JP4380053B2 - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a drainage structure for draining water in an air conditioning case in an air conditioner having a cooling heat exchanger.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-236150 proposes that a bottom wall of a resin air-conditioning case that accommodates an evaporator is integrally formed with a covering wall that covers the upstream side of the air flow in the lower part of the evaporator. This covering wall prevents foreign substances such as dust from adhering to the evaporator, thereby preventing corrosion of the evaporator.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, since most of the condensed water adhering to the evaporator is blown by the blown air and moves to the downstream side of the air flow, it is common to form a drain hole in the air flow downstream side portion of the evaporator in the bottom surface of the air conditioning case. Is.
[0004]
However, in the above prior art, since the covering wall is integrally formed on the bottom surface of the air conditioning case, the condensed water that has fallen to the upstream side of the air flow in the evaporator on the bottom surface of the air conditioning case is blocked by the covering wall. It was difficult to guide water to the drain hole.
[0005]
Therefore, the present inventors examined forming the drainage passage 16b in the air conditioning case 10 between the covering wall 16 and the bottom surface 10f of the air conditioning case 10 as shown in FIG. It has been found that when it is divided as follows, the cost for resin molding is increased. That is, in the case where the air-conditioning case 10 is divided by the dividing surface indicated by the symbol B and is constituted by left and right cases 10L and 10R that are die-molded in the direction in which the covering wall 16 extends (arrow C direction) and resin-molded. If the drainage passage 16b is to be formed in the left or right case 10L, 10R, it becomes difficult to make the die-cutting direction only the direction in which the covering wall extends, leading to an increase in the cost of the mold or the like.
[0006]
In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to ensure drainage without causing a cost increase in resin molding in an air conditioner in which a coating wall for preventing corrosion is integrally formed in an air conditioning case.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a cooling heat exchanger (20) for cooling the air accommodated in an air conditioning case (10) forming an air passage, and an air conditioning case (10). ) Projecting from the bottom surface (10f) of the cooling wall, extending in a direction perpendicular to the air flow direction and covering the air flow upstream side of the lower part (23) of the cooling heat exchanger (20), The air conditioning case (10) includes a drain hole (10g) that opens to the downstream side of the air flow from the covering wall (16) in the bottom surface (10f) of the air conditioning case (10), and the air conditioning case (10) is parallel to the air flow direction and vertically The first case (10L) and the second case (10R) which are divided by a dividing surface (B) extending in the direction and are die-cut in the extending direction of the covering wall (16) and resin-molded. 16) The first case (10L) and Each of the second cases (10R) is integrally molded and divided by the dividing surface (B), and water located upstream of the air flow of the covering wall (16) is drained into the dividing surface (B) (10g). The drainage passages (16a, 18a) are formed to be formed by a recess (18) recessed downward from the bottom surface (10f) of the air conditioning case (10), and the first and second drainage passages (18a) are formed. The case (10L, 10R) is fastened by fastening means, and in a state where the first and second cases (10L, 10R) are fastened, the covering wall (16) is configured as a continuously extending wall, and the drainage passage ( 18a) is characterized in that it is formed below the covering wall (16) .
[0008]
As a result, the air flow upstream side of the lower side portion (23) of the cooling heat exchanger (20) is covered with the covering wall (16), so that foreign matters such as dust are cooled by the cooling heat exchanger (20). It is possible to prevent the air conditioner heat exchanger (20) from corroding.
[0009]
Moreover, since the drainage passage (16a, 18a) which guides the water located in the air flow upstream of the covering wall (16) to the drainage hole (10g) is formed, it is for cooling among the bottom surfaces (10f) of the air conditioning case (10). Condensed water falling to the upstream side of the air flow of the heat exchanger (20) is not blocked by the covering wall (16) integrally formed on the bottom surface (10f), but is drained by the drainage passages (16a, 18a) (10g). ) Can be led to.
[0010]
Further, since the drainage passages (16a, 18a) are formed in the dividing surface (B) of the air conditioning case (10), the covering wall (16) extends in the die cutting direction of the first and second cases (10L, 10R). Only the direction can be set, and drainage can be ensured without causing an increase in cost in resin molding.
[0012]
Moreover , since the drainage passage (18a) can be formed without providing a hole in the covering wall (16), corrosion of the air conditioner heat exchanger (20) can be reliably prevented.
[0013]
In addition, the code | symbol in the parenthesis of each said means is an example which shows a corresponding relationship with the specific means as described in embodiment mentioned later.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an air conditioning unit portion of a vehicle air conditioner according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1. The ventilation system of the vehicle air conditioner is roughly divided into an air conditioning unit 1 and The air conditioning unit 1 is divided into two parts: a blower unit (not shown) for blowing air.
