Patent Publication Number: US-2020290432-A1

Title: Air vents for the interior of a motor vehicle

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from and incorporates by reference German Patent Application DE 10 2019 106 086.9 filed on Mar. 11, 2019. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an air vent for the interior of a motor vehicle, the air vent including a housing including a longitudinal housing axis, an air outlet opening formed by the housing, a louver that is arranged in the housing and that directs an air flow that exits from the air outlet opening. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Air vents of this generic type are well known in the art and provide an air flow into an interior of the motor vehicle e.g. in order to dry condensation at a wind screen. Air vents of this type configured as defrosters include air outlet openings and at least one fixed louver which directs an air flow onto the wind screen and which is subject to strict regulations regarding its performance. 
     EP 3 164 280 B1 discloses generic air vents that include horizontal and vertical louvers that are pivotably arranged in a housing and nested in one another in a cross over arrangement. Air vents of this type are installed e.g. in a dash board or in a side fairing in an interior of the vehicle and enable passengers to direct the air flow in a controlled and comfortable manner. 
     In view of upcoming partially or completely autonomous driving operations car manufacturers put more emphasis on an esthetic configuration of the vehicle interior recently in order to create a comfortable environment for passengers. Uniform surfaces are perceived particularly esthetic and high quality since the uniform surfaces integrate the interior design. Known air louvers, however, include air outlet openings which break the desired optical uniformity of the dash board and significantly degrade the overall esthetics of the vehicle interior. 
     In addition to the optical breakup air vents bear the risk that objects placed onto the dashboard can fall into the air outlet openings so that a function of the air vents is substantially degraded. Removing the objects can be very complicated. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Thus, is it an object of the invention to provide an air vent which complies with performance regulations while providing full functionality and that prevents a penetration of objects and satisfies advanced requirements with respect to interior design. 
     In other fields expanded metals and structures e.g. made from synthetic materials that imitate expanded metals are known. These structures are used e.g. for large surface covering of the dash board or of speaker openings and thus provide a uniform surface that is particularly pleasing to the eye. Covering the air vents is generally avoided since this would convert the directed air flow into a diffuse air flow. Thus, the defrosters would not be able to deliver the prescribed performance. Covers made from expanded metal or structures that imitate expanded metals are therefore not used on other air vents either. 
     The object is achieved by air vent for an interior of a motor vehicle, the air vent including a housing including a longitudinal housing axis; an air outlet opening formed by the housing; at least one air louver that is arranged in the housing and that directs an air flow that exits from the air outlet opening, wherein the air outlet opening is provided with an expanded metal cover that includes loops that are enveloped by bars that include bar walls, wherein the bar walls are arranged at a bar wall angle relative to the longitudinal hosing axis, wherein the at least one air louver is arranged at an air louver angle relative to the longitudinal housing axis and includes a proximal air louver edge that is proximal to the expanded metal cover and a distal air louver edge that is distal from the expanded metal cover, wherein the proximal air louver edge is arranged close enough to the expanded metal cover so that an air flow that exits the expanded metal cover has a defined or laminar orientation, and wherein an orientation of the air flow that exits the expanded metal cover is a resultant of the air louver angle and the bar wall angle. 
     The invention overcomes a prejudice in the art that expanded metals do not direct air flow. It has come as a surprise that the directed air flow maintains its defined orientation in spite of flowing through the expanded metal. Comprehensive tests have shown that the directed air flow is maintained after passing through the expanded metal when an edge of the louver that is proximal to the expanded metal extends to the expanded metal cover while only leaving a small clearance between the louver and the expanded metal cover that is required for assembly. Thus, the performance of the defroster is not degraded by arranging the expanded metal cover at the air outlet opening of the air vent and continues to comply with performance regulations. 
     The air vent according to EP 3 164 280 B1 can also be provided with an expanded metal cover of this type. Also here the air flow remains directed after passing through the expanded metal cover when care is taken that the louver edge that is proximal to the expanded metal extends close enough to the expanded metal cover so that only an assembly clearance remains between the expanded metal and the louver edge that is proximal to the expanded metal. Thus, the invention overcomes the persistent prejudice in the art that an air flow that passes through the expanded metal cover cannot be directed. 
     The invention also eliminates the risk of objects getting into the air vents. The loops of the expanded metal cover are spaced close enough so that only objects with minimal size that cannot impair the function of the air vent can penetrate. 
     The structure of the expanded metal cover is particularly advantageous. It is pleasing to the eye and complies with stringent optical requirements of vehicle manufacturer&#39;s with respect to vehicle interior. Since defrosters and other air vents can be covered by the expanded metal without any problem and without losing functionality of the air vent the entire dash board can be configured with large and uniform surfaces which optimizes the entire interior design of the motor vehicle. 
     In an advantageous embodiment the at least one louver is pivotably arranged in the housing about an axis so that a louver angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the housing is adjustable. It is also provided that the pivot axis of the louvers is arranged proximal to the expanded metal so that a distance between the a louver edge and the expanded metal cover that increases through the pivot movement of the louvers still facilitates an air flow that exits from the cover in a controlled direction. The air flow is initially oriented by the pivotable louvers in an interior of the housing and deflected thereafter at the expanded metal cover without turbulences occurring between the louver and the expanded metal cover. Thus the air flow is conducted into the interior of the motor vehicle in an oriented manner. 
     It is furthermore provided that the edge that is proximal to the expanded metal terminates into a louver edge and that the pivot axis essentially coincides with the louver edge. It is particularly advantageous in this embodiment that a distance between the louver edge and the expanded metal cover is reduced to a minimum in spite of the pivot movement of the louver. Therefore the air flow that exit is from the expanded metal cover can be controlled in its direction. 
     It is furthermore conceivable to arranged plural parallel louvers in the housing. An orientation of the air flow by plural louvers that are oriented parallel to each other is advantageous since the air flow can exit the air vent with a very uniform orientation. In another embodiment of the air vent it is advantageously provided that the expanded metal cover has a convex or a concave curvature with a plane of curvature that is oriented parallel to a pivot axis of the louver. The curvature of the expanded metal cover can be e.g. convex or concave and can have a constant radius so that the curvature is cylindrical. A curvature with a variable radius, e.g, an oval curvature is also conceivable, 
     The convex as well as the concave curvature of the expanded metal cover causes a deflection of the exiting air flow so that novel flow patterns can be generated. The air flow that is deflected at a convex cambered expanded metal cover is released into the passenger compartment in a fan shape. Fanning of this type causes a large area flow towards the passengers or towards the wind screen. Thus, a larger surface can be covered with air in a short time period. The intensity of the air flow can decrease which is particularly comfortable for a passenger. 
     Contrary thereto a concave cambered expanded metal cover concentrates the exiting air flow and provides a precise linear orientation of the air flow. This linear exiting air flow can be directed in a controlled manner onto a spot on the windshield that is covered with condensate in order to quickly dry the spot. Thus the concave cambered expanded metal cover provides a precise and effective ventilation of the passenger compartment. 
     It is furthermore provided that the air flow is oriented by a combination of a cambered expanded metal cover and louvers arranged behind the cambered expanded metal cover. This combination facilitates an individual orientation of the air flow for the passenger wherein the air flow is easily adaptable to any situation. 
     It is furthermore conceivable that the bar walls of the cambered expanded metal cover respectively define a plane and that the plane respectively intersects the longitudinal housing axis, wherein a respective intersection angle of the plane and the longitudinal housing axis increases with an increasing distance of the respective bar walls from the longitudinal housing axis. 
     It is furthermore conceivable that the intersection angle variation is constant from intersection angle to intersection angle like for a cylindrical configuration of the expanded metal cover. However, it is also possible that an absolute amount of intersection angle variation differs from intersection angle to intersection angle like in a cambered expanded metal cover with variable radius. 
     In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the air vent is configured as a defroster for a wind screen of a motor vehicle, however, applications in any type of air vent are conceivable. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further advantages and a better comprehension of the invention can be derived from the subsequent description of advantageous embodiments with reference to a drawing figure, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an air vent with an expanded metal cover; 
       FIG,  2  illustrates a first embodiment of the air vent cut along section lines A-A in  FIG. 1  with fixed air conducting louvers; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a second embodiment of the air vent cut along section lines A-A in  FIG. 1  with pivotable air conducting louvers; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a sectional view of the second embodiment of the air vent according to the section line A-A in  FIG. 1  with air louvers that are pivoted relative to a longitudinal housing axis; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a blown up detail of an expanded metal cover to show the principle of an air vent that produces an air flow parallel to a housing axis; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a blown up detail of the expanded metal cover to illustrate the principle of an air vent with a deflected air flow; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a sectional view of a third embodiment with a convex cambered expanded metal cover; and 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the air louver with a concave cambered expanded metal cover 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The air vent according to the invention is illustrated in its entirety in  FIGS. 1   4  and  7 - 8  and is overall designated with the reference numeral  10 ,  FIGS. 5 and 6  show an operating principle of the air vent according to the invention. 
