Control disc arrangement, especially for an air conditioning unit

Abstract

Control disc arrangement (20), in particular for an air conditioning unit (10), comprising: - a rotatably mounted first control disc (30), which can be driven via a drive element (11), - a rotatably mounted second control disc (40), and - a coupling device (35), by means of which the first control disc (30) and the second control disc (40) are connected to each other in such a way that the second control disc (40) can be driven, characterized in that: - the first control disc (30) has at least one self-contained first control cam (32A), which allows a free rotation of the first control disc (30) of more than 360°, and - the coupling device (35) has a reduction ratio, which allows an integer multiple full rotation of the first control disc (30).wherein, during a rotational movement of the first control disk (30), the angular velocity of the second control disk (40) is smaller than the angular velocity of the first control disk (30), and the first control disk (30) can repeatedly go through the same pattern while the second control disk (40) has not yet completed a full rotation.

Description

The present invention relates to a control disc arrangement for controlling at least two air flaps and to an air conditioning unit with such a control disc arrangement, in particular for automotive applications. Automotive air conditioning systems typically incorporate a variety of air flaps, which allow different air streams to be mixed in predetermined proportions and directed to specific areas or regions. This includes, in particular, the intake of air at the air inlet and the discharge of partial air streams at various air outlets, as well as the allocation of partial air streams to heat exchangers and the mixing of different air streams within the air conditioning unit. These air flaps are typically adjusted automatically by control devices driven by stepper motors. For reasons of cost and space, some of the air flaps are operated by a common control device. It is known to implement such control devices as control discs (also called cam discs or cam discs). The position of individual air flaps can be changed by means of a lever mechanism through the rotational movement of a control disc. To achieve various comfort and optimization requirements, e.g., regarding noise levels and energy efficiency, modern air conditioning units incorporate a large number of air flaps, which are driven by an increasing number of control discs and stepper motors. To reduce the number of stepper motors, it is known to couple control discs to one another via coupling elements. Generic arrangements are known, for example, from DE 197 16 229 A1, from DE 10 2021 122 951 A1, from DE 10 2017 220 937 A1, from DE 10 2016 220 124 A1, from WO 2019 / 002 036 A1 and from ES 2 151 353 A1. The object of the present invention is to provide a control disc arrangement of the type mentioned above, which makes the possibilities for the drive and control of the air flaps more flexible and keeps the number of components and stepper motors as low as possible in the case of an increasing number of functional requirements. This problem is solved according to the invention by a control disc arrangement with the features of claim 1 and an air conditioning unit with the features of claim 6. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are described in the dependent claims. The control disk arrangement according to the invention comprises a rotatably mounted first control disk which can be driven via a drive element, a rotatably mounted second control disk and a coupling device by means of which the first control disk and the second control disk are connected to each other in such a way that the second control disk can be driven via or through the first control disk.The control disk arrangement according to the invention is characterized in that the first control disk has at least one self-contained first control cam, which allows free rotation of the first control disk of more than 360°, and the coupling device has a reduction gear that enables multiple integer full rotations of the first control disk, wherein, during a rotational movement of the first control disk, the angular velocity of the second control disk is lower than the angular velocity of the first control disk, and the first control disk can repeatedly execute the same pattern while the second control disk has not yet completed a full rotation. The reduction gear has the advantage that, when the rotation angle of the second control disk is limited to less than 360°, the available rotation angles can be adapted to the first control disk and fully utilized.Furthermore, the reduction in gear ratio increases the available torque at the second control disc, or reduces the load torque of the driving motor, thereby reducing the risk of a blockage. A "reduction gear" is also known as "translation into slower speed" and is characterized by the relationship of the angular velocities such that the angular velocity is reduced from the driving to the driven element. The drive element that drives the first control disc can be a known and common component. It can be a drive shaft that engages the axis of rotation of the first control disc, a drive lever that engages at a point away from the axis of rotation, or another drive mechanism, e.g., a gear mechanism. Control discs, by their very nature, comprise control cams, which are typically provided as a groove or recess in the control disc. Leverage engaging with the control cam translates a rotational movement of the control disc into a predetermined opening characteristic of the connected air damper. The fact that the first control disc has at least one self-contained control cam, which allows a free rotation of the first control disc of more than 360°, offers the advantage that, depending on the gear ratio, the first control disc can repeatedly complete the same pattern while the second control disc has not yet completed a full rotation. Advantageously, the second control disk can be provided with a stopper that limits its rotation to less than 360°. While the first control disk can perform more than one rotation, the stop mechanism on the second control disk also defines a specific stop position for the first control disk. The gear ratio is set such that multiple full rotations of the first control disk are possible. This does not necessarily mean an integer reduction, but is