Refrigeration – With vehicle feature – Occupant-type vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-04
2001-02-13
Wayner, William (Department: 1747)
Refrigeration
With vehicle feature
Occupant-type vehicle
C236S09100C, C250S338100, C256S013000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185950
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a sensor for detecting the direction and intensity of solar insolation, particularly, for controlling an air conditioning system.
2. Description of Related Art
Sensors of this type, for detecting the solar insolation in a motor vehicle interior, are used to control an air conditioning system to compensate for increased temperature in the vehicle interior resulting form the incoming solar insolation. To control precisely the temperature of the vehicle interior with the aid of the air conditioning system, the heating up of the passenger compartment due to the action of the solar insolation has to be determined with the aid of the sensor. Since the sensor elements detect the incident light radiation in different directions, the air conditioning system can be fed a corresponding, individual measurement signal to control the temperature in the vehicle interior differently at certain locations. It is thus possible to obtain different air conditions in the vehicle interior matched to the individual vehicle occupants'desires, for example, one condition on the driver side and another on the front-passenger side and/or on the front seats versus the rear seats.
A sensor similar to this type is disclosed in DE 38 21 743, in which a sensor has two photodiodes, one being assigned to each of the left-hand and right-hand sides of the vehicle, respectively. The photodiodes also are arranged on a face of the sensor whose surfaces can be subjected to the solar insolation coming in from the left-hand and right-hand sides of the vehicle, respectively. The direction of the solar insolation, therefore, can be determined.
Moreover, a temperature sensor is provided in the center between the two photodiodes. The temperature sensor is constantly subjected to the solar insolation because of its central arrangement or location. As a result, the incident heat can be detected and a variation in the temperature of the photodiodes can be compensated for. A disadvantage of this known sensor is that it is relatively complex and complicated and is therefore not cost effective. The evaluation of the photodiode signals is relatively complex. Moreover, photodiodes age and a permanent load due to solar insolation has a negative effect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved sensor for detecting the direction and intensity of solar insolation in a vehicle.
A further object of the invention resides in providing such a sensor that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a sensor that is cost effective and can be placed simply in a vehicle for controlling an air conditioning system.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved vehicle instrument panel/dashboard or other surface embodying the sensor according to the invention, as well as a vehicle containing such a surface.
In accomplishing these and other objects, there has been provided according to one aspect of the invention, a device for detecting the direction and intensity of solar insolation incident upon the interior of the vehicle, comprising: a sensor having at least a right-hand and a left-hand surface, wherein each of said surfaces is subject to solar insolation and absorbs most of the solar insolation incident thereon from the right-hand and left-hand sides of the vehicle; and two temperature sensor elements, said sensor elements being assigned one to said left-hand surface and one to said right-hand surface and being connected in a heat conducting manner to the respective surfaces of said sensor.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there has been provided a surface in a motor vehicle having a device for detecting the direction and intensity of solar insolation incident upon the interior of the vehicle, wherein the device comprises a sensor having at least a right-hand and a left-hand surface, wherein each of said surfaces of said sensor is subject to solar insolation and absorbs most of the solar insolation incident thereon from the right-hand and left-hand sides of the vehicle; and two temperature sensor elements, said sensor elements being assigned one to said left-hand and one to said right-hand surface of said sensor and being connected in a heat conducting manner to the respective surfaces of said sensor.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there has been provided a motor vehicle comprising: an air conditioning system; and a sensor device of the foregoing type connected to the air conditioning system for controlling the operation of the system.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of preferred embodiments that follows, when considered with the accompanying figures or drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4491727 (1985-01-01), Applebaum et al.
patent: 4702618 (1987-10-01), Maund
patent: 5281818 (1994-01-01), Tomita et al.
patent: 5951375 (1999-09-01), West
patent: 38 21 743 A1 (1990-01-01), None
patent: 40 41 770 C1 (1992-07-01), None
patent: 41 09 399 C2 (1995-06-01), None
patent: 195 17 517 A1 (1995-11-01), None
patent: 195 43 508 C1 (1996-10-01), None
patent: 0136812 (1989-05-01), None
Baruschke Wilhelm
Kaefer Oliver
Lochmahr Karl
Behr GmbH & Co.
Foley & Lardner
Wayner William
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