Integrated air distribution system

Claim 2

An air distribution system for a vehicle body having a molded plastic instrument panel extending across the vehicle body passenger compartment, the instrument panel being capped by a crash pad assembly, the air distribution system comprising a duct integrally molded into the instrument panel and extending substantially across the width of the latter, the duct having frontal and top wall portions in common with the instrument panel and being encompassed across its frontal and upper surfaces by the crash pad with an insulating air gap therebetween, the duct being substantially uniformly open across its surface opposite its crash pad covered frontal surface, a cover plate fitted on the duct over the open surface thereof, spaced openings in the face of the instrument panel in communication with the integral duct, the spaced openings providing for air distribution to the interior of the vehicle body, and pipe meanS connected to the cover plate and adapted to be coupled to a plenum chamber of a vehicle heating and cooling unit.

Claim 3

An air distribution system according to claim 1, in which: the integrally molded duct is substantially ''''U''''-shaped for its length with the legs of the ''''U'''' being vertically spaced, substantially parallel, relationship and the closed end of the ''''U'''' facing toward the passenger compartment, the closed end of the ''''U'''' forming the frontal surface and the upper leg of the ''''U'''' forming the upper surface of the instrument panel and being spaced from the crash pad by the air gap.

Claim 4

An air distribution system according to claim 2, in which: the integrally molded duct has a plurality of integrated extensions aligned with the spaced openings in the face of the instrument panel, the spaced openings being adapted to receive air registers.

Claim 5

An air distribution system according to claim 3, in which: the pipe means connected to the cover plate and adapted to be coupled to a plenum chamber comprises a substantially ''''Y''''-shaped piece, the ''''Y'''' piece having the upper end of each diverging leg connected to a respective spaced port in the cover and the vertical leg integral with a flange portion for connection to a plenum chamber.

Claim 6

An air distribution system according to claim 4, in which: the ''''Y'''' piece has an indirect line of sight from its inlet end to its outlet ends thereby enhancing the sound absorbing characteristics.

Claim 7

An air distribution system according to claim 1, in which: the integrally molded duct has a plurality of integrated extensions aligned with the spaced openings in the face of the instrument panel, the spaced openings being adapted to receive air registers.

Claim 8

An air distribution system according to claim 6, in which: the pipe means connected to the cover plate and adapted to be coupled to a plenum chamber comprises a substantially ''''Y''''-shaped piece, the ''''Y'''' piece having the upper end of each diverging leg connected to a respective spaced port in the cover and the vertical leg integral with a flange portion for connection to a plenum chamber.

Claim 9

An air distribution system according to claim 7, in which: the ''''Y'''' piece has an indirect line of sight from its inlet end to its outlets ends thereby enhancing the sound absorbing characteristics.

Claim 10

An air distribution system according to claim 1, in which: the pipe means connected to the cover plate and adapted to be coupled to a plenum chamber comprises a substantially ''''Y''''-shaped piece, the ''''Y'''' piece having the upper end of each diverging leg connected to a respective spaced port in the cover and the vertical leg integral with a flange portion for connection to a plenum chamber.

Claim 11

An air distribution system according to claim 9, in which: the ''''Y'''' piece has an indirect line of sight from its inlet end to its outlet ends thereby enhancing the sound absorbing characteristics.

Claim 12

An air distribution system for a vehicle body having a molded plastic instrument panel extending across the width of the vehicle body passenger compartment at the front end thereof, the instrument panel having a vehicle instrumentation portion and an offset storage compartment portion, a crash pad assembly capping the instrument panel above a portion of a front face wall and an upper wall of the latter, the crash pad being spaced by an insulating air gap from the adjacent instrument panel walls in most areas of possible contact, a two piece plastic air distribution duct integrally formed in the molded instrument panel, the duct being substantially a box section with the front face wall of the instrument panel forming one wall thereof and the instrument panel upper wall the upper wall thereof, the duct having a bottom wall vertically spaced from the upper wall and a separate cover plate forming a wall opposite the front face wall of the instrument panel, the front face of the instrument panel having register containing openings in communication with the air distribution duct, and intermediate pipe means connected to the cover plate and adapted to be coupled to a plenum chamber of a vehicle heating and cooling unit.

Claim 13

An air distribution system for a vehicle body having a molded plastic instrument panel extending across the width of the vehicle body passenger compartment at the front end thereof, the instrument panel having a vehicle instrumentation portion and an offset storage compartment portion, a crash pad assembly capping the instrument panel above a portion of a front face wall and an upper wall of the latter, the crash pad being spaced by an insulating air gap from the adjacent instrument panel walls in most areas of possible contact, a two piece plastic air distribution duct integrally formed in the molded instrument panel, the duct being substantially a box section with the front face wall of the instrument panel forming one wall thereof and the instrument panel upper wall the upper wall thereof, the duct having a bottom wall vertically spaced from the upper wall and a separate cover plate forming a wall opposite the front face wall of the instrument panel, the front face of the instrument panel having register containing openings in communication with the air distribution duct, and intermediate pipe means connected to the cover plate and adapted to be coupled to a plenum chamber of a vehicle heating and cooling unit.

Claim 14

An air distribution system according to claim 11, in which: the intermediate pipe means comprises a substantially ''''Y''''-shaped piece, the ''''Y'''' piece having the upper end of each diverging leg connected, respectively, to a spaced port in the cover and the vertical leg integral with a flange portion for connection to a plenum chamber, the ''''Y'''' piece having an indirect line of sight from its inlet end to its diverging outlet ends thereby enhancing its sound absorbing characteristics.