JP4467128B2 - Unit drainage structure for vehicle air conditioners - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a unit drainage structure for a vehicle air conditioner.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a unit drainage structure for a vehicle air conditioner, a recess is formed in the drainage part located at the lower part of the unit case, and the condensed water stored in the drainage part moves to the evaporator side or flows backward to the upstream side of the air flow. (See JP 10-297271 A, JP 10-109522 A, JP 10-129246 A, JP 9-123748 A, etc.).
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above structure, the condensed water stored in the recess may be scattered to the evaporator side by the air flow in the unit case. Further, when the vehicle travels on a curve or a slope, the condensed water stored in the concave portion may flow backward to the upstream side of the air flow. In this case, it is not sufficient to prevent the condensate from scattering and moving by simply covering a part of the recess with the wind shield.
[0004]
Then, this invention makes it a subject to provide the unit drainage structure of the vehicle air conditioner which can drain smoothly the condensed water which generate | occur | produces with an evaporator, without repelling the air flow of a unit case.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As a means for solving the above problems, the present invention provides:
For vehicles where the air introduced from the inlet on the lower side of the unit case flows upward, and the generated condensed water is drained through the drainage part formed at the bottom of the unit case by cooling and dehumidifying with an evaporator. In the unit drainage structure of the air conditioner,
The drainage portion of the unit case, at the side region of the air flow directed to the opposite side from the inlet gradually have suited downwardly toward the inlet side, it was diverted to collide with the side surface provided with a drainage ditch intends along the air flow, and forming a drain outlet at the lowermost end portion of the drainage groove.
And the drainage groove provided in the drainage part of the unit case has a first drainage groove located on one side of the side region and a lowermost part located below the first drainage groove located on the other side. It is preferable that the second drainage groove is located and a third drainage groove communicating with the lowermost end portions of the two drainage grooves, and the drainage port is formed at the lowermost end portion of the second drainage groove.
[0006]
With this configuration, the air introduced into the unit case through the introduction port flows toward the opposite side wall. Thereafter, the direction is changed at the opposite side wall, most of which becomes the main flow going upward, and a part becomes a tributary going to the opposite side in the lateral region of the air flow from the inlet. The tributary heads for the drainage ditch in the drainage section to the lower part on the inlet side. Therefore, the condensed water that has fallen from the evaporator to the drainage portion smoothly flows down the drainage groove according to the flow of the tributary and is discharged to the outside through the drainage port.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0008]
FIG. 1 shows an air conditioning unit including a drainage structure according to the present embodiment. This air conditioning unit generally includes a blower unit 1 and a wind distribution unit 3 connected to the blower unit 1 via a duct 2.
[0009]
The blower unit 1 is provided with a fan 6 (centrifugal multi-blade fan: sirocco fan) that is rotationally driven by a blower motor 5 in a blower unit case 4, and inside air or outside air is introduced. A lead-out port 4 a is formed in the lower portion of the side wall of the blower unit case 4, and an opening on one end side of the duct 2 is connected thereto.
[0010]
In the air distribution unit 3, an evaporator 8 and a heater core 9 are sequentially disposed in the air distribution unit case 7 from the lower side. In the side wall 7a of the air distribution unit case 7, an inlet 10 is formed on the lower side, and the other end side opening of the duct 2 is connected thereto. The evaporator 8 is disposed so as to be gradually inclined downward toward one end side in a plane substantially orthogonal to the side wall 7a. The evaporator 8 is formed by alternately laminating flat tubes and corrugated fins, and cools and dehumidifies the air passing through the outside when the refrigerant flows in the flat tubes. Further, an air mix damper 11 is disposed above the evaporator 8 so as to be rotatable about a support shaft 11a. The heater core 9 is disposed in one flow path branched by the air mix damper 11, and heats the air passing through the engine coolant flowing inside. In the upper part of the air distribution unit case 7, the hot air heated by the heater core 9 and the cool air that is cooled by the evaporator 8 and bypasses the heater core 9 are mixed to reach a desired temperature. The air that has reached the desired temperature is blown from a corresponding location in the vehicle through one of the selected air outlets 12 on the upper wall 7c.
[0011]
A drainage portion 13 is formed in the lower portion of the air distribution unit case 7. As shown in FIG. 2, the drainage section 13 includes a first drainage groove 14a and a second drainage groove 14b formed in both side regions of the air flow from the inlet 10 toward the opposite side wall 7b, and both drainage grooves 14a, And a third drain groove 14c communicating with the lowermost end of 14b. Both the first drain groove 14a and the second drain groove 14b are gradually inclined downward toward the side wall 7a. The inclination angle may be any as long as the condensed water can flow smoothly. The first drain groove 14a is wider than the second drain groove 14b, and is formed at a position separated from the side wall 7b in order to obtain a desired inclination angle. Further, a drain port 15 is formed at the lowermost end of the second drain groove 14b. Further, the third drainage groove 14c is gradually inclined toward the drainage port 15 from the lowermost end portion of the first drainage groove 14a. Therefore, after the air introduced from the inlet 10 collides with the side wall 7b and is changed in direction, most of the air flows toward the upper evaporator 8, but a part thereof becomes a tributary and becomes the first drainage groove. 14a, the third drainage groove 14c, and the second drainage groove 14b flow.
[0012]
Next, the operation of the air conditioning unit will be described.
[0013]
When the blower motor 5 is driven, air is introduced from the blower unit case 4 into the air distribution unit case 7 through the duct 2. After the introduced air travels straight and collides with the side wall 7b, most of the air flows into the main stream and flows upward, and a part of the air flows as tributaries to the first drainage groove 14a and the second drainage groove 14b. . The evaporator 8 cools and dehumidifies the passing air (main flow) by driving a compressor (not shown). The generated condensed water flows down or falls to the drainage part 13 of the air distribution unit case 7. In the drainage section 13, there is an air flow from the inlet 10 toward the side wall 7 b on the upper surface, and in each drainage groove 14 a, 14 b, 14 c, there is a flow toward the drainage port 15 as described above. It flows down to 15 and is efficiently discharged outside. Even if the vehicle passes a curve, for example, the drainage groove 14c prevents the condensed water from flowing backward to the evaporator 8 side. Further, even if the vehicle passes through the slope, it is drained without being stored by the inclination angle of the drain groove 14c, and does not scatter to the evaporator 8 or the like.
[0014]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, in the drainage part of the unit case, in the side region of the air flow from the introduction port toward the opposite side surface, gradually downward toward the introduction port side. Since the drainage groove is formed, the flow direction of the condensed water and the flow direction of the air can be matched. Therefore, the condensed water can be smoothly discharged from the unit case.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an air conditioning unit according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II of the air distribution unit shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the drainage part of FIG. 2;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Air blow unit 3 ... Air distribution unit 4 ... Air blow unit case 6 ... Fan 7 ... Air distribution unit case 8 ... Evaporator 9 ... Heater core 10 ... Inlet 11 ... Air mix damper 13 ... Drain part 14a, 14b, 14c ... Drain groove 15 ... Drain outlet

Claims (2)

For vehicles where the air introduced from the inlet on the lower side of the unit case flows upward, and the generated condensed water is drained through the drainage part formed at the bottom of the unit case by cooling and dehumidifying with an evaporator. In the unit drainage structure of the air conditioner,
The drainage portion of the unit case, at the side region of the air flow directed to the opposite side from the inlet gradually have suited downwardly toward the inlet side, it was diverted to collide with the side surface unit drainage structure along with providing along intends culvert in the air flow, the vehicle air-conditioning system, characterized in that the formation of the drain outlet at the lowermost end portion of the drainage groove.   The drainage groove provided in the drainage part of the unit case has a first drainage groove located on one side of the lateral region and a lowermost part located below the first drainage groove located on the other side. The second drainage groove and a third drainage groove communicating with the lowermost end portions of the two drainage grooves, wherein the drainage port is drilled at the lowermost end portion of the second drainage groove. 2. A unit drainage structure for a vehicle air conditioner according to 1.

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