Vehicle ventilation system

• US 6,361,428 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2000
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: International Truck and Engine Corporation
• Inventors: Mattes, Patrick J., Tosconi, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Jiping
• Application Number:
  US09/611,041
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 454/136, 454/137, 454/138, 454/139, 454/158, 454/99, 454/228, 454/100, 454/105, 454/141, 454/142
• US Class Current: 454/137
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/262 Openings in or on the vehicle roof

Abstract

A vehicle ventilation system mounted to the upper portion of the exterior structure of a vehicle'"'"'s occupant cabin. The components of the exterior structure of the occupant cabin define an opening through the exterior structure of the occupant cabin in the upper portion of the occupant cabin. A duct is mounted to the exterior structure of the occupant cabin and has a first end in fluid communication with the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin. A second end of the duct is positioned below the first end of the duct and is open to and in fluid communication with the outside atmosphere. A fan is mounted to the exterior structure of the occupant cabin and is positioned such that when in operation it can be operated to move air through the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin. The fan is controllable to change the rate and direction of the flow of air which it creates. A first rotary damper is mounted over the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin and can be selectively opened or closed to allow or prevent air flow through the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin. A second damper is mounted in a position such that it radially surrounds the impeller of the fan and can be used to control the flow of air radially outward from or radially inward toward the impeller of the fan.

Claims

1. A ventilation system, for mounting to a vehicle which has an occupant cabin which surrounds an interior of the occupant cabin and is surrounded by an exterior of the occupant cabin, wherein the occupant cabin has an exterior structure, and a roof, sides and rear panel, all of which have an inner and an outer surface and outer edges, and make up part of the exterior structure of the occupant cabin, and wherein one or more components of the exterior structure of the occupant cabin define an opening through an upper portion of the exterior structure of the occupant cabin, comprising:

(a) a duct mountable to the occupant cabin;

(b) an outer wall of a first end of said duct, which can be mated to the outer surface of the one or more components of the exterior structure which define(s) the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin, wherein said outer wall of said first end of said duct is designed to at least partially surround the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed, thus, an interior of said duct would be in fluid communication with the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed;

(c) a second end of said duct, which is designed to be positioned below said first end of said duct when said ventilation system is installed;

(d) wherein said second end of said duct is designed to be open to and in fluid communication with outside atmosphere when said ventilation system is installed;

(e) a fan designed to be mounted to the occupant cabin in a position such that an inlet or exhaust area of said fan would be near and would be in fluid communication with the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed and thus when said fan is in operation it would create air flow toward or away from the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed;

(f) wherein said duct is designed to be mountable to the exterior surface of the roof of the occupant cabin;

(g) wherein said duct is designed to extend along the roof of the exterior structure of the occupant cabin to one of the outer edges of the roof, and then down along a side or rear panel of the exterior structure of the occupant cabin, and terminate at said second end of said duct;

(h) a first damper designed to be mounted to the occupant cabin, in a position near the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin, whereby when said ventilation system is installed said first damper can be selectively opened, which places the interior of the occupant cabin in fluid communication with said duct, or closed, which effectively isolates the occupant cabin from said duct;

(i) wherein said fan is constructed such that, a speed or direction of motion of an impeller of said fan, or an orientation of one or more blades of said impeller of said fan can be controlled, such that a rate or direction of an air flow created by said fan can be controlled;

(j) a second damper designed to be mounted to the occupant cabin, in a position such that it would surround at least a portion of said impeller of said fan;

(k) an outer wall of said second damper which defines openings through which air can pass;

(l) an air control gate disposed such that said air control gate surrounds said outer wall of said second damper;

(m) wherein said air control gate defines openings through itself which are positioned around a periphery of said air control gate;

(n) wherein a distance between said openings defined in said air control gate is similar to a distance between said openings defined in said outer wall of said second damper; and

(o) wherein said air control gate can be rotated such that said openings defined in said air control gate can be placed into or out of alignment with said openings in said outer wall of said second damper such that said openings in said outer wall of said second damper can be selectively exposed or covered by said air control gate.

2. The ventilation system of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) one or more wire form safety screens designed to be fixedly attached to the occupant cabin or components of said ventilation system;

(b) wherein said wire form safety screen(s) cover(s) one or more openings in said ventilation system through which foreign objects could otherwise travel and enter a space generally coincident with said impeller of said fan;

(c) a debris screen mounted inside said duct near said second end of said duct; and

(d) wherein said debris screen covers an entire cross section of an interior of said duct, such that debris from the outside atmosphere is prevented from traveling through the ventilation system into the interior of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed.

