U.S. patent application number 12/835279 was filed with the patent office on 2011-01-20 for drain pan.
This patent application is currently assigned to KEIHIN CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Naoki HIGA.
Application Number | 20110011114 12/835279 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42813506 |
Filed Date | 2011-01-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110011114 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HIGA; Naoki |
January 20, 2011 |
DRAIN PAN
Abstract
A drain pan is disposed below a cooling unit that cools air,
receives water of condensation that falls from the cooling unit,
and guides the water of condensation into an outer portion of the
vehicle air-conditioning apparatus. The drain pan includes a water
receiving region, and receives water of condensation; a drain port
disposed at a bottom-center portion of the water receiving region;
and a rib disposed upright in the bottom portion on a dividing line
that passes through the drain port and divides the water receiving
region.
Inventors: |
HIGA; Naoki;
(Utsunomiya-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CANTOR COLBURN LLP
20 Church Street, 22nd Floor
Hartford
CT
06103
US
|
Assignee: |
KEIHIN CORPORATION
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
42813506 |
Appl. No.: |
12/835279 |
Filed: |
July 13, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/291 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60H 1/3233
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/291 |
International
Class: |
F25D 21/14 20060101
F25D021/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 14, 2009 |
JP |
2009-165950 |
Claims
1. A drain pan disposed below a cooling unit that cools air,
receiving water of condensation that falls from the cooling unit,
guiding the water of condensation into an outer portion of the
vehicle air-conditioning apparatus, the drain pan comprising: a
water receiving region receiving the water of condensation; a drain
port disposed at a bottom-center portion of the water receiving
region; and a rib disposed upright in the bottom portion on a
dividing line that passes through the drain port and divides the
water receiving region.
2. The drain pan according to claim 1, wherein the rib is disposed
at least downstream side of the drain port with respect to airflow
direction.
3. The drain pan according to claim 1, wherein the rib inclines
with respect to the direction of flow of the water of
condensation.
4. The drain pan according to claim 1, further comprising: a canal
for drain connected to incline with respect to the drain port, and
having an inner wall face, wherein the rib is disposed to be
relatively removed from the region in which the inner wall face is
connected at an acute angle with respect to the bottom portion, and
to be relatively close to the region in which the inner wall face
is connected at an obtuse angle with respect to the bottom portion.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No.
2009-165950, filed on Jul. 14, 2009, the contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a drain pan.
[0004] Description of the Related Art
[0005] In a vehicle air-conditioning apparatus, it is known that a
cooling apparatus such as an evaporator produces cold air.
[0006] When producing cold air, moisture which is contained in the
air condenses, to thereby form so-called water of condensation.
[0007] Water of condensation is produced and adheres to the cooling
apparatus and thereafter falls to a lower portion of the cooling
apparatus.
[0008] The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus is provided with a
drain pan that is used to receive water of condensation as
described above and discharge the water of condensation out of the
vehicle air-conditioning apparatus (see, for example, Japanese
Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2004-291701,
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No.
8-258556, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First
Publication No. 10-109522).
[0009] However in a vehicle air-conditioning apparatus, a drain
port provided in a drain pan must be disposed in a central portion
of the drain pan because portions of the drain pan which are molded
and the like are restricted during manufacturing.
[0010] In this case, the water of condensation flows from both
sides of the drain port into the drain port disposed in the central
portion of the drain pan.
[0011] Consequently the shape of the drain port and the connection
between the drain port and a canal for drain are designed on the
premise that water of condensation will inflow from both sides of
the drain port.
[0012] More specifically, the shape of the drain port and the
connection between the drain port and the canal for drain are
designed for example so that noises are not produced as a result of
discharge water.
[0013] However since a vehicle runs and stops, the water of
condensation may accumulate on one side of the drain pan due to the
state of motion of the vehicle.
[0014] Thereafter, there is a case in which the water of
condensation flows towards the drain port from one side of the
drain port.
[0015] In this situation, the water of condensation may not flow
into the drain port as not dispersed from both sides of the drain
port, but rather a large amount of water of condensation may flow
at once towards the drain port from one side of the drain port and
thereby an noise may result from the discharge water.
[0016] The present invention was made with respect to the
above-described problems, it is an object to suppress the
production of an noise resulting from simultaneous flow of water of
condensation towards a drain port from one side of a drain port
provided in a central portion in a drain pan disposed in a vehicle
air-conditioning apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The present invention employs the followings in order to
achieve the above described object.
