JP3403320B2 - Wireless remote control for air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner wireless remote controller for remotely controlling the operation of an air conditioner, and more particularly to a display unit for displaying various setting contents of the operation mode of the air conditioner using liquid crystal or the like. Regarding improvement.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a wireless remote controller for an air conditioner of this type (hereinafter referred to as a remote controller) sets various operation modes of the air conditioner by pressing various operation buttons, and the air conditioner is set according to the setting contents. While the operation of is controlled remotely, the setting contents are displayed on a display unit such as a liquid crystal display.

[0003]

However, in recent years, the number of items showing the setting contents of the operation mode has increased along with the expansion of the functions of the air conditioner, so that the liquid crystal display section for displaying the setting contents has become larger. This leads to an increase in the size and cost of the remote controller itself.

On the other hand, in order to prevent the liquid crystal display unit from becoming large, the notation of characters and the like showing many setting contents becomes small,
There is a problem that it becomes difficult to see.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to improve the visibility and reduce the cost without increasing the size of the display unit. It is intended to provide a wireless remote controller for the.

[0006]

The invention according to claim 1 is
An operation unit for remotely controlling the operation of the air conditioner body,
In an air conditioner wireless remote controller having a display unit for displaying the setting contents of the operation set by the operation of the operation unit, the display unit is a character indicating a predetermined basic setting content among the setting contents. A first display area for fixedly displaying the or symbol at a predetermined position, and a second display area for highlighting the changed setting content when the setting content is changed.
And a display area of.

According to the present invention, when the setting content is changed, the changed setting content is emphasized and displayed in the second display area, so that the user can be informed of the change of the setting content to improve the visibility. It can be further improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the second display area always displays the second setting content other than the first setting content displayed in the first display area when the setting content is not changed. However, when the set contents are changed, the changed contents are displayed for a predetermined time by enlarged characters or enlarged symbols, and then the normal display is resumed again.

According to the present invention, in addition to the operation of the first aspect of the invention, the predetermined setting contents other than the basic setting contents are always displayed in the second display area. Need not be displayed in the display area of. Therefore, since the display space of the first display area can be saved by that amount, the notation of the first display area can be enlarged and the visibility can be improved.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the first display area is formed of a liquid crystal pattern on which characters and symbols are printed in advance, and the second display area is formed of a dot matrix liquid crystal pattern.

According to the present invention, in addition to the operation of the first aspect of the invention, since the second display area has a dot matrix liquid crystal pattern, the display contents can be switched by simply changing the display program of the remote controller. You can

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, when the timer operation is set, the timer end time is displayed in the first display area, and the remaining time until the timer end time is displayed in the second display area. It is characterized by being displayed.

According to the present invention, in addition to the operation of the invention of claim 1 or 2, since the remaining time until the timer end time is displayed in the second display area, the user can display the remaining time until the timer end time. It is convenient because there is no need to calculate.

The invention according to claim 5 has a setting content confirmation button for confirming the setting content set by the operation of the work section, and when the setting content confirmation button is operated, the first display It is characterized in that the setting contents displayed in the area are enlarged and displayed in the second display area.

According to the present invention, in addition to the operation of the first aspect of the invention, when the setting content confirmation button is operated, for example, the setting item displayed in a small size in the first display area is enlarged, and the second setting item is expanded. Since it is also displayed in the display area of, the setting content can be easily and surely confirmed and the visibility can be improved by looking at the enlarged display of the second display area.

The invention according to claim 6 has a setting content confirmation button for confirming the setting content set by the operation of the operation section, and when the setting content confirmation button is operated, the first display The display content displayed in the area is enlarged and displayed in the second display area, and then the setting content is sequentially displayed at predetermined time intervals.

According to the present invention, since the setting contents are sequentially enlarged and displayed at predetermined time intervals, it is easy to check the detailed setting contents other than the basic setting.

The invention according to claim 7 has a setting content confirmation button for confirming the setting content set by the operation of the operation section, and when the setting content confirmation button is operated, the first display After the display content displayed in the area is enlarged and displayed in the second display area, the setting content is sequentially displayed at predetermined time intervals, and the predetermined time is changed depending on the setting content to be displayed.

According to the present invention, since the duration of the enlarged display is changed according to the setting contents, the setting time can be set longer by increasing the display time for important setting contents and shortening the display time for other detailed contents. The time required to check the contents can be shortened.

The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that the second display area is configured to display predetermined setting contents in a moving image by sequentially displaying a plurality of figures.

According to the present invention, in addition to the operation of the first aspect of the present invention, for example, regarding the predetermined setting contents such as the air cleaning operation mode, for example, the state before and after the air conditioner sucks dust and the like is represented by a plurality of figures. Since the images are displayed in a moving image by sequentially displaying them, the predetermined setting contents can be strongly appealed to the user.

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In these figures, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of an air conditioner 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This air conditioner 1 is configured by connecting an outdoor unit 3 to an indoor unit 2 with a refrigerant pipe 4, and by transmitting a control signal from a wireless remote controller 6 to the receiving unit 5 of the indoor unit 2 by infrared rays or the like,
The operation of the air conditioner 1 is remotely controlled as instructed by the control signal.

The indoor unit 2 has a front panel 8 mounted on the rear plate body 7 with a suction port 9 formed in the upper front portion and a blowout port 10 for conditioned air in the lower front portion. A left / right airflow direction adjusting plate 10a and a vertical airflow direction adjusting plate 10b are swingably provided at the air outlet 10. The outdoor unit 3 has, for example, a blowout port 1 on its front surface.
1 has suction ports 12 formed on the back surface and the side surface thereof.

FIG. 2 shows an air conditioner 1 constructed in this way.
FIG. 1 is a refrigeration cycle diagram of FIG. 1, in which the air conditioner 1 includes an outdoor heat exchanger 16 including a compressor 13, a four-way valve 14, and an outdoor fan 15, an expansion valve 17, and an indoor heat exchanger 19 including an indoor fan 18. The refrigeration cycle in which the refrigerant is reversibly circulated is constructed by sequentially connecting the refrigerant pipes 4 in this order through the refrigerant pipe 4. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 20 is a room temperature sensor that detects room temperature.

In this refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant is circulated in the direction of the solid line arrow in the figure by the switching operation of the four-way valve 14 to perform the cooling operation, and in the direction of the broken line arrow in the figure to perform the heating operation.

FIG. 3 is an external front view of the remote controller 6. The remote controller 6 has a liquid crystal display section 22 on one end of the front surface of a remote controller case 21 having an elongated flat rectangular tube shape, and an operation section 23 slightly below in the figure. Are arranged respectively.

The operating section 23 is a reversing switch button which is repeatedly selected to start and stop each time the button is pressed, and includes a run / stop button 24, a temperature setting button 25 for temperature increase, a temperature setting button 26 for temperature decrease, and a healthy dehumidifying (dry). The operation button 27, the clear button 28, the operation switching button 29, the wind direction setting button 30, the air volume setting button 31, and the sleep operation button 3 which are sequentially switched each time the basic operation mode such as cooling, heating, and dry is pressed.
2, a reset button 33, a basic mode switching button 34 which is a selection means for selecting a basic setting return mode and an operation content storage mode, an air laundry button 35 for selecting an air cleaning operation, a setting content confirmation button 36, and an on timer button. 37, an off timer button 38, a timer time setting button 39, a timer reservation button 40, and the like, respectively. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 41 is a battery which is a power source of the remote controller 6.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of the liquid crystal display section 22 of the remote controller 6. The liquid crystal display unit 22 displays various setting contents of the operation mode of the air conditioner 1 set by the operation of the remote control operation unit 23 on the liquid crystal, and is arranged in a U-shape in the drawing. It has a display area 42 and a rectangular second display area 43 arranged in the U-shaped opening of the first display area 42.

