JP7633910B2 - Air Conditioning Equipment - Google Patents

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to an air conditioning device.

Conventionally, air conditioners consisting of an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are known. Some air conditioners are equipped with a human detection sensor that detects whether or not a person is present in the indoor area (room, indoors) where the indoor unit is installed, and have a function to reflect the detection result in air supply control. For example, some air conditioners have a function to automatically execute control to purify the indoor unit itself or control to purify the air in the indoor area when an infrared sensor is used as the human detection sensor to detect that no human is present in the indoor area.

JP 2008-224132 A

However, the detection results of infrared sensors are easily affected by factors such as the room temperature and sunlight conditions, and may not be able to accurately detect the presence of humans in the room. As a result, there are cases where the air conditioning device cannot be controlled appropriately.

One example of the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide an air conditioner that can more accurately detect objects present in an indoor area and more appropriately control the air blown into the indoor area.

An air conditioning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a housing, a fan, a radar, and a control unit. The housing is provided with an internal ventilation passage, an intake port that connects the ventilation passage to the outside, and an outlet port that connects the ventilation passage to the outside. The fan is provided in the ventilation passage and sends air from the intake port to the outlet port. The radar is provided in the housing and detects at least the presence or absence of a detection target present in an indoor area in which the housing is installed, the number of detection targets, and shape information of the detection targets. The control unit determines a control mode of the air blown out from the outlet port by the fan based on the detection result of the radar. Then, when a detection object that can be considered to be a living organism is detected in the indoor area based on the detection result, the control unit assigns an identifier to each living organism and tracks the living organism once detected, and, upon assigning the identifier, classifies the living organism into at least a first class detection object which is the highest classification, a second class detection object which is shorter than the first class detection object, and a third class detection object which is the lowest classification, depending on the height of the living organism from the floor surface based on the shape information, and maintains the classification even when the shape information changes due to a change in the posture of the living organism, and determines the control mode of the air blown out of the outlet based on the classification .

The control unit may also be configured to execute absent air cleaning control, in which, when the living body is not detected in the indoor area based on the detection result, clean air for purifying the air in the indoor area is blown out of the air outlet at a larger air volume than when the living body is detected in the indoor area.

The control unit may also be configured to execute a first air purification control to blow purified air from the air outlet to purify the air in the indoor area when a predetermined number or more of the living organisms are detected in the indoor area based on the detection result.

The control unit may also be configured to execute a second air purification control to blow purified air from the air outlet to purify the air in the indoor area when the third class detection object is detected in the indoor area based on the detection result.

The control unit may also blow the clean air toward an area of the room where no living body is present, based on the detection result.

The control unit may also obtain the amount of activity of the living body present in the indoor area based on the detection result, and determine the amount of clean air to be blown out based on the amount of activity.

In addition, the air conditioning apparatus of the embodiment may include at least one air deflector that is movable between a first closed position that covers at least a portion of the air outlet and a first open position that opens at least a portion of the air outlet, and at least one ventilation member that can be positioned in a second closed position that covers at least a portion of the air outlet opened by the air deflector positioned in the first open position, has an inner surface that faces the ventilation passage in the second closed position and an outer surface that faces the outside in the second closed position, and is provided with at least one ventilation port that opens to the inner surface and the outer surface, and can form a first air outlet flow path in the second closed position through which air sent by the fan passes through the ventilation port and is discharged to the outside, and a second air outlet flow path adjacent to the first air outlet flow path that is discharged to the outside without passing through the ventilation port. Then, when the living body is detected in the indoor area based on the detection result, the control unit may determine the direction in which the mixed air that has passed through the first air outlet flow path and the second air outlet flow path is blown out based on the position where the living body is present.

In addition, when the third class detection object is detected, the control unit may blow the wind toward a position a predetermined distance away from the position where the third class detection object is present.

The control unit may also change the volume of the airflow to a value equal to or lower than the current setting when the third type detection object is detected.

The air conditioning apparatus of the embodiment may further include a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the indoor area, and a heat exchanger provided in the ventilation duct. When the living body is detected in the indoor area based on the detection result and the temperature of the indoor area is outside a predetermined range, the control unit may determine the heat exchange mode of the heat exchanger and the control mode of the air blown out from the air outlet so that the temperature of the indoor area falls within the predetermined range.

In addition, when the control unit loses sight of the detection target being tracked, the control unit may continue the wind control mode in effect immediately before the target was lost for a predetermined period of time.

According to the above air conditioning device, for example, a radar is used to at least detect the presence or absence of detection targets in the indoor area, the number of detection targets, and shape information of the detection targets. In addition, the radar can detect the distance to the detection targets when acquiring the presence or absence, number, shape information, etc. of the detection targets. In addition, the radar detects the behavior (movement history) of the detection targets by tracking the detection targets. As a result, it is possible to perform wind blowing control appropriate for the detection targets present in the indoor area.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary schematic block diagram showing a general configuration of an air-conditioning apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an indoor unit of an air conditioner in the embodiment, and is an illustrative and schematic cross-sectional view showing a case where the upper and lower louvers are in a closed state. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of an indoor unit of an air conditioner in the embodiment, and is an illustrative and schematic cross-sectional view showing a case where the upper and lower louvers are in an open state. FIG. 4 is an exemplary schematic perspective view showing the configuration of an indoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus in the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of an indoor unit of an air conditioner in an embodiment, and is an illustrative schematic cross-sectional view showing a case where a ventilation member is in an open state. FIG. 6 is an exemplary schematic perspective view showing a ventilation member of an air conditioning apparatus in an embodiment. FIG. 7 is an exemplary schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the generation of turbulence by a ventilation member of an air-conditioning apparatus in an embodiment. FIG. 8 is an exemplary schematic block diagram showing details of an indoor unit control unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment. FIG. 9 is an exemplary schematic explanatory diagram showing classifications of detection targets that can be detected by a radar of an air conditioning apparatus in an embodiment. FIG. 10 is an exemplary schematic explanatory diagram showing a case where no living body is detected in an indoor area by the radar of the air conditioning apparatus in the embodiment. FIG. 11 is an exemplary schematic explanatory diagram showing a case where a plurality of living organisms are detected in an indoor area by a radar of an air conditioning apparatus in an embodiment. FIG. 12 is an exemplary schematic explanatory diagram showing airflow control when a third-class detection target (e.g., a sleeping living body) is detected in an indoor area by a radar of an air conditioning device in an embodiment. FIG. 13 is an exemplary schematic explanatory diagram showing how a radar of an air conditioning apparatus in an embodiment tracks a detection target and acquires an activity amount of the detection target. FIG. 14 is an exemplary schematic cross-sectional view showing a case in which a ventilation member is provided for each air outlet in an air conditioning apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 15 is an exemplary schematic front view showing details of the ventilation member used in FIG. 14.

Below, an embodiment of an air conditioning device according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification, components according to the embodiment and descriptions of the components may be described in multiple ways. The components and their descriptions are merely examples and are not limited by the expressions in this specification. The components may also be identified by names different from those in this specification. In addition, the components may also be described by expressions different from those in this specification.

Figure 1 is an exemplary schematic block diagram showing the general configuration of an air conditioning device 1 according to an embodiment, which is composed of an indoor unit 10 and an outdoor unit 100.

The indoor unit 10 of the air conditioning device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a radar 2, and detects detection targets present in the indoor area in which the indoor unit 10 is installed. In this embodiment, the detection targets include not only living body CRs (adults, children, infants, pets, etc.), but also furniture that can be used by the living body CRs (chairs, sofas, beds, etc.) and walls. In other words, the radar 2 can also detect the size (indoor area) and volume of the room in which the indoor unit 10 is installed.

In this embodiment, the air conditioning device 1 (indoor unit 10) acquires information on the presence or absence of living CRs among the detection targets detected by the radar 2, the number of living CRs (number of people, number of individuals), and shape information of the living CRs (characteristic information, for example, size (height), etc.), and determines the control mode to provide a wind (conditioned air) suitable for the living CRs present in the indoor area. For example, based on the detection result of the radar 2, the control unit of the indoor unit 10 (the indoor unit control unit 80 described later) can regard (determine) the detection target as a "living CR" if the detection target moves. When the detection target enters the room, the indoor unit 10 (radar 2) recognizes the detection target as a living CR by detecting the entry movement, and reflects this in the control of the indoor unit 10. In addition, even if the detection target does not move (the detection position does not change) in the indoor area (room), if the detection target moves, for example, if the detection target detects the movement of the detection target or the behavior of part of the detection target, the indoor unit 10 (radar 2) recognizes the detection target as a living CR and reflects this in the control of the indoor unit 10. On the other hand, the indoor unit 10 (radar 2) considers objects that remain continuously stationary (such as furniture and walls) to be non-living objects, and excludes them from the objects reflected in the control of the indoor unit 10. Note that the determination of whether or not it is a living CR is not limited to this, and the shape or pulsation of the detection object may also be detected. In addition, other sensors, such as an infrared sensor, may be provided, and the result of this detection may be used in combination to determine whether or not it is a living CR.

