JPH0157265B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a signal transmission device for a separate air conditioner, and more specifically, to a signal transmission device for a separate air conditioner, and more specifically, to a signal transmission device that reduces the number of crossover wires between an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. Regarding.

(Prior Art) In general, in separate air conditioners, it is desirable to reduce the number of crossover wires so that the wiring work of crossover wires can be done in a relatively short time and without wiring errors at the installation location. It will be done.

Therefore, as disclosed in the specification and drawings of Japanese Patent Application No. 58-187256, the present applicant has developed a frequency converter that is installed in an outdoor unit and controls the operating frequency of a compressor. The frequency setting signals of "1" to "7" generated depending on the room temperature are once converted into encoded step signals, and these are made to correspond to the positive and negative poles of the AC power supply.
The number of crossover wires can be greatly reduced by transmitting 2 bits per crossover wire to the outdoor unit, receiving it at the outdoor unit, converting it back to a frequency setting signal, and outputting it to the frequency converter. I am proposing something that I have tried to do.

Using the idea of the above proposal, even for ordinary air conditioners that do not include a frequency converter, from the indoor unit side to the outdoor unit side,
Alternatively, it is conceivable to transmit various operation control signals transmitted in the opposite direction, including two signals per crossover wire, corresponding to the positive and negative poles of the AC power supply. Because two signals are transmitted corresponding to the positive and negative poles of the AC power supply, the limit is to include at most two signals per crossover wire, and it is not possible to include three signals. Can not.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above points. In particular, when an air conditioner is equipped with a four-way switching valve, the four-way switching valve is normally located at the heating side position. We focused on the fact that during cooling operation, the position is switched to the cooling side based on the cooling signal transmitted from the indoor unit, and during heating operation, the cooling signal is not transmitted.

In other words, if the cooling signal is made to correspond to the positive electrode part of the AC power source, and other operation control signals are made to correspond to the negative electrode part and transmitted to the outdoor unit, during heating operation, the positive electrode part corresponding to the cooling signal is vacant; When frost occurs on the outdoor heat exchanger, the frost signal can be transmitted to the indoor unit through its positive terminal.
Frosting signals can be transmitted without increasing the number of crossover wires. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to
In a separate type air conditioner equipped with a four-way switching valve, in which the cooling signal and other operation control signals are transmitted to the outdoor unit in correspondence with the positive and negative terminals of the AC power supply, during heating operation, If frost forms on the heat exchanger, the frost signal is transmitted to the indoor unit at one free pole of the AC power supply corresponding to the cooling signal, and three signals are sent to one specific crossover wire. can be transmitted, and the number of crossover wires can be reduced accordingly.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the configuration of the present invention includes an outdoor unit incorporating a four-way switching valve that is in the heating side position during non-control, and an indoor unit. In a separate type air conditioner in which the units are connected by crossover wires for transmitting and receiving signals, the indoor unit includes a control signal generation section that generates cooling signals and other operation control signals, and a control signal generation section that generates cooling signals and other operation control signals from the control signal generation section. A control signal transmission section is provided which transmits operation control signals via the crossover wire in correspondence with the positive and negative terminals of the AC power supply, and the outdoor unit is provided with cooling signals and operation signals from the control signal transmission section. The outdoor unit is provided with a control signal receiving section that receives a control signal and switches the four-way switching valve to the cooling side position when receiving the cooling signal, and the outdoor unit is configured to prevent frost formation on the outdoor heat exchanger during heating operation. A frost formation detector for detecting frost formation, and a frost formation signal transmission section for transmitting a frost formation signal to one pole part of the AC power supply for transmitting the cooling signal when frost formation is detected by the frost formation detector, and the above-mentioned The indoor unit is provided with a frosting signal receiving section that receives the frosting signal from the frosting signal transmitting section.

(Function) With the above configuration, in the present invention, during heating operation without frost formation on the outdoor heat exchanger, operation control signals other than the cooling signal are transmitted to the outdoor unit at, for example, the positive terminal of the AC power supply. In this case, since the cooling signal is not transmitted, the negative electrode portion of the AC power source is free and has no signal on it. Moreover, the four-way switching valve is in the heating side position.

