Vehicle ventilation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034215-B2
Application number	US-201816176344-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2018
Priority date	Nov 14, 2017
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A motor vehicle ventilation system configured to ventilate a cabin of the vehicle. The ventilation system comprises a duct extending about a perimeter of the vehicle cabin, at least one air flow inducer configured to induce a flow of air through the duct, the duct comprising an air inlet to receive a bulk flow of air from the flow inducer, and a first opening that extends about the perimeter of the vehicle cabin and that receives air from the duct. The first opening is configured to expel air into the vehicle cabin. The ventilation system further comprises a second opening that extends about the perimeter of the vehicle cabin and that draws air in from the vehicle cabin into a passage extending about the perimeter of the vehicle cabin, wherein a flow through the first opening entrains a flow from the second opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle ventilation system comprising:
a duct extending around a perimeter of a vehicle cabin;
at least one air flow inducer configured to induce a flow of air through the duct, the duct comprising an air inlet to receive a bulk flow of air from the flow inducer;
a first opening extending around the perimeter of the vehicle cabin to receive air from the duct and configured to expel the air into the vehicle cabin; and
an integrally formed nozzle extending outward from the duct and configured to accelerate the flow through the first opening, wherein a side wall of the nozzle presents a side surface facing the vehicle cabin and extending around the perimeter of the vehicle cabin, the side surface being arranged such that vehicle cabin air is able to flow over the side surface and is entrained by a jet of the air leaving the nozzle, and wherein the nozzle side surface is formed from or is conterminous with an interior trim portion of the vehicle cabin, wherein the duct extends through doors of the vehicle cabin with duct portions being provided through respective doors and being in fluidic communication with adjacent duct portions when the door is in a closed position.

2. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 1 further comprising a second opening that extends about the perimeter of the vehicle cabin and that draws the vehicle cabin air in from the vehicle cabin into a passage extending about the perimeter of the vehicle cabin, wherein a flow through the first opening entrains a flow from the second opening.

3. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 2 , wherein the second opening is configured to draw the vehicle cabin air in from the vehicle cabin in a predominantly vertical direction.

4. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 1 , wherein the first opening is configured to expel the air into the vehicle cabin in a predominantly vertical direction.

5. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional flow area of the duct varies about the perimeter of the vehicle cabin to maintain a substantially constant pressure in the duct.

6. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 5 , wherein the cross-sectional flow area of the duct reduces away from the duct inlet.

7. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 1 , wherein the first opening is provided in a wall of the duct.

8. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 1 , wherein the duct is provided behind the interior trim portion of the vehicle cabin and the first opening extends through the interior trim portion.

9. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 1 further comprising a structure spaced apart from the interior trim portion, wherein the structure extends around the perimeter of the vehicle cabin, wherein a second opening is defined by a gap between the interior trim portion of the vehicle cabin and a wall of the structure spaced apart from the interior trim portion.

10. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 1 further comprising at least one valve provided in the duct and configured to selectively divide the duct into a plurality of separate zones.

11. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 10 , wherein each zone has a respective air flow inducer associated therewith to induce a flow of air through the respective duct zone.

12. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 10 , wherein two or more zones share a common air flow inducer configured to induce a flow of air in a particular one or plurality of the two or more zones.

13. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 10 further comprising at least one heating unit configured to heat air flowing in the duct, and wherein the heating unit is provided in the duct.

14. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 13 further comprising at least one air conditioning evaporator configured to cool air flowing in the duct, and wherein the evaporator is provided in the duct.

15. A vehicle ventilation system comprising:
a duct extending around a perimeter of a vehicle cabin;
at least one air flow inducer configured to induce a flow of air through the duct, the duct comprising an air inlet to receive a bulk flow of air from the flow inducer;
a first opening extending around the perimeter of the vehicle cabin to receive air from the duct and configured to expel the air into the vehicle cabin; and
an integrally formed nozzle extending outward from the duct and configured to accelerate the flow through the first opening, wherein a side wall of the nozzle presents a side surface facing the vehicle cabin and extending around the perimeter of the vehicle cabin, the side surface being arranged such that vehicle cabin air is able to flow over the side surface and is entrained by a jet of the air leaving the nozzle, and wherein the nozzle side surface is formed from or is conterminous with an interior trim portion of the vehicle cabin; and
a structure spaced apart from the interior trim portion, wherein the structure extends around the perimeter of the vehicle cabin, wherein a second opening is defined by a gap between the interior trim portion of the vehicle cabin and a wall of the structure spaced apart from the interior trim portion, and wherein the duct is provided within the structure offset from the interior trim portion.

16. The vehicle ventilation system of claim 15 , wherein the structure offset from the interior trim portion generates a reduction in a cross-sectional area of the vehicle cabin in a horizontal plane of the vehicle cabin for a flow of air in the vertical direction.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Hoggarth Marcus
• Loughlin Kyle

Classifications

• B60H1/3407

  providing an air stream in a fixed direction, e.g. using a grid or porous panel · CPC title

• B60H1/00564 Primary

  of air ducts · CPC title

• B60H1/247

  Disposition of several air-diffusers in a vehicle for ventilation-air circulation in a vehicle cabin · CPC title

• B60H1/244

  located in the rear area · CPC title

• B60H1/248

  Air-extractors, air-evacuation from the vehicle interior · CPC title