Connection block and heat pump for motor vehicles.

Abstract

The invention relates to a single-piece connection block (1) designed to connect a heat pump (2) of a motor vehicle to a plurality of pipes (3) coming from an air conditioning unit, to allow an exchange of fluid between the pump (2) and the unit, the block (1) comprising a plurality of fluid inlets (4), each designed to be connected to one of the pipes (3), each inlet (4) being in fluid communication with a separate fluid outlet (5), each designed to be connected to a fluid connection of the pump (2), the block (1) comprising a connection interface (6), comprising each outlet (5), designed to cooperate with a complementary interface (7) of the pump (2) so that each pipe (3) is connected to a connection, the block (1) comprising fixing means (12) designed to allow the pump (2) to be fixed to the block (1). (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Connection block and heat pump for motor vehicle.

[0001] The technical field concerns connection blocks allowing the fluid connection of pipes, heat pumps and air conditioning systems comprising such a connection block and such a heat pump.

[0002] The temperature of the air in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle is generally regulated by means of an air conditioning unit. Conventionally, the air conditioning unit is a set of components which make it possible to regulate the temperature and humidity of the air inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle and for this purpose comprises a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, an expansion valve and a fan. The air conditioning unit can be used to air condition or heat the air in the passenger compartment, depending on the operating mode selected.

[0003] In order to improve the efficiency of the air conditioning unit, some vehicles are additionally equipped with a heat pump module that uses thermodynamic principles to transfer heat from one location to another. Thus, it can be used to heat or cool the passenger compartment as needed. In heating mode, the heat pump module extracts heat from the outside air or from the engine and transfers it to the interior of the passenger compartment via the air conditioning unit. In cooling mode, the process is reversed, and the heat is extracted from the passenger compartment and rejected to the outside. The heat pump module therefore assists the air conditioning unit and makes the vehicle so equipped more energy efficient, because it exploits free or renewable heat sources.

[0004] However, the assembly of a vehicle equipped with a pump module does not allow, for reasons of accessibility, the installation of water pipes connecting to the rear of the module. Also, the connections are necessarily made in the upper part of the module. Also, the connection of a heat pump module requires several steps: firstly, the air conditioning unit and flexible tubes must be installed to connect the module to the air conditioning unit. The hoses, equipped with connection flanges, are then positioned in a waiting position chosen to free up the space necessary for the installation of the heat pump module and its support. Then the connection flanges are connected to the module.

[0005] For certain vehicles, the installation constraints may prove to be such that it is not possible to find a suitable waiting position for the hoses, so that it is not possible to mount the module and its support before the hoses.

[0006] Thus, there is a need for a solution to simplify the connection of a heat pump module.

[0007] The present invention aims to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, one aim of the present invention is to provide a connection block and a heat pump making it possible to simplify the connection to the air conditioning unit and in particular to avoid the step of putting the hoses on hold.

[0008] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a single-piece connection block designed to allow the fluid connection of a heat pump of a motor vehicle to a plurality of pipes coming from an air conditioning unit of the vehicle, to allow an exchange of fluid between the pump and the air conditioning unit, the connection block comprising a plurality of fluid inlets, each designed to be connected to one of the pipes, each fluid inlet being in fluid communication with a separate fluid outlet of the block, each designed to be connected to a fluid connection of the heat pump, the block comprising a connection interface, comprising each fluid outlet, designed to cooperate with a complementary interface of the heat pump so that each pipe is connected to a connection,the block comprising fixing means designed to allow the heat pump to be fixed to the block, when the interface cooperates with the complementary interface.

[0009] The invention also relates to a heat pump for a motor vehicle comprising a plurality of fluid connections, each designed to be connected to a fluid outlet of a connection block according to the invention, the heat pump having a complementary interface, comprising all the fluid connections, designed to cooperate with the connection interface in order to connect each connection to a fluid outlet of the block.

