Vehicle air conditioning device

Abstract

In a vehicle air conditioning device, by providing a blower fan in a unitized manner, it is possible to reduce the time required for maintenance work on the blower fan and improve the efficiency of the maintenance work. The object is to provide a vehicle air conditioning device (1) provided between a seat and a floor surface of a vehicle, which is provided with a blower fan unit (2) provided with a blower fan and a heat exchanger unit (3) provided with a heat exchanger; wherein the blower fan unit and the heat exchanger unit are connected in a manner that forms an airflow path along the floor surface of the vehicle cabin, the blower fan unit is in a direction intersecting the airflow path with respect to the heat exchanger unit, and is connected in a manner that is detachable in the direction along the floor surface of the vehicle cabin.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates, for example, to an automotive air conditioning device, and more particularly to an automotive air conditioning device installed in the cab of construction machinery. Background Technology

[0002] A known vehicle air conditioning unit is installed between the seat support directly below the driver's seat of construction machinery and the floor surface (e.g., Patent Document 1). This vehicle air conditioning unit has a blower and a heat exchanger arranged horizontally relative to the vehicle inside its housing. The blower draws in air from inside or outside the vehicle, the heat exchanger regulates the temperature and humidity of the drawn-in air, and then supplies it to the vehicle interior.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-276707 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] For the aforementioned automotive air conditioning equipment, when cleaning, repairing, or replacing functional components such as the blower and heat exchanger, workers cannot access the parts to be maintained unless the seat bracket and driver's seat located above the air conditioning unit are completely removed and their housings taken out. Therefore, maintenance work is time-consuming and tedious, both labor-intensive and time-consuming. If maintenance takes too long, the downtime of the maintenance machinery will also increase. Especially for the blower, because it draws in outside air, it is more prone to accumulating sand and dust than the heat exchanger, requiring more frequent maintenance. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the efficiency of maintenance work on the blower.

[0008] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to reduce the time required for maintenance of blowers and improve the efficiency of maintenance work, especially for automotive air conditioning equipment.

[0009] Technical solutions adopted to solve technical problems

[0010] The present invention provides an automotive air conditioning device disposed between the seat and the floor surface of a vehicle, comprising: a blower unit equipped with a blower and a heat exchanger unit equipped with a heat exchanger; wherein the blower unit and the heat exchanger unit are connected in such a way that they form an airflow path along the floor surface of the vehicle compartment, the blower unit is in a direction intersecting the airflow path relative to the heat exchanger unit, and is detachably connected in a direction along the floor surface of the vehicle compartment.

[0011] Invention Effects

[0012] According to the present invention, by arranging the blower in a modular manner in automotive air conditioning equipment, it is particularly possible to reduce the time required for blower maintenance and improve the efficiency of maintenance work. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is an explanatory diagram showing a simplified structure of the vehicle air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention when applied to a vehicle.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a perspective view showing a simplified overall structure of the vehicle air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a perspective view showing a simplified structure of the vehicle air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention when disassembled.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a perspective view showing a simplified structure of the vehicle air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention when disassembled.

[0017] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A magnified view of the area indicated by the dashed line.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a top view showing a simplified structure of an automotive air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A sectional view of the X1-X1 section.

[0020] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of the heat exchanger unit of the vehicle air conditioning equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] In the following description, the same symbols indicate parts with the same function, and repeated descriptions in various figures have been omitted accordingly.

[0023] Furthermore, in each diagram, the XY direction represents the horizontal direction, and the Z direction represents the vertical direction.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle air conditioning unit 1 is installed, for example, below the driver's seat 11 in the cab of a vehicle such as construction machinery, between the seat bracket 12 supporting the driver's seat 11 and the floor surface (floor) 13, for regulating the temperature and humidity in the cab. In the various figures, the Y direction represents the front-to-back direction of the vehicle, and the X direction represents the left-to-right direction (lateral direction) of the vehicle.

[0025] Figure 2 Figure 4 This is a perspective view showing a simplified overall structure of the vehicle air conditioning device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 Yes Figure 2 The portion indicated by the dashed line in the middle is an enlarged view. Figure 6 This is a top view showing a simplified structure of the vehicle air conditioning unit 1. Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A sectional view of the X1-X1 section.

[0026] The vehicle air conditioning unit 1 includes a blower unit 2 and a heat exchanger unit 3 connected to the blower unit 2. The blower unit 2 and the heat exchanger unit 3 are connected in such a way that an airflow path F is formed along the floor surface of the passenger compartment, and when the blower unit 2 and the heat exchanger unit 3 are installed in the vehicle, the airflow path F is formed laterally (in the X direction in the figure) within the vehicle. Figure 2 Figure 4 As shown, the blower unit 2 is installed along the surface of the carriage floor and is detachably installed relative to the heat exchanger unit 3 in a direction that intersects the airflow path F (Y direction in the figure).

[0027] The blower and intake components in blower unit 2 are integrated and used to draw in air from inside the vehicle (in-vehicle air mode) or outside the vehicle (out-of-vehicle air mode) and supply the drawn-in air to heat exchanger unit 3. Blower unit 2 includes a blower housing 21, a blower housed in the blower housing 21, a blower motor for driving the blower, an intake damper, an intake brake for driving the intake damper, an in-vehicle air filter, and a switching mechanism (not shown) such as a lever for switching between in-vehicle air mode and outside-vehicle air mode.

[0028] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the blower housing 21 is composed of an upper housing 21a and a lower housing 21b, which can be separated into upper and lower parts.

[0029] The blower housing 21 is provided with an interior air intake 22 for drawing air from inside the vehicle into the blower unit 2, an exterior air intake 23 for drawing air from outside the vehicle into the blower unit 2, blower retraction and extension parts 24 and 25 for retracting the blower, a blower motor retraction and extension part 26, an air outlet 27 for blowing the air drawn into the blower 2 to the heat exchanger unit 3, a handle 28 for pulling the blower unit 2 out or pushing it in in the front-rear direction (Y direction in the figure), and a guide 40 for connecting the blower unit 2 to the heat exchanger unit 3.

[0030] An in-vehicle air filter (not shown) is installed at the in-vehicle air intake 22. When air is drawn into the vehicle through the in-vehicle air intake 22, it passes through the in-vehicle air filter to prevent dust and other particles from entering the blower unit 2. An air intake damper is installed at the external air intake 23.

[0031] The intake damper is driven by an intake brake. By actuating the intake damper, selective switching can be made between drawing in outside air or drawing in inside air. In outside air mode, when the outside air intake 23 is opened using the intake damper, outside air can be drawn in through the outside air intake 23, and the blower unit 2 can draw in, for example, approximately 70% outside air and 30% inside air. Conversely, in inside air mode, when the outside air intake 23 is closed using the intake damper, inside air can be drawn into the blower unit 2 through the inside air intake 22. When in inside air mode, the blower unit 2 can draw in 100% inside air. The air drawn into the blower unit 2 is then supplied to the heat exchanger unit 3 by the blower through its air outlet 27.

[0032] Blower retraction sections 24 and 25 respectively house blowers with multiple circumferential blades. When the vehicle air conditioning unit 1 is installed inside the vehicle, the blower retraction section 24 located at the rear of the vehicle and the blower retraction section 25 located at the front of the vehicle are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (Y direction in the figure) so that the rotation axes of the two blowers are approximately in a straight line. The blower retraction sections 24 and 25 have curved surfaces 24a and 25a arranged along the circumference of the blowers, and end walls 24b and 25b that sandwich the curved surfaces 24a and 25a in the middle and cover the two ends in the direction of the blower rotation axis.

[0033] The blower retraction / extension section 24 has an alignment pin 24c (positioning protrusion) on its end wall 24b for alignment with the heat exchanger unit 3. The alignment pin 24c protrudes from the end wall 24b toward the rear of the vehicle (in the direction intersecting the airflow path F). The alignment pin 24c is engaged with the alignment hole 38 (positioning recess) provided on the heat exchanger unit 3 by inserting it into the alignment hole 38.

[0034] A blower motor retraction point 26 is provided between the two blower retraction points 24 and 25. The blower motor retraction point 26 rotates each blower in the blower retraction points 24 and 25, thereby supplying the air drawn into the blower unit 2 to the heat exchanger unit 3 through the air outlet 27.

[0035] like Figure 5 As shown, a limiting member 26a is provided above the blower motor retraction and extension part 26. The limiting member 26a is used to limit the expansion when the internal pressure of the heat exchanger unit 3 rises and causes the upper surface of the heat exchanger unit 3 to expand.

[0036] The air outlet 27 is roughly rectangular, and its size is sufficient to encompass the sides of the blower retraction and extension sections 24 and 25. It fits into the air inlet 33 (details below) on the connection surface of the heat exchanger unit 3 for connecting with the blower unit 2, thereby integrating the blower unit 2 and the heat exchanger unit 3 into one unit.

[0037] That is, the air outlet 27 is fitted onto the air inlet 33 to connect the blower unit 2 and the heat exchanger unit 3, thereby forming an airflow path F from the blower unit 2 to the heat exchanger unit 3. When the vehicle air conditioning unit 1 is installed in the vehicle, the airflow path F formed by connecting the blower unit 2 and the heat exchanger unit 3 will be formed along the floor surface of the passenger compartment and along the lateral direction of the vehicle.

[0038] Here, both the connection surface on the blower unit 2 for connecting to the heat exchanger unit 3 and the connection surface on the heat exchanger unit 3 for connecting to the blower unit 2 intersect the airflow path F. A slide rail or groove extending in the direction intersecting the airflow path F is provided on these connection surfaces. The description in this embodiment is based on the assumption that a slide rail 27a is provided at the periphery of the air outlet 27 of the blower unit 2 and a groove 33a is provided at the periphery of the air inlet 33 of the heat exchanger unit 3.

[0039] The air outlet 27 is provided with a slide rail 27a at its periphery, which fits into the slide groove 33a at the periphery of the air inlet 33. The slide rail 27a is provided on the upper and lower sides of the periphery of the generally rectangular air outlet 27.

[0040] The air outlet 27 has a track 27c connected to the slide rail 27a on the side near the rear of the vehicle. The air outlet 27 has a sealing plate 27b on the side near the front of the vehicle. The sealing plate 27b is used to maintain the airtightness between the blower unit 2 and the heat exchanger unit 3 when the air outlet 27 is engaged with the air inlet 33.

[0041] In order to pull the blower unit 2 forward relative to the vehicle, the handle 28 on the blower unit 2 is located on the opposite side of the external air intake 23 relative to the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0042] Figure 6 This is a top view of vehicle air conditioning unit 1. (Example) Figure 6 As shown, on the side of the blower housing 21, there is a fixing hole 29 between the handle 28 and the vehicle air intake 22 for fixing the blower unit 2 to the surface 13 of the vehicle floor.

[0043] The blower unit 2 is aligned and fixed to the floor surface 13 by fastening the fixing hole 29 with the corresponding fixing hole on the floor surface 13 using a fastening mechanism such as screws. On the blower housing 21, the fixing hole 29 is located diagonally opposite to the alignment pin 24a.

[0044] In addition, the inner diameter of the fixing hole 29 is smaller than the inner diameter of the mounting hole 39 (described later) of the heat exchanger unit 3.

[0045] The guide member 40 protrudes from the lower housing 21b at the corner between the bottom surface of the lower housing 21b and the air inlet 27 and the external air intake 23. When connecting the blower unit 2 and the heat exchanger unit 3, the guide member 40 slides on the guide rail 41 provided on the heat exchanger unit 3. Thus, the blower unit 2 can be easily positioned relative to the heat exchanger unit 3 in the left-right direction of the vehicle (X direction in the figure).

