JP2005138681A - Air conditioner for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air conditioner for a vehicle allowing normal air conditioning control by alternatively canceling the air conditioning control in air conditioning control for the limited number of occupants, even when there is one occupant. <P>SOLUTION: When only a driver occupies a vehicle, an air conditioning control means 2 for automatically setting the air conditioning control for the limited occupant number which stops blast from other conditioned-air blow-out port disposed for a seat other than the driver's seat is provided with a releasing means 13 of air conditioning control for the limited occupant number which alternatively releases the air conditioning control for the limited occupant number. The normal air conditioning control is made by an operation of the releasing means 13, thereby enabling blast from the other conditioned-air blow-out port. Thus, the inside of the cabin is air-conditioned in a large range. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioner mounted on a vehicle.

In a conventional air conditioner, it is determined whether the occupant is seated based on the seating status of each seat detected by the occupant detection sensor. If no occupant is seated in a seat other than the driver's seat, it is provided for that seat. The air conditioner is designed to save energy by closing the duct passage leading to the other outlet and stopping the air blowing from the outlet.
JP 2002-248936 A (page 7, FIG. 11)

  However, in such a conventional vehicle air conditioner, air blowing from other air outlets is automatically performed when there is only one driver, but on the other hand, when it is desired to air-condition the driver's preference and the entire passenger compartment In addition, it becomes impossible to blow air from other air outlets.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides an air conditioner for vehicles that enables normal air-conditioning control by selectively canceling the air-conditioning control in the air-conditioning control with limited number of passengers even in the case of a single passenger with only a driver. The purpose is to provide.

  The vehicle air conditioner of the present invention automatically performs occupant-limited air conditioning control for stopping air blowing from other air-conditioning air outlets provided for seats other than the driver's seat when the passenger is a single passenger who is only a driver. The air conditioning control means that can be set automatically is equipped with an occupant limited air conditioning control release means that selectively releases the occupant limited air conditioning control, and normal air conditioning control is possible by operating this occupant limited air conditioning control release means It is as.

  The vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention can selectively release the occupant number limited air conditioning control by the occupant number limited air conditioning control canceling means, and therefore, by operating the occupant number limited air conditioning control canceling means, There is an advantage that air can be blown from another air-conditioning air outlet provided in the vehicle and the vehicle interior can be air-conditioned in a wide range.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
1 to 3 show a first embodiment of a vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention, FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the air conditioner, and FIG. 2 shows an arrangement state of air-conditioned air outlets in a vehicle compartment (a). FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram shown in the side view of FIG. 3B, and FIG. 3 is a case where the occupant detection means determines whether the occupant is only the driver and stops air blowing from the air conditioning outlets other than the driver's seat. It is a control flowchart of this air conditioning apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle air conditioner 1 of this embodiment includes an air conditioning control computer 2 as air conditioning control means. The air conditioning control computer 2 includes an inside air sensor 3, an outside air sensor 4, a solar radiation sensor 5. Detection signals from the suction temperature sensor 6, temperature setter 7, occupant detection means 8, etc. are input, and control signals are sent to the blower control means 9, air mix control means 10, outlet control means 11, and other various control means 12. Is output.

  The inside air sensor 3 detects the temperature inside the vehicle, the outside air sensor 4 detects the outside air temperature outside the vehicle, and the solar radiation sensor 5 detects the amount of solar radiation that enters the vehicle interior. The temperature sensor 6 detects the temperature sucked into the evaporator, the temperature setter 7 detects the temperature set by manipulating the temperature desired by the occupant, and the occupant detection means 8 determines whether the occupant is seated in each seat. Is supposed to be detected.

  In the passenger compartment R, as shown in FIG. 2A, there are provided a driver's seat 20, a passenger seat 21, left and right rear seats 22 and 23, and the occupant detection means 8 determines the weight of the seated occupant. A pressure sensor for sensing, an infrared sensor for irradiating and detecting a passenger, or the like can be used.

  The installation panel 24 in front of the driver seat 20 and the passenger seat 21 is provided with an air conditioning air outlet 25 for the driver seat and an air outlet 26 for the passenger seat 21 so as to face the driver seat 20 and the passenger seat 21. Further, although not shown, there is a vehicle type in which an air conditioning air outlet for the rear seat is provided below the ceiling and the driver seat 20 and the passenger seat 21. In this embodiment, the air conditioning air outlets 25 and 26 for the front seat are provided. A case where only the above is provided will be described as an example.

  Air-conditioning air blown from the air-conditioning air outlets 25 and 26 for the front seats, for example, from the air-conditioning air outlet 25 for the driver's seat generates a comfortable ambient temperature around the driver M as shown in FIG. It is supposed to be.

  When the occupant is seated in the passenger seat 21 other than the driver's seat 20 based on the occupant detection signal from the occupant detection means 8, the air conditioning control computer 2 occupies the driver M and the passenger seat outside the figure seated in the passenger seat 21. When the driver M is seated only in the driver's seat 20 while the air-conditioned air is blown toward the driver seat 20, the passenger seat 21 other than the driver seat 20 and the air-conditioned air outlet for the rear seat are provided. Is configured to stop air blowing from the other air-conditioning air outlet 26 provided for the rear seats 22 and 23.

  Stopping air blowing from the other air-conditioning air outlet 26 is achieved by closing a duct that leads to this.

  Here, in the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the occupant number limited air conditioning control canceling means 13 for selectively canceling the occupant number limited air conditioning control is provided, and the occupant number limited air conditioning control canceling means 13 is operated. Thus, the normal air conditioning control is enabled (claim 1).

  In this case, the occupant number limited air conditioning control canceling means 13 is configured as an occupant number limited air conditioning control stop switch 13a for stopping the function set for the occupant number limited air conditioning control of the air conditioning control computer 2 (Claim 2). The limited air conditioning control stop switch 13a is configured by, for example, an ON / OFF switch.

  FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of processing performed by the air conditioning control computer 2 in order to execute the air conditioning control for limiting the number of passengers. First, in step S1, various information necessary for the air conditioning control, that is, the inside air sensor 3, the outside air sensor 4, and the solar radiation sensor. 5, the sensor information by the suction temperature sensor 6 and the temperature setter 7 is acquired, and at the next step S2, the passenger information by the passenger detection means 8, that is, whether the passenger is seated in the seats 20 to 23 is acquired. To do.

  In step S3, it is determined whether or not the occupant is only the driver M. If another occupant is seated in any of the other seats 21 to 23 in addition to the driver M (NO), step S4 is performed. Then, in order to perform the normal air conditioning operation, the air flow rate and the air temperature are calculated, and the air outlet from which the air conditioning air is blown out is selected. In this embodiment, all the air-conditioning air outlets 25 and 26 are selected, and in step S5, the air flow rate, the air temperature, and the air outlet command signals are output to the air-conditioning controllers 9-12.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3 that the occupant is only the driver M (YES), the process proceeds to step S6 to acquire information operated by the occupant number limited air conditioning control stop switch 13a, and in the next step S7, the occupant is acquired. When the number-limited air conditioning control stop switch 13a is turned on and the release state is selected, the process proceeds to step S4 and step S5 to perform normal air conditioning operation.

  On the other hand, when the passenger-limited air conditioning control stop switch 13a is turned off in step S7 and the non-released state is selected, the air flow rate and the air temperature for executing the passenger-limited air conditioning control in step S8. And an air outlet that blows out the conditioned air is selected.

  In this case, the air-conditioning air outlet 26 other than the air-conditioning air outlet 25 for the driver's seat is closed, and in step S5, these air flow rate, air temperature, and air outlet command signals are output to the air-conditioning controllers 9-12. To do.

  According to the vehicle air conditioner 1 of the present embodiment having the above configuration, when the driver M is seated only in the driver seat 20, the passenger seat 21 other than the driver seat 20 and the rear seats 22, 23 are used. The occupant number limited air conditioning control is executed to stop the blowing from the other air conditioning air outlet 26 provided, but at this time, the occupant number limited air conditioning control can be selectively canceled by the occupant number limited air conditioning control stop switch 13a. By turning on the air conditioning control stop switch 13a for limiting the number of passengers, air can be blown from the other air conditioning air outlets 26 provided for the seats 21, 22, and 23 other than the driver's seat 20, and the vehicle interior can be widened in a wide range. Can be air-conditioned.

  Of course, by turning off the occupant-limited air conditioning control stop switch 13a, the occupant-limited air conditioning control control is executed according to the original control, and energy saving can be achieved.

