Contact-free vehicle air vent
First Claim
1. A contact-free air vent flow direction control device comprising:
- an air vent having at least one flow control blade that moves between a plurality of predetermined orientations each corresponding to a direction of air flow from the air vent;
a positioning mechanism operably coupled to the flow control blade;
a touch-less motion sensor that detects relative movement of objects proximate the touch-less motion sensor;
a blower motor that selectively provides air flow to the air vent at a plurality of blowing speeds; and
a control unit operably connected to the touch-less motion sensor and the positioning mechanism programmed to control operation of the positioning mechanism in order to position the flow control blade in a selected one of the predetermined orientations in response to a corresponding one of a plurality of predetermined movements substantially parallel to the motion sensor detected by the touch-less motion sensor, and the control unit being operably connected to the blower motor and programmed such that the control unit increases the blower speed of the blower motor in response to detected movement away from the touch-less motion sensor and the control unit decreases the air flow output level of the blower motor in response to detected movement toward the touch-less motion sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A contact-free air vent flow direction control device includes an air vent, a positioning mechanism, a touch-less motion sensor and a control unit. The air vent has at least one flow control blade configured to move between a plurality of predetermined orientations each corresponding to a direction of air flow from the air vent. The positioning mechanism is operably coupled to the flow control blade. The touch-less motion sensor is configured to detect relative movement of objects proximate the touch-less motion sensor. The control unit is operably connected to the touch-less motion sensor and the positioning mechanism to control operation of the positioning mechanism in order to position the flow control blade in a selected one of the predetermined orientations in response to a corresponding one of a plurality of predetermined movements detected by the touch-less motion sensor.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A contact-free air vent flow direction control device comprising:
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an air vent having at least one flow control blade that moves between a plurality of predetermined orientations each corresponding to a direction of air flow from the air vent; a positioning mechanism operably coupled to the flow control blade; a touch-less motion sensor that detects relative movement of objects proximate the touch-less motion sensor; a blower motor that selectively provides air flow to the air vent at a plurality of blowing speeds; and a control unit operably connected to the touch-less motion sensor and the positioning mechanism programmed to control operation of the positioning mechanism in order to position the flow control blade in a selected one of the predetermined orientations in response to a corresponding one of a plurality of predetermined movements substantially parallel to the motion sensor detected by the touch-less motion sensor, and the control unit being operably connected to the blower motor and programmed such that the control unit increases the blower speed of the blower motor in response to detected movement away from the touch-less motion sensor and the control unit decreases the air flow output level of the blower motor in response to detected movement toward the touch-less motion sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13)
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6. The contact-free air vent flow direction control device according to claim l , wherein
the air vent includes a plurality of first flow control blades and a plurality of second flow control blades, the first flow control blades being configured to move in unison between a first set of the predetermined orientations to direct flow of air from the air vent relative a first air vent direction, the second flow control blades being configured to move in unison between a second set of the predetermined orientations to direct flow of the air from the air vent relative to a second air vent direction angularly offset from the first air vent direction.
Specification