Vehicle Mix Door Input Shaft Design for Independent Cabin Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In air conditioning systems for vehicles, the slide drive parts of multiple slide doors can interfere, preventing the transmission of drive force and making it impossible to independently control air conditioning in different areas of the cabin.
Innovation Solution
A mix door structure with a slide door unit featuring a frame-shaped slide door case, a slidable slide door part, and a slide drive part including a rack part and an output gear, where an input shaft with an input gear is divided into an inner and outer part, allowing secure transmission of drive force to the middle slide door unit and enabling independent operation of multiple slide door units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple slide door devices are coupled to form a mix door that controls air conditioning in several areas independently, then independent control of air conditioning in different areas is achieved, but the slide drive parts of the middle slide door interfere with the slide drive parts of adjacent slide doors, making it impossible to place the drive shaft and transmit drive force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial arrangement by placing the drive shaft in the axial direction of the output gears rather than in the radial direction. This dimensional change allows the drive shaft to pass through the middle slide door unit without interfering with the slide drive parts of adjacent units, enabling independent control of multiple areas while avoiding mechanical interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive shaft is nested within the axial space of the output gear mechanism, utilizing the internal axial direction of the gear assembly. This nesting approach allows the drive shaft to be positioned through the middle slide door unit without occupying the radial space needed for slide drive operation, thus resolving the interference issue while maintaining independent control capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple slide door units are arranged side by side to control different cabin areas, then independent air conditioning control is enabled, but the layout flexibility and assembly simplicity are reduced due to drive force transmission difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
By orienting the drive shaft in the axial direction of the output gears, the patent enables a linear arrangement of multiple slide door units along the axial direction. This dimensional reorientation simplifies the assembly process and improves layout flexibility compared to attempting to arrange units in other configurations that would avoid drive force transmission issues.
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
This configuration allows for independent control of air conditioning in different areas of the cabin, simplifies assembly, reduces the number of components, and improves the layout flexibility of the air conditioning system.
Implementation Method 1
an input gear which meshes with the output gear and extending from the slide door unit located in a middle to the slide door unit located on an outermost side
Implementation Method 2
a rack part provided to the slide door part and extending in a direction in which the slide door part slides, an output gear meshing with the rack part
Data Source
AI summary
A mix door structure has drive force for opening and closing a slide door part of a middle slide door unit among multiple slide door units arranged side by side transmitted by an input shaft. The input shaft includes an inner input shaft part (input gear and inner input shaft) which is rotationally supported on two sides at both end portions thereof on bearings provided to a pair of door attachment wall parts of the middle slide door unit and an outer input shaft part (outer input shaft and rotary member) which is rotationally supported on one side on a first shaft hole provided in an outer door attachment wall part of an outermost slide door unit. The inner and outer input shaft parts are coupled to each other through a coupling hole in the inner input shaft part.