Heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device

Abstract

The invention relates to a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device (1), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising: a housing (2) defining an outside air path (8) configured to allow a supply of outside air from outside the housing (2) and a recirculation air path (9) configured to recirculate the outside air from outside the housing (2); the recirculating air path (9) is configured to allow recirculation of air treated in the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning apparatus (1); an air filter (10) configured to filter air passing through the filter; an air pre-filter (11) configured to filter the air passing through the pre-filter, the pre-filter being positioned upstream of the filter on the outside air path such that when outside air is supplied, the outside air can first pass through the pre-filter (11) and then pass through the filter (10); and a movable bypass baffle (15; 31) configured to allow circulation of outside air and / or recirculated air to bypass the filter (10) in a bypass position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device. Background Technology

[0002] Motor vehicles are typically equipped with heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning systems to regulate the aerodynamic thermal parameters of the airflow distributed toward the interior of the vehicle's passenger compartment. Outside air is used in this type of equipment. In such cases, it is recommended to filter this outside air to prevent contamination within the passenger compartment. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention is particularly intended to further improve heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment.

[0004] Therefore, the subject of this invention is a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device, particularly for motor vehicles, comprising:

[0005] - A housing defining an external air path and a recirculation air path, the external air path being configured to allow the supply of external air from outside the housing, and the external air path being configured to allow the recirculation of air treated in heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning equipment.

[0006] - An air filter configured to filter the air passing through it.

[0007] - An air pre-filter, configured to filter air passing through it, is positioned upstream of the filter in the external air path such that when external air is supplied, it first passes through the pre-filter and then through the filter.

[0008] - A movable bypass flap configured to allow the flow of outside air and / or recirculation air to bypass the filter in the bypass position.

[0009] This invention enables several advantages. First, using a pre-filter upstream of the main filter allows the pre-filter to remove the largest particles from the outside air, which allows the filter placed downstream of the pre-filter to saturate more slowly. To some extent, the pre-filter protects the main filter so as to extend the filter's lifespan by preferentially sacrificing the pre-filter. Such a pre-filter can be selected with a lower filtration quality than the main filter. For example, the pre-filter can be cheaper than the main filter. By protecting the main filter, it can therefore be replaced at a lower frequency than the pre-filter. Therefore, this invention allows for economic benefits because the main filter is replaced less frequently than the pre-filter, for example, twice as frequently.

[0010] According to one aspect of the invention, the air filter is a high-efficiency air filter, specifically referred to in English as a HEPA filter (HEPA: High Efficiency Particulate Air).

[0011] This high-efficiency filter is particularly effective at filtering particles with a feature size of 0.3 micrometers or less.

[0012] According to one aspect of the invention, the pre-filter has a lower filtration capacity than the air filter.

[0013] Another advantage of the present invention is that, in certain operating modes of the vehicle, the movable bypass baffle allows bypassing the filter to allow recirculated air or outside air to circulate.

[0014] This is advantageous so that no pressure drop is generated in the airflow when the reduction of pressure drop takes precedence over air filtration.

[0015] Alternatively, air can be allowed to bypass the filter without saturating it.

[0016] Generally speaking, this invention enables the protection of potentially relatively expensive high-efficiency air filters.

[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, a movable bypass baffle is placed in the recirculation air path and configured to allow recirculation air to flow through the filter or recirculation air to bypass the filter, or both, depending on its position.

[0018] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable bypass baffle can take a first position in which recirculation air is delivered through a filter (particularly a HEPA filter).

[0019] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable bypass baffle can take a second position in which a portion of the recirculation air is delivered through the filter while another portion bypasses the filter and continues its flow.

[0020] It should be understood that the movable bypass baffle allows for adjustment of the proportion of recirculated air that must pass through the filter.

[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable bypass baffle is a butterfly baffle or a drum baffle.

[0022] According to one aspect of the invention, heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment includes a movable external air inlet baffle placed in the external air path, particularly downstream of a pre-filter.

[0023] According to one aspect of the invention, a movable external air inlet baffle is configured to open an external air path in an open position, allowing external air to flow through a pre-filter and then through a filter in the external air path.

[0024] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable external air inlet baffle can also be positioned to block the external air path.

[0025] According to one aspect of the invention, a movable external air baffle is configured to allow recirculation airflow through the filter in its blocking position on the external air path.

[0026] In this open position of the movable external air inlet baffle, only external air passes through the filter (recirculation air cannot pass through the filter).

[0027] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable external air inlet baffle may be a drum-shaped baffle.

[0028] According to one aspect of the invention, a movable external air inlet baffle is placed between the pre-filter and the filter.

[0029] According to one aspect of the invention, in a partial recirculation mode, a movable bypass baffle is in a second position, allowing recirculated air to flow directly to the motor fan unit without passing through a filter, and a movable external air inlet baffle is opened, allowing external air to pass through a pre-filter and then through a filter before being drawn into the housing.

[0030] In a first embodiment of the invention, a pre-filter is placed specifically in the external air path. Therefore, recirculated air does not pass through the pre-filter.

[0031] In a second embodiment of the invention, the pre-filter extends along both the external air path and the recirculation air path, such that the external air and the recirculation air are filtered by the pre-filter system.

[0032] According to one aspect of the invention, in this exemplary embodiment, a movable bypass baffle can be placed in a bypass path through which external air and recirculation air bypass the filter.

[0033] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable bypass baffle is, for example, placed on one side of the filter.

[0034] According to one aspect of the invention, the filter and the pre-filter may be adjacent to each other.

[0035] As a variation, the filter and pre-filter are set at a certain distance from each other.

[0036] According to one aspect of the invention, the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment includes a motor fan unit positioned downstream of a pre-filter, particularly downstream of a movable bypass baffle.

[0037] According to one aspect of the invention, the filter and / or pre-filter are placed at the front of the vehicle's electrification unit.

[0038] Another subject of the invention is a method for controlling heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment as described above, including the step of controlling a movable external air inlet baffle to allow external air to pass through a pre-filter and a filter of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0039] On the one hand, other features, details, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description, and on the other hand, from the various exemplary embodiments given in an illustrative rather than limiting manner with reference to the accompanying schematic diagrams, wherein:

[0040] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device in a first operating mode according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 2 It is in the second operating mode. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment;

[0042] Figure 3 It is in the third operating mode. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment;

[0043] Figure 4 It is in the fourth operating mode. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment;

[0044] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the baffles of the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment;

[0045] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0047] Features, variations, and different embodiments of the present invention can be associated with each other in various combinations, provided that they are not incompatible or exclusive with respect to each other. Specifically, it is conceivable that variations of the present invention may include only the feature selections described below, isolated from the other features, provided that these feature selections are sufficient to provide a technical advantage and / or distinguish the present invention from the prior art.

[0048] exist Figures 1 to 4The image shows a heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning device 1, a first example of an embodiment of the present invention, installed in a vehicle V.

[0049] The heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment 1 includes a housing 2 and a heat treatment component (not shown) in the housing 2, wherein an evaporator is included in a manner known per se, the evaporator being designed to cool and dehumidify the airflow circulating in the housing 2.

[0050] These heat treatment components also include a heater core for heating a portion of the airflow circulating within the housing 2, and are positioned downstream of the evaporator relative to the airflow. This heater core may optionally be coupled to an additional electric heater core designed to heat the airflow more quickly, particularly during vehicle start-up.

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, due to the motor fan unit 4, external airflow Fext is drawn into the housing 2 through at least one external air inlet 5 on the housing 2. The motor fan unit 4 includes a motor and an impeller for this purpose.

[0052] These heat treatment components are not described in more detail because they are well known in the prior art.

[0053] The housing 2 defines an external air path 8 and a recirculation air path 9. The external air path 8 is configured to allow the supply of external air from outside the housing 2, and the recirculation air path 9 is configured to allow the recirculation of air that has been processed in the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment 1.

[0054] The heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment 1 also includes an air filter 10 and an air pre-filter 11, the air filter 10 being configured to filter air passing through the filter 10 and the air pre-filter 11 being configured to filter air passing through the pre-filter 11.

[0055] The pre-filter 11 is located on the external air path 8, upstream of the filter 10, such that when external air is supplied, the external air can first pass through the pre-filter 11 and then through the filter 10.

[0056] The heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment 1 includes a movable bypass baffle 15 configured to allow the flow of recirculated air to bypass the filter 10 in a bypass position.

[0057] Using a pre-filter 11 upstream of filter 10 allows the pre-filter 11 to remove the largest particles in the outside air, which makes it possible to saturate filter 10, which is placed downstream of pre-filter 11, more slowly. To some extent, pre-filter 11 protects filter 10 in order to extend the life of filter 10 by preferentially sacrificing pre-filter 11. The pre-filter 11 can be selected to have a lower filtration quality than filter 10. For example, pre-filter 11 can be cheaper than filter 10. By protecting filter 10, it can therefore be replaced at a lower frequency than pre-filter 11. Therefore, the present invention allows for economic benefits because filter 10 is replaced less frequently than pre-filter 11, for example, twice as frequently.

[0058] Air filter 10 is a high-efficiency air filter, specifically known in English as a HEPA filter (High-Efficiency Particulate Air).

[0059] This high-efficiency filter 10 is particularly capable of filtering particles with a feature size of 0.3 micrometers or less.

[0060] The pre-filter 11 has a lower filtration capacity than the air filter 10.

[0061] In certain operating modes of the vehicle, the movable bypass baffle 15 allows recirculated air to bypass the filter 10.

[0062] This is advantageous so that no pressure drop is generated in the airflow when the reduction of pressure drop takes precedence over air filtration.

[0063] Alternatively, air can be bypassed from the filter 10 without saturating it.

[0064] Generally speaking, the present invention enables the protection of potentially relatively expensive high-efficiency air filters 10.

[0065] In the described example, the movable bypass baffle 15 (in) Figure 5 (Shown separately) is placed on the recirculation air path 9 and configured to allow recirculation air to pass through the flow of filter 10 or recirculation air to bypass filter 10, or both, depending on its position.

[0066] The movable bypass baffle 15 is a butterfly baffle or a drum baffle, which is rotatably mounted relative to the housing 2.

[0067] The heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment 1 also includes a movable external air inlet baffle 16, which is placed on the external air path 8 downstream of the pre-filter 11.

[0068] The movable external air inlet baffle 16 is configured to open the external air path 8 in the open position, allowing external air to circulate through the pre-filter 11 and then through the filter 10. In this open position of the movable external air inlet baffle 16, only external air passes through the filter 10, and recirculation air cannot pass through the filter 10.

[0069] The movable external air inlet baffle 15 can also be positioned to block the external air path 8.

[0070] The movable external air baffle 8 is configured to allow recirculating airflow through the filter 10 at a blocking position in its external air path.

[0071] The movable external air inlet baffle 16 can be a drum-shaped baffle, similar to baffle 15.

[0072] A movable external air inlet baffle 16 is placed between the pre-filter 11 and the filter 10.

[0073] The movable bypass baffle 15 can take a first position in which recirculation air is delivered through the filter 10.

[0074] The movable bypass baffle 15 can take a second position in which a portion of the recirculation air is delivered through the filter 10, while another portion bypasses the filter 10 and continues its flow.

[0075] It should be understood that the movable bypass baffle 15 allows for adjustment of the proportion of recirculated air that must be supplied through the filter 10.

[0076] exist Figure 1 In the first operating mode shown (referred to as the "outside air" mode), the movable outside air inlet baffle 16 is in the open position, allowing outside air to circulate in the outside air path 8 through the pre-filter 11 and then through the filter 10. The recirculation air path 9 is in the disabled state.

[0077] exist Figure 2 In the second operating mode shown, the movable external air inlet baffle 16 is in a blocking position, obstructing the external air path 8. There is no external air supply to the housing 2. Then, the movable bypass baffle 15 is in a first position, in which recirculated air is delivered through the filter 10 via the path 9. This recirculated air then passes through the motor fan unit 4. This mode is referred to as "fully filtered recirculated air (through filter 10)".

[0078] exist Figure 3In the third operating mode shown, the movable external air inlet baffle 16 is in a blocking position that blocks the external air path 8. There is no external air supply housing 2. The movable bypass baffle 15 is in a second position, such that the recirculated air is both transmitted through path 9 via filter 10 and directly toward the motor fan unit 4 without passing through filter 10. This mode is referred to as "partially filtered recirculated air (through filter 10)".

[0079] It is conceivable that the baffle 15 is positioned to force the recirculated air to completely bypass the filter 10.

[0080] exist Figure 4 In the fourth operating mode shown, the movable external air inlet baffle 16 is in the open position, allowing external air to flow through the external air path 8 by passing through the pre-filter 11 and then through the filter 10. The movable bypass baffle 15 is in a second position, allowing recirculated air to be delivered directly to the motor fan unit 4 without passing through the filter 10. The recirculated air path through the filter 10 is then blocked by the movable external air inlet baffle 16. This mode is referred to as "partial recirculated air".

[0081] In the exemplary embodiment just described, the pre-filter 11 is placed only on the external air path 8. Therefore, recirculated air does not pass through the pre-filter 11.

[0082] exist Figure 6 In the second embodiment of the invention shown, the pre-filter 11 extends over both the external air path 8 and the recirculation air path 9, such that the external air and the recirculation air are systematically filtered by the pre-filter 11.