[0010] The invention also relates to an air conditioning system comprising a connection block according to the invention and a heat pump according to the invention fixed to the block, the system further comprising a plurality of pipes, each pipe being connected, on the one hand, to a fluid inlet of the block and, on the other hand, to an air conditioning unit.

[0011] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle having an air conditioning system according to the invention.

[0012] Thus, the connection block according to the invention and the heat pump according to the invention make it easier to assemble the air conditioning system according to the invention since it is sufficient to bring the connection interface into cooperation with the complementary interface to obtain the connection of the pipes to the heat pump. The pipes can therefore be connected to the connection block with fewer installation constraints and it becomes possible to have pipes connected in an area located at the rear of the heat pump. Furthermore, the pipe routes can be chosen so as to avoid having to put the system in the standby position before positioning the heat pump. Finally, the pipes are no longer necessarily flexible because putting them in the standby position is no longer required. Thus, the connection block and the heat pump according to the invention make it possible to simplify the assembly of the air conditioning system according to the invention.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the connection block according to the invention, the connection interface defines a connection plane, all the fluid inlets being arranged on the same side of the connection plane to allow the arrival of all the pipes on this same side of the connection plane.

[0014] According to one possibility, the connection block is designed to be arranged under the heat pump and to form a support for the heat pump.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the connection block, the fixing means comprise at least one stud projecting from the connection interface.

[0016] According to one possibility, the connection block comprises securing means making it possible to secure the block to the body of the vehicle.

[0017] Advantageously, the heat pump comprises at least one bore designed to receive a stud to allow the pump to be fixed to a connection block.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the air conditioning system, each pipe is rigid and is arranged under the heat pump.

[0019] The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, given solely as a non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawing in which:

[0020] [Fig. 1] [Fig. 1] represents a perspective view of a connection block and a heat pump according to the invention to form an air conditioning system according to the invention.

[0021] A connection block 1 according to the invention, illustrated in [Fig.l], is designed to allow the fluid connection of a heat pump 2 according to the invention, illustrated in [Fig.l], of a motor vehicle to a plurality of pipes 3, coming from an air conditioning unit of the vehicle (not shown), to allow an exchange of fluid between the pump 2 and the air conditioning unit. The connection block 1 is in one piece and is, for example, formed from a machined metal mass. The block 1 comprises a plurality of fluid inlets 4, each designed to be connected to one of the pipes 3. Each fluid inlet 4 is in fluid communication with a fluid outlet 5 of the separate block 1. Each fluid outlet 5 is designed to be connected to a fluid connection, not shown, of the pump 2 to heat. For this purpose, the block 1 comprises a connection interface 6, comprising each fluid outlet 5, designed to cooperate with a complementary interface 7, located in [Fig.l], of the heat pump 2 so that each pipe 3 is connected to a connection. In the example illustrated in the figure, the connection interface 6 has a flat surface 8 in which each fluid outlet 5 is provided.

[0022] Advantageously, the connection block 1 is designed to be arranged under the heat pump and to form a support for the heat pump. The connection interface 6 defines a connection plane, corresponding in this case to the flat surface 8, all the inlets 4 being arranged on the same side of the connection plane to allow the arrival of all the pipes 3 on this same side of the connection plane.

[0023] The block 1 advantageously comprises securing means 9 for securing the block 1 to the body of the vehicle. For example, the securing means 9 comprise at least one fixing eyelet 10 to enable the block 1 to be secured to the body of the vehicle according to the invention. Advantageously, each eyelet 10 receives a rubber stud 11 for damping the movements of the vehicle when the block 1 is secured to the vehicle.

[0024] As indicated, the heat pump 2 comprises, for its part, a plurality of fluid connections, each designed to be connected to a fluid outlet 5, and the complementary interface 7 comprising all the fluid connections. The complementary interface 7 is designed to cooperate with the interface 6 to connect each connection to a fluid outlet 5 of the connection block 1.