[0018] That is, a drain pan according to the present invention is
disposed below a cooling unit that cools air, receives water of
condensation that falls from the cooling unit, and guides the water
of condensation into an outer portion of the vehicle
air-conditioning apparatus. The drain pan includes a water
receiving region and receives the water of condensation, a drain
port disposed at a bottom-center portion of the water receiving
region, and a rib disposed upright on the bottom portion on a
dividing line that passes through the drain port and divides the
water receiving region.
[0019] The rib may be disposed at least downstream side of the
drain port with respect to airflow direction.
[0020] The rib may incline with respect to the direction of flow of
the water of condensation.
[0021] The drain pan may include a canal for drain that is
connected to incline with respect to the drain port and is provided
with an inner wall face, and the rib is disposed to be relatively
removed from the region in which the inner wall face is connected
at an acute angle with respect to the bottom portion, and to be
relatively close to the region in which the inner wall face is
connected at an obtuse angle with respect to the bottom
portion.
[0022] According to the present invention, the rib is provided in
an upright direction on the bottom portion on a dividing line that
passes through the drain port, divides the water receiving region,
and suppresses water of condensation from flowing from a first
region in which the water of condensation initially drops into a
second region different from the first area.
[0023] In other words, according to the present invention, the
water of condensation can be prevented from accumulating in a
region on one side of the water receiving region.
[0024] As a result, the water of condensation can be prevented from
flowing simultaneously toward the drain port from one side of the
drain port.
[0025] Thus according to the present invention, the production of
an noise resulting from water of condensation flowing
simultaneously towards the drain port from one side of the drain
port that is provided in a central portion can be prevented.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a vehicle
air-conditioning apparatus provided with a drain pan according to a
first embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the vehicle
air-conditioning apparatus provided with a drain pan according to
the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the drain pan according to
the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the drain pan according
to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a drain pan according to
a second embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0031] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described
with reference to the drawings.
[0032] In the figures, the scale of various members has been
suitably varied to a size that enables recognition of the various
members.
First Embodiment
[0033] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view including a drain
pan 1 for a vehicle air-conditioning apparatus S1 (HVAC: heating
ventilating air conditioning) provided with a drain pan 1 according
to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100
indicates a region on the passenger seat side and reference numeral
200 indicates a region on the driver seat side. The region
indicates by reference 100 may be the driver seat side and the
region indicates by reference 200 may be the passenger seat side.
FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the vehicle
air-conditioning apparatus S1 and extracts only the region
containing the drain pan 1.
[0034] The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus S1 is an apparatus
supplying conditioned air into the vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 1 and
2, the vehicle air-conditioning apparatus S1 is provided with a
case C, an evaporator E, and the drain pan 1. The case C, forms the
outer shape of the vehicle air-conditioning apparatus S1 and houses
the passage for air into an inner portion, the evaporator E
(cooling apparatus) and the like. The evaporator E cools air and is
disposed to be exposed in the air flowing in the airflow direction
as shown in FIG. 2. In the present embodiment, the airflow
direction shown in FIG. 2 substantially corresponds with the
direction from the rear to the front of the vehicle. The case C and
the evaporator E have the same structure as a known vehicle
air-conditioning apparatus and therefore description thereof will
be omitted.
[0035] The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus S1 according to the
present embodiment, in the same manner as a conventional vehicle
air-conditioning apparatus, is provided with a heater core for
heating air, an outlet for discharging conditioned air, a damper
for opening and closing the outlet, an air mix damper for
regulating temperature of the conditioned air, and the like. These
constitutive members have a known configuration and therefore
description thereof will be omitted.
[0036] The drain pan 1 according to the present embodiment, as
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is disposed below the evaporator E and
receives water of condensation falling from the evaporator E, and
thereafter guides the water of condensation to an outer portion of
the vehicle air-conditioning apparatus S1. The drain pan 1 is
configured, for example, using expanded rubber or the like to
absorb vibrations. The drain pan 1 is disposed between the case C
and the evaporator E and is configured to function as an
insulator.
[0037] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a drain pan 1 according to
the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of a drain
pan 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in the figures, the drain pan 1 according to the present
embodiment is provided with a side wall 2, a bottom portion 3, a
drain port 4, and a rib 5.
[0038] The side wall 2 is a wall portion formed to encircle a water
receiving region R. In other words, the region encircled by the
side wall 2 in the drain pan 1 according to the present embodiment
is the water receiving region R. This water receiving region R
receives drops of water from the evaporator E.
[0039] The bottom portion 3 is disposed in a central portion of the
water receiving region R and is formed at the lowest point in the
water receiving region R. Furthermore the bottom portion 3 is the
region to which water of condensation received in the water
receiving region R is accumulated.
[0040] The drain port 4 discharges water of condensation
accumulating in the bottom portion 3 to an outer portion of the
vehicle air-conditioning apparatus S1. The drain port 4 is disposed
at a central portion of the bottom portion 3(bottom-center
portion), and as a result, is disposed in a central portion of the
water receiving region R. The central portion as used in the
present embodiment (the present invention) means a region
indicating not only the center of the region but excluding the end
portions of the region. In the drain pan 1 according to the present
embodiment, the drain port 4 as shown in FIG. 4 is configured in an
elongated rectangular shape in a direction orthogonal to the
airflow direction.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 1, the canal for drain 10 inclines from
below and is connected with the drain port 4. More specifically,
the canal for drain 10 extends towards the drain port 4 from the
passenger seat side and is connected with the drain port 4. An
inner wall face 10a of the canal for drain 10 is connected at an
acute angle to the bottom portion 3 at an end portion 4a disposed
on the passenger seat side of the drain port 4. The inner wall face
10a of the canal for drain 10 is connected at an obtuse angle to
the bottom portion 3 at an end portion 4b disposed on the driver
seat side of the drain port 4.
[0042] The rib 5 is disposed upright on the bottom portion 3 on the
dividing line B that passes through the drain port 4 and divides
the water receiving portion R. The dividing line B may be virtually
provided. If the conditions in which the dividing line B passes
through the drain port 4 are satisfied, the dividing line B can be
optionally defined. It is not necessary for the dividing line B to
be linear.
[0043] The rib 5 is composed of a downstream rib 5a provided on a
downstream side of the drain port 4 and an upstream rib 5b provided
on an upstream side of the drain port 4. The rib 5a and the rib 5b
are provided with reference to the airflow direction. The rib 5a
and the rib 5b as shown in FIG. 4 are provided to incline with
reference to the direction of flow of the water of condensation
X.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 4, the rib 5 is provided near to the end
portion 4b of the drain port 4 at which the inner wall face 10a of
the canal for drain 10 is connected at an obtuse angle to the
bottom portion 3.
[0045] In other words, the drain pan 1 according to the present
embodiment configures the rib 5 to be relatively distant from the
end portion 4a of the drain port 4 that is the region in which the
inner wall portion 10a of the canal for drain 10 is connected at an
acute angle to the bottom portion 3, and to be relatively close to
the end portion 4b of the drain port 4 that is the region in which
the inner wall portion 10 of the canal for drain 10 is connected at
an obtuse angle to the bottom portion 3.
[0046] When the vehicle air-conditioning apparatus S1 is operated,
the supplied air is cooled by the evaporator E. As a result, water
of condensation becomes adhered to the evaporator E, and thereafter
the water of condensation falls from the evaporator E. The falling
water of condensation is received into the water receiving region R
in the drain pan 1 according to the present embodiment, accumulates
in the bottom portion 3, and then the water of condensation is
discharged to an outer portion of the vehicle air-conditioning
apparatus S1 through the drain port 4.
[0047] In the drain pan 1 according to the present embodiment,
since the rib 5 passes through the drain port 4 and is disposed
upright on the dividing line B that divides the water receiving
region R, the water receiving region R is divided into a passenger
seat side and a driver seat side. As a result, the rib 5 dams water
of condensation X and therefore prevents the water of condensation
X that has fallen onto the passenger seat side of the water
receiving region R from flowing toward the driver seat side.
Furthermore water of condensation X falling into the driver seat
side of the water receiving region R is prevented from flowing
toward the passenger seat side.
