AIR OUTLET FOR HEATING AND VENTILATION OR AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEMS OF MOTOR VEHICLES

• US 20170166036A1
• Filed: 11/21/2016
• Published: 06/15/2017
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,518,609 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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;

at least one elongated louver extending over said air discharge outlet; and

at least one electric device integrated into a surface of said at least one elongated louver.

2. The air outlet of claim 1 wherein said at least one electric device is selected from a group of electric devices consisting of an electric display device, an electronic display device, an electric operating element, an electronic operating element and combinations thereof.

3. The air outlet of claim 2, wherein said at least one electric device is a display or operating element of said heating and ventilation or air-conditioning system.

4. The air outlet of claim 3, wherein said at least one elongated louver is pivotable about a longitudinal axis.

5. The air outlet of claim 4, wherein said at least one electric device is substantially flush with said surface and said surface is substantially flat.

6. The air outlet of claim 5, wherein said surface is a broad side of said at least one elongated louver.

7. The air outlet of claim 5, wherein said surface is a narrow side of said at least one elongated louver.

8. The air outlet of claim 5, including a plurality of louvers pivotable parallel to one another and jointly.

9. The air outlet of claim 8 wherein said plurality of louvers are wide enough to jointly substantially close said air discharge opening.

10. The air outlet of claim 9, wherein said air outlet is arranged on a dashboard of the motor vehicle.

11. The air outlet of claim 10, wherein said air outlet is arranged above a touch-sensitive screen on a center console of the motor vehicle.

12. The air outlet of claim 11, wherein said air outlet has a position sensor and a display toggle is provided, depending on position signals of said position sensor, to display on said touch-sensitive screen a display and/or operating element integrated into said at least one elongated louver.