Ventilation duct for ventilating a passenger interior of a motor vehicle

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air conditioning systems for motor vehicles often result in air flow entering the passenger compartment at an oblique angle due to pivotable louver grilles, causing air to stick to the instrument panel, which affects the visual appeal and requires additional bypass ducts to correct the flow, but these can be visually unappealing.

Innovation Solution

A ventilation duct design featuring an inflow duct, a main guiding duct, and at least one bypass duct that branches off from the inflow duct to introduce a flow jet into the main guiding duct at an angle, allowing for adjustable air flow direction without visible louvers or openings, utilizing the Coanda effect to divert air flow and enhance visual appeal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If pivotable louver grilles are used to control air flow direction, then air flow direction can be adjusted, but the visual appeal of the passenger interior is impaired due to visible louvers and oblique air flow sticking to the instrument panel

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair flow direction controlVSAvoidvisual appeal of passenger interior

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the traditional louver grilles from the outlet opening and extracts the air flow direction control function to a bypass duct that opens at a spaced position. This eliminates the visible mechanical components while maintaining flow direction control through the geometric configuration of the bypass duct opening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The bypass duct acts as an intermediary element that introduces a flow jet at an angle to the main flow direction. This intermediate flow structure enables indirect control of the outlet air flow direction without requiring visible louvers or openings at the outlet, thus preserving the visual appearance while achieving flow direction adjustment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If additional bypass ducts are added to correct oblique air flow, then air flow direction can be improved, but the device complexity increases and visual appeal is compromised due to multiple openings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair flow direction controlVSAvoidnumber of ducts and openings

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bypass duct serves multiple functions simultaneously: it branches off part of the air flow from the inflow duct, introduces a directional flow jet into the main guiding duct, and controls the outlet air flow direction. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate correction ducts and multiple openings, reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention controls air flow direction by changing the spatial dimension of the bypass duct opening rather than adding multiple ducts. The geometric configuration and orientation of the single bypass duct opening in three-dimensional space enable flow direction control without requiring multiple openings or complex duct arrangements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Shape

If bypass duct opens at a spacing from outlet opening, then visual appeal is maintained by hiding the opening, but the flow control mechanism becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual appeal of passenger interiorVSAvoidbypass duct configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bypass duct opens at a spaced position from the outlet opening, preliminarily introducing the flow jet into the main guiding duct before the air reaches the outlet. This preliminary action allows the flow direction to be set in advance through the geometric configuration of the bypass duct opening, simplifying the overall control mechanism while maintaining visual appeal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 efficient and visually pleasing air flow distribution within the passenger interior by allowing for adjustable air flow direction without visible louvers or openings, maintaining a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing environment.

Implementation Method 1

utilizing the Coanda effect to divert air flow and enhance visual appeal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCoanda effect: Coanda Effect

Data Source

PatentUS10500926B2Ventilation duct for ventilating a passenger interior of a motor vehicle

Publication Date: 2019.12.10 DR ING H C F PORSCHE AG

AI summary

A ventilation duct (10) for a passenger interior of a motor vehicle has an inflow duct (12) for supplying air and a main guiding duct (14) that extends from the inflow duct (12) to an outlet opening (16) for guiding at least part of the air of the inflow duct (12) along a main flow direction (28) toward the outlet opening (16). At least one bypass duct (18, 40) can branch from the inflow duct (12) for discharging part of the air of the inflow duct (12). The bypass duct (18, 40) opens into the main guiding duct (14) upstream of the outlet opening (16) and introduces a flow jet (32) into the main guiding duct (14) at an angle to the main flow direction (28) for setting the flow direction of air at the outlet opening (16) without openings or louver grilles that are visible from the passenger interior.