Vehicle Air Vent Actuating Mechanism for Low-Resistance Air Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air vents for vehicles face challenges in manufacturing complexity, reduced air throughput, limited air deflection, and increased flow resistance due to their arcuate design and reliance on multiple air-guiding blades.
Innovation Solution
An optimized actuating mechanism for air vents that utilizes a single actuating element to pivot air-guiding elements, featuring a coupling structure with a comb or tooth design to transfer movement perpendicular to the air-guiding elements' longitudinal direction, thereby simplifying manufacturing and enhancing air deflection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If arcuate housing walls are used to deflect air, then air deflection is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air vent housing is divided into straight wall sections and arcuate inserts. The arcuate function is segmented into separate replaceable inserts rather than being integrated into the entire housing structure, simplifying the main housing manufacturing while maintaining air deflection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Arcuate inserts are nested within the straight housing wall sections. The inserts are designed to fit into recesses in the housing, allowing the complex arcuate geometry to be contained within the simpler straight housing structure.
2Ease of operation
If multiple air-guiding blades are used to deflect air, then air deflection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple air-guiding blades are merged into a single integrated actuating element. The actuating element features a comb or tooth structure where multiple teeth function as individual air-guiding blades, reducing the number of separate components while maintaining the ability to deflect air in multiple directions.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuating element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the actuator that moves the air-guiding blades and as the air-guiding element itself through its comb structure. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If arcuate housing design is used, then air deflection is achieved, but air throughput is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The air channel is segmented into straight sections with large cross-sectional area for high throughput and separate arcuate insert sections for deflection. This segmentation allows the majority of the air channel to maintain optimal dimensions for throughput while deflection is achieved in localized regions.
4Ease of operation
If arcuate housing walls are used, then air deflection is achieved, but flow resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air channel is segmented into straight sections with large cross-sectional area for high throughput and separate arcuate insert sections for deflection. This segmentation allows the majority of the air channel to maintain optimal dimensions for throughput while deflection is achieved in localized regions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables efficient air deflection with reduced manufacturing complexity, improved air throughput, and minimized flow resistance, while maintaining a reserved optical appearance and allowing for easy servicing of air-guiding elements.
Implementation Method 1
Each first air-guiding element comprises a bearing element (4) molded onto the respective air-guiding element (3) and extending eccentrically to the pivot axis (2) of the respective air-guiding element (3), in particular at least regionally in the form of a bearing pin
Implementation Method 2
The coupling structure (6) is configured so as to transfer to the bearing elements (4) a movement of the actuating element (5) in a second direction (7) extending perpendicular to the longitudinal extension direction (14) of the first air-guiding elements (3)
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to an actuating mechanism (1) for actuating a plurality of first air-guiding elements (3) of an air vent, each of which are borne about a respective first pivot axis (2). Each first air-guiding element (3) includes an integrally formed bearing element (4) extending eccentrically to the pivot axis (2) of the respective air-guiding element (3). The actuating mechanism (1) includes a manually actuatable actuating element (5) and a coupling structure (6) operatively connected to the actuating element (5). The actuating element (5) is slidably borne in a second direction (7) extending perpendicular to the longitudinal extension direction (14) of the first air-guiding elements (3), and the coupling structure (6) is configured so as to receive the bearing elements (4) of the first air-guiding elements (3) in such a way that a movement of the actuating element (5) in the second direction (7) extending perpendicular to the longitudinal extension direction (14) of the first air-guiding elements (3) can be transferred to the bearing elements (4), but not a movement of the actuating element (5) in the longitudinal extension direction (14) of the first air-guiding elements (3) or a movement of the actuating element (5) perpendicular to the longitudinal extension direction (14) of the first air-guiding elements (3) and perpendicular to the second direction (7) or a rotational movement of the actuating element (5) about an axis of rotation extending parallel to the second direction (7).