Sealing element and vehicle air conditioning system

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a sealing element for a heat exchanger and a vehicle air conditioning system. The sealing element comprises a bottom support portion configured to be mounted at a bottom of the heat exchanger, a first sealing portion having an elongated shape and connected to the bottom support portion, and a rib portion connected between the bottom support portion and the first sealing portion to form a discharge opening together with the bottom support portion and the first sealing portion. The present disclosure can expose most of the bottom of the heat exchanger, instead of being wrapped by the sealing element in a large area, so that the condensed water can directly drip from the bottom of the heat exchanger to the water collecting cavity of the housing and be smoothly discharged. Meanwhile, the use area of the sealing element can be effectively reduced, the structural strength of the sealing element can be improved, the cost can be reduced, and the problem of odor caused by a large amount of bacteria breeding can be avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a sealing element for a heat exchanger and a vehicle air conditioning system including said sealing element. Background Technology

[0002] Existing vehicle air conditioning systems consist of a housing and an evaporator housed within that housing. To prevent uncooled air from directly entering the air conditioning duct, a sealing sponge is typically placed between the housing and the evaporator. A large sealing sponge is usually used to wrap around the evaporator to ensure a tight seal.

[0003] During the heat exchange process between the evaporator and the air, condensation will form on the outer wall of the evaporator. The large sealing sponge components placed around the evaporator, especially if they are placed at the bottom of the evaporator, will create gaps between the sealing sponge components and the surrounding structure. These gaps will cause capillary action, drawing condensation into the gaps and causing water retention, which will hinder the drainage of condensation. Moreover, the sealing sponge components are prone to bacterial growth and odors when exposed to high temperature and humidity for extended periods, thus reducing the user experience.

[0004] Therefore, those skilled in the art are dedicated to developing a new sealing element and vehicle air conditioning system to overcome the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a sealing element for a heat exchanger. By configuring the sealing element to include a bottom support portion for supporting the bottom of the heat exchanger, an elongated first sealing portion, and a rib connecting the bottom support portion and the first sealing portion, most of the bottom of the heat exchanger can be exposed instead of being largely covered by the sealing element. This allows condensate to drip directly from the bottom of the heat exchanger into the water collection chamber of the shell and drain smoothly. Simultaneously, it effectively reduces the usable area of ​​the sealing element, increases its structural strength, lowers costs, and avoids the problem of odor caused by the growth of large amounts of bacteria. Furthermore, the first sealing portion can be installed on the windward side of the heat exchanger and block the gap between the bottom liquid collection pipe and the core of the heat exchanger. This prevents air from flowing directly through the gap and causing condensate to splash under the squeezing action of the shell. It also seals the gap between the shell and the bottom of the heat exchanger, preventing air leakage. Furthermore, by setting the ribs to be inclined relative to the first sealing part, this disclosure can effectively avoid the problem of poor condensate drainage caused by the ribs blocking / blocking the condensate flowing down between two adjacent heat exchange channels of the heat exchanger.

[0006] This disclosure provides a sealing element for a heat exchanger, the sealing element comprising: a bottom support portion configured to be mounted on the bottom of the heat exchanger; a first sealing portion having an elongated shape and connected to the bottom support portion; and a rib portion connected between the bottom support portion and the first sealing portion to form a discharge opening together with the bottom support portion and the first sealing portion.

[0007] The heat exchanger core assembly according to this disclosure may also have one or more of the following features, individually or in combination.

[0008] In one or more embodiments, the bottom support includes a first bottom support and a second bottom support, and the first sealing portion extends between the first bottom support and the second bottom support.

[0009] In one or more embodiments, the first bottom support and / or the second bottom support includes: a side support portion and a lateral support portion connected to each other, the side support portion and the lateral support portion being at least partially offset in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first sealing portion.

[0010] In one or more embodiments, one end of the rib is connected to the first sealing portion, and the other end is connected to the transverse support portion.

