GB2232760A

GB2232760A - Ventilators

Info

Publication number: GB2232760A
Application number: GB9007434A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernard Scherrer
Original assignee: Bourbon Automobile SA
Current assignee: Bourbon Automobile SA
Priority date: 1989-04-06
Filing date: 1990-04-03
Publication date: 1990-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 2010-04-03
Also published as: IT1244120B; IT9067253A0; GB9007434D0; ES1013768Y; FR2645628A1; GB2232760B; FR2645628B1; ES1013768U; IT9067253A1; DE4011085A1

Abstract

A ventilator for motor vehicles comprising two perpendicular sets of flaps 4, 7, each set being connected by a respective connector bar 6, 9. A single component 12 is provided for controlling the direction of the two sets of flaps 4, 7. The component 12 slidably locates on the central flap of the first set 4 and is provided at its front end with a control button 10. The rear end of the component 12 is slidably connected to the central flap of the second set 7, thereby enabling the second set of flaps to be rotated as the component 12 is slid along the central flap of the first set 4, and the first set to be rotated as the rear end of the component 12 is slid on the central flap of the second set 7. <IMAGE>

Description

c 2 2:3 2 -7 C='0 VENTIT ATC)R 1he object of the present invention is a

ventilator.

tor of the type found on the dashboards of specifically a venli--jla+ motor vehicles.

In a moltor vehicle it is necessary to ensure that the air in the vehicle's passenger compartment is renewed. For this purpose, fixed ventilating nozzles are provided, located especially at the base of the windscreen, together with ventilators which can be adjusted. in order to direct a flow of fresh or warm air towards a specific part of the vehicle. In order to ensure a goo-.5 standard of comfort for t the vehicle's passengers, these latter -ed on two planes, by tilt-n- on a ventilators car, be adjust L- -L = vertical as well as. on a horizontal axis.

Various solutions are in use.

In some cases, the ventilator has a barrel pivoting around a horizontal or vertical axis with flaps connected to each other, set.so as to pivot around ar. axis which is perpendicular to the axis of the barrel.

Another solutic.n involves providing a ventilator having two sets of flaps which are offset in the d4.,-"ection of flo-v.? of the set being for e^,:a,.rple hinge,, air flow, the flaps cf;E first around vertical axes, the flapE of another set, are hnaed -,or.zon41al a.,es.

around h As a result, it is necessary to control buttons, each one beina for one set Gf flaps, j41 difficutt for the user to direct the air - The present a -- E. if- -mentioned type, aJ:iS t:: the=.:- d'isat:ivar, alattei s To this end., this venti-.'La4-,,--, c,F the type Z - flaps offSet in relation I.C' eaCh ther in the c.f the airflow, the flaps off a first set beinc: arcund axes which are parallel to each other and connected tc, each Other kiy a connector bar, and the flaps of a second set being hJnger- around, axes wl-iJch are parallel, to each other and F,e2-pendi-c,.il.r-i^ to the axes of the flaps of the firsit set, and also connected te each other by a connector bar, is characterized in that the meanc cOL controlling the direction of the two sets of flaps consiSt 011: a single component which, covering one of the central flaps of Che lator, is set of flaps located on the front side of the venti.

capable of sliding longitudinally along the latter, the front end of this component forming a control button, whilst its back end is equipped with means of linking with a central flap of the other set of flaps, allowing these flaps tro be rotated when it is slid along the first flap mentioned, and tc, slide on the central ate the firet flap of the second set when it is activated to roll f 1 ap.

(4 - 1) - C.

Itt is thus possible, with the help of a single component covering the flap of one of the two sets of flaps and guided longitudinally along the latter, to adjust the airflow by. means of a sinale button..

It is advantageous for the control component to be a flat - with two walls situated on either side of the flap component which it covers, whose end which is on the side of the other set of flaps has a central and longitudinal slit in which the front edge of a flap belonging to the second set of flaps is engaged, this flap having a rounded recess such as to cause that part r-.f it which is engaged in the slit of the control component to foi,ri. a rod.

This arrangement makes for easy connection of the control component with a flap of the second set of flaps, the recess allowing the slit to tilt in relation to the flaps of the second set when the control component slides along the flap on ifnich it is set.

According to a preferred embodiment of this ventilator, +Ye control cornponent is made of syn thetic material produced by flat moulding and having m,-idway along its length a thin transversal zone which forms a film-like hinge, this component being equipped 1 - s two arms are with a CIOSLnW mechanism which ensure that 4,' 1 L _ locked in on the flap to which it is linked, and the two free ends of its arms being covered by a device forming the conk-rG' button.

