Airflow selecting mechanism for a vehicle cabin air conditioning apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9227482-B2
Application number	US-201213426710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2012
Priority date	Mar 31, 2011
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle cabin air conditioning apparatus including an airflow selecting mechanism movable between a first position to provide a first airflow mode and a second position to provide a second airflow mode. The airflow selecting mechanism restricts first airflow from flowing from a first airflow conduit to a second airflow conduit when in the first position, and permits the first airflow from flowing from the first airflow conduit to the second airflow conduit when in the second position. An electronic control unit is configured to control a first blower based on a user set front cabin airflow level and a second blower based on a user set rear cabin airflow level when in the first airflow mode. The electronic control unit controls the first blower based on the user set front cabin airflow level and the user set rear cabin airflow level when in the second airflow mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle defining a vehicle cabin, the air conditioning apparatus comprising:
an air conditioning case defining a first airflow passage leading to a front area of the vehicle cabin, and a second airflow passage leading to a rear area of the vehicle cabin, the second airflow passage includes a supplemental recirculation air inlet;
a first blower configured to create airflow in the first airflow passage;
a second blower configured to create airflow in the second airflow passage, the air conditioning case accommodates both the first and the second blowers;
an airflow selecting mechanism configured to select one of a first airflow mode preventing airflow created by the first blower from flowing into the second airflow passage, and a second airflow mode allowing airflow created by the first blower to flow into the second airflow passage, the airflow selecting mechanism includes a recirculation door configured to open and close the supplemental recirculation air inlet;
a heater core at least proximate to the supplemental recirculation air inlet;
a front blower level setting device for setting a preferred front airflow level in the front area of the vehicle cabin;
a rear blower level setting device for setting a preferred rear airflow level in the rear area of the vehicle cabin; and
an electronic control unit electrically connected to the first blower, the second blower, the airflow selecting mechanism, the front blower level setting device, and the rear blower level setting device;
wherein:
when the airflow selecting mechanism selects the first airflow mode, the electronic control unit controls the first blower based on the preferred front airflow level, and controls the second blower based on the preferred rear airflow level;
when the airflow selecting mechanism selects the second airflow mode, the electronic control unit controls the first blower based on the preferred front airflow level and the preferred rear airflow level, and the electronic control unit actuates the recirculation door to open the supplemental recirculation air inlet; and
the second blower is configured to mix a first airflow blown by the first blower with a second airflow that has entered the air conditioning case through the supplemental recirculation air inlet and has been heated by the heater core.

2. The air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein when the airflow selecting mechanism selects the first airflow mode, the second blower introduces recirculated airflow from the vehicle cabin into the second airflow passage.

3. The air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein when the airflow selecting mechanism selects the second airflow mode, the second blower mixes the first airflow and the second airflow, the first airflow is different from the second airflow.

4. The air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising an additional heater disposed in the first airflow passage.

5. An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle defining a vehicle cabin, the air conditioning apparatus comprising:
a first airflow conduit configured to direct a first airflow to a front area of the vehicle cabin;
a second airflow conduit configured to direct a second airflow to a rear area of the vehicle cabin, the second airflow conduit includes a supplemental recirculation air inlet;
a first blower configured to create the first airflow in the first airflow conduit;
a second blower configured to create the second airflow in the second airflow conduit, both the first blower and the second blower are included in a common air conditioning case;
an airflow selecting mechanism movable between a first position to provide a first airflow mode of the apparatus and a second position to provide a second airflow mode of the apparatus, the airflow selecting mechanism restricts the first airflow from flowing into the second airflow conduit when in the first position, and the airflow selecting mechanism permits the first airflow to flow into the second airflow conduit when in the second position;
a recirculation door included with the airflow selecting mechanism and configured to open and close the supplemental recirculation air inlet;
a heater core at least proximate to the supplemental recirculation air inlet; and
an electronic control unit configured to control the first blower based on a user set front cabin airflow level and control the second blower based on a user set rear cabin airflow level when in the first airflow mode, and the electronic control unit is configured to control the first blower based on both the user set front cabin airflow level and the user set rear cabin airflow level when in the second airflow mode;
wherein:
in the second airflow mode, the electronic control unit actuates the recirculation door to open the supplemental recirculation air inlet; and
the second blower is configured to mix airflow blown by the first blower with airflow that has entered the air conditioning case through the supplemental recirculation air inlet and has been heated by the heater core.

6. The air conditioning apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first airflow conduit is directly connected to the second airflow conduit.

7. The air conditioning apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the airflow selecting mechanism is between the first airflow conduit and the second airflow conduit.

8. The air conditioning apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the air conditioning apparatus includes only a single evaporator.

9. The air conditioning apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first blower is in the first conduit.

10. The air conditioning apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the second blower is in the second conduit.

11. The air conditioning apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the supplemental recirculation air inlet is open when in the first airflow mode.

12. An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle defining a vehicle cabin, the air conditioning apparatus comprising:
a first airflow passage defined by a case of the air conditioning apparatus, the first airflow passage configured to direct a first airflow to a front area of the vehicle cabin;
a second airflow passage defined by the case and adjacent to the first airflow passage, the second airflow passage configured to direct a second airflow to a rear area of the vehicle cabin;
a first blower in the first airflow passage and configured to create the first airflow in the first airflow passage;
a second blower in the second airflow passage and configured to create the second airflow in the second airflow passage, both the first blower and the second blower are included in the case;
an evaporator in the first airflow passage;
a first heater in the first airflow passage, the evaporator is between the first blower and the first heater;
a second heater in the second airflow passage;
a supplemental recirculation air inlet in the second airflow passage, the first heater is proximate to the supplemental recirculation air inlet; and
an airflow selecting mechanism between the first airflow passage and the second airflow passage, the airflow selecting mechanism is movable between a closed position in which the airflow selecting mechanism restricts the first airflow from passing into the second airflow passage and an open position in which the airflow selecting mechanism permits the first airflow to pass into the second airflow passage;
a recirculation door included with the airflow selecting mechanism and configured to open and close the supplemental recirculation air inlet;
wherein:
in a first airflow mode, the airflow selecting mechanism is in the closed posi

Assignees

• Digasbarro Daniel J
• Korenchuk David A
• Honda Masahide
• Gannon Patrick J
• Stander James
• Denso Int America Inc

Inventors

• Digasbarro Daniel J
• Korenchuk David A
• Honda Masahide
• Gannon Patrick J
• Stander James

Classifications

• B60H1/244

  located in the rear area · CPC title

• B60H2001/002

  to front and rear part of passenger compartment · CPC title

• B60H2001/00099

  comprising additional ventilating means · CPC title

• B60H1/246

  located in the interior of the vehicle or in or below the floor · CPC title

• B60H1/00028 Primary

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