air conditioning system

Abstract

To more efficiently eliminate indoor temperature unevenness by suppressing an effect caused by a situation where an air blower is not installed at an appropriate position.SOLUTION: An air conditioning system includes: an air conditioner 1 for sending out air-conditioned air from an indoor unit 2 disposed in an indoor space to the indoor space; and an air blower 4 disposed in the indoor space. The air conditioning system includes an air blowing control section 28B for controlling air blowing by the air blower 4. The air blowing control section 28B includes: a determination section 28Bc for determining whether or not the air-conditioned air sent out by the indoor unit 2 reaches the air blower 4; and an air blowing direction determination section 28Bd for determining the air blowing direction of the air blower 4 on the basis of a determination result obtained by the determination section 28Bc.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning system that conditions indoor air. [Background technology]

[0002] One way to efficiently circulate the air from an air conditioner (indoor unit) throughout the room and eliminate uneven temperatures in the room is to use an air conditioner in conjunction with a circulator or other fan. An example of an air conditioning system equipped with an air conditioner and a blower is the system described in Patent Document 1.

[0003] The system described in Patent Document 1 uses an infrared sensor to acquire the position of the blower relative to the indoor unit. Patent Document 1 also analyzes indoor temperature distribution data. Specifically, the system described in Patent Document 1 compares information on the temperature differences between all compartments on the floor, walls, and ceiling, and identifies the compartment with the largest temperature difference, which is the compartment where the temperature difference between the floor temperature, wall temperature, or ceiling temperature and the set temperature of the indoor unit is the largest. The direction of the blower fan is then controlled so that the airflow direction from the blower is oriented toward the compartment with the largest temperature difference. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2017 / 183083 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Generally, it is desirable to install the blower within the range where the air conditioner's wind (the airflow of conditioned air) can reach. However, users do not always install the fan in such an appropriate location. For this reason, the system described in Patent Document 1 has the problem that if the fan is not installed in an appropriate location in the room, that is, in an area where the air from the air conditioner can reach, it may not be able to fully eliminate uneven temperatures in the room.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and aims to more efficiently eliminate temperature unevenness in a room by reducing the effects of installing a blower in an inappropriate position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the problem, one aspect of the present invention is an air conditioning system comprising an air conditioner that sends conditioned air into a room from an indoor unit placed in the room, and a blower placed in the room, wherein the air conditioning system comprises an air blowing control unit for controlling the air blowing from the blower, and the air blowing control unit comprises a judgment unit that judges whether the conditioned air sent out by the indoor unit has reached the blower, and an air blowing direction determination unit that determines the air blowing direction of the blower based on the judgment result of the judgment unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the aspects of the present invention, it is possible to circulate the air in the room more efficiently, and to eliminate uneven temperature in the room. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating a basic configuration of an indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram illustrating a basic configuration of an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram illustrating a basic configuration of a remote control according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram illustrating a basic configuration of a blower according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an indoor unit side control unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a process flow for identifying the position of a blower. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a process flow for determining whether an airflow is directed toward a blower. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing flow for determining an airflow direction. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing flow for determining an air volume. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a blower-side control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The air conditioning system of this embodiment is a system that conditions the air in a target room to desired set conditions by cooling, heating, or dehumidifying the air. As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioning system of this embodiment includes an air conditioner 1 and a blower 4.

[0011] (Air conditioner 1) The air conditioner 1 comprises an indoor unit 2 installed indoors and an outdoor unit 3 located outdoors. The indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 are connected by a refrigerant circuit that circulates a refrigerant. The air conditioner 1 receives power for operation from an external power source (not shown).

[0012] (Indoor unit 2) 1 illustrates a wall-mounted indoor unit 2. However, there are no particular restrictions on the installation form of the indoor unit 2. The installation form of the indoor unit 2 may be, for example, a ceiling-suspended type or a ceiling-embedded type.

[0013] 2, in this embodiment, the indoor unit 2 includes an indoor heat exchanger 21, a blower fan 22, an airflow direction adjuster 23, a transmitter / receiver 24, an indoor temperature sensor 29, a blower position detection sensor 25, a display 26, a thermistor 27, and an indoor unit side control unit 28. However, this configuration is not limiting, and for example, if the indoor unit 2 is a duct type, the airflow direction adjuster 23 may not be required.

[0014] <Indoor heat exchanger 21> The indoor heat exchanger 21 exchanges heat between the air taken in from the indoor space S and the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit. The indoor space S is a space inside the room in which the indoor unit 2 is installed. The indoor space S is a space to be air-conditioned.

[0015] <Blower fan 22> The blower fan 22 is a blower means that takes in indoor air from the indoor space S, exchanges heat in the indoor heat exchanger 21, and sends the conditioned air out into the indoor space S from the air outlet of the indoor unit 2. <Wind direction adjuster 23> The airflow direction adjuster 23 adjusts the blowing direction of the conditioned air blown out by the blower fan 22.

[0016] <Transmitter / receiver 24> The transmitting / receiving unit 24 constitutes a transmitting unit of the indoor unit 2 that wirelessly transmits signals, and a receiving unit that receives signals. In this embodiment, the transmitting / receiving section 24 includes an infrared receiving unit 24A and a wireless unit 24B.

[0017] The infrared receiving unit 24A receives a signal from the remote control 5 operated by the user. The wireless unit 24B performs wireless communication with the control unit of the fan 4 (fan control unit 45).

[0018] <Indoor temperature sensor 29> In this embodiment, the indoor temperature sensor 29 is configured by a thermopile. In this embodiment, the thermopile measures the temperatures of the floor, wall, and ceiling surfaces in the indoor space S, at least at a plurality of locations on the floor surface.

[0019] <Blower position detection sensor 25> The fan position detection sensor 25 detects the relative position of the fan 4 with respect to the indoor unit 2. The fan position detection sensor 25 of this embodiment is configured to include a magnetic sensor for position detection, and detects the position of the fan 4 by receiving a signal from a magnetic sensor for position detection (fan position transmitter 43) provided in the fan 4. The fan position detection sensor 25 may also detect the position of the fan 4 by other known methods. For example, the fan position detection sensor 25 may detect the position of the fan 4 by receiving infrared rays emitted by an infrared generator built into the fan 4. The fan position detection sensor 25 may also detect the position of the fan 4 by processing an image captured by a camera built into the indoor unit 2, for example.

[0020] The blower position detection sensor 25 may be configured to detect not only the position of the blower 4 but also the current orientation or reference orientation of the blower fan 41 of the blower 4. The orientation of the blower fan 41 of the blower 4 may be acquired from the blower 4 via wireless communication.

[0021] Here, a supplementary explanation will be given of the magnetic sensor for detecting the position of the fan 4. This magnetic sensor may be the same type as those used in VR data gloves, game controllers, etc. This magnetic sensor has coils that are orthogonal to the horizontal and vertical directions, and detects position and direction from changes in magnetic flux density. The blower position detection sensor 25 generates a magnetic field and receives a signal emitted by the blower position transmitter 43, thereby identifying the relative position and direction of the indoor unit 2 and blower 4. The magnetic sensor may be a gyro sensor or an acceleration sensor, as long as it is a sensor that can detect the position and direction of the blower 4.

[0022] Note that the coil of this magnetic sensor for position detection generates heat if it is constantly energized. For this reason, it is preferable that the magnetic sensor provided in the blower 4 be activated only when the indoor unit 2 starts operation or when a transmission request is received from the indoor unit side control unit 28, and only for a predetermined time (for example, 15 seconds), that is, for a short time.

[0023] <Display 26> The display 26 displays the operating state of the air conditioner 1, particularly the indoor unit 2. <Thermistor 27> The thermistor 27 measures the temperature of the air drawn from the indoor space S into the indoor unit 2 before conditioning. The processing of the indoor unit side control section 28 will be described later.

[0024] (Outdoor unit 3) As shown in FIG. 3, the outdoor unit 3 includes an outdoor heat exchanger 31, a fan 32, a compressor 33, and various sensors . The outdoor heat exchanger 31 exchanges heat between outdoor air and the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit. The fan 32 takes in air from outdoors, exchanges heat in the outdoor heat exchanger 31, and sends the air outdoors. The compressor 33 compresses the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit. The various sensors 34 are sensors that measure, for example, refrigerant pressure and various temperatures.

[0025] Here, the configuration of the outdoor unit 3 is not particularly limited, and as long as it has the functions of the outdoor unit 3, there are no particular limitations on its configuration or form.

[0026] 1 is exemplified as a separate-type air conditioner in which the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 are separated from each other. However, the air conditioner may be an integrated-type air conditioner in which the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 are housed in the same housing.

[0027] (Remote Control 5) As shown in FIG. 4, the remote control 5 includes an operation unit 51, a transmission unit 52, and an information display unit 53. The operation unit 51 is an input unit for receiving operation information through user operation. The transmission unit 52 transmits the operation information received by the operation unit 51 as an operation command signal, which is instruction information, to the indoor unit 2. The information display unit 53 is a display unit for displaying various information such as the set temperature and operation mode.

[0028] The instruction information sent from the remote controller to the indoor unit 2 includes at least the set temperature of the air conditioning and the air conditioning operation mode, such as cooling or heating. The set temperature is the target temperature for the room set by the user. The remote control 5 may have a receiving unit that receives information from the indoor unit 2.

[0029] (Blower 4) The blower 4 is, for example, a circulator. The blower 4 of this embodiment includes a mechanism for rotating the blade portion 41A (impeller) to blow out air.

[0030] The blower 4 of this embodiment can control the direction and power of the airflow it blows out based on instruction information from the indoor unit side control unit 28. The blower 4 of this embodiment is independent of the indoor unit 2 and can be carried by the user. In other words, the blower 4 of this embodiment can be installed in any position indoors. The position of the blower 4 may also be fixed.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 5, the blower 4 includes a blower fan 41 which is the main body of the blower 4, a wind direction adjustment unit 42, a blower position transmission unit 43, a transceiver unit 44, and a blower control unit 45. <Blower fan 41> The blower fan 41 is a fan unit, and includes a blade portion 41A having an impeller, and a rotary motor 41B that drives the impeller to rotate.

[0032] <Wind direction adjustment section 42> The wind direction adjustment unit 42 includes a rotation mechanism 42A and a wind direction adjustment motor 42B. <Rotation mechanism> The rotation mechanism 42A is a mechanism that rotates to change the direction of the blower fan 41 in a plan view of the indoor space S. The rotation mechanism 42A of this embodiment also has a mechanism that rotates the blower fan 41 in the vertical direction (oscillates in the vertical direction).

[0033] <Wind direction adjustment motor 42B> The airflow direction adjusting motor 42B is a driving unit that adjusts the direction of the blower fan 41 via the rotation mechanism 42A.

[0034] <Blower position transmitting unit 43> The fan position transmitter 43 is an information transmission sensor that transmits a signal that identifies the position of the fan 4. As described above, the fan position transmitter 43 of this embodiment is made up of a magnetic sensor that includes a coil that transmits magnetism. The fan position transmitter 43 may also be configured to transmit position information by other means such as infrared transmission or wireless transmission. In the case of a magnetic sensor, it is possible to transmit position information in three dimensions.

[0035] <Transmitter / receiver 44> The transmitting / receiving unit 44 of this embodiment includes an infrared receiving unit 44A and a wireless unit 44B. The infrared receiving unit 44A performs wireless communication with the wireless unit 24B of the indoor unit 2 via the smart remote control 6. The smart remote control 6 converts the wireless communication signal into an infrared signal. The infrared receiving unit 24A also performs wireless communication with a remote control (not shown) for the blower 4. The infrared receiving unit 44A may not be required as a communication unit with the indoor unit 2. The wireless unit 44B performs wireless communication with the wireless unit 24B of the indoor unit 2. The blower control unit 45 will be described later.

[0036] (Indoor unit side control unit 28) The indoor unit side control section 28 includes an indoor unit side air conditioning control section 28A and an air blowing control section 28B, as shown in Fig. 6. The indoor unit side control section 28 is configured by a microcomputer equipped with a CPU and a memory.

[0037] Here, the indoor unit air conditioning control unit 28A and the air blowing control unit 28B may be configured as separate microcomputers that are independent of each other. In this case, the air blowing control unit 28B may be provided in a housing that is independent of the indoor unit 2 and that is capable of wireless communication with the indoor unit 2. For example, the air blowing control unit 28B may be built into the remote control 5, the air blower 4, or the like.

[0038] (Indoor unit side air conditioning control unit 28A) The indoor unit-side air conditioning control unit 28A controls the operation of the indoor unit 2 based on instruction information from the remote control 5. In this embodiment, there are no limitations on the functions or configuration of the processing configuration of the indoor unit-side air conditioning control unit 28A, as long as it is possible to control the delivery of conditioned air. The processing of the indoor unit-side air conditioning control unit 28A is configured, for example, by known air conditioning control for the indoor unit 2.

[0039] (Air blowing control unit 28B) The air blowing control unit 28B calculates information for controlling the air blowing of the fan 4 according to the air conditioning state of the indoor unit 2, such as the floor temperature, which will be described later. As shown in FIG. 6, the air blowing control unit 28B includes a floor temperature acquisition unit 28Ba, a fan position acquisition unit 28Bb, a determination unit 28Bc, an air blowing direction determination unit 28Bd, and an air blowing amount determination unit 28Be.

[0040] <Floor temperature acquisition section 28Ba> The floor temperature acquisition unit 28Ba divides the floor surface of the indoor space S in a plan view into a plurality of sections, and acquires the floor temperature for each section based on the floor temperature information for each section acquired (detected) by the indoor temperature sensor 29.

