Patent Publication Number: US-2022227204-A1

Title: Mesh type air vent apparatus for vehicle

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit under 35 USC § 119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0007079, filed on Jan. 18, 2021 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle. 
     2. Discussion of Related Art 
     In the recent vehicle market, many efforts to slim a structure of an air vent are being made in order to apply a next generation slim cockpit design, and as part of the efforts, various attempts are being made in consideration of design and function. 
     Particularly, in the next generation cockpit design, since it is not preferred for a wing of the air vent, which is still used the most, to be exposed to the outside, providing a knob, with which a wind direction of the wing may be adjusted manually, has also become virtually unnecessary. 
     Even without considering the design, there are many cases in which wind directly comes into contact with a passenger&#39;s body and causes inconvenience when a wing type air vent, whose wind direction is directly adjusted by a user, is used. Although there was a precedent in which a mesh type product with a plurality of holes formed to avoid the direct wind was released, in the structure in which the wind simply flows through mesh holes, since some problems, in that air resistance increases and there is no wind orientation, may be caused, it was difficult to satisfy a user&#39;s need to manipulate the wind. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to providing a mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle, in which a mesh cover is applied to a front portion (duct outlet side) of an air vent to reduce a surrounding pressure so as to adjust a wind direction of windless (indirect) wind and which induces the occurrence of a Coanda effect using a skin surface to satisfy the needs of manipulating the wind direction of a user and allows a product upgrading strategy to be established. 
     In addition, the present invention is directed to providing a technology of adjusting opening and closing of a gap between an outlet of a duct and a mesh cover using an air damper operating in conjunction with a link joint structure so that indirect wind flows in a direction desired by a user. 
     Objectives to be achieved by the present invention are not limited to the above-described objectives, and other objectives, which are not described above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following descriptions. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, a mesh type air vent apparatus includes a duct including an inlet and an outlet, a mesh cover including a plurality of mesh holes communicating with the outlet of the duct, a wind direction adjusting wing provided in the duct and configured to laterally adjust a wind direction, air dampers which are disposed on upper and lower ends of the wind direction adjusting wing in the duct and selectively open or close gaps between the outlet of the duct and upper and lower ends of the mesh cover, and a link part which moves the air dampers in the duct in forward and backward directions. 
     The upper and lower ends of the mesh cover may be spaced apart from the outlet of the duct to allow air introduced through the inlet of the duct to flow along a garnish extending from the outlet of the duct in upward and downward directions and to be discharged through the outlet. 
     The link part may include an upper arm connected to the air damper disposed on the upper end of the wind direction adjusting wing, a lower arm connected to the air damper disposed on the lower end of the wind direction adjusting wing, a connecting rod disposed between and connected to the upper arm and the lower arm, and link pins which connect an end portion of the upper arm, an end portion of the lower arm, and end portions of the connecting rod which are in contact with each other. 
     The connecting rod may include a link joint structure divided into a plurality of rods. 
     One end of the connecting rod may be fixed to the other end of the upper arm, and the other end of the connecting rod may be fixed to one end of the lower arm. 
     The upper arm and the lower arm may be provided with the connecting rod interposed therebetween and may be perpendicular to the connecting rod in different directions. 
     The link pins connected to the upper arm and the lower arm may be movable in link holes disposed in the upper and lower ends of the wind direction adjusting wing in the forward and backward directions. The mesh holes of the mesh cover may be disposed in a circular or diagonal shape in a mesh plate of the mesh cover. 
     The mesh type air vent apparatus may be configured to be disposed inside a dashboard in a vehicle, and configured to receive air from an air conditioner of the vehicle through the inlet and to discharge the air into the vehicle through the outlet. 
     The mesh cover may include a material the same as a material of a garnish of a board, which is adjacent to the outlet of the duct, in the vehicle. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle including a duct including an inlet and an outlet, a mesh cover communicating with the outlet of the duct, a wind direction adjusting wing provided in the duct and configured to laterally adjust a wind direction, air dampers disposed on upper and lower ends of the wind direction adjusting wing in the duct, and a driving actuator configured to move the air dampers in the duct in forward and backward directions. 
     The air dampers may be disposed above and under the wind direction adjusting wing and may selectively open or close gaps between the duct and the mesh cover to guide air introduced through the inlet of the duct in one direction toward an upper or lower end of the mesh cover. 
     The air damper may include an upper damper positioned at an upper end in the duct and a lower damper positioned at a lower end in the duct, wherein a connecting link divided by a rotation shaft may be provided between the upper damper and the lower damper. 
     The connecting link may include an upper connecting bar hinge-connected to the upper damper and a lower connecting bar hinge-connected to the lower damper. 
     In this case, the upper connecting bar and the lower connecting bar may be hinge-connected by the rotation shaft, and the rotation shaft may be rotatably fixed to a designated section in the duct. 
     The inlet may be configured to communicate with an air conditioner of a vehicle and the outlet may be configured to direct the air into the vehicle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing exemplary embodiments thereof in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating a mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2 to 4  are views illustrating a state in which a wind direction of indirect wind is adjusted by forward and backward movement of an air damper in the mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 5 to 7  are views illustrating a state in which a wind direction of indirect wind flowing through a mesh cover is adjusted by lateral adjustment of a wind direction adjusting wing in the mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view illustrating a mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 9 to 11  are views illustrating a state in which a wind direction of indirect wind is adjusted by forward and backward movement of an air damper in the mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Advantages and features of the present invention and methods of achieving the same will be clear with reference to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments to be disclosed below but may be implemented in various different forms, the embodiments are provided in order to fully explain the present invention and fully explain the scope of the present invention for those skilled in the art, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. Meanwhile, the terms used herein are provided to describe embodiments of the present invention and not for purposes of limitation. In the specification, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms include the plural forms. The terms “comprise” or “comprising” used in the specification specify some stated components, steps, operations and/or elements but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, operations and/or elements. 
     Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating a mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a mesh type air vent apparatus  100  for a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention is installed inside a dashboard in a vehicle and changes a mode of air introduced from a vehicle air conditioner (not shown) to a direct wind mode or indirect wind (windless) mode to guide the air into the vehicle. 
     In this case, the direct wind mode is a setting implemented to allow wind to directly flow to a user, and the indirect wind (windless) mode is a setting implemented to block wind in advance for a user who wants to avoid direct wind. 
     Generally, when the direct wind mode is used, it is absolutely necessary to avoid lateral wind direction interference due to a monitor (not shown), and when the indirect wind mode is used, since the wind direction interference avoidance is not necessary, a cover is just closed. 
     However, a first embodiment of the present invention proposes a mechanical mechanism capable of internally adjusting a wind direction for wind directivity. 
     To this end, a mesh type air vent apparatus  100  for a vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a duct  110 , a mesh cover  120 , a wind direction adjusting wing  130 , a link part  140 , air dampers  150 , and a driving actuator  160 . 
     The duct  110  includes an inlet communicating with a vehicle air conditioner, an outlet directed into the vehicle, and an air path disposed between the inlet and the outlet. 
     The mesh cover  120  partially closes the outlet of the duct  110 . 
     The mesh cover  120  includes a mesh plate  121  forming a body and mesh holes  122  formed to be spaced apart from each other in the mesh plate  121 . The mesh hole  122  may communicate with the outlet of the duct  110  and may be formed as a plurality of mesh holes  122 . 
     A direction of wind discharged into the vehicle may also be adjusted according to a layout of the mesh holes  122 . That is, the mesh holes  122  may also be formed to be inclined in one direction in the mesh plate  121  to guide the direction of the wind. For example, the mesh holes  122  may be disposed in a circular or diagonal shape in the mesh plate  121 . 
     Upper and lower ends of the mesh cover  120  are disposed to be spaced apart from the outlet of the duct  110 , and air introduced from the inlet of the duct  110  flows along a garnish  101  extending from the outlet of the duct  110  in upward and downward directions and is discharged into the vehicle. 
     In this case, since the mesh cover  120  is formed of a material which is the same as a material of the garnish  101 , which is close to the outlet of the duct  110 , of a board in the vehicle, an exterior design can be improved, and a Coanda effect can be effectively induced. 
     The wind direction adjusting wing  130  may be provided in the duct  110  and may laterally adjust a wind direction of air discharged through the outlet of the duct  110 . 
