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US 10,766,333 B2Granted
Interchangeable operable duct with blocking component for a driver-only function
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsFrank Fusco, Jennifer A. Herr-Rathke, Manfred Koberstein, Jose A. Nava, Steven M. Kahrs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle air-handling system includes a heat exchanger, a blower in communication with the heat exchanger, and an operable duct having driver and passenger portions that are each in communication with the heat exchanger and the blower. When the blower is activated, the driver portion continuously delivers blower air and the passenger portion selectively delivers blower air.
Claims13
A vehicle air-handling system comprising:
- a heat exchanger disposed within a housing;
- a blower in communication with the heat exchanger and the housing;
- an operable duct attached to an outer surface of the housing, wherein the operable duct includes separate driver and passenger portions that are each in communication with the heat exchanger and the blower;
- and
- a planar blocking member that slidably operates within the operable duct to define open and closed positions of the passenger portion, the open position defined by the planar blocking member being positioned entirely outside of the driver and passenger portions;
- wherein
- when the blower is activated, the planar blocking member operates such that the driver portion of the operable duct continuously delivers blower air to a driver-side air conduit and the passenger portion of the operable duct selectively delivers blower air, to a passenger-side air conduit;
- and
- the operable duct is an adapter that is positioned between the housing and the driver-side and passenger-side air conduits and attaches the driver-side and passenger-side air conduits to the housing.
6 more elements
An air-handling system for a vehicle, the air-handling system comprising:
- a heat exchanger disposed within a housing;
- a blower in communication with the heat exchanger;
- an operable duct positioned external to the housing and in communication with each of the heat exchanger and the blower;
- and
- a planar blocking member that is slidably operable within a slot that is defined within the operable duct;
- wherein
- the operable duct includes a driver portion that serves a driver section of a passenger cabin each time the blower is activated and a passenger portion that selectively serves a passenger section of the passenger cabin when the blower is activated;
- the operable duct receives a driver-side air conduit and a passenger-side air conduit and defines an adapter that attaches the driver-side and passenger-side air conduits to the housing;
- and
- the planar blocking member of the operable duct operates within the passenger portion of the operable duct between an open position where the heat exchanger and the blower are in communication with the passenger section and a closed position wherein the heat exchanger and the blower are only in communication with the driver section, the open position defined by the planar blocking member being completely outside of the driver and passenger portions.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.