AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM

Abstract

An air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle includes an evaporator, a heating device arranged downstream of the evaporator, an evaporator bypass duct arranged below the evaporator, and at least one air guiding duct. The at least one air guiding duct has an inlet end that is communicatingly connected to the evaporator bypass duct and an outlet side that opens or ends between the evaporator and the heating device. The at least one air guiding duct is structured and arranged such that outside air flowing through the evaporator bypass duct and the air guiding duct(s) enters the heating device. The at least one air guiding duct includes a lateral collar extending outwardly therefrom, structured and arranged to facilitate discharging condensate from the evaporator into a condensate pan.

Claims

1. An air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, comprising: an evaporator; a heating device arranged downstream of the evaporator; an evaporator bypass duct arranged below the evaporator; at least one air guiding duct having an inlet side that is communicatingly connected to the evaporator bypass duct and an outlet side that opens between the evaporator and the heating device, wherein the at least one air guiding duct is structured and arranged such that outside air flowing through the evaporator bypass duct and the at least one air guiding duct enters the heating device; and wherein the at least one air guiding duct includes a plurality of lateral collars extending outwardly therefrom, wherein the plurality of lateral collars at a respective upper end are connected to an outflow side of the evaporator and at a respective lower end project into a condensate pan to facilitate discharging condensate from the evaporator into the condensate pan.

2. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one air guiding duct includes at least three air guiding ducts provided next to one another with the plurality of lateral collars arranged in between the at least three air guiding ducts.

3. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one air guiding duct and the the plurality of lateral collars are structured in one piece.

4. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising a mixing chamber disposed downstream of the heating device, wherein the mixing chamber includes at least one defroster duct, at least one ventilation duct and at least one foot well duct extending downstream therefrom.

5. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising a cold air path structured and arranged to run below the heating device.

6. The air-conditioning system according to claim 5, further comprising a controllable air flap provided in the cold air path for controlling an air mass flow therethrough.

7. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising a controllable air flap provided in the evaporator bypass duct for controlling an air mass flow therethrough.

8. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of lateral collars are structured and arranged to provide a flow guiding path for air exiting from the evaporator.

9. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising a duct portion disposed on the condensate pan, structured and arranged to provide at least part of a flow duct between the evaporator and the heating device.

10. A motor vehicle, comprising an air-conditioning system, the air-conditioning system including: an evaporator; a heating device arranged downstream of the evaporator; an evaporator bypass duct arranged below the evaporator; at least one air guiding duct having an inlet side that is communicatingly connected to the evaporator bypass duct and an outlet side that opens between the evaporator and the heating device, wherein the at least one air guiding duct is structured and arranged such that outside air flowing through the evaporator bypass duct and the at least one air guiding duct enters the heating device; a condensate pan arranged below the evaporator; and wherein the at least one air guiding duct includes at least one lateral collar extending outwardly from the at least one air guiding duct, wherein the at least one lateral collar have an upper end connected to an outflow side of the evaporator and a lower end projecting into the condensate pan to facilitate discharging condensate from the evaporator into the condensate pan.

11. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the at least one air guiding duct includes at least two air guiding ducts arranged parallel to one another, and wherein the at least one lateral collar is structured and arranged to extend between the at least two air guiding ducts.

12. The motor vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the at least two air guiding ducts together with the at least one lateral collar define a flow guiding path for air exiting from the evaporator.

13. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the at least one air guiding duct and the at least one lateral collar are structured as a one-piece plastic injection-moulding part.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the air-conditioning system further includes a mixing chamber disposed downstream of the heating device, wherein the mixing chamber includes at least one defroster duct, at least one ventilation duct and at least one foot well duct extending downstream therefrom.

15. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the air-conditioning system further includes a cold air path structured and arranged to run below the heating device.

16. The motor vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the cold air path includes a controllable air flap for controlling an air mass flow therethrough.

17. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the air-conditioning system further includes a controllable air flap provided in the evaporator bypass duct for controlling an air mass flow therethrough.

18. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the condensate pan includes a duct portion, structured and arranged to provide at least part of a flow duct between the evaporator and the heating device.

19. The air-conditioning system according to claim 6, further comprising a second controllable flap provided in the evaporator bypass duct for controlling an air mass flow therethrough.

20. An air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, comprising: an evaporator; a heating device arranged downstream of the evaporator; an evaporator bypass duct arranged below the evaporator; a plurality of air guiding ducts respectively having an inlet side communicatingly connected to the evaporator bypass duct and an outlet side that ends between the evaporator and the heating device, wherein the plurality of air guiding duct are structured and arranged such that outside air flowing through the evaporator bypass duct and through the plurality of air guiding ducts enters the heating device; a condensate pan arranged below the evaporator; a plurality of collars extending laterally and outwardly from the plurality of air guiding ducts, wherein the plurality of collars each have a respective upper end connected to an outflow side of the evaporator and a respective lower end projecting into the condensate pan to facilitate discharging condensate from the evaporator into the condensate pan; and wherein the plurality of air guiding ducts are arranged laterally next to one another and the plurality of collars are arranged in between the plurality of air guiding ducts.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The drawings shows, in each case schematically,

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a sectional representation through an air-conditioning system according to the invention,

[0018] FIG. 2 shows a view of an evaporator bypass duct with altogether three air guiding ducts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] According to FIG. 1, an air-conditioning system 1 according to the invention for a motor vehicle 2 which is not otherwise shown comprises an evaporator 3 and a heating device 4 arranged downstream of the evaporator 3. Likewise provided is an evaporator bypass duct 5 which runs or is arranged below the evaporator 3. On the end side of the evaporator bypass duct 5 at least one air guiding duct 6, according to FIG. 2, altogether three air guiding ducts 6 are arranged there, wherein the air guiding duct 6 or the air guiding ducts 6 is/are communicatingly connected with the evaporator bypass duct 5 and ends/end on the outlet side between the evaporator 3 and the heating device 4 and is/are equipped in such a manner that outside air 18 flowing through the evaporator bypass duct 5 and the air guiding duct 6 enters the heating device 4. The air guiding duct 6 or the air guiding ducts 6 additionally have collars 7 running laterally and outside of the same, which at its/their upper end/ends are connected with an outflow side of the evaporator 3 and at its/their lower end/ends project into a condensate pan 8 and thereby make possible discharging condensate from the evaporator 3 into the condensate pan 8. With the air-conditioning system 1 according to the invention it is thus possible to keep the evaporator bypass air (outside air 18) flowing through the evaporator bypass duct 5 and the at least one air guiding duct 6, which is not dehumidified and warmer than air 19 that flowed through the evaporator 3, away from a cold air path 13, as a result of which misting-up can be prevented. The bypass air (outside air 18) is fed to the heating device 4 where it is heated and dried. The condensate incurred in the evaporator 3 is not dragged along by the bypass air flow because of the collars 7, as a result of which vapour forming on the heating device 4 can be avoided.

[0020] According to FIG. 2, three air guiding ducts 6 are arranged in the width direction next to one another, with collars 7 arranged in between. The at least one air guiding duct 6 and the associated collars 7 are preferentially formed in one piece, in particular as one-piece plastic injection moulding, and can thereby be produced not only cost-effectively but also in a high quality at the same time.

