Having Inlet Airway Patents (Class 454/143)
  • Patent number: 7699690
    Abstract: An HVAC unit having a multiple air valve unit comprising two air valve devices sharing at least one common rotation axis is described. Concentric air valve device shafts interface with a common actuation device in such way to allow for rotational motion between the actuation device and the air valve device unit, and to allow to air valve devices to control or distribute air into three or more air outlets of the HVAC unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Valeo Climate Control Corp.
    Inventor: Joseph J. Spryshak
  • Publication number: 20100078253
    Abstract: A pneumatic vehicle is provided with a chassis, wheels, a compressed air tank, a heat exchanger to heat the compressed air, and an air motor driven by the heated air and connected to at least one wheel. A pneumatic vehicle is provided with a chassis, wheels, a compressed air tank, and an air motor driven by the compressed air and connected to a wheel. The vehicle also has a ventilation system for the passenger compartment, a heat exchanger, and a restrictive solenoid valve for directing ventilation system air to the heat exchanger. A pneumatic vehicle is provided with a chassis, wheels, an aluminum compressed air tank, a carbon filament reinforced plastic layer over the tank, a fiberglass and aramid-fiber layer over the carbon filament reinforced plastic layer, and an air motor driven by the compressed air and connected to at least one wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Bernard Frank Rolfe, Timothy Ian De Souza, Gregory Ryan Pitts, Stuart James McFarlane Hanafin, Steven Lewis Anthony Agius, Benjamin Paul Adamson, Michael Pio Gordon Pereira, Timothy John Black, Christopher James Hurren, Noel Egan Miller
  • Patent number: 7686123
    Abstract: A noise suppressor for a straddle-type vehicle provided with a belt type continuously variable transmission having a resin-block-type belt. A portion of an air passage for guiding air to a belt chamber is formed in a closed casing. The closed casing includes a dish-shaped first casing member and a dish-shaped second casing member. An inlet port and an exhaust port are formed in the second casing member. Partition walls in the form of curved plate pieces are formed in the first casing and second casing members. Air flow paths formed by the partition walls are U-shaped, thereby forming a serpentine flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yousuke Ishida
  • Patent number: 7674164
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system for the passenger compartment of a vehicle. The air-conditioning system includes an air-treatment unit and with a series of ventilation outlets distributed inside the passenger compartment and connected to the air-treatment unit. Some of the ventilation outlets are mounted on the side surface of a tubular body, which is set in a bottom portion of the passenger compartment. An internal pipe communicates with the air-treatment unit, and is mounted to oscillate about a longitudinal axis thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Ferrari S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giovanni Stefani
  • Patent number: 7658671
    Abstract: An air distribution assembly for vehicles, comprising a first flap, able to rotate around a first axis, a second distribution flap, able to rotate around a second axis, and a geared transmission device that connects the first and the second flap to each other. The transmission device comprises at least one gear wheel including a first and a second element able to rotate relative to each other and an elastic element positioned between the first and the second element to allow a relative rotation motion between the first and the second element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Thermal Systems SpA
    Inventors: Michele Balzo, Andrea Carbone
  • Publication number: 20090314847
    Abstract: An air-conditioner ECU sets the maximum flowrate or a set flowrate which is less than the maximum flowrate as a required flowrate Vr based on outside air temperature when a DEF mode is selected, and requires that coolant be circulated (steps 100 to 110). Also, when the coolant temperature Tw during heating is between a set temperature TS3 and a set temperature TS1, circulation of coolant at the minimum flowrate is required (steps 134, 130, 132). When a blower fan is stopped when the coolant temperature is equal to or less than the set temperature TS3 and a fresh air mode is selected, the circulation of coolant at the minimum flowrate is required when the vehicle speed Sv is above a set vehicle speed (steps 134 to 146). Cool air is prevented from being blown out of an air outlet and heating of the coolant is promoted by suppressing the speed of an electric pump while maintaining the ability to prevent fogging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Atsuki Nemoto, Kiwamu Inui, Masaki Morita
  • Publication number: 20090305624
    Abstract: An air conducting device includes a rigid support, an outlet, a flexible element that is fixedly connected to the outlet and a deflecting means which allows the outlet to be tilted about at least one axis of rotation at least into a first and a second position. The flexible element is fixedly connected to the support at a distance from the outlet such that at least one of the axes of rotation is defined as a substantially stationary axis of rotation in the area of the outlet, at the level of the connection to the flexible element. The air conducting device includes a small size of the components and a small number of required individual parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventors: Mike Kogler, Steve Kober, Marco Braun
  • Publication number: 20090298410
    Abstract: A dual air duct of a vehicle may include an upper duct that guides running wind flowing outside an intercooler through a radiator grill to upper portion of the intercooler and a lower duct that guides running wind flowing outside the intercooler through a hole of a bumper cover to lower portion of the intercooler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jonghoon LEE, Jongwoo Nam
  • Patent number: 7621807
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to satisfy the following: (1) it prevents the adsorption of antibacterial agent to the filter during storage, (2) for this reason, makes the container and the filter separable and furthermore makes it easy to fix the container, and (3) makes it possible to change the filter and the antibacterial agent respectively separately with simple operations. The fixing mechanism of the container in which an antibacterial agent has been sealed according to the present invention is a fixing mechanism for a container in which an antibacterial agent is sealed in a vehicle air conditioning device. And, fixing means 53 are provided for removably fixing the container 31 to the lid 51 which opens and closes the inlet/outlet port 50 of the filter unit 30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques S.A.S.
