Modular air conditioning assembly

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of automotive air conditioning technology, specifically to a modular air conditioning assembly. It includes an air intake module, a blower module, a heat exchange module, and a distribution module. The air intake module has a first standard interface on its outlet side; the blower module has a second standard interface on one side that connects to and is fixed to the first standard interface, and a third standard interface on the other side; the heat exchange module includes a fourth standard interface that connects to and is fixed to the third standard interface, and at least one connecting interface is also provided on the heat exchange module; the distribution module has a connecting structure that connects to and is fixed to the connecting interface. The air conditioning assembly of this application adopts a modular design concept, which allows for adaptation to different vehicle models by adjusting only a portion of the structure connected to the vehicle body, without requiring a complete redesign of the entire air conditioning assembly. This reduces the design difficulty of the air conditioning assembly and significantly lowers mold opening costs, testing costs, and development costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive air conditioning technology, specifically to a modular air conditioning assembly. Background Technology

[0002] The air conditioning assembly is a core component of the automotive air conditioning system. Developing a brand new air conditioning assembly costs approximately 5 million to 6 million yuan in mold fees and 3 million to 4 million yuan in testing fees, with a standard development cycle of 18 months.

[0003] The typical design of air conditioning assemblies for traditional gasoline-powered vehicles in China is as follows: for left-hand drive models, the evaporator uses refrigerant for cooling, the heater core uses engine coolant for heating, and the entire air conditioning assembly has a single, integrated plastic casing. However, with the proliferation of new energy technologies and increasingly diverse dashboard designs, coupled with a surge in vehicle exports, the demands on air conditioning assemblies have become more varied. For example, right-hand drive export vehicles require features such as refrigerant-based heating in the interior condenser, PTC heating that converts electrical energy into heat, and thinner dashboard designs. Often, a mature air conditioning assembly needs to be redesigned to accommodate different new energy powertrains or dashboard designs, with costs starting at over one million yuan and a development cycle of at least one year. This results in high development costs and long development cycles.

[0004] To address this technical challenge, existing technology has proposed an automotive air conditioning system (HVAC) assembly structure. This structure includes an air intake assembly, a blower assembly, and an evaporator assembly, which are fixedly connected by screws on their housing surfaces and interconnected internally via air ducts. This structure employs a modular design, resulting in a compact overall size and comprehensive functionality. By adding, removing, or replacing components, it can adapt to the cabin air vent design and HVAC functional requirements of different vehicle models. This solves the problem of existing automotive air conditioning systems having large HVAC units and being unable to achieve universality when different vehicle models have varying cabin air vent designs and HVAC functional requirements, necessitating redesign of the HVAC system. This effectively saves design costs and time. However, this air conditioning system also has some problems. The system places the air outlet assembly, which matches the driver's cab air vent duct, on the upper shell of the evaporator housing. The connection between the air outlet and the driver's cab air vent duct is not explained. In reality, driver's cab air vent structures vary greatly, and different vehicle models have completely different structures. How to connect and adapt the evaporator housing to the driver's cab air vent duct is a key design consideration for the air conditioning system. Adapting the air conditioning system to different driver's cab air vent ducts is a problem that needs to be considered, but the above solution does not actually solve this technical problem. Furthermore, the above solution also has structural design issues. The air conditioning system connects the air intake assembly to the blower assembly, and finally to the evaporator assembly. The air intake assembly and blower assembly are located on one side of the evaporator assembly. In practical application, this structure can only be used on vehicles with one steering direction. Once the steering direction is changed, the air conditioning system cannot be adapted, limiting its applicability. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to address the shortcomings of the aforementioned background technology and provide a modular air conditioning assembly.

[0006] The technical solution of this application is: a modular air conditioning assembly, comprising,

[0007] The air intake module has a hollow shell structure. The air intake module has a body interface on the inlet side that connects to the body sheet metal, and an interface with the first standard on the outlet side.

[0008] A blower assembly, comprising a blower, wherein a second standard interface is provided on one side of the blower assembly to be connected to and fixed to a first standard interface, and a third standard interface is provided on the other side of the blower assembly;

[0009] The heat exchange module is a shell structure with internal heat exchange components connected to the vehicle body. The heat exchange module includes a fourth standard interface that is connected and fixed to the third standard interface. The heat exchange module is also provided with at least one docking interface.

[0010] The air distribution module is a shell structure with an interface that connects to the air ducts of the instrument panel and the sub-instrument panel. The air distribution module is provided with a docking structure that connects to and is fixed to the interface.

[0011] According to a modular air conditioning assembly provided in this application, a plurality of connecting cylinders are provided on the circumferential outer side of the first standard interface; the connecting cylinder is a hollow cylindrical structure with one side open and one side closed, and a through hole for bolts to pass through is provided on the closed side of the connecting cylinder; a plurality of first connecting pins corresponding one-to-one with the connecting cylinders are provided on the circumferential outer side of the second standard interface; the first connecting pin is a hollow pin-shaped structure with one end fixed to the blower block and the other end having a screw hole, and one end of the first connecting pin extends into the connecting cylinder from the open side of the connecting cylinder and is tightened together by bolts passing through the connecting cylinder and the first connecting pin.

[0012] According to the modular air conditioning assembly provided in this application, a plurality of ribs are provided on the outer circumference of the first connecting pin. The plurality of ribs are arranged at equal intervals along the circumference of the first connecting pin. The ribs are strip-shaped structures arranged along the axial direction of the first connecting pin and protruding from the circumferential surface of the first connecting pin. The ribs abut against the inner circumference of the connecting cylinder when the first connecting pin is inserted into the connecting cylinder.

[0013] According to a modular air conditioning assembly provided in this application, a plurality of second connecting pins are provided at the third standard interface; the second connecting pin is a pin-shaped structure with one end fixed to the blower module and the other end extending along the blower axis; a connecting plate corresponding to the second connecting pin is provided at the fourth standard interface; the connecting plate is a plate-shaped structure with a pin hole opened on one end fixed to the heat exchange module; one end of the second connecting pin passes through the pin hole on the connecting plate to fix the blower module to the heat exchange module.

[0014] According to a modular air conditioning assembly provided in this application, the second connecting pin is a tapered cross-shaped pin with a small end fixed to the blower block and a large end connected to the connecting plate, having a cross-shaped cross-section.

[0015] According to a modular air conditioning assembly provided in this application, the air distribution module includes components disposed on opposite sides of the heat exchange module.

[0016] The first air distribution assembly is a hollow shell structure with an interface for connecting with the instrument panel air duct. The first air distribution assembly is provided with a seventh standard interface that connects and is fixed to the fifth standard interface in the heat exchange block interface.

[0017] The second air distribution assembly is a hollow shell structure with an interface for connecting with the air duct of the sub-instrument panel. The second air distribution assembly is provided with an eighth standard interface that connects and is fixed to the sixth standard interface in the heat exchange block interface.

[0018] According to the modular air conditioning assembly provided in this application, a plurality of first positioning pins are provided at the fifth standard interface; the first positioning pin is a pin-shaped structure with one end fixed to the heat exchange module and the other end extending towards the first air distribution component; a plurality of positioning plates are provided on the seventh standard interface; the positioning plates are provided with first positioning holes corresponding to the first positioning pins; the first positioning pins are inserted into the corresponding first positioning holes to fix the heat exchange module and the first air distribution component together.

[0019] According to the modular air conditioning assembly provided in this application, a plurality of second positioning holes are provided at the sixth standard interface; a plurality of second positioning pins are provided at the eighth standard interface; the second positioning pin is a pin-shaped structure with one end fixed on the second air distribution assembly and the other end extending toward the heat exchange block; the second positioning pin is inserted into the corresponding second positioning hole to fix the heat exchange block and the second air distribution assembly into a whole.

[0020] According to a modular air conditioning assembly provided in this application, the first positioning pin is a tapered cross pin with a cross-shaped cross section, which is smaller at the end away from the heat exchange block and larger at the end closer to the heat exchange block.

[0021] According to a modular air conditioning assembly provided in this application, the second positioning pin is a tapered cross pin with a cross-shaped cross section, which is smaller at the end away from the second air distribution component and larger at the end closer to the second air distribution component.

[0022] The advantages of this application are as follows: 1. This application divides the air conditioning assembly into an air intake block, a blower block, a heat exchange block, and a distribution block. Adjacent blocks are connected through standard interfaces. This design structure only requires adjusting the structure of the part of a block that connects to the vehicle body according to actual needs when adapting to the vehicle model. The structure of other blocks can remain unchanged. Whether it is adapting from a left-hand drive vehicle to a right-hand drive vehicle, adapting to the air duct interface on the instrument panel and sub-instrument panel, or adapting to the air intake structure of the vehicle model, the air conditioning assembly of this application can achieve the required effect by adjusting a small part of the structure of a block. There is no need to design a mold for the entire air conditioning assembly, which greatly reduces the mold opening cost, testing cost, and development cost of the air conditioning assembly. Moreover, since a standard interface is used to connect adjacent blocks, no matter how the block is adapted to different vehicle requirements, its interface can remain unchanged. Therefore, there are very few parts that need to be adjusted on the block, which reduces the difficulty of redesigning and molding. In actual assembly, the standard interface can also assemble adjacent blocks together to form the required air conditioning assembly. The overall structure is simple and extremely convenient to use.

[0023] 2. This application connects the air inlet module and the blower module together through the first standard interface and the second standard interface. The connecting cylinder on the first standard interface corresponds one-to-one with the first connecting pin on the second standard interface. The first connecting pin can be easily inserted into the connecting cylinder, and they can be connected together well. The assembly is extremely convenient. Only by driving bolts into the connecting through holes and screw holes can the air inlet module and the blower module be stably fixed together. The first standard interface and the second standard interface are connected, which facilitates the blower in the blower module to draw air through the air inlet module.

