Patent Publication Number: US-2006009148-A1

Title: Module of conveying and distributing air originating from a thermal unit of a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning system for the cockpit of a vehicle

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention is of the field of heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning systems for the cockpit of a vehicle. Its subject is a module for conveying and distributing air originating from a thermal unit towards varied zones in the cockpit of the vehicle.  
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      It is recalled that a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning system for the cockpit of a vehicle employs a thermal unit and a blower in order to cause air to circulate through the thermal unit, then through the air conveying and distribution ducts assigned to various zones of the cockpit. These zones of the cockpit correspond in particular to the deicing of the windshield and to the demisting of the side windows, and to front and rear zones. The front zones usually comprise zones for ventilating the seat, central and lateral right and left zones, and zones for ventilating the users&#39; feet. The rear zones for their part comprise zones for ventilating the seat and zones for ventilating the occupants&#39; feet. There is another auxiliary functionality that is sought, and that is to allow air to be diffused gently inside the cockpit, through specific vents.  
     STATE OF THE ART  
      One problem that has presented itself lies in the overall organization of the means employed to convey and distribute air selectively to one and/or other of the zones of the cockpit.  
      It is common practice to use the presence of a structural element of the cockpit, such as an instrument panel and/or a front transverse beam, for the passage of ducts for conveying air to the various zones of the cockpit that need to be ventilated, to which the ducts are assigned. Selection means that can be operated by the passengers of the vehicle from the cockpit allow air to be distributed to one and/or the other of these ducts.  
      One difficulty which needs to be overcome lies in organizing both the ducts and the means for selecting the distribution of air, which need to have the smallest possible bulk, while at the same time being easy to install in the cockpit. The desirable benefit of it being easy for such an organization to be incorporated into any cockpit, or even into any relatively arbitrary zone of a cockpit and of it being of a simple and lightweight structure should also be noted. Furthermore, the means employed for conveying and distributing the air must not, for a given volume, give rise to pressure drops or prohibitive noise pollution. Furthermore, the organization of these means must not adversely affect the simplicity of their use by the passengers in order to select the desired distribution of air and must take account of the constraints associated with a distribution of air that is potentially tailored to the heat exchange capabilities achieved at that point in time. Finally, the organization of these means must not have an adverse effect on the structural elements of the cockpit having appropriate mechanical strength.  
      As a result of this, designers having intuitively to look for a compromise capable of reconciling all these various constraints in order best to organize the means for conveying and selectively distributing the air.  
     SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION  
      The object of the present invention falls within the context of this search for a compromise, and proposes a module for conveying and distributing air originating from a thermal unit of a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning system for the cockpit of a vehicle which offers solutions that are satisfactory with respect to such a comprise.  
      The inventive approach of the present invention consisted overall in organizing an air conveying and distribution module in the form of at least one partitioned box structure, advantageously one that could be incorporated into a structural element of the cockpit of the vehicle, such as a transverse reinforcing beam of the cockpit of a vehicle, or even an instrument panel. It will be understood that the module of the present invention is an independent functional unit for distributing air to various zones of the cockpit of the vehicle, which is in communication with the thermal unit of the system, and can itself advantageously be incorporated into the structural element.  
      This box structure comprises an overall air intake duct for air originating from the thermal unit, which then subdivides into various ducts assigned respectively to supplying air firstly to the deicing of the windshield and the demisting of the side windows, and secondly to the front zones or even the rear zones. A splitter, mounted so that it can move within the box structure, is placed in the path of the overall duct so as to distribute the air towards one or other of the ducts assigned to supplying these zones of the cockpit with air.  
      The overall duct constitutes a common air intake chamber for all the front zones that are to be ventilated, particularly those of a first group comprising the central and lateral zones and possibly also the footwell zone, and those of a second group comprising the deicing of the windshield and the demisting of the side windows, and possible even gentle diffusion. This overall duct is in communication with main ducts which are assigned respectively to the supply of air to each of these groups, a main splitter for selecting the passage of the air, operating either in on/off mode or in progressive air distribution mode, being interposed between the main ducts. It should be noted at this stage in the description that such a splitter may consist of a common mains splitter or be subdivided into two main elementary splitters assigned respectively to each of the main ducts. As far as the supply of air to the rear zones is concerned, the box structure is also used to allow air to be conveyed towards the rear seat and footwell zones, for example.  
      According to a first variant, the overall duct is subdivided into two, first and second, elementary ducts assigned respectively to the supply of air to the front zones, both of the first group and those of the second group in the manner of the aforementioned corresponding arrangements, and to the supply of air to the rear zones, both seat and footwell.  
      It will be understood that according to such an embodiment, each elementary duct constitutes an overall supply duct for supplying all the respective front and rear zones.  
      It will be noted that it is preferable to isolate the air supply to the front footwell zones from the air supply to the other front zones by placing a secondary selective air distribution splitter between a first intermediate duct assigned to supplying air to the first group of front zones and a second intermediate duct assigned to supplying air to the front footwell zone.  
      According to a second variant, the supply of air to the rear zone is performed from the main duct assigned to supplying air to the first aforementioned group of front zones. In this case, and according to a specific embodiment variant, it is optionally proposed for the air supply to the front and rear footwell zones to be isolated from the air supplies to the other front and rear zones. To do this, an additional splitter is placed at the outlet of the overall duct, upstream of the main splitter, to selectively distribute air either in an on/off fashion or as a progressive distribution of air, to the additional ducts respectively assigned to supplying air to the main ducts on the one hand and to the front and rear footwell zones on the other.  
      According to another aspect of the present invention, it is also proposed for the box structure to be used to allow also gentle diffusion of air through the specific ducts. This gentle diffusion is preferably supplied with air from the first main duct, and more particularly from the air supply for deicing the windshield.  
      It will be noted that the invention also relates to the incorporation of an independent aforementioned module into a structural element of the cockpit of a vehicle, and more particularly into a reinforcing beam or an instrument panel. Such a structural element, beam and/or panel, is chiefly recognizable in that it is equipped with means for accommodating the box structure within its internal volume, and in that it comprises, through its walls, apertures for the passage of the air, both the intake air and the discharge air to the vents, which are in communication with the various ducts that the box structure has, particularly those mentioned.  
      There then arises the problem of mounting a box structure of the present invention within a structural element such as that constituted by a reinforcing beam of the cockpit of the vehicle. To allow such ease of mounting, it is advantageously proposed for the box structure to be made up of a plurality of shells assembled with one another. Such a shell structure of the box structure allows the latter to be introduced into the beam from its ends, to then finally allow the box structure to be mounted inside the beam without in any way affecting the integrity of its mechanical strength.  
      More specifically, the shells are divided into elements these being respectively at least a right end element and a left end element, and possibly also a middle element, which are butted together longitudinally.  
      When the beam comprises an obstacle to the longitudinal circulation of the shells within the beam, such as a recess for the passage of part of the vehicle, more specifically a steering column or an airbag, it is particularly proposed for there to be produced, in at least one of the elements that make up the box structure, particularly in an end element, at least one narrowed region for the passage of this obstacle.  
      When this narrowed region is situated in a central zone of a first element, the latter is advantageously split into two longitudinally open half shells one of which comprises the narrowed region. These measures are such that the half shell comprising the narrowed region can be introduced and installed inside the beam notwithstanding the presence of the obstacle that the latter comprises, the other half shell then being introduced and installed inside the beam.  
      To facilitate blind assembly inside the beam of the two half shells with one another, it is preferably proposed for the edges of the openings of the half shells to be longitudinally inclined.  
      In particular, the half shells comprise, along the edge of their longitudinal openings, collaborating nesting members for assembling them with one another.  
      The collaborating nesting members particularly consist of a set of slideways and collaborating rails, or similar nesting members, which are formed respectively along the longitudinal edges of the openings of the half shells to facilitate their relative guidance when they are being assembled.  
      As a preference, the nesting members have collaborating faces that are non-parallel so as to encourage the clamping and leaktightness of the assembly of the half shells with one another.  
      With the narrowed region situated in an end zone of an element, for the passage of an airbag for example, this element is formed with equal preference either from just one or from several shells.  
      According to a particular embodiment variant, two adjacent elements comprise a narrowed region that is adjacent from one of the elements to the other so as jointly to delimit a housing for the passage of a part of the vehicle especially to jointly house an airbag, a computer, a glove box or some other part of the vehicle usually positioned in this zone of the cockpit.  
      As a preference, the box structure comprises at least one end tip shell for closing off its corresponding end. This end tip shell is advantageously put to use to form an internal partitioning of the box structure. More particularly, this end tip shell comprises at least one flange for partitioning at least one other shell, so as to form at least one internal duct inside the box structure.  
      It will be noted that, in order to fix the shells inside the beam, these shells comprise, for example, holes for the passage of fasteners for fastening the shells to the beam. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
      The present invention will be better understood from reading the description thereof which will be given of some preferred embodiments, in conjunction with the figures of the attached plates, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an example of the installation of a module of the present invention inside a transverse beam of a cockpit of a vehicle.  
       FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating the organization of a module of the present invention according to preferred embodiments.  
       FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment variant of a module of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  are illustrations of a module according to the embodiment variant depicted in  FIG. 3 , viewed from above and viewed from the side, respectively.  
       FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating a second embodiment variant of a module of the present invention.  
       FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  are illustrations of a module according to the embodiment variant depicted in  FIG. 6 , in perspective, in a side view and in a view from above, respectively.  
       FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating a third embodiment variant of a module of the present invention.  
