FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a cool storage box with AC vent duct assembly of a vehicle. The invention facilitates faster cooling of the storage box independent of cabin temperature setting.
BACKGROUND/PRIOR ART OF INVENTION
Vehicle HVAC system typically consists of four vent ducts (la) which receives
cooled air from HVAC unit for passenger cabin cooling. A cool storage box (2a)
is provided in some high end variants. Conventionally a small air duct (cool box
duct) (3a) is used to direct air from the main vent ducts to the cool storage box
(2a) as in fig. 1 indicating louver (4a) and instrument panel (5a) as well.
The quantity of cooled air diverted from the vent duct to the cool box duct, is
very less and therefore it is not sufficient to cool the storage box in shorter
period of time. Hence, it takes longer time and the cooling capacity is also less.
Now, reference may be made to the following Patents/Publications:
KR1G0794756B1: It discloses an apparatus for cooling and heating a beverage
container in a vehicle to allow a front case of the cooling and heating apparatus
to slide automatically by using an elastic member. The apparatus comprises a
case, which is installed at a front of a blowing outlet providing conditioning air.
The case has a receiving space for receiving the beverage container. The case
includes a rear case, which is adjacent to the blowing outlet, and a front
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case, which is connected to a front of the rear case. One of the front case and
the rear case slides from the other. One of the front case and the rear case
includes an elastic member.
The front case and the rear case is any one of the hot and cold beverage
containers. Hot and cold beverage container device comprising a control lever
for adjusting the rotational position of the wind direction control panel. A
control panel is provided on the outlet direction of the wind for adjusting the
wind direction of the conditioned air flowing out of the inside of the case.
Beverage container is attached with the HVAC vent duct passing the air to the
center of passenger cabin. The beverage container is kept in the center vent
duct flow path. There is no mechanism to direct or control (open/close) the cool
air flow. Further there is no linkage mechanism. Therefore the shutters cannot
be moved and as a result always remain in open condition.
US4S92138A: An improved beverage temperature controlling assembly for a
vehicle, comprising a dashboard containing an air duct below the top of said
dashboard, wherein said duct leading from a vehicle air temperature
conditioning unit to an exhaust vent in said dashboard. A means is integrally
connected to said dashboard for releasably positioning a beverage container
within said air duct to provide a circulation path around said container to cool
or heat said container.
A ledge is connected to said dashboard and extending directly below and in
front of said vent. Said ledge is adapted to support a beverage container in
iroriL o f said vent to control the temperature thereof.
In this, no shutters are provided with fixed grills on the rear of the case and
without sliders.
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Furthcr, the beverage container movement cannot be arrested.
According to another prior art, a case is inserted to a space in a dash panel to
store a. beverage container. A bypass duct is branched from a duct of an air
conditioner. The bypass duct is connected with the rear end portion of the
c.as.c.._Th.e_£ear end-portion nf-rhe, case consists-of-& grill-through-which cold-or
hot air flows in and by which the displacement of the beverage container
toward the bypass duct is prevented. Since the case is communicated with the
duct, the cold or hot air is discharged to the duct.
In the above, a plurality of fixed grills are provided on the rear of the case.
There is no mechanism to direct or control the air flow into the box. Further,
there is no linkage mechanism. Therefore the grills are not movable and as a
result grills are always in open position. Simple storage box is provided to keep
the beverage cans with no arrangement to arrest the container movement
during vehicle in motion.
Thus, none of the above is capable to satisfy the design criteria of the instant
invention. Therefore the invention introduces a novel cool storage box with AC
vent duct assembly which can function efficiently.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a cool storage box
with AC vent duct assembly which overcomes drawbacks associated with the
prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cool storage box with AC
vent: duct assembly which is having high cooling capacity.
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81:111 another object of the present invention is to provide a cool storage box
with AC vent duct assembly which gets cooled efficiently in less time
irrespective of passenger cabin temperature.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
rig to this invention, there is provided a cool storage box with AC vent
duct assembly of a vehicle comprising of a storage box integrated with a vent
duct that said vent duct and storage box having a common opening space
provided with a plurality of door shutters.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from
the ensuing description when read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings of exemplary embodiments of invention and wherein:
Fig. 1 shows: Conventional HVAC Vent duct design with cool storage box
duct;
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
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Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
Fig.
2 shows:
3 shows:
4 shows:
4a shows:
4b shows:
5 shows:
6 shows:
7 shows:
8 shows:
8a shows:
8b shows:
Cool storage box assembly of present invention;
Cool storage box according to present invention;
Linkage mechanism for door shutters;
Door shutters in open position;
Door shutters in closed position;
Motion mechanism of door shutters for closing;
Converging and diverging section of the vent duct;
Sliders in the cool storage box;
Slider placed on the bottom surface of the cool storage box;
Sliders in closed position;
Sliders in open position;
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Fig. 9 shows: Sliders with air flow windows;
Fig. 10 shows: Air flow through cool storage box;
Fig. 10a shows: A cool storage box duct and storage box according to prior
art;
Fig. 10b shows: Cool storage box assembly of present invention;
Fig. 11 shows: Air flow thrdugh sliders in the cool storage box;
Fig. 1 la shows: Sliders without air flow windows;
Fig. 1 I b shows: Sliders with air flow windows.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE
ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The invention describes a technology regarding cool storage box of a vehicle.
The invention proposes a cool storage box with AC vent duct assembly to
provide faster cooling of the storage box by means of a single duct for cooling
both the passenger cabin and storage box in particular cool storage box as in
fig. 2 wherein a specially designed vent duct is integrated with the storage box
(A) in such a way that both the duct and box share a common opening space
(B).
Now, reference may be made to fig. 3 in which common opening of the vent
duct (i) and storage box (lAi) is provided with a plurality of door shutters (2).
Said door shutters act both as the separator of the two regions and also help in
directing the flow in and out of the box.
Now reference may be made to fig. 4. The door shutters (D) constituting a
plurality of fins which when in closed state (fig. 4b) separate the two regions
(i.e. the vent duct and the storage box) and when in open state (fig. 4a) help in
directing the cooled air flow in and out of the storage box. The shutter
movement is controlled by a linkage mechanism which is connected to a knob
(3, fig. 3) in instrument panel which can be operated manually.
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Thc shutters in fig. 4 are arranged in two sets (Si and S2) and both sets rotate
in opposite direction. Each shutter in a set is connected to a linkage arm.
Linkage arm (1') is connected to the knob placed in the instrument panel.
Linkage arm (2') connects all the shutters in one set (Si) to each other.
Similarly linkage arm (3') connects all the shutters in another set (S2). There is
a cross linkage arm (4') which connects both the sets and allows both the sets
Lo move in opposite directions. All the linkage arms are mounted on a linkage
frame (L) - - - 7 - •
For example, to close the shutters as illustrated in fig. 5 the knob in the
dashboard is to be rotated in clock wise direction. Due to this linkage arm (l1).
will be pulled back along with the linkage arm (2'). As the linkage arm is pulled
back the set (Si) shutters will come to the closed position. Simultaneously the
cross linkage arm (4') will push the set (S2) shutters and the shutters will close
the airpassage.
The vent duct is designed in such a way that the common portion of the duct
and the storage box is provided with converging and diverging profile (C.i. and
C2) on upstream and downstream respectively so that it helps in escalating the
air flow in and out of the storage box as shown in fig. 6. The cooled air flow
from the HVAC unit is directed into- the box as it enters from the converging
section (Ci) and the diverging section (C2) on the other end helps in outflow of
the cooled air from the storage box (Bi).
Multiple sliders (S) as shown in fig. 7 are located inside the storage box (B') to
partition the storage box so that containers of different sizes can be
accommodated. These sliders also help in arresting any random movements of
the beverage containers (T) that are kept inside the storage box. Sliders (S) on
one side is fitted into the grooves (G) provided on the bottom surface of the
storage box and on the railings (R) on the other side. These sliders are free to
translate in horizontal direction along the length of the storage box. To move
the sliders
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in the storage box it should he. in the open position as shown in fig. 8b. The
slider is placed in the desired location in the storage box which is pushed in
the forward direction to fix it at the position as shown in fig. 8a. Further, each
of the sliders is. equipped with multiple air flow windows (W) as in fig. 9 so that
cooled air can reach the maximum surface of beverage containers. Instead of
beverage containers, other containers can also be stored inside the box.
