JP3118372B2 - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner capable of controlling hot water supply such as floor heating and hot water supply into a bathtub of a bathroom by using an attached remote controller.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional air conditioner exchanges heat with a refrigerant, for example, in a heating mode, a cooling mode, or the like.
It is possible to operate in each mode such as a dry mode and an automatic operation mode in which a set temperature is compared with a room temperature at the start of operation to automatically select one of a heating mode and a cooling mode. The air conditioner can be air-conditioned by performing an operation such as changing the number using an attached remote controller.

On the other hand, for example, as a means for adjusting the indoor temperature, a floor heating device using an indoor hot water supply facility has recently been used. This floor heating device is composed of piping arranged under the floor in the room, a boiler installed outside the room to circulate hot water in the piping, and a hot water supply control unit for operating the boiler from inside the room. Have been.

[0004]

Therefore, when adjusting the temperature of a room to a desired room temperature by a conventional air conditioner and a floor heating device, the air conditioner and the floor heating device are individually controlled by a remote controller and a hot water supply controller. It will be operated by the department. At this time, if there is a remote control for each, the operator may be confused or may have to operate each remote control alternately to obtain an appropriate temperature, which may complicate the operation. There was a disadvantage that it was bad.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner having improved operability by enabling control of a boiler of a hot water supply facility by using an attached remote controller.

[0006]

An air conditioner according to a first aspect of the present invention is an air conditioner which can be remotely operated by a remote controller to air-condition a room. An interface circuit for transmitting a hot water supply control signal to a hot water supply control unit to be controlled, and a signal for controlling the air conditioner itself based on an operation signal transmitted from the remote controller.
Signal for hot water supply control or hot water supply control
If it is determined that the signal, characterized in that the signal and a control unit that causes transmitted to the hot water supply control unit via the interface circuit.

[0007]

The operation of the air conditioner according to the first aspect will be described below.

[0008] A boiler of a hot water supply facility capable of producing hot water is connected to the air conditioner, and based on an operation signal from a remote controller, the control means determines whether the signal controls the air conditioner itself or a signal for hot water supply control. to decide. When the signal from the remote controller is a hot water supply control signal, the interface circuit transmits this signal to the hot water supply control unit.

Therefore, the air conditioner and the boiler can be remotely controlled by one remote control, and the operator is confused as compared with the case where each remote control is attached to the air conditioner and the boiler. The operation does not become complicated by alternately operating the respective remote controllers to achieve an appropriate temperature.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner (air conditioner) of the present embodiment includes an indoor unit 10 and an outdoor unit 12 each having a refrigerant circulation path for circulating a refrigerant. A remote controller 14 for transmitting an operation signal by infrared rays for remote operation is provided, and an operation signal transmitted from the remote controller 14 can be received by an optical sensor 76B, which will be described later, in the indoor unit 10. The machine controls the temperature, humidity, etc. of the room by air-conditioning the room. Note that the remote controller may be one that sends out operation signals by radio waves, or may be a wired remote controller.

A hot water supply control unit 40 for controlling a hot water supply boiler 50 installed outdoors is connected to the indoor unit 10 of the air conditioner by wiring.
The remote control 4 controls the start and stop of the operation of the boiler 50, the adjustment of the temperature of the generated hot water, and the like. Further, the hot water supply control unit 40 is connected to a flow rate variable valve 54 for adjusting the supply of hot water to a floor mat 52 connected to the boiler 50 by piping, and a bathtub in a bathroom connected to the boiler 50 by piping. Valve 58 for supplying and stopping the supply of hot water to 56
Is connected. The valve 58 is connected to the bathtub 5.
A built-in sensor (not shown) for detecting the water level in the device 6 is provided.

Accordingly, the hot water supply control unit 40 adjusts the opening of the variable flow rate valve 54 to circulate the hot water supplied from the boiler 50 into the floor mat 52 disposed below the floor in the room, The control for opening and closing 58 to supply hot water into the bathtub 56 is performed. In addition, 60 is a faucet connected to the pipe.

