DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] According to the invention, a pivotal flap is provided with a cut-out or recess which extends inwardly from one end of the flap and along an axis about which the flap is pivoted. These edges serve as guide and attachment surfaces which engage in diametrically opposed grooves formed in the external surface of a housing for a drive element/motor.

[0016] This configuration makes it easy to pre-assemble a motor in a slotted housing and then push the completed drive unit into the recess. The novel flap arrangement therefore results in a substantially simplified structure and improved ease of assembly.

[0017] In one embodiment of the invention, the holding means or housing may comprise a sleeve which accommodates the drive element. However, it is also possible for the housing of the drive element itself to be designed as the holding means and to be provided with the opposed set of grooves.

[0018] To axially secure the housing/holding means, latching elements may be provided on the holding means and/or on the recess, so that there is no need for a special attachment operation after the holding means has been pushed into the recess.

[0019] A first aspect of the invention resides in a device for controlling the mass flow through an air-guide duct, in particular for a heating or air-conditioning system in a motor vehicle, which comprises: a flap mounted so that it can rotate about an axis of rotation, the flap being provided with a drive element for providing the pivoting drive, wherein the flap, starting from one of its end sides, is provided with a recess with edges which run parallel to one another and to the longitudinal edges of the flap and which serve as guide and attachment edges for opposite grooves on a holding member of the drive element.

[0020] A second aspect of the invention resides in a device comprising: a flap which is pivotal about an axis of rotation, the flap having a cut-out portion at one axial end; a drive element for pivoting the flap; and a drive element housing which encloses the drive element and which is formed with grooves which engage edges of the cutout out portion.

[0021] The flap 1 is provided with a known type of bearing journal 2 at one end thereof for enabling its mounting to a wall of support member of a duct through the fluid flow is to be controlled.

[0022] This side wall or support member may be part of an installation frame in which the flap is arranged either along or with one or more other similar flap arrangements, e.g., to form a louver. One example of such an arrangement in an automotive air-conditioning system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,806, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0023] The flap proper 1 is made from plastic or a suitable light material (such as light alloy, carbon fiber composite, or the like), having sufficient structural rigidity/strength for the intended control purpose. In this embodiment, the flap is provided with a plurality of reinforcement ribs 3 which run transversely with respect to an axis about with the flap is pivotal. As shown, these ribs 3 are distributed uniformly over a central portion of the flap.

[0024] A rectangular recess or cut-out 4 is provided in the flap 1 . As illustrated, this recess 4 extends from one end of the flap to a portion proximate a reinforcing rib 3 a which is furthest from the bearing journal 2 . This recess 4 has edges 5 which lie opposite one another and, in this embodiment, run parallel to one another. These edges 5 serve as guides for a cylindrical sleeve 6 which is provided with diametrically opposed grooves 7 . The spacing between the edges 5 and the dimensions of the recess 4 are selected with respect to the diameter of the sleeve 6 and the depth of the grooves 7 in order to achieve a snug fit and enable the sleeve 6 to be received in a positively locking manner when pushed into the recess 4 in the direction indicated by arrow 8 .

[0025] A drive element or unit 9 , which is not shown in detail, is disposed within the sleeve so as to prevent relative rotation with respect thereto. The output shaft 10 of this drive element 9 projects out of the sleeve 6 , serves, like the bearing journal 2 , to pivotably mount the other end of the flap 1 in a rotationally fixed manner in the associated bearing wall—in particular the above mentioned installation frame.

[0026] The energy/power for the drive element 9 may be supplied via the shaft 10 which can be provided suitable electrodes, such as the annular bands 10 A and 10 B illustrated in FIG. 2 , or other suitable connections/ports which permit fluid pressure (e.g. vacuum, air pressure, hydraulic pressure) or the like, to be alternatively supplied.

[0027] This configuration makes it possible to easily provide a control flap with a drive, it then being possible for this driven flap to be connected to other pivotable flaps, for example by means of a coupling rod or rods, so that the additional flaps do not themselves have to be driven per se. Of course, it is also possible, and in some cases expedient, in an arrangement of a plurality of pivoting flaps, in particular in an installation frame, for each of the flaps to be provided with its own drive, in order to achieve a highly variable and sensitive control of the air flow.

[0028] In the case of undriven flaps, it is possible for an insert or filling piece to be pushed into the recess 4 in place of the sleeve 6 , so as to fill the open space generated by the recess 4 , thus allowing the entire area of the flap to be used for control purposes.

[0029] Further, it is not necessary to insert a drive element 9 into a sleeve 6 which serves as a holding means. That is to say, the housing of the drive element 9 per se, can be directly provided with the grooves 6 and for the recess 4 can be adapted to the dimensions of the housing of the drive element 9 .

[0030] In the region of the recess 4 , for example, at its end wall adjacent to the reinforcing rib 3 a , latching elements such as connection pawls 6 A can be provided which interact with corresponding latching sites and/or rib 3 a on the sleeve 6 , so that when the sleeve has been pushed as far as the end stop in the direction indicated by arrow 8 . This eliminates the need for the sleeve 6 to be secured against axial displacement with respect to the flap 1 in separate assembly operation.

[0031] Naturally, it may even be sufficient for the friction, which is generated between the edges 5 and the grooves 7 , to be sufficient to hold two elements together, especially in light of the fact that the flap 1 is, in any case, mounted by means of its bearing journal 2 and the shaft 10 between side walls of a frame or of the air-guide duct.

[0032] The disclosure of German Patent Application No. 100 24 691.5, filed May 18, 2000, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Also incorporated by reference is the disclosure of the copending U.S. application filed concurrently herewith bearing Attorney Docket Number 76776/113.

[0033] The foregoing embodiments have been shown and described for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims. The invention includes all obvious modifications of the embodiments described above.