JPH0358928B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a deodorizing device for an air conditioner for an automobile for deodorizing air blown into a vehicle interior.

(Prior Art and Problems Thereof) A deodorizing device for an air conditioner for an automobile is conventionally known as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 118520/1983. In such a conventional device, when the operation switch of the air conditioner is turned on, and when the operation switch is turned on and the compressor is turned off from on, the air inside the deodorizer and the air duct is removed. For example, if the opening/closing door of the communication port that communicates with the distribution path is closed for a certain period of time, e.g.
The deodorizer is left open for 10 seconds to volatilize and diffuse the deodorizing agent, resulting in a deodorizing effect. In other words, this conventional device operates the compressor when statistically speaking, the odor attached to the evaporator is most strongly generated, that is, at the beginning of the startup of the air conditioner, and when the operation switch of the air conditioner is turned from on to off. When the machine is stopped, the deodorizing agent is volatilized and diffused to perform the deodorizing action. Therefore, if the air conditioner is operated continuously, the deodorizing effect will not be performed, and if the odor is generated when the door is not open (for example, if the evaporator becomes damp due to high humidity during rainy weather). odor cannot be deodorized. Also, depending on the situation, the odor may not be emitted when the air conditioner is initially started, or when the air conditioner switch is turned from on to off and the compressor stops operating, but the deodorizer may evaporate. Since the deodorizer is diffused, there is a problem that not only is the deodorant was wasted, but also that the odor of the deodorant fills the cabin even when there is no bad odor, causing discomfort to the passengers.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and focuses on the fact that odor is most likely to occur when the evaporator is in a semi-dry state. By making it possible to volatilize and diffuse the deodorant only when the vehicle is in a comfortable state, a large deodorizing effect can be obtained, and unnecessary consumption of the deodorant and discomfort to passengers caused by the odor of the deodorant can be eliminated. The object of the present invention is to provide a deodorizing device for an air conditioner for an automobile.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, an air flow path is opened to the upstream side of the evaporator inside the ventilation duct, which has an outlet at the end that blows air into the vehicle interior. a deodorizer communicating through a communication port with a door and containing a volatile deodorizer therein; a drive mechanism for driving the opening/closing door to open and close; and a humidity sensor disposed immediately downstream of the evaporator. and a control circuit for controlling the drive mechanism so that the door can be opened when the humidity sensor detects a humidity value that is likely to cause odor, and the door can be closed at other times.

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

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner for an automobile equipped with the deodorizing device of the present invention. In the figure, 1 indicates the entire air conditioner, and the device 1 includes a blower 3 in a blower duct 2, evaporator 4, heater core 5, and
The structure includes a plurality of dampers 6, 7, 8, and 9. Outside air inlet 2a at one end of the duct 2
The outside air and the cabin air selectively introduced from the cabin air inlet 2b by the inlet damper 6 are selectively switched to the cold air passage 10 or the hot air passage 11 by the heater core damper 7, and are then transferred to the duct 2.
The air is guided to the other end and is blown out into various parts of the vehicle interior through the air outlets 2c, 2d, and 2e, which are selected by the air outlet dampers 8 and 9.

The evaporator 4 is the part of the air conditioner 1 where a relatively large number of odor molecules that cause malodors are attached, and the air flow path inside the duct 2 upstream from the evaporator 4 is provided with a deodorizer 12. Communication port 14 with opening/closing door 13
are communicated via a hose 15. The deodorizer 12 has a closed structure as shown in FIG. 2, and a volatile deodorizer 16 is housed inside. The opening/closing door 13 is driven to open and close by a drive mechanism 17, and the drive mechanism 17 includes a motor. The drive mechanism 17 is controlled in relation to the detected value of a humidity sensor 18 provided immediately downstream of the evaporator 4. The humidity sensor 18 is disposed immediately downstream of the evaporator 4 as shown in FIG. 1, and is electrically connected to the input side of the control circuit 20 via a detection circuit 19 as shown in FIG. There is. Further, an operating switch 21 of the blower 3 and an operating switch 22 of the air conditioner 1 are electrically connected to the input side of the control circuit 20. Signals from the humidity sensor 18 and the operating switches 21 and 22 are input to the control circuit 20, and the cold start circuit 23 and drive mechanism 17 are electrically connected to the output side of the circuit 20. A motor 3a of the blower 3 and a magnetic clutch 24 of a compressor (not shown) are electrically connected to the output side of the cold start circuit 23.