[0046] The heat exchange unit 3 includes a heat exchanger housing 31 and an evaporator and heater core (neither shown) housed within the heat exchanger housing 31. The evaporator and heater core are arranged along the airflow path F within the heat exchanger housing 31. An air inlet 33 is provided on the connecting surface of the heat exchanger housing 31 for connection with the blower housing 21, for engaging with the air outlet 27 of the blower housing 21. The air inlet 33 is approximately rectangular, corresponding to the air outlet 27.

[0047] The air inlet 33 is provided with a groove 33a on its periphery, which corresponds to the slide rail 27a on the air outlet 27. The groove 33a is provided on the upper and lower sides of the periphery of the generally rectangular air inlet 33.

[0048] The side of the air inlet 33 near the rear of the vehicle has a groove 33c connected to the slide rail 33a, which is used to engage with the track 27c on the air outlet 27 when the air outlet 27 is engaged with the air inlet 33. The side of the air inlet 33 near the front of the vehicle has a track insertion port 33b for inserting the slide rail 27a. When the air outlet 27 is engaged with the air inlet 33, the track insertion port 33b is sealed by the sealing plate 27b on the air outlet 27.

[0049] At the center of the upper part of the air inlet 33, there is a flange 32, which is continuously formed from the upper surface of the heat exchanger housing 31 and protrudes in the direction of the blower unit 2. The flange 32 engages with the limiting member 26a on the blower housing 21 from below. When the upper surface of the heat exchanger unit 3 expands, the limiting member 26a restricts the upward displacement.

[0050] Below the connection surface on the heat exchanger housing 31 for connecting to the blower unit 2, there is a guide rail 41 for sliding the guide member 40. At the rear end of the guide rail 41, there is a limiter 42 for the guide member 40 to abut. By abutting the guide member 40 against the limiter 42, the blower unit 2 can be positioned relative to the heat exchanger unit 3 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0051] The heat exchanger housing 31 is provided with front air outlets 34, 35, and 36 for blowing air from the blower unit 2, which has been conditioned by the evaporator and heater core, towards the front of the vehicle, and a rear air outlet 37 for blowing air towards the rear of the vehicle.

[0052] The air inlet 33 is provided with an alignment hole 38 corresponding to the alignment pin 24c near the upper side of the rear of the vehicle.

[0053] The heat exchanger housing 31 has four mounting holes 39 for mounting the vehicle air conditioning unit 1 on the floor surface 13. The vehicle air conditioning unit 1 is fixed to the floor surface 13 by tightening the mounting holes 39 with the corresponding mounting holes on the floor surface 13 using screws or the like.

[0054] The vehicle air conditioning unit 1 constructed in the above manner allows for the assembly and disassembly of the blower unit 2 relative to the heat exchanger unit 3 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Specifically, the blower unit 2 can be assembled and disassembled relative to the heat exchanger unit 3 in the following manner.

[0055] (The case where blower unit 2 is installed on heat exchanger unit 3)

[0056] Insert the slide rail 27a on the air outlet 27 of the blower unit 2 into the track insertion slot 33b on the air inlet 33 of the heat exchanger unit 3, and then push the blower unit 2 toward the heat exchanger unit 3. At this time, by aligning the guide member 40 with the end of the guide rail 41 near the front of the vehicle, and pushing the blower unit 2 toward the heat exchanger unit 3, the slide rail 27a slides along the slide groove 33a, and the guide member 40 slides along the guide rail 41. Then continue pushing the blower unit 2 toward the heat exchanger unit 3 until the side of the slide rail 27a near the rear of the vehicle engages with the side of the slide groove 33a near the rear of the vehicle, and the guide member 40 abuts against the limiter 42.

[0057] When the side of the slide rail 27a near the rear of the vehicle engages with the side of the slide groove 33a near the rear of the vehicle, the upper edge of the slide rail 27a engages with the upper edge of the slide groove 33a, and the lower edge of the slide rail 27a also engages with the lower edge of the slide groove 33a. Furthermore, the sealing piece 27b on the air outlet 27 seals the track insertion port 33b, thereby ensuring airtightness of the connection between the air outlet 27 and the air inlet 33 throughout the entire circumference. At this time, the limiting member 26a engages with the flange 32 from the upper side, and the alignment pin 24c is inserted into the alignment hole 38.

[0058] Through the above operations, the blower unit 2 and the heat exchanger unit 3 are connected together to form a vehicle air conditioning device 1.

[0059] For the vehicle air conditioning unit 1, by fitting the slide rail 27a into the slide groove 33a and sealing the rail insertion port 33b with the sealing plate 27b, the connection between the air outlet 27 and the air inlet 33 is airtight throughout the entire circumference. Therefore, the air flowing through the air outlet 27 and the air inlet 33 will not leak to the outside. Thus, after the blower unit 2 and the heat exchanger unit 3 are connected, an airflow path F from the blower unit 2 to the heat exchanger unit 3 is formed inside the vehicle air conditioning unit 1.

[0060] In this state, inserting the alignment pin 24c into the alignment hole 38 allows the blower unit 2 to be more securely fixed in the ideal position on the heat exchanger unit 3. Since the limiting member 26a engages with the flange 32 from above, even if the upper surface of the heat exchanger housing 31 expands due to an increase in internal pressure of the heat exchanger unit 3, this expansion is limited by the limiting member 26a pressing against the flange 32 from above.

[0061] When installing this vehicle air conditioning unit 1 onto a vehicle, align the mounting holes 29 and 39 with the mounting holes on the floor surface 13, and then tighten them using screws or other fastening mechanisms. This completes the installation of the vehicle air conditioning unit 1 on the vehicle floor surface 13.

[0062] Since the alignment pin 24a on the blower unit 2 is located on the diagonal of the fixing hole 29, the blower unit 2 can be firmly fixed to the floor surface 13 and the heat exchanger unit 3 even without the use of a fastening mechanism.

[0063] (The blower unit 2 is removed from heat exchanger unit 3)

[0064] From the open end of the seat bracket 12 facing directly forward of the vehicle, use a screwdriver or similar tool to loosen the fastening between the fixing hole 29 and the corresponding mounting hole on the floor surface 13. Then, disconnect the vehicle from the blower unit 2.

[0065] Since the blower unit 2 and the heat exchanger unit 3 are fixed by the engagement of the slide rail 27a and the slide groove 33a and the insertion of the alignment pin 24c into the alignment hole 38, the blower unit 2 can be easily removed from the heat exchanger unit 3 by simply releasing the fastening between the fixing hole 29 and the floor surface 13 and pulling it forward by grasping the handle 28.

[0066] Therefore, for example, when maintaining blower unit 2, it is not necessary to remove the driver's seat 11 and seat bracket 12; only blower unit 2 needs to be removed to repair, replace, clean, and perform other maintenance on all functional components of blower unit 2. This significantly reduces the time required for maintenance of blower unit 2 and improves the efficiency of maintenance work. Furthermore, by removing blower unit 2, operators can visually inspect the condition of components such as the evaporator in heat exchanger unit 3 from the open end, which helps in determining whether heat exchanger unit 3 requires maintenance.

[0067] For the vehicle air conditioning unit 1 installed on the vehicle, when the blower unit 2 is removed for maintenance or other purposes and then reinstalled onto the heat exchanger unit 3 below the seat bracket 12, the operation is the same as described above: insert the slide rail 27a of the air outlet 27 of the blower unit 2 into the rail insertion slot 33a, and then push the blower unit 2 toward the heat exchanger unit 3. Since the diameter of the fixing hole 29 is smaller than the diameter of the mounting hole 39, the blower unit 2 can be precisely aligned with the heat exchanger unit 3 and the floor surface 13 before being fixed.

