JP2004168074A - Air purifying device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air purifying device for a vehicle which effectively eliminates residual odor in a compartment giving bad feelings to an occupant at the time of riding on a vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: This air purifying device 1 for a vehicle comprises an air cleaning machine 2, an odor sensor 5 detecting odor in the compartment, a smell generator 3, and a controller 4 controlling actuation of the air cleaning machine and the smell generator. When the odor in the compartment is detected or estimated and existence of the smell is judged, the air cleaning machine 2 is actuated during car parking to eliminate the odor, and the smell generator 3 is actuated immediately before the riding of the occupant, so as to release good smell. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle air purification device, and more particularly to a vehicle air purification device that operates during parking to remove odors and the like in a vehicle interior.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a vehicle air purification device has been widely used for removing odors (tobacco, body odor, etc.) and dust in a vehicle cabin. However, the odors generated in the cabin are sometimes very intense, for example due to smoking by a large number of occupants or strong odorous foods brought in in large quantities, and can be removed even with a powerful air purification device. It can be difficult. Moreover, since the operation of the conventional air purifying device is linked to the ignition key, the air purifying device can be operated only at the same time as or after the engine start after the occupant gets on the vehicle. Was. Therefore, there is a problem that the occupant is placed in an unfavorable environment after the occupant gets on the vehicle until the air in the passenger compartment is purified.
[0003]
As means corresponding to this, the present applicant has proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-86262 a vehicle air purification device that can purify the air in the passenger compartment in advance before the occupant gets on the vehicle. I have. The vehicle air purification device is provided with a sub-battery, and operates the air purification device during parking with the sub-battery to purify the air in the vehicle compartment.
However, if the odor remaining in the cabin is strong, it may take several days even if the air purifier is constantly operated, and if the occupant uses the vehicle every day, the driver must operate with the odor remaining. is there.
[0004]
Means for masking unpleasant odors by using fragrances are also commonly used as means to keep the occupants from noticing these odors. Often gives an unpleasant odor.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has as its object to solve the problem of odor in a vehicle cabin, particularly, a residual odor that is generated when a passenger gets on the vehicle and is most worrisome when the occupant gets on the vehicle next time (at the moment of riding). It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle air purification device capable of effectively removing the air.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention provides, as means for solving the above-mentioned problems, an air purifying device for a vehicle according to the claims.
An air purifying device for a vehicle according to claim 1, comprising an air purifier, an odor detector, a scent generator, and control means for controlling the operation of the air purifier and the scent generator. Immediately before and around the time of boarding, the odor in the passenger compartment is detected or estimated, and if it is determined that the odor exists, the scent is released into the passenger compartment. When the passenger gets on the vehicle, the unpleasant odor in the vehicle compartment is enveloped in the fragrance, and the odor remaining in the vehicle compartment is not bothered.
[0007]
The air purifying apparatus for a vehicle according to the second aspect of the present invention is to operate the air purifier during parking prior to the operation of the scent generator, whereby the air purification and the removal of odor during parking are performed to some extent. It can be used to make effective use of the scent from the scent generator.
In the vehicle air purifying apparatus according to the third aspect, the odor in the vehicle compartment is estimated by calculating the outside air temperature and the time from when the odor detecting means stops detecting the odor to when the occupant is determined. With this, it can be used in combination with an odor detecting means that requires a high-precision odor sensor, and even if the accuracy of the detecting means is reduced, the odor in the passenger compartment can be reliably removed, and as a device, Reliability can be improved.
[0008]
The vehicle air purification device according to the fourth aspect is provided with means for estimating the occurrence of the occupant's action immediately before the occupant gets on the vehicle, whereby the scent generator is reliably operated when the occupant is on the occupant. be able to.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a vehicle air purification device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle air purification device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a case where the vehicle air purification device of the present invention is installed on the ceiling of a vehicle interior. The vehicle air purification device 1 of the present invention detects an air purifier 2, a scent generator 3, a controller 4 as control means for controlling the operation of the air purifier 2 and the scent generator 3, and an odor in the vehicle interior. It comprises a detection sensor 5 and the like as detection means. The vehicle air purification device 1 is installed, for example, on the ceiling of the vehicle interior as shown in FIG. 2, but may be installed in a place other than this.
[0010]
The air purifier 2 is a similar or similar air purifier that is generally commercially available for vehicles or has a configuration of a known technology. For example, the air purifier 2 includes a case 21 having a suction port 21a for taking in air in the vehicle compartment and an outlet 21b for discharging purified air into the vehicle compartment, and an air purifying device housed in the case 21. It comprises a blower 22 and a filter 23 for air purification and deodorization. Therefore, the air purifier 2 sucks vehicle interior air from the air inlet 21a by the air purifying blower 22, removes odor by the deodorizing filter 23, and outputs purified air from the outlet 21b.
[0011]
The operation of the air purifying blower 22 is controlled by the controller 4.
In the present invention, the filter 23 has at least a deodorizing filter, and may additionally include a dust filter or a catalyst filter. Further, by installing a negative ion generator, a plasma cluster generator, and the like (not shown) downstream of the filter 23 and applying a high voltage to the atmosphere to generate a high voltage in the space and to generate charged particles, Air purification may be performed by the dust removing action, chemical decomposition action, and sterilization action of the charged particles.
[0012]
In the present invention, since it is necessary to operate while the vehicle is stopped as a necessary requirement, it is preferable that the power during the stop is separately held. In the present embodiment, the air purifier 2 has a + B terminal to which power is directly supplied from a vehicle battery (not shown).
[0013]
The scent generator 3 is installed near the outlet 21 b of the case 21, and its operation is controlled by the controller 4.
An odor sensor 5 is installed in the cabin as a detecting means for detecting an odor component in the cabin, and information on the odor level detected by the odor sensor 5 is sent to the controller 4. In addition to the odor information, the controller 4 receives signals such as a power supply signal (+ B signal), an ignition signal (IG signal), a door lock opening / closing signal, a door lock state signal, and an outside air temperature. Based on these signals, The operation signal is output to the air purifying blower 22 of the air purifier 2 and the scent generator 3.
[0014]
Next, the operation of the vehicle air purification device 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. After the start of operation, the vehicle air purification device 1 according to the present invention determines that ignition (ignition IG) has been performed in steps S101 and S102, and the vehicle is turned off after the engine is turned on, that is, in the vehicle interior after the vehicle is used. Start from the situation where the smell may remain.
Next, in steps S103 and S104, the door of the vehicle is opened, then the door is closed, and in step 105, the air cleaner 2 is brought into a state of being operated for the first time in a state where the door is locked. That is, the state in which the door of the vehicle is opened and closed, and then the door is locked is defined as the starting point of the start of the vehicle interior purification.
[0015]
In step S106, the odor sensor 5 detects the odor in the vehicle compartment, and the presence or absence of the odor is determined by the controller 4. If there is an odor, the process proceeds to step S107, and the air purifying blower 22 of the air purifier 2 is operated to activate the vehicle. The indoor odor is removed, and when there is no odor, the process proceeds to step S108, and the air purifying blower 22 is not operated.
Further, while the air purifier 2 is operating, when the driver, which is the estimating means, releases the door lock (step S109) and attempts to enter the passenger compartment, the odor is generated in the passenger compartment. If the scent remains, the process proceeds to step S110, and the scent generator 3 is operated by the controller 4 to generate a scent in the passenger compartment, so that the occupant does not mind the odor remaining in the passenger compartment.
If the odor does not remain in the passenger compartment and the air purifier 2 is not operated, the door lock is released in step S111, and this routine is ended at the same time. Then, the vehicle air purification device 1 stops until the next vehicle startup.
[0016]
In the above-described embodiment, as a method of deodorizing a parked vehicle, the air purifier 2 is operated during parking to remove odorous substances in the vehicle compartment by the deodorizing filter 23. However, other means, such as ventilation, may be used in which this deodorization is performed not only by the filter of the air purifier but also by operating only the fan of the vehicle air conditioner.
[0017]
In the above-described embodiment, the battery power source (+ B power source) installed in the vehicle is used as a power source of the air purifier 2 that deodorizes the vehicle during parking. May be used.
[0018]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the fact that the occupant gets on the vehicle is estimated by unlocking the door. However, the radio wave signal or the like that is constantly generated from the key possessed by the occupant makes it possible for the occupant to instruct the vehicle on the vehicle. The detection of the approach may be used to estimate the occupant.
