JP2010076549A - Air conditioning device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a driver to easily obtain an operating condition of a seat air-conditioning unit in a seat other than the seat for the driver to make it a proper operating condition without requiring expensive additional components for the other seat. <P>SOLUTION: Seat air-conditioning units 3, 5 are provided to the seat 2 for the driver and the other seat 4, in addition to an air-conditioning facility 1. When the seat air-conditioning units 3, 5 can be controlled independently, an air-conditioning panel part 32 is arranged in front of the seat 3 for the driver in a vehicle traveling direction. The air-conditioning panel part 32 is arranged with: an indication/operation part for the air-conditioning facility which indicates an operating condition of the air-conditioning facility 1 and operates the air-conditioning facility 1; and an indication/operation part which indicates the operation conditions of the seat air-conditioning unit 3, 5 for the seats 2, 4 respectively, and operates the operating conditions. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner in which a seat air conditioning unit is arranged on a vehicle seat and the seat air conditioning unit arranged for each seat can be individually operated.

  The air conditioned by the passenger compartment air conditioning unit mounted in the forward direction of the vehicle is guided to the seat side of the driver's seat, front passenger seat, etc. through ducts, etc., and through this seat, the blowout provided on the seat A vehicle seat air conditioner that blows out a person seated on a seat from the mouth is already known as disclosed in Patent Document 1 to Patent Document 3, for example.

  And as shown in patent document 2, while being able to adjust the temperature in each seat individually according to the preference of each occupant of the vehicle, a seat air conditioning operation panel is used for adjusting the temperature for the rear seat. Arranged heating and cooling devices for sheets are already known.

Further, in Patent Document 3, the paragraph numbers “0071”, “0077” to “0078” of the specification and the air conditioning adjustment operation means provided in the center console portion in front of the vehicle as shown in FIG. It is known to have a seat mode switching operation section for switching the control dial and the temperature control dial between a driver seat operation mode and a passenger seat operation mode.
JP 2008-179264 A JP 2006-76399 A JP 2005-96538 A

  However, when a seat air-conditioner that can adjust the temperature of each seat is adopted, the seat air-conditioner is in the vehicle when the passenger is not seated. Interlocking with the air conditioning unit on the front side greatly affects the air conditioning condition in the entire vehicle, so it must be avoided.

  In this case, a method for confirming whether an occupant is seated on the seat with an infrared sensor or the like is conceivable, which causes an increase in relatively expensive parts, which increases the manufacturing cost of the entire vehicle air conditioner. Arise.

  In addition, in the adoption of the seat mode switching operation unit shown in Patent Document 3, for example, it is possible to switch the air conditioning between the seat air conditioner on the driver's seat and the seat air conditioner on the other side such as the passenger seat. This is not suitable for operating the air conditioning of the seat air conditioner on the other seat side such as the passenger seat while maintaining the operating condition of the seat air conditioner.

  If the person seated in a seat other than the driver's seat such as the rear seat is a young person or an elderly person, it is difficult to perform the air conditioning operation of the seat air conditioner provided in the seat to be seated by himself / herself. A situation is possible. In this case, as shown in Patent Document 2, the arrangement having the seat air-conditioning operation panel in the vicinity of the rear seat replaces the person seated in the driver's seat and operates the seat air-conditioner for seats other than the driver's seat. It becomes difficult to check the situation and perform the air conditioning operation.

  Therefore, the present invention provides an operation status of the seat air-conditioning unit in the other seat by a person seated on the driver's seat without adding a device for detecting the presence or absence of seating on a seat other than the driver's seat. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle air conditioner capable of easily grasping the above and performing an operation to obtain an appropriate operating state.

The vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention is used in a vehicle in which a driver's seat and other seats are arranged in rows and / or columns, and introduces air from inside or outside the vehicle. The air-conditioning means for air-conditioning the introduced air, the air-conditioning equipment provided with the air supply means for appropriately supplying the air-conditioned air into the vehicle, the driver seat and the other seat A vehicle air conditioner having a seat air conditioning unit configured at least by incorporating an air passage in which a blowout hole for blowing air is formed on a person seated on the seat, the vehicle traveling direction with respect to the driver seat An air conditioning panel section is arranged on the front side of the air conditioning panel. The air conditioning panel section displays the operating status of the air conditioning equipment, and the air conditioning equipment display / operation section for operating the air conditioning equipment. A seat air conditioning unit display / operation unit for displaying the operating status of each seat air conditioning unit and controlling the operating status of the seat air conditioning unit is provided. Item 1). The vehicle air conditioner is provided between the seat air conditioning unit and the air conditioning equipment, and has a communication passage through which air conditioned by the air conditioning equipment is sent to the air passage. ).

  The air conditioning equipment is not limited to the one for the front side air conditioning of the vehicle and the one for the rear air conditioning of the vehicle. The air conditioning equipment is not limited to an automatic control type or a manual control type. Further, the seats that can be operated and displayed on the display / operation unit for the seat air conditioning unit include a front seat as a driver seat and an assistant seat, a second seat located behind the front seat in the vehicle traveling direction, and When the third seat located behind the second vehicle traveling direction has a seat air conditioning unit, the operating status of any of these seat air conditioning units is displayed, and the air conditioning operation of the seat air conditioning unit is enabled. It is.

  As a result, a person sitting on the driver's seat can easily grasp the operating status of the seat air-conditioning unit in the non-driver's seat by the seat air-conditioning unit display / operation unit of the air-conditioning panel. In addition, a person sitting on the driver's seat can turn on / off the seat air conditioning unit or switch between cooling and heating by using the seat air conditioning unit display / operation unit.

In the seat air conditioning unit, a blower for introducing conditioned air from the air conditioning equipment to the air passage is accommodated in the air passage. Thereby, operation with respect to the operating condition of a sheet | seat air-conditioning unit is possible by turning ON / OFF the operation | movement of a fan.

In the seat air conditioning unit, a heater may be housed in the air passage. In this case, it becomes possible to send cold air to the seat air conditioning unit through the communication path from between the cooling heat exchanger and the heating heat exchanger in the air conditioning equipment. In the air conditioning system, the communication path of the seat air conditioning unit is connected to the most downstream side of the air conditioning means of the air conditioning system and sends air that has been conditioned to the air path of the seat air conditioning unit. In addition, the air-conditioning means may be capable of air-conditioning independently on the left and right sides. Accordingly, even when air is sent from the air mix chamber region to the seat air conditioning unit via the communication path in the air conditioning equipment, conditioned air having a different temperature and air volume can be supplied to the seat air conditioning unit for each seat.

  According to the present invention, a person seated on a driver's seat easily grasps the operating state of the seat air conditioning unit in the seat for non-drivers by the seat air conditioning unit display / operating unit of the air conditioning panel unit. In addition, a person sitting on the driver's seat can turn on / off the operation of the seat air-conditioning unit by using the seat air-conditioning unit display / operation unit to switch between cooling and heating. For this reason, even if the number of expensive components such as sensors is not increased, the seat air conditioning unit operates despite the fact that the driver is not seated due to visual recognition and operation of the seat air conditioning unit by the driver. You can avoid the situation. Along with this, it is possible to prevent an increase in manufacturing cost of the entire vehicle air conditioner.

  In addition, according to the present invention, since the seated person other than the driver's seat is a young person or an elderly person, it is difficult to operate the seat air conditioning unit of the seated seat by himself / herself. However, since a person seated on the driver's seat can be operated on behalf of the driver's seat, a comfortable air-conditioning environment can be provided to young and elderly persons sitting on a seat other than the driver's seat. it can.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 2 show a first embodiment of a vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention, which is the air conditioner mounted on the front side in the vehicle traveling direction in this first embodiment ( HVAC) 1, a seat air conditioning unit 3 included in a driver's seat 2, and a seat air conditioning unit 5 included in a seat 4 for a person other than the driver. The seat 4 may be a driver's seat arranged in parallel with the driver's seat 2 along the vehicle width direction. When the seat 2 is the first row, it may be a rear passenger seat positioned on the second row or third row side.