[0068] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the specific structure is not limited to these embodiments. Any design changes that do not depart from the spirit of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0069] (Symbol Explanation)

[0070] 1: Vehicle air conditioning equipment; 2: Blower unit; 3: Heat exchanger unit; 11: Driver's seat; 12: Seat bracket; 13: Floor surface; 21: Blower housing; 21a: Upper housing; 21b: Lower housing; 22: Interior air intake; 23: Exterior air intake; 24, 25: Blower retraction area; 24a, 25a: Curved surface; 24b, 25b: End wall; 24c: Alignment pin; 26: Blower motor retraction area; 26a: Limiting component, 27: air outlet, 27a: slide rail, 27b: sealing plate, 27c: track, 28: handle, 29: fixing hole, 31: heat exchanger housing, 32: flange, 33: air inlet, 33a: slide groove, 33b: track insertion port, 33c: groove, 34, 35, 36: front air outlet, 37: rear air outlet, 38: alignment hole, 39: mounting hole, 40: guide component, 41: guide rail, 42: limiter, F: airflow path.

Claims

1. A vehicle air conditioning unit, disposed between the seat and the floor surface of the vehicle, comprising: A blower unit equipped with a blower and a heat exchanger unit equipped with a heat exchanger; The blower unit and the heat exchanger unit are connected in such a way that an airflow path is formed along the floor surface of the carriage. The blower unit is positioned relative to the heat exchanger unit in a direction intersecting the airflow path, and is detachably connected along the surface of the carriage floor. Above the connection surface of the blower unit for connecting to the heat exchanger unit, there is a limiting member for restricting the expansion of the heat exchanger unit.

2. The vehicle air conditioning equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blower and the air intake component in the blower unit are integrated into one assembly.

3. The vehicle air conditioning equipment as described in claim 1, further comprising: A slide rail is provided on either the connection surface of the blower unit for connecting to the heat exchanger unit or the connection surface of the heat exchanger unit for connecting to the blower unit, and extends in a direction intersecting the airflow path; and A slide groove is provided on either the connection surface of the blower unit for connecting to the heat exchanger unit or the connection surface of the heat exchanger unit for connecting to the blower unit, and is corresponding to the slide rail; The blower unit is detachably mounted on the heat exchanger unit by sliding the slide rail along the slide groove.

4. The vehicle air conditioning equipment as described in claim 2, further comprising: A slide rail is provided on either the connection surface of the blower unit for connecting to the heat exchanger unit or the connection surface of the heat exchanger unit for connecting to the blower unit, and extends in a direction intersecting the airflow path; and A slide groove is provided on either the connection surface of the blower unit for connecting to the heat exchanger unit or the connection surface of the heat exchanger unit for connecting to the blower unit, and is corresponding to the slide rail; The blower unit is detachably mounted on the heat exchanger unit by sliding the slide rail along the slide groove.

5. The vehicle air conditioning device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: A positioning protrusion, provided on either the blower unit or the heat exchanger unit, is used to position the blower unit onto the heat exchanger unit; and A positioning recess is provided on either the blower unit or the heat exchanger unit for the positioning protrusion to engage. The positioning protrusion protrudes in a direction that intersects with the airflow path.

6. The vehicle air conditioning equipment as claimed in claim 5, wherein, for the blower unit, a fixing hole is provided at a top-view diagonal position of the positioning protrusion or the positioning recess for positioning and fixing the floor surface of the vehicle compartment and the blower unit.

7. The vehicle air conditioning device of claim 6, wherein the heat exchanger unit has mounting holes for mounting the heat exchanger unit on the floor surface. The diameter of the fixing hole must be smaller than the diameter of the mounting hole.

8. The vehicle air conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: An air outlet, located on the connection surface of the blower unit for connecting to the heat exchanger unit, is used to blow air to the heat exchanger unit; and An air inlet is located on the connection surface of the heat exchanger unit for connecting to the blower unit, and is used to draw in air from the air outlet; The air outlet can be fitted with the air inlet.

9. The vehicle air conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: A guide member, disposed on either the connection surface of the blower unit for connecting to the heat exchanger unit or the connection surface of the heat exchanger unit for connecting to the blower unit, is used to position the blower unit and the heat exchanger unit in the direction along the airflow path; and A guide rail is disposed on either the connection surface of the blower unit for connecting to the heat exchanger unit or the connection surface of the heat exchanger unit for connecting to the blower unit, and is corresponding to the guide member.

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