JP7619785B2 - Wind direction adjustment device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a wind direction adjustment device that has fins arranged on a frame having an air outlet.

Conventionally, air conditioners used in vehicles such as automobiles include air direction adjustment devices that adjust the direction of the air being blown out. Air direction adjustment devices are also called air conditioner air outlet devices, air outlets, ventilators, registers, etc., and are installed in various parts of the vehicle, such as the instrument panel or center console, and contribute to improving comfort performance through heating and cooling.

In such an airflow adjustment device, there is known one in which the surface of the finisher having the air outlet and the end of the airflow adjustment fin on the vehicle compartment side appear continuous. In this configuration, an axis formed on one side of the fin is inserted into an axis hole formed in one side wall of the case body, an axis formed in a protrusion on the side wall of the case body is fitted into an axis hole formed on the other side of the fin, and the protrusion is fitted into the space inside a protrusion formed on the edge of the air outlet of the finisher (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-76481 A (pages 3-4, Figs. 1 and 3)

In the case of the above-mentioned configuration, the structure requires high dimensional precision between paired parts, such as the fit between the shaft of the case body and the shaft hole of the fin, the fit between the convex part of the case body and the protruding part of the finisher, and the dimensional relationship between the shaft of the fin and the shaft hole of the case body. Therefore, especially in cases where the dimensions of each part are small and intricately shaped, even slight product variations can have an adverse effect, making complex adjustments necessary and raising the cost of the product.

The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and aims to provide a wind direction adjustment device that is less susceptible to product variations and can be constructed with high precision.

The airflow direction adjustment device described in claim 1 comprises a frame body having an air outlet, a receiving portion located on the edge of the air outlet of the frame body, a fin for adjusting the air direction, a hollow portion formed on one side of the receiving portion and the fin, an axis portion formed on the other side of the receiving portion and the fin and accommodated in the hollow portion, and a holding portion attached to the hollow portion and holding the axis portion rotatably in the hollow portion, wherein the holding portion has a groove portion along the insertion direction into the hollow portion and is fixed by welding the tip portion, which is the end portion of the pin inserted into the groove opposite the insertion direction .

The airflow direction adjusting device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the airflow direction adjusting device according to the first aspect, wherein the cavity is formed in the receiving portion, and the shaft is formed in the fin.

The airflow direction adjusting device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the airflow direction adjusting device according to the second aspect, wherein the cavity is formed on the rear surface side of the receiving portion.

The airflow direction adjustment device of claim 4 is an airflow direction adjustment device of any one of claims 1 to 3 , in which the receiving portion protrudes inward from the edge of the air outlet and is formed so that its end is connected to the end of the fin.

The airflow direction adjustment device of claim 5 is an airflow direction adjustment device of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the receiving portion is formed so as to gradually expand from the front side to the rear side, and the holding portion is fixed by welding at a position on the rear side of the receiving portion.

According to the airflow direction adjustment device described in claim 1, the position of the fin relative to the frame is determined only by the relationship between the hollow portion, the holding portion, and the shaft portion, so it is less susceptible to product variations and can be constructed with high precision.

According to the airflow direction adjustment device of claim 2, in addition to the effect of the airflow direction adjustment device of claim 1, there is no need to form a fixing structure for the holding part on the fin, unnecessary irregularities that generate turbulence are not formed on the guide surface of the fin, and the hollow part can be made large without increasing the thickness of the fin, making it easier to attach the holding part without impairing the airflow direction adjustment function of the fin.

According to the wind direction adjustment device of claim 3, in addition to the effect of the wind direction adjustment device of claim 2, when an object collides with the wind direction adjustment device, the shaft of the fin pushes the holding part backward, causing the holding part to separate from the receiving part, and the fin can be quickly detached from the frame in a direction away from the object, thereby reducing the impact on the colliding object.

According to the airflow direction adjusting device of claim 4 , in addition to the effect of the airflow direction adjusting device of any one of claims 1 to 3 , a desirable linear design crossing the air outlet can be formed, improving the appearance.

