Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioner includes an airflow regulator disposed in a duct for regulating a rate of flow of temperature-controlled air to be discharged from an air outlet of the duct. The airflow regulator is formed by a plurality of hollow frustoconical members placed one over another in a nested condition. Each of the frustoconical members is open at a small end and a large end thereof and has at least one opening formed in a sidewall thereof. The frustoconical members are rotatable relative to one another about a common central axis thereof.

Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioner includes an airflow regulator disposed in a duct for regulating a rate of flow of temperature-controlled air to be discharged from an air outlet of the duct. The airflow regulator is formed by a plurality of hollow frustoconical members placed one over another in a nested condition. Each of the frustoconical members is open at a small end and a large end thereof and has at least one opening formed in a sidewall thereof. The frustoconical members are rotatable relative to one another about a common central axis thereof.

Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle has a heat pump type refrigerant circuit capable of operating at least in a heating mode. The air conditioner comprises a motor fan for supplying air heated by a heat exchanger to the interior of the vehicle during operation of the heating mode, a sensor for detecting the temperature of the air at a position downstream of the heat exchanger and a control unit for controlling the volume of the air supplied by the motor fan to a predetermined minimum volume by controlling the drive of the motor fan when the detected air temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature. Even in a condition where a sufficiently large heat radiation from the heat exchanger cannot be expected, a large volume of cold air that has been insufficiently heated can be prevented from being discharged into the interior of the vehicle.

Abstract: An air conditioner for vehicles includes a refrigerant circuit having a compressor capable of varying its output, a heat sink and a radiator disposed in an air duct for cooling operation, heating operation and dehumidifying operation modes; sensors for detecting air temperatures at the output-side positions of the heat sink and the radiator, respectively; and a control unit for controlling the output of the compressor in response to at least one of the detected air temperatures. The heat absorbing action due to the heat sink and the heat radiating action due to the radiator are appropriately controlled in the refrigerant circuit side in the respective operation modes without unnecessary heat absorbing and heat radiating actions. Further, the temperature of the air discharged from the air duct into the interior of the vehicle can be properly controlled by adjustment of the heat absorbing ability of the heat sink and the heat radiating ability of the radiator by the control of the compressor output.

Abstract: An air conditioner for vehicles that prevents icing and lack of visibility from developing on window glass of a vehicle during heating, and which permits a dehumidifying operation to be made without lowering of the air blowing temperature. The air conditioner is of a heat pump type comprising a compressor, an exterior heat exchanger, and a first interior heat exchanger, which are provided together with a second interior heat exchanger used as a heat radiator at least during heating. Further, piping lines are provided for introducing a refrigerant gas for passage through the second interior heat exchanger to the exterior heat exchanger through an expansion means, and for introducing the refrigerant gas for passage through the second interior heat exchanger to the first interior heat exchanger through a first expansion means.

Abstract: When an air-conditioner operation mode signal AM representative of a confirmation to permit the starting of a motor-driven compressor is supplied from an air-conditioner control unit to a battery management unit, the battery management unit detects power supply conditions including a voltage, a ground fault, a wire disconnection, etc. of a high-voltage battery, and supplies a start permission signal AUX2 indicative of a permission to start the motor-driven compressor to the air-conditioner control unit depending on the detected power supply conditions. After having received the start permission signal AUX2, the air-conditioner control unit turns on an air-conditioner inverter drive signal DAI to operate the motor-driven compressor.

Abstract: An air conditioner for vehicles includes a damper for switching among an outside-air inlet mode, an inside-air inlet mode and an outside/inside-air inlet mode, a manual switch for selecting any one of the respective inlet modes, an automatic switch for automatically selecting one of the respective inlet modes, a heating and cooling operation unit, an inside-air temperature sensor, an outside-air temperature sensor and a control unit for selectively controlling the respective inlet modes based on the condition of the heating and cooling operation unit, the condition of the respective switches and the difference between the temperatures detected by the respective temperature sensors. In the air conditioner, an optimum air conditioning in correspondence to the load required for air conditioning can be realized from the viewpoint of saving of energy and efficient operation.

Abstract: An external heat exchanger of a heat pump air-conditioner on an electric vehicle is determined as being frosted based on signals from temperature sensors. If the external heat exchanger is frosted, then a frosting flag is set and the air-conditioner is operated in a cooling mode to radiate heat from the external heat exchanger for thereby defrosting the external heat exchanger while the air-conditioner is in a pre-air-conditioning mode before the driver enters the electric vehicle or while the battery on the electric vehicle is being charged. While the battery is being charged, the external heat exchanger is defrosted by the electric energy supplied from an external power supply to charge the battery.

