JP2001310622A - Air conditioner for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air conditioner for a vehicle, capable of performing a good air conditioning function while reducing required costs. SOLUTION: In the air conditioner for the vehicle, the inside of a cooling unit 1 is provided with an internal/external air switching valve 2 and the first and second air thermo sensors 5, 6 on the upstream and downstream sides of an evaporator 4. A controller 9 uses the on-off action, detected by a lamp switch 10, of an illuminating lamp for a vehicle in place of a solar radiation sensor and adjusts the cold air temperature detected by the sensor 6 for controlling the on-off action of a refrigerant compressor 7 according to the intake air temperature detected by the sensor 5. Additionally, the controller 9 controls the valve 2 in order to switch the valve 2 forcedly to an internal air circulating mode even in the case of the selection of an external air introducing mode when the intake air temperature is a set value or more.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner for a vehicle which can switch between inside and outside air and control the load of a refrigerant compressor at low cost.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional automatic air conditioner of a vehicle, an air conditioning load is predicted in accordance with outputs from a number of devices such as an outside air temperature sensor, a solar radiation sensor, an indoor temperature sensor, an indoor temperature setting switch, and an inside / outside air selection switch. And
The temperature of the air thermosensor that controls the operation of the refrigerant compressor is automatically adjusted, but in this case, the cost is unavoidable because relatively expensive equipment is required. In air conditioners for vehicles that manually switch between inside and outside air and set the refrigerant compressor load, manual operation of the equipment is not only troublesome,
If the operation of the equipment is not performed properly, power loss may be caused by useless load of the refrigerant compressor.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle air conditioner capable of performing a good air conditioning operation while suppressing required costs.

[0004]

Therefore, an air conditioner for a vehicle according to the present invention includes an inside / outside air switching means for selecting one of an inside air circulation mode and an outside air introduction mode, and a lamp for detecting on / off of a lighting lamp. A switch, a first air thermosensor provided upstream of the cooling evaporator, a second air thermosensor provided downstream of the evaporator, an intake air temperature detected by the first air thermosensor, and the lamp. Control means for performing air conditioning load control based on the inside / outside air switching control of the inside / outside air switching means and the cold air temperature detected by the second air thermosensor, based on the on / off of the lighting lamp detected by the switch. I have it.

That is, in this air conditioner, the control means controls the inside / outside air switching by the inside / outside air switching means on the basis of the intake air temperature and the on / off of the lighting lamp, and controls the air conditioning load through the cold air temperature. By adjusting the temperature of the cold air flowing out of the evaporator
While good air conditioning can be easily performed, the equipment used is an existing inside / outside air switching means, a lamp switch, a second air thermosensor, and a first air thermometer provided upstream of the cooling evaporator. Since it is a sensor and does not require a relatively expensive sensor, the cost can be easily reduced.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described below. In FIG. 1, a cooling unit 1 arranged on the indoor side of a vehicle includes an inside / outside air switching valve 2 for circulating inside air to the cooling unit 1 or introducing outside air, a blower 3, and a cooling evaporator 4. , The first provided upstream of the evaporator 4
An air thermosensor 5 and a second air thermosensor 6 provided downstream of the evaporator 4 are provided. After the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 7 arranged inside the engine room of the vehicle is condensed by the condenser 8 , By being guided to the evaporator 4 and evaporating, the intake air sent to the evaporator 4 by the blower 3 is cooled to become cool air,
It is supplied to the passenger compartment.

Output signals from the first air thermosensor 5 and the second air thermosensor 6 are sent to a controller 9, respectively, and an on / off signal of a vehicle lighting lamp which can be detected by a lamp switch 10; The inside / outside air switching signal 11 and the cooling load signal from the room temperature adjusting switch 12 are sent to the controller 9, and the inside / outside air switching valve 2 and the compressor 7 are controlled by the controller 9 as follows.

That is, when the cooling unit 1 is set to the inside air circulation mode by the operation of the inside / outside air changeover switch 11 by the occupant, the inside / outside air changeover switch 1 is set.
The controller 9 controls the inside / outside air switching valve 2 to the inside air circulation mode in accordance with the signal from the controller 1, and the controller 9 controls the load of the compressor 7 in accordance with the cooling load signal of the room temperature adjustment switch 12. The inside air sucked into the cooling unit 1 is cooled by the evaporator 4 and recirculated into the vehicle interior as cool air.

On the other hand, an inside / outside air changeover switch 1 by an occupant
As shown in FIG. 2, when the cooling unit 1 is set to the outside air introduction mode by the operation 1, the intake air temperature T detected by the first air thermosensor 5 becomes equal to the set temperature T1 (for example, 25 ° C.). If not, the controller 9 controls the inside / outside air switching valve 2 to the outside air introduction mode in response to a signal from the inside / outside air switching switch 11, and the outside air is sucked into the cooling unit 1 by the blower 3.

In this case, in the region I of FIG. 2 where the intake air temperature T is considerably low, the cool air temperature t detected by the second air thermosensor 6 and used to control the on / off switching of the compressor 7 is set to a relatively low t1, and the window glass Clouding is prevented.

In the area II of FIG. 2 where the intake air temperature T is slightly lower, the cool air temperature t is increased in accordance with the rise of the intake air temperature T. If the intake air temperature T reaches the intermediate temperature area III in FIG. It is set to t2.

Further, the cool air temperature t is maintained at t2 in the area III in FIG. 2, but in the area IV in FIG. 2, the lamp switch 10 detects the turning off of the lighting lamp (for example, when the sunshine is outside the tunnel during the daytime). 2), the cool air temperature t is decreased as the intake air temperature T is increased, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 2, and the load on the compressor 7 is gradually increased, while the lamp switch 10 is illuminated. If the ON of the lamp is detected (the absence of insolation such as at night or in a tunnel) is detected, the cool air temperature t increases even if the intake air temperature T increases as shown by the broken line in FIG. The load on the compressor 7 is kept relatively low while maintaining t2.

