Patent Application
20200016955
The present application relates generally to the field of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) systems for vehicles.
In a conventional multi-zone HVAC system, the system includes a single blower which operates at variable rotational speeds. The volume flow rate (i.e., fan speed) of air output from the system and into a passenger compartment of the vehicle varies based on the rotational speed of the blower fan cage. For example, the volume flow rate increases as the blower speed increases and the volume flow rate decreases as the blower speed decreases. In another example, the volume flow rate may be controlled by rotating a door along the stream between open and closed positions to change the cross-sectional area for passing air therethrough. A system may use a single door upstream from the air being split into separate streams. By rotating the door, the volume flow rate of air in each zone is increased or restricted by the same amount. This configuration restricts the ability to separately control the volume flow rate of air supplied to different zones in a vehicle passenger compartment.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide an HVAC system with more than one door that can be separately articulated between open and closed positions in order to provide different volume flow rates of air to different zones in a vehicle passenger compartment.
One embodiment relates to an HVAC system for a vehicle, including a first shell, an opposing second shell, and a divider disposed between the first shell and the second shell. The system further includes a first conduit defined between the first shell and a first side of the divider, and a first door disposed in the first conduit and configured to control a volume flow rate in the first conduit. The system further includes a second conduit defined between the second shell and a second side of the divider opposing the first side, and a second door disposed in the second conduit and configured to control a volume flow rate in the second conduit.
Another embodiment relates to an HVAC system for a vehicle, including a shell defining an end surface and a shell edge opposing the end surface, a divider disposed against the shell edge, and a conduit defined between the shell and a first side of the divider. The system further includes a bearing structure having a divider boss extending perpendicular to and away from the first side of the divider and defining a boss end opposing the first side of the divider, and a bore extending from the boss end to the first side of the divider, the bore defining a bore diameter. The system further includes a door disposed in the conduit and configured to control a volume flow rate in the conduit, the door having a hub defining a first door boss and an opposing second door boss that is substantially the same as the first door boss. The bore of the divider boss is configured to receive either of the first door boss or the second door boss.
Another embodiment relates to a method of operating an HVAC system, including providing a blower and separating air output from the blower into first and second conduits downstream from the blower. The method further includes orienting a first door in the first conduit in a first position between an open position and a closed position. The method further includes orienting a second door in the second conduit in a second position between an open position and a closed position, the second position different from the first position. The first conduit is configured to output air at a first volume flow rate and the second conduit is configured to output air at a second volume flow rate different from the first volume flow rate.
Referring to the FIGURES generally, an HVAC system for a vehicle is shown according to various exemplary embodiments. It should be noted that the HVAC system as shown is configured as an air conditioner without a heater, but that the term “HVAC system” is being used to refer generally to systems which deliver air in a vehicle and are configured to control the temperature of the air. Further it should be understood that the HVAC system may be configured as a heater without an evaporator or with both a heater and an evaporator according to various exemplary embodiments.
Referring now to
When the system 10 is in operation, the blower 14 causes the fan cage 16 to rotate within the housing assembly 12, about the blower axis 18. Blades in the fan cage 16 draw air that is outside of the housing assembly 12 through the blower inlet 20 and into an upstream end of the housing assembly 12 for cooling and/or heating. The volume flow rate of air passing through the system 10 may be controlled, at least in part, by adjusting the rotational speed of the blower 14. For example, as the blower 14 increases in rotational speed, the fan cage 16 draws more air into the housing assembly 12, and as the blower 14 decreases in rotational speed, the fan cage 16 draws less air into the housing assembly 12.
As shown in
Referring still to
Referring now to
A first conduit 54 is defined between the first shell 22 and a first side 55 of the divider 38 and extends from proximate the first end 40 of the divider 38 to the first outlet 48. A second conduit 56 is defined between the second shell 24 and a second side 57 of the divider 38 and extends from proximate the first end 40 of the divider 38 to the second outlet 52. In this configuration, air output from the blower 14 into the housing assembly 12 is separated into separate first and second streams at the first end 40 of the divider 38. The first stream passes through the first conduit 54 and the second stream passes through the second conduit 56 and remains fluidly separate from the first stream downstream from the first end 40 of the divider 38.
Referring now to
While
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The bearing structure 62 further includes a plurality of stops 72 (i.e., fins, catches, ribs, etc.), extending substantially perpendicular to and away from the divider 38. For example, each stop 72 extends further away from the divider 38 than the boss end 66, such that the stops 72 are configured to engage the door 45 and constrain movement thereof. As shown in
The bearing structure 62 is defined between the first end 40 of the divider 38 and the second end 42 of the divider 38. For example, the first end 40 of the divider 38 is upstream in the housing assembly 12 from the bearing structure 62 and the second end 42 is downstream from the bearing structure 62, such that the door 45 is configured to engage the bearing structure 62 between the first and second ends 40, 42 of the divider 38. Notably, in this configuration, a door 45 is disposed in each of the first and second conduits 54, 56, downstream from the first end 40 of the divider 38, such that each of the conduits 54, 56 may be separately controlled by their own corresponding doors 45 rather than collectively by a single door upstream from the first end 40 of the divider 38. Similarly, the doors 45 are disposed in the corresponding conduits 54, 56 upstream from the second end 42 of the divider 38, such that the doors separately articulate to control the volume flow rate of air in each conduit 54, 56.
Referring still to
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Referring now to
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As discussed above, the first and second door bosses 80, 82 are substantially the same. Accordingly, the first door boss 80 defines a channel 86 substantially the same as the channel 86 in the second door boss 82. In this configuration, the shaft 90 may be received in the channel 86 in the first door boss 80 when the door 45 is oriented, such that the first door boss 80 extends through the opening 84 and the second door boss 82 is disposed in the bore 68. Similarly, an actuator 88 (i.e., a second actuator) is disposed on an outer surface of the second shell 24 (e.g., the second end surface 32) and is configured to be rotatably coupled to a second door 45 disposed in the second conduit 56.
During operation of the system 10, a first door 45 is disposed in the first conduit 54 and is coupled to a first actuator 88. The first door 45 is configured to rotate between the open and closed positions. Similarly, a second door 45 is disposed in the second conduit 56 and is coupled to a second actuator 88, which is independently articulated (i.e., operated, actuated, rotated, controlled, etc.) from the first actuator 88. The open position may be defined as when the flaps 76 are oriented substantially parallel to the first or second shells 22, 24 and the closed position may be defined as when the flaps 76 are oriented substantially perpendicular to the first or second shells 22, 24. In order to provide a volume flow rate in the first conduit 54 that is different than a volume flow rate in the second conduit 56, the first door 45 may be oriented at a different angular position than the second door 45.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the system 10 may be provided in a first condition for providing air to a single zone. In this configuration, the first door 45 may be oriented in a fully open position or a position between the fully open position and the closed position (i.e., a partially-open position). The second door 45 is oriented in the closed position, such that the second door 45 seals the second conduit 56 and prevents air from flowing therethrough. In this configuration, air may only pass through the first conduit 54 in the space between the first door 45 and the first shell 22. The volume flow rate in the zone corresponding to the first conduit 54 may further be controlled by changing the position of the first door 45 and/or changing the rotational speed of the blower 14. For example, if a passenger in the first zone of the vehicle desires to increase the volume flow rate (e.g., to increase cooling in the first zone), the first door 45 is rotated away from the closed position and toward the open position, increasing the open cross-sectional area in the first conduit 54 proximate the first door 45. Similarly, if the passenger desires to decrease the volume flow rate, the first door 45 is rotated away from the open position and toward the closed position, decreasing the open cross-sectional area in the first conduit 54 proximate the first door 45. It should be noted that while this configuration includes the first conduit 54 supplying air to the vehicle and the second conduit 56 preventing air flow, according to another exemplary embodiment, the second conduit 56 may be configured to pass air therethrough, such that the first door 45 is oriented in the closed position, such that the second door 45 prevents air from passing through the second conduit 56. In this configuration, the second door 45 is oriented in an open position and may rotate between the fully open position and the closed position in substantially the same ways as the first door 45, as described above.
According to another exemplary embodiment, a first passenger in a first zone in the vehicle may desire for air to be output from the first conduit 54 to the first zone at a first volume flow rate and a second passenger in a second zone in the vehicle may desire air to be output from the second conduit 56 to the second zone at a second volume flow rate that is different than the first volume flow rate. In this configuration, neither of the first or second doors 45 is oriented in the closed (i.e., fully closed) position. Instead, the first door 45 is oriented in an fully or partially open position and the second door 45 is oriented in a fully or partially open position different from the position of the first door 45. In this configuration, when the first door 45 is rotated more toward the fully open position than the second door 45, the open cross-sectional area in the first conduit 54 proximate the first door 45 is greater than the open cross-sectional area in the second conduit 56 proximate the second door 45, such that a larger volume flow rate passes through the first conduit 54 than the second conduit 56 with the single blower 14 operating at a fixed rotational speed. The volume flow rates in the first and second conduits 54, 56 may further be adjusted by reorienting the first and second doors 45 relative to each other.
As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure as recited in the appended claims.
It should be noted that the term “exemplary” as used herein to describe various embodiments is intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, and/or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such term is not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).
The terms “coupled,” “connected,” and the like as used herein mean the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being attached to one another.
References herein to the position of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below,” etc.) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
It is to be understood that although the present invention has been described with regard to preferred embodiments thereof, various other embodiments and variants may occur to those skilled in the art, which are within the scope and spirit of the invention, and such other embodiments and variants are intended to be covered by corresponding claims. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, mounting arrangements, orientations, manufacturing processes, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter described herein. For example, the order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may also be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the various exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
