HEATING, VENTILATION AND / OR AIR CONDITIONING DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the field of heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning devices for motor vehicles as well as a motor vehicle comprising such a device.

[0002] A motor vehicle is commonly equipped with a ventilation, heating, and / or air conditioning system to regulate the aerothermal parameters of an airflow distributed into the vehicle's passenger compartment. The system generally comprises a housing delimited by partitions in which openings are provided, including at least one air intake and at least one air outlet.

[0003] As is known, the housing contains a blower to circulate the airflow from the air intake to the air outlet. The housing also contains heat treatment components to heat and / or cool the airflow before it is distributed inside the passenger compartment. For example, these heat treatment components might include an evaporator, which cools and dehumidifies the airflow passing through it, and a radiator, possibly combined with an additional radiator, which heats the airflow passing through it.

[0004] These devices typically feature an evaporator positioned downstream of the air intake, ensuring that the entire incoming airflow is dehumidified by the evaporator. The resulting cold airflow is then admitted into a primary mixing chamber and / or directed to a heating element, such as a radiator and possibly an auxiliary radiator, to produce a warm airflow. The primary mixing chamber blends one or more cold and / or warm airflows so that the resulting airflow, at the desired setpoint temperature, is distributed to specific areas within the vehicle's passenger compartment. The primary mixing chamber is equipped with at least one mixing device to determine the ratio of cold airflow to warm airflow from the heating element entering the primary mixing chamber.This component allows the temperature of the mixed airflow intended to be distributed in the dedicated area(s) of the passenger compartment, such as the front and rear areas, or left and right in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

[0005] Although such a heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning system allows for air management in several areas of the vehicle, there are numerous constraints in terms of size and weight. Indeed, heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning systems are generally located under the dashboard of the vehicle, which necessitates raising the dashboard and thus limiting the driver's visibility.

[0006] In other words, the heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning (HVAC) unit is installed in the passenger compartment, between the vehicle's dashboard and a bulkhead, commonly called a firewall or firewall, separating the passenger compartment from the engine compartment. However, for the comfort of the vehicle's occupants, it is desirable for the interior space to be as large as possible. In other words, to maintain an acceptable level of comfort, it is desirable to reduce the size of certain components, such as the dashboard. Such a reduction in size then makes it impossible to position a heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning system as previously known.

[0007] Documents EP1790509A1 and FR2965219 A3 show housings installed through the bulkhead separating the passenger compartment from the engine compartment. However, these arrangements are not optimized.

[0008] The present invention aims to optimize the footprint of a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device.

[0009] To this end, the invention proposes a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device for motor vehicles according to the subject of claim 1.

[0010] In this way, the invention allows for a heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning system that is less bulky than those of the prior art. Indeed, arranging two panels with sliding doors at different locations on the heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning system allows for optimally minimizing the height of said system, and positioning the unit on either side of a wall...

[0011] Other aspects according to the invention are described below and can be taken alone or in combination.

[0012] One aspect according to the invention proposes that the fixing means corresponds to two elements of complementary shapes, one arranged on the casing and the other on the wall.

[0013] One aspect according to the invention proposes that the fixing means corresponds to two elements of complementary shapes, a first element being arranged on the housing and a second element being able to be arranged on the wall.

[0014] Another aspect according to the invention proposes that the fixing means corresponds to a stud and ear assembly.

[0015] Another aspect according to the invention proposes that a third heat exchanger corresponding to an electric radiator is arranged downstream, with respect to the flow of an air stream, of the second heat exchanger, said third heat exchanger comprising a wired power supply.

[0016] Another aspect according to the invention proposes that the housing includes a housing in which one end of the wall is suitable to be received and to butt against the housing.

[0017] A second distribution panel including a sliding door can be arranged so as to be able to at least partially block one of said air outlet ducts.

[0018] The second distribution flap can be arranged so as to be able to close the outlet air duct configured to guide the airflow towards a ventilation nozzle.

[0019] A first distribution flap including a flag-type flap can be arranged so as to be able to at least partially block a second of said air outlet ducts.

[0020] The second air outlet duct can be configured to guide an airflow towards a nozzle intended to open into the passenger compartment at the level of the vehicle's passengers' feet.

[0021] A third distribution flap including a butterfly-type flap can be arranged so as to be able to at least partially block a third of said air outlet ducts.

[0022] The third air outlet duct can be configured to guide an airflow towards the defrost nozzle.

[0023] The air outlet duct can be defined on the one hand by a wall of the casing defining the flow channel and on the other hand by another external wall arranged outside the flow channel.

[0024] The nozzle can be arranged below the first heat exchanger relative to the vertical Z axis.

[0025] The housing includes an air inlet and said air outlet duct can be arranged on the part of the housing opposite said air inlet.

[0026] The housing may be elongated in shape in which a blower, the first and second heat exchangers are aligned in a transverse axis of said housing, the first and second heat exchangers being aligned in a longitudinal axis of said housing.

[0027] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device as described above.

[0028] The vehicle comprises an engine compartment and a passenger compartment separated by a bulkhead including an opening, the housing being fixed to one face of the bulkhead, such that two heat exchangers are arranged in the engine compartment and at least one air outlet duct is arranged in the passenger compartment

[0029] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, with reference to the attached figures, which illustrate: There [ Fig. 1 ] illustrates a perspective view of the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning system according to the invention; The [ Fig.2 ] illustrates a side view of part of the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning system according to the invention; The [ Fig.3 ] illustrates a perspective view of part of the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning system; The [ Fig. 4 ] illustrates a perspective view of the arrangement of the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning system according to the invention within a motor vehicle.

[0030] The terms "upstream" and "downstream" are always used in reference to the flow of air circulating within the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning system.

[0031] On the [ Fig. 1] et [Fig. 2 [The diagram is schematically represented as a trihedron XYZ where a longitudinal axis X of the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device 1 can correspond to the front / rear longitudinal axis of the vehicle. A transverse axis Y of the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device 1 can correspond to the right / left transverse axis of the vehicle, and a vertical axis Z of the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device 1 can correspond to the top / bottom vertical axis of the vehicle, each axis being perpendicular to the others, particularly when the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device 1 is installed in the motor vehicle.]

[0032] To obtain a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device with a small vertical footprint, the invention as illustrated in the [ Fig. 1 ], the invention proposes a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device 1 comprising an elongated housing 2 defining a flow channel for an airflow intended to be distributed in the passenger compartment, in which are housed means for thermally treating the airflow. In other words, as illustrated in [ Fig. 2 ], the housing 2 defines, by means of walls 5, a flow channel 3, or a flow duct, to convey an airflow from an air inlet to an air outlet.

[0033] The housing 2 alone defines the flow channel 3; in other words, there is no other element that combines with housing 2 to define any part of the flow channel 3. We can also say that the flow channel 3 is a single unit. The housing can be a single piece (a monobloc), or made up of several blocks or modules assembled together, while still defining the flow channel 3 on their own.

[0034] The thermal treatment means include a first heat exchanger 4, for example an evaporator, intended to cool and dehumidify the entire airflow circulating in the flow channel 3.

[0035] The heat treatment means also include a second heat exchanger 6, for example a radiator, intended to heat a portion of the airflow circulating in the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device 1, and is arranged downstream, with respect to the flow of the airflow, of the first heat exchanger 4.

[0036] In one particular embodiment, the second heat exchanger 6 is coupled to a third heat exchanger 7, which acts as an additional electric heater, for example, with PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) bars. This can also be referred to as a PTC HV for "Positive Temperature Coefficient High Voltage". The third heat exchanger 7 is designed to heat the airflow more quickly, particularly when the vehicle is starting.

[0037] The airflow is introduced into the housing 2 via at least one air inlet 10 and then directed by a blower which comprises a motor and a blade wheel. The blower conveys the airflow from the air inlet 10 to at least one outlet, after it has been heat-treated by the heat exchangers 4, 6. The air inlet 10 corresponds to an air inlet housing comprising two openings, an outside air inlet 35 and a recirculating air inlet 37 as illustrated in [ Fig. 3 A shutter can be arranged between the two openings to at least partially close each one. The air inlet 10 is arranged on the upper part relative to the vertical axis Z of the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning unit.

[0038] The outlet includes several outlet conduits illustrated in [ Fig. 2 distributing airflow to nozzles opening in different areas of the passenger compartment. Each air outlet duct includes an opening corresponding to the air outlet duct's inlet. The outlet includes, in particular, a first air outlet duct 12 configured to direct the airflow to the defrost nozzle, thus demisting the windshield. The outlet also includes a second air outlet duct 14 capable of directing the airflow to the side / center ventilation nozzles, thus cooling / heating the vehicle's passengers. Finally, the outlet includes a third air outlet duct 16 directing the airflow to the footwell nozzle, cooling / heating the feet of the vehicle's front passengers.