FIG. 2 shows a refrigerant circuit of the air conditioner controlled by the control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the figure,
26 is a compressor, 27 is a four-way valve, 28 is an outdoor heat exchanger provided in the outdoor unit 12, 30 is a capillary tube, 16 is an indoor heat exchanger provided in the indoor unit 10, 24 is an accumulator, These components are sequentially connected in a ring by a refrigerant pipe to form a refrigeration cycle. According to this air conditioner, when the four-way valve 27 is in the state of the solid line shown in the figure, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 26 flows as shown by the solid line arrow, the refrigerant is condensed in the outdoor heat exchanger 28, and The refrigerant evaporates in the heat exchanger 16 to cool the room. When the four-way valve 27 is in the state shown by the broken line in the figure, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 26 flows as shown by the broken line arrow, the refrigerant is condensed in the indoor heat exchanger 16, and the refrigerant is discharged in the outdoor heat exchanger 28. Evaporates to heat the room.

Reference numeral 112A denotes a fan motor constituting the outdoor fan, and 70E denotes a fan motor constituting the indoor fan, which blows air to the outdoor heat exchanger 28 and the indoor heat exchanger 16, respectively.

FIG. 3 shows an electric circuit of the indoor unit 10. The electric circuit includes a power supply board 70 and a control board 72. The power supply board 70 includes a drive circuit 70A to which a fan motor 70E for adjusting the amount of air supplied to the room is connected, a motor power supply circuit 70B for generating electric power for driving various motors, and electric power for a control circuit. A control circuit power supply circuit 70C and a serial circuit power supply circuit 70D that generates power for a serial circuit are provided.

The control board 72 is provided with a serial circuit 72A connected to a serial circuit power supply circuit 70D, a driving circuit 72B for driving a motor, and a microcomputer 72C as a control circuit. The drive circuit 72B includes a vertical flap motor 74A for moving the flap up and down, a left and right flap motor 74B,
74C, and a floor sensor motor 74D that rotationally drives a floor sensor that detects the temperature of the floor surface in order to detect the temperature of the entire floor surface.

The microcomputer 72C includes a display board 76.
Are connected to a display LED for displaying an operation mode and the like, an optical sensor 76B for receiving an infrared operation signal from the remote controller 14, and a receiving circuit 76A for receiving an operation signal received by the optical sensor 76B. The microcomputer 72C as the control means determines whether to control the air conditioner itself or to control the hot water supply. Further, the microcomputer 72
A serial circuit (interface circuit) connected to C is connected to an area LED for displaying a temperature detection area on the floor provided on the sensor board 78 and a floor sensor, and also connected to the hot water supply controller 40 via a terminal. 73 is connected.

If the microcomputer 72C determines that the signal is for hot water supply control, the terminal of the serial circuit 73
A signal is transmitted to hot water supply control unit 40 via. For example, when floor heating operation is performed (valid only when the floor heating mode is set), strong floor heating, medium floor heating, and weak floor heating are selected according to the temperature of the floor sensor. hand,
A signal is sent to hot water supply control unit 40.

The hot water supply controller 40 changes the opening of the variable flow rate valve 54 to cope with strong, medium and weak floor heating. Further, when the operation of supplying hot water into the bathtub 56 of the bathroom is performed, the valve 5 is supplied so that the water level in the bathtub 56 detected by the sensor of the valve 58 becomes a predetermined water level.
8 is controlled to open and close.

The remote controller 14 operates not only the above-described hot water supply control operation but also other switches on the remote controller 14 to operate, for example, a heating mode, a cooling mode, a dry mode, and an automatic operation mode. , Change of set temperature, change of blow-out air volume, and driving of flap motors 74A, 74B, 74C to control the air conditioner such as change of flap angle.

Further, the microcomputer 72C is connected with a room temperature sensor 80A for detecting the room temperature, a temperature sensor 80B for the heat exchanger for detecting the temperature of the refrigerant coil of the indoor heat exchanger 16, and a humidity sensor 80C for detecting the indoor humidity. Along with
An LED for self-diagnosis provided on the switch board 82, an operation changeover switch for switching the operation mode between a heating mode, a cooling mode, a dry mode and an automatic operation mode, and a self-diagnosis switch are connected.

The operation changeover switch is provided with indications of "heating mode", "cooling mode", "dry mode" and "automatic operation mode", and the current switching state is provided on the display board 76. Is displayed by the display LED.

FIG. 4 shows an electric circuit of the outdoor unit 12, which includes a rectifier circuit 100 and a control board 102. The electric circuit of the outdoor unit 12 is connected to the electric circuit of the indoor unit 10 in FIG.

The control board 102 generates power for switching the serial circuit 102A connected to the serial circuit power supply circuit 70D of the indoor unit 10, the noise filters 102B, 102C, 120D for removing noise, and the inverter 104. A switching power supply circuit 102E and a microcomputer 102F as a control circuit are provided.

The switching power supply circuit 102E is connected to an inverter 104, and the inverter 104 is connected to the compressor 26 for compressing the refrigerant.

The microcomputer 102F has an outside air temperature thermistor 11 as an outside air temperature sensor for detecting the outside air temperature.
0A, a coil temperature thermistor 110 as a coil temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the refrigerant coil of the outdoor heat exchanger 28
B, a compressor temperature thermistor 110C as a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the compressor 26 is connected.

Further, a fan motor 112A and a fan motor condenser 112B for blowing air to the outdoor heat exchanger 28 are connected to the noise filter 102B. The fan motor 112A and the fan motor condenser 112B are connected in parallel with the compressor. A four-way valve 27 for changing the flow direction of the refrigerant discharged from 26 and a solenoid valve 29 are connected to the noise filter 102B, respectively.

Next, a control routine executed by the microcomputer 72C of the air conditioner of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In step 200, it is determined whether or not the operation signal from the remote controller 14 is for controlling the air conditioner.
If the air conditioner is to be controlled, the operation of the air conditioner is controlled in step 202 according to a signal from the remote controller 14. At this time, the microcomputer 72C sets the indoor unit 1
0, and the microcomputer 102F controls the outdoor unit 12 according to a control signal from the microcomputer 72C.
Control such as selection of a mode such as a heating mode, a cooling mode, a dry mode, and an automatic operation mode, a change of a set temperature, a change of a blowing air volume, and a change of a flap angle are performed.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the hot water supply control is selected instead of the air conditioner control, a control signal is sent to the hot water supply control unit 40 in step 204, and the boiler 50, the variable flow rate valve 54, and the valve 58 are operated. Controlled. In this case, for example, control of the start and stop of the boiler 50, control of the temperature of the hot water, control of the opening of the variable flow rate valve 54, and the like are performed.

As described above, the single remote controller 14 can remotely control the air conditioner and the boiler 50 of the floor heating device, respectively, as compared with the case where the remote controller is attached to the air conditioner and the boiler 50, respectively. Therefore, the operation does not become complicated because the operator is confused and the remote controllers are alternately operated to keep the room at an appropriate temperature.

[0033]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to control the boiler with a remote controller, thereby improving operability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a refrigerant circuit of the air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of an indoor unit of the air conditioner of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of an outdoor unit of the air conditioner of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 indoor unit 12 outdoor unit 14 remote controller 40 hot water supply control unit 50 boiler 54 variable flow rate valve 58 valve 72C microcomputer 73 serial circuit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F24F 11/02 104 F24D 17/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An air conditioner remotely controlled by a remote controller and capable of air-conditioning a room transmits a hot water supply control signal to a hot water supply control unit that controls floor heating using a boiler of a hot water supply facility and hot water supply into a bathtub. Interface circuit that operates, and the operation signal transmitted from the remote control is the air conditioner itself.
Whether the signal is for controlling the hot water supply or for hot water supply control
And, when it is determined that the signal of hot water supply control, the air conditioner characterized by comprising a control means for causing transmitted to the hot water supply control section this signal via the interface circuit.