JP2013256258A - Air conditioning duct of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air-conditioning duct of a vehicle disposed at a backside of an instrument panel and integrated with the panel, the duct suppressing generation of dew condensation on the panel surface caused by the instrument panel cooled by the air-conditioning air at a low temperature, during air-conditioned.SOLUTION: An air-conditioning duct 21 is formed by an instrument panel 10 and a gutter part 32 of a duct member 30 joined to the back surface of the panel 10; and the air-conditioning duct 21 is provided with an air guide plate 22 in an upstream part of the duct for guiding the air-conditioning air blown from an air conditioner 20 to direct toward a surface part 32a of the gutter part 32 of the duct member 30 opposing to the instrument panel 10. Thereby, the air-conditioning air is suppressed from flowing along the back surface of the instrument panel 10.

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioning duct for a vehicle, in particular, an air conditioning duct integrated with an instrument panel, and belongs to the field of vehicle air conditioning technology.

  In general, in a vehicle, an air conditioner is housed in an instrument panel disposed on the front surface of a passenger compartment, and air-conditioning air generated by the air conditioner is passed through an air-conditioning duct disposed in the panel. The air-conditioning duct is configured to be blown into the vehicle interior from the blower opening, and the cross-section of the air-conditioning duct is substantially semi-circular or substantially U-shaped on the back surface of the instrument panel By joining the duct forming member, it may be integrally formed on the back side of the panel.

  In this case, at the time of cooling, low-temperature air-conditioning air flows while coming into contact with the back surface of the instrument panel. Therefore, there is a problem that the panel is cooled and condensation occurs on the surface (surface on the passenger compartment side).

  For this problem, in Patent Document 1, by disposing a sheet on the back side of the instrument panel away from the back side of the panel, a heat insulating space is formed on the back side of the instrument panel in the air conditioning duct. A panel that prevents condensation on the panel surface is disclosed.

  On the other hand, in recent years, a so-called soft instrument panel having a flexible surface is sometimes used as an instrument panel instead of a hard resin panel. This soft instrument panel has a structure in which a cushion layer made of polyurethane or the like and a soft skin layer made of polyvinyl chloride or the like are laminated on the surface side of a substrate made of polypropylene or the like. Accordingly, due to the heat insulation of the cushion layer and the skin layer, surface condensation can be prevented even when the air conditioning duct is provided integrally on the back side.

JP 2005-88637 A

  By the way, in the duct structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, after the heat insulation space is provided on the back side of the instrument panel and the sheet is joined, the duct forming member is further joined, or the heat insulation space is provided. While holding the sheet in the state, the duct forming member is joined with the sheet interposed therebetween, and in either case, the air duct forming process is complicated. Moreover, because of the heat insulation space, the flow passage cross-sectional area of the air conditioning duct is limited over almost the entire length of the portion along the back surface of the instrument panel, and the blowing efficiency is reduced.

  On the other hand, the soft instrument panel having the three-layer structure is formed by placing a pre-formed substrate and a skin in a mold and foaming a resin material injected between the substrate and the skin to form a cushion layer. Although manufactured, the manufacturing process is complicated, so that the cost of the panel itself is high.

  For this, a soft instrument panel having a two-layer structure of skin foam has been developed. This is because a pre-formed substrate is placed in a mold, an elastomer is injected into the mold, and this is foamed by a core back to form a cushion layer on the surface side of the substrate. The portion in contact with the elastomer mold is cooled by the mold, thereby simultaneously forming a skin layer made of a non-foamed layer on the surface of the cushion layer.

  According to this, although the cost reduction is expected compared with the soft instrument panel having the three-layer structure, the heat insulation is inferior to the one having the three-layer structure. Therefore, an air conditioning duct integrated with an instrument panel is provided on the back side. When provided, it is not possible to reliably prevent condensation on the panel surface during cooling, and in particular, foaming tends to be insufficient at the surface portion along the core back direction when the cushion layer of the panel is formed. When an air-conditioning duct is provided on the back side, condensation is likely to occur on the surface due to insufficient heat insulation.

