JP2009504499A - Automotive air conditioner and air mixing device - Google Patents

Abstract

An air conditioner for an automobile having a passenger compartment, the housing (1) forming an air passage (2), and a cooling means (3) disposed in the air passage (2) for cooling the air flowing therethrough ), A heating means (4) disposed on the downstream side of the cooling means (3) in the air passage (2) and heating the air flowing therethrough, and a part of the cold air from the cooling means (3) is the heating means. (4) The at least one bypass passage (5) formed in the air passage (2) and a mixing device disposed on the downstream side of the heating means (4) so as to be able to bypass the mixing device, The first mixing member (7) for guiding the cool air from the bypass passage (5) inward and the warm air from the heating means (4) are guided outward in a direction opposite to the cool air. And the second mixing member (8) is a mixed empty member. So it is blown out through the gap (9) formed between two mixing member, the predetermined distance from the first mixing member (7) is disposed at a position familiar.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioner for a passenger compartment of an automobile, and more particularly to an air mixing device for mixing cold air and hot air flowing through an air passage.

  In order to adjust the temperature of the air blown into the passenger compartment, it is known to mix a cold air flow and a hot air flow in an automobile air conditioner. Since the structure of this type of air conditioner is required to be compact, it is necessary to mix cold air and hot air in a small space region. However, the two independent cold and warm air flows tend to form an air current layer composed of a cold air layer and a warm air layer because the density of the cold air and the hot air is different. It is not easy to mix cold air and hot air. As a result, a non-uniform temperature distribution occurs in the mixed air flow blown into the passenger compartment.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an air mixing apparatus that can mix independent air flows well in a small space region in order to obtain a uniform temperature distribution.

  According to the invention, this object is achieved by the characteristic requirements in claim 1 relating to an air conditioner and the characteristic requirements in claim 12 relating to an air mixing device. Since two independent air streams are guided opposite each other by two air mixing members that form a gap, the air streams intersect in the area of the gap inside the small volume, so that they are well mixed The blown air is blown out from the gap between the two air mixing members. Independent air by moving the two mixing members relative to the fixed partition wall between the two air streams or by moving the partition wall relative to the fixed mixing member It is possible to adjust the degree of opening and closing of the passage.

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

  1 to 3, a housing 1 of an air conditioner forms an air passage 2, and a plurality of outlet openings 2a, 2b and 2c are formed at the downstream end thereof. Those blowout openings are connected to different spaces in the passenger compartment. Revolving doors 1a to 1c are provided to open and close the blowout openings 2a to 2c. A cooling means 3, for example, an evaporator or a cooling heat exchanger is provided in the air passage 2 in order to cool the air flowing through the air passage 2. A heating means 4 for warming the air flowing through the air passage is disposed on the downstream side of the cooling means 3 at a predetermined distance from the cooling means 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the heating means 4 includes a heat exchanger 4 for heating and an auxiliary heating member 4a such as a PTC heater. A bypass passage 5 branches between the cooling means 3 and the heating means 4 above and below the heating means 4 and 4a, and at least a part of the air flowing from the cooling means 3 is heated by the heating means 4 and 4a. Can be bypassed. The heating means 4 and 4 a are provided in the case 6. The inner wall of the two bypass passages 5 is formed by the outer wall of the case 6, while the outer wall of the bypass passage 5 is formed by the housing 1. The case 6 has an extension 6a extending in a substantially circular axial direction at the downstream end thereof. The extension 6a forms an outlet 6b for warm air from the heating means 4 and 4a. Outside the extension 6 a, the two bypass passages 5 merge with an annular air passage that forms an annular outlet of the bypass passage 5.

  An air mixing device is disposed downstream of the bypass passage 5 for cold air and downstream of the hot air outlet 6b. The air mixing apparatus in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 includes an outer mixing member 7 (first mixing member) formed in a frame shape and an inner mixing member 8 (second mixing) disposed inside the outer mixing member 7. Member). A gap 9 is formed between the two mixing members, and as shown by an arrow X, the mixed cold air and hot air are blown out from the air mixing device through the gap.

