Abstract: A panel and defrost plenum includes a manifold section, an air feed section upstream from the manifold section and a branch section downstream from the manifold section. The air feed section delivers an airstream past a HUD package restriction to the manifold section. A related method of routing an airstream past a HUD package restriction is also disclosed.

Abstract: An HVAC unit is provided for treating air in a passenger cabin of a vehicle. An HVAC housing has a recirculation entry section, a fresh entry section, a blower section, and an output section. A blower is mounted to the blower section for driving an airflow from the HVAC housing out through the output section into the passenger cabin. A recirculation opening is provided proximate the recirculation entry section for providing at least a base recirculation flow from the passenger cabin into the HVAC housing whenever the blower drives the airflow. A climate sensor is fluidically coupled within the base recirculation flow for sensing a climate characteristic representative of the air in the passenger cabin.

Abstract: A vehicle air circulating system comprises a controller, an interior condition sensor attached to the controller, an instrument panel, and a deployable register assembly attached to the controller and pivotably attached to the instrument panel. The register assembly includes a first register and a second register and is movable between a closed position in which the first register is recessed within the instrument panel and is thus obstructed and an open position in which the first register is deployed. The second register remains unobstructed whether the register assembly is in its closed or open position. The deployable registers provide directional control for pull down conditions. Once the desired conditions are achieved, the deployable registers lower into the instrument panel and the other registers provide a larger opening to direct the air overhead at lower velocities keeping the vehicle cabin cool while not blowing in the direction of the occupants.

Abstract: A method for preventing vehicle windscreen fogging or re-freezing includes calculating a windscreen interior surface dew point temperature value and/or windscreen interior surface fogging and/or exterior surface re-freezing probability value, and providing only a sufficient conditioned airflow to the windscreen to prevent the calculated probability value from exceeding a predetermined fogging and/or re-freezing risk threshold value. One or more controllers perform the calculating, and actuate elements of a vehicle HVAC system to provide only a sufficient conditioned airflow to cause a windscreen interior surface temperature value to exceed the windscreen interior surface dew point temperature value or to cause a windscreen exterior surface temperature value to exceed a windscreen exterior surface freezing temperature.

Abstract: An air extraction system is provided for a motor vehicle. That air extraction system includes a trim air discharge outlet, an extractor and an extractor duct extending between the trim air discharge outlet and the extractor. The extractor duct is tuned to dissipate duct noise at at least one particular duct noise frequency characteristic of the extractor duct.

Abstract: An air duct assembly having a housing and a flexible vane. Sufficient airflow through the housing may actuate the flexible vane to permit airflow through an outlet.

Abstract: A cross-car structure integrates an HVAC duct with a structural beam. An upper steel beam has opposing ends attached to opposite body sides. A pair of center brackets extend downward from the upper steel beam. An HVAC unit secured to a center bracket has an outlet for an air flow for ventilating a floor region. A plastic cross member has a center plate secured to the center brackets, a first hollow beam extending from the center plate to one steel beam end, and a second hollow beam extending from the center plate to the other steel beam end. Each hollow beam has an in-board opening fluidically coupled to the HVAC outlet and at least one floor outlet directed toward the floor region thereby providing a respective HVAC duct between the outlet of the HVAC unit and each of the floor outlets.

Abstract: A system and methods are provided for monitoring for a clogged or unclogged state of an air filter in an automotive HVAC system. The HVAC system includes a blower having a blower motor providing a driven airflow. A plurality of outlet registers is controllable to provide a plurality of circulation modes. An evaporator selectably cools the driven airflow, and the air filter passes the driven airflow. The method enters a baseline condition, wherein the baseline condition includes applying a moisture purge to the evaporator and selection of a predetermined circulation mode. The blower motor is controlled to maintain a testing speed. An energization of the blower motor is quantified while maintaining the testing speed. The energization is compared to a base value derived according to the baseline condition with the air filter in an unclogged state. A replacement action is triggered when the energization is greater than the base value.

Abstract: Each vehicle in a fleet comprises a climate controller having an auto mode. The auto mode controls climate actuators in response to a model relating sensed climate conditions to respective settings for the actuators. The vehicle has a buffer memory periodically storing sample vectors comprised of actuator/operation settings and sensed climate conditions. A user interface in the vehicle is responsive to a user override commands to modify respective operation settings while in auto mode. Each vehicle has a wireless communication system for sending data packages to a remote server when the user generates the override.

Abstract: A cross-car structure integrates an HVAC duct with a structural beam. An upper steel beam has opposing ends attached to opposite body sides. A pair of center brackets extend downward from the upper steel beam. An HVAC unit secured to a center bracket has an outlet for an air flow for ventilating a floor region. A plastic cross member has a center plate secured to the center brackets, a first hollow beam extending from the center plate to one steel beam end, and a second hollow beam extending from the center plate to the other steel beam end. Each hollow beam has an in-board opening fluidically coupled to the HVAC outlet and at least one floor outlet directed toward the floor region thereby providing a respective HVAC duct between the outlet of the HVAC unit and each of the floor outlets.

Abstract: Each vehicle in a fleet comprises a climate controller having an auto mode. The auto mode controls climate actuators in response to a model relating sensed climate conditions to respective settings for the actuators. The vehicle has a buffer memory periodically storing sample vectors comprised of actuator/operation settings and sensed climate conditions. A user interface in the vehicle is responsive to a user override commands to modify respective operation settings while in auto mode. Each vehicle has a wireless communication system for sending data packages to a remote server when the user generates the override.

Abstract: An air duct assembly having a housing and a flexible vane. Sufficient airflow through the housing may actuate the flexible vane to permit airflow through an outlet.

Abstract: A blower assembly including a housing for a first scroll fan and a second scroll fan that are connected by a shaft to a motor that rotates the fans. The first and second scroll fans are coaxially mounted on the shaft. Fresh air ports and recirculated air ports are provided for the circulation of fresh air and recirculated air, respectively. The fresh air ports and recirculated air ports may be selectively opened and closed by doors to control the flow of air from the outside and from the passenger compartment as controlled by the HVAC system.

Abstract: A vehicle air circulating system comprises a controller, an interior condition sensor attached to the controller, an instrument panel, and a deployable register assembly attached to the controller and pivotably attached to the instrument panel. The register assembly includes a first register and a second register and is movable between a closed position in which the first register is recessed within the instrument panel and is thus obstructed and an open position in which the first register is deployed. The second register remains unobstructed whether the register assembly is in its closed or open position. The deployable registers provide directional control for pull down conditions. Once the desired conditions are achieved, the deployable registers lower into the instrument panel and the other registers provide a larger opening to direct the air overhead at lower velocities keeping the vehicle cabin cool while not blowing in the direction of the occupants.

Abstract: A system may control demist flow by computing a fogging possibility for a zone of a vehicle using a fogging heuristic according to received inputs, the fogging possibility indicative of fogging risk for vehicle glass in the zone of the vehicle; determining, based on comparing the fogging possibility to at least one fogging risk threshold, whether a change in demist flow for the zone is warranted to at least one of reduce the fogging risk for vehicle glass in the zone of the vehicle and reduce energy usage for the production of demist flow to be provided to vehicle glass in the zone of the vehicle; and selectively providing an output to at least one of the plurality of demist doors associated with the zone of the vehicle to adjust the demist flow to the zone of the vehicle when a change in demist flow for the zone is warranted.

Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring for a clogged or unclogged state of an air filter in an automotive HVAC system. The HVAC system includes a blower having a blower motor providing a driven airflow. A plurality of outlet registers is controllable to provide a plurality of circulation modes. An evaporator selectably cools the driven airflow, and the air filter passes the driven airflow. The method enters a baseline condition, wherein the baseline condition includes applying a moisture purge to the evaporator and selection of a predetermined circulation mode. The blower motor is controlled to maintain a testing speed. An energization of the blower motor is quantified while maintaining the testing speed. The energization is compared to a base value derived according to the baseline condition with the air filter in an unclogged state. A replacement action is triggered when the energization is greater than the base value.

Abstract: An HVAC unit is provided for treating air in a passenger cabin of a vehicle. An HVAC housing has a recirculation entry section, a fresh entry section, a blower section, and an output section. A blower is mounted to the blower section for driving an airflow from the HVAC housing out through the output section into the passenger cabin. A recirculation opening is provided proximate the recirculation entry section for providing at least a base recirculation flow from the passenger cabin into the HVAC housing whenever the blower drives the airflow. A climate sensor is fluidically coupled within the base recirculation flow for sensing a climate characteristic representative of the air in the passenger cabin.