US 11,807,072 B2Granted

Method and system for a vehicle sanitizing mode

AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC

InventorsAlan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Fred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, M. Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco

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Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, while receiving power from an external power source and responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of a vehicle, operating an electric heater of a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the interior above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration using the power received from the external power source. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while vehicle battery power and fuel are conserved by using power supplied from the external power source.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method, comprising:

while a vehicle is receiving power from an external power source that is external to the vehicle, and responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of the vehicle, operating an electric heater of a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system of the vehicle to clean the interior of the vehicle by heating the interior of the vehicle above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration using the power received from the external power source, wherein the upper threshold temperature for cleaning the interior of the vehicle is higher than an upper threshold of a nominal climate control temperature range for user comfort,
wherein the HVAC system includes a blower configured to generate air flow through the HVAC system, the electric heater configured to receive the air flow from the blower, delivery ducting fluidically coupling the electric heater to the interior, and a blend door configured to adjust a ratio of hot air to cold air provided to the delivery ducting, and wherein operating the electric heater of the HVAC system to heat the interior above the upper threshold temperature for the first threshold duration comprises:
operating the blower at maximum speed;
generating the hot air at the electric heater;
flowing the hot air from the electric heater to the interior via the delivery ducting while operating in a floor mode;
and
setting a position of the blend door to maximize the ratio of the hot air to the cold air provided to the delivery ducting;
and
responsive to a temperature of the interior being above the upper threshold temperature for the first threshold duration, operating the HVAC system to gradually reduce the temperature of the interior until one of a lower threshold temperature and a second threshold duration is reached, wherein operating the HVAC system to gradually reduce the temperature of the interior comprises:
sequentially adjusting the position of the blend door to decrease the ratio of the hot air to the cold air provided to the delivery ducting over time;
operating the delivery ducting in a panel mode in addition to the floor mode after a pre-determined duration has elapsed while operating the HVAC system to gradually reduce the temperature of the interior;
and
activating an air-conditioning compressor after the pre-determined duration has elapsed.

10 more elements

A system of a vehicle, comprising:

a powertrain;
a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system including an electric heater;
an energy storage device selectively coupled to an external power source that is external to the vehicle via an electrical energy transmission cable;
a cabin;
a control system, including a plurality of control modules communicatively coupled over a controller area network;
and
computer-readable instructions stored in non-transitory memory of one or more of the plurality of control modules that, when executed, cause the control system to:
receive a schedule for operating in a vehicle cleaning mode;
set a time for waking the control system from a sleep mode according to the schedule for operating in the vehicle cleaning mode;
and
upon waking the control system at the set time and while the energy storage device is coupled to the external power source via the electrical energy transmission cable, operate in the vehicle cleaning mode using energy from the external power source,
wherein to operate in the vehicle cleaning mode, the computer-readable instructions, when executed, cause the control system to:
increase an amount of heat transferred to air provided to the cabin via the HVAC system while operating in the vehicle cleaning mode relative to a nominal climate control mode by activating the electric heater during a heating portion of the vehicle cleaning mode,
wherein the powertrain includes an engine and an engine cooling system, and to operate in the vehicle cleaning mode, the computer-readable instructions, when executed, cause the control system to:
provide a first portion of the heat transferred to the air provided to the cabin via the HVAC system via the electric heater and a second, remaining portion of the heat by operating the engine using settings for the vehicle cleaning mode, the settings for the vehicle cleaning mode including, while operating in the heating portion of the vehicle cleaning mode, increasing an idle speed of the engine relative to the nominal climate control mode and turning off an engine cooling fan of the engine cooling system.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/073,595Filed 19 Oct 2020
Published: US 2022/0118822 A121 Apr 2022
Granted: 7 Nov 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

B60H 1/034
And from a source other than the propulsion plant: from the cooling liquid of the propulsion plant and from an electric heating device
B60H 3/0085
Other air-treating devices: smell or pollution preventing arrangements
B60H 1/00021
Combined heating, ventilating, or cooling devices: air flow details of HVAC devices
B60H 1/004
For vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell: for vehicles having a combustion engine and electric drive means, e.g. hybrid…