[0039] According to a particular embodiment not shown, the third air outlet duct 16 may have a specific shape where the duct runs along the lower part of the flow channel 3, relative to the vertical axis Z of the heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning unit 1. Alternatively, the air outlet duct 16 may be arranged on the part of the housing 2 opposite the air inlet 10, or the air outlet duct 16 runs along the lower, or external, surface of the housing 2 of the heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning unit 1. More precisely, the air outlet duct 16 runs along the lower surface of the wall 5 of the housing 2, which defines the flow channel 3. The wall 5 comprises an internal surface defining an internal volume corresponding to the flow channel 3 and an external surface arranged outside the flow channel 3. The air outlet duct 16 runs along the external surface of said wall 5.

[0040] As illustrated in [ Fig. 2 ], each air outlet duct 12, 14, 16 extends from a mixing chamber 18, which will be described later, to a nozzle, corresponding to the outlet of each duct 12, 14, 16, opening into the different areas of the passenger compartment.

[0041] A distribution damper is installed at each outlet, or inlet, of the air outlet ducts 12, 14, and 16. Each distribution damper is configured to switch from a position where it completely blocks each air outlet inlet to a position where it allows the airflow to circulate freely within the corresponding air outlet duct. Naturally, each distribution damper is capable of assuming any intermediate position.

[0042] A first distribution flap 20 of the flag type, corresponding to a door with a rotating shaft arranged at one end of the door, is positioned at the inlet of the first air outlet duct 12. A second distribution flap 22 of the sliding type, also known as a "sliding door," corresponds to a sliding door on which at least one rack is arranged. In order to set the second distribution flap 22 in motion, at least one gear 24 complementary to the rack is rotated around an axis by an actuator (not shown).The rotation of the gear 24 causes the sliding door 22 to move in translation between two extreme positions, a first extreme position where the second distribution flap 22 closes the inlet of the second air outlet duct 14 and a second extreme position where the second distribution flap 22 allows the flow of cold air from the mixing chamber 18 to enter the second air outlet duct 14. A third butterfly distribution flap 26, corresponding to a flap with a rotating shaft and one or two blades arranged on either side of the rotating shaft, is arranged at the inlet of the third air outlet duct 16 and allows the third air outlet duct 16 to be closed or not.

[0043] As illustrated in figure 2 The second distribution panel 22 is not planar; in other words, the sliding door is curved, or concave in shape, and follows a curved trajectory. It can also be said that the second sliding door 22 lies within a plurality of planes. It is understood that the sliding door moves in a non-planar direction. The second sliding door slides in rails, and these rails lie within a plurality of planes. It can also be said that the trajectory of the first distribution panel is curved, the trajectory corresponding to the curve described by the moving panel.

[0044] The first heat exchanger 4 comprises two collection chambers and a heat bundle consisting of a set of tubes or plates, and here the heat bundle is considered to define a plane E. The second heat exchanger 6 comprises two collection chambers and a heat bundle consisting of a set of tubes or plates, and here the heat bundle is considered to define a plane R. The third heat exchanger 7 extends in a plane parallel to the plane R so that the third heat exchanger 7 can be attached to, or secured to, the second heat exchanger 6.

[0045] To gain height, the second heat exchanger 6 is positioned in a plane R that is orthogonal to the plane of the volute's air intake. With reference to the vehicle, the plane E of the first heat exchanger 4 corresponds approximately to the plane defined by the vehicle's transverse and vertical axes YZ, while the plane R of the second heat exchanger 6 corresponds approximately to the plane defined by the vehicle's longitudinal and transverse axes XY. In other words, the second heat exchanger 6 is positioned approximately horizontally relative to the heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning system 1, or to the vehicle once installed. This results in a considerable gain in height.

[0046] According to the invention, the first and second heat exchangers 4,6 are inscribed in substantially orthogonal planes, and more particularly in orthogonal planes.

[0047] According to the invention, the device 1 comprises a drain duct for guiding condensate out of the casing 2. To reduce the height of the device, the drain duct is flattened and extends in a direction substantially parallel to the plane R of the second heat exchanger 6. In other words, the drain duct has a flow channel with an oblong cross-section or any other shape whose width exceeds its height, such as elliptical, rectangular, etc.

[0048] The airflow entering the housing is conveyed from the air inlet 10 through a volute, which is a spiral section of the housing. The volute has an air inlet corresponding to an orifice within the spiral housing, also called the casing. The volute follows a radial path from a point N, called the volute nose, over an angle ranging from 0° to 360°. The volute then has a volute outlet in the form of a straight duct, so that the airflow exiting the volute follows this same shape. The airflow then flows into a section called the divergent, which is a section of the straight flow channel 3 with a vertical extension along the Z-axis. The airflow continues through the divergent to the first heat exchanger 4.