-he According to a e,,nbodnient, the ends of tt..

cornponent's 4,-w,:) arms are in the shape of raised hooks. and- ut4.on is raised- -:n a complencientar 4.

"-c, be together. rmanner "-,ern 4_ Accord-iing to another embodiment, the control component -s!in-b-ed to a control button moulded with it and separated fron- Jt by a thin zone of material forming a film-like hinge, the button and the end off the component's arm not having the button bein :q equipped with mechanism allowing them to hook. together.

According to an other characteristic of the invention, the mechanism for holding the control component in a closed POS.1tien, consists of a finger projecting from one of the component's arms, to be engaged in a matching opening in the component's other arm, the finger being intended to be engaged in a longitudinal slot in the flap on which the component is set. The closing finger of the control component thus also functions as a guiding mechanism.

11 c 1:1 - lt, is advantageous for the finger to present, set back fron, its free hooking end. a shoulder form-ing a Stop is intended to com.e to rest against the control component's other arm. Thus the closing mechanism integrates the mechani-sn.. for limiting the closing of the arms, which avoids excessive squeezing of the flap on which the component is set and consequently allows the component to slide smoothly along the flap.

It- is preferable for the surfaces fac-ing each other of the component's arms to have grooves which meet matching ribs in the flap. These ribs and grooves help to cruide the control component when it moves along the flap.

The invention will in any case be readily understood w-.4'th the help of the following description, referring by way of nonrestrictive example to the attached diagram, of one embodiment Of this ventilator:

Figure 1 ventilators; is a view of a dashboard fitted with two Figure 2 is a front schematic view in perspective of a ventilator as in figunre 1; Figure 3 is a rear view in perspective of two ventilators as in figure 1; Figure 4 is - i l ator; the vent- a horizontal view of the control component of Figure 5 is a side view of th.-:s same cc).m.pc.ne.,.r-; lig-re 6 th-s component set in J is a lonc-'lludLnal sect.on 1 -lap.

-n-s-ltac,ri on a 1 Figure 1 shows the das"-.board of a rric.tt-c..,vehicle fitted wit"--i two ventilators Each ventilator has two sets of flaps for directincr the floi... of air. A first set located at- the side of the vehic'.'Le's passenger compartment has flaps 4 hinged around horizontal axes 5 -hanks to a and rotating in coordination with each other co=ector bar 6.

Behind flaps 4 are located, as is shown in figure 3, flaps 7 hinged around vertical axes 8 and rotating in conjunction with each other thanks to a connector bar 9.

As is shown in figures 1 and 2, each ventilator is adjusted by means of a single button 10. This button 10 is linked to a control component 12 made of synthetic material and produced by flat moulding having a central transversal thin areaISforming a film-like hinge allowing the component to be folded back upon itself.

- 4 In front of flaps 4, and near to axes 5 of the latter, are located ffixed bars 11 forming a decorative grill. In front cf ill is located the control button 10.

this gri Thus this component has two arms 14 and 15 which can be brought parallel to each other to cover the central flap 4 of the first set of flaps. It should be noted that this flap presents a longitudinal opening 16 extending along part of its length, as -s surfaces, extending parallel to well as a rib 17 on each of it. the opening 161.

The arm 14 has, proJectincr from the surface facing the arn. 15, a finger 18 the hook-slhaped free end 19 of which is separated from the body of the finger by a shoulder 20 forming a stop.

12 in whi In the other arm 15 there is located an opening K. -ch the hook 19 can be engaged in order to ensure that the two arms are held parallel to each other, the shoulder 20 coming to rest -ing any excessive closing of the tw,::- against the arm 15, prevent arins.

As is shown in figure 6, the f-inaer 18 is engaged in the opening 16 of the flap 4, the component 12 being guided on the,r'.ap partially by the fingers 18. This longitudinal guidance is L i facilitated by the ribs 1.7 of the flap 4 interacting with grooves 23 set into the surfaces facing each other of the two arms 14 and 23 L of the control component 12.

- E. of +1.e two arms 14 and 115 have rnea.