typically a non-integer ratio, depending on the effective rotation range of the second control disk (limited by the stopper, which is less than 360°) and also potentially depending on the coupling device. The coupling device between the first and second control disks can be designed in any configuration. In one embodiment, the coupling device has a first toothed ring that is rigidly connected to the first control disk and engages with a second toothed ring that is rigidly connected to the second control disk, wherein the number of teeth of the first toothed ring is less than the number of teeth of the second toothed ring. Advantageously, the first control disk can have a first plate in which the self-contained, first control cam is provided, the first toothed ring is arranged axially offset from the first plate and has a smaller diameter than the first plate, and the second toothed ring is provided on the edge surface of the second control disk. In this way, the first and second control disks can be arranged overlapping in a space-saving manner. In further developments of the invention, it can be provided that several control cams are arranged on the first and / or second control disk, via which air flap sets, each with several air flaps, can then be controlled independently. In further developments, control flap arrangements with more than two control disks can also be provided. According to the invention, an air conditioning unit, particularly for a motor vehicle, comprises a control disc arrangement of the type mentioned above. Advantageously, the first control disc is connected via one or more air flap levers to control a first set of air flaps of the air conditioning unit, and the second control disc is advantageously connected via one or more air flap levers to control a second set of air flaps of the air conditioning unit. Different sets of air flaps can thus be controlled independently by the different control discs. In an advantageous embodiment, the control cams of the second control disc are designed in a first rotational angular range to move the connected air flaps into multiple open and / or closed positions, and in a second rotational angular range to hold all connected air flaps in the closed position. The rotational angular size and reduction ratio can then be coordinated such that the first and second rotational angular ranges each correspond to a full rotation of the first control disc via the reduction ratio of the coupling device. This enables the control of multiple air flaps for multi-zone climate control units, in particular a control logic for selected zones (driver, driver and front passenger, all passengers) and a control logic for all zones. The first set of air flaps can, for example, be used to control the air supply for a preferred position in the vehicle. Alternatively, a third set of air flaps can be used to control the air supply for such a preferred position in the vehicle, in which case the third set of air flaps can be actuated by a separate actuator (unlike those of the previously mentioned control disc arrangement), and the first set of air flaps can be used to control the air supply for a secondary preferred position in the vehicle. A preferred position is, in particular, the driver's position and / or the front passenger's position; a secondary preferred position is a further preferred position that is adjacent to or subordinate to the preferred position, e.g., the front passenger's position if the preferred position is the driver's position. The second set of air flaps can then be used for secondary positions, such as the rear passenger area or additional rows of seats. The second rotation range can keep the second set of air flaps closed, thus saving energy during temperature control when temperature control is not required for these positions. The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments and to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 to 6. Figures 1 and 2 each show a front and rear view of a control disc arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 shows a detailed view of the two coupled control discs; Figure 4 shows the output-side, second control disc with the stopper; Figure 5 shows the output-side, second control disc with the two equal rotation angle ranges; and Figure 6 shows an air conditioning unit with an application of the control disc arrangement according to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 to 5. Figures 1 and 2 show a front and rear view of a control disk assembly 20 with two control disks 30 and 40 of approximately equal size according to an embodiment of the invention. The first control disk 30, rotatably mounted at bearing point 30A, can be driven by a drive element (not shown). The second control disk 40, rotatably mounted at bearing point 40A, is connected to the first control disk 30 via a coupling device 35 such that the second control disk 40 can be driven by the first control disk 30, as will be described in detail below. The bearing of the two control disks 30, 40 can be designed in any way imaginable, for example as a shaft, via which a drive can also be provided, or as a pin in which the control disks 30, 40 can rotate passively and the drive is provided, for example, by an externally arranged stepper motor, as shown in the application example in Fig. 6. The first control disk 30 has a first plate 31 in which at least one self-contained, first control cam 32A is provided on the front side. A second plate 36 is provided axially offset and also rotatable about the bearing point 30A. This second plate 36 is rigidly connected to the first plate 31 and has a smaller diameter than the first plate 31. The second plate 36 has a first toothed ring 37. The second control disk 40 has a second toothed ring 45 on its edge surface 44. On the reverse sides of the first and second control discs 30 and 40, additional control curves can optionally be provided, such as control curve 32B on the first control disc 30 and control curve 41B on the second control disc 40. Control curves 32A, 32B, 41A, and 41B can be adapted as desired to the opening and closing characteristics of the air dampers to be connected. As is well known to experts, air conditioning units today require various combinations of air damper positions to achieve maximum comfort. Therefore, when traversing the control curves, it may be generally necessary to allow for multiple opening and closing cycles (and possibly partial opening) of