JPH0672820B2 - Thermal detector - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat detection device for detecting a heat state of an environment in an air conditioner that provides a comfortable environment for humans.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 5, in this type of heat detecting device, a heating element 1 is coated with a coating 2 made of a jelly-like substance whose thermal characteristics are substantially the same as those of a human body, and the coating 2 is formed. A cover 5 formed of a resin such as polyethylene, which has a plurality of ventilation holes 4 and which transmits radiant heat, is provided on the outer side of the covering body 2 and which has a detecting body 3 made of a thermocouple for detecting the temperature of
Has been provided, and an application has been made for a heat sensing element having a structure in which a power supply line 6 to the heating element 1 and a signal line 7 from the sensing element 3 are provided (for example, JP-A-60-170731). Using this element, while supplying a constant amount of power to the power supply line 6, a signal corresponding to the thermal state of the environment is obtained from the signal line 7.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the above-mentioned configuration, the heating element and the temperature detecting element are separately required, and since a special material called a jelly-like substance is used, the structure is complicated and the productivity is poor. Also, in order to obtain a constant power supply circuit for constantly supplying a constant power to the temperature sensing element and a signal from the thermocouple as a temperature, a complicated and expensive circuit including a circuit such as reference temperature junction compensation and voltage amplification is required. There was a problem that it was necessary separately. Furthermore, they did not have a means for responding to changes in the amount of clothing on the human body.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, such as batch detection of the thermal influence of temperature, air flow, and radiant temperature, microcomputer control, etc. while maintaining high productivity and low price with a small number of parts and a simple structure. By implementing a signal output suitable for the self-heating element and a simple circuit, the air conditioner is controlled more finely than the conventional one, based on the information corresponding to the thermal sensation of the human body that also considers the amount of clothing. The purpose is to provide a comfortable warm space.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the heat detection device of the present invention is
A heat generating element made of a hollow body having an opening and having a good inner surface reflectivity against light and heat, a porous cover provided in the opening, and a substance having an electric resistance that changes according to its own temperature provided inside the hollow body. A control means for maintaining the heating element at a constant temperature, an estimation means for estimating the amount of clothing of the human body, an electric power supplied from the control means to the heating element and information of the estimation means It is configured to include a determination means for determining the heat state.

The present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, in which the heat generating element is reflected directly through the porous cover or on the inner surface of the hollow body to exchange radiant heat with surrounding objects and solar radiation, and convection with the secondary airflow inside the hollow body caused by the surrounding airflow. Heat exchange is performed, and the porous cover and the hollow body are heated or cooled by radiant heat exchange between the porous cover and the surrounding objects and solar radiation, thereby performing radiant heat exchange with the heating element. Part of the heat is transferred by conduction. Further, the heat insulating portion can prevent unnecessary thermal influence. At this time, the shape and dimensions of the hollow body are
Since the proportions of convective heat transfer and radiant heat transfer between the heating element and the surrounding environment are formed to substantially match those of the human body, the magnitude of the load for maintaining the heating element at a constant temperature by the control means varies. It is obtained according to the load for keeping the body temperature of the human body constant. Further, by taking out this load as an electric signal and correcting the output with the data of the estimating means, it is possible to judge the thermal sensation that suits the clothing condition of the human body, and the air conditioner is controlled based on this judgment. By doing so, a comfortable space can be easily realized.

Embodiments Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the block diagram shown in FIG. 1, 10 is a heating element using a thermistor. As shown in detail in the partially cut-away perspective view of FIG. 2, the inner surface 11 is plated with aluminum which has good light heat reflectivity. A resinous hollow body (12) is provided with a porous cover (13) having fine openings whose surface is coated with matt black, and further on the outside of the hollow body (12) is a heat insulation part (14) made of styrene foam.
It consists of

The heating element 10 is controlled by the control means 15 to generate heat at a constant set temperature. At this time, the human body in consideration of the amount of clothing from the information of the temperature sensor 17 in the determination means 16 from the signal of the control load of the control means 15 The information corresponding to the thermal sensation of is obtained.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the control means 15, wherein the heating element 10, the operational amplifier 18, the fixed resistor 19 and the fixed resistor are provided.
The temperature of the heating element 10 is controlled to be constant by the fixed resistor 21 and the fixed resistor 21. When the circuit is operated, the heating element 10 generates heat at a certain temperature determined by the resistance value of the fixed resistor 19, the fixed resistor 20, the fixed resistor 21 and the temperature-resistance characteristic of the heating element 10. . Here, if any of the ambient temperature, wind speed, or radiant temperature changes to act to lower the temperature of the heating element 10, the heating element that is a thermistor
Since the resistance of 10 rises and the potential at point b rises, the potential difference between points a and b is amplified by the operational amplifier 20 and the potential at point c rises, and as a result, the current flowing through the heating element 10 increases. The amount of heat generated by the heating element 10 increases due to the increase in the current, and the temperature of the heating element 10 rises and stabilizes at the original temperature. At this time, the potential at the point b or the point c is taken out to the control means 15 and the following processing is performed. The heat balance between the surface of the heating element 10 and the environment is expressed by the following equation.

Q = αc (Ts-Ta) + αr (Ts-Tr) However, Q: Heat dissipation amount per unit surface area of the heating element (load for controlling the temperature of the heating element to be constant) αc: Convection between the heating element and the environment Heat transfer coefficient Ts: Temperature of heat generating element (controlled to be constant) Ta: Temperature αr: Radiant heat transfer coefficient of heat generating element and environment Tr: Ambient radiant temperature The inner surface 11 is a parabolic surface and the heat generating element 10 is Since the inner surface 11 is provided at a position substantially at the focal point of the parabolic curved surface, the radiation from the surrounding environment is converged to the heating element 10 through the porous cover 13, and the heating element 10 has a hollow body around the circumference. Since it is arranged in the depression surrounded by 12 and the porous cover 13 is interposed, the velocity of the airflow directly contacting the heating element 10 is configured to be greatly attenuated, so that the radiant heat of the heating element 10 is radiated. Transfer coefficient αr and convection heat transfer The reaching rate αc can be made substantially equal to the radiant heat transfer coefficient and the average convective heat transfer coefficient of the human body, and the heat load for maintaining the heating element 10 at a constant temperature is required for the human body to maintain its body temperature in the same environment. High correlation with heat load is obtained.

The judging means 16 judges and determines the state of clothing of the human body at that time based on the information on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 17. Fourth
As shown in the figure, the clothing amount is switched between two levels according to the temperature measured by the air temperature sensor 16.

Further, the judging means 16 stores the table for correcting the non-linearity of the thermistor in the ROM of the one-chip microcomputer and the fifth
As shown in the figure, the relationship between the load signal obtained by the control means 15 and the thermal sensation of the human body using the amount of clothing as a parameter is expressed in the form of a mathematical expression or a table. this is,
This gives an output that is almost equivalent to the human body's thermal sensation caused by the temperature, air flow, and radiant temperature in that environment, so if you control the air conditioning equipment so that this feeling is neutral, a comfortable environment is always maintained. .

According to the above configuration, it is possible to detect the influence of the radiation on the wall surface or the like, which is of particular interest because it has directivity to the radiation.
Further, since the radiation is converged and the sensitivity is increased, the shape of the heat generating element 10 can be made relatively small, and the driving can be performed with small power consumption. Furthermore, the influence of the directionality on the air flow is small, and the influence can be detected equally in any direction.

Since the ambient temperature is measured by the temperature sensor and the amount of clothing at that time is determined, the amount of clothing can be corrected easily and with high accuracy, and the software can be changed to easily change the amount of clothing. Can handle. Since the porous cover made of stainless steel is used, the heating element and the inner surface are not inadvertently scratched by a finger, a pencil or the like during use.

By providing the heat insulating portion made of styrofoam, the detecting portion including the heat generating element 10, the hollow body 12, the porous cover 13, and the heat insulating portion 14 can block the thermal influence of the member to be installed.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 6 is different from the embodiment described above in that it has a structure including a time measuring device 22 having a timer IC as a means for estimating the amount of clothing. According to this structure, one year is used for summer / winter and Since the amount of heat generation is corrected by the optimal amount of clothing for each of the intermediate periods, there is an effect that optimal detection can be performed without being affected by the surrounding situation.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 7 is different from the first embodiment in that it has a configuration including an outside air temperature sensor 23 that measures the outdoor temperature as the clothing amount estimation means. According to this configuration, the clothing amount Since the outside temperature is used as the data for judging, the clothing amount that reflects the season can be judged more accurately as compared with the case where the indoor temperature is detected.

Although a thermistor is used as the heating element here, a platinum resistor or the like may be used instead of the thermistor, and the inner surface 11 is also manufactured by resin molding a curved surface and vapor-depositing a metal such as aluminum on the surface. Is possible.

The curved surface shape of the inner surface 13 is not limited to a simple parabolic curve, but a Winston mirror-like structure can be used. The porous cover may be made of not only stainless steel but also other metal or resin.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION As described above, according to the heat detection device of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) The convection and radiant heat transfer coefficient of the heating element can be substantially matched with the value of the human body by the hollow body that reflects the radiant heat and reduces the air flow together with the porous cover, and the heating element can be kept at a constant temperature by the control means. Since the configuration is maintained, a high correlation can be obtained between the magnitude of the load and the thermal sensation of the human body, and optimal control of the air conditioning equipment can be performed.

(2) Since the amount of clothing on the human body, which is an element on the human body side for determining the thermal sensation, is estimated and corrected when determining the thermal sensation, the thermal sensation that matches the human lifestyle can be measured. .

(3) Since the thermal state of the environment is detected by the change in power, and the level of the thermal state is determined based on this,
Information that is easy and easy to use can be given to the air conditioning equipment.

(4) Since the structure is simple, the number of parts is small, and high performance can be obtained at low cost. Therefore, it is easy to manufacture and has a wide range of applications as a sensor for heating and cooling equipment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a heat detecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the structure of a heating element and a hollow body of the heat detecting device, and FIG. 3 is the same. FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing a method of estimating the amount of clothing in the determination means of the heat detection device, FIG.
FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram showing the contents of judgment by the judgment means of the same heat detection device, FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the other embodiment, FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the third embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a structure of a detection body of a conventional heat detection device. 10 ... Heating element, 12 ... Hollow body, 13 ... Porous cover,
14 ... Heat insulation part, 15 ... Control means, 16 ... Judgment means, 17 ...
… Temperature sensor.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A hollow body having an opening and having a good inner surface reflectivity to light and heat, and a porous cover provided in the opening.
A heating element made of a substance whose electric resistance changes according to its own temperature provided inside the hollow body, a control means for maintaining the heating element at a constant temperature, and an estimation means for estimating the amount of clothing of a human body, A heat detection device comprising: a determination unit that determines the heat state of the environment based on the electric power supplied from the control unit to the heating element and the information of the estimation unit. 2. The heat detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the estimating means is an air temperature sensor for measuring an ambient temperature. 3. The heat detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the estimating means is a time measuring device having a calendar function. 4. The heat detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the estimating means is an outside air temperature sensor for measuring the outside air temperature.