Method and system for a vehicle sanitizing mode

US11897437B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Ford Global Technologies, LLC · US

Inventors

• Alan Gutowski · Wixom, US
• Curtis Mark Jones · Wixom, US
• Fred Koberstein · Troy, US
• Stephen White · Shanghai, CN
• Peter Mitchell Lyon · Birmingham, US
• John Eric Rollinger · Sterling Heights, US
• Scott Steadmon Thompson · Belleville, US
• M. Scott Christensen · Canton, US
• David Hancock · Plano, US
• Adam J. Richards · Canton, US
• Steve Skikun · Oakley Park, US
• Frank Fusco · Plymouth, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 19, 2020
• Grant date: Feb 13, 2024
• Expiry date: Jun 21, 2042

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F24F8/22
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, activating an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system and operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while the UVGI system may supplement the heat sanitizing.