Air-conditioning unit and air-conditioning apparatus

Abstract

An air-conditioning unit and an air-conditioning apparatus capable of setting the air temperature at a defroster vents higher than the air temperature at the foot vents during heating operation are provided. Each of the air-conditioning unit and air-conditioning apparatus includes a chassis; a cooling unit configured to cool air introduced into the chassis; a heating unit configured to heat air introduced into the chassis; a conditioned-air channel configured to guide the heated air and the cooled air into a high-temperature hot-air vent and a low-temperature hot-air vent; and a mixing-suppression unit configured to suppress mixing of the heated air and the cooled air, the mixing-suppression unit being provided in the conditioned-air channel.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to an air-conditioning unit and an air-conditioning apparatus.[0003]This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-136234, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]Conventionally, there have been vehicle air-conditioning apparatuses that provide a comfortable interior environment for vehicles by carrying out air conditioning and dehumidification of the vehicle interior. Such vehicle air-conditioning apparatuses include a closed cooling cycle that is formed of a compressor that is operated using part of the output of the internal-combustion engine for driving the vehicle, a condenser that condenses a gas refrigerant by carrying out heat-exchange with air outside the vehicle (exterior air), an expansion valve that decompresses liquid refrigerant, and an evaporator that vaporizes the liquid refrigerant by carrying out ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]The conditioned-air channel can guide air cooled at the cooling unit and air heated at the heating unit to the low-temperature hot-air vent. Therefore, conditioned air obtained by mixing the cooled air and the heated air is blown out from the high-temperature hot-air vent and the low-temperature hot-air vent. The mixing-suppression unit is capable of suppressing the mixing of the heated air and the cooled air in the conditioned-air channel. Therefore, conditioned-air having a high proportion of heated air and conditioned-air having a high proportion of cooled air are generated in the conditioned-air channel. The conditioned-air having a high proportion of heated air is blown out from the high-temperature hot-air vent, whereas the conditioned-air having a high proportion of cooled air is blown out from the low-temperature hot-air vent.

[0017]In this way, since the mixing-suppression unit includes a divider that is configured to divide the conditioned-air channel into the high-temperature air channel and the low-temperature air channel, the mixing of heated air and cooled air can be suppressed.

[0025]Heated air flows from the side of the high-temperature air channel and cooled air flows from the side of the low-temperature air channel into the high-temperature air channel and the low-temperature air channel. Therefore, heated air easily flows into the high-temperature air channel compared with cooled air, whereas cooled air easily flows into the low-temperature air channel. The area control unit is provided at the edge of the divider, and the outer peripheral wall of the conditioned-air channel is fixed. Therefore, for example, when the inlet area of the high-temperature air channel is decreased by the area control unit, the inlet becomes smaller in a direction away from the low-temperature air channel. When the inlet area of the high-temperature air channel is increased by the area control unit, the inlet becomes larger in a direction toward the high-temperature air channel. Accordingly, the volume of cooled air flowing into the high-temperature air channel decreases, and the proportion of heated air in the conditioned air flowing through the high-temperature air channel increases. Accordingly, the volume of heated air flowing into the low-temperature air channel increases, and the proportion of heated air in the conditioned air flowing through the low-temperature air channel increases.

[0030]Heated air flows from the side of the high-temperature air channel and cooled air flows from the side of the low-temperature air channel into the high-temperature air channel and the low-temperature air channel. Therefore, heated air easily flows into the high-temperature air channel compared with cooled air, whereas cooled air easily flows into the low-temperature air channel. The end-moving section can move the end position of the divider on the inflow side in a direction along the airflow. For example, when the end position is moved upstream of the airflow, the area where the heated air and the cooled air, which are to flow into the high-temperature air channel and the low-temperature air channel, are mixed is decreased (i.e., the mixing distance is reduced). In other words, the temperature difference of the conditioned air in the high-temperature air channel and the low-temperature air channel is increased. In contrast, when the end position is moved downstream of the airflow, the area where the heated air and the cooled air, which are to flow into the high-temperature air channel and the low-temperature air channel, are mixed is increased (i.e., the mixing distance is increased). In other words, the temperature difference of the conditioned air in the high-temperature air channel and the low-temperature air channel is decreased.

[0036]The conditioned-air channel can guide air cooled by the cooling unit and air heated by the heating unit to the high-temperature hot-air vent and the low-temperature hot-air vent. The cooled air and the heated air are mixed in the conditioned-air channel so as to obtain conditioned air. The damper can carry out opening and closing control of the opening formed in the air-channel divider. Part of the air heated at the heating unit flows into the conditioned-air channel through the open opening. Since the damper controls the flow of air from the conditioned-air channel to the high-temperature hot-air vent and the low-temperature hot-air vent, part of the heated air flows into, for example, only the high-temperature hot-air vent. As a result, the proportion of heated air in the conditioned air blown out from the high-temperature hot-air vent increases, and the temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the high-temperature hot-air vent increases compared with the temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the low-temperature hot-air vent.

[0039]The present invention is advantageous in that the air temperature at the high-temperature hot-air vent can be set higher than the air temperature at the low-temperature hot-air vent since a mixing-control unit is provided.

Problems solved by technology

Thus, the windshield cannot be heated to a temperature sufficient for defrosting.

In other words, it is difficult to satisfy the condition Tdef>Tfoot.

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