CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20140116181A1
• Filed: 10/25/2012
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yamada, Hajime
• Application Number:
  US13/660,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20140116181A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/480.R
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0065 Control members, e.g. levers or knobs B60H1/00985 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20213 Interconnected

Abstract

A climate control system and method for a vehicle includes a first rotary control for adjusting a first temperature setting, a second rotary control for adjusting a second temperature setting, and a master rotary control for adjusting both the first and second temperature settings. The first temperature setting is adjusted when the first rotary control knob is rotated independent of the second temperature setting. The second temperature setting is adjusted when the second rotary control knob is rotated independent of the first temperature setting. The first temperature setting and the second temperature setting are together adjusted when a master rotary control knob is rotated.

Claims

1. A climate control system for a vehicle, comprising:

a first rotary control for adjusting a first temperature setting associated with a first zone of the vehicle;

a second rotary control for adjusting a second temperature setting associated with a second zone of the vehicle;

a master rotary control for adjusting both the first and second temperature settings; and

a controller operatively connected to each of the first rotary control, the second rotary control and the master rotary control, wherein the controller is configured to simultaneously adjust both the first and second temperature settings when the master rotary control is rotated, and configured to independently adjust the first temperature setting when the first rotary control is rotated and independently adjust the second temperature setting when the second rotary control is rotated.

2. The climate control system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to simultaneously adjust both the first and second temperature settings to a common temperature setting when the master rotary control is rotated.

3. The climate control system of claim 1 wherein the master rotary control is positioned laterally between the first and second rotary controls.

4. The climate control system of claim 1 including:

a first display associated with the first rotary control knob for displaying the first temperature setting when the first rotary control is rotated; and

a second display associated with the second rotary control knob for displaying the second temperature setting when the second rotary control is rotated,

wherein the first and second displays are operatively connected to the controller.

5. The climate control system of claim 4 including:

a third display associated with the master control for displaying a common temperature setting to which the first and second temperature settings are made equal when the master rotary control is rotated.

6. The climate control system of claim 5 wherein the first and second temperature settings are brightly illuminated, respectively, by the first display and the second display when the first or second rotary controls are rotated.

7. The climate control system of claim 6 wherein the common temperature setting is brightly illuminated by the third display when the master control is rotated.

8. The climate control system of claim 7 wherein the first and second displays operate in a grayed-out mode when the common temperature setting is brightly illuminated by the third display and the third display operates in a grayed-out mode when the first and second temperature settings are brightly illuminated by the first and second displays.

9. The climate control system of claim 1 wherein the first temperature setting corresponds to a temperature of air being forced to the first zone and the second temperature setting corresponds to a temperature of air being forced to the second zone.

10. The climate control system of claim 1 wherein the master rotary control is additionally operable by press actuation for powering on the climate control system.

11. The climate control system of claim 10 wherein displays associated with each of the rotary controls operate in a gray-out mode when the climate control system is in an off mode.

12. A vehicle climate control system, comprising:

a first control knob rotatable for adjusting a first temperature setting for a first zone of a vehicle;

a second control knob rotatable for adjusting a second temperature setting for a second zone of the vehicle;

a master control knob rotatable for adjusting both the first and second temperature settings to a common temperature setting for both the first and second zones of the vehicle; and

a controller operatively connected to the first control knob, the second control knob and the master control knob for receiving input therefrom, the controller enabling adjustment of the first temperature setting and the second temperature setting independent from one another when the first control knob or the second control knob is rotated, otherwise the controller enabling adjustment of the common temperature setting when the master control knob is rotated.

13. The vehicle climate control system of claim 12 including:

a first display disposed above the first control knob and operatively connected to the controller, the first display brightly illuminating the first temperature setting when the first or second control knobs are rotated; and

a second display disposed above the second control knob and operatively connected to the controller, the second display brightly illuminating the second temperature setting when the first or second control knobs are rotated.

14. The vehicle climate control system of claim 13 including:

a third display disposed above the master control knob and operatively connected to the controller, the third display brightly illuminating the common temperature setting when the master control knob is rotated, the third display dimmed when the first and second display are brightly illuminating the first and second temperature settings, and the first and second displays dimmed when the third display is brightly illuminating the common temperature setting.

15. The vehicle climate control system of claim 12 wherein the master control knob includes push actuation for powering on the vehicle climate control system.

16. The vehicle climate control system of claim 12 wherein the master control knob is disposed between the first and second control knobs on a vertically oriented dashboard portion.

17. A climate control method for a vehicle, comprising:

adjusting a first temperature setting associated with a first zone of the vehicle when a first rotary control knob is rotated independent of a second temperature setting associated with a second zone of the vehicle;

adjusting the second temperature setting when the second rotary control knob is rotated independent of the first temperature setting; and

adjusting the first temperature setting and the second temperature setting together when a master rotary control knob is rotated.

18. The climate control method of claim 17 wherein adjusting the first and second temperature settings together when the master rotary control knob is rotated includes setting the first and second temperature settings to a common temperature setting.

19. The climate control method of claim 18 including:

displaying the first temperature setting on a first display and the second temperature setting on a second display when one or both the first and second rotary control knobs are rotated; and

displaying the common temperature setting on a third display when the master rotary control knob is rotated or actuated.

20. The climate control method of claim 19 wherein displaying the first temperature setting on the first display and the second temperature setting on the second display includes dimming the common temperature setting on the third display, and wherein displaying the common temperature setting on the third display includes dimming the first temperature setting on the first display and the second temperature setting on the second display.