JP2006188092A - Air conditioner for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air conditioner for vehicle capable of performing an air conditioning control with due considerations to a child. <P>SOLUTION: A front passenger seat occupant detecting ECU 44 decides an occupant state (no occupants, sitting of an adult or sitting of a child) based on a detection signal of an occupant detecting sensor 42, and the decision is outputted to an airbag ECU 12. In the airbag ECU 12, occupant information is outputted to an air conditioning ECU 32. When the occupant sitting on the front passenger seat is the child by the information, a face blow-out is turned OFF and a front passenger seat side face register 30 is directed to the outside of the front passenger seat. As a result, a control not to blow air conditioning air on the face of the child is performed when the child sits on the seat. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner that controls conditioned air in accordance with an occupant seated on a vehicle seat.

  A vehicle air conditioner (car air conditioner) is an indispensable equipment for improving the comfort of passengers.

  Here, if the occupant who is on board is an adult, there is no particular problem because the air-conditioning wind temperature, blowing position, amount of blowing, etc. can be set arbitrarily. For a child of an age who cannot understand how to adjust the setting, there is a problem that the temperature, blowing position, blowing amount, etc. of the air-conditioning wind cannot be set appropriately.

As a prior art considering this point, for example, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1 below. Briefly, when a seat-like occupant detection sensor is embedded in the seat cushion of the vehicle seat, the controller detects whether or not the occupant is present and the occupant is seated based on the detection signal from the occupant detection sensor. Determines where the occupant is seated and whether the occupant is an adult or a child. When it is determined that the occupant seated in the vehicle seat is a child, control is performed such that the louver is directed toward the child and the amount of air-conditioning air blown is reduced.
Paragraph Nos. [0020] and [0027] in JP-A-2003-11639 JP 7-55573 A JP-A-8-258664 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-24785 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-43048

  Although the prior art described above is one example in which consideration is given to air conditioning control for children, in general, children are often more sensitive than adults, and in recent years the tendency of children to become more sensitive is more pronounced. There is a feeling. Therefore, it can be said that it is desirable to devise aspects of air-conditioner control that consider children other than the above prior art from the viewpoint of abundant variations.

  An object of the present invention is to obtain a vehicle air conditioner capable of performing air conditioner control in consideration of children in consideration of the above facts.

  A vehicle air conditioner according to a first aspect of the present invention is a vehicle air conditioner that controls conditioned air in accordance with an occupant seated on a vehicle seat, and is provided at or near the vehicle seat. An occupant detection means for detecting the seating state of the occupant on the vehicle seat and a detection result by the occupant detection means determine whether the occupant seated on the vehicle seat is an adult or a child. And a control unit that sets the air blowing mode to a normal setting mode, and, in the case of a child, the air-conditioning air blowing mode to a child mode in which the air-conditioning air does not hit the child's face.

  A vehicle air conditioner according to a second aspect of the present invention is the air conditioner controller according to the first aspect, wherein the control means is a controller for an airbag device that performs deployment control of an airbag device that is an occupant protection auxiliary device. It is characterized by that.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when an occupant is seated on the vehicle seat, the occupant's seating state is detected by the occupant detection means provided at or near the vehicle seat. The control means determines whether the occupant seated on the vehicle seat is an adult or a child based on the detection result of the occupant detection means. When the control means determines that the occupant seated on the vehicle seat is an adult, the conditioned air blowing mode is set to the normal setting mode. Therefore, comfortable conditioned air is supplied to the passenger (adult).

  On the other hand, when the control means determines that the occupant seated on the vehicle seat is a child, the air-conditioning wind blowing mode is changed to the child mode. As a result, the conditioned air does not hit the child's face.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the air bag device controller that controls the deployment of the air bag device positioned as the occupant protection auxiliary device is used as the control means, the existing vehicle mounting system is effectively used. Can be used.

  In other words, even if it is simply an airbag device, there are not only airbag devices for driver's seats but also vehicles equipped with airbag devices for passenger seats. Some vehicles have a curtain shield airbag device or a side airbag device with a vehicle seat. Further, an airbag device for a rear seat has been studied. As described above, since the airbag apparatus has been systematically mounted in the past, it is detected and determined which occupant is seated in which vehicle seat, and the controller for the airbag apparatus in accordance therewith. Control is performed such that the airbag apparatus that requires the air bag is deployed. Therefore, if the air bag device controller is the starting point of the control of the vehicle air conditioner, the existing vehicle mounting system can be effectively utilized.

  As described above, the vehicle air conditioner according to the first aspect of the present invention includes an occupant detection unit that is provided in or near the vehicle seat and detects the seating state of the occupant on the vehicle seat. Based on the detection result of the occupant detection means, it is determined whether the occupant seated on the vehicle seat is an adult or a child. If the occupant is an adult, the air-conditioning air blowing mode is set to the normal setting mode. And a control means for setting the air blowing mode to a child mode in which the air-conditioned wind does not hit the child's face, so that when the child sits on the vehicle seat, the air-conditioning wind does not hit the child's face. It has the excellent effect of being able to perform air-conditioner control in consideration of children in a form that is not available.

  Since the vehicle air conditioner according to the second aspect of the present invention uses the air bag device controller that controls the deployment of the air bag device as the occupant protection auxiliary device as the control means in the first aspect of the invention, The existing vehicle mounting system can be used effectively, and as a result, the cost can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The arrow FR shown in this figure indicates the vehicle front side, and the arrow IN indicates the vehicle width direction inner side.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram & flowchart showing an outline of an air bag occupant detection system-linked air conditioner / audio / seat control device 10 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in this figure, an air bag occupant detection system-linked air conditioner / audio / seat control device 10 includes an air bag device for a driver's seat, an air bag device for a passenger seat, and a curtain shield air bag device for head protection. And an airbag ECU 12 as a control means for operating a plurality of types of airbag devices such as a side airbag device and a rear seat airbag device in accordance with the occupant state.

  FIG. 2 shows a plan layout view of the cabin 14. As shown in this figure, in the cabin 14, a driver's seat 16 and a passenger seat 18 are disposed in the front row, and a rear seat 20 is disposed in the rear row. The airbag ECU 12 is disposed near the center console box as an example. The passenger seat 18 includes a passenger seat power motor for changing the position in the front-rear direction and the seat vertical direction, a reclining motor for changing the reclining position, and a headrest motor for adjusting the height of the headrest. Various motors 22 are incorporated. Similarly, the rear seat 20 has various rear seat side motors 24 necessary for seat control.

  An instrument panel 26 is disposed in front of the driver seat 16 and the passenger seat 18. On the driver's seat 16 side of the instrument panel 26, a pair of left and right driver's seat side face registers 28 as viewed from the driver are disposed. Similarly, on the passenger seat 18 side of the instrument panel 26, a pair of left and right passenger seat side face registers 30 as viewed from the passenger seated in the passenger seat is disposed. The driver's seat face register 28 and the passenger's seat face register 30 are portions that serve as air-conditioning air outlets, and the air-conditioning ECU 32 (see FIG. 1) can change the air-conditioning air blowing direction. Yes.

  Further, a front right speaker 34, a front left speaker 36, a rear right speaker 38, and a rear left speaker 40 are disposed on both the upper surface side of the instrument panel 26 and the rear both sides of the rear seat 20. Note that this speaker arrangement is an example, and depending on the vehicle model, the speaker may also be provided on the door trim or molded ceiling of the front side door.

  An occupant detection sensor 42 serving as an occupant detection means including a four-point strain sensor and a pressure sensor is disposed on the seat cushion 18A of the passenger seat 18 described above. The occupant detection sensor 42 is connected to a passenger seat occupant detection ECU 44 (see FIG. 1), and the detection result is output to the passenger seat occupant detection ECU 44 (see FIG. 1). The seat cushion 20A of the rear seat 20 is provided with a pattern type seat sensor 46, and the detection result is output to the airbag ECU 12 (see FIG. 1).

  Returning to FIG. 1, the airbag ECU 12 described above is connected to the air conditioner ECU 32, the audio 48, and the seat ECU 50, and outputs (transmits) the occupant state as signal information from the airbag ECU 12 to the air conditioner ECU 32, the audio 48, and the seat ECU 50. It is supposed to be.

  Among the components of the air bag occupant detection system-linked air conditioner / audio / seat control device 10 described above, the occupant detection sensor 42, the passenger occupant detection ECU 44, the air bag ECU 12, the air conditioner ECU 32, the driver's seat face register 28, and the assistant The seat side face register 30 is a main part constituting the vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention.

(Operation and effect of this embodiment)
Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, a supplementary explanation of how to view FIG. 1 will be given. Numbers with <> attached to each step represent a signal or a flow of steps. Further, the “*” symbol simply represents what is performed in the step (control content). Furthermore, the “·” symbol indicates what the actual actuator is to be controlled.

  First, in step <1>, the detection result (load signal) by the occupant detection sensor 42 is output to the passenger seat occupant detection ECU 44.

  Next, at step <2>, the passenger seat occupant detection ECU 44 determines the passenger state of the passenger seat 18 based on the input detection (load) signal. That is, the passenger seat occupant detection ECU 44 determines whether there is an occupant seated in the passenger seat 18 and whether the occupant is an adult or a child when the occupant is seated. As a result, three occupant states such as “no occupant”, “adult seating”, and “child seating” are determined as the occupant state.

  Next, in step <3>, the detection result by the seat sensor 46 disposed on the seat cushion 20A of the rear seat 20 is output to the airbag ECU 12. That is, the presence / absence of an occupant in the rear seat 20 is detected depending on whether the upper and lower electrodes of the pattern type seat sensor 46 are turned on or off according to the occupant load.

  Next, in step <4>, the airbag ECU 12 outputs (transmits) information about the occupant state to the air conditioner ECU 32, the audio 48, and the seat ECU 50 based on the input information from the passenger occupant detection ECU 44 and the seat sensor 46, respectively. Is done.

  Next, based on the occupant state information input from the airbag ECU 12, automatic control of the air conditioner, the audio, and the seat is performed.

  First, in step <5>, air conditioner control or face register control is performed based on the occupant state information output from the airbag ECU 12.

  Specifically, as shown in step <9> and Table 1 below, when the passenger seat occupant state is “no occupant”, the air conditioner face balloon is turned on and the passenger seat face register 30 is ballooned. The direction (wind direction) is set to the center of the passenger seat. That is, the mode shown in FIG. 3 is set. In addition, the arrow P added to FIG. 3 represents the flow of the conditioned air. In addition, although the blowout amount column is described as ON, since the blowout amount (air volume) itself is preset by the control of the auto air conditioner, the meaning of whether to blow out or not is represented here by ON / OFF. ing.

  When the passenger seat occupant state is “adult seated”, the same mode as that when the passenger seat occupant state is “no occupant” is set. This mode is the “normal setting mode” described in claim 1.

  When the passenger seat occupant state is “child seated”, the blowing direction (wind direction) of the passenger side face register 30 is changed to the outside of the passenger seat. That is, even if the face balloon is turned on, the flow of the conditioned air is in the mode shown in FIG. 4, and the face of the child seated on the passenger seat 18 is not in the conditioned air. However, in the present embodiment, in the case of “child seating”, the face blowing is turned off in order to surely achieve the purpose, and therefore, regardless of the blowing direction (wind direction) of the passenger side face register 30. The child's face is not conditioned. The step <8> is made independent, and the face balloon is controlled ON / OFF. Therefore, step <8> can be taken instead of step <9>.

Note that there are three patterns: a mode in which the face balloon itself is turned off in step <8>, a mode in which the balloon direction in step <9> is changed to the outside of the passenger seat, and a mode in which the face balloon is turned off in addition to this. Item 1. “Children's mode”.

ステップ＜５＞と並行して、ステップ＜６＞でオーディオ制御がなされる。具体的には、ステップ＜１０＞並びに下記表２に示されるように、乗員状態が、「助手席あり」・「後席あり」の場合には、車室内全域のスピーカ（フロント右スピーカー３４、フロント左スピーカー３６、リヤ右スピーカー３８、リヤ左スピーカー４０）を使う音場が設定される。

In parallel with step <5>, audio control is performed in step <6>. Specifically, as shown in step <10> and Table 2 below, when the occupant state is “with passenger seat” / “with rear seat”, speakers in the entire vehicle compartment (front right speaker 34, A sound field using the front left speaker 36, the rear right speaker 38, and the rear left speaker 40) is set.

  When the passenger state is “with passenger seat” and “without rear seat”, a sound field emphasizing the front seat using only the front right speaker 34 and the front left speaker 36 is set.

  Further, when the passenger state is “no passenger seat” or “rear seat”, as in the case of “passenger seat” and “rear seat”, the speakers (front right speaker 34, A sound field using the front left speaker 36, the rear right speaker 38, and the rear left speaker 40) is set.

When the occupant state is “no passenger seat” or “no rear seat”, a sound field focused on the driver using only the front right speaker 34 is set.

ステップ＜５＞、ステップ＜６＞と並行して、ステップ＜７＞でシート制御がなされる。具体的には、助手席１８の場合には、ステップ＜１１＞並びに下記表３で示されるように、助手席乗員状態が「乗員なし」の場合には、リクライニングは「ＴＹＰ位置」、シートスライドは「乗車しやすい位置」、ヘッドレストは「最下端」にそれぞれ設定される。なお、「ＴＹＰ位置」というのは、ティピカル位置、つまり基準となる位置のことで、「乗員なし」の場合にはそれに応じたＴＹＰ位置が予め設定されており、又「子供着座」の場合にはそれに応じて最適となるＴＹＰ位置が予め設定されている。リクライニングはリクライニングモータを駆動させることにより、又シートスライドはパワーシートモータを駆動させることにより、更にヘッドレストはヘッドレストモータを駆動させることにより、それぞれポジション変更される。なお、シートスライドの「乗車しやすい位置」は、車両毎に異なる。

In parallel with step <5> and step <6>, sheet control is performed at step <7>. Specifically, in the case of the passenger seat 18, as shown in Step <11> and Table 3 below, when the passenger seat occupant state is “no passenger”, the reclining is “TYP position”, the seat slide Is set to “Easy to ride”, and the headrest is set to “Lowest end”. The “TYP position” is a typical position, that is, a reference position. In the case of “no occupant”, a corresponding TYP position is set in advance, and in the case of “child seating”. In accordance with this, the optimum TYP position is set in advance. The reclining position is changed by driving a reclining motor, the seat slide is driven by a power seat motor, and the headrest is further driven by driving a headrest motor. In addition, the “position where the user can easily get on the seat slide” is different for each vehicle.

  When the passenger seat occupant state is “child seated”, the reclining is set to “TYP position”, the seat slide is set to “rearmost”, and the headrest is set to “bottom end”.

Furthermore, when the passenger seat occupant state is “adult seating”, the reclining is set to “hold the front state”, the seat slide is set to “hold the front state”, and the headrest is set to “hold the front state”. Note that “previous state maintenance” means that the position of the occupant (adult) seated in the passenger seat 18 immediately before is maintained.

一方、後席２０の場合は、ステップ＜１１＞並びに下記表４で示されるように、後席乗員状態が「あり」の場合には、リクライニングは「前状態保持」、ヘッドレストは「前状態保持」にそれぞれ設定される。また、後席乗員状態が「なし」の場合には、リクライニングは「初期状態」、ヘッドレストは「最下端」にそれぞれ設定される。

On the other hand, in the case of the rear seat 20, as shown in step <11> and Table 4 below, when the rear seat occupant state is “Yes”, the reclining is “maintain the front state” and the headrest is “the front state is maintained”. "Is set respectively. When the rear seat occupant state is “none”, the reclining is set to the “initial state” and the headrest is set to the “lowermost end”.

このように本実施形態に係るエアバッグ乗員検知システム連動エアコン・オーディオ・シート制御装置１０では、エアバッグＥＣＵ１２で判定した助手席１８及び後席２０の乗員状態情報をエアコンＥＣＵ３２、オーディオ４８、シートＥＣＵ５０へそれぞれ出力（送信）し、乗員状態に応じてエアコン制御（吹き出しＯＮ・ＯＦＦ、吹き出し方向）、オーディオ制御（音場）、シート制御（リクライニング、シートスライド、ヘッドレスト等）を自動制御することとしたので、乗員状態に応じてその都度手動でモード変更する煩わしさが無く、乗車時の快適性及び利便性を著しく向上させることができる。

As described above, in the air bag occupant detection system-linked air conditioner / audio / seat control device 10 according to the present embodiment, the air conditioner ECU 32, the audio 48, and the seat ECU 50 are used as the occupant state information of the passenger seat 18 and the rear seat 20 determined by the air bag ECU 12. Output (send) to the air conditioner and automatically control air conditioner control (blowing ON / OFF, blowing direction), audio control (sound field), seat control (reclining, seat slide, headrest, etc.) according to the passenger state. Therefore, there is no inconvenience of manually changing the mode each time according to the occupant state, and the comfort and convenience when riding can be remarkably improved.

