JP2023011866A - air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a preferential operation of cleaning or conditioning of air.

SOLUTION: A control part (31) controls a blower fan (13) in a switch from an air cleaning mode to an air conditioning mode to carry out a transition to the air conditioning mode after a stop of the blower fan (13) or a reduction of a revolution speed of the blower fan (13).

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

COPYRIGHT: (C)2023,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to an air conditioner having an air cleaning function.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional air conditioners are known to have a dust collection filter such as a HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter) at an air suction port in order to obtain an air cleaning function. A HEPA filter has a higher airflow resistance than a pre-filter because of its high dust collecting function. Therefore, if the dust collection function of the air conditioner is enhanced, the amount of air flow will be reduced.

Therefore, for example, an air conditioner disclosed in Patent Document 1 proposes a configuration that achieves both a dust collection function and an air flow rate. Specifically, in the above-described air conditioner, if the length of the suction port is L, the dust collection filter arranged at the suction port is arranged so that the length of the suction port near the blowout port (lower part of the suction port) is 5 times the length of the suction port. % or more, and the length of the dust collecting filter is about 40% to 80% of the length L of the suction port.

Japanese patent publication "JP 2000-205643"

However, for air conditioners, the air conditioning function is prioritized over the air cleaning function. I have a request to warm up. The above-described conventional air conditioner cannot meet such demands.

Conversely, when the room is dusty, there is a demand to operate the air conditioner with priority given to the air cleaning function over the air conditioning function. The above-described conventional air conditioner cannot meet such demands.

Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention aims to provide an air conditioner that can be operated with priority given to either one of the air cleaning function and the air conditioning function.

In order to solve the above problems, an air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention includes a body portion having an air outlet, an air flow path for guiding the sucked air to the outlet, and the outlet. A blower that blows air from an opening, a second filter provided in the air flow path, and a ventilation resistance of the air flow path that is smaller than that in the case where the air that has passed through the second filter is blown out from the blowout opening. a control unit for switching between an air conditioning mode in which air is blown out from the outlet in the state of In switching from the mode to the air-conditioning mode, the blower is controlled so as to shift to the air-conditioning mode after the blower has stopped or after the number of rotations of the blower has decreased.

According to one aspect of the present invention, either one of the air cleaning function and the air conditioning function can be preferentially operated.

1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the indoor unit shown in Fig. 1; FIG. 3(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the state of the air conditioning mode of the indoor unit shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3(b) is the air cleaning mode of the indoor unit shown in FIG. 3(a). It is a schematic sectional view explaining a state. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device for the air conditioner shown in FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the basic operation of the air conditioner provided with the indoor unit shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the switching operation from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode of the air conditioner provided with the indoor unit shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the switching operation from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode of the air conditioner that performs the operation shown in FIG. 6. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the switching operation|movement from the air cleaning mode to air-conditioning mode of the air conditioner of other embodiment of this invention. FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the switching operation from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode of the air conditioner that performs the operation shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the switching operation from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode of the air conditioner according to still another embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the switching operation|movement from the air cleaning mode to air-conditioning mode of further another embodiment of this invention. 12 is a flow chart showing the switching operation from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode of the air conditioner that performs the operation shown in FIG. 11. FIG.

[Embodiment 1]
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an indoor unit 1 of an air conditioner according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the indoor unit 1. FIG. FIG. 3(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the state of the indoor unit 1 in the air conditioning mode, and FIG. 3(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the state of the indoor unit 1 in the air cleaning mode. In FIG. 2 , the upper portion of the indoor unit 1 shows a longitudinal section at the position of the first suction port 11 , and the lower portion of the indoor unit 1 shows a longitudinal section at the position of the second suction port 12 . Moreover, in (a) and (b) of FIG. 3, the heat exchanger 14 is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

(Overview of indoor unit 1)
As shown in FIG. 1 , an indoor unit 1 of an air conditioner has a baffle plate 3 on the front surface of an indoor unit body 2 . As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the indoor unit main body 2 has a first suction port 11 and a second suction port 12 at the top and bottom, respectively, and has a blower fan (blower) 13 and a heat exchanger 14 inside. and has an outlet 17 at the front.

The first suction port 11 is provided at the center position of the upper portion and the center position of the lower portion of the indoor unit main body 2, and the second suction ports 12 are provided at the left and right positions of the upper portion and the left and right positions of the lower portion. That is, the indoor unit 1 has first suction ports 11 at a total of two locations on the top and bottom, and has second suction ports 12 on a total of four locations, two locations on the top and two locations on the bottom.

In addition, the indoor unit 1 has a first suction port 11 and a second suction port 12 in the upper portion and the lower portion in the example of FIG. 3 . However, the indoor unit 1 may have, for example, the first suction port 11 only at the top and the second suction port 12 only at the bottom. Moreover, the positions of the first suction port 11 and the second suction port 12 are not particularly limited.