  The inner mixing member 8 has a disk shape. A protrusion 8a is formed at the center of the disk-shaped inner mixing member 8, and an air guide surface 8b formed between the protrusion 8a and the outer periphery of the disk (inner mixing member 8) is Further, it is curved to guide the warm air toward the front area of the gap 9 toward the outside in the radial direction. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, the outer mixing member 7 has a ring shape in these embodiments. A cylindrical jacket 7 a supported by the annular portion 1 d of the housing 1 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the outer mixing member 7. As shown in the cross section of the mixing member 7 in FIG. 1, the air guide surface 7 b of the outer mixing member 7 guides the cold air flowing through the bypass passage 5 to the front region of the gap 9 toward the inside in the radial direction. It is curved.

  The radial width of the annular gap 9 is determined by the distance between the outer diameter of the inner mixing member 8 and the inner diameter of the outer mixing member 7. 1 to 13, in order to adjust the width of the air passage in the form of the gap 9 in the axial direction and change the opening / closing degree of the outlet portion 6 b of the bypass passage 5 and the case 6, the two mixing members 7 and 8 It can be displaced relatively in the axial direction. In this way, the temperature of the mixed air flowing through the gap 9 is adjusted as the ratio of the hot air volume (or the reverse ratio) by the air volume of the cold air.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the outer diameter of the inner mixing member 8 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the warm air outlet 6b, so that the inner mixing member 8 moves in the axial direction to move the outlet 6b. Can be closed. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the inner diameter of the annular outer mixing member 7 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the extension 6a of the case 6, so that the outer mixing member 7 moves in the axial direction. The bypass passage 5 can be closed, and in this case, the inner peripheral end of the outer mixing member 7 abuts on the extension 6 a of the case 6. The extension portion 6a of the case 6 forms a partition wall between the cold air passage formed by the bypass passage 5 and the hot air passage formed by the outlet portion 6b. In order to move the two air mixing members, a moving means is provided in the form of a gear 10 which is connected to the rack member 11 coupled to the inner mixing member 8 and the stay 13a to the outer mixing member 7. Is engaged with the other rack member 12 coupled via the. As shown in FIG. 9, the rack member 11 is guided to a substantially rectangular housing 13 in which the rack member 12 is formed at one end. The gear 10 is fixed to a shaft 10a that extends in a direction crossing the housing 1 and is rotationally driven by a driving means (not shown). The shaft 10 a is rotatably supported by the bracket of the housing 1.

  FIG. 1 shows an air mixing state of an air conditioner in which a part of cold air flows through two bypass passages 5 to a mixing region between two air mixing members, and hot air flows through the case 6 to this mixing region. Is shown. A part of the cold air from the cooling means 3 is heated through the heating means 4. Since the two air flows of the cold air and the hot air are opposed to each other as shown by the arrows in FIG. 1 in the mixing region between the two air mixing members, the two air flows that were initially separated are completely Will be mixed. As shown by the arrow X, the mixed air is blown out from the mixing device through the gap 9.

  The two air mixing members 7 and 8 have a short axial extension, i.e. dimensions, so that the mixing process of the two air streams is carried out in a small volume area. The downstream end of the extension 6a of the case 6 has a radially enlarged portion or thickness corresponding to the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter. The thickness in the radial direction at the end of the extension 6 a substantially corresponds to the radial width of the gap 9. In the illustrated embodiment, in order to form a radial dimension at the downstream end of the extension 6a of the case 6, a plurality of ribs 6c formed at predetermined intervals in the radial direction extend in the axial direction. In this manner, the ribs 6 c that are spaced apart in the radial direction support the mixing of the two air flows in the mixing region in front of the gap 9.

  FIG. 2 shows the air conditioner in the maximum cooling state in which the inner mixing member 8 is moved to the left side by the rotation of the gear 10 and the outlet portion 6b of the case 6 is closed. In this state, the warm air does not flow into the mixing region, and all of the cool air is guided to the bypass passage 5. At the same time, the outer mixing member 7 moves to the right as the gear 10 rotates. As a result, the gap 9 between the two mixing members has a maximum axial width that is determined by the end of the extension 6 a of the case 6 and the inner diameter of the outer mixing member 7.

  FIG. 3 shows that the outer mixing member 7 moves upstream and the outer mixing member 7 closes the bypass passage 5 and simultaneously the inner mixing member 8 moves downstream so that a gap 9 between the two mixing members is formed. The position of the two mixing members in the maximum heating state having the maximum width in the axial direction and allowing only warm air to flow into the blowout openings 2a to 2c of the housing 1 is shown. In FIG. 3, for example, only the revolving door 1 a is opened in order to blow all the warm air to the air outlet provided near the window glass of the passenger compartment.

  In the air mixing state shown in FIG. 1, the two air mixing members 7 and 8 mainly have a function of adjusting the air mixing function and the opening degree of the outlet portion 6 b and the bypass passage 5. On the other hand, in the maximum cooling state shown in FIG. 2 and the maximum heating state shown in FIG. 3, the two air mixing members additionally have a door function for opening and closing the air passage. In this way, the structure of the air conditioner can be made compact.

  1 to 3 show a first form of smoothly formed air guide surfaces 7b and 8b of two air mixing members 7 and 8. FIG. This is also shown in the outer mixing member 7 in FIG. 4 and the inner mixing member 8 in FIG. The second form is shown in FIG. 4, and the guide rib or guide surface 14 formed so as to extend in a spiral shape on the front surface of the inner mixing member 8 allows the hot air from the heating means 4 to flow outward in the radial direction. Not only the direction but also the circumferential direction. Thereby, the mixing with the cold air guided in the radially inward direction by the curved surface of the outer mixing member 7 is made better.

  FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment. In the third embodiment, the guide rib 15 is formed only on the outer side mixing member 7, and the guide rib extends in a curved shape from the outer periphery toward the inner periphery. Therefore, the cold air is guided not only in the radial inner direction but also in the circumferential direction in the region of the gap 9. In this embodiment, the air guide surface 8b of the inner mixing member 8 is formed as a smooth surface.

  FIG. 6 shows a fourth embodiment. In this 4th form, in two air mixing members, the guide ribs 14 and 15 are extended in the circumferential direction which opposes. Therefore, the two air flows are guided so as to collide with each other in the circumferential direction, and the cold air and the hot air are completely mixed before passing through the gap 9.

  FIG. 7 shows a fifth embodiment. Guide ribs 14a and 15a are formed in the two air mixing members, and the two groups of guide ribs 14a and 15a guide the air flow in the same circumferential direction. As described above, when the air is blown out from the gap 9, a swirl is generated in the air flow of the mixed cold air and hot air.

  8 and 13 show still another embodiment. In this embodiment, a branch passage 16 is formed, and the branch passage can be formed integrally with the outer mixing member 7 or can be fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the outer mixing member. This branch passage 16 is preferably arranged between the two air guide ribs 15. At that time, the air guide surface 16a between the two guide ribs is connected so that the inner wall of the bypass passage 5 is connected to the branch passage 16 and the cool air is guided through the branch passage 16 to the blowout opening (not shown) of the housing 1. Is formed. The blowout opening is provided for special cooling purposes. The position of the branch passage 16 formed in the outer peripheral portion is preferably arranged in the region of the bypass passage 5. The branch point of the cold air passing through the branch passage 16 is formed independently of the mixing position of the outer mixing member 7. FIG. 13 shows the outer mixing member 7 in the maximum cooling state, and the outlet 6 b for warm air is closed by the inner mixing member 8.

  It is also possible to provide two or a plurality of branch passages 16 connected to the outside from the outer peripheral portion of the outer mixing member 7.

  The exemplary configuration in FIGS. 4 to 9 has annular mixing members 7 and 8. However, as schematically shown in FIG. 10, the outer mixing member 7 ′ has a rectangular shape, for example, and the inner mixing member 8 ′ can also be formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape. Reference numeral 8a 'indicates a top portion having a predetermined length corresponding to the protruding portion 8a in FIG. In this configuration, the two mixing members 7 ′ and 8 ′ have a curved air guide surface in the same way, and adjust the width of the gap 9 and open and close the passages for the cold and hot air. It is possible to move to. Instead of the rectangular shape, the outer mixing member 7 ′ and the gap 9 can be formed in an elliptical shape corresponding to the elliptical inner mixing member 8.

  FIG. 11 shows a front perspective view of still another embodiment. In this configuration, the outer mixing member is comprised of two long mixing members 70a and 70b, preferably disposed on opposite sides of one long inner mixing member 80 having a substantially V-shaped cross section. In this way, two gaps 9a and 9b are formed between one inner mixing member and two outer mixing members. A side plate 71 that connects the two outer mixing members 70a and 70b to each other is provided at the end of the mixing member.

  The two gaps 9a and 9b can be formed on the upper side and the lower side corresponding to the outlets of the two bypass passages 5 in FIGS. The gaps 9a and 9b can be curved by an elliptical inner mixing member and a corresponding outer mixing member curved. The shape of one substantially annular gap 9 or the two gaps 9 a and 9 b can be matched to the shape of the outlet portion of the bypass passage 5.

  It is also possible to provide only one bypass passage 5 that bypasses the heating means 4. In such a form, only the upper half of the mixing device in FIGS. 1 to 3 is provided, in which case the upper mixing member corresponds to the upper part of the mixing member 7 and the lower mixing member is the mixing in FIG. It corresponds to substantially the upper half of the member 8. Here, the lower mixing member may be configured to close or cover the entire outlet portion 6 b of the case 6.

  In such a configuration, a branch passage similar to the branch passage 16 can be provided in the inner mixing member 8 in order to branch the hot air to the outlet portion of the housing.

  FIG. 12 shows a form having a first passage 50 corresponding to the bypass passage 5 and a second passage 40 corresponding to the hot air passage from the heating means 4. In this case, the two passages 40 and 50 are separated from each other by a partition wall, that is, a member 60. The member 60 includes a downstream end 60 a having a thickness dimension substantially corresponding to the width of the gap 9 between the first mixing member 7 and the second mixing member 8. The first mixing member 7 and the second mixing member 8 are configured to be movable simultaneously or independently of each other in the axial direction of the air passage 2. As a result, by moving the mixing members 7 and 8 in the direction of the arrows, the degree of opening and closing of the respective passages 40 and 50 can be adjusted.

  The two passages 40 and 50 have outlets 40a and 50a in the mixing region, which are opened or closed by movable mixing members 7 and 8.

  The two outlet portions 40a and 50a may have different shapes and / or dimensions. In that case, the mixing member acting as the door of the outlet part may be adapted to the shape of the outlet part.

  FIG. 14 shows still another form of the air mixing device in the air conditioners of FIGS. In this embodiment, the inner and outer mixing members 7 and 8 are fixed to the housing 1. In order to adjust the opening degree of the outlet portion of the bypass passage 5 and the outlet portion 6b of the warm air, the ring members 100 and 200 are provided so as to be movable in the axial direction. In this embodiment, for example, the outer ring member 100 can be moved on the outer peripheral side of the extension portion 6a of the case 6 by the moving means (not shown), and the inner ring member 200 is moved on the inner peripheral side of the extension portion 6a. Is possible. The two ring members 100 and 200 may be moved simultaneously in opposite directions as in the mixing member in FIG. 1, or may be moved independently of each other.

  In the mixed state of the air conditioner in FIG. 14, the two annular members 100 and 200 are positioned so that the downstream ends of the respective ring members substantially coincide with the downstream ends of the extensions 6 a of the case 6. ing. As a result, the outlet of the bypass passage 5 and the outlet 6b of the hot air formed between the inner mixing member 8 and the downstream end of the extension 6a of the case 6 are opened to the maximum.

  In the maximum cooling state, the inner ring member 200 moves along the axial direction toward the downstream side. As a result, the downstream end of the ring member 200 abuts on the outer end of the inner mixing member 8, and the warm air passage is closed.

  In the state of maximum heating, the inner ring member 200 moves to the position shown in FIG. On the other hand, the outer ring member 100 moves along the axial direction toward the downstream side. Thereby, the downstream end of the ring member 100 comes into contact with the inner end of the outer mixing member 7.

  The two ring members 100 and 200 have a function of a partition wall that can move in the axial direction between cold air and hot air. In the case of fixing the air mixing members 7 and 8 in the air mixing apparatus of FIG. 12, this ring member can also be applied to the air mixing apparatus of FIG.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 12, the air mixing members 7 and 8 may be fixed, and the partition wall member 60 may be formed as two members between the passages 40 and 50. That is, as indicated by broken lines in FIG. 12, the two partition wall members 60a and 60b are moved relative to each other in the axial direction of the air passage 2 in order to open and close the outlet portions 40a and 50a. That's fine.

The typical longitudinal section of the air conditioner in an air mixed state is shown. 2 shows the air conditioner of FIG. 1 in a maximum cooling state. The air conditioner in the maximum heating state is shown. The perspective view at the time of seeing embodiment of a mixing member from the front is shown. The perspective view at the time of seeing embodiment of a mixing member from the front is shown. The perspective view at the time of seeing embodiment of a mixing member from the front is shown. The perspective view at the time of seeing embodiment of a mixing member from the front is shown. The perspective view at the time of seeing embodiment of a mixing member from the front is shown. The mixing member seen from the rear surface is shown. It is a front view which shows the other shape of a mixing apparatus. The perspective view at the time of seeing other embodiment of a mixing member from the front is shown. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows other embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of embodiment of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows further embodiment of the mixing apparatus in an air conditioner.

Claims (15)

A housing (1) forming an air passage (2);
Cooling means (3) disposed in the air passage (2) for cooling air flowing through the air passage (2);
A heating means (4) disposed on the downstream side of the cooling means (3) in the air passage (2) and heating the air flowing through the air passage (2);
At least one bypass passage (5) formed in the air passage (2) so that a part of the cold air from the cooling means (3) can bypass the heating means (4);
In an air conditioner for an automobile having a passenger compartment, comprising a mixing device disposed downstream of the heating means (4),
The mixing device includes a first mixing member (7) that guides the cold air from the bypass passage (5) inward, and warm air from the heating means (4) in a direction opposite to the cold air. And having a second mixing member (8) for guiding toward the outside,
The second mixing member (8) is predetermined from the first mixing member (7) so that the mixed air is blown out through a gap (9) formed between the two mixing members. An air conditioner characterized in that it is arranged at a distance.   In order to adjust the temperature of the mixed air blown through the gap (9), the first mixing member (7) is displaceable relative to the cold air outlet (5); The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the second mixing member (8) is relatively displaceable with respect to the outlet portion (6b) of the warm air.   The air conditioning according to claim 2, wherein the first mixing member (7) is displaceable in the axial direction of the air passage (2) to open and close the bypass passage (5). apparatus.   A case (6) that forms a hot air outlet (6b) is disposed downstream of the heating means (4), and the second mixing member (8) is arranged in the axial direction of the air passage (2). The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the outlet part (6b) is opened and closed by displacing the air conditioner.   The two mixing members (7, 8) are fixedly provided, and displacement members (100, 200) for adjusting the degree of opening and closing of the hot air outlet (6b) and the cold air outlet (5). The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioner is provided.   The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the bypass passage (5) is formed on opposite side surfaces of the heating means (4).   The two bypass passages (5) communicate with an annular air passage surrounding an annular extension (6a) of the case (6) of the heating means (4). Air conditioner.   The downstream end of the annular extension (6a) of the case (6) has a radial thickness corresponding to the radial width of the gap (9). 7. The air conditioner according to 7.   The first mixing member forms a frame-shaped or annular outer mixing member (7), and the second mixing member forms a disc-shaped or plate-shaped inner mixing member (8). The air conditioner according to claim 7.   The first or outer mixing member (7) has a curved cross-sectional shape for guiding cold air radially inward, and the second or inner mixing member (8) The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the air conditioner has a curved cross-sectional shape for guiding the hot air toward a radially outer side.   In the air guide surface (7b, 8b) of one and / or the other mixing member (7, 8), the air flows in the circumferential direction toward the mixing region on the front surface of the gap (9) between the two mixing members. 11. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein guide ribs (14, 15) for guiding the air conditioner are formed.   The air conditioner according to claim 11, wherein the guide ribs (14, 15) in the two mixing members (7, 8) are curved in the same circumferential direction.   The air conditioner according to claim 11, wherein the guide ribs (14, 15) in the two mixing members (7, 8) are curved in opposing circumferential directions.   A branch passage (16) is formed in the first or outer mixing member (7) so that a part of the cold air is guided to the outside independently of the mixing position of the outer mixing member (7). The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the air conditioner is provided.   In particular, for an air conditioner for automobiles, each of which mixes two independent air streams flowing through the air passages (40, 50), each air passage comprising two mixing members (7, 8) is opened to the mixing region through the outlets (40a, 50a), and the two mixing members (7, 8) are arranged so that the two air flows face each other. A gap (9) is formed between the two mixing members (7, 8) to guide the mixed air from the mixing region, and guides the two mixing members (7, 8). Is relatively displaceable with respect to the outlet portions (40a, 50a) of the air passage to adjust the degree of opening and closing of the outlet portions, or the two mixing members (7, 8) Is fixed and the outlet (40a, 50a) In order to adjust the closing degree, the displacement member (60a, 60b) air mixing device, characterized in that is provided.

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