Split Vehicle HVAC Housing for Cabin Space and Filter Service
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are bulky, making it difficult to reduce the size of components like the dashboard while maintaining comfort, and they lack easy filter replacement solutions.
Innovation Solution
A modular design with a removable input and distribution module setup, where the input module is in the engine compartment and the distribution module is in the passenger compartment, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly, and enabling easy access and replacement of the air filter through openings in the apron.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a conventional heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning installation is installed in the passenger compartment between the dashboard and the firewall, then the air treatment functions are provided, but the interior space of the passenger compartment is reduced and the dashboard size cannot be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The air conditioning installation is divided into two separate modules: an inlet module located in the engine compartment and a distribution module located in the passenger compartment. These modules are connected through the firewall and can be independently assembled and disassembled, allowing flexible installation and maintenance while optimizing space utilization in both compartments.
Solution Approach 2:
The firewall acts as an intermediary structure that connects the inlet module in the engine compartment with the distribution module in the passenger compartment. It includes openings that allow air flow passage and provide access points for air filter replacement, facilitating communication and material transfer between the two compartments.
2Ease of repair
If the air filter is integrated within the closed housing in the passenger compartment, then the air treatment is effective, but the air filter replacement becomes difficult and requires disassembly of components
Solution Approach 1:
The air conditioning system is segmented into inlet and distribution modules that can be independently accessed. The air filter is specifically integrated into the inlet module, which can be separately removed from the passenger compartment through the firewall opening, allowing direct filter replacement without disassembling the distribution module or other components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to allow users to perform air filter replacement themselves through easily accessible openings in the firewall. The inlet module's positioning and the firewall opening configuration enable straightforward filter access and replacement without requiring professional service or complex disassembly procedures.
3Ease of manufacture
If the inlet module and distribution module are permanently assembled, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the assembly and disassembly process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the inlet module and distribution module is designed to be dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The modules can be easily assembled and disassembled through simple coupling mechanisms that maintain structural integrity during operation but allow quick separation for installation, maintenance, or replacement without complex tools or procedures.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning device (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (12) defining an air duct (11) for the passage of an airflow comprising - an inlet module (8), comprising at least one air inlet (15, 16), an air filter (70) being arranged within the inlet module (8), and - a distribution module (9) comprising at least one air outlet (27, 29, 30), the inlet module (8) and the distribution module (9) being detachably assembled to one another; according to the invention, the inlet module (8) is configured to be arranged in a first area of the vehicle, and the distribution module (9) is configured to be arranged in a second area of the vehicle, the air filter (70) being able to be removed from the second area of the vehicle. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising such a device.