IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,728,704
Granted Patent B2
US 12,728,704 · App. 18/505,207 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Air vent with adjustable air outlet direction

Inventor: Frank Hortobagy (Steffenberg, DE)
Assignee: Weber GmbH & Co. KG
B60H1/3421B60H2001/3471
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,728,704
App. No.
18/505,207
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An air vent ( 10 ) with an adjustable air outlet direction ( 9 ) has a flow channel ( 1 ) with an air entry opening ( 2 ) and an air exit opening ( 3 ). At least one first blade ( 5 ) is pivotable about a first pivot axis ( 4 ) relative to the flow channel ( 1 ). At least one second blade ( 7 ) pivotable relative to the flow channel ( 1 ) has a second pivot axis ( 6 ) that extends obliquely or vertically to the first pivot axis ( 4 ). A single electromotive or manual drive ( 8 ) and a coupling device ( 12 ) independently displace the blades ( 5, 7 ) so as to guide air flow ( 15 ). The coupling device ( 12 ) has a cam wheel ( 14 ) operatively connected to the drive ( 8 ), preferably via a rotatably mounted drive element ( 13 ), in particular a bevel gear, with a cam forming a cam contour for setting different positions of the first and second blades ( 5, 7 ).

Claims (20)

1 . An air vent with an adjustable air exit direction, comprising:

a flow channel, which has an air entry opening and an air exit opening substantially opposite to the air entry opening, configured so that air flows into the flow channel through the air entry opening and flows out through the air exit opening;

two or more first blades each having a respective first pivot axis, said two or more first blades each being pivotable about their first pivot axes relative to the flow channel for guiding the air flow;

two or more second blades each having a respective second pivot axis, said two or more second blades each being pivotable relative to the flow channel about their second pivot axes, wherein the second pivot axes extend obliquely or vertically to the first pivot axes;

a single electromotive or manual drive; and

a coupling device that has a cam wheel operatively connected to the drive via a rotatably mounted drive element, said cam wheel having a cam contour for setting different positions of the first blades and the second blades that is configured for independent displacement of the first blades and the second blades so that due to the design of the cam contour of the cam wheel, when the cam wheel is rotated by approximately 180° starting from an initial position, the first blades are selectively oriented into one of a series of three static positions, respectively, and remain there while the second blades are configured to perform a complete pivoting movement in each of these positions; and wherein, when the cam wheel is rotated by approximately 181° to approximately 360°, the second blades are selectively oriented into one of a series of three static positions, respectively, and remain there while the first blades are configured to perform a complete pivoting movement in each of these positions.

2 . The air vent according to claim 1 , wherein the first blades and/or the second blades are coupled to a respective control arm for controlling the first blades and/or the second blades, and wherein the cam contour of the cam wheel acts on the control arm for setting different positions of the first blades and the second blades.

3 . The air vent according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of the control arms has a first toothing operatively connected to a second toothing associated with the first blades to transmit rotational force to the first blades.

4 . The air vent according to claim 1 , wherein the cam contour of the cam wheel acts on a spring-loaded first sliding element operatively connected to the first blades in order to pivot the first blades about the first pivot axis relative to the flow channel and that the cam contour of the cam wheel acts on a spring-loaded second sliding element operatively connected to the second blades in order to pivot the second blades about the second pivot axis relative to the flow channel.

5 . The air vent according to claim 4 , wherein the first blades and/or the second blades are coupled to the first sliding element and the second sliding element by means of a respective control arm for pivoting the first blades and/or the second blades.

6 . The air vent according to claim 4 , wherein the first sliding element for the first blades is coupled to a first spring and wherein the second sliding element for the second blades is coupled to a second spring.

7 . The air vent according to claim 4 , wherein the cam wheel and the first sliding element and/or the second sliding element are coupled to one another via a first groove and/or a second groove in the cam wheel into which the first sliding element and/or the second sliding element is guided.

8 . The air vent according to claim 7 , wherein the first sliding element comprises a bolt that is guided in the first groove.

9 . The air vent according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first sliding element or the second sliding element has a spring-loaded plunger piece for resilient mounting.

10 . The air vent according to claim 1 , wherein the two or more first blades and/or the two or more second blades are respectively coupled to one another for synchronous movement.

11 . The air vent according to claim 1 , wherein either the drive drives the cam wheel directly or an output shaft of the drive drives an output gear, into which the drive element coupled to the cam wheel engages so as to displace the first blades and the second blades.

12 . The air vent according to claim 11 , wherein the drive element is arranged obliquely relative to the output gear in the angle bisector between the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis.

13 . The air vent according to claim 11 , wherein the drive element is arranged obliquely relative to the output gear.

14 . The air vent according to claim 1 , wherein the cam contour of the cam wheel has subregions, and wherein when the cam wheel is displaced in one of the subregions, one of the first blades or one of the second blades remains in a static position, while one of the second blades or one of the first blades is pivoted, and/or wherein, in a further subregion of the cam contour, one of the first blades or one of the second blades is pivoted into a static position, while one of the second blades or one of the first blades is not pivoted.

15 . The air vent according to claim 1 , wherein the drive element comprises a bevel gear.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2023
From: HORTOBAGY, FRANK
To: WEBER GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 065506/0106 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 102023103893.1 · Feb 16, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240174054A1 · May 30, 2024
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