JP4067735B2 - Door mounting structure for automotive air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a door mounting structure for an automotive air conditioner that has a plurality of independent passages formed by partitioning a case with partition plates and can be independently temperature-controlled in each passage.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventional automobile air conditioners include one that blows out temperature-controlled air independently to the left and right regions of a front seat, for example.
[0003]
In such an air conditioning apparatus for automobiles, it is desirable to provide a plurality of portions for mixing hot air and cold air in one unit in order to reduce the size. This makes it possible to easily install an automobile air conditioner that can blow out temperature-controlled air independently into a plurality of areas even in a narrow automobile cabin with little extra space. It becomes.
[0004]
In order to provide a plurality of portions for mixing hot air and cold air in a unit of an automotive air conditioner, a plurality of independent passages are formed in the unit case by partitioning with a partition plate. In each of the plurality of passages, hot air and cold air are introduced at a predetermined independent rate.
[0005]
In addition, a plurality of plate-like doors for changing the flow of air flowing through the passage, such as a plurality of types of mode doors, are attached to each passage. The mode door is a door for opening and closing various air outlets such as a vent air outlet and a foot air outlet that are opened in the case and communicate with the vehicle interior.
[0006]
According to such a unit capable of independently controlling the temperature in a plurality of independent passages (hereinafter, also referred to as “independent temperature control unit”), for example, in the left and right regions of the front seat of the automobile, for example, different Each of the temperature-controlled air can be blown out.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional independent temperature control unit, since the partition plate for forming a plurality of independent passages is incorporated in the case of the unit, each positioned on both sides of the partition plate is arranged. It is necessary to attach an interlocking door to the aisle.
[0008]
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a door mounting structure of a conventional independent temperature control unit.
As shown in the figure, in the conventional independent temperature control unit, in general, in order to facilitate the assembly of the unit, the interlocking door is divided into two parts, and the shafts 111 and 112 of the doors 101 and 102 are connected to the partition plate 103. The doors 101 and 102 are attached by being fitted to each other while being inserted into the bearing portion 104 from both sides.
[0009]
However, the conventional independent temperature control unit door mounting structure described above has a problem in that the number of parts is inevitably increased and the manufacturing cost is increased.
[0010]
On the other hand, when the interlocking doors 101 and 102 are integrated, although the number of parts can be reduced, a long hole slightly larger than the door cross-sectional shape is provided in the partition plate 103, and the door must be assembled through the long hole. For this reason, a plurality of independent passages formed in the case are communicated by the long holes, and air flows from one passage to the other passage, whereby the air flowing in each of the plurality of passages is heated independently. There is a problem that it cannot be adjusted.
[0011]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the number of parts, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and improving workability. An object of the present invention is to provide a door mounting structure for an automotive air conditioner that can reliably and independently regulate the temperature of air flowing through a plurality of passages.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The object of the present invention is achieved by the following means.
[0013]
(1) An automobile in which a plurality of plate-like doors for changing the flow of air flowing through the passage are respectively attached to a plurality of passages formed by partitioning the inside of a case of an automobile air conditioner with a partition plate. In a door mounting structure for an air conditioner for a vehicle, a bearing part formed in a substantially C shape so that a part of the partition plate is opened outward, and a rotation center supported by the bearing part possess a door unit, a with a one of a plurality of doors which are fixed to the shaft as the shaft, and is positioned in each of the plurality of passages forming a said bearing portion, perpendicular to the partition plate A door mounting structure for an air conditioner for an automobile, characterized in that it is a partially cut-out cylinder having a width larger than the thickness of the partition plate in any direction .
[0014]
(2) The door mounting structure for an automotive air conditioner according to (1) above, wherein the bearing portion has an arc surface formed in a range of 180 ° or more.
[0016]
(3) The door is engaged with the outer surface of the bearing portion when the shaft is supported by the bearing portion of the partition plate and the door is rotated so as to face inward of the partition plate. The door mounting structure for an automotive air conditioner according to (1) above, characterized in that it has an axis perpendicular direction movement restricting means for restricting movement of the door unit in a direction perpendicular to the shaft axial direction.
[0017]
(4) The shaft has positioning means for positioning the door unit in the shaft axial direction by engaging with the bearing portion when the shaft is supported by the bearing portion of the partition plate. The door mounting structure for an automotive air conditioner as set forth in (1) above.
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0019]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an automotive air conditioner to which the present invention is applied.
[0020]
The automobile air conditioner shown in FIG. 1 is of a vertical installation type installed in an instrument panel at the front of a vehicle interior. This automobile air conditioner has a case C in which a cooler unit 1 and a heater unit 2 are integrated, and the size of the vehicle in the front-rear direction is shortened. An evaporator 3 is provided in the upstream air passage of the case C. The heater core 4 is provided in the downstream air passage. Here, the “evaporator” is, as is well known, a low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant decompressed by an expansion valve or the like in a cooling cycle circulates inside, and cools the introduced air by heat exchange with the refrigerant. is there. The “heater core” is one in which high-temperature engine cooling water circulates inside and heats the air introduced therein by heat exchange with the high-temperature engine cooling water.
[0021]
Air introduced from the vehicle width direction (perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1) through the introduction port O is bent in the front-rear direction of the vehicle in the case C and cooled through the evaporator 3. Yes. The intake unit that takes in air is arranged on the side surface of the case C, and the length of the device in the vehicle front-rear direction is shortened.
[0022]
The air flowing down from the upstream side air passage is, as the mix door 15 provided between the evaporator 3 and the heater core 4 slides in the direction of the arrow in the figure, the hot air passage 6 passing through the heater core 4; The air is selectively flowed to the cool air passage B that bypasses the heater core 4 or at a predetermined ratio. As described above, since the operation space of the mix door 15 can be reduced, the evaporator 3 and the heater core 4 can be provided closer to each other on the upstream side and the downstream side of the mix door 15. Compactness is achieved.
[0023]
The mix door 15 has an arc shape that extends between the evaporator 3 and the heater core 4 in a direction that blocks the air flow from the upstream air passage and bulges downstream with a predetermined radius of curvature. In this way, the flow direction of the air cooled through the evaporator 3 is changed so as to be smoothly directed toward the cold air passage B or the hot air passage 6 along the arcuate surface of the second door portion. be able to.
[0024]
The slide drive mechanism for operating the mix door 15 is configured to drive, for example, a pair of gears meshed with teeth formed near both side ends of the mix door 15 with a motor or the like. Note that the slide drive mechanism is not limited to this, and may be a manual operation mechanism connected to the controller via a wire cable in some cases.
[0025]
In the case C, an upper chamber 20 in which a vent air outlet Fv and a differential air outlet Fd are opened adjacent to the cold air passage B is formed. A wall portion 8 is formed on the downstream side of the heater core 4, so that the warm air heated by the heater core 4 and flowing through the warm air passage 6 once rises to the cold air side and passes through the cold air passage B and the case. The upper chamber 20 positioned above C collides and is mixed.
[0026]
Between the wall portion 8 and the wall portion Ca, a foot air passage 25 extending from the upper chamber 20 to the lower side of the case C through the foot outlet Ff is formed. Here, the vent door Dv adjusts the opening of the vent air outlet Fv and the foot air outlet Ff located at the entrance of the foot air passage 25. Moreover, in order to set the case where both the vent blower outlet Fv and the foot blower outlet Ff are closed, the differential blower outlet Fd and the 1st opening part 26 connected to the vent blower outlet Fv and the foot blower outlet Ff by the differential door Dd, Are configured to open and close. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and a foot outlet Ff and a foot door for adjusting the opening thereof are separately provided, for example, on the downstream side of the foot air passage 25, and the vent door Dv adjusts the opening of only the vent outlet Fv. A configuration is also possible.
[0027]
In the upper chamber 20 on the downstream side of the cold air passage B and the hot air passage 6, a composite mode door 10 as a guide member that guides air upward in the upper chamber 20 is rotatably provided. The composite mode door 10 is configured to open and close a second opening 27 formed between the wall 8 and the first opening 26.
