Remote control car heater

• US 4,350,287 A
• Filed: 07/29/1980
• Issued: 09/21/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard G. Balzumati
• Original Assignee: Donal Haire, Thomas E. Mackey
• Inventors: Richards, Kennith E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Capossela, Ronald C.
• Application Number:
  US06/173,901
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 237/12.3 A, 237/12.3 C, 219/202, 219/203, 98/2.08, 165/41
• US Class Current: 237/12.30A
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00657 Remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2218 controlling the operation of electric heaters
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2234 when vehicle is parked, preheating
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control

Abstract

A remote transmitter is operative to start an electrical heater disposed in an automobile. The electrical heater operates off a separate electrical system from that normally found in the automobile. Once the automobile engine is started and the heating system of the automobile is operative, a thermostatic switch is actuated which removes power from the electrical heater.

Claims

1. A remote control auxiliary car heater comprising:

transmitter means for transmitting a start signal;

receiver means for receiving said transmitted start signal;

electrical resistance heater means operatively connected to said receiver means for being energized upon receipt of said start signal;

blower means disposed in operative relation to said electrical resistance means, said blower means energized by being operatively connected to said receiver means for causing airflow over said electrical resistance means upon receipt of said transmitted start signal;

a thermostat disposed between said receiver means and said electrical resistance heater means for controlling application of energy to said electrical resistance heater means; and

airflow control means operatively connected to said receiver means for controlling airflow from said blower means and directing said airflow to a windshield of an automobile.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 and further wherein said auxiliary car heater is disposed in an automobile having an engine, a heater radiator connected to said engine, said heater radiator having an input line and an output line, a thermostatic switch disposed in one of said input and output lines, said switch means being operative upon the temperature in the associated line rising above a predetermined level for the deactivating said electrical resistance heater means.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said receiver means is connected to a self-locking relay, said self-locking relay having one contactor connected between a battery and said thermostat for delivering current to said thermostat.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 and further including a manual momentary contact switch disposed in operative relation to said self-locking relay for actuating said self-locking relay.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 and further including a second relay having normally closed contacts disposed between said battery and said self-locking relay, said second relay having a coil connected to said thermostatic switch.

6. In an automobile having a heater radiator disposed within the interior of the automobile, a fluid input line connected to said radiator and a fluid output line connected to said radiator forming fluid circuit through the radiator, a blower motor disposed in operative relation to said radiator, and a heater switch connected to said blower motor for causing energization thereof, the improvement comprising an electrical resistance heater disposed in operative relation to said blower motor;

a receiver means for receiving a signal transmitted from a remote transmitter unit, said receiver means being connected for energization of said electrical resistance heater;

a thermostatic switch means disposed in one of said input and output lines of said heater radiator, said thermostatic switch means being operative to remove energization from said electrical resistance heater upon a temperature value in the associated line rising above a predetermined temperature level.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said automobile includes an automobile battery operative through said automobile heater switch to energize said blower motor and further including a heater battery connected to said blower motor for energization of said blower motor.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 and further including a first diode connected between said automobile battery and said blower motor and a second diode connected between said heater battery and said blower motor.

9. The system as defined in claim 6 and further wherein said automobile includes an automobile interior heating duct and a windshield defrosting duct, a flap disposed for closing off one of said ducts and flap actuation means connected to said receiver causing said flap to close off said vehicle interior heating duct upon actuation of said electrical resistance heater.