JP3562893B2 - Automotive air conditioners - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an air conditioner that can automatically perform air conditioning, and more particularly to an air conditioner for a vehicle that has an operation panel and can perform control by manual setting by an occupant in addition to automatic control.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Currently, various sensors detect temperature changes in the cabin due to changes in the outside air temperature, the amount of solar radiation, etc., and once set to the desired temperature, the blow-out air temperature, blow-off air volume, Many air conditioners for automobiles having a function of automatically controlling the switching between the suction port and the outlet port by a control device such as a microcomputer are used (such an air conditioner is hereinafter referred to as an auto air conditioner).
In addition, even in the case of automatic air conditioners, generally, there is an operation panel that can manually input to the control device, and without manually using the automatic function, the air volume, the switching of the suction port and the air outlet can be manually selected arbitrarily However, it is possible to manually select only specific items while using the auto function.
[0003]
Such an operation panel of an auto air conditioner, in particular, a switch for switching an air outlet for sending air into a vehicle compartment can be roughly classified into two types. FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate operation panels using the respective switches.
[0004]
Here, only the switch for switching the outlet will be described, and other functions of the operation panel will be described later.
[0005]
In the operation panel 48 shown in FIG. 6, the switch 41, 42, 43, 44 of the outlet provided on the front of the panel corresponds to the mode of each outlet, and for example, the vent switch 41 is selected. Then, the operation panel communicates with the control device to switch the ventilation into the vehicle compartment to the vent mode, select the bi-level switch 42 to switch to the bi-level mode, and select the differential foot switch 43 to switch to the differential foot mode. , And the vehicle interior is air-conditioned in the foot mode by selecting the foot switch 44.
[0006]
Such switching of the switch is hereinafter referred to as an independent switching type.
[0007]
On the other hand, the operation panel 49 shown in FIG. 7 switches the air outlet with only the mode switch 40. For example, when the mode switch 40 is pressed first, the control of the outlet is switched from automatic control to manual control, and when pressed again, the outlet is switched in a preset order, such as vent → bi-level → foot → diff foot, and the blow is switched. Exit changes are made.
[0008]
Such switching of the switches is hereinafter referred to as a cyclic switching type.
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, at present, any one of the above two types of switches of the automatic air conditioner is adopted in accordance with the needs of the region where the switch is used.
[0010]
Therefore, for one type of auto air conditioner, a control device including a circuit and software suitable for each type of switch switching is required. For this reason, the number of types of parts of the auto air conditioner has increased, which has led to not only complicated management in manufacturing, but also disadvantageous in terms of manufacturing cost.
[0011]
The present invention has been made in order to achieve the above object, and in particular, provides an air conditioner for a vehicle including a control device capable of responding to an operation panel having any switch of an independent switching type and a circulation switching type. It is intended to provide.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The vehicle air conditioner of the present invention has a plurality of air conditioning modes that are air conditioning setting conditions, and a control device that switches the air conditioning mode so as to maintain the air conditioning state in the vehicle compartment at the set air conditioning mode; and In the vehicle air conditioner having an operation unit that communicates with the device and that can manually set the desired air conditioning mode in the control device, a selecting unit that selects the air conditioning mode, A communication data section having a cyclic address for storing data for sequentially setting the selecting means in a predetermined order together with an independent address for storing the corresponding data on a one-to-one basis; Selection means for determining whether to use the communication with the communication unit.
[0013]
With the above-described configuration, the control device can correspond to either a configuration in which the selection unit of the operation unit selects the outlet independently or a configuration in which the selection unit is sequentially switched.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an automatic air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0015]
The automatic air conditioner according to the present invention roughly includes an air adjustment execution unit 47, a control unit 46, and an operation panel 49. As described above, the operation panel includes the operation panel 48 having the switch of the independent switching type and the operation panel 49 having the switch of the circulation switching type. The automatic air conditioner according to the present embodiment can be applied to any of these types. FIG. 1 shows a configuration using an operation panel 49 having a circulation switching type switch.
[0016]
First, the air adjustment execution unit 47 includes an intake port 1 for introducing outside air, an intake port 2 for introducing inside air in the vehicle cabin, an intake door 10 for adjusting the amount of air introduced into them, Blower unit 7, an evaporator 5 for cooling the air introduced therein, a heater core 6 for heating the air introduced therein, and an amount of air to be warmed through the heater core 6 and an amount of air to be bypassed. An air mix door 9 to be adjusted; a vent door 3 for blowing conditioned air into the vehicle cabin from each air outlet provided at each position in the vehicle cabin in accordance with a selected mode; a foot door 8; And a differential door 4 for controlling the vehicle speed, and is incorporated in the front part of the vehicle.
[0017]
Each of the doors is configured to be freely openable and closable. The intake door 10 is driven by an intake door actuator 52, the air mix door 9 is driven by an air mix door actuator 53, and the vent door 3, the differential door 4, and the foot door 8 are shifted. Each is driven by an actuator 54. The blower unit 7 is rotated by the fan control circuit 51.
[0018]
Each of the actuators 52, 53, and 54 and the fan control circuit 51 communicate with the control unit 46, and are driven to realize the opening of the door and the rotation speed of the fan according to the instruction of the control unit 46.
[0019]
The controller 46 mainly includes an outside air temperature sensor 26 for detecting the outside air temperature, an inside air sensor 24 for detecting the temperature in the vehicle interior, a solar radiation sensor 25 for detecting the amount of solar radiation entering the vehicle interior, and engine cooling water flowing into the heater core 6. The control device 20 includes a sensor such as a water temperature sensor (not shown) for detecting a temperature, and a control device 20 for controlling the interior of the vehicle to be in an air-conditioning state set by an operation panel based on information detected by each sensor.
[0020]
In particular, the display switch communication processing device 70 is a main part of the operation unit 49, has a microcontroller 71 inside, and is connected to the selector switch 22. The selector switch 22 communicates between the operation panel and the microcontroller 21 according to whether the operation panel used for the automatic air conditioner is an operation panel 48 having an independent switching type switch or an operation panel 49 having a circulation switching type switch. The communication format of the microcontroller 71 to be performed is switched to enable communication with any operation panel.
[0021]
In the present embodiment, for example, an operation panel 49 having a circulation switching type switch as shown in the figure is used as the operation panel, and when the operation of the auto air conditioner is automatically controlled, a desired temperature is set. In performing the control, communication with the control device 20 is performed by inputting a desired setting of the air-conditioning state.
[0022]
The operation panel 49 includes a switch group for setting an air-conditioning mode and a display unit 30 for displaying the set air-conditioning state to an occupant.
[0023]
Among the switch groups, the main switch in the present embodiment is the mode switch 40. On the operation panel 49, every time the mode switch 40 is pressed, the air outlet to the vehicle interior is switched in a predetermined order. Switch to click.
[0024]
Hereinafter, the function of the mode switch 40 will be described.
[0025]
For example, by pressing the mode switch 40 first, the operation of the auto air conditioner is controlled from the air temperature and the air outlet mode obtained from the temperature calculated by the occupant and the result calculated from the data from each sensor. When the mode is switched to the mode selected by the occupant, and then the mode switch 40 is pressed, the air outlet of the vehicle interior is set to the vent mode, and the conditioned air flows from the vent outlet to the occupant substantially above the chest. Squirt into position. When the mode switch 40 is pressed, the air outlet into the vehicle compartment is switched from the vent mode to the bi-level mode, and the adjusted air is blown out above and to the feet of the occupant. Next, when the mode switch 40 is pressed, the air outlet into the vehicle compartment is switched from the bi-level mode to the foot mode, and the adjusted air is blown to the feet of the occupant. Next, when the mode switch 40 is pressed, the outlet of the air into the vehicle compartment is switched from the foot mode to the differential foot mode, and the adjusted air is blown to the feet of the occupant, and warm air is blown out of the defroster to fog the window glass. Is removed.
[0026]
When the mode switch 40 is further pressed, the mode of the outlet returns to the vent mode again, and the mode switching is repeated in the order described above.
[0027]
The switching order of the mode of the air outlets can be changed as appropriate, but in the present embodiment, the feeling by switching the outlet mode is changed so as not to cause discomfort to the occupant immediately after the switching of the outlets. The order is assumed to be small.
