Motor Vehicle Ventilation Using Fixed Deflecting Walls to Reduce Noise

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional motor vehicle ventilation devices with adjustable slats are prone to unintentional adjustments, are difficult to produce and assemble, and can generate excessive noise, reducing driving comfort.

Innovation Solution

A ventilation device with separate, non-adjustable ventilation ducts and an air outlet design that combines two air flows using deflection walls to direct airflow without moving components, allowing for controlled airflow strength and direction, thereby eliminating the need for additional parts and reducing noise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If adjustable louvers are used to direct airflow, then airflow direction control is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveairflow direction controlVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation system is divided into multiple separate ventilation ducts (first ventilation duct, second ventilation duct, etc.), each with its own fixed air outlet. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex adjustable louvers within a single duct while maintaining airflow direction control through the spatial arrangement of multiple fixed outlets.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of adjusting airflow direction within a single duct using movable louvers (one-dimensional adjustment), the invention uses multiple fixed ducts arranged in different spatial positions and orientations (three-dimensional arrangement). The airflow direction control is achieved by selecting and adjusting the intensity of airflows from different spatially distributed ducts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple secondary ducts with air outlets directed towards each other are used, then airflow deflection is improved, but noise generation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveairflow deflectionVSAvoidnoise generation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses multiple separate ventilation ducts with fixed air outlets instead of secondary ducts with outlets directed towards each other. This segmentation prevents the harmful interaction of airflows that causes noise while still achieving airflow deflection through the spatial distribution of the ducts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If externally accessible adjustable louvers are used, then airflow control is improved, but reliability decreases due to unintentional adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveairflow controlVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation system is segmented into multiple fixed ventilation ducts, each controlling a specific airflow direction. This eliminates movable louvers that can be unintentionally adjusted, while maintaining airflow control through the fixed spatial arrangement of the ducts and electronic adjustment of airflow intensities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical adjustable louvers are replaced with a system of fixed ventilation ducts combined with electronic control of airflow intensity. This substitution eliminates the mechanical moving parts that are prone to unintentional adjustment while maintaining the ability to control airflow characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Adaptability or versatility

If adjustable louvers are used, then airflow direction is improved, but manufacturing and assembly difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveairflow directionVSAvoidmanufacturing and assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation system is divided into multiple separate, simple ventilation ducts with fixed air outlets. Each duct can be manufactured and assembled independently using simple processes, eliminating the complex manufacturing and assembly requirements of adjustable louvers with multiple moving parts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 solution provides a directed and controlled airflow in a passenger compartment with reduced noise generation, achieved through the targeted control of airflow strengths and directions without the need for movable parts, enhancing both functionality and comfort.

Implementation Method 1

the air outlet has a first deflecting wall downstream of the first channel end in the direction of flow, wherein the first deflecting wall is designed to deflect the first airflow in such a way that the first airflow crosses the second airflow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlow deflection:

Data Source

PatentEP3758964B1Ventilation device for a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.06.19 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP3758964B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3758964B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3758964B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Ventilation device (1) for a motor vehicle, having a first ventilation duct (3) for the throughflow of a first air flow (L1), a second ventilation duct (4) which is separate from the first ventilation duct (3) for the throughflow of a second air flow (L2) and an air outlet (7) which is coupled in a fluid-communicating manner to a first duct end (5) of the first ventilation duct (3) and to a second duct end (6) of the second ventilation duct (4), for releasing an overall air flow (G) into a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, wherein the overall air flow (G) comprises the first air flow (L1) and the second air flow (L2), wherein a first air flow strength of the first air flow (L1) and a second air flow strength of the second air flow (L2) can be set individually. The air outlet (7) has a first deflecting wall (9) in the direction of flow (S) downstream of the first duct end (5), wherein the first deflecting wall (9) is designed for deflecting the first air flow (L1) in such a manner that the first air flow (L1) intersects the second air flow (L2).