Having Heat Exchange Core Patents (Class 454/161)
  • Patent number: 7275586
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heating or air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, by which individual zones of the vehicle interior can be supplied with separately temperature-controlled air. An improved heating or air-conditioning system, which requires just a small amount of installation space, feeds differently temperature-controlled air to a plurality of air-conditioning zones. Despite the small amount of installation space, optimum mixing of cold air and warm air takes place in the heating or air-conditioning system, with the result that the air emerging from air-outlet openings in a respective air-conditioning zone have a constant temperature over the outlet cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Oliver Beck, Michael Förster, Christian Grömmer, Norbert Wöcht
  • Patent number: 7252137
    Abstract: An air conditioning unit includes an air conditioning casing formed with an inlet and an outlet. The air conditioning casing allows air to flow in the air conditioning casing from the inlet to the outlet. The conditioning unit also includes an evaporator arranged in the air conditioning casing and having substantially a U-shape and a U-Shaped outer air flow path provided on an outer side of the U-shaped evaporator in the air conditioning casing. An inner air flow path is provided on an inner side of the U-shaped evaporator in the air conditioning casing and a heater core is arranged in the air conditioning casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Yukio Ozeki, Toshio Ohashi, Masato Ohno, Manabu Uomoto, Masaharu Onda
  • Patent number: 7228895
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning system secures an appropriate temperature difference in the air blown through vertically arranged air ducts when the system is in a bi-level mode. A hot air inlet is disposed above a cool air inlet. A face opening is disposed at an upper location while foot openings are disposed at a lower location. A blow mode-changing door for opening and closing both the openings is a butterfly type door. The blow mode-changing door is pivotally disposed in a door housing. In the bi-level mode in which the blow mode-changing door opens both the foot openings and the face opening, a bi-level mode bypass passageway for introducing cool air from the cool air inlet into the face opening is defined between an extremity of the blow mode-changing door and the inner wall surface of the door-housing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Natsume, Takahiro Tokunaga
  • Patent number: 7222667
    Abstract: A vehicular air-conditioning apparatus includes a hot-water heater and an electric heater provided downstream of the hot-water heater. The apparatus also includes a bypass passage for allowing air-conditioning air flowing past the hot-water heater to bypass the electric heater and a bypass door provided in the bypass passage for opening and closing the bypass passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Fujiki, Hitoshi Hakamada
  • Patent number: 7201220
    Abstract: An air conditioner for automotive vehicles is disclosed. The flow rates of air supplied to an evaporator (4) and a heater (5) are adjusted by rotationally displacing a scroll casing (2b) and thus changing an air flow from a blower (2) to a predetermined direction. The air-mix door can thus be eliminated to allow a smaller size of an air-conditioner casing (3) (air-conditioning unit (1)). Also, the ratio between cool air flow rate and hot air flow rate is adjusted by rotationally displacing the scroll casing (2b) with a spur gear (2c) and, therefore, the size and the production cost of the air conditioner can be reduced as compared with a conventional system in which an air-mix door is swung by a link mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Tokunaga, Koji Ito, Masakazu Nagaya
  • Patent number: 7191825
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning unit includes an air duct, through which air is blown into a passenger compartment, and a partition board, which partitions the air duct in its inside into a first air passage and a second air passage. Temperature of air in the first air passage and temperature of air in the second air passage can be separately controlled. The air duct has a recess on its one side. An air conditioning device is disposed in the recess. The partition board is deformed correspondingly to the recess so that a corresponding cross-sectional area of the first air passage and a corresponding cross-sectional area of the second air passage should be approximately equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Yamada, Keizo Goto
  • Patent number: 7147039
    Abstract: An air routing device for a motor vehicle air conditioning and/or heating system, comprising an air routing housing on which a blower is arranged, wherein the air routing device is formed separately from the air routing housing and can be pushed into the air routing housing through alternate housing orifices located opposite one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Behr France S.A.R.L.
    Inventor: Claude Schlachter
  • Patent number: 7137445
    Abstract: An HVAC assembly including an HVAC case disposed in a passenger compartment of the vehicle includes a heater core having an upstream side and a downstream side. The heater core accepts air from the upstream side and exhausts air to the downstream side. The exhausted air defines a temperature gradient along a plane of the heater core. An air diverting member is positioned on the downstream side proximate the heater core. The air diverting member includes a first portion aligned for accepting air from a first region of the temperature gradient and a second portion for delivering the accepted air toward a second region of the temperature gradient. The first region has a higher air temperature than the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Denso International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan Kushner, Dan Archibald
  • Patent number: 7055591
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an air conditioner for a vehicle including a front seat air conditioning unit and a rear seat air conditioning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corporation
    Inventors: Sungho Kang, Sangchul Byon, Yongeun Seo, Yongsang Kim
  • Patent number: 7051788
    Abstract: An HVAC assembly includes an HVAC case having a first inlet adapted to accept air in a first configuration suitable for a right hand drive vehicle and a second inlet adapted to accept air in a second configuration suitable for a left hand drive vehicle. The HVAC case includes at least one outlet for delivering air to a vehicle cabin. A deflector plate is adapted to cooperate with the HVAC case in the first configuration whereby the deflector plate allows air to pass through the first inlet and inhibits air passage through the second inlet. The air deflector plate is adapted to cooperate with the HVAC case in the second configuration whereby the deflector plate allows air to pass through the second inlet and inhibits air passage through the first inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Denso International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Crocker, Tim Roland
  • Patent number: 7048036
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle is provided. An internal air passage in a case of the air conditioner includes a first passage which guides a portion of the air from a blower unit to flow through an auxiliary cooling portion of the evaporator, a second passage, which guides the remaining portion of the air from the blower unit to bypass the auxiliary cooling portion of the evaporator, an air mixing portion in which the air passed through the first passage and the air passed through the second passage flow together, and a third passage, which is connected to the air mixing portion and guides the air passed through the air mixing portion to flow through a main cooling portion of the evaporator. In the air conditioner a portion of the air that flows in is cooled twice while passing through the auxiliary cooling portion and the main cooling portion of the evaporator, so that a higher cooling efficiency requirement, especially regarding the early stage cooling performance, is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corporation
    Inventor: Seong Seck Han
  • Patent number: 7017659
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning system adjusts the temperature at an outlet by a combined amount of air flowing through a first bypass passage adjusted by an air mixing door and air flowing through a second bypass passage adjusted by a cool air adjusting door independently of the first bypass. A cool air adjusting door control unit adjusts the opening of the cool air adjusting door so that the temperature detected by a discharge temperature sensor comes closer to a target discharge temperature for precise control of discharge temperature, and also causes the cool air adjusting door to be fully open when the opening of the air mixing door determined by an air mixing door opening setting unit is equal to or smaller than a predetermined degree of opening, so as to maintain a steady amount of air discharged from the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isao Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 6994157
    Abstract: An air conditioner for an occupant compartment of a vehicle having a forward vehicle space and a rearward vehicle space with right and left seat zones includes an air conditioning box, in which an evaporator and a heat exchanger are arranged, as well as a cold air space situated between the evaporator and the heat exchanger. A warm air space is arranged behind the heat exchanger and air mixing spaces are constructed for supplying the forward vehicle space and the rearward vehicle space with conditioned air. To provide a mutually independent temperature adjustment in the forward vehicle space and the rearward vehicle space, a separate air mixing space is assigned to each seat zone. The four air mixing spaces are connected with the warm and cold air spaces by one warm and one cold air flap respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Klaus Arold
  • Patent number: 6991027
    Abstract: In an automotive air conditioner, there is provided an air guide arrangement for achieving an effective mixing between cooled air from an evaporator and warmed air from a heater under a bi-level mode. The air guide arrangement is placed in the vicinity of an outlet opening of a warmed air passage extending from the heater. The air guide arrangement forces a warmed air from the outlet opening of the warmed air passage to effectively mix with a cooled air which flows in a direction from the evaporator toward a ventilation air outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Yukio Ozeki, Masaharu Onda, Hidenobu Arakawa, Ryoichi Tochigi
  • Patent number: 6971440
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heating or air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, by which individual zones of the vehicle interior can be supplied with separately temperature-controlled air. An improved heating or air-conditioning system, which requires just a small amount of installation space, feeds differently temperature-controlled air to a plurality of air-conditioning zones. Despite the small amount of installation space, optimum mixing of cold air and warm air takes place in the heating or air-conditioning system, with the result that the air emerging from air-outlet openings in a respective air-conditioning zone have a constant temperature over the outlet cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Oliver Beck, Michael Forster, Christian Grommer, Norbert Wocht
  • Patent number: 6959561
    Abstract: An automotive air conditioner comprises a housing having an air flow passage defined therein. The housing includes mutually opposed side walls between which a part of the air flow passage is defined. A fan is installed in an upstream part of the air flow passage to introduce air into the air flow passage. An evaporator is installed in the air flow passage at a position downstream of the fan. The evaporator is of a stack type including a plurality of flat tube elements which are stacked on one another. Every adjacent two of the flat tube elements leave therebetween a clearance which has inlet and outlet sides. The evaporator is postured in such a manner that the flat tube elements extend between the mutually opposed side walls of the housing having the inlet sides of the clearances of the flat tube elements directed upstream toward the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kawada, Toshio Nashiro
  • Patent number: 6959754
    Abstract: The present invention has been made to solve the foregoing problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide a two-layer flow air conditioning system in which a partition wall is installed on a path between an evaporator and a heater core to divide internal air and external air, and a first temperature adjusting door and a second temperature adjusting door each having a fan shape are installed at both sides of the partition wall in such a manner as to be opened at their sides to control the flow direction of the internal air and the external air which are supplied to both sides of the partition wall so as to prevent any mixture between the internal air and the external air, thereby enhancing heating and cooling effects without degrading a defrosting performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corporation
    Inventors: Junkang Lee, Changho Park, Inchul Han, Sunjae Yoo
  • Patent number: 6926253
    Abstract: An air passage in an air-conditioner such as an automotive air-conditioner is selectively opened or closed by moving a position of an opening formed on a film screen relative to the air passage. The film screen is coupled to a pair of rollers, forming a curved path between the pair of rollers guided by a guiding surface. The film screen is formed by laminating a first film made of resin and a second film made of woven fabric having a higher elongation rate for a temperature rise than the first film. The second film is positioned inside of the curved path to prevent a shape of the roller or the guiding surface from being easily transferred to the film screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Tokunaga, Koji Ito, Atsushi Kosaka
  • Patent number: 6920921
    Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, a case member of an inside/outside air switching portion is disposed at an approximate center in an interior unit in a vehicle width direction, to define an air passage extending in the vehicle width direction. An outside air suction port is provided in the case member, and first and second openings are opened in the case member at both side ends of the air passage in the vehicle width direction. One of the first and second openings is used as an inside air suction port, and the other one thereof is used as an outlet passage port. In addition, the outlet passage port of the case member is coupled to a suction port of a blower through a connection duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Nagata, Kenji Ishida, Kazuma Inagaki, Yoshihiro Goto
  • Patent number: 6886630
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation and air conditioning system including a casing with a vent outlet, a blower chamber within the casing, a wall cooperating with the casing to form a descending air passage permitting a downward flow of air discharged from the blower chamber and an ascending air passage permitting an upward flow of air passing through the descending air passage toward the vent outlet. A heating heat-exchanger is substantially horizontally disposed within the ascending air passage and arranged adjacent to a recessed portion of the wall and at least partially overlapping in the vertical direction with a cooling heat-exchanger disposed between the blower chamber and the heating heat-exchanger. A bypass air passage bypassing the heating heat-exchanger is substantially linearly aligned with the vent outlet via the ascending air passage. A foot vent passage is disposed above the heating heat-exchanger and between the blower chamber and the ascending air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Onda, Yukio Ozeki, Toshio Yajima
  • Patent number: 6880620
    Abstract: The subject invention includes a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly having a housing with an inlet and at least one outlet for directing a flow of air into a passenger compartment. An evaporator core is disposed within the housing downstream of the inlet and upstream from the outlet. A heater core is disposed within the housing between the evaporator core and the outlet with the heater core having an upstream surface generally facing the evaporator core and a downstream surface generally facing the outlet. The heater core includes a first portion and a second portion being angled relative to the first portion such that the upstream surface of the first portion at least partially faces the upstream surface of the second portion to define an angled heater core facing the evaporator core wherein air flowing over the upstream surfaces is evenly distributed across both of the first and second portions, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the heater core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lin-Jie Huang, Mohinder Singh Bhatti
  • Patent number: 6874575
    Abstract: Disclosed herewith is an air conditioner housing for automobiles and air conditioner using the same. The air conditioner housing includes a housing body having evaporator and heater core accommodating spaces. Upper and lower air passages are defined by partitioning the inner air passage of the housing body. A front foot vent is formed at the air outlet end of the lower air passage, and defrosting and face vents are formed at the air outlet end of the upper air passage. A front air passage is formed by a guide wall slantingly upwardly extended to partition the space behind the heater core accommodating space, and a rear air passage is formed behind the guide wall to communicate with the upper and lower air passages. A combined door of foot and combination door is positioned on a boundary of the rear air passage and the lower air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corp.
    Inventor: In Kap Kim
  • Patent number: 6834709
    Abstract: An automotive air conditioner includes an offset blower for blowing an air, an evaporator is centrally disposed within a dashboard and receives the air from below, and a heater approximately horizontally disposed above the evaporator. The evaporator inclines downward along the direction of the air flow. A plurality of condensed water guide plates are provided under the evaporator so as to allow a condensed water smoothly flow on the surface of each guide plate and is discharged from the evaporator through a condensed water drain pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Shirota, Hisashi Tanaka, Hiroshi Nonoyama, Kazushi Shikata, Yukio Uemura, Hikaru Sugi
  • Patent number: 6789607
    Abstract: An air distribution apparatus for a vehicle includes a partition disposed within a housing which separates a first longitudinal airstream from a blower and a cooling element into first and second airstreams, each separately directed through a heater element to form first and second recombined airstreams. The partition redirects the first and second recombined airstreams to a second direction angularly disposed from the first direction of air flow to enable the first and second output airstreams to be separately transmitted to first and second separate zones within the vehicle. Independently movable blend valves are interposed in the first and second airstreams to provide independent selection of temperature of the first and second output airstreams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Valeo Climate Control Corp.
    Inventors: Matthew L. Jun, Stefan H. Schwarz
  • Patent number: 6789617
    Abstract: The invention provides an air mixing damper apparatus and an air conditioning apparatus for vehicles where the temperature of discharged air can be changed linearly with respect to the operation of an actuator lever. A rotation speed adjustment mechanism is disposed between a plate door type air mixing damper 43A for opening and closing an air introducing face 42a of a heater core 42, and a rotation type lever 48 for an actuator 47 driving the air mixing damper 43A, for adjusting the rotation speed at an initial opening stage X and a final opening stage Z of the air mixing damper 43A, to a speed lower than at an intermediate opening stage Y.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hashizume, Hideto Noyama, Shiro Matsubara
  • Patent number: 6782944
    Abstract: An air conditioner for vehicles is disclosed. This air conditioner feeds recirculation and fresh air in a separate air feeding or a mixed air feeding using a single intake duct and a single intake control door, thus improving its heating and defrosting efficiency during a heating mode operation, and preventing an undesired discharging of white fogging from the vents during a cooling mode operation by changing its air feeding mode from a recirculation air mode to a fresh air mode. This air conditioner also has a simple construction and is reduced in its production cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corp.
