EP2461113B1

EP2461113B1 - Air conditioner and light receiving filter

Info

Publication number: EP2461113B1
Application number: EP11007842.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yoshinori Takada
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority date: 2010-12-03
Filing date: 2011-09-27
Publication date: 2017-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 2031-09-27
Also published as: JP2012117793A; AU2011226924A1; ES2620812T3; EP2461113A2; JP5312436B2; AU2011226924B2; EP2461113A3

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a light receiving filter, and, more particularly to an air conditioner including a light receiving filter that selectively transmits a light signal emitted from a remote controller and to the light receiving filter.

2. Description of the Related Art

In a light receiving filter in the past or in the conventional manner, the rear surface of a light receiving surface of the light receiving filter is formed in a convex shape like a lens and formed as a rough surface to expand a reception coverage of a remote controller signal (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H5-223275 (pages 5 to 6 and FIG. 13).
However, the light receiving filter disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H5-223275 (pages 5 to 6 and FIG. 13) can be applied when the shape of the light receiving filter is a plane shape or a shape close to the plane. However, when the shape of the light receiving filter is more complicated, for example, when the light receiving filter has a plurality of surfaces of an L-shape in section or the like or the light receiving filter has a semispherical surface, it is difficult to form a lens shape on the light receiving filter. In the air conditioner disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H5-223275 (pages 5 to 6 and FIG. 13), it is necessary to provide a lens shape on the rear surface of the light receiving filter and obtain a condensing effect through the lens shape. Therefore, a fixed or more distance has to be secured between the light receiving filter and a receiver. Therefore, there is a limit in a distance between the light receiving filter and the receiver.
The present invention has been devised in view of the above and it is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner and a light receiving filter that do not have a limit in a distance between a light receiving filter and a receiver, can be applied to light receiving filters having various shapes, for example, a light receiving filter that has a plurality of surfaces of an L-shape in section or the like or a complicated surface such as a semispherical surface, and can expand a reception coverage of a remote controller signal without deteriorating aesthetic properties.
An air conditioner according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from JP 2000 320881 A .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to at least partially solve the problems in the conventional technology.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the air conditioner according to claim 1 of the present invention is constructed.
The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical and industrial significance of this invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example of an external appearance of an air conditioner according to an embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a diagram of an example of a sectional configuration of a receiving unit provided in an air conditioner body 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagram of a state of reflection of natural light 8 in the embodiment; and
FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example of a sectional configuration of a receiving unit provided in an air conditioner body in the past.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of an air conditioner and a light receiving filter according to the present invention is explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited by the embodiment.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example of an external appearance of an air conditioner according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner includes an air conditioner body 1; a light receiving filter 2 that is inserted in an opening 21 provided in a front panel 20 for covering the front surface (a design surface) of the air conditioner body 1, protects a receiver described later provided in the air conditioner body 1, and selectively transmits a light signal 4 (a remote controller signal) having specific wavelength emitted from a remote controller 3; and the remote controller 3 that emits the light signal 4 having the specific wavelength and makes it possible to perform start, stop, and other operation of the air conditioner. The air conditioner body 1 is an indoor unit.
FIG. 2 is a diagram of an example of a sectional configuration of a receiving unit provided in the air conditioner body 1. As shown in FIG. 2, a receiver 5 is arranged on a printed wiring board 6. The printed wiring board 6 is held by a printed-wiring-board holding section 7. The printed-wiring-board holding section 7 is attached to the air conditioner body 1. The receiver 5 detects the light signal 4 received via a light receiving surface 22, converts the light signal 4 into an electric signal, and outputs the electric signal. Consequently, the operation of the air conditioner body 1 is controlled. The shape of the light receiving surface 22 is, for example, a substantially semispherical shape.
The light receiving filter 2 is configured to be arranged to cover the receiver 5. The light receiving filter 2 includes a filter material that selectively transmits the light signal 4 received from the remote controller 3. The light receiving filter 2 has, for example, an L-shape in section. Specifically, the light receiving filter 2 includes a flat plate section 2a having a thin plate shape and a flat plate section 2b having a thin plate shape substantially orthogonal to the flat plate section 2a. The flat plate section 2a is arranged in front of the receiver 5 and opposed to the receiver 5. The flat plate section 2a is arranged to be in flush with the front panel 20. On the other hand, the flat plate section 2b is arranged on a side of and below the receiver 5. The light signal 4 can travel to the inside of the light receiving filter 2 irrespective of whether the light signal 4 is transmitted through the flat plate section 2a or 2b.
Roughening such as etching or embossing is applied to a surface on the receiver 5 side (hereinafter referred to as "rear surface") of the light receiving filter 2. A roughened section 12 having a fine uneven pattern is formed on the surface. Specifically, the roughened section 12 is formed on the rear surfaces of both the flat plate sections 2a and 2b and is formed, for example, over the entire surface of the rear surface of the light receiving filter 2.
Operations in this embodiment are explained with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram of a state of reflection of natural light 8 in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the natural light 8 made incident on the inside from the outside of the light receiving filter 2 is diffused by the roughened section 12 on the rear surface of the light receiving filter 2. A part of the natural light 8 is reflected by the receiver 5. Reflected light 9 of the natural light 8 is irregularly reflected and irregularly refracted by the roughened section 12. Therefore, even if the reflected light 9 transmitted through the light receiving filter 2 is observed from the outside, it is difficult to visually recognize the shape of the receiver 5 on the inside of the light receiving filter 2 because of the effect of the irregular reflection and the like. Because it is difficult to visually recognize the receiver 5 on the inside of the light receiving filter 2 from the outside of the light receiving filter 2, it is possible to set transmittance high by making the color of the light receiving filter 2 lighter. In other words, it is possible to set the transmittance of the light receiving filter 2 high without deteriorating aesthetic properties or design properties. In this embodiment, it is possible to set the transmittance of the light receiving filter 2 high compared with the transmittance of a light receiving filter used in the past or in the conventional manner. It is possible to reduce attenuation of the light intensity of the light signal 4 of the remote controller 3 transmitted through the light receiving filter 2 by setting the transmittance of the light receiving filter 2 high in this way. Therefore, it is possible to expand a reception coverage or a reception coverage distance of the light signal 4.
An operation for receiving the light signal 4 emitted from the remote controller 3 is explained (see FIG. 2). When the light signal 4 is transmitted through, for example, the flat plate section 2a of the light receiving filter 2 and travels to the inside of the light receiving filter 2, the light signal 4 enters the light receiving filter 2, for example, obliquely upward. Like the natural light 8, the light signal 4 is diffused by the roughened section 12 on the rear surface of the light receiving filter 2. Therefore, according to this diffusion effect, even when the remote controller 3 does not belong to a predetermined angle range with respect to the receiver 5, the light signal 4 is easily received on the light receiving surface 22.
Although not shown in the figure, the same holds true when the light signal 4 is transmitted through the flat plate section 2b of the light receiving filter 2 and travels to the inside of the light receiving filter 2. In this case, the light signal 4 enters the light receiving filter 2 substantially upward at an angle from the horizontal direction larger than an angle of the entrance from the flat plate section 2a. The light signal 4 is diffused by the roughened section 12 on the rear surface of the light receiving filter 2 in the same manner as explained above. Therefore, according to this diffusion effect, the light signal 4 is easily received on the light receiving surface 22. In particular, because the light receiving surface 22 is opposed to the flat plate section 2a, when the light signal 4 enters from the flat plate section 2b, a substantial light reception area of the receiver 5 is small. Therefore, when there is not diffusion effect, directivity is required in an angle for facing the remote controller 3 to the receiver 5. However, by providing the roughened section 12 as in this embodiment, even when the remote controller 3 does not belong to the predetermined angle range with respect to the receiver 5, the light signal 4 is easily received on the light receiving surface 22.
A light receiving filter in the past is explained for comparison with this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example of a sectional configuration of a receiving unit provided in an air conditioner body in the past. In FIG. 4, components same as those shown in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. As shown in FIG. 4, the rear surface of a light receiving filter 100 in the past is flat without unevenness. Natural light 108 made incident on the inside from the outside of the light receiving filter 100 is transmitted through the light receiving filter 100 and reflected on the receiver 5. Thereafter, reflected light 109 of the natural light 108 is transmitted through the light receiving filter 100 and emitted to the outside. Therefore, when the transmittance of the light receiving filter 100 is set high, it is possible to visually recognize the shape of the receiver 5 on the inside of the light receiving filter 100 by observing the reflected light 109 from the outside of the light receiving filter 100. In other words, aesthetic properties are deteriorated. To prevent the aesthetic properties from being deteriorated, it is necessary to set the transmittance of the light receiving filter 100 low compared with the transmittance of the light receiving filter 2 according to this embodiment. The light receiving filter 100 is indicated by black in FIG. 4 and the light receiving filter 2 is indicated by a lighter color in FIG. 2 to indicate that the transmittance of the light receiving filter 100 is low compared with the transmittance of the light receiving filter 2. When the transmittance of the light receiving filter 100 is set low, the reception coverage of the light signal 4 of the remote controller 3 is reduced.
As explained above, according to this embodiment, by forming the roughened section 12 on the rear surface of the light receiving filter 2, because the reflected light 9 reflected on the receiver 5 is irregularly reflected and irregularly refracted by the roughened section 12, it is difficult to visually recognize the inside from the outside of the light receiving filter 2. Therefore, the light receiving filter 2 having high transmittance compared with the past, can be used. As a result, it is possible to expand the reception coverage of the light signal 4 of the remote controller 3 while keeping aesthetic properties.
In this embodiment, the light receiving filter 2 is formed in a thin plate shape and the rear surface of the light receiving filter 2 is not formed in a convex shape unlike the light receiving filter disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H5-223275 (pages 5 to 6 and FIG. 13). Therefore, it is unnecessary to secure a fixed or more distance between the light receiving filter 2 and the receiver 5 to secure a condensing effect. As a result, there is no limit in a distance between the light receiving filter 2 and the receiver 5.
This embodiment can be applied to the light receiving filter 2 having an arbitrary shape. For example, the shape of the surface of the light receiving filter 2 on the incident side of the light signal 4 can be a shape formed by a plurality of planes. In FIG. 2, the light receiving filter 2 is formed in, for example, an L-shape in section (including two planes). However, the shape of the light receiving filter 2 is not limited to this. The surface of the light receiving filter 2 on the incident side of the light signal 4 can be formed by, for example, three or more planes. The shape of the light receiving filter 2 can be, for example, a shape of a part of a semispherical shape or a spherical shape. In all the cases, after the light receiving filter 2 having the thin plate shape is formed in a shape corresponding thereto, roughening (embossing) is applied to the rear surface of the light receiving filter 2 to form the roughened section 12. On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H5-223275 (pages 5 to 6 and FIG. 13), because the rear surface of the light receiving filter is processed in the convex shape, it is desirable to form the shape of the light receiving filter in a plane shape or a shape close to the plane. It is difficult to form a lens shape on the light receiving filter when the light receiving filter has a plurality of surfaces of an L-shape in section or the like or when the light receiving filter has a semispherical surface.
As explained above, according to this embodiment, there is an effect that there is no limit in the distance between the light receiving filter 2 and the receiver 5, it is possible to apply this embodiment to light receiving filters having various shapes, and it is possible to expand the reception coverage of the light signal 4 of the remote controller 3 without deteriorating aesthetic properties.
According to the present invention, there is an effect that there is no limit in a distance between the light receiving filter and the receiver, it is possible to apply the present invention to light receiving filters having various shapes, and it is possible to expand a reception coverage of a light signal of a remote controller without deteriorating aesthetic properties.
Although the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims are not to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that may occur to one skilled in the art that fairly fall within the basic teaching herein set forth.

Claims

An air conditioner comprising:
an air conditioner body (1);

a receiver (5) that is provided in the air conditioner body and
receives a light signal (4) emitted from a remote controller (3) that remotecontrols the air conditioner body; and
a light receiving filter (2) that is inserted in an opening provided in a front panel (20) of the air conditioner body and is formed in a plate shape including a filter material that selectively transmits the light signal from the remote controller (3) at high transmittance, a roughened section (12) having an uneven pattern being formed on a surface on the receiver side of the light receiving filter, characterised by the light receiving filter (2) is formed in a substantially L-shape in
section and includes a first flat plate (2a) and a second flat plate (2b), the first flat plate (2a) being arranged in front of the receiver (5) and opposed to the receiver (5), and the second flat plate (2b) being arranged on a side of the receiver (5) to be perpendicular to the first flat plate (2a).
The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the light receiving filter (2) on an incident side of the light signal, is formed
by a plurality of planes.