A type of automotive air conditioning duct

Abstract

This utility model discloses a vehicle air conditioning duct, belonging to the technical field of air conditioning systems for three-wheeled motorcycle canopies. It mainly includes a duct base, with a first and a second duct connection cover sealed to the base for distributing airflow. The first duct connection cover is sealed to a first and a second duct for connecting to a surface air vent. The second duct connection cover is sealed to a defrost transition duct. A main defrost outlet is located at the end of the defrost transition duct furthest from the duct base. Side defrost ducts are connected to both sides of the defrost transition duct, with a side defrost outlet at the end of each side duct. This utility model, by optimizing the duct structure, significantly reduces wind resistance, increasing airflow by 15%-20% without changing the fan power. It also reduces the severe impact and turbulence between the airflow and the duct wall, effectively reducing aerodynamic noise generated by the duct system and improving driving comfort. This utility model is mainly used in three-wheeled low-speed motorcycle canopies.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of air conditioning systems for three-wheeled motorcycles, and more specifically, it relates to an air conditioning duct for vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] The vehicle's air conditioning system is a key component ensuring passenger comfort. Its duct system is responsible for delivering the air processed by the air conditioning unit to the various air vents inside the vehicle. The airflow performance of the duct directly determines the cooling and heating efficiency of the air conditioning system and the passenger comfort, and is one of the important indicators for evaluating the overall vehicle performance. The existing defects of the air conditioning ducts in three-wheeled motorcycle canopies are mainly concentrated in three core problems: excessive wind resistance, serious airflow loss, and significant operating noise.

[0003] For example, patent CN209581078U features a vortex flow channel formed on the radial outer side of the impeller in the blower housing. This complex multi-pipe or multi-bend design results in a rough inner surface of the pipes, making it prone to vortex and separation phenomena when airflow passes through, leading to significant airflow energy loss and increased wind resistance. Secondly, the countercurrent formed within the vortex flow channel directly impacts the mainstream airflow, reducing the mainstream wind speed and thus decreasing the effective exhaust volume. Simultaneously, the lack of a reasonable airflow distribution structure within the duct causes localized airflow accumulation after entering the distributor housing, resulting in insufficient airflow supply to areas far from the blower, further exacerbating the overall loss of effective airflow utilization and severely affecting the cooling and heating efficiency and speed of the air conditioner. Thirdly, the impact of the countercurrent and mainstream flow within the vortex flow channel causes intense friction and collision with the duct wall, generating vortices and thus creating operating noise in the air conditioning system, reducing driving comfort. Utility Model Content

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a vehicle air conditioning duct that significantly reduces wind resistance by optimizing the duct structure, increases air volume by 15%-20% without changing the fan power, and at the same time reduces the severe impact and turbulence between the airflow and the duct wall, effectively reducing the aerodynamic noise generated by the duct system and improving driving comfort.

[0005] The aforementioned vehicle air conditioning duct includes a damper mechanism assembly. The damper mechanism assembly is sealed with a duct connection cover one and a duct connection cover two for distributing air volume. The duct connection cover one is sealed with a first duct and a second duct for communicating with a face air vent. The duct connection cover two is sealed with a defrost transition duct. The end of the defrost transition duct away from the damper mechanism assembly is provided with a main defrost air outlet. The two sides of the defrost transition duct are respectively connected to side defrost ducts, and the end of the side defrost duct is provided with a side defrost air outlet.

[0006] Preferably, both the first and second air ducts are straight-through circular tubes with an inner wall surface roughness Ra value of no more than 3.2 μm.

[0007] Preferably, the first air duct is provided with a Venturi tubular structure near the middle, the Venturi tubular structure including a tapering section, a throat and a widening section connected in sequence, the widening section being located near the air outlet.

[0008] Preferably, branch pipes are fixedly connected to both sides of the defrosting transition air duct, the branch pipes are connected to the side defrosting air duct, and a bend is provided between the branch pipe and the side defrosting air duct. The ratio of the radius of curvature R of the bend to the diameter D is greater than 1.5.

[0009] Preferably, the air inlet of the damper assembly is provided with an HVAC assembly, which integrates an evaporator and a heater core. The air inlet of the damper assembly and the air outlet of the HVAC assembly are connected and fixed by a snap-fit.

