JP4075809B2 - Air conditioner for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner in which an air passage in an air conditioning case is partitioned into a plurality of air passages and the temperature of air flowing through each air passage is adjusted independently.

  As a prior art, for example, there is a vehicle air conditioner disclosed in Patent Document 1 below. In this vehicle air conditioner, the air conditioning case is divided into two air passages by a partition plate, and hot air and cold air are introduced into each air passage at a predetermined independent rate to adjust the temperature of the air. ing. As a result, air whose temperature is controlled (temperature controlled) independently is blown out to each region (for example, each region on the left and right sides of the front seat) in the vehicle interior.

  Each air passage is provided with a plate-like door as an air distribution means for changing the flow of air flowing through the air passage, such as a blowing mode door, and each of the air passages located on both sides of the partition plate. The door of the air passage is interlocked.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of a cross-sectional structure of a main part when the door member 150 having an integral structure is disposed in the air conditioning case 111. A partition plate 130 is provided in the air conditioning case 111 shown in FIG. 7, and a first air passage 141 and a second air passage 142 are formed. The door member 150 integrally connects the first door main body 151 disposed in the first air passage 141 and the second door main body 152 disposed in the second air passage 142 with a shaft 153. The door main bodies 151 and 152 are configured to be interlocked.

When providing such a door member 150 in the center part (parts other than the edge part) of the partition plate 130, a through hole 131 is formed in the partition plate 130, and the door member 150 is inserted into the through hole 131, It is known that each door body 151, 152 is disposed in each air passage 141, 142.
JP 2001-253223 A

  However, in the above-described conventional vehicle air conditioner, since the air flowing through the air passages 141 and 142 passes through the through holes 131 of the partition plate 130, the independent temperature control performance of each air passage may deteriorate. There's a problem.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle air conditioner capable of preventing deterioration of the independent temperature control performance of air flowing through each partitioned air passage. To do.

In order to achieve the above object, in the invention described in claim 1,
An air conditioning case (11);
A partition member (30) for partitioning a ventilation path formed in the air conditioning case (11) into a first air passage (41) and a second air passage (42);
First temperature adjusting means (16A) for adjusting the temperature of the air flowing through the first air passage (41);
Second temperature adjusting means (16B) for adjusting the temperature of the air flowing through the second air passage (42) independently of the first temperature adjusting means (16A);
A first door body (51) provided on the downstream side of the first temperature adjusting means (16A) in the first air passage (41) and for adjusting the air distribution state of the air flowing through the first air passage (41); A second door body (52) provided downstream of the second temperature adjusting means (16B) in the two air passages (42) and for adjusting the air distribution state of the air flowing through the second air passage (42); A door member (50) having a shaft (53) integrally connecting the first door main body (51) and the second door main body (52);
A through hole (31) provided in the partition member (30) and capable of being inserted through the door member (50);
In the vehicle air conditioner in which the air flowing through the first air passage (41) and the air flowing through the second air passage (42) are blown out to different areas in the vehicle compartment,
The through hole (31) is composed of a pair of lip-shaped flexible members (32) arranged so that the tip portions are in contact with each other, and the tip portions of the pair of flexible members (32). A separation member (32) for separating the first air passage (41) and the second air passage (42), in which a recess (34) corresponding to the shape of the shaft (53) is formed, is provided.
The isolation member (32) bends along with the insertion of the second door body (52) when the second door body (52) is inserted between the pair of flexible members (32), and the second door body When the insertion of the portion (52) is completed, it is restored by the elastic force, the tip portions are brought into contact with each other, the tip in the recess (34) is in sliding contact with the shaft (53), and the first air passage (41) The second air passage (42) is isolated .

  According to this, it is possible to prevent the air flowing through the first and second air passages (41, 42) from passing through the through hole (31) by the separating member (32). Therefore, deterioration of the independent temperature control performance of the air flowing through the air passages (41, 42) can be prevented.

Moreover, the isolation member (32) can be formed before the door member (50) is inserted into the through hole (31), and the isolation member (32) can be bent to assemble the door member (50). Furthermore, without increasing the driving resistance of the door member (50), the first and second shafts (53) around the shaft (53) integrally connecting the first door main body (51) and the second door main body (52). The air flowing through the two air passages (41, 42) can be prevented from going back and forth.

It is preferable as defined in claim 2, the flexible member forming the isolation member (32) to (32) be formed of a thermoplastic elastomeric material, it is possible to easily form the isolation member (32) .

Moreover, in invention of Claim 3 , the isolation member (32) is integrally formed with the partition member (30), It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  According to this, formation of the isolation member (32) to a through-hole (31) is easy.

  In addition, the code | symbol in the parenthesis attached | subjected to each said means is an example which shows a corresponding relationship with the specific means as described in embodiment mentioned later.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an air conditioning unit portion of an indoor unit of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 shows a partition plate that is a partition member according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view (side view) shown.

  The ventilation system of the vehicle air conditioner according to the present embodiment is roughly divided into two parts: an air conditioning unit 10 and a blower unit (not shown). The blower unit portion is arranged offset from the center portion to the passenger seat side in the lower portion of the instrument panel in the vehicle interior, whereas the air conditioning unit 10 is arranged in the left-right direction in the lower portion of the instrument panel in the vehicle compartment. It is arranged at a substantially central part.

  As is well known, the blower unit section (not shown) includes an inside / outside air switching box for switching between the inside air (vehicle interior air) and the outside air (vehicle outside air) and a blower for blowing air introduced from the inside / outside air switching box. Has been. This blower rotates a known centrifugal multiblade fan (for example, a sirocco fan) by an electric motor.

  The air conditioning unit 10 is of a type in which an evaporator (cooling heat exchanger) 12 and a heater core (heating heat exchanger) 13 are built in one common air conditioning case 11. The air conditioning unit 10 of the present embodiment includes a partition plate 30 as a partition member in the air conditioning case 11 that divides and partitions the ventilation path downstream from the evaporator 12 substantially equally on the left and right.

  With this partition plate 30, a first air passage (passage on the paper surface side from the partition plate 30) 41 that circulates air blown toward the air conditioning region on the driver's seat side in the vehicle interior and the air conditioning region on the passenger seat side in the vehicle interior. A second air passage (a passage on the back side of the paper surface from the partition plate 30) 42 through which the blown-out air is circulated is partitioned.

  The air-conditioning case 11 is made of a resin molded product having a certain degree of elasticity and excellent strength, such as polypropylene, and is composed of a plurality of divided cases. The divided cases constitute the air-conditioning case 11 by housing the heat exchangers 12 and 13 and a device such as a door, which will be described later, and then being joined together by fastening means such as metal spring clips and screws.

  The air conditioning unit 10 is arranged in the form shown in FIG. 1 with respect to the front and rear and up and down directions of the vehicle at a substantially central portion of the lower part of the instrument panel in the passenger compartment. An air inlet 14 is provided, and the air blown from the blower unit flows into the air inlet 14. This air inflow port 14 is opened in the side surface of the air conditioning case 11 on the passenger seat side in order to connect to the air outlet portion of the blower unit disposed in the front portion of the passenger seat.

  In the air conditioning case 11, the evaporator 12 is disposed at a position immediately after the air inlet 14 so as to cross the entire area of the air passage. As is well known, the evaporator 12 absorbs the latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle from the air and cools the air. Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the evaporator 12 is installed in the air conditioning case 11 so as to be thin in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and in the longitudinal direction in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

  Further, the evaporator 12 is a well-known laminated type, in which a large number of flat tubes made of a thin metal plate such as aluminum are laminated with corrugated fins and integrally brazed. A heater core 13 is disposed adjacent to the downstream side of the air flow (the vehicle rear side) of the evaporator 12 with a predetermined interval.

  The heater core 13 reheats the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 12, and hot engine cooling water (hot water) flows through the heater core 13 to heat the air using the cooling water as a heat source. Like the evaporator 12, the heater core 13 is also thinly installed in the air-conditioning case 11 so as to be thin in the vehicle front-rear direction and in the longitudinal direction in the vehicle vertical direction.

  The heater core 13 is a well-known one, and is formed by laminating a plurality of flat tubes made of a thin metal plate such as aluminum with corrugated fins and brazing them integrally.

  In the air conditioning case 11, a cold air bypass passage 15, which is a bypass passage through which air (cold air) flows by bypassing the heater core 13, is formed above the heater core 13. An air mix door 16 (first air passage) that adjusts the air volume ratio between the air passing through the heater core 13 (warm air) and the air passing through the cold air bypass passage 15 (cold air) at the vehicle front side portion of the upper end portion of the heater core 13. The air mix door 16 </ b> A is disposed in 41, and the air mix door 16 </ b> B) is disposed in the second air passage 42.

  Each of the air mix doors 16A and 16B has a flat plate shape, and is integrally coupled with the rotary shafts 16a and 16b arranged in the horizontal direction, and is rotatable with the rotary shafts 16a and 16b in the vertical direction of the vehicle. It has become.

  On the other hand, in the air conditioning case 11, a wall portion 17 is provided on the air downstream side (the vehicle rear side portion) of the heater core 13 and extends upward from below at a predetermined interval from the heater core 13. The wall portion 17 forms a warm air passage 18 that extends upward immediately after the heater core 13.

  The rotary shafts 16a and 16b of the air mix doors 16A and 16B are rotatably supported by the air conditioning case 11 and the partition plate 30 and project outside the air conditioning case 11 and are respectively coupled to link mechanisms (not shown). The temperature control mechanism (actuator such as a servo motor) of the air conditioner is operated to rotate independently on the left and right.

  The air mix door 16A is a first temperature adjusting means in the present embodiment, and the air mix door 16B is a second temperature adjusting means in the present embodiment.

  Cold / hot air mixing is performed by mixing the cool air from the cool air bypass passage 15 and the warm air from the warm air passage 18 at a downstream side (vehicle rear side) of the cool air bypass passage 15 to mix the cool air and the warm air. A space 20 is formed.

  On the upper surface of the air conditioning case 11, a defroster opening 21 is opened at a front portion of the vehicle. The defroster opening 21 is where the temperature-controlled air flows from the cool / warm air mixing space 20 and is connected to a defroster outlet through a defroster duct (not shown). The wind is blown out.

  The defroster opening 21 is opened and closed by a defroster door 22. The defroster door 22 is formed by a flat door portion coupled to a rotating shaft 22 a that is rotatably supported by the air conditioning case 11.

  On the upper surface of the air-conditioning case 11, a face opening 23 is opened at a position on the vehicle rear side of the defroster opening 21. The face opening 23 also receives the temperature-controlled air from the cold / hot air mixing space 20. The face opening 23 is connected to a face air outlet disposed on the upper side of the central part in the left-right direction of the instrument panel via a face duct (not shown), from the air outlet toward the passenger's head in the center of the passenger compartment. Blow the wind.

  The face opening 23 is opened and closed by a face door 24. The face door 24 is formed of a flat door portion coupled to a rotary shaft 24 a that is rotatably supported by the air conditioning case 11 and the partition plate 30.

  Further, a foot ventilation path 26 is formed in a portion of the air conditioning case 11 that is further on the vehicle rear side than the wall portion 17, and the temperature-controlled air from the cold / hot air mixing space 20 also enters the foot ventilation path 26. It flows in through the communication port 25. A foot opening 27 is opened at the lower end of the foot ventilation path 26. The foot opening 27 is connected to a foot outlet through a foot duct (not shown), and blows wind from the outlet toward the passenger's feet in the passenger compartment.

  The communication port 25 located at the upstream end of the foot ventilation path 26 is opened and closed by a foot door 50. That is, the foot opening 27 is substantially opened and closed by the foot door 50. The foot door 50 is formed by a flat door portion coupled to a rotation shaft (shaft) 53 that is rotatably supported by the air conditioning case 11. The foot door 50 will be described later.

  The defroster door 22, the face door 24, and the foot door 50 described above are mode doors for blowing mode switching, and are connected to a link mechanism (not shown) and operated by a blowing mode switching mechanism (actuator such as a servo motor). It has become so.

  Each of the doors 16A, 16B, 22, 24, and 50 described above has the same structure in a single state, and is a resin or metal integrally coupled to each of the rotary shafts 16a, 16b, 22a, 24a, and 53. This is a structure in which the door substrate is made in one or both directions in the radial direction of the rotation axis, and an elastic sealing material layer such as urethane foam is formed on both surfaces of the substrate. The face door 24 and the foot door 50 have door bodies (door substrate portions) in the first ventilation path 41 and the second ventilation path 42, respectively.

  The face opening 23 and the foot opening 27 are also divided into two corresponding to the first ventilation path 41 and the second ventilation path 42.

  Although not shown in FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. 2, a portion (communication port) in which the foot door 50 is disposed in the air conditioning case 11 is formed on the partition plate 30 made of resin (in this example, made of polypropylene). 25 is formed with a through hole 31 through which the foot door 50 is inserted when the air conditioning unit 10 is assembled. The through hole 31 is formed with a pair of soft walls 32 integrally formed with the partition plate 30 so as to be connected at the upper and lower sides of the through hole 31, respectively.

  A slit 33 is formed between the pair of soft walls 32 so that the tip portions form a substantially contact state at the substantially central portion of the through hole 31. A concave portion 34 corresponding to the shape of the rotation shaft (shaft) 53 of the foot door 50 is formed in the central portion of the soft wall 32 on the slit 33 side.

  The soft wall 32 is made of, for example, a thermoplastic elastomer material having excellent moldability, and is a flexible member that can be bent when the foot door 50 is inserted into the through hole 31.

  3 is a diagram illustrating the air-conditioning unit 10 taken along the line AA in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the air-conditioning unit 10 taken along the line BB in FIG. 2.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the foot door 50 includes a first door main body 51 that opens and closes the communication port 25 of the first air passage 41 and a second door main body 52 that opens and closes the communication port 25 of the second air passage 42. Are integrally connected by a rotating shaft (shaft) 53, and the door bodies 51 and 52 are interlocked to form a similar open / close state at each communication port 25. The foot door 50 is a door member in the present embodiment.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, the soft wall 32 formed in the through hole 31 of the partition plate 30 has a lip shape, and the tip in the above-described recess 34 is in sliding contact with the rotating shaft 53. The soft wall 32 is an isolation member in the present embodiment that isolates the first air passage 41 and the second air passage 42 in the through hole 31.

  Next, a method for assembling the air conditioning unit 10 will be described.

  FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view for explaining a procedure for assembling the partition plate 30, the doors 16 </ b> A, 16 </ b> B, 50 and the like to the air conditioning case 11. In addition, in FIG. 5, the unit exploded view of the shape a little different from the air-conditioning unit 10 mentioned above is used.

  The air conditioning case 11 is divided into a right case 11A and a left case 11B. When assembling the air conditioning unit 10, first, the air mix door 16B is assembled to the left case 11B. Next, the partition plate 30 with the face door (not shown) assembled to the edge is assembled to the left case 11 </ b> B, and the foot door 50 is assembled into the through hole 31 of the partition plate 30. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the soft wall 32 of the through hole 31 bends along with the insertion of the second door body 52 of the foot door 50, and when the insertion is completed, the soft wall 32 is restored as shown in FIG. .

  When the foot door 50 is assembled, the right case 11A assembled with a defroster door (not shown) and the air mix door 16A are sequentially assembled to the left case 11B, thereby completing the air conditioning unit 10. In addition, about the assembly | attachment of both the heat exchangers 12 and 13 and the link mechanism etc. which are not shown here, since it is a well-known method similar to the past, description is abbreviate | omitted.

  According to the above-described configuration and assembly method, the through-hole for incorporating the foot door 50 provided in the partition plate 30 that partitions the first air passage 41 and the second air passage 42 and opens and closes both the air passages 41, 42. 31 is formed with a flexible soft wall 32 made of an elastomer material. Then, the soft wall 32 can be bent and the foot door 50 can be assembled. After the foot door 50 is assembled, the through-hole 31 can be closed by the soft wall 32.

  Therefore, the soft wall 32 can prevent the air flowing through the first and second air passages 41 and 42 from going back and forth through the through hole 31. In this way, deterioration of the independent temperature control performance of the air flowing through the air passages 41 and 42 can be prevented.

  Moreover, since the soft wall 32 is integrally formed with the partition plate 30, it is not necessary to form and assemble it as a separate member.

  Further, the soft wall 32 is formed with a recess 34 corresponding to the shape of the rotary shaft 53 of the foot door 50. Thereby, even if the soft wall 32 blocks the through-hole 31, the foot door 50 can be rotated without resistance and the sealing performance around the rotating shaft 53 can be ensured.

(Other embodiments)
In the above embodiment, the soft wall 32 is integrally formed as the separating member in the through hole 31 of the partition plate 30, but the separating member may be a separate member from the partition plate 30. A flexible separating member may be assembled to the through hole 31 before inserting the door member, or a rigid separating member may be assembled to the through hole 31 after inserting the door member.

  In the above-described embodiment, the first and second temperature control means are the air mix doors 16A and 16B. However, without providing the air mix door, a heater core is disposed for each air passage, and cooling water flow is performed. The temperature may be controlled by adjusting the amount of water.

  In the above embodiment, the air conditioning unit 10 is a so-called left and right independent temperature control unit. However, the present invention is effective when the air conditioning unit 10 independently air-conditions different areas in the vehicle interior. For example, it can be applied to a front and rear independent temperature control unit.

It is a longitudinal section of air-conditioning unit 10 of a vehicle air-conditioner in one embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view (side view) which shows the partition plate 30 which is a partition member. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the air conditioning unit 10 taken along line AA in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the air conditioning unit 10 taken along line BB in FIG. 2. It is a disassembled perspective view for demonstrating an assembly | attachment procedure. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows the state in the middle of assembly | attachment of the foot door 50. FIG. It is principal part sectional drawing of the conventional vehicle air conditioner.

Explanation of symbols

10 Air Conditioning Unit 11 Air Conditioning Case 16A Air Mix Door (First Temperature Control Unit)
16B Air mix door (second temperature control means)
30 Partition plate (partition member)
31 Through-hole 32 Soft wall (isolation member, flexible member)
34 Concave portion 41 First air passage 42 Second air passage 50 Foot door (door member)
51 1st door body 52 2nd door body 53 Rotating shaft (shaft)

Claims (3)

An air conditioning case (11);
A partition member (30) for partitioning a ventilation path formed in the air conditioning case (11) into a first air passage (41) and a second air passage (42);
First temperature adjusting means (16A) for adjusting the temperature of the air flowing through the first air passage (41);
Second temperature adjusting means (16B) for adjusting the temperature of the air flowing through the second air passage (42) independently of the first temperature adjusting means (16A);
A first door body (51) that is provided downstream of the first temperature control means (16A) in the first air passage (41) and adjusts the air distribution state of the air flowing through the first air passage (41). ), A second door body which is provided downstream of the second temperature control means (16B) in the second air passage (42) and adjusts the air distribution state of the air flowing through the second air passage (42). (52), and a door member (50) having a shaft (53) integrally connecting the first door body (51) and the second door body (52),
A through hole (31) provided in the partition member (30) and capable of inserting the door member (50);
In the vehicle air conditioner in which the air flowing through the first air passage (41) and the air flowing through the second air passage (42) are blown out to different areas in the vehicle interior,
The through hole (31) is composed of a pair of lip-shaped flexible members (32) arranged so that the tip portions form a contact state, and the pair of flexible members (32). A separating member (32) for isolating the first air passage (41) and the second air passage (42) , wherein a concave portion (34) corresponding to the shape of the shaft (53) is formed at the tip portion. Provided,
The isolation member (32) bends along with the insertion of the second door body (52) when the second door body (52) is inserted between the pair of flexible members (32), When the insertion of the second door main body portion (52) is completed, it is restored by elastic force, the tip portions are brought into contact with each other, and the tip in the recess (34) is in sliding contact with the shaft (53), The vehicle air conditioner characterized in that the first air passage (41) and the second air passage (42) are isolated . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the flexible member (32) is made of a thermoplastic elastomer material . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 2 or 3 , wherein the isolation member (32) is integrally formed with the partition member (30) .

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