Control board, air conditioner, control method, and control program

Abstract

To provide a control board, an air conditioner, a control method, and a control program that can simplify wiring while controlling multiple electronic expansion valves.SOLUTION: A control board 1 includes a CPU 50 that controls a plurality of electronic expansion valves 10 via a drive driver 20, a drive driver 20 that is provided one-to-one with the CPU 50, an operation setting switch 60 that switches the drive driver 20 to the setting of the electronic expansion valve 10 so as to perform operation setting for the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled in response to an operation setting switching signal output from the CPU 50, and a changeover switch 70 that switches the current path such that a current flows from the drive driver 20 to the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled at a current value based on the advanced phase clock signal output from the CPU 50.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control board, an air conditioner, a control method, and a control program. [Background technology]

[0002] In air conditioners, an expansion valve (electronic expansion valve) is used to reduce the pressure and expand the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant that has passed through a condenser. The electronic expansion valve adjusts the flow rate and temperature of the refrigerant by electrically controlling the opening of the valve. It is being considered to install multiple electronic expansion valves in air conditioners. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a drive unit and multiple electronic expansion valves are connected via communication means and cut-off means. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-127805 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the invention of Patent Document 1, when the control drive unit is a control board, the fact that there are multiple electronic expansion valves and therefore the number of wires connected to the control unit increases is not considered. In particular, for devices that need to be driven or controlled by a control unit, such as electronic expansion valves, a large number of wires are required per unit.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a control board, an air conditioner, a control method, and a control program that are capable of controlling multiple electronic expansion valves while simplifying wiring. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the control board, air conditioner, control method, and control program disclosed herein employ the following solutions. The control board of the present disclosure includes a CPU that controls a plurality of electronic expansion valves via a drive driver, the drive driver that is provided one-to-one with the CPU, an operation setting switch that switches the drive driver to a setting of the electronic expansion valve to be controlled in response to an operation setting switching signal output from the CPU, and a changeover switch that switches a current path so that current flows from the drive driver to the electronic expansion valve to be controlled at a current value based on the advanced phase clock signal output from the CPU.

[0007] The control board of the present disclosure includes a CPU that controls a plurality of electronic expansion valves via a drive driver, a drive driver that is provided one-to-one with the CPU and configured to set the operation of the electronic expansion valve to be controlled via SPI communication from the CPU, and a changeover switch that switches the current path so that current flows from the drive driver to the electronic expansion valve to be controlled at a current value based on an advanced phase clock signal output from the CPU.

[0008] The air conditioner of the present disclosure includes a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve controlled by the above-mentioned control board, and an evaporator.

[0009] The control method disclosed herein includes the steps of controlling a plurality of electronic expansion valves via a drive driver, switching the drive driver to a setting of the electronic expansion valve to be controlled in accordance with an operation setting switching signal output from a CPU so as to perform operation settings for the electronic expansion valve, and switching a current path so that current flows from the drive driver to the electronic expansion valve to be controlled at a current value based on the advanced phase clock signal output from the CPU, and is executed by a computer.

[0010] The control program of the present disclosure causes a computer to execute the above-described control method. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present disclosure, the configuration required for controlling a plurality of electronic expansion valves can be mounted on a control board, and the wiring of the control board can be simplified. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a system diagram of an in-air conditioner system according to a conventional example. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of wiring in a control board as a conventional example. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a drive and control circuit in a control board as a conventional example. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing initialization of an electronic expansion valve as a conventional example. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 illustrates a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a control device in some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of an overall control flow of a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing details of the overall control flow of a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing details of the overall control flow of a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing details of the overall control flow of a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 illustrates a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 illustrates a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 illustrates a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of an overall control flow of a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 15]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing details of the overall control flow of a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing details of the overall control flow of a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing details of the overall control flow of a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 illustrates a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a control board, an air conditioner, a control method, and a control program according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a system diagram of an in-air conditioner system as a conventional example. 1, an ECU (Electric Control Unit) (CPU) 90 that controls the air conditioner and an HVAC ECU (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Electric Control Unit) 100 are connected by cables. An electric compressor 520, a water pump 530, four pressure sensors 540, eleven temperature sensors 550, six electronic expansion valves 10, four solenoid valves 560, and the like are connected by cables to the ECU 90. One or more cables are required for each of the pressure sensor 540, the temperature sensor 550, the electronic expansion valve (expansion valve) 10, and the solenoid valve 560, and the number of wires increases in proportion to the number of devices.

[0015] The air conditioner includes a refrigerant circuit having a compressor (not shown) that compresses a refrigerant, a condenser (not shown) that condenses the compressed refrigerant, an expansion valve (not shown) that expands the condensed refrigerant, and an evaporator (not shown) that evaporates the expanded refrigerant. Here, the refrigerant evaporated by the evaporator becomes gaseous and returns to the compressor. The air conditioner adjusts the temperature of the space to be conditioned by using the refrigerant circuit in which the refrigerant circulates. Note that other configurations of the air conditioner will not be described in detail here as known configurations can be applied.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of wiring in a control board as a conventional example. As shown in FIG. 2, six electronic expansion valves 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, and 10f are connected to the CPU 50. Between the CPU 50 and the electronic expansion valve 10, a driver 20 (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, and 20f) is connected. In the following description, when the electronic expansion valves 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, and 10f are to be distinguished from each other, any of the letters a to f is added to the end of the reference numerals, and when the electronic expansion valves 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, and 10f are not to be distinguished from each other, the letters a to f are omitted. Similarly, when the drivers 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, and 20f are to be distinguished from each other, the letters a to f are added to the end of the reference numerals, and when the drivers 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, and 20f are not to be distinguished from each other, the letters a to f are omitted. Similarly, when the other parts are not to be distinguished from each other, the letters are omitted.

[0017] 2, when multiple electronic expansion valves 10 are connected to the CPU 50, one drive and control circuit (drive driver 20 and each wiring) is required for each electronic expansion valve 10 in accordance with the number of electronic expansion valves 10 in order to drive and control the electronic expansion valves 10. The cost of the drive driver 20 is high, and adding an additional electronic expansion valve 10 significantly increases the cost. In addition, the number of wirings outside the board also increases, making it difficult to route the wiring.

[0018] Furthermore, an increase in the number of drive and control circuits requires the addition of various components and wiring, and an increase in connector pins requires the size of the connector 80. This makes the control board 1 and the case for housing the control board 1 larger. In particular, when mounting the control board 1 on a vehicle, it is necessary to place it within a limited space, and the increase in size makes it difficult to place it appropriately.