According to the airflow direction adjusting device of claim 5, in addition to the effect of the airflow direction adjusting device of any one of claims 1 to 4, the fixing portion between the holding portion and the receiving portion is not conspicuous, and the appearance can be improved.

1A is a perspective view showing a part of an airflow direction control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the same airflow direction control device. FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the positional relationship between the receiving portion, the hollow portion, and the shaft portion of the airflow direction adjustment device. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic view of the attachment of a holding portion to a receiving portion of the airflow direction adjustment device. FIG. FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the state in which the holding portion is attached to the receiving portion of the airflow direction adjustment device. FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of an airflow direction adjustment device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

The first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 6, 10 is a wind direction adjustment device. The wind direction adjustment device 10 is also called an air outlet, ventilator, register, etc., and adjusts the direction of wind blowing from an air conditioner or the like. In the following, to make the explanation clearer, the wind direction adjustment device 10 defines the left-right direction or width direction as seen from the front side as well as the up-down direction as seen from the front side as the downwind side from which the wind blows out as the front side, the front side, or the near side, and the opposite side, that is, the upwind side from which the wind is received as the rear side, the back side, or the far side, and defines the left-right direction or width direction as seen from the front side as well as the up-down direction. In this embodiment, the wind direction adjustment device 10 is applied to an air conditioner for a vehicle such as an automobile. The wind direction adjustment device 10 may be disposed in any position, but in the drawings, it is disposed so that the side indicated by the arrow FR is the front side, the side indicated by the arrow RR is the rear side, the side indicated by the arrow L is the left side, the side indicated by the arrow R is the right side, the side indicated by the arrow U is the upper side, and the side indicated by the arrow D is the lower side. These directions are merely illustrated as examples, and may be changed as appropriate depending on the installation position and installation direction of the wind direction adjustment device 10.

The airflow direction adjustment device 10 has a case 14, which is a duct section serving as a structural member, a finisher 15, which is a frame body attached to the case 14, and fins 16 for adjusting the airflow direction attached to the finisher 15.

As shown in FIG. 5, the case 14 has side walls 20 that enclose an air passage 21 inside. One end of the case 14, the rear end, is an inlet 22 that receives air into the air passage 21, and the other end of the case 14, the front end, is an outlet 23 that blows air out of the air passage 21. In other words, an air passage 21 is formed between the inlet 22 and the outlet 23, connecting them. A finisher 15 is attached to the outlet 23.

The side wall 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape in the front-rear direction. In the illustrated example, the side wall 20 is formed in a square cylindrical shape. The direction parallel to the central axis of the side wall 20 is the ventilation direction of the ventilation passage 21. In this embodiment, the ventilation direction of the ventilation passage 21 is the front-rear direction, and air is ventilated from the rear to the front. That is, in the ventilation passage 21, the rear side is the upstream side in the ventilation direction, and the front side is the downstream side in the ventilation direction.

The side wall 20 has a predetermined length in the ventilation direction of the ventilation passage 21. In this embodiment, the side wall 20 is flat in the vertical direction and elongated in the horizontal direction, that is, horizontally long. Therefore, the airflow direction adjustment device 10 is formed in a horizontal thin shape. The side wall 20 integrally has a pair of side wall portions 20a that face each other across the center of the ventilation passage 21, i.e., the central axis of the side wall 20 or the case 14, and a pair of end wall portions 20b that connect the pair of side wall portions 20a. The pair of side wall portions 20a face each other in the horizontal direction, and the pair of end wall portions 20b face each other in the vertical direction. The entrance 22 is surrounded by the rear ends of the pair of side wall portions 20a, 20a and the pair of end wall portions 20b, 20b, and the exit 23 is surrounded by the front ends of the pair of side wall portions 20a, 20a and the pair of end wall portions 20b, 20b.