The indoor unit 10 is equipped with an operation terminal 94a. The operation terminal 94a receives operation instructions from a living CR present in the indoor area, and transmits commands to the indoor unit 10 in response to the received operation instructions. The living CR is, for example, a person. The operation terminal 94a is, for example, a remote controller. The operation terminal 94a may also be a smartphone or the like that runs on a dedicated application.

In addition to the radar 2, the indoor unit 10 has an indoor unit control unit 80, an up/down air deflector 25, and a left/right air deflector 29. The indoor unit control unit 80 performs air conditioning processing in response to commands received from the operation terminal 94a, and performs control in response to the living body CR detected using the radar 2. The indoor unit 10 has a "radar control mode" which is a substantially automatic control based on the detection result by the radar 2, and a "normal control mode" in which the user controls (sets) the indoor unit 10 without using the radar 2 in operation using the operation terminal 94a. As will be described later, the indoor unit 10 classifies detection objects that can be considered as living body CRs into at least the first type detection object (e.g., an adult) which is the highest classification, a second type detection object (e.g., a child) which is lower than the first type detection object, and a third type detection object (e.g., an infant, a ped, a sleeping living body, etc.) which is the lowest classification, according to the height from the floor surface (height in the Z direction, i.e., height), for example, at the time of entering the room or immediately thereafter. In addition, the device controls the airflow appropriately for the third-class detection subject, the living body CR, who may have difficulty in properly operating the operation terminal 94a by himself.

In the "radar control mode", the radar 2 continuously or intermittently detects the position of each classification of detection target (living body CR) indoors under the control of the indoor unit control unit 80. The indoor unit control unit 80 tracks the position of the detected living body CR and controls the up/down air deflectors 25, left/right air deflectors 29, ventilation members 26, etc. to blow air toward the living body CR or, conversely, toward a position that avoids the living body CR, depending on the type of living body CR detected. The indoor unit control unit 80 controls the direction of the air (conditioned air) blown out from the indoor unit 10 by controlling the operation of the up/down air deflectors 25 and left/right air deflectors 29.

This allows the way in which conditioned air is blown out from the indoor unit 10 to be dynamically changed in response to the movement of the living CR present in the viewing area, thereby dynamically improving the comfort of the living CR present in the indoor area.

Specifically, the indoor unit 10 performs air conditioning processing on air drawn in from the indoor area through the air intake port, and blows the conditioned air that has been subjected to the air conditioning processing toward the indoor area. The air conditioning processing includes, for example, heat absorption processing (cooling), heating processing (heating), dehumidification processing, humidification processing, air blowing processing, and air purification processing. The heat absorption processing, heating processing, dehumidification processing, humidification processing, air blowing processing, and air purification processing correspond to the cooling operation mode, heating operation mode, dehumidification operation mode, humidification operation mode, air blowing operation mode, and air purification operation mode, which are the operation modes (main operation modes) of the air conditioner 1, respectively.

The main operation mode can be combined with the control modes (radar control mode, normal control mode) as appropriate. In radar control mode, the air conditioning device 1 (indoor unit 10) can be in any of the cooling operation mode, heating operation mode, dehumidification operation mode, humidification operation mode, fan operation mode, and air purification operation mode. The same applies to the normal control mode.

In the air conditioning process, the humidification process may be omitted. In this case, the humidification operation mode may be omitted as an operation mode of the air conditioning device 1.

The indoor unit 10 has an auxiliary operation mode in which, when blowing out conditioned air, two different flow speeds are mixed to generate turbulence that spreads over a wide area, making the released wind an overall gentle wind flow (so-called windless (registered trademark) wind). The auxiliary operation mode can be appropriately combined with the control modes (radar control mode, normal control mode) and can be appropriately combined with the main operation mode.

The indoor unit 10 may have an automatic operation mode as an operation mode. The indoor unit 10 detects the temperature of the indoor area with a room temperature sensor 3 (temperature detection unit). In the automatic operation mode, the indoor unit 10 (indoor unit control unit 80) may operate in a heating operation mode if the detected temperature is higher than a set temperature, and may operate in a heating operation mode if the detected temperature is lower than the set temperature.

The air purification process is carried out, for example, by an ion emission method that releases ions into the air, an ultraviolet irradiation method that irradiates the inside of the indoor unit 10 with ultraviolet rays to sterilize, and a dust collection method that collects dust when the air in the indoor area is sucked into the indoor unit 10. Dust collection methods include, for example, a filter dust collection method and an electric dust collection method. In the filter dust collection method, air is passed through a fine filter such as a HEPA filter, and dirt such as dust is filtered and removed from the air. In the electric dust collection method, dirt such as dust contained in the sucked air is charged by high-voltage discharge and adsorbed to a dust collection unit (for example, a heat exchanger 22 or a filter charged with the opposite polarity) and collected. In addition, the dirt adsorbed to the heat exchanger 22 can be automatically discharged outdoors together with the condensed water that has condensed on the surface of the heat exchanger.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the air conditioning device 1, the indoor unit 10 includes a radar 2, an indoor unit control unit 80, a room temperature sensor 3, a heat exchanger 22, a fan 23, a filter 24 (described later), up and down air deflectors 25, left and right air deflectors 29, ventilation members 26, a receiver 94, etc. The indoor unit 10 also includes a first control circuit 81, a second control circuit 82, a third control circuit 83, a phon motor 84, an up and down air deflector motor 85, a left and right air deflector motor 86, a switching motor 87, etc., which are controlled by the indoor unit control unit 80. In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, an example is shown in which an air purification unit 4 that performs an electric dust collection method as an air purification process is controlled by the indoor unit control unit 80.

The outdoor unit 100 also includes a heat exchanger 122, a fan 123, a four-way valve 124, a compressor 125, an outdoor unit control unit 180, a fourth drive circuit 181, a fifth drive circuit 182, a sixth drive circuit 183, a fan motor 184, a valve switching motor 185, a compressor motor 186, etc.

In the indoor unit 10, the fan 23 is disposed near the heat exchanger 22. The fan 23 guides air drawn from the indoor area through the air intake of the indoor unit 10 to the heat exchanger 22, and also guides the conditioned air that has been heat exchanged in the heat exchanger 22 to the air outlet of the indoor unit 10. The indoor unit control unit 80 drives the fan motor 84 with the first control circuit 81 to rotate the fan 23 around its axis of rotation. The indoor unit control unit 80 can change the rotation speed of the fan 23.

The heat exchanger 22 has, for example, a refrigerant pipe (refrigerant circuit) and multiple fins. The heat exchanger 22 is in thermal contact with the refrigerant circuit passing nearby. The heat exchanger 22 exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the air drawn in from inside the room.

In the outdoor unit 100, the fan 123 is disposed near the heat exchanger 122. The fan 123 rotates according to the control of the outdoor unit control unit 180. As a result, the fan 123 draws in outside air and guides it to the heat exchanger 122, and expels the outside air that has been heat exchanged in the heat exchanger 122 to the outside of the outdoor unit 100. The outdoor unit control unit 180 drives the fan motor 184 with the fourth drive circuit 181, causing the fan 123 to rotate around its axis of rotation. The indoor unit control unit 80 can change the rotation speed of the fan 123 via the outdoor unit control unit 180.

The heat exchanger 122 has, for example, a refrigerant pipe (refrigerant circuit) and multiple fins. The heat exchanger 122 is in thermal contact with the refrigerant circuit passing nearby. The heat exchanger 122 exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the outside air.

The four-way valve 124 is disposed in the refrigerant circuit. The four-way valve 124 can switch the flow path of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit between the cooling side and the heating side according to the control by the outdoor unit control unit 180. The outdoor unit control unit 180 drives the valve switching motor 185 by the fifth drive circuit 182, and can switch the four-way valve 124 between the cooling side and the heating side. The indoor unit control unit 80 can switch the four-way valve 124 between the cooling side and the heating side via the outdoor unit control unit 180.

The compressor 125 is disposed in the refrigerant circuit. The compressor 125 compresses the refrigerant and sends it into the refrigerant circuit by the outdoor unit control unit 180 in response to control by the indoor unit control unit 80. The outdoor unit control unit 180 drives the compressor motor 186 by the sixth drive circuit 183, causing the compressor 125 to perform a cycle of compressing the refrigerant. The indoor unit control unit 80 can change the number of cycles (the number of compression cycles performed per unit time) of the compressor 125 via the outdoor unit control unit 180.

For example, in the cooling operation mode, the air conditioning device 1 switches the four-way valve 124 to the cooling side by the indoor unit control unit 80 and the outdoor unit control unit 180. Then, a heat absorption process is performed in the heat exchanger 22, heat is absorbed from the air in the indoor area by the refrigerant, and the conditioned air with the absorbed heat is blown out into the indoor area. Then, a heat dissipation process is performed in the heat exchanger 122, and the heat absorbed by the refrigerant is released to the outside air.

