# US 10,500,918 B2 · Vehicle air-conditioning apparatus, and vehicle including same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,918 B2 - Document ID: US10500918B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/503,803 - Filed: 2015-05-01 - Published: 2017-08-17 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-11 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Inventors: Akinori Yamamura; Masatoshi Urakawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500918B2 ## CPC - B60H 1/00028: {Constructional lay-out of the devices in the vehicle} - B60H 1/00371: {for vehicles carrying large numbers of passengers, e.g. buses} - B60H 1/00428: {electric} - B60H 1/00521: {Mounting or fastening of components in housings, e.g. heat exchangers, fans, electronic regulators} - B61D 27/0018: {Air-conditioning means, i.e. combining at least two of the following ways of treating or supplying air, namely heating, cooling or ventilating (air-conditioning in general F24F)} - B60H 1/00564: {of air ducts} - B60H 2001/00099: {comprising additional ventilating means} - B60H 2001/00135: {Deviding walls for separate air flows} - B60H 2001/00614: {Cooling of electronic units in air stream} - Y02T 10/88: Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses - Y02T 30/00: Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES - B61D: BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES (vehicles in general B60; adaptation of vehicles to special systems B61B; underframes B61F) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A vehicle air-conditioning apparatus that exhibits improved energy saving performance is provided. In addition, a vehicle with such a vehicle air-conditioning apparatus is provided. The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus includes a cooler provided in a first air passage, and a first air-sending device including a motor and a fan provided in the first air passage, and configured to drive the fan with the motor to thereby generate an airflow that flows into a vehicle interior through the first air passage. At least a part of an outer surface of the motor is located outside the first air passage. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle air-conditioning apparatus comprising: a first air passage provided with a cooler; a second air passage through which outside air passes, the second air passage having no fluid communication with the first air passage; and a first air-sending device including a motor and a single fan, wherein the single fan is provided in the first air passage, and the motor is configured to drive the fan to thereby generate an airflow flowing into a vehicle interior through the first air passage, wherein an outer surface of the motor is located inside the second air passage, and no fan is located inside the second air passage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a heat source-side heat exchanger provided in a third air passage, an expansion device, and a load-side heat exchanger serving as the cooler are connected via a pipe; and a second air-sending device configured to generate an airflow passing through the third air passage and flowing out of a vehicle, wherein an inlet side of the second air passage communicates with outside the vehicle, and an outlet side of the second air passage communicates with the third air passage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein an inlet side and an outlet side of the second air passage communicate with outside a vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of claim 3, wherein the inlet side of the second air passage communicates with a first opening formed in a portion of an outer face of the vehicle oriented parallel to a travel direction of the vehicle, and a first projection is formed on a rear side of a peripheral edge of the first opening, with respect to the travel direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of claim 3, wherein the inlet side of the second air passage communicates with a second opening formed in a forward portion of an outer face of the vehicle, with respect to a travel direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of claim 4, wherein the outlet side of the second air passage communicates with an outlet opening formed in a portion of the outer face of the vehicle oriented parallel to the travel direction of the vehicle, and a second projection is formed on a forward side of the peripheral edge of the outlet opening, with respect to the travel direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of claim 3, wherein the outlet side of the second air passage communicates with a third opening formed in a portion of the outer face of the vehicle oriented parallel to a travel direction of the vehicle, and a recess is formed in the outer face of the vehicle on a forward side of the third opening, with respect to the travel direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of claim 3, wherein the outlet side of the second air passage communicates with a third opening formed in a portion of an outer face of the vehicle oriented parallel to a travel direction of the vehicle, and recesses are formed in the outer face of the vehicle on a forward side and a rear side of the third opening respectively, with respect to the travel direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a part of an outer surface of the motor protrudes from a vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least the part of the outer surface of the motor is covered with a cover member, and the cover member includes fourth openings respectively formed in a forward portion and a rear portion of an outer surface of the cover member, with respect to a travel direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first air-sending device is retained by fixing a flange portion formed around an outer circumferential surface of the motor onto an outer wall of the first air passage, and a seal member is provided so as to seal between the flange portion and the outer wall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A vehicle comprising the vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an inlet side of the second air passage communicates with a first opening formed in a portion of an outer face of the vehicle oriented parallel to a travel direction of the vehicle, a first projection is formed on a rear side of a peripheral edge of the first opening, with respect to the travel direction of the vehicle, an outlet side of the second air passage communicates with an outlet opening formed in a portion of the outer face of the vehicle oriented parallel to the travel direction of the vehicle, and a second projection is formed on a side close to the first opening of the peripheral edge of the outlet opening.