    Inventors: In Kap Kim, Chang Ho Park, Tae Young Park
  • Patent number: 6761210
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system for a passenger cell of a vehicle includes an evaporator, for cooling an air stream, arranged in succession with a heat exchanger for heating the air stream. The heat exchanger has a heating medium flowing through it permanently. At least one air-mixing space is directly adjacent to the heat exchanger and has a warm-air inlet, covering at least part of the air outlet surface of the heat exchanger, and a cold-air inlet, forming the mouth of a cold-air duct bypassing the heat exchanger. Control members set the opening cross sections of the inlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Klaus Arold
  • Patent number: 6758260
    Abstract: A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly having a housing defining first and second quadrants. An air mixing door is mounted to the housing downstream of an inlet and upstream of an outlet. The air mixing door has a first position directing substantially all of the air through the first quadrant, a second position directing substantially all of the air through the second quadrant, and a third position directing a flow of air through both of the first and second quadrants. A first seal is mounted to a first side of the air mixing door and a second seal is mounted to a second side of the air mixing door. A diffuser is mounted to at least one of the sides of the air mixing door and has a plurality of passageways to interrupt a flow of air passing around the air mixing door when the air mixing door initially moves from one of the first and second positions to the third position, thereby controlling an initial flow of air into at least one of the quadrants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Clifford
  • Publication number: 20040069444
    Abstract: A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly having a housing defining first and second quadrants. An air mixing door is mounted to the housing downstream of an inlet and upstream of an outlet. The air mixing door has a first position directing substantially all of the air through the first quadrant, a second position directing substantially all of the air through the second quadrant, and a third position directing a flow of air through both of the first and second quadrants. A first seal is mounted to a first side of the air mixing door and a second seal is mounted to a second side of the air mixing door. A diffuser is mounted to at least one of the sides of the air mixing door and has a plurality of passageways to interrupt a flow of air passing around the air mixing door when the air mixing door initially moves from one of the first and second positions to the third position, thereby controlling an initial flow of air into at least one of the quadrants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventor: John W. Clifford
  • Patent number: 6716265
    Abstract: An air treatment apparatus has a housing and a vent cover. The housing has a treatment element, at least one entrance and a fan secured in the hollow housing and facing the entrance. The vent cover is detachably and replaceably attached to the housing. At least one vent is selectively defined in one of the top face and the front face of the vent cover. With such an air treatment apparatus, the vent cover can be interchanged between a jet-flow one or a laminar-flow one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chien-Chang Hung, Hsu-Cheng Chiang, Chung-Shu Pan
  • Patent number: 6695691
    Abstract: A door assembly (30) for a vehicle HVAC system comprises a shaft (140) made of a first material and having an axis (144) of rotation. A first door (142) projects from the first shaft (140) and is made of the first material. The first door (142) is molded together with the shaft (140). A sleeve (150) is made of a second material that has a lower melting point than the first material to enable the sleeve to be molded over the shaft (140). The sleeve (150) is disposed coaxially about the shaft (140) and is rotatable about the axis (144) relative to the shaft. A second door (152) projects from the sleeve (150). The second door (152) is made of the second material and is molded together with the sleeve (150). The second door (152) is rotatable relative to the first door (142).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Automotive U.S. LLC
    Inventor: Vu Le
  • Patent number: 6668909
    Abstract: An air-conditioning device for a vehicle comprising in a housing (13) a first conduit (20) for transmitting a cool air flow (F1) and a second conduit (22), wherein is installed a heat exchanger (24) for transmitting a warm air flow (F2). The conduits (20, 22) are interposed between an air intake (14) and a mixing zone (31) delivering mixed air. A system splitting (40) the air flows (F1, F2), delivered by the conduits (20, 22) is provided at the junction of the two conduits and in the second conduit (22) downstream of the heat exchanger (24). The splitting system (40) comprises transversely alternating a plurality of cool air passages (46) and a plurality of warm air passages (49). The passages emerge into two separate mixing zones (31, 25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
    Inventor: Philippe Vincent
  • Publication number: 20030234098
    Abstract: The subject invention includes a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly having a housing with an inlet and at least one outlet for directing a flow of air into a passenger compartment. An evaporator core is disposed within the housing downstream of the inlet and upstream from the outlet. A heater core is disposed within the housing between the evaporator core and the outlet with the heater core having an upstream surface generally facing the evaporator core and a downstream surface generally facing the outlet. The heater core includes a first portion and a second portion being angled relative to the first portion such that the upstream surface of the first portion at least partially faces the upstream surface of the second portion to define an angled heater core facing the evaporator core wherein air flowing over the upstream surfaces is evenly distributed across both of the first and second portions, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the heater core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Inventors: Lin-Jie Huang, Mohinder Singh Bhatti
  • Patent number: 6659167
    Abstract: A mix door (5) is arranged in air passages (10, 11) of an automotive air conditioning device. The mix door (5) is arranged to extend in a direction to shut an air flow blown from the upstream air passage (10) and swelled in a downstream direction with a predetermined radius of curvature. The door (5) is guided by arcuate cam grooves (19) and driven upward and downward to achieve open/close operation with the aid of a sliding mechanism (M). Compact construction, reduction in air flow resistance, smoothed handling, high sealing and high temperature controlling are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Tsurushima, Toshiyuki Yoshida, Masaharu Onda, Toshiya Uchida, Katsuaki Koshida, Katsuhiro Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20030205370
    Abstract: Disclosed herewith is an air conditioner housing for automobiles and air conditioner using the same. The air conditioner housing includes a housing body having evaporator and heater core accommodating spaces. Upper and lower air passages are defined by partitioning the inner air passage of the housing body. A front foot vent is formed at the air outlet end of the lower air passage, and defrosting and face vents are formed at the air outlet end of the upper air passage. A front air passage is formed by a guide wall slantingly upwardly extended to partition the space behind the heater core accommodating space, and a rear air passage is formed behind the guide wall to communicate with the upper and lower air passages. A combined door of foot and combination door is positioned on a boundary of the rear air passage and the lower air passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventor: In Kap Kim
  • Publication number: 20030201096
    Abstract: An air flow mixing system for a vehicle air conditioning system having a distribution door to force air from a first air flow to mix with a second air flow of different temperature proximate a merging region in the air conditioning system. In one embodiment, the distribution door has an arcuate passageway or scoop to forcibly route air from the first airflow to the second airflow. In a second embodiment, the distribution door has at least one projecting channel to divide each of the first and second air flows into a plurality of alternating flow paths to promote heat transfer and mixing of the two airflows. In each embodiment, the pivoting distribution door facilitates heat transfer between the airflows resulting in a more even temperate airflow emerging from the merging region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Applicant: VALEO CLIMATE CONTROL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven P. Perry, Christophe Sterle
  • Patent number: 6622787
    Abstract: A defroster/face cool air passage for introducing cooled air from an evaporator to a defroster opening portion and a face opening portion by bypassing a heater core, and a foot cool air passage for introducing cooled air from the evaporator to a foot opening portion by bypassing a heater core, are formed independently from each other. The foot cool air passage is located at sides of the heater core in a vehicle right-and-left direction. The cooled air from the foot cool air passage is mixed with warmed air having passed through the heater core at an inlet of the foot opening portion. Accordingly, pressure loss at a foot mode in an air conditioning unit with a central installation layout is reduced, and a mounting performance on a central portion of a vehicle instrument panel is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Toyoshima, Kazushi Shikata, Yukio Ueno, Nobuyuki Doi
  • Patent number: 6607029
    Abstract: A motor vehicle cabin has four seat positions and a heating and ventilating apparatus which includes means for producing hot and cold air streams, temperature control means, air distribution ducts having outlets at different points in the cabin at each seat position, and distribution means for adjustably distributing the mixture of the cold and hot air streams between the various air distribution ducts. These ducts include ducts which are open in at least two different points in the rear seat positions, each of which has its own temperature control means for adjusting the air temperature at that position, and means for adjusting the flow of air to that position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
    Inventor: Jacques Danieau
  • Patent number: 6598665
    Abstract: A system for supplying air to first and second regions of a vehicle passenger compartment, has a first fan, a heater device, and first and second air conduits. The heater device has a first air inlet and outlet for air from the first fan and a second air inlet and outlet for recirculating air within the passenger compartment. The first and second outlets of the heater device supply air through the first and second air conduits to the first and second regions of the said vehicle. The second air conduit is connected to said second air outlet of said heater device via a second fan operable in use to selectively supply air through the second conduit to the second region of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Valeo Climate Control, Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Schwarz
  • Patent number: 6588495
    Abstract: The present invention provides anchor tabs at opposite ends of a film member that are anchored to side faces of a door plate of a sliding door. Draft deflectors prevent the inflow of air to between the anchor tabs and the side faces of the door plate. Thus, inflow of air to between the anchor tabs of the film member and the side faces of the door plate is prevented. Also, fluctuations in pressure difference between the inner and outer sides of the anchor tabs are suppressed, and the production of extraneous noise caused by self-excited vibration of the anchor tabs at the ends of the film member is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Ito, Haruki Ikuta
  • Patent number: 6568468
    Abstract: In an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle, a first cool air bypass passage is provided at an upper side of a heater core, and a second cool air bypass passage is provided at a lower side of the heater core. Cool air from the first cool air bypass passage and warm air having passed through the heater core are mixed in a first air mixing chamber, and a ratio between an amount of cool air and an amount of warm air is adjusted by an air mixing film member. Further, cool air from the second cool air bypass passage and warm air from the heater core are mixed in a second air mixing chamber, a ratio between an amount of cool air and an amount of warm air is adjusted by an air mixing door, and the second air mixing chamber is provided at an immediately downstream air side of the heater core. Thus, in the air conditioning apparatus, a pressure loss in a ventilation system can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yukio Uemura, Kazushi Shikata, Takuya Natsume, Hikaru Sugi
  • Patent number: 6488077
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heating or air-conditioning system and method for ventilating an occupant compartment of a vehicle having a climatic box in which a heat exchanger is accommodated, through which air can flow, and in which at least one air mixing chamber is constructed, which has an air inflow opening for warm air flowing through the heat exchanger and an air inflow opening for cold air flowing around the heat exchanger as well as outlet openings for mixed air, of which at least one outflow opening is arranged on the bottom in the air mixing chamber and at least one outflow opening is arranged on top in the air mixing chamber, and having closing members controlling the opening cross-sections of the inflow openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Klaus Arold
  • Patent number: 6484755
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning apparatus having two pair of rotatable flow control doors for separately controlling and varying the temperature and flow of air supplied to two different zones of the vehicle interior. Each pair of flow control doors are linked together and operated by a single actuator device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Valeo Climate Control Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Schwarz
  • Patent number: 6474406
    Abstract: A heater/cooler unit of an automotive air conditioning system for use in a vehicle is disclosed. The unit includes a casing defining an air flow passage for flow of air. The casing includes an enlarged lower portion and a reduced upper portion, and an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening communicating with the air flow passage. The unit also includes an evaporator in the air flow passage. The unit also includes a heater in the air flow passage with an air flow space being formed between the heater and the evaporator. The unit also includes a ventilation opening formed in the casing. The unit also includes a pair of heat openings formed in the casing, one on each side wall above the heater. The unit also includes a pair of heat ducts. The overall lateral size of the unit can be minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignees: Calsonic Kansei Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Sano, Hiroaki Sasaki, Yukio Nakazawa, Naoharu Shibuya
  • Patent number: 6460607
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner has a case and a heater core disposed in the case substantially horizontally. The case has a center face opening formed in a side wall of the case at a substantially same height as the heater core, a defroster opening and a foot outlet. A warm air guide is disposed above the heater core to guide warm air passing through the heater core. Warm air guided by the warm air guide is mixed with cool air bypassing the heater core, and flows toward the defroster opening through an air port formed by an end portion of the warm air guide at a substantially same height as the warm air guide. Therefore, an opening area of the air port is simply increased by reducing a length of the warm air guide without increasing a size of the vehicle air conditioner. As a result, a sufficient amount of air is introduced into the defroster opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuji Shibata
  • Patent number: 6453991
    Abstract: In an air conditioner unit, a downstream side air passage is partitioned into at least two independent small (or sub) air passages with a plurality of partition plates extending along an air flow direction. Individual doors are provided for the respective small air passages and the small air passages can each distribute air that is independently conditioned to a desired temperature for each such passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Calsonickansei Corporation
    Inventors: Akiyo Tsurushima, Katsuhiro Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20020129932
    Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, a case member of an inside/outside air switching portion is disposed at an approximate center in an interior unit in a vehicle width direction, to define an air passage extending in the vehicle width direction. An outside air suction port is provided in the case member, and first and second openings are opened in the case member at both side ends of the air passage in the vehicle width direction. One of the first and second openings is used as an inside air suction port, and the other one thereof is used as an outlet passage port. In addition, the outlet passage port of the case member is coupled to a suction port of a blower through a connection duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Inventors: Osamu Nagata, Kenji Ishida, Kazuma Inagaki, Yoshihiro Goto
  • Publication number: 20020129931
    Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, an interior unit for performing air-conditioning operation in a passenger compartment is disposed inside an instrument panel of the vehicle. A blower is disposed at a vehicle rear side in the interior unit, and a heat-exchanging member for performing a heat exchange with air is disposed in the interior unit at a vehicle front side of the blower. Because the blower and the heat-exchanging member are arranged in the vehicle front-rear direction, a vertical dimension of the interior unit can be made smaller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Inventors: Osamu Nagata, Tomohiro Takeo
  • Publication number: 20020129933
    Abstract: In an automotive air conditioner, there is provided an air guide arrangement for achieving an effective mixing between cooled air from an evaporator and warmed air from a heater under a bi-level mode. The air guide arrangement is placed in the vicinity of an outlet opening of a warmed air passage extending from the heater. The air guide arrangement forces a warmed air from the outlet opening of the warmed air passage to effectively mix with a cooled air which flows in a direction from the evaporator toward a ventilation air outlet opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Applicant: CALSONIC KANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukio Ozeki, Masaharu Onda, Hidenobu Arakawa, Ryoichi Tochigi
  • Patent number: 6450877
    Abstract: A mix door D, which is arranged in a limited space defined between an upstream air passage 10 in which an evaporator 3 is installed and a downstream air passage 11 in which a heater core 4 is installed, is of a sliding type. By guiding a door proper 12 by using a cam groove, a seal member 15 bonded to the door proper 12 is pressed against a contacting member 13 only when the door proper 12 assumes its close position. Smoothed operation of the door proper 12 is achieved with a compact construction of a unit, and sealing and temperature controlling performance is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Tsurushima, Takumi Ijichi, Katsuhiro Kurokawa, Toshiya Uchida, Masaharu Onda