CASING UNIT

A casing unit includes a first casing, and a second casing configured to be combined with the first casing from a first direction. The first casing includes a first casing main body and a protrusion. The second casing includes a second casing main body provided with an accommodating groove into which the protrusion is to be accommodated. Any one of the protrusion and the second casing main body is provided with a guiding part that relatively moves the first casing and the second casing in a second direction, in response to combining the first casing and the second casing. The second casing further includes an overlapping part that overlaps with the first casing main body in the first direction in a combined state, and that is elastically deformable in response to relative movement of the first casing and the second casing in the second direction.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a casing unit.

The present application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-208378 filed in Japan on Dec. 16, 2020, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND ART

An HVAC unit in a vehicular air conditioning device, for example, mainly includes equipment such as a heat exchanger and a fan, and a resin casing unit that covers the equipment from the outside. A flow path through which airflow generated by the fan flows is formed inside the casing unit. In order to supply airflow into the vehicle without causing a loss, it is important to maintain airtightness of this flow path.

As a measure for ensuring airtightness of the casing unit, a measure such as that described in Patent Document 1 below is known. An air conditioning case according to Patent Document 1 includes a recess formed in a first case body and a protrusion provided in a second case body and inserted into the recess. A side surface of the protrusion is formed as a tapered part. As the protrusion is inserted into the recess, the protrusion is pressed by the tapered part, so that the recess elastically deforms and expands. This causes the first case body and the second case body to be in close contact with each other and maintain airtightness.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

Patent Document 1: JP 2018-177198 A

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

However, when the recess elastically deforms so as to expand as described above, a large force is required when the protrusion is inserted. Therefore, there is a possibility that assembly of the casing unit cannot be smoothly performed.

The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and an object is to provide a casing unit that has higher airtightness and liquid tightness and can be easily assembled.

Solution to Problem

In order to solve the above problem, a casing unit according to the present disclosure is a casing unit including: a first casing; and a second casing configured to be combined with the first casing from a first direction, in which the first casing includes a first casing main body, and a protrusion that protrudes from the first casing main body toward the second casing, the second casing includes a second casing main body provided with an accommodating groove that accommodates the protrusion, any one of the protrusion and the second casing main body is provided with a guiding part that relatively moves the first casing and the second casing in a second direction intersecting the first direction, in response to combining the first casing and the second casing in the first direction, and the second casing further includes an overlapping part that overlaps the first casing main body in the first direction in the combined state, the overlapping part being elastically deformable in response to the first casing and the second casing relatively moving in the second direction.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a casing unit that has higher airtightness and liquid tightness and can be easily assembled.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

Configuration of Casing Unit

Hereinafter, a casing unit100according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIGS.1to3. The casing unit100is a resin container that accommodates a fan, a heat exchanger, a damper, and the like of a vehicular air conditioning device, for example. As illustrated inFIG.1, the casing unit100includes a first casing1forming a lower half and a second casing2forming an upper half and combined with the first casing1. The first casing1and the second casing2are provided with, inside therein, a space for accommodating the above-described various types of equipment and a flow path for guiding blowing.

The first casing1and the second casing2are provided with a plurality of engaging portions3for fixing them so as not to fall off from each other. In the following description, a direction in which the first casing1and the second casing2are combined is called a first direction D1. In the horizontal direction orthogonal to the first direction D1, a direction corresponding to the inner and outer directions of the casing unit100is called a second direction D2.

Configuration of First Casing

Next, the configuration of a joint part of the casing unit100will be described with reference toFIG.2.FIG.2illustrates a cross section of a part different from the engaging portion3described above. As illustrated in the figure, the first casing1includes a first casing main body10, a protrusion10P, and a tapered part10T.

The first casing main body10has a first end surface10S facing one side in the first direction D1, an outer surface10W extending from an end edge of the first end surface10S on one side in the second direction D2toward the other side in the first direction D1, and an inner surface10D facing a side opposite to the outer surface10W in the second direction D2.