       FIGS. 1-4  show the air vent  10  including a housing  11  that forms an air outlet opening  12  and air inlet opening  13 . A longitudinal housing axis  14  extends in the housing  11  from the air inlet opening  13  to the air outlet opening  12  parallel to an air flow L, c.f.  FIGS. 2-8 . 
     Air louvers  15  arranged in the housing  11  are illustrated in  FIGS. 1-8 . The air louvers  15  include an air louver edge  17  that is proximal to the air outlet opening and an air louver edge  18  that is distal from the air outlet opening. The air flow L that exits the air outlet opening  12  is oriented by the air louvers  15 . The air louvers  15  respectively enclose an air louver angle α with the longitudinal housing axis  14 . 
     In  FIG. 2  the air louvers  15  are arranged in the housing  11  non-movable in a fan shape which is typical for a defroster. This arrangement puts a fanned air flow onto the wind screen in order to dry condensation at the wind screen. 
       FIGS. 3-8  illustrate an air vent  10  providing ventilation for an interior of a motor vehicle and including air louvers  15  that are oriented parallel to each other and that are arranged in the housing  11  and pivotable about a pivot axis  16 . The pivot axis  16  coincides substantially with the air louver edge  17  that is proximal to the air outlet opening. The air louvers  15  are pivotable in the housing  11  by a control element  20  (c.f.  FIG. 1 ). The air louvers  15  are combined into a louver group. 
     The air louver angle α is a function of an orientation of the air louvers in the housing  11 . 
     It is appreciated that the air vent  10  can include a second air louver group in addition to the first air louver group wherein the air louvers  15  of the second air louver group are arranged orthogonal to the air louvers  15  of the first air louver group in the housing  11 . 
     The air outlet opening  12  of the air vent  10  is provided with an expanded metal cover  21  in  FIG. 2  and in  FIGS. 3-8 . 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate a second embodiment of the air vent  10 . The air louvers  15  of this air vent  10  are movably arranged in the housing  11 . 
     In  FIG. 3  the air louvers  15  are arranged parallel to the longitudinal housing axis  14  with respect to an outflow direction. The air flow L is influenced only by the expanded metal cover  21  with respect to an outflow direction of the airflow. The deflection of the air flow L is represented by the directional arrow P. 
     In  FIG. 4  the air louvers  15  are pivoted relative to the longitudinal housing axis  14  and enclose a louver angle α greater than 0° with the longitudinal housing axis  14 . Thus, the air flow L is flowed pre oriented to the expanded metal cover  21  so that the air flow L exits the expanded metal cover  21  according to the arrow P. In this embodiment the air louvers  15  as well as the expanded metal cover  21  influence an exit direction of the air flow L from the expanded metal cover  21   
     A function of the air vent according to the invention is now described with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate the expanded metal cover  21  in a highly magnified detail.  FIGS. 5 and 6  show an operating principle of the expanded metal cover. It is evident that the expanded metal cover  21  includes openings configured as loops  22  that are enveloped by bars  23 . The bars  23  are fabricated at a slant angle in the expanded metal cover  21 . The bars  23  form bar walls  24  that enclose a bar wall angle β with the longitudinal housing axis  14 . The bar wall angle is greater than 0° and less than 90°. In an advantageous embodiment the bar wall angles β are between 20° and 70°. In the illustrated embodiment the bar wall angles β are approximately 45°. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the air inflow direction of the air vent  10  with the arrow X which is oriented parallel the longitudinal housing axis. 
     The bar wall angles β of the bar walls  24  of the expanded metal cover  21  have a first angular amount. The bar wall angles β in this embodiment have the amount of approximately 45° with respect to the longitudinal housing axis  14 . The air flow L which is oriented parallel to the longitudinal housing axis coming from the air inlet opening  13  is flowed towards the bar walls  24  of the expanded metal cover  21 . The pre oriented air flow L is now additionally oriented by the bar wall angle β at the bar walls  24 . In this embodiment the resultant is approximately 45°. A direction of an air flow L that exits the expanded metal cover  21  is represented by the directional arrow P. 
     In  FIG. 6  the air inflow direction of the air vent  10  is indicated by the arrow X wherein the air flow L goes through a first deflection with respect to the longitudinal housing axis  14 . In this embodiment the deflection is approximately 30°. The pre oriented air flow L then flows along the bar walls  24  of the expanded metal cover  21 , The bar walls  24  are oriented at a bar wall angle β. In this particular embodiment the bar wall angles β are approximately 45°. Thus, the air flow L goes through a second deflection at the expanded metal cover  21  so that the resulting air flow exits the expanded metal cover  21  according to the illustrated directional arrow P. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of the air vent  10 . This embodiment shows a cylindrical convex expanded metal cover  21  that is arranged at the air outlet opening  12 . The convex camber of the expanded metal cover  21  has a plane of camber K which is oriented parallel to a pivot axis  16  of the air louvers  15 . 
