Patent Application
20150140915
The present invention relates generally to vehicle ventilation systems and, more particularly, to a system that provides ventilation to the rear portion of a vehicle's passenger cabin.
The air outlets in a conventional vehicle are typically located in, or about, the front dash and include multiple air control vanes. The air control vanes are adjustable, thus allowing the driver or the front seat passenger to direct air flow from each of the air outlets throughout the passenger cabin. To send heated or cooled air from the car's heating and cooling system, i.e., the HVAC system, to the rear portion of the passenger cabin, typically air flow is directed from one or more centrally located air vents in the dash, between the driver and the front seat passenger, and back towards the rear passengers. Unfortunately, due to the distance between the air vents in the dash and the rear passengers, as well as the location of those air vents, rear passengers are often under-heated, or under-cooled, relative to the driver and the front passenger.
To overcome the limitations of front dash mounted air vents, many luxury and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) include at least some air vents in the rear passenger cabin. Large sedans, vans and SUVs will often route air ducts between the vehicle's roof and the headliner, thus allowing multiple air vents to be located in the headliner adjacent to the passengers in the second and/or third row seats. Alternately, air vents may be located on the rear panel of a center console compartment located between the front seats. While locating air vents in the center console or the headliner help to cool and/or heat the rear-seated passengers, these vents provide an inadequate solution due to their location, i.e., either directing air flow near the top of the passengers' heads or near their feet. Accordingly, what is needed is a convenient and easily accessible air vent for use by the rear passengers in a vehicle. The present invention provides such an air vent.
The present invention provides an air vent that is integrated into the back panel of a vehicle seat back. The air vent is coupled to an air duct within the vehicle seat such that air flowing from a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system passes through the air duct and then through the air vent, thereby directing heated or cooled air from the HVAC system towards the rear portion of the vehicle's passenger cabin.
In one aspect, the air duct may include a duct flex coupling that allows the seat back to recline without interrupting air flow between the HVAC system and the air vent. The duct flex coupling may be comprised of a flexible duct member; alternately, the duct flex coupling may be comprised of a first fitting coupled to a first portion of the air duct and the air vent, and a second fitting coupled to a second portion of the air duct and the HVAC system, where the first fitting is configured to rotate about the second fitting without interrupting air flow between the HVAC system and the air vent.
In another aspect, the air duct may include a duct extension member that allows the vehicle seat to move forward and backward relative to the vehicle's floor without interrupting air flow between the HVAC system and the air vent. The duct extension member may be comprised of a flexible duct member; alternately, the duct extension member may be comprised of a slidable coupling. The slidable coupling may be comprised of an inner fitting coupled to a first portion of the air duct and the air vent, and an outer fitting coupled to a second portion of the air duct and the HVAC system, where the inner fitting is configured to slide within the outer fitting without interrupting air flow between the HVAC system and the air vent. Alternately, the slidable coupling may be comprised of an outer fitting coupled to a first portion of the air duct and the air vent, and an inner fitting coupled to a second portion of the air duct and the HVAC system, where the inner fitting is configured to slide within the outer fitting without interrupting air flow between the HVAC system and the air vent.
In another aspect, the ventilation system may include a fan interposed between the HVAC system and the air vent, the fan increasing air flow from the HVAC system through the air duct and through the air vent. The fan may, for example, be incorporated into the vehicle seat back. A fan speed control switch may be integrated into the back panel of the vehicle seat back, the fan speed control switch controlling the speed of the fan interposed between the HVAC system and the air vent.
In another aspect, the air vent may include a plurality of pivotable air vanes, where orientation of the pivotable air vanes determines the air flow path for the air flowing from the HVAC system and through the air vent. The plurality of pivotable air vanes may be comprised of a plurality of horizontal air vanes that determine the up/down air flow direction and a plurality of vertical air vanes that determine the left/right air flow direction. A control tab, for example of either a planar, elongated form or a knob-like form, may be mechanically coupled to the plurality of pivotable air vanes and used to adjust the orientation of the air vanes.
In another aspect, an air flow intensity control switch, for example coupled to an air flow shut-off door, may be integrated into the back panel of the vehicle seat back.
A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings.
To ensure sufficient air flow through the back seat air outlet, preferably a fan is integrated into the duct system that is used to couple HVAC system 405 to the air outlet.
In the illustrated outlets, a control tab 805 extends away from the assembly. Control tab 805, which may utilize an elongated planar tab as shown or a cylindrical knob or other shape, provides the user with means for adjusting either horizontal vanes 801 or vertical vanes 803.
Although not required, preferably adjacent to the air vent (e.g., air vent 800 or 900) is a switch 807 that provides a means for adjusting the intensity of the air flow passing through the air vent. Typically switch 807 rotates and controls air flow by controlling the position of a shut-off door mounted within the air vent. Symbols 809 and 811 indicate a fully open vent and a fully closed vent, respectively, and help the user to understand how to control air flow through the vent.
The air vent shown in
It should be understood that the accompanying figures are only meant to illustrate, not limit, the scope of the invention and should not be considered to be to scale.
Systems and methods have been described in general terms as an aid to understanding details of the invention. In some instances, well-known structures, materials, and/or operations have not been specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. In other instances, specific details have been given in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms, for example to adapt to a particular system or apparatus or situation or material or component, without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Therefore the disclosures and descriptions herein are intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention.