individual air dampers independently of other air dampers, although this will not be discussed in detail here. The coupling device 35 is formed via the first gear ring 37 in conjunction with the second gear ring 45. For this purpose, the first and second control disks 30, 40 are arranged such that both gear rings 37, 45 mesh with each other. As shown with reference to the detailed illustration in Fig. 3, the size of the teeth 38, 46 and the distances between two adjacent teeth 38, 46 on the respective control disks 30, 40 are essentially the same to enable the lowest possible frictional engagement. To facilitate correct assembly, any two adjacent teeth 38A on the first control disk 30 are spaced slightly further apart than the remaining teeth 38. Conversely, on the second gear ring 45, the backs of two adjacent teeth 46A are enlarged to define the relative angle of rotation of the two control disks 30, 40. Due to the smaller diameter of the first gear ring 37 compared to the second gear ring 45, the two control disks 30, 40 are arranged in an overlapping configuration, thus enabling a relatively compact arrangement. Furthermore, the number of teeth 38 of the first gear ring 37 is less than the number of teeth 46 of the second gear ring 45, resulting in a reduction ratio. Therefore, when the first control disk 30 rotates, the angular velocity of the second control disk 40 is lower than the angular velocity of the first control disk 30. The first control disc 30 has – as mentioned above – at least one self-contained first control cam 32A (and optionally a similarly self-contained control cam 32B on the reverse side), thus enabling free rotation of the first control disc 30 of more than 360°. This allows the first control disc 30 to repeatedly execute the same opening and closing pattern for the connected air dampers during operation. In contrast, the second control disk 40 has a stopper 43 which limits the rotation of the second control disk 40 to less than 360°. As can be seen in Fig. 4, the stopper 43 in the illustrated embodiment is designed such that it protrudes slightly in the axial direction and, when installed, a stop (not shown) prevents further rotation of the second control disk 40. As indicated with reference to Fig. 5, the dead angle range, which is prevented from further rotation by the stopper 43, is approximately 20° to 30°. In alternative embodiments, however, the dead angle range can also be chosen to be larger. The reduction ratio is selected by the above-described matching of the diameters of the first and second gear rings 37, 45, or the ratio of the number of teeth 38 to the number of teeth 46, such that an integer multiple full rotation of the first control disk 30 is enabled. In the case shown, the stopper 43 limits the rotation of the second control disk 40 to 330° - 340°. The interaction of the reduction ratio and the limitation by the stopper 43 can then be adjusted so that an integer rotation of the first control disk 30 results. With a reduction ratio of 340 / 720 = 0.47, the rotation of the first control disk 30 is limited to 720°, i.e.,that this can be carried out exactly twice during operation. The control cams 41A, 41B of the second control disk 40 are designed in a first rotational angle range 47A to move the connected air flaps into several open and / or closed positions, and in a second rotational angle range 47B to hold all connected air flaps in the closed position. The first rotational angle range 47A and the second rotational angle range 47B are each equal in size at 165° - 170° and correspond, via the reduction of the coupling device 35, each to one full rotation of the first control disk 30. Figure 6 shows an air conditioning unit 10 with an application of a control disc arrangement 20. The air conditioning unit 10 is designed for multi-zone climate control of a passenger car with two rows of seats, with a preferred position for the driver, a second-preferred position for the front passenger, and secondary positions for the seats in the rear of the vehicle. The first control disc 30, already described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 to 5, is connected via several air flap levers 33A, 33B to a first set of air flaps 12, is driven by a first stepper motor 11 as a drive element, and is intended for controlling the air supply for the passenger position. The second control disc 40 is connected via several air flap levers 42A, 42B to a second set of air flaps 13, is driven as described above via the coupling device 35, and is intended for controlling the air supply for the rear seats. A third set of air flaps 14 is intended for controlling the air supply for the driver's preferred position and is driven via another control disc and a separate drive 15. During operation, the preferred position (for the driver) can always be controlled separately. Depending on the other occupants in the vehicle, the air supply to the remaining positions can be regulated using the control disc arrangement 20. If all positions require air conditioning, the required opening and closing characteristics can be used for the secondary positions according to the first rotation angle range 47A. If only the front passenger is present, the second set of air flaps 13 can then be kept closed using the second rotation angle range 47B. If there is no front passenger present, i.e., only the driver is in the vehicle, a flap position can be selected in which all air flaps 12 and 13 are closed. By flexibly closing the secondary positions or, if necessary, the deputy preferred position, the air conditioning unit 10 can support demand-based and energy-efficient temperature control of the vehicle. In particular, modifications provide that more than two full rotations of the first control disc 30 are allowed, further control cams are provided and / or the assignment of the control disc arrangement 20 for other sets of air flaps is adapted to other requirements. REFERENCE MARK 10 Air conditioner 11 First stepper motor - drive element 12 First set of air flaps 13 Second set of air flaps 14 Third set of air flaps 15 Separate drive 20 Control disc assembly 30 First control disc 30A Bearing point 31 First plate 32 A, B Control cams 33 A, B Air flap lever 35 Coupling device 36 Second plate 37 First gear ring 38, 38A Teeth 40 Second control disc 40A Bearing point 41 A, B Control cams 42 A, B Air flap lever 43 Stopper 44 Edge surface 45 Second gear ring 46, 46A Teeth 47 A, B Rotation angle ranges