Now, if frost forms on the outdoor heat exchanger under the above conditions, this frost is detected by the frost detector, and a frost signal is transmitted to the indoor unit at the negative terminal of the AC power supply. Therefore, since the cooling signal, other control signals, and the frosting signal can be sent and received between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit by placing them on one specific crossover wire, it is not necessary to provide a separate crossover wire for transmitting the frosting signal. There is no need to provide one.

Moreover, since the pair of transmission section and reception section of the frosting signal are separate and independent (electrically parallel) from the transmission section and reception section of the operation control signal including the cooling signal,
When no frost is formed, there is no need to operate the frost signal transmission section, which simplifies control.

(Example) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the overall schematic configuration of a separate air conditioner according to the present invention, where 1 is an outdoor unit, 2 is an outdoor unit, and 2 is an outdoor unit.
is an indoor unit, and the outdoor unit 1 is equipped with a compressor 3, a four-way switching valve 4, expansion mechanisms 5a and 5b for heating and cooling, and an outdoor heat exchanger 6. Furthermore, an indoor heat exchanger 7 is provided inside the indoor unit 2. In addition, 8 is a solenoid valve, which is connected to the compressor 3.
It opens only when the number of rotations is above a predetermined value. Each of the devices 3 to 8 is connected by a refrigerant pipe 9 to form a closed circuit.

When the four-way switching valve 4 is not controlled, it is in the heating side position shown by the solid line in the figure, and by circulating the refrigerant as shown by the solid line arrow in the figure, the amount of heat contained in the refrigerant is transferred to the indoor heat exchanger 7. After dissipating heat into the indoor air,
While the outdoor heat exchanger 6 repeatedly absorbs heat from the outdoor air to heat the room, the outdoor unit 1 receives a cooling signal (described later) during cooling operation.
During the frosting (defrosting) operation during the above-mentioned heating operation, the position is switched to the cooling side position indicated by the broken line in the figure, and the refrigerant is circulated as indicated by the broken line arrow in the figure, so that the exchange of heat is reversed from the above and is carried out indoors. The air conditioner is cooled or defrosted by the outdoor heat exchanger 6.

The compressor 3 and the four-way switching valve 4 as well as the blower fans 6 of the outdoor and indoor heat exchangers 6 and 7
a, 7a are controlled by a control device 10 in which an indoor control device 10a provided in the indoor unit 2 and an outdoor control device 10b provided in the outdoor unit 1 are connected via a connecting wire 16. .

Next, the internal configuration of the control device 10 is shown in FIG. In addition, the left side of the one-dot chain line in the figure shows the outdoor control device 10b side, and the right side of the two-dot chain line in the figure shows the indoor control device 10a side. Outdoor control device 10b
is connected between the R phase and the S phase of the three-phase AC power supply 15, and is connected to both the indoor and outdoor control devices 10a,
10b is connected to enable signal transmission and reception by a crossover wire 16 for transmitting and receiving signals, which is made up of two voltage buses 16a, 16b and one communication wire 16c.
On the indoor control device 10a side, 17 is a room temperature sensor composed of a thermistor with negative resistance-temperature characteristics for detecting room temperature, MF ₁ is a blower fan motor of the indoor heat exchanger 7, and 50F is the indoor blower fan motor MF. An indoor ventilation fan relay having a normally open contact 50F- ₁ that allows or prevents energization to ₁ , P is a defrosting indicator light, and 18 is a remote control device (hereinafter abbreviated as remote control device) placed at an appropriate location indoors. ), and the remote control device 18 has a cold/warm switching button 18a and a run/stop button 18.
b and a room temperature setting knob 18c. In addition, on the outdoor control device 10b side, the MC
is a compressor motor connected to a three-phase AC power supply 15,
MF _O is the outdoor fan motor, 10C is the compressor relay with a normally open contact 10C- ₁ that allows or blocks power supply to the compressor motor MC, and 20S is ON.
This is a four-way switching valve relay that switches the four-way switching valve 4 to the cooling side position (the broken line position in FIG. 1) when activated (when receiving a cooling signal).

The indoor control device 10a side generates a control signal that generates an operation control signal including a cooling signal for controlling the operation of the compressor motor MC of the outdoor unit 1, the four-way switching valve 4, and the outdoor fan motor _MFO . A wiring 16 connects the cooling signal and other operation control signals generated by the control signal generating section 20 to the control signal generating section 20.
A control signal transmission unit 30 is provided that transmits a control signal to the outdoor control device 10b side via c. The control signal generating unit 20 generates a cooling signal (“H”) when the cooling/warming switch button 18b is switched to the cooling side when the operation/stop button 18b of the remote control device 18 is operated on the driving side.
The first AND circuit 21 that emits a signal) compares the actual room temperature signal from the room temperature sensor 17 with the room temperature setting signal from the room temperature setting knob 18c of the remote controller 18, and determines whether the actual room temperature signal is greater than or equal to the room temperature setting signal value during cooling operation. Compressor drive signal (“H” signal) when
and generates a compressor drive signal (“H” signal) when the actual room temperature signal is less than the room temperature set signal value during heating operation, and the comparison circuit 22
A second AND circuit 23 is provided for externally outputting a compressor drive signal (“H” signal) from the controller when the operation/stop button 18b of the remote controller 18 is operated on the operation side.

The control signal transmission unit 30 also receives a cooling signal (“H”) from the first AND circuit 21 of the control signal generation unit 20.
a cooling signal transmission thyristor SCRc that is turned on in response to a signal), and a compressor signal transmission thyristor that is turned on in response to a compressor drive signal (an "H" signal) from the second AND circuit 23 of the control signal generation section 20.
The thyristors SCRc and _{SCR M are} interposed in parallel in the middle of the transmission wiring 31 connecting the voltage bus 16a on the R-phase side and the communication wiring 16c, with the directions of current flowing in opposite directions. , both thyristors
By turning on SCRc and SCR _M , a compressor signal, for example, is transmitted in correspondence with the positive electrode part of the AC power supply 15,
Connecting wiring 16 for each cooling signal corresponding to the negative electrode part
It is configured to transmit via c.

In addition, on the outdoor control device 10b side, a single communication wiring 16 is provided for transmitting cooling signals and other operation control signals from the control signal transmission unit 30 of the indoor control device 10a.
A control signal receiving section 40 is provided which receives the control signal via the control signal c. The control signal receiving unit 40 includes a cooling signal receiving photocoupler PHc disposed in the middle of the receiving wiring 41 connecting the voltage bus 16b on the S-phase side and the communication wiring 16c, the current direction of which is the same as that of the cooling signal transmitting thyristor SCRc. and a compressor signal receiving photocoupler _PHM whose energization direction is arranged in the same direction as the compressor signal transmitting thyristor _SCRM are interposed in parallel with each other. Therefore, the two transmission thyristors SCRc and SCR _M on the indoor side with different energization directions are turned on.
During operation, the cooling signal (“H” signal) and the compressor signal (“H” signal) are connected to one connecting wire 16.
The signal is received by the signal receiving photocouplers PHc and _PHM on the outdoor control device 10b side via the signal line C. Therefore, the outdoor control device 10b
The control signal receiving section 40 includes an OR circuit 47 (described later) when the cooling signal receiving photocoupler PHc emits light.
Cooling relay 20 that is turned ON by being energized via
The normally open contact 20C- ₁ is connected to the power supply circuit of the four-way switching valve relay 20S, and when a cooling signal is received, the four-way switching valve relay 20S is turned on and the four-way switching valve is turned on. 4 to the cooling side position (the position indicated by the broken line in FIG. 1). Similarly, the outdoor control device 10b side is provided with a compressor auxiliary relay 30A that is turned on when the compressor signal receiving photocoupler _PHM emits light, and its normally open contact 30A- ₁ is connected to the power supply circuit of the compressor relay 10C. is interposed.

The outdoor control device 10b side is provided with a frosting de-icer that detects a predetermined amount or more of frosting on the outdoor heat exchanger 6 shown in FIG. 1 during heating operation and generates a frosting signal (“H” signal). A detector 50 is provided, and the control signal receiving unit 40 of the outdoor control device 10b receives the frost detection signal (“H” signal) from the frost detector 50 via a timer TM and turns ON. A frost signal transmission thyristor SCR _D is provided to
The frost signal transmission thyristor SCR _D is the receiving wiring 4
1, in parallel with the cooling signal receiving photocoupler PHc, and with the current flowing in the same direction. Therefore, when the frost detector 50 detects frost, the frost detection signal ("H" signal) turns on the frost signal transmission thyristor SCR _D , and the frost signal is transmitted to the AC for cooling signal transmission. power supply 15
A frosting signal transmission section 51 is configured to transmit at one pole part (negative pole part). Although not shown in detail, the energizing circuit of the outdoor fan motor MF _O on the outdoor control device 10b side includes the above-mentioned frost detector 50.
Contact 40C-1 that opens according to the frost detection signal
is interposed, and is configured to stop the outdoor blower fan motor MF _O when the outdoor heat exchanger 6 is frosted.

On the other hand, on the indoor control device 10a side, in the control signal transmission unit 30, a frosting signal reception photocoupler PH _D is connected in the middle of the transmission wiring 31 in parallel to the cooling signal transmission thyristor SCRc, and the current direction is the same. Interventions have been made. Therefore, when the frosting signal transmission thyristor SCR _D is turned on, the frosting signal receiving section 52 is configured to receive the frosting signal by the light emission of the frosting signal receiving photocoupler PH _D.

In addition, in the control signal generating section 20, an "H" signal obtained by inverting the "L" signal generated by extinction of the frost signal receiving photocoupler PH _D by the inverter I and an operation signal (" After receiving the air blow signal (“H” signal)
A third AND circuit 25 is provided to generate a frosting signal, and when a frosting signal is received, the third AND circuit 25
Stop generating the air blow signal (“H” signal) from
The rotational drive of indoor ventilation fan MF ₁ is stopped. Further, the light emission (“H” signal) from the frosting signal receiving photocoupler PH _D is output to the defrosting indicator light P.

The outdoor control device 10b also includes a frost detector 5.
Frost formation detection signal (“H”) after passing through timer TM from 0
signal) and the "H" signal from the cooling signal receiving photocoupler PHc, the four-way switching valve relay 20S is activated.
An OR circuit 47 for ON operation is provided.
In Fig. 2, R ₁ and R ₂ are resistors for preventing interphase short circuit between R phase and S phase, 60 is a normally closed protection device that opens during abnormal operation, and 61P is a protection reaction relay of the protection device 60. , 61P- ₁ is a normally open contact of the protective reaction relay 61P, which turns off the internal power of the control device 10 and stops the operation in the event of abnormal operation.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained.
Note that since the frost signal is generated only during heating operation, the heating operation will be described below.

First, when the amount of frost on the outdoor heat exchanger 6 is less than a predetermined amount, the frost detector 50 outputs a frost detection signal (“H”).
signal) and its output is at the "L" level. Therefore, the frosting signal transmission thyristor SCR _D of the outdoor control device 10b is in the OFF state. Furthermore, on the indoor control device 10a side, since the first AND circuit 21 of the control signal generating section 20 is at the "L" output, the cooling signal transmission thyristor SCRc is in an OFF operation.

Now, in this state the compressor signal transmission thyristor
SCR _M receives the compressor drive signal (“H” signal)
When ON is activated, this compressor drive signal is transmitted to the outdoor control device 10b side via one connecting wire 16c corresponding to the positive terminal between the R phase and S phase of the AC power source 15, and the signal is transmitted to the outdoor unit 10b side. The compressor signal receiving photocoupler of the control signal receiving section 40
Received by PH _M light emission. As a result, compressor auxiliary relay 30A and compressor relay 10C are continuously turned ON, and compressor motor MC is activated. At that time, the cooling signal transmission thyristor SCRc
Cooling signal reception photocoupler PHc when OFF is activated
is in the OFF state, so the cooling relay 20C and the four-way switching valve relay 20S are in the OFF state.
The four-way switching valve 4 is in the heating side position (solid line position in Figure 1), a heating circuit is formed, and indoor heating operation is performed.

If a predetermined amount or more of frost occurs on the outdoor heat exchanger 6 in this state, a frost detection signal (“H” signal) is generated from the frost detector 50, and the frost signal transmission thyristor SCR _D is turned on. Operate. Due to this,
When the frosting signal receiving photocoupler PH _D on the indoor control device 10a side emits light at the negative terminal of the AC power supply 15 and the defrosting indicator light P lights up, the indoor ventilation fan relay 50F is turned OFF and its normally open contact 50F is turned off. ₋₁
will open and the indoor ventilation fan motor MF ₁ will stop. At that time, in the outdoor control device 10b, the frost detection signal (“H” signal) of the frost detector 50
As a result, the cooling relay 20C is turned on and the four-way switching valve 20S is switched to the cooling side position (the broken line position in Figure 1) to form a cooling circuit, and the contact 40C- ₁ for the outdoor fan is opened to switch the air to the outside. Blower fan MF _O stops.

