JP2024073688A - Vehicle air conditioning system - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a vehicle air conditioner that can ensure sufficient leg space for front seat passengers. [Solution] The vehicle air conditioner has a housing (50) that houses a cooling heat exchanger (32) and a heating heat exchanger (33). The heating heat exchanger (33) includes an electric heater (33b) whose temperature increases when electricity is applied. A rear seat blower member (41) is provided between the cooling heat exchanger (32) and the heating heat exchanger (33). A rear opening (55) is formed in the lower surface of the housing (50) for sending the blown air in the rear seat blower member (41) to the rear seat (13). An electric heater insertion opening (56) into which the electric heater (33b) can be inserted is formed in the rear surface of the housing (50). [Selected Figure] Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioning system capable of blowing air to the rear seats.

Many vehicles are equipped with vehicle air conditioners to regulate the temperature inside the vehicle cabin. Some vehicle air conditioners are capable of sending air to the rear seats. An example of prior art related to such vehicle air conditioners is the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1.

The vehicle air conditioning system disclosed in Patent Document 1 is provided with a cooling heat exchanger capable of cooling the blown air in a housing, and a heating heat exchanger capable of heating the air that has passed through the cooling heat exchanger. Behind the heating heat exchanger, a duct is provided that extends toward the rear seats and blows air to the passengers in the rear seats.

JP 2010-36738 A

Normally, vehicle air conditioning systems are positioned in front of the front seats. If the duct for blowing air to the rear seats protrudes too far behind the vehicle air conditioning system, the space under the feet of front seat passengers will be reduced.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a vehicle air conditioning system that ensures sufficient legroom for front seat passengers.

In the following description, reference symbols in the accompanying drawings are given in parentheses to facilitate understanding of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated form.

According to the present disclosure, air can be blown toward a front seat (12) in which a vehicle occupant can be seated and a rear seat (13) disposed behind the front seat (12),
A cooling heat exchanger (32) capable of cooling the blown air and a heating heat exchanger (33) capable of heating the air that has passed through the cooling heat exchanger (32) are provided in an internal space (IS) of the housing (50);
With respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle, the heating heat exchanger (33) is provided rearward of the cooling heat exchanger (32),
In the vehicle air conditioner, a cold air flow path (CP) through which the blown air that has passed only through the cooling heat exchanger (32) flows, a hot air flow path (HP) through which the blown air that has passed through the heating heat exchanger (33) flows, and a mixing flow path (MP) through which the blown air that has flowed through the cold air flow path (CP) and the blown air that has flowed through the hot air flow path (HP) are mixed,
The heating heat exchanger (33) includes an electric heater (33b) whose temperature increases when electricity is applied thereto;
A rear seat air blowing member (41) for guiding the air that has passed through the heating heat exchanger (33) to the rear seat (13) is provided downstream of the heating heat exchanger (33) with respect to the flow direction of the air blown,
The rear seat air blower (41) is provided between the cooling heat exchanger (32) and the heating heat exchanger (33),
A rear opening (55) is formed in the lower surface of the housing (50) to send the ventilation air in the rear seat blower member (41) to the rear seat (13),
The vehicle air conditioner is characterized in that an electric heater insertion opening (56) into which the electric heater (33b) can be inserted is formed on the rear surface of the housing (50).

The present invention provides a vehicle air conditioning system that ensures sufficient legroom for front seat passengers.

1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle air conditioning device according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle air conditioning device shown in FIG. 1 . This is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in Figure 2.

The embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. In the description, front and rear refer to front and rear based on the traveling direction of the vehicle in which the vehicle air conditioner is installed, and left and right refer to left and right based on the vehicle occupants. In the drawings, Fr refers to front based on the traveling direction of the vehicle, Rr refers to rear based on the traveling direction of the vehicle, Le refers to left as seen by the occupants, Ri refers to right as seen by the occupants, Up refers to top, and Dn refers to bottom.

<Example>
Please refer to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 10 equipped with an automotive air conditioner 20 (hereinafter, referred to as "air conditioner 20"). The vehicle 10 is, for example, a passenger car, and has left and right front seats 12, 12 provided at the front of a passenger compartment VI, and a rear seat 13 provided behind the front seats 12, 12 across both ends in the vehicle width direction.