[0083] In this exemplary embodiment, a movable bypass baffle 30 can be placed in a bypass path 31 through which external air and recirculation air bypass the filter 10 (HEPA).

[0084] The movable bypass baffle 31 is placed, for example, on one side of the filter 10.

[0085] A second baffle 32 is installed upstream of the pre-filter 11 to selectively open or close the external air path 8 and the recirculation air path 9.

[0086] The baffle 32 and the movable bypass baffle 30 are configured to allow all possible combinations, namely:

[0087] -When external air from external air path 8 is delivered through pre-filter 11 and then through high-efficiency filter 10, the movable bypass baffle 30 is closed.

[0088] -When external air from external air path 8 is delivered through pre-filter 11 and then through bypass path 31 without passing through filter 10, movable bypass baffle 30 is opened;

[0089] - When the external air path 8 is blocked by the baffle 32 and the recirculation air from the recirculation air path 9 passes through the pre-filter 11 and then through the filter 10, the bypass baffle 30 is then closed.

[0090] - If the recirculation air from the recirculation air path 9 passes through the pre-filter 11 and is then sent to the bypass path 30 without passing through the filter 10, the movable bypass baffle 30 opens.

[0091] Filter 10 and pre-filter 11 can be placed against each other, or there can be space between them.

[0092] Typically, filter 10 and / or pre-filter 11 can be placed at the front of the vehicle's electrification unit.

[0093] Already referenced Figure 7 Another embodiment of the invention is described, wherein the recirculation air path 9 is not placed upstream of the pre-filter 11, but downstream of the pre-filter 11.

[0094] exist Figure 7 In the example, the external air path 8 is upstream of the pre-filter 11 and is provided with a baffle 33, which manages the opening and closing of the external air path 8.

[0095] The recirculation air path 9 is provided with a baffle 34, which allows the recirculation air path 9 to be opened or closed, and the recirculation air path 9 reaches downstream of the pre-filter 11 and upstream of the HEPA filter 10 and the bypass path 30.

[0096] exist Figure 7 In this example, the recirculation air from recirculation air path 9 never passes through pre-filter 11.

Claims

1. A heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device (1), particularly for motor vehicles, comprising: - A housing (2) defining an external air path (8) and a recirculation air path (9), the external air path (8) being configured to allow the supply of external air from outside the housing (2), and the recirculation air path (9) being configured to allow the recirculation of air processed in the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment (1). - An air filter (10) configured to filter the air passing through the filter. - An air pre-filter (11) is configured to filter air passing through the pre-filter, the pre-filter being disposed in the external air path upstream of the filter, such that when external air is supplied, the external air can pass through the pre-filter (11) first and then through the filter (10). - A movable bypass baffle (15; 31) configured to allow the flow of outside air and / or recirculated air to bypass the filter (10) in the bypass position.

2. The device according to the preceding claim, wherein, The air filter (10) is a high-efficiency air filter, particularly capable of filtering particles with a feature size of less than or equal to 0.3 micrometers.

3. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The pre-filter (11) has a lower filtration capacity than the air filter (10).

4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The movable bypass baffle (15) is placed on the recirculation air path and configured to allow recirculation air to flow through the filter (10) or recirculation air to bypass the filter (10), or both, depending on the position of the movable bypass baffle (15).

5. The device according to the preceding claim, wherein, The movable bypass baffle (15) can take on a first position and a second position, in which the recirculation air is delivered through the filter (10) and in the second position, a portion of the recirculation air is delivered through the filter (10) while another portion bypasses the filter (10) and continues its flow.

6. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning equipment includes a movable external air inlet baffle (16) placed on the external air path, particularly downstream of the pre-filter (11), and specifically configured to open the external air path in an open position to allow external air to flow through the pre-filter (11) and then through the filter (10) in the external air path. The movable external air inlet baffle (16) can also be in a blocking position that blocks the external air path (8).

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein, In the partial recirculation mode, the movable bypass baffle (15) is in a second position that allows recirculated air to flow directly toward the motor fan unit (4) without passing through the filter (10), and the movable external air inlet baffle (16) is open so that external air is drawn into the housing by passing through the pre-filter (11) and then through the filter (10).

8. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The pre-filter (11) is specifically placed on the external air path (8).

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The pre-filter (11) extends over both the external air path (8) and the recirculation air path (9), such that the external air and the recirculation air are systematically filtered by the pre-filter (11).

10. A method for controlling a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: Control the movable external air inlet baffle (16) to allow external air to pass through the pre-filter (11) and filter (10) of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment.

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