The protrusion10P is provided on the first end surface10S. The protrusion10P protrudes from the first end surface10S toward one side in the first direction D1. The dimension (that is, the thickness) of the protrusion10P in the second direction D2is set to be smaller than the dimension of the first end surface10S in the second direction D2.

The protrusion10P has a base portion R and a tip portion T. Both surfaces of the base portion R in the second direction D2extend parallel to the first direction D1. The tip portion T has a tapered cross-sectional shape where the dimension in the second direction D2gradually decreases toward one side of the first direction D1.

The tapered part10T as a guiding part is formed between the base portion R of the protrusion10P and the first end surface10S. The tapered part10T extends from a surface of the base portion R facing one side in the second direction D2to the first end surface10S. More specifically, the tapered part10T has an end edge extending toward one side in the second direction D2from the base portion R toward the first end surface10S. A plurality of such tapered parts10T are provided at intervals over the entire extension length of the protrusion10P.

The outer surface10W has a main surface10A, an inclined surface10B, and a parallel surface10C. The main surface10A and the parallel surface10C extend in the first direction D1. The inclined surface10B extends obliquely toward one side in the second direction D2from the main surface10A toward the parallel surface10C. These outer surfaces10W are surfaces facing outward of the casing unit100.

The inner surface10D is a surface facing a side opposite to the main surface10A, and is a surface facing the inside of the casing unit100. The inner surface10D is provided with a recess10R in a part overlapping the inclined surface10B and the parallel surface10C in the first direction D1. The recess10R is recessed from the inner surface10D toward one side in the second direction D2.

Specifically, the recess10R includes a bottom surface R1facing one side in the first direction D1and a side surface R2connected to the bottom surface R1and facing the other side in the second direction D2. The upper end of the side surface R2is continuous with the base portion R of the protrusion10P. That is, no step or the like is formed between the base portion R and the side surface R2.

Configuration of Second Casing

The second casing2includes a second casing main body20and an overlapping part20R. The second casing main body20has a thickness substantially identical to the thickness (that is, the dimension in the second direction D2) from the parallel surface10C to the inner surface10D of the first casing main body10. The second casing main body20has an outer surface20A facing outward, an inner surface20B facing inward, and a second end surface20C facing the other side in the first direction D1(that is, facing the first casing1side).

The second end surface20C is provided with an accommodating groove20H in which the above-described protrusion10P is accommodated. The accommodating groove20H is recessed from the second end surface20C toward one side in the first direction D1. The dimension of the accommodating groove20H in the second direction D2is set to be slightly larger than the dimension of the protrusion10P in the second direction D2. In a state where the first casing1and the second casing2are combined, a gap is formed between an end surface on one side of the protrusion10P in the second direction D2and the accommodating groove20H. On the other hand, the end surface on the other side of the protrusion10P and the accommodating groove20H are in a state of close contact with each other. At this time, a corner C1between the second end surface20C and the accommodating groove20H is in a state of contact with the above-described tapered part10T.

The overlapping part20R is provided on the other side of the second end surface20C in the second direction D2. The overlapping part20R extends from the second end surface20C toward the other side in the first direction D1. The thickness (that is, the dimension in the second direction D2) of the overlapping part20R is set to be smaller than the thickness of the second casing main body20. The length (that is, the dimension in the first direction D1) of the overlapping part20R is set to be larger than the length of the protrusion10P. In the state where the first casing1and the second casing2are combined, the overlapping part20R closes the above-described recess10R from the other side in the second direction D2. At this time, the overlapping part20R is in a state of being elastically deformed so as to be slightly curved toward the other side in the second direction D2with the connection part with the second end surface20C as a fulcrum. That is, the overlapping part20R abuts on the inner surface10D in a state where an elastic restoring force is applied.

Operational Effects Next, behavior of each part when the casing unit100is assembled will be described with reference toFIG.3. As illustrated in the figure, in assembling the casing unit100, first, the first casing1and the second casing2face each other in the first direction D1. Next, the second casing2is moved in the first direction D1with respect to the first casing1, and the protrusion10P is brought into a state of being inserted halfway into the accommodating groove20H. At this time, the overlapping part20R is in a state of abutting on the inner surface10D but not elastically deforming.

From the above state, the second casing2is further moved in the first direction D1. Then, the corner C1of the accommodating groove20H abuts on the tapered part10T. When the second casing2is still moved, the entire second casing2is moved toward one side in the second direction D2by the corner C1being guided by the tapered part10T. That is, the second casing2moves relative to the first casing1in the second direction D2. Due to this, in a state where the entire protrusion10P is accommodated in the accommodating groove20H, the protrusion10P and the inner surface of the accommodating groove20H are brought into close contact with each other as described on the basis ofFIG.2. At this time, since the second casing2has moved in the second direction D2, the overlapping part20R is brought into a state of elastically deforming while abutting on the inner surface10D.

According to the above configuration, the first casing1and the second casing2relatively move in the second direction D2by the tapered part10T serving as the guiding part, so that the first casing1and the second casing2are brought into a state of being strongly in close contact with each other. This can ensure higher airtightness and liquid tightness. In addition, since the overlapping part20R elastically deforms in a state of overlapping the first casing main body10, airtightness and liquid tightness can be further enhanced by the overlapping part20R. Since the part to be elastically deformed at the time of assembly is limited to only the overlapping part20R, assembly can be easily performed without requiring a large force.

Furthermore, according to the above configuration, since the dimension of the overlapping part20R is larger than that of the protrusion10P, the overlapping part20R can be more easily elastically deformed along with insertion of the protrusion10P. This makes it possible to perform assembly without requiring a large force.

According to the above configuration, when the protrusion10P is inserted into the accommodating groove20H, the second casing2relatively moves in the second direction D2along the tapered part10T. This makes it possible to cause the first casing1and the second casing2to be brought strongly into close contact with each other. By forming the tapered part10T, it is possible to largely secure the base portion R (the part on the opposite side of the tip portion T) of the protrusion10P, and therefore it is also possible to enhance the strength of the protrusion10P.

The first embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above. Note that various changes and modifications can be made to the above-described configurations without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. For example, as illustrated inFIG.4, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a tapered part10T′ is formed over the entire region of the side surface of the protrusion10P facing the second direction D2, that is, the entire extension length of the base portion R. According to this configuration, it is possible to cause the first casing1and the second casing2to relatively move more largely by the tapered part10T′. This makes it possible to cause the first casing1and the second casing2to be brought strongly into close contact with each other.

Second Embodiment

Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIG.5. The same components as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference signs, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. As illustrated in the figure, in the present embodiment, instead of the above-described tapered part10T, a guiding projection30and a guiding groove30R as guiding parts are formed in the first casing1and the second casing2, respectively.

The guiding projection30protrudes from the second end surface20C of the second casing2toward the other side in the first direction D1. The cross-sectional shape of the guiding projection30is a right triangle. More specifically, the oblique side in the cross section of the guiding projection30extends toward one side in the second direction D2toward the other side in the first direction D1.

The guiding groove30R accommodates the guiding projection30. The guiding groove30R is recessed from the first end surface10S of the first casing1toward the other side in the first direction D1. The cross-sectional shape of the guiding groove30R is the identical to the cross-sectional shape of the guiding projection30. The term “identical” mentioned here refers to being substantially identical and accounts for design tolerances and manufacturing errors. In a state where the first casing1and the second casing2face each other before they are combined, the guiding groove30R is formed at a position shifted to one side in the second direction D2relative to the guiding projection30. The guiding projection30and the guiding groove30R may be continuously formed over the entire circumference of the first end surface10S and the second end surface20C, or a plurality of them may be provided at intervals.

According to the above configuration, when the protrusion10P is inserted into the accommodating groove20H, the guiding projection30is accommodated in the guiding groove30R. Here, the guiding groove30R is formed at a position shifted in the second direction D2relative to the guiding projection30. Due to this, by the oblique sides of the guiding projection30and the guiding groove30R abutting on each other in a sliding manner, it is possible to relatively move the first casing1and the second casing2in the second direction D2. As a result, it is possible to cause the first casing1and the second casing2to be brought strongly into close contact with each other.

