Patent Application
20130207420
The present invention generally relates to overhead climate control systems, and more particularly to a climate control system having an air supply duct defined by structural frame members.
In current automotive vehicles, an increased number of components required for occupant safety and comfort are being included in the roof portion of a vehicle. At the same time, many vehicles are being manufactured and sold with sliding roofs, multiple moonroofs, and so-called “panoramic roofs,” in which a large glass sheet is used for the roof in place of the traditional sheet metal roof.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a climate control system for a vehicle includes an air conditioner positioned in a rear of the vehicle. A roof panel includes a moonroof opening bounded on at least one side by a moonroof rail. The moonroof rail generally defines an air supply duct between a headliner and the roof panel. The air supply duct is in communication with the air conditioner. A plurality of vents are operably connected to the moonroof rail and relay conditioned air from the air supply duct to an interior of the vehicle.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a climate control system for a vehicle includes a roof support structure having a peripheral tubular member. The peripheral tubular member generally defines an air supply duct disposed between a headliner and a roof panel and is in communication with an air conditioner. A plurality of vents extend from the air supply duct that relay conditioned air to an interior of the vehicle.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a climate control system for a vehicle includes a roof panel having a headliner coupled thereto. A plurality of structural frame members are disposed between the headliner and the roof panel. An air supply duct is defined by the structural frame members and is in communication with an air conditioner. A plurality of vents relay conditioned air from the air supply duct to an interior of the vehicle.
These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
In the drawings:
For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “interior,” “exterior,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
Referring to
As illustrated, the vehicle 12 includes a body 27 having a roof 29. The roof 29 of the (non-convertible top) vehicle 12 includes a pair of side rails and a front and rear cross rail, commonly referred to in the automotive industry as a “header,” “front roof bow,” “rear roof bow,” and “side rails.” The roof includes a frame for the upper portion of the vehicle 12, to which interior and exterior components, such as the roof panel 16 and the headliner 24, can be affixed. The roof 29 is connected to the body 27 of the vehicle 12 by a plurality of pillars. The illustrated vehicle 12 of
The vehicle 12 has a roof support structure 38 that generally includes a glass frame 40 and the roof panel 16. The roof panel 16 is formed of sheet metal and is affixed to the glass frame 40, typically joined together by spot welding, or any other suitable means. The vehicle 12 may also include a front air conditioning unit 42 that is located at a forward portion of the vehicle 12, typically forward of an instrument panel. The front air conditioning unit 42 can supplement, or replace, the air flow that is supplied by the rear air conditioning unit 14.
The vehicle 12, as illustrated, also includes a plurality of windows. As shown in the drawings, a windshield 50 is disposed at a forward portion of the interior 28 of the vehicle 12; a front window 52 is disposed rearward of the windshield 50 and between the A and B-pillars 30, 32; a side window 54 is disposed between the B and C-pillars 32, 34; a rear window 56 is disposed between the C and D-pillars 34, 36; and a rear windshield 58 is disposed at a rearward portion of the vehicle 12.
The roof support structure 38 includes a large window, commonly referred to in the automotive industry as a panoramic roof, defined by the moonroof opening 18 and enclosed by a large glass sheet or transparent plastic material. The moonroof opening 18 is bounded on longitudinal sides by the two moonroof rails 20 and on a rear lateral side by a rear moonroof rail 60. The moonroof rails 20, 60 are structural frame members and provide structural support for the moonroof opening 18 and the moonroof glass. Additionally, it should be noted that the vehicle 12 may include more than one moonroof opening 18, such as the exemplary two moonroof openings 18 shown in
As illustrated in
The air supply duct 22 includes a pair of spaced and longitudinally extending side ducts 70 and a laterally extending rear cross-car duct 72 that includes a substantially vertical relay portion 73 and a substantially laterally extending portion 75. As illustrated in
Referring now to
While it is shown that the air supply duct 22 is a discrete, formed conduit disposed between adjacent components, it should be understood that the air supply duct 22 can alternatively be defined by the void formed between the adjacent components. Specifically, the side duct 70 can be defined by the void between the headliner 24 and the moonroof rail 20, or the side duct 70 can be defined by a discrete, formed, and shaped conduit that is positioned within the space between the headliner 24 and the moonroof rail 20. Similarly, the cross-car duct 72 can be defined by the void between the rear moonroof rail 60 and the glass frame 40, or the cross-car duct 72 can be defined by a discrete, formed, and shaped conduit that is positioned within the space between the rear moonroof rail 60 and the glass frame 40.
