US 11,718,142 B2
Apparatus and method for sanitizing a vehicle inferior
Zachary Alan Pecchia, Plymouth, MI (US); Robert D. Bedard, Allen Park, MI (US); and James Alan Acre, Monroe, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Nov. 19, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/953,051.
Prior Publication US 2022/0153084 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. B60H 1/00 (2006.01); B60H 3/02 (2006.01)
CPC B60H 1/00064 (2013.01) [B60H 3/02 (2013.01); B60H 1/00678 (2013.01); B60H 2001/002 (2013.01); B60H 2001/003 (2013.01); B60H 2001/00107 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a passenger space;
a HVAC system including a heater having a heater core, an air conditioner having an evaporator that is upstream of the heater core, and ducts configured to cause air to flow in a downstream direction through the evaporator and then through the heater core and to supply air that has been heated and/or cooled by the heater and/or the air conditioner to the passenger space, wherein the HVAC system is configured to increase humidity of air in the HVAC system and to introduce a chemical sanitizing agent into air while the air is flowing through the HVAC system before the air is supplied to the passenger space, wherein the chemical sanitizing agent is introduced into air downstream of the evaporator by an outlet that is positioned downstream of the evaporator; and
a controller configured to actuate the HVAC system to circulate humidified air containing the chemical sanitizing agent through the passenger space whereby the temperature of air in the passenger space, the humidity of air in the passenger space, and a concentration of the chemical sanitizing agent in the passenger space are selected and controlled to neutralize at least one known pathogen in the air in the passenger space.