Air conditioner air duct satisfying forklift multi-zone airflow adjustment

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of air conditioners of industrial vehicles, in particular to an air conditioner air duct satisfying multi-zone air flow adjustment of a forklift, which comprises a fan and an air conditioner main machine installed on the outer side of the top of the forklift, the air duct of the air conditioner main machine is arranged on four struts of a passenger cabin of the forklift and is distributed along the struts, detachable connection is achieved between each air duct and the air conditioner main machine, at least two air outlets are arranged on the side of each air duct facing the inside of the passenger cabin, and the air outlets of the same air duct are distributed on different vertical planes. The scheme has the advantages of simple structure, low manufacturing cost, and the like. The air conditioner air outlet structure mainly comprises a square structure main machine and air ducts symmetrically designed on the left and right sides. The air duct structure is convenient to arrange and disassemble, the air duct is directly connected with the main machine, the view for forklift operation is not affected, the air outlets can be opened and closed and the air speed can be adjusted, and an electric control system is configured to realize automatic air sweeping.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of air conditioning technology for industrial vehicles, and in particular to an air conditioning duct that meets the requirements of multi-zone airflow regulation for forklifts. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the development of forklift air conditioning systems is at a critical stage of strategic transformation, shifting from "basic functionality" to "high efficiency and comfort." The core driving force behind this transformation stems from the comprehensive electrification trend of forklift power sources. Faced with the stringent energy consumption requirements of electric platforms, the air conditioning system, as the largest auxiliary power consumption unit, directly affects the vehicle's range and overall economy.

[0003] At the technical level, electric inverter compressor systems using R134a as refrigerant have become the mainstream in the market, meeting the basic needs in most scenarios with their mature and reliable technology and optimized energy efficiency control.

[0004] Meanwhile, user experience has become a new competitive focus. Traditional simple air duct designs are being optimized using tools such as computational fluid dynamics to improve the uniformity and comfort of airflow distribution within the cab. High-efficiency air filtration, intelligent temperature control, and even remote control functions deeply integrated with the vehicle management system are also beginning to be applied to mid-to-high-end models, marking the evolution of forklift air conditioning from a single temperature control device to an integrated intelligent environmental management system.

[0005] However, challenges remain. Finding a balance between extremely limited installation space, harsh vibration environments, and intense cost control pressures is a critical hurdle that the industry must overcome to ensure continued innovation.

[0006] Currently, the air duct technology of forklift air conditioning systems is still in a traditional design stage that prioritizes functionality, and its development lags significantly behind that of passenger vehicles. Due to the compact structure and extremely limited space of the forklift cab, which is largely occupied by mechanical structures such as the steering wheel, overhead guard, various control levers, and instrument panel, the space left for air duct layout is very limited.

[0007] This inherent space limitation leads to the following common pain points in existing air duct designs:

[0008] With simple injection molding and rigid structures, the air ducts of most forklifts utilize a simple plastic injection molding process. They are typically rigid, fixed-shape, simple grid-like mechanical structures arranged on the top of the forklift, as shown below. Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown. While this rigid structure is inexpensive, it lacks flexibility.

[0009] Uneven airflow distribution and poor comfort are often due to the rudimentary layout of the air ducts, resulting in uneven air delivery. A common problem is that airflow is concentrated in a few fixed vents, as shown in the image below, located overhead. This means that only the head has an air outlet, while areas such as the driver's back and sides are prone to airflow dead zones. In hot summer weather, this can create an uneven sensation, where the face feels cool while the body remains hot, severely impacting driver comfort.

[0010] The existing air duct systems suffer from low levels of personalization and intelligence. Most rely on simple manual dampers for airflow direction and volume adjustment, failing to achieve intelligent modes such as multi-zone operation and automatic air sweeping, as seen in passenger vehicles. The adjustment range of the air outlet direction and angle is also typically very limited, making it difficult to meet the personalized needs of drivers of different sizes. Therefore, to address these issues, this application provides an air conditioning duct system that satisfies the multi-zone airflow regulation requirements of forklifts. Utility Model Content

[0011] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides an air conditioning duct that satisfies the multi-zone airflow regulation requirements of forklifts.

[0012] This application provides an air conditioning duct that satisfies the multi-zone airflow regulation of a forklift, including a fan and an air conditioning unit installed on the outer side of the top of the forklift. The air ducts of the air conditioning unit are arranged on the four pillars of the forklift passenger compartment and distributed along the direction of the pillars. Each air duct and the air conditioning unit are detachably connected. Each air duct has at least two air outlets on the side facing the inside of the passenger compartment. The air outlets of the same air duct are distributed in different vertical planes.

[0013] Preferably, the air duct includes a left front air duct and a right front air duct disposed on the front side of the crew compartment, and also includes a left rear air duct and a right rear air duct disposed on the rear side of the crew compartment.

[0014] Preferably, the air outlet includes an upper air outlet located at the top of the air duct.

[0015] Preferably, the air outlet further includes a central air outlet located in the middle of the air duct.

[0016] Preferably, the air outlet further includes a lower air outlet located at the bottom of the air duct.

[0017] Preferably, the upper air outlet, lower air outlet, and middle air outlet are adjustable in terms of airflow direction and volume.

[0018] In summary, this application includes the following beneficial technical effects:

[0019] 1. The structure of this application is simple and the manufacturing cost is low. The air conditioning outlet structure mainly consists of a square main unit and symmetrically designed air ducts on the left and right sides.

[0020] 2. The air duct structure of this application is easy to arrange and disassemble. The air duct is directly connected to the main unit and does not affect the visibility of the forklift operator.

