Automated system for partitioning the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a partitioning system for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle (1) comprising a partitioning device (20) including a curtain (21) coupled to a motorized roller and capable of unrolling vertically from top to bottom between a raised position and a lowered position in which it forms a partition separating said passenger compartment into a front zone (2A) containing the front row (3) of seats and a rear zone (2B) containing the rear row (4) of seats, said system comprising means (30) for detecting the presence of at least one passenger on one of the seats in the rear row and a control unit (40) capable of controlling said partitioning device and configured to automatically unroll said curtain into its lowered position if no passengers are present in the rear row seats. Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig. 4

Description

Title of the invention: Automated system for partitioning the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle technical field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the problems of energy consumption in motor vehicles and thermal comfort in their passenger compartments. It relates in particular to an automated system for partitioning the passenger compartment of such a motor vehicle. Previous technique

[0002] As is known, motor vehicles are equipped with an air treatment system within the vehicle's passenger compartment to ensure passenger comfort.

[0003] Generally referred to by the acronym HVAC (for Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning) and classically installed under the dashboard of the vehicle, such an air treatment system is likely to be supplied with outside air taken from an awning located at the base of the windshield and / or with recycled air taken from the passenger compartment.

[0004] A supply flap also allows the ratio between the outside air flow taken in and the recycled air flow to be adjusted, this flap being controlled by a manual or automatic control allowing the incoming air subjected to conditioning to be selected.

[0005] The HVAC system generally includes an air conditioning device designed to cool the air in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle during hot periods in order to improve the thermal comfort of the passengers.

[0006] When active, such an air conditioning system leads to a significant overconsumption of energy by the vehicle (in fuel and / or electricity depending on the type of propulsion) resulting in a notable decrease in the vehicle's range.

[0007] This decrease in autonomy proves to be particularly significant for electric motor vehicles for which the loss of autonomy can reach twenty-five percent.

[0008] Moreover, due to the large volume of the passenger compartment to be air-conditioned, the time required for this passenger compartment to reach the set temperature can prove to be particularly long.

[0009] In order to address these two problems, it is known from document KR 200487016Y1 to provide in the vehicle's passenger compartment a rolling partition device allowing the volume of this passenger compartment to be separated into two parts.

[0010] This partitioning device includes a curtain coupled to a roller housed in a cassette extending transversely against the inner face of the roof lining of the vehicle and between the tops of the center pillars of this vehicle separating the front and rear door openings.

[0011] The curtain is capable of unrolling from top to bottom in a vertical direction between a raised position and a lowered position in which it forms a partition separating said passenger compartment into a front zone containing the front row of seats of said vehicle and a rear zone containing the rear row(s) of seats of said same vehicle.

[0012] Such partitioning of the passenger compartment thus reduces the energy consumption of the vehicle's HVAC air management system by limiting the volume of air to be treated to that of the front area of ​​the passenger compartment. It also significantly improves the comfort of the front passengers by reducing the time required for this front area of ​​the passenger compartment to reach the set temperature.

[0013] In practice, however, the driver of the vehicle and the front passenger often tend to "forget" to unroll the partition curtain before setting off, so that this type of device is in practice little used and therefore not very effective. Description of the invention

[0014] The present invention therefore aims to improve the situation.

[0015] For this purpose, it proposes a partitioning system for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle comprising a rolling partitioning device including a curtain coupled to a roller and capable of unrolling from top to bottom in a vertical direction between a raised position and a lowered position in which it forms a partition separating said passenger compartment into a front zone containing the front row of seats of said vehicle and a rear zone containing the rear row(s) of seats of said same vehicle; characterized in that said roller is motorized, said system further comprising means for detecting the presence of at least one passenger on one of the seats of said or said rear rows of seats, as well as a control unit capable of controlling said partitioning device and configured to command the automatic unwinding of said curtain in its lowered position in the event of no passengers being present on the seats of said rear row(s).

[0016] The invention makes it possible, by automating the unrolling of said curtain in its lowered position when no passengers are present in the seats of said rear row(s), to systematically adapt the volume of air to be treated by the HVAC system of management according to circumstances in order to optimize passenger comfort and the energy consumption of the vehicle's HVAC air management system.

[0017] According to preferred characteristics of said partitioning system according to the invention: - said control unit is also configured so as to automatically retract said curtain into its raised position if the presence of at least one passenger is detected on one of the seats in said rear row(s); - said system includes a deactivation device allowing the control of said rolling partition device to be switched to manual control mode via one or more dedicated control devices connected to this partition device; - said detection means include pressure sensor pads embedded in the padding of the seat of each seat in the rear row(s) of said vehicle and capable of detecting each one the presence of a passenger on the corresponding seat; - that said detection means include a video camera installed in said passenger compartment and associated with an image processing module capable, by analyzing the images captured by said camera, of detecting the presence of at least one passenger on one of the seats in said rear row(s); - said curtain is made of a flexible, airtight fabric; - said curtain is formed of a plurality of rigid slats articulated to each other; - said curtain is transparent or translucent; and / or - said rolling partition device comprises two lateral uprights against the middle legs of said vehicle and each having on their inner face a vertical axis rail ensuring the sliding guidance of a corresponding lateral end of said curtain.

