HEATING SYSTEM OF A VEHICLE WITH A FLOOR PASSAGE

Abstract

Floor duct (5) for at least one line of a heating system (1) of a caravan vehicle, wherein a fitting with two connecting pieces (12, 13) for two lines is provided, which has a drain channel (14) which, in the ready-to-use assembled state, is aligned with a fall direction component and is remote from the connecting pieces, wherein the drain channel has a flow cross-section which is wider than a line cross-section of a connecting piece (12, 13), and one connecting piece (12) is aligned coaxially or parallel to a vertical axis of the fitting and the other connecting piece (13) is aligned orthogonally to the vertical axis.A heating system (1) for a caravan vehicle is also disclosed, comprising a water assembly for tempering domestic water, which has a water tank (11) provided with a ventilation device, wherein a drainage line and a ventilation line are connected to such a floor duct (5) in order to discharge leaks from the vehicle and / or to ventilate the water tank (11).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a floor duct for at least one line of a heating system of a vehicle, in particular a caravan. The invention also relates to a heating system for a vehicle, in particular a caravan, comprising a water assembly for tempering domestic water, which comprises a water tank provided with a ventilation device. The ventilation device, when mounted on the vehicle, comprises a ventilation line that leads outward through the vehicle floor to the vehicle's surroundings, and a drainage line that, when mounted on the vehicle, leads outward through a passage in the vehicle floor to the vehicle's surroundings.

[0002] From DE 10 2021 005 383 A1 a heating system for a caravan is known, which is designed both for heating the air inside the caravan and for heating domestic water.

[0003] DE 10 2017 119 077 A1 discloses a heater for a vehicle intended for heating ambient air for a vehicle interior. The heater comprises a housing accommodating a burner chamber assembly supplied with combustion air and fuel. Furthermore, a heat exchanger area is provided, which comprises a heat exchanger housing provided with heat transfer fins on the outside.

[0004] In existing heaters for caravans, certain functional groups must have access to the caravan's exterior through the vehicle floor. This is particularly the case for a drainage line for diverting heater leaks from the vehicle or for ventilating a water tank of a heater's water assembly. A separate passage through the vehicle floor has been provided for each of these passages through the vehicle floor.

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide a floor duct and a heating system of the type mentioned above, which reduce the installation effort on the vehicle.

[0006] This task is solved for the floor penetration by providing a fitting with two connecting pieces for two lines. The fitting has a drain channel located remote from the connecting pieces, which, when fully assembled, is aligned with a fall direction component. The drain channel has a flow cross-section that is larger than the line cross-section of a connecting piece. This concentrates the floor penetration into a common component for two lines, requiring only a single passage in the area of ​​a vehicle floor. Because the drain channel has a flow cross-section that is larger than the line cross-section of a connecting piece, an independent flow function is ensured for each of the two lines.If one of the lines is intended as a drainage line for draining fluid from the heating system into the vehicle environment to the outside and the other line is intended as a ventilation line for a water tank of a water assembly in the heating system, then it is guaranteed that air can be sucked in from the vehicle environment via the ventilation line and fluid can be drained from the drainage line to the outside at the same time. The orientation of the drain channel in the ready-to-use state, i.e. when mounted in a passage in the vehicle floor, with a fall direction component means that the drain channel, in this ready-to-use state on the vehicle, projects downwards relative to the vehicle floor. It can be inclined relative to a fall direction, i.e. to a vertical, or completely vertical or aligned downwards in the vehicle's vertical direction.The fall direction component is to be understood as a directional vector with reference to a vehicle-side coordinate system with a vehicle vertical direction, a vehicle longitudinal direction, and a vehicle transverse direction. The orientation of the drain channel must therefore be provided with a vector component in the vehicle vertical direction downwards. In addition, a further directional vector component can be provided in the vehicle transverse direction or vehicle longitudinal direction. The solution according to the invention is suitable for heating systems of recreational vehicles, particularly advantageous for towed caravans (mobile homes) and for caravans equipped with a drive, namely mobile homes. The fitting represents a one-piece component onto which both the connecting pieces and the drain channel are formed. The flow cross-section of the drain channel is larger than the pipe cross-section of a connecting piece.The drain channel can be continuously or gradually widened. The drain channel can have a single channel section or multiple channel sections. The only important thing is that the total flow cross-section of the drain channel is larger than the pipe cross-section of each connecting piece. The fitting can be made of plastic or metal, preferably using an injection molding process.

