Volatile organic compound purge system for a motor vehicle

A volatile organic compound purge system is provided for a motor vehicle. The purge system includes a blower and a computing device. The computing device is configured to operate in a shipping mode whereby the blower is periodically operated to draw fresh air into and purge volatile organic compounds from an interior of the motor vehicle as the motor vehicle is being shipped from a first point to a second point.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This document relates generally to the motor vehicle equipment field and more particularly, to a system and method for purging volatile organic compounds from a motor vehicle as it is shipped from a first point to a second point such as from a manufacturing plant to a retail vehicle dealership.

BACKGROUND

Volatile organic compounds or VOCs are organic chemicals having low boiling points and vapor pressure at ambient temperatures. VOCs are numerous and are responsible for the “new car smell” characteristic of newly manufactured vehicles. For various reasons, it is desirable to remove or limit VOC concentrations in newly manufactured vehicles. This document relates to a system and method for accomplishing that goal.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, a volatile organic compound purge system is provided for a motor vehicle. That system comprises a blower and a computing device configured to operate in “shipping mode” whereby the blower is periodically operated to draw fresh air into and purge volatile organic compounds from an interior of the motor vehicle as the motor vehicle is being shipped from a first point to a second point such as from a manufacturing plant or facility to a retail vehicle dealership.

In one possible embodiment the system further includes a battery voltage sensor for monitoring the voltage of the motor vehicle battery. In such an embodiment, the computing device is configured to terminate periodic operation of the blower whenever the voltage of the battery falls below a predetermined minimum voltage level.

In one possible embodiment of the system, the computing device includes a timer component for operating the blower for a predetermined period of time after each activation. Further, the computing device may include a counter component for counting each blower activation and terminating periodic operation of the blower when the activation count reaches a predetermined number.

In one possible embodiment, the system further includes a particle filter that replaces the standard HVAC filter provided in the ventilation system of the motor vehicle during the shipping of the motor vehicle. The particle filter has less airflow resistance than the standard HVAC filter thereby reducing the current drawn by the blower during the blower operation. This conserves the battery of the motor vehicle.

In another possible embodiment, a window insert is provided in a window opening of the motor vehicle above a partially opened window. The window insert provides a pathway for exhausting volatile organic compounds from the interior of the motor vehicle. That pathway is protected from rain and water intrusion by a rain deflector overlying the air pathway and from insect intrusion by a screen across the air pathway.

In accordance with yet another embodiment, the system further includes a filter pack that is provided in the interior of the motor vehicle for absorbing volatile organic compounds from air in the motor vehicle. In one particularly useful embodiment, the filter pack is charged with activated carbon which is particularly suited for this purpose.

In accordance with an additional aspect, a method of purging volatile organic compounds from a motor vehicle during shipping of the motor vehicle from a first point to a second point is provided. That method may be broadly described as comprising the step of operating a computer device in the motor vehicle in shipping mode and thereby periodically drawing fresh air into and purging volatile organic compounds from the interior of the motor vehicle by a blower in the motor vehicle. That method may further include activating the blower by the computing device at predetermined intervals of time and maintaining operation of the blower following activation for a predetermined operating time.

Still further, the method may include monitoring, by sensor, the voltage of the battery of the motor vehicle and terminating, by the computing device, the periodic drawing of fresh air and purging of volatile organic compounds when the battery voltage falls below a predetermined minimum level. Further, the method may include counting, by the computing device, each activation of the blower and terminating further activation of the blower upon the activation count reaching a predetermined value.

Still further the method may include positioning a window insert in a window opening above a partially opened window of the motor vehicle in order to provide an air pathway for exhausting volatile organic compounds from the interior of the vehicle. Further the method may include absorbing volatile organic compounds from the air inside the vehicle with a filter pack that is temporarily positioned inside the motor vehicle during shipping.

Still further the method may include replacing a standard HVAC filter in the ventilation system of the motor vehicle with a particulate filter having less airflow resistance than the standard HVAC filter thereby reducing the current drawn by the blower during blower operation. The standard HVAC filter may, of course, be stored in the motor vehicle during shipping.

Still further, the method includes initiating the shipping mode prior to shipping the motor vehicle from a manufacturing facility to a vehicle dealership. Further the method includes terminating the shipping mode and replacing the particulate filter with the standard HVAC filter upon the motor vehicle reaching the vehicle dealership.

In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the system and method. As it should be realized, the system and method are capable of other, different embodiments and their several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the system and method as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the purge system, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference is now made toFIG. 1schematically illustrating the volatile organic compound (VOC) purge system10for a motor vehicle V. As illustrated, the system10incorporates a blower12and a computing device in the form of a controller14.

The blower12is a part of the standard vehicle ventilation system. The controller14may comprise a body control module (BCM). As illustrated inFIG. 2, the controller or BCM14comprises a computing device having one or more processors18, one or more memories20, one or more network interfaces22, a human interface24, a GPS/Geo locator component26, a display device such as a multi-function display with touchscreen capability28and a speech processor30that all communicate with each other over a communication bus32. The controller or BCM14performs a number of interior body electrically based functions including, for example, interior locking, remote key entry, interior lighting, exterior lighting, windshield wiper control and the like. In some embodiments the controller or BCM14may also function to control entertainment functions (e.g. radio, CD player and communications such as telephone and internet communications over a wireless network). In some embodiments the controller or BCM14is connected by a communication bus (not shown) to other control modules that provide one or more of these additional functions.

The controller14is configured to operate in “shipping mode” whereby the blower12is periodically operating to draw fresh air into and purge the VOCs from an interior I of the of the motor vehicle V as the motor vehicle is being shipped from a first point to a second point such as from a vehicle manufacturing facility to a retail vehicle dealership.

As further illustrated inFIG. 1, the controller14includes a timer component34that times the operation of the blower12after each activation. Once the blower12has been operating for a predetermined period of time such as, for example, two to four minutes, the controller14terminates operation of the blower12.

As further illustrated inFIG. 1, the controller14also includes a counter component36for counting each blower activation. When the activation count reaches a predetermined number such as 20, 60 or even 80 blower activations, the controller14terminates the operation of the purge system10thereby forgoing any more periodic activations of the blower12.

As further illustrated inFIG. 1, the controller14is connected to a voltage sensor38which monitors the voltage of the vehicle battery40. The controller14is configured to terminate the periodic operation of the blower12whenever the voltage of the battery40falls below a predetermined minimum voltage level as detected by the voltage sensor38.

As further illustrated inFIG. 1, the blower12is part of the standard motor vehicle ventilation system. When activated and operating, the blower12functions to draw fresh air into the intake42and through the filter44in the filter box46before forcing that fresh air through the outlet48into the interior I of the vehicle V. Here it should be appreciated that the filter44in the filter box46during the shipping of the vehicle from the first point to second point is a particle filter that replaces the standard HVAC filter of the ventilation system. For purposes of this document the terminology “particle filter” includes particle filters, screens and woven or nonwoven filter materials of any appropriate type. The particle filter44is characterized by significantly less airflow resistance than the standard HVAC filter thereby reducing the current drawn by the blower12during blower operation upon each activation during shipping mode. Advantageously this helps conserve the electrical power in the battery40. The standard HVAC filter50may be placed anywhere in the motor vehicle V. Accordingly, upon reaching the shipping destination point, one can quickly and easily replace the particle filter44, specifically adapted for shipping mode operation, with the standard HVAC filter50specifically adapted for standard operation of the ventilation system in the motor vehicle.

As further illustrated inFIG. 1, the system10also includes a window insert52that is positioned in a window opening54of the motor vehicle above a partially opened window56in one of the vehicle doors58. The insert52may be made from injected molded plastic. As schematically illustrated inFIG. 3, the window insert52includes a channel60for receiving the top edge of the window56and a positioning flange62for engaging in the window seal at the top of the window opening54. Thus, it should be appreciated that the window insert52is captured in the window opening54between the window seal and the window56, extending completely across that opening as illustrated inFIG. 1.

As further illustrated inFIG. 3, the window insert52includes an airflow pathway64. When the controller14activates the blower12, fresh air is drawn into the intake42and passes through the filter44into the blower12before being forced from the outlet48into the interior I of the vehicle V (note action arrows A). This air sweeps potentially VOC contaminated air within the interior I forcing it to pass through the air flow pathway64in the window insert52and exit the vehicle (note action arrows B inFIGS. 1 and 3). A rain shield66overlies the pathway64thereby effectively preventing rain and water intrusion into the interior I of the vehicle V through the pathway64. One or more screens or grid structure68extending completely across the airflow pathway64prevent insect intrusion into the interior I of the vehicle V through the pathway.

As further illustrated inFIG. 1, in one possible embodiment the purge system10also includes one or more filter packs70that may be positioned anywhere in the interior I of the vehicle V. Each filter pack70may be charged with activated carbon or some other VOC absorbing material and functions to remove VOCs from the air inside the vehicle V even when the blower12is between periodic operating cycles. This helps to further clear the VOCs during shipping.

As should be appreciated from above, the VOC purge system10functions in accordance with a method of purging volatile organic compounds from a motor vehicle during the shipping of the motor vehicle from a first point to a second point. That method includes initiating “shipping mode” of the controller14prior to shipping the motor vehicle V from, for example, a manufacturing facility to a retail vehicle dealership. When operating in shipping mode, the computing device or controller14in the motor vehicle V activates the blower12in a manner necessary to periodically draw fresh air into and purge volatile organic compounds from the interior I of the motor vehicle V. This activation occurs at predetermined intervals of time such as, for example, once a day. Further, the controller14, consistent with a timer component34operates the blower12for a predetermined operating time after each activation.

Consistent with the method, the voltage sensor38monitors the voltage of the vehicle battery40. In the event that the battery voltage falls below a predetermined minimum level, the controller14terminates the operation of the blower12. Consistent with the counter component36of the controller14, each activation of the blower12is counted and further activation is terminated upon the activation count reaching a predetermined value.

Upon reaching the desired destination, or prior to delivery to the final customer the method includes terminating the shipping mode of operation of the controller14and replacing the particulate filter44in the filter box46with the standard HVAC filter50that was previously stored in the motor vehicle V during shipping.

An operational flowchart clearly and concisely illustrating the operation of one possible embodiment of the VOC purge system10is set forth inFIG. 4.

The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breath to which they are fairly, legally inequitably entitled.