JP2005349921A - Duct connection structure of air conditioner for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress cost without mixing air among the right and left air passages 41, 42, 51, 52 in a connection part of an air conditioning case 11 with a right and left integrated duct 50. <P>SOLUTION: The right and left integrated duct 50 is formed by blow molding. The conventional upper duct and the lower duct are integrally reduced to be inexpensively formed. Since the right and left integrated duct 50 formed by blow molding has flexibility comparing to the air conditioning case 11 formed by conventional injection molding, sealability can be secured by lightly press inserting the right and left integrated duct 50 into an outer periphery of a blowing out opening 28 of the right and left integrated duct 50. Therefore, it can dispense with the conventional seal packing 60, to suppress the cost for the connection duct. An intervening space of the seal packing 60 is not required for the clearance between the case 11 and the duct 50, and the effective area of the air passages 41, 42 can be increased. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a duct connection structure for a vehicle air conditioner in which an air conditioning case is partitioned into a plurality of air passages, and the temperature can be adjusted independently in each of the plurality of air passages.

Conventionally, in a vehicle air conditioner that independently controls the temperature of the left and right sides of a passenger compartment, an air conditioning case is divided into two air passages by a partition plate, and hot air and cold air are mixed at a predetermined ratio for each air passage. The air temperature is adjusted. Thus, for example, air whose temperature is independently controlled is blown out to the left and right areas of the front seat. In such a vehicle air conditioner with independent left and right control, conventionally, as shown in Patent Document 1, air conditioning ducts that are passages for blown air are provided independently on the left and right sides.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-197819

  However, the above-described conventional left and right independent air-conditioning ducts have problems in that the number of parts is high and the cost is high, and the space is not good and the vehicle mountability is not good. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, in order to save space, two air passages may be combined into one air conditioning duct 50 and branched near the outlet. (A) of FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a connecting portion between the conventional air conditioning case 11 and the left and right integrated duct 50, and (b) is a BB cross-sectional view in (a).

  In order to prevent the air blown from the air conditioning case 11 at the left and right independent temperatures from being mixed at the connecting portion with the left and right integrated duct 50, the air passages 41 and 42 of the air conditioning case 11 and the air passage of the left and right integrated duct 50 are used. It is necessary to connect 51 and 52 with high accuracy. Therefore, conventionally, the upper duct 50A and the lower duct 50B formed by injection molding with excellent molding accuracy are fitted, and connected around the blowout opening 28 on the air conditioning case 11 side through a sealing member 60 such as urethane resin. Therefore, the problem that the number of parts increases and the cost is high cannot be solved. Reference numerals in FIG. 5 that are not described correspond to reference numerals described in the embodiments of the present invention described later.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and its purpose is to prevent air from being mixed between the left and right air passages at the connection portion between the air conditioning case and the left and right integrated ducts, and to reduce the cost. The object is to provide a duct connection structure for a vehicle air conditioner that can be suppressed.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs technical means described in claims 1 to 5. That is, in the first aspect of the present invention, the first case (11) forming the two air passages (41, 42) and the two air passages (51, 52) connected to the first case (11) are provided. The second case (50) is formed by blow molding in a duct connection structure of a vehicle air conditioner including the second case (50).

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, by forming the second case (50), which is a left and right integrated duct, by blow molding, the conventional upper duct and lower duct are integrally reduced, and the cost is low. Can be formed. Further, since the second case (50) formed by blow molding is more flexible than the first case (11) generally formed by injection molding, the first case (11) Since the sealing performance can be ensured by lightly press-fitting the second case (50) into the outer periphery of the blowout opening (28), the conventional seal member (60) can be dispensed with and can be connected. The cost for the duct can be reduced. Further, since the space for interposing the seal member (60) is not required between the cases (11, 50), the effective area of the air passages (41, 42) can be increased.

  Moreover, in invention of Claim 2, the boundary front-end | tip part (53) of the two air passages (51, 52) of the 2nd case (50) is made into the 2 air passages (1) of the 1st case (11) ( 41, 42) is characterized in that the boundary tip (33) is divided and covered in two. This is a downstream boundary tip as a means for preventing air from being mixed between the left and right air passages (41, 42, 51, 52) in the second blow molding case (50) with poor molding accuracy. (53) is covered with an upstream boundary tip (33).

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the communication portion between the left and right air passages (41, 42, 51, 52) has a labyrinth structure, it is possible to prevent air from being mixed. In addition, since the boundary tip portion (53) having a rounded tip due to blow molding enters between the two divided tip portions (33), the second case is inserted into the first case (11). When the case (50) is assembled, it functions as an assembly guide for bringing the relative posture to a regular position, and after it is assembled, it functions as a posture holding guide for maintaining the relative posture at the regular position.

  Moreover, in invention of Claim 3, the boundary front-end | tip part (33) of a 1st case (11) is formed in the partition member (30) which partitions off two air passages (41, 42). It is a feature. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the tip of the left and right cases (11A, 11B) that actually form the left and right air passages (41, 42) in the first case (11) It is difficult to form the boundary tip portion (33) divided into two because the molding mold is complicated, but the plate-like partition member (30) disposed in the center of the left and right cases (11A, 11B) ), It is easy to form the boundary tip (33) divided into two parts.

  In the invention according to claim 4, the boundary tip portion (33) of the first case (11) protrudes outward from the opening end face and is connected to the connection direction of the second case (50). It is characterized by being formed so that the substantially central portion protrudes. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, this also functions as an assembly guide that brings the relative posture to the normal position when the second case (50) is assembled to the first case (11). In addition, after assembly, it functions as a posture holding guide that keeps the relative posture in a normal position.

  Further, in the invention according to claim 5, in the fitting portion between the first case (11) and the second case (50), the convex portion (11 a) continuous with the outer peripheral surface of the first case (11). ) And a continuous recess (50a) fitted to the continuous protrusion (11a) is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the second case (50).

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the flexibility of the second case (50) formed by blow molding is used, and the outer peripheral surface of the blowing opening (28) of the first case (11) is used. By lightly press-fitting the provided continuous convex portion (11a) and the continuous convex portion (11a) provided on the inner peripheral surface of the second case (50), it is possible to prevent wind leakage to the outside. In addition to being a seal part to prevent, it will function as a posture holding part that keeps the relative posture in a regular position after assembly.

  Moreover, the conventional sealing member (60) can be made unnecessary and the cost concerning a connection duct can also be suppressed by this. Further, since the space for interposing the seal member (60) is not required between the cases (11, 50), the effective area of the air passages (41, 42) can be increased. Incidentally, the reference numerals in parentheses of the above means are examples showing the correspondence with the specific means described in the embodiments described later.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an air conditioning unit 10 of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view for explaining a schematic structure of the air conditioning unit 10 shown in FIG. 3 is a plan view of the partition plate 30 shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the connecting portion between the air conditioning case 11 and the left and right integrated duct 50 in one embodiment of the present invention. (B) is AA sectional drawing in (a).

  The vehicle air conditioner according to the present embodiment is roughly divided into two parts: an air conditioning unit 10 shown in FIG. 1 and a blower unit (not shown) that blows air to the air conditioning unit 10. The air conditioning unit 10 is arranged in the form shown in FIG. 1 inside the dashboard (not shown) of the vehicle with respect to the front and rear and up and down directions of the vehicle. It has an air conditioning case (first case) 11 as an air passage for sending conditioned air toward the passenger compartment, and a refrigerant evaporator 12 forming a cooling heat exchanger in the air conditioning case 11 and heat exchange for heating. A heater core 13 constituting a vessel is incorporated.

  An air inlet space 14 is formed in a portion of the air conditioning case 11 on the vehicle front side. Air blown from the centrifugal blower of the blower unit flows into the air inlet space 14. In the air conditioning case 11, the previous refrigerant evaporator 12 is disposed at a portion immediately after the air inlet space 14. Inside the refrigerant evaporator 12, a low-pressure refrigerant of a well-known refrigeration cycle (not shown) flows, and the latent heat of vaporization is absorbed by the refrigerant from the blown air passing through the refrigerant evaporator 12, and the blown air is cooled.

  On the downstream side of the air flow of the refrigerant evaporator 12, the previous heater core 13 is disposed to be inclined toward the rear side of the vehicle at a predetermined interval. Hot water (engine cooling water) flows from the vehicle engine (not shown) through the heater core 13, and the cold air that has passed through the refrigerant evaporator 12 is heated using this hot water as a heat source.

  The air conditioning unit 10 includes a partition plate 30 as a partition member in the air conditioning case 11 that divides and partitions the air passage downstream of the refrigerant evaporator 12 substantially equally on the left and right. This partition plate 30 circulates the right split air passage (passage on the paper surface side from the partition plate 30) 41 through which air blows out toward the air conditioning region on the right side of the vehicle interior and the air blown toward the air conditioning region on the left side of the vehicle interior A left-side divided air passage (a passage on the back side of the drawing sheet from the partition plate 30) 42 is partitioned.

  The air conditioning case 11 is made of a resin molded product having a certain degree of elasticity, such as polypropylene, and excellent in strength, and is divided into a right case 11A and a left case 11B (see FIG. 2). The divided case accommodates the refrigerant evaporator 12, the heater core 13, the partition plate 30 made of resin (made of polypropylene in this example), the doors 16a, 16b, 22, 24, and 26 for air direction switching described later, and the like. The air conditioning case 11 is configured by being integrally coupled by a fastening means such as a metal spring clip or a screw.

  In the air conditioning case 11, a bypass passage 15 that bypasses the heater core 13 and flows air (cold air) is formed above the heater core 13. In addition, a wall portion 17 extending from the lower side to the upper side with a predetermined interval is provided between the heater core 13 and the heater core 13 on the downstream side of the air (part on the vehicle rear side). The wall portion 17 forms a warm air passage 18 that extends upward immediately after the heater core 13.

  An air mix door 16 that adjusts the air volume ratio between the air that is heated through the heater core 13 and becomes hot air and the air that passes through the bypass passage 15 (cold air) is disposed at the vehicle front side portion of the upper end portion of the heater core 13. ing. The right divided air passage 41 is divided into an air mix door 16A, and the left divided air passage 42 is divided into an air mix door 16B (see FIG. 2).

  The air mix doors 16A and 16B are flat doors, respectively, and are integrally coupled to shafts (rotating shafts) 16a and 16b arranged in the horizontal direction, and together with the shafts 16a and 16b, Each can rotate independently. The air mix doors 16A and 16B are temperature adjusting means in the present embodiment.

  A cold / hot air mixing space 20 in which the cool air from the bypass passage 15 and the warm air from the warm air passage 18 are merged in the downstream side (vehicle rear side) portion of the bypass passage 15 to mix the cool air and the warm air. Is formed. In addition, a defroster opening 21 is opened at a front portion of the air conditioning case 11 on the front side of the vehicle. This defroster opening 21 is where the temperature-controlled air flows from the cool / warm air mixing space 20 and is connected to a defroster outlet through a defroster duct (not shown), and from this outlet to the inner surface of the vehicle front window glass. Blow the wind towards you.

  The defroster opening 21 is opened and closed by a defroster door 22, and the defroster door 22 is formed by a shaft (rotating shaft) 22 a rotatably supported by the air conditioning case 11 and a plate-like door portion coupled thereto. Has been. Further, on the upper surface of the air conditioning case 11, a face opening 23 is opened at a position on the vehicle rear side of the defroster opening 21. The face opening 23 is also an opening through which the temperature-controlled air flows from the cold / hot air mixing space 20.

  The face opening 23 is connected to a face air outlet in the center of the vehicle interior via a face duct (not shown), and blows wind from the air outlet toward the passenger's head. The face opening 23 is opened and closed by a face door 24. The face door 24 is formed by a flat door that is coupled to an air conditioning case 11 and a shaft (rotary shaft) 24a that is rotatably supported by the partition plate 30. Has been.

