# US 2021/0276397 A1 · Air-conditioning unit for vehicle

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- Number: US 2021/0276397 A1
- Document ID: US20210276397A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/328,717
- Filed: 2021-05-24
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2018-12-26
- Assignees: Denso Corporation
- Applicants: Denso Corporation
- Inventors: Takahiro NAKAJIMA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276397A1

## CPC

- B60H 1/00021: {Air flow details of HVAC devices}
- B60H 1/00564: {of air ducts}
- F15D 1/0005: {Baffle plates}
- F15D 1/025: {by means of orifice or throttle elements}
- B60H 2001/00092: {of air deflecting or air directing means inside the device}
- F24F 2013/088: {Air-flow straightener}
- B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- F15D: FLUID DYNAMICS, i.e. METHODS OR MEANS FOR INFLUENCING THE FLOW OF GASES OR LIQUIDS
- F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02)

## Abstract

An air-conditioning unit includes: an air-conditioning case in which an in-case passage is formed; and a blower having a blower fan arranged in the in-case passage to rotate around a fan axis so as to blow out air sucked from one side in an axial direction. A rectifying mechanism is arranged downstream of the blower fan in a flow of air in the in-case passage to define a rectifying passage to rectify a swirling flow generated by the rotation of the blower fan relative to the air blown from the blower fan. The rectifying mechanism includes a contracting rectifying passage having an inlet into which the swirling flow flows and an outlet through which the rectified air flows out. A flow path area of the outlet is smaller than a flow path area of the inlet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An air-conditioning unit for a vehicle, comprising:
an air-conditioning case in which an in-case passage is defined for air to be blown into a cabin;
a blower having a blower fan arranged in the in-case passage to rotate around a fan axis so as to blow out air sucked from one side in an axial direction of the fan axis; and
a rectifying mechanism arranged downstream of the blower fan in a flow of air in the in-case passage, a rectifying passage being defined in the rectifying mechanism to rectify a swirling flow generated by rotation of the blower fan relative to the air blown from the blower fan, wherein
the rectifying mechanism includes a contracting rectifying passage having an inlet into which the swirling flow flows and an outlet through which the rectified air flows out, and
a flow path area of the outlet is smaller than a flow path area of the inlet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The air-conditioning unit claimed in claim 1, wherein
the rectifying mechanism has a plurality of rectifying plates to partition the rectifying passage, and
a dimension of the rectifying plate in a thickness direction is longer at the outlet than at the inlet so as to form the contracting rectifying passage.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The air-conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein
the rectifying mechanism has a pair of rectifying plates to partition the rectifying passage,
the pair of rectifying plates are arranged to extend from the inlet to the outlet, and
an interval between the pair of rectifying plates is smaller at the outlet than at the inlet so as to form the contracting rectifying passage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The air-conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein
the rectifying mechanism has a plurality of rectifying plates to partition the rectifying passage,
a dimension of the rectifying plate in a thickness direction is longer at the outlet than at the inlet so as to form the contracting rectifying passage, and
an end portion of the rectifying plate adjacent to the inlet into which the swirling flow flows is curved along a flow direction of the swirling flow flowing into the inlet.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The air-conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein
the contracting rectifying passage has a first contracting rectifying passage and a second contracting rectifying passage,
the rectifying mechanism includes
a first tubular portion,
a second tubular portion arranged radially outside the first tubular portion so as to surround the first tubular portion,
a third tubular portion arranged radially outside the second tubular portion so as to surround the second tubular portion,
a plurality of first rectifying plates arranged between the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion to form the first contracting rectifying passage between the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion, and
a plurality of second rectifying plates arranged between the second tubular portion and the third tubular portion to form the second contracting rectifying passage between the second tubular portion and the third tubular portion,
a first reduction ratio is a ratio of a flow path area of an outlet of the first contracting rectifying passage with respect to a flow path area of an inlet into which the swirling flow flows in the first contracting rectifying passage,
a second reduction ratio is a ratio of a flow path area of an outlet of the second contracting rectifying passage with respect to a flow path area of an inlet into which the swirling flow flows in the second contracting rectifying passage, and
the second reduction ratio is smaller than the first reduction ratio.