Air conditioning device for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle and motor vehicle with air conditioning device

Abstract

The invention relates to an air conditioning system for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, wherein the air conditioning system comprises at least one air conveying device (10) for conveying air, which can be arranged on a steering wheel rear side (24) facing away from a driver of the motor vehicle, in particular on a steering wheel rear cover, whereby at least a partial area of ​​a steering wheel ring (22) facing away from the driver can be exposed to air. Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle with such an air conditioning system.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an air conditioning device for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle and to a motor vehicle with such an air conditioning device.

[0002] For heating steering wheels or steering wheels of motor vehicles, so-called stranded wire heaters are known. These consist of a heating mat underneath a steering wheel cover. This heating mat consists of individual stranded wires or electrically conductive wires that heat up when energized, thus heating the steering wheel. A disadvantage of this, especially in winter, is that the fingers and outer palms of a driver holding the steering wheel can remain cold on the outside or on the sides facing away from the steering wheel, despite the heating mat being energized.

[0003] The invention is based on the object of providing a particularly efficient air conditioning device for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle with such an air conditioning device.

[0004] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Advantageous developments or embodiments of the invention are described by the dependent patent claims, the following description, and the figures.

[0005] A first aspect of the invention relates to an air conditioning device for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, wherein the air conditioning device comprises at least one air conveying device for conveying air, which can be arranged on a steering wheel rear side facing away from a driver of the motor vehicle, in particular on a steering wheel cover on the rear side of the steering wheel, whereby at least a partial area of ​​a rear side of a steering wheel ring of the steering wheel facing away from the driver can be exposed to the air. In other words, a rear side, for example a side of the steering wheel facing a windshield or front windshield of the motor vehicle, can be exposed to air conveyed by the at least one air conveying device, wherein the at least one air conveying device can be arranged on a steering wheel rear side.Due to the immediate proximity of the at least one air conveying device to one or both hands of a driver, which can grip the steering wheel, the heat of the air conveyed by the air conveying device can be felt particularly quickly and three-dimensionally by the driver, particularly at the fingers, particularly when the air conditioning device is arranged in the motor vehicle, and this heat can spread via the fingers into the respective hand and advantageously create comfort for the driver. The term "immediate proximity" here means in particular a distance of 3 to 20 cm between a respective air conveying device and at least one of the driver's hands gripping the steering wheel. The at least one air conveying device means one or more air conveying devices, in particular two air conveying devices.The air delivery device can be arranged on the rear side of the steering wheel facing away from the driver, in particular on a steering wheel cover on the rear side of the steering wheel, wherein the steering wheel cover can, for example, cover part of the rear side of the steering wheel and a handlebar connected to the steering wheel. The fact that the air conditioning device, in particular the air delivery device, is designed to be arranged on this steering wheel cover also results in the advantage that only a holding device for receiving and / or mounting the at least one air delivery device needs to be provided on the steering wheel cover, thereby keeping the manufacturing costs of the entire steering wheel with such an air conditioning device particularly low.

[0006] The steering wheel ring can be designed as a part of the steering wheel, in particular a ring-shaped part, which is at least partially rotationally symmetrical about an axis of the handlebar and is intended to be held by one or both hands of the driver for steering or controlling the motor vehicle, in particular by twisting or rotating the handlebar. Corresponding to the 10 minutes past 10 o'clock position of an analog clock, according to which the steering wheel, in particular the steering wheel ring, is to be held correctly by the driver, partial areas or holding areas can be provided at the tips of the minute and hour hands, at which the driver is to grasp the steering wheel with both hands. This partial area or these two partial areas or holding areas should each be capable of being supplied with the air conveyed by the air conveying device by at least one, in particular by two, air conveying devices.

[0007] A further development of the air conditioning system provides that the at least one air delivery device can be arranged on the rear side of the steering wheel, rotatably mounted by means of a ball joint, for changing the air delivery direction of the at least one air delivery device, in particular for supplying a driver's footwell located below the steering wheel with air that can be delivered by the at least one air delivery device. This offers the advantage that the air delivery device can be rotated downward, i.e., counter to the vehicle's vertical direction, for example, to heat the driver's footwell and / or the driver's knee area with the warm air emitted by it.The ball joint can have a locking device by means of which the air delivery device can be held in a respective position or rotational position, whereby the air delivery device can be rotated upon overcoming a holding force of the locking device. "Rotated downward" here means that an outlet opening of the air delivery device, from which air is expelled by the air delivery device, is directed downward, so that the expelled air flows downward, counter to the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0008] The rotatability of the air delivery system, due to its ability to be attached or secured by means of the ball joint when the air conditioning system is installed in the vehicle, also offers the advantage that, particularly in summer, the air delivery system can be rotated such that an inlet opening of the air delivery system, through which air can be drawn in, can be turned downward. This prevents, for example, air heated by the sun shining through the windshield from being drawn in and expelled, but rather cooler air from the shaded footwell, not heated by the sun, can be drawn in and expelled. This allows at least a portion of the steering wheel to be cooled in summer.