The air conditioning unit 20 is provided in front of the front seats 12, 12, and is used to blow air conditioned to a predetermined temperature to the occupants in the front seats 12, 12 and the rear seat 13. In front of the front seats 12, at the right and left ends in the vehicle width direction, side vent switching sections 14, 14 are formed, respectively, which can switch whether or not to blow out the blown air. In front of the front seats 12, at the center in the vehicle width direction, a center vent switching section 15, 15 is formed, which can switch whether or not to blow out the blown air.

A rear duct 16 extending toward the rear seat 13 is connected to the air conditioning device 20, and air can be sent to the rear seat 13 via the rear duct 16. A rear seat air blowing switch 17 is provided at the rear end or downstream end of the rear duct 16, which can switch whether or not air is blown to the rear seat 13.

The rear duct 16 can be arranged, for example, to extend rearward along the underside of the center console and upward along the rear surface of the center console. Alternatively, it may pass under the floor of the passenger compartment and be erected along the B-pillar. It may also be arranged so that it branches midway and can blow air to the upper and lower bodies of rear seat passengers.

Each switching unit 14, 15, 17 is made up of a louver, and the passenger can switch the airflow volume from fully open to fully closed by swinging the operating unit 14a, 15a, 17a.

Refer to FIG. 2. The air conditioning device 20 has an air blower unit 21 that can take in air from inside and/or outside the vehicle and blow it out, and a temperature adjustment unit 30 that can adjust the air blown out from the air blower unit 21 to a predetermined temperature. The air blown out from the air blower unit 21 to the left flows rearward through the temperature adjustment unit 30.

The blower unit 21 can have a known configuration, for example, a built-in blower fan.

The air conditioning device 20 may be configured so that the blower unit 21 is located to the left of the temperature adjustment unit 30. This can be selected appropriately depending on the left/right position of the steering wheel, etc.

Refer to FIG. 3. The temperature adjustment unit 30 includes a housing 50 to which the blown air from the air blowing unit 21 (see FIG. 2) is sent, a cooling heat exchanger 32 that is provided in the internal space IS of the housing 50 and is capable of cooling the blown air, a heating heat exchanger 33 that is capable of heating the air that has passed through the cooling heat exchanger 32, a front seat temperature adjustment device 34 that is provided downstream of the heating heat exchanger 33 and adjusts the amount of blown air that passes through the heating heat exchanger 33, and a front seat temperature adjustment device 34 that is provided downstream of the front seat temperature adjustment device 34 and has openings 51 to 54. It has a defroster door 36, a vent door 37, and a foot door 38 that can be switched between open and closed, a rear seat air blower 41 that extends downward in front of the heating heat exchanger 33 and directs the air that has passed through the heating heat exchanger 33 to the rear seat 13 (see FIG. 1), a cold air introduction section 42 that extends along the rear of the rear seat air blower 41 and can introduce cold air, and a mixing section 60 that is provided at the bottom of the housing 50 and mixes the air that has passed through the rear seat air blower 41 and the air that has passed through the cold air introduction section 42.

The housing 50 is, for example, composed of multiple parts. More specifically, it is composed of three parts: parts that make up the left and right upper parts, and a part that makes up the lower part. Each part can be an injection molded product. The housing 50 may be composed of two parts, or may be composed of four or more parts.

See also FIG. 1. The housing 50 has a defroster opening 51 through which the ventilated air to be sent to the windshield passes, vent openings 52 and 53 through which the ventilated air to be sent to the upper bodies of the occupants in the front seats 12 passes, a foot opening 54 through which the ventilated air to be sent to the feet of the occupants in the front seats 12 passes, and a rear opening 55 through which the ventilated air to be sent to the occupants in the rear seats 13 passes.

In addition to the openings 51-54 through which the ventilation air passes, the housing 50 also has an electric heater insertion opening 56. Details of the electric heater insertion opening 56 will be described later.

The internal space IS also has a cold air flow path CP through which the blown air that has only passed through the cooling heat exchanger 32 flows, a hot air flow path HP through which the blown air that has passed through the heating heat exchanger 33 flows, and a mixing flow path MP through which the blown air that has flowed through the cold air flow path CP and the blown air that has flowed through the hot air flow path HP are mixed.

The vent openings 52, 53 consist of a side vent opening 52 through which the vent air blown out from the side vent switching section 14 passes, and a center vent opening 53 through which the vent air blown out from the center vent switching section 15 passes.

