Patent US5566880A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5566880A
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Process and apparatus for heating the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle
Assignee: Mahle Behr GmbH and Co KG
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Filing: 1994-02-04
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Granted: 1996-10-22
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Expires: 2014-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A process for heating the passenger compartment (10) in a motor vehicle, particularly an electric vehicle, having a heating device (12), which is supplied with an air current (40) extracted, via a waste-air duct (11), from the passenger compartment (10). The air current enters into the passenger compartment (10) from the heating device (12) via an intake-duct (13). In order to prevent internal misting of the vehicle's windows, even with a low heating capacity, at least one partial air current (40a), which is branched off from the air current (40) prior to entry into the passenger compartment (10), flows through a sorbent (15) such as zeolite or the like.
Inventors
- 👤 Noureddine Khelifa
- 👤 Karl-Gerd Krumbach
- 👤 Michael Lohle
- 👤 Gunter Abersfelder
- 👤 Helmut Grantz
- 👤 Wolfgang Odebrecht
- 👤 Jurgen Wertenbach
- 👤 Oliver Wagner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 14:07
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60H; B60H3/00; B60H3/02; B60H3/024; B60H1/00; B60H1/00357; B60H1/00385; B60H1/00392; B60H1/22; B60H2003/028
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A process for heating the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle having a heating device, comprising the steps of: a) drawings an air current from a waste-air duct connected to said passenger compartment; b) supplying said heating device with said air current; c) discharging said air current from said heating device into an intake-air duct which is connected to said passenger compartment; d) branching-off a partial air current from said air current prior to supplying said heating device with said air current; e) dehumidifying said partial air current by flowing it through a sorbent; and f) directing said partial air current into said passenger compartment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
105 words
A process for heating the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle having a heating device, comprising the steps of: a) drawings an air current from a waste-air duct connected to said passenger compartment; b) supplying said heating device with said air current; c) discharging said air current from said heating device into an intake-air duct which is connected to said passenger compartment; d) branching-off a partial air current from said air current prior to supplying said heating device with said air current; e) dehumidifying said partial air current by flowing it through a sorbent; and f) directing said partial air current into said passenger compartment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said branching-off step comprises branching-off said partial air current from said waste-air duct before said air current reaches said heating device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said step of directing said partial air current into said passenger compartment comprises returning said partial air current into said waste-air duct upstream of where said air current reaches said heating device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process according to claim 1, further comprising the step of supplying a portion of said air current with a predetermined quantity of fresh air before performing said branching-off step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the drawing and branching-off steps are accomplished with a fan.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for heating a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, comprising: an intake-air duct which supplies an air current into said passenger compartment; a waste-air duct which draws an air current from said passenger compartment; a duct section connected between said intake-air duct and said waste-air duct; a drying duct connected in parallel to said duct section via at least one air-current control element, said drying duct being filled over a portion of its length with a sorbent; and a heating device connected to said passenger compartment by said intake-air duct and said waste-air duct.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for heating a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, comprising: an intake-air duct which supplies an air current into said passenger compartment; a waste-air duct which draws an air current from said passenger compartment; a duct section connected between said intake-air duct and said waste-air duct; a drying duct connected in parallel to said duct section via at least one air-current control element, said drying duct being filled over a portion of its length with a sorbent; and a heating device connected to said passenger compartment by said intake-air duct and said waste-air duct.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said drying duct defines therein a chamber which contains said sorbent and which has a predetermined receiving capacity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a discharge-air duct connected to said drying duct upstream of said portion containing said sorbent, and a desorbing heating device disposed in said drying duct downstream of said portion containing said sorbent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a discharge-air duct connected to said drying duct upstream of said chamber, and a desorbing heating device disposed in said drying duct downstream of said chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said drying duct lies parallel to a duct section of said waste-air duct.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a fan disposed in said waste-air duct between said passenger compartment and an air-current control element which connects said drying duct to said waste-air duct.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a fan disposed in said waste-air duct directly upstream of desorbing heating device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a fan disposed in said drying duct upstream of said chamber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a fresh-air duct connected to said fan.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a fresh-air duct connected to said fan.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a fresh-air duct connected to said fan.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
120 words
A battery electric-powered passenger vehicle comprising a system for alternately heating a passenger compartment in the vehicle with dehumidified air and regenerating a sorbent-containing dehumidifying unit during charging of the vehicle batteries, wherein said system comprises: an intake-air duct which supplies an air current into said passenger compartment; a waste-air duct which draws an air current from said passenger compartment; a duct section connected between said intake-air duct and said waste-air duct; a drying duct connected in parallel to said duct section via at least one air-current control element, said drying duct being filled over a portion of its length with a sorbent; and a heating device connected to said passenger compartment by said intake-air duct and said waste-air duct.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
120 words
A battery electric-powered passenger vehicle comprising a system for alternately heating a passenger compartment in the vehicle with dehumidified air and regenerating a sorbent-containing dehumidifying unit during charging of the vehicle batteries, wherein said system comprises: an intake-air duct which supplies an air current into said passenger compartment; a waste-air duct which draws an air current from said passenger compartment; a duct section connected between said intake-air duct and said waste-air duct; a drying duct connected in parallel to said duct section via at least one air-current control element, said drying duct being filled over a portion of its length with a sorbent; and a heating device connected to said passenger compartment by said intake-air duct and said waste-air duct.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
122 words
A process for regenerating a sorbent-containing dehumidifying unit that is used to dehumidify an air current which then can be heated and directed into a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, comprising: a) drawing a fresh air current from a fresh-air duct; b) heating said fresh air current in a heating device to provide a heated fresh air current; c) supplying said sorbent-containing dehumidifying unit with said heated fresh air current so that said heated fresh air current passes through said sorbent in a direction opposite the direction that said air current passes during dehumidification, to desorb and regenerate said sorbent-containing dehumidifying unit and to provide a moist air current; and d) discharging the moist air current via a discharge-air pipe socket.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
122 words
A process for regenerating a sorbent-containing dehumidifying unit that is used to dehumidify an air current which then can be heated and directed into a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, comprising: a) drawing a fresh air current from a fresh-air duct; b) heating said fresh air current in a heating device to provide a heated fresh air current; c) supplying said sorbent-containing dehumidifying unit with said heated fresh air current so that said heated fresh air current passes through said sorbent in a direction opposite the direction that said air current passes during dehumidification, to desorb and regenerate said sorbent-containing dehumidifying unit and to provide a moist air current; and d) discharging the moist air current via a discharge-air pipe socket.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 18, wherein the drawing step is accomplished with a fan.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process of claim 18, wherein the heating device used to heat said fresh air current is an electrical heating device which is connected to a power supply other than a battery used to provide electricity to said motor vehicle.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-10-22 | 2000-04-22 | 2000-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-10-22 | 2004-04-22 | 2004-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-10-22 | 2008-04-22 | 2008-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |