Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to an airflow control apparatus having a plurality of doors and outlets for controlling the airflow in a vehicular HVAC system. In one aspect, the apparatus ( 100 ) has a first chamber ( 106 ) controlled by a first door ( 126 ) and having a first outlet ( 110 ) and a first passage ( 127 ). A second chamber ( 129 ) is coupled to the first passage and also controlled by the first door. The second chamber has a second outlet ( 130 ) and a third outlet ( 160 ) which are each controlled by the second and third doors ( 232, 242 ). According to another aspect, a method of controlling airflow in a vehicular HVAC system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving ( 702 ) airflow into a first chamber; controlling the airflow out of the first chamber with a first door; controlling ( 704 ) the airflow from a second chamber to a driver zone with a second door; and controlling ( 706 ) the airflow from said second chamber to a passenger zone with a third door.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention generally relates to an apparatus for controlling the airflow in a vehicular HVAC system, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for controlling airflow to passenger and driver compartments in a vehicle.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    As automotive vehicles continue to improve, there is an increasing demand for improved ventilation systems within vehicles. One such improvement in recent years is to provide ventilation ducts for passenger compartments in the rear of a vehicle, for example. Also, separate temperature controls for drivers and passengers have been used to allow a driver and a passenger to create separate temperature zones within the vehicle. Similarly, separate fan controls for the driver and passenger sides have been used. However, such systems fail to allow driver and passenger controls to regulate the airflow to different locations affecting the driver and passenger areas, respectively.  
           [0003]    Accordingly, there is a need to separately control the airflow to different portions of the driver side and passenger side of a vehicle.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present disclosure relates to an airflow control apparatus having a plurality of doors and outlets for controlling the airflow in a vehicular HVAC system. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a first chamber controlled by a first door and having a first outlet and a first passage. A second chamber is coupled to the first passage and also controlled by the first door. The second chamber has a second outlet and a third outlet which are each controlled by the second and third doors.  
           [0005]    According to another aspect of the invention, an airflow control apparatus comprises a first outlet controlled by a first door; a second outlet controlled by a second door and a third door, wherein the second and third door control the amount of airflow through the second outlet to a first zone and a second zone, respectively. Similarly, a third outlet is controlled by the second door and the third door, wherein the second and third door also control the amount of airflow through the third outlet to a third zone and a fourth zone, respectively.  
           [0006]    According to another aspect of the invention, an airflow control apparatus comprises a first door movable between a first position and a second position for controlling the amount of airflow to a first outlet and a first passage. The apparatus further includes a second door movable between a first position and a second position for controlling the amount of airflow received from the first passage and provided to a driver side of a vehicle by way of a second outlet and a third outlet. Finally, a third door is movable between a first position and a second position for controlling the amount of airflow received from the first passage and provided to a passenger portion of a vehicle by way of the second outlet and the third outlet.  
           [0007]    According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method of controlling airflow in a vehicular HVAC system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving airflow into a first chamber; controlling the airflow out of the first chamber with a first door; controlling the airflow from a second chamber to a driver zone with a second door; and controlling the airflow from said second chamber to a passenger zone with a third door.  
           [0008]    It is an object of the invention to provide an airflow control apparatus which separately controls the airflow to separate portions of driver and passenger zones of a vehicle.  
           [0009]    It is a further object of the invention to provide an airflow control apparatus which controls airflow to separate portions of a sleeper module of a truck.  
           [0010]    It is a further object of the invention to provide an airflow control apparatus which separately controls airflow to a panel outlet and floor outlet for a driver and passenger, respectively.  
           [0011]    It is a further object of the invention to provide an airflow control apparatus which commonly controls a defrost outlet for both a passenger portion and a driver portion, and separately controls airflow (i) to a panel outlet and a floor outlet for a driver and (ii) to a panel outlet and a floor outlet for a passenger.  
           [0012]    Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for controlling airflow in a vehicle;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is an expanded view of the apparatus for controlling airflow in a vehicle of FIG. 1;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic cross-section of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken at lines  3 - 3 ;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic cross-section of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken at lines  4 - 4 ;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic cross-section of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken at lines  5 - 5 ;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic cross-section of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken at lines  6 - 6 ;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a method for controlling airflow in a vehicle according to the present invention; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a method for controlling airflow in a vehicle according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]    Turning first to FIG. 1, an apparatus for controlling airflow in a vehicle according to the present invention is shown. An airflow control apparatus  100  includes a housing  101  having an inlet  102  surrounded by an inlet shoulder portion  104 . A conditioned airflow which is to be provided to the vehicle is received at the inlet  102  by way of an air duct (not shown) which is coupled to the inlet shoulder portion  104 . Such an air duct could be any type of duct for channeling air from outside the vehicle or recycled air from the vehicle cabin. Airflow received at the inlet  102  enters a first chamber  106  of the housing  101 . A defrost outlet  110  shown on the top of the housing  101  in FIG. 1 enables airflow to be provided to defrost ducts of the vehicle. A defrost outlet shoulder portion  112  is adapted to be coupled to a defrost duct in a vehicle, as is well known in the art. Such defrost ducts could include ducts leading to the windshield or driver and passenger doors.  
