Plural Temperature Regulators For Plural Zones Patents (Class 165/203)
  • Patent number: 11884404
    Abstract: An environmental control system includes an environmental control system pack having a trim outlet and a primary outlet. A trim medium is output from the trim outlet and a first medium is output from the primary outlet. An inlet of a mixing manifold is connected to the primary outlet of the at least one environmental control system pack. A trim heat exchanger is connected to the trim outlet and the at least one inlet of the environmental control system pack. Within the trim heat exchanger, the trim medium is arranged in a heat exchange relationship with a second medium. From the trim heat exchanger, the second medium is provided to an inlet of the least one environmental control system pack and the trim medium is mixed with a flow output from an outlet of the mixing manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tony Ho, Louis J. Bruno, Aiden Coutin
  • Patent number: 11850913
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning system is provided and includes a heating duct through which internal air and external air are introduced and a cooling duct through which internal air and external air are introduced. A condenser is disposed in the heating duct and an evaporator is disposed in the cooling duct and is connected to the condenser. A phase change material (PCM) stores thermal energy of the internal air passing through the heating and cooling ducts. An internal/external air door controls the mixing of the internal/external air introduced into the heating and cooling ducts, and a PMC door controls the external air introduced through the heating and cooling ducts whether to pass through the PCM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Gee Young Shin, Seung Sik Han, Dong Ho Kwon, Myung Hoe Kim
  • Patent number: 11809854
    Abstract: Provided is technology to implement an updating process according to a situation of each equipment when software is collectively updated with respect to a plurality of equipment items constituting an equipment system. With respect to a software updating method for a plurality of equipment items constituting the equipment system, the software updating method includes acquiring information indicating an operation state of at least respective equipment to be updated among the plurality of equipment items, acquiring information indicating a reception state of updated software of the respective equipment, determining whether to perform switching to the updated software by the respective equipment, and instructing switching to the updated software based on a result of a determination. The determining determines that the switching to the updated software by the respective equipment is not to be performed in a case where equipment in operation and from which reception is incomplete exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuo Suko, Yasuyuki Aisaka, Tsutomu Iura, Mieharu Tokuda, Kazuteru Matsui
  • Patent number: 11628703
    Abstract: A multi-zone climate control system for vehicles includes a front HVAC unit, a powered blower, and a heater core. The front HVAC unit is adapted to condition air provided to first and second front zones. The front HVAC unit further includes a cold air outlet connected to the powered blower. Cold air from the cold air outlet of the front HVAC unit passes through the powered blower and enters the heater core. The heater core is configured to control a temperature of conditioned air supplied to at least one rear zone of the passenger compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Louis Hayes, John Azar, Trent Greear Sutherland
  • Patent number: 11582418
    Abstract: Techniques are provided herein for secure display device communications. In one example, a video communications device provides, to a display device over a first connection, communication information that enables the display device to contact a server over a second connection. The video communications device further provides, to the display device over the first connection, a command configured to initiate an interaction with the server. The server obtains, from the display device over the second connection, a message initiating the interaction in response to the command based on the communication information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Lars Johan Persson
  • Patent number: 11555631
    Abstract: An air conditioner at least including a controller, a first fan unit, and a second fan unit arranged parallel to the first fan unit is disclosed. The controller performs a parallel operating control procedure, including a first control mode and a second control mode, to the first fan unit and the second fan unit respectively. When operating under the first control mode, the controller adjusts the rotating speed of one of the first fan unit and the second fan unit based on a first standard air volume, so the two fan units output the air volume equal to or approximate to the first standard air volume. When operating under the second control mode, the controller controls the rotating speed of both the first and second fan units according to a second standard air volume, so the two fan units output the same air volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: CHICONY POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tse-Wen Chang, Cheng-Yi Ho, Wen-Yen Cheng
  • Patent number: 11524547
    Abstract: An HVAC assembly for a vehicle. The HVAC assembly has an HVAC case with a rear blower and an evaporator. A rear blower scroll directs airflow generated by the rear blower to a lower portion of the evaporator. An airflow conduit is configured to direct airflow generated by a front blower to an upper portion of the evaporator. An airflow divider separates airflow generated by the rear blower from airflow generated by the front blower. The airflow divider divides the HVAC case into an upper area above the divider and a lower area below the divider. A defrost outlet and a front face outlet are at the upper area of the HVAC case above the divider. A front foot outlet and a rear airflow outlet are at the lower area of the HVAC case below the divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventor: Reilly Mullett
  • Patent number: 11472262
    Abstract: A heat pump air-conditioning system for a vehicle includes a refrigerant circuit, an auxiliary heater, and a control unit. The control unit compares a difference between a target blowout temperature and an actual blowout temperature with a predetermined first temperature threshold value in magnitudes, The control unit adjusts an opening degree of a first expansion valve and an opening degree of a second expansion valve. The control unit adjusts an output power of the auxiliary heater. The control unit executes a plurality of different modes of a heat pump air-conditioning to control the actual blowout temperature to approach and maintain at the target blowout temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jingyi Zhu, Zhaoliang Xu, Ziliang Yin
  • Patent number: 11474244
    Abstract: System and method of controlling operation of an optical sensor in a device. The optical sensor is configured to employ a scan pattern to scan respective portions of a full field of view. A navigation sensor is configured to obtain location coordinates of the device. An inertial sensor is configured to obtain an acceleration data of the device in a plurality of directions. A controller is configured to determine a position of the device at the present time based in part on the location coordinates and the acceleration data. The controller is configured to determine a sun striking zone based in part on a relative position of the sun and the device. When a sun overlap region between the respective portions of the full field of view and sun striking zone exceeds a first overlap threshold, operation of the optical sensor is modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Tzvi Philipp, Igai Bilik, Shahar Villeval
  • Patent number: 11458813
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) assembly for managing air mixing door kinematics of a motor vehicle is disclosed. The assembly includes a first door configured for allowing passage of a first air flow, a second door configured for allowing passage of a second air flow, obtaining means configured to obtain a temperature command indicating a target temperature for a passenger cabin, identifying means configured to identify a pattern of non-linear door kinematics for mixing the first air flow and the second air flow based on the temperature command, coordinating means configured to coordinate the non-linear door kinematics between the first door and the second door, and mixing means configured to mix the first air flow and the second air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Sikorski, Darshan Parikh, Sally Dagher, Steven Marshall
  • Patent number: 11453274
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving, with a vehicle computing system, global position system (GPS) data associated with a vehicle, determining a solar position relative to the vehicle, receiving trip information associated with the vehicle, and executing one or more vehicle actuators based at least in part on the GPS data, the trip information and the solar position relative to the vehicle. Determining the solar position can include determining a sun glare period during a future time period based at least in part on the trip information associated with the vehicle. The vehicle computing system may display a warning indicative of the sun glare period, generate a window tint command that causes the window to tint and/or generate a vent control command that causes the vent to change one or more of an airflow temperature, and an airflow velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alexandre Costa, Philippe Lopes, Diego Gouveia, Newton Filho, Pedro Correa, Islan Peterson Ferreira
  • Patent number: 11446983
    Abstract: An electronic control unit is applied to an air conditioner, the air conditioner including a heating unit which heats a heat medium, a casing which allows an air flow to circulate toward a compartment, a blower which generates the air flow in the casing, and a heat exchanger disposed in the casing that heats the air flow by exchanging heat between the heat medium heated by the heating unit and the air flow. The blower air volume of the blower is controlled based on a first candidate value determined based on an estimated blowing temperature, and a second candidate value determined based on a required blowing air temperature and the estimated blowing temperature. The second candidate value is set as a predetermined value when a warm-up operation of the heating unit is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Yamaguchi, Tetsuya Takechi, Yoshiharu Endo, Terukazu Higuchi
  • Patent number: 11428426
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system that obtains at least one of a recommended temperature and an operation mode to be set on an air conditioner by applying a position of a user and an ambient temperature of the air conditioner to a learning model trained by using an artificial intelligence algorithm, and sets at least one of the obtained recommended temperature and the obtained operation mode on the air conditioner. In this case, the learning model may be, for example, a model generated by using at least one of machine learning, a neural network, or a deep learning algorithm as the artificial intelligence algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang-kyung Lee, Jae-hong Kim, Hee-jin Suh, Chang-soo Lee, Bo-kun Choi
  • Patent number: 11390134
    Abstract: A dual zone auxiliary climate control system for a vehicle includes an evaporator, a heater core having a first zone and a second zone, a first zone mode door downstream from the first zone of the heater core, a second zone mode door downstream from the second zone of the heater core and a blower. The blower forces air through the evaporator and the heater core toward the first zone mode door and the second zone mode door. A method of providing a dual zone auxiliary climate control system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Louis Hayes, Jennifer A. Herr-Rathke, Steve Michael Kahrs, Manfred Koberstein
  • Patent number: 11241937
    Abstract: A method for controlling air conditioning devices in a transportation vehicle wherein, upon the recording of an operator's air conditioning need and a conversion of the need into an air conditioning function for an air conditioning device, the implementability of the air conditioning need is compared with an influencing variable measured by a sensor. In response to the air conditioning need being recognized as implementable, information asserting this fact is issued to the operator. An apparatus for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventors: Anna-Lena Giesert, Andreas Kaiser, Malte Lansmann, Zeno Wolze, Oliver Hengstenberg, Jens Baumgarten, Markus Berg, Jan Effertz, Karsten Helms, Frank Andres
  • Patent number: 11203246
    Abstract: A heat exchanger, preferably for a vehicle, including an applicative stratification, wherein the applicative stratification includes at least two stratification strands, wherein the applicative stratification is configured in such a manner that when incoming air into the heat exchanger is supplied in the direction of the applicative stratification, the incoming air is spread out by means of the applicative stratification in the respective stratification strand into an associated outgoing air portion. Furthermore, an exemplary embodiment may include an air-conditioning unit and an associated method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Willibald Pfaller, Sascha Rös
  • Patent number: 11186139
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle climate system having a plurality of zones, wherein the plurality of zones includes a primary zone for a driver of the vehicle and one or more secondary zones for one or more passengers of the vehicle, the method including determining whether one or more of the plurality of zones is occupied by a person, receiving data indicative of a target temperature of each of the occupied zones, receiving data indicative of a target temperature in the primary zone, determining when one or more of the occupied zones becomes unoccupied, and adjusting the target temperature of one or more of the unoccupied zones to an adjusted target temperature. The adjusted target temperature is a function of the target temperature in the primary zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventor: Roger Baker
  • Patent number: 11161389
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning device includes: an air-conditioning device having an all-seat air-conditioning mode in which air-conditioned air is blown out to occupants of all seats in a vehicle cabin and an individual air-conditioning mode in which the air-conditioned air is blown out to some of the occupants of all seats; a selection device used to select the all-seat air-conditioning mode and the individual air-conditioning mode; and a controller configured to control the air-conditioning device in an air-conditioning mode selected in the selection device. When the vehicle is activated by a remote starter device configured to remotely activate the vehicle, the controller controls the air-conditioning device by switching the air-conditioning mode to the all-seat air-conditioning mode even when the air-conditioning mode selected at previous turning-off of an ignition device is the individual air-conditioning mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11135895
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) case, which defines a defrost outlet and a demist outlet. A single airflow control door is movable to control airflow through each one of the defrost outlet and the demist outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Pinger, Yoshinobu Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 11065935
    Abstract: An electric vehicle thermal management system is provided. The system includes an inside AC unit having an air inlet unit and an air outlet unit and a cooling core embedded therein. A heating core is disposed between the air outlet unit of the inside AC unit and the cooling core and a control door is disposed inside the inside AC unit to adjust air supply to the heating core. A first flow path circulates to pass through the heating core and includes an electric heater. A branch flow path is branched from downstream point of the heating core of the first flow path and passing through a high voltage battery heat exchange unit. A control valve is disposed in a branch point between the first flow path and the branch flow path and a second flow path circulates between a compressor and a condenser and the cooling core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Sang Shin Lee, Man Ju Oh, So La Chung, Jae Woong Kim
  • Patent number: 11014424
    Abstract: A vehicle microclimate system includes a microclimate device that is configured to be arranged within an interior space that provides a macroclimate environment to an occupant. The microclimate device is configured to provide a microclimate environment to the occupant. The microclimate device is configured to be in close proximity to a region of the occupant having an increased thermoreceptive response compared to other occupant regions exposed to the macroclimate environment. A controller is in communication with the microclimate device. The controller is configured to determine an occupant personal comfort and automatically command the microclimate device in response to the occupant personal comfort to achieve a desired occupant personal comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
    Inventors: Darren Andrew Schumacher, Paul Cameron Giberson, Gregory Leo Steinl, Wayne Swoyer Kauffman, III, Vincenzo Sebastiano
  • Patent number: 11007847
    Abstract: Vehicle air conditioning device of a heat pump system in which comfort is compatible with decrease of power consumption. The vehicle air conditioning device includes a heating medium circulating circuit 23 to heat air to be supplied from an air flow passage 3 to a vehicle interior, and in a heating mode, a controller has an energy saving prior mode in which the controller operates a compressor 2 at a maximum number of revolution and complements a shortage of a heating capability by a radiator 4 with heating by a heating medium-air heat exchanger 40 of the heating medium circulating circuit 23, and a comfort prior mode in which the controller limits a number of revolution of the compressor 2 and complements the shortage of the heating capability by the radiator 4 with the heating by the heating medium-air heat exchanger 40 of the heating medium circulating circuit 23.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: SANDEN AUTOMOTIVE CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Miyakoshi, Kenichi Suzuki, Kohei Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10981433
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for personalized controlling of an air temperature in a vehicle. A computer implemented method for personalized controlling of an air temperature in a vehicle comprises determining, by a processor, a current temperature condition in the vehicle, wherein the current temperature condition in the vehicle is determined based on at least a temperature value that is representative for a current thermal environment in a compartment of the vehicle. The processor further determines a basal metabolic rate that is associated with a person located in the compartment of the vehicle and controlling, by the processor, a desired air temperature in the vehicle, wherein the desired air temperature is controlled based on the determined current temperature condition in the vehicle and the determined basal metabolic rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Shailendra Kaushik, Taeyoung Han, Bahram Khalighi
  • Patent number: 10953720
    Abstract: Disclosed is an air conditioner for a vehicle. The present invention provides an air conditioner for a vehicle capable of introducing indoor air and outdoor air simultaneously or selectively by forming a double-layer flow in an air conditioner case and capable of separately controlling the temperatures of a front seat and a rear seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Jae Woo Ko, Seong Seok Han, Young Keun Kim, Gyu Ik Han, In Keun Kang
  • Patent number: 10940738
    Abstract: An air conditioning control system and method for a vehicle may include: an alternate control entering temperature difference excess determination step of determining whether a difference in temperature between a side vent temperature sensor and a shower duct temperature sensor exceeds an alternate control entering temperature difference; and an alternate control step of determining that a side vent grill may have been closed, when the difference exceeds the alternate control entering temperature difference, and performing an alternate control operation of regarding the temperature of air measured by the shower duct temperature sensor as the temperature of air discharged from the side vent grill and controlling a temperature of air to be discharged from a center vent grill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Myung-Hoe Kim, Byeong-Moo Jang, Jong-Hwan Kwon, Seong-Nam Kim
  • Patent number: 10899198
    Abstract: A heater core for performing heat exchange between a coolant and ventilation air to be blown to the interior of a vehicle so as to heat the ventilation air is disposed in a water circulation circuit for circulating a coolant in an engine EG for outputting driving force necessary to move the vehicle. When the temperature of the coolant discharged from the engine EG is low, a heat transport refrigeration cycle device, serving as a heat transport unit for absorbing heat from a downstream coolant at a position downstream more than the heater core and dissipating the heat absorbed from the downstream coolant to an upstream coolant at a position upstream more than the heater core, is operated to increase the temperature of the coolant introduced into the heater core until the temperature of the coolant reaches the temperature necessary to heat the interior of the vehicle, without operation of the engine EG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Atsushi Inaba, Hiroaki Kawano, Naoya Makimoto
  • Patent number: 10821800
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a vehicle. The HVAC system includes an HVAC case. The HVAC case has a first inlet and a second inlet. The first inlet is in receipt of airflow from a front blower. The second inlet is in receipt of airflow from a rear blower. A front foot outlet directs airflow towards the feet of occupants at a front of the vehicle. A rear foot outlet directs airflow from the rear blower towards a rear of the vehicle. A rear-to-front airflow control door is movable to direct airflow generated by the rear blower and heated by a heater core through the rear foot outlet, through the front foot outlet, or simultaneously through both the rear foot outlet and the front foot outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Reilly Mullett, Hiroshi Fukagawa, Hayato Asano
  • Patent number: 10703168
    Abstract: An occupant detection system includes a state detection unit that detects a state of an object, a detection position changing unit that changes a position of a detection region, the detection region being a region in which state is detected by the state detection unit, and a controller that controls an operation of the detection position changing unit. In this occupant detection system, a position of the detection region is set to a predetermined initial position during a period of time from when a start switch provided in the vehicle is turned off until when the start switch is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Oga, Eitaro Tanaka, Haruhiko Watanabe, Takuma Yamauchi, Takashi Sato, Hiroshi Takeda, Kazuya Taniguchi, Goro Ueda, Kazuaki Takemoto, Tatsumi Kumada
  • Patent number: 10668786
    Abstract: A system for controlling airflow of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The system includes a register including airflow directionals. A motor is connected to the register to move the directionals. A directionals selector is connected to the motor to control the motor. Actuation of the directionals selector by a user changes position of the directionals. A control module stores predetermined positions of the directionals, and controls the motor to move the directionals to the predetermined positions in response to receipt of a user command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventor: Javier Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 10661635
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning unit includes an air-conditioning case and an inside/outside air switching door that is configured to change a ratio of a flow rate of an inside air to a flow rate of an outside air in an air introduced into the air-conditioning case. The vehicle air-conditioning unit includes a cooler that is disposed in the air-conditioning case, and a blower that is located downstream of the cooler and sends the air to a vehicle compartment. The air-conditioning case includes a drain pipe located downstream of the cooler, the drain pipe having a tube shape through which a condensed water generated on the cooler is drained out of the air-conditioning case. The cooler is located on an extended line of a centerline of the drain pipe such that a suction air drawn through the drain pipe into the air-conditioning case flows along the cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenichiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 10641505
    Abstract: A thermal equilibrium for building and an energy-saving air-conditioning system using the same incorporates a first energy-recovery apparatus and a second energy-recovery apparatus. The first energy-recovery apparatus includes a first water storage tank, a foundation pile under and connected to a building architecture construction and a first heat-exchanging pipeline connected to the first water storage tank for performing heat exchange with the foundation pile so that the water in the first heat-exchanging pipeline is heated to a first temperature range. The second energy-recovery apparatus includes a second water storage tank, at least one home appliance that generates a first thermal energy during operation, and a second heat-exchanging pipeline connected to the second water storage tank for performing heat exchange with the at least one home appliance so that the water in the second heat-exchanging pipeline is heated to a second temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: RUENTEX ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Samuel Yin, Wu-Sung Chen
  • Patent number: 10639969
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle includes: an air-conditioning case having therein an air flow passage through which air toward the vehicle interior flows, and an outlet opening formed at an upper part of the air-conditioning case and through which the air toward the vehicle interior passes; a heat exchanger disposed on a lower side of the outlet opening inside the air-conditioning case to exchange heat between air toward the vehicle interior and a heat-exchange medium; and an ion generator that includes electrodes to generate ions. The ion generator is mounted on the air-conditioning case such that the electrodes are exposed in air flowing through the air flow passage. The air-conditioning case has a collision-side wall surface with which the airflow having passed through the heat exchanger collides to be directed upward, and a lateral-side wall surface connected to and laterally adjacent to the collision-side wall surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouji Matsunaga, Takuya Nagao, Eiichi Ogata
  • Patent number: 10603977
    Abstract: Air conditioning system for multi-zone air conditioning of a motor vehicle interior comprising a casing with a mixing chamber and several zone outlets outgoing from mixing chamber, in which an evaporator and at least one heat exchanger are disposed such that main air flow from evaporator through at least one heat exchanger into zone outlets is linear and at least two bypass channels, each comprising a louver, in order to circumvent at least one heat exchanger connect a region downstream of evaporator and a region downstream of at least one heat exchanger, wherein the first bypass channel, as a mixing bypass channel, opens out into mixing chamber and the second bypass channel, as a stratification bypass channel, opens out into a zone outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Hanon Systems
    Inventors: Gerald Richter, Torsten Klein, Thomas Ehlers
  • Patent number: 10532628
    Abstract: An HVAC module having a reconfigurable bi-level duct system is disclosed. The air duct includes an air duct inlet in fluid communication with the HVAC module, an interior wall dividing the air duct into first and second air passageways, a bypass port enabling fluid communication between the first air and second air passageways. A downstream control valve disposed adjacent the bypass port and is configured to selectively direct air flow from one of the first and second air passageways to the other of the first and second air passageways. An upstream flow control valve is disposed adjacent to the inlet of the air duct, wherein the upstream flow control valve is configured to selectively direct air flow from the hot and cold chambers of the HVAC module to the first and second air passageways of the air duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Mingyu Wang, Yanping Xia, Wen Liu, Prasad S. Kadle, Jeffrey C. Kinmartin
  • Patent number: 10479163
    Abstract: A method for controlling a thermal comfort control system for ride share vehicles includes providing a plurality of occupant seats in a vehicle cabin and controlling a cabin set temperature using a cabin comfort control system configured to adjust a plurality of HVAC functions. At least one thermal comfort parameter is adjusted at a number of the plurality of occupant seats using at least one seat comfort control system. Adjusting the at least one thermal comfort parameter causes the cabin control module to adjust the set temperature of the vehicle cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Mazzocco, Jeffrey M Pleune, Louis Savich
  • Patent number: 10457113
    Abstract: Safety systems and methods to prevent or mitigate thermal stress conditions in a vehicle. The systems include sensors to detect conditions in and around a vehicle, particularly the temperature inside the vehicle and the condition of occupants. System controllers receive the sensor information, determine the thermal stress status of occupants, and activate appropriate actuators configured to reduce thermal stress in the vehicle. The methods include providing the system, detecting a vehicle occupant surface temperature, using the detected temperature to determine a body core temperature, and activating an actuator if the occupant body core temperature is determined to be out of a preset range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Inventors: Gihan Jayasundera, Nayana Jayasundera
  • Patent number: 10434843
    Abstract: An air-conditioning unit for a vehicle includes an air-conditioning case; a cooler disposed in the air-conditioning case and adapted to cool air flowing through the air-conditioning case; and a blower disposed on an air-flow downstream side of the cooler and adapted to blow the air into a vehicle interior. The air-conditioning case includes a drain-hole formation portion that forms a drain hole to discharge condensed water generated in the cooler toward an outside of the air-conditioning case. The air-conditioning case is provided with a cooling structure that cools suction air drawn from the drain hole into the air-conditioning case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenichiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 10384514
    Abstract: A method for controlling an airflow in a passenger cabin of an autonomous vehicle includes providing an input indicative of an occupied passenger seat to a controller in operative communication with a power-actuated vehicle air register. On determination of the occupied passenger seat, the controller redirects an airflow from the air register towards the occupied passenger seat. The controller may display icons to allow a user to provide the input indicative of the occupied passenger seat. The controller may also display other icons to allow the user to control the power-actuated vehicle air register. At least one imager in communication with the controller and disposed adjacent to the power-actuated vehicle air register may be included to provide an image of a selected portion of a passenger's body to the controller whereby a movement of the passenger in the passenger cabin can be tracked. Systems for accomplishing the method are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Oswaldo Perez Barrera
