Installation for heating and/or ventilating the passenger compartment of a vehicle employing selective extraction of air

[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of heating/ventilating the passenger compartment of vehicles.

[0003] Vehicle heating/ventilating devices comprise, in a conventional manner, means for providing a flow of cold, or chilled, air and warm air mixed in controllable proportions and introduced into the passenger compartment of a vehicle.

[0004] The incoming flow of air is distributed in the passenger compartment by a plurality of air distribution channels, the channels connected to various air diffusion louvres or inlets located at different positions, in particular near the feet, at mid-height and in the dashboard near the windscreen.

[0005] The airflow is forced into the passenger compartment by the speed of the vehicle and/or by means of a motor driven fan or “pulser” which produces an overpressure in the passenger compartment with respect to the pressure of the external environment.

[0006] Because of this overpressure, the air in the passenger compartment is evacuated towards the rear of the vehicle by means of vents called “extractors”, usually located at the rear of the vehicle, in order to enable an even sweeping of the passenger compartment by the circulating flow of air.

[0007] However, this conventional configuration, even though allowing a satisfactory renewal of the air in the passenger compartment space, does not always result in optimal comfort or good control of air circulation because of the complex geometry of the passenger compartment i.e., dead are poorly swept by the flow of air and due to the screening effect caused by the seats).

[0008] Moreover, this configuration does not take into account differing needs for example, the requirement to optimize defrosting, to provide more passenger comfort, to increase the ventilation for some passengers and to reduce it for others, etc.

[0009] In addition, in particular from U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,855, a smoke removal device is known which makes it possible to draw off tobacco smoke before it mixes with the air contained in the passenger compartment. However, this device does not make it possible to favor the distribution and circulation of air in the passenger compartment.

[0010] The present invention aims to overcome these various difficulties by proposing an installation for heating and/or ventilating the passenger compartment of an vehicle simultaneously allowing:

[0011] a better control of the airflow, making possible control of the pathway of air between its entry into and exit from the passenger compartment,

[0012] optimization of comfort in each zone, with the possibility of selective regulation of the airflow in each of the zones of the compartment (driver, front passenger, rear passengers, windscreen), and

[0013] an increase in heat exchange and ventilation capacity: the airflow being limited to the zone where it is needed, losses are less and the size of the pulser can therefore be reduced, with a correlated reduction in cost, volume and noise level.

[0014] According to the present invention there is provided an installation for heating and/or ventilating the passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising means for producing flows of cold, or chilled, air and of warm air, and a plurality of air distribution channels connected to a plurality of air diffusion inlets, with at least one air extractor designed to put the internal space of the passenger compartment in connection with the ambient outside air and to remove air from the passenger compartment as a result of the pressure difference between the compartment interior and the compartment exterior, and further comprising a plurality of air extraction channels connected to corresponding extraction vents distributed at different locations in the passenger compartment, and an apportioning means for selective control of the distribution of the extracted airflow between the various extraction channels to increase the distribution and circulation of air in at least one zone of the passenger compartment.

[0015] Thus embodiments of the present invention prevent some zones of the passenger compartment being little or poorly ventilated.

[0016] The apportioning means make it possible to selectively distribute the extracted airflow between the different extraction channels.

[0017] The apportioning means may advantageously comprise means for closing in a controlled and selective manner at least some of the extraction vents.

[0018] The extraction vents may, in particular, be located near the floor of the vehicle, or integrated into a seat of the vehicle, in particular in the upper part of the latter, or may be located at the top of the windscreen of the vehicle.

[0019] Preferably, the air extraction channels are connected to forced extraction means.

[0020] A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the single attached FIGURE which shows diagrammatically, in longitudinal cross-section, the passenger compartment of a vehicle.

[0021] The vehicle comprises a block 10 for production of cold, or chilled, air and warm air, with a pulser making it possible to force the air under pressure into the passenger compartment 12 of the vehicle through a plurality of air distribution channels which are connected to various air diffusion inlets.

[0022] As an alternative to or in addition to air extractors incorporated in the floor at the rear of the vehicle, a plurality of air extraction vents are provided, distributed at different locations in the passenger compartment in order to evacuate the air introduced under pressure by the pulser into the interior of the passenger compartment.

[0023] Thus extraction vents 14 may be provided located near the floor of the vehicle.

[0024] Other extraction vents 16 may be situated near the seats 18, or even incorporated into the seats, preferably at the height of the passenger's heads, for example by incorporating the said extraction vents in the headrest of the seats 18.

[0025] It is likewise very advantageous to provide one or more extraction vents 20 located at the top of the windscreen 22 of the vehicle, for example extraction vents may be integrated in the roof of the vehicle.

[0026] These extraction vents 14, 16 and 20 are connected to air extraction channels 24, 26 and 28, respectively, opening either on the exterior of the passenger compartment through an opening 29, or into a common collecting channel 30 which leads outside the passenger compartment. Preferably, extraction means 32 are provided on the collecting channel 30 making it possible to force the air extraction in the channels 24, 26 and 28 and thus the extraction of air out of the passenger compartment through the extraction vents 14, 16 and 20.

[0027] Very advantageously, the extraction vents/extractors can be adjusted and/or closed depending on passenger needs, for example, by providing an apportioning means 34 for controlling the opening of the various extraction vents, which may take the form of vent flaps or valves in the various extraction channels. It will be possible in this way to modulate and control the flows of air in the passenger compartment depending on passenger requirements. Thus, if it is desired to give priority to defrosting, it will be possible to occlude, totally or partially, the extraction vents 14 and 16 and to open the roof vent to the maximum so as to optimize circulation of hot air against the windscreen 22 and to avoid detachment of air from the windscreen during defrosting mode.

[0028] Conversely, if it is desired to give preference to the isolation of one of the passengers, for example, a passenger who is smoking, it would be possible to fully open the extraction vents 16 incorporated in the seat corresponding to the passenger so as to concentrate the extraction, and thus the air circulation, in the zone around the passenger, more particularly in the upper region of the zone.

[0029] The extraction vents/extractors may equally be controllable and occludable in relation to a zone of the passenger compartment. Each zone corresponds to the immediate surroundings of the driver or of a passenger. Thus, comfort zones are created for each vehicle occupant and it is possible to ventilate or not ventilate a zone of the passenger compartment.

[0030] The apportioning means for opening the extraction vents/extractors may be manual or automatic, and provided, for example, by equipping the extraction vents with motor driven flaps.

[0031] Conversely, if it is desired to give preference to the isolation of one of the passengers, for example a passenger who is smoking, it would be possible to fully open the extraction vents 16 incorporated in the seat corresponding to the passenger so as to concentrate the extraction, and thus the air circulation, in the zone around the said passenger, more particularly in the upper region of the said zone.

[0032] The extractors may equally be controllable and occludable in relation to a zone of the passenger compartment. Each zone corresponds to the immediate surroundings of the driver or of a passenger. Thus, comfort loops are created for each passenger and it is possible to ventilate or not ventilate a zone of the passenger compartment.

[0033] The said controls for opening the extractors may be manual or automatic, provided, for example, by vents equipped with motor driven flaps.

[0034] In the latter case it may be advantageous to centralise the control of the different extraction vents by coupling them together, which makes it possible to provide the operator with an automatic control depending on various predetermined programmes.