Vehicle ventilation structure

Abstract

To efficiently blow air from an upper portion of an instrument panel to a lower side while securing accessibility to a front portion of a floor console.SOLUTION: An air blowing structure includes: a vertical flow path portion 50 disposed on a front side of an instrument panel and extending in a vertical direction, and a front-rear direction flow path portion connected to a lower portion of the vertical flow path portion 50 and extending rearward along a floor portion of a vehicle cabin, where a curved portion 53 curved so as to protrude forward is provided at an intermediate portion of the vertical flow path portion 50 in the vertical direction, and an expansion portion 54 in which a flow path cross section is expanded as compared with an inner portion is provided at an outer portion of the curved portion 53.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a ventilation structure for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] An air conditioning unit for a vehicle is disposed, for example, on the front side of the instrument panel at the front of the vehicle cabin. An air conditioning duct for sending conditioned air into the vehicle cabin is connected to the air conditioning unit. The air conditioning duct is also connected, for example, to an air outlet provided in the instrument panel. The conditioned air sent from the air conditioning unit is sent through the air conditioning duct and from the air outlet toward the vehicle cabin. The air outlets provided in the instrument panel include a central outlet located in the center of the vehicle width direction, left and right air outlets located at the left and right ends, and also a defroster outlet provided in the front part of the upper surface of the instrument panel.

[0003] In addition, there is known an air conditioning unit for a vehicle that is configured to send air to the rear of the vehicle compartment through an air conditioning duct. In order to send conditioned air to the rear of the vehicle compartment, for example, it is necessary to provide a flow path extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle in the floor of the vehicle compartment.

[0004] For example, a known structure is one in which a flow path is disposed below a floor panel and conditioned air generated by an air conditioning unit is directed toward the vehicle interior behind the front seats. However, in some vehicles, it is difficult to secure space below the floor panel to place the flow path.

[0005] In such a case, a known structure is one in which a flow path is provided inside a floor console provided on the floor of the vehicle to send air toward the vehicle rear side of the front seats, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. In this example, a flow path through which conditioned air can flow is provided inside the floor console, which is provided between the left and right front seats and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the conditioned air is sent from an air outlet provided at the rear of the floor console.

[0006] On the other hand, the air conditioning unit located in front of the instrument panel is usually located below the defroster outlet, left outlet, and right outlet, for example, and therefore the conditioned air blown from the air conditioning unit needs to be blown upward, for example, at the center of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction.

[0007] Furthermore, when blowing conditioned air into a flow path provided in the floor section as described above, it is necessary to blow the conditioned air that is blown upward, for example, at the center of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction, downward toward the front of the flow path provided in the floor section. For this purpose, a vertical flow path is provided on the front side of the instrument panel so that the air flows from the top toward the front of the floor section, i.e., downward. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-272330 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] In the above-described example structure, a luggage storage area for temporarily storing or placing small items, and an operating unit for operating in-vehicle devices, are provided in the upper front portion of the floor console. The luggage storage area and the operating unit require good accessibility, for example, so that the driver can easily reach them. Meanwhile, in a structure in which the front portion of the floor console is connected to the lower portion of the center portion of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction, a sloped portion that slopes toward the front of the vehicle as it approaches the bottom of the vehicle may be provided in the center portion of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction to ensure accessibility to the luggage storage area, etc.

[0010] When an inclined portion such as the one described above is provided in the instrument panel, the vertical airflow passage located on the front side of the instrument panel must also be curved along the inclined shape. This curvature increases the flow resistance of the conditioned air flowing downward, potentially reducing the airflow efficiency. Therefore, there is room for improvement in effectively delivering conditioned air to the airflow passage provided in the floor console of the above example.

[0011] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle ventilation structure that can efficiently blow air from the top to the bottom of the instrument panel while ensuring accessibility to the front part of the floor console. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the air supply structure for a vehicle according to the present invention is an air conditioning duct structure for a vehicle, which is connected to an air conditioning unit located on the front side of an instrument panel located at the front of the vehicle compartment, and has a vertical flow path portion located on the front side of the instrument panel and extending in the vertical direction, and a longitudinal flow path portion connected to the lower part of the vertical flow path portion and extending toward the rear of the vehicle along the vehicle width middle portion of the floor portion of the vehicle compartment, wherein a curved portion is provided at the vertical middle portion of the vertical flow path portion so as to curve so as to protrude toward the rear of the vehicle, and an extension portion is provided at the vehicle width outer side of the curved portion so that the flow path cross section is wider than the vehicle width inner side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently blow air from the upper part of the instrument panel downward while ensuring accessibility to the front part of the floor console. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an instrument panel and a center console in which a vehicle air blowing structure according to the present invention is disposed; [Figure 2]2 is a schematic perspective view showing an outline of a ventilation structure arranged in the instrument panel and the center console of FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a front view of the air blowing structure of FIG. 2 as seen from the front side of the vehicle. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] 3 is a rear view of the vertical flow passage section and its periphery in FIG. 2 as seen from the rear of the vehicle. [Figure 6] 3 is a perspective view of the vertical flow passage portion and its periphery in FIG. 2, as viewed from the front of the vehicle. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the duct connection portion of FIG. 3 alone. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of FIG. [Figure 9] 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the vertical flow path portion of FIG. 2 alone. [Figure 11] 11 is a front view of the vertical flow path portion of FIG. 10 as seen from the front of the vehicle. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a right side view of the vertical flow path portion of FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 12 is a left side view of the vertical flow path portion of FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 5. [Figure 15] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the vertical flow path portion of FIG. 2. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a rear view of the vertical flow path section of FIG. 15 as seen from the rear. [Figure 17] FIG. 16 is a front view of the vertical flow path section of FIG. 15 as seen from the front. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an air blowing structure for a vehicle according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings (Figs. 1 to 14). In the drawings, the direction of the arrow Fr indicates the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In the description of the embodiment, the "front portion (front end) and the rear portion (rear end)" correspond to the front and rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, the arrows R and L indicate the right and left sides when an occupant looks forward of the vehicle. Furthermore, the arrow U indicates the upward direction in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the vehicle air blowing structure of this embodiment has an air conditioning duct 40 connected to an air conditioning unit 6. The air conditioning unit 6 is disposed forward of an instrument panel 1 disposed in the front portion of the vehicle compartment. The vehicle air blowing structure of this embodiment also has a vertical air flow passage portion 50 disposed forward of the instrument panel 1 and extending in the up-down direction, and front-rear air flow passage portions 60, 78 connected to a lower portion of the vertical air flow passage portion 50 and extending rearward of the vehicle along a vehicle width direction intermediate portion of the floor portion of the vehicle compartment. A curved portion 53 is provided in the vertical direction intermediate portion of the vertical air flow passage portion 50, curving to protrude rearward of the vehicle. An extension portion 54 is provided at a vehicle width direction outer portion of the curved portion 53, the extension portion having a larger air flow passage cross section than a vehicle width direction inner portion. Components constituting the vehicle air blowing structure of this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 1, the instrument panel 1 is an interior component located at the front of the vehicle cabin. The instrument panel 1 is provided with air outlets 2, 4, and 5 through which conditioned air is blown out from an air conditioning unit 6. The instrument panel 1 in this example is provided with a central air outlet 2, a left air outlet 4, a right air outlet 5, and a defroster air outlet 3.

[0018] In this embodiment, the two central air outlets 2 are disposed in the center of the instrument panel 1 in the vehicle width direction, and are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction. The two central air outlets 2 are disposed on the vehicle upper side at the front end of the center console 30. The left air outlet 4 is disposed at the left end of the instrument panel 1 in the vehicle width direction, and the right air outlet 5 is disposed at the right end of the instrument panel 1. In this example, a steering wheel (not shown) and the like are disposed between the central air outlet 2 and the right air outlet 5. The defroster air outlet 3 is disposed in the front part of the upper surface portion 1a of the instrument panel 1, as shown in FIG. 1 . The defroster air outlet 3 extends in the vehicle width direction.

[0019] The center console 30 of this embodiment is installed, for example, in a tunnel portion (not shown) provided in the floor portion, and is disposed between the left and right front seats (not shown), extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The front end of the center console 30 is connected to the instrument panel 1. A rear air outlet 38 is provided at the rear of the center console 30. A portion of an air conditioning duct 40 is also disposed inside the center console 30. The relationship between the center console 30 and the air conditioning duct 40 will be described later.

[0020] The center console 30 has a side wall portion 31 and an upper surface portion 32. The side wall portion 31 extends upward from the floor portion and in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. The upper surface portion 32 is disposed between the left and right side wall portions 31. In this embodiment, a vehicle operation unit and a luggage storage unit are provided on the upper surface portion 32. Note that, although both the vehicle operation unit and the luggage storage unit are provided in this embodiment, this is not limiting and either one may be provided.

[0021] Next, an outline of the configuration of the air conditioning unit 6 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the air conditioning unit 6 of this embodiment has an air introduction section 7, an air conditioning section 8, and a duct connection section 10. The air introduction section 7 is a section that takes in outside air and introduces it into the air conditioning section 8. The air introduction section 7 has an intake section 7b having an air inlet 7a, and an air blower section 7c having a blower fan 7d. The air inlet 7a is a section that is provided, for example, in the cowl section of the vehicle, and is configured to be able to take in outside air from outside the vehicle. The air blower section 7c is located, for example, below the intake section 7b. The air taken in through the air inlet 7a is sent to the air conditioning section 8 by driving the blower fan 7d.

[0022] Furthermore, a connection portion to which an air conditioning duct is connected is provided on the upper portion of the air conditioning unit 6, more specifically, on the upper portion of the air conditioning portion 8. The connection portions 8a and 8b have a portion 8a to which a duct connection portion 10 to which multiple ducts are connected is attached, and a portion 8b located on the front side of the duct connection portion 10 to which a defroster duct 44 is connected (FIG. 4).

[0023] As shown in Fig. 3, the duct connection part 10 is provided, for example, at the upper part of the air conditioning unit 8. A plurality of ducts are connected to the duct connection part 10. As shown in Fig. 7, the duct connection part 10 has an inlet part 11 connected to the upper part of the air conditioning unit 8, and a plurality of outlet parts. The inlet part 11 is disposed below the duct connection part 10, opens toward the bottom of the vehicle, and extends in the vehicle width direction. The inlet part 11 receives conditioned air flowing from the air conditioning unit 8 toward the top of the vehicle.

[0024] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 7 to 9, the outlet portion of the duct connection portion 10 includes a left outlet portion 12, a right outlet portion 13, a central outlet portion 14, and a rear outlet portion 15. The left outlet portion 12 is provided on the left side of the duct connection portion 10. In this example, the left outlet portion 12 is tubular and extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle, penetrating in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape. A lower portion of the left outlet portion 12 is connected to the inlet portion 11 so as to be fluidly communicated, and an upper portion of the left outlet portion 12 is connected to a left duct 41, which will be described later.

[0025] The right-side outlet portion 13 is provided on the right side of the duct connection portion 10. Like the left-side outlet portion 12, the right-side outlet portion 13 in this example is tubular and extends in the vehicle vertical direction, penetrating the vehicle vertical direction, and has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape. A lower portion of the right-side outlet portion 13 is connected to the inlet portion 11 so as to be fluidly connected, and an upper portion of the right-side outlet portion 13 is connected to a right-side duct 42, which will be described later.

[0026] The central outlet section 14 is disposed between the left outlet section 12 and the right outlet section 13. The central outlet section 14 is tubular and extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle, penetrating the vehicle in the vertical direction, and has a substantially rectangular cross section. A lower portion of the central outlet section 14 is connected to the inlet section 11 so as to be fluidly connected thereto. A center duct 43, which will be described later, is connected to an upper portion of the central outlet section 14.

