Air ducts for vehicles
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0459984
(2012-04-30)
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등록번호 |
US-8480166
(2013-07-09)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Readwin, Michael J.
- Bartos, Richard E.
- Leffert, Michael G.
- Nishek, Michael E.
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출원인 / 주소 |
- GM Global Technology Operations LLC
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
8 |
초록
▼
An air duct for a vehicle includes a housing and a ductile member. The housing is formed from a first extrudable material having a first elastic modulus, and a second extrudable material having a second elastic modulus that is different from the first. The housing has a central longitudinal axis, de
An air duct for a vehicle includes a housing and a ductile member. The housing is formed from a first extrudable material having a first elastic modulus, and a second extrudable material having a second elastic modulus that is different from the first. The housing has a central longitudinal axis, defines a cavity therethrough along the axis, and is transitionable from a preform configuration in which the axis is substantially straight, to an installation configuration in which the axis is tortuous. The ductile member is embedded within the housing and is formed from a third extrudable material having a third elastic modulus that is greater than each of the first and second. The ductile member is bendable to transition the housing from the preform configuration to the installation configuration and is configured for retaining the housing in the installation configuration. A vehicle includes the air duct.
대표청구항
▼
1. An air duct for a vehicle, the air duct comprising: a housing formed from: a first extrudable material having a first elastic modulus; anda second extrudable material that is different from the first extrudable material and has a second elastic modulus that is different from the first elastic mod
1. An air duct for a vehicle, the air duct comprising: a housing formed from: a first extrudable material having a first elastic modulus; anda second extrudable material that is different from the first extrudable material and has a second elastic modulus that is different from the first elastic modulus;wherein the housing has a central longitudinal axis and defines a cavity therethrough along the central longitudinal axis;wherein the housing is transitionable from a preform configuration in which the central longitudinal axis is substantially straight, to an installation configuration in which the central longitudinal axis is tortuous; anda ductile member embedded within the housing and formed from a third extrudable material having a third elastic modulus that is greater than each of the first elastic modulus and the second elastic modulus;wherein the ductile member is bendable to transition the housing from the preform configuration to the installation configuration and is configured for retaining the housing in the installation configuration. 2. The air duct of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a plurality of cavities therethrough parallel to the central longitudinal axis, and further wherein each of the plurality of cavities is spaced apart from one another. 3. The air duct of claim 2, wherein the housing includes a first channel portion formed from the second extrudable material, and a second channel portion spaced apart from the first channel portion and formed from the second extrudable material. 4. The air duct of claim 3, wherein the ductile member is embedded in each of the first channel portion and the second channel portion. 5. The air duct of claim 3, wherein the housing further includes a connector formed from the first extrudable material and configured for releseably connecting the first channel portion and the second channel portion. 6. The air duct of claim 1, wherein the housing has an outer wall configured for flexibly abutting the vehicle. 7. The air duct of claim 1, wherein the housing is positionable in three dimensions to transition the housing from the preform configuration to the installation configuration. 8. The air duct of claim 7, wherein the housing includes a plurality of hinges each formed from the first extrudable material and spaced apart from one another. 9. The air duct of claim 1, wherein the housing encapsulates the ductile member. 10. The air duct of claim 9, wherein the first extrudable material is a polymer and the third extrudable material is a metal. 11. The air duct of claim 1, wherein the housing has a length, and further wherein the ductile member extends along substantially the entire length. 12. The air duct of claim 11, wherein the ductile member is a continuous wire. 13. The air duct of claim 12, wherein the ductile member is configured as an elongated helix wound about the central longitudinal axis. 14. The air duct of claim 11, wherein the ductile member is discontinuous and includes a plurality of reinforcing elements spaced apart from one another along substantially the entire length. 15. The air duct of claim 1, wherein the cavity has a width of from about 100 mm to about 300 mm. 16. The air duct of claim 15, wherein the housing has a thickness of from about 1 mm to about 15 mm. 17. The air duct of claim 1, further including at least one attachment element configured for attaching the housing to the vehicle. 18. An air duct for a vehicle, the air duct comprising: a housing formed from: a first extrudable material having a first elastic modulus; anda second extrudable material that is different from the first extrudable material and has a second elastic modulus that is different from the first elastic modulus;wherein the housing has a central longitudinal axis and defines a plurality of cavities therethrough each spaced apart from one another;wherein the housing has a length and includes: a first channel portion formed from the second extrudable material; anda second channel portion spaced apart from the first channel portion and formed from the second extrudable material;wherein the housing is transitionable from a preform configuration in which the central longitudinal axis is substantially straight, to an installation configuration in which the central longitudinal axis is tortuous;at least one attachment element configured for attaching the housing to the vehicle; anda ductile member embedded within and encapsulated by the housing, wherein the ductile member extends along substantially the entire length of the housing and is formed from a third extrudable material having a third elastic modulus that is greater than each of the first elastic modulus and the second elastic modulus;wherein the ductile member is bendable to transition the housing from the preform configuration to the installation configuration and is configured for retaining the housing in the installation configuration. 19. The air duct of claim 18, wherein the first extrudable material is a first polymer, the second extrudable material is a second polymer that is different from the first polymer, and the third extrudable material is a metal. 20. A vehicle comprising: a body defining a passenger compartment and including a first component and a second component spaced apart from the first component;a system configured for providing conditioned air to the passenger compartment and including: a distributor configured for expelling the conditioned air from the system; anda vent configured for discharging the conditioned air to the passenger compartment; andan air duct interconnecting the distributor and the vent, wherein the air duct includes: a housing formed from: a first extrudable material having a first elastic modulus; anda second extrudable material that is different from the first extrudable material and has a second elastic modulus that is different from the first elastic modulus;wherein the housing has a central longitudinal axis and defines a cavity therethrough along the central longitudinal axis;wherein the housing is transitionable from a preform configuration in which the central longitudinal axis is substantially straight, to an installation configuration in which the central longitudinal axis is tortuous so that the housing flexibly abuts the first component and the second component; anda ductile member embedded within the housing and formed from a third extrudable material having a third elastic modulus that is greater than each of the first elastic modulus and the second elastic modulus;wherein the ductile member is bendable to transition the housing from the preform configuration to the installation configuration and is configured for retaining the housing in the installation configuration.
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (8)
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Gupta,Vikas; Koelman,Hein J.; Rogers,Steve J.; Kurtycz,Eric; Ramanathan,Ravi, Instrument panel assembly.
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Arney John W. ; Gooch Ralph L. ; Haywood William R., Lightweight hose with a helically-wound reinforcing member and method for making the same.
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Donnelly William J. (371 Commonwealth Ave. Boston MA 02116), Method of manufacturing an improved duct.
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Merrifield Richard Allen ; Randall Douglas Allen, Molded cross car support structure.
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Cooper, Christopher; Zoellner, Olaf J., Molded cross vehicle beam.
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Glovatsky Andrew Zachary ; Todd Michael George ; Sinkunas Peter Joseph, Ventilation duct with integrated electronics enclosure.
이 특허를 인용한 특허 (1)
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Kellner, Philipp, Body part arrangement for a motor vehicle, and method for producing a body part arrangement of said type.
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