# US 10,500,927 B2 · Folding vane and air register incorporating a folding vane

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- Number: US 10,500,927 B2
- Document ID: US10500927B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/491,461
- Filed: 2017-04-19
- Published: 2018-10-25
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2017-04-19
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Jorge Araujo Nieto; Alfredo Pérez Montiel; Fernando Ovando
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500927B2

## CPC

- B60H 1/3421: {using only pivoting shutters}
- B60H 1/345: {with means for adjusting divergence, convergence or oscillation of air stream}
- B60H 2001/3464: {Details of hinges}
- B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES

## Abstract

A folding vane for an air register includes a vane body having a first section, a second section and a hinge joint connecting the first section and the second section. An air register includes a support and at least one folding vane. A method of distributing air from an air register is also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An air register, comprising:
a support including opposed arcuate hinge tracks; and
at least one folding vane carried on said support, said at least one folding vane having a vane body including a first section, a second section and a hinge joint connecting said first section and said second section wherein said hinge joint includes opposed hinge pins sliding in said opposed arcuate hinge tracks.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The air register of claim 1, wherein said first section includes a first end and a second end and said second section includes a proximal end and a distal end, said second end being connected to said proximal end by said hinge joint.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The air register of claim 2, further including a pivot at said first end pivotally connecting said at least one folding vane to said support.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The air register of claim 3, wherein said pivot includes opposed pivot pins defining a pivot axis.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The air register of claim 4, wherein said hinge joint defines a hinge axis and said hinge axis is parallel to said pivot axis.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The air register of claim 5, wherein said second section includes opposed guide pins and said support includes opposed arcuate guide tracks, said opposed guide pins sliding in said opposed arcuate guide tracks.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The air register of claim 6, wherein said opposed arcuate guide tracks have a first radius of curvature R1 and said opposed arcuate hinge tracks have a second radius of curvature R2 where R1>R2.

### Claim 8

A method of distributing air from an air register, comprising:
pivoting a folding vane about a pivot axis;
folding said folding vane about a hinge axis;
increasing angular range of air distribution from said air register by both pivoting and folding said folding vane;
sweeping a first section of said folding vane about said pivot axis through a first arc; and
over-rotating a second section of said folding vane past said first arc.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, including displacing said hinge axis about said pivot axis when pivoting said folding vane about said pivot axis.