Indoor air purification apparatus for vehicle

Abstract

An indoor air purification apparatus for a vehicle includes: an HVAC module configured to adjust a temperature of indoor and outdoor air and provide the adjusted air to an interior of the vehicle; and a moss filter module connected with the HVAC module, having air purifying plants planted therein, and configured to enable oxygen generated therein to flow to the HVAC module when indoor air flows into the interior thereof through the plurality of air inlets.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an in-vehicle air control device for a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to an in-vehicle air control device for a vehicle configured to purify in-vehicle air using a moss filter when operating in a recirculation mode. Background Art

[0002] Recently, with the rapid increase in the penetration rate of vehicles, which are necessities of modern people's lives, the time spent in the vehicle has also increased due to increased traffic.

[0003] Normally, since the human body generates energy through breathing, which involves the process of repeatedly inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide, as passengers breathe in a closed space, the concentration of carbon dioxide increases, thereby reducing the amount of oxygen required, without the driver or passengers being aware of it.

[0004] Therefore, for various reasons, such as long hours of driving, cumulative fatigue, increased vehicle interior temperature, and increased concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the vehicle, many drivers feel fatigued or drowsy during driving, which can be one of the main factors for traffic accidents.

[0005] In particular, if the vehicle travels for a long time, due to the backflow of exhaust gas into the vehicle and the CO2 generated by the human body, air pollution occurs, deteriorating the air quality. When the vehicle is in a closed state (e.g., in winter), the in-vehicle air quality deteriorates rapidly, and the rapidly increasing carbon dioxide concentration can cause drowsiness, vomiting, headache, etc. in the driver and passengers.

[0006] In addition, when the concentration increases, it not only directly harms the health of the driver and passengers, such as causing arrhythmia and reduced consciousness, etc., but also causes drowsiness, which is a very fatal cause of secondary accidents, such as traffic accidents caused by drowsy driving.

[0007] To prevent such problems, the government and institutions recommend ventilating the in-vehicle air by opening the window during driving, or operating the air conditioner or ventilation equipment, thereby reducing in-vehicle pollution. However, in seasons with a large temperature difference between the inside and outside of the vehicle (e.g., summer or winter), it is difficult to continuously ventilate the in-vehicle air while maintaining temperature comfort, and since the driver only focuses on the road surface during driving and it is not easy to check the slow change of in-vehicle air pollution, it is usually the case that driving is carried out without ventilation.

[0008] The above information disclosed in this background section is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of the present invention, and thus may include information that does not constitute the prior art known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present invention is dedicated to solving the above problems related to the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an in-vehicle air control device having the following structure. A moss filter (including an air inlet configured to suck in in-vehicle air in its housing) is connected to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system including a blower via a separate connection pipe, so that oxygen generated from the moss filter when operating in the recirculation mode can be effectively delivered to the interior of the vehicle through the blower.

[0010] In one aspect, the present invention provides an in-vehicle air purification device, including: an HVAC module configured to adjust the temperature of in-vehicle and outdoor air and supply the adjusted air to the interior of the vehicle through a blower; and a moss filter module connected to the HVAC module, which has air-purifying plants planted therein and is configured such that when air flows into its interior through a plurality of air inlets, oxygen generated therein can flow to the HVAC module.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the moss filter module may be provided with an air inlet configured to selectively open in the recirculation mode of the HVAC module.

[0012] In another preferred embodiment, the moss filter module may include: a main body provided with a plurality of air inlets and air-purifying plants; and a plurality of flow guiding members installed in the main body and connected to the air inlets, and configured to guide the gas generated inside the main body to the inlet of a connection pipe provided in the HVAC module.

[0013] In another preferred embodiment, the main body may be configured to be sealed from the outside and made of a transparent material.

[0014] In another preferred embodiment, the main body may include a cultivation light-emitting diode (LED) member, a rod member, and a reflector. A plurality of cultivation LED members are provided and disposed below the area between the blocks of air-purifying plants. The rod member is vertically disposed above the cultivation LED member and configured to transmit the light emitted from the LED member. The reflector is installed on the upper part of the rod member and configured to reflect the light transmitted from the rod member.

