JP6008569B2 - Air conditioner for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner, and more particularly to a vehicle air conditioner incorporating an inverter.

  Conventionally, a vehicle air conditioner with a built-in inverter has always used a part of the cooling air during cooling operation for cooling the inverter in order to cool the heating due to heat generated during the operation of the inverter (for example, Patent Document 1). reference).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-8635 (page 2-3, FIG. 1)

  Since the vehicle air conditioner described in Patent Document 1 always uses a certain percentage of the cooling capacity inherent in the apparatus for cooling the inverter, the ability to cool the interior of the vehicle is reduced accordingly. That is, even when the inverter does not require cooling, there is a problem that the cooling in the vehicle is insufficient because a certain percentage of the cooling capacity that the device originally has is subtracted from the ability to cool the vehicle. It was.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem, and when the inverter does not require cooling, the cooling of the inverter is stopped and all the cooling capacity originally possessed can be used for cooling the vehicle. An object is to provide an air conditioner.

A vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention includes a frame body that houses at least an indoor fan that blows conditioned air, and an inverter chamber that houses an inverter, and the vehicle air conditioner blows out the conditioned air into a vehicle interior. An inverter chamber opening for communicating the frame and the inverter chamber, a damper capable of opening and closing the inverter chamber opening, an inverter temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the inverter, and the harmony A blowing air temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the air, an outside air temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the outside air, an inverter temperature detected by the inverter temperature sensor, a blowing air temperature detected by the blowing air temperature sensor, and the outside air temperature sensor Control means for controlling the opening and closing of the opening and closing damper based on the detected outside air temperature. The control means compares a preset reference temperature with an inverter temperature detected by the inverter temperature sensor. When the inverter temperature is equal to or lower than the reference temperature, the control means closes the open / close damper, and the inverter temperature is When the reference temperature is exceeded, the blown air temperature is compared with the outside air temperature. When the blown air temperature is higher than the outside air temperature, the open / close damper is closed, and the inverter temperature is above the reference temperature. And comparing the blown air temperature with the outside air temperature, and opening and closing the damper when the blown air temperature is not higher than the outside air temperature .

  According to the present invention, the supply of conditioned air to the inverter chamber can be stopped, so that a constant proportion of the cooling capacity is not always deducted from the indoor cooling capacity, and the inverter does not require cooling. Sometimes, the cooling of the inverter can be stopped, and all of the cooling capacity inherent in the device can be used for cooling the inside of the vehicle.

The top view which shows typically the structure of the vehicle air conditioner which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. Sectional drawing of the side view which expands and shows arrow AA of the vehicle air conditioner shown in FIG. The block diagram which shows the control system of the vehicle air conditioner shown in FIG. 1, and the flowchart explaining a control point. Sectional drawing of the side view which expands and shows a part of vehicle air conditioner which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. The block diagram which shows the control system of the vehicle air conditioner shown in FIG. 4, and the flowchart explaining a control point. Sectional drawing of the side view which expands and shows a part of vehicle air conditioner which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention.

[Embodiment 1]
1 to 3 illustrate a vehicle air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a part thereof. FIG. 3A is a block diagram showing a control system, and FIG. 3B is a flowchart for explaining the control procedure. In FIGS. 1 and 2, only one of the members constituting the vehicle air conditioner or the corresponding members is described.

(Vehicle air conditioner)
1 and 2, a vehicle air conditioner 100 is installed on a roof 91 or under a floor (not shown) of a vehicle 90 and blows out air conditioned in a vehicle interior 92. The indoor heat exchanger 2a, 2b, indoor fans 3a and 3b for sucking and blowing out conditioned air 4 (hereinafter referred to as “cooling air”) 4 in the indoor heat exchangers 2a and 2b, and an indoor motor 3c for rotating and driving the indoor fans 3a and 3b Has a frame body 1 in which is housed, and an inverter chamber 5 in which an inverter 6 is housed.