  Therefore, the present invention can suppress the occurrence of dew condensation on the panel surface even when using an instrument panel with a lower cost than a three-layered structure as an instrument panel integrated air conditioning duct, It is another object of the present invention to realize an air conditioning duct that has a relatively simple manufacturing process and rarely sacrifices the flow path cross-sectional area (the flow path cross-sectional area is small).

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is configured as follows.

  First, the invention according to claim 1 is an air conditioning duct for a vehicle formed on the back side of the instrument panel by an instrument panel and a bowl-shaped duct forming member joined to the back surface of the instrument panel. The upstream portion is provided with an air guide plate that guides the air-conditioned air blown from the air-conditioning apparatus toward the surface portion of the duct forming member on the side opposite to the instrument panel.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1, the duct forming member is formed of a synthetic resin, and a foam portion is provided at least on a surface portion on the side opposite to the instrument panel. And

  The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the instrument panel includes a synthetic resin substrate and an elastomer provided on a surface of the substrate on the vehicle interior side. It has a cushion layer formed by foaming, and a skin layer formed by a non-foamed portion of the elastomer provided on the surface opposite to the substrate.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 3, wherein the cushion layer of the instrument panel is formed by a core back at the time of molding, and the duct forming member is the instrument panel. It is characterized by being bonded to the back surface of the surface portion substantially along the core back direction when the cushion layer is molded.

  With the above configuration, according to the invention of each claim, the following effects can be obtained.

  First, according to the invention according to claim 1, in the air-conditioning duct formed by the instrument panel and the bowl-shaped duct forming member joined to the back surface of the panel, the wind guide provided in the upstream portion of the duct Since the air-conditioned air blown out from the air conditioner is guided by the plate so as to face the surface of the duct forming member on the side opposite to the instrument panel, the flow of the air-conditioned air flowing in contact with the back surface of the instrument panel in the duct It will be suppressed or its flow rate will be reduced.

  Therefore, the cooling of the instrument panel by the low-temperature air-conditioning air during cooling is suppressed, and the occurrence of condensation on the panel surface is suppressed.

  Further, according to the present invention, since the air guide plate is only provided at the upstream portion of the air conditioning duct, it can be manufactured at a low cost by a relatively simple process, and the flow path cross-sectional area extends over almost the entire length of the duct. There is an advantage that there is little decrease in the blowing efficiency compared to the sacrificed one.

  Next, according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the duct forming member is formed of a synthetic resin, the foam portion is provided at least on the surface portion on the side opposite to the instrument panel, so that the heat insulating property of the surface portion is increased. When cooling, low-temperature air-conditioning air guided toward the surface by the air guide plate is less likely to be heated by heat outside the duct, and a decrease in cooling efficiency is suppressed.

  In addition, since heat insulation is enhanced at least in the surface portion of the duct forming member, it is possible to prevent condensation on the outer surface of the surface portion. For example, an electronic component in which water droplets due to the condensation are disposed below the duct It is possible to prevent problems such as dripping and deteriorating this.

  On the other hand, according to the invention according to claim 3, the air-conditioning duct includes a substrate, a cushion layer formed by foaming the elastomer, and a skin layer formed by a non-foamed portion of the elastomer provided on the surface opposite to the substrate. The instrument panel is formed on the back side of a so-called skin-foamed two-layer soft instrument panel, which is lower than a three-layer soft instrument panel in which a substrate, a cushion layer and a soft skin layer are laminated. Although it is cost, it is inferior in heat insulation, and therefore, when an integrated air conditioning duct is provided on the back side, condensation tends to occur on the surface during cooling.

  However, according to the present invention, as described above, since the low-temperature air-conditioning air is guided to the anti-instrument panel side in the duct by the air guide plate and the panel is suppressed from being cooled, the cost is low. While the soft instrument panel is used, the occurrence of condensation on the surface is suppressed.

