Heat exchanger for vehicular air conditioning apparatus

Abstract

In an evaporator that constitutes part of a vehicular air conditioning apparatus, a sensor is provided, which is capable of detecting the temperature in the evaporator. In the evaporator, the sensor is installed on a back surface side thereof facing a downstream side, and on a first cooling section, through which air from a first blower unit flows. Also, the sensor is installed at a position in the vicinity of a supply conduit that supplies a coolant medium with respect to the evaporator. At a region where a maximum low temperature in the evaporator occurs, and for which there is a fear of freezing due to moisture contained within the air, the temperature is detected by the sensor.

1 . A heat exchanger for use in a vehicular air conditioning apparatus having a casing including a first passage through which external air flows and a second passage through which internal air flows, and a switching mechanism for switching a flow state of the external air and the internal air in the first passage and the second passage, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed in the interior of the casing so as to straddle between the first passage and the second passage, for thereby cooling and supplying the external air and the internal air, the heat exchanger comprising:
 a supply member, which is supplied with a coolant medium that circulates through the interior thereof;   a discharge member, through which the coolant medium that has circulated through the interior is discharged;   a first cooling section, which faces the first passage, for performing cooling of the external air that flows through the first passage;   a second cooling section, which faces the second passage, for performing cooling of the internal air that flows through the second passage; and   a sensor for detecting a temperature of the heat exchanger,   wherein the sensor faces toward the first cooling section, and is disposed at a position proximate to the supply member.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger for use in a vehicular air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the heat exchanger further comprises a plurality of first and second tubes, which are disposed in parallel along a direction of flow of the air that flows through the interior of the casing, and through which the coolant medium flows through the interior thereof; and   the sensor is disposed on a side surface of the heat exchanger that faces toward either of the first tubes or the second tubes, which communicate with the supply member, and to which the coolant medium is supplied from the supply member.