Vehicular Interior Assembly

• US 20110009045A1
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Grupo Antolin-Irausa, S.A.
• Original Assignee: Grupo Antolin-Irausa, S.A.
• Inventors: BECKLEY, Daniel V., Lipke, Clarence P.
• Application Number:
  US12/832,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20110009045A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 454/162
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00564 of air ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3407 providing an air stream in a fixed direction, e.g. using a grid or porous panel

Abstract

A vehicular interior assembly including an air duct defining a duct opening having at least one key receiver and a vent that includes a vent body defining a longitudinal axis and a vent opening axially therethrough. At least one key extends outward from the vent body substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and is sized for receipt through the corresponding at least one key receiver. The vent body is axially receivable into the duct opening with the at least one key received through the corresponding at least one key receiver. Rotation of the vent body about its longitudinal axis moves the at least one key from an axial movable position to an axial non-movable position. A trim retention feature disposed on the vent body retains a vehicular trim component against the air duct while the at least one key is in its axial non-movable position.

Claims

1. A vehicular interior assembly comprising:

an air duct defining a duct-opening having at least one key receiver; and

a vent received by the duct opening, the vent comprising;

a vent body defining a longitudinal axis and a vent opening axially therethrough;

at least one key extending outward from the vent body substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and sized for receipt through the corresponding at least one key receiver; and

a trim retention feature disposed on the vent body;

wherein the vent body is axially receivable into the duct opening with the at least one key received through the corresponding at least one key receiver, rotation of the vent body about its longitudinal axis moving the at least one key from an axial movable position to an axial non-movable position, the trim retention feature retaining a vehicular trim component against the air duct while the at least one key is in its axial non-movable position.

2. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 1, wherein the duct opening has a non-constant diameter that includes at least a major diameter and a minor diameter, the at least one key receiver defined along the major diameter.

3. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least one key receiver comprises a first key receiver and a second key receiver, the first key receiver defined diametrically-opposed to the second key receiver.

4. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 3, wherein the at least one key comprises a first key and a second key, the first and second keys disposed diametrically-opposed on the vent body and arranged for registration with the corresponding first and second key receivers.

5. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 1, wherein the vent further comprises a locking protrusion extending from the at least one key toward the trim retention feature, the locking protrusion receivable by a corresponding detent of the air duct when the at least one key is in its axial non-movable position.

6. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one key of the vent defines a detent configured to receive a locking protrusion of the air duct when the at least one key is in its axial non-movable position.

7. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 1, wherein the vent body defines a cylindrical shape along the longitudinal axis, the at least one key extending radially outward from the vent body and revolving about the longitudinal axis along a portion of the vent body, a first, leading end of the at least one key axially offset from a second, trailing end of the at least one key in a spiraling arrangement that draws the trim retention feature closer to the air duct as rotation of the vent moves the at least one key from its axial movable position to its axial non-movable position.

8. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 7, wherein the vent body defines at least one recess for receiving a corresponding projection disposed on the air duct and extending into the duct opening.

9. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 8, wherein the at least one recess is located near the second, trailing end of the corresponding at least one key.

10. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 1, wherein the trim retention feature comprises an annular protrusion extending radially outward from one end of the vent body.

11. A vehicular interior assembly comprising:

an air duct defining a duct opening having at least one key receiver; and

a vent received by the duct opening, the vent comprising;

a vent body defining a cylindrical shape having a longitudinal axis and a vent opening axially therethrough;

at least one key extending radially outward from the vent body and revolving about the longitudinal axis along a portion of the vent body, a first, leading end of the at least one key axially offset from a second, trailing end of the at least one key in a spiraling arrangement, the at least one key sized for receipt through the corresponding at least one key receiver; and

a trim retention feature disposed on the vent body; and

a vehicular trim component defining a ventilation opening for receiving the vent body;

wherein the vent body is axially receivable through the ventilation opening of the vehicular trim component and into the duct opening with the at least one key received through the corresponding at least one key receiver; and

wherein rotation of the vent body about its longitudinal axis moves the at least one key from an axial movable position to an axial non-movable position, the spiraling arrangement of the at least one key drawing the trim retention feature closer to the air duct upon rotation toward the axial non-movable position, the trim retention feature retaining the vehicular trim component against the air duct while the at least one key is in its axial non-movable position.

12. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 11, wherein the vent body defines at least one recess for receiving a corresponding projection extending from the air duct into the duct opening.

13. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one recess is located near the second, trailing end of the corresponding at least one key.

14. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 13, wherein the at least one recess comprises an axial groove defined by the vent body.

15. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 11, wherein the duct opening has a non-constant diameter that includes at least a major diameter and a minor diameter, the at least one key receiver defined along the major diameter.

16. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 15, wherein the at least one key receiver comprises a first key receiver and a second key receiver, the first key receiver defined diametrically-opposed to the second key receiver.

17. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 16, wherein the at least one key comprises a first key and a second key, the first and second keys disposed diametrically-opposed on the vent body and arranged for registration with the corresponding first and second key receivers.

18. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 11, wherein the vehicular trim component comprises a headliner.

19. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 11, wherein the trim retention feature comprises an annular protrusion extending radially outward from one end of the vent body.

20. A vehicular interior assembly comprising:

an air duct defining a duct opening having first and second key receivers; and

a vent received by the duct opening, the vent comprising;

a vent body defining a longitudinal axis and a vent opening axially therethrough;

first and second keys extending outward from the vent body substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and sized for receipt through the corresponding first and second key receivers, at least one of the keys having a locking feature;

a trim retention feature disposed on the vent body; and

wherein the vent body is axially receivable into the duct opening with the keys received through the corresponding key receivers, rotation of the vent body about its longitudinal axis moving the keys from an axial movable position to an axial non-movable position where the locking feature of at least one of the keys is received by a corresponding locking feature receiver of the air duct, the trim retention feature retaining a vehicular trim component against the air duct while the keys are in their axial non-movable position.

21. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 20, wherein the duct opening has a non-constant diameter that includes at least a major diameter and a minor diameter, the first and second key receivers defined diametrically-opposed along the major diameter.

22. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 21, wherein the first and second keys are disposed diametrically-opposed on the vent body and arranged for registration with the corresponding first and second key receivers.

23. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 20, wherein the locking feature comprises a locking protrusion extending from at least one of the keys toward the trim retention feature and the locking feature receiver comprises a detent of the air duct, the locking protrusion receivable by the corresponding detent when the keys are in their axial non-movable position.

24. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 20, wherein the locking feature comprises a recess defined by a surface of at least one of the keys facing toward the trim retention feature and the locking feature receiver comprises a locking protrusion extending from the air duct, the recess sized to receive the corresponding locking protrusion when the keys are in their axial non-movable position.

25. The vehicular interior assembly of claim 20, wherein the trim retention feature comprises an annular protrusion extending radially outward from one end of the vent body.