Active air curtain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11618300-B2
Application number	US-201916420589-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2019
Priority date	May 23, 2019
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. 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.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flap positioned proximate to the second cover, and the flap moves between a retracted position where the flap allows the airflow to reach the surface of the window and an extended position where the flap redirects the air flow away from the surface of the window.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein when the first and second covers are in the open positions, the airflow is further directed to a surface of a door.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the airflow is directed in a downward direction to the surface of the door and the surface of the window.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first opening and the second opening combine to form a continuous opening having a height and a width with an aspect ratio of at least 1:5.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the airflow is directed to the surface of the window in a direction that forms an angle with a portion of the surface of the window, wherein the angle is between approximately 0 and 30 degrees.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conduit that directs the airflow from the first and second openings to the surface of the window, wherein the conduit curves from a first end at the first and second openings to a second end.

Assignees

• Nio Technology Anhui Co Ltd

Inventors

• Woodward Adam T
• Ren Ren
• Filipkowski Matthew S
• Li Yifan

Classifications

• B60H1/3421 Primary

  using only pivoting shutters · CPC title

• B60H1/00692 Primary

  Damper doors moved by translation, e.g. curtain doors · CPC title

• B60H1/0075

  the input being solar radiation · CPC title

• B60H1/00871

  Air directing means, e.g. blades in an air outlet (construction of nozzles or air diffusers B60H1/34) · CPC title

• B60H2001/3471

  Details of actuators · CPC title