Air vent for vehicle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle air vents have separate wing knobs for adjusting air direction and damper knobs for opening/closing, leading to increased size and inefficient space utilization, limiting design flexibility.
Innovation Solution
Integrating the damper knob onto the wing knob, with a pivot and multi-link structure that connects the damper knob to the wing knob, allowing for rotational and linear movement to control the damper, enabling efficient space utilization and reduced cover area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the damper knob and wing knob are installed separately, then each component can be independently designed and operated, but the size of the air vent increases and space utilization becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the damper knob and wing knob into a single integrated knob structure. The damper knob is positioned at the front of the wing knob, forming a unified control mechanism that performs both damper opening/closing and air direction adjustment functions, thereby reducing the overall size of the air vent while maintaining independent operational capabilities through separate functional zones on the same knob assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated knob assembly serves multiple functions: the damper knob portion controls the opening/closing of the damper, while the wing knob portion adjusts the air blowing direction. This multi-functional design allows a single component to replace what would traditionally require two separate knobs, improving space utilization without sacrificing operational versatility
2Area of stationary object
If the damper knob is installed on the wing knob, then space utilization efficiency improves and cover area is reduced, but the mechanical connection and operation mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated knob is segmented into distinct functional portions: the damper knob portion and the wing knob portion. Each portion is designed to perform its specific function independently, with clear separation of control zones. This segmentation allows the complex multi-functional knob to be designed and operated as distinct modular units, reducing the perceived complexity while maintaining compact integration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs link mechanisms as intermediaries to connect the damper knob to the damper door, and the wing knob to the air guide vane. These link structures serve as mediators that translate rotational motion from the knobs into the appropriate mechanical movements for each function, simplifying the overall connection mechanism while enabling the integrated design
3Ease of operation
If the damper knob is exposed to the front of the wing member, then accessibility and ease of operation are improved, but the structural arrangement becomes more constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The damper knob is positioned at the front of the wing knob in the radial direction, creating a multi-dimensional arrangement where both knobs are accessible from the front face of the air vent. This spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions allows both controls to be easily accessible without requiring complex side-mounted or recessed configurations, simplifying the overall structural arrangement while improving operability
Data Source
AI summary
An air vent for a vehicle may include: a damper configured to open/close a housing connected to a blower duct; a damper knob installed in the housing so as to be connected to the damper, and exposed to the front of a wing member for adjusting a blowing direction; and an opening/closing interlocking part installed in the housing so as to connect the damper and the damper knob.