The finisher 15 is an interior member also called a panel. The finisher 15 has the function of a design member that is the design part of the airflow direction adjustment device 10. In this embodiment, the finisher 15 is formed in a rectangular frame shape. The finisher 15 integrally has a pair of finisher side walls 15a, which are a pair of frame side walls facing each other across the central axis, and a pair of finisher end walls 15b, which are a pair of frame end walls connecting the pair of finisher side walls 15a. The pair of finisher side walls 15a face each other in the left-right direction, and the pair of finisher end walls 15b face each other in the up-down direction. The finisher side walls 15a, 15a and the finisher end walls 15b, 15b surround the air outlet 25, which is an opening that communicates with the outlet 23. That is, the air outlet 25 is formed in the finisher 15. In this embodiment, the air outlet 25 is formed in a rectangular shape. In the illustrated example, the air outlet 25 is formed long in the left-right direction, that is, horizontally long. In the illustrated example, the opening direction of the air outlet 25 is the front-rear direction.

As shown in Figs. 1(a), 1(b), and 5, the finisher 15 has a receiving portion 27 formed on the edge of the air outlet 25. In this embodiment, the receiving portion 27 is formed on each of the finisher sidewalls 15a. In the illustrated example, the receiving portion 27 protrudes from the finisher sidewalls 15a toward the inside of the air outlet 25. The receiving portion 27 is formed in a straight line in the left-right direction, and its tip is opposed to the side of the fin 16. The receiving portion 27 is located approximately in the center of the finisher sidewalls 15a in the up-down direction. The front end 27a, which is the end of the design side of the receiving portion 27, protrudes forward from the front end of the finisher sidewalls 15a. In this embodiment, the front end 27a of the receiving portion 27 is formed in a cylindrical surface shape whose axial direction is along the left-right direction. Furthermore, in the illustrated example, the receiving portion 27 is formed to gradually expand in the up-down direction from the front side to the rear side. That is, the receiving portion 27 is formed so that it is thinnest at the front, which is the design side, and gradually becomes thicker toward the rear.

In this embodiment, a hollow portion 29 is formed in the receiving portion 27. The hollow portion 29 is formed in the rear portion, i.e., the rear side, of the receiving portion 27. The hollow portion 29 is closed at the top and bottom, the front end, and the side facing the finisher side wall 15a, and is open at the rear side and the side opposite the finisher side wall 15a. In the illustrated example, the hollow portion 29 is formed by hollowing out the rear side of the receiving portion 27. Therefore, the hollow portion 29 is formed by gradually expanding in the vertical direction from the front end to the rear end.

The fin 16 shown in FIG. 5 is also called a louver. The fin 16 is arranged facing the air outlet 25 of the finisher 15. In other words, the fin 16 is located downstream of the air passage 21. The fin 16 is formed in a plate shape. At least one of the main surfaces of the fin 16 serves as a guide surface for guiding air. In this embodiment, the front end 16a, which is the end on the design side of the fin 16, is formed in a cylindrical surface shape with the axial direction along the left-right direction. There may be one or more fins 16. In this embodiment, a thin and slim air direction adjustment device 10 is configured with one fin 16.

In the present embodiment, the fin 16 is formed with a shaft 35 that serves as a rotation axis. The shaft 35 is formed in a cylindrical shape. In the illustrated example, the shaft 35 is formed on both sides of the fin 16. The left and right shafts 35 are located on the same axis. The fin 16 is arranged on the finisher 15 so that the angle of the guide surface with respect to the air flow direction can be changed by the shaft 35. In the illustrated example, the fin 16 is supported on the finisher 15 so that the guide surface can rotate around the shaft 35 from a direction parallel or approximately parallel to the air flow direction to a direction intersecting the air flow direction at an acute angle. The shaft 35 is located near the front end of the fin 16 and is arranged coaxially or approximately coaxially with the front end of the fin 16.

The shaft portion 35 is housed in the hollow portion 29. In this embodiment, the shaft portion 35 is housed in a bearing portion 29a formed in the hollow portion 29, as shown in FIG. 1(b). The bearing portion 29a is disposed behind the front end portion 27a of the receiving portion 27. The bearing portion 29a is formed in a cylindrical surface shape that can slide against the shaft portion 35.

The shaft 35 is rotatably held in the cavity 29 by the holding part 38, which is a cover part. The holding part 38 is a separate member from the finisher 15 and the fins 16. The holding part 38 is attached in the cavity 29. In this embodiment, the holding part 38 is formed in a wedge shape with a thin front end 38a side, which is the end on the insertion side, and a thick rear end 38b side, which is the opposite end, and is pressed into the cavity 29 from the rear side of the receiving part 27 and fitted therein. That is, the shaft 35 is sandwiched from the front and rear by the holding part 38 and the receiving part 27. That is, the holding part 38 regulates the front-rear position of the shaft 35 in the cavity 29. The holding part 38 is formed of, for example, a synthetic resin.

In this embodiment, the holding portion 38 is fixed to the receiving portion 27 by welding. For example, the receiving portion 27 is formed with pins 40, which are welded portions for welding and fixing the holding portion 38. The pins 40 are made of synthetic resin. In the example shown, the pins 40 are formed linearly in the receiving portion 27 in the front-to-rear direction and located in the hollow portion 29. The rear end portion, which is the tip portion, of the pins 40 protrudes rearward beyond the receiving portion 27. The number of pins 40 is set according to the fixing strength of the holding portion 38 to the receiving portion 27. In this embodiment, two pins 40 are set on each of the left and right sides of the hollow portion 29 above and below the receiving portion 27.

The retaining portion 38 is also formed with grooves 42 into which the pins 40 are inserted. In this embodiment, the grooves 42 are formed linearly along the front-to-rear direction. The grooves 42 and the pins 40 position and guide the retaining portion 38 when it is fitted into the cavity 29. In other words, the grooves 42 and the pins 40 function to position and guide the fitting of the retaining portion 38 into the cavity 29. The grooves 42 are set according to the number of pins 40. In this embodiment, two grooves 42 are set on each of the top and bottom and left and right sides of the retaining portion 38.

When assembling the airflow direction adjustment device 10, the shaft portion 35 is housed in the bearing portion 29a of the cavity portion 29 as shown in FIG. 2, and then the holding portion 38 is fitted into the cavity portion 29 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this embodiment, the holding portion 38 is inserted into the cavity portion 29 from the rear. At this time, the holding portion 38 is positioned relative to the cavity portion 29 by aligning the groove portion 42 with the pin 40, and in this state, the holding portion 38 is inserted into the cavity portion 29 along the pin 40 by being pushed forward into the cavity portion 29. Since the cavity portion 29 is enlarged toward the rear, the holding portion 38 can be easily inserted.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1(b), at the position where the shaft portion 35 is sandwiched between the front end portion 38a of the holding portion 38 and the front end portion 27a of the receiving portion 27, the tip portion of the pin 40 protruding rearward from the rear end portion 38b of the holding portion 38 is melted, crushed, and solidified to form a welded portion 44, thereby welding and fixing the receiving portion 27 to the holding portion 38.

In this state, the shaft portion 35 is located near the center of the air outlet 25 in the up-down direction, the shaft portion 35 is rotatably held within the bearing portion 29a of the hollow portion 29, and the front end portion 16a of the fin 16 and the front end portion 27a of the receiving portion 27 are positioned in a straight line in the left-right direction, as shown in FIG. 6.

After this, the finisher 15 is attached to the case 14 to complete the airflow direction adjustment device 10.

By rotating the fins 16 up and down, the airflow direction adjustment device 10 tilts the guide surface relative to the ventilation direction, changing the direction of the air blown out from the air outlet 25. The shaft portion 35 of the fins 16 is positioned coaxially or approximately coaxially with the front end portion 16a, so the position of the front end portion 16a does not change even when the fins 16 are rotated, and the design is kept in a straight line with the front end portion 27a of the receiving portion 27. The fins 16 may be rotated directly by hand by the passenger, by a rotation mechanism consisting of a dial and gears, or by a rotation mechanism via a motor or the like.

Thus, according to the first embodiment, a hollow portion 29 is formed on one side of the receiving portion 27 and the fin 16 located at the edge of the air outlet 25 of the finisher 15, and a shaft portion 35 is formed on the other side of the receiving portion 27 and the fin 16. The shaft portion 35 is housed in the hollow portion 29, and the holding portion 38 is fitted into the hollow portion 29 and fixed to one side of the receiving portion 27 and the fin 16, so that the shaft portion 35 is rotatably held in the hollow portion 29. Since the position of the fin 16 relative to the finisher 15 is determined only by the relationship between the hollow portion 29, the holding portion 38, and the shaft portion 35, it is less susceptible to the effects of product variations, i.e., dimensional variations, and can be constructed with high precision, and complicated adjustments are not required, which reduces manufacturing costs.

In addition, by increasing or decreasing the amount by which the holding portion 38 is inserted into the hollow portion 29, the positional relationship between the holding portion 38 and the shaft portion 35 can be changed, so the operating feeling when the fin 16 is rotated, that is, the feeling that the rotation operation is light or heavy, can be easily adjusted.

In this embodiment, by forming the hollow portion 29 in the receiving portion 27 and forming the shaft portion 35 in the fin 16, there is no need to form a fixing structure for the holding portion 38 in the fin 16, and unnecessary irregularities that cause turbulence are not formed on the guide surface of the fin 16. In addition, the hollow portion 29 can be made large without increasing the thickness of the fin 16, making it easier to attach the holding portion 38 without compromising the wind direction adjustment function of the fin 16.

In addition, by forming the hollow portion 29 on the back side of the receiving portion 27, when an object collides with the airflow direction adjustment device 10, the shaft portion 35 of the fin 16 pushes the holding portion 38 backward, peeling off the welded portion 44 and separating the holding portion 38 from the receiving portion 27, allowing the fin 16 to quickly detach from the finisher 15 in a direction away from the object, thereby reducing the impact on the collided object. Furthermore, the fixed portion between the holding portion 38 and the receiving portion 27 is not noticeable, improving the appearance.

By fixing the holding portion 38 by welding, the holding portion 38 can be fixed reliably. Moreover, since the holding portion 38 is welded by melting and solidifying the pins 40, the detachment strength of the fins 16 can be easily and freely set by setting the number of pins 40 according to the desired impact level when removing the fins 16 from the finisher 15, and the impact absorption capacity of the air direction adjustment device 10 can be easily adjusted.

By having the receiving portion 27 protrude inward from the edge of the air outlet 25 and forming the front end portion 27a so that it is connected to the front end portion 16a of the fin 16, a desirable linear design that crosses the air outlet 25 can be formed, improving the appearance.

In addition, by enlarging the back side of the receiving portion 27, which is the insertion side of the holding portion 38, the hollow portion 29 makes it easier to insert the holding portion 38 into the hollow portion 29, and by gradually narrowing it toward the front side, there is no need to increase the thickness on the front end portion 27a side of the receiving portion 27, so the front end portion 27a of the receiving portion 27 and the front end portion 16a of the fin 16 can form a slim line that looks good.

Next, the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7. Note that the same reference numerals are used to designate the same configurations and functions as those of the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the retaining portion 38 is engaged by a claw engagement in a direction that intersects with the insertion direction into the cavity portion 29.

One locking portion 46 is formed on the receiving portion 27, and the other locking portion 47 is formed on the holding portion 38.

In the illustrated example, one locking portion 46 is an opening that opens in a direction intersecting the insertion direction of the holding portion 38 into the hollow portion 29, and the other locking portion 47 is a claw portion. This relationship may be reversed, and the one locking portion 46 may be a claw portion and the other locking portion 47 may be an opening.

The receiving portion 27 is formed with a positioning portion 48 that positions the holding portion 38 in the front-to-rear direction, i.e., the insertion direction into the cavity 29, within the cavity 29, and the holding portion 38 is formed with another positioning portion 49 that, together with the positioning portion 48, sets the insertion amount of the holding portion 38 into the cavity 29.

In the illustrated example, one positioning portion 48 is formed in a stepped shape in the up-down direction, which is a direction intersecting the front-rear direction, which is the insertion direction of the holding portion 38, inside the hollow portion 29. The other positioning portions 49 are formed in stepped shapes protruding from the upper and lower parts of the holding portion 38, respectively.

When the holding portion 38 is inserted into the cavity 29, the first locking portion 46 and the second locking portion 47 engage with each other to fix the holding portion 38 to the cavity 29, and the first positioning portion 48 and the second positioning portion 49 come into contact with each other to position the holding portion 38 relative to the cavity 29.

In this way, according to this embodiment, simply inserting the holding portion 38 into the hollow portion 29 engages the other locking portion 47 with the first locking portion 46 to fix the holding portion 38, making it easy to fix the holding portion 38. In addition, by setting the amount of engagement between the first locking portion 46 and the other locking portion 47 according to the desired level of impact when removing the fin 16 from the finisher 15, the detachment strength of the fin 16 can be easily and freely set, and the impact absorption capacity of the air direction adjustment device 10 can be easily adjusted.

In the above embodiments, the hollow portion 29 may be formed in the fin 16, the shaft portion 35 may be formed in the receiving portion 27, and the holding portion 38 may be fixed to the fin 16. In this case, it is preferable to form the hollow portion 29 so that it opens toward the front end portion 16a of the fin 16. When an object collides with the air direction adjustment device 10, a force is applied from the shaft portion 35 to the holding portion 38 in a relatively forward direction, causing the holding portion 38 to separate from the fin 16, and the fin 16 to quickly separate from the finisher 15 in a direction away from the object.

In addition, while both sides of the fin 16 have the same structure, this is not limiting, and the holding structure of the cavity 29, shaft 35, and holding portion 38 may be applied to only one side of the fin 16, or the cavity 29 may be formed in the receiving portion 27 on one side of the fin 16 and the shaft 35 may be formed in the fin 16, and the cavity 29 may be formed in the fin 16 on the other side of the fin 16 and the shaft 35 may be formed in the receiving portion 27.

The present invention can be suitably used, for example, as a wind direction adjustment device for automotive air conditioning.

10 Wind direction adjustment device
15 Finisher as a frame
16 Finn
25 Air outlet
27 Receiving part
29 Cavity
35 Shaft
38 Retaining part
42 Groove

Claims (5)

A frame having an air outlet;
A receiving portion located on an edge of the air outlet of the frame body;
Fins for adjusting wind direction,
a cavity formed in one of the receiving portion and the fin;
a shaft portion formed on the other of the receiving portion and the fin and received in the hollow portion;
a holding portion attached to the hollow portion and rotatably holding the shaft portion in the hollow portion,
A wind direction adjustment device characterized in that the retaining portion has a groove portion along the insertion direction into the hollow portion, and is fixed by welding the tip portion, which is the end portion opposite the insertion direction of the pin inserted into the groove. The cavity is formed in the receiving portion,
The airflow direction adjusting device according to claim 1 , wherein the shaft portion is formed on the fin. The airflow direction adjusting device according to claim 2 , wherein the cavity is formed on a rear surface side of the receiving portion. 4. The airflow direction adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving portion is formed so as to protrude inward from an edge of the air outlet and have an end portion connected to an end portion of the fin. The receiving portion is formed so as to gradually expand from the front side to the rear side,
5. The airflow direction adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion is fixed to a rear side of the receiving portion by welding.

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