JPH02162117A - Air-conditioner for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To ensure the trouble detection by displaying the trouble of an actuator when the absolute value of the difference between the detecting position and the object position of the actuator exceeds a specific amount continuously for a specific time. CONSTITUTION:The actual position of an actuator 2 detected by an actuator position sensor 1 is input to a control device 3 to control the actuator 1. At the same time, the detected actual position is also input to a trouble detecting device 4, in which the difference with the object position taken in from the control device 3 is found. When the absolute value of this difference continues for a specific time being more than a specific amount, it is decided that the actuator 2 is out of order, and a trouble display device 5 is operated to display the trouble. By such a constitution, the trouble can be surely detected.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an air conditioner for an automobile, and includes a failure detection means suitable for detecting failure of an actuator that drives a water valve, an air mix damper, etc. The present invention relates to an air conditioner for automobiles.

[Conventional technology]

It is generally well known that conventional air conditioners for automobiles use failure detection indicators such as disconnection, short circuit, and motor disconnection of various sensors.

Furthermore, there is known a device that detects a failure of a sensor by determining whether the magnitude of an output signal from the sensor is within a set range, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-141912.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In addition, automotive air conditioners that automatically control air mix dampers have been widely known, but it is difficult to determine if there is a failure in the actuator that drives this air mix damper. there were. For example, a short circuit or disconnection in a potentiometer that detects the position of an air mix damper could be detected by the conventional technology described above, but a failure in the actuator does not appear as an abnormality in the damper position.
There have been cases in which the actuator fails and the damper is not driven or cannot be driven to a predetermined position even though the air mix damper is within the normal position range.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has been made with the object of reliably detecting a failure of an actuator in an air conditioner for an automobile.

[Means to solve the problem]

The first invention of the present application includes an actuator whose position can be changed reversibly as shown in FIG. 5, a position sensor that detects the actual position of the actuator, and a signal from an input means section including the position sensor. and a control means for calculating a target position of the actuator and outputting a control signal for the actuator, the difference between the actual position of the actuator detected by the position sensor and the target position. If the absolute value of exceeds a predetermined amount and continues for a predetermined period of time, a technical means is adopted that includes a failure determination means that determines that the actuator has failed, and a failure display means that displays a failure based on the determination by the determination means. .

In addition, in the second invention of the present application, in order to specifically adapt to failure detection of the temperature control member of an automotive air conditioner, positions interlocked with the cooling means, the heating means, the vehicle interior temperature sensor, the outside temperature sensor, and the temperature control member are provided. An air conditioner for an automobile that automatically controls the vehicle interior temperature to the target temperature, comprising a control means that receives an electric signal from a sensor and controls the temperature adjustment member according to the difference between the vehicle interior temperature and the target temperature. A target position calculation means for calculating a target position of the temperature adjusting member based on the vehicle interior temperature and the target temperature; and a target position calculated by the calculation means and a detection position detected by the position sensor. A technology comprising a failure determining means for determining that the temperature regulating member is malfunctioning if the absolute value of the difference between the two exceeds a predetermined amount and continues for a predetermined time, and a failure display means for displaying a malfunction based on the determination by the determining means. Adopt practical means.

[Operation] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the target position of the actuator is calculated, and the actuator is controlled so that the actual position detected by the position sensor matches the target position.

Further, if the absolute value of the difference between the actual position and the target position of the actuator exceeds a predetermined amount and continues for a predetermined period of time, it is determined that the actuator has failed, and a display is performed.

Here, when controlling the actuator to the target position, the actual position of the actuator is controlled to the target position with a delay. Therefore, the absolute value of the difference between the actual position and the target position may exceed a predetermined amount even when the actuator is in a normal state. However, in the first invention of the present application, when the absolute value of the difference exceeds a predetermined amount and continues for a predetermined period of time, the actuator is determined to be faulty, and the actuator can be faulty without causing malfunction due to actuator operation accuracy or delay in operation. Determine.

In the second invention of the present application, the target position of the temperature adjustment member is calculated, and control is performed so that the actual position of the temperature adjustment member is set as the target position. Furthermore, if the absolute value of the difference between the actual position and the target position of the temperature control member exceeds a predetermined amount and continues for a predetermined period of time, a failure of the temperature control member is determined and displayed.

Here, the position of the temperature control member is controlled according to the deviation between the vehicle interior temperature and the target temperature, and the actual position is controlled with a delay with respect to the calculation of the target position.

Therefore, the absolute value of the difference between the actual position and the target position of the temperature regulating member frequently increases during operation of the temperature regulating member due to the delay in its operation. However, in the present invention, a failure of the temperature control member is determined when the absolute value of the difference exceeds a predetermined amount and continues for a predetermined period of time, so a failure can be determined without malfunction due to the operation accuracy or delay of the temperature control member. .

〔Example〕

Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of an air conditioner for an automobile according to the present invention, which is of a reheat type.

In FIG. 1, an inside/outside air switching damper 5 is provided at a connecting portion between an air passage 2 of an air conditioner (air conditioner) 1, an outside air intake passage 3, and an inside air intake passage 4. The air selected and taken in by the blower 6 has its flow rate selected by the blower 6, is then cooled by the evaporator turf, is then warmed by the heater core 8, and is sent to the passenger compartment via the outlet selected by the blower switching damper 9. It is blown out within 10 minutes. Here, refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator trough by a compressor 13 which is part of a refrigeration cycle 14 and to which the driving force of the engine 11 is supplied/cut off via a clutch 12. cooling water is supplied through the water valve 15 to cool and heat the air, respectively.

The water valve 15 has a configuration as shown in FIG. 2, and according to the respective positions of the outgoing valve 17 and the incoming valve 18, which move together in the vertical direction in the drawing as the negative pressure of the diaphragm 16 changes, The mixing ratio between the flow rate of hot water supplied from the engine 11 side to the heater core 8 side and the flow rate of cold water that is cooled while flowing within the heater core 8 and is supplied to the heater core 8 side again is determined, and the mixture ratio is determined and the mixture ratio is supplied to the heater core 8. Determine the overall temperature of the engine coolant.

The air intake passage of the diaphragm 16 is provided with a hot valve 19 that controls opening and closing of a communication passage with an engine intake pipe (not shown) and a cool valve 20 that controls opening and closing of a communication passage with the atmosphere. Further, a motor pump 21 is provided in a passage leading from the outward valve 17 to the heater core 8.

The air conditioner 1 is equipped with various sensors for detecting operating conditions and atmospheric conditions, and condition indicating means for indicating operating conditions, and these input means are controlled by temperature control by a control circuit 32 as described later. supply data for. That is, outside temperature information from the outside temperature sensor 22, inside temperature information from the inside temperature sensor 27, and solar radiation sensor 28.
The solar radiation information from the duct sensor 23 and the target temperature information from the temperature setting device 30 are used as data for calculating the required blowout temperature as described later, and the post-evaporation temperature information from the duct sensor 23 and the engine cooling water temperature information from the water temperature sensor 26 are Together with the calculated necessary blowout temperature data, it is used to calculate the target stroke amount (target position) of the actuator, and the actual position information of the actuator from the position sensor 24 is used together with the calculated target position data to calculate the control amount for the actuator. used for Further, the negative pressure sensor 25, which is an example of a state detection means for detecting the operating state of the engine, uses its detected information, that is, pressure information, to determine the operating state of the actuator as described later.

Further, the switch panel 29, which is one of the condition indicating means, is used to indicate various operation modes, such as automatic operation mode and manual operation mode.

Furthermore, the air conditioner 1 is provided with an abnormality indicator 31.
The abnormality indicator 31 displays an abnormality when the control circuit 32 determines that there is an abnormality in the actuator.

When the ignition switch 33 is turned on and a constant voltage is applied by the power supply circuit 34, the control circuit 32 switches the switch panel 29. Under the conditions set by the temperature setting device 30, predetermined arithmetic processing is performed based on the detection signals from the sensors, and various driving means are controlled.

Here, this driving means includes an inside/outside air switching damper driving means 35 for driving the inside/outside air switching damper 5. Blower driving means 36 for driving the blower 6. Water valve driving means 37 for driving the hot valve 19 and the cool valve 20. There is a blow-off switching damper driving means 38 that drives the blow-off switching damper 9 and a clutch 12 that connects and disconnects the transmission of driving force from the engine 11 to the compressor 13 as described above.

Further, as will be described later, when a predetermined condition is satisfied after outputting the water valve control command signal, the control circuit 32 performs a determination process to determine whether the actual position of the water valve 15 matches the target position. If it is determined that there is an abnormality, efforts are made to remove the abnormality so that the water valve 15 can recover to its normal state.

Next, the main parts of the processing operation by the control circuit 32 will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the ignition switch 33 is turned on, the control circuit 3
2 starts processing. And processing progresses cystine'7"
When reaching step 101, step 101 is executed, and human input signals from the various sensor neck input means groups are taken in every step of the way.

Next, step 102 is executed, and the necessary blowing temperature Tao is calculated based on the various data acquired in step 101. In calculating this temperature Tao, use the following formula: Tao=Ks 1Ts-Kr-Tr-KI and TamKs
un 0Tsun -C (However, Ks, Kr, Kam, Ksun, and C are each constant, Ts is the set temperature or target temperature, T is the vehicle interior temperature,
Tam represents the outside temperature of the vehicle, and T sun represents the intensity of solar radiation. ) is used. Further, in step 102, the target stroke Isw (target position) of the water valve 15 is calculated based on the required blowout temperature Tao calculated as described above, the post-evaporation temperature information from the duct sensor 23, and the engine cooling water temperature information from the water temperature sensor 26.

Next, step 103 is executed, and the actual stroke amount SP (actual position) of the water valve 15 is determined based on the target stroke amount SW calculated in step 102 and the signal from the position sensor 24 taken in in input step 101. The deviation from that, ie (SW-3P), is calculated. Here, the target stroke amount SW and the actual stroke amount SP are,
0% is MAX C00L, 100% is MAX
Compatible with HOT.

Next, step 104 is executed to create a predetermined control pattern as shown in the figure, i.e., a hot valve (HV) 19 and a cool valve (CV) 200 for the deviation (sw-sp).
Hot valve (HV) based on control characteristics19. It is determined whether the cool valve (CV) 20 should be turned on or opened or turned off or closed. As is clear from the figure, in the above control pattern, when the deviation (SW-3P) of the hot valve (HV) 19 increases to 6% or more, the heater core 8 is reversed from the off state to the on state. The temperature of the fluid passing through the heater core 8 is increased, and when the -force deviation (SW-3P) decreases to 3% or less, the on state is reversed to the off state and the temperature of the fluid passing through the heater core 8 is maintained. do it like this. Also, regarding the cool valve (C'/) 20, the deviation <
5W-3P) increases to -6% or more, the previous OFF state is reversed to the ON state to lower the temperature of the fluid passing through the heater core 8, and -force deviation (SW-3P) - When it decreases to 3% or more,
The ON state is reversed to the OFF state so that the temperature of the fluid passing through the heater core 8 is maintained.

Next, step 105 is executed to determine whether the hot valve (HV) 19 or the cool valve (CV) 20 determined in step 104 belongs to the on region.

Hot valve (HV) 19 or cool valve (CV) 2
If 0 belongs to the ON region, then step 106 is executed and an ON command signal is output to the water valve driving means 37 to turn ON the valve 19 or 20 belonging to the ON region.

Next, step 107 is executed, and if the timer is in the stopped state, the timer is started. Here, as will be described later, this timer turns on the water valve 15 after turning on the hot valve (V) 19 or the cool valve (CV) 20.
This is to measure the time during which the actual position SP remains unchanged.

Next, step lO8 is executed, and it is determined whether the actual position SP of the water valve 15 has changed based on the actual position SP of the water valve 15 acquired in step 101 and the actual position acquired in the previous execution of step 101. .

If it is determined that the real position SP has changed, step 10
After clearing the above timer in step 9, if it is determined that the actual position SP has not changed, move straight to step 1.
10, in step 101, it is determined whether or not negative pressure is being generated normally based on the negative pressure signal from the negative pressure sensor 25 taken in in step 101.

If it is determined that negative pressure is not being generated normally, a subsequent program (not shown) is executed.