Abstract: An air conditioning system suitable for use in an electric vehicle. In the air conditioning system, a refrigerant gas circulatory system of the heat pump type for selectively effecting cooling and heating is disposed inside the electric vehicle and comprises lines which interconnect three heat exchangers, a directional control valve, a compressor and an expansion valve to one another. A control device is provided so as to activate and inactivate the heat exchanger, the directional control valve and the compressor. Before the expected running of the vehicle, at least a portion of the refrigerant gas circulatory system can be operated by the control device using a drive source different from the drive source used for running the vehicle. Accordingly, a comfortable room environment can be established for the expected time on riding by activating the air conditioning system in an unmanned state.

Abstract: An air conditioner for vehicles can operate at a dehumidifying-operation mode including at least a dry-cooling or a dry-heating mode. The air conditioner comprises a plurality of discharge ports including a defroster discharge port and discharge port switching dampers, a control system for opening at least the defroster discharge port for a predetermined time when the dehumidifying-operation mode is selected, and a control system for opening another discharge port determined in accordance with an operation mode and the like after the predetermined time has elapsed. When the dehumidifying operation is selected, at least the defroster discharge port is opened only for the predetermined time and temperature-conditioned air is discharged to the windshield from the defroster discharge port. After the predetermined time has elapsed, a discharge port in accordance with an operation mode is opened.

Abstract: An air conditioning system suitable for use in an electric vehicle. In the air conditioning system, a refrigerant gas circulatory system of the heat pump type for selectively effecting cooling and heating is disposed inside the electric vehicle and comprises lines which interconnect three heat exchangers, a directional control valve, a compressor and an expansion valve to one another. A control device is provided so as to activate and inactivate the heat exchanger, the directional control valve and the compressor. Before the expected running of the vehicle, at least a portion of the refrigerant gas circulatory system can be operated by the control device using a drive source different from the drive source used for running the vehicle. Accordingly, a comfortable room environment can be established for the expected time on riding by activating the air conditioning system in an unmanned state.

Abstract: A battery temperature control system in an electric automobile which is equipped with an air conditioner for supplying a cool or warm air into a passenger compartment and which travels by using batteries as a power source accommodated in a battery chamber. The system includes a battery temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the battery, a control unit adapted to drive the air conditioner in an air-cooling mode when the battery temperature detected by the temperature sensor is higher than a predetermined upper limit, and in an air-heating mode when the battery temperature detected by the temperature sensor is lower than a predetermined lower limit. An air intake port is provided in the battery chamber for introducing an air supplied from the air conditioner into the battery chamber. Further, in order to obtain a sufficiently warm air even when the atmospheric temperature is low, an auxiliary heat exchanger 28 which is heated by the combustion heater 29 also is provided.

Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning system includes three separate chambers formed by partitions. An interior heat exchanger is disposed in the first chamber for heat exchange with air introduced into the first chamber, and first chamber has an inside-air introduction port for admitting air from the vehicle passenger compartment into the first chamber and an air discharge port for discharging air into the compartment. An exterior heat exchanger is disposed in the second chamber for heat exchange with air introduced into the second chamber, and second chamber has an open-air introduction port for admitting air from outside of the vehicle into the second chamber and an air discharge port for discharging the air to outside of the vehicle.

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.

Abstract: An air conditioning system suitable for use in an electric vehicle. In the system, an air conditioning mechanism for air-conditioning the driver and passenger room of the vehicle is disposed in the vehicle. A sensor is attached to at least one window or disposed in the vicinity of the window. The sensor outputs a signal for making a decision as to whether or not the window is in a clear state. A glass heating device is used to heat each such window. When it is determined based on the output signal of the sensor that a window is unclear, either iced or foggy, a control device is activated to energize the glass heating device and to output a signal for controlling the power used by the air conditioning mechanism. Thus, water or moisture condensed on the surface of each window or ice formed on the surface thereof can be quickly removed. Further, the total amount of energy to be used by the air conditioning system can be reduced.

Abstract: An air conditioning system suitable for use in an electric vehicle. In the air conditioning system, a refrigerant gas circulatory system of the heat pump type for selectively effecting cooling and heating is disposed inside the electric vehicle and comprises lines which interconnect three heat exchangers, a directional control valve, a compressor and an expansion valve to one another. A control device is provided so as to activate and inactivate the heat exchanger, the directional control valve and the compressor. Before the expected running of the vehicle, at least a portion of the refrigerant gas circulatory system can be operated by the control device using a drive source different from the drive source used for running the vehicle. Accordingly, a comfortable room environment can be established for the expected time on riding by activating the air conditioning system in an unmanned state.