TW201839326A - air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

This air conditioner (S) comprises: a cleaning means for cleaning an indoor heat exchanger (102); and a control means (130) for controlling the cleaning means. In a case where the indoor heat exchanger is to be cleaned by the cleaning means after completion of a heating operation, the control means causes the cleaning means to clean the indoor heat exchanger after a prescribed first delay time, from when the heating operation stops, has passed.

Description

air conditioner

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner.

[0002] The heat exchanger (indoor heat exchanger) of the indoor unit installed in the air conditioner has the following problems: dust, microorganisms, etc. after passing through the dust filter screen (hereinafter, It is called dust) and is deposited in an indoor heat exchanger and is foul-smelling. Moreover, the efficiency of the heat exchanger is also lowered, and there is a problem that causes energy saving deterioration. It is difficult to remove and clean the indoor heat exchanger from the indoor unit through a plurality of pipes that cannot be removed inside the indoor heat exchanger. [0003] As a technique for cleaning the indoor heat exchanger without being detached from the indoor unit, for example, the technique disclosed below is known. In the case of the heat-following operation, the air-conditioning operation is performed as a moisture-imparting means for adhering water to the surface of the fin, and the heat is applied to the surface of the fin to operate the heating. The heat exchanger is automatically maintained in a clean state. [Prior Art Document] [Patent Document] [0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 4931566 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2016-200348

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 starts the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger without considering the presence of the user in the room. The problem of causing an uncomfortable feeling to the user due to the cold air leaked by the washing or the abnormal sound caused by the rapid reverse rotation of the refrigerant circulation gives the user a sense of distrust. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner capable of smoothly washing dirt adhering to an indoor heat exchanger. [Means for Solving the Problems] [0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes: a cleaning means for cleaning an indoor heat exchanger; and a control means for controlling the cleaning means, and the control means When the indoor heat exchanger is cleaned by the washing means after the completion of the heating, after the completion of the heating operation, a specific first delay time elapses from the stop of the heating operation. Thereafter, the indoor heat exchanger is cleaned by the cleaning means, and when the indoor heat exchanger is cleaned by the cleaning means after the cooling, dehumidification or air blowing operation is completed, After the second delay time which is shorter than the first delay time, the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger by the cleaning means is performed. [Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner capable of smoothly washing dirt adhering to an indoor heat exchanger.

[0010] FIG. 1, The indoor unit 100 included in the air conditioner S of the first embodiment, Front view of the outdoor unit 20 and the remote control Re.  Indoor unit 100 and outdoor unit 200, It is connected by a refrigerant pipe (not shown). And by the refrigerant circulation, Air conditioning is performed on the room in which the indoor unit 100 is installed. also, Indoor unit 100 and outdoor unit 200, Information is transmitted and received via a communication cable (not shown).  [0011] Although not shown, but, Outdoor unit 200, Is equipped with a compressor, Four-way valve, Outdoor heat exchanger, Outdoor fan and expansion valve. also, Become the compressor, Four-way valve, Outdoor heat exchanger, The expansion valve and the indoor heat exchanger 102 (refer to FIG. 2) are sequentially connected in a loop to form a refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant is circulated by a heat pump cycle.  [0012] Remote control Re, Is operated by the user, And the remote controller of the indoor unit 100 sends the infrared signal to the receiving unit Q. The content of the signal, Is a requirement for operation, Set the temperature change, Timing value setting, Change of operation mode, Stop instructions such as requests. Air conditioner S, Based on these signals, And in the air-conditioning mode, Heating mode, Air conditioning operation such as dehumidification mode. also, Sending the receiving unit Q from the remote controller of the indoor unit 100 and sending room temperature information to the remote controller Re, Humidity information, Information such as electricity bill information, And report this information to the user.  [0013] In the lower part of the front surface of the indoor unit 100, An imaging means 110A and a visible light intercepting filter unit 117A for obtaining image information of the room are provided. The setting position of the image capturing means 110A and the visible light intercepting filter portion 117A, It can be changed in accordance with the purpose of obtaining the image information described later. It is not limited to the position of Figure 1. The reason why the visible light intercepting filter unit 117A is provided in the present embodiment is It will be described later.  [0014] FIG. 2, It is a cross-sectional view of the I-I line arrow direction of the indoor unit 100 of Fig. 1.  Frame base 101, Receiving the indoor heat exchanger 102, Air supply fan 103, The internal structure of the filter 108 or the like. In addition, Filter 108, It is provided at the air suction side of the indoor heat exchanger 102.  [0015] The indoor heat exchanger 102, The utility model is provided with a heat pipe 102a having a plurality of roots, And configured to introduce the air introduced into the indoor unit 100 by the blower fan 103. Exchange heat with the refrigerant circulating in the heat pipe 102a, To heat or cool the aforementioned air. In addition, Heat pipe 102a, Connected to the refrigerant piping (not shown), It also forms part of a well-known refrigerant cycle (not shown).  [0016] By rotating the blower fan 103 shown in FIG. 2, The indoor air is introduced through the air intake port 107 and the filter screen 108, The air that has been exchanged by the indoor heat exchanger 102, It is guided to the blowing air passage 109a. and then, Guided to the air blown out of the air passage 109a, The wind direction is adjusted by the left and right wind direction plates 104 and the up and down wind direction plates 105, Air is blown from the air outlet 109b and air-conditioned in the room.  [0017] left and right wind direction plate 104, Based on the main microcomputer 130 (control means, which will be described later, Refer to Figure 3) for instructions, On the other hand, the left and right wind direction plate motor (not shown) is rotated by a rotating shaft (not shown) provided at the lower portion as a fulcrum.  Up and down wind direction plate 105, According to the instructions from the main microcomputer 130 described later, On the other hand, the upper and lower wind direction plate motor (not shown) is rotated by a rotation shaft (not shown) provided at both end portions as a fulcrum. By this, It is capable of blowing air conditioning air to a specific location in the room.  [0018] In the lower portion of the front panel 106 provided to cover the front surface of the indoor unit 100, The imaging means 110A and the visible light intercepting filter section 117A are provided. Imaging means 110A, The method is directed downward at a specific angle with respect to the horizontal direction from the mounting position of the imaging device 110A. And being set, Further, it is possible to appropriately perform imaging in the room in which the indoor unit 100 is installed. but, The detailed mounting position and angle of the imaging device 110A, It can be set as long as it matches the specifications and uses of the air conditioner S. Its constitution is not limited.  [0019] In addition, figure 1, The composition of the air conditioner S shown in Fig. 2, It is only one example of this embodiment. of course, The present invention is not limited to the embodiment and is applicable.  [0020] FIG. 3, It is a control block diagram of the air conditioner S.  The main microcomputer 130 shown in FIG. 3, Based on the environmental information detected by the environmental detection means 160, Or it is based on an operation instruction sent by the remote controller to the receiving unit Q (refer to FIG. 1). And for the load driving unit 150 to control, Further, each of the machines included in the indoor unit 100 and the outdoor unit 200 is controlled.  [0021] As shown in FIG. 3, Imaging means 110A, The system has: Optical lens 111A for adjusting the imaging range and focus, And an imaging element 112A that converts the indoor light incident from the optical lens 111A into an electrical signal, And an A/D converter 113A that digitizes and converts the signal of the imaging element 112A into portrait information, And a digital signal processing unit 114A that corrects the luminance and color tone of the portrait information.  Imaging means 110B, It is also configured similarly to the imaging device 110A.  [0022] The image information of the room obtained by the imaging means 110A, Various image processing is performed by the image detecting unit 122. Image detecting unit 122, The image detecting unit that performs various image detections such as the dust detecting unit 122a that detects the presence or absence of dust can be used.   at this time, Each image detection department, The image detection can be performed for the same portrait information acquired by the imaging means 110A. It is also possible to transmit an imaging parameter suitable for each image detection to the digital signal processing unit 114A of the imaging device 110A. Image detection is performed using a dedicated camera image that is captured by the camera parameters.  [0023] The detection result of the position information of the user detected by the image detecting unit 122, And the action instruction obtained based on the detection result, It is reported to the arithmetic processing unit 132.  The calculation processing unit 132, It controls the control block of the air conditioner. And controlling the drive control unit 133 according to the operation setting of the air conditioner and the motion command obtained based on the detection result, And air conditioning operation. Imaging means 110A, Based on the operation command of the imaging request signal from the calculation processing unit 132, And the camera action is performed.  [0024] drive control unit 133, Reporting the driving signal to the load driving unit 150, And drive instructions.  Load driving unit 150, Performing refrigerant circulation (not shown), An indoor fan motor (not shown) provided in the indoor unit 100, a compressor motor (not shown) provided in the outdoor unit 200, a motor for lower wind direction plate (not shown) provided at the vertical wind direction plate 105, Each of the left and right wind direction plate motors (not shown) provided at the right and left wind direction plates 104 is driven. Load driving unit 150, The system may be configured to further perform imaging means 110A, The near-infrared light projector 115 is driven by the screen driving unit 116 that performs the rotation of the visible light intercepting filter unit 117A.  [0025] memory means 121, 131, Contains ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. And constitute it. also, a program that is memorized in ROM, It is read by the CPU (Central Processing Unit) in the arithmetic processing unit 132 of the main microcomputer 130. And is expanded in RAM, And was implemented.  [0026] as the environment detecting means 160, It can also be configured to have a temperature sensor caused by a thermopile at the body of the air conditioner S, Various sensors such as an activity amount detecting sensor having a Fresnel lens and an infrared sensor are used.  [0027] With the above configuration, Main microcomputer 130, In response to the portrait information input from the imaging means 110A, The command signal input from the remote control Re, And sensor output from various sensors, etc. To coordinate control of the action of the air conditioner S, By this, It is able to perform extremely detailed operation control.  [0028] The detection result obtained by the image processing of the image detecting unit 122, It can also be set to include only information such as the location and activity of the user, Distance information, etc. It does not contain portrait information that humans can grasp with visual observation. By this, Can be implemented in the memory means 121, The amount of data maintained in 131 is reduced. also, Since the portrait information system is a configuration that cannot be taken out to the main microcomputer 130, Therefore, the privacy protection of the user in the air-conditioned room can be achieved.  [0029] indoor unit 100, As a means of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 102, It has an automatic washing operation function. According to Figure 2 and Figure 3, Automatic cleaning operation for the indoor heat exchanger 102 (hereinafter, The control means called automatic washing operation is explained.  [0030] The so-called automatic washing operation, The indoor heat exchanger 102 is cooled, and moisture in the surrounding air is adhered to the indoor heat exchanger 102, and the indoor heat exchanger 102 is washed by the moisture.  In order to attach moisture to the indoor heat exchanger 102, Main microcomputer 130, The evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the automatic cleaning operation, It is set to be lower than the evaporation temperature of the aforementioned refrigerant in the dehumidifying operation. When a higher cleaning power is required, The evaporation temperature of the refrigerant can also be set below the freezing point.  [0031] the amount of dirt attached to the indoor heat exchanger 102, Will depend on the use time of the air conditioner S, The mode of operation used, The amount of dust in the air in the room varies.  Therefore, Main microcomputer 130, When it is memorized in the memory means 131, the operation integration time from the previous washing, When the number of operations from the previous washing in the memory means 131 or the elapsed time from the installation of the air conditioner S reaches a specific value, Automatic washing operation is carried out. By this, It is possible to perform an automatic washing operation when necessary. It can suppress the adhesion of dust and dirt. also, Compared with the case where the automatic washing operation is performed every time the air conditioning operation is stopped, Can reduce the number of implementations, And can seek energy saving.  [0032] obtaining the operation integration time of each operation mode, It is carried out as follows generally. That is, Main microcomputer 130, The time information that is managed by the time management unit 134, Saved in the memory means 131, And this is read out from the memory means 131 periodically or every time an event occurs. By taking the difference between the time information of the previous automatic cleaning operation and the current time information, To obtain the accumulated operation time of each operation mode.  Regarding the number of operations, The same, For the operation information managed by the operation information management unit 135, The same processing as described above is performed.  About the elapsed time from the time of installation of the air conditioner, The same, For the time information of the installation time managed by the time management unit 134, The same processing as described above is performed.  Time management unit 134, In addition to the time information, Also have mastery of calendar information with dates.  [0033] As a time information setting means, There are the following configurations. That is, user, Enter the time information for the remote control Re (Fig. 1). And inputting the time information as the remote controller signal from the remote controller Re (FIG. 1) to the remote controller receiving unit of the indoor unit 100, The time information can be set in the main microcomputer 130. also, user, The information can also be sent to the indoor unit 100 via the communication network 190 from the information terminal. The time information is set in the main microcomputer 130.  Again, The system can also automatically acquire a function of time information that automatically acquires time information of a server (NTP, etc.) that exists on the communication network 190. The indoor unit 100 is constructed.  [0034] indoor unit 100, Department of information on the current moments that have been obtained, It is set in the time management unit 134 inside the main microcomputer 130. Time management unit 134, Cooperate with the passage of time, And continue to count up the set time. So, The time management unit 134 manages the correct current time.  [0035] user, Can use the aforementioned time information setting means, The current time managed by the time management unit 134 is updated at an arbitrary timing. also, It is also possible to set the above-described time information automatic acquisition function to the indoor unit 100 periodically. On the other hand, the current time managed by the time management unit 134 is automatically updated periodically. By this, The occurrence of a deviation between the current time managed by the time management unit 134 and the current current time is prevented.  [0036] various operational information, It is managed by the operation information management unit 135. Operation information management unit 135, Switching between the operation modes caused by the input from the remote controller Re (Fig. 1), The switching of the operation mode by the input from the communication network 190 or the switching of the operation mode by the built-in timer of the indoor unit 100 is managed.  By recording the operation information and the current time managed by the time management unit 134 in the memory means 131, It is possible to obtain the accumulated operation time of each operation mode, The number of operations and the elapsed time from the installation of the air conditioner S.  [0037] The operation integration time from the previous cleaning, which is memorized by the memory means 131, Each of the number of operations from the previous washing and the elapsed time from the installation of the air conditioner S, which are memorized by the memory means 131, The memory means 131 is previously stored with a specific value. Calculating the time of the aforementioned operation memorized by the memory means 131, The aforementioned number of operations memorized by the memory means 131 or the specific time value reached by the memory means 131 is reached by the aforementioned elapsed time. As the operating conditions of the automatic washing operation.  [0038] If the automatic washing operation is performed at every certain time interval or every certain number of operations, The combination of the operating conditions of the automatic automatic washing operation is not particularly limited. It is assumed that one or more of the above conditions may be satisfied.  Again, For the aforementioned operational integration time, The number of operations mentioned above, The aforementioned method of calculating the elapsed time, The system is not limited. E.g, The following general calculation methods can be considered. It can also be configured after the automatic cleaning operation is implemented. Calculate the time of the aforementioned operation, The value of the aforementioned number of operations is reset to zero. It can also be configured after the automatic cleaning operation is implemented. Increase the number of automatic washing operations, And get the number of automatic washing operations, Becoming the benchmark's accumulated running time, The product of the number of operations and the elapsed time from the installation of the air conditioner S, When the product becomes a specific value or more, Automatic washing operation is carried out.  For the aforementioned operation integration time, The number of operations mentioned above, The specific value of the aforementioned elapsed time, The configuration may be arbitrarily set by an input device such as a remote controller Re or an information terminal connected to the communication network 190.  [0039] When the operating conditions of the automatic washing operation are satisfied, When it is after the end of the heating operation, After a specific first delay time has elapsed since the stop of the heating operation, Automatic washing operation is carried out.  In the air, When the dehumidification or the air supply operation is performed and the automatic washing operation is performed, Immediately after the stop of the operation, Or after the second delay time that is shorter than the first delay time, Automatic washing operation is carried out.  The so-called stop of operation here, It means that each of the compressor of the air conditioner S and the blower fan 103 is stopped.  [0040] When the heating operation is over, By setting a specific first delay time, It is possible to perform an automatic washing operation after cooling the indoor heat exchanger 102. It is possible to save energy in the automatic washing operation. also, The user is able to leave the room during this period. On the other hand, it is possible to suppress the situation in which the cold air of the automatic washing operation causes discomfort to the user. also, It is also possible to suppress the occurrence of abnormal sounds caused by the sudden switching of the refrigerant circulation to the reverse rotation.  The setting of the specific first delay time at the time of factory shipment, For example, it can be considered to be set to about 3 minutes. This time, For the switching of the four-way valve that allows the user to leave the room and cool the indoor heat exchanger 102 and quietly perform the reverse rotation of the refrigerant circulation, It is a full time.  [0041] within the aforementioned delay time, Ideally, The air blowing fan 103 is driven or the vertical wind direction plate 105 is deployed. By this, The indoor heat exchanger 102 can be rapidly cooled. also, By running the air, It is possible to obtain room temperature while equalizing the room temperature. Further, it is also possible to optimize the cooling temperature of the automatic cleaning operation in accordance with the degree of fluctuation of the room temperature.  Other than that, The system can also be configured as: A hygrometer (not shown) is disposed near the indoor heat exchanger 102, And measuring the humidity near the indoor heat exchanger 102 within the aforementioned delay time, Further, the subsequent automatic washing operation is optimized in accordance with the measurement result. E.g, When the humidity is high and there is much moisture around the indoor heat exchanger 102, It is possible to shorten the cooling time of the automatic washing operation. If the cooling time is set to 20 minutes, Even in the dry winter season, it is possible to collect sufficient moisture for the automatic washing operation. but, When there is much moisture around the indoor heat exchanger 102, The cooling time can also be set to about 15 minutes.  [0042] The indoor heat exchanger 102 (FIG. 2) shown at the indoor unit 100 (FIG. 2), There is a filter 108 (Fig. 2) above it. The indoor heat exchanger 102 is prevented from being soiled by removing large dust. If dust accumulates on the screen 108, There will be a blockage, The air system passing through the indoor heat exchanger 102 is reduced, The cooling and heating capacity of the indoor unit 100 is attenuated. In order to prevent this, Indoor unit 100, It is also possible to provide a screen cleaning means for automatically cleaning the screen 108 by using a brush (not shown) after the operation of the cold air or the like is completed.  [0043] When the indoor unit 100 is provided with a screen cleaning means, When the brush rubbing the filter 108, The fine dust will fall to the indoor heat exchanger 102. Due to the dust falling from the cleaning of the filter, Compared to the dust attached to the normal air conditioning operation, Is a large number, This is a cause of sticking of dust and dirt to the indoor heat exchanger 102.  Therefore, Ideally, In the aforementioned delay time, Cleaning of the screen 108 caused by the aforementioned screen cleaning means is performed. By this, It is a dust that can fall due to the implementation of the filter cleaning. Washed by automatic washing operation immediately after falling, It is possible to prevent the adhesion to the indoor heat exchanger caused by the cleaning of the screen.  [0044] the time required for the user to leave the room, The system will change depending on the situation. In order to cool the indoor heat exchanger 102, The system will vary depending on the temperature and the like. Therefore, Ideally, The aforementioned delay time can be changed.   E.g, Indoor unit 100, It is also possible to provide an input means for inputting the aforementioned delay time from an information terminal connected to the communication network 190 or a remote controller Re.  [0045] When there is a case where the aforementioned delay time exists, Ideally, In the aforementioned delay time, The user will report on the automatic cleaning operation. By this, It is possible to suppress the situation in which the user feels distrustful. Therefore, Indoor unit 100, The present invention may be configured to include a display lamp (not shown) that reports the execution of the automatic cleaning operation within the delay time, or a reporting means such as a report sound generating unit (not shown). And in response to the remaining time until the start of the automatic washing operation, To change the content of the report of the aforementioned reporting means. The change in the content of the report, For example, it is equivalent to changing the dot-off period of the display lamp or broadcasting by voice guidance.  [0046] If the user is not there, Even if the automatic washing operation starts immediately after the air conditioner stops running, The cold air of the automatic washing operation does not cause discomfort to the user.  Therefore, When the operating conditions of the automatic washing operation are satisfied, As air-conditioned, Dehumidification, When the air supply operation is finished, If the human detection means of the indoor unit 100 does not detect humans indoors, The automatic washing operation can be performed immediately after the operation is stopped.  [0047] Again, When the air conditioner operation is stopped by the remote input from the outdoor, The possibility of being unmanned indoors is high.  