GB2221018A

GB2221018A - Control device for operating a heating and/or air conditioning installation, e.g. in a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2221018A
Application number: GB8913537A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michel Becquerel; Fabrice Chrisologue
Original assignee: Valeo SE
Current assignee: Valeo SE
Priority date: 1988-06-16
Filing date: 1989-06-13
Publication date: 1990-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2009-06-13
Also published as: GB8913537D0; FR2632901A1; GB2221018B; FR2632901B1

Abstract

A control lever (2) actuated by a manual slider (7) has a mounting (14) for the control cable (11) of an installation such as an air vent (10). Lever (2) cooperates, e.g. by means of meshing toothed sectors (25, 26), with a further control lever (24) which has an alternative mounting (31) for a similar cable (11). The arrangement is such that a given movement of slider (7) will produce the same effect on cable (11) and air vent (10) whether the air vent (10) is situated in position (I), e.g. in a left-hand drive version of the vehicle, or in position (II), e.g. in a right-hand drive version. Thus the same installation can be used for both versions. In a modification, lever (2) and lever (24) may be connected by a crank and connecting-rod system. <IMAGE>

Description

CONTROL DEVICE FOR A HEATING AND/OR AIR CONDITIONING INSTALLATION. ESPECIALLY FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE The present invention relates to remote control devices for regulating mechanisms of a heating and/or air conditioning installation, in particular for automotive vehicles.

Commonly, such a control device is installed on the fascia panel of the vehicle and close to the driver, and is used for actuating regulating mechanisms such as those used for closing or opening the various air vents which the installation includes for the regulation of the temperature and/or distribution of the air admitted into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. To this end, the control device essentially includes a support plate on which there is disposed at least one control lever rotatably mounted by one of its ends about an axis on the support plate, wit its other end proJecting beyond the plate and displaced angularly, to terminate in a control button operable by the driver.The control lever carries one end of a flexible cable slidable in a sheath, its other end being connected to the installation or, more particuiarly, to at least one regulating mechanism such as a lever rotatably connected to the axis of an air vent. Thus a given angular displacement of the control lever produces a given angular displacement of the air vent. In addition, in order to reduce the length of the flexible cable between the control device and the regulating mechanism, the regulating mechanism is situated on the side face of the installation which is nearest to the device.

Sucn a heating and/or air conditioning installation, and the control device, are suitable tor being mounted in venicles having left hand drive or right hand drive. Thus in a left hand drive vehicle, the installation carries the regulating mechanism on its left hand side face, and the control device is placed close to this same side face.

In a right hand drive vehicle, the arrangement is symmetrical, i.e. a "mirror image", of the above, that is to say the installation has the regulating mechanism on its side face opposite to the side face used with left hand drive, in this case the right hand face, and the control device is placed close to this right hand side face. For both types of drive, the installation itself is entirely identical, the only change being in the location of the regulating mechanism Both types of drive do however pose certain problems in connection with the flexible cable connection between the control device and the installation, and especially as rewards the regulating mechanism.Thus, for a displacement of the control lever in one direction, for example from right to left, the flexible cable is pulled in in the case of a left hand drive vehicle, and if this causes the vent to open, then with right hand drive the cable is pushed, so causing the vent to close.

Thus, a given displacement of the lever produces two different displacements of the air vent according to the type of drive. It is thus necessary to provide two different control devices, each for one particular type of drive, even though the vehicle can be equipped with the same heating and/or air conditioning installation.

The present invention remedies these disadvantages, by proposing a control device which can be mounted indifferently in a vehicle having either right or left nana drive, but whicn is still of simple design and less costly in manufacture. and which permits uniform action whichever type of drive is used.

According to the invention, a remote control device. tor regulating a heating and/or air conditioning installation, comprises a support plate, a control lever pivoted at one of its ends on an axis carried by the support plate, and a motion transmission means acting on the said installation, the installation having either a first configuration in which at least part of the regulating mechanism is disposed on one side face, or a second configuration which is symmetrical with the said first configuration, and in which at least part of the regulating mechanism is disposed on the side face symmetrical to the said side face of the first configuration, the support plate including mounting means for a motion converting mechanism.

As a result of this arrangement, the same control device can be used on a vehicle having either right or left hand drive.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the annexed drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a control device according to the invention; and - Figure 2 is a view seen in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 1.

Figures 1 and 2 show a remote control device comprising a substantially planar support plate 1, A control lever 2, one end 3 of which has a hole 4, is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 5 which projects perpendicularly to the plate 1.

The other end 6 of the control lever projects beyond the front of the plate 1 and is adapted to receive a control button 7 operaDle by the drive. As can be seen best in Figure 1, the control button 7 slides along slide guides 5.

the ends 9 of which are formed as end stops. The said button includes a perpendicularly projecting guide pin engaged in a guide slot 2' at the end 6 of the control lever 2, so as to move the lever 2 pivotally over a linear displacement of the button 7.

In a left hand drive vehicle, the heating and/or air conditioning installation 10 has a first configuration I in which it comprises, for example on its side face 10.1, at least part of the regulating mechanism, 40, for at least one air vent of the installation 10. In this first configuration, the control device is situated close to the regulating mechanism 40, and is connected to the latter by any appropriate means for transmitting motion, for example a flexible cable 11 sliding in a sheath 12.One end 13 of the cable 11 is connected to the control lever 2 by any appropriate means, for example by cooperation of a pin dsposed on the said end with a hole 14 providea in the said lever, while the other end of the cable is connected to the regulating mechanism 40. ln this configuration I of the installation 10, the control lever 2 serves as an adjusting lever for the installation, that is to say, for a displacement of the button 7 in the direction of the arrow F, the lever 2 exerts a pull on the cable 11 and thus adjusts the control means acting on the air vent of the installation 10, so as for example to open the latter.

In a right hand drive vehicle, the installation 10 has a second configuration II which is symmetrical, with, i.e. a "mirror image" of, the first configuration I. In this second configuration the heating and/or air conditioning installation 10 is otherwise identical to that of the first configuration. At least part of the regulating mechanism 40 is disposed on the side face 10.2 which corresponds to the side face 10.1, and the control device is situated close to the side face 10.2, being connected with the regulating mechanism 40 by any means such as those mentioned above.In this case, if the end of the cable 11 were connected to the control lever 2, the displacement of the latter in the direction of the arrow F would exert a pushing force on the cable 11, and would thus result in a corresponding movement of the control device the reverse of that described above. A given displacement of the button 7 would therefore have a different end result.

In order that the same geometry can be used for the control device in a right hand drive vehicle, the plate 1 includes mounting means 28 for a motion converting mechanism. This latter comprises a control means 23 and an actuating means in the form of an operating lever 24, which has a motion inverting function, and which is connected to the flexible cable 11. As is best seen in Figure 1, the control means 23 comprises toothed sectors 5 and 26. The toothed sector 25 is formed on the end 3 of the lever 2 and is substantially coaxial with the hole 4. The sector 25 cooperates with the sector 26, which is formed on the end 27 of the lever 24. The lever 24 is pivotally mounted on the above mentioned mounting means 28 for the converting device, which in this example is a pivot pin or post, projecting from the plate 1 through a hole 29 in the end 27 of the lever 24.The other end 30 of the lever 27 is arranged to receive one end of the flexible cable 11, for example through an opening 31. When the control button 7 is moved in the direction of the arrow F, the control lever 2 is displaced in the same direction so that, through the cooperating toothed sectors 25 and 26, it moves the lever 24 in a direction opposite to that of the arrow F, and therefore exerts a pulling force on the flexible cable 11.

Whether the heating and/or air conditioning installation has the first configuration I or the second configuration II, therefore, this arrangement produces the same effect, both on the flexible cable and on the air vent from any given displacement of the control button 7 in a particular direction. Thus with the second configuration II, used for (say) a right hand drive vehicle, the control device comprises: the support plate 1 carrying the control lever 2 with one part 25 of the control means 23; and the operating means, here the lever 24 with the other part 26 of the control means 23; and the motion transmission means (flexible cable 11) connected to the lever 24.With the first configuration I, used in, say, a left hand drive vehicle, the control device comprises: the support plate 1 carrying the control lever 2 with one part 25 of the control means 23. and also carrying the mounting means for a motion converting device (in this case the pivot pin 28 and the movement transmission means (again the flexible cable ill), which in this case is directly connected to the control lever 2. It is therefore sufficient, according to the type of drive with which the vehicle is provided simply to include or omit the lever 24 or equivalent actuating means, and to connect the motion transmission means with the appropriate lever 2 or 24.

In order to reduce the bulk of the control device, the control lever 2 has a cavity 50, seen in Figure 2 between its two ends 3 and 6. The cavity 50 is open at the side 5i facing towards the lever 24, and on one face 52 of the lever 2, the latter face being in this example the one opposite the face which lies facing towards the plate 1.

The cavity 50 is adapted so as partly to accommodate the lever 24, which has a generally L-shaped configuration, with the free end 27 of the vertical limb of the L having the hole 29 and the free end 30 of the horizontal limb of the L having the hole 31. Thus, when the control button 7 is displaced in the direction of the arrow F, the levers 2 and 2 move towards each other until they reach a position in which their lever axes are substantially parallel with each other. In this position, the end 30 lies in the immediate vicinity of the side 51 of the lever 2. When this movement is continued, still in the direction of the arrow F, the end 30 of the lever 24 can move into the cavity 50 through the open side of the cavity.

Thus the lever 2 and the lever 24 are, in one extreme position. mated one within the other and superimposed one on the other, and this results in a compact control device.

In a modification, the control means 23 between the lever 2 and the lever 24 may be a crank and connecting rod system.

allowing the lever 24 to move in inverse relationship to the lever 2.

Claims

1. A remote control device for regulating a heating and/or air conditioning installation, wherein the control device comprises a support plate, a control lever pivoted at one of its ends on an axis carried by the support plate, and a motion transmission means acting on the said installation, the installation having either a first configuration in which at least part of the regulating mechanism is disposed on one side face, or a second configuration which is symmetrical with the said first configuration, and in which at least part of the regulating mechanism is disposed on the side face symmetrical to the said side face of the first configuration, the support plate including mounting means or a motion converting mechanism

2.A device according to Claim 1, wherein the mounting means comprise a member defining a pivot axis ana projecting from the support plate.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, for a heating and/or air conditioning installation having a said second configuration, wherein the motion converting mechanism comprises control means between the control lever and an actuating means of the motion transmission means.

4. A device according to Claim 3, wherein the said actuating means comprises an operating lever pivotable on the said mounting means.

5. A device according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the said control means comprises toothed sectors provided respectively on the control lever and on the said actuating means.

6. A device according to Claim 5, wherein the toothed sectors are arranged in the vicinity of the ends of the control lever and actuating means respectively.

7. A device according to Claim 4, wherein the operating lever is of generally L-shaped configuration.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the control lever has a cavity formed therein.

9. A device according to Claim 4 and Claim 8 in combination, wherein, in an extreme position, the operating lever extends into the said cavity of the control lever.

10. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, for a heating and/or air conditioning installation having a said first configuration, wherein the control lever includes a part or a control means of a said motion converting mechanism, but the remainder of the latter is absent.

11. A device for regulating a heating.and/or air conditioning installation substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.