Operating unit comprising at least one operating element for an air conditioning installation and/or an automatic air conditioning system

• US 7,040,104 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2002
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Bogner, Alexander, Dahm, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US10/473,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20040154320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 621/26, 621/61, 621/78, 621/86, 622/67, 621/63, 236/1.C, 236/94
• US Class Current: 62/161
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to an operating unit comprising at least one operating element, especially for adjusting the quantity of air, the temperature or the air distribution of an automatic air conditioning system, an automatic function and a manual adjustment function being provided. According to the invention, when changing from the automatic function to the manual adjustment function, the adjusted valued of the adjustment function is associated with the value of the automatic function which is selected during the changeover, or the next value in the direction of the new target value, or the closed value to the display value, or a value which can be pre-programmed in a fixed manner.

Claims

1. An operator control unit comprising:

at least one operator control element for setting the quantity of air or the air temperature or air distribution of an air-conditioning system with an automatic function and a manual setting function;

wherein, when switching from the automatic function into the manual setting function, a set value of the manual setting function is assigned to a value of the automatic function which is selected during the switching over, or to a closest value in a direction of a new target value or to a value which is possible at a closest display value.

2. The operator control unit of claim 1, wherein display means are provided which, during the manual setting function, display the value which is actually implemented and/or assigned by the air-conditioning system.

3. The operator control unit of claim 1, wherein display means are composed of a light chain, in particular a LED chain, which is arranged around the operator control element, for displaying the position of the value which is set and/or assigned by the air-conditioning system during manual operation.

4. The operator control unit of claim 1, wherein the operator control element for the manual setting function is configured as an infrared rotary wheel.

5. An operator control unit comprising:

at least one operator control element for setting the quantity of air or the temperature or air distribution of an air-conditioning system with an automatic function and a manual setting function being provided;

wherein, when switching from the automatic function into the manual setting function, a set value of the manual setting function is assigned to a value of the automatic function which is selected during the switching-over, or to a closest value in a direction of a new target value or to a value which is possible at a closest display value or to a permanently preprogrammed value.

6. An operator control unit comprising:

at least one operator control element of an air-conditioning system having an automatic function and a manual setting function;

wherein, when switching from said automatic function to said manual setting function, a set value of said manual setting function is assigned to one of a plurality of values.

7. The operator control unit of claim 6, wherein one of said at least one operator control element sets a quantity of air.

8. The operator control unit of claim 6, wherein one of said at least one operator control element sets an air temperature.

9. The operator control unit of claim 6, wherein one of said at least one operator control element sets an air distribution.

10. The operator control unit of claim 6, wherein one of said at least one operator control element sets one of a quantity of air, an air temperature, and an air distribution.

11. The operator control unit of claim 10, wherein said one of a plurality of values is one of a value of said automatic function selected during said switching, a closest value in a direction of a new target value, and a value which is possible at a closest display value.

12. The operator control unit of claim 11, wherein a display shows, during said manual function, a value actually implemented and/or assigned by said air-conditioning system.

13. The operator control unit of claim 12, wherein said display includes a light chain arranged around said one of at least one operator control element for displaying said value actually implemented and/or assigned by said air-conditioning system.

14. The operator control unit of claim 13, wherein said light chain is an LED chain.

15. The operator control unit of claim 14, wherein said one of at least one operator control element for said manual setting function is configured as an infrared rotary wheel.

16. The operator control unit of claim 13, wherein said one of at least one operator control element for said manual setting function is configured as an infrared rotary wheel.