AIR VENT ASSEMBLY WITH INTEGRAL AIR VENT AND CONTROL HEAD

• US 20160176264A1
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Published: 06/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Jablonski, Robert C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,751,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0065 Control members, e.g. levers or knobs B60H1/00985 takes precedence
• 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

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.

Claims

1. An assembly for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the assembly comprising:

an air vent in fluid communication with the HVAC system;

a controller operable for receiving a desired setting of the HVAC system and for controlling an operation of the HVAC system in response to the received desired setting; and

an HVAC control head at least partially surrounding the air vent, wherein the HVAC control head includes a plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms each configured to communicate the desired setting of the HVAC system to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to transmit a corresponding HVAC control setting signal to the HVAC system that corresponds to the received desired setting to thereby control the operation of the HVAC system.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the HVAC control head includes a bezel positioned adjacent to the HVAC setting selections mechanisms, and wherein the bezel includes a plurality of descriptive labels or icons each corresponding to a function of a respective one of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the HVAC control head includes a pair of display screens flanking the air vent, each of which is in communication with the controller and is operable to display the corresponding control setting.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the air vent includes a pair of side-by-side air vents and the plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms includes two identically-configured sets of HVAC setting selection mechanisms, with one of the two identically-configured sets of HVAC setting selection mechanisms controlling a respective one of the side-by-side air vents.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms includes a toggle device operable for moving in a first direction to cause the corresponding HVAC control signal to be communicated in an increasing direction and in a second direction to cause the corresponding HVAC control signal to be communicated in a decreasing direction.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the HVAC control head is a touch screen device having a touch control surface, and wherein the HVAC control head is operable for displaying the HVAC setting selection mechanisms via the touch control surface.

7. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body defining a vehicle interior;

a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system having an air circulation device;

a controller configured to receive a desired setting of the HVAC system and to transmit a corresponding HVAC control setting signal to the HVAC system to control an operation of the HVAC system, wherein the corresponding HVAC control setting signal corresponds to the received desired setting; and

an air vent assembly having;

an air vent in fluid communication with the air circulation device, wherein the air vent is configured to direct a supply of air from the air circulation device into the passenger compartment; and

an HVAC control head at least partially surrounding the air vent, wherein the HVAC control head includes a plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms, and wherein an activation of a respective one of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms causes the desired setting to be communicated to the controller to thereby request transmission, via the controller, of the corresponding HVAC control setting signal to the HVAC system.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the HVAC control head includes a plurality of descriptive labels or icons each corresponding to a function of a respective one of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms.

9. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the HVAC control head includes a pair of secondary display screens each in communication with the controller and operable to display the HVAC settings.

10. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms includes two identically-configured sets of HVAC setting selection mechanisms positioned side-by-side.

11. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein one of the VAC setting selection mechanisms is a toggle operable for moving in a first direction to cause the corresponding HVAC control signal to be increased and in a second direction to cause the corresponding HVAC control setting signal to be decreased.

12. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the vehicle includes a center stack having a main display screen in communication with the controller, and wherein the controller is programmed to display the requested HVAC setting via the main display screen.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the vehicle includes a dashboard, and wherein the air vent assembly is positioned in a center stack between the dashboard and the main display screen.

14. An air vent assembly for use in a vehicle having a controller and a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that includes an air circulation device, the air vent assembly comprising:

an air vent in fluid communication with the air circulation device; and

an HVAC control head having a bezel, a pair of secondary display screens each in communication with the controller and flanking the air vent, and a plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms positioned along a perimeter edge of the bezel, wherein an activation of a respective one of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms causes a desired setting 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 the pair of secondary display screens;

wherein the bezel includes a plurality of descriptive labels or icons each corresponding to a corresponding one of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms.

15. The air vent assembly of claim 14, wherein the plurality of HVAC setting selection mechanisms includes two identical sets of HVAC control buttons positioned side-by-side.

16. The air vent assembly of claim 14, wherein at least one of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms is a toggle operable for moving in a first direction to cause the corresponding HVAC control signal to be increased and in a second direction to cause the corresponding HVAC control signal to be decreased.

17. The air vent assembly of claim 14, wherein the HVAC control head is a touch screen device having a touch control surface, and wherein the HVAC control head is operable for displaying at least some of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms via the touch control surface.

18. The air vent assembly of claim 17, wherein the HVAC control head is operable for displaying all of the HVAC setting selection mechanisms via the touch control surface.