FR3139039A1 - Aeration device comprising tubes - Google Patents

Abstract

Aeration device comprising tubes Aeration device (10) comprising a conduit (12) extending along an axis between an inlet and an outlet and a guiding element (18) of a gas flow circulating in the conduit ( 12) from the inlet to the outlet, the guide element (18) extending in the conduit (12) and making it possible to direct said gas flow at the outlet of the conduit (12), characterized in that the guide element (18) comprises a plurality of tubes (19), each tube (19) comprising an inlet end (21) and an outlet end (22), the gas flow circulating in said tubes (19) from their inlet end (21) to their outlet end (22), the guide element (18) being deformable in at least one direction of deformation different from the direction of the axis of the conduit (12) to modify the orientation of the outlet end (22) of said tubes (19). Figure for abstract: 1

Description

Aeration device comprising tubes

The present invention relates to a ventilation device, of the type comprising a conduit extending along an axis between an inlet and an outlet and an element for guiding a gas flow circulating in the conduit from the inlet to the outlet, the the guide element extending in the conduit and making it possible to direct said gas flow at the outlet of the conduit.

The ventilation device is for example a ventilation, air extraction, cooling or heating device. The invention relates in particular to a ventilation device for a vehicle passenger compartment. It is generally fixed or housed in a trim element of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, such as a dashboard, a door panel, a central console, a ceiling light, etc. of the vehicle and comprises an outlet opening opening into an external surface of the trim element and into the passenger compartment.

Such a device is for example arranged to allow a user to direct a flow of air leaving the ventilation device in a desired direction in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

To do this, the ventilation device comprises at least one movable element forming a deflector, for example a flap or fin, a set of fins or the like, movable in rotation relative to the air outlet orifice so as to that its movement makes it possible to direct the air flow leaving through the outlet orifice in a particular direction. The movement is controlled manually by a user by means of a control device connected to the mobile element.

However, in certain positions of the deflector, the air flow leaving the ventilation device undergoes pressure losses due to the modification of the flow passage section caused by the modification of the surface of the deflector extending in through the gas flow circulation conduit. The air flow is then not constant at the outlet of the device depending on the angle of inclination of the deflector.

One of the aims of the invention is to overcome this drawback by proposing a ventilation device whose outlet air flow is kept constant in all positions of the guide element relative to the duct.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a ventilation device of the aforementioned type, in which the guide element comprises a plurality of tubes, each tube comprising an inlet end extending on the side of the inlet of the conduit and an outlet end extending on the outlet side of the conduit, the gas flow circulating in said tubes from their inlet end to their outlet end, the guide element being deformable in at least one direction of deformation different from the direction of the axis of the conduit to modify the orientation of the outlet end of said tubes.

Thus, regardless of the orientation of the outlet end of the tubes, the gas flow is constant from the inlet to the outlet of the device since the passage section of this flow within the tube is kept constant. The ventilation device, due to the deformability of the guide element, is easily orientable in the desired direction.

The ventilation device according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following characteristics, taken individually or in any technically conceivable combination:

- the guide element is deformable in at least two different deformation directions;

- each tube has a substantially constant section during the deformation of the guide element according to the direction of deformation;

- the aeration device comprises a rigid downstream frame surrounding a downstream end of the guide element in the vicinity of the outlet end of the tubes and fixing the downstream end of the guide element at the outlet of the conduit;

- the ventilation device comprises at least one rigid central frame surrounding a central part of the guide element between the inlet and outlet ends of the tubes and being movable in each direction of deformation of the guide element;

- the ventilation device comprises two central frames each movable in a different direction of deformation of the guide element;

- the or each movable frame is mounted on a rail extending in the conduit in the direction of deformation of the guide element;

- the aeration device comprises a rigid upstream frame surrounding an upstream end of the guide element in the vicinity of the inlet end of the tubes, the upstream frame being movable in translation in the direction of the axis to accompany the deformation of the guide element according to the direction of deformation;

- the guide element comprises a deformable housing having substantially flat walls received in the or each frame, the tubes extending inside the housing;

- the guide element is made of elastomeric material.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

- there is a schematic representation in section along a longitudinal plane of a ventilation device according to the invention;

- there is a schematic representation in section along the longitudinal plane of the ventilation device on the , according to a deformation position of a guide element;

- there is a schematic representation in section along the longitudinal plane of the ventilation device on the , according to another deformation position of the guide element; And

- there is a schematic representation in section along a transverse plane of the ventilation device on the .

In the description, for a pipe, the longitudinal direction corresponds to the upstream-downstream direction of the pipe and the transverse direction is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the transverse direction corresponding to the width or diameter of the pipe. The term “upstream” is defined in relation to the orientation of the flow of the gas flow in an aeration device 10 and is opposed to the term “downstream”.

In reference to the , we describe the ventilation device 10 of a motor vehicle. The ventilation device 10 comprises a conduit 12 of cylindrical shape, the section of which is for example circular or polygonal, for example rectangular or square. The conduit extends along an axis between an inlet and an outlet. The axis of the conduit extends in the upstream-downstream direction.

The inlet of the conduit 12 is for example connected to the ventilation system of the vehicle, the inlet of the conduit 12 being in fluid communication with a ventilation device not shown, the ventilation device generating a gas flow, for example a flow of air, the gas flow circulating in conduit 12 in an upstream-downstream direction until the outlet of conduit 12.

The outlet of conduit 12 opens for example into a trim element of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle such as a dashboard, a door panel, a central console, a ceiling light, etc. of the vehicle.

The conduit 12 comprises a shutter flap 14 extending into the conduit, for example in the vicinity of the entrance to the conduit. The shutter flap 14 comprises at least one deflector 16 movable between an open position and a closed position. The shutter flap 14, in its closed position, closes the conduit 12 and prevents the passage of the gas flow between the inlet and outlet of the conduit. The shutter flap 14 allows the circulation of the air flow towards the outlet. In other words, the shutter 14 allows the ventilation device 10 to operate in the open position and prevents it from operating in the closed position.

In the embodiment shown in , the shutter 14 comprises two deflectors 16 movable in rotation around an axis orthogonal to the longitudinal section plane. The deflectors 16 are shown in their open position. The deflectors 16 have an aerodynamic profile in their open position. This makes it possible to avoid limiting the pressure loss in conduit 12.

The deflectors 16 in their closed position abut against a wall of the conduit 12. The deflectors 16 in their open position are positioned in order to present a small contact surface with a gas flow. In the open position, the deflectors 16 also abut against an element of the conduit 12 not shown in order to limit the movement of the deflectors 16 between the closed position and the open position.

The aeration device 10 comprises an element 18 for guiding the gas flow, extending in the conduit 12. The guiding element 18 comprises an inlet located in the conduit 12, for example downstream of the shutter flap 14 and a outlet extending in the vicinity of the outlet of conduit 12 or coinciding therewith.

The guide element 18 comprises a plurality of tubes 19, each tube 19 comprising an inlet end 21 extending on the inlet side of the conduit 12 and an outlet end 22 extending on the outlet side of the conduit 12. conduit 12, the gas flow circulating in said tubes 19 from their inlet end 21 to their outlet end 22. The tubes 19 advantageously have a circular section. The tubes 19 are distributed parallel to each other. The tubes 19 are substantially identical to each other. The guide element comprises for example between two and several hundred tubes 19 in the conduit 12. The tubes 19 extend in the conduit such that the gas flow circulating in the conduit passes through the tubes 19.

According to one embodiment, the guide element 18 comprises a housing 20 receiving the tubes 19. In one embodiment, particularly when the conduit has a polygonal section, the housing 20 has substantially flat walls surrounding the tubes 19. In variant, in particular when the conduit has a circular section, the housing 20 has a wall of circular section surrounding the tubes 19.

The tubes 19 are firmly framed by the wall(s) of the housing 20 such that each tube 19 has no freedom of movement with respect to the housing 20. Each tube 19 is in contact with other tubes 19 and/or with a wall of the housing 20.

Advantageously, the housing 20 is made from one piece with the tubes 19.

The guide element 18 is deformable in at least one direction of deformation different from the direction of the axis of the flow. In particular, the housing 20 is deformable in at least one direction of deformation different from the direction of the axis of the flow. Advantageously the tubes 19 are deformable in at least one direction of deformation different from the direction of the axis of the flow. A deformation direction is therefore defined as a direction different from the flow axis. The direction of deformation is for example substantially perpendicular to the direction of the axis.

The direction of deformation is advantageously the up-down direction or the left-right direction of the vehicle.

In an undeformed configuration for the guide element 18, the gas flow is substantially orthogonal to the outlet of the conduit.

In particular, the guide element 18 is deformable in at least two different deformation directions, in particular two orthogonal deformation directions. Thus the guide element 18 is deformable in all directions of the plane orthogonal to the axis of the flow by decomposition of the direction of deformation according to the two different deformation directions.

The two main directions are then advantageously the up-down direction and the left-right direction of the vehicle.

The conduit 12 presents at the level of the guide element 18 an enlarged zone 23 creating a larger conduit section than upstream of the conduit 12. The guide element 18 is in sealed contact with the walls of the conduit 12 upstream of the enlarged zone 23, the entire gas flow passing through the guide element 18. Upstream of the enlarged zone 23, the shape of the housing 20 is for example substantially complementary to the conduit 12.

