Temperature door for a vehicle and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system

• US 7,575,511 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanon Systems (Hahn & Co. Auto Holdings Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Haupt, Eric K., Lumley, David W., Mitrzyk, Brent M.
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister; Steve
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kosanovic; Helena
• Application Number:
  US11/593,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20080108293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 454/156, 454/121
• US Class Current: 454/156
• 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 2001/00721 Air deflecting or air directing means

Abstract

A temperature door for air-handling system of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system for a vehicle is disclosed, wherein a cost and a weight of the system are minimized and a temperature stratification, a flow efficiency, and a NVH/noise of the system are optimized.

Claims

1. A temperature door for an air-handling system of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system for a vehicle comprising:

a first surface;

a second surface spaced apart from the first surface;

a pivoting structure disposed between and spaced from the first surface and the second surface, the pivoting structure defining an axis, wherein the temperature door is configured to pivot about the axis in a housing of the air-handling system;

a third surface interposed between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface cooperate to cause air to selectively flow between hot and cold paths to control a temperature stratification of the air; and

a substantially convex curved surface interposed between the first surface and the second surface and spaced from the third surface, wherein the convex curved surface is convex relative to the shaft, and a cross section taken through the third surface and the convex curved surface at any location along substantially the entire length of the temperature door, and at an angle normal to at least one of the third surface and the convex curved surface, is substantially ovoid-shaped, the convex curved surface adapted to minimize turbulence as air flows adjacent thereto.

2. The temperature door according to claim 1, wherein the temperature door is variably positionable between a first position and a second position, the first position permitting a flow of air through a first flow path, the second position permitting the flow of air through a second flow path, and wherein an intermediate position permits the flow of air through the first flow path, the second flow path, and a third flow path, wherein the first surface has a first sealing lip disposed on a peripheral outer edge thereof, and the second surface has a second sealing lip disposed on a peripheral outer edge thereof.

3. The temperature door according to claim 2, wherein the first sealing lip is adapted to sealingly engage one of a first housing wall and a second housing wall and the second sealing lip is adapted to sealingly engage one of the second housing wall and a third housing wall, and wherein the first flow path is formed between the first housing wall and the second housing wall, the second flow path is formed between the second housing wall and the third housing wall, and the third flow path is formed between the third surface and the second housing wall.

4. The temperature door according to claim 2, wherein the at least one of the first sealing lip and the second sealing lip are formed from a thermoplastic material.

5. The temperature door according to claim 1, wherein the temperature door is substantially V-shaped.

6. The temperature door according to claim 1, wherein a radius of the third surface is smaller than a surface radius of the first surface and a surface radius of the second surface.

7. The temperature door according to claim 1, further comprising a shaft disposed between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the shaft is pivotally mounted to a housing of the air-handling system.

8. The temperature door according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth surface extending from the third surface to the first surface and the second surface, and a spaced apart fifth surface extending from the third surface to the first surface and the second surface.

9. An air-handling system of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system for a vehicle comprising:

an air-handling system housing having an inlet in communication with a supply of air and an outlet in communication with a passenger compartment of the vehicle, wherein the air-handling system housing provides for a cold air stream and a hot air stream; and

a temperature door pivotally mounted in the air-handling system, the temperature door including a first surface, a second surface spaced apart from the first surface, a pivoting structure disposed between and spaced from the first surface and the second surface, the pivoting structure defining an axis, wherein the temperature door is configured to pivot about the axis in the air handling system housing, a third surface interposed between the first surface and the second surface, and a substantially convex curved surface interposed between the first surface and the second surface and spaced from the third surface, wherein the convex curved surface is convex relative to the shaft, and a cross section taken through the third surface and the convex curved surface at any location along substantially the entire length of the temperature door, and at an angle normal to at least one of the third surface and the convex curved surface, is substantially ovoid-shaped, the convex curved surface adapted to minimize turbulence as air flows adjacent thereto, wherein the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface cooperate to cause air to selectively flow between hot and cold paths to control a temperature stratification of the air, and wherein the temperature door is variably positionable between a first position and a second position, the first position permitting a flow of air through a first flow path, the second position permitting the flow of air through a second flow path, an intermediate position permitting the flow of air through the first flow path, the second flow path, and a third flow path.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the outlet of the air-handling system housing includes a plurality of outlet openings.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the first surface is adapted to sealingly engage one of a first housing wall and a second housing wall, and the second surface is adapted to sealingly engage one of the second housing wall and a third housing wall.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the first flow path is formed between the first housing wall and the second housing wall, the second flow path is formed between the second housing wall and the third housing wall, and the third flow path is formed between the third surface and the second housing wall.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the pivoting structure is a shaft disposed between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the shaft is pivotally mounted to the air-handling system housing.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the temperature door includes a fourth surface extending from the third surface to the first surface and the second surface.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the temperature door includes a spaced apart fifth surface extending from the third surface to the first surface and the second surface.

16. The temperature door according to claim 15, wherein an amount of air permitted to flow through the third flow path is adjustable by varying at least one of the first surface, the second surface, the third surface, the fourth surface, and the fifth surface.

17. A temperature door for an air-handling system of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system for a vehicle comprising:

a first surface;

a second surface spaced apart from the first surface;

a pivoting structure disposed between and spaced from the first surface and the second surface, the pivoting structure defining an axis, wherein the temperature door is configured to pivot about the axis in a housing of the air-handling system;

a third surface interposed between the first surface and the second surface; and

a substantially convex curved surface interposed between the first surface and the second surface and spaced from the third surface, wherein the convex curved surface is convex relative to the shaft, and a cross section taken through the third surface and the convex curved surface at any location along substantially the entire length of the temperature door, and at an angle normal to at least one of the third surface and the convex curved surface, is substantially ovoid-shaped, the convex curved surface adapted to minimize turbulence as air flows adjacent thereto, wherein the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface cooperate to cause air to selectively flow between hot and cold paths to control a temperature stratification of the air, wherein the temperature door is variably positionable between a first position and a second position, the first position permitting a flow of air through a first flow path, the second position permitting the flow of air through a second flow path, and wherein an intermediate position permits the flow of air through the first flow path, the second flow path, and a third flow path, and wherein the first surface is adapted to sealingly engage one of a first housing wall and a second housing wall and the second surface is adapted to sealingly engage one of the second housing wall and a third housing wall, and wherein the first flow path is formed between the first housing wall and the second housing wall, the second flow path is formed between the second housing wall and the third housing wall, and the third flow path is formed between the third surface and the second housing wall.

18. The temperature door according to claim 17, wherein the temperature door is pivotally mounted to a housing to pivot between the first position and the second position.

19. The temperature door according to claim 17, wherein a radius of the third surface is smaller than a surface radius of the first surface and a surface radius of the second surface.

20. The temperature door according to claim 17, further comprising at least one of a fourth surface and a fifth surface, the fourth surface extending from the third surface to the first surface and the second surface, the fifth surface extending from the third surface to the first surface and the second surface.