JP2004306648A - Door turning mechanism for air-conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a door turning mechanism for an air-conditioner wherein the manufacturing cost is low, the arrangement space is small, and no working sounds are generated. <P>SOLUTION: An air-conditioner door 30 including a turning shaft 38 which is turnably supported by an air feeding duct, and a constraining plate 31 which constrains the flow of air by locating in an air feeding passage is turned by this door turning mechanism. The door turning mechanism comprises: a first shape memory member 70 which is arranged between the turning shaft of the air feeding duct and a first eccentric section 62, and turns the air-conditioner door in one direction at the time of contraction; a second shape memory member 75 which is arranged between the turning shaft of the air feeding duct and a second eccentric section 63, and turns the air-conditioner door in the other direction at the time of contraction; and power feeding means 81, 88 and 89 which make the first shape memory member or the second shape memory member contract by feeding power. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an air conditioning door turning mechanism for turning various air conditioning doors in a vehicle air conditioner.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The vehicle air conditioner includes a blower duct, a blower, an evaporator (evaporator), a heater core, and the like disposed in the blower duct. The air duct defining the air passage has an air inlet on the upstream side and an air outlet on the downstream side. The air taken in from the air inlet is sent downstream by a blower, cooled by an evaporator to generate cool air, and heated by a heater core to generate warm air. Cold air, hot air or a mixture of both is blown out from the air outlet.
[0003]
For example, an intake door is arranged at the air intake. The intake door has a rotation shaft and a regulating plate extending in a direction crossing the air passage, and is rotatable with respect to the air duct. When adjusting the intake air, an external force is applied to the rotation shaft to rotate the intake door. Then, the size of the flow passage blocked by the regulating plate changes, and the air amount or the air flow is adjusted. The same is true for the air mix arranged upstream of the heater core and the outlet door arranged at the air outlet.
[0004]
In a conventional blower unit (see Patent Document 1), an intake door is rotated by the driving force of a servomotor.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-016049 A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional example, a servomotor and its related parts (gears and the like) are required, and the manufacturing cost of the air conditioner increases. Further, a space for arranging a servomotor or the like is required, which is not desirable in a vehicle having a limited available space. In addition, the operation noise generated when the servomotor is operated is annoying to the occupant.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a door drive mechanism of an air conditioner that has a simple structure, is inexpensive to manufacture, requires a small installation space, and does not generate operating noise.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The inventor of the present application paid attention to a shape memory member (alloy) to achieve the above object. Some shape memory members have a property of generating heat and shrinking when an electric current is applied, and have come up with the idea of rotating the air-conditioning door using this shrinkage.
[0009]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a door rotation mechanism of an air conditioner according to the first aspect of the present invention is a vehicle air conditioner, wherein a rotation shaft rotatably supported by an air duct and a position in a ventilation path. A door turning mechanism for turning the air-conditioning door including a regulating plate for restricting the flow of air is provided between the air duct and the first eccentric portion of the turning shaft, and the air-conditioning door is retracted when contracted. A first shape memory member that rotates in one direction; a second shape memory member that is disposed between the blower duct and the second eccentric portion of the rotation shaft and that rotates the air conditioning door in the other direction when contracted; Current applying means for causing an electric current to flow through the first shape memory member or the second shape memory member to cause contraction.
[0010]
In the door rotating mechanism, when energized by the energizing means, the first shape memory member generates heat and contracts, and applies a tensile force to the first eccentric portion of the rotating shaft. As a result, the air-conditioning door rotates in one direction, and the regulating plate occupies a position in the ventilation path to close or open the ventilation path. When the second shape memory member contracts, a tensile force is applied to the second eccentric portion of the rotating shaft, the air-conditioning door is rotated in the other direction, and the regulating plate occupies a position in the ventilation path to open or close the ventilation path. .
[0011]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the door rotating mechanism according to the first aspect, the first shape memory member is made of a first wire which is relaxed when not energized, and the second shape memory member is relaxed when not energized. It consists of two wires. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the door rotating mechanism according to the second aspect, the energizing means includes a first switch for interrupting a current flowing through the first wire, and a second switch for interrupting a power source flowing through the second wire.
[0012]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the door rotating mechanism according to the first aspect, wherein the air-conditioning door is arranged at an upstream portion of the air duct to adjust a ratio of an inside air and an outside air to be taken, and is arranged between the evaporator and the heat core. And / or an air mixing door that adjusts the ratio of air passing through and bypassing air, and / or an air outlet door that is arranged downstream of the air duct to adjust the amount of air to be blown out. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the door rotating mechanism according to the first aspect, when the air-conditioning door rotates in one direction to occupy the first rotation position, the air-conditioning door closes the ventilation path and rotates in the other direction to rotate the second time. When the moving position is occupied, open the air passage.
[0013]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a door rotating mechanism of an air conditioner according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the air conditioner of a vehicle, includes a rotating shaft rotatably supported by an air duct and a rotary shaft located in the air path. A shape memory member disposed between the blower duct and an eccentric portion of the rotation shaft; a shape memory member; and a shape memory member; And an energizing means for causing an electric current to flow to cause the air-conditioning door to contract and rotate in a predetermined direction.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
<Air conditioner and air conditioning door>
The vehicle air conditioner of the present invention includes a blower duct, a blower, an evaporator (evaporator), and a heater core arranged in the blower duct. The air duct defining the air passage has an air inlet on the upstream side and an air outlet on the downstream side.
[0015]
The air-conditioning door includes an intake door located at an air intake, an air mix door located upstream of the heater core, and an outlet door located at an air outlet. Each of the air-conditioning doors has a rotation shaft supported by a ventilation duct and a regulating plate located in the ventilation path, and is rotatable. When the rotation plate rotates in one direction and occupies the first rotation position, the regulating plate closes the air passage, and when it rotates in the other direction and occupies the second rotation position, the air passage is opened.
<Door rotation mechanism>
The door rotation mechanism of the present invention includes a shape memory member coupled to an end of a rotation shaft of an air-conditioning door, and an energizing unit for supplying a current to the shape memory member. They are roughly classified into two types according to the specific arrangement of the shape memory members.
{Circle around (1)} In the first type, the contractility of the shape memory member is used for both the one-way rotation and the other-direction rotation of the air-conditioning door (see claim 1). For this purpose, a first shape memory member is provided between the first eccentric position of the rotating shaft and a part of the air duct, and a second shape memory member is provided between the second eccentric position and a part of the air duct. What is necessary is just to stretch a member. The position where the first eccentric position and the second eccentric position oppose each other in the diameter direction of the rotation shaft is selected.
[0016]
It is desirable to use a shape memory wire in consideration of reducing the amount of material used and the magnitude (not so large) of the turning power required for the air conditioning door. The lengths of the first shape memory wire and the second shape memory wire are such that when not energized, they relax and do not hinder the rotation of the rotating shaft, and when energized, contract due to heat generation and apply a rotating power to the rotating shaft. To be selected.
[0017]
The current supply means selectively supplies a current to the first shape memory member or the second shape memory member. When one is energized, the other is de-energized. For that purpose, the first switch may be disposed in the power supply path of the first shape memory member, and the second switch may be disposed in the power supply path of the second shape memory member.
{Circle around (2)} On the other hand, in the second type, the contraction of the shape memory member is used for the predetermined one-way rotation of the air-conditioning door (see claim 6). For this purpose, a shape memory member may be provided between the first eccentric position of the rotation shaft and a part of the air duct. The biasing force of a tension spring stretched between the second eccentric position and a part of the air duct can be used for the rotation in the other direction.
(3) Regardless of the type, the air-conditioning door may be directly rotatably supported by the air duct, or may be rotatably supported by another member fixed to the air duct.
[0018]
【Example】
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(Constitution)
FIG. 1 shows the intake unit. The intake unit includes an inside / outside air switching box 10, an inside / outside air switching door 30, and a blower 50.
[0019]
In FIG. 2, an inside / outside air switching box 10 (hereinafter, abbreviated as "switching box" in the embodiment) 10 is manufactured by injection molding of polypropylene, and has an upper edge 11, a pair of side walls 16, and a front (left) side. Window forming part 21. The upper edge 11 has a rectangular frame shape, defines an outside air intake 13, and a packing 14 is attached to the upper end surface. The pair of side walls 16 extend downward from the short side 12a of the upper edge 11 and have a fan shape.
[0020]
The window forming portion 21 includes three circumferential frames 22 extending in the circumferential direction from the long side 12 b of the upper end edge portion 11 on the (left) edge 17 a side of the side wall portion 16, and from the lower end of the side wall portion 16. It includes two radial frames 23 extending in the radial direction, and an axial frame 24 connecting the two. The circumferential frames 22 are also interconnected by another axial frame 25. The four inside air intakes 27 are defined by the frames 22, 24 and 25.
[0021]
A lower opening 28 a is defined by the radial frame 23 and the axial frame 24, and a rear opening 28 b is defined by a long side 12 b on the rear side (right side) of the upper edge 11 and an inner side 17 b of the side wall 16. Have been.
[0022]
In FIG. 3, an inside / outside air switching door 30 (hereinafter, abbreviated as a "switching door") 30 is manufactured by injection molding of polypropylene, and has a curved door portion 31, a flat door portion 41, and a connecting portion 46 for connecting both. including. Among them, the curved door portion 31 (restriction plate) has a curved door 32 and a pair of side walls 35. The curved door 32 is curved at a constant curvature and has a circumferential length and width corresponding to the window forming portion 21 of the switching box 10. Each side wall 35 extends perpendicularly from the curved edge 33 of the curved door 32 and has a fan shape. A bottom 38a defined by one end 34a of the curved door 32 and one side 36a of the side wall 35 is open. Similarly, a rear portion 38b defined by the other edge 34b and the other side edge 36b is also open.
