Patent ID: 7980929

Claim:
An instrument panel for use in an interior of a vehicle, the vehicle having a front windshield and a pair of side windows, the instrument panel having an outer surface, the instrument panel comprising: a vent having a lower wall opposite an upper wall, and a pair of opposing side walls, each of the side walls extending between the lower and upper walls, the lower wall, upper wall, and side walls form an opening disposed on the outer surface of the instrument panel so as to define a duct, the duct configured to direct forced air to a specific area of one of the pair of side windows in the vehicle; and a plurality of slats fixedly disposed within the duct and in a fixed relationship with the opposing side walls, each of the plurality of slats is spaced apart from each other and extends between the pair of opposing side walls, each of the plurality of slats has a planar surface and an upstream edge opposite a downstream edge, the upstream edge disposed within the vent, each of the planar surfaces is parallel to the other, wherein one of the plurality of slats is an end slat, the end slat being recessed below the lower wall of the vent, and having a wall disposed on the downstream edge of the end slat and within the duct, the wall interconnecting the end slat with the lower wall of the vent wherein a surface of the lower wall of the vent is substantially flush with the outer surface of the instrument panel, the wall operable to generate a turbulent buffer of forced air so as to reduce adhesion of forced air exiting the duct to the outer surface of the instrument panel.