[0024] 3. The first connecting pin of this application is provided with multiple rib structures on its outer circumference. The rib structures can abut against the inner wall of the connecting cylinder after the first connecting pin is inserted into the connecting cylinder, so that the first connecting pin and the connecting cylinder can be stably connected together. At the same time, the rib structures can center the first connecting pin on the connecting cylinder, aligning the through hole of the first connecting pin with the screw hole on the connecting cylinder in the axial direction, which facilitates the subsequent driving of bolts to fix the two together, and facilitates the assembly between the air inlet module and the blower module.

[0025] 4. This application connects the third standard interface on the blower block to the fourth standard interface on the heat exchange block. The second connecting pin on the third standard interface corresponds to the connecting plate on the fourth standard interface. The connecting plate is a plate-shaped structure protruding from the heat exchange block. The second connecting pin can be easily inserted into the pin hole of the connecting plate from the side, which can easily fix the blower block to the heat exchange block. The overall assembly is very simple.

[0026] 5. The second connecting pin of this application is a tapered cross pin structure. During actual assembly, the small end of the pin can be easily inserted into the corresponding pin hole, which can allow a certain degree of assembly error, facilitates the assembly between the blower block and the heat exchange block, and reduces the difficulty of docking and assembling the second connecting pin and the connecting plate.

[0027] 6. This application splits the air distribution module into two parts: the first air distribution component and the second air distribution component. The two air distribution components correspond to the air intake ducts of the instrument panel and the sub-instrument panel, respectively. The two air distribution components are individually connected to the heat exchange module, which can adapt to different instrument panel air duct interface structures. This makes it easier to make adaptive design adjustments according to the instrument panel air duct interface structure. The adjustment of a single component is simpler, and the adaptability to the passenger compartment of different vehicle models is better.

[0028] 7. This application connects the first standard interface of the heat exchange block to the fifth standard interface of the first air distribution component. The fifth standard interface and the seventh standard interface are standard interfaces that do not need to be changed. When adapting to different vehicle models, only the structure of the connection between the first air distribution component and the instrument panel air duct interface needs to be adjusted. The heat exchange block only needs to replace the internal components in the same housing. There is no need to make any adjustments to the housing of the heat exchange block itself. The adaptability changes are minimal. Moreover, the combination structure of the first positioning pin and the first positioning hole is used for assembly, which greatly reduces the difficulty of assembly and makes actual assembly extremely convenient.

[0029] 8. This application connects the eighth standard interface on the second air distribution assembly with the sixth standard interface on the heat exchange block. The second air distribution assembly corresponds to the air duct interface on the sub-instrument panel. Its assembly structure is simple. The second positioning pin can be easily inserted into the second positioning hole to complete the connection and fixation between the second air distribution assembly and the heat exchange block. This allows the air outlet of the heat exchange block to be blown into the air duct of the sub-instrument panel through the second air distribution assembly. The overall structure is simple and easy to assemble.

[0030] 9. The first positioning pin of this application is a tapered cross pin structure, which can be easily inserted into the corresponding first positioning hole during actual assembly. It can tolerate a certain degree of assembly and processing error, and can make the first air distribution component and heat exchange block accurately docked when assembled together. The gas passage structure formed facilitates smooth gas flow.

[0031] 10. The second positioning pin of this application is a tapered cross pin structure, which can be easily inserted into the corresponding second positioning hole during actual assembly. It can tolerate a certain degree of assembly and processing error between the sixth standard interface and the eighth standard interface, making it convenient to assemble the second air distribution component onto the heat exchange block. The overall assembly is very simple.

[0032] The air conditioning assembly of this application has a simple structure and adopts a modular design concept. When adapting to different vehicle structures, only the structure connected to the vehicle body needs to be adjusted, without the need to redesign and adjust the entire air conditioning assembly. This reduces the design difficulty of the air conditioning assembly and significantly reduces the mold opening cost, testing cost and development cost of the air conditioning assembly, which has great promotional value. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 Side view (first view) of the air conditioning assembly of this application;

[0034] Figure 2 Side view (second view) of the air conditioning assembly of this application;

[0035] Figure 3 Side view (third view) of the air conditioning assembly of this application;

[0036] Figure 4 This application includes an explosion diagram of the air conditioning assembly;

[0037] Figure 5 : A schematic diagram of the air inlet module structure of this application;

[0038] Figure 6 : A schematic diagram of the blower module structure of this application;

[0039] Figure 7 : A schematic diagram of the heat exchange block structure of this application;

[0040] Figure 8 : A schematic diagram of the first air distribution component structure of this application;

[0041] Figure 9 : A schematic diagram of the structure of the second air distribution component in this application;

[0042] Wherein: 1—Air inlet module; 11—First standard interface; 12—Connecting cylinder;

[0043] 2—Blowering block; 21—Second standard interface; 22—Third standard interface; 23—First connecting pin; 24—Rib; 25—Second connecting pin;

[0044] 3—Heat exchange module; 31—Fourth standard interface; 32—Connecting plate; 33—Fifth standard interface; 34—Sixth standard interface; 35—First positioning pin; 36—Second positioning hole;

[0045] 4—First air distribution assembly; 41—Seventh standard interface; 42—Positioning plate; 43—First positioning hole;

[0046] 5—Second air distribution component; 51—Eighth standard interface; 52—Second positioning pin. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0048] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0049] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0050] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0051] This application relates to a modular air conditioning assembly. The air conditioning assembly of this application adopts a modular design structure, dividing the various parts of the air conditioning assembly according to their functions, namely an air intake block, a blower block, a heat exchange block, and a distribution block. The air intake block is connected to the body sheet metal for intake of air from the outside of the body. The blower block is a structure equipped with a blower, which draws air from the air intake block and then discharges it to the heat exchange block. The heat exchange block is the core component of the air conditioning assembly. The air discharged from the blower block undergoes heat exchange in the heat exchange block. Finally, the heat exchange block discharges the heat-exchanged air into the passenger compartment through the distribution block, completing the air conditioning control process. Because the air conditioning assembly of this application is divided into multiple components according to their functions, the air intake block, heat exchange block, and air distribution block, which are connected to the vehicle body, only require adjustment of the connection points between these blocks and the vehicle body according to the vehicle structure during the design process. Other positions remain unchanged. This significantly reduces the number of adjustments required during the design process, greatly reducing the design and mold-making difficulty. Adjacent blocks in this application are connected and fixed using standard interfaces. These standard interfaces require no adjustment. On the one hand, during the design process, a unified standard interface can be used without major adjustments, facilitating design, mold-making, and testing. On the other hand, the standard interface facilitates the assembly of adjacent blocks, greatly improving the efficiency of air conditioning assembly installation.

[0052] Specifically, such as Figures 1-9As shown, a modular air conditioning assembly of this application includes an air intake block 1, a blower block 2, a heat exchange block 3, and a distribution block. The air intake block 1 has a hollow shell structure. The inlet side of the air intake block 1 is provided with a body interface for connecting to the vehicle body sheet metal, and the outlet side of the air intake block 1 is provided with a first standard interface 11. The air intake block 1 is actually a hollow air duct structure with one end connected to the vehicle body sheet metal and the other end connected to the blower block. The air intake block 1 facilitates the blower block 2 to draw in air from outside the vehicle body. The body interface of the air intake block 1 corresponds to the body sheet metal structure of the vehicle model. Therefore, in the design process, only the body interface of the air intake block 1 needs to be adjusted according to the body sheet metal structure of the vehicle model. Other parts of the air intake block 1, except for the body interface, do not need to be changed.

[0053] The blower assembly 2 is a hollow shell structure housing a blower. One side of the blower assembly 2 has a second standard interface 21 that connects and is fixed to the first standard interface 11, and the other side has a third standard interface 22. The blower is installed inside the blower assembly 2 and connects to the air intake assembly 1 via the channel structure where the second standard interface 21 connects to the first standard interface 11, facilitating air intake from the outside through the air intake assembly 1. The blower assembly 2 connects to the air intake assembly 1 via the first standard interface 11 and to the heat exchange assembly via the third standard interface 22. The blower assembly 2 itself is not directly connected to the vehicle body. During the design of the air conditioning assembly, the blower assembly 2 can adapt to various vehicle models. Only when adjustments to the blower of the air conditioning assembly are required does the installation structure of the blower inside the shell of the blower assembly 2 need to be redesigned. The shell of the blower assembly 2, except for the blower installation structure, does not require adjustment.

[0054] The heat exchange module 3 is a shell structure with internal heat exchange components connected to the vehicle body. The heat exchange module 3 includes a fourth standard interface 31 that is connected and fixed to the third standard interface 22. The heat exchange module 3 also has at least one connecting interface. The heat exchange module 3 is directly connected to the vehicle body, and the structure of the connection point is adaptively adjusted according to the vehicle body. Other structural parts of the shell of the heat exchange module 3 do not require adjustment. The heat exchange module 3 is the core component of the entire air conditioning assembly. Its shell contains a heat exchange structure. The shell of the heat exchange module 3 connects to the third standard interface 22 on the blower module 2 via the fourth standard interface 31. That is, the inlet of the heat exchange module 3 shell is connected to the outlet of the blower module 2 shell, and the exhaust gas from the blower module 2 enters the heat exchange module 3 for heat exchange.

[0055] The air distribution module is a shell structure with an interface that connects to the air ducts on the instrument panel and sub-instrument panel. The air distribution module is equipped with a docking structure that connects and fixes to the interface. The air distribution module is the structure corresponding to the air intake duct interface of the instrument panel in the driver's cab. The air distribution module is also connected to the heat exchange module through the interface and docking structure. The interface and docking structure are also standard structures. In actual design, only the part of the air distribution module corresponding to the instrument panel air duct interface needs to be adjusted. Other structures on the air distribution module do not need to be changed to adapt to different vehicle structures.

[0056] When the air conditioning assembly of this application is actually assembled: the air intake block 1 and the blower block 2 are connected together through the first standard interface 11 and the second standard structure 21; the blower block 2 and the heat exchange block 2 are connected together through the third standard interface 22 and the fourth standard interface 31; the air distribution block and the heat exchange block 3 are assembled together through the docking structure and the docking interface to form the air conditioning assembly; then the body interface of the air intake block 1 is connected to the sheet metal on the body; the heat exchange block 3 is fixed to the corresponding connection point on the body; and the air distribution block is connected to the air duct interface on the body dashboard to complete the assembly of the air conditioning assembly with the body.

