Vehicle Air Vent Assembly With Passenger-Tracking Airflow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle air vent systems lack the ability to automatically adjust airflow direction and intensity based on the position of passengers within the vehicle, leading to suboptimal comfort and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle air vent system featuring an air register assembly with a rotatable frame and vanes, an imager, and a controller that adjusts the airflow by capturing passenger positions and activating an actuation assembly to direct airflow effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fixed air vent systems are used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to passenger position changes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The air register assembly is made dynamically adjustable through an actuation assembly that can change the orientation of the frame and vanes based on detected passenger position. The frame is rotatable about a first axis and the vanes are rotatable about a second axis, allowing the system to adapt its airflow direction dynamically rather than being fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses an imager to detect passenger position and provides feedback to a controller, which then actuates the air register assembly to adjust airflow direction. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the system to automatically adapt to changing passenger positions without manual intervention.
2Productivity
If manual air vent adjustment is used, then device complexity is minimized, but productivity in terms of comfort optimization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting passenger position through the imager and adjusting the air register assembly accordingly without requiring manual user intervention. The controller autonomously processes the detected position and actuates the appropriate adjustments to optimize comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment with an automated system combining optical detection (imager), electronic control (controller), and mechanical actuation (actuation assembly). This substitution of manual operation with automated sensing and actuation systems significantly improves comfort optimization efficiency.
3Measurement precision
If simple fixed vanes are used, then manufacturing precision requirements are reduced, but measurement precision of passenger position deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds dimensional complexity by introducing multi-axis rotation capability - the frame rotates about a first axis and the vanes rotate about a second axis perpendicular to the first. This two-dimensional adjustment capability enables precise targeting of airflow to different passenger positions, significantly improving position detection and response accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The air register assembly is segmented into independently controllable components: the frame and the vanes. Each can be adjusted separately through the actuation assembly, allowing fine-grained control over airflow direction and enabling more precise adaptation to detected passenger positions.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle air vent system includes a dashboard defining an air vent opening. An air register assembly is disposed within the air vent opening of the dashboard. The air register assembly includes a frame and a vane rotatably coupled to the frame. An imager is coupled to the dashboard. The imager captures data within a field of view. A controller is communicatively coupled to the imager and the air register assembly. The controller receives the data from the imager. The controller determines a position of an object within the field of view in response to the data.