[0015]
The blower unit is arranged offset from the center part to the passenger seat side in the lower part of the instrument panel in the passenger compartment. On the other hand, the air conditioning unit 1 is arranged in the vehicle left and right direction in the lower part of the instrument panel in the passenger compartment. It is arranged at a substantially central part. As is well known, the blower unit is composed of an inside / outside air switching box that switches between outside air (outside air in the passenger compartment) and inside air (air inside the cabin), and a blower that sucks and blows air through the inside / outside air switching box. .
[0016]
Specifically, one part of the air conditioning unit is of a type in which both the evaporator (cooling heat exchanger) 20 and the heater core 30 are integrally incorporated in one common resin (for example, polypropylene) air conditioning case 10. It is. 1 part of the air conditioning unit is arranged in a mounting direction indicated by arrows in FIG. 1 with respect to the front and rear, the left and right direction and the up and down direction of the vehicle at a substantially central part of the lower part of the instrument panel in the passenger compartment.
[0017]
An air inlet 10a is formed on the side surface of the air-conditioning case 10 that is closest to the front of the vehicle. Air blown from the case outlet of the blower of the blower unit flows into the air inlet 10a. Since the vehicle air conditioner of this example shows an example applied to a left-hand drive vehicle, blown air flows into the air inlet 10a from the right side of the vehicle.
[0018]
In the air conditioning case 10, an evaporator 20 is disposed immediately after the air inlet 10 a. The evaporator 20 is arranged substantially vertically so as to cross the passage in the air conditioning case 10 in a thin shape in the vehicle front-rear direction. Accordingly, the blown air from the air inlet 10a flows into the core portion 21 of the evaporator 20 described later. As is well known, the evaporator 20 absorbs the latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle from the conditioned air to cool the conditioned air.
[0019]
Evaporator 20 of the present embodiment, generally there than even the laminate type called type, and a core unit 21 and the tank portions 22 and 23 which will be described later.
[0020]
The core portion 21 performs heat exchange with the conditioned air, and is a flat tube and corrugated fin formed by joining two aluminum thin plates (not shown) together in the middle. (Not shown) are alternately stacked in a predetermined number in the direction perpendicular to the sheet of FIG. The flat surface of the flat tube is parallel to the air flow, and the flat tube of the core portion 21 is arranged so that the longitudinal direction thereof is substantially in the vertical direction. The stacking direction is the vehicle left-right direction.
[0021]
The tank portions 22 and 23 are configured as an upper tank portion 22 and a lower tank portion 23 by hook-shaped protrusions integrally formed at both upper and lower ends of a thin metal plate, and are used as refrigerant for a plurality of flat tubes. And the collection of refrigerant from a plurality of flat tubes.
[0022]
And the heater core 30 is arrange | positioned at predetermined intervals on the air flow downstream side (vehicle rear side) of the evaporator 20. The heater core 30 is vertically arranged vertically on the lower side in the air conditioning case 10. The width dimension of the evaporator 20 and the heater core 30 in the left-right direction of the vehicle is designed to be substantially the same as the width dimension of the air conditioning case 10.
[0023]
The heater core 30 reheats the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 20, and hot water (engine cooling water) flows through the heater core 30, and heats the air using this hot water as a heat source.
[0024]
Further, in the air flow path in the air conditioning case 10, a cold air bypass passage 11 that bypasses the heater core 30 and flows air (cold air) is formed above the heater core 30.
[0025]
A flat air mix door 40 is disposed between the heater core 30 and the evaporator 20. The air mix door 40 is integrally coupled to a rotary shaft 41 that is rotatably supported by the air conditioning case 10, and the rotary shaft 41 is rotated by a servo motor connected via a link mechanism (not shown). The rotation position of the mix door 40 is adjusted. Thereby, the air mix door 40 adjusts the air volume ratio between the warm air heated by the heater core 30 and the cool air that bypasses the heater core 30 through the cool air bypass passage 11.
[0026]
On the other hand, in the air conditioning case 10, a wall surface 12 extending in the vertical direction with a predetermined interval from the heater core 30 is integrally formed in the air conditioning case 10 at a portion of the heater core 30 on the air downstream side (vehicle rear side). . The wall surface 12 forms a warm air passage 13 that extends upward immediately after the heater core 30. The downstream side (upper side) of the hot air passage 13 merges with the downstream side of the cold air bypass passage 11 in the upper portion of the heater core 30 to form an air mixing unit 14 that mixes the cold air and the hot air.
[0027]
And in the upper surface part of the air-conditioning case 10, the defroster opening part 10b is opening in the site | part adjacent to the air mixing part 14. FIG. The defroster opening 10b is supplied with temperature-controlled conditioned air from the air mixing unit 14, and is connected to a defroster outlet through a defroster duct (not shown). Wind is blown toward the inner surface to prevent fogging of the front window glass.
