Patent Application
20130309954
1. Field of the Invention
The invention refers to an operating device for a door in an air conditioning system. The operating device comprises a latching system to close and open the door and a spring to assist the latching system.
2. Description of the Background Art
Air conditioning systems in motor vehicles have doors to switch between fresh air and recirculation air. These doors are operated by an actuator. The door can engage different positions if desired by the passenger of the motor vehicle. To support the actuations of the actuator an electronic overhead is necessary. Furthermore, a lot of software is necessary to control the door in said different positions. Hence, such an actuator is very expensive.
DE 103 01 798 A1 discloses an actuator for controlling the doors of an air conditioning systems comprising a latching system and a spring. The latching system contains an SMA (Shape Memory Alloy) element, which changes its expansion by heating. Consequently, the latching system can engage different positions.
A problem addressed in an embodiment of the invention is to indicate an operating device for a door in an air conditioning system which allows a simple activation of the door with minimal electrical interface.
In an embodiment, the latching system is powered in only one direction wherein the latching system could engage two different positions which corresponds to the two positions of the door. This embodiment shows a simple mechanical device with a minimal electric interface and only two positions, a latched position and an unlatched position. The door of the air conditioning system driven by the operating device can engage two positions which correspond to the two positions of the latching system. An electronic overhead with software interfaces to position the door is not required. Consequently, such an operation device is very cheap producible.
In addition, the latching system comprises a fixed part and a pivotable part wherein the pivotable part is engaged in two different adapters located in varied heights of axial expansion of the fixed part. The door connected to the latching system is positioned in different positions depending on the adapter, in which the pivotable part is landed.
In another aspect of the invention, a pinion located in the centre of the fixed part of said latching system is axial moved to switch the latching system between said first and said second adapter. Hence, the operating device operates like a pen wherein only the pinion has to be activated to change between the two positions of latching system.
Furthermore, during the latched position of latching system the pivoted part is fixed in the first adapter of the fixed part. In this way the pivotable part is mechanically hold without any electrical means.
In addition, the pivotable part is reset due to the restoring force of the spring during further activation of said pinion. The mechanical embodiment allows a very cost-effective solution.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:
The operation mode of latching system 1 should be explained by
During a second activation C of the pinion 4, which again moves in the same axial direction of arrow A the pivotable part 4 of the latching system 1 leaves the adapter 5 and is back driven to the second adapter 7 in the second position wherein it rotates into the fixed part 2. The resetting takes place as result of the force of the return spring 6. Hence, the latching system 1 takes up in a second position which corresponds to the second position of the door of the air conditioning system.
The rotation of the pivotable part 3 is depicted in
It have to be secured that the pinion 4 is capable of being back driven (activation C) wherein the pinion 4 overlaps the fixed part 2 more than by activation B.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.
