Rotating Spacer Vent Unit for Dispersed Airflow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automotive air-conditioning vent units intensively blow conditioning air, leading to uneven heating or cooling of specific areas of passengers' bodies, thereby reducing passenger comfort.
Innovation Solution
A vent unit design featuring a bezel with first through-holes, a rotating spacer with second through-holes, and a wing, allowing for controlled discharge of conditioning air through multiple aligned holes, enabling both intensive and dispersed air distribution patterns by adjusting the alignment of the spacer and wing, and incorporating a locking structure for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conditioning air is discharged through a single central opening, then the discharge area is concentrated and easy to control, but the air is intensively blown causing local areas of passengers' bodies to be excessively heated or cooled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single central discharge opening into multiple discharge openings (first discharge openings in the bezel and second discharge openings in the spacer). This segmentation allows the conditioned air to be distributed across multiple locations rather than concentrated in one spot, reducing intensive blowing on specific body areas while maintaining controllable discharge through the wing structure.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple discharge openings are provided, then the discharge area is increased and air distribution is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the spacer (containing second discharge openings) is positioned within or alongside the bezel (containing first discharge openings). The wing structure integrates control for both sets of openings through a single rotational mechanism. This nesting approach increases the effective discharge area while minimizing structural complexity by combining multiple functions into a compact, integrated assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing structure serves multiple functions: it controls the opening/closing of both the first discharge openings in the bezel and the second discharge openings in the spacer through a single rotational motion. This multi-functionality allows the system to manage multiple discharge paths without requiring separate control mechanisms for each, thereby increasing discharge area without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the spacer can rotate freely, then the alignment of discharge openings is flexible and adjustable, but precise control of air flow direction is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic control system where the spacer can rotate relative to the bezel to adjust the alignment between first and second discharge openings. The wing structure rotates about a hinge shaft to control the opening/closing of discharge openings. This dynamic mechanism provides flexible adaptability for different air distribution patterns while maintaining precise control through the mechanical coupling and rotational degrees of freedom.
Data Source
AI summary
A vent unit includes a bezel installed on a vehicle and formed in a ring shape with a flow hole at the center, and a spacer overlapping and coupled to the bezel and formed in a ring shape rotating relative to the bezel. The bezel has a plurality of first through-holes circumferentially spaced apart from one another, and the spacer has a plurality of second through-holes circumferentially spaced apart from one another such that conditioning air is discharged to an interior through the second through-holes and the first through-holes when the second through-holes are aligned with the first through-holes by circumferential rotation. The vent unit further includes a wing disposed in the flow hole of the bezel and coupled to the spacer through a hinge shaft. The wing controls discharge of conditioning air through the flow hole by axially rotating, and circumferentially relatively rotating together with the spacer.