Heater device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10661634-B2
Application number	US-201615566488-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2016
Priority date	Apr 15, 2015
Publication date	May 26, 2020
Grant date	May 26, 2020

Abstract

A heater device includes: a distance specifying portion that specifies a distance between a sensing subject, i.e., an occupant and a heater main body as a sensed distance; and a moving mechanism that moves the heater main body. The heater device further includes a heater position control portion that controls the moving mechanism such that the distance between the sensing subject, i.e., the occupant and the heater main body is adjusted to a target distance based on the sensed distance, which is specified by the distance specifying portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heater device comprising:
a heater main body that includes a heater unit, which generates heat;
a distance specifying portion that specifies a distance between a sensing subject and the heater main body as a sensed distance;
an actuator that moves the heater main body;
a heater position control portion that controls the actuator such that the distance between the sensing subject and the heater main body is adjusted to a target distance based on the sensed distance, which is specified by the distance specifying portion; and
an output specifying portion that specifies a target heater output of the heater unit based on a predetermined heater output level, wherein the heater position control portion controls the actuator such that the distance between the sensing subject and the heater main body is changed according to the target heater output, which is specified by the output specifying portion.

2. The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein the heater unit generates the heat when an electric power is supplied to the heater unit.

3. The heater device according to claim 2 , comprising a heater control portion that controls an amount of electric power supplied to the heater unit, wherein:
the heater position control portion controls the actuator such that the distance between the heater main body and the sensing subject is reduced in a case where an electric power restriction signal indicating restriction of an electric power consumption based on a state of a battery is inputted in comparison to a case where the electric power restriction signal is not inputted; and
the heater control portion reduces the amount of electric power supplied to the heater unit in the case where the electric power restriction signal is inputted in comparison to the case where the electric power restriction signal is not inputted.

4. The heater device according to claim 2 , comprising a heater control portion that controls an amount of electric power supplied to the heater unit, wherein:
in a case where an electric power saving mode is set through manipulation, the heater position control portion controls the actuator such that the distance between the heater main body and the sensing subject is reduced in comparison to a case where the electric power saving mode is not set; and
in the case where the electric power saving mode is set, the heater control portion reduces the amount of electric power supplied to the heater unit in comparison to the case where the electric power saving mode is not set.

5. The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein the heater unit radiates radiant heat.

6. The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein the heater position control portion controls the actuator such that the distance between the sensing subject and the heater main body is decreased when the target heater output, which is specified by the output specifying portion, is increased.

7. The heater device according to claim 1 , comprising a storage device that stores a map indicating a relationship among:
the target heater output;
the sensed distance, which is specified by the distance specifying portion; and
a heater moving amount of the heater main body that is moved by the actuator.

8. The heater device according to claim 1 , the distance specifying portion is constructed by using at least one of a capacitive sensor, an electromagnetic induction sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a photoelectric sensor, and a magnetic sensor.

9. The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the heater unit generates the heat when an electric power is supplied to the heater unit;
the heater device comprising:
a second output specifying portion that specifies the target heater output of the heater unit based on an amount of available electric power in a case where the amount of available electric power is restricted; and

the heater position control portion controls the actuator such that the distance between the sensing subject and the heater main body is changed according to the target heater output that is specified by the second output specifying portion.

10. The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the distance specifying portion includes a contact sensing portion that senses contact of the sensing subject to the heater main body; and
the distance specifying portion specifies the sensed distance between the sensing subject and the heater main body based on the contact of the sensing subject to the heater main body, which is sensed by the contact sensing portion.

11. The heater device according to claim 10 , wherein the contact sensing portion includes a contact sensing layer that is formed to be stacked over the heater unit and senses the contact of the sensing subject to the heater main body according to a value of resistance of a resistor of the contact sensing layer while the value of resistance of the resistor changes according to a change in a temperature of the heater unit.

12. The heater device according to claim 10 , wherein:
the actuator is an electromechanical actuator that moves the heater main body; and
the contact sensing portion senses the contact of the sensing subject to the heater main body when a torque, which is equal to or larger than a reference value, is applied to the actuator.

13. The heater device according to claim 10 , wherein when the contact of the sensing subject to the heater main body is sensed by the contact sensing portion, the heater position control portion controls the actuator such that the heater main body is moved in a direction away from a position of the sensing subject.

14. The heater device according to claim 13 , wherein the heater position control portion controls the actuator such that the heater main body is moved in the direction away from the position of the sensing subject and is spaced from the position of the sensing subject by a predetermined distance.

15. The heater device according to claim 1 , comprising a storing portion that controls the actuator to store the heater main body to a predetermined storing position in at least one of:
a case where unfastening of a seat belt of an occupant is sensed;
a case where an abnormality of a vehicle is sensed; and
a case where an abnormality of the heater main body is sensed.

16. The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein the heater device is installed to at least one of:
an instrument panel of a vehicle;
a glove box of the vehicle;
a back surface of a seat, on which an occupant is seated;
a steering column that supports a steering wheel of the vehicle;
a door trim of the vehicle;
a center console of the vehicle;
a ceiling of the vehicle; and
a sun visor of the vehicle.

17. The heater device according to claim 1 , wherein the heater position control portion controls the actuator such that the heater main body is positioned in parallel with the sensing subject.

18. A heater device comprising:
a heater main body that includes a heater unit, which generates heat when an electric power is supplied to the heater unit;
a distance specifying portion that specifies a distance between a sensing subject and the heater main body as a sensed distance;
an actuator that moves the heater main body;
a heater position control portion that controls the actuator such that the distance between the sensing subject and the heater main body is adjusted to a target distance based on the sensed distance, which is specified by the distance specifying portion; and
a heater control portion that controls an amount of electric power supplied t

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Oide Hiroyasu
• Kako Hideaki
• Ishikawa Kimitake
• Seki Hideki

Classifications

• B60H2001/00228

  Devices in the interior of the passenger compartment · CPC title

• B60H1/2226

  Electric heaters using radiation · CPC title

• B60H2001/2265

  related to the quantity of heat produced by the heater · CPC title

• B60H2001/2246

  obtaining information from a variable, e.g. by means of a sensor · CPC title

• B60H2001/2259

  output of a control signal · CPC title