     The air dampers  150  are disposed in the duct  110 . The air dampers  150  are disposed on upper and lower ends of the wind direction adjusting wing  130  and selectively open or close gaps between the outlet of the duct  110  and the upper and lower ends of the mesh cover  120 . 
     The link part  140  has a structure which moves the air dampers  150  in the duct  110  in forward and backward directions. In this case, the forward direction means a direction toward the inlet of the duct  110 , and the backward direction means a direction toward the outlet of the duct  110 . 
     The link part  140  includes an upper arm  141 , a lower arm  142 , a connecting rod  143 , and link pins  145 . 
     The upper arm  141  is connected to the air damper  150  disposed on the upper end of the wind direction adjusting wing  130 . 
     The lower arm  142  is connected to the air damper  150  disposed on the lower end of the wind direction adjusting wing  130 . 
     The connecting rod  143  is disposed between and connected to the upper arm  141  and the lower arm  142 . The connecting rod  143  may be formed to have a link joint structure divided into a plurality of rods. For example, one end of the connecting rod  143  is fixed to the other end of the upper arm  141 , and the other end of the connecting rod  143  is connected to one end of the lower arm  142 . 
     In this case, the upper arm  141  and the lower arm  142  may be disposed with the connecting rod  143  disposed therebetween and may be perpendicular to the connecting rod  143  in different directions. For example, the upper arm  141 , the connecting rod  143 , and the lower arm  142  may be connected in a “1” shape. 
     The link pins  145  connect an end portion of the upper arm  141 , an end portion of the lower arm  142 , and end portions of the connecting rod  143  which are in contact with each other. The link pins  145  may move in link holes  144  disposed in the upper and lower ends in the forward and backward directions. 
       FIGS. 2 to 4  are views illustrating a state in which a wind direction of indirect wind is adjusted by forward and backward movement of the air damper in the mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 4 , in the structure of the mesh type air vent apparatus  100  for a vehicle, a phenomenon may occur in which a pressure in a wind region, in which a wind speed is high, decreases and wind is collected in the region. 
     A region from the outlet of the duct  110  to an upper end or a lower end of an end portion of the mesh cover  120  has a structural feature in which high speed wind is generated to allow low speed windless wind to follow the high speed wind. In such a structure of the mesh cover  120 , a Coanda effect may be generated along a skin surface of the garnish  101 . This means that wind direction performance is improved. 
     When the air damper  150  moves in the duct  110  in the forward and backward directions, a gap between the outlet of the duct  110  and the mesh cover  120  is opened or closed. That is, due to forward and backward movement of the air damper  150 , in the indirect wind (windless) mode, directivity, which is a disadvantage of the mesh cover  120 , may be generated. 
     The mesh type air vent apparatus  100  for a vehicle in  FIG. 2  has the structure in which air flowing from the inlet of the duct  110  to the outlet thereof may flow into the vehicle through the mesh holes  122  of the mesh cover  120  and gaps above and under the mesh cover  120 . Through this, the air discharged through the outlet of the duct  110  is diffused. 
     In the mesh type air vent apparatus  100  for a vehicle in  FIG. 3 , since the air damper  150  closes a gap between a lower end portion of the outlet of the duct  110  and a lower end portion of the mesh cover  120 , air flowing from the inlet of the duct  110  toward the outlet thereof is discharged in the upward direction. 
     In the mesh type air vent apparatus  100  for a vehicle in  FIG. 4 , since the air damper  150  closes a gap between an upper end portion of the outlet of the duct  110  and an upper end portion of the mesh cover  120 , air flowing from the inlet of the duct  110  toward the outlet thereof is discharged in the downward direction. 
       FIGS. 5 to 7  are views illustrating a state in which a wind direction of indirect wind flowing through the mesh cover is adjusted by lateral adjustment of the wind direction adjusting wing in the mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 to 7 , basically, since the mesh cover  120  partially closes the outlet of the duct  110 , the indirect wind mode, which is similar to the windless mode, of the mesh type air vent apparatus  100  for a vehicle may be a basic mode thereof. 
     However, when the mesh cover  120  is close to the wind direction adjusting wing  130  and an angle of the wind direction adjusting wing  130  is electrically changed by the driving actuator  160  (see  FIG. 1 ) to change a wind direction, the direct wind mode may be applied through the mesh holes  122  of the mesh cover  120 . 
