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US 10,518,610 B2Granted
Air outlet assemblies for vehicle ventilation systems
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorEvan Tian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure provides an air outlet assembly for a vehicle ventilation system. The air outlet assembly includes a housing; a plurality of vanes having ends rotatably reside on the housing; and a flexible linkage including a plurality of first rods connecting to the vanes' ends, respectively and a second rod connecting the first rods. The first rods and the second rod of the flexible linkage are integrally formed.
Claims12
An air outlet assembly for a vehicle ventilation system, comprising:
- a housing,
- a plurality of vanes having a plurality of ends, wherein the plurality of ends rotatably reside on the housing, and
- a flexible linkage having a plurality of first rods and a second rod,
- wherein the plurality of first rods are connected to the plurality of ends of the vane, respectively, and the second rod is connected to the plurality of first rods, and wherein the plurality of first rods and the second rod are integrally formed, and made from plastic deformable material, and
- wherein each of the plurality of ends of the vanes has an annular cross section and includes a longitudinal groove extending along an entire length of a diameter of the cross section, and a corresponding first rod is received in the longitudinal groove and connected to an end of a corresponding vane via interference fit.
2 more elements
An air outlet assembly for a vehicle ventilation system, comprising:
- a housing,
- a plurality of vanes having a plurality of ends, wherein the plurality of vanes are disposed in the housing, and
- a flexible linkage having a plurality of first rods and a second rod, wherein the plurality of the first rods are spaced apart each other and connected the second rod along a lengthwise direction of the second rod, respectively;
- wherein the plurality of first rods are connected to the plurality of ends of the vanes, respectively, and the flexible linkage is deformed when one of vane is rotated such that a rotation of the one vane enables rest of the vanes to be rotated in a substantially same angle via the flexible linkage;
- wherein each of the plurality of first rods of the flexible linkage has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and wherein the second rod is connected to a plurality of first ends at a lengthwise direction, and the flexible linkage further includes a third rod that is connected to a plurality of second ends at the lengthwise direction;
- wherein the plurality of first rods, the second rod and the third rod are made from rubber and integrally formed to have a frame work;
- and
- wherein each of the plurality of ends of the vanes has a longitudinal groove for receiving a corresponding first rod of the flexible linkage and to connect the corresponding first rod via an interference fit.
5 more elements
A flexible linkage in an air outlet assembly, the air outlet assembly including a plurality of vanes, the flexible linkage comprising:
- a plurality of first rods, each having a first end and a second end and to be connected with a plurality of ends of the plurality of vanes;
- a second rod to be connected with the first ends of the plurality of the first rods at a lengthwise direction, and
- a third rod connected with the second ends of the plurality of first rods at a lengthwise direction of the third rod;
- wherein the plurality of first rods are substantially parallel to each other and the second rod and the third rod are substantially parallel to form a rectangular frame;
- wherein the plurality of first rod, the second rod and the third rod are made from rubber and integrally formed;
- wherein the plurality of first rods are substantially parallel each other and forms a first angle with the second rod at a natural state and the flexible linkage is configured to deformed to form a second angle different from the first angle when one the plurality of the first rods is moved with one of the plurality of vanes;
- and
- wherein each of the plurality of ends of the vanes has a longitudinal groove for receiving a corresponding first rod of the flexible linkage and to connect the corresponding first rod via an interference fit.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.