[0019] In addition, since the wiring outside the board increases, noise generation increases and noise resistance decreases in the wiring between the driving driver 20 and the connector 80 and between the connector 80 and the electronic expansion valve 10. This may result in a decrease in EMC (Electro Magnetic Compatibility) performance, causing malfunction of the entire system.

[0020] In addition, the driver 20 is a heat source and therefore requires appropriate thermal design. As the number of driver 20 increases, the number of heat sources also increases, and more detailed thermal design is required. When the number of driver 20 is large, such as six as shown in Figure 2, there is a possibility that the control board 1 and various components may overheat.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a drive and control circuit in a control board as a conventional example. FIG. 3 shows a case where the electronic expansion valve 10 includes two electronic expansion valves 10a and 10b, but a similar configuration is also shown for a case where there are two or more electronic expansion valves.

[0022] The circuit that drives and controls the electronic expansion valve 10 is a circuit that performs constant current control on the electronic expansion valve 10. Operation settings for the electronic expansion valve 10 are input to MODE0, MODE1, MODE2, RSA, RSB, VREF, and CW / CCW of the drive driver 20. An operation signal for the electronic expansion valve 10 is input to CLK of the drive driver 20. Monitoring of abnormalities and the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10 is performed via DIAG and MO of the drive driver 20.

[0023] In the operation setting for the electronic expansion valve 10, the excitation modes MODE0, MODE1, and MODE2 are set. The excitation mode is set by a combination of signals to each terminal. Examples of the excitation mode include 1-2 phase excitation and 2-phase excitation. For the electronic expansion valve 10a in FIG. 3, 1-2 phase excitation is set, the signal to MODE0 is set to Hi, and the signals to MODE1 and MODE2 are set to Lo. For the electronic expansion valve 10b in FIG. 3, 2-phase excitation is set, the signals to MODE0 and MODE1 are set to Lo, and the signal to MODE2 is set to Hi. The overcurrent detection value is set for RSA and RSB. VREF is used to set the output current value. As for CW / CCW, the motor rotation direction of the electronic expansion valve 10 is set by the CPU 50 (motor rotation direction setting). In this way, the operation settings for the electronic expansion valve 10 are made by setting the excitation mode, output current, and current detection using input signals to the drive driver 20, and each mode and output current value is appropriately set depending on the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled.

[0024] In the operation signal for the electronic expansion valve 10, the CLK is set as an advanced clock signal by the CPU 50. By inputting the advanced clock signal to the driving driver 20, the electronic expansion valve 10 is controlled in accordance with the setting.

[0025] In monitoring the abnormality and electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10, the driver 20 holds information on the currently controlled electronic expansion valve 10. The held information includes abnormalities of the electronic expansion valve 10, the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10, etc. When monitoring the abnormality or electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10, the DIAG outputs the abnormality detection to the CPU 50. The MO outputs the monitoring result of the electrical angle of each electronic expansion valve 10 (electrical angle monitor) to the CPU 50.

[0026] The drive driver 20 supplies current to the electronic expansion valve 10 from OUTA+, OUTA-, OUTB+, and OUTB- to control the electronic expansion valve 10. OUTA+ is connected to one side of the coil of the motor of the electronic expansion valve 10, OUTA- is connected to the other side of the coil of the motor of the electronic expansion valve 10, OUTB+ is connected to one side of the coil of the motor of the electronic expansion valve 10 that is different from OUTA, and OUTB- is connected to the other side of the coil of the motor of the electronic expansion valve 10 that is different from OUTA. By switching a switch (not shown) inside the driving driver 20, the direction of the current between OUTA+ and OUTA-, and the direction of the current between OUTB+ and OUTB- are changed.

[0027] In this way, the CPU 50 needs multiple CPU ports for each electronic expansion valve 10, i.e., for each drive driver 20, so as the number of electronic expansion valves 10 to be controlled increases, the number of required ports increases proportionately. If the number of required CPU ports increases, the ports of the CPU 50 will be insufficient, which may result in the need to change the CPU 50. In addition, the wiring on the control board 1 becomes complicated, making board design difficult.

[0028] Furthermore, a resistor 41 is connected to RSA, and a resistor 42 is connected to RSB. RSA senses the voltage across resistor 41, and RSB senses the voltage across resistor 42. Resistors 43 and 44 are connected to VREF. VREF senses the divided pressure value. In the drive and control circuit of the electronic expansion valve 10, the constant current value and the overcurrent value are set by resistors 41, 42, 43, and 44 connected to the terminals RSA, RSB, and VREF, respectively, so that when changing each set value, it is necessary to change the resistance values. The resistors 41, 42, 43, and 44 are fixed resistors, and changing the resistance values ​​requires changing the constants, which results in a major design change.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing initialization of a conventional electronic expansion valve. FIG. 4(a) is a diagram showing initialization when the valve opening of the electronic expansion valve 10 is changed from fully open to fully closed, and FIG. 4(b) is a diagram showing initialization when the valve opening of the electronic expansion valve 10 is changed from low to fully closed.

[0030] Initialization of the electronic expansion valve 10 is an operation to close the valve from the stop position in the previous drive to the fully closed position. In the initialization, in addition to performing the tightening required from fully open to fully closed to ensure that the valve is in the fully closed position, further tightening is performed. Retightening is an operation to close the valve further from the fully closed position.

[0031] In Fig. 4(a), the distance in the valve closing direction from the fully open position to the fully closed position is c1. To tighten the valve further, a closing operation is performed in the valve closing direction by a distance d1.

[0032] On the other hand, in FIG. 4(b), the distance in the direction in which the electronic expansion valve 10 is closed from the position where the opening degree is low (the opening degree is closer to fully closed than fully open) to the position where the electronic expansion valve 10 is fully closed is c2, which is shorter than c1. Further, as a further tightening, a closing operation of a distance d2 is performed in the direction in which the valve is closed. Since the distance d2 is longer than d1, when initialization is performed with the electronic expansion valve 10 at a low opening degree, there is a large amount of further tightening. Since extra force is applied to the parts pressed down by the further tightening, the life of the electronic expansion valve 10 is shortened.

[0033] In this way, increasing the number of electronic expansion valves 10 in a conventional control board 1 causes various problems, but the control board 1 of the present disclosure solves the above problems.

[0034] [First embodiment] Hereinafter, the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 illustrates a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 5, the control board 1 includes a CPU 50, an operation setting switch 60, a drive driver 20, a changeover switch 70, a connector 80, and electronic expansion valves (expansion valves) 10 (10a and 10b). This embodiment differs from the conventional example in that it is equipped with an operation setting switch 60 and a changeover switch 70, and in that even when multiple electronic expansion valves 10 are connected, only one drive driver 20 is installed, and the drive driver 20 is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the CPU 50.

[0035] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a CPU in some embodiments of the present disclosure. 6, the CPU 50 is a computer (calculator) and includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit: processor) 1100, a secondary storage device (ROM, Secondary storage: memory) 1300, a main storage device (RAM, Main Memory) 1200, a communication I / F 1400 for connecting to a network or the like, and an input / output unit 1500. These units are connected via a bus 1800.

[0036] The CPU 1100 controls the entire CPU 50 by, for example, an OS (Operating System) stored in a secondary storage device 1300 connected via a bus 1800, and executes various processes by executing various programs stored in the secondary storage device 1300. One or more CPUs 1100 may be provided, and may cooperate with each other to realize processes.

[0037] The main memory device 1200 is composed of writable memory such as cache memory or RAM (Random Access Memory), and is used as a working area for reading out programs executed by the CPU 1100 and writing data processed by the programs.

[0038] The secondary storage device 1300 is a non-transitory computer readable storage medium. The secondary storage device 1300 is, for example, a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a semiconductor memory, or the like. Examples of the secondary storage device 1300 include a ROM (Read Only Memory), a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and a SSD (Solid State Drive) flash memory. The secondary storage device 1300 stores, for example, an OS for controlling the entire information processing device such as Windows (registered trademark), iOS (registered trademark), Android (registered trademark), a BIOS (Basic Input / Output System), various device drivers for operating peripheral devices as hardware, various application software, and various data and files. In addition, the secondary storage device 1300 stores programs for implementing various processes and various data required for implementing various processes. A plurality of secondary storage devices 1300 may be provided, and the above-mentioned programs and data may be divided and stored in each secondary storage device 1300.

[0039] A series of processes for realizing the functions of the CPU 50 is stored in the secondary storage device 1300 (see FIG. 2) in the form of a program, for example, and the CPU (processor) 1100 (see FIG. 2) reads this program into the main storage device 1200 (see FIG. 2) and executes information processing and arithmetic processing to realize various functions. The program may be pre-installed in the secondary storage device 1300, provided in a state stored in another non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, or distributed via wired or wireless communication means. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable storage media include magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and semiconductor memories.

[0040] 5, an operation setting switch 60 is provided between the CPU 50 and the drive driver 20, which switches the drive driver 20 to the setting of the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled so as to perform operation setting for the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled in response to an operation setting switching signal output from the CPU 50. The operation setting switch 60 is, for example, a multiplexer, a transistor, or the like. A changeover switch 70 is provided between the drive driver 20 and the connector 80 and the electronic expansion valve 10, for switching the current path so that a current flows from the drive driver 20 to the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled at a current value based on the advanced phase clock signal output from the CPU 50. The changeover switch 70 switches the current path in response to a motor current path switching signal output from the CPU 50. The changeover switch 70 is, for example, a bidirectional semiconductor switch, a solid state relay, or the like. Furthermore, dummy loads (loads) 31 and 32 such as coils and resistors may be provided between the changeover switch 70 and the connector 80 and the electronic expansion valve 10. FIG. 5 shows a case where the electronic expansion valve 10 includes two electronic expansion valves 10a and 10b, but a similar configuration is also shown for a case where there are two or more electronic expansion valves.

[0041] Operation settings for the electronic expansion valve 10 are input to MODE0, MODE1, MODE2, RSA, RSB, VREF, and CW / CCW of the drive driver 20. Operation signals for the electronic expansion valve 10 are input to CLK of the drive driver 20. Monitoring of abnormalities and the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10 is performed via DIAG and MO of the drive driver 20.

[0042] In the operation settings for the electronic expansion valve 10, the excitation mode is set in MODE0, MODE1, and MODE2, the overcurrent detection value is set in RSA and RSB, and the output current value is set in VREF, which are input as input signals from the operation setting switch 60. The input signals from the operation setting switch 60 are set based on an operation setting switching signal from the CPU 50. As for CW / CCW, the motor rotation direction of the electronic expansion valve 10 is set by the CPU 50 (motor rotation direction setting). In this way, the operation settings for the electronic expansion valve 10 are made by inputting a signal to the drive driver 20 via the operation setting switch 60 to set the excitation mode, output current, and current detection, and each mode and output current value is appropriately set depending on the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled. The motor rotation direction setting is input directly from the CPU 50 to the drive driver 20.

[0043] In the operation signal for the electronic expansion valve 10, the CLK is set as an advanced clock signal by the CPU 50. By inputting the advanced clock signal to the driving driver 20, the electronic expansion valve 10 is controlled in accordance with the setting.

[0044] In monitoring the abnormality and electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10, the driver 20 holds information on the currently controlled electronic expansion valve 10. The held information includes abnormalities of the electronic expansion valve 10, the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10, etc. When monitoring the abnormality or electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10, the DIAG outputs the abnormality detection to the CPU 50. The MO outputs the monitoring result of the electrical angle of each electronic expansion valve 10 (electrical angle monitor) to the CPU 50.

[0045] The drive driver 20 supplies current to the electronic expansion valve 10 from OUTA+, OUTA-, OUTB+, and OUTB- to control the electronic expansion valve 10. OUTA+ is connected to one side of the coil of the motor of the electronic expansion valve 10, OUTA- is connected to the other side of the coil of the motor of the electronic expansion valve 10, OUTB+ is connected to one side of the coil of the motor of the electronic expansion valve 10 that is different from OUTA, and OUTB- is connected to the other side of the coil of the motor of the electronic expansion valve 10 that is different from OUTA. By switching a switch (not shown) inside the driving driver 20, the direction of the current between OUTA+ and OUTA-, and the direction of the current between OUTB+ and OUTB- are changed.

[0046] A changeover switch 70 is connected to the driving driver 20 in the embodiment of the present disclosure, and the changeover switch 70 switches the current path so that a current flows from the driving driver 20 to the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled. By providing the changeover switch 70, there is no need to provide multiple driving drivers 20 even if there are multiple electronic expansion valves 10.

[0047] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the operation settings and operation signals for each electronic expansion valve 10 are sequentially set for each electronic expansion valve 10. When switching the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled, the electrical angle corresponding to the position (valve opening) of the electronic expansion valve 10 immediately before switching is stored, and when control of the same electronic expansion valve 10 is started again, it is necessary to perform control from the same electrical angle. However, the driving driver 20 does not have a configuration for storing information. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the CPU 50 stores the position (stop position) immediately before switching (when stopped). When control of the same electronic expansion valve 10 is started again, a current is passed from the drive driver 20 to the load 31 or 32 instead of the electronic expansion valve 10 at a current value based on the phase-advancing clock signal output from the CPU 50, and the electrical angle of the drive driver 20 is increased or decreased by one step at a time. The changeover switch 70 switches so that a current passes to the load 31 or 32. The electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled that is stored in the CPU 50 is called from the CPU 50, and processing is performed until the electrical angle of the drive driver 20 becomes the same as the stored electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled. In this way, the electrical angle of the drive driver 20 can be adjusted to the stop position (electrical angle) of the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled, and control can be continued.

[0048] Here, the loads 31 and 32 and the two switches for passing current to the loads 31 and 32 can also be eliminated. When the loads 31, 32 and the two switches are not provided, the positions (stop positions) of each electronic expansion valve 10 immediately before switching (when stopped) can be made uniform for all electronic expansion valves 10. By making the electrical angles of all electronic expansion valves 10 when stopped the same, the drive driver 20 can perform control from the same electrical angle when switching the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled.

[0049] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an overall control flow of a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. 8 to 10 are diagrams showing details of the overall control flow of the control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, a control flow for two electronic expansion valves 10a and 10b will be described. However, even if there are three or more electronic expansion valves 10, control is possible by performing the same processing for each electronic expansion valve 10.

[0050] In step S110 of FIG. 7, power is turned on to operate the control board 1. Next, in step S120, all of the electronic expansion valves 10 are initialized.

[0051] FIG. 8 shows details of step S120 in FIG. 8, the CPU 50 switches the operation setting switch 60 and the changeover switch 70 so that they correspond to the electronic expansion valve 10a. Since the operation setting switch 60 is switched so that they correspond to the electronic expansion valve 10a, the drive driver 20 is set so that they correspond to the electronic expansion valve 10a. Furthermore, since the changeover switch 70 is switched so that they correspond to the electronic expansion valve 10a, the respective switches are turned ON / OFF to switch the current path so that OUTA+, OUTB+, OUTA-, and OUTB- of the drive driver 20 are connected to the electronic expansion valve 10a. As a result, a current flows from the drive driver 20 to the electronic expansion valve 10a.

[0052] In step S122, the CPU 50 transmits a phase-advance clock signal corresponding to the electronic expansion valve 10a to the drive driver 20, and the drive driver 20 passes a current at a corresponding current value to the electronic expansion valve 10a.

[0053] In step S123, it is determined whether the required number of pulses has been transmitted to the electronic expansion valve 10a and whether current has flowed up to the required number of pulses. If it is determined that the required number of pulses has been transmitted (transmitted) (Y in S123), the process proceeds to step S124. On the other hand, if it is determined that the required number of pulses has not been transmitted (N in S123), the process returns to step S122. The required number of pulses here refers to the number of pulses required to move the electronic expansion valve 10a from fully open to fully closed, plus the number of pulses required for the aforementioned additional tightening.

[0054] If it is determined that the required number of pulses has been transmitted to the electronic expansion valve 10a, the process proceeds to step S124, where the CPU 50 switches the operation setting switch 60 and the changeover switch 70 so that they correspond to the next electronic expansion valve 10b. Since the operation setting switch 60 is switched so that they correspond to the electronic expansion valve 10b, the drive driver 20 is set so that they correspond to the electronic expansion valve 10b. Furthermore, since the changeover switch 70 is switched so that they correspond to the electronic expansion valve 10b, the respective switches are turned ON / OFF to switch the current path so that OUTA+, OUTB+, OUTA-, and OUTB- of the drive driver 20 are connected to the electronic expansion valve 10b. As a result, a current flows from the drive driver 20 to the electronic expansion valve 10b.

[0055] In step S125, the CPU 50 transmits a phase-advance clock signal corresponding to the electronic expansion valve 10b to the drive driver 20, and the drive driver 20 passes a current at a current value corresponding to the electronic expansion valve 10b.

[0056] In step S126, it is determined whether or not the required number of pulses has been transmitted to the electronic expansion valve 10b. If it is determined that the required number of pulses has been transmitted (transmitted) (Y in S126), the process proceeds to step S130. On the other hand, if it is determined that the required number of pulses has not been transmitted (N in S126), the process returns to step S125. In this manner, each electronic expansion valve 10 is initialized, and each electronic expansion valve 10 is tightened to the fully closed position, including additional tightening. When three or more electronic expansion valves 10 are installed, all of the electronic expansion valves 10 are initialized in the same manner.

[0057] In step S130 of FIG. 7, the operation setting switch 60 and the changeover switch 70 are switched. Next, in step S140, the dummy load is energized. FIG. 9 shows details of steps S130 and S140 in FIG.

[0058] In step S130 of FIG. 9, the CPU 50 switches the operation setting switch 60 and the changeover switch 70 so as to correspond to the electrical angle adjustment of the electronic expansion valve 10a. The control of each electronic expansion valve 10 by the CPU 50 via the drive driver 20 is performed sequentially for each electronic expansion valve 10. Here, for example, after controlling the electronic expansion valve 10a, when controlling the electronic expansion valve 10b and then controlling the electronic expansion valve 10a again, the re-control of the electronic expansion valve 10a must start from the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10a at the time of the previous stop. However, the drive driver 20 cannot store the electrical angle of each electronic expansion valve 10 at the time of stop. The electrical angle of each electronic expansion valve 10 at the time of stop must be stored by the CPU 50. In order to re-control each electronic expansion valve 10 from the electrical angle stored by the CPU 50, a process is performed to advance (or return) the electrical angle to a desired electrical angle using the loads (dummy loads) 31 and 32. Therefore, in order to adjust the electrical angle, the changeover switch 70 is turned ON / OFF to connect to the loads 31 and 32, and the current path is switched. As a result, a current flows from the drive driver 20 to the loads 31 and 32.

[0059] In step S141, the CPU 50 calls up the recorded information of the previous step regarding the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10a. For example, if the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10a of the previous step is 90 degrees, the electrical angle of 90 degrees is called up.