[0028]
Other main switches of the mode switch 40 include an auto switch 35 for selecting whether or not the operation of the auto air conditioner is performed by automatic control, a defroster switch 36 for preventing fogging, and introducing outside air into the vehicle interior. Or an outside air introduction switch 37 and an inside air circulation switch 38 for selecting whether to circulate the inside air in the vehicle, a fan control switch 39 for specifying a rotation speed of a fan of the blower unit 7, and the like. The air conditioning state in the passenger compartment selected and set by such a switch is displayed on the display unit 30 and visually recognized by the occupant.
[0029]
Items displayed on the display unit 30 include a fan speed display 31 for displaying the speed of the fan, an automatic display 35 for indicating that the air conditioning control is being performed automatically, a temperature display 33 for displaying a set temperature in the passenger compartment, and a mode. A mode display 32 that indicates whether the mode set by the switch 40 is a vent mode, a bi-level mode, a differential foot mode, or a foot mode.
[0030]
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a circuit configured by the selector switch 22 in the display switch communication processing device 70 according to the present embodiment.
[0031]
The selector switch 22 is a switch that switches the communication format of the microcontroller 71 depending on whether the switch on the operation panel is an independent switching type or a cyclic switching type, and is a resistor configured by resistors 23a and 23b. The resistance value of the resistor 23a and the resistor 23b may be set to a ratio of about 10: 1. In the present embodiment, the resistance 23a is set to 4.7 kΩ and the resistance 23b is set to 47 kΩ. With this configuration, when the resistor 23a is inserted, a high voltage is output to VDD, and this is used as a Hi signal. In addition, if the resistor 23a is removed, the output of the voltage to the VDD side is lost, and this is set as a Low signal.
[0032]
In the present embodiment, the communication format is switched by appropriately assigning Hi and Low of VDD of the selector switch 22 to either of two types of operation panels, that is, one of an independent switching type switch and a cyclic switching type switch. Is what you do.
[0033]
Switching of the selector switch 22 is determined at the time of manufacture according to the type of the operation panel.
[0034]
Next, this communication format will be described.
[0035]
FIG. 3 is a diagram extracted from the data stored in the microcomputer 71 of the present embodiment, particularly the correspondence between the changeover switch of each outlet and its address, and FIG. 4 is for comparison with FIG. It is the figure extracted about the correspondence of the conventional changeover switch of each outlet and its address.
[0036]
As shown in FIG. 4, in the conventional communication format, data indicating that the switch of each outlet mode is ON or OFF (this data is actually a numerical value of 1 or 0). It was stored corresponding to the address.
[0037]
Therefore, when the operation panel is the operation panel 48 having the switch of the independent switching type, the data of the address corresponding to each outlet mode switch is switched by ON / OFF of the switch of the operation panel 48, and the information is transmitted to the control device. Was reported. However, when the operation panel 49 having the cyclic switching type switch is used, for example, among the mode switches, addresses for storing data of the differential foot mode switch are allocated and used so as to correspond to the mode switch. Was.
[0038]
As described above, depending on whether the type of the operation panel is the operation panel 48 having the switch of the independent switching type or the operation panel 49 having the switch of the circulation switching type, the communication format incorporated in the control device 20 and the display switch communication processing device 70 is changed. I was using a different one.
[0039]
On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the vent mode switch corresponds to the address of data 2, the bi-level mode switch corresponds to the address of data 3, the differential mode switch corresponds to the address of data 4, and the foot mode switch corresponds to the address of data 5. In addition to the addresses, a mode switch for sequentially switching all the outlets sequentially corresponds to an address different from each outlet.
[0040]
In the present embodiment, for convenience, an address corresponding to each outlet on a one-to-one basis is referred to as an independent address 60, and an address corresponding to data for switching them cyclically is referred to as a cyclic address 61.
[0041]
By such address assignment, it is not necessary to change the address assignment depending on the type of operation panel, and the control device 20 can be shared between auto air conditioners having different operation panels.
[0042]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of manually setting the outlet mode in the present embodiment, and can be used regardless of the type of the operation panel.
[0043]
When the control of the automatic air conditioner is switched from the automatic mode to the manual mode (S1), first, the switch of the operation panel of the automatic air conditioner is of the independent switching type or the circulation switching type according to the VDD signal of the selector switch 22. It is determined whether there is (S2).
[0044]
If the operation panel has a switch of the independent switching type, the address corresponding to the data of the vent mode switch is checked, and if this data indicates 1, that is, ON (S3), the outlet is opened. The vent mode is set (S4).
If the vent mode switch is in the OFF state, the ON / OFF state of the bi-level mode switch is checked. If this data indicates 1, that is, ON (S5), the air outlet is turned off. The mode is set to the level mode (S6). Hereinafter, similarly, the setting is switched to the differential foot mode and the outlet mode in the ON state of the foot mode.
[0045]
On the other hand, if it is determined by the selector switch 22 that the operation panel has a switch of a cyclic switching type, the data at the address of the mode switch is changed to the manual mode, and then the number of times that the air outlet is changed. Mode is determined.
[0046]
In the automatic air conditioner of the present embodiment, when the operation panel has a switch of a circulation switching type, the automatic control is switched from the automatic control to the manual control by turning on the mode switch in the automatic control state. Thereafter, each time the mode switch is pressed, the outlet mode is cyclically switched in the order of the vent mode, the bi-level mode, the differential foot mode, and the bi-level mode. Is determined, and the execution unit 47 is controlled.
[0047]
For example, when specifying the vent mode, the mode switch may be pressed once, the manual mode may be specified, and then the mode switch may be pressed again. However, since the mode switch may be operated more than the number of times necessary to specify the desired switching mode by mistake, if the number of times the mode switch is pressed is 2 + 4n times (S11), the vent mode is set. It is set (S12).
[0048]
At this time, n is 0 or a natural number, and it is considered to be set to about 0 to 3 times.
[0049]
Similarly, if the mode switch is pressed 3 + 4n times, the bi-level mode is set (S14). Similarly, if the mode switch is pressed 3 + 4n times, the differential foot mode (S16) is pressed, and the mode switch is pressed 5 + 4n times. If so, the foot mode (S18) and the outlet mode are switched in a predetermined order each time the mode switch is pressed.
[0050]
In the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, if the operation panel is a switch of the independent switching type, the address of any data corresponding to the vent mode, the bi-level mode, the differential foot mode, and the foot mode is set to “ If there is no 1 "data, and if the operation panel is of a cyclic switching type switch, if the mode switch is pressed more than 5 + 4n times or more, processing is performed to display an error on the display unit. It is also possible.
[0051]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the switches of the operation panel are of the independent switching type and the cyclic switching type, and the control device and the software of its communication format can be shared only by switching the selector switch. Becomes possible.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
Since the automotive air conditioner of the present invention has both an independent address and a circulating address, the control device can control any type of operation panel of an independent switching type switch and a circulating switching type switch. Can be shared, the management of parts in manufacturing is simplified, and the production cost can be reduced by mass-producing the same parts.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an automatic air conditioner according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a selector switch of the automatic air conditioner of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating designation of an address of the automatic air conditioner of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining designation of an address of a conventional auto air conditioner.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of setting an outlet mode manually performed by the automatic air conditioner of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation panel of an independent switching type switch according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an operation panel of a circulation switching type switch of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... outside air intake port 2 ... inside air intake port
3 ... vent door, 4 ... differential door,
5 ... evaporator, 8 ... foot door,
9 ... air mix door, 10 ... intake door,
20: control device, 21, 71: microcontroller,
22 ... selector switch, 40 ... mode switch,
41 vent switch, 42 ... bi-level mode switch,
43: Differential foot mode switch, 44: Foot switch,
46: control unit 47: air adjustment execution unit 48, 49: operation panel
60 ... independent address, 61 ... circular address 70 ... display switch communication processing device.

Claims (1)

A control device (20) that has a plurality of air conditioning modes that are air conditioning setting conditions, and switches the air conditioning mode to maintain the air conditioning state in the vehicle cabin at the set air conditioning state;
An air conditioner for a vehicle having an operation unit (48, 49) capable of communicating with the control device (20) and manually setting the desired air conditioning mode in the control device (20),
Selecting means (40, 41, 42, 43, 44) for selecting the air conditioning mode;
The selection means (40, 41, 42, 43, 44) are stored in a predetermined order together with an independent address (60) for storing data corresponding to the selection means (40, 41, 42, 43, 44) on a one-to-one basis. A communication data part (70) having a cyclic address (61) for storing data to be sequentially set;
A vehicle air conditioner having a selecting means (22) for determining which of the independent address and the circulating address is used for communication between the control device (20) and the operation units (48, 49). apparatus.

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