Ventilation – Vehicle – Having automatic control means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-17
2001-03-27
Joyce, Harold (Department: 3749)
Ventilation
Vehicle
Having automatic control means
C139S158000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206775
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for heating and/or air conditioning the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.
It relates more particularly to a device comprising a pollution sensor suitable for detecting the presence of a pollutant, carbon monoxide in particular, in the airflow sent into the passenger compartment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the known devices of this type, an air intake chamber is usually provided, which can be fed selectively either with external air taken in from outside the passenger compartment or with recirculated air taken up from the passenger compartment.
A blower is provided at the outlet from the air intake chamber for blowing the airflow so as to process it (by heating and/or cooling) before sending it into the passenger compartment through various appropriate nozzles.
In general, the air intake chamber houses a flap which controls the external air intake and the recirculated air intake selectively -Ln order to send into the passenger compartment either a flow of external air or a flow of recirculated air, depending on the air temperature regarded as comfortable by the occupants of the vehicle.
Hence, when the vehicle is passing through a polluted area, it is recommended that the device be placed in “recirculated air” position, so that the passenger compartment is supplied with recirculated air, and not with external air.
Conventionally, the change from the “recirculated air” position to the “external air” position, or vice versa, takes place at the discretion of the driver of the vehicle, that is to say on the basis of subjective observation.
It is also known to place a pollution sensor, also called air quality sensor, on a vehicle in order to detect the presence of a pollutant and then place the device in one or other of the “external air” and “recirculated air” positions, either at the initiative of the driver or automatically.
Up to the present time, these pollution sensors have been installed either at the front of the vehicle (behind the bumper, for example, or near the engine cooling unit), or in the “water separator” which is situated at the foot of the windshield.
In any event, these sensors were placed upstream of the air filter which serves to trap various impurities (particles, dust, etc.) or various gases (hydrocarbons, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, etc.) contained in the external airflow.
Because the pollution sensor is always situated upstream of the air filter, the result is that this sensor is exposed to a flow of air loaded with particles, dust and various pollutants. This has the drawback of leading, in the more or less long-term, to fouling and to rapid deterioration of this type of sensor.
Object of the invention
One of the objects of the invention is to obtain a device for detecting the presence of pollutants which is more resistant to deterioration than the devices of the prior art.
Summary of the invention
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for heating and/or air conditioning the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle comprising a pollution sensor suitable for detecting the presence of a pollutant in an airflow sent into the passenger compartment, wherein the pollution sensor is arranged downstream of an air filter, so as to detect the presence of a pollutant in the filtered airflow.
As a result, the sensor is exposed to an airflow which has previously been filtered and which has therefore been cleaned of its particles and impurities. Consequently, the sensor deteriorates less rapidly.
The pollution sensor may be separate from the air filter, or be integrated into the air filter.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a device for heating and/or air conditioning the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle comprising a pollution sensor suitable for detecting the presence of a pollutant in an airflow sent into the passenger compartment, wherein the pollution sensor is arranged downstream of an air filter, so as to detect the presence of a pollutant in the filtered airflow, and further comprising an air intake chamber equipped with an intake for external air, an intake for recirculated air and with an air inlet flap that controls the air intakes selectively in order to supply the device with external air or with recirculated air. The air filter and the pollution sensor are placed upstream of the intake flap.
In a first embodiment of the invention, the air filter and the pollution sensor are intended to be housed in a receptacle, called water separator, which communicates with the air intake chamber and which is situated at the foot of the windshield of the vehicle.
In another embodiment, the air filter and the pollution sensor are intended to be housed in a duct of the air intake chamber which communicates with the external air intake.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the pollution sensor is linked to a control circuit able to act on the movement of the air intake flap and to bring it into one or other of the following two extreme positions:
a position called “external air”, when the pollution content detected by the sensor is below a given threshold;
a position called “recirculated air”, when the pollution content detected by the sensor reaches or exceeds said threshold.
The control circuit advantageously comprises a comparator suitable for comparing an electrical measurement signal output by the pollution sensor with a threshold value, and for deducing therefrom a control signal to be sent to a motor means suitable for moving the flap into one or other of its two extreme positions.
The pollution sensor detects a pollutant which is adsorbed only slightly by the filter. In particular, the filter detects the presence of carbon monoxide or of nitrogen monoxide in the airflow.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4610703 (1986-09-01), Kowalczyk
patent: 4696225 (1987-09-01), Weller
patent: 4702753 (1987-10-01), Kowalczyk
patent: 4875406 (1989-10-01), Holter et al.
patent: 5256103 (1993-10-01), Abthoff et al.
patent: 5725425 (1998-03-01), Rump et al.
patent: 5750880 (1998-05-01), Frere
patent: 28 13 662 (1979-10-01), None
patent: 36 23 164 (1988-01-01), None
patent: 36 26 277 (1988-02-01), None
patent: 95/29072 (1995-11-01), None
French Search Report dated Jul. 30, 1999.
Lemaitre Nathalie
Pernet Stephane
Joyce Harold
Morgan & Finnegan , LLP
Valeo Climatisation
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