Machine element or mechanism – Mechanical movements – Reciprocating or oscillating to or from alternating rotary
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-25
2001-04-03
Bonck, Rodney H. (Department: 3681)
Machine element or mechanism
Mechanical movements
Reciprocating or oscillating to or from alternating rotary
C074S435000, C074S436000, C454S069000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209404
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an air handling apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for controlling the distribution of air flowing into the occupant compartment of a vehicle.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Vehicles, such as passenger cars and trucks, are equipped with climate control means for directing air into the occupant compartment. The climate control means includes ducts. These ducts include an air inlet to a plenum and outlets from the plenum for directing the air into the occupant compartment. The outlets may include a dashboard panel duct, a floor duct, and a defrost duct. Heating and/or air conditioning means may be incorporated in the climate control means.
The ducts are associated with a plurality of doors for selectively directing the air from the plenum to one or more of the outlets. These doors, upon being moved to appropriate open, closed, or intermediate positions, may provide for air to flow out of the plenum to the dashboard panel duct in an amount greater than to the floor duct with no flow to the defrost duct, equally to the dashboard panel and floor ducts with no flow to the defrost duct, to the floor duct in an amount greater than to the defrost duct with no flow to the dashboard panel duct, equally to the defrost and floor ducts with no flow to the dashboard panel duct, or to the defrost duct only.
The area behind the vehicle dashboard panel is usually very limited, and, therefore, it is desired that climate control means be as simple and compact as possible. Electric and vacuum controls are frequently used, but must utilize remote drive means which are expensive and difficult to maintain.
An occupant selects the position of the doors by either rotating a selector knob or moving a mechanical slide. There seldom is a directly proportional relationship between the position of any plenum door and the position of the selector knob or slide. This also complicates the apparatus. The electric controls require a specialized circuit to determine the position of the doors. The vacuum controls require a vacuum circuit, solenoid valves, and a vacuum reservoir.
A simple, durable, and compact apparatus, such as the completely mechanical and proportional structure of the present invention, will eliminate the above described deficiencies present in the prior art and allow retrofitting into already existing systems as well.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus comprises a manually rotatable input member, an input gear, an output gear, a drive link, a first planar link, and a second planar link. The input gear is operatively connected to the input member to rotate with the input member. The input gear includes a smooth portion and a toothed portion. The output gear has teeth which are operatively engageable with the toothed portion of the input gear such that the toothed portion of the input gear imparts rotation to the output gear. The smooth portion of the input gear allows rotation of the input member without imparting rotation to the output gear. The drive link is connected to the output gear such that rotation of the output gear imparts rotation to the drive link. The drive link has an engagement pin which is rotatable with the drive link. The first planar link has a first slot for receiving the engagement pin. The first planar link is rotatable by the engagement pin when the engagement pin rotates in the first slot. The second planar link has a second slot for receiving the engagement pin. The second planar link is rotatable by the engagement pin when the engagement pin rotates in the second slot.
Typically this apparatus controls doors that control air flow into the passenger compartment of a vehicle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4312381 (1982-01-01), Ratner
patent: 5281049 (1994-01-01), Holt
patent: 6129627 (2000-10-01), Jankowski et al.
Bonck Rodney H.
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell, Tummino & Szabo. L.L.P.
TRW Inc.
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