[0021] 3. The air duct structure of this application can effectively improve the temperature regulation needs of the head, body and legs of the driver and passengers. Each air duct includes three adjustable air outlets, one at the top, one at the middle and one at the bottom. Each air outlet corresponds to the head, body and legs of the driver and passengers respectively. Each air outlet can be adjusted in multiple directions. The air outlet can be opened and closed and the wind speed can be adjusted. The electronic control system can realize automatic air sweeping. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a diagram of the existing technology structure;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a diagram of the existing technology structure;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a front view of this application;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a side view of this application;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a rendering of Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Fan; 2. Air conditioning unit; 3. Front left air duct; 4. Upper air outlet of the front left air duct; 5. Middle air outlet of the front left air duct; 6. Lower air outlet of the front left air duct; 7. Front right air duct; 8. Upper air outlet of the front right air duct; 9. Middle air outlet of the front right air duct; 10. Lower air outlet of the front right air duct; 11. Rear left air duct; 12. Upper air outlet of the rear left air duct; 13. Middle air outlet of the rear left air duct; 14. Lower air outlet of the rear left air duct; 15. Rear right air duct; 16. Upper air outlet of the rear right air duct; 17. Middle air outlet of the rear right air duct; 18. Lower air outlet of the rear right air duct. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1 - Figure 3 This application will be described in further detail.

[0029] Example 1:

[0030] An air conditioning duct that meets the requirements of multi-zone airflow regulation in forklifts, referring to Figure 1 - Figure 3 It includes a fan 1 and an air conditioning unit 2 installed on the outside of the top of the forklift. The air ducts of the air conditioning unit 2 are arranged on the four pillars of the forklift passenger compartment and distributed along the direction of the pillars. Each air duct has at least two air outlets on the side facing the inside of the passenger compartment. The air outlets of the same air duct are distributed on different vertical planes.

[0031] The air ducts include a left front air duct 3 and a right front air duct 7 located at the front of the crew cabin, and a left rear air duct 11 and a right rear air duct 15 located at the rear of the crew cabin.

[0032] The air outlet includes an upper air outlet located at the top of the air duct. The upper air outlet discharges air vertically downwards. The upper air outlet includes an upper air outlet 4 in the left front air duct, an upper air outlet 8 in the right front air duct, an upper air outlet 12 in the left rear air duct, and an upper air outlet 16 in the right rear air duct, which are installed on their respective air ducts.

[0033] The air outlet also includes a central air outlet located in the middle of the air duct. The air outlets all point towards the area where the driver's upper limbs are located in the passenger compartment. The central air outlets include a central air outlet 5 in the left front air duct, a central air outlet 9 in the right front air duct, a central air outlet 13 in the left rear air duct, and a central air outlet 17 in the right rear air duct, which are installed on their respective air ducts.

[0034] The air outlet also includes a lower air outlet located at the bottom of the air duct. The air outlet is directed towards the area where the driver's lower limbs are located in the passenger compartment. The lower air outlet includes a lower air outlet 6 in the left front air duct, a lower air outlet 10 in the right front air duct, a lower air outlet 14 in the left rear air duct, and a lower air outlet 18 in the right rear air duct, which are installed on their respective air ducts.

[0035] The upper, lower, and middle air outlets can be adjusted in terms of airflow direction and volume. With the addition of an electronic control system, the airflow direction and volume of each outlet can be autonomously adjusted and controlled.

[0036] By making full use of the space characteristics of the forklift, the air conditioning unit 2 for heat exchange is placed outside the forklift, and the air ducts are arranged inside the driver's cab according to the heat dissipation characteristics of different parts of the human body. This can effectively improve the temperature regulation needs of the driver's head, body and legs, and is low in cost and easy to maintain.

[0037] The foregoing description, with reference to preferred embodiments, illustrates an exemplary implementation of an air conditioning duct that satisfies multi-zone airflow regulation for forklifts. 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, which is determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioning duct that satisfies the multi-zone airflow regulation of a forklift, characterized in that: Includes a fan (1) and an air conditioning unit (2) installed on the outside of the top of the forklift. The air ducts of the air conditioning unit (2) are arranged on the four pillars of the forklift passenger compartment and distributed along the direction of the pillars. Each air duct and the air conditioning unit (2) are detachably connected. Each air duct has at least two air outlets on the side facing the inside of the passenger compartment. The air outlets of the same air duct are distributed on different vertical planes.

2. The air conditioning duct for multi-zone airflow regulation of forklifts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air ducts include a left front air duct (3) and a right front air duct (7) located at the front of the crew cabin, and a left rear air duct (11) and a right rear air duct (15) located at the rear of the crew cabin.

3. The air conditioning duct for multi-zone airflow regulation of forklifts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air outlets include the upper air outlets (4, 8, 12, 16) located at the top of the air duct.

4. The air conditioning duct for multi-zone airflow regulation of forklifts according to claim 3, characterized in that: The air outlet also includes a central air outlet (5, 9, 13, 17) located in the middle of the air duct.

5. The air conditioning duct for multi-zone airflow regulation of forklifts according to claim 4, characterized in that: The air outlet also includes a lower air outlet (6, 10, 14, 18) located at the bottom of the air duct.

6. The air conditioning duct for multi-zone airflow regulation of forklifts according to claim 5, characterized in that: The upper air outlet (4, 8, 12, 16), lower air outlet (5, 9, 13, 17), and middle air outlet (6, 10, 14, 18) can adjust the air outlet direction and air volume.

Images