Apparatus and method for sanitizing a vehicle inferior

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11718142-B2
Application number	US-202016953051-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2020
Priority date	Nov 19, 2020
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

A motor vehicle includes a passenger space and a HVAC system. The HVAC system includes a heater, an air conditioner, and ducts configured to heat and/or cool air to the passenger space. The HVAC system is configured to increase humidity of air while the air is flowing through the HVAC system, and to introduce a sanitizing agent into air while the air is flowing through the HVAC system. A controller is configured to actuate the HVAC system to circulate humidified air containing the sanitizing agent through the passenger space to neutralize pathogens that may be present in the passenger space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a passenger space;
a HVAC system including a heater having a heater core, an air conditioner having an evaporator that is upstream of the heater core, and ducts configured to cause air to flow in a downstream direction through the evaporator and then through the heater core and to supply air that has been heated and/or cooled by the heater and/or the air conditioner to the passenger space, wherein the HVAC system is configured to increase humidity of air in the HVAC system and to introduce a chemical sanitizing agent into air while the air is flowing through the HVAC system before the air is supplied to the passenger space, wherein the chemical sanitizing agent is introduced into air downstream of the evaporator by an outlet that is positioned downstream of the evaporator; and
a controller configured to actuate the HVAC system to circulate humidified air containing the chemical sanitizing agent through the passenger space whereby the temperature of air in the passenger space, the humidity of air in the passenger space, and a concentration of the chemical sanitizing agent in the passenger space are selected and controlled to neutralize at least one known pathogen in the air in the passenger space.

2. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the HVAC system includes a user interface that is configured to permit a user to schedule a sanitizing cycle that includes actuating the HVAC system to circulate humidified air containing the chemical sanitizing agent through the passenger space whereby at least one known pathogen in the air in the passenger space is neutralized.

3. The motor vehicle of claim 2 , wherein:
the user interface permits a user to select one of a plurality of sanitizing cycles having non-equal time durations.

4. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the HVAC system includes a fresh air inlet and a recirculation inlet; and
the controller is configured to cause the HVAC system to conduct a sanitizing cycle only if the passenger space is not occupied, wherein the sanitizing cycle includes: a) causing air from the passenger space to flow into the recirculation inlet, b) actuating the heater to heat air flowing through the HVAC system, and c) causing the HVAC system to increase humidity of air flowing through the HVAC system and introduce the chemical sanitizing agent into air while the air is flowing through the HVAC system;
whereby, during a sanitizing cycle, a temperature and a humidity of air from the passenger space are increased while the air is flowing through the HVAC system, and the chemical sanitizing agent is introduced into the air while the air is flowing through the HVAC system, before the air is returned to the passenger space.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the chemical sanitizing agent comprises a liquid chemical sanitizing agent;
the sanitizing system includes a first reservoir for liquid water and a second reservoir for the liquid chemical sanitizing agent, wherein the reservoirs are fluidly connected to a liquid outlet that is located adjacent the heater core whereby liquid water from the first reservoir and the liquid chemical sanitizing agent from the second reservoir exit the liquid outlet and is heated by the heater core, thereby evaporating the liquid.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 5 , wherein:
the liquid outlet is located adjacent an upstream side of the heater core.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 5 , wherein:
the liquid outlet is configured to cause at least some liquid exiting the liquid outlet to contact the heater core.

8. The motor vehicle of claim 5 , wherein:
the liquid outlet comprises an evaporating surface that is connected to the heater core by thermal conductor whereby the heater core heats the evaporating surface to evaporate liquid on the evaporating surface.

9. The motor vehicle of claim 5 , including:
a fluid conduit fluidly connected to the first reservoir;
a first valve configured to control fluid flow through the first fluid conduit;
a second fluid conduit connected to the second reservoir;
a second valve configured to control fluid flow through the second fluid conduit;
and wherein the controller is configured to control the first and second valves to cause air in the passenger space to reach a predetermined humidity and a predefined concentration of sanitizing agent.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 5 , including:
a valve configured to control flow of liquid from the first reservoir to the liquid outlet;
and wherein the controller is configured to open the valve and cause flow of liquid from the first reservoir to the liquid outlet when the heater core is actuated to heat air flowing to the passenger space.

11. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a passenger space;
a HVAC system including a heater, an air conditioner, and ducts configured to supply air that has been heated and/or cooled by the heater and/or the air conditioner to the passenger space, wherein the HVAC system is configured to increase humidity of air in the HVAC system and to introduce a chemical sanitizing agent into air while the air is flowing through the HVAC system before the air is supplied to the passenger space the HVAC system including an air outlet that provides air to the passenger space;
a controller configured to actuate the HVAC system to circulate humidified air containing the chemical sanitizing agent through the passenger space; and
a reservoir configured to hold a sanitizing liquid that includes the chemical sanitizing agent, and a fluid conduit connecting the reservoir to a mister positioned downstream from the heater and downstream from the air conditioner in the air outlet, wherein the mister is selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic misters and spray misters.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the passenger space comprises a passenger compartment;
the HVAC system is configured to introduce a fragrance and/or a deodorizing agent into air while the air is flowing through the HVAC system before the air enters the passenger compartment.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the passenger space comprises a passenger compartment;
the controller is configured to utilize measured temperature data and measured humidity data of air in the passenger compartment to control temperature and humidity of air in the passenger compartment.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to learn and predict user preferences, and wherein the controller is configured to utilize the user preferences to control at least one aspect of the HVAC system.

15. A method of sanitizing air in a passenger space of a motor vehicle utilizing a HVAC system of the motor vehicle, the method comprising:
measuring temperature and humidity of air in the passenger space to provide measured temperature and humidity data;
causing air to flow through the HVAC system and exit into the passenger space;
increasing one or both of temperature and humidity of air exiting into the passenger space utilizing the measured temperature and humidity data of air in the passenger space and predefined sanitizing criteria; and
introducing a chemical sanitizing agent into air while the air is flowing through the HVAC system before the air enters the passenger space whereby a concentration of the chemical sanitizing agent in the air in the passenger space is sufficient to neutralize at least one pre-identified pathogen in the air in the passenger space at the measured temperature and humidity.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the passeng

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Pecchia Zachary Alan
• Bedard Robert D
• Acre James Alan

Classifications

• B60H1/00064 Primary

  for sending air streams of different temperatures into the passenger compartment · CPC title

• B60H3/02

  Moistening {; Humidity control} · CPC title

• B60H1/00678

  the axis of rotation being in the door plane, e.g. butterfly doors · CPC title

• B60H2001/002

  to front and rear part of passenger compartment · CPC title

• B60H2001/003

  Component temperature regulation using an air flow · CPC title