[0007] In a further embodiment of the invention, the fitting is provided on the outside with at least one fastening section in order to fix the fitting to or in a passage in a vehicle floor. The at least one fastening section serves to secure the position and to fix the fitting relative to the vehicle floor - with reference to an assembled state. A tab, a web, a flange or even an external thread can be provided on the fitting as a design of a fastening section. The at least one fastening section is preferably formed integrally on the fitting. If an external thread is provided as the fastening section, the fitting is screwed into the passage in the vehicle floor, wherein the passage either has a complementary internal thread or such an internal thread is cut when the fitting is screwed in.The locking mechanism of the fitting relative to the vehicle floor ensures consistent positioning, even while the caravan is in motion. This reliably prevents the fitting from tipping over and, consequently, the hoses connected to it from kinking.

[0008] In a further embodiment of the invention, a support flange is provided as the fastening section, which can be placed on an edge of the passage in the vehicle floor and, in the placed state, can be fastened to the vehicle floor by means of at least one fastening element, in particular by means of at least one screw connection. The support flange is advantageously formed by two flange webs projecting toward opposite sides, which are integrally formed on the fitting. The flange webs each have a hole, preferably a bore, through which screws can be passed in order to screw the fitting firmly into an edge region of the passage in the vehicle floor.

[0009] In a further embodiment of the invention, the fitting is designed as a one-piece plastic housing. The plastic component is formed by a plastic fitting housing that has the two connection pieces, the drain channel, and preferably the at least one fastening section.

[0010] In a further embodiment of the invention, the flow cross-section of the drain channel is widened, particularly conically, toward a front end area remote from the connecting pieces. This results in an easily manufactured widened section that ensures reliable drainage of liquid while simultaneously allowing the intake of ambient air.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the invention, the drain channel has two separate, parallel channel sections into which the pipe cross-sections of the connecting pieces open. Either continuously separate flow channels can be provided, forming a transition of the pipe cross-section of each connecting piece into the respective flow channel, or the drain channel can be divided into two separate channel sections—viewed in the direction of flow—at a distance from a corresponding connection end of the respective connecting piece.

[0012] In a further embodiment of the invention, the ends of the connecting pieces and the drain channel are each provided with a circumferential bevel. These bevels ensure the damage-free sliding and plugging of flexible hoses. The respective bevels can be straight and / or convexly curved, i.e., have a radius at least in some areas.

[0013] In a further embodiment of the invention, one connection piece is aligned coaxially or parallel to a vertical axis of the fitting, and the other connection piece is aligned orthogonally to the vertical axis. In a further embodiment of the invention, the drain channel is aligned flush with the connection piece, which extends coaxially or parallel to the vertical axis of the fitting. These embodiments are particularly advantageous for connecting a ventilation line of a water tank and a drainage line of a heating system.

[0014] For the heating system of the type mentioned at the outset, the object underlying the invention is achieved in that the drainage line and the ventilation line are connected to the floor duct - as described above - in order to direct leaks out of the vehicle and / or to ventilate the water tank. A leak is understood here to be a liquid running out or flowing out, in particular due to a leak or a leak. The solution according to the invention reduces the installation effort for the heating system on and in the recreational vehicle, since only a single floor duct is required for the drainage function and the ventilation function. The heating system is advantageously a combination heating system that is provided for both heating room air and heating domestic water. However, the heating system according to the invention can also be designed solely for the temperature control, i.e. for heating, domestic water.The heating system is used for a recreational vehicle, especially a caravan.

[0015] In the heating system design, a connection piece of the fitting, to which the drainage line is connected, is positioned vertically below a drainage line inlet when mounted on the vehicle. This ensures that the drainage line, in particular a flexible drainage hose, runs steadily downwards when mounted on the vehicle, thus preventing unwanted accumulation of fluid in the hose.

[0016] In a further embodiment of the invention, the water tank is housed in a housing on which the inlet of the drainage line is mounted or positioned in a base area of ​​the housing. When mounted on the vehicle and ready for operation, a base area of ​​the housing is higher than the corresponding connection piece of the fitting, also relative to the vehicle-mounted state of the fitting. The inlet of the drainage line corresponds to an outlet from the housing and is also referred to as the housing outlet.

[0017] In a further embodiment of the invention, the drainage line and the ventilation line are formed by flexible hoses whose inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the respective connection piece of the fitting. This allows the hoses to be clamped onto the connection pieces independently when plugged onto the connection pieces. Hose clamps can also be provided to further improve the hold of the hoses on the connection pieces.

[0018] In a further embodiment of the invention, a flexible hose is attached to the front end of the drain channel, with an inner diameter of the hose being smaller than the outer diameter of the front end of the drain channel. Advantageously, both the outer circumference of the drain channel and the outer circumference of each connecting piece have a cylindrical diameter. This ensures particularly good sliding and attaching of the hoses onto the connecting pieces and the drain channel.

[0019] Further advantages and features of the invention emerge from the claims and from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, which are illustrated with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows a perspective, schematic representation of an embodiment of a heating system according to the invention in the ready-to-use state mounted on a vehicle floor, Fig. 2 the heating system according to Fig. 1in partially sectioned view, Fig. 3 a schematic functional representation of the heating system according to the Fig. 1 and 2 , Fig. 4 in a longitudinal section an embodiment of a floor duct according to the invention for the heating system according to the Fig. 1 to 3 , Fig. 5the floor penetration according to Fig. 4 in perspective view, Fig. 6 the floor penetration according to the Fig. 4 and 5 in a ready-to-use state mounted on a vehicle floor, Fig. 7 shows a further embodiment of a floor duct according to the invention in a perspective, longitudinally sectioned view, Fig. 8 shows the floor duct according to Fig. 7 in a longitudinal section and Fig. 9 the floor penetration according to the Figs. 7 and 8 in perspective view.

[0020] A heating system 1 according to the Fig. 1 to 3is intended for use in a recreational vehicle, in this case a powered caravan (motorhome) or a towed caravan (caravan trailer). The illustrations according to the Fig. 1 and 2 show the heating system 1 in a fully assembled state on a vehicle floor B of the recreational vehicle. For reasons of clarity, other parts or sections of the recreational vehicle are not shown. The vehicle floor B extends—relative to a vehicle coordinate system with a vertical axis, a transverse axis, and a longitudinal axis—in a vehicle plane spanned by the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis. Thus, the heating system 1, in its fully assembled state, is mounted approximately horizontally on a surface of the vehicle floor B.

[0021] The heating system 1 is a combination heater that is designed both for heating the air in the interior of the recreational vehicle and for heating domestic water. The heating system 1 thus comprises an air assembly (not shown in detail) and a Fig. 1 to 3 recognizable water assembly. The water assembly serves - as described - to heat the domestic water.

[0022] In an embodiment of the invention not shown, the heating system has only a water assembly, ie the heating system is only intended for heating domestic water.

[0023] In the present heating system 1 according to the Fig. 1 to 3Both the air assembly and the water assembly are housed in a common housing, which has an upper shell 2 and a lower shell 3. The lower shell 3 of the housing is firmly mounted by means of several bases 4 at a short distance above the upper side of the vehicle floor B, as can be seen from the Fig. 1 is clearly visible. A base of the lower shell 3 runs parallel and at a distance from the vehicle floor B. The upper shell 2 is detachably fastened to the lower shell 3. The upper shell 2 and the lower shell 3 are placed on top of one another at a parting plane that runs parallel to the vehicle floor B approximately halfway up the housing.

[0024] A water tank 11 is accommodated in the housing, to which a heat exchanger (not specified in more detail) is assigned in order to enable the heating of domestic water contained in the water tank 11 ( Fig. 3 ). Based on the Fig. 3The water level in the water tank 11 is visible. There is air above the unspecified fill level line. A cold water line K and a hot water line W are led from the water tank 11. For frost control, a temperature-dependent control valve C is assigned to the cold water line K and the hot water line W. This control valve opens automatically when the ambient temperature of the recreational vehicle is low in order to prevent frost damage to the water assembly. Optionally, water can also be drained manually via the control valve. The control valve C also serves as a pressure relief valve for the water assembly; in this case, a maximum pressure of 4.5 bar cannot be exceeded.

[0025] The water assembly is also assigned a vent valve 6, which allows air to flow into the water tank 11 when the water tank 11 is emptied, allowing it to drain completely. The vent valve 6 has a locking ball that closes when the water tank 11 is filled with water. When water is drained, the locking ball in the vent valve 6 opens and allows air to be supplied to the water tank 11. For this purpose, a vent line is provided on the vent valve 6, which in this case has a flexible vent hose 7 connected to the vent valve 6. The vent line leads through the vehicle floor B downwards to the vehicle's surroundings, as described in more detail below.

[0026] The housing is also assigned a drainage line, which serves to drain any leakage accumulating in the housing lower shell 3 from the housing 3 and from the vehicle interior. The drainage line connects to the lower shell 3 at a housing outlet 9, i.e., a drain, in a bottom area of ​​the lower shell 3 of the housing and is also drained downwards through the vehicle floor B, as described in more detail below. The drainage line has a flexible drainage hose 8, which is connected to the bottom-side housing outlet 9 of the lower shell 3.

[0027] In order to guide both the ventilation line and the drainage line through the vehicle floor B, a passage 17 ( Fig. 6 ) in which a decision based on the Fig. 4 to 6The floor penetration 5 shown in more detail is mounted. The floor penetration 5 is designed as a one-piece fitting. The fitting has two connecting pieces 12 and 13 as well as a drainage channel 14. One connecting piece 12 serves as a continuation of the ventilation line, the other connecting piece 13 serves as a continuation of the drainage line. Accordingly, the ventilation hose 7 is plugged onto the connecting piece 12 and the drainage hose 8 is plugged onto the connecting piece 13. Both the connecting piece 12 and the connecting piece 13 are designed as essentially hollow-cylindrical sections of a plastic fitting housing of the one-piece fitting of the floor penetration 5. The term "hollow-cylindrical" or"Cylindrical" should also include cylindrical shapes with slight manufacturing-related deviations (especially in the single-digit range), such as draft angles that may be intended for removal from an injection mold. In the fully assembled state, as defined by the . Fig. 1, 2 and 6As can be seen, the connecting piece 12 is aligned in the vertical direction of the vehicle, so that the ventilation hose 7 is pushed from above onto an outer casing of the connecting piece 12. The connecting piece 13 for the drainage hose 8 projects orthogonally to this, so that a right-angled alignment results between the two connecting pieces 12 and 13. Both connecting pieces 12 and 13 each have a circumferential chamfer F on their inlet-side ends, onto which the ventilation hose 7 or the drainage hose 8 is pushed, so that a simple and damage-free attachment of the ventilation hose 7 and the drainage hose 8 is possible. The corresponding inner diameters of the ventilation hose 7 and the drainage hose 8 are selected such that the corresponding outer diameters of the connecting piece 12 and the connecting piece 13 are oversized compared to these inner diameters.This ensures reliable clamping of the ventilation hose 7 and the drainage hose 8 when pushed onto the connecting pieces 12 and 13. Additional securing using a hose clamp is possible, but not necessary.

[0028] The valve body of the floor penetration 5 continues downwards from an opening of the connecting piece 13 in a coaxial extension of the connecting piece 12 into a drain channel 14, the flow cross-section D 3 of which is enlarged compared to the pipe cross-sections D 1 of the connecting piece 13 and D 2 of the connecting piece 12. The expansion of the flow cross-section D 3 of the drain channel 14 already starts at a lower opening end of the vertical connecting piece 12 just above an inner opening end of the pipe cross-section D 1 of the connecting piece 13. The expansion is created by an annular step R. In addition, the flow cross-section D 3 of the drain channel 14 widens conically towards a flow-side end, as Fig. 4can be clearly seen. An outer circumference of the drain channel 14 is cylindrical, wherein an outer diameter of the drain channel 14 is larger than the outer diameters of the connecting pieces 12 and 13. The drain channel 14 also has a circumferential bevel F at its outlet-side end. In the fully assembled state, in the illustrated embodiment, a drain hose 10 is also attached to the drain channel 14, as can be seen from the Fig. 1, 2 and 6 is recognizable.

[0029] A length of the drain channel 14 is greater than a length of the connecting pieces 12 and 13. In the fully assembled state, the drain channel 14 is completely aligned in the direction of fall, i.e. coaxial to a vehicle vertical axis and thus also coaxial to the connecting piece 12.

[0030] The passage 17 in the vehicle floor B is designed as a cylindrical bore whose diameter corresponds at least to the outer diameter of the drain channel 14 and preferably to an outer diameter of the drain hose 10.

[0031] The fitting of the floor duct 5 is provided with a fastening section designed as a support flange 15 at a short distance below the connection piece 13 - based on the ready-to-use state. The support flange 15 is provided in one piece with the fitting of the floor duct 5 in the illustrated embodiment. The support flange 15 has two tab areas extending on opposite sides in a radial plane to a central longitudinal axis of the fitting, wherein each tab area has a cylindrical fastening hole 16, each defining a fastening axis extending parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the fitting. For the assembly of the floor duct 5, screw connections 18 are passed through the fastening holes 16 and fasten the support flange 15 to an upper side of the vehicle floor B in an edge area around the opening 17.The support flange 15 is positioned below the connection piece 13 in such a way that in the assembled, ready-to-use state (. Fig. 6 ) of the fitting, the connecting piece 13 is positioned at a distance above the upper side of the vehicle floor B in order to allow the drainage hose 8 to be easily pushed on or pulled off.

[0032] Based on the Fig. 7 to 9 a further floor penetration 5a is shown, which is used in the same way in the heating system 1 according to the Fig. 1 to 3 can be used, as is the case with the floor penetration 5 according to the Fig. 4 to 6 The floor duct 5a is functionally integrated into the heating system 1 in the same way as the floor duct 5. To avoid repetition, reference is made to the description of the embodiment according to the Fig. 1 to 3 and 4 to 6Reference is made to the drawings. Functionally identical sections and parts of the floor penetration 5a are provided with the same reference numerals, in some cases with the addition of the letter a. The following describes the differences of the floor penetration 5a according to the Fig. 7 to 9 received.

[0033] The floor penetration 5a is also designed as a one-piece fitting housing, as is the case with the floor penetration 5. The two connecting pieces 12a for the ventilation hose 7 on the one hand and 13a for the drainage hose 8 on the other hand are also cylindrical with the same outer diameters. In addition, both connecting pieces 12a and 13a are aligned orthogonally to one another, with the connecting piece 12a being aligned in the vertical direction of the vehicle in the fully assembled state and the connecting piece 13a being aligned orthogonally to it. The key difference in the fitting of the floor penetration 5a is that the line cross-sections D 1 and D 2 of the connecting pieces 13a and 12a do not open into a common drainage channel, but rather the drainage channel 14a remains separated into two channel sections. One channel section carries the drainage line of the connecting piece 13a and the other channel section carries the ventilation line of the connecting piece 12a.Both channel sections together result in a common flow cross-section D 3 , whereby each channel section of the drain channel 14a remains separated from the other channel section over the entire length of the drain channel 14a by means of a partition wall T. The drain channel 14a is therefore also expanded by means of its entire flow cross-section D 3 compared to the line cross-sections D 1 and D 2 of the two connecting pieces 12a and 13a. The ventilation line and the drainage line, however, remain separated from one another over the entire extent of the fitting of the floor penetration 5a. Based on the . Figs. 7 and 9It can also be seen that the valve housing of the floor penetration 5a is bulged at a lower end of the connecting piece 12a, so that the drain channel 14a, with respect to its entire flow cross-section D 3 , does not run coaxially to the connecting piece 12a, but rather parallel and offset to it downwards. The pipe cross-section D 1 of the connecting piece 13a merges by means of a right-angled deflection into the partial cross-section of the Fig. 8 left channel section. The pipe cross-section D 2 of the connecting piece 12a tapers off just above the connecting piece 13a into the bulge of the Fig. 8 right channel section of the drain channel 14a.

[0034] On the fitting housing of the floor feedthrough 5a, a fastening section with a support flange 15a is provided in the same way as in the floor feedthrough 5, which is formed by two integrally formed sections projecting in the form of tabs towards opposite sides. A fastening hole 16a is provided on each of the two sections, through which, in the same way as in the embodiment according to the Fig. 4 to 6 Fastening elements in the form of screw connections, each with cap screws, can be passed through in order to fasten the floor duct 5a in the area of ​​the passage 17 on the vehicle floor B. Both connection nozzles 12a and 13a as well as the drain channel 14a also have a circumferential chamfer F on the front end, as is also the case with the floor duct 5 according to the Fig. 4 to 6 is the case.

Claims

1. Floor duct (5, 5a) for at least one line of a heating system (1) of a vehicle, in particular a caravan, characterized in that a fitting with two connecting pieces (12, 13; 12a, 13a) is provided for two lines, which has a drain channel (14, 14a) which, in the ready-to-use assembled state, is aligned with a fall direction component, said drain channel (14, 14a) having a flow cross-section (D3) which is wider than a line cross-section (D1, D2) of a connecting piece (12, 13; 12a, 13a), characterized in that one connecting piece (12, 12a) is aligned coaxially or parallel to a vertical axis of the fitting and the other connecting piece (13, 13a) is aligned orthogonally to the vertical axis.

2. Floor duct (5, 5a) according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe fitting is provided on the outside with at least one fastening section (15, 15a) in order to fix the fitting on or in a passage (17) of a vehicle floor (B).

3. Floor duct (5, 5a) according to claim 2, characterized in that a support flange (15, 15a) which can be placed on an edge of the passage (17) of the vehicle floor (B) is provided as the fastening section and which, in the placed state, can be fastened to the vehicle floor (B) by means of at least one fastening element, in particular by means of at least one screw connection (18).

4. Floor duct (5, 5a) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fitting is designed as a one-piece plastic housing.

5. Floor duct (5) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flow cross-section (D3) of the discharge channel (14) is widened, in particular conically, to a front end region remote from the connecting pieces (12, 13).

6. Floor duct (5a) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the drain channel (14a) has two separate, parallel channel sections into which the line cross-sections (D1, D2) of the connecting pieces (12a, 13a) open.

7. Floor duct (5, 5a) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The front ends of the connecting pieces (12, 13; 12a, 13a) and the drain channel (14, 14a) are each provided with a circumferential chamfer (F).

8. Floor duct (5, 5a) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drain channel (14, 14a) is aligned with the connecting piece (12, 12a), which extends coaxially or parallel to the vertical axis of the fitting.

9. Heating system (1) for a vehicle, in particular a caravan, with a water assembly for tempering domestic water, which has a water tank (11) provided with a ventilation device, wherein the ventilation device has a ventilation line which, when mounted on the vehicle, leads outwards through a vehicle floor (B) into the vehicle environment, and with a drainage line which, when mounted on the vehicle, leads outwards through a passage (17) in the vehicle floor (B) into the vehicle environment, characterized in that the drainage line and the ventilation line are connected to the floor duct (5, 5a) according to one of the preceding claims in order to drain leaks from the vehicle and / or to ventilate the water tank (11).

10. Heating system (1) according to claim 9, characterized in thata connecting piece (13, 13a) of the fitting, to which the drainage line is connected, is positioned in the vehicle-mounted state in the vertical direction below an inlet of the drainage line.

11. Heating system (1) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the water tank (11) is housed in a housing to which the inlet of the drainage pipe (housing outlet (9)) is mounted in a bottom area of ​​the housing.

12. Heating system (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the drainage line and the ventilation line are formed at least in sections by flexible hoses whose inner diameter is smaller than an outer diameter of the respective connecting piece (12, 13; 12a, 13a) of the fitting.

13. Heating system (1) according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in thata flexible hose is plugged onto the front end of the drain channel (14, 14a), wherein an inner diameter of the hose is smaller than an outer diameter of the front end of the drain channel (14, 14a).