Vehicle Warm Air Duct Mode Control Damper
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Solution Overview
Problem
Warm air ducts in vehicle heating and air conditioning systems do not adjust air volume according to operating modes, leading to excessive warmth at outlets requiring lower air volumes, such as the footwell mode.
Innovation Solution
A mode control damper is integrated with the warm air duct, featuring lateral segments that block air flow parallel to the axis of rotation, allowing for adjustable air volume control by rotating the damper to manage the temperature of outlets based on the operating mode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the cross-section of the warm air duct is increased to ensure sufficient warm air delivery to outlets, then the air volume required in modes like defrost mode is met, but the outlet becomes too warm in modes requiring smaller air volumes like footwell mode
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the warm air duct cross-section adjustable through a mode control damper that can rotate to different positions. The damper dynamically changes the effective cross-sectional area of the warm air duct based on the operating mode, allowing the system to adapt air volume delivery to match the specific thermal requirements of different modes (defrost, footwell, dashboard, etc.), thereby preventing both insufficient heating and excessive warmth at outlets.
2Ease of operation
If the warm air duct maintains a constant cross-section to simplify the device structure, then manufacturing and operation are easier, but the system cannot adapt to different air volume requirements of various modes
Solution Approach 1:
The mode control damper serves multiple functions: it controls the volume of warm air delivered to outlets, it adapts the system to different operating modes (defrost, footwell, dashboard, recirculation), and it maintains a relatively simple structural integration with the existing warm air duct. This multi-functional component allows a single device to handle various thermal management scenarios without requiring completely separate control systems for each mode.
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 solution effectively controls the temperature of outlets by adjusting the air volume from the warm air duct, improving temperature management and preventing overheating in modes requiring lower air flow, such as the footwell mode, while maintaining constant ventilation.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heating heat exchanger and/or one heater, which is/are disposed inside the housing and over which a warm air path extends so that air flowing through the warm air path is heated as it passes across the heating heat exchanger and/or the heater
Implementation Method 2
air flowing through the warm air path is heated as it passes across the heating heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
A heating and air conditioning system for a motor vehicle including a housing having an air outlet, a heating heat exchanger disposed inside the housing with a warm air path to heat air flowing therethrough, a warm air duct having a warm air intake opening and a warm air duct discharge opening disposed downstream of the heating heat exchanger channeling a partial flow of warm air from the warm air path to the air outlet, and a mode control damper rotatable about a rotational axis and connected downstream of the warm air duct in terms of flow, wherein the air outlet may be selectively opened completely or partially, and in a closed state may be partially or completely closed. The mode control damper functions simultaneously as the control damper for controlling the volume of air exiting the warm air duct discharge opening.