Process for ventilating the interior of a motor vehicle and ventilation system for the performance thereof

• US 5,259,814 A
• Filed: 09/11/1992
• Issued: 11/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
• Original Assignee: Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
• Inventors: Hahn, Ferdinand, Weissbrich, Alfons
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, Harold
• Application Number:
  US07/943,533
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 236/49.3, 454/75, 454/129, 454/136, 454/141, 454/143, 454/900
• US Class Current: 454/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00807 the input being a specific way of measuring or calculating an air or coolant temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00821 the components being ventilating, air admitting or air distributing devices
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/71 responsive to temperature changes, rain, wind or noise
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 454/90 Ventilator using solar power

Abstract

A process for ventilating the interior of a motor vehicle having a closure which can be opened by a drive motor, an interior temperature-setpoint value generator, at least one interior temperature sensor, at least one outside temperature sensor and a logic component with inputs, outputs and a computer portion. Existing components (sensors, logic components) of different units are used and operatively linked so that the driver is largely relieved of the need to manipulate numerous controls.

Claims

1. A process for ventilating the interior of a motor vehicle having at least one openable closure operated by a drive motor, an interior temperature-setpoint value generator, at least one interior temperature sensor, at least one outside temperature sensor and a logic component having inputs, outputs and a computer portion, said process comprising the steps of:

a. reading into the logic component an interior temperature-setpoint value;

b. reading into the logic component an interior temperature-setpoint value range;

c. measuring an interior temperature of the motor vehicle to obtain an interior temperature value;

d. measuring an outside temperature to obtain an outside temperature value;

e. calculating an upper threshold temperature value and a lower threshold temperature value in the computer portion from said interior temperature-setpoint value and said interior temperature-setpoint value range supplied to the inputs of the logic component;

f. controlling the drive motor from an output of the logic component to operate the closure in an opening direction when either of the following condition is determined to exist (i) if said interior temperature value is greater than said outside temperature value and said interior temperature value is greater than said upper threshold temperature value, or (ii) if said interior temperature value is less than or equal to said outside temperature value and said interior temperature value is less than said lower threshold temperature value

g. controlling the drive motor from an output of the logic component to operate the closure in a closed direction when said interior temperature value is greater than said outside temperature value and less than or equal to said upper threshold temperature value and less than said lower threshold temperature value.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein said interior temperature-setpoint value is adjusted manually using the interior temperature-setpoint value generator.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein said interior temperature-setpoint value range is adjusted manually using a setpoint value range generator.

4. The process according to claim 1, further including the step of feeding to the logic component a value for atmospheric moisture.

5. The process according to claim 4, wherein said interior temperature set point value is calculated as a function of at least one of said outside temperature value, said atmospheric moisture value and a motor vehicle speed value.

6. The process according to claim 4, wherein said interior temperature-setpoint value range is calculated as a function of at least one of said outside temperature value, said interior temperature value and said atmospheric moisture value.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein said upper threshold temperature value is determined by adding half of said interior temperature-setpoint value range to said interior temperature-setpoint value.

8. The process according to claim 7, wherein said lower threshold temperature value is determined by subtracting half of said interior temperature-setpoint value range from said interior temperature-setpoint value.

9. The process according to claim 1, further including the step of determining whether a comfort switch operated by the driver is in an ON position.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the outside temperature is measured by an existing temperature sensor of a motor vehicle on-board computer and by an outside temperature sensor connected to the motor vehicle on-board computer.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the interior temperature is measured by an interior temperature sensor connected to a control device of an on-board air conditioner.

12. The process according in claim 1, wherein said logic component is an existing on-board control device for the closure.

13. The process according to claim 1, wherein the closure is formed in a roof of the motor vehicle.

14. The process according to claim 13, wherein the closure can be swiveled at least around an axis transverse to a motor vehicle lengthwise direction.

15. The process according to claim 1, wherein at least one fan positioned in the motor vehicle is operated simultaneously with the operation of the closure.

16. The process according to claim 15, wherein said at least one fan conveys air from outside to the interior of the motor vehicle when said interior temperature value is less than or equal to said outside temperature value and said interior temperature value is less than said lower threshold value.

17. The process according to claim 15, wherein said at least one fan is positioned in the area of a ventilation gap formed by the closure.

18. The process according to claim 17, wherein said at least one fan is operated by solar power.

19. The process according to claim 17, wherein said at least one fan is operated by a motor vehicle battery.

20. The process according to claim 19, wherein said at least one fan is turned off if a voltage of said battery falls below a preset value.

21. The process according to claim 1, wherein two interior temperature sensors are used to generate initial interior temperature values and said interior temperature value is determined by an averaging of the initial interior temperature values weighted by percentage factors.

22. The process according to claim 1, wherein two outside temperature sensors are used to generate initial outside temperature values and said outside temperature value is determined by an averaging of the initial outside temperature values weighted by percentage factors.

23. The process according to claim 1, wherein the logic component is connected by an input to a rain sensor which gives off an output signal for at least partial closing of the closure upon detecting precipitation.

24. The process according to claim 1, wherein a motor vehicle air conditioner is turned on if the motor vehicle engine is operating and said interior temperature value is greater than said outside temperature value and said interior temperature value is greater than said upper threshold temperature value.

25. A ventilation system for a motor vehicle having at least one openable closure operated by a drive motor, comprising:

a logic component having inputs, outputs and a computer portion, said computer portion connected to said input and said outputs;

an interior temperature-setpoint value generator connected to said logic component for reading into said logic component an interior temperature-setpoint value;

an interior temperature-setpoint value range generator connected to said logic component for reading into said logic component an interior temperature-setpoint value range;

at least one interior temperature sensor connected to said logic component for measuring an interior temperature value.

at least one outside temperature sensor connected to said logic component for measuring an outside temperature value, said logic component capable of calculating an upper threshold temperature value and a lower threshold temperature value in the computer portion from said interior temperature-setpoint value and said interior temperature-setpoint value range supplied to the inputs of the logic component;

wherein said logic component controls the drive motor from an output of the logic component to operate the closure in an opening direction when either of the following condition is determined to exist (i) if said interior temperature value is greater than said outside temperature value and said interior temperature value is greater than said upper threshold temperature value, or (ii) if said interior temperature value is less than or equal to said outside temperature value and said interior temperature value is less than said lower threshold temperature value

controlling the drive motor from and output of the logic component to operate the closure in a closed direction when said interior temperature value is greater than said outside temperature value and less than or equal to said upper threshold temperature value and less than said lower threshold temperature value.

26. The ventilation system according to claim 25, wherein said interior temperature-setpoint value is adjusted manually using the interior temperature-setpoint value generator.

27. The ventilation system according to claim 25, wherein said interior temperature-setpoint value range is adjusted manually using the setpoint value range generator.

28. The ventilation system according to claim 25, wherein at least one outside temperature sensor includes an existing temperature sensor of an existing temperature sensor of a motor vehicle on-board computer and an outside temperature sensor connected to the motor vehicle on-board computer.

29. The ventilation system according to claim 25, wherein at least one interior temperature sensor is connected to a control device of an onboard air conditioner.

30. The ventilation system according to claim 25, wherein said logic component is an existing on-board control device for the closure.

31. The ventilation system according to claim 25, wherein the closure is formed in a roof of the motor vehicle.

32. The ventilation system according to claim 31, wherein the closure can be swiveled at least around an axis transverse to a motor vehicle lengthwise direction.

33. The ventilation system according to claim 25, further including at least one fan positioned in the motor vehicle and operated simultaneously with the operation of the closure.

34. The ventilation system according to claim 33, wherein said at least one fan is positioned in the area of a ventilation gap formed by the closure.

35. The ventilation system according to claim 34, wherein said at least one fan is operated by solar power.

36. The ventilation system according to claim 34, wherein said at least one fan is operated by a motor vehicle battery.

37. The ventilation system according to claim 25, further including a rain sensor connected by an input to the logic component, said rain sensor capable of giving off an output signal for at least partial closing of the closure upon detecting precipitation.