Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Denso Corporation

Nippondenso Co., Ltd.

Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho

Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Denso Corporation Kariya

Goro Uchida

Yasushi Kato

Shinji Aoki

Hajime Ito

Toshio Morikawa

Norifumi Ban

Takashi Ban

Yukio Uemura

Katsuaki Matsushima

Akinori Ido

According to the present invention, in a heating apparatus having a viscous heater using viscous fluid for heating cooling water, when an engine rotational speed is lower than a set rotational speed relative to a temperature of viscous fluid, a viscous clutch is turned on to transmit a rotational driving force of the engine to a rotor of the viscous heater. In this way, a shearing force is applied to the viscous fluid in the heat-generating chamber, and the circulating cooling water is heated by generated heat of the viscous fluid to improve the heating capacity. When the engine rotational speed is higher than the set rotational speed relative to a temperature of viscous fluid, a viscous clutch is not turned on. Therefore, the rotational driving force of the engine is not transmitted to the rotor of the viscous heater, so that the shearing force is not applied to the viscous fluid to prevent the oil temperature of the viscous fluid from increasing excessively higher than 200.degree. C.

Heating apparatus for vehicle, having heat-generating unit

According to the present invention, when an air-conditioning clutch of a compressor is set on, even if an improvement of a heating capacity by a viscous heater is required, a viscous clutch is turned off not to transmit a rotational driving force of an engine to a rotor of the viscous heater, and further the rotational driving force of the engine is transmitted to the compressor. In this way, a torque applied to the engine E and the V-belt can be reduced, so that a fuel consumption ratio of the engine lowers and a fuel economical performance improves. Further, because an operation of the compressor is intermitted, it is possible to remove a fog of a front windshield, so that a safety of the vehicle travelling can be prevented from being deteriorated.

Heating apparatus for vehicle, having heat generating unit

When a driver performs a steering operation with a small steering angle when a vehicle is stopped, a viscous clutch of a viscous heater is turned on after setting an idling rotational speed of an engine to a high value to prevent an engine stall. Further, when a driver performs the steering operation with a large steering angle when the vehicle is stopped, the viscous clutch is not turned on so that the viscous heater is not operated, thereby greatly reducing a driving load applied to the engine and a V-belt thereof.

Heating apparatus for vehicle

A viscous heater for heating cooling water for cooling a water cooled engine is disposed in a cooling water circuit, and a front heater core is disposed in the cooling water circuit at a downstream side of the viscous heater with reference to a flow direction of the cooling water. Only when a heating operation is the maximum heating operation or the maximum heating operation is desired, a viscous clutch is turned on to transmit a driving force of the engine to the viscous heater. When the maximum heating operation is not desired, the viscous clutch is turned off so that the driving force of the engine is not transmitted to the viscous heater. Therefore, a load of the engine is reduced, and the cost for running the vehicle can be lowered.

According to the present invention, when a vehicle speed is less than a set value (e.g., 40 km/h) and a throttle opening degree is more than a set value, it is determined that the vehicle is accelerating, and a viscous clutch is turned off. Therefore, a shearing operation of high-viscosity fluid by a rotor of a viscous heater is not performed. In this way, a driving load applied to an engine is reduced, so that an accelerating state suitable for an intention of a driver can be obtained. Further, when the vehicle speed is more than a set value (e.g., 40 km/h) and an engine rotational speed is more than a set value (e.g., 3500 r.p.m.), the viscous clutch is turned off, and a driving load applied to the engine and a V-belt is reduced.

A heating apparatus for a vehicle includes a heat exchanger for implementing heat exchange between coolant which has cooled an engine and air directed to a vehicle interior to heat the vehicle interior. A viscous heater has a rotor and a heating chamber containing viscous fluid. The rotor rotates when being subjected to rotational power of the engine. The viscous fluid is subjected to a shear force and is heated when the rotor is subjected to the rotational power. The viscous heater heats the coolant fed to the heat exchanger as the viscous fluid in the heating chamber is heated. A clutch is operative for selectively permitting and inhibiting transmission of the rotational power from the engine to the rotor. A belt transmission device connects the engine and the clutch. A physical quantity detecting device is operative for detecting a physical quantity related to a rotational speed of the rotor. A control device is operative for controlling the clutch to inhibit the transmission of the rotational power from the engine to the rotor when the physical quantity detected by the physical quantity detecting device is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

In a heating apparatus according to the present invention, when a temperature of cooling water in a cooling water circuit is equal to a set cooling water temperature or less, a viscous clutch is turned on to operate a viscous heater disposed in the cooling water circuit, for maintaining the temperature of the cooling water in the cooling water circuit at a predetermined value. A shaft of the viscous heater is rotated by a water-cooled engine through a belt transmitting mechanism and the viscous clutch. The set cooling water temperature is increased in accordance with an increase of a target air temperature calculated based on a set temperature, an inside air temperature, an outside air temperature, and a sunlight amount to optimize a used condition of the viscous heater.

Heating apparatus for vehicle having heat-generating unit

An air conditioner for a vehicle which prevents backflow of outside air into a vehicle interior. An inside/outside air switching damper of the air conditioner for a vehicle is connected to a servo motor by a link. Due to driving of the servo motor, the inside/outside air switching damper swings between an inside air position, at which the inside/outside air switching damper closes an inside air passage side opening, and an outside air position, at which the inside/outside air switching damper closes an inside air suction opening. The servo motor is connected to an amplifier for control. An inside/outside air mode switch, a blowout opening mode switch, a vehicle speed sensor, and a blower voltage detecting circuit are connected to the amplifier for control. When a ram pressure generated when a vehicle is traveling becomes greater than a blower discharge pressure, the inside/outside air switching damper closes the inside air suction opening and outside air is introduced into an inside air passage through a bypass duct.

Air conditioner for a vehicle

An air conditioner for a vehicle which has a first chamber having a heat exchanger, a second chamber having at least one ventilation diffuser and a third chamber having heater and defroster diffusers, said third chamber being connected in the downstream of said second chamber, and a switching damper provided to control the communication between said second chamber and said third chamber. The air conditioner has a remarkably small air resistance and can obtain sufficient air flow rate in the ventilating made both dynamic pressure or other forcible types and has the degree of freedom necessary for designing a predetermined space in the lower portion of the chamber having the ventilation diffusers.

Air conditioner for vehicle

An air conditioner for use in a vehicle includes a housing having air inlet and outlet openings. Air is introduced into the housing through the air inlet openings and processed air is ultimately ventilated out of at least one air outlet opening. An air fan is provided to be in communication with the air inlet openings and is located in the housing. The air fan blows intaken air toward a heating means which subsequently warms the air. The assembly further includes an air damper which controls the amount of air which is forced through the heating means. Additionally, a cool air duct having inlet and outlet openings is provided in the assembly such that the inlet opening of the duct is located upstream from the heating means. Thus, air entering the cool air inlet opening bypasses the heating means and never mixes with warm air from the heating means, resulting in this air being ventilated through the outlet openings as cold air. The warm air ventilated through the outlet openings is directed toward a lower body portion of the passenger, while the cool air ventilated through the outlet openings is directed toward an upper body portion of a passenger.

Air conditioner assembly for use in a vehicle

An air conditioner for a vehicle has a heater core for heating air blown from upstream thereof and discharging the heated air downstream thereof. An air passage is arranged in parallel with the heater core, and the air flow through the heater core and the air passage is controlled by a rotatable damper. A first chamber is provided downstream of the heater core and air passage for mixing the heated air from the heater core with non-heated air from the air passage. A second chamber is provided downstream of the first chamber for distributing the mixed air to a ventilation diffuser and/or to a third chamber. The third chamber can distribute the air alternatively to a defroster or a heater diffuser. Closable bypass passages are provided directly connecting the discharge end of the heater core with the third chamber, so that extra heated air may be moved directly to the third chamber when desired, thereby allowing the passenger to have cool air around his head and heated air around his legs.

An air mixing control type air conditioner used for an automobile for controlling the diffusing air temperature so as to follow a main temperature control at an assistant driver's seat side for a main temperature control at a driver's seat side and to also maintain desired high or low temperature difference with respect to the main temperature control. Thus, the diffusing air temperature of the sub control system following the main diffusing air temperature can be controlled in a range of a predetermined constant temperature difference with respect to the main diffusing air temperature of the main control system. Accordingly, desired automotive cmpartment temperature can be obtained merely by a single main control lever.

Growing community of inventors

Toyota, Japan

Goro Uchida