The indoor unit 1 has a first filter 15 inside each first suction port 11 , a second filter 16 inside each second suction port 12 , and a damper (opening/closing member) at each first suction port 11 . ) 18 is provided.

The first filter 15 is, for example, a filter having a function corresponding to a pre-filter, and is a mesh filter commonly used as a filter for air conditioners. The first filter is a filter with a lower ventilation resistance than the second filter 16 . The second filter 16 is a HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter), for example.

The indoor unit 1 shown in (a) and (b) of FIG. of heat exchangers 14.

For example, a blower motor (blower) 35 (see FIG. 4) is arranged between the left two blower fans 13 and the right two blower fans 13 . The blower motor 35 in this case is a double shaft motor having left and right rotating shafts, and one blower motor 35 rotates the four blower fans 13 .

In the indoor unit 1 , the air sucked from the first inlet 11 passes through the first filter 15 , the blower fan 13 and the heat exchanger 14 and is blown out from the outlet 17 . Also, the air sucked from the second suction port 12 passes through the second filter 16 , the blower fan 13 and the heat exchanger 14 and is blown out from the blowout port 17 .

The damper 18 opens and closes the first suction port 11 by being driven by a damper drive motor 33 (see FIG. 4). The sealing surface of the damper 18 is inside the damper 18 and the sealing surface of the first suction port 11 is outside the first suction port 11 .

(air conditioning mode, air cleaning mode)
The air conditioner of this embodiment can select an air conditioning mode or an air cleaning mode as an operation mode. The air-conditioning mode is a mode that prioritizes the air-conditioning operation (cooling or heating) over the air cleaning operation. The air cleaning mode is a mode that prioritizes the air cleaning operation over the air conditioning operation.

In the indoor unit 1, the damper 18 of the first suction port 11 provided with the first filter 15 with low airflow resistance is opened in the air conditioning mode, and the damper 18 is closed in the air cleaning mode.

(control device for air conditioner)
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner control device of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the control device for the air conditioner includes a control section 31 and a storage section 38, which are composed of, for example, a microcomputer. A receiving unit 36 is connected to the control unit 31, and the receiving unit 36 receives commands from a remote controller (hereinafter simply referred to as a remote controller) 37 operated by a user. The remote controller 37 can set the air conditioning mode or the air cleaning mode for the air conditioner.

The control unit 31 controls operations of the air conditioning unit 32 , the damper driving motor (driving unit) 33 , the baffle plate driving motor 34 and the blower motor 35 according to commands from the remote control 37 .

The air conditioning unit 32 is a part that executes a refrigerating cycle, and has a configuration for executing the refrigerating cycle, such as an evaporator (not shown), a condenser (not shown), a compressor 41, and the like. The air conditioning unit 32 is configured over the indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit 4 .

The damper drive motor 33 drives the damper 18 to open and close the first suction port 11 . The baffle plate driving motor 34 drives the baffle plate 3 so as to be arranged at each position according to the heating or cooling setting, for example. The blower motor 35 rotates the blower fan 13 .

Under the control of the control unit 31 , the storage unit 38 stores the operation mode (air-conditioning mode or air cleaning mode) and temperature setting immediately before the operation is stopped, or the operation mode and set temperature set by the remote controller 37 .

(Basic operation of air conditioner)
In the above configuration, the operation of the air conditioner of this embodiment will be described below. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the basic operation of an air conditioner provided with the indoor unit 1. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the air conditioner starts operating under the control of the control unit 31 when instructed to start operating from the remote controller 37 . The control unit 31 confirms the operation mode and the set temperature (S11), and controls the operation of each unit.

Specifically, the control unit 31 causes the storage unit 38 to store the operation mode (air-conditioning mode or air cleaning mode) and temperature settings immediately before the operation is stopped. Therefore, the control unit 31 starts operation based on the operation mode and temperature setting stored in the storage unit 38 unless the remote controller 37 instructs to change the operation mode or change the temperature setting. On the other hand, when a change in operation mode or temperature setting is commanded from the remote control 37, the operation is started according to the contents of the change. The operation mode and temperature settings set by the remote controller 37 are stored in the storage unit 38 .

Here, if the operation mode is the air conditioning mode (S12), the control unit 31 controls the damper drive motor 33 to open the damper 18 . Further, the control unit 31 controls the baffle plate driving motor 34 to place the baffle plate 3 in a predetermined state according to the operation setting (cooling setting or heating setting). Further, the control unit 31 controls the blower motor 35 to rotate the blower fan 13 and operate the air conditioning unit 32 (S13).

In the air-conditioning mode, the damper 18 is opened, so that air is drawn into the indoor unit 1 mainly through the first suction port 11, as shown in FIG. 3(a). This is because the ventilation resistance of the first filter 15 (low-performance filter) arranged at the first suction port 11 is small, and the ventilation resistance of the second filter 16 (high-performance filter) arranged at the second suction port 12 is small. This is due to high ventilation resistance.

Therefore, a sufficient amount of air is drawn into the interior of the indoor unit 1 from the first suction port 11 with a small airflow resistance. The sucked air is blown to the heat exchanger 14 by the blower fan 13, and after being cooled by the heat exchanger 14 (in the case of the cooling setting) or after being warmed by the heat exchanger 14 (in the case of the heating setting). case), it is blown out from the outlet 17 . This makes it possible to quickly bring the room temperature to the set temperature.

On the other hand, in S12, if the operation mode is the air cleaning mode, the control unit 31 controls the damper drive motor 33 to close the damper 18 . Further, the control unit 31 controls the baffle plate driving motor 34 to place the baffle plate 3 in a predetermined state according to the operation setting (cooling setting or heating setting). Further, the control unit 31 controls the blower motor 35 to rotate the blower fan 13 and operate the air conditioning unit 32 (S14).

In the air cleaning mode, the air is sucked into the indoor unit 1 only through the second inlet 12 as shown in FIG. 3B by closing the damper 18 .

Therefore, air that has been sufficiently purified through the second filter 16 (a high-performance HEPA filter, for example) is sucked into the interior of the indoor unit 1 . The sucked air is blown to the heat exchanger 14 by the blower fan 13 , cooled or warmed by the heat exchanger 14 , and then blown out from the outlet 17 .

After that, when a command to stop the operation of the air conditioner is issued from the remote controller 37 (S15), the control unit 31 closes the damper 18 and places the wind guide plate 3 in a closed state (a state in which the outlet 17 is closed). , the blower fan 13 and the air conditioning unit 32 are stopped (S16), and the operation ends.

In addition, in this embodiment, the air conditioning unit 32 is configured to operate regardless of whether the operation mode is the air conditioning mode or the air cleaning mode. However, the air conditioning unit 32 may be configured to operate only when the operation mode is the air conditioning mode.

(Switching from air cleaning mode to air conditioning mode: blower fan stops when switching)
Next, the operation of the air conditioner when switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode will be described. FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the switching operation of the air conditioner provided with the indoor unit 1 from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode. However, here, description will be made focusing on the operation associated with the opening and closing of the damper 18 . Such an explanation of the operation is the same as the explanation of the switching operation of the other operation modes described below.

For example, when switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode according to an instruction from the remote controller 37 operated by the user, the control unit 31 opens the damper 18 by the following control.

As shown in FIG. 6, first, the controller 31 controls the blower motor 35 to stop the blower fan 13 (S21). Next, the control unit 31 controls the damper drive motor 33 to open the damper 18 (S22).

After that, when the damper 18 is completely opened (S23), the control unit 31 stops the damper drive motor 33 and controls the blower motor 35 to restart the rotation of the blower motor 35 . Furthermore, the air conditioning unit 32 is operated (S24).

Note that if the air conditioning unit 32 is operating even in the air cleaning mode, the control for operating the air conditioning unit 32 in S24 is unnecessary.

Further, when the damper driving motor 33 is a stepping motor, the control section 31 can detect the fully open state of the damper 18 based on the number of steps of the damper driving motor 33 . Further, the control unit 31 may detect the fully opened state of the damper 18 by a sensor that detects opening and closing of the damper 18 . This point also applies to the opening/closing detection of the damper 18 in the switching operation of other operation modes below.

(Switching from air conditioning mode to air cleaning mode: blower fan stops when switching)
Next, the operation of the air conditioner when switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode will be described. FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the switching operation of the air conditioner provided with the indoor unit 1 from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode.

When switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode, the control unit 31 closes the damper 18 by the following control.

As shown in FIG. 7, first, the controller 31 controls the blower motor 35 to stop the blower fan 13 (S31). Next, the damper driving motor 33 is controlled to close the damper 18 (S32).

After that, when the damper 18 is completely closed (S33), the control unit 31 stops the damper drive motor 33 and controls the blower motor 35 to restart the rotation of the blower motor 35 (S34).

Note that if the air conditioning unit 32 is not operated in the air cleaning mode, the air conditioning unit 32 is stopped in S31.
(Advantages of air conditioners)
Since the air conditioner of this embodiment can select the air conditioning mode and the air cleaning mode as the operation mode, it can be operated with priority to either the air cleaning function or the air conditioning function. .

Therefore, for example, if you want to cool a room that has become hot in the summer as soon as you get home, or if you want to warm a room that has become cold in the winter as soon as you get home, select the air conditioning mode to cool the room with a sufficient amount of air. It can heat up or cool down quickly.

Also, if the room is dusty and the air cleaning function is to be prioritized over the air conditioning function, the air cleaning mode can be selected to exhibit a high air cleaning function.

