Vehicle air conditioner and vehicle ventilation system

• US 20040185764A1
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ichishi, Yoshinori, Kumada, Tatsumi
• Granted Patent: US 6,949,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 454/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/004 for vehicles having a combustion engine and electric drive means, e.g. hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00642 Control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating devices B60H1/3201 - B60H1/3208, B60H1/3225 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00742 by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3292 Compressor drive is electric only

Abstract

In a vehicle air conditioner, a non-contact temperature sensor is used as an inside air temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in a passenger compartment. Based on infrared rays radiated from a predetermined area of the passenger compartment, the non-contact temperature sensor detects a surface temperature in the predetermined area in non-contact. Therefore, it is not necessary to blow air from the passenger compartment to the inside air temperature sensor in order to detect the temperature in the passenger compartment. Thus, energy consumption can be reduced while the temperature in the passenger compartment can be accurately detected. Accordingly, while the vehicle stops, the vehicle air conditioner can accurately determine whether air conditioning control by an air conditioning unit needs be started while energy consumption can be reduced.

Claims

1. A ventilation system for a vehicle, comprising:

a ventilating unit which performs a ventilation of a passenger compartment while the vehicle stops;

a non-contact temperature sensor which detects infrared rays radiated from a predetermined area of the passenger compartment and detects a surface temperature in the predetermined area in non-contact based on the detected infrared rays; and

a ventilation determining means which determines whether the ventilation by the ventilating unit needs to be started based on the surface temperature detected by the non-contact temperature sensor.

2. The ventilation system according to claim 1, further comprising

a reservation means which reserves to perform the ventilation by the ventilating unit in advance.

3. The ventilation system according to claim 1, further comprising a distance determining means for determining a distance between a user and the vehicle, wherein:

the distance determining means determines an approach of the user to the vehicle based on the detected distance between the user and the vehicle when the detected distance between the user and the vehicle is smaller than a predetermined value; and

the ventilation determining means determines whether the ventilation by the ventilating unit needs to be started, when the distance determining means determines the approach of the user.

4. The ventilation system according to claim 1, wherein

the non-contact temperature sensor detects a surface temperature in the predetermined area including a seat in the passenger compartment in non-contact.

5. An air conditioner for a vehicle, comprising:

an air conditioning unit which controls an air condition in a passenger compartment while the vehicle stops;

a non-contact temperature sensor which detects infrared rays radiated from a predetermined area of the passenger compartment and detects a surface temperature in the predetermined area in non-contact based on the detected infrared rays; and

an air-conditioning determining means which determines whether an air conditioning control by the air conditioning unit needs to be started based on the surface temperature detected by the non-contact temperature sensor.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 5, further comprising

a selecting means which selects a level of the air condition controlled by the air conditioning unit in advance.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 5, further comprising a distance determining means for detecting a distance between a user and the vehicle, wherein:

the distance determining means determines an approach of the user to the vehicle based on the detected distance between the user and the vehicle when the distance between the user and the vehicle is smaller than a predetermined value; and

the air-conditioning determining means determines whether the air conditioning control by the air conditioning unit needs to be started, when the distance determining means determines the approach of the user.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein

the non-contact temperature sensor detects a surface temperature in the predetermined area including a seat in the passenger compartment in non-contact.

9. A control system for controlling a vehicle ventilation system, the vehicle ventilation system including a ventilating unit for ventilating a passenger compartment while the vehicle stops, and a non-contact temperature sensor for detecting infrared rays radiated from a predetermined area and determining a surface temperature of the predetermined area in non-contact based on the detected infrared rays, the control system comprising

a determining means for determining whether a ventilating by the ventilating unit needs to be started based on the surface temperature detected by the non-contact temperature sensor.

10. A control system for controlling a vehicle air conditioner, the vehicle air conditioner includes an air conditioning unit for controlling air condition in a passenger compartment while a vehicle stops, and a non-contact temperature sensor for detecting infrared rays radiated from a predetermined area and determining a surface temperature of the predetermined area in non-contact based on the detected infrared rays, the control system comprising

a determining means for determining whether an air conditioning control by the air conditioning unit needs to be started based on the surface temperature detected by the non-contact temperature sensor.