Vehicle cabin heating system

• US 8,859,938 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Eisenhour, Ronald S, Meram, Alaa
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross, Dana
• Assistant Examiner(s): WARD, THOMAS JOHN
• Application Number:
  US12/359,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20100187211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,087 Days
• Field of Search: 219/202, 219/385, 219/409, 219/411, 219/483, 219/490, 219/509, 219/511, 219/552, 219/533, 392/420
• US Class Current: 219/202
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00 Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices heating, cooling or ventilating devices providing other air treatment, the other treatment being relevant, B60H3/00; ventilating solely by opening windows, doors, roof parts, or the like B60J; heating or ventilating devices for vehicle seats B60N2/56; vehicle window or windscreen cleaners using air, e.g. defrosters, B60S1/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00742 by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2225 arrangements of electric heaters for heating air
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2226 Electric heaters using radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/224 automatic operation, e.g. control circuits or methods
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2265 related to the quantity of heat produced by the heater
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2293 Integration into other parts of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses

Abstract

A vehicle cabin heating system is provided basically with an infrared heater, a temperature sensor and a controller. The infrared heater is aimed to heat a target surface in front of the infrared heater within a vehicle cabin interior space. The temperature sensor is disposed in front of the first infrared heater to detect a measured temperature in front of the first infrared heater. The controller is operatively coupled to the first infrared heater to selectively operate the first infrared heater to a target surface temperature within the vehicle cabin interior space whenever an estimated surface temperature of a target surface is determined based on the measured temperature by the temperature sensor falls below a prescribed temperature range below the target surface temperature.

Claims

1. A vehicle cabin heating system comprising:

a first infrared heater aimed to heat a target surface in front of the first infrared heater within a vehicle cabin interior space;

a temperature sensor disposed in front of the first infrared heater, the temperature sensor being spaced apart from the target surface and being positioned closer to the first infrared heater than to the target surface; and

a controller operatively coupled to the temperature sensor and the first infrared heater to selectively operate the first infrared heater to a target surface temperature within the vehicle cabin interior space whenever an estimated surface temperature of the target surface is determined based on the measured temperature by the temperature sensor falls below a prescribed temperature range below the target surface temperature.

2. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 1, wherein

the first infrared heater is arranged in a foot-well of the vehicle cabin interior space.

3. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 2, further comprising

a second infrared heater arranged in a passenger side foot-well of the vehicle cabin interior space and operatively coupled to the controller, the first infrared heater being arranged in a driver side foot-well of the vehicle cabin interior space.

4. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 3, further comprising

a passenger presence sensor to determine whether a passenger is present in a front passenger seat of the vehicle cabin interior space, and the controller stopping operation of the second infrared heater based on a detection result of the passenger presence sensor indicating that the front passenger seat of the vehicle cabin interior space is empty.

5. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 1, wherein

the first infrared heater is aimed at a windshield of the vehicle cabin interior space to apply heat across an interior surface of the windshield.

6. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 5, further comprising

a second infrared heater aimed at the windshield to apply heat across an interior surface of the windshield.

7. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 2, further comprising

a second infrared heater aimed at the windshield to apply heat across an interior surface of the windshield.

8. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 3, wherein

the first and second infrared heaters are independently operable.

9. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is operatively coupled to a user interface device for a user to set the target surface temperature.

10. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 1, wherein

the first infrared heater emits either IR-B waves with a wavelength range of 2000 to 3500 nm, or IR-C waves with wavelengths greater than 3500 nm.

11. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 1, wherein

the electrical infrared heater is a carbon infrared heat lamp.

12. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller determines if the measured temperature detected by the temperature sensor is greater than a prescribed temperature limit, and lowers a heat output of the infrared heater when the measured temperature detected by the temperature sensor is greater the prescribed temperature limit.

13. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller stops a coolant based heating system upon determining an ignition “

on”

position exists and an electric mode exist in a hybrid vehicle in which the vehicle cabin heating system is installed, the controller then only selectively uses the first infrared heater to heat vehicle cabin interior space.

14. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller operates a coolant based heating system upon determining an ignition “

on”

position exists and a hybrid mode exist in a hybrid vehicle in which the vehicle cabin heating system is installed, and selectively uses both the first infrared heater and the coolant based heating system to heat the vehicle cabin interior space.

15. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 2, wherein

the temperature sensor is mounted to a dashboard surface.

17. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 15, wherein

the first infrared heater is arranged in a foot-well of the vehicle cabin interior space.

18. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 17, further comprising

a second infrared heater arranged in a passenger side foot-well of the vehicle cabin interior space and operatively coupled to the controller, the first infrared heater being arranged in a driver side foot-well of the vehicle cabin interior space.

19. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 18, further comprising

a passenger presence sensor to determine whether a passenger is present in a front passenger seat of the vehicle cabin interior space, and the controller stopping operation of the second infrared heater based on a detection result of the passenger presence sensor indicating that the front passenger seat of the vehicle cabin interior space is empty.

20. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 15, wherein

the first infrared heater is aimed at a windshield of the vehicle cabin interior space to apply heat across an interior surface of the windshield.

22. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 15, wherein

the temperature sensor is mounted to a dashboard surface.

23. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 15, wherein

the first infrared heater is located within a dashboard assembly within the vehicle cabin interior space.

16. A vehicle cabin heating system comprising:

a first infrared heater aimed to heat a target surface in front of the first infrared heater within a vehicle cabin interior space;

a temperature sensor disposed between the first infrared heater and the target surface, with the temperature sensor being spaced apart from the target surface; and

a controller operatively coupled to the temperature sensor and the first infrared heater to selectively operate the first infrared heater to a target surface temperature within the vehicle cabin interior space whenever an estimated surface temperature of the target surface is determined based on the measured temperature by the temperature sensor falls below a prescribed temperature range below the target surface temperature.

21. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 16, further comprising

a second infrared heater aimed at the windshield to apply heat across an interior surface of the windshield.

24. A vehicle cabin heating system comprising:

a first infrared heater arranged within a dashboard assembly within a vehicle cabin interior space, the first infrared heater being aimed to heat a target surface in front of the first infrared heater, the target surface being a front seat within a vehicle cabin interior space;

a temperature sensor mounted to a surface of the dashboard assembly between the front seat and the first infrared heater; and

a controller operatively coupled to the temperature sensor and the first infrared heater to selectively operate the first infrared heater to a target surface temperature within the vehicle cabin interior space whenever an estimated surface temperature of the target surface is determined based on the measured temperature by the temperature sensor falls below a prescribed temperature range below the target surface temperature.

25. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 24, further comprising

a second infrared heater arranged in a passenger side of the vehicle cabin interior space and operatively coupled to the controller, the first infrared heater being arranged in a driver side of the vehicle cabin interior space.

26. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 25, further comprising

a passenger presence sensor to determine whether a passenger is present in a front passenger seat of the vehicle cabin interior space, and the controller stopping operation of the second infrared heater based on a detection result of the passenger presence sensor indicating that the front passenger seat of the vehicle cabin interior space is empty.

27. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 26, wherein

the first and second infrared heaters are independently operable.

28. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 24, further comprising

a second infrared heater aimed at the windshield to apply heat across an interior surface of the windshield.

29. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 28, wherein

the first and second infrared heaters are independently operable.

30. A vehicle cabin heating system comprising:

a first infrared heater aimed to heat a target surface in front of the first infrared heater, the target surface being located within a foot-well within a vehicle cabin interior space;

a temperature sensor disposed in front of the first infrared heater between the first infrared heater and the foot-well, the temperature sensor being spaced apart the target surface; and

a controller operatively coupled to the temperature sensor and the first infrared heater to selectively operate the first infrared heater to a target surface temperature within the vehicle cabin interior space whenever an estimated surface temperature of the target surface is determined based on the measured temperature by the temperature sensor falls below a prescribed temperature range below the target surface temperature.

31. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 30, wherein

the temperature sensor is mounted to a dashboard surface.

32. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 30, further comprising

a second infrared heater arranged in a passenger side of the vehicle cabin interior space and operatively coupled to the controller, the first infrared heater being arranged in a driver side of the vehicle cabin interior space.

33. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 32, further comprising

a passenger presence sensor to determine whether a passenger is present in a front passenger seat of the vehicle cabin interior space, and the controller stopping operation of the second infrared heater based on a detection result of the passenger presence sensor indicating that the front passenger seat of the vehicle cabin interior space is empty.

34. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 33, wherein

the first and second infrared heaters are independently operable.

35. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 30, further comprising

a second infrared heater aimed at the windshield to apply heat across an interior surface of the windshield.

36. The vehicle cabin heating system according to claim 35, wherein

the first and second infrared heaters are independently operable.