Heating ventilation and air conditioning module

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Module

Field of the invention

The present invention generally relates to a heating, ventilation and air conditioning module.

Background of the invention

A Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning module (or HVAC module) is the module which allows to control air flow and temperature within the car. An HVAC module generally takes the form of a casing, which is connected to a fresh air inlet and which comprises the various elements needed to control air temperature and air flow, such as e.g. regulating electronics, blower motor, blower power module, fan, heater, etc. For air cooling, the HVAC module is connected to a compressor. Furthermore, the HVAC module is connected to air ducts leading to air nozzles in the car and comprises actuated flaps for dispatching air between the different air ducts.

Typically, some of the electrical devices of the HVAC module, such as e.g. the blower module or the blower motor, are each supported on a removable element mounted within an opening in the casing. Such a removable element is most-generally screwed to the casing and closes the opening in a sealed manner so as to avoid air leakage. Once the removable element is mounted to the casing, the electrical device, which is then located inside the casing, has to be connected to the electrical circuit of the HVAC module. Therefore, a socket is conventionally provided on the outer side of the removable element so that a plug of the electrical circuit can be inserted into this socket.

Although such a structure is appreciable because it allows a selective replacement of defective electrical devices, the assembly of the electrical device supported by the removable element and electrical connection thereof are rather complicated and not particularly quick. Regarding the electrical connection, it is to be noted that, if identical plugs and sockets are used for different

P-DELPH1-60/LU electrical devices mounted in the HVAC module, an operator may insert the wrong plug into a socket. One way of avoiding this would be to use different plug/socket sets for each electrical device. This would however complicate the structure of the HVAC module and increase manufacturing costs.

Object of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide an assembly, which allows for a handier mounting of an electrical device to a supporting structure, as well as for a simpler electrical connection of the electrical device. This object is achieved by an assembly as claimed in claim 1.

Summary of the invention

According to the invention, an assembly of an electrical element and a supporting structure is proposed. The supporting structure comprises an opening and first fixing means. A removable element is associated with the opening and comprises second fixing means, which cooperate with the first fixing means for fixing the removable element onto the supporting structure in a locked position. In this locked position, the opening in the supporting structure is closed by the removable element. Furthermore, the electrical device is supported by this removable element. It shall be appreciated that the first fixing means and the second fixing means cooperate in such a way as to form a quick-lock, i.e. a lock mechanism that allows a rapid fixing such as e.g. a twistlock or a snap-fit. Moreover, first contact means are provided on the casing and the electrical device supported by the removable element has second contact means, which come into contact with the first contact means by placing the removable element into its locked position. This structure proves extremely advantageous from an assembly point of view. Indeed, the removable element is easily and rapidly mounted to the supporting structure by means of the quicklock. Moreover, the electrical connection of the electrical device automatically results from the fixation of the removable element to the supporting structure, since the second contact means come into contact with the first contact means,

P-DELPHI-60/LU which will generally be part of an electric circuit. This also means that connection errors can be avoided. The mounting of the electrical device in the supporting structure is thus simplified, but also the replacement of e.g. defective electric devices.

The principle of the assembly according to the invention can be extended to a variety of electrical devices to be mounted to a supporting structure and connected to an electrical circuit, and is particularly interesting for implementation on various elements of an automotive vehicles. For example, the principle of the assembly according to the invention can be adapted for mounting an electrical device to the casing of air conditioner module. By air conditioner module is meant a module capable of treating air and equipped with heating means and/or ventilation means, and/or air conditioning means. Such an air conditioner module is typically an HVAC module. As to air conditioner modules, the mounting and connection of electrical devices such as blower speed control device or blower motor is particularly contemplated. Actuators for pivotable flaps within the casing, sensors, electrical heaters and electrical heater control units shall also be mounted to the casing of the air conditioner module by means of the present assembly. The assembly of the invention can further be adapted for assembling e.g. a fuel pump or a fuel gauge to a fuel reservoir, or for assembling an engine cooling fan motor to its shroud.

Furthermore, it is to be noted that the removable element may have a variety of shapes or functions, as long as it supports the electrical devices and closes the opening in the supporting structure. For example, when an HVAC casing and an actuator are adapted to form an assembly in accordance with the invention, the actuator housing is the removable element to be assembled to the supporting structure, i.e. the HVAC casing, and the actuator motor is not only supported by the actuator but also housed therein.

Preferably, the first contact means comprises a number of contact terminals attached to the supporting structure. The second contact means should thus comprise an equal number of contact terminals arranged so as to face the corresponding contact terminals of the first contact means when the removable

P-DELPH1-60/LU element is fixed to the supporting structure.

