Vehicle interior air conditioning device

• US 5,222,661 A
• Filed: 02/19/1992
• Issued: 06/29/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
• Original Assignee: Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
• Inventors: Wenhart, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US07/836,969
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 237/2 A, 237/12.3 C, 165/16, 454/128, 454/129, 454/75, 98/2.14, 236/49.3
• 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 1/00814 Control systems or circuits characterised by their output, for controlling particular components of the heating, cooling or ventilating installation
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2206 controlling the operation of burners control of burners in general F23N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2234 when vehicle is parked, preheating
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2243 manual operation, e.g. remote control or timer
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2293 Integration into other parts of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/0573 power driven arrangements, e.g. electrical

Abstract

An interior climate control system in which a vehicle fan of the vehicle'"'"'s own ventilation device, an openable and closable vehicle opening, such as a roof opening or a window opening, and a heater that can be operated independently of the engine are linked by an operating control circuit into a functional unit so that, when a predetermined, upper temperature limit is exceeded, a control circuit allocated to the operating devices for the openable and closable vehicle opening is controlled and activated, and so that, when the temperature falls below a predetermined, lower limit, the engine-independent heater is controlled and started. A pre-air conditioning operation or a preheating operation in the interior climate control system can be achieved by a remote control device and/or by a preadjustable timer device by the operating control circuit.

Claims

1. Vehicle interior climate control system comprising:

A) a vehicle fan;

B) at least one operating device drivingly connected to at least one openable and closable vehicle opening for opening and closing said at least one vehicle opening;

C) an operating control circuit connected to the at least one operating device, to a vehicle interior temperature sensor and to an outside humidity sensor, said control circuit triggering at least one said operating device when both a predetermined temperature threshold value inside the vehicle is exceeded and when the outside humidity sensed by an outside humidity sensor is below a predetermined value; and

D) a engine-independent heater that is operable independently of a vehicle internal combustion engine;

wherein said operating control circuit is also connected to said vehicle fan and triggers vehicle interior ventilation by actuation of at least one of both said vehicle fan and said operating device when the temperature sensed by the vehicle interior temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined upper temperature limit, and triggers operation of said engine-independent heater when the temperature sensed by said vehicle interior temperature sensor falls below a predetermined lower limit.

2. Vehicle interior climate control system according to claim 1, wherein the engine-independent heater has a separate fan;

and wherein said operating control circuit is connected to said fan in manner activating the fan when said predetermined upper temperature limit is exceeded to produce said interior ventilation.

3. Vehicle interior climate control system according to claim 2, wherein a preadjustable timer device is connected to said operating control circuit for activating operation.

4. Vehicle interior climate control system according to claim 1, wherein a preadjustable timer device is connected to said operating control circuit for activating operation.

5. Vehicle interior climate control system according to claim 1, wherein a remote control device is provided for activating the operating control circuit.

6. Vehicle interior climate control system according to claim 2, wherein an outside temperature sensor is provided, said operating control circuit operating in response to the output thereof in addition to the temperature sensed by said inside temperature sensor.

7. Vehicle interior climate control system according to claim 1, wherein an outside temperature sensor is provided, said operating control circuit operating in response to the output thereof in addition to the temperature sensed by said inside temperature sensor.

13. Vehicle interior climate control system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one operating device comprises a window operating mechanism.

14. Vehicle interior climate control system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one operating device comprises a roof operating mechanism.

15. Vehicle interior climate control system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one operating device comprises a window operating mechanism and a roof operating mechanism.

8. Vehicle interior climate control system 1, wherein operating control circuit comprises a plurality of relays.

9. Vehicle interior climate control system 8, wherein said plurality of relays comprise a first relay for controlling activation of said at least one operating device, and a second relay for triggering operation of said heater.

10. Vehicle interior climate control system 9, wherein said plurality of relays comprise a third relay for controlling activation of a fan of said heater and a main relay for controlling operation of said second and third relays.

11. Vehicle interior climate control system according to claim 10, wherein a preadjustable timer device is connected to said operating control circuit for activating operation of said main relay.

12. Vehicle interior climate control system according to claim 10, wherein a remote control device is provided for activating the operation of said main relay.

16. Vehicle interior climate control system comprising:

A) a vehicle fan;

B) at least one operating device drivingly connected to at least one openable and closable vehicle opening for opening and closing said at least one vehicle opening;

C) an operating control circuit connected to the at least one operating device, to a vehicle interior temperature sensor and to an outside humidity sensor, said control circuit triggering at least one said operating device when both a predetermined temperature threshold value inside the vehicle is exceeded and when the outside humidity sensed by an outside humidity sensor is below a predetermined value; and

D) a engine-independent heater that is operable independently of a vehicle internal combustion engine;

wherein said operating control circuit triggers vehicle interior ventilation when the temperature sensed by the vehicle interior temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined upper temperature limit, and triggers operation of said engine-independent heater when the temperature sensed by said vehicle interior temperature sensor falls below a predetermined lower limit;

wherein the engine-independent heater has a separate fan; and

wherein said operating control circuit is connected to said fan in manner activating the fan when said predetermined upper temperature limit is exceeded to produce said interior ventilation.

17. Vehicle interior climate control system according to claim 16, wherein a preadjustable timer device is connected to said operating control circuit for activating operation.

18. Vehicle interior climate control system according to claim 16, wherein an outside temperature sensor is provided, said operating control circuit operating in response to the output thereof in addition to the temperature sensed by said inside temperature sensor.