Occupant-type Vehicle Patents (Class 62/244)
  • Publication number: 20040256082
    Abstract: Components for HVAC systems used in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles are mounted in modular configuration on a frame with air conditioning components connected to one another by metal pipes welded to the components. An alternating current motor, integral with a compressor, is driven by 310 volt alternating current from an inverter, which inverter converts 310 volt direct current that is used to power the vehicle. PTC heaters in fluid communication with an evaporator employed by the air condition system are directly energized by the 310 volt direct current. The modular system is mounted directly on the chassis of the vehicle, facilitative assembly of the vehicle, and is readily removable as a unit from the chassis for repair or replacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventor: Daniel Christopher Bracciano
  • Patent number: 6830510
    Abstract: Light control glasses are used as window glasses of a vehicle. When the vehicle is parked, voltage is applied to the light control glass, which directly receives solar radiation from the sun, so that a light transmittancy of the light control glass is reduced to reduce the amount of solar radiation entered a passenger compartment of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Aoki, Yasushi Yamanaka, Toshifumi Kamiya
  • Patent number: 6827141
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation and air conditioning system for a vehicle is constructed from two modules, one for the engine compartment and a second for the passenger compartment. The engine compartment module has a base formed for positioning on at least two locations on a dash panel, a outside air inlet, a secondary air inlet for communication with the passenger compartment, an air outlet and defining a air transport conduit connecting the outside air inlet or the secondary air inlet with the air outlet. Downstream from the engine compartment is a passenger compartment module having a slide slot for a heater core, an inlet for communication with the air outlet from the engine compartment module, an air manifold, a panel exhaust from the air manifold, a defrost exhaust from the air manifold, a compartment door providing access to the slide in friction slot, and an air channel from the inlet to the air manifold. The heater core is positioned in the slide in slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Smith, Carl B. Dalkert, Michelle R. Gehres, Gregory J. Kolodziej
  • Publication number: 20040237558
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system for a vehicle includes an electronic control unit which detects a collision of the vehicle and activates an air bag of the vehicle, and a circulation passage for a refrigerant or R152a. The system further includes a discharge device which discharges the refrigerant from the circulation passage in the engine room when the control unit outputs an air-bag activation signal. The discharge device includes an electromagnetic valve adapted to opened to discharge a refrigerant from the circulation passage in the engine room when the control unit outputs the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: Shunji Komatsu
  • Patent number: 6823683
    Abstract: According to the method, heat delivered to the cabin (H) comes from a hot source (18) of a heat pump (12) comprising a main refrigerant circuit (14) taking heat from a cold source (16) to transfer it to the hot source (18). Heat taken from the cold source (16) comes from a flow of air recycled from the cabin. The cold source (16) has a refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger (24) thermally coupling the main circuit (14) to a first secondary coolant circuit (26) capable of being selectively connected to an outside heat exchanger (30) and to a cold heat exchanger (32). Air flow circuits have an inlet for admitting air recycled from the cabin, an outlet for delivering air to the outside of the vehicle, first connection means for connecting the recycled air inlet to the upstream end of the cold heat exchanger (32), and second connection means for connecting the downstream end of said cold heat exchanger (32) to the outside outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignees: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA, Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Amaral, Franck Vouzelaud
  • Publication number: 20040231350
    Abstract: An air conditioning system provides a pack conditioned air passage which intersects with a recirculation passage prior to communication of the combined air flow with a mixer. The combined air flow traverses a distance between the intersection between the pack conditioned air passage and the recirculation passage and an entry to the mixer which reduces the required volume of the mixer as compared to conventional systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Erin Kline, Thomas Zywiak, Charles J. McColgan, Douglas Christians, William Lockwood
  • Patent number: 6820436
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning system calculates and indicates the remaining time of effective cooling by cold air discharge from its cold storage unit during a vehicular eco-run halt. In cold discharge cooling mode, a first cold discharge cooling remaining time tx1 is calculated from the remaining cold heat of a cold storage medium. A second cold discharge cooling remaining time tx2 is calculated from temperature changes of the cold storage unit. The second remaining time tx2 is set to zero when the cold storage unit temperature rises to a cooling upper target temperature. The first remaining time tx1 is selected in the cold discharge cooling mode as long as the temperature of the cold storage unit is below a temperature near the solidifying point of the cold storage medium. The second remaining time tx2 is selected when the cold storage unit temperature exceeds the temperature near the solidifying point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tomita, Yuichi Shirota
  • Publication number: 20040221598
    Abstract: An air conditioning module is constructed to include all the necessary components for an air conditioning system within a single housing, with the housing having a supply air opening and a return air opening. The various components within the housing are so situated that the return air opening is relatively large in its lateral extension across the roof of a bus such that a single module can accommodate various configurations and locations of the supply air and return air openings in the roof of a bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Hille, Robert C. Reimann, Belin Czechowicz
  • Publication number: 20040221599
    Abstract: A bus air conditioning system with at least one air conditioning module installed on a bus roof The air conditioning system having a pair of supply air openings for conducting the flow of conditioned air downwardly near the outer side of the roof and a return air opening whose position may vary substantially in the lateral direction from a longitudinal central axis of the bus for any given installation. The air conditioning system including a refrigeration circuit for circulating refrigerant serially through a compressor, a condenser coil, an expansion valve and an evaporator coil. The air conditioning system further including an evaporator section including an evaporator blower for causing return air to flow from said return air opening, into a return air compartment of the evaporator section, through the evaporator coil and then to the supply air opening. The air conditioning system further includes a condenser fan for causing outside air to flow over the condenser coil and then to be discharged outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Hille, Robert C. Reimann, Belin Czechowicz
  • Publication number: 20040221595
    Abstract: A module is provided for attachment to the roof of a bus and includes all of the necessary components for conditioning the return air from the passenger compartment and delivering conditioned air thereto. Each module may include an evaporator section, a condenser section and a power section including a compressor and an inverter. The condenser section includes a condenser coil and a transverse fan with its axes disposed horizontally so as to draw air through a fresh air intake opening, through the coil and out a condenser discharge opening. The drain pan is shaped so as to form an air guiding wall around the fan, and a vortex wall is attached to the condenser coil support structure to separate low and high pressure sides of the fan. A rear wall and the fins of a discharge grill are angled with respect to the vertical plane so as to thereby prevent a recirculation of hot discharged air back into the air intake opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Hille, Robert C. Reimann, Belin Czechowicz
  • Publication number: 20040221597
    Abstract: An air conditioning module having all the necessary components for conditioning air, is so sized and arranged that when placed in an internal compartment of a bus, has its respective openings register with an existing return air duct and a supply air duct on the bus. The compartments and modules are so arranged that they can be paired in back-to-back relationship, with one on each side of a longitudinal center line of the bus. Each of the modules has an intermediate partition dividing the module into an upper evaporator section and a lower condensing section. A mixer flap is placed in an intermediate position with respect to the partition such that its position may be selectively adjusted to thereby vary the amount of fresh air and return air that is passed through the condenser coil and evaporator coil, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Hille, Robert C. Reimann
  • Publication number: 20040221594
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for a vehicle includes a hybrid compressor having a first compression mechanism driven by a drive source for driving the vehicle and a second compression mechanism driven by an electric motor, means for selecting a drive source, a means for detecting a refrigeration cycle condition, and means for estimating a power consumption of the compressor due to a selected drive source and a power consumption of the compressor due to a non-selected drive source in response to a value detected by the means for detecting a refrigeration cycle condition, when one drive source has been selected. Through this estimation, an preferred drive source may be selected in response to the condition of the refrigeration cycle or a thermal load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventors: Kenichi Suzuki, Atsuo Inoue, Tomonori Imai, Hiromitsu Adachi, Hideki Watanabe, Shinichirou Wakou
  • Publication number: 20040221596
    Abstract: A module for a bus rooftop air conditioner is self contained in that it has all the necessary components including a compressor, if desired, which when supplied with electrical power, can provide conditioned air to the passenger compartment of a bus. In addition, an electrically powered heater is provided in the air flowstream such that heated air can also be supplied to the passenger compartment when desired. Multiple units provide for incremental capacity requirements to be met as well as limp home capabilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Hille, Robert C. Reimann, Belin Czechowicz
  • Publication number: 20040206100
    Abstract: The temperature of air discharged from first and second passages are adjusted by adjusting the proportion of a flow rate of cold air with respect to that of hot air by means of a first cold air door 26 and a first hot air door 24, and by means of a second cold air door 27 and a second hot air door 25. Discharged air flow rates are controlled by changing the areas of the first and second passages while the proportion of the flow rate of cold air with respect to that of hot air is maintained to be constant by means of the first cold air door 26 and the first hot air door 24, and by means of the second cold air door 27 and the second hot air door 25.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Takahiro Tokunaga, Koji Ito, Yoshihiko Okumura
  • Patent number: 6804973
    Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner including a front automatic air-conditioning unit and a rear manual air-conditioning unit, an air-conditioning control unit changes a correction value of a target air temperature to be blown into a front seat area of a passenger compartment based on an outside air temperature detected by an outside temperature sensor when the rear manual air-conditioning unit operates. Specifically, in a low outside air temperature, the target air temperature for the front seat area is decreased by changing the correction value at a minus side. Accordingly, even a rear heater of the rear manual air-conditioning unit is operated during operation of the front air-conditioning unit, an air temperature blown toward the front seat area in the passenger compartment can be controlled to a set temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Katsumi Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20040200228
    Abstract: A ventilation and deodorization system includes a door lock switching unit for performing a locking and an unlocking of a vehicle door, an air conditioner which introduces outside air of a passenger compartment of the vehicle and blows the introduced outside air into the passenger compartment in a ventilation operation, and a control device for controlling its operation. When a door unlocking request signal is received as a remote operation signal by a receiving unit, the door lock switching unit performs the unlocking of the vehicle door, and the air conditioner performs the ventilation operation. Alternatively, an air cleaning operation is performed instead of the ventilation operation, while inside air of the passenger compartment is cleaned and circulated by an air cleaning device. Thus, the ventilation operation or the air cleaning operation can be performed while a battery consumption amount can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Makoto Umebayashi, Tomohiro Inada
  • Publication number: 20040194913
    Abstract: When it is assumed that a vehicle is stopped or parked after its engine was stopped and a predetermined period of time has passed, a cold wind side air mixing door, hot wind side air mixing door, cold wind door and rear cold wind side air mixing door are totally closed and a blower is operated for a predetermined period of time. Accordingly, while a cooler is being dried, drying air containing much offensive smell components, which has passed through the cooler, is discharged outside the vehicle. Therefore, it is unnecessary to provide an exclusively used air passage and an opening and closing door for opening and closing the air passage used for composing an air blowing passage to dry the cooler. By utilizing the existing equipment, air used for drying, which has passed through the cooler, containing much offensive smell components can be discharged outside the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Makoto Umebayashi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Tomohiro Inada
  • Publication number: 20040194946
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning unit includes an air duct, through which air is blown into a passenger compartment, and a partition board, which partitions the air duct in its inside into a first air passage and a second air passage. Temperature of air in the first air passage and temperature of air in the second air passage can be separately controlled. The air duct has a recess on its one side. An air conditioning device is disposed in the recess. The partition board is deformed correspondingly to the recess so that a corresponding cross-sectional area of the first air passage and a corresponding cross-sectional area of the second air passage should be approximately equal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Koji Yamada, Keizo Goto
  • Publication number: 20040194479
    Abstract: A control device is provided in a vehicle to control an air conditioning apparatus and thereby to control ventilation and air conditioning of a passenger room of the vehicle. A mobile device communicates with the control device in a parked state of the vehicle to selectively control a first device, which performs ventilation of the passenger room, and a second device, which performs air conditioning of the passenger room, of the air conditioning apparatus in such a manner that at least one of the first device and the second device is selectively operated upon reception of a corresponding operational instruction from the operating device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Makoto Umebayashi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Tomohiro Inada
  • Patent number: 6799432
    Abstract: In a left and right temperature independent control-type air conditioning unit for a vehicle, a case is constructed of a first case and a second case. An air passage in the case is divided into a first air passage through which air flows toward a right region of a compartment and a second air passage through which air flows toward a left region of the compartment by a partition wall. The first and second cases are connected by engaging a first case end surfaces with a second case end surface. Pin contact portions are formed on the first and second cases adjacent to the case end surface. The pin contact portions are disposed to oppose each other between the first case and the second case. The partition wall is fixed by interposing its periphery between the pin contact portions of the first and the second cases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masakazu Nagaya, Kazuo Kito
  • Publication number: 20040187508
    Abstract: An HVAC system for a vehicle preferably utilizes a control panel which encodes operator request signals at the control panel prior to sending those signals to a driver module. In this way, complex wire harnesses are not required. A most preferred embodiment includes a wireless connection between a control input and a driver module for receiving control signals and driving appropriate components on the HVAC system. The control signals are preferably transmitted over a wireless link through RF technology. Alternatively, infrared signals may be utilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventor: Soon Lye Chan
  • Publication number: 20040187509
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an air-conditioning apparatus so as not to make space in an operator's cab narrow and to bring about a comfortable working environment in the operator's cab when installing an air-conditioning apparatus in a construction machine. For these purposes it is structured that while the body unit 4 of an air-conditioning apparatus is disposed under the floor surface 9 of the cab 1, cold air and hot air ducts 10L, 10R, 11L, 11R which are connected to the body unit, are routed under the floor of the cab and are taken out into the inside of the cab. In addition, the cold air and hot air outlets 10La, 10Ra, 11La, 11Ra are disposed at both left and right sides at the front part of the cab. Also, by providing two evaporators 6L,6R, air of different temperatures can be blown out through the left and right outlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamakawa, Kazushige Tasaki, Eiji Akahane
  • Patent number: 6796367
    Abstract: An auxiliary engine generates electricity through an alternator, to charge the vehicle battery and selectively run an electric motor for air conditioning when the vehicle's primary engine is not operating. Operation of the electric motor produces rotation of the drive shaft of the vehicle's air conditioning compressor, the output shaft of the electric motor being connected via a centrifugal clutch, and a drive belt on a pulley integral to the clutch, to a pulley bolted directly to the drive shaft of the compressor. There is no use made of the vehicle's existing electromagnetic clutch at the compressor location, i.e. it remains disengaged when the auxiliary system is operating, and is engaged only when air conditioning is called for in normal vehicle operation, i.e. when the primary engine is running. The electricity generated by the auxiliary engine can also be used to operate other accessories, if desired, such as lighting, televisions, VCRs, refrigerators and other like accessories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Inventive Technologies Foundation
    Inventors: Shane Blacquiere, Janet Petrunia-Blacquiere
  • Patent number: 6796132
    Abstract: A bustop air conditioning module is provided with an evaporator section having a return air opening and a condenser section having a fresh air opening. A mixer opening is provided between the fresh air opening and the evaporator coil, and a flap is selectively positionable to cover or uncover the mixer opening to allow a selective amount of fresh air to be passed to the evaporator coil. Simultaneously, the flap also to selectively block a portion of the return air flowing to the evaporator coil and at the same allow a portion of the return air to be exhausted from the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Hille, Robert C. Reimann, Belin Czechowicz
  • Publication number: 20040177630
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner has an air conditioning unit and an air conditioning control unit. The air conditioning unit has a FACE blowout port, a DEF blowout port, an upper blowout port. The air conditioning control unit estimates an outside windshield temperature and determines an outside dew point temperature. The control unit also controls the upper blowout port to stop blowing or not based on the estimated outside windshield temperature and the outside dew point temperature in a face mode to prevent the windshield from fogging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Makoto Umebayashi, Tomohiro Inada, Yoshinori Yanagimachi
  • Publication number: 20040172960
    Abstract: In a normal control of a vehicle air conditioner, a control unit controls a compressor so that a work amount of the compressor is maintained at a target work amount calculated based on a heat load. In a cut control, the control unit controls the compressor so that the work amount is forcibly reduced smaller than the target work amount. When the cut control is set from the normal control, the cut control is continued for a predetermined time and then is changed to the normal control again. In this case, the work amount of the compressor immediately after the predetermined time passes is corrected to be increased. Thus, the target work amount of the compressor immediately after the cut control is increased larger than the target work amount calculated based on the heat load. Therefore, suitable air conditioning can be performed immediately after the cut control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: Hiroki Nakamura, Tetsuya Takechi
  • Publication number: 20040172959
    Abstract: In an air conditioner for a vehicle, when a target rotation speed of an electric compressor calculated by a target rotation speed calculating means is higher than an upper limit set by an upper limit setting means and a noise level is reduced from a level equal to or higher than a predetermined noise level to a level lower than the predetermined noise level, an inverter controls the compressor to stop for a predetermined period of time and subsequently increase rotation speed to the upper limit. Since the compressor is stopped for the predetermined period of time, the rotation speed of the compressor is controlled without detecting a rotational position of the compressor. Therefore, when the target rotation speed is higher than the upper limit and the noise level is decreased lower than the predetermined noise level, an actual rotation speed of the compressor is immediately decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: Mitsuyo Oomura, Toshinobu Homan, Hiroshi Kishita
  • Patent number: 6786060
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying the surface of a heat exchanger in a vehicle of moisture accumulating as a result of its use as an evaporator in an air conditioning system. Air is first heated by the heater core in the air conditioning system and then directed through the heat exchanger. Because of the reduced humidity of such air, any residual moisture in the heat exchanger is evaporated and is discharged to the environment. Where the system is used in a vehicle, it prevents the discharge of moist air onto the windows and/or windshield of the vehicle and thus minimizes or eliminates fogging of the windshield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Samuel Alber, Huub R. Kamsma, Arthur Thomas, Marc D. Williams, Maria List, Mark Reichler, Frank Vetter
  • Publication number: 20040168455
    Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, it is determined whether a regenerative electric power generation is performed in an electric motor or not. When it is determined that the electric motor is in an electric power generating state, the electric supply to the electric heater is allowed. Accordingly, the allowed maximum electric-power value of a power consumption amount in the air conditioner becomes greater than the allowed maximum electric-power value set when it is determined that no electric motor is in the electric power generating state. Accordingly, it is possible to restrict an air conditioning feeling from becoming worse while preventing the electric power supplied to the electric motor from being insufficient due to consumption of the electric power of the battery by the air conditioner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventor: Hiroki Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20040168449
    Abstract: In a compressor control system for a vehicle air conditioner, a hybrid ECU of the vehicle controls a rotation speed of a compressor electric motor. In this case, an output circuit, which outputs a driving signal for driving the compressor electric motor, only needs to be newly provided in the hybrid ECU when a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle is manufactured based on an engine vehicle. Therefore, a high cost is not caused even when the output circuit is provided in the hybrid ECU which should be newly designed and manufactured. In addition, because the output circuit does not need to be provided in an air-conditioning ECU which is an existing component of the engine vehicle, the air-conditioning ECU in the engine vehicle can be directly applied to that in the hybrid vehicle without a substantial hardware change. Therefore, design cost can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Toshinobu Homan, Yuji Takeo, Mitsuyo Oomura
  • Publication number: 20040154327
    Abstract: The air conditioning case (11) includes: a right and a left case body (112, 111) made of resin; and a partitioning plate (113) made of metal, and the partitioning plate (113) is a partitioning portion for partitioning the face blowout opening portion (15) and the defroster blowout opening portion (16) which are formed into one opening portion by the right and the left case body (112, 111). Accordingly, compared with the partitioning portion formed integrally with the right and the left case body, no dividing face is formed at the center, and rigidity can be enhanced. Due to the above structure, it is difficult for the partitioning portion to be deformed, and the partitioning portion seldom interferes with the blowout mode door (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventor: Suehiro Okazaki
  • Publication number: 20040154326
    Abstract: Front side members as a platform member of a vehicle are provided in a vehicle body on a lower side of an engine compartment to extend in a vehicle front-rear direction. A piping arrangement portion such as a piping recess is provided in an inner wall of the front side member in the vehicle front-rear direction. A liquid tube and a suction tube of a refrigerant piping are provided in the piping arrangement portion along the front side member. The liquid tube is for introducing refrigerant to an evaporator in an air conditioning unit provided in a passenger compartment, and the suction tube is for introducing refrigerant from the evaporator to a compressor provided in the engine compartment. In this structure, the part number of the refrigerant piping can be effectively decreased, and appearance of the engine compartment is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventor: Hiroaki Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 6772602
    Abstract: A cooling system is provided for a vehicle that includes an air-cooled coolant radiator and air-cooled gas cooler to cool a gas flow of a CO2 type air conditioning system of the vehicle. The cooling system includes a pre-cooler for pre-cooling of the refrigerant by transferring heat from the refrigerant either to the coolant flowing through the radiator or to a cooling air flow passing through the radiator, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Frank Vetter, Mark Reichler, Daniela Welchler
  • Publication number: 20040148953
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning system of a dual air-conditioner type exhibiting a hot gas heater function, which is designed to efficiently recover not only dormant refrigerant at the heater side, but also dormant refrigerant at the rear seat evaporator, which system sets the refrigeration cycle to a cooling mode and engages in a refrigerant recovery operation when starting up the heating mode by a hot gas heater cycle, then switches the refrigeration cycle to the heating mode, sets the front seat air-conditioning unit to the outside air mode at the time of the heating mode to blow outside air to the front seat evaporator by the front seat blower, then, when judging that the inside air temperature is high due to the refrigerant temperature of the rear seat evaporator at the time of the heating mode, operates the rear side blower to blow inside air to the rear seat evaporator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Shun Kurata, Yoshiaki Takano
  • Patent number: 6766654
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for a motor vehicle includes an air conditioning box through which blower air can flow and in which an evaporator and, at a distance therefrom, a heat exchanger are arranged, and including an air distributor which has air outlet openings which may be controlled by air control elements, and a water outlet arranged between the evaporator and heat exchanger, and having a control arrangement for forcibly ejecting the blower air emerging at the evaporator via the water outlet into the vehicle environment. For the purpose of forcibly ejecting the loaded blower air in a cost-effective and construction-space-saving manner without losses in efficiency, the control arrangement may be formed in the air outlet openings by the air control elements which, during the ejection, are forcibly closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Straub
  • Publication number: 20040139754
    Abstract: In a seat air conditioning unit for a vehicle seat constructed with a seat cushion and a seat back, when a seat air conditioning operation is performed in a cooling operation of a passenger compartment, a cooling capacity of cool air blown from the seat back is set smaller than a cooling capacity of cool air blown from these at cushion while a passenger sits on the vehicle seat. Further, the cooling capacity of cool air blown from a lower portion of the seat back can be set smaller than the cooling capacity of an upper portion of the seat back. Accordingly, even when the cooling operation is continued for a long time while the seat air conditioning operation is performed, the waist portion of the passenger can be prevented from being excessively cooled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Toshifumi Kamiya, Shinji Aoki
  • Publication number: 20040139757
    Abstract: A distributed refrigeration system for a vehicle includes a vapor compression primary cooling circuit and a separate secondary cooling circuit. The secondary cooling circuit utilizes a non-toxic cooling fluid that is pumped to remote locations in the vehicle through designated supply lines. A heat exchanger acting with the primary cooling circuit cools the cooling fluid. A portable main storage compartment is fluidly connectable to the primary or secondary cooling circuits. The portable main cold storage compartment can be expandable. At the remote locations in the vehicle, docking stations permit items to be selectively cooled by the secondary cooling circuit. Both the primary and secondary cooling circuits can operate independently of the vehicle engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Steven J. Kuehl, Carolyn L. Slone, D. LeClear Douglas, Jon D. Tromblee
  • Publication number: 20040139758
    Abstract: A seat air conditioner for a vehicle seat includes a seat air passage that is provided in at least one of a seat back and a seat cushion having a seat surface and a pad covered by the seat surface. The seat air conditioner further includes a blower unit disposed at a back side of the pad. The seat air passage has an air distribution passage embedded within the pad and a connection hole passage extending from a predetermined portion in the air distribution passage to the blower unit. The air distribution passage extends in a surface direction in a pipe shape to have a predetermined pattern. Since the air distribution passage is provided inside the pad, seat surfaces of the seat cushion and the seat back can be made smooth, and comfortable seating feeling can be given to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Toshifumi Kamiya, Shinji Aoki
  • Patent number: 6763666
    Abstract: A temperature controlled storage container integrated into the trim member of a vehicle comprising a storage container integrated into said trim member. A thermoelectric heat pump is employed to provide temperature control to the storage container and to selectively heat or cool the container. Optionally, a duct is added that is in communication with the thermoelectric heat pump wherein the duct is also in communication with air intake resulting from motion of the vehicle and wherein the duct is also capable of venting outside of said vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Textron Automotive Company Inc.
    Inventor: Ching Fong
  • Patent number: 6763668
    Abstract: Rather than having a frame into which, or upon which, an air conditioning system is mounted, a bus rooftop air conditioning module has a unibody which is formed partially of structural members interconnected to the tube sheets of the evaporator and condenser coils to form a structural body which supports the components of the system. In this way the coil tube sheets combine with other structural members to form the supporting body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Peter R. Bushnell, Robert C. Reimann, Christopher Repice, Mark Colton, Xuqiang Liao, Gawain Mundy, Stephen Stopyra, Belin Czechowicz, Suresh Duraisamy, Timothy R. Campbell, Dennis Stone
  • Patent number: 6763670
    Abstract: A bus rooftop air conditioning system is made up of one or more self-contained modules having one or more evaporator sections and one or more condenser sections, with each extending transversely across the width of the bus, and with the evaporator sections fluidly communicating with both a common return air opening and a common supply air opening of the bus. The modules may be of a single unit configuration with a single condenser section and a single evaporator section or they may be of a double unit configuration having two condenser sections and two evaporator sections. The total capacity requirements are met by combining the use of single units and double unit configuration, with each of the evaporator sections communicating with a single return air opening and a single supply air opening in a bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Peter R. Bushnell, Robert C. Reimann, Christopher Repice, Mark Colton, Xuqiang Liao, Gawain Mundy, Stephen Stopyra, Belin Czechowicz, Suresh Duraisamy, Timothy R. Campbell
  • Patent number: 6763669
    Abstract: A module is provided for attachment to the roof of a bus and includes all of necessary components for conditioning the return air from the passenger compartment and delivering conditioned air thereto. A module can be ganged in various relationships to collectively provide the total capacity required by the bus. Each module includes an evaporator section, a condenser section and a power section including a compressor and an inverter. The evaporator sections have a return air compartment that extends a substantial distance across the roof of the bus such that a single design can meet the needs of various return air duct installations of various types of buses. Provision is made for the selectively mixing of return air with fresh air, with the mixture then being passed by the evaporator blower through the evaporator coils and into the supply air ducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Peter R. Bushnell, Mark Colton, Robert C. Reimann, Stephen Stopyra, Christopher Repice, Belin Czechowicz
  • Publication number: 20040134217
    Abstract: When a dehumidifying and heating operation is set in an air conditioner, refrigerant is circulated from a compressor to the compressor through a first exterior heat exchanger, a decompression device, an interior heat exchanger, an another decompression device, an inner heat exchanger and a second exterior heat exchanger, in this order. Further, by controlling a throttle opening degree of the another decompression device, a refrigerant temperature in the interior heat exchanger can be set higher than that in the second exterior heat exchanger. Thus, even when the interior heat exchanger is controlled to a temperature to be not frosted, heat can be absorbed from outside air in the second exterior heat exchanger. Accordingly, when an outside air temperature is low, by setting the dehumidifying and heating operation, air to be blown into a compartment can be dehumidified while sufficiently increasing heating capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Satoshi Itoh, Motohiro Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20040134216
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combined cooling plant/heat pump for use in motor vehicles for the cooling, heating and dehumidification of the vehicle interior. A refrigerant circuit is thermally coupled to the ventilation system over an internal heat exchanger having two functional units. The functional units are switchable as the condenser/gas cooler of the heat pump (in heating operation) and as the evaporator of the cooling plant (in cooling operation). In a combined dehumidification-reheating operation, one of these functional units is operable as an evaporator and the other as condenser/gas cooler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: VISTEON GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Peter Heyl
  • Patent number: 6761037
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle uses a hybrid compressor (4) including a first compression mechanism driven by a first drive source (2) and a second compression mechanism driven by a second drive source (5), and a single discharge port connected to the first and the second compression mechanisms. The operation of the hybrid compressor is controlled by a controller (15) in accordance with a control mode. The controller has a first operation mode in which the first compression mechanism alone is driven, a second operation mode in which the second compression mechanism alone is driven, a third operation mode in which the first and the second compression mechanisms are simultaneously driven, and a fourth operation mode in which the first and the second compression mechanisms are simultaneously stopped. Depending upon various conditions, the controller selects, as the control mode, one of the first, the second, the third, and the fourth operation modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Tsuboi, Atsuo Inoue, Kenichi Suzuki, Tomonori Imai
  • Patent number: 6761038
    Abstract: A module is provided for attachment to the roof of a bus and includes all of the necessary components for conditioning the return air from the passenger compartment and delivering conditioned air thereto. A plurality of modules can be mounted in various relationships to collectively provide the total capacity required by the bus. Each module includes an evaporator section, a condenser section and a power section including a compressor and an inverter. The evaporator sections have a return air compartment that extends a substantial distance across the roof of the bus such that a single design can meet the needs of various return air duct installations of various types of buses. Provision is made for the selective mixing of return air with fresh air, with the mixture then being passed by the evaporator blower through the evaporator coils and into the supply air ducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Peter R. Bushnell, Stephen Stopyra, Robert C. Reimann, Belin Czechowicz
  • Publication number: 20040129407
    Abstract: A horizontal rooftop engine cooling system includes one or more radiator units horizontally mountable to the rooftop of a bus and including a radiator interconnected to one or more passages of an engine of the bus to allow coolant to flow between the engine and the rooftop cooling system to cool the engine. The cooling system can incorporate a fan mounting shroud, a ram-air aerodynamic shroud, and/or an ornamental aesthetic appearance shroud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Applicant: ISE Research Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Thomas Stone, Juergen Schulte
  • Publication number: 20040129010
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle comprises an air conditioning unit for conditioning air in a passenger compartment of a vehicle. The air conditioning unit has an air conditioning case forming an air passage with at least one sidewall. The sidewall of the air conditioning case is divided into a plurality of partial sidewalls, the thicknesses of which are different, so as to restrain vibration of the air conditioning case. The air conditioning apparatus further characterized in that the air conditioning case is installed at one of a front part and a rear part of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The thicknesses of adjoining two of the partial sidewalls are different correspondingly to vibration restriction performance of the sidewall of the air conditioning case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventor: Hiroshi Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20040129007
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning system is capable of learning preferences for a plurality of passengers, altering control characteristics of air conditioning means based on the results of learning, and automatically controlling the system. The system is capable of adjusting a temperature separately and independently for the left and right sides of a passenger compartment, and stores a temperature setting map of preferences of respective passengers for the Dr side and Pa side. Temperature set points are used for calculating blowing temperatures and determining opening degrees of air mix dampers. If a set point temperature is changed by a manual setting, the temperature-setting map is altered and restored by learning such change, and thus the temperature-setting map can be updated to reflect preferences of each passenger for each of the Dr side and Pa side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tomita, Shigeki Harada
  • Patent number: 6758741
    Abstract: A vehicle interior structure includes an air vent wall. The air vent wall has a nonpermeable layer, a nonpermeable surface layer and a permeable layer. The permeable layer has a three-dimensional net construction and is disposed between the nonpermeable layer and the nonpermeable surface layer. The permeable layer has two welded nonpermeable portions, which are extended linearly. An air passage is formed between the welded nonpermeable portions. The vehicle interior structure is applied to a vehicle temperature control system including an air conditioning unit and an air blower unit. The interior of the vehicle is ventilated through the air passage of the air vent wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Aoki, Kazushi Shikata