AIR CONDITIONER

• US 20110257793A1
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Akiyoshi, Nakamura, Yoshiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,010,137 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/277
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/83 by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/065 with a plurality of evaporators or condensers
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 13/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle defrosting cycles F25B47/02
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/0233 in parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/02741 using one four-way valve
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/021 Inverters therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/2521 On-off valves controlled by pulse signals
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/025 Motor control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

Disclosed is an air conditioner which can obtain an energy-saving effect without any change to the setting temperature set by a user and, accordingly, without causing discomfort to the user. If a capacity restriction mode is set to at least one of indoor units Y1 and Y2, the setting temperature Ts in the indoor units Y1 and Y2 is not changed and is maintained at a value set by the user and a compressor 1 is operated with the capacity less than the normal capacity.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, comprising:

an outdoor unit which has a compressor of a capacity variable type and an outdoor heat exchanger;

a plurality of indoor units which have an indoor heat exchanger;

a first control means which is provided in each indoor unit and informs the outdoor unit of a request capacity according to an air conditioning load;

a second control means which is provided in the outdoor unit and controls the capacity of the compressor of the capacity variable type according to a sum of the request capacities of the indoor units;

an operation means which is provided in each indoor unit and designates a capacity restriction mode; and

a third control means which is provided in each indoor unit and sets a maximum value for the request capacity according to the air conditioning load of the indoor unit when the capacity restriction mode is set by the operation means.

2. The air conditioner of claim 1,

wherein the operation means selectively designates a plurality of capacity restriction modes, and

the third control means has maximum values of a plurality of steps as the maximum value and selectively sets any one of the maximum values according to the capacity restriction mode designated by the operation means.

3. The air conditioner of claim 1,

wherein the operation means designates a capacity restriction ratio by a numerical value, and

the third control means variably sets the maximum value according to the numerical value designated by the operation means.

4. The air conditioner of claim 1, further comprising:

a determining means which is provided in each indoor unit and determines whether the outdoor unit accepts the capacity restriction; and

a fourth control means which is provided in each indoor unit, allows setting of the maximum value by the third control means, when a determination result of the determining means is YES, and prohibits setting of the maximum value by the third control means, when the determination result of the determining means is NO.

5. The air conditioner of claim 1, further comprising:

a storage means which is provided in each indoor unit and stores validation/invalidation information indicating whether the designation by the operation means is validated/invalidated; and

a fifth control means which is provided in each indoor unit and prohibits setting of the maximum value by the third control means, regardless of the designation by the operation means, when the validation/invalidation information stored in the storage means indicates invalidation.

6. The air conditioner of any one of claim 2, further comprising:

a storage means which is provided in each indoor unit and stores validation/invalidation information indicating whether the designation by the operation means is validated/invalidated; and

a fifth control means which is provided in each indoor unit and prohibits setting of the maximum value by the third control means, regardless of the designation by the operation means, when the validation/invalidation information stored in the storage means indicates invalidation.

7. The air conditioner of any one of claim 3, further comprising:

a storage means which is provided in each indoor unit and stores validation/invalidation information indicating whether the designation by the operation means is validated/invalidated; and

a fifth control means which is provided in each indoor unit and prohibits setting of the maximum value by the third control means, regardless of the designation by the operation means, when the validation/invalidation information stored in the storage means indicates invalidation.

8. The air conditioner of any one of claim 4, further comprising:

a storage means which is provided in each indoor unit and stores validation/invalidation information indicating whether the designation by the operation means is validated/invalidated; and

a fifth control means which is provided in each indoor unit and prohibits setting of the maximum value by the third control means, regardless of the designation by the operation means, when the validation/invalidation information stored in the storage means indicates invalidation.