JP7777282B2 - Vehicle ventilation structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a ventilation structure for a vehicle.

A vehicle air conditioning unit is located, for example, on the front side of the instrument panel at the front of the vehicle cabin. An air conditioning duct is connected to the air conditioning unit to send conditioned air into the vehicle cabin. The air conditioning duct is also connected, for example, to an air outlet provided in the instrument panel. The conditioned air sent from the air conditioning unit is sent through the air conditioning duct and from the air outlet toward the vehicle cabin. The air outlets provided in the instrument panel include a central outlet located in the center of the vehicle width, left and right outlets located at the left and right ends, and also a defroster outlet located in the front part of the top surface of the instrument panel.

Furthermore, there are known air conditioning units for vehicles that are configured to send air to the rear of the vehicle compartment via an air conditioning duct. In order to send conditioned air to the rear of the vehicle compartment, for example, it is necessary to provide a flow path extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle in the floor of the vehicle compartment.

For example, a known structure is one in which a flow path is located below the floor panel and the conditioned air generated by the air conditioning unit is directed toward the interior of the vehicle behind the front seats. However, in some vehicles, it is difficult to secure the space to locate the flow path below the floor panel.

In such cases, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a known structure is one in which a flow path is provided inside a floor console mounted on the floor of the vehicle to blow air toward the rear of the front seats. In this example, a flow path through which conditioned air can flow is provided inside the floor console, which is located between the left and right front seats and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the conditioned air is blown out from an air outlet provided at the rear of the floor console.

On the other hand, the air conditioning unit located on the front side of the instrument panel is typically located below, for example, the defroster outlet, left outlet, and right outlet. Therefore, the conditioned air blown from the air conditioning unit needs to be blown upward, for example, at the center of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, when blowing conditioned air into a flow path provided in the floor, it is necessary to blow the conditioned air that is blown upward, for example, at the center of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction, downward toward the front of the flow path provided in the floor. For this reason, a vertical flow path is provided on the front side of the instrument panel, which flows from the top toward the front of the floor, i.e., downward.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-272330

In the above example structure, the upper front portion of the floor console is provided with a luggage storage area where small items can be temporarily placed or stored, as well as controls for operating on-board equipment. The luggage storage area and controls require good accessibility, for example, so that the driver can easily reach them. However, in a structure where the front portion of the floor console is connected to the lower part of the center portion of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction, a sloped portion that slopes toward the front of the vehicle as it moves downwards may be provided in the center portion of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction to ensure accessibility to the luggage storage area, etc.

When an inclined portion such as the one described above is provided on the instrument panel, the vertical airflow path located on the front side of the instrument panel also needs to be curved to follow the inclined shape. When this curve is formed, the flow resistance of the conditioned air flowing downward increases, which can reduce airflow efficiency. Therefore, there is room for improvement in effectively delivering conditioned air to the airflow path provided in the floor console in the above example.

The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle ventilation structure that can efficiently blow air from the top to the bottom of the instrument panel while ensuring access to the front part of the floor console.

To achieve the above objective, the vehicle air conditioning duct structure of the present invention is connected to an air conditioning unit located forward of an instrument panel located at the front of the vehicle cabin. The air conditioning duct structure has a vertically extending vertical airflow path located forward of the instrument panel, and a longitudinal airflow path connected to the lower part of the vertical airflow path and extending rearward along a vehicle width intermediate portion of the floor of the vehicle cabin. The vertical intermediate portion of the vertical airflow path is provided with a curved portion that curves so as to protrude rearward of the vehicle, and the outer side of the curved portion is provided with an extension portion whose airflow cross section is wider than that of the inner side in the vehicle width direction.

This invention makes it possible to efficiently blow air from the top of the instrument panel downward while ensuring access to the front of the floor console.

1 is a schematic perspective view showing an instrument panel and a center console in which a vehicle air blowing structure according to the present invention is disposed; FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an outline of a ventilation structure arranged in the instrument panel and the center console of FIG. 1 . 3 is a front view of the air blowing structure of FIG. 2 as seen from the front side of the vehicle. FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 2 . 3 is a rear view of the vertical flow passage portion and its periphery in FIG. 2 as viewed from the rear of the vehicle. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vertical flow passage portion and its periphery in FIG. 2 as viewed from the front of the vehicle. FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the duct connection portion of FIG. 3 alone. FIG. 8 is a bottom view of FIG. 7 . 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX in FIG. 8 . FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the vertical flow path portion of FIG. 2 alone. FIG. 11 is a front view of the vertical flow path portion of FIG. 10 as viewed from the front of the vehicle. FIG. 12 is a right side view of the vertical flow path portion of FIG. 11 . FIG. 12 is a left side view of the vertical flow path portion of FIG. 11 . FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 5. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the vertical flow path portion of FIG. 2 . FIG. 16 is a rear view of the vertical flow path portion of FIG. 15 as seen from the rear. FIG. 16 is a front view of the vertical flow path portion of FIG. 15 as viewed from the front.

One embodiment of the air blower structure for a vehicle according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings (Figs. 1 to 14). In the drawings, the direction of arrow Fr indicates the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In the description of the embodiment, the "front (front end) and rear (rear end)" correspond to the front and rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, arrows R and L indicate the right and left sides when an occupant is looking forward of the vehicle. Furthermore, arrow U indicates the upward direction in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the vehicle air blower structure of this embodiment has an air conditioning duct 40 connected to an air conditioning unit 6. The air conditioning unit 6 is located forward of an instrument panel 1, which is located in the front of the vehicle cabin. The vehicle air blower structure of this embodiment also has a vertical air flow passage 50 located forward of the instrument panel 1 and extending in the vertical direction, and longitudinal air flow passages 60, 78 connected to the lower part of the vertical air flow passage 50 and extending rearward along a vehicle width intermediate portion of the floor of the vehicle cabin. A curved portion 53 is provided in the vertical intermediate portion of the vertical air flow passage 50, curving to protrude rearward of the vehicle. An extension portion 54 is provided at the vehicle width outer portion of the curved portion 53, with a flow passage cross section wider than that of the vehicle width inner portion. The components and other components that make up the vehicle air blower structure of this embodiment are described in detail below.

