FR3075110A1 - AIR CONDITIONING BOX, IN PARTICULAR FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR A HEATING DEVICE, OF SUCH A BOX - Google Patents

Abstract

 The invention relates to an air conditioning unit (1) for a motor vehicle comprising a body (10) allowing the circulation of at least one air flow and a heating device (3) for heating said air flow, said device heater (3) being configured to slide in said body (10) to an end position. The housing further comprises at least one longitudinal rib (14) defining a sliding direction (C) of the heating device (3) in said body (10) and at least one guide member (31; 31a, 31b) adapted to receiving said rib (14) when the heating device (3) slides in said body (10). The rib (14) and the guide member (31; 31a, 31b) are mutually configured to hold the heater in the housing when the heater is in the end position.

Description

The present invention relates to an air conditioning unit and a device, in particular a heating device, for such a unit. It relates in particular to applications in the field of motor vehicles.

It is known air conditioning units for automobile called HVAC ("Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning"). Such a housing includes a body allowing the circulation of one or more air flows, into which one or more heating devices are inserted to heat the air flow or flows.

In patent application FR 2 754 492 referenced D1 below, there is described a device for fixing an additional heating radiator inside a heating unit of a motor vehicle, the heating radiator being housed between two opposite side walls of the housing, one of which has an opening to allow mounting of the additional heating radiator in a drawer.

To allow rapid assembly and disassembly of the additional blind radiator by the user, D1 provides a guide rail which extends transversely between the two side walls of the housing and along which the additional heating radiator is guided. For this purpose, the guide rail has an L-profile groove, while the additional heating radiator is equipped with at least one homologous L-profile hook produced in the form of a continuous profile.

In an alternative embodiment according to D1, the radiator comprises two opposite L-shaped hooks, located opposite one another, only one of the hooks being used to engage the radiator in the guide rail. The other hook can in particular be used to engage the radiator on the guide rail on a different face. Thus, depending on the hook used, it is possible to engage the radiator on the guide rail in two different directions.

However, this device does not offer a satisfactory solution in terms of blocking the radiator in the housing body after mounting. The radiator can thus vibrate, which is a source of noise and wear.

The object of the invention is to at least partially overcome the drawbacks mentioned above and, to this end, provides an air conditioning unit for a motor vehicle, comprising:

- a body, in particular allowing the circulation of at least one air flow;

- a device, in particular a heating device for heating said air flow, said device being configured to slide in said body to a limit position;

- at least one longitudinal rib, defining a sliding direction of the device in said body;

- at least one guide member, adapted to receive said rib when the device slides in said body, said rib and said guide member being mutually configured so as to maintain said heating device in the housing, when said heating device is in said end position.

Thus, according to the invention, by making the rib and the guide member cooperate, the heating device is not only allowed to be guided blindly inside the body of the air conditioning unit, up to a guide end position, but above all to be locked in this end position, in which the heating device becomes integral with the body due to the adapted configuration of the rib, by cooperation with the guide member . The air conditioning unit according to the invention allows the secure insertion of the heating device, thus preventing the heating device from vibrating inside the unit, in use.

According to other characteristics of the invention which can be taken together or separately:

- Said guide member comprises at least two studs, in particular a pair of studs, distant forming a passage zone, between two vertices of said studs, adapted to receive said rib when said heating device slides in said body;

- The vertices of said studs are aligned vis-à-vis in a transverse direction, in particular orthogonal, to the sliding direction;

- the vertices of said studs are preceded by a shape having a profile of progressive narrowing of the passage area in the direction of the vertices,

the vertices of said studs are shaped so that the passage zone has a progressive narrowing profile at the level of the vertices,

- The rib present in an initial part, located at the start of the sliding stroke, a reduced thickness E0, possibly constant, defined with respect to a width E2 of said passage area such that E0 <E2 and | E0-E2 | <0.5 mm, so as to allow sliding with a limitation of friction and / or risks of bracing during a phase of introduction of said device,

- The rib has, in an extreme part located at the end of the sliding stroke, an enlarged thickness E1 relative to the rest of said rib, in particular relative to the width E0, in particular such as E1> E2 in order to obtain a blocking of said device in said body;

- Said extremal part has a progressive widening profile;

- said end portion of the rib extends over a length at least equal to 2, or even 5 mm;

- Said end portion of said rib has a maximum thickness E1 defined with respect to a width E2 of said passage area, such that | E1 -E2 | <2 mm, in particular | E1 -E2 | <1 mm; in particular | E1-E2 | <0.5 mm, preferably even | E1 -E2 | = 0.2 mm.

- Said rib has a thickness approximately equal to 1.5 mm outside said extremal part and / or a maximum thickness less than or equal to 3.5 mm, in particular 2 mm, in said extremal part;

- The rib is provided on two opposite lateral internal faces of said body, while the guide member is supplied on two lateral external faces of the heating device, respectively opposite one of said lateral internal faces of the body;

- as a variant, the rib is provided on two opposite lateral external faces of the heating device, while the guide member is supplied on two lateral internal faces of the body, respectively opposite the lateral external faces of the heating device ;

- The rib is formed from a material selected from: polybutylene terephthalate, polyamide;

- Said guide member is formed from a material selected from: polybutylene terephthalate, polyamide;

- Said heating device is an electric heating radiator;

- as a variant, said heating device is a heating radiator with heat transfer fluid;

- Said device is a main heating radiator;

- as a variant, said device is a secondary heating radiator.

The invention also relates to a device, in particular a heating device, of the air conditioning unit according to any one of the preceding characteristics.

The invention will be better understood and other details, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description given by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 illustrates in perspective view a rib formed on an inner face of an air conditioning unit according to an embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a rib of the embodiment of the invention of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 illustrates diagrammatically in perspective view a heating device comprising a pair of studs adapted to cooperate with the groove according to FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the pair of studs of the heating device illustrated in FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a front view of the pair of studs in FIG. 4, and

- Figure 6 is an enlarged view showing the pair of studs in Figure 5 cooperating with the rib of Figure 2, when the heating device is engaged in the housing in the end position;

- Figure 7 is a front view of the pair of studs according to an alternative embodiment ;.

- Figure 8 illustrates, schematically in front view, three alternative embodiments of the pair of studs in the case where the studs are arranged face to face.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the invention relates to an air conditioning unit 1. Said unit comprises a body 10. In an orthonormal reference (Χ, Υ, Ζ), a rib is formed on a first internal lateral face 10a of the body 10 longitudinal 14 extending longitudinally in direction Z.

The same rib 14 is also provided on a second lateral internal face 10b opposite (not shown) to said first lateral internal face 10a.

Each rib is preferably formed from polybutylene terephthalate or polyamide.

The body 10 is shaped to allow the circulation of at least one air flow in the direction Y, and has a cavity formed between the first 10a and second opposite lateral internal faces of the air conditioning unit 1. In this cavity can be accommodated a heating device for heating the air flow, as described below with reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.

FIG. 2 illustrates said rib 14 seen from above, in a plane (Y, Z) parallel to the first lateral internal face 10a of the body 10 of the air conditioning unit 1.

In this example, the rib 14 has, in an extremal part 14b, an enlarged thickness E1 relative to the nominal thickness E0 of the rib outside this extremal part. The part of the rib 14 having the thickness E0 is a guide part. The thickness E0 is advantageously constant. Thus, the extremal part 14b of the rib is enlarged relative to the rest of the rib 14a. It keeps the heating device in the end position. Thereafter, E1 will denote the maximum thickness of the rib 14 in its extremal part.

According to a feature of the invention, the extremal part 14b has a progressive widening profile. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the thickness of the rib 14 increases linearly from the value E0 (nominal thickness) to the value E1 (maximum thickness).

According to another feature of the invention, the extremal part 14b of the rib 14 on which the rib has an enlargement has a length Lb at least equal to 10 mm, and preferably equal to 15 mm.

According to another feature of the invention, the nominal thickness EO (ie constant thickness in the remaining part 14a of the rib 14) is approximately equal to 1.50 mm, while the maximum thickness E1 in the extreme part of the rib is equal to 1.54 mm. Note that the representation of Figure 2 is not to scale.

Thus, in this particular example, the maximum widening of the rib 14 is approximately equal to 0.04 mm, relative to its nominal thickness E0.

FIG. 3 illustrates in perspective, in the orthonormal reference (Χ, Υ, Ζ), the heating device 3 intended to heat the air flow circulating in the body 10 of the air conditioning unit 1.

As an illustrative example, it is a main electric heating radiator, in particular high voltage, that is to say intended to be supplied by a direct electric current (DC) or alternating (AC) having an electrical voltage greater than 60 V, in particular between 60 and 1000 V, more particularly between 180 and 600 V, and / or allowing a heating power to be released on the air or a consumed electrical power greater than 2 kW, in particular between 2 kW and 10 kW.

The heating device 3 comprises a heating body including heating elements such as resistors with PTC effect (Positive Temperature Coefficient), these elements being supplied with electric current to heat the air flow passing through said heating body.

Any other type of heating could obviously be considered in the context of the present invention, such as a heat transfer fluid heat radiator for a motor vehicle. Furthermore, the radiator according to the invention can be used as a main or secondary radiator.

The heating device 3 has a substantially parallelepiped configuration, extending on the surface along the X-Z plane. The heating device is intended to be positioned transversely to the air flow to be heated. More specifically, said air flow is intended to be oriented perpendicular to said heating body.

The heating device 3 is configured to slide in the body 10 of the air conditioning unit 1 to a limit position. To this end, a guide member 31 is adapted to receive the rib 14 as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, when the heating device 3 slides in the body 10 of the air conditioning unit 1.

According to the present embodiment, the guide member 31 is formed on a first lateral external face 3a of the heating device 3, this first face being opposite the first internal face 10a of the body 10, when the heating device is engaged inside said body. The guide member 31 is formed in a distal part of the first lateral external face 3a, with respect to a front face 3c, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Here, the front face 3c is one side of a housing 33 d '' a power supply module for the heating body.

The same guide member 31 is provided and arranged on a second lateral external face 3b, opposite to said first lateral external face 3a, in a plane parallel to the plane Y-Z.

Each guide member is preferably formed from polybutylene terephthalate or polyamide.

According to an alternative embodiment, only one of the two lateral external faces is equipped with such a guide member 31.

FIG. 4 illustrates, in perspective in the orthonormal reference frame (Χ, Υ, Ζ) and in an enlarged manner, the guide member 31 described with reference to FIG. 3.

According to a feature of the invention, the guide member 31 comprises a pair of studs 31a, 31b distant and forming a passage area P between two respective vertices S1, S2 of said studs, said passage area being adapted to receive the rib 14, when the heating device 3 slides in the body 10.

Thereafter, the direction of sliding will be designated by C, this direction corresponding to the direction defined by the rib 14.

FIG. 5 illustrates in front view along the plane YZ, the arrangement of the pair of studs 31a, 31b on the distal part of the first external lateral face 3a of the heating device 3. The pair of studs on the second lateral face external 3b is arranged as illustrated in the figure

5.

According to another feature of the invention, the respective vertices S1, S2 of the two studs 31a, 31b are aligned opposite, in a transverse direction O, in particular orthogonal, to the sliding direction C. Such an arrangement in vis-à-vis advantageously facilitates guiding and minimize friction of the rib on the studs.

The spacing E2 between the two vertices S1, S2 respective of the two studs 31 a, 31 b defines the width of the passage area P.

According to a feature of the invention, the width E2 of the passage area P is defined with respect to the maximum thickness E1 of the rib in its extremal part according to the following expression: | E1 -E2 | <1 mm.

This difference in thickness advantageously makes it possible to optimize friction, when the heating device 3 slides in the body 10 of the air conditioning unit 1 along the rib 14, while ensuring that the heating device is held in its proper position. limit switch.

According to an alternative embodiment, this difference in width | E1-E2 | will not exceed the value of 0.5 mm (i.e. | E1 -E2 | <0.5 mm).

According to another alternative embodiment, this difference in width will preferably be equal to 0.2 mm.

The numerical values indicated above are given with an accuracy of ± 0.01 mm, taking into account the manufacturing techniques currently available in the factory.

In the examples illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 7, the guide member 31 is formed by a pair of studs, each of which has the shape of a flattened triangle at its top, the flattened part at the top being able to be more or less extended. .

In the example of FIGS. 3 to 6 and 8, the assembly formed by the two studs is symmetrical with respect to the sliding direction C.

According to the examples illustrated in Figures 3 to 7, the pads 31a, 31b; 31a ', 31b' are in the shape of a flattened triangle at the top, so that each of the two sides of the triangle joining the top defines a progressive narrowing zone, in the direction of the top, for the passage of the rib 14.

Obviously, the invention cannot be limited to this particular embodiment. More generally, the person skilled in the art can consider any type of stud including the vertices S1, S2; S1 ', S2' are preceded by a shape presenting a progressive narrowing profile of the passage area P in the direction of the vertices.

According to a particular embodiment, the two peaks of the studs are shaped, so that the passage area has a progressive narrowing profile. In this case, the studs can be hemispherical (figure 8 (1)) or triangular with a rounded top (figure 8 (3)), for example according to an ellipsoidal or spherical profile.

FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the relative arrangement of two pads which can be applied whatever the shape of the pads considered according to the specific features of the invention.

According to this alternative embodiment, the studs are not aligned directly opposite one another, so that the assembly formed by these studs is not symmetrical with respect to the sliding direction C.

More precisely, the two vertices S1 ′, S2 ′ of the pads 31a ′, 31b ′ are arranged so as to define an oblique straight line W forming a non-zero angle a with respect to the sliding direction C, the angle being defined so forming the passage area P. In practice, the angle a can be adjusted by moving the studs more or less away from one another along the wall. For example, the more the distance between the vertex S1 'and the vertex S2', the smaller the angle a will be.

As already mentioned, FIG. 8 illustrates three exemplary embodiments of the studs.

In a first example, the studs 31 b1 and 31 a1 according to the variant illustrated in FIG. 8 (1) respectively form two half-spheres whose vertices S21 and S11 are opposite one another.

In this example, the stud have a semi-hemispherical shape. Depending on the needs, it can take an ellipsoidal shape.

In a second example, the studs 31 b2 and 31 a2 according to the variant illustrated in FIG. 8 (2) respectively form two truncated hemispheres having a flat area at their respective vertices S22 and S12 which are opposite one of the 'other.

In a third example, the studs 31 b3 and 31 a3 according to the variant illustrated in FIG. 8 (3) respectively form two truncated triangles having a zone rounded at their respective vertices S23 and S13 which are opposite one another . The rounded area can be spherical or ellipsoidal.

In the three examples illustrated in FIG. 8, the studs are directly opposite one another, without any unhooking in the sliding direction. However, the arrangement of these studs can obviously be modified, so that the studs are offset with respect to each other according to the arrangement described with reference to FIG. 7.

In other alternative embodiments, the person skilled in the art can obviously adopt other configurations to form this guide member 31, as soon as it is configured to receive the rib, eg by forming a passage area whose l he thickness is dimensioned according to the thickness of the rib.

As an illustrative example, one could consider forming this guide member 31 by two studs, in particular rectilinear, aligned in the direction orthogonal O to the sliding direction C, or at a non-zero angle relative to this orthogonal direction O .

In general, said studs are advantageously symmetrical with respect to the sliding direction C.

FIG. 6 illustrates in perspective, in the orthonormal reference (Χ, Υ, Ζ) the heating device 3 assembled in the body 10 of the air conditioning unit 1 in an end-of-travel position.

According to the invention, the heating device 3, having previously slid along the rib 14, is held inside said body, by a blocking effect, in particular in the Y direction. In fact, in this position of end of travel, the two studs 31a, 31b exert pressure at their respective peaks S1, S2 on the rib 14 and vice versa.

The gradual widening of the rib 14 in its end portion 14b advantageously allows a gradual growth of the mechanical stresses applied between the studs 31a, 31b and the rib 14 during the sliding of the heating device 3 in the body 10, thereby avoiding the application of a strong and brutal constraint at the end of the race.

