JP6863670B2 - Vehicle air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner that regulates the temperature inside a vehicle interior of a vehicle.

A vehicle air conditioner is known as a device for controlling the temperature inside a vehicle interior. For example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a vehicle air conditioner includes a cooling heat exchanger (evaporator), a heating heat exchanger (heater core), and an air mix door. The cooling heat exchanger is a member that cools the air (air-conditioning air) introduced into the case from the inside or outside of the vehicle. The heating heat exchanger is a member that is arranged on the downstream side of the air-conditioning air flow from the cooling heat exchanger and heats the air-conditioning air. The air mix door regulates the opening and closing of the entrance of the air conditioning air passage (warm air passage) that passes through the heating heat exchanger and the entrance of the air conditioning air passage (bypass passage) that bypasses the heating heat exchanger. It is a member that adjusts the ratio of air conditioning air distributed to the warm air passage and the bypass passage.

The case of the vehicle air conditioner of Patent Document 1 is provided with face openings serving as outlets for air conditioning air supplied to the upper side of the vehicle interior and on both sides of the case in the vehicle width direction, and is provided on both sides of the vehicle interior on the foot side of the vehicle interior. There is a foot opening that serves as an outlet for the air conditioner air supplied to the car. In the configuration of Patent Document 1, further, air conditioning provided in the region where the hot air passage joins the bypass passage in the case, that is, the air mix region where the hot air and the cold air are mixed, and leads to the face opening and the foot opening. It is equipped with a distributor that regulates the amount of wind.

According to the configuration of Patent Document 1, in particular, by providing the foot opening on the side of the air mix region, the case can be made more compact in the vehicle length direction than in the configuration in which the foot opening opens toward the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, the configuration of Patent Document 1 is suitable for a compact car having a limited space in the engine room. Further, according to the configuration of Patent Document 1, by forming the foot opening on the side of the air mix region, it is easy to guide the conditioned air to the foot opening, so that the pressure loss of the conditioned air is accompanied by the pressure loss. It is said that noise can be reduced.

JP-A-2002-301925

In order to improve the comfort of the passenger compartment, it is important to be able to increase the amount of air-conditioned air blown into the passenger compartment. This is because if the amount of air blown can be increased, the temperature of the passenger compartment can be adjusted quickly. Therefore, there is a demand for a configuration in which the pressure loss in the case can be reduced as compared with the conventional configuration.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and one of the objects thereof is to provide an air conditioner for a vehicle capable of reducing a pressure loss in a case.

As a result of the study by the present inventor, it has been found that there is room for reducing the pressure loss in the case in the conventional configuration including the foot opening that opens laterally from the air mix region. In a vehicle air conditioner, there is a flow of air conditioning air toward the rear side of the vehicle, but in a configuration in which the air conditioning air is taken out from the side of the case, the flow toward the rear side of the vehicle is stopped, resulting in pressure loss. Focusing on this point, the present inventor has completed the following vehicle air conditioner.

The vehicle air conditioner according to one aspect of the present invention is
A case for storing the heat exchanger for heating and the heat exchanger for cooling,
A face opening that is provided in the case and is an outlet of the air-conditioning air supplied to the upper side of the passenger compartment in the case.
A foot opening which is provided on both sides of the case in the vehicle width direction and is an outlet of the air-conditioning wind supplied to the foot side of the vehicle interior in the case.
For vehicles including a distributor provided in an air mix region where hot air and cold air formed in the case are mixed and for adjusting the amount of the air conditioning air guided to the face opening and the foot opening. It ’s an air conditioner,
The distributor is a movable wall that is rotatably supported by the case between a face mode position that guides the air conditioning air to the face opening and a foot mode position that guides the air conditioning air to the foot opening. And an interlocking wall that changes the opening degree of the portion of the foot opening formed in the air mix region in conjunction with the rotation of the movable wall.
The movable wall is a trapezoidal plate-shaped piece having a short side, a long side, and a pair of hypotenuses, and is pivotally supported by a rotation axis extending in the vehicle width direction at the position of the short side.
The interlocking wall is a fan-shaped plate-shaped piece that is integrally provided with the movable wall at the position of the hypotenuse of the movable wall and is centered on the position of the rotation axis.
The case comprises a foot region that projects rearward in the vehicle length direction from the air mix region and is partitioned from the air mix region by the movable wall when the movable wall is in the face mode position.
Each of the foot openings is formed so as to straddle the foot region and the air mix region in the case, and the opening direction thereof faces obliquely rearward of the vehicle.

