JP2003237358A - Vehicular air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular air conditioner capable of effectively performing cooling in a cabin of a parking vehicle by electric energy with high efficiency and effectiveness using a small amount of electric power. <P>SOLUTION: The vehicle 1 is equipped with the air conditioner 2 having a blowing duct 21, a blowing fan 22, a cooling unit 23, and a blowing-off opening 24. The blowing fan 22 and the cooling unit 23 are powered from a solar battery 4 mounted on the vehicle 1. When an occupant sets a dwell mode, the cooling unit 23 cools the air in the blowing duct 21 at a lower temperature than the temperature in the cabin and controls the blowing fan 22 so as to blow off the cooled air from the blowing-off opening 24 at such a wind volume as not to mix it with the air in the cabin, so that cooling air stays on a lower layer in the cabin. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner, and more particularly to a vehicle air conditioner capable of cooling a vehicle interior when a vehicle is parked.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An air conditioner for air-conditioning a vehicle interior while a vehicle is parked by using electric power from a solar cell is well known. For example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 58-136815, a solar cell is provided on a roof of a vehicle, and the solar cell supplies electric power to a thermoelectric element and a blower fan according to the temperature inside the vehicle and the temperature outside the vehicle to cool the vehicle. By making it blow out into the room, air conditioning in the vehicle interior is possible even when the engine is not driven while the vehicle is parked.

However, since the air conditioner described in the above publication merely blows the cool air into the passenger compartment, it is necessary to supply sufficient electric power from the solar cell to sufficiently cool the passenger compartment. To be done. For that purpose, the solar cell panel is required to have a certain amount of light receiving area, but for example, when the roof area of the vehicle cannot be made large due to vehicle design restrictions, the solar cell provided on the roof is small. Inevitably, the electric power from the solar cells becomes insufficient, and there is a risk that the occupant will not be able to secure sufficient comfort immediately after boarding the vehicle. Further, even if the performance of the solar cell deteriorates, the amount of power supply becomes insufficient, which may cause the same problem. Although such a problem is solved by supplying power from the battery of the vehicle when the power from the solar cell is insufficient, the load on the battery of the vehicle makes it difficult to start the engine. Creates a new problem of becoming. That is, an air conditioner that air-conditions the interior of the vehicle while the vehicle is parked does not generate power by the engine. There is a need to efficiently cool the inside of the vehicle.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to efficiently cool an interior of a vehicle in a vehicle parked by electric energy with less electric power. An object is to provide a vehicle air conditioner that can perform well and effectively.

[0005]

The first structure of the present invention is as follows.
A blower duct having a blowout port that opens into the vehicle interior at one end, a cooling unit that is provided in the blower duct and cools the air in the blower duct using electrical energy, and a cooling unit that is provided in the blower duct A blower fan that is driven by electrical energy together with the cooling unit and blows out the air in the blower duct that has been cooled by the cooling unit from the outlet, a power supply that supplies electrical energy to the cooling unit and the blower fan, and In a vehicle air conditioner having a cooling unit, the blower fan, and a controller that is connected to the power source and that controls the drive of the cooling unit and the blower fan that uses electrical energy from the power source, the controller is: The air in the air duct is supplied to the cooling unit from the temperature in the passenger compartment. The air in the blower duct, which is cooled to a low temperature and is cooled by the cooling unit by the blower fan, is mixed with the air in the passenger compartment so that the air stays in the lower region of the passenger compartment. The vehicle air conditioner is configured to be able to set a mode in which the air is blown out from the air outlet at a speed lower than the speed at which it occurs.

According to the above arrangement, in the air conditioner, the temperature of the air blown from the outlet is low when the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment is low, that is, the specific gravity is larger than the air in the passenger compartment.
In addition, it has a mode in which the blowing speed is so small that the blown air does not mix with the air in the vehicle compartment, that is, the air volume is very weak. In this mode, the air volume is small, so the electric power required to drive the blower fan is extremely low, and the hot air in the passenger compartment is pushed to the upper layers of the passenger compartment without mixing the blown out cool air with the air in the passenger compartment. Thus, it can be gradually accumulated from the lower layer in the passenger compartment. Therefore, the cold air stays near the seat of the vehicle in a state where the electric energy required to drive the blower fan is much smaller than that in the ordinary cooling, and the vehicle interior can be cooled efficiently and effectively.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the blower duct and the outlet are provided in an instrument panel of the vehicle, and the air blown from the outlet in the mode stays on the front seat of the vehicle. Are configured to produce.

With the above arrangement, it is possible to ensure the comfort when the occupant sits in the front seat of the vehicle. Also, a ventilation duct,
Since the blower fan and the outlet can be shared with the one of the air conditioning unit that is provided on the instrument panel of the vehicle and is mainly used while the vehicle is running, the inside of the parked vehicle can be cooled at low cost. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the air outlet is provided in the vicinity of a floor panel below an instrument panel of the vehicle, and the air blown out from the air outlet in the mode is on the floor panel of the vehicle. It is configured to cause retention.

According to the above structure, the cold air blown out from the outlet gradually stays from the bottom surface of the vehicle compartment, so that the cold air can stay over a wide space from the lower layer to the upper portion of the vehicle compartment. .

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the air outlet is provided in the passenger compartment of the vehicle in the vicinity of the rear seat, and the air blown out from the air outlet in the mode is accumulated on the rear seat of the vehicle. It is configured as follows.

[0012] According to the above configuration, according to the above configuration, it is possible to ensure comfort when an occupant sits in the rear seat of the vehicle.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the temperature sensor detects a temperature inside a vehicle compartment and is electrically connected to the controller. When the temperature sensor is in the mode, the controller detects the temperature from the temperature sensor. The cooling unit cools the air in the blower duct to a temperature lower than the air temperature in the vehicle compartment in response to the signal.

According to the above construction, the cooling unit cools the air in the air duct with the air temperature in the passenger compartment as a guide. If the temperature of the blown air is at least lower than the air temperature in the passenger compartment, it is possible to cause stagnation.Therefore, by keeping the air in the air duct lower than the air temperature in the passenger compartment, Without cooling the air of the
In other words, it is possible to cause retention more efficiently and effectively without using more power than necessary.

A sixth configuration of the present invention has a temperature sensor for detecting an air temperature in a vehicle compartment and electrically connected to the controller, wherein the controller responds to a signal from the temperature sensor in the mode. Is to be set.

According to the above configuration, since the mode is set according to the temperature inside the vehicle, the mode is automatically set when the temperature inside the vehicle becomes high regardless of the operation of the passenger. You can effectively cool the vehicle interior.

A seventh structure of the present invention has a switch which can be operated by an occupant and is electrically connected to the controller, and the controller sets the mode according to a signal from the switch. It is a thing.

According to the above construction, since the mode is set by the switch operation of the occupant, the passenger compartment can be effectively cooled in the mode according to the preference of the occupant.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, a vehicle exterior environment sensor that detects a predetermined vehicle exterior environment and is electrically connected to the controller is provided.
The mode is set according to the signal from the vehicle exterior environment sensor.

According to the above configuration, since the mode is set according to the environment outside the vehicle, the mode is set when the temperature inside the vehicle is expected to rise, for example, when solar radiation is detected. Can be started, and the effect of cooling will be increased.

A ninth structure of the present invention is a branching portion for communicating the other end of the blower duct both outside and inside the vehicle compartment,
A switching damper is provided which is connected to the controller and is provided in the vicinity of the branching portion and selectively communicates the inside of the air duct with the outside of the vehicle compartment or one of the inside of the vehicle compartment, and when the controller is in the mode, The switching damper is configured to connect the other end of the air duct to the interior of the vehicle.

According to the above construction, in the mode in which the cool air is retained, the air in the room is circulated in the vehicle compartment, that is, the inside air is circulated, so that the air in the blower duct can be cooled more effectively. .

According to a tenth constitution of the present invention, the above-mentioned outlet is
A diametrically expanded portion that gradually expands in the direction of the opening that opens into the vehicle interior is provided, and a fin that diffuses the air blown from the outlet in the diametrical expansion direction is provided inside the diametrically expanded portion. It is what has been.

According to the above arrangement, the cool air blown out from the blowout port is diffused, so that the blowout speed of the cool air can be reduced. Therefore, the cold air blown out from the air outlet is less likely to mix with the air in the vehicle compartment, and the stay of the cold air can be further promoted.

An eleventh structure of the present invention is that the power source is a solar cell provided in the vehicle.

According to the above arrangement, the vehicle interior can be cooled when the vehicle is parked under the scorching sun without using the vehicle battery.

