Patent Grant
11840126
This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-82260 filed May 7, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a front defroster nozzle.
Conventionally, front defroster nozzles (hereinafter, referred to where appropriate as ‘defroster nozzles’) are widely used in order to prevent frost or dew from forming on a front windshield (hereinafter, referred to where appropriate as a ‘windshield) or to remove mist therefrom. These defroster nozzles have a blower aperture portion above an instrument panel that is used to blow warm, dry air from an air-conditioner onto the windshield.
In recent years, in conjunction with the increasing electrification of automobiles, there has been a trend towards an increased number of electrical components such as head-up displays being provided within the instrument panel so that installation space for the defroster nozzle is becoming gradually smaller. Accordingly, a reduction in the size of the defroster nozzle is sought.
Here, in order to remove mist from a wide area of the windshield, it is necessary that the air blown out from the blower aperture portion of the defroster nozzle be able to reach all the way to both end portions in the vehicle width direction of the windshield. However, unlike a conventional defroster nozzle, in a small-sized defroster nozzle it is not possible to set a long enough length in the vehicle width direction for the blower aperture portion, and a curvature of side surface portions thereof becomes extremely large. Because of this, in a small-sized defroster nozzle, it is difficult to ensure that air is able to reach all the way to both end portions in the vehicle width direction of the windshield.
For this reason, in Japanese Patent Application Publication Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2015-003605, a defroster nozzle is disclosed in which, in order to enable air to be blown as far as both end portions in the vehicle width direction, guide fins are provided in the blower aperture portion. In this same publication it is further disclosed that the blower aperture portion is divided into two in a front-rear direction in order to solve the problem of an insufficient air supply to upper portions of the windshield that is caused by providing these guide fins. In other words, a structure is employed in which, by dividing the air supply to the windshield into an air supply to both end portions in the vehicle width direction of the windshield, and an air supply to a central portion in the vehicle width direction of the windshield, any interference to the air supply is inhibited, and air can be supplied over a wide area to the entire windshield surface.
However, in the above-described technology, it is necessary both for a plurality of guide fins to be provided, and for the blower aperture portion to be divided into a front portion and a rear portion, so that the structure of the defroster nozzle becomes very complex.
The present disclosure was conceived in view of the above-described circumstances, and provides a front defroster nozzle that has a small size and a simple structure, and enables mist to be removed from a wide area of a windshield.
A front defroster nozzle of a first aspect of the present disclosure includes a connecting portion that is configured to be connected to an air conditioner at a vehicle lower side of a central portion in a vehicle width direction of a front windshield of an automobile, a nozzle lower portion provided at a vehicle upper side of the connecting portion, and a nozzle upper portion provided at a vehicle upper side of the nozzle lower portion. The nozzle upper portion slopes towards a vehicle rear side, and has a blower aperture portion that extends in the vehicle width direction and opens at an upper end portion of the nozzle upper portion at an instrument panel.
When viewed in a cross-section along a vehicle front-rear direction, a blow-out angle formed between the nozzle upper portion and the front windshield is set such that the blow-out angle at both end portions in the vehicle width direction of the front defroster nozzle is larger than the blow-out angle at a central portion in the vehicle width direction.
According to the front defroster nozzle of the first aspect, the blow-out angle at both end portions in the vehicle width direction is larger than the blow-out angle at the central portion in the vehicle width direction. Because of this, it is easy for the air blown from the blower aperture portion to strike the windshield at both end portions in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the air spreads out in the vehicle width direction over the windshield at both end portions in the vehicle width direction. In contrast, the blow-out angle at the central portion in the vehicle width direction is smaller than the blow-out angle at both end portions in the vehicle width direction. Because of this, it is easy for the air to flow along the windshield in the central portion in the vehicle width direction, and to be supplied efficiently to upper portions of the windshield. Accordingly, air can be blown efficiently onto a wide area of the windshield. Note that the “blow-out angle” is defined as an angle that is formed at an intersection between an imaginary line, which is extended from vector direction of a central part in the vehicle front-rear direction of the nozzle upper portion, and the front windshield.
In a front defroster nozzle of a second aspect of the present disclosure, in the first aspect, the nozzle upper portion is formed so as to be rectilinear when viewed in a cross-section along a vehicle front-rear direction, and an elevation angle of the nozzle upper portion relative to a vehicle front-rear direction is set such that the elevation angle in both of the end portions in the vehicle width direction is larger than the elevation angle in the central portion in the vehicle width direction.
