ACTIVE PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE FOR AUTOMOTIVE AIR EXTRACTOR
First Claim
1. A passenger vehicle comprising:
- a passenger compartment with an interior space;
a passenger door for opening to allow ingress into and egress from the passenger compartment;
a sensor in the vehicle arranged to sense an opened state or closed state of the passenger door;
an air extractor valve fluidically coupled between the interior space and the outside, wherein the air extractor valve opens in response to a higher pressure in the interior space than an outside pressure, and wherein the air extractor valve substantially blocks air flow from the outside to the interior space; and
a supplemental blower integrated with the air extractor valve for directing an exhaust flow from the interior space to the outside, wherein the supplemental blower is activated in response to sensing the open state of the passenger door.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A passenger vehicle comprises a passenger compartment with an interior space. An HVAC system conditions fresh air from outside the vehicle, wherein the HVAC system includes a main blower for delivering conditioned air to the interior space. An air extractor valve is fluidically coupled between the interior space and the outside, wherein the air extractor valve opens in response to a higher pressure in the interior space than an outside pressure. The air extractor valve substantially blocks air flow from the outside to the interior space. A supplemental blower is integrated with the air extractor valve for directing an exhaust flow from the interior to the outside, wherein the supplemental blower is activated as a function of the main blower. Alternatively, the supplemental blower is activated in response to a door being opened, enhancing the ability of the extractor to reduce door closing effort.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A passenger vehicle comprising:
-
a passenger compartment with an interior space; a passenger door for opening to allow ingress into and egress from the passenger compartment; a sensor in the vehicle arranged to sense an opened state or closed state of the passenger door; an air extractor valve fluidically coupled between the interior space and the outside, wherein the air extractor valve opens in response to a higher pressure in the interior space than an outside pressure, and wherein the air extractor valve substantially blocks air flow from the outside to the interior space; and a supplemental blower integrated with the air extractor valve for directing an exhaust flow from the interior space to the outside, wherein the supplemental blower is activated in response to sensing the open state of the passenger door. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A passenger vehicle comprising:
-
a passenger compartment with an interior space; an HVAC system for conditioning fresh air from the outside of the vehicle, wherein the HVAC system includes a main blower for delivering a flow of conditioned air to the interior space; an air extractor valve fluidically coupled between the interior space and the outside, wherein the air extractor valve opens in response to a higher pressure in the interior space than an outside pressure, and wherein the air extractor valve substantially blocks air flow from the outside to the interior space; and a supplemental blower integrated with the air extractor valve for directing an exhaust flow from the interior space to the outside, wherein the supplemental blower is activated as a function of the main blower. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An active vent for a passenger vehicle wherein the vehicle has a passenger compartment with an interior space, wherein the vehicle has an HVAC system for conditioning fresh air from the outside of the vehicle, wherein the HVAC system includes a main blower for delivering a flow of conditioned air to the interior space, the active vent comprising;
-
an air extractor valve for fluidically coupling between the interior space and the outside, wherein the air extractor valve opens in response to a higher pressure in the interior space than an outside pressure, and wherein the air extractor valve substantially blocks air flow from the outside to the interior space; and a supplemental blower integrated with the air extractor valve for directing an exhaust flow from the interior space to the outside, wherein the supplemental blower is activated as a function of the main blower. - View Dependent Claims (11, 14)
-
-
12. A method of operating a supplemental fan for a passenger vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a passenger compartment with an interior space, a door for opening to allow access into the passenger compartment, a sensor in the vehicle arranged to sense an opened state or closed state of the door, an air extractor valve fluidically coupled between the interior space and the outside, and a supplemental blower integrated with the air extractor valve, the method comprising the steps of:
-
sensing opening of the door; activating the supplemental blower in response to opening of the door for directing air flow from the interior space to the outside to reduce closing effort when the door is closed. - View Dependent Claims (13)
-
-
15. A method of operating a supplemental fan for a passenger vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a passenger compartment with an interior space, an HVAC system for conditioning fresh air from the outside of the vehicle, and an air extractor valve fluidically coupled between the interior space and the outside, wherein the HVAC system includes a main blower for delivering a flow of conditioned air to the interior space, the method comprising the steps of:
-
opening the air extractor valve automatically in response to a higher pressure in the interior space than an outside pressure; substantially blocking air flow from the outside to the interior space through the air extractor valve; and directing an exhaust flow from the interior space to the outside by a supplemental blower integrated with the air extractor valve, wherein the supplemental blower is activated as a function of the main blower. - View Dependent Claims (16)
-
Specification