Finally, the free er,, ll -Z c. f h o c,.- - n- w' 11 , nicl- are ccr-.pl-eri-ie-,jtary to those r,' the button 10, t:, the latter tc b e 1 o cl, e- d- from. the E:--i.,'e of th.e bare.. 11 c..-,pos.:4,e that c.-F flapps 4, and after the two all-Iris 14, 15 --, f the co-,i,,pone-,'.have covered the bar 11 located in the extension C.f &-b.e flap 4 on whicn. it is set. Thus 'it is possible to sell j-j or and tc.

place the component 10 frorn the back of the ventilat -lose it by means of the but-ton 10 from the front side of the ventilator.

f the ccntr::'.

As is shown in the diagram, in the end o. 1 component opposite to thallhaving the button there opens a long.4tudinal slit. in which the edge of one of the flaps 7 -i- engaged. In this flap 7 there is. set back from the edge in question, a rounded recess 25, such as to cause the zone of the flap 7 which is engaged in the slit 24 to form a rod 26.

Thus it is possible, by means of a very simple single component made of synthetic material and capable of being set in place very easily by perpendicular movement to a flap located in the front of the ventilator, to control both sets of flaps.

S C - 5 All that is needed to direct the first of flaps is to operate the button in order-to tilt the flaps c,f the first setaround their hol-izontal axes.

To direct the second set of flaps, all that is needed is to slide the contrel component along the flap which it covers. which. by the action of one or the other of the edges of the 24 upon the rod 26, allows the corresponding flap 7 to pivot, since the rod 216 is set back in relation to the axis of rotation of the flap in which it is located.

Needless to say, the invention is not limited to the sincl CF 1 e embodiment of the ventilator, described above by way of example; on the contrary, it covers all variations.

I- 1 ted that the button, set- &Jlus, it should in particular be no'. at the front end of the control component, could be from the same mould as it, W-JiLhout departing from the scope of the invention.

(1

Claims

1. Ventilator, of the type having two sets of flaps offset in relation to each other in the direction of the airflow, the flaps of a first set being hinged around axes which are parallel to each other and connected to each other by a connector bar, and the flaps of the second set being hinged around axes which are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axes of the flaps of the first set, and also being connected to each other by a connector bar, characterized in that the means of controlling the direction of the two sets of flaps consist of a single component which, covering one of the central flaps of the set of flaps located on the front side of the ventilator, is capable of sliding longitudinally along the latter, the front end of this component forming a control button, whilst its back end is equipped with means of linking with a central flap of the other set of flaps, allowing these flaps to be rotated when it is slid along the first flap mentioned, and to slide on the central flap of the second set when it is activated to rotate the first flap.

2. Ventilator according to claim 1, characterized in that the control component is a flat component with two walls located on either side of the flap which it covers, whose end which is on the side of the other set of laps p t ' 11 7 - has a central and longitudinal slit in which the front edge of a flap belonging to the second set of flaps is engaged, this flap having a rounded recess such as to cause that part of it which is engaged in the slit of the control component to form a rod.

3. Ventilator according to claim 2, characterized in that the control component is a component made of synthetic material produced by flat moulding and having midway along its length a thin transversal zone which forms a film-like hinge, this component being equipped with a closing mechanism which ensures that its two arms are locked in on the flap to which it is linked, and the two free ends of its arms being covered by a device forming the control button.

4. Ventilator according to claim 3, characterized in that the ends of the two arms of the control component are in the shape of raised hooks, and the control button is raised in a complementary manner allowing them to be locked together.

5. Ventilator according to claim 3, characterized in that the control component is linked to a control button moulded with it and separated from it by a thin zone of material forming a film-like hinge, the button and the end (1 of the component's arm not having the button being equipped with means allowing them to hook together.

6. Ventilator according to any of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the mechanism for holding the control component in a closed position consists of a finger projecting from one of the component's arms, to be engaged in a matching opening in the component's other arm, the finger being intended to be engaged in a longitudinal slot in the flap on which the component is set.

7. Ventilator according to claim 6, characterized in that the finger presents, when its free hooking end is withdrawn, a shoulder forming a stop which is intended to come to rest against the control component's other arm.

8. Ventilator according to any of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that the arms of the component have, on the surfaces facing each other, grooves which meet matching ribs in the flap.

9. A ventilator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. Any novel subject matter or combination including X - Q - novel subject matter disclosed in the foregoing specification or claims and/or shown in the drawings, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.

Published 1990 atThe PatentOffice, State House, 66171 High Holborn, London WClR4TP. Further copies maybe obtainedfrom The Patent Off-ice. Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent, Con. 1/87