Ventilation – Vehicle – Condensation preventer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-28
2001-11-20
Joyce, Harold (Department: 3749)
Ventilation
Vehicle
Condensation preventer
Reexamination Certificate
active
06319111
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a heating and/or air conditioning apparatus for the cabin of a vehicle, comprising a mixing chamber adapted to be supplied with processed air and in communication with a deicing outlet, a ventilating outlet and a foot level outlet, together with distribution means adapted to control the said outlets.
In known apparatuses of this type, the mixing chamber receives a stream of air the temperature of which is adjusted, as a result of the mixing of a stream of cold air with a stream of hot air in a controllable proportion. To this end, such an apparatus commonly comprises a cold air branch and a hot air branch, which are controlled by at least one valve, a so-called “mixing valve”, which may be a curtain-type valve, a butterfly valve, a pivoted flap valve, a cock, and so on.
The mixing chamber which receives the stream of processed air (that is to say cold air, hot air, or conditioned air) in its turn feeds the three above mentioned outlets. The deicing outlet is in communication with one or more vents which are arranged at the base of the windshield of the vehicle, the ventilating outlet being in communication with ventilators arranged on the fascia panel, while the foot level outlet is in communication with vents arranged in the lower part of the cabin, in the region of the feet of the occupants.
The distribution of the processed air between the three outlets mentioned above is effected by distribution means which consist generally of valves, the position of which can be adjusted by the user according to the degree of atmospheric comfort desired.
Thus, apparatuses of the above mentioned type are known in which the deicing outlet, the ventilating outlet and the foot level outlet are formed in separate ducts, and the distribution of the air between these outlets is obtained by means of separate valves, the main disadvantage of which is that it increases the overall bulk of the apparatus.
It is also known to arrange the deicing outlet and the ventilating outlet in a common duct, and to control the said outlets by means of a single valve. However, this solution makes it necessary to employ a very large valve having a large angular displacement, which again generates bulk problems.
In addition, these known solutions have the disadvantage that the above mentioned valves are supplied with air at a temperature which is not homogeneous.
An object of the invention is essentially to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To this end, it proposes an apparatus of the type defined in the introduction, in which at least two outlets selected from the said deicing outlet, ventilating outlet and foot level outlet are adjacent and are bounded by a common duct, and the distribution means include at least two valves of the butterfly type which are mounted within the common duct, each valve having at least two pairs of vanes each of which controls one of the said air outlets.
Thus, the control of at least one of the outlets is obtained through at least two butterfly valves, which are mounted in a common duct and each of which has at least two pairs of vanes.
These two vanes are smaller in size than a single valve, and in addition they have smaller displacements, which means that they intrude less on the volume of the mixing chamber. This results in an improvement in the quality of the mixture of cold air and hot air.
In a preferred embodiment, each valve has at least one first pair of vanes controlling a first air outlet, and at least one second pair of vanes controlling a second air outlet. The said valves are mounted for pivoting movement about parallel axes between a first position in which the first pairs of vanes together close off the first outlet, while the second pairs of vanes together leave the second outlet open, and a second position in which the first pairs of vanes together leave the first outlet open, while the second pairs of vanes together close off the second outlet.
Preferably, the first outlet is the deicing outlet and the second outlet is the ventilating outlet.
In a preferred embodiment, an outlet selected from the ventilating, deicing and foot level outlets is divided into two parts, which occupy two side regions of the common duct and which flank the other one of the said outlets, which occupies a central region of the said common duct, and each of the valves has a pair of central vanes flanked by two pairs of side vanes.
Preferably, the ventilating outlet occupies the side regions of the common duct, while the deicing outlet occupies the central region.
According to another feature of the invention, the first pair of vanes and the second pair of vanes of each valve are offset angularly.
In one embodiment, the vanes of the first pair of vanes, and the vanes of the second pair of vanes, are substantially coplanar in at least one of the valves.
In a further embodiment, the vanes of the first pair of vanes, and the vanes of the second pair of vanes, define an obtuse angle between them in at least one of the valves.
According to a further preferred feature of the invention, in the ventilating position, the respective vanes of the first pairs of vanes are substantially coplanar whereby together to close off the deicing outlet, while, in the deicing position, the respective vanes of the second pairs of vanes are substantially coplanar whereby together to close off the ventilating outlet.
The invention also provides that the apparatus includes control means for effecting coordinated pivoting movement of the valves.
In one embodiment, the control means act in such a way as to cause the valves to pivot in the same direction.
By way of example, the control means may comprise two toothed sectors, which are rotatable together and which are adapted to mesh respectively with two pinions, which are mounted on the respective axes of the two valves.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5052282 (1991-10-01), Scharamm et al.
patent: 5338249 (1994-08-01), Hildebrand et al.
patent: 5476418 (1995-12-01), Loup
patent: 5779535 (1998-07-01), Bendell et al.
patent: 5791981 (1998-08-01), Drobner
patent: 6032723 (2000-03-01), Tsuihiji et al.
International Search Report dated Jul. 30, 1999.
Joyce Harold
Morgan & Finnegan , LLP
Valeo Climatisation
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