Air conditioner for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11491850-B2
Application number	US-201916675521-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2019
Priority date	Apr 16, 2019
Publication date	Nov 8, 2022
Grant date	Nov 8, 2022

Abstract

An air conditioner for a vehicle is provided and includes a dryer which is connected to an indoor air conditioner that adjusts the temperature and humidity within a vehicle. The air conditioner simultaneously dries a dry subject such as clothes, shoes or the like.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air conditioner for a vehicle, comprising:
an indoor air conditioner having an air inlet through which air flows into the indoor air conditioner, a cooler core, a heater core disposed at a point downstream of the cooler core, and an air outlet through which the air is discharged into an indoor space of the vehicle;
a dryer having a drying space in which a dry subject is stored, an inlet port connected to a point downstream of the heater core of the indoor air conditioner to allow air passed through the heater core to flow into the drying space, and an outlet port connected to the drying space to discharge air passed through the drying space to outside; and
a dryer door disposed between the indoor air conditioner and the inlet port of the dryer and controlling whether the air passed through the heater core flows into the dryer.

2. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the inlet port of the dryer into which the air flows is wider than a cross-sectional area of the outlet port of the dryer.

3. The air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising:
a select door disposed between the cooler core and the heater core of the indoor air conditioner and controlling whether the air passed through the cooler core flows into the heater core.

4. The air conditioner of claim 3 , wherein the air outlet of the indoor air conditioner includes a vent outlet and a floor outlet, and the air conditioner further includes a first outlet door that adjusts the air flowing into the air outlet to pass through at least one of the vent outlet and the floor outlet.

5. The air conditioner of claim 4 , further comprising:
a controller configured to operate the dryer door, the select door and the first outlet door to adjust temperature and humidity of the indoor space of the vehicle and the dryer.

6. The air conditioner of claim 5 , wherein in a first mode in which air does not flow into the indoor space of the vehicle and dehumidified and heated air flows into the dryer, the controller is configured to operate the select door to block the air from flowing into the air outlet of the indoor air conditioner and operate the dryer door to allow the air to flow into the inlet port of the dryer.

7. The air conditioner of claim 5 , wherein in a second mode in which cooled air flows into the indoor space of the vehicle and dehumidified and heated air flows into the dryer, the controller is configured to operate the select door to allow the air to flow into the air outlet of the indoor air conditioner and the heater core and operate the dryer door to allow the air to flow into the inlet port of the dryer.

8. The air conditioner of claim 5 , wherein in a third mode in which the dehumidified and heated air flows into the indoor space of the vehicle and the dryer, the controller is configured to operate the select door to block the air from flowing into the air outlet of the indoor air conditioner and operate the dryer door to allow the air to flow into the inlet port of the dryer and the air outlet of the indoor air conditioner.

9. The air conditioner of claim 5 , wherein in a fourth mode in which the air does not flow into the dryer, the controller is configured to operate the dryer door to block the air from flowing into the inlet port of the dryer.

10. The air conditioner of claim 4 , wherein the select door includes:
a first select door and a second select door,
wherein the first select door controls whether the air passed through the cooler core flows directly into the air outlet and the second select door controls whether the air passed through the cooler core flows into the heater core together with the first select door,
wherein the air conditioner further includes a second outlet door disposed at any one of the vent outlet and the floor outlet of the air outlet, and
wherein the second outlet door adjusts the air flowing into the air outlet to pass through both, one, or none of the vent outlet and the floor outlet.

11. The air conditioner of claim 10 , further comprising:
a controller configured to operate the dryer door, the first select door, the second select door, the first outlet door, and the second outlet door to adjust the temperature and humidity of the indoor space of the vehicle and the dryer.

12. The air conditioner of claim 11 , wherein in the first mode in which the air does not flow into the indoor space of the vehicle and the dehumidified and heated air flows into the dryer, the controller is configured to operate the dryer door to allow the air to flow into the inlet port of the dryer and operate the first and second outlet doors to block the air from flowing into the vent outlet and the floor outlet.

13. The air conditioner of claim 11 , wherein in the second mode in which the cooled air flows into the indoor space of the vehicle and the dehumidified and heated air flows into the dryer, the controller is configured to operate the first select door and the second select door to allow the air to flow into the air outlet of the indoor air conditioner and the heater core and operate the dryer door to allow the air to flow into the inlet port of the dryer.

14. The air conditioner of claim 11 , wherein in the third mode in which the dehumidified and heated air flows into the indoor space of the vehicle and the dryer, the controller is configured to operate the first select door to block the air from flowing into the air outlet of the indoor air conditioner and operate the dryer door to allow the air to flow into the inlet port of the dryer.

15. The air conditioner of claim 11 , wherein in the fourth mode in which the air does not flow into the dryer, the controller is configured to operate the dryer door to block the air from flowing into the inlet port of the dryer.

16. The air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising:
a deodorizer disposed at one side of the dryer,
wherein the air passed through the deodorizer deodorizes the dry subject.

17. The air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising:
a distribution panel formed in a panel shape on the drying space of the dryer and having a plurality of air flow apertures therein to allow the air flowed into the dryer to be sprayed into the drying space.

18. The air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising:
a distribution duct formed in a duct shape in an upper portion of the drying space of the dryer and having a first side connected to the inlet port of the dryer and a second side formed with a distribution aperture disposed diagonally to the outlet port of the dryer to spray the air into the drying space uniformly.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp
• Hanon Systems
• Doowon Climate Control Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Hae Ryong
• Kim Yong Chul
• Lee Kyeong Hyeon
• Jeong Hong Hee
• Lee Yong Heung
• Kim Jung Hyun
• An Byung Guk
• Hwang Woo Man

Classifications

• B60H1/00878

  the components being temperature regulating devices · CPC title

• B60H3/024 Primary

  for only dehumidifying the air · CPC title

• B60H1/00564

  of air ducts · CPC title

• F26B19/005

  Self-contained mobile devices, e.g. for agricultural produce (movable devices with radiation means F26B3/28; small self-contained devices for drying objects at rest F26B9/003) · CPC title

• B60H3/0014 Primary

  characterised by the location of the substance adding device · CPC title