Environmental control system for a vehicle

• US 7,946,505 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors Holding GmbH (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Donnelly Engineering GmbH (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lawlor, Patrick J., Coady, Garrett, Lynam, Niall R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo; Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNLAP, JONATHAN M
• Application Number:
  US11/662,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20080121034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,077 Days
• Field of Search: 165/202, 165/204, 731/701.7, 733/350.4, 236/44.C, 621/766, 621/761, 340/425.5, 374/28, 374/109
• US Class Current: 236/44.00C
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00785 by the detection of humidity or frost
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00792 Arrangement of detectors B60H1/00742, B60H1/0075, B60H1/00785 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0862 including additional sensors vehicle speed sensors B60S1/0896
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0866 including a temperature sensor heating devices for windshield B60H
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/16 Special arrangements for conducting heat from the object to the sensitive element
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/22 the element being a non-linear resistance, e.g. thermistor G01K7/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/66 by investigating dew-point

Abstract

An environmental control system for a vehicle, in particular for predicting internal misting of a vehicle windscreen, the system comprising a windscreen temperature sensor assembly 28, an ambient humidity sensor assembly 32 and a second temperature sensor assembly 30 for sensing the temperature of the humidity sensor assembly 32. The windscreen temperature sensor assembly 28 is mounted on an interior rearview mirror support bracket 10 for engagement with the interior surface 18 of the windscreen, and the second temperature and humidity sensor assemblies are mounted within a rearview mirror housing 12 mounted to the mirror support bracket 10.

Claims

1. A vehicle environmental control system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror support bracket and a mirror head, wherein the mirror support bracket has a mounting portion for releasable attachment to a mounting button adhesively attached to an interior surface of a vehicle windshield, and wherein the mirror head includes a pivot element that pivotally attaches to a pivot element of the mirror support bracket to pivotally attach the mirror head to the mirror support bracket at the windshield of the vehicle;

a window temperature sensor assembly for sensing the temperature of the interior surface of the vehicle windshield, wherein the window temperature sensor assembly is included in the mirror support bracket of the interior rearview mirror assembly and wherein, when the mounting portion of the mirror support bracket mounts to the mounting button attached at the interior surface of the vehicle windshield, a temperature sensing surface of the window temperature sensor assembly is biased toward and into contact with the interior surface of the vehicle windshield so as to enhance maintaining thermal contact therewith;

a humidity sensor assembly for sensing the ambient air humidity within the passenger cabin of the vehicle and a second temperature sensor assembly for sensing ambient temperature within the passenger cabin of the vehicle, wherein the humidity sensor assembly and the second temperature sensor assembly are disposed at a location within the passenger cabin of the vehicle external and distant from the mirror support bracket;

a controller including a microprocessor and control logic operable to calculate an ambient dew point from the ambient air temperature and humidity as sensed by the second temperature sensor assembly and the humidity sensor assembly; and

wherein, when the calculated ambient dew point is greater than the temperature at the interior surface of the windshield as sensed by the window temperature sensor assembly, a vehicle climate control system, responsive to the controller, is controlled to change the ambient air conditions in the vehicle passenger compartment.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second temperature sensor assembly and the humidity sensor assembly are mounted adjacent an upper portion of the windshield.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second temperature sensor assembly and the humidity sensor assembly are mounted within the mirror head of the interior rearview mirror assembly.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second temperature sensor assembly and the humidity sensor assembly are mounted on a circuit board within the mirror head, and the window temperature sensor assembly is connected to the circuit board by a cable.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cable passes through a bore in the mirror support bracket of the interior rearview mirror assembly.

6. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the mirror head has ventilation openings to allow ambient air to reach the second temperature sensor assembly and the humidity sensor assembly within the mirror head.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the ventilation openings are located in the rear of the mirror head.

8. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the number of ventilation openings is sufficient to simulate the unobstructed flow of air past the second temperature sensor assembly and the humidity sensor assembly.

9. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein aspiration means are provided for actively supplying air to the second temperature sensor assembly and the humidity sensor assembly.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the aspiration means comprises a fan.

11. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the mirror head has at least one internal wall defining a sub-compartment within the mirror head containing the second temperature sensor assembly and the humidity sensor assembly.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second temperature sensor assembly and the humidity sensor assembly are mounted within a vehicle header.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second temperature sensor assembly and the humidity sensor assembly are mounted within an electronics housing located between a vehicle header and the interior rearview mirror support bracket.

14. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the window temperature sensor assembly is maintained in direct engagement with the interior surface of the windshield.

15. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the window temperature sensor assembly is mounted for resilient biasing against the interior surface of the windshield.

16. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output of the second temperature sensor assembly may be used for environmental control independently of the window temperature sensor assembly and the humidity sensor assembly.

17. A system for predicting internal misting of a vehicle windscreen, the system comprising:

a windscreen temperature sensor assembly for sensing the temperature of the interior surface of the windscreen, wherein the windscreen temperature sensor assembly is included in an interior rearview mirror assembly and wherein, when the interior rearview mirror assembly mounts to a mounting button attached at the interior surface of the vehicle windscreen, a temperature sensing surface of the windscreen temperature sensor assembly is biased toward and into contact with the interior surface of the windscreen so as to enhance maintaining thermal contact therewith;

wherein the windscreen temperature sensor assembly is mounted on an interior rearview mirror support bracket for engagement with the interior surface of the windscreen when the interior rearview mirror support bracket mounts to the mounting button;

a humidity sensor assembly for sensing the ambient air humidity within the passenger cabin of the vehicle, and a second temperature sensor assembly for sensing the ambient air temperature within the passenger cabin of the vehicle, wherein the second temperature sensor assembly and the humidity sensor assembly are mounted within a rearview mirror housing mounted to the mirror support bracket;

a controller including a microprocessor and control logic that is operable to calculate an ambient dew point from the ambient air temperature and humidity as sensed by the second temperature sensor assembly and the humidity sensor assembly; and

wherein, when the calculated ambient dew point is greater than the temperature at the interior surface of the windshield as sensed by the window temperature sensor assembly, a vehicle climate control system, responsive to the controller, is controlled to change the ambient air conditions in the vehicle passenger compartment.