The second embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above. Note that various changes and modifications can be made to the above-described configurations without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. For example, in the second embodiment, an example in which the second casing2is provided with the guiding projection30and the first casing1is provided with the guiding groove30R has been described. However, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the first casing1is provided with the guiding projection30and the second casing2is provided with the guiding groove30R. The tapered part10T described in the first embodiment can also be applied in combination with the configuration of the second embodiment.

Unlike the above embodiments, the casing unit100can also be used for accommodating mechanical devices other than the vehicular air conditioning device. The appearance of the casing unit100illustrated inFIG.1is an example, and various shapes and dimensional sizes can be made in accordance with design and specifications.

Supplementary Notes

The casing unit100described in each embodiment is understood as follows, for example.

(1) The casing unit100according to a first aspect is the casing unit100including: the first casing1; and the second casing2configured to be combined with the first casing1from the first direction D1, in which the first casing1includes the first casing main body10, and the protrusion10P that protrudes from the first casing main body10toward the second casing2, the second casing2includes the second casing main body20provided with the accommodating groove20H that accommodates the protrusion10P, any one of the protrusion10P and the second casing main body20is provided with a guiding part that relatively moves the first casing1and the second casing2in the second direction D2intersecting the first direction D1, in response to combining the first casing1and the second casing2in the first direction D1, and the second casing2further includes the overlapping part20R that overlaps the first casing main body10in the first direction D1in the combined state, the overlapping part R being elastically deformable in response to the first casing1and the second casing2relatively moving in the second direction D2.

According to the above configuration, the first casing1and the second casing2relatively move in the second direction D2by the guiding part, so that the first casing1and the second casing2are brought into a state of being strongly in close contact with each other. Since the part to be elastically deformed at the time of assembly is limited to only the overlapping part20R, assembly can be easily performed without requiring a large force.

(2) In the casing unit100according to a second aspect, the dimension of the overlapping part20R in the first direction D1may be set to be larger than the dimension of the protrusion10P in the first direction D1.

According to the above configuration, since the dimension of the overlapping part20R is larger than that of the protrusion OP, the overlapping part20R can be more easily elastically deformed along with insertion of the protrusion10P.

(3) In the casing unit100according to a third aspect, the protrusion10P may be formed on the first end surface10S of the first casing main body10, the first end surface10S facing the first direction D1, and, in a cross-sectional view orthogonal to the first direction D1, the protrusion10P may include the tip portion T extending in the first direction D1, and the tapered part10T serving as the guiding part extending in the second direction D2from the tip portion T toward the first end surface10S.

According to the above configuration, when the protrusion10P is inserted into the accommodating groove20H, the second casing2relatively moves in the second direction D2along the tapered part10T. This makes it possible to cause the first casing1and the second casing2to be brought strongly into close contact with each other.

(4) In the casing unit100according to a fourth aspect, the tapered part10T′ may be formed on the entire region of the surface of the protrusion10P facing the second direction D2.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to cause the first casing1and the second casing2to relatively move more largely by the tapered part10T′.

(5) In the casing unit100according to a fifth aspect, the protrusion10P may be formed on the first end surface10S of the first casing main body10, the first end surface10S facing the first direction D1, the accommodating groove20H is formed on the second end surface20C of the second casing main body20, the second end surface20C opposing the first end surface10S, and the guiding part includes the guiding projection30protruding from any one of the first end surface10S and the second end surface20C toward the other of the first end surface10S and the second end surface20C, and the guiding groove30R formed in the other of the first end surface10S and the second end surface20C, accommodating the guiding projection30, and formed at a position shifted in the second direction D2relative to the guiding projection30.

According to the above configuration, when the protrusion10P is inserted into the accommodating groove20H, the guiding projection30is accommodated in the guiding groove30R. The guiding groove30R is formed at a position shifted in the second direction D2relative to the guiding projection30. This makes it possible to relatively move the first casing1and the second casing2in the second direction D2. As a result, it is possible to cause the first casing1and the second casing2to be brought strongly into close contact with each other.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a casing unit that has higher airtightness and liquid tightness and can be easily assembled.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST