Motor Vehicle

Abstract

In order to provide a motor vehicle, the roof of which is composed of a transparent material at least in some sections, wherein persons located in the motor vehicle are cooled by means of escaping air, air outlet openings are formed on both sides on opposite roof frame longitudinal segments, in each case in accordance with the number of seat rows. Air lines are provided, which convey air conditioned by at least one present air conditioning system to at least one air outlet opening. Sensors that detect occupancy of the present seats by a person are provided, and a controller for the present air conditioning system is provided, which adjusts an air conditioning system from the number of present air conditioning systems in such a way that an air flow having a predetermined temperature and having a predetermined air outlet speed is applied to an upper region of a person located on a seat.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising: a vehicle body forming a passenger cell, the vehicle body including a roof with a roof opening, a floor and body pillars, wherein the body pillars connect the roof to the floor and wherein the roof opening is surrounded by roof frame portions and is filled with a roof portion made of a transparent material; at least one air delivery system configured to deliver air into an interior of the vehicle body from surroundings of the vehicle or, where equipped, from an air-conditioning system of the vehicle; air outflow openings formed on both sides of the vehicle in opposite roof frame longitudinal portions, corresponding air outflow openings being provided for each row of seats in the vehicle; air lines via which the air delivery system delivers air to at least one of the air outflow openings; one or more seat occupancy sensors that detect seat occupancy of seats in the vehicle; and a controller for the at least one air delivery system, the controller adjusting the at least one air delivery system of a potential number of air delivery systems that are present such that an air volume flow having a predetermined air outlet velocity and a temperature corresponding to a temperature of surrounding air or, when an air-conditioning system is present, a selectable, cooled temperature, is applied to an upper region of a person located on a seat.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the air outflow velocity is set such that air applied onto a head and/or an upper body of the person located on the seat has a velocity of 0.1 m/s within a tolerance range of ±10%.

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising at least one fan configured to deliver the air volume flow.

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the air outflow openings are each formed in a housing, each respective housing is provided in a respective roof frame longitudinal portion, and at least one air-guiding element is arranged in each respective housing so as to be pivotable via a controllable drive.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 4, wherein in an arrangement with only one fan configured to deliver the air volume flow, adjustable throttling devices are provided by which the respective air volume flow exiting the respective air outlet opening is adjustable.

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 5, wherein when only one fan is provided and only one seat is occupied, via the adjustable throttling devices in the two opposite air outflow openings, a different air volume flow corresponding to a different spacing exits the corresponding opposite air outflow openings such that a descending total air volume flow is achieved directly over a head and/or an upper body of the person in the occupied seat.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 5, wherein when two seats of a respective seat row below corresponding air outlet openings are occupied, in each case an equal air volume flows out of the respective air outflow openings, the equal air volume being settable via corresponding setting of the respective air-guiding elements and/or of the air outflow velocity such that the respective air volume in each case descends directly over the head and/or the upper body of the respective person located on a seat with a velocity of at most 0.1 m/s within a tolerance range of ±10%.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the respective air-guiding elements deflect the outflowing air volume in a direction of the roof such that the air volume descends in each case directly over the head and/or the upper body of the respective person located on the seat with a velocity of at most 0.1 m/s within a tolerance range of ±10%.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the seat occupancy sensors are at least one of pressure sensors and seat-belt buckle detectors.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section view of a basic illustration of an interior of a motor vehicle, which illustrates the arrangement of air outflow nozzles in the roof frame level with the front seats and the rear seats.

[0021] FIG. 2A shows a first position of an air-guiding element which closes the respective air outlet opening.

[0022] FIG. 2B shows a second position of an air-guiding element in which the air-guiding element is in a horizontal position in which the respective air outlet opening is completely opened, with the result that a maximum air volume can flow out.

[0023] FIG. 2C shows a third position of an air-guiding element, the respective air-guiding element being pivoted upwardly through an angle from the horizontal position shown in FIG. 2B.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle interior at the height of a single person located on a front seat, with FIG. 3 illustrating the arrangement of air outflow nozzles in the roof frame level with the front seats and the rear seats.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle interior corresponding to FIG. 3, with a person sitting on each of the two front seats.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a basic illustration of a motor vehicle 1 in a longitudinal section. The motor vehicle has a body 2 which forms a passenger cell 3. The body 2 has, among other things, on both vehicle sides in each case a front body pillar or A pillar 4, a central body pillar or B pillar 5, and a rear body pillar or C pillar 6, spaced from one another.

[0027] The respective two A pillars 4, B pillars 5 and C pillars 6 are connected to one another (integrally) at their upper ends 7, 8, 9 via a roof frame longitudinal portion 14 extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction x. In the embodiment shown, a roof 11 of the motor vehicle 1 has a body roof opening 13 in which a roof portion 12 made of a transparent material, such as glass or plastic, is provided.

[0028] The body roof opening 13 is formed by two opposite roof frame longitudinal portions 14 which extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction x and are spaced apart in the vehicle transverse direction y and by two roof frame transverse portions 15 which extend in the vehicle transverse direction y and are spaced apart in the vehicle longitudinal direction x.

[0029] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, two air outflow openings 16, 17 are formed in one roof frame longitudinal portion 14 on one side of the motor vehicle 1. The front air outflow opening 16 is provided level with front seats 18 such that, within an adjustment range of the respective front seat 18, an air volume flow L.sub.m,16 can flow onto a head 19 and an upper body 19a of a person 20 located on the respective front seat 18.

[0030] The rear air outflow opening 17 as viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction x is formed in the roof frame longitudinal portion 14 in terms of its length and orientation in such a way that a head 21 and an upper body 21a of a person 23 located on a rear seat bench or a rear individual seat 22 can be impinged by an air volume flow L.sub.m,17 flowing out of the air outflow opening 17.

[0031] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the supply or control of the air outflow openings 16, 17 with air is achieved by way of two air delivery systems 24, 25 which deliver air into a vehicle interior 41 from the surroundings or, where appropriate, from at least one air-conditioning system for generating conditioned air.

[0032] The two air delivery systems 24, 25 are typically two air-conditioning systems 24, 25 which deliver conditioned, i.e. cooled, air to the air outflow openings 16, 17. In another embodiment, no air-conditioning systems are present, in which case the air delivery systems 24, 25 deliver the surrounding (outside) air to the air outflow openings 16, 17.

[0033] In the embodiment shown, the front air-conditioning system 24 is arranged in the region of an instrument panel 26 and/or a central console 27 in a known manner. In the embodiment shown, the second air-conditioning system 25 is arranged in the rear region 28 of the motor vehicle 1 below a luggage compartment floor 29 in a stowage space 30.

[0034] With the air-conditioning system 24 in the switched-on state, cool or cooled air is delivered, for example, through a cavity 4a in the A pillar 4 via a line 31 to the air outflow opening 16. A pivotable air-guiding element 34, 35 is arranged in a respective housing 32, 33 in which the respective air outflow opening 16, 17 is formed. The respective air-guiding element 34, 35 is generally adjusted automatically, for example by way of an electric drive, in order to set the required air volume flows L.sub.m,16 and L.sub.m,17.

[0035] Also depicted in FIG. 1 is a further air line 36 which is routed via a sill 37 and a cavity 5a in the B pillar 5 upwardly into the roof frame longitudinal portion 14. A further air line 38 is provided between the two housings 32 and 33.

[0036] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the air line 36 is connected to an air volume distribution device 39. It is possible by way of the air volume distribution device 39 for the air volume flow L.sub.m delivered through the air line 36 to be adjusted in such a way that an air partial volume L.sub.m,16 flows to the air outflow opening 16 and an air partial volume L.sub.m,17 flows to the air outflow opening 17. It is further possible, for example, for the air delivered through the air line 36 to be deflected completely to the air outflow opening 16 or completely to the air outflow opening 17.

[0037] The air-conditioning system 25 located in the cavity or stowage space 30 delivers conditioned air to the air outflow opening 17 via an airline 40 arranged in a cavity 6a in the C pillar 6. Depending on the use of a manually controllable air-conditioning system or a self-regulating automatic air conditioner, interior temperature sensors can be provided in the vehicle interior 41 for uniform cooling and automatic temperature control. The fan of the air-conditioning system 24, 25 can have, for example in dependence on the outside temperature, an adjustable air volume delivery.

[0038] In the embodiment shown, seat occupancy sensors 42 and 43 are provided which notify the controller of the respective air-conditioning system 24, 25 via corresponding signals whether a seat is occupied or not.

[0039] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C illustrate, by way of example, three different positions of an air-guiding element 34, 35. In one position P.sub.1 shown in FIG. 2A, the respective air outlet opening 16, 17 is closed.

[0040] In the position of the respective air-guiding element 34, 35 shown in FIG. 2B, the air-guiding element 34, 35 is in a horizontal position P.sub.2 in which the respective air outflow opening 16, 17 is completely opened. The result is that a maximum air volume can flow out.

[0041] In the position P.sub.3 shown in FIG. 2C, the respective air-guiding element 34, 35 is pivoted upwardly through an angle a out of the horizontal position P2 shown in FIG. 2B.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a predetermined setting of the respective air-conditioning system 24, 25 and a predetermined setting of the opposite air-guiding elements 34a, 34b (35a, 35b). By virtue of these settings, when only one seat is occupied by a single person 20 on a front seat 18, for example the driver's seat, a sufficient, cooled total air volume flow L.sub.m,16,total=L.sub.m,16a+L.sub.m,16b flows onto a head 19 and/or an upper body 19a of the person 20. This total air volume flow is composed of the air volume flows L.sub.m,16a and L.sub.m,16b. The two air elements 34a and 34b in FIG. 3 are in the horizontal position P2 shown in FIG. 2B.

[0043] In the situation shown in FIG. 3 in which only one person is seated on a predetermined seat, there occurs indirect diffuse impingement upon the head 19 of the person 20 in question corresponding to the different spacing y.sub.16a,19≧y.sub.16b,19 by two air flows of different intensity. This results in a descending air volume flow directly over the head of the person 19 detected by the corresponding sensor 42, 43.

[0044] In one embodiment, two fans are provided which supply the respective air outflow opening 16, 16a (17a, 17b) with air. In another embodiment, only one fan is provided. In this case, throttling devices are present which correspondingly set the air volume flow, with the result that the effect shown in FIG. 3 occurs.

[0045] In FIG. 4, two persons 20, 20′ are located on the front seats 18, 18′. The air delivery volume L.sub.m,16 of the respective air-conditioning system 24, 25 and the air-guiding elements 34a and 34b are adjusted in such a way that a sufficient air volume flows onto the respective head 19, 19′ of the respective person 20, 20′.

[0046] In FIG. 4, the respective air-guiding element 34a, 34b is in the inclined position P.sub.3 shown in FIG. 2C for the air-guiding element 34a. In the inclined position P.sub.3′ of the air-guiding element 34b, the air-guiding element 34b is inclined by the same angular degree but in the other direction than is shown in FIG. 2C.

[0047] With an occupancy of both front (rear) seats 18 (22) as shown in FIG. 4, the respective air volume outflow must be obtained uniformly. In the embodiment shown, the respective air-guiding elements 34a, 34b are set in the inclined position P.sub.3, P.sub.3′ in such a way that the air volume flow is directed at a shallow angle onto an inner surface 12a of the transparent roof portion 12.

[0048] The air volume flow deflected on the inner surface 12a of the transparent roof portion 12 then flows onto the respective head 19, 19′ of the respective person 20, 20′.

[0049] The air outflow velocity v.sub.air,16 or v.sub.air,17 ranges within a range of v.sub.air,16,17=0.1 m/s±10%. At this velocity, there does not occur any drying out of the eyes, the mucous membranes and the airways. By virtue of the low air outflow velocity v.sub.air,16,17, the air outflow openings 16, 16a (17a, 17b) and the lines 31, 36, 38, 40 required therefore can be designed to be small.

[0050] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.