HVAC air inlet with blend mode and fresh-restricted mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9931908-B2
Application number	US-85088910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2010
Priority date	Aug 5, 2010
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

An air inlet system for an automotive HVAC system has a housing comprising a first cylindrical segment enclosing an interior space and having a first radial surface with a first angular divergence. The first radial surface has a fresh air aperture and a recirculation aperture for radially receiving fresh air and recirculated air, respectively. The housing further comprises an outlet body with an exit aperture. A pivoting door element is mounted in the interior space and shaped as a second cylindrical segment with a second radial surface with a second angular divergence which is less than the first angular divergence. The door element has a pivot axis that allows the second radial surface to slide along the first radial surface. The door element pivots to selectably align the opening with the fresh air aperture or the recirculation aperture in order to 1) block the fresh air aperture without blocking the recirculation aperture, 2) simultaneously block portions of the fresh air aperture and the recirculation aperture, 3) block the recirculation aperture without blocking any of the fresh air aperture, or 4) block the recirculation aperture while blocking only a portion of the fresh air aperture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air inlet system for an automotive heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a housing comprising a first cylindrical segment enclosing an interior space and having a first radial surface with a first angular divergence, the first radial surface having a fresh air aperture and a recirculation aperture for radially receiving fresh air and recirculated air, respectively, wherein the housing further comprises an outlet body with an exit aperture fluidically coupled to the interior space; and
a pivoting door element mounted in the interior space and shaped as a second cylindrical segment with a second radial surface with a second angular divergence which is less than the first angular divergence, wherein the door element has a pivot axis that allows the second radial surface to slide along the first radial surface, wherein the second radial surface has a blocking wall surrounding an opening, and wherein the door element pivots to selectably align the opening with the fresh air aperture or the recirculation aperture in order to 1) block the fresh air aperture without blocking the recirculation aperture, 2) simultaneously block portions of the fresh air aperture and the recirculation aperture, 3) block the recirculation aperture without blocking any of the fresh air aperture, or 4) block the recirculation aperture while blocking only a portion of the fresh air aperture.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the outlet body extends opposite the first cylindrical segment so that straight-line flow paths exist from the fresh air aperture through the exit aperture and from the recirculation aperture through the exit aperture.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the fresh air aperture and the recirculation aperture are substantially rectangular.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the outlet body has a substantially rectangular profile.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the blocking wall is comprised of first and second panel sections on opposite circumferential sides of the opening, and wherein the opening is asymmetrically placed between the panel sections so that the pivoting door element can be moved to selectably block a portion of the fresh air aperture while the recirculation aperture remains completely blocked.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a movable panel extension mounted with the pivoting door element for blocking a selectable portion of the opening.

7. An HVAC inlet system comprising:
a housing with a fresh air inlet, a recirculation inlet, and an outlet; and
a door element pivotally mounted in the housing with a sealing surface slidable with respect to the fresh air and recirculation inlets, wherein the sealing surface includes an opening selectably positioned at the inlets for providing:
a full recirculation mode;
a blend mode;
a full fresh mode; and
a restricted fresh only mode.

Assignees

• Meehan Trenton S
• Jairazbhoy Vivek A
• Kahrs Steve M
• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Meehan Trenton S
• Jairazbhoy Vivek A
• Kahrs Steve M

Classifications

• B60H1/00685 Primary

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

• B60H2001/00085

  of air intake · CPC title

• B60H2001/00721

  Air deflecting or air directing means · CPC title