    Inventors: Shinichi Hara, Akihiko Yoshida, Takao Koike
  • Publication number: 20090264061
    Abstract: An air conditioning device for a car includes a door structure composed of an inner door and an outer door having an inner space in which the inner door rotates, and the circumference of which comes into facial contact with the inner door, wherein the facial contact prevents air from leaking, and the inner and outer doors respectively control the temperature and amount of air to flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Inventor: Sung Il Kim
  • Patent number: 7604533
    Abstract: An air-conditioning register includes a cylinder-shaped retainer, a plurality of horizontal fins, a connecting rod, an actuating member, and a moving member. The cylinder-shaped retainer has opposite upper and lower walls and opposite side walls, which form an outlet opening and an air passage. The horizontal fins have a swing shaft, respectively, and are disposed pivotally about the swing shaft within the retainer. The connecting rod connects the horizontal fins. The actuating member actuates the connecting rod to swing the horizontal fins synchronously with each other. The moving member enables the swing shaft of at least one of the horizontal fins to move back and forth with respect to the retainer depending on a swing angle of the horizontal fins with respect to a horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Ogura, Kenji Asano
  • Patent number: 7597616
    Abstract: A vent includes a vane configured for spatial movement, and at least one actuator in operative communication with the vane configured to spatially move the vane in at least one direction, wherein the actuator comprises an active material configured to undergo a change in at least one property upon receipt of an activation signal, wherein the change in at least one property is effective to selectively change an orientation of the vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan L. Browne, Robin Stevenson, Nancy L. Johnson, Nilesh D. Mankame, Xiujie Gao, Paul W. Alexander, James Bloomsburgh, John Czoykowski, Neal Parsons, Jason R. Spenny
  • Publication number: 20090247063
    Abstract: When outside temperatures in the warmer months are high temperatures, inside a vehicle passenger compartment can be dangerously high while a vehicle is parked directly in the sun. There are several infant deaths caused by being left alone in the parked vehicle each year. A solar powered ventilation system is independent of the existing ventilation system of at least one fan and connected to a control system that has a thermostat and a disabling switch. The fan(s) is powered independently by the solar cell(s) or solar panel so as not to drain the vehicle's battery needlessly. The vehicle must be parked and off in order to operate the solar powered ventilation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventor: Stanley Armin Vollertsen
  • Patent number: 7585209
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air-conditioning device and to a method for the operation of an air-conditioning device. The aim of the invention is to improve current air-conditioning devices such that a desired level of temperature inside the motor vehicle changes as little as possible and the windows are kept mist-free. As a result, each bypass channel, which guides the heat exchanger to an air outlet channel, is associated with a mixing flap in order to control the warm air flow passing through the bypass channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ronny Kiel, Thorsten Möllert, Stéphanie Larpent
  • Patent number: 7572178
    Abstract: System housing, in particular for a heating, ventilating and/or air-conditioning system of a vehicle, comprising at least three housing parts, which serve for accommodating air-conditioning-system components and/or for forming air-channeling paths, one of the housing parts comprising a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface, up to which the other two housing parts can be advanced in each case parallel to a normal vector of the abutment surface which is advanced up in each case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Valeo Klimasysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Lutz Fuhrmann, Stefan Frenzel
  • Patent number: 7566261
    Abstract: In an air outlet device for a vehicle cabin, primary wind-direction adjustment plates are rotated between a parallel condition and a series condition, to thereby provide a wind distribution function of opening the outlet opening of a tubular body and adjusting the flow direction of air and a wind shutoff function of closing the outlet opening. Of the primary wind-direction adjustment plates, one primary wind-direction adjustment plate is configured such that its tip end edge gradually separates from an inner wall surface of the tubular body when the primary wind-direction adjustment plates are rotated so as to open the outlet opening. A secondary wind-direction adjustment plate is secured to the wind surface side of the primary wind-direction adjustment plate with a predetermined spacing formed therebetween. The secondary wind-direction adjustment plate rotates, together with the primary wind-direction adjustment plate, about the rotation center of the primary wind-direction adjustment plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignees: Howa Plastics Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Michio Ono, Masahiro Endou, Keiko Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20090156113
    Abstract: An instrument panel assembly for a motor vehicle includes a panel member, a first conduit, a second conduit and a gasket disposed between the first and second conduit. The panel member has a vent for directing air toward a window in the vehicle. The first conduit has a first end coupled to a bottom side of the panel member and providing air to the vent. The first conduit has a second end with a peripheral wall forming an inlet. The second conduit has an outlet that provides air to the inlet of the first conduit. The second conduit has a flange that extends outwardly from the outlet and includes a support surface that supports a gasket for sealing an interface between the outlet of the second conduit and the inlet of tie first conduit. The second conduit has a lip that extends outwardly from the support surface of the flange and supports the gasket to prevent deformation of the gasket during assembly of the first conduit and second conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Vikram Chopra, Chae Hon An
  • Publication number: 20090134649
    Abstract: A console of a tunnel for the passenger compartment of a vehicle has an outer structure that houses, in a fixed position, a glove compartment fitted with a hatch; the console has a wall, which is positioned outside of said compartment and is movable, in response to an action by the user, with respect to an upper surface of the structure, between a lowered position and a raised position, so as to project upwards with respect to this upper surface and define an outer compartment when located in the raised position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Giovanni Boreanaz, Federica Fino, Angelo Storgato
  • Publication number: 20090104865
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air distribution duct (2) integrated in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle comprising at least one rigid hollow crossmember (1) that reinforces the structure of the vehicle, characterized in that the duct (2) is made by extrusion and is placed in the crossmember (1) at a distance from the inside wall of the crossmember.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: RENAULT S.A.S.
    Inventors: Xavier Billard, Jeremie Coiffier
  • Patent number: 7520804
    Abstract: A HVAC system for reducing the level of air rush and blower noise escaping into the interior of the vehicle when the HVAC system is operating in the recirculation mode. The HVAC system includes a recirculation door having an acoustically transparent portion that enables a component of the air rush and blower noise to pass through the recirculation door to the vehicle exterior instead of entering the vehicle cabin or interior through the recirculation air inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Suhas Venkatappa, Prakash Thawani
  • Publication number: 20090098818
    Abstract: An HVAC duct system of a vehicle includes an air duct for providing a passageway for forced conditioned air. The air duct having a first imaginary axis extending substantially parallel with the passageway. An air duct register having plurality of vane-like members for directing the flow of air as it exits the register is coupled to the air duct. An opening of the air duct register defines an imaginary plane. The register has a second imaginary axis extending perpendicular to the imaginary plane of the register. An air flow straightener disposed within the air duct juxtaposed to the register and includes an air guide member. The air guide member receives the forced air flowing through the air duct in a direction substantially parallel with the first imaginary axis and redirects the forced air in a direction substantially parallel with the second imaginary axis for reducing noise as air passes the vanes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventor: Mark Gruenberg
  • Publication number: 20090093206
    Abstract: In an onboard air conditioning system, a light source (25) for conditioned air is provided in association with an air outlet (31), and the color of the light emitted from the light source changes in dependence on the temperature of the conditioned air. The light source may consist of a linear light source at least partly surrounding the air outlet. Thereby, the vehicle occupant can visually recognize the operating condition of the air conditioning system. The air outlet may be at least partly-surrounded by an annular duct (20) defining a central chamber (21) that has a closed bottom and an open top defining the air outlet, the annular air duct being provided with a communication hole (23) communicating an interior of the annular duct with the central chamber, and the air outlet is covered by an air permeable sheet (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Okita, Toru Nakagawa, Satoru Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20090049853
    Abstract: Noise occurring in an upright air-conditioning unit is greatly reduced. An upright air-conditioning unit 1 is disposed under a steering member support part 23, a vent opening 15 and a vent outlet port 20 are made to communicate with each other via a vent duct 25, a defrost opening 16 and a defrost outlet port 21 are made to communicate with each other via a defrost duct 26. The vent opening 15 assumes a position further frontward than the steering member support part 23 along the frontward/rearward direction relative to the vehicle body whereas the defrost opening 16 assumes a position further rearward than the steering member support part 23 along the frontward/rearward direction relative to the vehicle body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: Valeo Thermal Systems Japan Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Araki, Hiroshi Tsuzuki, Yoshihiro Sekiya, Keisuke Hara
