Compressor control device and method

Abstract

This disclosure provides a compressor control device and method. The compressor control device includes: a sensor configured to detect air conditioning operating status information required for engaging and disengaging a clutch of an air conditioning compressor; an electromagnetic coil in the clutch of the air conditioning compressor, the electromagnetic coil being configured to engage the clutch upon receiving a battery current; a microcomputer configured to determine, based on the air conditioning operating status information detected by the sensor, whether the current air conditioning operating status meets the clutch engagement or disengagement conditions, and output an operating signal based on the determined result; and a switch configured to turn on or off according to the operating signal output by the microcomputer, and control the supply of battery current to the electromagnetic coil, thereby engaging or disengaging the clutch.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a compressor control device and method, and more specifically, to a compressor control device and method that can simplify the structure of the compressor control circuit, reduce the number of components, and lower costs. Background Technology

[0002] Vehicles are typically equipped with air conditioning, which is configured to heat or cool the vehicle's interior. Regardless of changes in the outside air temperature, the air conditioning system always maintains the interior temperature at an optimal level, thus providing a comfortable environment.

[0003] Air conditioning equipment for vehicles includes an air conditioning system configured to circulate refrigerant. The air conditioning system mainly includes: a compressor configured to compress the refrigerant; a condenser configured to condense the refrigerant compressed by the compressor to liquefy it; an expansion valve configured to expand the refrigerant liquefied by the condenser; and an evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant expanded by the expansion valve and use the latent heat of vaporization of the refrigerant to cool the air blown into the vehicle interior.

[0004] In an air conditioning system, during summer cooling mode, high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant compressed by the compressor is condensed into a liquid phase by the condenser, and then circulated back to the compressor through the expansion valve and evaporator. During this process, low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant expanded by the expansion valve is supplied to the evaporator, and air cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant evaporating in the evaporator is exhausted into the vehicle interior, thus achieving interior cooling.

[0005] Meanwhile, in the vehicle, the control of the air conditioning compressor and its power supply are performed by relay switches and controllers in the junction box. Furthermore, a component of the vehicle's air conditioning system configured to selectively operate the compressor using power from the battery is the compressor's clutch.

[0006] Figure 1 This is a view showing the structure of a conventional compressor control unit. Figure 1 A control circuit configured to control the operation of compressor 30 is shown, wherein the control circuit includes controller 10, relay switch 20 and clutch 31 of compressor 30.

[0007] The compressor 30's clutch 31 is equipped with an electromagnetic coil 32. The clutch 31 connects the compressor 30 and the engine (not shown), allowing power to be transmitted using a magnetomotive force induced by an electric current. In other words, when the air conditioner is turned on, the clutch 31 of the compressor 30 engages via the controller 10, thereby transmitting the rotational force of the engine crankshaft (not shown) to the compressor 30's pulley (not shown) to the compressor shaft (not shown). Therefore, the compressor 30, configured to compress refrigerant, operates using the engine's rotational force.

[0008] The relay switch 20 is configured to selectively supply current from the battery 9 to the clutch 31 of the compressor 30. The relay switch 20 is turned on according to the operating signal (relay drive signal) output by the controller 10 and controls the supply of power to the solenoid coil 32 of the clutch 31, thereby controlling the operation of the compressor 30.

[0009] At this time, the controller 10 considers the compressor operating conditions and external conditions to determine whether to operate the compressor, and then sends an operating signal to the relay switch 20. In other words, the coil side of the relay switch 20 is activated according to the operating signal, thereby closing the contact side of the relay switch 20, so that the current of the battery 9 is applied to the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31 through the contact side.

[0010] As described above, when current is applied to the electromagnetic coil 32, the clutch 31 engages through the magnetic force of the electromagnetic coil 32. Therefore, the engine rotational force transmitted to the pulley is transmitted to the compressor shaft, and thus the compressor 30 operates. Additionally, when no operating signal (excitation current) is applied to the coil side of the relay switch 20, the contacts are open. Therefore, current from the battery 9 does not flow to the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31, and the magnetic force of the electromagnetic coil is lost. Therefore, the clutch disengages, thereby releasing the connection between the engine and the compressor.

[0011] Additionally, diodes 21 and 33, configured to address surge voltage (reverse electromagnetic force) issues during clutch disengagement, are installed at relay switch 20 and clutch 31, respectively. Controller 10 outputs signals only for compressor operation (clutch engagement) and non-operation (clutch disengagement), and relay switch 20 controls the power supply path (by opening and closing the relay switch contacts) to control compressor 30.

[0012] At this point, it is necessary to have diodes 21 and ground wire 22 configured to reduce sparks generated at relay switch 20 and surge voltages generated at the front and rear ends of the relay switch contacts based on opening and closing. Furthermore, it is necessary to provide diodes 33 and circuitry at the clutch 31 of compressor 30 configured to eliminate reverse electromagnetic forces caused by current fluctuations when the relay switch is opened and closed, which complicates the circuit structure.

[0013] The information disclosed in this background section is intended to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure and may therefore contain information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art in this country. Summary of the Invention

[0014] This disclosure aims to address the aforementioned problems related to the prior art.

[0015] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a compressor control device and method that can simplify the structure of the compressor control circuit, reduce the number of components, and lower costs.

[0016] The purposes of this disclosure are not limited to those described above. Other purposes not mentioned herein should be clearly understood by those skilled in the art (hereinafter referred to as "skilled persons") through the following description.

[0017] To achieve this objective, in one aspect, this disclosure provides a compressor control device comprising: a sensor configured to detect air conditioning operating status information required for engaging and disengaging a clutch of an air conditioning compressor; an electromagnetic coil in the clutch of the air conditioning compressor configured to engage the clutch upon receiving a battery current; a microcomputer configured to determine, based on the air conditioning operating status information detected by the sensor, whether the current air conditioning operating status meets the clutch engagement or disengagement conditions, and output an operating signal based on the determined result; and a switch configured to turn on or off according to the operating signal output by the microcomputer, and control the supply of battery current to the electromagnetic coil, thereby engaging or disengaging the clutch.

[0018] In another aspect, this disclosure provides a compressor control method, including detecting air conditioning operating status information required for engaging and disengaging a clutch of an air conditioning compressor using sensors. The compressor control method further includes determining, based on the air conditioning operating status information detected by the sensors, whether the current air conditioning operating status meets clutch engagement or clutch disengagement conditions, and outputting an operating signal based on the determined result. The compressor control method also includes turning on or off a switch configured to control the supply of battery current to an electromagnetic coil in the clutch, thereby engaging or disengaging the clutch, according to the operating signal output by the microcomputer.

[0019] Other aspects and embodiments of this disclosure are discussed below. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and other features of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to certain embodiments of the disclosure shown in the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and are not intended to limit the disclosure, and wherein:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a view showing the configuration of the existing compressor control unit.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a view showing the configuration of the control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 3A and 3B This is a flowchart illustrating the logic for determining the operating conditions of a compressor clutch in a control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a view illustrating an example of setting data for the clutch temperature based on refrigerant pressure in a control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0025] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the re-running logic of an air conditioning compressor in a control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] It should be understood that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and present slightly simplified representations of the various features illustrating the basic principles of this disclosure. Specific design features of the inventive concept disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes, are determined in part by the specific intended application and environment of use.

[0027] In the accompanying drawings, and in the various figures of the drawings, reference numerals refer to the same or equivalent parts of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The specific structural or functional descriptions of embodiments of the inventive concept disclosed in this specification are for illustrative purposes only. Embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in various forms. Furthermore, embodiments based on the inventive concept are not limited to such specific embodiments. It should be understood that this disclosure includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions falling within the spirit and technical scope of this disclosure.

[0029] It should be understood that although terms such as "first" and "second" may be used herein to describe various elements, the corresponding elements should not be construed as being limited by these terms, which are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, within the scope defined in this disclosure, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element.

[0030] It should be understood that when a component is referred to as "connected to" or "attached to" another component, it can be directly connected to or attached to another component, or there may be intermediate components. Conversely, when a component is referred to as "directly connected to" or "directly attached to" another component, there are no intermediate components. Other terms describing the relationship between components, such as "between" and "directly between" or "adjacent" and "directly adjacent," should be interpreted in the same way.

[0031] Where possible, the same reference numerals are used throughout the accompanying drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. The terminology used in this specification is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Singular representations may include plural representations unless they have a meaning that is clearly different from the context. It should be further understood that the terms “comprising,” “including,” etc., as used in this specification, specify the presence of the said parts, steps, operations, and / or elements, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other parts, steps, operations, and / or elements. When a part, device, element, etc., of this disclosure is described as having a purpose or performing an operation, function, etc., that part, device, or element should be considered herein as “configured” to satisfy that purpose or to perform that operation or function.

[0032] This disclosure relates to compressor control devices and methods that simplify the structure of compressor control circuits, reduce the number of components, and lower costs. The invention simplifies and optimizes the circuitry compared to existing technologies by using a switch in a controller located on the load side (the electromagnetic coil of the compressor clutch) as the circuit opening and closing mechanism for the compressor, instead of eliminating the relay switch and its associated circuitry in the junction box used for compressor operation.

[0033] Furthermore, in this disclosure, the opening and closing of the circuit for clutch power control is performed directly in the controller (i.e., the engine control unit (ECU)), and the controller determines whether the clutch can be engaged and directly controls the clutch operation.

[0034] Therefore, it is necessary to select the allowable resistance and power values ​​of the compressor clutch (clutch solenoid coil) for the controller, as well as logic for determining and resolving issues such as the current value becoming the allowable value (limited current) or exceeding the limit, and restarting the compressor. Additionally, to ensure circuit stability and expand the practically possible engagement range, it is necessary to add logic for estimating the temperature at which the clutch resistance value reaches its lower limit and determining whether the clutch can engage.

[0035] The embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 2 This is a view illustrating the configuration of a control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this invention, the relay switch 20 for the compressor clutch and the surge protection diode 21 in the junction box are removed from conventional control circuits (see...). Figure 1 The diode 33 is removed from the clutch 31 of the compressor 30.

[0036] On the contrary, such as Figure 2 As shown, this disclosure includes a switch 12 disposed in a controller (ECU) 10 to control the power supply to the clutch 31 of the compressor 30 and to open and close the circuit. In other words, the switch 12 in the controller 10 controls the power supply to the clutch 31 of the compressor 30. Here, the part of the clutch 31 of the compressor 30 to which power is supplied (i.e., the load part) is the electromagnetic coil 32.

[0037] In this embodiment of the invention, switch 12 may be a switching element configured to be opened and closed according to the operating signal output by the microcomputer 11 of controller 10, or it may be a semiconductor switch, such as a metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).

[0038] The vehicle is equipped with an ignition (IG2) power end 1, which is activated (IG2 is on) when the key is turned on. In this invention, the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31 is directly connected to the vehicle's ignition power end 1. Therefore, the electromagnetic coil 32 is connected to the battery power source B+ via the vehicle's ignition power end 1. With the electromagnetic coil 32 connected to the battery power source B+ via the vehicle's ignition power end 1, as described above, battery discharge due to short circuit can be prevented when the key is off.

[0039] In such Figure 2 As in the previous embodiment, when the battery 9 and the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31, which serves as a load, are directly connected via a circuit, there is a risk that the battery may discharge. Therefore, in this disclosure, the ignition power terminal 1 is located between the battery power supply B+ and the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31, so that the current of the battery 9 is supplied only when the key is on.

[0040] In other words, the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31 is connected to the ignition power terminal 1, so that the electromagnetic coil of the clutch is connected to the battery power source B+ through the ignition power terminal. The circuit of the ignition power terminal 1 is closed only when the key is on (i.e., IG2 is on), thereby supplying the battery power source B+, which serves as the vehicle's power source, to the loads inside the vehicle. Therefore, only when the key is on, the current from the battery 9 flows through the ignition power terminal 1 to the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31.

[0041] Of course, when the current from battery 9 flows to electromagnetic coil 32, clutch 31 engages, thereby transmitting the engine rotational force from the pulley to the compressor shaft. Therefore, compressor 30 compresses the refrigerant. Since the air conditioner only operates with the key on (i.e., IG2 is on), it is not a problem to connect the electromagnetic coil 32 of clutch 31, which acts as a load, to the ignition power terminal 1.

[0042] Additionally, the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31 is connected to one end of the switch 12 in the controller 10, and the other end of the switch 12 in the controller 10 is connected to the ground terminal 13. In other words, the circuit is formed to create the following conductive path: battery 9 -> ignition power terminal 1 -> clutch 31 (electromagnetic coil) of compressor 30 -> switch 12 in controller (ECU) 10 -> ground terminal 13.

[0043] Since the battery power supply B+ is connected to the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31 through the ignition power terminal 1, and the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31 is connected to the ground terminal 13 through the switch 12 in the controller 10, when the air conditioner is off, the switch 12 in the controller 10 is disconnected by the microcomputer 11. Therefore, current cannot flow to the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31.

[0044] In this disclosure, the clutch engages when current from the battery 9 flows to the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31. When current from the battery 9 does not flow to the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31 during vehicle operation, the clutch 31 disengages. In the following description, clutch engagement refers to the clutch being engaged in a state where power can be transmitted, while clutch disengagement refers to the clutch being disengaged in a state where no power is transmitted between the opposite ends of the clutch.

[0045] On the other hand, when the air conditioner is turned on, the operating signal output by the microcomputer 11 of the controller (ECU) 10 is transmitted to the switch 12 in the controller, thereby closing the switch in the controller. At this time, the current of the battery 9 flows sequentially through the IG power terminal 1, the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31, and the switch 12 in the controller 10, and then to the ground terminal 13 connected to the controller.

[0046] When current is applied to the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31, the clutch engages, and the engine rotational force transmitted to the pulley (not shown) in the clutch engaged state is transmitted to the compressor shaft (not shown), thereby compressing the refrigerant by the compressor 30.

[0047] When the air conditioner is off, the microcomputer 11 of the controller (ECU) 10 keeps the switch 12 in the controller 10 in the off (on) state.

[0048] When the air conditioner is on, switch 12 in controller 10 is activated based on the operating signal output by the microcomputer 11 in the controller. In other words, when switch 12 in controller 10 is activated, the clutch engages, compressor 30 starts, and air conditioner is on. When switch 12 in controller 10 is deactivated, clutch disengages, compressor 30 stops, and air conditioner stops.

[0049] When switch 12 in controller 10 is turned off again while current is flowing through it in the on state, a momentary voltage difference will occur between the front and back ends of the switch, which may generate surge voltage or sparks. To eliminate this situation, a reduction element, such as a common diode, can be used, which is installed in controller 10 and connected to the switch via a circuit.

[0050] As described above, since surge voltage or sparks are eliminated using a reduction element on the switching side of the controller, reduction elements such as diodes installed in conventional junction boxes and on the load side can be eliminated. However, when the capacity of the reduction element in the controller is insufficient, a diode configured to suppress the occurrence of surge voltage or sparks can be added at the load end (clutch side).

[0051] At the same time, from Figure 2 It can be seen that when switch 12 in controller 10 is turned on, the current flowing along the electromagnetic coil 32 of clutch 31 flows to the ground terminal 13 through switch 12 in controller 10. At this time, a current limit value is set in microcomputer 11 so that current with a predetermined value or greater does not flow into switch 12 and the interior of controller 10.

[0052] In other words, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 monitors the operating current flowing to the switch 12 and the interior of the controller 10 after passing through the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31 via sensors. When the operating current is equal to or greater than the limit current value (i.e., overcurrent), the microcomputer 11 keeps the switch 12 in the controller 10 in the open state. The open state of the switch in the controller refers to the clutch disengaged state and the air conditioning off state.

[0053] The compressor control method according to embodiments of the present disclosure is described in detail below. Figure 3A and 3B This is a flowchart illustrating the logic for determining the operating conditions of a compressor clutch in a control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 This is a view illustrating an example of setting data for the clutch temperature based on refrigerant pressure in a control method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3A and 3BThe logic for determining the clutch operating conditions is executed by the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10.

[0054] The current flowing through the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31 varies depending on the resistance of the electromagnetic coil and the voltage of the battery 9. Furthermore, the resistance of the electromagnetic coil 32 varies depending on its temperature. In other words, the resistance of the electromagnetic coil 32 is low when the temperature of the electromagnetic coil is low.

[0055] Furthermore, when the temperature of the electromagnetic coil acting as a resistor is low or the voltage of the battery 9 is high, the current flowing through the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31 is large. In other words, when the temperature of the electromagnetic coil 32 is low or the voltage of the battery 9 is high, a large amount of current flows through the electromagnetic coil. Hereinafter, the current through the electromagnetic coil of the clutch will be referred to as the "operating current".

[0056] Typically, the temperature of the electromagnetic coil is the temperature of the clutch, and the clutch does not have a sensor configured to detect the temperature of the electromagnetic coil. Therefore, in this disclosure, the temperature of the electromagnetic coil 32, i.e., the temperature of the clutch, is derived from the air conditioning refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor 2, and the clutch engagement allowable conditions can be determined based on the derived clutch temperature.

[0057] In other words, such as Figure 3A As shown, when the compressor clutch 31 is disengaged (S1), when the temperature of the engaged clutch (temperature of the electromagnetic coil) is compared with a first set temperature (e.g., -10°C) (S2) and is higher than the first set temperature, the resistance of the electromagnetic coil 32 increases. Therefore, the operating current becomes less than the limiting current. At this time, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 can determine the current condition as the clutch engagement allowable condition (S5).

[0058] On the other hand, when the temperature of the clutch 31 switched in step S2 is equal to or lower than the first set temperature, the resistance of the electromagnetic coil 32 decreases, thereby allowing the operating current to become equal to or greater than the limiting current. Therefore, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 can determine that the current condition is the clutch disengagement condition (S3).