[0019]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the operation of the vehicle purification device according to another embodiment of the present invention. This vehicle air purification device of another embodiment is substantially the same in configuration as that of the previous embodiment except for the controller 4. In the above-described embodiment, the presence or absence of an odor in the passenger compartment immediately before the occupant gets on the vehicle is detected only by the odor at that time by the odor sensor 5, but in that case, the odor sensor 5 with extremely high accuracy is required. Therefore, in this alternative embodiment, the time from when the odor sensor 5 can no longer detect the odor in the vehicle compartment (at this time, it is still below the detection threshold, but the odor still exists) and the time until the occupant determines that the occupant gets on the vehicle and the outside air The calculation with the temperature determines whether to operate the air purifier 2 and the scent generator 3 or not.
[0020]
Hereinafter, a flowchart of this other embodiment will be described. The process up to step S105 is the same as in the previous embodiment. If the odor sensor 5 does not detect the odor in the vehicle cabin in step S106, the process proceeds to step S201, and the time T after the odor is no longer detected is calculated. At the same time, an average outside temperature (TEMP) is calculated in step S202. Next, in step S203, it is determined whether the average outside air temperature is equal to or higher than 25 ° C. When the average outside air temperature is 25 ° C. or higher, 24 hours (H) is adopted as the time (Tref) for judging the occupant from the point in time when the odor cannot be detected (S204), and the average outside air temperature is 25 ° C. or lower. Then, 48 hours (H) is adopted as the time (Tref) for judging the occupant's entry from the time when the odor cannot be detected (S205).
[0021]
Next, the process proceeds to step S206, and if the time T from when the odor sensor 5 stops detecting the odor is equal to or longer than the above-mentioned time (Tref), the air purifier 2 is not operated (step S108). If the time T after the odor is no longer detected is equal to or less than the time (Tref), the air purifier 2 is operated (step S107), the unlocked state of the door lock is determined (step S109), and the door is unlocked. When it is estimated that the occupant gets on the vehicle, the scent generator 3 is activated (step S110).
[0022]
That is, if the average outside air temperature is 25 ° C. or higher, and if the odor sensor 5 does not detect the odor for more than 24 hours, the vehicle air purification device of the present invention determines “no odor”, and If it has not passed, it is determined that there is a smell. If the average outside air temperature is 25 ° C. or less, no odor is detected and if 48 hours or more have passed, it is determined that “no odor exists”, and if it has not passed 48 hours, it is determined that there is “odor”. I have to.
[0023]
As described above, according to the present invention, the odor of the vehicle is detected or estimated, the air purifier is operated at the time of parking, and the scent generator is operated at the time of getting on, so that the passenger compartment at the moment when the occupant gets on the vehicle. The remaining odor is removed, and the odor is masked with the odor, so that the occupant can ride with a comfortable feeling. Further, even when the outside air temperature is low and it is difficult to remove the odor, the odor can be effectively removed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall overall configuration of a vehicle air purification device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a case where the vehicle air purification device of the present invention is installed on the ceiling of a vehicle interior.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an operation of the vehicle air purification device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the operation of the vehicle air purification device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle air purification apparatus 2 ... Air purifier 21 ... Case 22 ... Air purification blower 23 ... Filter 3 ... Scent generator 4 ... Controller (control means)
5. Odor sensor (detection means)

Claims (4)

An air purifier that purifies air and removes odor in the cabin of the vehicle,
Detection means for detecting the smell in the vehicle interior;
A scent generator that generates a scent in the cabin,
Control means for controlling the operation of the air purifier and the scent generator,
Immediately before and around the time when the occupant gets on the vehicle, the odor in the passenger compartment is detected or estimated, and as a result of this detection or estimation, when it is determined that the odor exists in the passenger compartment, the scent generator is activated, An air purification device for a vehicle, characterized by emitting a scent to the vehicle. 2. The air purifying apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the air purifier is operated during parking to remove an odor in the vehicle interior prior to the operation of the scent generator. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the estimation of the odor in the vehicle is performed by calculating an outside air temperature and a time from when the detection unit stops detecting the odor to when the occupant is determined. An air purifying device for a vehicle according to the above. The vehicle air purification device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: means for estimating occurrence of the riding action immediately before the occupant gets on the vehicle.

Images