The invention relates to a control device, in particular for a heating and/or air conditioning system, for controlling air flows in motor vehicles, according to the precharacterizing clause of patent claim 1.
DE 44 42 000 A1 relates to a control device of this type for a heating and/or air conditioning system which is designed as a louver cassette and is inserted into air ducts of a heating and/or air conditioning system for a motor vehicle. The control device regulates the amount and also the direction of the air flow passing through it. The control device is formed by a frame in which a multiplicity of pivotable slats which form a flap-type louver is arranged. Pivoting of the slats in a range of from 0 to 90° enables the passage cross section for the air flow to be completely closed, completely opened or partially opened up, the direction of the air flow also being influenced by the position of the slats. This louver cassette has a multiplicity of parts, caused by the slat design and the activating means associated therewith. In the case of narrow air gaps, whistling noises and possibly also rattling noises may occur. In addition, a louver cassette of this type has a relatively high air resistance, i.e. decrease of pressure.
DE 35 14 385 A1 has already disclosed replacing conventional flaps for controlling the air flows in a heating and/or air conditioning system by a “roller-type louver”. The latter comprises a roller band which is partially provided with cutouts and closes or partially or completely opens up the passage openings of air flow ducts. The roller band is wound up and unwound in a manner guided via individual rollers, and is brought by means of a servomotor via a drive roller into a closing, opening or intermediate position.
EP 0 705 725 A1 has disclosed a development of a roller-type louver of this type. In this, a film-like roller band which has, distributed over its length, a multiplicity of different cutouts for the passage of an air flow is guided past the outlet openings of the air conditioning system housing and therefore controls the outlet cross section for the air. In a further application, a roller band of this type is arranged directly in front of the heating element and controls the amount of air passing through the heating element and the bypass flow flowing around the heating element. This type of roller-type louver is adapted in each case to the specific installation conditions and configurations of a specific heating and/or air conditioning system.
It is the object of the present invention to improve a control device, in particular for a heating and/or an air conditioning system, to the effect that the control device has a minimal construction space, can be used universally and can be installed in a simple manner into the heating and/or air conditioning system, with it being possible for the control device to be assembled in a simple manner.
This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1. The dependent claims relate to advantageous designs and developments of the invention.
The main concept of the invention involves designing the frame of a control device for controlling air flows in motor vehicles in such a manner that the roller-type louver can be inserted into the frame and removed therefrom in a simple manner. This is achieved by two hollow bodies which are open along the longitudinal side and accommodate the drive shaft or the return shaft for the roller-type louver, the hollow bodies each having a pivotable cover for opening the particular hollow body. The roller band of the roller-type louver is preferably designed in such a manner that it accommodates both shafts in the manner of an endless band. In this case, there can be a fixed connection between the roller band and shaft, in particular on the drive shaft, for example by the roller band being attached fixedly to the shaft in some regions, in particular being clamped in a manner such that it runs in the longitudinal direction of the shaft.
In one advantageous embodiment, the pivotable cover is connected to the hollow body by means of a hinge, the hinge being designed, for example, as a film hinge.
In one particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least parts of the hollow body are integrally formed on the housing, the at least one passage opening being arranged between the two hollow bodies.
In a further embodiment, the roller-type louver is connected fixedly to the drive shaft, the drive shaft comprising, for example, at least two parts between which the roller-type louver is clamped, the two parts being connected to each other by means of clipping or locking.
In one particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the roller-type louver is designed as an endless roller band with clearances for opening up the at least one passage opening.
In a preferred embodiment, the roller band is guided in two layers past the at least one passage opening, the clearances being distributed on the roller band in such a manner that, when a passage opening is closed, each layer of the roller band covers approximately half of the passage opening, the passage opening being opened by the two layers of the roller band moving in opposite directions and opening up the passage opening from the center outward. The two-layered structure advantageously avoids a fluttering of the band and, as a result, reduces the production of noise. The described manner of opening up the passage opening means that only half of the actuating path is required for opening or closing the passage opening.
For better guidance and actuation of the roller band, the at least one passage opening is divided by lattice bars into a plurality of apertures.
The drive shaft is driven by means of a servomotor, which is, for example, flanged directly onto the frame, or via a Bowden cable or a flexible shaft.
In another embodiment, the servomotor is integrated into the drive shaft, which is designed as a hollow shaft.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, one frame is used to change two air flows, the frame comprising for this purpose two passage openings, the passage cross sections of which are changed, in which, in a first starting position, a first passage opening is completely opened and a second passage opening is completely closed, in which, in a second starting position, the first passage opening is completely closed and the second passage opening is completely opened, and in which any desired passage cross sections for the particular passage opening can be set between the first and the second starting position. In this case, the passage openings may also be arranged at predeterminable angles, for example of up to 90°, with respect to one another, as a function of the installation situation.
In one embodiment having two passage openings of the same size, the sum of the passage cross sections of the two passage openings always produces the maximum possible passage cross section of a passage opening.
For better guidance of the roller band in the case of a plurality of passage openings, the frame includes at least one supporting device between two passage openings, the supporting device being connected, preferably releasably, for example to the two side parts and, as a result, preventing a leakage from one passage opening to the other passage opening.
