JP2013123084A - Remote control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote control device which exhibits high operability for each of a plurality of setting purposes.SOLUTION: The remote control device comprises: an operation panel 20 which has a regular operation use operation face A and an initial setting use operation face B on the surface and the reverse side thereof, each provided with a plurality of buttons 22 having button names indicated on the respective hold-down face or in its vicinity; and a remote controller body 10 which has one or more of the operation panel 20 detachably mounted thereon and whose operation faces are replaceable. The remote controller body 10 includes a hall element 14 which distinguishes the operation face on the surface side of the operation panel 20 mounted on the remote controller body 10 and a control unit 16 which has control modes respectively corresponding to the regular operation use operation face A and the initial setting use operation face B, and which, when the operation panel 20 is mounted in place, switches the control modes to the one corresponding to the operation face distinguished by the hall element 14, enabling button operation on the distinguished operation face.

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote control device used for remote control of a device to be controlled such as an air conditioner.

  A conventional remote control device has a plurality of buttons for operating a normal operation of the air-conditioning apparatus such as setting of an operation mode of the air-conditioning apparatus (device to be controlled) and temperature setting (for example, Patent Document 1). reference). And on the surface of each button, the button name is printed so that the operation content executed when the button is pressed can be intuitively understood, the user confirms the button name, performs the button operation, A desired operation is performed by the air conditioner.

JP 2009-264631 A

  In this type of remote control device, the number of buttons that can be provided on the remote control body is limited from the viewpoint of miniaturization. For this reason, in a conventional remote control device, for example, buttons for normal operation such as heating operation and cooling operation are fully arranged, and buttons used for other purposes (for example, initial setting, maintenance, etc.) Placement was not possible.

  For this reason, when performing initial setting of the air conditioner as an application other than normal driving operation, for example, the remote controller is switched from the driving operation mode to the initial setting mode by simultaneously pressing a plurality of buttons. Then, the user refers to the manual and performs the initial setting operation by operating the button while confirming the button to be operated. That is, a button whose button name is printed as “run / stop”, for example, is used as a “deletion” button different from the content assumed from the button name, or a button printed as “wind speed adjustment”. Is used as an “address registration” button, and the initial setting operation proceeds.

  Thus, when the remote control device is used for purposes other than normal driving operation, it is necessary to use each button as a button having a meaning different from the button name displayed on the button. For this reason, it is necessary for the user to proceed while checking the buttons to be operated one by one while looking at the manual, and there has been a problem that the operation and setting efficiency of the user has deteriorated.

  The present invention has been made in view of these points, and an object thereof is to provide a remote control device that can provide high operability in each of various setting applications.

  The remote control device according to the present invention is equipped with an operation panel having at least one operation surface having a plurality of buttons with button names displayed on or around the pressing surface, and the one or more operation panels are detachably mounted. A remote control main body that can exchange the operation surface, the remote control main body corresponding to each of the operation surface identification device for identifying the operation surface on the front side of the operation panel mounted on the remote control main body and the plurality of operation surfaces A control device that has a control mode, switches to a control mode corresponding to the operation surface identified by the operation surface identification device when the operation panel is mounted, and enables a button operation on the identified operation surface. It is a thing.

  According to the present invention, when the operation panel is attached to the remote control body, the control mode is switched to the control mode corresponding to the operation surface on the front side of the operation panel, and the button operation on the operation surface is enabled. This makes it possible to match the button name with the processing content when the button is pressed, allowing the user to perform button operations without hesitation for each setting application, and configuring a remote control device with excellent operability it can.

It is an exploded view of the remote control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of attaching and detaching the remote control main body of FIG. 1 to an operation panel. It is structure explanatory drawing of a remote control main body. It is a control block diagram of the remote control device of FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the operation surface detection method. It is a figure which shows the screen switching of the screen display part according to an operation surface detection result. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the remote control apparatus after installing the remote control apparatus of FIG. 1 on a wall, for example until air-conditioning operation (normal operation) is enabled. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation surface for a function setting. It is a figure which shows the example from which the number of buttons differs in each operation surface. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a remote control device according to a second embodiment. FIG. It is a figure which shows the state which reversed the operation panel of FIG.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a remote control device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of attaching and detaching the remote control main body of FIG. 1 to the operation panel. In addition, in this Embodiment 1, although demonstrated that a control object apparatus is an air conditioning apparatus, it is not restricted to an air conditioning apparatus. In FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and the drawings to be described later, the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent, and this is common throughout the entire specification. Furthermore, the forms of the constituent elements appearing in the entire specification are merely examples and are not limited to these descriptions.

