Patent ID: 6073456
Filing Date: 2000-06-13
Classification: B60H,B60K,B60W,F02N,Y02T

Abstract:
An air-conditioning device for cooling a passenger compartment of a hybrid vehicle driven by a driving source having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor powered by an on-board battery, the air-conditioning device comprising:a compressor driven by the driving source for compressing refrigerant in a refrigerating cycle;an evaporator for cooling the passenger compartment by evaporating the refrigerant compressed by the compressor;means for judging whether the passenger compartment is cooled down to a vicinity of a desired temperature; andcontrol means for controlling operation of the compressor to reduce an operating ratio thereof after the compartment is cooled down to the vicinity of the desired temperature; whereinthe compressor control means outputs a signal to operate the engine whenever it outputs a signal to operate the compressor, the compressor control means outputs a signal to stop the engine whenever it outputs a signal to turn off the compressor, irrespective of whether the compartment is cooled down to the desired temperature or not, and the signal to operate or stop the engine is fed to an engine controller which controls the engine according to the signal.