AIR VENT ASSEMBLY WITH INTEGRAL AIR VENT AND CONTROL HEAD
First Claim
1. An assembly for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the assembly comprising:
- an air vent in fluid communication with the HVAC system;
a controller operable for receiving a desired setting of the HVAC system and for controlling an operation of the HVAC system in response to the received desired setting; and
an HVAC control head at least partially surrounding the air vent, wherein the HVAC control head includes a plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms each configured to communicate the desired setting of the HVAC system to the controller;
wherein the controller is configured to transmit a corresponding HVAC control setting signal to the HVAC system that corresponds to the received desired setting to thereby control the operation of the HVAC system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An air vent assembly for use with a vehicle having a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and a controller includes an air vent and an HVAC control head. The control head partially or fully surrounds the air vent and includes HVAC setting selection mechanisms. Activation of a respective one of the selection mechanisms causes a desired setting of the HVAC system to be communicated to the controller to request a particular control setting of the HVAC system. The control head may include a bezel adjacent to the selection mechanisms and display screens which flank the vent. The control head may be a touch screen device having a touch control surface, and may be operable for displaying the HVAC setting selection mechanisms via the touch control surface. A vehicle includes a body defining a vehicle interior, the air circulation device, the controller, and the air vent assembly.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An assembly for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the assembly comprising:
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an air vent in fluid communication with the HVAC system; a controller operable for receiving a desired setting of the HVAC system and for controlling an operation of the HVAC system in response to the received desired setting; and an HVAC control head at least partially surrounding the air vent, wherein the HVAC control head includes a plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms each configured to communicate the desired setting of the HVAC system to the controller; wherein the controller is configured to transmit a corresponding HVAC control setting signal to the HVAC system that corresponds to the received desired setting to thereby control the operation of the HVAC system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A vehicle comprising:
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a vehicle body defining a vehicle interior; a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system having an air circulation device; a controller configured to receive a desired setting of the HVAC system and to transmit a corresponding HVAC control setting signal to the HVAC system to control an operation of the HVAC system, wherein the corresponding HVAC control setting signal corresponds to the received desired setting; and an air vent assembly having; an air vent in fluid communication with the air circulation device, wherein the air vent is configured to direct a supply of air from the air circulation device into the passenger compartment; and an HVAC control head at least partially surrounding the air vent, wherein the HVAC control head includes a plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms, and wherein an activation of a respective one of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms causes the desired setting to be communicated to the controller to thereby request transmission, via the controller, of the corresponding HVAC control setting signal to the HVAC system. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An air vent assembly for use in a vehicle having a controller and a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that includes an air circulation device, the air vent assembly comprising:
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an air vent in fluid communication with the air circulation device; and an HVAC control head having a bezel, a pair of secondary display screens each in communication with the controller and flanking the air vent, and a plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms positioned along a perimeter edge of the bezel, wherein an activation of a respective one of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms causes a desired setting of the HVAC system to be communicated to the controller to thereby request transmission, by the controller, of a corresponding HVAC control setting signal to the HVAC system to control an operation of the HVAC system and a display of the corresponding desired setting via the pair of secondary display screens; wherein the bezel includes a plurality of descriptive labels or icons each corresponding to a corresponding one of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification