An air blowing device has a first blowing portion, a duct, and an airflow causing member. The first blowing portion has a guide surface and is provided with a first blowing outlet that blows air from a blower unit into a vehicle compartment. The airflow causing member defines at least one of a first passage and a second passage located on one side and an other side of the airflow causing member in a front-rear direction of a vehicle respectively in the duct. The airflow causing member sets a first condition in which a high-velocity airflow flows in the first passage and a low-velocity airflow flows in the second passage by decreasing a sectional area of the first passage to be smaller than a sectional area of the second passage. The high-velocity airflow flows along the guide surface and is blown into the vehicle compartment.

A defrost duct assembly for a vehicle includes a housing having a wall that defines an air passage. The air passage extends between an inlet and an outlet of the housing. The wall includes an opening into the air passage. A noise attenuation panel is attached to the housing, and covers the opening in the housing. The noise attenuation panel is an acoustic material that is operable to attenuate noise from within the passage of the housing, while maintaining sufficient air flow to adequately defrost a front windshield of the vehicle. The housing may include multiple outlets and multiple openings covered by one or more noise attenuation panels. The noise attenuation panel is preformed to mate with the housing, and minimize disturbance to the flow of air within the passage.

A sensor cleaning system for a vehicle is disclosed. In particular, the sensor cleaning system has anti-freezing and defrosting functions. The sensor cleaning system includes: an air tank configured to store compressed air; a heating element disposed in the air tank and configured to apply heat to the air tank; and a controller configured to operate the heating element when a preset condition is satisfied.

A sensor cleaning system has anti-freezing and thawing functions in an air-jet sensor cleaning system. The sensor cleaning system includes a distributor having a channel into which compressed air is introduced and having a plurality of exits. The distributor is configured to distribute the compressed air from the channel to each of the exits. A valve of the system is formed integrally with the distributor and is capable of being opened or closed to allow or prevent supply of the compressed air through each of the exits. A heating element of the system is configured to apply heat to the distributor and a controller is configured to operate the heating element when a preset condition is satisfied.

The invention relates to a device for protection of an optical sensor, comprising—at least one nozzle (9) for projection of air in front of the optical sensor (3), the projection nozzle being arranged on a side of the optical sensor and linked to an air discharge pump (13) via a discharge conduit (15) such that the air projected by the air projection nozzle is flush with the optical sensor,—and at least one suction conduit (17) arranged on the opposite side of the optical sensor to the projection nozzle. The suction conduit is linked to the discharge conduit of the pump, downstream of the pump, such that the suction in the suction conduit is achieved by a Venturi effect.

The photographing apparatus for vehicle includes image pickup device which is disposed inside of a window part provided in a vehicle and receives photographing luminous flux passing through a light transmissive portion, a heater, composed of heated wire, generates heat when being supplied electrical power from electric power source, a heated portion, fixed to the heater, faces an inner surface of the light transmissive portion and gives radiant heat to the light transmissive portion when receiving heat from the heater. The heated portion is a plate having a polygonal shape. Both ends of the heater are positioned at two different corner portions of the heated portion.

A method of controlling a HVAC system of a vehicle includes repeatedly sensing an area of a window of the vehicle that is not covered by frost with a sensor positioned adjacent the window. When the sensed area not covered by frost is less than an area threshold value, a HVAC controller controls the HVAC system to operate in a defrost mode. When the sensed area not covered by frost is equal to or greater than the area threshold value the HVAC controller controls the HVAC system to operate in a cabin heating mode. The HVAC controller automatically switches the HVAC system from the defrost mode to the cabin heating mode when the sensed area not covered by frost increases to a value that is equal to or greater than the area threshold value.

A device controls a defogging unit of a vehicle to be driven in a driving mode corresponding to a self-driving degree indicating a degree of depending on a self-driving system for a driving operation, and the defogging unit defogs a window of the vehicle. The device includes: an identification unit that identifies the self-driving degree; and a control execution unit that controls the anti-fogging function exhibited by the defogging unit. The self-driving degree is defined as exhibiting a higher value as the degree of depending on the self-driving system for the driving operation is larger. When the self-driving degree identified by the identification unit is a second value higher than a first value, the control execution unit controls the anti-fogging function executed by the defogging unit to be lower than that when the self-driving degree identified by the identification unit is the first value.

In an embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to an assembly for preventing condensation on a surface of an object. The assembly may include a condensation mitigation device; a surface temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature; an ambient temperature sensor configured to sense an ambient temperature; and a humidity sensor configured to sense a humidity. The condensation mitigation device may be operably coupled to the surface temperature sensor, the ambient temperature sensor, and the humidity sensor. The condensation mitigation device may be configured to calculate a dewpoint temperature based on the ambient temperature and the humidity; repeat the calculation of the dewpoint temperature for different times; calculate a linear regression for the calculated dewpoint temperatures; and transmit a control signal to begin activating the condensation mitigation device based on the surface temperature, the current dewpoint temperature, and the linear regression for the calculated dewpoint temperatures.

The present invention relates to a windshield and wiper blade deicing system. The system is designed to use a plurality of vents that are angled to blow out or direct warm air from the vehicle engine and heater of the vehicle towards the windshield and wiper blades for quickly melting ice and snow thereon. The plurality of vents can be disposed near, or proximal to, the base of the windshield and the vehicle hood. The system uses internal warm air generated from the vehicle engine, and the heater of the vehicle and control same with a deicing controller. The system can be controlled by a plurality of control buttons disposed on a dashboard of the vehicle. The system can also be controlled remotely by a key fob of the vehicle.