HVAC case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11225123-B2
Application number	US-202016831382-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2020
Priority date	Aug 16, 2019
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

An HVAC case for a vehicle including an airflow outlet defining a first outlet area having a first width and a first depth, and a second outlet area having a second width and a second depth. The first outlet area is larger than the second outlet area. A ramped surface is adjacent to the second outlet area. An airflow control door is movable to an open position, a partially closed position in which the airflow control door obstructs airflow through the first outlet area and permits airflow through the second outlet area, and a fully closed position in which the airflow control door obstructs airflow through both the first outlet area and the second outlet area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An HVAC case for a vehicle, the HVAC case comprising:
an airflow outlet defining a first outlet area having a first width and a first depth, and a second outlet area having a second width and a second depth, the first outlet area is larger than the second outlet area;
a ramped surface adjacent to the second outlet area; and
an airflow control door movable to an open position, a partially closed position in which the airflow control door obstructs airflow through the first outlet area and permits airflow through the second outlet area, and a fully closed position in which the airflow control door obstructs airflow through both the first outlet area and the second outlet area;
wherein the first width is defined by a first sidewall of the airflow outlet and a second sidewall of the airflow outlet that is opposite to the first sidewall;
wherein the second width is defined by the first sidewall and an end of the ramped surface opposite to the first sidewall; and
wherein the ramped surface extends from the second sidewall, and both the second sidewall and the ramped surface are at an outer side of the airflow outlet.

2. The HVAC case of claim 1 , wherein the airflow outlet is a defrost outlet, a demist outlet, or a face outlet.

3. The HVAC case of claim 1 , wherein the airflow outlet is a defrost outlet, and the HVAC case further includes a demist outlet adjacent the defrost outlet; and
wherein the airflow control door is movable to control airflow through both the demist outlet and the defrost outlet.

4. The HVAC case of claim 1 , wherein the ramped surface is lowest at the end of the ramped surface closest to the first sidewall.

5. The HVAC case of claim 1 , wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

6. The HVAC case of claim 5 , wherein the first depth is greater than the second depth.

7. The HVAC case of claim 1 , wherein the first width and the second width extend parallel to an axis of rotation of the airflow control door.

8. The HVAC case of claim 1 , wherein the airflow outlet further defines a third outlet area having a third width and a third depth, the third outlet area is smaller than the first outlet area and larger than the second outlet area;
wherein the third outlet area is between the first outlet area and the second outlet area.

9. The HVAC case of claim 8 , wherein the third width is smaller than the first width and greater than the second width.

10. The HVAC case of claim 9 , wherein the ramped surface is a first ramped surface; and
wherein adjacent to the third outlet area is a second ramped surface that is shorter than, and steeper than, the first ramped surface.

11. The HVAC case of claim 10 , wherein the first ramped surface is continuous with the second ramped surface.

12. An HVAC case for a vehicle HVAC system configured to heat airflow for defrosting a windshield of a vehicle and demisting side windows of the vehicle, the HVAC case comprising:
a demist outlet;
a defrost outlet adjacent to the demist outlet, the defrost outlet defining a first outlet area having a first width and a second outlet area having a second width, the second width is smaller than the first width;
a first ramped portion adjacent to the second outlet area, the first ramped portion is between the second outlet area and the demist outlet; and
an airflow control door configured to control airflow through both the demist outlet and the defrost outlet;
wherein the first width is defined by a first sidewall of the defrost outlet and a second sidewall of the defrost outlet that is opposite to the first sidewall;
wherein the second width is defined by the first sidewall and an end of the first ramped portion opposite to the first sidewall; and
wherein the first ramped portion extends from the second sidewall, and both the second sidewall and the first ramped portion are at an outer side of the defrost outlet between the demist outlet and the first sidewall.

13. The HVAC case of claim 12 , wherein the first outlet area has a first depth and the second outlet area has a second depth, the first depth is greater than the second depth.

14. The HVAC case of claim 12 , wherein the first width and the second width extend in a direction parallel to a rotational axis of the airflow control door.

15. The HVAC case of claim 12 , wherein the first outlet area is between the second outlet area and a face outlet of the HVAC case; and
wherein the airflow control door is further configured to control airflow through the face outlet.

16. The HVAC case of claim 12 , wherein the second outlet area is defined between the first ramped portion and the first sidewall of the defrost outlet opposite to the first ramped portion;
wherein the first ramped portion slopes downward towards the first sidewall.

17. The HVAC case of claim 16 , wherein the defrost outlet further defines a third outlet area having a third width that is less than the first width and greater than the second width;
wherein the third outlet area is defined between a second ramped portion and the first sidewall of the defrost outlet, the second ramped portion is continuous with, and shorter than, the first ramped portion.

18. The HVAC case of claim 17 , wherein the airflow control door is movable to:
a fully open position generally not obstructing airflow through both the defrost outlet and the demist outlet;
a first partially closed position in which the airflow control door blocks airflow from passing through the first outlet area and is spaced apart from both the second outlet area and the third outlet area, and the airflow control door blocks airflow from passing through a first area of the demist outlet;
a second partially closed position in which the airflow control door blocks airflow from flowing through both the first outlet area and the third outlet area, and the airflow control door blocks airflow from passing through the first area and a second area of the demist outlet; and
a fully closed position entirely closing the demist outlet and the defrost outlet.

19. An HVAC case for a vehicle HVAC system configured to heat airflow for defrosting a windshield of a vehicle and demisting side windows of the vehicle, the HVAC case comprising:
a demist outlet;
a defrost outlet adjacent to the demist outlet, the defrost outlet defining a first outlet area having a first width defined by a first sidewall of the defrost outlet and a second sidewall of the defrost outlet that is opposite to the first sidewall, a second outlet area having a second width, and a third outlet area having a third width, wherein the second width is smaller than the first width, the third width is less than the first width and greater than the second width;
a first ramped portion adjacent to the second outlet area, the first ramped portion slopes downward towards the first sidewall, the second outlet area is defined by the first sidewall and an end of the first ramped portion opposite to the first sidewall;
a second ramped portion adjacent to the third outlet area, the second ramped portion slopes downward towards the first sidewall, the third outlet area is defined by the first sidewall and an end of the second ramped portion opposite to the first sidewall, the second ramped portion is continuous with and shorter than the first ramped portion; and
an airflow control door configured to control airflow through both the demist outlet and the defrost outlet; and
wherein the airflow control door is movable to:
a fully open position generally not obstructing airflow

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc

Inventors

• Spunar Nicholaus
• Belanger Brian
• Zhang Li

Classifications

• B60H1/00564

  of air ducts · CPC title

• B60H1/00671 Primary

  Damper doors moved by rotation; Grilles · CPC title

• B60H1/0005 Primary

  the air being firstly cooled and subsequently heated or vice versa · CPC title

• B60H2001/00721

  Air deflecting or air directing means · CPC title

• B60H2001/00092

  of air deflecting or air directing means inside the device · CPC title