Alternatively, in the heating operation mode, the air conditioning device 1 switches the four-way valve 124 to the heating side by the indoor unit control unit 80 and the outdoor unit control unit 180. Then, a heat absorption process is performed in the heat exchanger 122, causing the refrigerant to absorb heat from the outside air. Then, a heating process is performed in the heat exchanger 22, the air in the indoor area is heated with the heat absorbed by the refrigerant, and the heated conditioned air is blown out into the indoor area.

The vertical air deflectors 25 and the horizontal air deflectors 29 each adjust the direction of the conditioned air blown into the indoor area. Air direction means the direction of the wind. In this specification, the indoor unit control unit 80 directly controls the direction in which the vertical air deflectors 25 and the horizontal air deflectors 29 face, but the direction in which the vertical air deflectors 25 and the horizontal air deflectors 29 face is treated as roughly the same as the direction of the wind (wind direction) immediately after it is blown out of the air outlet of the indoor unit 10. In other words, the vertical air deflectors 25 and the horizontal air deflectors 29 can adjust the wind direction by their orientation, and the indoor unit control unit 80 can control the wind direction by controlling the orientation of the vertical air deflectors 25 and the horizontal air deflectors 29. Note that the orientation of the vertical air deflectors 25 and the horizontal air deflectors 29 can be controlled individually. This allows air to be blown out in one direction from the entire air outlet of the indoor unit 10, or two or more air streams with different directions can be blown out from two or more areas of the air outlet of the indoor unit 10 that are partitioned by the upper and lower air direction vanes 25, the left and right air direction vanes 29, etc.

The up and down air deflectors 25 can be switched between a closed position and an open position. When switched to the closed position, the up and down air deflectors 25 block the air outlet. When switched to the open position, the up and down air deflectors 25 open the air outlet. When the air outlet is open due to the operation of the up and down air deflectors 25, the up and down air deflectors 25 and the left and right air deflectors 29 adjust the direction of the conditioned air blown into the indoor area. The up and down air deflectors 25 adjust the direction of the conditioned air in the vertical direction. The left and right air deflectors 29 adjust the direction of the conditioned air in the horizontal direction.

The specific structure of the indoor unit 10 will be described using Figures 2 to 7. Figure 2 is an exemplary and schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the indoor unit 10.

As described above, the indoor unit 10 has a heat exchanger 22, a fan 23, a filter 24, two upper and lower air deflectors 25 (25A, 25B), a plurality of left and right air deflectors 29 (see Figures 1 and 4), ventilation members 26, etc. inside the housing 21. The upper and lower air deflectors 25, the left and right air deflectors 29, and the ventilation members 26 can also be referred to as louvers.

As shown in each of the drawings from FIG. 2 onwards, for the sake of convenience, an X-axis, a Y-axis and a Z-axis are defined in this specification. The X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis are mutually perpendicular. The X-axis is set along the width of the indoor unit 10. The Y-axis is set along the depth of the indoor unit 10. The Z-axis is set along the height of the indoor unit 10.

Furthermore, in this specification, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are defined. The X direction is a direction along the X axis, and includes the +X direction indicated by the X axis arrow, and the -X direction opposite the X axis arrow. The Y direction is a direction along the Y axis, and includes the +Y direction indicated by the Y axis arrow, and the -Y direction opposite the Y axis arrow. The Z direction is a direction along the Z axis, and includes the +Z direction indicated by the Z axis arrow, and the -Z direction opposite the Z axis arrow. In this embodiment, the +Z direction is the upward direction, and the -Z direction is the downward direction.

The housing 21 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the X direction. The housing 21 may be formed in other shapes. For example, the housing 21 is hung on a wall of a building (indoors). The housing 21 has an upper surface 21a and a lower surface 21b. The upper surface 21a is provided at or near the upper end of the housing 21 and faces substantially upward. The lower surface 21b is provided at or near the lower end of the housing 21 and faces substantially downward.

The housing 21 is provided with an air passage 31, an intake port 32, and an exhaust port 33. The air passage 31 is provided inside the housing 21. The intake port 32 opens, for example, to the upper surface 21a of the housing 21. The exhaust port 33 opens, for example, to the lower surface 21b of the housing 21. The intake port 32 and the exhaust port 33 may open to other parts of the housing 21.

The indoor unit 10 can pass wind through the ventilation passage 31. Wind is a flow of gas such as air. The intake port 32 is provided at one end of the ventilation passage 31 and connects the ventilation passage 31 to the outside of the indoor unit 10. The outlet port 33 is provided at the other end of the ventilation passage 31 and connects the ventilation passage 31 to the outside of the indoor unit 10. In other words, the ventilation passage 31 is provided inside the housing 21, between the intake port 32 and the outlet port 33.

The heat exchanger 22 is provided in the ventilation passage 31. The heat exchanger 22 exchanges heat with the surrounding gas in the ventilation passage 31. As a result, the heat exchanger 22 cools the air flowing through the ventilation passage 31 during cooling operation, and heats the air flowing through the ventilation passage 31 during heating operation.

The fan 23 is provided in the ventilation passage 31. The fan 23 rotates around a rotation axis Axf extending in the X direction to send air from the intake port 32 to the exhaust port 33 in the ventilation passage 31. As a result, the indoor unit 11 draws indoor air from the intake port 32 into the ventilation passage 31 and blows out air (wind) in the ventilation passage 31 from the exhaust port 33. For this reason, in this specification, the side of the ventilation passage 31 closer to the intake port 32 is referred to as the upstream side, and the side closer to the exhaust port 33 is referred to as the downstream side.

The fan 23 is located downstream of the heat exchanger 22. Therefore, when the fan 23 generates air, the air sucked in from the air intake 32 passes through the fins of the heat exchanger 22. As a result, the air flowing through the ventilation passage 31 exchanges heat with the heat exchanger 22.

The filter 24 is provided at the intake port 32 or near the intake port 32 in the ventilation passage 31. The filter 24 is located upstream of the heat exchanger 22. The filter 24 covers the intake port 32 from inside the housing 21. The filter 24, for example, filters the air sucked in from the intake port 32 and captures dust in the air. As described above, by configuring the filter 24 with a HEPA filter or the like, it is possible to achieve higher quality air purification processing.

The vertical air deflectors 25 and the horizontal air deflectors 29 can be configured as shown in Figures 2 to 4. Figure 2 shows the vertical air deflectors 25 in the closed position Pc1 (sometimes called the first closed position). Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration and operation of the indoor unit 10, showing the vertical air deflectors 25 in the open position Po1 (sometimes called the first open position). Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration and operation of the indoor unit 10, showing the vertical air deflectors 25 in the open position and the horizontal air deflectors 29 visible.

The vertical air direction vane 25 may include multiple vertical air direction vanes 25A, 25B. The vertical air direction vanes 25A, 25B are components that adjust the wind direction of the conditioned air in the vertical direction, and are also called vertical louvers. The vertical air direction vane 25A forms a first flow path C1 for the conditioned air, and the vertical air direction vane 25B forms a second flow path C2 for the conditioned air. The vertical air direction vanes 25A, 25B each have an axis portion 41 and a plate portion 42.

The shaft portion 41 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape extending in the X direction. The shaft portion 41 is supported by the housing 21 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis Axl extending in the X direction. The upper and lower air direction vanes 25A, 25B each have their own individual rotation axis Axl. The plate portion 42 protrudes from the shaft portion 41 in a direction generally perpendicular to the rotation axis Axl. The plate portion 42 is formed in a generally rectangular plate shape extending in the X direction.

The vertical air deflector 25A is supported by a rotating shaft Axl, and the vertical air deflector motor 85 is controlled by the second control circuit 82, so that it can move between the closed position Pc1 shown in FIG. 2 and the open position Po1 shown in FIG. 3. The vertical air deflector 25B is supported by a rotating shaft Axl, and the vertical air deflector motor 85 is controlled by the second control circuit 82, so that it can move between the closed position Pc1 shown in FIG. 2 and the open position Po1 shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the vertical airflow direction vanes 25A are switched to the closed position Pc1, they block the air outlet 33, which is the outlet of the first flow path C1. When the vertical airflow direction vanes 25B are switched to the closed position Pc1, they block the air outlet 33, which is the outlet of the second flow path C2. The first flow path C1 and the second flow path C2 form the air outlet 33 of the indoor unit 10.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, when the vertical air direction vane 25A is switched to the open position Po1, it opens the first flow path C1. When the vertical air direction vane 25B is switched to the open position Po1, it opens the second flow path C2.

The open position Po1 includes various positions where the upper and lower air deflectors 25A and 25B open a portion of the air outlet 33. For example, the open position Po1 includes a position where the upper and lower air deflectors 25A and 25B face approximately horizontally as shown in FIG. 3, a position where the upper and lower air deflectors 25A and 25B face downward, and multiple positions between these two positions. In other words, the upper and lower air deflectors 25A and 25B can rotate between a position where they face approximately horizontally and a position where they face downward.

The vertical airflow direction vanes 25A, 25B located in the open position Po1 adjust the vertical (+Z, -Z) direction of the air released from the air outlet 33 depending on the orientation of the vertical airflow direction vanes 25A, 25B. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, when the vertical airflow direction vanes 25A, 25B face approximately horizontally, the indoor unit 10 releases air in an approximately horizontal direction. On the other hand, when the vertical airflow direction vanes 25A, 25B face downward, the indoor unit 10 releases air in a downward direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the left and right air deflector 29 is supported by a rotation axis Ax2 (not shown) extending in the X direction, and the left and right air deflector motor 86 is controlled by the second control circuit 82, so that the left and right air deflector 29 can move between a rotation position toward the -X end and a rotation position toward the +X end.

The left and right air deflectors 29 may include multiple left and right air deflectors 29-1 to 29-k, 29-(k+1) to 29-2k. The multiple left and right air deflectors 29-1 to 29-k, 29-(k+1) to 29-2k are components that adjust the direction of the conditioned air in the left and right directions (-X direction, +X direction), respectively, and are also called left and right louvers. Note that the directions of the left and right air deflectors 29-1 to 29-k on the -X side and the left and right air deflectors 29-(k+1) to 29-2k on the +X side may be independently controllable by the indoor unit control unit 80.

The left and right air deflectors 29-1 to 29-k on the -X side may be connected to a common rotation axis Ax2 (not shown), and the left and right air deflectors motor 86 may be controlled by the second control circuit 82, so that they can be moved together between the open position at the -X end and the open position at the +X end. The left and right air deflectors 29-(k+1) to 29-2k on the +X side may be connected to a common rotation axis Ax2 (not shown), and the left and right air deflector motor 86 may be controlled by the second control circuit 82, so that they can be moved together between the open position at the -X end and the open position at the +X end.

2 is switchable between a closed position Pc2 (sometimes referred to as a second closed position) and an open position Po2 (sometimes referred to as a second open position). The ventilation member 26 can be positioned in the closed position Pc2, which covers at least a portion of the outlet 33 (first flow path C1) opened by the vertical air direction vane 25A positioned in the open position Po1. The ventilation member 26 has an inner surface facing the ventilation passage 31 in the closed position Pc2 and an outer surface facing the outside in the closed position Pc2, and is provided with at least one ventilation port 56 that opens to the inner surface and the outer surface. In the closed position Pc2, the ventilation member 26 can form a first blowing flow path (first flow path C1) in which the wind sent by the fan 23 passes through the ventilation port 56 and is discharged to the outside, and a second blowing flow path (second flow path C2) in which the air is discharged to the outside adjacent to the first blowing flow path (first flow path C1) without passing through the ventilation port 56. In other words, when the ventilation member 26 is switched to the closed position Pc2, it is inserted into a part of the flow path of the conditioned air blown into the room, changing the opening ratio of a part of the flow path.

When the ventilation member 26 is switched to the open position Po2, it is released from a portion of the flow path (e.g., retracted from a portion of the flow path), and the opening ratio of the portion of the flow path is returned to its original value.

In the air conditioning device 1, when the no-wind mode is selected as the auxiliary operation mode, the indoor unit control unit 80 switches the ventilation member 26 to the closed position Pc2. When the ventilation member 26 is switched to the closed position Pc2, it is selectively inserted into the first flow path C1 to change the opening ratio of the first flow path C1. Meanwhile, the opening ratio of the second flow path C2, which is opened and closed by the vertical air direction vanes 25B where the ventilation member 26 is not present, is maintained as it was. When the no-wind mode is selected as the auxiliary operation mode, the indoor unit control unit 80 switches the ventilation member 26 to the open position Po2. When the ventilation member 26 is switched to the open position Po2, it is withdrawn from the first flow path C1, and the opening ratio of the first flow path C1 is returned to the original.

For example, the ventilation member 26 can be opened and closed between an open position Po2 shown in FIG. 3 and a closed position Pc2 shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the ventilation member 26.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the ventilation member 26 is switched to the open position Po2, it is housed in a recess 21c of the housing 21 provided near the air outlet 33. The recess 21c is recessed from the inner surface 21d of the housing 21 that forms part of the ventilation passage 31. By being housed in the recess 21c, the ventilation member 26 located in the open position Po2 is prevented from obstructing the wind flowing through the first flow path C1.

As shown in FIG. 5, the ventilation member 26 is inserted into the first flow path C1 in a state switched to the closed position Pc2, and changes the aperture ratio of the first flow path C1. The aperture ratio of the first flow path C1 becomes smaller than before the ventilation member 26 is inserted. As shown in FIG. 6, the ventilation member 26 is a member in which a plurality of ventilation holes 56 are arranged on a plate-shaped plate portion 52. The ventilation member 26 is supported by a shaft portion 51, and the switching motor 87 is controlled by the third control circuit 83, and the ventilation member 26 can be moved between the closed position Pc2 and the open position Po2. Then, when moved to the closed position Pc2, as shown in FIG. 7, the wind moving in the ventilation passage 31 by the fan 23 passes through the ventilation holes 56 and changes to wind W2a.

On the other hand, no ventilation member 26 is provided at the outlet 33 forming the second flow path C2. The opening ratio of the second flow path C2 is maintained as it is. In other words, the wind released from the second flow path C2 becomes wind W1a (laminar flow) that does not pass through the ventilation member 26. As a result, wind W2a passing through the ventilation member 26 provided in the first flow path C1 and wind W1a passing through the second flow path C2 where no ventilation member 26 is provided are formed adjacent to each other.

In this case, the flow speed of the wind W2a increases as the opening ratio of the first flow path C1 decreases. As a result, the wind W2a draws in the wind W1a. This causes the wind W1a to hit the wind W2a. Furthermore, the wind W2a that has transitioned to turbulent flow diffuses and hits the wind W1a flowing adjacent to the wind W2a. In this way, the winds W1a and W2a, which have different flow speeds and states (laminar flow or turbulent flow), flow next to each other and hit each other. In other words, the wind W1a that does not pass through the ventilation member 26 (ventilation opening 56) and the wind W2a that has passed through the ventilation member 26 (ventilation opening 56) interfere with each other.

When the wind W1a and the wind W2a collide with each other, for example, the masses of the wind W1a and the wind W2a are broken, and the wind W2a, which is a turbulent flow, is carried by the wind W1a. The wind W1a and the wind W2a generate various interactions like this, generating a turbulent flow Ws (mixed wind) that diffuses over a wide area. As a result, the turbulent flow Ws emitted from the indoor unit 10 becomes closer to a natural wind (so-called wind without a wind feeling) than the wind immediately after being emitted from the air outlet 33. In this case, the ventilation member 26 only needs to be formed in either the first flow path C1 or the second flow path C2, which can contribute to suppressing an increase in the number of parts, a complex configuration of the indoor unit 10, and an increase in costs. In addition, the ventilation member 26 has a simple structure equipped with only the ventilation port 56, which can contribute to suppressing an increase in costs and a decrease in the strength of the ventilation member 26.

Returning to FIG. 1, the radar 2 can detect the position, moving speed, angle, and shape (height from the floor surface, etc.) of a detection target (e.g., a living body CR) in a room. The radar 2 is a Doppler radar such as an ultrasonic radar, a millimeter wave radar, a microwave radar, or a lidar. The radar 2 has a transmitting unit 2a, a receiving unit 2b, and a signal processing unit 2c. The radar 2 generates radio waves such as millimeter waves and microwaves, sound waves, and light in the signal processing unit 2c and transmits them from the transmitting unit 2a to the indoor area, and receives reflected waves reflected by a detection target (living body CR) that may be present in the indoor area in the receiving unit 2b and passes them to the signal processing unit 2c. The radar 2 is provided at any position on the front surface of the housing 21 of the indoor unit 10, but it is preferable to provide the radar 2 at a position that makes it easy to detect the position of the detection target (living body CR) in the indoor area. The radar 2 may be embedded in a position near the center in the X direction in the +Y side part of the housing 21, as shown by dotted lines in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5. It is preferable that the transmitter 2a and the receiver 2b are exposed from the surface of the housing 21, as shown in FIG. 4. Details of the detection process by the radar 2 will be described later.

Figure 8 is an exemplary schematic block diagram showing details of the indoor unit control unit 80 of the indoor unit 10 (air conditioning device 1) configured as described above.

The CPU constituting the indoor unit control unit 80 reads out a control program installed and stored in a non-volatile storage device such as a ROM, and realizes a module that executes various controls and calculation processes according to the program. The indoor unit control unit 80 includes modules such as an operation mode control unit 80a, a drive circuit control unit 80b, a radar control unit 80c, a human body detection unit 80d, a classification unit 80e, an air purification control unit 80f, a wind control unit 80g, and a temperature monitoring unit 80h. The human body detection unit 80d also includes detailed modules such as a number of people detection unit 80d1, a tracking unit 80d2, and an activity amount measurement unit 80d3. Each of these modules may be configured as hardware. Each module may also be integrated or divided according to function.

The operation mode control unit 80a switches between the "radar control mode" and "normal control mode" described above as the operation modes of the indoor unit 10, as well as between the cooling operation mode, heating operation mode, dehumidification operation mode, humidification operation mode, ventilation operation mode, air purification operation mode, etc. These switching operations are performed based on a command signal from the operation terminal 94a operated by the user, or automatically based on the detection results of the radar 2.

The drive circuit control unit 80b controls the first control circuit 81, the second control circuit 82, and the third control circuit 83 based on the operation mode switched by the operation mode control unit 80a and the classification, number, and activity level of the living body CRs included in the detection targets present in the indoor area, and controls the operation of the fan 23, the up and down air deflectors 25, the left and right air deflectors 29, and the ventilation member 26.

The radar control unit 80c controls the transmission and reception of the radar 2 (transmitter 2a, receiver 2b) and also controls the signal processor 2c to obtain the analysis results (detection results) of the transmitted and received waves. The radar 2 may enable the detection process after the indoor unit 10 is started by the operation of the operation terminal 94a, or may be configured to always wait in standby mode regardless of the start-up of the indoor unit 10, and when it detects the movement (motion) of an object (detection target) in an initially set indoor area, for example, it may start normally to obtain the presence or absence of a detection target, the number of detection targets, shape information of the detection target, etc.

Based on the analysis results of the radar control unit 80c, the human body detection unit 80d identifies living organisms CR from among the detection targets, assigns an ID (identifier) to each identified living organism, and stores them in a memory unit (not shown). The human body detection unit 80d regards a detection target that has newly entered a pre-set indoor area, i.e., a moving body, as a living organism CR, assigns an ID to the organism at the time of entry into the indoor area or immediately thereafter, and thereafter maintains and monitors the ID until the organism is lost (for example, when it leaves the indoor area or enters a blind spot that may exist in the indoor area) and a predetermined period of time has passed. The memory unit may be, for example, a volatile storage device, etc.

The number of people detection unit 80d1 counts valid IDs present in the indoor area, detects the number of living CRs (number of people) present in the indoor area, and stores this in the memory unit.

The tracking unit 80d2 tracks valid IDs present in the indoor area and stores them in the memory unit. As described above, when an ID is assigned to a detection target when the detection target enters the indoor area or immediately after entering the indoor area, the tracking unit 80d2 performs a tracking process continuously for each ID thereafter. If a detection target (living body CR, ID) being tracked enters a blind spot and is lost, the ID may be maintained for a predetermined period (e.g., 30 minutes, etc.) and the same ID may be made valid when the detection target appears from the same blind spot. In this case, the indoor unit control unit 80 may continue the air control mode immediately before the valid ID is lost. A new ID may be assigned to a detection target (living body CR) that appears from a blind spot after a predetermined period has elapsed. If a detection target (living body CR) to which an ID is assigned leaves the indoor area through an entrance (room entrance), the ID may be invalidated.

The activity amount measuring unit 80d3 measures the activity amount (amount of movement) based on the amount of movement and the moving speed of each detection object (living body CR) tracked by the tracking unit 80d2, and stores the amount of activity in the memory unit. The activity amount can be used as an index of the amount of dust in an indoor area, for example. Therefore, for example, the ease of dust generation may change depending on the size of the detection object (living body CR). Therefore, for example, the activity amount may be weighted differently between adults and children, and this may be reflected in the air cleaning process, etc.

9, the classification unit 80e classifies detection targets that can be considered as living bodies CR in the detection area E of the radar 2 (the transmission area of the transmission unit 2a) into groups according to, for example, height (height from the floor). In the case of the radar 2 mounted on the indoor unit 10, the position of the entrance/exit of the indoor area R (room), the floor surface, the wall surface, etc. can be recognized at the time of initial setting, etc. Therefore, for example, the height from the floor surface (height in the Z direction, i.e., height) can also be detected at the timing when the detection target enters from the entrance/exit or immediately thereafter. As described above, when a newly detected detection target moves, the number of people detection unit 80d1 can consider it as a living body CR. The classification unit 80e classifies the detection targets that are considered to be living bodies CR into at least the first type detection target, the second type detection target, and the third type detection target based on their size (height). This classification is stored in a memory unit (not shown) in association with, for example, an ID assigned by the human body detection unit 80d.

9, the first detection target is the highest classification, for example, the first group (height range A1) of Mm or more, and the living body CR can be regarded as an adult living body CR1. The second detection target is the second group (height range A2) that is lower in height than the first detection target (for example, less than Mm, Nm or more), and the living body CR can be regarded as a child living body CR2. The third detection target is the third group (height range A3) that is the lowest in height (for example, less than Nm: M>N), and the living body CR (CR3) can be regarded as an infant living body CR3a, a ped living body CR3b, a sleeping living body CR3c, etc. Note that this classification (living bodies CR1 to CR3) is one example, and there may be four or more classifications. The above-mentioned classification height is one example, and the user of the indoor unit 10 may be able to change it appropriately depending on the living body CR (user, pet, etc.) that uses the room in which the indoor unit 10 is installed.

As described above, the radar 2 can track the detection target from the moment it enters the indoor area R. Usually, the user (the living body CR that is the detection target) enters the indoor area R (room) while standing. The radar 2 assigns an ID to the detection target at the time of its entry into the indoor area R or immediately thereafter, and the classification unit 80e classifies the detection target, for example, while it is standing, and the tracking unit 80d2 tracks it while maintaining the ID and classification. In other words, even if a detection target (living body CR) that was initially classified as a Class 1 detection target sits on a sofa or the like after entering the indoor area R and its apparent height (posture: standing, sitting, lying down, etc.) changes, the classification unit 80e does not change the classification to a Class 2 or Class 3 detection target.

The air purification control unit 80f controls whether or not to perform air purification processing in the indoor area R, the efficiency of air purification, etc., depending on the detection status of the living body CR in the indoor area R. The air purification control unit 80f controls the air purification unit 4, and performs air control processing, for example, using an electric dust collection method. As described above, the air purification unit 4 is equipped with a high-voltage discharge unit, etc., to charge contaminants such as dust contained in the air sucked in from the suction port 32. In this case, the air purification control unit 80f controls the fan motor 84 via the first control circuit 81 to adjust the strength of the fan 23, thereby adjusting the amount of air sucked in from the suction port 32 and adjusting the air purification efficiency.

For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the air purification control unit 80f may perform air purification processing in the indoor region R when the human body detection unit 80d does not detect a living body CR even when the detection processing is performed in the detection area E of the radar 2 in the indoor region R. FIG. 10 shows a case where the radar 2 of the indoor unit 10 detects only a sofa CRS as a still object as a detection target. In this case, the air purification control unit 80f performs "absent air purification control" in which clean air (clean air from which dust and the like has been removed by the function of the air purification unit 4) for purifying the air in the indoor region R is blown out from the outlet 33 at a larger volume of air than when a living body CR is detected in the indoor region R. As described above, the efficiency of the air control processing is largely determined by the amount of air sucked in and the amount of air blown out. Therefore, when an efficient air control processing is performed, the driving noise of the fan 23 tends to become louder. Therefore, by executing the absent air cleaning control during the period when the living CR is absent, it is possible to perform efficient air cleaning processing without causing discomfort to the user due to the driving noise. When the absent air cleaning control is performed, the temperature adjustment (heating or cooling) of the air to be blown out is not necessary, so the heat exchange processing by the heat exchanger 22 may be omitted. The absent air cleaning control may be performed all the time when the living CR is absent, but in that case, it is performed all the time at night or when the living CR is absent, which is not economical. Therefore, the execution period may be set by operating the operation terminal 94a, etc. When the entry of the living CR into the indoor area R is confirmed during the execution of the absent air cleaning control, the air cleaning control unit 80f may reduce the rotation speed of the fan 23 from that during the execution of the absent air cleaning control, and return to the normal air cleaning state in which quietness is prioritized over air cleaning efficiency.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, the air purification control unit 80f may execute a first air purification control for executing an air purification process for the indoor region R when a predetermined number or more of living bodies CR are detected by the human body detection unit 80d in the case where a detection process is performed in the detection area E of the radar 2 in the indoor region R. In the case of FIG. 11, a living body CR11 (adult), a living body CR12 (adult), a living body CR2 (child), and a living body CR13 (adult) are detected in the indoor region R, for example, indicating a "closed state". In this way, when a predetermined number or more (for example, four or more) living bodies CR are confirmed in the indoor region R, the air purification control unit 80f may automatically execute the first air control regardless of the presence or absence of a user request (operation of the operation terminal 94a). As a result, the air condition can be automatically improved even in a situation where dust is easily stirred up (easily rises) or odor is easily generated due to the presence of multiple living bodies CR, and a more comfortable environment can be provided. In this case, it is possible to reduce the driving noise of the fan 23 compared to the above-mentioned unattended air purification control, so that the user (living CR) is less likely to perceive the driving noise caused by the execution of the air purification process. Of course, the driving force of the fan 23 may be increased at the request of the user (living CR) to increase the air purification efficiency. In this case, the heat exchange process may be performed by the heat exchanger 22 at the request of the user (living CR), and the heating process or cooling process may be performed together with the air purification process. When multiple living CRs are detected in the indoor area R, the human body detection unit 80d may form a group consisting of multiple living CRs, and the wind control unit 80g may control the wind direction for each group.