As shown in Figure 1, the instrument panel 1 is an interior component located at the front of the vehicle cabin. The instrument panel 1 is provided with air outlets 2, 4, and 5 through which conditioned air is blown out from the air conditioning unit 6. In this example, the instrument panel 1 is provided with a central air outlet 2, a left air outlet 4, a right air outlet 5, and a defroster air outlet 3.

In this embodiment, the two central air outlets 2 are located in the center of the instrument panel 1 in the vehicle width direction, spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction. The two central air outlets 2 are located on the upper side of the vehicle at the front end of the center console 30. The left air outlet 4 is located at the left end of the instrument panel 1 in the vehicle width direction, and the right air outlet 5 is located at the right end of the instrument panel 1. In this example, a steering wheel (not shown) and other components are located between the central air outlet 2 and the right air outlet 5. As shown in FIG. 1, the defroster air outlet 3 is located in the front part of the upper surface 1a of the instrument panel 1. The defroster air outlet 3 extends in the vehicle width direction.

The center console 30 of this embodiment is installed, for example, in a tunnel section (not shown) provided in the floor section, and is positioned between the left and right front seats (not shown), extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The front end of the center console 30 is connected to the instrument panel 1. A rear air outlet 38 is provided at the rear of the center console 30. A portion of the air conditioning duct 40 is also located inside the center console 30. The relationship between the center console 30 and the air conditioning duct 40 will be explained later.

The center console 30 has a side wall portion 31 and an upper surface portion 32. The side wall portion 31 extends upward from the floor portion and in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. The upper surface portion 32 is disposed between the left and right side wall portions 31. In this embodiment, the upper surface portion 32 is provided with a vehicle operation section and a luggage storage section. Note that, although both the vehicle operation section and the luggage storage section are provided in this embodiment, this is not limited to this, and either one may be provided.

Next, the general configuration of the air conditioning unit 6 will be described. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the air conditioning unit 6 of this embodiment has an air intake section 7, an air conditioning section 8, and a duct connection section 10. The air intake section 7 is a section that takes in outside air and introduces it to the air conditioning section 8. The air intake section 7 has an air intake section 7b with an air inlet 7a, and an air blower section 7c with a blower fan 7d. The air inlet 7a is a section that is provided, for example, in the cowl section of the vehicle, and is configured to be able to take in outside air from outside the vehicle. The air blower section 7c is located, for example, below the air intake section 7b. When the blower fan 7d is driven, the air taken in through the air inlet 7a is sent to the air conditioning section 8.

In addition, a connection portion to which the air conditioning ducts are connected is provided at the top of the air conditioning unit 6, specifically at the top of the air conditioning section 8. The connection portions 8a and 8b have a portion 8a to which a duct connection portion 10 to which multiple ducts are connected is attached, and a portion 8b located in front of the duct connection portion 10 to which the defroster duct 44 is connected (Figure 4).

As shown in Figure 3, the duct connection portion 10 is provided, for example, at the top of the air conditioning unit 8. Multiple ducts are connected to the duct connection portion 10. As shown in Figure 7, the duct connection portion 10 has an inlet portion 11 connected to the top of the air conditioning unit 8, and multiple outlet portions. The inlet portion 11 is located below the duct connection portion 10, opens toward the bottom of the vehicle, and extends in the vehicle width direction. The inlet portion 11 receives conditioned air flowing from the air conditioning unit 8 toward the top of the vehicle.

In this embodiment, the outlet portion of the duct connection portion 10 includes a left outlet portion 12, a right outlet portion 13, a central outlet portion 14, and a rear outlet portion 15, as shown in Figures 7 to 9. The left outlet portion 12 is provided on the left side of the duct connection portion 10. In this example, the left outlet portion 12 is tubular, extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle and penetrating in the vertical direction, and has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape. The lower portion of the left outlet portion 12 is fluidly connected to the inlet portion 11, and the upper portion of the left outlet portion 12 is connected to the left duct 41, which will be described later.

The right-side outlet 13 is provided on the right side of the duct connection portion 10. Like the left-side outlet 12, the right-side outlet 13 in this example is cylindrical, extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle and penetrating in the vertical direction, and has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape. The lower part of the right-side outlet 13 is fluidly connected to the inlet 11, and the upper part of the right-side outlet 13 is connected to the right-side duct 42, which will be described later.

The central outlet section 14 is located between the left outlet section 12 and the right outlet section 13. The central outlet section 14 is cylindrical, extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle and penetrating in the vertical direction, and has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape. The lower part of the central outlet section 14 is connected to the inlet section 11 so as to be fluidly connected. The upper part of the central outlet section 14 is connected to the center duct 43, which will be described later.

In addition, in this embodiment, the flow path cross section of the central outlet 14 is set larger than the flow path cross sections of the left outlet 12 and the right outlet 13. This is because the central outlet 14 is connected to two central outlets 2 via a center duct, while the left outlet 12 and the right outlet 13 are connected to one left outlet 4 and one right outlet 5 via a left duct 41 and a right duct 42, respectively.

As shown in Figure 7, the rear outlet section 15 is located in front of the duct connection section 10. The rear outlet section 15 has an upper wall 15a, a lower wall 15b, and left and right side walls 15c. The upper wall 15a extends from the vehicle width central portion of the front wall of the left outlet section 12, via the front wall of the central outlet section 14, to the vehicle width central portion of the front wall of the right outlet section 13, and protrudes rearward. The lower wall 15b, like the upper wall 15a, extends in the vehicle width direction, is located below the upper wall 15a at a distance, and protrudes rearward from the lower end of the duct connection section 10.

