Vehicle air handling system
A vehicle air handling system includes an air duct housing, a particulate sensor, a first air blower and an electronic controller. The air duct housing has an air inlet and a passenger compartment vent. The particulate sensor is configured to detect a particulate level of particulates in the air duct housing. The first air blower is disposed in the air duct housing to move air within the air duct housing. The electronic controller is operatively coupled to the particulate sensor and the first air blower. The electronic controller is configured to operate the first air blower to reverse an air direction of the first air blower away from the passenger compartment vent upon detection of the particulate level of the particulates in the air duct housing being equal to or greater than a predetermined particulate threshold level in the air duct housing.
1. A vehicle air handling system comprising:
an air duct housing having an air inlet and a passenger compartment vent;
a particulate sensor configured to detect a particulate level of particulates in the air duct housing;
a first air blower disposed in the air duct housing to move air within the air duct housing, the first air blower moving air in an air direction toward the passenger compartment vent; and
an electronic controller operatively coupled to the particulate sensor and the first air blower, the electronic controller being configured to operate the first air blower to reverse the air direction of the first air blower upon detection of the particulate level of the particulates in the air duct housing being equal to or greater than a predetermined particulate threshold level in the air duct housing.
2. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 1 , further comprising
a second air blower disposed in an exhaust duct of the air duct housing and operatively coupled to the electronic controller, the exhaust duct being disposed downstream of the air inlet with respect to an air intake direction, the electronic controller being configured to operate the second air blower to draw air through the exhaust duct and out an exhaust outlet upon detection of the particulate level of the particulates in the air duct being equal to or greater than the predetermined particulate threshold level.
3. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 2 , further comprising
a particulate storage disposed adjacent the exhaust outlet of the exhaust duct.
4. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 2 , wherein
the air inlet includes an air intake door and an air intake door actuator configured to operate the air intake door, the electronic controller being configured to operate the air intake door actuator to partially close the air intake door upon detection of the particulate level of the particulates in the air duct housing being equal to or greater than the predetermined particulate threshold level of particulates.
5. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 4 , wherein
the exhaust outlet includes an exhaust duct door and an exhaust door actuator, the electronic controller being configured to operate the exhaust duct door actuator to open the exhaust duct door upon detection of the particulate level of the particulates in the air duct housing being equal to or greater than the predetermined particulate threshold level of particulates.
6. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 5 , wherein
the exhaust outlet is disposed in a vehicle dash instrument panel.
7. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to activate the particulate sensor to begin detecting particulates upon activation of a vehicle ignition.
8. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 7 , further comprising
at least one additional passenger compartment vent and at least one additional particulate sensor disposed adjacent the at least one additional passenger compartment vent.
9. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 1 , wherein
the air duct housing includes at least one panel duct, at least one floor duct and at least one defrost duct,
the air duct housing has at least one mode door and at least one mode door actuator configured to operate the at least one mode door, and
the electronic controller is configured to selectively operate the at least one mode door actuator so that the first blower selectively vacuums particulates from the panel duct, the floor duct and the defrost duct.
10. A vehicle air handling system comprising:
an air duct housing having an air inlet and a passenger compartment vent;
a particulate sensor configured to detect a particulate level of particulates in the air duct housing;
an exhaust duct blower disposed in the air duct housing to draw air through the air duct housing and out an exhaust duct of the air duct housing; and
an electronic controller operatively coupled to the particulate sensor and the exhaust duct blower, the electronic controller device being configured to operate the exhaust duct blower upon detection the particulate level of the particulates in the air duct housing being equal to or greater than a predetermined particulate threshold level in the air duct housing.
11. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 10 , further comprising
a particulate storage disposed adjacent the exhaust outlet of the exhaust duct.
12. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 10 , wherein
the air inlet includes an air intake door and an air intake door actuator configured to operate the air intake door, the electronic controller being configured to operate the air intake door actuator to partially close the air intake door upon detection of the particulate level of the particulates in the air duct housing being equal to or greater than the predetermined particulate threshold level of particulates.
13. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 10 , wherein
the exhaust outlet includes an exhaust duct door and an exhaust door actuator, the electronic controller being configured to operate the exhaust duct door actuator to open the exhaust duct door upon detection of the particulate level of the particulates in the air duct housing being equal to or greater than the predetermined particulate threshold level of particulates.
14. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 13 , wherein
the exhaust outlet is disposed in a vehicle dash instrument panel.
15. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 10 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to activate the particulate sensor to begin detecting particulates upon activation of a vehicle ignition.
16. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 10 , further comprising
at least one additional passenger compartment vent and at least one additional particulate sensor disposed adjacent the at least one additional passenger compartment vent.
17. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 10 , wherein
the air duct housing includes at least one panel duct, at least one floor duct and at least one defrost duct,
the air duct housing has at least one mode door and at least one mode door actuator configured to operate the at least one mode door, and
the electronic controller is configured to selectively operate the at least one mode door actuator so that the exhaust duct blower selectively vacuums particulates from the panel duct, the floor duct and the defrost duct.
18. A vehicle air handling system comprising:
an air duct housing having an air inlet and a passenger compartment vent;
a cowl box including a cowl body panel opening aligned with the air inlet,
a first air blower disposed in the air duct housing to move air within the air duct housing; and
an electronic controller operatively coupled to the first air blower, the electronic controller being configured to operate in a first mode in which the first air blower pulls air from the cowl body panel opening through the air duct housing to the passenger compartment, the electronic controller being configured to operate in a second mode in which the first air blower pulls air from the passenger compartment through the air duct housing to the cowl body panel opening.
19. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 18 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to operate in the second mode upon activation of a vehicle ignition and determining that a predetermined time period has lapse since operating the second mode.
20. The vehicle air handling system according to claim 18 , further comprising
a particulate sensor configured to detect a particulate level of particulates in the air duct housing;
the electronic controller being configured to operate in the second mode upon detection of the particulate level of the particulates in the air duct housing being equal to or greater than a predetermined particulate threshold level in the air duct housing.