  The remote control device 1 has a remote control main body 10 and an operation panel 20. The operation panel 20 is composed of, for example, a resin sheet, and is configured to be detachable from the remote control main body 10 on both sides. The mounting structure of the operation panel 20 to the remote control body 10 is arbitrary, but here, the operation panel 20 is detachably mounted by the magnetic force between the magnet 20 a provided on the lower side of the operation panel 20 and the magnet 10 a provided on the remote control body 10. I have to.

  Further, the operation panel 20 includes a transparent window portion 21 provided facing the screen display portion 11 provided on the remote control body 10 side, and a plurality of buttons 22 (22a to 22e). The plurality of buttons 22 are provided on both the front and back sides of the operation panel 20. Here, the front surface of the operation panel 20 is a normal operation surface A for instructing air conditioning operation, and the back is an initial setting operation surface B for performing initial settings. Button names corresponding to the setting applications on the operation surfaces A and B are printed on the pressing surface of each of the plurality of buttons 22 or the periphery thereof. Specifically, the “operation stop” button 22a, the “wind speed adjustment” button 22b, the “△” button 22c for increasing the set temperature, and the “▽” button for decreasing the set temperature are provided on the operation surface A for normal operation. 22d, an “operation switching” button 22e is provided. On the other hand, on the operation screen B for initial setting, a “decision” button 22a, a “return” button 22b, a “Δ” button 22c for increasing the address number, a “▽” button 22d for decreasing the address number, and “clear” A button 22e is provided.

  Each button 22 is configured to be recessed in the pressing direction regardless of which side of the button 22 is pressed. The operation panel 20 may be made of any material as long as each button portion is configured to press a switch electrode 13 (described later) of the remote control body 10 from both the front and back sides.

  The operation panel 20 is further provided with a magnet 23. The magnet 23 is provided as an identification means for detecting whether the operation panel 20 is the normal operation surface A or the initial setting operation surface B and is attached to the remote control main body 10. In this example, the magnet 23 is provided at a position that becomes the upper left corner when the operation surface A side for normal operation is the front surface side.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the remote control main body of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 (a) is a front view, and FIG. 3 (b) is an AA schematic cross-sectional view of FIG.
The remote control main body 10 includes a screen display unit 11 for displaying operation contents, a main body button unit 12, a plurality of switch electrodes 13 provided corresponding to the buttons 22 on the operation panel 20, a hall element 14, and a remote control device. It has a control device (see FIG. 4 described later) 16 for controlling the whole, and a substrate 15 provided with these components.

  The main body button portion 12 is a portion for pressing the switch electrode 13 in conjunction with the pressing of the button 22 on the operation panel 20. When the switch electrode 13 is pressed by the main body button portion 12, the switch electrode 13 outputs a pressing signal to the control device 16. The Hall element 14 measures the magnetic flux density and outputs the measurement result to the control device 16 and constitutes an operation surface identification device. The hall element 14 is provided at a position facing the magnet 23 in a state where the operation panel 20 is mounted on the remote control main body 10 with the operation surface A for normal operation as the surface.

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of the remote control device of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, the switch 16 provided corresponding to the screen display unit 11, the hall element 14, and the buttons 22 is connected to the control device 16. The control device 16 is composed of a microcomputer and includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like, and a control program is stored in the ROM. Further, the control device 16 has a control mode corresponding to each operation surface for each operation surface A and B.

  The control device 16 determines whether the operation panel 20 attached to the remote control main body 10 is attached to the remote control main body 10 based on the measurement result from the Hall element 14 so that the operation surface A for normal operation is on the front side. It is determined whether the remote control body 10 is mounted such that the operation surface B is on the front side. Then, the control device 16 switches the control mode according to the determination result.

