GB2322186A

GB2322186A - Air conditioning vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2322186A
Application number: GB9801769A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kazuo Kito; Tomoki Orihara
Original assignee: Denso Corp
Current assignee: Denso Corp
Priority date: 1997-02-14
Filing date: 1998-01-29
Publication date: 1998-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 2018-01-29
Also published as: GB2322186B; JP3695042B2; JPH10226220A; GB9801769D0

Abstract

In an air-duct (4) of an air conditioning unit (1), a first air passage (21) and a second air passage (22) are formed. The first air passage (21) leads the air having passed through an evaporator to a space (24) which is disposed at just the air upstream of a face air outlet (16) via an air temperature controlling member (6, 8, 10, 11) and a conditioned air passing opening (23). The second air passage (22) leads the air having passed through the evaporator to the space (24) via a cooling air passage (25) and a cooling air passing opening (26). At the cooling air passing opening (26), a face door (31) and a cooling air door (34) are provided for opening/closing the cooling air passing opening (26). When the face door (31) closes the cooling air passing opening (26), the face door (31) closes the cooling air passing opening (26) after the cooling air door (34) has closed the cooling air passing opening (26) completely.

Description

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS FOR A VEHICLE The present invention relates to an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle having a cooling air passage, in which an operation timing of a blow mode selecting door and that of a cooling air door are offset relative to each other.

As shown in FIG. 10, a conventional air conditioning apparatus has a centrally arranged air conditioning unit 100 in which an evaporator (not illustrated) and a heater core 101 are arranged in the front and rear direction of a vehicle.

In this air conditioning apparatus, at the air upstream end of an air-duct 102 in the centrally arranged air conditioning unit 100, a centrifugal blower which generates an air flow is provided.

At the air downstream of the air-duct 102, upper side air outlets including a face air outlet 103 and a defroster air outlet and lower side air outlets including a foot air outlet and the like are formed. In the air-duct 102, an air temperature controlling member including the heater core 101, an air-mixing door 105 and an air-mixing chamber 106 and an air outlet blow mode selecting doors including a face door 107, a defroster door (not illustrated) and a foot door 108 are provided. Here, the air outlet blow mode selecting doors are moved by operating a blow mode selecting lever in an operating panel provided at the front side of the passenger compartment.

In this conventional air conditioning apparatus, a cooling air passage 110 is formed in the air-duct 102 for introducing the cooled air having passed through the evaporator toward the face area of the passenger for improving the passenger's feeling when a foot blow mode, a foot-defroster blow mode or a defroster mode is selected. Further, in the air-duct 102, a first air passage where the cooled air flows into the face air outlet 103 via the air temperature controlling member (air-mixing chamber 106), a first air passing opening 111 and a space 109, and a second air passage where the cooled air flows into the face air outlet 103 via the cooling air passage 110, a second air passing opening 112 and the space 109 are formed. The cooling air passage 110 is opened/closed by adjusting manually a grille door provided at the face air outlet 103.

However, in the conventional air conditioning apparatus, when the foot blow mode is selected, the face door 107 (the first air passage opening/closing door) closes the first air passing opening 111, the foot door 108 opens a foot air outlet 104 and the centrifugal blower continues to operate. At this time, if the grill door 113 closes the face air outlet 103, the air flowing into the space 109 via the cooling air passage 110 and the second air passing opening 112, as denoted by dotted arrow in FIG. 10, cannot flow out of the space 109. Thus the inside pressure P2 in the space 109 becomes much higher than the inside pressure P1 in the air-mixing chamber 104 whose foot air outlet 106 is open.

Under the above condition, when the blow mode selecting lever is changed from the foot blow mode to the face blow mode, the face door 107 closes the second air passing opening 112 and the foot door 108 closes the foot air outlet 104 as denoted by one dotted chain line in FIG. 10, because the inside pressure P2 in the space 109 where the face door 107 moves is higher than the inside pressure P1 in the air-mixing chamber 106, the operating force of the face door 107 becomes very large. Therefore, the operating force of the blow mode selecting lever also becomes very large.

An object of the present invention is to uniform the operating force of a blow mode selecting lever when the blow mode is changed. That is, the object of the present invention is to reduce the operating force of a first air passage opening/closing door, i.e., a face door, when the first air passage opening/closing door opens a first air passage and closes a second air passage.

According to the present invention, a second air passage opening/closing door is provided for opening/closing the second air passing opening. A door operating member operates the first air passage opening/closing door and the second air passage opening/closing door in such a manner that when the first air passage opening/closing door opens the first air passage and closes the second air passage, the first air passage opening/closing door closes the second air passage after the second air passage opening/closing door closes the second air passage.

Thus, under the condition that the inside pressure P2 in the space is higher than the inside pressure P1 in the air-mixing chamber, even when the blow mode selecting lever is operated to move the first air passage opening/closing door to close the second air passage, the air flowing into the space through the second air passing opening is shut at first. Therefore, the dynamic pressure of this air to the first air passage opening/closing door is removed, then the operating force of the blow mode selecting lever as well as the first air passage opening/closing door is reduced. Accordingly the operating force of the blow mode selecting lever can be made uniform when the blow mode is changed.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an air conditioning unit; FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a principal part of the air conditioning unit; FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an entire layout of the air conditioning unit; FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along a line IV-IV in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a front view of an instrumental panel of a vehicle; FIG. 6 is a plan view of a link mechanism of an outlet blow mode selecting door; FIG. 7 is a front view of an operating panel; FIG. 8 shows a relation between each outlet blow mode and opening degrees of a face door and a cooling air door; FIG. 9 shows a relation between each outlet blow mode and lever ratios of the face door and the cooling air door; and FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a conventional air conditioning unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described.

Referring first to FIGS. 1-4, an air-duct 4 forming an air conditioning unit 1 is provided at the air downstream of a centrifugal blower 3. In the air-duct 4, an evaporator 5 and a heater core 6 are disposed in series. The centrifugal blower 3 is constructed by a centrifugal fan 7 which generates air flowing into the passenger compartment and a blower motor (not illustrated) which rotates the centrifugal fan 7. At the air upstream side of the centrifugal blower 3, an internal/external air inlet selecting box including an air inlet selecting door which selects an internal air circulation mode and an external air circulation mode is provided. When the internal air circulation mode is selected, the internal or vehicle interior air is introduced through an internal air inlet provided in the internal/external air inlet selecting box, while when the external air circulation mode is selected, the external or vehicle exterior air is introduced through an external air inlet provided in the internal/external air inlet selecting box.

The evaporator 5 is disposed in the air-duct 4 such that it covers an air passage in the air-duct 4, and cools the air passing therethrough by carrying out a heat exchange between the air and a refrigerant flowing therethrough.

The heater core 6 is disposed at the air downstream of the evaporator 5 in the air-duct 4. The heater core 6 heats the cooled air having passed through the evaporator 5 by carrying out a heat exchange between the cooled air and an engine coolant (hot water).

In FIG. 4, at the upper side of the heater core 6, a bypass air passage 8 through which the cooled air bypassing the heater core 6 flows is provided. At the air upstream of the heater core 6, an air-mixing door 10 which controls an air mixing ratio of the air passing through the heater core 6 and the air bypassing the heater core 6 is provided. The air-mixing door 10 is in a plate shape and integrated with a rotating shaft 9 which is connected to a link mechanism (not illustrated) as a door operating member.

At the air downstream side of the heater core 6, an airmixing chamber 11 where the heated air having passed through the heater core 6 and the cooled air having bypassed the heater core 6 join and are mixed with each other is provided. Here, the heater core 6, the bypass air passage 8, the air-mixing door 10 and the air-mixing chamber 11 operate as an air temperature controlling member.

At the air downstream end of the air-duct 4, a face air opening 12, a defroster air opening 13 and a foot air opening 14 are formed. To the face air opening 12, a center face duct 15 and side face ducts are connected. A conditioned air introduced to the center face duct 15 is discharged from a center face air outlet 16 (see FIG. 5) which is disposed at the air downstream end of the center face duct 15 toward the face area of the passenger. The conditioned air introduced into the side face ducts are discharged from side face air outlets 17 which are disposed at the air downstream end of the side face ducts (see FIG. 5) toward each side windshield glass of the vehicle. Here, the center face air outlet 16 and the side face air outlets 17 provide an upper side air outlet.

At each center face air outlet 16 and side face air outlets 17, a grille door (not illustrated) which opens/closes the center face air outlet 16 or the side face air outlets 17 is provided.

The defroster air opening 13 is provided at both sides of the face air opening 12. To the defroster air opening 13, a defroster air duct (not illustrated) is connected. The conditioned air introduced into the defroster air duct is discharged from a defroster air outlet 18 (see FIG. 5) which is disposed at the air downstream end of the defroster air duct toward inside of the windshield glass of the vehicle. The foot air opening 14 is provided at the lower position of the air downstream side of the air duct 4. To the foot air opening 14, a foot air duct (not illustrated) is connected. The conditioned air introduced into the foot air duct is discharged from the foot air outlet toward the foot area of the passenger. Here, the foot air outlet provides a lower side air outlet.

Inside the air-duct 4, a first air passage 21 and a second air passage 22 are formed between the air downstream side of the evaporator 5 and the face air opening 12. In the first air passage 21, the air flows in accordance with the following route; evaporator 5 ' air temperature controlling member (air-mixing chamber 11 etc.) > conditioned air passing opening 23 ' space 24.

Here, the space 24 is located at just the air upstream of the face air opening 12 in the air-duct 4, and the conditioned air passing opening 23 is opened in a partition wall 27 which partitions the air-mixing chamber 11 and the space 24.

In the second air passage 22, the air flows in accordance with the following route; evaporator 5 ' cooling air passage 25 > cooling air passing opening 26 > space 24. Here, the cooling air passing opening 26 is opened in a partition wall 28 which partitions the cooling air passage 25 and the space 24.

The cooling air passage 25 is formed between the partition wall 28 and an outside wall 29 formed into substantially U-shape in cross section. The cooled air having passed through the evaporator 5 flows through the cooling air passage 25 and to the space 24 while bypassing the air temperature controlling member.

At the air upstream side of the face air opening 12, the defroster air opening 13 and the foot air opening 14, a face door 31, a defroster door 32 and a foot door 33 are provided respectively. At the cooling air passing opening 26, a cooling air door 34 is provided.

The face door 31 which functions as a first air passage opening/closing door is integrated with a rotating shaft 35. The rotating shaft 35 is supported by the air duct 4 in the space 24 side of the partition wall 27. The face door 31 is in a plate shape, and opens/closes the first air passage 21 and the second air passage 22 by opening/closing the conditioned air passing opening 23 and the cooling air passing opening 26 selectively.

The defroster door 32 is in a plate shape and adjusts an opening degree of the defroster air opening 13. The defroster door 32 is integrated with a rotating shaft 36 which is supported in the air-duct 4. The foot door 33 is in a plate shape and adjusts an opening degree of the foot air opening 14. The foot door 33 is also integrated with a rotating shaft 37 which is supported in the air-duct 4. At both sides of each door 31, 32 and 33, a packing for improving the sealing ability is put on by an adhesive.

A cooling air door 34 which functions as a second air passage opening/closing door is integrated with a rotating shaft 38. The rotating shaft 38 is supported in the air-duct 4. At the cooling air passing opening 26 side of the cooling air door 34, a packing for improving the sealing ability is put on by the adhesive. The cooling air door 34 is in a plate shape and opens/closes only second air passage 22 by opening/ closing the cooling air passing opening 26. The cooling air door 34 is formed in such a manner that the rotating shaft 38 side of the door portion is curved toward the outside rather than the tip end of the door portion, thus the cooling air door 34 is contacted to the partition wall 28 while pressing the packing when it closes the cooling air passing opening 26.

These doors 31, 32, 33 and 34 are connected to the link mechanism as shown in FIG. 6. This link mechanism functions as a door operating member, and is constructed by a main link plate 41, a first center link plate 42, a first link plate 43, a second center link plate 44 and a second link plate 45. The main link plate 41 is supported by the outside wall 29 of the air-duct 4 with its fulcrum as the center of rotation, and manipulated by a blower mode selecting lever 55 of an operating panel 2 through a cable 46. To the main plate 41, link plates (not illustrated) which move the defroster door 32 or the foot door 33 are also connected.

The first center link plate 42 is supported by the outside wall 29 of the air-duct 4 with its fulcrum as the center of rotation. At one end of the first center link plate 42, a connecting pin 42a which is connected to the main link plate 41 through a connecting rod (not illustrated) is provided, while at the other end of the first center link plate 43, an engaging pin 47 is provided. The first link plate 43 rotates with the rotating shaft 35 of the face door 31 integrally, and is supported by the rotating shaft 35 as the center of rotation. At one end of the first link plate 43, a guide groove 48 along which the engaging pin 47 of the first link plate 42 slides is formed, and the other end of the first link plate 43 is fixed to the rotating shaft 35.

A lever ratio of the face door 31 is set to be 2.49 (see FIG. 9) as a maximum value. Here, the lever ratio is defined as a ratio of a sum of the distance B1, the distance B2 and the distance B3 to the distance A. As shown in FIG. 6, the distance A is a length between the fulcrum of the main link plate 41 and a connecting point with the cable 46, the distance B1 is a length between the fulcrum of the first center link plate 42 and the connecting pin 42, the distance B2 is a length between the fulcrum of the first center link plate 42 and the engaging pin 47, and the distance B3 is a length between the engaging pin 47 and the rotating shaft 35.

The second center link plate 44 is supported by the outside wall 29 of the air-duct 4 with its fulcrum as the center of rotation. At one end of the second center link plate 44, a connecting pin 44a which is connected to the main link plate 41 through a connecting rod (not illustrated) is provided, while at the other end of the second center link plate 44, an engaging pin 44b is provided. The second link plate 45 rotates with the rotating shaft 38 of the cooling air door 34 integrally, and is supported by the rotating shaft 38 as the center of rotation. At one end of the second link plate 45, a guide groove 45b along which the engaging pin 44b of the second link plate 44 slides is formed, while the other end of the first link plate 43 is fixed to the rotating shaft 38.

A lever ratio of the cooling air door 34 is set to be 2.75 (see FIG. 9) as a maximum value. Here, the lever ratio is defined as a ratio of a sum of the distance C1, the distance C2 and the distance C3 to the distance A. As shown in FIG. 6, the distance C1 is a length between the fulcrum of the second center link plate 44 and the connecting pin 44a, the distance C2 is a length between the fulcrum of the second center link plate 44 and the engaging pin 44b, and the distance C3 is a length between the engaging pin 44b and the rotating shaft 38.

Next, the operating panel 2 will be explained based on FIGS. 5 through 7. The operating panel 2 is disposed under the center face air outlet 16 in the instrumental panel. In the operating panel 2, an air conditioning switch 51, air amount adjusting lever 52, an air inlet mode selecting lever 53, an air temperature controlling lever 54 and a blow mode selecting lever 55 are provided.

When the blow mode selecting lever 55 is operated from the left side to the right side in FIG. 7, the blow mode is selected from a face blow mode, a bilevel blow mode, a foot blow mode, a foot-defroster blow mode and to a defroster blow mode orderly by rotating the main link plate 41 around the fulcrum A through the cable 46 to rotate each link plate.

Here, when the face blow mode is to be carried out, the face door 31 closes the cooling air passing opening 26 (location (S) denoted by one dotted chain line in FIG. 1), the defroster door 32 closes the defroster air opening 13, the foot door 33 closes the foot air opening 14 (location denoted by one dotted chain line in FIG. 1), and the cooling air door 34 closes the cooling air passing opening 26 (location (S) denoted by one dotted chain line in FIG. 1) for discharging the conditioned air toward the face area of the passenger.

When the bilevel blow mode is to be carried out, the face air door 31 opens the cooling air passing opening 26 a little, the defroster door 32 closes the defroster air opening 13, the foot door 33 opens the foot air opening 14 (location denoted by solid line in FIG. 1), and the cooling air door 34 closes the cooling air passing opening 26 (location (S) denoted by one dotted chain line in FIG. 1) for discharging the conditioned air toward the face area of the passenger and the foot area of the passenger.

When the foot blow mode is to be carried out, the face door 31 opens the cooling air passing opening 26 (location (O) denoted by solid line in FIG. 1), the defroster door 32 opens the defroster air opening 13 a little, the foot door 33 opens the foot air opening 14 (location denoted by solid line in FIG. 1) a little, and the cooling air door 34 opens the cooling air passing opening 26 a little for discharging about 80 % of the conditioned air toward the foot area of the passenger and about 20 % of the conditioned air toward inside the windshield glass of the vehicle.

When the foot-defroster blow mode is to be carried out, the face door 31 opens the cooling air passing opening 26 (location (0) denoted by solid line in FIG. 1), the defroster door 32 opens the defroster air opening 13 a little, the foot door 33 opens the foot air opening 14 (location denoted by solid line in FIG. 1), and the cooling air door opens the cooling air passing opening 26 (location (0) denoted by solid line in FIG. 1) for discharging the conditioned air toward the foot area of the passenger and the inside of the windshield at the same amount.

When the defroster blow mode is to be carried out, the face door 31 opens the cooling air passing opening 26 (location (0) denoted by solid line in FIG. 1), the defroster door 32 opens the defroster air opening 13, the foot door 33 closes the foot air opening 14 (location denoted by one dotted chain line in FIG.

