US5861589A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle air-conditioning control switch
Assignee: Alps Alpine Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1997-06-09
•
Granted: 1999-01-19
•
Expires: 2017-06-09
Abstract
Abstract An air-conditioning control switch for setting a direction in which conditioned air is to be blown from a vehicle air conditioner, which includes a defog mode switch section for defogging by at least blowing conditioned air to a vehicle window glass, a vent mode switch section for blowing conditioned air to the upper body of a person in the vehiche, and a foot mode switch section for blowing conditioned air to the lower body of a person in the vehicle. The defog mode switch section and the vent mode switch section are disposed substantially horizontally so as to be spaced apart, while the foot mode switch section is disposed downwardly of the defog mode switch section and the vent mode switch section. The vehicle air-conditioning control switch makes it possible to prevent improper operation thereof by arranging its switch sections for setting a direction in which conditioned air is to be blown in correspondence with the actual blowing locations, that is the blowing directions, forward, backward, upward, and downward.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroyuki Sato
- 👤 Yasuhiro Miyasaka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:51
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H25/00; H01H25/04; H01H25/041; B; B60; B60H; B60H1/00; B60H1/00642; B60H1/00985; B60R; B60R16/00; B60R16/005; H01H13/00; H01H13/02; H01H13/023; H01H2013/026
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch for setting a direction in which conditioned air is to be blown from a vehicle air conditioner, said switch comprising: at least a defog mode switch section for defogging a vehicle window glass by blowing conditioned air thereto; a vent mode switch section for blowing conditioned air to the upper body of a person in the vehicle; a foot mode switch section for blowing conditioned air to the lower body of a person in the vehicle; and an operating button section in which each of said switch sections are selected and turned on or off by pressing and tilting a location of a peripheral edge of an indicator section, wherein said mode switch sections are disposed such that said foot mode switch section is disposed adjacent to said defog mode switch section, and said vent mode switch section is disposed adjacent to said foot mode switch section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
152 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch for setting a direction in which conditioned air is to be blown from a vehicle air conditioner, said switch comprising: at least a defog mode switch section for defogging a vehicle window glass by blowing conditioned air thereto; a vent mode switch section for blowing conditioned air to the upper body of a person in the vehicle; a foot mode switch section for blowing conditioned air to the lower body of a person in the vehicle; and an operating button section in which each of said switch sections are selected and turned on or off by pressing and tilting a location of a peripheral edge of an indicator section, wherein said mode switch sections are disposed such that said foot mode switch section is disposed adjacent to said defog mode switch section, and said vent mode switch section is disposed adjacent to said foot mode switch section.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
127 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch for setting a direction in which conditioned air is to be blown from a vehicle air conditioner, said switch comprising: an operating button section in which any switch section is selected and turned on and off by pressing and tilting a location of a peripheral edge of an indicator section; and an indicator picture section, provided at said indicator section, which includes a picture representing a seated posture, wherein said switch sections are provided in accordance with blowing portions corresponding to the blowing locations of said indicator picture section, and wherein any two of said switch sections are both operated by operating a boundary portion between said two switch sections provided in accordance with the blowing portions corresponding to the blowing locations.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
127 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch for setting a direction in which conditioned air is to be blown from a vehicle air conditioner, said switch comprising: an operating button section in which any switch section is selected and turned on and off by pressing and tilting a location of a peripheral edge of an indicator section; and an indicator picture section, provided at said indicator section, which includes a picture representing a seated posture, wherein said switch sections are provided in accordance with blowing portions corresponding to the blowing locations of said indicator picture section, and wherein any two of said switch sections are both operated by operating a boundary portion between said two switch sections provided in accordance with the blowing portions corresponding to the blowing locations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
103 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch for setting a direction in which conditioned air is to be blown from a vehicle air conditioner, said switch comprising: an operating button section in which any switch section is selected and turned on and off by pressing and tilting a location of a peripheral edge of an indicator section; tact switches provided at each of said switch sections; and an indicator picture section, provided at said indicator section, which includes a picture representing a seated posture, wherein said switch sections are provided in accordance with blowing portions corresponding to the blowing locations of said indicator picture section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
103 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch for setting a direction in which conditioned air is to be blown from a vehicle air conditioner, said switch comprising: an operating button section in which any switch section is selected and turned on and off by pressing and tilting a location of a peripheral edge of an indicator section; tact switches provided at each of said switch sections; and an indicator picture section, provided at said indicator section, which includes a picture representing a seated posture, wherein said switch sections are provided in accordance with blowing portions corresponding to the blowing locations of said indicator picture section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
115 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch for setting a direction in which conditioned air is to be blown from a vehicle air conditioner, said switch comprising: an operating button section in which any switch section is selected and turned on and off by pressing and tilting a location of a peripheral edge of an indicator section; an indicator picture section, provided at said indicator section, which includes a picture representing a seated posture; and light-emitting diodes provided at each of said switch sections, each diode indicating that said switch section corresponding thereto has been operated, wherein said switch sections are provided in accordance with blowing portions corresponding to the blowing locations of said indicator picture section.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
115 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch for setting a direction in which conditioned air is to be blown from a vehicle air conditioner, said switch comprising: an operating button section in which any switch section is selected and turned on and off by pressing and tilting a location of a peripheral edge of an indicator section; an indicator picture section, provided at said indicator section, which includes a picture representing a seated posture; and light-emitting diodes provided at each of said switch sections, each diode indicating that said switch section corresponding thereto has been operated, wherein said switch sections are provided in accordance with blowing portions corresponding to the blowing locations of said indicator picture section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
102 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch for setting a direction in which conditioned air is to be blown from a vehicle air conditioner, said switch comprising: an operating button section in which any switch section is selected and turned on and off by pressing and tilting a location of a peripheral edge of an indicator section; an indicator picture section, provided at said indicator section, which includes a picture representing a seated posture; and a lamp for illuminating the entire indicator section, wherein said switch sections are provided in accordance with blowing portions corresponding to the blowing locations of said indicator picture section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
102 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch for setting a direction in which conditioned air is to be blown from a vehicle air conditioner, said switch comprising: an operating button section in which any switch section is selected and turned on and off by pressing and tilting a location of a peripheral edge of an indicator section; an indicator picture section, provided at said indicator section, which includes a picture representing a seated posture; and a lamp for illuminating the entire indicator section, wherein said switch sections are provided in accordance with blowing portions corresponding to the blowing locations of said indicator picture section.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch of claim 1, wherein a boundary portion between said defog mode section and said foot mode section is operated to operate both of said sections, and wherein a boundary portion of said foot mode section and said vent mode section is operated to operate both of said sections.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch of claim 1, further comprising tact switches provided at each of said switch sections.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch of claim 1, further comprising light-emitting diodes provided at each of said switch sections, each diode indicating that said switch section corresponding thereto has been operated.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A vehicle air-conditioning control switch of claim 1, further comprising a lamp for illuminating the entire indicator section.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4180713A
Cited
US4308439A
Cited
US4376879A
Cited
US4701629A
Cited
US4954675A
Cited
US4994635A
Cited
US5332877A
Cited
US5252798A
Cited
US5430266A
Cited
US5491313A
Cited
US5521342A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-01-18 | 2002-07-20 | 2003-01-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-01-18 | 2006-07-20 | 2007-01-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-01-18 | 2010-07-20 | 2011-01-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |