VEHICLE HEATING SYSTEM

• US 20100176110A1
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Konishi, Hideaki, Asami, Naohito, Arima, Satoshi, Yoneno, Noriyuki, Ogino, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,884,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/202
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00271 HVAC devices specially adapted for particular vehicle parts or components and being connected to the vehicle HVAC unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00285 for vehicle seats vehicle seats with heating or ventilation means independent from the HVAC system of the vehicle B60N2/56
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2218 controlling the operation of electric heaters
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2225 arrangements of electric heaters for heating air
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2226 Electric heaters using radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2227 Electric heaters incorporated in vehicle trim components, e.g. panels or linings
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2293 Integration into other parts of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance

Abstract

When a seat heater and a planar electric heater on a surface of an interior member are used in parallel, the seat heater and the planar electric heater cannot be heated sufficiently due to a limitation on an electric capacity of a vehicle, and in particular, in a vehicle having good engine efficiency, heating of an interior of a passenger compartment by air conditioning utilizing hot air generated by heat expelled from an engine is not sufficient, whereby there sometimes occurs a situation where occupants feel cold. A heating device 2 is provided in a side door panel 1 of a vehicle and a seat heater is made to be heated mainly at an initial stage of heating after an occupant gets in the vehicle, whereas the heating device 2 is made to be heated after a predetermined period of time elapses, whereby the body of the occupant can be warmed quickly and efficiently without making the occupant feel cold physically.

Claims

11. A vehicle heating system comprising:

a heating device installed in an interior member within a passenger compartment;

a seat heater; and

a control device for controlling energization to the heating device and the seat heater, wherein

the control device sets a relationship between making power Wf to the heating device and making power Ws to the seat heater such that Ws>

Wf in a first heating mode, whereas the control device sets the relationship such that Ws<

Wf in a second heating mode.

1. The vehicle heating system as set forth in claim 11, wherein

the control device sets a relationship between making power Wf to the heating device and making power Ws to the seat heater such that Ws>

Wf for a predetermined period of time since energization is started, whereas after the predetermined period of time has elapsed, the control device sets the relationship such that Ws<

Wf.

2. The vehicle heating system as set forth in claim 11, wherein

the control device sets a relationship between making power Wf to the heating device and making power Ws to the seat heater such that Ws>

Wf for a period of time from the start of energization until a temperature of the seat heater reaches a predetermined temperature, whereas the control device sets the relationship such that Ws<

Wf from a time when the temperature of the seat heater has reached the predetermined temperature onward.

3. The vehicle heating system as set forth in claim 11, wherein

a heat radiating member is installed on the interior member in which the heating device is installed or a surface of the heating device, and a treatment for increasing contact heat resistance is applied to a surface of the heat radiating member.

4. The vehicle heating system as set forth in claim 3, wherein

at least one of a raising treatment, a filling treatment, a graining treatment and an embossing treatment is applied to the heat radiating member.

5. The vehicle heating system as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a cover which covers the heating device and transmits heat radiation generated from the heating device.

6. The vehicle heating system as set forth in claim 5, wherein

the cover comprises a mesh member which includes a space portion between the heating device and itself and a covering surface thereof has a predetermined aperture ratio.

7. The vehicle heating system as set forth in claim 6, wherein

the mesh member is made to double as a speaker cover which is provided on a door panel.

8. The vehicle heating system as set forth in claim 5, wherein

the heating device comprises a radiation collecting portion for collecting generated heat radiation to a predetermined location.

9. The vehicle heating system as set forth in claim 3, wherein

an installation angle of the heating device is adjustable.

10. The vehicle heating system as set forth in claim 3, wherein

a belt-like projecting portion is provided on part of the heating device or part of an interior member lying in the vicinity of the heating device.

12. A vehicle heating system as set forth in claim 5, wherein

an installation angle of the heating device is adjustable.

13. A vehicle heating system as set forth in claim 5, wherein

a belt-like projecting portion is provided on part of the heating device or part of an interior member lying in the vicinity of the heating device.