Air conditioner and its control method

Abstract

The present invention discloses an air conditioner and its control method. The air conditioner includes: a housing, a refrigerant circulation circuit, a refrigeration system, an air deflector, an indoor coil temperature sensor, and a controller. The controller is configured to: determine that the air conditioner is in a cooling or dehumidifying mode; obtain the temperature of the indoor coil; when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than a preset temperature and the cumulative time for which the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds a first preset time, control the air deflector to rotate upward or downward to a preset opening degree so that the air outlet blows air upward, wherein the preset opening degree is greater than the rated minimum opening degree of the air deflector and less than the opening degree when the air deflector is in a horizontal position, which can, without increasing any cost, prevent unpleasant odors from assailing users when using the air conditioner due to the air conditioner switching from cooling to air supply or the compressor stopping while the indoor fan is still running, alleviate the impact of odor enrichment on users, and thus enhance the user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of air conditioners, and in particular to an air conditioner and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] At present, when the indoor unit of the air conditioner is operated in the cooling condition, water vapor molecules in the indoor environment, acidic substances in human metabolites, pungent odor molecules produced by mildew and corruption of organic matter, and toxic substances such as formaldehyde with a volatilization point lower than the surface temperature of the evaporator will be condensed on the surface of the evaporator. Among them, there are acidic substances such as lactic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, valeric acid, and isovaleric acid in human metabolites, and organic matter corruption will produce substances such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, methane, ethanol, methyl mercaptan, methylamine, and methyl sulfide. These substances are in a closed indoor environment at low concentrations for a long time, which will not only cause discomfort to people, but also when the air conditioner is in cooling operation, the above substances will be enriched on the surface of the evaporator with the air circulation. As the cooling time increases, the enriched odor molecules will increase. When the air conditioner is cooling and delivering air or the compressor stops and the indoor fan is still running, the odor molecules will gradually emit as the evaporator temperature rises, and blow out from the air outlet of the air conditioner, emitting a strong sour smell, which makes the user experience drop drastically. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a method to solve the problem of air conditioner enrichment of odor. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner and a control method thereof.

[0004] An air conditioner proposed by the present invention comprises: a casing, provided with an air inlet, an air outlet and a return air outlet; a refrigerant circulation loop, arranged in the casing, so that the refrigerant circulates in a loop composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, a four-way valve and a pressure reducer; a refrigeration system, arranged in the casing, which performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and the indoor air in the compression refrigeration cycle of the refrigerant circulation loop, the refrigeration system comprising the compressor, the compressor being used to compress the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas into the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas and discharge it to the condenser; an air guide plate rotatably mounted on the casing and located in the An air outlet is used to control the air outlet direction of the air outlet; an indoor coil temperature sensor is arranged in the casing and is used to detect the temperature of the indoor coil; the controller is configured to: determine whether the air conditioner is in cooling or dehumidification mode; obtain the temperature of the indoor coil; when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than a preset temperature and the cumulative time that the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds a first preset time, control the air guide plate to rotate upward or downward to a preset opening so that the air outlet discharges air upward, wherein the preset opening is greater than the rated minimum opening of the air guide plate and less than the opening of the air guide plate in a horizontal position.

[0005] In addition, the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention may further have the following additional technical features:

[0006] Further, the controller is further configured to: when the air conditioner is operating in a cooling or dehumidifying mode, in response to an instruction to turn on the air supply function of the air conditioner or an air conditioner shutdown instruction, determine whether the opening degree of the air deflector is the preset opening degree; when it is determined that the opening degree of the air deflector is not the preset opening degree, control the air deflector to rotate upward or downward to the preset opening degree, and control the duration of the air deflector staying at the preset opening degree to reach a second preset time; when it is determined that the opening degree of the air deflector is the preset opening degree, control the opening degree of the air deflector to remain unchanged, and control the duration of the air deflector staying at the preset opening degree to reach the second preset time.

[0007] Further, after the duration of the air deflector staying at the preset opening degree reaches the second preset time, the controller is further configured to: control the air deflector to perform up-and-down flipping, and control the duration of the up-and-down flipping of the air deflector to reach a third preset time, where the third preset time is less than the second preset time.

[0008] Further, when controlling the air deflector to perform up-and-down flipping, the controller is specifically configured to: when the air deflector flips upward to the rated minimum opening degree, or when the air deflector flips downward to the rated maximum opening degree, control the duration of the air deflector flipping to the rated minimum opening degree or the rated maximum opening degree to reach a fourth preset time, where the fourth preset time is less than the third preset time.

[0009] Further, when the air deflector is at the preset opening degree, or when the duration of the up-and-down flipping of the air deflector does not reach the third preset time, the controller is further configured to: receive any control instruction input by the user, and in response to the any control instruction, control the air deflector to perform up-and-down flipping.

[0010] Further, when the air conditioner is operating in a cooling or dehumidifying mode, the controller is further configured to: in response to an air conditioner shutdown instruction, control the compressor to reduce its frequency at a preset rate until it stops.

[0011] Further, the controller is further configured to: when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time of the temperature of the indoor coil being lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, or in response to an instruction to turn on the air supply function of the air conditioner or the air conditioner shutdown instruction, control the display unit to display an anti-odor prompt message.

[0012] Further, when controlling the display unit to display the anti-odor prompt information, the controller is specifically configured to: control the anti-odor indicator light to light up.

[0013] Further, when controlling the display unit to display the anti-odor prompt information, the controller is specifically configured to: control the display panel to display the text information of anti-odor.

[0014] According to the air conditioner of the embodiment of the present invention, when it is determined that the air conditioner is in the cooling or dehumidifying mode, the temperature of the indoor coil is acquired, and when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time that the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, the air deflector is controlled to rotate upward or downward to a preset opening degree so that the air outlet blows upward, wherein the preset opening degree of the air deflector is greater than the rated minimum opening degree of the air deflector and less than the opening degree when the air deflector is in the horizontal position, so that the air deflector enters the "air avoiding people" mode. Without adding any cost, it can avoid the pungent odor when the user uses the air conditioner due to the change from cooling to air supply or the compressor stops running while the indoor fan is still running, relieve the impact of odor enrichment on the user, and thus improve the user experience. Further, during the process of the air conditioner releasing odor molecules, if a air supply or shutdown instruction is received, by controlling the air deflector to flip up and down for a short time, it can be avoided that when the air conditioner releases odor, the air blown out from the air outlet directly faces the user while not affecting the normal air supply or shutdown of the air conditioner. Further, when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time that the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, or in response to an instruction to turn on the air supply function of the air conditioner or an air conditioner shutdown instruction, the display unit is controlled to display the anti-odor prompt information, which can warn the user to stay away from the air outlet of the air conditioner or open the window for ventilation, so that the user lives in a clean indoor environment.

[0015] In view of the above existing problems, the present invention also proposes a control method for an air conditioner, which is used for the air conditioner described in any of the above embodiments. The method includes the following steps: determining that the air conditioner is in the cooling or dehumidifying mode; acquiring the temperature of the indoor coil; when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time that the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, controlling the air deflector to rotate upward or downward to a preset opening degree so that the air outlet blows upward, wherein the preset opening degree is greater than the rated minimum opening degree of the air deflector and less than the opening degree when the air deflector is in the horizontal position.

[0016] The control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention determines the temperature of the indoor coil when the air conditioner is in the cooling or dehumidifying mode, and when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time for which the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, controls the air deflector to rotate upward or downward to a preset opening degree so that the air outlet blows upward. Herein, the preset opening degree of the air deflector is greater than the rated minimum opening degree of the air deflector and less than the opening degree when the air deflector is in the horizontal position, enabling the air deflector to enter the "wind avoiding people" mode. Without adding any cost, it can prevent unpleasant odors from hitting the user when using the air conditioner, such as when the air conditioner switches from cooling to air supply or the compressor stops while the indoor fan is still running, alleviating the impact of odor enrichment on the user and thus enhancing the user experience. Further, during the process of the air conditioner releasing odor molecules, if a air supply or shutdown instruction is received, by controlling the air deflector to flip up and down for a short time, it can prevent the air blown out from the air outlet from directly facing the user while the air conditioner is releasing odor, without affecting the normal air supply or shutdown of the air conditioner. Further, when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time for which the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, or in response to an instruction to turn on the air supply function of the air conditioner or an air conditioner shutdown instruction, controls the display unit to display an anti-odor prompt message, which can warn the user to stay away from the air outlet of the air conditioner or to open the window for ventilation, enabling the user to live in a clean indoor environment.

