EP0780642A2 - Schalthebel - Google Patents

Schalthebel Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0780642A2
EP0780642A2 EP96309011A EP96309011A EP0780642A2 EP 0780642 A2 EP0780642 A2 EP 0780642A2 EP 96309011 A EP96309011 A EP 96309011A EP 96309011 A EP96309011 A EP 96309011A EP 0780642 A2 EP0780642 A2 EP 0780642A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
flow control
control device
air
fluid
flow
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP96309011A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0780642A3 (de
EP0780642B1 (de
Inventor
Stephen Risch
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Valeo Climate Control Corp
Original Assignee
Valeo Climate Control Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Valeo Climate Control Corp filed Critical Valeo Climate Control Corp
Publication of EP0780642A2 publication Critical patent/EP0780642A2/de
Publication of EP0780642A3 publication Critical patent/EP0780642A3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0780642B1 publication Critical patent/EP0780642B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
    • F24F13/08—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates
    • F24F13/10—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers
    • F24F13/14—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre
    • F24F13/1426—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre characterised by actuating means
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
    • F24F13/08—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates
    • F24F13/10—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers
    • F24F13/14—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre
    • F24F13/1486—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre characterised by bearings, pivots or hinges
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
    • F24F13/08—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates
    • F24F13/10—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers
    • F24F13/14—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre
    • F24F13/1406—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre characterised by sealing means
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
    • F24F13/08—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates
    • F24F13/10—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers
    • F24F13/14—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre
    • F24F13/1426—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre characterised by actuating means
    • F24F2013/1453—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre characterised by actuating means with cables, e.g. bowden cables
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
    • F24F13/08—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates
    • F24F13/10—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers
    • F24F13/14—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre
    • F24F13/1426—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre characterised by actuating means
    • F24F2013/1473—Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates movable, e.g. dampers built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre characterised by actuating means with cams or levers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a control lever for an air conditioning apparatus, to an air conditioning apparatus, to an air flow control apparatus and to a fluid flow control apparatus.
  • a fluid flow control device such as a flap valve
  • a fluid path for controlling the flow of fluid through the path.
  • a flow control device known in the art as a blend door is moved within an air passage to control the flow of air in the passage, for example to control the temperature of air by controlling the relative proportions of air applied to respective hot and cold air passages.
  • a problem which is experienced in controlling the flow of fluid is that the fluid flow control device is subject to force due to the flow of the fluid through the path.
  • this problem is made worse by the use of a variable-speed blower.
  • the force of air under high blower conditions may cause the blend door to move from the intermediate position toward one of the two end positions.
  • a fluid flow control apparatus comprising a body defining a path for fluid, a flow control device selectably positionable with respect to the body for controlling flow of said fluid in said fluid path; and a resilient member acting on the flow control device to oppose movement thereof with respect to said body; wherein the flow control device has a control portion and the resilient member exerts a force on said control portion the amount of which depends on the position of the flow control device to counteract the action on the flow control device of fluid in said path.
  • the flow control device is rotatably mounted with respect to the body, the control portion of the fluid control device has a cam surface having a cam surface profile, the said resilient member acts on the cam surface of said flow control device in accordance with the position of the flow device.
  • the resilient member comprises a leaf spring secured to said body.
  • cam surface profile is selected so that the force exerted by the resilient member follows a desired relation to the position of the flow control device.
  • an air flow control apparatus comprising a body defining an air passage, a flow control device and a resilient member, the flow control device being positionable with respect to said air passage for controlling the flow of air therethrough, the fluid control device having a cam portion and the resilient member exerting a force on the said cam portion the amount of which depends on the position of the flow control device to counteract the action of air on the flow control device.
  • the flow control device is rotatably secured to said body.
  • the cam portion has a profile selected so that the force exerted by the resilient member follows a desired relation to the position of the flow control device.
  • the resilient member comprises a leaf spring secured to the said body.
  • an air conditioning apparatus comprising a body defining an air passage, a blend door rotatably secured to the body and adjustably positioned with respect to the passage for controlling the flow of air in said passage and a control mechanism for controlling the position of said blend door with respect to the said air passage, the control mechanism comprising a cam surface portion and a leaf spring, the leaf spring being secured to said body and engaging the cam surface portion to prevent flow of air in said air passage from opening the said blend door.
  • control mechanism comprises a rotatable lever defining said cam surface portion, and having a cable securing portion for attachment thereto of a control cable for setting the position of said blend door.
  • a rotatable lever for an air conditioning apparatus having an actuating portion for rotating the lever, a drive portion for moving a blend door of said apparatus to a desired position for controlling the flow of air, and a cam surface portion for engaging a leaf spring to counteract the action of air in said passageway on said blend door.
  • Figure 1 shows a partially cut away perspective view of a part of an air flow control apparatus illustrating the problems of the prior art.
  • Figure 2 shows a sectional view of a part of an air conditioning apparatus to which the present invention may be applied.
  • Figure 3 shows an isometric view of a control lever for use in the present invention.
  • Figure 4 shows a plan view of a control lever engaging a leaf spring for use in the present invention, the control lever being in a first rotational position.
  • Figure 5 shows a view similar to Figure 4, but with the control lever in a second rotational position.
  • reference numeral 1 shows a portion of an air flow duct of generally rectangular cross section for use in an air flow control apparatus.