  Specifically, when it is determined that the normal operation surface A is the front side, the control mode is switched to the normal operation mode, and the following processing is performed. The processing content when each switch electrode 13 is pressed is switched to a processing program for processing corresponding to the button names (characters and marks) printed on the buttons 22a to 22e on the normal operation surface A. The screen of the screen display unit 11 is switched to a screen for normal operation.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the initial setting operation surface B is the front side, the control mode is switched to the initial setting mode, and the following processing is performed. The processing content when each switch electrode 13 is pressed is switched to a processing program for processing corresponding to the button names (characters and marks) printed on the buttons 22a to 22e of the initial setting operation surface A, and the screen The screen of the display unit 11 is switched to the initial setting screen.

  Here, the initial setting will be briefly described. For example, the following settings correspond to the initial settings. When the air conditioner is of a type composed of a plurality of indoor units, the plurality of indoor units are divided into a plurality of groups, and each of the indoor units in one group is controlled by the remote control device 1 Register as As described above, when installing the indoor unit or the remote control device 1, it is necessary to perform operations such as setting the address of each indoor unit in the group on the remote control and registering the group to which each indoor unit belongs. These registrations are performed by default.

Next, an operation surface detection method in the operation surface identification device will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the operation surface detection method. FIG. 5A shows a case where the operation surface A for normal operation is mounted on the remote control main body 10 so that the normal operation surface A is on the surface side. The case where it is mounted on the remote control main body 10 so that the setting operation surface B is on the front side is shown.

  When mounted as shown in FIG. 5A, the magnet 23 faces the Hall element 14, so that the magnetic flux density measured by the Hall element 14 becomes strong. On the other hand, when mounted as shown in FIG. 5B, the magnet 23 is located away from the Hall element 14, so the magnetic flux density is weakened. Using this principle, it is determined which operation surface of the operation panel 20 is attached to the remote control main body 10 as the front surface side. That is, when the measurement result from the hall element 14 is higher than a preset threshold value, the control device 16 determines that the normal operation surface A is the front side, and the measurement result from the hall element 14 is preset. If the threshold value is less than or equal to the threshold value, the initial setting operation surface B is determined to be the front surface side. In the following description, an operation surface on the surface side that is actually operated is referred to as a control operation surface.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating screen switching of the screen display unit according to the operation surface detection result.
As shown in FIG. 6, when the control operation surface is the normal operation operation surface A, the control device 16 displays a normal screen that matches the operation content on the normal operation operation surface A on the screen display unit 11. When the control operation surface is the initial setting operation surface B, an initial setting screen corresponding to the operation content on the initial setting operation surface B is displayed on the screen display unit 11.

FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory diagram of the remote control device from when the remote control device of FIG. 1 is installed on, for example, a wall until air conditioning operation (normal operation) is enabled.
First, (1) the remote control body 10 is installed on the wall. At this time, the operation panel 20 is mounted on the remote control body 10 so that the control operation surface becomes the normal operation operation surface A, and “H0” is displayed on the screen display unit 11 as an initial setting request display.

(2) Then, initial setting is performed. That is, the user removes the operation panel 20 from the remote control body 10, turns it over, and attaches it to the remote control body 10.

(3) When the operation panel 20 is turned over and attached to the remote control body 10, the control operation surface is replaced with the initial setting operation surface B, and the magnet 23 is positioned away from the Hall element 14.

(4) The control device 16 determines that the control operation surface has been switched based on the measurement result from the Hall element 14, and switches the control mode to the control mode corresponding to the switched control operation surface, that is, the initial setting mode. . That is, the display on the screen display unit 11 is switched to the initial setting screen, and the processing content to be processed when each switch electrode 13 is pressed is switched for initial setting. Then, the user uses the buttons 22a to 22e on the initial setting operation surface B to perform unit registration of an indoor unit (not shown) as an operation target device. Since the button names for initial setting are printed on the buttons 22a to 22e on the initial setting operation surface B, the initial setting can be quickly performed while viewing the button names on the buttons 22a to 22e.

(5) When the initial setting is completed, the operation panel 20 is turned over and attached to the remote control body 10.

