JP2003104035A - Air conditioner for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air conditioner for a vehicle capable of ensuring sufficient vehicle body rigidity and having excellent assembling property. SOLUTION: In this air conditioner for the vehicle, a HVAC unit is installed integrally with an instrument panel internal structural body 1. In the HVAC unit, an intake part 10 for adjusting an introducing rate of inside air and outside air is provided separately from an other component part 14. The instrument panel internal structural body 1 has a storing part opened to a cabin side and a recessed part 20 formed so that a wall surface may be caved from the outside to the inside. The intake part 10 is installed in the recessed part 20 from a vehicle front side. The other component part 14 is installed in the storing part from a vehicle rear side.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner, and more particularly to a vehicle having an instrument panel internal structure that supports a surface portion of an instrument panel and various components and acts as a substitute for a cross car beam. HVAC (Heating Ventilation and ai)
r conditioning) relating to a unit integrally installed in the internal structure of the instrument panel.

[0002]

In Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-500309, there is disclosed an instrument panel mounting structure which is connected to a side pillar, supports various instrument panel parts, and carries an instrument panel surface cover. It is disclosed. Since the vehicle body rigidity can be improved by providing the instrument panel mounting structure, it is possible to secure sufficient vehicle body rigidity without using the cross car beam which has been used conventionally.

In the recent air conditioning system for vehicles, in order to further reduce the number of parts, downsize the vehicle body, and reduce the weight, as shown in FIG. 5, the instrument panel mounting structure ( Alternatively, a structure in which the HVAC unit is provided integrally with a structure having a similar operation) is under study.

[0004]

However, in the normal HVAC unit U, as shown in FIG.
The width b of the intake portion I is often larger than the width a of the main body of the VAC unit U.
There was no degree of freedom in the formation position and shape of the rib R that partitions the storage space S of 1. and has a great influence on the rigidity of the structure C. For example, the rib R must be formed at a position B outside the originally intended position A, and if the rib R is formed at the position B, the structure C is provided in order to secure a space for the glove box and the like. It could not be provided over the entire width W in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, it is necessary to form the opening H in the structure C for introducing the inside air or the outside air into the intake portion I. For these reasons, it was difficult to give the structure C sufficient rigidity to substitute for the cross car beam.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle air conditioner which can secure sufficient vehicle body rigidity and is excellent in assembling.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is an HV integrated with an instrument panel internal structure constituting the inside of the instrument panel.
In a vehicle air conditioner in which an AC unit is installed, the HVAC unit is provided with an intake part that selectively takes in the inside air and the outside air, separately from other components.
The instrument panel internal structure includes a storage portion that opens toward the vehicle compartment and a recess formed so that the wall surface is recessed from the outside to the inside, and the intake portion is installed in the recess from the vehicle front side. In addition, the other components are arranged in the storage portion from the vehicle rear side (claim 1).

According to this, when the HVAC unit is arranged in the internal structure of the instrument panel that supports the surface portion of the instrument panel and various components and is used as a substitute for the cross car beam, the intake portion is installed in the instrument panel. Ment panel inside the recess on the outside of the internal structure,
The other components are arranged in the storage portion inside the instrument panel internal structure. In this way, by arranging only the intake portion, which tends to be wide, on the outer side of the instrument panel internal structure, the degree of freedom in the position and shape of the ribs provided inside the instrument panel internal structure increases. Further, since it is not necessary to make an opening for introducing air into the intake portion in the wall surface of the instrument panel internal structure, the instrument panel internal structure does not decrease in rigidity of the instrument panel internal structure. And the HVAC unit can be integrated. Also, the other components including the fan, the evaporator, the heater, etc. are disposed in the storage portion from the vehicle rear side, that is, the vehicle compartment side, so that the assembling property is good and the component replacement, etc. The serviceability of can be improved.

Further, it is preferable that a communication port that communicates with the storage section is formed in the recess, and that the intake section and the other constituent section are connected through the communication port (claim 2). This makes it possible to easily connect the intake part and other components.

Further, it is preferable that a surface of the concave portion on which the communication port is formed has a predetermined angle with respect to a mounting direction of the intake portion or the other constituent portion (claim 3).

According to this, it is possible to improve workability when assembling the intake portion and other components to the instrument panel internal structure. The angle provided on the surface on which the communication port is formed may be determined according to the die-cutting direction when die-cutting the instrument panel internal structure.

Further, it is preferable that an opening for inserting a link mechanism for connecting the inside / outside air switching door provided in the intake portion and a predetermined control unit is formed in the recess (claim 4). .

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2, there is shown a state in which the HVAC unit is installed in the instrument panel internal structure 1. The instrument panel internal structure 1 is fixed to a side pillar or the like of a vehicle, supports a surface layer portion (not shown) of the instrument panel and various components, and is conventionally used to increase vehicle body rigidity. It also serves as an alternative to cross car beams. Further, the HVAC unit includes an intake part 10 that enables selective intake of outside air and inside air, a fan 11 that sends out the air taken in from the intake part 10 into the unit, and the air sent by the fan 11 at a desired temperature. A vaporizer 12, a heater 13, an air mix door (not shown), a blower opening switching means (not shown) for selectively blowing out the temperature-adjusted air from the blower opening in the vehicle compartment, etc. Intake part 10 and other components 14 are separately configured.

The instrument panel internal structure 1
Is made of a light weight resin material, and in the present embodiment, is configured to have a central portion 2 and both side portions 3 and 4, and the central portion 2 has a shape protruding from the lower end faces of the both side portions 3 and 4. And has a substantially T-shape when viewed from the front (and the back). Further, the structure is such that the surface 5 on the engine room side is closed, and the rigidity is enhanced.

The central portion 2 and the side portions 3 and 4 are open at the surface on the vehicle compartment (vehicle rear) side, and the central portion 2
And both side portions 3 and 4 are separated from each other by ribs 6 and 7. As a result, the storage portion 8 that is open to the vehicle compartment side is formed in the central portion 2. Further, a recess 20 is formed in a portion from the upper surface 9 of one side portion (mainly the passenger seat side) 3 to the surface 5 on the engine room (vehicle front) side. A link mechanism insertion opening 2 is formed on a surface 21 of the recess 20 on the vehicle compartment side.
2. Locking claw holding holes 23, 23 are formed, and a communication port 25 communicating with the storage section 8 is formed on the side surface 24 on the central portion 2 side. Further, the side surface 24 on the side of the central portion 2 is inclined so as to gradually widen from the vehicle compartment side toward the engine compartment side. As a result, it is possible to improve the assemblability and facilitate the die-cutting molding of the instrument panel internal structure 1.

The intake portion 10 forming a part of the HVAC unit has a hollow case 30 made of a resin material, an outside air intake 31 for taking in outside air into the case 30, and an inside air for taking in the case 30. The inside air intake 32 and the outside air intake 31 and the inside air intake 32 which are installed in the case 30 and rotate about a shaft 33.
Is provided with a drum door 34 for selectively opening and closing.

A surface (back surface) 35 of the case 30 on the passenger compartment side is open, and the opening and the recess 20 are formed.
The link mechanism 37 including a lever, a rod, a cable and the like is connected to the drum door 34 through the link mechanism insertion opening 22 of the drum door 34, and the drum door 34 can be rotated by a predetermined drive source. There is. A flange is formed on the peripheral edge of the case 30, and the recess 20 is formed at the upper end of the rear flange 40.
The locking claws 42, 42 that can be locked in the locking claw holding holes 23, 23 formed on the bottom surface of the flange 41 are formed on the engine compartment side of the flange 41. Four
4, 44 are formed. Further, a screw receiving hole 45 is formed in the engine inner surface 1 of the instrument internal structure 1 at a position facing the screw holes 43, 43 when the intake portion 10 is installed.

Further, the case 30 of the intake portion 10
Of the side surfaces of the recess 20, the surface 50 facing the side surface 24 on the side of the central portion 2 of the recess 20 is open and contacts the side surface 24 of the recess 20 along the inclination thereof, as shown in FIG. It is angled. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a blower-side connection port 54 that communicates with the upstream side of the fan 11 in the ventilation direction is formed in a portion on the upper side of the other component portion 14 in the drawing.