[0017] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description, become apparent in part from the following description, or be learned through the practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and be readily understood from the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 is a control flow chart of an air deflector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 is a control flow chart of an air deflector according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 is a control flow chart of an air deflector according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of an air deflector at the rated minimum opening degree according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6Schematic diagram of the air deflector at the rated maximum opening according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 7 Flowchart of the control display unit displaying the anti-odor prompt information according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 8 Flowchart of the control method of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed implementation manners

[0027] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0028] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention.

[0029] The terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise stated, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more.

[0030] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it may be the internal communication of two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0031] In the present invention, the air conditioner performs the refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner by using a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator. The refrigeration cycle includes a series of processes, involving compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation, and supplying refrigerant to the air that has been conditioned and heat-exchanged.

[0032] The compressor compresses the refrigerant gas in a high-temperature and high-pressure state and discharges the compressed refrigerant gas. The discharged refrigerant gas flows into the condenser. The condenser condenses the compressed refrigerant into a liquid phase, and heat is released to the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0033] The electronic expansion valve expands the liquid-phase refrigerant in a high-temperature and high-pressure state condensed in the condenser into a low-pressure liquid-phase refrigerant. The evaporator evaporates the refrigerant expanded in the electronic expansion valve and returns the refrigerant gas in a low-temperature and low-pressure state to the compressor. The evaporator can achieve a refrigeration effect by using the latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant to exchange heat with the material to be cooled. In the whole cycle, the air conditioner can adjust the temperature of the indoor space.

[0034] The outdoor unit of the air conditioner refers to the part of the refrigeration cycle including the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger. The indoor unit of the air conditioner includes the indoor heat exchanger, and the electronic expansion valve can be provided in the indoor unit or the outdoor unit. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner further includes an outdoor blower and an outdoor fan. Among them, the outdoor blower is used to drive the outdoor fan to rotate, and the outdoor fan is used to drive the outdoor air to pass through the outdoor heat exchanger so that the refrigerant exchanges heat with the outdoor air. The indoor unit of the air conditioner further includes an indoor blower and an indoor fan. Among them, the indoor blower is used to drive the indoor fan to rotate, and the indoor fan is used to drive the indoor air to pass through the indoor heat exchanger so that the refrigerant exchanges heat with the indoor air.

[0035] The indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger serve as condensers or evaporators. When the indoor heat exchanger serves as a condenser, the air conditioner serves as a heater in the heating mode. When the indoor heat exchanger serves as an evaporator, the air conditioner serves as a cooler in the cooling mode.

[0036] The following refers to Figures 1 - 8 Describe the air conditioner and its control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. As Figure 1As shown in the figure, an air conditioner includes: a housing 10, a refrigerant circulation circuit 20, a refrigeration system 30, a wind deflector 40, an indoor coil temperature sensor 50, and a controller 60. Among them, the housing 10 is provided with an air inlet, an air outlet, and a return air outlet; the refrigerant circulation circuit 20 is arranged inside the housing 10 to circulate the refrigerant in a circuit composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, a four-way valve, and a pressure reducer; the refrigeration system 30 is arranged inside the housing 10, and it performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and the indoor air in the compression refrigeration cycle of the refrigerant circulation circuit. The refrigeration system 30 includes a compressor, and the compressor is used to compress the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas into a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas and discharge it to the condenser; the wind deflector 40 is rotatably installed on the housing 10 and is located at the air outlet, and is used to control the air outlet direction of the air outlet; the indoor coil temperature sensor 50 is arranged inside the housing 10 and is used to detect the temperature of the indoor coil; the controller 60 is configured to: determine that the air conditioner is in the cooling or dehumidifying mode; obtain the temperature of the indoor coil; when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time for which the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, control the wind deflector 40 to rotate upward or downward to a preset opening degree so that the air outlet blows upward, where the preset opening degree of the wind deflector 40 is greater than the rated minimum opening degree of the wind deflector 40 and less than the opening degree when the wind deflector 40 is in the horizontal position.

[0038] Specifically, when the air conditioner is in the cooling or dehumidifying mode, the temperature of the evaporator main body of the indoor unit begins to decrease. When the temperature of the evaporator surface drops below the dew point of water vapor molecules in the indoor environment, acidic substances in human metabolites, pungent odor molecules generated by organic mildew and corruption, and odor molecules such as formaldehyde, these odor molecules will, under the action of the air return of the air conditioner, slowly accumulate on the evaporator surface in a liquid or solid state when passing through the gaps between the evaporator fins. Moreover, as the cooling or dehumidifying operation time lengthens, more and more odor molecules will accumulate. At this time, if the air conditioner switches from cooling to air supply or the compressor stops while the indoor fan is still running, the temperature of the evaporator will continue to rise. When the temperature of the evaporator rises to a certain extent and reaches the evaporation point of the odor molecules, the solid or liquid odor molecules accumulated on the evaporator will be emitted into the indoor environment along with the air output of the air conditioner, generating a strong odor. If the air deflector 40 faces the user directly when the evaporator releases the odor, it will cause a greater negative user experience and discomfort to the user. Therefore, when the air conditioner is in the cooling or dehumidifying mode, the opening degree of the air deflector 40 can be controlled according to the temperature of the evaporator surface and the operation time of the air conditioner, so that after more odor molecules accumulate on the evaporator, the air deflector 40 can be controlled to enter the "wind avoiding people" mode, avoiding the situation where the user is overwhelmed by the odor when the air conditioner switches from cooling to air supply or the compressor stops while the indoor fan is still running, alleviating the impact of odor accumulation on the user, and thus enhancing the user experience. In this way, the embodiment of the present invention can minimize the impact of odor accumulation in the air conditioner on the user without increasing any cost.

[0039] It should be noted that in practical applications, the temperature of the indoor coil can be detected by the indoor coil temperature sensor 50 as the temperature of the evaporator. Thus, when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time for which the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, the air deflector 40 is controlled to rotate upward or downward to the preset opening degree, so that the air outlet blows upward, enabling the air deflector 40 to enter the "wind avoiding people" mode, avoiding the situation where the user is overwhelmed by the odor when using the air conditioner, alleviating the impact of odor accumulation on the user, and thus enhancing the user experience. In a specific embodiment, the preset temperature can be set to the dew point of the odor molecules, such as 17°C, and the first preset time can be determined through experiments, such as set to 30 min.

[0040] In an embodiment of the present invention, as Figure 2As shown, the controller 60 is further configured to: when the air conditioner is operating in the cooling or dehumidifying mode, in response to an instruction to turn on the air supply function of the air conditioner or an air conditioner shutdown instruction, determine whether the opening degree of the air deflector is a preset opening degree; when it is determined that the opening degree of the air deflector is not the preset opening degree, control the air deflector 40 to rotate upward or downward to the preset opening degree, and control the duration for which the air deflector 40 remains at the preset opening degree to reach a second preset time; when it is determined that the opening degree of the air deflector 40 is the preset opening degree, control the opening degree of the air deflector 40 to remain unchanged, and control the duration for which the air deflector 40 remains at the preset opening degree to reach a second preset time.

[0041] Specifically, during the operation of the air conditioner in the cooling or dehumidifying mode, if a air supply or shutdown instruction is received, it indicates that the temperature of the evaporator will continue to rise. To prevent the odor molecules enriched on the surface of the evaporator from volatilizing during the process of the evaporator temperature rising and generating an odor, which has a negative impact on the user, at this time, it is determined whether the air deflector 40 is at the preset opening degree, that is, it is determined whether the air deflector 40 is in the "wind avoiding people" mode. When the air deflector 40 is not at the preset opening degree, for example, the air deflector 40 is in the up and down sweeping state, then control the air deflector 40 to rotate upward or downward to the preset opening degree; when the opening degree of the air deflector 40 is the preset opening degree, then control the opening degree of the air deflector 40 to remain unchanged. Since the volatilization of odor molecules is related to the wind speed of the indoor fan and the temperature of the evaporator, the greater the wind speed of the indoor fan and the higher the temperature of the evaporator, the faster the odor molecules volatilize. Therefore, in order to ensure that the odor molecules on the evaporator can be completely volatilized, when the air deflector 40 is at the preset opening degree, the time for maintaining this preset opening degree needs to reach a second preset time, so that when the air conditioner releases the odor, the air outlet air does not directly face the user, avoiding the user from being assaulted by the odor when blowing the air conditioner and alleviating the impact of odor enrichment on the user. It should be noted that the odor molecules on the evaporator can be volatilized within the second preset time, and this second preset time can be determined through experiments and will not be elaborated here. Exemplarily, the second preset time is set to 5 min.

[0042] In an embodiment of the present invention, as Figure 3 shown, after the duration for which the air deflector 40 is controlled to be at the preset opening degree reaches the second preset time, the controller 60 is further configured to: control the air deflector 40 to perform up and down flipping, and control the duration for which the air deflector 40 performs up and down flipping to reach a third preset time, where the third preset time is less than the second preset time.

[0043] Specifically, after the duration during which the air deflector 40 is at the preset opening reaches the second preset time, it indicates that the odor molecules have been basically released, and the impact on the user is relatively small. At this time, the air deflector 40 can be controlled to flip up and down for a short time, so that the air deflector 40 sweeps the air up and down, thereby avoiding the air outlet wind facing the user directly when the air conditioner releases odors, without affecting the normal air supply or shutdown of the air conditioner. In a specific embodiment, the third preset time can be determined through experiments and will not be elaborated here. Exemplarily, the third preset time is set to 3 min.

[0044] In an embodiment of the present invention, as Figure 4 shown, when controlling the air deflector 40 to flip up and down, the controller 60 is specifically configured to: when the air deflector 40 flips up to the rated minimum opening, or when the air deflector 40 flips down to the rated maximum opening, control the duration during which the air deflector 40 flips to the rated minimum opening or the rated maximum opening to reach the fourth preset time, where the fourth preset time is less than the third preset time.

[0045] Specifically, when controlling the air deflector 40 to flip up and down, when the air deflector 40 flips up to the rated minimum opening (as Figure 5 shown), or when the air deflector 40 flips down to the rated maximum opening (as Figure 6 shown), controlling the duration during which the air deflector 40 flips to the rated minimum opening or the rated maximum opening to reach the fourth preset time can ensure that within this fourth preset time, the air conditioner does not release odor molecules outward, that is, even if the air conditioner does not release odor molecules into the room for a period of time, the user will not feel the release of odor molecules from the air conditioner, minimizing the impact of the odor enrichment problem of the air conditioner on the user and further improving the user experience. In a specific embodiment, the fourth preset time can be determined through experiments and will not be elaborated here. Exemplarily, the fourth preset time is set to 10 s.

[0046] In an embodiment of the present invention, when the air deflector 40 is at the preset opening, or when the duration of the up and down flipping of the air deflector 40 does not reach the third preset time, the controller 60 is further configured to: receive any control instruction input by the user, and in response to any control instruction, control the air deflector 40 to flip up and down.

[0047] Specifically, during the process of the air conditioner releasing odor molecules into the room, that is, when the air deflector 40 is at the preset opening, or when the duration of the up and down flipping of the air deflector 40 does not reach the third preset time, if the user presses any key on the remote control, the air conditioner exits the anti-odor mode and no longer considers the impact of the release of odor molecules on the user. At this time, the air deflector 40 is controlled to flip up and down to meet the user's needs.

[0048] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the air conditioner is operating in the cooling or dehumidifying mode, the controller 60 is further configured to: in response to an air conditioner shutdown instruction, control the compressor to reduce its frequency at a preset rate until it stops.

[0049] Specifically, when the air conditioner is operating in the cooling or dehumidifying mode and the user presses the shutdown button, in order to prevent the temperature of the evaporator from rising too fast, which may cause the odor molecules to be released too quickly and produce a strong odor, at this time, the compressor is controlled to reduce its frequency slowly at a preset rate until it stops. In a specific embodiment, the preset rate is set to 5 Hz / min.

[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, as Figure 7 shown, the controller 60 is further configured to: when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than a preset temperature and the cumulative time during which the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds a first preset time, or in response to an instruction to turn on the air supply function of the air conditioner or an air conditioner shutdown instruction, control the display unit to display an anti-odor prompt message.

[0051] Specifically, when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than a preset temperature and the cumulative time during which the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds a first preset time, or in response to an instruction to turn on the air supply function of the air conditioner or an air conditioner shutdown instruction, the air conditioner is very likely to enter the odor molecule release mode. At this time, the display unit is controlled to display an anti-odor prompt message to prompt the user that the air conditioner is in the odor molecule release state, warning the user to stay away from the air conditioner outlet or to open the window for ventilation, so that the user can live in a clean indoor environment.

[0052] In one embodiment of the present invention, when controlling the display unit to display an anti-odor prompt message, the controller 60 is specifically configured to: control the anti-odor indicator light to light up.

[0053] In a specific embodiment, if the display unit is an indicator light for example, when the display unit displays an anti-odor prompt message, the controller 60 controls the anti-odor indicator light to light up to prompt the user that the air conditioner is in the odor molecule release state, warning the user to stay away from the air conditioner outlet or to open the window for ventilation.

[0054] In one embodiment of the present invention, when controlling the display unit to display an anti-odor prompt message, the controller 60 is specifically configured to: control the display panel to display anti-odor text information.

[0055] In a specific embodiment, if the display unit is a display panel for example, when the display unit displays an anti-odor prompt message, the controller 60 controls the display panel to display anti-odor text information such as "CL" to prompt the user that the air conditioner is in the odor molecule release state, warning the user to stay away from the air conditioner outlet or to open the window for ventilation.

[0056] An air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, when it is determined that the air conditioner is in the cooling or dehumidifying mode, obtains the temperature of the indoor coil, and when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time that the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, controls the air deflector 40 to rotate upward or downward to a preset opening degree, so that the air outlet blows upward. Wherein, the preset opening degree of the air deflector 40 is greater than the rated minimum opening degree of the air deflector 40 and less than the opening degree when the air deflector 40 is in the horizontal position, enabling the air deflector 40 to enter the "wind avoiding people" mode, which can, without adding any cost, prevent the user from being assailed by a pungent smell when using the air conditioner due to the air conditioner switching from cooling to air supply or the compressor stopping while the indoor fan is still running, alleviate the impact of odor enrichment on the user, and thus improve the user experience. Further, during the process of the air conditioner releasing odor molecules, if a air supply or shutdown instruction is received, by controlling the air deflector 40 to flip up and down for a short time, it is possible to prevent the air blown out from the air outlet of the air conditioner from directly facing the user while releasing odor without affecting the normal air supply or shutdown of the air conditioner. Further, when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time that the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, or in response to an instruction to turn on the air supply function of the air conditioner or an air conditioner shutdown instruction, controls the display unit to display an anti-odor prompt message, which can warn the user to stay away from the air outlet of the air conditioner or open the window for ventilation, so that the user lives in a clean indoor environment.

[0057] A further embodiment of the present invention also discloses a control method for an air conditioner, which is used for the air conditioner as described in any one of the above embodiments, as Figure 8 shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0058] Step S1: Determine that the air conditioner is in the cooling or dehumidifying mode.

[0059] Step S2: Obtain the temperature of the indoor coil.

[0060] Step S3: When the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time that the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, control the air deflector to rotate upward or downward to a preset opening degree, so that the air outlet blows upward. Wherein, the preset opening degree is greater than the rated minimum opening degree of the air deflector and less than the opening degree when the air deflector is in the horizontal position.