       FIG. 11 ,  FIG. 12  and  FIG. 13  are illustrations of a module according to the embodiment variant depicted in  FIG. 10 , in a side view, a view from above and in cross section, respectively.  
       FIG. 14  is a diagram illustrating a fourth embodiment variant of a module of the present invention.  
       FIG. 15 ,  FIG. 16  and  FIG. 17  are illustrations of a module according to the embodiment variant depicted in  FIG. 14 , in a side view, a view from above, and in cross section, respectively.  
       FIG. 18  is an illustration in section of a box structure that a module of the present invention comprises, installed inside a reinforcing beam of the cockpit of the vehicle.  
       FIG. 19  is an exploded perspective illustration of a preferred embodiment of a box structure depicted in  FIG. 18 .  
       FIG. 20  is an illustration in section of the modes of assembly with one another of two half shells that the box section depicted in  FIG. 19  comprises. 
    
    
      In  FIG. 1 , a module  1  for conveying and distributing air originating from a thermal unit of a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning system is particularly intended to be installed inside a structural element  2  of a cockpit of a vehicle, a front transverse structural beam or instrument panel in particular. Referring also to the other figures, this module is chiefly recognizable in that it comprises at least one partition box structure, such as  3 , which delimits a plurality of ducts assigned respectively to supplying air to zones of the cockpit. It will be noted at this stage in the description of the embodiments illustrated that the box structures  3  that make up the module of the invention are two in number, these being arranged respectively in the right and left zones of the structural element  2 . The box structure  3  more particularly delimits an overall intake duct  4  which is in communication with the thermal unit, via, for example, an air supply duct  5 . This overall duct  4  is equipped with at least one main splitter  6 , or similar member, for distributing the air admitted selectively towards main distribution ducts  7  and  8 . The latter  7  and  8  are in communication via respective outlets with at least one of said zones of the cockpit to which these outlets are assigned. It will be understood that these outlets correspond to the corresponding orifices of ducts placed in communication with the various ducts in the box structure in order to convey air towards those zones of the cockpit that are to be ventilated.  
      The main ducts  7  and  8  are preferably at least distributed as a first main duct  8  assigned at least to supplying air for deicing the windshield  9  and demisting  10  the side windows, and a second main duct  7  assigned at least to supplying air to the front zone of the cockpit, particularly the central  11  and lateral  12  zones of the front seats.  
      According to another aspect of the present invention, the first main duct  8  which is, in particular, assigned at least to supplying air for deicing the windshield  9 , may also be assigned to supplying air for gentle diffusion  14 .  
      In the embodiment variant illustrated in  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 5 , the second main duct  7  is also assigned to supplying air to the rear ventilation zone  23  of the cockpit.  
      In the embodiment variant illustrated in  FIG. 6  to  FIG. 9 , the overall duct  4  is in selective communication, via an additional splitter  36 , with additional ducts  37  and  38 . A first additional duct  37  is assigned to distributing air to the front  13  and rear  24  footwell zones. A second additional duct  38  is assigned to distributing air jointly to the first and second main ducts  8 ,  7 , via the main splitter  6 . Ventilation of the rear seat zone  23  for its part is performed from the second main duct  7 .  
      In the embodiment variants illustrated in  FIG. 10  to  FIG. 13 , on the one hand, and in  FIG. 14  to  FIG. 17  on the other, the overall intake duct  4  is subdivided at least into two elemental ducts  25  and  26  which are respectively assigned, in the case of a first elementary duct  25 , to ventilating the various front zones  9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 ,  13  and, in the case of a second elementary duct  26 , to ventilating the various rear zones  23  and  24 . As a preference, according to these latest variants, the first elementary duct  25  is in communication, via a second splitter  27 , selectively with a first intermediate duct  28  assigned to distributing air to the front  13  footwell zones and with a second intermediate duct  29  equipped with said main splitter  6 .  
      In the light of these latest variants it will be noted that, in general, the main splitter  6  can be a single splitter, as illustrated in  FIG. 14  to  FIG. 17 , or alternatively may be subdivided into a first elementary splitter  30  assigned to the second main duct  7  and a second splitter  31  assigned to the first main duct  8 , in order alternatively to open and/or close them, just as in the variant illustrated in  FIG. 10  to  FIG. 13 .  
      Returning to  FIG. 1 , the box structure  3  is advantageously equipped with means for accommodating it inside a structural element of the cockpit of the vehicle, and more particularly inside a transverse beam  2  that reinforces the cockpit. These means are, for example, means of attachment by screwing, by nesting or other similar means. It will be noted in the embodiment illustrated that the beam  2  is organized as two half sections which are assembled with one another to allow ease of installation of the module  1 , particularly the box structure  3 . The beam  2  also comprises air passage apertures which are in register with the various air intake and outlet openings of the distribution module.  
      In the embodiment illustrated, the beam  2  and, generally, a structural element of the cockpit of the vehicle, more particularly comprises: 
          a first set of at least one window  39  which is formed through its rear wall, directed towards the bulkhead of the cockpit and which is intended to supply air for deicing the windshield  9  and/or gentle diffusion  14 ,     a second set of apertures  40  formed through its rear wall and intended to supply air for demisting the side windows  10 ,     a third set of at least one window  41  formed through its underside wall and intended to supply air to the box structure  3 ,     in addition, a fourth set of apertures  42  formed through its underside wall and intended to distribute air towards the front and rear footwell zones  13  and  24  respectively,     a fifth set of apertures  43  and  44  formed through its front wall and intended to distribute air to the various front seat vent zones  11 ,  12  of the cockpit respectively, the central ventilation  43  and lateral ventilation  44  in particular and     a sixth set of apertures  45  formed through its underside wall and intended to distribute air towards the rear seat  23  and footwell  24  zones.        

      In another variant, the second set of apertures  40  is formed in the top wall of the structural element, that is to say directly facing the instrument panel fagade or the windshield of the vehicle.  
      It will be understood that an instrument panel organized to accommodate a module of the present invention is recognizable in that it comprises measures similar to those which have just been described in relation to the organization of the beam, particularly in respect of the sets of apertures that the beam comprises.  
      It will be noted that, without deviating from the rules of the invention which have just been set out, the box structure can, with equal preference, be made up of a single box structure or be subdivided into several elementary box structures that collaborate for distributing air to all the zones of the cockpit, and, in particular, into elementary box structures distributed on the right and on the left.  
      It will also be noted that the box structure is preferably made of injection-molded plastic, polypropylene containing 20% talc, or high crystallinity polypropylene (HCP) in particular, so that it has characteristics both of lightness of weight, which is advantageous, and of appropriate mechanical strength.  
      In  FIG. 18 , a box structure  46  that a module of the present invention comprises is installed within a beam  47  that reinforces the cockpit of the vehicle. In  FIG. 19 , this box structure  46  is made up of two end elements, right  48  and left  49 , which are organized in such a way as to allow them to be mounted inside the beam  47  via the ends thereof. These box structure elements  48  and  49  are each arranged as shells assembled with each other.  
      Concerning more particularly the left element  49 , and in  FIG. 19  and  FIG. 20 , this element is made up of two longitudinal half shells  50  and  51 . One,  50 , of these half shells has a narrowed region  52  intended for the passage of an obstacle that the beam  47  comprises, such as a recess for the passage of a steering column of the vehicle. This organizing of the element into two half shells  50  and  51  allows the half shell  50  comprising the narrowed region  52  to be introduced into the beam  47  notwithstanding the presence of the obstacle that the latter comprises. Next, once this installation has been performed, the second half shell  51  is then introduced into the beam  47  by sliding along the first half shell  50 . The half shells  50  and  51  are assembled with one another by way of a set of slideways  53  and collaborating rails  54  allowing such introduction of the second half shell  51  by sliding, and offering a sealed joint between the half shells  50  and  51 . Also in  FIG. 19 , the longitudinal edges  55  and  56  of the openings  57  and  58  of the half shells  50  and  51  are longitudinally inclined to facilitate the introduction of the second half shell  51  by sliding along the first half shell  50  from the corresponding end of the beam  47 .  
      The half shells are assembled with one another by screwing or the like particularly once they have been nested one upon the other by longitudinal sliding of the half shell  51  along the half shell  50 . More particularly, at least one joining element, particularly a screw that has not been depicted, straddles the half shells  50 ,  51  to fix them together.  
      According to an advantageous embodiment variant, this assembling of the half shells  50 ,  51  with one another is performed after they have been introduced into the structural element, from the outside of the latter, so that the element used to join the shells to one another is also an element for joining the shells to the structural element. It is evident that, using one and the same fixing operation, and at least one and the same joining element, not only can the half shells  50 ,  51  be assembled with one another, but these can also be assembled with the structural element.  
      In  FIG. 19 , the left element  49  of the box structure is equipped with an end tip shell  59  for closing of the corresponding end of the box structure. This end tip shell  59  has flanges  60  and  61  intended to extend inside the left element  49  of the box structure to partition it.  
      As a preference, reinforcements are formed in at least one of the partitioning flanges  60 ,  61  to accept the joining element at least intended for assembling the half shells with one another and preferably for assembling them with the structural element. These measures are aimed at fixing the partitioning flanges and holding them firmly so as to avoid vibration, all this being achieved in one single assembly operation.  
      The right element  48  is made up of a shell  64  closed at its right end, which houses an internal partitioning element  62 .  
      The right  48  and left  49  elements each comprise narrowed regions  63  and  65  which open onto their ends that face each other. These narrowed regions  63  and  65  together form a housing to accommodate an airbag.