US 11,618,300 B2Granted

Active air curtain

AssigneeNio Technology (Anhui) Co., Ltd

InventorsAdam T. Woodward, Ren Ren, Matthew S. Filipkowski, Yifan Li

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are described herein that provide a localized temperature solution to a local temperature issue. Sunloading on one side of a vehicle can create a localized heating issue for an occupant on the same side of the vehicle. An air curtain system on the driver's side of the vehicle can detect high sunloading and then direct airflow onto an interior surface of the vehicle such as a door and window. The airflow provides an ambient cooling solution between the occupant and the sun to mitigate the effects of high sunloading. The air curtain system can receive a further input to redirect airflow away from the interior surface and onto the occupant to provide a direct cooling solution to further mitigate the effects of high sunloading. Other features, including sensors and a control unit, for controlling the air curtain system are described herein.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A vehicle, comprising:

a window;
a housing positioned above the window that directs an airflow out of a first opening and a second opening;
a first cover positioned over the first opening, the first cover configured to move between an open position to allow the airflow to exit the first opening and a closed position to obstruct the airflow from exiting the first opening;
and
a second cover positioned over the second opening, the second cover configured to move between an open position to allow the airflow to exit the second opening and a closed position to obstruct the airflow from exiting the second opening;
wherein, when the first and second covers are in the open positions, the airflow is directed to a surface of the window such that a pressure between the airflow and the surface of the window is less than an ambient pressure and the airflow adheres to the surface of the window, and
when one of the first and second covers are in the closed position, the airflow is directed away from the window.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/420,589Filed 23 May 2019
Published: US 2020/0369115 A126 Nov 2020
Granted: 4 Apr 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B60H 1/00692
Construction or arrangement of damper doors: damper doors moved by translation, e.g. curtain doors
B60H 1/3421
With means for adjusting the air stream direction: using only pivoting shutters
B60H 1/0075
Control systems or circuits characterised by their input, i.e. by the detection, measurement or calculation of particular conditions, e.g.…
B60H 1/00871
The components being ventilating, air admitting or air distributing devices: air directing means, e.g. blades in an air outlet