Piping system for air conditioner installed in vehicle
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current piping systems for vehicle air conditioners face challenges in achieving weight reduction while maintaining adequate pressure resistance, as metal pipes are heavy and rubber hoses with reinforcing materials do not offer significant weight savings, and existing resin hoses do not effectively reduce weight across the entire system.
Innovation Solution
A piping system utilizing resin pipe bodies embedded with non-metal reinforcing materials for 50% or more of the total length, connecting air conditioner component devices in an annular shape to circulate refrigerant, ensuring both pressure resistance and weight reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal pipes are used in the circulation path, then pressure resistance is ensured, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs resin pipe bodies embedded with non-metal reinforcing materials (such as glass fibers or carbon fibers) to create a composite structure that provides both the necessary pressure resistance and weight reduction. This composite approach allows the piping system to withstand refrigerant pressure while being significantly lighter than traditional metal pipes.
2Strength
If rubber hoses with metal cord reinforcing material are used, then pressure resistance is ensured, but weight reduction advantage is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces metal cord reinforcing materials with non-metal reinforcing materials in the composite structure, achieving both pressure resistance and weight reduction. The non-metal reinforcement (glass fiber or carbon fiber) provides sufficient structural strength while being lighter than metal alternatives.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses resin-based piping systems that offer a favorable weight-to-strength ratio, replacing traditional heavy-duty rubber hoses with metal cords. The resin composite structure provides adequate service life for automotive applications while enabling significant weight reduction.
3Weight of moving object
If resin hoses are used to reduce weight, then weight reduction is achieved, but pressure resistance may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure by embedding non-metal reinforcing materials within the resin pipe body. This reinforcement layer provides the necessary pressure resistance while the resin matrix maintains the lightweight characteristic, solving the contradiction between weight reduction and pressure resistance.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a piping system for an air conditioner installed in a vehicle that can achieve appropriate weight reduction while ensuring appropriate pressure resistance as the piping system as a whole. A circulation path that connects component devices of an air conditioner (8) in an annular shape to circulate a refrigerant (C) is formed by each pipe body extending between the component devices. At least one of the pipe bodies includes: a resin hose (2) embedded with a non-metal reinforcing material (3f) or a resin pipe (5) embedded with a non-metal reinforcing material (6f), and the resin pipe bodies (2), (5) are employed in 50% or more of a total length of each of the pipe bodies constituting the circulation path.