Test, Jesuits:
Air Flow Distribution:
in prior art, the small quantity (about 4 - 5% of air flow from one of the vent
outlets) of air enters into the cool storage box (1") through a cool storage box
duet (2"). This reduces the beverages cooling rate. As the airflow volume is less
the air velocities inside the cool storage box is also less which is shown in fig.
10(a);
in cool storage box assembly of invention, as the air flow volume into the
storage box is enhanced the beverage cooling rate is high. The convergingdiverging
vent duct section and the fin arrangement helped in directing the air
flow in and out of the storage box following an "U" air flow profile (U). The
increased cooled air flow inside the storage box offers high velocity air flow in
the cool storage box assembly as shown in fig. 10 (b).
Enhancement of air flow distribution hy sliders:
Sliders (lb) are provided to support the beverage cans (2b) inside the storage
box, biat it may interfere with the air flow thus blocking the air flow in the lower
part of the beverage cans (3b) as in fig. 11a. Air flow windows are provided in
the sliders to provide air passage to the lower part of the beverage cans (Q) as
in fig. l i b . Thus, fig. 11 shows air flow distribution in lower portion of the
beverage can with and without air flow windows.
tageous Features
High cooling capacity of cool storage box
Requires less cooling time
No separate duct required unlike prior art
Directing the cool air flow in and out of the cool storage box, thus
providing adequate amount of cooled air flow in the storage box upon
requirement
Arresting any undesirable.movement of the beverage cans inside the cool
storage box due to vehicle motion.
It is to be noted that the present invention is susceptible to modifications,
adaptations and changes by those skilled in the art. Such variant embodiments
employing the concepts and features of this invention are intended to be within
the scope of the present invention, which is further set forth under the
following claims:-

WE CLAIMS:-
1. A cool storage box with AC vent duct assembly of a vehicle comprising of
a storage box integrated with a vent duct that said vent duct and storage
box having a common opening space provided with a plurality of door
shutters.
P. A cool storage box with AC vent duct assembly of a vehicle as claimed in
claim 1 wherein the door shutters constituting fins separate the vent
duct and storage box in closed state and help in directing the cooled air
flow in and out of the storage box in open state.
3. A cool storage box with AC vent duct assembly of a vehicle as claimed in
claim 1 or 2 wherein the shutter movement is controlled by a linkage
means mounted on a linkage frame.
4. A cool storage box with AC vent duct assembly of a vehicle as claimed in
any of the preceding claims wherein said shutters are arranged in two
sets rotating in opposite direction, in which a linkage arm is connected to
a knob in instrument panel.
5. A cool storage box with AC vent duct assembly of a vehicle as claimed in
any of the preceding claims wherein each of the shutters in first set is
connected to one linkage arm and each of the shutters in second set is
provided in connection with another linkage arm. .
6. A cool storage box with AC vent duct assembly of a vehicle as claimed in
any of the preceding claims wherein a cross linkage arm connects both
the sets of shutters to move in opposite directions.
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7. A cool storage box with AC vent duct assembly of a vehicle as claimed in.
any of the preceding claims wherein the common portion of the duct and
storage box comprising converging and diverging profile on upstream and
downstream respectively for escalation of the airflow in and out of the
storage box.
8. A cool storage box with AC vent duct assembly of a vehicle as claimed in
any of the preceding claims wherein the storage box accommodates
multitude of sliders to partition the box, in which said sliders on one side
are. fitted into multiple grooves on the bottom surface of the storage box
and.on the railings on the other side.
9. A cool storage box with AC vent duct assembly of a vehicle as claimed in
any of the preceding claims wherein each of said sliders is equipped with
multiple airflow windows for accessibility of cooled air to the maximum
surface area of the containers placed on the sliders.
10. A cool storage box with AC vent duct assembly of a vehicle as
claimed in any of the preceding claims is associated with the
advantageous features such as herein described.