(Opening and closing damper)
In the frame 1 (more precisely, the air path for guiding the cooling air 4 blown out from the indoor fans 3a and 3b), indoor openings 19a and 19b for blowing the cooling air 4 toward the indoor 92, and an inverter Inverter chamber openings 15a and 15b for blowing cooling air 4a and 4b toward the chamber 5 are formed.
Inverter chamber openings 15a and 15b (precisely, predetermined positions in the air passage for guiding the cooling air 4a and 4b blown out from the indoor fans 3a and 3b toward the inverter chamber 5) Opening / closing means (hereinafter referred to as “opening / closing dampers”) 7a, 7b for opening and closing the portions 15a, 15b are provided. The open / close dampers 7a and 7b are driven by damper driving means 7am and 7bm, respectively.
The indoor opening 19b, the inverter chamber opening 15b, the opening / closing damper 7b, and the damper driving means 7bm are the same as the indoor opening 19a, the inverter chamber opening 15a, the opening / closing damper 7a, and the damper driving means 7am, respectively. Not shown.
Further, an inverter temperature sensor 8 that detects the temperature of the inverter 6 is installed in the inverter 6 (a place representative of the temperature of the inverter element and the inverter component).
Furthermore, the open / close dampers 7a and 7b may be capable of changing the area of the openings of the inverter chamber openings 15a and 15b.

(Inverter cooling)
Since the vehicle air conditioner 100 has the above-described configuration, the interior of the vehicle is cooled by blowing the cooling air 4 that has been heat-exchanged (received cold) in the indoor heat exchanger 2 to the interior 92 during the cooling operation. Yes. At this time, the open / close dampers 7 a and 7 b are opened, and a part of the cooling air 4 a and 4 b is guided to the inverter chamber 5, so that heating due to heat generated during the operation of the inverter 6 can be cooled. On the other hand, when the open / close dampers 7a and 7b are closed, the cooling air 4a and 4b blown from the indoor fans 3a and 3b are all blown into the room 92, so that the inverter 6 is naturally cooled without using the cooling air 4a and 4b. .
Then, under conditions where the inverter 6 does not need to be cooled, the original cooling capacity can be used for cooling the interior 92 of the vehicle 100%, so that the cooling efficiency of the interior 92 is improved.
Whether the inverter 6 is cooled by the cooling air 4 by opening / closing the open / close damper 7 or natural cooling without using the cooling air 4 is determined based on the temperature detected by the inverter temperature sensor 8. The control means 80 determines (this will be described in detail separately). In addition, although the control means 80 is arrange | positioned in the frame 1 in FIG. 1, the control means 80 may be arrange | positioned in any position.

(Judgment points)
In the block diagram showing the control system shown in FIG. 3A, the temperature information detected by the inverter temperature sensor 8 is input to the control means 80, and the damper drive means 7am and 7bm are driven according to the procedure described below ( For example, it is rotated). Note that a “reference temperature” is set for the inverter 6 based on the allowable temperatures of the inverter elements and the inverter components.
In the flowchart for explaining the control procedure shown in FIG. 3B, the inverter temperature sensor 8 detects the temperature of the inverter 6 (S1), and compares the detected inverter temperature with the reference temperature (S2). When the inverter temperature is lower than the reference temperature, the open / close damper 7 is closed (S3). On the other hand, when the inverter temperature is not lower than the reference temperature, the open / close damper 7 is opened (S4).

[Embodiment 2]
4 and 5 illustrate a vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part, and FIG. Is a block diagram showing a control system, and FIG. 5B is a flowchart for explaining a control procedure. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to this same part as Embodiment 1 (FIG. 1, 2), and one part description is abbreviate | omitted.

(Outside temperature sensor)
In FIG. 4, the vehicle air conditioner 200 includes a blown air temperature sensor 8 a that detects the temperature of the cooling air 4 and an outside air temperature sensor 8 b that detects the temperature of the outside air. In FIG. 4, the outside air temperature sensor 8 b is installed outside the inverter chamber 5, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be the outer surface of the frame 1.

(Judgment points)
In the block diagram showing the control system shown in FIG. 5A, the temperature information detected by the inverter temperature sensor 8 and the outside air temperature sensor 8b is inputted to the control means 81, respectively, and the damper driving means according to the procedure described below. 7am and 7bm are driven (for example, rotated). Note that a “reference temperature” is set for the inverter 6 based on the allowable temperatures of the inverter elements and the inverter components.
In the flowchart for explaining the control procedure shown in FIG. 5B, the inverter temperature sensor 8 detects the temperature of the inverter 6 (S1), and compares the detected inverter temperature with the reference temperature (S2). When the inverter temperature is lower than the reference temperature, the open / close damper 7 is closed (S3).
On the other hand, when the inverter temperature is not lower than the reference temperature, the blown air temperature sensor 8a and the outside air temperature sensor 8b detect the blown air temperature and the outside air temperature, respectively, and compare the blown air temperature and the outside air temperature (S5). When the blown air temperature is higher than the outside air temperature, the open / close damper 7 is closed and the inverter 6 is naturally cooled (S6). If the blown air temperature is not higher than the outside air temperature, the open / close damper 7 is opened (S7).

  Therefore, the vehicle air conditioner 200 has the effects of the vehicle air conditioner 100 (see Embodiment 1), and the outside air temperature is higher than the blown air temperature as in the case where the cooling load is low, such as in winter or in an intermediate period. When this is lower, by closing the open / close damper 7, it is possible to efficiently cool the inverter 6 housed in the inverter chamber 5 exposed to the lower temperature outside air.

[Embodiment 3]
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view showing a part of the vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention in an enlarged manner. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to this same part as Embodiment 1 (FIG. 1, 2), and one part description is abbreviate | omitted.

(Inverter radiating fin)
In FIG. 6, inverter radiating fins 9 for accelerating the release of heat from inverter 6 are installed in inverter 6 in vehicle air conditioner 300.
And the inverter radiation fin 9 penetrate | invades in the flow path of at least one of the cooling air 4a, 4b blown out via the inverter chamber opening part 15a, 15b, and at least one of the said cooling air 4a, 4b Cooling is promoted by being exposed to. Moreover, the vehicle air conditioner 300 has the effect of the vehicle air conditioner 100 (refer to Embodiment 1).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Frame, 2a Indoor heat exchanger, 2b Indoor heat exchanger, 3a Indoor fan, 3b Indoor fan, 3c Indoor motor, 4a Cooling air, 4b Cooling air, 5 Inverter room, 6 Inverter, 7a Open / close damper, 7b Open / close damper , 7am damper driving means, 7bm damper driving means, 8 inverter temperature sensor, 8a blown air temperature sensor, 8b outside air temperature sensor, 9 inverter radiating fin, 15a inverter chamber opening, 15b inverter chamber opening, 19a indoor opening, 19b Indoor opening, 80 control means, 81 control means, 90 vehicle, 91 roof, 92 interior, 100 vehicle air conditioner, 200 vehicle air conditioner, 300 vehicle air conditioner.

Claims (2)

A vehicle air conditioner that has at least a frame body that houses an indoor fan that blows conditioned air, and an inverter chamber that houses an inverter, and blows out the conditioned air into a vehicle interior,
An inverter chamber opening for communicating the frame and the inverter chamber is formed,
A damper capable of opening and closing the inverter chamber opening, an inverter temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the inverter, a blown air temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the conditioned air, an outside air temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the outside air, Control means for controlling opening and closing of the open / close damper based on the inverter temperature detected by the inverter temperature sensor, the blown air temperature detected by the blown air temperature sensor, and the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor;
The control means compares a preset reference temperature with an inverter temperature detected by the inverter temperature sensor, and closes the open / close damper when the inverter temperature is equal to or lower than the reference temperature.
When the inverter temperature exceeds the reference temperature, the blown air temperature is compared with the outside air temperature, and when the blown air temperature is higher than the outside air temperature, the open / close damper is closed,
When the inverter temperature exceeds the reference temperature, the blown air temperature is compared with the outside air temperature, and the opening / closing damper is opened when the blown air temperature is not higher than the outside air temperature. Vehicle air conditioner. Inverter radiating fins for promoting heat dissipation in the inverter is installed, the inverter radiator fins according to claim 1, characterized in that it is entering the flow path of conditioning air supplied to the inverter chamber Vehicle air conditioner.

Images