[0011] In one or more embodiments, the rib is inclined relative to the first sealing portion.

[0012] In one or more embodiments, the rib includes at least one first rib disposed near the first bottom support and at least one second rib disposed near the second bottom support.

[0013] In one or more embodiments, the first bottom support and the second bottom support are symmetrically arranged; and / or the first rib and the second rib are symmetrically arranged.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, the sealing element further includes: a top support portion configured to be mounted on top of the heat exchanger; and a second sealing portion having an elongated shape and connected to the top support portion.

[0015] In one or more embodiments, the top support includes a first top support and a second top support, which are respectively connected to the two ends of the second sealing portion.

[0016] In one or more embodiments, the sealing element further includes: a third sealing portion extending between the first bottom support and the first top support; and a fourth sealing portion extending between the second bottom support and the second top support.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, the sealing element is a one-piece molded part.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, the sealing element is made of foam material.

[0019] This disclosure also provides a vehicle air conditioning system, including: a housing; a heat exchanger disposed within the housing; and the aforementioned sealing element sandwiched between the housing and the heat exchanger.

[0020] In one or more embodiments, the side support portion of the bottom support portion of the sealing element is mounted on the side of the heat exchanger, at least a portion of the lateral support portion of the bottom support portion is mounted on the bottom surface of the heat exchanger, and at least another portion is mounted on the leeward side of the heat exchanger.

[0021] In one or more embodiments, the first sealing portion of the seal is installed on the windward side of the heat exchanger and blocks the gap between the bottom liquid collection pipe and the core of the heat exchanger. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a vehicle air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a vehicle air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the leeward side of the heat exchange.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a first-view perspective view of a sealing element after it has been installed on a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the windward side of the heat exchanger.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a second perspective view of a sealing element after it has been installed on a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the leeward side of the heat exchanger.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a third-view perspective view of a sealing element installed on a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the bottom and windward side of the heat exchanger.

[0028] Figure 7 This is a fourth-view perspective view of a sealing element installed on a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the top and windward side of the heat exchanger.

[0029] Figure 8This is a perspective view of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 9 This is a perspective view of a sealing element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 10 This is a perspective view of a sealing element flattened according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this disclosure from the content disclosed in this specification.

[0033] It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are merely for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the content disclosed herein, and are not intended to limit the implementation conditions of this disclosure. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effectiveness and purpose of this disclosure, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed herein. Furthermore, the terms such as "above" and "a" used in this specification are merely for clarity of description and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of this disclosure's implementation.

[0034] This disclosure provides a vehicle air conditioning system. Specific embodiments of this disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Please see Figures 1 to 3 The vehicle air conditioning system 2 includes a housing H, a heat exchanger 3 disposed within the housing H, and a sealing element 1 sandwiched between the housing H and the heat exchanger 3 (e.g., an evaporator). This ensures that air enters the air conditioning duct only after passing through the heat exchanger 3, preventing air from directly entering the duct through the gap between the housing H and the heat exchanger 3 (i.e., air leakage), which would lead to reduced heat exchange performance and cause water droplets to blow out of the air conditioning vents. It also prevents damage caused by hard impacts / contacts between the housing H and the heat exchanger 3. When air passes through the heat exchanger 3, water vapor in the air exchanges heat with the cooling medium in the heat exchanger 3, resulting in condensation on the outer wall of the heat exchanger 3. In order to collect and drain the condensate formed on the outer peripheral wall of the heat exchanger 3, the housing H of the vehicle air conditioning system 2 includes a water collection chamber 4 located at the bottom of the heat exchanger 3 and a drain pipe 5 in fluid communication with the water collection chamber 4. Under the action of gravity, the condensate can drip from the heat exchanger 3 into the water collection chamber 4 and be discharged from the vehicle air conditioning system 2 through the drain pipe 5.

[0036] In order to avoid problems such as poor drainage of condensate and easy growth of bacteria and odor caused by capillary action due to gaps between the sealing element 1 and the surrounding structure, the sealing element 1 provided in this disclosure can expose most of the bottom of the heat exchanger 3 while ensuring a seal, so that condensate can drip directly from the heat exchanger 3 into the water collection chamber 4 and be discharged.

[0037] Please see Figures 3 to 4 The sealing element 1 can be installed / set on the heat exchanger 3. The sealing element 1 is compressed and deformed by the pressure between the heat exchanger 3 and the housing H to ensure a seal between them and prevent air leakage. The sealing element 1 can be made of foam material, and its compression amount can be set according to requirements. In one embodiment, the compression amount of the sealing element 1 can be set to approximately 40%, so that the sealing element 1 not only has a sealing function but also provides support for the heat exchanger 3.

[0038] Specifically, the sealing element 1 may include a bottom support portion 10, a first sealing portion 21, and a rib 30. The bottom support portion 10 is configured to be mounted on the bottom of the heat exchanger 3 to support the heat exchanger 3 and prevent hard impact / hard contact between the bottom of the heat exchanger 3 and the housing H. The first sealing portion 21 may have an elongated shape (or a long strip) and is connected to the bottom support portion 10. The first sealing portion 21 may be mounted on the windward side of the heat exchanger 3 (e.g., on the front side). Figure 3 (As shown) and shield the bottom liquid collection pipe 310 of the heat exchanger 3 and the core 300 (as shown) Figure 7 The gap between the heat exchanger 3 and the shell H (as shown) prevents air from flowing directly through the gap and causing condensate to splash. It also seals the gap between the shell H and the bottom of the heat exchanger 3, preventing air leakage. The rib 30 connects the bottom support 10 and the first sealing part 21 and can be at least partially installed at the bottom of the heat exchanger 3 to form a discharge opening together with the bottom support 10 and the first sealing part 21. This facilitates condensate drainage, avoiding the problem in the prior art where a direct opening on the sealing surface of the sealing element results in an excessively large area covering the heat exchanger 3, hindering condensate drainage. Furthermore, the rib 30 increases the structural strength of the sealing element 1 and allows the heat exchanger 3 to be stably installed within the shell H. The above-mentioned arrangement of the sealing element 1 allows most of the bottom of the heat exchanger 3 to be exposed, rather than being largely covered by the sealing element 1. This allows condensate to drip directly from the bottom of the heat exchanger 3 into the water collection chamber 4 of the shell H and drain smoothly. At the same time, it can effectively reduce the area of ​​the sealing element 1, reduce costs, and avoid the problem of odor caused by the growth of a large number of bacteria.

[0039] More specifically, such as Figure 4 , Figure 6 and Figure 9 As shown, the bottom support 10 may include a first bottom support 11 and a second bottom support 12. The first bottom support 11 and the second bottom support 12 can be respectively installed at both ends of the bottom of the heat exchanger 3 along the first direction X, and the first sealing part 21 extends between the first bottom support 11 and the second bottom support 12, wherein the first direction X is parallel to the bottom liquid collection pipe 310 of the heat exchanger 3 (e.g., Figure 8 The extension direction (as shown). Viewed from the bottom of the heat exchanger 3, the first bottom support 11 and the second bottom support 12 can be approximately L-shaped (as shown). Figure 6 As shown, the bottom of the heat exchanger 3 is exposed over a large area while still providing support. In one embodiment, the first bottom support 11 and the second bottom support 12 may be symmetrically arranged; however, this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0040] Please continue reading Figure 6 In one embodiment, the first bottom support 11 may include a side support portion 110 and a lateral support portion 111 connected to each other. Correspondingly, the second bottom support 12 may also include a side support portion 120 and a lateral support portion 121 connected to each other. The side support portions 110, 120 and the lateral support portions 111, 121 are at least partially offset in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the first sealing portion 21 to form the aforementioned L-shape, so that the bottom of the heat exchanger 3 is exposed as much as possible. The side support portions 110, 120 may be respectively installed on both sides of the heat exchanger 3 and, under the squeezing action of the housing H, seal the grooves 3100 at both ends of the bottom liquid collecting pipe 310 of the heat exchanger 3 (e.g., ...). Figure 8 As shown), this design achieves a seal between the housing H and the heat exchanger 3, especially between the two ends of its bottom liquid collection pipe 310, preventing air leakage at the groove 3100 and also avoiding hard contact between the housing H and the two sides of the bottom of the heat exchanger 3; at least a portion of the transverse support portions 111 and 121 can be installed on the bottom surface of the heat exchanger 3, and at least another portion can be installed on the leeward side of the heat exchanger 3 (e.g., Figure 5 (As shown), to support the heat exchanger 3 and avoid hard contact between the housing H and the bottom and leeward sides of the heat exchanger 3. The first seal 21 can extend between the two side supports 110 and 120, and can be installed on the windward side of the heat exchanger 3 to seal the bottom liquid collection pipe 310 and the core 300 (as shown). Figure 7 The gap between the heat exchanger 3 and the housing H (as shown) is designed to prevent air from flowing directly through the gap and causing condensate to splash, while also preventing hard contact between the housing H and the windward side of the heat exchanger 3. The rib 30 connects the first seal 21 and the transverse support portions 111 and 121, allowing the heat exchanger 3 to be stably installed inside the housing H, improving the strength of the sealing element 1, and preventing the bottom of the heat exchanger 3 from being covered by a large area, which could cause poor condensate drainage.

[0041] Specifically, such as Figure 6 As shown, the rib 30 may be generally straight, with one end connected to the first seal 21 and the other end connected to the transverse supports 111 and 121. More specifically, the rib 30 may include at least one first rib 31 and at least one second rib 32 (this disclosure describes two first ribs 31 and two second ribs 32, but is not limited thereto), wherein the first rib 31 is disposed near the first bottom support 11 and connects between the first seal 21 and the transverse support 111; the second rib 32 is disposed near the second bottom support 12 and connects between the first seal 21 and the transverse support 121. In one embodiment, the first rib 31 and the second rib 32 are symmetrically arranged, such as... Figure 5 As shown, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0042] To prevent the rib 30 from obstructing or blocking the condensate flowing between two adjacent heat exchange channels of the heat exchanger 3, thus hindering its drainage, the rib 30 can be inclined relative to the first seal 21, such as... Figure 6 As shown, this is to further ensure that the condensate drains smoothly.

[0043] Please see Figure 7 and Figure 9 The sealing element 1 may further include a top support portion 40 and a second sealing portion 22. The bottom support portion 40 may be configured to be mounted on the top of the heat exchanger 3 to support the heat exchanger 3 and prevent hard impact / hard contact between the top of the heat exchanger 3 and the housing H. The second sealing portion 22 may have an elongated shape (or a long strip) and be connected to the top support portion 40. The second sealing portion 22 may be mounted on the top surface of the heat exchanger 3 (e.g., ...). Figure 7 As shown), and under the squeezing action of the housing H, it seals the gap between the housing H and the top surface of the heat exchanger 3, preventing air leakage. This also reduces the area of ​​the sealing element 1, lowers costs, and avoids the problem of odor caused by the growth of large amounts of bacteria. Of course, this disclosure is not limited to this; for example, the second sealing part 22 can also be installed on the windward side of the heat exchanger 3 and shield the top liquid collection pipe 320 and the core 300 of the heat exchanger 3 (as shown). Figure 8 The gap between the shell H and the top of the heat exchanger 3 is sealed by the compression of the shell H. At the same time, it can also prevent air from flowing out directly from the gap between the top liquid collection pipe 320 and the core 300, thus effectively preventing air leakage.

[0044] Please continue reading Figure 7 and Figure 9The top support 40 may include a first top support 41 and a second top support 42, which can be respectively installed at both ends of the top of the heat exchanger 3 along the first direction X, and the second sealing part 22 extends between the first top support 41 and the second top support 42. The first top support 41 and the second top support 42 can cover the two corners of the top of the heat exchanger 3 along the first direction X, so as to facilitate manufacturing and provide stable support for the heat exchanger 3, avoiding hard contact between it and the housing H. It should be noted that the second top support 42 is provided with a notch to allow the fluid inlet 330 and fluid outlet 340 of the heat exchanger 3 (e.g., ...) to be connected. Figure 8 (As shown) can be connected to different fluid pipes 303 and 304 respectively via this notch (e.g. Figure 7 (As shown).

[0045] More specifically, such as Figure 9 As shown, the first top support 41 may include a side support portion 410 and a transverse support portion 411 connected to each other. Correspondingly, the second top support 42 may also include a side support portion 420 and a transverse support portion 421 connected to each other. The side support portions 410 and 420 can be respectively installed on the two sides of the top of the heat exchanger 3, and under the squeezing action of the housing H, seal the grooves (not shown) at both ends of the top liquid collecting pipe 320 of the heat exchanger 3, thereby achieving a seal between the housing H and the heat exchanger 3, especially with the two ends of the top liquid collecting pipe 320, preventing air leakage at the grooves, and also preventing hard contact between the housing H and the two sides of the top of the heat exchanger 3. Furthermore, the side support portion 420 may be provided with the aforementioned notch to allow the fluid inlet 330 and fluid outlet 340 of the heat exchanger 3 (e.g., ...) to... Figure 8 (As shown) can be connected to different fluid pipes 303 and 304 respectively via this notch (e.g. Figure 7 (As shown). The transverse support portions 411 and 421 include a middle portion and two end portions located at both ends of the middle portion. The middle portion can be installed on the top surface of the heat exchanger 3, and the two end portions can be installed on the windward and leeward sides of the heat exchanger 3, respectively, to support the heat exchanger 3 and prevent hard contact between the housing H and the top, windward, and leeward sides of the heat exchanger 3. In this embodiment, the second seal 22 can extend between the two transverse support portions 411 and 421 and can be installed on the top surface of the heat exchanger 3 to seal the gap between the top surface of the heat exchanger 3 and the housing H, and prevent hard contact between the housing H and the top surface of the heat exchanger 3.

[0046] Please see Figure 7 and Figure 9The sealing element 1 may further include a third sealing portion 23 and a fourth sealing portion 24, wherein the third sealing portion 23 extends between the first bottom support 11 and the first top support 41, particularly between the side supports 110 and 410, for sealing one side of the heat exchanger 3 (e.g., Figure 7 The gap between the right side shown and the housing H; the fourth sealing part 24 extends between the second bottom support 11 and the second top support 42, especially between the side supports 120 and 420, for sealing the other side of the heat exchanger 3 (as shown). Figure 7 The gap between the left side shown and the shell H is designed so that sealing elements 1 are provided around the air inlet of the heat exchanger 3, which further effectively prevents air leakage.

[0047] In one embodiment, the sealing element 1 can be a one-piece molded part to avoid the need for splicing between the components, effectively saving production time and costs. Of course, this disclosure is not limited to this, as long as the sealing element 1 has the above-described structure.

[0048] Please continue reading Figure 9 In one embodiment, the sealing element 1 can be directly formed into a three-dimensional structure as shown in the figure. Since the sealing element 1 is made of foam material (e.g., sponge), it has a certain degree of elasticity. Therefore, the sealing element 1 can be fitted onto / installed around the heat exchanger 3 even with slight deformation. Figures 4 to 7 As shown.

[0049] Of course, this disclosure is not limited to this; please see [link / reference]. Figure 10 The sealing element 1 can also be formed as a strip. The strip-shaped sealing element 1 can be adhesive or can be fixedly installed around the heat exchanger 3 by adhesive (not shown) to achieve a sealing effect. Such a configuration can facilitate the manufacture of the sealing element 1 and reduce the manufacturing cost.

[0050] Specifically, the sealing element 1 may include a first sealing portion 21 that is generally elongated and strip-shaped, and a first bottom support 11 and a second bottom support 12 connected to both ends of the first sealing portion 21. The first bottom support 11 includes a side support portion 110 and a transverse support portion 111, and correspondingly, the second bottom support 12 includes a side support portion 120 and a transverse support portion 121. The two ends of the first sealing portion 21 are respectively connected to the side support portions 110 and 120. The transverse support portion 111 is located on the side of the side support portion 110 near the second bottom support 12 and is disposed on the side support portion 110 opposite to the first sealing portion 21 (i.e., the transverse support portion 111 is connected to the side support portion 110). Correspondingly, the transverse support portion 121 is located on the side of the side support portion 120 near the first bottom support 11 and is disposed on the side support portion 120 opposite to the first sealing portion 21 (i.e., the transverse support portion 121 is connected to the side support portion 120). The side supports 110, 120 and the transverse supports 111, 121 are at least partially offset in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first sealing part 21, so that the bottom of the heat exchanger 3 is exposed as much as possible after the sealing element is installed on the heat exchanger 3, and the transverse supports 111, 121 can be at least partially installed on the leeward side of the heat exchanger 3 to avoid hard contact between the housing H and the leeward side.

[0051] At least one first rib 31 is connected between the transverse support 111 and the first sealing part 21 to form a discharge opening together with the first bottom support 11 and the first sealing part 21, facilitating the discharge of condensate, reducing the usable area of ​​the sealing element 1, lowering costs, preventing the growth of bacteria and the resulting odor, and increasing the structural strength of the sealing element 1. At least one second rib 32 is connected between the transverse support 121 and the first sealing part 21 to form a discharge opening together with the second bottom support 12 and the first sealing part 21, facilitating the discharge of condensate, lowering costs, preventing the growth of bacteria and the resulting odor, and increasing the structural strength of the sealing element 1. Preferably, the first rib 31 and the second rib 32 can be inclined relative to the first sealing part 21 to avoid the rib 30 blocking / blocking the condensate flowing down from the two adjacent heat exchange channels of the heat exchanger 3, thus preventing poor drainage.

[0052] Please continue reading Figure 10The sealing element 1 may further include a third sealing portion 23 and a fourth sealing portion 24, wherein the third sealing portion 23 is connected to the side of the lateral support portion 110 away from the second bottom support 12, and the fourth sealing portion 24 is connected to the side of the lateral support portion 120 away from the first bottom support 11. Specifically, the third sealing portion 23 may be generally elongated and extends from the lateral support portion 110 in a direction away from the lateral support portion 110, for sealing one side of the heat exchanger 3. The fourth sealing portion 24 may also be generally elongated and extends from the lateral support portion 120 in a direction away from the lateral support portion 120, for sealing the other side of the heat exchanger 3.

[0053] The sealing element 1 may further include a first top support 41 and a second top support 42. The first top support 41 includes a side support portion 410 and a transverse support portion 411 connected to each other. The side support portion 410 is connected to the end of the third sealing portion 23 away from the first bottom support 11 and is located between the transverse support portion 411 and the third sealing portion 23. In the extending direction perpendicular to the third sealing portion 23, both ends of the transverse support portion 411 extend beyond the side support portion 410 for installation on the windward and leeward sides of the heat exchanger 3, and the transverse support portion 411 is located in the middle portion between the two ends for installation on the top surface of the heat exchanger 3. The second top support 42 includes a side support portion 420 and a transverse support portion 421 that are separate from each other. After the sealing element 1 is installed on the heat exchanger 3, the edge of the side support portion 420 can directly contact the edge of the transverse support portion 421. The side support 420 is connected to the end of the fourth sealing part 24 away from the second bottom support 12, and the side support 420 is provided with two arc-shaped grooves on the side away from the fourth sealing part 24, so that after the sealing element 1 is installed on the heat exchanger 3, it can, together with the transverse support 421, define a notch for passing through the inlet 303 and the fluid outlet 304.

