Vehicle Air Vent Sealing Structure for Quiet Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air vents for vehicles have separate parts for controlling air direction and flow, leading to increased manufacturing costs and reduced sealing performance due to empty spaces, which also generate noise.
Innovation Solution
An air vent design that integrates a single part for controlling air direction and flow, utilizing a duct with a first adjusting part for side-to-side direction guidance and a second adjusting part with an airtightness maintaining part to improve sealing by blocking air movement, reducing the number of components and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate parts are used for controlling air direction and flow, then the air vent can perform both functions, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the air direction control function and air flow control function into a single integrated adjusting part. This adjusting part includes a first adjusting member for controlling air discharge direction and a second adjusting member for controlling air flow, both integrated into one component that is rotatably installed in the duct part. This merging eliminates the need for separate parts, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining full air control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The single adjusting part is designed to perform multiple functions: it can control air discharge direction through the first adjusting member, control air flow through the second adjusting member, and even block air flow when needed. This multi-functional design allows one component to replace what would traditionally require multiple separate parts, reducing overall device complexity and manufacturing cost.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate parts are used for controlling air direction and flow, then the air vent can perform both functions, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple air control functions into a single adjusting part that contains both a first adjusting member for direction control and a second adjusting member for flow control. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components in the system, simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining the ability to perform both air direction and flow control functions.
3Ease of manufacture
If an empty space is formed between the air vent and the duct, then the air vent can be installed, but the sealing performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an elastic sealing part that acts as a flexible element to fill the empty space between the air vent and the duct. This elastic sealing part can deform to maintain contact and seal the gap, ensuring airtight sealing performance while still allowing for installation. The elastic material compensates for any dimensional variations or gaps, preventing air leakage.
4Ease of manufacture
If an empty space is formed between the air vent and the duct, then the air vent can be installed, but noise is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic sealing part fills and seals the empty space between the air vent and the duct, eliminating the gap that would otherwise allow air to leak and generate noise. By maintaining a tight seal, the elastic sealing part prevents turbulent air flow in the gap, thereby reducing noise generation while still enabling proper installation of the air vent.
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 integrated design reduces manufacturing costs, enhances sealing performance, and minimizes operation noise by using a single member to adjust air direction and block flow, while maintaining airtightness through elastic sealing parts.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic first sealing part protruding from one side of the duct part to the inside of the duct part, and configured to maintain airtightness while brought into contact with the opening/closing part
Data Source
AI summary
An air vent for a vehicle may include: a duct part having an internal path through which air is moved; a first adjusting part rotatably installed in the duct part, and configured to guide the discharge direction of the air while rotated in a side-to-side direction; a second adjusting part rotatably installed in the duct part with the first adjusting part, and configured to guide the discharge direction of the air or block an air flow passing through the duct part, while rotated in a top-to-bottom direction; and an airtightness maintaining part fixed to the duct part facing the second adjusting part, and configured to block the movement of the air while brought into contact with the second adjusting part for opening/closing the duct part.