Air conditioning unit and motor vehicle

Abstract

Air conditioning unit (1) for air conditioning a vehicle interior of a motor vehicle (2), with a coolant connection (3), a refrigerant connection (4), a condensate connection (5) and an air supply duct connection (6), all of which are arranged in a coupling end plate (7) and surrounded by a circumferential seal (8).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning unit, in particular for air conditioning the interior of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle with such an air conditioning unit.

[0002] FR 2 867 422 A1 discloses an air conditioning housing and an air scoop connection system for motor vehicles comprising a pipe with a supporting edge, supported on a soundproofing material whose length is less than or equal to the thickness of the housing wall. The material has two layers.

[0003] From WO 2017 / 141 514 A1, an air conditioning unit for a vehicle is known which is designed in such a way that a panel can be attached to an air conditioning unit with increased ease and at the same time can be reliably fastened thereto.

[0004] From DE 94 20 222 U1 an arrangement of components for ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning of a cockpit of a motor vehicle is known, wherein the components are combined to form a module.

[0005] Heating / air conditioning units (often referred to as HVAC, or Heat-Ventilation-Air-Conditioning) are typically installed in the interior of a motor vehicle. Both the fresh air supply and all connections for refrigerant and coolant lines must be routed through a bulkhead that separates the vehicle interior from the engine compartment. Additional hoses separately drain the condensate from the vehicle interior. However, each of these interfaces requires its own seal, which not only requires a high level of sealing effort but also requires considerable assembly work, as each passage through the bulkhead must be sealed separately. Furthermore, individual openings in the bulkhead must be provided for each line, which also increases the manufacturing effort for the bulkhead itself.Both the creation of the individual openings and the soundproofing and moisture-proofing of each opening entail additional costs.

[0006] The present invention therefore addresses the problem of providing an air conditioning unit which, in particular when installed in a motor vehicle, avoids the disadvantages known from the prior art.

[0007] This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0008] The present invention is based on the general idea of ​​bundling all connections of an air conditioning unit, such as the refrigerant connection, condensate connection, air supply duct connection, and coolant connection, and routing them as a bundled line or duct package through a single opening in the bulkhead of a motor vehicle. The air conditioning unit according to the invention has the aforementioned coolant connection, the refrigerant connection, the condensate connection, and an air supply duct connection, all of which are now arranged in a coupling bulkhead according to the invention and surrounded by a circumferential seal. Thus, with the air conditioning unit according to the invention, only a single seal is required to seal the through-opening in a bulkhead separating a vehicle interior / passenger compartment from an engine compartment, thereby significantly reducing both the sealing effort and the assembly effort.By bundling the individual lines in the coupling front plate, a single, larger through-hole in the bulkhead of the vehicle is sufficient, through which all lines or ducts of the air conditioning system are routed in a bundle. This also reduces the manufacturing costs of the bulkhead. A particular advantage of the air conditioning system according to the invention, however, is that by reducing the number of seals from the previous n seals for n lines to just a single seal, a significant reduction in the susceptibility to leaks can be achieved.

[0009] In an advantageous development of the inventive solution, the coupling end plate is designed as a plastic injection-molded part. This makes it possible to manufacture the coupling end plate not only cost-effectively but also with high quality, whereby the individual receptacles for the respective connections, for example, the refrigerant connection or the coolant connection, can be realized relatively easily using a correspondingly designed plastic injection mold. Of course, it is also theoretically conceivable to construct the coupling end plate from metal, in particular from sheet metal.

[0010] The air conditioning unit expediently has a distributor housing on which the coupling end plate is arranged. The distributor housing has at least two controllable air outlets, through which the fresh air expelled from the air conditioning unit can be individually distributed to individual passenger compartment areas. The coupling end plate can be arranged directly on the distributor housing or on an evaporator or condenser or a filter device arranged between the coupling end plate and the distributor housing.

[0011] It is advisable to install an adjustable flap in at least one air outlet of the distributor housing. Such an adjustable flap allows an air outlet to be individually controlled via a corresponding diffuser.

[0012] In a further advantageous embodiment of the inventive solution, the air conditioning unit has a filter device. Such a filter device, which can be designed, for example, as a pollen filter, can further purify the fresh air flowing into the passenger compartment. Of course, the filter device can also contain other filter materials, such as activated carbon, to separate other pollutants from the fresh air.

[0013] The present invention is further based on the general idea of ​​specifying a motor vehicle which has a bulkhead separating a vehicle interior from an engine compartment. At least one through-opening is provided in this bulkhead. Also provided in the motor vehicle according to the invention is an air conditioning unit as described in the previous paragraphs, which is placed with its coupling end plate onto the through-opening in such a way that the coolant connection, the refrigerant connection, the condensate connection and the air supply duct connection can be guided through the through-opening and the seal on the coupling end plate rests tightly against an edge of the through-opening. This makes it possible to connect all of the connections and / or the air supply ducts with just one single seal and just one single through-opening in the bulkhead of the motor vehicle.To route the air conditioning unit's lines through the bulkhead, whereby the manufacturing effort for the bulkhead is reduced by only requiring a single through-opening and, at the same time, the assembly effort and the risk of leaks can be reduced by only requiring a single seal.