Further, in the case of switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode, the air conditioner of the present embodiment stops the rotation of the blower fan 13, starts the opening operation of the damper 18, and starts the opening operation of the damper 18. After completion, the rotation of the blower fan 13 is restarted. As a result, the damper 18 can be opened with a small force, and there is no need for a damper drive motor 33 having a large torque. Moreover, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the damper 18 is difficult to open. Furthermore, when the damper 18 is opened, a sudden change in pressure inside the indoor unit 1 does not occur, and an increase in noise can be prevented.

On the other hand, when the damper 18 is opened while the blower fan 13 is rotating, the damper 18 is opened while the internal pressure of the indoor unit 1 is low. In this case, it becomes difficult to open the damper 18, and the damper drive motor 33 having a large force, that is, a large torque is required to open the damper 18. In addition, when the damper 18 is opened, a sudden pressure change occurs inside the indoor unit 1, causing the rotation of the blower fan 13 to become unstable and noise to increase.

Further, when the air conditioner of the present embodiment switches from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode, similarly, after stopping the rotation of the blower fan 13, the closing operation of the damper 18 is started, and the damper 18 is closed. The rotation of the blower fan 13 is restarted after the closing operation is completed. As a result, the damper 18 can be closed slowly with a small force, and a situation in which the damper drive motor 33 having a large torque is required is not caused. In addition, when the damper 18 is closed, a rapid change in pressure inside the indoor unit 1 does not occur.

On the other hand, when the damper 18 is closed while the blower fan 13 is rotating, the damper 18 is rapidly closed due to a decrease in pressure inside the indoor unit 1 after the start of the closing operation. there is a risk of becoming In this case, noise (for example, a closing sound of the damper 18 such as a bang) is generated with the closing operation of the damper 18 . On the other hand, if the damper 18 is to be closed slowly, a damper drive motor 33 having a large torque is required. In addition, when the damper 18 is closed, the rotation of the blower fan 13 becomes unstable due to a sudden change in pressure inside the indoor unit 1 .

Note that the control unit 31 may perform the control shown in FIG. 9, which will be described later, when switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode.

[Embodiment 2]
Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those of the members explained in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof is omitted.

In the air conditioner of the present embodiment, the indoor unit 51 has the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 like the indoor unit 1, and performs the basic operation shown in FIG.

(Switching from air cleaning mode to air conditioning mode: blower fan rotation speed decreases when switching)
Next, the operation of the air conditioner when switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode will be described. FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the switching operation of the air conditioner provided with the indoor unit 51 from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode.

For example, when switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode according to an instruction from the remote controller 37 operated by the user, the control unit 31 opens the damper 18 by the following control.

As shown in FIG. 8, first, the controller 31 controls the blower motor 35 to reduce the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 (S41). Next, when the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 drops below a specified value (first specified value) (S42), the control unit 31 controls the damper drive motor 33 to open the damper 18 (S43).

After that, when the damper 18 is completely opened (S44), the control unit 31 stops the damper drive motor 33 and controls the blower motor 35 so that the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 reaches a specified value (second specified value). raise. Furthermore, the air conditioning unit 32 is operated (S45).

Note that if the air conditioning unit 32 is operating even in the air cleaning mode, the control for operating the air conditioning unit 32 in S45 is unnecessary.

(Switching from air conditioning mode to air cleaning mode: blower fan rotation speed decreases when switching)
Next, the operation of the air conditioner when switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode will be described. FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the switching operation of the air conditioner provided with the indoor unit 51 from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode.

When switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode, the control unit 31 closes the damper 18 by the following control.

As shown in FIG. 9, first, the controller 31 controls the blower motor 35 to reduce the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 (S51). Next, when the number of revolutions of the blower fan 13 drops below a specified value (first specified value) (S52), the control unit 31 controls the damper drive motor 33 to close the damper 18 (S53). Note that the specified value (first specified value) in this case may be the same as or different from the previous specified value (first specified value). This point also applies to the description of other flowcharts below.

After that, when the damper 18 is completely closed (S54), the control unit 31 stops the damper drive motor 33 and controls the blower motor 35 so that the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 reaches a specified value (second specified value). Raise (S55). Note that the specified value (second specified value) in this case may be the same as or different from the previous specified value (second specified value). This point also applies to the description of other flowcharts below.

Note that if the air conditioning unit 32 is not operated in the air cleaning mode, the air conditioning unit 32 is stopped in S51.
(Advantages of air conditioners)
In the air conditioner of the present embodiment, when switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode, the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 is reduced, the damper 18 is opened, and after the damper 18 has completed the opening operation, the air is blown. The rotation speed of the fan 13 is increased. As a result, the damper 18 can be opened with a small force, and there is no need for a damper drive motor 33 having a large torque. Moreover, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the damper 18 is difficult to open. Furthermore, when the damper 18 is opened, a sudden change in pressure inside the indoor unit 51 does not occur, and it is possible to prevent a situation in which the rotation of the blower fan 13 becomes unstable and a situation in which noise increases.

