Vehicle Contained Common Power And Heat Supply Patents (Class 165/43)
  • Patent number: 8272432
    Abstract: A system and method for providing cool air to a passenger compartment of a hybrid vehicle in an engine off mode is disclosed. This may include operating a HVAC system to provide cold refrigerant flowing through an evaporator while an engine is operating, and forcing air through the evaporator to cool the air. A first portion of the cooled air from the evaporator is directed through a heater core and a second portion around the heater core, and an electric water pump is activated to pump coolant from a thermal storage tank, through the heater core and back to the thermal storage tank to cool the coolant. When the engine operation is ceased, the air flow is directed through the heater core, and the coolant is pumped from the thermal storage tank, through the heater core and back to the thermal storage tank to cool the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gregory A. Major, Mark D. Nemesh
  • Patent number: 8274379
    Abstract: A remote climate control system is for an electric vehicle without a combustion engine and having a rechargeable electrical power source and an electrical AC unit selectively powered thereby, a sensor associated with the rechargeable electrical power source, and a data communications bus extending throughout the hybrid vehicle. At least one of the electrical AC unit and the sensor is coupled to the data communications bus. The remote climate control system includes a remote transmitter and a receiver to be positioned at the hybrid vehicle for receiving signals from said remote transmitter. A vehicle remote climate controller cooperates with said receiver and to be coupled to the data communications bus extending within the hybrid vehicle for communication thereover to selectively operate the electrical AC unit responsive to the sensor and said remote transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Flick
  • Publication number: 20120174602
    Abstract: A system for overall control of heat for a passenger compartment and for electrical units in a motor vehicle that is completely or partially propelled by an electric engine powered by a battery, including a heat-control fluid circuit coupled to a heating device and/or to a cooling device enabling the fluid to store calories or frigories when the system is plugged into an electrical network outside of the vehicle. The fluid circuit is capable of releasing calories and/or frigories to the air of the passenger compartment, in an alternating manner, either through a heat exchanger between the circuit and the air of the passenger compartment, or using a climate circuit forming a heat pump and/or an air-conditioning system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: RENAULT S.A.S.
    Inventors: Gerard Olivier, Jean-Philippe Claeys, Robert Yu
  • Publication number: 20120138261
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell vehicle, particularly a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a moisture remover that removes moisture from an air conditioner evaporator. The fuel cell vehicle includes: a fuel cell stack as a power supplier; an electric heater operated by power from the fuel cell stack; a blower fan for providing air to the electric heater; an air channel configured to supply the air passing through the electric heater to an air conditioner evaporator; and a controller for controlling the operations of the electric heater and the blower fan, whereby moisture is removed from the air conditioner evaporator by supplying air heated by the electric heater to the air conditioner evaporator. The fuel cell vehicle effectively removes moisture from an air conditioner evaporator, solves the problem of a bad smell in the related art, and further removes the oxygen and the stack voltage which remain in the cathode, such that it is possible to avoid cathode oxygen depletion of the related art.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeong Kyu Park, Hyun Jun Kim, Jong Hun Park, Chang Hwan Ye
  • Patent number: 8113268
    Abstract: An air conditioning system of the present invention for an automotive vehicle includes a housing having at least two sections connected by two side by side air passage. A blower device of the air conditioning system discharges air into the housing. An evaporator is disposed in one of the sections for taking heat from the air discharged from the blower device to produce cool air. A heater is disposed in the other section positioned downstream of the evaporator for adding heat to the cool air to produce warm air. First and second sliding valve plates mechanically communicating with a driving mechanism of the present invention are supported by the housing for selectively closing the two side by side air passages thereby regulating air flow of cool and warm air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark W. Stevenson
  • Patent number: 8109108
    Abstract: A ventilation flow path through which air present in an internal space at an instrument panel is drawn and discharged to the outside of the cabin as a blower fan operates is formed in a ventilation mode without forming an air-conditioning flow path for blowing inside air or outside air into the cabin and the air-conditioning flow path is formed without forming the ventilation flow path in a mode other than the ventilation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Nagayama, Hajime Kato, Teruaki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8091623
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air mixer vent (5), designed in particular for a motor vehicle air conditioning system (1). Said vent comprises an air deflector element (15), which is located on the air mixer vent (5) and protrudes from a surface of said vent (5), the latter (5) being configured as a partially cylindrical vent or having a curved cross-section in relation to the pivoting axis (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Roland Hackl, Thorsten Möllert, Thomas Zeller
  • Patent number: 8091622
    Abstract: The present relates to a system for cooling a vehicle engine compartment having a blowing device provided on a dash panel of a vehicle and configured to be able to send external air to the engine compartment and a cabin of the vehicle; a control unit to control the blowing device such that the external air may flow into the engine compartment through the blowing device if the temperature of the engine compartment is higher than or equal to a limit temperature above which components in the engine compartment can be heat damaged; a door consisting of an engine compartment door rotatably installed between the opening and the cabin air supplier and a cabin door rotatably installed on the same line as the engine compartment door; and an actuator for opening and/or closing the engine compartment door and the cabin door, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Byung Jin Ahn
  • Patent number: 8074709
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a center mounting type air conditioner for a vehicle, which can reduce size and noise of a blower, and enhance installation efficiency and reduce an installation space of the air conditioner installed in the vehicle. At least one bypass passageway is formed in a dead space located between the scroll case and the air conditioning case, whereby some of air sucked from the intake duct is bypassed and sucked toward the second wheel of the dual blower wheel, to which the motor is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corporation
    Inventors: Minwoo Park, Jongsuk Yun, Hahkkyu Kim, Sungje Lee, Seongseok Han
  • Patent number: 8061626
    Abstract: A remote climate control system is for an electric vehicle without a combustion engine and having a rechargeable electrical power source and an electrical Ventilation blower selectively powered thereby, a sensor associated with the rechargeable electrical power source, and a data communications bus extending throughout the hybrid vehicle. At least one of the electrical Ventilation blower and the sensor is coupled to the data communications bus. The remote climate control system includes a remote transmitter and a receiver to be positioned at the hybrid vehicle for receiving signals from said remote transmitter. A vehicle remote climate controller cooperates with said receiver and to be coupled to the data communications bus extending within the hybrid vehicle for communication thereover to selectively operate the electrical Ventilation blower responsive to the sensor and said remote transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Flick
  • Patent number: 8056617
    Abstract: An HVAC system for work vehicle having an operator compartment for an operator is disclosed. The HVAC system includes a pressurizer blower and an air-conditioning system coupled to an electronic circuit. The electronic circuit is configured to reduce the output of the pressurizer blower when the operator selects a high output from the air-conditioning system. The HVAC system is also configured to provide defog operation in both a manual mode and an automatic mode of operation. The HVAC system is configured to reset the defog operation when the vehicle ignition is turned off or turned back on. The HVAC system is also configured not to reset the defog operation when the operator switches rapidly between the automatic mode and the manual mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Mark D. Klassen, Leonid Chernyavsky, Alan G. Leupold, Paul E. Wibbels, Michael C. Bunnell, M. Javaid Arshad
  • Patent number: 8051904
    Abstract: The vehicular temperature control device includes an external housing, a pair of internal compartments and a mechanism in each compartment that allows the device to either cool off or warm up an interior area within a vehicle. One of the internal compartments includes a belt, a rotating fan attached to the belt, and a volume of water for evaporative cooling. This chamber will help cool down surrounding air. The other internal compartment also includes a belt and a rotating fan attached to the belt and, furthermore, a heating coil. This second compartment is designed to assist an individual in heating up the surrounding air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Inventor: Michael Whiting
  • Publication number: 20110265506
    Abstract: An energy efficient and highly versatile electrically-powered air conditioning and heating system for mobile vehicles. Multiple variable-speed compressors operate in series and parallel modes giving an exceptionally wide range of operating capacity making the system suitable for combined on-highway and no-idle use in trucks. In series mode, the single-stage compressors function like a two-stage compressors for increased energy efficiency. A unique power control and storage system has multi-voltage input and output capability without the use of DC-DC or DC-AC converters. A battery management system is incorporated which is compatible with all advanced battery technologies and offers cell-level charge and discharge control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventor: Gerald Allen Alston
  • Patent number: 8047274
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle includes a main heater for heating air in a vehicle compartment using coolant of an engine of the vehicle as a heat source, and an auxiliary heater for heating air in the vehicle compartment using a heat source other than exhaust heat of the engine. In the air conditioner, a requirement signal for requiring startup of the engine is output when a temperature of the coolant of the engine is determined to be lower than a threshold, and the threshold is adjusted based on an operating state of the auxiliary heater such that as an amount of heat generated by the auxiliary heater increases, the threshold decreases. Accordingly, as the heating capacity of the auxiliary heater is increased, the startup of the engine becomes more difficult.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuyo Oomura
  • Publication number: 20110192565
    Abstract: The present application describes an arrangement and a method for utilizing the heat of waste air for heating the bilge area of aircraft, wherein the bilge area is connected to a heat transfer unit via a first air supply pipe, through which a bilge air flow drawn in from the bilge area flows into the heat transfer unit, wherein the heat transfer unit comprises a second air supply pipe, through which a waste air heat flow to be cooled that is created at another location in the aircraft flows into the heat transfer unit in order to heat the drawn-in bilge air flow, wherein the heat transfer unit comprises a first air discharge pipe, through which the cooled waste air heat flow is discharged, and a second air discharge pipe with a bilge inlet section, and wherein at least a portion of the heated bilge flow is returned to the bilge area via the air discharge pipe and the bilge inlet section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Inventors: Michael MARKWART, Thomas SCHERER, Oliver SCHAUMANN
  • Patent number: 7983044
    Abstract: An inverter apparatus includes a liquid path in which cooling water flows, and in which the cooling water performs cooling at a cooling part located directly underneath the power circuit part of the inverter apparatus. The liquid path includes a first partial structure part formed between a feed pipe and the cooling part, and having a liquid path cross-sectional profile that is gradually reduced in the short-side direction of the cooling part and that is gradually enlarged in the long-side direction thereof; and a second partial structure part formed between the cooling part and a drain pipe, and having a liquid path cross-sectional profile that is gradually enlarged from the short-side of the cooling part and that is gradually reduced from the long-side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayoshi Nakamura, Akihiro Tamba, Ryuichi Saito, Atsuo Nishihara
  • Patent number: 7975757
    Abstract: A HVAC and RESS thermal management system and a method of operation for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, a power plant and a battery pack is disclosed. The system comprises a RESS coolant circuit and a power plant coolant circuit. The RESS coolant circuit directs a coolant through the battery pack and includes a pump, a coolant heating branch has a coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger, and a coolant routing valve that will selectively direct the coolant through the coolant heating branch. The power plant coolant circuit includes a heater core branch having a HVAC pump, a coolant heater, a heater core located in a HVAC module to provide heat to the passenger compartment, and the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger, with the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger providing heat transfer between the coolant in the coolant heating branch and the coolant in the heater core branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Mark D. Nemesh, Matthew J. Martinchick, Kulwinder Singh, Wissam Ibri
  • Patent number: 7975501
    Abstract: An auxiliary air conditioning system (7) for a motor vehicle (1), comprising a first heat exchanger (17) adapted to be installed inside a passenger compartment (4) of the motor vehicle and an external unit (43) comprising an auxiliary engine (8), an auxiliary compressor (12) driven by the auxiliary engine (8) and a second exchanger (17). The system comprises a switching valve (20) for selectively setting a first refrigerating cycle operating mode in which the first heat exchanger (17) serves as an evaporator and the second heat exchanger (14) serves as a condenser, and a second heat pump operating mode, in which the first heat exchanger (17) serves as a condenser and the fluid of the second heat exchanger (14) is cut off and the operative fluid is allowed to flow through a heating device (30) to receive thermal power independently from the outside environment temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Lombardini S.R.L. a Socio Unico
    Inventor: Gianni Borghi
  • Patent number: 7967063
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus has a cool-side door device and a heating-side door device between an evaporator and a heater core. The cool-side door device is configured to open and close a cool air passage through which a cool air generated by the evaporator flows. The heating-side door device is configured to open and close a heating air passage through which the cool air flows to be heated by the heater core. At least one of the cool-side door device and the heating-side door device is constructed of a plurality of doors. The plurality of doors is configured to begin to open successively when being opened from a fully closed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sato, Toshihiko Muraki
  • Patent number: 7963315
    Abstract: A vehicle with an air conditioner comprises an instrument panel center member disposed vertically behind an evaporator and fixed to a vehicle structure. The evaporator is disposed obliquely in such a manner that its maximum-area face has a crossing angle relative to a horizontal face and a distance between its front and rear ends is a specified length or greater. The evaporator is configured so as to be rotated between a vehicle dash panel being moved rearward and the instrument panel center member at a frontal crash of a vehicle in such a manner that the distance between its front end and rear end becomes shorter. Accordingly, the evaporator can be prevented from being pushed into a vehicle cabin at the vehicle frontal crash, thereby ensuring the safety of the passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Masanori Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20110139397
    Abstract: A method for controlling the passenger compartment temperature of an electrically operated vehicle which has a battery (26), comprises the following steps: providing an air-conditioning system (10) with a coolant circuit (14), thermal coupling the coolant circuit (14) to the battery (26) in such a way that the battery (26) forms a heat accumulator of the coolant circuit (14), and optional cooling or heating of the battery (26) while the battery (26) is coupled to an electric charging station for charging the battery (26). The corresponding operating air-conditioning system (10) provides for the vehicle battery (26) to be thermally coupled directly or indirectly to the coolant circuit (14) in such a way that the coolant circuit (14) optionally cools or heats the battery (26), and heat from the battery (26) can optionally be fed into the coolant circuit (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventor: Roland Haussmann
  • Patent number: 7954540
    Abstract: A HVAC assembly includes a temperature mixing valve that comprises a shaft, an upper paddle, a lower paddle, and a yielding means. The upper paddle and the lower paddle attach to the shaft. The yielding means applies a force to keep the upper paddle sealed to prevent cold air in a cold air inlet from entering a mixing zone and the lower paddle moves away from a shared sealing boundary over a predetermined angle of rotation before the upper paddle initially moves to allow cold air to enter the mixing zone. Movement of the lower paddle away from the shared sealing boundary allows cold air to enter a hot air inlet and admix with hot air to mix in the mixing zone to produce non-stratified air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Garrett Wade Hoehn
  • Patent number: 7950444
    Abstract: An automotive air conditioning system is disclosed. At the foot mode position of a rotary door 25, a gap T is formed along the door diameter between a circumferential end of a door surface 25c of the rotary door 25 and a seal rib 28 of a case 11. The flow path of a foot opening 22 communicates with a defroster opening 20 through the gap T. At the defroster mode position of the rotary door 25, on the other hand, the other circumferential end of the door surface 25c comes into contact with the seal rib 28 and closes the gap T, and the door surface 25c closes up the foot opening 22. Even upon slight rotation of the foot rotary door under the air pressure of the foot mode, therefore, the defroster blowout air amount and the foot blowout air amount are kept in a predetermined proportion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Masatsugu
  • Publication number: 20110121599
    Abstract: An HVAC system includes a housing defining an auxiliary aperture, an occupant aperture, a circulation aperture, an inlet opening, a drip aperture, having at least one treatment device disposed therein, and defines a pre-treatment space between the inlet opening and the treatment device. An instrument panel has a façade and a backside opposite the façade and defines a passage extending from the façade to the backside and terminates at the housing. An auxiliary article module is disposed in the passage, abuts the housing and has walls defining an auxiliary article compartment, an auxiliary hole, an outer circulation hole, and a drip hole. The holes and their corresponding apertures are aligned and abutting for receiving air and liquid between the housing and the auxiliary article compartment. A circulation duct extends between the circulation aperture and the pre-treatment space for carrying air therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald M. Goupil, JR., Mark W. Stevenson, John L. Pawlak, III