According to the front defroster nozzle of the second aspect, the nozzle upper portion is formed so as to be rectilinear when viewed in a cross-section along a vehicle front-rear direction. In the cross-sectional view, the direction of the air blown out from the blower aperture portion is substantially equivalent to the direction in which the nozzle upper portion is facing. In other words, the elevation angle relative to the vehicle front-rear direction of the air being blown out is approximated by the elevation angle of the nozzle upper portion. As a result of the nozzle upper portion being formed rectilinearly in this way, the airflow from the air conditioner is not obstructed, and air can be blown smoothly onto the windshield. Note that, here, ‘rectilinear’ is a concept that includes slightly curved shapes.
In a front defroster nozzle of a third aspect of the present disclosure, in the second aspect, the nozzle upper portion is provided with a pair of left and right gradual-change portions that are located between both of the end portions in the vehicle width direction and the central portion in the vehicle width direction, and the elevation angle of the gradual-change portions changes continuously between the elevation angle in both of the end portions in the vehicle width direction and the elevation angle in the central portion in the vehicle width direction.
According to the front defroster nozzle of the third aspect, in the nozzle upper portion, both of the end portions in the vehicle width direction and the central portion in the vehicle width direction are joined smoothly together. As a result, it is possible to inhibit a vortex from being generated between both of the end portions in the vehicle width direction and the central portion in the vehicle width direction, and a loss of pressure from being caused. Accordingly, there is no obstruction to the airflow blown from the air-conditioner and the nozzle upper portion is able to supply air even more smoothly.
In a front defroster nozzle of a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, in any one of the first through third aspects, the nozzle lower portion slopes towards the vehicle front side, and a bend portion that protrudes towards the vehicle front side is formed at a vehicle upper side of the nozzle lower portion, and a bend angle of the bend portion is set such that the bend angle at both of the end portions in the vehicle width direction is larger than the bend angle at the central portion in the vehicle width direction.
According to the front defroster nozzle of the fourth aspect, it is easy for air to flow to both end portions in the vehicle width direction where a larger bend angle is formed.
I a front defroster nozzle of a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, in any one of the first through fourth aspects, a width of a flow path in a cross-section along the vehicle front-rear direction of the nozzle upper portion is set such that the flow path width at both of the end portions in the vehicle width direction is wider than the flow path width in the central portion in the vehicle width direction.
According to the front defroster nozzle of the fifth aspect, it is easy for air to flow to both of the end portions in the vehicle width direction where a larger width of the flow path is formed.
As has been described above, the front defroster nozzle of the first aspect has the excellent effect that, while having a small size and a simple structure, it enables mist to be removed from a wide area of a windshield.
The front defroster nozzle of the second aspect has the excellent effects that it enables excellent air flow velocity to be secured at the blower aperture portion, and enables a direction of the air blown onto the windshield to be controlled by the elevation angle of the nozzle upper portion.
The front defroster nozzle of the third aspect has the excellent effect that it enables the air flow velocity at the blower aperture portion to be secured even more reliably.
The front defroster nozzle of the fourth aspect has the excellent effect that it enables the volume of air blown out from both end portions in the vehicle width direction of the blower aperture portion to be increased.
The front defroster nozzle of the fifth aspect has the excellent effect that it enables the volume of air blown out from both of the end portions in the vehicle width direction of the blower aperture portion to be increased.
Preferred embodiments will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:
Hereinafter, a front defroster nozzle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described using
As is shown in
The defroster nozzle 18 is provided at a central portion in the vehicle width direction and is connected to the HVAC 16, and includes a connecting portion 20 that extends upwards, and an air direction adjustment portion 22 that is provided above the connecting portion 20, and is formed substantially in an L shape in a side view. As is shown in
As is shown in
As is shown in
As is shown in
A left side view of the defroster nozzle 18 is shown in
Hereinafter, a detailed description will be given of the variations in shape between the central portions 34, the side portions 36, and the gradual-change portions 38 of the defroster nozzle 18. Note that because the defroster nozzle 18 of the present exemplary embodiment is formed having left-right symmetry, only the left side is described here, and a description of the right side is omitted.