  The air-conditioning equipment 1 is a well-known device for adjusting the temperature in the passenger compartment. Although not shown, the outside air inlet opening outside the vehicle, the inside air inlet opening inside the passenger compartment, and the inside and outside air, which are not shown, are also shown. An air introduction means comprising an intake door for switching the introduction port and a blower 8 operated by a motor 7, a cooling heat exchanger 9 such as an evaporator, a heating heat exchanger 10 such as a heater core, and a cooling heat exchanger 9 And an air mix door 11 that is arranged between the heating heat exchanger 10 and adjusts the ratio of the amount of air that passes through the heating heat exchanger 10 and the amount of air that bypasses the heating heat exchanger 10, and for heating An air conditioning means comprising an air mix chamber 12 in which the air heated by the heat exchanger 10 and the air bypassing the heating heat exchanger 10 are mixed, a differential passage 13, a vent passage 14, and Air supply means comprising a mode door 15 for opening and closing the leeward side opening of the differential passage 13 and the vent passage 14, a foot passage 16 and a mode door 17 for opening and closing the leeward opening of the foot passage 16. Configured.

  The intake door, the air mix door 11, and the mode doors 15 and 17 are opened and closed by an actuator (not shown) based on the following output signal sent from a control unit (not shown). Further, the motor 7 of the blower 8 is turned ON / OFF by the following output signal sent from a control unit (not shown), and its blowing capacity (rotation speed) is adjusted. The positions of the intake door and the mode doors 15 and 17 are detected by a sensor (not shown) and sent as an input signal to a control unit (not shown), and the rotation speed of the blower 8 is detected by a sensor (not shown) and input to a control unit (not shown). Sent as a signal.

  The seat air-conditioning units 3 and 5 are located inside the seats 2 and 4 and are located below the blow-out passage 22 communicating from the seat portion 20 to the backrest portion 21 and the seat portion 20. The air passage 25 is composed of an introduction passage 24 connected to the air conditioning facility 1 and the other communicating with the blowing passage 22. The introduction passage 24 of each of the seat air conditioning units 3 and 5 accommodates a heater 27 such as a blower 27 and a PTC heater operated by a motor 26 in this embodiment. A plurality of blowout holes 29 are formed so as to communicate with the blowout passage 22 and open to the surface of the seat portion 20 and the backrest portion 21 on the side where a person is seated. One side of the communication path 23 is connected to the air conditioning equipment 1 between the cooling heat exchanger 9 and the heating heat exchanger 10 of the air conditioning equipment 1, and cold air is always supplied from the air conditioning equipment 1. At the same time, the cold air is heated by the heater 28 as necessary to make it warm.

  The motors 26 of the blowers 27 of the seat air conditioning units 3 and 5 can be individually turned on / off by the following output signals sent from a control unit (not shown). Further, the heaters 28 of the respective seat air conditioning units 3 and 5 can be individually turned on / off by the following output signals sent from a control unit (not shown). Further, the rotational speed of the blower 27 is detected by a sensor (not shown) and sent as an input signal to a control unit (not shown), and whether the operating state of the heater 28 is ON or OFF is detected as an input signal to a control unit (not shown). Sent.

  Thereby, the seat air conditioning unit 3 included in the driver's seat 2 and the seat air conditioning unit 5 included in the other seats 4 individually adjust the blowout air volume and the blowout temperature of the air blown from the blowout holes 29. It is possible.

  Next, FIG. 2 shows an air conditioning panel 32 that is a main part of the vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention. The air-conditioning panel 32 is arranged on the front side in the vehicle traveling direction with respect to the driver's seat 2 at a position close to the front side of the seat 2 or the center side in the vehicle width direction. The air-conditioning panel unit 32 shown in FIG.