[0054] The sealing element 1 also includes a second sealing portion 22, connected to the side of the transverse support portion 411 away from the first bottom support 11, for sealing the top surface of the heat exchanger 3. The second sealing portion 22 may be generally elongated and extends from the transverse support portion 411 in a direction away from it. A transverse support portion 421 is connected to the end of the second sealing portion 22 away from the first top support 41. In the direction perpendicular to the extension of the second sealing portion 22, both ends of the transverse support portion 421 extend beyond the side support portion 420 for installation on the windward and leeward sides of the heat exchanger 3, and the middle portion of the transverse support portion 421 between the two ends is used for installation on the top surface of the heat exchanger 3. This elongated sealing element 1 is simple to manufacture, has a small area, and can form a similar shape after installation or bonding to the heat exchanger 3. Figure 9 The solid shape shown. Therefore, it can be seen that... Figure 10The elongated sealing element 1 shown can also be considered as... Figure 9 The structure of the three-dimensional sealing element 1 after it has been flattened is shown.

[0055] It can be seen that the sealing element 1 disclosed herein uses a smaller area, reduces costs, avoids the problem of odor caused by the growth of a large number of bacteria, and can also seal the gap between the housing H and the heat exchanger 3 to prevent air leakage.

[0056] Although the above embodiments of this disclosure are described with the example of the first bottom support 11 and the second bottom support 12 including the side support portion and the transverse support portion connected to each other, this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, either the first bottom support 11 or the second bottom support 12 may have different configurations, as long as they can support the heat exchanger 3 and prevent it from making hard contact with the housing H.

[0057] The above embodiments of this disclosure are all illustrated with the rib 30 being generally straight as an example. However, this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the rib 30 can also be generally arc-shaped, wavy, or any other suitable shape, as long as it can facilitate the discharge of condensate and improve the structural strength of the sealing element 1.

[0058] The above embodiments of this disclosure are all described with the first, second, third and fourth sealing portions 21-24 being generally straight and elongated strips as examples. However, this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, at least one of the second, third and fourth sealing portions 22-24 can also be configured to be curved, as long as it can seal the heat exchanger 3.

[0059] This disclosure Figure 10 The illustrated embodiment is described with the side support 420 and the transverse support 421 separated from each other before installation. However, this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the two can be connected to each other before installation and separated at other locations (e.g., the side support 410 and the transverse support 411 are separated), as long as the sealing element 1 can surround the heat exchanger 3 to achieve a seal after it is installed on the heat exchanger 3.

[0060] Furthermore, the above embodiments of this disclosure are all illustrated using the example of sealing element 1 being made of foam material. However, this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the sealing element can also be made of other materials that have a certain amount of compression, are waterproof, and can seal gas.

[0061] This disclosure provides a sealing element for a heat exchanger and a vehicle air conditioning system including the sealing element. By configuring the sealing element to include: a bottom support portion for supporting the heat exchanger, a slender strip-shaped first sealing portion for sealing, and a rib connecting the bottom support portion and the first sealing portion, most of the bottom of the heat exchanger is exposed instead of being largely covered by the sealing element. This allows condensate to drip directly from the bottom of the heat exchanger into the water collection chamber of the housing and drain smoothly. Simultaneously, it effectively reduces the usable area of ​​the sealing element, increases its structural strength, lowers costs, and avoids the problem of odor caused by the growth of large amounts of bacteria. The first sealing portion can be installed on the windward side of the heat exchanger and blocks the gap between the bottom liquid collection pipe and the core of the heat exchanger. Thus, under the compression of the housing, it prevents air from flowing directly through the gap and causing condensate to splash. It also seals the gap between the housing and the bottom of the heat exchanger, preventing air leakage. Furthermore, by setting the ribs to be inclined relative to the first sealing part, this disclosure can effectively avoid the problem of poor condensate drainage caused by the ribs blocking / blocking the condensate flowing down between two adjacent heat exchange channels of the heat exchanger.

[0062] The foregoing description, with reference to preferred embodiments, illustrates exemplary embodiments of the sealing element and vehicle air conditioning system including the sealing element provided in this disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and alterations can be made to the above specific embodiments without departing from the spirit of this disclosure, and various combinations can be made to the various technical features and structures proposed in this disclosure without exceeding the protection scope of this disclosure, the protection scope of which is determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sealing element (1) for a heat exchanger, the sealing element (1) comprising: The bottom support (10) is configured to be installed at the bottom of the heat exchanger; The first sealing part (21) has an elongated shape and is connected to the bottom support part (10); as well as Rib (30) is connected between the bottom support (10) and the first sealing part (21) to form a discharge opening together with the bottom support (10) and the first sealing part (21).

2. The sealing element (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The bottom support (10) includes a first bottom support (11) and a second bottom support (12), and the first sealing part (21) extends between the first bottom support (11) and the second bottom support (12).

3. The sealing element (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein, The first bottom support (11) and / or the second bottom support (12) include: side support portions (110, 120) and lateral support portions (111, 121) connected to each other, the side support portions (110, 120) and the lateral support portions (111, 121) being at least partially offset in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the first sealing portion (21).

4. The sealing element (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein, One end of the rib (30) is connected to the first sealing part (21), and the other end is connected to the transverse support part (111, 121).

5. The sealing element (1) as claimed in claim 4, wherein, The rib (30) is inclined relative to the first sealing part (21).

6. The sealing element (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein, The rib (30) includes at least one first rib (31) disposed near the first bottom support (11) and at least one second rib (32) disposed near the second bottom support (12).

7. The sealing element (1) as claimed in claim 6, wherein, The first bottom support (11) and the second bottom support (12) are symmetrically arranged; and / or the first rib (31) and the second rib (32) are symmetrically arranged.

8. The sealing element (1) as claimed in any one of claims 2-7, wherein, The sealing element (1) further includes: A top support (40) is configured to be mounted on top of the heat exchanger; and The second sealing part (22) has an elongated shape and is connected to the top support part (40).

9. The sealing element (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein, The top support (40) includes a first top support (41) and a second top support (42), which are respectively connected to the two ends of the second sealing part (22).

10. The sealing element (1) as claimed in claim 9, wherein, The sealing element (1) further includes: A third sealing portion (23) extends between the first bottom support (11) and the first top support (41); and The fourth sealing part (24) extends between the second bottom support (12) and the second top support (42).

11. The sealing element (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The sealing element (1) is a one-piece molded part.

12. The sealing element (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The sealing element (1) is made of foam material.

13. A vehicle air conditioning system (2), comprising: Shell (H); A heat exchanger (3) is disposed within the housing (H); as well as The sealing element (1) as described in any one of claims 1-12 is sandwiched between the housing (H) and the heat exchanger (3).

14. The vehicle air conditioning system (2) as described in claim 13, wherein, The side support portions (110, 120) of the bottom support portion (10) of the sealing element (1) are installed on the side of the heat exchanger (3), at least a portion of the transverse support portions (111, 121) of the bottom support portion (10) are installed on the bottom surface of the heat exchanger (3), and at least another portion is installed on the leeward side of the heat exchanger (3).

15. The vehicle air conditioning system (2) as described in claim 13 or 14, wherein, The first sealing part (21) of the sealing element (1) is installed on the windward side of the heat exchanger (3) and blocks the gap between the bottom liquid collection pipe (310) of the heat exchanger (3) and the core (300).

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