A side cross-section of principal portions of the vehicle 10 including a cross-section taken across a line A-A of the left central portion 34B shown in
If an elevation angle of the nozzle upper portion 28 relative to the vehicle front-rear direction is taken as α, then an elevation angle α2 of the left side portion 36B shown in
Moreover, an inclination of the windshield 12 relative to the vehicle front-rear direction is taken as an angle of inclination β. Although the windshield 12 is slightly curved in the vehicle width direction, it is formed substantially in a planar shape. Because of this, an angle of inclination β1 of the central portion in the vehicle width direction shown in
Accordingly, an angle formed between the direction of the air blown out from the blower aperture portion 30 and the windshield 12, in other words, an angle α-β between the nozzle upper portion 28 and the windshield 12 is set such that an angle α2-β2 in the left side portion 36B shown in
Because the nozzle upper portion 28 is formed so as to be substantially rectilinear when viewed in the side cross-section taken along the vehicle front-rear direction, a direction of conditioned air H that is blown out from the blower aperture portion 30 is substantially equivalent to the direction in which the nozzle upper portion 28 is facing when viewed in the side cross-section taken along the vehicle front-rear direction. In other words, an elevation angle α′ (not shown in the drawings) of the conditioned air H that is blown out from the blower aperture portion 30 relative to the vehicle front-rear direction is approximated by the elevation angle α of the nozzle upper portion 28 (α′≈α). Accordingly, an angle α′-β between the direction of the conditioned air H blown out from the blower aperture portion 30 and the windshield 12 (hereinafter, referred to as a ‘blow-out angle’) is approximated by the angle α-β between the flow path center line of the nozzle upper portion 28 and the windshield 12 (a′-β≈α-β).
Hereinafter, taking α-β as the blow-out angle, changes in the blow-out angle will be described in detail using
As is shown in
In addition, if a cross-sectional width of a flow path taken orthogonally across the flow of the conditioned air H in the nozzle upper portion 28 is taken as a flow path width S, then a flow path width S2 in the left side portion 36B shown in
Next, actions and effects of the present exemplary embodiment will be described.
According to the defroster nozzle 18 according to the present exemplary embodiment, the side blow-out angle α2-β2 in the left side portion 36B is set so as to be larger than 45° (α2-β2>45°). In addition, the right side of the defroster nozzle 18 has the same type of structure. As a consequence, it is easy for the conditioned air H blown out from the right side portion 36A and the left side portion 36B to strike the windshield 12. Accordingly, at both end portions 12B (see
In contrast, the center blow-out angle α1-β1 in the left central portion 34B is formed smaller than 30° (α1-β1<30°). In other words, the elevation angle α1 of the nozzle upper portion 28 of the left central portion 34B is set so as to be even closer to the angle of inclination β1 of the windshield 12. In addition, the right side of the defroster nozzle 18 has the same type of structure. As a consequence, it is easy for the conditioned air H blown out from the central portions 34 to flow along the windshield 12. Accordingly, in the central portion 12A (see
A diagram of the flow velocity distribution at a side cross-section of principal portions of the vehicle 10 including a cross-section taken along the line A-A of the left central portion 34B is shown in
Furthermore, as a comparative example compared to the defroster 18 according to the present exemplary embodiment, a diagram of the flow velocity distribution on the windshield 12 when a defroster nozzle (not shown in the drawings) in which the length in the vehicle width direction of the blower aperture portion was set to 600 mm was used is shown in
Moreover, according to the defroster nozzle 18 of the present exemplary embodiment, the nozzle upper portion 28 is formed so as to be substantially rectilinear when viewed in the side cross-section taken along the vehicle front-rear direction. The direction of conditioned air H that is blown out from the blower aperture portion 30 is substantially equivalent to the direction in which the nozzle upper portion 28 is facing when viewed in the cross-section taken along the vehicle front-rear direction. In other words, an elevation angle α′ of the conditioned air H that is blown out from the blower aperture portion 30 relative to the vehicle front-rear direction is approximated by the elevation angle α of the nozzle upper portion 28 (α′≈α). Accordingly, an angle α′-β between the direction of the conditioned air H and the windshield 12 is approximated by the blow-out angle α-β between the nozzle upper portion 28 and the windshield 12 (α′-β≈α-β). Accordingly, the direction of conditioned air H that is blown onto the windshield 12 can be controlled using the elevation angle α of the nozzle upper portion 28.
Furthermore, as a result of the nozzle upper portion 28 being formed so as to be substantially rectilinear in this way, the airflow from the HVAC 16 is unobstructed by the nozzle upper portion 28, and air can be blown smoothly onto the windshield 12. Accordingly, a superior air flow velocity can be secured at the blower aperture portion 30.
Furthermore, the nozzle upper portion 28 is provided with the pair of left and right gradual-change portions 38 between the side portions 36 and the central portion 34. In other words, in the nozzle upper portion 28, the side portions 36 and the central portions 34 are joined smoothly together. As a result, in the nozzle upper portion 28, it is possible to inhibit a vortex from being generated between the side portions 36 that have a large elevation angle α and the central portions 34 that have a small elevation angle α, and a loss of pressure from being caused. Accordingly, the nozzle upper portion 28 is able to supply air even more smoothly without the airflow of the conditioned air H, which is blown from the HVAC 16, being obstructed. Accordingly, the air flow velocity at the blower aperture portion 30 can be secured even more reliably.
Moreover, a diagram of the flow velocity distribution in the blower aperture portion 30 is shown in
In the above-described exemplary embodiment, a description is given of a case in which the nozzle upper portion 28 and the nozzle lower portion 26 are both formed so as to be substantially rectilinear when viewed in the cross-section taken along the vehicle front-rear direction, however, the present disclosure is not limited to this, and it is also possible, for example, for the nozzle lower portion to be formed in a curved shape.
Moreover, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, a description is given of a case in which the gradual change portions 38 are formed such that the elevation angle α3 thereof changes continuously between the elevation angle α1 in the central portions 34 and the elevation angle α2 in the side portions 36, however, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible for no gradual-change portions to be provided in the defroster nozzle.
Furthermore, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, a description is given of a case in which the bend angle γ2 in the left side portion 36B is set so as to be larger than the bend angle γ1 in the left center portion 34B, however, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible for the bend angle γ2 in the left side portion 36B to be the same as the bend angle γ1 in the left center portion 34B (γ2=γ1) in a case in which a blow-out angle size relationship in which α2-β2>α1-β1 is satisfied.
In addition, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, a description is given of a case in which the flow path width S2 in the left side portion 36B is set so as to be wider than the flow path width S1 in the left central portion 34B, however, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible for the flow path width S2 in the left side portion 36B to be the same as the flow path width S1 in the left center portion 34B (S2=S1).
Moreover, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, a description is given of a case in which the blower aperture portion 30 is substantially rectangular in a plan view, and is formed so as to be approximately one-third of the length in the vehicle width direction of the instrument panel 14, however, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible for the blower aperture portion to be provided such that the side portions are positioned further to the front than the central portions.
Furthermore, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, a description is given of a case in which three ribs 32 are formed in the nozzle upper portion 28, however, the present disclosure is not limited to this and it is also possible for no ribs to be provided in the nozzle upper portion.
In addition, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, a description is given of a case in which the front defroster nozzle 18 is not molded integrally with side defrosters, however, the present disclosure is not limited to this and it is also possible for the front defroster nozzle to be molded integrally with side defrosters that remove mist from side windows.
Moreover, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, a description is given of a case in which the left and right side portions 36A and 36B, the gradual-change portions 38A and 38B, and the central portions 34A and 34B are formed so as to divide the right side or the left side of the defroster nozzle 18 into three substantially equal segments in the vehicle width direction. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this and it is also possible for the sizes of the side portions, the gradual-change portions, and the central portions to be appropriately altered in accordance with the overall size and placement location of the defroster nozzle.
Furthermore, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, a description is given of a case in which the defroster nozzle 18 is formed having left-right symmetry, however, the present disclosure is not limited to this and it is also possible for the defroster nozzle to be formed having mutually asymmetrical left and right sides.
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, however, the present disclosure is not limited to this. Various modifications and the like may be made to the present disclosure insofar as they do not depart from the scope of the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-082260 | May 2020 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3608469 | Mutoh | Sep 1971 | A |
| 5980379 | Shibata | Nov 1999 | A |
| 9278605 | Vander Sluis | Mar 2016 | B2 |
| 9895960 | Sato | Feb 2018 | B2 |
| 11052875 | Mullen | Jul 2021 | B2 |
| 20160075310 | Terai et al. | Mar 2016 | A1 |
| 20210347230 | Louis | Nov 2021 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| H0699731 | Apr 1994 | JP |
| H10175430 | Jun 1998 | JP |
| 2015003605 | Jan 2015 | JP |
| Entry |
|---|
| JP H0699731 A translation AI USPTO (Year: 2022). |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210347228 A1 | Nov 2021 | US |