(6) The control device 16 determines that the control operation surface has been replaced with the normal operation operation surface A based on the measurement result from the Hall element 14, and sets the control mode to the normal operation mode corresponding to the normal operation operation surface A. Switch to. That is, the display on the screen display unit 11 is switched to the normal screen, and the processing content to be processed when each switch electrode 13 is pressed is switched to the normal operation. Therefore, for example, the button that functioned as the “OK” button 22a on the initial setting screen is switched to the “RUN / STOP” button 22a on the normal screen.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, when the operation panel 20 is attached to the remote control main body 10, the control mode is switched to the control mode corresponding to the operation surface on the front surface side of the operation panel 20, and Since button operation is possible, the button name can be matched with the processing content when the button is pressed, and the button configuration is limited, but the user does not have to worry about downsizing. The remote control device 1 that can perform the operation and is excellent in operability and convenience can be configured.

  Although the screen display unit 11 is provided in the first embodiment, the screen display unit 11 is not necessarily an essential configuration and can be omitted.

  The remote control device of the present invention is not limited to the above-described configuration, and various modifications can be made as follows, for example, without departing from the gist of the present invention.

(Modification 1 of the operation panel 20)
In the above description, the operation panel 20 can be used upside down. However, the operation panel 20 is divided into the operation panel 20 with the normal operation surface A and the operation panel 20 with the initial setting operation surface B. However, it may be used as appropriate by mounting it on the remote control body 10. In this case, the installation positions of the magnets 23 are changed in the respective operation panels 20 so that the measurement results of the Hall elements 14 when the respective operation panels 20 are mounted are different, and control is performed in the same manner as in the case of using the front and back sides. What is necessary is just to distinguish an operation surface. Further, in the case of using one side as described above, the operation panel 20 does not need to be configured so that the button part can be pressed from both the front and back sides. Any material is acceptable.

(Modification 2 of the operation panel 20)
The type of the operation surface is not limited to the normal operation and the initial setting, and can be arbitrarily set according to the operation required for the device to be operated. For example, a function setting function as shown in FIG. 8 may be provided. The function setting operation surface C is an operation surface for setting various functions provided by the air conditioner, for example, a “decision” button 22a, a “return” button 22b, and “△” for performing various changes. A button 22c, a “▽” button 22d, and a “menu” button 22e are provided. The screen display unit 11 displays a function setting screen.

  When the function setting operation surface C is used, an operation panel having the function setting operation surface C is attached to the remote control main body 10, the mode is changed to the function setting mode, and the schedule, energy saving function, and display method are set on the function setting screen. Make settings such as change. After the setting is completed, the control operation surface is returned to the normal operation operation surface A to return to a state in which normal operation is possible. After returning to normal operation, the contents set on the function setting screen are reflected.

(Modification 3 of the operation panel 20)
In the above description, the combination of the front and back operation surfaces of the operation panel 20 is for initial setting and normal operation, but may be a combination for function setting and normal operation described in Modification 2. The initial setting is generally not used after the remote control device 1 is installed. Therefore, when a combination for function setting and normal operation is used, a highly convenient operation panel can be configured. In addition, when it is assumed that the initial setting operation surface B is used once, for example, as described above, a sheet-like sticker that is used only once is used, and the sheet is pasted when the remote control device is shipped. After the initial setting, the sheet may be peeled off and replaced with the operation panel 20 formed on the front and back for function setting and normal operation.

(Modification 4 of the operation panel 20)
Further, for example, for a content that only a service / maintenance contractor wants to operate, a serviceman may have a separate operation panel 20 for maintenance, and the control panel may be switched to the operation panel 20 so as to respond. .

(Modification 5 of the operation panel 20)
In the above description, the number of buttons on each of the operation surfaces A to C is the same. However, the number of buttons may be different as shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the number of buttons is different on each operation surface.
FIG. 9 (a) shows an operation surface for normal operation, and FIG. 9 (b) shows an operation surface having a smaller number of buttons than that for normal operation and having only two buttons, a “wind direction adjustment” button and an “operation switching” button. . In this example, FIG. 9B functions as a panel that restricts an operable function to a specific function (wind direction adjustment here).

(Modification 1 of operation surface identification device)
Although the example which comprises the operation surface identification apparatus by the Hall element 14 was shown above, it is not limited to this configuration. For example, a protrusion is provided on either the front or back of the operation panel 20, and the operation panel 20 You may comprise by the hole which this protrusion inserts when it mounts | wears with the remote control main body 10, and the switch pressed when a protrusion is inserted in this hole. In this case, the operation surface can be distinguished depending on whether or not the switch is pressed. In addition, when each operation surface is not provided on the front and back sides of the operation panel 20 and the operation panel is configured separately on each operation surface, the operation panel provided with the projection and the operation panel provided with no projection are provided. I just need to know.