The contact terminals of the second contact means may be copper or copper alloy blades protruding on a wall of the removable element. However, in order to ensure an improved contact between the first and second contact means, each of the contact terminals of the second contact means may comprise a contact pin and a compressive spring so that the contact pins are biased onto the corresponding contact terminals of the first contact means. The contact terminals of the second contact means are preferably mounted on the removable element.

As already mentioned above, the first contact means will generally be part of the electrical circuit of a control unit. The first contact means should preferably be in close vicinity of the opening. This electrical circuit may take the form of a wire bundle connected at one end to the control unit and at another end to the first contact means. However, the electrical circuit is preferably formed by a flexible printed circuit attached to the supporting structure. The flexible printed circuit has essentially insulated conductive tracks and the contact terminals of the first contact means are formed by non-insulated portions of the conductive tracks, located in the vicinity of the opening.

Preferably, the first fixing means and the second fixing means are configured in such a way as to form a twist-lock. In a preferred embodiment, the opening in the supporting structure is essentially circular and the removable element comprises an essentially circular part having an outer diameter substantially equal to that of the opening so that it can be received in the opening. The first and second fixing means may then be arranged in such a way as to cooperate in the way of a bayonet fitting. In such a case, the first fixing means can be arranged at the periphery of the opening and the second fixing means at the periphery of the circular part.

In case of a circular opening, the flexible printed circuit preferably follows the curvature of the opening in the vicinity of the latter. The contact terminals are thus arranged on the removable element in such a way as to face the curved portion of the flexible printed circuit when the removable element is

P-DELPH1-60/LU mounted to the supporting structure. Moreover, the contact terminals are arranged in such a way that each of the contact terminals slides on a corresponding conductive track when the removable element is inserted in the opening and rotated to be placed into its locked position, in which the contact terminals comes into contact with the non-insulated portions of the conductive tracks.

Sealing means may be provided in the opening or on the removable element, or on both, so that the removable element sealingly closes the opening in its locked position.

Brief description of the drawings

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 : is a partial perspective view of a HVAC casing and of an actuator, which are adapted to form an assembly according to the invention;

Fig.2: is another perspective view of the actuator of Fig. 1.

In the Figures, same reference numbers indicate similar or identical elements.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

The present invention relates to an assembly of an electrical device to a supporting structure. As an illustration, the principle of the assembly according to the invention has been adapted for assembling an actuator 10 including an electric motor (the electrical device) to a casing 12 of a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning module (or HVAC module, the supporting structure). A partial perspective view of this HVAC casing 12 is shown in Fig.1, whereas the actuator can be better seen in Fig.2.

An HVAC casing typically comprises a number of elements, amongst which pivotable flaps. Such flaps are generally arranged inside the casing and have two shaft portions. In Fig.1, reference sign 14 indicates the casing wall and reference sign 16 indicates a first shaft portion of such a pivotable flap, the

P-DELPHI-60/LU other shaft portion (not shown) being rotatably supported in the casing wall 14. This first shaft portion 16 is coaxially aligned with an opening 18 in the casing wall 14. Actuation of this flap can be achieved by means of the actuator 10, when the latter is fixed to the casing wall 14 and connected to a control unit of the HVAC module.

It shall be appreciated that, as shown in Fig.1, the opening in the casing wall 14 has three equally spaced peripheral gaps 20, 20' and 20, which extend radially from the periphery of the opening 18.

Moreover, reference sign 22 in Fig.2 indicates a cylindrical sleeve of the actuator 10, which has an outer end 24 and an opposite inner end integral with the housing 26 of the actuator 10. As can be seen, the sleeve 22 is provided at its outer end 24 with three radially extending ribs 28, 28' and 28. These ribs 28, 28' and 28 are equally spaced at the periphery of the sleeve 22 and are dimensioned so as to be inserted through the gaps 20, 20' and 20 and locked behind the casing wall 14 by rotation of the actuator 20, whereby the actuator is placed into a locked position. The gaps 20, 20' and 20 in the opening 18 thus form a first fixing means on the actuator 10 and the ribs 28, 28' and 28 on the actuator sleeve 22 thus form second fixing means, which cooperate so as to form a twist-lock. This allows a rapid and easy mounting of the actuator 10 to the casing wall 14.

It is to be noted that, when the actuator 10 is fixed to the casing 12 by means of the twist-lock, the first end portion 16 of the flap is received in an output shaft (not shown), which is rotatably mounted in the sleeve 22. The output shaft is received, through the central opening 29 in the sleeve 22, in a recess of the output shaft, the recess having an inner shape corresponding to the outer shape of the first shaft portion 16. As a result, the first shaft portion 16 is supported by the output shaft of the actuator 10 and is rotationally coupled to the latter. Inside the actuator housing 26, the output shaft is coupled to the electric motor by means of a reducing gear system. It is to be noted that, when the actuator (constituting the removable element supporting the motor) is fixed to the casing, the opening is closed.

P-DELPH1-60/LU

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In order to control the motor of the actuator, the motor is generally connected to a control unit by means of an electric circuit. In the present example, the electrical circuit provided for connecting the actuator to the control unit of the HVAC module comprises a flexible printed circuit 30 attached, e.g. by means of glue, to the outer surface 32 of the casing wall 14. This flexible printed circuit 30 comprises a number of conductive tracks 34, five in this embodiment, which are embedded in plastic for electric insulation. In the vicinity of the opening 18, the flexible printed circuit 30 is advantageously arranged in such a way as to face the actuator 10 when the latter is assembled to the casing wall by means of the twist-lock and to follow the curvature of the opening 18. Moreover, the plastic covering the end portions 36 of each conductive track 34 in the vicinity of the opening 18 has been removed so that each of these end portions 36 forms a contact terminal of the electric circuit of the HVAC module.

Turning again to Fig.2, the actuator is provided with a number of contact terminals 38 equal to the number of conductive tracks 34 of the flexible printed circuit 30. These contact terminals may be e.g. copper blades connected to a printed circuit board inside the actuator 10. These contact terminals 38 are arranged on the actuator 10 in such a way as to face the curved portion of the flexible printed circuit 30 when the actuator 10 is mounted to the casing 12. Moreover, the contact terminals 38 are arranged in such a way that each of the contact terminals 38 slides on a corresponding conductive track 34 when the sleeve 22 of the actuator 10 is inserted in the opening 18 and the actuator 10 is rotated to be placed into its locked position, in which the contact terminals 38 comes into contact with the non-insulated end portions 36 of the conductive tracks 34.

For securing the actuator 10 in its locked position, the actuator 10 is advantageously provided with a tab 40, which cooperates with a sliding bar 42 on the casing wall 14. At one of its ends, the sliding bar 50 is provided with a notch 44.

Although not shown in the Figures, the flexible printed circuit 56 may comprise a number of holes, which cooperate with moulded pins protruding on the

P-DELPH1-60/LU outer sides of the casing for attaching the flexible printed circuit 56.

To sum up, in order to assemble the actuator 10 to the casing wall 14, the actuator 10 is positioned in such a way that the first shaft portion 16 can be received into the output shaft mounted in the sleeve 22, that the ribs 28, 28' and 28 are aligned with the gaps 20, 20' and 20 in the opening 18, and that the tab 40 is located towards the end of the sliding rail 42 opposite the notch 44. This is approximately the configuration shown in Fig.2. The actuator 10 is then assembled to the casing wall 12 and locked therein by introducing the ribs 28, 28' and 28 of the sleeve 22 into the casing through the gaps 20, 20' and 20, and rotating the actuator 10. The contact terminals 38 on the actuator 10 then contact the conductive tracks of the flexible printed circuit and slide thereon. In the present example, the actuator is rotated in a counter clockwise direction so that when the ribs 28, 28' and 28 are locked behind the casing wall 12 next to the gaps 20, 20' and 20. The actuator tab 40 is then locked into the notch 44 in the sliding rail 42, which determines a single locked position for the actuator.

The fixation of the actuator 10 to the casing wall 14 by means of the twist lock is thus easily and rapidly achieved, and automatically results to the connection of the actuator motor to the electric circuit of the HVAC module.

In order to avoid air leakage when the actuator 10 is assembled to the casing 12, a lip 46 surrounds the opening 18. This lip extends between the casing wall 14 and the actuator, and bears against a sealing surface 48 surrounding the sleeve 22.

As already mentioned, the principle of the present assembly can be extended to a variety of electrical devices to be mounted to a supporting structure and connected to an electrical circuit. In the context of an automotive vehicle, it can be adapted for mounting an electrical device to an HVAC casing or to a fuel reservoir. This allows the introduction of the electrical device into the hollow supporting structure through an opening and its fixing by means of the removable element (on which the electrical device is supported), the removable element further closing the opening. Although the electrical device is located inside the supporting structure, its connecting means may be arranged on an

P-DELPH1-60/LU outer side of the removable element, so that it can come into contact with contact means of an electrical circuit arranged on an outer side of the supporting structure.