[0021] By way of the arrangement of the evaporator bypass duct 5 below the evaporator 3 according to the invention it is possible to conduct unconditioned, i.e. moist and warm outside air 18, past below the evaporator 3, and feed the same to a mixing chamber 9 arranged downstream of the heating device 4 only after the evaporator 3 or the heating device 4 also in a lower region. By way of this it can be prevented in particular, that the unconditioned, moist and warm outside air 18, as would be the case with an evaporator bypass duct 5 arranged above the evaporator 3, directly reaches a windscreen via a defroster duct 10 where it can undesirably result in the windscreen misting up. By conducting the unconditioned outside air 18 past at the bottom according to the invention, a natural layering can be additionally achieved in the case of which a foot well duct 11 can be supplied with warmer air 18 and a defroster duct 10 with colder air 19, so that the warmer air 18 exits in a vehicle interior 12 in the foot well while the colder air 19 exits through the defroster duct 10 in the upper region. By way of this, a significantly better, automatic intermixing and thus a more pleasant and more uniform air conditioning of the vehicle interior 12 can be achieved since the colder air 19 exiting at the top sinks downwards while the warmer air 18 exiting through the foot well duct 11 at the bottom, rises up.

[0022] Viewing FIG. 1 further it is evident that below the heating device 4 a cold air path 13 extends, which likewise contributes to a better intermixing of the air in the mixing chamber 9.

[0023] The unconditioned outside air 18, which is conducted through the evaporator bypass duct 5 below the evaporator 3, crosses the colder air flow 19 conducted through the evaporator 3 through the air outlet openings of the air guiding ducts 6 directed upwards where it ensures good intermixing. In addition the (cold) air flow 19 passing through the evaporator 3 can be conducted, after its exit from the evaporator 3, via the collars 7 downwards via the cold air path 13 and from there again up into the mixing chamber 9, where it is intermixed with the unconditioned outside air 18 that has exited from the air guiding duct 6 and passed through the heating device 4. An intermixing of the air flow 18 flowing through the evaporator bypass duct 5 thus takes place on the one hand by crossing the (evaporator) air flow 19 in a region between the evaporator 3 and the heating device 4 and once more in the mixing chamber 9.

[0024] The cooled air flow 19 exiting from the evaporator 3 in the lower region can be conducted via the collars 7 (see FIG. 2) to the cold air path 13, as a result of which the collars 7 in this case serve as flow guiding element for air 19 exiting from the evaporator 3 in particular in the lower region.

[0025] In the cold air path 13, a first controllable air flap 14 is arranged for controlling an air mass flow while in the evaporator bypass duct 5 for controlling an air mass flow 18 flowing there a second controllable air flap 15 is provided. By controlling the two air flaps 14, 15, a fine regulation of the air flow leading through the air-conditioning system 1 can be achieved.

[0026] Here, multiple ducts originate from the mixing chamber 9, namely the defroster duct 10 at the top described above, at least one ventilation duct 17 and at least one foot well duct 11 (bottom). The ventilation ducts 17 can be controlled or regulated via suitable flaps.

[0027] Looking at the FIG. 2 further it is evident that on the condensate pan 8 a duct portion 16 is arranged, which forms at least one part of a flow duct between the evaporator 3 and the heating device 4.

[0028] With the air-conditioning system 1 according to the invention it is possible to arrange an evaporator bypass duct 5 below the evaporator 3 and thereby achieve a particularly good intermixing of the unconditioned that is moist and warm outside air 18 with the air 19 cooled and dehumidified by the evaporator 3 and thereby establish in particular a natural layering in the vehicle interior 12. At the same time it is possible with the air-conditioning system 1 according to the invention despite the evaporator bypass duct 5 arranged below the evaporator 3 to collect the condensate separated in the evaporator 3 in a condensate pan 8 arranged below the evaporator 3. By way of the possibility of crossing the air flow 18 with the air flow 19 it is additionally possible to arrange the cold air path 13 in the lower region of the air-conditioning system 1 and in particular below the heating device 4.

[0029] A further major advantage is that the air-conditioning system 1 according to the invention is significantly more compact in construction and because of this requires less installation space. Apart from this, the acoustic sound penetration is reduced through the deflection of the air flow 18 flowing through the evaporator bypass duct 5 and thereby a noise-optimised operation made possible. Depending on the orientation of the outlet openings of the air guiding ducts 6 it is additionally possible to direct and guide the air flow 18 bypassing the evaporator 3 into certain regions of the heating device 4 and thereby influence the natural layering.