GB2328012A

GB2328012A - Distributing air for the passenger compartment of a vehicle.

Info

Publication number: GB2328012A
Application number: GB9816446A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michel Becquerel; Martial Combeleran
Original assignee: Valeo Climatisation SA
Current assignee: Valeo Climatisation SA
Priority date: 1997-08-01
Filing date: 1998-07-28
Publication date: 1999-02-10
Anticipated expiration: 2018-07-28
Also published as: GB2328012B; FR2766760B1; GB9816446D0; FR2766760A1

Abstract

The air distributing device of the invention comprises a mixing chamber (20) designed to be supplied with a flow of treated air and equipped with a de-icing outlet (22), a ventilation outlet (24) and a foot outlet (26), the said outlets being spaced angularly in relation to a central axis (X-X) and the device also comprising two cylinder shutters (36 and 38) which can be pivoted in a coordinated manner around the said central axis (X-X) to control the said outlets.

Description

A device for distributing air for heating and/or air conditioning the passenger comPartment of a vehicle The invention relates to a device for distributing air for heating and/or air conditioning the passenger compartment of a vehicle.

Distributors comprising a mixing chamber designed to be supplied by a flow of treated air and equipped with a de-icing outlet, a ventilation outlet and a foot airflow outlet and occlusion means for selectively controlling the said outlets and for defining different configurations of distribution are already known. They may comprise a casing equipped with an inlet adapted to admit a flow of treated air (cold air, heated air or conditioned air) into the mixing chamber, the casing also housing one or more shutters to distribute the treated air between the de-icing outlet, the ventilation outlet and the foot airflow outlet, depending on the air temperature and airflows desired by the occupant or occupants of the vehicle.

In the known devices of this type, the distribution of treated air between the said outlets is customarily effected by pivoting shutters, either of the butterfly type, or of the sliding type, which require a substantial space for their movement and make it necessary to use a large casing which occupies a substantial space in the engine compartment and/or the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Furthermore, the control of the said shutters necessitates the use of complex control means which not only need a delicate adjustment, but also contribute to the overall bulk of the device.

An object of the invention of the invention is to at least partially mitigate the aforementioned disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided an air distribution device comprising a mixing chamber designed to be supplied by a flow of treated air and equipped with a de-icing outlet, a ventilation outlet and a foot airflow outlet and occlusion means for selectively controlling the said outlets and for defining different configurations of distribution in which the said outlets are spaced angularly in relation to a central axis and in which the occlusion means comprise a first cylinder shutter and a second cylinder shutter able to pivot in a coordinated manner around the said central axis under the action of the control means.

Consequently the distribution of the treated air through the said outlets is performed by two cylinder shutters mounted to pivot about a common axis. These cylinder shutters, may thus pivot inside the same mixing chamber, the latter substantially having the shape of part of a circular cylinder.

This results in a decrease in volume of the casing and also a simplification of the control means.

Preferably, each of the air outlets as well as the first shutter and the second shutter extend over substantially the same angular interval, this angle being preferably between 600 and 900.

In an embodiment of the invention, the air outlets are formed adjacently through a circular cylindrical wall of the mixing chamber, extending around the central axis.

Preferably, the ventilation outlet is located between the deicing outlet and the foot airflow outlet.

In a first preferred embodiment of the invention the first shutter and the second shutter are adapted to occupy at least three positions: - a ventilation position in which the first shutter occludes the foot airflow outlet and the second shutter occludes the de-icing outlet, - a foot airflow position in which the first shutter occludes the ventilation outlet and the second shutter occludes the de-icing outlet, and - a de-icing position in which the first shutter occludes the foot airflow outlet and the second shutter occludes the ventilation outlet.

Preferably, the first shutter and the second shutter are adapted to occupy in addition two intermediate positions: - a ventilation-foot airflow position in which the first shutter partially occludes the ventilation outlet and the foot airflow outlet, whilst the second shutter occludes the de-icing outlet, and - a foot airflow-de-icing position in which the first shutter partially occludes the foot airflow outlet and the ventilation outlet, whilst the second shutter partially occludes the ventilation outlet and the de-icing outlet, the first shutter and the second shutter being located adjacently to conjointly occlude the ventilation outlet.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the control means are adapted to move the first shutter and the second shutter in a coordinated manner to move from the ventilation position to the de-icing position, passing through the foot airflow position, by a movement in two phases: - a first phase in which the first shutter moves from the ventilation position (in which it occludes the foot airflow outlet) to the foot airflow position (in which it occludes the ventilation outlet) by pivoting in a first direction of rotation, whereas the second shutter remains immobilised in this first phase in the position in which it occludes the de-icing outlet, and - a second phase in which the first shutter and the second shutter are attached to one another and pivot together in a second direction of rotation to move from the foot airflow position to the de-icing position (in which the first shutter and the second shutter occlude respectively the foot airflow outlet and the ventilation outlet), the control means being adapted to move the shutters in the opposite direction to pass from the deicing position to the ventilation position by passing through the foot airflow position.

Various types of control means may be used in the invention but they are preferably mechanical.

Preferably, the said means comprise a control lever adapted to pivot between a first end position and a second end position, through a limited angular interval around a pivoting axis parallel to the central axis, the said control lever being equipped with an end ring having an elongated shape and having internal surfaces shaped to be able to engage with a first transmission element, fixed in rotation to the first shutter, and a second transmission element, fixed in rotation to the second shutter, in such a manner that in the first end position and the second end position of the lever, the first transmission element and the second transmission element are located conjointly near a first side and a second side of the end ring respectively.

Advantageously, in the first end position of the control lever the first shutter and the second shutter are in the ventilation position, whereas in the second end position of the. control lever the first shutter and the second shutter are in the de-icing position.

Conveniently, the shaped surfaces are formed in the interior of the ring on an inner arm and an outer arm of the ring which are connected to one another by the first side and the second side.

Advantageously, the first transmission element comprises a toothed inner sector adapted to mesh with an internal set of teeth extending over part of the inner arm of the ring and an outer toothed sector adapted to mesh with an outer set of teeth extending over part of the outer arm of the ring, so that when the control lever pivots from the first end position to the second end position, the first transmission element pivots first of all in a first direction of rotation as a result of cooperation of the toothed inner sector with the inner set of teeth, then in a second direction of rotation as a result of cooperation of the outer toothed sector with the outer set of teeth, the first and the second directions of rotation corresponding respectively to a first and a second phase of movement.

The second transmission element preferably comprises a blocking stud adapted to come to bear against a blocking cam provided on a part of the inner arm of the ring, and also an outer toothed sector adapted to mesh with an outer set of teeth extending over a part of the outer arm of the ring, so that when the control lever pivots from the first end position to the second end position, the second transmission element remains immobilised in rotation during the first phase of movement as a result of cooperation of the blocking stud with the blocking cam, then pivots in the second direction of rotation (conjointly with the first transmission element) during the second phase of movement.

Conveniently, the control lever comprises an opposite end to the ring adapted to be connected to an operating means, such as a cable.

The control lever is preferably located outside a side wall of the casing of the device In the following description, given only by way of example, reference is made to the attached drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of an air distribution device in accordance with the invention, - Figures 2 to 6 are diagrammatic views of transverse crosssections of the device shown in Figure 1 for different distribution configurations, - Figure 7 is a perspective view of the two shutters of the de device shown in Figure 1 and associated control means, - Figure 8 is a partial view in transverse cross-section of the two shutters, the plane of the cut passing through the common axis of rotation of the shutters, - Figure 9 is a perspective view of a second transmission element associated with a second shutter, - Figure 10 is a perspective view of a first transmission element associated with a first shutter, - Figure 11 is a perspective view of the control lever and the transmission elements shown in Figures 9 and 10, - Figure 12 is another perspective view of the control lever, - Figure 13 is another perspective view of the transmission element shown in Figure 9, - Figure 14 is a perspective view of the control lever and the transmission elements shown in Figures 12 and 13, - Figure 15 is a perspective view of the control lever and the first transmission element shown in Figure 10, and - Figure 16 is a perspective view of the control lever and the two transmission elements.

In the figures like reference signs refer to like parts.

Referring first of all to Figure 1 a device for distributing ai for the heating and/or air conditioning of the passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprises a casing 10 equipped with ar air inlet 12 adapted to be connected to the outlet of an aii circulating device (not shown).

The casing 10 houses internally an evaporator 14 which can be connected to an air-conditioning circuit and a radiator 1f designed for a hot fluid, such as the vehicle engine coolinc liquid, to flow through it.

The air entering into the casing thus passes successively through the evaporator 14 and the radiator 16, which makes it possible to produce a flow of treated air (cold air, heated air oi conditioned air), which may then be distributed between different outlets, as shown in particular in Figure 2.

The treated air arrives through an inlet 18 in a mixing chamber 20 (Figure 2) having the general shape of a portion of a circular cylinder with a central axis X-X.

The mixing chamber 20 is equipped with three outlets, namely < de-icing outlet 22, a ventilation outlet 24 and a foot airflo outlet 26. The said three outlets are spaced angularly relative to the central axis X-X. They are formec adjacently through a circular cylindrical wall of the mixinc chamber 20 which extends around the central axis X-X. As can bf seen, the ventilation outlet 24 is located between the de-icine outlet 22 and the foot airflow outlet 26.

The outlet 22 leads to at least one de-icing orifice 28 (Figures 1 and 2) acting to defrost/demist the windscreen of the vehicle; the ventilation outlet 24 leads to a central ventilation orifice 30 and two lateral ventilation orifices situated in the instrument panel of the vehicle, whilst the foot airflow outlet 26 leads to at least one foot airflow orifice 34 opening near the lower part of the passenger compartment.

The distribution of treated air between the outlets 22, 24 and 26 is effected by two shutters of the cylinder shutter or shell shutter type, namely a first shutter 36 and a second shutter 38, both mounted to pivot, in a coaxial manner, around the central axis X-X.

As can be seen in Figure 2, each of the three outlets 22, 24 and 26, as well as the shutters 36 and 38, extend over an angular interval A (Figure 2) which preferably is between 45 and 90 .

The shutters 36 and 38 are similar and each comprises an occlusion wall, 40 and 42 respectively, having a generally circular cylindrical shape (Figures 7 and 8). The occlusion wall 40 is connected to end plates 44, whereas the occlusion wall 42 is connected to end plates 46.

The shutters 36 and 38 are adapted to occupy at least five different positions, as shown in Figures 2 to 6.

These positions are as follows: - the ventilation position (Figure 2) in which the first shutter 36 occludes the foot airflow outlet 26 and the second shutter 38 occludes the de-icing outlet 22, - the ventilation-foot airflow position (Figure 3) in which the first shutter 36 partially occludes the ventilation outlet 24 and partially the foot airflow outlet 26, whilst the second shutter 38 occludes the de-icing outlet 22, - the foot airflow position (Figure 4) in which the first shutter 36 occludes the ventilation outlet 24 and the second shutter 38 occludes the de-icing outlet 22, - the foot airflow-de-icing position (Figure 5) in which the first shutter 36 partially occludes the foot airflow outlet 26 and partially the ventilation outlet 24, whilst the second shutter 38 partially occludes the ventilation outlet 24 and partially the de-icing outlet 22, the shutters 36 and 38 being located adjacently to conjointly occlude the ventilation outlet 24, and - the de-icing position (Figure 6) in which the first shutter 36 occludes the foot airflow outlet 26 and the second shutter 38 occludes the ventilation outlet 24.

The shutters 36 and 38 may be brought selectively into any one of the aforementioned positions by control means able to move the said shutters in a coordinated manner.

The said control means comprise a control lever 48 located outside a side wall 50 of the casing 10 (Figure 1). The control lever 48 is adapted to pivot around an axis Y-Y parallel to the axis X-X and may pivot between a first end position (Figure 2) and a second end position (Figure 6) along a limited angular interval B (Figure 2) of about 34 .

The lever 48 comprises a first end 52 in the shape of an open ring, which constitutes the active part of the lever and which will be described later, and a second end 54 located opposite the ring 52 with respect to the axis Y-Y. The said end 54 is adapted to be connected to an operating cable 56 (Figure 1) originating from a control panel 58 situated on the instrument panel of the vehicle.

Between the ends 52 and 54, the lever 48 comprises a circular hole 56 (Figure 7) for a pivot pin 58, extending along the axis Y-Y, to pass through (Figure 1).

As can be seen in Figure 8, the first shutter 36 comprises a shaft end 60, on which is wedged a first transmission element 62, and a bearing 72 co-operating with a cylindrical bearing 74. The second shutter 38 comprises a part of a crown 68 acting as support for a second transmission element 70 through which the shaft end 60 passes. In addition, the second shutter 38 is equipped with a shaft end 64 at the opposite end passing through a bearing 66 (Figure 8). The transmission elements 62 and 70 are coaxial and fixed in rotation to the shutters 36 and 38 respectively.

The ring 52 of the control lever is shaped internally to cooperate with the transmission elements 62 and 70 and to entrain them in a coordinated manner according to defined laws.

The end ring 52 has an elongated shape and comprises shaped interior surfaces adapted to engage with the aforementioned transmission elements.

The ring 52 comprises (Figure 7) an inner arm 76 having an inwardly curved shape and an outer arm 78, also having an inwardly curved shape, the inner arm 76 being located closer to the axis Y-Y than the outer arm 78. The two arms 76 and 78 are connected together by a first inwardly curved side 80 and a second inwardly curved side 82, the arms 76 and 78 and the inwardly curved sides 80 and 82 thus delimiting an opening with an elongated shape. In the first end position (Figure 2) the transmission elements 62 and 70 are close to the first side 80 whereas in the second end position (Figure 6) the said transmission elements are close to the second side 82.

The transmission element 62 (Figure 10) comprises an inner toothed sector 84 adapted to mesh with an inner set of teeth 86 extending over part of the inner arm 76 of the ring 52 (Figure 11). The transmission element 62 also comprises an outer toothed sector 88 (Figure 10) located at the opposite side to the toothed sector 84 and offset axially relative to the latter. The outer toothed sector 88 is adapted to mesh with an outer set of teeth 90 extending over part of the outer arm 78 of the ring 52 (Figures 11, 12 and 14 to 16).

Consequently, when the control lever 48 pivots from the first end position (Figure 2) towards the second end position (Figure 6), the toothed inner sector 84 of the transmission element 62 meshes first of all with the inner set of teeth 86 of the ring, which makes the transmission element 62 turn initially in a first direction, that is to say in a clockwise direction (Figures 2 and 3), which corresponds to a first phase of movement. The rotation in the first direction continues as far as the position shown in Figure 4. Then, whilst the control lever continues to pivot, still in the same direction of rotation, the outer toothed sector 88 of the transmission element 62, becomes meshed with the outer set of teeth 90 of the ring 52, which causes a change in the direction of rotation of the transmission element. This means that the transmission element then turns in the anti-clockwise direction as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

When the control lever has arrived at the second end position (Figure 6) the two transmission elements 62 and 70 are situated close to the second side 82 of the ring.

Consequently, when the lever 48 pivots in the clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 6 the transmission element 62 (and therefore the shutter 36) pivots first of all in the clockwise direction to arrive at the position shown in Figure 4, then in the anti-clockwise direction to arrive at the position shown in Figure 6, and this corresponds to two successive phases of movement.

The transmission element 70, fixed to the second shutter 38, comprises a blocking stud 92 formed at the end of a radial arm 94 (Figure 9) and adapted to come to bear against a blocking cam 96 provided on a part of the inner arm 76 of the ring 52 (Figures 12 and 14-16). In addition the transmission element 70 comprises an outer toothed sector 98 (Figure 9) offset angularly (by about 90 ) relative to the blocking stud 92 (Figure 10). The said outer toothed sector 98 is adapted to mesh with the outer set of teeth 90 mentioned previously which extend over a part of the outer arm 78 of the ring. Consequently, when the control lever 48 pivots from the first end position (Figure 2) to the second end position (Figure 6) the transmission element 70 remains immobilised in rotation during the previously mentioned first phase of movement as a result of co-operation of the blocking stud 92 with the blocking cam 96. Then, during the previously mentioned second phase of movement the outer toothed sector 98 of the transmission element 70 becomes meshed with the outer set of teeth 90 of the ring simultaneously with the outer toothed sector 88 of the transmission element 62.

As a result, during the second phase of movement, the transmission element 70 (and therefore the shutter 38) pivots in the anti-clockwise direction (Figures 4 to 6), the shutters 36 and 38 being located adjacently.

Consequently, when the control lever 48 is entrained in rotation in the clockwise direction (Figures 2 to 6) in passing from the first end position to the second end position, the movement of the shutters 36 and 38 consists of two phases.

In the first phase the shutter 36 pivots from the position shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 4 (in the clockwise direction in the drawings) whilst the shutter 38 remains immobile. Then, in the second phase of movement the shutters 36 and 38 are fixed together and pivot conjointly in the opposite direction (anticlockwise direction in Figures 4 to 6) to pass from the position shown in Figure 4 to that shown in Figure 6.

Of course, the control lever 48 may then pivot in the opposite direction (anti-clockwise direction in Figures 2 to 6) to pass from the second end position (Figure 6) to the first end position (Figure 2).

It is of course possible to move the control lever and thus the shutters into any of the intermediate positions shown in Figures 3 to 5.

For this it suffices to provide a marked control unit to be able to move the control lever, and therefore the two shutters, into any of the five positions shown in Figures 2 to 6.

Of course the two shutters could be moved other types of control means, for example electric or pneumatic actuators.

Claims

1. A device for distributing air for heating and/or air conditioning the passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising a mixing chamber designed to be supplied by a flow of treated air and equipped with a de-icing outlet, a ventilation outlet and a foot airflow outlet and occlusion means for selectively controlling the said outlets and for defining different configurations of distribution, wherein the said outlets are spaced angularly in relation to a central axis and the occlusion means comprise a first cylinder shutter and a second cylinder shutter able to pivot in a coordinated manner around the said central axis under the action of a control means

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein each of the outlets as well as the first shutter and the second shutter extend over substantially the same angular interval.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the said angular interval is between 450 and 90".

4. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the outlets are formed adjacently through a circular cylindrical wall of the mixing chamber, extending around the central axis.

5. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the ventilation outlet is located between the de-icing outlet and the foot airflow outlet.

6. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first shutter and the second shutter are adapted to occupy at least three positions: - a ventilation position in which the first shutter occludes the foot airflow outlet and the second shutter occludes the de-icing outlet, - a foot airflow position in which the first shutter occludes the ventilation outlet and the second shutter occludes the de-icing outlet, and - a de-icing position in which the first shutter occludes the foot airflow outlet and the second shutter occludes the ventilation outlet.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the first shutter and the second shutter are adapted to occupy in addition two intermediate positions: - a ventilation-foot airflow position in which the first shutter partially occludes the ventilation outlet and the foot airflow outlet, whilst the second shutter occludes the de-icing outlet, and - a foot airflow-de-icing position in which the first shutter partially occludes the foot airflow outlet and the ventilation outlet, whilst the second shutter partially occludes the ventilation outlet and the de-icing outlet, the first shutter and the second shutter being located adjacently to conjointly occlude the ventilation outlet.

8. A device according to either one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the control means are adapted to move the first shutter and the second shutter in a coordinated manner to move from the ventilation position to the de-icing position, passing through the foot airflow position, by a movement in two phases: - a first phase in which the first shutter moves from the ventilation position in which it occludes the foot airflow outlet to the foot airflow position in which it occludes the ventilation outlet by pivoting in a first direction of rotation, whereas the second shutter remains immobilised in this first phase in the position in which it occludes the de-icing outlet, and - a second phase in which the first shutter and the second shutter are attached to one another and pivot together in a second direction of rotation to move from the foot airflow position to the de-icing position in which the first shutter and the second shutter occlude respectively the foot airflow outlet and the ventilation outlet, and in that the control means are adapted to move the shutters in the opposite direction to pass from the de-icing position to the ventilation position by passing through the foot airflow position.

9. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the control means comprise a control lever adapted to pivot between a first end position and a second end position, through a limited angular interval, around a pivoting axis parallel to the central axis, and the said control lever is equipped with an end ring having an elongated shape and having internal surfaces shaped to be able to engage with a first transmission element, fixed in rotation to the first shutter, and a second transmission element, fixed in rotation to the second shutter, in such a manner that in the first end position and the second end position of the control lever, the first transmission element and the second transmission element are located conjointly near a first side and a second side of the end ring respectively.

10 A device according to claim 9, combined with claim 6, wherein in the first end position of the control lever the first shutter and the second shutter are in the ventilation position whereas in the second end position of the control lever the first shutter and the second shutter are in the de-icing position.

11. A device according to either one of claims 9 or 10, wherein the shaped surfaces are formed in the interior of the ring on an inner arm and an outer arm of the ring which are connected to one another by the first side and the second side.

12. A device according to claim 11, combined with claim 9, wherein the first transmission element comprises a toothed inner sector adapted to mesh with an inner set of teeth extending over part of the inner arm of the ring and an outer toothed sector adapted to mesh with an outer set of teeth extending over part of the outer arm of the ring, so that when the control lever pivots from the first end position to the second end position, the first transmission element pivots first of all in a first direction of rotation as a result of co-operation of the toothed inner sector with the inner set of teeth, then in a second direction of rotation as a result of co-operation of the outer toothed sector with the outer set of teeth, the first and the second directions of rotation corresponding respectively to a first and a second phase of movement.

13. A device according to claim 12, wherein the second transmission element comprises a blocking stud adapted to come to bear against a blocking cam provided on a part of the inner arm of the ring,, and also an outer toothed sector adapted to mesh with an outer set of teeth extending over a part of the outer arm of the ring, so that when the control lever pivots from the first end position to the second end position, the second transmission element remains immobilised in rotation during the first phase of movement as a result of co-operation of the blocking stud with the blocking cam, then pivots in the second direction of rotation conjointly with the first transmission element during the second phase of movement.

14. A device according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the control lever comprises an opposite end to the ring adapted to be connected to an operating means, such as a cable.

15. A device according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the control lever is located outside a side wall of a casing of the device..

16. A device for distributing air constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.