HVAC air intake system

Abstract

The invention relates to an HVAC air intake system. An air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system is provided. The system includes a housing having an air inlet and an outlet at which air flows to a fan within the HVAC system. The air inlets include a first air inlet aligned to allow air to flow from a passenger compartment of the vehicle through the first air inlet and into the inner volume, and a second air inlet configured to allow air to flow into the inner volume from an exterior of the vehicle. A valve having a blocking surface is movable relative to the housing to allow or block air flow through the recirculation air inlet. The blocking surface receives torque from an input member disposed radially outward of the blocking surface.

Description

Cross-references to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 647,726, filed May 15, 2024, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to an HVAC system for a vehicle, and more particularly to an HVAC system for a vehicle capable of operating under electric power. Summary of the Invention

[0003] A first representative embodiment of this disclosure is provided. This embodiment includes an air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system. The system includes a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet, and a housing wall defining an internal volume of the housing. The air inlet includes a first air inlet and a second air inlet, the first air inlet being aligned to allow air to flow through the first air inlet and from a passenger compartment of a vehicle including the housing into the internal volume, and the second air inlet being configured to allow air to flow from outside the vehicle into the internal volume. The air outlet allows air to flow from within the internal volume out of the housing and into a fan disposed downstream of the air outlet. A valve is movable relative to the housing, the valve being movable between a first position, in which air can flow through the first air inlet and into the internal volume, and in a second position, preventing air from flowing through the first air inlet and into the internal volume. The valve includes a blocking surface, wherein the blocking surface receives torque from an input disposed radially outward of the blocking surface, wherein the blocking surface is movable between a first position allowing air to flow through the first air inlet and a second position preventing air from flowing through the first air inlet.

[0004] Another representative embodiment of this disclosure is provided. This embodiment is an air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system. This embodiment includes a housing with an air inlet and an air outlet, and a housing wall defining an internal volume of the housing. The air inlet includes a first air inlet and a second air inlet, the first air inlet being aligned to allow air to flow through the first air inlet and from a passenger compartment of a vehicle including the housing into the internal volume, and the second air inlet being configured to allow air to flow from outside the vehicle into the internal volume. The air outlet allows air to flow from within the internal volume out of the housing and into a fan disposed downstream of the air outlet. The housing is disposed within the vehicle such that a rear protruding surface faces a first direction toward the passenger compartment of the vehicle receiving the HVAC system, and a front protruding surface faces a second direction opposite to the first direction, such that the front protruding surface faces away from the passenger compartment. The system also includes a valve movable relative to the housing, the valve being movable between a first position, in which air can flow through the first air inlet and into the internal volume, and in the second position, preventing air from flowing through the first air inlet and into the internal volume. The valve includes a blocking surface that receives torque from an input element, and the blocking surface is movable between a first position allowing airflow through the first air inlet and a second position preventing airflow through the first air inlet. The housing wall includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each of which is flat or substantially flat, and is spaced apart. The housing wall also includes a central wall extending between the first and second sidewalls, wherein the first air inlet extends through each of the first and second sidewalls and a central portion extending along the central wall. The central portion of the first air inlet does not face the first direction.

[0005] Further representative embodiments of this disclosure are provided, corresponding to the numbered paragraphs and various combinations thereof provided at the end of the following description.

[0006] The advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of preferred embodiments of the disclosure, which have been shown and described by way of illustration. As will be appreciated, the disclosed subject matter can have other and different embodiments, and its details can be modified in various respects. Therefore, the drawings and description should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1This is a perspective view of the first air intake system, which is oriented to block the recirculated airflow from the vehicle's passenger compartment from entering the internal volume of the housing.

[0008] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The view shows the system oriented to allow recirculated air to flow from the vehicle's passenger compartment into the internal volume of the shell.

[0009] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A top view of the air intake system.

[0010] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Bottom perspective view of the air intake system.

[0011] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 The right side view of the air intake system.

[0012] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Left side view of the air intake system.

[0013] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 The intake system Figure 1 The front sectional view of section AA.

[0014] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 The intake system Figure 1 The front perspective section of section AA.

[0015] Figure 9 This is a frontal perspective view of another air intake system, which is oriented to block recirculated air from the vehicle's passenger compartment from entering the air volume of the housing.

[0016] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A view of the system, in which the system is oriented to allow recirculated air to flow from the vehicle's passenger compartment into the internal volume of the shell.

[0017] Figure 11 Is Figure 10 In the orientation Figure 9 A top view of the system.

[0018] Figure 12 yes Figure 9 The rear view of the system (viewed from the passenger compartment) depicts the central air inlet of the hull, which is not visible from the passenger compartment.

[0019] Figure 13 yes Figure 9 The perspective sectional view of section BB, in which the system is... Figure 9 In the orientation.

[0020] Figure 14 It comes from Figure 13 The view of the view, where the system is Figure 10 In the orientation.

[0021] Figure 15 This is a rear perspective view of an HVAC system that receives one of the intake systems disclosed herein.

[0022] Figure 16 yes Figure 15 A top view of the HVAC system.

[0023] Figure 17 This is a perspective view of another air intake system, which is oriented to block recirculated air from the vehicle's passenger compartment from entering the air volume of the housing.

[0024] Figure 18 yes Figure 17 The view shows the system oriented to allow recirculated air to flow from the vehicle's passenger compartment into the internal volume of the shell.

[0025] Figure 19 It is a chart based on three different intake housings ( Figures 1-8 The casing 100 (dashed line); Figures 9-14 The shell is 200 (dotted line); Figure 21 The graph plots the sound pressure level (SPL) measured from the driver's right ear position (in vehicles arranged to drive on the right – for example, for the United States or Germany). The conventional housing (solid line) operates at different airflow rates when recirculated air is drawn into the housing and no external air is drawn into the housing.

[0026] Figure 19A Is with Figure 19 The chart is similar to the one shown, based on three different intake housings ( Figures 1-8 The casing 100 (dashed line); Figures 9-14 The shell is 200 (dotted line); Figure 21 The graph plots the sound pressure level (SPL) measured from the driver's right ear position (in vehicles arranged to drive on the right-hand side—e.g., in the United States or Germany). The conventional housing (solid line) operates at different airflow rates when outside air is drawn into the housing and no recirculated air is drawn into the housing.

[0027] Figure 20 It is a form that provides, for example Figure 19 The average sound pressure level for all frequencies is plotted in the image.

[0028] Figure 21 It is used with Figure 15 and Figure 16 A perspective view of a conventional intake housing used in HVAC systems.

[0029] Figure 22 It is a diagram that illustrates the implementation used in a traditional shell ( Figure 21 ), shell 100 ( Figures 1-8 ) and housing 200 ( Figures 9-14 The measured power (in watts) of HVAC fans at various airflow levels (in cfm). Detailed Implementation

[0030] Turn now Figures 1 to 18 An air intake system 100, 200, 300 is provided for a vehicle HVAC system 10. This air intake system includes inlets that allow air to flow from an external air source (Y) and from air (W, X, VV) (also referred to herein as recirculated air) flowing into the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system from the passenger compartment of the vehicle including the HVAC system 10. The air intake systems 100, 200, 300 are configured to receive air therein, which is then passed to a fan 410 within a fan housing 400. Air exiting from the exhaust port of the fan 410 flows to an air conditioning housing 500, where it is heated or cooled as needed, and then distributed to one or more locations or systems within the vehicle.

[0031] The air intake systems 100, 200, and 300 are configured for use with vehicles such as passenger vehicles. In some embodiments, the air intake systems 100, 200, and 300 are particularly suitable for electric vehicles powered by current drawn from a rechargeable battery (for both vehicle movement and other loads on the vehicle, i.e., climate control, infotainment, window operation, etc.), or for hybrid vehicles in which propulsion can be selectively provided by an internal combustion engine or by electricity from an onboard battery. In other embodiments, the air intake systems 100, 200, and 300 can be implemented in other vehicles or machines that include a passenger compartment, or in other vehicles or machines that use the airflow therein for various purposes, particularly for vehicles or machines that can be operated electrically but do not have a constant power supply. For example, the air intake systems 100, 200, and 300 can be used with HVAC systems in agricultural equipment, large trucks (e.g., dump trucks, cement trucks), cranes, material handling equipment, ships, trains, aircraft, etc. For the sake of brevity, this specification specifically relates to passenger vehicles, but the intake systems 100, 200, and 300 can be readily adapted to the HVAC systems of other vehicles or machines, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art through a thorough reading and understanding of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0032] Figure 15 , Figure 16 The intake systems 100, 200, and 300 are schematically depicted (details of the various systems 100, 200, and 300 are depicted in other figures of this application and will be located where the intake systems 100, 200, and 300 are schematically depicted in the figures). The intake systems 100, 200, and 300 are components of an HVAC system for a vehicle. Figure 15 This is a perspective view depicting the intake systems 100, 200, and 300 positioned above a fan housing 400, including a fan 410 (illustrated). The fan housing 400 receives air flowing through the air outlet of the intake system (illustrated arrow Z) and towards the suction flow of the fan 410. The air exhausted from the fan flows to an air conditioning housing 500, where it is heated or cooled (typically using the evaporator or heater of a heat pump system) and directed to one or more desired locations within the passenger compartment, as desired by passengers (via one or more controls located in the passenger compartment), or as programmed to be operated by the HVAC controller 1000, which operates the vehicle's air conditioning and heating system. Figure 16 yes Figure 15 The diagram shows a top view of the HVAC system and depicts the system's arrangement relative to the passenger compartment—on the opposite side of the partition 900, the passenger compartment is located at the rear of most of the vehicle (relative to the direction of the vehicle's forward movement), with the passenger compartment in direction AA relative to the air intake systems 100, 200, and 300, and the front of the vehicle in direction BB relative to the air intake systems 100, 200, and 300.

[0033] Each of the intake systems 100, 200, and 300 discussed herein is configured to receive outside air (Y, schematic) through external air inlets 148 and 248, and also to receive air flowing into it from the passenger compartment (also referred to herein as recirculated air or recirculated air). The air intake systems 100, 200, and 300 have several different air inlets that allow airflow W (recirculated air through the right side walls of housings 122 and 222), airflow X (recirculated air through the left side walls of housings 124 and 224), and airflow VV (recirculated air through the central wall of housing 226). Air entering the intake housing flows out of air outlets 129, 229, and 329 and flows towards the fan housing 400 and the suction of the fan 410. Each intake housing can receive an air filter 191 through which air flows through an internal volume 121 (flows X2, W2, schematic diagram), then through the filter before flowing out to the air outlet (flow Z, schematic diagram), and finally to the fan housing 400 (e.g., Figure 7 and Figure 8 Filter 191 can be removed and replaced through filter inlet 190. In one embodiment, filter inlet 190 is provided to allow filter replacement from inside the passenger compartment—such as through a glove box inside the vehicle's dashboard. In other embodiments (not shown), filter inlet 190 may be located in the front compartment of the vehicle.

[0034] The first intake system 100 is in Figures 1 to 8 The system 100 is best illustrated in the diagram. The system 100 includes a housing 120 surrounding the components of the system and includes: a first air inlet (142, 144) for receiving recirculated air from the passenger compartment of the vehicle; a second air inlet 148 for receiving outside air (airflow Y, schematic); and a fan housing 300 for guiding air from the housing 120 to the fan housing 300. Figure 15 ) air outlet 129.

[0035] The housing 120 includes a first sidewall 122 and an opposing second sidewall 124. In the embodiment depicted in the figures (which is for vehicles in the United States and other places where vehicles are driven on the right side of the road), the first sidewall 122 faces the right side of the vehicle (when viewed from above), which is the side where the front passenger occupants sit. In the embodiment depicted in the figures, the second sidewall 124 faces the left side of the vehicle, or the driver's side of the vehicle. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the first air intake system 100 (and the entire HVAC system 10) can be manufactured in an arrangement opposite to that depicted in the figures—that is, where the vehicle is designed to be driven on the left side of the road (i.e., in the UK, Australia, etc.), and the first sidewall 122 and the second sidewall 124 would be positioned on opposite sides of the housing 120.

[0036] The first sidewall 122 and the second sidewall 124 may be parallel to each other or substantially parallel to each other. In some embodiments, the sidewalls 122, 124 may be exactly planar, wherein those walls are parallel to each other. In other embodiments, the walls may have one or more features or portions not located in a single plane, but the walls may be arranged such that: the plane extends through most of the wall, or is able to generate an optimal mating plane extending through the wall. In these embodiments, the planes extending through most of the wall or the optimal mating planes may be parallel to each other or substantially parallel to each other. The term “substantially parallel” is defined herein as including exactly parallel and orientations in which the walls (or planes through the walls) form a small acute angle (such as 10 degrees or less) relative to each other.

[0037] The housing 120 also includes a central wall 126 that connects the first side wall 122 and the second side wall 124, and specifically along the top edges 122a, 124a of the respective first wall 122 and second wall 124. The central wall 126 extends between the first wall 122 and the second wall 124 and encloses the internal volume 121 of the housing (in combination with the first wall 122 and the second wall 124 discussed below and the bottom wall 129).

[0038] A bottom wall 129 forms the bottom of the housing 129 and extends inwardly from the central wall 126 and the first side wall 122 and the second side wall 124. The bottom wall includes an air outlet hole 129a through which air flows (Z, schematic) to the fan housing 400. The bottom wall 129 may be gradually curved to transition from the size of the internal volume 121 to the size of the outlet hole 129a to facilitate a smooth (laminar) airflow through the air inlet housing 120.

[0039] The central wall 126 extends to form the front end (facing direction BB) and rear end (facing direction AA) of the housing 120. The front protruding surface 123b faces the front end of the vehicle, and the rear protruding surface 123a faces the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0040] The front protruding surface 123b includes an external air inlet 148 configured to receive air from outside the vehicle. This external air inlet 148 allows air to flow into the internal volume 121 and ultimately to the air outlet orifice 129a. In the embodiment depicted in the figures, the external air inlet 148 may include an isolation valve 197, which can be positioned to block air from passing through the external air inlet 148 (as depicted in the figures) and can be positioned in an open position to allow air to pass through the external air inlet 148 and into the internal volume 121 of the housing 120. The isolation valve 197 moves with an actuator 196 that rotates the valve between a blocked position and an open position. In some embodiments, the actuator 196 can move the valve 187 to an intermediate (or throttled) position to allow some air through the external air inlet 148, but less than when the valve 197 is fully open. The actuator 196 can be controlled by the HVAC controller 1000 to switch between an open and blocked position based on the desired HVAC operation of the vehicle passengers, and in some embodiments, it can be automatically or feedback-based based on monitored parameters such as outside temperature, passenger compartment temperature, outside and passenger compartment humidity, vehicle speed, etc. In some embodiments, when the vehicle speed exceeds a certain speed, the HVAC controller 1000 can cause the valve 197 to be in a throttling position to minimize the external air intake into the housing 120, wherein the cross-sectional opening through the external air inlet 148 needs to be reduced due to the relatively high external air velocity reaching the inlet 148 due to the high speed of the vehicle. As used herein, the term “blocking” airflow (and the term “preventing airflow”) means: preventing all flow through the corresponding orifice, and preventing all flow through the orifice except for the minimum flow through the orifice due to improper placement of the blocking component (valve, blocking surface) relative to the side of the orifice, tolerance stacking of components, or wear of components by use.

[0041] In system 100, a first sidewall 122 includes a first air inlet 142, and a second sidewall 124 includes a second air inlet 144, wherein each of the air inlets 142 and 144 allows airflow into the internal volume 121 when exposed (see schematic airflows W and X). In this embodiment, the central wall 126 does not have an air inlet.