[0023]
The flat door portion 41 is formed of a rectangular plate, the width thereof is equal to the width of the curved door portion 31, and the height is lower than the height of the other side edge 36b of the side wall 35. The other edge 36b of the side wall 35 and the flat door portion 41 are connected by a pair of connecting portions 46 separated inward and outward in the radial direction.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 1, the switching door 30 is rotatably accommodated in the switching box 10. In the width direction, the side wall 35 of the switching door 30 is located inside the side wall portion 16 of the switching box 10, and in the circumferential direction, the curved door 32 of the switching door 30 is located inside the window forming portion 21 of the switching box 10. . A shaft member (rotating shaft) 38 extends through a through hole formed in a corner of the side wall 16 of the switching box 10, and an inner end thereof is a fitting hole formed in a corner of the side wall 35 of the switching door 30. 37. When a turning force is applied to the shaft member 38, the switching door 30 is rotatable with respect to the switching box 10.
[0025]
Returning to FIG. 1, blower 50 includes a blower motor 51, a blower fan 52, and a casing 54. The blower motor 51 is arranged vertically and a blower fan 52 is fixed to an output shaft thereof. Casing 54 includes an upper case 56 and a lower case 58. The upper case 56 has a suction hole 57 and is fixed to a part of a ventilation duct (not shown). A lower case 58 integrated with the upper case 56 surrounds the blower motor 51 and the blower fan 52 and defines a passage 59.
[0026]
Next, a door rotating mechanism for rotating the switching door 30 in the switching box 10 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4A and 4B, the first eccentric portion 62 of the circumferential groove 61 formed at the end of the shaft member 38 of the switching door 30 is screwed with the first shape memory wire 70 by the screw member 66. Is connected to one end 71. The other end 72 is separated from the shaft member 38 by a predetermined distance, and is connected to a connector 81 fixed to the casing 54. Further, the other end 77 of the second shape memory wire 75 in which one end 76 is connected to the second eccentric portion 63 of the circumferential groove 61 is also connected to the connector 81. The lengths of the first shape memory wire 70 and the second shape memory wire 75 are selected so as to be longer than the distance between the shaft member 38 and the connector 81 when power is not supplied, and shorter than the distance when power is supplied. .
[0027]
One end 86 of the conductive lead 85 is connected to one end 71 of the first shape memory wire 70 and one end 76 of the second shape memory wire 75. The other end 87 of the lead 85 extends through the connector 81 and is applied with a predetermined voltage (about 3 V). As shown in FIG. 6, a first switch 88 is disposed between the other end 72 of the first shape memory wire 70 and GND, and a second switch is provided between the other end 77 of the second shape memory wire 75 and GND. 89 are arranged.
(Actuation)
The operation of the door rotation mechanism is as follows. The switching door 30 can assume the left turning position or the right turning position shown in FIG. The left rotation position is a position for taking in outside air, and the right rotation state is a position for taking in inside air.
[0028]
When the first switch 88 is turned on and an electric current is applied during intake of outside air, the first shape memory wire 70 generates heat and contracts, and applies a counterclockwise turning force to the shaft member 38. The switching door 30 integrated with the shaft member 38 rotates counterclockwise, the curved door portion 31 closes the inside air intake 27, and the flat door portion 41 extends in the vertical direction and closes the rear opening 28b of the switching box 10. . The rotation of the switching door 30 is stopped when the one edge 34a and the one side edge 36a abut on the radial frame 23 and the axial frame 24 of the switching box 30.
[0029]
The outside air flowing into the outside air inlet 12 from the air passage X of the air duct flows downward, and flows from the open bottom 38a of the switching box 30 to the downstream side through the suction port 57 and the passage 59 of the casing 54, as shown by the arrow Y. Sent. The second shape memory wire 75 remains relaxed, and there is no concern that the counterclockwise rotation of the shaft member 38 is hindered by the second shape memory wire 75.
[0030]
On the other hand, at the time of taking in the inside air, the second switch 89 is turned on, and a current flows through the second shape memory wire 75. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the second shape memory wire 75 generates heat and contracts, and applies a clockwise turning force to the shaft member 38. When the switching door 30 is rotated in the clockwise direction, the curved door portion 31 retreats from the inside air intake 27 and opens, and is located below the outside air intake 12 to close it. The flat door portion 41 approaches the upper wall of the casing 54. The inside air taken in from the inside air inlet 27 flows in the Y direction. In addition, the first shape memory portion wire 70 in the relaxed state does not prevent the clockwise rotation of the shaft member 38.