3. A ventilation system, for mounting to a vehicle which has an occupant cabin which surrounds an interior of the occupant cabin and is surrounded by an exterior of the occupant cabin, wherein the occupant cabin has an exterior structure, and a roof, sides and rear panel, all of which have an inner and an outer surface and outer edges, and make up part of the exterior structure of the occupant cabin, and wherein one or more components of the exterior structure of the occupant cabin define an opening through an upper portion of the exterior structure of the occupant cabin, comprising:

(a) a duct mountable to the occupant cabin;

(b) an outer wall of a first end of said duct, which can be mated to the outer surface of the one or more components of the exterior structure which define(s) the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin, wherein said outer wall of said first end of said duct is designed to at least partially surround the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed, thus, an interior of said duct would be in fluid communication with the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed;

(c) a second end of said duct, which is designed to be positioned below said first end of said duct when said ventilation system is installed;

(d) wherein said second end of said duct is designed to be open to and in fluid communication with outside atmosphere when said ventilation system is installed; and

(e) a fan designed to be mounted to the occupant cabin in a position such that an inlet or exhaust area of said fan would be near and would be in fluid communication with the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed and thus when said fan is in operation it would create air flow toward or away from the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed;

(f) a first damper designed to be mounted to the occupant cabin, in a position near the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin, whereby when said ventilation system is installed said first damper can be selectively opened, which places the interior of the occupant cabin in fluid communication with said duct, or closed, which effectively isolates the occupant cabin from said duct;

(g) wherein said fan is constructed such that, a speed or direction of motion of an impeller of said fan, or an orientation of one or more blades of said impeller of said fan can be controlled, such that a rate or direction of an air flow created by said fan can be controlled;

(h) a second damper designed to be mounted to the occupant cabin, in a position such that it would surround at least a portion of said impeller of said fan;

(i) an outer wall of said second damper which defines openings through which air can pass;

(j) an air control gate disposed such that said air control gate surrounds said outer wall of said second damper;

(k) wherein said air control gate defines openings through itself which are positioned around a periphery of said air control gate;

(l) wherein a distance between said openings defined in said air control gate is similar to a distance between said openings defined in said outer wall of said second damper; and

(m) wherein said air control gate can be rotated such that said openings defined in said air control gate can be placed into or out of alignment with said openings in said outer wall of said second damper such that said openings in said outer wall of said second damper can be selectively exposed or covered by said air control gate.

4. The ventilation system of claim 3, further comprising:

(a) one or more wire form safety screens designed to be fixedly attached to the occupant cabin or components of said ventilation system;

(b) wherein said wire form safety screen(s) cover(s) one or more openings in said ventilation system through which foreign objects could otherwise travel and enter a space generally coincident with said impeller of said fan;

(c) a debris screen mounted inside said duct near said second end of said duct; and

(d) wherein said debris screen covers an entire cross section of an interior of said duct, such that debris from the outside atmosphere is prevented from traveling through the ventilation system into the interior of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed.

5. A vehicle, comprising:

(a) a chassis;

(b) a suspension engaged to said chassis for supporting said vehicle;

(c) a powertrain engaged to said chassis for driving said vehicle;

(d) an occupant cabin engaged to said chassis;

(e) an exterior structure of said occupant cabin which is comprised of a floor, two sides, a rear panel and a roof;

(f) one or more components of said exterior structure of said occupant cabin defining an opening through said exterior structure in an upper portion of said occupant cabin, such that, air can move through said opening in said exterior structure between an interior space of said occupant cabin and the outside atmosphere;

(g) a duct mounted to said occupant cabin;

(h) an outer wall of a first end of said duct, mated to an outer surface of said one or more components of said exterior structure which define(s) said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin, wherein said outer wall of said first end of said duct at least partially surrounds said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin, thus an interior of said duct is in fluid communication with said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin;

(i) a second end of said duct, positioned below said first end of said duct;

(j) wherein said second end of said duct is open to and in fluid communication with the outside atmosphere;

(k) a fan mounted to said occupant cabin in a position such that an inlet or exhaust area of said fan is near and is in fluid communication with said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin and thus when said fan is operated it creates an air flow toward or away from said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin;

(l) wherein said one or more components of said exterior structure of said occupant cabin which define said opening in said occupant cabin are part of said roof of said occupant cabin;

