Air diffuser duct.

Abstract

The invention relates to an air diffuser duct (1) for a motor vehicle passenger compartment designed to diffuse air into the passenger compartment from an air conditioning unit. The duct (1) comprises a hollow body (4) extending between a connecting end (5), designed to connect the duct (1) to an air conditioning unit, and a closed distal end (6). The connecting end (5) has an air inlet (7) to allow air to be supplied to the body (4). The body (4) comprises a diffusion face (12) having a plurality of distinct diffusion openings. Each opening is surrounded by an edge projecting from the diffusion face and extending in its own preferred direction. Each opening and its edge allow an airflow from the body (4) along the preferred direction of the opening, forming an angle with the diffusion face (12), in order to direct the airflow to a particular area. (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Air diffuser duct.

[0001] The technical field relates to air diffuser ducts, motor vehicle passenger compartments comprising at least one such duct, as well as motor vehicles having such a passenger compartment.

[0002] Automobile manufacturers pay close attention to the comfort of their vehicle passengers. Among the essential comfort criteria are, of course, the management of air inside the passenger compartment, including the control of temperature, humidity level and air quality.

[0003] To this end, vehicles are commonly equipped with an air conditioning unit designed to manage the air quality in the passenger compartment. The air conditioning unit, with the aid of ventilation ducts connected to it, organizes the circulation and treatment of the air in the passenger compartment, notably by replacing the air exhausted from the passenger compartment by an air extractor with fresh air from outside. Known ventilation ducts allow air to be distributed throughout the passenger compartment but do not always ensure air homogenization in the area they supply, particularly when they supply the footwells where the pedals or the front passengers' feet are located.

[0004] On the other hand, in order to reduce development costs and the diversity of parts, car manufacturers, when developing a new vehicle, must strive to reuse as many pre-existing components as possible, and in particular, reuse one of the existing air conditioning units. However, it sometimes happens that the position and direction of the air outlets of the chosen air conditioning unit are not suitable for the passenger compartment being developed.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for a solution to adapt an air conditioning unit to a developing passenger compartment and to obtain a homogeneous diffusion of the air blown by the air conditioning unit in the basements.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide an air diffuser duct for distributing air from an existing air conditioning unit homogeneously throughout one of the cellars.

[0007] To this end, the present invention relates to an air diffuser duct for a motor vehicle passenger compartment designed to diffuse air into the passenger compartment from an air conditioning unit. The duct comprises a hollow body extending between a connecting end, designed to connect the duct to an air conditioning unit, and a closed distal end. The connecting end has an air inlet to allow air to be supplied to the hollow body. hollow comprising a diffusion face having a plurality of diffusion openings, spaced apart, each opening being surrounded by an edge projecting from the diffusion face and extending along its own preferred direction, each opening and its edge allowing an airflow, from the hollow body, along the preferred direction of the opening forming at least one angle with the diffusion surface, in order to direct the airflow towards a particular area of ​​the passenger compartment, when the duct is mounted in the passenger compartment.

[0008] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle passenger compartment comprising an air conditioning unit and at least one air diffuser duct according to the invention, the connecting end of each duct being connected to an air outlet sleeve of the air conditioning unit to allow the air conditioning unit to blow air through the air inlet into the hollow body of each duct, each opening and its edge being arranged and shaped to allow an airflow specific to the opening along a preferred direction specific to directing the airflow towards a particular area of ​​the passenger compartment associated with the opening.

[0009] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle having a passenger compartment according to the invention.

[0010] Thus, the air diffuser duct according to the invention allows air supplied by the air conditioning unit to be diffused through the diffusion openings. The presence of the edges surrounding each opening allows the airflow to be directed in a specific preferred direction. Therefore, by choosing the set of preferred directions and their number, automobile manufacturers have a diffuser duct capable of distributing air homogeneously and precisely throughout the passenger compartment, and in particular in one of the footwells. Furthermore, by adapting the shape of the hollow body, the diffuser duct can be adapted to each air conditioning unit. In addition, the presence of a closed distal end facilitates a change in the direction of the airflow circulating within the hollow body as it passes through each diffusion opening.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, each edge has a hollow cylindrical shape, the preferred direction corresponding to the axis of the cylindrical shape.

[0012] Advantageously, each opening has a circular or oblong contour.

[0013] According to one possibility, the diffusion face is substantially flat and the hollow body extends along a median curve dividing the diffusion face into two halves.

[0014] Advantageously, each opening has an axis of symmetry partly coincident with the median line.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the duct, the proper lengths of each opening, measured along the median curve, increase with the distance, measured along the median curve, between the opening and the air inlet.

[0016] According to one possibility, the hollow body is composed of two assembled half-shells Each of these components can be obtained through a molding process, specifically a molding process with free demolding. Such a hollow body is therefore easy and inexpensive to produce.

[0017] According to one possibility of the passenger compartment, the duct includes for each pedal at least one associated opening designed to direct an airflow towards the pedal, and an opening designed to direct an airflow towards the footrest.

[0018] Advantageously, the duct includes an opening designed to direct an airflow between a left pedal and the footrest.

[0019] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0020] [Fig-1] [Fig. 1] represents a perspective view of an air diffuser duct according to the invention;

[0021] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a view of the diffusion face of the duct of [Fig.1];

[0022] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a partial perspective view of a passenger compartment according to the invention showing the conduit of the [Fig.l] assembled in the driver's footwell of the vehicle;

[0023] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0024] An air diffuser duct 1 according to the invention, illustrated in the figures, is designed for a passenger compartment 2 of a motor vehicle according to the invention, partially illustrated in [Fig.3],

[0025] Duct 1 is designed to distribute air into the passenger compartment 2 from an air conditioning unit 3, partially visible in [Fig. 3], fitted to a vehicle according to the invention. In particular, duct 1 is designed to distribute air into one of the footwells of the passenger compartment 2. For a given passenger compartment 2, generally two ducts 1 are required, one for each footwell.

[0026] As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the air diffuser duct 1 comprises a hollow body 4 extending from a connection end 5, designed to connect the duct 1 to the air conditioning unit 3. The hollow body 4 extends to a closed distal end 6. The connection end 5 has an air inlet 7 to allow air to be supplied to the hollow body 4 by the air conditioning unit 3. The connection of the duct 1 is effected, for example, by inserting an air outlet sleeve of the air conditioning unit 3 into the air inlet 7 of the duct 1.

[0027] In the example illustrated in the figures, the hollow body 4 has a first part 8 forming an elbow 9 allowing the direction of the airflow ejected by the air conditioning unit 3 to be changed, in this case from a direction directed towards the front of the passenger compartment 2 to a direction directed towards a side of the passenger compartment 2.

[0028] The hollow body 4 is, for example, composed of two half-shells 10 assembled together, each obtainable by a molding operation, in particular a molding operation with free demolding.

[0029] As illustrated in figures 1 and 2, the hollow body 4 has a fixing plate 11 projecting from the distal end 6 allowing the hollow body 4 to be fixed in the housing 2.

[0030] As illustrated in [Fig. 2], the hollow body 4 comprises a diffusion face 12 having a plurality of diffusion openings 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, spaced apart. Each opening 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d is surrounded by an edge 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d projecting from the diffusion face 12 and extending along a preferred direction DPI, DP2, DP3, DP4.

[0031] In the example illustrated in the figures, the diffusion face 12 is substantially flat and the hollow body 4 extends along a curved median line Lm, dividing the diffusion face 12 into two halves. Each opening 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d has an axis of symmetry partially coinciding with the median line Lm.

[0032] In the passenger compartment 2, for example for the driver's footwell, each opening 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d and its edge 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d allow an airflow, originating from the hollow body 4, along the preferred direction DPI, DP2, DP3, DP4 of the opening 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, forming at least one angle A1, A2, A3, A4 with the diffusion face 12, in order to direct the airflow towards a particular area Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4 of the passenger compartment, illustrated in [Fig. 3], when the duct 1 is mounted in the passenger compartment 2. Thus, in the passenger compartment 2, the duct 1 has, for each pedal 15a, 15b, an opening 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d associated designed to direct an airflow towards the pedal 15a, 15b. Duct 1 also has an opening 13d designed to direct an airflow towards the footrest 16 of the passenger compartment 2.

[0033] As illustrated in [Fig. 2], each edge 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d has a hollow cylindrical shape, with the preferred direction DP1, DP2, DP3, DP4 corresponding to the axis of the cylindrical shape. In the example shown in the figures, edge 14a has a cylindrical shape with a circular base, while the other edges 14b, 14c, 14d have a cylindrical shape with an oblong base.