[0059] In addition, such as Figure 3A As shown, when the current condition is determined to be the clutch disengagement condition, when the temperature of the switched clutch 31 (the temperature of the electromagnetic coil) is compared with the second set temperature (e.g., -5°C) (S4) and is higher than the second set temperature, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 can determine that the current condition is the clutch engagement allowable condition (S5).

[0060] In controller 10, the first set temperature and the second set temperature can be set to have a relationship where the second set temperature > the first set temperature. This is because a hysteresis period needs to be set when determining whether the current condition is a clutch engagement condition or a clutch disengagement condition based on the temperature of the switching clutch.

[0061] In embodiments of this disclosure, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 can use data on the clutch temperature set based on refrigerant pressure (such as...). Figure 4 (As shown) The temperature of clutch 31 is calculated based on the air conditioning refrigerant pressure detected by refrigerant pressure sensor 2. Figure 4 The setup data shown was obtained using data acquired through previous research and evaluation tests. Figure 4 The example illustrates a mapping that defines the relationship between refrigerant pressure and clutch temperature. However, in addition to mapping, tables or formulas defining the relationship between refrigerant pressure and clutch temperature can also be used.

[0062] exist Figure 4 In the mapping, the clutch temperature based on refrigerant pressure can be represented by Equation 1 below. In this disclosure, the clutch temperature T clutch The refrigerant pressure p can be calculated using Equation 1 below (which is a first-order linear equation), and this equation is a linear equation.

[0063] [Equation 1]

[0064] f(p) = T ckuch =A×p+B

[0065] When using Equation 1 above, the values ​​of A and B are preset by the controller's microcomputer.

[0066] As described above, in this disclosure, the clutch temperature T clutch It is derived from the refrigerant pressure conversion using the set data, and the clutch temperature T is defined in the set data. clutch The relationship between the refrigerant pressure p and the clutch temperature. The temperature of the switching clutch is used to determine whether the current condition is a clutch engagement condition or a clutch disengagement condition.

[0067] In the above description, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 compares the clutch temperature with a first set temperature to determine whether the current condition is a clutch engagement condition or a clutch disengagement condition. Here, the clutch temperature is derived from the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor 2, and the clutch temperature increases and decreases proportionally with the refrigerant pressure, such as... Figure 4As shown. Therefore, the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor 2 can be compared with the set pressure for determination, rather than comparing the clutch temperature with the set temperature.

[0068] In other words, such as Figure 3B As shown, in the clutch disengaged state, when the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor 2 is compared with a predetermined first set pressure (S2'), and the detected refrigerant pressure is higher than the first set pressure, the microcomputer 11 can be set to determine that the clutch engagement allowable condition is met (S5). On the other hand, in the clutch disengaged state, when the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor 2 is lower than the first set pressure, the microcomputer 11 can be set to determine that the clutch disengagement condition is met (S3).

[0069] Furthermore, when the current condition is determined to be the clutch disengagement condition, when the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor 2 is compared with a predetermined second set pressure (S4') and the detected refrigerant pressure is higher than the second set pressure, the microcomputer 11 can be set to determine that the clutch engagement allowable condition is met (S5).

[0070] In the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10, the first set pressure and the second set pressure can be set to have a relationship where the second set pressure > the first set pressure. Here, the first set pressure can be related to the first set temperature by Equation 1 and... Figure 4 The pressure value is related to the second set pressure, and the second set pressure can be related to the second set temperature according to Equation 1 and... Figure 4 The pressure value of the relationship.

[0071] Furthermore, the compressor control method according to embodiments of the present disclosure includes a control method for restarting the compressor 30 in an overcurrent off state. Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the re-running logic of an air conditioning compressor in a control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 The air conditioning compressor restart logic shown can be executed by the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10.

[0072] Basically, under overcurrent conditions where the operating current value of the electromagnetic coil 32 flowing through the clutch 31 is equal to or greater than the limit current value set by the controller, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 disconnects the switch 12 in the controller to disengage the clutch and controls the compressor and air conditioner to shut down.

[0073] Furthermore, when the temperature of the clutch 31 during the transition is equal to or lower than the first set temperature and... Figure 3AWhen the current condition in the compressor clutch operating condition determination logic is determined to be the clutch disengagement condition, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 disconnects the switch 12 in the controller to disengage the clutch 31, and executes control to shut down the compressor and the air conditioner.

[0074] More specifically, in embodiments of this disclosure, when the compressor 30 is in an overcurrent shutdown state, the controller 10 restarts the compressor when it is determined that predetermined restart conditions are met and the current condition is a clutch engagement allowable condition. Here, the overcurrent shutdown state of the compressor 30 may include the following state: under an overcurrent condition where the operating current value flowing through the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31 is equal to or greater than the limit current value set by the controller 10, the switch 12 is opened by the controller 10 and thus the clutch 31 disengages, and the compressor 30 is shut down.

[0075] Furthermore, the overcurrent shutdown state of compressor 30 can include the following states: Figure 3A In the compressor clutch operating condition determination logic, if the temperature of the switching clutch 31 is equal to or lower than the first set temperature, the current condition is determined as the clutch disengagement condition, the switch 12 is opened by the controller 10 and thus the clutch 31 is disengaged, and the compressor 30 is turned off.

[0076] Furthermore, the set restart conditions may include the following: the compressor restart is not the first operation of the compressor after the vehicle is started. The set restart conditions may also include the following: the air conditioning is turned on (air conditioning switch is on), and the evaporator temperature detected by the evaporator temperature sensor (thermometer) 3 is equal to or higher than a predetermined critical freezing temperature. Additionally, the set restart conditions may also include the following: the air conditioning refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor 2 is within a predetermined pressure range.

[0077] In embodiments of this disclosure, when the compressor 30 is in an overcurrent shutdown state, the controller 10 starts when the set restart conditions are met. Figure 5 The control process shown is used to restart the air conditioning compressor.

[0078] In other words, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 determines whether all conditions (S11) are met in the overcurrent shutdown state of the compressor 30. Such conditions include: the compressor restart is not the first operation of the compressor after vehicle startup; the air conditioning is on (air conditioning switch is turned on); the evaporator temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined critical freezing temperature; and the air conditioning refrigerant pressure is within a predetermined pressure range. After determining that all conditions are met, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 begins... Figure 5 The control process.

[0079] As described above, when the evaporator temperature detected by the evaporator temperature sensor 3 is equal to or higher than the critical freezing temperature, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 restarts the compressor 30. As described above, when the evaporator temperature is lower than the critical freezing temperature, the compressor 30 is not restarted because the evaporator may freeze.

[0080] Furthermore, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 restarts the compressor 30 when the refrigerant pressure is within the pressure range, and does not restart the compressor when the refrigerant pressure deviates from the pressure range.

[0081] If all conditions are met, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 determines whether a fault diagnosis delay time (S12) has elapsed, which is set to correspond to the external air temperature detected by the external air temperature sensor 4. When the fault diagnosis delay time has elapsed, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 executes... Figure 3A Or the clutch operating condition determination process of 3B (S13).

[0082] Here, the fault diagnosis delay time can be set as shown in Table 1 below, and the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 uses the setting data shown in Table 1 below to determine the fault diagnosis delay time corresponding to the current temperature of the outside air.

[0083] [Table 1]

[0084] 35℃ 10 seconds (sec) -10℃ 50 seconds (sec)

[0085] In the example in Table 1 above, the fault diagnosis delay time in the middle range between 35°C and -10°C (both are the temperatures of the outside air) can be set to a value calculated by interpolation.

[0086] When the fault diagnosis delay time has elapsed, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 executes... Figure 3A Or the clutch operating condition determination process of 3B (S13). Figure 3A After determining in steps S2 and S5 of 3B that the current conditions are permissible for clutch operation, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 outputs an operating signal to turn on the switch 12 in the controller 10. As a result, the switch 12 in the controller 10 is turned on, thereby engaging the clutch (S14) and restarting the compressor.

[0087] Subsequently, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 monitors the operating current flowing through the electromagnetic coil 32 of the clutch 31 during the operation of the compressor 30 and compares the monitored operating current with the limit current (S15). When the operating current value is less than the limit current value, the microcomputer 11 maintains the switch 12 in the controller 10 in the on state, the clutch 31 in the engaged state, and the compressor 30 in the operating state.

[0088] On the other hand, Figure 3A Or the process of determining the clutch operating conditions of 3B in Figure 5 Executed in step S13 and when in step S2 or 3A Figure 3B In step S2', when the current condition is determined to be the clutch disengagement condition, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 maintains the switch 12 in the controller 10 in the open state, the clutch 31 in the disengagement state, and the compressor 30 in the closed state.

[0089] In addition, during the operation of compressor 30, Figure 5 In step S15, when the operating current value is equal to or greater than the limit current value, the microcomputer 11 of the controller 10 disconnects the switch 12 in the controller 10 and disengages the clutch 31 to shut down the compressor 30 again (S16).

[0090] The compressor control apparatus and method according to this disclosure have been described above. According to the compressor control apparatus and method of this disclosure, the relay switch configured to selectively apply battery current to the compressor clutch and the diode configured to prevent surge voltage in conventional junction boxes can be eliminated.

[0091] Furthermore, the diodes configured to eliminate reverse electromagnetic forces and surge voltages caused by current fluctuations when the relay switch is opened and closed can be removed from the compressor's clutch (becoming the load end), and the associated circuitry and wiring can be eliminated. Additionally, costs and the probability of equipment failure can be reduced by decreasing the number of components and simplifying circuit configuration.

[0092] As is evident from the foregoing, the compressor control device and method according to this disclosure can simplify the structure of the compressor control circuit, reduce the number of components, and lower costs. Specifically, the relay switch configured to selectively apply battery current to the clutch of the air conditioning compressor and the diode configured to prevent surge voltage, both found in conventional junction boxes, can be eliminated, along with their associated circuitry and wiring. Furthermore, the diode configured to eliminate reverse electromagnetic force and surge voltage caused by current fluctuations when the relay switch is opened and closed can be removed from the compressor clutch (which becomes the load end), and its associated circuitry and wiring can also be eliminated.

[0093] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those described above. Those skilled in the art should clearly understand from the above description other effects not mentioned.

[0094] Those skilled in the art should understand that the present disclosure described above is not limited to the above embodiments and drawings, and various substitutions, modifications and changes can be made without departing from the technical concept of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A compressor control device, comprising: The sensor is configured to detect air conditioning operating status information required for the engagement and disengagement of the clutch controlling the air conditioning compressor; The clutch of the air conditioning compressor contains an electromagnetic coil, which is configured to engage the clutch when it receives battery current. A microcomputer is configured to determine, based on the air conditioner operating status information detected by the sensors, whether the current air conditioner operating status meets the clutch engagement or clutch disengagement conditions, and output an operating signal based on the determined result. A switch is configured to turn on or off according to an operating signal output by the microcomputer, and to control the supply of battery current to the electromagnetic coil, thereby engaging or disengaging the clutch. The clutch's electromagnetic coil is directly connected to the vehicle's ignition power supply to receive battery current through the ignition power supply, which is configured to activate when the vehicle's key is turned on. The switch is located on the circuit between the electromagnetic coil and the ground terminal to open and close the conductive path of the battery current flowing through the electromagnetic coil to the ground terminal during on or off operations.

2. The compressor control device according to claim 1, wherein, The switch is a semiconductor switch installed in the controller along with the microcomputer.

3. The compressor control device according to claim 1, wherein... The sensor includes a refrigerant pressure sensor configured to detect the refrigerant pressure of the air conditioner. When the compressor is off, and the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor is higher than a predetermined first set pressure, the microcomputer of the controller determines that the clutch engagement condition is met.

4. The compressor control device according to claim 3, wherein... When the detected refrigerant pressure is equal to or less than the first set pressure, the microcomputer of the controller determines that the clutch disengagement condition is met, and When the clutch disengagement condition is determined to be met, or when the battery current applied to the electromagnetic coil is equal to or greater than a predetermined limit current, the microcomputer of the controller disconnects the switch to disengage the clutch.

5. The compressor control device according to claim 4, wherein, When the clutch disengagement condition is met, and the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor is higher than a predetermined second set pressure, the microcomputer of the controller determines that the clutch engagement condition is met, wherein the second set pressure is greater than the first set pressure.

6. The compressor control device according to claim 3, wherein, When the compressor is shut down due to overcurrent, and the set restart conditions and the clutch engagement allowable conditions are met, the microcomputer of the controller turns on the switch to restart the clutch.

7. The compressor control device according to claim 6, wherein... The sensor also includes an evaporator sensor configured to detect the evaporator temperature, and The set rerun conditions include: The restart of the compressor is not subject to the following conditions: the compressor is not running for the first time after the vehicle is started, the air conditioning is not turned on, and the temperature of the evaporator detected by the evaporator temperature sensor is equal to or higher than the predetermined critical freezing temperature.

8. The compressor control device according to claim 7, wherein, The set restart conditions also include the condition that the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor is within a predetermined pressure range.

9. The compressor control device according to claim 6, wherein, When the set restart conditions are met, the microcomputer of the controller determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed, and if the predetermined time has elapsed, and the clutch engagement permission conditions are met, the switch is turned on to restart the clutch.

10. The compressor control device according to claim 9, wherein, The microcomputer of the controller determines the predetermined time as a fault diagnosis delay time corresponding to the external air temperature detected by the external air temperature sensor.

11. The compressor control device according to claim 6, wherein, The state in which the compressor shuts down due to overcurrent is: The switch is in the open state after the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor is equal to or less than the first set pressure and therefore the microcomputer of the controller determines that the clutch disengagement condition is met; or The battery current applied to the electromagnetic coil is equal to or greater than the predetermined limit current, and therefore the switch is in the off state.

12. The compressor control device according to claim 1, wherein, The sensor includes a refrigerant pressure sensor configured to detect the refrigerant pressure of the air conditioner. When the compressor is off, if the temperature of the clutch, converted from the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor using set data, is higher than a predetermined first set temperature, the microcomputer of the controller determines that the clutch engagement permission condition is met.

13. The compressor control device according to claim 12, wherein... When the temperature of the clutch being switched is equal to or less than the first set temperature, the microcomputer of the controller determines that the clutch disengagement condition is met, and When the clutch disengagement condition is determined to be met, or when the battery current applied to the electromagnetic coil is equal to or greater than a predetermined limit current, the microcomputer of the controller disconnects the switch to disengage the clutch.

14. The compressor control device according to claim 13, wherein, When the clutch disengagement condition is met, and the clutch temperature, derived from the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor, is higher than a predetermined second set temperature, the microcomputer of the controller determines that the clutch engagement condition is met, wherein the second set temperature is greater than the first set temperature.

15. A compressor control method, comprising: Sensors detect and control the air conditioning compressor's clutch engagement and disengagement, providing the necessary information about the air conditioning's operating status. The microcomputer determines whether the current air conditioner operating status meets the clutch engagement or clutch disengagement conditions based on the air conditioner operating status information detected by the sensors, and outputs an operating signal based on the determined result. as well as The microcomputer outputs an operating signal that switches configured to control the supply of battery current to the electromagnetic coil in the clutch are turned on or off, thereby engaging or disengaging the clutch. The clutch's electromagnetic coil is directly connected to the vehicle's ignition power supply to receive battery current through the ignition power supply, which is configured to activate when the vehicle's key is turned on. The switch is located on the circuit between the electromagnetic coil and the ground terminal to open and close the conductive path of the battery current flowing through the electromagnetic coil to the ground terminal during on or off operations.

16. The compressor control method according to claim 15, wherein... The sensor includes a refrigerant pressure sensor configured to detect the refrigerant pressure of the air conditioner. When the compressor is off, and the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor is higher than a predetermined first set pressure, the microcomputer determines that the clutch engagement condition is met.

17. The compressor control method according to claim 16, wherein... When the detected refrigerant pressure is equal to or less than the first set pressure, the microcomputer determines that the clutch disengagement condition is met, and When the clutch disengagement condition is met, or when the battery current applied to the electromagnetic coil is equal to or greater than a predetermined limit current, the microcomputer disconnects the switch to disengage the clutch.

18. The compressor control method according to claim 17, wherein, When the clutch disengagement condition is met, and the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor is higher than a predetermined second set pressure, the microcomputer determines that the clutch engagement condition is met, wherein the second set pressure is greater than the first set pressure.

19. The compressor control method according to claim 16, wherein, When the compressor is shut down due to overcurrent, and the set restart conditions and the clutch engagement allowable conditions are met, the microcomputer turns on the switch to restart the clutch.

20. The compressor control method according to claim 19, wherein... The sensor also includes an evaporator sensor configured to detect the evaporator temperature, and The set rerun conditions include: The restart of the compressor is not subject to the following conditions: the compressor is not running for the first time after the vehicle is started, the air conditioning is not turned on, and the temperature of the evaporator detected by the evaporator temperature sensor is equal to or higher than the predetermined critical freezing temperature.

21. The compressor control method according to claim 20, wherein, The set restart conditions also include the condition that the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor is within a predetermined pressure range.

22. The compressor control method according to claim 19, wherein, When the set restart conditions are met, the microcomputer determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed, and if the predetermined time has elapsed, and the clutch engagement permission conditions are met, the switch is turned on to restart the clutch.

23. The compressor control method according to claim 22, wherein, The microcomputer determines the predetermined time as a fault diagnosis delay time corresponding to the external air temperature detected by the external air temperature sensor.

24. The compressor control method according to claim 19, wherein, The state in which the compressor shuts down due to overcurrent is: The switch is in the off state after the temperature of the clutch, which is derived from the refrigerant pressure detected by the refrigerant pressure sensor, is equal to or less than a predetermined first set temperature and the microcomputer determines that the clutch disengagement condition is met; or The battery current applied to the electromagnetic coil is equal to or greater than the predetermined limit current, and therefore the switch is in the off state.

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