GB2341676A - Road vehicle air ventilation system - Google Patents
Road vehicle air ventilation system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2341676A GB2341676A GB9921871A GB9921871A GB2341676A GB 2341676 A GB2341676 A GB 2341676A GB 9921871 A GB9921871 A GB 9921871A GB 9921871 A GB9921871 A GB 9921871A GB 2341676 A GB2341676 A GB 2341676A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- air intake
- vehicle
- air
- cabin
- control unit
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
- B60H1/24—Devices purely for ventilating or where the heating or cooling is irrelevant
- B60H1/26—Ventilating openings in vehicle exterior; Ducts for conveying ventilating air
- B60H1/262—Openings in or on the vehicle roof
Abstract
A cabin air intake system for a road vehicle 10 having an air ventilation and climate control unit 14 positioned below the windscreen 12 of the vehicle for supplying conditioned ambient air through the dashboard to the passenger cabin 16 of the vehicle 10. The cabin air intake system comprises two air intake openings 42, 44 positioned to draw ambient air from an upper section of the vehicle 10 higher than the centre of the windscreen 12 of the vehicle 10. Two air intake ducts 22, 24 are connected from the respective air intake openings 42, 44 to the air ventilation and climate control unit 14, and are routed along the respective A-pillars 32, 34 of the vehicle 10.
Description
1 2341676 ROAD VEHICLE AIR VENTILATION SYSTEM
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to an air ventilation system of a road vehicle designed to minimise the concentration of noxious gases and particulate matter Entering the cabin of the vehicle.
Background of the invention
Cabin air quality has attracted increasing attention with the realisation that the driver and his passengers could be exposed to higher concentrations of pollutants than pedestrians. This is because a second vehicle travelling behind a first vehicle will be directly exposed to the exhaust plume of the first vehicle. Although this exhaust plume is dispersed progressively-with distance behind the first vehicle, a relatively high concentration of the pollutants could be drawn into the cabin of the second vehicle and inhaled by the occupants of the second vehicle.
Micro-filters and absorbers for cleaning the cabin air are not particularly effective in that, while they remove some of the larger size particulate matter and odour, most of the noxious gases like HC, CO, NOx and nano-size particles will still get through.
Summary of the invention
According to the present invention, there is provided a cabin air intake system for a road vehicle having an air ventilation and climate control unit positioned below the windscreen of the vehicle for supplying conditioned ambient air through the dashboard to the passenger cabin of the vehicle, characterised in that the cabin air intake system comprises at least one air intake opening positioned to draw ambient air from an upper section of the vehicle higher than the centre of the windscreen of the vehicle, and at least one air intake duct connecting the air intake opening to the air ventilation and.climate control unit.
The air intake opening may be an air scoop or a grill positioned near the roof of the vehicle.
The air intake duct leading from the air intake opening may be routed along an A-pillar of the vehicle towards the air ventilation and climate control unit below the windscreen. Alternatively, it may be routed downwards along a B-pillar of the vehicle, then forwards along an internal connection within a door of the vehicle when the door is closed, and may emerge across an A-pillar of the vehicle is towards the air ventilation and climate control unit.
Preferably, the cabin air intake system has two air intake openings positioned near the left and right edges of the vehicle and respective associated air intake ducts connecting the openings to a common air ventilation and climate control unit below the windscreen. In this case, a sensor may be provided in each of the air intake ducts for detecting the concentration of pollutants in the ambient air drawn into each duct, and an air diverting means may be provided in the air ventilation and climate control unit for preferentially allowing more ambient air to be drawn from one or the other air intake duct carrying the least concentration of pollutants.
The inventi on is predicated upon the realisation that the concentration of pollutants from the exhaust plume of a first vehicle travelling in front of a second vehicle is highest near the ground level and diminishes at higher levels above the ground. Thus by drawing ambient air from near the roof level of the second vehicle for supply the air ventilation and climate control unit, the cabin air quality in the second vehicle will be improved compared with a 3 conventional cabin air intake system positioned to draw ambient air from the hood level of the vehicle. Furthermore, because of the rake angle of the windscreen, the air intake opening of the present invention will naturally be positioned further away from the first vehicle thus allowing a longer mixing distance for the exhaust plume of the first vehicle to be diluted to a lower concentration before being drawn into the air ventilation and climate control unit of the second vehicle.
Brief description of the invention
The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying single perspective drawing of a vehicle having an air ventilation and climate control unit drawing air from an air intake system of the present invention.
Detailed description of the preferred embodiments
In the single drawing, an air ventilation and climate control unit 14 is positioned below the windscreen 12 near the hood level of the vehicle 10 for supplying conditioned ambient air through the dashboard of the vehicle by outlet streams 18 to the passenger cabin 16. The air ventilation and climate control unit 14 draws ambient air from two air intake ducts 22, 24 routed along the left and right A pillars 32, 34 respectively of the vehicle 10. Two air intake openings 42, 44 are positioned at roof level 36 on either side of the vehicle 10 and are connected separately along the respective air intake ducts 22, 24 for supplying ambient air to the air ventilation and climate control unit 14.
Gas sensors 26, 28 for detecting at least one of the noxious gases found in the engine exhaust, for example HC, CO or NOx, are provided in the respective air intake ducts 22, 24 for measuring the quality of the air drawn into each of the intake ducts. By comparing the measurements between the two sensors 26, 28, a controller in the air ventilation and climate control unit 14 determines which side of the vehicle has access to cleaner air and operates an air diverter valve 46 to preferentially draw more air from the cleaner side of the vehicle 10.
As an alternative, a microphone (not shown) may be io provided on each side of the vehicle for indicating the proximity of nearby traffic and inferring which side of the vehicle is likely to have access to cleaner air.
The air intake ducts 22, 24 should have water drainage is openings (not shown) at their lowest points according to common practice.
Claims (6)
1. A cabin air intake system for a road vehicle having an air ventilation and climate control unit positioned below the windscreen of the vehicle for supplying conditioned ambient air through the dashboard to the passenger cabin of the vehicle, characterised in that the cabin air intake system comprises at least one air intake opening positioned to draw ambient air from an upper section of the vehicle higher than the centre of the windscreen of the vehicle, and at least one air intake duct connecting the air intake opening to the air ventilation and climate control unit.
2. A cabin air intake system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air intake opening is an air scoop or a grill positioned near the roof of the vehicle.
3. A cabin air intake system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the air intake duct leading from the air intake opening is routed along an A-pillar of the vehicle towards the air ventilation and climate control unit.
4. A cabin air intake system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the air intake duct leading from the air intake opening is routed downwards along a B-pillar of the vehicle, then forwards along an internal connection within a door of the vehicle when the door is closed, and emerges across an A-pillar of the vehicle towards the air ventilation and climate control unit.
5. A cabin air intake system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cabin air intake system has two air intake openings positioned near the left and right edges of the vehicle and respective associated air intake ducts connecting the air intake openings to a common air ventilation and climate control unit.
6. A cabin air intake system as claimed in claim 5, wherein a sensor is provided in each of the air intake ducts for detecting the concentration of pollutants in the ambient air drawn into each duct, and an air diverting means is provided in the air ventilation and climate control unit for r preferentially allowing more ambient air to be drawn from one or the other air intake duct carrying the least concentration of pollutants.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9820267.4A GB9820267D0 (en) | 1998-09-18 | 1998-09-18 | Road vehicle air ventilation system |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9921871D0 GB9921871D0 (en) | 1999-11-17 |
| GB2341676A true GB2341676A (en) | 2000-03-22 |
Family
ID=10839027
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9820267.4A Ceased GB9820267D0 (en) | 1998-09-18 | 1998-09-18 | Road vehicle air ventilation system |
| GB9921871A Withdrawn GB2341676A (en) | 1998-09-18 | 1999-09-17 | Road vehicle air ventilation system |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9820267.4A Ceased GB9820267D0 (en) | 1998-09-18 | 1998-09-18 | Road vehicle air ventilation system |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (2) | GB9820267D0 (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102004005481A1 (en) * | 2004-02-04 | 2005-08-25 | Adam Opel Ag | Ventilation system for vehicle, comprising nozzle guided along roof supporting strut |
| DE112005002208B4 (en) * | 2004-09-09 | 2011-09-08 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Mobile object with fuel cell system |
| US9931909B2 (en) * | 2016-07-13 | 2018-04-03 | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. | Automated control of vehicle ventilation system |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1246803A (en) * | 1967-10-11 | 1971-09-22 | Smiths Industries Ltd | Improvements in or relating to vehicle air conditioning apparatus |
| GB1598029A (en) * | 1977-05-27 | 1981-09-16 | Daimler Benz Ag | Vehicle air heating and/or ventilating installations |
| US4711159A (en) * | 1986-09-23 | 1987-12-08 | Armbruster Joseph M | Built-in vehicle air filtration system |
| GB2201768A (en) * | 1986-12-22 | 1988-09-07 | Fortschritt Veb K | Driver cab ventilation |
| US5119718A (en) * | 1990-01-17 | 1992-06-09 | Deere & Company | Ventilating arrangement for the cab of a vehicle |
-
1998
- 1998-09-18 GB GBGB9820267.4A patent/GB9820267D0/en not_active Ceased
-
1999
- 1999-09-17 GB GB9921871A patent/GB2341676A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1246803A (en) * | 1967-10-11 | 1971-09-22 | Smiths Industries Ltd | Improvements in or relating to vehicle air conditioning apparatus |
| GB1598029A (en) * | 1977-05-27 | 1981-09-16 | Daimler Benz Ag | Vehicle air heating and/or ventilating installations |
| US4711159A (en) * | 1986-09-23 | 1987-12-08 | Armbruster Joseph M | Built-in vehicle air filtration system |
| GB2201768A (en) * | 1986-12-22 | 1988-09-07 | Fortschritt Veb K | Driver cab ventilation |
| US5119718A (en) * | 1990-01-17 | 1992-06-09 | Deere & Company | Ventilating arrangement for the cab of a vehicle |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102004005481A1 (en) * | 2004-02-04 | 2005-08-25 | Adam Opel Ag | Ventilation system for vehicle, comprising nozzle guided along roof supporting strut |
| DE112005002208B4 (en) * | 2004-09-09 | 2011-09-08 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Mobile object with fuel cell system |
| US8017278B2 (en) | 2004-09-09 | 2011-09-13 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Moving object with fuel cell system |
| US9931909B2 (en) * | 2016-07-13 | 2018-04-03 | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. | Automated control of vehicle ventilation system |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9921871D0 (en) | 1999-11-17 |
| GB9820267D0 (en) | 1998-11-11 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |