Abstract:
A mounting arrangement for an automobile heating core includes a dash panel defining a boundary between a passenger compartment and an engine compartment. The heater core is positioned in the passenger compartment. An inlet pipe extends between the dash panel and the heating core and delivers fluid to the heating core. An outlet pipe extends between the heating core and the dash panel and delivers fluid away from the heating core. A fluid collection member is positioned in the passenger compartment and arranged to collect fluid leaking from the inlet and outlet pipes.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to HVAC systems in vehicles and more particularly to a tray for cooperating with heater core plumbing in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In automotive vehicles, it is common to have a climate control system located within an instrument panel which provides heated or cooled air to occupants through dash panel defrost air outlets, instrument panel venting air outlets and floor directed air outlets. These traditional climate control systems often include a heater core that performs heat exchange between the engine coolant, which is heated by the engine, and the cool air in the cabin/outside environment, in order to provide warm air to the passenger cabin. 
   A vehicle dash panel defines a boundary between an engine compartment and a passenger compartment. Typically, the heater core is located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle in the HVAC case. An inlet pipe directs coolant from the vehicle engine to the heater core by a coolant pump. An outlet pipe carries fluid away from the heater core back to the engine. The inlet and outlet pipes connecting the heater core generally extend from the vehicle dash panel to the heater core in the HVAC case of the passenger compartment. 
   Sometimes the fluid in the inlet and outlet pipes is very hot. In some HVAC configurations, portions of the inlet and outlet pipes are exposed in the passenger compartment. As a result, a passenger may inadvertently come in contact with the pipes. Moreover, in the event of a fluid leak from the inlet or outlet pipes, the fluid may drip onto an extremity of a passenger such as a leg, foot or toe. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A mounting arrangement for an automobile heating core includes a dash panel defining a boundary between a passenger compartment and an engine compartment. The heater core is positioned in the passenger compartment. An inlet pipe extends between the dash panel and the heating core and delivers fluid to the heating core. An outlet pipe extends between the heating core and the dash panel and delivers fluid away from the heating core. A fluid collection member is positioned in the passenger compartment and arranged to collect fluid leaking from the inlet and outlet pipes. 
   According to additional features, an evaporator is disposed in the passenger compartment and includes a drain tube extending therefrom for delivering condensation away from the evaporator and to the fluid collection member. The fluid collection member includes a planar portion and a wall extending around a perimeter thereof. The wall includes an opening for accommodating the drain tube of the evaporator. The fluid collection member includes an outlet port for draining fluid away from the fluid collection member. The outlet port extends through the dash panel for directing fluid from the passenger compartment to the engine compartment. The fluid collection member is disposed generally below the passenger compartment pipes whereby gravity influences leaking fluid into the fluid collection member. 
   The fluid collection member is positioned between a vehicle occupant and the inlet and outlet pipes to preclude contact of the occupant and the inlet and outlet pipes. 
   Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of an HVAC system of a vehicle; 
       FIG. 2  is a lower perspective view of an HVAC case incorporating a drain tray according to the present teachings; 
       FIG. 3  is a lower perspective view of an HVAC case incorporating the drain tray according to the present teachings; 
       FIG. 4  is a passenger side perspective view of the drain tray shown with the inlet and outlet pipes of the heater core and the evaporator; 
       FIG. 5  is a driver side perspective view of the drain tray shown with the inlet and outlet pipes of the heater core and the evaporator; and 
       FIG. 6  is an upper perspective view of the drain tray. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
   With initial reference to  FIG. 1 , a block diagram of a vehicle HVAC system according to the present teachings is shown and generally identified at reference  10 . A refrigeration cycle R of the vehicle HVAC system  10  includes an air-cooling system  14 . The air-cooling system  14  includes a compressor  16  which draws, compresses, and discharges a refrigerant. The power of a vehicle engine  20  is transmitted to the compressor  16  through pulleys  22  and a belt  24 . 
   As is well known, the vehicle engine  20  drives not only the air conditioning compressor  16  but also such auxiliaries as a generator, a hydraulic pump for a power steering unit, and a coolant pump via belts and other power transmitting devices. 
   In the refrigeration cycle R, the compressor  16  discharges a superheated gas refrigerant of high temperature and high pressure, which flows into a condenser  28 . Here, heat exchange is performed with the outside air sent by a cooling fan (not shown), so that the refrigerant is cooled for condensation. The refrigerant condensed in this condenser  28  then flows into a receiver  30 , in which the refrigerant is separated into a gas and a liquid. A redundant liquid refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle R is stored inside the receiver  30 . 
   The liquid refrigerant from the receiver  30  is decompressed by an expansion valve  34  into a gas-liquid double phase state of low pressure refrigerant. The low pressure refrigerant from the expansion valve  34  flows into an evaporator  36  by way of an inlet pipe  38 . The evaporator  36  is arranged inside an HVAC case  42  of the vehicle air conditioning system  14 . The low pressure refrigerant flowing into the evaporator  36  absorbs heat from the air inside the HVAC case  42  for evaporation. An outlet pipe  40  of the evaporator  36  is connected to the suction side of the compressor  16 , so that the cycle components mentioned above constitute a closed circuit. 
   The HVAC case  42  forms a ventilation duct through which air conditioning air is sent into the passenger compartment. The HVAC case  42  contains a fan  44  which is arranged on the upstream side of the evaporator  36 . An inside/outside air switch box (not shown) is arranged on the suction side of the fan  44  (the left side in  FIG. 1 ). The air inside the passenger compartment (inside air) or the air outside the passenger compartment (outside air) switched and introduced through the inside/outside air switch box is sent into the HVAC case  42  by the fan  44 . 
   The HVAC case  42  accommodates, on the downstream side of the evaporator  36 , a hot water heater core (heat exchanger)  46 . The heater core  46  includes an inlet pipe  48  and an outlet pipe  50 . Hot water (coolant) of the vehicle engine  20  is directed to the heater core  46  through the inlet pipe  48  by a water pump  52 . A water valve  54  controls the flow volume of engine coolant supplied to the heater core  46 . A radiator  56  and a thermistor  58  further cooperate to control the temperature of the coolant. 
   A bypass channel  60  is formed beside the hot water heater core  46 . An air mix door  62  is provided to adjust the volume ratio between warm air and cool air that passes through the hot water heater core  46  and the bypass channel  60 , respectively. The air mix door  62  adjusts the temperature of the air blown into the passenger compartment by adjusting the volume ratio between the warm air and cool air. 
   Additionally, a face outlet  64 , a foot outlet  68 , and a defroster outlet  70  are formed at the downstream end of the HVAC case  42 . The face outlet  64  directs air toward the upper body portions of passengers, the foot outlet  68  directs air toward the feet of the passengers, and the defroster outlet  70  directs air toward the internal surface of a windshield. The outlets  64 ,  68  and  70  are opened and closed by an outlet mode doors (not shown). The air mix door  62  and the outlet mode doors mentioned above are driven by such electric driving devices such as servo motors via linkages or the like. 
   With further reference now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a fluid collection member or drain tray  110  according to the present teachings is shown in an installed position with the HVAC case  42 . The drain tray  110  is coupled to the HVAC case  42  at attachment points  114  by conventional fasteners (not specifically shown). The drain tray  110  is positioned on an underside  116  of the HVAC case  42  below the heater core inlet pipe  48  and the heater core outlet pipe  50 . The structure of the drain tray  110  is configured to collect fluid leaking from the inlet and outlet pipes  48  and  50  of the heater core  46  in the event of a fluid leak. The drain tray  110  is positioned below the inlet and outlet pipes  48  and  50  to allow gravity to urge fluid into the drain tray  110  in the event of a fluid leak. 
   A drain tube  120  extending from the evaporator  36  directs condensation generated by the evaporator  36  into the drain tray  110 . The drain tray  110  is also configured to collect any fluid leaking from the inlet pipe  38  and the outlet pipe  40  of the evaporator  36  in the event of a leak. An outlet port  126  is arranged on the drain tray  110  and directs any collected fluid from the passenger compartment to the engine compartment as will be described in further detail. 
   With continued reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3  and further reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the drain tray  110  will be described in greater detail. The drain tray  110  is located in the passenger compartment  128  adjacent to a dash panel  130  ( FIG. 4 ). The dash panel  130  separates the passenger compartment  128  from an engine compartment  132 . The drain tray  110  generally includes a planar portion  140  ( FIG. 6 ) bounded by a wall  142  extending around the perimeter of the drain tray  110 . The wall  142  extends at varying heights around the train tray  110  for mating with convenient locations on the HVAC case  42  while accommodating portions of the inlet and outlet pipes  48  and  50 . 
   The wall  142  is further defined by a fore wall  150 , an aft wall  152 , a driver side wall  154  and a passenger side wall  156 . The fore wall  150  is generally sloped from the front to the rear (best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 ). The aft wall  152  is positioned proximate to the dash panel  130  and incorporates the drain tube  126 . The driver side wall  154  incorporates a relief  160  for accommodate the evaporator drain tube  120  ( FIG. 5 ). The driver side wall  154  further accommodates a ramped extension portion  162  ( FIG. 6 ) for accepting condensation flowing out of the drain pipe  120 . The ramped extension portion  162  directs fluid onto the planar portion  140 . 
   The passenger side wall  156  is raised with respect to the remaining walls of the tray  110  ( FIG. 4 ) to provide increased protection to an occupant of the passenger seat of the vehicle. As a whole, the passenger side wall  156 , the fore wall  150  and the planar portion  140  of the drain tray  110  cooperate to provide a barrier between an occupant and the inlet and outlet pipes  148  and  150  of the heater core  46 . As such, inadvertent contact between the legs or other areas of an occupant and the inlet and outlet pipes  148  and  150  is minimized. 
   The drain tray  110  is comprised of rigid material such as plastic. The drain tray  110  may be formed by conventional techniques such as, but not limited to, injection molding. The geometry of the drain tray  110  is dictated by the configuration of the HVAC case  42  and the inlet and outlet pipes  48  and  50  of a particular automobile. 
   Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms. For example, although the drain tray  110  is shown in cooperation with a specific HVAC case, it is appreciated that the drain tray may be shaped differently to accommodate alternate heater core pipes and HVAC cases. Therefore, while this invention has been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, the specification and the following claims.