Air conditioner, vehicle and cleaning method of air conditioner

Abstract

The invention discloses an air conditioner, a vehicle and a cleaning method of the air conditioner, the air conditioner comprises a box body, a first air duct, a second air duct, a communicating cavity, an inner circulating air port, an outer circulating air port and an in-vehicle air outlet are formed in the box body, the first air duct is connected between the outer circulating air port and the communicating cavity, and the second air duct is connected between the communicating cavity and the in-vehicle air outlet; the second air duct is connected with the inner circulation air opening and communicates with the communicating cavity, and the in-vehicle air outlet is connected with the communicating cavity. The evaporator is arranged in the first air duct; at least part of the heater is arranged in the second air duct; the air conditioner has a cleaning mode, and in the cleaning mode, air in a vehicle enters the second air duct through the inner circulation air opening, enters the first air duct through the communicating cavity after being heated by the heater, cleans the evaporator and then is exhausted through the outer circulation air opening. According to the air conditioner, high-temperature sterilization of the evaporator can be achieved, it is avoided that breeding of mildew, bacteria and the like affects the health and use experience of a user, and the attractiveness and market competitiveness of a vehicle are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to an air conditioner, a vehicle, and a method for cleaning the air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] During the cooling process of a car's air conditioning system, condensation easily accumulates on the surface of the evaporator, attracting dust from the air ducts. This condensation, combined with airborne dust, creates a humid environment inside the air ducts. This environment provides favorable conditions for the growth of mold and fungi, which over time can develop musty odors. This not only affects the air quality and comfort of the vehicle but may also adversely impact the health of the occupants. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes an air conditioner that can achieve high-temperature sterilization of the evaporator, preventing the growth of mold, bacteria, etc., from affecting user health and user experience, while also improving the vehicle's aesthetics and market competitiveness. Furthermore, during self-cleaning, it reduces the probability of dust, impurities, and moisture from the outside air entering the air conditioner's interior, avoiding the introduction of new pollutants during the self-cleaning process, thereby improving the overall cleaning and sterilization effect of the evaporator.

[0004] The present invention also proposes a vehicle having the above-mentioned air conditioner.

[0005] The present invention also proposes a method for cleaning an air conditioner.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the air conditioner includes: a housing, wherein a first air duct, a second air duct, a connecting cavity, an internal circulation air vent, an external circulation air vent, and an in-vehicle air outlet are formed within the housing; the first air duct connects the external circulation air vent and the connecting cavity; the second air duct connects the internal circulation air vent and the connecting cavity; and the in-vehicle air outlet is connected to the connecting cavity; an evaporator disposed in the first air duct; and a heater, at least a portion of which is disposed in the second air duct; the air conditioner has a cleaning mode in which in the cleaning mode, in-vehicle air enters the second air duct through the internal circulation air vent, is heated by the heater, enters the first air duct through the connecting cavity to clean the evaporator, and is then discharged through the external circulation air vent.

[0007] According to the air conditioner of the present invention, when the air conditioner is in cleaning mode, the air inside the vehicle enters the second air duct through the internal circulation vent, is heated by the heater, and then enters the first air duct through the connecting cavity to clean the evaporator. The air is then discharged through the external circulation vent. This allows the present application to achieve high-temperature sterilization of the evaporator without adding any additional components, using only the existing internal components of the air conditioner. This prevents the growth of mold, bacteria, etc., from affecting the user's health and user experience. This not only improves the convenience of cleaning the vehicle's air conditioner, but also reduces the space occupied and production cost of the air conditioner by not adding additional processing equipment, thereby improving the vehicle's aesthetics and market competitiveness. Furthermore, since the air conditioner uses air from inside the vehicle for circulation in cleaning mode, it effectively reduces the probability of dust, impurities, and moisture from the outside air entering the air conditioner, avoiding the introduction of new pollutants during the self-cleaning process, thus improving the overall cleaning and sterilization effect of the evaporator.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first air duct is also connected to the internal circulation air vent, the second air duct is also connected to the external circulation air vent, and the air conditioner also has a heating mode, in which air enters the second air duct from the internal circulation air vent and / or the external circulation air vent, passes through the heater and the communicating cavity, and is blown out from the vehicle interior air outlet.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioner further includes: a first damper for controlling the connection or disconnection between the second air duct and the external circulation air outlet; and a second damper for controlling the connection or disconnection between the first air duct and the internal circulation air outlet.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a portion of the heater is disposed in the first air duct and another portion is disposed in the second air duct. The first air duct includes a first main air duct, a first sub-air duct, and a second sub-air duct. One end of the first main air duct is connected to the internal circulation air outlet. The first sub-air duct and the second sub-air duct are connected in parallel between the other end of the first main air duct and the communicating cavity. The evaporator is arranged in the first main air duct, and one end of the heater is disposed in the first sub-air duct.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioner further includes: a third air damper, the third air damper being disposed within the first main air duct, for controlling the first main air duct to be switchably connected to the first sub-air duct and / or the second sub-air duct.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, one end of the heater is disposed in the first air duct and the other end is disposed in the second air duct. The second air duct includes a second main air duct, a third sub-air duct and a fourth sub-air duct. One end of the second main air duct is connected to the external circulation air outlet. The third sub-air duct and the fourth sub-air duct are connected in parallel between the second main air duct and the communicating cavity. The other end of the heater is disposed in the third sub-air duct.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioner further includes: a fourth damper for controlling the opening and closing of the second main air duct; and a fifth damper for controlling the opening and closing of the fourth sub-flow duct.

[0014] The vehicle according to the second aspect of the invention includes the air conditioner according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0015] According to the present invention, the overall performance of the vehicle can be improved by providing an air conditioner according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0016] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a method for cleaning an air conditioner is applied to a vehicle according to the second aspect. The cleaning method includes: step S1, confirming that the interior of the vehicle meets the operating conditions for self-cleaning of the air conditioner; step S2, controlling the air conditioner to enter the cleaning mode, such that the first air duct is connected to the external circulation air vent, the second air duct is connected to the internal circulation air vent, and the interior air vent is closed; step S3, controlling the air conditioner to enter the frosting mode and continuously operating it for a first preset time; step S4, controlling the air conditioner to enter the defrosting mode and continuously operating it for a second preset time; step S5, turning on the heater, controlling the air conditioner to enter the high-temperature ventilation mode, and continuously operating it for a third preset time.

[0017] According to the air conditioner cleaning method of the present invention, by setting a frosting mode and a defrosting mode, dust and dirt on the surface of the evaporator can be effectively removed. By setting a high-temperature ventilation mode, the evaporator can be sterilized and disinfected, thereby reducing the musty odor in the vehicle and improving the comfort and safety of the user when using the air conditioner.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the operating conditions include: there are no occupants inside the vehicle; the light intensity is lower than a preset intensity; the remaining charge of the vehicle battery reaches a preset charge; and / or, step S3 includes: confirming whether the low-pressure protection of the compressor or the suction superheat is less than or equal to a preset value; if so, confirming whether the time taken for the air conditioner to enter the defrosting mode and the compressor to stop exceeds a fourth preset duration; if so, controlling the air conditioner to enter the defrosting mode and continuously running for a second preset duration; if not, controlling the air conditioner to re-enter the defrosting mode; if not, continuously running the defrosting mode for the first preset duration.

[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner in cleaning mode according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner in heating mode according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner in cooling mode according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner in the first mixed-air mode according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner in the second mixing mode according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner in another second air mixing mode according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a flowchart of a cleaning method for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 yes Figure 7 The flowchart for step S3.

[0021] Figure label: 100. Air conditioner; 10. Housing; 11. First air duct; 111. First main air duct; 112. First sub-air duct; 113. Second sub-air duct; 12. Second air duct; 121. Second main air duct; 122. Third sub-air duct; 123. Fourth sub-air duct; 13. Connecting cavity; 14. Internal circulation air vent; 15. External circulation air vent; 16. Interior air outlet; 20. Evaporator; 30. Heater; 40. Blower; 51. First air door; 52. Second air door; 53. Third air door; 54. Fourth air door; 55. Fifth air door; 56. Sixth air door. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0023] The following is for reference. Figures 1-8An air conditioner 100 according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention is described.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, according to a first aspect embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner 100 includes: a housing 10, an evaporator 20, and a heater 30. The housing 10 provides installation space for the evaporator 20 and the heater 30, and also provides airflow and guidance space for multiple air ducts; the evaporator 20 is mainly used for cooling, heat exchange, and dehumidification; the heater 30 is mainly used for heating the air.

[0025] Specifically, the housing 10 contains a first air duct 11, a second air duct 12, a connecting cavity 13, an internal circulation air vent 14, an external circulation air vent 15, and an interior air outlet 16. The first air duct 11 connects the external circulation air vent 15 and the connecting cavity 13. The second air duct 12 connects the internal circulation air vent 14 and the connecting cavity 13. The interior air outlet 16 is connected to the connecting cavity 13. The internal circulation air vent 14 is connected to the interior environment, the external circulation air vent 15 is connected to the exterior environment, and the interior air outlet 16 is connected to the interior environment. It should be noted that the internal circulation vent 14 can serve as the air inlet of the housing 10 to provide air intake to the second air duct 12, and the external circulation vent 15 and the in-vehicle air outlet 16 can both serve as the air outlets of the housing 10 to exhaust the air entering the housing 10. Specifically, the external circulation vent 15 exhausts air outside the vehicle, while the in-vehicle air outlet 16 sends air back into the vehicle.

[0026] The evaporator 20 is located in the first air duct 11. That is to say, the air entering the first air duct 11 will flow through the evaporator 20.

[0027] At least a portion of the heater 30 is located in the second air duct 12. It is understood that the heater 30 may be located partially or entirely in the second air duct 12. That is, the air entering the second air duct 12 is typically heated by the heater 30.

[0028] The air conditioner 100 has a cleaning mode. In the cleaning mode, the air inside the vehicle enters the second air duct 12 through the internal circulation vent 14, is heated by the heater 30, and then enters the first air duct 11 through the connecting cavity 13 to clean the evaporator 20. The air is then discharged through the external circulation vent 15.

[0029] According to the air conditioner 100 of the present invention, when the air conditioner 100 is in cleaning mode, the air inside the vehicle enters the second air duct 12 through the internal circulation vent 14, is then heated by the heater 30, and enters the first air duct 11 through the connecting cavity 13 to clean the evaporator 20, and is then discharged through the external circulation vent 15. This allows the present invention to achieve high-temperature sterilization of the evaporator 20 without the need for additional components, using only the existing internal components of the air conditioner 100, thus preventing the growth of mold, bacteria, etc., from affecting the user's health and user experience. This not only improves the convenience of cleaning the vehicle's interior air conditioner 100, but also reduces the space occupied and production cost of the air conditioner 100 since no additional processing equipment is needed, thereby improving the vehicle's aesthetics and market competitiveness. In addition, since the air conditioner 100 uses the air inside the vehicle to circulate during cleaning mode, it can effectively reduce the probability of dust, impurities, and moisture from the outside air entering the air conditioner, avoiding the introduction of new pollutants during the self-cleaning process, thus improving the overall cleaning and sterilization effect of the evaporator 20.

[0030] According to some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first air duct 11 is also connected to the internal circulation air vent 14, and the second air duct 12 is also connected to the external circulation air vent 15. The air conditioner 100 also has a heating mode. In the heating mode, air enters the second air duct 12 from the internal circulation air vent 14 and / or the external circulation air vent 15, passes through the heater 30 and the connecting cavity 13, and is blown out from the vehicle interior air outlet 16. It can be understood that in the heating mode, the airflow does not pass through the first air duct 11, that is, it does not pass through the evaporator 20. In this way, the airflow resistance in the housing 10 can be reduced, thereby increasing the air volume of the vehicle interior air outlet 16.

[0031] The phrase “Air enters the second air duct 12 from the internal circulation vent 14 and / or the external circulation vent 15” is intended to indicate that air can enter the second air duct 12 from the internal circulation vent 14 alone, or from the external circulation vent 15 alone, or from both the internal circulation vent 14 and the external circulation vent 15 simultaneously.

[0032] Optionally, there may be multiple air vents 16 inside the vehicle. All multiple air vents 16 inside the vehicle are connected to the connecting cavity 13. The air conditioner 100 also includes multiple sixth air vents 56. Each of the multiple sixth air vents 56 corresponds to one of the multiple air vents 16 inside the vehicle and is used to control the opening and closing of the air vents 16 inside the vehicle.

[0033] Optionally, the housing 10 also includes a main duct and a blower 40, wherein one end of the main duct is connected to the external circulation air outlet 15 and the internal circulation air outlet 14, and the other end is connected to the first air duct 11 and the second air duct 12. The blower 40 is arranged in the main duct to drive the air to circulate within the air conditioner 100.

[0034] According to some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figures 1-6 As shown, the air conditioner 100 further includes: a first damper 51, used to control the connection or disconnection between the second air duct 12 and the external circulation air outlet 15; and a second damper 52, used to control the connection or disconnection between the first air duct 11 and the internal circulation air outlet 14. Thus, by controlling the first damper 51 and the second damper 52, the airflow direction can be changed, allowing the airflow to selectively choose its path, thereby enabling the air conditioner 100 to switch between multiple modes.

[0035] For example, when the air conditioner 100 is in cleaning mode, the first damper 51 controls the second air duct 12 to disconnect from the external circulation vent 15, and the second damper 52 controls the first air duct 11 to disconnect from the internal circulation vent 14. That is, the internal circulation vent 14 is only connected to the second air duct 12, and the external circulation vent 15 is only connected to the first air duct 11. Multiple in-vehicle air outlets 16 are closed. This allows in-vehicle air to directly enter the second air duct 12 when entering the housing 10 from the internal circulation vent 14, and then, after being heated by the heater 30, enter the connecting cavity 13, and then enter the first air duct 11 through the connecting cavity 13. Because the airflow is heated by the heater 30, the airflow entering the first air duct 11 has a certain temperature. Therefore, when the heated airflow passes through the evaporator 20, it can perform high-temperature sterilization on the evaporator 20, thereby achieving cleaning of the evaporator 20. For example... Figure 1 As shown.

[0036] Optionally, the second damper 52 can also be used to control the connection and disconnection between the first air duct 11 and the external circulation air vent 15. In this way, when the air conditioner 100 is in heating mode, the first damper 51 controls the second air duct 12 to connect with the external circulation air vent 15, and the second damper 52 controls the first air duct 11 to disconnect from both the internal circulation air vent 14 and the external circulation air vent 15. This allows all the gas entering the housing 10 from the internal circulation air vent 14 and the external circulation air vent 15 to enter the second air duct 12, and then pass through the heater 30 and the connecting cavity 13 before being blown out from the vehicle interior air outlet 16.

[0037] According to some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figures 2-6 As shown, a portion of the heater 30 is located in the first air duct 11, and another portion is located in the second air duct 12. The first air duct 11 includes a first main air duct 111, a first sub-air duct 112, and a second sub-air duct 113. One end of the first main air duct 111 is connected to the internal circulation air outlet 14. The first sub-air duct 112 and the second sub-air duct 113 are connected in parallel between the other end of the first main air duct 111 and the connecting cavity 13. The evaporator 20 is arranged in the first main air duct 111, and one end of the heater 30 is located in the first sub-air duct 112.

[0038] The phrase "one end of the first main air duct 111 is connected to the internal circulation air vent 14" is intended to indicate that the first air duct 11 is connected not only to the external circulation air vent 15, but also to the internal circulation air vent 14. That is, the air conditioner 100 is in the mode of introducing air into the vehicle, which means that the air conditioner 100 is in the non-clean mode.

[0039] The phrase “the first sub-air duct 112 and the second sub-air duct 113 are connected in parallel between the other end of the first main air duct 111 and the connecting cavity 13” is intended to indicate that when the air conditioner 100 is in the mode of air intake into the vehicle, the airflow entering the first air duct 11 can enter the connecting cavity 13 through the first sub-air duct 112 and / or the second sub-air duct 113, and then be blown into the vehicle through the vehicle air outlet 16.

[0040] The phrase "evaporator 20 is arranged in the first main air duct 111, and one end of heater 30 is located in the first sub-air duct 112" means that all airflow in the first air duct 11 is processed by the evaporator 20, while only airflow entering the first sub-air duct 112 can be heated by the heater 30. In other words, when airflow entering the first main air duct 111 flows through the first sub-air duct 112 to the connecting cavity 13, the air conditioner 100 provides warm air to the vehicle; when airflow entering the first main air duct 111 flows through the second sub-air duct 113 to the connecting cavity 13, the air conditioner 100 provides cold air to the vehicle; and when airflow entering the first main air duct 111 flows through both the first sub-air duct 112 and the second sub-air duct 113 to the connecting cavity 13, the air conditioner 100 provides a mixture of warm and cold air to the vehicle.

[0041] Therefore, by setting up multiple sub-air ducts, this embodiment enables the air conditioner 100 to provide air at the corresponding temperature to the vehicle interior according to actual needs, thereby further improving the comfort of passengers.

[0042] In addition, part of the heater 30 is located in the first air duct 11 and the other part is located in the second air duct 12. In this way, when the air conditioner 100 is in the cleaning mode, the air can be heated twice before entering the first air duct 11. This can further increase the temperature of the air entering the first air duct 11, thereby further improving the sterilization and disinfection effect on the evaporator 20.

[0043] According to some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figures 2-6 As shown, the air conditioner 100 also includes a third damper 53, which is disposed within the first main air duct 111 and is used to control the first main air duct 111 to be switchably connected to the first sub-air duct 112 and / or the second sub-air duct 113. It can be understood that by configuring the third damper 53, the first main air duct 111 can be connected only to the first sub-air duct 112, only to the second sub-air duct 113, or connected to both the first and second sub-air ducts 112 and 113.

[0044] In other words, the third damper 53 in this embodiment is mainly used to control the airflow path within the first air duct 11, thereby enabling the switching of multiple modes of the air conditioner 100. Furthermore, the damper has a relatively simple structure, which further reduces the overall production cost of the air conditioner 100 and simplifies its control logic.

[0045] It should be noted that the flow rate in the first sub-air duct 112 and the second sub-air duct 113 can be adjusted according to the actual temperature requirements inside the vehicle.

[0046] According to some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figures 2-6 As shown, one end of the heater 30 is located in the first air duct 11, and the other end is located in the second air duct 12. The second air duct 12 includes a second main air duct 121, a third sub-air duct 122, and a fourth sub-air duct 123. One end of the second main air duct 121 is connected to the external circulation air outlet 15. The third sub-air duct 122 and the fourth sub-air duct 123 are connected in parallel between the second main air duct 121 and the communicating cavity 13. The other end of the heater 30 is located in the third sub-air duct 122.

