Patent ID: 8876579

Claim:
A vehicle comprising: a body defining a passenger compartment; a support structure supported by the body within the passenger compartment and defining a HVAC outlet configured for exhausting a flow of air into the passenger compartment; a HVAC outlet housing coupled to the support structure and configured for directing the flow of air to the HVAC outlet; a baffle disposed within the HVAC outlet housing and rotatably moveable about a rotation axis between an open position and a closed position, with the baffle allowing airflow through the HVAC outlet housing when in the open position, and blocking airflow through the HVAC outlet housing when in the closed position; and a baffle controller coupled to the baffle and actuated in response to an electrical signal to move the baffle between the open position and the closed position, wherein the baffle controller includes an electrically controlled shape memory alloy actuator system; wherein the baffle controller includes a housing and a valve plate attached to the baffle and rotatably supported by the housing, and a linkage system interconnecting the shape memory alloy actuator system and the valve plate; wherein the linkage system includes a main lever pivotably attached to the housing for pivotable movement about a pivot axis; wherein the baffle controller includes a position biasing device interconnecting the main lever and the housing and configured for biasing the baffle into the open position when the baffle is disposed in the open position, and for biasing the baffle into the closed position when the baffle is disposed in the closed position wherein the shape memory allow actuator system includes a first shape memory alloy actuator and a second shape memory alloy actuator disposed in an antagonistic arrangement relative to each other.