Abstract:
An HVAC system for a vehicle is disclosed. The HVAC system may comprise an HVAC module configured to selectively direct conditioned air through an HVAC outlet; and an HVAC air distribution system including a duct operatively engaging the HVAC outlet to receive air flow therefrom, a top outlet configured to be positioned above an instrument panel, a heater outlet configured to be located below the instrument panel, and a diverter located in the duct and configured to selectively direct the air flow from the HVAC outlet through the duct to the top outlet and the heater outlet.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a vehicle. 
         [0002]    Typical automotive vehicles include an HVAC system having an HVAC module that connects to cross car ducts, which distribute the air through defrost ducts, instrument panel outlets and floor outlets (heating outlets). The HVAC modules have air distribution controls in the modules themselves, which control the ducts to which the air is directed. This design, while convenient for passengers and lending itself to automation, adds to the size, complexity and cost of the HVAC system. For some automotive vehicles manufactured for emerging markets, costs must be minimized to make the vehicles affordable, and space for packaging vehicle components is at a premium. Thus, the conventional HVAC module and duct work may be undesirable for these types of vehicles. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    An embodiment contemplates an HVAC system for a vehicle that may comprise an HVAC module and an HVAC air distribution system. The HVAC module may be configured to selectively direct conditioned air through an HVAC outlet. The HVAC air distribution system may include a duct operatively engaging the HVAC outlet to receive air flow therefrom, a top outlet configured to be positioned above an instrument panel, a heater outlet configured to be located below the instrument panel, and a diverter located in the duct and configured to selectively direct air flow from the HVAC outlet through the duct to the top outlet and the heater outlet. 
         [0004]    An advantage of an embodiment is that the HVAC air distribution system eliminates the need for a mode door and actuators in an HVAC module, which may allow for a reduced size and cost of the HVAC module. The overall cost of the HVAC system may be reduced while still maintaining a high degree of functionality. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a portion of a vehicle and an HVAC system. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a view of a portion of a vehicle and an HVAC system according to a second embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a view of a portion of a vehicle and an HVAC system according to a third embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a view of a portion of a vehicle and an HVAC system according to a fourth embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a portion of a vehicle, indicated generally at  10 , is shown. The vehicle  10  includes a windshield  12  with an instrument panel  14  adjacent to it. Mounted within, extending above a top  16  of the instrument panel  14 , and extending below a bottom  18  of the instrument panel  14 , is a portion of an HVAC system  20 . 
         [0010]    The HVAC system  20  includes an HVAC module  22 . Air is drawn into the HVAC module  22 , conditioned, and then directed through outlets  24  to an HVAC air distribution system  26 . The HVAC air distribution system  26  includes flexible ducts  28  extending from the outlets  24  to inlets  30  of hand operable slide diverters  32 . The slide diverters  32  are mounted on fixed ducts  34  and are configured to slide up and down on the ducts  34 . Diversion plates  33  (only one shown) are mounted horizontally in the ducts  34  in the vicinity of the slide diverters  32 . Sliding the slide diverts  32  up and down on the ducts  34  selectively directs air up or down in the ducts  34 . Air directed downward through lower portions  36  of the ducts  34  is directed to heater outlets  38  (also called floor outlets) adjacent to a floor  40  of the vehicle  10 . Upper portions  42  of the ducts  34  extend from the instrument panel  14  and connect to rotating ducts  44 , which in turn connect to swivel ducts  46 , which then connect to top outlets  48 . 
         [0011]    The operation of the HVAC system  20  will now be discussed. Upon activation of the HVAC system  20 , the HVAC module  22  will draw in air, condition it, and blow it out through the outlets  24 . The fan speed may be set in a conventional fashion. If the driver wishes to have air flow from the heater outlets  38 , the driver will adjust the slide diverter  32  on the driver side of the vehicle  10  by hand to the position that will direct airflow down through the lower portion  36  and out through the heater outlets  38  near the vehicle floor  40 . The passenger can do likewise on the passenger side of the HVAC air distribution system  26 . As the particular slide diverter  32  is moved up or down to redirect airflow, the corresponding flexible duct  28  will bend to assure an airflow connection between the HVAC module  22  and the slide diverter  32 . 
         [0012]    Moving the slide diverters  32  in the other direction will direct the airflow up through the upper portions  42  and out through the top outlets  48 . The rotating ducts  44  allow the top outlets  48  to be pivoted by hand about a vertical axis in order to aim the airflow in a desired right/left direction. Likewise the swivel ducts  46  can be pivoted by hand about a generally horizontal axis in order to aim the air flow from the top outlets  48  in a desired up/down direction. The rotating ducts  44  may allow for rotation all the way around such that the top outlets  48  face the windshield  12 , thus creating a defrost mode for the windshield  12 . Alternatively, separate ducts may be run in a more conventional fashion to allow for directing air directly onto the windshield. 
         [0013]    One will note that this HVAC system  20  removes an air management function from the HVAC module and incorporates it into the ducts of the HVAC air distribution system  26 . Also, all air distribution adjustments can be accomplished manually by occupants of the vehicle. This is accomplished while still allowing for independent motor control for right and left vehicle occupants. 
         [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates a second embodiment. Since this embodiment is similar to the first, similar element numbers will be used for similar elements, but employing 100-series numbers. In this embodiment, only one of two sides of the HVAC air distribution system  126  is shown. Of course, both driver and passenger side air distribution can be employed, as is shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0015]    A rotating duct  144  mounts over an upper outlet  152  in a duct  134  that is in fluid communication with an outlet  124  of the HVAC module  122 . An extendable duct section  150  mounts on top of the rotating duct  144  and supports a top outlet  148 . The top outlet  148  can be moved up and down by hand to pull the top outlet out of the top  116  of the instrument panel  114  or push it down into the instrument panel  114 . Preferably, the extendable duct section  150  provides enough stiffness to support the top outlet  148  in the position it has been moved to buy the vehicle occupant. The rotating duct  144  allows the top outlet  148  to be rotated about a vertical axis to aim the top outlet  148  in a desired airflow direction. Optionally, a swivel feature may also be included in the second embodiment similar to that incorporated into the first embodiment. Also, the top of the top outlet  148  may be shaped to be flush with the top  116  of the instrument panel  114  when the top outlet  148  is in its retracted position. 
         [0016]    A diverter rod  154  connects to and moves up and down with the top outlet  148 . A top outlet valve  156  is mounted to and moves up and down with the diverter rod  154 . The top outlet valve  156  is located on the diverter rod  154  such that when the top outlet  148  is moved down to its retracted position, the top outlet valve  156  will essentially close the upper outlet  152 . 
         [0017]    The diverter rod  154  also includes a heater outlet valve  158  that slides up and down adjacent to a heater flow channel  160 . The heater flow channel  160  directs air flow to a heater outlet  138 . The heater outlet valve  158  includes a flow opening  162  (indicated by a dotted line in  FIG. 2 ) that aligns with the heater flow channel  160  when the top outlet  148  is pushed down into its retracted position. On the other hand, the heater outlet valve  158  blocks flow through the heater flow channel  160  when the top outlet  148  is lifted up to its operating position since the flow opening  162  is no longer aligned with the heater flow channel  160 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates a third embodiment. Since this embodiment is similar to the first, similar element numbers will be used for similar elements, but employing 200-series numbers. In this embodiment, only one of two sides of the HVAC air distribution system  226  is shown. Of course, both driver and passenger side air distribution can be employed, as is shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0019]    The HVAC module  222  has an outlet  224  directing air flow to a flexible duct  228 , which, in turn, directs the air to an inlet  230  of a fixed duct  234 . A movable flow diverter  264  is mounted in the fixed duct  234  and is connected to a diverter cam  266  via a rod  268 , with a handle  270  also engaging the rod  268 . The handle  270  can be moved by hand to cause the flow diverter  264  to slide up and down in the fixed duct  234 . When the flow diverter  264  is slid to its top position (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), air flow is directed down through a heater outlet  238 . When the flow diverter  264  is slid to its bottom position, air flow is directed up through the top outlet  248  above the instrument panel  214 . The fixed duct  234  may include a rotating duct portion  244 , and may also include a swivel duct portion (not shown in this embodiment) similar to that shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  illustrates a fourth embodiment. Since this embodiment is similar to the first, similar element numbers will be used for similar elements, but employing 300-series numbers. In this embodiment, only one of two sides of the HVAC air distribution system  326  is shown. Of course, both driver and passenger side air distribution can be employed, as is shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0021]    The HVAC module  322  has an outlet  324  directing air flow to a flexible duct  328 , which, in turn, directs the air to an inlet  330  of a movable duct  334 . A fixed flow diverter  364  is mounted in the movable duct  334 . When one pulls the top outlet  348  up and down, the movable duct  334  will slide up and down with it. The movable duct  334 , then, will slide up and down relative to the flow diverter  364 . When one pushes the top outlet  348  down into the instrument panel  314 , the inlet  330  is slid down relative to the flow diverter  364  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ), so that air flow is directed down through a heater outlet  338 . When the top outlet  348  is pulled upward, the inlet  330  moves upward to a second position relative to the flow diverter  364 , where air flow is directed up through the top outlet  348  above the instrument panel  314 . The movable duct  334  may include a rotating duct portion  344 , and may also include a swivel duct portion (not shown in this embodiment) similar to that shown in  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the movable duct  334  may include a built-in swiveling and rotating function by having a semi-rigid portion under the top outlet  348  that allows for some twisting and bending in the duct itself while still being stiff enough the support the top outlet  348 . This semi-rigid portion may be similar to the extendible duct section  150  in the embodiment of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0022]    While certain embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention as defined by the following claims.