Refrigeration – With vehicle feature – Occupant-type vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-11
2001-12-25
Tapolcal, William E. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
With vehicle feature
Occupant-type vehicle
C165S042000, C237S01230A, C454S144000, C454S156000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332330
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for heating and/or air conditioning a motor-vehicle passenger compartment.
It relates more particularly to a device comprising an air-inlet chamber suitable for being fed with outside air or with recirculated air, a blower linked to the air-inlet chamber for producing a blown airflow, and treatment and distribution means fed by the blower for producing a treated airflow and distributing it among various vents opening out into the passenger compartment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In the known devices of this type, the air-inlet chamber and the blower are generally arranged in the engine compartment, or in the passenger compartment at the front, while the treatment and distribution means are generally housed in the passenger compartment and under the dashboard. This makes it necessary to provide an aperture in the bulkhead which separates the engine compartment from the passenger compartment, so as to feed the treatment and distribution means with the airflow sent by the blower.
The air-inlet chamber usually comprises an outside-air inlet which is fed from an air intake generally situated at the base of the windscreen, and a recirculated-air inlet provided at the front of the passenger compartment. These two air inlets are controlled by a pivoting flap possessing two extreme positions and possibly at least one intermediate position.
Because the whole of the device, and especially the blower, is placed at the front of the vehicle, various drawbacks result therefrom.
First of all the aperture formed in the bulkhead lets through the noise from the engine and reduces the rigidity of the structure of the vehicle.
Moreover, these known devices are relatively bulky and consequently take up a significant amount of space under the dashboard. Moreover, the noise generated by the blower is transmitted directly to the driver and to the passengers with practically no filtering.
In the recirculated-air operating mode, the distribution of the air takes place in a loop under the dashboard, so that the passengers seated in the rear get practically no benefit from this air distribution.
Furthermore, the management of the regulation is heavily dependent on the dynamics of the vehicle and generally requires an air-throughput flap.
Moreover, it is generally difficult to remove the blower, which does not allow for easy maintenance. Finally, in a partial-recirculation position, it is practically impossible to have outside hot air or cold air in the region of the passengers' feet, for certain operating modes.
The object of the invention is especially to overcome the abovementioned drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a device for heating and/or air conditioning a motor-vehicle passenger compartment, comprising an air-inlet chamber suitable for being fed with outside air or with recirculated air, a blower linked to the air-inlet chamber for producing a blown airflow, treatment and distribution means fed by the blower for producing a treated airflow and distributing it among various vents opening out into the passenger compartment, wherein the air-inlet chamber and the blower are adapted for being installed in a rear part of the vehicle, while the treatment and distribution means are adapted for being installed in a front part of the passenger compartment and wherein a connecting duct is provided for connecting the blower to the treatment and distribution means.
Thus, the blower is shifted towards the rear of the vehicle, for example into the luggage compartment thereof. And the same goes for the air-inlet chamber. This installation in the rear part of the vehicle poses no particular problem. It is sufficient simply to provide an electrical power supply for the blower and an aperture in the rear part, for example in the luggage compartment, communicating under the floor, or in a wing passage, or with the closure of the passenger compartment or of the tailgate.
The air-inlet chamber is then placed at an appropriate place at the rear of the vehicle.
The connecting duct makes it possible to link the blower to the treatment and distribution means, which makes it possible to filter the noise generated by the blower.
Because of the rear installation of the blower, the vibration from the motor thereof is no longer transmitted to the front, and especially to the steering column.
A further result is improved air-supply comfort, especially in the recirculated-air position, because of the fact that this recirculated air circulates between the front and the rear of the passenger compartment.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the air-inlet chamber is equipped with an inlet for outside air which communicates with the outside of the passenger compartment, with an inlet for recirculated air which communicates with the interior of the passenger compartment and with at least one flap suitable for being brought selectively either into a position called “outside air” in which the air-inlet chamber is supplied with outside air, or into a position called “recirculated air”, in which the air-inlet chamber is fed with recirculated air, or into an intermediate position.
The inlet for outside air communicates with an air intake opening out outside the passenger compartment, either downwards, level with the floor, or upwards in the region of a luggage compartment or a tailgate of the vehicle.
The inlet for the recirculated air communicates with the rear part of the vehicle which is advantageously separated from the passenger compartment by a partition fitted with air-passage apertures.
According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the air-inlet chamber and the blower are suitable for being installed in the region of the rear luggage compartment of the vehicle.
Advantageously, the air-inlet chamber further comprises an air extractor suitable for being either open in the “outside air” position, or closed in the “recirculated air” position.
The device of the invention may comprise either a single air blower, or two air blowers.
According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the treatment and distribution means are suitable for being installed in the region of the dashboard of the vehicle, for example under it.
The treatment and distribution means comprise means for heating and/or cooling the airflow supplied by the air blower.
The device may further comprise an additional electric-heating radiator installed at the outlet from the blower or in the connecting duct for pre-heating the air sent to the treatment and distribution means.
This additional electric-heating radiator advantageously comprises at least one electrical resistance element with a positive temperature coefficient.
The device may also comprise one of the filtering means, particularly with a pollen and and/or odor filter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4913347 (1990-04-01), Burst et al.
patent: 5449321 (1995-09-01), Dauvergne
Loup Didier
Paumier Carine
Petitjean Pascale
Said Naji
Ali Mohammed M.
Liniak Berenato Longacre & White
Tapolcal William E.
Valeo Climatisation
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