The enlarged zone 23 allows the guide element 18 and in particular the housing 20 to deform without coming into contact with the walls of the conduit 12.

Each tube 19 has a substantially constant section during the deformation of the guide element 18 according to the direction of deformation. The deformation of each tube 19 causes a curvature along the axis of the gas flow without modifying the section of the tube 19. This allows at any time and regardless of the deformation, to maintain a constant passage section of the inlet of the element guide 18 at the exit. There is therefore a limited load loss in the guide element 18 between the position represented in and a distorted position.

Each tube 19 has a length, measured between the inlet end 21 and the outlet end 22, substantially constant during the deformation of the guide element 18. In fact each tube 19 is included in the housing 20 of length along the axis of the constant flow. This makes it possible to have a homogeneous distribution of the entire air flow in each tube 19.

Each tube 19 is made of an elastomeric material capable of deformation while maintaining a constant section along each tube 19. This makes it possible in particular to avoid bending along the tubes 19 preventing the gas from circulating or reducing its flow rate. The material is also not very extensible, allowing each tube 19 to keep substantially the same length in any deformation position.

The housing 20 is also constructed of a deformable and rigid elastomeric material in order to firmly hold the plurality of tubes 19 in place.

There and the present the aeration device 10 deformed in directions orthogonal to the direction of the gas flow.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, in a deformation position the guide element 18 directs the gas flow as a function of the deformation position. A deformation in a direction YY in one direction results in an orientation of the outlet of each tube 19 in a specific direction, as shown in the figure. . A deformation in a direction YY in the opposite direction results in an orientation of the outlet of each tube 19 in an opposite direction, as shown in the figure. .

The ventilation device 10 comprises at least one rigid central frame 24 surrounding a central part of the guide element 18, at the level of the housing 20. The wall(s) are received in the or each central frame 24.

The or each central frame 24 is mounted on a rail 26 extending in the conduit 12 in the direction of deformation of the guide element 18. The rail 26 is fixed integrally to the conduit 12 by a fixing system not shown.

The or each central frame 24 is movable according to the or each direction of deformation of the guide element 18. The movement of the central frame 24 causes the movement of the housing 20.

In particular, the ventilation device 10 comprises two central frames 24 each movable in a different direction of deformation of the guide element 18. The central frames 24 are movable independently of each other.

The central frames 24 are for example nested one inside the other as shown on the . The guide element 18 is included in two interleaved central frames 24 moving in two orthogonal directions. An inner central frame 28 being positioned in an outer central frame 30. The rail 26 of the inner central frame 28 is placed inside the contours of the outer central frame 30. In other words, the inner central frame 28 is moved by relative to and in the outer central frame 30. The rail 26 of the outer central frame 30 is positioned on the walls of the conduit 12.

The inner central frame 28 moves linearly relative to the outer central frame 30. The outer central frame 30 moves linearly relative to the conduit 12.

The aeration device 10 also comprises a rigid downstream frame 32 surrounding a downstream end of the guide element 18 and fixing the end of the guide element 18 in the vicinity of the outlet of the conduit 12. According to one embodiment , the end of the guide element 18 coincides with the outlet of the conduit 12 and the downstream frame extends at the level of the mouth formed by the outlet of the conduit 12. The outlet end 22 of the tubes 19 is thus fixed by the downstream frame 32. The downstream frame 32 is immobile in translation relative to the conduit 12, in particular in the upstream-downstream direction. The orientation of the outlet end 22 of the tubes 19 is angularly movable around a direction of deformation relative to the conduit 12. In a given deformation position, the air flow is directed according to the orientation of the outlet end 22 of tubes 19.

The housing 20 at the level of the downstream frame 32 is therefore rigidly fixed relative to the conduit 12 and is not very deformable.

The aeration device 10 comprises a rigid upstream frame 34 surrounding an upstream end of the guide element 18, the upstream frame 34 being movable in translation relative to the conduit 12 in the direction of the axis to accompany the deformation of the guide element 18 according to the direction of deformation.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the upstream end of the guide element 18 has been moved along the axis of the flow relative to the where the guide element 18 is not deformed.

The upstream frame 34 is mounted on an upstream rail 36 extending in the conduit 12 in the upstream-downstream direction. Upstream of the enlarged zone 23, the upstream rail 36 is fixed integrally to the conduit 12 by a fixing system not shown.

The upstream rail 36 includes a stop preventing strong deformation of the guide element 18. This makes it possible to avoid damaging the guide element 18 by subjecting it to excessive stress.

The upstream frame 34 fixes the guide element 18 integrally and prevents the angular movement of the inlet end 21 of the tubes 19 around an axis different from the axis of the flow. This ensures the entry of the entire gas flow into the tubes 19 having an orientation parallel to the flow in the vicinity of the entrance to the guide element 18.

