Vehicle air conditioning system

Abstract

To improve comfort of an occupant seated on a second row seat and comfort of an occupant seated on a third row seat, while downsizing an air-conditioning casing in which a cooler and a heater are stored.SOLUTION: A vent blowing port 30d for a second row seat is formed at an upper part at a rear side of a vehicle of an air-conditioning casing 30, and a vent blowing port 30e for a third-row seat is formed at a lower part closer to the rear side of the vehicle than a heater 32 in the air-conditioning casing 30. A baffle 50 is arranged in an air mix space R4 in the air-conditioning casing 30. The baffle 50 has a hot air guiding part 51 that guides hot air to the vent blowing port 30d for the second-row seat and a cold air guiding part 52 that guides cold air flowing to the rear side of the vehicle above the heater 32 to the vent blowing port 30e for the third-row seat.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle air conditioner mounted on an automobile or the like.

Background Art

[0002] The vehicle air conditioner includes an air conditioning casing that houses a cooler and a heater, and is configured to adjust the temperature of the air for air conditioning introduced into the air conditioning casing by the cooler and the heater. The temperature-adjusted air is supplied to each part of the passenger compartment, such as the upper body and feet of the passenger, by a blow direction switching damper provided in the air conditioning casing.

[0003] Inside the air conditioning casing of Patent Document 1, there is a baffle plate provided with a right hot air guide part for guiding the hot air flowing out from the downstream end of the hot air passage to the rear seat passage, and a central cold air guide part for guiding the cold air flowing out from the downstream end of the lower cold air passage to the heat passage.

[0004] Also, inside the air conditioning casing of Patent Document 2, a baffle is provided at the confluence part of the hot air and the cold air. The baffle is provided with a hot air guide part for guiding the hot air from the hot air passage in the direction of the defrost outlet, and a cold air guide part for guiding the cold air from the bypass passage in the direction of the vent outlet.

[0005] Also, the air conditioning casing of Patent Document 3 is provided with a face foot damper for opening and closing the face opening and the foot opening. At the tip of the face foot damper, there is a guide member composed of a hot air guide part for guiding the hot air from the heater in the direction of the face opening in the bi-level mode, and a cold air guide part for guiding the cold air from the bypass passage in the direction of the foot opening.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

[0007] Incidentally, in three-row seat vehicles, a separate rear-seat air conditioning system is sometimes provided for the passengers in the second and third rows, in addition to the air conditioning systems for the driver and front passenger seats (front-seat air conditioning systems). However, the rear-seat air conditioning system needs to be installed in the passenger compartment behind the instrument panel, and it is difficult to secure a large space for it, such as the space inside the instrument panel where the front-seat air conditioning system is installed.

[0008] Therefore, the air conditioning casing for the rear seats needs to be miniaturized. However, within such a limited space, it is difficult to create a large air mix area that can effectively mix cold and warm air. Furthermore, it is difficult to supply air conditioning at the desired temperature to the upper bodies and feet of the second-row and third-row passengers, respectively.

[0009] This disclosure is made in view of the above, and its purpose is to improve the comfort of the second-row and third-row seat occupants while miniaturizing the air conditioning casing that houses the cooler and heater. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To achieve the above objective, a first aspect of this disclosure may be based on a vehicle air conditioning system installed in the passenger compartment of an automobile having a second row of seats located behind the driver's seat and passenger seat, and a third row of seats located behind the second row of seats. The vehicle air conditioning system includes a cooler that cools the air conditioning air to generate cold air, a heater that heats the air conditioning air to generate warm air, an air conditioning casing that houses the cooler and the heater and has an air mix space formed inside for mixing the cold air and the warm air, and an air mix damper housed in the air conditioning casing that changes the mixing ratio of the cold air and the warm air in the air mix space. The upper rear end of the air conditioning casing has a vent outlet for the second row seats from which conditioned air is supplied to the upper bodies of the occupants of the second row seats. The lower rear end of the air conditioning casing, behind the heater, has a vent outlet for the third row seats from which conditioned air is supplied to the upper bodies of the occupants of the third row seats. The vehicle air conditioning system is housed in the air conditioning casing and also includes baffles for guiding the cold air and the hot air. Conditioned air is introduced into the air conditioning casing from the front to the rear of the vehicle, the heater is positioned downstream of the cooler in the direction of airflow, and an air passage is formed inside the air conditioning casing so that the cold air flows over the heater towards the rear of the vehicle and into the air mix space. The baffle is positioned in the air mix space within the air conditioning casing, and the baffle is provided with a hot air guide that directs the hot air to the vent outlet for the second row seats, and a cold air guide that directs the cold air that has flowed above the heater toward the rear of the vehicle toward the vent outlet for the third row seats.

[0011] In this configuration, the conditioned air introduced from the front of the air conditioning casing is cooled by a cooler to produce cold air, and then heated by a heater to produce warm air. The cold air flows over the heater towards the rear of the vehicle and enters the air mix space, where it mixes with the warm air to produce conditioned air at the desired temperature. At this time, the vent outlets for the second-row seats are formed at the top of the air conditioning casing, and the vent outlets for the third-row seats are formed at the bottom of the air conditioning casing. Because they are far apart vertically, there is a possibility that the temperature difference between the conditioned air blown out from the second-row seat vent outlets and the conditioned air blown out from the third-row seat vent outlets will be large. Specifically, because the cold air flows over the heater, the temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the second-row seat vent outlets may be low, and the temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the third-row seat vent outlets may be high.