[0018] The invention also relates, in a second aspect, to a motor vehicle comprising such a partitioning system. Brief description of the drawings

[0019] The description of the invention will now be continued by a detailed description of an exemplary embodiment, given below by way of illustration but not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, on which:

[0020] [Fig-1] represents a simplified view of a motor vehicle equipped with a system automated partitioning of the passenger compartment according to the invention, the curtain of which occupies its raised position;

[0021] [Fig.2] is a functional diagram of the automated passenger compartment partitioning system according to the invention;

[0022] [Fig.3] represents an exploded perspective view of the partitioning device at winding that comprises the automated partitioning system according to the invention; and;

[0023] [Fig.4] is a view similar to [Fig.1] but showing the curtain in the lowered position of partitioning. Description of the implementation methods

[0024] Fig. 1 shows in a simplified manner the interior of the passenger compartment 2 of a motor vehicle 1 comprising two rows 3, 4 of seats.

[0025] In the following description, and by convention, an orthogonal XYZ frame of reference is defined with respect to the vehicle, comprising three axes perpendicular in pairs, namely: - an X-axis, defining a longitudinal, horizontal direction, coinciding with the general direction of movement of the vehicle, - a Y-axis, defining a horizontal, transverse direction, which, together with the X-axis, defines a horizontal XY plane, and - a Z-axis, defining a vertical direction, perpendicular to the horizontal XY plane.

[0026] In the remainder of the description and with reference to the frame of reference defined above, the terms "Longitudinal" or "longitudinally" will refer to a direction parallel to the X axis, the terms "transverse" or "transversely" will refer to a direction parallel to the Y axis, and the terms "vertical" or "vertically" will refer to a direction parallel to the Z axis.

[0027] The terms "external" and "internal" will be used to define the relative position of an element with reference to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The element closest to this axis will thus be described as internal, as opposed to the other element further from this same axis, which will be described as external.

[0028] As illustrated in this [Fig.1], the passenger compartment 2 of the vehicle 1 comprises a front area 2A extending in front of the unshown center pillars of this vehicle and including the front row 3 of seats, and a rear area 2B extending behind these center pillars and including the rear row 4 of seats.

[0029] In the case of a vehicle with n rows of seats with n greater than two, the rear area 2B will include all the rows of seats except the front row.

[0030] Thus for a vehicle with three rows of seats, the rear area 2B will include the rear rows of row two and three.

[0031] According to the invention, the vehicle 1 is also equipped with an automated partitioning system 10 for its passenger compartment 2.

[0032] With reference to figures 1 and 2, this automated partitioning system 10 comprises a rolling partitioning device 20, means for detecting the presence of at least one passenger on one of the seats in the rear row(s) 4, and a control unit 40.

[0033] As illustrated in [Fig.3], the rolling partition device 20 comprises a roll-up curtain 21 whose upper edge is integral with a tubular roller with a transverse axis 22 mounted for motorized rotation in a cassette 23 fixed against the roof lining of the vehicle in line with the middle pillars of the vehicle separating the front 2A and rear 2B areas of the passenger compartment 2.

[0034] Not visible on this [Fig.3] because it is housed in the tubular winder 22, the motor driving the rotation of this winder 22 is connected to a continuous power supply consisting for example of the low voltage service battery of the vehicle.

[0035] The curtain 21 is able to unroll from top to bottom in a vertical direction between a rolled-up or raised position illustrated by [Fig.1], and an unrolled or lowered position illustrated by [Fig.4] in which it forms a partition between the front 2A and rear 2B areas of the passenger compartment 2.

[0036] The curtain 21 is in this case formed by a flexible, air-impermeable fabric so as to thermally insulate these front 2A and rear 2B areas of the passenger compartment 2 by preventing, or at least strongly limiting, air exchange by convection between them.

[0037] According to alternative embodiments not shown, this curtain 21 can also be made up of a plurality of rigid slats articulated to each other along transverse axes.

[0038] In order not to reduce the driver's field of vision and in particular to allow him to see through the rear window of the vehicle 1, the curtain 21 is advantageously transparent or translucent.

[0039] Furthermore, and in order to facilitate the unwinding of this curtain 21, the rolling partition device 20 preferably comprises two lateral uprights 24, 25 backed against the middle legs of the vehicle 1 and each having on their inner face a vertical axis rail 26 ensuring the sliding guidance of a corresponding lateral end of the curtain 21.

[0040] The detection means 30 advantageously comprise pressure sensor pads embedded in the padding of the seat of each seat in the rear row(s) 4 of the vehicle 1 and capable of detecting each of the presence of a passenger on the corresponding seat.

[0041] Since such means of detecting the presence of passengers in the seats are generally already installed as standard equipment in vehicles to ensure the implementation of the safety seatbelt failure warning system, the additional cost generated by the installation the system 10 according to the invention proves to be relatively modest because it is limited to the motorization aspect of the rolling partition device 10.

[0042] Alternatively, the means for detecting the presence of passengers in the rear seats may be of a different type.

[0043] These may, for example, include a video camera installed in the passenger compartment, for example at the level of the vehicle's headliner, and associated with an image processing module capable, by analyzing the images captured by this camera, of detecting the presence of at least one passenger on one of the seats in this or these rear rows of seats.

[0044] Preferably consisting of the vehicle's B SI (for "Intelligent Servicing Box") also called VSM (for "Vehicle Supervisor Module" in English) in common terminology, the control unit 40 is connected, via the vehicle's on-board electronic network 1, to the detection means 30 which transmit to it in real time the information of the presence or absence of passengers on the seats of the rear row(s) 4.

[0045] Unit 40 is also connected, via the vehicle 1's on-board electronic network, to the motor of the winding partition device 20, which it controls.

[0046] According to the invention, this control unit 40 is configured to control the automatic unwinding of the curtain 21 of the rolling partition device 20 into its lowered position in the event of no passengers being present on the seats of the rear row(s) 4, so as to partition the front area 2A of the passenger compartment 2 from its rear area 2B.

[0047] Such automated partitioning in the absence of rear passengers thus makes it possible to systematize, in such a context, the reduction of the energy consumption of the HVAC air management system of the vehicle 1 as well as the improvement of the comfort of the front passengers by reducing the time required for this front zone 2A of the passenger compartment to reach the set temperature.

[0048] Furthermore, the control unit 40 is advantageously also configured so as to control the automatic rolling of the curtain 21 of the rolling partition device 20 in its raised position in the event of detection of the presence of at least one passenger on one of the seats in the rear row or rows, so that this or these rear passengers can also benefit from the air conditioning.

[0049] The automated partitioning system 10 may also advantageously include a deactivation element allowing the control of the rolling partitioning device to be switched to manual control mode, via one or more dedicated control elements connected, via the vehicle's on-board electronic network 1, to the rolling partitioning device 20.

[0050] These deactivation and control devices are, for example, made up of push buttons, toggle switches or touch buttons located on the dashboard, the central console or the armrests of the front doors of the vehicle 1.

[0051] Many other variants are also possible and it should be recalled in this regard that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and represented, but also encompasses all variants of execution within the reach of a person skilled in the art.

Claims

Demands

1. Partitioning system (10) of the passenger compartment (2) of a motor vehicle (1) comprising a rolling partitioning device (20) including a curtain (21) coupled to a roller (22) and capable of unrolling from top to bottom in a vertical direction between a raised position and a lowered position in which it forms a partition separating said passenger compartment (2) into a front zone (2A) containing the front row (3) of seats of said vehicle (1) and a rear zone (2B) containing the rear row(s) (4) of seats of said vehicle (1);characterized in that said roller (22) is motorized, said system (10) further comprising means for detecting (30) the presence of at least one passenger on one of the seats of said row(s) (4) of rear seats, the detection means (30) ensuring the implementation of a safety non-fastening alert device, as well as a control unit (40) capable of controlling said partitioning device (20) and configured to command the automatic unwinding of said curtain (21) in its lowered position in the event of no passengers being present on the seats of said row(s) (4).

2. Partitioning system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said control unit (40) is also configured to control the automatic rolling of said curtain (21) into its raised position in the event of detection of the presence of at least one passenger on one of the seats of said rear row(s) (4).

3. Partitioning system (10) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a deactivation element enabling the control of said winding partitioning device (20) to be switched to manual control mode via one or more dedicated control elements connected to this partitioning device (20).

4. Partitioning system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said detection means (30) comprise pressure sensor pads embedded in the padding of the seat of each seat of said rear row(s) (4) of said vehicle (1) and capable of detecting each the presence of a passenger on the corresponding seat.

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10. Partitioning system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said detection means (30) comprise a video camera implanted in said passenger compartment (2) and associated with an image processing module capable, by analyzing the images captured by said camera, of detecting the presence of at least one passenger on one of the seats of said rear row(s) (4). Partitioning system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said curtain (21) is formed by a flexible, air-impermeable fabric. Partitioning system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said curtain (21) is formed of a plurality of rigid slats articulated to each other. Partitioning system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said curtain (21) is transparent or translucent. Partitioning system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said rolling partitioning device (20) comprises two lateral uprights (24, 25) backed against the middle legs of said vehicle (1) and each having on their inner face a vertical axis rail (26) ensuring the sliding guidance of a corresponding lateral end of said curtain (21). Motor vehicle (1) characterized in that it comprises a partitioning system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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