(m) wherein said opening through said exterior structure of said occupant cabin is therefore located in said roof of said exterior structure of said occupant cabin;

(n) wherein said duct is mounted to an exterior surface of said roof of said occupant cabin;

(o) wherein said duct extends from said first end along said roof of said exterior structure of said occupant cabin to an outer edge of said roof and then down along an outer surface of one of said side or rear panels of said exterior structure of said occupant cabin and terminates at said second end of said duct;

(p) a first damper mounted to said occupant cabin, in a position near said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin, whereby said first damper can be selectively opened, which places the interior of said occupant cabin in fluid communication with said duct, or closed, which effectively isolates said occupant cabin from said duct;

(q) wherein said fan is constructed such that, a speed or direction of motion of an impeller of said fan, or an orientation of one or more blades of said impeller of said fan can be controlled, such that a rate or direction of an air flow created by said fan can be controlled;

(r) a second damper designed to be mounted to said occupant cabin, in a position such that it would surround at least a portion of said impeller of said fan;

(s) an outer wall of said second damper which defines openings through which air can pass;

(t) an air control gate disposed such that said air control gate surrounds said outer wall of said second damper;

(u) wherein said air control gate defines openings through itself which are positioned around a periphery of said air control gate;

(v) wherein a distance between said openings defined in said air control gate is similar to a distance between said openings defined in said outer wall of said second damper; and

(w) wherein said air control gate can be rotated such that said openings defined in said air control gate can be placed into or out of alignment with said openings in said outer wall of said second damper such that said openings in said outer wall of said second damper can be selectively exposed or covered by said air control gate.

6. The Vehicle of claim 5, further comprising:

(a) one or more wire form safety screens fixedly attached to said occupant cabin or components of said ventilation system; and

(b) wherein said wire form safety screens cover one or more openings in said ventilation system through which foreign objects could otherwise travel and enter a space generally coincident with said impeller of said fan.

(c) a debris screen mounted inside said duct near said second end of said duct;

(d) wherein said debris screen covers an entire cross section of an interior of said duct such that debris from the outside atmosphere is prevented from traveling through said ventilation system into the interior of said occupant cabin.

7. A vehicle, comprising:

(a) a chassis;

(b) a suspension engaged to said chassis for supporting said vehicle;

(c) a powertrain engaged to said chassis for driving said vehicle;

(d) an occupant cabin engaged to said chassis;

(e) an exterior structure of said occupant cabin which is comprised of a floor, two sides, a rear panel and a roof;

(f) one or more components of said exterior structure of said occupant cabin defining an opening through said exterior structure in an upper portion of said occupant cabin, such that, air can move through said opening in said exterior structure between an interior space of said occupant cabin and the outside atmosphere;

(g) a duct mounted to said occupant cabin;

(h) an outer wall of a first end of said duct, mated to an outer surface of said one or more components of said exterior structure which define(s) said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin, wherein said outer wall of said first end of said duct at least partially surrounds said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin, thus an interior of said duct is in fluid communication with said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin;

(i) a second end of said duct, positioned below said first end of said duct;

(j) wherein said second end of said duct is open to and in fluid communication with the outside atmosphere;

(k) a fan mounted to said occupant cabin in a position such that an inlet or exhaust area of said fan is near and is in fluid communication with said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin and thus when said fan is operated it creates an air flow toward or away from said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin;

(l) a first damper mounted to said occupant cabin, in a position near said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin, whereby said first damper can be selectively opened, which places the interior of said occupant cabin in fluid communication with said duct, or closed, which effectively isolates said occupant cabin from said duct;

(m) wherein said fan is constructed such that, a speed or direction of motion of an impeller of said fan, or an orientation of one or more blades of said impeller of said fan can be controlled, such that a rate or direction of an air flow created by said fan can be controlled;

(n) a second damper designed to be mounted to said occupant cabin, in a position such that it would surround at least a portion of said impeller of said fan;

(o) an outer wall of said second damper which defines openings through which air can pass;

(p) an air control gate disposed such that said air control gate surrounds said outer wall of said second damper;

(q) wherein said air control gate defines openings through itself which are positioned around a periphery of said air control gate;

(r) wherein a distance between said openings defined in said air control gate is similar to a distance between said openings defined in said outer wall of said second damper; and

(s) wherein said air control gate can be rotated such that said openings defined in said air control gate can be placed into or out of alignment with said openings in said outer wall of said second damper such that said openings in said outer wall of said second damper can be selectively exposed or covered by said air control gate.

8. The Vehicle of claim 7, further comprising:

(a) one or more wire form safety screens fixedly attached to said occupant cabin or components of said ventilation system; and

(b) wherein said wire form safety screens cover one or more openings in said ventilation system through which foreign objects could otherwise travel and enter a space generally coincident with said impeller of said fan.

(c) a debris screen mounted inside said duct near said second end of said duct;

(d) wherein said debris screen covers an entire cross section of an interior of said duct, such that debris from the outside atmosphere is prevented from traveling through said ventilation system into the interior of said occupant cabin.

9. A ventilation system, for mounting to a vehicle which has an occupant cabin which surrounds an interior of the occupant cabin and is surrounded by an exterior of the occupant cabin, wherein the occupant cabin has an exterior structure, and a roof, sides and rear panel, all of which have an inner and an outer surface and outer edges, and make up part of the exterior structure of the occupant cabin, and wherein one or more components of the exterior structure of the occupant cabin define an opening through an upper portion of the exterior structure of the occupant cabin, comprising:

(a) a duct mountable to the occupant cabin;

(b) an outer wall of a first end of said duct, which can be mated to the outer surface of the one or more components of the exterior structure which define(s) the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin, wherein said outer wall of said first end of said duct is designed to at least partially surround the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed, thus, an interior of said duct would be in fluid communication with the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed;

(c) a second end of said duct, which is designed to be positioned below said first end of said duct when said ventilation system is installed;

(d) wherein said second end of said duct is designed to be open to and in fluid communication with outside atmosphere when said ventilation system is installed;

(e) a fan designed to be mounted to the occupant cabin in a position such that an inlet or exhaust area of said fan would be near and would be in fluid communication with the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed and thus when said fan is in operation it would create air flow toward or away from the opening in the exterior structure of the occupant cabin when said ventilation system is installed;

(t) a damper designed to be mounted to said occupant cabin, in a position such that it would surround at least a portion of said impeller of said fan;

(u) an outer wall of said damper which defines openings through which air can pass;

(v) an air control gate disposed such that said air control gate surrounds said outer wall of said damper;

(w) wherein said air control gate defines openings through itself which are positioned around a periphery of said air control gate;

(x) wherein a distance between said openings defined in said air control gate is similar to a distance between said openings defined in said outer wall of said damper; and

(f) wherein said air control gate can be rotated such that said openings defined in said air control gate can be placed into or out of alignment with said openings in said outer wall of said damper such that said openings in said outer wall of said damper can be selectively exposed or covered by said air control gate.

10. A vehicle, comprising:

(a) a chassis;

(b) a suspension engaged to said chassis for supporting said vehicle;

(c) a powertrain engaged to said chassis for driving said vehicle;

(d) an occupant cabin engaged to said chassis;

(e) an exterior structure of said occupant cabin which is comprised of a floor, two sides, a rear panel and a roof;

(f) one or more components of said exterior structure of said occupant cabin defining an opening through said exterior structure in an upper portion of said occupant cabin, such that, air can move through said opening in said exterior structure between an interior space of said occupant cabin and the outside atmosphere;

(g) a duct mounted to said occupant cabin;

(h) an outer wall of a first end of said duct, mated to an outer surface of said one or more components of said exterior structure which define(s) said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin, wherein said outer wall of said first end of said duct at least partially surrounds said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin, thus an interior of said duct is in fluid communication with said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin;

(i) a second end of said duct, positioned below said first end of said duct;

(j) wherein said second end of said duct is open to and in fluid communication with the outside atmosphere;

(k) a fan mounted to said occupant cabin in a position such that an inlet or exhaust area of said fan is near and is in fluid communication with said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin and thus when said fan is operated it creates an air flow toward or away from said opening in said exterior structure of said occupant cabin;

(l) a damper designed to be mounted to said occupant cabin, in a position such that it would surround at least a portion of said impeller of said fan;

(m) an outer wall of said damper which defines openings through which air can pass;

(n) an air control gate disposed such that said air control gate surrounds said outer wall of said damper;

(o) wherein said air control gate defines openings through itself which are positioned around a periphery of said air control gate;

(p) wherein a distance between said openings defined in said air control gate is similar to a distance between said openings defined in said outer wall of said damper; and

(q) wherein said air control gate can be rotated such that said openings defined in said air control gate can be placed into or out of alignment with said openings in said outer wall of said damper such that said openings in said outer wall of said damper can be selectively exposed or covered by said air control gate.