Car Air Conditioning Airflow Splitter With Independent Shutter Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing car air conditioning systems have limited versatility and flexibility in controlling refrigerated air flow rates and require fan deactivation to simultaneously feed air to both outlets, reducing their effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A car air conditioning system with a three-way joint featuring a cylindrical valve body, a shutter with rocker arms, and an actuation device that allows selective control of refrigerated air flow rates to two outlets, enabling multiple opening positions to manage airflow distribution without fan deactivation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a three-way joint with a shutter is used to control airflow distribution, then the system structure is simple, but the versatility and flexibility in controlling refrigerated air flow rates to two outlets is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter is divided into two independent rocker arms (first rocker arm and second rocker arm) that can operate independently. Each rocker arm controls airflow to a different outlet, allowing separate adjustment of airflow rates to each outlet. This segmentation enables versatile control while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter采用摇臂机构代替传统的整体式挡板，通过摇臂的旋转运动实现动态调节。每个摇臂可以独立旋转 to different angles, enabling continuous adjustment of airflow distribution. This dynamic mechanism provides flexibility in controlling refrigerated air flow rates to multiple outlets.
2Reliability
If the fan is deactivated to lock the feeding of refrigerated air to both outlets, then the system can prevent airflow, but the operational flexibility and user comfort are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The airflow control function is extracted from the fan operation. Instead of using fan deactivation to control airflow to outlets, the patent uses independent shutter mechanisms that can close off outlets regardless of fan operation. This allows the fan to remain active while selectively blocking airflow to specific outlets, maintaining operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter acts as an intermediary between the fan and the outlets. It provides a separate control mechanism that mediates airflow distribution without affecting fan operation. The shutter can be positioned to allow, restrict, or completely block airflow to each outlet independently, enabling precise control while maintaining fan continuity.
3Device complexity
If a traditional three-way joint is used, then the device complexity is low, but the ability to selectively control refrigerated air flow rate to two outlets is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional single shutter is segmented into two independent rocker arms, each capable of independent rotation and control. This segmentation allows selective control of refrigerated air flow rate to different outlets while maintaining a relatively simple joint structure based on the same valve body.
Solution Approach 2:
The rocker arm mechanism provides multi-functionality within a single joint structure. Each rocker arm can independently control airflow to different outlets, and both can operate simultaneously or independently. This universal design enables various airflow distribution patterns (both outlets open, one closed, different flow rates) without requiring multiple separate components.
Data Source
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AI summary
Car air conditioning system having a pneumatic circuit (2) to feed an air flow into a passenger compartment (3) of a vehicle, and a cooling circuit (4) to cool the air flow fed along the pneumatic circuit (2), the pneumatic circuit (2) comprising a three-way joint (14), which has an inlet connected to a first pneumatic duct (11), a first outlet connected to a second pneumatic duct (12), a second outlet (18) communicating with the passenger compartment (3) of the vehicle, and a shutter (19), which is movable from and to a closing position, wherein the inlet is separate from the two outlets (18).