(Modification 2 of the operation surface identification device)
In the above description, the configuration in which the operation surface identification device can distinguish between two operation surfaces has been described. However, a configuration in which a plurality of operation surfaces can be further distinguished may be employed. Specifically, for example, when distinguishing three operation surfaces in the example in which the operation surface identification device is configured by the Hall element 14, the Hall element 14 is installed at the upper left corner and the magnet 23 provided on the operation panel 20 side is provided. In the state where each operation surface is on the surface side, for example, the upper left corner, the upper center, and the upper right corner may be arranged at different positions. In this way, since the measurement results in the Hall element 14 are different for each operation surface, it is only necessary to set two threshold values and distinguish them by threshold determination. In addition, the structure which can distinguish a some operation surface is not restricted to said structure.

  In the above description, each modification example has been described as an independent modification example, but each modification example may be used in appropriate combination.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
The remote control device 100 according to the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the configuration of the button portions in the operation panel 20 and the remote control main body 10, and the other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment. The control block diagram is also the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. Further, the modification applied to the same components as those in the first embodiment is similarly applied to the second embodiment. In the following, the second embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the remote control device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the operation panel of FIG. 10 is turned over.
In the first embodiment, the button 22 is provided on the operation panel 20 itself. However, in the second embodiment, the operation panel 20 itself is not provided with a button and protrudes from the outer surface of the remote control body 10 toward the remote control body 10 side. Thus, the button 22 is provided. A button insertion hole 24 through which the button 22 passes is formed in the operation panel 20. In the first embodiment, the button name is printed on the button 22 portion of the operation panel 20, but in the operation panel 20 of the second embodiment, the button name is printed in the vicinity of the button insertion hole 24.

  Also in the remote control device 100 configured as described above, the same operational effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Remote control apparatus, 10 Remote control main body, 10a Magnet, 11 Screen display part, 12 Main body button part, 13 Switch electrode, 14 Hall element, 15 Board | substrate, 16 Control apparatus, 20 Operation panel, 20a Magnet, 21 Transparent window part, 22 ( 22a to 22e) Button, 23 magnet, 24 button insertion hole, 100 remote control device, A normal operation surface, B initial setting operation surface.

Claims (5)

An operation panel having at least one surface having an operation surface including a plurality of buttons displaying button names on the pressing surface or around the pressing surface;
A remote control main body on which one or a plurality of the operation panels are detachably mounted and the operation surface can be exchanged;
The remote control body is
An operation surface identification device for identifying the operation surface on the surface side of the operation panel mounted on the remote control body;
A control mode corresponding to each of the plurality of operation surfaces, and switching to a control mode corresponding to the operation surface identified by the operation surface identification device when the operation panel is mounted; A remote control device comprising: a control device that enables button operation on the remote control. An operation panel having a button insertion hole for inserting a plurality of buttons, and having an operation surface on which button names corresponding to the button insertion holes are displayed on at least one of the front and back sides,
One or a plurality of the operation panels are replaceably mounted, and includes a remote control body having the plurality of buttons inserted through the button insertion holes,
The remote control body is
An operation surface identification device for identifying the operation surface on the surface side of the operation panel mounted on the remote control body;
A control mode corresponding to each of the plurality of operation surfaces, and switching to a control mode corresponding to the operation surface identified by the operation surface identification device when the operation panel is mounted; A remote control device comprising: a control device that enables button operation on the remote control.   The remote controller main body includes a screen display unit, and the control device switches the display of the screen display unit to a screen corresponding to the identified operation surface by switching the control mode. Item 3. The remote control device according to Item 2.   4. The remote control device according to claim 1, wherein the operation surface is formed on both the front and back sides of the operation panel. 5.   The plurality of operation surfaces are provided in the air conditioner for initial setting for performing group registration of a plurality of indoor units constituting the air conditioner, for normal operation instructing an air conditioning operation of the air conditioner. 5. The remote control device according to claim 1, wherein the remote control device includes two or more functions for setting various functions.

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