Vehicle antifogging system

• US 10,525,797 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2018
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Maeda, Tetsuya, Katsura, Daiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Maestri, Patrick J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sadlon, Joseph J.
• Application Number:
  US16/042,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20190030997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 521712
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00785 by the detection of humidity or frost
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 3/024 for only dehumidifying the air
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/002 with means for clear vision, e.g. anti-frost or defog panes, rain shields window heating in H05B3/84, H05B3/86
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/026 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/28 with organic material C03C17/34, C03C17/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/32 with synthetic or natural resins C03C17/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2290/00 Compositions for creating anti-fogging
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 3/185 Thawing materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/121 for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity, of the fluid moisture content of the tested material G01N27/048

Abstract

An antifogging system of a vehicle includes a windshield provided between a space inside a vehicle cabin and a space outside the vehicle cabin, an antifogging coating provided on a surface of the windshield facing the vehicle cabin and configured to absorb water adhering to a surface the coating into the coating, an air conditioner configured to vaporize water absorbed in the antifogging coating, a humidity sensor configured to detect a humidity in a temperature boundary layer formed along a surface of the antifogging coating facing the vehicle cabin, and a control unit configured to operate the air conditioner when the humidity is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A vehicle antifogging system comprising:

a window provided between a space inside a vehicle cabin and a space outside the vehicle cabin;

an antifogging coating provided on a surface of the window facing the vehicle cabin, and configured to absorb water adhering to a surface of the antifogging coating into the antifogging coating;

a dryer configured to vaporize the water absorbed in the antifogging coating;

a humidity detector configured to detect a humidity in a temperature boundary layer formed along a surface of the antifogging coating facing the vehicle cabin;

a controller configured to receive a signal from the humidity detector and output a signal to the dryer to operate the dryer; and

a water quantity detector configured to detect a quantity of water absorbed in the antifogging coating, wherein

the controller is configured to output a signal to the dryer to operate the dryer when the humidity is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold,

the controller is configured to receive a signal from the water quantity detector, and perform a calculation to correct the humidity on the basis of the water quantity, and

the controller is configured to operate the dryer when the corrected humidity is equal to or higher than the threshold.

2. The vehicle antifogging system of claim 1, wherein

the humidity detector is configured to detect the humidity in a part of the space inside the vehicle cabin, the part extending 3 mm or less from the surface of the antifogging coating facing the vehicle cabin.

3. The vehicle antifogging system of claim 2, wherein

the humidity detector is positioned at a distance of 0.05 mm or more from the surface of the antifogging coating facing the vehicle cabin.

4. The vehicle antifogging system of claim 1, wherein

the dryer is configured to blow dry air over the surface of the antifogging coating.

5. The vehicle antifogging system of claim 1, wherein

the dryer is provided on the window, and is configured to generate heat by causing a current to flow through a conductor, and

the conductor is provided inside the window, at an interface between the window and the antifogging coating, or on the surface of the antifogging coating facing the vehicle cabin.

6. The vehicle antifogging system of claim 1, wherein

the window is made of light-transmitting glass or resin.