The triangle shape chosen to configure each of the two studs 31a, 31b is particularly well suited to ensuring good mechanical strength of the stud, in particular under the effect of the friction of the rib on the studs, during the sliding of the heating device 3 along the rib 14, equitably distributing the mechanical stresses exerted by the rib 14 over all of the arms of the triangle forming the stud. Thus, certain parts of the stud are prevented from undergoing too great a stress which could lead to its deformation, having the effect of weakening the blocking of the heating device 3 in the body 10, or even rendering it inoperative.

According to the example described with reference to Figures 3 to 6, a single guide member is provided on each of the lateral external faces 3a, 3b of the heating device 3. In alternative embodiments, the skilled person could obviously provide several guide members, in particular several pairs of studs, distributed and aligned along the sliding direction C.

Figures 1 to 6 illustrate an embodiment of the invention according to which the rib 14 is provided on each of two inner faces 10a, 5 10b of the housing 1, while the guide member 31 is provided on each of the outer side faces 3a, 3b of the heating device 3.

Conversely, in an alternative embodiment (not shown), the rib 14 is provided on each of the outer side faces 3a, 3b of the heater 3, while the guide member 31 is provided on each of the inner faces 10a , 10b of the housing

1.

The heating device described above constitutes a particular embodiment of the device which can be fitted to the air conditioning unit according to the invention. However, the invention is not limited to this single embodiment but obviously applies to any other type of device intended to be inserted in the air conditioning unit 1, such as a condenser, an ionizer, an evaporator . This list of devices given as an indication can not be considered as limiting

Claims (14)

1. Air conditioning unit (1), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising: a body (10); a device configured to slide in said body to an end position; said housing being characterized in that it further comprises: at least one longitudinal rib (14) defining a sliding direction (C) of the device (3) in said body (10); at least one guide member (31; 31a, 31b) adapted to receive said rib (14) when the device slides in said body (10), said rib (14) and said guide member (31) being mutually configured to so as to maintain said heater in the housing when said heater is in said end position. 2. Housing according to claim 1, characterized in that said guide member (31) comprises a pair of distant studs (31a, 31b) forming a passage area (P) between two vertices (S1, S2) of said studs (31a , 31b) adapted to receive said rib (14) when said heating device (3) slides in said body (1). 3. Housing according to claim 2, characterized in that the vertices (S1, S2) of said pads (31a, 31b) are aligned opposite in a transverse direction (O) to the sliding direction (C). 4. Housing according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rib (14) has in an end portion (14b) located at the end of the sliding stroke, an enlarged thickness E1 relative to the rest (14a) of said rib (14). 5. Housing according to claim 4, characterized in that said end portion (14b) has a progressive widening profile. 6. Housing according to any one of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that said end portion (14b) of the rib (14) extends over a length (Lb) at least equal to 5 mm. 7. Housing according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that said end portion (14b) of said rib (14) has a maximum thickness E1 defined with respect to a width E2 of said passage area (P) , such as E1> E2 and | E1 -E2 | <2 mm. 8. Housing according to claim 7, characterized in that said rib (14) has a nominal thickness E0 approximately equal to 1.5 mm outside said end portion and a maximum thickness E1 less than or equal to 3.5 mm in said extremal part (14b). 9. Housing according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the rib (14) is provided on two opposite lateral internal faces (10a, 10b) of said body (10) while the guide member (31 ) is provided on two lateral external faces (3a, 3b) of the heating device (3), respectively opposite one of said lateral internal faces (10a, 10b) of the body (10). 10. Housing according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the rib (14) is provided on two opposite lateral external faces of the heating device (3), while the guide member is provided on two lateral internal faces of said body (10), respectively opposite the lateral external faces of the heating device. 11. Housing according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the rib (14) is formed from a material selected from: polybutylene terephthalate, polyamide. 12. Housing according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that said guide member (31; 31a, 31b) is formed from a material selected from: polybutylene terephthalate, polyamide. 13. Housing according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said device (3) is an electric heating radiator. 14. Housing according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that said device (3) is a main heating radiator.