[0015] In another preferred embodiment, the height of the rod member may be higher than that of the air-purifying plants.

[0016] In another preferred embodiment, the reflector may be installed on the upper part of the rod member to be inclined upward. Here, the reflectors may be provided in pairs and have corresponding inclination degrees with each other.

[0017] In yet another preferred embodiment, the main body may further include: a first blocking member coupled to an outer peripheral surface of the rod member, wherein the outer peripheral surface does not include an area for mounting the reflector; and a second blocking member coupled to a back surface of the reflector.

[0018] In another preferred embodiment, the reflector may have a front surface configured to reflect light transmitted from the rod member. Here, the front surface may have a concavo-convex shape.

[0019] Other aspects and preferred embodiments of the present invention will be discussed hereinafter.

[0020] It should be understood that the term "vehicle" or "vehicular" or other similar terms used herein generally includes motor vehicles, such as passenger vehicles including sport utility vehicles (SUVs), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including various ships, aircraft, etc., and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles, and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., fuels derived from non-petroleum resources). As used herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle having more than two power sources, such as a vehicle powered by gasoline and electricity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Now, some exemplary embodiments of the present invention shown in the drawings will be referred to, and the above features and other features of the present invention will be described in detail. The drawings are given hereinafter only schematically, and thus the present invention is not limited by the drawings, wherein:

[0022] Figure 1 is a view showing a state in which a moss filter module is installed in an in-vehicle air purification device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 is a view showing a structure of a moss filter module of an in-vehicle air purification device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 is a view showing a structure for irradiating light of an in-vehicle air purification device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 is a view showing a first blocking member and a second blocking member of an in-vehicle air purification device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0026] Figure 5 is a view showing a reflector of an in-vehicle air purification device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] It should be understood that the drawings illustrate the basic principles of the present invention and present various preferred features in a somewhat simplified manner, and they are not necessarily drawn to scale. The specific design features of the present invention, including, for example, specific dimensions, directions, positions, and shapes, will be determined in part according to the specific intended application and the usage environment.

[0028] In the drawings, throughout the several views, reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[0029] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0030] Referring to the embodiments described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings, the advantages and features of the present invention and the methods for achieving these advantages and features will become apparent.

[0031] However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. The present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

[0032] In describing the present invention, if a detailed explanation of a related known function or construction is considered to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, such detailed explanation is omitted, although those skilled in the art will understand such explanation.

[0033] Figure 1 is a view showing a state in which a moss filter module is installed in an in-vehicle air purification device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a view showing the structure of a moss filter module of an in-vehicle air purification device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 3 is a view showing a structure for irradiating light of an in-vehicle air purification device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 is a view showing a first blocking member and a second blocking member of an in-vehicle air purification device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a view showing a reflector of an in-vehicle air purification device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Generally, a vehicle has a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system (also referred to as an air conditioning device), and the HVAC system is configured to heat and cool the air inside the passenger compartment for passenger comfort.

[0036] The HVAC system can selectively change the air source. The HVAC system can suck in fresh air from outside the vehicle compartment, condition the air, and then circulate the conditioned air into the vehicle compartment. In addition, the HVAC system can also suck in mixed air that is a mixture of outdoor air and indoor air, condition the mixed air, and then pump the conditioned mixed air into the vehicle compartment.

[0037] Here, although not shown in the figure, the HVAC system can be provided with an air intake, which is generally mounted on the engine compartment side relative to the dashboard and configured to suck in indoor and outdoor air and blow it into the vehicle interior. The air intake can be provided with an air filter and a blower 130 inside the air intake housing.

[0038] In other words, the air filter filters foreign substances contained in the indoor and outdoor air flowing in through the internal and external air inlets, and the blower is used to suck in indoor or outdoor air through the internal and external air inlets and blow it into the vehicle interior.

[0039] Meanwhile, moss (a type of air-purifying plant) produces phytoncides, which can relieve stress, have antibacterial, deodorizing, soothing effects, and improve allergies and skin diseases. Moss has an excellent ability to absorb trace metals. In particular, the carbon fixation amount of moss is more than 10 times that of ordinary plants, and thus the ability to generate oxygen is more than 10 times that of ordinary plants.

[0040] Therefore, enabling the oxygen generated during the photosynthesis of moss to enter the vehicle interior can reduce the carbon dioxide concentration inside the vehicle.

[0041] However, in the prior art, since it is difficult to effectively deliver the oxygen generated in this way to the vehicle interior, an independent blower is installed to achieve ventilation. And due to the additional installation of the blower to the structure, the structure inevitably becomes more complex, resulting in additional costs.

[0042] For this reason, to solve the above-mentioned problems, this embodiment provides an HVAC module 100 and a moss filter module 200 connected to the HVAC module 100.

[0043] In other words, the moss filter module 200 has moss planted therein, and as Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, the indoor air flows into the moss filter module through a plurality of air inlets H, so that the oxygen generated therein can flow to the HVAC module 100 through a separate connecting pipe 110.

[0044] Specifically, the moss filter module 200 generates oxygen when the moss planted therein undergoes photosynthesis, and the intake port H is selectively opened in the recirculation mode of the HVAC module 100, so that oxygen can flow to the HVAC module 100.

[0045] Here, the oxygen flowing from the moss filter module 200 to the HVAC module 100 can be delivered to the interior of the vehicle through the blower 100a provided in the HVAC module 100, so as to effectively deliver oxygen without installing a separate blower as in the prior art. Therefore, oxygen can be effectively delivered from the position where the moss filter module 200 is installed inside the vehicle to a position far from this position, thereby reducing the indoor carbon dioxide concentration in the recirculation mode.

[0046] The moss filter module 200 may include a main body 210 and a flow guide member 220.

[0047] The main body 210 is provided with an intake port H configured to be selectively opened, and the main body 210 is arranged inside the vehicle, such as the rear windshield, by being sealed from the outside.

[0048] In addition, since the main body 210 is made of a transparent material, the moss planted thereon can utilize the natural light transmitted through the rear windshield for photosynthesis.

[0049] As Figure 2 shown, a plurality of flow guide members 220 are installed in the main body 210. The flow guide member 220 guides the gas generated inside the main body 210 to move to the inlet of the connection pipe 110 provided in the HVAC module 100.

[0050] When oxygen flows into the main body 210 through the blower 100a, the oxygen can flow relatively concentratedly only into the central area of the main body 210 facing the connection pipe 110. For this reason, the main body 210 has an inner side, and a plurality of flow guide members 220 protrude from the inner side, so that the oxygen generated inside the main body 210 can flow evenly to the HVAC module 100 through the connection pipe 110.

[0051] More preferably, the flow guide member 220 extending from a corresponding one of the intake ports H provided on opposite sides of the main body 210 can be bent to face the inlet of the connection pipe 110 to minimize the oxygen that does not flow into the connection pipe 110 (see Figure 2 ).

[0052] Meanwhile, as Figure 3 shown, the main body 210 includes a cultivation LED member 212, a rod member 214, and a reflector 216.

[0053] A plurality of cultivation LED members 212 are provided and disposed below the area between the blocks of the moss 10. More preferably, the cultivation LED members 212 can be disposed at a predetermined interval according to the arrangement and distribution of the blocks of the moss 10 in the main body 210 to cover all of the moss 10.

[0054] Generally, when growing plants in a vehicle, the cultivation LED members 212 are installed at a position higher than the plants to provide light, and in this case, it is necessary to install struts to install the cultivation LED members 212 at a position higher than the plants. However, the struts may be damaged during a collision, and may block the line of sight or occupy a lot of layout space depending on their installation position.

[0055] For this reason, in this embodiment, the cultivation LED members 212 are installed below the main body 210 to solve the above problems and enable light to be effectively irradiated onto the moss 10.

[0056] In this sense, the rod members 214 are vertically disposed above each of the cultivation LED members 212 and are made of a transparent material, so that the light emitted from the cultivation LED members 212 can be transmitted outward.

[0057] Preferably, in order for the rod members 214 to have a structure in which light is irradiated from top to bottom therein, the rod members 214 can be vertically disposed and have a height higher than that of the moss 10.

[0058] The reflector 216 is installed on the upper part of the rod member 214 and is configured to reflect the light transmitted from the rod member 214.

[0059] Here, the reflector 216 is installed on the upper part of the rod member 214 and is inclined upward, and the reflectors can be provided in pairs and have corresponding inclinations to each other.

[0060] In this structure, a pair of reflectors 216 are installed on the same rod member 214 in an inclined manner, so that the light transmitted from the rod member 214 can be reflected and evenly distributed to the surrounding area.

[0061] As another embodiment, as Figure 4 shown, the main body 210 may further include a first blocking member 218 and a second blocking member 219.

[0062] The first blocking member 218 is coupled to the outer peripheral surface of the rod member 214, wherein the outer peripheral surface does not include the upper part of the rod member 214 where the reflector 216 is installed.

[0063] In other words, the first blocking member 218 is coupled to the rod member 214 by surrounding the outer peripheral surface of the rod member 214, thereby preventing light loss from the cultivation LED members 212 and enabling light to be stably transmitted to the area where the reflector 216 is installed.

[0064] In addition, the second blocking member 219 is coupled to the back surface of the reflector 216.

[0065] Similar to the first blocking member 218, the second blocking member 219 is configured to prevent light emitted from the cultivation LED member 212 and transmitted through the rod member 214 to the reflector 216 from being lost through the back surface of the reflector 216. The second blocking members 219 are also arranged in pairs and are respectively mounted to the back surfaces of a pair of reflectors 216.

[0066] In addition, as Figure 5 shown, the front surface of the reflector 216 may have an embossed shape. The embossed front surface may enable the light transmitted from the rod member 214 to the reflector 216 to be reflected at different angles, so that the moss 10 for generating oxygen can effectively perform photosynthesis.

[0067] As can be seen from the above description, the present invention can provide the following effects.

[0068] According to the present invention, there is provided an in-vehicle air control device having the following structure: in this structure, a moss filter (including an air inlet configured to suck in in-vehicle air in its housing) is connected to an HVAC system including a blower via a separate connection pipe, so that oxygen generated from the moss filter when operating in the recirculation mode can be effectively delivered into the vehicle interior through the blower.

[0069] Therefore, according to the present invention, the oxygen generated from the moss filter can be delivered into the vehicle interior by using the blower installed in the HVAC system, thereby simplifying the structure and reducing the manufacturing cost since a separate blower is not required.

[0070] In the above, embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains should understand that various modifications can be made to the embodiments, and all or part of the above embodiments can be selectively combined. Therefore, the actual technical protection scope of the present invention should be defined by the technical idea of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle air purification device, the device comprising: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) module configured to adjust the temperature of indoor and outdoor air and supply the conditioned air to the interior of the vehicle through a blower; And A moss filter module connected to the HVAC module, having air-purifying plants planted therein, and configured such that when air flows into the interior thereof through a plurality of air inlets, oxygen generated therein can flow to the HVAC module.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The plurality of air inlets are configured to be opened in the recirculation mode of the HVAC module.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The moss filter module includes: A main body including the plurality of air inlets and provided with the air-purifying plants; and A plurality of flow guides installed in the main body and connected to the air inlets, and configured to guide the air generated inside the main body to an inlet of a connection pipe provided in the HVAC module.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The main body is sealed from the outside and made of a transparent material.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein, The main body includes: A plurality of cultivation light-emitting diode (LED) members disposed below an area between the blocks of the air-purifying plants; A rod member vertically disposed above the cultivation LED members and configured to transmit light emitted from the cultivation LED members; and A reflector mounted on an upper portion of the rod member and configured to reflect the light transmitted from the rod member.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein, The height of the rod member is higher than that of the air-purifying plants.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein The reflector is inclined upward at an upper portion of the rod member, and wherein the reflector includes a pair of reflectors, each reflector having a corresponding inclination.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein The main body further includes: A first blocking member coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the rod member, wherein the outer circumferential surface does not include an area where the reflector is mounted; and A second blocking member coupled to a back surface of the reflector.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein, A front surface of the reflector is configured to reflect the light transmitted from the rod member, and wherein the front surface has a concavo-convex shape.

10. A vehicle including the in-vehicle air purification device according to claim 1.

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