JP2000346432A - Multi-functional air-conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a whole room to rapidly reach a set condition without deviation from the will of a user. SOLUTION: In a multi-functional air-conditioner wherein two or more indoor units are interconnected, this air-conditioner comprises an operation signal generating means 5 to transmit operation information to set the operation condition of each indoor unit; an operation signal receiving means 4 to receive operation information; an indoor environment information detecting means 1 to detect indoor environment information; an indoor information transmitting means 3 to mutually own jointly received operation information and detected indoor environment information; and a cooperation control means 2 to perform control of the indoor unit based on jointly owned information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-type air conditioner for automatically controlling an operation state of a unit optimal for realizing an indoor environment desired by a user based on information from a remote controller. It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a plurality of air conditioners are installed in one room, and each air conditioner is connected by a signal line or wirelessly. When operating, all the air conditioners have the same set temperature, but even if the ambient temperature of one of them becomes the operation stop temperature, the operation is not stopped until the temperature departs from the set temperature by a predetermined temperature or more. This promoted the space in the room that had not yet reached the set temperature to reach the set temperature sooner.

[0003]

However, in the conventional air conditioner, even if the temperature reaches the set temperature, the operation is continued until the entire room has reached the set temperature or until the room is separated from the set temperature by a predetermined temperature or more. However, except for the case where the temperature of the entire room changes evenly, there is a problem that the operation is temporarily ignored ignoring the set temperature set by the user.

An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-type air conditioner that can solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and can quickly reach the set conditions in the entire room without departing from the user's intention. I do.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A multi-type air conditioner according to the present invention is a multi-type air conditioner in which two or more indoor units are connected to one outdoor unit. Operating signal generating means for transmitting operating information for setting the operating condition of each indoor unit, operating signal receiving means provided for each indoor unit for receiving the operating information, and indoor environment information. Indoor environment information detecting means for detecting, indoor information transmitting means for mutually sharing the received driving information and the detected indoor environment information, and cooperative control means for controlling an indoor unit based on the shared information. It is provided.

Further, each indoor unit is provided with a cooperative control selecting means for selecting whether or not the cooperative control means is operated.

[0007] Further, in each indoor unit, an indoor environment load estimating means for estimating the load of the indoor environment based on the fluctuation of the indoor environment obtained from the indoor environment information detecting means, and an indoor environment load estimating means obtained by the indoor load estimating means. It is provided with a cooperative control automatic selecting means for selecting whether or not to operate the cooperative control means based on the load information and the relationship between the operation information of each indoor unit and the indoor environment information.

Each of the indoor units is provided with room shape input means for inputting the shape of the room and indoor unit position input means for inputting the position of the indoor unit, and the cooperative control means is provided for each indoor unit in the room. The positional relationship is grasped, and cooperative control is performed by changing the wind direction of the other indoor units so as to cover the indoor unit having a high load.

[0009] In addition, there is provided another unit power supply selecting means which is connected to the operation signal generating means corresponding to each indoor unit and selects ON / OFF of the power supply of another indoor unit.

Further, the indoor environment information is the indoor temperature, and the indoor environment information detecting means is the indoor temperature detecting means.

Further, the cooperative control means performs the blowing operation on the indoor units which have already reached the set temperature until all the indoor units have reached the set temperature.

[0012]

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

Embodiment 1 FIG. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a multi-type air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an installation example of the multi-type air conditioner.

It is to be noted that this is a case where room temperature is treated as room environment information. The indoor unit A and the indoor unit B are installed in the room 7 via the wiring 8 and the outdoor unit having the outdoor control means 6, and the operation signal receiving means 4 for receiving the operation signal for determining the operation state of the air conditioner is provided. The connected indoor information transmitting means 3 enables information of each indoor unit including the information from the room temperature detecting means 1 (the indoor environment information detecting means) to be mutually shared. The cooperative control means 2 connected to the indoor information transmitting means 3 of each indoor unit controls the indoor units based on the information.

Here, if the cooling operation is performed in the room 7 showing an environmental condition having temperature unevenness as shown in FIG.
When the temperature is 24 ° C., the operation needs to be continued because the temperature in the vicinity of the indoor unit A is 27 ° C. Since the temperature in the vicinity of the indoor unit B is 24 ° C., the refrigerant is blown to the indoor unit B without any further flow, and the temperature becomes uneven. It is a driving that alleviates.

The operation of the air conditioner in the above situation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step 1, the set temperature is determined from the remote controller and transmitted from the operation signal generator 5. Then, in step 2, the ambient temperature of the indoor unit is detected by the room temperature detecting means 1 of the indoor unit. Here, in step 3, On / Off of the cooperative control is selected by the remote controller and transmitted by the operation signal generating means 5. if,
If No, control is performed on the set temperature set in each indoor unit in step 6, and if the indoor temperature reaches the set temperature as detected by the indoor temperature detecting means 1, the operation of the indoor unit is individually stopped. I do.

If the answer is Yes in step 3, if the indoor temperature obtained by the indoor temperature detecting means 1 of the indoor unit A has reached the set temperature for the indoor unit A in step 4,
In step 7, the indoor unit A is set to the air blowing operation. If the indoor temperature has not reached the set temperature, the operation of the indoor unit A is continued. Then, in step 5, the indoor temperature detecting means 1 of the indoor unit B is set to the set temperature for the indoor unit B.
If the room temperature obtained in the above does not reach, the indoor unit B
Is continued and the process returns to step 1. If the set temperature has been reached, the indoor unit B is set to the air blowing operation in step 8.
Further, if at least one of the indoor unit A and the indoor unit B has not reached each set temperature from the information shared by the indoor information transmitting means 3 in step 9, the operation of each indoor unit is continued and the operation proceeds to step 1. Return. If both the indoor unit A and the indoor unit B have reached the respective set temperatures, the operation of both the indoor unit A and the indoor unit B is stopped in step 10 and the process returns to step 1.

As described above, even when one of the indoor unit A and the indoor unit B reaches the set temperature, the air blowing operation is performed without stopping the operation, and the indoor air is stirred to reduce the unevenness in the indoor temperature.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a multi-type air conditioner according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
The indoor unit in FIG. 4 has a cooperative control selecting means 9 for selecting whether to perform cooperative control or independent control.
As described above, in a multi-type air conditioner in which three indoor units are connected to an outdoor unit, a part of the three indoor units can be cooperatively controlled, and the remaining units can be independently controlled.

FIG. 5 shows an installation example of a multi-type air conditioner to which three indoor units can be connected. An indoor unit A and an indoor unit B are installed in the same room, and an indoor unit C is installed in another room. In such an installation case, there is a pattern in which none of the three units perform cooperative control, and a pattern in which only the indoor unit A and the indoor unit B perform cooperative control. Indoor unit 3
When the cooperative control is not performed on any of the units, a mode in which the cooperative control is not performed is selected by the cooperative control selecting means 9 of each indoor unit, and when the indoor unit A and the indoor unit B are cooperatively controlled, the indoor unit to be cooperatively controlled is selected. A mode for performing cooperative control is selected by the cooperative control selecting means 9 of the unit A and the indoor unit B. When the indoor unit is actually operated and an operation signal is sent to perform cooperative control with the remote controller, only the indoor unit for which the cooperative control mode is selected by the cooperative control selecting means 9 is controlled.

As described above, the unit for performing the cooperative control can be designated from a plurality of indoor units. When a part of all the indoor units is installed in the same room, only the indoor unit is selectively controlled by the cooperative control. It is possible to ease restrictions on installation conditions.

Embodiment 3 FIG. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram illustrating a multi-type air conditioner according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
The indoor load estimating means 10 detects the fluctuation of the ambient temperature of each indoor unit from the indoor temperature detecting means 1 of each indoor unit and estimates the indoor load, and cooperates based on the relationship between the estimated load, the set temperature of other indoor units, and the indoor temperature. The cooperative control automatic selection means 11 for judging whether or not to perform the control performs the cooperative control for assisting the indoor unit that requires more capacity because the load on the air conditioning area is high.

FIG. 7 shows an example in which a two-room multi-type air conditioner is installed in a room where the load in the room differs depending on the place and the cooling operation is performed. The set temperature is 24 ° C. for both the indoor unit A and the indoor unit B, but the indoor unit B installed near the kitchen has not reached the set temperature.

The operation of the multi-type air conditioner in such a situation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, a room temperature is set in step 1, and a room temperature is detected in step 2. In step 11, a time-series change in the room temperature is detected. If the indoor unit A has not reached the set temperature in step 12, the operation is continued. If the indoor unit A has reached the set temperature, the operation proceeds to step 14. If the temperature fluctuation in the indoor unit B is large in step 14, it is determined that the load in this area is small and the air conditioning capacity of the indoor unit B is not insufficient, and the mode in which the cooperative control is not performed in step 20 is set in step 21. Each indoor unit is individually controlled.

If the temperature fluctuation is small in step 14, if the indoor unit B has reached the set temperature in step 16, it means that both the indoor units A and B have reached the set temperature, so that the cooperative control is not performed. If the indoor unit B has not reached the set temperature, it is determined that the load in this area is large and the air conditioning capacity is insufficient, so that the air conditioner has stabilized before reaching the set temperature. In step 19, the indoor unit A is set to the blowing operation as a mode to be performed.

On the other hand, it is determined in step 13 whether the indoor unit B has reached the set temperature. If the temperature has reached, the temperature fluctuation of the indoor unit A is determined. If the temperature fluctuation is large, individual control is performed. If the fluctuation is small, step 1
At 7, it is determined whether or not the indoor unit A has reached the set temperature, and if not, the cooperative control is performed at step 18. As described above, each indoor unit controls individually until the set temperature is reached, and when the set temperature is reached, the load status of the other indoor units is judged and if the capacity is insufficient, the The operation is controlled so that the temperature in the room becomes uniform.

As described above, a plurality of indoor units are installed in the same room, and there is a difference in required capacity at a position in the room, so that some indoor units become insufficient in capacity and can reach the set temperature. If it takes a long time to reach or reach, and the room temperature irregularly or transiently occurs, the indoor unit that has already reached the set temperature is automatically switched to the cooperative control operation, and the room temperature unevenness , A comfortable air-conditioned space can be obtained without performing complicated operations.

Embodiment 4 FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing a multi-type air conditioner according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.
Before starting operation, the shape of the room where the indoor unit is installed is selected from several patterns by the room shape input means 13, and the installation position of the indoor unit in the room is similarly determined by the indoor unit position input means 12. Choose from several patterns. From this information, the positional relationship of each indoor unit in the room is grasped, and the indoor temperature is made uniform by changing the wind direction of the other indoor units so as to cover the indoor unit with a high load.

Here, as shown in FIG.
It is set at a temperature of 27 ° C when the indoor temperature is 20 ° C.
When the heating operation is started at ゜ C, the room temperature approaches the set temperature with the lapse of time. However, if there is a window near the indoor unit A, heat escapes and it is difficult to approach the set temperature. Thus, even when the temperature around the indoor unit B reaches the set temperature, the area around the indoor unit A has not yet reached. Therefore, the indoor unit B changes the wind direction to the direction of the indoor unit A based on the information of the room shape obtained by the room shape input means 13 and the position information of the indoor unit A obtained by the indoor unit position input means 12.

As described above, the shape of the room and the positional relationship between the installed indoor units are recognized, the state of the temperature unevenness in the room is determined from the conditions near the indoor units, and the indoor units are intensively focused on places where the capability is required. A comfortable air-conditioned space without temperature unevenness can be obtained quickly by directing the airflow.

Embodiment 5 FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram showing a multi-type air conditioner according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. The power supply On signal of the indoor unit other than the remote controller directly connected by the other unit power supply selection means 14 is transmitted to the indoor unit by the operation signal generation means 5 and the operation signal reception means 4, and all the indoor information transmission means 3 By sharing the indoor unit, the corresponding indoor unit receives a power-on signal and starts operating. That is, the outdoor unit turns on / off the power of the other unit without any involvement.

When the indoor unit A and the indoor unit B are installed in the room A and the room B, respectively, as shown in FIG. The power of the indoor unit A is turned on by another unit power selecting means of the remote controller connected to the unit B.
When turned on, the indoor unit A receives a signal through the indoor information transmitting means 3 and starts operation.

As described above, when the indoor unit is also installed in another room, the power supply is turned on / off from the room where the indoor unit other than the indoor unit for which power is to be turned on / off is installed.
By being able to operate the unit desired to be ff, the desired room can be made a comfortable air-conditioned space without the user having to move.

Further, as shown in FIG. 12, the number of signal lines connecting the indoor unit and the outdoor unit can be two or one. When one signal line is used, signals communicated by the respective signal lines are transmitted. Communication is performed by distinguishing in chronological order. In this case, the number of signal lines is one less, which is advantageous in dismantling work at the time of recycling. Further, all the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented together.

Further, the present invention can be applied to an air conditioner using a combustible refrigerant such as ammonia, methane, butane, ethylene, isabtan, and propane as well as an alternative refrigerant such as R410A and R407C. Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the indoor temperature is treated as the indoor environment information has been described. However, the same cooperative control can be performed in the indoor humidity and other indoor environment information.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, a multi-type air conditioner in which two or more indoor units are connected to one outdoor unit is provided corresponding to each indoor unit. Operation signal generation means for transmitting operation information for setting operation conditions of the indoor unit, operation signal reception means provided in each indoor unit for receiving operation information, and indoor environment information detection means for detecting indoor environment information When,
An indoor information transmitting unit that shares the received driving information and the detected indoor environment information with each other, and a cooperative control unit that controls the indoor unit based on the shared information are provided. This has the effect of making the indoor conditions uniform without overshooting and providing a comfortable air-conditioned space.

Further, since each indoor unit is provided with a cooperative control selecting means for selecting whether or not the cooperative control means is operated, a unit for performing cooperative control can be designated from a plurality of indoor units. When a part of the indoor unit is installed in the same room, only the indoor unit can be selectively cooperatively controlled, and the restriction on the installation condition can be reduced.

Each indoor unit has an indoor environment load estimating means for estimating the load of the indoor environment based on the fluctuation of the indoor environment obtained by the indoor environment information detecting means, and an indoor environment load estimating means obtained by the indoor load estimating means. A plurality of indoor units are installed in the same room by providing cooperative control automatic selecting means for selecting whether or not to operate the cooperative control means based on the relationship between the load information and the operation information of each indoor unit and the indoor environment information. Some indoor units have insufficient capacity due to the difference in required capacity at the indoor position, and it is not possible to reach the set conditions or it takes time to reach the set conditions. When conditions become uneven, the indoor units that have already reached the set conditions are automatically switched to cooperative control operation to mitigate the condition unevenness in the room. It can be obtained a comfortable air-conditioned space without a complicated operation.

Each indoor unit is provided with room shape input means for inputting the shape of the room and indoor unit position input means for inputting the position of the indoor unit, and the cooperative control means is provided for each indoor unit in the room. By grasping the positional relationship and changing the wind direction of the other indoor units so as to cover the indoor unit with a high load and performing cooperative control, it recognizes the positional relationship between the shape of the room and the installed indoor unit, By judging the condition of the condition unevenness in the room from the condition near the indoor unit and intensively directing the air of the indoor unit to the place where the ability is required, a comfortable air-conditioned space without the condition unevenness can be quickly obtained.

[0040] Further, another unit power supply selection means provided to be connected to the operation signal generation means corresponding to each indoor unit and for selecting ON / OFF of the power supply of another indoor unit is provided. If the unit is also installed in another room, the user can operate the unit whose power is to be turned on / off from the room where the indoor unit that is not the indoor unit whose power is to be turned on / off is installed. A desired room can be made a comfortable air-conditioned space without using it.

Further, since the indoor environment information is the indoor temperature and the indoor environment information detecting means is the indoor temperature detecting means, the indoor temperature can be made uniform without overshooting the indoor temperature with respect to the set temperature, thereby providing comfortable air conditioning. Space is obtained.

Further, the cooperative control means performs the blowing operation on the indoor units which have already reached the set temperature until all the indoor units have reached the set temperature. The unit is switched to the blowing operation, and the room temperature is made uniform without overshooting the room temperature with respect to the set temperature, so that a comfortable air-conditioned space can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a multi-type air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an installation example of the multi-type air conditioner of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the multi-type air conditioner of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a multi-type air conditioner according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an installation example of the multi-type air conditioner of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a multi-type air conditioner according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an installation example of the multi-type air conditioner of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the multi-type air conditioner of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing a multi-type air conditioner according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an installation example of the multi-type air conditioner of FIG.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of cooperative control of the multi-type air conditioner of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram showing a multi-type air conditioner according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an installation example of the multi-type air conditioner of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 room temperature detecting means, 2 cooperative control means, 3 indoor information transmitting means, 4 operating signal receiving means, 5 operating signal generating means, 9 cooperative control selecting means, 10 indoor load estimating means,
11 automatic selection means for cooperative control, 12 indoor unit position input means, 13 room shape input means, 14 other unit power supply selection means.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hironori Nagai 2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Inside Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Odagi 2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo F term in Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (reference) 3L060 AA06 CC02 DD01

Claims (7)

[Claims] In a multi-type air conditioner in which two or more indoor units are connected to one outdoor unit, the air conditioner is provided corresponding to each of the indoor units, and is used for setting operating conditions of each of the indoor units. Operating signal generating means for transmitting operating information, provided in each of the indoor units, operating signal receiving means for receiving the operating information, indoor environment information detecting means for detecting indoor environment information, the received operating information and A multi-type air conditioner comprising: indoor information transmitting means for mutually sharing the detected indoor environment information; and cooperative control means for controlling an indoor unit based on the shared information. 2. The multi-type air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein each indoor unit includes a cooperative control selecting means for selecting whether or not the cooperative control means operates. 3. An indoor environment load estimating means for estimating a load of the indoor environment based on a change in the indoor environment obtained by the indoor environment information detecting means, and an indoor environment estimating means obtained by the indoor load estimating means. 2. The multi-type air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising: a cooperative control automatic selection unit that selects whether or not the cooperative control unit operates based on the load information and the relationship between the operation information of each indoor unit and the indoor environment information. . 4. An indoor unit, comprising: a room shape input means for inputting a room shape; and an indoor unit position input means for inputting a position of the indoor unit.
By grasping the positional relationship of each indoor unit in the room,
The multi-type air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the cooperative control is performed by changing the wind direction of the other indoor units so as to cover the indoor unit having a high load. 5. An indoor unit is provided so as to be connected to an operation signal generating means corresponding to each indoor unit, and the power supply of another indoor unit is turned on.
2. The multi-type air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising another unit power selection means for selecting / Off. 6. The multi-type air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the indoor environment information is an indoor temperature, and the indoor environment information detecting means is an indoor temperature detecting means. 7. The multi-type air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein the cooperative control means performs the blowing operation on the indoor units that have already reached the set temperature until all the indoor units have reached the set temperature.