The present disclosure relates to a semi-auto HVAC of an automobile, and
5 more particularly, to a device, and assembly method thereof, for actuating the
temperature and mode knob to control the HVAC of the automobile.
BACKGROUND
Automobiles are generally provided with one or more control mechanisms
10 to control one or more features of an HVAC system which includes an HVAC panel
having one or more knobs electronically and rotatably coupled with its
corresponding potentiometer. The manual rotation of the knobs changes the
functions such as temperature, blowing direction, corresponding to the features they
are designed for.
15 Although, the existing HVAC panels can let the vehicle user control the features
of the HVAC system, without any difficulty, however, the assembly of the HVAC
panel due to a greater number of parts is observed as not only a difficult process but
lengthy also. Further, the cost of the assembling of the HVAC panel is also
increased due to a large number of parts as well as due to the lengthy assembling
20 time.
Thus, there is a need for an improved HVAC panel that has fewer parts, and is
easy to assemble, and takes lesser time to assemble, thereby, is economical to
assemble than that of the existing panels.
25 SUMMARY
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a
simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the
invention. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive
concepts of the invention and nor is it intended for determining the scope of the
30 invention.
3
In a first aspect, the present disclosure describes an HVAC panel. The HVAC
panel includes a circuit board, a bezel unit having one or more apertures, one or
more knob assemblies rotatably coupled with the circuit board. The circuit board
may be mounted with one or more potentiometers, wherein each of the
5 potentiometers includes a rotating contact part having a flat face at the center of the
contact part. Each of the knob assemblies includes a knob and an extended rib. The
knob has an open interior space and one or more radial guiding ribs projecting into
the interior space. The extended rib has a plurality of snap locks on the
circumference towards the distal end of the extended rib and a flat portion in the
10 longitudinal axis facing towards the distal end of the extended rib. The extended rib
may include a plurality of radial grooves on the external circumference towards the
proximal end of the extended rib, slidably engaged with the radial guiding ribs of
the knob whereby the radial guiding rib drives rotation of the contact part in
response to manual rotation of the knob. The flat portion of the extended rib is
15 engaged with the flat face of the contact part. Further, each of the knob assemblies
may be rotationally captured in the apertures of the bezel with the snap locks.
In another aspect, the present disclosure describes a process for assembling
an HVAC panel. The process includes the steps of providing one or more knob
20 assemblies, mounting a knob of the knob assemblies in an aperture of a bezel, and
bringing together the bezel and a circuit board. The step of providing the knob
assemblies includes the step of providing an open interior space within the knob of
each of the knob assemblies and a radial guiding rib projecting from the knob into
the interior space. The step of providing the knob assemblies, further, includes the
25 step of providing an extended rib corresponding to each of the knobs, coupled with
a rotating contact part of a potentiometer mounted on a circuit board wherein the
extended rib may include a plurality of snap locks on the external circumference
towards the distal end of the extended rib and a flat portion in the longitudinal axis
facing towards the distal end of the extended rib. Further, wherein the extended rib
30 includes a plurality of radial grooves on the external circumference towards the
proximal end of the extended rib, slidably engaged with the radial guiding ribs of
4
the knob whereby the radial guiding rib drives rotation of the contact part in
response to manual rotation of the knob. Further, wherein a flat portion of the
extended rib is engaged with a flat face of the contact part.
5 To further clarify the advantages and features of the present invention, a
more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific
embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is
appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention
and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be
10 described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
15 These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will
become better understood when the following detailed description is read with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like
parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
20 Figure 1 illustrates a front view of an HVAC panel for controlling one or
more features of an HVAC system in an automobile, according to an embodiment
of the present disclosure;
Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the HVAC panel of Figure 1,
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
25 Figure 2a illustrates a vertical section view of the HVAC panel of Figure 1,
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 2b illustrates an assembly of model/temp knob with a bezel and a
potentiometer on a circuit board, in a vertical section view of the HVAC panel of
Figure 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
5
Figure 2c illustrates the engagement of an extended rib from a knob, with the
potentiometer, in a partial horizontal section view of the HVAC panel of Figure 1,
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
Figure 3 illustrates the extended rib of the knob of the HVAC panel of Figure
5 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are
illustrated for simplicity and may not have been necessarily been drawn to scale.
For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent
10 steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention.
Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of
the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols,
and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to
understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the
15 drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the
art having the benefit of the description herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
20 For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the
invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings
and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be
understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such
alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further
25 applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being
contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the
invention relates. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used
herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skilled
in the art to which this invention belongs. The system, methods, and examples
30 provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.
6
For example, the term “some” as used herein may be understood as “none”
or “one” or “more than one” or “all.” Therefore, the terms “none,” “one,” “more
than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would fall under the definition of
“some.” It should be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the terminology
5 and structure employed herein is for describing, teaching, and illuminating some
embodiments and their specific features and elements and therefore, should not be
construed to limit, restrict or reduce the spirit and scope of the claims or their
equivalents in any way.
10 For example, any terms used herein such as, “includes,” “comprises,” “has,”
“consists,” and similar grammatical variants do not specify an exact limitation or
restriction, and certainly do not exclude the possible addition of one or more
features or elements, unless otherwise stated. Further, such terms must not be taken
to exclude the possible removal of one or more of the listed features and elements,
15 unless otherwise stated, for example, by using the limiting language including, but
not limited to, “must comprise” or “needs to include.”
Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only
once, it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements”
20 or “at least one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms
“one or more” or “at least one” feature or element do not preclude there being none
of that feature or element, unless otherwise specified by limiting language
including, but not limited to, “there needs to be one or more...” or “one or more
element is required.”
25
Unless otherwise defined, all terms and especially any technical and/or
scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly
understood by a person ordinarily skilled in the art.
30 Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood
that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features
7
and/or elements presented in the attached claims. Some embodiments have been
described for the purpose of explaining one or more of the potential ways in which
the specific features and/or elements of the attached claims fulfill the requirements
of uniqueness, utility, and non-obviousness.
5
Use of the phrases and/or terms including, but not limited to, “a first
embodiment,” “a further embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one
embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple embodiments,” “some embodiments,”
“other embodiments,” “further embodiment”, “furthermore embodiment”,
10 “additional embodiment” or other variants thereof do not necessarily refer to the
same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features
and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be
found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may
be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one
15 or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a
single embodiment, or in the context of more than one embodiment, or in the
context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided
separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features
and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively
20 be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.
Any particular and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some
embodiments and therefore should not necessarily be taken as limiting factors to
the attached claims. The attached claims and their legal equivalents can be realized
25 in the context of embodiments other than the ones used as illustrative examples in
the description below.
The present disclosure relates to a semi-auto HVAC of an automobile, and
more particularly, to a device, and assembly method thereof, for actuating the
30 temperature and mode knob to control the HVAC of the automobile.
8
In a first aspect, the present disclosure describes an HVAC panel. The HVAC
panel includes a circuit board, a bezel unit having one or more apertures, one or
more knob assemblies rotatably coupled with the circuit board. The circuit board
may be mounted with one or more potentiometers, wherein each of the
5 potentiometers includes a rotating contact part having a flat face at the center of the
contact part. Each of the knob assemblies includes a knob and an extended rib. The
knob has an open interior space and one or more radial guiding ribs projecting into
the interior space. The extended rib has a plurality of snap locks on the external
circumference of the extended rib and a flat portion in the longitudinal axis facing
10 towards the distal end of the extended rib. The proximal end of the extended rib is
slidably engaged with the knob whereby the extended rib drives rotation of the
contact part in response to manual rotation of the knob. The flat portion of the
extended rib is engaged with the flat face of the contact part. Further, each of the
knob assemblies may be rotationally captured in the apertures of the bezel with the
15 snap locks.
In another aspect, the present disclosure describes a process for assembling
an HVAC panel. The process includes the steps of providing one or more knob
assemblies, mounting a knob of the knob assemblies in an aperture of a bezel, and
20 bringing together the bezel and a circuit board. The step of providing the knob
assemblies includes the step of providing an open interior space within the knob of
each of the knob assemblies and a radial guiding rib projecting from the knob into
the interior space. The step of providing the knob assemblies, further, includes the
step of providing an extended rib corresponding to each of the knobs, coupled with
25 a rotating contact part of a potentiometer mounted on a circuit board wherein the
extended rib may include a plurality of snap locks on the external circumference of
the extended rib and a flat portion in the longitudinal axis facing towards the distal
end of the extended rib. Further, wherein the proximal end of the extended rib is
slidably engaged with the knob whereby the extended rib drives rotation of the
30 contact part in response to manual rotation of the knob. Further, wherein a flat
portion of the extended rib is engaged with a flat face of the contact part.
9
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
5 Figure 1 illustrates a front view of an HVAC panel (100) for controlling one
or more features of an HVAC system (200 as illustrated in Fig. 2) in an automobile,
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the HAVC
panel (100) may include a plurality of knob assemblies, such as a mode knob
assembly, a blower knob assembly, and a temperature knob assembly. Each of the
10 assemblies may be captured in an aperture of a bezel (114). The HVAC panel (100)
may also include a plurality of switches (108, 110, 112) for actuating the activation
or deactivation of one or more further functions of the HVAC (100). The HVAC
panel (100) may further include a plurality of stickers (102a, 104a, 106a) displaying
scale to check/measure the current status/level of their respective knob assemblies
15 with respect to the degree of manual rotation of the knob assemblies.
Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the HVAC panel (200) of Figure 1,
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the HVAC
panel (200) may include a plurality of knob assemblies, as already described in
20 conjunction with Figure 1, a plurality of switches (108, 110, 112), a bezel unit (210)
having one or more apertures, a circuit board (212), a back cover (214), and a
blower speed control module (216). The HVAC panel (200) may further include a
plurality of stickers (202a, 204a, 206a) displaying scale to check/measure the
current status/level of their respective knob assemblies with respect to the degree
25 of manual rotation of the knob assemblies.
Now, the present invention will be described in conjunction with Figures 2a2c, and 3 for better understanding. Figure 2a illustrates a vertical section view of
the HVAC panel of Figure 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
30 Figure 2b illustrates an assembly of model/temp knob with a bezel and a
potentiometer on a circuit board, in a vertical section view of the HVAC panel of
10
Figure 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2c
illustrates the engagement of an extended rib from a knob, with the potentiometer,
in a partial horizontal section view of the HVAC panel of Figure 1, according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 illustrates the extended rib of the
5 knob of the HVAC panel of Figure 1, according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
As illustrated, the bezel unit (210) may include one or more apertures.
The knob assemblies are rotatably coupled with the circuit board (212). The circuit
10 board (212) may be mounted with one or more potentiometers. Each of the
potentiometers includes a rotating contact part (212a, 212b) having a flat face (314)
at the center of the contact part (212a, 212b). Each of the knob assemblies includes
a knob (202, 206) and an extended rib (202b, 206b). The knob (202, 206) has an
open interior space and one or more radial guiding ribs projecting into the interior
15 space. The extended rib (202b, 206b) has a plurality of snap locks (302, 304) on the
circumference towards the distal end of the extended rib (202b, 206b) and a flat
portion (306) in the longitudinal axis facing towards the distal end of the extended
rib (202b, 206b).
20 The extended rib (202b, 206b) may include a plurality of radial grooves on
the external circumference towards the proximal end of the extended rib (202b,
206b), slidably engaged with the radial guiding ribs of the knob (202, 206) whereby
the radial guiding rib drives rotation of the contact part (212a, 212b) in response to
manual rotation of the knob (202, 206). The flat portion (306) of the extended rib
25 (202b, 206b) is engaged with the flat face of the contact part (212a, 212b). Further,
each of the knob assemblies may be rotationally captured in the apertures of the
bezel (210) with the snap locks (302, 304).
As already known in the art, the rotation of the contact part (212a, 212b) may
30 rotate the moving/rotating contact part (212a, 212b) over fixed contact to measure
resistance and to provide feedback to an electronic logic circuit. Thereby, the
11
contact part (202a, 202b) passes a signal to actuate the desired function like (i) to
increase or decrease the temperature, (ii) to select the desired mode functions like
air on the face, legs or face and legs both, or air on the windscreen, etc.
5 The extended rib (202b, 206b) of the HVAC panel (100, 200) is a separate
molded piece engaged with the knob (202, 206). The extended rib (202b, 206b)
may further include a plurality of ribs (308, 310, 312) for strengthening the
extended rib (202b, 206b). One of the contact parts (212a, 212b), e.g., the contact
part (212a) of the potentiometers, is configured to control the air towards various
10 positions. Another of the contact part (212a, 212b), e.g., the contact part (212b) is
configured to control the temperature setting of a vehicle’s air conditioning system.
The HVAC panel (100, 200) may further include a control module (216)
configured to control the speed of a vehicle’s blower system. The blower
15 knob assembly is rotatably coupled with a rotating shaft of the control module
(216). Further, the blower knob assembly is rotationally captured in one of the
apertures of the bezel (114, 210). The blower knob assembly may include a blower
knob (204), and a connector (204b) locked with the blower knob (204) at the
proximal end of the connector (204b). The distal end of the connector (204b) is
20 coupled with the rotating shaft of the control module (216).
The HVAC panel (100, 200) may still further include a back cover (214) for
housing the circuit board (212). The HVAC panel (100, 200) may still further
include a plurality of switches (108, 110, 112) for actuating the activation or
25 deactivation of one or more additional functions of the HVAC system. The
additional functions are but not limited to, rear defogger, fresh/recirculation, and
air conditioning knob.
The circuit board (212) of the HVAC panel (100, 200) may further include a
30 plurality of switching contact parts corresponding to the plurality of switches (108,
110, 112). The switching contact parts are configured to activate or deactivate the
12
additional functions of the HVAC system by actuation of the corresponding
switches (108, 110, 112). Each of the switching contact parts is coupled with one
of the switches (108, 110, 112), with a connector (208a, 208b, 208c).
5 The process/method of assembling an HVAC panel is described. The process
may include the step of providing one or more knob assemblies. The process may
further include the step of mounting a knob (202, 206) of the knob assemblies in an
aperture of a bezel (114, 210). The process may still further include the step of
bringing together the bezel (114, 210) and a circuit board (212).
10
The step of providing the knob assemblies may include the step of providing
an open interior space within the knob (202, 206) of each of the knob assemblies
and a radial guiding rib projecting from the knob (202, 206) into the interior space.
The step of providing the knob assemblies may further include the step of providing
15 an extended rib (202b, 206b) corresponding to each of the knob (202, 206), coupled
with a rotating contact part (212a, 212b) of a potentiometer mounted on a circuit
board (212). The extended rib (202b, 206b) may include a plurality of snap locks
(302, 304) on the external circumference towards the distal end of the extended rib
(202b, 206b) and a flat portion (306) in the longitudinal axis facing towards the
20 distal end of the extended rib (202b, 206b). The extended rib (202b, 206b) may still
further include a plurality of radial grooves on the external circumference towards
the proximal end of the extended rib (202b, 206b), slidably engaged with the radial
guiding ribs of the knob (202,206) whereby the radial guiding rib drives rotation of
the contact part (212a, 212b) in response to manual rotation of the knob (202, 206).
25
As already described in conjunction with Fig. 1, a flat portion (306) of the
extended rib 9202b, 206b) is engaged with a flat face of the contact part (212a,
212b).
30 The major advantages of the technical solutions proposed by the present
disclosure include the fact that (1) the HVAC panel (100, 200) includes a lesser
13
number of parts, (2) the HVAC panel (100, 200) is easy to assemble at least due to
the lesser number of parts, (3) the assembly time of the HVAC panel (100, 200) is
lesser, (4) the cost of assembling of the HVAC panel (100, 200) is greatly reduced
due to the above reason, and (6) the aesthetic appeal of the HVAC panel (100, 200)
5 is also enhanced.
While specific language has been used to describe the present subject matter,
any limitations arising on account thereto, are not intended. As would be apparent
to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in
10 order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein. The drawings and the
forgoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will
appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a
single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple
functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another
15 embodiment.

We Claim:
1. An HVAC panel, comprising:
a circuit board (212) mounted with one or more potentiometers, wherein each of
5 the potentiometers comprises a rotating contact part (212a, 212b) having a flat
face (314) at the center of the contact part (212a, 212b);
a bezel unit (210) having one or more apertures;
one or more knob assemblies rotatably coupled with the circuit board (212),
wherein each of the knob assemblies comprises:
10 a knob (202, 206) having an open interior space and one or more radial
guiding ribs projecting into the interior space; and
an extended rib (202b, 206b) having a plurality of snap locks (302, 304) on
the external circumference of the extended rib (202b, 206b) and a flat
portion (306) facing towards the distal end of the extended rib (202b, 206b),
15 wherein the proximal end of the extended rib (202b, 206b) is slidably
engaged with the knob (202, 206) whereby the extended rib (202b, 206b)
drives rotation of the contact part (212a, 212b) in response to manual
rotation of the knob (202, 206), and wherein the flat portion (306) of the
extended rib (202b, 206b) is engaged with the flat face of the contact part
20 (212a, 212b),
wherein each of the knob assemblies is rotationally captured in the apertures of
the bezel with the snap locks (302, 304).
2. The HVAC panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extended rib (202b, 206b)
25 is a separate molded piece engaged with the knob (202, 206).
3. The HVAC panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extended rib (202b, 206b)
comprises a plurality of ribs (308, 310, 312) for strengthening the extended rib
(202b, 206b).
30
15
4. The HVAC panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact part (212a) is
configured to control the air towards various positions.
5. The HVAC panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact part (212b) is
5 configured to control a temperature setting of a vehicle’s air conditioning system.
6. The HVAC panel as claimed in claim 1, comprising a control module (216)
configured to control the speed of a vehicle’s blower system, wherein a blower
knob assembly rotatably is coupled with a rotating shaft of the control module
10 (216), wherein the blower knob assembly rotationally captured in an additional
aperture of the bezel, the blower knob assembly comprises a blower knob (204),
and a connector (204b) locked with the blower knob (204) at the proximal end of
the connector (204b), and wherein the distal end of the connector (204b) is coupled
with the rotating shaft of the control module (216).
15
7. The HVAC panel as claimed in claim 1, comprising a back cover (214) for
housing the circuit board (212).
8. The HVAC panel as claimed in claim 1, comprising a plurality of switches (108,
20 110, 112) for actuating the activation or deactivation of one or more functions of
the HVAC, wherein the circuit board (212) comprises a plurality of switching
contact parts corresponding to the plurality of switches (108, 110, 112), wherein the
switching contact parts configured to activate or deactivate the functions of the
HVAC on the actuation of the corresponding switches (108, 110, 112), is coupled
25 with a connector (208a, 208b, 208c).
9. The HVAC panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of snap locks (302,
304) are projected outwards on the external circumference towards the distal end of
the extended rib (202b, 206b) and the flat portion (306) is projected in the
30 longitudinal axis towards the distal end of the extended rib (202b, 206b).
16
10. A method of assembling an HVAC panel, comprising:
providing one or more knob assemblies by:
providing an open interior space within a knob (202, 206) of each of the
knob assemblies and a radial guiding rib projecting from the knob (202,
5 206) into the interior space;
providing an extended rib (202b, 206b) corresponding to each of the knob
(202, 206), coupled with a rotating contact part (212a, 212b) of a
potentiometer mounted on a circuit board (212),
wherein the extended rib (202b, 206b) comprises a plurality of snap
10 locks (302, 304) on the external circumference of the extended rib
(202b, 206b) and a flat portion (306) facing towards the distal end
of the extended rib (202b, 206b),
wherein the proximal end of the extended rib (202b, 206b) is
slidably engaged with the knob (202, 206) whereby the extended rib
15 (202b, 206b) drives rotation of the contact part (212a, 212b) in
response to manual rotation of the knob (202, 206);
mounting the knob (202, 206) in an aperture of a bezel (210); and
bringing together the bezel (210) and the circuit board (212) so that the flat
portion (306) of the extended rib (202b, 206b) is engaged with a flat face of the
20 contact part (212a, 212b).