Automobile environment management system

• US 5,054,686 A
• Filed: 11/05/1990
• Issued: 10/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prospects Corp.
• Original Assignee: Prospect SA
• Inventors: Chuang, Cliff L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US07/609,266
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 236/49.3, 236/1 R, 236/91 C, 98/2.01
• US Class Current: 236/49.3
• 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: B60H 1/00742 by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/065 Steering wheels with heating and ventilating means heating and ventilation of steering wheel when connected to vehicle HVAC B60H1/00292
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/41 Detection by monitoring transmitted force or torque E05F15/48 takes precedence; Safety couplings with activation dependent upon torque or force, e.g. slip couplings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/695 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/71 responsive to temperature changes, rain, wind or noise
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors therefore E05Y2400/322, E05Y2400/33, E05Y2400/55, E05Y2400/56, E05Y2400/852 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/42 against smoke or gas
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

An automatic venting system for a vehicle having a plurality of motor operated vents in which the interior of the vehicle is monitored for the temperature as well as the presence of a living being, and a separate sensor is included for sensing precipitation outside the vehicle. When the interior of the vehicle is above a preselected threshold temperature, at least one of the vehicle vents is at least partially opened to cool the vehicle. Then, if precipitation is sensed, the open vent or vents are automatically closed unless a living being is sensed within the interior of the car, in which case one or more of the vents remains at least partially open even during the precipitation to provide sufficient ventilation and safety for the being in the car.

Claims

1. An automatic venting system for a vehicle having a plurality of motor-operated vents, comprising:

means for resolving the vehicle interior temperature;

means for detecting the presence of a living being in the vehicle;

means for sensing precipitation outside the vehicle;

means, responsive to said means for resolving, for operating at least one of the motors to at least partially open the respective vehicle vent when the interior temperature rises above a preselected threshold temperature to cool the vehicle;

means, responsive to said means for sensing, for commanding the motor of at least one open vehicle vent to close the vent when precipitation is sensed; and

means, responsive to said means for detecting, for inhibiting said means for commanding when a living being is present in the vehicle to prevent at least one open vent from closing for providing fresh air for the being and for the safety of the being.

2. The venting system of claim 1 in which said means for detecting includes an infrared detector.

3. The venting system of claim 1 in which said means for detecting includes a motion sensor.

4. The venting system of claim 1 further including means for selecting the open amount of the vent to be opened by said means for operating.

5. The venting system of claim 4 in which said means for operating includes means for choosing which of the vehicle vents are to be opened to cool the vehicle.

6. The venting system of claim 5 in which said means for selecting provides independent open amount selection for each chosen vehicle vent.

7. The venting system of claim 1 further including means, responsive to said means for sensing, for warning that at least one open vehicle vent is about to close.

8. The venting system of claim 1 further including means for indicating that said venting system is in operation.

9. The venting system of claim 1 further including means for detecting the presence of a dangerous gas in the vehicle interior.

10. The venting system of claim 9 in which said means for operating is further responsive to said means for detecting a gas for at least partially opening a vehicle vent when a dangerous gas is detected to vent the gas from the vehicle.

11. The venting system of claim 10 in which said means for detecting a gas inhibits operation of said means for commanding to prevent the open vent from closing while the dangerous gas is present.

12. The venting system of claim 1 further including means for determining when a vent being closed is obstructed.

13. The venting system of claim 12 in which said means for commanding is inhibited by said means for determining to stop vent closure on detection of an obstruction.

14. The venting system of claim 13 in which said means for operating is enabled by said means for determining for re-opening the obstructed vent.

15. The venting system of claim 14 in which said means for commanding again attempts to close the obstructed vent after it is re-opened.

16. The venting system of claim 15 further including means for determining the number of times the vent has been commanded to close in a predetermined closure period.

17. The venting system of claim 16 in which said means for commanding is responsive to said means for determining the number of times to cease attempts to close the obstructed vent after a number of tries.

18. The venting system of claim 1 further including means for determining when the vehicle is violently jarred.

19. The venting system of claim 18 in which said means for operating is responsive to said means for determining for fully opening all of the motor-operated vents when the vehicle is violently jarred to provide a vehicle escape path in an accident.

20. The venting system of claim 1 further including means for detecting sunlight in the vehicle.

21. The venting system of claim 20 further including means for shading at least part of one of the vehicle windshields.

22. The venting system of claim 21 in which said means for shading is responsive to said means for resolving the vehicle temperature and said means for detecting sunlight for operating said means for shading when the interior temperature is above the preselected threshold and sunlight is detected.

23. The venting system of claim 1 further including means for determining when all of the vehicle doors are locked.

24. The venting system of claim 23 in which said means for commanding closes all of the motor-operated vents when said means for detecting detects the presence of a being after all of the doors are locked to deter vehicle theft.

25. The venting system of claim 1 in which said means for commanding is further responsive to said means for resolving for closing the open vents when the interior temperature falls below a preselected threshold temperature.

26. The venting system of claim 1 further including means for heating the vehicle steering wheel.

27. The venting system of claim 26 in which said means for heating is responsive to said means for resolving for only heating the steering wheel when the interior temperature falls below a preselected threshold temperature.

28. The venting system of claim 1 in which said means for commanding closes the open vehicle vent when said means for detecting no longer detects a living being.