Air Vent Blade Coupling for Compact Two-Axis Airflow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air vents have complex structures with effort-intensive kinematics, making them difficult to pivot comfortably, space-efficiently, and cost-effectively.
Innovation Solution
An air vent with a flow channel in a housing, featuring a single actuator for deflecting air jets in both vertical and horizontal directions using pivotable blades, where a coupling device with control cams allows for precise adjustment of blade positions, enabling independent displacement of blades for various air exit directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple separate actuators are used to control horizontal and vertical blades independently, then precise air flow direction control is achieved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple actuator functions into a single actuator that controls both horizontal and vertical blades through a unified mechanism. The actuator housing contains both blades, and a single actuator moves both blades independently to achieve precise air flow direction control without requiring separate actuators for each blade.
Solution Approach 2:
The single actuator performs multiple functions by controlling both the horizontal blade and vertical blade. The actuator is designed with a drive mechanism that can independently position each blade, allowing one actuator to replace what would traditionally require two separate actuators.
2Ease of operation
If traditional multi-component kinematics are used for blade pivoting, then blade adjustment is achieved, but manufacturing cost and assembly effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control mechanism merges multiple control functions into a single integrated unit. The control element contains both control links for the horizontal and vertical blades, and the actuator housing integrates both blades and their control mechanisms, simplifying manufacturing and assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The control mechanism is segmented into distinct control links for each blade, allowing independent control while maintaining a compact integrated structure. Each blade has its own control link that can be adjusted independently through the unified actuator system.
Data Source
AI summary
An air vent (10) with an adjustable air exit direction (9) has at least one first blade (5) that is pivotable about a first pivot axis (4) for guiding the air flow (15) and at least one second blade (7) that is pivotable about a second pivot axis (6) that extends obliquely or vertically to the first pivot axis (4). For the common displacement of the blades (5, 7), a single electromotive or manual drive (8) and a coupling device (12) are provided. The coupling device (12) has a slide link (14) operatively connected to the drive (8) and slidably mounted relative to the flow channel (1) of the air vent (10). A first control cam (16) sets different positions of the first blades (5) and a second control cam (17) sets different positions of the second blades (7). The control cams (16, 17) are configured on different sides (22, 23) of the slide link (14).