Vehicle air outlet with uniform precision feel to operator
US5921860A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 1, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jul 13, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 1, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60H2001/3471
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A vehicle air outlet having an outlet bell, an upstream intruder member, a control shaft secured to the upstream intruder member, and a ball and socket device for mounting the control shaft to the outlet bell. In a preferred embodiment a portion of the control shaft is made to serve as a housing having a fixed hemispherically shaped bearing seat which is integrally formed therein at the closed end of the housing and a slot is formed in the housing to allow the ball supporting struts to extend outwardly from proximate the axial center of the outlet. A spring loaded bearing seat forming a second hemispherical and floating portion of the socket is guided by the housing into engagement with and to capture the is ball in the socket and a closure cap retains the compression spring in position. In a preferred embodiment, a long compression spring is used. This is advantageous over a short spring element where minor changes in compressed length can cause relatively high changes in spring force.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.