[0057] In some embodiments of this application, the first standard interface 11 and the second standard interface 21 described above have been optimized. Specifically, as follows: Figure 5 and 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the first standard interface 11 and the second standard interface 21 are respectively disposed on one side of the housing of the air inlet block 1 and the housing of the blower block 2. The first standard interface 11 corresponds to the air outlet of the housing of the air inlet block 1, and the second standard interface 21 corresponds to the air inlet of the housing of the blower block 2. After the first standard interface 11 and the second standard interface 21 are connected together, the air outlet of the air inlet block 1 is connected to the air inlet of the blower block 2.

[0058] Multiple connecting cylinders 12 are provided on the circumferential outer side of the first standard interface 11 (in fact, multiple connecting cylinders 12 are provided on the side of the housing of the air inlet block 1 where the first standard interface 11 is located, such as...). Figure 5 As shown, the first standard interface 11 in this embodiment is provided with three connecting cylinders 12. The connecting cylinder 12 is a hollow cylindrical structure with one side open and the other side closed. The closed side of the connecting cylinder 12 has a through hole for bolts to pass through. The connecting cylinder 12 is circumferentially connected to the first standard interface 11 through a groove structure. The groove structure extends radially along the first standard interface 11. The connecting cylinder 12 is fixed at the end of the groove structure away from the first standard interface 11.

[0059] like Figure 6As shown, the second standard interface 21 has multiple first connecting pins 23 on its outer circumferential side, each corresponding to a connecting cylinder 12. Each first connecting pin 23 is a hollow pin-shaped structure with one end fixed to the blower block 2 and the other end having a screw hole. Similarly, in this embodiment, the second standard interface 21 has a circular opening structure, corresponding to the first standard interface 11. The first connecting pins 23 on the second standard interface 21 correspond one-to-one with the connecting cylinders 12 on the first standard interface 11, and there are three of them.

[0060] During actual assembly, align the side of the housing of the air inlet block 1 with the side of the housing of the blower block 2 with the side with the second standard interface 21. Insert the first connecting pin 23 into the connecting cylinder 12 from one side opening. After inserting all the first connecting pins 23 into the corresponding connecting cylinders 12, drive bolts into the aligned through holes and screw holes to fix the air inlet block 1 and the blower block 2 together.

[0061] In addition, to facilitate the docking of the connecting cylinder 12 and the first connecting pin 23, multiple ribs 24 are provided on the outer circumference of the first connecting pin 23 in this embodiment. The multiple ribs 24 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the first connecting pin 23. The ribs 24 are strip-shaped structures arranged along the axial direction of the first connecting pin 23 and protruding from the circumferential surface of the first connecting pin 23. When the first connecting pin 23 is inserted into the connecting cylinder 12, the ribs 24 abut against the inner circumference of the connecting cylinder 12.

[0062] When the first connecting pin 23 is inserted into the connecting cylinder 12, the rib 24 abuts against the inner circumference of the connecting cylinder 12, so that the first connecting pin 23 can be stably restrained inside the connecting cylinder 12, making it easy to align the through hole on the connecting cylinder 12 with the screw hole on the first connecting pin 23. At the same time, the rib 24 tensioned inside the connecting cylinder 12 can limit the shaking of the first connecting pin 23 inside the connecting cylinder 12, making the connection between the air inlet block 1 and the blower block 2 more stable.

[0063] The first standard interface 11 and the second standard interface 21 can be designed as structures with fixed specifications and dimensions. That is, in the subsequent development and design process, the first standard interface 11 and the second standard interface 21 will not be adjusted. Only the parts of the air intake block 1 and the blower block 2 that correspond to the vehicle body need to be adjusted.

[0064] In other embodiments of this application, the third standard interface 22 and the fourth standard interface 31 described above are optimized. The third standard interface 22 and the fourth standard interface 31 are structures that connect the blower block 2 and the heat exchange block 3. Figures 6-7 As shown, the blower module 2 is fixed to the first side of the heat exchange module 3, and the third standard interface 22 is the air outlet of the blower module 2, as shown. Figure 7As shown, the fourth standard interface 31 is the air inlet of the heat exchange block 3. The third standard interface 22 and the fourth standard interface 31 are connected, which means that the air outlet of the blower block 2 is connected to the air inlet of the heat exchange block 3.

[0065] The third standard interface 22 is provided with multiple second connecting pins 25. Each second connecting pin 25 is a pin-shaped structure with one end fixed to the blower block 2 and the other end extending along the blower axis. In fact, the second connecting pin 25 is provided on the side of the shell of the blower block 2 corresponding to the first side of the heat exchange block 3. The second connecting pin 25 is arranged along the axis of the blower and is parallel to the first side of the heat exchange block 3.

[0066] A connecting plate 32 corresponding to the second connecting pin 25 is provided at the fourth standard interface 31. The connecting plate 32 is a plate-shaped structure with a pin hole fixed at one end to the heat exchange block 3. The connecting plate 32 is a plate-shaped structure that is vertically fixed to the first side of the shell of the heat exchange block 3.

[0067] During actual assembly, the second connecting pin 25 is aligned with the pin hole on the connecting plate 32 along the axial direction of the blower, and then the second connecting pin 25 is inserted into the pin hole along the axial direction of the blower to fix the blower block 2 and the heat exchange block 3 together.

[0068] To facilitate the assembly of the second connecting pin 25 with the pin hole on the connecting plate 32, such as Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the second connecting pin 25 is a tapered cross pin with a cross-shaped cross section, fixed to the blower block 2 with one end smaller and the other end larger, which connects to the connecting plate 32. After the small end of the tapered cross pin is inserted into the pin hole, it can automatically center the blower block 2 during the insertion process, so that the third standard interface 22 and the fourth standard interface 31 are accurately aligned together.

[0069] In a further embodiment of this application, the above-mentioned air distribution module has been optimized, specifically, as follows: Figures 1-4 As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the air distribution module of this embodiment includes a first air distribution component 4 and a second air distribution component 5. The first air distribution component 4 is a hollow shell structure with an interface for connecting with the instrument panel air duct. The first air distribution component 4 is provided with a seventh standard interface 41 that is connected and fixed to the fifth standard interface 33 in the heat exchange block 3. The second air distribution component 5 is a hollow shell structure with an interface for connecting with the sub-instrument panel air duct. The second air distribution component 5 is provided with an eighth standard interface 51 that is connected and fixed to the sixth standard interface 34 in the heat exchange block 3.

[0070] The first air distribution assembly 4 is disposed on the first side of the heat exchange block 3 housing, and the second air distribution assembly 5 is disposed on the second side of the heat exchange block 3 housing. The first and second sides of the heat exchange block 3 housing are oppositely arranged. That is, the heat exchange block 3 housing in this embodiment is provided with two air outlets, which are located on the first and second sides of the heat exchange block 3 housing respectively, and are respectively connected to the first air distribution assembly 4 and the second air distribution assembly 5.

[0071] The first air distribution component 4 corresponds to the instrument panel air duct, and the second air distribution component 5 corresponds to the sub-instrument panel air duct. During the design process, only the positions of the interface between the first air distribution component 4 and the instrument panel air duct, and the positions of the second air distribution component 5 and the sub-instrument panel air duct, need to be adapted to suit the development and design of the new vehicle model. The other structures of the first air distribution component 4 and the second air distribution component 5 remain unchanged.

[0072] The seventh standard interface 41 on the first air distribution assembly 4 is the air inlet of the first air distribution assembly 4, and the fifth standard interface 33 on the heat exchange block 3 is one of the air outlets of the heat exchange block 3. The first air distribution assembly 4 is connected to the heat exchange block 3 through the docking of the seventh standard interface 41 and the fifth standard interface 33. Specifically, as shown... Figure 7 As shown, a plurality of first positioning pins 35 are provided at the fifth standard interface 33. The first positioning pin 35 is a pin-shaped structure with one end fixed on the heat exchange block 3 and the other end extending toward the first air distribution component 4. A plurality of positioning plates 42 are provided on the seventh standard interface 41. The positioning plates 42 are provided with first positioning holes 43 corresponding to the first positioning pins 35.

[0073] When assembling the first air distribution assembly 4 and the heat exchange block 3, the seventh standard interface 41 of the first air distribution assembly 4 is moved to the first side of the housing of the heat exchange block 3, the first positioning hole 43 on the housing of the first air distribution assembly 4 is aligned with the first positioning pin 35 on the heat exchange block 3, and then the first positioning pin 35 is inserted into the corresponding first positioning hole 43 to fix the heat exchange block 3 and the first air distribution assembly 4 into one unit.

[0074] To facilitate the assembly of the first air distribution component 4 and the heat exchange block 3, the structure of the first positioning pin 35 has been optimized in this embodiment, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the first positioning pin 35 is a tapered cross-shaped pin with a cross-shaped cross-section, smaller at the end away from the heat exchange block 3 and larger at the end closer to the heat exchange block 3. The tapered cross-shaped first positioning pin 35 allows for certain assembly and machining errors during insertion into the first positioning hole 43. After being inserted into the first positioning hole 43, the first positioning pin 35 can automatically align, ensuring accurate alignment of the fifth standard interface 33 and the seventh standard interface 41.

[0075] The eighth standard interface 51 on the second air distribution assembly 5 is the air inlet of the second air distribution assembly 5, and the sixth standard interface 34 on the heat exchange block 3 is another air outlet on the heat exchange block 3. The second air distribution assembly 5 is connected to the heat exchange block 3 through the eighth standard interface 51 and the sixth standard interface 34. Figure 7 As shown, the sixth standard interface 34 is provided with multiple second positioning holes 36, and the eighth standard interface 51 is provided with multiple second positioning pins 52. The second positioning pin 52 is a pin-shaped structure with one end fixed on the second air distribution component 5 and the other end extending towards the heat exchange block 3.

[0076] When assembling the second air distribution assembly 5 and the heat exchange block 3, move the eighth standard interface 51 of the second air distribution assembly 5 to the second side of the heat exchange block 3 housing, align the second positioning pin 52 on the housing of the second air distribution assembly 5 with the second positioning hole 36 on the housing of the heat exchange block 3, and then insert the second positioning pin 52 into the corresponding second positioning hole 36 to fix the heat exchange block 3 and the second air distribution assembly 5 into one unit.

[0077] To facilitate the connection between the second positioning pin 52 and the second positioning hole 36, the structure of the second positioning pin 52 has been optimized in this embodiment, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the second positioning pin 52 is a tapered cross-shaped pin with a cross-shaped cross-section, smaller at the end away from the second air distribution component 5 and larger at the end closer to the second air distribution component 5. The tapered cross-shaped structure of the second positioning pin 52 allows for certain assembly and machining errors during insertion into the second positioning hole 36. After being inserted into the second positioning hole 36, the second positioning pin 52 can automatically align, ensuring accurate alignment of the sixth standard interface 34 and the eighth standard interface 51.

[0078] In this application, when assembling the air conditioning assembly, the side of the housing of the air intake block 1 with the first standard interface 11 is aligned with the side of the housing of the blower block 2 with the second standard interface 21. The first connecting pin 23 is inserted into the connecting cylinder 12 from one side opening. After all the first connecting pins 23 are inserted into the corresponding connecting cylinders 12, bolts are driven into the aligned through holes and screw holes to fix the air intake block 1 and the blower block 2 together.

[0079] Align the second connecting pin 25 with the pin hole on the connecting plate 32 along the axial direction of the blower, and then insert the second connecting pin 25 into the pin hole along the axial direction of the blower to fix the blower block 2 and the heat exchange block 3 together.

[0080] Move the seventh standard interface 41 of the first air distribution assembly 4 to the first side of the heat exchange block 3 housing, align the first positioning hole 43 on the first air distribution assembly 4 housing with the first positioning pin 35 on the heat exchange block 3, and then insert the first positioning pin 35 into the corresponding first positioning hole 43 to fix the heat exchange block 3 and the first air distribution assembly 4 into one unit.

[0081] Move the eighth standard interface 51 of the second air distribution assembly 5 to the second side of the heat exchange block 3 housing, align the second positioning pin 52 on the housing of the second air distribution assembly 5 with the second positioning hole 36 on the housing of the heat exchange block 3, and then insert the second positioning pin 52 into the corresponding second positioning hole 36 to fix the heat exchange block 3 and the second air distribution assembly 5 into one piece.

[0082] Then, the assembled air conditioning assembly is installed on the vehicle body. The body interface of the air intake block 1 is connected to the body sheet metal, the heat exchange block 3 is fixedly connected to the body through the body fixing point, the first air distribution component 4 is connected to the instrument panel air duct interface, and the second air distribution component 5 is connected to the sub-instrument panel air duct interface, thus completing the assembly of the air conditioning assembly.

[0083] The modular air conditioning assembly described in this application has already been applied in the following scenarios:

[0084] Application Scenario 1: To meet the demands of the export market, a right-hand drive model needs to be developed based on a left-hand drive vehicle. However, the placement of the air intake interferes with the pedal mechanism, requiring a redesign and redevelopment. The traditional approach is to develop the air conditioning assembly as a mirror image. Excluding shared parts, the mold costs for mirror-designed parts are approximately 4 million RMB, with a development cycle of over one year. However, by dividing the air conditioning assembly into four modules, only one air intake module needs to be developed symmetrically, reducing the cost to less than 500,000 RMB. Testing can also be limited to those related to air intake, and the development cycle can be completed in 5-6 months.

[0085] Application Scenario 2: A model with a longer wheelbase appears in the same series, increasing the demand for airflow and necessitating the replacement of the air conditioning blower motor with a more powerful one. In this case, we only need to redesign and develop the blower module, reducing mold costs to less than 1 million and the development cycle to less than 6 months.

[0086] Application Scenario 3: Converting a traditional gasoline vehicle to a direct-cooling / direct-heating pure electric vehicle. Traditional gasoline vehicles use engine coolant to generate heat through a heater core, while direct-cooling / direct-heating vehicles use refrigerant through an indoor condenser, and may also be equipped with an air PTC for auxiliary heating. This type of change only requires the development of a new heat exchange module to include the indoor condenser and air PTC. The mold cost can be reduced to within 1 million, and the development cycle can be completed in about 6 months.

[0087] Application Scenario 4: Changes in the dashboard design lead to changes in the location of the air vents that connect to the air conditioning assembly. Redeveloping the molds would cost over 2 million RMB. However, if we only develop the air distribution module to fit the dashboard, the cost can be reduced to under 300,000 RMB, and the development cycle can be completed in approximately 3-4 months.

[0088] Therefore, it is demonstrated that the modular air conditioning assembly of this application generates significant benefits.

[0089] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of this application. Those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of this application. Various changes and modifications can be made to this application without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of this application as claimed. The scope of protection of this application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A modular air conditioning assembly, characterized in that: include, Air intake block (1), the air intake block (1) is a hollow shell structure, the air intake block (1) has a body interface connected to the body sheet metal on the inlet side, and the air intake block (1) has a first standard interface (11) on the outlet side. The blower assembly (2) includes a blower. A second standard interface (21) is provided on one side of the blower assembly (2) to be connected and fixed to the first standard interface (11), and a third standard interface (22) is provided on the other side of the blower assembly (2). The heat exchange block (3) is a shell structure with heat exchange components inside that is connected to the vehicle body. The heat exchange block (3) includes a fourth standard interface (31) that is connected to and fixed to the third standard interface (22). The heat exchange block (3) is also provided with at least one docking interface. The air distribution module is a housing structure with an interface that connects to the air duct of the instrument panel and the sub-instrument panel. The air distribution module is provided with a docking structure that connects to and is fixed to the interface. The air intake block (1) and the blower block (2) are connected together through the first standard interface (11) and the second standard interface (21). The blower block (2) and the heat exchange block (3) are connected together through the third standard interface (22) and the fourth standard interface (31). The air distribution block and the heat exchange block (3) are assembled together through the docking structure and the docking interface to form an air conditioning assembly.

2. A modular air conditioning assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The first standard interface (11) is provided with multiple connecting cylinders (12) on its circumferential outer side; the connecting cylinder (12) is a hollow cylindrical structure with one side open and the other side closed, and the closed side of the connecting cylinder (12) is provided with a through hole for bolts to pass through; the second standard interface (21) is provided with multiple first connecting pins (23) corresponding one-to-one with the connecting cylinders (12) on its circumferential outer side; the first connecting pin (23) is a hollow pin structure with one end fixed to the blower block (2) and the other end provided with a screw hole, and one end of the first connecting pin (23) extends into the connecting cylinder (12) from the open side of the connecting cylinder (12) and is tightened together by bolts passing through the connecting cylinder (12) and the first connecting pin (23).

3. A modular air conditioning assembly as described in claim 2, characterized in that: Multiple ribs (24) are provided on the outer circumference of the first connecting pin (23). The multiple ribs (24) are arranged at equal intervals along the circumference of the first connecting pin (23). The ribs (24) are strip-shaped structures arranged along the axial direction of the first connecting pin (23) and protruding from the circumferential surface of the first connecting pin (23). When the first connecting pin (23) is inserted into the connecting cylinder (12), the ribs (24) abut against the inner circumference of the connecting cylinder (12).

4. A modular air conditioning assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The third standard interface (22) is provided with a plurality of second connecting pins (25); the second connecting pin (25) is a pin-shaped structure with one end fixed on the blower block (2) and the other end extending along the blower axis; the fourth standard interface (31) is provided with a connecting plate (32) corresponding to the second connecting pin (25); the connecting plate (32) is a plate-shaped structure with a pin hole on one end fixed on the heat exchange block (3); the second connecting pin (25) passes through the pin hole on the connecting plate (32) to fix the blower block (2) on the heat exchange block (3).

5. A modular air conditioning assembly as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The second connecting pin (25) is a tapered cross pin with a cross-shaped cross section that is fixed on the blower block (2) with one end small and the other end large when connected to the connecting plate (32).

6. A modular air conditioning assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The air distribution module includes components placed on opposite sides of the heat exchange module (3). The first air distribution assembly (4) is a hollow shell structure with an interface for connecting with the instrument panel air duct. The first air distribution assembly (4) is provided with a seventh standard interface (41) that is connected and fixed to the fifth standard interface (33) in the heat exchange block (3). The second air distribution assembly (5) is a hollow shell structure with an interface that connects to the air duct of the sub-instrument panel. The second air distribution assembly (5) is provided with an eighth standard interface (51) that connects and is fixed to the sixth standard interface (34) in the heat exchange block (3).

7. A modular air conditioning assembly as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The fifth standard interface (33) is provided with a plurality of first positioning pins (35); the first positioning pin (35) is a pin-shaped structure with one end fixed on the heat exchange block (3) and the other end extending toward the first air distribution assembly (4); the seventh standard interface (41) is provided with a plurality of positioning plates (42); the positioning plates (42) are provided with first positioning holes (43) corresponding to the first positioning pins (35); the first positioning pins (35) are inserted into the corresponding first positioning holes (43) to fix the heat exchange block (3) and the first air distribution assembly (4) together.

8. A modular air conditioning assembly as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The sixth standard interface (34) is provided with a plurality of second positioning holes (36); the eighth standard interface (51) is provided with a plurality of second positioning pins (52); the second positioning pin (52) is a pin-shaped structure with one end fixed on the second air distribution assembly (5) and the other end extending toward the heat exchange block (3); the second positioning pin (52) is inserted into the corresponding second positioning hole (36) to fix the heat exchange block (3) and the second air distribution assembly (5) into one unit.

9. A modular air conditioning assembly as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The first positioning pin (35) is a tapered cross pin with a cross-shaped cross section, which is smaller at the end away from the heat exchange block (3) and larger at the end near the heat exchange block (3).

10. A modular air conditioning assembly as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The second positioning pin (52) is a tapered cross pin with a cross-shaped cross section, which is smaller at the end away from the second air distribution component (5) and larger at the end near the second air distribution component (5).

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