         [0022]    Also shown in FIG. 1 is a defrost door actuator assembly  120 , having a defrost door actuator  122 . A defrost door hinge shaft  124  is coupled to the defrost door actuator  120  and a defrost door  126 . The defrost door actuator  122  enables the defrost door  126  to move within the housing  101  to cover the defrost outlet  110  when in a horizontal position (as shown) to direct the air flow from the first chamber  106  to a first passage  127 , or be moved to a vertical position to block the first passage  127  in the housing to direct the airflow from the first chamber  106  to exit the defrost outlet  110 . That is, the defrost door actuator  122  moves the defrost door  126  between a first position wherein the defrost outlet  110  is blocked by the defrost door  126  to direct the airflow from the first chamber  106  to the first passage  127 , and a second position wherein the defrost outlet  110  is open and the first passage  127  is blocked to direct the airflow through the defrost outlet  110 .  
         [0023]    When the defrost door  126  is in the first position blocking the defrost outlet  110 , or in an intermediate position between the first and second position, a portion of the airflow is directed through the passageway  127  to a second chamber  129  in the remaining portion of the housing  101 . The second chamber  129  has a panel outlet  130  which is surrounded by a panel outlet shoulder portion  132 . The panel outlet shoulder portion  132  can be coupled to air ducts which direct the airflow to panel vents in a vehicle. The panel outlet  130  is divided into a driver panel outlet  134  and a passenger panel outlet  136  by a divider wall  137 .  
         [0024]    The airflow entering the second chamber  129  is divided by an input edge  138  of the divider wall  137 . Accordingly, the airflow is split between a driver portion  140  and a passenger portion  142  of the second chamber  129 . A panel outlet edge  144  of the divider wall  137  preferably extends to the upper edge of the panel outlet shoulder portion  132  so that the airflow exiting the driver portion  140  is directed to the driver panel outlet  134  and airflow exiting the passenger portion  142  is directed to the passenger panel outlet  136 . Suitable ducts can be provided to direct the airflow from the driver panel outlet  134  to a driver zone of the vehicle and to direct airflow from the passenger panel outlet to a passenger zone of the vehicle.  
         [0025]    Also shown in FIG. 1 are a driver door actuator assembly  146  comprising a driver door actuator  148 , and a passenger door actuator assembly  150  comprising a passenger door actuator  152 .  
         [0026]    At the end portion of the housing  101  is a floor outlet  160  bounded by a floor outlet shoulder portion  162 . The floor outlet shoulder portion  162  and a floor outlet edge  163  define a driver floor outlet  164  and a passenger floor outlet  166 . Similar to the panel outlet  130 , the floor outlet  160  is preferably coupled to suitable air ducts for separately directing airflow from the driver floor outlet  164  to a driver portion of the vehicle near the floor and from the passenger floor outlet  166  to a passenger portion of the vehicle near the floor.  
         [0027]    Turning now to FIG. 2, an expanded view of the airflow control apparatus  100  shows the first chamber  106  bounded by a wall  204 . Also visible in FIG. 2 is a hole  206  for receiving the defrost door hinge shaft  124 . Also shown in FIG. 2 is a driver door hinge shaft  230  and a driver door  232 , and a passenger door hinge shaft  240  and a passenger door  242 . Shoulder portions  246  and  248  extending from the housing  101  are adapted to mount the driver door actuator  148 . Similar shoulder portions (not shown) are adapted to mount the actuators  122  and  152 . The door actuators  122 ,  142  and  152  could be any type of motor, including an electric motor, a hydraulic motor, a pneumatic motor or any other device for moving a door as shown in the present invention.  
         [0028]    As will become more clear in reference to the remaining figures, the position of the defrost door  126  will determine the amount of airflow which passes to the defrost outlet  110  and the second chamber  129  defined by the driver portion  140  and the passenger portion  142 . Any airflow that passes through the passageway  127  from the first chamber  106  and enters the driver portion  140  or the passenger portion  142  is then controlled by the driver door  232  and the passenger door  242 . In particular, any airflow that enters the driver portion  140  can be selectively directed to the driver panel outlet  134  or the driver floor outlet  164  depending upon the position of the driver door  232 . The driver door  232  preferably is movable between a first position wherein the driver door  232  blocks the driver panel outlet  134 , and a second position where the driver door  232  blocks the driver floor outlet  164 . When in the first position, substantially all of the airflow in the driver portion  140  is directed to the driver floor outlet  164 , while in the second position substantially all of the airflow is directed to the driver panel outlet  134 . However, it should be understood that the driver door  232  can be movable to any position between the two, allowing a varying degree of airflow to exit both the driver panel outlet  134  and the driver floor outlet  164 .  
         [0029]    Similarly, the passenger door  242  is movable between a first position blocking the passenger panel outlet  136  and a second position blocking the passenger floor outlet  166 . When in the first position, substantially all of the airflow in the passenger portion  142  of the second chamber  129  is directed to the passenger floor outlet  166 , while in the second position substantially all of the airflow is directed to the passenger panel outlet  136 . As with the driver door  232 , the passenger door  232  is also movable between the first and second position such that the amount of airflow passing through the passenger panel outlet  136  and the passenger floor outlet  166  can be selectively adjusted.  
         [0030]    Doors  126 ,  232 ,  242  are preferably operated independent of each other thereby allowing for the airflow to the driver and passenger zones to be controlled independent of each other.  
         [0031]    As an example with the doors  126 ,  232  and  242  as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the defrost door  126  blocks the defrost outlet  110 , thereby directing all the airflow in the first chamber  106  to the second chamber  129 , defined by the driver portion  140  and the passenger portion  142 . Based upon the orientation of the driver door  232 , the majority of the airflow passing to the driver portion  140  is directed to the driver panel outlet  134 , with the remaining portion of the airflow passing through the driver floor outlet  164 . In contrast, based upon the orientation of the passenger door  242 , the majority of the airflow entering the passenger portion  142  is directed to the passenger floor outlet  166 , with the remaining airflow passing through the passenger panel outlet  136 . The airflow will become more apparent in view of the cross-sectional views shown in FIGS.  3 - 6 .  
         [0032]    Turning now to FIG. 3, a cross-sectional view taken at lines  3 - 3  shows the airflow through the first passageway through the second chamber  129  to the floor outlet  160 . In particular, the orientation of the passenger door  242  allows a greater amount of airflow to exit the passenger floor outlet  166  as compared to the amount of airflow allowed to pass through the driver floor outlet  164  based upon the orientation of the driver door  232 . Similarly, FIG. 4 shows the amount of airflow allowed to pass through the defrost outlet  110  and the panel outlet  130 . In particular, the defrost door  126  is shown blocking the airflow through the defrost outlet  110 . The orientation of the driver door  232  shows a greater amount of airflow passing through the driver panel outlet  134  than allowed to pass through the passenger panel outlet  136  based upon the orientation of the passenger door  242 .  
         [0033]    Turning now to FIG. 5, a cross-sectional view taken at line  5 - 5  shows the orientation of the defrost door  126  and the driver door  232  with respect to the various outlets. In particular, the defrost door  126  blocks the defrost outlet  110 . In contrast, the driver door  232  is oriented in such a position to allow a certain portion of airflow to pass through the driver panel outlet  134  and the driver floor outlet  164 . As shown in the similar cross-section of FIG. 6 taken at line  6 - 6 , the orientation of the passenger door  242  shows the airflow through the passenger panel outlet  134  and the passenger floor outlet  166 .  
         [0034]    Turning now to FIG. 7, a flow chart shows a method for controlling airflow in a vehicle according to the one embodiment of the invention. In particular, the airflow to a defrost outlet and a second chamber is controlled with a door at a step  702 . The airflow from the second chamber to a panel and floor outlet on a driver side is controlled with a second door at a step  704 . Similarly, the air floor from the second chamber to a panel and floor outlet on a passenger side is controlled with a third door at a step  706 .  
         [0035]    Turning now to FIG. 8, a method for controlling airflow according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown. A first door is provided for controlling the airflow out of a first chamber at a step  802 . The airflow between the defrost outlet in a second chamber is controlled by the orientation of the first door at a step  804 . The second chamber is preferably divided into a driver portion and a passenger portion at a step  806 . Such a division could be within the chamber by positioning a wall to create a driver portion and passenger portion. Alternatively, such a division could be accomplished by dividing the ducts at the outlet portion of the second chamber generally, as described in reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In either case, doors are used for regulating the airflow to panel and floor outlets of driver and passenger zones of a vehicle. In particular, a second door for controlling the airflow out of the driver portion is provided at a step  808 . The position of the second door is varied to control the amount of airflow in the second chamber to a driver panel outlet and a driver floor outlet at a step  810 . Finally, a third door for controlling the airflow out of the passenger portion is provided at a step  812 . The position of the third door is varied to control the amount of airflow to a passenger panel outlet and a passenger flow outlet at a step  814 .  
         [0036]    Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiment as well as alternative embodiments of the invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. As an example, although a divider wall  137  is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the apparatus for controlling airflow of the present disclosure could be used without a divider  137 . For example, a division could be accomplished by dividing the panel outlet  130  and floor outlet  160  at the panel outlet shoulder portion  132  or the floor outlet shoulder portion  162 , respectively. Alternatively, air ducts leading to vents in the vehicle could be divided to achieve the division of airflow. Further, the airflow control apparatus could be employed in other areas of the vehicle, such as to control air in a sleeper module of a truck between floor ducts and bunk registers. That is, door  126  could control airflow between the floor and the bunks, while doors  242  and  252  could control airflow in the two bunks (i.e., between the foot and head areas of the two bunks). Alternatively, an airflow control apparatus could include only two motors and two doors to control airflow to the floor and one bunk and the floor and a second bunk. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention.