Vehicle Air Conditioning Distributor Box with Curved Ducts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning devices for vehicles suffer from significant pressure drops due to vortex separations, resulting in inhomogeneous air speeds within the ducts, inadequate air supply to the central windshield defroster, and insufficient defrosting of side windows due to flow resistors.
Innovation Solution
A distributor box with a differentiated profile along the L-V plane, featuring laterally extending walls, S-shaped pipes, deflectors, and movable duct walls to optimize air flow distribution, ensuring efficient air delivery to both the windshield and side vents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a separation is made between a central duct and two separate lateral ducts, then the distribution of air flow over the windshield defrost frieze is improved, but significant pressure drops appear due to vortex separations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curved transition sections instead of sharp angles to connect the central duct with lateral ducts. The curved geometry eliminates vortex separations by providing smooth flow paths, thereby reducing pressure drops while maintaining effective air distribution to the windshield defrost frieze.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the duct connections by introducing curved transition sections with specific radius values. This parameter change transforms the flow characteristics, eliminating turbulent vortex separations and reducing energy losses while preserving the distributed air flow pattern.
2Ease of operation
If flow resistors are used to direct air towards side ducts, then air flow to side vents is increased, but defrosting of side windows becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the air flow control by providing separate adjustable flow resistors for each lateral duct leading to side vents. This allows independent adjustment of air flow to each side vent, enabling optimization of both air distribution and defrosting effectiveness without compromising either function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces adjustable flow resistors that can be dynamically modified to change air flow distribution. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to adapt to different operating conditions, ensuring sufficient air flow to side vents for both defrosting and general ventilation requirements.
3Reliability
If the central zone of the windshield defroster frieze is supplied with air, then central defrosting is improved, but air speed becomes inhomogeneous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different geometric characteristics to different zones of the duct system. The central duct has specific curvature and cross-section dimensions optimized for central frieze supply, while lateral ducts have different parameters for side vent supply. This local optimization ensures homogeneous air speeds throughout the system while maintaining effective central defrosting.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution increases air flow to side vents by 15-30% and improves defrosting efficiency, ensuring better air distribution and reduced pressure drops, thereby enhancing the overall defrosting performance.
Implementation Method 1
a deflector is arranged, in the second duct, at the level of the front walls of the side ducts, this deflector having a convexity towards the upstream substantially midway between the duct separation walls for guiding the air flow towards the side vents
Implementation Method 2
significant pressure drops appear, caused by vortex separations, making the speed of the air in the ducts inhomogeneous
Implementation Method 3
significant pressure drops appear, caused by vortex separations, making the speed of the air in the ducts inhomogeneous
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a distribution housing comprising an upstream portion and a widened downstream portion along the transverse axis T relative to the upstream portion, in which an air inlet formed in the upstream portion is adapted to correspond to the outlet of an air conditioning apparatus, first and second outlets formed in the downstream portion are respectively adapted to correspond with a duct network for distributing the blown air towards a de-icing board and side louvers, first pipes connect the inlet to the first outlets and extend between the separation walls of the ducts and the side walls of the housing, a second pipe connects the inlet to the second outlet and extends at least partially between the duct separation walls; the second pipes opens, on the air inlet side, at the center of the air inlet, and the first pipes open on both sides of the first pipe, characterised in that the housing has different profile along the plane L-V between the first and second pipes.