[0060] In step S142, the CPU 50 transmits an advanced phase clock signal to cause current to flow through the loads 31 and 32. The CPU 50 transmits an advanced phase clock signal to cause current to flow through the loads 31 and 32 so that the electrical angle of the drive driver 20 (electronic expansion valve 10a) coincides with the electrical angle of the CPU 50, and adds, for example, 30 degrees to the driver side electrical angle which is the electrical angle of the drive driver 20 (increases the electrical angle by "1" step). Here, the reason why current is caused to flow through the loads 31 and 32 is that the drive driver 20 cannot advance the electrical angle without energizing it.

[0061] In step S143, it is determined whether the CPU side electrical angle, which is the electrical angle of the CPU 50, is equal to the driver side electrical angle. If it is determined that the CPU side electrical angle is equal to the driver side electrical angle (Y in S143), the process proceeds to step S150. On the other hand, if it is determined that the CPU side electrical angle is not equal to the driver side electrical angle (N in S143), the process returns to step S142, and 30 degrees is further added to the driver side electrical angle. For example, when the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10a is 3, the CPU side electrical angle is 90 degrees, so that the driver side electrical angle is added until the driver side electrical angle reaches 90 degrees. Note that, if subtraction approaches the desired electrical angle more quickly than addition, 30 degrees may be subtracted (the electrical angle is reduced by one step).

[0062] In step S150 of FIG. 7, the operation setting switch 60 and the changeover switch 70 are switched. Next, in step S160, the electronic expansion valve 10a is driven. FIG. 10 shows details of steps S150 and S160 in FIG.

[0063] 10, the CPU 50 switches the operation setting switch 60 and the changeover switch 70 so as to correspond to the driving of the electronic expansion valve 10a. Since the operation setting switch 60 is switched so as to correspond to the electronic expansion valve 10a, the drive driver 20 is set so as to correspond to the electronic expansion valve 10a. Furthermore, since the changeover switch 70 is switched so as to correspond to the electronic expansion valve 10a, each switch is turned ON / OFF to switch the current path so that OUTA+, OUTB+, OUTA-, and OUTB- of the drive driver 20 are connected to the electronic expansion valve 10a. As a result, a current flows from the drive driver 20 to the electronic expansion valve 10a.

[0064] In step S161, the CPU 50 transmits a leading clock signal to cause a current to flow through the electronic expansion valve 10a. In order to control the electronic expansion valve 10a according to the settings, the CPU 50 transmits the leading clock signal to cause a current to flow through the electronic expansion valve 10a, and adds, for example, 30 degrees to the driver side electrical angle, which is the electrical angle of the drive driver 20 (increases the electrical angle by one step).

[0065] In step S162, the CPU 50 judges whether or not the required number of pulses has been transmitted (already transmitted) to the drive driver 20. The required number of pulses here refers to the number of pulses corresponding to the driver-side electrical angle according to the control setting of the electronic expansion valve 10a. If it is judged that the CPU 50 has transmitted the required number of pulses to the drive driver 20 (Y in S162), the process proceeds to step S163. On the other hand, if it is judged that the CPU 50 has not transmitted the required number of pulses to the drive driver 20 (N in S162), the process returns to step S161, and an additional 30 degrees is added to the driver-side electrical angle. For example, if the set value of the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10a is 240 degrees, the driver-side electrical angle is added until the driver-side electrical angle becomes 240 degrees, and a current is passed through the electronic expansion valve 10a.

[0066] In step S163, the CPU 50 updates the recorded information regarding the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10a. In this manner, the CPU 50 stores the electrical angle when the electronic expansion valve 10a is stopped until the step in which the next control of the electronic expansion valve 10a is performed.

[0067] In steps S170 to S200 in FIG. 7, control related to the electronic expansion valve 10b is performed. In step S170 of FIG. 7, the operation setting switch 60 and the changeover switch 70 are switched. Next, in step S180, current is applied to the dummy load. Next, in step S190, the operation setting switch 60 and the changeover switch 70 are changed over. Next, in step S200, the electronic expansion valve 10b is driven. The electronic expansion valve 10b is also controlled in the same manner as the electronic expansion valve 10a. When the control of the electronic expansion valve 10b ends, the controlled object is rotated, and the control of the electronic expansion valve 10a is performed again. When three or more electronic expansion valves 10 are installed, all of the electronic expansion valves 10 are similarly controlled in sequence.

[0068] [Modifications] In this embodiment, the negative pole sides of the respective phases of the electronic expansion valve 10 are shared outside the control board 1, but the positive pole sides may be shared. Hereinafter, regarding the control board, air conditioner, control method, and control program in the modified example, a description of the points in common with the above-described first embodiment will be omitted, and a description will be given mainly of the points that are different. FIG. 11 illustrates a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 11, the control board 1 includes a CPU 50, an operation setting switch 60, a drive driver 20, a changeover switch 70, a connector 80, and electronic expansion valves (expansion valves) 10 (10a and 10b).

[0069] In this modified example, outside the control board 1, that is, between the connector 80 and each electronic expansion valve 10, wiring is performed so that the positive pole side of each phase is common. This allows the number of input lines (wiring) to the control board 1 to be reduced, as in the case where the negative electrode side is shared outside the board, and allows the connector 80 of the control board 1 to be made smaller.

[0070] Second Embodiment Hereinafter, the second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. In the first embodiment, the positive or negative electrode side of each phase of the electronic expansion valve 10 is shared outside the control board 1, but in this embodiment, the positive or negative electrode side of each phase of the electronic expansion valve 10 is shared within the board of the control board 1, which is different from the first embodiment described above. In this embodiment, an example in which the negative electrode side of each phase is shared within the board will be described. Hereinafter, regarding a control board, an air conditioner, a control method, and a control program in several embodiments of the present disclosure, a description will be omitted of points in common with the first embodiment described above, and a description will be mainly given of points that are different.

[0071] FIG. 12 illustrates a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 12, the control board 1 includes a CPU 50, an operation setting switch 60, a drive driver 20, a changeover switch 70, a connector 80, and electronic expansion valves (expansion valves) 10 (10a and 10b).

[0072] In this embodiment, wiring is performed between the changeover switch 70 and the connector 80 so that the negative pole sides of the respective phases are common. As a result, the number of input lines to the control board 1 is increased compared to the first embodiment, but the number of wires outside the control board 1 is reduced, improving noise resistance and reducing noise generation.

[0073] Third Embodiment Hereinafter, the third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. In the first embodiment, the operation settings of the driving driver 20 were performed using the operation setting switch 60, but in this embodiment, the operation settings are performed using SPI communication (Serial Peripheral Interface communication), which is different from the first embodiment described above. Hereinafter, regarding a control board, an air conditioner, a control method, and a control program in several embodiments of the present disclosure, a description will be omitted of points in common with the first embodiment described above, and a description will be mainly given of points that are different.

[0074] FIG. 13 illustrates a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 13, the control board 1 includes a CPU 50, a driver 20, a changeover switch 70, a connector 80, and electronic expansion valves (expansion valves) 10 (10a and 10b).

[0075] 13, SPI communication is performed between the CPU 50 and the drive driver 20. In response to the output from the CPU 50, the drive driver 20 switches to the setting of the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled so as to set the operation of the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled. FIG. 13 shows a case where the electronic expansion valve 10 includes two electronic expansion valves 10a and 10b, but a similar configuration is also shown for a case where there are two or more electronic expansion valves.

[0076] Operation settings for the electronic expansion valve 10 are input to the CSB, SCK, SDI, and SDO of the drive driver 20 by SPI communication. Abnormality detection of the electronic expansion valve 10 is performed via the DIAG of the drive driver 20.

[0077] The signals are CSB, which selects a subnode by chip select, SCK, which inputs a clock signal, SDI, which is used to output data from the CPU 50 to the driver 20, and SDO, which is used to input data from the driver 20 to the CPU 50. Using these signals, operation settings such as phase advance, excitation mode, and rotation direction are performed according to the electronic expansion valve 10 to be controlled.

[0078] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of an overall control flow of a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. 15 to 17 are diagrams showing details of the overall control flow of the control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, a control flow for two electronic expansion valves 10a and 10b will be described. However, even if there are three or more electronic expansion valves 10, control is possible by performing the same processing for each electronic expansion valve 10.

[0079] In step S310 of FIG. 14, power is turned on to operate the control board 1. Next, in step S320, all of the electronic expansion valves 10 are initialized.

[0080] FIG. 15 shows details of step S320 in FIG. 15, in step S321, the CPU 50 switches the setting of the drive driver 20 by SPI communication so that it corresponds to the electronic expansion valve 10a. Also, the changeover switch 70 is switched so that it corresponds to the electronic expansion valve 10a. Also, since the changeover switch 70 is switched so that it corresponds to the electronic expansion valve 10a, each switch is turned ON / OFF to switch the current path so that OUTA+, OUTB+, OUTA-, and OUTB- of the drive driver 20 are connected to the electronic expansion valve 10a. As a result, a current flows from the drive driver 20 to the electronic expansion valve 10a.

[0081] In step S322, the CPU 50 transmits a phase-advance clock signal corresponding to the electronic expansion valve 10a to the drive driver 20 by SPI communication, and the drive driver 20 passes a current at a current value corresponding to the electronic expansion valve 10a.

[0082] In step S323, it is determined whether or not the required number of pulses has been transmitted to the electronic expansion valve 10a. If it is determined that the required number of pulses has been transmitted (transmitted) (Y in S323), the process proceeds to step S324. On the other hand, if it is determined that the required number of pulses has not been transmitted (N in S323), the process returns to step S322. The required number of pulses here refers to the number of pulses required to move the electronic expansion valve 10a from fully open to fully closed, plus the number of pulses required for the aforementioned additional tightening.

[0083] If it is determined that the required number of pulses has been transmitted to the electronic expansion valve 10a, the process proceeds to step S324, where the CPU 50 switches the setting of the drive driver 20 to correspond to the electronic expansion valve 10b by SPI communication. Also, the changeover switch 70 is switched to correspond to the next electronic expansion valve 10b. Since the changeover switch 70 is switched to correspond to the electronic expansion valve 10b, the current paths are switched by turning on / off each switch so that OUTA+, OUTB+, OUTA-, and OUTB- of the drive driver 20 are connected to the electronic expansion valve 10b. As a result, a current flows from the drive driver 20 to the electronic expansion valve 10b.

[0084] In step S325, the CPU 50 transmits a phase-advance clock signal corresponding to the electronic expansion valve 10b to the drive driver 20 by SPI communication, and the drive driver 20 passes a current at a current value corresponding to the electronic expansion valve 10b.

[0085] In step S326, it is determined whether or not the required number of pulses has been transmitted to the electronic expansion valve 10b. If it is determined that the required number of pulses has been transmitted (transmitted) (Y in S326), the process proceeds to step S330. On the other hand, if it is determined that the required number of pulses has not been transmitted (N in S326), the process returns to step S325. In this manner, each electronic expansion valve 10 is initialized, and each electronic expansion valve 10 is tightened to the fully closed position, including additional tightening. When three or more electronic expansion valves 10 are installed, all of the electronic expansion valves 10 are initialized in the same manner.

[0086] In step S330 in FIG. 14, the setting is changed over by SPI communication, and the changeover switch 70 is changed over. Next, in step S340, the dummy load is energized. FIG. 16 shows details of steps S330 and S340 in FIG.

[0087] 16, the CPU 50 switches the setting of the driver 20 by SPI communication so as to correspond to the electrical angle adjustment of the electronic expansion valve 10a, and also switches the changeover switch 70 so as to correspond to the electrical angle adjustment of the electronic expansion valve 10a. The control of each electronic expansion valve 10 by the CPU 50 via the drive driver 20 is performed sequentially for each electronic expansion valve 10. Here, for example, after controlling the electronic expansion valve 10a, when controlling the electronic expansion valve 10b and then controlling the electronic expansion valve 10a again, the re-control of the electronic expansion valve 10a must start from the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10a at the time of the previous stop. However, the drive driver 20 cannot store the electrical angle of each electronic expansion valve 10 at the time of stop. The electrical angle of each electronic expansion valve 10 at the time of stop must be stored by the CPU 50. In order to re-control each electronic expansion valve 10 from the electrical angle stored by the CPU 50, a process is performed to advance (or return) the electrical angle to a desired electrical angle using the loads (dummy loads) 31 and 32. Therefore, in order to adjust the electrical angle, the changeover switch 70 is turned ON / OFF to connect to the loads 31 and 32, and the current path is switched. As a result, a current flows from the drive driver 20 to the loads 31 and 32.

[0088] In step S341, the CPU 50 calls up the recorded information of the previous step regarding the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10a. For example, it is assumed that the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10a of the previous step was 90 degrees.

[0089] In step S342, the CPU 50 transmits a leading-phase clock signal by SPI communication to cause current to flow through the loads 31 and 32. The CPU 50 transmits a leading-phase clock signal to cause current to flow through the loads 31 and 32 so that the electrical angle of the drive driver 20 (electronic expansion valve 10a) matches the electrical angle of the CPU 50, and adds 30 degrees to the driver-side electrical angle, which is the electrical angle of the drive driver 20 (increases the electrical angle by "1" step).

[0090] In step S343, it is determined whether the CPU side electrical angle, which is the electrical angle of the CPU 50, is equal to the driver side electrical angle. If it is determined that the CPU side electrical angle is equal to the driver side electrical angle (Y in S343), the process proceeds to step S350. On the other hand, if it is determined that the CPU side electrical angle is not equal to the driver side electrical angle (N in S343), the process returns to step S342, and an additional 30 degrees is added to the driver side electrical angle. For example, when the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10a is 90 degrees, since the CPU side electrical angle is also 90 degrees, the driver side electrical angle is added until the driver side electrical angle reaches 90 degrees.

[0091] In step S350 in FIG. 14, the setting is changed over by SPI communication, and the changeover switch 70 is changed over. Next, in step S360, the electronic expansion valve 10a is driven. FIG. 17 shows details of steps S350 and S360 in FIG.

[0092] 17, in step S350, the CPU 50 switches the setting of the drive driver 20 by SPI communication so as to correspond to the driving of the electronic expansion valve 10a. Also, the changeover switch 70 is switched so as to correspond to the driving of the electronic expansion valve 10a. Since the changeover switch 70 is switched so as to correspond to the electronic expansion valve 10a, the current path is switched by turning on / off each switch so that OUTA+, OUTB+, OUTA-, and OUTB- of the drive driver 20 are connected to the electronic expansion valve 10a. As a result, a current flows from the drive driver 20 to the electronic expansion valve 10a.

[0093] In step S361, the CPU 50 transmits a leading-phase clock signal by SPI communication to cause a current to flow through the electronic expansion valve 10a. In order to control the electronic expansion valve 10a according to the settings, the CPU 50 transmits the leading-phase clock signal to cause a current to flow through the electronic expansion valve 10a, and adds 30 degrees to the driver-side electrical angle, which is the electrical angle of the drive driver 20 (increases the electrical angle by one step).

[0094] In step S362, the CPU 50 judges whether or not the required number of pulses has been transmitted (already transmitted) to the drive driver 20. The required number of pulses here refers to the number of pulses corresponding to the driver-side electrical angle according to the control setting of the electronic expansion valve 10a. If it is judged that the CPU 50 has transmitted the required number of pulses to the drive driver 20 (Y in S362), the process proceeds to step S363. On the other hand, if it is judged that the CPU 50 has not transmitted the required number of pulses to the drive driver 20 (N in S362), the process returns to step S361, and an additional 30 degrees is added to the driver-side electrical angle. For example, if the set value of the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10a is 240 degrees, the driver-side electrical angle is added until the driver-side electrical angle becomes 240 degrees, and a current is passed through the electronic expansion valve 10a.

[0095] In step S363, the CPU 50 updates the recorded information regarding the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve 10a. In this manner, the CPU 50 stores the electrical angle when the electronic expansion valve 10a is stopped until the next step in which the electronic expansion valve 10a is controlled.

[0096] In steps S370 to S200 in FIG. 14, control related to the electronic expansion valve 10b is performed. In step S370 of FIG. 14, the setting is changed over by SPI communication, and the changeover switch 70 is changed over. Next, in step S380, the dummy load is energized. Next, in step S390, the setting is changed over by SPI communication, and the changeover switch 70 is changed over. Next, in step S400, the electronic expansion valve 10b is driven. The electronic expansion valve 10b is also controlled in the same manner as the electronic expansion valve 10a. When the control of the electronic expansion valve 10b ends, the controlled object is switched and the control of the electronic expansion valve 10a is performed again. When three or more electronic expansion valves 10 are installed, all of the electronic expansion valves 10 are similarly controlled in sequence.

[0097] [Fourth embodiment] Hereinafter, the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. In the third embodiment, the positive or negative electrode side of each phase of the electronic expansion valve 10 is shared outside the control board 1, but in this embodiment, the positive or negative electrode side of each phase of the electronic expansion valve 10 is shared within the board of the control board 1, which is different from the third embodiment described above. In this embodiment, an example in which the negative electrode side of each phase is shared within the board will be described. Hereinafter, regarding a control board, an air conditioner, a control method, and a control program in several embodiments of the present disclosure, a description will be omitted of points in common with the first embodiment described above, and a description will be mainly given of points that are different.

[0098] FIG. 18 illustrates a control board in some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 18, the control board 1 includes a CPU 50, a driver 20, a changeover switch 70, a connector 80, and electronic expansion valves (expansion valves) 10 (10a and 10b).

[0099] In this embodiment, wiring is performed between the changeover switch 70 and the connector 80 so that the negative pole sides of the respective phases are common. As a result, the number of input lines to the control board 1 is increased compared to the first embodiment, but the number of wires outside the control board 1 is reduced, improving noise resistance and reducing noise generation.

[0100] <Additional Notes> The control board, the air conditioner, the control method, and the control program described in the above-described embodiments can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0101] A control board (1) of a first aspect of the present disclosure includes a CPU (50) that controls a plurality of electronic expansion valves (10) via a drive driver (20), the drive driver provided one-to-one with the CPU, an operation setting switch (60) that switches the drive driver to a setting of the electronic expansion valve to be controlled in response to an operation setting switching signal output from the CPU so as to perform operation setting for the electronic expansion valve, and a changeover switch (70) that switches a current path so that a current flows from the drive driver to the electronic expansion valve to be controlled at a current value based on the advanced phase clock signal output from the CPU.

[0102] The multiple electronic expansion valves controlled by the CPU are controlled via a drive driver.The control board is equipped with an operation setting switch that switches in response to an operation setting switching signal output from the CPU, and a switching switch that switches the current path so that current flows from the drive driver to the electronic expansion valve to be controlled.This makes it possible to simplify the wiring of the control board while mounting the configuration necessary to control the multiple electronic expansion valves on the control board. For example, when adding one electronic expansion valve to the control board of the present disclosure, control is possible by simply adding two switches of the changeover switch and one CPU port of the driver.

[0103] In the control board of the second aspect of the present disclosure, in the first aspect, the CPU may call up the stored electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve to be controlled, the changeover switch may switch the current path so that a current flows from the drive driver to a load (31, 32) at a current value based on an advanced phase clock signal output from the CPU, and the drive driver may increase or decrease the electrical angle by one step in accordance with the advanced phase clock signal until the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve to be controlled matches the electrical angle of the drive driver.

