With Air Treatment Means Patents (Class 454/156)
  • Patent number: 6131652
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle includes a front air-conditioning unit for adjusting a temperature of air blown toward a front seat side in a passenger compartment, and a rear air-conditioning unit for adjusting a temperature of air blown toward a rear seat side in the passenger compartment. In the front air-conditioning unit, a ratio between an amount of air passing through a front heater core and an amount of air bypassing the front heater core is adjusted by an air mixing door, and the temperature of air blown toward the front seat side in the passenger compartment is adjusted by the rotation of the air mixing door. On the other hand, in the rear air-conditioning unit, a flow control valve for controlling a flow rate of hot water flowing into a rear heater core is provided, and the temperature of air blown toward the rear seat side in the passenger compartment is adjusted by the flow control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Ito, Hikaru Sugi, Takashi Toyoshima, Kenji Suwa, Yuichi Shirota
  • Patent number: 6116329
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heating or air-conditioning system for vehicle interiors having an air distributor which is connected to an air guiding duct and has air outlet openings for the lower plane of the vehicle interior. An air guiding duct with air outlet openings for a center plane of the vehicle interior is connected by way of a cold-air inlet with the cold-air duct and by way of a warm-air inlet with the air distributor. One cold-air or warm-air flap respectively is in each case assigned to the cold-air and warm-air inlet. The flaps are configured and disposed for the purpose of a faster cooling of the vehicle interior by the large-area flowing of cold air into all areas of the vehicle interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Klaus Arold
  • Patent number: 6113484
    Abstract: In order to improve a vehicle driver's performance, a passenger compartment ventilation system is provided with an oxygen-enrichment unit (62) upon which fresh air acts via a compressor (24). A membrane (64) in the oxygen-enrichment unit (62) divides this flow of fresh air into a nitrogen-enriched partial flow which is discharged into the atmosphere and an oxygen-enriched partial flow which is discharged into the passenger compartment. Oxygen-enriched gas is preferably conveyed via a flexible discharge pipe (78) to the region near the driver's head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Inventor: Gerold Tebbe
  • Patent number: 6092592
    Abstract: In an air conditioner for a vehicle, a temperature control unit includes a first air mixing door for adjusting an opening degree of a cool air passage through which air having passed through an evaporator bypasses a heater core, and a second air mixing door for adjusting an opening degree of an air inlet portion of the heater core. At least the second air mixing door between the first and second air mixing doors is a butterfly door having a rotation shaft at a center in a door width direction. When an inside/outside air double-layer flow mode is set, the second door partitions an air passage between the evaporator and the heater core into a first air passage through which outside air flows and a second air passage through which inside air flows while fully opening the air inlet portion of the heater core. Thus, in the air conditioner, a distance between the evaporator and the heater core is reduced while partition performance between inside air and outside air due to the second air mixing door is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Toyoshima, Kazushi Shikata
  • Patent number: 6093096
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus for a rear seat of a vehicle includes a centrifugal fan disposed at a downstream air side of an evaporator. The centrifugal fan is a backward curved fan having a plurality of blades each of which is curved backward relative to a rotation direction of the centrifugal fan. In the centrifugal fan, because a main component of velocity vector is in a radial direction of the centrifugal fan, a dynamical-pressure component of air blown from the centrifugal fan can be effectively changed to a hydrostatic-pressure component. Thus, during a cooler mode where air is simultaneously blown from first and second air outlets toward the rear space of the passenger compartment, a pressure of air blown from the first and second air outlets can be increased, and an amount of air blown toward the rear space of the passenger compartment can be sufficiently increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Miyata, Haruki Ikuta, Koji Ito, Hikaru Sugi, Takuya Natsume, Yukio Uemura, Kazushi Shikata
  • Patent number: 6070650
    Abstract: To provide a vehicular air conditioning system for activating an electric heater with the output coming from an inverter by actuating a relay at a reasonable cost, a relay and an electric heater acting as electric heat source are connected in series between an output line of three output lines of an inverter and the negative side of a vehicular power supply. The electric heater employs a nichrome wire as its heating element and is used for warming the inside of a vehicle compartment. Moreover, the relay is turned ON/OFF after the output voltage of the inverter is set to zero. As a result, the durability of the relay can be improved, and this relay can be implemented by an existing one without newly manufacturing any dedicated relay so that the cost can be lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Inoue, Yasukazu Kitamine, Masashi Iwai, Hiroshi Kishita, Hiroshi Nonoyama, Toshihiko Muraki, Takayoshi Matsuno, Hirofumi Mokuya
  • Patent number: 6048263
    Abstract: An automobile heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit comprises a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning case permitting the flow of interior air, an evaporator core disposed in the case for taking heat from the interior air to produce cool air, a heater core disposed in the case downstream of the evaporator core for adding heat to the cool air to produce warm air, an air mix chamber defined in the case for blending the cool air with the warm air, an air mix door disposed between the evaporator core and the heater core for controlling the percentage of the cool air and the warm air being fed into the air mix chamber, depending on the position of the air mix door, and a foot-vent communication passage defined in the case by partitioning the rear end of the air mix chamber by a partition wall extending substantially vertically along the inner wall of the case, so that the foot-vent communication passage communicates with the downstream end of the air mix chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Calsonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiya Uchida, Toshiyuki Yoshida, Katsuaki Koshida, Katsuhiro Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 6045444
    Abstract: A compact HVAC module housing (30) incorporates a novel temperature valve belt (74) and support frame therefore (60) that fit between an evaporator (56) and heater (58). This allows the entire housing (30) to be very compact, and to be more easily integrated into a vehicle body structural cross beam (32). The temperature valve and its location, as well as a reversed air stream through the heater (58), together allow the mixing area for the cold and not air streams to be well within a minimal space envelope of the housing (30), rather than outside of it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Mark James Zima, Brian Scott Ankrapp, Wayne Oliver Forrest, Richard J. Burnham
  • Patent number: 6036594
    Abstract: An air handling system for use in an air conditioning system of an automotive vehicle includes a housing which defines an air passage. The air handling system includes a blower disposed in the housing, an evaporator disposed in the housing for cooling air which passes through it. A heater core is also disposed in the housing downstream from the evaporator for heating the air as it is passed through it. The air handling system also includes a temperature blend door system having a first temperature blend door disposed in a bypass passage defined between the evaporator and the air outlets of the housing. The first temperature blend door is pivotable about a central axis from a closed position to an open position. A shoulder is formed in the housing for sealingly engaging a first end of the first blend door when the blend door is in a fully closed position and for controlling the amount of air flowing passed the first end as the first temperature blend door is pivoted toward a fully opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Yong Il Kwon, Dennis Anthony Vermette, Sean Patrick Cavanaugh, Hiroki Yanase
  • Patent number: 6032723
    Abstract: Four air flow control doors of an automotive air conditioning device are synchronously controlled by a link mechanism. With a unique construction of the link mechanism, the following advantageous results are obtained. In a ventilation mode of a maximum cool condition, sufficient amount of cooled air can be blown into the vehicle cabin from a ventilation opening. In the ventilation mode of a half-hot condition, mixing of cooled air and warmed air is effectively carried out before being blown into the vehicle cabin. In a bi-level mode of the half-hot condition, the passengers in the vehicle cabin can enjoy a so-called "lower side warming and upper side cooling" air conditioning wherein the lower portion of the vehicle cabin is suitably warmed and the upper portion of the vehicle cabin is suitably cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Calsonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Tsuihiji, Mitsuru Endo, Yoshiaki Inaba
  • Patent number: 6019162
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle includes a blower case for accommodating a blower, an air conditioning case for accommodating an evaporator and a heater core, and a middle duct detachably connected to both the blower case and the air conditioning case. The air conditioning case is disposed at a side of the blower case to form a space having a predetermined distance therebetween, the evaporator is disposed in the air conditioning case approximately horizontally, and the heater core is disposed approximately horizontally at an upper side of the evaporator. Further, a receiving portion for supporting the evaporator is formed on an inner surface of the middle duct. In the air conditioning apparatus, the evaporator can be taken out from the air conditioning case to the space between the air conditioning case and the blower case by the detachment of the middle duct from the blower case and the air conditioning case, while the blower case and the air conditioning case are installed in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunori Saida, Hiromi Tahara
  • Patent number: 6009934
    Abstract: An electronic climate control system for an automotive vehicle comprises a by-pass passage for delivering cool air flowing through an evaporator core directly to discharged-air ventilators, a by-pass door provided at a communication inlet of the by-pass passage for adjusting a flow rate of cool air through the by-pass passage, a hot-water valve provided for adjusting a flow rate of hot coolant to a heater core, and an actuator being common to the by-pass door and the hot-water valve for adjusting a bypass-door opening and a water-valve opening. The actuator acts to fully close the water valve when the by-pass door is fully opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Calsonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Sunaga, Masatoshi Suto
  • Patent number: 6007421
    Abstract: The air mixing device, for use in an air conditioning apparatus or a vehicle heater system as a flow control device which consists of at least two flap members, the flap members being mutually independently movable between first and second positions in which they respectively obturate first and second air inlet openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
    Inventor: Stefan H. Schwarz
  • Patent number: 5992506
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle has a first side opening portion and a second side opening portion for blowing air toward right and left sides of a passenger compartment. A cool air passage and a warm air passage are provided adjacently to extend in a vehicle width direction, and the first and second side opening portions are arranged to be perpendicular to the vehicle width direction. A three-way branch duct is attached to the air conditioning apparatus in such a manner that air introduced into the first side opening portion is blown toward a right side of the passenger compartment and air introduced into the second side opening portion is blown toward a left side of the passenger compartment. Thus, a temperature difference between air blown from the right side and air blown from the left side of the passenger compartment can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masakazu Nagaya, Koji Takahashi, Masami Taguchi
  • Patent number: 5980380
    Abstract: A ventilation unit comprising: a first channel for a relatively cold air stream; a second channel for a relatively hot air stream; and an outlet door located at the ends of the first and second channels for dividing air from the first and second channels between a first outlet and a second outlet in such a way that desired proportions of each of the cold and hot air streams are divided to each of the first and second outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Valeo Climate Control, Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan H. Schwarz
  • Patent number: 5964658
    Abstract: An air passage opening/closing system includes a case having a casing opening portion, and a film door having a plurality of door opening portions. The case has a thin portion extending from a peripheral portion of the casing opening portion in a moving direction of the film door. In the system, a distance between the peripheral portion of the casing opening portion and the film door is not smaller than 5 mm, the case has a thick portion connected to the thin portion, and the thick portion contacts the film door to have a predetermined friction therebetween during moving the film door. Therefore, air flowing from a door opening portion collides with an inner surface of the thin portion of the case so that a flow rate of air is reduced, and then expands in a space between the thin portion of the case and the film door so that the flow rate of air is further reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Hideo Aizawa
  • Patent number: 5960859
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for a vehicle passenger compartment comprises a first duct unit including at least one inlet opening and a blower device, and a second duct unit fluidly connected to the first duct unit. The second duct unit includes an evaporator and a heater core, and further includes a damper mechanism and a plurality of outlet openings. An evaporator is disposed forward of the heater core in the second duct unit and forms a part of an air-conditioning circuit. The heater core is disposed rearward of the evaporator and partially covers the second duct unit. The damper mechanism is disposed rearward of the evaporator and controls the amount of air passing through the evaporator and the heater core and introduced to the outlet openings.The resulting air conditioning system is compact in size and lightweight while simultaneously providing superior air conditioning performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventor: Hirotaka Sakurai
  • Patent number: 5954578
    Abstract: A temperature adjusting unit portion is constructed by two division cases, and the two division cases have vertically divided type case structure, each of which has a division surface in a vertical direction. An evaporator and a heater are held and accommodated in the division cases. Between the division cases of the division case below the evaporator, there is provided a sealing member formed in a stick shape and in a circular shape in a cross section thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Junji Takasaki
  • Patent number: 5938523
    Abstract: A device for removing noxious and aromatic matter from a conducted air flow into the interior of a vehicle comprises an air conduction housing with a reactor containing an adsorbent. To attain consistently good adsorption and absorption power with small amounts of adsorbing and absorbing material, the air conduction housing is designed with two separate parallel air flow channels, in each of which there is a reactor in the form of a flat wall. An adsorption air flow acts upon the adsorbent in one air flow channel and a desorption air flow acts upon the adsorbent in the other air flow channel, the direction of air flow into the reactor in the adsorption operation being opposite that in the desorption operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignees: Behr GmbH & Co., Mercedes-Benz Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Noureddine Khelifa, Guenter Abersfelder
  • Patent number: 5934988
    Abstract: A heating and air conditioning system for a motor vehicle includes a plenum supplied with air by each of a pair of variable speed blowers. A set of heating and air conditioning ducts extend from the plenum to the drivers side of the vehicle, and another set of heating and air conditioning ducts extend from the plenum to the passengers side of the vehicle. Accordingly, both the driver and the passenger can control the blower supplying air to the ducts on the corresponding side of the vehicle. A defrosting duct extends from the plenum to supply defrosting air to the windshield of the vehicle. One of the blowers normally supplies air to the defrosting duct, but the volume and velocity of air may be "boosted" by optional use of the other blower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Inventor: Carl John Fischer
  • Patent number: 5934989
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus includes an air conditioning unit and a blower unit. An air passage of the air conditioning unit is partitioned into first and second air passages by a partition plate, and an air guiding wall for guiding air blown from the blower unit into the first and second air passages is formed in the air conditioning unit. Further, first and second step portions are provided in the air guiding wall to facilitate a flow of air blown from the blower unit to the first air passage proximate to the blower unit. The fist step portion is formed at a side of the first air passage, and the second step portion is formed on a partition line extending from the partition plate. Thus, air uniformly flows into both the first and second air passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyasu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 5931733
    Abstract: An air flow control device is of the film obturator type, and is in the form of an independent module comprising a support frame on which two rollers are mounted for rotation. A film or blind, having open regions and closed regions for selectively controlling the flow of a stream of air, is wound on the rollers. The support frame comprises a guide frame which lies between the two rollers, for guiding the film and for contact with the film; and a press frame is arranged in facing relationship with the guide frame. The press frame carries springs for pressing the film against the guide frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
    Inventor: Jacques Danieau
  • Patent number: 5927380
    Abstract: The individual air temperature sensors normally mounted within each outlet duct in an automatic automotive heating and air conditioning system are eliminated in favor of a dual temperature sensor incorporated directly into the swinging mode door. The door swings back and forth through the central air mix area within the housing, and one end or the other of a dual sensor mounted through the door is always exposed to the air flow before it enters an outlet duct. This presents a better location for air sensing, and reduces or eliminates the time lag involved in temperature sensing when a different duct is selected, in addition to reducing part count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Ardeean Scoccia
  • Patent number: 5916021
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the flow of a stream of air consists of an independent module that comprises a support structure on which two rollers are mounted for rotation. A film, having open regions and closed regions, is wound between the two rollers, so that when the rollers are rotated to displace the film between the rollers, the relative positions of the open and closed regions of the film gives selective control of the flow of an air stream directed on to the film. Thus, when the apparatus is placed across an air flow aperture, this air passes through a window formed in the support structure and overlying the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
    Inventor: Jacques Danieau
  • Patent number: 5906541