[0047] The statement that "one end of the second main air duct 121 is connected to the external circulation air outlet 15" is intended to indicate that both the air entering the housing 10 through the internal circulation air outlet 14 and the air entering the housing 10 through the external circulation air outlet 15 can enter the second air duct 12.

[0048] The statement that “the third sub-duct 122 and the fourth sub-duct 123 are connected in parallel between the other end of the second main duct 121 and the connecting cavity 13” is intended to indicate that when the air conditioner 100 is in the mode of air intake into the vehicle, the airflow entering the second duct 12 can enter the connecting cavity 13 through the third sub-duct 122 and / or the fourth sub-duct 123, and then be blown into the vehicle through the vehicle air outlet 16.

[0049] The phrase "the other end of the heater 30 is located inside the third sub-duct 122" means that only the portion of the airflow entering the second duct 12 that enters the third sub-duct 122 can be heated by the heater 30. In other words, when the airflow entering the second main duct 121 flows through the third sub-duct 122 to the connecting cavity 13, the air conditioner 100 provides warm air to the vehicle; when the airflow entering the second main duct 121 flows through the fourth sub-duct 123 to the connecting cavity 13, the air conditioner 100 provides cold air to the vehicle; and when the airflow entering the second main duct 121 flows through both the third sub-duct 122 and the fourth sub-duct 123 to the connecting cavity 13, the air conditioner 100 provides a mixture of warm and cold air to the vehicle.

[0050] Therefore, by setting up multiple sub-air ducts, this embodiment enables the air conditioner 100 to provide air at the corresponding temperature to the vehicle interior according to actual needs, thereby further improving the comfort of passengers.

[0051] According to some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figures 2-6 As shown, the air conditioner 100 also includes a fourth damper 54 and a fifth damper 55. The fourth damper 54 is used to control the opening and closing of the second main air duct 121; the fifth damper 55 is used to control the opening and closing of the fourth sub-duct. Specifically, the fourth damper 54 is mainly used to control whether the air entering the housing 10 flows to the connecting cavity 13 through the second air duct 12 or through the first air duct 11; the fifth damper 55 is mainly used to control whether the airflow entering the second air duct 12 enters the connecting cavity 13 through the third sub-duct or through the fourth sub-duct. The air entering the connecting cavity 13 through the third sub-duct is hot air, and the air entering the connecting cavity 13 through the fourth sub-duct is cold air.

[0052] For example, refer to Figure 3 The air conditioner 100 also has a cold air mode. In the cold air mode, the fourth air damper 54 closes the second main air duct 121, so that the air entering the housing 10 from the internal circulation air vent 14 and the external circulation air vent 15 only enters the first air duct 11. At the same time, the third air damper 53 blocks the first sub-air duct 112 and opens the second sub-air duct 113, so that the first main air duct 111 and the second sub-air duct 113 are connected. At this time, the airflow entering the first air duct 11, after being processed by the evaporator 20, only enters the connecting cavity 13 through the second sub-air duct 113, and then blows into the car through the in-vehicle air outlet 16 to achieve cooling inside the car.

[0053] For example, refer to Figure 4 The air conditioner 100 also has a first mixed air mode. In the first mixed air mode, the fourth air damper 54 closes the second main air duct 121, so that the air entering the housing 10 from the internal circulation air vent 14 and the external circulation air vent 15 only enters the first air duct 11. At the same time, the third air damper 53 opens the first sub-air duct 112 and the second sub-air duct 113, so that the airflow entering the first air duct 11, after being processed by the evaporator 20, part of it enters the first sub-air duct 112 and is heated by the heater 30 before being sent into the connecting cavity 13, and part of it is directly delivered to the connecting cavity 13 through the second sub-air duct 113. The cold air and warm air are mixed in the connecting cavity 13, and the mixed air is blown into the vehicle through the vehicle interior air outlet 16.

[0054] For example, refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6The air conditioner 100 also has a second mixed-air mode. In the second mixed-air mode, the fourth damper 54 opens the second main air duct 121, allowing air entering the housing 10 from the internal circulation air inlet 14 and the external circulation air inlet 15 to partially enter the first air duct 11 and partially enter the second air duct 12. Simultaneously, the third damper 53 controls the opening of both the first sub-air duct 112 and the second sub-air duct 113, and the fifth damper 55 opens the fourth sub-air duct 123. This ensures that the airflow entering the first air duct 11 is processed by the evaporator 20 before... Part of the airflow enters the first sub-air duct 112, is heated by the heater 30, and then sent into the connecting cavity 13. Part of the airflow is directly sent into the connecting cavity 13 through the second sub-air duct 113. Part of the airflow entering the second air duct 12 enters the third sub-air duct 122, is heated by the heater 30, and then sent into the connecting cavity 13. Another part is sent directly into the connecting cavity 13 through the fourth sub-air duct 123. The cold air and warm air are mixed in the connecting cavity 13, and the mixed air is blown into the vehicle through the vehicle air outlet 16.

[0055] For example, refer to Figure 2 The air conditioner 100 also has a heating mode. In the heating mode, the fourth air damper 54 is opened, and the air entering the housing 10 from the internal circulation air outlet 14 and the external circulation air outlet 15 partially enters the first air duct 11 and partially enters the second air duct 12. The third air damper 53 closes the second sub-air duct 113, and the fifth air damper 55 closes the fourth sub-air duct 123. The airflow entering the first air duct 11 enters the connecting cavity 13 only through the first sub-air duct 112, and the airflow entering the second sub-air duct 113 enters the connecting cavity 13 only through the third sub-air duct 122.

[0056] A vehicle according to a second aspect of the present invention includes an air conditioner 100 according to a first aspect of the present invention.

[0057] According to an embodiment of the present invention, by providing an air conditioner 100 according to a first aspect of the present invention, the overall performance of the vehicle can be improved.

[0058] The cleaning method for an air conditioner 100 according to a third aspect embodiment of the present invention is applied to a vehicle according to a second aspect embodiment, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the cleaning methods include: Step S1: Confirm that the vehicle interior meets the operating conditions for the air conditioner's self-cleaning function. Step S2: Control the air conditioner 100 to enter the cleaning mode, so that the first air duct 11 is connected to the external circulation air vent 15, the second air duct 12 is connected to the internal circulation air vent 14, and the vehicle interior air vent 16 is closed. Step S3: Control the air conditioner 100 to enter the frosting mode and continue to run for the first preset time; Step S4: Control the air conditioner 100 to enter defrost mode and continue running for the second preset time; Step S5: Turn on heater 30, control air conditioner 100 to enter high temperature ventilation mode, and continue to run for the third preset time.

[0059] Specifically, when the air conditioner 100 needs to be self-cleaned, first confirm whether the vehicle interior meets the operating conditions for the air conditioner 100 to self-clean. The operating conditions include: confirming that there are no occupants inside the vehicle, confirming that the light intensity is lower than the preset intensity so that the evaporator 20 can be frosted smoothly, and confirming that the remaining power of the vehicle battery is sufficient for cleaning.

[0060] When all the above conditions are met, the air conditioner 100 enters the cleaning mode. At this time, the central controller receives the signal and sends adjustment signals to multiple air vents, so that the first air duct 11 is connected only to the external circulation air vent 15, the second air duct 12 is connected only to the internal circulation air vent 14, and the vehicle interior air vent 16 is closed. That is, it is ensured that the airflow can enter from the internal circulation air vent 14, and then pass through the second air duct 12, heater 30, first air duct 11, evaporator 20 in sequence, and then be discharged outside the vehicle through the external circulation air vent 15.

[0061] Subsequently, the central controller sends a signal to the evaporator 20, causing the evaporator 20 to enter the frosting mode and run continuously for a first preset time. After the frosting mode has run for the first preset time, the central controller sends a stop signal to the compressor or sends a signal to the evaporator 20 to start the preheating mode, so that the air conditioner 100 enters the defrosting mode and runs continuously for a second preset time. During the frosting process, the volume expansion caused by the freezing of water on the surface of the evaporator 20 loosens the dust and dirt adhering to its surface. The water flow generated during the defrosting process washes away and removes the loosened dust and dirt. Therefore, the frosting mode and defrosting mode settings enable automatic cleaning of the surface of the evaporator 20, thereby removing dust and dirt from its surface.

[0062] After the defrosting mode ends, the air inside the vehicle is controlled to enter through the internal circulation vent 14, and the controller controls the heater 30 to turn on, so as to heat the air entering the housing 10. Since the first air duct 11 is only connected to the external circulation vent 15, the second air duct 12 is only connected to the internal circulation vent 14, and the air outlet 16 inside the vehicle is closed, the heated air can only flow into the first air duct 11 and then be discharged through the external circulation vent 15. Since the evaporator 20 is arranged in the first air duct 11, the high temperature air will pass through the evaporator 20 to perform high temperature sterilization treatment on the evaporator 20.

[0063] Optionally, the first preset duration is greater than or equal to 10 minutes, the second preset duration is greater than or equal to 10 minutes, and the third preset duration is greater than or equal to 60 minutes.

[0064] It should be noted that in the frosting mode, the outlet air temperature of the evaporator 20 should be controlled to not exceed -5℃ to ensure smooth frosting; at the same time, the air volume of the air conditioning unit should be controlled at level 2 to ensure that there is enough moisture for frosting without causing the air volume to be too large and prevent water from being retained on the surface of the evaporator 20.

[0065] It should be noted that during defrosting mode, to avoid damage to blower 40 while ensuring defrosting effectiveness, blower 40 should be operated at speed level 5. Furthermore, for conventional air conditioning systems using air-cooled PTC systems, to prevent damage from dry burning, the PTC does not need to be turned on during this process; ventilation alone is sufficient for 10 minutes. For conventional air conditioning systems using water-cooled PTC systems, the water-cooled PTC and warm air water circulation can be turned on. If a heat pump system is used and an evaporator 20 preheating mode is available, the evaporator 20 preheating mode can be used directly for defrosting.

[0066] It should be noted that in high-temperature ventilation mode, in order to ensure the sterilization effect of the vehicle interior and evaporator 20, the vehicle interior temperature needs to reach the target of 60℃ (the vehicle interior temperature is the air intake temperature of evaporator 20). The heat source for raising the vehicle interior temperature can be a wind PTC, a water PTC, or a heat pump. Only when none of the above heat sources can meet the requirements can the engine be started to act as a heat source.

[0067] Furthermore, it should be noted that the above cleaning methods all utilize internal air circulation vent 14 for air intake in frosting, defrosting, and high-temperature ventilation modes. In frosting mode, the air inside the vehicle is not heated; the internal circulation draws in already cooled air from inside the vehicle, rather than hot outside air. This effectively lowers the intake temperature of the evaporator 20, making it easier for the evaporator 20 to reach below freezing point and frost, thus ensuring effective frosting and shortening the frosting time. In high-temperature ventilation mode, the interior temperature is already raised using a wind PTC, water PTC, or heat pump. This means the air entering through the internal air circulation vent 14 has a moving temperature, allowing it to heat up quickly as it passes through the heater 30, ensuring the interior temperature reaches the preset temperature and guaranteeing the sterilization effect of the evaporator 20 and the vehicle interior.

[0068] According to the cleaning method of the air conditioner 100 of the present invention, by setting a frosting mode and a defrosting mode, dust and dirt on the surface of the evaporator 20 can be effectively removed. By setting a high-temperature ventilation mode, the evaporator 20 can be sterilized and disinfected, thereby reducing the musty odor in the vehicle and improving the comfort and safety of the user when using the air conditioner.

[0069] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the operating conditions include: no occupants inside the vehicle; light intensity below a preset intensity; and the remaining charge of the vehicle battery reaching a preset charge level.

[0070] It should be noted that, because the internal temperature of the self-cleaning unit is relatively high and lasts for a long time in high-temperature ventilation mode, it generally reaches 60°C and lasts for 1 hour. Therefore, the operating conditions include no occupants in the vehicle, which allows users to ensure the personal safety of occupants when cleaning the air conditioner 100.

[0071] It should be noted that excessive light intensity will cause the surface temperature of the evaporator 20 to remain above 0°C, which will prevent the evaporator 20 from frosting and thus lose its cleaning function. Therefore, setting the light intensity to be lower than the preset intensity can ensure the feasibility of the frosting process.

[0072] The adjustment of the damper position, the operation of the evaporator 20 and the heater 30 all require battery power. Therefore, the remaining power of the vehicle battery is set to a preset level to ensure that the battery can meet the energy consumption requirements for performing the self-cleaning function, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the air conditioner 100 self-cleaning function.

[0073] Optionally, step S0, which involves issuing a self-cleaning command via a mobile app, is included before step S1. This means that users can remotely activate the self-cleaning mode via a mobile app, allowing them to do so anytime, anywhere without needing to get into the vehicle. This further enhances the automation of the self-cleaning process.

[0074] Optionally, during the self-cleaning process, the APP can display the self-cleaning progress and remaining time. In addition, if the self-cleaning process is interrupted due to situations such as opening the car door, low SOC, or system failure, the APP will control the air conditioner to immediately stop the self-cleaning process and display a pop-up window on the APP indicating that the process has stopped and the reason for stopping.

[0075] According to some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 8 As shown, step S3 includes: confirming whether the compressor's low-pressure protection or suction superheat is less than or equal to a preset value; if so, confirming whether the time taken for the air conditioner 100 to enter the defrosting mode and the compressor to stop exceeds a fourth preset duration; if so, controlling the air conditioner 100 to enter the defrosting mode and continuously running for a second preset duration; if not, controlling the air conditioner 100 to re-enter the defrosting mode; if not, continuously running the defrosting mode for a first preset duration.

[0076] Specifically, when it is confirmed that the compressor is under low pressure protection or the suction superheat is less than or equal to the preset value, the compressor will stop. At this time, the central control system obtains the time taken from the air conditioner 100 entering the defrosting mode to the compressor stopping, and determines whether the time exceeds the fourth preset duration. If it exceeds the preset duration, the air conditioner 100 is controlled to enter the defrosting mode and continue to run for the second preset duration. If it does not exceed the preset duration, the air conditioner 100 is controlled to re-enter the defrosting mode.

[0077] When it is confirmed that the compressor is under-pressure protected or the suction superheat exceeds the preset value, the compressor will not stop. As a result, the air conditioner 100 will continue to run the frosting mode until it ends.

[0078] The preset value setting can ensure that the evaporator 20 is frosted while preventing the compressor from liquid slugging, thereby improving the overall reliability and service life of the air conditioner 100.

[0079] It should be noted that the preset value is greater than or equal to 3K, and the fourth preset duration is greater than or equal to 5min.

[0080] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0081] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0082] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0083] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0084] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An air conditioner (100), characterized in that, include: The housing (10) has a first air duct (11), a second air duct (12), a connecting cavity (13), an internal circulation air vent (14), an external circulation air vent (15), and an in-vehicle air outlet (16). The first air duct (11) is connected between the external circulation air vent (15) and the connecting cavity (13). The second air duct (12) is connected between the internal circulation air vent (14) and the connecting cavity (13). The in-vehicle air outlet (16) is connected to the connecting cavity (13). Evaporator (20), the evaporator (20) is disposed in the first air duct (11); A heater (30), at least a portion of which is disposed in the second air duct (12); The air conditioner (100) has a cleaning mode. In the cleaning mode, the air inside the vehicle enters the second air duct (12) through the internal circulation vent (14), is heated by the heater (30), and then enters the first air duct (11) through the connecting cavity (13) to clean the evaporator (20), and is then discharged through the external circulation vent (15).

2. The air conditioner (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first air duct (11) is also connected to the inner circulation air outlet (14), and the second air duct (12) is also connected to the outer circulation air outlet (15). The air conditioner (100) also has a heating mode in which air enters the second air duct (12) from the internal circulation vent (14) and / or the external circulation vent (15), passes through the heater (30) and the connecting cavity (13), and is blown out from the vehicle interior air outlet (16).

3. The air conditioner (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: The first damper (51) is used to control the connection or disconnection between the second air duct (12) and the external circulation air outlet (15); The second damper (52) is used to control the connection or disconnection between the first air duct (11) and the internal circulation air outlet (14).

4. The air conditioner (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that, A portion of the heater (30) is located in the first air duct (11), and another portion is located in the second air duct (12). The first air duct (11) includes: a first main air duct (111), a first sub-air duct (112) and a second sub-air duct (113). One end of the first main air duct (111) is connected to the internal circulation air outlet (14). The first sub-air duct (112) and the second sub-air duct (113) are connected in parallel between the other end of the first main air duct (111) and the communicating cavity (13). The evaporator (20) is arranged in the first main air duct (111), and one end of the heater (30) is located in the first sub-air duct (112).

5. The air conditioner (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: The third air damper (53) is located in the first main air duct (111) and is used to control the first main air duct (111) to be switchably connected to the first sub-air duct (112) and / or the second sub-air duct (113).

6. The air conditioner (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that, One end of the heater (30) is located in the first air duct (11), and the other end is located in the second air duct (12). The second air duct (12) includes a second main air duct (121), a third sub-air duct (122) and a fourth sub-air duct (123). One end of the second main air duct (121) is connected to the external circulation air outlet (15). The third sub-air duct (122) and the fourth sub-air duct (123) are connected in parallel between the second main air duct (121) and the communicating cavity (13). The other end of the heater (30) is located in the third sub-air duct (122).

7. The air conditioner (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: The fourth damper (54) is used to control the opening and closing of the second main air duct (121); The fifth damper (55) is used to control the opening and closing of the fourth sub-channel.

8. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle includes an air conditioner (100) according to any one of claims 1-7.

9. A method for cleaning an air conditioner (100), applied to a vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that, The cleaning method includes: Step S1: Confirm that the interior of the vehicle meets the operating conditions for the self-cleaning of the air conditioner (100); Step S2: Control the air conditioner (100) to enter the cleaning mode, so that the first air duct (11) is connected to the external circulation air vent (15), the second air duct (12) is connected to the internal circulation air vent (14), and the vehicle interior air outlet (16) is closed. Step S3: Control the air conditioner (100) to enter the frosting mode and continue to run for a first preset time; Step S4: Control the air conditioner (100) to enter defrost mode and continue to run for a second preset time; Step S5: Turn on the heater (30), control the air conditioner (100) to enter the high temperature ventilation mode, and continue to run for a third preset time.

10. The cleaning method for an air conditioner (100) according to claim 9, characterized in that, The operating conditions include: There were no occupants inside the vehicle. The light intensity is lower than the preset intensity; The vehicle battery has reached a preset charge level; and / or, Step S3 includes: confirming whether the compressor's low-pressure protection or suction superheat is less than or equal to a preset value; If yes, confirm whether the time taken for the air conditioner (100) to enter the defrosting mode and for the compressor to stop exceeds the fourth preset time. If yes, control the air conditioner (100) to enter the defrosting mode and continue to run for the second preset time. If no, control the air conditioner (100) to re-enter the defrosting mode. If not, continue running the frosting mode for the first preset duration.

Images