[0027]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner for a vehicle, which can cool an interior of a vehicle compartment while being parked by electric energy efficiently and effectively with less electric power.

[0028]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, an outline of a configuration of an air conditioner according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1, which is a schematic cross-sectional view of a vehicle 1 along a vehicle traveling direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 has a blower duct.
An air conditioner 2 having a fan 21, a blower fan 22, a cooling unit 23, and an outlet 24 is provided. This air conditioner 2
Uses the configuration of an air conditioner that is used during normal vehicle traveling except for the cooling unit 23. Air duct 21
Is provided inside the instrument panel 3 of the vehicle,
Air outlet 24 provided on the front of the instrument panel 3
At one end, an opening is formed so as to face the inside of the vehicle. Further, a blower fan 22 and a cooling unit 23 are provided inside the blower duct 21, and the air cooled by the cooling unit 23 is blown into the vehicle compartment by the blower fan 22 from an outlet 24. On the other hand, the other end of the blower duct 21 is branched so as to communicate with both the outside and the inside of the vehicle compartment, and a switching damper 25 is provided near the branching portion. The switching damper 25 selects either the outside or the inside of the vehicle interior. Are configured to communicate with each other. The cooling unit 23 is composed of a thermoelectric element that cools air with electric power, for example, a Peltier element described in JP-A-11-342731. Blower fan
22 is also driven by electric power, and the cooling unit 23 and the blower fan 22 receive electric power from a power source provided in the vehicle 1 via a controller 6 (not shown in FIG. 1) described later. Is supplied. In the present embodiment, at least when the vehicle 1 is parked (when the engine is stopped), power is supplied from the solar cell 4 provided on the roof of the vehicle to the cooling unit 23 and the blower fan 22. ing.

The switching damper 25, the cooling unit 23, and the blower fan 22 are controlled by the controller. The structure of the control circuit including them is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.
Information from a temperature sensor 7 for detecting the temperature inside the vehicle compartment and information from a manual switch 8 provided in the vehicle compartment and operated by an occupant are input to the controller 6. The controller 6 is connected to the solar cell 4 provided in the vehicle 1 and the battery 5 that drives the electrical components of the vehicle, and detects the temperature inside the vehicle detected by the temperature sensor 7 and the manual switch 8. The switching damper 25, the cooling unit 23, and the blower fan 22 are controlled based on the information.

In the above-described structure, the occupant performs a predetermined operation on the manual switch 8 so that the air conditioner 2
Can operate in "retention mode". Hereinafter, the retention mode, which is a feature of the present invention, will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 which is a graph showing a temperature gradient in the passenger compartment along the line AA of FIG.

When the occupant sets the stay mode by operating the manual switch 8, the information is input to the controller 6. After that, the controller 6 supplies electric power to the cooling unit 23 so as to cool the temperature of the air in the blower duct 21 to a temperature lower than the detected temperature in the passenger compartment based on the information on the passenger compartment temperature from the temperature sensor 7. To do. Although the principle of retention will be described later, the lower the temperature of the air blown out from the outlet 24, the more effectively retention can be caused, but the power required for cooling, that is, the current, is increased accordingly, so that it is supplied. The electric current is set in consideration of the amount of electric power from the solar cell 4 in the range where the cooling temperature is lower than the temperature of the air in the vehicle compartment. Although the amount of electric power required to cool the temperature of the air in the blower duct 21 to a temperature lower than the detected temperature in the passenger compartment depends on the shape of the blower duct 21, the amount of electric power and the temperature of the cooled air are different. The relationships may be obtained by experiments or simulations, and the relationships may be stored in the controller 6 in the form of a map or the like. Alternatively, irrespective of the temperature of the air in the vehicle compartment, all of the electric power obtained from the solar cell minus the electric power used to drive the blower fan 22 may be used for cooling. Further, it is desirable that the electric power from the solar cell 4 is supplied to the battery 5 to charge the battery 5 when the stay mode is not selected.

The controller 6 also supplies power to the blower fan 22 to operate the blower fan 22, as described above. The blower fan 22 is controlled so that the cool air cooled by the cooling unit 23 and blown out from the outlet 24 does not mix with the air in the vehicle interior. On the other hand, a signal is also transmitted from the controller 6 to the switching damper 25, and the blower duct 21
The other end is communicated with the vehicle interior, and the air in the room is controlled so as to circulate in the vehicle interior, that is, so-called inside air circulation.

Therefore, in the stay mode, the cold air cooled to a temperature lower than the temperature inside the vehicle compartment by the cooling unit 23 in the air blow duct 21 does not mix with the air in the vehicle compartment from the outlet 24 at a low speed. Is blown out by. Since the cool air is lower than the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment, its specific gravity is larger than that of the air in the passenger compartment and is blown out at a speed that does not mix with the air in the passenger compartment. It will gradually accumulate from the top of the seat to the lower layers of the passenger compartment. The lower the temperature of the blown air, the greater the specific gravity of the air and the more likely it is that stagnation will occur.

FIG. 3 shows the temperature gradient (broken line) in the vehicle interior before the retention mode is executed when the vehicle is parked under the scorching sun in the window fully closed state, and the retention mode according to the present invention is executed for a predetermined time. The temperature gradient in the passenger compartment (solid line) is shown. The vertical axis represents the temperature inside the vehicle compartment, and the horizontal axis represents the height of the cross section taken along the line AA in FIG. Before the retention mode is executed, the temperature is high from a low position in the passenger compartment, and the temperature further rises near the vehicle roof. On the other hand, after the retention mode is executed, the temperature is relatively low from the low position inside the vehicle. That is, it can be seen that the high temperature air in the lower region of the vehicle is pushed upward by the cool air.

With the above-described structure, if the occupant parks the vehicle 1 under the scorching sun and then operates the manual switch 6 before leaving the vehicle 1 to set the stay mode, the electric power from the solar cell 4 is used. Cooling unit 23 is a ventilation duct
The air inside 21 is cooled to a temperature lower than the temperature of the air inside the passenger compartment, and the blower fan 22 is driven so as to blow out the cool air with a very small air volume that causes retention in the lower layer inside the passenger compartment.
Therefore, the cold air stays mainly in the area where the occupant is located in the passenger compartment, that is, on the seat cushion, so that discomfort when the occupant enters the vehicle 1 again is prevented. Since the blower fan 22 is driven so as to generate a very small air volume, the power consumed by the blower fan 22 is very small, resulting in efficient and effective cooling of the vehicle interior.

In the present invention, the manual switch 8 is not an indispensable component, and the controller 6 may be set to automatically execute the retention mode when the temperature inside the vehicle exceeds a predetermined value. Further, provided with a sensor for detecting the temperature outside the vehicle cabin or the presence or absence of insolation, when the outside air temperature of the vehicle cabin is higher than a predetermined temperature as a condition for setting the retention mode, or as a state where insolation is detected,
The residence mode may be executed before the temperature inside the vehicle rises. In addition, the residence mode may be executed using the electric power from the solar cell whenever the solar cell is generating power.

The outlet 24 may be the one of the air conditioning unit 2 provided on the instrument panel 3 of the vehicle 1 and used mainly while the vehicle is running, but in order to execute the retention mode more effectively. In addition, a dedicated outlet is provided and a switching damper is provided at the branch with the outlet that is mainly used when the vehicle is running, and the switching damper is driven to blow air from the dedicated outlet when the retention mode is selected. Is also good. The position of the exclusive blowout port 26 can be, for example, near the floor panel below the instrument panel 3. With this configuration, the cold air blown out from the outlet gradually accumulates from the bottom surface of the vehicle compartment, so that the cold air can be retained over a wide space from the lower layer to the upper portion of the vehicle interior. Further, the shape of the exclusive blow-out port 26 is such that, as shown in the horizontal sectional view of FIG. 4, its structure has a diameter-expanding portion that gradually expands in a substantially horizontal direction toward the opening of the passenger compartment. With 261
It is desirable that fins 262 and 263 are provided inside the expanded diameter portion 261 to diffuse the air blown out from the outlet 26 in the expanded diameter direction. With such a configuration,
When the cool air is blown from the exclusive outlet 26, the cold air is diffused by the expanded diameter portion 261 and the fins 262 and 263, so that the blow speed of the cool air can be reduced and the air in the vehicle interior is more mixed. It is unlikely to occur.

Further, the outlets 24 and 26 may be provided near the rear seat in the passenger compartment so that cold air is retained on the rear seat when the retention mode is set.

In the above embodiment, the blower fan 22 and the cooling unit 23 are driven by using the electric power from the solar cell 4, but are driven by the electric power from the battery 5 usually provided in the vehicle. Is also good. In the stay mode according to the present invention, since the blower fan 22 is driven with a very small amount of electric power, the power consumption of the battery 5 is very small even when the vehicle is parked, and there is little risk of battery consumption.

The conditions under which cold air is accumulated can be influenced by factors such as the shape of the passenger compartment and the shape of the air duct. Therefore, the air volume (blowing speed) of the blower fan and the temperature of the blown cool air in the stay mode are appropriately set according to the vehicle to which the present invention is applied so that the blown cool air may stay in the passenger compartment. .

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. There is no limit.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a vehicle equipped with an air conditioner according to the present invention, taken along the vehicle traveling direction.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control circuit of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing a temperature gradient in the vehicle interior taken along line AA in FIG. 1 before and after execution of a retention mode.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing another form of an outlet.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 vehicle 2 air conditioners 3 Instrument panel 4 Solar cells (power supply) 5 battery (power supply) 6 controller 8 Manual switch 21 air duct 22 Blower fan 23 Cooling unit 24, 26 outlet 25 switching damper 261 Expanding part 262, 263 fin

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) B60H 1/22 611 B60H 1/22 611Z // B60H 1/24 611 1/24 611

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A blower duct having an air outlet opening at one end in a passenger compartment, a cooling unit provided in the blower duct for cooling air in the blower duct by using electrical energy, and the blower. A blower fan that is provided in the duct and is driven by electrical energy and that blows the air in the blower duct cooled by the cooling unit from the outlet, and supplies electrical energy to the cooling unit and the blower fan. In a vehicle air conditioner having a power source, the cooling unit, the blower fan, and a controller that is connected to the power source and that controls the drive of the cooling unit and the blower fan using electric energy from the power source. , The controller causes the air in the air duct to be supplied to the cooling unit to the vehicle compartment. Of the air in the air duct cooled by the cooling unit to the air blower fan, and the air in the vehicle interior so that the air stays in the lower region of the vehicle interior. An air conditioner for a vehicle, which is configured to be capable of setting a mode in which the air is blown out from the blowout port at a speed lower than a speed at which it is mixed with. 2. The blower duct and the outlet are provided in an instrument panel of the vehicle, and the air blown from the outlet in the mode is configured to stay on the front seat of the vehicle. The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1. 3. The air outlet is provided in the vicinity of a floor panel below an instrument panel of the vehicle, and air blown from the air outlet in the mode is configured to stay on the floor panel of the vehicle. Is
The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1. 4. The air outlet is provided in the passenger compartment of the vehicle in the vicinity of a rear seat, and the air blown from the air outlet in the mode is configured to stay on the rear seat of the vehicle. Item 5. The vehicle air conditioner according to any one of Items 1 to 3. 5. A temperature sensor for detecting an air temperature in a vehicle compartment and electrically connected to the controller,
The controller, according to a signal from the temperature sensor, causes the cooling unit to cool the air in the blower duct to a temperature lower than the air temperature in the vehicle compartment when in the mode. The vehicle air conditioner according to any one of 1. 6. A temperature sensor for detecting an air temperature in a vehicle compartment and electrically connected to the controller,
The vehicle air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the controller sets the mode in accordance with a signal from the temperature sensor. 7. The switch according to claim 1, further comprising a switch operable by an occupant and electrically connected to the controller, wherein the controller sets the mode in response to a signal from the switch. The vehicle air conditioner according to any one of the claims. 8. A vehicle exterior environment sensor for detecting a predetermined vehicle exterior environment and electrically connected to the controller, wherein the controller sets the mode according to a signal from the vehicle exterior environment sensor. The vehicle air conditioner according to any one of Items 1 to 5. 9. A branch part for connecting the other end of the blower duct to both the outside and the cabin of the vehicle, and a branch part connected to the controller and near the branch part. A switch damper that selectively communicates with one of the passenger compartments, wherein the switch damper is configured to allow the other end of the air duct to communicate with the passenger compartment when the controller is in the mode. The vehicle air conditioner according to any one of 1 to 8. 10. The blow-out port has a diameter-expanded portion that gradually increases in diameter toward the direction of the opening that opens into the vehicle interior, and the air blown out from the blow-out port is provided inside the diameter-increased portion. The vehicle air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a fin that diffuses in the radial direction. 11. The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the power source is a solar cell provided in the vehicle.