Therefore, When the operating conditions of the automatic washing operation are satisfied, As air-conditioned, Dehumidification, When the air supply operation is finished, If the air conditioner operation is stopped by remote input from the information terminal connected to the communication network 190, The automatic washing operation can be performed immediately after the operation is stopped.  [0048] However, It can be speculated that Even if the air conditioner operation is stopped by the aforementioned remote input, There are also possibilities for people in the room. therefore, When the aforementioned human detection means detects humans indoors, The automatic cleaning operation may be performed after the delay time has elapsed.  [0049] As a means of human detection, There are the following configurations. That is, The image captured by the imaging device 110A can also be analyzed by the human detecting unit 122b. And detect whether humans are photographed. also, It is also possible to detect sensors (not shown) by humans. To detect infrared rays emitted from the human body. So, Based on the detection results of humans in the room, To control the start of the automatic washing operation.  [0050] When dust is accumulated in the indoor heat exchanger 102 when the operating conditions of the automatic washing operation are not satisfied for a long period of time, It can be speculated that The user would like to perform the automatic washing operation immediately after the air conditioning operation is stopped. therefore, The system can also be configured to When an instruction to execute the automatic cleaning operation is input from the remote controller Re or the information terminal connected to the communication network 190, The automatic washing operation is immediately performed immediately after the input.  [0051] If the room is as air-conditioned, the wider the room, Then the total amount of dust in the room will become larger. Dust in the air, Since it passes through the indoor heat exchanger 102 via the blower fan 103, therefore, The breadth of the aforementioned room has a correlation with the amount of dust accumulated in the indoor heat exchanger 102. Therefore, Air conditioner S, Ideally, It has a volume detection method that detects the volume or breadth of the room. And configured to be able to respond to the detection results, To determine in advance the operation integration time from the previous washing that should be performed in the above-described automatic washing operation, The threshold for the number of operations from the previous wash.  [0052] as the aforementioned volume detecting means, There are the following configurations. That is, The room temperature detecting unit 161 can also detect the room temperature. And it is required to reach the reference value (for example, 1 degree) according to the fluctuation of the room temperature (hereinafter, Called room temperature change time), To automatically detect the volume or width of the room.  [0053] The room temperature variation time is determined in advance by experiments for the volume of various rooms. The related information (Fig. 6 (a)) between the room temperature change time and the room volume or the breadth is stored in advance in the memory means 131. herein, Due to the cooling and heating capacity of the air conditioner S, The aforementioned related relationship will change, therefore, Ideally, Based on various air conditioning capabilities. To carry out the above determination for each model of the air conditioner S, And obtain relevant information in accordance with the cooling and heating capacity in advance.  Again, The relationship between the room temperature change time and the volume of the room, The system is affected by the room temperature at room or the illuminance in the room. In order to exclude this effect, Ideally, The adjustment value α related to the room temperature and room temperature fluctuation time at the start of the measurement is determined in advance by experiments (Fig. 6(b)), The adjustment value β (Fig. 6(c)) related to the illuminance in the room and the change in the room temperature at the start of the measurement, And will also adjust the value α, The adjustment value β is stored in advance in the memory means 131.  The aforementioned volume detecting means, The room temperature detecting unit 161 can be used, The illuminance detecting unit 162 obtains the room temperature in the room, Illuminance, And related information, Adjustment value α, Adjust the value β as a comparison, To detect the volume of the room.  [0054] Again, The system may also be based on portrait information input from the imaging means 110A. To detect the volume or breadth of the room. E.g, In Patent Document 2, It is described that "the camera means 13, For the entry and exit of humans, The number and location of human beings in the room, Activity amount, The content of the information such as the room pattern and the area illuminated by sunlight is recognized. It is also possible to detect the ground portion of the portrait information input from the imaging means 110A in such a manner. And inferred the area of the wall other than the ground, etc. Calculate the volume or breadth of the room based on the area ratio. So, Can be based on the volume or breadth of the room that is the air-conditioned space, To optimize the automatic cleaning operation.  [0055] the aforementioned volume detecting means, It is only for the size of the room. Therefore, The aforementioned volume detecting means does not need to be highly accurate. but, In order to take countermeasures against the fact that the difference between the detection result and the actual room volume becomes large, Ideally, It has the following general functions. That is, The system is also capable of placing the indoor unit 100, It is configured not only to automatically detect the volume of the room, Further, there is also an input means for allowing the user to input the volume or size of the room which is the air-conditioned space or to reset the initial value from the information terminal or the remote controller Re connected to the communication network 190.  Main microcomputer 130, Based on the volume or size of the aforementioned room input by the aforementioned input means, Determining the operation integration time from the previous cleaning by the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger caused by the cleaning means, The threshold for the number of operations from the previous wash.  [0056] In order to make the automatic washing operation more efficient, Ideally, At the indoor unit 100, The utility model is provided with a dirt detecting means for detecting the dirt of the indoor heat exchanger 102. When the dirt detected by the dirt detection means exceeds a certain amount, Regardless of the memory accumulation time memorized by the memory means 131, The number of operations from the previous washing memory memorized by the memory means 131 is the value of the elapsed time elapsed since the installation of the air conditioner S, The automatic washing operation is carried out. By this, Before the dust accumulates in the indoor heat exchanger 102 and the dirt is sticky, Automatic washing will be carried out. On the other hand, it is possible to keep the indoor heat exchanger 102 clean with less power without using a large amount of water in the washing of the indoor heat exchanger 102.  [0057] the aforementioned dirt detecting means, Can be equipped with: Using a visible light or near-infrared imaging means 110B at the light source, An optical filter that interrupts or attenuates light of a specific wavelength. Image information input from the imaging means 110B, The image is analyzed by the dust detecting unit 122a of the image detecting unit 122 of the camera microcomputer. The dust part of the portrait information is detected as dirty.  [0058] within the indoor heat exchanger 102, As shown in Figure 4(a), The metal plates are placed side by side at equal intervals with a very fine pitch. If the indoor heat exchanger 102 is imaged by the imaging means 110B, Then the metal plate portion becomes white due to the reflected light. The air layer between the pitches of the metal plates is imaged as black because it does not reflect light. It is possible to obtain an image in which the metal sheets are confirmed side by side at equal intervals. If the image is analyzed by the analysis line 301 for the image, This is the image waveform shown in Fig. 5(a).  Here, When the image of the indoor heat exchanger 102 to which the dust 401A is attached is imaged by the image pickup means 110B as shown in FIG. 4(b), It is a picture in which the boundary between white and black is not clear, and it is impossible to confirm that the metal plates are arranged side by side at equal intervals. If the image is analyzed by the analysis line 302 for the image, Then it becomes the waveform of the portrait shown in Figure 5(b). Further, it was confirmed that the image waveform 401B was caused by the adhesion of dust and the peak was defective. According to this, It is capable of detecting the adhesion of dust.  [0059] As an example of means for improving the accuracy of the imaging means 110B, There are the following configurations. That is, By using an infrared light emitting unit (not shown) and a visible light cut filter unit 117B (FIG. 3), it is assumed that only image data having a specific wavelength exists. The ability to remove the effects of external disturbances from the image data. The identification accuracy of the dust detecting portion 122a (Fig. 3) is improved.  [0060] the amount of dirt attached to the indoor heat exchanger 102, The system will depend on air conditioning, Heating, The operation mode such as the dehumidification operation differs. Therefore, Ideally, The running time from the previous washing, The number of operations from the previous washing or the elapsed time from the installation of the air conditioner S, For heating operation, Cooling operation, Each of the operation modes such as the dehumidification operation is set separately.  [0061] It can be speculated that Even if it is remembered by the memory means 131, the running time from the previous washing, The number of operations remembered by the memory means 131 from the previous washing, When the value of the elapsed time from the installation of the air conditioner S does not satisfy the set value or when the filter cleaning is not performed, There are also cases where the user wishes to perform an automatic washing operation. herein, In order to suppress the user's discomfort, etc., Ideally, It is configured such that the reservation setting can be performed in such a manner that the automatic washing operation is started at the time when the user is not indoors. therefore, The system can also be configured as: There is an input means for inputting from an information terminal connected to the communication network 190 or a remote controller Re. The start time of the automatic washing operation is input by the aforementioned input means.   the following, As an example, The processing performed by the main microcomputer 130 will be described.  [0062] FIG. 7, It is a flowchart showing the processing of the main microcomputer 130 at the time of starting the washing process.  In step S101, Main microcomputer 130, It is determined whether or not the start condition of the washing process is established. As mentioned above, The so-called "starting conditions for washing treatment", E.g, It is a condition that the value obtained by integrating the time of the air-conditioning operation from the end of the previous washing process reaches a specific value. When the start condition of the washing process is satisfied in step S101 (S101, Yes), The processing of the main microcomputer 130 proceeds to step S102. on the other hand, When the start condition of the washing process is not established (S101, No), The main microcomputer 130 ends a series of processes.  [0063] In step S102, Main microcomputer 130, A specific report sound is generated by a report sound generation unit (not shown). The indicator light (not shown) is turned on. That is, Main microcomputer 130, Before starting the washing process such as freezing of the indoor heat exchanger 102, The cleaning process is first performed by the report sound generation unit and the display lamp. By this, It is possible to report the washing process to the user in advance.  [0064] Next, In step S103, Main microcomputer 130, The delay time until the washing process of the indoor heat exchanger 102 is started is set. This delay time (for example, 3 minutes), It is the time from the start of the washing process in step S102 to the user before the washing operation is actually started. And set in advance.  [0065] In step S104, Main microcomputer 130, It is determined whether or not a specific delay time has elapsed since the user has previously reported the washing process (step S102). When a specific delay time has elapsed (S104, Yes), The processing of the main microcomputer 130 proceeds to step S105. During the period until this delay time elapses, It is also possible to set the lighting of the display lamp or the like (S102).  In step S105, Main microcomputer 130, The cleaning process of the indoor heat exchanger 102 is performed.  [0066] On the other hand, When the specific delay time has not elapsed in step S104 (S104, No), The processing of the main microcomputer 130 proceeds to step S106.  In step S106, Main microcomputer 130, It is determined whether or not there is a cancel command for the washing process via the operation of the remote controller R or the information terminal (not shown). When there is no cancellation instruction for the washing process (S106, No), The processing of the main microcomputer 130 returns to step S104. on the other hand, When there is a cancel instruction of the washing process (S104, Yes), The processing of the main microcomputer 130 proceeds to step S107.  [0067] In step S107, Main microcomputer 130, The report sound generation unit generates a specific report sound. also, The indicator light is lit. By this, It is possible to actually cancel the washing operation in response to the operation of the remote controller R or the like, Report to the user.  [0068] In addition, The aforementioned report sound or the like (S107), Ideally, The system is different from the report sound or the like (S102) that reports on the washing process in advance. This is because By this, Is able to actually make the washing process a cancellation, It is easy to understand for the user to report.  [0069] Next, In step S108, Main microcomputer 130, The cleaning process of the indoor heat exchanger 102 is cancelled. That is, Main microcomputer 130, The cleaning process including the freezing of the indoor heat exchanger 102 will be included. Cancellation based on the signal from the remote control R or the information terminal. If it is further elaborated, Then, in the period from the start of the report before the washing process (S102) until the specific delay time elapses, When a specific cancel command is received from the remote controller R or the information terminal (S104, No, S106, Yes), Main microcomputer 130, The washing process including the freezing of the indoor heat exchanger 102 is not performed (S108). By this, Main microcomputer 130, Is capable of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 102, Appropriate cancellation according to the user's intention. after that, After the processing of step S108 is performed, The main microcomputer 130 ends the series of processes (END).  [0070] Embodiments, It is described in detail for the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to all of the constituents including the above-described description. also, Can be part of the composition of each embodiment, And add other components, Delete or replace.  Again, The aforementioned mechanism and composition, Department representatives are deemed to be in need of explanation, On the product, It is not absolutely necessary to mark all institutions and components.

[0071]

S‧‧‧Air conditioner

100‧‧‧ indoor unit

101‧‧‧Frame base

102‧‧‧ indoor heat exchanger

103‧‧‧Air supply fan

104‧‧‧about wind direction board

105‧‧‧Up and down wind direction board

106‧‧‧ front panel

107‧‧‧Air intake

108‧‧‧Filter

109a‧‧‧ blowing out the wind

109b‧‧‧Air blowout

110A, 110B‧‧‧ camera means

111A‧‧‧ optical lens

112A‧‧‧Photographic components

113A‧‧‧A/D converter

114A‧‧‧Digital Signal Processing Department

116‧‧‧Filter Drive Department

117A, 117B‧‧‧ visible light cut-off filter

120‧‧‧Camera Microcomputer

121, 131‧‧‧ memory means

122‧‧‧Photographic Detection Department

122a‧‧‧Dust Detection Department (dirty detection means)

122b‧‧ Human Detection Department (Human Detection)

130‧‧‧Main microcomputer (control means)

132‧‧‧ Calculation and Processing Department

133‧‧‧Drive Control Department

134‧‧‧Time Management Department

135‧‧‧ Operation Information Management Department

150‧‧‧Load Drive Department

160‧‧‧Environmental detection means

161‧‧‧ Room Temperature Detection Department

162‧‧‧Illuminance Detection Department

190‧‧‧Communication network

200‧‧‧Outdoor machine

Q‧‧‧Remote control (input means)

301, 302‧‧‧ analytical line

401A‧‧‧dust

401B‧‧‧Image waveforms due to the attachment of dust to the peak

[ Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a front view of an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, and a remote controller provided in an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the direction of the arrow of the I-I line shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram of a device provided in an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an indoor heat exchanger provided in an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a pictorial waveform of a differential analysis result of an image obtained by imaging an indoor heat exchanger provided in an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Fig. 6] A graph showing the correlation between the "time required until the fluctuation of the room temperature reaches the reference value" and the "volume of the room" and the correction value thereof. Fig. 7 is a flow chart showing the processing of the main microcomputer included in the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (16)

