US 11,897,437 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. 17/073,592.
Prior Publication US 2022/0118952 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. B60S 1/64 (2006.01); A61L 2/06 (2006.01); A61L 2/24 (2006.01); B60H 3/06 (2006.01); B60W 10/30 (2006.01); B60W 30/00 (2006.01); B60W 10/06 (2006.01); B60W 10/08 (2006.01); A61L 2/10 (2006.01); A61L 9/20 (2006.01); F24F 8/22 (2021.01)
CPC B60S 1/64 (2013.01) [A61L 2/06 (2013.01); A61L 2/10 (2013.01); A61L 2/24 (2013.01); A61L 9/20 (2013.01); B60H 3/06 (2013.01); B60W 10/06 (2013.01); B60W 10/08 (2013.01); B60W 10/30 (2013.01); B60W 30/00 (2013.01); A61L 2202/11 (2013.01); A61L 2202/14 (2013.01); A61L 2202/25 (2013.01); B60W 2520/04 (2013.01); B60W 2530/00 (2013.01); B60W 2540/00 (2013.01); B60W 2710/065 (2013.01); B60W 2710/08 (2013.01); B60W 2710/305 (2013.01); F24F 8/22 (2021.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of a vehicle, activating an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system, operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, and further operating one or more heated surfaces that include electronically controlled heating elements, radiant panels, and/or fibers, during heating of the interior, to heat the interior above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration; wherein the HVAC system includes a blower configured to generate air flow through the HVAC system, a heating component configured to receive the air flow from the blower, delivery ducting fluidically coupling the heating component to the interior, and a blend door configured to adjust a ratio of hot air to cold air provided to the delivery ducting, and operating 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 heating component;
flowing the hot air from the heating component to the interior via the delivery ducting;
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
operating the delivery ducting in a floor mode.