According to one embodiment, a protective grid 38 extends into the outlet of conduit 12 opening into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The grid 38 is fixed to the conduit 12 at its periphery. In one embodiment, the downstream frame 32 is also fixed to the grid 38 by screws not shown. The grid 38 provides protection to the guide element 18 against external elements which could damage the tubes 19.

A control device not shown is mechanically connected to the central frames 24 and allows a user to control the deformation of the guide element 18. The control device is for example a wheel present on the front of a trim element or a system motorized activated by a press button or other.

A method of orienting the ventilation device 10 will now be described.

The control device not shown is actuated by a user present in the motor vehicle. The information is transmitted to the central frames 24 in the form of pressure in a direction of deformation of the guide element 18. The central frames 24 are thus moved in the direction of deformation of the guide element 18, in sliding in the rails 26 on which they are mounted. The direction of deformation is broken down into a movement along the outer central frame 30 then a movement along the inner central frame 28. The central frames 24 rigidly framing the housing 20 of the guide element 18, the guide element 18 is deformed in the desired deformation direction. The exterior orifice of the tubes 19 is oriented according to the desired deformation. The orientation of the gas flow is thus modified.

The aeration device 10, through its deformable guide element 18, makes it possible to direct the gas flow at the outlet of the conduit 12.

The different directions of deformation of the guide element 18 allow the ventilation device 10 to effectively ventilate a large part of the vehicle passenger compartment.

The rigid downstream frame 32 makes it possible to secure the guide element 18 with the conduit 12. The downstream frame 32 ensures that the outlet of the guide element 18 is substantially identical to the outlet of the aeration device 10. The flow of The air is therefore sent outside of conduit 12.

The tubes 19 ensure a constant flow passage section within each tube 19 maintaining a constant air flow at the outlet of the aeration device 10 regardless of the position of the guide element 18 relative to the conduit 12. This makes it possible to improve passenger comfort within the passenger compartment by offering an identical air flow regardless of the targeted area.

The upstream frame 34 ensures good support for the deformation of the guide element 18 according to the direction of deformation.

The housing 20 makes it possible to give a structure to the plurality of tubes 19, while presenting a support surface for the frames. The housing 20 also protects the tubes 19 from the pressure of the central frames 24 by evenly distributing the pressure of the central frames 24 over the entire length of the tubes 19.

The rails 26, 36 allow fluid sliding of the guide element 18 throughout its movement.

Claims (10)

Ventilation device (10) comprising a conduit (12) extending along an axis between an inlet and an outlet and a guiding element (18) of a gas flow circulating in the conduit (12) from the inlet to the outlet, the guide element (18) extending in the conduit (12) and making it possible to direct said gas flow at the outlet of the conduit (12), characterized in that the guide element (18) comprises a plurality of tubes (19), each tube (19) comprising an inlet end (21) extending on the inlet side of the conduit (12) and an outlet end (22) extending on the side of the outlet of the conduit (12), the gas flow circulating in said tubes (19) from their inlet end (21) to their outlet end (22), the guide element (18) being deformable according to at least one direction of deformation different from the direction of the axis of the conduit (12) to modify the orientation of the outlet end (22) of said tubes (19). Ventilation device (10) according to claim 1, in which the guide element (18) is deformable in at least two different deformation directions. Aeration device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, in which each tube (19) has a substantially constant section during the deformation of the guide element (18) in the direction of deformation. Aeration device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the aeration device (10) comprises a rigid downstream frame (32) surrounding a downstream end of the guide element (18) in the vicinity of the outlet end (22) of the tubes (19) and fixing the downstream end of the guide element (18) at the outlet of the conduit (12). Ventilation device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the ventilation device (10) comprises at least one rigid central frame (24) surrounding a central portion of the guide element (18) between the inlet (21) and outlet (22) ends of the tubes (19) and being movable in each direction of deformation of the guide element (18). Ventilation device (10) according to claim 5, in which the ventilation device (10) comprises two central frames (24) each movable in a different direction of deformation of the guide element (18). Ventilation device (10) according to claim 5 or 6, in which the or each movable frame (24, 34) is mounted on a rail (26, 36) extending in the conduit (12) in the direction of deformation of the guide element (18). Aeration device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the aeration device (10) comprises a rigid upstream frame (34) surrounding an upstream end of the guide element (18) in the vicinity of the inlet end (21) of the tubes (19), the upstream frame (34) being movable in translation in the direction of the axis to accompany the deformation of the guide element (18) according to the direction of deformation . Ventilation device (10) according to any one of claims 4 to 8, in which the guide element (18) comprises a deformable housing (20) having substantially planar walls received in the or each frame (24, 32 , 34), the tubes (19) extending inside the housing (20). Ventilation arrangement (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the guide element (18) is made of elastomeric material.