HVAC inlet subassembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11364768-B2
Application number	US-202016818721-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2020
Priority date	Jun 25, 2019
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

An inlet subassembly for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The inlet subassembly includes a fresh air inlet and a fresh air door movable to control fresh airflow through the fresh air inlet. The inlet subassembly further includes a recirculation air inlet and a partition defining a first airflow channel and a second airflow channel extending from the recirculation air inlet. A recirculation air door is adjacent to the recirculation air inlet and is movable to a closed position restricting recirculated airflow into both the first airflow channel and the second airflow channel, an open position permitting recirculated airflow into both the first airflow channel and the second airflow channel, and a two-layer position in which the recirculation air door restricts recirculated airflow into the first airflow channel and permits recirculated airflow into the second airflow channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inlet subassembly for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the inlet subassembly comprising:
a fresh air inlet;
a fresh air door movable to an open position allowing fresh airflow in through the fresh air inlet, and the fresh air door movable to a closed position restricting fresh airflow in through the fresh air inlet;
a recirculation air inlet;
a partition defining a first airflow channel and a second airflow channel extending from the recirculation air inlet; and
a recirculation air door adjacent to the recirculation air inlet, the recirculation air door movable to a closed position restricting recirculated airflow into both the first airflow channel and the second airflow channel, the recirculation air door movable to an open position permitting recirculated airflow into both the first airflow channel and the second airflow channel, and the recirculation air door movable to a two-layer position in which the recirculation air door restricts recirculated airflow into the first airflow channel and permits recirculated airflow into the second airflow channel;
wherein the fresh air door is rotatable about a first rotation axis and the recirculation air door is rotatable about a second rotation axis that is perpendicular to the first rotation axis.

2. The inlet subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the fresh air inlet and the recirculation air inlet face 90° relative to each other.

3. The inlet subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the first airflow channel and the second airflow channel both extend from the recirculation air door to a filter and an evaporator of the inlet subassembly.

4. The inlet subassembly of claim 3 , further comprising an outlet on sides of the filter and evaporator opposite to the partition.

5. The inlet subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the fresh air inlet is in fluid cooperation with the first airflow channel such that fresh airflow flowing through the fresh air inlet flows into the first airflow channel.

6. The inlet subassembly of claim 5 , wherein the fresh air inlet is vertically aligned with the first airflow channel.

7. The inlet subassembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the fresh air inlet is a first fresh air inlet and the fresh air door is a first fresh air door;
the inlet subassembly further comprises a second fresh air inlet adjacent to the first fresh air inlet, and a second fresh air door movable to control fresh airflow through the second fresh air inlet; and
wherein the second fresh air inlet is in fluid cooperation with the second airflow channel such that fresh airflow flowing through the second fresh air inlet flows into the second airflow channel.

8. The inlet subassembly of claim 7 , wherein the first fresh air inlet is vertically aligned with the first airflow channel and the second fresh air inlet is vertically aligned with the second airflow channel.

9. An inlet subassembly for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the inlet subassembly comprising:
a recirculation air inlet;
a partition defining a first airflow channel and a second airflow channel extending from the recirculation air inlet to a filter and an evaporator of the inlet subassembly;
a recirculation air door movable to a closed position restricting recirculated airflow into both the first airflow channel and the second airflow channel, the recirculation air door movable to an open position permitting recirculated airflow into both the first airflow channel and the second airflow channel, and the recirculation air door movable to a two-layer position in which the recirculation air door restricts recirculated airflow into the first airflow channel and permits recirculated airflow into the second airflow channel;
a first fresh air inlet in fluid communication with the first airflow channel;
a first fresh air door at the first fresh air inlet;
a second fresh air inlet in fluid communication with the second airflow channel; and
a second fresh air door at the second fresh air inlet;
wherein the first fresh air door and the second fresh air door both rotate about a first rotation axis; and
wherein the recirculation air door is rotatable about a second rotation axis extending perpendicular to the first rotation axis.

10. The inlet subassembly of claim 9 , wherein the recirculation air door is between the recirculation air inlet and the partition.

11. The inlet subassembly of claim 9 , wherein the recirculation air inlet faces 90° relative to each of the first fresh air inlet and the second fresh air inlet.

12. The inlet subassembly of claim 9 , wherein the first fresh air inlet is vertically aligned with the first airflow channel and the second fresh air inlet is vertically aligned with the second airflow channel.

13. The inlet subassembly of claim 12 , wherein the inlet subassembly further includes an outlet on a side of the filter and the evaporator opposite to the partition.

14. The inlet subassembly of claim 9 , wherein:
the first fresh air door and the second fresh air door are independently rotatable; and
in the two-layer position the first fresh air door is open and the second fresh air door is closed such that fresh air flows through the first airflow channel and recirculated air flows through the second airflow channel.

15. The inlet subassembly of claim 9 , wherein the inlet subassembly includes a housing defining each one of the recirculation air inlet, the first fresh air inlet, and the second fresh air inlet.

16. The inlet subassembly of claim 9 , wherein the first fresh air inlet and the second fresh air inlet are at a top of the inlet subassembly, and the recirculation air inlet is at a side of the inlet subassembly.

17. An inlet subassembly for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the inlet subassembly comprising:
a recirculation air inlet;
a partition defining a first airflow channel and a second airflow channel extending from the recirculation air inlet to a filter and an evaporator of the inlet subassembly;
a recirculation air door movable to a closed position restricting recirculated airflow into both the first airflow channel and the second airflow channel, the recirculation door movable to an open position permitting recirculated airflow into both the first airflow channel and the second airflow channel, and the recirculation air door movable to a two-layer position in which the recirculation air door restricts recirculated airflow into the first airflow channel and permits recirculated airflow into the second airflow channel;
a first fresh air inlet in fluid communication with the first airflow channel;
a first fresh air door at the first fresh air inlet;
a second fresh air inlet in fluid communication with the second airflow channel; and
a second fresh air door at the second fresh air inlet;
wherein the first fresh air door and the second fresh air door are independently rotatable; and
wherein in the two-layer position the first fresh air door is open and the second fresh air door is closed such that fresh air flows through the first airflow channel and recirculated air flows through the second airflow channel.

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc

Inventors

• Barbier Eric
• Belanger Brian

Classifications

• B60H2001/00135

  Deviding walls for separate air flows · CPC title

• B60H1/00064

  for sending air streams of different temperatures into the passenger compartment · CPC title

• B60H1/00028 Primary

  Constructional lay-out of the devices in the vehicle · CPC title

• B60H2001/00085

  of air intake · CPC title

• B60H1/00849 Primary

  for selectively commanding the induction of outside or inside air (B60H1/00842 takes precedence) · CPC title