However, even if the cooling unit 1 is set to the outside air introduction mode by the operation of the inside / outside air changeover switch 11 by the occupant, the intake air temperature T remains at the set temperature T1.
If the temperature is equal to or more than 25 ° C., the controller 9 forcibly controls the inside / outside air switching valve 2 to the inside air circulation mode, so that the inside air is sucked into the cooling unit 1 by the blower 3. In the V section 2, the rise of the intake air temperature T is indicated by a solid line when the lamp switch 10 detects that the lighting lamp is off, and by a broken line when the lamp switch 10 detects that the lighting lamp is on. Accordingly, the cool air temperature t is lowered within a much lower range, and the load on the compressor 7 increases. However, when the controller 9 forcibly controls the inside / outside air switching valve 2 to the inside air circulation mode, the intake air temperature T1 immediately before the controller 9 is held as the subsequent intake air temperature T.

Further, in the area VI of FIG. 2 in which the intake air temperature T is higher than the high temperature area T2, the cold air temperature t is set to a relatively low t1 irrespective of the on / off of the lighting lamp, and the load of the compressor 7 is reduced. Increased cooling of the cabin is enhanced.

The inside / outside air switching control state of the inside / outside air switching valve 2 by the controller 9 is displayed on an indicator in the driver's seat of the vehicle, and when the occupant selects the rear defogger mode or the defrost mode. Regardless of the inside / outside air switching instruction by the inside / outside air switching switch 11 and the level of the intake air temperature T,
The controller 9 controls the inside / outside air switching valve 2 to the outside air introduction mode and sets the cool air temperature t to a relatively low value t1, so that fogging of the window glass can be easily prevented.

Further, based on the intake air temperature T, the controller 9
However, in the case where the inside / outside air switching valve 2 is forcibly controlled to the inside air circulation mode as described above, control is executed after a waiting time of, for example, 30 seconds has elapsed, thereby preventing malfunction. When the controller 9 changes the cool air temperature t in accordance with the intake air temperature T, it is preferable to provide an appropriate deviation between when the intake air temperature T rises and when the intake air temperature T falls, to prevent fluttering of the control. Not even.

In the vehicle air conditioner, the air temperature T detected by the first air thermosensor 5 and the on / off state of the illumination lamp detected by the lamp switch 10, ie, the presence or absence of solar radiation, Since the compressor 7 is turned on and off at the cool air temperature t detected by the second air thermosensor 6, and the controller 9 controls the inside / outside air switching valve 2 to be in the inside air circulation mode or the outside air introduction mode. A simple air conditioning operation can be easily performed.

In addition, a second valve originally provided downstream of the evaporator 4 for preventing icing on the existing inside / outside air switching valve 2, the lamp switch 10, and the evaporator 4.
The air thermosensor 6 and the like are used as they are, and the first air thermosensor 5 is used as the second air thermosensor 6.
An existing lamp switch 10 that can be used by arranging it on the upstream side of the evaporator 4 and that can detect on / off of a lighting lamp is used as a substitute for a solar radiation sensor. There is a practical advantage that the cost as an air conditioner can be easily reduced because no additional equipment is required and the required equipment can be reduced.

Further, even if the cooling unit 1 is set to the outside air introduction mode by operating the inside / outside air switching switch 11, if the intake air temperature T is higher than the set temperature T1, the controller 9 forcibly turns the inside / outside air switching valve 2 on. By controlling to the inside air circulation mode, the outside air having a relatively high temperature is prevented from being taken into the cooling unit 1,
As a result, the load on the compressor 7 can be kept relatively low as a result of the air-conditioned vehicle interior air being taken into the cooling unit 1, so that energy saving can be easily realized, contributing to an improvement in fuel efficiency of the vehicle. It becomes possible.

Further, in the sections II, IV and V in FIG. 2 in which the cool air temperature t for controlling the load of the compressor 7 is changed between t1 and t2, the cool air temperature t Is gradually changed, so that the influence of a sudden change in the load on the compressor 7 and the switching between the inside and outside air can be easily reduced, and the discomfort experienced by the occupant can be reliably suppressed.

[0021]

According to the air conditioner for a vehicle according to the present invention, the air conditioning can be performed by using the existing equipment, so that a good air conditioning can be relatively easily realized. There is a practical feature that the required cost can be easily reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic layout diagram in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory view of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 cooling unit 2 inside / outside air switching valve 4 evaporator 5 first air thermosensor 6 second air thermosensor 7 compressor 9 controller 10 lamp switch

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An inside / outside air switching means for selecting one of an inside air circulation mode and an outside air introduction mode, a lamp switch for detecting on / off of a lighting lamp, and a first air thermostat provided upstream of a cooling evaporator. A sensor, a second air thermosensor provided downstream of the evaporator, and the inside / outside air based on an intake air temperature detected by the first air thermosensor and on / off of the illumination lamp detected by the lamp switch. An air conditioner for a vehicle, comprising: control means for controlling the switching between the inside and outside air of the switching means and controlling the air conditioning load using the cold air temperature detected by the second air thermosensor as an intermediary. 2. A vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said control means adjusts a threshold value of said cool air temperature for said air conditioning load control based on said intake air temperature and on / off of said lighting lamp. 3. An air conditioner for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said control means performs said air conditioning load control only when an outside air introduction mode is selected by said inside / outside air switching means.