JP2000039192A - Cooling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a time required for blowing-out blown air at a temperature in a comfortable temperature range to be extended in the case that the blown air is cooled with a cooling device utilizing cold heat accumulating material. SOLUTION: A blower 6 is installed in an air conditioning duct communicating an air inlet port 2 with an air outlet 3 of a cooling device 1. An aeration passage 4 through which air sucked by the blower 6 passes is arranged at a downstream side of the blower 6. This aeration passage 4 is divided into at least an upper aeration passage 16 and a lower aeration passage 17 where each of cold heat accumulation materials 10 is arranged by a cold heat accumulation device 5, the upper aeration passage 16 and the lower aeration passage 17 are released in sequence under a predetermined condition, thereby in the case that a cooling effect of the cold heat accumulation materials 10 on the upper aeration passage 16 is dropped, the flowing air is newly cooled with the cold heat accumulation materials 10 on the lower aeration passage 17.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooling device which cools air taken in from the outside via an air inlet by a cooling unit housed therein, and blows the air out from an air outlet. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 5 of Japanese Patent Publication No. 2536298, a cooling device using cooling means using a regenerative material is used to blow air from an air intake hole into a housing using a blower fan. 2. Description of the Related Art A regenerative storage device having a configuration in which air is taken in, cooled by a regenerative material of cooling means housed in a housing, and then blown out from an air outlet is already known.

[0003]

However, in the configuration of the cold storage device disclosed in this patent publication, while the passing air is cooled by the cold storage material of the cooling means, all the cold storage materials are also cooled from the frozen state. Will continue to be heated and melt. For this reason, the temperature of the blown air gradually approaches the room temperature with the passage of time from a state of being too cold, and has a characteristic that finally becomes almost the same as the room temperature, and draws an asymptote as shown in FIG. To change.

Accordingly, in the configuration of the cool storage device disclosed in the above-mentioned patent publication, when the comfortable temperature zone in which the blown air is blown at a comfortable temperature is within the range shown by the dotted line in FIG. There is a problem that it is not possible to take a long time to blow out at the temperature of the temperature zone.

In view of the above, the present invention provides a cooling device which can take a long time to blow out air at a temperature in a comfortable temperature zone when cooling the blown air using cooling means using a cold storage material. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a cooling apparatus comprising: an air-conditioning duct communicating an air inlet and an air outlet; a blower disposed in the air-conditioning duct; A cooling device comprising at least a ventilation path through which the passed air passes, and a regenerator arranged on the ventilation path and including a cold storage material and a cooling means for cooling the cold storage material, wherein the ventilation path includes the cold storage material. And a switching means for sequentially opening and closing the plurality of ventilation paths divided by the dividing means based on predetermined conditions. The cooling means is constituted by a pair of header pipes through which the refrigerant flows in and out, and a tube communicating between the pair of header pipes.
It also serves as the dividing means.

[0007] With this, one of the plurality of divided ventilation paths is opened, and the air taken into the air conditioning duct from the air intake port flows into the ventilation path to freeze the air. When cooled by the cold storage material, and when the cold storage material is melted before an appropriate cooling effect is obtained, another ventilation path is opened to allow the air taken in from the air inlet to flow into the other ventilation path. With this configuration, since the cold storage material in the other ventilation path is still frozen, the temperature of the blown air can be lowered again to the comfortable temperature zone by cooling with the cold storage material.

The control of the opening / closing means for each ventilation path includes a temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of air blown from the air outlet, and a temperature detected by the temperature detecting means being equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. Temperature judgment means for judging whether or not the blow-out temperature has reached a predetermined temperature. It is also possible to close the ventilation path that has been opened up to and open the next ventilation path. The temperature detecting means is desirably a temperature sensor, and particularly desirably a thermistor.

According to this, when it is determined that the temperature of the blown air is higher than the upper limit of the comfortable temperature based on the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means, or when the temperature of the cold storage material is melted and an appropriate cooling effect cannot be obtained. If it is determined that the temperature has risen, the ventilation path that is currently open can be closed and the next ventilation path can be opened, so the ventilation path can be switched efficiently according to the reduction in the cooling capacity of the cold storage material. It can be performed.

[0010] The control of the opening / closing means for each ventilation path includes a timer means for counting an opening time of the ventilation path, and a time determination means for determining whether or not the time counted by the timer means has reached a predetermined time. The opening / closing means firstly opens one ventilation path, and thereafter opens each time the opening time counted by the timer means is determined to have reached the predetermined time by the time determining means. It is also possible to close the ventilated path and open the next ventilation path.

Thus, the timer means is set on the assumption that the temperature of the air passing through one air passage provided with the cold storage material and being blown out from the air outlet becomes higher than the upper limit of the comfortable temperature zone. Then, after opening one ventilation path, if the timer means determines that the opening time of the ventilation path has reached the set time, the currently open ventilation path is closed and the next ventilation path is opened. Therefore, there is no need to detect and determine the temperature of the blown air or the temperature of the cold storage material, and the control of the opening / closing means can be performed with a relatively simple configuration.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

A cooling device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is used for a nap bed provided at the rear side of a driver's seat of a large vehicle such as a long-distance truck, for example. The cooling time can be maintained for a predetermined time not only during operation but also after the engine is stopped.

The cooling device 1 has an air-conditioning duct composed of a bed 1a serving as a nap bed and a blow-out section 1b standing upright on one side of the bed 1a. An air passage 4 communicating with the bed 1a and the outlet 1b is formed. One of the ventilation passages 4 communicates with an air inlet 2 formed on a side surface of the bed 1a opposite to the blowout portion 1b, and the other is formed on a side surface of the blowout portion 1b on the bed 1a side. Communicating with the air outlet 3.

A regenerator 5 is disposed on the ventilation path 4 at a portion corresponding to the bed 1a, and a blower 6 is disposed at a portion corresponding to a lower portion of the blowout portion 1b. The blower 6 uses, for example, a sirocco fan, is operated by a motor 11, sucks air from the air inlet 2, and blows air from the air outlet 3 through the ventilation passage 4. A temperature sensor 18 is provided in the vicinity of the air outlet 3,
Temperature of the air blown out from the air (blowing air temperature T described later)
Is to be detected.

The regenerator 5 includes a pair of header pipes 8,
8, a cooling unit 7 composed of a tube 9 communicating the pair of header pipes 8 and 8, and a cold storage material 10 arranged, for example, two each on the upper and lower surfaces of the tube 9, By being arranged horizontally along the ventilation path 4, the ventilation path 4 is divided into an upper ventilation path 16 and a lower ventilation path 1.
7 In this embodiment, the cooling unit 7 is connected to a cooling cycle of an air conditioner of the vehicle, and a part of the refrigerant flowing to the evaporator of the cooling cycle while the vehicle is running is supplied and passes through the tube 9. In doing so, the cold storage material 10 is cooled. Thus, when the vehicle is running, the air flowing through the ventilation passage 4 is cooled by the refrigerant flowing through the tube 9 of the cooling unit 7 and when the engine of the vehicle is stopped, the cold storage material 10 is cooled and frozen during the vehicle running. It is possible to cool. As a cooling unit of the cooling unit 7, a thermoelectric element may be used.

The regenerator 10 is made of water and an inorganic salt such as a sodium salt, water and a glycol, an organic compound such as an alcohol, and water, an inorganic salt and an organic compound. Etc., etc.,
It is changed (solidified) from a liquid layer to a layer by cooling, and cools, and is usually stored in a cold storage material case.

Further, in the cooling device 1, the cold storage material 10 is disposed in each of the upper ventilation passage 16 and the lower ventilation passage 17 divided in the vertical direction by the header pipe 8 and the tube 9. In the embodiment, two are provided along the ventilation direction), and the upper and lower ventilation paths 16, 17 are respectively provided upstream and downstream of the upper and lower ventilation paths 16, 17. Opening doors 12, 12 which are appropriately closed are provided. In this embodiment, the opening and closing doors 12 and 12 are provided on the upstream side and the downstream side, but may be provided only on the downstream side or only on the upstream side.

