Ventilation – Vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-05
2001-07-03
Ferensic, Denise L. (Department: 3749)
Ventilation
Vehicle
C237S01230A
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254474
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION, AND STATE OF THE ART
The invention relates to a control unit for a ventilation arrangement in a vehicle whereby the control unit is designed to indicate and initiate a supply of an air flow to at least three intake air regions in the vehicle, which control unit incorporates a first control device designed to indicate and initiate a supply of said air flow to the three intake air regions by a first intake air distribution which in each control position caters to at most two of said intake.
A control unit in a vehicle needs to be designed so that it can be easily and intuitively read and set to achieve a desired effect. It is also necessary for its setting to be possible without the vehicle driver having to shift his gaze and hence his concentration from surrounding traffic. Control units for controlling intake air in a vehicle usually supply the intake air to three regions, viz. a defroster region, a panel region and a floor region. A problem which arises in this respect is designing a control unit which in a simple and natural manner does at the same time indicate and symbolize a desired intake air supply to these three regions.
Known from, for example, GB, B, 2 212 587 is a control unit for a ventilation arrangement in a vehicle which incorporates a control device in the form of a knob which can be set at and between indicating positions associated with three intake air regions. This entails the limitation that a single control device can only be set between two indicating positions, with the result that intake air can only be supplied to at most two intake air regions simultaneously. Simultaneous supply of intake air to all three intake regions is thus impossible. Moreover, intake air cannot be supplied simultaneously to two regions which do not have adjacent indicating positions.
Another known control unit for supply of intake air to said three intake air regions in a vehicle uses three separate control devices, one for each intake air region.
Each of these three control devices is moved individually along its separate path. This control unit makes it possible for intake air to be supplied entirely variably to said intake air regions. Disadvantages of this control unit are that it occupies a large amount of space on the instrument panel and that the driver has to shift his gaze from surrounding traffic in order to make sure that the correct control device is set and what position it is in.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforesaid disadvantages of existing control units for a ventilation arrangement in a vehicle that the control unit incorporates a second control device designed to indicate and initiate a supply of an air flow to the three intake air regions by a second intake air distribution which in each control position caters to at most two of said intake air regions; i.e. to provide a control unit which in an easy and natural manner indicates and initiates intake air supply to at least three intake air regions. It is also desired to provide an intake air system which can encompass all three intake air regions simultaneously.
This object is achieved by the control unit also incorporating a second control device designed to indicate and initiate the supply of said air flow to the three inlet regions by a second intake air distribution system which in each control position caters to at most two of said intake air regions. Using two control devices means that they can be set so that intake air can be provided to all three intake regions simultaneously or, if so desired, to any two out of said three intake air regions or to only one intake air region. The two control devices being set in two separate positions results in it being appreciated intuitively that the total intake air distributed is the aggregate indicated setting of said two control devices. If for example one of the control devices is set in a defroster position while the other control device is set in a floor position, it is appreciated intuitively that the intake air is distributed equally between these two intake air regions.
According to one embodiment of the invention the first and second control devices are movable along a path which exhibits along its extent indicating positions associated with said intake air regions. Said indicating positions along the path should substantially symbolize the location of the inlet air regions in the vehicle. In other words, the locations of the intake air regions in the vehicle should in a natural way reflect the indicating positions along the path, e.g. if the inlet air regions are located in a vertical direction or in a lateral direction of the vehicle, said path may extend in that direction, and the indicating position of each air intake region may be situated along that path according to its actual location in the vehicle.
According to a further and advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first and second control devices are movable along a common path. This means that the control unit can be made relatively compact so as not to occupy an unnecessarily large area of the instrument panel. Said first and second control devices may also be arranged one after another along this path. This enables the control devices to be moved along said path together if, for example, they are to be set in the same indicating position such as a defroster position when it is desired that all of the intake air should flow up towards the windscreen.
According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, said path takes the form of a substantially arcuate section. When moving a control device along an arcuate path, the driver can, via the controlling hand, detect the curvature of the path or the angle of inclination of the control device, and hence perceive the approximate setting of the control device without removing his gaze from surrounding traffic. It is in this case advantageous if said arcuate section extends substantially in a vertical direction of the vehicle so that said intake air region indicating positions (defroster, panel and floor) can be arranged in a vertical direction along said arcuate section.
To facilitate manual operation of the control unit, the first and second control devices each include a manual gripping part. It is advantageous if said gripping part includes an elongate section extending substantially perpendicular to the extent of the path. It is appropriate if said gripping part also extends out towards the driver so as to be easy to grip. It is advantageous if said long and narrow section is designed so that, depending on its position along the path, it points in a direction perceivable by hand. If the path is non-linear in form, an elongate gripping part which extends at an angle relative to the extent of the path will, depending on the curvature of the path, point in a specific direction. In the case, for example, of a path which is arcuate and extends in a vertical direction in the vehicle, the direction in which said section points can be perceived by its being gripped by hand. If said section points substantially upwards, the control device will be in a defroster position, but if said section points substantially horizontally the control device will be in a panel position, and if said section points downwards the control device will be in a floor position. Intermediate positions for each control device can also be perceived between these three intake air region indicating positions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4936159 (1990-06-01), Kallio
patent: 5338249 (1994-08-01), Hildebrand et al.
patent: 5700191 (1997-12-01), Nieling et al.
patent: 6042472 (2000-03-01), Arsenault et al.
patent: 2212587 (1989-07-01), None
Boles Derek S.
Ferensic Denise L.
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
Scania CV Aktiebolag (publ)
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