JP4736854B2 - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioner that performs indoor temperature control using temperature detection means in which a plurality of infrared detection elements are arranged corresponding to a plurality of indoor temperature control target regions.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an air conditioner using temperature detection means in which a plurality of infrared detection elements are arranged corresponding to a plurality of temperature control target areas in a room is known (see Patent Document 1). This air conditioner detects the temperature distribution in the living space using a matrix-like infrared detector, and detects moving and stationary human bodies quickly, with high accuracy, space saving, and low cost. In addition, it improves comfort during air conditioning and saves energy.

  For example, it can be detected that a heat source such as a human body exists by detecting that a region having a high temperature continuously moves. Similarly, it can be detected that a stationary human body or a stove is placed by continuously detecting extremely high temperature regions in the same region. In addition, during heating, it is possible to detect a state such as a window being opened by continuously detecting an extremely low temperature region in the same region.

JP 2001-304655 A JP-A-61-59143

  However, when temperature control is performed by detecting the temperature on the floor with a matrix-like infrared detector, the temperature change in each temperature control target area is acquired over time, and the temperature detection result is compared and processed to obtain a high temperature area or low temperature. Since the region is specified, there is a problem that a large memory capacity is required to hold the temperature detection result and a processing load for specifying the high temperature region or the low temperature region is large.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that can easily and appropriately detect the temperature on the floor and perform indoor temperature control.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, an air conditioner according to the present invention uses temperature detection means in which a plurality of infrared detection elements are arranged corresponding to a plurality of indoor temperature control target regions. An air conditioner that performs indoor temperature control, wherein the room is based on a part of temperature detection results extracted from a temperature detection result of each temperature control target area detected by the temperature detection means according to a predetermined condition. It is characterized by comprising an on-floor temperature calculating means for calculating the on-floor temperature.

  Moreover, the air conditioner according to the present invention is the above-described invention, wherein the floor temperature calculating means is configured such that, when the air conditioner is in a heating operation, the high temperature side of the temperature detection results of each temperature control target region. An average value of the upper temperature detection results is calculated as the indoor floor temperature.

  Further, in the air conditioning apparatus according to the present invention, in the above invention, the floor temperature calculation means is configured to provide a low temperature side of the temperature detection result of each temperature control target region when the air conditioning apparatus is in a cooling operation. The average value of the lower temperature detection results is calculated as the indoor floor temperature.

  The air conditioner according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, the air conditioner further comprises correction value calculation means for calculating a correction value for correcting the room temperature based on the floor temperature calculated by the floor temperature calculation means. And

  The air conditioner according to the present invention further includes a correction table that holds a relationship between a value obtained by subtracting a set temperature from the floor temperature and the correction value in the above invention, and the correction value calculation means includes the correction value The correction value is calculated with reference to a table.

  An air conditioner according to the present invention is an air conditioner that performs indoor temperature control using temperature detection means in which a plurality of infrared detection elements are arranged corresponding to a plurality of indoor temperature control target areas. A region specifying unit for specifying a region having the highest temperature or the lowest temperature based on a temperature detection result of each temperature control target region detected by the temperature detecting unit; and air in the region specified by the region specifying unit. And a wind direction control means for performing wind direction control.

  In the air conditioner according to the present invention as set forth in the invention described above, the wind direction control means intermittently performs wind direction control for blowing air to the area specified by the area specifying means.

  In the air conditioner according to the present invention, the temperature detection means detects the temperature of each temperature control target area detected by the temperature detection means in which a plurality of infrared detection elements are arranged corresponding to the plurality of temperature control target areas in the room. Since the indoor floor temperature is calculated based on the temperature detection results of some of the results, it is highly accurate, for example, excluding areas with extremely low temperatures during heating and areas with extremely high temperatures during cooling The floor temperature can be obtained easily and with a small amount of memory, and there is an effect that efficient temperature control can be performed based on this highly accurate floor temperature.

  Hereinafter, an air conditioner which is the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described.