[0042] System 100 includes a valve system 160 movable relative to housing 120 to selectively cover a first air inlet 142 and a second air inlet 144. Figure 1 The text describes an air inlet 142, with a similarly covered second air inlet 144, or air drawn from air inlets 142 and 144 to allow airflow into the internal volume. Figure 2 The text describes a first air inlet 142, and a second air inlet that is similar and... Figures 6 to 8 (Depicted in the middle). Valve system 160 may have: alignable with first air inlet 142 ( Figure 1 Or extracted from the first air inlet 142. Figure 2 The system includes a first cover 152 and a second cover 154 alignable with or retractable from a second air inlet 144. The valve system 160 includes an actuator 162 capable of causing movement of the first cover 152 and the second cover 154. The actuator 162 can communicate with an HVAC controller 1000, wherein the HVAC controller 1000 directs the operation of the actuator 162 based on desired HVAC operations performed by vehicle passengers or based on automated control of the HVAC system due to one of several sensing parameters discussed above.

[0043] In the embodiment depicted in the accompanying drawings, a first cover 152 is rotatably mounted on a first sidewall 122 via a pin or shaft connector 152a, and a second cover 154 is rotatably mounted on a second wall 124 via a pin or shaft connector 154a. The size and shape of the first cover 152 and the second cover 154 may be configured to completely cover the respective air inlets 142, 144, but only slightly larger than the respective air inlets, such that they can rotate away from the respective air inlets and do not provide any obstruction to the respective air inlets when in the withdrawn position. In some embodiments, the HVAC controller 1000 may cause the operator to position the first cover 152 and the second cover 154 in a partially obstructed position to allow some limited airflow through the air inlets 142, 144, but less airflow into the internal volume 121 than when the covers are fully withdrawn.

[0044] Valve system 160 includes a shaft 164 driven by an actuator 162. Shaft 164 is located outside the central wall 126 (i.e., the wall that directly establishes the internal volume 121 within housing 120). In some embodiments, shaft 164 may be disposed within a housing (not shown) fixed to housing 120, but this housing is outside the wall 126 that directly establishes the internal volume (between the first side wall 122 and the second side wall 124). Shaft 164 supports a first gear 166 and a second gear 176 that rotate together with shaft 164, wherein gears 166, 176 form pinions that mesh with gear teeth 168, 178 fixed to corresponding first covers 152 and second covers 154. Gear teeth 168, 178 on the corresponding covers may be racks or corresponding pinions (causing rotational movement of covers 152, 154 with rotation of shaft 164 and pinions 166, 176). Gear teeth 168 and 178 may be radially inward (or, in the direction of inward, if rack teeth) on the outer edges of the corresponding covers 152 and 154 to limit the dimensions of pinions 166 and 176. Therefore, as referenced... Figure 1 and Figure 2As is understood, as the shaft 164 rotates, the covers 152, 154 move between a position that blocks the air inlets 142, 144 and a second position that exposes the air inlets 142, 144 (rotation in the depicted embodiment).

[0045] Shaft 164 is positioned radially outside of the blocking covers 152 and 154 such that the axis of rotation of the shaft does not extend through any part of the blocking covers 152 and 154.

[0046] like Figure 7 , Figure 8 As best shown, the central wall 126 may be formed with a first section 127 and a second section 128 (the first section 127 extends to the first wall 122, and the second section 128 extends to the second wall 124). The first section 127 and the second section 128 meet at a center 125, through which a plane 1100 extends parallel to or substantially parallel to the first sidewall 122 and the second sidewall 124, and is centered between the first sidewall 122 and the second sidewall 124. Typically, air entering the first air inlet 142 (flow W, schematic) extends through the first section 127 and is directed downward toward the filter 191 (when installed) and the air outlet 129a (W2, schematic), and air entering the second inlet 144 (flow X, schematic) extends through the second section 128 and is directed downward toward the filter 191 (when installed) and the air outlet 129a (X2, schematic). The airflow is guided in this manner due to the size and shape of the central wall 126 within the first section 127 and the second section 128 (labeled as sections 127a, 127b and 128a, 128b in the figure).

[0047] The first section 127 and the second section 128 may have the same size and shape, and may be arranged in opposite directions such that both sections begin at the corresponding air inlets (142, 144) and both sections end at the center 125.

[0048] The first segment 127 includes a first portion 127a having a cross-section (parallel to plane 1100) that has a shape including a portion similar in shape to the upper edge 142a of the first air inlet 142 (as shown in the reference). Figure 2 and Figure 7 (As can be understood). The first part 127a may have a constant cross-section along its length, such as Figure 7As depicted in [the text]. The first portion 127a transitions to the second portion 127b. The second portion 127b includes a decreasing cross-section (parallel to plane 1100) from the beginning of the second portion 127b (transitioning from the first portion 127b) to the end of the second portion 127b (at the center 125). In some embodiments, the cross-section along the second portion 127b changes continuously. In some embodiments, the cross-section along the second portion 127b changes continuously at the same rate, such that the curve drawn around one or more cross-sections perpendicular to plane 1100 (in [the text]). Figure 7 The curve labeled 127z has a constant radius, as shown in... Figure 7 As shown by line 127 in the perspective view. In other embodiments, part or all of the second portion 127b varies along its length at a varying rate (such that curve 127z appears as it does in the perspective view). Figure 7 As shown above, it will have a larger radius close to the first part 127a and a smaller radius close to the center 125.

[0049] In some embodiments, as the first portion moves from the upward-facing (direction CC—i.e., upward from the vehicle, perpendicular to directions AA and BB) surface toward the rearward-facing (AA, in) surface of the central wall 126... Figure 7 The surface transition (outside the printed page) is such that the first segment 127 bends in an orientation parallel to plane 1100, such that the first portion 127a (and specifically, the inner surface of the first portion 127a facing the internal volume 121) is shaped like... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The central wall 126 depicted in the figure (without the vertical lines depicted in the figure; these vertical lines are set on the outer surface for material strength and rigidity reasons—the inner surface of the central wall 126 includes a smooth surface). As the second section 127b extends from the first section 127a to the center 125, the second section 127b of the first section 127 also includes curves in an orientation parallel to plane 1100. These curves (both the curves perpendicular to plane 1100 and the curves parallel to plane 1100) cause the air flowing into the internal volume 121 to begin flowing in a downward vector (i.e., toward the outlet orifice 129a) as it flows through the first section 127, as schematically depicted by arrow W2.

[0050] The second segment 128 can be shaped in the same manner as the first segment 127 discussed above, such that: the first portion 128a has the same size and shape as the first portion 127a, and the second portion 128b has the same size and shape as the second portion 127b. Alternatively, the second segment 128 may have already been oriented in the same manner as the first segment, but may have, for example, a smaller radius variation along the second portion 128b than the second portion 127b. In embodiments where the first portion 127 and the second portion 128 have different sizes and shapes, those skilled in the art can determine those by conventional optimization to produce the desired smooth flow (laminar or near-laminar) exiting the outlet orifice 129a through the internal volume 121. In some embodiments, the difference between the two segments can be driven by the difference in the length of the flow tubes from the passenger compartment to the respective first air inlet 142 and second air inlet 144, wherein the air inlets having longer flow required to reach the respective air inlets from the passenger compartment require different flow profiles within the respective portions 127, 128.

[0051] Turn now Figures 9 to 14 A second intake system 200 is provided. The second intake system 200 has many features of the first intake system, and features with the same structure or similar function have component numbers with the same tens and one-digit digits. The differences between the features of the first intake system 100 and the second intake system 200 are discussed here.

[0052] The second intake system 200 includes a housing 220 configured to rest upstream of the fan housing, such that air flowing through an outlet orifice 229a on the bottom surface 229 of the housing 220 is directed toward the suction of the fan 410. The housing 220 is configured to smooth the airflow therein, such that the air is laminar or near-laminar as it flows through the internal volume 221 and through the air outlet 229a.

[0053] The housing includes: first sidewalls 222 and second sidewalls 224 that are parallel or substantially parallel to each other (and similar in construction and arrangement to the sidewalls 122, 124 discussed above); and a central wall 226 extending above the top edges 222a, 224a of the first wall 222 and the second wall 224. This central wall establishes a surface facing forward and rearward (forward toward the front of the vehicle, and rearward toward the passenger compartment of the vehicle). Figure 12 This is a side view showing the rearward-facing surface of the central wall 226.

[0054] The housing 220 has: a first air inlet 242 (through the first sidewall 222); a second air inlet 244 (through the second sidewall 224); a central air inlet 246 (through the central wall 226) for receiving recirculated air from the passenger compartment of the vehicle; and a second air inlet 248 for receiving external air (flow Y, schematic). The second air inlet 248 may be the same as the second air inlet 148 discussed above, and the housing 220 may support a valve 297 that operates in the same manner as the valve 197 discussed above.

[0055] like Figure 10 and Figure 11 As depicted, the central wall 226 includes an aperture 246 that allows recirculation into the internal volume 221, wherein the aperture 246 is in Figure 11 The central wall 226 is shown with an "x" shading. The central wall 226 is aligned such that it faces completely upwards, or in other embodiments upwards without extending through the central wall 226 in the rearward direction (AA). Figure 15 The vector component on the vector surface faces any part of the vector. For example... Figure 12 As depicted, (viewed from the passenger compartment, in direction BB) no part of the central wall opening 246 is visible. Therefore, the air entering the internal volume 221 through the opening 246 either flows vertically downwards (into...) Figure 11 The printed page either has a vector component extending in direction AA (or a vector component extending in a direction toward one of the first wall 222 or the second wall 224, but no vector component extending in direction BB).

[0056] exist Figures 9 to 14 In the embodiment depicted, a valve 250 is provided that is capable of blocking the first air inlet holes (242, 244, 246) to prevent recirculated air from flowing into the internal volume 221. Figure 9 , Figure 13 ), and can be drawn from holes 242, 244, 246 to allow air to flow through the holes ( Figure 10 , Figure 11 , Figure 14In the depicted embodiment, an actuator 241 is provided, and the actuator 241 is aligned with a central shaft 241a extending through an internal volume 221 of the housing 220, wherein the valve rotates with rotation of the shaft 241a. The valve 250 may include: a first portion 252 capable of blocking or exposing an air inlet 242 on a first sidewall 222; a second portion 254 capable of blocking or exposing an air inlet 244 on a second sidewall 224; and a central portion 256 capable of blocking or exposing an air inlet 246 on a central wall 226. Due to rotation of the shaft 241a, all three portions 252, 254, and 256 can be rigidly mounted relative to each other to move as a unit. In some embodiments, similar to the operation of a valve in system 100, the valve 250 can be fully open (… Figure 14 —Allows airflow into an internal volume of 221) and completely closes ( Figure 13 In the middle part (not shown) between the positions.

[0057] For reference Figure 13 and Figure 14 As can be best understood, the central air inlet orifice 246 can have an angle α ( Figure 13 The radial length of the valve 250 extends (from the end closest to the passenger compartment to the end closest to the front of the vehicle), and the side air inlet holes (242, 244) extend along a longer angle β. The arc length of the side air inlet holes is less than half of the total range of motion of the valve 250, allowing the valve to be fully retracted to the open position. Figure 14 ), to fully expose side air inlets 242, 244.

[0058] In some embodiments, the inner surface of the housing 220 of the central wall (specifically the surface adjacent to the internal volume 221) may have a relatively smooth surface, allowing the central valve portion 256 to be drawn from the central air inlet 246 and close to the central wall. Figure 14 This is to ensure that the total volume of internal volume 221 is not substantially reduced when valve 250 is in the withdrawn position.

[0059] In another embodiment, it is provided that... Figure 17 and Figure 18Another air inlet system 300 is schematically depicted. System 300 includes some features from system 100 and some features from system 200. System 300 includes a first sidewall 322 and a second sidewall 324, and a central wall 326 extending between the first and second sidewalls. The central wall 326 and the sidewalls 322, 324 can be formed in a manner similar to the sidewalls 222, 224 and the central wall 226 of the second system discussed above. The sidewalls 322, 324 may include air inlet holes 322, 324 similar to the holes 222, 224 discussed above. The central wall 326 includes an air inlet hole 326 similar to the central hole 226 discussed above. Figure 18 (The holes marked with an "x" shading in the diagram).

[0060] The housing 220 supports the movable valve 350, which can cover ( Figure 17 ) or exposure ( Figure 18 An air inlet hole (or one that can be positioned in the middle, exposing only a portion of the hole). The cover 350 includes: a first blocking portion 352 that moves along a first sidewall 322 and is similar to the first cover 152 discussed above; and a second blocking portion that moves along a second sidewall 324 and is similar to the second cover 154 (in...). Figure 17 and Figure 18 (Not shown in the view). Valve 350 includes a third cover 356 that moves to the outside around the central wall 326 to block or expose the central hole 326. Figure 17 and Figure 18 In the embodiment shown, the third cover 356 is moved to the outside of the central wall 326, while in other embodiments, the third cover may be inside the central wall 326—similar to the central portion 256 of the valve 250 discussed above.

[0061] The movable valve 350 can be moved via a transmission similar to that of the valve system 160 by means of an actuator 362 that rotates the shaft 364. The shaft receives one or two pinions 366, 376, which mesh with corresponding gears on end caps 352, 354 (similar to the gears on end caps 152, 154), such that rotation of the shaft causes rotation or linear movement of the end caps 352, 354. End caps 352, 354 are fixed to a third cap 356, such that the third cap moves as the end caps 352, 354 move. Similar to the transmission 160, the shaft 364 is positioned outside the housing 220, which directly forms the internal volume 321 of the housing 320 (although the housing may support a shell for the shafts 364, 366, which is outside the housing component directly forming the internal volume).

[0062] In other embodiments, system 300 may be formed with a housing 320, which is formed similarly to the housing 120 discussed above (i.e., having a first portion 127 and a second portion 128, the first portion 127 and the second portion 128 including cross-sections that vary as they approach a central plane to guide air (W, X—image) flowing into the internal volume 321 from the side openings 342, 344 in a downward direction). Figure 7 , Figure 8 In this embodiment, as discussed above, the housing 320 may further include a central aperture 326. The central aperture 326 may extend through a portion of the central wall 326 that faces directly upwards or does not face the vector component facing backwards (AA)—like the central aperture 246 discussed above. In this embodiment, the third cover 356 will be outside the central wall 326 to allow free movement between the covered position and the open position. Figure 17 and Figure 18 —Another type of housing for this embodiment is shown respectively.

[0063] Turn now Figure 21 A perspective view is provided of a conventional intake system 2000 configured for use with a vehicle HVAC system 10. Instead of the intake systems 100, 200, and 300 of the present invention described herein, the conventional intake system 2000 can be configured as follows: Figure 15 and Figure 16 On the HVAC system described in the document.

[0064] The conventional intake system 2000 includes a housing that allows air to flow therein and directs air to a downstream fan. The housing within the system 2000 includes: a first opening 2010 formed along the top / central wall of the housing; and opposing side openings 2012, 2013 formed on two opposite sides of the first opening 2010. The opposing side openings 2012, 2013 are formed on the right and left sides of the housing (as defined herein—i.e., when the housing 2000 is mounted on...). Figure 15 When the system is as depicted, the right opening 2012 will face... Figure 16 The top edge of the printed paper, and the left opening 2013 will face... Figure 16 The bottom edge of the printed paper. The first opening 2010 and the right opening 2012 and left opening 2013 can be formed with a grid of multiple closely arranged small holes to allow airflow through the grid, but prevent large objects from passing through it. The first opening 2010 can be formed along a portion of the central surface of the system 2000 and can extend along a curve such that a portion 2010a of the first opening faces upward (i.e., if the system 2000 is mounted to...). Figure 16 In the system, then in Figure 16Outside of the printed page), and transition to the backward-facing section 2010b (i.e., if installed on...). Figure 16 The system described in the text is oriented towards Figure 16 The right edge of the printed page is positioned such that the rear-facing portion faces the passenger compartment of the vehicle on which the system 2000 is mounted.

[0065] System 2000 may include a valve capable of moving to a first position to block the first opening, the left opening, and the right opening (2010, 2012, 2013) to prevent recirculated air from the passenger compartment from flowing through them to the fan, while allowing outside air (Y) to flow into the housing of system 2000 and to the fan. The valve can be repositioned to a second position to block outside air (Y) from flowing into system 2000, but allow recirculated air from the passenger compartment to flow into system 2000 simultaneously from the first opening 2010 (VV) and the right and left openings (W, X). The valve's position is controlled by an HVAC controller in a manner similar to that of systems 100, 200, and 300 discussed above.

[0066] HVAC unit ( Figure 15 and Figure 16 A conventional intake system 2000 or a system 100, 200, 300 of the present invention can be installed in a vehicle such that the housing is positioned behind the vehicle's dashboard (from the perspective of the driver or passenger). Typically, the intake housing for an HVAC system is positioned within the dashboard near the passenger side of the vehicle. Typically, the vehicle's dashboard is very close to the location of the intake system housing, particularly near the opening formed in the center of the intake housing (e.g., the first opening 2010 as in the conventional housing 2000). Systems 100, 200 have been determined to have significantly superior performance based on sound and power usage tests when compared to the conventional system (2000) discussed below. Compared to systems with conventional intake systems (2000, ... Figure 21 When compared to the performance of conventional HVAC systems, the performance improvements of the intake systems 100 and 200 of the present invention are unexpected results. The performance improvements of the intake systems 100 and 200 relative to HVAC systems with conventional intake housings also address a long-standing need in the art. In particular, for conventional HVAC systems (i.e., HVAC systems including conventional intake systems 2000), when the HVAC system uses recirculated air (i.e., air drawn into the housing from the passenger compartment through the recirculation inlet – airflow WWW, XXX, ZZZ, YYY-) Figure 21 When operating, the HVAC system uses only external airflow (Y( Figure 21Compared to operating with recirculated air, HVAC systems typically generate significantly more noise (as can be observed by the vehicle driver—for vehicles positioned to drive on the right side of the road, such as in the US or Germany). It has long been expected that HVAC system performance would not include perceptible changes in noise levels for the vehicle driver between HVAC operation using recirculated and outside air—and it would be even more beneficial if the perceptible noise level of the HVAC system were reduced in recirculation mode.

[0067] Figure 19 This is a graph showing the measured noise of the same HVAC system during operation at a position aligned with the driver's right ear (for vehicles configured for driving on the right side of the road, e.g., in the US and Germany), for the same HVAC system with different types of intake systems, wherein the different types of intake systems are: (i) such as Figure 21 (ii) System 100 ( Figures 1 to 8 (as described in the text and above); and (iii) System 200 ( Figures 9 to 14 (As depicted in the text and described above). This graph plots the sound pressure level (SPL) (dBa) relative to the frequency (Hz) of the sound pressure level measured along a frequency range from 50 Hz to over 10,000 Hz. Sound pressure level is a typical measurement of sound, and sound pressure level measurement is a measurement well known to those skilled in the art. Figure 19 The graphs include settings for the same HVAC system (similar to) when operating in recirculation mode (without external air intake). Figure 15 and Figure 16 The sound pressure levels of three different intake systems on the HVAC system depicted in the diagram were measured. The test settings for each test run were identical, with the only variation being that the specific different intake systems (100, 200, and conventional) were installed within the same HVAC system—and each intake system operated with the same different airflow rate exhausted from the fan. The same test environment was used for all test runs, and the same data acquisition sensors were used for all test runs. The sound pressure levels of the three different intake systems were measured across the entire frequency range at four different airflow rates from the fan exhaust outlet for each system, resulting in 145 cfm, 235 cfm, 325 cfm, and 420 cfm of air flowing from the fan exhaust outlet into the HVAC housing 500.

[0068] Figure 20 It provides a graph of the average sound pressure level, which is calculated using... Figure 19 For each type of intake system (System 100, System 200 and...) Figure 21 Traditional systems) depict averaged detection data across the entire frequency range for... Figure 19 Each airflow level (column C) described in the diagram was detected. Figure 20 This also includes systems 100, 200, and 1100, each configured for external air intake (and without recirculation air intake) for each dataset (e.g., each of the three systems at flow rates of 145 cfm, 235 cfm, 325 cfm, and 420 cfm). Figure 21 The average sound pressure level of a traditional system within the same frequency range (only in the traditional system) Figure 19A The rightmost column (column D) provides the average sound pressure level (SPL) for each test run of the corresponding system using an external intake (flow Y) setup without recirculation (column B-). Figure 19A The average sound pressure level (C-) of each test run using systems configured only for recirculation intake (W and X for intake system 100, WW, XX, and VV for intake system 200) is compared with the average sound pressure level (C-) of each test run using systems configured only for recirculation intake (W and X for intake system 100, WW, XX, and VV for intake system 200). Figure 19 The difference between the average values. Column D reflects the average sound pressure level measured when the system is configured for a recirculating flow without external airflow. Figure 19 The sound pressure level is greater than the average sound pressure level measured when the intake system is configured for external airflow and there is no recirculated airflow. Figure 19A The negative values ​​in the right column reflect that the average sound pressure level measured when the system is set up for a recirculated airflow without external airflow is less than the average sound pressure level measured when the system is set up for an external airflow without recirculated airflow.

[0069] As can be understood, the negative values ​​in column D are desirable because the average sound pressure level (SPL) for a particular HVAC system operating with recirculated air (and no external airflow) is lower than the average SPL for a particular HVAC system operating with external airflow (and no recirculated airflow). Typically in industry, the SPL for HVAC operation using recirculated air is higher than the SPL for HVAC operation using external air. Figure 19 , Figure 19A and Figure 20 The data provided indicate that both systems 100 and 200 exhibit superior performance compared to conventional systems with airflows of 235 cfm, 325 cfm, and 420 cfm. The bandwidth-average sound pressure level during recirculation operation for all three of these airflows is at least 1.0 dBA lower than the bandwidth-average sound pressure level when the same system operates with only external air. Furthermore, as discussed below, Figure 19 The data presented above illustrates that, for the same airflow during recirculation operation (without external air intake), the systems 100 and 200 of the present invention have a significantly lower average sound pressure level than conventional systems.

[0070] A 1.0 dBa difference in sound pressure level (at the perceptible sound amplitude) is significant and is generally perceptible to humans within the range of human hearing or sensing (sound pressure is also perceived by humans as low-frequency vibrations within the range of human hearing). As mentioned above, HVAC systems typically have higher sound pressure levels when operating in recirculation mode than when operating with external air intake—as referenced. Figure 20 For traditional air intake systems ( Figure 21 This is understood as follows at 145 and 420 cfm traffic (235 and 325 cfm traffic are actually the same). Figure 15 , Figure 16 Systems 100 and 200 within the HVAC system provide a lower average sound pressure level when operating with recirculated airflow and no external airflow intake than an identical system operating with the same airflow with external airflow intake and no recirculated airflow. This reduction in average sound pressure level is relative to the operation of a conventional intake system ( Figure 21 HVAC systems (such as) Figure 15 , Figure 16 This is an unexpected result compared to what has been observed. The automotive industry has long needed / expected HVAC systems that do not become noisier when operating in recirculation mode, and intake systems 100 and 200 have been identified as meeting this requirement.

[0071] Due to the low airflow within an HVAC system (e.g., 145 cfm), the total noise / vibration from the HVAC system is dominated by characteristics other than the air inlet. Therefore, noise generated by the air inlet is masked and cannot be perceived by humans. For example, under low airflow conditions, the noise from the air inlet may be lower than the noise from the blower, the HVAC outlet, and the noise caused by airflow over duct supports. In this situation, the air inlet noise is masked by downstream noise generated during operation, and passengers will not be able to identify any contribution of the air inlet noise to the perceived noise.

[0072] Compared to systems with only external air intake, intake systems exhibiting a reduction in mean sound pressure level of at least 1.0 dBa when inhaling recirculated air (models 100 and 200 show a significant reduction in mean sound pressure level; models 4001, 4002, 4003, 4004, 4005, and 4006-) show a significant reduction in mean sound pressure level. Figure 20 ).

[0073] Intake systems 100 and 200, when operating in recirculation mode (without external air intake), also exhibit significantly better recirculation performance compared to conventional intake systems, such as... Figure 19 As described in [the text]. The first range is 300Hz to 500Hz ( Figure 19 (ΔΔ) represents the low-frequency range, in which sound is often perceived as vibration in addition to being audibly perceived. For example... Figure 19As shown, near the middle of this frequency range, the measured SPL of conventional intake systems is significantly higher than that of the systems of the present invention, 100 and 200 (e.g., at a flow rate of 420 cfm, the conventional system is about 5 dBA higher than system 100, and about 4 dBA higher than system 200 (3001), while exhibiting other significant noise reductions at lower airflow rates (3002, 3003, 3004)). Another important range for sound is between approximately 3000 Hz and 5000 Hz. Figure 19 (θθ), these are typical frequencies for human conversation. Within this frequency range, the sound pressure level of an HVAC system with the intake system 100, 200 of this invention is substantially lower than the sound pressure level of a conventional system at the same flow rate in recirculation (3005, 3006, 3007, 3008). This substantial reduction in sound within these frequency ranges will be easily perceptible to the driver of the vehicle or passengers in the first row of the vehicle.

[0074] It is believed that, when compared with a conventional air intake system ( Figure 21 In contrast, the performance improvement of the recirculation mode (without external air intake) of intake systems 100 and 200 stems from the fact that all recirculated air (system 100) and a large amount of air entering the system (system 200) pass through side openings (airflows W and X in system 100, sideflows WW and XX in system 200) instead of through a central opening. This air enters the central portion of the system housing directly facing the passenger compartment (direction AA-). Figure 16 Air enters the casing through the central opening (e.g., 2010). Figure 21 The airflow (ZZZ) generates noise—most of which propagates from the system away from the housing in direction AA, and even more so as a vector component in direction AA. Therefore, most of the generated noise reaches the front of the passenger compartment. Furthermore, the air inlets (e.g., 2010) on the inner surface of the instrument panel and the center of the housing... Figure 21 There is only a small space between them, which creates a restricted path for air to flow between the dashboard and the system housing to reach the central opening (2010) and into the housing (flows ZZZ and YYY). Figure 21 As discussed above, the air flowing through this restricted path generates noise that radiates into the passenger cabin.

[0075] Conversely, for system 100, all air entering the housing 120 of system 100 flows through holes 142, 144 on the side wall of housing 120 (airflow W, X). Most of the noise generated when air flows through side holes 142, 144 is related to the direction AA (…). Figure 16 The vertical vector component propagates away from the housing 120, that is, toward the corresponding right or left side of the vehicle. Figure 16The top and bottom edges of the paper printed on it), and the resulting small proportion of noise flows toward the passenger compartment as a vector component parallel to direction AA. Furthermore, the side openings 142, 144 are typically located within the instrument panel, with more air space around the openings, allowing the air entering through these openings (142, 144) to flow into the central opening of the housing (2010, Figure 21 Compared to other systems, air does not need to flow through restrictive paths. The housing 220 of system 200 includes features on its sides for airflow WW, XX ( Figure 10 The housing 220 has basic openings 242 and 244 leading into the casing. The casing 220 has an opening 246 at the top of the central portion to allow air (VV, Figure 10 Air is allowed to enter the casing, but air is not permitted to enter in the direction AA ( Figure 16 The air enters the central section in the opposite direction, or has a significant vector component parallel to direction AA. Therefore, only a minimal amount of sound is produced that will flow toward and into the passenger compartment in direction AA (with benefits similar to system 100 discussed above). Furthermore, any air that must flow through a restricted path on the inner surface of the instrument panel to reach orifice 246 will flow through the generally horizontal portion of the instrument panel, and only a small component of the resulting sound will extend in direction AA (or have a fundamental vector component in direction AA).

[0076] Figure 22 This is a table showing the measured power usage (in watts) of the fans in an HVAC system to produce the listed airflow for the same HVAC system. Figure 15 , Figure 16 The intake systems 100 and 200 of the present invention and conventional systems () on the present invention Figure 21 Each of the intake systems is aligned with the recirculated air inlet and not with the external air inlet. Figure 22As shown, when compared to an HVAC system with a conventional intake system, at the maximum airflow rate, the system 100 of the present invention operates with 27 fewer watts of fan power for the same airflow rate (420 cfm). When compared to an HVAC system with a conventional intake system, the intake system 200 of the present invention operates with 51 fewer watts of fan power for the same airflow rate (420 cfm). Significant reductions in fan power were also measured at lower airflow rates of 235 cfm and 325 cfm for both intake systems 100 and 200 of the present invention when compared to HVAC systems with conventional intake systems. These reductions in power usage are substantial (approximately 10% for intake system 100 and approximately 20% for intake system 200 at the maximum airflow rate), and the power savings of the intake systems of the present invention result in much more efficient operation of the HVAC systems—leading to increased miles per gallon for internal combustion engine vehicles and increased mileage for electric vehicles (and improved mpg or mileage for hybrid vehicles). These substantial improvements are also unexpected results, given the structural changes in the intake system based on the present invention, compared to conventional intake systems.

[0077] The demand / expectation in industry for HVAC systems that can operate at the same noise level as or quieter than the noise level perceived by the vehicle driver when operating in recirculation mode (compared to external air intake mode) is because: in most cases, recirculation mode is more efficient for operating the HVAC system. For example, when a vehicle is operating in a cold environment, operating the HVAC system with external air intake causes the HVAC system to increase the operation of the heater in order to raise the temperature of the air flowing into the passenger compartment due to the large temperature difference between the current (desired) passenger compartment temperature and the outside air temperature. When the outside (relatively) cold air flows through the HVAC housing (500) before it is introduced into the passenger compartment, a significant amount of heat must be transferred to the outside (relatively) cold air so that the air flowing into the passenger compartment is at the temperature that maintains the passenger compartment air temperature as desired.

[0078] Conversely, if the HVAC system can operate with recirculated air during the same cold weather operation, the recirculated air (flowing from the passenger compartment to the intake system) is already at or near the desired temperature in the passenger compartment when the passenger compartment is at or near the desired temperature. This means that the air entering the HVAC housing (500) only needs to receive a small amount of heat to adjust its temperature to maintain the desired temperature in the passenger compartment. Therefore, when using recirculated air, the duty cycle or / or energy used by the heater to provide the required heat to the air inside the HVAC housing (500) is relatively small compared to the case where external air flows into the HVAC housing, which would require a large amount of heat to increase to the temperature needed to maintain the desired temperature in the passenger compartment.

[0079] It should be understood that vehicle drivers or front-seat passengers can operate the HVAC system in a mode that minimizes the noise or vibration they hear / feel during operation. When a vehicle is equipped with the intake system 100, 200 of the present invention, they may prefer to operate their HVAC system in recirculation mode (rather than external intake mode) due to the reduced sound / vibration they perceive during recirculated air operation—especially at higher flow rates.

[0080] The term “no intake” is defined in this document as meaning that the valves within the intake system are positioned to block unwanted intake air, but some minimal intake air from unwanted sources may still flow to the HVAC fan due to improper valve placement, wear, or typical tolerances acceptable in industry.

[0081] The term "about" is specifically defined in this document as including the reference value and a range of plus or minus 5% of the reference value. The term "substantially similar" is when the items being compared are within 5% of the reference value of the item.

[0082] The computing elements or functions disclosed herein (such as the HVAC controller 1000) may include a processor and 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 a corresponding basic instruction selected from a predefined set of local instruction codes. Each module defined herein may include a corresponding set of machine code selected from a local instruction set and which may be stored in memory. Embodiments can be implemented as software products stored on a machine-readable medium (also referred to as a computer-readable medium embodying computer-readable program code, a processor-readable medium, or a computer-usable medium). A machine-readable medium can be any suitable tangible medium, including magnetic, optical, or electrical storage media, including magnetic disks, optical disks, storage devices (volatile or non-volatile), or similar storage mechanisms. A machine-readable medium may contain various instruction sets, code sequences, configuration information, or other data that, when executed, cause a processor to perform the steps in the methods according to embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that other instructions and operations necessary to implement the described embodiments can also be stored on a machine-readable medium. Software running from a machine-readable medium can interface with circuitry to perform the described tasks. Furthermore, the embodiments can be implemented on application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or very large-scale integrated circuits (VLSIs). In fact, those skilled in the art can utilize any number of suitable structures capable of performing the logical operations according to the embodiments.

[0083] Naturally, given the teachings and disclosure herein, those skilled in the art will understand that alternative designs and / or embodiments of the invention may be feasible (e.g., replacing other components with one or more components, alternative configurations of components, etc.). Although some components, relationships, configurations, and / or steps according to the invention are not specifically referenced and / or described in association with each other, they may be used and / or adapted to be used in association with them. All the foregoing and various other structures, configurations, relationships, utilities, any entities that can be depicted and / or based thereon, etc., may, but are not necessarily, incorporated into and / or implemented by the invention. Any one or more of the foregoing and / or described structures, configurations, relationships, utilities, etc., may be implemented in and / or by the invention alone, and / or without reference, contemplated, or similarly implemented in various permutations and combinations, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the core, essence, and spirit of the disclosed invention.

[0084] While the disclosed preferred embodiments have been described, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and modifications may be made without departing from this disclosure. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims, and all means that literally or equivalently fall within the meaning of the claims are intended to be included therein.

[0085] This instruction manual can be easily understood by referring to the following numbered paragraphs:

[0086] Paragraph 1: An air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system includes: a housing including an air inlet and an air outlet, and a housing wall defining an internal volume of the housing; the air inlet including a first air inlet and a second air inlet, the first air inlet being aligned to allow air to flow through the first air inlet and into the internal volume from a passenger compartment of a vehicle including the housing; the second air inlet being configured to allow air to flow into the internal volume from outside the vehicle; wherein the air outlet allows air to flow out of the housing from within the internal volume and into a fan disposed downstream of the air outlet; a valve movable relative to the housing, the valve being movable between a first position, in which air is allowed to flow through the first air inlet and into the internal volume, and in a second position, preventing air from flowing through the first air inlet and into the internal volume; the valve including a blocking surface, wherein the blocking surface receives torque from an input disposed radially outward of the blocking surface, wherein the blocking surface is movable between a first position allowing air to flow through the first air inlet and a second position preventing air from flowing through the first air inlet.

[0087] Paragraph 2: The intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to Paragraph 1 further includes an actuator that generates torque transmitted to the valve, wherein the actuator causes rotation of an input shaft located outside the housing wall defining the internal volume of the housing.

[0088] Paragraph 3: An intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to paragraph 2, wherein the input shaft supports a first gear, wherein the first gear meshes with a second gear fixed relative to the blocking surface.

[0089] Paragraph 4: An intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to paragraph 3, wherein the first gear is a pinion and the second gear is a rack.

[0090] Paragraph 5: An intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to any of paragraphs 2-4, wherein the blocking surface includes a first blocking surface and a second blocking surface, the first blocking surface moving on a first flat side surface of the housing wall, and the second blocking surface moving on a second flat side surface of the housing wall, wherein the first flat side surface and the second flat side surface of the housing wall are parallel or substantially parallel to each other.

[0091] Paragraph 6: An intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to paragraph 5, wherein the input shaft supports a first pinion that transmits torque to a first blocking surface and a second pinion that transmits torque to a second blocking surface, wherein, when the input shaft rotates, the torque is transmitted to both the first blocking surface and the second blocking surface simultaneously.

[0092] Paragraph 7: An intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to paragraph 6, wherein the first blocking surface includes a first rack meshing with the first pinion, and the second blocking surface includes a second rack meshing with the second pinion.

[0093] Paragraph 8: An intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to any of paragraphs 1-7, wherein the housing wall includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall being flat or substantially flat, the first wall and the second wall being spaced apart, the housing wall further including a central wall extending between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, wherein the first air inlet extends through each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall.

[0094] Paragraph 9: An air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to paragraph 8, wherein the first air inlet does not extend through the central wall.

[0095] Paragraph 10: An intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to paragraph 8, wherein the second inlet extends through the central wall.

[0096] Paragraph 11: The intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to paragraph 10 further includes a third inlet disposed through the central wall, the third inlet being configured to allow a filter to extend through the third inlet such that the filter extends within the internal volume, and when properly installed, the filter is configured such that air entering the internal volume through the first air inlet or the second air inlet passes through the filter to reach the air outlet.

[0097] Paragraph 12: An intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to paragraph 8 or 9, wherein the internal volume defines a first cavity and a second cavity and a central plane extending through the internal volume, the central plane being parallel or substantially parallel to the first wall and the second wall, and extending such that both the first wall and the second wall are at the same distance from the central plane, wherein the first cavity extends inward from the first wall toward the central plane, and the second cavity extends inward from the second wall toward the central plane, wherein the central wall includes an inner surface facing the internal volume, and the central plane extends through the central wall, wherein a portion of the inner surface of the central wall along the first cavity and near the central plane bends as the central wall extends from the first side wall toward the central plane, such that the cross-section of the internal volume parallel to the central plane decreases as the central wall extends toward the central plane, and wherein a portion of the inner surface of the central wall along the second cavity and near the central plane bends as the central wall extends from the second side wall toward the central plane, such that the cross-section of the internal volume parallel to the central plane decreases as the central wall extends toward the central plane.

[0098] Paragraph 13: The intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to paragraph 12, wherein the portion of the inner surface of the central wall near the first sidewall has a constant profile such that the cross-section of the internal volume near the first sidewall parallel to the central plane is constant, and the portion of the inner surface of the central wall near the second sidewall has a constant profile such that the cross-section of the internal volume near the second sidewall parallel to the central plane is constant.

[0099] Paragraph 14: An air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system as described in paragraph 12 or 13, wherein air flowing into the internal volume from the first air inlet through the first sidewall flows on the inner surface of the central wall and is guided toward the air outlet due to the curvature of the inner surface, and air flowing into the internal volume from the first air inlet through the second sidewall flows on the inner surface of the central wall and is guided toward the air outlet due to the curvature of the inner surface.

[0100] Paragraph 15: An intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to any of paragraphs 1-14, wherein the housing supports a second valve within the second inlet, wherein the second valve can be positioned to allow air to flow through the second inlet or to prevent air from flowing through the second inlet.

[0101] Paragraph 16: An air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to either Paragraph 1 or 2, wherein the housing wall includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall being flat or substantially flat, the first wall and the second wall being spaced apart, the housing wall further including a central wall extending between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, wherein a first air inlet extends through each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall, wherein the first air inlet further includes a central portion extending through the central wall, wherein the housing is disposed within the vehicle such that a rear protruding surface faces a first direction toward the passenger compartment of the vehicle receiving the HVAC system, and a front protruding surface faces a second direction opposite to the first direction, such that the front protruding surface faces away from the passenger compartment, wherein the central portion of the first air inlet does not face the first direction.

[0102] Paragraph 17: An intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to paragraph 16, wherein the valve includes a second blocking surface aligned with the central portion of the first air inlet, wherein the second blocking surface moves with rotation of the input shaft.

[0103] Paragraph 18: An intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to paragraph 17, wherein the input shaft supports a first gear, wherein the first gear meshes with a second gear fixed to the blocking surface.

[0104] Paragraph 19: An intake system for a vehicle HVAC system according to paragraph 18, wherein the blocking surface includes a first blocking surface, a second blocking surface, and a third blocking surface, the first blocking surface moving on a first flat side surface of the housing wall, the second blocking surface moving on a second flat side surface of the housing wall, and the third blocking surface moving on a central portion of the first air inlet, wherein the first flat side surface and the second flat side surface of the housing wall are parallel or substantially parallel to each other, wherein the input shaft supports a first pinion for transmitting torque to the first blocking surface and a second pinion for transmitting torque to the second blocking surface, wherein when the input shaft rotates, the torque is transmitted to both the first blocking surface and the second blocking surface simultaneously, and wherein the third blocking surface moves with the movement of the first blocking surface and the second blocking surface.

[0105] Paragraph 20: An air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system includes: a housing including an air inlet and an air outlet, and a housing wall defining an internal volume of the housing; the air inlet including a first air inlet and a second air inlet, the first air inlet being aligned to allow air to flow through the first air inlet and into the internal volume from a passenger compartment of a vehicle including the housing; the second air inlet being configured to allow air to flow into the internal volume from outside the vehicle; wherein the air outlet allows air to flow out of the housing from within the internal volume and into a fan disposed downstream of the air outlet; wherein the housing is disposed within the vehicle such that a rear protruding surface faces a first direction toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle receiving the HVAC system, and a front protruding surface faces a second direction opposite to the first direction, such that the front protruding surface faces away from the passenger compartment; a valve movable relative to the housing, the valve being capable of... The valve is movable between a first position and a second position, in which air can flow through the first air inlet and into the internal volume, and in the second position, air is prevented from flowing through the first air inlet and into the internal volume; the valve includes a blocking surface that receives torque from an input element, wherein the blocking surface is movable between a first position allowing air to flow through the first air inlet and a second position preventing air from flowing through the first air inlet, wherein the housing wall includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each of which is planar or substantially planar and spaced apart, the housing wall also including a central wall extending between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, wherein the first air inlet extends through each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall and a central portion extending along the central wall, wherein the central portion of the first air inlet does not face the first direction.

Claims

1. An air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system, comprising: a housing including an air inlet and an air outlet and a housing wall defining an interior volume of the housing, the air inlet including a first air inlet and a second air inlet, wherein the first air inlet is aligned to allow air to flow through the first air inlet and into the interior volume from a passenger compartment of a vehicle including the housing, the second air inlet configured to allow air to flow into the interior volume from an exterior of the vehicle; wherein the air outlet allows air to flow out of the housing from within the interior volume and to a fan disposed downstream of the air outlet; a valve movable relative to the housing, the valve movable between a first position in which air can flow through the first air inlet and into the interior volume and a second position in which air is prevented from flowing through the first air inlet and into the interior volume; the valve including a blocking surface, wherein the blocking surface receives torque from an input disposed radially outward of the blocking surface, wherein the blocking surface is movable between a first position in which air is allowed to flow through the first air inlet and a second position in which air is prevented from flowing through the first air inlet.

2. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 1, further comprising an operator that generates a torque that is transmitted to the valve, wherein, the operator causes rotation of an input shaft, the input shaft being located outside of the housing wall defining the interior volume of the housing.

3. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 2, wherein, the input shaft supports a first gear, wherein the first gear is in meshing engagement with a second gear fixed to the blocking surface.

4. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 3, wherein, the first gear is a pinion gear and the second gear is a rack gear.

5. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 2, wherein, the blocking surface includes a first blocking surface and a second blocking surface, wherein the first blocking surface moves on a first planar side surface of the housing wall and the second blocking surface moves on a second planar side surface of the housing wall, wherein the first and second planar side surfaces of the housing wall are parallel or substantially parallel to each other.

6. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 5, wherein, the input shaft supports a first pinion gear that transmits torque to the first blocking surface and a second pinion gear that transmits torque to the second blocking surface, wherein torque is transmitted to the first and second blocking surfaces simultaneously when the input shaft is rotated.

7. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 6, wherein, the first blocking surface includes a first rack gear in meshing engagement with the first pinion gear and the second blocking surface includes a second rack gear in meshing engagement with the second pinion gear.

8. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 1, wherein, the housing wall includes a first side wall and a second side wall, each of the first and second side walls being planar or substantially planar, the first and second walls being spaced apart, the housing wall further including a central wall extending between the first and second side walls, wherein the first air inlet extends through each of the first and second side walls.

9. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 8, wherein, the first air inlet does not extend through the central wall.

10. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 8, wherein, the second inlet extends through the central wall.

11. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 10, further comprising a third inlet disposed through the central wall, the third inlet configured to allow a filter to extend therethrough such that the filter extends within the interior volume and, when properly installed, is disposed such that air entering the interior volume through the first air inlet or the second air inlet passes through the filter to reach the air outlet.

12. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 9, wherein, the interior volume defines a first cavity and a second cavity and a central plane extending through the interior volume, the central plane parallel or substantially parallel to the first and second walls and extending such that the first and second walls are the same distance from the central plane, wherein the first cavity extends inwardly from the first wall toward the central plane and the second cavity extends inwardly from the second wall toward the central plane, wherein the central wall includes an interior surface facing the interior volume and the central plane extends through the central wall, wherein a portion of the interior surface of the central wall along the first cavity and proximate the central plane curves as the central wall extends from the first side wall toward the central plane such that a cross section of the interior volume parallel to the central plane decreases as the central wall extends toward the central plane, and wherein a portion of the interior surface of the central wall along the second cavity and proximate the central plane curves as the central wall extends from the second side wall toward the central plane such that a cross section of the interior volume parallel to the central plane decreases as the central wall extends toward the central plane.

13. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 12, wherein, a portion of the interior surface of the central wall proximate the first side wall has a constant profile such that a cross section of the interior volume parallel to the central plane proximate the first side wall is constant, and a portion of the interior surface of the central wall proximate the second side wall has a constant profile such that a cross section of the interior volume parallel to the central plane proximate the second side wall is constant.

14. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 12, wherein, air flowing into the interior volume from the first air inlet through the first side wall flows over the interior surface of the central wall and is directed toward the air outlet due to the curvature of the interior surface, and air flowing into the interior volume from the first air inlet through the second side wall flows over the interior surface of the central wall and is directed toward the air outlet due to the curvature of the interior surface.

15. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 1, wherein, the housing supports a second valve within the second inlet, wherein the second valve can be positioned to allow air to flow through the second inlet or to prevent air from flowing through the second inlet.

16. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 2, wherein The housing wall includes a first side wall and a second side wall, each of which is flat or substantially flat, the first and second walls being spaced apart, the housing wall further including a central wall extending between the first and second side walls, wherein the first air inlet further includes a central portion extending through the central wall, wherein the housing is disposed within the vehicle such that a rear protruding surface faces a first direction toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle receiving the HVAC system, and a front protruding surface faces a second direction opposite the first direction such that the front protruding surface faces away from the passenger compartment, wherein the central portion of the first air inlet does not face the first direction.

17. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 16, wherein, The valve includes a second blocking surface aligned with the central portion of the first air inlet, wherein the second blocking surface moves with rotation of the input shaft.

18. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 17, wherein, The input shaft supports a first gear, wherein the first gear is in meshing engagement with a second gear fixed to the blocking surface.

19. The air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system of claim 18, wherein, The blocking surface includes a first blocking surface and a second blocking surface and a third blocking surface, wherein the first blocking surface moves on a first flat side surface of the housing wall, the second blocking surface moves on a second flat side surface of the housing wall, the third blocking surface moves on the central portion of the first air inlet, wherein the first and second flat side surfaces of the housing wall are parallel or substantially parallel to each other, wherein the input shaft supports a first pinion gear that transmits torque to the first blocking surface and a second pinion gear that transmits torque to the second blocking surface, wherein torque is simultaneously transmitted to the first and second blocking surfaces when the input shaft is rotated, and wherein the third blocking surface moves with movement of the first and second blocking surfaces.

20. An air intake system for a vehicle HVAC system, comprising: a housing including an air inlet and an air outlet and a housing wall defining an interior volume of the housing, the air inlet including a first air inlet and a second air inlet, wherein the first air inlet is aligned to allow air to flow through the first air inlet and into the interior volume from a passenger compartment of a vehicle including the housing, the second air inlet configured to allow air to flow into the interior volume from an exterior of the vehicle; wherein the air outlet allows air to flow from within the interior volume out of the housing and to a fan disposed downstream of the air outlet; wherein the housing is disposed within the vehicle such that a rear protruding surface faces a first direction toward a passenger compartment of the vehicle receiving the HVAC system, and a front protruding surface faces a second direction opposite the first direction such that the front protruding surface faces away from the passenger compartment, a valve movable relative to the housing, the valve movable between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position, air is able to flow through the first air inlet and into the interior volume, and, in the second position, air is prevented from flowing through the first air inlet and into the interior volume; the valve including a blocking surface, wherein the blocking surface receives torque from an input, wherein the blocking surface is movable between a first position that allows air to flow through the first air inlet and a second position that prevents air from flowing through the first air inlet, wherein the housing wall includes a first side wall and a second side wall, each of the first and second side walls being planar or substantially planar, the first and second walls being spaced apart, the housing wall further including a central wall extending between the first and second side walls, wherein the first air inlet extends through each of the first and second side walls and a central portion extending along the central wall, wherein the central portion of the first air inlet does not face the first direction.

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