LOW SOUND EMISSION FLOW DIFFUSOR AS WELL AS AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM COMPRISING THE SAME

Abstract

A low sound emission flow diffuser includes a diffuser housing, which limits or forms an installation space, through which a flow path for an air flow of air extends, starting at an inlet opening, which is limited or formed by the diffuser housing on its inflow side, to an outlet opening, which is limited or formed by the diffuser housing on its outflow side. The flow diffuser has a multi-piece, optionally three-piece, flow manipulator, which extends along the flow path between the inlet opening and the outlet opening, for absorbing airborne sound. The disclosure additionally relates to an air conditioning system of a motor vehicle including at least one such low sound emission flow diffuser.

Claims

1. A low sound emission flow diffuser, in particular a flow diffuser for an air conditioning system of a motor vehicle, the low sound flow diffuser comprising: a diffuser housing, which limits or forms an installation space, through which a flow path for an air flow of air extends, starting at an inlet opening, which is limited or formed by the diffuser housing on its inflow side, to an outlet opening, which is limited or formed by the diffuser housing on its outflow side, wherein the flow diffuser has a multi-piece, optionally three-piece, flow manipulator, which extends along the flow path between the inlet opening and the outlet opening, for absorbing airborne sound.

2. The low sound emission flow diffuser according to claim 1, wherein: the flow manipulator has a separate air inflow, through which air can flow, for guiding an air flow, which flows in through the inlet opening, at least one separate guide vane, around which air can flow, for guiding the air flow, and a separate pressure aperture, through which air can flow, for generating a pressure gradient inside the air flow.

3. The low sound emission flow diffuser according to claim 2, wherein: the at least one guide vane passes through the pressure aperture with contact, the at least one guide vane and the air inflow are spaced apart from one another transversely with respect to the flow path, and the pressure aperture and the air inflow are spaced apart from one another longitudinally with respect to the flow path.

4. The low sound emission flow diffuser according to claim 2, wherein the air inflow, the at least one guide vane, and the pressure aperture are in each case arranged with contact on the diffuser housing.

5. The low sound emission flow diffuser according to claim 2, wherein: the air inflow is arranged and fixed, optionally releasably inserted, on the inflow side, and protrudes freely into the installation space, and/or the at least one guide vane is arranged and fixed, optionally releasably inserted, on the inflow side and on the outflow side, wherein it extends completely through the installation space along the flow path, and/or the diffuser housing has longitudinal sides connecting the inflow side and the outflow side to one another, wherein the pressure aperture is arranged and fixed, optionally releasably inserted, on at least one, preferably on all, longitudinal sides.

6. The low sound emission flow diffuser according to claim 2, wherein: starting at the inlet opening, the air inflow extends into the installation space in a running distance, which runs parallel to the flow path and extends from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, over ⅓ of this running distance.

7. The low sound emission flow diffuser according to claim 2, wherein: the air inflow has an inlet for the inflow of air and an outlet for the outflow of air, and/or with its inlet, the air inflow is arranged on the inflow side so that an inlet mouth, which is limited by the inlet, is located opposite the inlet opening, and/or starting at the inflow side, in particular the inlet opening, the air inflow protrudes freely into the installation space along the flow path in the direction of the outlet opening by forming a cantilever section, through which air can flow and around which air can flow on all sides, and/or a free end of the cantilever section forms or has the outlet, wherein the outlet limits an outlet mouth, which faces the pressure aperture on the opposite side, and/or an angle, which lies in the range of from equal to or greater than 0° to less than or equal to 90°, preferably less than or equal to 45°, is spanned between the outlet mouth and the pressure aperture.

8. The low sound emission flow diffuser according to claim 2, wherein the air inflow is formed with a, in particular monolithic, polygonal tube with polygonal tube base area, through which air can flow, or with a, in particular monolithic, rectangular tube with rectangular tube base area, through which air can flow.

