state when the travel speed is faster than a predetermined speed threshold. The light emission control unit may put the liquid crystal dimming film into a scattering state when the travel speed is less than or equal to the speed threshold. This type of air conditioning register allows the air conditioning register to function as a notification unit capable of notifying the driver of exceeding the speed limit. (11) In the above-described air conditioning register, the light emission control unit may put the liquid crystal dimming film into a scattered state when the light emission unit is turned off. This type of air conditioning register makes it difficult to see the internal structure even when the vehicle is stopped, and provides an air conditioning register with high aesthetic appeal. (12) An air conditioning register of the above form, wherein the retainer opening may have one side and another side facing the one side. The retainer facing surface may define a first outlet with respect to one side of the retainer opening and a second outlet with respect to the other side of the retainer opening. The first outlet and the second outlet may be configured such that the direction of the airflow blown out from the first outlet and the direction of the airflow blown out from the second outlet intersect with each other. With this type of air conditioning register, the direction of airflow from the air conditioning register can be adjusted by a simple method of adjusting the balance of airflow between the first and second outlets. (13) An air conditioning register of the above form may further include: a first retainer air passage defined between a first retainer inner wall continuous with one side of the retainer opening and the lid member, and communicating with the first air outlet; a second retainer air passage defined between a second retainer inner wall continuous with the other side of the retainer opening and the lid member, and communicating with the second air outlet; and a flow divider disposed inside the retainer for dividing the retainer air passage into the first retainer air passage and the second retainer air passage. This type of air conditioning register allows for the flow of air to multiple outlets with a simple configuration. (14) An air conditioning register of the above form may further include a downstream fin provided in the retainer opening and an upstream fin located upstream of the retainer air passage from the downstream fin, and arranged in a direction intersecting the surface direction of the downstream fin. According to the air-conditioning register of this embodiment, combining a light-emitting portion and a liquid crystal dimming film makes it possible to provide an air-conditioning register capable of diverse expression using a light source. (15) In the air-conditioning register of the above aspect, the liquid crystal dimming film and the light-emitting portion may be arranged so as to surround the retainer opening. According to the air-conditioning register of this aspect, the relevance between expression using light and air conditioning information can be enhanced, and the visibility as a display portion that indicates air conditioning information can be improved. The present disclosure can also be implemented in various forms other than an air-conditioning register. For example, the present invention can be implemented in the form of a method for manufacturing an air-conditioning register, a vehicle including the air-conditioning register, an air conditioner, a control method for a vehicle, a control method for an air conditioner, a control method for an air-conditioning register, a computer program that implements these control methods, and a non-transitory recording medium that stores the computer program. [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS]

[0007] [Figure 1] An explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of an air-conditioning register according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] A perspective view showing an external configuration of an air-conditioning register. [Figure 3] An exploded perspective view showing the configuration of each part of the air-conditioning register. [Figure 4] An exploded perspective view showing the configuration of each part of a cover member. [Figure 5] An explanatory diagram showing a state in which the light-emitting portion and the liquid crystal dimming film are turned on. [Figure 6] An explanatory diagram showing a state in which the light-emitting portion is turned on and the liquid crystal dimming film is turned off. [Figure 7] A cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in Figure 2. [Figure 8] An explanatory diagram schematically showing the flow direction of conditioned air in a neutral state. [Figure 9] An explanatory diagram schematically showing the flow direction of conditioned air in a first rotation state. [Figure 10] A perspective view showing an external configuration of an air-conditioning register according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] A cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in Figure 10. [Figure 12] An explanatory diagram schematically showing the flow direction of air-conditioning air in a neutral state. [Figure 13] An explanatory diagram showing the flow direction of air inside an air-conditioning register in a first diverted flow state. [Figure 14] An explanatory diagram showing a state where the light-emitting portion and the liquid crystal light control film are turned on in the first diverted flow state. [Figure 15] An explanatory diagram showing a state where the light-emitting portion is turned on and the liquid crystal light control film is turned off in the first diverted flow state. [Figure 16] A first explanatory diagram showing another aspect of light emission processing and dimming processing. [Figure 17] A second explanatory diagram showing another aspect of light emission processing and dimming processing. [Figure 18] A perspective view showing an external configuration of an air-conditioning register according to a third embodiment. [Figure 19] An explanatory diagram showing a state where the light-emitting portion and the liquid crystal light control film of the air-conditioning register of the third embodiment are turned on. [Figure 20] An explanatory diagram showing a state where the light-emitting portion is turned on and the liquid crystal light control film is turned off. [Figure 21] A cross-sectional view taken along line XXI-XXI in Figure 18. [Figure 22] An explanatory diagram schematically showing the flow direction of air-conditioning air in a neutral state. [Figure 23] An explanatory diagram showing a simulation result of airflow velocity in an air-conditioning register in the first diverted flow state. [Figure 24] An explanatory diagram showing a simulation result of airflow velocity in an air-conditioning register in the second diverted flow state. [Figure 25] An exploded perspective view showing a configuration of an air-conditioning register according to a fourth embodiment. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0008] A. First Embodiment: Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of an air conditioning register 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the air conditioning register 100. As shown in Figure 1, the air conditioning register 100 is mounted, for example, in the passenger compartment of a vehicle VH. In the example of Figure 1, the air conditioning register 100 is incorporated, for example, into the instrument panel 10 near the steering wheel 12 of the vehicle. The air conditioning register 100 blows conditioned air into the passenger compartment, supplied through a ventilation duct from an air conditioning system (not shown) provided in the vehicle VH.

[0009] The X, Y, and Z shown in Figure 1 and 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 directions, positive directions are denoted as "+" and negative directions as "-", and positive and negative signs are used in the direction notation. In each figure, the direction pointed to by the arrow is described as the + direction, and the opposite direction as the - direction. In this disclosure, we will explain using the example where the X direction coincides with the vehicle's width direction, the +X direction coincides with the right direction when viewing the vehicle from the rear, the -X direction coincides with the left direction, the Y direction coincides with the vehicle's direction of travel, the +Y direction coincides with the reverse direction, the -Y direction coincides with the forward direction, the Z direction coincides with the vertical direction, the +Z direction coincides with the vertically downward direction, and the -Z direction coincides with the vertically upward direction.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the air conditioning register 100 includes a light-emitting unit 70, a liquid crystal dimming film 80, and a control device 90 that controls the light-emitting unit 70 and the liquid crystal dimming film 80. Also, as shown in Figure 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.

[0011] The light-emitting unit 70 is a light source that emits light to cause the exposed surface 606 to light up. 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 on a reflective substrate. In the example in Figure 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 Figure 2, the light-emitting unit 70 is located inside the air conditioning register 100, more specifically, inside the light-transmitting cover member 60.

[0012] The LED light-emitting element 72 is a semiconductor-containing element that emits light when a voltage is applied. In this embodiment, the LED light-emitting element 72 is composed of a so-called full-color LED, which is a composite of LED elements capable of emitting red, green, and blue light. Various types of elements can be used for the LED light-emitting element 72, such as bullet-shaped and surface-mount (SMD) type elements. The LED light-emitting element 72 emits light in various ways, such as on / off, dimming, and color tuning, under the control of the light emission control unit 922. Note that Figure 2 shows all LED light-emitting elements 72 in the off state. The LED light-emitting element 72 is not limited to those capable of emitting red, green, and blue light; LEDs that emit only one color may also be used. Furthermore, 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 ultraviolet / near-ultraviolet LEDs.

[0013] The liquid crystal dimming film 80 is a film formed using a liquid crystal material also known as polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) or polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC). In this embodiment, the liquid crystal dimming film 80 is controlled by the light emission control unit 922, and a voltage is applied to the conductive films on both sides via electrodes (not shown).

[0014] When a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal dimming film 80, the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are uniformly aligned. As a result, the transmittance of parallel light to the liquid crystal dimming film 80 increases, and the haze value decreases. Consequently, the liquid crystal dimming film 80 enters a transparent state, transmitting incident light without scattering. When no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal dimming film 80, the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are non-uniformly aligned. As a result, the transmittance of parallel light decreases, and the haze value increases. Consequently, the liquid crystal dimming film 80 enters a scattering state, scattering incident light. In other words, the liquid crystal dimming film 80 is transparent and transmittant in the ON state when voltage is applied, and opaque and scattering in the OFF state when no voltage is applied. Note that the liquid crystal dimming film 80 may be configured to be opaque in the ON state and transparent in the OFF state.

[0015] As shown in Figure 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 realizing each function provided in this embodiment, such as a light emission program 942 for realizing the light emission processing of the light emission unit 70, and a dimming program 944 for realizing the dimming processing of the liquid crystal dimming film 80. The CPU loads these programs into RAM or the like and executes them, thereby realizing some or all of these functions, such as the light emission control unit 922.

[0016] The interface circuit 96 is connected to a vehicle information acquisition unit 98 for acquiring vehicle information used in the light emission processing, and an air conditioning information acquisition unit 99 for acquiring air conditioning information used in the light emission processing. The vehicle information acquisition unit 98 is a variety of sensors provided on 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 on the vehicle VH. "Vehicle information" includes, for example, the direction of travel of the vehicle VH, the travel speed of the vehicle VH, the position information of the vehicle VH, the acceleration of the vehicle VH, and the yaw rate (rotational angular velocity) around the vertical axis of the center of gravity of the vehicle VH.

[0017] The air conditioning information acquisition unit 99 is a set of various sensors provided in the air conditioning register 100 or the air conditioning system, and acquires air conditioning information. The air conditioning information acquisition unit 99 includes, for example, a temperature sensor that acquires the temperature of the vehicle interior, a sensor that acquires the angle and orientation of the fins 66 (described later) provided in the air conditioning register 100, and various sensors and control devices provided in the air conditioning system. The "air conditioning information" includes the on / off status of the supply of conditioned air, the airflow direction of the air blown out from the air conditioning register 100, humidity, and temperature information. The "temperature information" includes at least one of the conditioned temperature and the temperature inside the vehicle interior. The "conditioned temperature" may include, for example, the temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the air conditioning register 100 and the set temperature of the air conditioning system. The air conditioning information may further include information on various settings of the air conditioning register 100 and the air conditioning system, such as airflow and wind speed.

[0018] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of each part of the air conditioning register 100. As shown in Figure 3, the retainer 30 is a cylindrical structure with a retainer air passage 30S formed inside. The retainer 30 can be formed using any material such as resin, metal, or inorganic material. In this embodiment, the retainer 30 is made of, for example, a colored resin material and is configured not to transmit visible light. The retainer 30 has a first wall portion 302, a second wall portion 304, and a side wall portion 303.

[0019] The first wall portion 302 is the vertically upper wall surface that constitutes the retainer 30. The second wall portion 304 is the vertically lower wall surface. The side wall portion 303 is the wall surface that connects the first wall portion 302 and the second wall portion 304. The side wall portion 303 is provided with a fitting hole 308 for fitting with a projection 646 provided on the lid member 60, as will be described later. The inner wall surface of the first wall portion 302 is also called the "first retainer inner wall 302W," and the inner wall surface of the second wall portion 304 is also called the "second retainer inner wall 304W." The inner wall surfaces of each wall portion 302, 303, and 304 are collectively called the "retainer inner wall 30W." The retainer inner wall 30W defines the retainer ventilation passage 30S.

[0020] As shown in Figure 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 air conditioning system of the vehicle VH. The retainer opening 306 is located at the downstream end of the retainer ventilation passage 30S and is positioned to face the passenger compartment. The retainer opening 306 communicates with the inlet 305 via the retainer ventilation passage 30S. The retainer opening 306 has a long, roughly rectangular shape along the vehicle width direction. One of the long sides of the retainer opening 306 is also called the "first side 306s1," and the other side is also called the "second side 306s2." In this embodiment, the first side 306s1 is positioned vertically upward and is continuous with the first retainer inner wall 302W of the retainer inner wall 30W. The second side 306s2 is positioned vertically downward and opposite the first side 306s1. The second side 306s2 is continuous with the second retainer inner wall 304W of the retainer inner wall 30W.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, when the lid member 60, which will be described later, is housed inside the retainer 30, a slit-shaped first air outlet 101 is formed between the first side 306s1 and the lid member 60 along the first side 306s1, and a slit-shaped second air outlet 102 is formed between the second side 306s2 and the lid member 60 along the second side 306s2. As indicated by the arrow AR in Figure 2, the conditioned air supplied from the air conditioning unit flows from the inlet 305 into the retainer air passage 30S and is blown out into the passenger compartment from the first air outlet 101 and the second air outlet 102. In this disclosure, in the flow direction of the conditioned air, the position closer to the air conditioning unit with respect to a predetermined reference position is sometimes called "upstream" or "upstream side," and the position further away from the air conditioning unit is sometimes called "downstream," "downstream side," "front," or "front side."

[0022] The lid member 60 is a hollow structure through which conditioned air can flow. In this embodiment, the lid 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 Figure 3, the lid member 60 has a first slit 602 that communicates with the first air outlet 101 and a second slit 604 that communicates with the second air outlet 102. The lid member 60 has a substantially cylindrical external shape and is positioned in the retainer air passage 30S so that its axial direction coincides with the vehicle width direction. All parts of the lid member 60 may be light-transmitting, or only the portion of the lid member 60 corresponding to the exposed surface 606, such as only the front wall portion 62 described later, may be configured to be light-transmitting.

[0023] The cover member 60 is positioned near the retainer opening 306 in the retainer air passage 30S, covering the retainer opening 306 from inside the retainer 30. By covering the retainer opening 306 with the cover member 60, the internal structure of the air conditioning register 100 is not easily visible from the outside. Note that "the cover member 60 covers the retainer opening 306" means that the cover member 60 covers the retainer opening 306 to the extent that the internal structure of the air conditioning register 100 is not visible from the outside, while allowing the airflow channels for the air conditioning, such as the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102, to be formed between the cover member 60 and the retainer opening 306.

[0024] The exposed surface 606 shown in Figure 2 is the portion of the cover member 60 that is exposed from the retainer opening 306. The exposed surface 606 can be decorated, for example, to improve its aesthetic appeal. "Decoration" means adding decorative elements. Decoration may include, for example, painting, plating, printing, coloring, surface treatment, surface processing, and the addition of decorative members. Decoration may be performed during the manufacturing of the air conditioning register 100, or it may be performed by the vehicle or the user of the air conditioning register 100.

[0025] The bezel 20 is a frame in which a bezel opening 206 is formed. The bezel opening 206 has an elongated rectangular shape in the vehicle width direction, and in this embodiment, it is formed to substantially coincide with the shape of the retainer opening 306. The bezel 20 is connected to the downstream end of the retainer 30 such that the bezel opening 206 overlaps with the retainer opening 306, and the 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 in a front view.

[0026] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of each part of the lid member 60. As shown in Figure 4, the lid member 60 is formed by assembling a front wall 62, an upper wall 63, a lower wall 64, a fin 66, and a flow divider 68 together so as to house the light-emitting part 70 inside.

[0027] The front wall portion 62 functions as the front wall surface of the lid member 60. The front wall portion 62 comprises a front surface 626 and a concave shaft fitting portion 628. The shaft fitting portion 628 is provided on the back surface of the lid member 60, opposite to the front surface 626, and the flow divider portion 68 is fitted into it. The front surface 626 is a convex curved surface facing outward from the air conditioning register 100. The front surface 626 has a straight edge 623 located at its upper end and a straight edge 624 located at its lower end. Part of the front surface 626 is exposed from the retainer opening 306, and the remaining part faces the retainer inner wall 30W. The surface of the front surface 626 that is exposed from the retainer opening 306 functions as the exposed surface 606. The surface of the lid member 60 that faces the retainer inner wall 30W is also called the "retainer facing surface".

[0028] The upper wall portion 63 functions as the upper wall surface of the lid member 60. The upper wall portion 63 comprises an upper surface portion 632 and two side wall portions 634 that are continuous with both ends of the upper surface portion 632. The upper surface portion 632 has the same number of fitting holes 638 as the fins 66 for fitting with the protrusions 662 provided on the fins 66. A straight end edge 632E is formed on the front side of the upper surface portion 632. When the lid member 60 is formed, the end edge 632E is spaced apart from and facing the end edge 623 of the front wall portion 62. As a result, the first slit 602 shown in Figure 3 is formed between the end edge 632E and the end edge 623.

[0029] The lower wall portion 64 functions as the lower wall surface of the lid member 60. The lower wall portion 64 comprises a lower surface portion 642 and two side wall portions 644 that are continuous with both ends of the lower surface portion 642. The lower wall portion 64 has the same number of fitting holes 648 as the fins 66 for fitting with the protrusions 662 provided on the fins 66. A straight end edge 642E is formed on the front side of the lower surface portion 642. When the lid member 60 is formed, the end edge 642E is spaced apart from and facing the end edge 624 of the front wall portion 62. As a result, the second slit 604 shown in Figure 3 is formed between the end edge 642E and the end edge 624.

[0030] The upper ends 644T of each of the two side wall portions 644 are joined to the lower end 634B of the side wall portion 634 of the upper wall portion 63. Each of the upper ends 644T has a projection 646 that protrudes outward from the lid member 60. The projection 646 has a substantially cylindrical shape and fits into a fitting hole 308 formed in the side wall portion 303 of the retainer 30. As a result, the lid member 60 is supported so as to be rotatable around the central axis AX in the retainer ventilation passage 30S.

[0031] The fin 66 is housed inside the cover member 60 and switches the direction of the air blown out from the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102 to the left and right along the vehicle width direction. The fin 66 comprises a protruding portion 662, a first fin 664, a second fin 665, a shaft portion 666, and a connecting portion 668.

[0032] The first fin 664 and the second fin 665 are substantially flat plate-shaped members having an outer shape corresponding to the flow path shape within the lid member 60. The first fin 664 and the second fin 665 are attached to the shaft portion 666 so that they can rotate around the 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 together with a single shaft portion 666 and a connecting portion 668, and share the central axis AX2.

[0033] The protrusions 662 are positioned at the upper and lower ends of the shaft portion 666. The protrusions 662 have a substantially cylindrical shape and fit into the fitting holes 638 of the upper wall portion 63 and the fitting holes 648 of the lower wall portion 64. As a result, the fin 66 is supported inside the lid member 60 so as to be rotatable around the central axis AX2 of the shaft portion 666. 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 intersecting the inner wall 302W of the first retainer and the inner wall 304W of the second retainer.

[0034] The connecting portion 668 functions as a so-called link mechanism for rotating the shaft portion 666. In this 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 reciprocating 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 direction of the first fin 664 and the second fin 665. As a result, the airflow direction inside the lid member 60 is switched 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.

[0035] The light-emitting section 70 is housed inside the lid member 60 when the front wall section 62, the upper wall section 63, and the lower wall section 64 are joined together. In this embodiment, the light-emitting section 70 is fixed to the inner wall surface of the lid member 60 at a position closer to the front wall section 62 than to the fins 66. As a result, the light-emitting section 70 can rotate around the central axis AX in synchronization with the rotation of the lid member 60.

[0036] The liquid crystal dimming film 80 is positioned on the optical path of the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 70. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the liquid crystal dimming film 80 is processed to be the same size as, for example, the front surface 626 of the lid member 60, and is attached so as to cover the entire front surface 626. As a result, the entire exposed surface 606 is covered by the liquid crystal dimming film 80.

[0037] As shown in Figure 4, the diversion section 68 is an elongated shaft member along the vehicle width direction. The diversion section 68 divides the flow path inside the cover member 60 into two directions. The diversion section 68 includes a support recess 682 and a protrusion 684 for rotatably supporting the shaft portion 666 of the fin 66. The diversion section 68 is fitted into the shaft fitting portion 628 of the front wall portion 62 with the shaft portion 666 inserted through the support recess 682.

[0038] The flow divider 68 has two slopes, a first slope 683 and a second slope 685, which are connected to each other with the protruding portion 684 as their apex. The protruding portion 684 is located on the upstream side of the retainer air passage 30S. As a result, the flow divider 68 is positioned in the retainer air passage 30S in a state where it protrudes toward the inlet 305. By making the flow divider 68 protrude toward the upstream side, the flow path can be divided vertically while suppressing an increase in flow resistance. Note that the cross-sectional shape of the flow divider 68 is not limited to a triangle, but may be various shapes such as a flat plate, a circle or ellipse, a square, a hexagon or octagon or other polygon. If the retainer air passage 30S has two flow paths that correspond individually to the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102, and air conditioning air is supplied to the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102 individually, the flow divider 68 can be omitted. In the air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, by providing a flow divider 68, the flow path can be divided to the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102 with a simple configuration without providing a complex flow path in the retainer air passage 30S.

[0039] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the details of the light emission processing of the light-emitting unit 70 and the dimming processing of the liquid crystal dimming film 80 by the light emission control unit 922 will be described. Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the air conditioning register 100 with the light-emitting unit 70 and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 turned on. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the air conditioning register 100 with the light-emitting unit 70 turned on and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 turned off. Note that in Figures 5 and 6, all LED light-emitting elements 72 provided in the light-emitting unit 70 are turned on.

[0040] In this embodiment, the light emission control unit 922 acquires on / off status and temperature information of the supply of conditioned air from the air conditioning system from the air conditioning information acquisition unit 99. The light emission control unit 922 performs a light emission process that turns the light emission unit 70 on and off and adjusts its color, and a dimming process that switches the liquid crystal dimming film 80 on and off according to the acquired on / off status and temperature information of the supply of conditioned air. The color of the LED light-emitting element 72 is switched by individually adjusting the light intensity of the LED elements corresponding to each of the RGB components provided on the LED light-emitting element 72.

[0041] The light emission control unit 922 acquires, for example, the temperature of the vehicle interior from the air conditioning information acquisition unit 99 as temperature information. If the temperature is lower than the lower limit of the suitable temperature range, the light emission control unit 922 turns on the liquid crystal dimming film 80 to a transparent state, as shown in Figure 5, and causes the light emission unit 70 to emit light in a cool color such as blue. The "suitable temperature range" refers to a temperature that is comfortable for the user and can be set, for example, between 25 degrees and 28 degrees. The lower limit of the suitable temperature range functions as a temperature threshold for switching the liquid crystal dimming film 80 on and off. The light 72L emitted from the LED light-emitting element 72 passes through the liquid crystal dimming film 80 and is emitted toward the vehicle interior side, which is outside the lid member 60. The point emission of the LED light-emitting element 72 gives the user a sharp impression and can promote the user's feeling of coolness. The suitable temperature range may be set arbitrarily by the user, and may be set according to the season, such as between 25 degrees and 28 degrees in summer and between 18 degrees and 22 degrees in winter. Furthermore, instead of ambient temperature, the set temperature of the air conditioning unit or the temperature of the air blown out from the air conditioning register 100 may be used. Also, instead of the appropriate temperature range, only the temperature range value may be used.

[0042] If the ambient temperature is higher than the upper limit of the optimal temperature range, the light emission control unit 922 turns off the liquid crystal dimming film 80 to a scattering state, as shown in Figure 6, and causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light in a warm color such as red. If the ambient temperature is between the lower and upper limits of the optimal temperature range, the light emission control unit 922 puts the liquid crystal dimming film 80 into a scattering state and causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light in green. The light emitted from the LED light-emitting element 72 is diffused by the liquid crystal dimming film 80. As a result, the exposed surface 606 can be made to emit light from the surface. Therefore, surface emission gives the user a calm impression and allows the user to relax.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the light-emitting unit 70 is off, the liquid crystal dimming film 80 is also off and in a scattered state. For example, when the vehicle VH is stopped, the light-emitting unit 70 and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 are off, and the exposed surface 606 is opaque. If the liquid crystal dimming film 80 is transparent when the light-emitting unit 70 is off, the internal structure of the air conditioning register 100 will be more easily visible to the user. Therefore, by making the liquid crystal dimming film 80 in a scattered state when the light-emitting unit 70 is off, the internal structure is less visible even when the vehicle VH is stopped, and the aesthetic appeal of the air conditioning register 100 can be enhanced. However, if, for example, the lid member 60 is made of a translucent material, or if the internal structure of the air conditioning register 100 is not easily visible regardless of whether the light-emitting unit 70 or the liquid crystal dimming film 80 is on or off, the liquid crystal dimming film 80 may be on even when the light-emitting unit 70 is off.

[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the vehicle VH is activated and the air conditioning system is turned off, the light emission control unit 922 turns off the liquid crystal dimming film 80 to a scattering state and causes the light emission unit 70 to emit white light, regardless of temperature information. In other words, when the air conditioning system is off, the exposed surface 606 is in a state of surface emission with white light. By emitting light in a color different from the color indicating temperature information, such as blue-green, the internal structure is difficult to see, and it is easy to see that the air conditioning system is off.

[0045] The internal structure of the air conditioning register 100 will be described in detail using Figures 7 to 9. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken at position VII-VII in Figure 2. Figure 7 shows the air conditioning register 100 in a neutral state. "Neutral state" means a state in which the internal structure of the air conditioning register 100 is configured such that the airflow rate from the first outlet 101 and the airflow rate from the second outlet 102 are approximately the same. 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 Figure 7 and Figures 8 and 9 described later, the cross-sectional structure of the front wall 62 and the flow divider 68 is shown in a simplified manner to facilitate understanding of the technology.

[0046] As shown in Figure 7, in this embodiment, the neutral state is formed by the internal structure of the air conditioning register 100 being in a so-called mirror-image symmetric state, where it is vertically symmetric with respect to the Y direction including the central axis AX. The orientation of the lid member 60 in the neutral state is in the direction DT1, which is approximately the same as the Y direction. The "orientation of the lid member 60" can be defined, for example, by a straight line DT connecting the midpoint CP of the front surface 626 of the lid member 60 and the central axis AX. The "midpoint CP of the front surface 626" can be defined, for example, by using a position on the front surface 626 where the straight-line distance to the edge 623 and the straight-line distance to the edge 624 are approximately the same. The light-emitting unit 70 is fixed inside the lid member 60 such that the direction of the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 70 is approximately the same as the orientation of the lid member 60, in the direction DT1.

[0047] As shown in Figure 7, flow paths are formed inside and around the lid member 60 to guide the conditioned air flowing in from the inlet 305 to the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102. Specifically, inside the lid member 60, a first internal flow path 601 is formed between the first inclined surface 683 and the upper surface 632 of the diversion section 68, 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.

[0048] A first retainer air passage 612 and a second retainer air passage 614 are formed on the outside of the cover member 60. The first retainer air passage 612 is a flow path defined between the inner wall 302W of the first retainer and the front surface 626 of the cover member 60, and the second retainer air passage 614 is a flow path defined between the inner wall 304W of the second retainer and the front surface 626. The first retainer air passage 612 connects the first slit 602 and the first outlet 101, and the second retainer air passage 614 connects the second slit 604 and the second outlet 102.

[0049] As shown in Figure 7, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shapes of the first retainer inner wall 302W and the second retainer inner wall 304W are substantially arc-shaped, corresponding to the outer cross-sectional shape of the lid member 60. With this configuration, by rotating the lid member 60, the flow path height of the first retainer air passage 612 and the flow path height of the second retainer air passage 614 can be kept substantially constant, while the balance between the flow path length of the first retainer air passage 612 and the flow path length of the second retainer air passage 614 can be switched. In other words, by rotating the lid member 60, the balance between the flow path resistance of the first retainer air passage 612 and the flow path resistance of the second retainer air passage 614 can be switched. With this configuration, the balance between the flow rate, flow velocity, etc., of the air blown out from the first outlet 101 and the air blown out from the second outlet 102 can be easily adjusted by rotating the lid member 60.

[0050] Figure 7 schematically shows the air outlet direction DS1 of the air blown out from the first outlet 101 and the air outlet direction DS2 of the air blown out from the second outlet 102. "Air outlet direction" refers to the macroscopic air flow direction at the outlet. The air outlet direction DS1 can be defined, for example, by using the tangent to the first side 306s1 of the first retainer inner wall 302W in a cross-sectional view, or the tangent to the surface of the lid member 60 facing that position. The air outlet direction DS2 can be defined by using the tangent to the second side 306s2 of the second retainer inner wall 304W, or the tangent to the surface of the lid member 60 facing that position. In this embodiment, the air outlet direction DS1 and the air outlet direction DS2 are configured to intersect at the intersection IS shown in Figure 7, so that the air blown out from the first outlet 101 and the air blown out from the second outlet 102 merge near the front surface 626.

[0051] In Figure 7, the air conditioning system is turned off. The light emission control unit 922 receives air conditioning information from the air conditioning information acquisition unit 99 that the supply of air conditioning air is off, and turns off the liquid crystal dimming film 80 and causes the light emission unit 70 to emit white light. As a result, as shown in Figure 7, all the light LT1, LT2, LT3 emitted from the LED light-emitting elements 72 in rows L1, L2, and L3 is scattered by the liquid crystal dimming film 80, and the exposed surface 606 becomes a surface-emitting white light source.

[0052] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating the flow direction of conditioned air inside the neutral air conditioning register 100. When air from the air conditioning unit is supplied to the air conditioning register 100, as shown by arrows S11 and S21 in Figure 8, the conditioned air that flows from the inlet 305 into the retainer ventilation passage 30S flows to the protruding portion 684 of the flow division section 68. The following explanation will use the case where the ambient temperature is lower than the optimal temperature range as an example.

[0053] The light emission control unit 922 acquires from the air conditioning information acquisition unit 99 that the ambient temperature is below the optimal temperature range and that the supply of air conditioning is turned on, and turns on the liquid crystal dimming film 80 and causes the LED light-emitting element 72 of the light emission unit 70 to emit blue light. As shown in Figure 8, in the neutral state of the air conditioning register 100, all the light LT1, LT2, LT3 emitted from the LED light-emitting elements 72 of rows L1, L2, L3 passes through the liquid crystal dimming film 80 and is emitted in front of the air conditioning register 100.

[0054] When the air supplied to the retainer ventilation passage 30S reaches the protrusion 684, it is divided by the protrusion 684 into a first internal passage 601 and a second internal passage 603, as indicated by arrows S12 and S22. By rotating the shaft portion 666 by operating the fin 66 and switching the surface direction of the first fin 664 and the second fin 665, the flow direction of the divided air, as indicated by arrows S12 and S22, can be switched left and right along the vehicle width direction.

[0055] The air flowing through the first internal passage 601 is sent out to the outside of the lid member 60 through the first slit 602 and flows through the first retainer ventilation passage 612, as indicated by arrow S13. Similarly, the air flowing through the second internal passage 603 is sent out to the outside of the lid member 60 through the second slit 604 and flows through the second retainer ventilation passage 614, as indicated by arrow S23.

[0056] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the air conditioning register 100 is configured such that, in the neutral state, the flow path length W11 of the first retainer air passage 612 and the flow path length W21 of the second retainer air passage 614 are approximately the same. That is, in the neutral state, the flow resistance of the first retainer air passage 612 and the flow resistance of the second retainer air passage 614 are approximately the same. As a result, in the neutral state, the flow rates of the air blown out from the first outlet 101 and the air blown out from the second outlet 102 can be made approximately the same.

[0057] As indicated by arrows S14 and S24, the air blown out from the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102 to the outside of the retainer 30 flows along the surface of the front 626 according to the Coanda effect, and merges on the surface of the front 626 or at a position away from the surface of the front 626 due to separation. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the merged air, with substantially the same flow rate, flows toward the front of the air conditioning register 100 along a substantially horizontal direction, as indicated by arrow S200.

[0058] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the airflow direction of the air conditioning register 100 inside the air conditioning register 100 in the first rotation state. In the air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, the direction of the blown air can be adjusted vertically by rotating the lid member 60. The user can adjust the direction of the air by rotating the lid member 60 vertically, for example, by manually operating the exposed surface 606. The lid member 60 may be rotated not only by manual operation of the exposed surface 606, but also by an operating lever via a link mechanism connected to the lid member 60.

[0059] As shown in Figure 9, when the lid member 60 is rotated upward as indicated by arrow D20, the orientation of the lid member 60 is switched from direction DT1 to direction DT2 as shown in Figure 7. As a result, the air conditioning register 100 can be placed in the first rotation state shown in Figure 9. At this time, the light-emitting unit 70 fixed inside the lid member 60 rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the lid member 60, and the emission direction of the light LT1, LT2, and LT3 from the light-emitting unit 70 is switched from direction DT1 to direction DT2.

[0060] In the first rotation state, compared to the neutral state, the flow path length of the first retainer air passage 612 is extended from the flow path length W11 shown in Figure 5 to the flow path length W12 shown in Figure 9. Also, the flow path length of the second retainer air passage 614 is shortened from the flow path length W21 to the flow path length W22. In other words, the first rotation state is a state in which, compared to the neutral state, the flow resistance is increased by the amount by which the flow path length of the first retainer air passage 612 is lengthened, and the flow resistance is decreased by the amount by which the flow path length of the second retainer air passage 614 is shortened.

[0061] As shown by arrows S31 and S41 in Figure 9, the conditioned air flowing from the inlet 305 into the retainer ventilation passage 30S flows to the protruding portion 684 of the diversion section 68, and as shown by arrows S32 and S42, is divided by the protruding portion 684 into the first internal passage 601 and the second internal passage 603, which are then guided to the first slit 602 and the second slit 604. The air flowing through the first internal passage 601 is sent out to the outside of the cover member 60 from the first slit 602 and flows through the first retainer ventilation passage 612 with an extended passage length, as shown by arrow S33. The air flowing through the second internal passage 603 is sent out to the outside of the cover member 60 from the second slit 604 and flows through the second retainer ventilation passage 614 with a shortened passage length, as shown by arrow S43.

[0062] In the first rotation state, the airflow rate from the second outlet 102, indicated by arrow S44, becomes greater than in the neutral state due to the decrease in flow resistance, and also greater than the airflow rate from the first outlet 101, indicated by arrow S34. Therefore, the point where the air from the first outlet 101 and the air from the second outlet 102 merge is above the neutral state. As a result, as shown by arrow S202 in Figure 9, the air blown out from the air conditioning register 100 flows upward relative to the horizontal, i.e., in the direction of elevation.

[0063] As shown in Figure 9, air from the air conditioning unit is supplied to the air conditioning register 100, and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 and the light-emitting unit 70 are turned on. In the first rotation state of the air conditioning register 100 shown in Figure 9, the LED light-emitting elements 72 of row L1 and a portion of the LED light-emitting elements 72 of row L2 are facing the inner wall 30W of the retainer. As a result, a portion of 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, a portion of the light LT3 from the LED light-emitting elements 72 of row L3 and a portion of the light LT2 from the LED light-emitting elements 72 of row L2 are transmitted through the exposed surface 606 and emitted into the passenger compartment.

[0064] The emission direction of the lights LT2 and LT3 becomes upward as the lid member 60 rotates, and they are emitted toward the vicinity of the first air outlet 101. Therefore, the user inside the vehicle sees the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 70 as being biased towards the upper side of the exposed surface 606 compared to the neutral state. Thus, 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 emitted light displayed on the exposed surface 606 without acquiring information such as the amount of rotation of the lid member 60 or the direction of airflow from the air conditioning information acquisition unit 99 or the like. Note that the lights LT1 and LT2 may be configured to pass through the retainer 30 and bezel 20. Even in this case, by switching to the first rotation state, the lights LT1, LT2, and LT3 can be directed upward on the exposed surface 606 compared to the neutral state, so the same effect can be obtained.

[0065] Although not shown in the illustration, in the air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, by rotating the lid member 60 to a second rotational state below the neutral state, it is also possible to direct the air blown from the air conditioning register 100 into the vehicle interior downwards compared to the neutral state. The second rotational state can be formed, for example, by rotating the lid member 60 to invert the first rotational state vertically with respect to direction DT1. In the second rotational state, compared to the neutral state, the flow resistance is reduced by the amount by which the flow path length is shortened in the first retainer air passage 612, and the flow resistance is increased by the amount by which the flow path length is extended in the second retainer air passage 614. As a result, the air blown from the air conditioning register 100 can be directed downwards with respect to the horizontal direction, i.e., in a direction that is at a downward angle. Also, in the second rotational state, the emission direction of the light LT2 and LT3 becomes downwards in accordance with the rotation of the lid member 60, and is emitted toward the vicinity of the second air outlet 102. Therefore, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 70 can be biased to the lower side of the exposed surface 606 compared to the neutral state, and, similar to the first rotation state, the direction of the airflow from the air conditioning register 100 can be correlated with the position of the emitted light displayed on the exposed surface 606.

[0066] As described above, the air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment includes a retainer 30, a light-emitting unit 70 that emits light 72L, and a liquid crystal dimming film 80 arranged in the optical path of the light 72L. The lid member 60 has an exposed surface 606 that is exposed from the retainer opening 306 and a retainer-facing surface that faces the retainer opening 306 and defines an air outlet between it and the retainer opening 306, and the exposed surface 606 is configured to emit light toward the outside of the lid member 60. According to this embodiment, by combining the light-emitting unit 70 and the liquid crystal dimming film 80, it is possible to provide an air conditioning register 100 that can express a variety of things using a light source.

[0067] The air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment further includes a lid member 60 provided inside the retainer 30, which has an exposed surface 606 that is exposed from the retainer opening 306, and a retainer-facing surface that faces the retainer opening 306 and defines an air outlet between itself and the retainer opening 306. By providing an exposed surface 606 that is exposed from inside the retainer 30 through the retainer opening 306, the internal structure is not easily visible, making it possible to provide an air conditioning register 100 with a high aesthetic appeal.

[0068] In the air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 70 is arranged inside the lid member 60, the exposed surface 606 is configured to allow emitted light 72L to pass through to the outside of the lid member 60, and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 is placed on the exposed surface 606. By utilizing the exposed surface 606 as a light-emitting area, the area that can emit light can be expanded, improving the visibility and design of the air conditioning register 100. Furthermore, by utilizing the inside of the lid member 60 as the area for arranging the light-emitting unit 70, it is possible to suppress the increase in size of the air conditioning register 100 that would occur with the installation of the light-emitting unit 70.

[0069] The air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment further includes an air conditioning information acquisition unit 99 for acquiring air conditioning information, and an illumination control unit 922 for controlling the light-emitting unit 70 and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 in association with the air conditioning information. By associating the light-emitting process of the light-emitting unit 70 and the dimming process of the liquid crystal dimming film 80 with the air conditioning information, the exposed surface 606 can function as a display unit capable of displaying air conditioning information. This makes it possible to omit components for the user to visually confirm the air conditioning information, such as an indicator showing the on / off status of the air conditioning unit, and reduces the number of parts in the air conditioning register 100 or the instrument panel 10.

[0070] In the air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, the light emission control unit 922 causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light in a color associated with temperature information. By associating the light emission process of the light-emitting unit 70 with temperature information, the exposed surface 606 can function as a display unit for displaying temperature information. Furthermore, by associating the ambient temperature of the vehicle interior with the light emission color of the exposed surface 606, the visibility of the temperature information display unit can be improved.

[0071] According to the air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, the light emission control unit 922 puts the liquid crystal dimming film 80 into a transparent state when the temperature is below a predetermined temperature threshold, and puts the liquid crystal dimming film 80 into a scattering state when the temperature is above the temperature threshold. When the temperature is low, the point emission of the LED light-emitting element 72 gives the user a sharp impression and promotes a feeling of coolness, and when the temperature is high, the surface emission gives the user a calm impression and allows the user to relax. In other words, it is possible to provide an air conditioning register 100 that can express an appropriate level of temperature.

[0072] According to the air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, when the light-emitting unit 70 is turned off, the liquid crystal dimming film 80 is placed in a scattered state. Therefore, when the vehicle VH is stopped, etc., the light-emitting unit 70 is turned off and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 is in a transparent state, which makes the internal structure easily visible, is suppressed, and an air conditioning register 100 with a high aesthetic appeal and an internal structure that is difficult to see is provided.

[0073] According to the air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102 are configured such that the airflow direction DS1 of the air blown out from the first outlet 101 and the airflow direction DS2 of the air blown out from the second outlet 102 intersect each other at the intersection IS. By merging the air blown out from the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102, the airflow 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 airflow rates between the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102.

[0074] The air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment further includes a flow divider 68 for dividing the retainer air passage 30S into a first retainer air passage 612 and a second retainer air passage 614. By including the flow divider 68, air can be flowed to multiple outlets of the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102 with a simple configuration without forming two separate flow paths that communicate individually with the first retainer air passage 612 and the second retainer air passage 614.

[0075] In the air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 70 is fixed inside the lid member 60 and can rotate around the central axis AX in synchronization with the rotation of the lid member 60. Without acquiring information such as the amount of rotation of the lid member 60 or the direction of airflow, the direction of airflow from the air conditioning register 100 and the position of light emitted from the light-emitting unit 70 can be correlated in a simple manner.

[0076] The air conditioning register 100 of this embodiment includes a flat plate-shaped first fin 664 provided in the first retainer air passage 612 and configured to rotate around an axis intersecting the inner wall 302W of the first retainer, and a flat plate-shaped second fin 665 provided in the second retainer air passage 614 and configured to rotate around an axis intersecting the inner wall 304W of the second retainer. By the simple method of rotating the first fin 664 and the second fin 665, the airflow direction of the first outlet 101 and the airflow direction of the second outlet 102 can be switched to the left and right in the vehicle width direction.

[0077] B. Second Embodiment: Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the 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 is equipped with a cover member 60b instead of a cover member 60, and further equipped with an operating lever 40, but the other configurations are the same. In the first embodiment, an example was shown in which the cover member 60 is rotatably supported within the retainer air passage 30S. In contrast, in this embodiment, the cover member 60b differs in that it is fixed within the retainer air passage 30S. In this embodiment, the flow rate of the first outlet 101b and the second outlet 102b is adjusted by operating the flow divider 68b using the operating lever 40.

[0078] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the position XI-XI in Figure 10. Figure 11 shows the air conditioning register 100b in a neutral state. The neutral state of the air conditioning register 100b is formed by the internal structure being mirror-symmetric with respect to the Y direction including the central axis AX, similar to the first embodiment.

[0079] As shown in Figure 11, the lid member 60b comprises a front wall portion 62b, a fin 66b, and a flow divider portion 68b. The lid member 60b differs from the lid member 60 shown in the first embodiment in that it does not have an upper wall portion 63, a lower wall portion 64, a first slit 602, and a second slit 604. A first retainer air passage 612b and a second retainer air passage 614b are formed on the outside of the lid member 60b. The flow path height of the first retainer air passage 612b and the flow path height of the second retainer air passage 614b are approximately the same, and the flow path length W31 of the first retainer air passage 612b and the flow path length W41 of the second retainer air passage 614b are approximately the same. In other words, the flow resistance of the first retainer air passage 612b and the second retainer air passage 614b are configured to be approximately the same. Note that the configurations of the first air outlet 101b and the second air outlet 102b are the same as those of the first air outlet 101 and the second air outlet 102 shown in the first embodiment, so their explanation will be omitted.

[0080] The front wall portion 62b is similar to 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 inner wall 30W of the retainer by a fixing device (not shown).

[0081] The light-emitting unit 70 is fixed inside the front wall portion 62b, and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 is attached so as to cover the entire front surface 626 of the front wall portion 62b. The direction of light emission from the light-emitting unit 70 is approximately the same direction DT3 as the direction of the cover member 60. In this embodiment, the light emission control unit 922 acquires information regarding the airflow direction for air conditioning from the air conditioning information acquisition unit 99, and also acquires the driving direction of the vehicle VH from the vehicle information acquisition unit 98. The light emission control unit 922 performs a light emission process that adjusts the on / off state of each LED light-emitting element 72 in accordance with the acquired airflow direction of the air conditioning supply and the driving direction of the vehicle VH, and a dimming process that switches the on / off state of the liquid crystal dimming film 80.

[0082] The fin 66b rotates around the central axis AX2. The fin 66b differs in shape from the fin 66 shown in the first embodiment, but its other functions and configurations are the same. The upper end projection 662 of the fin 66b is fitted into the fitting hole 302T of the first retainer inner wall 302W instead of the fitting hole 638 of the upper wall 63, and the lower end projection 662 is fitted into the fitting hole 304T of the second retainer inner wall 304W instead of the fitting hole 648 of the lower wall 64. In this embodiment, the rotation of the fin 66b can be adjusted, for example, by operating an operating lever (not shown). The amount of rotation of the fin 66b is acquired as air conditioning information indicating the airflow direction in 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.

[0083] The diversion section 68b is a long, plate-like member that runs along the vehicle width direction. The upstream end of the diversion section 68b functions as a protruding portion 684, dividing the airflow in the retainer ventilation passage 30S vertically. In the example shown in Figure 11, the diversion section 68b is positioned in the retainer ventilation passage 30S such that its surface direction is in the direction DT3, which is approximately coincident with the horizontal plane.

[0084] In this embodiment, a first internal flow path 601b is formed between the upper surface of the flow division section 68b and the inner wall 302W of the first retainer, and a second internal flow path 603b is formed between the lower surface of the flow division section 68b and the inner wall 304W of the second retainer. The first internal flow path 601b communicates with the first outlet 101b via the first retainer air passage 612b, and the second internal flow path 603b communicates with the second outlet 102b via the second retainer air passage 614b.

[0085] The diversion section 68b is configured to rotate around a central axis AX set near the downstream end of the diversion section 68b, as shown by arrow AG2 in Figure 11. The diversion section 68b is connected to the operating lever 40 shown in Figure 10 by a link mechanism (not shown). By operating the operating lever 40 in the direction shown by arrow AG1 in Figure 10, the diversion section 68b can be rotated around the central axis AX. This allows the diversion section 68b to switch between a first diversion state in which the protruding portion 684 is close to the inner wall 302W of the first retainer, and a second diversion state in which the protruding portion 684 is close to the inner wall 304W of the second retainer.

[0086] The first flow splitting state is a state in which the opening of the first internal passage 601b, which communicates with the first retainer air passage 612b, is reduced, and the opening of the second internal passage 603b, which communicates with the second retainer air passage 614b, is increased. The second flow splitting state is a state in which the opening of the first internal passage 601b is increased, and the opening of the second internal passage 603b is reduced. In this embodiment, the amount of rotation of the flow splitting section 68b is acquired as air conditioning information indicating the vertical airflow 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 40.

[0087] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating the flow direction of conditioned air inside the neutral air conditioning register 100b. In the neutral air conditioning register 100b, the opening degree of the first internal flow path 601b and the opening degree of the second internal flow path 603b by the flow divider 68b are approximately the same. As shown by arrows S51 and S61 in Figure 13, the conditioned air flowing from the inlet 305 into the retainer ventilation passage 30S flows to the protrusion 684 of the flow divider 68b, and then, as shown by arrows S52 and S62, is divided by the protrusion 684 into the first internal flow path 601b and the second internal flow path 603b. When the air supply from the air conditioning device is turned on, the light emission control unit 922 turns on the light emission unit 70.

[0088] The air flowing through the first internal passage 601b flows through the first retainer air passage 612b, as indicated by arrow S53. The air flowing through the second internal passage 603b flows through the second retainer air passage 614b, as indicated by arrow S63. The flow resistance of the first retainer air passage 612b and the second retainer air passage 614b are approximately the same, and the flow rate of the air blown out from the first outlet 101b and the flow rate of the air blown out from the second outlet 102b are approximately the same.

[0089] As indicated by arrows S54 and S64, the air blown out from the first outlet 101b and the second outlet 102b to the outside of the retainer 30 flows along the surface of the front 626 according to the Coanda effect, and merges on the surface of the front 626 or at a position away from the surface of the front 626 due to separation. The merged air flows toward the front of the air conditioning register 100b along a substantially horizontal direction, as indicated by arrow S204.

[0090] Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the direction of airflow inside the air conditioning register 100b in the first flow separation state. When the flow separation section 68b is rotated upward as indicated by arrow D21 by operating the operating lever 40, the planar direction of the flow separation section 68b is switched from direction DT3 to direction DT4. As a result, the first flow separation state shown in Figure 13 can be achieved.

[0091] As indicated by arrows S71 and S81, the air flowing into the retainer ventilation passage 30S flows to the protruding portion 684 of the diversion section 68b. The air that reaches the protruding portion 684 flows into the first internal passage 601b with a reduced flow rate by the diversion section 68b, as indicated by arrow S32, and into the second internal passage 603b with a increased flow rate, as indicated by arrow S42. As indicated by arrow S73, the air that flows into the first internal passage 601b flows through the first retainer ventilation passage 612b, and as indicated by arrow S83, the air that flows into the second internal passage 603b flows through the second retainer ventilation passage 614b.

[0092] In the first flow split state, the airflow rate supplied to the second retainer vent 614b is greater than in the neutral state, and also greater than the airflow rate supplied to the first retainer vent 612b. Therefore, the airflow rate supplied from the second outlet 102b, indicated by arrow S84, is greater than the airflow rate supplied from the first outlet 101b, indicated by arrow S74. Consequently, the point where the air from the first outlet 101b and the air from the second outlet 102b merge is higher than in the neutral state. As a result, as shown by arrow S206 in Figure 13, the air supplied from the air conditioning register 100b is directed upwards compared to the neutral state.

[0093] Although not shown in the diagram, in the air conditioning register 100b of this embodiment, by operating the operating lever 40, the flow divider 68b is rotated to a second flow divider state below the neutral state, making it possible to direct the air blown from the air conditioning register 100b into the passenger compartment downwards compared to the neutral state. The second flow divider state can be formed, for example, by rotating the flow divider 68b to invert the first flow divider state vertically with respect to direction DT3. In the second flow divider 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 made to flow downwards with respect to the horizontal direction, i.e., in a direction that is at a downward angle.

[0094] Figure 14 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the light-emitting unit 70 and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 are turned on in the first flow division state. Figure 15 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the light-emitting unit 70 is turned on and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 is turned off in the first flow division state. In this embodiment, the light emission control unit 922 obtains the vertical airflow 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 according to the light emission direction associated with the acquired airflow direction. "Light emission direction associated with airflow direction" means that by utilizing the on / off arrangement of the LED light-emitting element 72, changes in light intensity, etc., the light emission state of the light-emitting unit 70 has a directionality that allows the airflow direction to be visually confirmed.

[0095] In this embodiment, as indicated by arrow S206, the wind direction is upward, so the light emission control unit 922 makes the light emission unit 70 emit light so that the light intensity of the bottom row L3 is the lowest and the light intensity of the top row L1 is the highest, and so that the light intensity of rows L1, L2, and L3 increases sequentially according to the upward wind direction. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 15, by putting the liquid crystal dimming film 80 into a scattering state, surface emission can be made so that the light intensity changes in steps from row L3 to row L1, giving the user different impressions. In this embodiment, the light emission control unit 922 adjusts the light intensity by the number of light-emitting elements 72 in each row L1, L2, and L3, but the light intensity may also be adjusted by dimming each row of LED-emitting elements 72 in rows L1, L2, and L3.

[0096] Figure 16 is a first explanatory diagram showing another form of the light emission processing of the light-emitting unit 70 and the dimming processing of the liquid crystal dimming film 80. Figure 17 is a second explanatory diagram showing another form of the light emission processing of the light-emitting unit 70 and the dimming processing of the liquid crystal dimming film 80. In this embodiment, the light emission control unit 922 further acquires the airflow 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 according to the light emission direction associated with the acquired airflow direction in the vehicle width direction. In the example of Figure 16, the airflow 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 fin 66b. Therefore, the light emission control unit 922 causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light in such a way that the amount of light in the +X direction is increased, for example, by emitting light from the LED light-emitting element 72 at the position corresponding to the right side as shown in Figure 16. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 17, by putting the liquid crystal dimming film 80 into a scattering state, the area corresponding to the right side of the exposed surface 606 can be made to emit light from the surface, giving the user a different impression.

[0097] 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. For example, the light emission control unit 922 acquires the direction of travel of the vehicle VH as vehicle information from the vehicle information acquisition unit 98 and causes the light-emitting unit 70 to emit light according to the light emission direction associated with the acquired direction of travel. "Light emission direction associated with the direction of travel" means that by utilizing the on / off arrangement of the LED light-emitting element 72, changes in light intensity, etc., the light emission state of the light-emitting unit 70 has a directionality that allows the direction of travel of the vehicle VH to be visually confirmed. For example, when the vehicle VH turns right, as shown in Figure 16, 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.

[0098] In this embodiment, the light emission control unit 922 further acquires the vehicle speed of vehicle VH as vehicle information from the vehicle information acquisition unit 98, and controls the on / off state of the liquid crystal dimming film 80 in association with the acquired speed. More specifically, the light emission control unit 922 puts the liquid crystal dimming film 80 into a transparent state when the vehicle speed of vehicle VH is faster than a predetermined speed threshold, and puts the liquid crystal dimming film 80 into a scattering state when the speed is below the speed threshold. The speed threshold can be, for example, the legal speed limit set for the road on which vehicle VH travels. This allows the air conditioning register 100b to function as a display unit that can visually confirm whether the speed is within the legal speed limit. In this case, the light emission color of the light emission unit 70 may be further adjusted to red to notify the user of a warning.

[0099] As described above, according to the air conditioning register 100b of this embodiment, the flow divider 68b can switch between a first flow divider state in which the opening of the first internal flow path 601b communicating with the first retainer air passage 612b is reduced and the opening of the second internal flow path 603b communicating with the second retainer air passage 614b is increased, and a second retainer flow divider state in which the opening of the first internal flow path 601b is increased and the opening of the second internal flow path 603b is reduced. Instead of switching the flow resistance within the air conditioning register 100b, the direction of the air blown out from the air conditioning register 100b can be switched by a simple configuration of flow rate adjustment of the first internal flow path 601b and the second internal flow path 603b by the flow divider 68b.

[0100] According to the air conditioning register 100b of this embodiment, the light emission control unit 922 causes the light emission unit 70 to emit light according to a light emission direction associated with the airflow 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 shows the airflow direction.

[0101] In the air conditioning register 100b of this embodiment, the light emission control unit 922 controls the light emission unit 70 and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 in association with vehicle information. Therefore, the air conditioning register 100b can function as a display unit for displaying vehicle information.

[0102] According to the air conditioning register 100b of this embodiment, the light emission control unit 922 causes the light emission unit 70 to emit light according to a light emission direction associated with the direction of travel of the vehicle VH. Therefore, the air conditioning register 100b can function as a display unit that shows the direction of travel of the vehicle VH. This makes it possible to omit components that allow the user to visually confirm vehicle information, such as turn signals or other indicators that show the status of the direction of travel of the vehicle VH, and thus reduce the number of parts in the vehicle VH.

[0103] According to the air conditioning register 100b of this embodiment, the light emission control unit 922 puts the liquid crystal dimming film 80 into a transparent state when the vehicle VH's travel speed is faster than a predetermined speed threshold, and puts the liquid crystal dimming film 80 into a scattering state when the travel speed is below the speed threshold. Thus, the air conditioning register 100b can function as a notification unit that can notify of exceeding the travel speed.

[0104] C. Third Embodiment: Figure 18 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the 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 a first outlet 101c and a second outlet 102c, a cover member 60c, a bezel 20c, and a light-emitting unit 70c, instead of the first outlet 101 and a second outlet 102, a cover member 60, a bezel 20, and a light-emitting unit 70. The other configurations are the same. In this embodiment, the cover member 60c is fixed in the retainer air passage 30S, similar to the cover member 60b shown in the second embodiment, and the airflow rate of the first outlet 101c and the second outlet 102c is adjusted by operating the flow divider 68c.

[0105] The light-emitting section 70c differs from the light-emitting section 70 in the number and arrangement of the LED light-emitting elements 72, but the rest of its configuration is the same as the light-emitting section 70. The light-emitting section 70c is fixed inside the lid member 60c and is smaller than the light-emitting section 70 of each of the above embodiments to accommodate the size of the lid member 60c. Specifically, in the light-emitting section 70c, the LED light-emitting elements 72 are arranged in two rows, L4 and L5. The liquid crystal dimming film 80 is attached to the exposed surface 606 of the lid member 60c.

[0106] Figure 19 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the air conditioning register 100 in the third embodiment with the light-emitting unit 70c and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 turned on. Figure 20 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the air conditioning register 100 with the light-emitting unit 70c turned on and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 turned off. The light emission control unit 922 controls the light-emitting unit 70c and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 by the same control as in the first embodiment. For example, when the temperature is lower than the temperature threshold, the liquid crystal dimming film 80 is turned on to become transparent, and the light-emitting unit 70c emits blue light. As shown in Figure 19, the light 72L emitted from the light-emitting unit 70c passes through the transparent liquid crystal dimming film 80 from the exposed surface 606 and is emitted to the front of the air conditioning register 100c. Furthermore, for example, if the air conditioning system is turned off, as shown in Figure 20, the light emission control unit 922 turns off the liquid crystal dimming film 80 to put it into a scattering state, and also causes the light emission unit 70c to emit white light, putting the exposed surface 606 into a state of surface emission with white light.

[0107] Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view of position XXI-XXI in Figure 18. Figure 21 shows the air conditioning register 100c in a neutral state. The neutral state of the air conditioning register 100c can be formed by making the orientation of the flow divider 68c substantially coincide with the Y direction. In this embodiment, the orientation of the flow divider 68c can be defined, for example, by a straight line DT5 connecting the tip of the protrusion 684 and the rotation axis AX5 of the flow divider 68c.

[0108] As shown in Figure 21, the lid member 60c comprises a front wall portion 62c, a fin 66c, and a flow divider portion 68c. The lid member 60c differs from the lid member 60 shown in the first embodiment in that it does not have an upper wall portion 63, a lower wall portion 64, a first slit 602, and a second slit 604. A first retainer ventilation passage 612c and a second retainer ventilation passage 614c are formed on the outside of the lid member 60c.

[0109] The front wall portion 62c is similar to 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 inside the retainer by a fixing device (not shown). The light-emitting portion 70c is fixed inside the front wall portion 62c.

[0110] The fin 66c consists of a first fin 664 and a second fin 665, each having its own central axis AX3 and AX4 as shown in Figure 21. The connecting part 668c connects the first fin 664 and the second fin 665, synchronizing the rotation direction of each fin.

[0111] The connecting portion 668c has a long, flat plate shape that extends in the vehicle width direction. As shown in Figure 18, 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 as the connecting portion 668c slides along the vehicle width direction by the operating lever (not shown). As a result, the direction of the air blown out from the first outlet 101c and the second outlet 102c is switched 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.

[0112] The flow diversion section 68c has two slopes, a first slope 683 and a second slope 685. The first slope 683 and the second slope 685 are connected to each other with the tip of the protruding section 684 as their apex. The first slope 683 defines a first internal flow path 601c between itself and the inner wall 302W of the first retainer, and the second slope 685 defines a second internal flow path 603c between itself and the inner wall 304W of the second retainer. The first internal flow path 601c communicates with the first outlet 101c via the first retainer air passage 612c, and the second internal flow path 603c communicates with the second outlet 102c via the second retainer air passage 614c.

[0113] The diversion section 68c is supported on the retainer inner wall 30W so as to be able to rotate around the rotating shaft AX5 located downstream of the diversion section 68c, as shown by arrow AG3 in Figure 21. The diversion section 68c can be rotated around the rotating shaft AX5, for example, by operating an operating lever (not shown). This allows the diversion section 68c to switch the retainer air passage 30S between a first diversion state in which the protruding portion 684 is close to the first retainer inner wall 302W, and a second diversion state in which the protruding portion 684 is close to the second retainer inner wall 304W. In the first diversion state, the opening of the first internal passage 601c is reduced and the opening of the second internal passage 603c is increased. In the second diversion state, the opening of the first internal passage 601c is increased and the opening of the second internal passage 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 a simple method of flow rate adjustment using the flow divider 68c.

[0114] The air conditioning register 100c of this embodiment has an asymmetrical structure in which the first retainer air passage 612c and the second retainer air passage 614c are vertically asymmetric, and the internal structure is not mirror-symmetric with respect to the Y direction. Specifically, the flow paths, etc., inside the air conditioning register 100c have the following characteristics (1), (2), and (3).

