Heating and/or air-conditioning apparatus, particularly for a motor vehicle

• US 6,578,624 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2002
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
• Original Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
• Inventors: Auvity, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US10/086,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20020125331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 622/44, 165/42, 165/43, 237/12.3 B
• US Class Current: 165/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0005 the air being firstly cooled and subsequently heated or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00842 the system comprising a plurality of damper doors; Air distribution between several outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00171 Valves on heaters for modulated liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

A heating and air-conditioning apparatus for the cabin of a motor vehicle. The apparatus includes a chassis within which air flows and equipped with an air-blowing mechanism and heating and cooling units for cooling and heating the air and a member for controlling the heating unit. At least one airflow duct communicates with the chassis, and at least one mixing shutter, with a variable degree of openness, controls the air stream towards the duct. The mixing shutter is arranged in the overall direction of the air flow downstream of the heating member and transmits additional air passing through the heating unit when the fresh air passage is wide open, and governs in an intermediate position of closure of the air flowing through the heating unit. The mixing shutter also switching a control member controlling the operation of the heating unit between an off and on position.

Claims

1. A Heating and air-conditioning apparatus comprising:

a chassis within which at least one of hot and cold air flows, the chassis being equipped with an air-blowing mechanism and with a cooling unit and a heating unit provided to heat and cool the air and operates by fluid flowing through said heating and cooling units;

a control member for controlling the heating unit between an on an off mode;

at least one air flow duct communicating with the chassis; and

at least one mixing shutter for controlling air flow through the air flow duct;

wherein the mixing shutter is arranged in an overall direction of the air flow downstream of the heating unit and provided to transmit additional air passing through the heating unit when a fresh air passage is in a wide open position, and governs air flow through the heating unit when in an intermediate position of closure and directly controls a switching member of the control member to directly control the heating unit discretely between the on and off modes.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mixing shutter is arranged facing a heating surface of the heating unit.

7. A vehicle in combination with the heating and air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 1.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said valve is directly controlled in relation to an angular position of said mixing shutter.

3. A Heating and air-conditioning apparatus comprising:

a chassis within which at least one of hot and cold air flows, the chassis being equipped with an air-blowing mechanism and with a cooling unit and a heating unit provided to heat and cool the air and operates by fluid flowing through said heating and cooling units;

a control member for controlling the heating unit between an on an off mode;

at least one air flow duct communicating with the chassis; and

at least one mixing shutter for controlling air flow through the air flow duct;

wherein the mixing shutter is arranged in an overall direction of the air flow downstream of the heating unit and is adapted for transmitting additional air passing through the heating unit when a fresh air passage is in a wide open position, and governs air flow through the heating unit when in an intermediate position of closure and controls a switching member of the control member to control the heating unit between the on and off modes;

the mixing shutter is arranged facing a heating surface of the heating unit; and

the fresh air passage is disposed between a wall of the chassis and a side wall of the heating unit;

the apparatus operates in a first state in which the control member is on and the mixing shutter opens the fresh air passage to the intermediate position, and a second state in which the heating is off and the shutter pivots beyond the intermediate position to allow additional fresh air to pass through the switched-off heating unit;

when the mixing shutter is in a first extreme position, the control member is in the on position and the mixing shutter closes off the fresh air passage so that the air blown passes only through the heating unit to form a hot air stream directed towards the air flow duct;

between the first position and the intermediate position of the mixing shutter in the first state, the control member remains in the on position and the mixing shutter allows a variable fresh air stream to pass through the fresh air passage according to the orientation of the mixing shutter, and also lets through a hot air stream from the heating unit so that fresh air stream and hot air stream mix as they approach the air flow duct;

when the mixing shutter reaches the intermediate position, the control member switches to the off position and the mixing shutter prevents air from the heating unit from flowing so that air blown passes only through the fresh air passage; and

between the intermediate position and a second extreme position of the mixing shutter in the second state, and in this second position, the control member remains in the off position and the shutter opens so that additional fresh air passes through the heating unit in an off mode, bound for the air flow duct and adds to the fresh air stream coming from the fresh air passage.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising:

an additional shutter arranged downstream of the heating unit, so that the mixing shutter and additional shutter are capable, in a given position, of closing off flow of air passing through the heating unit;

wherein

between a first position and before reaching a second position of the mixing shutter, the first state is defined by the mixing shutter switching from the fresh air passage being closed so that the air blown passes only through the heating unit to form a hot air stream bound for the air flow duct, to variable opening of the fresh air passage then in collaboration with the additional shutter so as to allow a hot air stream from the heating unit to pass so that the fresh air stream and hot air stream mix as they head for the air flow duct;

when the mixing shutter reaches the second position, the control member switches to the off position and the additional shutter is arranged in a first closed position, the missing shutter and additional shutter then collaborate to shut off the flow of air from the heating unit so that blown air passes only through the fresh air passage; and

between the first and a second position of the additional shutter, the mixing shutter remains in its second position and the control member remains in the off position, the second state is defined by an opening of the air passage through the heating unit in the off mode, and provides additional fresh air bound for the air flow duct and adds to the fresh air stream coming from the fresh air passage.

5. A Heating and air-conditioning apparatus comprising:

a chassis within which at least one of hot and cold air flows, the chassis being equipped with an air-blowing mechanism and with a cooling unit and a heating unit provided to heat and cool the air and operates by fluid flowing through said heating and cooling units;

a control member for controlling the heating unit between an on an off mode;

at least one air flow duct communicating with the chassis; and

at least one mixing shutter for controlling air flow through the air flow duct;

wherein the mixing shutter is arranged in an overall direction of the air flow downstream of the heating unit and is adapted for transmitting additional air passing through the heating unit when a fresh air passage is in a wide open position, and governs air flow through the heating unit when in an intermediate position of closure and controls a switching member of the control member to control the heating unit between the on and off modes;

the mixing shutter is arranged facing a heating surface of the heating unit; and

the fresh air passage is defined between a wall of the chassis and a side wall of the heating unit;

the mixing shutter controls air flow through the heating unit and shuts off flow therethrough in a closed position, the flow passage being opened variably outside of the closed position;

the apparatus further comprises an additional shutter arranged in the chassis in such a way as to close off the fresh air passage in a closed position and to open this passage variably outside of this position;

wherein when the mixing shutter is in the closed position and the additional shutter in the open position, the control member of the heating unit is in the off mode and the air blown passes only through the fresh air passage;

when the mixing shutter and additional shutter are outside of the closed positions, the control member of the heating unit is in the on mode and the additional shutter allows a fresh air stream to pass through the passage and the mixing shutter allows a hot air stream from the heating unit to pass so that the hot air stream And fresh air stream mix as they head for the air flow duct;

when the mixing shutter and additional shutter are in the open position, the control member is in the off mode so that additional fresh air passes through the heating unit in an off mode bound for the air flow duct and adds to the fresh air stream coming from the passage.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the heating unit is a water-filled radiator and the control member is a valve.

9. A Heating and air-conditioning apparatus comprising:

a chassis within which at least one of hot and cold air flows, the chassis being equipped with an air-blowing mechanism and with a cooling unit and a heating unit provided to heat and cool the air and operates by fluid flowing through said heating and cooling units;

at least one air flow duct communicating with the chassis; and

at least one mixing shutter for controlling air flow through the air flow duct;

said at least one mixing shutter movable between a first maximum heating position substantially preventing flow of unheated air flowing through said air flow duct, a second intermediate position substantially preventing air flowing through said heating unit and a third position allowing unheated air to pass through said heat unit and additional unheated air to pass through said air flow duct to maximize a flow of unheated air; and

a control member for controlling the heating unit between an on and off mode directly in response to a position of said mixing shutter, whereby when said mixing shutter is in one of said second position and between second and third positions said control member turns off said heat unit, and when said mixing shutter is in one of said first position and between said first and second positions said control member turns on said heat unit.