Supporting structure for adjustable air guide vanes

Abstract

A structure for supporting an air guide vane in a supply opening for air conditioning prevents abrupt changes of load resistance to rotation of the air guide van and provides a good operational feel when rotating the air guide vane. A supporting member of the air guide vane is an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer having a hardness of between Shore A80 and Shore D60. The degree of mold transferability of olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer is characteristically lower than that of other thermoplastic elastomers. By virtue of molding an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer microscopic concavities and convexities are formed on the surface of the supporting member. The rotation shaft of the air guide vane is supported by multiple point contacts with the inner surface respective through-holes.

1 . A structure for supporting an air guide vane in a supply opening for air conditioning, the structure comprising:
 an air guide vane disposed in a supply opening and manually rotatable to change direction of airflow; and   a supporting member having a bearing surface supporting the air guide vane and microscopic concavities and convexities on the bearing surface to control resistance to rotation of the air guide vane.   
   
   
       2 . The structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the microscopic concavities and convexities on the bearing surface maintain a peak value of torque required to rotated the air guide vane at a substantially constant value during rotation of the air guide vanes. 
   
   
       3 . The structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the microscopic concavities and convexities avoid an abrupt change in torque required to rotate the air guide vane when the torque is a peak value. 
   
   
       4 . The structure as recited in  claim 1 , including a rotation shaft on an end face of the air guide vane, and a hole receiving the rotation shaft in the supporting member, wherein the microscopic concavities and convexities are located one an inner surface of the hole, and the rotation shaft is supported by multiple point contacts with the inner surface of the hole, provided by the microscopic concavities and convexities. 
   
   
       5 . The structure as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the rotation shaft of the air guide vane includes a circular column-shaped boss, wherein the hole receives the circular column-shaped boss rotatably, and the inner surface of the hole provides the bearing surface. 
   
   
       6 . The structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the supporting member is formed by die molding of an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer, and the microscopic concavities and convexities are formed at least on the bearing surface supporting the air guide vanes rotatably in the die molding. 
   
   
       7 . The structure as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer has a hardness in a range from Shore A80 to Shore D60. 
   
   
       8 . The structure as recited in  claim 1 , including:
 first and second circular column-shaped bosses that comprise a rotation shaft of the air guide vane, located in inner and outer end faces of the air guide vane, respectively; and   a hole receiving the circular column-shaped boss rotatably in the supporting member;   a bearing surface supporting the first circular column-shaped boss located in an inner surface of the hole, wherein the first circular column-shaped boss of the air guide vane is inserted into the hole of the supporting member and the second circular column-shaped boss is supported to rotate freely to avoid varying torque required to rotate the air guide vane.   
   
   
       9 . The structure as recited in  claim 8 ,
 wherein:
 the air guide vane consists of a set of air guide vanes that are arranged to move from a predetermined space between adjacent air guide vanes and to extend parallel to one another; and 
 the supporting member includes a plurality of the holes; the first of the circular column-shaped bosses of each of said air guide vanes are inserted into respective holes; and 
   further including
 a link member connecting the air guide vanes to rotate in conjunction with one another; and 
 an operation knob attached to one of the air guide vanes. 
   
   
   
       10 . The structure as recited in  claim 10 , including:
 first and second sets of the air guide vanes located on opposite sides of the supporting member;   a plurality of through-holes located at predetermined intervals in the supporting member, wherein the circular column-shaped bosses on the inner end faces of the air guide vanes are rotatably inserted into respective through-holes from opposite sides of the supporting member.   
   
   
       11 . The structure as recited in  claim 9 , including a plurality of rotational vanes arranged on an upstream side of the first set of air guide vanes, wherein the rotational vanes are located at a regular interval and are parallel to one another;
 a link member connecting the rotational vanes to rotate in conjunction with one another; and   an operation knob attached to the air guide vane and reciprocating in a wingspan direction of the air guide vane, wherein the rotational vanes are rotated by moving the operation knob in the wingspan direction of the air guide vane.