Slim Vehicle Air Vent Linkage for Precise Airflow in Less Space
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional slim type air vents for vehicles face challenges in reducing volume, precise wind direction control, and complex assembly processes due to the need for additional components like hidden wings and inwardly bent inner surfaces, which increase the overall size and complexity of the air vent.
Innovation Solution
A slim type air vent design featuring a housing with a discharge port, an upper horizontal wing rotatably coupled to a spacer, a lower horizontal wing, and a rotation link that connects the upper and lower wings, allowing for precise air direction control without increasing the air vent's volume, and simplifying the assembly process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the Coanda effect is applied to the air vent by forming the inner side surface of the housing in an inwardly bent shape, then precise wind direction control is improved, but the total volume of the air vent increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nesting principle by placing the hidden wing inside the housing structure rather than externally. The hidden wing is positioned within the housing's internal space, allowing it to function without increasing the external dimensions of the air vent. This nested configuration enables precise wind direction control through the hidden wing's interaction with the airflow while maintaining a compact overall volume.
2Manufacturing precision
If a hidden wing is applied to the air vent, then precise wind direction control is improved, but the total volume of the air vent increases and the assembly process becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the hidden wing with the housing structure by integrating it into the existing housing design. The hidden wing is configured to work in conjunction with the horizontal wings that are already part of the housing assembly. This merging approach allows the hidden wing to be assembled together with the housing in a single process, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps and reducing overall assembly complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional air vent with multiple horizontal and vertical wings is used, then wind direction control is improved, but the installation space occupied is wide
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the vertical wings from the conventional air vent design, retaining only the essential horizontal wings for wind direction control. By removing the vertical wings, the air vent's external dimensions are reduced, allowing it to occupy less installation space in the center fascia panel or crash pad while still maintaining effective wind direction control through the horizontal wings and the added hidden wing functionality.
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 design effectively reduces the air vent's volume, enhances design freedom for surrounding components, and simplifies the assembly process while maintaining precise control over air direction, thereby improving the overall installation and functionality of the air vent.
Implementation Method 1
a rotation link which connects the upper horizontal wing to the lower horizontal wing and controls the lower horizontal wing to rotate according to a rotation direction of the upper horizontal wing
Implementation Method 2
a spacer which is accommodated in the region of the discharge port and rotatably supports the upper horizontal wing and the lower horizontal wing
Data Source
AI summary
A slim type air vent for a vehicle includes a housing a discharge port, through which air is discharged in a direction toward a vehicle interior, an upper horizontal wing accommodated in a region of the discharge port and rotatably coupled to the housing, a lower horizontal wing which is disposed under the upper horizontal wing in the region of the discharge port and is rotatable according to a preset rotation direction of the upper horizontal wing, a spacer which is accommodated in the region of the discharge port and rotatably supports the upper horizontal wing and the lower horizontal wing, and a rotation link which connects the upper horizontal wing to the lower horizontal wing and controls the lower horizontal wing to rotate according to a rotation direction of the upper horizontal wing.