JP3220402B2 - Vehicle 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 for a vehicle, and more particularly to controlling the air conditioner based on a heat flow from a seated person to a vehicle seat or from a vehicle seat to a seated person. The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a vehicle air conditioner, as shown in FIG. 8, a control device 1 controls a set target temperature Tz of a temperature setter 2 and an inside air temperature (ambient temperature) T of an inside air temperature sensor 3.
i, and the mixing door 5 is controlled via the actuator 4 so that the two become equal, and the mixing of the cool air sent from the evaporator (evaporator) 6 of the refrigerator and the warm air by the heater core 7 is performed. The air-conditioning air is blown into the vehicle cabin through the upper outlet 8 or the lower outlet 9 by adjusting the ratio. In practice, corrections such as control of the mix door 5 and adjustment of the direction of the upper outlet 8 or the lower outlet 9 are made according to the magnitude of the outside air temperature Ta of the outside air temperature sensor 10 and the sunlight temperature Ts of the sunlight sensor 11. So that
In addition to the ambient temperature Ti, the outside air temperature Ta and the solar radiation temperature T
Control based on the three measured temperatures of s is performed. The upper outlet 8 and the lower outlet 9 are set to an upper (face) outlet mode or a lower (foot) outlet mode via the actuator 12 by the control device 1.
As described above, in the vehicle air conditioner, the normal control based on the input temperature of the inside air temperature sensor 3 and the like is performed.

[0003]

However, even when the ambient temperature Ti approaches a steady state, the body temperature of the occupant becomes a steady state as shown in FIG. It takes time. The time difference T depends on the temperature of the vehicle seat (hereinafter, referred to as a seat) as well as the state of clothing and activity of the exerciser. In a conventional vehicle air conditioner, for example, an occupant sits down immediately after exercise, sits in relatively thick clothes, sits in a situation with insolation, or sits down wearing dark clothing. The crew's own heat and cold conditions,
There is a drawback that air conditioning cannot be performed according to the condition of the seat, such as when the seat is cold in winter or when the seat is hot due to solar radiation. In addition, for example, when driving while sitting on a seat immediately after exercising in winter, rapid heating is performed by an air conditioner, and the heat of the occupants is encouraged, or the room is cooled in summer. If you stay in a seat for a long time and your body is cold and you drive while sitting on a seat, the air conditioning system will perform rapid cooling and the occupant's cold will be encouraged. Did not always match. In addition, when the seat is hot in summer, or even in good weather or in winter, when the cabin warms up and the temperature of the contact surface between the occupant and the seat increases, the back and buttocks of the occupant are sweaty and uncomfortable. In some cases, a so-called "humid state" may occur. However, in the conventional vehicle air conditioner, it was not possible to perform control to quickly eliminate the uncomfortable state.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the conventional problems, and performs air conditioning that matches the occupant's own sense of heat and cold, and also eliminates the humid feeling of the occupant. It is intended to provide a harmony device.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner for a vehicle , wherein a heating / heating device is provided inside a vehicle seat.
A cooling means is provided, and a heat flow sensor measures a heat flow rate flowing from the seated person to the vehicle seat or from the vehicle seat to the seated person, and controls the vehicle air conditioner according to the measured amount. It is characterized by the following.

[0006] The vehicle air conditioner according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the heat flow sensor is incorporated into the interior of the vehicle seat relatively on the surface side.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle air conditioner, the heating / cooling means includes a Peltier element .
It is composed of the seat heater and cooler used
To, is characterized in that so as to control the sheet heater cooler on the basis of the output of the heat flow sensor.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, portions common to the conventional example will be described using the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an air conditioner for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. The air conditioner for a vehicle has a temperature setting device 2 for setting an ambient temperature in the vehicle.
The internal temperature sensor 3 for measuring the ambient temperature, the external temperature sensor 10 for measuring the external temperature, the solar radiation sensor 11 for measuring the solar temperature, and the actuator 4 based on the temperature data of the internal temperature sensor 3 and the like. A mixing door 5 for adjusting the mixing ratio of the cool air sent from the evaporator 6 of the refrigerator and the warm air by the heater core 7, and a control device for controlling the upper outlet 8 and the lower outlet 9 via the actuator 12. 1 is provided. A heat flow sensor 14 for measuring the flow of heat between a seated occupant (occupant) and the seat 13 is disposed relatively on the inside of the seat 13. Is the sheet 1
3 is provided with a seat heater / cooler 15 composed of a Peltier element for heating or cooling 3 . The other portion inside the vehicle seat (seat) 13 is filled with a cushion material 17 made of a material having good heat conductivity. An air-cooled heat exchanger 18 and a fan 19 for discharging unnecessary heat and cool air generated during operation of the seat heater / cooler 15 to the outside of the passenger compartment of the seat 13 on the side opposite to the occupant side (the back side of the seat). And are provided.
As shown in FIG. 2, the heat flow sensor 14 includes CA (chromel-alumel) thermocouples 21a and 21 on the front surface 20a and the back surface 20b of the thin substrate 20 having a small thermal conductivity, respectively.
b, a temperature difference ΔT between the temperature of the front surface 20a and the temperature of the back surface 20b of the substrate 20 is calculated from the difference between the output voltages of the thermocouple 21a and the thermocouple 21b, and the heat flow Q flowing through the substrate 20 is obtained. Things. In addition, assuming that the heat conductivity of the substrate 20 is λ and the thickness of the substrate is d, Q = (λ / d)
-It is determined by ΔT. In addition, the said thermocouple is said C
The thermocouple is not limited to the A thermocouple, but may be a thermocouple having a large thermoelectromotive force near room temperature, for example, a CC (copper-constantan) thermocouple or an FC (iron-constantan) thermocouple.

Next, the operation of the vehicle air conditioner having the above structure will be described. In the normal control in the vehicle air conditioner, the control device 1 compares the set target temperature Tz of the temperature setter 2 with the inside air temperature Ti of the inside air temperature sensor 3 and mixes the two via the actuator 4 so that both become equal. The door 5 is controlled to adjust the mixing ratio of the cool air sent from the evaporator 6 of the refrigerator and the warm air from the heater core 7 so that the conditioned air is supplied to the vehicle through the upper outlet 8 or the lower outlet 9. It blows out indoors. Further, the opening / closing degree of the mix door 5 is adjusted according to the magnitude of the outside air temperature Ta of the outside air temperature sensor 10 and the sunlight temperature Ts of the sunlight sensor 11 and the magnitude and direction of the heat flow Q of the heat flow sensor 14, and the seat heater / cooler 15. , And correction control such as adjustment of the direction of the upper outlet 8 or the lower outlet 9. The seat heater / cooler 15
Switches the direction of the voltage applied to the Peltier element under the control of the control device 1 to heat the seat 13 with the occupant side of the seat 13 as the heat dissipation side of the Peltier element or to control the occupant side of the seat 13 The cooling can be performed as the heat absorbing portion side of the Peltier element. Unnecessary cool air or heat generated on the back side of the Peltier element sheet 13 at that time is removed by the air-cooled heat exchanger 18.
And is discharged outside the vehicle compartment by the fan 19.

Next, the control method of the control device 1 based on the magnitude and direction of the heat flow rate Q of the heat flow rate sensor 14 will be described in detail. First, as shown in FIG. 3, the occupant M is detected by a heat flow sensor 14 disposed relatively on the inside of the seat 13 in order to grasp the condition of heat and cold of the occupant himself.
Or the seat surface with which the occupant M is in contact ([A] in the figure)
A heat flow (heat flow rate) between the air and the air in the vehicle cabin ([B] in the figure) in contact with the seat or the back of the seat is measured. At that time, from the occupant M to the seat 13 (A → B)
Alternatively, the appropriate heat flow rate flowing from the seat 13 in the direction of the occupant M (B → A) differs depending on the amount of clothing of the occupant M, the color and material of the garment, the amount of activity of the occupant M, or the amount of solar radiation. For example, when the occupant M has a large amount of clothes, the heat release from the occupant M is small, and therefore, as shown in FIG. When the amount of activity in the driving state of the occupant M is large, the body temperature of the occupant M is high, and therefore, as shown in FIG. . Further, when the amount of solar radiation hitting the occupant M is large, the temperature of the occupant M also increases, so that the heat flow from the occupant M toward the seat 13 increases as shown in FIG. Even if the amount of solar radiation is constant, if the clothing of the occupant M is darkish, the temperature of the garment is significantly increased due to the insolation, and as shown in FIG. Becomes larger. Similarly, even when the occupant M is thick, the heat flow from the occupant M to the seat 13 increases. Therefore, the average amount of clothing of the seated person is estimated from the outside air temperature Ta measured by the outside air temperature sensor 10, and the driving of the car is considered to be an activity amount of light work, and the ambient temperature is Ti and corresponds to the outside air temperature Ta. From the seated person M in the normal activity state with the amount of clothes, the direction of the seat 13 (A → B)
Alternatively, a reference heat flow rate Fo, which is an appropriate heat flow rate flowing from the seat 13 in the direction of the occupant M (B → A), is experimentally set as shown below. First, the occupant's clothing amount corresponding to the outside temperature Ta is determined. Next, the occupant wearing the above-mentioned amount of clothes is seated on the seat 13 provided with the heat flow sensor 14, and the occupant M
From the seat 13 (A → B) or from the seat 13 to the occupant M (B → A). Then, the standard heat flow rate Fo of the seated person M in the standard clothing state and the standard exercise state is determined. And, as described below,
From the occupant M to the seat 13 (A → B) or the seat 1
When the temporal change of the heat flow rate F flowing from 3 to the occupant M direction (B → A) is small, the steady state is set. When the temporal change of the heat flow rate F is large, the target set temperature Tz is changed. Further, when the heat flow rate F exceeds the standard heat flow rate Fo, the temperature of the seat heater / cooler 15 is controlled so that the temperature of the occupant side of the seat 13 is made appropriate.