The first display area 42 is a portion where predetermined setting contents such as a basic operation mode are displayed, and is composed of a liquid crystal pattern on which predetermined characters and symbols are printed, and the basic operation mode is displayed. Operating mode display section 42a
And a timer time display section 42b that displays the time when the timer enters and the time when the timer expires, an air volume display section 42c that displays the air volume, and an operating current display that displays the operating current of the air conditioner 1. And a portion 42d.

Each time the operation switching button 29 is pressed, the operation mode display section 42a sequentially switches between, for example, automatic (operation) → cooling (operation) → dry (operation) → heating (operation) → automatic (operation). This is the part displayed on the click.

The timer time display section 42b displays the time at which the operation of the air conditioner 1 being stopped is started by a predetermined operation of the ON timer button 37, the OFF timer button 38, the timer time setting button 39 and the timer reservation button 40. The time when the operation of the air conditioner 1 during operation is stopped is displayed.

Each time the air volume setting button 31 is pressed, the air volume display section 42c is a section for cyclically switching between automatic, quiet, light wind, weak wind, strong wind, and automatic.
The weak and strong winds are not displayed, for example, in characters, but are displayed according to the number of small, medium, and large block-shaped notations.

On the other hand, the second display area 43 is composed of a dot-matrix liquid crystal pattern, and the display content is switched by the display program of the remote controller. The setting content displayed in the first display area 42 is changed. Setting contents other than, for example, the set temperature are always displayed in a character larger than the display in the first display area 42. Then, when the user operates the remote controller to switch the basic operation mode or the like displayed in the first display area 42, the display setting is switched to the switched setting content and displayed. After that, the set temperature is constantly displayed again.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5 (A), when the basic operation mode is switched to cooling (operation), the operation mode display portion 42a of the first display area 42 displays the characters of cooling and A character of cooling larger than the character of cooling is blinked in the second display area 43 for a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds).

Then, after the predetermined time has elapsed, FIG.
As shown in, the display returns to the normal display for displaying the set temperature (for example, 24 ° C.) and the like, and thereafter, this normal display is continued until the next switching display.

Similarly to this, FIG. 6A shows a display example of the liquid crystal display unit 22 when the air volume is switched to the slight air volume, for example. In this case, the air volume display section 42 of the first display area 42
In c, a character of the air volume and one small block notation 42 _c1 representing a breeze are displayed, and the second display area 43 is displayed.
In addition, the character "Breeze" is displayed in a large typeface in a blinking manner for a predetermined time.

Then, after a predetermined time, as shown in FIG. 5B, the normal display for displaying the set temperature (for example, 24 ° C.) and the like is returned again, and this normal display is continued until the next switching display.

Therefore, when the setting content of the operation mode is changed, the changed content is displayed in the first display area 42 and also in the second display area 43 for a predetermined time and is displayed in a large size. Therefore, the user can easily know the change of the setting content. That is, the visibility of the liquid crystal display unit 22 is improved.

Then, in the second display area 43, when the setting content confirmation button 36 is pressed, the setting content set by that time is sequentially displayed one by one at predetermined time intervals, and finally the normal display is performed. I'm supposed to come back.

FIGS. 7A to 7C show display examples of the second display area 43 in such a case. That is, when the setting content confirmation button 36 is pressed, as shown in FIG. 7A, in the second display area 43, various setting contents, such as a large cooling character, which have been set so far, are first determined. The time is displayed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7 (B), instead of the character of cooling, a character with large breeze is displayed for a predetermined time, and thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7 (C), the set temperature (24 ° C.) is set again. Return to normal display.

Therefore, the setting contents that have been set up to now can be confirmed by the large characters in the second display area 43.

The second display area 43 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (A) and (B), for example, when the air laundry button 35 is pressed to set the air cleaning operation, a graphic image of the air cleaning operation, for example, the indoor unit 2 is shown by a number of points. A plurality of drawings showing the states before and after inhaling dust are sequentially displayed in time series so as to be displayed as a moving image.

Therefore, it is possible to easily and strongly appeal to the user the functions and effects of special merit operation such as air cleaning operation.

In the above embodiment, the setting contents are sequentially displayed at predetermined time intervals after the setting contents confirmation button 36 is pressed, but the display time may be changed according to the type of the setting contents. The display time of the dynamic driving mode
By shortening the other setting contents, the time required to confirm the setting contents can be shortened.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, the setting contents of the operation mode of the air conditioner are displayed in the first display area and the second display area, respectively, so that all the setting contents are displayed in the first display area. In the case of displaying only the area, it is possible to prevent the notation indicating the setting contents from becoming small and thus reducing the visibility, while in the case of displaying all the setting contents only in the second display area, It is possible to prevent an increase in the size of the remote controller itself and an increase in cost due to an increase in the size of the second display area.

When the setting content is changed, the changed content is also displayed in the second display area, so that the user can be prompted to change the setting content to further improve the visibility.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an overall configuration of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention with a part cut away.

FIG. 2 is a refrigeration cycle diagram of the air conditioner shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the entire remote controller shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of a liquid crystal display unit of the remote controller shown in FIG.

5A and 5B show an example of a display on the liquid crystal display unit of the remote controller shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5A is a front view of the display unit showing an example of a display when switching to a cooling operation, and FIG. A)
FIG. 6 is a front view of a display unit showing an example of a normal display that is switched after the display of “1”.

6A and 6B show an example of display by the remote control display unit shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 6A is a front view of the display unit showing an example of display when the operation is switched to the breeze operation, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a front view of a display unit showing an example of a normal display that is switched after the display of “1”.

7A, 7B, and 7C are front views of a remote control display section showing, in time series, an example of a display when a setting content confirmation button is pressed.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are front views of a remote control display section, each showing an example of a display when an image of the air cleaning operation is displayed as a moving image in the second display area.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 air conditioner 6 remote control 22 Liquid crystal display of remote control 42 First display area 43 Second display area

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] 1. A wireless remote controller for an air conditioner, comprising: an operation unit for remotely controlling the operation of the air conditioner main body; and a display unit for displaying the setting contents of the operation set by the operation of the operation unit. , The display unit has a first display area for fixedly displaying a character or a symbol indicating a predetermined basic setting content in the setting content at a predetermined position, and a change when the setting content is changed. A wireless remote controller for an air conditioner, comprising: a second display area for highlighting subsequent setting contents. 2. The second display area constantly displays the second setting content other than the first setting content displayed in the first display area when the setting content is not changed, and the setting content is changed. The wireless remote controller for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the changed content is displayed for a predetermined time by an enlarged character or an enlarged symbol, and then the normal display is resumed. 3. The air according to claim 1, wherein the first display area is formed of a liquid crystal pattern on which characters and symbols are printed in advance, and the second display area is formed of a dot matrix liquid crystal pattern. Wireless remote control for harmony machine. 4. When the timer operation is set, the timer end time is displayed in the first display area, and
The wireless remote controller for an air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the remaining time until the timer end time is displayed in the second display area. 5. A setting content confirmation button for confirming the setting content set by the operation of the operation unit, and when the setting content confirmation button is operated, it is displayed in the first display area. The wireless remote controller for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the setting content is enlarged and displayed in the second display area. 6. A setting content confirmation button for confirming the setting content set by the operation of the operation unit, and when the setting content confirmation button is operated, it is displayed in the first display area. 2. The wireless remote controller for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the display content is enlarged and displayed in the second display area and then the setting content is sequentially displayed at predetermined time intervals. 7. A setting content confirmation button for confirming the setting content set by the operation of the operation unit, and when the setting content confirmation button is operated, it is displayed in the first display area. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein after the display content is enlarged and displayed in the second display area, the setting content is sequentially displayed at predetermined time intervals, and the setting content for displaying the predetermined time is varied. Wireless remote control for machine. 8. The second display area displays predetermined setting contents,
The wireless remote controller for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of figures are sequentially displayed in a moving image.