Method and device for reducing reflections and contrasts in ventilation nozzles

• US 6,390,528 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Volvo Personvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Personvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Bergholtz, Natalie
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ken
• Application Number:
  US09/751,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20010014583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 296/70, 296/97.7, 296/97.1, 296/97.2, 359/630, 359/13, 359/15, 359/629, 454/127
• US Class Current: 296/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3407 providing an air stream in a fixed direction, e.g. using a grid or porous panel

Abstract

Method and device for avoiding reflections and contrasts in vehicle dashboards, wherein the dashboard 1 has one or more ventilation openings 3,4 along and at a distance from the lower edge of the vehicle windshield 2. Each ventilation opening 3,4 is covered by an air permeable cover 8, having a surface structure giving a low or insignificant contrast relative to the upper surface of the dashboard 1.

Claims

1. A device for avoiding reflections and contrasts from a dashboard in a vehicle, said dashboard having an upper surface provided with one or more nozzles for ventilation in said upper surface placed along, and at a distance from, a lower edge of a windshield, and each ventilation nozzle being provided with an air permeable cover with a surface structure giving a negligible contrast relative to the upper surface of the dashboard.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the cover is a perforated lattice.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the cover is constructed from metallic mesh.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the cover is constructed from plastic mesh.

5. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the cover is pressed onto the ventilation nozzle.

6. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the cover is attached to the ventilation nozzle by a snap-on attachment.

7. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the cover is attached to the ventilation nozzle by a welded attachment.

8. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the cover is attached to the ventilation nozzle by a glued attachment.

9. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the air permeable surface of the cover is provided with a number of holes of a suitable geometrical shape, whereby the largest measurement of each hole in the main plane of the cover is less than 3 mm.

10. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the total surface area of the holes is 70-90% of the surface area of the cover.

11. A method for avoiding reflections and contrasts from a dashboard onto a windshield of a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a dashboard with an upper surface having at least one nozzle located therein for directing ventilation toward an associated windshield, said dashboard intersecting said windshield at a forward edge of said dashboard and a lower edge of said windshield; and

covering each of said at least one nozzles with an air permeable cover, said cover having an upper surface structure configured to minimize contrast relative to said upper surface of said dashboard.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

configuring said cover from a perforate lattice material.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

selecting a material of construction for said cover that is of low-contrast color to said dashboard.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

press-fitting said cover onto said at least one nozzle thereby fixing said cover relative to said dashboard.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

permanently-fitting said cover onto said at least one nozzle thereby fixing said cover relative to said dashboard.

16. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

affecting said permanent-fitting of said cover onto said at least one nozzle by welding.

17. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

affecting said permanent-fitting of said cover onto said at least one nozzle by glueing.

18. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

friction-fitting said cover about an upper lip of said at least one nozzle thereby fixing said cover relative to said dashboard.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

positioning a lip-receiver of said cover about said upper lip of said at least one nozzle thereby fixing said cover relative to said dashboard.

20. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

configuring said upper surface of said air permeable cover to have geometric perforations therethrough, each of said perforations having an opening of cross-wise dimension less than 3 mm.

21. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

configuring said openings in said air permeable cover to constitute 70-90% of an upper surface area of said cover.