The opening / closing doors 12 and 12 are provided with a rotating shaft 13 disposed substantially at the center of the ventilation passage 4 and the upper ventilation passage 16.
And a door body 14 that opens and closes the lower air passage 17, and is appropriately opened and closed by an actuator 15.

In the above cooling device 1, when the engine of the vehicle is stopped, the operation of the main air conditioner is stopped, and a switch (not shown) for starting the operation of the cooling device 1 is turned on, for example, The control shown in the flowchart of FIG. At the same time as the control from step 19, energization of the motor 12 of the blower 6 is started, and the blower 6 operates.

In step 20, the upper air passage 16 is opened as a first passage, and the air sucked from the air inlet 2 by the operation of the blower 6 is supplied to the upper air passage 16 when passing through the upper air passage 16. It is cooled by the cold storage material 10 disposed above and is blown out from the air outlet 3 toward the bed 1a. As shown in the characteristic diagram A of FIG. 5, the temperature T of the blown air increases as the regenerative material 10 absorbs heat and melts, and the heat absorbing effect gradually increases with the elapse of time. It is determined in step 21 whether or not the air temperature T has become higher than the upper limit α ° C. of the comfortable temperature zone. It is determined again whether the temperature is higher than the upper limit α ° C. of the band. Then, when it is determined that the blown air temperature T has become higher than the upper limit α ° C. of the comfortable temperature zone, the process proceeds to step 22 and the upper ventilation path 16 as the first ventilation path.
Is closed, and the lower ventilation path 17 as the second ventilation path is opened. Then, the process proceeds to step 23 to end this control.

Thus, the air sucked from the air inlet 2 passes through the lower air passage 17 and is newly cooled by another cold storage material 10 on the lower air passage 17. The temperature T of the blown air is shown in FIG.
As shown in the characteristic diagram B, a curve that gradually rises as time elapses from a state in which it once descends is traced.

As a result, as shown in the characteristic diagram C, when the upper and lower ventilation passages 16 and 17 are simultaneously opened, the cooling at the beginning of the operation is in a state of excessive cooling, and then gradually rises as time elapses. The time during which the blown air temperature T is in the comfortable temperature zone is the time t1 shown in FIG. 5, whereas in the case of the present invention, the air temperature T is in the comfortable temperature zone from the beginning of operation, and a new cold storage material 10 is added in the middle. Since it is used, the time in the comfortable temperature zone can be made longer than the above-mentioned time t1 (time t2), and the time of blowing from the air outlet at a comfortable temperature can be maintained longer. In the above control, the first ventilation path may be the lower ventilation path 17, and the second ventilation path may be the upper ventilation path 16.

In the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, the upper and lower ventilation paths 16 and 17 are controlled by controlling the opening / closing door 12 depending on whether or not the blown air temperature T has reached the upper limit value α ° C. of the comfortable temperature zone. Although the switching is performed, since the cooling effect time of the cold storage material can be estimated to some extent (approximately 2 hours according to experimental results), the first ventilation path and the second ventilation path are switched by the timer. You may do it. An embodiment using this timer is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

The control performed in steps 24 and 25 is the same as the control shown in steps 19 and 20 in the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, respectively.
When the upper ventilation path 16 as the first ventilation path is opened in step 25, the cold storage material 10 in the upper ventilation path 16 absorbs the heat of passing air. Since the pressure decreases in proportion to the opening time, a timer (not shown) is started in step 26 to start measuring the opening time t of the upper ventilation path 16. And
In step 27, it is determined whether or not the opening time t has reached a predetermined time β at which it can be estimated that the cooling effect of the cold storage material 10 has ceased. If not, the process returns to step 27 and returns to the current state. Is maintained, and it is determined again whether the opening time t has reached the predetermined time β. When it is determined that the opening time t has reached the predetermined time β,
Proceeding to step 28, upper ventilation path 1 as the first ventilation path
6 is closed, and the lower ventilation path 17 as the second ventilation path is opened. Then, after stopping the timer in step 29,
Proceeding to step 30, this control is terminated.

As a result, the air sucked from the air inlet 2 passes through the lower air passage 17 and is newly cooled by another cold storage material 10 on the lower air passage 17. As shown in the characteristic diagram B of FIG. 5, the blown air temperature of the blown air follows a curve that gradually rises as time elapses from a state of being once lowered, as shown in a characteristic diagram B of FIG. Therefore, even if the temperature of the blown air or the temperature of the cold storage material is not detected, the temperature of the blown air is in the comfortable temperature zone from the beginning of operation and the time in the comfortable temperature zone is made longer than the above-mentioned time t1 (time t2). The air can be blown out from the air outlet at a comfortable temperature for a long time. In the above control, the first ventilation path may be the lower ventilation path 17 and the second ventilation path may be the upper ventilation path 16.

Hereinafter, another embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. However, the same components as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

The cooling device 1 shown in FIG. 6 is configured such that the opening / closing door 32 is rotated in the left-right direction instead of the up / down rotation of the opening / closing door of the above-described embodiment. The path 16 and the lower ventilation path 17 are divided into left and right ventilation paths 33, 34 and ventilation paths 35, 36 by a partition plate 30, respectively. Further, the cold storage material 10 is arranged in each of the ventilation passages 33, 34, 35, 36 formed thereby. Further, the opening and closing door 32 is
In the vicinity of both ends of the partition plate 30, the partition plate 30 is provided so as to rotate in the left-right direction about the rotation shaft 31 as an axis.

Thus, for example, the opening / closing door 32
Is located at a position where the left ventilation passages 34 and 36 are closed first and the right ventilation passages 33 and 35 are opened toward the drawing. For example, by the control shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 or FIG. Under the conditions, the air passages 33, 35 on the right side are closed and the air passages 34, 36 on the left side are opened, as viewed in the drawing. As for the switching control of the ventilation paths, the first ventilation path is the ventilation path 33, 3 on the right side.
5 and the second ventilation path is the left ventilation path 34, 36, whereby the same control as in the above-described embodiment can be performed.

With the above configuration, in contrast to the switching of the upper and lower ventilation passages in the above-described embodiment, in this embodiment, the left and right ventilation passages are switched and the respective ventilation passages 33, 34, 35, 36 are provided. Since the cold storage material 10 is arranged in the cold storage material 10, the rate of heat conduction through the tube 9 between the cold storage materials 10 is lower than that in the vertical direction. Therefore, the time during which the blown air temperature T is in the optimum temperature zone can be further extended.

The cooling device 1 shown in FIG. 7 has four ventilation passages 33, 3 divided by the partition plate 30.
4, 35 and 36 are provided with opening and closing doors 37 and 38 for opening and closing the upper and lower ventilation paths, respectively. More specifically, the ventilation passages 33 and 35 on the right side of the drawing are opened and closed by an opening / closing door 37, and the ventilation passages 34 and 36 on the left side of the drawing are opened and closed by an opening / closing door 38. Reference numeral 39 denotes a shaft for rotating the front opening / closing doors 37, 38.

The switching control of the ventilation passage is described in the first section.
Can be controlled similarly in the flow chart shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4 by setting the ventilation paths to the ventilation paths 33 and 34 and the second ventilation paths to the ventilation paths 35 and 36 or vice versa. The description is omitted.

By adopting this configuration, for example, there is a time difference between switching from the upper right ventilation path 33 to the lower right ventilation path 35 and switching from the upper left ventilation path 34 to the lower left ventilation path 36 in the drawing. This makes it possible to perform the setting of the blow-out air temperature more finely.

Further, upper ventilation paths 33 and 34, lower ventilation path 3
By providing an opening / closing door for each of the air conditioners 5 and 36, the setting of the blow-out air temperature may be performed more finely.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, the air taken in from the air inlet flows into one ventilation path, is cooled by the regenerator material of the regenerator, and is blown out from the air outlet. If it is determined or estimated that the temperature has become higher than the upper limit of the comfortable temperature zone, the destination of the air is switched to the next ventilation path, cooled by a new cold storage material, and blown out from the air outlet, thereby blowing out the air. Can be extended at a temperature in the comfortable temperature range, so that comfortable temperature control for the occupant can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a side view of a cooling device having a configuration in which a ventilation path into which air flows is divided into an upper ventilation path and a lower ventilation path, and each ventilation path is cooled by a different cold storage material. FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the same cooling device as viewed from the front.

FIG. 2 (a) is an explanatory view showing a state in which air flows through an upper ventilation path by an opening / closing door and is cooled by a cold storage material. FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state in which air flows and is cooled by a new cold storage material.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of opening and closing an opening / closing door and switching a ventilation path through which air flows in based on a determination result as to whether or not the blown air temperature exceeds an upper limit temperature in a comfortable temperature zone.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of switching a ventilation path through which air flows in by an opening / closing door according to a result of determination as to whether or not a predetermined time period during which the opening time does not fulfill the cooling effect of the cold storage material has been reached.

FIG. 5 is a solid line in a case where the air flowing into the ventilation path is cooled by using different cold storage materials by switching the passages, and a broken line in a case where the air flowing into the ventilation path is uniformly cooled by the same cold storage material. FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram shown.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an upper air passage and a lower air passage into which air flows in is further divided into left and right air passages in a ventilation direction by a partition plate, and one of the upper air passage and one of the lower air passages is opened; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling device having a configuration in which the other of the upper ventilation path and the other of the lower ventilation path are closed in a case where the cooling apparatus is closed.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an upper ventilation path and a lower ventilation path into which air flows, further divided into left and right ventilation paths with respect to a ventilation direction by a partition plate, and these four ventilation paths are opened and closed by two opening and closing doors. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling device having a configuration described above.

FIG. 8 is a characteristic diagram showing a case where air flowing into a ventilation path is uniformly cooled by the same cold storage material.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cooling device 2 Air inlet 3 Air outlet 4 Ventilation path 5 Cool storage device 6 Blower 7 Cooling part 10 Cold storage material 12 Opening / closing door 16 Upper ventilation path 17 Lower ventilation path 18 Temperature sensor 31 Partition plate

Claims (4)

[Claims] An air-conditioning duct that communicates between an air inlet and an air outlet, a blower arranged in the air-conditioning duct, a ventilation path through which air sucked by the air blower passes, and an air passage arranged on the ventilation path. A cooling device comprising at least a regenerator and a regenerator comprising a regenerator material and a cooling unit for cooling the regenerator material, wherein the air passage is divided into a plurality of air passages in which the regenerator material is arranged, A cooling device comprising: opening and closing means for sequentially opening and closing the plurality of ventilation paths divided by the dividing means based on predetermined conditions. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, further comprising: a temperature detecting unit configured to detect a temperature of the air blown from the air outlet, and whether the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. Temperature judgment means for judging whether or not, by the opening and closing means, first open one ventilation path,
Thereafter, each time the temperature determining means determines that the blow-out temperature has reached a predetermined temperature, the previously opened ventilation path is closed and the next ventilation path is opened. 2. The cooling device according to 1. 3. The cooling device further includes timer means for counting an opening time of the ventilation path, and time determining means for determining whether or not the time counted by the timer means has reached a predetermined time. And, by the opening and closing means, first open one ventilation path,
Thereafter, each time the opening time counted by the timer means is determined by the time determination means to have reached a predetermined time, the previously opened ventilation path is closed and the next ventilation path is opened. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The cooling means is constituted by a pair of header pipes through which a refrigerant flows in and out, and a tube communicating between the pair of header pipes. The cooling device according to claim 1, which also serves as a cooling device.