  In the air conditioning case 11, a foot ventilation path 27 is formed at a position further rearward of the wall portion 17 than the wall portion 17, and air adjusted in temperature from the cold / hot air mixing space 20 communicates with the foot ventilation path 27. It flows in through the mouth 25. A foot opening 28 opens at the lower end of the foot ventilation path 27. The foot opening 28 and the foot duct (left and right integrated duct, second case) 50 to be connected are parts to which the present invention is applied, and the detailed structure will be described later. And the foot opening part 28 is connected to a foot blower outlet via the foot duct 50, and blows off wind toward the passenger | crew's feet in a vehicle interior from this blower outlet.

  The communication port 25 located at the upstream end of the foot ventilation path 27 is opened and closed by a foot door 26. That is, the foot opening 28 is substantially opened and closed by the foot door 26. The foot door 26 is formed by a flat door portion coupled to a shaft (rotating shaft) 26 a rotatably supported by the air conditioning case 11.

  The defroster door 22, the face door 24, and the foot door 26 described above are mode doors for blowing mode switching, and are connected to a link mechanism (not shown) and operated by a blowing mode switching mechanism (an actuator such as a servo motor). The Each of the doors 16A, 16B, 22, 24, and 26 described above has the same structure in a single state, and is made of resin or metal integrally coupled to the shafts 16a, 16b, 22a, 24a, and 26a. The door main body is provided in one or both directions in the radial direction of the shaft, and elastic seal portions such as urethane foam are formed on both surfaces of the door main body.

  As the elastic seal portion, a member made of a flexible elastomer material may be integrally formed on the outer edge portion of the door body. Further, the face door 24 and the foot door 26 have door bodies in the right divided air passage 41 and the left divided air passage 42, respectively. The face opening 23 and the foot opening 28 are also divided into two parts corresponding to the right divided air passage 41 and the left divided air passage 42, respectively.

  FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view for explaining the assembly structure of the partition plate 30 and the doors 16A, 16B, and 26 into the air conditioning case 11. As shown in FIG. In addition, assembling of the left and right integrated duct (second case) 50, which is a main part of the present invention to be assembled after the air conditioning case 11 is fitted, is also shown. In FIG. 2, a unit exploded view slightly different from the air conditioning unit 10 of FIG. 1 is used. The heat exchangers 12 and 13 and some of the doors 22 and 24 are omitted. 3 is a plan view of the partition plate 30 shown in FIG.

  When assembling the air conditioning unit 10, first, the air mix door 16B is assembled to the left case 11B. Then, the face door 24 (see FIG. 1) (not shown) is temporarily assembled in the notch 32 (see FIG. 3) at the edge of the partition plate 30, and the foot door 26 is temporarily assembled in the notch 31 in the partition plate 30. The partition plate 30 in which the face door 24 and the foot door 26 are temporarily assembled is assembled to the left case 11B.

  After the partition plate 30 is assembled, the right case in which the defroster door 22 (see FIG. 1) (not shown) is inserted into the case 11 from the cutout portion of the partition plate 30 and assembled, and the air mix door 16A is temporarily assembled. The air conditioning unit 10 is completed by fitting 11A to the left case 11B. In addition, about the assembly | attachment of both the heat exchangers 12 * 13 and the link mechanism etc. which are not illustrated here, since it is a well-known method similar to the past, description is abbreviate | omitted.

  Next, the main part of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of a connection portion between the air conditioning case 11 and the left and right integrated duct 50 in one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. The left and right integrated duct 50 is connected to the air conditioning case 11 in the assembling process of the air conditioning unit 10 or the assembling process of the vehicle. The present embodiment is an example of the foot duct 50, and the foot duct 50 is integrally provided with temperature-controlled foot blowing air that is independent of each of the right divided air passage 41 and the left divided air passage 42 in the air conditioning unit 10. The right air passage 51 and the left air passage 52 receive air from the right air passage 51 to the right occupant foot, and the left air passage 52 distributes air to the left occupant foot.

  The foot duct 50 is made of a resin blow molded product having flexibility such as soft polyurethane. The foot duct 50 is fitted to the outside of the foot opening 28 protruding from the air conditioning case 11. The outer peripheral surface on the foot opening 28 side has a continuous convex portion 11 a, and locking claws 11 b on both sides. Is formed. Moreover, the continuous recessed part 50a fitted to the continuous convex part 11a and the latching | locking part 50b which the latching claw 11b latches are formed in the internal peripheral surface of the corresponding foot duct 50. As shown in FIG. And the taper part 50c is formed in the connection port end surface of the foot duct 50 so that it can insert in the air-conditioning case 11 easily.

  Further, the boundary tip 53 of both the air passages 51 and 52 of the foot duct 50 is arranged on the air conditioning case 11 side so that the air blown from the right foot opening 28A and the left foot opening 28B is not mixed in the duct connecting portion. The boundary tip 33 of the air passages 41 and 42 is divided into two. The boundary tip 33 on the air conditioning case 11 side is actually formed at the end of the partition plate 30. The boundary tip 33 protrudes outward from the opening end face of the foot opening 28 and is formed so that a substantially central portion protrudes with respect to the connecting direction of the foot duct 50 (FIG. 1). (See FIG. 3).

  Next, features and effects of this embodiment will be described. First, a duct connection structure of a vehicle air conditioner comprising an air conditioning case 11 that forms two left and right air passages 41 and 42, and a left and right integrated duct 50 that is connected to the air conditioning case 11 and also forms two left and right air passages 51 and 52. The left and right integrated duct 50 is formed by blow molding.

  According to this, by forming the left and right integrated duct 50 by blow molding, the conventional upper duct and lower duct can be integrally reduced and formed at low cost. Moreover, since the left and right integrated duct 50 formed by blow molding is flexible with respect to the air conditioning case 11 that is generally formed by injection molding, the left and right integrated duct 50 is provided on the outer periphery of the foot opening 28 of the air conditioning case 11. Since the sealing performance can be ensured by lightly press-fitting, the conventional seal packing (seal member) 60 can be dispensed with, and the cost applied to the connection duct can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the space between the seal packing 60 is not required between the air conditioning case 11 and the left and right integrated duct 50, the effective area of the air passages 41 and 42 can be increased.

  Further, the boundary front end portion 53 of the left and right air passages 51 and 52 of the left and right integrated duct 50 is divided and covered with the boundary front end portion 33 of the left and right air passages 41 and 42 of the air conditioning case 11. This is because, as a means for preventing air from being mixed between the left and right air passages 41, 42, 51, 52 in the blow molded left and right integrated duct 50 with inferior molding accuracy, the downstream boundary tip 53 is disposed on the upstream side. It is covered with the boundary tip 33.

  According to this, since the communicating part between the left and right air passages 41, 42, 51, 52 has a labyrinth structure, it is possible to prevent air from being mixed. In addition, since the boundary tip portion 53 whose tip is rounded due to blow molding is inserted between the two boundary tip portions 33, the relative posture is set when the left and right integrated duct 50 is assembled to the air conditioning case 11. In addition to functioning as an assembly guide that is brought to a regular position, it also functions as a posture holding guide that maintains the relative posture at the regular position after assembly.

  The boundary tip 33 of the air conditioning case 11 is formed on a partition plate 30 that partitions the left and right air passages 41 and 42. According to this, it is not possible to form the boundary front end portion 33 with the front end divided into two parts in either one of the left and right cases 11A and 11B that actually form the left and right air passages 41 and 42 in the air conditioning case 11. Although the molding die is complicated and difficult, it is easy to form the boundary tip 33 divided into two parts in the partition plate 30 disposed in the center of the left and right cases 11A and 11B.

  Further, the boundary tip portion 33 of the air conditioning case 11 protrudes outward from the opening end surface, and is formed so that the substantially central portion protrudes with respect to the connecting direction of the left and right integrated duct 50. This also functions as an assembly guide that brings the relative posture to the regular position when assembling the left and right integrated duct 50 to the air conditioning case 11 and also functions as an orientation holding guide that maintains the relative posture at the regular position after assembly. Will be.

  Further, in the fitting portion between the air conditioning case 11 and the left and right integrated duct 50, a convex portion 11a is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the air conditioning case 11, and the continuous convex portion 11a is fitted on the inner peripheral surface of the left and right integrated duct 50. A continuous recess 50a is provided.

  According to this, the continuous convex part 11a provided in the outer peripheral surface of the foot opening part 28 of the air-conditioning case 11 and the inner periphery of the left and right integrated duct 50 are utilized using the flexibility of the left and right integrated duct 50 formed by blow molding. As a posture holding portion that keeps the relative posture in a regular position after being assembled, it becomes a seal portion that prevents air leakage to the outside by lightly press-fitting with a continuous convex portion 11a provided on the surface. Will function.

  Moreover, the conventional seal packing 60 can be made unnecessary, and the cost applied to the connection duct can also be suppressed. Furthermore, since the space between the seal packing 60 is not required between the air conditioning case 11 and the left and right integrated duct 50, the effective area of the air passages 41 and 42 can be increased.

(Other embodiments)
In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to the foot duct 50. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be applied to a face duct. In the above-described embodiment, the air conditioning unit 10 is a so-called left and right independent temperature control unit. However, the present invention is effective if the air conditioning unit 10 independently air-conditions different areas in the vehicle interior. . For example, it can be applied to a front and rear independent temperature control unit. Moreover, in the above-mentioned embodiment, although the air conditioning unit 10 air-conditions two area | regions independently, you may air-condition three or more area | regions independently.

It is a longitudinal section of air-conditioning unit 10 of a vehicle air-conditioner in one embodiment of the present invention. It is a disassembled perspective view for demonstrating the schematic structure of the air conditioning unit 10 shown in FIG. It is a top view of the partition plate 30 shown in FIG. (A) is a cross-sectional view of the connection part of the air-conditioning case 11 and the left-right integrated duct 50 in one Embodiment of this invention, (b) is AA sectional drawing in (a). (A) is the cross-sectional view of the connection part of the conventional air-conditioning case 11 and the left-right integrated duct 50, (b) is BB sectional drawing in (a).

Explanation of symbols

11 ... Air-conditioning case (first case)
11a ... Convex convex part 30 ... Partition plate (partition member)
33 ... Boundary tip 41 ... Right-side divided air passage (air passage)
42 ... Left side divided air passage (air passage)
50 ... Foot duct, left and right integrated duct (second case)
50a: Continuous recess 51 ... Right air passage (air passage)
52 ... Left air passage (air passage)
53 ... Boundary tip

Claims (5)

A first case (11) comprising two air passages (41, 42);
In a duct connection structure for a vehicle air conditioner, comprising a second case (50) connected to the first case (11) to form two air passages (51, 52),
A duct connection structure for a vehicle air conditioner, wherein the second case (50) is formed by blow molding.   The boundary tip (53) of the two air passages (51, 52) of the second case (50) is the tip of the boundary of the two air passages (41, 42) of the first case (11). The duct connection structure for a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that the portion (33) is divided and covered.   The boundary tip (33) of the first case (11) is formed in a partition member (30) that partitions the two air passages (41, 42). Duct connection structure of a vehicle air conditioner.   The boundary tip (33) of the first case (11) protrudes outward from the opening end face, and the substantially central portion protrudes with respect to the connection direction of the second case (50). It forms, The duct connection structure of the air conditioner for vehicles of Claim 2 or Claim 3 characterized by the above-mentioned.   In the fitting portion between the first case (11) and the second case (50), a convex portion (11a) is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the first case (11), and the second case is provided. 5. The continuous concave portion (50 a) fitted to the continuous convex portion (11 a) is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the case (50), according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The duct connection structure of the vehicle air conditioner described.

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