JP2007090922A - Air conditioning unit for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air conditioning unit for a vehicle, capable of setting a drain water discharge port part at a favorable position relative to an electronic part of the air conditioning unit or the like placed in a cabin, sufficiently securing the drain function, and suppressing enlargement of the air conditioning unit. <P>SOLUTION: A heat exchanger 18 for cooling is installed in a heat regulating case 15 to be almost horizontal. The drain water discharge port part 45 is disposed on the forward side of the vehicle in its advancing direction to a bottom surface 17 of the temperature regulating case 15. In the bottom surface 17, a drain groove part 48 is formed comprising a plurality of drain passages 49 focused toward the drain water discharge port part 45. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a structure of an air-conditioning unit of a vertically placed type that is mounted on, for example, a center console portion of a vehicle.

  A blower, a cooling heat exchanger, and a heating heat exchanger are housed in one air conditioning case, and the blower is disposed in front of the cooling heat exchanger and the heating heat exchanger in the vehicle traveling direction. The cooling heat exchanger is installed in a state inclined at a slight angle with respect to the horizontal direction, and the heating heat exchanger is further arranged vertically above the cooling heat exchanger in the vehicle vertical direction. Type integrated air conditioning units are already known (see, for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, and Patent Document 3).

In the vehicle air conditioning units described in Patent Documents 1 to 3, there is no description or illustration in the specification or the like regarding the mechanism for discharging drain water hanging downward from the cooling heat exchanger. For example, Patent Document 4 As shown in FIG. 2 and the like, the drain water discharge port is usually provided on the bottom of the case on the rear side in the vehicle traveling direction, which is directly below the cooling heat exchanger.
JP-A-11-189026 JP 2000-1117 A JP 2000-103222 A JP 2004-196117 A

  On the other hand, when the drain water discharge port portion is arranged close to the rear side in the vehicle traveling direction, that is, the vehicle interior side, as in the above-mentioned Patent Document 4, the air conditioner is placed exclusively in the vehicle interior. Condensation water generated on the surface of the drain hose extending from the drain water discharge port or leaking of drain water from the connection part of the drain water discharge port and the drain hose, etc. As a result, there is a risk of causing problems in the electronic components of the air conditioner.

  In this regard, it is conceivable that the drain water discharge port portion is shifted to the front side in the vehicle traveling direction so as to be separated from the vehicle interior side, but the drain water discharge port portion is simply shifted to the front side in the vehicle traveling direction. Then, in order to smooth the flow of drain water, it is necessary to incline the bottom surface of the case so that it is lowered for a while from the rear side to the front side in the vehicle traveling direction. Since the dimensions are relatively large, there is an inconvenience that it is not possible to meet the recent demand for space saving of the air conditioning unit for vehicles.

  Therefore, the present invention ensures a sufficient drainage function of the drain water discharge port portion while being in a good position in relation to electronic components and audio equipment that are placed in the cabin of the air conditioner. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle air conditioning unit that suppresses an increase in size in the vertical direction.

  An air conditioning unit for a vehicle according to the present invention includes a blower and a cooling heat exchanger such that the cooling heat exchanger is located on the rear side in the vehicle traveling direction with respect to the blower. Is accommodated in a case so as to be substantially horizontal, and at least an air flow path extending from the downstream side of the blower toward the upstream side of the cooling heat exchanger with respect to the bottom surface of the case The drain water discharge port portion is provided at a position on the front side in the vehicle traveling direction (claim 1). That is, the drain water discharge port is provided, for example, on the front side in the vehicle traveling direction from the upstream side portion of the cooling heat exchanger.

  A drainage groove having a groove having a predetermined depth is formed on the bottom surface of the case (Claim 2). And the said drain groove part is extended so that the said groove may concentrate toward the said drain water discharge port part (Claim 3).

  On the other hand, in the vehicle air conditioning unit according to the present invention, the blower has two fans arranged along the vehicle width direction, and two scroll cases are formed in the case to cover the two fans. The opposing surfaces of the scroll cases extending from the foremost end in the vehicle traveling direction to the cooling heat exchanger side are close to each other for a while as they face the cooling heat exchanger side. (Claim 4).

  In the vehicle air conditioning unit, the blower includes a motor for driving both of the fans between the two fans, and the motor cover for covering the motor includes the two fans. The upper cover part formed integrally with the upper case split part of the scroll case is combined with the lower cover member formed integrally with the lower case split part of the two scroll cases. And a ventilation path that leads into the motor cover from the upstream side of the cooling heat exchanger, and this ventilation path is also a combination of a part of the upper case division part and a part of the lower case division part (Claim 5).