On the other hand, when opening the damper 18 in a state in which the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 is not reduced (for example, in a state in which it is rotated at high speed), the damper 18 is opened in a state in which the pressure inside the indoor unit 51 is low. will make it work. In this case, it becomes difficult to open the damper 18, and the damper drive motor 33 having a large force, that is, a large torque is required to open the damper 18. In addition, when the damper 18 is opened, a sudden pressure change occurs inside the indoor unit 51, causing the rotation of the blower fan 13 to become unstable and noise to increase.

Further, when the air conditioner of the present embodiment is switched from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode, similarly, after the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 is reduced, the damper 18 is closed, and the damper 18 is closed. After the operation is completed, the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 is increased. As a result, the damper 18 can be closed slowly with a small force, and a situation in which the damper drive motor 33 having a large torque is required is not caused. In addition, when the damper 18 is closed, a sudden change in pressure inside the indoor unit 51 does not occur, and a situation in which the rotation of the blower fan 13 becomes unstable can be prevented.

On the other hand, when closing the damper 18 in a state in which the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 is not reduced (for example, in a state in which it is rotated at a high speed), the damper 18 is operated inside the indoor unit 51 after the start of the closing operation. The pressure drop can lead to rapid closing. In this case, noise (closing sound of the damper 18) is generated as the damper 18 is closed. On the other hand, if the damper 18 is to be closed slowly, a damper drive motor 33 having a large torque is required. In addition, when the damper 18 is closed, the rotation of the blower fan 13 becomes unstable due to a sudden change in pressure inside the indoor unit 51 .

Further, the air conditioner of this embodiment does not stop the blower fan 13 when switching the operation mode (switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode and switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode). Thereby, the time required for switching the operation mode can be shortened. In addition, when the operation mode is switched, the start-up sound of the blower fan 13 does not occur, and noise can be reduced.

Other advantages of the air conditioner of the present embodiment, such as the advantage of being able to prioritize either the air cleaning function or the air conditioning function, are the same as those of the air conditioner of the first embodiment.

Note that the control unit 31 may perform the control shown in FIG. 7 when switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode.

[Embodiment 3]
Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those of the members explained in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof is omitted.

In the air conditioner of this embodiment, the indoor unit 52 has the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, like the indoor unit 1, and performs the basic operation shown in FIG.

(Switching from air purification mode to air conditioning mode: After the blower fan speed drops when switching, the blower fan speed rises before the damper opens completely)
Next, the operation of the air conditioner when switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode will be described. FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the switching operation from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode of the air conditioner provided with the indoor unit 52 .

For example, when switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode according to an instruction from the remote controller 37 operated by the user, the control unit 31 opens the damper 18 by the following control.

As shown in FIG. 10, first, the controller 31 controls the blower motor 35 to reduce the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 (S61). Next, when the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 drops below a specified value (first specified value) (S62), the control unit 31 controls the damper drive motor 33 to start opening the damper 18 (S63). ).

Next, after waiting for several seconds (S64), the controller 31 controls the blower motor 35 to increase the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 to a specified value (second specified value) (S65).

After that, when the damper 18 is completely opened (S66), the control section 31 stops the damper driving motor 33 and operates the air conditioning section 32 (S67).

Note that if the air conditioning unit 32 is operating even in the air cleaning mode, the control for operating the air conditioning unit 32 in S67 is unnecessary.

Also, in S64 and S65, after waiting for several seconds after starting the opening operation of the damper 18, the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 is increased for the following reason. That is, if the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 is started to increase at the same time as the opening operation of the damper 18 is started, the same problem as in the case of opening the damper 18 while rotating the blower fan 13 at high speed may occur. Therefore, the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 is increased after a certain amount of time has passed after the opening operation of the damper 18 is started. Therefore, waiting for a few seconds is just an example, and the increase in the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 is, for example, when the damper 18 is fully opened by a predetermined angle, for example, as indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3(a). It may be started after half the angle of the angle (indicated by the solid line). The controller 31 can know the opening angle of the damper 18 in this case from the number of steps when the damper drive motor 33 is a stepping motor, as described above.

(Switching from air conditioning mode to air cleaning mode)
In the case of switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode, the control section 31 may perform the control shown in FIG. 7 or 9 . That is, in switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode, the rotation of the blower fan 13 is resumed (in the case of FIG. 7) or the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 is increased (in the case of FIG. 9) from the middle of the closing operation of the damper 18. , the damper 18 closes with a bang due to a decrease in pressure inside the indoor unit 52, which is not preferable. Therefore, it is preferable to restart the rotation of the blower fan 13 (in the case of FIG. 7) or increase the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 (in the case of FIG. 9) after the closing operation of the damper 18 is completed.
(Advantages of air conditioners)
When switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode, the air conditioner of the present embodiment reduces the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 and then starts the opening operation of the damper 18 until the damper 18 is completely opened. In addition, the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 is increased. Accordingly, as in the air conditioner of the second embodiment, the damper 18 can be opened with a small force, and a situation in which the damper drive motor 33 having large torque is required is not caused. Moreover, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the damper 18 is difficult to open. Furthermore, when the damper 18 is opened, a sudden change in pressure inside the indoor unit 52 does not occur, and it is possible to prevent the situation where the rotation of the blower fan 13 becomes unstable and the situation where noise increases.

In addition, the air conditioner of the present embodiment does not stop the blower fan 13 when switching the operation mode (switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode), and the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 that is reduced is The damper 18 is raised until it is fully opened. As a result, the time required for switching the operation mode can be further shortened as compared with the air conditioner of the second embodiment.

In addition, when the operation mode is switched, the start-up sound of the blower fan 13 does not occur, and noise can be reduced. In this case, since the time period of noise generated by opening the damper 18 and the time period of noise generated by increasing the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 overlap, the time period in which the noise is generated when switching the operation mode is shortened. be able to.

The other advantages of the air conditioner of the present embodiment, such as the advantage of being able to preferentially operate either the air cleaning function or the air conditioning function, are the same as those of the air conditioner of the first embodiment.

[Embodiment 4]
Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those of the members explained in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof is omitted.

In the air conditioner of this embodiment, the indoor unit 53 has the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, like the indoor unit 1, and performs the basic operation shown in FIG.

(Switching from air purification mode to air conditioning mode: rotation speed of compressor and blower fan decreases when switching)
Next, the operation of the air conditioner when switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode will be described. FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the switching operation from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode of the air conditioner provided with the indoor unit 53 .

For example, when switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode according to an instruction from the remote controller 37 operated by the user, the control unit 31 opens the damper 18 by the following control.

As shown in FIG. 11, first, the controller 31 reduces the rotational speed of the compressor 41 to a specified value (third specified value) or less (S81, S82). Next, the controller 31 controls the blower motor 35 to reduce the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 to a specified value (first specified value) or less (S83, S84).

Next, the control unit 31 controls the damper drive motor 33 to start opening the damper 18 (S85).

Next, the controller 31 waits for several seconds (S86), and then controls the blower motor 35 to increase the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 (S87), as in the case of S64 described above.

After that, when the damper 18 is completely opened (S88), the control unit 31 stops the damper drive motor 33, and when the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 rises to a specified value (second specified value) (S89), the air conditioning is started. The unit 32 is operated to increase the rotational speed of the compressor 41 to a specified value (fourth specified value) (S90).

Note that if the air conditioning unit 32 is operating even in the air cleaning mode, the control for operating the air conditioning unit 32 in S90 is unnecessary.

(Switching from air conditioning mode to air cleaning mode: Compressor and blower fan speeds decrease when switching)
Next, the operation of the air conditioner when switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode will be described. FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing the switching operation of the air conditioner provided with the indoor unit 53 from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode.

For example, when switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode according to an instruction from the remote controller 37 operated by the user, the control unit 31 closes the damper 18 by the following control.

As shown in FIG. 12, first, the controller 31 reduces the rotational speed of the compressor 41 to a specified value (third specified value) or less (S101, S102). Next, the controller 31 controls the blower motor 35 to reduce the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 to a specified value (first specified value) or less (S103, S104).

Next, the control unit 31 controls the damper drive motor 33 to completely close the damper 18 (S105, S106), and then stops the damper drive motor 33.

Next, the controller 31 increases the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 to a specified value (second specified value) (S107, S108).

After that, the controller 31 increases the rotational speed of the compressor 41 to a specified value (fourth specified value) (S109).
(Advantages of air conditioners)
When switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode, the air conditioner of the present embodiment reduces the rotation speed of the compressor 41 and then lowers the rotation speed of the blower fan 13, and the rotation of the blower fan 13 After increasing the number, the rotation speed of the compressor 41 is increased. As a result, a large temperature change inside the indoor unit 53 due to a reduction in the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 can be suppressed, and the reliability of the air conditioner can be improved, and the energy saving function can be enhanced.

That is, if the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 is lowered without lowering the rotation speed of the compressor 41, the amount of air blown to the heat exchanger 14 of the indoor unit 53 is reduced, so the temperature of the heat exchanger 14 is increased to the heating value. is higher in the case of , and lower in the case of cooling. Therefore, a large temperature change occurs inside the indoor unit 53 . Further, if the rotational speed of the compressor 41 is not lowered, the load on the compressor 41 will increase in the case of heating, which is not preferable. Therefore, if the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 is lowered after the rotation speed of the compressor 41 is lowered, such a problem can be solved.

Further, the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 is decreased, the opening operation of the damper 18 is started, and the rotational speed of the blower fan 13 is increased until the damper 18 is completely opened. Accordingly, as in the air conditioner of the second embodiment, the damper 18 can be opened with a small force, and a situation in which the damper drive motor 33 having large torque is required is not caused. Moreover, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the damper 18 is difficult to open. Furthermore, when the damper 18 is opened, a sudden change in pressure inside the indoor unit 53 does not occur, and it is possible to prevent a situation in which the rotation of the blower fan 13 becomes unstable and a situation in which noise increases.

In addition, when switching the operation mode (switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode), the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 that has been lowered without stopping the blower fan 13 is increased until the damper 18 is completely opened. I am letting As a result, the time required for switching the operation mode can be further shortened as compared with the air conditioner of the second embodiment.

In addition, when the operation mode is switched, the start-up sound of the blower fan 13 does not occur, and noise can be reduced. In this case, since the time period of noise generated by opening the damper 18 and the time period of noise generated by increasing the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 overlap, the time period in which the noise is generated when switching the operation mode is shortened. be able to.

In addition, when switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode, the air conditioner of the present embodiment similarly reduces the rotational speed of the compressor 41 and then reduces the rotational speed of the blower fan 13, and After increasing the rotational speed of the blower fan 13, the rotational speed of the compressor 41 is increased. As a result, a large temperature change inside the indoor unit 53 due to a reduction in the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 can be suppressed, and the reliability of the air conditioner can be improved.

Also, after the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 is decreased, the damper 18 is closed, and after the closing operation of the damper 18 is completed, the rotation speed of the blower fan 13 is increased. Accordingly, as in the case of the second embodiment, the damper 18 can be closed slowly with a small force, and a situation in which the damper drive motor 33 having a large torque is not required occurs. In addition, when the damper 18 is closed, a sudden change in pressure inside the indoor unit 51 does not occur, and a situation in which the rotation of the blower fan 13 becomes unstable can be prevented.

The other advantages of the air conditioner of the present embodiment, such as the advantage of being able to preferentially operate either the air cleaning function or the air conditioning function, are the same as those of the air conditioner of the first embodiment.

In addition, in the above-described control of the compressor 41 by the controller 31, the compressor 41 may be stopped instead of decreasing the rotation speed. However, in this case, it takes time to restart the compressor 41 .

[Example of realization by software]
The controller 31 of the air conditioner may be implemented by a logic circuit (hardware) formed in an integrated circuit (IC chip) or the like, or may be implemented by software.

In the latter case, the air conditioner is equipped with a computer that executes instructions of a program, which is software that implements each function. This computer includes, for example, at least one processor (control device) and at least one computer-readable recording medium storing the program. In the computer, the processor reads the program from the recording medium and executes it, thereby achieving the object of the present invention. As the processor, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) can be used. As the recording medium, a "non-temporary tangible medium" such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), a tape, a disk, a card, a semiconductor memory, a programmable logic circuit, or the like can be used. In addition, a RAM (Random Access Memory) for developing the above program may be further provided. Also, the program may be supplied to the computer via any transmission medium (communication network, broadcast wave, etc.) capable of transmitting the program. Note that one aspect of the present invention can also be implemented in the form of a data signal embedded in a carrier wave in which the program is embodied by electronic transmission.

〔summary〕
An air conditioner according to aspect 1 of the present invention is an air conditioner that operates in an air conditioning mode for setting the air temperature to a set temperature and an air cleaning mode for purifying the air as operation modes, and comprises indoor units 1, 51 to 53 are provided with first and second air intakes 11 and 12, an air outlet 17, a blower (blower fan 13, blower motor 35) for blowing air from the outlet 17, and the first inlet. A first filter 15 provided in the flow path of air sucked from 11, and a second filter 15 provided in the flow path of air sucked from the second suction port 12 and having a greater airflow resistance than the first filter 15. A filter 16, an opening/closing member (damper 18) for opening and closing the first suction port 11, a driving portion (damper driving motor 33) for the opening/closing member, and the opening/closing member being opened in the air conditioning mode to clean the air. In the mode, the opening/closing member is closed, and in switching from the air purification mode to the air conditioning mode, the opening/closing member is opened after the fan stops or after the rotation speed of the fan decreases. and a control unit 31 for controlling the blower and the driving unit so that the blower restarts rotation or the rotation speed of the blower increases.

