Cabin venting system and method for an electrified vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10696133-B2
Application number	US-201314014541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2013
Priority date	Aug 30, 2013
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, detecting a battery fault of a battery of an electrified vehicle, activating a HVAC system ON, commanding the HVAC system to a fresh air mode, communicating fresh air into a passenger cabin, and expelling battery vent byproducts from the passenger cabin through at least one air extractor vent during key-on or key-off states.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
detecting a battery fault of a battery of an electrified vehicle;
activating a HVAC system ON;
commanding the HVAC system to a fresh air mode;
communicating fresh air into a passenger cabin; and
expelling battery vent byproducts from the passenger cabin through at least one air extractor vent during key-on or key-off states,
wherein the battery vent byproducts are not expelled by lowering any windows of the electrified vehicle but are instead expelled through the at least one air extractor vent without requiring any active vehicle operator participation,
wherein, during the key-on state, the method comprises communicating a first command signal over a first communication path that extends from a battery electronic control module, to a powertrain control module, and then to a control module of the HVAC system to activate the HVAC system; and
where, during the key-off state, the method comprises communicating a first wake up signal from the battery electronic control module to a body control module over a second communication path, then communicating a second wake up signal to the powertrain control module over the second communication path, and then communicating a second command signal from the powertrain control module to the control unit of the HVAC system to activate the HVAC system.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of detecting includes evaluating voltages and temperature of at least one battery cell of the battery.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of commanding includes:
opening a fresh air door of the HVAC system; and
actuating a fan of the HVAC system to an on position.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the steps of opening and actuating are performed for a predefined amount of time.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of commanding includes opening a fresh air door of the HVAC system for a predefined amount of time.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of commanding includes actuating a fan of the HVAC system to an on position at a predefined speed and for a predefined amount of time.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of communicating includes drawing in the fresh air from a vehicle exterior.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , comprising the step of deactivating the HVAC system after the step of expelling.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , comprising the step of deactivating the HVAC system after a predefined amount of time.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one air extractor vent is a plastic flapper valve that includes a plurality of movable flaps.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the battery vent byproducts are expelled through a plurality of air extractor vents.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the plurality of air extractor vents are located throughout the electrified vehicle.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein expelling the battery vent byproducts from the passenger cabin through the at least one air extractor vent includes:
forcing a plurality of flaps of the at least one air extractor open with the fresh air.

14. A method, comprising:
expelling battery vent byproducts from a passenger cabin of an electrified vehicle during both key-on and key-off states of the electrified vehicle in response to a battery fault, wherein the expelling includes forcing the battery vent byproducts through at least one air extractor vent,
wherein the battery vent byproducts are not expelled by lowering any windows of the electrified vehicle but are instead expelled through the at least one air extractor vent without requiring any active vehicle operator participation,
wherein, during the key-on state, the method comprises communicating a first command signal over a first communication path that extends from a battery electronic control module, to a powertrain control module, and then to a control module of the HVAC system to activate the HVAC system; and
wherein, during the key-off state, the method comprises communicating a first wake up signal from the battery electronic control module to a body control module over a second communication path, then communicating a second wake up signal to the powertrain control module over the second communication path, and then communicating a second command signal from the powertrain control module to the control unit of the HVAC system to activate the HVAC system.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dawson Brandon M
• Gibbons James J
• Gwozdek Thomas M
• Popyk Edward
• Lagerstrom Rick
• Lee Josephine S
• Polster Mark

Classifications

• H01M10/482

  for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H01M10/486

  for measuring temperature · CPC title

• B60H1/00385 Primary

  for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• B60H1/00978

  Control systems or circuits characterised by failure of detection or safety means; Diagnostic methods · CPC title