Sliding Vehicle Console Ducting for Continuous Cabin Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle consoles are fixed, limiting seat mobility and air conditioning effectiveness, especially in vehicles without a B pillar where air conditioning vent installation is difficult.
Innovation Solution
A movable console with a sliding housing, a moving duct, a connecting duct, and a locking device that maintains fluid communication and allows for adjustable positioning, enabling efficient air discharge and temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the console is made movable to accommodate different seat positions, then seat variation adaptability is improved, but air conditioning performance deteriorates due to difficulty in installing air conditioning vents
Solution Approach 1:
The console is designed with a movable structure that can slide forward and backward along guide rails, allowing the console to dynamically adjust its position to accommodate different seat configurations while maintaining effective air conditioning vent installation positions
Solution Approach 2:
The air conditioning system is segmented into a fixed duct connected to the air conditioning device and a movable duct connected to the console, allowing independent positioning of the vent relative to the movable console
2Ease of manufacture
If the console is fixed to the vehicle body, then air conditioning vent installation is simplified, but seat mobility and variation are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The air conditioning system is divided into a fixed duct portion and a movable duct portion, allowing the vent to remain fixed for easy installation while the console moves independently to provide seat mobility
Solution Approach 2:
The console is designed as a movable structure that can slide along guide rails, enabling seat position adjustment while the air conditioning vent remains fixed to the vehicle body for simplified installation
3Adaptability or versatility
If the moving duct slides away from the connecting duct, then console mobility is improved, but air flow communication may be interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The moving duct is designed to overlap with and fit over a portion of the connecting duct, creating a nested configuration where the moving duct can slide while maintaining continuous fluidical communication through the overlapping section
4Reliability
If the connecting duct is made adjustable to maintain air flow, then air conditioning effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The moving duct is positioned to overlap with the connecting duct, creating a nested arrangement that maintains air flow communication through the overlapping portion without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting duct is designed to slide relative to the moving duct, allowing automatic adjustment of the connection position to maintain air flow effectiveness while using simple sliding mechanics rather than complex adjustment devices
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 allows for versatile seat arrangements and effective indoor temperature and air conditioning control by maintaining air flow even when the console moves relative to the vehicle body.
Implementation Method 1
a locking spring configured to apply elastic force to the locking lever in a direction in which the locking lever is locked to the stopper
Data Source
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AI summary
A moving console for a vehicle, including a housing (1) being configured for linear sliding on a vehicle body, a moving duct (3) mounted in the housing (1) and being configured for linear sliding together with the housing (1), a connecting duct (7) being configured for linear sliding relative to the moving duct (3) and to supply air received from a fixed duct (5) fixed to the vehicle body, to the moving duct (3), and a locking device (9) configured to lock or unlock the connecting duct (7) at a position where an entrance of the connecting duct (7) fluidically communicates with the fixed duct (5).