Automotive air conditioning apparatus

• US 6,164,367 A
• Filed: 10/08/1997
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Norio, Kurahashi, Yasufumi, Fukumoto, Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKINNON, TERRELL L
• Application Number:
  US08/947,035
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 165/41, 165/42, 165/43, 237/12.3 A, 237/2 B, 237/12.3 B, 62/238.6, 62/244
• US Class Current: 165/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00735 Control systems or circuits characterised by their input, i.e. by the detection, measurement or calculation of particular conditions, e.g. signal treatment, dynamic models
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00878 the components being temperature regulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/14 otherwise than from cooling liquid of the plant , e.g. heat from the grease oil, the brakes, the transmission unit B60H1/03 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00961 comprising means for defrosting outside heat exchangers

Abstract

An automotive air conditioning apparatus 10 is provided which includes a forced water supply system 9 and a heat pump system 14. A controller 16 controls the temperature of a second heat exchanger 38 of the heat pump system 14 to a desired temperature based on a preset temperature. The controller 16 also controls the temperature of the water circulating through the heat exchanger 20 of the forced water supply system 9 to a temperature at which the quantity of heat exchange between the air heated by the second heat exchanger 38 to the desired temperature and the heat exchanger 20 of the forced water supply system is minimized. According to this air conditioning arrangement, the temperature of the vehicle interior can be promptly raised without any capability drop being caused and thus, the heating efficiency of the apparatus being well enhanced.

Claims

1. An automotive air conditioning apparatus comprising:

(a) a duct for supplying air into a vehicle interior, said duct having a first end connected to a vehicle interior and a second end in communication with atmospheric air;

(b) a heat pump system including;

a circulating pipe for circulating a refrigerant,

a first heat exchanger communicating with said circulating pipe for causing the refrigerant to absorb heat from outside air, and

a second heat exchanger communicating with said circulating pipe and disposed within said duct for heating air in said duct by radiating the heat absorbed by the refrigerant in said first heat exchanger;

(c) a forced water supply system including;

a circulating pipe for circulating water, and

a third heat exchanger disposed in said duct at a location downstream of said second heat exchanger in relation to the direction of air flow through said duct, said third heat exchanger being operative to further heat the air in said duct;

(d) setting means for presetting a temperature of the air supplied into the vehicle interior through said duct; and

(e) a controller for controlling the temperature of said second heat exchanger to a desired temperature calculated on the basis of the temperature preset by said setting means, and for controlling the temperature of the water flowing in said third heat exchanger to a temperature at which the quantity of heat exchange between the air from said second heat exchanger and said third heat exchanger is minimized.

2. An air condition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a partition wall extending longitudinally within said duct and defining a first passageway and a second passageway, wherein said third heat exchanger is located in the first passageway, and the second passageway is disposed opposite relative to said third heat exchanger so that air flowing through the second passageway bypasses said third heat exchanger; and

a valve disposed upstream of said partition wall for adjusting the quantity of air flow through the first and second passageways on the basis of the preset temperature,

wherein said controller is operative to control the temperature of the second heat exchanger to the desired temperature as calculated on the basis of the preset temperature where the ratio of the quantity of air passing the first passageway to the quantity of air flowing in said duct is more than a specified ratio, and to control the temperature of the water flowing in said third heat exchanger to the temperature at which the quantity of heat exchange between the air from the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger is minimized.

3. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the temperature of the second heat exchanger is controlled to the desired temperature as calculated on the basis of the preset temperature in the case where the ratio of the quantity of air passing the first passageway to the quantity of air flowing in the duct is more than a specified ratio, and the temperature of the water flowing in said third heat exchanger is controlled to a temperature which is lower by a specified degree than the temperature at which the quantity of heat exchange between the air from said second heat exchanger and said third heat exchanger is minimized, or the water is not heated.

4. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the temperature of the water flowing in said third heat exchanger is controlled to a temperature at which the quantity of heat exchange between the air from said second heat exchanger and said third heat exchanger is minimized, if the temperature of said second heat exchanger is lower than the desired temperature by more than a specified temperature.

5. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the temperature of the water flowing in said third heat exchanger is controlled to a temperature at which the quantity of heat exchange between the air from said second heat exchanger and said third heat exchanger is minimized, if the temperature of said second heat exchanger is lower than the desired temperature by more than a specified temperature.

6. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the temperature of the water flowing in said third heat exchanger is controlled to a temperature at which the quantity of heat exchange between the air from said second heat exchanger and said third heat exchanger is minimized, if the temperature of said second heat exchanger is lower than the desired temperature by more than a specified temperature.

7. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein during a defrosting operation for removing frost deposited on said first heat exchanger, the temperature of the water flowing in said third heat exchanger is controlled to the temperature at which the quantity of heat exchange between the air from said second heat exchanger and said third heat exchanger is minimized.

8. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein during a defrosting operation for removing frost deposited on said first heat exchanger, the temperature of the water flowing in said third heat exchanger is controlled to the temperature at which the quantity of heat exchange between the air from said second heat exchanger and said third heat exchanger is minimized.

9. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein during a defrosting operation for removing frost deposited on said first heat exchanger, the temperature of the water flowing in said third heat exchanger is controlled to the temperature at which the quantity of heat exchange between the air from said second heat exchanger and said third heat exchanger is minimized.

10. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, while said second heat exchanger is in a non-operating state in order to protect said heat pump system, the temperature of the water flowing in said third heat exchanger is controlled to the temperature at which the quantity of heat exchange between the air from said second heat exchanger and said third heat exchanger is minimized.

11. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein, while said second heat exchanger is in a non-operating state in order to protect said heat pump system, the temperature of the water flowing in said third heat exchanger is controlled to the temperature at which the quantity of heat exchange between the air from said second heat exchanger and said third heat exchanger is minimized.

12. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein, while said second heat exchanger is in a non-operating state in order to protect said heat pump system, the temperature of the water flowing in said third heat exchanger is controlled to the temperature at which the quantity of heat exchange between the air from said second heat exchanger and said third heat exchanger is minimized.

13. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the temperature at which heat exchange is minimized is the desired temperature, or the desired temperature plus a specified temperature value.

14. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the temperature at which heat exchange is minimized is the desired temperature, or the desired temperature plus a specified temperature value.

15. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the temperature at which heat exchange is minimized is the desired temperature, or the desired temperature plus a specified temperature value.

16. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor disposed in said duct downstream of said second heat exchanger.

17. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a temperature sensor disposed in said duct downstream of said second heat exchanger.

18. An air conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a temperature sensor disposed in said duct downstream of said second heat exchanger.