[0104] Although the drive driver cannot store the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve it is driving, the CPU stores the electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve and can reproduce the corresponding electrical angle using a load, making it possible to restore the previous control position when controlling multiple electronic expansion valves.

[0105] In the control board of a third aspect of the present disclosure, in the first or second aspect, the CPU may fix a stop position of each of the electronic expansion valves and end the control.

[0106] When the control of the electronic expansion valve is terminated, the stop position of each electronic expansion valve is fixed, so there is no need to record the control position (electrical angle). This eliminates the need to use a switch and a load required for adjusting the electrical angle of the change-over switch.

[0107] In the control board of a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, in any one of the first to third aspects, wiring on the positive and negative sides of each phase of the electronic expansion valve may be shared outside the control board.

[0108] By sharing the wiring outside the control board, the number of input lines to the control board can be reduced, and the connector 80 of the control board can be made smaller.

[0109] A control board according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is any one of the first to third aspects, wherein wiring on the positive and negative sides of each phase of the electronic expansion valve may be commonized within the control board.

[0110] By sharing the wiring within the control board, the wiring outside the control board can be reduced, improving noise resistance, which can prevent malfunctions of the entire system due to a deterioration in EMC (Electro Magnetic Compatibility) performance.

[0111] In the control board of a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the CPU may control the flow of current to each of the electronic expansion valves up to the number of pulses required for initialization to close all of the electronic expansion valves to a fully closed position before controlling the electronic expansion valve to be controlled.

[0112] If initialization is performed when the electronic expansion valve is at a low opening, unnecessary force will be applied, shortening the life of the electronic expansion valve, but this can be prevented by the position adjustment of the present disclosure.

[0113] The control board of the seventh aspect of the present disclosure includes a CPU that controls a plurality of electronic expansion valves via a drive driver, the drive driver that is provided one-to-one with the CPU and configured to set the operation of the electronic expansion valve to be controlled via SPI communication from the CPU, and a changeover switch that switches the current path so that current flows from the drive driver to the electronic expansion valve to be controlled at a current value based on an advanced phase clock signal output from the CPU.

[0114] The multiple electronic expansion valves controlled by the CPU are controlled via a drive driver, and by providing input and output via SPI communication and a switch that switches the current path so that current flows from the drive driver to the electronic expansion valve to be controlled, it is possible to simplify the wiring of the control board by mounting the configuration required to control multiple electronic expansion valves on the control board. By configuring operation settings through SPI communication, it is possible to reduce the number of components required for the circuit, and to reduce and save the board area of ​​the control board. For example, when adding one electronic expansion valve to the control board of the present disclosure, control is possible by simply adding two switches of the changeover switch and one CPU port of the driver.

[0115] An air conditioner according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure may include a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve controlled by the control board according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, and an evaporator.

[0116] A control method of a ninth aspect of the present disclosure is executed by a computer, comprising the steps of: controlling a plurality of electronic expansion valves via a drive driver; switching the drive driver to a setting of the electronic expansion valve to perform operation settings for the controlled electronic expansion valve in response to an operation setting switching signal output from a CPU; and switching a current path so that current flows from the drive driver to the controlled electronic expansion valve at a current value based on the advanced phase clock signal output from the CPU.

[0117] A control program according to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure causes a computer to execute the control method according to the ninth aspect. [Explanation of symbols]

[0118] 1 Control Board 10 (10a, 10b) Electronic expansion valve (expansion valve) 20 (20a, 20b) Driving driver 31, 32 Load (dummy load) 41, 42, 43, 44 Resistance 50 CPU 60 Operation setting switch 70 Changeover switch 80 Connectors 90 ECU 100 HVAC ECU 520 Electric Compressor 530 Water Pump 540 Pressure Sensor 550 Temperature Sensor 560 Solenoid valve 1100 CPU 1200 Main storage 1300 Secondary storage 1400 Communication I / F (Interface) 1500 Input / output section 1800 Bus

Claims

1. A CPU that controls a plurality of electronic expansion valves via a drive driver; the driving driver provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the CPU; an operation setting switch that switches the driver to a setting of the electronic expansion valve to perform an operation setting for the electronic expansion valve to be controlled in response to an operation setting switching signal output from the CPU; a changeover switch that changes a current path so that a current flows from the drive driver to the electronic expansion valve to be controlled at a current value based on a leading phase clock signal output from the CPU; A control board comprising:

2. The CPU reads out the stored electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve to be controlled, the changeover switch switches a current path so that a current flows from the driver to a load at a current value based on the leading-phase clock signal output from the CPU; 2. The control board according to claim 1, wherein the driving driver increases or decreases an electrical angle by one step in response to the leading phase clock signal until an electrical angle of the electronic expansion valve to be controlled matches an electrical angle of the driving driver.

3. The control board according to claim 1 , wherein the CPU fixes the stop positions of the electronic expansion valves and ends the control.

4. 2. The control board according to claim 1, wherein wiring for the positive electrode side or the negative electrode side of each phase of the electronic expansion valve is shared outside the control board.

5. 2. The control board according to claim 1, wherein wiring on the positive electrode side or the negative electrode side of each phase of the electronic expansion valve is shared within the control board.

6. 2. The control board according to claim 1, wherein the CPU controls the current to flow through each of the electronic expansion valves up to the number of pulses required for initialization to close the electronic expansion valves to a fully closed position before controlling the electronic expansion valves to be controlled.

7. A CPU that controls a plurality of electronic expansion valves via a drive driver; a driver that is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the CPU and is configured to set an operation of the electronic expansion valve to be controlled by the CPU through SPI communication; a changeover switch that changes a current path so that a current flows from the drive driver to the electronic expansion valve to be controlled at a current value based on a leading phase clock signal output from the CPU; A control board comprising:

8. A compressor; A condenser; An electronic expansion valve controlled by the control board according to claim 1; An air conditioner comprising an evaporator.

9. controlling the plurality of electronic expansion valves via a drive driver; switching the driver to a setting of the electronic expansion valve in response to an operation setting switching signal output from a CPU so as to perform operation setting of the electronic expansion valve to be controlled; switching a current path so that a current flows from the drive driver to the electronic expansion valve to be controlled at a current value based on the leading phase clock signal output from the CPU; A computer-implemented control method comprising:

10. A control program for causing a computer to execute the control method according to claim 9.

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