GB2395257A - Vehicle air conditioning system and flow directing arrangement - Google Patents

Vehicle air conditioning system and flow directing arrangement Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2395257A
GB2395257A GB0226442A GB0226442A GB2395257A GB 2395257 A GB2395257 A GB 2395257A GB 0226442 A GB0226442 A GB 0226442A GB 0226442 A GB0226442 A GB 0226442A GB 2395257 A GB2395257 A GB 2395257A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
air
panel
electrical
heater
electrical heater
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0226442A
Other versions
GB0226442D0 (en
Inventor
Gareth Rhys Thomas
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Marelli Automotive Systems UK Ltd
Original Assignee
Calsonic Kansei UK Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Calsonic Kansei UK Ltd filed Critical Calsonic Kansei UK Ltd
Priority to GB0226442A priority Critical patent/GB2395257A/en
Publication of GB0226442D0 publication Critical patent/GB0226442D0/en
Publication of GB2395257A publication Critical patent/GB2395257A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
    • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
    • B60H1/22—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices the heat being derived otherwise than from the propulsion plant
    • B60H1/2215—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices the heat being derived otherwise than from the propulsion plant the heat being derived from electric heaters
    • B60H1/2225—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices the heat being derived otherwise than from the propulsion plant the heat being derived from electric heaters arrangements of electric heaters for heating air
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
    • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
    • B60H1/00321—Heat exchangers for air-conditioning devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
    • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
    • B60H1/00642—Control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating devices
    • B60H1/00664—Construction or arrangement of damper doors
    • B60H1/00671—Damper doors moved by rotation; Grilles
    • B60H1/00678—Damper doors moved by rotation; Grilles the axis of rotation being in the door plane, e.g. butterfly doors
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
    • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
    • B60H1/00321—Heat exchangers for air-conditioning devices
    • B60H2001/0035—Heat exchangers for air-conditioning devices movable in and out of the air stream

Abstract

A vehicle heating, ventilation or air conditioning (HVAC) system including an air deflector 6 and an electrical heater 7, operable such that in a first configuration air may pass through the heater and in a second configuration the air deflector blocks air flow through the heater. The air deflector 6 may overlay the heater 7. The heater and deflector may be hinged 8 about a common axis and may move in unison as a single panel. The heater and deflector may also move independently of each other. Preferably the heater 7 and deflector 6 are located immediately upstream of and adjacent a main airflow heater 3 of the system, the system operating such that, on demand, the deflector 6 is positioned to block air from bypassing the main heater 3, the electrical heater being positioned for air to pass through. The heater 7 preferably comprises a grid of transversely extending electrical elements (7a). Preferably there is also a bypass channel 4 to be used when air heating is not required. This invention rapidly warms a vehicle cabin at engine start-up in cold conditions.