    Abstract: When a difference in opening angle of an air-mixing door between a target position and an actual position is larger in value than a width of an insensitive band area, a mixing door actuator is driven to a heating side or a cooling side depending on the amount of the difference so as to have the air-mixing door reach its target position in a condition in which the insensitive band area is eliminated. When the difference is smaller than the predetermined band width, i.e., when a drive position of the mixing door actuator is in the insensitive band width, this band width is effected so that the mixing door actuator is stopped in operation to stabilize the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Zexel Corporation
    Inventor: Kunio Mizuno
  • Patent number: 5899262
    Abstract: In an air duct selector, a supporting member has a grid shape, and is formed with four penetration holes. Since a film member is affixed to two fitting portions which are arranged on two ends of the supporting member, the film member is fixed on the supporting member. The supporting member and the film member are arranged in a duct to move in a vertical direction. When air flow is blown against the inside surface of the film member through the penetration holes 24a.about.24d, the film member is bent to swell against the film member, and presses against a peripheral portion of a cool air bypass opening portion to entirely cover the cool air bypass opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, Kazunori Saida, Yasuhiko Sumiya
  • Patent number: 5899806
    Abstract: The air regulator for vehicles is provided with, within a casing, an evaporator which cools air, a heater which reheats the air cooled by the evaporator, and an air mix damper which is disposed on the downstream side of the evaporator and on the upstream side of the heater and in close proximity thereto, and which regulates the amount of air passing through the heater; a heat reflecting surface is formed on the heater side of the air mix damper. By means of this, it is possible to prevent the thermal deformation of the air mix damper by reflecting the radiation from the heater side using the heat reflecting surface. Accordingly, the sliding problems of the air mix damper can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoki Hase, Hideo Kanno, Hideto Noyama, Tomoki Izawa
  • Patent number: 5890651
    Abstract: In an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle, when a bi-level mode or a foot/defroster mode is set, a stop position of a second mode selecting door is shifted relative to a stop position of a first mode selecting door so that a pressure loss in a second air passage corresponds to a pressure loss in a first air passage. Therefore, in each air outlet mode, a ratio between an amount of air blown from the first air passage toward a driver's seat side in a passenger compartment and an amount of air blown from the second air passage toward a front passenger's seat side next to the driver's seat in the passenger compartment can be set at a predetermined value. Thus, air-conditioning feeling for a driver or a passenger in the passenger compartment can be improved while reducing production cost of the air conditioning apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Hiromasa Kanda
  • Patent number: 5881558
    Abstract: In an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle having a casing which has an air suction opening and an air blowing opening at opposite ends of the casing. Contained within the casing are a fan for feeding air, an evaporator, an air mixing damper, and a heater, disposed in order from an upstream end of the casing. The air mixing damper is disposed in a position closely adjacent to an upstream side of the heater. The damper is constructed so as to be movable between a position for fully closing a front side of the heater and another position for fully closing a by-pass air flow passage provided for by-passing the heater. Provided at one side of the damper, is a rack extending along a moving direction of the damper, and a driving shaft, which is rotatably supported in the casing and carries a pinion which is engaged with the rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuhide Kawahara, Tomoki Izawa
  • Patent number: 5873779
    Abstract: A heating apparatus, or heating and air conditioning apparatus, for a motor vehicle has a casing which consists of four elements only, namely a casing body, a complementary housing carried on top of the body, a lower cover, and an end cover, the complementary housing and the two covers being assembled directly on the casing body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
    Inventor: Michel Raccouard
  • Patent number: 5853323
    Abstract: A heating or air conditioning unit for the interior of a motor vehicle including installation frames having louvers being inserted into a receptacle of the housing provided for that purpose. The installation frame has a profile on its frame sides so that the installation frame is held in a positive-locking manner in a receptacle of the housing. The profile has a wedge-shaped structure, thin ribs extending, running apart, along a frame side in the insertion direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Oliver Beck, Ralf Berndt, Walter Denk, Hans Juergen Drobner, Manfred Fuchs, Gabriele Herbold, Ingo Putz, Reinhold Schork, Thomas Spranger, Walter Ullrich
  • Patent number: 5839293
    Abstract: An air distribution system for conditioning air and selectably forcing the air into a passenger compartment or a trunk compartment of a vehicle is provided. The air may be pre-cooled or pre-heated before being forced by a ventilator to particular vents. This is particularly useful on a warm day when the top is down on a convertible. By cooling the trunk, specifically, groceries or perishables can be kept relatively cool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Inventors: Neil Teitelbaum, Gordon Freedman
  • Patent number: 5803160
    Abstract: A heating/ventilating and/or air conditioning device for a motor vehicle passenger compartment. The device includes a blower element containing a motor-fan unit, a heating element containing a heating radiator, and a duct element between the blower element and the heating element. The three elements together form a modular assembly for use in various kinds of vehicles. the blower element comprises at least one coupling surface engageable by an air inlet element specifically configured according to the vehicle in question, and the heating element comprises at least one coupling surface engageable by at least one air outlet element selected according to the vehicle in question.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
    Inventor: Jacques Danieau
  • Patent number: 5716269
    Abstract: An air flow system for use in ambulance is generally comprised of a blower unit mounted in the ceiling of the ambulance's patient compartment, an air conditioning condenser, and a series of exhaust vents extending through the sidewalls of the patient compartment and positioned adjacent the floor. The exhaust vents each include a fan mounted therein for drawing the air in the patient compartment thereto and forcing the air out of the compartment. The blower unit includes louvers to permit selective air direction control, but essentially the blower unit always directs the conditioned air vertically downwardly over a patient supported on a stretcher, thereby creating an air curtain around the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Inventor: Dickran Garbooshian
  • Patent number: 5711368
    Abstract: An evaporator is disposed substantially horizontally at a central portion of an instrument panel in a passenger compartment, and air is blown, by a blower disposed so as to be shifted from the center of the evaporator, so as to flow through the evaporator from the bottom to the top. A heater core is disposed substantially horizontally above the evaporator, and an air outlet mode switching portion for switching an air outlet direction of air, temperature of which is adjusted by the heater core, is disposed above the heater core. Foot air ducts are provided to supply conditioned air, a flow direction of which has been switched by the air outlet mode switching portion, to foot air outlets opening to a foot area of the passenger, and passage portions passing through an outlet side path of a scroll casing of the blower are provided in the foot air duct. In this way, it is possible to reduce the space where the heat exchanger portion is installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Ito, Teruhiko Kameoka, Hisashi Tanaka, Yuichi Shirota, Manabu Miyata, Hikaru Sugi
  • Patent number: 5699851
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a sliding door is positioned between the cooler and the heater and slidable in a direction crossing both the cool air passage and the warm air to control each amount of air flowing to the warm air passage and air flowing to the cool air passage, and the sliding door slides vertically in such a manner that an upper portion of the sliding door inclines toward the cooler. Since the sliding door slides itself in the vertical direction, with the upper portion of the sliding door inclined to the cooler, condensed water, which is likely to move with the blown air from the cooling unit to the air downstream side, can be smoothly guided downwardly with the air flow along the inclination of the sliding door, thus preventing the stench caused by mold and corrosion of the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Saida, Hiroyuki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 5690549
    Abstract: A roof for the cab of vehicle is constructed with a hollow plastic body that is molded in one piece with a blower and a heat exchanger fitted to the hollow body. The hollow body defines a cavity that forms an air duct through which air for ventilating the cab is ducted. Shuttered external and internal air intake vents allow the selection between fresh air from externally of the cab and recirculated air from within the cab. A well open through the roof provides an emergency exit from the vehicle cab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: New Holland North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen M. Webb, Robert Samuel David Whybro
  • Patent number: 5653630
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus with a film door for switching outlets to respective positions of a cabin. The film shaped door has a value of flexural rigidity per width of 10 mm in a range between 1.1 and 2.5 (.mu.Nm.sup.2). An amount of leaked air of 0.00175 (m.sup.2 /s) or less and an operating force of a step motor for driving the film shaped door of 50 (mN.times.m) or less are obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihito Higashihara
  • Patent number: 5620367
    Abstract: Apparatus for reducing the air moisture in a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. The apparatus has a housing which is connected to a supply air duct and a discharge air duct of the passenger compartment. In the housing, there is arranged a secondary air chamber and a main air chamber, following in the direction of flow to the passenger compartment. Arranged between the secondary air chamber and the main air chamber is an air-permeated wall element of hygroscopic material for dehumidifying the air. To ensure dehumidification, there is arranged a second secondary air chamber, which is separated from the main air chamber by a second air-permeated wall element of hygroscopic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Noureddine Khelifa
  • Patent number: 5509853
    Abstract: A manufacture and method by which particulate in the polluted ambient air is collected and retained, thereby purifying the ambient air. The manufacture is mounted amid a vehicle (17, 38, etc.) at a location always accessible to the ambient air in the atmosphere. Relative motion between vehicle and the polluted ambient air (37, 65) provides confrontation of the polluted air with a confronting receptacle (14) in which loosely gathered together pellets (13) are gathered together. Receptacle (14) comprises wire mesh (15) having interstices (31) smaller than the size of the pellets (13). As relative motion occurs between vehicle (17) and polluted air (37, 65), receptacle (14) confronts the polluted air, its pellets (13) entrapping particulate in the polluted ambient air, thereby purifying the ambient air and thereafter it being directly returned to the ambient air in the atmosphere. Alternative embodiments (43, 55) provide cages (26) into which receptacles (14) with their pellets (13) are put.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Inventor: Del Wells
  • Patent number: 5449321
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has a heating and ventilating system for the cabin of the vehicle, including an air treatment zone arranged in front of the cabin, with a recirculating air inlet which passes air from the cabin back to the treatment zone. The floor of the cabin has a double wall defining a recirculating air duct within it, the recirculation air inlet being at the rear end of this duct, so that air can be recirculated from the back of the cabin to the treatment zone in the form of a moving air mattress under the floor. This mattress improves the insulation of the feet of the occupants from the outside atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Valeo Thermique Habitacle
    Inventor: Jean Dauvergne
  • Patent number: 5356337
    Abstract: An electric vehicle has a traction motor and apparatus comprising an air circuit for cooling the traction motor, for providing heat, where required, for the cabin of the vehicle, and for ventilating the cabin. The air circuit of the apparatus comprises a main branch containing a main ventilating and heating blower, together with a secondary branch which is branched from the first branch and which contains the cooling radiator for the traction motor. An auxiliary blower is arranged in the secondary branch. An upstream mixing valve and a downstream mixing valve connect these two branches in parallel, in such a way that either: the flow of cabin heating air passes through the radiator; or the mixing valves isolate the secondary branch, so as to form an entirely separate cooling air circuit in which the air flow is produced by the auxiliary blower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Valeo Thermique Habitacle
    Inventor: Jean Dauvergne
  • Patent number: 5330385
    Abstract: An air conditioning system suitable for use in an electric vehicle for air-conditioning the driver and passenger room of the vehicle. The system basically comprises environment sensors, a warning device and a control device. The environment sensors detect the state of the environment in the vehicle room. In the control device, an air-conditioning switch is activated so that the output of the environment sensor is read. When the environment sensors produce an output indicative of an improper state of environment in the vehicle room, such an open window, an open door or an unmanned state of the vehicle room, the warning device is operated for a predetermined time period. Further, the air conditioner is deactivated when the output of any one of the environment sensors continues to indicate an improper environment condition after the predetermined period has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Hotta, Akihiro Tajiri
  • Patent number: 5326315
    Abstract: A damper device for use in an air conditioner of a vehicle, which changes over the direction and volume of an air flow in an air conditioner when a screen (41) is slid. The screen has a laminated resin coat layer (8) or the resin film layer (5), and the cloth layer (7). The resin film layer (5) has excellent tensile and bending strength, and exhibits anti-creep properties, and further it inhibits elastic deformation or plastic deformation (initial elongation) that is the weak point of the cloth layer (7). The cloth layer (7) makes up for the tear strength that is a weak point of the resin film layer (5). The resin coat layer (8) makes up for anti-abrasion and low frictional properties that are weak points of the cloth layer (7). Each layer is provided with flexibility, moisture resistance and heat resistance, so that the entire arrangement of layers provides the necessary characteristics required for the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michi Inoue, Akihito Higashihara, Hiroyuki Yamazaki, Fumio Kato, Hirotaka Chishiki
  • Patent number: 5305823
    Abstract: In a heating and ventilating apparatus for the cabin of an automotive vehicle with a facility for supplying air at different temperatures to the driver and the front passenger at the level of the fascia and at the level of their feet, means are provided to ensure that air used for other purposes shall, where necessary, be at a uniform temperature. The apparatus comprises a housing having a fresh air inlet duct and at least three outlet ducts for fresh or heated air. The housing has a central bulkhead which divides the housing into two separate halves, each containing a separate regulating means for regulating the temperature delivered from that half of the housing into the cabin of the vehicle. The de-icing outlet duct and/or the central fascia ventilating air outlet duct are provided with a mixer for ensuring that the temperature delivered through the corresponding outlet duct is uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Valeo Thermique Habitacle
    Inventor: Gilles Elliot
  • Patent number: 5186237
    Abstract: An automotive heater and air conditioning system has multiple zones each supplied by a separate air flow passage serviced by a common blower and common heat exchangers. One of the passages has an adjustable air flow mechanism which bypasses some air from the passage without disturbing the air flow in other passages. A bypass port in the one passage at a point near the blower outlet is controlled by an adjustable door which is pivotally mounted in the passage at the downstream edge of the port. An induction housing receives air from the bypass port and returned it to the intake if the blower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth P. Adasek, James C. Ostrand
  • Patent number: 5162020
    Abstract: An air-conditioner has a heater core in an air passage. A bypass passage is formed within the air passage and at a side portion of the heater core. A holding shaft is pivotally disposed at the boundary between an air-flow through the heater core and an air-flow through the bypass passage. A sliding shaft is disposed upstream of the heater core and slides to cross a substantially whole area of the air passage. A first end and second end of a variable length damper which varies its length are connected to the sliding shaft and the holding shaft respectively so that the variable length damper moves in such a manner that its length varies in response to a distance between the sliding shaft and the holding shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Asano, Akihito Higashihara, Yasufumi Kojima
  • Patent number: 5152335
    Abstract: An automobile air conditioning system has a bypass air passage for directing air, before it is heated, to a car interior via a vent outlet. A bypass door is disposed in the bypass air passage, which has an opening which is automatically controlled according to a desired air conditioning temperature in an automatic air conditioning mode. The bypass door control can be intentionally changed to a mild control mode, in which the opening of the bypass door is automatically controlled to become smaller as the temperature of air, which either is in the bypass passage or is to be introduced into the bypass passage, becomes lower in a predetermined range of temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Doi, Tsutomu Fujiki
  • Patent number: 5120270
    Abstract: An air conditioning device for a vehicle comprising a temperature adjusting dial which is moved from a low temperature indication to a high temperature indication by an occupant. The air conditioning device includes a blower by which a volume of air blown is gradually changed from a maximum air volume to a minimum air volume to the maximum air volume again in accordance with the position of the temperature adjusting dial, a first changeover damper for changing the blowing direction of the air from the upper half of the body of the occupant to the lower half of the body of the occupant in accordance with the position of the temperature dial, and a second changeover damper for drawing in inside or outside air wherein the volume of inside or outside air allowed to enter the device is primarily based upon the position of the temperature dial. The occupant can also choose inside or outside air independent from the degree of movement of the temperature dial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: Kabushiki-Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kato, Tokuhiro Amano
  • Patent number: 5117744
    Abstract: A sensor for an air-conditioning system in a vehicle has a measuring head with a number of solar cells arranged in a defined pattern for determining the intensity of the solar radiation and the position of the sun relative to the sensor. Attachment elements on the sensor permit assembly of the sensor only in one way in the vehicle. A dome over the solar cells is transparent only to solar radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Assignee: Saab Automobile Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Claes Zimmer, Lars Johnsson, Anders Knutson