[0014] Further important features and advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims, from the drawing and from the associated description of the figures based on the drawing.

[0015] It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0016] A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and is explained in more detail in the following description. The only Fig. 1 shows an air conditioning unit according to the invention.

[0017] According to the Fig. 1, an air conditioning unit 1 according to the invention for air conditioning a vehicle interior of a motor vehicle 2 has a coolant connection 3, a refrigerant connection 4, a condensate connection 5 and an air supply duct connection 6. The condensate connection 5 can have a condensate drain and / or a condensate nozzle. According to the invention, all of the above-mentioned connections 3, 4, 5, 6 are arranged and bundled in a coupling end plate 7 and are simultaneously bordered or surrounded by a circumferential seal 8. This offers the great advantage that all of the connections 3, 4, 5 and 6 are now connected by a single, common through-opening 9, which according to the Fig. 1 with a dashed line, can be routed through an end wall 10. Previously, individual through-openings were provided in the end wall 10 for the refrigerant lines, the coolant lines, the condensate connection, and the air supply duct, all of which had to be individually sealed. This not only increased the manufacturing effort for the end wall 10 but also the effort required to seal the individual through-openings. Furthermore, each individual seal and through-opening posed its own leakage risk.

[0018] With the air conditioning unit 1 according to the invention, it is now possible to provide only a single through-opening 9 in the front wall 10 of the motor vehicle 2, through which preferably all lines or connections 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the air conditioning unit 1 are routed and sealed by a single, circumferential, and common seal 8. This represents a significant reduction both in terms of the risk of leakage and in terms of costs and installation effort.

[0019] In an advantageous development of the inventive solution, the coupling end plate 7 is designed as a plastic injection-molded part. This allows it to be manufactured comparatively easily and cost-effectively, yet still with high quality. Fig.1, the air conditioning unit 1 has a distributor housing 11 on which the coupling end plate 7 is arranged. "Arranged" in this case does not necessarily mean arranged directly on the distributor housing 11, but can also include an indirect arrangement, so that in the present case, for example, further components, such as a cooler 12 or a filter device 13, can be arranged between the distributor housing 11 and the coupling end plate 7. Such a cooler 12 can be designed, for example, as an evaporator.

[0020] If one further considers the distributor housing 11 of the air conditioning unit 1 according to the invention, it can be seen that it has at least two controllable air outlets 14, wherein in at least one of these air outlets 14 an adjustable flap 15 is arranged for regulating the volume flow flowing in the respective air outlet 14.

[0021] Furthermore, at least one opening 16 for the passage of at least one electrical line can be provided in the coupling end plate 7. To seal the opening 16, if an electrical line is passed through, at least one seal 17 can be provided.

[0022] The invention also encompasses the motor vehicle 2 with the air conditioning unit 1 according to the invention, wherein the previously described through-opening 9 is arranged in a bulkhead 10 separating an engine compartment and a passenger compartment, which through-opening 9 in the present case is dimensioned so large that all supply lines or connections 3, 4, 5, 6 of the air conditioning unit 1 can be bundled through. The seal 8 lies tightly against an edge of the through-opening 9. Since in the present case only a single seal 8 is required, not only the variety of parts can be reduced, but also the susceptibility to leaks can be reduced.

Claims

[1] Air conditioning unit (1) for air conditioning a vehicle interior of a motor vehicle (2), with a coolant connection (3), a refrigerant connection (4), a condensate water connection (5) and an air supply duct connection (6), all of which are arranged in a coupling end plate (7) and surrounded by a circumferential seal (8). [2] Air conditioning unit (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the coupling end plate (7) is designed as a plastic injection-molded part. [3] Air conditioning device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the air conditioning unit (1) has a distributor housing (11) on which the coupling end plate (7) is arranged. [4] Air conditioning unit (1) according to claim 3, characterized by that the distributor housing (11) has at least two controllable air outlets (14). [5] Air conditioning device (1) according to claim 4, characterized by that an adjustable flap (15) is arranged in at least one air outlet (14). [6] Air conditioning unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the air conditioning unit (1) has a filter device (13). [7] Air conditioning unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that at least one opening (16) for the passage of at least one electrical line is provided in the coupling end plate (7). [8] Air conditioning device (1) according to claim 7, characterized by that at least one seal (17) is provided which seals the at least one electrical line in the opening (16). [9] Motor vehicle (2), - with an air conditioning unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, - with an end wall (10) which separates a vehicle interior from an engine compartment, wherein a through opening (9) is provided in the end wall (10), - wherein the air conditioning unit (1) is placed with its coupling end plate (7) onto the through-opening (9) in such a way that the coolant connection (3), the refrigerant connection (4), the condensate connection (5) and the air supply duct connection (6) can be guided through the through-opening (9) and the seal (8) lies tightly against an edge of the through-opening (9).

Images