  That is, the air conditioning panel unit 32 is based on an input signal related to the rotational speed of the blower sent from the sensor as a display unit for displaying the operating status of the air conditioning facility 1 among the display / operation units for the air conditioning facility. The air conditioner is in an ON state by turning on when the air conditioner is on based on the input signal obtained by the display unit 33 and the AC switch 41 described below, which displays the blowing capacity (rotation speed) of the blower 8 by the height of the display unit. Is turned on when the intake mode is the inside air introduction mode (REC) based on the input signal related to the position of the intake door and the like sent from the sensor, and displays the inside air introduction mode (REC). ) Or the outside air introduction mode (FRESH), each of the blowing modes based on the input signal relating to the position of the mode door sent from the sensor. Display unit 35 for displaying which of mode and has become a one having a display unit 36 for displaying the target temperature of the blowing air.

  In addition, the air conditioning panel unit 32 constitutes an intake door, air mix door 11, mode doors 15 and 17, and a refrigeration cycle (not shown) as an operation unit for operating the air conditioning facility 1 among the display / operation units for the air conditioning facility. An AUTO switch 37 that outputs a signal for automatically controlling each air conditioner such as a compressor, a blower 8 and the like that is not shown, an OFF switch 38 that sets each air conditioner to an OFF mode, and an intake mode is an internal air circulation mode (REC) or an external air introduction mode A REC switch 39 for manually setting (FRESH), a FAN switch 40 for switching the blowing capacity of the blower 8, an AC switch 41 for turning on / off the air conditioner during manual operation, and a MODE switch 42 for manually setting the blowing mode are provided. Yes. Then, signals from these switches 37 to 42 are input to a control unit (not shown), and the control unit processes these input signals in accordance with a predetermined program given to the ROM or RAM, and switches the blowing capacity for the air conditioning equipment 1. The intake mode switching, the blowing mode switching, the opening degree of the air mix door 11, and the opening degree of the mode doors 15 and 17 are controlled.

  On the other hand, in this embodiment, the air-conditioning panel unit 32 is located on both sides of the display units 30 and 33 to 36, which are display / operation units for air-conditioning equipment. A display unit 44 for displaying the operating status of the seat air conditioning unit 3 on the driver side and a display unit 45 for displaying the operating status of the seat air conditioning unit 5 on the assistant side among the display / operating units for the seat air conditioning unit. It is arranged. The display units 44 and 45 display whether the seat air conditioning units 3 and 5 are in the heating mode or the cooling mode based on an input signal indicating whether the operating state of the heater 28 is ON or OFF, and input related to the rotational speed of the blower 27. Based on the signal, it is displayed whether the operating status of the seat air conditioning units 3 and 5 is OFF.

  The air-conditioning panel unit 32 is an operation unit for operating the seat air-conditioning unit 3 on the driver side in the display / operation unit for the seat air-conditioning unit. The operation of the seat air conditioning unit 3 is also turned off by turning off the blower 27 by another pushing operation, and the operation switch 46 is turned on by turning on the heater 28 by another further pushing operation, and the seat air conditioning unit. As the operation unit for operating the passenger side seat air conditioning unit 5 among the display / operation units, the heater 28 is turned off by the predetermined pushing operation to set the cooling mode, and the blower 27 is turned off by another pushing operation. The operation switch of the seat air-conditioning unit 3 is also turned off, and the heater 28 is turned on by another pushing operation to enter the heating mode. H 47 is provided.

  As a result, a person sitting on the driver's seat 2 is turned on, turned off, or in the cooling mode or the heating mode with respect to the operation status of the seat air conditioning unit 5 of the other seat 4 such as the assistant seat. It is possible to know easily by simply viewing the display unit 45 of the air conditioning panel unit 32. Accordingly, if the seat 4 is unmanned by the operation switch 47, the driver can operate the seat air conditioning unit 5. Or, for example, even when the required mode is the cooling mode but the heating mode is erroneously set, the operation switch 47 can set the cooling mode.

  The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 shows a modification of the air conditioning panel 32 that is the main part of the vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention. The air conditioning panel 32 shown in FIG. Is adapted to a manual air conditioner. Hereinafter, the air conditioning panel 32 corresponding to the manual air conditioner will be described. However, about the structure similar to the panel part 32 for air conditioning demonstrated in Example 1, the same code | symbol was attached | subjected fundamentally and the description was abbreviate | omitted. Moreover, since the structure of the air-conditioning equipment 1, the sheet | seat air-conditioning units 3 and 5, and the communicating path 23 is the same as that of the structure shown by FIG.

  The air-conditioning panel unit 32 is a display unit for displaying the operating status of the air-conditioning facility 1 among the display / operation units for the air-conditioning facility, and displays the blowing capacity (number of rotations) of the blower 8 by the height of the display body. Based on the input signal obtained by the unit 33 and the AC switch 41, the display unit 30 displays whether the air conditioner is ON or OFF by turning on when the air conditioner is ON, and the intake mode is the inside air introduction mode (REC) A display unit 34 that displays whether the inside air introduction mode (REC) or the outside air introduction mode (FRESH) is displayed by being lit, and a display unit 35 that displays which one of various modes the balloon mode is It has become.

  The air conditioning panel 32 manually sets the intake mode to the internal air circulation mode (REC) or the external air introduction mode (FRESH) as an operation unit for operating the air conditioning facility 1 among the display / operation units for the air conditioning facility. The REC switch 39, the FAN switch 40 for switching the blowing capacity of the blower 8, the AC switch 41 for turning on / off the air conditioner, the MODE switch 42 for switching the blowing mode to each mode, and the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. And a rotation switch 50 that adjusts the target temperature of the blown air (to switch between cooling and heating).

  Then, signals from these switches 30 and 39 to 42 and the rotary switch 50 are input to a control unit (not shown), and the control unit processes these input signals in accordance with a predetermined program given to the ROM or RAM, and air conditioning equipment 1, the switching of the blowing capacity, the switching of the intake mode, the switching of the blowing mode, the opening of the air mix door 11 and the opening of the mode doors 15 and 17 are controlled.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the air-conditioning panel unit 32 is a display unit 44 that displays the operating status of each of the seat air-conditioning units 3 and 5 among the display / operation units for the seat air-conditioning unit. 45. These display units 44 and 45 display the arrangement in the air conditioning panel unit 32 and whether the seat air conditioning units 3 and 5 are in the heating mode or the cooling mode, and the operation status of the seat air conditioning units 3 and 4 is OFF. Whether or not it is displayed is the same as described above. Therefore, description of these display units 44 and 45 is omitted.

  On the other hand, the air-conditioning panel 32 serves as an operation unit for operating the seat air-conditioning units 3 and 5 among the display / operation units for the seat air-conditioning unit. By adjusting so that the display position is at the upper end, the heater 28 is turned off to enter the cooling mode, and the display position is at the lower end of the display units 44 and 45 by an operation of pressing the lower part appropriately. The heater 28 is turned on to be in the heating mode, and the upper part or the lower part is pushed to adjust the display position to be closer to the middle of the display units 44 and 45. 27 is provided with up / down switches 51 and 52 for turning off the operating state 27 and stopping the seat air conditioning units 3 and 5 themselves.

  As a result, even if the air conditioning equipment 1 is a manual air conditioner, by having such an air conditioning panel 32, a person sitting on the driver's seat 2 can make other seats such as an assistant seat as described above. Since the operation status of the seat air conditioning unit 5 of the seat 4 is ON or OFF, or whether the cooling mode or the heating mode can be easily known from the display unit 45 of the air conditioning panel unit 32, If the driver uses the operation switch 52 to turn off the seat air-conditioning unit 5 when the seat 4 is unattended, or the operation switch 52 is accidentally switched to the heating mode although the required mode is the cooling mode, for example. Thus, the cooling mode can be set.

  In FIG. 4, compared with Example 1 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and Example 2 shown in FIG. 3, the position and number of the communication passages 23 connected to the air conditioner 1, the air conditioner 1, and Different configurations of the seat air conditioning units 3 and 4 are shown.

  That is, in the third embodiment, the communication path 23 is connected to the air conditioner 1 in the air mix chamber 12 of the air conditioner 1 or in the leeward side of the air mix chamber 12. Thus, the air appropriately air-conditioned by adjusting the opening degree of the air mix door 11 can be sent to the seat air conditioning units 3 and 5. Accordingly, the seat air conditioning units 3 and 5 according to the third embodiment do not require a heater such as a PTC heater.

