JP6477447B2 - Air quality evaluation device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an air quality evaluation apparatus.

  In recent years, there is concern about the influence of particulate matter (PM) contained in the atmosphere on the human body, and it has been proposed to install an air conditioner that takes into account the influence of particulate matter on the user in vehicles as well. For example, in Patent Document 1, when the amount of pollen (the amount of fine particles) is measured by a pollen sensor and the measured amount of pollen is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, a user in the vehicle interior from an air outlet in the air conditioner is disclosed. It is described that a pollen mode is carried out in which pollen attached around the user's mouth and nose is blown off by blowing air toward the vicinity of the face. By implementing such a pollen mode, it becomes difficult for the user to inhale pollen adhering around the mouth and nose, so that the user can be prevented from being affected by the pollen.

Japanese Patent No. 4706774

  By the way, the air sent to the passenger compartment through the duct of the air conditioner also contains fine particles such as pollen, and in order to take appropriate measures against the fine particles, how much fine particles are contained in the air. It is important that the user knows whether However, in Patent Document 1, although the pollen mode can make it difficult for the user to inhale pollen (fine particles) around the mouth and nose, how much fine particles are in the air sent to the passenger compartment through the duct of the air conditioner. The user cannot figure out whether it is included. Therefore, it becomes difficult for the user to take appropriate measures for the fine particles in the air sent to the passenger compartment through the duct of the air conditioner.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an air quality evaluation apparatus that can inform a user in a passenger compartment of the amount of particulates in the air in an easy-to-understand manner.

Hereinafter, means for solving the above-described problems and the effects thereof will be described.
An air quality evaluation apparatus that solves the above problems evaluates the quality of air sent into a vehicle compartment through a duct of an air conditioner of a vehicle, and notifies the evaluation result. The apparatus includes an illumination unit provided in a passenger compartment, a sensor that detects the amount of particulates in the air flowing in the duct, and a light emission color of the illumination unit according to the amount of particulates detected by the sensor. And a control unit for changing.

  According to this configuration, since the emission color of the illumination unit provided in the vehicle interior changes according to the amount of particulates in the air sent to the vehicle interior through the duct of the vehicle air conditioner, the emission color of the illumination unit depends on the emission color of the illumination unit. The amount of fine particles in the air sent to the passenger compartment through the duct can be easily notified to the user in the passenger compartment. And the user of a vehicle interior can grasp | ascertain the quantity of the microparticles | fine-particles in the air sent to a vehicle interior through a duct by visually recognizing the luminescent color of an illumination part.

  The duct may include a switching unit that switches the air intake port between the outside of the vehicle and the interior of the vehicle. In this case, it is preferable that the sensor detects the amount of fine particles in the air flowing in a portion of the duct that is downstream of the switching unit.

  According to this configuration, whether the air outside the vehicle is taken into the duct of the air conditioner and sent to the vehicle interior through the duct, or the air inside the vehicle interior is taken into the duct of the air conditioner and sent to the vehicle interior through the duct. The amount of fine particles in the air sent to the passenger compartment through the duct can be detected by a sensor.

  In addition, as said air conditioner, it is possible to send air into a vehicle interior from the blower outlet connected with the said duct. In this case, it is preferable that the illumination unit is provided at the outlet.

  According to this configuration, since the illumination unit is provided at the outlet for blowing air into the vehicle interior, when the user visually recognizes the emission color of the illumination unit, the emission color is the amount of fine particles in the air. It becomes easier for the user to recognize that it is compatible with.

  Further, as the air conditioner, it is conceivable that a movable member that can be displaced so as to change the blowing direction of air is provided at the blowing port. In this case, it is preferable that the illuminating unit is provided on the movable member so as to receive a power supply by radio and receive a signal for determining a light emission color by radio.

  According to this configuration, since the power supply to the illumination unit is performed wirelessly and the signal for determining the emission color in the illumination unit is wirelessly received, the wiring for the power supply and signal reception is illuminated. There is no need to connect to the part. Therefore, when the movable member provided with the illuminating unit is displaced, it is possible to avoid the wire from being entangled or cut with the displacement of the movable member.