[0027] In this embodiment, the flow path cross section of the central outlet portion 14 is set larger than the flow path cross sections of the left outlet portion 12 and the right outlet portion 13. This is because the central outlet portion 14 is connected to the two central outlets 2 via a center duct, while the left outlet portion 12 and the right outlet portion 13 are connected to one left outlet 4 and one right outlet 5 via a left duct 41 and a right duct 42, respectively.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 7, the rear outlet portion 15 is disposed in front of the duct connection portion 10. The rear outlet portion 15 has an upper wall 15a, a lower wall 15b, and left and right side walls 15c. The upper wall 15a extends from a vehicle width direction central portion of the front wall of the left outlet portion 12, via the front wall of the central outlet portion 14, to a vehicle width direction central portion of the front wall of the right outlet portion 13, and protrudes rearward. The lower wall 15b extends in the vehicle width direction like the upper wall 15a, is disposed below the upper wall 15a at a distance, and protrudes rearward from the lower end of the duct connection portion 10.

[0029] The left side wall 15c extends vertically to connect the left end of the upper wall 15a and the left end of the lower wall 15b, and protrudes rearward from the front wall of the left outlet section 12. The right side wall 15c extends vertically to connect the right end of the upper wall 15a and the right end of the lower wall 15b, and protrudes rearward from the front wall of the right outlet section 13. Three vertical walls are provided between the left and right side walls 15c. The three vertical walls divide the frontage of the rear outlet section 15 into four sections. In this example, it is divided into approximately four equal parts.

[0030] Furthermore, the rear outlet portion 15 has a plurality of curved wall portions 15d configured to direct the conditioned air flowing from the inlet portion 11 into the inside of the duct connection portion 10 to the rear outlet portion 15. The curved wall portions 15d of the present embodiment are configured to direct a portion of the conditioned air flowing from the bottom to the top through the inlet portion 11 to the rear.

[0031] For example, as shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9, the left curved wall portion 15d is arranged so as to block a part of the flow path of the left outlet portion 12. In this example, the left curved wall portion 15d curves downward from the left side of the front end of the upper wall 15a of the rear outlet portion 15 as it moves forward, and is connected to the lower end of the front wall 12a of the left outlet portion 12. Side walls 15e are provided on both ends of the curved wall portion 15d in the vehicle width direction. The side walls 15e and the curved wall portion 15d form a flow path for flowing conditioned air to the rear outlet portion 15. The right curved wall portion 15d is configured similarly to the left curved wall portion 15d.

[0032] 8 and 9, the central curved wall portion 15d is disposed so as to block a portion of the flow path of the central outlet portion 14. In this example, the central curved wall portion 15d curves downward as it moves forward from a middle portion in the vehicle width direction of the front end of the upper wall 15a of the rear outlet portion 15, and extends to a middle portion in the vehicle width direction of the inlet portion 11. Side walls 15e are also provided on both ends of the central curved wall portion 15d in the vehicle width direction. The side walls 15e and the curved wall portion 15d form a guide that directs the conditioned air to the rear outlet portion 15.

[0033] Here, a brief description will be given of the flow of conditioned air inside the duct connection portion 10. The conditioned air flows from below to above and enters the inlet portion 11 from the air conditioning unit 8. A portion of the conditioned air that enters the inlet portion 11 flows into the left outlet portion 12, the central outlet portion 14, and the right outlet portion 13, and is sent to the left duct 41, the center duct 43, and the left duct 41. A portion of the conditioned air that enters the inlet portion 11 is sent to the rear outlet portion 15 via curved wall portions 15d and the like that are arranged to block a portion of each of the left outlet portion 12, the central outlet portion 14, and the right outlet portion 13, and is sent to a vertical flow path portion 50 (described later) of the console duct 45.

[0034] Next, a description will be given of the air conditioning duct 40. The air conditioning duct 40 is a duct for blowing the conditioned air that has circulated through the air conditioning unit 6 into the vehicle cabin, and in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, the air conditioning duct 40 has a left duct 41, a right duct 42, a center duct 43, a console duct 45, and a defroster duct 44.

[0035] 2, the left duct 41 is fluidically connected to the left outlet 12, extends from the left outlet 12 toward the left side in the vehicle width direction, and is fluidically connected to the left air outlet 4 of the instrument panel 1. The left duct 41 is a hollow member having a substantially rectangular cross section and has an opening on the lower surface of the inner part in the vehicle width direction, which opening is connected to the left outlet 12. The outer part in the vehicle width direction of the left duct 41 curves rearward as it extends outward in the vehicle width direction. An opening is provided at the rear end of the left end of the left duct 41, and this opening is connected to the left air outlet 4.

[0036] 2, like the left duct 41, the right duct 42 is fluidically connected to the right outlet 13, extends from the right outlet 13 toward the right side in the vehicle width direction, and is fluidically connected to the right outlet 5. The right duct 42 is a hollow member having a substantially rectangular cross section and has an opening on the lower surface of its inner part in the vehicle width direction, which opening is connected to the right outlet 13. The outer part of the right duct 42 in the vehicle width direction curves rearward as it extends outward in the vehicle width direction. An opening is provided at the rear end of the right end of the right duct 42, and this opening is connected to the right outlet 5.

[0037] 2, the center duct 43 has a flow path changing section 43a and a branching section 43b. The flow path changing section 43a is a hollow member extending rearward from the central outlet section 14 of the duct connection section 10, and has an opening (not shown) at the bottom in the front portion of the flow path changing section 43a, which is fluidically connected to the central outlet section 14. In addition, a rearward opening is provided in the rear portion of the flow path changing section 43a, and this opening is fluidically connected to the front portion of the branching section 43b.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 3 , the defroster duct 44 is connected to the upper part of the air conditioning section 8 of the air conditioning unit 6. In this example, the defroster duct 44 is connected to the front side of the duct connection part 10 at the upper part of the air conditioning section 8. The defroster duct 44 is connected to the defroster outlet 3. A portion of the conditioned air blown from the upper part of the air conditioning section 8 flows into the defroster duct 44 on the front side of the duct connection part 10 and is blown out from the defroster outlet 3.

[0039] As described above, the front portion of the branching portion 43b is connected to the rear portion of the flow path changing portion 43a. The front portion of the branching portion 43b branches into a left flow path portion and a right flow path portion. The rear portion of the left flow path portion is fluidly connected to the left central outlet 2, and the rear portion of the right flow path portion is connected to the right central outlet 2.

[0040] The console duct 45 has a vertical flow path section 50, a left longitudinal flow path section 60 and a right longitudinal flow path section 78 that are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction, and a junction section 46. The vertical flow path section 50 is a hollow member that extends in the upward direction of the vehicle, and an upper part of the vertical flow path section 50 is connected to the rear outlet section 15 so as to be fluidically connected. A branch section 55 that branches into left and right parts is provided at the lower part of the vertical flow path section 50. Of the branched sections, the left flow path section is fluidically connected to the left longitudinal flow path section 60, and the right flow path section is fluidically connected to the right longitudinal flow path section 78.

[0041] 4 and 5, a left inlet and a right inlet are provided in front of the junction 46. The left inlet is fluidically connected to the rear of the left longitudinal flow passage 60, and the right inlet is fluidically connected to the rear of the right longitudinal flow passage 78. The rear end of the junction 46 is fluidically connected to the rear outlet 38.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the left longitudinal flow passage 60 and the right longitudinal flow passage 78 are disposed substantially symmetrically inside the center console 30, on the outer side in the vehicle width direction within the center console 30. The left longitudinal flow passage 60 has a diverging portion 60A and a rearward extending portion 60B, which are integrally formed. Similarly, the right longitudinal flow passage 78 has a diverging portion 78A and a rearward extending portion 78B, which are integrally formed. The diverging portions 60A, 78A are provided in front of the left longitudinal flow passage 60 and the right longitudinal flow passage 78, respectively. The diverging portion 60A of the left longitudinal flow passage 60 and the diverging portion 78A of the right longitudinal flow passage 78 are disposed such that the distance between them in the vehicle width direction increases toward the rear of the vehicle. The rearward extensions 60B, 78B of the left longitudinal flow passage 60 and the right longitudinal flow passage 78 extend rearward from the rear of the widening portions 60A, 78A and connect to the junction 46.

[0043] A portion of the conditioned air that flows into duct connection portion 10 flows into rear outlet portion 15 and enters vertical flow path portion 50. The conditioned air that flows into vertical flow path portion 50 flows downward and is branched into left and right at branch portion 55. The conditioned air that flows into left flow path portion 56A flows into diverging portion 60A of left longitudinal flow path portion 60, and the conditioned air that flows into right flow path portion 56B flows into diverging portion 78A of right longitudinal flow path portion 78. The conditioned air that flows through left longitudinal flow path portion 60 and the conditioned air that flows through right longitudinal flow path portion 78 join at junction portion 46 and are blown out from rear outlet 38 toward the interior of the vehicle behind the front seats.

[0044] The structure of the vertical flow path section 50 will be described in detail below. The vertical flow path section 50 is configured by a hollow member having a flow path extending downward from the rear outlet section 15 provided at the rear of the duct connection section 10 to the left longitudinal flow path section 60 and the right longitudinal flow path section 78. As shown in Figures 10 to 13, the vertical flow path section 50 of this embodiment has an inlet section 50A, an upper inclined section 51, a curved section 53, a branch section 55, and outlet sections 57A and 57B. Each section will be described below.

[0045] The inlet section 50A has an inlet 50a that opens toward the front of the vehicle, and the inlet 50a has a generally rectangular shape extending in the vehicle width direction and is connected to the rear outlet section 15 of the duct connection section 10 so as to be fluidically connected. The inlet section 50A has a flow path that curves downward as it extends rearward from the inlet 50a. That is, the inlet section 50A is configured to flow downward in the same direction as the conditioned air that flows from the rear outlet section 15 of the duct connection section 10 into the inlet 50a and flows rearward.

[0046] The upper inclined portion 51 is a portion that extends generally downward and forward, and a flow path extending along the inclination direction is formed inside the upper inclined portion 51. In this embodiment, the upper end of the upper inclined portion 51 is fluidically connected to the lower end of the inlet portion 50A. The vehicle width direction length of the upper inclined portion 51 is shorter than the vehicle width direction length of the inlet portion 50A. In this example, the left side wall 51c and the right side wall 51d at the connection between the lower end of the inlet portion 50A and the upper end of the upper inclined portion 51 are inclined so as to approach each other as they extend downward. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 , the vehicle width direction length and the vehicle front-rear direction length of the upper inclined portion 51 are substantially constant from the upper end of the upper inclined portion 51 to the upper end of the curved portion 53. The lower end of the upper inclined portion 51 is fluidically connected to the upper end of the curved portion 53.

[0047] The upper inclined portion 51 has a front wall 51a, a rear wall 51b, a left side wall 51c, and a right side wall 51d. The front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51 extends downward and rearward from its front end at the lower end of the inlet portion 50A. The rear wall 51b of the upper inclined portion 51 is disposed rearward of the front wall 51a with a gap therebetween and, like the front wall 51a, extends downward and rearward. The left side wall 51c of the upper inclined portion 51 is a side wall connecting the left end of the front wall 51a and the left end of the rear wall 51b, and is connected to a left side wall 54c of the extension portion 54, which is part of the curved portion 53, so as to be continuous with the right side wall 53d of the curved portion 53.

[0048] The front wall 51a of this embodiment has a main wall portion 51b1 that slopes parallel to the rear wall 51b and an inclined wall portion 51b2 that slopes in a direction different from the slope of the main portion. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 , the inclined wall portion 51b2 is located on the right side of the main wall portion 51b1. A boundary 51b3 between the main wall portion 51b1 and the inclined wall portion 51b2 slopes downward and to the right. The inclined wall portion 51b2 slopes in the inclination direction of the main wall portion 51b1 and slopes forward and to the right. As shown in FIG. 11 , the upper end of the boundary 51b3 is located to the left of the center of the upper inclined portion 51 in the vehicle width direction. The lower end of the boundary 51b3 is located near the connection between the upper inclined portion 51 and the curved portion 53 and to the right of the center of the upper inclined portion 51 in the vehicle width direction.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 14, the inner wall surface of the main wall portion 51b1 of the rear wall 51b, which constitutes the flow path of the upper inclined portion 51, is formed substantially parallel to the inner wall surface 51a1 of the front wall 51a. That is, the length (length L1 shown in Fig. 14) between the inner wall surface of the main wall portion 51b1 of the rear wall 51b and the inner wall surface 51a1 of the front wall 51a is maintained substantially the same in the up-down direction. On the other hand, because the inner wall surface of the inclined wall portion 51b2 of the front wall 51a is inclined as described above, the length (length L2 in Fig. 14) between the inner wall surface of the inclined wall portion 51b2 of the front wall 51a and the inner wall surface 51a1 of the front wall 51a in the vehicle front-rear direction is formed to become shorter going rightward from the boundary.

[0050] The curved portion 53 is a portion disposed below the upper inclined portion 51 and curved so as to protrude forward. A flow path through which the conditioned air flows is formed inside the curved portion 53, and the upper end of the curved portion 53 is fluidically connected to the lower end of the upper inclined portion 51, and the lower end of the curved portion 53 is fluidically connected to the upper end of the branch portion 55. The curved portion 53 is also provided with an expansion portion 54 that expands the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path. Details of the expansion portion 54 will be described later.

[0051] The front wall 53a of the curved portion 53 extends at an incline toward the front as it extends downward from the upper end of the curved portion 53, and further downward, it curves back toward the rear. As shown in FIG. 10, an extension portion 54 is provided on the left side of the curved portion 53. In this embodiment, the extension portion 54 has a widthwise extension portion 54A and a front-rear extension portion 54B. The extension portion 54 will be described later.

[0052] The outer surface of the front wall 53a of the curved portion 53 and the inner surface that forms the wall surface of the flow path have the same curved shape. The rear wall 53b of the curved portion 53 is curved in the same manner as the front wall 53a. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, a front-rear extending portion 54B is provided on the right side of the rear wall 53b. The right side wall 53d of the curved portion 53 is a side wall that connects the front wall 53a and the rear wall 53b, and is curved along the curved shapes of the front wall 53a and the rear wall 53b.

[0053] The branching portion 55 is a portion disposed below the curved portion 53, and an upper end of the branching portion 55 and a lower end of the curved portion 53 are connected to be fluidically connected. A lower portion of the branching portion 55 branches into left and right flow passages 56A and 56B. In this example, the lower portion of the branching portion 55 branches into a left flow passage 56A and a right flow passage 56B. The left flow passage 56A and the right flow passage 56B each have a substantially rectangular flow passage cross section and are disposed at an interval from each other in the vehicle width direction.

[0054] The outflow portions 57A, 57B are provided at the bottom of the left flow path portion 56A and the bottom of the right flow path portion 56B, respectively. The outflow portion 57A provided at the bottom of the left flow path portion 56A has a substantially rectangular outlet opening downward. Similarly to the left flow path portion 56A, the outflow portion 57B provided at the bottom of the right flow path portion 56B has a substantially rectangular outlet opening downward. The outflow portion 57A of the left flow path portion 56A is fluidically connected to the left longitudinal flow path portion 60, and the outflow portion 57B of the right flow path portion 56B is fluidically connected to the right longitudinal flow path portion 78.

[0055] Here, a description will be given of the shape and the like of the expanded portion 54 provided in the curved portion 53. The expanded portion 54 is provided on the outer side of the curved portion 53 in the vehicle width direction, and is a portion where the flow path cross section is expanded compared to the inner side of the curved portion 53 in the vehicle width direction. As shown in Figures 10 and 11 , the expanded portion 54 is a portion that constitutes part of the curved portion 53, and is provided on the left side of the curved portion 53.

[0056] In this embodiment, the length of the flow path cross section of the extended portion 54 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is longer than the length of the flow path cross section at the vehicle width direction center of the curved portion 53. In addition, the length in the vehicle longitudinal direction and the length in the vehicle width direction are longer than the flow path cross section below the curved portion 53 and above the branched portion 55. That is, in this embodiment, the flow path cross section of the extended portion 54 is expanded in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to the flow path cross section of the upper inclined portion 51, and is expanded in the vehicle longitudinal direction and the vehicle width direction relative to the upper portion of the branched portion 55 located below the curved portion 53.

[0057] As described above, the extension portion 54 of this embodiment has a widthwise extension portion 54A and a front-rear extension portion 54B. The widthwise extension portion 54A is a portion provided on the left side of the curved portion 53, and is a portion that extends outward to the left in the vehicle width direction with respect to the flow path cross section at the top of the branch portion 55. In other words, the widthwise extension portion 54A is a portion that is integrally formed with the left side of the curved portion 53. In this example, the front portion of the widthwise extension portion 54A is formed by the left portion of the front wall 53a of the curved portion 53. The widthwise extension portion 54A has a left side wall 54c that extends forward from the left end of the front wall 53a of the curved portion 53.

[0058] The longitudinal extension 54B is a portion that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the flow path cross section at the top of the branch portion 55. In this example, the longitudinal extension 54B is a portion that protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle from the front of the widthwise extension 54A, and is formed integrally with the curved portion 53 and the widthwise extension 54A. The left side of the longitudinal extension 54B is formed by the front portion of the left side wall 54c of the widthwise extension 54A.

[0059] Furthermore, the front portion of the longitudinal extension portion 54B has a front vertical wall 54a that faces forward and extends vertically. The upper end of the front vertical wall 54a is connected to the left side of the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51, and the lower end of the front vertical wall 54a is connected to the left side of the upper portion of the branch portion 55. The left end of the front vertical wall 54a is connected to the front end of the left side wall 54c.

[0060] The right side of the longitudinally extending portion 54B has an inner wall 54d that connects the left end of the rear wall 53b of the curved portion 53 and the right end of the front vertical wall 54a. The inner wall 54d has a substantially triangular shape in a side view.

[0061] The air flowing from the rear outlet 15 of the duct connection portion 10 into the inlet 50A of the vertical flow path portion 50 flows inside the upper inclined portion 51 and into the curved portion 53. A portion of the conditioned air flowing into the curved portion 53 flows along the curved shape of the curved portion 53, and another portion flows inside the extended portion 54. The conditioned air flowing through the upper inclined portion 51 and into the extended portion 54 flows almost linearly downward, and therefore can flow with reduced flow resistance compared to the conditioned air flowing from the upper inclined portion 51 into the curved portion 53. As a result, air can be sent to the left and right front-rear direction flow paths more effectively than if the extended portion 54 were not provided.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the curved portion 53 is provided in the vertical middle portion of the vertical flow path portion 50, an inclined portion that slopes forward as it extends downward can be easily provided in the vehicle width central portion of the instrument panel 1. That is, the provision of the vertical flow path portion 50 improves the degree of freedom in designing the vehicle width central portion of the instrument panel 1. Furthermore, by providing an inclined portion in the vehicle width central portion of the instrument panel 1, it becomes possible to install a luggage storage area or the like in the upper portion of the front portion of the center console 30. That is, in this embodiment, by providing the curved portion 53 in the vertical flow path portion 50, it becomes possible to improve the degree of freedom in designing the center console 30.

[0063] Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to efficiently blow air from the top to the bottom on the front side of the instrument panel 1 while ensuring accessibility to the front part of the center console 30, making it possible to effectively blow air-conditioned air to the rear part of the center console 30.

[0064] Furthermore, the flow path cross section of the extension portion 54 may be formed so as to widen outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path portion 50 located below the curved portion 53. Furthermore, the flow path cross section of the extension portion 54 may be formed so as to widen in the vehicle front-rear direction relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path portion 50 located below the curved portion 53. As described above, the flow path cross section of the extension portion 54 of this embodiment is formed so as to widen outward to the left in the vehicle width direction relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path portion 50 located below the curved portion 53. Furthermore, the flow path cross section of the extension portion 54 of this embodiment is formed so as to widen rearward relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path portion 50 located below the curved portion 53.

[0065] By expanding the flow path cross section of the expansion section 54 in the direction described above relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path section 50 located below the curved section 53, it is possible to reduce the flow resistance of the air conditioning air flowing into the curved section 53.

[0066] The extension section 54 may also be configured to include a widthwise extension section 54A in which the flow path cross section of the extension section 54 extends outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path section 50 located below the curved section 53, and a longitudinal extension section 54B in which the flow path cross section of the extension section 54 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to the flow path cross section of the vertical flow path section 50 located below the curved section 53. In this case, the widthwise extension section 54A and the longitudinal extension section 54B may be connected to form one continuous flow path cross section that is fluidly communicable with each other.

[0067] In this embodiment, the widthwise extension section 54A and the front-to-rear extension section 54B form a single flow path, which makes it possible to reduce the flow resistance of the air conditioning air inside the extension section 54 and further improve the air blowing efficiency.

[0068] For example, if both the longitudinal extension portion 54B and the widthwise extension portion 54A are provided in the curved portion 53 and the longitudinal extension portion 54B and the widthwise extension portion 54A form flow paths independent of each other, the longitudinal extension portion 54B needs to be disposed at an interval from the widthwise extension portion 54A, and therefore the longitudinal extension portion 54B needs to be provided in the vehicle width direction intermediate portion of the curved portion 53. In that case, the vehicle longitudinal length of the vehicle width direction intermediate portion of the longitudinal flow path portion 50 increases, which may make it difficult to dispose the longitudinal flow path portion 50 further rearward.

[0069] In contrast, in this embodiment, the widthwise extending portion 54A and the front-rear extending portion 54B are disposed on the vehicle width outer side of the curved portion 53, which makes it easier to dispose the vehicle width central portion of the vertical flow path portion 50 further rearward, and makes it possible to dispose the area corresponding to the curved portion 53 in the vehicle width central portion of the instrument panel 1 further rearward (toward the interior of the vehicle). As a result, the degree of freedom in disposing the vertical flow path portion 50 and designing the instrument panel 1 is improved.

[0070] Also, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the air intake section 7 of the air conditioning unit 6 is arranged on the left side (one side) in the vehicle width direction relative to the duct connection section 10, and the extension section 54 is arranged on the left side (the one side) in the vehicle width direction of the curved section 53.

[0071] The air that has flowed into the air introduction section 7 flows toward the blower fan 7d arranged below the air introduction section 7 (arrow X1 in FIG. 5 ), and the air that has passed through the blower fan 7d flows into the lower part of the air conditioning section 8 arranged to the right of the blower fan 7d (arrow X2 in FIG. 5 ), flows upward inside the air conditioning section 8 (arrow X3 in FIG. 5 ), and then flows into the duct connection section 10 and the like. In this case, the conditioned air that flows upward inside the air conditioning section 8 and then flows into the vertical flow path section 50 via the duct connection section 10 is more likely to flow on the right outer side in the vehicle width direction inside the vertical flow path section 50. That is, with the arrangement of this embodiment, the left side of the vertical flow path section 50 is more difficult to flow than the right side.

[0072] For example, the volume of the conditioned airflow flowing through the area indicated by arrow X5 in Fig. 5 is greater than the volume of the conditioned airflow flowing through the area indicated by arrow X4. That is, the conditioned airflow is more likely to flow through the right outlet 13 of the duct connection portion 10 than through the left outlet 12.

[0073] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the extension section 54 and the air introduction section 7 are arranged as described above in the vehicle width direction, and therefore the extension section 54 is provided on the left side (the side closer to the air introduction section 7) where the conditioned air is less likely to flow, thereby making it possible to reduce the difference in the amount of conditioned air in the vehicle width direction of the vertical flow path section 50. This makes it possible to further optimize the balance of the amount of conditioned air branched at the branch section 55, and allows air to be effectively blown from the rear outlet 38.

[0074] Further, it is preferable that the extension portion 54 extends upward from the curved portion 53 and is connected to the duct connection portion 10. In this embodiment, as described above, the extension portion 54 extends in the vehicle vertical direction, and therefore it is possible to suppress the flow resistance of a portion of the conditioned air flowing in from the inlet portion 50A, and it is possible to improve the air blowing efficiency.

[0075] In addition, the front inner wall surface or the rear inner wall surface of the vertical flow passage portion 50 located above the curved portion 53 may be inclined so that the length of the flow passage in the front-to-rear direction becomes shorter from one side to the other in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the rear inner wall surface of the flow passage of the upper inclined portion 51 located above the curved portion 53 is inclined.

[0076] As shown in FIGS. 5, 11, 12, and 14, the rear wall 51b of the upper inclined portion 51 of this embodiment is provided with an inclined wall portion 51b2. The inner wall surface (rear inner wall surface) of the inclined wall portion 51b2 is inclined so that the longitudinal length of the flow path decreases from right to left (from one side to the other in the vehicle width direction). As shown in FIG. 14, the cross section of the flow path corresponding to the inclined wall portion 51b2 in the rear wall 51b of the upper inclined portion 51 is narrower than the cross section of the flow path corresponding to the main wall portion 51b1 because the cross section is shorter in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Therefore, the conditioned air flows more easily through the flow path corresponding to the main wall portion 51b1 than through the flow path corresponding to the inclined wall portion 51b2. This makes it possible to further optimize the balance of the amounts of conditioned air branched at the branch portion 55, allowing the air to be effectively blown from the rear outlet.

[0077] Furthermore, a branch portion 55 is preferably provided in the vertical flow path portion 50 located below the curved portion 53, and the extension portion 54 extends downward toward the branch portion 55. In this embodiment, the lower part of the left side wall of the extension portion 54 has an inclined surface 54g that slopes rightward as it extends downward. The inclined surface 54g is connected to the left side wall of the left flow path portion 56A located below the branch portion 55. In this way, by providing the extension portion 54, it becomes easier to guide the conditioned air flowing through the contents of the extension portion 54 to the left flow path portion 56A, where conditioned air is less likely to be guided, and this makes it possible to further optimize the balance of the amount of conditioned air branched at the branch portion 55.

[0078] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 10 , the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51 of this embodiment has a first recessed portion 51e. The first recessed portion 51e is provided in a middle portion of the upper portion of the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51 in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the first recessed portion 51e is located slightly to the left of the center of the upper portion of the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51 in the vehicle width direction. The left end of the first recessed portion 51e is located above the inner wall 54d of the extension portion 54. The first recessed portion 51e has a substantially rectangular opening, and the bottom surface of the first recessed portion 51e preferably slopes forward from the lower end of the opening upward. The provision of the first recessed portion 51e can prevent conditioned air from moving from the extension portion 54 side (left side) toward the center of the vehicle width direction and can also increase the rigidity of the vertical airflow path 50. Furthermore, the bottom surface of the first recessed portion 51e is provided in a bulging portion provided at the top of the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51, which contributes to improving the rigidity of the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51.

[0079] In this embodiment, the front wall 53a of the lower part of the curved portion 53 has a second recessed portion 53e. The second recessed portion 53e is provided in a middle part in the vehicle width direction of the lower part of the front wall 53a of the curved portion 53. In this embodiment, the second recessed portion 53e is disposed above the right flow path portion 56B. The second recessed portion 53e has a substantially rectangular opening, and the bottom surface of the second recessed portion 53e preferably slopes forward from the upper end of the opening downward.

[0080] The provision of the second recess 53e can prevent the conditioned air from moving from the extension portion 54 side (left side) toward the center in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, since the lower end of the inclined surface 54g of the left side wall 54c of the extension portion 54 is positioned lower than the second recess 53e, it becomes easier to guide the conditioned air toward the left longitudinal flow path 60. The shapes, such as the size, of the recesses 51e and 53e should be determined according to the flow resistance of the conditioned air in the flow path.

[0081] Furthermore, since the inclined surface 54g is formed on the lower part of the left wall of the extension portion 54, pressure loss that occurs when guiding the conditioned air toward the left front-rear flow path portion 60 can be suppressed.

[0082] In this embodiment, a front cushioning material 59a is attached to the front wall 53a of the curved portion 53, and a rear cushioning material 59b is attached to the rear wall 53b of the curved portion 53. The rear portion of the air conditioning unit 6 can abut against the front cushioning material 59a. The rear portion of the air conditioning unit 6 has a portion that protrudes rearward along the curved portion 53, closer to the center in the vehicle width direction than the extension portion 54 (FIGS. 2 and 4), and this portion abuts against the front wall 53a of the curved portion 53 of the vertical air flow path section 50 via the front cushioning material 59a. In this arrangement, the longitudinal extension portion 54B is provided on the left side in the vehicle width direction, so that the vertical air flow path section 50 can be positioned with respect to the air conditioning unit 6.

[0083] Furthermore, the rear cushioning material 59b can come into contact with the instrument panel 1 or with on-vehicle components arranged between the curved portion 53 of the vertical flow path section 50 and the instrument panel 1. The curved portion 53 of the vertical flow path section 50 is sandwiched from the front and rear sides, and the fixed state of the vertical flow path section 50 is stable. Furthermore, the front cushioning material 59a and the rear cushioning material 59b can prevent the vertical flow path section 50 from coming into direct contact with other components, thereby also preventing the generation of abnormal noise while the vehicle is running and wear on the vertical flow path section 50.

[0084] The description of the present embodiment is merely an example for explaining the present invention, and does not limit the invention described in the claims. Furthermore, the configuration of each part of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the technical scope described in the claims.

[0085] In the above embodiment, the extension portion 54 is provided on one of the outer side portions (left side portion) of the curved portion 53 in the vehicle width direction, but this is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in Figures 15 to 17, the extension portion 54 may be provided on both side portions of the curved portion 53 in the vehicle width direction.

[0086] 15 to 17 show the above embodiment, and parts that are the same as or similar to those in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals.

[0087] 15 and 16, a widthwise extending portion 54A and a front-rear extending portion 54B are provided on the left and right sides of the curved portion 53. By providing the widthwise extending portion 54A and the front-rear extending portion 54B in the curved portion 53, the flow path cross section is expanded relative to the flow path cross section near the upper portion of the branching portion 55.

[0088] In this example, as shown in FIG. 17, a main wall portion 51j and an inclined wall portion 51h may be provided on the rear wall 51b of the upper inclined portion 51 to adjust the flow rate of the conditioned air. In this example, the inclined wall portion 51h has a boundary 51m extending vertically at the vehicle width direction middle portion of the upper inclined portion 51, and the inclined wall portions 51h are provided on both sides of the boundary 51m. The inclined wall portions 51h may be inclined rearward from the boundary 51m toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. That is, the inclined wall portions 51h may have a concave shape that is recessed forward relative to the main wall portion 51j, and the boundary 51m may be located at the bottom of the concave shape. The inclination angle of the inclined wall portions 51h may be adjusted appropriately depending on the flow rate of the conditioned air in the vertical flow path portion 50.

[0089] In this example, two front upper cushioning materials 51a1 are attached to the upper portion of the front wall 51a of the upper inclined portion 51. A front lower cushioning material 51a2 is attached between the left and right front-rear extending portions 54B. Furthermore, a cushioning material 59c may also be attached to the right flow path portion 56B.

[0090] As another modified example, for example, the widthwise extending portion 54A may not be provided, and a front-rear extending portion 54B may be provided that protrudes rearward from the vehicle width direction outer portion of the rear wall 53b of the curved portion 53. Similarly, the widthwise extending portion 54A may be provided on the vehicle width direction outer portion of the curved portion 53, without providing the front-rear extending portion 54B.

[0091] 1 to 14, both the widthwise extending portion 54A and the front-rear extending portion 54B are provided, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the widthwise extending portion 54A may not be provided, and the front-rear extending portion 54B may be provided so as to protrude rearward from the vehicle width direction outer portion of the rear wall 53b of the curved portion 53. Similarly, the widthwise extending portion 54A may be provided on the vehicle width direction outer portion of the curved portion 53, without providing the front-rear extending portion 54B. Furthermore, the front-rear extending portion 54B may be provided closer to the center of the curved portion 53 than the widthwise extending portion 54A. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1. Instrument panel 1a Top part 2 central air outlet 3 Defroster vent 4 Left air outlet 5 Right air outlet 6 Air Conditioning Unit 7 Air intake section 7a Air inlet 7b Intake section 7c Air blower 8 Air Conditioning Section 10 Duct connection 11 Inlet 12 Left outflow 13 Right outlet 14 Central Outlet 15 Posterior outflow section 15a Upper wall 15b Lower wall 15c side wall 15d Curved wall 30 Center console 31 Side wall 32 Top part 33 Parking brake operation section 34 Shift selector 35a Temporary luggage storage area 35b Temporary luggage storage area 36 Drink holder 38 Rear air outlet 40 Air conditioning duct 41 Left duct 42 Right duct 43 Center duct 43a Flow path change section 43b Branch 44 Defroster duct 45 Console duct 46 Junction 50 Vertical channel section 50A inlet 50a Inlet 51 Upper slope 51a front wall 51b Back wall 51b1 Main wall 51b2 Slanted wall section 51b3 Boundary 51c Left side wall 51d Right side wall 51e First recess 53 Curved section 53a front wall 53b Back wall 53d Right side wall 53e Second recess 54 Extension 54A Width expansion section 54B Front and rear extension 54a Front vertical wall 54c Left side wall 54d Inner wall 55 Branch 56A Left side flow passage 56B Right side flow path section 57A Outlet 57B Outlet 59a Front cushioning material 59a Rear cushioning material 60 Left front-rear flow passage (flow passage) 60A diverging section 78 Right front-rear flow passage (flow passage) 78A Spreading section

Claims

1. a vertical flow path portion that is connected to an air conditioning unit that is disposed in front of an instrument panel that is disposed in a front portion of a vehicle compartment, the vertical flow path portion being disposed in front of the instrument panel and extending in a vertical direction; a longitudinal flow path portion connected to a lower portion of the longitudinal flow path portion and extending rearward of the vehicle along a vehicle width direction intermediate portion of a floor portion of the vehicle compartment; An air conditioning duct structure for a vehicle having: a curved portion that curves so as to protrude toward the rear of the vehicle is provided at an intermediate portion in the up-down direction of the vertical flow path portion, An air conditioning duct structure for a vehicle, characterized in that an expanded portion is provided at an outer portion in the vehicle width direction of the curved portion, the cross section of which is expanded compared to an inner portion in the vehicle width direction.

2. 2. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure according to claim 1, wherein a flow path cross section of the extension portion is formed so as to widen outward in the vehicle width direction relative to a flow path cross section of the vertical flow path portion located below the curved portion.

3. 3. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure according to claim 1, wherein a flow path cross section of the extension portion is formed to widen in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to a flow path cross section of the vertical flow path portion located below the curved portion.

4. The extension portion is a width-direction extending portion in which a flow path cross section of the extending portion extends outward in the vehicle width direction relative to a flow path cross section of the vertical flow path portion located below the curved portion; a longitudinal extension portion in which a flow path cross section of the extension portion is wider in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle than a flow path cross section of the vertical flow path portion located below the curved portion; and 2. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure according to claim 1, wherein the widthwise extension portion and the front-rear extension portion are connected to each other so as to form a single continuous flow passage cross section that is fluidly communicable with each other.

5. The air conditioning unit is a connection portion provided on an upper portion of the air conditioning unit and to which the air conditioning duct is connected; 2. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure according to claim 1, further comprising: an air intake portion disposed offset to one side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the connection portion, for blowing conditioned air toward the connection portion.

6. 6. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure according to claim 5, wherein the extension portion of the vertical flow path portion is disposed on the one side of the curved portion in the vehicle width direction.

7. 7. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure according to claim 5, wherein the extension portion extends upward from the curved portion and is connected to the connection portion.

8. 7. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure according to claim 5, wherein a front inner wall surface or a rear inner wall surface of the vertical flow path portion located above the curved portion is inclined so that the longitudinal length of the flow path becomes shorter from one side to the other side in the vehicle width direction.

9. the vertical flow path portion located below the curved portion is provided with a branch portion branching into a left flow path portion and a right flow path portion, 7. The vehicle air conditioning duct structure according to claim 5, wherein the extension portion extends downward toward the branch portion.

10. a vertical flow path portion disposed between an instrument panel disposed at a front portion of a vehicle compartment and an air conditioning unit disposed in front of the instrument panel, the vertical flow path portion extending in a vertical direction; a longitudinal flow path portion connected to a lower portion of the longitudinal flow path portion and extending rearward of the vehicle along a vehicle width direction intermediate portion of a floor portion of the vehicle compartment; An air conditioning duct structure for a vehicle connected to the air conditioning unit, The vertical flow path portion is an upper inclined portion that extends downward and inclined rearward; a curved portion disposed below the upper inclined portion and curved so as to protrude rearward; Equipped with An air conditioning duct structure for a vehicle, characterized in that an expanded portion is provided at an outer portion in the vehicle width direction of the curved portion, the cross section of which is expanded compared to an inner portion in the vehicle width direction.

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