When the occupant is seated on the seat 13, the temperature of the contact surface between the occupant M and the seat 13 rises, and the occupant sweats and becomes uncomfortable, that is, a so-called "humid feeling" occurs. . This is because, for example, the temperature of the seat 13 is high mainly in the summer, and heat flows from the vehicle seat in the direction of the occupant (B → A). Therefore, as shown in FIG. Initially, she feels a lot of stuffiness and becomes uncomfortable. This state continues until the cooling in the vehicle proceeds, the temperature of the seat 13 decreases, and the heat flow from the seat 13 to the occupant M decreases. In the present embodiment, the stuffing reference heat flow rate Fm determined by the temperature of the sheet 13 and the material and shape of the sheet 13 is set, and when the temperature of the sheet 13 is high, the controller 1 The cooler 15 is used as a cooler to control the temperature of the seat 13 so as to quickly eliminate the stuffy feeling of the occupant M. In addition, the temperature of the sheet 13 is set to the normal temperature (25
℃), heat is applied from the occupant M to the seat 13 (A →
6B, the temperature of the contact portion (back and buttocks) between the occupant M and the seat 13 rises with time, as shown in FIG. 6B, so that the occupant M feels stuffy. Become uncomfortable. Therefore, also in this case, when the heat flow rate F flowing from the occupant M in the direction of the seat 13 exceeds the stuffing reference heat flow rate Fm, the temperature of the seat 13 is reduced by using the seat heater / cooler 15 as a cooling device, Control is performed so as to quickly eliminate the occupant's feeling of stuffiness. In addition, when the temperature of the seat 13 is low mainly in winter and heat flows from the seated person in the vehicle seat direction (A → B), FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, since the stuffy reference heat flow rate Fm is high, the occupant does not usually feel a stuffy feeling.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for controlling the vehicle air conditioner based on the magnitude and direction of the heat flow rate Q of the heat flow rate sensor 14 using the above-mentioned standard heat flow rate Fo and the stuffy reference heat flow rate Fm. It is shown. First, the control device 1 of the vehicle air conditioner compares the set target temperature Tz of the temperature setter 2 with the ambient temperature Ti of the internal temperature sensor 3 (step S71). If the ambient temperature Ti has reached the set target temperature Tz, the heat flow rate F
Is compared with a predetermined reference heat flow rate k (step S72). Here, if ΔF> k, during heating, the seat M is deprived of heat by the seat 13, so the control device 1 increases the heating of the seat heater / cooler 15 and raises the set target temperature Tz. In the case of cooling, the supply of heat from the hot seat 13 to the occupant M is large, so that the control device 1 strengthens the cooling of the seat heater / cooler 15, Control is performed such that the set target temperature Tz is lowered to lower the temperature in the vehicle interior (step S73; target temperature change 1). If ΔF ≦ k, the occupant M and the seat 13
The heat flow during this period is regarded as a steady state, and the heat flow rate F at this time is compared with the standard heat flow rate Fo (step S).
74). Here, if F> Fo and F <Fm, the value of the heat flow flowing from the occupant M in the direction of the seat 13 (A → B) is large, and the occupant M is deprived of heat by the seat 13. Since the temperature between the occupant M and the seat 13 is not high, the control device 1 controls to increase the temperature of the seat heater / cooler 15 to increase the heat flow rate F. Also, F
> Fo and F> Fm, the seat 13 to the occupant M
The value of the heat flow flowing in the direction (B → A) is large, and the occupant M
Is supplied with heat from the seat 13 and the temperature between the occupant M and the seat 13 is high, and the occupant M feels stuffy and is uncomfortable, so the control device 1 lowers the temperature of the seat 13 Then, control is performed to reduce the heat flow rate F (step S75; target temperature change 2). Also, F ≦
If Fo, the interior of the vehicle is approaching a steady state,
The normal control described above is continued (step S76). In step S71, even when the ambient temperature Ti has not reached the set target temperature Tz, the time change Δ
F is compared with a predetermined reference heat flow rate k (step S7).
7). If ΔF ≦ k, the heat flow between the occupant and the vehicle seat is regarded as a steady state, and the heat flow rate F
And the standard heat flow rate Fo is compared, and the control in step S75 or S76 is performed. If ΔF> k, it is determined that the flow of heat between the occupant and the vehicle seat is not stable because the temperature in the passenger compartment is not yet in a steady state, and the ambient temperature Ti is set to the set target temperature Tz. Until the normal control is reached, the normal control is continued (step S76).