[0025] The block I further comprises fixing means 12 designed to allow the heat pump 2 to be fixed to the block 1, when the interface 6 cooperates with the complementary interface 7. As illustrated in [Fig.l], the fixing means 12 comprise, for example, at least one stud 13 projecting from the connection interface 6. For this purpose, the heat pump 2 comprises at least one bore, not visible in the figure, each designed to receive a stud 13 in order to allow the pump 2 to be fixed to the connection block 1.

[0026] The connection block 1 and the heat pump 2 make it possible to form an air conditioning system 14. In the system 14, the pump 2 is fixed to the block 1. The system 14 further comprises the pipes 3 connected, on the one hand, each to a fluid inlet 4 of the block 1 and, on the other hand, to an air conditioning unit. Advantageously, each pipe 3 is rigid and is arranged under the heat pump 2.

[0027] Thus, the connection block 1 according to the invention and the heat pump 2 according to the invention make it easier to assemble the air conditioning system 14 according to the invention. The pipes 3 are connected to the connection block 1 with lesser installation constraints than in a conventional vehicle and it becomes possible to have pipes 3 connected in an area located at the rear of the heat pump 2. Furthermore, the routes of the pipes 3 are chosen so as to avoid having to put them in the waiting position before positioning the heat pump 2. Finally, the pipes 3 are no longer necessarily flexible because putting them in the waiting position is no longer required. Thus, the connection block 1 and the heat pump 2 according to the invention make it possible to simplify the assembly of the air conditioning system 14 according to the invention.

[0028] The invention is not limited to the embodiments of the connection block and the heat pump described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims

1. A single-piece connection block (1) designed to allow the fluid connection of a heat pump (2) of a motor vehicle to a plurality of pipes (3) coming from an air conditioning unit of the vehicle, to allow an exchange of fluid between the pump (2) and the air conditioning unit, the connection block (1) comprising a plurality of fluid inlets (4), each designed to be connected to one of the pipes (3), each fluid inlet (4) being in fluid communication with a separate fluid outlet (5) of the block (1), each designed to be connected to a fluid connection of the heat pump (2), the block (1) comprising a connection interface (6), comprising each fluid outlet (5), designed to cooperate with a complementary interface (7) of the heat pump (2) so that each pipe (3) is connected to a connection,the block (1) comprising fixing means (12) designed to allow the fixing of the heat pump (2) on the block (1), when the interface (6) cooperates with the complementary interface (7).,

2. Connection block (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection interface (6) defines a connection plane, all the fluid inlets (4) being arranged on the same side of the connection plane to allow the arrival of all the pipes (3) on this same side of the connection plane.

3. Connection block (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is designed to be arranged under the heat pump (2) and to form a support for the heat pump (2).

4. Connection block (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the fixing means (12) comprise at least one stud (13) projecting from the connection interface (6).

5. Connection block (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises securing means (9) making it possible to secure the block (1) to the body of the vehicle.

6. A heat pump (2) for a motor vehicle comprising a plurality of fluid connections, each designed to be connected to a fluid outlet (5) of a connection block (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, the heat pump (2) having a complementary interface (7), comprising all the fluid connections, designed to cooperate with the connection interface (6) in order to connect each connection to a fluid outlet (5) of the block (1).

7. Heat pump (2) according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises at least one bore designed to receive a stud (13) in order to allow the pump (2) to be fixed to a connection block (1).

8. Air conditioning system (14) comprising a connection block (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5 and a heat pump (2) according to claim 6 or 7 fixed to the block (1), the system (14) further comprising a plurality of pipes (3), each pipe (3) being connected, on the one hand, to a fluid inlet (4) of the block (1) and, on the other hand, to an air conditioning unit.

9. Air conditioning system (14) according to claim 8, characterized in that each pipe (3) is rigid and is arranged under the heat pump (2).

10. Motor vehicle having an air conditioning system (14) according to claim 8 or 9.

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