JP2021130417A - Vehicular air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a vehicular air conditioner improving comfort in a vehicle cabin and a fuel saving effect.SOLUTION: A vehicular air conditioner 100 includes ventilation ports 114 and 116 provided on a backrest portion 106 of a vehicle seat 104 or on an occupant side of a seating portion 108, seat air conditioning bodies 110 and 112 that are mounted on the seat 104, blow out air from the ventilation ports 114 and 116, and suck air from the ventilation ports 114 and 116, and a control portion 144 that is mounted on a vehicle, and controls the seat air conditioning bodies 110 and 112. The control portion 144 controls the seat air conditioning body 110 to decrease the air amount of the ventilation ports 114 and 116, when it is determined that an occupant getting on the vehicle is sweating more than the prescribed amount of sweating.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner.

Currently, a structure (seat air conditioning) in which an air outlet of an air conditioner is provided on a vehicle seat is disclosed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which a sensor for detecting sweating of a seated person and a fan for air conditioning are provided on the seat as a technique related to seat air conditioning. In the technology of Patent Document 1, when the air conditioner operates in the summer and the sweating sensor detects the sweating of the occupant, the air conditioner fan of the seat is automatically turned on to ensure the comfort of the occupant. ing.

Jikkenhei 1-145252

Since the above-mentioned seat air conditioner can blow the wind to the occupant from a close distance, it is possible to give the occupant a feeling of cold air more efficiently than a normal vehicle interior air conditioner provided with an air outlet on the instrument panel or the like. In particular, by using the seat air conditioner together with the vehicle interior air conditioner, it is possible to give the occupant a feeling of cold air without lowering the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioner, which can contribute to fuel efficiency.

However, when the temperature of the occupant's skin is high and sweating, if the air volume of the seat air conditioner is too large, the sensible temperature will be lowered from the comfortable temperature due to the rapid evaporation of sweat, and the sweat will be attached to the area. It may give an excessive feeling of cold air. In that case, it is predicted that the fuel saving effect will be lost, for example, the occupant will stop the seat air conditioning and lower the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioner.

In view of such a problem, an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner for a vehicle in which the comfort in the vehicle interior and the fuel saving effect are improved.

In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of the vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention is a blower port provided on the occupant side of the backrest portion or the seating portion of the vehicle seat, and air mounted on the seat from the blower port. It is equipped with a seat air-conditioning body that blows out air or sucks air from the air outlet, and a control unit that is mounted on the vehicle and controls the seat air-conditioning body. It is characterized in that the air volume of the air outlet is reduced by controlling the seat air conditioning main body when it is determined that the air conditioner is present.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner for a vehicle in which the comfort in the vehicle interior and the fuel saving effect are improved.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of a vehicle interior air-conditioning unit included in the vehicle air-conditioning device of FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process performed by the vehicle air conditioner of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a subroutine showing the process of determining the sweating level of FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of control of the control unit in the step of FIG. (A) is a graph showing the relationship between the sweating level of the occupant and the air volume of the seat air conditioner. (B) is a graph showing the relationship between the sweating level of the occupant and the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit. (C) is a graph showing the relationship between the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit and the fuel consumption of the vehicle.

The vehicle air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention has a blower port provided on the occupant side of the backrest portion or the seating portion of the seat of the vehicle, and is mounted on the seat and blows air from the blower port or blows air from the blower port. It is equipped with a seat air-conditioning body that sucks in and a control unit that is mounted on the vehicle and controls the seat air-conditioning body. It is characterized by controlling the main body to reduce the air volume of the air outlet.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to prevent an excessive feeling of cold air from being given to the part where the sweat of the occupant's body is attached, and to extend the evaporation time of the sweat to maintain the feeling of cold air for a longer period of time. It is possible to contribute to the improvement of sexuality. Further, with this configuration, it is possible to give the occupant a feeling of cold air without lowering the set temperature of the normal vehicle interior air conditioner, so that it is possible to obtain a fuel saving effect.

The vehicle air conditioner further includes a sweat sensor provided on at least one of the backrest and the seat of the seat to detect the amount of perspiration of the occupant, and the control unit controls the seat air conditioner according to the information acquired by the sweat sensor. You may control it. According to this sweating sensor, it is possible to control the air conditioning according to the condition of the occupant.

The vehicle air conditioner further includes one or more environmental sensors that are installed at predetermined locations in the vehicle and acquire at least one of the outside air temperature, the vehicle interior temperature, and the amount of solar radiation, and the control unit is acquired by the environmental sensors. The seat air-conditioning body may be controlled by estimating the amount of sweating of the occupant from the information.

The above-mentioned environmental sensor also enables air conditioning control according to the state of the occupant. In particular, since the sensor for measuring the temperature inside the vehicle is already mounted on a general vehicle, it is possible to implement the sensor at low cost by using the existing sensor with the above configuration.

The vehicle air conditioner further includes a vehicle interior air conditioner that can adjust the temperature of the air in the vehicle interior, and the control unit determines that the occupant is sweating more than a predetermined amount of sweat. You may raise the set temperature of. This configuration also prevents an excessive feeling of cold air from being given to the portion of the occupant's body to which sweat is attached, and can extend the evaporation time of sweat to maintain the feeling of cold air for a longer period of time and improve comfort. In addition, when the occupant is sweating more than the specified amount of sweat, it is possible to contribute to low fuel consumption without reducing comfort by raising the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit while sending wind with seat air conditioning. be.

The control unit may control the set temperature to a value proportional to the amount of sweating of the occupant. With this configuration, it becomes possible to perform air conditioning control more in line with the state of the occupants.

The control unit may control the air volume of the air outlet to an amount that is inversely proportional to the sweating amount of the occupant. This configuration also prevents the sweaty part of the occupant's body from being given a local feeling of cold air, and can extend the evaporation time of the sweat to prolong the duration of the feeling of cold air. It is possible to contribute to the improvement of comfort.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in the examples are merely examples for facilitating the understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are designated by the same reference numerals to omit duplicate description, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown. do.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a vehicle air conditioner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment assumes a case where the vehicle air conditioner 100 is operated for cooling in the summer. Hereinafter, in FIG. 1 and all other drawings of the present application, the front-rear direction of the vehicle is indicated by arrows F (Forward) and B (Backward), and the left and right directions of the vehicle width are indicated by arrows L (Leftward) and R (Rightward), respectively. Are illustrated by arrows U (upward) and D (downward), respectively.

The vehicle air conditioner 100 realizes a so-called seat air conditioner 102. The seat air-conditioning 102 includes seat air-conditioning bodies 110 and 112 mounted inside the backrest 106 and the seat 108 of the vehicle seat 104, and air vents 114 provided on the occupant side of the backrest 106 and the seat 108. It is equipped with 116.

The seat air-conditioning main bodies 110 and 112 blow air from the air outlets 114 and 116 or suck air from the air outlets 114 and 116 to give an occupant a feeling of cold air by blowing air from a close distance. The seat air-conditioning main bodies 110 and 112 may be configured to perform only the ventilation operation, but may also have a temperature control function independent of the vehicle interior air-conditioning unit 122 (see FIG. 2) described later. In addition, the temperature-controlled air may be received from the vehicle interior air-conditioning unit through a duct (not shown).

The vehicle air conditioner 100 also includes sweating sensors 118 and 120 that detect the amount of perspiration of the occupant. The sweating sensors 118 and 120 are provided on the inside of the skin on the occupant side of the backrest portion 106 and the seating portion 108 in the seat 104. The sweating sensors 118 and 120 detect sweating, for example, by measuring humidity. The vehicle air conditioner 100 uses the sweat sensors 118 and 120 of the backrest 106 and the seat 108 to control the seat air conditioners 110 and 112 based on the amount of sweat of the occupants, respectively.

In the present embodiment, the above-mentioned seat air-conditioning main bodies 110, 112, air outlets 114, 116 and sweating sensors 118, 120 are provided on both the backrest portion 106 and the seating portion 108 of the seat 104, and each of these elements is provided. May be provided on only one of the backrest portion 106 or the seating portion 108.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the vehicle interior air-conditioning unit 122 included in the vehicle air-conditioning device 100 of FIG. The vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 (HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning)) is a device that regulates the temperature of the air in the vehicle interior, and is installed inside the instrument panel 124 of the vehicle.

When the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 performs the cooling operation, the A / C compressor 126 first compresses the refrigerant, and the condenser 128 dissipates the heat of the refrigerant. Subsequently, the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 decompresses the refrigerant with the expansion valve 130 to lower the temperature, exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the air inside the vehicle with the evaporator 132, and heat-exchanged air is sent from the air blowing duct 134 to the vehicle. It is sent indoors to cool the interior of the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle interior air-conditioning unit 122 is provided with elements as general vehicle interior air-conditioning equipment such as a heater core for heating (not shown) and a blower motor.

The vehicle air conditioner 100 includes various environmental sensors. As environmental sensors, the solar radiation sensor 136 installed on the upper part of the instrument panel 124, the vehicle interior temperature sensor 138 installed on the occupant side of the instrument panel 124, and the outside air temperature sensor 140 installed in a place exposed to the outside air. Is provided. Each sensor acquires information on the amount of solar radiation, the temperature inside the vehicle, and the temperature of the outside air.

The vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 is provided with a sweat estimation unit 142 and a control unit 144. In particular, the control unit 144 not only controls the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122, but also controls the seat air conditioning main bodies 110 and 112 of FIG.

The sweating estimation unit 142 estimates the amount of sweating of the occupant at the time when the occupant gets into the vehicle based on the information from the above-mentioned environmental sensor (solar radiation amount sensor 136, etc.).

The control unit 144 controls the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122, the air volume of the ventilation duct 134, the air volume of the seat air conditioning bodies 110 and 112, and the like, based on the sweating amount of the occupant estimated by the sweat estimation unit 142. do. The control unit 144 can also acquire information from the sweating sensors 118 and 120 of FIG. 1, and can also control the air volume of the seat air conditioner 102 according to the information from the sweating sensors 118 and 120.

In the vehicle air conditioner 100, the seat air conditioner 102 of FIG. 1 and the vehicle interior air conditioner unit 122 of FIG. 2 can be operated to improve the comfort and fuel saving effect of the vehicle interior. Hereinafter, the processing performed by the vehicle air conditioner 100 will be described with reference to the drawings after FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process performed by the vehicle air conditioner 100 of FIG. First, in step 200, ON / OFF of the switch of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 is determined. If the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 is ON, the process proceeds to step 202, and if it is OFF, the process ends. In step 202, ON / OFF of the switch of the seat air conditioner 102 is determined. If the switch of the seat air conditioner 102 is ON, the process proceeds to step 204, and if it is OFF, the process returns to step 200.

FIG. 4 is a subroutine showing the process of determining the sweating level (step 204) of FIG. In step 220, it is determined whether or not the sweating sensors 118 and 120 (see FIG. 1) are installed. When the sweating sensors 118 and 120 are installed (Yes in step 220), the sweating state of the occupant who has entered the vehicle is detected by the sweating sensors 118 and 120 in step 222, and the sweating amount is acquired.

When the sweating sensors 118 and 120 are not installed (No in step 220), information such as the outside air temperature, the vehicle interior temperature, and the amount of solar radiation is acquired from the environment sensor (outside air temperature sensor 140 in FIG. 2) in step 224. NS. As these environmental sensors, existing sensors mounted on general vehicles can be used, so that the processing can be performed at low cost without installing the sweating sensors 118 and 120 (see FIG. 1).

In step 226, the sweating estimation unit 142 (see FIG. 2) estimates the sweating state of the occupant who has boarded the vehicle from each information acquired by the above-mentioned environmental sensor, and calculates the estimated sweating amount.

Step 222 and step 226 both proceed to step 228. In step 228, the sweating amount level (sweat level) of the occupant is determined from the information on the sweating amount acquired by the sweating sensor 118 or the sweating amount of the occupant estimated by the sweating estimation unit 142. As a result, the process of determining the amount of sweating (step 204) in FIG. 3 is completed, and the process proceeds to the following step 206.

In step 206 of FIG. 3, it is determined whether the sweating level of the occupant calculated in step 204 is low or high. If the sweating level of the occupant is low (Yes in step 206), the process proceeds to step 208. In step 208, the control unit 144 (see FIG. 2) increases the air volume of the air vents 114 and 116 in the seat air conditioner 102 (see FIG. 1) according to the normal setting in summer, and increases the air volume of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122. Set the temperature low. Then, the process returns to step 200.

On the other hand, when the sweating level of the occupant is high in step 206 (No in step 206), the process proceeds to step 210. In step 210, the control unit 144 (see FIG. 2) lowers the air volume of the air vents 114 and 116 in the seat air conditioning 102 (see FIG. 1) as compared with the setting executed in step 208, and the vehicle interior air conditioning unit. The set temperature of 122 is also increased. This configuration prevents the occupant from giving an excessive feeling of cold air, and prolongs the evaporation time of sweat to prolong the duration of the feeling of cold air. In addition, the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 is raised to prevent an excessive feeling of cold air and achieve a fuel saving effect. Then, the process returns to step 200.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of control of the control unit 144 (see FIG. 2) in step 210 of FIG. FIG. 5A is a graph showing the relationship between the sweating level of the occupant and the air volume of the seat air conditioner 102 (see FIG. 1). The horizontal axis is the sweating level of the occupant acquired in step 204, and the vertical axis is the amount of air blown by the seat air conditioner 102 controlled in step 210.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the control unit 144 lowers the air volume of the air outlet 114 of the seat air conditioner 102 (see FIG. 1) as the sweating level of the occupant is higher, that is, the sweating amount of the occupant is larger. This configuration prevents the sweaty part of the occupant's body from being given a local feeling of cold air, and can extend the evaporation time of sweat to prolong the duration of the feeling of cold air, thus making the passenger interior comfortable. It is possible to contribute to the improvement of sexuality.