[0028]
In addition, a face opening 10c is provided on the upper surface of the air-conditioning case 10 at a position on the vehicle rear side (close to the occupant) of the defroster opening 10b. The face opening 10c is connected to a face duct (not shown). It is connected to a face outlet located on the upper side of the instrument panel, and wind is blown from the face outlet toward the driver's seat and passenger's head in the passenger seat.
[0029]
The defroster opening 10b and the face opening 10c are opened and closed by a flat-plate defroster door 50 and a face foot switching door 60, respectively. These doors 50 and 60 are integrally coupled to rotating shafts 51 and 61 rotatably supported by the air conditioning case 10, and the rotating shafts 51 and 61 are servos connected via a link mechanism (not shown). The actuator is rotated in conjunction with a common actuator mechanism composed of a motor.
[0030]
Next, in the air conditioning case 10, a foot opening 10d is provided below the face opening 10c. The foot opening 10d is open on the left and right side surfaces of the air-conditioning case 10 and blows air out to the passenger's feet in the driver's seat and the passenger seat. The face foot switching door 60 is used to switch the opening and closing of the foot passage 15 between the face opening 10c and the foot opening 10d.
[0031]
Further, in the air conditioning case 10, a rear seat foot opening 10e is provided below the foot opening 10d. The rear-seat foot opening 10e is connected to a rear-seat foot outlet through a rear-seat duct (not shown), and blows warm air from the rear-seat foot outlet toward the passenger's feet in the rear seat. It is like that.
[0032]
The evaporator 20 is installed on the bottom surface 10 f of the air conditioning case 10. The bottom surface 10f protrudes upward and extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 2 (A-A cross-sectional view in FIG. 1). A covering wall 16 that covers the side surface over the entire length in the vehicle left-right direction is formed integrally with the air conditioning case 10. Here, the symbol G indicates foreign matter such as dust that has entered from the air inlet 10 a, and the foreign matter G accumulates on the upstream side of the air flow of the covering wall 16. Therefore, the covering wall 16 prevents the foreign matter G from directly touching the evaporator 20.
[0033]
By the way, as shown by the symbol B in FIG. 2, the air conditioning case 10 is divided into left and right by a dividing plane B that is parallel to the air flow direction and parallel to the vertical direction, and the left case 10L and the right case 10R are well known. Fastening means (for example, screws, clips, etc.) are used for fastening. Therefore, the above-described covering wall 16 is also divided into left and right parts as indicated by reference numerals 16L and 16R. The left and right cases 10L and 10R are resin-molded by cutting the mold in the direction in which the covering wall 16 extends (the direction of arrow C in FIG. 2).
[0034]
Next, a drainage structure that is a main part of the present invention will be described. A water collecting portion 17 having a shape protruding downward is formed on the bottom portion of the bottom surface 10f of the air conditioning case 10 below the evaporator 20. A drain hole 10 g is opened to the side of the water collecting portion 17. Thereby, after the condensed water adhering on the metal thin plate of the evaporator 20 flows downward by gravity, as shown by an arrow D in FIG. 1, the condensed water is led to the drain hole 10 g by the water collecting portion 17, and the drain hole The water is discharged from 10 g to the outside of the air conditioning case 10.
[0035]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the left case 10L as viewed from the downstream side of the air flow. Water on the upstream side of the air flow of the evaporator 20 is drained to the dividing surface B of the air conditioning case 10 below the covering wall 16 through the drain hole 10g. A drainage passage 18a is formed that leads to the water collecting portion 17 in which is formed. That is, the drainage passage 18a is divided into two parts on the left and right sides as indicated by reference numerals 18L and 18R by the dividing surface B of the air conditioning case 10.
[0036]
The specific shape of the drainage passage 18a will be described. The drainage passage 18a is formed by a recess 18 recessed downward from the bottom surface 10f of the air conditioning case 10, and is orthogonal to the air flow of the drainage passage 18a as shown in FIG. The cross-sectional shape is a horizontally long rectangle. And the recessed part 18 is the shape extended in the vehicle front-back direction, and the drainage channel 18a is formed in the tunnel shape extended in a vehicle front-back direction.
[0037]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment in the above configuration will be briefly described for each blowing mode. When the face mode is selected as the blowing mode, the defroster door 50 closes the defroster opening 10b, and the foot face switching door 60 The face opening 10c is fully opened and the foot passage 15 is fully closed. Thereby, the air whose temperature is adjusted by the air mix door 40 is blown out from the face outlet through the face opening 10c.
[0038]
When the bi-level mode is selected as the blowing mode, the defroster door 50 closes the defroster opening 10b, and the foot face switching door 60 is operated to the solid line position in FIG. 1 to open both the face opening 10c and the foot passage 15. To do. As a result, the air whose temperature has been adjusted by the air mix door 40 has the air whose temperature has been adjusted by the air mix door 40 passed through the face opening 10c, the foot opening 10d and the rear seat foot opening 10e, The air is blown out simultaneously from the foot outlet and the rear seat foot outlet.