An air conditioner characterized by comprising: a cleaning means for cleaning an indoor heat exchanger; and a control means for controlling the cleaning means, wherein the control means, after the heating is completed, by the washing When the indoor heat exchanger is cleaned by the cleaning means, after the heating operation is completed, after the first first delay time elapses from the stop of the heating operation, the washing means is performed. When the indoor heat exchanger is cleaned and the indoor heat exchanger is cleaned by the cleaning means after the completion of the cooling, dehumidification or air blowing operation, the first delay time is passed. After the second delay time, the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger by the cleaning means is performed. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioner is provided with a memory means for operating the memory air conditioner, and the control means is calculated from the previous cleaning operation stored in the memory means. The time, the number of operations from the previous cleaning in the memory means, or the elapsed time elapsed since the installation of the air conditioner stored in the memory means, reaches a certain threshold. In the case of the above, the indoor heat exchanger by the washing means is washed. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air blower is provided in the indoor unit, and the air is sent to the indoor heat exchanger; and the up-and-down wind direction plate is The wind direction of the air blown by the indoor unit is adjusted, and the control means drives the blower fan during a period from the stop of the heating operation to the first delay time or opens the vertical wind direction plate. . An air conditioner characterized by comprising: a cleaning means for cleaning an indoor heat exchanger; and a control means for controlling the cleaning means; and a filter cleaning means for setting the indoor heat When the filter is cleaned by the air suction side of the exchanger, when the indoor heat exchanger is cleaned by the cleaning means, the control means stops after the heating operation is completed. After the first predetermined delay time has elapsed, the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger by the cleaning means is performed, and the period from the stop of the heating operation to the passage of the first delay time is performed. The cleaning of the filter screen caused by the aforementioned filter cleaning means is performed. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the control means sets the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant when the indoor heat exchanger is cleaned by the cleaning means, and is set to be lower than the dehumidification operation. The evaporation temperature of the aforementioned refrigerant is lower. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the control means sets the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant when the indoor heat exchanger is cleaned by the cleaning means, and sets the temperature to a freezing point. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the means for reporting is: in a period from the stop of the heating operation until the first delay time, or from the air-conditioning, In the period from the stop of the dehumidification or the air supply operation until the second delay time elapses, the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger by the cleaning means is reported. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the input means is configured to input an information terminal connected to a communication network or a remote controller, and input the aforementioned washing means. When the instruction to clean the indoor heat exchanger is input by the input means, when the instruction to clean the indoor heat exchanger by the cleaning means is input, immediately after the input Immediately, the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger caused by the above cleaning means is performed. An air conditioner characterized by comprising: a cleaning means for cleaning an indoor heat exchanger; and a control means for controlling the cleaning means; and a memory means for memorizing an operation state of the air conditioner; and a volume The detecting means detects the volume or the breadth of the room which is the air-conditioned space, and the control means determines the implementation of the washing according to the volume or the width of the room detected by the volume detecting means. The threshold value of the operation integration time from the previous cleaning caused by the net means or the threshold value of the number of operations from the previous cleaning is stored in the aforementioned memory means. The operation integration time from the previous cleaning or the number of operations from the previous cleaning in the memory means reaches the aforementioned threshold value, or is stored in the aforementioned memory means. In the case where the elapsed time elapsed since the installation of the aforementioned air conditioner reached a certain threshold, the heating operation was performed. After toe-out, during the operation of the heating from the stop of the particular elapsed time of the first delay, the implementation of the washing due to the indoor heat exchanger by said cleaning means. The air conditioner according to claim 9, wherein the volume detecting means detects the time elapsed based on a time period from the start of the measurement of the room temperature until the fluctuation of the room temperature reaches the reference temperature. The volume or breadth of the room. The air conditioner according to claim 9, wherein the volume detecting means detects the volume or the width of the room based on image information input from an imaging means for imaging indoors. An air conditioner characterized by comprising: a cleaning means for cleaning an indoor heat exchanger; and a control means for controlling the cleaning means; and a memory means for memorizing an operation state of the air conditioner; and inputting The means is to input the volume or the width of the room which is the air-conditioned space from the information terminal or the remote controller connected to the communication network, and the control means is based on the aforementioned input by the input means The volume or the width of the room determines the threshold value of the operation integration time from the previous washing by the cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger caused by the cleaning means or the number of operations from the previous washing. The threshold value, when the operation integration time from the previous cleaning is memorized in the memory means or the number of operations from the previous cleaning stored in the memory means reaches the aforementioned threshold value of each In the case of, or in the case of being stored in the aforementioned memory means, the passage of the air conditioner is When the specific threshold value is reached, after the heating operation is completed, the indoor heat caused by the cleaning means is executed after a predetermined first delay time elapses from the stop of the heating operation. Wash the exchanger. For example, the air conditioner described in the first or the second aspect of the patent application has a means for detecting the contamination of the indoor heat exchanger, which is detected by the dirt detecting means. When the amount of dirt that has reached is more than a certain amount, the control means performs cleaning of the indoor heat exchanger by the cleaning means. The air conditioner according to claim 13, wherein the dirt detecting means includes: an image capturing means for using visible light or near infrared light at a light source; and blocking or making light of a specific wavelength The attenuating optical filter detects the contamination of the indoor heat exchanger based on the image information input from the imaging means. The air conditioner according to the second aspect of the invention, wherein the operation integration time from the previous cleaning, the number of operations from the previous cleaning, or the elapsed time from the installation of the air conditioner The threshold value is set for each of the operation modes of the heating operation, the cooling operation, and the dehumidification operation. An air conditioner according to the first or second aspect of the invention is characterized in that: the input means is: inputting the indoor heat exchanger from an information terminal or a remote controller connected to a communication network; The cleaning start time.