[0010] Preferably, it also includes an instrument panel, with a face air vent disposed on the instrument panel, an HVAC assembly and a damper mechanism assembly disposed on one side of the bottom of the instrument panel, a first air outlet at the end of the first air duct, the first air duct extending toward the face air vent on the side away from the damper mechanism assembly, a second air outlet at the end of the second air duct, and the first air outlet and the second air outlet communicating with the corresponding face air vent.

[0011] Preferably, the first air duct is fixedly connected to the upper part of the instrument panel by fasteners.

[0012] Preferably, the instrument panel has a central cavity in the middle that allows for adjustment of the installation position of the HVAC assembly and the damper mechanism assembly.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are: 1. The damper assembly 5 is equipped with two additional air duct connecting covers, which, together with the first air duct, the second air duct, and the defrost transition air duct, enable zoned delivery of airflow for blowing on the face and defrosting. The main defrost air outlet precisely covers the main field of vision of the windshield, and the side defrost air ducts supplement the defrosting of the side windows, comprehensively ensuring driving visibility and safety. At the same time, the first and second air ducts enable zoned air delivery for the driver and passenger, meeting the needs of different people and improving comfort.

[0014] 2. The first and second air ducts adopt a straight-through circular tube structure without right-angle bends, which greatly reduces the local resistance during airflow and avoids the generation of eddies and airflow loss. At the same time, the circular tube cross-section is subjected to uniform stress, which can reduce the structural vibration noise caused by airflow impact. Furthermore, the surface roughness Ra value of the inner wall of the first and second air ducts is no greater than 3.2μm, making the inner wall surface a high-precision smooth surface. This can significantly reduce the frictional resistance between the airflow and the duct wall, reduce the kinetic energy loss during airflow transmission, and reduce the aerodynamic noise generated by airflow friction, thereby improving air delivery efficiency and quietness.

[0015] 3. The side defrosting duct has a bend with an R / D ratio greater than 1.5. The bend reduces airflow separation at the bend, avoids the formation of vortex zones, and reduces local wind resistance, thus reducing airflow loss. With the fan power remaining unchanged, the reduction in wind resistance directly translates into an increase in airflow at the outlet, increasing the airflow by 15%-20%. At the same time, the gentle bend path ensures the stability of the effective flow cross-section of the side defrosting duct, ensuring that the wind speed and airflow at the side defrosting outlet meet the defrosting requirements and avoiding airflow attenuation caused by the bend.

[0016] 4. The first air duct is equipped with a Venturi tube structure, which accelerates the airflow in the converging section, stabilizes the flow in the throat, and pressurizes the airflow in the expanding section. In other words, after the airflow is optimized by the Venturi tube structure, the total pressure loss is reduced, and air volume leakage is avoided due to insufficient pressure at the end. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the rear structure of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a front structural diagram of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a side view of the present invention. Figure 4 This is the front view of the present invention; Figure 5 for Figure 4 A magnified view of part A in the middle; Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the damper mechanism assembly and the HVAC assembly; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of this utility model with the instrument panel; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the instrument panel and the HVAC assembly.

[0018] In the diagram, 1. Main defrost air outlet; 2. First air duct; 201. First air outlet; 202. Gradient section; 203. Throat; 204. Gradient expansion section; 3. Second air duct; 301. Second air outlet; 4. Defrost transition air duct; 401. Side defrost air duct; 402. Bend; 403. Side defrost air outlet; 5. Damper mechanism assembly; 501. Air duct connecting cover one; 502. Air duct connecting cover two; 6. HVAC assembly; 7. Instrument panel; 701. Central cavity. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings: The directional terms used in the detailed description paragraphs are only for the convenience of those skilled in the art to understand the technical solutions described in this application based on the visual orientation shown in the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "setting," "installation," "connection," etc., should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0020] Example 1: like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, an automotive air conditioning duct includes a damper mechanism assembly 5, which is existing technology. The damper mechanism assembly 5 has a built-in damper component that can control the airflow ratio and airflow interruption of the face-blowing and defrosting ducts. It also receives the airflow processed by the evaporator or heater core within the HVAC assembly 6 and ensures that the airflow is distributed orderly from the intake end to each functional duct. The damper mechanism assembly 5 is sealed with a duct connection cover 501 and a duct connection cover 502 for distributing airflow via an annular sealing groove and a built-in fluororubber sealing ring. This sealed connection prevents airflow leakage from the gap between the damper mechanism assembly 5 and the connection cover, reducing airflow loss. The addition of duct connection covers 501 and 502 allows for the partitioning of the air outlet of the damper mechanism assembly 5, precisely distributing airflow to the face-blowing and defrosting air outlets, avoiding interference between airflows from different functional ducts, and ensuring that the required airflow for face-blowing and defrosting is supplied as needed.

