Climate control system fan

Abstract

The invention relates to a fan blower (18) for a heating/air conditioning system, in particular for a motor vehicle, with an impeller (22) and a motor (24) that drives this impeller (22).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a fan blower for a heating/air conditioning system, in particular for a motor vehicle. A fan blower of this type has an impeller and an electric motor that drives this impeller, and it is typically located in the heater housing assembly of a motor vehicle.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002] Luxury-class motor vehicles and, increasingly, moderate-class motor vehicles are equipped not only with a heating system, but, as of recently, also with an air conditioning system as a standard feature. A heating/air conditioning system of this type generally includes at least one evaporator, at least one heating heat-exchanger, and a fan blower. When air is cooled as part of the air-conditioning process, it is very often dehumidified as well. When this occurs, the moisture in the air condenses on cold surfaces. Although most of the liquid condensate is drained off over time, a certain liquid film remains on the surfaces. As a result, the continual precipitation of moisture out of the supplied air tends to cause fungal deposits and bacterial cultures to develop on evaporators in motor vehicle air-conditioning systems, for example, due to contaminants in the transported air. Strong bacterial growth can occur when the vehicle is at a standstill and/or during summer months, when temperatures are higher. The products of decomposition of these bacteria create odor problems and pose health risks, such as allergies, to the motor vehicle passengers.

[0003] Filters are therefore used to an increasing extent to prevent contaminants from entering the air conditioning system. Fungal and bacterial infestation can also be largely prevented by using toxic coatings or thermal processes, for example. Although these measures reduce deposits and the formation of odor associated therewith, they cannot be eliminated entirely, in particular as the air conditioning system ages. The coating of the condensation surfaces that occurs over the years also prevents heat transfer, e.g., between an evaporator and the incoming air stream to be cooled.

[0004] An “automatic oxygen shower with scent” for use in motor vehicles, among other applications, is disclosed in publication DE 19962382 A1. According to this publication, oxygen and scents are transported from corresponding reservoirs through connecting lines to a ventilator that mixes these substances with the ambient air, e.g., in the passenger compartment, thereby reducing the values of respiratory air, which is contaminated with excessive levels of ozone, smog or other types of air pollutants, to normal values for respiratory air.

[0005] According to publication DE 19962382 A1, the “automatic oxygen shower with scent” provides for the installation of a dedicated fresh-air fan blower or the attachment of spray nozzles for the oxygen or the air scents on the end piece of the heating/air conditioning system, behind the dashboard and in front of the air outlet to the dashboard.

[0006] Publication DE 199 33 180 A1 discloses an apparatus for deodorizing and sterilizing air for use in room air filters and motor vehicles, in the case of which air is enriched with active oxygen ions and ozone using ionizers that are located in front of a filter medium in the flow direction. The ionization assembly of the device disclosed in DE 199 33 180 A1 is permanently connected to the filter medium. As such, the ionization assembly must be replaced whenever the filter medium is replaced.

[0007] Publication DE 196 51 403 A1 discloses an apparatus and a method for improving air quality in the passenger compartments of motor vehicles, in the case of which a physical air preparation unit is integrated in the ventilation system of the motor vehicle in such a manner that a certain number of ions is always present in the passenger compartment. This ensures that the situation in which a reduced number of ions is present in the passenger compartment—which is normal when dirty, smoky or contaminated air is present—is corrected. In publication DE 196 51 403 A1, the physical air preparation device is combined with a filter.

[0008] The object of the invention is to provide a device that enables odor-producing deposits in motor vehicle air-conditioning systems to be biologically deactivated with great effectiveness while utilizing as little additional installation space as possible, so that odor formation can be reliably prevented or at least markedly reduced.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The fan blower according to the invention, which ensures the necessary air flow, e.g., in a heating/air conditioning system of a motor vehicle, includes an impeller and a motor that drives this impeller.

[0010] The invention provides that at least one ion generator, also referred to hereinbelow as an “ionizer”, is structurally connected to the fan blower for a heating/air conditioning system. A motor vehicle fan blower is usually installed in the air conditioning system after the fresh air-recirculated air mode door and in front of the heat exchangers for heating and/or cooling the air. This installation location is also advantageously suited for an ion generator, the chemically active ions of which must react with the biological material that results in the formation of odor. In order to effectively eliminate or deactivate the odor-producing deposits, the entire surface, if possible, of the evaporator of an air conditioning system, for example, must be coated with ions. To accomplish this, the ions must be mixed well with the supplied fresh air or recirculated air.

[0011] To ensure that all air branches are affected, the ion generator must be installed after the fresh air-recirculated air mode door, but in front of the evaporator in the air stream of the air conditioning system. An installation site of this nature for an ion generator may be advantageously realized when the ion generator is structurally connected to the fan blower. Moreover, the fan blower advantageously enables the intake air to be mixed with the chemically active ions.

[0012] Advantageous improvements and further developments of the fan blower indicated in claim 1 are possible as a result of the measures listed in the further claims.

[0013] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the fan blower according to the invention, the ion generator is structurally connected to an electronic circuit for operating the fan blower. The fan blower electronics are normally directly exposed to the air flow to the evaporator via a heat sink for dissipating the heat from power losses from the electronic components. The electronics for the air conditioning system are therefore exposed to the air flow, e.g., directly under the fan wheel or at the point where the air flow rate is greatest.

[0014] Advantageously, the ion generator can therefore be located on a heat sink of the air conditioning housing electronics, for example, and/or in the immediate vicinity of a heat sink of this type. In turn, the heat sink is installed in the motor mount of the fan blower, and the fingers of the heat sink, for example, are then located under the fan wheel with the ionizer. The ionizer is therefore integrated in the fan blower electronics in such a manner that the ions that are being emitted are carried by the air that flows past and serves to dissipate heat from the heat sinks.

[0015] In a particularly advantageous fashion, the location of the ion generator in or on a heat sink of the fan blower electronics results in the ions being evenly distributed in the air stream due to strong air turbulence at the heat sink geometry.

[0016] A homogeneous distribution of the reactive ions in the air stream is necessary to evenly coat the entire surface, e.g., of the evaporator, with ions, and to achieve an effective deactivation of the biological coating.

[0017] Advantageously, the entire infrastructure needed to operate an ion generator is already available in the fan blower electronics. For example, the network connections, current and voltage supply, and digital signal processing are available in the fan blower electronics, thereby enabling the actuation, monitoring, control and diagnosis of the ion generator to be incorporated in the electronic system for controlling the fan blower with minimal technical outlay. When cyclically actuated fan blower electronics are involved, for example, the electronic filters that are present anyway therefore protect the vehicle electrical system from a clock frequency of the ion generator, for example.

[0018] An electronic system for controlling a fan blower for a heating/air conditioning system, for example, can therefore be supplemented with an ion generator in simple and advantageous fashion, which results in a marked reduction in odor problems in an air conditioning system of a motor vehicle. In an advantageous exemplary embodiment of the fan blower according to the invention, the ion generator, its electronic control and the fan blower electronics can therefore be located in the same housing. To prevent electronic interference effects, however, an arrangement is also feasible in which the two electronic components are located in separate housings or housing parts that are interconnected.

[0019] Oxygen ions, and ozone in particular, are particularly suited to reducing the amount of biologically active material via interaction with the condensed water.

[0020] Using the fan blower according to the invention, which has a structurally integrated ion generator, a heating/air conditioning system for a motor vehicle that markedly reduces odor problems in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle can be realized in advantageous fashion.

[0021] The combination, according to the invention, of an ion generator with the fan blower electronics also advantageously saves installation space, weight and component outlay for the system. The fan blower according to the invention results in a particularly good mixing of air with the chemically active ions, enabling them to largely deactivate the biologically active, odor-forming material. Since the ion generator and the fan blower electronics belong to the same electrical system, the data from these subsystems can be processed jointly and, therefore, in a simpler fashion.

DRAWING

[0022] An exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention is depicted in the drawing; it will be explained in greater detail in the description to follow. The figures of the drawing, their description, and the claims contain numerous features in combination. One skilled in the art will advantageously consider them individually as well and combine them into reasonable further combinations.

