Vehicle hvac unit having integrated retaining system
AssigneeDENSO International America, Inc.
InventorsBradley BIELICKI, John KLINKHAMMER, Kyle STABILE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heating, ventilation, and air condition (HVAC) unit includes a casing, a mount, and one or more flexible fingers. The casing is configured to condition air and direct the conditioned air to a vehicle occupant cabin. The mount extends from the casing and is configured to be mounted to an attachment surface. The mount includes an opening that has an inner surface. The flexible fingers each have a proximal end that extends from the inner surface and a distal end. One or more of the distal ends of the flexible fingers are configured to engage an attachment feature extending from the attachment surface and through the opening in the mount to secure the mount to the attachment feature.
Claims20
A heating, ventilation, and air condition (HVAC) unit comprising:
- a casing configured to direct conditioned air to a vehicle occupant cabin;
- a first mount extending from the casing and configured to be mounted to an attachment surface, the first mount including a first opening having a first inner surface;
- and
- one or more first flexible fingers each having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end extending from the first inner surface,
- wherein one or more of the distal ends of the one or more first flexible fingers are configured to be engaged with a first attachment feature extending from the attachment surface and through the first opening in the first mount to secure the first mount to the first attachment feature.
A heating, ventilation, and air condition (HVAC) unit comprising:
- a casing configured to direct conditioned air to a vehicle occupant cabin;
- a mount extending from the casing and configured to be mounted to an attachment surface, the mount including a slot and an opening;
- and
- a retaining washer moveably disposed within the slot and including one or more flexible retaining features each having a proximal end and a distal end,
- wherein one or more of the distal ends of the one or more flexible retaining features are configured to be engaged with an attachment feature extending from the attachment surface and through the opening in the mount to secure the mount to the attachment feature.
A method for coupling a heating, ventilation, and air condition (HVAC) unit to an attachment surface, the method comprising:
- providing the attachment surface, the attachment surface having at least one attachment feature extending therefrom;
- aligning an opening formed in a mount of the HVAC unit with the at least one attachment feature of the attachment surface;
- and
- inserting the at least one attachment feature through the opening such that one or more flexible fingers associated with the mount engage the at least one attachment feature to secure the mount to the at least one attachment feature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.