[0049] Once the airflow has been cooled by the first heat exchanger 4, it is guided within the flow channel 3 towards the second heat exchanger 6. According to the embodiment illustrated in the [ Fig. 2 ], to ensure that the cold airflow, from the first heat exchanger 4, is not thermally contaminated by the second heat exchanger 6, the device 1 includes a bypass path 28 of the second heat exchanger 6. Thus, the cold airflow, having passed through the first heat exchanger 4, either passes through the second heat exchanger 6 to be heated, or bypasses the second heat exchanger 6 by way of the bypass path 28 in order to maintain its low temperature.

[0050] The hot and cold air streams are then directed towards a mixing zone 18 where they are mixed and distributed to the outlets, or inlets, of the discharge ducts 12, 14, 16 at the set temperatures. To achieve this mixing in varying proportions, the device 1 includes a mixing flap 30 that regulates the proportion of cold air flowing through the second heat exchanger 6 and the proportion of cold air flowing through the bypass path 28.

[0051] The mixing flap 30 is a sliding type flap, meaning it comprises a sliding door on which at least one rack is mounted. To set the mixing flap 30 in motion, at least one gear 32, complementary to the rack, is rotated around an axis by an actuator (not shown). The rotation of the gear 32 causes the sliding door 30 to move in translation between two extreme positions: a first extreme position where the mixing flap completely blocks the bypass path 28 of the second heat exchanger 6, and a second extreme position where the mixing flap 30 blocks the air passage downstream of the second heat exchanger 6, so that the airflow that has passed through the second heat exchanger 6 cannot access the mixing chamber 18.

[0052] The mixing panel 30 as illustrated in [ Fig. 2 ] is arranged downstream of the second heat exchanger 6, however, it can be arranged between the first and second heat exchangers 4,6.

[0053] The sliding door of the mixing damper 30 may include a recess, or in other words, a recess or indentation. It can also be said that the first sliding door 30 has an omega profile (or that the sliding door has an omega profile), or that the sliding door has four bends or folds. This recess has a height, relative to the dimensions of the damper, within a range of 3 to 30 millimeters; its depth can also be described as between 3 and 30 millimeters. Such a depth ensures that a sufficient flow rate of cold air can flow from the first cold air duct, corresponding to the portion of the flow channel 3 at the bypass path 28, to the hot air duct, corresponding to the portion of the flow channel 3 downstream of the second and third heat exchangers, thus ensuring satisfactory premixing to limit stratification.

[0054] According to the invention, the housing 2 further comprises at least one means 50 for attaching it to a wall having an opening, the housing 2 being capable of being fixed to a single face of this wall and of being arranged on either side of said wall. In other words, the housing 2 is fixed to the wall 52 on only one side thereof, however the housing extends on both sides of the wall 52, the wall 52 having an opening so that the housing 2 can be arranged through the wall 52 with one part on one side of the wall 52 and the other part on the other side of the wall 52.

[0055] Wall 52, for example, corresponds to the vehicle's bulkhead separating the engine compartment M from the passenger compartment H. As illustrated in the figures 3 et 4 The thermal part comprising the air inlet 10 and the three heat exchangers 4, 6, 7 is arranged on one side, or face, of the wall 52, in particular on the engine compartment side M, while the distribution part comprising the air outlet ducts 12, 14, 16 is arranged on the other side or face of the wall 52. In other words, in order to allow easier exchange of the exchangers when needed it is preferable to arrange the three heat exchangers 4, 6, 7 on the same side of the wall 52, in particular on the engine compartment side.

[0056] According to a particular embodiment, the second heat exchanger 6, the third heat exchanger 7 and the mixing chamber 18 can be partially arranged on both sides of the wall 52 as illustrated in the figure 2 Here, 90% of the two heat exchangers 6 and 7 are arranged on the engine compartment side (M) and 10% on the passenger compartment side (H). Therefore, it is preferable for the third heat exchanger 7 to have a wired power supply, i.e., a remote power supply with a wire that powers the electric heater. The power supply, in other words, the connection of the wire to the support frame of the PTC stones, is arranged on the engine compartment side (M), although it can be powered from the passenger compartment side (H) according to another embodiment.

[0057] The housing 2 according to the invention includes fastening means 50 for attaching the housing 2 to the wall 52. The fastening means 50 consist of two elements of complementary shapes, one arranged on the housing 2 and the other on the wall 52. For example, a stud-lug assembly can be used where the stud is arranged on the wall 52 while the lug is located on the housing 2. Alternatively, the wall 52 may have openings or notches, and the housing 2 may have one or more hooks or any other protruding element of the housing 2 with a shape complementary to said openings. The invention is not limited to the nature of the attachment between the wall 52 and the housing 2.

[0058] The housing 2 preferably includes at least one projecting portion 54 abutting against a face of the wall 52, optionally with a foam or polymer seal that can be arranged between the wall 52 and the housing 2 at the level of the projecting portion 54 bearing against the wall 52. The projecting portion 54, and therefore the seal 54, extends around the perimeter, or the periphery, of the opening in the wall 52. The fastening means 50 can be arranged on the projecting portion 54. The projecting portion 54 can correspond to a docking area, or a docking side.

[0059] The projecting part 54 can be arranged on the housing 2 so as to bear against the wall 52 on the passenger compartment side H or on the engine side M.

[0060] According to another embodiment, the housing 2 may include a recess or notch into which one end of the wall 52 is received and abuts against the housing. A sealing gasket may be arranged between the two elements.

[0061] According to the embodiment illustrated in the figure 4 The air inlets 10, specifically the outside air inlet 35 and the recirculating air inlet 37, are arranged at the bottom or in the lower part relative to the vertical axis Z of the housing 2. In other words, the outside air inlet 35 and the recirculating air inlet 37 are arranged on the opposite side of the housing 2 from the first air outlet duct 12 leading to the defrost nozzle. In other words, the outside air inlet 35 and the recirculating air inlet 37 are arranged on the same side of the housing 2 as the third air outlet duct 16 leading to the footwell nozzle.

[0062] In order to allow the recirculating air to access the recirculating air inlet 37, the apron 52 further includes a second opening.

[0063] Due to its reduced height, or Z-shape, thanks to the arrangement of the heat exchangers and the use of sliding doors, the heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning system according to the invention is sufficiently flat to pass through the opening in the firewall. Indeed, such openings are limited to specific dimensions, generally between 180 and 220 mm, so that traditional heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning systems measuring more than 300 mm are either divided into two modules (split HVAC), with the firewall acting as the drainage channel, or are only installed in the passenger compartment H under the dashboard.The housing 2 according to the invention allows the height to be restricted to around 200 - 210 mm so that it is possible to pass part of the housing 2 through the opening of the wall 52 and to have one part, the thermal part, in the engine compartment M, the thermal part including in particular the elements that made noise such as the motor of the motor-fan group (blower) and the other part, the distribution part in the passenger compartment H.

Claims

1. A heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning device (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (2) defining a flow channel (3) for a stream of air, in which a first heat exchanger (4) and a second heat exchanger (6) are arranged, the first (4) and second (6) heat exchangers being located in substantially orthogonal planes, a bypass path (28) for the second heat exchanger (6), and at least one air outlet duct (12, 14, 16), said at least one air outlet duct (12, 14, 16) being configured to guide the stream of air, in particular, toward at least one region of a vehicle passenger compartment, a mixing flap (30) comprising a sliding door is arranged in the flow channel (3) so as to be able to close off the bypass path (28) and / or the second heat exchanger (6), the housing (2) further comprising at least one fixing means (50) able to fix said housing (2) to a wall (52) comprising an opening, and in that the housing (2) is able to be secured to a single face of this wall (52) and of being arranged on either side of said wall (52), the mixing flap (30) being arranged downstream of the second heat exchanger (6), characterized in that the two heat exchangers (4, 6) are able to be arranged on the same side of the wall (52) and said at least one air outlet duct (12, 14, 16) is adapted to be arranged on the other side of the wall (52), the second heat exchanger being arranged substantially horizontally and the first heat exchanger being arranged substantially vertically.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the fixing means (50) comprises two elements with complementary shapes, a first element being arranged on the housing (2) and a second element being able to be arranged on the wall (52).

3. Device (1) according to claim 2, wherein the fixing means (50) corresponds to a bolt and lug assembly.

4. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 through 3, wherein a third heat exchanger (7), corresponding to an electric radiator, is arranged downstream of the second heat exchanger (6) with respect to the flow of a stream of air, said third heat exchanger (6) comprising a wired power supply.

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (2) comprises a recess in which an end of the wall (52) is able to be accommodated and abut against the housing (2).

6. A motor vehicle characterized in that it comprises a heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning device (1) according to one of the preceding claims.