  • Publication number: 20090047890
    Abstract: A vent member (1) includes a support body (2) provided with a through-hole (3), a permeable membrane (6) closing the through-hole (3) in the support body (2), and a cover part (10) covering the permeable membrane (6). A ventilation hole (10a) is made in a ceiling portion (11) of the cover part (10) and a notch (10b) is made in a side wall portion (12) thereof. These ventilation hole (10a) and notch (10b) function as a passage for ventilation between the interior and the exterior of the cover part (10). The ventilation hole (10a) establishes a positional relation that it does not overlap a permeable region of the permeable membrane (6) in the axial direction. Further, the side wall portion (12) extends to the lower side in the axial direction below a position at which the permeable membrane (6) is disposed, and the permeable membrane (6) is protected entirely along a circumferential direction by the side wall portion (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youzou Yano, Yuuta Shimazaki, Toshimasa Nishimori, Yuuki Sugou, Yoshiki Ikeyama
  • Patent number: 7481703
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes an air conditioning case for defining an air passage through which air flows into a vehicle compartment, a functional member located in the air conditioning case for performing air conditioning of the vehicle compartment, an outside wall member arranged outside a side wall of the air conditioning case to form a clearance with the side wall, and a coupling part through which the outside wall member is integrated with the side wall. In this air conditioner, the outside wall member is located across approximately a projected line of a central line of the functional member extending in a longitudinal direction of the functional member, projected onto the side wall. Therefore, a vibration of the air conditioning case can be reduced, and a noise generation can be effectively restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Okumura, Shigeyoshi Nagaya, Toshihiko Muraki
  • Patent number: 7470177
    Abstract: A device for control of the air flow rates into the instrument panel air outlets of a vehicle heating or air conditioning unit is described that is provided with a casing, with damper doors for both instrument panel side air outlets in the casing parts and at least one damper door for the instrument panel central air outlet in the casing part, whereby the damper doors are pivotably supported on one common shaft. Exactly one closing position is assigned to the damper doors in the first casing part, whereas several closing positions are assigned to the damper door in the second casing part continuously over a pivoting range of the shaft, whereby the closing position of the damper doors is arranged in the pivoting range of the damper door. This device enables separation and independent control of the air flow rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christoph Capellmann, Olaf Degenhardt, Michael Friedl, Christian Heidinger, Christoph Malig, Markus Matthes, Dietmar Zehren
  • Publication number: 20080254732
    Abstract: The invention relates to an actuating device comprising an operating control for positioning actuating elements, in particular in a heating or air conditioning unit and to a heating or air conditioning unit, in particular of a motor vehicle, comprising an actuating device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: BEHR GMBH & CO.KG
    Inventors: Klaus Voigt, Hilmar Hegner
  • Publication number: 20080233856
    Abstract: An air conditioner duct connected to a downstream side of an air flow path of a vehicular air conditioning apparatus is provided with an outer pipe portion and an inner pipe portion formed at an inner portion of the outer pipe portion, a first inner end of the inner pipe portion is integrated to an inner peripheral face of the outer pipe portion, an outer peripheral face of a second inner end of the inner pipe portion and an inner peripheral face of the outer pipe portion are separated, a side branch type noise suppressing chamber is defined by the inner peripheral face of the outer pipe portion and the outer peripheral face of the inner pipe portion, and the outer pipe portion is provided with an adjusting portion continuous to an upstream side of an air flow path of the first inner end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shintarou OKAWA, Nobuhiro TERAI, Takahiko SATO, Yoshikazu HIROSE, Katsuhiro KATAGIRI, Minoru SHIBATA
  • Publication number: 20080233855
    Abstract: The invention concerns a ventilating cross-member, and more precisely it concerns a method for making a ventilating cross-member comprising a metal beam (10) and a duct (16) designed to connect two openings (12, 14) between which it follows a winding path. The method includes making a beam (10) which delimits an enclosing volume for receiving the duct between the two openings (12, 14), making the duct (16) which is specifically reversibly deformable between a working state and a retracted inserting state, placing the duct (16) in its inserting state, inserting the duct (16) in the beam (10) through an opening (12, 14) thereof, and placing the duct (16) in its working state. The invention is applicable to motor vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: FAURECIA INTERIEUR INDUSTRIE