[0012] In this embodiment, the hot air guide section of the baffle directs the hot air to the vent outlet for the second row seats, and the cold air guide section directs the cold air to the vent outlet for the third row seats. As a result, the temperature difference between the conditioned air blown out from the vent outlet for the second row seats and the conditioned air blown out from the vent outlet for the third row seats becomes smaller.

[0013] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, a heat outlet is formed at the lower rear end of the air conditioning casing of the vehicle from which conditioned air is blown to be supplied to the feet of the occupants of the second row seats and the occupants of the third row seats, and the cold air guide portion of the baffle guides the cold air that has flowed over the heater toward the rear of the vehicle to the heat outlet.

[0014] This configuration allows cool air to be directed to the heat outlet as well, thus preventing the temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the heat outlet from rising excessively.

[0015] In a third aspect of this disclosure, the heat outlet and the third-row seat vent outlet are aligned in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0016] According to this configuration, since cold air can be supplied to the heat outlets arranged in the vehicle longitudinal direction and the vent outlets for the third row seats by a common cold air guide portion, the structure of the baffle can be simplified.

[0017] In the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, the heat outlet is located on the vehicle front side of the vent outlet for the third row seats.

[0018] That is, the temperature of the conditioned air supplied to the feet is often set relatively high. In this aspect, since the heat outlet from which the conditioned air supplied to the feet blows out can be closer to the heater than the vent outlet for the third row seats, it is easy to increase the temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the heat outlet.

[0019] In the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a plurality of the warm air guide portions may be provided on the baffle at intervals in the vehicle width direction.

[0020] According to this configuration, warm air can be guided downward at a plurality of locations in the vehicle width direction, so that the temperature of the conditioned air becomes more uniform.

[0021] In the sixth aspect of the present disclosure, a plurality of the cold air guide portions may be provided on the baffle at intervals in the vehicle width direction.

[0022] According to this configuration, since cold air can be guided upward at a plurality of locations in the vehicle width direction, the temperature of the conditioned air becomes more uniform.

[0023] The warm air guide portion according to the seventh aspect of the present disclosure has a cylindrical shape protruding upward, and the cold air guide portion may be provided between the warm air guide portions adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction.

[0024] According to this configuration, since the warm air guide portion has a cylindrical shape, the guiding direction of the warm air can be accurately set.

[0025] In an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, the cooler may be inclined such that its air passage surface is positioned more toward the front side of the vehicle as it goes upward, and the heater may be inclined such that its air passage surface is positioned more toward the front side of the vehicle as it goes upward.

[0026] According to this configuration, the height of the air conditioning casing can be suppressed, and the layout property inside the vehicle cabin can be improved.

[0027] The baffle in a ninth aspect of the present disclosure is arranged to face the surface of the heater located on the rear side of the vehicle.

[0028] According to this configuration, the warm air flowing from the heater toward the rear of the vehicle can be efficiently guided by the warm air guiding portion of the baffle.

[0029] Inside the air conditioning casing according to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, a damper for switching the blowing direction for opening and closing a heat outlet from which conditioned air is blown to the feet of the occupants of the second-row seat and the occupants of the third-row seat, and a vent outlet for the third-row seat may be provided. A gap flow path through which warm air can flow into the outlet located on the rear side of the vehicle among the heat outlet and the vent outlet for the third-row seat may be formed between the downstream end portion in the warm air flow direction in the baffle and the damper for switching the blowing direction. Thereby, for example, an air conditioning casing having a flow path for reducing the difference between the temperature of the conditioned air supplied to the second row and the temperature of the conditioned air supplied to the third row can be made compact.

[0030] Inside the air conditioning casing according to an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, a vertical plate portion may be provided at a location away from the heater toward the rear of the vehicle. The vertical plate portion extends upward from the bottom wall portion of the air conditioning casing and can be arranged to face the surface of the heater on the rear side of the vehicle. That is, in the vent mode in which conditioned air blows out from the vent outlet for the second-row seat, the cold air passing through the cold air guiding portion can be guided upward by the vertical plate portion to avoid receiving heat from the heater as much as possible, so that the temperature rise of the conditioned air blown out from the vent outlet for the second-row seat can be suppressed.

[0031] The cold air guide portion according to the twelfth aspect of this disclosure is provided in the center of the baffle in the vehicle width direction and on both sides in the vehicle width direction, and can be formed to extend in the vertical direction. In this case, the cold air guide portion in the center in the vehicle width direction can be formed to be located on the front side of the vehicle compared to the lower portions of the cold air guide portions on both sides in the vehicle width direction. With this configuration, cold air can be guided towards the heat outlet side and directed onto the flow of warm air, resulting in good air mix and suppression of excessive temperature rise. [Effects of the Invention]

[0032] As explained above, by providing a warm air guide section that directs warm air to the vent outlet for the second row seats and a cold air guide section that directs cold air to the vent outlet for the third row seats in the baffle, it is possible to reduce the size of the air conditioning casing while improving the comfort of the passengers in the second row seats and the third row seats. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0033] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a vehicle air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing the interior of a car equipped with a vehicle air conditioning system. [Figure 3] This is a left side view of a vehicle air conditioning system. [Figure 4] This is a rear view of a vehicle's air conditioning system. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle's air conditioning system in bi-level mode. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle air conditioning system in vent mode. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the baffle. [Figure 8] This is a front view of the baffle. [Figure 9] This is a plan view of the baffle. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view along line XX in Figure 8. [Figure 11]Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view along the line XI-XI. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0034] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The following description of preferred embodiments is essentially illustrative and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0035] Figure 1 shows a vehicle air conditioning system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This vehicle air conditioning system 1 is installed in the passenger compartment R of an automobile 100, partially shown in Figure 2, and is a device that air-conditions the inside of the passenger compartment R. In this description of the embodiment, the front of the vehicle will be simply referred to as "front," the rear of the vehicle as simply "rear," the left side of the vehicle as simply "left," and the right side of the vehicle as simply "right."

