Patent Application
20200180388
This document relates generally to the motor vehicle equipment field and, more particularly, to a new and improved motor vehicle incorporating a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system architecture as well as to a method of increasing space in a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.
Automotive designers are often challenged to increase the space in the interior/passenger compartment of motor vehicles to better accommodate motor vehicle occupants. Toward this end, a new and improved motor vehicle is provided that incorporates a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system with a unique architecture adapted or configured to increase the spaciousness of the passenger compartment.
In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, a new and improved motor vehicle is provided. That motor vehicle comprises a motor compartment, a passenger compartment, a firewall separating the motor compartment from the passenger compartment and a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. That HVAC system includes (a) an HVAC inlet subassembly in the passenger compartment, (b) an HVAC air distribution subassembly in the passenger compartment and (c) a transition duct in the motor compartment that is adapted for directing an airstream from the HVAC inlet subassembly to the HVAC air distribution subassembly.
The HVAC inlet subassembly may include a fresh air inlet, a recirculation air inlet and a recirculation door to control the flow of air through the fresh air inlet and the recirculation air inlet. The HVAC inlet subassembly may also include a blower.
The HVAC distribution subassembly may include an evaporator core. The HVAC distribution subassembly may also include a heater core. The HVAC distribution subassembly may include at least one blend door and at least one mode door.
In one or more of the many possible embodiments of the motor vehicle, the HVAC distribution subassembly may include an air filter. In one or more of the many possible embodiments of the motor vehicle, the transition duct may include an air filter. Further, the transition duct may include a service door to access the air filter. Further, the transition duct may have an upstream end connected to the HVAC inlet subassembly and a downstream end connected to the HVAC air distribution subassembly.
In one or more of the many possible embodiments of the motor vehicle, the firewall may form one wall of the transition duct. In one or more of the many possible embodiments of the motor vehicle, the transition duct may include a clamp, of a type known in the art, that is adapted to hold a component selected from a group consisting of a line or a hose of a type associated with the operating systems of the motor vehicle.
In accordance with an additional aspect, a new and improved method is provided for increasing the space in a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle including an HVAC system. That method comprises the steps of: (a) locating an HVAC inlet subassembly and an HVAC air distribution subassembly of the HVAC system on a passenger compartment side of a firewall of the motor vehicle and (b) locating a transition duct adapted for directing an airstream from the HVAC inlet subassembly to the HVAC air distribution subassembly, on a motor compartment side of the firewall.
The method may also include the step of forming one wall of the transition duct with the firewall.
In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the motor vehicle and the related method of increasing space in a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle including an HVAC system. As it should be realized, the motor vehicle and method are capable of other, different embodiments and their several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the motor vehicle and method as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the motor vehicle and method and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the motor vehicle and the related method, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.
Reference is now made to
As further illustrated in
Reference is now made to
The transition duct 24 has an upstream end 34 connected to the HVAC inlet subassembly 20 and a downstream end 36 connected to the HVAC air distribution subassembly 22. The airstream discharged by the blower 32 passes through the transition duct 24 to the HVAC air distribution subassembly 22.
In the illustrated embodiment, the HVAC air distribution subassembly 22 includes an evaporator core 40, a blend door 42, a heater core 44, a heater core bypass 46, one or more mode doors 48, a first vent, 50 a second vent 52 and third vent 54. When the airstream first reaches the HVAC air distribution subassembly 22 it passes through the evaporator core 40. The airstream is cooled and dehumidified in the evaporator core 40. The airstream discharged from the evaporator core 40 is then directed by the blend door 42 through the heater core 44 where the airstream is heated or through the heater core bypass 46 or any combination of the two.
The now fully conditioned airstream is directed by the mode doors 48 to one or more of the vents, 50, 52, 54. For example, the first vent 50 may be a windshield defroster/defogger, the second vent 52 may be a dashboard vent and the third vent 54 may be a floor vent. Of course, other vent arrangements can be provided if desired.
While not shown, it should be appreciated that the HVAC system 18 is controlled and operated by a control module of a type known in the art that controls the speed of the blower 32, the operation of the recirculation door 30, blend door 42 and mode doors 48 and all other aspects of the HVAC system 18 in accordance with instructions from appropriate control software.
The architecture of the HVAC system 18 provides a number of substantial benefits and advantages. Significantly, all electrical components of the HVAC system 18 are housed in either the HVAC inlet subassembly 20 or the HVAC air distribution subassembly 22 on the passenger compartment 14 side of the firewall 16 where they are fully protected from the environmental elements. In contrast, the transition duct 24 for directing air from the HVAC inlet subassembly 20 to the HVAC air distribution subassembly 22 is provided on the motor compartment 12 side of the firewall 16 in what may otherwise be an area of wasted space. Advantageously, by providing the transition duct 24 on the motor compartment 12 side of the firewall 16, space is conserved in the passenger compartment 14. This is particularly significant since the area concealed behind the dashboard is often quite crowded to the point that often limits designer freedom. Significantly, by moving the transition duct 24 into the motor compartment 12, additional space is provided in the passenger compartment resulting in greater design freedom and a resulting increase in space for occupants of the passenger compartment 14.
Reference is now made to
In an alternative embodiment of the transition duct 24 illustrated in
As schematically illustrated in
In the embodiment of the motor vehicle 10 illustrated in
In a second possible embodiment of the motor vehicle 100 illustrated in
In the alternative embodiment of the motor vehicle 200 illustrated in
In the additional embodiment of the motor vehicle 300 illustrated in
Consistent with the above description, a method is provided of increasing space in a passenger compartment 14 of a motor vehicle 10 including an HVAC system 18. That method includes the steps of locating an HVAC inlet subassembly 20 and an HVAC air distribution subassembly 22 of the HVAC system on a passenger compartment 14 side of a firewall 16 of the motor vehicle and locating a transition duct 24, directing an airstream from the HVAC inlet subassembly to the HVAC air distribution subassembly, on a motor compartment 12 side of the firewall 16. Still further, the method may include the step of forming one wall of the transition duct 24 with a portion 76 of the firewall 16.
The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the transition duct 24 may be shaped in a manner so as to function as a diffuser. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.
