HVAC inlet with ram air and partial recirculation function

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11458806-B2
Application number	US-202016847973-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2020
Priority date	May 3, 2019
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

An air handling system of a vehicle comprises a housing defining an inlet section. The inlet section includes a recirculation inlet in fluid communication with a passenger compartment of the vehicle and a fresh air inlet in fluid communication with an ambient environment. An air distribution door is disposed in the inlet section for controlling a distribution of air entering the inlet section through the recirculation inlet and the fresh air inlet. A baffle door is disposed in the inlet section for selectively reducing a flow area through the fresh air inlet to accommodate a ram air pressure induced by motion of the vehicle relative to fresh air of the ambient environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air handling system of a vehicle comprising:
a housing defining an inlet section, the inlet section including a first recirculation inlet configured to receive recirculated air originating from a passenger compartment of the vehicle and a fresh air inlet configured to receive fresh air originating from an ambient environment;
a first air distribution door disposed in the inlet section and configured to control a distribution of the recirculated air and the fresh air entering the inlet section through the first recirculation inlet and the fresh air inlet; and
a baffle door disposed in the inlet section and configured to selectively reduce a flow area through the fresh air inlet to accommodate a ram air pressure induced by motion of the vehicle relative to the fresh air of the ambient environment wherein the housing further defines a blower flow path disposed downstream of the first air distribution door and the baffle door with respect to a flow of the recirculated air and a flow of the fresh air, wherein the blower flow path leads to a blower of the air handling system, and wherein the blower flow path includes an air filter disposed upstream of the blower, and wherein at least one of the baffle door or the first air distribution door is configured to be positioned to contact a surface of the air filter.

2. The air handling system of claim 1 , wherein an axis of rotation of the first air distribution door is spaced apart from an axis of rotation of the baffle door.

3. The air handling system of claim 2 , wherein the baffle door is configured to be adjustable to a position arranged parallel to the first air distribution door to allow for a maximized flow of air to pass between the baffle door and the first air distribution door.

4. The air handling system of claim 2 , wherein the baffle door is configured to be adjustable to a position arranged perpendicular to the first air distribution door to allow for a minimized flow of air to pass between the baffle door and the first air distribution door.

5. The air handling system of claim 1 , wherein the first air distribution door and the baffle door include a common axis of rotation.

6. The air handling system of claim 5 , wherein the first air distribution door includes an air directing wall and the baffle door includes a baffle wall, wherein the baffle wall is disposed radially inwardly of the first air directing wall relative to the common axis of rotation.

7. The air handling system of claim 1 , wherein the first air distribution door includes a sealing element for sealing against a surface of the housing while the baffle door is devoid of a sealing element for sealing against a surface of the housing.

8. The air handling system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle door is dimensioned to be configured to nest within the first air distribution door with respect to at least one position of the baffle door.

9. The air handling system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle door is dimensioned to always allow for air to flow around the baffle door when the first air distribution door is positioned to allow for air to flow through the fresh air inlet.

10. The air handling system of claim 1 , wherein the air handling system is configured for operation in a fresh air mode, wherein the fresh air mode includes the first air distribution door blocking a flow of the recirculated air from passing through the first recirculation inlet, wherein the baffle door is configured to progressively reduce the flow area through the fresh air inlet to accommodate the ram air pressure increasing in response to an increasing speed of the vehicle.

11. The air handling system of claim 1 , wherein the air handling system is configured for operation is a partial recirculation mode, wherein the partial recirculation mode includes the first air distribution door positioned in an intermediate position for allowing a flow of the recirculated air through the first recirculation inlet and a flow of the fresh air through the fresh air inlet, wherein the baffle door is configured to progressively reduce the flow area through the fresh air inlet to accommodate the ram air pressure increasing in response to an increasing speed of the vehicle.

12. The air handling system of claim 1 , wherein the first air distribution door includes a sound suppression feature configured to reduce the noise, vibration, and harshness of air passing between the sound suppression feature and a surface of the housing.

13. An air handling system of a vehicle comprising:
a housing defining an inlet section, the inlet section including a first recirculation inlet configured to receive recirculated air originating from a passenger compartment of the vehicle and a fresh air inlet configured to receive fresh air originating from an ambient environment;
a first air distribution door disposed in the inlet section and configured to control a distribution of the recirculated air and the fresh air entering the inlet section through the first recirculation inlet and the fresh air inlet; and
a baffle door disposed in the inlet section and configured to selectively reduce a flow area through the fresh air inlet to accommodate a ram air pressure induced by motion of the vehicle relative to the fresh air of the ambient environment, wherein the inlet section further includes a second recirculation inlet configured to receive the recirculated air originating from the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

14. The air handling system of claim 13 , wherein a second air distribution door is configured to selectively open or close the second recirculation inlet.

15. The air handling system of claim 14 , wherein the first air distribution door and the baffle door include a common axis of rotation spaced apart from an axis of rotation of the second air distribution door.

16. The air handling system of claim 14 , wherein the second air distribution door is configured to be positioned to contact an air filter disposed within the inlet section of the housing.

Assignees

• Hanon Systems

Inventors

• Haupt Eric
• Iyer Jayanthi
• Vermette Dennis
• Patil Shankar

Classifications

• B60H1/00685 Primary

  the door being a rotating disc or cylinder or part thereof (B60H1/00678 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60H1/00849

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

• B60H2001/00085

  of air intake · CPC title

• B60H1/00835 Primary

  Damper doors, e.g. position control (construction or arrangement of damper doors B60H1/00664; B60H1/00864 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60H1/00857

  characterised by the means connecting the initiating means, e.g. control lever, to the damper door · CPC title