Vehicle Heating Device Sensor Control for Imminent Start
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating devices for motor vehicle drive units often result in prolonged heating periods and increased energy consumption due to premature activation when the vehicle user engages the safety belt, leading to inefficient energy use and battery loading, as they cannot reliably indicate the imminent start of the drive unit.
Innovation Solution
A heating device with a sensor system that detects specific user behaviors, such as inserting the ignition key, actuating the clutch or braking device, or triggering the anti-theft system, to ensure the heating element is only activated when the drive unit start is imminent, utilizing existing anti-theft device sensors to reduce complexity and energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the heating element is switched on based on safety belt buckle engagement, then the heating device activates in advance, but the heating period becomes prolonged and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is activated in advance based on preliminary detection of driver intent through multiple sensors detecting predetermined behaviors (safety belt engagement, ignition key insertion, starting procedure initiation). This allows the heating device to start before the drive unit actually starts, ensuring the drive unit is ready when needed while activating heating only when multiple indicators confirm imminent start, thus reducing prolonged heating periods
Solution Approach 2:
The control device continuously monitors multiple sensors that detect predetermined behaviors of the driver. When these sensors detect that the driver has engaged the safety belt, inserted the ignition key, or initiated the starting procedure, the control device receives feedback and activates the heating element accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures heating is activated only when multiple indicators confirm the driver's intent to start the vehicle soon
2Reliability
If additional sensors are added to detect multiple predetermined behaviors, then the detection accuracy improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is designed to handle multiple sensor inputs and detect various predetermined behaviors (safety belt engagement, ignition key insertion, starting procedure initiation) through a unified control logic. This multi-functional approach allows a single control device to process information from multiple sensors without requiring separate control systems for each sensor, thereby improving detection accuracy while minimizing the increase in device complexity
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
The solution allows for efficient and energy-saving preheating of the drive unit by activating the heating element only when the start is imminent, reducing energy consumption and battery loading, while maintaining a simple and cost-effective device structure.
Implementation Method 1
The heating device includes at least one heating element, which can for example be designed as a glow plug
Data Source
AI summary
A heating device for a drive unit in a motor vehicle includes at least one heating element and at least one sensor by means of which a predetermined behavior of the vehicle user preceding the start of the drive unit can be detected. The sensor interacts with the heating element in such a manner that it is switched on when the sensor detects the predetermined behavior. The predetermined behavior may be one or more of the following: inserting an ignition key in an ignition lock of the motor vehicle; actuating a shifting, clutch or braking device of the motor vehicle; or a behavior through which an anti-theft device of the motor vehicle can be triggered.