Patent ID: 6368207
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: B60H

Abstract:
An automotive heating, ventilating and air conditioning housing of the type having an air stream bifurcated between a cold air stream and a hot air stream, with the cold air stream being routed through an internal housing opening in a predetermined direction and with the hot air stream being routed transversely across the outside of the internal opening, so that the two air streams engage one another to be mixed to a mid temperature, characterized in that a thermal mixing enhancing structure is located across the outside of said internal opening, said structure comprising a plurality of generally parallel, spaced channels extending in the same general direction as the hot air stream flow and generally perpendicular to the cold air stream flow, said channels having outer surfaces that create smoothly converging flow spaces for the cold air stream in the gaps between said channels and continuous, open sided, open ended, flow channels for the hot air stream on the inside of the channels,whereby the cold air stream is smoothly constricted as it flows through the gaps between the channels and is caused to swirl over the sides of the flow channels to create a low pressure zone that continuously pulls hot air out of the channels all along their length to mix with the cold air stream.