Vehicle air conditioning blower

Abstract

To prevent water from entering a motor cooling air inlet even if air within a scroll flows so as to wind up upwardly.SOLUTION: A motor cooling air inlet is formed in the side wall portion of a scroll at the downstream side of an air flowing direction and at a portion upwardly apart from a bottom wall portion. Guide portions 21a and 21b which guide water sticking to an upper wall portion 15a in the outlet direction of the scroll and in the direction apart from the motor cooling air inlet are provided on the upper wall portion 15a at the downstream side of the air flowing direction relative to a blower fan in the scroll.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a blower for a vehicle air conditioner mounted in, for example, an automobile. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, a vehicle air conditioner installed in an automobile or the like includes an air conditioning unit that houses a heat exchanger, an air mix damper, an air outlet direction switching damper, etc., and this air conditioning unit is configured to blow conditioned air using a blower. The blower includes an air blower casing that has an outside air inlet for introducing air outside the vehicle cabin and an inside air inlet for introducing air inside the vehicle cabin, and an inside / outside air switching damper, etc., is disposed inside this air blower casing, and operation of the inside / outside air switching damper allows switching between an inside air circulation mode in which inside air is introduced through the inside air inlet and an outside air introduction mode in which outside air is introduced through the outside air inlet.

[0003] A scroll that houses the blower fan is formed at the bottom of the blower casing, and a motor for driving the fan is attached to the bottom of the scroll. The motor is supplied with cooling air from the air circulating inside the blower casing, but in the outside air introduction mode, water can enter the inside of the blower casing along with the outside air. If this water reaches the motor together with the cooling air, it could cause the motor to malfunction.

[0004] In response to this, for example, the blower disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a cooling air intake passage that communicates with a passage leading to the motor, and a communication passage that communicates with a surrounding passage on the outside of the blower casing, and the communication passage is positioned downstream of the cooling air intake passage in the air flow.

[0005] Furthermore, in the blower disclosed in Patent Document 2, a plurality of grooves are formed in the area of ​​the bottom wall of the blower casing that faces the fan, and water that has entered the fan area is directed into the grooves.

[0006] Furthermore, in the blower disclosed in Patent Document 3, drainage holes are formed in the bottom wall of the blower casing as means for draining water that has entered the bottom wall. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-200806 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-52293 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-48423 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, the shape of the radially outer surface of the scroll inner wall of the blower casing may not be smooth due to constraints such as the layout of vehicle interior components, and some of the surface may cause airflow resistance. In such scrolls, the airflow may be turbulent or divided at the airflow resistance area, causing the airflow to not flow uniformly toward the scroll outlet. Depending on the position and shape of the airflow resistance area, air flowing on the radially outer side of the scroll may pass near the upper wall of the scroll and be drawn radially inward.

[0009] On the other hand, considering that water that has entered the scroll tends to accumulate in the bottom wall, it is preferable to locate the motor cooling air intake at a location above the bottom wall. However, as mentioned above, air inside the scroll may flow toward the upper wall, and water carried by this air flow may reach the motor cooling air intake, which is located above the bottom wall, and may enter the motor cooling air intake.

[0010] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of such points, and its purpose is to prevent water from entering the motor cooling air intake even when the air inside the scroll flows upward. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present disclosure can be based on a blower for a vehicle air conditioner including a blower casing that houses a centrifugal blower fan. An upper portion of the blower casing is formed with an outside air inlet for introducing air from outside the vehicle cabin, and a scroll is formed in the blower casing below the outside air inlet, housing the blower fan with its rotation axis extending in the vertical direction. A motor for driving the blower fan is fixed to a lower portion of the scroll. A side wall portion of the scroll is formed downstream of the blower fan in the air flow direction, the side wall portion being formed with a motor cooling air inlet that opens at a position spaced upward from the bottom wall portion of the scroll and that supplies air from within the scroll to the motor. A guide portion is provided downstream of the blower fan in the air flow direction on an upper wall portion of the scroll for guiding water adhering to the upper wall portion toward the outlet of the scroll and away from the motor cooling air inlet.

[0012] With this configuration, when water enters the interior of the blower casing through the outside air inlet, it reaches the inside of the scroll formed below the outside air inlet. Because the motor cooling air intake opens at a position above the bottom wall, water present in the bottom wall is prevented from entering the motor cooling air inlet. However, air may flow toward the upper wall inside the scroll, and water carried by this air flow adheres to the upper wall of the scroll. The water adhering to the upper wall of the scroll attempts to flow downstream due to the air flow toward the outlet of the scroll, but is guided by the guide in a direction away from the motor cooling air inlet, thereby preventing it from entering the motor cooling air inlet.

