Automatic temperature and humidity regulation – Ventilator type – Electrically actuated
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-30
2003-06-10
Wayner, William (Department: 3744)
Automatic temperature and humidity regulation
Ventilator type
Electrically actuated
C236S09100C
Reexamination Certificate
active
06575378
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is related to and claims priority from Japanese Patent Applications No. 2001-27441 filed on Feb. 2, 2001, No. 2001-103546 filed on Apr. 2, 2001, and No. 2002-17297 filed on Jan. 25, 2002, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a solar radiation detection unit for a vehicle for detecting intensity of solar radiation which enters a vehicle compartment and a direction of entry thereof, and a vehicle air conditioner using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvement in precision of a detected value for an amount of solar radiation in the vehicle solar radiation detection unit.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, a solar radiation detection unit for a vehicle and a vehicle air conditioner using the same have been disclosed in, for example, JP-A-2000-62433. In this official gazette, on the basis of an amount of solar radiation detected by a solar radiation sensor located on an instrument panel, through the use of a position of the vehicle, the solar position, obstacles, meteorological information, and the like that have been obtained by a navigation system, presence or absence and direction of entry of solar radiation entering the vehicle are computed to correct the solar radiation amount detected by the solar radiation sensor, thereby an amount of solar radiation to each seat area within the vehicle compartment is detected.
The solar radiation detection unit, however, is remained at correction of the solar radiation amount based on presence or absence and direction of entry of solar radiation entering the vehicle, and any influence on the solar radiation amount to which the vehicle is actually received is not been sufficiently studied by taking into consideration the vehicle-side condition, inclination state of the road, and the like. Accordingly, the solar radiation amount cannot be detected with high accuracy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-described points, it is one object of the present invention to provide a solar radiation detection unit for a vehicle capable of detecting an amount of solar radiation more precisely.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle air conditioner using a solar radiation detection unit, capable of performing more comfortable air-conditioning operation for passengers of the vehicle.
A solar radiation detection unit for detecting intensity of the solar radiation entering a vehicle compartment according to the present invention is provided in a vehicle equipped with a navigation system which detects the present position and a travel direction of the vehicle, and guides the travelling of the vehicle based on the detected present position and the detected the travel direction of the vehicle, and road information including at least information concerning structures around the road previously stored. According to the inventor's study, in the solar radiation amount entering the vehicle, by calculating a direction of entry of solar radiation entering the vehicle relative to the solar position and the travel direction of the vehicle, heat-receiving amount entering into the vehicle is determined. This entering direction of the solar radiation has a solar radiation attack angle (&thgr;) and a solar radiation lateral angle (&phgr;) with respect to the solar position and the travel direction of the vehicle. A quantity of heat received by the passenger by solar radiation and a quantity of heat received by the interior of the vehicle compartment by solar radiation are different based on the solar radiation attack angle (&thgr;). Incidentally, the quantity of heat received by the passenger seated on the seat becomes maximum when the solar radiation tack angle (&thgr;) is close to about 30° C., and the quantity of heat received by the interior of the vehicle compartment becomes maximum when the solar radiation attack angle (&thgr;) is close to about 60° C. Accordingly, by accurately detecting the solar radiation attack angle (&thgr;) entering the vehicle, the solar radiation amount entering the vehicle can be detected more accurately.
According to the present invention, the solar radiation detection unit has solar-radiation direction calculating means for calculating the direction of entry of solar radiation and solar-radiation amount calculating means for determining the solar radiation amount entering the vehicle. The solar-radiation amount calculating means corrects the solar radiation amount on the basis of the information unique to the vehicle, so that the solar radiation direction entering into the vehicle is determined on the basis of the solar position information and the road information. The solar-radiation amount calculating means is capable of detecting a more accurate amount of solar radiation by correcting the solar radiation amount entering the vehicle specifically on the basis of, as the information unique to the vehicle, the vehicle height, color of the vehicle body, position of the seat of the vehicle, positional relationship between the seat and position, size, angle and permeability characteristic of the widow glass in the vehicle.
In a vehicle traveling on a road, the vehicle horizontal direction varies depending upon the angle of inclination of the road. According to the present invention, solar-radiation direction calculating means for calculating the solar radiation direction entering the vehicle reads solar position information and road information concerning the vicinity of the vehicle position including at least information on the angle of inclination of the road to determine the solar radiation amount on the basis of the solar position information and the road information, whereby the solar radiation attack angle (&thgr;) is determined accurately, and a more accurate amount of solar radiation is detected. In the present invention, when it is determined that the solar radiation attack angle (&thgr;) is within a predetermined range, correction is made such that the solar radiation amount is made larger, whereby the quantity of heat received by the passenger by solar radiation is corrected to thereby enable comfortable air conditioning operation.
The solar radiation sensor for outputting a detection signal responsive to intensity of solar radiation is constructed of, for example, a well-known photodiode. Since the photodiode has generally low sensitivity characteristic within a visible light area (from 400 nm to about 800 nm) of wave length of sunlight, generally the output characteristic becomes maximum when the solar radiation attack angle (&thgr;) entering the vehicle is close to 90°, and as the solar radiation attack angle (&thgr;) becomes smaller than 90°. Further, the output characteristic is more decreased.
According to the present invention, on the basis of the calculation result of the solar-radiation direction calculating means, the solar radiation amount is determined by correcting a detected value from the solar radiation sensor. Accordingly, the solar-radiation amount calculating means is capable of determining an amount of solar radiation consistent with the quantity of heat received by the passenger and the vehicle. Thus, a more accurate amount of solar radiation is detected. As regards a corrected value corresponding to the quantity of heat received by solar radiation, specifically, the correction is made such that it becomes maximum in a range of 0° and 75° in which the output characteristic of the solar radiation sensor is decreased. Therefore, it becomes possible to detect a high precision amount of solar radiation corresponding to the heat-receiving amount received by the passenger and the vehicle.
Since the heat-receiving amount of the vehicle is affected by the characteristic of the window glass, the corrected value is further corrected in accordance with, for example, type of the window glass of the vehicle, so that the solar radiation entering the vehicle is detected with higher precision.
In order to deter
Aoki Shinji
Izuhara Akihisa
Denso Corporation
Harness Dickey & Pierce PLC
Wayner William
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