[0028]
The air introduced from the introduction port O is cooled by the evaporator 3 and is made to flow up and down in two by the mix door 15. The lower air flow in the divided air flow is heated by the heater core 4 to become hot air and flows through the hot air passage 6, and the upper air flow (cold air) is a cold air passage that bypasses the heater core 4. Flows through B and is mixed with the warm air in the upper chamber 20. The mixed air has a predetermined temperature and is distributed toward the vehicle interior from various outlets F (a general term for the vent outlet Fv, the differential outlet Fd, and the foot outlet Ff) according to various air distribution modes. Or the air is blown out as it is without being mixed. The temperature of the cold air or hot air blown from each outlet F is controlled by the position of the mix door 15. In addition, there are various ventilation modes: vent mode (mode to blow cool air to the upper body of the occupant), bi-level mode (mode of cold air to the upper body of the occupant and warm air to the lower body, so-called head cold foot heat mode), defrost mode ( Front mode and side window fogging mode), foot mode (mode that blows warm air to the passenger's lower body) or differential-foot mode (mode that blows warm air to the passenger's lower body while clearing window fogging), etc. is there.
[0029]
In the combined mode such as the bi-level mode or the differential-foot mode, the combined mode door 10 rotates the second opening 27 in the closing direction by a predetermined amount so that the air is sent from the cold air passage B or the hot air passage 6. The air to be conducted is guided further upward in the upper chamber 20. Accordingly, the hot air and the cold air are raised together after colliding with each other by the composite mode door 10 and are collected further above the upper chamber 20 before being distributed. For this reason, the U-turn path | route which can fully promote mixing of warm air and cold air is formed, and warm air and cold air are fully mixed and air mix property improves. Thereby, the temperature difference of the up-and-down blowing air at the time of temperature adjustment can be maintained appropriately, and the comfort in the vehicle interior is improved.
[0030]
On the other hand, at the time of full cooling in which the entire amount of cold air is not heated and blown out into the vehicle compartment via the cold air passage B, the composite mode door 10 is rotated around the shaft and is easily directed from the cold air passage B toward the vent outlet Fv. Is set so as to substantially follow. Therefore, at the time of the full cool, the cold air passing through the cold air passage B flows smoothly along the surface of the composite mode door 10 and then is distributed from the vent outlet Fv toward the vehicle interior. Therefore, the airflow resistance is low, and a large amount of cool air is guided to a predetermined area in the passenger compartment, thereby improving the cooling performance.
[0031]
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing main components of the unit according to the present invention.
[0032]
In the present embodiment, the automobile air conditioner has two independent passages formed by partitioning the inside of the case C with the partition plate 31, and the temperature can be adjusted independently in each passage. It can be done.
[0033]
The case C is formed by joining the half-cracked cases C1 and C2, which are divided into left and right, with the partition plate 31 sandwiched therebetween. Therefore, the partition plate 31 is installed along the air flow flowing through the case C.
[0034]
The partition plate 31 extends to the downstream air passage after the evaporator 3 and divides the downstream air passage into two independent passages substantially equally on the left and right. These independent passages correspond to the left and right areas of the front seat.
[0035]
The mix door 15 is configured to be separated into two door portions so as to be positioned on both sides of the partition plate 31 in the vicinity of the entrance of each passage partitioned by the partition plate 31. Each door portion of the mix door 15 is independently operated by a separate slide drive mechanism (not shown).
[0036]
As a result, the temperature can be independently controlled for each passage, and two independently temperature-controlled air flows can be formed in the space of one existing unit. Accordingly, for example, air that has been mixed with a predetermined ratio of warm air and cold air in the left and right regions of the front seat of an automobile and that has been adjusted to different temperatures can be blown out.
[0037]
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the partition plate and the vent door in a partially enlarged manner, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the vent door attached to the partition plate.
[0038]
Particularly in the present embodiment, the partition plate 31 has bearing portions 32 and 33 formed in a substantially C shape so that a part of the partition plate 31 is opened outward. It is formed by doing. Hereinafter, only the bearing portion 32 and the vent door Dv will be described, and the bearing portion 33 and the differential door Dd are the same, and thus the description thereof is omitted.
[0039]
The bearing portion 32 has a cylindrical shape in which a part having a predetermined length is cut out in a direction perpendicular to the partition plate 31. The bearing portion 32 is preferably 180 ° or more, and has a circular arc surface 33 formed in a range in which a shaft 55 described later can be inserted from the direction perpendicular to the axis.
[0040]
The vent door Dv is fixed to the shaft 55 so as to be positioned in each of a plurality of passages formed by being partitioned by the partition plate 31 and a single shaft 55 that is supported by the bearing portion 32. The door unit provided with the two doors 51 and 52 which were made is comprised. That is, the doors 51 and 52 have a shape in which a central portion corresponding to the partition plate 31 is cut out from a single plate. This vent door Dv is formed by integrally molding with resin, for example.
[0041]
Further, the doors 51 and 52 support the shaft 55 on the bearing portion 32 of the partition plate 31 so that the doors 51 and 52 face inward of the partition plate 31, that is, the portions of the bearing portion 32 that are not cut away. Step portions 53 and 54 as axis-perpendicular direction movement restricting means for restricting movement of the vent door Dv in the direction perpendicular to the shaft axial direction by engaging with the outer surface of the bearing portion 32 when rotated in the direction. Have.
[0042]
The shaft 55 includes positioning ribs 56 and 56 as positioning means for positioning the vent door Dv located on both sides of the bearing portion 32 when the shaft 55 is supported by the bearing portion 32 of the partition plate 31. Yes. The positioning means is not limited to such positioning ribs 56, 56. For example, one positioning rib is formed at the center of the shaft 55, and this one positioning rib is used as the arc surface 33 of the bearing portion 32. You may make it engage with the groove | channel formed in this.
[0043]
Next, a method for incorporating the partition plate and various doors into the case will be described.
[0044]
FIG. 5 is a view seen from the shaft axial direction showing a method of attaching the vent door to the partition plate. In FIG. 5, the positioning ribs 56 are not shown.
[0045]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5A, the shaft 55 of the vent door Dv faces the opening of the bearing portion 32 of the partition plate 31, and the intermediate portion of the positioning ribs 56, 56 and the bearing portion 32 coincide with each other. So close.
[0046]
Since the arc surface 33 of the bearing portion 32 is formed in a range of 180 ° or more, the shaft 55 deforms the opening portion of the bearing portion 32 outward (see FIG. 5B), and the bearing portion 32. It enters and is supported (see FIG. 5C). In addition, since the step parts 53 and 54 are formed in the doors 51 and 52, the doors 51 and 52 do not interfere with the bearing part 32 at this time.
[0047]
Thus, the arc surface 33 formed in the range of 180 ° or more of the bearing portion 32 can prevent the shaft 55 from entering the bearing portion 32 so that it does not come off in the direction perpendicular to the axis with a slight force. it can. Further, the axial positioning is very easy by merely matching the intermediate portions of the ribs 56 and 56 with the bearing portion 32. In addition, the movement of the vent door Dv in the shaft axis direction can be restricted. Therefore, workability is further improved. In addition, since the bearing portion 32 is a cylinder with a predetermined length cut out, the stability of supporting the shaft 55 is increased.
[0048]
Next, as shown in FIG. 5D and FIG. 4, the shaft 55 is rotated so that the doors 51 and 52 face the inside of the partition plate 31. In this way, the step portions 53 and 54 engage with the outer surface of the bearing portion 32, so that the movement of the vent door Dv in the direction perpendicular to the shaft axis direction can be restricted. Therefore, the state in which the vent door Dv is attached to the partition plate 31 can be reliably maintained, and the falling of the vent door Dv from the partition plate 31 can be reliably prevented.
[0049]
Similarly, the differential door Dd is also attached to the partition plate 31. In addition, the composite mode door 10 in which a bearing part is not located in the periphery of the partition plate 31 is attached by the method shown in FIG.
[0050]
Thus, after the partition plate 31, the vent door Dv, and the differential door Dd are assembled in advance, they are assembled into the case C of the unit as shown in FIG.
[0051]
Thus, according to this embodiment, the bearing part 32 formed in the substantially C shape so that one part is opened to the outer periphery at the periphery of the partition plate 31, and the rotation supported by the bearing part 32 As a door unit including a single shaft 55 that forms the center, and a plurality of doors 51 and 52 fixed to the shaft 55 so as to be positioned in each of a plurality of passages formed in the case C by the partition plate 31. Since the vent door Dv and the differential door Dd are provided, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the conventional case, and thus the manufacturing cost can be reduced.
[0052]
Further, by assembling the partition plate 31, the vent door Dv and the differential door Dd into the case C of the unit in a preassembled state, the shaft 55 can serve as a guide pin for positioning at the time of assembly. Can be easily inserted into the case C and workability is improved.
[0053]
Further, since it is not necessary to provide a long hole slightly larger than the door cross-sectional shape in the partition plate in order to assemble the vent door Dv and the differential door Dd, there is a situation in which air flows from one passage to the other passage through the long hole. Therefore, the temperature of the air flowing in each of the plurality of passages can be reliably controlled.
[0054]
The embodiments described above are not described for limiting the present invention, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art within the technical idea of the present invention.
[0055]
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the independent temperature control unit having two independent passages formed by partitioning the inside of the case C with the partition plate 31 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, For example, the present invention can also be applied to an independent temperature control unit having three or more independent passages formed by partitioning the case with two or more partition plates. Furthermore, although the independent temperature control unit having the left and right independent passages has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to, for example, the independent temperature control unit having the upper and lower independent passages. it can.
[0056]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects are obtained for each claim.
[0057]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the bearing portion is formed in a substantially C-shaped bearing portion at the periphery of the partition plate, one shaft supported by the bearing portion, and the plurality of passages. And a door unit having a plurality of doors fixed to the shaft, it is possible to reduce the number of parts compared to the conventional case, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost. In addition, by incorporating the partition plate and door unit into the case in a pre-assembled state, the shaft can serve as a guide pin for positioning during assembly, making it easy to insert the partition plate into the case. , Workability is improved. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to provide a long hole slightly larger than the door cross-sectional shape in the partition plate for assembling the door unit, the temperature of the air flowing through each of the plurality of passages can be reliably and independently controlled. In addition, since the bearing portion is a cylindrical part with a predetermined length in a direction perpendicular to the partition plate, the stability of supporting the shaft is increased.
[0058]
According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, the arc surface of the bearing portion is formed in a range of 180 ° or more, so that the shaft only enters the bearing portion. Thus, it is possible to prevent a slight force from coming off in the direction perpendicular to the axis.
[0060]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the invention, since the shaft perpendicular direction movement restricting means is provided, the state where the door unit is attached to the partition plate can be reliably maintained. It is possible to reliably prevent the door unit from falling off the partition plate.
[0061]
According to the invention described in claim 4 , in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, the positioning in the axial direction becomes extremely easy only by matching the positioning means with the bearing portion. Moreover, the movement of the door unit in the shaft axis direction can be restricted. Therefore, workability is further improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an automotive air conditioner to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing main parts of a unit according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a partition plate and a vent door in a partially enlarged manner.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a vent door attached to a partition plate.
FIG. 5 is a view seen from the shaft axial direction showing a method of attaching a vent door to a partition plate.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a door mounting structure of a conventional unit.
[Explanation of symbols]
3 ... Evaporator,
4 ... Heater core,
6 ... Warm air passage,
15 ... Mixed door,
31 ... partition plate,
32 ... bearing part,
33 ... circular arc surface,
51, 52 ... Door,
53, 54 ... Stepped portion (perpendicular direction movement restricting means),
55 ... shaft,
56 ... positioning ribs (positioning means),
B ... Cold air passage,
C ... Case,
Dv ... Vent door (door unit),
Dd: Differential door (door unit).

Claims (4)

An automotive air conditioner in which a plurality of plate-like doors for changing the flow of air flowing through the passage are respectively attached to a plurality of passages formed by partitioning the inside of the case of the automotive air conditioner with a partition plate. In the door mounting structure of the device,
On the periphery of the partition plate, a bearing portion formed in a substantially C shape so that a part is opened outward;
Have a, a door unit having a plurality of doors which are secured to the shaft so as to be positioned in each of the one shaft, and the plurality of passages forming a pivot center that is supported by the bearing portion,
The door mounting structure for an automotive air conditioner , wherein the bearing portion is a cylinder with a part cut out in a direction perpendicular to the partition plate and having a width larger than the plate thickness of the partition plate .   The door mounting structure for an automobile air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the bearing portion has an arc surface formed in a range of 180 ° or more. The door supports the shaft on a bearing portion of the partition plate and engages with the outer surface of the bearing portion when the door is rotated so as to face inward of the partition plate. 2. The door mounting structure for an air conditioner for an automobile according to claim 1 , further comprising an axis perpendicular direction movement restricting means for restricting movement of the door unit in a direction perpendicular to the shaft axial direction.   The shaft has positioning means for positioning the door unit in the shaft axial direction by engaging with the bearing portion when the shaft is supported by the bearing portion of the partition plate. The door attachment structure of the air conditioning apparatus for motor vehicles of Claim 1.

Images