GB2377678A

GB2377678A - Vehicle rear side window de-mister

Info

Publication number: GB2377678A
Application number: GB0209448A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Scott Edward Bowden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-05-18
Filing date: 2002-04-25
Publication date: 2003-01-22
Anticipated expiration: 2022-04-25
Also published as: GB0209448D0; GB2377678B; GB0112297D0

Abstract

A motor vehicle rear side window de-mister for a vehicle ventilation system comprises one or more ducts 7 extending from within the ventilation system 2 to a vent 15 located at or adjacent a rear side window 18, so as to direct air onto said window, the or each duct extending between said ventilation system and said vent up a windscreen strut 8 and through the roof space between the outer skin 11 of the vehicle and the passenger compartment roof lining 12. The vent may be located in various positions adjacent the rear window (figure 3), and may be located behind a grille 16. The end of the duct located within the ventilation system may be enlarged 3 relative to the remainder of the duct to promote air flow into the duct. A method of modifying the ventilation system of a vehicle to include such a de-mister is also disclosed.

Description

CAR REAR SIDE WINDOW DE-MISTER This invention relates to a car rear side window de-mister.

Car window de-misters are common. in virtually all, if not all modern cars.

However, the current de-misting systems for cars are net always adequate. Quite often, in damp weather, the current de-misters fail to clear the rear passenger door windows. Especially when rear seat passengers are present. This can cause reduced visibility, especially on the near side of the vehicle.

None of the present systems direct a good flow of air directly on to the rear side windows.

The system described in this specification can be fitted to either or both sides of the vehicle.

A shaped junction is formed in the existing ventilation system ducts, which lead from the ventilation system motorized fan to the air vents situated on the instrument panel facia, inside the passenger compartment.

A flexible plastic pipe is then attached to this junction, and the pipe then extends through a cut out, if necessary, in the end of the instrument panel facia, up the windscreen strut, behind the trim, and into the space between the outer skin of the roof and the roof lining of the passenger compartment. The flexible pipe then extends along the roof space at the edge of the roof, above the passenger door frames, and terminates at a vent. The vent can be positioned at various points around the rear passenger door frame.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :Fig. 1 shows a cross section of the passenger compartment; Fig. 2 shows a view from above the near side of the vehicle and passenger compartment; Fig. 3 shows the various positions in which the rear side window vent can be situated.

The descrition below is best illustrated in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 f Referring to the drawings, the rear side window de-mister comprises of the forming of a shaped junction 3 in the moulded plastic ventilation system ducts 2, which lead from the ventilation system motorized fan 1, to the ventilation system air vents 6, which are situated on the instrument panel facia 5, inside the passenger compartment.

The shaped junction 3 consists of a hollow protrusion 4, preferably cylindrical, which would allow a flow of air through the existing ducts 2 but also allow the air flow to be directed through the junction 3 and also through the hollow protrusion 4.

For practicality, the shaped junction 3 and protrusion 4 would preferably be in the ducts 2 which lead to the air vents 6 at the extreme ends of the instrument panel facia 5, adjacent to the front passenger doors 19. The junction 3 and protrusion 4 would preferably be on the passenger compartment side cf the bulkhead 23.

From the shaped junction 3 and the hollow protrusion 4, a flexible pipe 7'which could be of quite small diameter, for example 15mm to 20mm, would be attached at one end, by means, for example a jubilee clip, to the hollow protrusion 4. The pipe 7 then extends through a cut out, if necessary, in the extreme end of the instrument panel facia 5 then extends up the windscreen struts 8, behind a possibly modified trim panel 9, up into the space between the outer skin of the vehicle roof 11 and the roof lining of the passenger compartment 12. The pipe 7 then extends along the roof space 10 at the edges of the vehicle roof, above the passenger doors 19 and 20, and terminates at a vent which can be situated at various points around the frame of the rear passenger doors 20.

The description below is best illustrated in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 The vents 15 are attached by means, for example a jubilee clip, to the other end of the flexible pipe 7.

See Fig. 4The vent 15 itself is made up of a hollow protrusion, as

in the shaped junction 3 and protrusion 4 mentioned earlier. This protrusion 14 widens to form a head 15, similar to a bathroom shower head, except thinner across its width and open at the mouth 25 to allow a good flow of air to pass through.

The head could, for example, be attached, by means, to a grill 16, and possibly to a modified trim 22 by having a flange 24 projecting from the rim 26 of the head 15 at the mouth 25 of the vent. The flange on the rim 26 could marry up with a flange on the rim of the grill 16.

There would be a hole in each of these flanges to allow a fixing, for example a screw, to pass through these flanges and through a hole in the possibly modified trim dz attaching the said parts to one another and securing them.

Other methods could be used for a vent, for example, blocking the pipe 7 at the end by the rear passenger doors 20, and making a series of holes in the wall of the pipe 7 to allow air to escape through these holes when positioned over the grill 16.

See Fig. 3 The first example showing the possible positioning of the vent 15 and grill 16 around the rear passenger door frames is shown in the left hand diagram. In thisexample, the pipe 7 terminates at the vent 15 and grill 16 which are fixed by means, perhaps as mentioned in fig. 4, at a given point along the top of the door frame of the rear passenger doors 20.

The second example showing the possible positioning of the vent 15 and grill 16 around the rear passenger door frames is shown in the centre diagram. In this example, the pipe 7 terminates at the vent 15 and grill 16 which are fixed by means, perhaps as in fig. 4, at a given point along the rear edge of the door frame of the rear passenger doors 20. The vent 15 and grill 16 would be facing forward on to the rear passenger door windows 18.

The third example showing the possible positioning of the vent 15 and grill 16 around the rear passenger door frames is shown in the right hand diagram. In this example, the pipe 7 terminates at the vent 15 and grill 16 which are fixed by means, perhaps as in fig. 4, at a

given point along the front edge of the door frame of the rear passenger doors 20, which would be the centre struts 21 of the vehicle between the front and rear passenger doors, 19 and 20 respectively.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle rear side window de-mister for a vehicle having a ventilation system which delivers air to the front of the passenger compartment of the vehicle, said demister comprising one or more air ducts, the or each of which extends from within said ventilation system to a vent located at or adjacent a rear side window, so as to direct air onto said window, the or each air duct extending, between said ventilation system and said vent, up a windscreen strut and through the roof space between the outer skin of the vehicle roof and the passenger compartment roof lining.

2. A de-mister according to claim 1 and includes an air inlet located within said ventilation system, said inlet being shaped and positioned to enable air to be delivered to the front of said passenger compartment while said ventilation system delivers air.

3. A de-mister according to either claim 1 or 2 wherein said vent is located above a rear side window.

4. A de-mister according to any preceding claim wherein the end of the duct located within said ventilation system is enlarged, relative to the remainder of the duct to promote air flow into the duct.

5. A motor vehicle rear side window de-mister substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

6. A de-mister according to claim 1 and substantially as herein described.

7. A method of modifying a motor vehicle having a ventilation system which delivers air to the front of the passenger compartment of the vehicle in order to provide a rear side window demister, the method comprising securing to the vehicle one or more ducts, the or each of which extends from within said ventilation system to a vent located at or adjacent a rear side window, so as to direct air onto said window, the or each air duct extending, between said ventilation system and said vent, up a windscreen strut and through the roof space between the outer skin of the vehicle roof and the passenger compartment roof lining.

8. A motor vehicle incorporating a rear side window de-mister according to any of claims 1 to 6.