  And according to the invention which concerns on Claim 4, when the cushion layer of the said instrument panel is formed by the core back at the time of shaping | molding, an air-conditioning duct is a surface part substantially along the core back direction at the time of the cushion layer shaping | molding, That is, the foaming rate of the elastomer is lower than that of the surface portion orthogonal to the core back direction and the heat insulation is provided on the surface portion. In this case as well, an instrument panel using low-temperature air-conditioning air is provided by the air guide plate. Therefore, the occurrence of condensation on the panel surface is suppressed.

It is the outline appearance figure seen from the compartment side of the instrument panel concerning the embodiment of the present invention. It is XX sectional drawing of FIG. 1 which shows the air-conditioning duct part inside the panel. It is a YY sectional view. It is sectional drawing similar to FIG. 2 which shows other embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing similar to FIG. 3 which shows other embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 shows an instrument panel 10 having an air-conditioning duct according to an embodiment of the present invention. The panel 10 extends in the vehicle width direction, a console portion 11 in the center, and a meter panel 12 on the driver's seat side. And ventilators 13 and 13 for blowing air-conditioned air into the passenger compartment are provided at the left and right ends.

  An air conditioner 20 is housed inside the center portion of the instrument panel 10 (in front of the console portion 11), and from the air outlet 20a (see FIG. 2) of the air conditioner 20 in the vehicle width direction. Left and right air-conditioning ducts 21 and 21 are provided that supply air-conditioned air blown upward from the outlet 20a to the ventilators 13 and 13, respectively.

  Although not shown, the instrument panel 10 is further provided with a blower opening for the defroster, a blower opening to the feet of the occupant, and the like. Air conditioning air is supplied from the air conditioner 20 to these blower openings, respectively. A duct is provided. And it is possible to set an air conditioning mode of cooling, heating, and air blowing, and a blowing mode of which air is blown out from which part.

  Next, the configuration of the instrument panel 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The panel 10 has a cushion layer 16 and a skin layer 17 provided in this order on the surface of the substrate 15 (surface on the passenger compartment side). With the structure thus configured, the surface of the skin layer 17 is painted as necessary.

  The substrate 15 is pre-formed of polypropylene or the like, and the elastomer is injected into the mold and core-backed in a state where the substrate 15 is disposed in the mold, whereby the elastomer is foamed. The cushion layer 16 is formed on the surface side of 15. In addition, the elastomer is cured without foaming by being in contact with the mold on the side opposite to the substrate 15 and being cooled, whereby the skin layer 17 is formed on the side opposite to the substrate 15 of the cushion layer 16. That is, the instrument panel 10 is a soft instrument panel having the above-described two-layer structure of skin skin.

  Note that the core back for foaming the elastomer is performed in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 3. Therefore, the foaming of the cushion layer 16 is performed on the rear surface portion 10 a substantially orthogonal to the core back direction A of the instrument panel 10. The rate is large and high heat insulating properties are obtained, and the foam rate of the cushion layer 16 is small at the upper surface portion 10b substantially along the core back direction A, and the heat insulating properties are lower than the rear surface portion 10a.

  On the other hand, the air conditioning ducts 21 and 21 are formed by disposing a duct member 30 on the back side of the instrument panel 10.

  The duct member 30 includes an air inlet 31 that is provided at a central portion in the vehicle width direction and is connected to the air outlet 20a of the air conditioner 20, and left and right bowl-shaped portions that are open from the inlet 31 to the left and right. (Corresponding to “duct forming member” in the claims) 32 and 32, and the front and rear flanges 33 and 33 provided on the upper edges of the flanges 32 and 32 are the instrument panel 10. Is bonded to the back surface of the substrate 15 by, for example, ultrasonic welding.

  Thereby, the instrument panel integrated air conditioning ducts 21, 21 extending from the air outlet 20 a of the air conditioner 20 to the ventilators 13, 13 are formed on the back side of the upper surface portion 10 b of the instrument panel 10.

  Here, the duct member 30 is formed using, for example, a foamable resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene, and is core-backed in the direction B in FIG. A foamed portion 32 b is formed on the bottom surface portion 32 a on the opposite side of the panel 10.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, air guide plates 22 and 22 for guiding the flow of the air-conditioning air introduced into the ducts 21 and 21 are provided in the upstream portions of the air-conditioning ducts 21 and 21, respectively. .

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the air guide plate 22 is provided to be inclined downward from the back surface of the substrate 15 in the instrument panel 10 toward the downstream side, and from the air outlet 20 a of the air conditioner 20. The direction of the flow of the air-conditioning air that has been blown out and introduced into the air-conditioning duct 21 is changed downward, and is guided so as to face the bottom surface portion 32 a of the bowl-shaped portion 32 in the duct member 30.

  In this case, in this embodiment, the air guide plate 22 has the lower edge portion 22a at the center so that the air can be efficiently guided in the direction without restricting the air-conditioning air flow path as much as possible. The shape is recessed upward.

  The air guide plate 22 is formed separately from the instrument panel 10 and the duct member 30 and is joined to the back surface of the board 15 before the duct member 30 is joined to the board 15 of the instrument panel 10. However, it may be formed integrally with the substrate 15 when it is formed.

  According to said structure, when the blowing mode from the ventilators 13 and 13 is selected, the air-conditioning air produced | generated by the air conditioner 20 and blown upward from the air outlet 20a is provided in the back side of the instrument panel 10. 1 is introduced into the left and right air-conditioning ducts 21 and 21, flows toward the left and right sides, and is blown out from the ventilators 13 and 13 at the left and right ends of the instrument panel 10 shown in FIG.

  In that case, the air-conditioned air is blown upward from the air outlet 20a of the air-conditioning device 20 as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 2, and the rear surface of the upper surface portion 10b of the instrument panel 10 forming the upper surface of the air-conditioning duct 21 ( The rear surface of the board 15) and flows downstream along the back surface of the panel upper surface portion 10b. In the upstream portion of the duct 21, the flow of conditioned air blown upward from the air outlet 20a Since the air guide plate 22 is provided to change the airflow downward, the air-conditioning air is prevented from flowing along the back surface of the instrument panel 10 and mainly along the bottom surface portion 32 a of the flange portion 32 in the duct member 30. Will flow.

  Therefore, even if the upper surface portion 10b of the instrument panel 10 has a low foaming rate of the cushion layer 16 and the heat insulating property is lower than that of the rear surface portion 10a, the low-temperature air-conditioning air is not cooled in the cooling mode. And the cooling of the upper surface portion 10b is suppressed, and the occurrence of condensation on the surface of the upper surface portion 10b is suppressed.

  Further, as described above, the air-conditioned air is guided by the air guide plate 22 and flows along the bottom surface portion 32a of the bowl-shaped portion 32. The bottom surface portion 32a is provided with the foamed portion 32b so as to be insulated. Therefore, at the time of cooling, it is suppressed that the low-temperature air-conditioning air flowing in the air-conditioning duct 21 is heated by the heat outside the duct and the cooling efficiency is lowered.

  Further, since the heat insulating property of the bottom surface portion 32a of the bowl-shaped portion 32 is enhanced, it is possible to prevent dew condensation from occurring on the outer surface of the bottom surface portion 32a. The problem of dropping and deteriorating the electronic component or the like disposed on the electronic component is prevented.

  Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, the same code | symbol is used about the same component as the said embodiment.

  First, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the air guide plate 22 ′ provided in the upstream portion in the air conditioning duct 21 is substantially perpendicular to the surface downward from the back surface of the instrument panel 10 (the back surface of the substrate 15). It is provided to do.

