# US 10,864,795 B2 · Air conditioner for vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,795 B2 - Document ID: US10864795B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/294,485 - Filed: 2019-03-06 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-07 - Assignees: Hanon Systems - Applicants: Hanon Systems - Inventors: Seok Kim; Young Kee Baek; Boo Yong Um; Yong Sik Kim; Byeong Ha Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864795B2 ## CPC - B60H 1/00535: {Mounting or fastening of the housing to the vehicle} - B60H 1/00528: {Connections between housing parts} - B60H 1/00571: {of liquid ducts, e.g. for coolant liquids or refrigerants} - B60H 1/3233: {characterised by condensed liquid drainage means} - F16L 5/02: Sealing - B60H 2001/00635: {Air-tight sealing devices} - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL ## Abstract The present invention relates to an air conditioner for a vehicle can enhance sealing performance and is resistant to noise and vibration, and prevent penetration of water into the interior of the vehicle by inducing water introduced into a seal into an air-conditioning case by a pressure difference. The air conditioner for a vehicle, which has a structure that a pipe of a heat exchanger penetrates through a dash panel (150) of the vehicle, includes: a bracket (140) for inserting and fixing the pipe; and a seal (160) for fixing the bracket (140) between an air-conditioning case and the seal to get in contact with the air-conditioning case. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air conditioner for a vehicle, which has a structure that a pipe of a heat exchanger penetrates through a dash panel of the vehicle, the air conditioner comprising: a bracket for inserting and fixing the pipe; and a seal for fixing the bracket between an air-conditioning case and the seal to get in contact with the air-conditioning case; an expansion valve combined with a front of the bracket to connect pipes; and a pressure drop means for dropping pressure around the expansion valve to induce moisture into the air-conditioning case; wherein the bracket includes a negative pressure forming part having a flow passageway formed at one side to collect moisture around the expansion valve downwardly by forming negative pressure in the flow passageway. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the bracket is made of a rigid material and is inserted into an opening part of the air-conditioning case, and wherein the seal is made of a soft material and is combined with the front of the air-conditioning case. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the air-conditioning case is assembled to the rear of the dash panel, and the dash panel is combined with the seal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein an expansion valve is combined with the front of the bracket, and the seal has an expansion valve insertion hole for inserting the expansion valve thereinto. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the seal has a heater core pipe insertion hole for inserting a heater core pipe thereinto. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein the air-conditioning case includes: an upper air-conditioning case a lower air-conditioning case combined with a lower portion of the upper air-conditioning case and forming an opening part between the upper air-conditioning case and the lower air-conditioning case, and a side bracket combined with sides of the upper air-conditioning case and the lower air-conditioning case and forming a pipe insertion hole between the upper air-conditioning case and the lower air-conditioning case. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the seal includes: a first protrusion part protruding toward the rear of the vehicle to pressurize the bracket toward the air-conditioning case to get in contact with the air-conditioning case; a flange part combined with the air-conditioning case; and a second protrusion part protruding toward the rear of the vehicle from the flange part and combined with the dash panel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the seal includes a first concave groove formed in a contact surface between the seal and the air-conditioning case, and a second concave groove formed in the opposite side to the side where the first concave groove is formed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The air conditioner according to claim 8, wherein the second protrusion part is formed outside in a radial direction more than the first protrusion part, and wherein the first concave groove is formed outside in a radial direction more than the second concave groove. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The air conditioner according to claim 8, wherein the seal has a combining part combined with the air-conditioning case, and the first concave groove is formed outside in a radial direction more than the combining part. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the negative pressure forming part is formed in such a way that the flow passageway is curved at least once. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air-conditioning case has a through hole for inducing the moisture collected by the negative pressure forming part into the air-conditioning case. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the flow passageway of the negative pressure forming part includes an inflow space part communicating with the outside through opening parts, a curved space part formed to be curved in the inflow space part, an outflow space part extending from the curved space part in a downward direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The air conditioner according to claim 13, wherein the opening parts are divided into an upward opening part opened upwardly to introduce moisture upwardly and a side opening part opened laterally to introduce moisture laterally. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The air conditioner according to claim 13, wherein the negative pressure forming part includes: a side wall part extending forwardly from one side of the bracket to guide moisture downwardly; an upper wall part extending forwardly from one side of the bracket to horizontally divide the outflow space part and the outside and forming a curved passageway, so that the moisture goes to the outflow space part through the inflow space part and the curved space part and is discharged out. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The air conditioner according to claim 15, wherein the negative pressure forming part integrally extends from one side of the bracket to the front by the side wall part and the upper wall part, and forms a curved passageway by a member extending to one side of the bracket. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The air conditioner according to claim 15, wherein the upper wall part is formed in a “u” shape, and is curved in a streamlined shape from the top to the bottom. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the bracket is made of a rigid material, and wherein the seal is made of a soft material, and has an expansion valve insertion hole for inserting the expansion valve thereinto.