     The air louvers  15  of the air vent  10  are arranged in the housing  11  parallel to the longitudinal housing axis  14  so that the air flow L is conducted pre oriented parallel to the longitudinal housing axis  14  to the convex cambered expanded metal cover  21 . 
     The bar wall angle of the non-illustrated bar walls  24  (c.f.  FIGS. 5 and 6 ) increases with increasing distance from the longitudinal housing axis  14 . The bar walls  24  that are introduced into the expanded metal cover  21  at identical distance from the longitudinal housing axis  14  have an identical absolute value of bar angle. 
     The bar walls  24  spread the air flow L due to the different bar wall angles β so that the air flow L that exits the expanded metal cover  21  is exhausted into a vehicle interior in a fan shape. Thus, passengers or a wind screen can be subjected to a large area air flow. 
     When the air flow L is pre directed at the air louvers  15  that are pivoted relative to the longitudinal housing axis  14 , a spread of the air flow that exits in the fan shape remains identical, however, an overall outflow direction of the air flow from the expanded metal cover  21  is changed. An air vent  10  of this type provides an individual the adjustment for passengers in order to generate an atmosphere with optimum comfort. 
     In another advantageous embodiment the expanded metal cover  21  is not cylindrical convex but oval convex which facilitates a different fan spread of the air flow L. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates another embodiment of the air vent  10 . The expanded metal cover  21  is cambered cylindrical concave. This concave camber of the expanded metal cover  21  includes a plane of camber K which is oriented parallel to the pivot axis  16  of the air louvers  15 . 
     Also in this embodiment the absolute value of the bar wall angle of the bar walls  24 , c.f.  FIGS. 5 and 6 , increases with an increasing distance from the longitudinal housing axis  14 . The bar walls  24  with identical distance from the longitudinal housing axis  14  have an identical absolute value of bar wall angles β. 
     The air louvers  15  behind the expanded metal cover  21  are oriented parallel to the housing axis so that also the air flow L at the air louvers  15  is pre oriented parallel to the housing axis. The cylindrical concave cambered expanded metal cover  21  directs the air flow L according to the respective bar wall angles β of the expanded metal cover  21  so that the air flow L that exits from the expanded metal cover  21  is laminar. This laminar air flow L that is represented by the arrow P can be oriented in a controlled manner e.g. to a spot that is covered with condensation at a wind shield in order to quickly dry the wind shield and thus facilitates a very precise and effective ventilation of an interior of a motor vehicle. Alternatively people in the interior can be subjected to a spot flow. 
     An advantageous embodiment relates to an air vent  10  wherein an air flow L is oriented by a combination of pivoted air louvers  15  and a concave cambered expanded metal cover  21 . The laminar air flow that exits the expanded metal cover  21  can thus be directed in its entirety as a function of a pivot angle of the air louvers  15 . Accordingly also the air louver  10  of  FIG. 7  optimizes a comfortable atmosphere for the passenger. 
     In another advantageous embodiment the expanded metal cover  21  is not configured cylindrical concave but oval concave so that different flow patterns of the air flow L can be provided. 
     It is also possible to provide the expanded metal cover  21  spherical convex or spherical concave. 
     The air flow L that is deflected at the spherical convex expanded metal cover  21  is released into the passenger compartment cone shaped and provides a particularly large area flow into the passenger compartment. 
     The air flow L that is deflected at a spherical concave expanded metal cover  21  is released into the passenger compartment in a cone shape and subsequently focused at a point. This air flow L that is deflected into the point provides particularly precise ventilation. 
     The air vent  10  according to the invention provides an individually controllable air flow for passengers in a vehicle interior so that the air flow can be adapted to virtually any situation. 
     REFERENCE NUMBERALS AND DESIGNATIONS 
       10  air vent 
       11  housing 
       12  air outlet opening 
       13  air inlet opening 
       14  longitudinal housing axis 
       15  air louver 
       16  pivot axis 
       17  air louver edge proximal to air outlet opening 
       18  air louver edge distal from air outlet opening 
       20  control element 
       21  expanded metal cover 
       22  loop 
       23  bar 
       24  bar wall 
     K curvature plane 
     L air flow 
     P directional arrow 
     X directional arrow 
     α air louver angle 
     β bar wall angle