# US 2018/0022180 A1 · Air register knob assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022180 A1 - Document ID: US20180022180A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/649,303 - Filed: 2017-07-13 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-20 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Ryan Lin; Evan Tian; Gerald Yao; Michael Neumann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022180A1 ## CPC - B60H 1/0065: {Control members, e.g. levers or knobs (B60H1/00985 takes precedence)} - B60H 1/3421: {using only pivoting shutters} - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES ## Abstract An air register knob assembly comprises a vane having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; a knob having a main body. The main body is slidably connected to only the first side of the vane. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air register knob assembly, comprising: a vane having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; a knob having a main body, wherein the main body is slidably connected to only the first side of the vane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air register knob assembly of claim 1, wherein the vane includes an outer edge that is entirely uncovered. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The air register knob assembly of claim 1, wherein the knob includes an operation portion extending from the main body and beyond the outer edge of the vane, and wherein the operation portion and the main body are both spaced apart from the outer edge. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The air register knob assembly of claim 3, wherein the main body of the knob includes a connector and the first side of the vane includes a mating member slidably connected to the connector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The air register knob assembly of claim 4, wherein the connector includes a main body connector extending from a surface of the main body towards the vane, and the mating member includes a groove that engages the main body connector, and wherein the main body connector and the groove extend along a lengthwise direction of the vane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The air register knob assembly of claim 5, wherein at least one of the knob and the vane includes a stop. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The air register knob assembly of claim 5, wherein the main body connector includes a first protrusion that extends from the surface of the main body towards the vane at an angle, and the groove is defined by a second protrusion that extends from the first side of the vane and a surface of the first side of the vane, wherein the second protrusion extends towards the outer edge of the vane or an inner edge of the vane opposite the outer edge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The air register knob assembly of claim 5, wherein the main body connector includes a base, an upper slider and a lower slider, wherein the upper slider and the lower slider extends towards the outer edge of the vane and an inner edge opposite the outer edge of the vane, respectively, and wherein the groove includes an upper groove and a lower groove to receive the upper slider and the lower slider, respectively. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The air register knob assembly of claim 3, wherein the knob includes an accessory connector and the accessory connector is slidably connected to the vane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The air register knob assembly of claim 9, wherein the accessory connector is disposed on an edge of the knob opposite to the operation portion and the accessory connector is slidably connected to at least a portion of an inner edge of the vane, and wherein the inner edge of the vane has a thinner region and a standard region and the accessory connector is at least partially surrounding the thinner region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The air register knob assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the knob and the vane includes a flexible rubbing portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The air register knob assembly of claim 11, wherein the flexible rubbing portion is a rubber grommet received in a peripheral wall on the knob and wherein deformation of the rubber grommet due to a force from at least a portion of the vane generates a predetermined friction force. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The air register knob assembly of claim 12, wherein the knob has a main body. connector disposed on a surface of the knob, and the vane has a second protrusion extending from the first side of vane, wherein the second protrusion extends along a lengthwise direction of the vane and forms a groove to be slidably connected to the main body connector, and an edge of the groove applies a force to the rubber grommet to cause the deformation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The air register knob assembly of claim 13, wherein the main body connector includes two connector portions spaced apart from each other at an interval with a predetermined distance and the peripheral wall is located above the interval and above the second protrusion, and the rubber grommet is pressed by the edge of the second protrusion. ### Claim 15 An air register knob assembly, comprising: a vane having an outer edge, an inner edge opposite the outer edge, a first side between the outer edge and the inner edge, and a second side opposite the first side; and a knob connected to the vane to entirely expose the outer edge of the vane, wherein the knob is slidably connected to the first side. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The air register knob assembly of claim 15, wherein the knob includes a connector and the vane includes a mating member slidably connected to the connector, and wherein the connector is disposed only on one side of the knob and the mating member is provided only on the first side of the vane. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The air register knob assembly of claim 15, further comprising a decorative member provided along the outer edge, wherein the knob includes an operation portion extending beyond the outer edge of the vane, and the operation portion is spaced from the outer edge of the vane. ### Claim 18 An air register knob assembly, comprising: a front vane, wherein the front vane includes an outer edge along a lengthwise direction, an inner edge opposite the outer edge, a first side between the outer edge and the inner edge, a second side opposite to the first side, and a first decorative member disposed along the outer edge; and a knob, wherein the knob is slidably connected to only the first side of the vane, wherein the first decorative member is substantially aligned with a second decorative member on an instrument panel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The air register knob assembly of claim 18, wherein the first and second decorative members are chrome plated members. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The air register knob assembly of claim 18, wherein movement of the knob causes the vane to rotate around an axis passing through the outer edge portion of the vane.