As shown in FIG. 12, when the detection process is performed in the detection area E of the radar 2 in the indoor region R, if the human body detection unit 80d detects a third-class detection target (such as an infant CR3a or a sleeping living body CR3c) as a living body CR, the air purification control unit 80f executes a second air purification control that executes an air purification process for the indoor region R. In the case of FIG. 12, a sleeping living body CR3c (regardless of whether it is an adult, a child, an infant, etc.) and an infant CR3a are illustrated as third-class detection targets in the indoor region R. In this case, when an infant CR3a or a sleeping living body CR3c is present, the air purification control unit 80f automatically executes an air purification process, for example, to provide a more comfortable environment, based on the idea that it is preferable for the air in the indoor region R to have a high degree of cleanliness. In this case, since the movement of the living body CR is small and dust is often difficult to fly up, it is desirable to execute a quiet air purification control that prioritizes low noise (quietness) by reducing the driving force of the fan 23 and reducing the driving sound. The radar 2 can also detect the behavior of, for example, a sleeping living organism CR3c. Therefore, the air purification control unit 80f may, for example, prioritize quietness and reduce the driving force of the fan 23 if only a sleeping living organism CR3c is detected and the living organism CR3c is deemed to be in a light sleep with tossing and movement of the limbs, and may execute control to improve the air purification efficiency if the living organism CR3c is deemed to be in a deep sleep with no tossing or movement of the limbs for a predetermined period of time. In this case, it is also effective if the sleeping living organism CR3c is an infant (including a baby, etc.), since the air environment in the indoor area R is further improved.

The wind control unit 80g controls the direction and quality of the wind (e.g., cooling wind, heating wind, etc.) blown out from the air outlet 33 according to the presence of the detection target (living body CR) in the indoor area R that can be detected by the radar 2. The wind control unit 80g controls the up/down wind direction vane motor 85 via the second control circuit 82 to control the left/right position of the up/down wind direction vane 25. The wind control unit 80g also controls the left/right wind direction vane motor 86 via the left/right wind direction vane motor 86 to control the left/right position of the left/right wind direction vane 29. The wind control unit 80g can appropriately change the direction (arrival position) of the wind blown out from the air outlet 33 by combining the directional controls of the up/down wind direction vane 25 and the left/right wind direction vane 29. For example, the wind control unit 80g controls the up/down wind direction vane 25 and the left/right wind direction vane 29 so that the wind always hits the living body CR tracked by the tracking unit 80d2, thereby improving the feeling of coolness during cooling control, for example. Conversely, the wind control unit 80g can find a position where the living body CR is not present (absence area) and control the up/down wind deflectors 25 and the left/right wind deflectors 29 so that the wind does not blow on the living body CR being tracked by the tracking unit 80d2, thereby reducing the discomfort caused by the wind blowing directly on the living body CR. The wind control unit 80g may periodically change the direction of the wind to alternate between a state where the living body CR is blowing on the living body CR and a state where the wind is not blowing on the living body CR.

For example, as shown in FIG. 12, there are cases where the sleeping environment can be improved by not blowing the wind directly on the sleeping living body CR3c. In such a case, the wind control unit 80g controls the up/down wind direction vane 25 and the left/right wind direction vane 29 so that the reach area WE of the wind blown out from the air outlet 33 is, for example, a position in front of the sleeping living body CR3c. For example, the wind is blown out toward a position a predetermined distance (for example, 1 m) away from the position where the third-class detection object is present. In particular, when the sleeping living body CR3c is an infant (including a baby), it is easier to prevent the living body CR3c from becoming too cold or too dry by not blowing the wind directly on the sleeping living body CR3c. The direction in which the wind is blown out may be, for example, shifted in the left/right direction (X direction) or in the depth direction (Y direction) around the position of the third-class detection object. It may also be shifted in the up/down direction (Z direction). In the up/down direction, the wind may be blown toward the ceiling surface. In addition, when the living body CR detected by the human body detection unit 80d is a moving infant CR3a or ped CR3b, the tracking results of the tracking unit 80d2 are used to adjust the direction and arrival position of the wind to a position where the infant CR3a or ped CR3b is not present, and by preventing the wind from blowing directly on the infant CR3a or ped CR3b, it becomes easier to prevent the infant CR3a or ped CR3b from becoming too cold or too dry.

In addition, when the human body detection unit 80d detects a third-class detection target CR3 (such as a small child CR3a, a pet CR3b, or a sleeping living body CR3c) as a living body CR, the airflow control unit 80g may change the airflow volume to a value equal to or lower than the current setting. In the case of the indoor unit 10 of this embodiment, the volume of air (airflow volume, wind force) blown out from the air outlet 33 may be determined (set) by the user's operation of the operation terminal 94a, or may be automatically set according to the temperature of the indoor area R according to the operation mode. Also, as described above, in the case of the indoor unit 10 of this embodiment, the airflow volume may be set according to the state of the indoor area R based on the type and number of living bodies CR detected by the radar 2. Therefore, before the third-class detection target CR3 is detected, there may be a case where the airflow volume is too strong (too much) for the third-class detection target CR3 blown out from the air outlet 33. Therefore, when the third-class detection target CR3 is detected, the airflow control unit 80g may change the airflow volume to a value equal to or lower than the current setting. In other words, by reducing the airflow, it is possible to provide an environment that is more suitable for the third-class detection target CR3, which is thought to require careful consideration of how the air is blown.

When the temperature of the indoor area R is close to the set temperature when the third-class detection target CR3 is detected, the air volume may already be controlled to be sufficiently weak. In that case, the change in the set value of the air volume due to the discovery of the third-class detection target CR3 may be set to "0". In other words, no substantial change in the air volume may be made. The change in the set value of the air volume due to the discovery of the third-class detection target CR3 may also be applied when the above-mentioned calm wind is occurring, making it possible to provide an environment more suitable for the third-class detection target CR3. When changing the air volume to a value lower than the current set value, for example, it may be changed to a predetermined set value, such as "weak", or it may be changed to be gradually weakened depending on the temperature of the indoor area R and the type and number of other living organisms CR present.

As described above, the wind control unit 80g controls the switching motor 87 via the third control circuit 83 to move the ventilation member 26 to the closed position Pc2, and can blow out turbulent air (so-called windless air) from the outlet 33. The wind control unit 80g controls the ventilation member 26 as well as the up-down air deflector 25 and the left-right air deflector 29 to control the direction of the windless air, for example, in the direction where the living body CR is present or in the direction where it is not present. For example, by having the windless air (i.e., natural wind) blow on the living body CR, during cooling control, it is possible to suppress the discomfort caused by the cold air blowing while improving the feeling of coolness, and during heating control, it is possible to suppress the discomfort caused by the warm air blowing while making it easier to feel warm. Conversely, by blowing out the windless air in the direction where the living body CR is not present, it is possible to further suppress the wind from blowing directly on the living body CR. Even when blowing out a wind with a sense of no wind, the tracking results of the living body CR by the tracking unit 80d2 can be used to blow out a wind with a sense of no wind toward a position where a moving living body CR is present, or conversely, toward a position where no living body CR is present. When an infant CR3a (especially a baby) is present in the indoor area R, the wind with a sense of no wind is effective in terms of managing the physical condition of the infant CR3a.

In addition, the wind control unit 80g may control the fan motor 84 via the first control circuit 81 according to the amount of activity acquired by the activity amount measuring unit 80d3 to adjust the output of the fan 23, that is, the air volume (air volume). For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the tracking unit 80d2 can track the movement trajectory L1 of the living body CR11, the movement trajectory L2 of the living body CR12, the movement trajectory L3 of the living body CR13, etc., so that the activity amount measuring unit 80d3 tallies a score determined by the movement distance and movement speed of the target living body CR. Then, the wind control unit 80g may control the wind power during air purification processing, windless control, heating control, cooling control, etc., based on the score. In other words, by adjusting the air volume according to the amount of activity, a more comfortable environment in the indoor area R can be maintained. In particular, when the living body CR is highly active, dust and odors are generated more frequently in the indoor area R, so by changing the air purification efficiency according to the level of activity, a more comfortable environment can be provided.

The temperature monitoring unit 80h controls the operation mode control unit 80a based on the temperature (room temperature) of the indoor area R provided by the room temperature sensor 3 (temperature detection unit), and performs at least cooling control (control of the heat exchange mode) regardless of the operation of the operation terminal 94a. For example, if the radar 2 detects a living body CR in the indoor area R and the temperature monitoring unit 80h detects that the indoor temperature is outside a predetermined temperature, for example, if it becomes 32°C or higher, the indoor unit 10 starts cooling control regardless of the operation of the operation terminal 94a. For example, if the living body CR is a child CR2, a toddler CR3a, a ped CR3b, etc. and is unable to judge the appropriate room temperature or operate the operation terminal 94a, or even if the adult living body CR1 is unable to judge the appropriate room temperature or operate the operation terminal 94a due to illness, the temperature of the indoor area R (room) can be appropriately maintained. In particular, automatic cooling control is effective in preventing heatstroke, etc. (reducing the burden on the living body CR). In addition, when a living body CR is detected and the room temperature reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature, the temperature monitoring unit 80h cooperates with the airflow control unit 80g to blow air toward the detected living body CR for a predetermined time from the start of cooling control, effectively lowering the body temperature, and after the predetermined period has elapsed, the airflow direction may be changed to a direction in which the living body CR is not present or may be switched to windless control. In this case, the temperature burden on the living body CR can be effectively reduced, and after it is deemed that the burden on the living body CR has been reduced, it becomes easier to provide the living body CR with a more comfortable environment in the indoor area R.

