Patent Application
20060065389
1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a heat transfer device for controlling a surface temperature of an instrument panel of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a typical vehicle having a body defining an interior compartment and a windshield, a large amount of solar radiation enters the vehicle through the windshield. A panel (instrument panel) extending from and under the windshield is exposable to sunlight. The panel absorbs the solar radiation from the sunlight and retains a significant amount of heat generated by the solar radiation. The panel then transfers the heat into an interior compartment of the vehicle, thereby affecting the thermal comfort of the vehicle passengers.
Traditionally, vehicles have included air conditioning systems for improving the thermal comfort of a passenger. A typical air conditioning system includes a blower for providing a flow of air through a HVAC module having an evaporator for removing heat from the air. The blower then urges the cooled air through a network of passageways to a plurality of outlets. The outlets then direct the flow of cooled air towards the passengers of the vehicle. The objective of the typical air conditioning system is to provide a cooling effect to the passengers by directing the flow of cooled air directly at the passengers.
However, the thermal comfort of the passengers is not strictly dependent on the ambient air temperature within the interior compartment of the vehicle. The heat transfer from the panel also greatly affects the passengers thermal comfort. As the panel transfers heat to the interior compartment of the vehicle, the desired ambient air temperature of the passengers decreases. If the heat transfer from the panel is limited, the desired ambient air temperature of the passengers increases. Therefore, the more heat transferred from the panel to the interior compartment of the vehicle results in the passenger desiring a lower interior compartment temperature in order to satisfy the passenger's thermal comfort requirements.
While the typical air conditioning system helps to improve the thermal comfort of the passengers, it does not address the effect of heat transfer from the panel into the interior compartment of the vehicle. Thus, the typical air conditioning system does not directly remove the heat from the panel. Therefore, the typical air conditioning system must provide a lower ambient air temperature to meet the thermal requirements of the passengers, which is accomplished by spending additional time and energy removing heat from the flow of air.
The subject invention provides a vehicle comprising a body defining an interior compartment and a windshield. A panel having a surface extends from and under the windshield and into the interior compartment of the body. The surface of the panel is exposable to sunlight through the windshield thereby heating the surface by solar radiation. The vehicle further includes a heat transfer device for directly removing heat from the surface of the panel to control the temperature of the surface and lower the heat transfer from the panel to the interior compartment of the vehicle.
The subject invention also provides a method of cooling a panel having a surface extending from and under a windshield of a vehicle. The method comprises the steps of heating the surface of the panel by subjecting the surface to sunlight passing through the windshield. The method further includes the step of directly removing heat from the surface of the panel to reduce heating of the panel by sunlight and lower the heat transfer from the panel to the interior compartment of the vehicle.
Accordingly, the subject invention provides a vehicle with a heat transfer device that controls the surface temperature of the panel such heat is removed from the panel. The invention reduces the heat transfer from the panel into the interior compartment and increases the thermal comfort of the passengers in less time and with a lower energy requirement.
Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a vehicle is generally shown at 10. The elements of the invention which reoccur throughout the different embodiments are numbered ten through ninety nine. The elements that are specific to each individual embodiment are preceded by a number corresponding to the embodiment. For example, elements of the invention that are specific to the preferred (first) embodiment are numbered in the 100's, whereas elements that are specific to the second embodiment are numbered in the 200's. Likewise for the third through sixth embodiments.
The vehicle 10 includes a body 12 defining an interior compartment 14 and a windshield 16. A panel (instrument panel) 18 having a surface 20 extends from and under the windshield 16 and into the interior compartment 14 of the vehicle 10. The surface 20 is exposable to sunlight 22 through the windshield 16 and absorbs heat by solar radiation therethrough. The vehicle 10 further includes a cooling system, generally shown at 23. The cooling system 23 includes a heat transfer device, generally indicated at 24, for directly removing the heat from the surface 20 of the panel 18 to control the temperature of the surface 20.
In a preferred embodiment, as shown in
The vent 26 receives the flow of air 40 directly from the HVAC module 30 through at least one of the plurality of passageways 142a, which is in direct fluid communication between the vent 26 and an exhaust port 160 of the HVAC module 30. At least another one of the plurality of passageways 142b directs the flow of air 40 from the interior compartment 14 back to the blower 28.
The vehicle 10 further includes a control mechanism 34 operable by a passenger for controlling the heat transfer device 24. The passenger registers a desired thermal comfort level at the control mechanism 34. The control mechanism 34 then determines if the actuation of the heat transfer device 24 is required. If so determined, the control mechanism 34 actuates the heat transfer device 24 to achieve the desired thermal comfort level. The control mechanism 34 may include such mechanical and electrical connections as is known to one skilled in the art necessary to operate the heat transfer device 24.
The HVAC module 30 includes an evaporator 36 for removing heat from the flow of air 40 as it passes therethrough. The control mechanism 34 is operatively connected to the evaporator 36 for actuating the evaporator 36 when required to meet the thermal comfort level of the passenger.
The plurality of passageways 142a, 142b convey the flow of air 40 from the HVAC module 30 to the interior compartment 14 of the vehicle 10 and from the interior compartment 14 back to the blower 28. In this way, the flow of air 40 circulates through the interior compartment 14 of the vehicle 10. The circulation of the flow of air 40 provides additional thermal comfort to the passenger. Alternatively, another of the plurality of passageways 142c may draw the flow of air 40 from the exterior of the vehicle to the blower 28. The passenger selects whether the flow of air 40 is to circulate through the interior compartment 14 by the passageway 142b, or whether the flow of air 40 is to be drawn from the exterior of the vehicle by the passageway 142c.
The vehicle 10 also includes at least one valve 144 operatively connected to the control mechanism 34. The control mechanism 34 actuates the at least one valve 144 for controlling the flow of air 40 between the plurality of passageways 142a, 142b, 142c for determining a circulatory path of the flow of air 40. The control mechanism 34 actuates the at least one valve 144 to direct the flow of air 40 from the blower 28, through the HVAC module 30 and the plurality of passageways 142a, to the vent 26.
Preferable, the vehicle 10 further includes a humidity sensor 38 operatively connected to the control mechanism 34 for sensing an exterior humidity level outside the vehicle 10. The humidity sensor 38 prevents the heat transfer device 24 from operating if the exterior humidity level is above a pre-determined level, thereby preventing condensation from forming on the windshield 16. However, the humidity sensor 38 is optional and is not required to operate the heat transfer device 24.
In a second embodiment, as shown in
In a third embodiment, as shown in
In a fourth embodiment, as shown in
In accordance with the fourth embodiment, the blower 28 includes at least one port in fluid communication with the vent 26 by at least one of the plurality of passageways 442a. The control mechanism 34 actuates the blower 28 to begin drawing air from the interior compartment 14 of the vehicle 10. The blower 28 draws the air over the surface 20 of the panel 18 and through the vent 26 such that the flow of air 40 removes heat from the surface 20 of the panel 18 as it flows across the surface 20. The blower 28 then urges the flow of air 40 through the HVAC module 30 and back to the interior compartment 14 of the vehicle 10 by another of the plurality of passageways 442b.
The vehicle 10 disclosed in the fourth embodiment also includes at least one valve 444 operatively connected to the control mechanism 34. The control mechanism 34 actuates the at least one valve 444 to direct the flow of air 40 from the vent 26 to an inlet port 462 of the blower 28; and then through the HVAC module to the interior compartment 14 of the vehicle 10.
In a fifth embodiment, as shown in
In accordance with the fifth embodiment, at least one valve 544 is operatively connected to the control mechanism 34 and is positioned within the plurality of passageways 542a, 542c to divert the flow of air 40 between the plurality passageways 542a, 542c. When the control mechanism 34 signals for the actuation of the heat transfer device 24, the at least one valve 544 only allows the flow of air 40 between the defrost air vent 546 and the blower 28 for cooling the surface 20 of the panel 18, thereby blocking the flow of air 40 from the HVAC module 30 to the defrost air vent 546. When the control mechanism 34 does not signal for the actuation of the heat transfer device 24, the at least one valve 544 only allows the flow of air 40 from the HVAC module 30 to the defrost air vent 546, thereby blocking the flow of air 40 form the defrost air vent 546 to the blower 28.
In a sixth embodiment, as shown in
The subject invention also provides a method of removing heat from a surface 20 of a panel 18 extending from and under a windshield 16 of a vehicle 10. The method comprises the steps of heating the surface 20 of the panel 18 by subjecting the surface 20 to sunlight 22 passing through the windshield 16 and then directly removing the heat from the surface 20 of the panel 18 to control the temperature of the surface 20. The method, therefore, removes heat from the panel 18 and thereby reduces the amount of heat transferred to the interior compartment 14 of the vehicle 10.
The method further includes the step of sensing a humidity level outside the vehicle 10 for determining if actuation of the heat transfer device 24 will produce condensation on the windshield 16. If the humidity level is above a pre-determined level, it is likely that condensation will form on the windshield 16 as heat is removed from the surface 20 of the panel 18, thereby cooling the panel 18. When the humidity level is above the pre-determined level, the control mechanism 34 will not actuate the heat transfer device 24 to prevent condensation from forming on the windshield 16 and to prevent obstructing a driver's visibility.
The method further includes the step of actuating a heat transfer device 24 for removing heat from the surface 20 of the panel 18. A control mechanism 34, which a passenger operates, actuates the heat transfer device 24. The passenger sets a desired thermal comfort level. The control mechanism 34 then determines if the desired thermal comfort level requires the actuation of the heat transfer device 24. If so desired, the control mechanism 34 signals for the actuation of the heat transfer device 24.
Referring to
As discussed in the alternative embodiment six and as shown in
The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards; thus, the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and do come within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of legal protection afforded this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims.
