APPARATUS FOR HEATING A VEHICLE CABIN

• US 20110298241A1
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lucas, Marc Jonathon, Ochocinski, Christopher Adam, Varns, Michael Howard
• Granted Patent: US 8,662,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/64
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00014 for load cargos on load transporting vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/003 Component temperature regulation using an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A vehicle includes a cabin, a high voltage traction battery, an electric motor powered by the traction battery, and a charger connected to the traction battery. The charger converts alternating current (AC) to high voltage direct current (DC) to charge the traction battery when the charger is plugged into an alternating current (AC) power supply. A forced air system includes an air inlet duct, a first air outlet duct directing exhaust air to the outside of the cabin, a second air outlet duct directing exhaust air to the inside of the cabin, a fan, and a valve for controlling air flow through the first and second air outlet ducts. The forced air system is arranged such that forced air flows through the air inlet duct, removes heat from the charger, and flows through at least one of the first and second air outlet ducts to assist with vehicle preconditioning.

Claims

1. A vehicle, the vehicle including a cabin, the vehicle comprising:

a high voltage traction battery;

an electric motor powered by the traction battery;

a charger connected to the traction battery for converting alternating current (AC) to high voltage direct current (DC) to charge the traction battery when the charger is plugged into an alternating current (AC) power supply;

a forced air system including an air inlet duct, a first air outlet duct directing exhaust air to the outside of the cabin, a second air outlet duct directing exhaust air to the inside of the cabin, a fan, and a valve for controlling air flow through the first and second air outlet ducts; and

the forced air system being arranged such that forced air flows through the air inlet duct, removes heat from the charger, and flows through at least one of the first and second air outlet ducts to assist with vehicle preconditioning.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle further comprises:

an internal combustion engine; and

a hybrid electric powertrain including the electric motor powered by the traction battery and further including an electric generator coupled to the internal combustion engine and the traction battery.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the air inlet duct is located to direct cooling air from the cabin.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the forced air system further includes a battery inlet duct located to direct warm cabin air after mixing with warm charger air from the inside of the cabin to the traction battery for warming the traction battery cells.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the forced air system further includes a charger exhaust duct located to direct exhaust air from the charger directly to the traction battery for warming the traction battery cells.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:

a vehicle seat; and

wherein the traction battery and the charger are located, within the vehicle, behind the vehicle seat.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the valve is arranged to selectively flow forced air through a selected one of the first and second air outlet ducts.

8. A vehicle, the vehicle including a cabin, the vehicle comprising:

a high voltage traction battery;

an electric motor powered by the traction battery;

a charger connected to the traction battery for converting alternating current (AC) to high voltage direct current (DC) to charge the traction battery when the charger is plugged into an alternating current (AC) power supply;

a forced air system including a first air duct providing flow communication between the trunk area and the charger, a second air duct providing flow communication between the charger and the inside of the cabin, and a fan arrangement; and

the forced air system being arranged such that when operating in a first mode, air flows from the outside of the cabin through the first air duct, removes heat from the charger, and flows to the inside of the cabin through the second air duct, and when operating in the second mode, air flows from the inside of the cabin through the second air duct, removes heat from the charger, and flows to the outside of the cabin through the first air duct.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the vehicle further comprises:

an internal combustion engine; and

a hybrid electric powertrain including the electric motor powered by the traction battery and further including an electric generator coupled to the internal combustion engine and the traction battery.

10. The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the forced air system further includes a battery inlet duct located to direct warm cabin air after mixing with warm charger air from the inside of the cabin to the traction battery for warming the traction battery cells.

11. The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the forced air system further includes a charger exhaust duct located to direct exhaust air from the charger directly to the traction battery for warming the traction battery cells.

12. The vehicle of claim 8 further comprising:

a vehicle seat; and

wherein the traction battery and the charger are located, within the vehicle, behind the vehicle seat.

13. The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the fan arrangement includes a first fan positioned to provide air flow from the trunk area through the first air duct and to the inside of the cabin through the second air duct, and a second fan positioned to provide air flow from the inside of the cabin through the second air duct.

14. A system for heating a cabin in a vehicle including a traction battery and charger, comprising:

a forced air system including an inlet, a first outlet directed outside the cabin via body extractors, a second outlet directed inside the cabin, a fan, and a valve, wherein forced air flows through the inlet, removes heat from the charger, and flows as directed by the valve through at least one of the first and second outlets.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the inlet is located to direct cooling air from the cabin.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the forced air system further includes a battery inlet duct located to direct warm cabin air after mixing with warm charger air from the inside of the cabin to the traction battery for warming the traction battery cells.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the forced air system further includes a charger exhaust duct located to direct exhaust air from the charger directly to the traction battery for warming the traction battery cells.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the valve is arranged to selectively flow forced air through a selected one of the first and second air outlet ducts.