Preh-werke Gmbh Co. Kg

Juergen Bach

Hans-Michael Schmitt

Thomas Polzer

Martin Blaufuss

Rudolf Hartmann

Guenther Oennig

Gottfried Berthold

The regulated heating and air conditioning installations normally enable, when controlled, integration of the main factors affecting the comfort of passengers, in particular preventing the windscreen and the other windows from getting clouded. In order to detect incipient mist formation, condensation and moisture sensors generate detection signals, which initiate steps for preventing mist formation when a threshold value is exceeded. Measures are taken for preventing mist formation based on requirements and in a manner adapted to the changing moisture conditions of the glass panes, for example, by using points of intervention stored in a processor. Steps are therefore taken to prevent mist formation, based on moisture variation gradients of the glass panes. Depending on the moisture of the glass panes varying in time and in terms of values, each point of intervention is generally set on as soon as possible, but the latest possible, the local conditions and local meteorological elements being taken into consideration when the method is applied.

Method and apparatus for preventing fogging on the windows of a motor vehicle

The invention relates to a sensor unit for detecting the wetting of a window. Signals from the condensation sensor are used to control an air conditioning, heating, and/or ventilation unit. The signals of the rain sensor, on the contrary, are used to control a windshield wiper or washing unit for vehicles. A sensor unit, which comprises two sensors, is placed on the interior of the window. In a preferred variant, both are coupled to a common switchable evaluation unit, so that through mutual evaluation of the two sensors or their signals, both incipient condensation on the interior of a vehicle window and the wetting of the exterior, e.g., by rain, is detected. In an improvement of the invention, both sensors are integrated into a sensor module.

Sensor unit for detecting the wetting of a window

As is well known, the influencing variables most important for a sense of comfort are considered during regulation in controlled heating and air conditioning units. Incipient condensation on the windshield or other windows in particular is to be prevented thereby. Sensor modules, inter alia, are employed for this purpose, which have, for example, a capacitative thin-layer sensor. An additional thermopile is provided for determining the window temperature. The present idea eliminates the determination of the window temperature, for which purpose a sensor working capacitatively in the exemplary embodiment is brought directly to the window temperature and a direct thermal coupling of the sensor with the window occurs via a metal plate connected directly to the sensor and a thin adhesive film. The metal plate can thereby form one of the electrodes of the sensor itself or be connected to said electrode in a direct thermal manner. The use of the sensor in the sensor module is a further preferred embodiment.

Sensor for detecting condensation and use in a sensor module

A capacitive sensor for detecting surface condensation which includes a carrier ( ), a metal layer ( ) applied to the carrier ( ) to form an interdigital structure, a passivation layer ( ) formed over the metal layer ( ), and a hydrophilic layer ( ) applied over the passivation layer ( ), where the hydrophilic layer ( ) increases a surface tension of the passivation layer ( ).

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Bad Neustadt, Germany

Juergen Bach