AIR-CONDITIONER FOR VEHICLE

• US 20130206382A1
• Filed: 02/06/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ichishi, Yoshinori, Kondo, Yasushi, Yanagimachi, Yoshinori, Yamaguchi, Motohiro, Izawa, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,371,024 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/203
• 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 1/00735 Control systems or circuits characterised by their input, i.e. by the detection, measurement or calculation of particular conditions, e.g. signal treatment, dynamic models
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/56 Heating or ventilating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5628 coming from the vehicle ventilation system, e.g. air-conditioning system
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5635 coming from the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5692 Refrigerating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses

Abstract

An air-conditioner conducts an air-conditioning for a passenger compartment of a vehicle, and has an eco-mode to save energy. The air-conditioner includes a seat temperature control system and a controller. The seat temperature control system is configured to operate to heat or cool a seat in the passenger compartment. The controller automatically activates the seat temperature control system when the eco-mode is set.

Claims

1. An air-conditioner that conducts an air-conditioning for a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the air-conditioning having an eco-mode to save energy, the air-conditioner comprising:

a seat temperature control system configured to heat or cool a seat in the passenger compartment; and

a controller that automatically activates the seat temperature control system when the eco-mode is set.

2. The air-conditioner according to claim 1, wherein

the seat temperature control system includes

a seat conditioner device heating or cooling the seat in the passenger compartment, and

an eco-mode switch through which the eco-mode is set, and

the controller automatically activates the seat conditioner device when the eco-mode is set by the eco-mode switch.

3. The air-conditioner according to claim 1, wherein

the air-conditioning further has an auto mode in which a temperature of conditioned-air is automatically controlled, and

the controller automatically activates the seat temperature control system when the eco-mode is set and when the auto mode is set.

4. The air-conditioner according to claim 3, wherein

the seat temperature control system includes an auto mode switch through which the auto mode is set, and

the controller automatically activates the seat temperature control system when the eco-mode is set and when the auto mode is set through the auto mode switch.

5. The air-conditioner according to claim 1, wherein

the seat temperature control system further includes

an activation signal generator generating a first signal activating the vehicle, and

an air-conditioning start signal generator generating a second signal starting the air-conditioning, and

the controller automatically activates the seat temperature control system in response to the first signal or the second signal when the eco-mode is set.

6. The air-conditioner according to claim 1, wherein

the seat temperature control system has

a seat manual mode in which the seat is heated or cooled based on a manually set value, and

a seat auto mode in which the seat is heated or cooled based on an automatically set value, and

the controller automatically activates the seat temperature control system with the seat auto mode when the eco-mode is set.

7. The air-conditioner according to claim 1, wherein

the seat temperature control system has a seat cooler and a seat heater.

8. The air-conditioner according to claim 6, wherein

the controller automatically activates the seat temperature control system with the seat auto mode when the eco-mode is set at a timing when the vehicle is activated, and

the controller prohibits the seat temperature control system from activating when a non-eco-mode other than the eco-mode is set at the timing when the vehicle is activated.

9. The air-conditioner according to claim 6, wherein

the seat temperature control system further has a load determiner determining a load of the air-conditioning,

the controller automatically activates the seat temperature control system with the seat auto mode when the eco-mode is set at a timing when the vehicle is activated, and

the controller prohibits the seat temperature control system from activating when a non-eco-mode other than the eco-mode is set and when the load is smaller than a predetermined value at the timing when the vehicle is activated.

10. The air-conditioner according to claim 9, wherein

the load determiner determines the load of the air-conditioning based on a temperature of air outside of the vehicle.

11. The air-conditioner according to claim 1 is applied to an electric car which is driven only by a motor.

12. An air-conditioner that conducts an air-conditioning for a passenger compartment of a vehicle comprising:

an air conditioning unit controlling a temperature of air in the passenger compartment;

a seat conditioning unit controlling a temperature of a seat in the passenger compartment; and

a controller controlling a conditioning degree of the seat conditioning unit, wherein

the controller decreases the conditioning degree of the seat conditioning unit over time elapsed after the controller starts controlling the conditioning degree of the seat conditioning unit when the air conditioning unit automatically controls the temperature of air in the passenger compartment.

13. The air-conditioner according to claim 12, wherein

the controller calculates the conditioning degree of the seat conditioning unit according to a target blow off temperature which is computed based on an environmental condition of the air-conditioning.

14. The air-conditioner according to claim 12, wherein

the controller delays the decreasing of the conditioning degree of the seat conditioning unit as an initial temperature in the passenger compartment is lower or higher when the controller decreases the conditioning degree of the seat conditioning unit.

15. The air-conditioner according to claim 12 is applied to an electric car which is driven only by a motor.