[0013] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, the guide portion is configured with a protrusion portion that protrudes downward from the upper wall portion and extends toward the outlet of the scroll. With this configuration, the protrusion portion can reliably guide water adhering to the upper wall portion of the scroll toward the outlet of the scroll and away from the motor cooling air intake. The number of protrusion portions may be two or more, and in this case, the multiple protrusion portions can be provided at intervals from each other.

[0014] In a third aspect of the present disclosure, the guide portion is configured as a groove formed in the upper wall portion. With this configuration, water adhering to the upper wall portion of the scroll enters the groove and is guided therethrough, thereby preventing the water from flowing toward the motor cooling air intake. The number of grooves may be two or more, and in this case, the multiple grooves may be provided at intervals.

[0015] In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, the guide portion is configured with a stepped portion that is positioned higher as it moves away from the motor cooling air intake. With this configuration, water adhering to the upper wall portion of the scroll tends to flow upward due to the air flow toward the upper wall portion, and therefore flows toward the side of the stepped portion that is farther from the motor cooling air intake. This prevents the water on the upper wall portion from flowing toward the motor cooling air intake.

[0016] In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a protrusion is provided on a side wall portion of the scroll downstream of the blower fan in the air flow direction, protruding below the vertical center toward the inside of the scroll.

[0017] With this configuration, the presence of the protrusion causes some of the air flowing inside the scroll to flow upward, making it easier for water to adhere to the upper wall, but the presence of the guide on the upper wall prevents water from entering the motor cooling air intake, making the effects of providing the guide even more pronounced.

[0018] In a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, the protrusion is a control device that controls the rotation speed of the motor. With this configuration, the control device is disposed inside the scroll, thereby improving cooling efficiency of the control device.

[0019] In the seventh aspect of the present disclosure, the protrusion is positioned below the motor cooling air intake, which tends to increase the air flow toward the upper wall portion of the scroll; however, a guide portion is provided, which effectively prevents water from entering the motor cooling air intake even if the air flow toward the upper wall portion of the scroll increases.

[0020] In an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, the upper wall portion of the scroll downstream in the air flow direction from the blower fan can be inclined so that it is positioned higher the closer it is to the outlet of the scroll, thereby gradually expanding the flow path cross-section of the scroll and improving the blowing efficiency. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] As described above, water adhering to the upper wall of the scroll can be guided in a direction away from the motor cooling air intake, so that even if the air inside the scroll flows upward, water can be prevented from entering the motor cooling air intake. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle air conditioner including a blower according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the air conditioning unit side of the blower. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 according to a first modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 7]FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 according to a second modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 according to a third modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 according to a fourth modified example of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of a vehicle air conditioner 100 equipped with a blower 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle air conditioner 100 is installed in, for example, an automobile to condition the interior of the vehicle, and includes an air conditioning unit 2 in addition to the blower 1. The configuration of the air conditioning unit 2 shown in FIG. 1 is an example and is not limited to the illustrated configuration. When the vehicle air conditioner 100 is installed in the vehicle, it can be housed, for example, inside an instrument panel (not shown). In the description of this embodiment, left-right and front-rear directions are defined as shown in each figure, but these definitions are provided merely for convenience of explanation and do not limit the directions in the actual installation state in the automobile or at the time of manufacture, and the vehicle may be installed in the automobile with the left-right and front-rear directions reversed.

[0025] The air conditioning unit 2 includes a cooling heat exchanger 3 and a heating heat exchanger 4, and an air conditioning casing 5 that houses these heat exchangers 3 and 4. The air conditioning casing 5 is formed with an inlet 5a through which the conditioned air blown from the blower 1 flows in. The air conditioning casing 5 also houses an air mix damper 6. The air mix damper 6 is a member for adjusting the amount of air that passes through the heating heat exchanger 4 out of the air that has passed through the cooling heat exchanger 3. The temperature of the conditioned air can be adjusted by changing the open / close state of the air mix damper 6.

[0026] A defroster outlet 5b, a vent outlet 5c, and a heat outlet 5d are formed on the downstream side of the air conditioning casing 5. A defroster damper 7 for opening and closing the defroster outlet 5b, a vent damper 8 for opening and closing the vent outlet 5c, and a heat damper 9 for opening and closing the heat outlet 5d are housed inside the air conditioning casing 5. The air conditioning air outlet mode can be switched by individually opening and closing the defroster damper 7, vent damper 8, and heat damper 9.

