Rotating Air Outlet Deflector for Seamless Flow Switching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air outlet devices for motor vehicle passenger compartments are complex to switch between concentrated and diffused air flow configurations, often obstructing airflow and being difficult to rotate for the desired settings.
Innovation Solution
An air outlet device with a rotating member featuring ring-shaped deflector walls and spokes that change configuration from diffused to concentrated airflow by rotating 180°, utilizing a cone-shaped or pyramid-shaped structure with overlapping walls and air ducts to minimize obstruction and facilitate easy handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a mushroom-shaped element is fitted to the nozzle to generate diffused air current, then diffused air flow is achieved, but the element obstructs the air flow in both concentrated and diffused configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The air outlet device is segmented into multiple independent deflector elements (first deflector, second deflector, third deflector, fourth deflector) arranged around the nozzle. These deflectors can be independently positioned to create different air flow patterns without obstructing the central air passage, resolving the contradiction between achieving diffused flow and maintaining unobstructed concentrated flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The deflectors are arranged in a circular pattern around the nozzle axis rather than blocking it directly. By positioning deflectors at different angular positions and distances from the nozzle, the device creates diffused air flow in the radial dimension while leaving the axial dimension open for concentrated flow, thus eliminating obstruction.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the nozzle is rotated 180° in a ball joint to switch between concentrated and diffused configurations, then both air flow types are achievable, but the operation becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The deflector elements are designed to be movable relative to the nozzle, allowing dynamic reconfiguration of the air outlet pattern. The deflectors can be easily positioned between a retracted state (for concentrated flow) and an extended/activated state (for diffused flow), providing simple operation without requiring complex 180° rotation mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If multiple deflector walls are arranged in overlapping concentric annuli, then seamless switching between air flow configurations is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple deflector walls are merged into a single integrated rotating member that contains all deflector elements (first, second, third, and fourth deflectors) arranged in overlapping concentric annuli. This unified structure allows seamless switching between air flow configurations through simple rotation while avoiding the complexity of assembling and coordinating multiple separate parts.
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
Enables seamless switching between diffused and concentrated air flows without obstructing airflow, improving handling and design aesthetics while maintaining compact dimensions.
Implementation Method 1
The walls 18, 19, 20 and 21 have respective front faces 18a, 19a, 20a and 21a (fig. 1 and fig. 2), facing towards the tip of the substantially cone-shaped or pyramid-shaped structure, and respective rear faces 18b, 19b, 20b and 21b (fig. 3) facing the opposite direction.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An air outlet device (1) has a supporting structure (9) suitable to communicate, in use, with an air ventilation system and an outlet member (8) that is configured so as to supply an air flow along an outlet axis (15) and is coupled to the supporting structure (9) so as to rotate by 180° about a joint axis (28) orthogonal to the outlet axis (15), to assume two opposite configurations; the outlet member (8) comprises a plurality of deflector portions (18,19,20,21,25) defining a plurality of air ducts (23), which are arranged about the outlet axis (15) and distributed axially in sequence; the deflector portions (18,19,20,21,25) are shaped and/or positioned so as to guide the air in the air ducts (23) in directions having a radial component.