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US4165782A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Automobile air-condition indicator

Assignee: Mitsubishi Motors Corp
•
Filing: 1978-02-28
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Granted: 1979-08-28
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Expires: 1998-02-28
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Abstract

Abstract An automobile air-condition indicator, having a display panel on which contours of the automobile body and instrument panel are drawn, that indicates whether or not and in what direction air flows into and out of an air conditioner by indications of letters and arrows illuminated by lamps interlockingly with the operation of an air conditioner operating device, so that any common driver can perceive the operation of the air conditioner at a glance.

Inventors

  • 👤 Naotake Kumagai

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 23:43
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60H; B60H1/00; B60H1/00642; B60H1/00985; G; G07; G07C; G07C5/00; G07C5/08; G07C5/0816; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S165/00; Y10S165/001; Y10S165/007

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 164 words
An automobile air-condition indicator which comprises an automobile air conditioner proper, comprising, at least, a plurality of air intake and blow-out ducts, a plurality of dampers to open and close said ducts and a fan unit, an air conditioner operating device to operate at least said dampers and fan unit, a lamp device that is turned on and off by switching means actuated by said air conditioner operating device, means for moving the lighting point of said lamp device, and a display panel drawn with a picture of the structure of a car, at least that in the vicinity of the front seat thereof, in which the air-condition indicator is provided, wherein indications on said display panel, in positions corresponding to the flows of air from the air conditioner proper caused by the operation of the air conditioner operating device, are illuminated by said lamp device turned on by said air conditioner operating device, with the lighting point thereof moved by said moving means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 164 words
An automobile air-condition indicator which comprises an automobile air conditioner proper, comprising, at least, a plurality of air intake and blow-out ducts, a plurality of dampers to open and close said ducts and a fan unit, an air conditioner operating device to operate at least said dampers and fan unit, a lamp device that is turned on and off by switching means actuated by said air conditioner operating device, means for moving the lighting point of said lamp device, and a display panel drawn with a picture of the structure of a car, at least that in the vicinity of the front seat thereof, in which the air-condition indicator is provided, wherein indications on said display panel, in positions corresponding to the flows of air from the air conditioner proper caused by the operation of the air conditioner operating device, are illuminated by said lamp device turned on by said air conditioner operating device, with the lighting point thereof moved by said moving means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 42 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 1, wherein indications on said display panel, in positions corresponding to the flows of air into and out of the air conditioner proper caused by the operation of the air conditioner operating device, are illuminated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 2, wherein said lamp device and lighting point moving means comprise a flicker cathode glow lamp.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 41 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 2, wherein said lamp device comprises a plurality of lamps, and said lighting point moving means comprises a sequential circuit to successively turn on and off said plurality of lamps in an arbitrary order.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 23 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 1, wherein said lamp device and lighting point moving means comprise a flicker cathode glow lamp.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 41 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 1, wherein said lamp device comprises a plurality of lamps, and said lighting point moving means comprises a sequential circuit to successively turn on and off said plurality of lamps in an arbitrary order.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 35 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 6, wherein said sequential circuit is adapted to turn on the plurality of lamps in the order in which said lamps are arranged and one at a time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 57 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 6, wherein said sequential circuit is adapted to turn on the plurality of lamps in the order in which said lamps are arranged and in such a way that the closing stage of lighting of one of paired, adjacent lamps overlaps with the early stage of lighting of the other.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 35 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 6 wherein said sequential circuit is adapted to turn off the plurality of lamps in the order in which said lamps are arranged and one at a time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 104 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 1, which comprises a transparent display panel drawn with a picture of the structure of a car, at least that in the vicinity of the front seat thereof, a smoked panel disposed behind said display panel, a shielding plate disposed behind said smoked panel and cut with indications, partitions to divide a space behind said shielding plate so that no light passes between individual divided spaces, and said lamp devices disposed in said divided spaces, wherein said lamp devices are lighted to perceptibly illuminate said indications to indicate the flow of air from the air conditioner proper.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 18 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 10, wherein a Fresnel lens is attached to the display panel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 101 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 1, which comprises a display panel, made of a smoked panel and drawn with a picture of the structure of a car, at least that in the vicinity of the front seat thereof, a shielding plate disposed behind said display panel and cut with indications, partitions to divide a space behind said shielding plate so that no light passes between individual divided spaces, and said lamp devices disposed in said divided spaces, wherein said lamp devices are lighted to perceptibly illuminate said indications to indicate the flow of air from the air conditioner proper.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 21 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 1, wherein the display panel is provided contiguous to the air conditioner operating device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 18 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 1, wherein the display panel is provided in a meter cluster.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 41 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 1, wherein the display panel is provided in the front portion of a console box longitudinally extending between the driver and assistant-driver seats and the air conditioner operating device in the rear portion thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 22 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 1, wherein the lamp device is covered with a light-pervious cap of an arbitrary color.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 71 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 1, which comprises a lever provided to the air conditioner operating device to open and close said ducts by moving said dampers in the air conditioner proper and a plurality of switches provided to said air conditioner operating device and adapted to close when said lever comes in a given position, wherein said plurality of switches are connected to said plurality of lamp devices.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 81 words
An automobile air-condition indicator according to claim 1, which comprises a lever provided to the air conditioner operating device to open and close said ducts by moving said dampers in the air conditioner proper, a plurality of switches attached to said lever, and a switching member provided to the air conditioner operating device to close a desired one of said switches dependent on the position of said lever, wherein said plurality of switches are connected to said plurality of lamp devices.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3697946A Cited
US3626370A Cited
US4109235A Cited
US4035764A Cited
US4016534A Cited
US3939456A Cited
US4025896A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1982-08-27 1983-02-26 1983-08-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1986-08-27 1987-02-26 1987-08-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1990-08-27 1991-02-26 1991-08-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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