As illustrated in the embodiment of
In operation, conditioned air flows from the rear air conditioning unit 14 and into the inlet 76 of the cross-car duct 72. From the cross-car duct 72, air may flow through any of the three outlets: the center outlet 78, driver-side outlet 80, and passenger-side outlet 82. Air that flows through the driver-side outlet 80 flows into the driver-side side duct 70, through outlets 74, and into the interior 28 of the vehicle 12 via the vents 26. It will be understood that a similar airflow path occurs through the passenger-side of the vehicle 12. Additionally, air may flow directly out of the cross-car duct 72 into the interior 28 of the vehicle 12 through the center outlet 78 and vent 26.
Referring now to
In some cases, the roof of the vehicle 112, as described above, can be formed by a manufacturing process called hydroforming. The process of hydroforming involves shaping the metal into a lightweight, structurally stiff and strong component. In general, a hollow tube of malleable metal is placed inside a negative mold that has the shape of the desired end result. High pressure hydraulic pumps inject fluid at very high pressure inside the metal tube, causing it to expand until it matches the mold. The hydroformed component is then removed from the mold, creating a portion of the roof rail.
The peripheral tubular member 120 is a structural frame member made up of several members: two side rails 160 and a rear roof bow 162. As described above, the side rails 160 and rear roof bow 162 are made of a malleable metal manufactured using the hyrdoforming process, or any other suitable manufacturing process that results in an elongated, hollow member. The peripheral tubular member 120 also includes a driver-side front extension 164, a passenger-side front extension 166, and a lower rear extension 168. The extensions 164, 166, 168 can be made of metal, like that of the side rails 160 and rear roof bow 162. Alternatively, the extensions 164, 166, 168 could be made of a suitable plastic material. Further, the side rails 160, rear roof bow 162, and extensions 164, 166, 168 can be joined together using any suitable method that provides a substantially air-tight connection, such as welding.
The peripheral tubular member 120 also includes a plurality of outlets 170 located in the side rails 160, rear roof bow 162, and extensions 164, 166, 168. The outlets 170 are fluidly communicative with the air supply duct 122 and fluidly connect the side rails 160, rear roof bow 162, and extensions 164, 166, 168 to the corresponding vents 126 positioned in the headliner 124.
In the illustrated example, the side rail 160 extends rearward, beyond the rear roof bow 162, and down at least a portion of the D-pillar 136. This portion of the side rail 160, referred to as a relay duct 172, includes an inlet 174 which fluidly connects the relay duct 172 to the rear air conditioning unit 114. It should be noted that the relay duct 172 may be positioned on the driver-side of the vehicle 112, instead of, or in addition to, the position of the relay duct 172 shown in the drawing.
In operation, conditioned air, illustrated in
The outlets 170 of the peripheral tubular member 120 are positioned and angled to blow conditioned air onto the adjacent windows. For example, the two outlets 170 in the front extensions 164, 166 blow conditioned air down onto a windshield 150; the outlets 170 on the side rail 160 blow conditioned air down onto a front window 152, a side window 154, and a rear window 156; and the outlets 170 in the rear roof bow 162 blow conditioned air down onto a rear windshield 158. Additionally, the outlet 170 in the lower rear extension 168 blows conditioned air up onto the rear window 156, and two outlets 170 on the side rail 160 blow conditioned air across the moonroof 118. Further, a vent 184 may be positioned in one of the pillars 130-136, and in fluid communication with the air supply duct 122. In the example illustrated in
The climate control system 110 may also include a front air conditioning unit 142 (
The climate control system 110 takes advantage of the hollow peripheral tubular member 120 to run conditioned air into the interior 128 of the vehicle 112, which is beneficial given the current automotive trend of having larger, or multiple, moonroof openings which reduces the package space available for overhead ducting in the roof of the vehicle 112. By utilizing the peripheral tubular member 120, the climate control system 110 eliminates the need for the traditional overhead ducting, which takes up package space between the headliner 124 and the roof panel 116. Additionally, the increased glass in the vehicle 112 from the large moonroof creates an extra thermal load on the vehicle 112 (more glass that requires defogging). The climate control system 110 is a robust and economical solution.
It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