Description

-1 Vehicle Air Conditioning System and Flow Directinq Arrangement The
present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioning system and a flow directing arrangement for use in such a system. 10 In part, due to the increasing number of low heat emission vehicle engines, there is an increasing requirement for rapid vehicle cabin warm up at engine start-up in cold conditions. Arrangements have been proposed in which supplementary heaters either sit downstream of the airflow 15 from the main air conditioning system heater or alternatively, warm up the coolant in the main air conditioning heater using a supplementary heater such as a combustion heater.
20 An improved arrangement has now been devised.
According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle heating, ventilation or air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising an air flow directing arrangement 25 including an air deflector element and an electrical heater panel, the arrangement being reconfigurable between a first configuration in which air may pass through the electrical heater panel and a second configuration in which the air deflector element blocks the passage of air through the 30 electrical heater panel.
-2 Beneficially, the air deflector arrangement comprises an air deflector panel arranged, in the second configuration, to overlay the electrical heater panel. Beneficially, the heater panel is moveable (preferably pivotally) between the 5 first and second configurations. Advantageously, both the air deflector element and the electrical heater panel are preferably being pivotable or hinged about a substantially common pivotal hinge axis. The movement between the respective configurations is therefore preferably a pivotal 10 motion.
The electrical heater panel and air deflector element are beneficially selectively moveable in unison with one another. It is further preferred that the electrical 15 heater panel and the air deflector panel are arranged in panel-against-panel relationship to form a combination single panel arrangement when moving in unison with one another (at least over a part of the range of movement).
It is further preferred that the electrical heater panel 20 and the air deflector element are selectively moveable independently of one another (at least over a part of the range of movement).
It is preferred that the electrical heater panel and the 25 air deflector element are positioned immediately adjacent the primary airflow heater of the system, beneficially being positioned immediately upstream of and adjacent to the primary airflow heater of the system. The air deflector element is beneficially positioned upstream of 30 the electrical heater panel.
-3 It is preferred that the electrical heater panel comprises a plurality of spaced electrical element portions, airflow spaces being defined between the electrical element portions. Preferably, a grid of transversely extending 5 electrical element portions is provided, airflow spaces being defined between the transversely extending electrical element portions defining the grid.
The system preferably operates such that, on demand, the 10 air deflector element moves to block air from bypassing the main system heater, the electrical heater panel being positioned for air passage therethrough immediately adjacent (upstream of) the main system heater.
15 The arrangement provides an optimal space saving ('packaging') solution providing a secondary electrical heater immediately upstream of the main system heater for situations in which rapid cabin warm-up is required. When the supplementary heater panel is not required to be 20 active, the combined panel (moving in unison) acts as a conventional 'air mix door' moving in a conventional manner to direct air either to bypass or pass through the main system heater dependent upon system requirements. As the supplementary heater panel can in effect be stowed/moved 25 out of the path of the main airflow through the main system heater (when not required), the air pressure drop associated with conventional supplementary heaters placed permanently in the airstream is ameliorated.
-4- According to a further aspect, the invention provides a vehicle heating, ventilation or air conditioning (HVAC) system including an electrical heater panel movable between a first position in which primary airflow passes through 5 the electrical heater panel and a second position in which primary airflow does not pass through the electrical heater panel. Preferred features in respect of the second aspect of the 10 invention correspond to preferred features of the first mentioned aspect of the invention.
The invention will now be further described in a specific embodiment, by way of example only, with reference to the 15 accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle HVAC system in accordance with the invention in a first configuration; 20 Figure 2 is a schematic view of the system of Figure 1 in an alternative configuration; Figure 3 is a schematic exploded view of the electrical heater panel and air deflector element arrangement; and, Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the arrangement of Figure 3 assembled as in combined panel arrangement form.
-5 Referring to the drawings, there is shown a portion of a vehicle air conditioning system 1 including an airflow direction duct 2 having a main system heater 3 which is supplied by coolant from the vehicle engine cooling system.
5 When the vehicle engine has warmed up, the main system heater 3 heats air travailing in the direction of arrow A by means of heat transfer from the warmed up coolant in the main system heater 3. A bypass portion 4 is provided enabling air to be diverted to bypass the main system heater 3 in conditions 10 where heated air is not required for distribution within the vehicle cabin.
Immediately up-stream of the main system heater 3 is located an airflow directing arrangement 5 including an air deflector 15 panel 6 and an electrical heater panel 7, both of which are mounted to be pivotal about hinge 8.
Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the air deflector arrangement 5 comprises a combination panel 5a made up from sub-panels 6 and 20 7 connected at hinge formations 8a, 8b.
The electrical heater panel 7 comprises a peripheral frame 7a and a preticulated mesh or grid comprising transversely extending elongate heater element lengths spanning the open 25 frame 7a. The electrical heater element lengths define air passage spaces through the panel 7. The air deflector panel 6 comprises a solid plastics panel.
Both panels 6, 7 are connected to a mechanism (such as a gear 30 or camnot shown) driven by an actuator motor for independent or combined movement, depending upon the system demand.
-6 The arrangement is located in a position normally occupied by a conventional 'air mix door' immediately up-stream of the main system heater 3.
5 When the ambient air temperature is below a pre-determined set point, the control system sends a signal which causes the combined panel 5a to move in unison under the influence of the actuator motor. When the combination panel 5a reaches a pre-set position, its splits into its component 10 panels 6,7, the solid panel 6 being driven to a point at which the cold air bypass (numeral 4 in Figure 1) is blocked off whereas the electrical heater panel 7 is driven to a location directly in front of the main system heater 3. This is the configuration shown in Figure 1.
15 Electrical power is then applied to the electrical element grid of the heater panel 7 to heat air passing in the direction of arrow A (in Figure 1) through the electrical heater panel 7. As the air from the vehicle air blower fan is driven through the system, it travels through the 20 electrical elements of the panel 7 thus picking up heat.
The air then moves into the vehicle cabin warming the interior cabin air.
When the system is not in warm-up mode, the panels 7,6 are 25 driven in unison in face-against-face configuration as a combined panel 5a and thus acts as a conventional heater air mix door simply acting to move in unison in direction of arrow B in Figure 2 to direct airflow either through the bypass channel 4 or through the main system heater 3, 30 depending upon the main system requirements.
-7 The invention has been described in a specific embodiment by way of example only. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that variations and modifications to the arrangements described may be made with departing from the 5 scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

