US 11,807,072 B2
Method and system for a vehicle sanitizing mode
Alan Gutowski, Wixom, MI (US); Curtis Jones, Wixom, MI (US); Fred Koberstein, Troy, MI (US); Stephen White, Saline, MI (US); Peter Mitchell Lyon, Brighton, MI (US); John Rollinger, Troy, MI (US); Scott Thompson, Belleville, MI (US); M. Scott Christensen, Canton, MI (US); David Hancock, Flat Rock, MI (US); Adam Richards, Royal Oak, MI (US); Steve Skikun, Commerce Charter Township, MI (US); and Frank Fusco, Plymouth, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Oct. 19, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/073,595.
Prior Publication US 2022/0118822 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. B60H 1/03 (2006.01); B60H 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60H 1/034 (2013.01) [B60H 1/004 (2013.01); B60H 1/00021 (2013.01); B60H 1/00742 (2013.01); B60H 2001/00128 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
while a vehicle is receiving power from an external power source that is external to the vehicle, and responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of the vehicle, operating an electric heater of a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system of the vehicle to clean the interior of the vehicle by heating the interior of the vehicle above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration using the power received from the external power source, wherein the upper threshold temperature for cleaning the interior of the vehicle is higher than an upper threshold of a nominal climate control temperature range for user comfort,
wherein the HVAC system includes a blower configured to generate air flow through the HVAC system, the electric heater configured to receive the air flow from the blower, delivery ducting fluidically coupling the electric heater to the interior, and a blend door configured to adjust a ratio of hot air to cold air provided to the delivery ducting, and wherein operating the electric heater of the HVAC system to heat the interior above the upper threshold temperature for the first threshold duration comprises:
operating the blower at maximum speed;
generating the hot air at the electric heater;
flowing the hot air from the electric heater to the interior via the delivery ducting while operating in a floor mode; and
setting a position of the blend door to maximize the ratio of the hot air to the cold air provided to the delivery ducting; and
responsive to a temperature of the interior being above the upper threshold temperature for the first threshold duration, operating the HVAC system to gradually reduce the temperature of the interior until one of a lower threshold temperature and a second threshold duration is reached, wherein operating the HVAC system to gradually reduce the temperature of the interior comprises:
sequentially adjusting the position of the blend door to decrease the ratio of the hot air to the cold air provided to the delivery ducting over time;
operating the delivery ducting in a panel mode in addition to the floor mode after a pre-determined duration has elapsed while operating the HVAC system to gradually reduce the temperature of the interior; and
activating an air-conditioning compressor after the pre-determined duration has elapsed.