  In particular, in the airbag occupant detection system-linked air conditioner / audio / seat control device 10 according to the present embodiment, when a child is seated on the passenger seat 18, based on the detection result (load information) by the occupant detection sensor 42, The passenger seat occupant detection ECU 44 determines that the child is seated, the information is output from the airbag ECU 12 to the air conditioner ECU 32, and the direction of the passenger seat face register 30 is changed to the outside of the passenger seat. Regardless of the amount ON / OFF (although it is OFF in the above description), the air-conditioning wind does not hit the child's face. As a result, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to perform air conditioner control in consideration of children in a form that has not existed in the past.

  Further, in the air bag occupant detection system-linked air conditioner / audio / seat control device 10 according to the present embodiment, the existing air bag system is utilized to grasp the occupant state and output (send) the information to the air conditioner ECU 32 or the like. Since the configuration is adopted, the existing vehicle mounting system can be used effectively. Therefore, the cost can be reduced.

[Supplementary explanation of the embodiment]
In the present embodiment described above, the air conditioner control or the like is performed by using the occupant state information obtained by the airbag ECU 12, but the invention according to claim 1 does not use the airbag ECU 12. A configuration in which an occupant detection unit and a control unit dedicated to air conditioner control are separately provided is also included.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the four-point strain sensor type or pressure sensor type occupant detection sensor 42 is provided in the seat cushion 18A of the passenger seat 18, and the pattern type seat sensor is provided in the seat cushion 20A of the rear seat 20. 46 is provided, but it is not always necessary to use such a sensor for detecting the load of the occupant, and any occupant detection means that can determine the occupant state (whether the occupant is present and whether it is an adult or a child). Good. Therefore, for example, an occupant detection means is not provided directly on the seat cushion of a vehicle seat, but an optical sensor using infrared rays or the like at a predetermined position of the instrument panel 26 or a predetermined position on the ceiling in the case of the passenger seat 18. Alternatively, an occupant detection means for detecting the presence or absence of the occupant and the physique of the occupant may be provided by an ultrasonic sensor using ultrasonic waves or the like.

  Further, as described above, in the present invention according to claim 1, in the case of “a child, the air-conditioning air blowing mode is set to a child mode in which the air-conditioning air does not hit the child's face”. In addition to a mode in which the direction of the register 30 is directed to the outside of the passenger seat, a mode in which the balloon itself is turned off and a mode in which both are performed simultaneously are included.

  In the present embodiment described above, the occupant detection ECU 44 is provided separately from the airbag ECU 12, but the occupant detection ECU 44 may be incorporated in the airbag ECU 12.

1 is a system configuration diagram showing an outline of an air bag occupant detection system-linked air conditioner / audio / seat control device according to the present embodiment; It is a plane arrangement view of a cabin. It is a top view of a passenger seat and an instrument panel which show the flow of the air-conditioning wind of a standard mode when an adult is seated in a passenger seat. It is a top view of a passenger seat and an instrument panel which shows the flow of the air-conditioning wind of the mode for children when the child is seated in the passenger seat.

Explanation of symbols

12 Airbag ECU (control means)
18 Passenger seat (vehicle seat)
22 Various motors for passenger seat 28 Driver side face register 30 Passenger side face register 32 Air conditioner ECU
42 Occupant detection sensor (occupant detection means)
44 Passenger seat occupant detection ECU

Claims (2)

A vehicle air conditioner that controls conditioned air according to an occupant seated in a vehicle seat,
An occupant detection means provided at or near the vehicle seat and detecting a seating state of the occupant on the vehicle seat;
Based on the detection result by the occupant detection means, it is determined whether the occupant seated on the vehicle seat is an adult or a child. If the occupant is an adult, the air-conditioning wind blowing mode is set as a normal setting mode. Control means for setting the air-conditioning air blowing mode to a child-friendly mode in which the air-conditioning air does not hit the child's face;
A vehicle air conditioner comprising: The control means is a controller for an airbag device that performs deployment control of an airbag device that is an occupant protection auxiliary device.
The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1.

Images