The left side wall 15c extends vertically to connect the left end of the upper wall 15a with the left end of the lower wall 15b, and protrudes rearward from the front wall of the left outlet section 12. The right side wall 15c extends vertically to connect the right end of the upper wall 15a with the right end of the lower wall 15b, and protrudes rearward from the front wall of the right outlet section 13. Three vertical walls are provided between the left and right side walls 15c. The three vertical walls divide the frontage of the rear outlet section 15 into four sections. In this example, it is divided into approximately four equal parts.

Furthermore, the rear outlet section 15 has multiple curved wall sections 15d configured to direct the conditioned air flowing from the inlet section 11 into the interior of the duct connection section 10 to the rear outlet section 15. In this embodiment, the curved wall sections 15d are configured to direct a portion of the conditioned air flowing from the bottom to the top through the inlet section 11 to the rear.

For example, as shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9, the left curved wall portion 15d is positioned so as to block part of the flow path of the left outlet portion 12. In this example, the left curved wall portion 15d curves downward as it moves forward from the left side of the front end of the upper wall 15a of the rear outlet portion 15, and is connected to the lower end of the front wall 12a of the left outlet portion 12. Side walls 15e are provided on both ends of the curved wall portion 15d in the vehicle width direction. The side walls 15e and the curved wall portion 15d form a flow path for flowing conditioned air to the rear outlet portion 15. The right curved wall portion 15d is configured in the same way as the left curved wall portion 15d.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the central curved wall portion 15d is positioned so as to block part of the flow path of the central outlet portion 14. In this example, the central curved wall portion 15d curves downward as it moves forward from the middle portion of the front end of the upper wall 15a of the rear outlet portion 15 in the vehicle width direction, and extends to the middle portion of the inlet portion 11 in the vehicle width direction. Side walls 15e are also provided on both ends of the central curved wall portion 15d in the vehicle width direction. The side walls 15e and the curved wall portion 15d form a guide that directs the conditioned air into the rear outlet portion 15.

Here, we will briefly explain the flow of conditioned air inside the duct connection portion 10. The conditioned air flows from bottom to top and enters the inlet portion 11 from the air conditioning unit 8. A portion of the conditioned air that enters the inlet portion 11 flows into the left outlet portion 12, the central outlet portion 14, and the right outlet portion 13, and is then blown to the left duct 41, the center duct 43, and the left duct 41. In addition, a portion of the conditioned air that enters the inlet portion 11 is sent to the rear outlet portion 15 via curved wall portions 15d and other portions that are arranged to block each of the left outlet portion 12, the central outlet portion 14, and the right outlet portion 13, and is then blown into the vertical flow path portion 50 (described later) of the console duct 45.

Next, we will explain the air conditioning duct 40. The air conditioning duct 40 is a duct for blowing conditioned air that has circulated through the air conditioning unit 6 into the vehicle cabin, and in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, it has a left duct 41, a right duct 42, a center duct 43, a console duct 45, and a defroster duct 44.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the left duct 41 is fluidly connected to the left outlet 12, extends from the left outlet 12 toward the left side in the vehicle width direction, and is fluidly connected to the left air outlet 4 of the instrument panel 1. The left duct 41 is a hollow member with a substantially rectangular cross-section and has an opening on the underside of its inner side in the vehicle width direction, which is connected to the left outlet 12. The outer side in the vehicle width direction of the left duct 41 curves rearward as it extends outward in the vehicle width direction. An opening is provided at the rear end of the left end of the left duct 41, and this opening is connected to the left air outlet 4.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the right duct 42, like the left duct 41, is fluidically connected to the right outlet 13, extends from the right outlet 13 toward the right side in the vehicle width direction, and is fluidically connected to the right outlet 5. The right duct 42 is a hollow member with a substantially rectangular cross-section and has an opening on the underside of its inner side in the vehicle width direction, which is connected to the right outlet 13. The outer side of the right duct 42 in the vehicle width direction curves rearward as it extends outward in the vehicle width direction. An opening is provided at the rear end of the right end of the right duct 42, and this opening is connected to the right outlet 5.

As shown in FIG. 2, the center duct 43 has a flow path change section 43a and a branch section 43b. The flow path change section 43a is a hollow member that extends rearward from the central outlet section 14 of the duct connection section 10. An opening (not shown) is provided at the lower front portion of the flow path change section 43a, which is fluidically connected to the central outlet section 14. In addition, an opening that opens rearward is provided at the rear portion of the flow path change section 43a, which is fluidically connected to the front portion of the branch section 43b.

As shown in Figure 3, the defroster duct 44 is connected to the top of the air conditioning section 8 of the air conditioning unit 6. In this example, the defroster duct 44 is connected to the front side of the duct connection part 10 at the top of the air conditioning section 8. The defroster duct 44 is connected to the defroster outlet 3. A portion of the conditioned air blown from the top of the air conditioning section 8 flows into the defroster duct 44 on the front side of the duct connection part 10 and is blown out from the defroster outlet 3.

As described above, the front portion of the branching portion 43b is connected to the rear portion of the flow path change portion 43a. The front portion of the branching portion 43b branches into a left flow path portion and a right flow path portion. The rear portion of the left flow path portion is fluidly connected to the left central outlet 2, and the rear portion of the right flow path portion is connected to the right central outlet 2.

The console duct 45 has a vertical flow path 50, a left longitudinal flow path 60 and a right longitudinal flow path 78 spaced apart in the vehicle width direction, and a junction 46. The vertical flow path 50 is a hollow member extending upward in the vehicle, and the upper part of the vertical flow path 50 is fluidically connected to the rear outlet 15. A branch 55 is provided at the lower part of the vertical flow path 50, branching to the left and right. Of the branched parts, the left flow path is fluidically connected to the left longitudinal flow path 60, and the right flow path is fluidically connected to the right longitudinal flow path 78.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a left inlet and a right inlet are provided in front of the confluence 46. The left inlet is fluidically connected to the rear of the left longitudinal flow path 60, and the right inlet is fluidically connected to the rear of the right longitudinal flow path 78. The rear end of the confluence 46 is fluidically connected to the rear outlet 38.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the left longitudinal flow passage 60 and the right longitudinal flow passage 78 are arranged approximately symmetrically inside the center console 30, on the outer side in the vehicle width direction within the center console 30. The left longitudinal flow passage 60 has a flared portion 60A and a rearward extension 60B, which are integrally formed. Similarly, the right longitudinal flow passage 78 has a flared portion 78A and a rearward extension 78B, which are integrally formed. The flared portions 60A, 78A are provided in front of the left longitudinal flow passage 60 and the right longitudinal flow passage 78, respectively. The flared portion 60A of the left longitudinal flow passage 60 and the flared portion 78A of the right longitudinal flow passage 78 are arranged so that the distance between them in the vehicle width direction increases toward the rear of the vehicle. The rearward extensions 60B, 78B of the left longitudinal flow passage 60 and the right longitudinal flow passage 78 extend rearward from the rear of the widening portions 60A, 78A toward the rear of the vehicle and connect to the junction 46.

A portion of the conditioned air that flows into the duct connection portion 10 flows into the rear outlet portion 15 and enters the vertical airflow path portion 50. The conditioned air that flows into the vertical airflow path portion 50 flows downward and is branched to the left and right at the branch portion 55. The conditioned air flowing into the left airflow path portion 56A flows into the expanding portion 60A of the left longitudinal airflow path portion 60, and the conditioned air flowing into the right airflow path portion 56B flows into the expanding portion 78A of the right longitudinal airflow path portion 78. The conditioned air flowing through the left longitudinal airflow path portion 60 and the right longitudinal airflow path portion 78 merge at the junction portion 46 and are blown out from the rear outlet 38 toward the vehicle interior behind the front seats.

The structure of the vertical flow path section 50 will be described in detail below. The vertical flow path section 50 is composed of a hollow member with a flow path that extends downward from the rear outlet section 15 provided at the rear of the duct connection section 10 to the left longitudinal flow path section 60 and the right longitudinal flow path section 78. As shown in Figures 10 to 13, the vertical flow path section 50 of this embodiment has an inlet section 50A, an upper inclined section 51, a curved section 53, a branch section 55, and outlet sections 57A and 57B. Each section will be described below.

The inlet section 50A has an inlet 50a that opens toward the front of the vehicle. The inlet 50a is roughly rectangular and extends in the vehicle width direction. It is connected to the rear outlet section 15 of the duct connection section 10 so that it can communicate with the vehicle. The inlet section 50A has a flow path that curves downward as it extends rearward from the inlet 50a. In other words, the inlet section 50A is configured to flow downward in the same direction as the conditioned air that flows from the rear outlet section 15 of the duct connection section 10 into the inlet 50a and flows rearward.

The upper inclined portion 51 extends generally at an incline toward the front as it extends downward, and a flow path extending along the inclination direction described above is formed within the upper inclined portion 51. In this embodiment, the upper end of the upper inclined portion 51 is fluidically connected to the lower end of the inlet portion 50A. The vehicle width length of the upper inclined portion 51 is shorter than the vehicle width length of the inlet portion 50A. In this example, the left side wall 51c and the right side wall 51d at the connection between the lower end of the inlet portion 50A and the upper end of the upper inclined portion 51 are inclined so as to approach each other as they extend downward. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the vehicle width length and vehicle longitudinal length of the upper inclined portion 51 are substantially constant from the upper end of the upper inclined portion 51 to the upper end of the curved portion 53. The lower end of the upper inclined portion 51 is fluidically connected to the upper end of the curved portion 53.

The upper inclined portion 51 has a front wall 51a, a rear wall 51b, a left side wall 51c, and a right side wall 51d. The front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51 extends downward from its front end at the lower end of the inlet portion 50A, sloping rearward as it extends downward. The rear wall 51b of the upper inclined portion 51 is spaced rearward from the front wall 51a and, like the front wall 51a, extends downward and sloping rearward as it extends downward. The left side wall 51c of the upper inclined portion 51 is a side wall connecting the left end of the front wall 51a and the left end of the rear wall 51b, and is connected so as to be continuous with the left side wall 54c of the extension portion 54, which is part of the curved portion 53. The right side wall 51d of the upper inclined portion 51 is connected so as to be continuous with the right side wall 53d of the curved portion 53.

In this embodiment, the front wall 51a has a main wall portion 51b1 that slopes parallel to the rear wall 51b, and an inclined wall portion 51b2 that slopes in a direction different from the slope of the main portion. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the inclined wall portion 51b2 is located to the right of the main wall portion 51b1. The boundary 51b3 between the main wall portion 51b1 and the inclined wall portion 51b2 slopes downward and to the right. The inclined wall portion 51b2 slopes in the inclination direction of the main wall portion 51b1 and forward and to the right. As shown in Figure 11, the upper end of the boundary 51b3 is located to the left of the center of the upper inclined portion 51 in the vehicle width direction. The lower end of the boundary 51b3 is located near the connection between the upper inclined portion 51 and the curved portion 53, and is located to the right of the center of the upper inclined portion 51 in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in FIG. 14, the inner wall surface of the main wall portion 51b1 of the rear wall 51b, which forms the flow path of the upper inclined portion 51, is formed approximately parallel to the inner wall surface 51a1 of the front wall 51a. That is, the length (length L1 shown in FIG. 14) between the inner wall surface of the main wall portion 51b1 of the rear wall 51b and the inner wall surface 51a1 of the front wall 51a is maintained approximately the same length in the vertical direction. On the other hand, because the inner wall surface of the inclined wall portion 51b2 of the front wall 51a is inclined as described above, the length (length L2 in FIG. 14) between the inner wall surface of the inclined wall portion 51b2 of the front wall 51a and the inner wall surface 51a1 of the front wall 51a in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction is formed to decrease from the boundary toward the right.

The curved portion 53 is located below the upper inclined portion 51 and is curved so as to protrude forward. A flow path through which conditioned air flows is formed inside the curved portion 53, with the upper end of the curved portion 53 fluidly connected to the lower end of the upper inclined portion 51 and the lower end of the curved portion 53 fluidly connected to the upper end of the branch portion 55. The curved portion 53 also has an expansion portion 54 that expands the cross-sectional area of the flow path. Details of the expansion portion 54 will be explained later.

The front wall 53a of the curved portion 53 slopes forward as it extends downward from the upper end of the curved portion 53, and then curves back toward the rear at the lower end. As shown in Figure 10, an extension portion 54 is provided on the left side of the curved portion 53. In this embodiment, the extension portion 54 has a widthwise extension portion 54A and a front-to-rear extension portion 54B. The extension portion 54 will be described later.

The outer surface of the front wall 53a of the curved portion 53 and the inner surface that forms the wall of the flow path have the same curved shape. The rear wall 53b of the curved portion 53 is curved in the same way as the front wall 53a. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, a front-to-rear extension portion 54B is provided on the right side of the rear wall 53b. The right side wall 53d of the curved portion 53 is a side wall that connects the front wall 53a and rear wall 53b, and is curved to follow the curved shapes of the front wall 53a and rear wall 53b.

The branching portion 55 is located below the curved portion 53, and the upper end of the branching portion 55 is connected to the lower end of the curved portion 53 so as to allow fluid communication. The lower portion of the branching portion 55 branches into left and right flow passages 56A and 56B. In this example, the lower portion of the branching portion 55 branches into a left flow passage 56A and a right flow passage 56B. The left flow passage 56A and the right flow passage 56B each have a substantially rectangular flow passage cross section and are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction.

Outlet portions 57A, 57B are provided at the bottom of the left flow path portion 56A and the right flow path portion 56B, respectively. The outlet portion 57A provided at the bottom of the left flow path portion 56A has a generally rectangular outlet opening downward. Similarly to the left flow path portion 56A, the outlet portion 57B provided at the bottom of the right flow path portion 56B also has a generally rectangular outlet opening downward. The outlet portion 57A of the left flow path portion 56A is fluidically connected to the left longitudinal flow path portion 60, and the outlet portion 57B of the right flow path portion 56B is fluidically connected to the right longitudinal flow path portion 78.

Here, we will explain the shape of the expansion section 54 provided in the curved section 53. The expansion section 54 is provided on the outer side of the curved section 53 in the vehicle width direction, and is a section where the flow path cross section is expanded compared to the inner side of the curved section 53 in the vehicle width direction. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the expansion section 54 is a part that constitutes part of the curved section 53, and is provided on the left side of the curved section 53.

In this embodiment, the length of the flow path cross section of the extended section 54 in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction is longer than the length of the flow path cross section at the vehicle width center of the curved section 53. Furthermore, the length in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction and the vehicle width direction are longer than the flow path cross section below the curved section 53 and above the branching section 55. That is, in this embodiment, the flow path cross section of the extended section 54 is expanded in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction relative to the flow path cross section of the upper inclined section 51, and is expanded in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction and the vehicle width direction relative to the upper part of the branching section 55 located below the curved section 53.

As described above, the extension section 54 in this embodiment has a widthwise extension section 54A and a front-rear extension section 54B. The widthwise extension section 54A is provided on the left side of the curved section 53 and extends outward to the left in the vehicle width direction relative to the flow path cross section at the top of the branch section 55. In other words, the widthwise extension section 54A is a section formed integrally with the left side of the curved section 53. In this example, the front portion of the widthwise extension section 54A is formed by the left portion of the front wall 53a of the curved section 53. The widthwise extension section 54A has a left side wall 54c extending forward from the left end of the front wall 53a of the curved section 53.

The longitudinal extension 54B is a portion that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the cross section of the flow passage above the branching portion 55. In this example, the longitudinal extension 54B protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle from the front of the widthwise extension 54A and is formed integrally with the curved portion 53 and the widthwise extension 54A. The left side of the longitudinal extension 54B is formed by the front portion of the left side wall 54c of the widthwise extension 54A.

Furthermore, the front portion of the longitudinal extension portion 54B has a front vertical wall 54a that faces forward and extends vertically. The upper end of the front vertical wall 54a is connected to the left side of the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51, and the lower end of the front vertical wall 54a is connected to the left side of the upper portion of the branch portion 55. The left end of the front vertical wall 54a is connected to the front end of the left side wall 54c.

The right side of the longitudinal extension 54B has an inner wall 54d that connects the left end of the rear wall 53b of the curved portion 53 to the right end of the front vertical wall 54a. The inner wall 54d is approximately triangular in side view.

Air flowing from the rear outlet 15 of the duct connection 10 into the inlet 50A of the vertical flow path 50 flows inside the upper inclined portion 51 and into the curved portion 53. A portion of the conditioned air flowing into the curved portion 53 follows the curved shape of the curved portion 53, while another portion flows through the extended portion 54. The conditioned air flowing through the upper inclined portion 51 and into the extended portion 54 flows almost linearly downward, allowing it to flow with reduced flow resistance compared to the conditioned air flowing from the upper inclined portion 51 into the curved portion 53. As a result, air can be blown more effectively into the left and right longitudinal flow paths than if the extended portion 54 were not provided.

In addition, in this embodiment, a curved portion 53 is provided in the vertical middle portion of the vertical airflow passage 50, making it easy to provide an inclined portion that slopes forward as it extends downward in the vehicle width center portion of the instrument panel 1. In other words, the placement of the vertical airflow passage 50 increases the degree of freedom in designing the vehicle width center portion of the instrument panel 1. Furthermore, by providing an inclined portion in the vehicle width center portion of the instrument panel 1, it becomes possible to install a luggage storage area or the like in the upper front portion of the center console 30. In other words, in this embodiment, providing the curved portion 53 in the vertical airflow passage 50 increases the degree of freedom in designing the center console 30.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to efficiently blow air downward from above on the front side of the instrument panel 1 while ensuring access to the front portion of the center console 30, making it possible to effectively blow conditioned air to the rear portion of the center console 30.

The flow path cross section of the expansion section 54 may be formed so as to widen outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path section 50 located below the curved section 53. The flow path cross section of the expansion section 54 may be formed so as to widen in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path section 50 located below the curved section 53. As described above, the flow path cross section of the expansion section 54 in this embodiment is formed so as to widen outward to the left in the vehicle width direction relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path section 50 located below the curved section 53. The flow path cross section of the expansion section 54 in this embodiment is formed so as to widen rearward relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path section 50 located below the curved section 53.

By expanding the flow path cross section of the expansion section 54 in the direction described above relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path section 50 located below the curved section 53, it is possible to reduce the flow resistance of the air conditioning air flowing into the curved section 53.

The extension section 54 may also be configured to include a widthwise extension section 54A in which the flow path cross section of the extension section 54 extends outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path section 50 located below the curved section 53, and a longitudinal extension section 54B in which the flow path cross section of the extension section 54 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path section 50 located below the curved section 53. In this case, the widthwise extension section 54A and the longitudinal extension section 54B may be connected to form a single continuous flow path cross section that is fluidly connected to each other.

In this embodiment, the widthwise extension section 54A and the front-rear extension section 54B form a single flow path, which reduces the flow resistance of the conditioned air inside the extension section 54 and further improves air blowing efficiency.

For example, if both the longitudinal extension section 54B and the widthwise extension section 54A are provided in the curved section 53 and the longitudinal extension section 54B and the widthwise extension section 54A form flow paths independent of each other, the longitudinal extension section 54B needs to be spaced apart from the widthwise extension section 54A, and therefore the longitudinal extension section 54B needs to be provided in the vehicle widthwise middle section of the curved section 53. In this case, the vehicle longitudinal length of the vehicle widthwise middle section of the vertical flow path section 50 increases, which may make it difficult to position the vertical flow path section 50 further rearward.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the widthwise extension portion 54A and the longitudinal extension portion 54B are positioned outside the curved portion 53 in the vehicle width direction, making it easier to position the vehicle width center portion of the vertical airflow path portion 50 further rearward, and making it possible to position the area of the instrument panel 1 in the vehicle width center portion corresponding to the curved portion 53 further rearward (toward the interior of the vehicle). As a result, there is greater freedom in the positioning of the vertical airflow path portion 50 and the design of the instrument panel 1.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the air intake section 7 of the air conditioning unit 6 is located on the left side (one side) of the duct connection section 10 in the vehicle width direction, and the extension section 54 is located on the left side (the one side) of the curved section 53 in the vehicle width direction.

Air flowing into the air intake section 7 flows toward the blower fan 7d located below the air intake section 7 (arrow X1 in FIG. 5). After passing through the blower fan 7d, the air flows into the lower part of the air conditioning section 8 located to the right of the blower fan 7d (arrow X2 in FIG. 5), flows upward inside the air conditioning section 8 (arrow X3 in FIG. 5), and then flows into the duct connection section 10, etc. In this case, the conditioned air that flows upward inside the air conditioning section 8 and then into the vertical airflow section 50 via the duct connection section 10 tends to flow more easily on the right outer side in the vehicle width direction inside the vertical airflow section 50. In other words, with the arrangement of this embodiment, the left side of the vertical airflow section 50 is less likely to flow than the right side.

For example, in Figure 5, the volume of conditioned air flowing through the area indicated by arrow X5 is greater than the volume of conditioned air flowing through the area indicated by arrow X4. In other words, the conditioned air is more likely to flow through the right outlet 13 of the duct connection 10 than through the left outlet 12.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the extension section 54 and air inlet section 7 are positioned as described above in the vehicle width direction. By providing the extension section 54 on the left side (the side closer to the air inlet section 7), where the conditioned air is less likely to flow, it is possible to reduce the difference in conditioned air volume in the vehicle width direction of the vertical flow path section 50. This makes it possible to further optimize the balance of the conditioned air volume branched at the branch section 55, allowing air to be effectively blown from the rear outlet 38.

Furthermore, the extension portion 54 preferably extends upward from the curved portion 53 and is connected to the duct connection portion 10. In this embodiment, as described above, the extension portion 54 extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle, which makes it possible to reduce the flow resistance of some of the conditioned air flowing in from the inlet portion 50A, thereby improving air blowing efficiency.

Furthermore, the front inner wall surface or rear inner wall surface of the vertical flow passage section 50, which is located above the curved section 53, may be inclined so that the longitudinal length of the flow passage becomes shorter as it moves from one side to the other in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the rear inner wall surface of the flow passage of the upper inclined section 51, which is located above the curved section 53, is inclined.

As shown in Figures 5, 11, 12, and 14, the rear wall 51b of the upper inclined portion 51 in this embodiment is provided with an inclined wall portion 51b2. The inner wall surface (rear inner wall surface) of the inclined wall portion 51b2 is inclined so that the longitudinal length of the flow path decreases from right to left (from one side to the other in the vehicle width direction). As shown in Figure 14, the cross-section of the flow path corresponding to the inclined wall portion 51b2 on the rear wall 51b of the upper inclined portion 51 is narrower than the cross-section of the flow path corresponding to the main wall portion 51b1 because its longitudinal length is shorter. Therefore, the conditioned air flows more easily through the flow path corresponding to the main wall portion 51b1 than through the flow path corresponding to the inclined wall portion 51b2. This makes it possible to further optimize the balance of the conditioned airflow branched at the branch portion 55, allowing for more effective airflow from the rear outlet.

Furthermore, a branch section 55 is provided in the vertical flow path section 50 located below the curved section 53, and the extension section 54 preferably extends downward toward the branch section 55. In this embodiment, the lower part of the left side wall of the extension section 54 has an inclined surface 54g that slopes to the right as it extends downward. The inclined surface 54g is connected to the left side wall of the left side flow path section 56A located below the branch section 55. In this way, by providing the extension section 54, it becomes easier to guide the conditioned air flowing through the contents of the extension section 54 to the left side flow path section 56A, where conditioned air is less likely to be guided, making it possible to further optimize the balance of the conditioned air flow branched at the branch section 55.

As shown in Figures 6 and 10, the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51 in this embodiment has a first recess 51e. The first recess 51e is located in the middle of the upper portion of the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51 in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the first recess 51e is located slightly to the left of the center of the upper portion of the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51 in the vehicle width direction. The left end of the first recess 51e is located above the inner wall 54d of the extension portion 54. The first recess 51e has a substantially rectangular opening, and the bottom surface of the first recess 51e preferably slopes forward from the lower end of the opening upward. The provision of the first recess 51e prevents conditioned air from moving from the extension portion 54 side (left side) toward the center of the vehicle width direction and also increases the rigidity of the vertical airflow path 50. Furthermore, the bottom surface of the first recess 51e is located in a bulging portion at the top of the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51, thereby contributing to improving the rigidity of the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51.

In this embodiment, the front wall 53a of the lower portion of the curved portion 53 has a second recess 53e. The second recess 53e is provided in the middle of the lower portion of the front wall 53a of the curved portion 53 in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the second recess 53e is located above the right flow path portion 56B. The second recess 53e has a substantially rectangular opening, and the bottom surface of the second recess 53e preferably slopes forward from the upper end of the opening downward.

By providing the second recess 53e, it is possible to prevent the conditioned air from moving from the extension 54 side (left side) toward the center of the vehicle width. Furthermore, because the lower end of the inclined surface 54g of the left side wall 54c of the extension 54 is positioned lower than the second recess 53e, it is easier to guide the conditioned air toward the left longitudinal flow path 60. The shape, such as the size, of the recesses 51e and 53e should be determined according to the flow resistance of the conditioned air within the flow path.

In addition, an inclined surface 54g is formed at the bottom of the left wall of the extension section 54, which helps to reduce pressure loss that occurs when guiding conditioned air toward the left front-rear flow path section 60.

In this embodiment, a front cushioning material 59a is attached to the front wall 53a of the curved portion 53, and a rear cushioning material 59b is attached to the rear wall 53b of the curved portion 53. The rear of the air conditioning unit 6 can abut against the front cushioning material 59a. The rear of the air conditioning unit 6 has a portion that protrudes rearward along the curved portion 53, closer to the center of the vehicle width than the extension portion 54 (Figures 2 and 4), and this portion abuts against the front wall 53a of the curved portion 53 of the vertical air flow path section 50 via the front cushioning material 59a. With this arrangement, the longitudinal extension portion 54B is provided on the left side in the vehicle width direction, so the vertical air flow path section 50 can be positioned relative to the air conditioning unit 6.

Furthermore, the rear cushioning material 59b can abut against the instrument panel 1 or on-vehicle components located between the curved portion 53 of the vertical flow path section 50 and the instrument panel 1. The curved portion 53 of the vertical flow path section 50 is clamped from the front and rear sides, ensuring that the vertical flow path section 50 is stably fixed. Furthermore, the front cushioning material 59a and the rear cushioning material 59b prevent the vertical flow path section 50 from coming into direct contact with other components, thereby reducing the generation of abnormal noise and wear on the vertical flow path section 50 while the vehicle is in motion.

The description of this embodiment is merely an example for explaining the present invention and does not limit the invention described in the claims. Furthermore, the configuration of each part of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the technical scope described in the claims.

In the above embodiment, the extension portion 54 is provided on one of the vehicle widthwise outer sides (left side) of the curved portion 53, but this is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figures 15 to 17, the extension portion 54 may be provided on both sides of the curved portion 53 in the vehicle width direction.

Figures 15 to 17 show the above embodiment, and parts that are the same as or similar to those in the above embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals.

In this example, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, a widthwise expansion section 54A and a front-to-rear expansion section 54B are provided on each of the left and right sides of the curved section 53. By providing the widthwise expansion section 54A and the front-to-rear expansion section 54B in the curved section 53, the flow path cross section is expanded relative to the flow path cross section near the top of the branch section 55.

In this example, as shown in FIG. 17, the rear wall 51b of the upper inclined portion 51 may be provided with a main wall portion 51j and an inclined wall portion 51h to adjust the flow rate of the conditioned air. In this example, the inclined wall portion 51h has a boundary 51m extending vertically in the middle of the upper inclined portion 51 in the vehicle width direction, and the inclined wall portions 51h are provided on both sides of the boundary 51m. The inclined wall portions 51h may be inclined rearward as they extend outward in the vehicle width direction from the boundary 51m. In other words, the inclined wall portions 51h may have a concave shape that is recessed forward relative to the main wall portion 51j, with the boundary 51m located at the bottom of the concave shape. The inclination angle of the inclined wall portions 51h may be adjusted appropriately depending on the volume of the conditioned air in the vertical flow path portion 50.

In this example, two front upper cushioning materials 51a1 are attached to the top of the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51. A front lower cushioning material 51a2 is attached between the left and right front-to-rear extension portions 54B. Furthermore, a cushioning material 59c may also be attached to the right flow path portion 56B.

As another modification, for example, instead of providing the widthwise extension 54A, a longitudinal extension 54B may be provided that protrudes rearward from the vehicle widthwise outer portion of the rear wall 53b of the curved portion 53. Similarly, a widthwise extension 54A may be provided on the vehicle widthwise outer portion of the curved portion 53 without providing the longitudinal extension 54B.

In the above embodiment described using Figures 1 to 14, both the widthwise extension portion 54A and the longitudinal extension portion 54B are provided, but this is not limited to this. For example, instead of providing the widthwise extension portion 54A, a longitudinal extension portion 54B may be provided that protrudes rearward from the vehicle width outer portion of the rear wall 53b of the curved portion 53. Similarly, instead of providing the longitudinal extension portion 54B, the widthwise extension portion 54A may be provided on the vehicle width outer portion of the curved portion 53. Furthermore, the longitudinal extension portion 54B may be provided closer to the center of the curved portion 53 than the widthwise extension portion 54A.

1 Instrument panel 1a Upper surface portion 2 Central outlet 3 Defroster outlet 4 Left side outlet 5 Right side outlet 6 Air conditioning unit 7 Air intake portion 7a Air intake port 7b Intake portion 7c Blower portion 8 Air conditioning portion 10 Duct connection portion 11 Inlet portion 12 Left side outlet portion 13 Right side outlet portion 14 Central outlet portion 15 Rear outlet portion 15a Upper wall 15b Lower wall 15c Side wall 15d Curved wall portion 30 Center console 31 Side wall portion 32 Upper surface portion 33 Parking brake operation portion 34 Shift selector 35a Luggage temporary storage portion 35b Luggage temporary storage portion 36 Drink holder 38 Rear outlet 40 Air conditioning duct 41 Left side duct 42 Right side duct 43 Center duct 43a Flow path change portion 43b Branch portion 44 Defroster duct 45 Console duct 46 Merging section 50 Vertical channel section 50A Inflow section 50a Inflow port 51 Upper inclined section 51a Front wall 51b Rear wall 51b1 Main wall section 51b2 Slanted wall section 51b3 Boundary 51c Left side wall 51d Right side wall 51e First depression 53 Curved section 53a Front wall 53b Rear wall 53d Right side wall 53e Second hollow part 54 Expanded part 54A Width expansion part 54B Anteroposterior expansion part 54a Front vertical wall 54c Left side wall 54d Inner wall 55 Branch part 56A Left flow path part 56B Right flow path part 57A Outflow part 57B Outflow part 59a Front cushioning material 59a Rear cushioning material 60 Left front and rear flow path section (flow path section)
60A Expanding portion 78 Right front-rear direction flow path portion (flow path portion)
78A Spreading section

Claims (10)

a vertical flow path portion that is connected to an air conditioning unit that is disposed in front of an instrument panel that is disposed in a front portion of a vehicle compartment, the vertical flow path portion being disposed in front of the instrument panel and extending in a vertical direction;
a longitudinal flow path portion connected to a lower portion of the longitudinal flow path portion and extending rearward of the vehicle along a vehicle width direction intermediate portion of a floor portion of the vehicle compartment;
An air conditioning duct structure for a vehicle having:
a curved portion that curves so as to protrude toward the rear of the vehicle is provided at an intermediate portion in the up-down direction of the vertical flow path portion,
An air conditioning duct structure for a vehicle, characterized in that an expanded portion is provided at an outer portion in the vehicle width direction of the curved portion, the cross section of which is expanded compared to an inner portion in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure described in claim 1, characterized in that the flow path cross section of the extension section is formed to expand outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path section located below the curved section. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flow path cross section of the expansion section is formed to widen in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path section located below the curved section. The extension portion is
a width-direction extending portion in which a flow path cross section of the extending portion extends outward in the vehicle width direction relative to a flow path cross section of the vertical flow path portion located below the curved portion;
a longitudinal extension portion in which a flow path cross section of the extension portion is wider in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle than a flow path cross section of the vertical flow path portion located below the curved portion;
and
2. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure according to claim 1, wherein the widthwise extension portion and the front-rear extension portion are connected to each other so as to form a single continuous flow passage cross section that is fluidly communicable with each other. The air conditioning unit is
a connection portion provided on an upper portion of the air conditioning unit and to which the air conditioning duct is connected;
2. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure according to claim 1, further comprising: an air intake portion disposed offset to one side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the connection portion, for blowing conditioned air toward the connection portion. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure described in claim 5, wherein the extension portion of the vertical flow path portion is disposed on one side of the curved portion in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure described in claim 5 or 6, wherein the extension portion extends upward from the curved portion and is connected to the connection portion. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure described in claim 5 or 6, wherein the front inner wall surface or rear inner wall surface of the vertical flow path portion located above the curved portion is inclined so that the longitudinal length of the flow path becomes shorter from one side to the other in the vehicle width direction. the vertical flow path portion located below the curved portion is provided with a branch portion branching into a left flow path portion and a right flow path portion,
7. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure according to claim 5, wherein the extension portion extends downward toward the branch portion. a vertical flow path portion that is disposed between an instrument panel disposed at a front portion of a vehicle compartment and an air conditioning unit disposed in front of the instrument panel and that extends in a vertical direction;
a longitudinal flow path portion connected to a lower portion of the longitudinal flow path portion and extending rearward of the vehicle along a vehicle width direction intermediate portion of a floor portion of the vehicle compartment;
An air conditioning duct structure for a vehicle connected to the air conditioning unit,
The vertical flow path portion is
an upper inclined portion that extends downward and inclined rearward;
a curved portion disposed below the upper inclined portion and curved so as to protrude rearward ;
Equipped with
An air conditioning duct structure for a vehicle, characterized in that an expanded portion is provided at an outer portion in the vehicle width direction of the curved portion, the cross section of which is expanded compared to an inner portion in the vehicle width direction.