  • Patent number: 7934664
    Abstract: A compact hydronic space and water heating apparatus and system is disclosed for use in a recreational vehicle. A liquid heating medium, stored within a low pressure tank, is recirculated through a gas fired heater thereby maintaining a desired set point temperature. The liquid heating medium is further circulated through the vehicles hydronic space heaters to heat the interior of the vehicle. Further fresh domestic water is passed through a heat transfer coil within the tank whereby hot domestic water may be provided. An auxiliary heating device is attached to the tank whereby hot combustion engine coolant may assist in maintaining the temperature of the liquid heating medium within the tank and/or reversed to pre heat the combustion engine if and when needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Inventor: Gerry Wolter
  • Patent number: 7931075
    Abstract: In an air conditioner for a vehicle, a blower of a blower unit includes a double-axial motor having a rotation axis positioned approximately in a vehicle top-bottom direction, a pair of centrifugal fans located at two sides of the double-axial motor in an axial direction, and a pair of scroll casings in which the centrifugal fans are accommodated, respectively. The two air outlet portions are arranged in the vehicle top-bottom direction, and are adjacent to be joined to an air inlet portion of the air conditioning unit, substantially as a single air outlet. Furthermore, the two air outlet portions are located approximately at the same height position as that of the air passing portion of the cooling heat exchanger, and have a height dimension (H2) at its downstream end side that is approximately equal to a height dimension (H1) of the air passing portion of the cooling heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Ito, Yoshihiro Goto, Yoshihiko Okumura
  • Patent number: 7913746
    Abstract: An air conditioning arrangement for a work vehicle having a cabin includes: a hood disposed forwardly of the cabin; an air conditioning unit housed in the hood forwardly of the cabin; and a dashboard provided in a front portion in the cabin. The air conditioning unit includes a rear duct for delivering conditioned air rearward and a front duct having a portion for delivering conditioned air frontward. The front duct further has a portion extending rearward under the air conditioning unit. The dashboard includes an upper outlet, a defrost outlet and a lower outlet. Each of the upper outlet, the defrost outlet and the lower outlet is communicated with either one of the front duct and the rear duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshimi Hirooka, Shoichiro Kawamura, Masaki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7903414
    Abstract: An air volume control module for use with a vehicular air conditioning apparatus includes a circuit board including a control circuit for controlling the rotational speed of the blower of the vehicular air conditioning apparatus, a heat sink connected to the circuit board and including a fin for radiating heat generated by the circuit board, and a base housing surrounding the circuit board, the heat sink being inserted in the base housing with the fin projecting from the base housing. The base housing is mounted on the heat sink only by a locking finger. Either one of the base housing and the fin of the heat sink has a protective projection having a heightwise dimension greater than that of the locking finger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignees: Keihin Corporation, Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Nishiyashiki, Michinori Hatada
  • Patent number: 7891409
    Abstract: Noise occurring in an upright air-conditioning unit is greatly reduced. An upright air-conditioning unit 1 is disposed under a steering member support part 23, a vent opening 15 and a vent outlet port 20 are made to communicate with each other via a vent duct 25, a defrost opening 16 and a defrost outlet port 21 are made to communicate with each other via a defrost duct 26. The vent opening 15 assumes a position further frontward than the steering member support part 23 along the frontward/rearward direction relative to the vehicle body whereas the defrost opening 16 assumes a position further rearward than the steering member support part 23 along the frontward/rearward direction relative to the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Valeo Thermal Systems Japan Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Araki, Hiroshi Tsuzuki, Yoshihiro Sekiya, Keisuke Hara
  • Patent number: 7891575
    Abstract: A thermal storage and transfer system includes a cooling system and method using ice or other frozen material with heat pipes to produce a cool airstream. Preferably, the ice is disposed in a container with the condensers and evaporators of the heat pipes respectively inside and outside the container. A fan blows air across the evaporator sections through a duct to circulate within an enclosed airspace to be cooled. A separate refrigeration system which may be used to independently cool the airspace also freezes water or another liquid to produce the ice or other frozen material in the container. The cooling system is broadly applicable, including use on motor vehicles to provide cooling for several hours when the vehicle engine is off. A heating system includes an adsorbent heat exchanger for extracting heat from exhaust gases of an engine and heating an enclosed airspace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Inventor: Samuel M. Sami
  • Patent number: 7886815
    Abstract: A vehicle heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system includes front and rear HVAC systems. A controller receives data from front and rear control panels and controls the front and rear HVAC systems. Actuating a rear manual button on the front control panel allows control of the rear HVAC system via the rear control. Engine coolant temperature is used to judge if the vehicle has been inoperative for a long time. If the vehicle has not been inoperative for long, and the rear manual button was actuated prior to the vehicle shut down, rear manual control over the rear HVAC system is enabled. If the vehicle has been inoperative for a long time, or if the rear manual button was not actuated immediately prior to vehicle shut down, rear manual control is not enabled, thereby preventing operation of the rear HVAC system by the rear control panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bradley C. Errington, Junichi Kanemaru, Trevor Burns
  • Patent number: 7886814
    Abstract: In an air conditioner constructed to pass an air introduced into an air conditioning unit through an evaporator and a heater core both arranged in the unit, cooler pipes for the evaporator and heater pipes for the heater core are arranged to extend from the same side wall of the air conditioning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Japan Climate Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Yamamoto, Tadashi Okamoto, Hideaki Yasuda, Hiroshi Mayumi, Morihito Tsukuda, Kenichiro Higashi, Keiji Koga, Yoshinori Aono
  • Patent number: 7870892
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system for controlling the climate of a hybrid vehicle. The system includes a thermoelectric module, a heat exchanger, a pump, and a valve. The thermoelectric module includes thermoelectric elements powered by electric energy. The thermoelectric elements emit or absorb heat energy based on the polarity of the electrical energy provided. A tube containing coolant runs proximate the thermoelectric elements. To aid in the transfer of heat energy, a blower is provided to generate an air flow across the thermoelectric elements and the tube. The coolant is provided from the thermoelectric module to a heat exchanger that heats or cools the air flow provided to the cabin of the vehicle. The pump and valve are in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and thermoelectric module. The pump pressurizes the coolant flow through the tube and coolant lines. In a cooling mode, the valve is configured to selectively bypass the engine coolant system of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: BSST LLC
    Inventor: Peter R. Gawthrop
  • Patent number: 7857041
    Abstract: A rotary door for a vehicle air conditioner includes a rotation shaft, a door surface that is spaced from an axial line of the rotation shaft radially outside and is rotated integrally with the rotation shaft, and a seal portion provided at a peripheral end portion of the door surface. The door surface has a first door face at a center portion, and a second door face positioned at left and right sides of the first door face. The second door face has a radial dimension from the axial line, that is smaller than that of the first door face so as to form a door outer peripheral space between the seal portion of the second door face and a seal rib of an air conditioning case. Furthermore, the second door face is provided with an air guide plate extending radial outside for guiding air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fukagawa, Kazuya Niimi
  • Patent number: 7845392
    Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly has a first heat exchanger with a first heat radiating area receiving a first cooling fluid, a second heat exchanger with a second heat radiating area receiving a second cooling fluid and a third heat radiating area receiving a third cooling fluid. In use, the difference in temperature between the first cooling fluid entering and exiting the first heat radiating area is greater than the difference in temperature between the second cooling fluid entering and exiting the second heat radiating area and greater than the difference in temperature between the third cooling fluid entering and exiting the third heat radiating area. The temperature of the second cooling fluid flowing through the second heat radiating area is higher than the temperature of the third cooling fluid flowing through the third heat radiating area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michiko Morita
  • Patent number: 7845391
