KR20190013587A - Air conditioner for a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

An objective of the invention is to provide an air conditioning device in which inserts for mixing temperatures or expanding functions are provided so that an air flow in the air conditioning device is not adversely affected. The present invention relates to an air conditioning device (1) for a vehicle, which includes: at least one air conditioning device housing (2); a plurality of air temperature regulation and air distribution devices disposed in the housing; and air outlets for discharging air, which has a temperature controlled by the air conditioning device (1), into a compartment. In this case, the air outlets are arranged in different air discharge planes. According to the present invention, individual air outlets are spaced apart from each other, and disposed on both outer sides of a central housing wall region (9) which is disposed between the air outlets (6.1, 6.2; 7.1, 7.2) to prevent the air from flowing therethrough, and thus the air outlets are disposed separately from at least one air discharge plane. In this case, an installation space formed between the air outlets below the central housing wall region (9) of the air conditioning device housing (2) forms a functional area (10), and at least one functional member or functional module (16, 20) is mounted in the functional area.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner for an automobile,

The present invention relates to an air conditioner for an automobile in which mounting of functional modules is permitted without adversely affecting the air flow.

The air conditioners of an automobile must ensure the comfort of the passengers by distributing the desired temperature among the various air flows entering the passenger compartment. In this case, the airflows in the legroom area must have a significantly higher temperature than the airflow discharged into the occupant's chest area. In contrast, the air discharged into the windshield must have a temperature that is equal to or slightly lower than the airflow entering the legroom to prevent the windshield from spilling into the windshield. Conventional air conditioner architectures have an arrangement in which a heat exchanger is disposed in the lower region of the air conditioner. In this case, the partial air flow flowing through the heat exchanger is heated. The air is guided into the mixing space which is a so-called air mixing chamber located behind the heat exchanger, with reference to the flow direction of the air. For temperature control, a second partial air flow over the heat exchanger passes through the heat exchanger and is guided into the air mixing chamber. The desired temperature is achieved by a suitable mixing ratio. However, due to the available installation space, the air mixing chambers are too small to achieve perfect mixing. For this reason, the air outlets flowing out of the mixing chamber of the air and leading to the passenger compartment are temperature-controlled to be significantly different from each other, and as a result, the temperature required for the upper ejection openings is too low, In addition, most of the air conditioners known so far have air outlets extending in the y-direction over the entire width of the air conditioner. Balanced air flows must be supplied to the air outlets as described above. However, air conditioners also require certain mixing members to achieve the aforementioned desired temperature stratification. To solve this problem, for example, warm air is led from the heat exchanger through the ducts to the upper region of the air conditioner, for example, a defrost outlet. Such a solution is described, for example, in DE 10 2007 013 432 A1 . In this case, the hot air duct takes warm air from the heat exchanger and guides the hot air to the air outlets in the upper region of the air conditioner as desired, so that the temperature can be correspondingly raised at the air outlets. As described above, the ducts inserted into the air conditioner housing are usually located at the center of the air flow, in which case the ducts reduce the air path cross-sectional area and interfere with the air flow. Thus, in particular, the air flow of the air flowing from the evaporator to the air outlets is disturbed. This applies analogously to other functional inserts, such as the temperature module of the multi-zone application, in which the air guide members of the inserts are similar to the air guide members of the air conditioner and likewise arranged inside the air conditioner . All inserts that reduce the air path cross-sectional area and interfere with the air flow cause pressure loss, air flow reduction and flow imbalance of the air flow into the air outlets. In addition to reducing airflow, the inserts also have a negative impact on sound insulation by increasing the vibrations that can be heard and sensed in the vehicle.

DE 101 47 114 A1 describes an alternative arrangement of a warm air guide. In this case, an additional duct surrounds the air conditioner, so that the channel is not in the air flow. However, such alternative arrangements around the air conditioner are not adversely affected, but the efficiency of the duct is low due to the small cross-sectional area and the required deflection. Therefore, only a relatively small amount of warm air flow can be guided to the upper air outlets.

An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner in which inserts for temperature mixing or function expansion are allowed so as not to adversely affect the air flow in the air conditioner.

The above problem is solved by an air conditioner having the features of claim 1 suitable for automobiles. Improvements are specified in the dependent claims.

The air conditioner includes at least one air conditioner housing, a plurality of air temperature control and air distribution apparatuses disposed in the housing, and air outlets for air to be discharged into the passenger compartment by temperature control by the air conditioner, The air outlets are arranged in different air discharge planes. According to the present invention, in this case, since the individual air outlets are spaced apart from each other, and are disposed on both sides of the central housing wall area located between the air outlets and in which air can not flow, They are arranged separately in a plane. The space between the air outlets under the central housing wall area of the air conditioner housing forms a functional area and at least one functional member or function module is built in the functional area.

