JP4042011B2 - Instrument panel air guide duct - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an air guide duct for an instrument panel, and more specifically, an air blowing portion that is installed on the inner back side of an instrument panel that is an interior member of a passenger car, the interior of a floor console, a ceiling, or the like, and opens to the panel. It is related with the improvement of the air guide duct which connects an air-conditioner unit and guides the temperature-controlled air from an air-conditioner unit to an air blowing part.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In front of the driver's seat and passenger seat in a passenger car, an instrument panel is provided which is molded into a required shape and extends in the vehicle width direction and functions as a base for installing various in-vehicle devices and equipment. For example, in general instrument panels, instrument panels with speedometers, tachometers and various indicator lights, glove boxes for storing various haberdashery and vehicle inspections, airbags for passenger protection, audio and air conditioning control operation panels Many in-vehicle devices such as are installed. The air conditioning unit for passenger compartment air conditioning, which is controlled by the air conditioning control operation panel, is disposed in front of the passenger compartment while being covered with the instrument panel, and is adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the air conditioning unit. Warm air is blown out into the passenger compartment through an air blowing portion provided in the center of the outer surface portion facing the passenger seat side of the instrument panel and in the vicinity of both left and right ends. That is, an air guide duct is provided inside the instrument panel to connect the air conditioner unit and each air outlet, and the temperature-controlled air sent from the air conditioner unit passes through the air guide duct. It is distributed and guided to each air outlet.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, the air duct 70 is formed by blow molding as a hollow body having a deformed cross-sectional shape, for example, as shown in FIG. 6 , but generally, the material is made of a resin such as polyethylene (PE). There is a drawback that water condensation is likely to occur due to a temperature difference between the air circulation space 76 defined in the main body 72 and the outside, and condensation easily occurs. Therefore, if this condensation forms water droplets and falls on steel parts such as the car body and brackets, it causes rust, and if it falls on harnesses and electrical parts arranged inside the instrument panel, it may cause short circuits or in-vehicle equipment. There is an inconvenience that causes malfunction or failure. Further, when the harness or the electrical component comes into contact with the air guide duct, there is a problem that unpleasant noise is generated. For this reason, measures are taken to prevent condensation and abnormal noise by sticking a urethane sheet or the like to the outer surface of the main body 72, but the manufacturing cost increases because the material cost of the urethane sheet and the sticking work are required. There were drawbacks. On the other hand, since the interior of the air conditioner unit and each air blowing portion provided in the instrument panel are in spatial communication via the air guide duct 70, the operating noise of the blower driven in the air conditioner unit is There has also been pointed out a problem that the air guide duct 70 propagates through the air guide duct 70 and leaks into the passenger compartment. Furthermore, due to restrictions on the mounting position on the instrument panel and blow molding, a bracket 74 for mounting and fixing to the panel must be molded as a separate member, and this bracket 74 must be mounted at a predetermined position on the main body 72. As a result, the manufacturing cost was further increased.
[0004]
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been proposed to suitably solve the above-described problems, and is excellent in a heat insulating effect and a soundproofing effect, with a first base formed from a resin sheet material and having rigidity necessary for maintaining its shape. Instrument panel air guide that is configured with a second base made of foamed resin sheet material, which prevents condensation, prevents abnormal noise from coming into contact with other members, and absorbs noise from the air conditioner unit. The purpose is to provide a duct.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to overcome the above-mentioned problems and to achieve the intended purpose suitably, the air guide duct of the instrument panel according to the present invention is:
An air blower that is disposed in an instrument panel mounted in front of the passenger compartment and that opens to the instrument panel and the air conditioner unit are connected to each other, and the temperature-controlled air from the air conditioner unit is In the air guide duct that guides to the air outlet,
The air guide duct is composed of a first base and a second base joined in the longitudinal direction,
The first base is formed from a resin sheet material having rigidity necessary to maintain a required shape, and an air inlet that matches the air conditioner unit and an air outlet that matches the air outlet are located at predetermined positions. Prepared,
The second base is molded from a foamed resin sheet material, and is joined to the first base in the longitudinal direction to define an air circulation space therein . The second base is more external than the first base. Is characterized by a wide setting .
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, preferred embodiments of the air guide duct of the instrument panel according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0007]
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an air guide duct of an instrument panel according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an AA line, BB in an air guide duct 10 shown in FIG. It is the longitudinal cross-sectional view fractured | ruptured at each position of a line and CC line. The air guide duct 10 includes a first base 12 formed from a resin sheet material having a required thickness and a second base 14 formed from a foamed resin sheet material having a required thickness. By joining the second base 14 in the longitudinal direction, the whole is formed into an elongated hollow body, and as shown in FIG. 3, it is disposed in the direction extending in the lateral direction on the inner back side of the instrument panel 42. .
[0008]
(First base)
The first base 12 is integrally formed into a required shape from a resin sheet material (described later) made of, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, or the like, and has rigidity necessary to maintain its own shape. In addition, a total of four air outlets 16 are opened at both end portions and the intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction at every required interval, and the lower part of the second air outlet 16 from the left side in FIG. A directional air inlet 18 is open. In addition, first brackets (mounting tools) 20 and 20 for attaching and fixing the central portion of the air guide duct 10 to the instrument panel 42 are integrated with the upper portions of the air outlets 16 and 16 located in the center. A second bracket (attachment) 22 for fixing and fixing both end portions of the duct 10 to the panel 42 at the lower edge portions of the air outlets 16 and 16 that are molded and located at both left and right ends. 22 is integrally formed.
[0009]
(Second base)
The second substrate 14 is integrally formed into a required shape from a foamed resin sheet material (described later) made of, for example, foamed polyethylene or foamed polypropylene. The second base 14 is rich in flexibility and has rigidity necessary for maintaining its own shape. Not done. The second base 14 has its entire peripheral edge 26 in close contact with the entire peripheral edge 24 of the first base 12 and is joined in the longitudinal direction, whereby the air circulation space 28 is formed therein. A hollow body-shaped air guide duct 10 is defined. In addition, the foamed resin sheet material forming the second base 14 has an excellent heat insulating effect because of its low thermal conductivity as compared with a normal blow molded material, and also has excellent soundproofing and sound absorbing effects. The same thickness is lighter than the blow molded material.
[0010]
(About molding of the first substrate and the second substrate)
The first base body 12 and the second base body 14 having the above-described shapes are formed into a predetermined shape by, for example, “pressure forming” or “vacuum forming” that has already been put to practical use as a known forming technique. Of these, the pneumatic molding method is a method of molding a hollow product by pressing two resin sheet materials against their corresponding molds using the pressure of compressed air. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the process of forming the air guide duct 10 of the present embodiment by using this compressed air forming method over time. That is, the resin sheet material 30 for molding the first base 12 and the foamed resin sheet material 32 for molding the second base 14 are arranged at a required interval with the spacer 34 interposed therebetween, and the resin sheet material 30. And the peripheral part of the foamed resin sheet material 32 is clamped with clamps 36, 36 (FIG. 4A). Then, the resin sheet material 30 and the foamed resin sheet material 32 set at a required interval by the spacer 34 and the clamps 36 and 36 are preheated and softened by the heater 38, and between the resin sheet material 30 and the foamed resin sheet material 32. By feeding compressed air into the space 40 defined in FIG. 4, both the sheet materials 30 and 32 are appropriately expanded outwardly away from each other (FIG. 4B).
[0011]
Next, the upper mold 52 and the lower mold 54 of the mold 50 are brought close to each other (FIG. 5A), and further compressed air is fed into the space 40, so that the resin sheet material 30 becomes the upper mold 52. While being in close contact with the molding surface 52a, the foamed resin sheet material 32 comes into close contact with the molding surface 54a of the lower mold 54 (FIG. 5B). Further, the contact surface 52b of the upper mold 52 and the contact surface 54b of the lower mold 54 press the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge of the resin sheet material 30 and the foamed resin sheet material 32, and both the sheet materials 30 and 32 are self-melting. And then joined together. Then, after the molding is completed by cooling and solidification, the joined first base 12 and second base 14 are removed from the molding die 50, and unnecessary portions are cut off at predetermined positions of the joined portion, so that FIG. The air guide duct 10 shown is molded. The upper mold 52 and the lower mold 54 of the mold 50 are provided with air suction nozzles 56 and 56 connected to an air suction machine (not shown), and air in the mold 50 is discharged from each nozzle 56. By sucking, the adhesion of the sheet materials 30 and 32 to the molding surfaces 52a and 54a can be improved.
[0012]
As described above, in the pressure forming, the first base 12 and the second base 14 can be simultaneously formed and joined, so that the forming operation can be rationalized. In the pressure forming, it is preferable that the first base 12 and the second base 14 are made of the same material. For example, when the first base 12 is made of polypropylene, the second base 14 is made of foamed polypropylene. When the second substrate 14 is polyethylene, the second substrate 14 is foamed polyethylene.
[0013]
On the other hand, when the air guide duct 10 of this embodiment is formed using the vacuum forming, the first base 12 is formed from the resin sheet material 30 using the vacuum forming die for the first base 12. Then, the second substrate 14 is formed from the foamed resin sheet material 32 using a vacuum forming die for the second substrate 14. In the next step, the outer peripheral edge 24 of the first base 12 and the outer peripheral edge 26 of the second base 14 are bonded with an adhesive or the like, and the first base 12 and the second base 14 are moved in the longitudinal direction. As a result, the air guide duct 10 is formed.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 3, the air guide duct 10 of the embodiment formed in this way is attached and fixed to the inner back side of the instrument panel 42 using the first bracket 20 and the second bracket 22. At this time, each air outlet 16 formed in the first base 12 is aligned with an air intake 46 of each air outlet 44 provided on the outer surface of the instrument panel 42. The air circulation space 28 and the internal space 48 of the air blowing part 44 communicate with each other.
[0015]
(About the instrument panel)
The instrument panel 42 has an instrument panel and a glove box (both not shown) provided with various instrument panels at predetermined positions, and an air conditioning control operation panel for the air conditioner unit 62 as shown in FIG. 66 and audio 68 are arranged in the center of the left and right. In the state where the instrument panel 42 to which the air guide duct 10 of the present embodiment is attached and fixed is disposed in front of the passenger compartment 60, the air conditioner unit 62 disposed in front of the passenger compartment 60 is covered. The air discharge port 64 of the air conditioner unit 62 and the air inlet 18 of the air guide duct 10 are aligned, and the temperature-controlled air from the air conditioner unit 62 is guided out into the air circulation space 28.
[0016]
[Effect of the embodiment]
Next, the operation of the air guide duct of the instrument panel of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.
[0017]
The first base 12 in the air guide duct 10 is integrally formed into a required shape from a resin sheet material 30 of an appropriate material, and the second base 14 is integrally formed into a required shape from a foamed resin sheet material 32 of an appropriate material. In the case of molding by pressure forming is done simultaneously melt bonded both groups body 12, 14 with molding of the first base 12 and second base 14 are simultaneously name of. In the case of molding by vacuum molding, a first substrate 12 and second substrate 14 is molded separately and bonded to each other in a later step of both groups body 12 which is molded.
[0018]
The air guide duct 10 of the embodiment formed by joining the first base body 12 and the second base body 14 in the longitudinal direction at the outer peripheral edge portions 24 and 26 is formed integrally with the first base body 12. The first bracket 20 and the second bracket 22 are aligned with a predetermined position on the inner back side of the instrument panel 42, and are attached and fixed to the panel 42 using a fixing member such as a screw. Thereby, each air outlet 16 formed in the first base 12 is aligned and connected to the air intake 46 of the air outlet 44 provided on the outer surface of the instrument panel 42. Further, the instrument panel 42 to which the air guide duct 10 of the embodiment is mounted and fixed is fixedly set in front of the passenger compartment 60, so that the air inlet 18 formed in the first base 12 is in front of the passenger compartment 60. The air-conditioning unit 62 is connected to the air discharge port 64 in alignment.
[0019]
When the operation of the air conditioner unit 62 is started by a required operation on the air conditioning control operation panel 66 disposed on the instrument panel 42, the air conditioned to a predetermined temperature in the air conditioner unit 62 is discharged from the air discharge unit. The air flows out from the outlet 64 into the air circulation space 28 of the air guide duct 10. The temperature-controlled air flowing in the air circulation space 28 moves from the air outlets 16 into the internal spaces 48 of the corresponding air outlets 44, and then from the outlets of the air outlets 44 to the passenger compartment 60. Blow out.
[0020]
In the air guide duct 10 of the embodiment configured as described above, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first base 12 is located only in the substantially one side surface region directed to the air blowing portion 44 side. The second base 14 is located in the side surface region extending over the remaining three surfaces. That is, the second base body 14 that is excellent in the heat insulating effect and the sound absorbing effect occupies approximately three quarters of the outer surface area of the air guide duct 10. Therefore, even if the temperature difference between the inside of the air circulation space 28 and the inner back side of the instrument panel 42 (outside of the air guide duct 10) is large, condensation does not occur on the outer surface of the air guide duct 10. At the same time, the generation and dropping of water droplets due to this condensation is also preferably prevented. Accordingly, since water drops do not fall on the harness or the in-vehicle device arranged inside the instrument panel 42, there is no short circuit or malfunction or failure of the in-vehicle device. Further, it is possible to suitably prevent rusting of steel parts such as a vehicle body and a bracket due to a drop of water.
[0021]
Further, since the second base 14 is excellent in sound absorption effect, for example, even if another member (harness or the like) is in contact with the second base 14, the generation of abnormal noise is suitably prevented. Furthermore, since the operating noise of the blower driven in the air conditioner unit 62 is absorbed to some extent by the second base 14, the operating noise of the blower may leak into the passenger compartment 60 via the air blowing portions 44. Is prevented.
[0022]
The first base 12 is not limited to the shape shown in the embodiment, and each air outlet 16, air inlet 18, first bracket 20, and second bracket 22 are integrally formed. On the other hand, the outer surface area may be further reduced as long as the rigidity necessary to maintain the shape of itself can be secured. In other words, if the area ratio of the outer surface of the first base 12 and the second base 14 is set as large as possible so that the outer surface area of the second base 14 is increased, the heat insulating effect of the air guide duct 10 and The soundproofing effect can be further improved.
[0023]
In this embodiment, the air guide duct 10 installed on the inner back side of the instrument panel 42 is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the air guide duct installed in the floor console, the ceiling, or the like. It can be suitably applied to.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the air guide duct of the instrument panel according to the present invention, the first base formed from the resin sheet material and the outer surface area than the first base formed from the foamed resin sheet material are provided. A widely set second substrate was joined in the longitudinal direction. That is, since the second base body having an excellent heat insulation effect is provided, even if the temperature difference between the air circulation space (inside) and the inner back side (outside) of the instrument panel is large, the outer surface of the second base body There is an advantage that the occurrence of condensation and the drop of water droplets due to this condensation are suitably prevented, the malfunction and failure of harnesses and in-vehicle devices disposed inside the panel are avoided, and the occurrence of rust on the vehicle body is also suitably prevented. . Moreover, since the second base body is flexible and has an excellent sound absorbing effect, even if other members such as a harness are in contact with the second base body, generation of abnormal noise due to this is suitably prevented. In addition, there is also an advantage that noise in the passenger compartment can be prevented by absorbing operating noise of the blower driven in the air conditioner unit. Furthermore, since it is composed of the first base and the second base, a bracket for attaching and fixing the air guide duct to the instrument panel can be integrally formed on the first base, thereby streamlining and manufacturing the molding operation. There are also effects such as cost reduction.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an air guide duct in an instrument panel according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a longitudinal sectional view in which the air guide duct shown in FIG. 1 is broken at positions AA, BB, and CC. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side view showing the air guide duct of the embodiment attached and fixed to the instrument panel.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram over time of a step of forming the first base and the second base constituting the air guide duct by pressure forming.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view over time of a step of forming the first base and the second base constituting the air guide duct by pressure forming.
FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of an air guide duct according to the prior art.
[Explanation of symbols]
12 first base 14 second base 16 air outlet 18 air inlet 20 first bracket (attachment)
22 Second bracket (mounting fixture)
28 Air circulation space 30 Resin sheet material 32 Foamed resin sheet material 42 Instrument panel 44 Air blowing part 60 Crew compartment 62 Air conditioner unit

Claims (6)

The air blower (44) that is disposed inside the instrument panel (42) mounted in front of the passenger compartment (60) and opens to the instrument panel (42) communicates with the air conditioner unit (62). In the air guide duct for guiding the temperature-controlled air from the air conditioner unit (62) to the air blowing part (44),
The air guide duct is composed of a first base (12) and a second base (14) joined in the longitudinal direction,
The first base body (12) is formed from a resin sheet material (30) having a rigidity required to maintain a required shape, and an air inlet (18) and the air that are aligned with the air conditioner unit (62). An air outlet (16) aligned with the outlet (44) is provided at a predetermined position,
The second base (14) is formed from a foamed resin sheet material (32), joined to the first base (12) in the longitudinal direction to define an air circulation space (28) therein, and the second base (14) . An air guide duct for an instrument panel , wherein the two base bodies (14) have a larger outer surface area than the first base body (12) .   A fitting (20, 22) is integrally formed at a required position of the first base (12), and is attached to the instrument panel (42) via the fitting (20, 22). The air guide duct of the described instrument panel.   3. An air guide duct for an instrument panel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first base body (12) and the second base body (14) are simultaneously molded and joined in the longitudinal direction by pressure forming.   The instrument panel air guide duct according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first base body (12) and the second base body (14) are both formed individually by vacuum forming and then joined in the longitudinal direction. It said first substrate (12) constituting the resin sheet material (30), the air guide duct of the instrument panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the port Riechiren or polypropylene the material. It said second substrate (14) constituting the foamed resin sheet material (32) is foamed polyethylene or air guide duct of the instrument panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4 the expanded polypropylene for the material.

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