Vehicle air-conditioning system and vehicle air-conditioning method

• US 9,783,022 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2013
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Takayoshi, Minami, Kenichiro, Uehara, Takafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): HWU, DAVIS D
• Application Number:
  US14/428,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20150210140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 165 42, 165 43, 165203
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00207 characterised by the position of the HVAC devices with respect to the passenger compartment B60H1/00021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00778 the input being a stationary vehicle position, e.g. parking or stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00849 for selectively commanding the induction of outside or inside air B60H1/00842 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00885 Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00892 Devices specially adapted for avoiding uncomfortable feeling, e.g. sudden temperature changes B60H1/00885 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2218 controlling the operation of electric heaters
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/26 Ventilating openings in vehicle exterior; Ducts for conveying ventilating air
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00214 Devices in front of the passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2234 when vehicle is parked, preheating

Abstract

A vehicle air-conditioning system has an intake door that switches between an inside air recirculation mode to take in air from an inside air introduction port and an outside air introduction mode to take in air from an outside air introduction port, a blower that blows the air introduced through any of the inside air introduction port and the outside air introduction port toward inside of a vehicle cabin, a heater that heats the air blown by the blower, and a controller that activates the heater when there is a request for heating the inside of the vehicle cabin, controls air conditioning such that an environment inside the vehicle cabin becomes a desired environment by set estimated time of departure.

Claims

1. A vehicle air-conditioning system comprising:

an intake door that switches between an inside air recirculation mode to take in air from an inside air introduction port and an outside air introduction mode to take in air from an outside air introduction port;

a blower that blows the air introduced through any of the inside air introduction port and the outside air introduction port toward inside of a vehicle cabin;

a heater that heats the air blown by the blower;

a controller that;

activates the heater when there is a request for heating the inside of the vehicle cabin,

performs preliminary air conditioning in which air conditioning is controlled such that an environment inside the vehicle cabin becomes a desired environment by set estimated time of departure, and

controls the intake door when there is the request for heating the inside of the vehicle cabin in the preliminary air conditioning, in such a way as to alternately switch between the inside air recirculation mode for a first predetermined time period and the outside air introduction mode for a second predetermined time period; and

a heat exchanger that cools the air blown by the blower,

wherein the controller performs an operation in the outside air introduction mode for the second predetermined time period when the heat exchanger is operated during the preliminary air conditioning,

wherein the controller performs an operation in the inside air recirculation mode for the second predetermined time period when the heat exchanger is not operated during the preliminary air conditioning, and

wherein the preliminary air conditioning is air conditioning performed before ignition is turned on.

2. The vehicle air-conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein an initial value for the first predetermined time period is set longer than an initial value for the second predetermined time period.

3. The vehicle air-conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the controller determines time to start activation of the heater on the basis of any one of a temperature inside the vehicle cabin and an outside air temperature, and on the basis of the estimated time of departure.

4. The vehicle air-conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time period and the second predetermined time period are corrected depending on a cumulative operating time period of the heat exchanger before ignition is off and during the preliminary air conditioning.

5. The vehicle air-conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a solar radiation sensor that detects an amount of solar radiation,

wherein the first predetermined time period and the second predetermined time period are corrected depending on a detected amount of solar radiation.

6. The vehicle air-conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an outside air temperature sensor that detects an outside air temperature,

wherein the first predetermined time period and the second predetermined time period are corrected depending on a detected outside air temperature.

7. A vehicle air-conditioning method performed by a controller, comprising:

judging whether or not to perform preliminary air conditioning in which air conditioning is controlled such that an environment inside a vehicle cabin becomes a desired environment by estimated time of departure;

judging whether or not there is a request for heating an inside of the vehicle cabin when the preliminary air conditioning is performed;

switching alternately between an inside air recirculation mode to take in air from an inside air introduction port for a first predetermined time period and an outside air introduction mode to take in air from an outside air introduction port for a second predetermined time period when there is the request for heating the inside of the vehicle cabin, and heating the air taken in through any of the inside air introduction port and the outside air introduction port;

blowing the heated air toward the inside of the vehicle cabin; and

cooling the blown air with a heat exchanger,

wherein an operation in the outside air introduction mode is performed for the second predetermined time period when the blown air is cooled with the heat exchanger during the preliminary air conditioning,

wherein an operation in the inside air recirculation mode is performed for the second predetermined time period when the blown air is not cooled with the heat exchanger during the preliminary air conditioning, and

wherein the preliminary air conditioning is air conditioning performed before ignition is turned on.