(effect)
According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. First, the door rotating mechanism of the switching door 30 is composed of a small number of components such as a pair of shape memory wires 70 and 75, a lead wire 85, and switches 88 and 89. In general, shape memory alloys are not so inexpensive, but in the present embodiment, they are used as shape memory wires 70 and 75, and the amount used is small, so that the manufacturing cost does not increase so much.
[0031]
Second, the space occupied by the shape memory wires 70 and 75, the lead wires 85 and the switches 88 and 89 is small. Compared with the conventional servo motor, the number is greatly reduced. This is very significant for vehicles with limited available space.
[0032]
Third, since the contraction of the shape memory wires 70 and 75 is used for the rotation of the switching door 30, there is no rotating part such as a servomotor, and a troublesome operation sound may be generated when the switching door 30 is rotated. Absent.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the door turning mechanism of the air conditioner according to the first invention, as a result of using the two shape memory members for turning the air conditioning door, the air conditioner operates with a small number of parts and a small arrangement space. The air-conditioning door can be turned in one direction and the other direction without generating sound.
[0034]
According to the door rotating mechanism of the second aspect, the amount of use of the first shape memory member and the second shape memory member can be reduced, and an increase in manufacturing cost can be suppressed. According to the door rotation mechanism of the third aspect, the one-way rotation of the air-conditioning door by the contraction of the first shape memory member and the other direction rotation of the air-conditioning door by the contraction of the second shape memory member are easily and reliably switched. Can be
[0035]
According to the door rotation mechanism of the fourth aspect, the first shape memory member and the second shape memory member rotate the intake door, the air mix door, and / or the outlet door in a predetermined direction at a predetermined time. According to the door turning mechanism of the fifth aspect, the air conditioning door turned to the first turning position or the second turning position closes or opens the air passage, and adjusts the amount of air and the air flow.
[0036]
According to the door turning mechanism of the air conditioner according to the second aspect of the present invention, as a result of using one shape memory member for turning the air conditioning door, the number of parts is reduced and the operating space is reduced without generating operation noise. The air-conditioning door can be turned in a predetermined direction.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of an intake unit including an intake door of a vehicle air conditioner.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside / outside air switching box 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the inside / outside air switching door 30;
4A is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4B is a side view thereof.
FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view of the embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of the embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
10: Switching box 11: Upper edge 13: Outside air intake 16: Side wall 21: Window forming part 27: Inside air intake 30: Switching door 32: Curved door part 38: Shaft member 41: Flat door part 50: Blower 61 : Circumferential groove 63: second eccentric portion 70: first shape memory wire 75: second shape memory wire 85: lead wire 88: first switch 89: second switch

Claims (6)

In a vehicle air conditioner, a door rotation mechanism for rotating an air conditioning door including a rotation shaft rotatably supported by an air duct and a regulating plate positioned in the air passage to regulate air flow. So,
A first shape memory member disposed between the air duct and the first eccentric portion of the rotating shaft, the first shape memory member rotating the air-conditioning door in one direction when contracted;
A second shape memory member disposed between the blower duct and a second eccentric portion of the rotation shaft, and configured to rotate the air-conditioning door in another direction when contracted;
Energizing means for causing an electric current to flow through the first shape memory member or the second shape memory member to cause contraction;
A door rotation mechanism for an air conditioner, comprising: 2. The door rotation according to claim 1, wherein the first shape memory member is formed of a first wire that is relaxed when not energized, and the second shape memory member is formed of a second wire that is relaxed when not energized. mechanism. The door turning mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the energizing unit includes a first switch that cuts off a current flowing through the first wire and a second switch that cuts off a power supply flowing through the second wire. The air-conditioning door is arranged at an upstream portion of the air duct and adjusts a ratio between inside air and outside air to be taken in, and is arranged between an evaporator and a heat core and adjusts a ratio between air passing through the heat core and air to be bypassed. The door rotation mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the door rotation mechanism is an air mixing door that performs the air blowing and / or an air blowing door that is arranged downstream of the air duct to adjust an amount of air to be blown. The air-conditioning door, when rotated in one direction and occupies the first rotation position, closes the air passage, and rotates in the other direction to open the air passage when occupied in the second rotation position. Item 2. The door rotation mechanism according to Item 1. In a vehicle air conditioner, a door rotation mechanism for rotating an air conditioning door including a rotation shaft rotatably supported by an air duct and a regulating plate positioned in the air passage to regulate air flow. So,
A shape memory member disposed between the air duct and the eccentric portion of the rotating shaft,
Energizing means for applying an electric current to the shape memory member to contract and rotate the air conditioning door in a predetermined direction;
A door rotation mechanism for an air conditioner, comprising:

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