Vehicle Contained Common Power And Heat Supply Patents (Class 165/43)
  • Patent number: 7311593
    Abstract: An air passage switching device includes a film member for opening and closing an opening portion of an air passage, and the film member has a first end portion fixed to a peripheral portion of the opening portion and a second end portion fixed to a winding shaft. The winding shaft is capable of moving in a first direction separated from the first end portion of the film member and in a second direction approaching the first end portion of the first member while rotating. In the air passage switching device, an actuator for operating the winding shaft is disposed in an interior of the winding shaft and is fixed by a fixing member, the winding shaft is disposed rotatably relative to the fixing member, and the fixing member is moved in the first direction or the second direction together with the winding shaft by a guide unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Tokunaga, Tokuhisa Takeuchi, Masahiro Ito, Koji Ito
  • Publication number: 20070293135
    Abstract: A passage opening and closing device has first and second doors for respectively opening and closing passages defined in a case. The first and second doors have first and second rotation shafts, respectively. Each of the first and second rotation shafts includes a projection on its first end and a cylindrical portion defining an engaging hole on its second end. When the first and second doors are assembled in a first assembled condition where the projections extend in opposite directions and the cylindrical portions are rotatably engaged with a second supporting portion of a shaft receiving portion, the first and second rotation shafts are independently rotatable. When the first and second doors are assembled in a second assembled condition where the projection of the second rotation shaft is engaged with the engaging hole of the first rotation shaft, relative rotation of the first and second rotation shafts is restricted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Applicant: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Ryouji Hori, Hiroyuki Satoh, Masakazu Chihiro
  • Publication number: 20070281599
    Abstract: An air passage switching device includes a case for defining an air passage, a butterfly door having a door body and a rotation shaft, a bearing part provided in the case for rotatably holding the rotation shaft, and a seal structure. The seal structure has a first seal part disposed at an outer peripheral portion of the rotation shaft to be integrally rotated with the rotation shaft, and a second seal part disposed in the case. The first seal part and the second seal part have scroll shapes centering on an axial center of the rotation shaft. The first seal part is in contact with the second seal part when the door body closes the air passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Mori
  • Publication number: 20070251685
    Abstract: A temperature-controlled vehicle includes a driving portion including an engine powering the vehicle for movement. The temperature-controlled vehicle further includes a cargo portion including a load space, a heat exchanger in communication with the load space, a cryogen refrigeration circuit in communication with the heat exchanger, a fossil fuel heater selectively providing heat to the load space, a control system interactively coupled with the cryogen refrigeration circuit and the fossil fuel heater to control the temperature within the load space, and an electrical power supply disposed on the cargo portion and coupled to the fossil fuel heater and the control system to selectively provide electrical power thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: THERMO KING CORPORATION
    Inventor: Herman H. Viegas
  • Patent number: 7284595
    Abstract: A heat source fluid inlet pipe of a heat exchanger main body 150 comprises a rotation side inlet pipe 27 and a fixed side inlet pipe 23 that are integrated with the heat exchanger main body 150. A heat source fluid outlet pipe comprises a rotation side outlet pipe 26 and a fixed side outlet pipe 22 that are integrated with the heat exchanger main body 150. These pipes 22, 23, 26 and 27 are constituted into a coaxial double-piping structure 16 and the heat exchanger main body 150 is allowed to rotate with a center axis A of this coaxial double-piping structure 16 as the center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichiro Maeda, Yukio Uemura, Kei Kajiya
  • Patent number: 7281574
    Abstract: A rear face inlet 25 and a foot inlet 28, and a rear face duct portion 26 and a foot duct portion 31 which are adapted to distribute air from the inlets, respectively, are disposed in alignment with each other in a transverse direction of a vehicle. As a result, a conventional overlapping portion where the rear face inlet and the foot inlet are made to overlap each other vertically somewhere along the length of each of the inlets in a transverse direction of the vehicle and a conventional overlapping portion where the rear face duct and the rear foot duct are disposed in such a manner as to overlap each other in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle somewhere along the length of a downwardly extending portion of each of the ducts can be eliminated, whereby the air conditioning unit can be constructed so as to be decreased in size vertically and longitudinally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuji Shibata, Yoshio Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7275586
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heating or air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, by which individual zones of the vehicle interior can be supplied with separately temperature-controlled air. An improved heating or air-conditioning system, which requires just a small amount of installation space, feeds differently temperature-controlled air to a plurality of air-conditioning zones. Despite the small amount of installation space, optimum mixing of cold air and warm air takes place in the heating or air-conditioning system, with the result that the air emerging from air-outlet openings in a respective air-conditioning zone have a constant temperature over the outlet cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Oliver Beck, Michael Förster, Christian Grömmer, Norbert Wöcht
  • Patent number: 7264046
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system embodiment for temperature control in a vehicle comprises heater cores, controllably connected to a coolant contour, outletting the conditioned air towards a person sitting in a chair, or into a food compartment. Some cores are mounted inside of chairs' backs situated in front of rear passengers, other cores are mounted in the chair back and inside the chair seat. A refrigerant-coolant heat exchanger provides heat exchange between a refrigerant contour and the coolant contour, cooling the coolant supplied to the cores. A refrigerant compressor is driven by a hydraulic motor, operated by pressurized oil delivered through a hydraulic contour from a first hydraulic pump driven by the vehicle's engine connected to the first pump through an electromagnetic clutch, or alternatively from a second hydraulic pump driven by a substitute engine, connected to the second pump through another electromagnetic clutch, both clutches are controlled by a thermostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Inventors: Vladlen Futernik, Boris Futernik
  • Patent number: 7246656
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner has an IR sensor that detects a temperature of air inside a vehicle compartment. The IR sensor is disposed on an instrument panel so that the sensor is disposed above switches and a face blowout port on the instrument panel. Accordingly, a detecting range of the IR sensor is prevented from interfering by hands of a driver or an occupant even when the switches are operated by the driver. Thus, the air conditioner is capable of stable air conditioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ichishi, Tatsuya Ito, Tatsumi Kumada
  • Patent number: 7240725
    Abstract: A device for climate control of a vehicle is provided which includes a coolant circuit in which coolant flows through a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator; a heat transfer medium circuit in which heat transfer medium flows through a heat source and a heat exchanger; and a heat/cold reservoir in which the evaporator and the heat exchanger are located. The device of the present invention provides an improved and comparatively economical approach to climate control in the area of a driver's bed in a motor vehicle interior by, at least in part, using a heating/cooling surface for a driver's bed and/or vehicle interior wall, which is integrated into the heat transfer medium circuit such that the heat transfer medium can flow selectively through the heating/cooling surface, or the heat transfer medium which is conveyed by the heat source can flow through the heating/cooling surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Webasto Thermosysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Horn, Noureddine Khelifa, Wolfgang Kraemer
  • Patent number: 7234516
    Abstract: When it is assumed that a vehicle is stopped or parked after its engine was stopped and a predetermined period of time has passed, a cold wind side air mixing door, hot wind side air mixing door, cold wind door and rear cold wind side air mixing door are totally closed and a blower is operated for a predetermined period of time. Accordingly, while a cooler is being dried, drying air containing much offensive smell components, which has passed through the cooler, is discharged outside the vehicle. Therefore, it is unnecessary to provide an exclusively used air passage and an opening and closing door for opening and closing the air passage used for composing an air blowing passage to dry the cooler. By utilizing the existing equipment, air used for drying, which has passed through the cooler, containing much offensive smell components can be discharged outside the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Umebayashi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Tomohiro Inada
  • Patent number: 7228885
    Abstract: A combined radiator and charge air cooler package includes a radiator having upper and lower portions for cooling engine coolant and a charge air cooler having upper and lower portions for cooling charge air. The upper charge air cooler portion is disposed in overlapping relationship and adjacent to the upper radiator portion, and the lower charge air cooler portion is disposed in overlapping relationship and adjacent to the lower radiator portion. The upper charge air cooler portion and the lower radiator portion are aligned in a first plane, and the lower charge air cooler portion and the upper radiator portion are aligned in a second plane, behind the first plane. Ambient cooling air may flow in series through the upper charge air cooler portion and the upper radiator portion, and also through the lower charge air cooler portion and the lower radiator portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Proliance International, Inc.
    Inventors: John A Kolb, John Morais
  • Patent number: 7222665
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning system uses a non-contact temperature sensor for feedback control of the temperature of the air blown out from a blowing opening. The degrees of opening of an air mix damper and a bypass open/close damper are controlled by actuators that respond in accordance with a temperature detected by the non-contact sensor so the blowing temperature will ultimately approach a target value. Air conditioning control is achieved as desired by this feedback control of the blowing temperature without providing wiring for a temperature sensor near the blowing opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ichishi, Tatsumi Kumada
  • Patent number: 7222667
    Abstract: A vehicular air-conditioning apparatus includes a hot-water heater and an electric heater provided downstream of the hot-water heater. The apparatus also includes a bypass passage for allowing air-conditioning air flowing past the hot-water heater to bypass the electric heater and a bypass door provided in the bypass passage for opening and closing the bypass passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Fujiki, Hitoshi Hakamada
  • Patent number: 7207379
    Abstract: An automotive air conditioning system comprising a main heating unit 4 for heating air passing through an air conditioning duct 2 with cooling water of an engine E and a refrigeration cycle device 20 having a first refrigerant circulating circuit 21 which is a cooler mode and a second refrigerant circulating circuit 22 which is a heater mode and whose operation is controlled by an ECU 10, wherein while the automotive air conditioning system is operated in a heater mode functioning as auxiliary heating, in the event that a heating load is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, a refrigerant compressor 7 is kept switched off until a predetermined time T1 has elapsed after the engine E has started. In addition, a heating device is provided on the refrigerant compressor or an accumulator so that the refrigerant compressor or the accumulator is heated by the heating devices while the automotive air conditioning system is operated in the heater mode functioning as auxiliary heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takano, Shun Kurata
  • Patent number: 7201220
    Abstract: An air conditioner for automotive vehicles is disclosed. The flow rates of air supplied to an evaporator (4) and a heater (5) are adjusted by rotationally displacing a scroll casing (2b) and thus changing an air flow from a blower (2) to a predetermined direction. The air-mix door can thus be eliminated to allow a smaller size of an air-conditioner casing (3) (air-conditioning unit (1)). Also, the ratio between cool air flow rate and hot air flow rate is adjusted by rotationally displacing the scroll casing (2b) with a spur gear (2c) and, therefore, the size and the production cost of the air conditioner can be reduced as compared with a conventional system in which an air-mix door is swung by a link mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Tokunaga, Koji Ito, Masakazu Nagaya
  • Patent number: 7201219
    Abstract: An air-conditioner is operated under one mode selected from among three modes, i.e., a cooling mode, a heating mode and an air-mixing mode. Conditioned air temperature is controlled by changing a cooling ability in the cooling mode, a heating ability in the heating mode, and a position of an air-mixing door in the air-mixing mode. When the operating mode is switched to the cooling mode or to the heating mode from another mode, the position of the air-mixing door is gradually changed to prevent an abrupt temperature drop or rise until a difference between a target temperature and an actual temperature becomes smaller than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Ieda, Mitsuyo Oomura
  • Patent number: 7191825
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning unit includes an air duct, through which air is blown into a passenger compartment, and a partition board, which partitions the air duct in its inside into a first air passage and a second air passage. Temperature of air in the first air passage and temperature of air in the second air passage can be separately controlled. The air duct has a recess on its one side. An air conditioning device is disposed in the recess. The partition board is deformed correspondingly to the recess so that a corresponding cross-sectional area of the first air passage and a corresponding cross-sectional area of the second air passage should be approximately equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Yamada, Keizo Goto
  • Patent number: 7172018
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning system improves a passenger's sensation of cooling by preventing air blown from a foot opening when a cooling load is low, creating a comfortable temperature distribution along the passenger's body. The vehicle air-conditioning system automatically selects a face mode when a target air temperature (TAO) is between a first predetermined temperature and a second predetermined temperature, which is higher than the first predetermined temperature, a bi-level mode when the TAO is higher than the first predetermined temperature and an evaporator air temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature, or a face mode when the TAO is lower than the first predetermined temperature and the evaporator air temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Katou, Shinichi Yoshida, Makoto Mimoto
  • Patent number: 7159651
    Abstract: An upper opening portion (74, 75) and lower opening portion (76, 77) are arranged in a door body (13b, 14b) located below a side window (13a, 14a), and an air conditioning unit (15, 16) is arranged inside the door body (13b, 14b), and a rotary position of a scroll casing (62, 63) of a blower (56, 57) is selected so that air can flow from the lower opening portion (76, 77) to the upper opening portion (74, 75) at the time of air-cooling and air can flow from the upper opening portion (74, 75) to the lower opening portion (76, 77) at the time of heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Ito, Yasushi Yamanaka, Kazushi Shikata, Takahiro Tokunaga, Tomohiro Kamiya, Masakazu Nagaya, Shinichiro Hirai
  • Patent number: 7156167
    Abstract: A vehicle HVAC control system including front and rear HVAC control systems for controlling a front HVAC system and a rear HVAC system, and a method for controlling the front and rear HVAC systems. A front set point temperature is used by the front HVAC control system to control operation of the front HVAC system. The front set point temperature is communicated to the rear HVAC control system. The rear HVAC control system derives a rear set point temperature, which is based upon the front set point temperature and a temperature adjustment value, to control operation of the rear HVAC system. The temperature adjustment value is one of a plurality of predetermined temperature adjustment values that may be selected by a rear seat passenger to adjust the rear set point temperature relative to the front set point temperature and thereby permit the rear set passengers to control the temperature of air delivered to the rear seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Bradley C. Errington, Junichi Kanemaru
  • Patent number: 7147039
    Abstract: An air routing device for a motor vehicle air conditioning and/or heating system, comprising an air routing housing on which a blower is arranged, wherein the air routing device is formed separately from the air routing housing and can be pushed into the air routing housing through alternate housing orifices located opposite one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Behr France S.A.R.L.
    Inventor: Claude Schlachter
  • Patent number: 7137445
    Abstract: An HVAC assembly including an HVAC case disposed in a passenger compartment of the vehicle includes a heater core having an upstream side and a downstream side. The heater core accepts air from the upstream side and exhausts air to the downstream side. The exhausted air defines a temperature gradient along a plane of the heater core. An air diverting member is positioned on the downstream side proximate the heater core. The air diverting member includes a first portion aligned for accepting air from a first region of the temperature gradient and a second portion for delivering the accepted air toward a second region of the temperature gradient. The first region has a higher air temperature than the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Denso International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan Kushner, Dan Archibald
  • Patent number: 7128141
    Abstract: A vehicle heat transfer module including a conduit for air circulation, an evaporator in the conduit between the cabin air input and cabin air output, and a heater having vehicle engine coolant circulated therethrough, the heater being in a first path between the evaporator and the cabin air output. A first door selectively opens or closes the fresh air input and fresh air output, and a second door blocks a selected amount of cabin air from the first path. A controller controls the first and second doors responsive to heating and cooling requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Keith D. Ping, Richard V. LaHue, Aaron C. Stull, Joseph M. Withers, Gregg D. Olson
  • Patent number: 7108599
    Abstract: A pitch circle radius of a driving side gear of a drive mechanism of an air mix door is continuously and progressively increased from a maximum heating position side part to a maximum cooling position side part. A pitch circle radius of a driven side gear of the drive mechanism is continuously and progressively increased from a maximum cooling position side part to a maximum heating position side part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Michihiro Kachi
  • Patent number: 7100675
    Abstract: In an air conditioner (1) constructed to pass an air introduced into an air conditioning unit (4) through an evaporator (33) and a heater core (34) both arranged in the unit (4), cooler pipes (90) for the evaporator (33) and heater pipes (91) for the heater core (34) are arranged to extend from the same side wall of the air conditioning unit (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Japan Climate Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Yamamoto, Tadashi Okamoto, Hideaki Yasuda, Hiroshi Mayumi, Morihito Tsukuda, Kenichiro Higashi, Keiji Koga, Yoshinori Aono
  • Patent number: 7082990