    Inventors: Ivan Baudouin, Christian Brancheriau, Albin Descamps, Thierry Devoulon, Pascal Rumigny
  • Publication number: 20080191500
    Abstract: An opening portion is formed at an upper-side portion of a shroud panel so as to penetrate the panel longitudinally. A face member and a face support member form a duct that guides part of outside air coming in through an outside-air intake of the face member to an opening portion of the shroud panel. Accordingly, there can be provided a bumper structure that can properly guide the outside air to an engine room behind the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuma KONDOU, Naoaki YAMAMOTO, Minoru OHKUBO, Hiroshi YOKOKURA, Yoshiatsu KUGA
  • Patent number: 7404760
    Abstract: A control wheel for controlling a control in an automotive vent has a resilient bushing which provides a frictional force to retain the control wheel in a desired position. The frictional force is substantially independent of tolerances of the components of the control wheel due to expected manufacturing variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Progressive Moulded Products Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey H. Bowler, Karel Caslavsky, Luliu V. Dinescu, Thomas Woegerer
  • Publication number: 20080146138
    Abstract: An automotive HVAC unit with a dividing wall comprising 3 dimensional dividing wall contour is provided. Connectors and/or fixation devices are used on the dividing wall so that the wall, along with the main housing wall, forms an air tight seal at an area of connection of the dividing wall and the housing. An integral dividing wall connector allows other main housing and/or dividing wall connectors to further stabilize and/or enhance the seal between housing and wall parts by use of various fixation devices or attachment means, such as snaps, screws, or clips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: Valeo Climate Control Corp.
    Inventor: Richard Sikorski
  • Patent number: 7381128
    Abstract: A gear portion is provided on the inner peripheral surface of a dial, and a large diameter portion of a main driving gear is mated with the gear portion. A driven gear is mated with a small diameter portion of the main driving gear, and the state of an air conditioner is switched based on the moving operation of a cable through the gear portion, the main driving gear and the driven gear in the rotating operation of the dial. With this structure, it is not necessary to provide a rotary shaft as a member for transmitting an operating force to the central part or the dial. Consequently, it is possible to maintain a space in the central part of the dial. Thus, restrictions can be decreased in the case in which a knob is to be arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Satoshi Ogawa, Tomoyuki Shibata, Yoshiyuki Aoki
  • Publication number: 20080003938
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for regulating an air nozzle (3) for air-conditioning a motor vehicle. An actuator which is used to control a ventilation device and/or an actuator which is used to control the width of the air jet and/or an actuator which is used to control the direction of air and/or a heating device are associated with said air nozzle (3). At least one sensor, which is used to receive measuring values, is provided. The adjustment of the air nozzle (3) is regulated according to measuring values of the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventors: Wilhelm Baruschke, Dieter Heinle, Dietrich Klingler, Karl Lochmahr, Eric Pitz, Klaus Voigt
  • Publication number: 20070293136
    Abstract: A cooling and safety apparatus for golf carts is comprised of three primary components, namely an elongate fan support assembly, driver and passenger fan assemblies, and apparatus mounting means. Fans mounted substantially within fan support assembly are removably secured to the underside of a golf cart canopy via apparatus mounting means and activated to provide a downward current of forced air having a velocity sufficient to divert airborne matter away from the head, neck and face of vehicle occupants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Inventor: Robert A. Hancock
  • Patent number: 7285041
    Abstract: An air passage switching device includes a slide door slidable along first and second opening portions partitioned by a partition portion, a guide member for guiding the slide door, and a link mechanism for slidably moving the slide door along the guide member. The link mechanism includes a rotation shaft rotatably supported in a case, a link portion provided at one end portion of the slide door, and a link lever connected to the rotation shaft and the link portion. The link portion is rotatable around the rotation shaft only within a range of the second opening portion in a sliding direction, among the first and second opening portions. Furthermore, the slide door can be provided with a first seal portion for sealing a clearance with outer peripheral portions of the first and second opening portions, and a second seal portion for sealing a clearance with the partition portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Yoshida, Takashi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7281971