A particularly simple installation on the basis of a small number of individual parts and a simple insertion of the drive shaft and/or return shaft arises if the hollow body is designed in such a manner that at least one bearing point is provided in side walls of the hollow body, in which the drive shaft or the return shaft is mounted, in particular a respective half bearing being formed in side walls, both in the lower part and in the upper part, in each hollow body. However, it is also possible to form the bearing point completely in the upper part or in the lower part.
The previously described control device is preferably used in heating or air conditioning systems for motor vehicles.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawing and are described in more detail below.
In the drawing:
a-d show a control device having a roller-type louver for changing one passage cross section;
a-d show a control device having a roller-type louver for changing two passage cross sections;
a-b show a sectional illustration of the region of the return shaft according to
a-b show a sectional illustration of the drive shaft with the roller band;
a-c show various roller bands in a schematic illustration;
a-c show a sectional illustration of the control device according to
a-c show a control device according to
a-d show an alternative embodiment of the control device;
a-c show a further embodiment; and
a-c show sections through various roller bands.
The control means for changing the passage cross section of the passage opening comprise the endless roller band 5, the drive shaft 6 and the return shaft 7. The drive shaft 6 and the return shaft 7 are mounted rotatably in corresponding bearing points of the side parts 8, 9 by means of end-side pins or hollow pins (not illustrated specifically). The roller band 2 is guided over the circumference of the drive shaft 6 and the return shaft 7. The roller band 2 has cutouts 5.1 which correspond in their cross sections to that of the apertures 4.2 in the housing 2. The cutouts 5.1 are divided by individual, narrow strips 5.2, so that in the roller band 2 the required tensile stress is maintained over the entire width and an airtight contact of the roller band 2 against the two shafts 6 and 7 is ensured.
a to 1d show the individual parts of the control device 1 and the sequence during the assembly of the control device 1.
b shows the housing with the roller-band subassembly inserted in it, the drive shaft and the return shaft being inserted into the two lower parts 8.1 of the hollow bodies.
c shows the housing with the hollow body closed, i.e. the upper part 8.3 has been pivoted onto the lower part via the moveable element, which is designed in the exemplary embodiment illustrated as a film hinge, as a result of which the hollow body 8 is closed apart from a longitudinal slot 8.4 through which the roller band 5 is guided.
d shows the control device with the housing 2 closed by the side parts 3.
The control device described is inserted into a heating and/or air conditioning system (not illustrated here) for a motor vehicle, the control device being adapted with regard to its external dimensions to the particular air flow duct, so that the entire air flow cross section can be controlled by the cassette. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the passage cross section of a passage opening 4 can be controlled by five apertures 4.2.
a to 2d show the individual parts of the control device 1 for controlling two passage openings and the sequence during the assembly of the control device 1.
b shows the housing with the roller-band subassembly (roller band 5, drive shaft 6, return shaft 7) inserted and with a supporting device 9 placed between the passage openings 4, the drive shaft 6 and the return shaft 7 being inserted into the two lower parts 8.1 of the hollow bodies 8.
c shows the housing 2 with the hollow body 8 closed, i.e. the upper part 8.3 has been pivoted onto the lower part 8.1 via the moveable element 8.2, which is designed in the exemplary embodiment illustrated as a film hinge, as a result of which the hollow body 8 is closed except for a longitudinal slot 8.4 through which the roller band 5 is guided.
d shows the control device with the housing 2 closed by the side parts 3, the supporting device 9 likewise being connected, for example clipped, to the side parts.
As further possibilities for the connection of the roller band 5 to the drive shaft 6, the roller band 5 may also be fastened at its two ends to the drive shaft 6 by the roller-band ends being welded to the drive shaft 6 in the longitudinal direction thereof. In the case of the described fastenings to the drive shaft, the adjustment path for the roller band is dependent on the circumference of the drive shaft or on the angle of wrap.
A further possibility for connecting the roller band 5 to the drive shaft 6 is explained in more detail with respect to
The roller band 5 is in principle positioned in the abovementioned manner by means of fixing pins 6.5 and is clamped between the two parts 6.1 and 6.2 by means of snap hooks 6.6 (clip connection). The connection of the two parts 6.1 and 6.2 takes place, as is apparent from
The roller band 5 may be a single-layer film (monofilm), as illustrated in
Furthermore, the roller band should be low in noise and water-repellent. The layer thicknesses may differ here.
a to 9c show a sectional illustration of the control device according to
a to 10c show the control device according to
a to 12d show an embodiment, in which bearing points 8.6 which are integrated into the hollow bodies 8 are provided for the drive shaft 6 and return shaft 7. In this case, regions which are cut out or recessed in the form of a semicircle are provided in the lower part 8.1 and upper part 8.3 on side walls 8.7 and form the bearing points 8.6. In this case, the side walls 8.7 can be of widened design in this region, so that the material is subjected to a lower loading. A side part 3 which is placed on, as illustrated, for example, in
The two shafts are inserted together with the roller band 5 into the lower bearing points 8.6 in the direction of the two arrows of
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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102-38-430.4 | Aug 2002 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP03/08915 | 8/12/2003 | WO | 4/15/2005 |