- If it is determined that the negative pressure is normally generated, then step 111 is executed, and it is determined whether the value of the timer is 30 seconds or more.

If the timer value has not yet reached 30 seconds, the program jumps to a subsequent program (not shown). - side timer value is 3
If it is determined that the time is 0 seconds or more, then step 112 is executed. In this step l12, if the ON command signal is output for the hot valve (HV) 19 in step 106, it is determined whether the actual position SP belongs to a predetermined range, that is, from 95% to 105%. On the other hand, in step 106 above, the cool valve (
When the ON command signal is output for CV) 20, it is determined whether the actual position SP belongs to a predetermined range, that is, from -5% to +5%. In other words, this judgment process assumes that the actual position SP should have reached MAX HOT when at least 30 seconds have elapsed since the ON command signal was output for the hot valve (HV) 19. It is determined whether the actual position has reached the vicinity of MAX C00L, and if the ON command signal is output for the cool valve (CV) 20, it is determined whether the actual position has reached the vicinity of MAX C00L.

Real position SP is MAX near HOT or MAX
The water valve 1 has reached the vicinity of C00L.
When it is determined that 5 is operating normally, the program jumps to a subsequent program (not shown). On the other hand, if it is determined that the water valve 15 is not operating normally, that is, that an abnormality has occurred, then step 113 is executed.

In step 113, it is determined whether the content of the release effort counter has reached "2". Here, the release effort counter is used to input the control command signal for a predetermined period of time, for example, 5 as will be described later.
It counts the number of times the data is inverted and output per second. Then, a subsequent program (not shown) is executed.

The content of the release effort counter has not yet reached "2". That is, if it is "0" or "1", then step 114
The control command signal for the hot valve (HV) 19 and the control command signal for the cool valve (CV) 20 are maintained inverted for a predetermined period of time, for example, 5 seconds, in an effort to release the abnormal state of the water pulp 15. Examples of this abnormal condition include dust clogging of the pulp, and dust may be removed from the pulp by turning the pulp upside down. Then, step 115 is executed and the contents of the release effort counter are incremented. On the other hand, if it is determined that the content of the release effort counter is "2" abnormal, step 116. Step 117 and step 118 are executed sequentially.

That is, the release effort counter is cleared, an abnormality display command signal is output to the abnormality display 31, and the hot pulp (HV) 1
9 and the cool valve (CV) 20 are both output to the water pulp driving means 37 in order to turn them off. Then, a subsequent program (not shown) is executed.

On the other hand, if it is determined that neither the hot valve (HV) 19 and the cool pulp (CV) 20 have reached the ON region by executing step 105 as described above, then step 119 is executed and the hot valve (HV) 19 and/or the cool valve (CV) 20, and then step 120 is executed to stop and clear the above-mentioned timer. Then, a subsequent program (not shown) is executed.

In this way, in the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, after the ON command signal is output to the hot valve (HV) 19 or the cool valve (CV) 20, under the condition where the negative pressure is operating normally. If the actual position SP has not changed continuously for at least 30 seconds, and the actual position SP does not match the target position, an effort is made to release the control command signal by inverting the control command signal for 5 seconds. For example, if the actual position SP still does not change despite the effort, the second release effort is made 30 seconds after the 5 second inversion output as described above. This release effort is made twice at most in Figure 3. If it is determined that an abnormal state is still occurring in the water pulp 15 despite two efforts to release it, the abnormality is displayed on the abnormality display 31, and the hot valve (HV) 19 and cool valve (CV) ) 20 are both turned off.

The processing operation of the control circuit 32 has been described above with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3, and will now be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

The target stroke value (target position) SW of the water valve is, for example, 60% and the actual stroke amount (actual position) SP
When the temperature setter 31 is operated at time T and the target stroke amount SW is changed to, for example, 40% while the temperature is maintained at around 60%, the cool valve (C
V) 20 is turned on, and the actual stroke amount SP gradually increases to 40.
% target stroke amount SW. Then, at time points 1 and 2, when the actual stroke amount SP substantially matches the target stroke amount SW and the difference (SW-3P) belongs to the off region in the control pattern as described above, the cool valve (CV) 20 is turned on. is reversed from 4 to 4.
The actual stroke amount SP near 0% is maintained.

Thereafter, at time Tx, the target temperature setting is changed again and the target stroke amount SW is changed to 60%. This time, an ON command signal is output to the hot valve (HV) 19, and the hot valve (HV) 19 is turned on. turned on. Then, at time T4, for example, 30 seconds have passed since time T, the hot valve (HV) 19 is switched off, and the cool valve (HV) is switched off.
CV) 20 is switched on, and this inverted state is changed to 5.
Continue for seconds. In other words, make the first effort to cancel.

At time T, when the 5 seconds have elapsed, only the hot valve (1 (V) 19) is turned on, and the on state is maintained for 30 seconds.

Then, at time T6 after 30 seconds have elapsed, a second release effort is made for 5 seconds. Then, at time T, the hot valve again (
Only HV) 19 is turned on and the on state is continued for 30 seconds. If the water pulp is still in an abnormal state, a special TI is used to send a display command signal to the abnormality indicator 31.
output and display any abnormalities.

In the embodiment described above, it is determined in step 105 whether the absolute value of the difference between the target stroke SW and the actual stroke SP of the water valve exceeds a predetermined amount illustrated in step 104, and A timer that is started in step 107 and determines the elapsed time in step 111 determines that the determination in step 105 has continued for a predetermined time.

Then, abnormality processing is performed in steps 113 to 118, and an abnormality display is performed in step 117.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the actuator is a water valve has been described, but other actuators, such as an air mix damper in an air mix type air conditioner, may be used.

Further, the water valve may be of a motor type instead of the diaphragm type as described above.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the first invention of the present application, it is possible to reliably determine and display a failure of an actuator in an automobile air conditioner, regardless of the actuator's operating accuracy or delay.
1. Also, according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reliably determine and display a failure of a temperature regulating member in an automobile air conditioner, regardless of the operating accuracy of the temperature regulating member. As a result, it is possible to prevent a malfunction in which the temperature control member breaks down and the automobile air conditioner continues to be used without being able to obtain the desired air conditioning condition.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of an air conditioner for an automobile according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a water valve thereof, and Fig. 3
The figure shows a flowchart for explaining the main parts of the processing according to the present invention, FIG. 4 shows a time chart for explaining more specifically, and FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the present invention. 1...Air conditioner, 5...Inside and outside air switching damper, 6
... Blower, 7... Evaporator, 8... Heater core. 9...Blowout switching damper, 15...Water valve,
22... Outside temperature sensor, 23... Duct sensor, 2
4...Position sensor, 25...Negative pressure sensor, 2
6...Water temperature sensor, 27...Inside temperature sensor, 28.
...Solar radiation sensor, 29...Switch panel, 30...
・Temperature setting device. 31... Abnormality indicator, 32... Control circuit, 33...
・Ignition switch. Figure 1

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. an actuator that can reversibly change its position; a position sensor that detects the actual position of the actuator; and a position sensor that receives signals from an input means group including the position sensor, calculates a target position of the actuator, and generates a control signal for the actuator. In the automotive air conditioner, the vehicle air conditioner is equipped with a control means for outputting the following: If the absolute value of the difference between the actual position of the actuator detected by the position sensor and the target position exceeds a predetermined amount and continues for a predetermined time, An air conditioner for an automobile, comprising: a failure determining means that determines that the actuator is malfunctioning; and a failure display means that displays a failure based on a determination by the determining means. 2. Electric signals from the cooling means, the heating means, the vehicle interior temperature sensor, the outside temperature sensor, and the position sensor linked to the temperature adjustment member are taken in to control the temperature adjustment member according to the difference between the vehicle interior temperature and the target temperature. In an air conditioner for an automobile that includes a control means and automatically controls the vehicle interior temperature to the target temperature, a target position calculation means that computes a target position of the temperature adjustment member based on the vehicle interior temperature and the target temperature. and, if the absolute value of the difference between the target position calculated by the calculation means and the detected position detected by the position sensor exceeds a predetermined amount and continues for a predetermined time, the temperature adjustment member is determined to be malfunctioning. An air conditioner for an automobile, comprising: a determining means; and a failure display means for displaying a failure based on a determination made by the determining means.