[0039]
When the foot mode is selected as the blowing mode, the defroster door 50 opens a small amount of the defroster opening 10b, and the foot face switching door 60 closes the face opening 10c and fully opens the foot passage 15. Thus, the air whose temperature is adjusted by the air mix door 40 is blown out from the foot outlet and the rear seat foot outlet through the foot opening 10d and the rear seat foot opening 10e.
[0040]
When the defroster mode is selected as the blowing mode, the defroster door 50 opens the defroster opening 10b and fully closes the foot passage 15. Thereby, the air whose temperature is adjusted by the air mix door 40 is blown out from the defroster outlet through the defroster opening 10b.
[0041]
Next, the characteristics of this embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described. Since the surface on the upstream side of the air flow in the lower tank portion 23 of the evaporator 20 is covered with the covering wall 16 over the entire length in the left-right direction of the vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign matter G such as dust from adhering to the evaporator 20 and to prevent corrosion of the evaporator.
[0042]
Further, a drainage passage 18a that guides water upstream of the air flow of the evaporator 20 to the water collecting portion 17 in which the drainage hole 10g is formed is formed below the covering wall 16, so that the bottom surface 10f of the air conditioning case 10 is provided. Among them, the condensed water falling to the upstream side of the air flow of the evaporator 20 can be guided to the drain hole 10g by the drain passage 18a without being blocked by the covering wall 16 integrally formed on the bottom surface 10f.
[0043]
Further, since the drainage passage 18a is formed in the dividing surface B of the air conditioning case 10, the left and right cases 10L, 10R can be cut only in the direction in which the covering wall 16 extends, which increases the cost of resin molding. Drainability can be secured without inviting.
[0044]
(Other embodiments)
In the above-described embodiment, the drainage passage 18a is formed by the recess 18 that is recessed downward from the bottom surface 10f of the air conditioning case 10, but the formation of the recess 18 in the air conditioning case 10 is abolished, and the two-dot chain line in FIG. As shown, a through hole 16a penetrating in the air flow direction may be formed in the dividing surface B of the covering wall 16, and the through hole 16a may function as a drainage passage. In this case, the condensed water that has passed through the through hole 16a is guided to the drain hole 10g through the gap between the bottom surface 10f of the air conditioning case 10 and the evaporator 20. The opening shape and area of the through hole 16a are preferably set so that the foreign matter G such as dust does not pass through the through hole 16a and the corrosion preventing effect is not significantly reduced.
[0045]
Moreover, although the evaporator 20 of the above-mentioned embodiment is arrange | positioned substantially perpendicularly so that it may traverse the channel | path in the air-conditioning case 10 with a thin form in the vehicle front-back direction, the evaporator 20 is arrange | positioned exactly | strictly vertically. However, the evaporator 20 is inclined and arranged so that the downstream side of the air is downward, and the condensed water adhering to the evaporator 20 moves to the downstream side of the air and falls to the water collecting section 17. You may make it easy.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an air conditioning unit of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a left case.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an air conditioning case examined by the present inventors.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 ... Air conditioning case, 10f ... Bottom, 10L ... Left case,
10R ... right side case, 16 ... covering wall, 18 ... recess,
16a, 18a ... drainage passage, 20 ... evaporator.

Claims (1)

An air conditioning case (10) forming an air passage;
A cooling heat exchanger (20) that is housed in the air conditioning case (10) and cools the air;
A coating that projects from the bottom surface (10f) of the air conditioning case (10) and extends in a direction orthogonal to the air flow direction to cover the upstream side of the air flow in the lower portion (23) of the cooling heat exchanger (20). A wall (16);
A drainage hole (10g) that opens to the downstream side of the air flow from the covering wall (16) in the bottom surface (10f) of the air conditioning case (10),
The air conditioning case (10) is divided by a dividing surface (B) extending in the vertical direction and parallel to the air flow direction, and a first case (die-molded by being die-cut in the extending direction of the covering wall (16)). 10L) and the second case (10R),
The covering wall (16) is integrally formed in each of the first case (10L) and the second case (10R) and divided by the dividing surface (B),
The partition surface (B) is formed with a drainage passageway ( 18a) that guides water located upstream of the covering wall (16) to the drainage hole (10g).
The drainage passage (18a) is formed by a recess (18) recessed downward from the bottom surface (10f) of the air conditioning case (10),
The first and second cases (10L, 10R) are fastened by fastening means,
In the state where the first and second cases (10L, 10R) are fastened, the covering wall (16) is configured as a continuously extending wall,
The said drainage passage (18a) is formed under the said coating | coated wall (16), The air conditioner characterized by the above-mentioned .

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