Air vent assembly with integral air vent and control head
First Claim
1. A vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle body defining a vehicle interior with a passenger compartment;
a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system having an air circulation device;
a controller configured to;
receive desired setting signals of the HVAC system, and transmit corresponding HVAC control setting signals to the HVAC system to control operation of the HVAC system responsive to receiving the desired setting signals, wherein each of the HVAC control setting signals corresponds to a respective one of the received desired setting signals; and
an air vent assembly having;
a pair of side-by-side air vents in fluid communication with the air circulation device, wherein each of the air vents is configured to direct a supply of air from the air circulation device into the passenger compartment; and
an HVAC control head with an inner perimeter edge defining an opening receiving therein and surrounding both of the air vents, wherein the HVAC control head includes an outer perimeter edge and a plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms aligned along the outer perimeter edge,wherein an activation of a respective one of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms causes a respective desired setting signal to be communicated to the controller to thereby request transmission, via the controller, of the corresponding HVAC control setting signal to the HVAC system, andwherein the HVAC setting selection mechanisms include two sets of HVAC control buttons positioned side-by-side along the outer perimeter edge, each of the sets of HVAC control buttons being operable to control output of a respective one of the side-by-side air vents.
1 Assignment
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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
13 Claims
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1. A vehicle comprising:
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a vehicle body defining a vehicle interior with a passenger compartment; a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system having an air circulation device; a controller configured to;
receive desired setting signals of the HVAC system, and transmit corresponding HVAC control setting signals to the HVAC system to control operation of the HVAC system responsive to receiving the desired setting signals, wherein each of the HVAC control setting signals corresponds to a respective one of the received desired setting signals; andan air vent assembly having; a pair of side-by-side air vents in fluid communication with the air circulation device, wherein each of the air vents is configured to direct a supply of air from the air circulation device into the passenger compartment; and an HVAC control head with an inner perimeter edge defining an opening receiving therein and surrounding both of the air vents, wherein the HVAC control head includes an outer perimeter edge and a plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms aligned along the outer perimeter edge, wherein an activation of a respective one of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms causes a respective desired setting signal to be communicated to the controller to thereby request transmission, via the controller, of the corresponding HVAC control setting signal to the HVAC system, and wherein the HVAC setting selection mechanisms include two sets of HVAC control buttons positioned side-by-side along the outer perimeter edge, each of the sets of HVAC control buttons being operable to control output of a respective one of the side-by-side air vents. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An air vent assembly for use in a vehicle having a controller, a vehicle compartment, and a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that includes an air circulation device, the air vent assembly comprising:
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a pair of side-by-side air vents each configured to fluidly communicate with the air circulation device of the HVAC system and direct air received therefrom to the vehicle compartment; and an HVAC control head having a bezel, a pair of secondary display screens each configured to communicate with the controller and flanking the air vents, and a plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms positioned along an outer perimeter edge of the bezel, the bezel including an inner perimeter edge defining an opening receiving therein and surrounding both of the air vents, wherein an activation of a respective one of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms causes a desired setting signal 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 at least one of the pair of secondary display screens, and wherein the plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms includes two sets of HVAC control buttons positioned side-by-side along the outer perimeter edge of the bezel, each of the sets of HVAC control buttons being operable to control output of a respective one of the side-by-side air vents. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification