Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Karma Vir Sangwan

Thomas Martin Urbank

Charles Andrew Archibald

Ernesto Jose Gutierrez

James Joseph Christen

Sean Michael Kelly

Malcolm James Grieve

Mingyu Wang

John E Kirwan

John F O'Brien

Ardeean Scoccia

Taylor R Eckstein, Jr

Ronald J Goubeaux

Aaron P Running

Susan Claire Vasko

George H Johnson

John F Wurster

Valentina A Scarlett

Andrew J Jackson

Michael S Barnes

A vehicle climate control system develops a fog index based on relative humidity at or near the inner surface of the windshield, and uses the fog index to variably override the normal control settings. The relative humidity is combined with a pair of humidity thresholds to form a dimensionless fog index, and fog index values within a predetermined range are applied to a variable path function for transitioning between existing control settings and control settings that maximize defogging.

Humidity-based defog control method for a vehicle climate control system

An integrated capacity control valve for a variable capacity refrigerant compressor includes an integral pressure sensor that is continuously coupled to a discharge port of the valve for measuring the refrigerant discharge pressure. A plunger of the control valve is disposed within a passage coupling the compressor crankcase to the discharge port, and is positioned by pneumatic and electric control elements to regulate the refrigerant suction pressure. The plunger has intersecting axial and lateral bores that define a continuous passage between the discharge port and a cavity in which the pressure sensor is retained so that the sensor is continuously exposed to the discharge pressure regardless of the plunger position, and refrigerant discharge pressure in the lateral bore produces a bias force on the plunger that compensates the pneumatic suction pressure setpoint for a pressure drop between the evaporator and the suction port of the valve.

Integrated control valve for a variable capacity compressor

An improved HVAC control method immediately closes an air inlet valve to provide full cabin air recirculation when an outside air quality sensor detects polluted air, and thereafter progressively re-opens the air inlet valve at a determined rate when the air quality sensor detects unpolluted air. Preferably, the air quality sensor quantifies the pollution level of the outside air, and the opening rate of the air inlet valve is determined based on the detected pollution level. Following a high level of detected air pollution, the valve is re-opened at a relatively slow rate, and following a low level of detected air pollution, the valve is re-opened at a relatively fast rate.

Inlet air control method for a vehicle HVAC system having an air quality sensor

A pneumatically-operated control valve selectively opens and closes a passage between discharge and crankcase chambers of a variable capacity refrigerant compressor for purposes of controlling the compressor capacity, and includes an integral pressure sensor for measuring the compressor discharge pressure. The valve includes a plunger having an axis, a stopper biased against a seat in the passage coupling the discharge and crankcase chambers, an annular bellows and a pressure sensor. A portion of the plunger passes through the annular bellows, and one end of the bellows is attached to the plunger for axially displacing the plunger to unseat the stopper. The stopper and plunger are maintained in engagement, and have axial bores that are aligned to form a passage between the compressor discharge chamber and a cavity in which the pressure sensor is retained.

Pneumatically operated compressor capacity control valve with discharge pressure sensor

An air quality system for controlling air quality in a cabin of a vehicle is provided. The air quality system utilizes three air quality sensors for detecting three air quality parameters. A controller is responsive to the air quality sensors. The controller is programmed to determine a current value of the air quality parameters from the air quality sensors and to determine whether the current value of any of the air quality parameters exceeds a predetermined limit. The predetermined limits for the air quality parameters are based on levels indicative of poor air quality for the cabin. The controller is operable between purging and non-purging modes to purge the air from the cabin in the purging mode when the current value of any of the measured air quality parameters exceeds the respective predetermined limit.

Air quality system for a vehicle

A manually controlled motor vehicle HVAC system is activated for automatically pre-heating or pre-cooling the cabin following remote starting of the vehicle engine. When the engine has been remotely started, an HVAC controller estimates initial outside air and cabin air temperatures, and determines if pre-heating or pre-cooling is appropriate based on the estimated initial temperatures, the engine coolant temperature and a measure of the engine soak time. When pre-heating or pre-cooling is deemed to be appropriate, the HVAC parameters normally set by a driver interface panel are selectively overridden based on the estimated initial outside air and cabin air temperatures. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the initial outside air temperature is estimated based on an inlet air temperature sensor of the engine or on a refrigerant pressure sensor of the HVAC system prior to activation of the refrigerant compressor.

HVAC control method for a remote start motor vehicle

A capacity control system for a variable capacity refrigerant compressor includes an internal bleed passage coupling a crankcase chamber of the compressor to a suction port, an electrically-operated two-port control valve that selectively opens and closes a passage between the crankcase chamber and a discharge chamber, and pressure sensors for measuring the compressor discharge pressure and suction pressure. A plunger of the control valve is disposed within the passage coupling the crankcase chamber and the discharge chamber, and a solenoid armature linearly positions the plunger within the passage to open and close the passage. The plunger has an axial bore that forms a continuous passage between the discharge chamber and a cavity in which the discharge pressure sensor is retained so that the sensor is continuously exposed to the discharge pressure regardless of the plunger position.

Electrically operated compressor capacity control system with integral pressure sensors

A heating, venting, and air conditioning system utilizes a reformer to provide supplemental heat to a passenger compartment and to improve start-up emissions of an engine of a vehicle or power system. A pump circulates a fluid through the engine and throughout the system. A radiator and heater core transfer heat from the fluid. A first circuit cools the fluid upon circulation through the radiator after circulation through the engine to cool the engine, and a second circuit heats the passenger compartment and cools the fluid upon circulation through the heater core after circulation through the engine to cool the engine. The reformer, which converts a hydrocarbon or alcohol fuel into a reformate, generates heat. A third circuit, defined between the reformer and the pump and interconnected with the heater core, provides the supplemental heat from the reformer to the passenger compartment through the heater core and also to the engine.

Heating, venting, and air conditioning system for providing supplemental heat in a vehicle

An improved compressor capacity control method selectively overrides a normal capacity control during periods of vehicle acceleration to reduce engine exhaust emissions. The capacity override is invoked when the rate of engine throttle movement exceeds a predefined rate, provided that the load imposed by the compressor is sufficiently high and the vehicle speed is greater than a minimum value. Once invoked, the override reduces the compressor capacity to a predetermined level, and measures the elapsed time. The override is maintained for at least a minimum time period that ensures an emission benefit, after which the vehicle speed is monitored to determine the extent of the acceleration. The override is terminated when the rate of increase in vehicle speed falls below a reference rate, or when the elapsed time exceeds a reference time, whichever occurs first.

Air conditioning capacity control method for reducing motor vehicle engine exhaust emissions

A control method for a motor vehicle HVAC system categorizes potentially conflicting override commands for at least one control parameter in order to assign a priority of control. Override commands are categorized as being related to occupant safety, vehicle safety or occupant comfort. Highest priority is assigned to override commands categorized as being related to occupant safety, second-highest priority is assigned to override commands categorized as being related to vehicle safety, and third-highest priority is assigned to override commands categorized as being related to occupant comfort. An HVAC controller carrying out the control method then regulates the control parameter in accordance with the override command that has been assigned the highest priority.

Hierarchical control method for a motor vehicle HVAC system

A HVAC system is operable in a fresh air mode and a recirculation mode for use in a vehicle is disclosed. The HVAC system includes a blower and a HVAC module in fluid communication with and downstream of the blower for warming and cooling the air to be circulated through the passenger compartment in both the fresh air mode and the recirculation mode. The HVAC module includes an inlet duct in fluid communication with and upstream of the blower and located above the dashboard for drawing air from the passenger compartment above the dashboard and through the blower and the HVAC module in the recirculation mode. The inlet duct above the dashboard improves air circulation within the passenger compartment that improves the air warm-up rate. The inlet duct above the dashboard also improves the airflow across a windshield to prevent fogging of the windshield.

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system having improved air warm-up

An improved method of electric window heater activation automatically and independently activates front and rear window heaters at a variable level based on the respective potential of fogging, within the ability of the vehicle electrical system to supply the requested current without discharging the storage battery. A defog controller develops front and rear fog factors indicative of the relative potential of fogging, and activates the respective electric heaters as required to drive the respective fog factor to zero. The fog factors are based on an estimate of the cabin air dewpoint temperature, the temperature of the respective window surfaces, and a temperature interval over which the fog factor signals only partial activation of the respective heater. The temperature interval is biased in a direction to provide preventative activation of the heaters at a relatively low level when the electrical power requirement is limited, and the activation level is limited as required to prevent battery discharging.

Power control method for a motor vehicle electric window heater

An energy-efficient air conditioning control method regulates the capacity of a variable capacity refrigerant compressor based on the compressor suction and discharge pressures and a measure of the ambient temperature. A target suction pressure is selected based on the ambient temperature and the sensed discharge pressure, and the capacity of the compressor is adjusted as required to attain the target suction pressure. In a first embodiment of the control method, the ambient temperature is used to select a target evaporator outlet air temperature, which is used along with the sensed discharge pressure to select the target suction pressure, while in a second embodiment of the control method, the target suction pressure is selected directly on the basis of the ambient temperature and the sensed discharge pressure.

Energy-efficient capacity control method for an air conditioning compressor

An energy-efficient vehicle air conditioning system includes a variable capacity refrigerant compressor having a capacity control valve with integral refrigerant sensors and control circuitry, and a driver interface panel for selecting the discharge air temperature and inlet air source, and for selecting either a normal control mode or an energy-efficient control mode. When the energy-efficient control mode is selected, control setting indicators prompt the driver to request full-cold discharge air temperature and recirculated cabin air, and the control circuitry initiates a compressor capacity control based on the refrigerant sensor information and a measure of the outside air temperature to produce a suitable discharge air temperature at a reduced power consumption level.

Low-cost energy-efficient vehicle air conditioning system

An improved vehicle climate control system develops a fog factor indicative of the relative potential of windglass fogging, and uses the index to schedule offsets to normal control settings of the system. The air dewpoint temperature at the front windglass is estimated based on relative humidity and a reference temperature, and the fog factor is determined as a function of the estimated air dewpoint temperature and a measure of the windglass temperature. The fog factor is used to offset an air inlet door, mode doors, refrigerant compressor capacity, discharge air temperature, and blower motor speed.

Growing community of inventors

East Amherst, NY, United States of America

Karma Vir Sangwan