[0061] In an embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the air conditioner further includes: when the air conditioner is operating in cooling or dehumidifying mode, in response to an instruction to turn on the air supply function of the air conditioner or an air conditioner shutdown instruction, determining whether the opening degree of the air deflector is a preset opening degree; when it is determined that the opening degree of the air deflector is not the preset opening degree, controlling the air deflector to rotate upward or downward to the preset opening degree, and controlling the duration of the air deflector at the preset opening degree to reach a second preset time; when it is determined that the opening degree of the air deflector is the preset opening degree, controlling the opening degree of the air deflector to remain unchanged, and controlling the duration of the air deflector at the preset opening degree to reach a second preset time.

[0062] In an embodiment of the present invention, after the duration of the air deflector at the preset opening degree reaches the second preset time, the control method of the air conditioner further includes: controlling the air deflector to perform up and down flipping, and controlling the duration of the up and down flipping of the air deflector to reach a third preset time, wherein the third preset time is less than the second preset time.

[0063] In an embodiment of the present invention, controlling the air deflector to perform up and down flipping includes: when the air deflector flips upward to the rated minimum opening degree, or when the air deflector flips downward to the rated maximum opening degree, controlling the duration of the air deflector flipping to the rated minimum opening degree or the rated maximum opening degree to reach a fourth preset time, wherein the fourth preset time is less than the third preset time.

[0064] In an embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the air conditioner further includes: when the air deflector is at the preset opening degree, or the duration of the up and down flipping of the air deflector does not reach the third preset time, or the duration of the air deflector flipping to the rated minimum opening degree or the rated maximum opening degree does not reach the fourth preset time, receiving any control instruction input by the user, and in response to any control instruction, controlling the air deflector to perform up and down flipping.

[0065] In an embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the air conditioner further includes: when the air conditioner is operating in cooling or dehumidifying mode, in response to an air conditioner shutdown instruction, controlling the compressor to reduce the frequency at a preset rate until it stops.

[0066] In an embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the air conditioner further includes: when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time of the temperature of the indoor coil being lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, or in response to an instruction to turn on the air supply function of the air conditioner or an air conditioner shutdown instruction, controlling the display unit to display an anti-odor prompt message.

[0067] In an embodiment of the present invention, controlling the display unit to display an anti-odor prompt message includes: controlling the anti-odor indicator light to light up.

[0068] In one embodiment of the present invention, controlling the display unit to display an anti-odor prompt message includes: controlling the display panel to display text information about anti-odor.

[0069] It should be noted that when the air conditioner in the embodiment of the present invention is controlled, its specific implementation manner is similar to the specific implementation manner of the control method of the air conditioner controller in the embodiment of the present invention. For details, please refer to the description in the method part. To reduce redundancy, it will not be elaborated here.

[0070] According to the control method of the air conditioner in the embodiment of the present invention, when it is determined that the air conditioner is in the cooling or dehumidifying mode, the temperature of the indoor coil is obtained, and when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time that the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, the air deflector is controlled to rotate upward or downward to a preset opening degree so that the air outlet blows upward. Among them, the preset opening degree of the air deflector is greater than the rated minimum opening degree of the air deflector and less than the opening degree when the air deflector is in the horizontal position, enabling the air deflector to enter the "wind avoiding people" mode. Without adding any cost, it can prevent the user from being assailed by strong odors when using the air conditioner due to the air conditioner switching from cooling to air supply or the compressor stopping while the indoor fan is still running, alleviating the impact of odor enrichment on the user, thereby enhancing the user experience. Further, during the process of the air conditioner releasing odor molecules, if a air supply or shutdown instruction is received, by controlling the air deflector to flip up and down for a short time, it can prevent the air blown out from the air outlet from directly facing the user while the air conditioner is releasing odor without affecting the normal air supply or shutdown of the air conditioner. Further, when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time that the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, or in response to an instruction to turn on the air supply function of the air conditioner or an air conditioner shutdown instruction, the display unit is controlled to display an anti-odor prompt message, which can warn the user to stay away from the air outlet of the air conditioner or open the window for ventilation, enabling the user to live in a clean indoor environment.