In the air conditioner according to aspect 2 of the present invention, in aspect 1, the control unit 31 rotates the blower (blower fan 13, blower motor 35) by switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode. When the opening operation of the opening/closing member (damper 18) starts after the opening operation of the opening/closing member (damper 18) is lowered, and the rotation speed of the blower increases after that, the rotation speed of the blower increases before the opening operation of the opening/closing member is completed. The blower and the drive section (damper drive motor 33) may be controlled so as to complete the ascent.

An air conditioner according to aspect 3 of the present invention, in aspect 1 or 2, includes a compressor 41 that is incorporated in the refrigeration cycle and operates in the air cleaning mode and the air conditioning mode, and the control unit 31 includes the When the air cleaning mode is switched to the air conditioning mode, the number of rotations of the blower (blower fan 13, blower motor 35) decreases, the opening/closing member (damper 18) opens, and then the number of rotations of the blower increases. increases, the rotation speed of the compressor 41 decreases before the rotation speed of the blower decreases, and the rotation speed of the compressor 41 increases after the rotation speed of the blower increases. The compressor 41 may be controlled in addition to the blower and the drive unit (damper drive motor 33).

In the air conditioner according to aspect 4 of the present invention, in aspect 1, the control unit 31 stops the blower (blower fan 13, blower motor 35) when switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode. or after the rotation speed of the blower has decreased, the opening/closing member (damper 18) closes, and then the rotation of the blower is resumed or the rotation speed of the blower increases. (damper drive motor 33).

In the air conditioner according to aspect 5 of the present invention, in aspect 3, the control unit 31 rotates the blower (blower fan 13, blower motor 35) by switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode. When the opening/closing member (damper 18) closes after the number of compressors 41 decreases and the rotation speed of the blower increases after that, the rotation speed of the compressor 41 decreases before the rotation speed of the blower decreases. Also, the compressor 41 may be controlled in addition to the blower and the driving section such that the rotation speed of the compressor 41 is increased after the rotation speed of the blower is increased.

The control unit 31 according to each aspect of the present invention may be implemented by a computer. In this case, the computer is operated as each unit (software element) included in the air conditioner, so that the air conditioner can be controlled by the computer. A computer-readable recording medium recording the program for an air conditioner that is realized by a computer program is also included in the scope of the present invention.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims, and can be obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. is also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, new technical features can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment.

Reference Signs List 1, 51, 52, 53 indoor unit 2 indoor unit main body 3 baffle plate 4 outdoor unit 11 first suction port 12 second suction port 13 blower fan (blower)
14 heat exchanger 15 first filter 16 second filter 17 outlet 18 damper (opening/closing member)
31 control section 32 air conditioning section 33 damper driving motor (driving section)
34 Baffle plate drive motor 35 Blower motor (blower)
36 receiver 37 remote controller 38 storage

Claims (7)

a main body having an air outlet and an air flow path for guiding the sucked air to the outlet;
a blower that blows air from the outlet;
a second filter provided in the air flow path;
an air conditioning mode in which the air that has passed through the second filter is blown out from the outlet in a state where the air flow resistance of the air flow path is smaller than that in the case of blowing out the air from the outlet, and the air that has passed through the second filter. A control unit that switches between an air cleaning mode that blows out from the outlet,
with
In switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode, the control unit controls the air blower so that the air conditioning mode is switched to after the air blower stops or after the number of rotations of the air blower decreases. Air conditioner. Further comprising a first filter provided in the air flow path,
2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein in said air conditioning mode, said controller causes the air that has passed through said first filter to blow out from said outlet. Further, the control unit causes the blower to restart rotation or increase the rotation of the blower after shifting to the air conditioning mode by switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, which controls. A compressor that is incorporated in a refrigeration cycle and operates in the air cleaning mode and the air conditioning mode,
The control unit reduces the rotation speed of the blower when the rotation speed of the blower is increased after the rotation speed of the blower is decreased by switching from the air cleaning mode to the air conditioning mode. 4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the blower and the compressor are controlled so that the rotation speed of the compressor decreases before the rotation speed of the blower increases, and then the rotation speed of the compressor increases. machine. In switching from the air conditioning mode to the air purifying mode, the control unit controls the blower so that the mode is switched to the air purifying mode after the blower has stopped or after the number of rotations of the blower has decreased. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Furthermore, the control unit causes the blower to resume rotation or to increase the rotation of the blower after shifting to the air conditioning mode by switching from the air conditioning mode to the air cleaning mode. The air conditioner according to claim 5, which controls. A compressor that is incorporated in a refrigeration cycle and operates in the air cleaning mode and the air conditioning mode,
When switching from the air conditioning mode to the air purification mode, the rotation speed of the blower decreases, the control unit shifts to the air purification mode, and then the rotation speed of the blower increases. The blower and the compressor are controlled such that the rotation speed of the compressor decreases before the rotation speed of the blower decreases, and the rotation speed of the compressor increases after the rotation speed of the blower increases. Item 7. The air conditioner according to item 6.

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