(Second Embodiment)
4 and 5 show a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and redundant description is omitted, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart for controlling the air conditioner.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the vehicle air conditioner 1a according to the second embodiment includes an air conditioning control computer 2 as air conditioning control means, as in the first embodiment. The air conditioning control computer 2 includes inside air and outside air. , Solar radiation, suction temperature sensors 3, 4, 5, 6 and temperature setter 7, occupant detection means 8 and other detection signals are input, blower, air mix, outlet control means 9, 10, 11 and various other control means 12 are configured to output control signals.

  Here, in this second embodiment, the occupant limited air conditioning control canceling means 13 selectively activates (ON) and cancels (OFF) the function of the air conditioning control computer 2 for setting the occupant limited air conditioning control. The limited air conditioning control selection switch 13b is configured (claim 3).

  Therefore, the air conditioning control computer 2 executes the passenger-limited air conditioning control by turning on the passenger-limited air conditioning control selection switch 13b, and turns off the normal mode in which the air-conditioned air is blown from all the air-conditioning air outlets 25, 26. Will be executed.

  FIG. 5 shows a processing flowchart of the air-conditioning control computer 2 for executing the passenger-limited air conditioning control in the second embodiment, and the same step symbols are assigned to the same processing portions as those in the flowchart of FIG. 3 executed in the first embodiment. A duplicate description will be omitted.

  First, in step S1, the sensor information obtained by the inside air sensor 3, the outside air sensor 4, the solar radiation sensor 5, the suction temperature sensor 6, and the temperature setter 7 necessary for air conditioning control is acquired, and in the next step S9, the number of passengers is limited. The operation information of the selection switch 13b is acquired.

  If it is determined in step S10 that the occupant-limited air conditioning control selection switch 13b is OFF, the flow proceeds to step S4 to calculate the air volume and air temperature in order to perform normal air conditioning operation and Select the outlet to blow out.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S9 that the occupant number limited air conditioning control selection switch 13b is ON, the flow proceeds to step S8 to calculate the blast volume and air temperature in order to execute the occupant number limited air conditioning control. Select the air outlet that blows out the conditioned air.

  From Steps S4 and S8, the process proceeds to Step S5 to output the air flow rate, the air temperature, and the command signal for the air outlet to each of the air conditioning controllers 9-12.

  Therefore, according to the vehicle air conditioner 1a of the second embodiment, the occupant-limited air conditioning control selection switch 13b can be used to select either the occupant-limited air conditioning control or the normal mode, and thus the occupant provided in the first embodiment. The detection means 8 becomes unnecessary, and the configuration can be simplified accordingly.

  Although the present invention is applied to the vehicle provided with the driver seat 20, the front seat of the passenger seat 21, and the left and right rear seats 22, 23 according to each embodiment, the vehicle provided only with the front seat, or the rear seat 22, The present invention can also be applied to a vehicle in which a seat is provided further rearward of 23.

It is a schematic block diagram of the air conditioning apparatus in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the arrangement | positioning state of the air-conditioning wind blower outlet in the vehicle interior in 1st Embodiment of this invention with the top view of (a), and the side view of (b). It is a flowchart which controls the air conditioning apparatus in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the air conditioning apparatus in 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which controls the air conditioning apparatus in 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1, 1a Vehicle air conditioner 2 Air conditioning control computer (air conditioning control means)
13 Passenger-limited air-conditioning control release means 13a Passenger-limited air-conditioning control stop switch 13b Passenger-limited air-conditioning control selection switch 20 Driver's seat 21, 22, 23 Seats other than driver's seat 26 Other air-conditioning wind outlets M Driver

Claims (3)

An air-conditioning system that controls the air flow from other air-conditioning air outlets provided for seats other than the driver's seat when it is detected that no occupants are seated in a seat other than the driver's seat (hereinafter referred to as “occupant-limited air conditioning control”) In an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle equipped with air conditioning control means capable of automatically setting
Vehicular air conditioning characterized in that it is provided with occupant limited air conditioning control canceling means for selectively canceling the occupant limited air conditioning control, and allows normal air conditioning control by operating the passenger limited air conditioning control canceling means. apparatus.   2. The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the occupant limited air conditioning control canceling means is an occupant limited air conditioning control stop switch that stops a function of the air conditioning control means that is set in the occupant limited air conditioning control. . The occupant limited air-conditioning control release means is an occupant limited air-conditioning control selection switch that selectively activates and cancels the function set for the occupant limited air-conditioning control of the air-conditioning control means. Air conditioner for vehicles.

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