HVAC module having a reconfigurable bi-level duct system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10532628-B2
Application number	US-201514704076-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2015
Priority date	May 5, 2015
Publication date	Jan 14, 2020
Grant date	Jan 14, 2020

Abstract

An HVAC module having a reconfigurable bi-level duct system is disclosed. The air duct includes an air duct inlet in fluid communication with the HVAC module, an interior wall dividing the air duct into first and second air passageways, a bypass port enabling fluid communication between the first air and second air passageways. A downstream control valve disposed adjacent the bypass port and is configured to selectively direct air flow from one of the first and second air passageways to the other of the first and second air passageways. An upstream flow control valve is disposed adjacent to the inlet of the air duct, wherein the upstream flow control valve is configured to selectively direct air flow from the hot and cold chambers of the HVAC module to the first and second air passageways of the air duct.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An HVAC system comprising:
an HVAC module having a cold air chamber, a hot air chamber, an air mix chamber downstream of and in fluid communication with the cold and hot air chambers, with apportioned air flows from the cold air chamber and from the hot air chamber entering the air mix chamber, an air outlet downstream of the air mix chamber and configured to deliver bi-level conditioned air to a rear passenger zones of a passenger vehicle, and a blend valve disposed in the air mix chamber, wherein the blend valve is configured to apportion the air flows from both the cold and hot air chambers to the air mix chamber;
an air duct assembly of two air ducts, composed of a left air duct and a right air duct, downstream of the air outlet, configured to deliver the conditioned air from the air outlet to the rear passenger zone and having an air duct inlet at the air outlet of the HVAC module, wherein each of the two air ducts includes:
an interior wall dividing the air duct into a first air passageway and a second air passageway, forming a total of four air passageways configured to extend to the rear passenger zone;
a respective bypass port in the interior wall of each of the two air ducts, wherein the bypass port enables fluid communication between the first air passageway and the second air passageway; and
a respective downstream control valve in each of the two air ducts, the downstream control valve controlling the bypass port, wherein the downstream control valve is configured to selectively direct air flow from one of the first and second air passageways to the other one of the first and second air passageways, and
a respective upstream flow control valve associated with each of the two air ducts in the air outlet of the mix chamber and upstream of the interior wall, wherein the upstream flow control valve is configured to selectively direct air flow from the outlet toward the first and second air passageways of the associated air duct and has a neutral position, in which the upstream flow control valve is aligned with and forms an extension of the interior wall, and in which air flow from the mix chamber exiting the outlet is equally partitioned into the first and second passageways.

2. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the downstream control valve is further configured to selectively hermetically close the bypass port.

3. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the blend valve is configured to be selectable in a neutral position in which the blend valve directs a stratified layer of cold air flow from the cold chamber and a layer of hot air flow into the mix chamber and to the outlet.

4. The HVAC system of claim 3 , wherein in the neutral position, the upstream flow control valve directs a majority portion of the layer of hot air flow into the first air passageway and a majority portion of the layer of cold air flow to the second air passageway.

5. The HVAC system of claim 3 , wherein the blend valve is selectable to direct cold air flow from the cold chamber to the mix chamber and restrict hot air flow from the hot chamber, the upstream flow control valve is selectable to direct the cold air flow to the first and second air passageways, and the downstream control valve is selectable to direct the cold stream to the second air passageway.

6. The HVAC system of claim 3 , wherein the blend valve is selectable to direct hot air flow from the hot chamber to the mix chamber and restrict cold air flow from the cold chamber, the upstream flow control valve is selectable to direct the hot air flow to the first and second air passageways, and the downstream control valve is selectable to direct the hot stream to the first air passageway.

7. The HVAC system of claim 4 , wherein the upstream flow control valve is a plane valve having a pivot point adjacent the interior wall and a distal end directed toward the mix chamber of the HVAC module.

8. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the upstream flow control valve is a plane valve having a pivot point spaced from the interior wall and a distal end adjacent to the interior wall when the upstream flow control valve is in the neutral position.

9. An HVAC system comprising:
an HVAC module defining an air outlet configured to deliver conditioned air from the air outlet to a rear passenger zone, wherein the outlet is a shared outlet for both heated air and cooled air; and
a duct assembly of two ducts downstream of and in fluid communication with the air outlet of the HVAC module;
wherein each of the two ducts, composed of a left duct and a right duct, includes an internal wall partitioning the duct into a first air passageway and a second air passageway, the internal wall extending inside the duct to the rear passenger zone so that both first and second passageways of both of the two ducts extend to the rear passenger zone, and
wherein the internal wall defines a bypass port enabling fluid communication between the first air passageway and the second air passageway inside the duct,
wherein each of the two ducts includes a downstream valve downstream of the HVAC module, controlling the bypass port, wherein the downstream valve is configured to selectively direct air flow from one of the first and second air passageways to the other one of the first and second air passageways
wherein each of the two ducts further includes an associated upstream valve downstream of the air outlet, upstream of the downstream valve, and adjacent to the inlet of the associated duct, wherein the upstream flow control valve is configured to selectively direct air flow from the outlet to the first and second air passageways of the associated duct.

10. The HVAC system of claim 9 , wherein the downstream valve is configured to be selectable in a first position to hermetically seal the bypass port.

11. The HVAC system of claim 10 , wherein the downstream valve is configured to be selectable in a second position to enable air flow from the first air passageway to the second air passageway.

12. The HVAC system of claim 11 , wherein the downstream valve is configured to be selectable in a third position to enable air flow from the second air passageway to the first air passageway.

13. The HVAC system of claim 12 , wherein the upstream flow control valve has a first position enabling air flow from the outlet to both of the first and second air passageways.

14. The HVAC system of claim 13 , wherein the upstream valve is a plane valve having a pivot point adjacent the first and second air passageways, and a distal end movable in an arch to restrict air flow to one of the first and second air passageways while unrestricting air flow to the other of the first and second air passageways.

15. The HVAC system of claim 13 , wherein the upstream valve is a plane valve having a pivot point spaced from the first and second air passageways, and a distal end movable in an arch directing air flow to both the first and second air passageways.

16. The HVAC system of claim 15 , wherein the upstream valve is selected in the first position and the downstream valve is selected in the first position.

17. The HVAC system of claim 15 , wherein the upstream valve is selected in the first position and the downstream valve is selected in the second position.

18. The HVAC system of claim 9 , wherein the upstream valve has a first position enabling air flow from the outlet to both of the first and second air passageways, the first position being a neutral position, in which the upstream valve is aligned with and forms an extension of the interior wall, and in whi

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Wang Mingyu
• Xia Yanping
• Liu Wen
• Kadle Prasad S
• Kinmartin Jeffrey C

Classifications

• H01R13/514

  composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them · CPC title

• H01R4/188

  having an uneven wire-receiving surface to improve the contact · CPC title

• H01R13/6581 Primary

  Shield structure · CPC title

• H01R4/185 Primary

  combined with a U-shaped insulation-receiving portion · CPC title

• B60H1/00564 Primary

  of air ducts · CPC title