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US 12,728,697 B2Granted
Movable duct for a vehicle
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsJoel Perez, Juan Diego Bobadilla, Jose Eduardo Marquez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A movable duct includes an inlet duct segment including an inlet duct wall extending from a first inlet duct end to an opposite second inlet duct end and including at least one first elongate guide extending between the first inlet duct end and the second inlet duct end. The movable duct further includes a first telescopic duct segment having a first telescopic duct wall extending from a first telescopic duct end to an opposite second telescopic duct end and including at least one protrusion slidingly engaged with the at least one elongate guide of the inlet duct segment.
Claims18
A movable duct for a motor vehicle, the movable duct comprising:
- an inlet duct segment including:
- an inlet duct wall extending from a first inlet duct end to an opposite second inlet duct end;
- an elongate guide extending between the first inlet duct end and the second inlet duct end, wherein the elongate guide defines an inward recessed channel formed in the inlet duct wall and extending along an axial direction of the inlet duct segment;
- and
- a ramp leading portion formed at the second inlet duct end, the ramp leading portion extending at an angle towards an interior of the second inlet duct end and including an inward locating feature;
- and
- a first telescopic duct segment including:
- a first telescopic duct wall extending from a first telescopic duct end to an opposite second telescopic duct end;
- and
- a protrusion configured to slidingly engage with the elongate guide of the inlet duct segment, wherein the protrusion is formed on and extends inward from an inner surface of the first telescopic duct segment and is configured to slide within the inward recessed channel of the elongate guide,
- wherein the ramp leading portion is configured to receive and align the protrusion of the first telescopic duct segment with the elongate guide of the inlet duct segment.
8 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system configured to bring air to a desired temperature;
- a vehicle passenger compartment configured to allow a vehicle passenger therein;
- and
- a movable duct having a body defining an interior conduit configured to provide fluid communication from the vehicle HVAC system to the vehicle passenger compartment, the body having:
- an inlet duct segment coupled to the vehicle HVAC system and including:
- an inlet duct wall extending from a first inlet duct end to an opposite second inlet duct end;
- an elongate guide extending between the first inlet duct end and the second inlet duct end, wherein the elongate guide defines an inward recessed channel formed in the inlet duct wall and extending along an axial direction of the inlet duct segment;
- and
- a ramp leading portion formed at the second inlet duct end, the ramp leading portion extending at an angle towards an interior of the second inlet duct end and including an inward locating feature;
- and
- an outlet duct segment coupled to the vehicle passenger compartment, wherein the outlet duct segment is movable between an extended configuration where the outlet duct segment is located in a first location in the vehicle passenger compartment and a retracted configuration where the outlet duct segment is located in a second location in the vehicle passenger compartment, and wherein the outlet duct segment includes:
- a first telescopic duct wall extending from a first telescopic duct end to an opposite second telescopic duct end;
- and
- a protrusion configured to slidingly engage with the elongate guide of the inlet duct segment, wherein the protrusion is formed on and extends inward from an inner surface of the outlet duct segment and is configured to slide within the inward recessed channel of the elongate guide,
- wherein the ramp leading portion is configured to receive and align the protrusion of the outlet duct segment with the elongate guide of the inlet duct segment.
12 more elements
A movable duct for a vehicle having a vehicle heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and a vehicle passenger compartment, the movable duct comprising:
- a body defining an interior conduit and having:
- an inlet duct segment coupled to the vehicle HVAC system and including:
- an inlet duct wall extending from a first inlet duct end to an opposite second inlet duct end;
- an elongate guide extending between the first inlet duct end and the second inlet duct end, wherein the elongate guide defines an inward recessed channel formed in the inlet duct wall and extending along an axial direction of the inlet duct segment;
- and
- a ramp leading portion formed at the second inlet duct end, the ramp leading portion extending at an angle towards an interior of the second inlet duct end and including an inward locating feature;
- and
- an outlet duct segment coupled to the vehicle passenger compartment, wherein the outlet duct segment is linearly movable between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration and movement of the outlet duct segment between the extended configuration and the retracted configuration is telescopic movement such that the inlet duct segment and the outlet duct segment are concentric, and wherein the outlet duct segment includes:
- a first telescopic duct wall extending from a first telescopic duct end to an opposite second telescopic duct end;
- and
- a protrusion configured to slidingly engage with the elongate guide of the inlet duct segment, wherein the protrusion is formed on and extends inward from an inner surface of the outlet duct segment and is configured to slide within the inward recessed channel of the elongate guide,
- wherein the ramp leading portion is configured to receive and align the protrusion of the outlet duct segment with the elongate guide of the inlet duct segment.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.