[0027] The blower 1 includes a centrifugal blower fan 10 and a blower casing 11 that houses the blower fan 10. The blower casing 11 is composed of a plurality of members, for example, molded from resin. An outside air inlet 11a that introduces air from outside the vehicle cabin and an inside air inlet 11b that introduces air from inside the vehicle cabin are formed in the upper part of the blower casing 11. The outside air inlet 11a is connected to the outside of the vehicle cabin via, for example, a duct or the like (not shown). The inside air inlet 11b opens into the vehicle cabin.

[0028] An inside / outside air switching damper 12 is housed inside the blower casing 11. The inside / outside air switching damper 12 includes a rotating shaft 12a rotatably supported on the upper part of the blower casing 11 and a closing plate 12b extending radially from the rotating shaft 12a. An inside / outside air switching actuator 13 is connected to the rotating shaft 12a, and the output of the inside / outside air switching actuator 13 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 12a. When the inside / outside air switching damper 12 rotates to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 1, the closing plate 12b closes the outside air inlet 11a and opens the inside air inlet 11b, thereby entering the inside air circulation mode. On the other hand, when the inside / outside air switching damper 12 rotates to the position shown by the phantom line in FIG. 1, the closing plate 12b opens the outside air inlet 11a and closes the inside air inlet 11b, thereby entering the outside air introduction mode.

[0029] An air filter 14 is disposed inside the air blower casing 11 below the inside / outside air switching damper 12. Outside air introduced through the outside air inlet 11a and inside air introduced through the inside air inlet 11b flow downward inside the air blower casing 11 and are filtered by passing through the air filter 14.

[0030] A scroll 15 for accommodating the blower fan 10 is formed below the outside air inlet 11a and the inside air inlet 11b in the blower casing 11. A bell-mouth port 15b is formed in the upper wall portion 15a of the scroll 15 to introduce air above the upper wall portion 15a into the interior of the scroll 15, and the interior of the scroll 15 communicates with the space above the scroll 15 via the bell-mouth port 15b. Therefore, the conditioned air introduced into the blower casing 11 flows from above to below inside the blower casing 11 and flows into the interior of the scroll 15.

[0031] A motor 17 that drives the blower fan 10 is fixed to the bottom of the scroll 15. The motor 17 has a main body 17a equipped with a stator and the like, and an output shaft 17b that protrudes upward from the top of the main body 17a. The main body 17a is disposed directly below the rotation axis X of the blower fan 10 and is detachably attached to the bottom wall 15d of the scroll 15 by a motor flange or the like (not shown). The radial center of the blower fan 10 is fixed to the top of the output shaft 17b.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 1, the scroll 15 has a connection duct portion 16 formed to protrude toward the left on the air conditioning unit 2 side (left side). An outlet 15e of the scroll 15 is formed at the left end of the connection duct portion 16. The outlet 15e of the scroll 15 is connected to the inlet 5a of the air conditioning casing 5. In this embodiment, the connection duct portion 16 forms part of the scroll 15, and more specifically, forms the portion of the scroll 15 downstream of the blower fan 10 in the air flow direction.

[0033] An air passage R is formed inside the scroll 15 so as to surround the periphery of the blower fan 10, and collects the air blown out from the outer periphery of the blower fan 10. The blower fan 10 is positioned so that its rotation axis X (shown only in FIG. 2) extends in the vertical direction. Therefore, the conditioned air that flows into the inside of the scroll 15 from the bell-mouth port 15b is sucked into the inside of the blower fan 10.

[0034] 4, a nose portion 15c is formed at the beginning of the scroll 15 so as to be closest to the outer periphery of the blower fan 10. In this embodiment, the nose portion 15c is located on the left side of the blower fan 10, in the middle of the scroll 15 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0035] The upstream end of the air passage R is located in a portion corresponding to the nose portion 15c. The air passage R extends from the portion corresponding to the nose portion 15c, passing behind, to the right, and in front of the blower fan 10, and then extends to the left inside the connecting duct portion 16. As a result, the conditioned air blown out from the outer periphery of the blower fan 10 circulates in a circular motion inside the scroll 15 and then forms a flow heading to the left. The downstream end of the air passage R is located at the left end inside the connecting duct portion 16. The downstream end of the air passage R is connected to the inlet 5a of the air conditioning casing 5, so that the conditioned air inside the scroll 15 flows directly into the air conditioning casing 5.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 3 , the portion of the upper wall 15a of the scroll 15 downstream of the blower fan 10 in the airflow direction, i.e., the upper wall 15a of the connection duct 16, is inclined upward as it approaches the outlet 15e of the scroll 15. Specifically, the upper wall 16a of the connection duct 16 is positioned above the bell-mouth opening 15b, with its left end positioned highest. Furthermore, the portion of the bottom wall 15d of the scroll 15 downstream of the blower fan 10 in the airflow direction, i.e., the bottom wall 16b of the connection duct 16, is positioned below the lower end of the blower fan 10. This results in the cross-sectional area of ​​the air passage R inside the scroll 15 expanding downstream. The line A in FIGS. 2 and 3 is a dividing line between the components constituting the scroll 15. The scroll 15 is composed of a lower member 15A and an upper member 15B, with this line A as the boundary. The position and shape of the line A are arbitrary and are not limited to those shown in the figure.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 3, a motor cooling air intake 18 is formed in the radially inner sidewall portion 15f of the rear side of the scroll 15, downstream of the blower fan 10 in the air flow direction. The motor cooling air intake 18 is for supplying air inside the scroll 15 as cooling air to the main body 17a of the motor 17, and opens at a location spaced above the bottom wall portion 15d of the scroll 15 (specifically, the bottom wall portion 16b of the connection duct portion 16). That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a cooling air duct 20 is formed outside the scroll 15 for guiding air flowing out from the motor cooling air intake 18 to the main body 17a of the motor 17. The upstream end of the cooling air duct 20 is located in a portion of the sidewall portion 15f of the scroll 15 corresponding to the motor cooling air intake 18 and is in communication with the motor cooling air intake 18. The cooling air duct 20 extends downward from a portion corresponding to the motor cooling air inlet 18, and then extends below the bottom wall 15d until it reaches the main body 17a of the motor 17. The downstream end of the motor cooling air inlet 18 is connected to the inside of the main body 17a. The flow of the cooling air is indicated by dashed arrows in Figure 2. The cooling air introduced into the main body 17a flows back into the inside of the scroll 15.

[0038] Motor cooling air intake 18 is located above the vertical center of connection duct portion 16. The vertical dimension of motor cooling air intake 18 is set longer than the horizontal dimension, giving motor cooling air intake 18 a shape that is long in the vertical direction. The upper portion of motor cooling air intake 18 is formed in upper member 15B, and the lower portion of motor cooling air intake 18 is formed in lower member 15A, so that motor cooling air intake 18 is formed by combining upper member 15B and lower member 15A. The shape of motor cooling air intake 18 is not particularly limited and may be a shape that is long in the horizontal direction, or may be, for example, a square or a circle.

[0039] A protrusion 19 that protrudes toward the inside of the scroll 15 is provided on the radially outer side wall 15g of the scroll 15 downstream of the blower fan 10 in the air flow direction. The protrusion 19 is a control device that controls the rotation speed of the motor 17, and the motor 17 is electrically connected to this control device.

[0040] The protrusion 19 is positioned below the vertical center of the connection duct portion 16, i.e., below the motor cooling air intake 18. Specifically, when comparing the height of the upper end of the protrusion 19 with the height of the lower edge of the motor cooling air intake 18, the upper end of the protrusion 19 is positioned lower. This results in the protrusion 19 and the motor cooling air intake 18 being spaced a predetermined distance apart in the vertical direction.

[0041] By disposing the protrusion 19 below the connecting duct portion 16, part of the air flowing inside the scroll 15 becomes an upward flow due to the presence of the protrusion 19. At this time, if water has entered the inside of the blower casing 11 from the outside air inlet 11a, the water may be carried by the upward air flow and easily adhere to the upper wall portion 16a of the connecting duct portion 16.

[0042] If water adheres to upper wall 16a of connection duct 16, it is conceivable that the water will flow up to side wall 15f and then flow downward along side wall 15f. Because motor cooling air intake 18 is open in side wall 15f, water flowing downward along side wall 15f may enter motor cooling air intake 18 and reach motor 17, potentially causing motor 17 to malfunction.

[0043] In this embodiment, to address this issue, first and second guide portions 21a, 21b are provided on the upper wall portion 15a of the scroll 15 downstream of the blower fan 10 in the airflow direction, specifically on the upper wall portion 16a of the connecting duct portion 16. These guide water adhering to the upper wall portion 16a toward the outlet 15e of the scroll 15 and away from the motor cooling air intake 18. That is, the upper wall portion 16a of the connecting duct portion 16 is provided with the first guide portion 21a on the front side in the middle portion in the front-to-rear direction, and the second guide portion 21b is provided rearward and spaced apart from the first guide portion 21a. The second guide portion 21b is closer to the motor cooling air intake 18 than the first guide portion 21a.

[0044] The first guide portion 21a and the second guide portion 21b are each formed of a ridge portion that protrudes downward from the upper wall portion 16a of the connecting duct portion 16 and extends toward the outlet 15e of the scroll 15. The vertical dimensions of the first guide portion 21a and the second guide portion 21b are set to 2 mm or less. If the vertical dimensions of the first guide portion 21a and the second guide portion 21b exceed 2 mm, they are likely to cause resistance to the air flowing inside the connecting duct portion 16, which may result in a decrease in airflow efficiency and noise generation. However, by setting the vertical dimensions to 2 mm or less, the degree of decrease in airflow efficiency is minimized and noise can be kept to an unnoticeable level. Furthermore, the horizontal dimensions of the first guide portion 21a and the second guide portion 21b, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, are set to 2 mm or less.

[0045] The upstream end (upstream end) of the first guide portion 21a in the air flow direction reaches the vicinity of the bellmouth opening 15b. The upstream end (upstream end) of the second guide portion 21b in the air flow direction is located downstream of the upstream end of the first guide portion 21a and reaches the nose portion 15c. The downstream end (downstream end) of the first guide portion 21a in the air flow direction and the downstream end (downstream end) of the second guide portion 21b in the air flow direction are located at the same position in the air flow direction (left-right direction). In other words, when comparing the lengths of the first guide portion 21a and the second guide portion 21b, the first guide portion 21a is longer. Furthermore, the first guide portion 21a extends further upstream than the second guide portion 21b.

[0046] Since first guide portion 21a is located forward from motor cooling air intake 18 at the intermediate portion of upper wall portion 16a in the front-to-rear direction, when water adheres to upper wall portion 16a, the water is blocked by first guide portion 21a and is less likely to flow in a direction approaching motor cooling air intake 18. Similarly, since second guide portion 21b is located forward from motor cooling air intake 18 at the intermediate portion of upper wall portion 16a in the front-to-rear direction, water adhering to upper wall portion 16a is blocked by second guide portion 21b and is less likely to flow in a direction approaching motor cooling air intake 18.

[0047] Either the first guide portion 21a or the second guide portion 21b may be omitted. In addition to the first guide portion 21a and the second guide portion 21b, a third guide portion (not shown) and a fourth guide portion made up of protruding portions may be provided.

[0048] (Effects of the embodiment) When the motor 17 of the blower 1 configured as described above is rotated, a voltage is applied to the motor 17 from a control device constituting the protruding portion 19. The motor 17 rotates at a rotation speed corresponding to the applied voltage. As the rotation speed of the motor 17 increases, the amount of air flowing through the air passage R of the scroll 15 increases, and the amount of air blown to the air conditioning unit 2 also increases. At this time, if the outside air inlet 11a is open, rainwater from outside the vehicle cabin, water from a car wash, etc. will seep into the inside of the blower casing 11 through the outside air inlet 11a.

[0049] On the other hand, when the amount of air blown into the air conditioning unit 2 increases, the air flowing inside the connecting duct portion 16 collides with the protrusion 19 with great force, causing some of the air to flow toward the upper wall portion 16a of the connecting duct portion 16, and water that has entered the inside of the blower casing 11 may be carried to the upper wall portion 16a by the air flowing toward the upper wall portion 16a and adhere to the upper wall portion 16a.

[0050] Water adhering to upper wall portion 16a of connection duct portion 16 tends to flow downstream due to the air flow toward outlet 15e of scroll 15, and at this time is guided by first guide portion 21a and second guide portion 21b in a direction away from motor cooling air intake 18. Therefore, water is prevented from entering motor cooling air intake 18.

[0051] The above-described embodiments are merely examples in all respects and should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, all modifications and variations within the scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention.

[0052] The guide portion is not limited to the protrusion portion and may be, for example, as shown in Modifications 1 to 4 in FIGS. 6 to 9. In Modification 1 shown in FIG. 6, a first groove 22a and a second groove 22b formed in the upper wall portion 15a each constitute a guide portion. The position and length of the first groove 22a may be the same as those of the first guide portion 21a, and the position and length of the second groove 22b may be the same as those of the second guide portion 21b. With this configuration, water adhering to the upper wall portion 15a enters and is guided inside the first groove 22a and the second groove 22b, thereby preventing the water from flowing toward the motor cooling air intake 18. The number of grooves may be one or more. In the case of two or more grooves, the multiple grooves may be provided at intervals. Alternatively, both grooves and guide portions 21a and 21b formed by protrusions may be provided.

[0053] In Modification 2 shown in FIG. 7 , the guide portion is constituted by a step 23 formed on the upper wall portion 16a that rises in position as it moves away from the motor cooling air intake 18. The step 23 has two steps, and the shape of the step 23 is set so that the surface of the upper wall portion 16a facing the air passage R is lowest at the rear side, which is closest to the motor cooling air intake 18, and highest at the front side, which is farthest from the motor cooling air intake 18. In other words, water adhering to the upper wall portion 16a tends to flow upward due to the air flow toward the upper wall portion 16a, and therefore flows toward the side of the step 23 that is farther from the motor cooling air intake 18. This prevents the water on the upper wall portion 16a from heading toward the motor cooling air intake 18.

[0054] Modification 3 shown in Fig. 8 is an example that combines Modifications 1 and 2. That is, the surface of upper wall portion 16a facing air passage R is formed so that the rear side closest to motor cooling air intake 18 is positioned lowest and the front side farthest from motor cooling air intake 18 is positioned highest, and first groove 22a and second groove 22b are formed in the portion that provides the difference in height.

[0055] Variation 4 shown in Fig. 9 is an example that combines the form shown in Fig. 5 with Variation 2. That is, the surface of upper wall portion 16a facing air passage R is formed so that the rear side closest to motor cooling air intake 18 is positioned lowest and the front side farthest from motor cooling air intake 18 is positioned highest, and first guide portion 21a and second guide portion 21b are formed in the portion that provides the difference in height. [Industrial Applicability]

[0056] As described above, the blower for a vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention can be applied to, for example, air conditioning the interior of an automobile. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1 blower 10. Blower fan 11 Blower casing 11a Outside air intake 15 Scroll 15a Upper wall 17 Motor 18 Motor cooling air intake 19 Protrusion (control device) 21a 1st information section 21b 2nd information section 100 Vehicle air conditioning system

Claims

1. A blower for a vehicle air conditioner includes a blower casing that houses a centrifugal blower fan, An outside air inlet for introducing air from outside the vehicle compartment is formed in the upper part of the air blower casing, a scroll is formed in the blower casing below the outside air inlet port to accommodate the blower fan with a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction; A motor for driving the blower fan is fixed to the lower part of the scroll, a motor cooling air intake opening is formed in the side wall portion of the scroll downstream of the blower fan in the air flow direction, the motor cooling air intake opening opening is open at a position spaced upward from the bottom wall portion of the scroll and serves to supply air from inside the scroll to the motor; a guide portion is provided on the upper wall portion of the scroll downstream of the blower fan in the air flow direction, the guide portion guiding water adhering to the upper wall portion toward an outlet of the scroll and away from the motor cooling air intake, a downstream side of the upper wall portion of the scroll in the air flow direction from the blower fan is inclined so that the closer it is to an outlet of the scroll, the higher it is positioned.

2. 2. The blower for a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, The blower of a vehicle air conditioner, wherein the guide portion is formed of a protrusion portion that protrudes downward from the upper wall portion and extends toward the outlet of the scroll.

3. 2. The blower for a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, 2. The blower of claim 1, wherein the guide portion is a groove formed in the upper wall portion.

4. 4. The blower for a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, 10. The blower of claim 9, wherein the guide portion is configured as a stepped portion that is positioned higher as it moves away from the motor cooling air intake.

5. 5. The blower for a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, a protrusion that protrudes toward the inside of the scroll and is located below the center in the vertical direction on the side wall portion of the scroll downstream of the blower fan in the air flow direction.

6. 6. The blower for a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 5, The blower of a vehicle air conditioner, wherein the protrusion is a control device that controls the rotation speed of the motor.

7. 7. The blower for a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 5 or 6, 2. A blower for a vehicle air conditioner, wherein the protrusion is disposed below the motor cooling air intake.

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