Here, the negative electrode part of the AC power supply 15 is originally for cooling signals transmitted from the indoor control device 10a to the outdoor control device 10b during cooling operation.
During heating operation, no cooling signal is transmitted and no control signal is carried on the negative electrode section, which is in an empty state, so the frosting signal can be transmitted from the outdoor control device 10b to the indoor control device 10a using this negative electrode section. Therefore, the crossover wire 16C can also be used for transmitting three signals: the cooling signal, the compressor drive signal, and the frosting signal, and there is no need to separately provide a crossover wire for transmitting the frosting signal, and the number of crossover wires can be reduced. Linearization can be achieved.

Moreover, in the indoor control device 10a, the frosting signal receiving photocoupler PH _D is connected to the cooling signal transmitting thyristor.
SCRc is electrically connected in parallel, and in the outdoor control device 10b, a frosting signal transmission thyristor SCR _D
is electrically connected in parallel with the cooling signal receiving photocoupler _PHc , and the frosting signal transmission/reception system is independent from the cooling signal transmission/reception system, so the cooling signal is received by the cooling signal receiving photocoupler PHc. Even at this time, the frosting signal transmission thyristor SCR _D can maintain the OFF state and does not need to be turned on in synchronization with the reception of the cooling signal, so the control can be simplified accordingly.

In the above embodiment, the signal receiving sections PHc, PH _M ,
Although the _PHD is constructed from a phototransistor, it is of course possible to use a combination of a diode and a switch contact, or a combination of a diode and a pulse transformer (or current transformer).

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the signal transmission device for a separate air conditioner of the present invention, when a four-way switching valve is provided that switches to the cooling side position in response to a cooling signal, the operation including the cooling signal When a control signal is transmitted from the indoor side to the outdoor side in correspondence with the positive and negative electrode parts of the AC power source, when the outdoor heat exchanger is frosted during heating operation when the above-mentioned cooling signal is not transmitted,
The frost formation signal was transmitted from the outdoor side to the indoor side at one pole of the AC power supply corresponding to the cooling signal.
By using one specific crossover wire for transmitting three signals, it is possible to reduce the number of crossover wires and improve the installation workability of the air conditioner. Moreover,
Since the frost signal transmission and reception system is electrically connected in parallel to the cooling signal transmission and reception system, it is independent.
There is no need to synchronize the transmission and reception system of the frosting signal when transmitting and receiving the cooling signal, and there is also an effect that the control can be simplified.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a refrigerant piping system diagram, and FIG. 2 is an electric circuit diagram showing the internal configuration of a control device. 1...Outdoor unit, 2...Indoor unit, 3
... Compressor, 6 ... Outdoor heat exchanger, 7 ... Indoor heat exchanger, 15 ... AC power supply, 16 ... Crossover wire, 2
0...Control signal generation unit, 30...Control signal transmission unit, 40...Control signal reception unit, MF ₁ ...Indoor ventilation fan motor, 50...Frost formation detector, 51...
Frosting signal transmission unit, 52... Frosting signal receiving unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Separate type having an outdoor unit 1 with a built-in four-way switching valve 4 that is in the heating side position when not controlled, and an indoor unit 2, and connecting both units 1 and 2 with a crossover wire 16 for signal transmission and reception. In the air conditioner, the indoor unit 2 includes a control signal generator 20 that generates cooling signals and other operation control signals.
and a control signal transmission section 30 that transmits the cooling signal and the operation control signal of the control signal generation section 20 via the crossover wire 16 in correspondence with the positive electrode section and the negative electrode section of the AC power supply 15, respectively. The outdoor unit 1 includes a control signal receiving section 40 that receives the cooling signal and the operation control signal from the control signal transmission section 30 and switches the four-way switching valve 4 to the cooling side position when receiving the cooling signal, and the outdoor unit 1
includes a frost detector 50 that detects frost on the outdoor heat exchanger 6 during heating operation, and an AC power source for transmitting the frost signal detected by the frost detector 50 when frost occurs. In addition, the indoor unit 2 is provided with a frosting signal receiving section that receives the frosting signal from the frosting signal transmitting section 51. 52. A signal transmission device for a separate air conditioner.