This application claims priority under 35 USC ยง 119 to German Patent Application No. 10 2017 118 055.9, filed on Aug. 9, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Air vents are used to ventilate a passenger compartment of motor vehicles.
The patent DE 10 2013 210 055 B3 discloses an air vent comprising a rectangular tube-shaped housing, in which a flow-around body is fixedly disposed. The flow-around body extends transversely through the housing from one side to an opposite side and is located in a section in which the housing widens in a curve-shaped manner perpendicularly to the flow-around body and tapers again to form a rectangular air outlet opening. The flow-around body divides the housing into two channels in the widened section. On an incident flow side of the flow-around body, which is to say on a side facing an air inlet opening of the housing, a rudder is disposed so as to pivot upward and downward, by way of which a ratio of air volumes flowing into the two channels between the flow-around body and the housing can be set and, in the end positions, a respective one of the two channels can be closed by the rudder. The ratio of the air volumes flowing through the two channels influences an outflow direction of air out of the air outlet opening of the housing of the known air vent, since the air flows out of the two channels obliquely toward one another through the air outlet opening.
An object of the invention is to propose an air vent that enables low flow resistance.
An airvent as described herein includes a tubular housing having an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening. The housing can have a rectangular, an oval, a circular or any arbitrary cross-section. A control surface mechanism comprising a fixed fin and two pivotable rudders, which are disposed on the fin, is disposed in the housing. The terminology is based on control surface mechanisms used in aircraft. The two rudders can be pivoted about mutually parallel pivot axes, and in particular they can be pivoted away from one another into a position that diverges in a V-shaped manner, seen from one side, and toward one another, preferably into a position in which they are parallel to and/or bear against one another. The rudders can preferably be individually pivoted and thus do not have to be pivoted synchronously. The two rudders allow an air current to be guided through the housing of the air vent and enable air to flow out of the air outlet opening of the housing in a linear manner or obliquely with respect to one or an opposite side.
A distance between the pivot axes of the two rudders is preferably no greater than the thickness of the fixed fin. In this way, the pivot axes of the rudders can be disposed within the fixed fin, seen in the flow direction.
One embodiment of the invention provides for two rudders that are congruent as seen in a view. When the rudders bear against one another or aligned parallel with one another, they are congruent as seen in a view.
One embodiment of the invention provides for the two pivotable rudders, together, to be no thicker than the fixed fin. In this way, it is possible that, seen in the flow direction through the housing, the two rudders do not protrude beyond the fin when they are pivoted together into a position in which they bear against one another and/or a position in which they are parallel to one another and/or to the fin.
Preferably, the rudders do not have any offset at a transition from the fixed fin to the pivotable rudders. Surfaces of the fin facing away from one another transition without steps into surfaces of the rudders facing away from one another. When the two rudders are pivoted together, the surfaces of the fin transition, preferably steadily, into surfaces of the rudders. When the rudders are pivoted away from one another, the surfaces of the fin transition into the surfaces of the rudders with a bend.
One embodiment of the invention provides for the pivotable rudders to be disposed downstream of the fixed fin of the control surface mechanism, in a flow direction through the housing of the air vent.
One embodiment of the invention provides for a recess in the fixed fin, in which the two rudders are disposed.
One embodiment of the invention provides for the pivot axes of the rudders to be disposed at the ends thereof experiencing incident flow, which is to say the ends facing the air inlet opening of the housing, or close to these ends of the rudders. In this embodiment of the invention, the pivot axes, in any case, are located closer to the end of the rudders facing the air inlet opening of the housing than to the end of the rudders facing the air outlet opening. In this embodiment of the invention, an air current flowing through the housing from the air inlet opening to the air outlet opening acts on the two rudders so as to move these together, and so that these do not move apart.
The air vent according to the invention is provided for ventilating passenger compartments, in particular of motor vehicles and, in general, of land vehicles, aircraft and watercraft. In essence, the invention can be used for venting and ventilating any chamber used by people or not used by people. Further uses are not excluded.
The invention will be described in more detail hereafter based on two exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings. In the drawings:
The air vent 1 according to the invention, shown in
A control surface mechanism 9 comprising a fixed fin 10 and two pivotable rudders 11 is disposed in the widened section 8 of the housing 2. The fixed fin 10 and the rudders 11 are strip-shaped and extend transversely from the one side wall to the opposite side wall 5 of the housing 2 of the air vent 1 according to the invention. The fixed fin 10 is located in a center plane between the top side 6 and the bottom side 7 of the housing 2. The pivotable rudders 11 adjoin the fin 10 on an end of the fin 10 facing the air outlet opening 4. Pivot axes 12 of the rudders 11 extend parallel to the fin 10 and the rudders 11 on, or close to, ends of the rudders 11 facing the fin 10 and the air inlet opening 3.
The rudders 11 can be pivoted together to assume a position shown in
In a top view of the rudders 11, the rudders 11 are congruent. Together, the rudders 11 are as thick as the fin 10, whereby no offset results at a transition from the fin 10 to the rudders 11, but surfaces of the fin 10 facing away from one another transition, in a linear manner, into surfaces of the rudders 11 facing away from one another when the rudders 11 are pivoted together into the position that is parallel to the center plane of the housing 2, and the surfaces of the fin 10 facing away from one another transition at an angle into the surfaces of the rudders 11 facing away from one another when the rudders 11 are pivoted apart. A distance between the pivot axes 12 of the rudders 11 has the size of the thickness of the rudders 11, and half the size of the thickness of the fin 10.
When the two rudders 11 are pivoted together, as is shown in
When one of the rudders 11 is pivoted away from the other rudder 11, as is shown in
The strongest deflection of an air current flowing through the housing 2 of the air vent 1 according to the invention results, as is shown in
In contrast to
The air vents 1 shown in the figures can additionally comprise louvers, and in particular movable louvers, which are disposed substantially perpendicularly to the fin 10 (not shown). So as to guide the air current obliquely with respect to the drawing plane of the
However, the louvers can also be disposed in the region of the fin 10 upstream or downstream thereof, in the flow direction.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2017 118 055.9 | Aug 2017 | DE | national |