JP3877191B2 - Unit assembly including vehicle air conditioning unit - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a unit assembly including a vehicle air-conditioning unit, and particularly to modularizing a vehicle air-conditioning unit and its peripheral devices so as to facilitate assembly work and reduce the number of parts.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the recent vehicle manufacturing field, so-called unitization or modularization, in which various vehicle parts are integrated or several kinds of parts are attached together, has attracted attention.
[0003]
This modularization has various advantages that not only improve workability, but also affect the integration and disassembly of parts and the reduction of mold costs during production.
[0004]
In particular, in front of the front seat in the passenger compartment, a large number of large and small vehicle parts such as a vehicle air conditioning unit, audio equipment, various instruments, steering, steering member, center console, etc. must be concentrated and installed. Since this is a very narrow storage space partitioned by the floor panel and the instrument panel, the installation work here is the most difficult work even during the vehicle assembly work.
[0005]
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-295120 proposes a modularization of components attached to the front of the front seat of a vehicle.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, even if the conventional modularization is intended to improve the work efficiency, the number of parts constituting the unit assembly itself does not decrease.
[0007]
For this reason, in the work process which comprises a unit assembly, there exists a problem that work efficiency cannot still be improved and manufacturing cost cannot be reduced significantly.
[0008]
The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-described problems of the prior art. When a vehicle air conditioning unit and its peripheral devices are modularized, a duct is formed by sharing parts, and the number of parts is reduced. The purpose is to significantly reduce manufacturing costs and improve work efficiency.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The object of the present invention is achieved by the following means.
[0010]
The vehicle air-conditioning unit having an intake unit, a cooler unit, and a heater unit, and an opening provided in front of the vehicle air-conditioning unit that opens toward the vehicle interior, and controls the vehicle air-conditioning unit inside. The steering member has a unit case in which electrical equipment including a controller or audio equipment is housed and a steering member attached to the vehicle body, and the vehicle body air conditioning unit and unit case are attached to the steering member. a unit assembly which is to be mounted, the mounting of the instrument panel in advance the unit the vehicle air-conditioning unit case is attached to cover the cabin side of said unit assembly assembled to the steering member, those A part of the instrument panel to the vent duct by a top surface of the unit case, the vehicle being characterized in that so as to form a foot duct through the lower surface portion of the unit case and a portion of the instrument panel A unit assembly that includes an air conditioning unit.
[0012]
(2) The unit assembly including a vehicle air conditioning unit, wherein the unit case is connected to either the vehicle air conditioning unit or the steering member.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 3 show an example of a unit assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled state, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG.
[0014]
<Unit assembly>
As shown in FIG. 1, the unit assembly 10 of the present embodiment is configured by assembling a vehicle air conditioning unit 20 to a steering member 40 that is attached to reinforce a vehicle body in front of the front seat. A unit case 30 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) in which the controller 32 and the like are stored is attached to the vehicle air conditioning unit 20.
[0015]
However, the unit case 30 is not necessarily attached to the vehicle air conditioning unit 20 and may be directly attached to the steering member 40.
[0016]
《Vehicle air conditioning unit》
First, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the vehicle air conditioning unit 20 is connected to the intake unit 21, the cooler unit 22, and the heater unit 23 so as to form a serial air path, and is taken in from the intake unit 21. The vehicle interior air or the vehicle exterior air is cooled by the evaporator 24 of the cooler unit 22, and this cold air is branched at a desired ratio by the mix door 26 provided between the evaporator 24 and the heater core 25, and a part of the air Is heated by the heater core 25, and the remaining cold air flows as it is and is mixed with the heated air to obtain air of a predetermined temperature.
[0017]
"duct"
The cold air, warm air or mixed air thus produced is guided to various ducts D such as a vent duct Dv, a floor duct Df or a defrost duct Dd. Doors 27d, 27v, and 27f for switching the blowing state to Dd, Dv, and Df are attached to be openable and closable, respectively.
[0018]
Here, when the differential door 27d is opened, air is blown toward the inner surface of the front window via the defrost duct Dd, and when the vent door 27v is opened, cold air is sent toward the passenger's chest via the vent duct Dv. When the foot door 27f is opened, warm air is sent toward the passenger's feet via the foot duct Df.
[0019]
In particular, in the present embodiment, a part of the duct D of the vehicle air conditioning unit 20 is formed by the instrument panel 50 attached so as to cover the compartment side of the unit assembly 10.
[0020]
That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the instrument panel 50 is provided with a defroster outlet 28d on the upper surface, a vent outlet 28v on the front surface, and a foot outlet 28f on the lower surface. Temperature-controlled air from the air conditioning unit 20 is guided to the outlets 28d, 28v, 28f via the defrost duct Dd, the vent duct Dv, and the foot duct Df shown in FIG. 1, and blown into the vehicle interior.
[0021]
Moreover, when the instrument panel 50 is attached so as to cover the vehicle compartment side outer surface of the unit case 23 of the vehicle air conditioning unit 20, a part thereof constitutes the differential duct Dd, the vent duct Dv, and the foot duct Df. It is supposed to be. For example, the vent duct D v is formed by a part of the instrument panel 50 and the upper surface part 30 a of the unit case 30, and the foot duct D f is a part of the instrument panel 50 and the lower surface part 30 of the unit case 30. and b . A part of the differential duct D d is formed by a part of the instrument panel 50.
[0022]
For this reason, some parts which comprise the differential duct Dd, the vent duct Dv, and the foot duct Df become unnecessary, and the number of parts can be reduced. Further, the vent duct D v and the foot duct D f, when attached to cover as in the instrument panel 50 to cover the cabin side outer surface of the unit case 23, the upper surface portion 30 a and the lower surface portion 30 of the unit case 30 b Thus, the two ducts can be separated from each other.
[0023]
However, in the present invention, it is not always necessary that a part of the instrument panel 50 constitutes all of the differential duct Dd, the vent duct Dv, and the foot duct Df, and any one of them may be used. You may make it form the whole.
[0024]
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the air outlet 28d side of the defrost duct Dd is branched into two. However, the present invention is not limited to such a structure. Any shape may be used as long as the instrument panel 50 can communicate with the defrost outlet 28d.
[0025]
Although not shown, a head-up display projection unit for projecting the vehicle speed or the like onto the front window is disposed in the defrost duct Dd, and projection is performed from the outlet 28d of the defrost duct Dd toward the front window. Then, modularization of parts can be promoted.
[0026]
Furthermore, it is also possible to provide a liquid crystal display in the vehicle air conditioning unit 20 in order to facilitate modularization.
[0027]
<Unit case>
As shown in FIG. 2, the unit case 30 is provided so as to protrude from the front surface of the heater unit 23 of the vehicle air conditioning unit 20, and has an opening 31 on the vehicle compartment side. In the opening 31 of the unit case 30, an electric device E including a controller 32 or an audio device (not shown) of the vehicle air conditioning unit 20 is accommodated.
[0028]
<Assembly procedure for unit assembly>
The assembly procedure of the unit assembly 10 will be described.
To assemble the unit assembly 10, first, the intake unit 21, the cooler unit 22, and the heater unit 23 are connected so as to form a serial air path, and the vehicle air conditioning unit 20 is assembled.
[0029]
Next, the controller 32 or an electric device E such as an audio device is housed in the unit case 30, and the unit case 30 is attached to the vehicle air conditioning unit 20.
[0030]
A part of the duct such as the defrost duct Dd is attached to the unit assembly 10 and is connected to the steering member 40 via the bracket B.
[0031]
The vehicle interior side of the unit assembly 10 thus completed is covered with an instrument panel 50. Thereby, the duct D of the vehicle air conditioning unit 20 is also formed using the instrument panel 50 itself.
[0032]
In this case, the instrument panel 50 may be directly attached to the vehicle body, but may be connected to the steering member 40 via the bracket B.
[0033]
In the case where the former instrument panel 50 is directly attached to the vehicle body, the work is somewhat troublesome, but the support strength of the instrument panel 50 is improved. In the case of the method of attaching to the latter steering member 40, since all the unit assemblies 10 including the instrument panel 50 are attached to the steering member 40, the assembly is completed when the steering member 40 is attached to the vehicle body. Is significantly improved.
[0034]
Finally, the completed unit assembly 10 is inserted in front of the front seat of the vehicle using a robot or the like, and the steering member 40 is attached to the vehicle body.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when an air conditioning unit for a vehicle and its peripheral devices are integrated and modularized, when the instrument panel is attached to the air conditioning unit for a vehicle, Since the duct of the vehicle air conditioning unit is formed using a part, the number of components is reduced, the manufacturing cost is greatly reduced, and the assembly work efficiency is improved.
[0036]
If at least one of a vent duct, a foot duct, or a differential duct is formed by the unit assembly and the instrument panel, it is possible to reduce the number of duct components and improve the working efficiency.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled state of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the same embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
10: Unit assembly,
20 ... Vehicle air conditioning unit,
21 ... Intake unit,
22 ... Cooler unit,
23 ... heater unit,
30 ... Unit case,
31 ... opening,
32 ... Controller,
40 ... Steering member,
50 ... Instrument panel,
D ... Duct,
Dd ... defrost duct,
Df: Foot duct,
Dv ... vent duct,
E: Electric equipment.

Claims (1)

A vehicle air conditioning unit (20) having an intake unit (21), a cooler unit (22) and a heater unit (23), and an opening provided toward the vehicle interior provided in front of the vehicle air conditioning unit (20) A unit case (30) having a controller (32) or an audio device (E) for controlling the vehicle air-conditioning unit (20), and a unit case (30) that is mounted on the vehicle body side Steering member (40), and the steering member (40 ) is attached to the vehicle body with the vehicle air conditioning unit (20) and the unit case (30) attached to the steering member (40) . A unit assembly (10) ,
An instrument panel (50) is provided so as to cover a vehicle compartment side of the unit assembly (10) in which the vehicle air conditioning unit (20) to which the unit case (30) is previously attached is assembled to the steering member (40). A vent duct (Dv ) is attached by a part of the instrument panel (50) and the upper surface part (30a) of the unit case (30), and a part of the instrument panel (50) and the unit case (30 the lower surface portion (30b) and unit assembly comprising a vehicle air-conditioning unit, characterized in that so as to form a foot duct (Df) by the).

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