Air conditioning/heating apparatus for automobiles
AssigneeNippon Soken, Inc.
InventorsMitsuru Nakagawa, Yasuo Kondo, Atsushi Hashikawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air conditioning/heating apparatus for an automobile, comprising an assembly which is located on a steering column cover of the automobile, the heater assembly comprising an air duct, a heating element arranged in the air duct for heating the air passing through the heating element, and an air outlet opening from which the air is blown out.
Claims33
An air conditioning/heating apparatus for an automobile having a steering column, a steering wheel thereon, and a fixed cover for the column, comprising a main duct, a motor driven air fan in the main duct, a heating heat exchanger arranged in the main duct, and a bifurcated air duct communicating with said main duct downstream of said fan, a damper located at the junction of the bifurcated duct with the main duct for selectively establishing or breaking communication between the two ducts, said bifurcated duct extending to the steering column cover and having an air outlet opening for directing at least some the air therefrom between the rim and hub of the wheel onto the driver, and an electrical heating element arranged in the bifurcated air duct for heating the air passing therethrough.
In an automobile provided with a conventional windshield and dashboard and conventional heating apparatus comprising a main air duct provided with outlet openings in the dashboard, outlet openings for directing air upward upon the windshield and at least one outlet opening for directing air downward below the dashboard, a heating heat exchanger in the main duct, a motor driven fan in the main duct, a steering column, a steering wheel thereon and a fixed cover for the column, the combination of a heater assembly comprising:
- a casing attached to the cover and defining an air duct provided with an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end for directing at least some of the air issuing from said outlet between the rim and hub of the wheel onto the driver;
- and
- an electrical heating element in said casing duct closely adjacent said casing outlet for heating air passing therethrough.
An air conditioning/heating apparatus for an automobile having a steering column, a steering wheel thereon, and a fixed cover for said column, comprising:
- a main duct;
- a motor driven air fan provided in said main duct;
- a heating heat exchanger arranged in said main duct;
- a bifurcated air duct branching off of said main duct at a junction downstream of said fan;
- means operatively attached to said bifurcated duct to open and close said bifurcated duct;
- said bifurcated duct extending from said junction apart from said main duct to said steering column cover and having an air outlet opening for directing at least some of the air therefrom between the rim and hub of the wheel onto the driver;
- and
- an electrical heating element arranged in said bifurcated air duct closely adjacent said outlet opening for heating the air passing therethrough.
In a heater assembly for an automobile provided with a conventional windshield and dashboard, a steering column, a steering wheel thereon, a fixed cover for the column, and a conventional heating apparatus comprising a main air duct provided with outlet openings in the dashboard, outlet openings for directing air upward upon the windshield and at least one outlet opening for directing air downward below the dashboard, a heating heat exchanger in the main air duct, and a motor driven fan in the main air duct,
- said heater assembly comprising:
- a casing attachable to said fixed cover and defining an air duct, said casing having an air inlet at one end at which said air inlet opens to the atmosphere around said fixed cover and an air outlet at the other end for directing at least some of the air issuing from said air outlet between the rim and hub of the wheel onto the driver;
- another motor driven fan provided in said duct defined by said casing;
- and
- an electrical heating element arranged in said duct defined by said casing closely adjacent said air outlet for heating air passing therethrough.
A heater assembly for an automobile provided with a conventional windshield and dashboard and conventional heating apparatus comprising a main air duct provided with outlet openings in the dashboard, outlet openings for directing air upward upon the windshield and at least one outlet opening for directing air downward below the dashboard, a heating heat exchanger in the main duct, a motor driven fan in the main duct, a steering column, a steering wheel thereon, and a fixed cover for the column, comprising:
- a casing attachable to the cover and defining an air duct provided with an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end for directing at least some of the air issuing from said outlet between the rim and hub of the wheel onto the driver;
- and
- an electrical heating element in said casing duct closely adjacent said casing outlet for heating air passing therethrough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.