[0115] (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 diagram, the first air outlet 101c and the second air outlet 102c are configured so that their airflow directions intersect in front of the front surface 626. (2) The sum of the flow lengths W51 of the first internal flow path 601c and the first retainer air passage 612c is greater than the sum of the flow lengths W61 of the second internal flow path 603c and the second retainer air passage 614c. In other words, in the flow path after the diversion section 68c, the flow path up to the first outlet 101c is longer than the flow path up to the second outlet 102c. (3) In the flow path after diversion by the diversion section 68c, the average value of the flow path height 612h up to the first outlet 101c is greater than the average value of the flow path height 614h up to the second outlet 102c.

[0116] The features described in (1), (2), and (3) above are set values ​​derived to make the flow resistance of the flow path up to the first outlet 101c and the flow resistance of the flow path up to the second outlet 102c approximately the same in the flow path after the flow is divided by the flow division section 68c. By having the features described in (1), (2), and (3) above, even if the air conditioning register 100c has an asymmetrical structure as in this embodiment, the flow rate of the air blown out from the first outlet 101c and the flow rate of the air blown out from the second outlet 102c can be made approximately the same in the neutral state.

[0117] The bezel 20c differs from the bezel 20 shown in the first embodiment in that it includes a flange portion 210. As shown in Figure 19, the flange portion 210 is a continuous portion from the first side 306s1 of the retainer opening 306. The flange portion 210 has a shape that protrudes from the first side 306s1 toward the outside of the air conditioning register 100c. With this configuration, the first air outlet 101c is less visible to the user in the vehicle compartment, so even if the opening width of the first air outlet 101c is formed to be 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 the user. Note that the flange portion may be formed on the retainer 30 instead of the bezel 20c.

[0118] Figure 22 is a schematic diagram illustrating the flow direction of conditioned air inside the neutral conditioned register 100c. In the neutral conditioned register 100c, the opening degree of the first internal flow path 601c and the opening degree of the second internal flow path 603c by the flow divider 68c are approximately the same. As indicated by arrows S91 and S101, the conditioned air flowing from the inlet 305 into the retainer ventilation passage 30S flows to the flow divider 68c, and then, as indicated by arrows S92 and S102, is divided into the first internal flow path 601c and the second internal flow path 603c by the protrusion 684.

[0119] The air flowing through the first internal passage 601c is sent to the first retainer air passage 612c, as indicated by arrow S93, and the air flowing through the second internal passage 603c is sent to the second retainer air passage 614b, as indicated by arrow S103. The flow resistances of the first retainer air passage 612c and the second retainer air passage 614c are approximately the same, and the flow rate of the air blown out from the first outlet 101c is approximately the same as the flow rate of the air blown out from the second outlet 102c.

[0120] The air blown out from the second outlet 102c flows along the surface of the front 626 according to the Coanda effect and merges with the air blown out from the first outlet 101c on or away from the surface of the front 626 due to separation. The merged air flows in the Y direction toward the front of the air conditioning register 100c, as shown by arrow S208 in Figure 22.

[0121] Figure 23 is an explanatory diagram showing the simulation results of the airflow velocity in the air conditioning register 100c in the first flow division state. The first flow division state can be formed by switching the direction of the flow division section 68c to the direction DT6, which is higher than the direction DT5. In the first flow division state, the flow rate from the second outlet 102c is greater than the flow rate from the first outlet 101c, so as shown by the arrow S210 in Figure 23, the air blown out from the air conditioning register 100c flows upwards compared to the neutral state.

[0122] Figure 24 is an explanatory diagram showing the simulation results of the airflow velocity in the air conditioning register 100c in the second flow division state. The second flow division state can be formed by switching the direction of the flow division section 68c to direction DT7, which is lower than direction DT5. In the second flow division state, the flow rate from the first outlet 101c is greater than the flow rate from the second outlet 102c, so as shown by the arrow S212 in Figure 24, the air blown out from the air conditioning register 100c flows downwards compared to the neutral state.

[0123] According to the air conditioning register 100c of this embodiment, even if it has an asymmetrical structure, the direction of air discharge can be adjusted by adjusting the airflow rate from the first outlet 101c and the airflow rate from the second outlet 102c, similar to the second embodiment described above. The shape and position of the lid member 60c can be made asymmetrical, improving the design freedom of the lid member 60c and the exposed surface 606. In addition, in the air conditioning register 100c of this embodiment, the light-emitting part 70c can be placed inside the lid member 60c and the liquid crystal dimming film 80 can be placed on the exposed surface 606, allowing the exposed surface 606 to be used as a light-emitting area capable of various expressions using a light source.

[0124] D. Fourth Embodiment: Figure 25 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the air conditioning register 100d according to the fourth embodiment. The air conditioning register 100d of this embodiment differs from the air conditioning register 100 of the first embodiment in that it does not have a cover member 60 and has two types of fins. In this embodiment, the air conditioning register 100d utilizes the area around the retainer opening 306d as the placement location for the light-emitting unit 70d and the liquid crystal dimming film 80d, instead of the cover member and exposed surface.

[0125] As shown in Figure 25, the air conditioning register 100d comprises a retainer 30d, a light-emitting section 70d, a liquid crystal dimming film 80d, a downstream fin 66d, and an upstream fin 50. The retainer 30d is a cylindrical structure with a retainer air passage 30S formed inside. The retainer air passage 30S is defined by the inner wall 30W of the retainer and connects the retainer opening 306d at the downstream end to the air conditioning air inlet 305 at the other end.

[0126] The retainer opening 306d has, for example, a long, roughly rectangular shape along the vertical direction. The retainer opening 306d functions as an air outlet 103 for conditioned air in the air conditioning register 100d. The conditioned air supplied from the air conditioning unit flows from the inlet 305 into the retainer air passage 30S, passes through the upstream fin 50 and downstream fin 66d (described later), and is blown out into the passenger compartment from the outlet 103. An arrangement surface 30T facing the passenger compartment is formed around the retainer opening 306d. On the arrangement surface 30T, the light-emitting part 70d, the bezel 20d, and the liquid crystal dimming film 80d are arranged in this order facing the passenger compartment.

[0127] The downstream fin 66d is a plate-shaped member positioned in the retainer opening 306d. The downstream fin 66d rotates around a shaft portion 666 that is oriented substantially vertically. By adjusting the surface direction of the downstream fin 66d around the shaft portion 666, the direction of the airflow blown out from the outlet 103 can be adjusted left and right along the vehicle width direction. Figure 25 shows an example with one downstream fin 66d, but multiple downstream fins 66d may be provided.

[0128] The upstream fin 50 is a plate-shaped member positioned upstream of the retainer air passage 30S compared to the downstream fin 66d. The surface direction of the upstream fin 50 is configured to intersect with the surface direction of the downstream fin 66d. The upstream fin 50 consists of multiple fins arranged vertically with their surface directions parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other.

[0129] The upstream fin 50 is configured to rotate around its axial direction along the X direction by operation of the operating unit 42. More specifically, the upstream fin 50 is connected to the operating unit 42 via a first link mechanism 51 and a second link mechanism 52. The operating unit 42 is attached to the downstream fin 66d and is configured to slide up and down along the surface direction of the downstream fin 66d. The sliding motion of the operating unit 42 is transmitted via the first link mechanism 51 and the second link mechanism 52 to rotate the upstream fin 50. The rotation of the upstream fin 50 switches the surface direction of the upstream fin 50. As a result, the direction of the airflow blown out from the outlet 103 is adjusted up and down along the vertical direction.

[0130] The light-emitting section 70d has a plurality of LED light-emitting elements 72. The light-emitting section 70d differs from the light-emitting section 70 shown in the first embodiment in that it has an opening 706 having a shape corresponding to the retainer opening 306d, but the other functional configurations are the same. The light-emitting section 70d is fixed on the mounting surface 30T by a method such as adhesive.

[0131] The bezel 20d is a plate-shaped member having a bezel opening 206 having a shape corresponding to the retainer opening 306d. The bezel 20d is formed using a light-transmitting material. The bezel 20d has a front portion 20F facing the passenger compartment and a rear portion 20B on the opposite side from the front portion 20F. In this embodiment, the rear portion 20B covers the light-emitting portion 70d, and the front portion 20F is positioned opposite the liquid crystal dimming film 80d.

[0132] The liquid crystal dimming film 80d is positioned in the optical path of the light-emitting unit 70d. More specifically, the liquid crystal dimming film 80d is positioned to cover the front portion 20F of the bezel 20d. The liquid crystal dimming film 80d differs from the liquid crystal dimming film 80 shown in the first embodiment in that it has an opening 806 having a shape corresponding to the retainer opening 306d, but the other functional configurations are the same.

[0133] In this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 70d, the bezel 20d, and the liquid crystal dimming film 80d are arranged in this order from the placement surface 30T. The bezel opening 206, opening 806, opening 706, and retainer opening 306d are superimposed on each other. Light emitted from the light-emitting unit 70d passes through the bezel 20d and enters the liquid crystal dimming film 80d. Alternatively, the light-emitting unit 70d, the liquid crystal dimming film 80d, and the bezel 20d may be arranged in this order from the placement surface 30T toward the vehicle interior. Furthermore, the light-emitting unit 70d and the liquid crystal dimming film 80d may be placed on other components such as the operating unit 42 instead of the placement surface 30T or the bezel 20d.

[0134] The light emission control unit 922, as in the above embodiments, performs light emission processing, such as turning the light-emitting unit 70d on and off and adjusting its color, and dimming processing, such as switching the liquid crystal dimming film 80 on and off, in accordance with the acquired air conditioning information and vehicle information. According to this embodiment, even in a configuration without a cover member and an exposed surface, by combining the light-emitting unit 70d and the liquid crystal dimming film 80d, it is possible to provide an air conditioning register 100d that can express a variety of things using a light source.

[0135] In the air conditioning register 100d of this embodiment, the liquid crystal dimming film 80d and the light-emitting unit 70d are arranged to surround the retainer opening 306d. By arranging the liquid crystal dimming film 80d and the light-emitting unit 70d to surround the air outlet 103 of the air conditioning register 100d, the relationship between the light-based expression and the air conditioning information can be enhanced, and the visibility of the display unit showing the air conditioning information can be improved.

[0136] E. Other embodiments: (E1) In the above embodiments, examples were shown in which an LED light-emitting element 72 is used in the light-emitting section 70. However, the light-emitting section 70 is not limited to a configuration that includes an LED light-emitting element 72, and various light sources such as incandescent bulbs and fluorescent lamps may be used. Furthermore, the light-emitting section 70 may be provided with members for switching the light emission expression of the light-emitting section 70, such as a light diffusion sheet or a light guide. Light guides include, for example, a light guiding panel (LGP), a light guide sheet, and a light guide rod. A light guide panel is a plate-shaped member made of a resin material having light transmittance, on which processing parts such as printing or groove formation are applied to achieve a desired light emission state. For example, by configuring the exposed surface 606 with a light guide panel and causing the light emitted from the LED light-emitting element 72 to enter the light guide panel, the incident light can be diffused and the exposed surface 606 can be made to emit light from the surface. A light guide rod is a light-transmitting member having any shape, such as a cylinder or a polygonal prism including a square prism, hexagonal prism, or octagonal prism. A light guide rod can reflect light incident from its end internally, causing the entire rod to emit light. A light diffusion sheet is, for example, a sheet-shaped resin material with a textured surface or incorporating light-diffusing particles or materials, which can transmit incident light in a diffused state.

[0137] (E2) In the first embodiment described above, an example was shown in which the air conditioning register 100 has two outlets, a first outlet 101 and a second outlet 102. In contrast, for example, only one of the first outlet 101 or the second outlet 102 may be provided. Even in this configuration, by combining the light-emitting unit 70 and the liquid crystal dimming film 80, an air conditioning register 100 capable of various expressions using a light source can be provided.

[0138] (E3) In the first embodiment described above, an example was shown in which the lid member 60 is cylindrical, or in which the exposed surface 606 is composed of a curved surface. In contrast, the lid member 60 is not limited to being cylindrical, but may be any columnar body such as a polygonal prism, or it may be a sphere. If the lid member 60 is a polygonal prism, the exposed surface 606 may be any one of the planes of the polygonal prism, or it may be two or more planes including a corner.

[0139] (E4) In each of the above embodiments, an example was shown in which the outer shape of the retainer opening 306 is rectangular. However, the retainer opening 306 is not limited to a rectangle, but may be any geometric shape such as a circle, ellipse, or polygon. Also, 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 the shape of the bezel opening 206 and the shape of the retainer opening 306 may not match. In this case, the shape of the exposed surface 606 may be a shape corresponding to the shape of the retainer opening 306.

[0140] (E5) In each of the above embodiments, an example was described in which the first side 306s1 and the second side 306s2 of the retainer opening 306 are arranged along the vehicle width direction. In contrast, the air conditioning register 100 may be arranged in a state inclined at any angle including perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, such as when the first side 306s1 and the second side 306s2 of the retainer opening 306 intersect in the vehicle width direction.

[0141] (E6) In the embodiments described above, the first side 306s1 and the second side 306s2 are shown to be straight lines, but they are not limited to straight lines and may be curves such as circular arcs, or various shapes such as wavy lines. The same applies to the first outlet 101 and the second outlet 102.

[0142] (E7) In the first embodiment described above, the light-emitting section 70 was shown as an example in which a plurality of LED light-emitting elements 72 are arranged in a grid on a reflective substrate. In contrast, the arrangement of the LED light-emitting elements 72 can be arbitrarily adjusted according to the desired light-emitting method of the exposed surface 606.

[0143] (E8) In each of the above embodiments, an example was shown in which a single liquid crystal dimming film 80 is used. In contrast, for example, multiple liquid crystal dimming films 80 may be provided on the exposed surface 606. In this case, the light emission control unit 922 may individually control the on / off state of the multiple liquid crystal dimming films 80. With the air conditioning register 100 configured in this way, a wider range of expressions using the light source becomes possible.

[0144] (E9) In each of the above embodiments, the air conditioning register 100 is shown to include a control device 90 that performs light emission processing. However, in cases where, for example, the light emission processing of the light-emitting unit 70 is not performed, the control device 90 may be omitted.

[0145] (E10) In each of the above embodiments, an example was shown in which the light emission control unit 922 uses both vehicle information and air conditioning information to perform light emission processing and dimming processing. In contrast, the light emission control unit 922 may use only either vehicle information or air conditioning information to perform light emission processing and dimming processing.

[0146] The control unit and its method described herein may be implemented by a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions embodied by a computer program. Alternatively, the control unit and its method described herein may be implemented by a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor by one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the control unit and its method described herein may be implemented by one or more dedicated computers configured by a combination of a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions and a processor configured by one or more hardware logic circuits. Furthermore, the computer program may be stored as instructions executed by the computer on a computer-readable non-transitional tangible recording medium.

[0147] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various configurations without departing from its spirit. For example, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each form described in the summary of the invention can be replaced or combined as appropriate in order to solve some or all of the above-described problems, or to 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 deleted as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0148] 10…Instrument panel, 12…Handle, 20,20c,20d…Bezel, 20B…Rear section, 20F…Front section, 30,30d…Retainer, 30S…Retainer ventilation passage, 30W…Retainer inner wall, 30T…Placement surface, 40…Operating lever, 42…Operating section, 50…Upstream fin, 51…First link mechanism, 52…Second link mechanism, 60,60b,60c…Lid member, 62,62b,62c…Front wall section, 63…Upper wall section, 64…Lower wall section, 66,66b,66c…Fin, 66d…Downstream fin, 68,68b,68c…Flow diversion section, 70 70c,70d…Light-emitting part, 72…LED light-emitting element, 72L…Light, 80,80d…Liquid crystal dimming film, 90…Control device, 92…CPU, 94…Memory, 96…Interface circuit, 98…Vehicle information acquisition unit, 99…Air conditioning information acquisition unit, 100,100b,100c,100d…Air conditioning register, 101,101b,101c…First air outlet, 102,102b,102c…Second air outlet, 103…Air outlet, 206…Bezel opening, 210…Flange, 302…First wall, 302T…Matching hole, 302W…First retainer inner wall, 303 ...side wall section, 304...second wall section, 304T...fitting hole, 304W...second retainer inner wall, 305...inlet, 306,306d...retainer opening, 306s1...first side, 306s2...second side, 308...fitting hole, 601,601b,601c...first internal passage, 602...first slit, 603,603b,603c...second internal passage, 604...second slit, 606...exposed surface, 612,612b,612c...first retainer ventilation passage, 614,614b,614c...second retainer ventilation passage, 623,624...end side, 626...front surface, 628... Shaft fitting part, 632...Upper surface, 632E...End side, 634...Side wall, 634B...Lower end, 638...Fitting hole, 642...Lower surface, 642E...End side, 644...Side wall, 644T...Upper end, 646...Protrusion, 648...Fitting hole, 662...Protrusion, 664...First fin, 665...Second fin, 666...Shaft part, 668, 668c...Connecting part, 682...Support recess, 683...First slope, 684...Protrusion, 685...Second slope, 706, 806...Opening, 922...Light emission control unit, 942...Light emission program, 944...Dimming program, CP...Center point, VH...Vehicle

Claims

1. A register for air conditioning used in a vehicle, A cylindrical retainer having an inner wall that defines a retainer ventilation passage and a retainer opening provided at the downstream end of the retainer ventilation passage, A light-emitting part that emits light, A liquid crystal dimming film arranged in the optical path of the aforementioned light, A lid member provided inside the retainer, comprising: an exposed surface that is exposed from the retainer opening; and a retainer-facing surface that faces the retainer opening and defines an outlet between itself and the retainer opening; The cover member is positioned to cover the retainer opening. Register for air conditioning.

2. An air conditioning register according to claim 1, The light-emitting part is located inside the lid member. The exposed surface is configured to allow the emitted light to pass through toward the outside of the lid member, The liquid crystal dimming film is arranged on the exposed surface, Register for air conditioning.

3. A register for air conditioning used in a vehicle, A cylindrical retainer having an inner wall that defines a retainer ventilation passage and a retainer opening provided at the downstream end of the retainer ventilation passage, A light-emitting part that emits light, A liquid crystal dimming film arranged in the optical path of the aforementioned light, A vehicle information acquisition unit for acquiring vehicle information relating to a vehicle on which the aforementioned air conditioning register is installed, The system comprises a light-emitting control unit that controls the light-emitting unit and the liquid crystal dimming film in association with the vehicle information, The aforementioned vehicle information includes the direction of travel of the vehicle, The light-emitting control unit causes the light-emitting unit to emit light according to the light-emitting direction associated with the travel direction. Register for air conditioning.

4. A register for air conditioning used in a vehicle, A cylindrical retainer having an inner wall that defines a retainer ventilation passage and a retainer opening provided at the downstream end of the retainer ventilation passage, A light-emitting part that emits light, A liquid crystal dimming film arranged in the optical path of the aforementioned light, A vehicle information acquisition unit for acquiring vehicle information relating to a vehicle on which the aforementioned air conditioning register is installed, The system comprises a light-emitting control unit that controls the light-emitting unit and the liquid crystal dimming film in association with the vehicle information, The aforementioned vehicle information includes the vehicle's speed, The light emission control unit, When the aforementioned driving speed is faster than a predetermined speed threshold, the liquid crystal dimming film is made transparent. When the aforementioned travel speed is less than or equal to the aforementioned speed threshold, the liquid crystal dimming film is put into a scattering state. Register for air conditioning.

5. An air conditioning register according to claim 3 or claim 4, When the light-emitting unit is turned off, the light-emitting control unit puts the liquid crystal dimming film into a scattering state. Register for air conditioning.

6. An air conditioning register according to claim 1, The retainer opening has one side and another side opposite to the one side. The retainer-facing surface defines a first outlet between itself and one side of the retainer opening, and a second outlet between itself and the other side of the retainer opening. The first outlet and the second outlet are configured such that the direction of the airflow discharged from the first outlet and the direction of the airflow discharged from the second outlet intersect with each other. Register for air conditioning.

7. An air conditioning register according to claim 6, Furthermore, a first retainer air passage is defined between the first retainer inner wall, which is continuous with one side of the retainer opening, and the lid member, and which communicates with the first air outlet, A second retainer air passage is defined between the second retainer inner wall, which is continuous with the other side of the retainer opening, and the lid member, and which communicates with the second air outlet, The retainer is provided with a flow divider located inside the retainer, which divides the retainer air passage into the first retainer air passage and the second retainer air passage. Register for air conditioning.

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