[0036] In the front of the passenger compartment R of automobile 100, there are front seats 101 consisting of a driver's seat and a passenger seat spaced apart in the width direction (left-right direction). Behind the front seats (first row seats) 101 in the passenger compartment R of automobile 100, there are second row seats 102, and behind the second row seats 102, there are third row seats 103. In other words, automobile 100 is a vehicle equipped with front seats 101, second row seats 102, and third row seats 103.

[0037] An instrument panel P is located in front of the front seats 101 inside the passenger compartment R of the automobile 100. Inside this instrument panel P is a front-seat air conditioning unit 200, separate from the vehicle air conditioning unit 1 described above. The front-seat air conditioning unit 200 mainly generates conditioned air supplied to the occupants of the front seats 101 and conditioned air supplied to the inner surface of the front windshield glass G. Although not shown, the front-seat air conditioning unit 200 includes a cooler, a heater, an air mix damper, an air outlet direction switching damper, etc. Note that ducts are omitted in Figure 2.

[0038] The vehicle air conditioning unit 1 is a rear-seat air conditioning unit that supplies air to the occupants of the second and third-row seats 102 and 103, and is located behind the front-seat air conditioning unit 200. One example of a location where the vehicle air conditioning unit 1 may be installed is between the driver's seat and the passenger seat. A cover (not shown) that encloses the vehicle air conditioning unit 1 is provided in the vehicle compartment R. The vehicle air conditioning unit 1 comprises a blower unit 2 and an air conditioning unit 3.

[0039] As shown in Figure 1, the blower unit 2 is a unit for blowing conditioned air to the air conditioning unit 3, and comprises a blower casing 20, a fan 21, and a motor (not shown) for rotating the fan 21. An intake port 20a for drawing in conditioned air is formed on the left side wall of the blower casing 20. The intake port 20a opens into the passenger compartment and draws in air from inside the passenger compartment (indoor air). The fan 21 is a sirocco fan housed inside the blower casing 20, and its rotation axis extends in the left-right direction. The motor is fixed to the right side wall of the blower casing 20, and the fan 21 is fixed to the output shaft of this motor. The rotation of the fan 21 causes the conditioned air drawn into the blower casing 20 from the intake port 20a to be blown towards the rear.

[0040] As shown in Figure 3, the air conditioning unit 3 is located behind the blower unit 2. The air conditioning unit 3 includes an air conditioning casing 30. As shown in Figure 1, the air conditioning casing 30 has a left-side member 30a that constitutes the left side of the air conditioning casing 30 and a right-side member 30b that constitutes the right side of the air conditioning casing 30. The left-side member 30a and the right-side member 30b are made of resin and are fastened together by fastening members. The rear part of the blower casing 20 is connected to the front part of the air conditioning casing 30 and integrated with it.

[0041] The air conditioning casing 30 is set to have a longer front-to-back dimension than its vertical dimension, and as a whole, it has a shape that is longer in the front-to-back direction than the blower casing 20. As shown in Figure 5, an air inlet 30c is formed in the middle of the front wall of the air conditioning casing 30 in the vertical direction for introducing conditioned air into the air conditioning casing 30. An air discharge section 20b (shown in Figures 1 and 3) provided at the rear of the blower casing 20 is connected to the air inlet 30c, and the conditioned air blown from the blower unit 2 forms a flow that is introduced from the front of the air conditioning casing 30 and moves toward the rear.

[0042] As shown in Figure 5, the air conditioning unit 3 includes a cooler 31 that cools the conditioned air introduced by the blower unit 2 to generate cold air, and a heater 32 that heats the conditioned air to generate warm air. The cooler 31 and heater 32 are housed in an air conditioning casing 30, and the heater 32 is positioned downstream of the cooler 31 in the direction of airflow.

[0043] The cooler 31 is composed of, for example, an evaporator. When the cooler 31 is composed of an evaporator, although not shown in the diagram, the automobile 100 is equipped with a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, a condenser, an expansion valve, etc. These components constitute the refrigeration cycle.

[0044] The heater 32 is composed of, for example, a heater core. If the heater 32 is composed of a heater core, cooling water for cooling the heat source, such as the engine, motor, or inverter, flows into the heater 32. The heater 32 may also be composed of, for example, the condenser mentioned above, or an electric heater that generates heat when power is applied. The vertical dimension of the heater 32 is set to be shorter than the vertical dimension of the cooler 31. Also, the dimension of the heater 32 in the air passage direction is set to be shorter than the dimension of the cooler 31 in the air passage direction.

[0045] Inside the air conditioning unit 3, a cold air generation passage R1, a warm air generation passage R2, a bypass passage R3, and an air mix space R4 are formed. The cold air generation passage R1 is formed in the front part of the inside of the air conditioning unit 3. The upstream end of the cold air generation passage R1 is connected to the air inlet 30c. The cold air generation passage R1 extends rearward from the connection point to the air inlet 30c. The vertical dimension of the cold air generation passage R1 increases towards the rear, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the cold air generation passage R1 gradually increases towards the rear.

[0046] A cooler 31 is positioned in the cool air generation passage R1, away from the connection point to the air inlet 30c. The cooler 31 has an air passage surface 31a through which the conditioned air passes. The cooler 31 is inclined so that the air passage surface 31a is located further forward as it goes upward. The conditioned air flowing through the cool air generation passage R1 flows from the front of the cooler 31, through the cooler 31, and to the rear, and is cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant, etc., as it passes through the cooler 31.

[0047] The warm air generation passage R2 is formed inside the air conditioning unit 3 behind the cold air generation passage R1. The upstream end of the warm air generation passage R2 communicates with the lower part of the downstream end of the cold air generation passage R1. Therefore, the air conditioning air that has flowed through the cold air generation passage R1 flows into the warm air generation passage R2. The warm air generation passage R2 extends toward the rear, and its length in the front-to-back direction is set to be shorter than the length of the cold air generation passage R1 in the front-to-back direction. The vertical dimension of the warm air generation passage R2 is set to be shorter than the vertical dimension of the cold air generation passage R1.

[0048] A heater 32 is positioned in the hot air generation passage R2. The heater 32 has an air passage surface 32a through which conditioned air passes. The heater 32 is inclined so that the air passage surface 32a is located further forward as it goes upward. The conditioned air flowing through the hot air generation passage R2 flows from the front of the heater 32, through the heater 32, and to the rear, and is heated by heat exchange with cooling water or the like as it passes through the heater 32.

[0049] The air passage surface 32a of the heater 32 is inclined to be positioned rearward and downward from the second-row seat vent outlet 30d, and upward from the third-row seat vent outlet 30e and the heat outlet 30f. This reduces the airflow resistance to the third-row seat vent outlet 30e and the heat outlet 30f, and also allows for a smaller air conditioning casing 30 by positioning the second-row seat vent outlet 30d forward.

[0050] The bypass passage R3 is formed behind the cold air generation passage R1 inside the air conditioning unit 3 and is located above the hot air generation passage R2. The upstream end of the bypass passage R3 communicates with the upper part of the downstream end of the cold air generation passage R1. Therefore, the air conditioning air that has flowed through the cold air generation passage R1 flows into the bypass passage R3. The bypass passage R3 extends towards the rear above the heater 32. The length of the bypass passage R3 in the front-to-back direction is set to be shorter than the length of the cold air generation passage R1 in the front-to-back direction. Also, the vertical dimension of the bypass passage R3 is set to be shorter than the vertical dimension of the hot air generation passage R2.

[0051] The air mix space R4 is a space for mixing cold and hot air, and is formed at the rear and top of the inside of the air conditioning unit 3. The downstream end of the bypass passage R3 is connected to the air mix space R4 from the front, and the conditioned air that has flowed through the bypass passage R3 bypasses the hot air generation passage R2 and flows into the air mix space R4 from the front toward the rear. Therefore, a bypass passage (air passage) R3 is formed inside the air conditioning casing 30 so that cold air flows above the heater 32 toward the rear and into the air mix space R4.

[0052] Since this air mix space R4 is located above the warm air generation passage R2, the downstream end of the warm air generation passage R2 is connected to the air mix space R4 from below. Therefore, the conditioned air that has flowed through the warm air generation passage R2 flows into the air mix space R4 from below and upward.

[0053] By causing the cold and warm air flowing into the air mix space R4 to collide and mix, conditioned air at the desired temperature is generated. The temperature of the conditioned air can be adjusted by the mixing ratio of cold and warm air in the air mix space R4. If the proportion of cold air flowing into the air mix space R4 increases, the temperature of the conditioned air decreases, while if the proportion of warm air flowing into the air mix space R4 increases, the temperature of the conditioned air increases.

[0054] The air conditioning unit 3 is equipped with an air mix damper 33 for changing the mixing ratio of cold air and hot air in the air mix space R4. The air mix damper 33 is housed in the air conditioning casing 30. Any type of damper can be used as the air mix damper 33, such as butterfly type, rotary type, or louver type, but in this embodiment, a slide damper is used.

[0055] In other words, the air mix damper 33 is configured to allow the opening degree between the upper portion of the downstream end of the cold air generation passage R1 (the portion communicating with the bypass passage R3) and the lower portion of the downstream end of the cold air generation passage R1 (the portion communicating with the warm air generation passage R2) to be changed. More specifically, the air mix damper 33 is supported on the inner surface of the air conditioning casing 30 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The air mix damper 33 is driven in the vertical direction by the drive device 34.

[0056] The air mix damper 33 is, for example, plate-shaped with an opening formed in a part of it. The operation of the air mix damper 33 is not particularly limited, but by sliding the air mix damper 33 upward, the opening area of ​​the upper part of the downstream end of the cold air generation passage R1 decreases, while the opening area of ​​the lower part of the downstream end of the cold air generation passage R1 increases. Conversely, by sliding the air mix damper 33 downward, the opening area of ​​the upper part of the downstream end of the cold air generation passage R1 increases, while the opening area of ​​the lower part of the downstream end of the cold air generation passage R1 decreases. In this case, when the air mix damper 33 is slid to the upper end position, the upper part of the downstream end of the cold air generation passage R1 becomes completely closed, while the lower part of the downstream end of the cold air generation passage R1 becomes completely open. Similarly, when the air mix damper 33 is slid to the lower end position, the upper part of the downstream end of the cold air generation passage R1 becomes completely open, while the lower part of the downstream end of the cold air generation passage R1 becomes completely closed. In other words, the operation of the air mix damper 33 allows you to change the amount of cold air and hot air flowing into the air mix space R4.

[0057] Although not shown in the diagram, if the air mix damper is of the butterfly or louver type, the amount of cold and warm air flowing into the air mix space R4 can be changed by the rotation angle of the air mix damper. If the air mix damper is of the rotary type, the amount of cold and warm air flowing into the air mix space R4 can be changed by the rotation angle of the air mix damper.

[0058] A vent outlet 30d for the second-row seats is formed at the upper rear of the air conditioning casing 30, from which conditioned air is blown to the upper bodies of the occupants of the second-row seats 102. The vent outlet 30d for the second-row seats opens upward. The shape of the vent outlet 30d for the second-row seats is elongated in the left-right direction. The vent outlet 30d for the second-row seats is connected to the upper part of the air mix space R4, allowing air from the air mix space R4 to flow towards the vent outlet 30d for the second-row seats. A duct (not shown) is connected to the vent outlet 30d for the second-row seats, and this duct guides the conditioned air in the desired direction.

[0059] Below the vent outlet 30d for the second-row seats, a heater 32 is located. This heater 32 and the vent outlet 30d for the second-row seats are separated vertically, and a portion of the baffle 50, which will be described later, is positioned between the heater 32 and the vent outlet 30d for the second-row seats.

[0060] A third-row seat vent outlet 30e is formed at the lower rear of the air conditioning casing 30, from which conditioned air is blown to supply the upper body of the occupant of the third-row seat 103. Also at the lower rear of the air conditioning casing 30, a heat outlet 30f is formed from which conditioned air is blown to supply the feet of the occupants of the second-row seat 102 and the third-row seat 103. Furthermore, a bulge section 30A is formed at the rear of the air conditioning casing 30, which bulges out toward the rear. The lower part of the air mix space R4 is formed above the bulge section 30A. Therefore, mixing of cold air and warm air is possible in the upper part of the bulge section 30A.

[0061] A vent passage R5 for the third-row seats and a heat passage R6 for the rear seats are formed on the lower side inside the bulge 30A, and a partition 38 is formed to separate the vent passage R5 for the third-row seats and the heat passage R6 for the rear seats. The vent passage R5 for the third-row seats extends vertically along the rear side inside the bulge 30A, and its upper end (upstream end) communicates with the lower part of the air mix space R4. The heat passage R6 for the rear seats extends vertically along the front side inside the bulge 30A, and its upper end (upstream end) communicates with the lower part of the air mix space R4, specifically the part in front of the vent passage R5 for the third-row seats.

[0062] The third-row seat vent outlet 30e is connected to the lower end (downstream end) of the third-row seat vent passage R5. Similarly, the rear seat heat outlet 30f is connected to the lower end (downstream end) of the rear seat heat passage R6. The heat outlet 30f and the third-row seat vent outlet 30e are aligned in the front-to-back direction; specifically, the heat outlet 30f is located in front of the third-row seat vent outlet 30e.

[0063] The position of the third-row seat vent outlet 30e is set to be behind the lower part of the heater 32. The heat outlet 30f and the third-row seat vent outlet 30e open downwards. The shape of the heat outlet 30f and the third-row seat vent outlet 30e is elongated in the left-right direction. The third-row seat vent outlet 30e opens at a higher position than the heat outlet 30f, and a duct (not shown) that extends to the vicinity of the third-row seat 103 is connected to this third-row seat vent outlet 30e. In addition, a foot duct (not shown) that extends to the vicinity of the feet of the occupants of the second-row seat 102 and the vicinity of the feet of the occupants of the third-row seat 103 is connected to the heat outlet 30f.

[0064] A vertical plate section 35 is provided inside the air conditioning casing 30, located at a position away from the heater 32. The vertical plate section 35 extends upward from the bottom wall of the air conditioning casing 30 and is positioned opposite the rear surface of the heater 32. The air conditioning air that has passed through the heater 32 is guided upward by the vertical plate section 35, i.e., toward the air mix space R4.

[0065] Since the vertical wall section 35 is positioned to face the rear surface of the heater 32, the vertical plate section 35 guides the cold air passing through the cold air guide section 52 upwards during vent mode, thereby minimizing heat absorption from the heater 32. This suppresses the temperature rise of the air conditioning air blown out from the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats.

[0066] The air conditioning unit 3 includes an upper damper 36 and a lower damper 37. The upper damper 36 and the lower damper 37 are dampers for switching the direction of airflow. The upper damper 36 is housed at the rear and upper part of the air conditioning casing 30, and the lower damper 37 is housed at the rear and lower part of the air conditioning casing 30. The upper damper 36 and the lower damper 37 are driven by a drive mechanism (not shown). The upper damper 36 and the lower damper 37 may be driven in conjunction with each other or separately. Conventional methods can be used to control the drive of the upper damper 36 and the lower damper 37. The upper damper 36 and the lower damper 37 may be driven so that the airflow mode is set to a desired setting by the occupant through occupant operation, or the upper damper 36 and the lower damper 37 may be driven according to the logic of the automatic air conditioning control.

[0067] The upper damper 36 is a damper for opening and closing the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats, and is a vent damper for the second row seats. That is, the upper damper 36 is a butterfly-type damper equipped with a pivot shaft 36a extending in the left-right direction and two closing plate portions 36b extending radially from the pivot shaft 36a. The pivot shaft 36a is rotatably supported on both the left and right side walls of the air conditioning casing 30. In the state shown in Figures 5 and 6, the upper damper 36 opens the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats. In the bi-level mode shown in Figure 5, the opening degree of the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats by the upper damper 36 is smaller compared to the vent mode shown in Figure 6. Although not shown, the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats can also be fully closed by rotating the upper damper 36 towards the rear.

[0068] The lower damper 37 is a damper for opening and closing the vent outlet 30e and heat outlet 30f for the third-row seats, and is a damper for the third-row seats. The lower damper 37 is located inside the bulge 30A, and by opening and closing the upstream end of the vent passage R5 for the third-row seats, the vent outlet 30e for the third-row seats can be opened and closed indirectly, and by opening and closing the upstream end of the heat passage R6 for the rear seats, the heat outlet 30f can be opened and closed indirectly.

[0069] In other words, the lower damper 37 is a rotary-type damper comprising a pivot shaft 37a extending in the left-right direction and a closing plate portion 37b located radially away from the pivot shaft 37a. The pivot shaft 37a is rotatably supported on both the left and right side walls of the air conditioning casing 30. The closing plate portion 37b is supported on the pivot shaft 37a via a support plate portion 37c. The support plate portion 37c protrudes radially from the pivot shaft 37a. The protruding tip of the support plate portion 37c is connected to the closing plate portion 37b.

[0070] In the bi-level mode shown in Figure 5, the lower damper 37 rotates until it reaches a position where both the third-row seat vent outlet 30e and the heat outlet 30f are open. On the other hand, in the vent mode shown in Figure 6, the lower damper 37 rotates until it reaches a position where the heat outlet 30f is fully closed and the third-row seat vent outlet 30e is fully open. Although not shown, it is also possible to rotate the lower damper 37 until it reaches a position where the heat outlet 30f is fully open and the third-row seat vent outlet 30e is fully closed.

[0071] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the air conditioning unit 3 is equipped with a baffle 50 that guides cold and hot air. The baffle 50 is made of, for example, a resin material and is housed in the air mix space R4 inside the air conditioning casing 30. The left side of the baffle 50 is fixed to the inner surface of the left side wall of the air conditioning casing 30, and the right side of the baffle 50 is fixed to the inner surface of the right side wall of the air conditioning casing 30.

[0072] More specifically, the baffle 50 is positioned above the lower damper 37 and facing the rear surface of the heater 32. The baffle 50 is also located above the vertical plate 35, so that the warm air guided upward by the vertical plate 35 flows towards the baffle 50.

[0073] As shown in Figures 7 to 9, the baffle 50 has an overall elongated shape in the left-right direction and is arranged inside the air conditioning casing 30 from near the left end to near the right end. The baffle 50 is provided with multiple hot air guides 51 that guide hot air to the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats, and multiple cold air guides 52 that guide cold air that has flowed to the rear above the heater 32 (cold air that has flowed through the bypass passage R3) to the vent outlet 30e for the third row seats. The cold air guides 52 are the parts that simultaneously guide the cold air that has flowed to the rear above the heater 32 to the heat outlet 30f.

[0074] In this embodiment, four hot air guides 51 are provided on the baffle 50 at intervals from each other in the vehicle width direction, and five cold air guides 52 are provided on the baffle 50 at intervals from each other in the vehicle width direction. Although not shown, the number of hot air guides 51 is not limited to four, and may be any number from three or fewer to five or more. Similarly, the number of cold air guides 52 is not limited to five, and may be any number from four or fewer to six or more.

[0075] Of the four hot air guide units 51, two are positioned to the left of the center of the baffle 50 in the left-right direction, and the remaining two are positioned to the right of the center of the baffle 50 in the left-right direction. The distance between the two hot air guide units 51 on the left side of the baffle 50 is equal to the distance between the two hot air guide units 51 on the right side of the baffle 50. In addition, the distance between two adjacent hot air guide units 51 near the center of the baffle 50 is set wider than the distance between the two hot air guide units 51 on the left side.

[0076] As shown in Figure 10, the warm air guide section 51 is cylindrical in shape and protrudes upward, with a warm air outlet 51a opening upward at its upper end from which warm air flows out. The warm air outlet 51a is located behind the pivot axis 36a of the upper damper 36. When the upper damper 36 is rotated to the position that completely closes the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats, the warm air outlet 51a is closed by the closing plate section 36b located behind the upper damper 36.

[0077] On the other hand, the lower end of the cylindrical portion constituting the hot air guide section 51 is open downwards. The dimensions of the hot air guide section 51 in the front-to-back direction are set to increase towards the bottom, with the dimensions of the hot air outlet 51a being the shortest in the front-to-back direction. In this way, the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical portion constituting the hot air guide section 51 increases towards the bottom, making it easier to introduce hot air into the interior of the hot air guide section 51 from below.

[0078] The hot air guide section 51 located at the left end and the hot air guide section 51 located at the right end have protruding portions 51b that project backward. The protruding portions 51b are plate-shaped and extend in the left-right direction. As shown in Figure 5, the tip of the protruding portion 51b is in contact with the inner surface of the bulging portion 30A.

[0079] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, of the five cold air guides 52, three are located between adjacent hot air guides 51 in the vehicle width direction, and the remaining two are located at the left and right ends of the baffle 50, respectively. The cold air guides 52 are plate-shaped and extend vertically, curving toward the rear. The width (horizontal dimension) of the cold air guide 52 located in the left-right center of the baffle 50 (center in the vehicle width direction) is wider than the width of the other cold air guides 52 (cold air guides located on both sides in the vehicle width direction). The lower part of the cold air guide 52 located in the left-right center of the baffle 50 is positioned further forward than the lower part of the other cold air guides 52. As a result, the cold air guide 52 located in the left-right center guides the cold air towards the heat outlet 30f and directs it to the flow of hot air, improving air mixing and suppressing excessive temperature rise.

[0080] The lower end of the cold air guide section 52 is located above and behind the upper end of the vertical plate section 35. The upper end of the cold air guide section 52 is formed to extend to the upper end of the heater 32 and is located forward from the pivot axis 36a of the upper damper 36. Therefore, the cold air guide section 52 extends from the upper end of the heater 32 toward the space between the upper end of the vertical plate section 35 and the pivot axis 37a of the lower damper 37. The cold air guide section 52 is also positioned opposite the upper part of the rear surface of the heater 32 at a predetermined distance. Comparing the heights of the upper end of the cold air guide section 52 and the upper end of the hot air guide section 51, the upper end of the hot air guide section 51 is located higher.

[0081] Furthermore, a gap passage R7 is formed between the downstream end of the baffle 50 in the direction of warm air flow (the lower end of the baffle 50) and the lower damper 37, allowing warm air to flow into the outlet located on the rear side of the vehicle, which is either the heat outlet 30f or the vent outlet 30e for the third row seats. In other words, the downstream end of the baffle 50 in the direction of warm air flow is positioned to face the outer circumferential surface of the pivot shaft 37a of the lower damper 37 with a predetermined gap in the vertical direction. As a result, a gap passage R7 is formed between the lower end of the baffle 50 and the outer circumferential surface of the pivot shaft 37a of the lower damper 37. By utilizing this gap passage R7, warm air can be directed towards the vent outlet 30e for the third row seats, thereby reducing the temperature difference between the conditioned air supplied to the second row and the conditioned air supplied to the third row, and enabling a more compact air conditioning casing 30.

[0082] Furthermore, the downstream end of the cold air guide section 52, located in the left-right center of the baffle 50, is positioned in front of the pivot axis 37a of the lower damper 37. This makes it possible to guide the cold air towards the heat outlet 30f.

[0083] (The effect of the baffle) In the air conditioning unit 3 configured as described above, the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats is formed at the top of the air conditioning casing 30, and the vent outlet 30e for the third row seats is formed at the bottom of the air conditioning casing 30. Since the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats and the vent outlet 30e for the third row seats are far apart vertically, there is a possibility that the temperature difference between the conditioned air blown out from the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats and the conditioned air blown out from the vent outlet 30e for the third row seats will be large. Specifically, since the cold air that has passed through the cooler 31 flows above the heater 32 towards the rear, the temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats will be low, and since the warm air that has passed through the heater 32 flows below it, the temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the vent outlet 30e for the third row seats may be high.

[0084] In this embodiment, by providing the baffle 50, the difference between the temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the second-row seat vent outlet 30d and the temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the third-row seat vent outlet 30e is reduced, and an extreme temperature rise in the conditioned air blown out from the heat outlet 30f is suppressed.

[0085] First, let's explain the bi-level mode shown in Figure 5. In bi-level mode, conditioned air is blown out from the second-row seat vent outlet 30d, the third-row seat vent outlet 30e, and the heat outlet 30f. In this bi-level mode, the warm air that flows from the warm air generation passage R2 into the air mix space R4 flows into the cylindrical part that constitutes the warm air guide section 51 of the baffle 50 from the lower end of the cylindrical part. Since the warm air guide section 51 extends upward toward the second-row seat vent outlet 30d, the warm air blown out from the warm air outlet 51a is supplied to the second-row seat vent outlet 30d.

[0086] Furthermore, a downward-extending passage is formed between the inner surface of the rear wall of the bulge 30A and the cold air guide portion 52 of the baffle 50, allowing the cold air flowing from the cooler 31 into the air mix space R4 to flow between the inner surface of the rear wall of the bulge 30A and the cold air guide portion 52 of the baffle 50. Since the cold air guide portion 52 extends downward, the cold air is supplied to the third-row seat vent outlet 30e and the heat outlet 30f. As a result, the temperature difference between the conditioned air blown out from the second-row seat vent outlet 30d and the conditioned air blown out from the third-row seat vent outlet 30e is reduced, and an extreme temperature rise in the conditioned air blown out from the heat outlet 30f is suppressed.

[0087] Next, the vent mode shown in Figure 6 will be explained. In vent mode, conditioned air is blown out from the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats and the vent outlet 30e for the third row seats. In this vent mode, the warm air guide section 51 extends upward toward the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats, so the warm air blown out from the warm air outlet 51a is supplied to the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats.

[0088] Furthermore, the cold air flowing from the cooler 31 into the air mix space R4 is supplied to the third-row seat vent outlet 30e because the cold air guide section 52 extends downwards, and also to the heat outlet 30f, which is located below it. At this time, since the heat outlet 30f is blocked by the lower damper 37, the cold air that flows toward the heat outlet 30f tries to change direction and flow upwards. Since warm air that has passed through the heater 32 flows above the heat outlet 30f, the changed-direction cold air hits the warm air and pushes it upwards. As a result, warm air can be reliably supplied toward the second-row seat vent outlet 30d, and the temperature difference between the conditioned air blown out from the second-row seat vent outlet 30d and the conditioned air blown out from the third-row seat vent outlet 30e is reduced.

[0089] (Effects of the embodiment) As described above, according to this embodiment, a warm air guide section 51 that directs warm air to the vent outlet 30d for the second row seats and a cold air guide section 52 that directs cold air to the vent outlet 30e for the third row seats are provided on the baffle 50. This makes it possible to miniaturize the air conditioning casing 30 while improving the comfort of the occupants of the second row seats and the third row seats.

[0090] Furthermore, the cool air guide unit 52 can also guide cool air to the heat outlet 30f, thereby suppressing an extreme temperature rise in the conditioned air blown out from the heat outlet 30f, and further improving the comfort of the occupants.

[0091] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be interpreted restrictively. Furthermore, any modifications or changes that fall within the equivalent scope of the claims are all within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0092] As described above, the vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention can be applied, for example, to an automobile equipped with a second row of seats and a third row of seats. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 1. Vehicle air conditioning system 30 Air conditioning casing 30d Vent outlet for second-row seats 30e Vent for 3rd row seats 30f Heat outlet 31 Cooler 32 Heater 33 Air Mix Damper 50 baffles 51 Hot air guide unit 52 Cold air guide section R4 Air Mix Space R7 Gap channel 100 automobiles 102 2nd row seats 103 3rd row seats

Claims

1. In a vehicle air conditioning system installed in the passenger compartment of an automobile equipped with a second row of seats located behind the driver's and passenger's seats and a third row of seats located behind the second row of seats, A cooler that cools the air used for air conditioning to generate cool air, A heater that heats the air used for air conditioning to generate warm air, An air conditioning casing that houses the cooler and the heater, and has an air mix space formed inside for mixing the cold air and the hot air, The air mix damper, housed in the aforementioned air conditioning casing, changes the mixing ratio of the cold air and the warm air in the air mix space, A vent outlet for the second-row seats is formed at the upper rear of the air conditioning casing, from which conditioned air is blown to the upper bodies of the occupants of the second-row seats, A third-row seat vent is formed at the lower rear of the air conditioning casing, below the heater, and from which conditioned air is blown to supply the upper bodies of the occupants of the third-row seats. The air conditioning casing is housed and includes a baffle for guiding the cold air and the hot air, The aforementioned vent outlet for the second row seats is located in the middle of the air conditioning casing in the vehicle's longitudinal direction and is formed on the upper part of the air conditioning casing, opening upwards toward the vehicle. The aforementioned third-row seat vent outlet is located on the rear side of the air conditioning casing and is formed in the lower part of the air conditioning casing, opening downwards towards the vehicle. Air for air conditioning is introduced into the air conditioning casing from the front to the rear of the vehicle, and the heater is positioned downstream of the cooler in the direction of airflow. An air passage is formed inside the air conditioning casing so that the cold air flows over the heater toward the rear of the vehicle and into the air mix space. The baffle is positioned inside the air conditioning casing between the vent outlet for the second row seats and the vent outlet for the third row seats, and in the air mix space at the rear of the vehicle behind the heater. The baffle is provided with a hot air guide that directs the hot air to the vent outlet for the second row seats, and a cold air guide that directs the cold air that flows above the heater toward the rear of the vehicle toward the vent outlet for the third row seats. The cool air generated by the cooler passes through the front of the vehicle via the baffle and is supplied to the vent outlets for the second-row seats and the vent outlets for the third-row seats. A vehicle air conditioning system in which the warm air generated by the heater is supplied from the rear of the vehicle of the baffle to the vent outlet for the second row seats and the vent outlet for the third row seats.

2. In the vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, At the lower rear end of the aforementioned air conditioning casing, a heat outlet is formed from which conditioned air is blown out to supply the footwells of the occupants of the second and third rows of seats. The cold air guide portion of the baffle is a vehicle air conditioning device that guides the cold air that has flowed above the heater toward the rear of the vehicle to the heat outlet.

3. In the vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 2, The aforementioned heat outlet and the aforementioned vent outlet for the third-row seats are arranged in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle in this vehicle air conditioning system.

4. In the vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 3, The aforementioned heat outlet is located further forward than the third-row seat vent outlet in the vehicle air conditioning system.

5. In a vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A vehicle air conditioning system in which a plurality of the aforementioned hot air guides are provided on the baffle at intervals from each other in the vehicle width direction.

6. In a vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A vehicle air conditioning system in which a plurality of the aforementioned cold air guides are provided on the baffle at intervals from each other in the vehicle width direction.

7. In the vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 5, The aforementioned hot air guide section is cylindrical in shape and protrudes upward. A vehicle air conditioning system in which the cold air guide section is provided between adjacent hot air guide sections in the vehicle width direction.

8. In a vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The aforementioned cooler is arranged in an inclined position such that its air passage surface is located towards the front of the vehicle as it goes upwards. The aforementioned heater is an air conditioning unit for a vehicle, arranged in an inclined position such that its air passage surface is located towards the front of the vehicle as it goes upwards.

9. In the vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 8, The baffle is positioned in a vehicle air conditioning system so as to face the surface of the heater located on the rear side of the vehicle.

10. In a vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, Inside the air conditioning casing, there is a heat outlet from which conditioned air is blown to the feet of the second-row and third-row seat occupants, and a damper for switching the direction of airflow that opens and closes the vent outlet for the third-row seat. A vehicle air conditioning system having a gap channel formed between the downstream end of the baffle in the direction of hot air flow and the damper for switching the direction of airflow, which allows hot air to flow into the air outlet located on the rear side of the vehicle, between the heat outlet and the vent air outlet for the third row seats.

11. In a vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, Inside the air conditioning casing, a vertical plate section is provided at a location away from the heater towards the rear of the vehicle. The aforementioned vertical plate portion extends upward from the bottom wall portion of the air conditioning casing and is positioned to face the rear surface of the heater in a vehicle.

12. In a vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, The aforementioned cold air guide section is provided in the center of the baffle in the vehicle width direction and on both sides in the vehicle width direction, and extends in the vertical direction. A vehicle air conditioning system in which the cold air guide portion in the center in the vehicle width direction is formed to be located towards the front of the vehicle compared to the lower portions of the cold air guide portions on both sides in the vehicle width direction.

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