IP Library Granted Patent US 7,216,812
Granted Patent B2
US 7,216,812 · App. 10/759,754 · Granted May 15, 2007

Device for air conditioning a vehicle

Assignee: J. Eberspächer GmbH & Co. KG
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,216,812
App. No.
10/759,754
Granted
May 15, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device for conditioning a vehicle includes at least one electrically operated conditioning arrangement, a hot air supply system with a heat source, and a delivery arrangement for delivery of heated air into a vehicle interior, a fuel cell system for providing electrical energy for the at least one conditioning arrangement and the delivery arrangement. The hot air supply system includes the fuel cell system as heat source and also furthermore a heat exchanger arrangement for transferring heat arising in the region of the fuel cell system to the air to be delivered into the vehicle interior.

Claims (15)

1. A device for conditioning a motor vehicle, comprising at least one electrically operated conditioning device ( 24 , 28 , 32 , 36 ), a hot air supply system with a heat source and a delivery arrangement ( 18 ) for delivering heated air into a vehicle interior ( 20 ), a fuel cell system ( 38 ) for providing electrical energy for the at least one conditioning arrangement ( 24 , 28 , 32 , 36 ) or the delivery arrangement ( 18 ),

wherein the fuel cell system ( 38 ) comprises a reformer arrangement ( 42 ) for producing a hydrogen-containing reformation product and a fuel cell ( 40 ), and comprises a burner for combustion with air of residual hydrogen leaving the fuel cell ( 40 ),

wherein the hot air supply system includes the fuel cell system ( 38 ) as heat source and a heat exchanger arrangement ( 60 ) for transferring heat arising in a region of the fuel cell system ( 38 ) to air to be delivered into the vehicle interior ( 20 ), and

wherein heat arising in at least one of a region of the reformer arrangement ( 42 ) and in a region of the burner is transferred to the air to be delivered into the vehicle interior ( 20 ).

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the conditioning arrangement ( 24 , 28 , 32 , 36 ) comprises at least one of:

a seat heating device ( 24 ),

a windscreen heating device ( 32 ),

an external mirror heating device ( 36 ), and

a steering wheel heating device ( 28 ).

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell system ( 38 ) comprises a reformation product purification stage ( 54 ), and heat arising in a region of the reformed product purification stage ( 54 ) is transferred by the heat exchanger arrangement ( 60 ) to the air to be delivered to the vehicle interior ( 20 ).

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the heat arising in the region of the fuel cell ( 40 ) can be transferred by the heat exchanger arrangement ( 60 ) to the air to be delivered to the vehicle interior ( 20 ).

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger arrangement ( 60 ) transfers heat arising in the region of the fuel cell system ( 38 ) to at least one system region of the vehicle ( 10 ) to be heated.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one system region to be heated of the vehicle ( 10 ) comprises at least one of:

an exhaust gas after-treatment system and

a drive assembly.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 20, 2013
From: J. EBERSPAECHER GMBH & CO. KG
To: EBERSPAECHER CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEMS GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 030048/0691 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2004
From: EBERSPACH, GUNTER; BLASCHKE, WALTER; LINDL, BRUNO; KAUPERT, ANDREAS; GAISER, GERD
To: J. EBERSPACHER GMBH & CO., K.G.
Reel/Frame 015457/0074 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 103 01 667 · Jan 17, 2003 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20040195345A1 · Oct 7, 2004