Air conditioner having electrical heating member integrated with heating heat exchanger

• US 6,265,692 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2000
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Shiraishi, Hiroaki, Umebayahi, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeffery, John A.
• Application Number:
  US09/526,007
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 219/202, 219/541, 219/530, 219/540, 392/496, 392/485, 165/299, 165/300, 165/41, 165/172-176, 165/151, 165/148, 165/143
• US Class Current: 219/202
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00064 for sending air streams of different temperatures into the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00328 of the liquid-air type
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2225 arrangements of electric heaters for heating air
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00107 characterised by the relative position of the heat exchangers, e.g. arrangements leading to a curved airflow
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00128 Electric heaters
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00135 Deviding walls for separate air flows
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2296 integration into fluid/air heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/05366 Assemblies of conduits connected to common headers, e.g. core type radiators

Abstract

In a vehicle air conditioner, an electrical heating member is disposed integrally with a heating heat exchanger including a core portion and upper and lower tanks. An electrical connection portion of the electrical heating member is disposed on a downstream air side of the lower tank of the heating heat exchanger. Therefore, the lower tank of the heating heat exchanger can restrict water from being covered onto the electrical connection portion of the electrical heating member. Thus, an electrical short circuit in the electrical connection portion is prevented, while air flow resistance is restricted from being increased.

Claims

1. An air conditioner for a vehicle comprising:

an air conditioning case for defining an air passage through which air flows;

a heating heat exchanger disposed in said air conditioning case for heating air passing therethrough, said heating heat exchanger including

a core portion having a plurality of tubes through which a fluid flows and a plurality of fin members connected to said tubes, and

a first tank portion disposed at a lower side of said core portion to communicate with said tubes; and

an electrical heating member disposed integrally with said heating heat exchanger, wherein;

said electrical heating member includes an electrode plate portion integrated with said core portion, and an electrical connection portion through which electrical power of an outer electrical circuit is supplied to said electrode plate portion;

said electrical connection portion is disposed on a downstream side position of said first tank portion in an air flow direction; and

said electrical connection portion has a bottom surface higher than a bottom surface of said first tank portion by a predetermined distance.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said heating heat exchanger further includes a second tank portion disposed at an upper side of said core portion to communicate with said tubes.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein said heating heat exchanger is disposed in such a manner that the fluid is introduced from said first tank portion, and passes through said tubes to be collected into said second tank portion.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein said heating heat exchanger is disposed in said air conditioning case in such a manner that said first tank portion is away from a main flow of air in said air passage.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said electrical connection portion is disposed to electrically connect a terminal portion of said electrode plate portion and a terminal portion of a lead line of the outer electrical circuit.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising

a partition member for partitioning said air passage into a first air passage at an upper side and a second air passage at a lower side in said air conditioning case,

wherein said electrical heating member is disposed to cross both said first and second air passages.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein:

said heating heat exchanger is disposed to be inclined toward a downstream air side relative to a vehicle up-down direction.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising

a cooling heat exchanger disposed in said air conditioning case at an upstream air side of said heating heat exchanger, for cooling air passing therethrough.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the fluid flowing through said heating heat exchanger is cooling water for cooling an engine of the vehicle.

10. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said electrical connection portion includes a cover member integrated with said first tank portion at a downstream air side of said first tank portion;

and

said cover member has a bottom surface separated from the bottom surface of the first tank portion by a predetermined distance to an upper side.

11. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said electrical heating member includes a positive terminal portion and a negative terminal portion which are electrically connected to the outer electrical circuit in said electrical connection portion.

12. An air conditioner comprising:

an air conditioning case for defining an air passage through which air flows;

a heating heat exchanger disposed in said air conditioning case for heating air passing therethrough, said heating heat exchanger including

a core portion having a plurality of tubes through which a fluid flows, and

a tank portion disposed at a lower side of said core portion to communicate with said tubes; and

an electrical heating member disposed integrally with said heating heat exchanger, wherein;

said electrical heating member includes an electrode plate portion integrated with said core portion, and an electrical connection portion through which electrical power of an outer electrical circuit is supplied to said electrode plate portion;

said electrical connection portion is disposed to be connected to the tank portion; and

the electrical connection portion has a bottom surface higher than a bottom surface of said tank portion by a predetermined distance.

13. The air conditioner according to claim 12, wherein:

said electrical connection portion includes a cover member integrated with said tank portion; and

said cover member has a bottom surface separated from the bottom surface of the tank portion upwardly by a predetermined distance.

14. An air conditioner for a vehicle comprising:

an air conditioning case for defining an air passage through which air flows;

a heating heat exchanger disposed in said air conditioning case for heating air passing therethrough, said heating heat exchanger including

a core portion having a plurality of tubes through which a fluid flows and a plurality of fin members connected to said tubes, and

a first tank portion disposed at a lower side of said core portion to communicate with said tubes; and

an electrical heating member disposed integrally with said heating heat exchanger, wherein;

said electrical heating member includes an electrode plate portion integrated with said core portion, and an electrical connection portion through which electrical power of an outer electrical circuit is supplied to said electrode plate portion;

said electrical connection portion is disposed on a downstream side position of said first tank portion in an air flow direction; and

said electrical connection portion has a bottom surface stepped from a bottom surface of said first tank portion by a predetermined distance.