Note that the vent openings 52, 53 do not necessarily have to be formed in two locations, one for the center and one for the outside of the vehicle width.

See FIG. 3. The cooling heat exchanger 32 is provided at the front of the housing 50 so that the blown air passes through it in a generally forward and backward direction. The blown air is cooled by heat exchange with a heat medium passing through the inside of the cooling heat exchanger 32. For example, a fluorocarbon-based refrigerant or carbon dioxide can be used as the heat medium.

The heating heat exchanger 33 is provided behind the cooling heat exchanger 32 and is arranged so that the blown air passes through it in a generally vertical direction. The heating heat exchanger 33 is composed of, for example, a hot water heater 33a through which hot water that has been heated by passing through the engine flows, and an electric heater 33b that is heated by passing electricity through it.

The hot water heater 33a is inserted into the housing 50 through a hot water heater insertion opening (not shown) that is opened in the side of the housing 50. Hot water is supplied to the hot water heater 33a using a hot water supply pipe provided outside the housing 50. The hot water that flows through the hot water heater 33a is discharged to the outside of the housing 50 and then returned to the engine via a hot water discharge pipe. Part of the hot water supply pipe and the hot water discharge pipe may be arranged along the side of the housing 50.

The electric heater 33b is inserted into the housing 50 through an electric heater insertion opening 56 that is opened on the rear surface of the housing 50. The electric heater insertion opening 56 can be said to be an opening opened in the housing 50 so that the electric heater 33b can be inserted. The electric heater insertion opening 56 only needs to be opened to an extent that at least the heat exchanger of the electric heater 33b can be inserted, and does not need to be able to be inserted entirely. Of the electric heater 33b, the amplifier, etc. may be provided outside the housing 50.

In addition, FIG. 3 shows a configuration in which the amplifier of the electric heater 33b is provided outside the housing 50. Since the amplifier is generally larger than the heat exchanger of the electric heater 33b and does not directly contribute to heating the blown air, it is preferable that it be provided outside the housing 50.

In the state shown in the figure, a portion of the blown air that has passed through the cooling heat exchanger 32 passes through the left and right sides of the rear seat blower member 41, is guided below the heating heat exchanger 33, and flows upward. At this time, the blown air is heated by the heating heat exchanger 33.

The heating heat exchanger 33 does not necessarily have to be composed of two heaters, the hot water heater 33a and the electric heater 33b, and may be composed of only the electric heater 33b. Also, instead of the hot water heater 33a, a heater using a heat medium other than hot water can be used. For example, a fluorocarbon-based refrigerant or carbon dioxide can be used as the heat medium.

The front seat temperature control device 34 has a front seat temperature control actuator (not shown) that generates a rotational driving force when energized, a driving force transmission shaft that has a pinion gear 34a and is connected to the front seat temperature control actuator and rotates, and a door body 34b that is engaged with the pinion gear 34a and slides approximately in the front-rear direction as the driving force transmission shaft rotates. The door body 34b includes a rack that meshes with the pinion gear 34a.

The movement of the door body 34b adjusts the opening amount of the cold air flow path CP and the hot air flow path HP. This adjusts the amount of cold air and hot air flowing into the mixing flow path MP, and when mixed in the mixing flow path MP, the air reaches a predetermined temperature.

The front seat temperature control device 34 may be configured as a swing door that can rotate around a rotation axis, rather than a sliding door.

The defroster opening/closing door 36 is a swing door, and the amount of opening of the defroster opening 51 can be adjusted by swinging it.

The vent opening/closing door 37 is a swing door, and the amount of opening of the vent openings 52, 53 can be adjusted by swinging it.

The foot opening/closing door 38 is a swing door, and the amount of opening of the foot opening 54 can be adjusted by swinging it.

The rear seat air blower 41 is a duct-shaped member that extends vertically in front of the heating heat exchanger 33. The left-right width of the rear seat air blower 41 is smaller than the left-right width of the heating heat exchanger 33. This allows the air that has passed through the cooling heat exchanger 32 to pass through the left and right of the rear seat air blower 41 and flow to the heating heat exchanger 33. The upper end of the rear seat air blower 41 faces the downstream end of the heating heat exchanger 33, and the lower end of the rear seat air blower 41 faces the mixing section 60.

The interior of the rear seat air blower member 41 is a rear seat hot air passage RH through which the air heated by the heating heat exchanger 33 passes. The rear seat hot air passage RH can be said to be a flow path for guiding the air that has passed through the heating heat exchanger 33 to the rear seat 13 (see FIG. 1). The rear seat hot air passage RH is provided between the cooling heat exchanger 32 and the heating heat exchanger 33.

Because the rear seat hot air passage RH is surrounded by the cold air passage CP in this way, there is a concern that the hot air flowing through the rear seat hot air passage RH may be unintentionally cooled. Alternatively, there is a concern that the cold air flowing through the cold air passage CP may be unintentionally heated. In this case, for example, a heat insulating material such as urethane foam may be attached to the periphery of the rear seat air blower member 41, or the rear seat air blower member 41 itself may be made of foamed resin, thereby improving the heat insulating properties and preventing unintentional heat exchange. Such heat insulating measures are not necessarily implemented, and are appropriately selected taking into consideration the blowing temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the air conditioning device 20, costs, etc. In addition, when a heat insulating material is attached to the rear seat air blower member 41, the location may be the outer surface of the rear seat air blower member 41, or the inner surface facing the rear seat hot air passage RH.

The rear seat air blower 41 may be integrally formed with the housing 50, or may be formed of a separate member from the housing 50. It is particularly preferable that the entire cool air introduction section 42 is located forward of the heating heat exchanger 33.

The cold air inlet 42 is a section for directing the cold air flowing through the cold air flow path CP to the mixing section 60. The cold air inlet 42 is provided behind the rear seat air blower member 41 and below the heating heat exchanger 33.

The cold air introduction section 42 is, for example, a duct-shaped member with an open top, and is formed integrally with the rear surface of the rear seat air blower member 41. The upper end of the cold air introduction section 42 is a cold air intake opening 42a that is open to allow the intake of air from the cold air flow path CP. The cold air intake opening 42a is formed with a downward slope toward the rear.

The cold air introduction section 42 may be provided at a distance from the rear seat air blower member 41, or may be formed of a separate member from the rear seat air blower member 41. The cold air intake opening 42a may also be formed by the rear opening 55.

The mixing section 60 is a member that mixes the warm air that has passed through the rear seat warm air passage RH with the cold air that has been introduced from the cold air introduction section 42. The mixing section 60 is made of a separate member from the housing 50 and is attached to the lower part of the housing 50. In other words, the mixing section 60 is provided adjacent to the outside of the housing 50.

In addition, a portion of the mixing section 60 is located forward of the heating heat exchanger 33, and the remaining portion is located below the heating heat exchanger 33. At least, it is preferable that the mixing section 60 is provided forward of the rear end of the heating heat exchanger 33. It is most preferable that the entire mixing section 60 is provided forward of the heating heat exchanger 33.

The mixing section 60 has a mixing section case 61 that is in close contact with the underside of the housing 50, and a rear seat temperature control device 70 that is provided in the mixing section case 61 and adjusts the temperature of the blown air.

The rear seat temperature control device 70 has a rear seat temperature control actuator 71 that is provided outside the mixing section case 61 and generates a rotational driving force when electricity is applied, and a rear seat temperature control door 72 that is provided inside the mixing section case 61 and swings when the rear seat temperature control actuator 71 is activated to adjust the mixing ratio of hot air and cold air. For example, a stepping motor can be used as the rear seat temperature control actuator 71.

The rear seat temperature control device 70 can also be configured so that an opening communicating with the cold air flow path CP is formed in the rear seat air blower member 41 and the opening can be opened and closed by a door. In this case, the mixing ratio of the cold air can be adjusted by adjusting the opening amount of the opening formed in the rear seat air blower member 41.

The rear duct 16 is connected to the lower part of the mixing section 60. The rear duct 16 extends downward from the lower end of the mixing section 60 and extends rearward along the floor surface.

The present invention is summarized below.

