Air conditioner

• US 20030006727A1
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kurahashi, Yasufumi, Goto, Naomi, Nishii, Nobuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 6,657,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3222 characterised by the compressor driving arrangements, e.g. clutches, transmissions or multiple drives B60H1/3208, B60H1/3226 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/288 using variable impedance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/908 Inrush current limiters

Abstract

In an air conditioner having a control unit receiving a power from a switching power supply, a supplied voltage for the control unit is reduced to a possible lowest voltage for the unit to operate. This arrangement provides the conditioner with less electromagnetic wave noise of the switching power supply, with a quick check and repair, and with having a motor-driven compressor start quickly. The air conditioner includes: a power application device connected in series to a direct-current (DC) power source; a switch device connected in parallel with the power application device; a capacitor charged by the DC power source via the power application device; a voltage detector for detecting a voltage of the capacitor; an output unit for driving a motor-driven compressor for air conditioning, the output unit receiving a power from the DC power source via the switch device; a control unit for controlling the output unit; a power supply connected in parallel with the capacitor, for supplying a power to the control unit, the power supply receiving a power from the DC power source; and a voltage lowering device for, when the motor-driven compressor does not operate, setting the voltage of the capacitor to a voltage which is lower than a voltage of the DC power source and which allows the control unit to operate. The voltage lowering device being controlled by the controller.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, comprising:

a power application device connected in series to a direct-current (DC) power source;

a switch device connected in parallel with said power application device;

a capacitor charged by said DC power source via said power application device;

a voltage detector for detecting a voltage of said capacitor;

an output unit for driving a motor-driven compressor for air conditioning, said output unit receiving a power from said DC power source via said switch device;

a control unit for controlling said output unit;

a power supply connected in parallel with said capacitor, for supplying a power to said control unit, said power supply receiving a power from said DC power source; and

a voltage lowering device for, when said motor-driven compressor does not operate, setting the voltage of said capacitor to a voltage which is lower than a voltage of said DC power source and which allows said control unit to operate, said voltage lowering device being controlled by said controller.

2. The air conditioner of claim 1,

wherein said controller allows said power application device to function as a stabilized DC power supply and decreases the voltage of said capacitor.

3. The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein said voltage lowering device turns on and off said power application device alternatively.