AIR-CONDITIONING APPARATUS

• US 20120234028A1
• Filed: 02/14/2012
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Seki, Tatsuo, TANABE, Nobutaka
• Application Number:
  US13/372,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20120234028A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/125
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0007 Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units self-contained units F24F1/02
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0063 by the mounting or arrangement of the heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0083 with dehumidification means
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/79 for controlling the direction of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/86 by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/871 by controlling outdoor fans
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/225 by evaporating the condensate in the cooling medium, e.g. in air flow from the condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/54 Heating and cooling, simultaneously or alternatively
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

The drying operation menu determination means configures the drying operation by combining a heating operation and at least either one of a fanning operation and a fan stop operation by the air volume determination means when carrying out the drying operation with heating operation, and configures the drying operation by combining a fanning operation and a fan stop operation by the air volume determination means when carrying out the drying operation without heating operation.

Claims

1. An air-conditioning apparatus capable of carrying out a cooling operation and a heating operation with a refrigerant cycle constituted by a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an outdoor heat exchanger being connected by refrigerant piping, and capable of carrying out a drying operation for drying an indoor unit constituted by the indoor heat exchanger and an indoor fan supplying air to the indoor heat exchanger, the air-conditioning apparatus comprising:

a setting means setting whether a drying operation with heating operation or a drying operation without heating operation is to be carried out;

a drying operation menu determination means determining a menu of a drying operation on the basis of a setting of the setting means; and

an air volume determination means determining a rotation speed of the indoor fan on the basis of a determination result of the drying operation menu determination means and controlling an air volume of the indoor fan, wherein

the drying operation menu determination means

configures the drying operation by combining a heating operation and at least either one of a fanning operation and a fan stop operation by the air volume determination means when the drying operation with heating operation is carried out, and

configures the drying operation by combining a fanning operation and a fan stop operation by the air volume determination means when the drying operation without heating operation is carried out.

2. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heating operation permit/forbid determination means storing the setting inputted from the setting means and outputting the stored setting to the drying operation menu determination means.

3. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the setting means is provided in the indoor unit.

4. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 3, the indoor unit comprising a display unit capable of displaying by means of lighting, the display unit lighting up different colors on the basis of the setting of the setting means.

5. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a remote control, the remote control being provided with the setting means.

6. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 5, the remote control comprising a display unit for displaying information, the display unit displaying information on the basis of the setting of the setting means.

7. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 2, further comprising

a wind direction plate changing a direction of an air blown out from the indoor fan, and

a controller including the heating operation permit/forbid determination means and the drying operation menu determination means, the controller controlling an angle of the wind direction plate, wherein

the controller sets the wind direction plate upward during the drying operation.

8. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an indoor temperature sensor that detects an indoor temperature, wherein

the controller configures the menu of the drying operation on the basis of the detection result of the indoor temperature sensor.

9. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air volume determination means determines the rotation speed of the indoor fan such that the rotation speed of the indoor unit during the drying operation without heating operation is larger than the drying operation with heating operation.