Refer to Figures 1 and 3. First, the air conditioning device 20 can send air toward the front seat 12 where the occupant of the vehicle 10 can sit and the rear seat 13 located behind the front seat 12. In addition, the air conditioning device 20 is provided with a cooling heat exchanger 32 capable of cooling the blown air and a heating heat exchanger 33 capable of heating the air that has passed through the cooling heat exchanger 32 in the internal space IS of the housing 50. The heating heat exchanger 33 is provided so as to be rearward of the cooling heat exchanger 32 based on the traveling direction of the vehicle 10. In the internal space IS, a cold air flow path CP through which the blown air that has passed only the cooling heat exchanger 32 flows, a hot air flow path HP through which the blown air that has passed through the heating heat exchanger 33 flows, and a mixing flow path MP in which the blown air that has flowed through the cold air flow path CP and the blown air that has flowed through the hot air flow path HP are mixed are formed. The heating heat exchanger 33 includes an electric heater 33b that heats up when electricity is applied. Based on the direction of the flow of the blown air, a rear seat hot air passage RH is provided downstream of the heating heat exchanger 33 to guide the blown air that has passed through the heating heat exchanger 33 to the rear seat 13, and the rear seat hot air passage RH is provided between the cooling heat exchanger 32 and the heating heat exchanger 33.

Furthermore, a rear opening 55 is provided on the underside of the housing 50 to send the ventilation air in the rear seat ventilation member 41 to the rear seat 13, and an electric heater insertion opening 56 is provided on the rear side of the housing 50, into which the electric heater 33b can be inserted.

See Figure 3. The rear seat warm air passage RH is provided between the cooling heat exchanger 32 and the heating heat exchanger 33. This allows the rear duct 16 (see Figure 1) and the like to be connected while avoiding the rear lower part of the housing 50. Sufficient space can be secured for the feet of the occupants of the front seats 12.

In addition, many parts, such as a hot water supply pipe, a hot water discharge pipe, and a temperature adjustment actuator that drives the pinion gear 34a, are generally attached to the side of the housing 50, and mounting portions for parts that are attached inside the housing 50 are formed. In contrast, by forming an electric heater insertion opening 56 into which the electric heater 33b can be inserted on the rear surface of the housing 50, it becomes possible to attach and detach the electric heater 33b to the housing 50 without interfering with the many parts arranged on the side of the housing 50. Furthermore, even if a portion of the electric heater 33b is provided outside the housing 50, it is separated from the lower part of the housing 50, and sufficient space can be secured for the feet of the front seat occupants.

In addition, by forming a rear opening 55 on the underside of the housing 50 and an electric heater insertion opening 56 into which the electric heater 33b can be inserted on the rear side of the housing 50, the electric heater 33b can be attached and detached from the housing 50 without interfering with the rear duct 16.

However, as long as the action and effect of the present invention are achieved, the present invention is not limited to the examples.

The air conditioner of the present invention is suitable for use in passenger cars.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 12 front seat 13 rear seat 20 vehicle air conditioner 32 cooling heat exchanger 33 heating heat exchanger, 33b electric heater 41 rear seat air blower member 50 housing 55 rear opening 56 electric heater insertion opening IS internal space CP cool air flow path HP hot air flow path MP mixed flow path

Claims (1)

The air conditioner is capable of blowing air toward a front seat (12) in which a vehicle occupant can be seated and a rear seat (13) disposed behind the front seat (12);
A cooling heat exchanger (32) capable of cooling the blown air and a heating heat exchanger (33) capable of heating the air that has passed through the cooling heat exchanger (32) are provided in an internal space (IS) of the housing (50);
With respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle, the heating heat exchanger (33) is provided rearward of the cooling heat exchanger (32),
In the vehicle air conditioner, a cold air flow path (CP) through which the blown air that has passed only through the cooling heat exchanger (32) flows, a hot air flow path (HP) through which the blown air that has passed through the heating heat exchanger (33) flows, and a mixing flow path (MP) through which the blown air that has flowed through the cold air flow path (CP) and the blown air that has flowed through the hot air flow path (HP) are mixed,
The heating heat exchanger (33) includes an electric heater (33b) whose temperature increases when electricity is applied thereto;
A rear seat air blowing member (41) for guiding the air that has passed through the heating heat exchanger (33) to the rear seat (13) is provided downstream of the heating heat exchanger (33) with respect to the flow direction of the air blown,
The rear seat air blower (41) is provided between the cooling heat exchanger (32) and the heating heat exchanger (33),
A rear opening (55) is formed in the lower surface of the housing (50) to send the ventilation air in the rear seat blower member (41) to the rear seat (13),
The vehicle air conditioner is characterized in that an electric heater insertion opening (56) into which the electric heater (33b) can be inserted is formed on the rear surface of the housing (50).

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