     Of course, since it is problematic for wind to flow to the user through the mesh holes  122  in the direct wind mode, as described above, the gap between the outlet of the duct  110  and the mesh cover  120  may be adjusted according to driving of the air damper  150  (see  FIG. 1 ) so that the wind may flow in a direction desired by the user. 
     In this case, an important point is a set distance between the mesh cover  120  and the wind direction adjusting wing  130 . When the set distance is greater than a set reference distance, air flowing into the vehicle through the mesh cover  120  is not affected by the wind direction adjusting wing  130 . 
     In this case, since the wind direction adjusting wing  130  close to the mesh cover  120  affects a wind direction due to the mesh cover  120 , when the mesh cover  120 , to which a leftward wing having a size of about 3 mm is coupled, is applied to a front portion of the wind direction adjusting wing  130 , a directivity angle of the wind direction adjusting wing  130  faces a right side, and air flowing into the vehicle through the mesh cover  120  may be adjusted to a leftward direction. 
     Second Embodiment 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic view illustrating a mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     A mesh type air vent apparatus  200  for a vehicle illustrated in  FIG. 8  includes a duct  210 , a mesh cover  220 , a wind direction adjusting wing  230 , air dampers  250 , a driving actuator  260 , and a connecting link  270 . 
     Regarding the above configuration, contents overlapping with the first embodiment will be omitted, and in the second embodiment, structural features different from those of the first embodiment will be described. 
     The air damper  250  includes an upper damper  251  positioned at an upper end in the duct  210  and a lower damper  252  positioned at a lower end in the duct  210 . 
     The connecting link  270  divided by a rotation shaft  273  is positioned between the upper damper  251  and the lower damper  252 . 
     The connecting link  270  includes an upper connecting bar  271 , a lower connecting bar  272 , the rotation shaft  273 , link holes  274 , and link pins  275 . 
     The upper connecting bar  271  is hinge-connected to the upper damper  251 . 
     The lower connecting bar  272  is hinge-connected to the lower damper  252 . 
     The upper connecting bar  271  and the lower connecting bar  272  are hinge-connected by the rotation shaft  273 . The rotation shaft  273  is formed in a structure rotatably fixed to a designated section in the duct  210 . In this case, the designated section means a position at which the upper connecting bar  271  and the lower connecting bar  272  are rotatable about a position at which the rotation shaft  273  is fixed. In order to adjust a wind direction of air, it is advantageous for a rotation section of the rotation shaft  273  to be positioned in a driving radius of the wind direction adjusting wing  230  at an outlet side of the duct  210 . 
       FIGS. 9 to 11  are views illustrating a state in which a wind direction of indirect wind is adjusted by forward and backward movement of the air damper in the mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9 to 11 , a wind direction adjustment method of the mesh type air vent apparatus  200  for a vehicle according to the second embodiment of the present invention is basically similar to that of the first embodiment. 
     However, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , a windless mode is different in that the upper damper  251  and the lower damper  252  of the air damper  250  completely close gaps between the outlet of the duct  210  and upper and lower ends of the mesh cover  220 . 
     When the connecting link  270  rotates about the rotation shaft  273  and the upper connecting bar  271  and the lower connecting bar  272  move in forward and backward directions, the upper damper  251  and the lower damper  252  operating in conjunction therewith may move, and a direction of air flowing into the vehicle through gaps generated due to the movement and the mesh holes  222  may be determined. 
     In a mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle according to the present invention, since a mesh cover is applied to an outlet side of a duct through which wind is introduced into a vehicle, the marketability and functionality of a product can be improved, and thus an upgrading strategy of a next generation cockpit design can be established. Particularly, since the mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle is formed in a structure capable of inducing a Coanda effect using a skin surface, wind directivity can be improved. 
     In addition, in the mesh type air vent apparatus for a vehicle, since opening and closing of a gap between an outlet of the duct and the mesh cover is adjusted using an air damper operating in conjunction with a link joint structure, indirect wind flows in a direction desired by a user so that needs of manipulating a wind direction of the user can be satisfied. 
     The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and may be variously modified and implemented within a range allowed by the technical spirit of the present invention.