Method and apparatus for controlling mixture of fresh and recirculated air in a vehicle

• US RE45,939 E1
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yelles, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): DOERRLER, WILLIAM CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US12/731,679
• Time in Patent Office: 2,189 Days
• Field of Search: 454/155, 454/125, 454/126, 454/139, 454/140, 454/141, 454/143, 454/145, 454/146, 454/148, 454/149, 454/158, 454/121
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00849 for selectively commanding the induction of outside or inside air B60H1/00842 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3208 Vehicle drive related control of the compressor drive means, e.g. for fuel saving purposes

Abstract

A blower system and method of operation for a vehicle air conditioning system, including a blower case for receiving air to be circulated into a vehicle cabin, with first and second dampers, for varying between a recirculation position for recirculating vehicle cabin air and a fresh position for introduction of fresh air from outside the vehicle. If a calculated outlet temperature is below a first temperature, a control system opens both dampers to a recirculation position. If the calculated outlet temperature is between the first temperature and a higher second temperature, the control system opens either the first or second damper to a fresh position, and opens the other damper to a recirculation position or the fresh position based upon relative humidity and vehicle speed. If the calculated outlet temperature is higher than the second temperature, the first and second dampers are both opened to the fresh position.

Claims

1. A method of controlling recirculation of air in a vehicle cabin to reduce compressor load in a vehicle air conditioning system, comprising the steps of:

measuring relative humidity within the vehicle cabin;

measuring a speed of the vehicle;

calculating an outlet temperature of the vehicle air conditioning system;

determining whether the calculated outlet temperature is above one of a first predetermined outlet temperature and a second predetermined outlet temperature, the second predetermined outlet temperature being higher than the first predetermined outlet temperature;

recirculating air in the vehicle cabin through the air conditioning system when the calculated outlet temperature is below the first predetermined outlet temperature;

introducing fresh air into the vehicle air conditioning system and recirculating air from the vehicle cabin through the vehicle air conditioning system in response to the measured vehicle speed, when the calculated outlet temperature is above the first predetermined outlet temperature and below the second predetermined outlet temperature, and the measured relative humidity is above a predetermined level;

introducing only fresh air into the vehicle air conditioning system when the calculated outlet temperature is above the first predetermined outlet temperature and below the second predetermined outlet temperature, and the measured relative humidity is below the predetermined level; and

introducing only fresh air into the vehicle air conditioning system when the calculated outlet temperature is above the second predetermined outlet temperature.

2. The method claim 1, wherein the step of introducing fresh air into the vehicle air conditioning system and recirculating air from the vehicle cabin through the vehicle air conditioning system in response to the measured vehicle speed comprises one of:

introducing both fresh air and recirculated cabin air into the vehicle air conditioning system; and

introducing only fresh air into the vehicle air conditioning system.

3. A method of controlling air circulation in a blower case in a vehicle air conditioning system to reduce compressor load, comprising the steps of:

calculating an outlet temperature of the vehicle air conditioning system;

determining whether the calculated outlet temperature is above one of a first predetermined outlet temperature and a second predetermined outlet temperature, the second predetermined outlet temperature being higher than the first predetermined outlet temperature;

opening a first damper and a second damper to a recirculation position so as to recirculate vehicle cabin air into the blower case when the calculated outlet temperature is below the first predetermined outlet temperature;

opening both the first and second dampers to a fresh position that introduces only fresh air into the blower case when the calculated outlet temperature is above the second predetermined outlet temperature; and

opening one of the first damper and the second damper to the fresh position and selectively opening the other of the first and second dampers to one of the fresh position and the recirculation position, so as to selectively introduce either only fresh air or a mixture of fresh and recirculated vehicle cabin air into the blower case, in response to an at least one predetermined condition when the calculated outlet temperature is above the first predetermined outlet temperature, but below the second predetermined outlet temperature.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one predetermined condition includes humidity and, when the calculated outlet temperature is above the first predetermined outlet temperatures, but below the second predetermined outlet temperature, performing the additional steps of:

measuring the relative humidity within the vehicle cabin;

measuring a speed of the vehicle;

opening both the first and second dampers to the fresh position, to introduce only fresh air into the vehicle air conditioning system when the measured relative humidity is below a predetermined level; and

opening at least one of the first and second dampers to the fresh position to introduce fresh air into the vehicle air conditioning system in response to the measured vehicle speed when the measured relative humidity is above the predetermined level.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of opening at least one of the first and second dampers to the fresh position, further comprises one of:

opening one of the first damper and the second damper to the fresh position for introduction of fresh air from outside the vehicle into the vehicle air conditioning system, and opening the respective other of the first damper and second damper to the recirculation position, so as to recirculate at least a remainder of vehicle cabin air into the vehicle air conditioning system in response to a first predetermined vehicle speed; and

opening both the first and second dampers to the fresh position, for introducing only fresh air into the vehicle air conditioning system in response to a second predetermined vehicle speed.

6. A blower system for a vehicle air conditioning system, comprising:

a blower case for receiving air to be circulated into a vehicle cabin;

first and second dampers, each of said dampers being selectively movable between a recirculation position for recirculating vehicle cabin air into the blower case and a fresh position for introducing fresh air from outside the vehicle into the blower case; and

a control system for moving the first and second dampers individually between the recirculation and fresh positions in response to a calculated outlet temperature, wherein the control system comprises;

a calculating implementation for calculating the outlet temperature of the vehicle air conditioning system;

a first control implementation for moving each of the first and second dampers to the recirculation position when the calculated outlet temperature is below a first predetermined outlet temperature;

a second control implementation for moving one of the first and second dampers to the fresh position, and for selectively moving the other of the first and second dampers to the fresh position or the recirculation position, in response to a predetermined environmental condition, wherein the predetermined environmental condition is not the first or second predetermined outlet temperature; and

a third control implementation for opening both the first and second dampers to the fresh position when the calculated outlet temperature is above the second predetermined outlet temperature.

7. The blower system of claim 6, further comprising:

a humidity sensor for measuring relative humidity within the vehicle cabin and generating a respective humidity signal, wherein the predetermined environmental condition is humidity;

a speed sensor for measuring a speed of the vehicle and generating a vehicle speed signal; and

a humidity-responsive control implementation for receiving the humidity signal and the speed signal, and operative at the calculated outlet temperatures between the first and second predetermined outlet temperatures, wherein the humidity-responsive control implementation further comprises;

a first operative implementation determining when the measured relative humidity is below a predetermined level, and activating the third control implementation for opening the first and second dampers to the fresh position so as to introduce only fresh air into the vehicle air conditioning system; and

a second operative implementation determining when the measured relative humidity is above the predetermined level, and activating the second control implementation for opening at least one of the first and second dampers to the fresh position, for introducing at least a portion of fresh air into the vehicle air conditioning system in response to the measured vehicle speed.

8. The blower system of claim 7, wherein the second operative implementation includes:

a first speed responsive implementation for activating the second control implementation in response to a first predetermined speed; and

a second speed responsive implementation for activating the third control implementation in response to a second predetermined speed.

9. The blower system of claim 6, wherein the blower case further comprises:

a first access port for directing a first air stream into the blower case;

a second access port for directing a second air stream into the blower; and

a sealing member between the first and second access ports for providing fluid separation between the first and second air streams.

10. The blower system of claim 9, wherein the first damper regulates access to the first access port between the recirculation position and the fresh position, and wherein the second damper regulates access to the second access port between the recirculation position and the fresh position.

11. The blower system of claim 9, wherein one of the first and second access ports is configured so as to be a primary recirculated air port, and wherein the respective other of the first and second access ports is configured so as to be a primary fresh air port.

12. The blower system of claim 11, wherein the primary recirculated air port is larger than the primary fresh air port in cross-sectional area to allow a greater flow of recirculated air than fresh air into the blower case.

13. The blower system of claim 6, wherein the first and second dampers are each movably mounted to the blower case for selectively varying between the recirculation and fresh positions.

14. A blower system for an air conditioning system of a vehicle, comprising:

a blower fan;

a blower case that houses the blower fan and defines first and second access ports for receiving first and second air streams, respectively, into the blower case;

first and second dampers that independently move between a recirculation position and a fresh position and regulate access to the first and second access ports, respectively, wherein the recirculation position allows vehicle cabin air to be recirculated into the blower case and the fresh position allows fresh air to be introduced from outside the vehicle into the blower case;

an air filter disposed between the blower fan and the first and second dampers, the air filter including an air filter seal that separates the air filter into a first filter section and a second filter section for separately filtering the first and second air streams, respectively, the air filter seal extending through the filter between first and second surfaces of the filter, the air filter seal extending beyond the second surface of the filter and engaging a sealing member; and

the sealing member for engagement with the first and second dampers, wherein the sealing member and the air filter seal are aligned with one another to fluidly separate the first and second air streams so as to allow the first and second access ports to receive the vehicle cabin air when one of the first and second dampers is in the recirculation position.

15. The blower system for an air conditioning system of a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the air filter is provided beneath the first and second dampers and the sealing member, and wherein the first and second surfaces of the filter are respectively bottom and upper surfaces of the filter.

16. The blower system for an air conditioning system of a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the sealing member has a first face that faces the first damper, a second face that faces the second damper, and a lower end that faces the air filter.

17. The blower system for an air conditioning system of a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the air from the first and second access ports, separated and filtered in the first and second sections of the air filter, are mixed immediately downstream of the filter and upstream from the blower.

18. A blower system for an air conditioning system of a vehicle, comprising:

a blower;

a blower case housing the blower and receiving air to be circulated into a vehicle cabin;

a sealing member;

first and second dampers each selectively movable between a recirculation position in which the damper contacts the sealing member and a fresh position in which the damper does not contact the sealing member, the recirculation and fresh positions respectively recirculating vehicle cabin air and introducing fresh air from outside the vehicle;

an air filter disposed between the sealing member and the blower; and

a filter divider extending through the filter between first and second surfaces of the filter to form first and second filter sections for separately filtering first and second air streams in the filter, wherein the filter divider extends from the second surface of filter so as to be aligned with sealing member to fluidly separate the first and second air streams.

19. The blower system for an air conditioning system of a vehicle of claim 18, wherein the first and second air streams from the filter are mixed immediately downstream from the filter and upstream from the blower.

20. A blower system for an air conditioning system of a vehicle, comprising:

a blower case for receiving air to be circulated into a vehicle cabin, the blower case defining first and second access ports for receiving first and second air streams, respectively, into the blower case;

a sealing member;

first and second dampers, each of said dampers being selectively movable between a recirculation position in which said dampers contact the sealing member so that vehicle cabin air is recirculated into the blower case and a fresh position in which the dampers do not contact the sealing member so that fresh air is introduced from outside the vehicle into the blower case;

an air filter that is provided beneath the first and second dampers and the sealing member, the air filter including a top surface that faces toward the sealing member and a bottom surface that is opposite the top surface and faces away from a lower end of the sealing member, wherein the air filter includes a seal that extends between the top surface and the bottom surface and extends from the top surface of the filter to contact the sealing member to further maintain separation of the first and second air streams; and

a controller for moving one of the first and second dampers to the fresh position, and for selectively moving the other of the first and second dampers to the fresh position or the recirculation position.

21. The blower system for an air conditioning system of a vehicle of claim 20, wherein the sealing member has a first face that faces the first damper and a second face that faces the second damper, and wherein the lower end faces the air filter.

22. The blower system for an air conditioning system of a vehicle of claim 20, wherein the air filter includes a first filter section and a second filter section that are separated by the seal of the air filter.

23. The blower system for an air conditioning system of a vehicle of claim 20, wherein the controller moves one of the first and second dampers to the fresh position, and selectively moves the other of the first and second dampers to the fresh position or the recirculation position, in response to a predetermined condition, wherein the predetermined condition includes humidity and vehicle speed.