Modular system for a 1-to-4 zone climate control system for vehicles
View Patent ↗A modular system for a 1-to-4 zone climate control system for vehicles, which is provided with at least one housing and several air tempering and air distribution devices including a fan, optionally a filter, an evaporator, a heater and several doors arranged at a partition that is placed orthogonal to the evaporator and provided to divide the total volume flow into two partial volume flows for the left and right vehicle sides. In the first configuration the partition is provided with several blind fittings for the closing of the flow paths associated with air outlets and air channels of a second configuration. In the second configuration, the blind fittings are replaced with additional doors enabling the use of the air outlets and air channels of additional zones.
1. A system including exchangeable sets of parts for assembly of a modular 1 to 4 zone climate control device for a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
a housing, an evaporator, a heater and a partition, the evaporator and heater and partition all being located within the housing and the partition dividing a total volume flow of the climate control device into two partial flows, one partial flow being for a left side of the vehicle and the other partial flow being for a right side of the vehicle;
a plurality of doors located within the housing and being selectively movable to open and close air channels defined within the housing;
a two exchangeable sets of parts, each set including a plurality of blind fittings and a plurality of additional doors; wherein
the plurality of blind fittings being engagable with mounting features formed in at least one of the housing and the partition, the blind fittings being configured to close off additional flow paths associated with additional air channels and outlets; and
the plurality of additional doors being engagable with the mounting features and configured to selectively open and close the additional air channels and outlets.
2. The modular system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of doors includes a defroster door, a temperature door, a console door and a rear compartment door.
3. The modular system according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting features are formed in the partition and the blind fittings are detachably fastened to the mounting features formed in the partition.
4. The modular system according to claim 1 , wherein the blind fittings are formed as a portion of the partition.
5. The modular system according to claim 1 , wherein each one of the plurality of doors and each one of the additional doors is provided as a pair of door wings located opposite each other on opposing sides of the partition, each pair of door wings being symmetric to one another and defining rotational axes for left and right sides of the vehicle, whereby each rotational axis is supported in the region of axial ends thereof with the mounting features of the housing and the partition.
6. The modular system according to claim 5 wherein individual ones of the pairs of the door wings are operatable independently of each other and rotatable relative to each other.
7. The modular system according to claim 5 wherein at least one pair of the door wings are coupled to each other and operable as a unit.
8. The modular system according to claim 7 wherein the at least one pair of the door wings is coupled by connection elements passed through openings in the partition.
9. A method of assembling a modular 1 to 4 zone climate control device, the method comprising:
providing a housing, an evaporator, a heater and a partition, the evaporator and heater and partition all being located within the housing and the partition dividing a total volume flow of the climate control device into two partial flows respectively, for left and right sides of the vehicle, a plurality of doors located within the housing and being selectively movable to open and close air channels defined within the housing;
a further providing one of two exchangeable sets of parts, the two exchangeable sets of parts including a plurality of blind fittings and a plurality of additional doors;
a mounting one of the two exchangeable sets of parts in engagement with mounting features formed in at least one of the partitions and the housing; wherein
the plurality of blind fittings are engagable with the mounting features, the blind fittings being configured to close off additional flow paths associated with additional air channels and outlets defined within the housing; and
the plurality of additional doors are engagable with the mounting features and are configured to selectively open and close the additional air channels and outlets.