As described above, according to this embodiment, the heat flow rate of heat flowing between the vehicle seat and the direction of the occupant is measured by incorporating the heat sensor in the vehicle seat relatively on the surface side. In addition to controlling the vehicle air conditioner according to the amount, a seat heater / cooler constituted by a Peltier element is disposed inside the seat, and the measured heat flow rate, the standard heat flow rate Fo, and the heat Reference heat flow F
m, the seat heater / cooler is controlled based on the difference between the seat and the vehicle seat, so that the flow of heat between the occupant and the vehicle seat can be grasped, and therefore air conditioning that matches the occupant's own sense of heat and cold is performed. And the occupant's feeling of stuffiness can be eliminated. As shown in FIG. 1, the heat flow rate of heat flowing between the vehicle seat and the occupant direction is determined by the heat flow rate sensor 1 installed on the backrest of the seat.
4a and a heat flow sensor 14b installed on the stool.
The heat flow sensor 14a is installed inside the backrest portion and inside the seat portion of the seat.
4b, the temperature in the passenger compartment, the blowing direction of the conditioned air, the seat heater cooler 15
a. It goes without saying that the seat heater / cooler 15b can be controlled. When the vehicle air conditioner is capable of controlling the temperature independently of the driver's seat, the passenger's seat, the rear seat, and the like, optimal air conditioning is performed for each occupant by the heat flow sensors provided in each seat. be able to. Further, if a seat heater / cooler is installed in each of the above seats, more comfortable air conditioning can be performed.

[0015]

As described above, according to the air conditioner for a vehicle according to the first aspect, the inside of the vehicle seat is added.
In addition to providing heat / cooling means, a heat flow sensor
The heat flow from the seated person to the vehicle seat or from the vehicle seat to the seated person is measured, and the air conditioner for the vehicle is controlled according to the measured amount. Therefore, it is possible to perform air conditioning that matches the occupant's own feeling of heat and cold. According to the air conditioner for a vehicle according to the second aspect, the heat flow sensor is incorporated on the relatively surface side inside the vehicle seat, so that the heat flow between the occupant and the vehicle seat can be accurately measured. Ru can be grasped.

According to the vehicle air conditioner of the present invention, the heating / cooling means is constituted by a sheet heater / cooler using a Peltier element and the output of the heat flow sensor is controlled. Since the seat heater / cooler is controlled based on the above, the temperature of the seat can be adjusted accurately as well as the temperature of the passenger compartment, so the air conditioning that matches the sense of heat and cold of the occupant is more reliable. And the occupant's feeling of stuffiness can be eliminated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a heat flow sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a heat flow according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing changes in ambient temperature and body temperature during cooling according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relationship between a clothing amount and a heat flow rate according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a relationship between solar radiation and heat flow according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between a feeling of stuffiness and a heat flow rate according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a control method of the vehicle air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a conventional vehicle air conditioner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 control device 2 temperature setting device 3 internal temperature sensor 4, 12 actuator 5 mix door 6 evaporator (evaporator) 7 heater core 8 upper outlet 9 lower outlet 10 outside temperature sensor 11 solar radiation sensor 13 vehicle seat (seat) 14 heat Flow sensor 15 Seat heater / cooler 16 Seat cover 17 Cushion material 18 Air-cooled heat exchanger 19 Fan 20 Substrate 21 CA thermocouple

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-2-193709 (JP, A) JP-A-7-9837 (JP, A) JP-A-61-113511 (JP, A) JP-A-7-79839 (JP, A) , A) Japanese Utility Model Application Hei 5-26529 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Application Hei 7-24159 (JP, U) (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B60H 1/32 A47C 7/74 B60H 1/22

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A heating / cooling means is provided inside a vehicle seat.
In addition, the heat flow sensor measures a heat flow rate flowing from the seated person to the vehicle seat or from the vehicle seat to the seated person, and controls the vehicle air conditioner according to the measured amount. An air conditioner for a vehicle, comprising: 2. The air conditioner for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the heat flow sensor is incorporated into the interior of the vehicle seat relatively on the surface side. 3. The heating / cooling means uses a Peltier element .
Tomo When configured by a sheet heater, cooler, which had
, The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein it has to control the seat heater cooler on the basis of the output of the heat flow sensor.