  According to the inventions according to the first to fourth aspects, since the drain water discharge port portion is shifted to the front side in the vehicle traveling direction, it is separated from the electrical components of the air conditioner. Even if drain water leaks from the connection portion between the water discharge port and the drain hose, the electronic parts of the air conditioner are not damaged, and at the same time, the cooling heat exchanger is installed substantially horizontally. For this reason, the cooling heat exchanger is installed approximately horizontally to increase the size of the case in the vertical direction of the vehicle, which is caused by making the bottom surface of the case into an inclined surface that temporarily lowers from the rear side to the front side in the vehicle traveling direction. Since this can be offset by shortening the required mounting space in the vertical direction of the vehicle with respect to the cooling heat exchanger, the increase in the size of the air conditioning unit for the vehicle can be suppressed.

  In particular, according to the second and third aspects of the invention, the drain water is directed forward in the vehicle traveling direction, that is, against the air flow in the air flow path, with the top surface of the case facing the drain water discharge port. As a result, the air passing through the air flow path does not push the drain water back to the leeward side, so that the drainage function of the drain water discharge port is reduced. Nor.

  In particular, according to the air conditioning unit for a vehicle according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the surface facing the scroll case serves as a guide, and the air sent from the two fans of the blower is directed to the cooling heat exchanger. Therefore, the cooling heat exchanger and the air conditioning unit can be improved in air conditioning performance because they flow so as to merge toward the ventilation surface of the cooling heat exchanger.

  In particular, according to the vehicle air conditioning unit of the fifth aspect, the motor of the blower can be cooled by the air sent into the motor cover through the ventilation path branched from the air flow path. And troubles such as failure can be eliminated. In addition, since the motor cover and the ventilation path are formed integrally with the upper case division part and the lower case division part constituting the scroll case, the manufacturing cost for forming the motor cover and the ventilation path is increased. Can be suppressed.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  The air conditioning unit 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is an example of an embodiment of the present invention, and is, for example, a vertical center-placed fully integrated type mounted on a center console portion of a vehicle. The air conditioning unit 1 is disposed closer to the vehicle compartment side than the partition plate that partitions the engine room and the vehicle interior, and is basically configured by two intake portions 2 and one temperature control portion 10. Yes.

  The intake part 2 is arranged in parallel along the width direction of the vehicle, and is arranged on the upper side in the vehicle vertical direction with respect to two scroll cases 14 (to be described later) of the temperature control part 10. The intake portion 2 has an outside air introduction port 4 and an inside air introduction port 5 formed in the case 3, and the outside air introduction port 4 is in a state of being substantially opposed to the partition plate on the front side in the vehicle traveling direction. The inside air inlet 5 is opened and communicated with the vehicle interior space on the rear side in the vehicle traveling direction.

  The intake section 2 has an inside / outside air switching door 6 provided at the boundary between the inside / outside air introduction ports 4 and 5 in the case 3 in order to appropriately select the outside air introduction port 4 and the inside air introduction port 5. . In this embodiment, the inside / outside air switching door 6 is a flag type consisting of a rotating shaft and one door main body extending in the radial direction with respect to the rotating shaft. It may be of a type. Further, of the side surfaces of the case 3 defining the intake portion 2, the side surface opposite to the other intake portion 2 is connected via an air intake 37 and a duct 8 of the scroll case 14 described later. An air outlet 7 is formed.

  The temperature control unit 10 includes a blower 11 for sending the air sent from the intake units 2 and 2 to the downstream side, a cooling heat exchanger 18 such as an evaporator for cooling the air sent by the blower 11, A heat exchanger 19 such as a heater core that reheats the air cooled by the cooling heat exchanger 18, and a heat exchanger for heating disposed between the cooling heat exchanger 18 and the heating heat exchanger 19. The air mixing door 20 that adjusts the ratio of the air sent to the container 19 and the air to be bypassed is basically provided in the air flow path 16 of the case 13.

  The heating heat exchanger 19 is formed, for example, by laminating corrugated fins and tubes alternately in a plurality of stages, and has a tank at the longitudinal end of the tube. In this embodiment, the air mix door 20 is a slide type, but may be a butterfly type, a flag type, or the like.

  The temperature control unit 10 is a heating heat exchanger as a part of the air flow path 16 on the downstream side of the cooling heat exchanger 18 and on the front side of the heating heat exchanger 19 in the vehicle traveling direction. A hot air passage 21 through which the air reheated at 19 passes is formed, and the air is also provided downstream of the cooling heat exchanger 18 and behind the heating heat exchanger 19 in the vehicle traveling direction. As part of the flow path 16, a cold air passage 22 through which air that bypasses the heat exchanger 19 for heating passes is formed in the case 13.

  Further, on the downstream side of the air mix chamber 23 where the hot air passage 21 and the cold air passage 22 merge, a vent blowing opening 24, a differential blowing passage 25, and a differential blowing opening 26 provided at the tip thereof, The foot blowing passage 27 and the foot blowing opening 27 provided at the tip thereof are appropriately provided in the case 13.

