Patent Abstract:
An airflow deflector including a plurality of spaced apart ribs each extending in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end thereof that is generally perpendicular to an airflow stream to be deflected by the airflow deflector such that the plurality of spaced apart ribs induce recirculations of the airflow stream between neighboring ones of the plurality of spaced apart ribs to increase air pressure at an entrance to areas defined between neighboring ribs and restrict the airflow from flowing past the plurality of spaced apart ribs.

Full Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to vehicle heating, ventilation, and air cooling systems, and particularly to a rib maze that prevents airflow along a wall. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    This section provides background information related to the present disclosure, which is not necessarily prior art. 
         [0003]    Motor vehicle heating, ventilation, and air cooling (HVAC) systems typically include an HVAC casing with an evaporator and a heater core housed therein. In a heating mode, airflow that has passed into the HVAC casing through the evaporator, which is often deactivated, is directed through the heater core by a temperature mixing door arranged in parallel to the heater core. In a cooling mode, the evaporator is activated and the control door is positioned such that cooled airflow that has passed through the evaporator is directed away from the heater core. A secondary temperature mixing door may be placed between the evaporator and the heater core so that in the cooling mode a positive airflow seal prevents airflow from entering the heater core chamber and becoming heated. To reduce costs, simplify operation, and increase operational reliance of the HVAC system, it would be desirable to eliminate the control door between the evaporator and the heater core. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. 
         [0005]    The present teachings provide for an airflow deflector including a plurality of spaced apart ribs each extending in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end thereof that is generally perpendicular to an airflow stream to be deflected by the airflow deflector such that the plurality of spaced apart ribs induce recirculations of the airflow stream between neighboring ones of the plurality of spaced apart ribs to increase air pressure at an entrance to areas defined between neighboring ribs and restrict the airflow from flowing past the plurality of spaced apart ribs. 
         [0006]    The present teachings further provide for an HVAC system for a motor vehicle including an evaporator, a heater, and a plurality of spaced-apart deflector ribs that are between the evaporator and the heater. The deflector ribs are configured to direct airflow away from the heater. 
         [0007]    The present teachings also provide for an HVAC system for a motor vehicle including an evaporator, a heater, and a plurality of spaced-apart deflector ribs. The deflector ribs are between the evaporator and the heater, and extend in a direction generally perpendicular to airflow to be deflected. 
         [0008]    Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an HVAC system according to the present teachings; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a close-up view of area  2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  illustrates airflow through the HVAC system of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
       [0013]    Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0015]    With initial reference to  FIG. 1 , a heating, ventilation, and air cooling (HVAC) system is illustrated at reference numeral  10 . The HVAC system  10  includes an evaporator  12  and a heater core  14 . The evaporator  12  includes a first side  16  and a second side  18 , which is opposite to the first side  16 . The heater core  14  includes a first side  20  and a second side  22 , which is opposite to the first side  20 . The second side  18  of the evaporator  12  faces the first side  20  of the heater core  14 . 
         [0016]    The HVAC system  10  further includes a first door or air mix door  24 , a second door  26 , a face outlet  28 , and a foot outlet  30 . The first and second doors  24  and  26  are illustrated as rotary doors, but can be any suitable type of door to direct and/or restrict airflow. With respect to the direction of airflow through the evaporator  12 , the first door  24  succeeds the evaporator  12  and is in parallel to the heater core  14 . The second door  26  is proximate to the face outlet  28  and the foot outlet  30 . 
         [0017]    The first door  24  is movable between a first position  24   a  and a second position  24   b . In the first position, which is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the first door  24  extends generally between the evaporator  12  and the heater core  14  to force airflow to pass through the heater core before exiting to the face and foot outlets  28  and  30 . In the second position, the first door  24  blocks airflow from the heater core  14  allowing it to go directly to the face and foot outlets  28  and  30 . 
         [0018]    The second door  26  is also movable between a first position  26   a  and a second position  26   b .  FIG. 1  illustrates the second door  26  in the first position  26   a  to block airflow to the face outlet  28 , thereby permitting airflow through the foot outlet  30 . In the second position  26   b , the second door  26  is arranged to block airflow to the foot outlet  30 , thereby permitting airflow through the face outlet  28 . 
         [0019]    Between the evaporator  12  and the heater core  14  is a diverter  40 , which is generally a raised surface of HVAC housing or case  42  at a base  44  thereof. With continued reference to  FIG. 1  and additional reference to  FIG. 2 , the diverter  40  includes a diverter apex  46  and a diverter face  48 , which extends between the diverter apex  46  and the base  44 . The diverter face  48  generally faces the second side  18  of the evaporator  12 . 
         [0020]    Also between the evaporator  12  and the heater core  14  are a plurality of deflectors  50   a - 50   f , which generally take the form of deflector ribs. As illustrated, six deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f  are included. Any suitable number of deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f  can be included, however. Each deflector rib  50   a - 50   f  generally includes an elongated portion with a first end  52   a - 52   f  and a second end  54   a - 54   f  that is opposite to the first end  52   a - 52   f . One or more of the deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f  can include a transverse portion  56 , such as at the second end  54   a - 54   f . The transverse portion  56  extends generally transverse or perpendicular to the rest of the deflector rib  50   a - 50   f  that the transverse portion  56  is associated with. As illustrated, deflector rib  50   a  includes the transverse portion  56  at the second end  54   a . Such a transverse portion  56  can be provided at any location where the longitudinal portion of the ribs  50   a - 50   f  between the first end  52   a - 52   f  and the second end  54   a - 54   f  is not entirely sufficient to deflect airflow. 
         [0021]    The deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f  can be arranged in any suitable manner. For example, the deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f  can be arranged such that they extend lengthwise between the first end  52   a - 52   f  and the second end  54   a - 54   f  in a direction generally perpendicular to a main airflow stream A, as illustrated in  FIG. 2  for example. The deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f  can be arranged in any suitable orientation relative to one another in order to extend generally perpendicular to the main airflow stream A, such as along a curved line B, which is illustrated in  FIG. 2  and extends between the heater core  14  and the evaporator  12 . First deflector rib  50   a  is arranged closest to the heater core  14 , furthest from the evaporator  12 , and furthest from the base  44  of the HVAC case  42 . Sixth deflector rib  50   f  is arranged furthest from the heater core  14 , closest to the evaporator  12 , and closest to the base  44 . The deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f  can have varying lengths. For example, the fourth deflector rib  50   d  can be shorter than the neighboring third and fifth deflector ribs  50   c  and  50   e . The deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f  are generally arranged staggered or offset with respect to each other along the curved line B. For example, the third deflector rib  50   c  can be further offset from the line B than the second or fourth deflector ribs  50   b  and  50   d.    
         [0022]    Operation of the HVAC system  10  in a maximum heat mode will now be described. Airflow is directed through the evaporator  12 , which can be deactivated. Airflow enters the evaporator  12  at the first side  16 , and exits the evaporator  12  at the second side  18 . In the maximum heat mode, the first door  24  is arranged in the first position  24   a  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , such that all airflow passing through the evaporator  12  is directed to the heater core  14 . With the first door  24  in the first position  24   a  of  FIG. 1 , the pressure between the evaporator  12  and the heater core  14  drops, thereby further forcing airflow from the evaporator to the heater core  14 . The deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f  are orientated such that they extend generally parallel to the direction of airflow to the heater core  14  when the first door  24  is at the first position  24   a  of  FIG. 1 , thereby permitting airflow to pass to and through the heater core  14  to heat the airflow, with only a small restriction. 
         [0023]    In a cooling mode, the evaporator  12  is activated and the first door  24  is rotated to the second position  24   b , in which airflow is free to flow directly from the evaporator  12  to the face and foot outlets  28  and  30  without passing through the heater core  14 . The diverter  40  will direct airflow from the evaporator  12  away from the heater core  14  and towards the face and foot outlets  28  and  30 . Furthermore, air pressure between the evaporator  12  and the heater core  14  will be less than that at and behind the heater core  14 , thereby forcing airflow away from the heater core  14  and towards the face and foot outlets  28  and  30 . To prevent the airflow from being warmed by the heater core  14 , it is desirable to keep the airflow, such as airflow A of  FIG. 2 , as far away from the heater core  14  as possible. The deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f  direct airflow A away from the heater core  14  due to their arrangement and orientation. 
         [0024]    The staggered arrangement of the deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f  and the general arrangement of the deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f  perpendicular to the main airflow stream A creates a series of small channels therebetween that induce small air recirculations, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , between the ribs  50   a - 50   f  as airflow A moves along the deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f . The recirculations increase the pressure at the second ends  54   a - 54   f  of the ribs  50   a - 50   f , which substantially reduces the amount of airflow to the heater  14 . As a result, the airflow A is forced away from the heater core  14 , thereby preventing the airflow A from being warmed by the heater core  14  when the HVAC system  10  is in a cooling mode. 
         [0025]    Although the deflector ribs  50   a - 50   f  are described as being used with the HVAC system  10 , the ribs  50   a - 50   f  can be provided at any suitable location and can be used with any suitable device, process, machine, manufacture, or composition to direct airflow away from a surface. The position and orientation of the ribs  50   a - 50   f  can be customized according to the particular application. For example, any suitable number of the ribs  50   a - 50   f  can be provided with any suitable spacing, length, and orientation such that the ribs  50   a - 50   f  extend generally perpendicular to an airflow to create a series of small channels along the airflow stream that induce small airflow recirculations between neighboring ribs  50   a - 50   f . The airflow recirculations increase the pressure at the entrances of the channels (such as at the second ends  54   a - 54   f  of the ribs  50   a - 50   f ), which reduces airflow past or through the channels. Any one or more of the ribs  50   a - 50   f  can be provided with the transverse portion  56  at any location where the longitudinal portion of the ribs  50   a - 50   f  between the first end  52   a - 52   f  and the second end  54   a - 54   f  is not entirely sufficient to deflect airflow 
         [0026]    The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1