The blower-side connecting port 54 is formed integrally with the casing of the above-mentioned other constituent parts 14, and the fan 11
Is connected to a bell mouth (not shown) that guides air to an air introduction portion near the rotation center of the
The side surface 24 of the recess 20 when the
The surface 55 that abuts against is inclined at substantially the same angle as the side surface 24 of the recess 20. Thereby, the assembling property at the time of arrangement can be improved.

In the above structure, the intake section 10 and the other constituent sections 1 are provided in the instrument panel internal structure 1.
When arranging the HVAC unit composed of 4 and 4, the other constituent parts 14 are arranged in the storage part 8 from the vehicle compartment (vehicle rear side) side, and the intake part 10 is arranged in the engine room (vehicle front side). To the recess 20. When disposing the intake portion 10 in the recess 20, as shown in FIG. 3, the locking claw 42 is locked in the locking claw holding hole 23 and the screw 56 is passed through the screw stop hole 43. By being screwed into the screw receiving hole 44, the intake portion 10
Are fixed in the recess 20. Then, the intake portion 10 and the other constituent portion 14 are communicated with each other through the communication port 25. Further, although not shown, it is preferable to provide a lining in the gap between the case 30 of the intake portion 10 and the concave portion 20 and the gap between the concave portion and the other constituent portion 14 for sealing.

According to the above construction, the instrument panel internal structure 1 and the HVAC unit can be integrated, so that the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced. Further, as in the conventional case, the ribs 6, which partition the storage portion 8 of the instrument panel internal structure 1,
Since it is not necessary to move 7 to the outer side in the vehicle width direction or to make a hole for introducing the inside air or the outside air into the instrument panel internal structure 1, high rigidity can be ensured, and the cross car Since the beam can be omitted, weight reduction and cost reduction can be realized. Further, since the other constituent portion 14 including the fan 11, the evaporator 12, the heater 13 and the like is arranged from the vehicle interior side, the assembling property is good, and the serviceability such as component replacement can be improved.

In the above embodiment, the switching door of the intake portion 10 has a drum shape, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a cantilever door, a sliding door, or the like is used. It may be the one that you had.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, the instrument panel internal structure and the HVAC unit can be installed without reducing the rigidity of the instrument panel internal structure used as a substitute for the cross car beam. Can be integrated. Further, since the other components including the fan, the evaporator, the heater, and the like are arranged in the storage portion from the vehicle rear side, that is, from the vehicle compartment side, the assembling property is good, and the component replacement or the like can be performed. Serviceability can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view of a state in which an HVAC unit is installed in an instrument panel internal structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from a vehicle compartment side.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state when an HVAC unit is installed in an internal structure of an instrument panel as seen from the engine compartment side in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which an intake portion is arranged in a recess in this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a connection state of the intake portion and other configurations in this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which an HVAC unit is arranged in a conventional structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Instrument panel internal structure 6,7 ribs 8 storage 10 Intake part 14 Other components 20 recess 22 Link mechanism insertion opening 25 communication port 54 Blower side connection port

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Daisuke Araki             39, Higashihara, Chiyo-ji, Konan-cho, Osato-gun, Saitama Prefecture               Zexel Valeo Climate Co., Ltd.             In control F-term (reference) 3L011 BR01

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An HVAC integrated with an internal structure of an instrument panel, which constitutes the inside of the instrument panel.
In the vehicle air conditioner in which the unit is installed, in the HVAC unit, an intake section for adjusting the introduction ratio of the inside air and the outside air is provided separately from other constituent sections, and the instrument panel internal structure is a vehicle body. The storage portion having an opening to the chamber side, and a recess formed so that the wall surface is depressed from the outside to the inside, the intake portion is installed in the recess from the vehicle front side, and the other components are An air conditioner for a vehicle, which is installed in the storage portion from a rear side of the vehicle. 2. A communication opening communicating with the storage portion is formed in the recess, and the intake portion and the other components are connected via the communication opening. The vehicle air conditioner according to 1. 3. The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein a surface of the recess where the communication port is formed has a predetermined angle with respect to a mounting direction of the intake portion. . 4. An opening for inserting a link mechanism for connecting an inside / outside air switching door provided in the intake portion and a predetermined control unit is formed in the recess. The vehicle air conditioner according to any one of 1 to 3.