Air Vent Nested Control Member Design to Reduce Turbulence and Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air vent arrangements in vehicle HVAC systems suffer from turbulence and noise due to the design of the control member and vanes, which disrupt airflow directionality and generate undesirable noise, especially when subjected to disturbances from uneven road surfaces.
Innovation Solution
The air vent design incorporates a control support vane with the control member located partially or entirely within it, featuring a smooth and planar surface to minimize airflow disruption, and an extending linkage connected to the controlled vane to maintain airflow directionality while reducing noise and rattling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the control member is arranged around the front vane (conventional arrangement), then the control mechanism is accessible and operable, but the airflow is disrupted causing turbulence and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The control member is nested within the control support vane structure, with the control member carrier positioned inside the vane rather than around it. This nesting arrangement allows the control mechanism to be accessible while minimizing disruption to the airflow path over the vane surfaces.
2Ease of operation
If the control member carrier has width greater than the control support vane thickness, then the control mechanism is robust and easy to operate, but it protrudes into the airflow path causing turbulence
Solution Approach 1:
The control member carrier is positioned in a recess of the control support vane, utilizing the depth dimension rather than protruding in the width dimension. This dimensional repositioning allows the control mechanism to maintain robustness while avoiding protrusion into the airflow path.
Data Source
AI summary
Air vent for an automotive HVAC system, having a control support vane (3) and a controlled vane (6), wherein the control support vane (3) and the controlled vane (6) are arranged in respective arrays in different orientations, the control support vane (3) supports a control member (4) connected to the controlled vane (6), which is arranged behind the control support vane (3), and the control support vane (3) and the controlled vane (6) are connected by an extending linkage (8).