  • the duct 1 has, as viewed in Figure 1 an upper wall 11, a lower wall 12 and opposing side walls 13 and 14, all of which form a body defining a passage for air which moves in the direction indicated as 'R'.
  • a flow control device 2 has the form of a flap valve, and is pivotably mounted in and with respect to the duct 1.
  • the flow control device 2 is so dimensioned that when it is disposed generally transverse to the axis of the duct 1, the passage of air through the duct is substantially prevented.
  • the pivotal mounting of the flow control device 2 allows it to move to a position where it is disposed generally along the top wall 11 of the duct 1, and substantially parallel to the axis of the duct 1. In this latter position, free passage of air through the duct is enabled.
  • the flow control device 2 is secured to a shaft 3 which is supported at one end thereof by a pivot 4 in one side wall 14 of the duct 1. At the other end, the shaft is supported in a similar pivot 5 mounted in the opposite wall 13 of the duct.
  • the above-mentioned other end of the shaft is secured to a control lever 6 which extends at right angles to the shaft.
  • the control lever 6 has a distal end region 7 to which is secured a lever 8 adapted to move the lever 6 and hence the flow control device 2.
  • the lever 8 may be actuated in any known fashion, and in Figure 1 there is shown a diagramatic representation of a slide lever 9 slidably mounted in a guide 10, in a control panel 15. The lever 8 could be replaced by a cable.
  • detent mechanism to positively locate the flow control device in both its open and closed position.
  • detent mechanisms could be provided at the slide lever 9 for example.
  • the device 2 is disposed approximately midway between the fully open and fully closed positions. Air passing through the duct in the direction "R" will impinge upon the surface of the device 2 and exert a force on the device so as to tend to move the device to its fully open position. To overcome this, it has been proposed to provide friction in the control arrangement to prevent the air passing through the duct from causing the device 2 to open. A problem with this approach is however that operating the control system requires substantial effort.
  • an air conditioning device includes a fan 100 mounted for rotation in a duct 101, and, in operation, causing air to move in the direction shown by the arrows marked "A".
  • duct 101 divides into a first passage 102 and a second passage 103 which is generally parallel to the first passage 102.
  • a heat exchanger 104 heated by liquid, such as engine coolant, is disposed in the second passage 103. Downstream of the heat exchanger 104 the two passages 102 and 103 combine together to form an outlet passage 105.
  • a flow control device 110 known in the art as a blend door is pivotally mounted in the vicinity of the junction of the first and second passages 102, 103. The size of the blend door 110 is such that in a first end pivotal orientation 111 the blend door substantially closes the first passage 102 and in the second pivotal orientation 112 the blend door 110 substantially closes the second passage 103.
  • the pivotal orientation of the blend door 110 is controllable so as to set desired proportions of the air flow A to flow through the first passage 102 and the second passage 103. That quantity of air which passes through the first passage 102 passes through the outlet passage 105 with no substantial change in temperature, whereas that quantity of air which flows through the second passage 103 is raised in temperature by passing through the heat exchanger 104 into the outlet passage 105.
  • increase in temperature of the air at the outlet passage 105 over the temperature in the duct 101 is controllable by selecting the position of the blend door 110.
  • the air in the inlet duct 101 has already been passed through a cooling heat exchanger, so as to provide full air conditioning. It will however be understood that the device of Figure 2 might alternatively be applied to a vehicle heater, without air conditioning, in which case the inlet duct 101 could receive air either from the interior of the vehicle directly or from outside the vehicle.
  • control lever 20 has a distal end region 21 extending from a generally cylindrical body portion 22.
  • a shaft portion 23 comprising a first locating portion 24 and a drive portion 25 extends axially from one end of the body portion 22 and is adapted to drive flow control device 2 of Figure 1 or blend door 110 of Figure 2.
  • a cam portion 25 extends radially from the body portion 22.
  • Figure 4 shows a plan view of the control lever 20 of Figure 3 with the cam portion 25 engaging a leaf spring 30 and mounted on the wall 13 of Figure 1.
  • the leaf spring consists of a first portion which is a generally straight strip of resilient metal and a hook portion 31 for engaging a support 32.
  • the support 32 is shown as a generally cylindrical projection from the wall 13 of the duct 1. Where the duct is formed from plastics material, reinforcing ribs 33 are provided to give additional strength to the duct wall for supporting the projection 32.
  • two guide pins 34, 35 project from the wall 13 of the duct 1.
  • the pins 34 and 35 have a gap between them, and are disposed so that the first pin 34 engages one side of the spring 30 and the second pin 35 engages the other side of the spring 30 while the spring remains in its rest condition.
  • the cam portion 25 has a profile which is chosen to provide a desired force between the spring 30 and the control lever 20 depending on the position of the associated blend door 2.
  • reference sign B represents a point of contact of the spring 30 on the cam portion 25.
  • Reference sign O represents the pivotal center of the lever 20 and the line referenced F represents the direction of the force exerted by the spring 30 on the lever 20. It will be seen that the force F is directed along the line BO, in other words to the rotational center of the lever 20. Thus with the lever in this position, there is no torsional force acting on the control lever due to the spring 30.
  • the lever is shown in a second position, having been rotated clockwise, as shown in Figure 4, from the position of Figure 4.
  • Reference sign C shows the point of contact of the spring 30 on the cam portion 25 of the lever 20 and reference sign G represents the direction of the force exerted by the spring 30 on the lever 20. It will be seen that with the lever in this position, the force exerted does not pass through the rotational center O of the lever 20.
  • the spring 30 exerts a torsional couple in an anticlockwise direction on the lever 20 so as to tend to rotate the lever in the anticlockwise direction.
  • the force exerted by the spring 30 can be considered as having a first component at right angles to the line CO, which represents the torsional couple and a second component along the line CO which gives rise to a frictional holding force which tends to retain the control lever 20 in position.
  • cam portion 25 shaped to provide substantially no torsional force when the lever is in the position shown in Figure 4 and substantially a maximum torsional force when the lever is as shown in Figure 5. It will however be understood that other shapes of the cam portion 25 could be provided so as to a different distribution of torsional force. For example, it may be desirable for the cam to provide an anticlockwise couple when the lever is at one extreme position, a clockwise couple when the lever is at the opposite end position and no torsional couple when the lever is at the center position, so that the lever tends to return to the central position.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Air-Conditioning For Vehicles (AREA)
  • Preventing Unauthorised Actuation Of Valves (AREA)
EP19960309011 1995-12-21 1996-12-11 Schalthebel Expired - Lifetime EP0780642B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US57607095A 1995-12-21 1995-12-21
US576070 1995-12-21

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0780642A2 true EP0780642A2 (de) 1997-06-25
EP0780642A3 EP0780642A3 (de) 2000-05-31
EP0780642B1 EP0780642B1 (de) 2004-06-16

Family

ID=24302854

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19960309011 Expired - Lifetime EP0780642B1 (de) 1995-12-21 1996-12-11 Schalthebel

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0780642B1 (de)
DE (1) DE69632714T2 (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1134507A2 (de) * 2000-03-17 2001-09-19 Werner Wildeboer Volumenstromregler
EP2489914A3 (de) * 2011-02-18 2014-08-20 CB-tec GmbH Zuluft-Wanddurchführung
WO2014209275A1 (en) * 2013-06-25 2014-12-31 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Fan module

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3227882A1 (de) * 1982-07-26 1984-01-26 H. Krantz Gmbh & Co, 5100 Aachen Volumenstrom- bzw. druckregler
DE4135263C2 (de) * 1991-10-25 1994-12-08 Daimler Benz Ag Bedieneinrichtung für eine fernbetätigbare Stelleinrichtung
DE9208345U1 (de) * 1992-06-23 1992-11-12 Gebrüder Trox, GmbH, 4133 Neukirchen-Vluyn Volumenstromregler für Klima- und Lüftungsanlagen
DE4411935C1 (de) * 1994-04-07 1995-04-20 Daimler Benz Ag Stellantriebseinrichtung

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
None

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1134507A2 (de) * 2000-03-17 2001-09-19 Werner Wildeboer Volumenstromregler
EP1134507A3 (de) * 2000-03-17 2002-07-03 Werner Wildeboer Volumenstromregler
EP2489914A3 (de) * 2011-02-18 2014-08-20 CB-tec GmbH Zuluft-Wanddurchführung
WO2014209275A1 (en) * 2013-06-25 2014-12-31 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Fan module
CN105339739A (zh) * 2013-06-25 2016-02-17 惠普发展公司，有限责任合伙企业 风扇模块
CN105339739B (zh) * 2013-06-25 2018-02-06 慧与发展有限责任合伙企业 风扇模块
US10077784B2 (en) 2013-06-25 2018-09-18 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development Lp Fan module

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0780642A3 (de) 2000-05-31
DE69632714D1 (de) 2004-07-22
EP0780642B1 (de) 2004-06-16
DE69632714T2 (de) 2005-06-30

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