INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM WITH AIR-VENT CONTROL

• US 20180162199A1
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Published: 06/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Stoia, Jonathan, Berthelet, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 10,752,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00757 by the input of sound, e.g. by using a voice synthesizer
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00871 Air directing means, e.g. blades in an air outlet construction of nozzles or air diffusers B60H1/34
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/345 with means for adjusting divergence, convergence or oscillation of air stream
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3471 Details of actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/148 Instrument input by voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor

Abstract

An air vent assembly includes a cover member having an inlet for allowing a flow of air to enter the cover member. The cover member also has a vent extending from the inlet for allowing a flow of air to exit the cover member. The vent includes a first vent portion, and a second vent portion located adjacent to the first vent portion. The first vent portion has a first set of flow guiding vanes disposed therein. The second vent portion has a second set of flow guiding vanes disposed therein. Each of the vanes is spaced apart from one another and pivotally coupled to a pair of opposing walls of the cover member. The first and second sets of flow guiding vanes are independently moveable with respect to each other using an actuating mechanism for providing a variety of flow-guiding positions one of which includes a split flow-guiding position.

Claims

1. An air vent assembly for an HVAC system, the air vent assembly comprising:

a cover member having an inlet defined on an aft side thereof, the inlet allowing a flow of air to enter the cover member; and

a vent extending from the inlet toward a fore side of the cover member, the vent configured to allow a flow of air to exit the cover member, the vent comprising;

a first vent portion having a first set of flow guiding vanes disposed therein; and

a second vent portion located adjacent to the first vent portion, the second vent portion having a second set of flow guiding vanes disposed therein, each of the vanes from the first and second set of flow guiding vanes spaced apart from one another and pivotally coupled to a pair of mutually opposing walls of the cover member and extending at least partially between the fore and aft sides of the cover member;

wherein the first set of flow guiding vanes and the second set of flow guiding vanes are independently moveable with respect to each other using an actuating mechanism operatively coupled to each of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes.

2. The air vent assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuating mechanism is configured to move the first set of flow guiding vanes and the second set of flow guiding vanes independently of one another such that the first set of flow guiding vanes and the second set of flow guiding vanes are disposed in one of:

a vane closeout position, a leftward flow-guiding position, an onward flow-guiding position, a rightward flow-guiding position, a partially-split flow-guiding position wherein the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes are disposed in a first pre-defined angle relative to one another, and a fully-split flow-guiding position wherein the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes are disposed in a second pre-defined angle relative to one another, the second pre-defined angle being greater than the first pre-defined angle.

3. The air vent assembly of claim 2, wherein the actuating mechanism includes:

a first actuating member having;

a first base portion configured to define a first cam groove therein; and

a first link member extending from the first base portion, the first link member configured to engage with each vane of the first set of flow guiding vanes, the first link member operable to pivot each vane of the first set of flow guiding vanes about its corresponding rotational axis; and

a second actuating member located adjacent to the first actuating member, the second actuating member having;

a second base portion disposed below the first base portion of the first actuating member, the second base portion configured to define a second cam groove therein; and

a second link member extending from the second base portion, the second link member configured to engage with each of the vanes from the second set of flow guiding vanes, the second link member selectively operable to pivot each vane from the second set of flow guiding vanes about its corresponding rotational axis.

4. The air vent assembly of claim 3, wherein the second link member of the second actuating member is slidably coupled to the first link member of the first actuating member, and wherein the second link member is resiliently biased by a spring coupled to the cover member.

5. The air vent assembly of claim 4, wherein each of the first and second cam grooves include:

a first portion;

a second portion spaced-apart from the first portion; and

a mid-portion disposed between the first and second portions, wherein the mid-portion is curved away from an axis connecting the first and second portions.

6. The air vent assembly of claim 5, wherein the second cam groove includes a third portion extending from a distal end of the second portion, the third portion arcuately disposed in relation to the second portion.

7. The air vent assembly of claim 6, wherein the actuating mechanism further comprises a rotary actuator coupled to a processor, the rotary actuator configured to operatively move the first and second actuating members for rendering each of the vanes from the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes in one of:

the vane closeout position, the leftward flow-guiding position, the onward flow-guiding position, the rightward flow-guiding position, the partially-split flow-guiding position, and the fully-split flow-guiding position.

8. The air vent assembly of claim 7 further comprising:

a cam member having a central portion coupled to the rotary actuator; and

a primary pin disposed at a first end of the cam member, the primary pin configured engage with the first and second cam grooves of respective ones of the first and second actuating members.

9. The air vent assembly of claim 8, wherein a rotation of the cam member about an axis of the central portion causes an engagement of the primary pin with one of the first, second, and mid-portions of respective ones of the first and second cam grooves for positioning the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes in one of:

the vane closeout position, the rightward flow-guiding position, the onward flow-guiding position, and the leftward flow-guiding position.

10. The air vent assembly of claim 9, wherein when the primary pin is operatively moved into engagement with the first portions of respective ones of the first and second cam grooves and is located distally away from the mid-portions of respective ones of the first and second cam grooves, a corresponding movement of the first and second actuating members causes respective ones of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes to be positioned in their respective vane close-out positions.

11. The air vent assembly of claim 9, wherein when the primary pin is operatively moved into engagement with the first portion of respective ones of the first and second cam grooves so as to be located partway along a length of the first portion of respective ones of the first and second cam grooves, a corresponding movement of the first and second actuating members causes respective ones of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes to be positioned in their respective rightward flow-guiding positions.

12. The air vent assembly of claim 9, wherein when the primary pin is operatively moved into engagement with the first portion of respective ones of the first and second cam grooves so as to be located proximal to the mid-portions of respective ones of the first and second cam grooves, a corresponding movement of the first and second actuating members causes respective ones of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes to be positioned in their respective onward flow-guiding positions.

13. The air vent assembly of claim 9, wherein when the primary pin is operatively moved into engagement with the mid-portion of respective ones of the first and second cam grooves and is located at a center of the mid-portions of respective ones of the first and second cam grooves, a corresponding movement of the first and second actuating members causes respective ones of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes to be positioned in their respective leftward flow-guiding positions.

14. The air vent assembly of claim 9, wherein when the primary pin is operatively moved into engagement with the mid-portion of respective ones of the first and second cam grooves so as to be located proximal to the second portions of respective ones of the first and second cam grooves, a corresponding movement of the first and second actuating members causes respective ones of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes to be positioned in their respective onward flow-guiding positions.

15. The air vent assembly of claim 8, wherein a rotation of the cam member about an axis of the central portion causes an engagement of the primary pin with the third portion of the second cam groove so as to position respective ones of the first and second set of flow guiding vanes in one of:

the partially-split flow-guiding position and the fully-split flow-guiding position.

16. The air vent assembly of claim 15, wherein if the primary pin is selectively moved into engagement with the third portion of the second cam groove so as to be located distally away from the mid-portions of respective ones of the first and second cam grooves, the first set of flow guiding vanes is positioned in its rightward flow-guiding position and the second set of flow guiding vanes is positioned in its leftward flow-guiding position.

17. An infotainment system for controlling an air vent assembly within an HVAC system of a vehicle, the infotainment system comprising:

a display;

a processer disposed in communication with the display;

a user interface disposed in communication with the processor, the user interface configured to accept an input from a user;

wherein the processer is configured to cause the display to display a menu of options; and

wherein at least one of the menu options is a menu option to control the air vent assembly of the HVAC system.

18. The infotainment system of claim 17, wherein the air vent assembly comprises:

a cover member having;

a pair of walls disposed in a mutually opposing relation to one another;

an inlet disposed on an aft side of the pair of mutually opposing walls, the inlet configured to allow an entry of air into the cover member; and

a vent extending from the inlet toward a fore side of the cover member, the vent configured to allow air to exit the cover member, the vent comprising;

a first vent portion having a first set of flow guiding vanes disposed therein, each vane from the first set of flow guiding vanes pivotally coupled to the pair of mutually opposing walls of the cover member;

a second vent portion located adjacent to the first vent portion, the second vent portion having a second set of flow guiding vanes disposed therein, each vane from the second set of flow guiding vanes pivotally coupled to the pair of mutually opposing walls of the cover member;

wherein the first set of flow guiding vanes and the second set of flow guiding vanes are independently moveable of one another using an actuating mechanism operatively coupled to each of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes, in response to the input provided by the user via the user interface, so as to be disposed in one of;

a vane closeout position, a leftward flow-guiding position, an onward flow-guiding position, a rightward flow-guiding position, a partially-split flow-guiding position wherein the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes are disposed in a first pre-defined angular position relative to one another, and a fully-split flow-guiding position wherein the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes are disposed in a second pre-defined angular position relative to one another, the second pre-defined angular position being greater than the first pre-defined angular position.

19. The infotainment system of claim 18, wherein the menu options include options for positioning respective ones of the first and second flow guiding vanes in one of:

the vane closeout position, the leftward flow-guiding position, the onward flow-guiding position, the rightward flow-guiding position, the partially-split flow-guiding position, and the fully-split flow-guiding position.

20. The infotainment system of claim 17, wherein the input from a user is a voice command.

21. The infotainment system of claim 17, wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen operable to receive the input from a user.

22. A vehicle comprising:

an air vent assembly having;

a cover member defining an inlet on an aft side thereof, the inlet configured to allow a flow of air to enter the cover member; and

a vent extending from the inlet toward a fore side of the cover member, the vent configured to allow a flow of air to exit the cover member, the vent comprising;

a first vent portion having a first set of flow guiding vanes disposed therein,

a second vent portion located adjacent to the first vent portion, the second vent portion having a second set of flow guiding vanes disposed therein, each of the vanes from the first and second set of flow guiding vanes spaced apart from one another and pivotally coupled to a pair of mutually opposing walls of the cover member and extending at least partially between the fore and aft sides of the cover member;

wherein the first set of flow guiding vanes and the second set of flow guiding vanes are independently moveable of one another using an actuating mechanism operatively coupled to each of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes so as to be disposed in one of;

a vane closeout position, a leftward flow-guiding position, an onward flow-guiding position, a rightward flow-guiding position, a partially-split flow-guiding position wherein the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes are disposed in a first pre-defined angular position relative to one another, and a fully-split flow-guiding position wherein the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes are disposed in a second pre-defined angular position relative to one another, the second pre-defined angular position being greater than the first pre-defined angular position.

23. The vehicle of claim 22, wherein the actuating mechanism includes:

a first actuating member having;

a first base portion configured to define a first cam groove therein; and

a first link member extending from the first base portion, the first link member configured to engage with each vane of the first set of flow guiding vanes, the first link member operable to pivot each vane of the first set of flow guiding vanes about its corresponding rotational axis; and

a second actuating member located adjacent to the first actuating member, the second actuating member having;

a second base portion disposed below the first base portion of the first actuating member, the second base portion configured to define a second cam groove therein; and

a second link member extending from the second base portion, the second link member configured to engage with each of the vanes from the second set of flow guiding vanes, the second link member selectively operable to pivot each vane from the second set of flow guiding vanes about its corresponding rotational axis.

24. The vehicle of claim 22, further comprising a dash console disposed in an anterior region of the vehicle, wherein the air vent assembly is disposed at a mid-portion of the dash console.

25. The vehicle of claim 22 further comprising an infotainment device for controlling an operation of the air vent assembly, wherein the infotainment device comprises:

a display;

a processer disposed in communication with the display;

a user interface defined by the display, the user interface configured to accept an input from a user;

wherein the processer is configured to cause the display to display a menu of options; and

wherein at least one of the menu options is a menu option to independently and simultaneously control a positioning of the first and second sets of flow guiding vanes in the air vent assembly.