  • Patent number: 10369862
    Abstract: An air conditioning device includes a casing that provides multiple air passages, a blower fan that suctions an air from the multiple air passages and blows out the air in the casing, a suction side partitioning member that is disposed on a suction side of the blower fan in the casing and separates air flows from the multiple air passages from each other, and a blowing side partitioning member that is disposed on a blowing side of the blower fan in the casing and separates the air flows from the multiple air passages from each other. The suction side partitioning member and the blowing side partitioning member are disposed so that a relative position of the blowing side partitioning member to the suction side partitioning member is deviated in a rotation direction of the blower fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Yamaoka, Shinya Kato, Yasuhiro Sekito, Kenichiro Maeda, Syunsuke Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 10359303
    Abstract: A system includes a vehicle, a housing supported by the vehicle, and a fan supported by the housing. The housing includes an intake port and a plurality of exhaust ports spaced from each other. The housing defines a furcated flow path from the intake port to the exhaust ports. Sensors are disposed adjacent the exhaust ports, respectively. Each sensor is disposed along the furcated flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Venkatesh Krishnan, Segundo Baldovino, Mario D. Iaquinta
  • Patent number: 10328768
    Abstract: A temperature door for an air handling system of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system for a vehicle includes a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface spaced apart from the first sealing surface. A third surface extends between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface. A plurality of cells is formed on the third surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Jayanthi R. Iyer, Jim Nolta, Eric K. Haupt
  • Patent number: 10322620
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning system is configured to cool a passenger compartment having a first zone and a second zone. An air handler has a recirculation door movable from a first position in which only fresh air from outside the vehicle enters the air handler and a second position in which only recirculation air from the first zone enters the air handler. A controller is connected to the first sensor, the recirculation door and a control panel. The controller is configured such that in response to the control panel being set to: provide cooling only to the second zone; the recirculation door being set to provide fresh air; and a first sensor's conditions being meet, the controller changes the setting of the recirculation door from fresh air to recirculated air to the air handler over-riding a manual setting of the position of the recirculation door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Takafumi Uehara, Xavier Ramiro
  • Patent number: 10286748
    Abstract: A method controls the discharge of temperature-conditioned air from a plurality of zone outlets of an automotive HVAC system via an open architecture multi-zone HVAC unit having a single blower fan, an evaporator downstream of the blower and a heater downstream of the evaporator, wherein each zone in the module includes a temperature mix door for proportioning hot and cold air, which is controlled by a separate Discharge Temperature Maintenance control (DTM control), and an output valve for controlling a zonal output flow rate. The output valve of each zone outlet is placed in an output valve position associated with a target resistance; and the single blower fan is operated at a minimum voltage required for generating a total requested blower output flowrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Yanping Xia, Mingyu Wang, Wen Liu, Prasad S. Kadle, Jeffrey C. Kinmartin
  • Patent number: 10266036
    Abstract: A method for operating a device for the thermal conditioning of a motor vehicle interior, including: a refrigerant circuit including a compressor and a heat exchanger able to form an evaporator, the heat exchanger being able to exchange heat with a flow of air intended to be conditioned, a bypass means able to divert from the heat exchanger at least part of said air flow and which can be controlled in terms of position between the closed position in which no flow is diverted from the heat exchanger and a multitude of open positions in which part of the flow is diverted from the heat exchanger according to the position of opening, a mixing zone for mixing the flow that has passed through the evaporator and the flow of air diverted by the bypass means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
    Inventors: Bastien Jovet, Fabrice Ailloud, Frédéric Ladrech, Philippe Pierres
  • Patent number: 10173498
    Abstract: A first sensor measures temperature at a first evaporator that cools a first zone. A second sensor measures temperature at a second evaporator that cools a second zone. A controller operates a compressor in a normal cooling mode or a single zone cooling mode. In the normal cooling mode, both the first zone and the second zone are cooled with the compressor operated by the controller in response to temperature measurements from one or both of the first sensor and the second sensor. In the single zone cooling mode, only the second zone is cooled with the compressor controlled by the controller in response to temperature measurements from the second sensor and the controller determining that the first evaporator has a low probability of accumulating frozen moisture on surfaces thereof, and in response to determining a high probability of accumulating frozen moisture on surfaces thereof the compressor is not operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Takafumi Uehara, Yoshitomo Fukutomi
  • Patent number: 10144265
    Abstract: An air conditioning unit for a vehicle has a casing, a heating heat exchanger, a first partition plate, a first opening, a second partition plate, a second opening, and a switching door. The casing has a face opening and a foot opening. The heating heat exchanger is arranged in the casing. The first partition plate partitions a downstream side of the heating heat exchanger in an airflow direction into a first passage and a second passage located below the first passage. The first opening is formed on a downstream side of the first partition plate in an airflow direction and communicates between the first passage and the second passage. The second partition plate is arranged on the downstream side of the heating heat exchanger and is formed with a third passage between the first partition plate and the second partition plate in the first passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori Kuwayama, Shinichirou Hirai, Yasuhiro Sekito
  • Patent number: 10131435
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a controlled temperature in a control volume. Such systems include a main chamber (defining the control volume), a mixing chamber and a gasflow source. The mixing chamber is in selective fluid communication with the main chamber, and has at least one mixing chamber inlet, and a ram air inlet for allowing ram airflow at a first temperature to be channeled into the mixing chamber. The gasflow source provides a source gasflow at a greater, second temperature to the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber provides the mixing chamber outflow at a third temperature by selectively allowing the ram airflow and the source gasflow in the mixing chamber to mix therein, or, by selectively allowing the ram airflow in the mixing chamber to flow to the main chamber (in absence of source gasflow). A controller is operative to provide a desired level for the third temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: ISRAEL AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventors: Alexander Barladian, Arie Smolansky
  • Patent number: 10040333
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle may include a cooling duct provided with a cooling duct inlet at a first end of the cooling duct, and a cooling duct indoor outlet and a cooling duct outdoor outlet at a second end cooling duct, and including an evaporation core disposed in the cooling duct, a heating duct provided with a heating duct inlet at a first end of the heating duct, and a heating duct indoor outlet and a heating duct outdoor outlet at a second end of the heating duct, and including a condenser disposed in the heating duct, and an overlapping duct provided by overlapping the cooling duct with the heating duct, the evaporation core and the condenser being disposed respectively at an upstream and a downstream of an air flow, and the evaporation core and the condenser may be connected with each other on one refrigerant passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Gee Young Shin, June Kyu Park, Keon Soo Jin, Dong Ho Kwon, Dae Ig Jung, Kwang Woon Cho
  • Patent number: 10032453
    Abstract: A system, for implementation at a vehicle of transportation, having multiple arrangements of occupant-zone-specific acoustic equipment in the vehicle. Each arrangement is positioned at a respective occupant-specific acoustic zone of the vehicle. Each arrangement is configured to communicate with a hardware-based processing unit that, when executing code of a hardware-based storage device in operation of the system, interacts, via the arrangement, primarily only with a vehicle occupant occupying a corresponding occupant-specific acoustic zone. In some implementations, along with or instead of the acoustic equipment, the system includes multiple arrangements of occupant-zone-specific acoustic equipment in the vehicle. In various embodiments, based on identification of occupants at respective vehicle zones in operation of the vehicle, operations are performed, such as provision of media, vehicle-occupant conversation, and customized HVAC delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Eli Tzirkel-Hancock, Ilan Malka
  • Patent number: 10017029
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for motor vehicles includes an air conditioner case, a blower installed in the air conditioner case and configured to draw an air and blow the air into a vehicle room, and a control unit configured to limit an upper limit value of a temperature of the air blown toward the blower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Jae Hwan Jung, Tae Yun Kong, In Hyeok Kim, Tae Wan Kim, Jeong Hun Seo