Heating system of a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a heating system of a vehicle, wherein flat heating elements (11) are arranged on objects (7) in the vehicle in order to heat the interior (1) of the vehicle by means of thermal radiation. According to the invention, at least one vehicle seat (4) of the vehicle is paired with a temperature-control region (10), and the flat heating element (11) is paired with a vehicle seat (4) comprising a temperature-control region (10). In order to determine the heating requirement of a vehicle occupant (2) located on the vehicle seat (4) comprising with a temperature-control region (10), corresponding sensor units are provided in the vehicle. Furthermore, corresponding means are provided in the vehicle for specifying a heat output of the at least one flat heating element (11) paired with a vehicle seat (4) comprising a temperature-control region (10) on the basis of the heating requirement of the vehicle occupant (2).

Description

[0001] Heating system of a vehicle

[0002] The invention relates to a heating system of a vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

[0003] To heat the interior of vehicles powered by combustion engines, the waste heat from the combustion engine is typically used for heating systems that regulate the temperature of the entire vehicle interior through convection. This option for heating the interior is no longer available, especially in electrically powered vehicles, so alternative heating types and systems must be used.

[0004] Among these alternative heating systems, heating systems that regulate the temperature of the vehicle's interior through radiant heat are particularly suitable. These heating systems generate heat through thermal radiation (infrared radiation) in a targeted and localized manner at a specific location in the vehicle, meaning that heating the entire interior of the vehicle, as is the case with convection heating, is no longer necessary.

[0005] DE 102021 103 399 A1 discloses a method for automatically adjusting a locally perceived temperature in a camping vehicle using radiant heating in the context of heating the interior of vehicles. In this known method, a plurality of electric panel heaters are integrated into a plurality of flat accessories in different usage areas inside the camping vehicle. The heating output of at least one of these electric panel heaters is regulated and / or controlled depending on the exact location of a person inside the camping vehicle. Laminated materials, ceiling or wall paneling, furniture, doors, or similar objects are particularly envisaged as flat accessories inside the camping vehicle. US 11 363683 B2 provides systems and methods for radiant heating using PTC radiation fields.A radiant heating system for warming an occupant of an enclosed space includes panels for radiating heat into the enclosed space toward the occupant. A power supply delivers electrical power to the panels. A controller regulates the electrical power delivered to the panels based on a temperature in the enclosed space and the positions of the panels within the enclosed space.

[0006] DE 102014 210 962 A1 describes an air conditioning device for a motor vehicle, comprising a plurality of climate parameter influencing elements, each associated with a body region of a vehicle occupant, a plurality of sensors, each associated with a climate parameter influencing element, by means of which a property of the respectively associated occupant body region can be determined, and a control device coupled to the sensors and the climate parameter influencing elements, by means of which the climate parameter influencing elements can be controlled depending on the property determined by the respectively associated sensor. The invention is characterized in that the sensors are designed as distance sensors, and the property determined by them is a distance between each sensor and the respectively associated occupant body region.

[0007] DE 102019202223 A1 relates to an arrangement for heating a vehicle interior, in particular a rail vehicle interior, in which infrared surface heaters are arranged in the interior to heat the vehicle interior. The infrared surface heaters are designed as integrated components of the interior surfaces.

[0008] Other relevant publications are US 2015 0 028 119 A1, DE 10320 829 A1 and DE 102013 009 516 A1.

[0009] EP 2 578 423 B1 discloses a radiant heating device for a vehicle, comprising a heater that radiates radiant heat toward a passenger and is provided together with an air conditioner that selectively introduces air outside a passenger compartment or air inside the passenger compartment and then supplies conditioned air generated from the introduced air into the passenger compartment. The heater includes a controller that distinguishes a radiation energy amount of the heater when the air introduced into the air conditioner is the air outside the passenger compartment and when the supplied air is the air inside the passenger compartment. According to the radiant heating system, a warm, comfortable feeling can be provided to the passenger in both the outside air intake mode and the inside air intake mode of the air conditioner.

[0010] Based on this prior art, the invention is based on the object of specifying a generic heating system for a vehicle with which the heating output for a passenger of the vehicle can be easily and individually adjusted.

[0011] This object is achieved according to the invention by a heating system of a vehicle having the features of patent claim 1.

[0012] Advantageous further developments of the invention are part of the further patent claims.

[0013] In the heating system according to the invention, the interior of the vehicle is heated in a targeted manner by thermal radiation using at least one surface heating element, which is preferably arranged in an interior component of the vehicle, i.e., integrated into the interior component of the vehicle or arranged on an interior component of the vehicle. In particular, at least one surface heating element is arranged near a vehicle seat, which is assigned a specific temperature control zone, i.e., the surroundings of which can be heated or temperature-controlled in a specific area around the seat using at least one surface heating element.

[0014] Any surface of an interior component of the vehicle can be provided as a receiving surface for a surface heating element, for example the backrest of a front seat of the vehicle and / or the door trim of a side door of the vehicle and / or the footwell of the vehicle and / or the instrument panel of the vehicle and / or the center console of the vehicle and / or the roof lining of the vehicle. These receiving surfaces for a surface heating element are preferably directed towards a respective occupant of the vehicle. For example, surface heating elements can be provided in the backrest part (seat back) of a front seat of the vehicle for the occupants in the rear of a vehicle.

[0015] For a vehicle occupant sitting on a vehicle seat with a temperature control zone, their current heating requirement is determined, and the heating output of the surface heating elements assigned to this vehicle seat is specified based on this. In an advantageous development of the invention, the heating output of the at least one surface heating element assigned to a vehicle seat with a temperature control zone is specified by a vehicle control unit, which regulates and / or controls the voltage and current of the respective surface heating element according to the current heating requirement of the respective vehicle occupant sitting on a vehicle seat with a temperature control zone.

[0016] To determine the current heating requirement of the vehicle occupant sitting on a vehicle seat with a temperature control area, a sensor unit, preferably designed as an optical sensor unit or as a thermal sensor unit, is provided in the vehicle.

[0017] Using a thermal imaging camera as a thermal sensor unit for determining the current heating requirement of the vehicle occupant sitting in a vehicle seat with a temperature control zone, the surface temperature of illuminated body parts of the vehicle occupant sitting in a vehicle seat with a temperature control zone can be measured. Based on the respective surface temperature of the vehicle occupant's body parts, the current heating requirement for the respective body part of the vehicle occupant can then be determined, and the heating output of at least one surface heating element assigned to this vehicle seat with a temperature control zone can be controlled or regulated accordingly.

[0018] By means of an optical camera provided as an alternative to the thermal sensor unit or in addition to the thermal sensor unit as an optical image capture unit of an optical sensor unit for determining the current heating requirement of the vehicle occupant located on a vehicle seat with a temperature control area, the distance between at least one body part of the vehicle occupant located on this vehicle seat and the at least one surface heating element assigned to this vehicle seat can be detected and from this the current heating requirement of the vehicle occupant located on this vehicle seat can be derived and in particular the current heating requirement of different body parts of the vehicle occupant located on a vehicle seat with a temperature control area can be derived.In particular, this also allows for consideration of the fact that the thermal energy absorbed by the vehicle occupant depends on the distance from the radiation source and thus on the distance to at least one surface heating element assigned to this vehicle seat with a temperature control area. As with the direct determination of the surface temperature of irradiated body parts of a vehicle occupant sitting on the vehicle seat, it is also possible to consider that different body parts of a vehicle occupant may have different heating requirements. For example, there may be significantly different heating requirements between the head area and the foot area of ​​a vehicle occupant.

[0019] A capacitive sensor unit is provided to detect the distance between at least one body part of the vehicle occupant and the at least one surface heating element. This capacitive sensor unit can be arranged in a surface heating element, i.e., integrated into the surface heating element and, for this purpose, formed, for example, as a capacitive circuit in the surface heating element, or arranged on a surface heating element, or arranged in the area between the surface heating element and a vehicle seat, or integrated into a vehicle seat, or arranged on a vehicle seat.

[0020] Alternatively, sensor units using other measuring methods can also be provided to detect the distance between the at least one body part of the occupant and the at least one surface heating element, in particular also a combination of different such sensor units.

[0021] By using an optical sensor unit and in particular an optical camera according to the invention, the positioning of a vehicle occupant located on a vehicle seat with a temperature control area can also be detected. In particular, the seating position of the occupant and / or the posture of the occupant and / or the position of the occupant's limbs and, if applicable, other characteristic influencing variables on the heating requirement of an occupant can be detected by means of the optical sensor unit and in particular the optical camera, and from this, the current heating requirement of the vehicle occupant located on a vehicle seat with a temperature control area can be derived. This meansThe current heating requirement of the vehicle occupant located on a vehicle seat with a temperature control area can be derived, in particular, taking into account the current positioning of the vehicle occupant relative to the radiation surface of the at least one surface heating element assigned to this vehicle seat.

[0022] This also prevents, for example, a tall passenger in the vehicle sitting close to the surface heating elements due to their body size from being too warm due to the strong heating by the surface heating elements, and a short passenger in the vehicle sitting further away from the surface heating elements due to their body size from being too cold due to the weak heating by the surface heating elements.

[0023] In a further advantageous development of the invention, certain physical characteristics or personal parameters of the occupant can also be recorded as further influencing variables on the heating requirement of a vehicle occupant located on a vehicle seat with a temperature control area, such as in particular the body size of the respective occupant and / or the clothing condition of the respective occupant, and from this the current heating requirement of the vehicle occupant located on a vehicle seat with a temperature control area can be derived.

[0024] For example, it can be assumed that the heating requirement in the leg area is lower for a vehicle occupant wearing shorts than for a vehicle occupant wearing long trousers, or that the heating requirement is higher for a vehicle occupant wearing a jacket than for a vehicle occupant without a jacket.

[0025] Advantageously, the presented invention can achieve a high level of thermal comfort for the vehicle occupants by taking into account various factors influencing the current heating requirements of a vehicle occupant and the resulting predetermined heating output of surface heating elements, thus creating a pleasant environment for the vehicle occupants. Since the heating output is specified individually for the vehicle occupants and optimally for the respective application or the current boundary conditions in the vehicle interior, the interior of a vehicle can be heated very efficiently and energy-savingly, preferably in specific locations. This is particularly relevant for the range of electrically powered vehicles.

[0026] Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawing with the two figures.

[0027] 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 combination specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0028] It shows:

[0029] Fig. 1 A schematic representation of the interior of a vehicle with a front seat of the vehicle and an occupant of the vehicle and

[0030] Fig. 2 Another schematic representation of the interior of a vehicle with a front seat of the vehicle and an occupant of the vehicle.

[0031] Figure 1 and Figure 2 each show a schematic representation of a partial area of ​​the interior 1 of a vehicle with an occupant 2 located in the rear area 3 of the vehicle on a rear seat 4 of the vehicle.

[0032] The occupants 2 shown in the two figures on a rear seat 4 of the vehicle have different body sizes: the occupant 2 shown in Figure 1 on a rear seat 4 of the vehicle is relatively tall, so that the legs 5 of the occupant 2 are also located relatively close to the backrest 6 of a front seat 7 of the vehicle, i.e. at a short distance 8 to the backrest 6 of a front seat 5 of the vehicle; the occupant 2 shown in Figure 2 on a rear seat 4 of the vehicle is, on the other hand, relatively small, so that the legs 5 of the occupant 2 are also located relatively far away from the backrest 6 of a front seat 7 of the vehicle, i.e. at a great distance 9 to the backrest 6 of a front seat 5 of the vehicle.

[0033] At certain positions in the interior 1 of the vehicle, surface heating elements 11 are arranged on interior components of the vehicle adjacent to the vehicle seats 4, 7 of the vehicle, the radiation surfaces of which are preferably directed towards the respective vehicle seat 4, 7 of the vehicle.

[0034] In order to specify a temperature control range 10 for the rear seat 4 and thus to individually heat a specific area for the occupant 2 in the rear area 3 of the vehicle or for the occupant 2 located on the rear seat 4 of the vehicle, a surface heating element 11 is provided on the backrest 6 of the front seat 7 of the vehicle, which is integrated, for example, in the backrest tensioning part 12 in the backrest 6 of the front seat 5 of the vehicle. In order to individually specify the heating output for the occupant 2 on a rear seat 4 of the vehicle, for example by a control unit of the vehicle, the distance from the surface heating element 11 to specific body parts of the occupant 2 located on the rear seat 4 of the vehicle is determined, for example, among other things, the distance 8, 9 from the surface heating element 11 to the legs 5 of the occupant 2 on a rear seat 4 of the vehicle.This determination of the distance 8, 9 from the surface heating element 11 to the legs 5 of the occupant 2 can be carried out, for example, by an optical camera which is arranged, for example, in the region of the vehicle roof, for example integrated in the roof lining of the vehicle, or which is arranged in the region of the center console of the vehicle.

[0035] Since this distance 8 from the surface heating element 11 to the legs 5 of the occupant 2 is quite small in the case of a relatively large occupant 2 (see Figure 1), the heating power of the surface heating element 11, which can be adjusted in a range from 150 W to 300 W, for heating the leg area of ​​the occupant 2 can also be specified with a low value, for example with a value of 180 W.

[0036] On the other hand, since this distance 9 from the surface heating element 11 to the legs 5 of the occupant 2 is quite large for a relatively small occupant 2 (see Figure 2), the heating power of the surface heating element 11 for heating the leg area of ​​the occupant 2 should also be specified with a high value in this case, for example with a heating power of the surface heating element 11 adjustable in a range from 150 W to 300 W with a value of 250 W.

Claims

Mercedes-Benz Group AG Schrage July 20, 2023 Patent claims 1. Heating system of a vehicle for heating an interior (1) of a vehicle by thermal radiation by means of surface heating elements (11) arranged on objects (7) in the vehicle, wherein at least one vehicle seat (4) of the vehicle is assigned a temperature control area (10), wherein at least one surface heating element (11) is assigned to the vehicle seat (4) with the temperature control area (10), wherein means are provided in the vehicle for determining a heating requirement of a vehicle occupant (2) located on the vehicle seat (4) with the temperature control area (10), and wherein means are provided for specifying a heating output of the at least one surface heating element (11) assigned to the vehicle seat (4) with the temperature control area (10) depending on the heating requirement of the vehicle occupant (2), characterized in thatthat in order to determine the heating requirement of the occupant (2) of the vehicle located on the vehicle seat (4) with temperature control area (10), a sensor unit is provided for detecting a distance (8, 9) between the body part (5) of the occupant (2) of the vehicle and at least one surface heating element (11) assigned to the vehicle seat (4) with temperature control area (10), wherein a capacitive sensor unit is provided for detecting the distance (8, 9) between the body part (5) of the occupant (2) of the vehicle and at least one surface heating element (11) assigned to the vehicle seat (4) with temperature control area (10),wherein the capacitive sensor unit is integrated in a surface heating element (11) assigned to the vehicle seat (4) with temperature control area (10), and wherein an optical sensor unit is provided for determining the sitting position and / or the position of limbs and / or a posture of the vehicle occupant (2) in order to determine the heating requirement of the vehicle occupant (2) located on the vehicle seat (4) with temperature control area (10). Heating system according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, in order to determine the heating requirement of the vehicle occupant (2) located on the vehicle seat (4) with a temperature control area (10), an optical sensor unit is provided for determining a body size and / or a clothing state of the vehicle occupant (2). Heating system according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the optical sensor unit has an optical camera as an optical image capture unit. Heating system according to claim 1, characterized in that, in order to determine the heating requirement of the vehicle occupant (2) located on the vehicle seat (4) with a temperature control area (10), a thermal sensor unit is designed as a thermal imaging camera for detecting a surface temperature of body parts (5) of the vehicle occupant (2) located on a vehicle seat (4) with a temperature control area (10).Heating system according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the surface heating element (11) assigned to a vehicle seat (4) with a temperature control area (10) is integrated into an interior component (7) of the vehicle or is arranged on the interior component (7) of the vehicle. Heating system according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a control unit of the vehicle is provided for specifying the heating output of the at least one surface heating element (11) assigned to a vehicle seat (4) with a temperature control area (10).

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