Glass temperature detecting system, window fog detecting system, air-conditioning system for vehicles, and window fog detecting method

• US 20070235549A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakajima, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,539,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/44.R
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0075 the input being solar radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00785 by the detection of humidity or frost
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00792 Arrangement of detectors B60H1/00742, B60H1/0075, B60H1/00785 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00864 Ventilators and damper doors
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3241 of air
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3245 of air
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3255 related to temperature

Abstract

A window fog detecting system for detecting fog on a windshield of a vehicle, including: a glass temperature detecting system including a contact temperature sensor attached to a portion of the windshield on the driver'"'"'s seat side of the center in a width direction of the windshield, or to a portion where ceramic print is applied on the upper-side periphery of the windshield; a humidity detection device which detects the humidity of air in a vicinity of the inner surface of the windshield; and a judging device which judges the presence of fog on the windshield, on the basis of the detected values of the glass temperature detecting system and the detected values of the humidity detection device.

Claims

1. A glass temperature detecting system for detecting a temperature of an inner surface of a windshield of a vehicle, the glass temperature detecting system comprising a contact temperature sensor,

wherein the temperature sensor is attached to a portion of the windshield on the driver'"'"'s seat side of the center in a width direction of the windshield.

2. The glass temperature detecting system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is attached to a portion, where ceramic print is applied, on the periphery of the windshield.

3. The glass temperature detecting system according to claim 1, further comprising a first correction section which corrects the detected value of the temperature sensor according to an amount of solar radiation.

4. The glass temperature detecting system according to claim 1, further comprising a second correction section which corrects the detected value of the temperature sensor according to a flow rate of air blown out from a defroster outlet port and an outlet air temperature of air blown out from the defroster outlet port.

5. A window fog detecting system for detecting fog on a windshield of a vehicle, comprising:

the glass temperature detecting system according to claim 1;

a humidity detection device which detects the humidity of air in a vicinity of the inner surface of the windshield; and

a judging device which judges the presence of fog on the windshield, on the basis of the detected values of the glass temperature detecting system and the detected values of the humidity detection device.

6. An air-conditioning system for vehicles comprising:

the window fog detecting system according to claim 5;

a defogging device which defogs the windshield by using conditioned air blown out from a defroster outlet port; and

a control device which controls the defogging device according to the detection result of the window fog detecting system.

7. A glass temperature detecting system for detecting a temperature of an inner surface of a windshield of a vehicle, the glass temperature detecting system comprising a contact temperature sensor,

wherein the temperature sensor is attached to a portion, where ceramic print is applied, on the upper-side periphery of the windshield.

8. The glass temperature detecting system according to claim 7, further comprising a first correction section which corrects the detected value of the temperature sensor according to the amount of solar radiation.

9. The glass temperature detecting system according to claim 7, further comprising a second correction section which corrects the detected value of the temperature sensor according to a flow rate of air blown out from a defroster outlet port and an outlet air temperature of air blown out from the defroster outlet port.

10. A window fog detecting system for detecting fog on a windshield of a vehicle, the window fog detecting system comprising:

the glass temperature detecting system according to claim 7;

a humidity detection device which detects the humidity of air in a vicinity of the inner surface of the windshield; and

a judging device which judges the presence of fog on the windshield, on the basis of the detected values respectively of the glass temperature detecting system and the humidity detection device.

11. An air-conditioning system for vehicles comprising:

the window fog detecting system according to claim 10;

a defogging device which defogs the windshield by using conditioned air blown out from a defroster outlet port; and

a control device which controls the defogging device according to the detection result of the window fog detecting system.

12. A window fog detecting method of detecting fog on a windshield of a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting a temperature of an inner surface of the windshield with a contact temperature sensor attached to any one of, a portion of the windshield on the driver'"'"'s seat side of the center in a width direction of the windshield, and a portion where ceramic print is applied on the upper-side periphery of the windshield;

detecting the humidity of air in a vicinity of the inner surface of the windshield;

detecting the temperature of air in the vicinity of the inner surface of the windshield; and

judging the presence of fog on the windshield, on the basis of the detected temperature of the inner surface of the windshield, and the detected temperature and humidity of air in the vicinity of the inner surface of the windshield.