[0021] For ease of installation, in this embodiment, the first air duct connecting cover 501 and the second air duct connecting cover 502 are fixedly connected to the damper mechanism assembly 5 by snap-fit. The first air duct connecting cover 501 has a sealed connection to a first air duct 2 and a second air duct 3 for communication with the face blowing air outlet. During installation, the first air duct 2 and the second air duct 3 are interference-fitted with the two air outlets on the first air duct connecting cover 501 to block the airflow leakage path. The first air duct 2 and the second air duct 3 correspond to the face blowing needs of the driver's and passenger's areas respectively, realizing independent air supply to the zones, avoiding the problem of uneven air volume distribution when supplying air through a single air duct, and improving the air supply accuracy of different positions. The second air duct connecting cover 502 has a sealed connection to a defrost transition air duct 4. During processing, it is preferable that the second air duct connecting cover 502 and the defrost transition air duct 4 are integrally formed to prevent defrost airflow leakage and make installation more convenient, ensuring the air volume supply of the defrost system. The defrosting transition air duct 4 is essentially an airflow buffer section. It can optimize the flow pattern of the high-speed airflow entering from the damper assembly 5, reduce eddies, and avoid the surge in air resistance caused by the airflow directly impacting the defrosting outlet. At the same time, it provides a stable airflow basis for subsequent diversion to the main and side defrosting air ducts, ensuring defrosting efficiency.

[0022] The defrosting transition air duct 4 has a main defrosting outlet 1 at its end furthest from the damper assembly 5. The main defrosting outlet 1 is the core output end for the defrosting airflow, its position and angle precisely aligned with the driver's primary field of vision on the windshield. By concentrating and delivering high-speed airflow, it can quickly break up frost or fog in this area, prioritizing the clarity of the driver's core field of vision and reducing driving safety hazards. The defrosting transition air duct 4 is connected to side defrosting air ducts 401 on both sides, with side defrosting outlets 403 at their ends. The side defrosting air ducts 401 are used to achieve lateral diversion of the defrosting airflow, compensating for the insufficient coverage of the side windshield by the main defrosting outlet 1. The side defrosting outlets 403 are positioned to align with the field of vision corresponding to the side window and rearview mirror, ensuring that the airflow directly acts on the frosted areas of the side window, improving the overall defrosting coverage of the vehicle and preventing obstructed side window visibility from affecting lane changes, turns, and other maneuvers.

[0023] In this embodiment, both the first air duct 2 and the second air duct 3 are straight-through circular tube structures. Compared to square or irregularly shaped tubes, the inner wall has no right-angle corners, which reduces local resistance during airflow, avoids eddies and airflow loss, and the circular tube cross-section experiences uniform stress, reducing structural vibration noise caused by airflow impact. Furthermore, the inner wall surface roughness Ra value is no greater than 3.2μm, resulting in a high-precision smooth surface that significantly reduces frictional resistance between the airflow and the tube wall, reduces kinetic energy loss during airflow transmission, and lowers aerodynamic noise generated by airflow friction, thereby improving air delivery efficiency and quietness.

[0024] The first air duct 2 is equipped with a Venturi tube structure near its center. The Venturi tube structure includes a tapering section 202, a throat 203, and a widening section 204 connected in sequence. Preferably, the ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the throat 203 to the cross-sectional area of ​​the air duct inlet is 0.6-0.8, and the widening section 204 is located near the air outlet. The tapering section 202 accelerates the airflow along its path, increases the kinetic energy of the airflow, and avoids stagnation areas caused by velocity decay in the middle of the air duct. The throat 203 is the peak velocity region, which can stabilize the airflow, reduce turbulence, and reduce local wind resistance and noise. The widening section 204 is located near the air outlet, which can gradually convert kinetic energy into pressure energy before the airflow reaches the outlet, avoid air volume leakage caused by insufficient pressure at the end, and at the same time allow the airflow to be blown out in a more stable state, reducing the discomfort of direct airflow to the face of the driver and passengers and improving the comfort of air supply.