The temperature monitoring unit 80h may be configured to automatically execute heating control (control of heat exchange mode) when the room temperature falls below a predetermined temperature. In this case, as with cooling control, it is possible to automatically maintain a comfortable room temperature.

In the above description, when the tracking unit 80d2 loses sight of the detection target being tracked within the indoor region R, it maintains the ID for a predetermined period of time, and when the target leaves the entrance/exit, it invalidates the ID. In this case, the operation mode control unit 80a may stop the control (e.g., cooling control, heating control, etc.) that it has performed up to that point. In another embodiment, after detecting a detection target (living body CR) to which an ID should be assigned within the indoor region R, the operation mode control unit 80a may continue the control (e.g., cooling control, heating control, etc.) that was performed when the living body CR to which an ID was assigned was present for a predetermined period of time (e.g., several hours) until a control end instruction is issued by the operation terminal 94a, even if the living body CR to which an ID was assigned is lost. In other words, when the indoor unit control unit 80 loses sight of the detection target being tracked, it may continue the wind control mode immediately before the target was lost for a predetermined period of time. As a result, it is possible to prevent the air conditioning control from being stopped when the living body CR temporarily leaves the room or enters a blind spot of the detection area E of the radar 2 within the indoor region R and the detection target is temporarily lost.

In this way, according to the air conditioning device 1 (indoor unit 10) of this embodiment, the radar 2 can detect at least one of the presence or absence of a detection target (e.g., a living organism CR) in the indoor area R, the number of detection targets, and shape information of the detection targets. When acquiring the presence or absence, number, shape information, etc. of the detection targets, it is possible to detect the distance to the detection target, and by continuously detecting the detection target, it is possible to detect the behavior (movement history) of the detection target. As a result, it is possible to control the airflow appropriate to the detection target present in the indoor area R.

Figure 14 is an exemplary and schematic cross-sectional view showing another configuration for generating wind with a windless feeling. In the case of the indoor unit 10 shown in Figure 14, a ventilation member 26 (26A, 26B) is arranged for each air outlet 33. Figure 15 is an exemplary and schematic view showing the configuration of the ventilation member 26 (26A, 26B), and is a front view showing the ventilation member 26A arranged in the first flow path C1 and the ventilation member 26B arranged in the second flow path C2. Note that the configurations of the ventilation member 26A and the ventilation member 26B are substantially the same, and when there is no need to distinguish between them, they will be described as the ventilation member 26. In addition, the configuration of the indoor unit 10 shown in Figure 14 is substantially the same as the configuration shown in Figure 5, except that the ventilation member 26 is arranged at each air outlet 33, and members with the same functions are given the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted or simplified.

For example, the ventilation member 26A is located near the upper end of the first flow path C1, similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 5. The ventilation member 26B is located at the upper end of the second flow path C2 in the Z direction. Note that the ventilation member 26A only needs to be able to block the first flow path C1 in the closed position Pc2, and the ventilation member 26B only needs to be able to block the second flow path C2 in the closed position Pc2, and is not limited to the example of FIG. 14.

The ventilation member 26A located in the closed position Pc2 covers the first flow path C1 opened by the vertical air direction vane 25A located in the open position Po1. The ventilation member 26B located in the closed position Pc2 covers the second flow path C2 opened by the vertical air direction vane 25B located in the open position Po1.

The two ventilation members 26 located in the closed position Pc2 do not need to completely block the air outlet 33. For example, the air outlet 33 may be connected to the room without being covered by the ventilation members 26 in the X direction, or the air may be able to pass through the gap between the ventilation members 26 and the upper and lower air direction vanes 25. For example, when viewed in the direction of air flow, it is sufficient that most of the first flow path C1 and the second flow path C2 are covered by the ventilation members 26A and 26B.

The ventilation member 26 located in the open position Po2 opens a part of the air outlet 33 opened by the vertical air direction flap 25 located in the open position Po1. In the case of FIG. 14, the ventilation member 26A located in the open position Po2 opens the first flow path C1 opened by the vertical air direction flap 25A located in the open position Po1. In addition, the ventilation member 26B located in the open position Po2 opens the second flow path C2 opened by the vertical air direction flap 25B located in the open position Po1.

The ventilation members 26 are made of, for example, synthetic resin, similar to the ventilation member 26 shown in FIG. 6. The ventilation members 26 may be made of other materials, such as metal. Each of the two ventilation members 26 has a shaft portion 51 and a plate portion 52.

The shaft portion 51 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape extending in the X direction. The shaft portion 51 is supported by the housing 21 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis Axc extending in the X direction. Each of the multiple ventilation members 26 has its own individual rotation axis Axc. The plate portion 52 protrudes from the shaft portion 51 in a direction generally perpendicular to the rotation axis Axc. The plate portion 52 is formed in a generally rectangular plate shape extending in the X direction. As the shaft portion 51 rotates around the rotation axis Axc, the ventilation member 26 can move between the closed position Pc2 and the open position Po2.

The shaft portion 51 of the ventilation member 26 is spaced upward from the plate portion 42 of the vertical air direction flap 25 that is in the open position Po1. The plate portion 52 of the ventilation member 26 that is in the closed position Pc2 extends from the shaft portion 51 toward the plate portion 42 of the vertical air direction flap 25.

The tip 52a of the plate portion 52 of the ventilation member 26 located in the closed position Pc2 abuts against the plate portion 42 of the vertical air direction vane 25 or is positioned near the plate portion 42. As a result, the ventilation member 26 located in the closed position Pc2 covers a part of the outlet 33 opened by the vertical air direction vane 25 located in the open position Po1. The tip 52a is the end of the plate portion 52 located opposite the shaft portion 51.

The length of the plate portion 52 in the X direction is approximately equal to the length of the air outlet 33 in the X direction. This allows the ventilation members 26A and 26B located in the closed position Pc2 to cover most of the first flow path C1 and the second flow path C2.

The length of the plate portion 52 in the direction in which the plate portion 52 protrudes from the shaft portion 51 is shorter than the maximum length of each of the first flow path C1 and the second flow path C2 in the Z direction. This prevents the ventilation member 26 from interfering with the up/down air direction vane 25 when moving between the closed position Pc2 and the open position Po2.

The plate portion 52 has an inner surface 52b and an outer surface 52c. The inner surface 52b faces the ventilation passage 31 in the closed position Pc2. The outer surface 52c is located on the opposite side of the inner surface 52b. The outer surface 52c faces the outside of the indoor unit 10 in the closed position Pc2.

When both ventilation members 26 are positioned in the open position Po2, the two ventilation members 26 open almost the entire area of the air outlet 33 opened by the upper and lower air deflectors 25 positioned in the open position Po1. Note that even if the two ventilation members 26 are positioned in the open position Po2, when the upper and lower air deflectors 25 are positioned in the closed position Pc1, the first flow path C1 and the second flow path C2 are covered by the corresponding upper and lower air deflectors 25.

As shown in FIG. 14, the ventilation member 26A located in the open position Po2 is housed in a recess 21c of the housing 21 provided near the air outlet 33. The recess 21c is recessed from the inner surface 21d of the housing 21 that forms part of the ventilation passage 31. By being housed in the recess 21c, the ventilation member 26A located in the open position Po2 is prevented from obstructing the wind flowing through the ventilation passage 31.

The ventilation member 26B is provided in the ventilation passage 31 near the air outlet 33. The plate portion 52 of the ventilation member 26B located in the open position Po2 extends in a direction along the flow of air in the ventilation passage 31. This prevents the ventilation member 26B located in the open position Po2 from obstructing the air flowing through the ventilation passage 31. Note that the arrangement of the ventilation members 26A, 26B located in the open position Po2 is not limited to the above example.

As shown in FIG. 15, each ventilation member 26 is provided with a plurality of first ventilation openings 55 and a plurality of second ventilation openings 56a. Each ventilation member 26 may be provided with a row of first ventilation openings 55 and a row of second ventilation openings 56a.

As shown in FIG. 15, the first ventilation holes 55 and the second ventilation holes 56a are each through holes that penetrate the plate portion 52. Therefore, the first ventilation holes 55 and the second ventilation holes 56a open to the inner surface 52b and the outer surface 52c of the plate portion 52, respectively.

The multiple first ventilation holes 55 and the multiple second ventilation holes 56a are arranged alternately in the arrangement direction Dp. Therefore, the first ventilation holes 55 and the second ventilation holes 56a are arranged side by side in the arrangement direction Dp. The arrangement direction Dp is an example of the first direction, and is a direction along the outer surface 52c of the plate portion 52.

The arrangement direction Dp is approximately equal to the direction in which the plate portion 52 extends from the shaft portion 51. When the ventilation member 26 is located in the closed position Pc2, the arrangement direction Dp is approximately equal to the Z direction. Note that the arrangement direction Dp is not limited to this example and may be another direction such as the X direction.

As shown in FIG. 15, the first ventilation opening 55 is, for example, a substantially rectangular slit extending in the X direction. The X direction is an example of the second direction, and is a direction that runs along the outer surface 52c of the plate portion 52 and intersects with the arrangement direction Dp. Note that the first ventilation opening 55 may be a hole having a cross section that is circular, rectangular, triangular, or of another shape. The multiple first ventilation openings 55 are arranged in the arrangement direction Dp.

The second ventilation hole 56a is a hole having a circular cross section, similar to the example shown in FIG. 6. The second ventilation hole 56a may be a hole having a rectangular, triangular, or other shaped cross section. The cross sections of the first ventilation hole 55 and the second ventilation hole 56a are cross sections perpendicular to the direction in which the first ventilation hole 55 and the second ventilation hole 56a penetrate the plate portion 52.

The multiple second ventilation openings 56a are arranged in the X direction. In other words, the multiple second ventilation openings 56a are arranged at intervals from one another in the X direction. Therefore, the multiple second ventilation openings 56a form rows 58 of multiple second ventilation openings 56a arranged in the X direction. In the plate portion 52, the multiple rows 58 are arranged in the arrangement direction Dp. The multiple second ventilation openings 56a may be arranged in a lattice pattern or a staggered pattern.

The multiple slit-shaped first ventilation openings 55 and the row 58 of the second ventilation openings 56a are arranged alternately in the arrangement direction Dp. Therefore, the multiple first ventilation openings 55 and the multiple second ventilation openings 56a form a row 59 of the first ventilation openings 55 and the second ventilation openings 56a aligned in the arrangement direction Dp.

The first ventilation openings 55 are arranged at both ends of a row 59 of the first ventilation openings 55 and the second ventilation openings 56a aligned in the arrangement direction Dp. Therefore, in the arrangement direction Dp, the multiple second ventilation openings 56a are located between two of the multiple first ventilation openings 55. Note that in the ventilation member 26 of the modified example, the second ventilation opening 56a may be arranged at the end of the row 59 of the first ventilation openings 55 and the second ventilation openings 56a aligned in the arrangement direction Dp. In this case, the multiple first ventilation openings 55 are located between two of the multiple second ventilation openings 56a in the arrangement direction Dp.

15, the cross section of each of the second ventilation openings 56a is smaller than the cross section of each of the first ventilation openings 55. The sum of the cross sections of the second ventilation openings 56a included in each of the rows 58 is smaller than the cross section of one of the first ventilation openings 55. As a result, the flow speed of the wind (W2a) passing through the second ventilation opening 56a is faster than the flow speed of the wind (W1a) passing through the first ventilation opening 55. As a result, the wind passing through the ventilation member 26A (26B) exhibits the same behavior as the example described in FIG. 7. That is, the wind W2a draws in the wind W1a. As a result, the wind W1a hits the wind W2a. In addition, the wind W2a that has transitioned to turbulence diffuses and hits the wind W1a flowing adjacent to the wind W2a. In this way, the wind W1a and the wind W2a, which have different flow speeds and states (laminar flow or turbulent flow), hit each other by flowing next to each other. That is, the wind W1a that does not pass through the ventilation member 26 (second ventilation opening 56a) and the wind W2a that passes through the ventilation member 26 (second ventilation opening 56a) interfere with each other.

When the winds W1a and W2a collide with each other, for example, the masses of the winds W1a and W2a are broken up, and the turbulent wind W2a is carried by the wind W1a. The winds W1a and W2a interact in various ways like this, generating a turbulent flow Ws that diffuses over a wide area. As a result, the turbulent flow Ws emitted from the indoor unit 10 can be made closer to a natural wind (so-called wind without a windy feeling) than the wind immediately after it is released from the air outlet 33.

In this way, even if the ventilation member 26A is provided in the first flow path C1 and the ventilation member 26B is provided in the second flow path C2, it is possible to generate a wind that feels like there is no wind, just like when the ventilation member 26 is provided only in the first flow path C1 as shown in Figure 5, etc., and similar control using the detection results of the radar 2 and similar effects can be obtained.

In the above-described embodiment, the air conditioning device 1 is assumed to be for residential use, but the configuration of this embodiment can be similarly applied to various types of air conditioning devices 1. For example, the configuration of this embodiment can be applied to commercial (store, etc.) air conditioning devices, and similar effects can be obtained.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment is merely an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above embodiment can be implemented in various forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. The above embodiment is included in the scope and gist of the invention, and is included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims.

1...Air conditioner, 2...Radar, 3...Room temperature sensor, 4...Air purifier unit, 10...Indoor unit, 21...Housing, 22...Heat exchanger, 23...Fan, 25, 25A, 25B...Up and down air deflectors, 26, 26A, 26B...Ventilation member, 29...Right and left air deflectors, 31...Ventilation duct, 32...Intake port, 33...Outlet port, 80...Indoor unit control unit, 80a...Operation mode control unit, 80b...Drive circuit control unit, 80c...Radar control unit, 80d2...Tracking unit, 80d3...Activity amount measurement unit, 80d...Human body detection unit, 80d1...Number of people detection unit, 80e...Classification unit, 80f...Air purifier control unit, 80h..., E...Detection area, R...Indoor area, CR...Living body (detection target).

Claims (11)

a housing provided with an internal ventilation passage, an intake port that connects the ventilation passage to the outside, and an outlet port that connects the ventilation passage to the outside;
a fan provided in the ventilation passage for blowing air from the intake port to the exhaust port;
a radar provided in the housing and configured to detect at least the presence or absence of detection targets present in an indoor area in which the housing is installed, the number of detection targets, and shape information of the detection targets;
a control unit that determines a control mode of the air blown out from the air outlet by the fan based on a detection result of the radar;
Equipped with
When a detection object that can be considered to be a living organism is detected in the indoor area based on the detection results, the control unit assigns an identifier to each living organism and tracks the living organism once detected, and, with the assignment of the identifier, classifies the living organism into at least a first class detection object which is the tallest classification, a second class detection object which is shorter than the first class detection object, and a third class detection object which is the shortest classification, depending on the height of the living organism from the floor surface based on the shape information, and maintains the classification even when the shape information changes due to a change in the posture of the living organism, and determines the control mode of the air blown out of the outlet based on the classification . The air conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit, based on the detection result, when the living body is not detected in the indoor area, performs absent air cleaning control in which clean air for purifying the air in the indoor area is blown out from the outlet at a larger air volume than when the living body is detected in the indoor area . The air conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit executes a first air purification control in which, when a predetermined number or more of living organisms are detected in the indoor area based on the detection result, purified air for purifying the air in the indoor area is blown out from the outlet . The air conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit executes a second air purification control in which, when the third class detection object is detected in the indoor area based on the detection result, purified air for purifying the air in the indoor area is blown out from the outlet . The air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 3 or 4 , wherein the control unit is configured to blow out the clean air toward an absence area, where no living body is present, of the indoor area based on the detection result. The air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit obtains an amount of activity of the living body present in the indoor area based on the detection result , and determines an amount of the clean air to be blown out based on the amount of activity. At least one airflow direction plate movable between a first closed position that covers at least a portion of the air outlet and a first open position that opens at least a portion of the air outlet;
at least one ventilation member that can be arranged at a second closed position to cover at least a portion of the air outlet opened by the air direction plate that is positioned at the first open position, the ventilation member having an inner surface that faces the ventilation passage in the second closed position and an outer surface that faces the outside in the second closed position, and at least one ventilation port that opens to the inner surface and the outer surface is provided, and that can form, at the second closed position, a first air outlet flow path through which air sent by the fan is discharged to the outside through the ventilation port, and a second air outlet flow path that is adjacent to the first air outlet flow path and discharged to the outside without passing through the ventilation port;
Equipped with
The air conditioning apparatus of claim 1 or any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the control unit, when a living body is detected in the indoor area based on the detection result, determines the direction in which the mixed air that has passed through the first blowing flow path and the second blowing flow path is blown out based on the position at which the living body is present. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 or any one of claims 3 to 7 , wherein when the third class detection object is detected, the control unit blows out the air toward a position a predetermined distance away from a position where the third class detection object is present. The air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 or any one of claims 3 to 8 , wherein the control unit changes the air volume of the air to a current set value or less when the third class detection object is detected. Further, a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the indoor area;
A heat exchanger provided in the ventilation passage;
Equipped with
The air conditioning apparatus of claim 1 or any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein when a living body is detected in the indoor area based on the detection result and the temperature of the indoor area is outside a predetermined range, the control unit determines the heat exchange mode of the heat exchanger and the control mode of the air blown out from the outlet so that the temperature of the indoor area falls within a predetermined range. The air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when the control unit loses sight of the detection target being tracked, the control unit continues, for a predetermined period of time, the airflow control mode that was in effect immediately before the detection target was lost.

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