  Even with this air guide plate 22 ′, the direction of the air-conditioning air blown upward from the air outlet 20a of the air-conditioning device 20 can be changed to the downward direction and directed to the bottom surface portion 32a of the bowl-shaped portion 32. 2. Similarly to the air guide plate 22 shown in FIG. 3, the air-conditioning air is prevented from flowing along the back surface of the instrument panel 10, and the occurrence of condensation on the surface of the panel 10 during cooling is suppressed.

  In this embodiment, when the air guide plate 22 ′ is formed integrally with the substrate 15 of the instrument panel 10, the molding is performed more than the air guide plate 22 inclined downward toward the downstream side shown in FIG. There is an advantage that is easy.

  Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, instead of providing a foamed portion in the bowl-shaped portion 32 ′ in the duct member 30 ′, a heat insulating sheet 40 ′ made of foamed resin or the like covering the outer surface of the bowl-shaped portion 32 ′ is provided. It is pasted.

  Therefore, also in this embodiment, during cooling, the direction is changed by the air guide plate 22, and the low-temperature air-conditioning air that flows in the air-conditioning duct 21 along the bottom surface portion 32a ′ of the bowl-shaped portion 32 ′ in the duct member 30 ′. Heating by heat outside the duct is suppressed, and condensation is prevented from occurring on the outer surface of the bowl-shaped portion 32 ′.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the instrument panel 10 is a soft instrument panel having a skin foam two-layer structure, and the air conditioning duct 21 is formed on the back side of the upper surface portion 10b where the foaming rate of the cushion layer 15 is low. However, when the air conditioning duct is provided on the back side of the surface portion having a relatively high foaming rate, or when the three-layered soft instrument panel is adopted, the air guide plates 22 and 22 ′ in the above embodiment are used as necessary. It may be provided to reliably prevent condensation on the instrument panel surface.

  On the other hand, if the instrument panel is a hard resin panel with low heat insulation, if a similar air guide plate is provided, the occurrence of condensation on the panel surface is suppressed compared to the case where it is not provided. Is done.

  Furthermore, the shape of the air guide plate is not limited to that shown in the above embodiment, and the direction of the air-conditioning air flow can be changed to the anti-instrument panel side without significantly reducing the air blowing efficiency in the air-conditioning duct. I just need it.

  As described above, according to the present invention, as an air conditioning duct integrated with an instrument panel, a duct is realized that is relatively low in cost and that effectively suppresses condensation on the surface of the instrument panel during cooling. There is a possibility of being suitably used in the field of manufacturing industries of vehicles equipped with this type of duct.

10 instrument panel 10b upper surface portion (surface portion substantially along the core back direction)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 Board | substrate 16 Cushion layer 17 Skin layer 20 Air conditioning apparatus 30, 30 'Duct member 32, 32' A bowl-shaped part (duct formation member)
32a, 32a 'bottom surface portion (surface portion on the side opposite to the instrument panel)
32b Foamed part

Claims (4)

An air conditioning duct of a vehicle formed on the back side of the instrument panel with an instrument panel and a bowl-shaped duct forming member joined to the back surface of the instrument panel,
An air conditioning duct for a vehicle, characterized in that an air guide plate is provided in the upstream portion to guide air conditioning air blown from an air conditioner toward a surface portion of the duct forming member on the side opposite to the instrument panel.   2. The air conditioning duct for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the duct forming member is formed of a synthetic resin, and a foamed portion is provided at least on a surface portion on the side opposite to the instrument panel.   The instrument panel includes a synthetic resin substrate, a cushion layer formed by foaming an elastomer provided on a surface of the substrate on the passenger compartment side, and a non-foamed surface of the elastomer provided on a surface opposite to the substrate. The vehicle air-conditioning duct according to claim 1, further comprising a skin layer formed of a portion. The cushion layer of the instrument panel is formed by a core back during molding,
The vehicle air-conditioning duct according to claim 3, wherein the duct forming member is joined to a back surface of a surface portion substantially along a core back direction when the cushion layer of the instrument panel is formed.

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