Air Conditioning System for Automotive Vehicles

• US 20080251236A1
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanon Systems (Hahn & Co. Auto Holdings Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corporation (Hahn & Co. Auto Holdings Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kang, Sung Ho, Seo, Yong Eun, Byon, Sang Chul, Lim, Youn Woo
• Granted Patent: US 7,749,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3233 characterised by condensed liquid drainage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 3/0071 Electrically conditioning the air, e.g. by ionizing

Abstract

An air conditioning system for automotive vehicles includes an air conditioning case having an internal passageway and an ionizer for emitting positive ions and negative ions into the internal passageway of the air conditioning case. The ionizer includes a main body and first and second discharge electrodes extending from the main body into the internal passageway in a spaced-apart relationship with each other. The air conditioning system further includes an electric short preventing arrangement for preventing moisture positioned in and around the first and second discharge electrodes from causing electric short between the first and second discharge electrodes. The electric short preventing arrangement comprises a water drainage rib for draining the moisture condensed in and around the first and second discharge electrodes to prevent the electric short between the first and second discharge electrodes.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system for automotive vehicles, comprising:

an air conditioning case having an internal passageway;

an ionizer for emitting positive ions and negative ions into the internal passageway of the air conditioning case, the ionizer including a main body and first and second discharge electrodes extending from the main body into the internal passageway in a spaced-apart relationship with each other; and

an electric short preventing means for preventing moisture positioned in and around the first and second discharge electrodes from causing electric short between the first and second discharge electrodes.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the electric short preventing means comprises a water drainage rib for draining the moisture positioned in and around the first and second discharge electrodes to prevent the electric short between the first and second discharge electrodes.

3. The air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein the water drainage rib is adapted to drain the moisture positioned in and around a lower one of the first and second discharge electrodes.

4. The air conditioning system according to claim 3, wherein the water drainage rib is joined to a side wall of the internal passageway so that the moisture can be drained toward the side wall.

5. The air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein the water drainage rib is integrally formed with the ionizer.

6. The air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein the water drainage rib is integrally formed with the air conditioning case.

7. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the electric short preventing means comprises an isolation baffle for restraining the moisture from flowing between the first and second discharge electrodes to prevent the electric short between the first and second discharge electrodes.

8. The air conditioning system according to claim 7, wherein the isolation baffle is arranged between the first and second discharge electrodes and protrudes from the main body into the internal passageway.

9. The air conditioning system according to claim 7, wherein the isolation baffle is arranged between the first and second discharge electrodes and protrudes from the air conditioning case into the internal passageway.

10. The air conditioning system according to claim 7, wherein the isolation baffle is formed in parallel with an air flow direction and extends in a gravitational direction so that the moisture existing between the first and second discharge electrodes can be drained downwardly.

11. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the electric short preventing means comprises a reinforcing rib formed in the air conditioning case, the reinforcing rib arranged between the first and second discharge electrodes so that the reinforcing rib can restrain the moisture from flowing between the first and second discharge electrodes to prevent the electric short between the first and second discharge electrodes, the first and second discharge electrodes mounted to the air conditioning case on the both sides of the reinforcing rib.

12. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the electric short preventing means comprises a moisture isolation recess formed in the air conditioning case around the first and second discharge electrodes so that the moisture isolation recess can restrain the moisture from flowing toward the first and second discharge electrodes to prevent the electric short between the first and second discharge electrodes.

13. The air conditioning system according to claim 12, wherein the moisture isolation recess is formed by upwardly indenting the air conditioning case around the first and second discharge electrodes.

14. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the electric short preventing means comprises a moisture isolation wall formed around the first and second discharge electrodes so that the moisture isolation wall can restrain the moisture from flowing toward the first and second discharge electrodes to prevent the electric short between the first and second discharge electrodes.

15. The air conditioning system according to claim 14, wherein the moisture isolation wall is formed in the air conditioning case around the first and second discharge electrodes so that the moisture isolation wall can downwardly drain the moisture flowing toward the first and second discharge electrodes.

16. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the electric short preventing means comprises a plurality of water drainage protrusions formed around the first and second discharge electrodes so that the water drainage protrusions can restrain the moisture from flowing toward the first and second discharge electrodes to prevent the electric short between the first and second discharge electrodes.