Vehicle air conditioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023382185-A1
Application number	US-202318190124-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2023
Priority date	May 24, 2022
Publication date	Nov 30, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

The engine, the heater, and the heater core are connected by pipes. When the traveling mode is HEV traveling mode or the engine single traveling mode, a flow path formed of pipes is formed, and the coolant is heated by the engine to heat the heater core. When the traveling mode is EV traveling mode, a flow path including a pipe is formed, and the coolant is heated by the heater to heat the heater core.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle air conditioner that heats a heat transfer medium, comprising:
a first flow path in which the heat transfer medium used for air conditioning of a vehicle circulates; a second flow path that is partially common to the first flow path and in which the heat transfer medium circulates; a three-way valve that switches between the first flow path and the second flow path; and a control device that controls opening and closing of the three-way valve, wherein: in the first flow path, the heat transfer medium is heated by heat from a first heat source; in the second flow path, the heat transfer medium is heated by heat from a second heat source; the second flow path includes a third flow path that is closed by the three-way valve such that the heat transfer medium does not circulate when the first flow path is used as a flow path for heating the heat transfer medium; and when switching of the flow path for heating the heat transfer medium from the first flow path to the second flow path is performed, the control device controls opening and closing of the three-way valve so as to mix the heat transfer medium in the first flow path and the heat transfer medium in the third flow path before the switching.

2 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein when a temperature fluctuation of the heat transfer medium falls below a threshold value after the heat transfer medium in the first flow path and the heat transfer medium in the third flow path are mixed together, the control device controls opening and closing of the three-way valve so as to switch the flow path for heating the heat transfer medium to the second flow path.

3 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein when a difference between a temperature of the heat transfer medium in the first flow path and a temperature of the heat transfer medium in the second flow path falls below a threshold value after the heat transfer medium in the first flow path and the heat transfer medium in the third flow path are mixed together, the control device controls opening and closing of the three-way valve so as to switch the flow path for heating the heat transfer medium to the second flow path.

4 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1 , and wherein:
the first heat source is an internal combustion engine; and the second heat source is a heater.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hoshino Yu

Classifications

• B60H1/00885 Primary

  Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps (B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485) · CPC title

• B60H1/004 Primary

  for vehicles having a combustion engine and electric drive means, e.g. hybrid electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60H1/034 Primary

  from the cooling liquid of the propulsion plant and from an electric heating device · CPC title

• B60H1/00485

  Valves for air-conditioning devices, e.g. thermostatic valves · CPC title