  Further, it is preferable that the control unit is configured to cause the illumination unit to emit light with an emission color corresponding to the amount of fine particles detected by the sensor when a start button provided in the passenger compartment is pressed. .

  According to this configuration, when the user presses the start button, the light emission color of the illumination unit can be changed according to the amount of fine particles in the air sent to the passenger compartment through the duct of the air conditioner. For this reason, when the start button is not pressed, the light emission color of the illumination unit can be made suitable for lighting in the vehicle interior, and depending on the amount of particulates in the air when the start button is not pressed It is suppressed that the luminescent color of an illumination part changes and a user feels troublesome for the change.

The schematic diagram which shows the vehicle interior and air conditioner of a vehicle to which an air quality evaluation apparatus is applied. Schematic which shows the detection structure of the microparticles | fine-particles in a sensor. The schematic diagram which shows the structure of the register | resistor connected with the duct of an air conditioner. The block diagram which shows the electrical structure of an illumination part and a sensor. Schematic which shows the other example of the installation location of a sensor.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an air quality evaluation apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle is provided with an air conditioner 2 that air-conditions the passenger compartment 1. The duct 3 of the air conditioner 2 includes a switching unit 4 that switches an air intake port between the outside of the vehicle and the inside of the passenger compartment 1, and is connected to a register 5 that functions as an outlet for sending air into the passenger compartment 1. Yes. Then, the air conditioner 2 adjusts the temperature by heating or cooling the air taken into the duct 3 from the outside of the vehicle or the interior of the passenger compartment 1, and adjusts the register 5 that connects the temperature-adjusted air to the duct 3. To the inside of the passenger compartment 1 via

  The vehicle is equipped with an air quality evaluation device that evaluates the quality of air sent into the passenger compartment 1 through the duct 3 of the air conditioner 2 and notifies the evaluation result. This air quality evaluation apparatus includes a lighting unit 6 that emits multicolor LEDs as lighting in the passenger compartment 1, and a sensor that detects the amount of particulates (for example, PM2.5) in the air flowing in the duct 3 of the air conditioner 2. 7. The illumination unit 6 is provided in the register 5 exposed to the passenger compartment 1, and the sensor 7 is provided in a portion of the duct 3 on the downstream side of the switching unit 4.

  FIG. 2 schematically shows a fine particle detection structure in the sensor 7. The sensor 7 takes in the air flowing through the duct 3 (FIG. 1) as indicated by an arrow Y1 through driving of a fan or the like. The sensor 7 includes a detection passage 21 that forms an acute angle with respect to the flow direction of the air taken in (arrow Y1 direction), and a light receiving unit 22 that is located on one side (lower side in FIG. 2) of both sides of the detection passage 21. And an irradiating unit 23 that is located on the other side (the upper side in FIG. 2) and irradiates detection light toward the light receiving unit. A part of the air taken into the sensor 7 passes through the detection passage 21 and is returned to the duct 3.

  Among the fine particles in the air taken in by the sensor 7, relatively large particles cannot enter the detection passage 21 as indicated by the arrow Y2 due to inertia, and are relatively small like PM2.5. Only a thing turns around as shown by an arrow Y2 and enters the detection passage 21. When the detection light is irradiated from the irradiation unit 23, a part of the detection light that is not reflected by fine particles in the air passing through the detection passage 21 is received by the light receiving unit 22. The sensor 7 detects the amount of fine particles in the air passing through the duct 3 based on the detection light received by the light receiving unit 22.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the register 5 is provided with a movable member 8 that can be displaced so as to change the blowing direction of air to the passenger compartment 1, and the movable member 8 is provided with the illumination unit 6. ing. In addition, about the illumination part 6, instead of providing in the movable member 8 of the register | resistor 5, the position in the passenger compartment 1 where the light emission of multicolor LED in the illumination part 6 is easy to visually recognize, for example, the air in the register | resistor 5 is blown out. It can also be provided around the part.

FIG. 4 schematically shows the electrical configuration of the illumination unit 6 and the sensor 7.
The illumination unit 6 and the sensor 7 are each supplied with power from a wireless power source 9. Specifically, power transmission units 10 and 11 are connected to the power source 9, while the illumination unit 6 is provided with a power reception unit 12 that receives power supply from the power transmission unit 10, and the sensor 7 includes a power transmission unit 11. The power receiving unit 13 that receives the power supply is provided. The illumination unit 6 receives wireless power supply through the power transmission unit 10 and the power reception unit 12, and the sensor 7 receives wireless power supply through the power transmission unit 11 and the power reception unit 13.

  Signal transmission between the illumination unit 6 and the sensor 7 is performed by receiving a signal wirelessly transmitted from the transmission unit 14 provided in the sensor 7 by the reception unit 15 provided in the illumination unit 6. The sensor 7 includes a control unit 16 that generates a command signal corresponding to the detected amount of fine particles. This command signal is a signal for determining the emission color of the multicolor LED of the illumination unit 6 and is transmitted from the transmission unit 14. On the other hand, the illumination unit 6 takes in the command signal via the receiving unit 15 and causes the multicolor LED to emit light in the emission color corresponding to the command signal. As can be seen from the above, the control unit 16 functions as a unit for changing the emission color of the multicolor LED in the illumination unit 6 in accordance with the amount of fine particles detected by the sensor 7. Incidentally, the emission color of the multi-color LED at this time gradually changes from a cold color to a warm color as the amount of the detected fine particles increases.

  In this embodiment, changing the emission color of the illumination unit 6 according to the amount of fine particles detected by the sensor 7 is performed when the user presses the start button 17 provided in the passenger compartment 1. Signal transmission between the activation button 17 and the sensor 7 is performed by receiving a signal wirelessly transmitted from the transmission unit 18 provided in the activation button 17 by a reception unit 19 provided in the sensor 7. . The start button 17 transmits a start signal from the transmission unit 18 when pressed by the user. On the other hand, when receiving the start signal through the receiving unit 19, the control unit 16 generates a command signal corresponding to the amount of fine particles detected by the sensor 7. This command signal is transmitted from the transmitter 14.

Next, the operation of the air quality evaluation device will be described.
If the air intake port of the duct 3 is outside the vehicle by the switching unit 4 when the air conditioner 2 is in operation, the air outside the vehicle is taken into the duct 3 and the temperature is adjusted, and then the interior of the vehicle compartment 1 is transferred from the register 5. Sent to. Further, when the air conditioner 2 is in operation, if the air intake port of the duct 3 is set in the vehicle compartment 1 by the switching unit 4, the air in the vehicle compartment 1 is taken into the duct 3 and the temperature is adjusted. Later, it is sent again from the register 5 into the passenger compartment 1. On the other hand, the sensor 7 provided in the duct 3 detects the amount of fine particles in the air flowing in the duct 3.

  When the user presses the start button 17 while the air conditioner 2 is operating, a start signal is transmitted from the transmission unit 14 of the start button 17. When the control unit 16 of the sensor 7 receives the start signal through the reception unit 19, the control unit 16 generates a command signal corresponding to the amount of fine particles detected by the sensor 7. This command signal is transmitted from the transmitter 14. And the illumination part 6 takes in the said command signal via the receiving part 15, and makes multicolor LED light-emit with the luminescent color corresponding to the command signal. And the user in the compartment 1 grasps | ascertains the quantity of the microparticles | fine-particles in the air sent in the compartment 1 through the duct 3 by visually recognizing the luminescent color of the illumination part 6 (multicolor LED).

  The lighting unit 6 makes the emission color of the multicolor LED suitable for lighting in the passenger compartment 1 when the activation button 17 is not pressed by the user, while the activation button 17 is activated by the user during the operation of the air conditioner 2. When is pressed, the multicolor LED is caused to emit light in the emission color corresponding to the command signal. It is conceivable that the light emission of the multicolor LED in the light emission color corresponding to such a command signal continues until a predetermined time elapses. Then, after the predetermined time has elapsed, the light emission of the multicolor LED in the illumination unit 6 changes from the light emission color corresponding to the command signal to the light emission color suitable for the illumination in the passenger compartment 1. Can be switched.

According to the embodiment described in detail above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) When the user presses the start button 17 during the operation of the air conditioner 2, the light emission color of the illumination unit 6 (multicolor LED) changes according to the amount of fine particles in the air sent into the passenger compartment 1 through the duct 3. Therefore, it is possible to inform the user in the passenger compartment 1 of the amount of fine particles in the air sent into the passenger compartment 1 through the duct 3 by the emission color. And the user in the passenger compartment 1 can grasp the amount of fine particles in the air sent into the passenger compartment 1 through the duct 3 by visually recognizing the luminescent color of the illumination unit 6 (multicolor LED). Appropriate measures can be taken for the fine particles.

  (2) In order to inform the user in the passenger compartment 1 of the amount of fine particles in the air sent into the passenger compartment 1 through the duct 3 in an easy-to-understand manner, an illumination unit 6 that emits multi-color LEDs as illumination in the passenger compartment 1 is provided. We are using. Thus, the number of parts can be reduced by using the existing illumination unit 6.

  (3) The sensor 7 is provided in a portion of the duct 3 on the downstream side of the switching unit 4 and detects the amount of fine particles in the air flowing through the portion. Accordingly, even when air outside the vehicle is taken into the duct 3 and sent into the vehicle compartment 1 through the duct 3, the air inside the vehicle compartment 1 is taken into the duct 3 and sent again into the vehicle compartment 1 through the duct 3. Anyway, the amount of fine particles in the air sent into the passenger compartment 1 through the duct 3 can be detected by the sensor 7.

  (4) The duct 3 is connected to a register 5 that functions as a blowout port for sending air into the passenger compartment 1, and an illumination unit 6 is provided in the register 5. Therefore, when the user visually recognizes the emission color of the illumination unit 6 (multicolor LED) when the activation button 17 is pressed, the user can easily recognize that the emission color corresponds to the amount of fine particles in the air. Become.

  (5) Since the illumination unit 6 is provided on the movable member 8 of the register 5, the illumination unit 6 is similarly displaced with the displacement of the movable member 8. Since the power supply to the illumination unit 6 is performed wirelessly and the command signal is received wirelessly in the illumination unit 6, it is not necessary to connect the power supply and the wiring for receiving the command signal to the illumination unit 6. Therefore, when the movable member 8 provided with the illuminating unit 6 is displaced, it is possible to avoid the wires from being tangled or cut with the displacement of the movable member 8.

  (6) While the activation button 17 is pressed, the emission color of the illumination unit 6 (multicolor LED) is changed according to the amount of fine particles in the air sent into the passenger compartment 1 through the duct 3 when the activation button 17 is pressed. When not pressed, the light emission color of the illumination unit 6 (multicolor LED) is suitable for illumination. Therefore, when the start button 17 is not pressed, that is, when the user does not request, the emission color of the illumination unit 6 changes according to the amount of fine particles in the air, and the user feels the change troublesome. Can be suppressed.

In addition, the said embodiment can also be changed as follows, for example.
As shown in FIG. 5, the sensor 7 may be provided outside the duct 3. In this case, the sensor 7 is provided in the bypass pipe 20 connected to the duct 3. The sensor 7 detects the amount of fine particles contained in the air when a part of the air flowing through the duct 3 bypasses the bypass pipe 20 and flows. In this case, it can suppress that the sensor 7 becomes resistance of the air flow in the duct 3.

  The control unit 16 may be provided in the illumination unit 6 instead of being provided in the sensor 7. In this case, the sensor 7 transmits a signal corresponding to the detected amount of fine particles as a signal for determining the emission color of the multicolor LED of the illumination unit 6. On the other hand, the illumination unit 6 receives a signal corresponding to the amount of the fine particles. And the control part 16 provided in the illumination part 6 produces | generates a command signal based on the signal corresponding to the quantity of the said microparticles | fine-particles. The illumination unit 6 causes the multicolor LED to emit light with a light emission color corresponding to the command signal.

  The light emission color of the illumination unit 6 (multicolor LED) is changed according to the amount of fine particles in the air sent into the passenger compartment 1 through the duct 3 when the start button 17 is pressed. This change may always be made regardless of whether the activation button 17 is pressed.

  The lighting unit 6 is provided in the vicinity of the movable member 8 of the register 5 and the portion where air is blown out. You may provide in an operation panel, an instrument panel, or a steering.

-You may make it perform the electric power feeding with respect to the illumination part 6 not with radio | wireless but with a wire communication.
-Reception of the signal from the sensor 7 in the illumination unit 6 may be performed by wire instead of wirelessly.

The power supply to the sensor 7 may be performed not by radio but by wire.
The reception of the start signal from the start button 17 in the sensor 7 may be performed not by radio but by wire.

  The sensor 7 is a part upstream of the switching unit 4 in the duct 3 and detects the amount of fine particles in the air flowing through the part connected to the outside of the vehicle or the part connected to the inside of the passenger compartment 1. Good. In this case, when the emission color of the illumination unit 6 is changed in accordance with the amount of fine particles in the air sent into the passenger compartment 1 through the duct 3, the air intake port of the duct 3 is the above-described one of the outside of the vehicle and the inside of the passenger compartment 1. The switching unit 4 is operated so as to switch to the side where the amount of fine particles is detected by the sensor 7.

Although the change between the cold color and the warm color is used as the change in the luminescent color of the illumination unit 6, the change in the color intensity of the same color may be used instead. Good.
The sensor 7 detects the amount of PM2.5 as the amount of fine particles in the air, but may detect the amount of other fine particles such as pollen.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Car compartment, 2 ... Air conditioner, 3 ... Duct, 4 ... Switching part, 5 ... Register, 6 ... Illumination part, 7 ... Sensor, 8 ... Movable member, 9 ... Power supply, 10 ... Power transmission part, 11 ... Power transmission part , 12 ... Power receiving unit, 13 ... Power receiving unit, 14 ... Transmitting unit, 15 ... Receiving unit, 16 ... Control unit, 17 ... Start button, 18 ... Transmitting unit, 19 ... Receiving unit, 20 ... Bypass pipe, 21 ... Detection path , 22: a light receiving unit, 23: an irradiation unit.

Claims (4)

An air quality evaluation device that evaluates the quality of air sent to the passenger compartment through a duct of an air conditioning device of a vehicle and notifies the evaluation result,
An illumination unit provided in the vehicle compartment;
A sensor for detecting the amount of fine particles in the air flowing in the duct;
Bei example a control unit for changing the emission color of the illumination unit in accordance with the amount of particulates detected by the sensor,
The air conditioner is configured to send air into the vehicle interior from a blowout opening connected to the duct, and the lighting unit is an air quality evaluation apparatus provided in the blowout opening .   The duct includes a switching unit that switches an air intake port between the outside of the vehicle and the passenger compartment, and the sensor detects the amount of particulates in the air that flows through a portion of the duct that is downstream of the switching unit. The air quality evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The air outlet is provided with a movable member that can be displaced so as to change the air blowing direction, and the illuminating unit is provided on the movable member so as to receive power wirelessly and determine the emission color. The air quality evaluation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the air quality evaluation apparatus is configured to receive a wireless signal. The said control part is comprised so that the said illumination part may be light-emitted with the luminescent color according to the quantity of the microparticles | fine-particles detected by the said sensor, when the starting button provided in the said vehicle interior is pushed. The air quality evaluation apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 4.

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