[0048] In this manner, according to the drain pan 1 of the present
embodiment, water of condensation X can be prevented from
accumulating on one side of the water receiving region R. Thus as a
result, the water of condensation X can be prevented from flowing
simultaneously from one side of the drain port 4 toward the drain
port 4. Thus according to the drain pan 1 of the present
embodiment, it is possible to prevent the production of an noise as
a result of water of condensation X flowing simultaneously from one
side of the drain port 4 disposed in a central portion toward the
drain port 4.
[0049] According to the drain pan 1 of the present embodiment, the
rib 5 (downstream rib 5a) is provided downstream side of the drain
port 4 in the airflow direction.
[0050] The water of condensation X falling from the evaporator E
tends to accumulate on a downstream side of the drain port 4 as a
result of flowing in the flow of air passing through the evaporator
E.
[0051] As a result, since the rib 5 is provided downstream of the
drain port 4 in the drain pan 1 according to the present
embodiment, the water of condensation X can be effectively
dammed.
[0052] Furthermore in a drain pan 1 according to the present
embodiment, the rib 5 is provided to incline with respect to the
direction of flow of the water of condensation X. As a result, the
water of condensation X that has been dammed by the rib 5 can be
guided smoothly into the drain port 4.
[0053] In a drain pan 1 according to the present embodiment, the
canal for drain 10 inclines and is connected to the drain port 4.
According to this configuration, a film of the water of
condensation X that has flowed toward the drain port 4 from the end
portion 4a of the drain port 4 which is the region in which the
inner wall face 10 of the canal for drain 10 is connected at an
acute angle to the bottom portion 3 may be formed in the canal for
drain 10. This type of water film is severed by the differential
pressure in the canal for drain 10 and may cause an noise.
[0054] However in a drain pan 1 according to the present
embodiment, the rib 5 is disposed to be relatively removed from the
end portion 4a of the drain port 4 which is region in which the
inner wall face 10a of the canal for drain 10 is connected at an
acute angle with respect to the bottom portion 3, and to be
relatively close to the end portion 4b of the drain port 4 which is
the region in which the inner wall face 10a of the canal for drain
10 is connected at an obtuse angle with respect to the bottom
portion 3. As a result, the water of condensation X that is dammed
by the rib 5 tends to be guided by the rib 5 and flow towards the
end portion 4b. As a result, the production of a water film in the
canal for drain 10 can be suppressed and it is possible to further
suppress the production of an noise.
Second Embodiment
[0055] Next a second embodiment of the present invention will be
described.
[0056] In the description of the second embodiment, those elements
which are the same as the elements in the first embodiment are
denoted by the same reference numerals and description will not be
repeated for the sake of simplicity.
[0057] FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a drain pan 20 according
to the second embodiment. As shown in the figure, the drain pan 20
according to the present embodiment disposes a dividing line B
along the airflow direction and a rib 30 is provided orthogonal to
the direction of flow of the water of condensation X.
[0058] The rib 30 in a drain pan 20 according to the present
embodiment having the above configuration also dams the water of
condensation X in the same manner as the drain pan 1 according to
the first embodiment. In this manner, the water of condensation X
that has fallen onto the passenger seat side of the water receiving
region R is prevented from flowing toward the driver seat side.
Furthermore the water of condensation X that has fallen onto the
driver seat side of the water receiving region R is prevented from
flowing toward the passenger seat side. As a result, the drain pan
20 according to the present embodiment, in a similar manner to the
drain pan 1 according to the first embodiment, enables prevention
of the production of an noise resulting from the simultaneous flow
of water of condensation X toward the drain port 4 from one side of
the drain port 4 disposed in a central portion.
[0059] For example, in the above embodiment, a configuration was
described in which the drain pan 1 according to the present
embodiment functioned as an insulator.
[0060] However the present invention is not limited in this regard
and the drain pan according to the present invention may be
realized by molding the lower portion of the case C.
[0061] In the above embodiment, a configuration was described in
which the rib 5, 30 provided downstream of the drain port 4 in the
airflow direction is separate from the rib 5, 30 provided upstream
of the drain port 4. However the present invention is not limited
in this regard and a configuration may be adopted in which the rib
5, 30 provided downstream of the drain port 4 in the airflow
direction and the rib 5, 30 provided upstream of the drain port 4
are connected on the drain port 4.
[0062] While preferred embodiments of the invention have been
described and illustrated above, it should be understood that these
are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as
limiting. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other
modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the
present invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be
considered as being limited by the foregoing description, and is
only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *