Adjustable Air Vent With Nested Actuator to Reduce Airflow Obstruction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adjustable air vents for vehicles either block airflow due to the location of the air adjustment actuator or require complex mechanical linkage systems, limiting the ability to direct the air stream in all directions.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable air vent design featuring an elongate housing with vertical and horizontal vanes, a fixed air guide, and a displaceable air adjustment actuator that surrounds the air guide, allowing for stepless adjustment of the air stream direction without complex linkages, minimizing airflow obstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the air adjustment actuator is located at or in the air vent, then the air stream direction can be adjusted, but the actuator blocks the air flow from the discharge opening
Solution Approach 1:
The air adjustment actuator is positioned inside the housing and surrounds the air guide, creating a nested arrangement where the actuator is contained within the housing structure. This nesting allows the actuator to adjust vanes without protruding into the air flow path at the discharge opening, thus maintaining full air flow throughput while enabling direction adjustment.
2Ease of operation
If the air adjustment actuator is located in the dashboard beside the discharge opening, then the air stream direction can be adjusted, but a complicated mechanical linkage system is required
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is extracted from the external dashboard location and repositioned inside the housing. This extraction eliminates the need for complex external linkage systems, as the actuator can directly connect to the vanes through simple internal connections, significantly reducing mechanical complexity while maintaining adjustment functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator and air guide are merged into a single integrated unit where the actuator surrounds the air guide. This merging consolidates multiple components into one compact assembly, simplifying the overall structure and eliminating the need for separate linkage mechanisms that would be required if the actuator were positioned externally.
3Ease of operation
If the air adjustment actuator is located in the dashboard beside the discharge opening, then the air stream direction can be adjusted, but extra space is needed on the dashboard
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is nested inside the housing structure, utilizing the existing internal space of the air vent assembly. This nested positioning eliminates the need for additional external dashboard space, as the actuator is contained within the footprint of the existing air vent components.
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable air vent adapted to guide an air stream flowing through the air vent includes an elongate housing extending in a length direction, one or more vertical vanes at least partly located in the housing, one or more horizontal vanes at least partly located in the housing, an air guide at least partly located in the housing and extending in the length direction, and an air adjustment actuator displaceable in relation to the housing to adjust a direction of the air stream. The air vent includes a first connection directly or indirectly connecting the air adjustment actuator to the horizontal vanes for vertical direction of the air stream and a second connection directly or indirectly connecting the air adjustment actuator to the vertical vanes for horizontal direction of the air stream. The air adjustment actuator surrounds the air guide and is displaceable relative thereto.