Blower unit and air conditioning unit including the same and method of controlling the same

• US 7,029,391 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2004
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ito, Koji, Tokunaga, Takahiro, Nagaya, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, Harold
• Application Number:
  US10/941,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20050070220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 454/156, 454159-161, 165/42, 165/43, 165/203, 415/127, 415/128
• US Class Current: 454/156
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00028 Constructional lay-out of the devices in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00685 the door being a rotating disc or cylinder or part thereof B60H1/00678 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00092 of air deflecting or air directing means inside the device
• 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: F04D 29/4246 comprising more than one outlet
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/462 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps

Abstract

A blower unit of an air conditioning unit including a scroll casing including a first engaging portion, a fan casing including a first engaging portion, and a controller for controlling an electric motor to move at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing such that the movement of at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing stops when the first engaging portion of the scroll casing abuts the first engaging portion of the fan casing. The precision of the position of the scroll casing with respect to the fan casing, the precision of the temperature of air discharged into the compartment, and/or the volume of the blower unit may be improved.

Claims

1. A blower unit comprising:

a scroll casing accommodating a fan therein, the scroll casing including a first engaging portion;

a fan casing accommodating the scroll casing therein, the fan casing including a first engaging portion; and

a controller for controlling an electric motor to move at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing such that the movement of at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing stops when the first engaging portion of the scroll casing abuts the first engaging portion of the fan casing, wherein

the first engaging portion of the scroll casing is an outward protruding portion protruding radially outward away from the fan, and the first engaging portion of the fan casing is an inward protruding portion protruding radially inward toward the fan.

2. The blower unit according to claim 1, wherein the scroll casing further includes a second engaging portion and the fan casing further includes a second engaging portion such that the movement of the at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing stops when the second engaging portion of the scroll casing abuts the second engaging portion of the fan casing.

3. The blower unit according to claim 2, wherein the second engaging portion of the scroll casing is an outward protruding portion and the second engaging portion of the fan casing is an inward protruding portion.

4. The blower unit according to claim 3, wherein the outward protruding portion is an edge portion of a discharge port of the scroll casing and the inward protruding portion of the fan casing is a second step portion.

5. The blower unit according to claim 4, wherein the movement of at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing stops at a maximum heating position.

6. The blower unit according to claim 1, wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan sucking air from an axial direction thereof and discharging said air in a radial direction thereof.

7. The blower unit according to claim 1, wherein the fan is a axial-flow fan for allowing air to pass through a cross section orthogonal to a rotating shaft and a casing for accommodating the axial-flow fan to form an air passage.

8. The blower unit according to claim 1, further comprising a discharge port, the position of the discharge port changing when at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing rotates around an axis thereof.

9. A blower unit comprising:

a scroll casing accommodating a fan therein, the scroll casing including a first engaging portion;

a fan casing accommodating the scroll casing therein, the fan casing including a first engaging portion; and

a controller for controlling an electric motor to move at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing such that the movement of at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing stops when the first engaging portion of the scroll casing abuts the first engaging portion of the fan casing, wherein

the first engaging portion of the scroll casing is an outward protruding portion and the first engaging portion of the fan casing is an inward protruding portion; and

the outward protruding portion is an edge portion of a drive gear attached to the scroll casing and the first protruding portion of the fan casing is a first step portion.

10. The blower unit according to claim 9, wherein the movement of at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing stops at a maximum cooling position.

11. The blower unit according to claim 9, wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan sucking air from an axial direction thereof and discharging said air in a radial direction thereof.

12. The blower unit according to claim 9, wherein the fan is a axial-flow fan for allowing air to pass through a cross section orthogonal to a rotating shaft and a casing for accommodating the axial-flow fan to form an air passage.

13. The blower unit according to claim 9, further comprising a discharge port, the position of the discharge port changing when at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing rotates around an axis thereof.

14. A blower unit comprising:

a scroll casing accommodating a fan therein, the scroll casing including a first engaging portion;

a fan casing accommodating the scroll casing therein, the fan casing including a first engaging portion; and

a controller for controlling an electric motor to move at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing such that the movement of at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing stops when the first engaging portion of the scroll casing abuts the first engaging portion of the fan casing, wherein

the first engaging portion of the scroll casing is an inward protruding portion protruding radially inward toward the fan and the first engaging portion of the fan casing is an outward protruding portion protruding radially outward away from the fan.

15. The blower unit according to claim 14, wherein the movement of at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing stops at a maximum cooling position.

16. An air conditioning unit comprising:

a blower unit generating air flow;

an air conditioning case disposed on a downstream side of the air flow;

a first air path accommodated in said air conditioning case;

a second air path accommodated in said air conditioning case;

said air conditioning case including an air opening, through which air from said first air path and air from said second air path may pass therethrough;

said blower unit including;

a scroll casing accommodating a fan therein, the scroll casing including a first engaging portion;

a fan casing accommodating the scroll casing therein, the fan casing including a first engaging portion; and

a controller for controlling an electric motor to move at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing such that the movement of at least one of the scroll casing and the fan casing stops when the first engaging portion of the scroll casing abuts the first engaging portion of the fan casing.

17. The air conditioning unit according to claim 16, wherein said first air path includes a first heat exchanger.

18. The air conditioning unit according to claim 17, wherein the first heat exchanger is a cooling heat exchanger.

19. The air conditioning unit according to claim 17, wherein the first heat exchanger is a heating heat exchanger.

20. The air conditioning unit according to claim 18, wherein said second air path includes a second heat exchanger.

21. The air conditioning unit according to claim 20, wherein said second heat exchanger heat exchanger is a heating heat exchanger.

22. The air conditioning unit according to claim 21, wherein said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger are arranged in parallel.

23. The air conditioning unit according to claim 21, wherein said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger are arranged in series.

24. The air conditioning unit according to claim 21, wherein said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger partlaiiy overlap.

25. The air conditioning unit according to claim 21, wherein said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger do not overlap.

26. The air conditioning unit according to claim 21, wherein said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger are arranged in a V-shape.

27. The air conditioning unit according to claim 21, wherein said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger are integrated.

28. The air conditioning unit according to claim 16, wherein said first air path includes a bypass passage.

29. The air conditioning unit according to claim 19, wherein said second air path includes a bypass passage.