[0071] In the description of this specification, the description referring to terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "schematic embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0072] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and purposes of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that, it includes: a wind deflector, rotatably mounted on the casing and located at the air outlet, for controlling the air outlet direction of the air outlet; an indoor coil temperature sensor, arranged in the casing, for detecting the temperature of the indoor coil; the controller is configured to: determine that the air conditioner is in a cooling or dehumidifying mode; acquire the temperature of the indoor coil; when the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than a preset temperature and the cumulative time that the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds a first preset time, control the wind deflector to rotate upward or downward to a preset opening degree, so that the air outlet blows upward, wherein the preset opening degree is greater than the rated minimum opening degree of the wind deflector and less than the opening degree when the wind deflector is in a horizontal position; after the duration of controlling the wind deflector to be in the preset opening degree reaches a second preset time, control the wind deflector to turn up and down, and control the duration of the up-and-down turning of the wind deflector to reach a third preset time, wherein the third preset time is less than the second preset time; wherein, when controlling the wind deflector to turn up and down, when the wind deflector turns upward to the rated minimum opening degree, or when the wind deflector turns downward to the rated maximum opening degree, control the duration that the wind deflector turns to the rated minimum opening degree or the rated maximum opening degree to reach a fourth preset time, wherein the fourth preset time is less than the third preset time.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, the controller is further configured to: when the air conditioner is in cooling or dehumidifying operation, in response to an instruction to turn on the air supply function of the air conditioner or an air conditioner shutdown instruction, judge whether the opening degree of the wind deflector is the preset opening degree; when it is judged that the opening degree of the wind deflector is not the preset opening degree, control the wind deflector to rotate upward or downward to the preset opening degree, and control the duration that the wind deflector is in the preset opening degree to reach the second preset time; when it is judged that the opening degree of the wind deflector is the preset opening degree, control the opening degree of the wind deflector to remain unchanged, and control the duration that the wind deflector is in the preset opening degree to reach the second preset time.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the wind deflector is in the preset opening degree, or when the duration of the up-and-down turning of the wind deflector does not reach the third preset time, the controller is further configured to: receive any control instruction input by the user, and in response to the any control instruction, control the wind deflector to turn up and down.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the air conditioner is in cooling or dehumidifying operation, the controller is further configured to: in response to an air conditioner shutdown instruction, control the compressor to reduce the frequency at a preset rate until it stops.

5. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that, the controller is further configured to: When the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time for which the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, or in response to an instruction to turn on the air supply function of the air conditioner or an air conditioner shutdown instruction, control the display unit to display an anti-odor prompt message.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein, when controlling the display unit to display the anti-odor prompt message, the controller is specifically configured to: control the anti-odor indicator light to light up.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein, when controlling the display unit to display the anti-odor prompt message, the controller is specifically configured to: control the display panel to display text information about anti-odor.

8. A control method for an air conditioner, wherein, for the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1-7, the method includes the following steps: Determine that the air conditioner is in a cooling or dehumidifying mode; Obtain the temperature of the indoor coil; When the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature and the cumulative time for which the temperature of the indoor coil is lower than the preset temperature exceeds the first preset time, control the air deflector to rotate upward or downward to a preset opening degree so that the air outlet blows upward, wherein the preset opening degree is greater than the rated minimum opening degree of the air deflector and less than the opening degree when the air deflector is in a horizontal position; After the duration of controlling the air deflector to be in the preset opening degree reaches the second preset time, control the air deflector to perform up-and-down flipping, and control the duration of the up-and-down flipping of the air deflector to reach the third preset time, wherein the third preset time is less than the second preset time; wherein, when controlling the air deflector to perform up-and-down flipping, when the air deflector flips upward to the rated minimum opening degree, or when the air deflector flips downward to the rated maximum opening degree, control the duration for which the air deflector flips to the rated minimum opening degree or the rated maximum opening degree to reach the fourth preset time, wherein the fourth preset time is less than the third preset time.

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