JP3070659B2 - Operation control device for air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner which performs an automatic operation by pressing an emergency operation switch provided in an indoor unit main body while a power switch is turned on. More specifically, the present invention relates to an operation control device that controls a test operation at the time of installation or service of an air conditioner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When an air conditioner is installed in each home,
The serviceman executes a test run mode in which the compressor is forcibly operated in order to check whether or not the installed air conditioner operates normally. Also, in the case where an abnormality occurs in the air conditioner, the serviceman puts the air conditioner into the test operation mode, forcibly operates the compressor, and confirms the abnormality. Therefore, a conventional air conditioner is provided with a test operation switch for executing such a test operation mode.

Further, in recent air conditioners, all of the operation control is remotely controlled by a remote control device, and the main body of the device (in the case of a separate type, an indoor unit main body) is used to operate these devices. Is generally not provided. However, while the remote control device can be easily carried and convenient, it is often the case that the air conditioner cannot be operated when it is important to leave it somewhere. Therefore, the conventional air conditioner is provided with an emergency operation switch that can execute only the automatic operation mode so that the air conditioner can be operated for the time being even when the remote control device is eliminated.

As described above, the conventional air conditioner is provided with the test operation switch and the emergency operation switch in addition to the power switch. However, the test operation switch and the emergency operation switch are not used every day. Since the test run switch is not operated by the user, it is provided in a place that is not normally visible to the user (for example, a device main body inside a removable panel).

[0005] By the way, in recent years, the price of electric appliances has been reduced, and in order to cope with this, it is necessary to reduce the manufacturing cost by eliminating waste of the products, reducing the number of parts. From this point of view, it is useless to provide a test operation switch or an emergency operation switch which is usually hardly used, and if this switch can be used by one switch, the production cost can be reduced.

Therefore, recently, a type has been provided in which a single switch is used as both a test operation switch and an emergency operation switch. This air conditioner has one switch
When the button is pressed twice, it is determined that the operation is the operation of the emergency operation switch, and the automatic operation mode is executed. When the button is pressed twice continuously for a predetermined time, the operation is judged to be the operation of the test operation switch, and the test operation mode is executed. It has become. Or set the switch to 1
When the switch is pressed twice, it is determined that the operation is an operation of the emergency operation switch, and the automatic operation mode is executed. It has become.

As described above, in the conventional air conditioner, a single switch is used as the test operation switch and the emergency operation switch, thereby reducing the number of parts and reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0008]

However, in the type in which the operation of the emergency operation switch and the operation of the test operation switch are distinguished by the number of times the switch is pressed, when either switch is erroneously pressed, which mode is used. There was a problem that it was not known whether the operation was started. Further, in the type in which the operation of the emergency operation switch and the operation of the test operation switch are distinguished by the length of time the switch is pressed, the switch must be kept pressed for several seconds to execute the test operation mode, which is troublesome. Operation. Further, when the operation is started with the pressing time being halfway, there is also a problem that it is not possible to know in which mode the operation was started.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems. The purpose of the present invention is to provide only an emergency operation switch and omit the test operation switch, and to set the test operation mode to a simple operation including the power switch. An object of the present invention is to provide an operation control device of an air conditioner that can reliably use an automatic operation mode.

[0010]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, an operation control device for an air conditioner according to the present invention operates by pressing an emergency operation switch provided in an indoor unit main body while a power switch is turned on. By doing so, in the air conditioner adapted to execute automatic operation, the indoor unit main body includes a front panel that can be turned or removed on the front surface of the indoor unit main body, and the indoor unit main body portion covered by the front panel has The compressor is forcibly operated by providing an emergency operation switch and providing the power switch on an indoor unit main body portion not covered by the front panel, and turning on the power switch while pressing the emergency operation switch. And a test operation mode executing means for executing the test operation mode.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the operation control device of the present invention. This operation control device includes a receiving unit 2 that receives various control signals from a remote control switch 1, and the output of the receiving unit 2 is:
It is led to a control unit 3 that controls the operation of the entire air conditioner. Further, the output of the power switch 4 and the output of the emergency operation switch 5 are guided to the control unit 3 through the key input unit 6, and the output of the room temperature detection unit 7 is transmitted to the control unit 3 through the comparison determination unit 8. Have been led.

The control unit 3 includes a data storage unit 9 storing data for controlling various operation modes such as a cooling operation mode, a heating operation mode, an emergency operation mode (automatic operation mode), and a test operation mode. In addition to being bidirectionally connected, a drive control unit 10 for driving a compressor, an indoor blower, an outdoor blower, and the like (not shown) is bidirectionally connected. The control unit 3 is incorporated in the main body of the air conditioner (in the case of a separate type, an indoor unit main body), and the power switch 4 and the emergency operation switch 5 are attached to the main body of the air conditioner.

FIG. 2 is an external view of an apparatus main body (in the case of a separate type, an indoor unit main body) 20 of the air conditioner of the present invention. The device body 20 includes a front panel 21
Can be turned forward or removable,
When the filter 22 is replaced, the device is turned forward from the device main body 20. In addition, the emergency operation switch 5 is
Since it is not used everyday, it is provided in the device main body 20 inside the front panel 21 and is normally invisible to the user. Power switch 4
Is provided at a lower end portion of the device main body 20 and is attached to a position that can be seen from the outside even when the front panel 21 is attached. Note that the emergency operation switch 5 may also be disposed near the power switch 4 and provided at a position visible from the outside.

In the above configuration, the control unit 3 includes software that operates on a microcomputer, and performs various operations such as a cooling operation mode, a heating operation mode, an emergency operation mode (automatic operation mode), and a test operation mode. The mode is controlled in each mode based on various control signals from the remote control switch 1, an operation signal from the power switch 4, an operation signal from the emergency operation switch 5, a detection signal from the room temperature detection unit 7, and the like. Control is performed.

The control unit 3 performs a process of determining whether the emergency operation switch 5 is turned on or off when the power switch 4 is turned on. The subsequent process is different depending on whether the emergency operation switch 5 is turned on or off. Has become.

The power switch 4 is turned off when the air conditioner is not used for a long period of time. When the air conditioner is to be used continuously for a certain period of time, such as in summer or winter, the power switch 4 is kept on. It is. In this case, the start and stop of the air conditioner are exclusively performed by a power switch (not shown) provided on the remote control switch 1. That is, the power switch 4 attached to the device main body 20 is a switch for starting the air conditioner, and the power switch provided on the remote control switch 1 is
Is a switch operated on the assumption that is turned on. The configuration of the refrigeration cycle equipment such as a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and an indoor heat exchanger is well known in the related art, and thus a detailed description is omitted here.

Next, in the operation control device having the above configuration,
The operations in the emergency operation mode and the test operation mode will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. When the user loses the remote control switch 1, for example, by pressing the emergency operation switch 5 provided on the device main body 20, the device may be operated in the emergency operation mode (automatic operation mode) for the time being. In this case, since the power switch 4 is normally on, the user presses only the emergency operation switch 5. Also,
If the power switch 4 is not on, the power switch 4 is first pressed, and then the emergency operation switch 5 is pressed.

When the power switch 4 is turned on (step S1), the control unit 3 reads the switches and initializes them (steps S2 and S3).
Is pressed (that is, the emergency operation switch 5
Is determined (step S4). And power switch 4
If the emergency operation switch 5 is not pressed at the time of turning on, the operation proceeds from step S4 to step S5,
The process according to the subsequent switch operation is started (steps S5 and S6).

That is, in this case, since the emergency operation switch 5 is depressed, the control unit 3 operates the operation program of the emergency operation mode (automatic operation mode) stored in the data storage unit 9 based on the operation signal. , The emergency operation mode is executed. That is, when the comparison determination unit 8 determines that the temperature detected by the room temperature detection unit 7 is the temperature at which the cooling operation should be started, the control unit 3 executes the cooling operation mode, and executes the cooling operation mode. When the comparison and determination unit 8 determines that the temperature detected by is the temperature at which the heating operation should be started, the heating operation mode is executed.

On the other hand, when it is desired to execute the test operation mode, the power switch 4 is turned on while the emergency operation switch 5 is pressed. For example, the power switch 4 is turned on with the left hand while the emergency operation switch 5 is pressed with the right hand.

The control unit 3 determines whether or not the emergency operation switch 5 is pressed when the power switch 4 is turned on (that is, whether or not the flag indicating the ON state of the emergency operation switch 5 is turned on). Is performed (step S4).
In this case, since the emergency operation switch 5 has been pressed, the control unit 3 advances the operation from step S4 to step S7, and according to the operation program in the test operation mode stored in the data storage unit 9, The test operation mode for forcibly operating the compressor is executed. Then, when the emergency operation switch 5 is pressed again to end the test operation mode, the flag indicating the ON state of the emergency operation switch 5 is turned off (step S8), and the operation ends.

As described above, according to the operation control device of the present invention, the emergency operation mode is executed by a normal switch operation such as pressing only the emergency operation switch 5, and the emergency operation switch 5 is depressed with one hand. Since the test operation mode is executed by an operation completely different from the normal operation such as pressing the power switch 4 with the other hand, the emergency operation mode and the test operation mode can be reliably used properly.

That is, by removing the trial operation switch and using the emergency operation switch 5 as the trial operation switch, the switch operation is completely different from the conventional one despite the fact that the switch is a single switch like the conventional one. This eliminates operation errors and wastes operation time.

[0024]

The operation control device for an air conditioner according to the present invention is an operation which is completely different from the normal operation of pressing the emergency operation switch with one hand and pressing the power switch with the other hand. Therefore, the switch operation in the emergency operation mode and the switch operation in the test operation mode can be clearly distinguished even though the emergency operation switch is also used as the test operation switch. In other words, compared to conventional air conditioners, which were distinguished by the number of times and the length of time the switch was
The emergency operation mode and the test operation mode can be used clearly and reliably.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of an operation control device for an air conditioner according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a device main body of the air conditioner of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of the operation control device of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Control section (test run mode execution means) 4 Power switch 5 Emergency run switch 9 Data storage section

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In a state in which claim 1 was turned on the power switch, by pressing the emergency operation switch provided in the indoor unit body, in the air conditioner adapted to perform the automatic operation, the front surface of the indoor unit body Swivel or removable
A front panel that is covered by the front panel.
When the emergency operation switch is provided in the indoor unit
The front of the indoor unit body that is not covered by the front panel.
A power switch, and a test operation mode executing means for executing a test operation mode for forcibly operating the compressor by turning on the power switch while pressing the emergency operation switch. Harmonic machine operation control device.