Cabin Air System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016016457-A1
Application number	US-201414335382-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 18, 2014
Priority date	Jul 18, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A damper box includes a curved wall, an outlet, a side wall, and filter and a damper. The curved wall has an outside surface, an inside surface, and a separator sandwiched between an outside air inlet and a recirculated air inlet. The side wall is disposed between the recirculated air inlet and the outlet. The filter has a curvature matching the curved wall and covering the outside surface of the curved wall. The damper has an axis of rotation adjacent to and in alignment with the separator. The damper has a first face and a trailing edge. The first face is curved and configured to mate with a curved frame disposed about the outside air inlet. The trailing edge is configured to mate with the side wall. A ratio of outside air to recirculated air is modulated in response to the damper being rotated.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A cabin air system, comprising:
a blower to generate a flow of air; a damper box including:
a curved wall having an outside surface and an inside surface, the curved wall including a separator sandwiched between an outside air inlet and a recirculated air inlet;
an outlet;
a side wall disposed between the recirculated air inlet and the outlet; and
a damper having an axis of rotation adjacent to and in alignment with the separator, the damper having a first face and a trailing edge, the first face being curved and configured to mate with a curved frame disposed about the outside air inlet, the trailing edge being configured to mate with the side wall, wherein a ratio of outside air to recirculated air is modulated in response to the damper being rotated;
an actuator configured to rotate the damper about the axis of rotation; and a controller configured to control the blower and the actuator.

2 . The cabin air system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a filter having a curvature matching the curved wall and covering the outside surface of the curved wall, the filter including:
an outside air portion configured to filter outside air; and
a recirculated air portion configured to filter recirculated air.

3 . The cabin air system according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a divider disposed in the filter between the outside air portion and the recirculated air portion and configured to reduce an amount of fluid exchange between the outside air portion and the recirculated air portion.

4 . The cabin air system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a user interface, wherein the controller is configured to modulate at least one of the blower and the actuator in response to signals from the user interface.

5 . The cabin air system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to sense at least one of temperature and humidity, wherein the controller is configured to modulate at least one of the blower and the actuator in response to signals from the sensor.

6 . The cabin air system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second face of the damper having an equal and opposite curvature to the first face of the damper, wherein the damper includes a teardrop shape configured to facilitate a smooth flow of air along the damper.

7 . The cabin air system according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a gasket disposed between the filter and the damper box; a filter cover configured to retain the filter on the damper box; and a lip disposed about the filter cover configured to mate with a corresponding lip on the gasket to generate a seal between the filter and the damper box.

8 . A cabin air system, comprising:
a blower to generate a flow of air; a damper box including:
a top portion and a bottom portion, both the top portion and the bottom portion being pie shaped as defined by a curved edge, a first straight edge and a second straight edge, the first straight edge and the second straight edge each having an end meeting at an angle and each straight edge having another end meeting respective ends of the curved edge;
a curved wall having a curved top edge joined to the curved edge of the top portion and the curved wall having a curved bottom edge joined to the curved edge of the bottom portion, the curved wall having an outside surface and an inside surface, the curved wall including a separator sandwiched between an outside air inlet and a recirculated air inlet;
a side wall having a first side edge joined to a first side edge of the curved wall, the side wall having a top edge joined to the first straight edge of the top portion, the side wall having a bottom edge joined to the first straight edge of the bottom portion; and
an outlet defined by a second side edge of the curved wall, the second straight edge of the top portion, the second straight edge of the bottom portion, and a second side edge of the side wall; and
a controller to control the blower.

9 . The cabin air system according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a damper having an axis of rotation adjacent to and in alignment with the separator, the damper having a first face and a trailing edge, the first face being curved and configured to mate with a curved frame disposed about the outside air inlet, the trailing edge being configured to mate with the side wall, wherein a ratio of outside air to recirculated air is modulated in response to the damper being rotated; and an actuator configured to rotate the damper about the axis of rotation, wherein the controller is configured to control the actuator.

10 . The cabin air system according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a second face of the damper having an equal and opposite curvature to the first face of the damper, wherein the damper includes a teardrop shape configured to facilitate a smooth flow of air along the damper.

11 . The cabin air system according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a filter having a curvature matching the curved wall and covering the outside surface of the curved wall, the filter including: an outside air portion configured to filter outside air; and a recirculated air portion configured to filter recirculated air.

12 . The cabin air system according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a divider disposed in the filter between the outside air portion and the recirculated air portion and configured to reduce an amount of fluid exchange between the outside air portion and the recirculated air portion.

13 . The cabin air system according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a user interface, wherein the controller is configured to modulate at least one of the blower and the actuator in response to signals from the user interface.

14 . The cabin air system according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to sense at least one of temperature and humidity, wherein the controller is configured to modulate at least one of the blower and the actuator in response to signals from the sensor.

15 . A method of filtering cabin air of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
generating a flow of air through a damper box with a blower, the a damper box including:
a top portion and a bottom portion, both the top portion and the bottom portion being pie shaped as defined by a curved edge, a first straight edge and a second straight edge, the first and second straight edges each having an end meeting at an angle and each straight edge having another end meeting respective ends of the curved edge;
a curved wall having a curved top edge joined to the curved edge of the top portion and the curved wall having a curved bottom edge joined to the curved edge of the bottom portion, the curved wall having an outside surface and an inside surface, the curved wall including a separator sandwiched between an outside air inlet and a recirculated air inlet;
a side wall having a first side edge joined to a first side edge of the curved wall, the side wall having a top edge joined to the first straight edge of the top portion, the side wall having a bottom edge joined to the first straight edge of the bottom portion;
an outlet defined by a second side edge of the curved wall, the second straight edge of the top portion, the second straight edge of the bottom portion, and a second side edge of the side wall; and
modulating a ratio of outside air to recirculated air in the flow of air with a damper, the damper having an axis of rotation adjacent to and in alignment with the separator, the damper having a first face and a trailing edge, the first face being curved and configured to

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Caliendo Vincent
• Morris Bryant
• Ries Jeffrey

Classifications

• B60H1/00378 Primary

  for tractor or load vehicle cabins · CPC title

• B60H1/241 Primary

  characterised by the location of ventilation devices in the vehicle · CPC title

• B60H3/0608

  Filter arrangements in the air stream · CPC title

• B60H1/267

  Openings in or near to vehicle windows · CPC title

• B60H3/0658

  Filter elements specially adapted for their arrangement in vehicles (B60H3/0608 takes precedence) · CPC title