Air conditioning systems for vehicles comprising such air conditioning systems, and methods for driving hybrid compressors of such air conditioning systems

Abstract

An air conditioning system for a vehicle includes a hybrid compressor. The vehicle includes a first drive source, and the hybrid compressor includes a second drive source. The hybrid compressor is driven by the first drive source or the second drive source, or both. Specifically, the first drive source delivers a first driving force to the hybrid compressor when a load demanded by the hybrid compressor is greater than a maximum driving force of the second drive source, such that the first driving force transitions the hybrid compressor from inactive to active. In an embodiment, the second drive source delivers a second driving force to the hybrid compressor when the load demanded by the hybrid compressor is less than or equal to the maximum driving force of the second drive source. In another embodiment, the second drive source and the first drive source deliver the second driving force to the hybrid compressor when the load demanded by the hybrid compressor is less than or equal to the maximum driving force of the second drive source.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for driving at least one hybrid compressor of an air conditioning system of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a first drive source, the at least one hybrid compressor comprises a second drive source, and the at least one hybrid compressor is driven by the first drive source or the second drive source, or a combination thereof, wherein the method comprises the steps of: 
 transmitting a first driving force to the at least one hybrid compressor when a load demanded by the at least one hybrid compressor is greater than a maximum driving force of the second drive source, wherein the first drive source delivers the first driving force to the at least one hybrid compressor, and the first driving force transitions the at least one hybrid compressor from inactive to active, and    subsequently transmitting a second driving force to the at least one hybrid compressor when the load demanded by the at least one hybrid compressor is less than or equal to the maximum driving force of the second drive source, wherein at least the second drive source delivers the second driving force to the at least one hybrid compressor.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first drive source and the second drive source deliver the second driving force to the at least one hybrid compressor.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first drive source comprises an engine of the vehicle, and the second drive source comprises an electric motor.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hybrid compressor further comprises a drive shaft, wherein the step of transmitting the first driving force comprises the step of driving the drive shaft via the first drive source, wherein the step of transmitting the second driving force comprises the step of driving the drive shaft at least via the second drive source.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hybrid compressor further comprises: 
 a first drive shaft, wherein the step of transmitting the first driving force comprises the step of driving the first drive shaft via the first drive source; and    a second drive shaft, wherein the step of transmitting the second driving force comprises a step selected from the group consisting of 
 driving the second drive shaft via the second drive source; and  
 driving the first drive shaft via the first drive source and driving the second drive shaft via the second drive source.  
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hybrid compressor comprises: 
 a first hybrid compressor comprising a first drive shaft, wherein the step of transmitting the first driving force comprises the step of driving the first drive shaft via the first drive source; and    a second hybrid compressor comprising a second drive shaft, wherein the step of transmitting the second driving force comprises a step selected from the group consisting of 
 driving the second drive shaft via the second drive source; and  
 driving the first drive shaft via the first drive source and driving the second drive shaft via the second drive source.  
   
     
     
         7 . An air conditioning system for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a first drive source, the air conditioning system comprises at least one hybrid compressor, and the at least one hybrid compressor comprises a second drive source, wherein the at least one hybrid compressor is driven by the first drive source or the second drive source, or a combination thereof, wherein the first drive source delivers a first driving force to the at least one hybrid compressor when a load demanded by the at least one hybrid compressor is greater than a maximum driving force of the second drive source, such that the first driving force transitions the at least one hybrid compressor from inactive to active, wherein at least the second drive source delivers a second driving force to the at least one hybrid compressor when the load demanded by the at least one hybrid compressor is less than or equal to the maximum driving force of the second drive source.  
     
     
         8 . The air conditioning system of  claim 7 , wherein the first drive source and the second drive source deliver the second driving force to the at least one hybrid compressor.  
     
     
         9 . The air conditioning system of  claim 7 , wherein the first drive source comprises an engine of the vehicle, and the second drive source comprises an electric motor.  
     
     
         10 . The air conditioning system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one hybrid compressor further comprises a drive shaft driven by the first drive source or the second drive source, or a combination thereof  
     
     
         11 . The air conditioning system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one hybrid compressor further comprises: 
 a first drive shaft driven by the first drive source; and    a second drive shaft driven by the second drive source, wherein the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft are driven selectively or simultaneously.    
     
     
         12 . The air conditioning system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one hybrid compressor comprises: 
 a first hybrid compressor comprising a first drive shaft driven by the first drive source; and    a second hybrid compressor comprising a second drive shaft driven by the second drive source, wherein the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft are driven selectively or simultaneously.    
     
     
         13 . A vehicle comprising: 
 a first drive source; and    an air conditioning system comprising at least one hybrid compressor, wherein the at least one hybrid compressor comprises a second drive source, and the at least one hybrid compressor is driven by the first drive source or the second drive source, or a combination thereof, wherein the first drive source delivers a first driving force to the at least one hybrid compressor when a load demanded by the at least one hybrid compressor is greater than a maximum driving force of the second drive source, such that the first driving force transitions the at least one hybrid compressor from inactive to active, wherein at least the second drive source delivers a second driving force to the at least one hybrid compressor when the load demanded by the at least one hybrid compressor is less than or equal to the maximum driving force of the second drive source.    
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the first drive source and the second drive source deliver the second driving force to the at least one hybrid compressor.  
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the first drive source comprises an engine of the vehicle, and the second drive source comprises an electric motor.  
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one hybrid compressor further comprises a drive shaft driven by the first drive source or the second drive source, or a combination thereof  
     
     
         17 . The vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one hybrid compressor further comprises: 
 a first drive shaft driven by the first drive source; and    a second drive shaft driven by the second drive source, wherein the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft are driven selectively or simultaneously.    
     
     
         18 . The vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one hybrid compressor comprises: 
 a first hybrid compressor comprising a first drive shaft driven by the first drive source; and    a second hybrid compressor comprising a second drive shaft driven by the second drive source, wherein the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft are driven selectively or simultaneously.