[0034] Advantageously, the shapes of each edge 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d are defined to allow natural demolding.

[0035] The opening 13a has a circular contour while the other openings 13b, 13c, 13d have an oblong contour. The contour of each opening 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d corresponds to the shape of its corresponding edge 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, so that each edge 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d follows the contour of its opening 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d.

[0036] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, in particular [Fig. 2], the proper lengths L1, L2, L3, L4 of each opening 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, measured in following the median curve Lm, increase with the distance Dl, D2, D3, D4, measured by following the median curve Lm, between the opening 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d and the air inlet 7.

[0037] Thus, the air diffuser duct 1 according to the invention allows air, supplied by the air conditioning unit 3, to be diffused through the diffusion openings 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d. The presence of the edges 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d surrounding each opening 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d allows the airflow to be directed in a specific preferred direction DPI, DP2, DP3, DP4. Therefore, by selecting the set of preferred directions DPI, DP2, DP3, DP4 and their number, automobile manufacturers have a diffuser duct 1 capable of diffusing air homogeneously and precisely in the passenger compartment 2 and, in particular, in the footwells. Furthermore, the presence of the elbow 9 allows for a hollow body shape 4 adapted to the specificity of the air outlets of the air conditioning unit 3. The closed distal end 6 facilitates the reorientation of the airflows passing through the diffusion openings.

[0038] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the air diffuser duct described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope and extent of the present invention.

Claims

Demands

1. Air diffuser duct (1) for a motor vehicle passenger compartment (2) designed to diffuse air into the passenger compartment (2) from an air conditioning unit (3), the duct (1) comprising a hollow body (4) extending between a connecting end (5) designed to connect the duct (1) to an air conditioning unit (3) and a closed distal end (6), the connecting end (5) having an air inlet (7) to allow air to be supplied into the hollow body (4), the hollow body (4) comprising a diffusion face (12) having a plurality of diffusion openings (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) spaced apart, each opening (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) being surrounded by an edge (1a, 1b, 14c, 14d) projecting from the diffusion face (12) and extending along a preferred direction (DPI, DP2, DP3, DP4) proper, each opening (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) and its edge (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) allowing an airflow, coming from the hollow body (4),following the preferred direction (DPI, DP2, DP3, DP4) of the opening (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) by forming at least one angle (A1, A2, A3, A4) with the diffusion face (12), in order to direct the airflow towards a particular area (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4) of the passenger compartment (2), when the duct (1) is mounted in the passenger compartment (2).

2. Conduit (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each edge (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) has a hollow cylindrical shape, the preferred direction (DP1, DP2, DP3, DP4) corresponding to the axis of the cylindrical shape.

3. Conduit (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each opening (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) has a circular or oblong contour.

4. Conduit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the diffusion face (12) is substantially flat and in that the hollow body (4) extends along a median curve (Lm) dividing the diffusion face (12) into two halves.

5. Conduit (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that each opening (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) has an axis of symmetry partly coincident with the median line (Lm).

6. Conduit (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the proper lengths (L1, L2, L3, L4) of each opening (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d), measured along the median curve (Lm), increase with the distance (D1, D2, D3, D4), measured along the median curve (Lm), between the opening (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) and the air inlet (7).

7. Conduit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the hollow body (4) is composed of two half-shells (10) assembled together, each obtainable by a molding operation, in particular a molding operation with free demolding.

8. A motor vehicle passenger compartment (2) comprising an air conditioning unit (3) and at least one air diffuser duct (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the connecting end (5) of each duct (1) being connected to an air outlet sleeve of the air conditioning unit (3) to allow the air conditioning unit (3) to blow air through the air inlet (7) into the hollow body (4) of each duct (1), each opening (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) and its edge (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) being arranged and shaped to allow airflow specific to the opening (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) along a preferred direction (DP1, DP2, DP3, DP4) specific to direct the airflow towards a particular area (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4) of the passenger compartment (2) associated with the opening (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d).

9. Passenger compartment (2) according to claim 8, characterized in that the duct (1) comprises for each pedal (15a, 15b) at least one associated opening (13a, 13b, 13c) designed to direct an airflow towards the pedal (15a, 15b), and an opening (14d) designed to direct an airflow towards the footrest (16).

10. Motor vehicle having a passenger compartment (2) according to claim 8 or 9.

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