  Further, a vent mode switching door 30 for opening and closing the vent blowing opening 24 is provided in the vicinity of the vent blowing opening 24, and the def blowing opening 25 is blown from the proximal end side of the differential blowing passage 25. A differential mode switching door 31 for controlling the amount of air to be performed, and a foot mode switching door 32 for controlling the amount of air blown from the foot blowing opening 28 on the proximal end side of the foot blowing passage 27. Is provided. Although these doors 30, 31, and 32 are illustrated as butterfly type in this embodiment, they are not necessarily limited to this, and may be flag type, rotary type, or the like.

  On the other hand, the blower 11 and the cooling heat exchanger 18 are arranged so that the cooling heat exchanger 18 is on the rear side in the vehicle traveling direction with respect to the blower 11.

  Among these, the blower 11 is between two fans 12A and 12B called centrifugal multiblade fans (sirocco fans) and the fans 12A and 12B in this embodiment, and drives these fans 12A and 12B. The motor 12C is configured so that the fan 12A and the fan 12B are juxtaposed along the width direction of the vehicle.

  Accordingly, the case 13 has two scroll cases 14 and 14 for housing the fans 12A and 12B. As shown in FIG. 3, each of the scroll cases 14 has a fan 12 </ b> A of the blower 11 on the surface 35 among the side surfaces 35, 36 extending from the foremost side end in the vehicle traveling direction to the cooling heat exchanger side. , 12B and an air intake port 37 that is open to face the air intake port 12B, and has a bellows 38 at the periphery of the air intake port 37, while the side surfaces 36 that face each other are formed on the cooling heat exchanger 18. It is close to the side for a while.

  Moreover, the scroll case 14 is divided | segmented into the up-down direction by 14 A of upper case division parts and the lower case division part 14B by the dividing line L1 extended along the advancing direction of a vehicle. A semi-cylindrical upper cover 39A that is curved upward is formed integrally with the upper case division part 14A between the upper case division part 14A and the other upper case division part 14A. Between the lower case division part 14B and the other lower case division part 14B, a semi-cylindrical lower cover 39A curved downward is formed integrally with the lower case division part 14B. ing. Thereby, when the upper case division part 14A and the lower case division part 14B are combined, a cylindrical motor cover 39 covering the side surface of the motor 12C is also formed at the same time.

  Further, the scroll case 14 is formed with a ventilation path 40 extending along the dividing line L <b> 1 from the downstream side of the blower 11 to the region of the air flow path 16 upstream of the cooling heat exchanger 18. The ventilation path 40 is also integrally formed with the upper case dividing portion 14A, and an upper portion having a substantially inverted U-shaped section, and a lower portion having a substantially U-shaped cross section formed integrally with the lower case dividing portion 14B. It is formed by combining.

  However, when the air sent from the two fans 12A and 12B of the blower 11 flows toward the cooling heat exchanger 18, the side surface 36 of the scroll case 14 serves as a guide, and the air is used as the cooling heat exchanger 18. Since it flows so that it may merge toward a ventilation surface, the improvement of the air conditioning performance of the heat exchanger 18 for cooling, and by extension, the air conditioning unit 1 whole can be aimed at. Moreover, since air is sent into the motor cover 39 through the ventilation path 40 branched from the air flow path 16, the motor 12C of the blower 11 can be cooled by this air, and the motor 12C is overheated and breaks down. Etc. can be eliminated. Further, the upper cover 39A of the motor cover 39 and the upper part of the ventilation path 40 are formed integrally with the upper case dividing part 14A of the scroll case 14, and the lower cover 39B of the motor cover 39 and the lower part of the ventilation path 40 are also formed. Since the side portion is formed integrally with the lower case dividing portion 14B of the scroll case 14, the upper case dividing portion 14A and the lower case dividing portion 14B can be formed at the same time as the die cutting or the like. Therefore, an increase in manufacturing cost for forming the motor cover 39 and the ventilation path 40 can be suppressed.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cooling heat exchanger 18 forms a core by alternately laminating a plurality of corrugated fins 41 and tubes 42, for example, and the longitudinal direction of the tubes 42. Both tanks are provided with tanks 43 and 44 on both side ends of the tank. The tank 43 is located upstream and the tank 44 is located downstream, and is installed in a substantially horizontal state. Accordingly, the tanks 43 and 44 of the cooling heat exchanger 18 and the centers of the fans 12A and 12B and the motor 12C of the blower 11 are substantially the same height.

  The case 13 has a cooling heat exchanger 18 and a temperature adjustment case 15 that houses the heating heat exchanger 19 and the air mix door 20 described above. The temperature adjustment case 15 includes a scroll case 14. The upper case dividing portion 15A and the intermediate case dividing portion 15B that can be divided by the same dividing line L1 as the dividing line L1 to be divided and the dividing line L2 that extends substantially horizontally between the cooling heat exchanger 18 and the air mix door 20. And the lower case dividing portion 15C.

  Further, in this embodiment, the lower case dividing portion 15C has a bottom surface 17 that can be written from the downstream side to the upstream side of the air flow path 16 and is inclined for a while, while hanging from the cooling heat exchanger 18. The bottom surface 17 is provided with a drain water discharge port 45 for discharging the drain water that has been discharged out of the air conditioning unit 1. The drain water discharge port 45 is provided on the front side in the vehicle traveling direction, that is, on the front side in the vehicle traveling direction, which is upstream of the tank 43 of the cooling heat exchanger 18 in this embodiment. A drain hose 46 is connected to the drain water discharge port 45 to remove drain water outside the vehicle.

  The bottom surface 17 has a drain groove 48 for condensing drain water hanging from the cooling heat exchanger 18 to the drain water discharge port 45 side. The drain grooves 48 are a plurality (five in this embodiment) of grooves 49 that concentrate toward the drain water outlet 45 so that the drain water can be efficiently concentrated in the drain water outlet 45. It is composed of That is, the groove 49 extends radially around the drain water discharge port 45. And each groove 49 is formed so that the depth may become large for a while as it goes to the drain water discharge port part 45.

  However, since the drain water discharge port 45 is moved to the blower 11 side, it is separated from the electrical components of the air conditioner (not shown). Even if the air leaks, there is no possibility of causing trouble to the electrical components of the air conditioner. In addition, since the cooling heat exchanger 18 is installed substantially horizontally, the temperature generated by setting the bottom surface 17 of the temperature control case 15 to an inclined surface that temporarily lowers from the rear side to the front side in the vehicle traveling direction. The size expansion of the adjustment case 15 in the vertical direction of the vehicle can be offset by shortening the required mounting space in the vertical direction of the vehicle when the cooling heat exchanger 18 is mounted, so that the size of the vehicle air conditioning unit 1 can be increased. Can be suppressed.

  Further, since the drain water flows in the groove 49 having a predetermined depth toward the drain water discharge port 45, the air passing through the air flow path 16 does not push the drain water back to the leeward side. For this reason, even if the position of the drain water discharge port 45 is shifted to the blower 11 side so as to be upstream, the drain water flows smoothly toward the drain water discharge port 45. Since the drain water can be discharged satisfactorily from 45, the drainage function of the drain water discharge port 45 can be sufficiently secured.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a state in which the air conditioning unit of the present invention is viewed from the front side in the vehicle traveling direction. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II of the air conditioning unit shown in FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the air conditioning unit shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line II-II. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of the air conditioning unit shown in FIG. 1 and is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of a drain groove formed on the bottom surface of the temperature control case.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle air conditioning unit 11 Blower 12A Fan 12B Fan 12C Motor 13 Case 14 Scroll case 14A Upper case division part 14B Lower case division part 15 Temperature control case 15A Upper case division part 15B Middle case division part 15C Lower case division part 16 Air flow path 18 Heat exchanger for cooling 35 Side face 36 Side face 39 Motor cover 39A Upper cover 39B Lower cover 40 Ventilation path 40
45 Drain water outlet 48 Drain groove 49 Groove

Claims (5)

The blower and the cooling heat exchanger are arranged in the case so that the cooling heat exchanger is located on the rear side in the vehicle traveling direction with respect to the blower and the cooling heat exchanger is substantially horizontal. And housed in
A drain water discharge port at a position on the front side in the vehicle traveling direction with respect to the bottom surface of the case defining at least an air flow path extending from the downstream side of the blower toward the upstream side of the cooling heat exchanger. An air conditioning unit for a vehicle characterized by comprising: The vehicle air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein a drainage groove portion having a groove having a predetermined depth is formed on a bottom surface of the case. The vehicle air conditioning unit according to claim 2, wherein the drainage groove portion extends so that the grooveway is concentrated toward the drain water discharge port portion. In the blower, two fans are arranged along the vehicle width direction, and two scroll cases are formed in the case to cover the two fans. The surfaces facing each other among the surfaces extending from the foremost side end to the cooling heat exchanger side are close to each other for a while toward the cooling heat exchanger side. Or the vehicle air-conditioning unit of 3. In the blower, a motor for driving both of the fans is disposed between the two fans, and the motor cover for covering the motor is integrated with the upper case dividing portion of the two scroll cases. And the lower cover member formed integrally with the lower case division part of the two scroll cases, and more than the cooling heat exchanger. It has a ventilation path leading from the upstream side into the motor cover, and this ventilation path is also configured by combining a part of the upper case division part and a part of the lower case division part. The vehicle air conditioning unit according to claim 4, wherein

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