Different discharge orifice planes are generally occupied by one or more defrosting outlets, one or more vent outlets and one or more leg room outlets, respectively. Compared with the prior art, the individual air outlets in the plane of the air outlet port, for example, the defrost outlet port plane, the vent outlet port plane or the leg room outlet port plane, are individually and externally directed. As a result, there is a region in the center where air is not perfused. This region is formed between the ejection openings by the housing wall.

The concept of the present invention relates to an air conditioner housing having separate air outlets arranged in such a way that air flow into the air outlets is not disturbed. In this case, the air conditioner has separate air outlets and a so-called functional area, in which the functional area allows mounting without affecting the air flow. More specifically, the air outlets are spaced apart in the y-direction, that is, between the respective air outlets along the width of the air conditioner. The area beneath the housing wall area forming this gap is used as a space for functional features. Since the air flow from the evaporator or heat exchanger is divided into separate air outlets, there is a region where air does not flow. Such an area, which is located below the housing wall area which forms an interval between the air outlets, therefore provides sufficient space for mounting the functional member or functional module and can therefore also be referred to as the functional area.

Therefore, the advantages of the solution according to the invention are, on the one hand, to form an installation space inside the air conditioner which is not necessary for the air guides in the main modes, and on the other hand, Function module / function module can be installed.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the at least one functional member / function module is a cold air duct for guiding cold air to one or a plurality of leg room air outlets.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the one or more functional members / function modules direct hot air from the heat exchanger to one or more air outlets of the top air outlet, i. E. To one or more defrost outlets and / or one or more vent outlets It is the hot air duct to do.

The at least one functional element / functional module is a hot air duct for transferring hot air from at least one of the upper air outlets, i.e., at least one defrost outlet and / or one or more vent holes, from the heat exchanger.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the one or more functional modules embedded in the functional space below the separate housing wall area are multi-zone modules for individual temperature control of the rear zones of the vehicle. In this case, one embodiment with particularly preferred temperature flaps, in which the multi-zone modules are separate, or separately in the case of a common axis, is to allow different temperature regulation for the front zone and rear zone of the vehicle.

The air conditioner for an automobile according to the present invention can allow the mounting of the functional modules without adversely affecting the air flow.

Further details, features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing:
1 is a perspective view showing an air conditioner 1 having a plurality of air discharge planes, wherein the air discharge planes have separate air outlets,
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the y-direction inside the function area at the center of the housing between the separated air outlets. In this case, the function module in the form of a cool air duct leading to the leg room outlets Lt; / RTI >
3 is a perspective view showing a cold air duct inside the air conditioner housing,
4A to 4C are air conditioning systems having a function module in the form of a multi-zone module as a function module for controlling the separate temperature of the rear zones of the vehicle at the air outlets and the air outlets respectively separated in one or a plurality of air discharge planes In this case,
4A is a perspective view of an air conditioner having parts of an internal multi-zone module without temperature flaps, showing a region located in the next part of the evaporator,
Figure 4b is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the inner multi-zone module and showing the air conditioning device transversely with respect to the y-axis, and
4C is a front view showing the arrangement of temperature flaps for the front zone and the rear zone of the vehicle positioned between the evaporator and the heat exchanger, according to a four-zone variant example.

1 shows a perspective view of an air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the fan housing 3 connected to the air conditioner housing 2 together with the fan housing 3, (2) can be seen. In the air conditioner housing 2, air temperature control devices such as an evaporator and a heat exchanger are disposed, which are covered by the housing wall 4 in FIG. 1 and are not shown in the drawings. In the air conditioner housing 2, a plurality of air outlets for air to be discharged into the passenger compartment are regulated by the air conditioner. (5; 6.1, 6.2; 7.1, 7.2; 8) for different areas of the interior of the vehicle, such as a defrost outlet (5) for air discharged into the windshield and air discharged to the occupant's chest area The vent outlets (6.1, 6.2; 7.1, 7.2) and the leg room outlets (8) for air entering the leg room area are likewise located at correspondingly different discharge planes. As shown in Fig . 1 , the two different discharge planes of the vent outlets 6.1, 6.2, 7.1 and 7.2 each include two separate vent outlets 6.1, 6.2 or 7.1 7.2, (9) located between the vent outlets (6.1, 6.2 or 7.1, 7.2) and spaced apart from each other with respect to the lateral direction (y) of the apparatus and formed by a portion of the housing wall . In place of the individual defrosting outlets extending in the y-direction over the entire width of the air conditioner, two separate defrosting outlets arranged apart from each other on both sides of a central region formed by a part of the housing wall 4 (Not shown in FIG . 1 ).

For example, airflow from air temperature regulators such as evaporators and heat exchangers is split into separate air outlets (6.1, 6.2 or 7.1, 7.2), thus creating a gap where air does not flow. Such a gap between the vent outlets underneath the central housing wall area 9 is used to mount a functional member or functional insert for the air guide, such as, for example, a hot air duct.

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the air conditioner 1 transversely with respect to the y-direction in which the cutting surface is located inside the gap used as the functional area 10, in the central housing wall area 9 of the housing wall 4 ) below, it is also placed between the discharge port 2 in the event separation is not shown. The air conditioner includes air temperature control and air distribution devices. 2 , an evaporator 11, a heat exchanger 12 and an additional heating element 13 are arranged one after another in the air flow direction, and at the same time, parallel to the y-direction, That is, in parallel with the lateral direction of the air conditioner 1. The additional air distribution device includes temperature flaps 14 and 15, that is, a warm air flap 14 located in front of the heat exchanger 12, and a heat exchanger 12 (not shown) disposed in the lower area of the air conditioner, And a cool air flap 15 is provided at the upper side. A function insert 16 in the form of a cold air duct 16 is formed in the function area 10 and a cool air duct flap 17 is disposed in the cool air duct. The cold air duct 16 takes cold air through the evaporator 11 immediately after the cold air flap 15 without pre-mixing with warm air in the region above the heat exchanger 12 and then guides such cold air to the leg room area. The air conditioner shown in Fig. 2 also has air outlets with associated air flaps extending in the y-direction over the entire width of the air conditioner, i.e., not separated by a plurality of spaced apart air outlets Respectively. This relates to a leg room outlet 8 having a defroster outlet 5 with a defrost flap 18 and a leg room outlet flap 19. [

3 shows a perspective view of the cold air duct 16 inside the air conditioner housing 2 where the upper inlet of the cold air duct is located below the deproton outlet 5 and above the hot air fan lap 14 .

Fig. 4A shows a perspective view of an air conditioner 1 having air outlets respectively separated in one or a plurality of air discharge planes, in which case the temperature flaps are not shown. The installation space used as the functional area 10 can be clearly seen, wherein the installation space is located between the vent outlets separated below the central housing wall area 9, and in FIG. 4A , (6.1; 7.1). In the functional area 10, a function insert 20 in the form of an internal multi-zone module 20 for controlling the individual temperature of the rear zones of the vehicle is incorporated. 4A shows a perspective view of the area of the air conditioner 10 positioned next to the evaporator with reference to the flow direction of the air, wherein the multi-zone module 20 is inserted in the air conditioner. That is, although the evaporator is not shown in Fig. 4A , a heat exchanger 12 is shown which actually extends in the y-direction over the entire extension of the air conditioner 1. [ The extensions of each portion 21.1, 21.2 of the multi-zone module 20 and of the housing intermediate wall 22 are much larger than the respective extensions of the y-direction in the x-direction and z-direction, On the wall, portions 21.1, 21.2 of the multi-zone module 20, preferably formed in a bowl-shaped U shape, are fixed on both sides. The portions 21.1, 21.2 of the multi-zone module 20 and the housing intermediate wall 22 have a recess corresponding to the height and thickness of the heat exchanger 12 on their lower surface. In this case, the recesses 21.1, 21.2 and the recesses of the central wall 22 of the housing are arranged such that the heat exchanger 12 is located within the recesses, as shown in Figure 4a , ) In the lateral direction (y). As a result, the multi-zone module 20 is likewise designed to reach almost the evaporator 11 and thus the region between the evaporator 11 and the heat exchanger 12, as shown in the corresponding cross-sectional view of Figure 4b .

4B shows a cross-sectional view of the air conditioner in a lateral direction with respect to the y-direction, looking from the outside of the vertical region of the portion 21.1 of the ball-shaped multi-zone module 20 serving as a separation wall, The multi-zone module is formed corresponding to the 4-zone variant. Wherein the cross-sectional area represents control members and air flow paths for air flow into the first or second zone. The air conditioner 1, as already mentioned, includes air temperature control and air distribution devices. The air distribution apparatus is provided with a fan 23 and air flaps, and the air temperature regulating apparatus is provided with an evaporator 11, a heat exchanger 12 and an additional heating element 13. The fan 23, the evaporator 11, the heat exchanger 12 and the additional heating element 13 are arranged one after another and are parallel to the y-direction, that is, parallel to the lateral direction of the air conditioner 1 . Additional air distribution devices include temperature flaps 14 and 15, i.e., a warm air flap 14 located in front of the heat exchanger 12, and a cold air flap 14 positioned above the heat exchanger 12, 15) are provided. 4b further shows the associated air outlets for the different air outlets or air discharge ducts and front zones, namely the defrost outlets 5 with the defrost flaps 18, the corresponding vent flaps 24, Vent outlets (6.2, 7.2) equipped with leg openings (25, 25) and leg room outlet flaps (19) for the front zone of one of the front zones. FIG. 4B shows only one vent outlet 6.2, 7.2 of the vent outlets 6.1, 6.2, 7.1 and 7.2, respectively, in the discharge plane (see FIG. 1 ).