Claims

Control disc arrangement (20), in particular for an air conditioning unit (10), comprising: - a rotatably mounted first control disc (30), which can be driven via a drive element (11), - a rotatably mounted second control disc (40), and - a coupling device (35), by means of which the first control disc (30) and the second control disc (40) are connected to each other in such a way that the second control disc (40) can be driven, characterized in that: - the first control disc (30) has at least one self-contained first control cam (32A), which allows a free rotation of the first control disc (30) of more than 360°, and - the coupling device (35) has a reduction ratio, which allows an integer multiple full rotation of the first control disc (30).wherein, during a rotational movement of the first control disk (30), the angular velocity of the second control disk (40) is smaller than the angular velocity of the first control disk (30), and the first control disk (30) can repeatedly go through the same pattern while the second control disk (40) has not yet completed a full rotation. Control disc arrangement (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that the second control disc (40) has a stopper (43) which limits a rotation of the second control disc (40) to less than 360°. Control disc arrangement (20) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the coupling device (35) has a first toothed ring (37) which is rigidly connected to the first control disc (30) and engages in a second toothed ring (45) which is rigidly connected to the second control disc (40), wherein the number of teeth (38) of the first toothed ring (37) is less than the number of teeth (46) of the second toothed ring (45). Control disk arrangement (20) according to claim 3, characterized in that - the first control disk (30) has a first plate (31) in which a self-contained, first control cam (32A) is provided, - the first toothed ring (37) is arranged axially offset to the first plate (31) and has a smaller diameter than the first plate (31), and - the second toothed ring (45) is provided on the edge surface (44) of the second control disk (40). Control disk arrangement (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that several control cams (32A, 32B, 41A, 41B) are arranged on the first and / or second control disk (30, 40). Air conditioning unit (10), in particular for a motor vehicle, with a control disc arrangement (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the first control disc (30) is connected via one or more air flap levers (33A, 33B) for controlling a first set of air flaps (12) of the air conditioning unit (10), - the second control disc (40) is connected via one or more air flap levers (42A, 42B) for controlling a second set of air flaps (13) of the air conditioning unit (10). Air conditioning unit (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that the control cams (41A, 41B) of the second control disk (40) are provided in a first rotation angle range (47A) to bring the connected air flaps (13) into several opening and / or closing positions, and in a second rotation angle range (47B) are provided to keep all connected air flaps (13) in the closed position, wherein the first rotation angle range (47A) and the second rotation angle range (47B) correspond to a full rotation of the first control disk (30) by means of the reduction of the coupling device (35, 45). Air conditioning unit (10) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that - the first set of air flaps (12) is provided for controlling the air supply for a preferred position in the motor vehicle, in particular for the driver's position and / or the passenger's position, or - a third set of air flaps (14) is provided for controlling the air supply for a preferred position in the motor vehicle, in particular the driver's position, wherein the third set of air flaps (14) is driven by a separate drive (15) and the first set of air flaps (12) is provided for controlling the air supply for a second preferred position in the motor vehicle, in particular the passenger's position.

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