Method and apparatus for controlling airflow in a vehicular HVAC system

An airflow control apparatus having a plurality of doors and outlets for controlling an airflow in a vehicular HVAC system, said apparatus comprising:

• a first chamber having a first outlet and a first passage;
• a first door controlling the airflow to said first outlet and said first passage;
• a second chamber coupled to said first passage and having a second outlet and a third outlet;
• a wall diving said second chamber into a third chamber for providing airflow to a driver zone and a fourth chamber for providing airflow to a passenger zone;
• a second door positioned in said third chamber, wherein said second door controls airflow from said third chamber to said second and third outlets;
• and
• a third door positioned in said fourth chamber, wherein said third door controls airflow from said fourth chamber to said second and third outlets independent of said second door.

An airflow control apparatus having a plurality of doors and outlets for controlling an airflow in a vehicular HVAC system, said apparatus comprising:

• a first chamber having a defrost outlet and a first passage;
• a first door controlling the airflow to said defrost outlet and said first passage;
• a second chamber and a third chamber to receive the airflow from said first passage;
• a second door positioned in said second chamber for controlling airflow to a driver panel outlet and a driver floor outlet;
• and
• a third door positioned in said third chamber for controlling airflow to a passenger panel outlet and a passenger floor outlet independent of said second door.

An airflow control apparatus having a plurality of doors and outlets for controlling an airflow in a vehicular HVAC system, said apparatus comprising:

• a first passage controlled by a first door;
• a first outlet controlled by a second door and a third door operating independent of the other, wherein said second door and said third door control the airflow from said first passage through said first outlet to a first zone and a second zone, respectively;
• and
• a second outlet controlled by said second door and said third door, each operating independent of the other, wherein said second door and said third door control the airflow from said first passage through said second outlet to a third zone and a fourth zone, respectively.

An airflow control apparatus having a plurality of doors and outlets for controlling an airflow in a vehicular HVAC system, said apparatus comprising:

• a first outlet controlled by a first door;
• a first passage controlled by said first door, wherein said first door is movable to any position between an open position enabling substantially all of the airflow to exit said first outlet and a closed position enabling substantially all of the airflow to enter said first passage;
• a second outlet connected to said first passage and controlled by a second door and a third door, each operating independent of the other, wherein said second and third doors control the amount of airflow through said second outlet to a driver zone and a passenger zone, respectively;
• and
• a third outlet connected to said first passage and controlled by said second door and said third door, each operating independent of the other, wherein said second and third doors control the amount of airflow through said third outlet to a driver zone and a passenger zone, respectively.

An airflow control apparatus having a plurality of doors and outlets for controlling an airflow in a vehicular HVAC system, said apparatus comprising:

• a defrost outlet controlled by a first door;
• a first passage controlled by said first door, wherein said first door is movable between an open position enabling substantially all of the airflow to exit said defrost outlet and a closed position enabling substantially all of the airflow to enter said first passage;
• a panel outlet coupled to receive the airflow by way of said first passage;
• a floor outlet coupled to receive the airflow by way of said first passage;
• a wall dividing said panel outlet into a driver panel outlet and a passenger panel outlet and dividing said floor outlet into a driver floor outlet and a passenger floor outlet;
• a second door for controlling the airflow to said driver panel outlet and said driver floor outlet;
• and
• a third door for controlling the airflow to said passenger panel outlet and said passenger floor outlet.

An airflow control apparatus having a plurality of doors and outlets for controlling an airflow in a vehicular HVAC system, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing having an inlet for receiving the airflow;
• a first door movable within said housing between a first position and a second position for controlling the airflow to a first outlet and a first passage;
• a second door movable within said housing between a first position and a second position for controlling a first portion of the airflow received from said first passage and directed to a driver side of a vehicle;
• and
• a third door movable within said housing between a first position and a second position for controlling a second portion of the airflow received from said first passage and directed to a passenger side of a vehicle.

An airflow control apparatus having a plurality of doors and outlets for controlling an airflow in a vehicular HVAC system comprising:

• a first door movable between a first position and a second position for controlling the airflow to a defrost outlet and a first passage leading to a panel outlet and a floor outlet;
• a wall dividing said panel outlet into a driver panel outlet and a passenger panel outlet and dividing said floor outlet into a driver floor outlet and a passenger floor outlet;
• a second door movable between a first position and a second position for controlling the airflow received from said first passage and provided to said driver panel outlet and said driver floor outlet;
• and
• a third door movable between a first position and a second position for controlling the airflow received from said first passage and provided to said passenger panel outlet and said passenger floor outlet.

A method of controlling an airflow in a vehicular HVAC system, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving the airflow into a first chamber of a housing;
• controlling the airflow from said first chamber to a second chamber of a housing with a first door;
• controlling the airflow from said second chamber to a first zone with a second door;
• and
• controlling the airflow from said second chamber to a second zone with a third door.

A method of controlling airflow in a vehicular HVAC system, said method comprising the steps of:

• directing an airflow into a chamber;
• controlling the airflow from a first portion in said chamber to a driver zone of said vehicle by way of a driver panel outlet and a driver floor outlet with a door;
• and
• controlling the airflow from a second portion in said chamber to a passenger zone of said vehicle by way of a passenger panel outlet and a passenger floor outlet with another third door.

A method of controlling airflow in a vehicular HVAC system, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first chamber having a first outlet and a first passageway;
• varying the position of a first door to control the amount of airflow that passes out of said first outlet and to control the amount of airflow that passes to a second chamber by way of said first passageway;
• varying the position of a second door to control the airflow from said second chamber to a driver zone;
• and
• varying the position of a third door to control the airflow from said second chamber to a passenger zone.

A method of controlling airflow in a multi-chamber apparatus of a vehicular HVAC system, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first chamber having a first outlet and a first passageway;
• varying the position of a first door to control the amount of airflow that passes from said first outlet and to control the amount of airflow that provided to a second chamber by way of said first passageway;
• varying the position of a second door to control the airflow from said second chamber passing to a driver zone through a driver panel outlet and a driver floor outlet;
• and
• varying the position of a third door to control the airflow from said second chamber passing to a passenger zone through a passenger panel outlet and a passenger floor outlet.