Vehicle Air Conditioner Side Outlet Casing Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle air-conditioners face challenges in space-intensive design due to the need for additional rear casing space to discharge air to floor vents, hindering compact casing arrangements.
Innovation Solution
The air-conditioner features a distributing partition wall that guides air from the evaporator and heater core to the side of the casing, eliminating the need for additional rear space by using upper and lower outlets with a shower duct integrated through double injection molding, allowing air to be directed to side vents without protruding the casing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If air is discharged to the floor vent through the rear portion of the casing, then the air discharge function is achieved, but the casing volume increases in the front-back transverse direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the air discharge direction from the rear (front-back dimension) to the side (lateral dimension) by providing side outlets in the casing. This dimensional shift allows air to be discharged to floor vents without requiring additional rear space, thereby reducing the casing volume in the front-back transverse direction while maintaining the air discharge function.
Solution Approach 2:
The casing is segmented into multiple outlets: upper outlets for defrost and face vents, and lower outlets for shower and floor vents. This segmentation allows different air discharge paths to be optimized independently, with side outlets specifically designed to discharge air laterally without requiring rear space extension.
2Ease of operation
If additional rear space is provided in the casing, then air can be discharged to the floor vent, but space intensive arrangement and design of the vehicle interior is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides side outlets in the casing that discharge air laterally to the floor vents instead of requiring rear outlets. This lateral discharge path enables space-intensive vehicle interior arrangements by eliminating the need for extended rear casing space, thus improving adaptability to compact vehicle designs.
3Volume of moving object
If the casing volume is reduced in the front-back transverse direction, then space utilization is enhanced, but air discharge paths must be redesigned
Solution Approach 1:
The patent redesigns air discharge paths by introducing side outlets that discharge air laterally. This dimensional change simplifies the overall casing structure by eliminating the need for complex rear discharge mechanisms, thereby reducing casing volume while maintaining manageable design complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The side outlets serve multiple functions: they discharge air to floor vents, enable space-intensive arrangements, and reduce casing volume. This multi-functionality achieves multiple objectives simultaneously without significantly increasing design complexity.
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
This design reduces the vehicle air-conditioner's casing volume in the front-back transverse direction, enhancing space utilization and enabling a more compact, space-intensive interior arrangement.
Implementation Method 1
The evaporator 20 cools the air flowing in the interior of the casing 10, thus producing cool air
Implementation Method 2
the heater core heats the air flowing in the casing 10, thus producing warm air
Data Source
AI summary
An air-conditioner for a vehicle, may include a casing having an upper outlet and a lower outlet, with an air flow space defined in the casing and including an upper space and a lower space to guide air to the upper outlet and/or the lower outlet, an evaporator installed in the casing and selectively communicating with the upper outlet through the upper space, and a distributing partition wall to partition the lower space into a receiving space to receive a heating member therein and selectively communicate with the upper space and at least a partitioned space to communicate the heating member with the lower outlet, thus guiding the air to a side portion of the casing.