Vehicular air conditioning system

Abstract

According to the present invention, an air conditioning case of an air conditioning unit has three or more portions among an air introduction portion (41), an air blowing portion (42), a cooler front portion (43), a temperature adjustment portion (44), and a rear module portion (45) as recycled portions that separate the outside of the air conditioning unit and a ventilation path and include a recycled resin material. The air introduction portion is a portion in which an introduction opening of the air conditioning case and an upstream space (24a) corresponding to an end part on an air flow upstream side of the ventilation path are formed, and the air blowing portion is a portion in which an air blowing space (24b) for accommodating an impeller is formed in the ventilation path of the air conditioning case. The cooler front portion is a portion of the ventilation path in which a cooler front space (24c) is formed, the cooler front space being a space from the upstream space to the cooler and excluding the air blowing space. The temperature adjustment portion is a portion of the ventilation path in which a temperature adjustment space (24d) in which the heater is accommodated and an outflow opening are formed. The rear module portion is a portion in which a rear opening and a rear ventilation path (24f) are formed and a rear ventilation path door is accommodated.

Description

Vehicle air conditioning system Cross-reference to related applications

[0001] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-20035 filed on February 10, 2025, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This disclosure relates to a vehicle air conditioning system for air conditioning in a vehicle interior.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a propylene resin composition. The propylene resin composition of Patent Document 1 contains a recycled propylene composition recovered from the market containing a propylene-based polymer, a recycled propylene composition recovered within a process containing a propylene-based polymer, and a virgin propylene-based polymer. In Patent Document 1, it is thus possible to provide a propylene resin composition capable of obtaining a molded body with relatively reduced odor while recycling polypropylene, and a molded body containing the propylene resin composition.

[0004] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2024-137636

[0005] Since a vehicle air conditioning system having an air conditioning unit is mounted on a vehicle and arranged in the vehicle interior, the resin material used in the vehicle air conditioning system is required to satisfy various specific characteristics. For example, as the various specific characteristics required, in addition to those related to the odor of the resin material, it can be mentioned that parts molded from the resin material have high strength and have no adverse effects on the human body. Also, the resin material conforming to regulations such as the Japanese Chemical Substances Control Law and the European REACH Regulation can be exemplified as the various specific characteristics required above. However, none of these are described in Patent Document 1. Note that REACH in the description of the above "REACH Regulation" is an abbreviation for "Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals". As a result of the inventors' detailed examination, the above facts were found.

[0006] In view of the above points, this disclosure aims to improve the recycling rate of resin materials in vehicle air conditioning systems while enabling the fulfillment of the specific characteristics required in such systems.

[0007] To achieve the above objective, a vehicle air conditioning system according to one aspect of this disclosure is a vehicle air conditioning system having an air conditioning unit that adjusts the temperature of air and flows the temperature-adjusted air into the passenger compartment, comprising: a resin air conditioning case included in the air conditioning unit and forming the outer shell of the air conditioning unit, having an air passage through which air flows, an inlet opening for introducing air into the air passage, and an outlet opening for releasing air from the air passage into the passenger compartment; a blower included in the air conditioning unit and positioned in the air passage, having an impeller that generates airflow in the air passage by rotation; a cooler included in the air conditioning unit and positioned in the air passage, cooling the air from the inlet opening; and a heater included in the air conditioning unit and positioned in the air passage, heating the air that has flowed out from the cooler. The air conditioning case has at least three of the following parts separated from the outside of the air conditioning unit and the air passage as a recycled part containing recycled resin material: an air intake part in which an inlet opening and an upstream space corresponding to the upstream end of the airflow of the ventilation passage are formed; a blower part in which a blower space for housing an impeller is formed in the ventilation passage; a front cooler part in which a space in front of the cooler is formed in the space from the upstream space to the cooler, excluding the blower space; a temperature control part in which a temperature control space housing a heater and an outlet opening are formed in the space from the cooler to the outlet opening in the ventilation passage; and a rear module part in which a rear ventilation passage door for opening and closing the rear ventilation passage is formed, which is provided as the downstream end of the airflow of the ventilation passage separately from the outlet opening and allows the air from the temperature control space to flow out toward the rear of the vehicle interior.

[0008] Here, while the air conditioning unit uses numerous resin parts, the air conditioning case is a housing and therefore does not move. As such, the strength required for the resin parts that make up the air conditioning case is lower compared to the strength required for the various movable resin parts included in the air conditioning unit. On the other hand, the resin material included in the air conditioning case accounts for the majority of the resin material included in the air conditioning unit.

[0009] For these reasons, a vehicle air conditioning system based on the above-mentioned perspective can easily satisfy the strength requirements for resin components while simultaneously increasing the recycling rate of resin materials in the air conditioning unit through the use of recycled resin materials in the air conditioning case. In other words, it is possible to satisfy the specific characteristics required for a vehicle air conditioning system with an air conditioning unit while effectively improving the recycling rate of resin materials in that vehicle air conditioning system.

[0010] Furthermore, a vehicle air conditioning system from another perspective of this disclosure is a vehicle air conditioning system having an air conditioning unit that adjusts the temperature of the air and circulates the temperature-adjusted air into the vehicle cabin, and comprising recycled resin components including recycled resin material, wherein the recycled resin material is recognized as safe for the human body based on the characteristics of the recycled resin material.

[0011] In this way, recycled resin materials can be used while meeting the safety requirements for resin components in vehicle air conditioning systems. Therefore, it is possible to meet the specific characteristics required in vehicle air conditioning systems while improving the recycling rate of resin materials in those systems.

[0012] This is a perspective view of the air conditioning unit of the vehicle air conditioning system of the first embodiment. This is a schematic cross-sectional view of section II in Figure 1, with the face duct and foot duct simplified by dashed lines. This is a schematic cross-sectional view of sections IIIa and IIIb in Figure 1, connected to clearly show the airflow in the case ventilation passage, and also shows schematic cross-sectional views of the face duct, defroster duct, and rear duct. This figure schematically shows examples of the composition of the raw materials for air conditioning parts made of polypropylene, which is currently the mainstream, the raw materials for resin parts that can be used as the basis for recycled polypropylene resin material, and recycled polypropylene resin material. This is a pie chart showing the mass ratio of the resin materials contained in each component of the air conditioning unit out of the total resin materials contained in the air conditioning unit of the first embodiment. This figure is for explaining a scenario to appropriately ensure the strength of the air conditioning case when recycled resin material is used in the air conditioning case of the first embodiment. This figure shows the relationship between the recycling rate of resin material in the case parts and the bending modulus of elasticity corresponding to the bending strength of the case parts. This figure schematically shows the relationship between the recycling rates of resin materials in the recycled duct section, the recycled portion of the air conditioning case, and the movable resin parts of the air conditioning unit in the first embodiment. This figure schematically shows the relationship between the recycling rate of resin materials in the air conditioning case and the recycling rate of resin materials in the air conditioning unit in the first embodiment. This is a table showing several matters concerning the safety of recycled resin materials to the human body, for each material source of the recycled resin material. This figure schematically shows the cleaning process for obtaining recycled resin materials. This is a perspective view showing an air conditioning unit in the first embodiment and the differences in the colors of the appearance of the air conditioning unit. This is a perspective view showing an air conditioning unit in the second embodiment and the differences in the colors of the appearance of the air conditioning unit, corresponding to Figure 12. This is a figure showing an example of the use of virgin-derived PIR material in the third embodiment, illustrating that a resin part with the material composition shown in (a) and a resin part with the material composition shown in (b) have similar physical strength.The third embodiment is a diagram showing an example of the use of recycled PIR material, illustrating that a resin part with the material composition shown in (a) and a resin part with the material composition shown in (b) have comparable physical strength. The fourth embodiment is a diagram showing an example of the use of plant-derived bio-material, illustrating that a resin part with the material composition shown in (a) and a resin part with the material composition shown in (b) have comparable physical strength. In another embodiment, the diagram shows an example of the material composition of a recycled case part containing CNF as a filler material.

[0013] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, parts that are the same or equivalent to each other are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings.

[0014] (First Embodiment) The vehicle air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment is mounted on an automobile and placed inside the passenger compartment of the automobile. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the vehicle air conditioning system 1 consists of an air conditioning unit 2 and a plurality of ducts 61, 62, 63, and 64.

[0015] In this description of the embodiment, automobiles may sometimes be referred to as vehicles. Also, the arrows at both ends in Figure 1 indicate the orientation of the vehicle on which the vehicle air conditioning system 1 is installed. Specifically, in Figure 1, the vehicle's longitudinal direction D1, the vehicle's vertical direction D2, and the vehicle's left-right direction D3 are each indicated by arrows at both ends. These directions D1, D2, and D3 intersect each other, or more precisely, are perpendicular to each other.

