Air conditioning system

An air conditioning system for controlling the temperature of a vehicle passenger compartment, said air conditioning system comprising:

• a first duct unit including a blower device;
• and
• a second duct unit fluidly connected to said first duct unit, said blower device forcing air circulation from said first duct unit toward said second duct unit, said second duct unit comprising:
• a forward end and a rearward end;
• a passageway therethrough;
• a plurality of outlet openings disposed at the rearward end thereof;
• an evaporator disposed in said passageway at the forward end of the second duct unit, said evaporator forming a part of an air-conditioning circuit;
• a heater core disposed in said passageway of said second duct unit rearward of said evaporator and partially covering said passageway of said second duct unit;
• and
• a damper mechanism disposed rearward of said evaporator so as to control an amount of air passing through said evaporator and said heater core and introduced to one or more of said plurality of outlet openings, wherein said evaporator includes an upper tank, a lower tank, and a plurality of tubes fluidly connected to said upper and lower tanks, and wherein said evaporator further includes an intake surface for sectioning an air flow, a first exhaust surface for discharging first portion of said air flow toward said heater core and a second exhaust surface for discharging a second portion of said air flow to said one or more of said plurality of outlet openings by bypassing said heater core.

A heater unit for air conditioning system, said system including a blower unit fluidly connected to said heater unit, said blower unit having blower device for forcing air circulation toward said heater unit, said heater unit comprising:

• an upstream end and a downstream end;
• a body having a passageway therethrough;
• a plurality of outlet openings disposed at the downstream end thereof;
• an evaporator disposed in the passageway at the upstream end, said evaporator comprising an exhaust surface;
• a heater core disposed downstream from said evaporator so as to partially cover the passageway through said heater unit;
• and
• a damper mechanism disposed downstream from said evaporator so as to control an amount of air passing through said evaporator and said heater core and introduced to one or more of said plurality of outlet openings, said mechanism comprising a first damper, said first damper having a closed position whereby all air flow passes through said heater core solely by placing said first damper in said closed position, a second damper, said second damper having a closed position whereby all air flow through said heater core is prevented solely by placing said second damper in said closed position, and a third damper, said third damper having a closed position whereby said third damper covers a portion of said exhaust surface of said evaporator to partially shut off air flowing to said heater core when said third damper is in said closed position.

A heater unit for air conditioning system, said system including a blower unit fluidly connected to said heater unit, said blower unit having blower device for forcing air circulation toward said heater unit, said heater unit comprising:

• an upstream end and a downstream end;
• a body having a passageway therethrough;
• a plurality of outlet openings disposed at the downstream end thereof;
• an evaporator disposed in the passageway at the upstream end;
• a heater core disposed downstream from said evaporator so as to partially cover the passageway through said heater unit;
• and
• a damper mechanism disposed downstream from said evaporator so as to control an amount of air passing through said evaporator and said heater core and introduced to one or more of said plurality of outlet openings, wherein said evaporator includes an upper tank, a lower tank and a plurality of tubes fluidly connected to said upper and lower tanks, and wherein said evaporator further includes an intake surface for sectioning an air flow, a first exhaust surface for discharging a first portion of said air flow toward said heater core and a second exhaust surface for discharging a second portion of said air flow to said one or more of said plurality of outlet openings by bypassing said heater core.