The foot opening that opens diagonally to the rear suppresses the increase in size of the vehicle air conditioner in the direction of the vehicle length, and guides the air conditioning air to the foot opening without reducing the momentum of the air conditioning air toward the rear side of the vehicle. Can be done. Therefore, according to the vehicle air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure loss in the case can be reduced as compared with the conventional vehicle air conditioner having a foot opening that opens to the side.

By integrating the movable wall and the interlocking wall, the interlocking wall can be operated simply by operating the movable wall. Therefore, the drive mechanism for operating the interlocking wall can be omitted, and the productivity of the vehicle air conditioner including the cost can be improved.

It is explanatory drawing explaining the flow of the air-conditioning wind in the foot mode in the vehicle air-conditioning apparatus shown in Embodiment 1. FIG. It is explanatory drawing explaining the flow of the air-conditioning wind in the face mode in the vehicle air-conditioning apparatus shown in Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a distributor provided in the vehicle air conditioner shown in the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line IV of FIG. 1 for explaining an opening direction of a foot opening in a vehicle air conditioner. It is a partial perspective view explaining the arrangement state of the distributor in the foot mode in the vehicle air conditioner shown in Embodiment 1. It is a partial perspective view explaining the arrangement state of the distributor in the face mode in the vehicle air conditioner shown in Embodiment 1.

Hereinafter, the vehicle air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, arrows indicate the vehicle front FR, the vehicle rear RR, the vehicle right RS, the vehicle left LS, the vehicle upper UP, and the vehicle lower DW. The arrowhead mark with a black dot in the center of the circle indicates the front side of the paper, and the arrow feather mark with a cross in the circle indicates the back side of the paper.

<Embodiment 1>
≪Overall composition≫
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle air conditioner 1 includes a case 2, a cooling heat exchanger 3, a heating heat exchanger 4, an air mix door 5, a distributor 6, and a blower 7. As one of the features of the vehicle air conditioner 1 of this example, a part related to the distributor 6 can be mentioned. The vehicle air conditioner 1 is configured so that three air conditioner modes can be switched. The three air-conditioning modes are a foot mode that sends air-conditioning air 8 to the feet of the passenger compartment, a face mode that sends air-conditioning air 8 to the upper side of the passenger compartment (the upper body side of the occupant), and air-conditioning wind 8 to both the feet and above. It is a bi-level mode to send. One of the features of the vehicle air conditioner 1 of this example is that it has a configuration capable of reducing the pressure loss of the air conditioner air 8 in the case 2 in the foot mode and the bi-level mode. Hereinafter, each configuration provided in the vehicle air conditioner 1 will be briefly described, and then the configuration related to the reduction of the pressure loss in the case 2 will be described in detail.

≪Case≫
The case 2 houses the members 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 of the vehicle air conditioner 1 inside. Outside air or inside air (air from the vehicle interior) is introduced into the case 2 by the blower 7. The temperature of these outside air or inside air is adjusted in the case 2 and introduced into the vehicle interior as an air conditioner air 8. The blower 7 may be provided outside the case 2. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the approximate flow of the air conditioner wind 8 is indicated by a thick arrow.

The case 2 includes a foot opening 20 and a face opening 21 that guide the air conditioner air 8 whose temperature is controlled in the case 2 to the vehicle interior. Further, the case 2 is provided with a differential opening (not shown) that connects to the defroster. The foot opening 20 is an outlet for the air-conditioning air 8 provided in the side portion of the vehicle right RS of the case 2 on the back side of the paper surface and the side portion of the vehicle left side LS on the front side of the paper surface (not shown). Not connected to the foot duct. The foot duct supplies the air-conditioning air 8 to the feet of the passenger compartment. In the configuration of this example, the opening direction of the foot opening 20 is also one of the features, and this point will be described again by providing an item in the latter stage. On the other hand, the face opening 21 is an outlet of the air conditioner air 8 in the case 2, and in this example, the face opening 21 opens to the upper UP of the vehicle and is connected to a face duct (not shown). The face duct supplies the air-conditioning air 8 to the upper side of the passenger compartment (the upper body of the occupant). The amount of the air-conditioning air 8 leading to the face opening 21 and the foot opening 20 is adjusted by the distributor 6 described later.

≪Cooling heat exchanger≫
The cooling heat exchanger 3 is a member that cools the outside air and the inside air. The cooling heat exchanger 3 of this example is an evaporator in which a refrigerant is circulated. A known configuration can be used in the heat exchange system including the evaporator 3. If the refrigerant is circulated in the evaporator 3, the air conditioning air 8 is cooled when passing through the evaporator 3. If the circulation of the refrigerant in the evaporator 3 is stopped, the air conditioning air 8 simply passes through the evaporator 3 without being cooled.

≪Heat exchanger for heating≫
The heating heat exchanger 4 is a member that heats the conditioned air 8 that has passed through the cooling heat exchanger (evaporator) 3. The heating heat exchanger 4 of this example is a heater core in which a refrigerant for cooling the engine is circulated. A known configuration can be used in the heat exchange system including the heater core 4. If the refrigerant heated to a high temperature by the heat of the engine is circulated in the heater core 4, the air conditioner air 8 is heated when passing through the heater core 4. In addition, a heating wire heater can also be used as the heating heat exchanger 4.

≪Air mix door≫
The air mix door 5 is a member that is slidably arranged between the evaporator 3 and the heater core 4. By changing the slide position of the air mix door 5, the air-conditioning air 8 to the warm air passage which is the passage of the air-conditioning air 8 passing through the heater core 4 and the bypass passage which is the passage of the air-conditioning air 8 bypassing the heater core 4 The inflow rate can be adjusted. In other words, the air mix door 5 can adjust the mixing ratio of the air-conditioning air 8 (cold air) that has passed through the evaporator 3 and the air-conditioning air 8 (warm air) that has passed through the heater core 4. The cold air and the hot air are merged and mixed in the air mix region 2M indicated by the alternate long and short dash line.

Here, the air mix door 5 of this example is a slide type, but it may also be a swing type that rotates about a rotation axis.

≪Distributor≫
The distributor 6 is a member that switches the wind direction of the air conditioning air 8 in the case 2 according to the switching of the air conditioning mode by the occupant. Since the configuration of the distributor 6 of this example is related to the configuration of reducing the pressure loss of the air conditioning air 8 in the case 2 in the foot mode and the bi-level mode, it will be described in detail in the following stages.

<< Configuration to reduce pressure loss >>
The distributor 6 of this example includes a movable wall 60 and an interlocking wall 61 shown in FIG. The movable wall 60 is a member that switches the overall flow of the air conditioning air 8 (FIGS. 1 and 2) in the case 2. The movable wall 60 of this example is a trapezoidal plate-shaped piece having a short side, a long side, and a pair of hypotenuses, and is pivotally supported by a rotating shaft 62 extending in the vehicle width direction at the position of the short side (FIG. 1). , 2 together).

On the other hand, the interlocking wall 61 is a member that adjusts the opening degree of the foot opening 20 (FIGS. 1 and 2) in conjunction with the movement of the movable wall 60. The interlocking walls 61 of this example are integrally provided at both ends of the movable wall 60 in the vehicle width direction, that is, at the positions of the hypotenuses of the movable wall 60. The interlocking wall 61 is a fan-shaped plate-shaped piece centered on the position of the rotating shaft 62 (the position of the short side), and is provided perpendicular to the movable wall 60. The interlocking wall 61 is arranged in the case 2 so as to face the upper UP of the vehicle (see also FIGS. 1 and 2). By integrating the interlocking wall 61 with the movable wall 60, it is possible to omit the driving unit for driving the interlocking wall 61.

Since the interlocking wall 61 has a configuration in which the foot opening 20 is opened and closed by rotation, it is preferable that the end face on the side opposite to the rotation axis has an arc shape, but a shape other than the fan shape, for example, a rectangle It may have a shape or a triangular shape.

Here, the movable wall 60 is formed in a trapezoidal shape because the foot opening 20 of the left LS of the vehicle of this example is shown in FIG. 4, which is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the overhanging portion 25 of the case 2. This is because the opening direction of the vehicle is diagonally rearward to the left of the vehicle, and the opening direction of the foot opening 20 of the RS on the right side of the vehicle is diagonally rearward to the right of the vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6, the overhanging portion 25 has the rear wall of the case 2 extending substantially vertically, once bent to the front FR of the vehicle, then turned back to the rear RR of the vehicle, and approaches the rear RR of the vehicle. It is formed by putting it out. The overhanging portion 25 has a trapezoidal bottom surface 25b (see FIG. 4) and a side wall 25s (see FIG. 6) extending upward from the slope of the bottom surface 25b. As shown in FIG. 6, the side wall 2s of the case 2 connected to the side wall 25s of the overhanging portion 25 is also inclined at the same angle as the side wall 25s of the overhanging portion 25, and the foot opening 20 is the side wall of the overhanging portion 25. It is formed so as to straddle the side wall 2s of the case 2 which is connected from the 25s to the side wall 25s of the overhanging portion 25. Therefore, the foot opening 20 straddles the air mix region 2M where cold air and hot air are mixed and the foot region 2F, which will be described later. Since the interlocking wall 61 of FIG. 3 is a member for adjusting the opening degree of the foot opening 20, it is preferable that the interlocking wall 61 is provided parallel to the foot opening 20. Therefore, the movable wall 60 is formed in a trapezoidal shape in which the hypotenuse on which the interlocking wall 61 is provided is parallel to the foot opening 20. Note that, in FIGS. 5 and 6, the shapes of the overhanging portion 25 and the foot opening 20 are shown in a simplified manner as compared with FIGS. 1 and 2.

The foot opening 20 of this example has a right-angled triangular opening formed on the side wall 25s of the overhanging portion 25 and a fan-shaped opening formed on the side wall 2s of the case 2 on the FR side of the vehicle in front of the overhanging portion 25. And, it has a shape that is connected. The right-angled triangular opening communicates with the foot region 2F, and the fan-shaped opening communicates with the air mix region 2M. Of course, the shape of the foot opening 20 is not limited to such a shape, and may be, for example, a rectangle or a circle. The opening direction of the foot opening 20 can be, for example, a direction inclined outward by 10 ° or more and 80 ° or less in the vehicle width direction with respect to the rear RR of the vehicle. Preferably, the opening direction of the foot opening 20 is an angle inclined outward from the vehicle width direction by 30 ° or more and 60 ° or less with respect to the vehicle rear RR.

The movable wall 60 in which the interlocking wall 61 is integrated is rotated around the rotation shaft 62 by a drive unit (not shown). The rotating shaft 62 is provided on the upper end side of the overhanging portion 25 that overhangs the rear RR of the vehicle above the heat exchanger 4 for heating in the case 2, and extends along the vehicle width direction. The movable wall 60 is rotatably configured between the foot mode position shown in FIG. 1 and the face mode position shown in FIG. 2 around the rotating shaft 62.

In the foot mode in which the air conditioner air 8 is sent to the foot side of the vehicle interior, the movable wall 60 is rotated clockwise as shown in FIG. 1, and the movable wall 60 partitions the passage to the face opening 21. At that time, as shown in FIG. 5, the interlocking wall 61 integrated with the movable wall 60 is retracted from the foot opening 20, and the foot opening 20 is fully opened. As a result, the air-conditioning air 8 in the air mix region 2M is blocked from flowing to the face opening 21, and is sent out from the foot opening 20 to the foot side of the vehicle interior.

On the other hand, in the face mode in which the air conditioner air 8 is sent to the upper side of the passenger compartment, the movable wall 60 is rotated counterclockwise as shown in FIG. Contact the part. As a result, the passage leading to the face opening 21 is opened, the internal space of the overhanging portion 25 is partitioned by the movable wall 60, and the portion of the foot opening 20 formed in the air mix region 2M is interlocked. Closed by the wall 61. As shown in FIG. 6, in the face mode, the space (foot area 2F) partitioned by the movable wall 60 is a space in which the air conditioner air 8 does not flow in in the face mode.

As shown in FIG. 6, the foot opening 20 in the foot region 2F is not covered by the interlocking wall 61, but the air conditioner air 8 does not leak from the foot opening 20. This is because when the movable wall 60 is in the face mode position, the foot region 2F is partitioned from the air mix region 2M, so that the air conditioner air 8 does not flow into the foot region 2F in the first place.

Here, the movable wall 60 can also stop the movable wall 60 at a position intermediate between the foot mode position and the face mode position. By stopping the movable wall 60 at such a position, it becomes a bi-level mode in which the air conditioner air 8 is introduced both at the feet and above.

≪Effect≫
According to the vehicle air conditioner 1 of this example, it is possible to reduce the pressure loss in the case 2 in the foot mode and the bi-level mode while suppressing the increase in size of the device 1 in the vehicle length direction. As shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to suppress the increase in size of the vehicle air conditioner 1 in the vehicle length direction because the foot opening 20 opens diagonally to the rear of the vehicle, so that the foot is directly behind the case 2. This is because it is not necessary to arrange a duct. Further, the pressure loss in the case 2 can be reduced because the air conditioner air 8 can be guided to the foot opening 20 without reducing the momentum of the air conditioner air 8 toward the rear RR side of the vehicle. The fact that the foot opening 20 is formed so as to straddle the air mix region 2M and the foot region 2F is also one of the factors that can reduce the pressure loss in the case 2.

If the pressure loss in the case 2 can be reduced, and if the blowers 7 that send air into the case 2 are the same, the air conditioning air 8 of the vehicle air conditioner 1 of this example is compared with the conventional vehicle air conditioner. Air volume can be increased. As a result, the temperature inside the vehicle interior can be changed quickly, so that the comfort inside the vehicle interior can be improved. Further, according to the vehicle air conditioner 1 of this example, even if a blower 7 smaller than the conventional one is adopted, the same air volume as that of the conventional vehicle air conditioner can be obtained. The miniaturization of the blower 7 leads to weight reduction of the vehicle and reduction of power consumption, and can improve the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

The vehicle air conditioner of the present invention can be suitably used for temperature control in the vehicle interior of a vehicle such as an automobile.

1 Vehicle air conditioner 2 Case 2s Side wall 20 Foot opening 21 Face opening 2F Foot area 2M Air mix area 25 Overhang 25b Bottom surface 25s Side wall 3 Cooling heat exchanger (evaporator)
4 Heat exchanger for heating (heater core)
5 Air mix door 6 Distributor 60 Movable wall 61 Interlocking wall 62 Rotating shaft 7 Blower 8 Air conditioning wind

Claims (1)

A case for storing the heat exchanger for heating and the heat exchanger for cooling,
A face opening that is provided in the case and is an outlet of the air-conditioning air supplied to the upper side of the passenger compartment in the case.
A foot opening which is provided on both sides of the case in the vehicle width direction and is an outlet of the air-conditioning wind supplied to the foot side of the vehicle interior in the case.
For vehicles including a distributor provided in an air mix region where hot air and cold air formed in the case are mixed and for adjusting the amount of the air conditioning air guided to the face opening and the foot opening. It ’s an air conditioner,
The distributor is a movable wall that is rotatably supported by the case between a face mode position that guides the air conditioning air to the face opening and a foot mode position that guides the air conditioning air to the foot opening. And an interlocking wall that changes the opening degree of the portion of the foot opening formed in the air mix region in conjunction with the rotation of the movable wall.
The movable wall is a trapezoidal plate-shaped piece having a short side, a long side, and a pair of hypotenuses, and is pivotally supported by a rotation axis extending in the vehicle width direction at the position of the short side.
The interlocking wall is a fan-shaped plate-shaped piece that is integrally provided with the movable wall at the position of the hypotenuse of the movable wall and is centered on the position of the rotation axis.
The case comprises a foot region that projects rearward in the vehicle length direction from the air mix region and is partitioned from the air mix region by the movable wall when the movable wall is in the face mode position.
Each of the foot openings is a vehicle air conditioner formed so as to straddle the foot region and the air mix region in the case, and the opening direction thereof is directed obliquely to the rear of the vehicle.

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