Mix door driving mechanism for use in automotive air conditioner

Abstract

For driving a slide type air mix door, a driving mechanism is employed. The air mix door has a rack connected thereto. A gear unit is provided which includes an input gear, an output gear and a flexible structure through which the input gear and the output gear are integrally and coaxially connected. The output gear is operatively meshed with the rack. An electric actuator is provided for driving the gear unit through the input gear. Due to provision of the flexible structure, the electric actuator is prevented from being attached by an excessive load even when ill-matching occurs between de-energization of the electric actuator and arrival of the air mix door at a terminal stop position.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.