[0009] A further development of the air conditioning device provides that the at least one air conveying device has a convergent nozzle for expelling air at one end and an electrically operable heating element upstream of the nozzle with respect to an air conveying direction of the at least one air conveying device. In other words, the air conveying device should have a nozzle with a cross-section that decreases in the flow direction toward an outlet opening and through which fluid, in particular air, can flow, wherein the outlet opening can have the smallest cross-section.The convergent nozzle allows the air to be expelled from the outlet opening to be expelled particularly quickly (here subsonic), whereby heat transfer or heat transfer coefficient between the driver's hand and the expelled air can be particularly efficiently improved or increased, so that the driver's hand can be cooled or heated particularly quickly. This means that when the hand is being cooled, heat from the hand can be absorbed particularly well by the flowing air expelled by the air conveying device, and to warm the hand, heat from the flowing air can be transferred to the hand particularly well. The convergent nozzle also has the advantage that at least one partial area or holding area on the back of the steering wheel can be particularly small, or the partial area can be air-directed in a particularly targeted and / or efficient manner.The heating element can be arranged in the air conveying device in the direction of flow between an air conveying wheel, for example, comprising an electric motor and driven by the latter, for conveying the air, and the nozzle. It can be designed, for example, as a PTC heating element (PTC: Positive Temperature Coefficient). This offers the advantage that, by energizing the heating element, the air to be expelled by the air conveying device can be heated before being expelled through the nozzle.

[0010] A second aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle with an air conditioning system, in particular according to the first aspect of the invention. Advantages and advantageous developments of the first aspect are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous developments of the second aspect of the invention, and vice versa. In particular, the invention provides that the air conditioning system for the steering wheel is designed to be connectable to a central control system of the motor vehicle for air conditioning the motor vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle interior, or, when arranged in the motor vehicle, is connected to it in such a way that it can be controlled by it, in particular activated and / or deactivated.This makes it possible, in particular, for the driver, for example in winter, to activate the central control system in good time or before getting into the vehicle or motor vehicle, for example via WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) or another telecommunications technology. This allows the driver, for example, to activate the climate control system for the steering wheel from outside the vehicle. This offers the advantage that the driver can use a comfortably tempered steering wheel or steering wheel to steer the vehicle when starting the journey. Similarly, the climate control system for the steering wheel can be activated in summer, i.e., to cool the steering wheel, particularly the area where the steering wheel is held.To cool the steering wheel, it can be provided that the one or more air conveying devices of the air conditioning device can draw in the particularly cool air from under the steering wheel or steering wheel and can thus expose the steering wheel, in particular the holding area(s) to this comparatively cool air. In summer in particular, the holding area(s) can be particularly hot due to solar radiation. By cooling the holding area(s) by means of the air conditioning device, these are particularly comfortable for the driver's hands to hold or grip. Advantageously, such cooling or heating of the steering wheel requires particularly little energy, in particular electrical energy.This electrical energy can, for example, be provided by a solar module arranged on the motor vehicle, in particular on its roof.

[0011] Additionally or alternatively, it can be provided that the at least one air conveying device has a temperature sensor for sensing the air sucked in by the air conveying device. The temperature sensor can be designed so that it can be connected to the central control system of the motor vehicle for air conditioning the motor vehicle. If the air conveying device has the temperature sensor, it can be provided that the heating element is designed so that it can be connected to the central control system, wherein a power supply can be designed so that it can be regulated by means of the central control system. A heating output or a power supply of the heating element can be regulated as a function of a sensed temperature of the air flowing through the air conveying device, in particular the air sucked in by the air conveying device.

[0012] If, for example, the steering wheel is to be heated and the air being drawn in is already at 25°C, the heating element can only provide very little additional heating because the air being drawn in is already very warm. However, if the air being drawn in is only 5°C, for example, and the steering wheel is to be heated, the electrical power supplied to the heating element can be maximum. Additionally or alternatively, a fan power or that of a fan wheel for conveying air to be expelled from the air conveying device can be designed to be controllable or regulated via the central control system of the motor vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, it can be provided that the fan power can be continuously adjusted and can be adjusted or changed by a motor vehicle occupant, in particular the driver, at any time, for example during the journey or before starting a journey, for example via a display and operating device on the motor vehicle.

[0013] The motor vehicle is designed, for example, as a motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger car or a commercial vehicle. The motor vehicle can be designed as an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle, or as a motor vehicle powered exclusively by an internal combustion engine.

[0014] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures, can be used not only in the respective combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0015] Showing: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a sectional view of an air conveying device through which air flows of an air conditioning device for a steering wheel with an air conveying wheel, a heating element and a nozzle; Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a front view of an air conveying device through its nozzle wall with a flat nozzle as a nozzle, a heating element and an air conveying wheel; Fig. 3 a schematic representation of a steering wheel back of a steering wheel with an air conditioning device comprising two air conveying devices for supplying the steering wheel back with air; and Fig. 4 a schematic representation of a top view of the steering wheel from Fig. 3, opposite to a vehicle vertical direction.

[0016] In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0017] Fig. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of an air conveying device 10 of an air conditioning device for a steering wheel, through which air flows, with an air conveying wheel 12, a heating element 14 and a, in particular convergent, nozzle 16. As in Fig. 1, supply air 18, conveyed or sucked in by the rotating or rotatable air conveyor wheel 12, can flow into the air conveyor device 10 via an inlet opening. The air conveyor wheel 12 can be arranged downstream of the inlet opening. The heating element 14 can be arranged downstream of the air conveyor wheel 12. Downstream in the flow direction of the heating element 14, the nozzle 16 can be arranged, which can have a flow cross-section or flow-through cross-section that can taper in the flow direction towards an outlet opening, wherein the air can flow out as exhaust air 20 into an environment through the outlet opening, which can be delimited by the convergent nozzle 16 or its wall, and in particular flow against a steering wheel rear side 24 and / or a holding area 28 of the steering wheel. A sectional plane of the Fig. 1 can comprise a mean flow direction of the air conveyed by the air conveying device 10, or the mean flow direction can lie in the section plane.

[0018] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a front view of an air conveying device 10 through its nozzle wall with a flat nozzle as nozzle 16, with a heating element 14 and an air conveying wheel 12. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the nozzle 16 may not be rotationally symmetrical with respect to the mean flow direction of the air flow through the air conveying device 10, but may be designed as a flat nozzle. This results in the advantage that a larger area of ​​the control wheel, in particular the control wheel ring 22, and / or a particularly large holding area 28 can be exposed to air conveyed by an air conveying device 10, compared to a rotationally symmetrical nozzle. Fig. 2, the limiting wall of the nozzle 16 designed as a flat nozzle is transparent or not shown, so that the elements arranged in the flow direction behind the nozzle, in particular behind the outlet opening, such as the air conveyor wheel 12 and the heating element 14, are visible.

[0019] Across examples and / or across figures, it can be provided that the air conveying device 10 or each air conveying device 10 of the air conditioning device has a power supply which is designed in particular to be connectable to a central control of a motor vehicle for air conditioning the motor vehicle and / or to its on-board power supply system, wherein by means of the power supply the heating element, which can in particular be designed as a PTC heating element, can be supplied with an electrical power of 12 volts in conjunction with a current of 3 amperes and / or the fan wheel 12 can be supplied with an electrical power in conjunction with an electrical voltage of 12 volts and an electrical current of 0.2 amperes.

[0020] Fig. 3 shows a steering wheel back 24 of a steering wheel of a motor vehicle with an air conditioning device, which comprises two air conveying devices 10. As in Fig. 3, the air conveying devices 10 can each be arranged in the plane of the drawing Fig. 3, for example, about a respective axis of rotation, which can run parallel or obliquely to an axis of the handlebar 26. Due to the rotatably mounted air conveying devices 10, each air conveying device 10 can, for example, be assigned a holding area 28, to which the air conveying devices 10 can each supply the exhaust air they emit. In winter, for example, electricity can be supplied to the heating element 14 of a respective air conveying device 10, so that the exhaust air can be heated as it flows against the driver's hands 30 arranged in the holding area 28, in particular the driver's fingertips. Heating here means that the exhaust air 20 can be warmer than the supply air 18 drawn in by each air conveying device.The holding area 28 can, in particular, be divided into two sub-areas of the steering wheel ring 22, in each of which a hand 30 of the driver encompasses or can encompass the steering wheel ring 22. Because the air conveying devices 10 are each rotatably mounted, they can be directed downwards, i.e., toward a footwell of the driver, so that a knee area and / or the driver's footwell can be supplied with air, i.e., heated or cooled, for example.

[0021] Fig. 4 shows a schematic representation of a top view of the steering wheel from Fig. 3, with a view opposite to the vehicle's vertical direction. The vehicle's vertical direction can extend from a roadway on which the motor vehicle can travel to a roof of the motor vehicle. In other words, Fig.4 shows a view looking into a footwell, in particular a driver's footwell of the motor vehicle. In the illustrated arrangement or rotational position, in which the air conveying devices 10 can each be held by means of a respective locking device, the holding area 28 can be supplied with air, in particular with warm air or exhaust air 20. The rotatable bearing, via which an air conveying device can be connected to the rear side 24 of the steering wheel, can be designed, for example, as a ball joint 34 or a ball head, wherein the ball head, as a locking device, can have, for example, a friction-induced torsional resistance.

[0022] A particularly preferred embodiment is described below: On the rear of the steering wheel, which can also be referred to as a steering wheel, two air conveying devices 10 can be arranged, which can also be referred to as mini hair dryers. When suitably aligned, they can supply or expose a driver's hands 30, in particular their fingers, and by turning the mini hair dryers downwards, also the front driver's footwell, for example, with warm air. A mini hair dryer can have a fan or an air conveying wheel 12, a heating element 14 or PTC heating element, and an air guide nozzle or nozzle 16, wherein the nozzle 16 can concentrate the air flow and expel it more quickly or particularly quickly as exhaust air 20. The mini hair dryer can be operated with an energized heating element 14 for applying warm air, for example in winter, or without an energized heating element 14, for example for cold air in summer.The two mini dryers or air delivery devices 10 can be arranged on the back of the steering wheel or on a steering wheel back 24 at its base or on a steering wheel cover or steering wheel base 32. They can be rotatably mounted on a lockable ball head or ball joint 34 and can be connected or connectable via this to the steering wheel, in particular to the steering wheel base 32 or the steering wheel cover. The two mini dryers can be optimally aligned individually so that a steering wheel holding area or holding area 28 can be particularly well air-conditioned. The mini dryers can be dimensioned and arranged so that they neither interfere with any steering movement or rotational movement of the steering wheel, in particular of the steering wheel ring 22, nor are particularly visible to the driver.If, for example, in winter, the driver's hands 30, especially their fingers, are already warm, the mini hair dryers or air delivery devices 10 can be manually rotated toward the vehicle floor and heat the driver's foot and / or knee area. The two or each or one air delivery device 10 of the air conditioning system can be supplied with electrical power and / or controlled from the steering wheel base or the steering wheel base 32, for example, by means of current-carrying or electrically conductive lines extending from them.

[0023] The overall advantage is that the air conditioning system can be attached or moved to a wide variety of steering wheel or steering wheel designs particularly easily, i.e. with particularly low manufacturing costs, which means that the air conditioning system can be designed to be installed externally on the steering wheel or steering wheel, meaning that the existing steering wheel or steering wheel in a motor vehicle does not need to be modified or only needs to be modified very slightly.

[0024] Overall, the examples show how external steering wheel climate control can be provided with a footwell option using Airscarf.

Claims

[1] Air conditioning device for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, wherein the air conditioning device comprises at least one air conveying device (10) for conveying air, which can be arranged on a steering wheel rear side (24) facing away from a driver of the motor vehicle, in particular on a steering wheel rear-side steering wheel cover, whereby at least a partial area of ​​a rear side of a steering wheel ring (22) of the steering wheel facing away from the driver can be supplied with air. [2] Air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one air conveying device (10) is rotatably mounted on the steering wheel rear side (24) by means of a ball joint (34) for changing an air conveying direction of the at least one air conveying device (10), in particular for supplying a driver's footwell arranged below the steering wheel with air that can be conveyed by the at least one air conveying device (10) [3] Air conditioning device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one air conveying device (10) has at one end a convergent nozzle (16) for expelling air and upstream of the nozzle (16) with respect to an air conveying direction of the at least one air conveying device has an electrically operable heating element (14). [4] Motor vehicle with an air conditioning system according to one of the preceding claims.

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