    Abstract: Sharp bends in a defrost duct extending from a defrost outlet to a windshield, and in a face duct extending from a face outlet to both sides of a front passenger seat, are eliminated and the duct resistance of these ducts is reduced. Moreover collision safety of passengers is improved, and an interior space of a vehicle is expanded forward. In an air-conditioning unit to be positioned to the front of a front seat of a vehicle, an evaporator is positioned below and behind a blower, and a heater core is positioned below and in front of the blower. Preferably the air-conditioning unit is of a crushable structure wherein, in the event of a vehicle collision, a wall of the main cover behind the evaporator is broken, or component parts housed within the main cover are moved, to thereby absorb the impact energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuhide Kawahara, Soichiro Fujita
  • Publication number: 20100293966
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner includes a first heat exchanger, wherein air around the first heat exchanger is supplied into a vehicle compartment, a heat storage unit, an in-vehicle circuit that connects between the first heat exchanger and the heat storage unit, a second heat exchanger, wherein air around the second heat exchanger is sent outside a vehicle, a vehicle system, wherein the vehicle system generates exhaust heat, an out-vehicle circuit, a connection circuit that connects between the in-vehicle and the out-vehicle circuits, a plurality of valves operating so that the in-vehicle circuit and the out-vehicle circuit are connected or disconnected from each other through the connection circuit and a control device for controlling states of the valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Naoya YOKOMACHI, Masahiro Kawaguchi, Hidehito Kubo, Hirohisa Kato, Hirokuni Akiyama, Naoto Morisaku, Junya Suzuki, Noritaka Nishimori
  • Patent number: 7823631
    Abstract: A constructional unit for a heat exchanging device that includes at least one housing in which a gaseous medium is at least partially guided on a predetermined path, an inlet device for the gaseous medium, at least one first heat exchanging device, at least one second heat exchanging device, at least one controller that influences the direction of flow of the gaseous medium in at least some sections and that can be adjusted to at least two different positions, and an outlet device for the gaseous medium. In at least one first position of the first controller, substantially no portions of the gaseous medium are guided through the first heat exchanging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Behr France Rouffach SAS
    Inventor: Pierre Tonnelier
  • Patent number: 7819178
    Abstract: A vehicular air conditioner includes a housing having a rear seat discharge passage for supplying mixed air to rear seats in a vehicle and a plurality of dividing ribs disposed in a face outlet which is open upwardly in the housing. Each of the dividing ribs has a communication path defined therein in the longitudinal direction thereof, the communication path being concave in confronting relation to the interior of the housing. Mixed air produced in a mixing portion in the housing is supplied from the face outlet to front seats in the vehicle. Part of the mixed air is supplied through the communication paths to the rear seat discharge passage, from which the mixed air is supplied to the rear seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoaki Sawamukai, Shintaro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 7814964
    Abstract: A rotatable electrically actuated valve having a spindle with axially spaced grooves and lands constructed and arranged to selectively connect an auxiliary air conditioning system to a truck cab while isolating the truck air conditioning system, and for connecting the truck air conditioning system to the truck cab, while isolating the auxiliary air conditioning system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Inventor: J. Rex Greer
  • Patent number: 7806172
    Abstract: An air-outlet mode selecting device includes first and second rotary doors. Each of the first and second rotary doors has rotary shafts separated from each other in an axial direction of the rotary shafts, an outer peripheral door surface that is provided at a position separated radial outward from the center line of the rotary shafts and is turned with the rotary shafts, and left and right side plates for connecting both ends in the axial direction of the outer peripheral surface and the rotary shafts. One of the first and second rotary doors opens and closes a specified opening among three openings and other rotary door opens and closes the remaining two openings among the three openings. Accordingly, door operation force and air flow resistance can be effectively reduced, and the size of the air-outlet mode selecting device can be effectively reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Seki, Yoshiharu Okawa, Takayuki Shimauchi
  • Patent number: 7797958
    Abstract: An HVAC system for a vehicle. The HVAC system includes a battery management controller, which can be used to run the components of the HVAC system when the engine of the vehicle is not running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Glacier Bay, Inc.
    Inventors: G. Kevin Alston, Machiko Taylor
  • Patent number: 7798207
    Abstract: Cooled air introduced from an evaporator through a first passage in a housing is divided into laminar flows by a guide structure disposed on an air mixing door. The direction of flow of the cooled air is changed upwardly by guide walls of the guide structure and is further changed upwardly by first walls of the guide structure, after which the cooled air is introduced into a mixer. Heated air introduced from a heater core through a third passage is mixed with the cooled air in the mixer. The mixed air is delivered from a face discharge outlet, a defroster discharge outlet, or a foot discharge outlet into a passenger compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Tarukawa
  • Patent number: 7793707
    Abstract: A fluid cooling device embodied as a modular unit includes a drive motor (10) driving a ventilation wheel (12) and a fluid pump (14) that supplies a first type of fluid into a fluid system, and leads to a heat exchanger (22) from which the fluid is redirected into the fluid system in a tempered manner. A second fluid pump (32) is used to extract a second type of fluid from the reservoir (30) and to supply the second type of fluid to a second fluid system, from which the second type of liquid is redirected towards the reservoir (30) in a guiding manner via the first heat exchanger (22) and the second heat exchanger (24). The second fluid pump enables different tempering operations to be carried out for separate fluid systems, using only one fluid cooling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Hydac System GmbH
    Inventors: Winfried Klein, Andreas Welsch
  • Patent number: 7793711
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner includes an air-conditioning ECU. The air-conditioning ECU performs a cooling mode operation in which air is cooled by an interior heat exchanger in a cooling refrigeration cycle. The air-conditioning ECU performs a heating mode operation, in which air is heated by the interior heat exchanger in a hot gas heater cycle. The air-conditioning ECU performs an air blowing operation in which air is blown toward an inner surface of a windshield of the vehicle without operating the compressor before performing a refrigerant collecting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Ichikawa, Kazuhiro Togaru, Yoshihisa Tsuchiya, Ryoji Ehara
  • Patent number: 7794314
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent vibration of a sliding door within a guide groove through a fundamental review of the structures adopted in sliding door devices in the related art having a sliding door made to move along a direction intersecting an air flow path to control the flow rate or direction of air within the air flow path. The present invention is characterized in that a tension-applying means is disposed at a sliding unit of a sliding door, which is inserted at a guide groove formed on the inside of an air-conditioner case to apply tension between the sliding unit and the guide groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Valeo Thermal Systems Japan Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Sekiya, Yutaka Teruya, Toshio Tsubakida, Daisuke Araki
  • Patent number: 7779639
    Abstract: A heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a hybrid vehicle is disclosed, the HVAC system including at least one thermoelectric device for providing supplemental heating and cooling for air supplied to a passenger compartment of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the HVAC system has at least a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit can be configured to remove heat from an electric side of a hybrid vehicle. The second circuit can be configured to remove heat from a fuel-fed side of a hybrid vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: BSST LLC
    Inventor: Lakhi Nandlal Goenka
  • Patent number: 7779900
    Abstract: Both an air mixing door (9) for the cold air for adjusting a passage area of the cold air passage (6); and an air mixing door (10) for the hot air for adjusting a passage area of the hot air passage (7) are composed of a sliding door for adjusting the passage area when the air mixing door (9) for the cold air and the air mixing door (10) for the hot air are slid in a direction perpendicular to the flow of air in both the passages (6, 7), and while one of the air mixing door (9) for the cold air and the air mixing door (10) for the hot air is maintaining one of the passages (6, 7) in a fully opened state, an operating position of the other door is adjusted so that a passage area of the other passage is adjusted and a temperature of the air blowing out into a vehicle compartment is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Ito, Takahiro Tokunaga, Yoshihiko Okumura
  • Publication number: 20100205990
    Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated unit packaged on a vehicle for providing electricity, air-conditioning and heating to a space remote from the vehicle. The unit includes an electric generator system, a ventilation system, a refrigeration cycle system, each of which is powered by the electric generator system, a heater that is also powered by the electric generator system and electrical outlets that are also powered by the electric generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Irvin L. French, Samuel D. Markel
  • Patent number: 7766078
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle air conditioning system has air introduced into an air conditioning case. The introduced air is always discharged to both sides of a passenger compartment regardless of the air conditioner mode while the air conditioning system maintains the amount of air discharged through defrost openings in a defrost mode. Air leakage between both sides of a mode door and the air conditioning case is effectively prevented by a cover carried by the mode door without additional sealing to improve air conditioning performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corp.
    Inventors: Jong-Su Kim, Dae-Woong Lee