Heating and air conditioning device comprising fragrance-supplying means in a vehicle passenger compartment

• US 20030186643A1
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
• Original Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
• Inventors: Lemaitre, Nathalie, Feuillard, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US10/275,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20030186643A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 454/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/122 comprising a fan
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/125 emanating multiple odours
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2003/0064 adding more than one substance
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 3/0007 Adding substances other than water to the air, e.g. perfume, oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 3/0021 in the air-conditioning housing

Abstract

The invention concerns a vehicle heating and/or air conditioning device comprising a housing (4) emerging into the passenger compartment, a fan (18) for sucking in an air flow into the housing (4) and for blowing it into the vehicle passenger compartment, fragrance-supplying means comprising a case (40) containing an amount of one or several perfuming agents fixed on a support (44) housed in the case (40) and capable of releasing a fragrance. The case (40) comprises a diffusing zone perforated with passages (42) allowing through an air flow. The support (44) of the perfuming agent is mobile between a diffusing position and a storage position wherein the perfuming agent is isolated from the diffusing zone by a barrier proof against the perfuming agent vapour.

Claims

1. A device for heating and/or air-conditioning the cabin of a motor vehicle, comprising a unit (4) having an upstream end (6) and a downstream end (8) opening into the cabin, a fan (18) for drawing a stream of air into the unit (4) via the upstream end and for blowing it into the cabin via the downstream end of the unit (4), fragrance-supplying means comprising a casing (40) containing a quantity of one or more aromatic agents (50) which are fixed on a support (44, 72, 88) housed in the casing (50, 86) and able to release a fragrance, the casing (50, 86) comprising a zone for diffusing the aromatic agent, which zone is pierced with at least one through-orifice (42, 92, 96) to allow the air stream (56, 58) to pass through the casing,

characterized in that the support (44, 72, 88) of the aromatic agent can move between at least one diffusing position in which the aromatic agent or one of the aromatic agents faces the diffusion zone, and a storage position in which the aromatic agent is isolated from the diffusion zone by a barrier (52) impervious to the fragrance of the aromatic agent, the device comprising a control (44) which allows an operator situated in the cabin of the vehicle to move the moving support (44, 72, 88) between the diffusing position and the storage position.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the support (44) can move in translation.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the casing consists of a tube (40) and the moving support consists of a rod (44) slidabley mounted in the tube (40), at least one aromatic agent (50) being mounted on the sliding rod (44) and at least one separating disk (52) forming a barrier impervious to the vapor of the aromatic agent being provided on the sliding rod (44) so as to isolate the aromatic agent or the aromatic agents from the diffusing zone.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the support (72) can move in rotation.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the rotary support is a disk (72) comprising a number of angularly spaced housings, each housing being able to contain an aromatic agent (50).

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the rotary support is a cylinder (88) comprising perforations (100, 102) in two opposed zones and mounted so that it can rotate about a longitudinal axis (90), this cylinder containing a quantity of at least one aromatic agent, and in that the casing (86) comprises at least two diametrically opposed orifices (92, 96) constituting a zone for diffusing the aromatic agent, it being possible for the rotary support (88) to be moved angularly between a diffusing position in which the perforations of the cylinder face the diffusing zone of the casing, and a storage position in which the perforations of the cylinder (88) are angularly offset from the diffusing zone.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that it comprises an air filter (80) and in that the casing (86) is built into the air filter (80).

8. The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the aromatic agent is in the form of a solid cartridge.

9. The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a module (60) situated on the dashboard of the vehicle and incorporating the casing (40), the latter being connected to the unit (4) by an air inlet duct (64) connected downstream of the fan (18) and by an air outlet duct (66) connected to the unit (4) downstream of the air inlet duct (64).

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the air outlet duct (66) is connected to a mixing zone (38) of the unit (4) of the heating device.

11. The device as claimed in one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the module (60) comprises an access hole in its front (70) which is accessible to the driver or to a passenger of the vehicle, this access hole (70) allowing the cartridges (50) of aromatic agent to be replaced.

12. The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it comprises means (108, 110;

114) for displaying which aromatic agent has been selected.

13. The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it further comprises an evaporator (30) and in that the support (44, 72, 88) of the aromatic agent is situated after the evaporator.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that it further comprises a heater matrix (32), and in that the support (44, 72, 88) of the aromatic agent is situated after the heater matrix.

15. The device as claimed in either of claims 13 and 14, characterized in that it further comprises air outlets (12, 14, 16) opening into the vehicle cabin, and in that the support (44, 72, 88) of the aromatic agent is situated before the air outlets into the vehicle.