(Function) Next, the function of the deodorizing device for an air conditioner for an automobile having the above structure will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4. In step 1, it is determined whether the operating switch 21 of the blower 3 is OFF or ON. If the determination result is OFF, the process moves to step 6, where the drive mechanism 17 holds the opening/closing door 13 in a closed state and no deodorizing action is performed, and both the blower 3 and the compressor are stopped. Said step 1
If the determination result is ON, the process moves to step 2 and the operation switch 22 of the air conditioner 1 is turned OFF.
or ON. If the determination result is OFF, proceed to step 3, and determine whether the detected humidity value detected by the humidity sensor 18 immediately downstream of the evaporator 4 is lower or higher than a predetermined value (for example, 80%). .
If the determination result is low, that is, if the humidity is below 80%, the process moves to step 7, where the opening/closing door 13 is kept closed, no deodorizing action is performed, and the blower 3 is turned off.
operates and the compressor is stopped.
If the determination result in step 3 is high, that is, the humidity
If it is 80% or more, the process moves to step 8, where the drive mechanism 17 opens the opening/closing door 13 and the deodorizer 16 is released.
is volatilized and diffused from the communication port 14 through the hose 15 to the air flow path upstream from the evaporator 4 in the duct 2, reaches the evaporator 4 from this part, and deodorizes the odor molecules attached to the evaporator 4. A deodorizing effect is performed in which the agent molecules are combined and deodorized, and while the blower 3 is operating, the compressor is stopped.

On the other hand, if the determination result in step 2 is ON, the process moves to step 4, where it is determined whether or not the operating switch 22 of the air conditioner 1 is turned ON for the first time.If the determination result is NO, step 5 is performed. Then, as in step 3, it is determined whether the detected humidity value directly downstream of the evaporator 4 detected by the humidity sensor 18 is lower or higher than a predetermined value (for example, 80%), and if the determined result is low That is, if the humidity is below 80%, the process moves to step 9, where the drive mechanism 17 closes the opening/closing door 13 and no deodorizing effect is performed.
Blower 3 and compressor operate together. If the judgment result in step 5 is high, that is, the humidity is 80%.
In the above case, the drive mechanism 17 opens the opening/closing door 13 to perform the same deodorizing action as described above, and the blower 3 and compressor operate together.

If the determination result in step 4 is YES, that is, the operation switch 22 of the air conditioner 1 is turned on for the first time.
If it is turned on, the process moves to step 11, where the drive mechanism 17 opens the opening/closing door 13 to perform the same deodorizing action as described above, and the cold start circuit 23 is turned on, and furthermore, the blower 3 and compressor are both turned on. Operate.

(Effects of the Invention) As detailed above, the deodorizing device for an automobile air conditioner according to the present invention has an air flow path upstream from an evaporator inside a blower duct that has an outlet at the end that blows air into the vehicle interior. a deodorizer communicating through a communication port with an opening/closing door and containing a volatile deodorizer therein;
A drive mechanism for opening and closing the opening/closing door, a humidity sensor disposed immediately downstream of the evaporator, and a humidity sensor that opens the opening/closing door when the humidity sensor detects a humidity value that is likely to cause odor, and opens the opening/closing door at other times. The present invention is characterized by comprising a control circuit that controls the drive mechanism so as to close the opening/closing door.

Therefore, the deodorant is volatilized and diffused only when the humidity directly downstream of the evaporator is such that odor is easily generated, and a great deodorizing effect can be obtained, and unnecessary consumption of the deodorant and deodorization can be avoided. This can eliminate the discomfort felt by passengers due to the odor of the agent.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner for an automobile equipped with the deodorizing device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram of the configuration of the deodorizer portion, and FIG. is a block diagram of the control system, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the same. 2...Blower duct, 2c, 2d, 2e...Air outlet, 4...Evaporator, 12...Deodorizer, 13...Opening/closing door, 14...Communication port, 16...Deodorant, 17...
... Drive mechanism, 18 ... Humidity sensor, 20 ... Control circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A deodorizer that communicates with an air flow passage upstream from an evaporator inside a blower duct that has an air outlet at its end that blows air into the vehicle interior through a communication port with an opening/closing door, and that contains a volatile deodorizer inside. a drive mechanism for opening and closing the opening/closing door; a humidity sensor disposed immediately downstream of the evaporator; 1. A deodorizing device for an air conditioner for an automobile, comprising a control circuit that controls the drive mechanism so as to close the opening/closing door at other times.