FR2757108A1 - MECHANICAL CONTROL DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC DEFROST OF THE WINDSHIELD OF A MOTOR VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The control panel (1) of a heating / ventilation or air conditioning device comprises several manual operating members (2-5) which must each be placed in a position suitable for rapid defrosting or demisting of the windshield. According to the invention, an action on one (4) of the operating members triggers the rotation of a geared motor (28) which, by means of a crank (29) and connecting rods (30-32), forces the other operating members into the desired positions.

Description

Mechanical control device for automatic defrosting

  than the windshield of a motor vehicle.

  The invention relates to a control device for a heating / ventilating or air conditioning appliance of the passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising at least two operating members, each independently of which is suitable for being placed manually in different positions for controlling

a device function.

  Each operating member usually comprises a part accessible to the user placed on the front of a control panel, for example in the form of a rotary button or a slider. The parameters that can be controlled by the operating devices are, for example, the temperature of an air flow to be sent into the passenger compartment, the speed of a fan producing this air flow, the air intake outside or recirculated, the air distribution between

  different outlets to the passenger compartment.

  When the vehicle windshield is fogged or frosted, demisting or rapid defrosting requires appropriate adjustments to the various functions: optimal air flow

  must be selected; in the case of a climate control device

  sation, the refrigeration circuit must be put into service to dehumidify the treated air; the air temperature must be maximum; the treated air must come exclusively from outside the vehicle, if this possibility exists; the air distribution devices must be positioned

  so as to direct the air towards the glass surfaces.

  In an electronic control device, it is easy and inexpensive to adapt the control logic so as to obtain the desired settings by a single operation of the

user share.

  In existing manual control devices, the use of

  sator must operate each of the operating members to bring it to its optimal position, which is inconvenient and may cause errors, even if these positions

  optimal are identified by appropriate symbols.

  The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks, and to provide a manual control device simplifying the

  implementation of settings adapted to a mode of operation-

particularly special.

  The invention relates in particular to a device of the kind defined in the introduction, and provides means for jointly bringing a first operating member and at least one second operating member into respective optimal positions for a determined operating mode of the apparatus, by manual action on the only first operating member, these means comprising a trigger element which is activated

  by said manual action to bring an action organ-

  mechanical operation in a first state where it forces the second

  operating member in its optimal position.

  Optional features of the device according to the invention, complementary or alternative, are set out below: - Said manual action brings about the first operating member

at its optimal position.

  - Said manual action brings the first operating member

  at a singular position for which the trigger element

  is activated and from which return means bring it to its optimal position after cessation of

said manual action.

  - Said singular position is an end position of

  stroke close to the optimal position.

  - The return means are elastic means.

  - Restoration means are provided to automatically bring the actuator back to its first state

  in a second state where it releases the second operating member

  see. - The actuating member and the recovery means comprise a geared motor which, under the effect of the triggering element, rotates a rotary element by one turn

  actuation from a corresponding starting position

  in the second state, the first state corresponding to a

  intermediate position of the rotary actuating element.

  - The actuator and the recovery means comprise a coupling element having an elongated guide site for a follower element secured to the second operating member, the follower element traversing said guide site to achieve the different positions of the control member when the actuator is in its second state and abutting at one end of the guide site to impose the optimal position of the control member when the actuator is in its first state. - The coupling element is a connecting rod, the guide site

  extending in the longitudinal direction of the connecting rod.

  - It comprises at least a third operating member capable of being placed manually in different positions, including an optimal position for said operating mode of the device, with which is associated a coupling rod articulated around the same axis as that

  associated with the second operating member.

  - The coupling element is a sliding plate, the

  guide site extending in the sliding direction.

  - It comprises at least a third operating member capable of being placed manually in different positions, among which an optimal position for said operating mode of the device, with which is associated a second guide site elongated in the sliding direction,

on said sliding plate.

  The characteristics and advantages of the invention will be

  described in more detail in the description below, in

  referring to the appended drawings, o identical or analogous elements are designated in all the figures by the same reference numbers. In these drawings: - Figure 1 is a front view of a control panel according to the invention for an air conditioning unit of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle; - Figure 2 is a rear view of the control panel of Figure 1; FIGS. 3 and 4 are views similar to FIG. 2,

  relating to variants of the control panel.

  The control panel 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 carries in known manner four operating members 2-5 for controlling respective functions of the device. The operating member 2 comprises a rotary button 6 mounted on the front face of the control panel, coupled by a shaft to a pinion 7 disposed on the rear face of the panel 1. The pinion 7 meshes with a rack 8 formed on a lever 9 being able to pivot about an axis 10 parallel to that of the button and the pinion, the rack 8 being curved according to an arc of a circle centered on the axis 10. At the end of the lever 9 is disposed a lug 11 attached to the end of a cable 12 which can slide in a sheath 13. The opposite end, not

  shown, cable 12 is linked to a movement mechanism

  ment of a mixing flap to vary the temperature of an air flow sent into the passenger compartment

  vehicle by the air conditioning unit.

  The operating member 3 comprises a rotary button 14 connected to an electric switch for adjusting the speed of rotation of the electric motor driving a fan for

  produce the air flow treated by the air conditioning unit

  tion. The operating member 3 can also control the

  switching on the refrigeration circuit.

  The operating member 4 is similar to the operating member 2 and comprises a rotary button 15 and a pinion 16 cooperating by a rack 17 with a lever 18 mounted pivotally about an axis 19, associated with a lug 20, a cable 21 and a sheath 22. The cable 21 is connected to a drive mechanism for air distribution flaps in different places

of the passenger compartment.

  The operating member 5 comprises a slider 23 slidably mounted

  from left to right on the control panel and

  controlling a lug 24 arranged on the rear face thereof

  ci, which are associated with a cable 25 and a sheath 26 analog-

  gues to those mentioned previously. The cable 25 drives an air inlet flap which makes it possible to adjust the proportions of outside air and recirculated air admitted into the air conditioning unit. According to the invention, there is provided an electric switch 27 normally open and which closes when the lever 18 is

  in one of its end positions, as indicated

  quée in broken line under the reference 18 'in the figure

  2. Closing the switch 27 feeds a motoreduc-

  tor 28 mounted on the rear face of the control panel, which drives a crank 29. The switch 27 is mounted in parallel with a self-interrupter of the gearmotor which makes it possible to stop it exclusively in a determined angular position, shown on the Figure 2. Each time the switch 27 is closed, the crank 29 therefore rotates one revolution from this position to return to it. Furthermore, when the user releases the button 15 after having brought it into its end-of-travel position to close the switch 27, a spring, not shown, brings the operating member 4 back to a neighboring position for which the switch 27 is reopened and for which the distribution flaps are arranged so as to send the flow

maximum air to the windshield.

  Three connecting rods 30, 31 and 32 are articulated at the free end of the crank 29 around the same axis 38 parallel to the axis of the geared motor, to axes 10 and 19 and to the axis of rotation of the member of operation 3. Each of these connecting rods has, in the vicinity of its end opposite the articulation axis, an elongated lumen in the longitudinal direction of the connecting rod. Along the lights 33, 34 and 35 of the connecting rods 30, 31 and 32 are respectively guided the lug 11, a lug 36 secured to the operating member 3 by means of a crank 37 and the lug 24. In the configuration illustrated, the geared motor 28 is in its rest position, and each of the connecting rods forms with the crank 29 an obtuse angle close to a flat angle. Each of the operating elements 2, 3 and 5 is in a position

  median on its adjustment stroke, and the corresponding lugs

  dants 11, 36 and 24 are also in median positions along the lights 33 to 35. The operating members can then be moved in one direction and in the other over their entire course without being hindered by the connecting rods, the pins being guided along the lights from one end to the other of these. In the first half of a revolution carried out by the geared motor 28, the crank 29 pulls the connecting rods and the pins 11, 36 and 24 slide first, without displacement of the corresponding operating members, along the lights up to the end of these opposite the hinge pin 38. When each lug comes into abutment at the end of the corresponding lumen, it is in turn pulled so as to bring the operating member with which it is associated in a suitable position for defrosting or demisting the windshield. During the second half-turn of the gearmotor, the connecting rods are pushed back and the pins move away from the distal ends of the slots, without displacement of the operating members. After a complete revolution of the gearmotor, it is again possible to manually and independently place each actuator in any desired position to carry out any mode of

device operation.

  The embodiment of FIG. 3 differs from that of FIG. 2 in that the connecting rods are replaced by a plate mounted at the rear of the control panel so as to slide parallel to the direction of sliding of the operating member. 5, being guided by fixed lugs 41 which are housed in elongated slots 42 of the plate. The plate 40 is driven by the crank 29 in an alternating movement by means of a lug 43 integral with the latter which slides in a slot 44 in the elongated plate perpendicular to the direction of sliding of the latter. The lugs 11, 36 and 24 engage in turn

  in respective lights 45, 46 and 47 elongated parallel-

  in the sliding direction. These lights play the same role as the lights 33, 34 and 35 of the device of FIG. 2. The lights 45 and 46 have a sufficient width to allow the movement of the pins 11 and 36 according to

trajectories in an arc.

  The variant of FIG. 4 differs from that of FIG. 3 in that the crank 29 is replaced by a disc 50 on one face of which protrudes a rib 51 elongated in the form of a spiral and extending over a little less a lap. The plate 40 carries a lug 52 arranged opposite the disc 50 so as to be able to move radially relative to the

  disc, by sliding the plate, in the circumferential area

  interruption of the spiral rib 51 when the gearmotor is in its rest position as shown in the figure. When the disc rotates in the direction of the arrow 53, the concave face of the rib pushes the lug 52 in the direction of the axis of the disc, until the lug 52 reaches the end of the rib closest to the axis. The drive stroke of the plate 40 by the gearmotor is therefore carried out over almost a revolution, and not over a half-turn as in the case of FIG. 3. The plate

  may remain in the final position of its training course

  ment, and go back under the push of the lugs 11, 36

  and 24 during subsequent manual operations.

  Although only an air conditioning control device has been described above, it goes without saying that the invention

  also applies to a heating control device

  age / ventilation. Furthermore, the position of the first operating member which activates the triggering element may not be a special position from which the operating member is automatically returned to its optimal position, but the optimal position itself. In this case, the trigger element can be of the impulse type, insensitive to

  maintenance of the operating member in the activation position

tion.

Claims (12)

Claims   1. Control device for a heating / ventilating or air conditioning appliance of the passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising at least two operating members (2, 4) each of which independently is suitable for being placed manually in different positions for controlling a function of the apparatus, characterized in that means are provided for jointly bringing a first operating member (4) and at least one second operating member (2) into positions   respective optimal for a specific operating mode   undermined of the device, by manual action on the only first operating member, these means comprising a trigger element (27) which is activated by said action   manual to bring a mechanical actuator (28-   ) in a first state where it forces the second organ to   maneuver in its optimal position.   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said manual action brings the first member of maneuver to its optimal position.   3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said manual action brings the first operating member to a singular position for which the trigger element is activated and from which return means bring it to its optimal position after   cessation of said manual action.   4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said singular position is an end position of   stroke close to the optimal position.   5. Device according to one of claims 3 and 4,   characterized in that the return means are elastic means.   6. Device according to one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that recovery means are provided for automatically returning the actuating member from its first state to a second state where it releases the second operating member.   7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the actuating member and the recovery means comprise a geared motor (28) which, under the effect of the triggering element (27), rotates by a turns a rotary actuating element (29) from a starting position corresponding to the second state, the first state corresponding to an intermediate position of the element rotary actuator.   8. Device according to one of claims 6 and 7,   characterized in that the actuating member and the recovery means comprise a coupling element (30) having an elongated guide site (33) for a follower element (11) integral with the second operating member (2), the follower element traversing said guide site to achieve the different positions of the control member when the actuating member is in its second state and abutting at one end of the guide site to impose the optimal position of the control unit when   the actuator is in its first state.   9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the coupling element is a connecting rod (30), the guide site extending in the longitudinal direction of the connecting rod. 10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises at least a third operating member (3) suitable for being placed manually in different positions, including an optimal position for said operating mode of the device, with which is associated a coupling rod (31, 32) articulated around the same axis   than that associated (30) with the second operating member.   11. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the coupling element is a sliding plate (40), the guide site (45) extending in the sliding direction. 12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises at least a third operating member (3) suitable for being placed manually in different positions, among which an optimal position for said operating mode of the apparatus, with which is associated a second guide site (46, 47) elongated in the direction of   sliding, on said sliding plate.