Figure 4c shows a front view of the arrangement of the temperature flaps of the air conditioner 1 with a multi-zone module corresponding to a four-zone deformation, positioned between the evaporator and the heat exchanger. In this case, the temperature flaps (14.1, 14.2; 15.1, 15.2) as control members for controlling the cold winds and the hot wind flows for the front zones are relatively controlled as control members for controlling the cold and warm air flows for the centrally disposed rear zones The temperature flaps 14.1, 14.2; 15.1, 15.4 are arranged on the same side of the multi-zone module 20 on the same axis 26, 27 as the smaller temperature flaps 14.3, 14.4; 15.3, 15.4, 15.2) can be controlled independently of the temperature flaps (14.3, 14.4; 15.3, 15.4) and independently of each other. In other words: two intermediate warm-air flaps 14.3 and 14.4 for controlling the warm air for the rear zones, respectively, are located on the same axis 26 (Fig. 14), with the warm-air flaps 14.1 and 14.2 for controlling the hot wind for the front zones, As shown in Fig. Similarly, two intermediate cold flaps 15.3 and 15.4 for controlling cold winds for the rear zones are located on the same axis 27 (see Fig. 15), two cold flaps 15.1 and 15.2 for controlling the cold wind for the front zones, As shown in Fig.

1: Air conditioner
2: Housing of air conditioner
3: Fan housing
4: Housing wall
5: air outlet, di-frost outlet
6.1: Air outlet, vent outlet
6.2: Air outlet, vent outlet
7.1: Air outlet, vent outlet
7.2: Air outlet, vent outlet
8: air outlet, leg room outlet
9: central housing wall area
10: Function area
11: Evaporator
12: Heat exchanger
13: Electric heating element
14: temperature flap, warm air flap
14.1: Warm-air flap for front zone located on the side of multi-zone module
14.2: Warm-air flap for the front zone located on the side of the multi-zone module
14.3: Hot-wind flap for rear zone positioned in multi-zone module
14.4: Hot-wind flap for rear zone positioned in multi-zone module
15: temperature flap, cold air flap
15.1: Cold wind flap for the front zone located on the side of the multi-zone module
15.2: Cold wind flap for the front zone located on the side of the multi-zone module
15.3: Cold wind flap for rear zone positioned in multi-zone module
15.4: Cold wind flap for rear zone located in multi-zone module
16: Function module, cold air duct to leg room outlet
17: Air flap of cold air duct
18: De Frost Flap
19: Leg room outlet flap
20: Function module, multi zone module
21.1: Part of a multi-zone module
21.2: Part of a multi-zone module
22: housing middle wall
23: Fans
24: Bent flap
25: Bent flap
26: Axis for warm air flap
27: Axis for cold air flap

Claims (6)

An automotive air conditioner (1), comprising:
The air conditioner comprises at least one air conditioner housing (2), a plurality of air temperature control and air distribution devices arranged in the housing, and an air conditioning device for controlling the temperature of the air Wherein the air outlets are arranged in different air discharge planes and the individual air outlets are spaced apart from each other and located between the air outlets (6.1, 6.2; 7.1, 7.2) Are arranged on the outside of both sides of the central housing wall area (9) so as to be separated by one or more air discharge planes and arranged between the air outlets below the central housing wall area (9) of the air conditioner housing (2) Wherein the installation space forms a functional area (10), and one or more functional members or functional modules (16, 20) with built-in air conditioner. The method according to claim 1,
Characterized in that the different discharge planes are each occupied by one or more defrosting outlets (5), one or more vent outlets (6.1, 6.2; 7.1, 7.2) and one or more legroom outlets (8) , Air conditioning system. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
Characterized in that the at least one functional member / functional module is a cold air duct (16) for guiding cold air to one or more leg room air outlet (8). 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
Wherein the at least one functional member / function module is a hot air duct for guiding warm air from the heat exchanger (12) to at least one air outlet of the upper air outlet. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
Wherein the at least one function module is a multi-zone module (20) for individually controlling the temperature of the rear zones of the vehicle. 6. The method of claim 5,
In order to enable different temperature control of the front and rear zones of the vehicle, it is preferred that the multi-zone module 20 has temperature flaps 14.1, 14.2, 14.3; 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4, Characterized by an air conditioning device.

Images