9. The low noise emission flow diffuser according to claim 2, wherein the diffuser housing is embodied in multiple pieces and has at least one first housing part, which is identified as upper shell, and a second housing part, which is identified as lower shell, wherein the air inflow is fixed to, optionally releasably inserted into, the upper shell and/or the lower shell.

10. The low sound emission flow diffuser according to claim 2, wherein: the at least one guide vane is embodied in a bent manner, and/or the at least one guide vane is arranged on the inflow side in the region of the inlet opening and starting at the inflow side, in particular the inlet opening, extends completely through the installation space along the flow path, wherein it passes through the pressure aperture by forming a point of penetration, wherein an angle in the range of between 45° and 90°, in particular a right angle, is spanned on the or in the region of the point of penetration between the pressure aperture and the at least one guide vane, and wherein the at least one guide vane is arranged in the region of the outlet opening on the outflow side.

11. The low sound emission flow diffuser according to claim 2, wherein: the diffuser housing is embodied in multiple pieces and has a first housing part, which is identified as upper shell, and a second housing part, which is identified as lower shell, the at least one guide vane is fixed to, optionally releasably inserted into, the top shell and/or the lower shell, and/or the at least one guide vane is formed by a, in particular monolithic flat rod.

12. The low sound emission flow diffuser according to claim 2, wherein: the pressure aperture extends through the diffuser housing transversely to the flow path and has at least one aperture opening, through which air can flow, and/or the at least one aperture opening is arranged in the region of a or in a pressure aperture center of the pressure aperture, and/or the pressure aperture divides the installation space of the diffuser housing into two, fluidically separated installation space halves, which are connected to one another so as to communicate fluidically via the at least one aperture opening, and/or a first large surface of the pressure aperture faces the inlet opening and/or an outlet of the air inlet on the opposite side, wherein a second large surface of the pressure aperture, which is oriented in the opposite direction with respect to the first large surface, faces the pressure aperture of the outlet opening on the opposite side, and/or an angle in the range of between greater than 0° and 45° is spanned between the first large surface and the inlet opening, and/or an angle in the range of between greater than 0° and 45° is spanned between the first large surface and the outlet, and/or an angle in the range of between greater than 0° and 25° is spanned between the second large surface and the outlet opening, and/or the pressure aperture has an integral or a separate annular bead, which frames the aperture opening completely on all sides, the pressure aperture has at least one drainage opening, which serves for the outflow of water accumulated in the diffuser housing, and/or the pressure aperture is formed by a, in particular monolithic, flat plate.

13. The low sound emission flow diffuser according to claim 2, wherein the pressure aperture is arranged in a position in the diffuser housing, which, starting at the inlet opening, lies at ⅔ of a running distance, which extends from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, running parallel to the flow path.

14. The low sound emission flow diffuser according to claim 2, wherein: the diffuser housing is embodied in multiple pieces and has a first housing part, which is identified as upper shell, and a second housing part, which is identified as lower shell, and the pressure aperture is fixed to, optionally releasably inserted into, the upper shell and/or the lower shell.

15. An air conditioning system of a motor vehicle comprising at least one low sound emission flow diffuser according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a low sound emission flow diffuser according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, wherein a housing part of the diffuser housing identified as upper shell of the low sound emission flow diffuser according to the disclosure has been removed to better recognize the components of the low sound emission flow diffuser according to the disclosure and is only suggested with a dashed line,

[0037] FIG. 2 shows the low sound emission flow diffuser according to the exemplary embodiment of the disclosure shown FIG. 1 in a top view according to an arrow II illustrated in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0038] FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of a low sound emission flow diffuser, which is identified as a whole with reference numeral 1, which is integrated, for example, in a non-illustrated air conditioning system of a motor vehicle downstream of an air conditioning system fan of the air conditioning system, which is likewise not illustrated.

[0039] According to FIGS. 1 and 2, the low sound emission flow diffuser 1 has a two-piece diffuser housing 2, wherein the one, upper housing part is identified in an exemplary manner as upper shell 23, and the other, lower housing part as lower shell 24. Upper shell 23 and lower shell 24 are preferably releasably fixed to one another, for example with non-illustrated releasably fixing means. In the present case, however, the upper shell 23 has been removed, as mentioned, to better recognize the components of the low sound emission flow diffuser 1 according to the disclosure and is only suggested with a dashed line. The diffuser housing 2 limits or forms an installation space 3, which is sealed in an exemplary manner against the surrounding area, a non-illustrated seal can be inserted, for example, between upper shell 23 and lower shell 24, so that unwanted leakages on the diffuser housing 2 are prevented. On inflow inlet side 6 facing the air conditioning system fan of the air conditioning system, the diffuser housing 2 limits or forms an inlet opening 7 opening out into the installation space 3, through which air can flow into the installation space 3. On its outflow side 8, the diffuser housing 2 furthermore limits or forms an outlet opening 9 opening out into the installation space 3, through which air can flow out of the installation space 3 again. Inlet opening 7 and outlet opening 9 of the diffuser housing 2 are arranged at an angle to one another, in an exemplary manner at an angle of 45° to one another.

[0040] A flow path 4, which is suggested with dot and dash lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, for an air flow 5 of air extends through the installation space 3. The flow path 4 thereby starts on or at the inlet opening 7, extends from there in bent form through the diffuser housing 2, and ends on or at the outlet opening 9. The air flow 5 of air can thus flow through the diffuser housing 2. It can further be seen that the low sound emission flow diffuser 1 has a three-piece low manipulator 11, which extends along the flow path 4 between the inlet opening 7 and the outlet opening 9, for absorbing airborne sound. The three-piece flow manipulator 11 of the flow diffuser 1 effects an absorption of airborne sound inside the diffuser housing 2 as well as a reduction of pressure losses inside the diffuser housing 2, so that the sound emission of the low sound emission flow diffuser 1 is relatively low. Airborne sound, which is emitted, for example, by the air conditioning system fan of the air conditioning system, and which is carried into the low sound emission flow diffuser 1 with the air flow 5 of air, can be absorbed with the flow manipulator 11, which has the advantage that an air conditioning system equipped with the low sound emission flow diffuser 1 can operate with relatively low noise and energy-efficiently.

[0041] In an exemplary manner, said flow manipulator 11 has a separate air inflow 12, through which air can flow, for guiding the air flow 5 of air, which flows in through the inlet opening 7, a single separate guide vane 13, around which air can flow, for guiding the air flow 5 of air, as well as a separate pressure aperture 14, through which air can flow, for generating a pressure gradient inside the air flow 5 of air.

[0042] In the present case, the air inflow 12, which is formed in an exemplary manner with a monolithic rectangular tube 21, through which air can flow, with rectangular tube base area, is fixed to the upper shell 23 and/or the lower shell 24, so that it is immovable with respect to the diffuser housing 2. On its end, the air inflow 12 has an inlet 16 for the inflow of air and an outlet 17 for the outflow of air on the opposite end, so that the air inflow 12 can be flushed by the air flow 5 of air. With its inlet 16, the air inflow 12 is furthermore arranged on the inflow side 6 of the diffuser housing 2, wherein an inlet mouth 18, which is limited by the inlet 16, is located opposite the inlet opening 7. The air flow 5 of air, which flows through the inlet opening 18 of the diffuser housing 2, can thus flow into the air inflow 12. It can in particular be seen in FIG. 2 that, starting at the inflow side 6, the air inflow 12 protrudes or cantilevers freely into the installation space 3 along the flow path 4 in the direction of the outlet opening 9 by forming a cantilever section 19, through which air can flow and around which air can flow on all sides. A free end 37 of the cantilever section 19 formed thereby forms or points to said outlet 17, wherein the latter limits an outlet mouth 20. The outlet mouth 20 faces the pressure aperture 14 on the opposite side, wherein an angle of approximately 15° is spanned between the outlet mouth 20 and the pressure aperture 14 in an exemplary manner. A distance, which is identified as running distance 15, which extends from the inlet opening 7 to the outlet opening 9 parallel to the flow path 4, is further illustrated in FIG. 2. It is provided in the present case that, starting at the inlet opening 7, the air inflow extends into the installation space 3 over ⅓ of this running distance 15.