1), the cooling air door 34 opens the cooling air passing opening 26 (location (0) denoted by solid line in FIG. 1) for discharging the conditioned air toward inside of the windshield glass.

An operation of the air conditioning unit according to the present embodiment will be explained.

When the passenger of the vehicle sets the blow mode selecting lever 55 at the defroster blow mode, the main link plate 55 rotates around the fulcrum with the cable 46 moving.

Then each rotating shaft 35 - 38 rotates with each link plate moving. By this, the face door 31 opens the cooling air passing opening 26, i.e., closes the conditioned air passing opening 23 (location (0) denoted by solid line in FIG. 1), the defroster door 32 opens the defroster air opening 13. The foot door 33 closes the foot air opening 14 (location denoted by one dotted chain line in FIG. 1), and the cooling air door 34 opens the cooling air passing opening 26 (location (o) denoted by solid line in FIG. 1).

The air discharged from the centrifugal blower 3 into the air-duct 4 is cooled in the evaporator 5. The air-mixing door 10 controls an air flow amount ratio of the air passing through the heater core 6 and the air bypassing the heater core 6. The air having passed through the heater core 6 and the air having bypassed the heater core 6 are mixed in the air-mixing chamber 11, and become a conditioned air whose temperature is appropriate.

The conditioned air is introduced into the defroster air duct through the defroster air opening 13. Then the conditioned air is discharged toward the inside of the windshield glass of the vehicle, and prevents the windshield glass from being clouded and removes the frost on it.

Under this defroster blow mode, when the grille door at the center face air outlet 6 or the side face air outlet 17 is opened manually, a part of the cooled air having passed through the evaporator 5 is introduced into the cooling air passage 22, and led toward the space 24 via the cooling air passage 25 and the cooling air passing opening 26. This cooled air is introduced into the face air duct through the face air opening 12, and discharged toward the face area of the passenger through the center face air outlet 16 or the side face air outlet 17, thereby improving passenger's feeling.

When the passenger feels cold by the cooled air discharged from the center face air outlet 16 or the side face air outlet 17 and closes the grille door, the cooled air flowing from the center face air outlet 16 or the side face air outlet 17 is shut.

Under this condition, if the centrifugal blower 3 continues to operate, the air flowing into the space 24 via the cooling air passage 25 and the cooling air passing opening 26, as denoted by dotted arrow in FIG. 1, cannot flow out of the space 24. Thus the inside pressure P2 in the space 24 whose center face air outlet 16 and side face outlet 17 are closed becomes much larger than the inside pressure P1 in the air-mixing chamber 11 whose defroster air outlet 18 is open.

Under the above condition, when the blow mode selecting door 55 is changed from the defroster blow mode to the face blow mode, the main link plate 41 rotates around its fulcrum with the cable 46 moving. At this time, when the blow mode selecting lever 55 is operated from the defroster blow mode to the footdefroster blow mode, the cooling air door 34 is set to the opening location (0) denoted by solid line in FIG. 1. When the blow mode selecting lever 55 is operated from the foot-defroster blow mode to the foot blow mode (point D), the cooling air door 34 starts to close the cooling air passing opening 26. When the selecting lever 55 is operated at just before the bilevel blow mode (point A), the cooling air door 34 is set to the closing position (S) denoted by one dotted chain line in FIG. 1, and when the selecting lever 55 is operated to the face blow mode, the cooling air door 34 is kept at the closing position (S).

As shown in FIG. 8, when the blow mode selecting lever 55 is operated from the defroster blow mode to the foot blow mode, the face door 31 is set to the opening position (0) denoted by the solid line in FIG. 1. When the selecting lever 55 passes the foot blow mode (point C), the face door 31 starts to close the face air opening 12, and when the selecting lever 55 passes the bilevel blow mode (point B), the face door 31 is set to the closing position (S) denoted by one dotted chain line in FIG. 1.

When the selecting lever 55 is operated to the face blow mode, the face door 31 is kept at the closing position (S).

That is, when the blow mode selecting lever 55 is operated from the defroster blow mode to the face blow mode, i.e., when the cooling air passing opening 26 (cooling air passage 25) is closed, the cooling air door 34 closes the cooling air passing opening 26 earlier than the face door 31 closes the cooling air passing opening 26.

Accordingly, the air flowing into the space 24 through the cooling air passing opening 21 is shut and the dynamic pressure thereof influencing the face door 31 is removed. Therefore, under the condition that the inside pressure P2 in the air passage 24 is larger than the inside pressure P1 in the airmixing chamber 11 because the grill door closes the center face air outlet 16 or the side face air outlet 17, even when the blow mode selecting lever 55 is operated from the defroster blow mode to the face blow mode, the operating force of the blow mode selecting door 55 is reduced.

As above described, according to the present embodiment, by providing the cooling air door 34 for opening/closing the cooling air passage 25, and operating the cooling air door 34 with the face door 31 by a single link mechanism such that the cooling air door 34 closes the cooling air passing opening 26 earlier than the face door 31, even when the face door 31 is moved from the opening position (0) to the closing position (S), air pressure from the space 24 to the face door 31 is reduced.

Therefore, the operating force of the blow mode selecting lever 55 and the link mechanism are made uniform during the face door 31 is operated. Thus, when the blow mode is changed, the operating force of the blow mode selecting door, especially the face door 31 is made uniform.

Here, when the blow mode is changed from the defroster blow mode to the face blow mode, it is most preferable that the face door 31 starts to close the cooling air passing opening 26 (cooling air passage 25) after the cooling air door 34 has closed the opening 26 completely. However, in practice, it is sufficient that the face door 31 starts to close the cooling air passing opening 26 after the cooling air door 34 starts to close the cooling air passing opening 26. At this time, according to the inventor's experiment, the lever ratio of the face door 31 was reduced from 7.0 to 2.75 (it is preferable that the lever ratio is less than 3.0).

According to the present embodiment, the blow mode selecting door is manipulated by the blow mode selecting lever 55 through the link mechanism. However, it should be noted that the blow mode selecting door may be manipulated by an actuator as a servomotor through the link mechanism.

Claims

1. An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle comprising: an air-duct for introducing air into a passenger compartment of the vehicle, said air-duct including a space formed in an air downstream end thereof for discharging the air into said passenger compartment of the vehicle; an air temperature controlling member for adjusting the temperature of the air flowing through said air-duct; a first air passage formed in said air-duct for leading the air to said space through said air temperature controlling member; a second air passage formed in said air-duct for leading the air to bypass said air temperature controlling member and to said space; a first air passage opening/closing door for opening/closing said first air passage and said second air passage selectively; a second air passage opening/closing door for opening/closing only said second air passage; and a door operating means for operating said first air passage opening/closing door and said second air passage opening/closing door in such a manner that when said first air passage opening/closing door opens said first air passage and closes said second air passage, said second air opening/closing door closes said second air passage, wherein said door operating means operates said first air passage opening/closing door and said second air passage opening/closing door in such a manner that when said first air passage opening/closing door opens said first air passage and closes said second air passage, said first air passage opening/closing door closes said second air passage after said second air passage opening/closing door closes said second air passage.

2. An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said air temperature controlling member comprises: a heater core provided in said air-duct for heating the air by carrying out heat exchange between the air and an engine coolant; a bypass air passage through which the air bypassing said heater core flows; an air-mixing door provided at an air upstream of said heater core for adjusting an air-mixing ratio of the air passing through said heater core and the air bypassing said heater core; and an air-mixing chamber provided at an air downstream of said heater core where the air having passed through said heater core and the air having bypassed said heater core join and are mixed with each other.

3. An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2 further comprising: an evaporator provided in said air-duct for cooling the air by carrying our heat exchange between the air passing therethrough and a refrigerant flowing therein, wherein said second air passage includes a cooling air passage through which the air having passed through said evaporator flows while bypassing said air temperature controlling member; said cooling air passage and said space are partitioned by a partition wall; a cooling air passing opening is formed in said partition wall for communicating said cooling air passage and said space, and said second air passage opening/closing door is a cooling air door which opens/closes said cooling air passing Opening.

4. An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein at an air downstream end of said space, an upper side air outlet through which the air is discharged toward an upper area in said passenger compartment is formed.

5. An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said upper side air outlet includes a centre face outlet through which the air is discharged toward a face area of a passenger and a side face outlet through which the air is discharged toward inside of a side windshield glass of the vehicle.

6. An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said space and said air-mixing chamber are partitioned by a partition wall; a conditioned air passing opening is formed in said partition wall for communicating said space and said air-mixing chamber, and said first air passage opening/closing door is a face door which opens/closes said conditioned air passing opening and said cooling air passing opening.

7. An air conditioning apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.