Heatable Windshield Power Control for Defrosting Without Air Vents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heatable windows in motor vehicles often require additional vents for directing hot air, which complicates the system and reduces efficiency, as the power supplied to these windows is not optimally adjusted based on environmental and thermodynamic conditions.
Innovation Solution
A control unit in the motor vehicle adjusts the power supplied to the electrically conductive material in the heatable window based on detected environmental and state quantities, such as temperature, humidity, and solar radiation, to efficiently defrost or defog the window without the need for direct air vents, using a calibrated functional relationship or optimization model.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If direct air vents are added to direct hot air flows towards the windows, then the defrosting and defogging performance is improved, but the device complexity and aerodynamic drag increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the direct air vent system from the vehicle architecture, extracting the problematic component that caused aerodynamic drag and system complexity. Instead of adding vents to direct hot air, the system relies on the heatable window's intrinsic heating capability, eliminating the need for mechanical air direction structures while maintaining defrosting and defogging functionality through optimized electrical heating control
2Productivity
If high power is supplied to the heatable window to ensure rapid defrosting, then the defrosting speed is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic power adjustment for the heatable window, where the electrical power supplied to the conductive material varies based on real-time environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, solar radiation) and vehicle operating state. This dynamic control allows the system to provide high power when rapid defrosting is needed while reducing power consumption during milder conditions, optimizing the balance between defrosting speed and energy usage
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the electrical power parameter supplied to the heatable window based on detected environmental and thermodynamic conditions. By adjusting this key parameter dynamically, the system adapts its heating output to match actual demand, ensuring rapid defrosting when conditions require it while minimizing energy consumption during less severe conditions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the efficiency and efficacy of heatable windows by optimizing power usage according to actual conditions, eliminating the need for direct air vents, thus simplifying the vehicle design and improving performance while meeting compliance standards.
Implementation Method 1
A heatable window is a motor vehicle window comprising electrically conductive material with significant electrical resistance, so that the material can dissipate energy, in the form of heat, when an electric current passes through it.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for a motor vehicle includes a heatable windshield comprising an electrically conductive material an electric power source electrically connected to the electrically conductive material, transducer means configured to detect environmental quantities and state quantities of the heatable windshield and to generate signals relating to the detected quantities, a control unit coupled to the transducer means to acquire the signals, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust a power supplied to the electrically conductive material by the power source as a function of at least one of the acquired signals.