[0043] The guide vane 13, which is formed in an exemplary manner by a monolithic flat rod with rectangular flat rod base area, is embodied in a slightly bent manner and, starting at the inflow side 6, extends completely through the installation space 3 along the flow path 4. On the one hand, the guide vane 13 is thereby fixed to the diffuser housing 2 on the inflow side 6 in the region of the inlet opening 7 and, on the other hand, on the outflow side 8 in the region of the outlet opening 9 in the region of the supper shell 23 in an exemplary manner. The guide vane 13 is furthermore guided through the diffuser housing 2 so that it passes through the pressure aperture 14 by forming a point of penetration 25. An angle of 90° is spanned in an exemplary manner on the or in the region of the point of penetration 25 between the pressure aperture 14 and the at least one guide vane 13. The guide vane 13 can thus guide the air flow 5 of air through the diffuser housing 2 in a slight curve from the inlet opening 7 to the outlet opening 9.

[0044] The pressure aperture 14, which, in the present case, is formed by a monolithic flat plate 36 with approximately rectangular plate base area extends completely through the diffuser housing 2 transversely to the flow path 4 or transversely to the air flow 5 of air, respectively, wherein it abuts tightly with its pressure aperture edge on the upper shell 23 as well as on the lower shell 24, so that the pressure aperture 14 divides the diffuser housing 2 or the installation space 3 of the diffuser housing 2, respectively, into two, fluidically separated installation space halves 29, 30. In the present case, the pressure aperture 14 has a passage for air, which is identified as aperture opening 27. According to the present exemplary embodiment, said aperture opening is arranged in the region of a or in a pressure aperture center, i.e. in the geometrical center of the pressure aperture 14, and is complete framed on all sides by an annular bead 33, which is embodied integrally with the pressure aperture 14. In the diffuser housing 2, the pressure aperture 14 thus acts like an air separation or a partition wall, wherein the flow path 4 extends through the at least one aperture opening 27, so that air can flow along the flow path 4 from the one installation space half 29 through the aperture opening 27 of the pressure aperture 14 into the other installation space half 30, so that the installation space halves 29, 30 can communicate fluidically with one another via the at least one aperture opening 27.

[0045] It can furthermore be seen in FIG. 2 that the pressure aperture 14 has two large surfaces 31, 32, which are oriented to one another in the opposite direction, wherein the one, first large surface 31 of the pressure aperture 14 faces the inlet opening 7 and the outlet 20 of the air inflow 12 on the opposite side. An angle of 10° is spanned in an exemplary manner between the first large surface 31 and the inlet opening 7, while an angle of 15° is spanned between the first large surface 31 and the outlet 20. The other, second large surface 32 of the pressure aperture 14 faces the outlet opening 9 on the opposite side, wherein an angle of 10° is spanned in an exemplary manner between the second large surface 32 and the outlet opening 9. The pressure aperture 14 is arranged in an exemplary manner in a position 34 in the diffuser housing 2, which, starting at the inlet opening 7, lies at ⅔ of the running distance 15.

[0046] Lastly, it is important to mention with respect to the pressure aperture 14 that, in addition to the aperture opening 27, it has a drainage opening 35, which serves for the outflow of water accumulated in the diffuser housing 2. It is advantageous when the accumulated water flows from the one into the other installation space half 29, 30 of the diffuser housing 2 and/or that the accumulated water flows off into a drainage channel, which is fluidically connected to the diffuser housing 2.

[0047] Due to the described shape, the air inflow 12, the guide vane 13, as well as the pressure aperture 14 of the flow manipulator 11 can cooperate fluidically so that an absorption of airborne sound inside the diffuser housing 2 and simultaneously a reduction of pressure losses inside the diffuser housing 2 can be attained.

[0048] It is understood that the foregoing description is that of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims.