Louvre for an air-conduction housing of a vehicle air-conditioning system
The invention relates to a louvre (6) for an air-conduction housing (7) of a motor vehicle air-conditioning system (1). The invention is characterised in that the louvre (6) comprises several regions (16, 17) that directly adjoin one another to facilitate air stratification, said regions being separated by partitions that form part of the louvre (6).
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The invention relates to a louver for an air-conduction housing of a motor vehicle air-conditioning system and to a heating or air-conditioning device.
Conventionally, a plurality of louvers which control the air flow in different air ducts are used in air-conduction housings. This is the case particularly when a stratified flow is to be generated, for which purpose cold air and warm air are mixed in a controlled way, in regions, so as to form temperature stratification, and, in regions, are conducted parallel to one another. For this purpose, conventionally, a plurality of air ducts are designed correspondingly, the louvers being arranged in these and, as a rule, so as to be spaced apart from one another and generally being activated individually as a function of one another and being actuated by a servomotor.
Furthermore, a louver of correspondingly subdivided design may be used, in which case the louver is subdivided by partitions of the air-conduction housing which separate the air ducts from one another. A louver of this type consisting of individual regions formed separately from one another is simpler to control, but still leaves desires, particularly with regard to the construction space requirement, unsatisfied.
The object of the invention is to make available an improved louver for an air-conduction housing of a motor vehicle air-conditioning system, and at the same time, in particular, the utilization of the construction space is to be optimized and the cross section of the cold-air path is to be obstructed as little as possible.
This object is achieved by means of a louver having the features of claim 1. Advantageous refinements are the subject matter of the subclaims.
According to the invention, a louver for an air-conduction housing of a motor vehicle air-conditioning system is provided, the louver having, to allow air stratification, a plurality of regions which are directly adjacent to one another and are subdivided by partitions which, in contrast to conventional louvers, are not part of the air-conduction housing, but are part of the louver, so that the louver itself forms air ducts which, in a corresponding louver position, guide the air in a controlled way and supply it to further air ducts. By the partitions being integrated in a louver in the region of the latter, the construction space requirement is reduced, since the partitions provided in the case of conventional louvers may be dispensed with.
The louver preferably has two outer regions and a middle region lying between them. In this case, the louver is preferably designed mirror-symmetrically with respect to the center plane which extends perpendicularly with respect to the pivot axis. In this case, preferably, the flow cross section of the two outer regions is approximately as large as the flow cross section of the middle region.
Preferably, the louver has at least one region with a configuration in the manner of a drum-type louver, that is to say, in this region, the outer wall of the louver is arranged preferably concentrically with respect to the pivot axis of the louver.
Preferably, moreover, the louver has at least one region which is planar and runs parallel with respect to the pivot axis and/or is curved toward the pivot axis and which is preferably a middle region.
At least two of the different regions of the louver preferably extend over a different distance with respect to the circumference of the latter.
Preferably, at least one region of the louver has, on at least one side, an end running obliquely with respect to the pivot axis, so that, during a rotation of the louver, the air passage is opened slowly. In this case, this end may be straight or else have any other, in particular arcuate profile. In this case, in particular, a control characteristic can be integrated into the configuration of the louver in a simple way, so that the corresponding actuating movement can be simplified.
To increase stability, the louver preferably has a bridge, in particular in a planar or slightly curved region, said bridge connecting the partitions of a region to one another. In this case, the bridge may be of curved design for the purpose of performing a guide function.
For sealing off in at least one end position, the louver preferably has at least one outwardly extending edge which, in this end position, bears sealingly against the air-conduction housing at a corresponding bearing point. Additional sealing means, such as, for example, elastic sealing elements, may be provided at this edge.
To optimize the sealing function, the edge preferably extends beyond the end faces, if possible as far as the pivot axis or the corresponding mounting.
The louver is preferably produced in one piece, in particular as a plastic injection molding. Such a design allows cost-effective production.
Owing to the special design of the louver, for example obliquely running ends of individual regions of the louver, edges which project outward, individual regions extending over a different distance with respect to the circumference of the louver, along with a corresponding configuration of the air-conduction housing, regulation is simplified, since essential regulation characteristics are already contained in the louver form and in the air-conduction housing form cooperating with this, so that the actuating movement is simplified and therefore simpler servomotors and/or simpler controls can be used.
The invention is explained in detail below by means of an exemplary embodiment, with reference to the drawing in which:
A motor vehicle air-conditioning system 1 with a blower 2, with an evaporator 3, with a heater 4 and with an additional heater 5, which are arranged in an air-conduction housing 7 of multipart design, has a mixing louver 6 for the on-demand thermal control and generation of a stratified air flow.
The thermally controlled air can be supplied to various regions of the vehicle interior via air ducts regulated by means of louvers. Thus, an air duct 8 is provided which branches off from the air-conduction housing 7 and which serves for defrosting the windshield. The air quantity conducted through the defrosting air duct 8 is regulated by means of a defrosting louver 9. A further air duct 10 leads to the side and middle nozzles and can be regulated by means of a louver 11. Furthermore, a foot-space air duct 12 is provided which can be regulated by means of a foot-space louver 13.
As is evident from
In order to make this air stratification possible by means of a single louver which makes partitions or specially designed cold-air ducts unnecessary and therefore has a somewhat lower construction space requirement, the three-part louver 6 according to the present exemplary embodiment is provided. This has, in its pivot axis, two tenons 14 which are arranged on the end faces 15. The louver 6 is designed mirror-symmetrically with respect to a plane running perpendicularly with respect to the pivot axis in the center of the louver 6, the sectional lines of this plane with the louver 6 being illustrated in
The louver 6, by virtue of its symmetry, has two outer regions 16 and a middle region 17. It is designed in the manner of a drum-type louver in its outer regions 16, that is to say the louver 6 has the configuration of part of a hollow cylinder. On a side 18 extending in the longitudinal direction of the louver 6, the regions 16 and 17 terminate at the same height, there being provided, for better sealing off, a radially outwardly extending edge 19 which also extends beyond the end faces 15 as far as the tenons 14. According to the present exemplary embodiment, the flow cross section of the two outer regions 16 together corresponds approximately to the flow cross section of the middle region 17.
The middle region 17 is designed to be curved or concave in the direction of the pivot axis and is separated from the lateral regions 16 by walls 20. At the end of the walls 20 which is on the pivot-axis side, these are connected by means of a bridge 21, the latter being curved slightly according to the middle region 17. This bridge 21 serves, on the one hand, as a kind of spoiler with an air guide function and, on the other hand, for increasing the stability of the louver 6.
On that side 22 of the louver 6 which lies opposite the side 18, the regions 16 and 17 terminate at different heights, as is evident particularly from
The functioning of the louver 6 is explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 10.
When the louver 6 is moved slowly into its other end position, as illustrated in
In the event of a further movement of the louver 6, as illustrated in
With louver positions which cause opening or at least partial opening of the air duct 10 (not illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 8), temperature stratification between middle and side air ducts is obtained. By virtue of the described form of the louver 6, the temperature of the air which is supplied to the middle nozzle or middle nozzles is lower than the air temperature in the side nozzles, thus likewise contributing to an increase in comfort in the interior, since the radiation of heat via the side windows is higher than in the middle of the passenger space, and the temperature stratification described brings about an equalization of at least the temperature profile felt by the passenger.
When the warm-air passage is closed completely, as in
A stratification of the air can thus be made possible, and, in all the mixed or intermediate positions of the louver 6, the air supplied to the windshield is colder than the air supplied to the foot space or the air supplied to the middle nozzles is colder than the air supplied to the side nozzles.
LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS
- 1 Motor vehicle air-conditioning system
- 2 Blower
- 3 Evaporator
- 4 Heater
- 5 Additional heater
- 6 Louver
- 7 Air-conduction housing
- 8 Defrosting air duct
- 9 Defrosting louver
- 10 Air duct
- 11 Louver
- 12 Foot-space air duct
- 13 Foot-space louver
- 14 Tenon
- 15 End faces
- 16 Outer region
- 17 Middle region
- 18 Side
- 19 Edge
- 20 Wall
- 21 Bridge
- 22 Side
- 23 Edge
Claims
1. A louver for an air-conduction housing of a motor vehicle air-conditioning system, the louver having a plurality of regions in order to allow air stratification, wherein the louver has a plurality of regions which are directly adjacent to one another and are subdivided by partitions which are part of the louver.
2. The louver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the louver has two outer regions and a middle region lying between them.
3. The louver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the louver is designed mirror-symmetrically.
4. The louver as claimed in claim 2, wherein the flow cross section of the two outer regions together corresponds to the flow cross section of the middle region.
5. The louver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the louver has at least one region with a configuration in the manner of a drum-type louver.
6. The louver as claimed in claim 5, wherein the region is arranged concentrically with respect to the pivot axis of the louver.
7. The louver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the louver has at least one region which is planar and runs parallel with respect to the pivot axis and/or is curved toward the pivot axis.
8. The louver as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two of the different regions of the louver extend over a different distance with respect to the circumference of the latter.
9. The louver as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one region of the louver has, on at least one side, an end running obliquely with respect to the pivot axis.
10. The louver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the louver has a bridge which connects the partitions of a region to one another.
11. The louver as claimed in claim 10, wherein the bridge is of curved design.
12. The louver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the louver has at least one outwardly extending edge.
13. The louver as claimed in claim 12, wherein the edge extends beyond the end faces.
14. The louver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the louver is produced in one piece.
15. The louver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the louver is a plastic injection molding.
16. A heating or air-conditioning device for a motor vehicle, characterized by a louver as claimed in claim 1.
17. The heating or air-conditioning device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the heating or air-conditioning device comprises at least one of the following components: heat exchanger, heating body, evaporator, filter, temperature mixing louver, mixing chamber, one or more flow ducts and one or more control louvers for distributing the air to the outlet ducts.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 18, 2004
Publication Date: Jul 13, 2006
Applicant:
Inventors: Ronny Kiel (Kirchentellinsfurt), Wolfgang Dieksander (Filderstadt), Erich Litwing (Spraitbach)
Application Number: 10/562,921
International Classification: B60H 3/00 (20060101); B60H 1/00 (20060101); B61D 27/00 (20060101);