U.S. patent application number 11/538106 was filed with the patent office on 2008-04-03 for automobile solar air-conditioning control system.
Invention is credited to Kuo-Len Lin, Wen-Jung Liu, Tien-Chih Tseng, Hai-Rui Ye.
Application Number | 20080078193 11/538106 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39259816 |
Filed Date | 2008-04-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080078193 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin; Kuo-Len ; et
al. |
April 3, 2008 |
Automobile Solar Air-Conditioning Control System
Abstract
An automobile solar air-conditioning control system includes a
solar energy supply device, a control device, a power device and an
automobile air-conditioning system. When the engine of the vehicle
stops running, after the driver presses a button of the control
device, the signals output by the control device and the power
output by the solar energy supply device are used to actuate the
power device to drive a mechanical compressor of the automobile
air-conditioning system to operate. As a result, the automobile
air-conditioning system generates and introduces cold air into the
vehicle, thereby to maintain the temperature in the vehicle in a
suitable range.
Inventors: |
Lin; Kuo-Len; (Wugu
Township, TW) ; Tseng; Tien-Chih; (Wugu Township,
TW) ; Liu; Wen-Jung; (Wugu Township, TW) ; Ye;
Hai-Rui; (Wugu Township, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HDSL
4331 STEVENS BATTLE LANE
FAIRFAX
VA
22033
US
|
Family ID: |
39259816 |
Appl. No.: |
11/538106 |
Filed: |
October 3, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/235.1 ;
62/236 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02T 10/88 20130101;
B60H 1/3222 20130101; B60H 1/00428 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/235.1 ;
62/236 |
International
Class: |
F25B 27/00 20060101
F25B027/00 |
Claims
1. An automobile solar air-conditioning control system for an
engine-powered vehicle, the vehicle having an engine-driven
air-conditioning system, the air-conditioning system having a
mechanical compressor and connected to the engine via a first
electromagnetic clutch, the control system comprising: a solar
energy supply device for converting solar energy into electricity
and outputting the converted electricity; a control device
electrically connected to the solar energy supply device and
including: a micro processing unit electrically connected to the
solar energy supply device and serving as a control center of the
whole control device; a temperature-sensing unit electrically
connected to the micro processing unit for sensing the temperature
in the vehicle; an operating device electrically connected to the
micro processing unit for setting a desired temperature value and
starting/stopping the control device; a switch unit electrically
connected to the micro processing unit and the solar energy supply
device and driven by the output signal of the micro processing unit
to control the active or inactive state of a power supply; a power
device including: a motor electrically connected to the switch unit
and driven by the power output by the electricity conversion unit
after the switch unit is actuated; a second electromagnetic clutch
electrically connected to the micro processing unit and
mechanically connected to the motor and the mechanical compressor;
wherein after a button of the operating unit is pressed, if the
temperature value sensed by the temperature-sensing unit is higher
than a preset value, the micro processing unit outputs a signal to
synchronously actuate the switch unit and the second
electromagnetic clutch, and thus the motor drives the mechanical
compressor to operate; if the temperature value sensed by the
temperature-sensing unit is lower than a preset value, the micro
processing unit does not output a signal and thus makes the switch
unit and the second electromagnetic clutch inactive.
2. The automobile solar air-conditioning control system according
to claim 1, wherein the solar energy supply device includes: a
solar plate for converting sunlight into electricity and outputting
the converted electricity; a charging unit electrically connected
to the solar plate; a battery unit electrically connected to the
charging unit for saving the voltage output by the charging unit;
and an electricity conversion unit electrically connected to the
switch unit for converting the voltage output by the battery unit
into a voltage output to drive the motor.
3. The automobile solar air-conditioning control system according
to claim 2, wherein the battery unit is an accumulator.
4. The automobile solar air-conditioning control system according
to claim 2, wherein the electricity conversion unit is a
transformer.
5. The automobile solar air-conditioning control system according
to claim 1, wherein the operating unit is constituted of a
plurality of buttons.
6. The automobile solar air-conditioning control system according
to claim 1, wherein the switch unit is a relay.
7. The automobile solar air-conditioning control system according
to claim 1, wherein the control device further includes a display
unit electrically connected to the micro processing unit for
displaying the temperature in the vehicle and setting a desired
temperature value.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a solar air-conditioning
control system, and in particular to an automobile air-conditioning
system powered by solar energy.
[0003] 2. Description of Prior Art
[0004] Since most parking lots are open-air, the temperature in the
vehicle parked in the open-air parking lot will rise after the
illumination of sunlight. When the driver returns into the vehicle,
at this time, the temperature in the vehicle even rises to a high
temperature of 50 to 80.degree. C. Since the convection between the
air in the vehicle and the outdoor air is inhibited due to the
closed windows, the temperature in the vehicle rises gradually to
such a high value. Therefore, at this time, the driver often opens
all the windows, starts the engine, and turns on the automobile
air-conditioning system, thereby to generate the convention between
the air in the vehicle and the outdoor air to reduce the
temperature in the vehicle. Although this way can gradually reduce
the temperature in the vehicle, it still has to take a period of
time to do this, causing the waste of gasoline and air
pollution.
[0005] Therefore, after parking, many experienced drivers will
slightly lower all windows to keep a gap between each window glass
and a window frame before leaving the vehicle, thereby to generate
the convention between the high-temperature air in the vehicle
illuminated by the sunlight and the outdoor air. In this way, the
temperature in the vehicle may not rise to such a high extent.
However, if the parking period is long, since the convection rate
generated by the gap between the high-temperature air and the
outdoor air is slow, the temperature in the vehicle still rises to
a high value. When the driver returns to the vehicle, he/she still
needs to open the windows, starts the engine and turns on the
air-conditioning system to reduce the temperature in the
vehicle.
[0006] In order to solve the above problems, many patent
applications have been proposed and granted, such as Taiwan Patent
Publication Nos. M292498, M288254, M279523 and M262385. These
issued patents utilize solar energy to drive a heat-dissipating fan
or a fan in a heat dissipator, thereby to dissipate the heat
generated by the illumination of the sunlight to the outside of the
vehicle. Since the amount of the exhaust generated by the rotation
of the fan is limited, it is impossible to dissipate the heat
inside the vehicle to the outside to reduce the temperature in the
vehicle in a short time.
[0007] Further, Taiwan Patent Publication No. M261388 additionally
provides an air-conditioning system in the vehicle. The
air-conditioning system is powered and driven by solar energy. When
the engine of the vehicle stops running, this additional
air-conditioning system can be activated to maintain the
temperature in the vehicle in a suitable range. However, it is
necessary for the driver to spend a lot of money to additionally
provide an air-conditioning system. Further, since the space in the
vehicle is so limited, additionally providing an air-conditioning
system not only occupies much space, but also affects the driver to
see the coming vehicles in the back from a rear-view mirror in the
vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In view of the above problems, the present invention
provides an automobile air-conditioning system, which can be
powered by solar energy when the engine of the vehicle stops
running, thereby to introduce cold air into the vehicle. With the
above arrangement, even the vehicle is parked outdoors and
illuminated by the sunlight, the temperature can be maintained in a
suitable range.
[0009] The automobile solar air-conditioning control system of the
present invention comprises a solar energy supply unit, a control
device and a power device. The solar energy supply device includes
a solar plate, a charging unit, a battery unit and an electricity
conversion unit.
[0010] The control device is electrically connected to the solar
energy supply device and includes a micro processing unit, a
temperature-sensing unit, a display unit, an operating unit and a
switch unit.
[0011] The power device includes a motor and a second
electromagnetic clutch.
[0012] After the sunlight received by the solar plate is converted
into electricity and then the converted electricity is input to the
charging unit, the charging unit performs a charging operation to
the battery unit to store the voltage in the battery unit. The
voltage output by the battery unit is converted into an electric
power for driving the power unit via the electricity conversion
unit.
[0013] When pressing a button of the operating unit, the control
device is activated to set the temperature. After the setting of
the temperature and the calculation of the micro processing unit
are finished, the result is displayed on the display unit. If the
micro processing unit determines that the temperature in the
vehicle exceeds the preset value of the temperature based on the
sensed signal transmitted from the temperature-sensing unit, the
micro processing unit outputs a signal to actuate the switch unit
and the second electromagnetic clutch, so that the electricity
output by the electricity conversion unit can drive the motor. When
the motor is running, the second electromagnetic clutch drives a
mechanical compressor of the automobile air-conditioning system to
operate, thereby to generate and introduce cold air into the
vehicle. If the micro processing unit determines that the
temperature in the vehicle is lower than the preset value, the
micro processing unit output a signal to make the switch unit and
the second electromagnetic clutch inactive, thereby to stop the
operation of the mechanical compressor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a block view showing the circuit of the automobile
solar air-conditioning control system of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The technical contents and the detailed description of the
present invention will be made with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a block view showing the circuit of the automobile
solar air-conditioning control system of the present invention. As
shown in the figure, the automobile solar air-conditioning control
system of the present invention comprises a solar energy supply
device 1, a control device 2 and a power device 3. When the engine
of the vehicle stops running, the driver actuates a control device
to control the solar energy supply device, thereby to actuate the
automobile air-conditioning system by means of solar energy. In
this way, cold air can be generated and introduced into the vehicle
to maintain the temperature in the vehicle in a suitable range even
the vehicle is illuminated by the sunlight for a long time.
[0017] The solar energy supply device 1 includes a solar plate 11,
a charging unit 12, a battery unit 13 and an electricity conversion
unit 14. The charging unit 12 is electrically connected to the
solar plate 11 and the battery unit 13. The electricity conversion
unit 14 is electrically connected to the battery unit 13. The solar
plate 11 absorbs sunlight, converts it into electricity and then
transmits the converted electricity to the charging unit 12, so
that the charging unit 12 can charge the battery unit 13 to save a
voltage therein. The battery unit 13 outputs the voltage and the
voltage is converted into another voltage for driving the power
device 3 via the electricity conversion unit 14, thereby to drive a
mechanical compressor 4 of the automobile air-conditioning system
to generate and introduce cold air into the vehicle. The solar
plate 11 and the charging unit 12 shown in the figure are
conventional, and thus the description thereof is omitted. The
battery unit 13 is an accumulator and the electricity conversion
unit 14 is a transformer.
[0018] The control device 2 is electrically connected to the solar
energy supply device 1 and includes a micro processing unit 21, a
temperature-sensing unit 22, a display unit 23, an operating unit
24 and a switch unit 25. The micro processing unit 21 is
electrically connected to the battery unit 13 and serves as a
control center of the whole control device 2. The voltage output by
the battery unit 13 provides the necessary voltage for the micro
processing unit 21, temperature-sensing unit 22, display unit 23
and operating unit 24.
[0019] The temperature-sensing device 22 is electrically connected
to the micro processing unit 21 for sensing the temperature in the
vehicle and continuously transmitting the sensed
temperature-related signals to the micro processing unit 21 for
calculation.
[0020] The display unit 23 is electrically connected to the micro
processing unit 21 for displaying a temperature value in the
vehicle and a preset temperature value. The display unit 23 shown
in the figure is a liquid crystal displayer.
[0021] The operating unit 24 is constituted of a plurality of
bottoms and electrically connected to the micro processing unit 21
for inputting operating signals, setting the temperature values and
turning on/off the control device 2.
[0022] The switch unit 25 is electrically connected to the micro
processing unit 21 and the electricity conversion unit 14. After
the starting bottom (not shown) of the operating unit 24 is
pressed, a starting signal is output to the micro processing unit
21 for calculation. After the calculation of the micro processing
unit 21, a signal is output to actuate the switch unit 25, so that
the electric power output by the electricity conversion unit 14 can
pass through the switch unit 25 to drive the motor 31 to operate.
Alternatively, after the stopping bottom (not shown) of the
operating unit 24 is pressed, a stopping signal is output to the
micro processing unit 21 for calculation. After the calculation of
the micro processing unit 21, a signal is output to make the switch
unit 25 inactive, so that the power output by the electricity
conversion unit 14 cannot pass through the switch unit 25 and thus
the motor 31 stops to operate. The switch unit 25 shown in the
drawing is a relay.
[0023] The power device 3 includes a motor 31 and a second
electromagnetic clutch 32. The motor 31 is electrically connected
to the switch unit 25. After the switch unit 25 is actuated, the
power output by the electricity conversion unit 14 can drive the
motor 31 to operate.
[0024] The second electromagnetic clutch 32 is mechanically
connected to the motor 31 and the mechanical compressor 4, and is
electrically connected to the micro processing unit 21. When the
micro processing unit 21 outputs a signal for actuating the switch
unit 25, it also synchronously drives the second electromagnetic
clutch 32 to operate. When the motor 31 is driven by the power
output by the electricity conversion unit 14, the motor can also
drive the mechanical compressor 4 of the automobile
air-conditioning system to operate, whereby the automobile
air-conditioning system generates and introduces cold air into the
vehicle to maintain the temperature in the vehicle in a suitable
range.
[0025] When the vehicle is running, the driver presses a starting
switch (not shown) for the original automobile air-conditioning
system to drive the first electromagnetic clutch 5 to operate. In
this way, the engine 6 is caused to drive the mechanical compressor
4 of the automobile air-conditioning system to operate, whereby the
automobile air-conditioning system generates and introduces cold
air into the vehicle.
[0026] When the vehicle is parked in an outdoor parking lot (with
the engine 6 shut off), before leaving the vehicle, the driver can
press the starting button for the operating unit 24. The signal
generated by the button will be transmitted to the micro processing
unit 21 for calculation. After the calculation of the micro
processing unit 21, a signal is transmitted to synchronously
actuate the switch unit 25 and the second electromagnetic clutch 32
to operate. The electric power output by the electricity conversion
unit 14 directly drives the motor 31 to run and then drives the
mechanical compressor 4 to operate. In this way, the automobile
air-conditioning system generates and introduces cold air into the
vehicle. At the same time, the driver can set a temperature value
in the vehicle with the button of the operating unit 24. After the
setting of the temperature value and the calculation of the micro
processing unit 21, the result is displayed on the display unit
23.
[0027] During the operation of the mechanical compressor 4 actuated
by the solar energy supply device 1, the temperature-sensing unit
22 senses the temperature in the vehicle at all times, and
transmits the sensed signal to the micro processing unit 21 for
calculation. If the calculation of the micro processing unit 23
determines that the temperature in the vehicle has arrived the
preset value, the micro processing unit 21 outputs a signal to make
the switch unit 25 and the second electromagnetic clutch 32
inactive. As a result, the mechanical compressor 4 stops running
and the automobile air-conditioning system is under an air-blowing
state. If the calculation of the micro processing unit 21
determines that the temperature in the vehicle exceeds the preset
value, the micro processing unit 21 outputs a signal to
synchronously actuate the switch unit 25 and the second
electromagnetic clutch 32. The electric power output by the
electricity conversion unit 14 directly drives the motor 31 to run
and thus drives the mechanical compressor 4 to operate. As a
result, the automobile air-conditioning system generates and
introduces cold air into the vehicle to maintain the temperature in
the vehicle in a suitable range even the vehicle is illuminated by
the sunlight.
[0028] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to the foregoing preferred embodiment, it will be
understood that the invention is not limited to the details
thereof. Various equivalent variations and modifications can still
be occurred to those skilled in this art in view of the teachings
of the present invention. Thus, all such variations and equivalent
modifications are also embraced within the scope of the invention
as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *