VENT ASSEMBLIES

• US 20110092149A1
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Spamer, Carl David, Gillay, Daniel Frank
• Granted Patent: US 10,220,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 454/155
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3428 using a set of pivoting shutters and a pivoting frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3492 Manufacturing; Assembling

Abstract

Disclosed is a vent assembly that includes a fin/actuator sub-assembly that includes an aperture, an inner ring that includes a plurality of protrusions, each protrusion including a retention surface, and an annular retaining member, wherein when the annular retaining member is in a retaining engagement with the fin/actuator sub-assembly and the inner ring, a portion of the annular retaining member is disposed within the aperture of the fin/actuator sub-assembly, and portions of the annular retaining member contact the retention surfaces of the protrusions of the inner ring.

Claims

1. A vent assembly comprising:

a fin/actuator sub-assembly that includes an aperture;

an inner ring that includes a plurality of protrusions, each protrusion including a retention surface; and

an annular retaining member;

wherein when the annular retaining member is in a retaining engagement with the fin/actuator sub-assembly and the inner ring, a portion of the annular retaining member is disposed within the aperture of the fin/actuator sub-assembly, and portions of the annular retaining member contact the retention surfaces of the protrusions of the inner ring.

2. The vent assembly of claim 1, wherein the fin/actuator sub-assembly is in a locked engagement with the inner ring.

3. The vent assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner ring is in a rotating engagement with an outer ring that is secured to the vehicle interior.

4. The vent assembly of claim 3, wherein the annular retaining member does not inhibit free rotation of the inner ring with respect to the outer ring.

5. The vent assembly of claim 3, wherein the outer ring is secured to a headliner of the vehicle interior.

6. The vent assembly of claim 1, wherein the annular retaining member is not connected to sheet metal of the vehicle.

7. The vent assembly of claim 1, wherein the annular retaining member comprises an elastic material.

8. The vent assembly of claim 7, wherein the annular retaining member is a rubber O-ring.

9. A vent assembly comprising:

a fin/actuator sub-assembly that comprises at least one fin and an actuator, the actuator comprising an aperture;

an inner ring that comprises a plurality of tabs, each tab including a retention surface; and

an O-ring;

wherein when the O-ring is in a retaining engagement with the inner ring and the fin/actuator sub-assembly, a portion of the O-ring is disposed within the aperture of the actuator, and portions of the O-ring contact the retention surfaces of the tabs of the inner ring.

10. The vent assembly of claim 9, wherein the fin/actuator sub-assembly is in a locked engagement with the inner ring.

11. The vent assembly of claim 9, wherein the inner ring is in a rotating engagement with an outer ring that is secured to the vehicle interior.

12. The vent assembly of claim 11, wherein the O-ring does not inhibit free rotation of the inner ring with respect to the outer ring.

13. The vent assembly of claim 11, wherein the outer ring is secured to a headliner of the vehicle interior.

14. The vent assembly of claim 9, wherein the O-ring is not connected to sheet metal of the vehicle.

15. The vent assembly of claim 9, wherein the O-ring is made of rubber.

16. A vent assembly comprising:

a fin/actuator sub-assembly that includes an aperture;

an inner ring that includes a plurality of tabs, each tab including a retention surface;

a flexible O-ring;

an outer ring; and

a back ring;

wherein when the O-ring is in a retaining engagement with the inner ring and the fin/actuator sub-assembly, a portion of the O-ring is disposed within the aperture of the fin/actuator sub-assembly, and portions of the O-ring contact the retention surfaces of the tabs of the inner ring.

17. The vent assembly of claim 16, wherein the fin/actuator sub-assembly is in a locked engagement with the inner ring.

18. The vent assembly of claim 16, wherein the inner ring is in a rotating engagement with the outer ring that is secured to the vehicle interior.

19. The vent assembly of claim 18, wherein the O-ring does not inhibit free rotation of the inner ring with respect to the outer ring.

20. The vent assembly of claim 18, wherein the outer ring is secured to a headliner of the vehicle interior through a locking engagement between outer ring and back ring.