-8- Claims:
1. A vehicle heating, ventilation or air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising an air flow directing 5 arrangement including an air deflector element and an electrical heater panel, the arrangement being reconfigurable between a first configuration in which air may pass through the electrical heater panel and a second configuration in which the air deflector 10 element blocks the passage of air through the electrical heater panel.
2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the air deflector element comprises an air deflector panel 15 arranged in the second panel to overlay the electrical heater panel.
3. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the air deflector element and the electrical heater panel 20 are pivotal or hinged about a substantially common pivot or hinge axis.
4. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrical heater panel and air deflector element are 25 movable selectively in unison with one another.
5. A system according to claim 4, wherein when configured to move in unison with one another, the electrical heater panel and the air deflector panel are arranged 30 in panel against panel relationship to form a common single panel arrangement.
-9-
6. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrical heater panel and the air deflector element are movable selectively independently of one another.
7. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrical heater panel and air deflector element are positioned immediately adjacent a primary airflow heater of the system.
8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the electrical heater panel and air deflector element are positioned immediately upstream of and adjacent a primary airflow heater of the system.
9. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrical heater panel comprises a plurality of spaced electrical element portions, airflow spaces being defined between the electrical element portions.
10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the electrical heater panel comprises a grid of transversely extending electrical element portions, airflow spaces being defined between the transversely extending 25 electrical element portions.
11. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrical heater panel and air deflector element are positioned immediately upstream of and adjacent a 30 primary airflow heater of the system, the system operating such that, on demand, the air deflector
- 1 0 element is positioned to block air from bypassing the main system heater, the electrical heater panel being positioned for air pass through immediately adjacent the main system heater.
12. An air flow directing arrangement for a vehicle heating, ventilation or air conditioning (HVAC) system, the air flow directing arrangement including an air deflector element and an electrical heater 10 panel, the arrangement being reconfigurable between a first configuration in which air may pass through the electrical heater panel and a second configuration in which the air deflector element blocks the passage of air through the electrical heater panel.
13. A vehicle heating, ventilation or air conditioning (HVAC) system including an electrical heater panel movable between a first position in which primary airflow passes through the electrical heater panel and 20 a second position in which primary airflow does not pass through the electrical heater panel.
14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the electrical heater panel is pivotal or hinged about an axis to be 25 movable between the first and second positions.
15. A system according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the electrical heater panel is positioned immediately adjacent a primary airflow heater of the system.
16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the electrical
heater panel is positioned immediately upstream of and adjacent a primary airflow heater of the system.
17. A system according to any of claims 13 to 16, wherein 5 the electrical heater panel comprises a plurality of spaced electrical element portions, airflow spaces being defined between the electrical element portions.
18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the electrical 10 heater panel comprises a grid of transversely extending electrical element portions, airflow spaces being defined between the transversely extending electrical element portions.
15
19. A system substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
20. An air flow directing arrangement substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying 20 drawings.
GB0226442A 2002-11-13 2002-11-13 Vehicle air conditioning system and flow directing arrangement Withdrawn GB2395257A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0226442A GB2395257A (en) 2002-11-13 2002-11-13 Vehicle air conditioning system and flow directing arrangement

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0226442A GB2395257A (en) 2002-11-13 2002-11-13 Vehicle air conditioning system and flow directing arrangement

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0226442D0 GB0226442D0 (en) 2002-12-18
GB2395257A true GB2395257A (en) 2004-05-19

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Family Applications (1)

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GB0226442A Withdrawn GB2395257A (en) 2002-11-13 2002-11-13 Vehicle air conditioning system and flow directing arrangement

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1577131A1 (en) * 2004-03-18 2005-09-21 Behr GmbH & Co. KG Flow controlling device for controlling the amount of a fluid flowing through a duct
EP2551134A1 (en) * 2011-07-28 2013-01-30 Behr France Rouffach SAS Device for adjusting and heating a liquid flow and outlet

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5280852A (en) * 1992-02-25 1994-01-25 Valeo Thermique Habitacle Heating and cooling apparatus for an electric vehicle
US5299631A (en) * 1992-01-31 1994-04-05 Valeo Thermique Habitacle Heating and ventilating apparatus for the cabin of a motor vehicle having a low heat loss motor
US5505251A (en) * 1992-10-26 1996-04-09 Valeo Climatisation Cooling and air conditioning apparatus for an electric vehicle
US5755380A (en) * 1996-03-28 1998-05-26 Valeo Climatisation Heating, ventilating and/or air conditioning installation with power control, especially for a motor vehicle

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5299631A (en) * 1992-01-31 1994-04-05 Valeo Thermique Habitacle Heating and ventilating apparatus for the cabin of a motor vehicle having a low heat loss motor
US5280852A (en) * 1992-02-25 1994-01-25 Valeo Thermique Habitacle Heating and cooling apparatus for an electric vehicle
US5505251A (en) * 1992-10-26 1996-04-09 Valeo Climatisation Cooling and air conditioning apparatus for an electric vehicle
US5755380A (en) * 1996-03-28 1998-05-26 Valeo Climatisation Heating, ventilating and/or air conditioning installation with power control, especially for a motor vehicle

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1577131A1 (en) * 2004-03-18 2005-09-21 Behr GmbH & Co. KG Flow controlling device for controlling the amount of a fluid flowing through a duct
EP2551134A1 (en) * 2011-07-28 2013-01-30 Behr France Rouffach SAS Device for adjusting and heating a liquid flow and outlet

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0226442D0 (en) 2002-12-18

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)