    Abstract: An interior of an air conditioning case is partitioned into a first air passage extending from an inside air suction port to a foot opening portion and a second air passage extending from an outside air suction port is disposed at a side of the first air passage to detect a temperature of air blown out from the evaporator disposed in the first air passage and the second air passage. An operation of the compressor for supplying the refrigerant to the evaporator is intermitted by comparing the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the set temperature set in advance, and the set temperature is changed to be higher according to an increase in the temperature of outside air. In this way, it is possible to prevent the frosting of the evaporator in winter season, when the inside air is introduced into the first air passage and the outside air is introduced into the second air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Yukio Uemura, Kenji Suwa, Kazushi Shikata
  • Patent number: 7069983
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle includes a refrigerant cycle having an evaporator which is disposed in a blowing duct and cools air by refrigerant evaporation in the blowing duct; a compressor setting the evaporated refrigerant at a high temperature and high pressure; a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger heating cooling water by heat transfer from the refrigerant discharged from the compressor; and an expansion device decompressing the refrigerant discharged from the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger. The air conditioner also includes a cooling water cycle having a heater core which is disposed on the downstream side of the evaporator; a radiator cooling the cooling water; a pump circulating the cooling water cooled by the radiator; a power engine cooled by the cooling water fed by the pump; and the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger. The refrigerant cycle performs cooling for dehumidification by performing the operation of heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Yakumaru, Fumitoshi Nishiwaki, Noriho Okaza
  • Patent number: 7063137
    Abstract: A chiller-condenser is disposed downstream of a condenser and a chiller-evaporator is disposed downstream of the chiller-condenser. A main three-way valve is disposed between the compressor and the condenser for directing flow from the compressor to the condenser in the air-conditioning mode and for directing flow from the compressor through a by-pass line to the chiller-condenser in the heat pump mode. A heat pump (HP) expansion device shown as an orifice tube expands the refrigerant in the heat pump mode and an by-pass valve is disposed between the chiller-condenser and the chiller-evaporator for directing flow from the chiller-condenser through the heat pump expansion device and to the chiller-evaporator in the heat pump mode. An air-conditioning (A/C) expansion device shown as orifice tube is disposed downstream of the condenser and upstream of the by-pass line for expanding the refrigerant in the air-conditioning mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Prasad Shripad Kadle, Mahmoud Ghodbane
  • Patent number: 7055591
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an air conditioner for a vehicle including a front seat air conditioning unit and a rear seat air conditioning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corporation
    Inventors: Sungho Kang, Sangchul Byon, Yongeun Seo, Yongsang Kim
  • Patent number: 7055590
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus includes a valve for selectively introducing the coolant discharged from a compressor to either a flow path for a water-coolant heat exchanger or another flow path to avoid the heat exchanger, a thermostat for detecting the temperature of a cooling water flowing into an engine and a controller for controlling the valve. When the temperature of the cooling water is equal to or less than a predetermined temperature, the controller controls the valve so that the coolant discharged from the compressor is introduced to the water-coolant heat exchanger. When the temperature of the cooling water is more than the predetermined temperature, the controller controls the valve so that the coolant discharged from the compressor avoids the water-coolant heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventor: Junichiro Hara
  • Patent number: 7051788
    Abstract: An HVAC assembly includes an HVAC case having a first inlet adapted to accept air in a first configuration suitable for a right hand drive vehicle and a second inlet adapted to accept air in a second configuration suitable for a left hand drive vehicle. The HVAC case includes at least one outlet for delivering air to a vehicle cabin. A deflector plate is adapted to cooperate with the HVAC case in the first configuration whereby the deflector plate allows air to pass through the first inlet and inhibits air passage through the second inlet. The air deflector plate is adapted to cooperate with the HVAC case in the second configuration whereby the deflector plate allows air to pass through the second inlet and inhibits air passage through the first inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Denso International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Crocker, Tim Roland
  • Patent number: 7051786
    Abstract: A non-rail off-road vehicle, such as an agricultural tractor having an engine with a horizontally oriented rotation axis and a hood covering the engine, includes a cooling system. The cooling system includes an engine cooling radiator positioned above the engine and between the engine and the hood and a fan unit with electric motor-driven fans blowing air upwardly through the radiator. The fan unit is positioned above the engine and between the engine and the radiator. An engine charge air cooler is also positioned above the engine and between the engine and the hood, and a charge air cooler fan unit has electric motor-driven fans which blow air upwardly through the cooler. The hood has openings in its upper surface through which passes air blown by the radiator fan unit and the charge air cooler fan unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Carl Thomas Vuk
  • Patent number: 7048036
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle is provided. An internal air passage in a case of the air conditioner includes a first passage which guides a portion of the air from a blower unit to flow through an auxiliary cooling portion of the evaporator, a second passage, which guides the remaining portion of the air from the blower unit to bypass the auxiliary cooling portion of the evaporator, an air mixing portion in which the air passed through the first passage and the air passed through the second passage flow together, and a third passage, which is connected to the air mixing portion and guides the air passed through the air mixing portion to flow through a main cooling portion of the evaporator. In the air conditioner a portion of the air that flows in is cooled twice while passing through the auxiliary cooling portion and the main cooling portion of the evaporator, so that a higher cooling efficiency requirement, especially regarding the early stage cooling performance, is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corporation
    Inventor: Seong Seck Han
  • Patent number: 7048044
    Abstract: There are provided a water-refrigerant heat exchanger 30 for exchanging heat between refrigerant discharged from a compressor 21 and engine-cooling water circulating an engine-cooling water circuit 10, prior to being fed into the radiator 22, and a bypass 25 for guiding the refrigerant prior to being fed into the evaporator 24 to the water-coolant heat exchanger 30 while bypassing the evaporator 24 and the compressor 21. When it is desired to accelerate the warming-up of the engine 11, the bypass 25 is closed to operate the compressor 21 to heat the engine-cooling water by high-pressure refrigerant, and when it is desired to complement the capacity of the radiator 12, the bypass 25 is open to guide the liquid-phase refrigerant to the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 30 to effectively cool the refrigerant by using the phase change of the refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Ban, Yasushi Yamanaka, Takahisa Suzuki, Teruhiko Kameoka
  • Patent number: 7028767
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner selectively switches one of a cooling mode in which an interior heat exchanger of a refrigerant cycle is operated as an evaporator for cooling air, and a heating mode in which the interior heat exchanger is operated as a radiator for heating air. In the vehicle air conditioner, an accumulator, for separating gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant from each other and for storing the separated liquid refrigerant therein, is disposed between an outlet of the interior heat exchanger and a suction port of a compressor. Further, the accumulator includes a heating device for heating the liquid refrigerant stored in the accumulator in the heating mode. Therefore, heating performance for heating air in heating mode can be efficiently improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takano, Toshitaka Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7017659
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning system adjusts the temperature at an outlet by a combined amount of air flowing through a first bypass passage adjusted by an air mixing door and air flowing through a second bypass passage adjusted by a cool air adjusting door independently of the first bypass. A cool air adjusting door control unit adjusts the opening of the cool air adjusting door so that the temperature detected by a discharge temperature sensor comes closer to a target discharge temperature for precise control of discharge temperature, and also causes the cool air adjusting door to be fully open when the opening of the air mixing door determined by an air mixing door opening setting unit is equal to or smaller than a predetermined degree of opening, so as to maintain a steady amount of air discharged from the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isao Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 7013966
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner selectively switches one of a cooling mode in which an interior heat exchanger of a refrigerant cycle is operated as an evaporator for cooling air, and a hot-gas heating mode in which the interior heat exchanger is operated as a radiator for heating air. The cooling mode is selected by turning on an air-conditioning switch, and the hot-gas heating mode is selected by turning on a hot gas switch. When both the switches are turned on at the same time, a control unit determines a priority mode having a higher necessity among the hot-gas heating mode and the cooling mode. Specifically, the hot-gas heating mode is automatically set by the control unit when the outside air temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, and the cooling mode is automatically set by the control unit when the outside air temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takano, Satoshi Izawa, Toshitaka Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7007491
    Abstract: A thermal management system for a vehicle includes an engine operable to generate energy. An energy storage unit may be associated with the engine and adapted to receive and store the energy generated by the engine. A temperature control unit may be associated with the energy storage unit and adapted to control a temperature in the vehicle. The temperature control unit may be adapted to selectively draw stored energy from the energy storage unit to control the temperature when the engine is not operating. A controller may be adapted to monitor an operating condition of the thermal management system and to control the transfer of the energy from the engine to the energy storage unit based on the monitored operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Thomas Grimm, Ryan Patrick McEnaney
  • Patent number: 7004245
    Abstract: A system for aiding an engine in a vehicle includes an air duct operably disposed in the vehicle having a fresh air inlet for receiving fresh air, first outlet for exhausting air outside the vehicle, and second outlet for exhausting air inside a passenger compartment, a cool air conditioning device operably disposed in the duct to cool air as it passes thereby when in an “on mode”, a heater core operably disposed in the duct to continuously provide heat air as it passes thereby and remove heat from the engine. A first diverter is operably disposed in the duct for continuously diverting at least some of the heated air toward the first outlet when the cool air conditioning device is in an “on mode” and a second diverter is operably disposed in the duct for continuously diverting at least one fresh air or cool air toward one of the outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Inventor: Adel A. Abdeljawad
  • Patent number: 6994157
    Abstract: An air conditioner for an occupant compartment of a vehicle having a forward vehicle space and a rearward vehicle space with right and left seat zones includes an air conditioning box, in which an evaporator and a heat exchanger are arranged, as well as a cold air space situated between the evaporator and the heat exchanger. A warm air space is arranged behind the heat exchanger and air mixing spaces are constructed for supplying the forward vehicle space and the rearward vehicle space with conditioned air. To provide a mutually independent temperature adjustment in the forward vehicle space and the rearward vehicle space, a separate air mixing space is assigned to each seat zone. The four air mixing spaces are connected with the warm and cold air spaces by one warm and one cold air flap respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Klaus Arold
  • Patent number: 6991027
    Abstract: In an automotive air conditioner, there is provided an air guide arrangement for achieving an effective mixing between cooled air from an evaporator and warmed air from a heater under a bi-level mode. The air guide arrangement is placed in the vicinity of an outlet opening of a warmed air passage extending from the heater. The air guide arrangement forces a warmed air from the outlet opening of the warmed air passage to effectively mix with a cooled air which flows in a direction from the evaporator toward a ventilation air outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Yukio Ozeki, Masaharu Onda, Hidenobu Arakawa, Ryoichi Tochigi
  • Patent number: 6988670
    Abstract: An HVAC Integrated electronic Module (HIM) (41) for controlling airflow through an HVAC module (12), the HVAC module including a variable speed blower motor (18), a plurality of airflow doors (26–28) for controlling air direction and hot-cold air temperature blend, and electrical actuators, servo motors or stepper motors for said doors, the HIM including: one or more air temperature sensors (22) for measurement of one or more of intake air temperature, outlet air temperature, air-off evaporator temperature and engine coolant temperature; actuator control circuitry (31) for controlling said electrical actuators, servo motors or stepper motors; blower motor speed control circuitry (15) for speed control of the variable speed blower motor; sensor control circuitry for said sensors; and communication circuitry for a serial communication interface (42) to enable communication with a vehicle users interface (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Air International Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Paul A. Keen, Anthony A. Laul
  • Patent number: 6986385
    Abstract: A heating/air-conditioning installation for a motor vehicle has a thermal loop which includes a refrigerating compressor, a gas cooler, a pressure-reducing valve, an evaporator, and a heating element. The gas cooler and the heating element are grouped together into a single exchanger including a main module forming a main fluid-carrying heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
    Inventors: Elliot Gilles, Ben Fredj Mounir
  • Patent number: 6983793
    Abstract: A dual evaporator air conditioning system and method for use therewith to cool air in front and rear portions of a cabin of a vehicle. The dual evaporator air conditioning system includes primary and auxiliary HVAC units to cool the air in the front and rear portions of the cabin, respectively. The dual evaporator air conditioning system also includes a control system having cooling and non-cooling modes for each of the HVAC units. The control system automatically activates a heating element near the auxiliary evaporator in response to the auxiliary HVAC unit being in the non-cooling mode while the primary HVAC unit is in the cooling mode. The heating element heats the refrigerant in the auxiliary evaporator to prevent accumulation of liquid refrigerant and lubricating oil in the auxiliary evaporator when the auxiliary HVAC unit is in the non-cooling mode while the primary HVAC unit is in the cooling mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jing Zheng, Prasad Shripad Kadle
  • Patent number: 6978856
    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: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayoshi Nakamura, Akihiro Tamba, Ryuichi Saito, Atsuo Nishihara
  • Patent number: 6971440
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heating or air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, by which individual zones of the vehicle interior can be supplied with separately temperature-controlled air. An improved heating or air-conditioning system, which requires just a small amount of installation space, feeds differently temperature-controlled air to a plurality of air-conditioning zones. Despite the small amount of installation space, optimum mixing of cold air and warm air takes place in the heating or air-conditioning system, with the result that the air emerging from air-outlet openings in a respective air-conditioning zone have a constant temperature over the outlet cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Oliver Beck, Michael Forster, Christian Grommer, Norbert Wocht
  • Patent number: 6971446
    Abstract: An air conditioning control system for controlling the air conditioning system of a vehicle. The air conditioning control system is capable of determining the occupancy status of various locations in the vehicle interior. The air conditioning control system alters the flow rate of conditioned air to various portions of the vehicle interior based at least partially upon the occupancy of those areas of the vehicle interior. The air conditioning control system delivers increased amounts of conditioned air to the occupied portions of the vehicle interior when the conditioned air is of a comfortable temperature. The air conditioning control system delivers decreased amounts of conditioned air to the occupied portions of the vehicle interior when the conditioned air is most likely to be of an uncomfortable temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Ralph D. Price, Rodney A. Laukhuf
  • Patent number: 6962196
    Abstract: A mode switching control device of a vehicle air-conditioning apparatus capable of selecting vent mode delivery, whereby air is delivered to an upper part of the inside of a passenger compartment; foot mode delivery, whereby air is delivered to a lower part of the passenger compartment; and bi-level mode delivery, whereby the vent mode delivery and the foot mode delivery are implemented together. Even when on the basis of a target outlet temperature foot mode delivery has been selected, when the occupant insolation level is above a predetermined level the control device switches to the bi-level mode to provide the occupant with a comfortable air-conditioning feeling even when the vehicle is running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isao Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 6962195
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation and air conditioning system for a vehicle is constructed from two modules, one for the engine compartment and a second for the passenger compartment. The engine compartment module has a base formed for positioning on at least two locations on a dash panel, a outside air inlet, a secondary air inlet for communication with the passenger compartment, an air outlet and defining a air transport conduit connecting the outside air inlet or the secondary air inlet with the air outlet. Downstream from the engine compartment is a passenger compartment module having a slide slot for a heater core, an inlet for communication with the air outlet from the engine compartment module, an air manifold, a panel exhaust from the air manifold, a defrost exhaust from the air manifold, a compartment door providing access to the slide in friction slot, and an air channel from the inlet to the air manifold. The heater core is positioned in the slide in slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Smith, Carl B. Dalkert, Michelle R. Gehres, Gregory J. Kolodziej