Air outlet for heating and ventilation or air-conditioning systems of motor vehicles

• US 10,518,609 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2016
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Krolewski, Ingo, Krolewski, Sandra
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory L
• Assistant Examiner(s): May, Elizabeth M.
• Application Number:
  US15/357,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20170166036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3421 using only pivoting shutters

Abstract

The invention relates to an air outlet for a heating and ventilation or air-conditioning system of a motor vehicle, wherein the air outlet has a body defining an air discharge opening, over which at least one elongate louver extends, which is pivotable about a longitudinal axis. At least one electric or electronic display and/or operating element of the heating and ventilation or air-conditioning system of the motor vehicle is integrated in the at least one louver, wherein each display and/or operating element is carried by the louver and is substantially flush with a substantially flat surface of the louver.

Claims

1. An air outlet for a heating and ventilation or air-conditioning system of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a body defining an air discharge outlet wherein said air discharge outlet is arranged on a dashboard of the motor vehicle;

at least one elongated louver extending over said air discharge outlet wherein said at least one elongated louver is pivotable about a longitudinal axis;

at least one electric device integrated into a surface of said at least one elongated louver wherein (a) said at least one electric device is selected from a group of electric devices consisting of an electric display device, an electric operating element, and combinations thereof, (b) said at least one electric device is a display or operating element of said heating and ventilation or air-conditioning system and (c) said at least one electric device is substantially flush with said surface and said surface is substantially flat;

a touch-sensitive screen on a center console of the motor vehicle wherein said air discharge outlet is arranged above said touch-sensitive screen;

a position sensor sensing a current position of said air outlet;

a display toggle displaying a display on said touch-sensitive screen and/or said operating element integrated into said at least one elongated louver depending upon a current position signal of said position sensor; and

a plurality of louvers pivotable parallel to one another and jointly wherein said plurality of louvers are wide enough to jointly substantially close said air discharge opening.

2. The air outlet of claim 1, wherein said surface is a broad side of said at least one elongated louver.

3. The air outlet of claim 1, wherein said surface is a narrow side of said at least one elongated louver.