Method and apparatus for controlling compartment temperature of a vehicle

• US 4,291,749 A
• Filed: 11/29/1979
• Issued: 09/29/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshimi, Akiro, Maehara, Norio, Ootsuka, Fumio, Ninomiya, Morimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Albert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Application Number:
  US06/098,598
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 165/28, 165/27, 165/30, 165/42, 165/43, 165/14, 165/32, 237/12.3 A, 236/49, 236/91 G, 236/91 R, 62/239, 62/243, 62/244, 340/57, 340/600, 73/339 C, 73/355 R, 73/362 AR
• US Class Current: 165/202
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0075 the input being solar radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1925 using a combination of auxiliary electric and non-electric power

Abstract

A temperature control method and apparatus responsive to various control conditions to determine the desired amount of temperature control to cause the compartment temperature of a vehicle to approach a desired value. They comprise a first step of producing a first control condition in response to the amount of light incident to the vehicle compartment and a second step of producing a second control condition in response to the amount of heat radiation incident to the vehicle compartment, and a third step whereby the second control condition is adjusted by the first control condition so as to compensate the amount of temperature control in accordance with the adjusted control condition.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of the compartment of an automobile having cooler means for supplying the cooled air, heater means for supplying the heated air and adjuster means for adjusting the rate of supply of said cooled and heated air to said compartment, said apparatus comprising:

means for establishing a desired compartment temperature;

means for sensing an actual compartment temperature;

means for controlling said adjuster means in rsponse to said desired and actual compartment temperature so that said actual compartment temperature approaches said desired compartment temperature;

means for sensing another actual temperature at a predetermined compartment portion where the heat of the sun is radiated;

means for sensing the intensity of the sun light incident to said compartment;

means for comparing said sensed intensity with a reference intensity; and

means for compensating, when the output of said comparing means indicates that said sensed intensity is higher than said reference intensity, the operation of said controlling means in accordance with said another actual temperature.

2. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of the compartment of an automobile having cooler means for cooling the air supplied to said compartment, heater means for heating the cooled air passing to said compartment therethough, and damper means positioned between said cooler means and said heater means for adjusting the rate of said cooled air passing through said heater means, said apparatus comprising:

means for establishing a desired high and low compartment temperature;

means for sensing an actual compartment temperature;

means for sensing an ambient temperature outside said compartment;

means for correcting said actual compartment temperature by said ambient temperature;

means for controlling said damper means in response to said desired compartment temperatures and said corrected actual compartment temperature so that said corrected actual compartment temperature is maintained between said desired high and low compartment temperature;

means for sensing another actual temperature at a predetermined compartment portion where the heat of the sun is radiated;

means for obtaining the difference between said actual compartment temperature and said another actual temperature;

means for sensing the intensity of light of the sun incident to said compartment;

means for comparing said sensed intensity of the the sun light with a reference intensity; and

means for lowering said desired high and low compartment temperatures, when the output of said comparing means indicates that said sensed intensity is higher than said reference intensity, in accordance with said difference between said actual compartment temperature and said another actual temperature.

3. A method for controlling the temperature of the compartment of an automobile having cooler means for supplying the cooled air, heater means for supplying the heated air and adjuster means for adjusting the rate of supply of said cooled and heated air to said compartment, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing a desired compartment temperature;

sensing an actual compartment temperature;

controlling said adjuster means in response to said desired and actual compartment temperatures so that said actual compartment temperature approaches said desired compartment temperature;

sensing another actual temperature at a predetermined compartment portion where the heat of the sun is radiated;

sensing the intensity of the sun light incident to said compartment;

comparing said sensed intensity with a reference intensity; and

compensating, when said sensed intensity is higher than said reference intensity, said rate of supply adjusted by said adjuster means in accordance with said another actual temperature.