  On the other hand, the air conditioning facility 1 is at least from the cooling heat exchanger 9 by a partition wall extending along the traveling direction of the vehicle so that the seat air conditioning unit 3 and the seat air conditioning unit 5 can be individually air-conditioned. Is divided into two on the leeward side, and the communication path 23 from the seat air conditioning unit 3 and the communication path 23 from the seat air conditioning unit 5 are connected to each of the divided areas.

  In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the structure similar to previous Example 1 and 2 among Example 3, and the description was abbreviate | omitted.

  Even with such a configuration of the air conditioning equipment 1, the connection position and number of the communication passages 23, and the seat air conditioning units 3, 5, the air conditioning panel unit 32 shown in FIG. 2 or 3 can be used. The person sitting on the driver's seat 2 is turned on or turned off for the operating status of the seat air conditioning unit 5 of the other seat 4 such as the passenger seat, as in the first and second embodiments. It can be easily known from the display unit 45 of the air-conditioning panel unit 32 whether the cooling mode or the heating mode is set. Therefore, if the seat 4 is unattended by the operation switch 47, the driver can operate the seat air-conditioning unit 5 The operation mode 47 can be set to the cooling mode by the operation switch 47 even when the necessary mode is the cooling mode but the heating mode is erroneously switched to the heating mode.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of air conditioning equipment and seat air conditioning units common to the first and second embodiments. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of the air conditioning panel unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of the air conditioning panel unit according to the second embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the configuration of the air conditioning equipment and each seat air conditioning unit according to Example 3 shown as a modification of the air conditioning equipment and each seat air conditioning unit of FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Air-conditioning equipment 2 Driver's seat 3 Driver's seat air-conditioning unit 4 Non-driver's seat 5 Non-driver's seat air-conditioning unit 8 Blower 9 Cooling heat exchanger 10 Heating heat exchanger 11 Air mix Door 12 Air mix chamber 13 Differential passage 14 Vent passage 15 Mode door 16 Foot passage 17 Mode door 25 Air passage 27 Blower 29 Blowout hole 32 Air conditioning panel section 33 to 36 Each display section 37 to 42 for air conditioning equipment and 50 Each switch for air conditioning equipment 44, 45 Each display unit for seat air conditioning unit 46, 47 Each switch for seat air conditioning unit 51, 52 Each switch for seat air conditioning unit

Claims (5)

Air introduction means for introducing air from inside or outside of the vehicle used in a vehicle in which a driver's seat and other seats are arranged in rows and / or columns, and air conditioning for air conditioning the introduced air Air conditioning equipment comprising means and air supply means for appropriately supplying the air-conditioned air into the vehicle;
The driver's seat and the other seat have a seat air-conditioning unit configured at least by incorporating an air passage in which a blowout hole for blowing air is formed on a person seated on the seat. Air conditioner for
An air conditioning panel unit is disposed on the front side of the vehicle traveling direction with respect to the driver's seat. The air conditioning panel unit displays an operating status of the air conditioning facility and operates the air conditioning facility. A facility display / operation unit is arranged, and an operation status of each seat air conditioning unit is displayed for each seat, and a seat air conditioning unit display / operation unit for controlling the operation status is arranged. An air conditioner for a vehicle.   The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising a communication path that is disposed between the seat air conditioning unit and the air conditioning equipment and through which the air conditioned by the air conditioning equipment is sent to the air passage.   The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the seat air conditioning unit houses a blower for introducing conditioned air from the air conditioning equipment into the air passage in the air passage. apparatus.   The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the seat air conditioning unit has a heater accommodated in the air passage.   The air conditioning facility is configured such that the communication path of the seat air conditioning unit is connected to the most downstream side of the air conditioning means of the air conditioning facility to send the air-conditioned air to the air passage of the seat air conditioning unit. The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning means is capable of air conditioning independently on the left and right.

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