(Embodiment 1)
1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the air conditioner shown in FIG. In addition, the air conditioning apparatus 1 shown to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 has shown the apparatus by the side of an indoor heat exchanger. 1 and 2, the air conditioner 1 includes a thermopile module 10 that detects the temperature on the floor of a detected area E that is a plurality of temperature target areas in the room, and the floor temperature detected by the thermopile module 10. And a control module 20 that performs various controls including indoor temperature control. The thermopile module 10 and the control module 20 are provided in the lower front portion of the air conditioner 1. The floor temperature includes not only the floor surface temperature but also the temperature of an object such as an indoor wall surface or furniture disposed in the room.

  In addition, a heat exchanger 31, a blower fan 32, upper and lower vanes 33, and left and right vanes 34 are connected to the control module 20. A suction port 35 is provided on the front surface of the air conditioner 1, and a heat exchanger 31 is disposed between the suction port 35 and the blower fan 32 provided inside. The air flowing in from the suction port 35 passes through the heat exchanger 31 to exchange heat with the air, and the heat-exchanged air is sent into the room from the air outlet 36 provided in the lower part. . Upper and lower vanes 33 and left and right vanes 36 are provided at the outlet 36, and the vertical air direction of the blown air is changed by the upper and lower vanes 33, and the left and right air directions of the blown air are changed by the left and right vanes 36.

  The suction port 35 is provided with a suction port temperature sensor 18 for detecting the room temperature. In addition, a ventilation path 37 is formed in the upper part of the air conditioner 1. The ventilation path 37 and the blower fan 32 communicate with each other when the opening / closing part 38 is in an open state, and when the opening / closing part 38 is in a closed state. Blocked. Normally, the opening / closing part 38 is in a closed state, and is opened when a premix operation described later is performed (see Patent Document 2).

  The thermopile module 10 A / D converts a thermopile unit 12 having a thermopile 13 and a thermistor 14, a drive unit 15 that drives the thermopile 13, and a temperature signal output from the thermopile 13, and is controlled via connectors 17 and 28. An A / D converter 16 that outputs to the module 20 and a connector 17 are included.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the thermopile unit 12, and FIG. 4 is a plan view of the thermopile unit. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the thermopile unit 12 includes a thermopile 13 and a thermistor 14 in a metal case 40 having a silicon lens 11 that collects and inputs radiant infrared rays. In the thermopile 13, an infrared absorption film 41 is formed in a matrix shape as a hot junction on a silicon substrate 42 that is a cold junction, and a thermoelectromotive force due to a temperature difference between the silicon substrate 42 and the infrared absorption film 41 is output. The thermistor 14 detects the temperature of the silicon substrate 42.

  The infrared absorption film 41 includes eight infrared absorption films 41a to 41h, and the arrangement positions of the silicon substrates 42 of the infrared absorption films 41a to 41h are the arrangements of the eight temperature control target areas EA to EH on the floor shown in FIG. It is provided corresponding to.

  The control module 20 includes a floor temperature calculation unit 22 that calculates an average floor temperature based on the temperature information of each temperature control target area EA to EH output from the thermopile module 10, and a correction value that is a difference between the floor temperature and the room temperature. A correction value calculation unit 23 for calculating the correction value, a control unit having a temperature control unit 24 for performing temperature control using the corrected room temperature, and a correction table 26 used when the correction value calculation unit 23 calculates a correction value. And a drive control unit 27 that drives and controls at least the heat exchanger 31, the blower fan 32, the upper and lower vanes 33, and the left and right vanes 34.

  Here, based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 6, the heating temperature control processing procedure by the control unit 21 will be described. In FIG. 6, first, the floor temperature calculation unit 22 adds the voltage value of the thermoelectromotive force output from the eight thermopiles 41 a to 41 h to the voltage value output from the thermistor 14 to each temperature control target area EA˜. While calculating | requiring the floor temperature of EH, the suction air temperature is detected based on the voltage value output from the suction inlet temperature sensor 18 (step S101).

Thereafter, since the current operating state is during heating, the floor temperature calculation unit 22 calculates five floor temperatures having a high floor temperature from among the obtained floor temperatures of the eight temperature control target areas EA to EH. The average value of these five on-floor temperatures is obtained, and this average value is output as the average on-floor temperature (step S102).

  Thereafter, the correction value calculation unit 23 uses the correction table 26 shown in FIG. 7 to calculate a correction value for correcting the temperature deviation between the inlet temperature and the floor temperature as shown in FIG. 8 (step S103). The correction value is obtained by subtracting the set temperature Ts set by the user from the average floor temperature Tf to obtain a correction parameter ΔTfs, and the correction value corresponding to the value of the correction parameter ΔTfs is obtained by referring to the correction table 26. Ask for. For example, when the value of the correction parameter ΔTfs is “−2.0”, the correction value is “2.5K”, and when the value of the correction parameter ΔTfs is “−1.0”, the correction value is “ 2.0K ".

  Thereafter, the temperature control unit 24 subtracts the obtained correction value from the suction port temperature Tb detected by the suction port temperature sensor 18 to obtain the current room temperature Tr (step S104). Temperature control for controlling the exchanger 31 or the blower fan 32 is performed (step S105). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not there has been an end instruction (step S106). If there is no end instruction (step S106, NO), the process proceeds to step S101 and the above-described processing is repeated, and if there is an end instruction (step S106). In S106, YES), this process is terminated.

  In addition, although the process mentioned above demonstrated at the time of heating, at the time of air_conditioning | cooling, in step S102, from the floor temperature of each of the eight temperature control object area | regions EA-EH calculated | required, five floor temperature with low floor temperature is calculated | required. The average value of the five on-floor temperatures is selected, this average value is output as the average on-floor temperature, and the sign of the correction value in the correction table 26 is set to minus to perform the cooling temperature control process. be able to.

  In the first embodiment, when temperature control is performed, it is not necessary to retain temperature information with time, and therefore temperature control can be easily performed with a small memory capacity and a small control process. Moreover, since the average value of the temperature on the floor with respect to all the temperature control target areas EA to EH is not calculated, for example, temperature information of an area that is not easily affected by the air conditioner 1 due to the opening of a window during heating is excluded. Therefore, an accurate average floor temperature can be calculated, and as a result, highly accurate temperature control can be realized.

  In Embodiment 1 described above, five hot floor temperatures are selected from the eight floor temperatures during heating, and five low floor temperatures are selected from the eight floor temperatures during cooling. Not limited to this, one to seven partial floor temperatures may be selected from the eight floor temperatures. Alternatively, selection may be made to exclude the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature during heating and cooling, respectively. For example, the floor temperature from the second highest floor temperature to the sixth highest floor temperature may be selected during heating.

  Here, FIG. 9 shows the external appearance of the air conditioning apparatus 1 described above, and the inside 2 of the main body shown in FIG. 10 is incorporated on the lower end side. The thermopile module 10 illustrated in FIG. 12 is incorporated in the detection unit 3 illustrated in FIG. 11, and the detection unit 3 is disposed approximately in the center of the main body 2. In addition to the functional unit or control unit shown in FIG.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment described above, the thermopile module 10 is used to obtain the average floor temperature from a part of the floor temperature, and the temperature control is performed based on the average floor temperature. In the second embodiment, however, The wind direction control is intermittently performed using the thermopile module 10.

  FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In this air conditioner, the control unit 21 of the air conditioner shown in the first embodiment is further provided with an elevation area specifying unit 101 and a wind direction control unit 102, and a temperature history unit 103 is further provided in the storage unit 25. It is a configuration. Further, a suction port humidity sensor 19 for detecting the humidity of the suction port 35 is further provided. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are given to the same components.

  Here, with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 14 to 17, the wind direction control processing procedure by the control unit 21 will be described. First, in FIG. 14, the control unit 21 determines whether the air conditioner 1 is in a heating operation or a cooling / dehumidifying operation (step S201). Thereafter, in the case of the heating operation (step S201, heating operation), the heating air direction control process shown in FIG. 15 is performed (step S202).

  On the other hand, in the case of cooling / dehumidifying operation (step S201, cooling / dehumidifying operation), the cooling / dehumidifying left / right airflow direction control process (step S203) shown in FIG. 16 and the cooling / dehumidifying vertical airflow direction control process (step S203) shown in FIG. Step S204) is processed in parallel. Thereafter, it is determined whether or not there has been a change instruction (step S205). When there is an operation change instruction (step S205, YES), the process proceeds to step S201 and the above-described processing is repeated, and the operation change instruction is issued. If not (NO in step S205), the process ends. The reason why the processes of steps S203 and S204 are performed at the same time is to separately control the left and right wind direction control and the up and down wind direction control during the cooling / dehumidifying operation.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the heating air direction control process first controls the upper and lower vanes 33 so that the upper and lower air directions are the heating standard, for example, horizontal, and the left and right vanes 34 so that the left and right direction is the center of the room. In this state, heating operation is performed for 10 minutes (step S301). Thereafter, the high / low area specifying unit 101 uses the thermopile module 10 to specify an area (temperature control target area) having a low floor temperature based on the floor temperature of each of the temperature control target areas EA to EH (step S302). When specifying this low area, the time-dependent temperature information held in the temperature history unit 103 of the storage unit 25 may be used.

  Thereafter, the wind direction control unit 102 determines whether or not the specified low area is the same as the previously specified low area (step S303), and if it is the same (YES in step S303), the process proceeds to step S301. Then, if the above-described processing is repeated and they are not the same (step S303, NO), it is further determined whether the low area is an area close to or far from the air conditioner 1 side (step S304).

  If the low area is close to the air conditioner 1 (step S304, close), the airflow is operated for 5 minutes with the up-and-down wind direction set to the bottom and the left-right direction set to the specified low area direction (step S305). After that, the wind direction control unit 102 determines whether or not the floor temperature has reached the set temperature (step S306), and if it does not reach (step S306, NO), it further operates for 5 minutes (step S307), Thereafter, it is determined whether or not there is an end instruction (step S311). Unless there is an end instruction, the process proceeds to step S301 and the above-described processing is repeated.

  On the other hand, when the specified low area is far from the air conditioner 1 (step S304, far), the vehicle is operated for 5 minutes with the up and down wind direction set obliquely downward and the left and right direction set to the specified low area direction (step S308). After that, the wind direction control unit 102 determines whether or not the floor temperature has reached the set temperature (step S309), and if it does not reach (step S309, NO), it further operates for 5 minutes (step S310), Thereafter, it is determined whether or not there is an end instruction (step S311). Unless there is an end instruction, the process proceeds to step S301 and the above-described processing is repeated. If there is an end instruction, the process returns to step S202.

  Next, the left / right airflow direction control processing procedure during cooling / dehumidification will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 16, in the cooling / dehumidifying left and right wind direction control process, first, the left and right vanes 34 are controlled so that the left and right wind directions are in the center of the room, and heating operation is performed for 10 minutes in this state (step S401). Thereafter, the high / low area specifying unit 101 uses the thermopile module 10 to specify an area (temperature control target area) having a high floor temperature based on the floor temperature of each of the temperature control target areas EA to EH (step S402). When specifying this high area, the temporal temperature information held in the temperature history unit 103 of the storage unit 25 may be used.

  Thereafter, the wind direction control unit 102 operates for 5 minutes with the left-right direction set as the specified high area direction (step S403). After that, the wind direction control unit 102 determines whether or not the floor temperature has reached the set temperature (step S404), and only when it does not reach (step S404, NO), operates for 5 minutes (step S405). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not there is an end instruction (step S406). Unless there is an end instruction, the process proceeds to step S401 and the above-described processing is repeated. On the other hand, if there is an end instruction (step S406, YES), the process returns to step S203.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 17, a description will be given of the up / down airflow direction control processing procedure during cooling and dehumidification. Note that the above-described premix operation is performed at the time of the air flow control during the cooling and dehumidification. In FIG. 17, first, the wind direction control unit 102 performs an operation instructed to cool or dehumidify for 10 minutes with the vertical wind direction being horizontal (step S501). Thereafter, it is determined whether the operation is cooling or dehumidifying (step S502).

  If it is cooling (step S502, cooling), it is further determined whether or not the room temperature is equal to or lower than the set temperature + 2 ° C. (step S503). If the room temperature is not lower than the set temperature + 2 ° C. (step S503, NO), the process proceeds to step S501. If the room temperature is lower than the set temperature + 2 ° C. (step S503, YES), whether the humidity is lower or not. For example, it is determined whether the humidity is 55% or less (step S504). When the humidity is low (step S504, YES), the operation is performed for 2 minutes with the vertical direction inclined downward (step S505). On the other hand, if the humidity is not low (step S504, NO), the operation is performed for 10 minutes with the up-and-down wind direction being horizontal or upward blowing (step S506).

  On the other hand, if it is dehumidification (step S502, dehumidification), it is further determined whether or not the room temperature is equal to or lower than the set temperature + 2 ° C. (step S507). When the room temperature is equal to or lower than the set temperature + 2 ° C. (step S507, YES), the operation is performed for 10 minutes with the up and down wind direction being blown up (step S508). On the other hand, when the room temperature is not lower than the set temperature + 2 ° C. (step S507, NO), the operation is continued for 10 minutes while keeping the vertical wind direction horizontal (step S509).

  When the processes of steps S505, S506, S508, and S509 are completed, it is determined whether or not there is an instruction to end this process (step S510). If there is no end instruction (step S510, NO), the process proceeds to step S501 and the above-described processing is repeated. If there is an end instruction (step S510, YES), the process returns to step S204.

  In the second embodiment, based on the floor temperature detected by the thermopile module 10, the high / low area specifying unit 101 specifies a low temperature area to be warmed or a high temperature temperature to be cool, and the specified area is warm. Or the wind direction is controlled to get cold. That is, wind direction control is performed with priority on the floor temperature. Further, in this second embodiment, the wind direction control for a specific area is not repeatedly performed, and particularly the wind direction control is intermittently performed. The air conditioning is efficiently performed by mixing them.

  In the second embodiment described above, the reference wind direction such as step 301 is the center of the room, but this is because the air conditioner is located at the center of the room, and depending on the position of the air conditioner, The left / right direction is set to the right or left, and the wind direction is directed toward the center of the room to be the reference wind direction.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the air conditioning apparatus concerning Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the air conditioning apparatus shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of a thermopile unit. It is a top view of a thermopile unit. It is a figure which shows the to-be-detected area | region which a thermopile detects. It is a flowchart which shows the temperature control process sequence at the time of heating. It is a figure which shows an example of a correction table. It is a figure explaining the temperature shift of suction port temperature and floor temperature. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of an air conditioner. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance inside a main body. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of a detection part. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of a thermopile module. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the air conditioning apparatus concerning Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows a wind direction control processing procedure. It is a flowchart which shows the airflow direction control processing procedure at the time of heating. It is a flowchart which shows the left-right wind direction control processing procedure at the time of air_conditioning | cooling and dehumidification. It is a flowchart which shows the up-and-down wind direction control processing procedure at the time of air_conditioning | cooling and dehumidification.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Air conditioning apparatus 10 Thermopile module 11 Silicon lens 12 Thermopile unit 13 Thermopile 14 Thermistor 15 Drive part 16 A / D conversion part 17, 28 Connector 18 Suction port temperature sensor 19 Suction port humidity sensor 20 Control module 21 Control unit 22 Floor temperature calculation Unit 23 correction value calculation unit 24 temperature control unit 25 storage unit 26 correction table 27 drive control unit 31 heat exchanger 32 blower fan 33 upper and lower vane 34 left and right vane 35 suction port 36 air outlet 37 ventilation path 38 opening and closing unit 40 metal case 41, 41a to 41h Infrared absorbing film 42 Silicon substrate 101 High / low area specifying unit 102 Wind direction control unit 103 Temperature history unit

Claims (4)

An air conditioner that performs indoor temperature control using temperature detection means in which a plurality of infrared detection elements are arranged corresponding to a plurality of indoor temperature control target areas,
Wherein among the temperature detection results of the temperature-controlled area where the temperature detected by the detecting means, the case the air conditioner is in the heating operation, calculates the floor temperature of the chamber based on the upper temperature detection result of the high temperature side An air conditioner comprising: an on-floor temperature calculating means for calculating an indoor floor temperature based on a lower temperature detection result on a low temperature side when the air conditioner is in a cooling operation . The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a correction value calculating unit that calculates a correction value for correcting the room temperature based on the floor temperature calculated by the floor temperature calculating unit. A correction table holding a relationship between the correction value and a value obtained by subtracting a set temperature from the floor temperature;
The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the correction value calculation means calculates the correction value with reference to the correction table.   The correction value calculation means calculates the correction value by subtracting the set temperature from the floor temperature,
  The air conditioner is
  Second temperature detection means for detecting the intake air temperature as the room temperature;
  A controller that subtracts the correction value from the intake air temperature to obtain a room temperature, and performs temperature control based on the room temperature;
Further equipped
The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 3.

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