[0025] Branch pipes are fixedly connected to both sides of the defrosting transition air duct 4. The branch pipes are integrally formed with the defrosting transition air duct 4 and are connected to the side defrosting air duct 401. A bend 402 is provided between the branch pipe and the side defrosting air duct 401. The ratio of the radius of curvature R to the diameter D of the bend 402 is greater than 1.5. That is, the bend 402 is a smooth bend with a large radius of curvature. On the one hand, according to fluid mechanics, a large radius of curvature can reduce the separation of airflow at the bend, avoid the formation of vortex areas easily formed by small curvature, reduce local wind resistance, and reduce air volume loss. On the other hand, the reduction of vortices can significantly reduce the aerodynamic noise generated by airflow disturbance. At the same time, the gentle bend path can ensure the stability of the effective flow section of the side defrosting air duct 401, ensure that the wind speed and air volume of the side defrosting outlet meet the defrosting requirements, and avoid airflow attenuation caused by bend.

[0026] Example 2: like Figures 6 to 8 As shown, an automotive air conditioning duct includes an HVAC assembly 6 at the air intake end of a damper assembly 5. The HVAC assembly 6 integrates an evaporator and a heater core. The evaporator is the core heat exchange component of the air conditioning system's cooling circuit, cooling the airflow entering the duct. In heating mode, the heater core heats the airflow through engine coolant circulation or a PTC heating element, working in conjunction with the evaporator to meet both cooling and heating requirements of the air conditioning system. The heater core and evaporator achieve cold and warm airflow output through the air conditioning system's damper switching, ensuring that the airflow delivered by the duct covers both cooling and heating conditions. The air intake of the damper assembly 5 and the air outlet of the HVAC assembly 6 are fixed together by snap-fit ​​connections. This snap-fit ​​connection allows for quick assembly of the HVAC assembly 6 and the damper assembly 5, and the connection strength ensures the relative position stability of both during vehicle vibration, preventing sealing gaps due to loosening. It also facilitates future maintenance and replacement of the HVAC assembly 6.

[0027] This embodiment also includes a dashboard 7, on which the air vents are mounted. The dashboard 7 provides a mounting platform for the air vents that matches the height and angle of the driver's or passenger's face, ensuring that the airflow direction accurately covers the facial area and improving airflow comfort. Secondly, the interior structure of the dashboard 7 can conceal the connection between the air vent edge and the air duct, improving the aesthetics of the vehicle interior and preventing dust and debris from entering the air duct and causing blockage. The HVAC assembly 6 and the damper mechanism assembly 5 are located on one side of the bottom of the dashboard 7. This location is unused space in the vehicle interior. Placing the HVAC assembly 6 and the damper mechanism assembly 5 here avoids occupying the effective space of the passenger compartment and optimizes the interior layout. Secondly, the bottom position is away from the driver and passengers, which reduces the transmission of operating noise from the HVAC assembly 6 to the passenger area. Thirdly, this concealed installation avoids direct exposure of components, reducing the risk of collision damage, while also meeting the integrated design requirements of the entire vehicle interior.

[0028] In this embodiment, the first air duct 2 has a first air outlet 201 at its end. The first air outlet 201 is used to precisely connect with the corresponding air blowing outlet. Through size adaptation and sealing connection with a rubber sealing ring, it can ensure that the airflow enters the air blowing outlet without leakage, reducing the air volume loss at the end. The first air duct 2 extends towards the air blowing outlet on the side away from the damper assembly 5, realizing path optimization based on the internal space of the instrument panel 7. The direction of the air duct can be adjusted according to the position of the air outlet, avoiding excessive bending and reducing wind resistance. At the same time, it ensures that the length of the air duct matches the position of the air outlet, achieving efficient air delivery. During installation, the first air duct 2 is fixedly connected to the upper part of the instrument panel 7 with fasteners to prevent the air duct from shifting or shaking due to vibration when the vehicle is moving. At the same time, it can maintain the original shape of the air duct, avoid deformation that causes the flow channel cross-section to shrink, ensure the stability of the airflow delivery path, and reduce the increase in wind resistance and air volume loss caused by changes in the flow channel.

[0029] The second air duct 3 has a second air outlet 301 at its end, and the first air outlet 201 and the second air outlet 301 are connected to the corresponding air vents. The second air outlet 301 and the first air outlet 201 form a dual air outlet independently adapted to each other, corresponding to the side air vents of the driver and passenger respectively. The air volume on both sides can be independently adjusted through the air damper to meet the air supply needs of different drivers and passengers.

[0030] The instrument panel 7 has a central cavity 701 in the middle, which allows for adjustment of the mounting positions of the HVAC assembly 6 and the damper mechanism assembly 5. The central cavity 701 provides operating space for later maintenance, facilitating the disassembly and replacement of the HVAC assembly 6 or the damper mechanism assembly 5, thus reducing maintenance difficulty. The remaining structure is the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0031] In use, in cooling mode, the HVAC assembly 6 first cools the airflow through the evaporator, and the airflow after heat exchange enters the damper assembly 5; in heating mode, the heater core inside the HVAC assembly 6 heats the airflow, and the heated airflow after temperature regulation enters the damper assembly 5. The damper assembly 5 achieves airflow partitioning through duct connecting cover one 501 and duct connecting cover two 502: duct connecting cover one 501 guides the airflow into the first duct 2 and the second duct 3. In this system, the airflow is accelerated by the converging section 202, stabilized by the throat 203, pressurized by the expanding section 204, and optimized in the Venturi structure of the first air duct 2. It then connects to the air vents on the dashboard 7 via the first air outlet 201 and the second air outlet 301, providing airflow to the driver and passenger areas. The air duct connecting cover 502 guides the airflow into the defrosting transition air duct 4, whose side branches connect to the side defrosting air duct 401 via bends 402, reducing eddies and airflow loss. Finally, the main defrosting air outlet 1 blows airflow to the windshield's main visibility area, and the side defrosting air outlets 403 blow airflow to the side windows for defrosting. The HVAC assembly 6 and the damper mechanism assembly 5 are installed at the bottom of the dashboard 7 to save space. The central cavity 701 facilitates component adjustment. The air ducts are secured with fasteners for vibration damping, and the fully sealed design reduces leakage, ensuring efficient airflow delivery.

[0032] Finally, although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This way of describing the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An air conditioning duct for a vehicle comprising a damper mechanism assembly (5) characterised in that: The damper assembly (5) is sealed with a duct connection cover one (501) and a duct connection cover two (502) for distributing air volume. The duct connection cover one (501) is sealed with a first duct (2) and a second duct (3) for communicating with the face blowing air outlet. The duct connection cover two (502) is sealed with a defrost transition duct (4). The defrost transition duct (4) is provided with a main defrost air outlet (1) at one end away from the damper assembly (5). The two sides of the defrost transition duct (4) are respectively connected to side defrost ducts (401). The end of the side defrost duct (401) is provided with a side defrost air outlet (403).

2. The air conditioning air duct for vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first air duct (2) and the second air duct (3) are both straight-through circular tube structures, and the surface roughness Ra value of the inner wall is not greater than 3.2μm.

3. The air conditioning air duct for vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first air duct (2) is provided with a Venturi tubular structure near the middle. The Venturi tubular structure includes a tapering section (202), a throat (203) and a widening section (204) connected in sequence. The widening section (204) is located near the air outlet.

4. The air conditioning air duct for vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The defrosting transition air duct (4) is fixedly connected to two side branches, which are connected to the side defrosting air duct (401). A bend (402) is provided between the branch and the side defrosting air duct (401), and the ratio of the radius of curvature R to the diameter D of the bend (402) is greater than 1.

5.

5. The air conditioning air duct for vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The air inlet of the damper assembly (5) is provided with an HVAC assembly (6), which integrates an evaporator and a heater core. The air inlet of the damper assembly (5) and the air outlet of the HVAC assembly (6) are connected and fixed by a snap fastener.

6. The air conditioning air duct for vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes an instrument panel (7), a face air vent is set on the instrument panel (7), an HVAC assembly (6) and a damper mechanism assembly (5) are set on one side of the bottom of the instrument panel (7), a first air outlet (201) is provided at the end of the first air duct (2), the first air duct (2) extends toward the face air vent on the side away from the damper mechanism assembly (5), a second air outlet (301) is provided at the end of the second air duct (3), and the first air outlet (201) and the second air outlet (301) are connected to the corresponding face air vent.

7. The air conditioning air duct for vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first air duct (2) is fixedly connected to the upper part of the instrument panel (7) by fasteners.

8. The air conditioning air duct for vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that: The instrument panel (7) has a central cavity (701) in the middle, which allows for adjustment of the installation positions of the HVAC assembly (6) and the damper mechanism assembly (5).

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