[0016] The air conditioning unit 2 is installed, for example, within the instrument panel located towards the front of the vehicle. For example, the entire air conditioning unit 2 is positioned in front of the front seats within the vehicle's interior. The air conditioning unit 2 draws in either internal or external air, adjusts the temperature of that air, and then circulates the temperature-controlled air into the vehicle's interior. In short, the air conditioning unit 2 is a device located inside the vehicle's interior that provides air conditioning for the interior. Internal air refers to the air inside the vehicle's interior, and external air refers to the air outside the vehicle's interior. The temperature-controlled air within the air conditioning unit 2 is sometimes called conditioned air or conditioned breeze.

[0017] The air conditioning unit 2 includes an air conditioning case 21, an interior door 221, an exterior door 222, a blower 23, a cooler 26, and a heater core 27. The air conditioning unit 2 also includes a first air mix door 281, a second air mix door 282, an intake filter 29, a face door 31, a foot door 32, a defroster door 33, and a rear ventilation door 35.

[0018] The air conditioning case 21 is made of resin and forms the outer shell of the air conditioning unit 2. The air conditioning case 21 has a plurality of case parts 411, 421, 431, 441, and 451 made of a resin material mainly composed of polypropylene, for example. The air conditioning case 21 is constructed by joining these plurality of case parts 411, 421, 431, 441, and 451 together so that they form a single unit. Specifically, these plurality of case parts 411, 421, 431, 441, and 451 are the introduction section case part 411, the blower section case part 421, the cooler front section case part 431, the temperature control section case part 441, and the rear module section case part 451, which will be described later.

[0019] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, an air passage, or case ventilation passage 24, is formed inside the air conditioning case 21 through which air flows. This case ventilation passage 24 corresponds to the ventilation passage of this disclosure. The air conditioning case 21 separates the case ventilation passage 24 from the outside of the air conditioning case 21, i.e., the outside of the air conditioning unit 2. The dashed and dotted arrows in Figures 2 and 3 represent the airflow in the case ventilation passage 24.

[0020] In the air conditioning case 21, on the upstream side of the airflow of the case ventilation passage 24, a plurality of inlet openings 241 and 242 are formed for introducing air from outside the air conditioning unit 2 into the case ventilation passage 24. Specifically, these plurality of inlet openings 241 and 242 are interior air inlet openings 241 that allow interior air to flow into the case ventilation passage 24 from a predetermined location inside the vehicle interior, and exterior air inlet openings 242 that allow outside air to flow into the case ventilation passage 24 from outside the vehicle.

[0021] Furthermore, on the downstream side of the airflow of the case ventilation passage 24 within the air conditioning case 21, there are a number of outlet openings 251, 252, 253 and a rear opening 254 that allow the temperature-controlled air from the air conditioning unit 2 to flow out from the case ventilation passage 24 into the passenger compartment. These multiple outlet openings 251, 252, 253 include a face outlet opening 251, a foot outlet opening 252, and a defroster outlet opening 253.

[0022] The face outlet opening 251 is an opening that allows the conditioned air to flow out of the case air passage 24 so that it is directed towards the upper body of the occupant seated in the front seat. The foot outlet opening 252 is an opening that allows the conditioned air to flow out of the case air passage 24 so that it is directed towards the feet of the front occupant. The defroster outlet opening 253 is an opening that allows the conditioned air to flow out of the case air passage 24 so that it is directed towards the front windshield of the vehicle.

[0023] In this embodiment, multiple face outlet openings 251 and multiple foot outlet openings 252 are provided. In addition, the rear opening 254 is provided separately from the multiple outlet openings 251, 252, and 253 as the downstream end of the airflow of the case ventilation passage 24 and is an opening that directs the conditioned airflow toward the rear of the vehicle interior. The face outlet opening 251, the foot outlet opening 252, the defroster outlet opening 253, and the rear opening 254 are connection openings to which one of the multiple ducts 61, 62, 63, and 64 is connected.

[0024] The air conditioning case 21 is equipped with an intake filter 29, centrifugal fans 231 and 232 of a blower 23, a cooler 26, a heater core 27, and multiple doors 221, 222, 281, 282, 31, 32, 33, and 35. Each of these doors 221, 222, 281, 282, 31, 32, 33, and 35 is a resin door made of a resin material, for example, polypropylene as the main component.

[0025] The interior air door 221 is positioned near the interior air intake opening 241 in the case ventilation passage 24, and the exterior air door 222 is positioned near the exterior air intake opening 242 in the case ventilation passage 24. The interior air door 221 continuously increases or decreases the opening degree of the interior air intake opening 241 as it rotates, and the exterior air door 222 continuously increases or decreases the opening degree of the exterior air intake opening 242 as it rotates. The interior air door 221 and the exterior air door 222 are mechanically linked to each other, so that as the interior air door 221 opens the interior air intake opening 241, the exterior air door 222 closes the exterior air intake opening 242. In this way, the interior air door 221 and the exterior air door 222 can work together to adjust the ratio of the amount of interior air and the amount of exterior air introduced into the case ventilation passage 24. Furthermore, the interior door 221 and the exterior door 222 are driven by actuators such as servo motors (not shown).

[0026] The blower 23 consists of multiple centrifugal fans 231 and 232, which are impellers, and a motor 233 that rotates the centrifugal fans 231 and 232. The motor 233 is fixed to the air conditioning case 21, and the multiple centrifugal fans 231 and 232 are arranged in the case's air passage 24. Since each of the multiple centrifugal fans 231 and 232 is fixed to the rotation axis of the motor 233, they rotate together with the rotation axis of the motor 233.

[0027] When the multiple centrifugal fans 231 and 232 are rotated by the motor 233, the rotation of the centrifugal fans 231 and 232 creates an airflow in the case ventilation passage 24. As a result, the air introduced into the case ventilation passage 24 from the internal air intake opening 241 or the external air intake opening 242 flows through the case ventilation passage 24 and is blown out from one of the face outlet opening 251, the foot outlet opening 252, the defroster outlet opening 253, or the rear opening 254.

[0028] The face door 31 is positioned near the face outlet opening 251 in the case ventilation passage 24, and the rotational movement of the face door 31 continuously increases or decreases the opening degree of the face outlet opening 251. The foot door 32 is positioned near the foot outlet opening 252 in the case ventilation passage 24, and the rotational movement of the foot door 32 continuously increases or decreases the opening degree of the foot outlet opening 252. The defroster door 33 is positioned near the defroster outlet opening 253 in the case ventilation passage 24, and the rotational movement of the defroster door 33 continuously increases or decreases the opening degree of the defroster outlet opening 253. The face door 31, foot door 32, and defroster door 33 are driven by actuators such as servo motors via a linkage mechanism (not shown).

[0029] The rear ventilation door 35 is located in the rear ventilation passage 24f, which forms part of the case ventilation passage 24 and connects to the rear opening 254. The rotational movement of the rear ventilation door 35 continuously increases or decreases the opening degree of the rear ventilation passage 24f. The rear ventilation door 35 is also driven by an actuator such as a servo motor.

[0030] The cooler 26 is located downstream of the centrifugal fans 231 and 232 of the blower 23 in the case ventilation passage 24. The cooler 26 cools the air flowing in from the internal air intake opening 241 or the external air intake opening 242. Specifically, the cooler 26 is a heat exchanger that forms part of the refrigeration cycle circuit in which the refrigerant circulates and exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the air passing through the cooler 26. In other words, the cooler 26 is an evaporator, and by exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the air passing through the cooler 26, it evaporates the refrigerant and cools the air.

[0031] The heater core 27 is located downstream of the airflow to the cooler 26 in the case ventilation passage 24. The heater core 27 is a heater that heats the air flowing out from the cooler 26. Specifically, the heater core 27 is a heat exchanger through which engine coolant, which absorbs heat from the engine that also functions as a heat source for the vehicle, flows. The heater core 27 heats the air by exchanging heat between the engine coolant and the air passing through it.

[0032] The first and second air mix doors 281 and 282 are sliding doors that operate by sliding, and are located between the cooler 26 and the heater core 27 in the case ventilation passage 24. As the first and second air mix doors 281 and 282 slide, they adjust the ratio between the amount of air that passes through the cooler 26 and bypasses the heater core 27, and the amount of air that passes through the cooler 26 and then passes through the heater core 27.

[0033] The intake filter 29 is made of a breathable nonwoven fabric or the like, and captures pollutants and particulate matter mixed in the air passing through it. The intake filter 29 is positioned between the internal air intake opening 241 and the external air intake opening 242 of the case ventilation passage 24, and the centrifugal fans 231 and 232, respectively. Therefore, air introduced into the case ventilation passage 24 from either the internal air intake opening 241 or the external air intake opening 242 also passes through the intake filter 29, is filtered by the intake filter 29, and is then drawn into the centrifugal fans 231 and 232.

[0034] Looking at the air conditioning case 21 described above in more detail, it can be said that the air conditioning case 21 has an air intake section 41, a blower section 42, a cooler front section 43, a temperature control section 44, and a rear module section 45. The air intake section 41 is the part of the air conditioning case 21 in which a plurality of intake openings 241, 242 and an upstream space 24a corresponding to the upstream end of the airflow of the case ventilation passage 24 are formed. An inner air door 221, an outer air door 222, and an intake filter 29 are housed in this upstream space 24a. The air intake section 41 is composed of a plurality of intake case components 411 that form a partition wall separating the upstream space 24a from the outside of the air conditioning case 21.

[0035] Note that in Figures 2 and 3, in order to concisely represent the introduction section case component 411, it is not explicitly shown that there are multiple introduction section case components 411. This method of representation is also used for the illustration of the blower section case component 421, the cooler front case component 431, the temperature control section case component 441, and the rear module section case component 451, which will be described later.

[0036] Furthermore, the air blowing section 42 of the air conditioning case 21 is the part of the case air passage 24 in which an air blowing space 24b is formed to house multiple centrifugal fans 231 and 232. Since this air blowing space 24b is connected to the downstream side of the airflow in the upstream space 24a, air that has passed through the intake filter 29 flows into the air blowing space 24b. The air blowing section 42 is composed of multiple air blowing section case components 421 that form a partition wall separating the air blowing space 24b from the outside of the air conditioning case 21.

[0037] Furthermore, the front portion 43 of the air conditioning case 21 is the space from the upstream space 24a of the case ventilation passage 24 to the cooler 26, excluding the blower space 24b, and is the portion where the front cooler space 24c is formed. Since this front cooler space 24c is connected to the downstream side of the airflow in the blower space 24b, air blown out from multiple centrifugal fans 231 and 232 flows into the front cooler space 24c, and this blown-out air passes through the front cooler space 24c to reach the cooler 26. The front cooler portion 43 is composed of multiple front cooler case components 431 that form a partition wall separating the front cooler space 24c from the outside of the air conditioning case 21.

[0038] Furthermore, the temperature-controlled section 44 of the air conditioning case 21 is the space within the case ventilation passage 24 from the cooler 26 to the respective outlet openings 251, 252, and 253, where the temperature-controlled space 24d, which houses the heater core 27, is formed. Multiple outlet openings 251, 252, and 253 are also formed in this temperature-controlled section 44. The temperature-controlled space 24d is connected to the downstream side of the airflow in front of the cooler space 24c, and since the cooler 26 is positioned at the boundary between these spaces 24c and 24d, air that has passed through the cooler 26 flows into the temperature-controlled space 24d. The temperature-controlled section 44 is composed of multiple temperature-controlled section case components 441 that form a partition wall separating the temperature-controlled space 24d from the outside of the air conditioning case 21.

[0039] Furthermore, the rear module portion 45 of the air conditioning case 21 is the portion in which the rear opening 254 and the rear ventilation passage 24f are formed and the rear ventilation passage door 35 is housed. The rear module portion 45 is composed of a plurality of rear module case components 451 that form a partition wall separating the rear ventilation passage 24f from the outside of the air conditioning case 21. These plurality of rear module case components 451 and the rear ventilation passage door 35 constitute the rear module of the air conditioning unit 2.

[0040] The rear opening 254 is provided separately from the multiple outlet openings 251, 252, and 253 as the downstream end of the airflow of the case ventilation passage 24, and is an opening that allows conditioned air from the temperature-controlled space 24d to flow out towards the rear of the vehicle interior. The rear ventilation passage 24f is an air passage that constitutes the case ventilation passage 24 from the temperature-controlled space 24d to the rear opening 254. In order to guide a portion of the conditioned air from the temperature-controlled space 24d to this rear ventilation passage 24f, the temperature-controlled unit case component 441 has a rear communication hole 441a that penetrates the temperature-controlled unit case component 441 and is provided at a position where the conditioned air that has passed through the heater core 27 flows within the temperature-controlled space 24d. The upstream end of the airflow of the rear ventilation passage 24f is connected to the temperature-controlled space 24d via the rear communication hole 441a. The rear ventilation door 35 opens and closes the rear ventilation passage 24f by opening and closing the rear communication hole 441a from the rear ventilation passage 24f side.

[0041] Furthermore, the boundaries between the air intake section 41, the blower section 42, the front cooler section 43, the temperature control section 44, and the rear module section 45 can be recognized as the boundaries between the case components that make up each section. For example, the boundary between the air intake section 41 and the blower section 42 can be recognized as the boundary between the intake section case component 411 and the blower section case component 421. The boundary between the blower section 42 and the front cooler section 43 can be recognized as the boundary between the blower section case component 421 and the front cooler case component 431.

[0042] Also, it can be recognized that the boundary between the front part 43 of the cooler and the temperature control part 44 is the boundary between the front case part 431 of the cooler and the case part 441 of the temperature control part. The boundary between the temperature control part 44 and the rear module part 45 can be recognized as the boundary between the case part 441 of the temperature control part and the case part 451 of the rear module part.

[0043] Specifically, the plurality of ducts 61, 62, 63, 64 of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 are a plurality of face ducts 61, a plurality of foot ducts 62, a defroster duct 63, and a rear duct 64. Each of these ducts 61, 62, 63, 64 is made of resin and has a cylindrical shape, and is composed of a resin material mainly containing, for example, polypropylene.

[0044] The face duct 61 has an upstream end 611 connected to the face outlet opening 251 and a downstream end 612 opened to the vehicle interior, and blows out the conditioned air flowing into its upstream end 611 from the face outlet opening 251 into the vehicle interior from the downstream end 612. Specifically, the downstream end 612 of the face duct 61 is connected from the inside of the instrument panel to a face outlet formed on the front of the instrument panel and opened toward the upper body of the front seat passenger. Therefore, the face duct 61 blows out the conditioned air into the vehicle interior through the face outlet from the downstream end 612 of the face duct 61.

[0045] The foot duct 62 has an upstream end 621 connected to the foot outlet opening 252 and a downstream end 622 opened to the vehicle interior, and blows out the conditioned air flowing into its upstream end 621 from the foot outlet opening 252 into the vehicle interior from the downstream end 622. Specifically, since the downstream end 622 of the foot duct 62 is opened toward the feet of the front seat passenger, the foot duct 62 blows out the conditioned air toward the feet of the front seat passenger in the vehicle interior from the downstream end 622 of the foot duct 62.

[0046] The defroster duct 63 has an upstream end 631 connected to the defroster outflow opening 253 and a downstream end 632 that opens into the vehicle interior, and blows out the conditioned air that has flowed into its upstream end 631 from the defroster outflow opening 253 from the downstream end 632 into the vehicle interior. Specifically, the downstream end 632 of the defroster duct 63 is connected from the inside of the instrument panel to a defroster outlet formed on the upper surface of the instrument panel and opening toward the front windshield of the vehicle. Therefore, the defroster duct 63 blows out the conditioned air from the downstream end 632 of the defroster duct 63 into the vehicle interior through the defroster outlet.

[0047] The rear duct 64 has an upstream end 641 connected to the rear opening 254 and a downstream end 642 that opens into the vehicle interior, and blows out the conditioned air that has flowed into its upstream end 641 from the rear opening 254 from the downstream end 642 into the vehicle interior. Specifically, since the downstream end 642 of the rear duct 64 opens toward the occupant sitting in the rear seat, that is, the rear seat occupant, the rear duct 64 blows out the conditioned air from the downstream end 642 of the rear duct 64 toward the rear seat occupant in the vehicle interior. Incidentally, the upstream ends 611, 621, 631, 641 of the respective ducts 61, 62, 63, 64 correspond to the duct upstream ends of the present disclosure, and the downstream ends 612, 622, 632, 642 of the respective ducts 61, 62, 63, 64 correspond to the duct downstream ends of the present disclosure.

[0048] By the way, as shown in FIG. 4, as the raw material of air-conditioning parts made of polypropylene such as the air-conditioning case and air-conditioning ducts arranged in the vehicle interior, it is currently mainstream to use a homopolymer of polypropylene. This is because the air-conditioning parts can be made to have high strength and a high elastic modulus. However, in order to realize a global recycling-based society, it has become necessary to apply recycled resin materials to the above air-conditioning parts as well, such as European regulations and JAMA's own regulations.

[0049] On the other hand, for applications such as plastic parts in home appliances and car bumpers, which can serve as the basis for recycled polypropylene resin materials, block polymers of polypropylene and polyethylene are often used as raw materials to improve toughness. However, it is difficult to completely remove polyethylene from these block polymers during the cleaning process to obtain recycled resin materials. Therefore, recycled polypropylene resin materials experience a decrease in strength due to the presence of polyethylene and other materials.

[0050] Furthermore, since recycled resin materials contain materials that were previously used in the market, there is a risk that impurities such as odor-causing substances and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may be attached to or mixed into the recycled resin materials. The attachment or mixing of such impurities can cause adverse effects on human health. In the vehicle air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment, recycled resin materials are used to solve these problems. In Figure 4, PP is an abbreviation for polypropylene, PE is an abbreviation for polyethylene, and VOC is an abbreviation for volatile organic compounds. More specifically, recycled polypropylene resin material is a recycled resin material whose main component is polypropylene.

[0051] As shown in Figure 5, approximately 80% by mass of the total resin material in the air conditioning unit 2 is contained in the air conditioning case 21. Therefore, using recycled resin material in the air conditioning case 21 is more effective in improving the recycling rate of resin material in the air conditioning unit 2 than using recycled resin material in small parts such as doors and links in the air conditioning unit 2. This is true not only for this embodiment but also for general air conditioning units. In Figure 5, "Rr case component" is an abbreviation for "rear module case component".

[0052] Furthermore, while there are concerns about durability, such as creep, when using recycled resin materials for sliding parts such as doors and links, using recycled resin materials for the stationary air conditioning case 21 offers the advantage of lower risks in terms of strength and quality. This is true not only for this embodiment but also for general air conditioning units.

[0053] Therefore, in the air conditioning unit 2 of this embodiment, recycled polypropylene resin is used for the resin material that makes up the air conditioning case 21. For example, the three case components of the air blower case component 421, the cooler front case component 431, and the temperature control unit case component 441 of the air conditioning case 21 account for about 70% of the total resin material of the air conditioning unit 2. For this reason, in preparation for future legal regulations on recycling rates, it is considered desirable to use a large amount of recycled resin material in these three case components, for example.

[0054] Recycled resin material refers to resin material that has been used in resin molding in the past, and the term "recycled resin material" does not distinguish between PCR material and PIR material. In other words, unless otherwise specified, recycled resin material may include either PCR material or PIR material, or it may include both PCR material and PIR material. PCR stands for "Post-Consumer Recycle," and PCR material is recycled resin material that has been used once in the market. PIR stands for "Post-Industrial Recycle," and PIR material is recycled resin material that is factory waste or similar material before it enters the market.

[0055] Furthermore, the recycling rate of the resin material in a certain resin part is calculated using the following formula F1, where Rx [%] is the recycling rate, Mr is the mass of recycled resin material in the resin part, and Ma is the total mass of the resin material in the resin part. More specifically, the total mass of the resin material in the resin part is the sum of the mass of recycled resin material, the mass of virgin resin material, and the mass of filler material such as talc. Virgin resin material refers to unused resin material that has never been used in resin molding in the past. Also, in this description, unless otherwise specified, the material content ratio in a resin part is expressed as a ratio of mass. Rx = Mr / Ma × 100 ... (F1)

[0056] Next, using Figure 6, we will explain a scenario for appropriately ensuring the strength of the air conditioning case 21 when recycled resin material is used for the air conditioning case 21. Figure 6 schematically shows the flexural modulus of each of the case components B1, B2, B3, and B4, which are made of a resin material mainly composed of polypropylene. Components B1 to B4 are the same as each other except for their material composition.

[0057] Component B1 is a case component made of virgin resin material containing 10% talc and no recycled resin material, while component B2 is a case component made of 100% recycled resin material. The material composition of most case components currently on the market is the same as that of component B1. Component B3 is a case component made of recycled resin material containing 15% talc and no virgin resin material, while component B4 is a case component made of virgin resin material and recycled resin material containing 15% talc. Note that the recycled resin material contained in components B2, B3, and B4 in Figure 6 is all PCR material.

[0058] As shown in Figure 6, in order to use recycled resin in a case component while ensuring the same bending strength as component B1 which does not contain recycled resin, it is considered best to use a material composition like that of component B4. That is, by adding talc as a filler material and mixing recycled resin with virgin resin, it is considered possible to use recycled resin in a case component while obtaining the same bending strength as the current case component which does not contain recycled resin.

[0059] Furthermore, as shown by the solid line La in Figure 7, in case components made of resin material, the higher the recycling rate of the resin material, the lower the flexural modulus of the case component. In the example in Figure 7, the case component is made of resin material mainly composed of polypropylene, and all recycled resin material contained in the case component is PCR material. Also, the dashed line Lb in Figure 7 indicates the lower limit of the flexural modulus generally required for case components, and the dashed line Lc indicates the lower limit of the flexural modulus required for general resin ducts such as ducts 61, 62, 63, and 64.

[0060] As can be seen from the solid line La and dashed line Lb in Figure 7, when recycled resin material is used as PCR material, the recycling rate of resin material in case components must be 50% or less in order to ensure the strength of the case components. Furthermore, in order to satisfy the European ELV directive's recycling rate of 25% or more, it is considered that the recycling rate of resin material in case components must be 30% or more. ELV stands for "End-of-Life Vehicle".

[0061] Based on the above, the resin material constituting the air conditioning case 21 of this embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3 includes recycled resin material. Specifically, the air conditioning case 21 has three or more parts from the air intake section 41, the blower section 42, the cooler front section 43, the temperature control section 44, and the rear module section 45 as a recycled section Rc containing recycled resin material, separated from the outside of the air conditioning unit 2 and the case ventilation passage 24.

[0062] For example, in this embodiment, the air blower section 42, the cooler front section 43, and the temperature control section 44 are each recycled section Rc. In other words, the air blower section case component 421, the cooler front section case component 431, and the temperature control section case component 441 can each be said to be recycled case components that include recycled resin material and constitute the recycled section Rc. That is, the air blower section case component 421, the cooler front section case component 431, and the temperature control section case component 441, which are recycled case components, are each composed of recycled polypropylene resin material, virgin resin material, and a small amount of talc.

[0063] More specifically, as indicated by the arrow Wr in Figure 7, the recycling rate of resin material in the recycling portion Rc of the air conditioning case 21 is 50% or less and 30% or more.

[0064] On the other hand, the air conditioning case 21 of this embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3 has a non-recycled portion Nc made of virgin resin material without recycled resin material, in addition to the recycled portion Rc mentioned above. Since this non-recycled portion Nc is a resin part of the air conditioning case 21 that does not correspond to the recycled portion Rc, in this embodiment the air intake portion 41 and the rear module portion 45 are each non-recycled portion Nc. In other words, the intake portion case component 411 and the rear module portion case component 451 can each be said to be virgin case components that do not contain recycled resin material but include virgin resin material and constitute the non-recycled portion Nc. That is, the intake portion case component 411 and the rear module portion case component 451, which are virgin case components, are each made of virgin polypropylene resin material and a small amount of talc, without containing recycled resin material.

[0065] As can be seen from the dashed lines Lb and Lc in Figure 7, the required flexural modulus of elasticity for each duct 61, 62, 63, and 64 is lower than the required flexural modulus of elasticity for each case component 411, 421, 431, 441, and 451 of the air conditioning case 21. Therefore, the vehicle air conditioning system 1 includes at least one of the multiple ducts 61, 62, 63, and 64 as a recycled duct section Rd containing recycled resin material. For example, in this embodiment, all of the ducts 61, 62, 63, and 64 are recycled duct sections Rd.

[0066] For example, the multiple ducts 61, 62, 63, and 64 that make up the recycled duct section Rd are each composed of recycled polypropylene resin material and virgin resin material, or composed of recycled polypropylene resin material without virgin resin material. Talc is added to the ducts 61, 62, 63, and 64 as needed.

[0067] Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycling duct section Rd is higher than the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycling section Rc of the air conditioning case 21. More specifically, the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycling duct section Rd exceeds 50%.

[0068] Furthermore, among the resin components that make up the air conditioning unit 2, the movable resin components Pat, which move relative to the air conditioning case 21, require higher mechanical performance, such as bending strength and wear resistance, compared to the air conditioning case 21. Examples of these movable resin components Pat include the doors 221, 222, 281, 282, 31, 32, 33, and 35, as well as components of the link mechanism (not shown) that connects the doors to the actuators. The movable resin components Pat belong to the "Other" category in the pie chart of Figure 5.

[0069] Based on the above mechanical performance, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the recycling rate of resin material in all movable resin parts Pat of the air conditioning unit 2 is lower than the recycling rate of resin material in the recycled portion Rc of the air conditioning case 21. Specifically, the movable resin parts Pat are composed of virgin resin material and do not contain recycled resin material, with a small amount of talc added as needed.

[0070] Furthermore, since the air conditioning unit 2 includes resin parts that do not contain recycled resin material, such as the movable resin part Pat mentioned above, as shown in Figure 9, the recycling rate of resin material in the air conditioning case 21 is higher than the recycling rate of resin material in the air conditioning unit 2. Since the air conditioning unit 2 also has metal parts such as the cooler 26 and heater core 27, the recycling rate of resin material in the air conditioning unit 2, more specifically, is the recycling rate of resin material in the resin parts of the air conditioning unit 2 that are made of resin material.

[0071] As stated above, the recycling rate of the resin material is as described above. However, since the vehicle air conditioning system 1 is installed inside the vehicle, the recycled resin material used in the vehicle air conditioning system 1 must be safe for human health. Figure 10 shows the results of the study focusing on the safety of recycled resin material for human health for each material source. In other words, being safe for human health means being harmless to the human body and not posing a risk to human health.

[0072] Materials A through D shown in Figure 10 are examples of recycled resin materials, but their material sources are different. Of materials A through D, materials A, C, and D are overseas materials whose material source is outside of Japan, while material B is a Japanese material whose material source is within Japan. The material source of recycled resin materials refers to the original product or resin part in which the recycled resin material was used.

[0073] Material A is a food-related resin material, which is a resin material found in resin products used for human food. Examples of such resin products used for human food include food trays and resin containers for holding food. Since resin products for human food are inherently harmless to the human body, the food-related resin material recovered from these food-related resin products is also considered harmless to the human body.

[0074] Materials B and C are home appliance-derived resin materials, which were found in large home appliances such as room air conditioners, refrigerators, or washing machines. Material D is a resin material derived from outdoor products, such as daily necessities, fishing nets, or outdoor resin parts, which were used outdoors or may have been used outdoors.

[0075] Furthermore, since the origins of large home appliances from which home appliance-derived resin materials are derived are generally known, it can be said that home appliance-derived resin materials are resin materials that were present in home appliances with known origins. In this case, "known origins of the home appliance" means, for example, that the manufacturer of the home appliance is known.

[0076] Furthermore, in the "Safety" column of Figure 10, "No action required" means that safety to the human body is ensured without any special treatment, while "Some action required" means that safety to the human body can be easily ensured by heating or washing to remove odor substances and VOCs. Specifically, "Improvement" in the "Physical Properties" column of Figure 10 refers to washing or heat treatment to remove odor substances and VOCs. On the other hand, "Significant action required" in the "Safety" column literally means that a great deal of processing is required to ensure safety to the human body.

[0077] Furthermore, the overseas import regulations shown in Figure 10 refer to legal regulations that apply when recycled resin materials or products containing recycled resin materials are imported into Japan from outside Japan. Overseas export regulations refer to legal regulations that apply when recycled resin materials or products containing recycled resin materials are exported from Japan to outside Japan.

[0078] In Figure 10, a "○" in the "Import Restriction Risk" and "Export Restriction Risk" columns indicates that there is little to no risk of violating the above-mentioned laws and regulations, a "△" indicates that there is a moderately high risk of violating the above-mentioned laws and regulations, and a "×" indicates that there is a very high risk of violating the above-mentioned laws and regulations.

[0079] As can be seen from the table in Figure 10, materials A, B, and C are considered safe for the human body because they were originally used in people's food and in items that people frequently touch. In contrast, there are many unclear points regarding the safety of material D for the human body, and it is considered difficult to manage it in order to comply with legal regulations.

[0080] Therefore, the recycled resin material included in the recycled resin parts of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment is limited to that which is recognized as safe for the human body based on the characteristics of the recycled resin material. Specifically, the characteristics of the recycled resin material refer to the material source of the recycled resin material and the process by which the recycled resin material is obtained from that material source. In this embodiment, the recycled case parts, namely the blower case part 421, the cooler front case part 431, and the temperature control case part 441, and the recycled duct part Rd, namely the ducts 61, 62, 63, and 64, correspond to the recycled resin parts that include recycled resin material.

[0081] Specific examples of safe resin materials that are recognized as safe for the human body based on the characteristics of recycled resin materials include, for example, the food-related resin materials and home appliance-derived resin materials mentioned above. Another specific example of such safe resin materials is the resin material found in used air conditioning units recovered from discarded automobiles. This is because, at the time of manufacture of the discarded automobile, the resin materials constituting the used air conditioning unit were already proven to be safe for the human body in accordance with legal regulations. For clarification, the above-mentioned used air conditioning unit is a different unit from air conditioning unit 2 in which the above-mentioned air conditioning unit-derived resin material found in that used air conditioning unit is used.

[0082] As described above, the recycled resin material used in the vehicle air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment is composed of at least one of the following: food-related resin material, home appliance-derived resin material, and air conditioning unit-derived resin material.

[0083] As described above, the safety of recycled resin materials for human health is ensured based on the material source of the recycled resin material. In this embodiment, the safety of recycled resin materials for human health is also ensured during the process of producing the recycled resin material. Specifically, as shown in Figure 11, in the washing process of the material recovered from the material source to obtain the recycled resin material, no cleaning agents harmful to the human body are used, and neutral detergents that are safe for the human body are used. In other words, the recycled resin material is washed while avoiding the use of cleaning agents harmful to the human body. Examples of cleaning agents harmful to the human body include strongly acidic or strongly alkaline cleaning agents.

[0084] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12 of this embodiment, the appearance of the recycling portion Rc and the recycling duct portion Rd of the air conditioning case 21 have a predetermined recycling appearance color, which is a black-based color. That is, the blower case component 421, the cooler front case component 431, the temperature control case component 441, and the multiple ducts 61, 62, 63, and 64 that constitute the recycling portion Rc each have an appearance of the recycling appearance color.

[0085] In Figure 12, the areas exhibiting the recycled appearance color are marked with dot-like hatching. For example, the recycled appearance color of a resin part can be achieved by mixing a masterbatch into the resin material of the resin part before molding.

[0086] In contrast, the appearance of the non-recyclable portion Nc of the air conditioning case 21 has the natural color of the resin material (specifically, polypropylene) that constitutes the non-recyclable portion Nc. That is, the introduction section case component 411 and the rear module section case component 451 that constitute the non-recyclable portion Nc each have the appearance of the natural color of polypropylene.

[0087] Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described. As described above, according to this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the air conditioning case 21 has a recycled portion Rc containing recycled resin material that separates the outside of the air conditioning unit 2 from the case ventilation passage 24, as follows. That is, the air conditioning case 21 has three or more of the following portions as the recycled portion Rc: the air intake portion 41, the blowing portion 42, the cooler front portion 43, the temperature control portion 44, and the rear module portion 45.

[0088] Here, the air conditioning unit 2 uses a large number of resin parts (i.e., resin components), but since the air conditioning case is not a moving part, the strength required for the resin components that make up the air conditioning case is relatively low compared to the resin components that make up the air conditioning unit. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5, the resin material contained in the air conditioning case accounts for the majority of the resin material contained in the air conditioning unit.

[0089] Furthermore, since the air conditioning case 21 has a recyclable portion Rc as described above, it is possible to easily satisfy the strength requirements for resin parts while also easily increasing the recycling rate of resin materials in the air conditioning unit 2 by utilizing recycled resin materials in the air conditioning case 21. In other words, it is possible to satisfy the specific characteristics required for a vehicle air conditioning system 1 having an air conditioning unit 2 while effectively improving the recycling rate of resin materials in the vehicle air conditioning system 1.

[0090] (1) Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the air conditioning case 21 is made of a resin material mainly composed of polypropylene. The recycled portion Rc of the air conditioning case 21 contains filler material, and the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled portion Rc is 50% or less. Therefore, since the strength of the air conditioning case 21 can be maintained while using recycled resin material in the air conditioning case 21, it is possible to avoid the function and quality of the air conditioning unit 2 being impaired due to the use of recycled resin material.

[0091] Furthermore, in conventional air conditioning units that do not yet utilize recycled resin materials, it is possible to incorporate recycled resin materials into the air conditioning case without requiring any changes to the shape of the air conditioning case to increase its strength.

[0092] (2) Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the recycling rate of resin material in the recycled portion Rc of the air conditioning case 21 is 30% or more. Therefore, it is possible to contribute to achieving the targets of the European ELV Directive.

[0093] (3) Furthermore, according to this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the vehicle air conditioning system 1 is provided with at least one of the multiple ducts 61, 62, 63, and 64 as a recycled duct section Rd containing recycled resin material. As shown in Figure 8, the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled duct section Rd is higher than the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled section Rc of the air conditioning case 21. Specifically, the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled duct section Rd exceeds 50%. Therefore, by taking advantage of the characteristic that the mechanical strength required for the ducts 61, 62, 63, and 64 can be lower than that of the air conditioning case 21, as shown in Figure 7, for example, it is possible to increase the recycling rate of the resin material in the vehicle air conditioning system 1.

[0094] (4) Furthermore, according to this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 12, the appearance of the recycled portion Rc and the recycled duct portion Rd of the air conditioning case 21 have a predetermined recycled appearance color which is a black-based color. In contrast, the appearance of the non-recycled portion Nc of the air conditioning case 21 has the natural color of the resin material (specifically, polypropylene) that constitutes the non-recycled portion Nc.

[0095] Here, since recycled resin materials include waste materials from the market, they are composed of resin materials with various colors, and the color of the recycled resin material changes depending on the material source. In contrast, as described above, the appearance of the recycled portion Rc and the recycled duct portion Rd of the air conditioning case 21 are unified to a predetermined recycled appearance color, so it is possible to make the recycled portion Rc and the recycled duct portion Rd have a stable appearance. In short, it is possible to avoid variations in the appearance color from one vehicle air conditioning system 1 to another.

[0096] Furthermore, it is possible to distinguish and identify the non-recyclable portion Nc of the air conditioning case 21 from the recyclable portion Rc and the recyclable duct portion Rd of the air conditioning case 21 at a glance.

[0097] (5) Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the recycling rate of resin material in the movable resin part Pat of the air conditioning unit 2 is lower than the recycling rate of resin material in the recycled portion Rc of the air conditioning case 21. Specifically, the movable resin part Pat is made of virgin resin material and does not contain recycled resin material. Therefore, it is possible to achieve a high recycling rate of resin material in the air conditioning case 21 of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 while avoiding a situation in which mechanical performance such as durability is insufficient in the movable resin part Pat due to the use of recycled resin material.

[0098] Specifically, as shown in Figure 9, the recycling rate of resin materials in the air conditioning case 21 is higher than that of resin materials in the air conditioning unit 2. Furthermore, recycled resin materials are easily adopted in the air conditioning case 21 from a mechanical performance standpoint, and as shown in Figure 5, the air conditioning case 21 accounts for a large portion of all the resin materials in the air conditioning unit 2. Therefore, by adopting recycled resin materials in the air conditioning case 21, it is possible to effectively increase the recycling rate of resin materials in the vehicle air conditioning system 1 in the air conditioning case 21.

[0099] (6) Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the recycled resin material contained in the recycled resin parts of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 is recognized as safe for the human body based on the characteristics of the recycled resin material.

[0100] Therefore, recycled resin materials can be used while meeting the characteristics required for the resin components of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 in terms of safety for the human body. Thus, it is possible to improve the recycling rate of resin materials in the vehicle air conditioning system 1 while meeting the specific characteristics required for the vehicle air conditioning system 1.

[0101] Furthermore, because it is easier to satisfy various legal regulations regarding safety for human health, it becomes possible to freely import and export recycled resin materials and maintain stable quality of recycled resin parts.

[0102] (7) Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the recycled resin material used in the vehicle air conditioning system 1 is composed of at least one of the above-mentioned food-related resin material, home appliance-derived resin material, and air conditioning unit-derived resin material. Therefore, the recycled resin material can be obtained stably while ensuring the safety of the recycled resin material for the human body.

[0103] (8) Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the recycled resin material used in the vehicle air conditioning system 1 is cleaned in a manner that avoids the use of cleaning agents harmful to the human body. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the safety of the recycled resin material to the human body being compromised due to the residue of cleaning agents.

[0104] (Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the differences from the first embodiment described above will be mainly explained. Also, parts that are the same as or equivalent to the above embodiment will be omitted or simplified in the explanation. The same applies to the later embodiments.

[0105] As shown in Figure 13, in this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the air intake section 41 is a recyclable section Rc instead of a non-recyclable section Nc. That is, in this embodiment, the air intake section 41, the blower section 42, the front section 43 of the cooler, and the temperature control section 44 are each recyclable sections Rc, while the rear module section 45 is a non-recyclable section Nc.

[0106] Therefore, the introduction section case component 411, the blower section case component 421, the cooler front case component 431, and the temperature control section case component 441 are each recycled case components that contain recycled resin material and constitute the recycled portion Rc. The rear module section case component 451 does not contain recycled resin material but contains virgin resin material and constitutes the non-recycled portion Nc.

[0107] Furthermore, since the air intake section 41 is the recycling section Rc, the appearance of the air intake section 41 also has the same black-based recycled appearance color as the air blower section 42, the cooler front section 43, and the temperature control section 44.

[0108] Except as described above, this embodiment is the same as the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the effects obtained from the configuration common to the first embodiment can be obtained in the same way as in the first embodiment.

[0109] (Third Embodiment) Next, a third embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the differences from the first embodiment described above will be mainly explained.

[0110] The blower case component 421, the cooler front case component 431, and the temperature control unit case component 441 are each recycled case components containing recycled resin material, similar to the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the recycled resin material used in the recycled case components includes, for example, PIR material discharged during the molding process in which resin components such as recycled case components or virgin case components are molded. Since the PIR material is waste material from the molding process of resin components, it maintains physical properties and strength equivalent to that of the supply material supplied in the molding process before the waste material is generated.

[0111] Therefore, if the supply material provided in the molding process of a resin part is virgin resin, the PIR material discharged during the molding process of that resin part can be used as having a strength equivalent to that of the virgin resin. For example, the resin part shown in Figure 14(b) can be used as having physical strength equivalent to that of the resin part shown in Figure 14(a). The material composition of the resin part shown in Figure 14(a) is 40% PCR material and 60% virgin resin material and talc combined. The material composition of the resin part shown in Figure 14(b) is 40% PCR material, α% virgin-derived PIR material A1 discharged during the molding process where the supply material is virgin resin, and 60-α% virgin resin material and talc combined. The resin parts shown in Figures 14(a) and (b) are identical to each other except for their material composition.

[0112] Furthermore, the materials supplied during the molding process of resin parts may include recycled resin materials, and an example of this is shown in Figure 15. For example, the resin part shown in Figure 15(b) can be used as having physical strength equivalent to that of the resin part shown in Figure 15(a). The material composition of the resin part shown in Figure 15(a) is 40% PCR material and 60% virgin resin material and talc. The material composition of the resin part shown in Figure 15(b) is β% recycled PIR material A2 discharged during the molding process of the resin part shown in Figure 15(a), 40-β / 2% PCR material, and 60-β / 2% virgin resin material and talc. The resin parts shown in Figures 15(a) and (b) are identical to each other except for their material composition.

[0113] Except as described above, this embodiment is the same as the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the effects obtained from the configuration common to the first embodiment can be obtained in the same way as in the first embodiment.

[0114] Although this embodiment is a modification based on the first embodiment, it is also possible to combine this embodiment with the second embodiment described above.

[0115] (Fourth Embodiment) Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the differences from the first embodiment described above will be mainly explained.

[0116] In this embodiment, a plant-derived resin material such as corn, i.e., polypropylene plant-derived bio-material A3, is used as part of the material for a resin part that mainly consists of polypropylene and includes virgin resin material. Since this plant-derived bio-material A3 is supplied to the molding process of the resin part in an unused state, it can be used while maintaining physical strength equivalent to that of virgin resin material.

[0117] For example, the resin part shown in Figure 16(b) can be used as having physical strength equivalent to that of the resin part shown in Figure 16(a). The material composition of the resin part shown in Figure 16(a) is 40% PCR material and 60% virgin resin material and talc. The material composition of the resin part shown in Figure 16(b) is 40% PCR material, m% plant-derived bio-material A3, and 60-m% virgin resin material and talc. The resin parts shown in Figures 16(a) and (b) are identical to each other except for their material composition.

[0118] Except as described above, this embodiment is the same as the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the effects obtained from the configuration common to the first embodiment can be obtained in the same way as in the first embodiment.

[0119] Although this embodiment is a modification based on the first embodiment, it is also possible to combine this embodiment with the second or third embodiment described above.

[0120] (Other Embodiments) (1) In each of the embodiments described above, as shown in Figure 3, the cooler support portion 211 that fixes and supports the cooler 26 in the air conditioning case 21 belongs to the temperature control portion 44 of the air conditioning case 21, but this is just one example. For example, the cooler support portion 211 may belong to the cooler front portion 43 instead of the temperature control portion 44, or it may be provided so as to span both the temperature control portion 44 and the cooler front portion 43. In short, it is sufficient for the cooler 26 to be positioned around the boundary between the temperature control portion 44 and the cooler front portion 43.

[0121] (2) In each of the embodiments described above, as shown in Figure 8, the recycling rate of the resin material in all movable resin parts Pat of the air conditioning unit 2 is lower than the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycling portion Rc of the air conditioning case 21, but this is just one example. For example, in any one of the movable resin parts Pat of the air conditioning unit 2, the recycling rate of the resin material in the movable resin part Pat may be lower than the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycling portion Rc of the air conditioning case 21.

[0122] (3) In each of the embodiments described above, for example as shown in Figure 12, the appearance of the non-recycled portion Nc of the air conditioning case 21 has the natural color of the resin material that constitutes the non-recycled portion Nc, but this is just one example. For example, the appearance of the non-recycled portion Nc may have a white color, or a black color that is different from the recycled appearance color of the recycled portion Rc.

[0123] (4) In each of the embodiments described above, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, all ducts 61, 62, 63, and 64 of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 are recycled duct sections Rd, but this is just one example. Any or all of the multiple ducts 61, 62, 63, and 64 may not be recycled duct sections Rd, but rather virgin duct sections composed of virgin polypropylene resin material and a small amount of talc, without containing recycled resin material. In that case, the appearance of the virgin duct section is preferably the same as the appearance of the non-recycled section Nc, having the natural color of the resin material constituting the virgin duct section, a white color, or a black color different from the recycled appearance color of the recycled section Rc. Note that the virgin duct section corresponds to the non-recycled duct section of this disclosure.

[0124] (5) In each of the embodiments described above, recycled case parts such as the temperature control unit case part 441 contain talc as a filler material to increase strength, but as shown in Figure 17 for example, a wood chip-derived filler material such as CNF may be used instead of talc. CNF is an abbreviation for cellulose nanofiber.

[0125] (6) In each of the above embodiments, the recycled resin material included in the plurality of recycled resin parts of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 may be the same resin material among the plurality of recycled resin parts, or it may be different resin materials. For example, the recycled resin material included in the recycled case part and the recycled resin material included in the recycled duct part Rd may be the same resin material, or they may be different resin materials. (7) In each of the above embodiments, as shown in Figure 8, the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled duct part Rd is higher than the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled part Rc of the air conditioning case 21, but this is just one example. For example, the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled duct part Rd may be the same as the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled part Rc of the air conditioning case 21.

[0126] (8) In each of the embodiments described above, the multiple case components 411, 421, 431, 441, 451 and the multiple ducts 61, 62, 63, 64 that constitute the air conditioning case 21 are each made of a resin material mainly composed of polypropylene, but this is just one example. The resin material that makes up these resin components may also be made of a resin other than polypropylene.

[0127] (9) In each of the embodiments described above, as shown in Figure 3, the air conditioning unit 2 has a rear module consisting of a rear module case part 451 and a rear ventilation door 35, but it is also conceivable that there is no rear module. If there is no rear module, the rear duct 64 is not provided.

[0128] (10) The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be implemented in various modified forms. Furthermore, the embodiments described above are not unrelated to each other and can be combined as appropriate, except in cases where the combination is clearly impossible.

[0129] Furthermore, it goes without saying that, in each of the above embodiments, the elements constituting the embodiment are not necessarily essential unless explicitly stated to be particularly essential or unless they are clearly considered essential in principle. Also, in each of the above embodiments, when numerical values ​​such as the number, numerical values, quantities, or ranges of the components of the embodiment are mentioned, the embodiment is not limited to those specific numbers unless explicitly stated to be particularly essential or unless it is clearly limited to a specific number in principle. Also, in each of the above embodiments, when the material, shape, positional relationship, etc. of the components are mentioned, the embodiment is not limited to those material, shape, positional relationship, etc. unless explicitly stated or unless it is clearly limited to a specific material, shape, positional relationship, etc. in principle.

[0130] (Perspective of this disclosure) The above disclosure can be understood from the following perspectives, for example. [First point of view] A vehicle air conditioning system having an air conditioning unit (2) that adjusts the temperature of air and flows the temperature-adjusted air into the vehicle interior, comprising: a resin air conditioning case (21) included in the air conditioning unit and forming the outer shell of the air conditioning unit, having an air passage (24) through which air flows, an inlet opening (241, 242) for allowing air to flow into the air passage, and an outlet opening (251, 252, 253) for allowing air to flow out from the air passage into the vehicle interior; a blower (23) included in the air conditioning unit and positioned in the air passage, having an impeller (231, 232) that rotates to create airflow in the air passage; a cooler (26) included in the air conditioning unit and positioned in the air passage, cooling the air from the inlet opening; and a heater (27) included in the air conditioning unit and positioned in the air passage, heating the air that has flowed out from the cooler. The air conditioning case comprises an air intake section (41) formed with an inlet opening and an upstream space (24a) corresponding to the upstream end of the airflow passage; a blower section (42) formed with a blower space (24b) for housing the impeller within the airflow passage; a cooler front section (43) formed with a cooler front space (24c) from the upstream space to the cooler within the airflow passage, excluding the blower space; and a temperature control space (24d) formed with a heater housing within the airflow passage, from the cooler to the outlet opening, and the outlet opening. A vehicle air conditioning system comprising a temperature-controlled section (44), a rear opening (254) provided separately from the outlet opening as the downstream end of the airflow of the ventilation passage to allow the air from the temperature-controlled space to flow out toward the rear of the vehicle interior, and a rear ventilation passage (24f) formed from the ventilation passage from the temperature-controlled space to the rear opening, and a rear ventilation passage door (35) that opens and closes the rear ventilation passage being housed, with three or more of these sections having a recycled section (Rc) containing recycled resin material separating the outside of the air conditioning unit from the ventilation passage.[Second viewpoint] The vehicle air conditioning system according to the first viewpoint, wherein the air conditioning case is made of a resin material mainly composed of polypropylene, the recycled portion contains a filler material, and the recycling rate of the resin material of the recycled portion is 50% or less. [Third viewpoint] The vehicle air conditioning system according to the second viewpoint, wherein the recycling rate of the resin material of the recycled portion is 30% or more. [Fourth viewpoint] A vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of the first to third viewpoints, comprising a resin duct (61, 62, 63, 64) having an upstream duct end (611, 621, 631, 641) connected to the outlet opening or the rear opening which is a connecting opening, and a downstream duct end (612, 622, 632, 642) open to the passenger compartment, which blows air flowing into the upstream duct end into the passenger compartment from the downstream duct end, the recycled duct section (Rd) containing the recycled resin material, wherein the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled duct section is equal to or greater than the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled portion. [Fifth viewpoint] A vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of the first to third viewpoints, comprising a resin duct (61, 62, 63, 64) having an upstream duct end (611, 621, 631, 641) connected to the outlet opening or the rear opening connecting opening, and a downstream duct end (612, 622, 632, 642) open to the passenger compartment, which blows air flowing into the upstream duct end into the passenger compartment from the downstream duct end, as a recycled duct section (Rd) containing the recycled resin material, wherein the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled duct section exceeds 50%.[Sixth viewpoint] In addition to the duct as a recycled duct section, the air conditioning case also comprises a non-recycled duct section made of virgin resin material and not containing recycled resin material, the air conditioning case has a non-recycled section (Nc) made of virgin resin material and not containing recycled resin material, the appearance of the recycled section and the recycled duct section have a predetermined recycled appearance color which is a black-based color, the appearance of the non-recycled section has the natural color of the resin material constituting the non-recycled section, a white-based color, or a black-based color which is different from the recycled appearance color, and the appearance of the non-recycled duct section has the natural color of the resin material constituting the non-recycled section, a white-based color, or a black-based color which is different from the recycled appearance color, as described in the fourth or fifth viewpoint. [Seventh viewpoint] The air conditioning case has, in addition to the recycled portion, a non-recycled portion (Nc) made of virgin resin material that does not include the recycled resin material, the appearance of the recycled portion has a predetermined recycled appearance color which is a blackish color, and the appearance of the non-recycled portion has the natural color of the resin material constituting the non-recycled portion, a whiteish color, or a blackish color which is different from the recycled appearance color, as described in any one of the first to fifth viewpoints. [Eighth viewpoint] The air conditioning unit includes a movable resin part (Pat) made of resin that moves relative to the air conditioning case, the recycling rate of the resin material of the movable resin part is lower than the recycling rate of the resin material of the recycled portion, as described in any one of the first to seventh viewpoints. [Ninth Perspective] A vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of the first to seventh perspectives, comprising a movable resin part (Pat) made of resin that is included in the air conditioning unit and moves relative to the air conditioning case, wherein the movable resin part is made of virgin resin material and does not include recycled resin material. [Tenth Perspective] A vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of the first to ninth perspectives, wherein the recycling rate of resin material in the air conditioning case is higher than the recycling rate of resin material in the air conditioning unit.[Aspect 11] The vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein the recycled resin material is recognized as safe for the human body based on the properties of the recycled resin material. [Aspect 12] A vehicle air conditioning system having an air conditioning unit (2) that adjusts the temperature of the air and flows the temperature-adjusted air into the vehicle interior, comprising recycled resin parts (421, 431, 441, 61, 62, 63, 64) that include recycled resin material, wherein the recycled resin material is recognized as safe for the human body based on the properties of the recycled resin material. [Aspect 13] The vehicle air conditioning system according to the eleventh or twelfth aspect, wherein the recycled resin material recognized as safe for the human body based on the properties of the recycled resin material includes air conditioning unit-derived resin material, which is a separate entity from the air conditioning unit and is the resin material that was present in a used air conditioning unit recovered from an automobile, and the recycled resin material is composed of the air conditioning unit-derived resin material. [Aspect 14] The vehicle air conditioning system according to the 11th or 12th aspect, wherein the recycled resin material recognized as safe for the human body based on its characteristics includes food-related resin material, which is a resin material that was used in resin products for human food, and the recycled resin material is composed of the food-related resin material. [Aspect 15] The vehicle air conditioning system according to the 11th or 12th aspect, wherein the recycled resin material recognized as safe for the human body based on its characteristics includes home appliance-derived resin material, which is a resin material that was used in room air conditioners, refrigerators, or washing machines, and the recycled resin material is composed of the home appliance-derived resin material. [Aspect 16] The vehicle air conditioning system according to the 11th or 12th aspect, wherein the recycled resin material recognized as safe for the human body based on its characteristics includes home appliance-derived resin material, which is a resin material that was used in home appliances of known origin, and the recycled resin material is composed of the home appliance-derived resin material. [Perspective 17] The vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of the first to sixteenth perspectives, wherein the recycled resin material is cleaned while avoiding the use of cleaning agents harmful to the human body.

Claims

1. A vehicle air conditioning system having an air conditioning unit (2) that adjusts the temperature of air and flows the temperature-adjusted air into the vehicle interior, comprising: a resin air conditioning case (21) included in the air conditioning unit and forming the outer shell of the air conditioning unit, having an air passage (24) through which air flows, an inlet opening (241, 242) for allowing air to flow into the air passage, and an outlet opening (251, 252, 253) for allowing air to flow out from the air passage into the vehicle interior; a blower (23) included in the air conditioning unit and positioned in the air passage, having an impeller (231, 232) that rotates to create airflow in the air passage; a cooler (26) included in the air conditioning unit and positioned in the air passage for cooling the air from the inlet opening; and a heater (27) included in the air conditioning unit and positioned in the air passage for heating the air that has flowed out from the cooler. The air conditioning case comprises an air intake section (41) formed with an inlet opening and an upstream space (24a) corresponding to the upstream end of the airflow passage; a blower section (42) formed with a blower space (24b) for housing the impeller within the airflow passage; a cooler front section (43) formed with a cooler front space (24c) from the upstream space to the cooler within the airflow passage, excluding the blower space; and a temperature control space (24d) formed with a heater housing within the airflow passage, from the cooler to the outlet opening, and the outlet opening. A vehicle air conditioning system comprising a temperature-controlled section (44), a rear opening (254) provided separately from the outlet opening as the downstream end of the airflow of the ventilation passage to allow the air from the temperature-controlled space to flow out toward the rear of the vehicle interior, and a rear ventilation passage (24f) formed from the ventilation passage from the temperature-controlled space to the rear opening, and a rear ventilation passage door (35) that opens and closes the rear ventilation passage being housed, with three or more of these sections having a recycled section (Rc) containing recycled resin material separating the outside of the air conditioning unit from the ventilation passage.

2. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning case is made of a resin material mainly composed of polypropylene, the recycled portion contains a filler material, and the recycling rate of the resin material of the recycled portion is 50% or less.

3. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled portion is 30% or more.

4. A vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a resin duct (61, 62, 63, 64) having an upstream duct end (611, 621, 631, 641) connected to the outlet opening or the rear opening connecting opening, and a downstream duct end (612, 622, 632, 642) open to the passenger compartment, which blows air flowing into the upstream duct end into the passenger compartment from the downstream duct end, as a recycled duct section (Rd) containing the recycled resin material, wherein the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled duct section is equal to or greater than the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled portion.

5. A vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a resin duct (61, 62, 63, 64) having an upstream duct end (611, 621, 631, 641) connected to the outlet opening or the rear opening connecting opening, and a downstream duct end (612, 622, 632, 642) open to the passenger compartment, which blows air flowing into the upstream duct end into the passenger compartment from the downstream duct end, as a recycled duct section (Rd) containing recycled resin material, wherein the recycling rate of the resin material in the recycled duct section exceeds 50%.

6. In addition to the duct as a recycled duct section, the air conditioning case also comprises a non-recycled duct section made of virgin resin material and not containing recycled resin material, the air conditioning case has a non-recycled section (Nc) made of virgin resin material and not containing recycled resin material, the appearance of the recycled section and the recycled duct section have a predetermined recycled appearance color which is a black-based color, the appearance of the non-recycled section has the natural color of the resin material constituting the non-recycled section, a white-based color, or a black-based color which is different from the recycled appearance color, and the appearance of the non-recycled duct section has the natural color of the resin material constituting the non-recycled section, a white-based color, or a black-based color which is different from the recycled appearance color, as described in claim 4.

7. The air conditioning system for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the air conditioning case has, in addition to the recycled portion, a non-recycled portion (Nc) made of virgin resin material and not containing the recycled resin material, the appearance of the recycled portion has a predetermined recycled appearance color which is a blackish color, and the appearance of the non-recycled portion has the natural color of the resin material constituting the non-recycled portion, a whiteish color, or a blackish color which is different from the recycled appearance color.

8. The vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a movable resin part (Pat) made of resin that is included in the air conditioning unit and moves relative to the air conditioning case, wherein the recycling rate of the resin material of the movable resin part is lower than the recycling rate of the resin material of the recycled part.

9. The vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a movable resin part (Pat) made of resin which is included in the air conditioning unit and moves relative to the air conditioning case, wherein the movable resin part is made of virgin resin material and does not include the recycled resin material.

10. The vehicle air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the recycling rate of the resin material in the air conditioning case is higher than the recycling rate of the resin material in the air conditioning unit.

11. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the recycled resin material is recognized as safe for the human body based on the properties of the recycled resin material.

12. A vehicle air conditioning system having an air conditioning unit (2) that adjusts the temperature of the air and flows the temperature-adjusted air into the vehicle interior, comprising recycled resin parts (421, 431, 441, 61, 62, 63, 64) including recycled resin material, wherein the recycled resin material is recognized as safe for the human body based on the properties of the recycled resin material.

13. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the recycled resin material is recognized as safe for the human body based on its characteristics, and includes air conditioning unit-derived resin material which is a separate entity from the air conditioning unit and is the resin material contained in a used air conditioning unit recovered from an automobile, and the recycled resin material is composed of the air conditioning unit-derived resin material.

14. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the recycled resin material is recognized as safe for the human body based on its characteristics, and includes food-related resin material which is a resin material that was used in resin products for human food, and the recycled resin material is composed of the food-related resin material.

15. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the recycled resin material is recognized as safe for the human body based on its characteristics, and includes home appliance-derived resin material which was found in a room air conditioner, refrigerator, or washing machine, and the recycled resin material is composed of the home appliance-derived resin material.

16. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the recycled resin material is recognized as safe for the human body based on its characteristics, and includes home appliance-derived resin material which is a resin material found in a home appliance of known origin, and the recycled resin material is composed of the home appliance-derived resin material.

17. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the recycled resin material is cleaned in a manner that avoids the use of cleaning agents harmful to the human body.

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