Housing for multiple flow path HVAC system

Abstract

The invention relates to a housing for a multi-flow path HVAC system, in particular to an assembly for air movement within a vehicle. The assembly comprises: a housing; a fan proximate the air inlet; an evaporator provided such that the air exiting the fan flows through the evaporator; and a heater; a mixing chamber downstream of the evaporator and the heater, the housing establishing a plurality of internal airflow passages downstream of the evaporator, the plurality of internal airflow passages including a first airflow passage extending through the heater and through the heater and into the mixing chamber, and a second airflow passage extending through the heater and through the mixing chamber. A second airflow path bypasses the heater and flows into the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber receives air from the first and second airflow passages. A plurality of distribution airways extend from the mixing chamber, each distribution airway including a flow valve proximate the outlet, where the flow valve is configured to allow or substantially prevent a flow of air from exiting the respective distribution airway.

Description

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 604,623, filed on November 30, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical field

[0003] This application relates to an HVAC system for regulating air within a passenger compartment of a vehicle. Summary of the invention

[0004] A first representative embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. The embodiment includes a component for air movement within a vehicle. The component includes a housing that establishes an air inlet and one or more air outlets. The housing includes a fan disposed near the air inlet, wherein operation of the fan causes air to flow into the air inlet. The housing further includes an evaporator and a heater. The evaporator is arranged such that air leaving the discharge outlet of the fan flows over the evaporator. The housing also includes a mixing chamber downstream of the evaporator and the heater. The housing defines a plurality of internal air flow channels downstream of the evaporator. The plurality of internal air flow channels include a first air flow channel and a second air flow channel. The first air flow channel extends through and past the heater and into the mixing chamber. The second air flow channel bypasses the heater and flows into the mixing chamber. The housing further includes a mixing chamber that receives air from the first air flow channel and the second air flow channel, wherein the air from the first air flow channel and the second air flow channel interacts in the mixing chamber. The housing also includes a plurality of distribution channels extending from the mixing chamber. Each of the plurality of distribution channels includes a flow valve, and the flow valve is near the outlet of the corresponding distribution chamber. The flow valve for each of the plurality of distribution chambers is configured to allow or substantially prevent air flow from leaving the corresponding distribution channel.

[0005] Other representative embodiments of the present disclosure are provided, which include the above - mentioned representative embodiment of the present disclosure and further include one or more numbered paragraphs provided at the end of this specification.

[0006] For those skilled in the art, the advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, which have been shown and described by way of illustration. As will be recognized, the disclosed subject matter is capable of having other and different embodiments, and its details are capable of being modified in various aspects. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Brief description of the drawings

[0007] Figure 1 Perspective view of the passenger seat of the housing of an HVAC system having multiple flow paths (for a vehicle driven on the right side of the road, the driver is in the left front seat).

[0008] Figure 2 Is Figure 1 Perspective view of the driver's seat of the housing of.

[0009] Figure 3 Is Figure 1 Another perspective view of the housing of. as viewed from a position at the left front of the vehicle receiving the housing (where the vehicle receiving the housing is not shown).

[0010] Figure 4 Is Figure 1 Another perspective view of the housing of. as viewed from a position at the left front of the vehicle receiving the housing (where the vehicle receiving the housing is not shown).

[0011] Figure 5 Is Figure 1 Schematic side cross-sectional view of the housing of., which depicts the right housing portion (60) and schematically depicts various airflows within the housing and the distribution airways associated with the housing.

[0012] Figure 6 Is Figure 1 Schematic top view of the housing of., which schematically depicts various airflows within the housing and the distribution airways associated with the housing. Detailed Description

[0013] Now turning to Figures 1 to 6, a component 10 for air movement and air treatment inside a vehicle is provided. The component 10 is described herein as being configured for passenger vehicles (such as sedans, SUVs, crossovers, minivans, trucks, etc.), but the component is equally applicable to other vehicle types configured to receive more than one passenger in the passenger compartment. The passenger compartment of the vehicle receiving the component 10 can be a passenger compartment configured with a seat or position for a driver on one side of the first row of the vehicle and a passenger seat or position on the opposite side of the first row of the vehicle. The vehicle may additionally include a second row for two or more passengers to sit in, with the second row disposed directly behind the first row. In some vehicles (such as SUVs), the vehicle may additionally include a third row for two or more additional passengers to sit in. Other vehicles that can receive the component can be vans having more than two rows of seats for passengers behind the first row. The term "row" is used herein to include two or more individual seats aligned with each other and also includes benches on which two or more passengers can sit. The vehicle can be powered by an internal combustion engine or can be an electric vehicle or can be a hybrid vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine but can also operate based on electricity stored in a battery.

[0014] The component 10 is configured to provide a conditioned air flow to a number of locations inside the vehicle, where a number of said locations are configured to receive air at different temperatures simultaneously. For example, in one embodiment, the component 10 is arranged to provide air to the dashboard vents on the driver's side of the vehicle at a desired temperature and flow rate; to provide air at a desired temperature and flow rate (which may be different from the desired temperature and flow rate on the driver's side of the vehicle); and to provide air to vents inside the second row of the vehicle (which may be a different desired temperature from the vents on the driver's side and the passenger's side). The component 10 can also be configured to provide heated air for defrosting operations. The drawings used herein identify the driver's side of the vehicle for use with the vehicle, where the driver sits on the left side of the vehicle (commonly for jurisdictions where vehicles travel on the right side of the road), and the front passenger sits on the right side of the vehicle. The component 10 is constructed such that it can be used in vehicles where the driver's side is the right side of the vehicle (i.e., vehicles commonly used where vehicles travel on the left side of the road), and the identification of the driver's side (as the left side) is for simplicity only - that is, the component is equally applicable to vehicles where the driver's side is on the right side of the vehicle.

[0015] The component 10 includes a housing 20 that supports and encloses all of the components of the assembly as discussed herein and establishes within the assembly a plurality of air flow paths that permit different air flows within the assembly. The housing 20 provides an enclosure and mechanical support for the components operating within the housing, such as an evaporator, a heater, and a plurality of doors within various air ducts as discussed herein as needed to control the air flow. The housing 20 may also receive one or more air filters therewith to remove impurities within the air.

[0016] The housing 20 includes two air inlets. A first inlet 22 draws air from within the passenger compartment of a vehicle (not shown). The first air inlet 22 leads within the housing to the suction portion of a fan 21 that, when rotating, creates suction at its inlet and discharges air therefrom at high pressure and high speed. The housing 20 may include a second air inlet 24 that draws air from outside of the passenger compartment of the vehicle in which the assembly 10 is received. For example, the second air inlet may draw air from the engine compartment to permit outside air to enter the housing. In embodiments where the housing 20 is provided in an electric vehicle (which does not include an internal combustion engine), the second inlet receives air from outside of the vehicle through a flow path that is connected to draw air from outside of the vehicle. The housing 20 includes a door 26 that can be positioned to selectively permit the fan to draw air from the first air inlet 22 (air flow RR), draw air from the second air inlet 24 (air flow WW), or draw air from both the first air inlet 22 and the second air inlet 24. Figure 1 A pin 26a actuated by an operator (not shown but similar to operator 43a, 143a below) is depicted that causes the door 26 to rotate on the housing to change position to vary the air flow within the housing. The door 26 may be operated by a controller 1000 (schematic) that is described elsewhere herein and is configured to operate the door 26 to cause a desired air flow to enter the suction of the fan 21 and be pushed by the fan throughout the housing 20.

[0017] The housing 20 includes a plurality of air outlets, which include a defroster 33, a defroster 133, a passenger side vent 43 and a driver side vent 143, a passenger side floor outlet and a driver side floor outlet (not shown, but led out from the third and fourth distribution air ducts 94 / 194 below), and an outlet 83, which is connected to a vehicle duct (not shown) leading to a second row vent or a third row vent (not shown). As described herein, the housing includes a passenger side portion 60 and a driver side portion 160 that are independent of each other. The passenger side portion 60 directs air to the passenger side defroster, the passenger side vent 43, and the passenger side floor outlet (via 94). The driver side portion 160 directs air to the driver side defroster 133, the driver side vent 143, and the driver side floor outlet (via 194). As discussed herein, the driver side depicted in the drawings is the left side of the vehicle (i.e., for a vehicle configured to drive on the right side of the road). In other embodiments, the assembly may be used for a vehicle in which the actual driver side is on the right side of the vehicle (i.e., a vehicle configured to drive on the left side of the road). The use of "driver side" and "passenger side" herein is only used as an identifier for a specific side of the assembly and is not limited to the type of vehicle in which the assembly is received, i.e., the assembly 10 is equally applicable to vehicles with the driver on the left side and the right side of the vehicle.

[0018] The housing 20 includes an evaporator 120 and a heater 130, as discussed herein, the evaporator 120 and the heater 130 are disposed inside and within the air flow. The evaporator 120 may be part of a refrigeration system disposed within the vehicle, where the compressor, expansion valve, and condenser are disposed in a mechanical compartment (or, for a vehicle that does not include an internal combustion engine, in a different part of the vehicle from the housing 20). Elements 102 and 103 depict the supply line and return line for the refrigerant flowing through the evaporator 120. In an alternative embodiment, the evaporator may be replaced with another device capable of removing heat from the flowing device, such as a system providing the Peltier effect (or thermoelectric cooling), or may be a heat exchanger through which chilled water flows in and out via tubes 102, 103. For the sake of brevity, the evaporator 120 as referred to herein includes within its scope the evaporator 120 from the refrigeration system or any other item capable of removing heat from the air flowing through it, such as a chiller or a chilled water system or a Peltier effect element, etc. - unless the disclosure herein specifically refers to a type of cooling structure.

[0019] The housing 20 further includes a heater 130 disposed downstream of the evaporator 120 in the context of the particular air flow discussed herein. The heater 130 can be a heat exchanger that receives hot / warm water flowing therethrough (via the inlet pipe 104 and the outlet pipe 105). Alternatively, the heater 130 can be a condenser of a refrigeration system to provide heat to the air flowing through the condenser and through the housing 20. For the sake of brevity, the heater 130 as referred to herein includes within its scope a heat exchanger, a condenser from a refrigeration system, an electric heating / resistance heating element, or other structures capable of providing heat to the air flowing therethrough—unless the disclosure herein specifically refers to a type of heating structure.

[0020] The housing 20 includes a passenger side portion 60 (or the right side from the Figure 1 perspective) and a driver side portion 160 (or the left side from the Figure 1 perspective). When assembled in a vehicle, the passenger side portion 60 is closer to the right side of the vehicle (or the passenger side of a vehicle configured to drive on the right side of the road), and when assembled in a vehicle, the driver side portion 160 is closer to the left side of the vehicle (or the driver side of a vehicle configured to drive on the right side of the road). In some embodiments, the passenger side 60 and driver side 160 housings each receive air from the evaporator 120 and the heater 130, wherein the amount of air received from each of the flow paths discussed below is related to the position of valves downstream of each of the bypass air ducts (discussed below) and the heater 130.

[0021] Figure 5 A view depicting the air flow path through one side of the housing 60 (where the driver side is the left side of the vehicle—that is, the right side or passenger side of a vehicle configured to drive on the right side of the road) is shown, and the flow through the opposite side 160 is the same but not depicted here. The right housing and the left housing can be formed with the same structure, so the view of the left housing would be the same as the Figure 5 view of the right housing 60 in Figure 5 includes the structural elements within the right housing 60, and the corresponding element numbers that would be present in the left housing are listed in parentheses relative to the identified elements in the right housing portion 60.

[0022] The housing 20 includes a first air flow path 25 that starts from the discharge port of the fan 21 and extends to the evaporator 120. The air leaving the evaporator either flows through the heater 130 or bypasses the heater 130 through the bypass airway 66. The air flowing through the bypass airway 66 flows through the outlet airway 68 and finally reaches the mixing chamber 85. The air flowing through the heater 130 flows through the heater flow path 67 and enters the outlet airway 68 and enters the mixing chamber 85. In some embodiments, the air flow path 25 from the discharge port of the fan 21 to the evaporator 120 can be a single airway, and in some embodiments, the air can flow through a single airway (either through the heater 130 or through the bypass airway 66). In other embodiments, the first and second sides of the housings 60, 160 can have separate flow paths for all or part of the flow path from the fan discharge port to the heater or bypass 68. In embodiments having separate flow paths, both flow paths can flow through the same evaporator 120 and the same heater 130, or alternatively, in other embodiments, the separate flow paths can flow through separate evaporators 120 and heaters 130, and these separate evaporators 120 and heaters 130 can be controlled separately by the controller 1000.

[0023] The bypass 68 flow path includes a door 64 that is movable between a position that isolates the bypass flow path (i.e., substantially prevents air from flowing through the door at the outlet of the bypass flow path 68), a fully open position, or a throttling position. The fully open position provides no (or very little) resistance to the air flowing through the outlet of the bypass flow path 68, and the throttling position allows only a portion of the nominal flow to pass through the outlet of the bypass flow path 68. The heater flow path 67 includes a door 65 that is movable between a position that isolates the heater flow path (i.e., substantially prevents air from flowing through the door 65 at the outlet of the heater 130), a fully open position, and a throttling position. The fully open position provides no (or very little) resistance to the air flowing through the outlet of the heater flow path 65, and the throttling position allows only a portion of the nominal flow to pass through the outlet of the heater 130. The term "substantially prevents" is defined herein to mean that a large amount of possible flow is prevented from flowing through the door, but a minimal amount of flow may be allowed to flow through the door, such as, for example, due to small gaps between the edges of the door and the housing, which exist but are not intended to allow air to flow through the door. The term "prevents" in the context of the door allowing air to move past the door when in the closed position (e.g., 64, 65) within the housing 20 means substantially prevents, as the doors within the housing 20 are not intended to form a closure that hermetically seals the air flow past the door - unless specifically mentioned in this specification.

[0024] In some embodiments, doors 64 and 65 operate in concert with each other such that in embodiments where bypass door 64 is fully open, heater door 65 is closed, in embodiments where the heater door is fully open, bypass door 64 is fully closed, and in embodiments where heater door 65 is throttled, bypass door 64 is also throttled. In this embodiment, doors 64, 65 have opposite throttled positions, i.e., when bypass door 64 is throttled to only slightly minimize the airflow through bypass 66, the heater door is almost fully closed to only allow a small amount of air from heater 130 to pass through the heater door and vice versa. In some embodiments, doors 64 and 65 are operated separately by controller 1000 and are maintained in their positions using separate signals from controller 1000. In other embodiments, doors 64 and 65 are constrained such that when an actuator 64a mechanically connected to both doors 64, 65 moves the doors between positions (as indicated by controller 1000), the movement of actuator 64a causes doors 64, 65 to reach various opposite positions based on the position of actuator 64a (i.e., a first position of the actuator where the bypass door 64 is closed and the heater door is open; the opposite position of actuator 64a where the heater door is closed and the bypass door 64 is open, and in the case of various positions of actuator 64a, these doors move between opposite throttled positions as discussed above).

[0025] As discussed above, housing 20 includes a first side portion 60 and a second side portion 160, the first side portion 60 and the second side portion 160 being connected together to form the various air passages discussed herein. In one embodiment, housing 20 includes two sets of doors: a first set of doors 64 / 65 associated with respective bypass 66 and heater air passage 67, the bypass 66 and heater air passage 67 being enclosed within an enclosed volume formed within the first side of housing 60; and a second set of doors 164 / 165 associated to control the flow from respective bypass 166 and heater air passage 167 within an enclosed volume formed within the second side 160 of housing 20. The first set of doors 64 / 65 may be controlled by a single actuator 64a (discussed above and as Figures 1 - 4 depicted therein), while in other embodiments, the first set of doors 64 / 65 may have their own dedicated actuators as discussed above. The second set of doors 164 / 165 may be controlled by a single actuator 164a (as Figures 1 - 4 depicted therein), while in other embodiments, the second set of doors 164, 165 may have their own dedicated actuators - similar to the discussion above regarding doors 64, 65).

[0026] In an embodiment, as discussed above, there is a single air flow path 25 from the discharge port of the fan 21 that leads to a separate flow path through the evaporator 120 (62, 162), a separate bypass (66, 166), and a separate flow path through the heater 130 (67, 167). These separate flow paths lead to the dedicated valves 64 / 65, 164 / 165 discussed above, which lead to separate outlet air ducts 68 / 186 and to separate mixing chambers 85 / 185.

[0027] In other embodiments, there is a single air flow path 25 from the discharge port of the fan 21, a single flow path through the evaporator 120 (62), a single flow path through the heater 130 (67), and a single bypass 66 within the housing 20, where the first side 60 and the second side 160 support separate valves 64 / 65, 164 / 165 downstream of the respective single bypass 66 and single heater flow path 67. These valves control the air flowing into the separate outlet air ducts 68 / 168 within the separate housing sides 60 / 160, and the separate outlet air ducts 68 / 168 lead to the mixing chambers 85 / 185 within the separate housing sides 60 / 160.

[0028] The mixing chambers 85 / 185 receive air flowing from the bypass 66 (which can be a single bypass for both housing sides or separate bypasses for each housing side 60 / 160) and the heater flow path 67 (which can be a single heater flow path or separate heater flow paths for each housing side 60 / 160), and provide space for two air streams (both present when depending on the position of the valves 64 / 65, 164 / 165 - or the sole path when one of the two valves is closed) to at least partially mix within the housing 60 before leaving to flow into the distribution air duct (to allow air tempering). The bypass 66 (166) is arranged to direct relatively cold air (bypassing the heater) under the heater (when the assembly 10 is mounted in a vehicle in the orientation depicted in Figures 1 to 5 where the bottom of each page of each drawing is down - i.e., towards the road the vehicle is driven on), and the top of each page is up (opposite to down), such that the cold air flows under the heater. Due to the natural tendency of warmer air to rise, the position of the relatively colder air minimizes the mixing of the relatively colder and warmer air flowing through the bypass 66 and the heater flow path 67, respectively. As Figure 5As depicted, bypass 66 is positioned such that air flowing through bypass 66 and past valve 64 (164) flows through outlet air passage 68 within the respective side 60 / 160 of the housing, such that the cooler air (arrow ZZ) flows adjacent the outer wall of housing 68a that forms the outlet air passage. The relatively warmer air (arrow YY) that leaves the heater flow path 67 and flows through outlet air passage 68 (168) flows toward the interior mixing chamber 85 / 185 of the cooler air ZZ (relative to outer wall 60a / 160a) and enters mixing chamber 85 / 185.

[0029] Some conventional HVAC housings for a vehicle that include a heater flow path (having the same function as path 67) and a bypass heater flow path (having the same function as path 66), and that allow selective air flow to various outlets of the vehicle (i.e., driver side vent and passenger side vent, defroster, rear air flow, etc.) include isolation valves for those outlets just outside the outlets of the heater flow path and the bypass flow path (and bypass and heater flow path isolation valves in those embodiments). In these embodiments, a baffle is typically provided facing the outlet of heater flow path 67 to disrupt and redirect the air leaving the heater. In these embodiments, when the vent isolation valve is fully open or partially throttled open, the baffle redirects the warm air away from the vent isolation valve to prevent air from flowing from heater 130 and directly into the vent air passage (which directs air to the dashboard air vents near the passengers or driver within the vehicle), as warm air flowing out of the dashboard vents is generally not desired. As disclosed above and Figure 5 the positioning of the housing side 60 / 160 as depicted makes the baffle in heater flow path 67 unnecessary. This is because the warm air from heater flow path 67 first flows into the respective mixing chamber 85 / 185, where the air is tempered with the cooler air from bypass 66 (if any), and then flows from mixing chamber 85 / 185 into a plurality of distribution panels.

[0030] In some embodiments, a first mixing chamber 85 and a second mixing chamber 185 are separated by a wall (not shown) that establishes a barrier between the first housing portion 60 and the second housing portion 160. The barrier will be positioned between the two housing portions and will be parallel to Figure 5 the printed page. In the view specifically depicting the right (passenger) side housing portion 60 Figure 5 the wall will be in the including Figure 5between the paper and the view of the portion of the first housing 60. The barrier prevents mixing between the two mixing chambers 85, 185 and can also be configured to prevent mixing of the air flowing through the first outlet airway 68 and the second outlet airway 168. This separation can help to allow the air in the first mixing chamber 85 to be at a significantly different temperature from the air in the second mixing chamber 185, to allow, for example, the air passing through the right vent 43 and the left vent 143 to be at substantially different temperatures (e.g., if in the right chamber, the bypass 66 is closed (valve 64 closed) and the heater airway 67 is open (valve 65 open), and in the left chamber, the bypass 166 is open (valve 164 open) and the heater airway 167 is blocked (valve 165 closed)). In other embodiments, the housing 20 may not include any physical barrier establishing a volume between the first mixing chamber 85 and the second mixing chamber 185 and between the first outlet airway 68 and the second outlet airway 168. In these embodiments, the air flowing through the first outlet airway 68 and the second outlet airway 168 does not tend to mix significantly, and the air in the first mixing chamber 85 and the second mixing chamber 185 does not tend to mix significantly.

[0031] The housing 20 also includes a plurality of distribution airways extending from the mixing chamber 85, and in embodiments having first and second housing sides 60 / 160, certain distribution airways extend from the right and left mixing chambers 85 / 185.

[0032] The distribution airways may include a first distribution airway 93 receiving air from the right mixing chamber 85 and a second distribution airway 193 receiving air from the left mixing chamber 185. The first distribution airway 93 and the second distribution airway 193 direct air from the mixing chambers 85, 185 to the respective right vent 43 and left vent 143, as schematically depicted as air flows SS / TT. The right vent 43 and the left vent 143 may be provided within a dashboard (not shown) within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The vents 43, 143 may include doors (not shown, but similar to doors 64 / 164), and these doors are controlled by operators 43a, 143a, which allow the controller 1000 to cause the vents to selectively open, close (to substantially prevent flow through the doors), or partially throttle open. The air flows from the mixing chambers 85 / 185 through the first and second distribution airways 93 / 193 are schematically depicted as SS and TT. In some embodiments, the doors (controlled by operators 43a, 143a) are positioned very close to the vents 43, 143 and are significantly (proportional to the total length of the first distribution airway 93 and the second distribution airway 193) away from the respective first mixing chamber 85 and second mixing chamber 185.

[0033] Third and fourth distribution airways 94 / 194 are also provided, which lead to corresponding right and left floor vents in the vehicle, and which direct air into the floor through the passenger seat and driver seat, respectively, where the air flows are schematically depicted as MM and NN in Figure 5 The third and fourth distribution airways 94 / 194 include doors (not shown, but similar to door 64), which are controlled by operators (not shown, but similar to operators 43a, 143a), which are disposed near the floor vents, and the floor vents are operated by a controller to allow air to pass through the floor vents, substantially prevent air from passing through the floor vents, or throttle the air. In some embodiments, the doors are positioned very close to the vent ends of the distribution airways 94, 194 and are at a significant distance (proportional to the total length of the first and second distribution airways 94, 194) from the corresponding first and second mixing chambers 85, 185.

[0034] The housing 20 also includes a right wing portion 28 and a left wing portion 128 extending from the corresponding right portion 60 and left portion 160. The right wing portion 28 includes a first airway 93 and a third airway 94, and the left wing portion includes a second airway 193 and a fourth airway 194.

[0035] The right wing portion and the left wing portion may also include defrost airways 33, 133, which allow air to flow from the corresponding mixing chambers 85, 185 into the defrost airways (schematically depicted as UU, VV). The defrost chambers 33, 133 may include doors (not shown but similar to door 64, and operators not shown but similar to operators 43a, 143a), which are operated by the controller 1000 to allow air to flow through the corresponding defrost chambers 33, 133 or substantially prevent air from flowing through the defrost chambers 33, 133. In some embodiments, the doors are positioned very close to the defrost outlets 33, 133 and are significantly (proportional to the total length of the defrost airways) away from the corresponding first mixing chamber 85 and second mixing chamber 185. When the controller operates the defrost mode, the controller has the doors 64 / 164 fully closed and the doors 65, 165 fully open to allow only warm air from the heater 130 to flow into the mixing chamber 185 and the defrost airways 33, 133.

[0036] The housing may include a fifth distribution airway 83, which draws air from one or both of the first and second mixing chambers 85 / 185, as schematically shown as flow QQ. The air flowing through the fifth distribution airway 83 flows into the second row seating space in the vehicle or the rear of the vehicle. Figure 5Depicts a pivot point 83a at which a door (not shown, but similar to door 64 / 164 and controlled by an operator similar to operator 43a / 143a) can selectively fully permit air flow, substantially prevent air flow, or throttle air flow depending on the HVAC settings for climate control in the second row or rear of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the door is positioned very close to the fifth distribution end and significantly (proportional to the total length of the fifth distribution airway 83) away from one or both of the first mixing chamber 85 and the second mixing chamber 185, the fifth distribution airway 83 receiving air from the first mixing chamber 85 and the second mixing chamber 185. In some embodiments, the door may be positioned outside of the housing 20 depicted in the figure and within a vehicle airway near the second row (or the rear of the vehicle) where air enters the passenger compartment.

[0037] In Figures 1 to 6 the depicted embodiment, there is no door between the mixing chamber 85, the mixing chamber 185, and the inlets of the various first through fifth distribution airways. This embodiment allows air to flow freely at all times and minimizes the design complexity of the housing 20 due to the elimination of the need to provide a isolation door at the inlet of the airway (such as a typical housing having a function similar to component 10 in the prior art).

[0038] The term "about" is specifically defined herein to include a range that encompasses the reference value and plus or minus 5% of the reference value. The term "substantially the same" is when the items being compared are within 5% of the reference value of the item.

[0039] The computing elements or functions including the controller 1000 disclosed herein may include a processor and a memory storing computer-readable instructions executable by the processor. In some embodiments, the processor is a hardware processor configured to execute a predefined set of basic operations in response to receiving corresponding basic instructions selected from a predefined set of local instruction codes. Each module defined herein may include a corresponding set of machine codes selected from the local instruction set and may be stored in the memory. Embodiments may be implemented as a software product stored on a machine-readable medium (also referred to as a computer-readable medium, a processor-readable medium, or a computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein). The machine-readable medium may be any suitable tangible medium, including magnetic, optical, or electrical storage media, including disks, optical discs, memory devices (volatile or non-volatile), or similar storage mechanisms. The machine-readable medium may contain various instruction sets, code sequences, configuration information, or other data that, when executed, cause the processor to perform the steps in the methods according to embodiments of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that other instructions and operations necessary to implement the described embodiments may also be stored on the machine-readable medium. Software running from the machine-readable medium can interface with circuitry to perform the described tasks. Additionally, embodiments may be implemented on an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a very large scale integration (VLSI) circuit. In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art may utilize any number of suitable structures capable of performing the logical operations according to the embodiments.

[0040] Naturally, in view of the teachings and disclosures herein, those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that alternative designs and / or embodiments of the present invention may be feasible (e.g., replacing other components with one or more components, using alternative configurations of components, etc.). Although some components, relationships, configurations, and / or steps according to the present invention are not specifically referenced and / or depicted in relation to each other, they can be used and / or adapted for use in relation to each other. All of the foregoing and various other structures, configurations, relationships, utilities, any entities that can be depicted and / or based thereon, etc. may but do not have to be incorporated into and / or implemented by the present invention. Any one or more of the above and / or described structures, configurations, relationships, utilities, etc. may be implemented in and / or by the present invention alone, and / or without reference to, consideration of, or similarly implementing any other of the above structures, configurations, relationships, utilities, etc. in various permutations and combinations, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the core, essence, and spirit of the disclosed invention.

[0041] Although the preferred embodiments of the disclosure have been described, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto and modifications can be made without departing from the disclosure. The scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims, and all devices that literally or equivalently fall within the meaning of the claims are intended to be included therein.

[0042] This specification can be easily understood by referring to the paragraphs numbered as follows:

[0043] Paragraph numbered 1: A component for air movement within a vehicle, comprising:

[0044] A housing that establishes an air inlet and one or more air outlets, the housing including a fan disposed near the air inlet, wherein operation of the fan causes air to flow into the air inlet, the housing further including an evaporator and a heater, the evaporator being arranged such that air leaving the discharge port of the fan flows over the evaporator, the housing further including a mixing chamber downstream of the evaporator and the heater,

[0045] The housing defines a plurality of internal air flow channels downstream of the evaporator, the plurality of internal air flow channels including a first air flow channel and a second air flow channel, the first air flow channel extending through and past the heater and into the mixing chamber, the second air flow channel bypassing the heater and flowing into the mixing chamber;

[0046] The mixing chamber receives air from the first air flow channel and the second air flow channel, wherein the air from the first air flow channel and the second air flow channel interacts in the mixing chamber;

[0047] The housing further includes a plurality of distribution airways extending from the mixing chamber, wherein each of the plurality of distribution airways includes a flow valve, and the flow valve is near the outlet of the corresponding distribution chamber, wherein the flow valve for each of the plurality of distribution chambers is configured to allow or substantially prevent air flow from leaving the corresponding distribution airway.

[0048] Paragraph numbered 2: The component according to paragraph numbered 1, wherein the housing is adapted to be mounted within a vehicle, and wherein, when mounted, the air inlet draws air from within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and the one or more air outlets direct air from the housing to corresponding one or more locations within the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0049] Paragraph numbered 3: The component according to any one of paragraphs numbered 1 or 2, wherein the housing does not include a baffle that interacts with the air leaving the heater via the first air flow channel as the air flows towards the mixing chamber.

[0050] Paragraph numbered 4: The component according to paragraph numbered 3, wherein the air traveling through each of the first air flow channel and the second air flow channel travels through the mixing chamber before flowing into each of the plurality of distribution airways.

[0051] Numbered paragraph 5: The component according to any one of the preceding numbered paragraphs, wherein there is no door between the mixing chamber and the plurality of distribution air ducts.

[0052] Numbered paragraph 6: The component according to any one of the preceding numbered paragraphs, wherein the first air flow duct includes a first door at the outlet of the first air flow duct, wherein the first door can be positioned to an open position to allow air flow to pass through the first door and into the mixing chamber, and the first door can be positioned to a throttling position to throttle the amount of air flow passing through the first door, and the first door can be positioned to a closed position to substantially prevent air flow from passing through the first door.

[0053] Numbered paragraph 7: The component according to numbered paragraph 6, wherein the second air flow duct includes a second door at the outlet of the second air flow duct, wherein the second door can be positioned to an open position to allow air flow to pass through the second door and into the mixing chamber, and the second door can be positioned to a throttling position to throttle the amount of air flow passing through the second door, and the second door can be positioned to a closed position to substantially prevent air flow from passing through the second door.

[0054] Numbered paragraph 8: The component according to numbered paragraph 7, wherein the first door and the second door are arranged such that: when the first door is in the open position, the second door is in the closed position, and when the first door is in the closed position, the second door is in the open position.

[0055] Numbered paragraph 9: The component according to any one of the preceding numbered paragraphs, wherein the plurality of distribution air ducts include: a first air duct that directs air toward the driver-side portion of the vehicle including the component for air movement; a second air duct that directs air toward the front passenger-side portion of the vehicle; and a third portion that directs air toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0056] Numbered paragraph 10: The component according to any one of the preceding numbered paragraphs, wherein the housing includes a second air inlet that receives air flowing into the second air inlet from outside the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0057] Numbered paragraph 11: The component according to any one of the preceding numbered paragraphs, wherein the housing includes a left housing component and a right housing component, wherein the first air flow duct includes a first left air flow duct within the left housing component and a first right air flow duct within the right housing component,

[0058] wherein the second air flow airway includes a second left air flow airway within the left housing assembly and a second right air flow airway within the left housing assembly, and

[0059] wherein each of the left housing assembly and the right housing assembly includes its own mixing chamber,

[0060] wherein a first distribution airway of the plurality of distribution airways extends from the mixing chamber in the left housing, and a second distribution airway of the plurality of distribution airways extends from the mixing chamber in the right housing.

[0061] Numbered paragraph 12: The assembly according to numbered paragraph 11, wherein a third distribution airway of the plurality of distribution airways receives air from one or both of the mixing chamber of the right housing assembly and the mixing chamber of the left housing assembly.

[0062] Numbered paragraph 13: The assembly according to numbered paragraph 11, wherein the left housing assembly does not include a baffle that interacts with the air leaving the heater via the first left air flow airway as the air flows toward the mixing chamber within the left housing assembly, and the right housing assembly does not include a baffle that interacts with the air leaving the heater via the first right air flow airway and flowing toward the mixing chamber within the right housing assembly.

[0063] Numbered paragraph 14: The assembly according to any one of numbered paragraphs 1 to 10, wherein the housing includes a left housing assembly and a right housing assembly, wherein the first air flow airway directs a portion of the air flowing through the first air flow airway into the left housing assembly and directs the remaining portion of the air flowing through the first air flow airway into the right housing assembly, and

[0064] wherein the second air flow airway directs a portion of the air flowing through the second air flow airway into the left housing assembly and directs the remaining portion of the air flowing through the second air flow airway into the right housing assembly;

[0065] wherein each of the left housing assembly and the right housing assembly includes its own mixing chamber,

[0066] wherein a first distribution airway of the plurality of distribution airways extends from the mixing chamber in the left housing, and a second distribution airway of the plurality of distribution airways extends from the mixing chamber in the right housing.

[0067] Numbered paragraph 15: The assembly according to numbered paragraph 14, wherein a third distribution airway of the plurality of distribution airways receives air from one or both of the mixing chamber of the right housing assembly and the mixing chamber of the left housing assembly.

[0068] Paragraph 16 of the numbered paragraphs: The component according to paragraph 14 of the numbered paragraphs, wherein the left housing component does not include a baffle that interacts with the air leaving the heater via the first air flow airway as air enters the left housing component and flows towards the mixing chamber within the left housing component, and the right housing component does not include a baffle that interacts with the air leaving the heater via the first air flow airway as air enters the right housing component and flows towards the mixing chamber within the right housing component.

[0069] Paragraph 17 of the numbered paragraphs: A method of operating the component according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 16 of the numbered paragraphs when installed within a vehicle, comprising the steps of: identifying a desired air temperature within one or more compartments spaced apart within the vehicle; and causing the component to operate a structure within the housing so as to provide air at the desired temperature at one or more locations.

Claims

1. An assembly for air movement within a vehicle, comprising: a housing establishing an air inlet and one or more air outlets, the housing including a fan disposed proximate the air inlet, wherein operation of the fan causes air to flow into the air inlet, the housing also including an evaporator and a heater, wherein the evaporator is disposed such that air exiting a discharge port of the fan flows through the evaporator, the housing also including a mixing chamber downstream of the evaporator and the heater, The housing defines a plurality of internal air flow passages downstream of the evaporator, the plurality of internal air flow passages including a first air flow passage and a second air flow passage, wherein the first air flow passage extends through and past the heater and into the mixing chamber, and the second air flow passage bypasses the heater and flows into the mixing chamber; The mixing chamber receives air from the first air flow passage and the second air flow passage, wherein the air from the first air flow passage and the second air flow passage interact with each other in the mixing chamber; The housing also includes a plurality of distribution air channels extending from the mixing chamber, wherein each of the plurality of distribution air channels includes a flow valve, and the flow valve is proximate to an outlet of a corresponding distribution chamber, wherein the flow valve for each of the plurality of distribution chambers is configured to allow or substantially prevent air flow from leaving the corresponding distribution air channel.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein The housing is adapted to be installed in a vehicle, wherein, when installed, the air inlet draws air from a passenger compartment of the vehicle and the one or more air outlets direct air from the housing to a corresponding one or more locations within the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The housing does not include a baffle that interacts with air exiting the heater via the first air flow passage as the air flows toward the mixing chamber.

4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein: Air traveling through each of the first and second air flow passages travels through the mixing chamber before flowing into each of the plurality of distribution passages.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein: There is no door between the mixing chamber and the plurality of distribution air channels.

6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The first air flow duct includes a first door at an outlet of the first air flow duct, wherein the first door is positionable to an open position to allow air flow through the first door and into the mixing chamber, and the first door is positionable to a throttle position to throttle an amount of air flow through the first door, and the first door is positionable to a closed position to substantially prevent air flow through the first door.

7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein: The second air flow duct includes a second door at an outlet of the second air flow duct, wherein the second door is positionable to an open position to allow air flow through the second door and into the mixing chamber, and the second door is positionable to a throttle position to throttle an amount of air flow through the second door, and the second door is positionable to a closed position to substantially prevent air flow through the second door.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein: The first door and the second door are arranged such that when the first door is in an open position, the second door is in a closed position, and when the first door is in a closed position, the second door is in an open position.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein: The plurality of distribution air ducts include a first air duct directing air toward a driver-side portion of a vehicle including the assembly for air movement, a second air duct directing air toward a front passenger-side portion of the vehicle, and a third portion directing air toward a rear of the vehicle.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein: The housing includes a second air inlet that receives air flowing into the second air inlet from outside of a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

11. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The housing comprises a left housing component and a right housing component, wherein the first air flow passage comprises a first left air flow passage in the left housing component and a first right air flow passage in the right housing component, The second air flow passage comprises a second left air flow passage in the left housing component and a second right air flow passage in the left housing component, and wherein each of the left housing assembly and the right housing assembly includes their own mixing chamber, Wherein, a first distribution air passage among the plurality of distribution air passages extends from a mixing chamber in a left housing, and a second distribution air passage among the plurality of distribution air passages extends from a mixing chamber in a right housing.

12. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein A third distribution air passage of the plurality of distribution air passages receives air from one or both of the mixing chamber of the right housing assembly and the mixing chamber of the left housing assembly.

13. The assembly of claim 11, wherein: The left housing assembly does not include a baffle that interacts with air exiting the heater via the first left air flow passage as the air flows toward a mixing chamber within the left housing assembly, and the right housing assembly does not include a baffle that interacts with air exiting the heater via the first right air flow passage and flowing toward a mixing chamber within the right housing assembly.

14. The assembly of claim 1, wherein: The housing includes a left housing component and a right housing component, wherein the first air flow passage guides a portion of the air flowing through the first air flow passage into the left housing component and guides the remaining portion of the air flowing through the first air flow passage into the right housing component, and wherein the second air flow passage guides a portion of the air flowing through the second air flow passage into the left housing assembly, and guides the rest of the air flowing through the second air flow passage into the right housing assembly; wherein each of the left housing assembly and the right housing assembly includes their own mixing chamber, Wherein, a first distribution air passage among the plurality of distribution air passages extends from a mixing chamber in a left housing, and a second distribution air passage among the plurality of distribution air passages extends from a mixing chamber in a right housing.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein: A third distribution air passage of the plurality of distribution air passages receives air from one or both of the mixing chamber of the right housing assembly and the mixing chamber of the left housing assembly.

16. The assembly of claim 14, wherein: The left housing assembly does not include a baffle that interacts with air leaving the heater via the first air flow passage as the air enters the left housing assembly and flows to a mixing chamber within the left housing assembly, and the right housing assembly does not include a baffle that interacts with air leaving the heater via the first air flow passage as the air enters the right housing assembly and flows to a mixing chamber within the right housing assembly.

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