METHOD AND DEVICE FOR STARTING AN AIR EXCHANGE OPERATION

Abstract

The document relates to a method and a device for starting an air exchange operation of a ventilation, heating and/or air-conditioning system which feeds recirculation air and/or fresh air to a space for at least one person. The air exchange operation is started if the person activates a dedicated operator control element, provided with a characteristic symbol for air exchange operation, and includes appreciably increasing previously applicable setting values both with respect to the portion of fresh air in the air fed to the space and also for an air flow targeted at least one person in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for starting an air exchange operation of a ventilation, heating and/or air-conditioning system which feeds recirculation air and/or fresh air to a space for at least one person, comprising: starting said air exchange operation by activating a dedicated operator control element, having a characteristic symbol, for air exchange operation; and increasing previously applicable setting values both with respect to a portion of fresh air fed to the space and also for an air flow targeted at least one person in the space.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, including increasing a setting value for the portion of fresh air which is applicable before activating the dedicated operator control element in such a way that ambient air is exchanged as quickly as possible with filtered fresh air without significantly adversely affecting comfort of the at least one person.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, including changing setting values for a temperature and/or intensity of the air flow targeted at the at least one person, which are applicable before activating the dedicated operator control element, in such a way that a drop in temperature and an increase in intensity that can be clearly perceived by the at least one person takes place without significantly adversely affecting the comfort of the at least one person.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, including achieving clear perceptibility of the increase in intensity by directing the air flow tangentially at a head and chest of the at least one person.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, including ending the air exchange operation if the at least one person activates the operator control element for the air exchange operation once more, or after expiry of a preset time period, and resetting the setting values to the previously applicable values when the air exchange operation ends.

6. A device for starting an air exchange operation of a ventilation, heating and/or air-conditioning system which feeds recirculation air and/or fresh air to a space for at least one person, comprising: a dedicated operator control element for starting an air exchange operation wherein the dedicated operator control element is configured in particular for carrying out the method as claimed in claim 1.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the dedicated operator control element is a control button which is provided with a symbol, wherein the symbol is composed of a first U-shaped arrow and a second U-shaped arrow, the first U-shaped arrow pointing toward the center of a first semicircular section of the second U-shaped arrow, and a start of the second U-shaped arrow being located approximately in a center of a second semicircular section of the first U-shaped arrow.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein within an approximately square virtual outline of the symbol, the first U-shaped arrow starts top left with a first straight horizontal section which is adjoined by the second semicircular section having a first radius approximately a third of a height of the approximately square virtual outline and which ends with a first arrow tip, and the second U-shaped arrow starts with a second straight section which extends in a direction indicated by the first arrow tip of the first U-shaped arrow and which is adjoined by the first semicircular section with a second radius approximately a third of the height of the outline and which is adjoined by a second straight section which ends bottom right in the approximately square virtual outline with a second arrow tip.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the space is an essentially enclosed passenger compartment of a vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0023] A description of exemplary embodiments on the basis of the drawings follows. In the drawings:

[0024] FIGS. 1a and 1b show a procedure for starting an air exchange operation of a motor vehicle air-conditioning system;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment for a symbol for starting and stopping an air exchange operation; and

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a variant of the symbol for starting and stopping an air exchange operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] An exemplary embodiment of a procedure for starting an air exchange operation of a motor vehicle air-conditioning system will now be explained with reference to the flow chart which starts in FIG. 1a and continues in FIG. 1b.

[0028] In a loop which is run through repeatedly, in step S1 a dedicated operator control element for air exchange operation in the motor vehicle, referred to below as air refresh button, is presented to the vehicle occupant or occupants. In step S2, it is checked whether the air refresh button has been activated or not. As long as the air refresh button has not been activated, the procedure jumps over all the following steps and then starts anew.

[0029] If activation of the air refresh button is detected in step S2, it is checked in step S3 whether the air-conditioning system is in an operating mode which in any case involves feeding a large amount of fresh air or which has priority over an air exchange operation. Such operating modes are e.g. a maximum demisting operation or operation with a maximum cooling effect. If a prioritized operating mode is currently set, the procedure jumps over all the following steps and starts anew.

[0030] If it is detected in step S3 that the currently set operating mode of the air-conditioning system is compatible with an air exchange operation, in step S4 setting values which are read out e.g. via a CAN bus of the vehicle, for the currently set operating mode of the air-conditioning system, for the passenger compartment temperature and for which blower of the air-conditioning system is currently operating with which intensity levels and which outlet temperatures are stored in step S5. A superimposition window which indicates the selection of the operating mode of air refresh and details thereon and which optionally also permits the user to change individual parameters of this operating mode as desired are displayed on a screen in step S6.

[0031] In step S7, vehicle parameters and ambient parameters which are relevant for the air conditioning, such as e.g. the velocity, the temperature and relative humidity of the ambient air, intensity of the solar radiation etc., are read out via the CAN bus, and in step S8 optional setting values for the currently set operating mode of the air-conditioning system, for the passenger compartment temperature and for which blowers of the air-conditioning system are currently operating with which intensity levels and outlet temperatures are calculated taking into account the vehicle parameters and ambient parameters, and in step S9 the air-conditioning system is instructed to apply these setting values.

[0032] Optimum setting values are those which appreciably increase the portion of fresh air in the air supply to the space and, if appropriate, also an air flow targeted at the vehicle occupant or occupants, in order to exchange the ambient air as quickly as possible with fresh air, without significantly adversely affecting the comfort of the vehicle occupant or occupants. However, vehicle occupants are to clearly perceive that an air exchange operation is carried out now. For this purpose, air flows with somewhat lower temperatures and higher flow speeds than previously are directed in the targeted fashion at the vehicle occupant or occupants, in order to give them a significant impression of a supply of fresh air and to give them both objective and subjective relief if they are suffering from stuffy air. It is not a problem, but can even be favorable, if the blower or blowers produce more noise while operating now since even the feeling that something is being done can be beneficial.

[0033] In step S10, a timer for a maximum air exchange time is also started.

[0034] In step S11 (FIG. 1b), the current velocity and the current setting values for blowers and the operating mode of the air-conditioning system are read out and used in step S12 to calculate a state of freshness of the air in the passenger compartment, e.g. as a percentage portion of the newly input fresh air in the passenger compartment air or as a portion of the still present old air which decreases exponentially. Corresponding functions can be calculated in advance or determined empirically and can then be used to represent in step S13 the added fresh air and/or the still present old air graphically and/or numerically in the superimposition window shown in step S6, with the result that occupants can track the progressive exchange of air even better.

[0035] In step S14 it is checked whether the maximum air exchange time is exceeded. If it is, the system progresses to step S17. If not, in step S16 it is checked whether the air refresh button which is presented in step S15 has been activated again or not. If the air refresh button has not been activated again, the system returns to step S12.

[0036] If it is detected in step S16 that the air refresh button has been activated again, this is interpreted as being an instruction to end the air exchange operation. At the end of the air exchange operation in step S17, the setting values for the operating mode, passenger compartment temperature and for which blowers of the air-conditioning system are currently operating with which intensity levels and outlet temperatures are also reset to the values stored in step S5.

[0037] In step S18, it is indicated to the vehicle occupant in the superimposition window that the operating mode of air refresh has been ended, as a result of which the procedure is ended and started again from the beginning.

[0038] A dedicated air exchange function, which exchanges the air in the passenger compartment with fresh air which is directed with an increased flow speed at vehicle occupants, in particular onto their head and chest, is made available by means of a flow of filtered external air, possibly still with a certain portion of recirculation air. Users can easily start and stop the function.

[0039] In difficult situations, e.g. in the case of hot, humid external air, the function can limit the external air supply to a value at which a sufficient air-conditioning system operation is still possible, i.e. without producing relatively warm air or exceeding the power limits of the air-conditioning system.

[0040] When the function starts, some or all of the following air-conditioning settings are activated: [0041] increased blower speed, optionally or, in particular, as a function of the previously set blower speed, the external air temperature and, if appropriate, the solar radiation; [0042] lowered expulsion air temperature, optionally or, in particular, as a function of the previously set expulsion air temperature, the external air temperature and, if appropriate, the solar radiation; [0043] selection of the active outlets for the expulsion air, optionally or, in particular, as a function of previously selected outlets, the external air temperature and, if appropriate, the solar radiation; [0044] displaying of a screen menu which permits manual changing of parameters of the air exchange operating mode, whether this be a changeover between various provided basic setting combinations or the changing of individual parameters, e.g. percentage fresh air portion or recirculation air portion. For this purpose, the air exchange operating mode can also be made optionally or, in particular, as a function of previous selections, of the external air temperature, and of further parameters such as, e.g. the external air humidity, the solar radiation, the velocity and/or blower rotational speeds; [0045] in any case, whether with or without a screen display, the starting and stopping of the air exchange operating mode and, if appropriate, also changes in parameters require fewer activation actions by the user; [0046] the supplying of filtered and temperature-controlled fresh air instead of unfiltered non-temperature-controlled fresh air with an open window; [0047] all the settings can also be made with a view to optimizing the air-conditioning operation within the power limit of the air-conditioning system; [0048] changes in settings can be limited to the effect that a user who feels that the passenger compartment air is stuffy and therefore starts the air exchange operating mode, finds the changes generally pleasant, and not unpleasant; [0049] the air exchange operating mode can still be made in a way which tends to be perceived by the user through moderately increased blower noise.

[0050] A numerical example is as follows: [0051] given an external air temperature of 30 C., the air-conditioning system will operate with four opened air outlets on the dashboard, from a total of seven air outlets distributed in the vehicle, in the recirculation air mode with an expulsion temperature of 13 C. and a velocity of more than 70 km/h. [0052] After the selection of the air exchange function, five of the seven air outlets are opened, specifically in addition one in the driver's door; the air-conditioning system then operates with 25% fresh air, and the expulsion temperature is lowered to 10 C. [0053] When the air exchange function is deselected, previous settings are restored, either to the same values or under the control of the air-conditioning automatic system according to the user's specifications.

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a particularly characteristic and particularly intuitive symbol for the starting and stopping of an air exchange operation, with which symbol a start-stop button or a corresponding screen control button can be provided.

[0055] The symbol is composed of two approximately U-shaped arrows 1 and 2 which are interleaved one in the other and of which the arrow 1 represents the fresh air fed in from the front, and the arrow 2 represents the used air discharged to the rear. The arrow tips also indicate to the user that these air movements take place forcibly. This intuitive visual impression can be strengthened further by suitable coloring, e.g. by a green or blue arrow 1 for cool and clean fresh air and by a red arrow 2 for polluted, stale and/or warm waste air.

[0056] The configuration shown in FIG. 2 can be varied without changing the overall impression of the symbol, e.g. by moderate horizontal stretching, as illustrated in FIG. 3.