Air conditioning system suitable for use in a electric vehicle
First Claim
1. An air conditioning system for use in an electric vehicle, comprising:
- an electric vehicle;
a first drive source for running said electric vehicle;
a refrigerant gas circulatory system disposed inside said electric vehicle for effecting cooling and heating of said vehicle, said gas circulatory system comprising lines which interconnected at least one heat exchanger, a directional control valve, a compressor and an expansion valve to one another; and
controlling means for activating and inactivating said heat exchanger, said directional control valve and said compressor, said controlling means comprising;
operation starting time computing means for computing an operation starting time prior to a preset running time of said vehicle, andmeans for causing operation of at least a portion of said refrigerant gas circulatory system at said operation starting timing prior to said preset running time of said vehicle, said refrigerant gas circulatory system being operated by a second drive source different from said first drive source for running said vehicle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air conditioning system suitable for use in an electric vehicle. In the air conditioning system, a refrigerant gas circulatory system of the heat pump type for selectively effecting cooling and heating is disposed inside the electric vehicle and comprises lines which interconnect three heat exchangers, a directional control valve, a compressor and an expansion valve to one another. A control device is provided so as to activate and inactivate the heat exchanger, the directional control valve and the compressor. Before the expected running of the vehicle, at least a portion of the refrigerant gas circulatory system can be operated by the control device using a drive source different from the drive source used for running the vehicle. Accordingly, a comfortable room environment can be established for the expected time on riding by activating the air conditioning system in an unmanned state.
81 Citations
51 Claims
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1. An air conditioning system for use in an electric vehicle, comprising:
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an electric vehicle; a first drive source for running said electric vehicle; a refrigerant gas circulatory system disposed inside said electric vehicle for effecting cooling and heating of said vehicle, said gas circulatory system comprising lines which interconnected at least one heat exchanger, a directional control valve, a compressor and an expansion valve to one another; and controlling means for activating and inactivating said heat exchanger, said directional control valve and said compressor, said controlling means comprising; operation starting time computing means for computing an operation starting time prior to a preset running time of said vehicle, and means for causing operation of at least a portion of said refrigerant gas circulatory system at said operation starting timing prior to said preset running time of said vehicle, said refrigerant gas circulatory system being operated by a second drive source different from said first drive source for running said vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An air conditioning system for use in an electric vehicle for pre-air conditioning an inside room of said vehicle with an external current supply source normally supplying a current for charging a drive source used for running said vehicle, comprising:
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a room temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the room of said vehicle; an atmospheric temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of air outside said vehicle., temperature computing means for computing a room temperature and an atmospheric temperature at a preset riding time from said detected room temperature and said detected outside air temperature respectively; and operation starting time computing means for computing a time prior to the riding time, for starting the operation of an air conditioner means for changing said computed room temperature at the riding time to a predetermined target room temperature. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. An air conditioning system for use in an electric vehicle, comprising:
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a sensor associated with at least one vehicle window for outputting a signal representative of whether said window is in a clear state; a timer for counting time; glass temperature-increasing means for heating said window; riding expected time setting means for setting the expected time at which a driver expects to ride in said vehicle; operation starting time computing means for computing the operation starting time prior to said riding expected time from said set riding expected time and a preset time period and controlling means for reading the output of said sensor when the counted time of said timer reaches said computed operation starting time and for energizing said glass temperature-increasing means when said output represents that said window is in an unclear state. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle comprising:
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an electric vehicle; a battery for powering said electric vehicle; an external electric supply source for charging said battery; cooling and heating means for cooling and heating a driver and passenger cabin in said vehicle, said cooling and heating means being operable, at least in part, by said external electric supply source for charging said battery; controlling means for activating and inactivating said cooling and heating means, said controlling means comprising; operation starting time computing means for computing an operation starting time prior to a preset running time of said vehicle, and means for causing operation of said cooling and heating means at said operation starting time prior to said preset running time of the vehicle using said external electric supply source for producing a desired condition of the cabin at said preset running time of said vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle having a battery for powering the vehicle, comprising:
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means for cooling and heating a river and passenger cabin in said vehicle, said cooling and heating means being operable, at least in part, by an external electric supply source for charging the battery, controlling means for causing operation of said cooling and heating means prior to expected running of the vehicle by using said external electric supply source for producing a desired condition of the vehicle room for said expected running of said vehicle, said controlling means including means for sensing an adverse condition of an unclear vehicle window in the vehicle cabin and causing a mode of operation of said cooling and heating means for correcting said adverse condition, and said cooling and heating means including electric glass heating means for directly heating and unclear vehicle window. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle having a battery for powering the vehicle, comprising:
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means for cooling and heating a driver and passenger cabin in said vehicle, said cooling and heating means being operable, at least in part, by an external electric supply source for charging the battery, controlling means for causing operation of said cooling and heating means prior to expected running of the vehicle by using said external electric supply source for producing a desired condition of the vehicle room for said expected running of said vehicle; said controlling means including means for sensing an adverse condition of an unclear vehicle window in the vehicle cabin and causing a mode of operation of said cooling and heating means for correcting said adverse condition, and said cooling and heating means including warm air blowing means for blowing warm air on said unclear vehicle window.
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38. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle having a battery for powering the vehicle, comprising:
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means for cooling and heating a driver and passenger cabin in said vehicle, said cooling and heating means being operable, at least in part, by an external electric supply source for charging the battery, controlling means for causing operation of said cooling and heating means prior to expected running of the vehicle by using said external electric supply source for producing a desired condition of the vehicle room for said expected running of said vehicle, and said controlling means including sensing means for detecting the temperature in the cabin and the ambient temperature outside the vehicle, and said controlling means selectively operates said cooling and heating means for correcting the cabin temperature to a predetermined target cabin temperature based on said detected vehicle cabin and ambient temperatures. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle having a battery for powering the vehicle, comprising:
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means for cooling and heating a driver and passenger cabin in said vehicle, said cooling and heating means being operable, at least in part, by an external electric supply source for charging the battery, controlling means for causing operation of said cooling and heating means prior to expected running of the vehicle by using said eternal electric supply source for producing a desired condition of the vehicle room for said expected running of said vehicle, and wherein said controlling means includes means for sensing an open window or door of the vehicle and controlling the operation of the cooling and heating means based on said sensing.
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41. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle having a battery for powering the vehicle, comprising:
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means for cooling and heating a driver and passenger cabin in said vehicle, said cooling and heating means being operable, at least in part, by an external electric supply source of charging the battery, controlling means for causing operation of said cooling and heating means prior to expected running of the vehicle by using said external electric supply source for producing a desired condition of the vehicle room for said expected running of said vehicle, and wherein said controlling means includes means for sensing solar radiation and controlling the operation of the cooling and heating means based on said sensing.
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42. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle having a battery for powering the vehicle, comprising:
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means for cooling and heating a driver and passenger cabin in said vehicle, said cooling and heating means being operable, at least in part, by an external electric supply source for charging the battery, controlling means for causing operation of said cooling and heating means prior to expected running of the vehicle by using said external electric supply source for producing a desired condition of the vehicle room for said expected running of said vehicle, and wherein said controlling means includes means for sensing depth of discharge of the battery and controlling the operation of the cooling and heating means based on said sensing.
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43. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle having a battery for powering the vehicle, comprising:
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means for cooling and heating a driver and passenger cabin in said vehicle, said cooling and heating means being operable, at least in part, by an external electric supply source for charging the battery, controlling means for causing operation of said cooling and heating means prior to expected running of the vehicle by using said external electric supply source for producing a desired condition of the vehicle room for said expected running of said vehicle, and wherein said controlling means includes means for sensing pressure on the vehicle driver'"'"'s seat and controlling the operation of the cooling and heating means based on said sensing.
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44. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle having a battery for powering the vehicle, comprising:
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means for cooling and heating a driver and passenger cabin in said vehicle, said cooling and heating means being operable, at least in part, by an external electric supply source for charging the battery, controlling means for causing operation of said cooling and heating means prior to expected running of the vehicle by using said external electric supply source for producing a desired condition of the vehicle room for said expected running of said vehicle, and wherein said controlling means includes means for sensing the current being supplied to and from the battery and controlling the operation of the cooling and heating means based on said sensing.
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45. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle having a battery for powering the vehicle, comprising:
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means for cooling and heating a driver and passenger cabin in said vehicle, said cooling and heating means being operable, at least in part, by an external electric supply source for charging the battery, controlling means for causing operation of said cooling and heating means prior to expected running of the vehicle by using said external electric supply source for producing a desired condition of the vehicle room for said expected running of said vehicle, and wherein said controlling means includes means for sensing determining that a value of a charging current supplied to said vehicle battery is greater than a predetermined value at a predetermined time prior to the expected running of the vehicle, and said controlling means is operated to prevent said cooling and heating means from being energized in response to said determination.
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46. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle having a battery for powering the vehicle, comprising:
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means for cooling and heating a driver and passenger cabin in said vehicle, said cooling and heating means being operable, at least in part, by an external electric supply source for charging the battery, controlling means for causing operation of said cooling and heating means prior to expected running of the vehicle by using said external electric supply source for producing a desired condition of the vehicle room for said expected running of said vehicle, and wherein said controlling means includes means for sensing determining that a value of a charging current supplied to said vehicle battery is greater than a predetermined value at a predetermined time prior to the expected running of the vehicle, and said controlling means controls the value of current supplied to said cooling and heating means in such a manner that the value of said charging current supplied to said vehicle battery is more than a predetermined value.
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47. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle having a battery for powering the vehicle, comprising:
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means for cooling and heating a driver and passenger cabin in said vehicle, said cooling and heating means being operable, at least in part, by an external electric supply source for charging the battery, controlling means for causing operation of said cooling and heating means prior to expected running of the vehicle by using said external electric supply source for producing a desired condition of the vehicle room for said expected running of said vehicle, and wherein said controlling means includes; a cabin temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the cabin of said vehicle; an atmospheric temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of air outside said vehicle; temperature computing means for computing a cabin temperature and an atmospheric temperature at said expected running time from said detected cabin temperature and said detected outside air temperature respectively; and operation starting time computing means for computing a time prior to the expected running time for starting the operation of said cooling and heating means for changing said computing cabin temperature at the expected running time to a predetermined target cabin temperature. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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49. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle having a battery for powering the vehicle, comprising:
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means for cooling and heating a driver and passenger cabin in said vehicle, said cooling and heating means being operable, at least in part, by an external electric supply source for charging the battery, controlling means for causing operation of said cooling and heating means prior to expected running of the vehicle by using said external electric supply source for producing a desired condition of the vehicle room for said expected running of said vehicle, and wherein said controlling means includes; a sensor associated with at least one vehicle window for outputting a signal for making a decision as to whether said window is in a clear state; a time for counting time; glass temperature-increasing means for heating said window; expected running time setting means for setting the expected time at which a driver will be running said vehicle; operation starting time computing means for computing the operation starting time prior to said expected running time from said set expected running time and a preset time period; and said controlling means reading the output of said sensor when the counted time of said timer reaches said computed operation starting time and for energizing said glass temperature-increasing means when said output represents that said at least one window is in an unclear state. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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Specification