Air conditioner for automobile

• US 6,748,757 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2001
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nagasawa, Kiyoshi, Matsuo, Kazuya, Fukushima, Toshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad M.
• Application Number:
  US09/986,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20030019232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 622/44, 624/28, 236/35.2, 236/35.3, 180/65.1, 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.4
• US Class Current: 62/244
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00907 where the flow direction of the refrigerant changes and an evaporator becomes condenser
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3227 characterised by the arrangement or the type of heat exchanger, e.g. condenser, evaporator condensed liquid drainage means B60H1/3233
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00935 comprising four way valves for controlling the fluid direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00961 comprising means for defrosting outside heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/005 the electric storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 13/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle defrosting cycles F25B47/02
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/02341 during cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/02343 during dehumidification
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/02344 during heating
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/003 for cooling refrigerating machinery

Abstract

In an air conditioner for an automobile, restriction on arrangement of electric apparatus is removed, small-sized and light-weighted formation is achieved by promoting cooling capacity of the electric apparatus by a cooling fluid by an inexpensive constitution and firm defrosting is enabled by closing an air flow path of an exterior heat exchanger. For that purpose, there are provided a refrigeration cycle having an electrically driven compressor and an exterior heat exchanger and a radiator used in an electric automobile having a driving motor for driving the automobile and a motor driving power source for driving the driving motor and connected to cool a heat generating electric apparatus such as the driving motor or the motor driving power source via the cooling fluid, the radiator is arranged in the air flow path of exterior fan and an opening and closing apparatus for opening and closing the air flow path of the exterior heat exchanger is provided.

Claims

1. An air conditioner for an automobile which is an air conditioner for an automobile used for an electric automobile comprising a driving motor for driving the automobile and a motor driving power source for driving the driving motor, said air conditioner comprising;

a refrigeration cycle formed by connecting an electrically driven compressor, an exterior heat exchanger, a pressure reducing apparatus, an interior heat exchanger and a four-way switch valve;

an exterior fan for sending outside air to the exterior heat exchanger; and

an interior fan for sending inside air to the interior heat exchanger, further comprising;

a radiator connected to cool a heat generating electric apparatus such as the driving motor or the motor driving power source via cooling fluid;

wherein an opening is provided on an upstream side of the exterior heat exchanger, between the radiator and the exterior heat exchanger, in an air flow path of the exterior fan and closing apparatus for opening and closing an air flow path of the exterior heat exchanger is provided between the radiator and the exterior heat exchanger.

2. The air conditioner for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein the opening and closing apparatus is arranged on an air inlet side of the exterior heat exchanger.

3. An air conditioner for an automobile which is an air conditioner for an automobile used for an electric automobile comprising a driving motor for driving the automobile and a motor driving power source for driving the driving motor, said air conditioner comprising;

a refrigeration cycle formed by connecting an electrically driven compressor, an exterior heat exchanger, a pressure reducing apparatus, an interior heat exchanger and a four-way switch valve;

an exterior fan for sending outside air to the exterior heat exchanger; and

an interior fan for sending inside air to the interior heat exchanger, further comprising;

a radiator connected to cool a heat generating electric apparatus such as the driving motor or the motor driving power source via a cooling fluid;

wherein the radiator, exterior heat exchanger and the exterior fan are arranged in this order in an air flow duct and an opening and closing apparatus for opening and closing an air flow path on an air inlet side of the exterior heat exchanger is provided between the radiator and the exterior heat exchanger.

4. The air conditioner for an automobile which is an air conditioner for an automobile used for an electric automobile comprising a driving motor for driving the automobile and a motor driving power source for driving the driving motor, said air conditioner comprising;

a refrigeration cycle formed by connecting an electrically driven compressor, an exterior heat exchanger, a pressure reducing apparatus, an interior heat exchanger and a four-way switch valve;

an exterior fan for sending outside air to the exterior heat exchanger; and

an interior fan for sending inside air to the interior heat exchanger, further comprising;

a radiator connected to cool a heat generating electric apparatus such as the driving motor or the motor driving power source via a cooling fluid;

wherein the radiator, exterior heat exchanger and the exterior fan are arranged in this order in an air flow duct and an opening and closing apparatus for opening and closing an air flow path on an air inlet side of the exterior heat exchanger is provided, wherein the opening and closing apparatus opens and closes an air flow path between the radiator and the exterior heat exchanger and when the air flow path on the air inlet side of the exterior heat exchanger is closed, an air flow path on an air outlet side of the radiator is opened to outside of the air flow path.

5. The air conditioner for an automobile according to claim 4, wherein the opening and closing apparatus for closing the air flow path on the air inlet side of the exterior heat exchanger and the opening and closing apparatus for opening the air flow path on the air outlet side of the radiator to outside of the air flow path are provided independently from each other and the opening and closing apparatus for closing the air flow path on the air inlet side of the exterior heat exchanger is constituted by a plurality of portions thereof.

6. An air conditioner for an automobile which is an air conditioner for an automobile used for an electric automobile comprising a driving motor for driving the automobile and a motor driving power source for driving the driving motor, said air conditioner comprising;

a refrigeration cycle formed by connecting an electrically driven compressor, an exterior heat exchanger, a pressure reducing apparatus, an interior heat exchanger and a four-way switch valve;

an exterior fan for sending outside air to the exterior heat exchanger; and

an interior fan for sending inside air to the interior heat exchanger, further comprising;

a radiator connected to cool a heat generating electric apparatus such as the driving motor or the motor driving power source via a cooling fluid, further comprising;

an air flow duct extended from an outside air intake port of a motor chamber arranged with the driving motor to a rear side in the motor chamber;

wherein the radiator, the exterior heat exchanger and the exterior fan are arranged in this order and an opening and closing apparatus for opening and closing an air flow path between the radiator and the exterior heat exchanger is provided in the air flow duct between the radiator and the exterior heat exchanger.

7. The air conditioner for an automobile according to claim 6, wherein the heat generating electric apparatus such as the driving motor or the motor driving power source, is arranged at a space on an air outlet side of the exterior fan.

8. The air conditioner for an automobile according to claim 7, wherein the driving motor and the motor driving power source are arranged in parallel with each other such that outside air flows in the space on the air outlet side of the exterior fan.

9. An air conditioner for an automobile which is an air conditioner for an automobile used for an electric automobile comprising a driving motor for driving the automobile and a motor driving power source for driving the driving motor, said air conditioner comprising;

a refrigeration cycle formed by connecting an electrically driven compressor, an exterior heat exchanger, a pressure reducing apparatus, an interior heat exchanger and a four-way switch valve;

an exterior fan for sending outside air to the exterior heat exchanger; and

an interior fan for sending inside air to the interior heat exchanger;

wherein a radiator connected to cool both of the driving motor and the motor driving power source via a cooling fluid, is arranged in an air flow path created by the exterior fan, wherein said radiator and said exterior heat exchanger are arranged in order between an air flow inlet of said automobile and said exterior fan, further comprising a closing apparatus located between said radiator and said exterior heat exchanger for opening and closing said air flow path between said radiator and said exterior heat exchanger.

10. An air conditioner for an automobile which is an air conditioner for an automobile used for an electric automobile comprising a driving motor for driving the automobile and a motor driving power source for driving the driving motor, said air conditioner comprising;

a refrigeration cycle formed by connecting an electrically driven compressor, an exterior heat exchanger, a pressure reducing apparatus, an interior heat exchanger and a four-way switch valve;

an exterior fan for sending outside air to the exterior heat exchanger;

an interior fan for sending inside air to the interior heat exchanger; and

radiator means connected for cooling at least one of the driving motor and the motor driving power source via a cooling fluid, said radiator means being arranged in an air flow path created by the exterior fan wherein said radiator means and said exterior heat exchanger are arranged in order between an air flow inlet of said automobile and said exterior fan, further comprising means for closing the air flow path between said radiator means and said exterior heat exchanger, wherein said closing means is located between said radiator and said exterior heat exchanger.