FIG. 5B is a graph showing the relationship between the sweating level of the occupant and the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 (see FIG. 2). The horizontal axis is the sweating level of the occupant acquired in step 204, and the vertical axis is the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 controlled in step 210.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the control unit 144 (see FIG. 2) raises the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 as the sweating level of the occupant is higher, that is, as the sweating amount of the occupant is larger. This configuration also prevents the sweaty part of the occupant's body from being given a local feeling of cold air, and can extend the evaporation time of the sweat to prolong the duration of the feeling of cold air. It is possible to contribute to the improvement of comfort. This control also helps improve fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

FIG. 5C is a graph showing the relationship between the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 (see FIG. 2) and the fuel consumption of the vehicle. The horizontal axis is the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 controlled in step 210, and the vertical axis is the fuel consumption of the vehicle. During cooling, by setting the set temperature higher for a long time, the operating time of the A / C compressor 126 (electric A / C compressor in the case of EV) in FIG. 2 and the fan air volume of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 are reduced. Therefore, the fuel efficiency of the vehicle is improved.

As described above, in the vehicle air conditioner 100, as shown in step 210 of FIG. 3, when it is determined that the occupant who has boarded the vehicle is sweating more than a predetermined amount of sweat, the seat air conditioners 110, 112 ( (See FIG. 1) is controlled to reduce the air volume of the air outlets 114 and 116. According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent an excessive feeling of cold air from being given to the part where the sweat of the occupant's body is attached, and to extend the evaporation time of the sweat to maintain the feeling of cold air for a longer period of time, so that the passenger's interior is comfortable. It is possible to contribute to the improvement of sexuality. Further, with this configuration, it is possible to give the occupant a feeling of cold air without lowering the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 (see FIG. 2), so that it is possible to obtain a fuel saving effect.

Further, in step 206 of FIG. 3, the control unit 144 (see FIG. 2) may not only determine whether the sweating level of the occupant is low or high, but may also determine the sweating level of the occupant by dividing it into a plurality of step levels. .. Then, the control unit 144 may control the air volume of the air vents 114 and 116 of the seat air conditioner 102 (see FIG. 1) and the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioner unit 122 according to each level. In either case, the control unit 144 controls the amount of air blown by the air outlets 114 and 116 of the seat air conditioner 102 to an amount inversely proportional to the amount of sweating of the occupant, and sets the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit 122 to the amount of sweating of the occupant. Control to a proportional value. With these configurations, the vehicle air-conditioning device 100 can perform air-conditioning control more in line with the state of the occupants.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modifications or modifications within the scope of the claims, which naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. Understood.

The present invention can be used in a vehicle air conditioner.

100 ... Vehicle air conditioner, 102 ... Seat air conditioner, 104 ... Seat, 106 ... Backrest, 108 ... Seating part, 110, 112 ... Seat air conditioner body, 114, 116 ... Blower, 118, 120 ... Sweating sensor, 122 ... Vehicle interior air conditioning unit, 124 ... Instrument panel, 126 ... A / C compressor, 128 ... Condenser, 130 ... Expansion valve, 132 ... Evaporator, 134 ... Blower duct, 136 ... Solar radiation sensor, 138 ... Vehicle interior temperature sensor, 140 ... outside air temperature sensor, 142 ... sweat estimation unit, 144 ... control unit

Claims (6)

The air outlet provided on the occupant side of the backrest or seat of the vehicle seat,
A seat air-conditioning body mounted on the seat that blows air from the air outlet or sucks air from the air outlet.
It is equipped with a control unit mounted on the vehicle and controlling the seat air-conditioning body.
The control unit controls the seat air-conditioning main body to reduce the air volume of the air outlet when it is determined that the occupant who has boarded the vehicle is sweating more than a predetermined sweating amount. Air conditioner for. The vehicle air conditioner further includes a sweating sensor provided on at least one of the backrest portion or the seating portion of the seat and detecting the amount of sweating of the occupant.
The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the seat air conditioner body according to the information acquired by the sweat sensor. The vehicle air conditioner further comprises one or more environmental sensors installed at predetermined locations on the vehicle to acquire at least one of outside air temperature, vehicle interior temperature and solar radiation.
The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the control unit estimates the sweating amount of the occupant from the information acquired by the environmental sensor and controls the seat air conditioner main body. The vehicle air conditioner is further equipped with an interior air conditioner that can adjust the temperature of the air inside the vehicle.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit raises the set temperature of the vehicle interior air conditioning unit when it is determined that the occupant is sweating more than a predetermined amount of sweating. Air conditioner for vehicles. The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein the control unit controls the set temperature to a value proportional to the amount of perspiration of the occupant. The vehicle air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control unit controls the air volume of the air outlet to an amount inversely proportional to the sweating amount of the occupant.

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