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a simplified schematic diagram of an air conditioning system for a motor vehicle,

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a fan blower module for a heater/air conditioning system, in a sectional view,

[0025] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a control device for the fan blower for a heater/air conditioning system, in a top view,

[0026] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the control device for the fan blower for a heater/air conditioning system from FIG. 3, and

[0027] FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the combined electronics of the fan blower for a heater/air conditioning system and the ionizer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0028] FIG. 1 shows the principal design of the heating part of a heating/air conditioning system of a motor vehicle. Either fresh air or recirculated air, selectively, is drawn in through an air duct 10 of the heater housing assembly. A fresh air-recirculated air mode door 12 enables selection of the air type; it can be operated manually by the motor vehicle passengers and/or adjusted using an appropriate automatic control. The air from fresh-air duct 14 or recirculated-air duct 16 that was selected using fresh air-recirculated air mode door 12 is drawn in by a fan blower 18 and directed through an evaporator 20 located downstream.

[0029] In accordance with specifiable values, the evaporator, which is connected to a coolant circuit (not shown), cools the air flow that is created by fan blower 18. Dehumidification also takes place during this cooling of the air that accompanies the air conditioning process. When this takes place, the humidity in the air condenses on cold surfaces, such as the housing surface of the evaporator. Although most of the liquid condensate is drained off over time, a certain liquid film remains on the surfaces.

[0030] Fan blower 18, which is depicted only schematically in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, includes an impeller 22, a motor 24 that drives impeller 22, and an electronic circuit for the open-loop and closed-loop control of the fan blower, which is not shown explicity in FIG. 1, to enhance clarity.

[0031] The air flowing through air duct 10 in the direction of arrow 26 can be selectively directed over a heating heat-exchanger 28. The amount of air that is directed over heating heat-exchanger 28 by fan blower 18 can be adjusted using a heater door 30. In this manner, the temperature of the air that enters the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle may be varied by mixing the portions of cold and warm air.

[0032] The precipitation of moisture on the housing of evaporator 20 described hereinabove results when a certain amount of the air that is drawn through air duct 10 condenses on the cold surface of evaporator 20. When this moisture precipitates out, contaminants from the supplied air are deposited on the evaporator housing. These contaminants result in unpleasant odors and potential health problems. They should therefore be prevented.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a principal diagram of the basic design of a fan blower for a heating/air conditioning system 18. The air to be moved forward is drawn in through a central opening 32 of fan blower 18; it is accelerated and moved forward by impeller 34. Using a guidance device, which can be integrated in housing 36 of fan blower 18, for example, the accelerated air is redirected and expelled out of fan blower 18 through a tangential opening 48. Impeller 34 is driven via a shaft 40 of an electric motor that is not shown in FIG. 2.

[0034] Fan blower 18 is controlled via a fan blower controller 42. Fan blower controller 42 includes control electronics and, among other things, various heat sinks 43 with fingers 44, for example, for dissipating the heat from power losses from the power electronics of fan blower controller 42. Fan blower controller 42 is mounted on housing 36 of fan blower 18 according to the invention in such a manner that fingers 44 of heat sink 43 extend into the air stream that is moved forward by fan blower 18. This enables effective cooling of the electronic components of fan blower controller 42.

[0035] Fan blower 18 according to the invention, according to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, has a fan blower controller 42, in whose housing 46 an ionizer 48 is also located. Ionizer element 48 is exposed, via an opening 52 in housing 46, to the air in the air conditioning system that flows past in the direction of arrow 50.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a top view of housing 46, in which fan blower controller 42 and ionizer 48 are integrated. To protect them from contact, and for reasons of electromagnetic compatibility, opening 52—which is provided in housing 46 for ionizer 48—is covered with a protective screen 54. The high voltage for ionization element 48 is generated in ionizer electronics 56, which are also integrated in housing 46 of fan blower controller 42, as depicted schematically in FIG. 4, which is a side view of fan blower controller 42. As shown in FIG. 4 in greater detail, housing 46 contains electronics 58 for fan blower controller 42 of fan blower 18 and ionizer 48, including the associated high-voltage generator 56. By integrating ionizer 48 in housing 46 and directly in the electronics of fan blower controller 42, the advantageous arrangement of fan blower controller 42 depicted in FIG. 2 can also be utilized for the ionizer in advantageous fashion.

[0037] An important point to consider with regard for the installation location of fan blower controller 42 is the air circulation around the electronics of the fan blower power controller, which is important for reasons of cooling. This air circulation around housing 46 and the associated air turbulence at fingers 44 of heat sink 43 of fan blower electronics ensures that the particles emitted by ionizer are mixed well with the air that flows past, so that the chemically active ions are distributed largely homogeneously in the air stream, enabling the surface of evaporator 20 of the heating and cooling system, which is covered with contaminants, to also be evenly coated with ions.

[0038] FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the combined fan blower controller and ionizer electronics. Signal-processing electronics 60 of the control system for fan blower 18 are advantageously used for the open-loop and closed-loop control of fan blower controller 42 and, therefore, for motor 24 of the fan blower, and for ionizer 48. An interface 62 serves to connect signal-processing electronics 60 to the rest of the vehicle electronics. Ionizer electronics 56 and electronics 58 receive their control signals via the interfaces and/or connections 64 and 66 to control the fan blower. Specific electronics 56 and 58 then actuate ionizer 48 and/or fan blower motor 24 in known fashion.

[0039] Further sensor signals can be integrated in this common control of the fan blower, as shown in FIG. 5; these further sensor signals trigger actuation and activation of the ionizer above a certain temperature threshold. It is also possible that a chemical sensor detects a corresponding formation of odor and activates the ionizer.

[0040] To accomplish this, the only additional requirements are the corresponding sensors and a signal processing, and for these signals to be coupled to the controller.

[0041] The device according to the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment depicted in the figures.

[0042] In particular, the device according to the invention is not limited to use in a motor vehicle.

[0043] The invention according to the invention is not limited to the use of oxygen ions.

[0044] Furthermore, the invention according to the invention is not limited to the deactivation of biological material or its products of decomposition. In particular, the device according to the invention can be used for the general improvement of air quality in a heating/air conditioning system.

Claims

1. A fan blower for a heating/air conditioning system, in particular for a motor vehicle, with an impeller (22) and a motor (24) that drives this impeller (22),

wherein at least one ion generator (48) is structurally connected to the fan blower (18).

2. The fan blower as recited in claim 1,

wherein the ion generator (48) is connected to the fan blower (18) in such a manner that the particles that exit the ion generator (48) are carried with the air that is moved forward by the fan blower (18).

3. The fan blower as recited in claim 1 or 2,

wherein the ion generator (48) is structurally connected to an electronic circuit arrangement (58) for operating the fan blower (18).

4. The fan blower as recited in claim 3,

wherein the electronic circuit arrangement (58) for operating the fan blower (18) and a circuit arrangement (56) for operating the ion generator (48) are located in a housing (46).

5. The fan blower as recited in claim 3 on,

wherein the ion generator (48) is located on top of or next to a heat sink (43) of the electronic circuit arrangement (58) for operating the fan blower (18).

6. The fan blower as recited in claim 5,

wherein the electronic circuit arrangement (58, 56) is integrated in the fan blower (18) in such a manner that at least one heat sink (43) is cooled by the air that is moved forward by the fan blower (18).

7. The fan blower as recited in one of the preceding claim 1,

wherein the electrical energy supply of the ion generator (48) is connected to a current and/or voltage supply source and/or a digital signal processing of the electronic circuit arrangement (58) for operating the fan blower (18).

8. The fan blower as recited in one of the preceding claim 1,

wherein the electronic circuit (58) for operating the fan blower (18) and/or the ion generator (48) are cyclically actuated.

9. A heating/air conditioning system, in particular for a motor vehicle, provided with at least one evaporator (20), at least one heating heat-exchanger (28), at least one fan blower (18), and at least one electronic circuit arrangement (58) that controls the at least one fan blower (18),

wherein an ion generator (48) is structurally connected to the at least one fan blower (18) and/or the electronic circuit arrangement (58).

10. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein the ion generator (48) produces and releases oxygen ions; ozone, in particular.