    Abstract: In an air conditioner for a vehicle including a vehicle roof capable of opening, there are provided a driver seat and a passenger seat which are provided at right and left sides in a vehicle compartment, plural conditioned-air blowoff ports provided for the driver seat and the passenger seat respectively, and an air conditioning control device operative to adjust respective characteristics of conditioned air for the driver seat and the passenger seat, separately. Accordingly, needs of each passenger on the driver seat and the passenger seat during a vehicle driving with the vehicle roof open can be attained, thereby improving comfortableness of air conditioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Tohda, Kouji Iwasaka
  • Patent number: 7258605
    Abstract: A heating system for a vehicle has a heating air blower (24) for generating a heating air stream to be introduced into the interior space of a vehicle, a heater (22) with a heat exchanger arrangement (26) for heating the heating air stream being delivered by the heating air blower (24), a mixing arrangement (20) for setting an outside air/ambient air ratio of the air to be fed to the heat exchanger arrangement (26), an outside temperature sensor arrangement (60) for generating an output linked with an outside temperature, and an actuating device (42, 46). The actuating device (42, 46) actuates the mixing arrangement (20) for setting the outside air/ambient air ratio on the basis of an output of the outside temperature sensor arrangement (60).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: J. Eberspächer GmbH & Co.KG
    Inventors: Patric Schlecht, Uwe Kohle, Oliver Sauter
  • Patent number: 7241216
    Abstract: An air guide housing for an air supply for an input fan of an air conditioner, including a housing wall with a side wall having a first opening therethrough for circulating air, a second opening therethrough for fresh air, and a third opening in the side wall for air drawn in by the fan, where the first opening is adjacent the second opening. The housing also includes an adjustment element pivotally mounted in the housing wall, where the adjustment element includes a peripheral section defining a closure element of the air guide housing adapted to block selected portions of the first and second openings. The peripheral section has a cross-section smaller than the sum of the cross-sections of the first and second openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Huub R. Kamsma
  • Patent number: 7240752
    Abstract: A vehicular electrical equipment unit heating and cooling system includes a vehicular electrical equipment unit 10 including a battery 21 and an inverter YBU5 22 which are accommodated in a primary air passageway 14, an air inlet 44 through which air in a passenger compartment 6 is admitted to the primary air passageway 14, an air outlet 46 through which air flowing in the primary air passageway 14 is discharged to the outside of the electrical equipment unit 10, a subsidiary air passageway 30 connected to and cut off from the primary air passageway 14 to make a closed circuit 60 when connected to the primary air passageway 14, and a fan 40 for generating a flow of air in the primary air passageway 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takahashi, Harumi Takedomi
  • Patent number: 7189158
    Abstract: A dual airflow control system for an environment having a first air zone and a second air zone. The system includes a first input device operable to generate a first input signal indicative of a desired airflow to the first zone and a second input device operable to generate a second input signal indicative of a desired airflow to the second zone. First and second flow regulators are configured to regulate airflow to the first and second zones, respectively, such that the first and second regulators selectively provide the airflow to each of the first and second zones based on the first and second input signals. A single actuator is associated with the first and second flow regulators. The actuator is operable to simultaneously actuate the first and second flow regulators based on an input from the first and second input devices to allow the desired airflows to the first and the second zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: Sean Ronald Motszko, Ryan Patrick McEnaney, Jeffrey Alan Brush, Daniel E. Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 7044849
    Abstract: An air vent is provided that is capable of delivering a distributed divergent air flow with a predominant direction of flow that can be changed within a wide range of mutually perpendicular directions. In one embodiment, the air vent has an outlet grid that is generally ball shaped and that is rotatably mounted at an end of an air duct for rotation about its center. Each of the multiple outlet openings of the grid points to a direction that is different from pointing directions of all other outlet openings so that a divergent air flow is obtained. By rotating the ball shaped grid about its center, the predominant direction of air flow can nevertheless be changed in a within a wide range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Thomas Dippel
  • Patent number: 6979259
    Abstract: The air conditioning case (11) includes: a right and a left case body (112, 111) made of resin; and a partitioning plate (113) made of metal, and the partitioning plate (113) is a partitioning portion for partitioning the face blowout opening portion (15) and the defroster blowout opening portion (16) which are formed into one opening portion by the right and the left case body (112, 111). Accordingly, compared with the partitioning portion formed integrally with the right and the left case body, no dividing face is formed at the center, and rigidity can be enhanced. Due to the above structure, it is difficult for the partitioning portion to be deformed, and the partitioning portion seldom interferes with the blowout mode door (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Suehiro Okazaki
  • Patent number: 6979258
    Abstract: In a ventilation system of a motor vehicle, a film valve can selectively open and close an air path opening defined by a housing with a rib or projection that encircles such opening. The rib can define a point contact between the film valve and the housing when viewed in cross-section. The rib geometry can include substantially straight edges in cross-section and/or can include arcuate edges. Different geometry can define the rib at different cross-sections. The point contact defined between the rib and the film valve substantially reduces noise generated when the film valve moves relative to the rib, especially when the film valve has been subjected to a harsh environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald M. Goupil, Jr., Mark W. Stevenson
  • Patent number: 6974376
    Abstract: A flow straightening grid 30 is provided at an area where the air flow turns about 180 degrees in an air path 23, or in the vicinity thereof. Because of this, the air flow can be prevented from being disturbed in the air path 23 and, therefore, noise caused by the disturbance of the air flow can be reduced effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiko Yamaguchi, Kazuaki Murashima, Hiroshi Kanda
  • Patent number: 6935944
    Abstract: A vehicle with an air system for directing a flow of air at the rear of a head and/or neck of a person occupying the vehicle and/or for directing a flow of air to a space under a roof or canopy of the vehicle to dissipate hot air beneath the roof or canopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Inventor: Floyd E. Bigelow, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6932695
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling air flow in a ventilating system of an automotive vehicle includes a series of interconnected vanes with a control knob on one of the vanes for adjusting the vanes. A chrome-plated insert fits into a slot in the knob. A rubber overlay covers the knob but exposes the insert. The method includes integrally molding the vane and the knob and in the molding process forming a slot in the knob, molding an overlay of rubber on the knob but with an opening in the overlay exposing the slot, and pressing the insert into the slot through the opening in the overlay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Mary K Zielinski, Norman D Kleiner, Timothy W Anness
  • Patent number: 6887148
    Abstract: Described herein is an air-distribution device which uses means designed for causing deviation, by Coanda effect, of a flow of air coming from an inlet duct into a plurality of outlet ducts. The invention is applicable both to a motor-vehicle air-conditioning assembly, which incorporates a conveyor with a heating element, and to a motor-vehicle dashboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Marco Biasiotto, Francesco Butera, Stefano Alacqua
  • Patent number: 6872134
    Abstract: A dashboard assembly for a vehicle comprising a lower housing portion adapted to receive an air blowing system and an upper housing portion, the dashboard assembly further comprising an intermediate housing portion being and disposed between the lower housing portion and the upper housing portion, wherein the intermediate housing portion comprises an inlet for connection to the air blowing system and at least one channel integrally provided in said intermediate housing portion and having an outlet, said channel being in flow communication with said inlet. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Intier Automotive Interiors Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael John Mills
  • Patent number: 6857955
    Abstract: The present invention 10 discloses a ventilation extension addition to a vehicle 12 and is attached to the existing ventilation duct 14 located mid-way under the front seats 16 of the vehicle. The location of the existing ventilation duct 14 restricts any air or heat from getting to the rear seat 18 occupants. The present invention 10 comprises a flexible hose 20 attached at one distal end to an adjustable vent 22 and attached at the other distal end by means of a sleeve 24 to the existing air duct 14 located under the front seat 16 of the vehicle 12. The air vent 22 of the present invention 10 is secured in place by means of hook and loop fasteners 26 attached to the top portion of the vent and its counter part attached to the bottom rear portion of the seat 16. The flexible hose 20 allows the seat 16 to move backward and forward without disconnection of the present invention 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Inventor: Steven M Held