Air conditioner for a vehicle having infrared ray sensor
US6202934A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 31, 2000 |
| Grant date | Mar 20, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 31, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60H1/00735
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An air conditioner for a vehicle which accurately estimates a thermal load to enhance inside temperature controllability. The air conditioner comprises a first surface temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of an internal surface region of a vehicle compartment which varies with a temperature of an external surface of a vehicle, and a second surface temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of a surface region which varies with an intensity of solar radiation intruding into the vehicle compartment. A target blowout air temperature is calculated using input signals including surface temperature signals detected by these sensors. Thus, intrusion heat (thermal load) due to a difference between an inside air temperature and a compartment internal surface temperature can be directly estimated to enable accurate thermal load calculation. Further, intrusion heat (thermal load) due to solar radiation into the vehicle compartment can be estimated using a temperature of an internal surface region which varies with solar radiation, thereby making it possible to carry out thermal load calculation with high accuracy.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.