VENT ASSEMBLY FOR AUTOMOBILES HAVING OPENABLE GRILL UNIT Technical Field The present invention relates, in general, to vent assemblies for automobiles and, more particularly, to a vent assembly for automobiles, which has a container compartment being selectively ejected or retracted by a drive means from or into a housing installed at a predetermined portion of a dashboard of an automobile, and a grill unit provided at a front end of the container compartment to be openable forward and downward at front end of the container compartment, so as to allow a user to easily clean the grill unit and the interior of the housing, so that the vent assembly blows cool or hot air of a fresh and clean state into the passenger compartment of the automobile, thus preventing the user or passengers from contracting several respiratory diseases, and allow the user to easily contain a desired material, such as an aromatic and etc. , in the grill unit, and simply change the material with a new one, thus maintaining a pleasant atmosphere of the passenger compartment.

Background Art Generally, automobiles have been used as a means of conveyance or transport, in which a liquid energy source that is a fuel is evaporated, and the evaporated fuel gas is mixed with air and, thereafter, an engine of the automobile draws the mixed fuel gas into therein and executes mixed fuel gas compression, combustion and combustion gas exhaust operations to generate a driving force, so that the automobile can quickly move any distance using the driving force generated by the above-mentioned operations.

Such automobiles are provided with air conditioning apparatuses, such as heaters or air conditioners, for discharging impure air from the passenger compartment to the atmosphere and controlling a temperature of the passenger

compartment, thus appropriately conditioning the air in the passenger compartment while driving the automobile. Fresh air fed from such an air conditioning apparatus is blown into the passenger compartment through a blowing duct installed at a dashboard with a vent assembly having a grillwork provided at a front of the blowing duct.

In a conventional vent assembly for automobiles, a grillwork holder, installed at the dashboard, holds the grillwork to discharge into the passenger compartment the air of a low or high temperature passing through the blowing duct. Therefore, when it is desired to change the air blowing direction of the grillwork, a plurality of horizontal or vertical blades, provided at the grillwork, are manually tilted upward, downward, leftward or rightward within the fixed grillwork holder, thus appropriately controlling a direction of the air discharged from the vent assembly into the passenger compartment.

However, when conditioning the air of the passenger compartment through the conventional vent assembly, external dusts and internal dusts of the automobile are drawn along with the air into the air conditioning apparatus through an air inlet of the air conditioning apparatus during an operation of the air conditioning apparatus, thus fine dusts are deposited in the blowing duct and on the grillwork because the dusts are discharged along with the air into the passenger compartment. Therefore, the deposited fine dusts, discharged along with the cool or hot air into the passenger compartment through the grillwork of the conventional vent assembly, may cause several respiratory diseases as well as be the source of odor and uncleanliness.

To solve the problem of the above-mentioned uncleanliness, the user must clean the interior of the vent assembly or install an air filter or a bacterial filter at a position around the vent assembly after removing the grillwork from the blowing duct. However, because the conventional vent assembly is produced to be impossible to remove the grillwork from the blowing duct, the conventional vent assembly is problematic in that the cleaning of the interior thereof or the installation and a change of the filter are very difficult.

In the meantime, to solve the problem of the above-mentioned odor, air

quality enhancing agents, such as aromatics, germicides, and/or deodorizers are laid on the top wall of the dashboard or the rear shelf provided in back of the rear seats inside the passenger compartment, or are attached to the front of the grillwork such that air laden with components of the air quality enhancing agents circulates in the passenger compartment. However, such installation of the air quality enhancing agents makes the interior of the passenger compartment messy, as well as hindering the driving of a driver.

In an effort to overcome the problems experienced in the conventional vent assembly, there was proposed and has been used an interior vent nozzle for air conditioning apparatuses of automobiles in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. Sho. 61-137,012. The vent nozzle, which corresponds to a grill unit with a grillwork, is removably installed in a housing fixedly set in the dashboard of an automobile such that the grill unit with the grillwork is completely removed from the housing by pulling the grill unit from the housing when desired. That is, this grill unit has a detachable structure, which allows a user to install or remove the grill unit with the grillwork in or from the housing provided in the dashboard. However, due to such a detachable structure, the vent nozzle generates noises upsetting passengers around the grill unit when the automobile runs at a speed with substantial vibrations. In addition, when the grill unit is repeatedly removed and installed from or in the housing, the assembling parts of both the grill unit and the housing may be damaged, broken or lost.

To solve the above-mentioned problems experienced in the conventional vent nozzle, vent assemblies for automobiles having drawer-type grill units were proposed in Korean Utility Model Registration NO. 297258 and 297260 (Filed: November, 26.2002) which were applied by the inventor of the present invention and have been registered.

The vent assembly proposed in Korean Utility Model Registration NO.

297258 includes a grill unit, a housing installed at a vent channel of a dashboard, and a drive means. The grill unit includes a grillwork holder which has at a front thereof a grillwork, and a container compartment which is provided at a

back of the grillwork holder and has an air inlet opening, with movable rails arranged along outer surfaces of both sidewalls of the container compartment.

The grill unit is ejected from or retracted into the housing along fixed rails of the housing within a predetermined range by the drive means. Two racks are arranged along upper or lower ends of both sidewalls of the container compartment so as to respectively engage with two pinion gears provided at both ends of a drive shaft of the drive means in which a first transmission gear of an intermediate gear assembly engages with a drive gear of a reversible motor, and a driven gear is mounted to an end of the drive shaft and engages with a second transmission gear of the intermediate gear assembly.

In the meantime, the vent assembly proposed in Korean Utility Model Registration NO. 297260 includes a grill unit, a housing installed at a vent channel of a dashboard, and a drive means. The grill unit includes a grillwork holder which has at a front thereof a grillwork, and a container compartment which is provided at a back of the grillwork holder and has an air inlet opening, with movable rails arranged along outer surfaces of both sidewalls of the container compartment. The grill unit is ejected from or retracted into the housing along fixed rails of the housing within a predetermined range by the drive means. The container compartment has a stopper at a rear end thereof to engage with and disengage from a push button switch installed in the housing, and has a drive roll at a bottom thereof, with a drive spring being connected at a first end thereof to the drive roll to be wound around and unwound from the drive roll. A rack is provided along an upper surface of one of the movable rails which are arranged along both sidewalls of the container compartment, to engage with a reduction gear installed in the housing. The housing has a drive opening on a bottom thereof so that the drive roll is moved forward and backward along the drive opening, with a second end of the drive spring being connected to an outer surface of a front portion of the housing.

The above-mentioned conventional vent assemblies having the drawer- type grill units each allow a user to eject the grill unit from the housing within a predetermined range to be not completely removed from the housing, so as to

solve the problems of loss or damage to the assembling parts of the vent assemblies and to easily remove impurities which are deposited and caught in the grill unit and in the interior of the housing. Therefore, the vent assemblies blow cool or hot air of a fresh and clean state into the passenger compartment.

However, the grillwork holder having a predetermined height is integrally provided at a front portion of the grill unit, thus the conventional vent assemblies cause inconvenience to the user when it is desired to clean the grill unit and the interior of the housing or to contain a desired material, such as an aromatic, in the container compartment.

Disclosure of the Invention Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vent assembly for automobiles, which has a container compartment being selectively ejected or retracted by a drive means from or into a housing installed at a predetermined portion of a dashboard of an automobile, and a grill unit provided at a front end of the container compartment to be openable forward and downward at front end of the container compartment, so as to allow a user to easily clean the grill unit and the interior of the housing, so that the vent assembly blows cool or hot air of a fresh and clean state into the passenger compartment of the automobile, thus preventing the user or passengers from contracting several respiratory diseases, and allow the user to easily contain a desired material, such as an aromatic and etc. , in the grill unit, and simply change the material with a new one, thus maintaining a pleasant atmosphere of the passenger compartment.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a vent assembly for automobiles, including a grill unit having a grillwork, a housing installed at a vent channel of a dashboard, drive means, and a container compartment which is provided at a back of the grill unit, with movable rails arranged along outer surfaces of both sidewalls of the container compartment, and

both the grill unit and the container compartment being ejected from or retracted into the housing along fixed rails of the housing by the drive means, wherein the grill unit includes a seating slot formed on an upper surface of the grill unit between both sidewalls of the grill unit so as to seat an air filter in the grill unit, a first hinge hole provided on a lower end of each of the sidewalls of the grill unit, and a first locking shoulder provided on an upper end of each of the sidewalls of the grill unit, with a first locking projection provided on the first locking shoulder; and the container compartment is open at a front thereof and includes a support column provided at each side of the open front of the container compartment, with a second locking shoulder being provided on an upper end of the support column and having a first locking hole, and a first hinge shaft provided on a lower end of an inside surface of the support column, whereby the grill unit is assembled with the container compartment by inserting the first hinge shaft into the first hinge hole so that the grill unit is openable forward and downward around a lower end of the open front of the container compartment, and the grill unit maintains a closed state thereof relative to the container compartment by engagement of the first locking projection with the first locking hole.

Brief Description of the Drawings The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vent assembly for automobiles according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 1; FIGS. 4A through 4C are longitudinal sectional views showing an operation of the vent assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a vent assembly for

automobiles according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an operation of the vent assembly of FIG. 5 ; FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a vent assembly for automobiles according to a third embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an operation of the vent assembly of FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a vent assembly for automobiles according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 9; FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line D-D of FIG. 9; FIGS. 12A through 12C are longitudinal sectional views showing an operation of the vent assembly of FIG. 9; FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a vent assembly for automobiles according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an operation of the vent assembly of FIG. 13; FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of a vent assembly for automobiles according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention; FIGS. 16A through 16D are longitudinal sectional views showing an operation of the vent assembly of FIG. 15; FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of a vent assembly for automobiles according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention; FIGS. 18A and 18B are longitudinal sectional views showing an operation of the vent assembly of FIG. 17; FIGS. 19A through 19C are front views showing the operation of the vent assembly of FIG. 17; FIG. 20 is a perspective view, showing a vent assembly of the present invention, which is installed at the dashboard of an automobile at a desired position.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Reference should now be made to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used throughout the different drawings to designate the same or similar components.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vent assembly for automobiles according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 1. FIGS. 4A through 4C are longitudinal sectional views showing an operation of the vent assembly of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 through 4C, the vent assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 1, a container compartment 2 which is ejected from or retracted into the housing 1, a drive means 3 which ejects or retracts the container compartment 2 from or into the housing 1, a grill unit 4 which is openably provided at a front end of the container compartment 2, and an air filter 5 which is seated in the grill unit 4.

The housing 1 supports the grill unit 4 to determine a blowing direction of cool or hot air which is discharged toward a front of a dashboard (not shown) from an air conditioning apparatus (not shown) through a blowing duct (not shown) which is coupled to an outlet of the air conditioning apparatus. The housing 1 has a space defined above the container compartment 2 therein, so that air quality enhancing agent, such as aromatic, germicide, and/or deodorizer, is contained in the space to remove odor.

To contain an aromatic in the container compartment 2 or to clean the container compartment 2 and the interior of the housing 1, the container compartment 2 is ejected from the housing within a predetermined range by the drive means 3.

The housing 1 is installed in the dashboard (not shown) and has at an inside end thereof a square-shaped opening which is coupled to the blowing duct (not shown). The housing 1 further has a rim 10 which is integrally formed around an outside end of the housing 1 so as to prevent the housing 1 from being

completely inserted into the dashboard.

Two fixed rails 11 are respectively oppositely provided along inner surfaces of both sidewalls of the housing 1 in longitudinal directions. The housing 1 further has at a predetermined portion on one of the sidewalls thereof a mounting hole 12. A pinion gear 31, coupled to a rotating shaft of a reversible motor 30 which is the drive means 3, is inserted into the housing 1 through the mounting hole 12 while the reversible motor 30 is mounted on an outer surface of the sidewall of the housing 1 by a mounting bracket 32 and a plurality of bolts 33.

The mounting bracket 32 is provided on the reversible motor 30.

The container compartment 2 slides frontward or rearward along the fixed rails 11 of the housing 1 by the drive means 3, so that the container compartment 2 with the grill unit 4, which is openably provided at the front end of the container compartment 2, is ejected from or retracted into the housing 1.

The container compartment 2 has a plate-type bottom with opposite sidewalls having a predetermined height and is open at the front end thereof. The container compartment 2 further has a support column 20 which is higher than the height of the sidewall of the container compartment 2 and is vertically integrally provided at each side of the open front of the container compartment 2.

The support column 20 has a second locking shoulder 21 which is provided on an upper end of the support column 20 and has a first locking hole 21a, so that the grill unit 4 maintains a closed state thereof relative to the container compartment 2 by engagement of a first locking projection 43a described below with the first locking hole 21a while the second locking shoulder 21 is in contact with a first locking shoulder 43 described below.

The support column 20 further has a first hinge shaft 22 which is provided on a lower end of an inside surface of the support column 20 to be inserted into a first hinge hole 42 which is provided on a lower end of each of the sidewalls of the grill unit 4.

A movable rail 23 is provided on each of the sidewalls of the container compartment 2 to engage with the fixed rail 11 of each of the sidewalls of the housing 1 and slide along the fixed rail 11. A rack 24 is formed on one of the

two movable rails 23 to engage with the pinion gear 31 of the reversible motor 30, so that the container compartment 2 with the two movable rails 23 slides along the fixed rails 11 of the housing 1 during an operation of the reversible motor 30.

An air inlet opening 26 is provided at a rear wall of the container compartment 2. The container compartment 2 has a plurality of locking pieces 27 on predetermined portions of an upper surface of the bottom thereof to removably lock a box-type container unit between the plurality of locking pieces 27.

The grill unit 4 ordinary maintains the inserted state thereof between the two support columns 20, provided at the each side of the open front of the container compartment 2, by engaging the first locking projection 43a of the grill unit 4 with the first locking hole 21a of the support column 20, so as to change a blowing direction of cool or hot air discharged from the vent assembly into the passenger compartment. When it is desired to clean the grill unit 4 and the interior of the housing 1 or to change the air quality enhancing material, such as the aromatic, with a new one, the grill unit 4 is opened at the front end of the container compartment 2 to easily execute the above-mentioned cleaning or changing operation.

The grill unit 4 has a square-shaped space defined therein. The grillwork 40, which comprises a plurality of blades, is provided in the square- shaped space defined in the grill unit 4 to be manually tilted upward, downward, leftward or rightward by manipulating a dial 41 which is provided at a predetermined in the square-shaped space of the grill unit 4 to operate in conjunction with the blades of the grillwork 40. The grill unit 4 further has the first hinge hole 42 which is provided on the lower end of each of the sidewalls of the grill unit 4 to insert the first hinge shaft 22 of the support column 20 into the first hinge hole 42.

The grill unit 4 further has the first locking shoulder 43 to engage with the second locking shoulder 21 of the support column 20 while the grill unit 4 is closed at the front end of the container compartment 2. The grill unit 4 further

has the first locking projection 43a which has a ball-type shape having a predetermined diameter and is integrally provided on a predetermined portion of the first locking shoulder 43 which is in contact with the second locking shoulder 21.

A seating slot 44 is integrally formed on an upper surface of the grill unit 4 between the two first locking projections 43a so as to seat an air filter 5 in the grill unit 4.

Next, the operation and effect of the vent assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described herein below with reference to FIGS. 4A through 4C.

When the air conditioning apparatus (not shown), such as a heater or an air conditioner, is operated while the container compartment 2 is placed in the housing 1 as shown in FIG. 4A, the cool or hot air discharged from the outlet of the air conditioning apparatus passes through the blowing duct (not shown) which is coupled to the inside end of the housing 1. Thereafter, the cool or hot air is blown into the passenger compartment through the housing 1, the container compartment 2, and the grillwork 40 which comprises the plurality of blades and is provided in the grill unit 4.

At this time, the plurality of blades of the grillwork 40 are manually tilted at predetermined angles by manipulating the dial 41 which is provided in the grill unit 4, so that the cool or hot air is discharged into the passenger compartment in a desired direction.

When it is desired to clean the grill unit 4 and the interior of the housing 1 or to change the air quality enhancing agent, such as the aromatic, contained in a space defined between the container compartment 2 and the housing 1, with a new one, a user turns on a power switch (not shown) to operate the reversible motor 30 which is the drive means 3. When the rotating shaft of the reversible motor 30 is rotated, the pinion gear 31, coupled to the rotating shaft of the reversible motor 30, is rotated. Therefore, the container compartment 2 and the grill unit 4 are ejected from the housing 1 by a movement of the rack 24 engaging with the pinion gear 31, as shown in FIG. 4B.

At this time, in case that the reversible motor 30 is a servomotor, the reversible motor 30 is previously set so that the rotating shaft of the reversible motor 30 is rotated within a predetermined rotational angle. Preferably, the rotation of the rotating shaft of the reversible motor 30 is controlled by a limit switch or a sensor so that the rack 24 of the container compartment 2 is ejected from the housing 1 to a predetermined position.

When the rack 24 of the container compartment 2 has been ejected from the housing 1 to the predetermined position, the reversible motor 30 is stopped.

The user, thereafter, pulls frontward and downward an upper portion of the grill unit 4, so that the first locking projection 43a of the first locking shoulder 43, which has been inserted in the first locking hole 21a of the second locking shoulder 21, is removed from the first locking hole 21a. Thus, the grill unit 4 is rotated counterclockwise around the first hinge shaft 22 which is provided on the lower end of the support column 20 of the container compartment 2, so that the grill unit 4 is opened at the open front of the container compartment 2, as shown in FIG. 4C.

In the above-mentioned state in that the container compartment 2 is exposed to the outside and the grill unit 4 is opened at the open front of the container compartment 2, the user removes impurities, caught in the housing 1, container compartment 2 and the grill unit 4, using various kinds of cleaning materials or changes the air filter and/or the air quality enhancing agent, such as the aromatic and etc. , with new ones.

After the process of cleaning the housing 1 or changing the aromatic or the air filter is finished, the user pushes upward and rearward the upper portion of the grill unit 4 which has been opened at the open front of the container compartment 2, thus the grill unit 4 is rotated clockwise around the first hinge shaft 22 in a direction opposite to the grill unit opening operation and is closed at the front end of the container compartment 2.

At this time, the first locking projection 43a of the first locking shoulder 43, which is provided on the upper end of each of the sidewalls of the grill unit 4, engages with the first locking hole 21 a of the second locking shoulder 21 which is

provided on the upper end of each of the two support columns 20, so that the grill unit 4 maintains the closed state thereof relative to the container compartment 2.

When the grill unit 4 is closed at the front end of the container compartment 2, the first locking shoulder 43 of the grill unit 4 is in contact with the second locking shoulder 21 of the container compartment 2, so that the grill unit 4 is prevented form excessively inserting into the front end of the container compartment 2.

Thereafter, the user turns on the power switch (not shown) to operate the reversible motor 30, which is the drive means 3, in a direction opposite to the ejection operation. When the rotating shaft of the reversible motor 30 is rotated in a direction opposite to the ejection operation, the pinion gear 31 of the reversible motor 30 is rotated in the direction opposite to the ejection operation.

Therefore, the container compartment 2 and the grill unit 4 are retracted into the housing 1 by a movement of the rack 24 engaging with the pinion gear 31.

When the rack 24 of the container compartment 2 has been retracted into the housing 1 to a predetermined position in the housing 1, the reversible motor 30 is stopped, so that the container compartment 2 and the grill unit 4 are placed in the housing 1 and accomplishes the state to discharge the cool or hot air into the passenger compartment.

In the vent assembly of the first embodiment of the present invention, the reversible motor 30 and the pinion gear 31 are used as the drive means 3 to eject or retract the container compartment 2 from or into the housing 1. However, in a vent assembly for automobiles according to a second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a drive spring 34 may be used as the drive means 3.

The vent assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention using the drive spring 34 includes a push button switch 13 in back of the housing 1, a drive opening 14 which is formed on the bottom of the housing 1.

A container compartment stopper 29 is provided at a rear portion of the container compartment 2. Two support pieces 29a are provided on a lower surface of the

bottom of the container compartment 2. The drive spring 34 is wound around a drive roll 29b which is coupled to the two support pieces 29a. Thus, the container compartment 2 is ejected from or retracted into the housing 1 by an elastic force of the drive spring 34. In the drawings, the reference numeral 35 denotes a reduction gear.

In the vent assembly of the first embodiment of the present invention, the grill unit 4 maintains the closed state thereof relative to the container compartment 2 by the engagement of the first locking projection 43a, which is provided on the upper end of each of the sidewalls of the grill unit 4, with the first locking hole 21 a which is provided on the upper end of each of the two support columns 20 of the container compartment 2. However, in a vent assembly for automobiles according to a third embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a second locking projection 43a'is provided on each side of a lower portion of a rear wall of the grill unit 4, and a second locking hole 21 a'is provided on each side of the front end of the bottom of the container compartment 2, so that the vent assembly of the third embodiment do not include the support column 20, different from the vent assembly of the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a vent assembly for automobiles according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line D-D of FIG. 9. FIGS. 12A through 12C are longitudinal sectional views showing an operation of the vent assembly of FIG. 9.

As shown in FIGS. 9 through 12C, in the vent assembly according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the grill unit 4 includes a rod 45 which is provided on each side of the lower portion of the rear wall of the grill unit 4 and has a predetermined length, with a second hinge hole 45a provided on a rear end of the rod 45. The container compartment 2 includes a rod inserting slit 25 which has a predetermined length and is longitudinally provided on each side of the front end of the bottom of the container compartment 2, with an inserting hole 25a transversely provided in the bottom of the container compartment 2 to pass through both inside ends of the rod inserting slits 25.

The container compartment 2 further includes a second hinge shaft 26a which is inserted into the container compartment 2 through the inserting hole 25a, so that the grill unit 4 is rotatably coupled to the container compartment 2 around the second hinge shaft 26a.

In the vent assembly of the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 12A through 12C, when the container compartment 2 is ejected from the housing 1 to a predetermined position by motions of the pinion gear 31 and the rack 24 during the operation of the reversible motor 30 which is the drive means 3, the rod 45 is not supported by any means including the bottom of the housing 1, so that the rod 45 having the second hinge hole 45a can be rotated around the second hinge shaft 26a.

In the above-mentioned state in that the container compartment 2 is ejected from the housing 1 to the predetermined position, the user pulls frontward and downward the upper portion of the grill unit 4, so that the first locking projection 43a of the grill unit 4 is removed from the first locking hole 21a of the container compartment 2 in the same manner as that described for the grill unit opening operations of the first, second and third embodiments. Thereafter, the rod 45 is rotated counterclockwise around the second hinge shaft 26a, so that the grill unit 4 is opened at the open front of the container compartment 2.

At this time, the grill unit 4 of the vent assembly of the fourth embodiment is more widely opened at the open front of the container compartment 2 in comparison with the vent assembly of the first embodiment, so that the vent assembly of the fourth embodiment is more convenient to the user.

The grill unit 4 is thereafter closed at the front end of the container compartment 2 in a reverse order to the above-mentioned opening operation, and the container compartment 2 is retracted into the housing 1 in a reverse order to the above- mentioned ejecting operation.

In the vent assembly of the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the grill unit 4 maintains a closed state thereof relative to the container compartment 2 by engagement of the first locking projection 43a, which is provided on the upper end of each of the sidewalls of the grill unit 4, with the first

locking hole 2 la which is provided on the upper end of each of the two support columns 20 of the container compartment 2. However, in a vent assembly for automobiles according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the second locking projection 43a'is provided on each side of the lower portion of the rear wall of the grill unit 4, and the second locking hole 21 a'is provided on each side of the front end of the bottom of the container compartment 2, so that the grill unit 4 maintains a closed state thereof relative to the container compartment 2 by engagement of the second locking projection 43a'with the second locking hole 21a'. Therefore, the vent assembly of the fifth embodiment does not include the support column 20, different from the vent assembly of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of a vent assembly for automobiles according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIGS.

16A through 16D are longitudinal sectional views showing an operation of the vent assembly of FIG. 15.

As shown in FIGS. 15 through 16D, in the sixth embodiment of the present invention, the grill unit 4 includes a guide groove 46 which is integrally provided on each of the sidewalls of the grill unit 4 and is open at an upper end thereof and is closed at a lower end thereof, and the seating slot 44 which is formed on the upper surface of the grill unit 4 between the both sidewalls of the grill unit 4 to seat an air filter 5 in the grill unit 4. The container compartment 2 includes a support column 20 which is provided at each side of the open front of the container compartment 2, with a guide projection 29 provided on an inner surface of the support column 20 and having a rectangular shape. Therefore, the grill unit 4 slides vertically along the support column 20 by inserting the guide projection 29 of the support column 20 into the guide groove 46 of the grill unit 4, so that the grill unit 4 is opened downward and closed upward at the front end of the container compartment 2.

At this time, the guide groove 46 of the grill unit 4 has first engaging projections 46a which are respectively oppositely provided on upper portions of both sidewalls of the guide groove 46, and second engaging projections 46b

which are respectively oppositely provided on lower portions of the sidewalls of the guide groove 46. The guide projection 29 of the support column 20 has first engaging grooves 29a which are respectively oppositely provided on upper portions of both sidewalls of the guide projection 29, and second engaging projections 29b which are respectively oppositely provided on lower portions of the sidewalls of the guide projection 29, so that the first and second engaging projections 46a and 46b alternatively engage with the first and second engaging grooves 29a and 29b while the grill unit 4 slides vertically along the support column 20.

In the vent assembly of the sixth embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 16A through 16D, after the container compartment 2 is ejected from the housing 1 to a predetermined position by motions of the pinion gear 31 and the rack 24 during the operation of the reversible motor 30 which is the drive means 3, the user pushes downward the upper portion of the grill unit 4, so that the first and second engaging projections 46a and 46b of the guide groove 46, which have been respectively engaged with the first and second engaging grooves 29a and 29b of the guide projection 29, are removed from the first and second engaging grooves 29a and 29b. Thereafter, the guide groove 46 slides downward along the guide projection 29 until the first engaging projections 46a engage with the second engaging grooves 29b, so that the grill unit 4 is completely opened at the front end of the container compartment 2. The user, thereafter, cleans the interior of the housing 1 or changes the air quality enhancing agent, such as the aromatic, with a new one.

Thereafter, the user pushes upward the grill unit 4, which has been placed at the lower portion between the two support columns 20, until the first and second engaging projections 46a and 46b respectively engage with the first and second engaging groove 29a and 29b, so that the grill unit 4 is stably placed between the two support columns 20. The container compartment 2 is thereafter retracted into the housing 1 by operating the reversible motor 30 in a direction opposite to the ejection operation.

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of a vent assembly for

automobiles according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 18A and 18B are longitudinal sectional views showing an operation of the vent assembly of FIG. 17. FIGS. 19A through 19C are front views showing an operation of the vent assembly of FIG. 17. FIG. 20 is a perspective view, showing a vent assembly of the present invention, which is installed at the dashboard of an automobile at a desired position.

In the vent assembly according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, the grill unit 4 includes a third hinge hole 47 which is provided on a lower portion of a first side end of the grill unit 4, and the seating slot 44 which is integrally formed on the upper surface of the grill unit 4 so as to seat the air filter 5 in the grill unit 4. The container compartment 2 includes a support guide 28 which is vertically provided on one side of the open front of the container compartment 2 to hold the first side end of the grill unit 4, with a fourth hinge hole 28a provided on a lower end of the support guide 28. The grill unit 4 is assembled with the container compartment 2 by inserting a third hinge shaft 48 into both the third hinge hole 47 and the fourth hinge hole 28a while the support guide 28 holds the first side end of the grill unit 4, so that the grill unit 4 is rotatably coupled to the front end of the container compartment 2 around the third hinge shaft 48.

The grill unit 4 further includes a third locking projection 43"which is provided on the upper surface of the first side of the grill unit 4. The container compartment 2 further includes a third locking hole 21"which is provided on an upper portion of an inner surface of the support guide 28. Thus, the grill unit 4 maintains a closed state thereof relative to the container compartment 2 by engaging the third locking projection 43"with the third locking hole 21"while the support guide 28 holds the first side end of the grill unit 4.

In the vent assembly of the seventh embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 18A through 19C, after the container compartment 2 is ejected from the housing 1 to a predetermined position by motions of the pinion gear 31 and the rack 24 during a operation of the reversible motor 30 which is the drive means 3, the user pushes downward an upper portion of a second side end of the grill unit 4, so that the

grill unit 4 is rotated clockwise around the third hinge shaft 48. Thus, the grill unit 4 is opened about half at the front end of the container compartment 2 as shown in FIG. 19B, prior to being completely opened at the front end of the container compartment 2 as shown in FIG. 19C.

The vent assembly of the seventh embodiment includes a screw-type support unit 27a which is provided on a predetermined portion of an upper surface of a bottom of the container compartment 2 to mount a container unit 28a.

The rear wall of the grill unit 4 having the inlet opening 26 is removed.

In the above-mentioned state in that the grill unit 4 is completely opened at the front end of the container compartment 2, the user cleans the interior of the housing 1 or changes the air quality enhancing agent, such as the aromatic and etc. , with a new one. After the process of cleaning the housing 1 or changing the aromatic is finished, the grill unit 4 is rotated counterclockwise around the third hinge shaft 48 in a direction opposite to the grill unit opening operation, so that the grill unit 4 maintains the closed state thereof relative to the container compartment 2 by engagement of the third locking projection 43"of the grill unit 4 with the third locking hole 21"of the support guide 28. Thereafter, the container compartment 2 is retracted into the housing 1 in the reverse order to the above-mentioned ejecting operation.

Industrial Applicability As described above, the present invention provides a vent assembly for automobiles, which has a container compartment being selectively ejected or retracted by a drive means from or into a housing installed at a predetermined portion of a dashboard of an automobile, and a grill unit provided at a front end of the container compartment to be openable forward and downward at a front end of the container compartment, so as to allow a user to easily clean the grill unit and the interior of the housing, so that the vent assembly blows cool or hot air of a fresh and clean state into the passenger compartment of the automobile, thus preventing the user or passengers from contracting several respiratory diseases.

Furthermore, the vent assembly of the present invention may hold a vessel containing drinking water therein in the container compartment, so as to cool or heat the drinking water by the cool or hot air passing through the container compartment.