Vehicle Air-Conditioning Shielding Means for Wind Pressure Backflow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air conditioning systems for vehicles face issues with outdoor air flowing backward through discharge ports due to wind pressure, leading to deteriorated cooling and heating performance as heat is not discharged smoothly.

Innovation Solution

An air conditioning system with a shielding means formed at the cold and hot air discharge ports to prevent outdoor air from flowing backward, improving heat discharge efficiency and enhancing cooling and heating performance by directing air discharge in a manner that counters wind pressure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If air discharge ports are provided at the air conditioning case to discharge air to the exterior of the vehicle, then air can be discharged from the air conditioning system, but outdoor air flows backward into the discharge ports due to wind pressure while the vehicle runs, causing deteriorated cooling and heating performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair discharge efficiencyVSAvoidbackflow of outdoor air due to wind pressure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A shielding member is introduced as an intermediary element between the air discharge port and the external environment. This shielding member extends from the air discharge port toward the front of the vehicle, creating a protective barrier that intercepts wind pressure before it can cause backflow into the discharge port, thus maintaining proper air flow direction and system performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The shielding member extends in the longitudinal direction (frontward from the discharge port) rather than simply covering the port opening in the lateral direction. This dimensional extension creates a three-dimensional protective zone that effectively counters wind pressure from the front, preventing backflow while maintaining discharge functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Volume of moving object

If the air conditioning case is disposed at a side of the engine room with respect to the dash panel, then the air conditioning components can be compactly arranged, but heat discharge is obstructed by the dash panel, leading to deteriorated cooling and heating performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair conditioning case sizeVSAvoidheat discharge efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The air conditioning case is segmented into functionally distinct regions: a front portion that extends toward the front of the vehicle to ensure unobstructed heat discharge paths, and a rear portion that can be positioned close to the dash panel for compact arrangement. This segmentation allows different parts of the case to fulfill different functional requirements simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 system effectively prevents backflow of outdoor air, ensuring smooth heat discharge and improved cooling and heating performance by using a shielding mechanism to direct air discharge in a way that counters wind resistance.

Implementation Method 1

preventing outdoor air from flowing backward toward the cold air discharge port and the hot air discharge port by wind pressure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWind pressure: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

The evaporator 4 exchanges heat between the refrigerant and air blown to the interior of the vehicle by a blower (not shown). Then, the refrigerant is evaporated in the evaporator 4 and discharged in a gaseous phase of low-temperature and low-pressure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporative latent heat: Latent Heat

Implementation Method 3

the condenser 2 condenses the vapor-phase refrigerant into liquid-phase refrigerant of high-temperature and high-pressure by exchanging heat with outdoor air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentEP3406470B1Vehicle air-conditioning system
Publication Date: 2021.03.03 HANON SYST CO LTD
  • EP3406470B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3406470B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3406470B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a vehicle air-conditioning system and, more particularly, to a vehicle air-conditioning system in which an air-conditioning module consisting of an air-conditioning case and a blowing apparatus is disposed at a side of an engine room with respect to a dash panel, and a distribution duct for distributing cold and hot air discharged from the air-conditioning case into the inside of a vehicle is disposed on the indoor side of the vehicle with respect to the dash panel. The vehicle air-conditioning system may prevent a reverse flow of outdoor air into a cold air discharge port and a hot air discharge port due to the wind pressure when driving by forming a shielding means at the sides of the cold air discharge port and the hot air discharge port, which discharge the cold and hot air of the air-conditioning case to the outside, thereby improving the cooling and heating performance by smoothly discharging heat through the cold air discharge port and the hot air discharge port.