[0041] Each section is assigned an identification number, for example, and is managed by identification. The floor temperature for each section is stored in the memory of the air conditioning control on the indoor unit 2 side. The floor temperature acquisition unit 28Ba also performs processing to convert the divided sections into set XY coordinates (two-dimensional coordinates).

[0042] The partitioned area does not necessarily have to be the entire floor surface, but may be an area within a range that can be recognized by the indoor temperature sensor 29 from the indoor unit 2. This area may be, for example, an area to which conditioned air from the room can be directly sent out.

[0043] <Blower position acquisition unit 28Bb> The blower position acquisition unit 28Bb identifies the position of the blower 4 based on the signal received by the blower position detection sensor 25, and calculates blower position information, which is information about which of the multiple sections the blower 4 is located in, from the identified position and coordinate information of the multiple sections, and acquires the blower position information.

[0044] An example of the processing performed by the fan position acquisition unit 28Bb will be described with reference to Fig. 7. This processing is repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle (for example, every 5 minutes).

[0045] First, in step S10, the fan position acquisition unit 28Bb acquires the distance to the fan 4 on the XY coordinate system based on the signal received by the fan position detection sensor 25. Next, in step S20, the fan position acquisition unit 28Bb identifies in which of the divided sections (areas) the fan 4 is located, based on the acquired distance on the XY coordinates. Next, in step S30, the fan position acquisition unit 28Bb determines the section in which the identified fan 4 is located as the installation area α, and ends the process.

[0046] <Judgment part 28Bc> The determination unit 28Bc determines whether the conditioned air sent out by the indoor unit 2 has reached the fan 4 or not. The judgment unit 28Bc of this embodiment judges whether the conditioned air flow has reached the blower 4 based on the information acquired by the floor temperature acquisition unit 28Ba, the information acquired by the blower position acquisition unit 28Bb (blower position information), and the set temperature of the indoor unit 2.

[0047] The determination unit 28Bc of this embodiment, for example, determines one or more sections that are reached by the airflow of conditioned air and determines that these sections are areas that are reached by the airflow of conditioned air. Here, a section included in an area that is reached by the airflow of conditioned air is also referred to as an airflow reach section. Then, the determination unit 28Bc of this embodiment determines whether the airflow of conditioned air is reaching the fan 4 based on the fan position information and whether a fan 4 is present in the airflow reach section.

[0048] For example, if the temperature of a section is close to the set temperature, the section is determined to be an airflow reach section. Close to the set temperature means, for example, that the difference from the set temperature is less than 1°C. If airflow reach sections exist in multiple discontinuous areas, for example, the section in the area with the temperature closest to the set temperature is determined to be the airflow reach section.

[0049] That is, the determination unit 28Bc of this embodiment calculates the temperature difference between the temperature of each section and the set temperature, and determines the airflow reach section based on the temperature difference between each section.The determination unit 28Bc also calculates the section with the largest temperature difference from the temperature differences between the sections, and sets that section as the temperature deviation section.

[0050] An example of the processing of the determination unit 28Bc will now be described with reference to Fig. 8. This processing is repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle (for example, every 5 minutes).

[0051] First, in step S100, determination unit 28Bc acquires the floor temperature of installation area α, which is the section in which blower 4 is located, from the information acquired by floor temperature acquisition unit 28Ba and the information acquired by blower position acquisition unit 28Bb. The acquired floor temperature is set to floor temperature α. Next, in step S110, the determination unit 28Bc determines whether the current air conditioning operation by the indoor unit 2 is cooling operation or heating operation. If it is cooling operation (S110-Y), the process proceeds to step S120. If it is heating operation (S110-N), the process proceeds to step S150.

[0052] In step S120, the determination unit 28Bc determines whether the floor temperature α is significantly higher (for example, by 2°C or more) than the set temperature. If the determination is satisfied (S120-Y), the process proceeds to step S130. On the other hand, if the determination is not satisfied (S120-N), the process proceeds to step S140. In step S130, the determination unit 28Bc determines that the cool air has not reached the fan 4, and then ends the process. The cool air is the airflow of conditioned air sent out by the indoor unit 2.

[0053] In step S140, the determination unit 28Bc determines that the cool air has reached the fan 4, and then ends the process. The cool air is the airflow of conditioned air sent out by the indoor unit 2. In step S150, the determination unit 28Bc determines whether the floor temperature α is significantly lower (for example, by 2°C or more) than the set temperature. If the determination is satisfied (S150-Y), the process proceeds to step S160. On the other hand, if the determination is not satisfied (S150-N), the process proceeds to step S170.

[0054] In step S160, the determination unit 28Bc determines that the hot air has not reached the fan 4, and then ends the process. The hot air is the airflow of conditioned air sent out by the indoor unit 2. In step S140, the determination unit 28Bc determines that the warm air has reached the fan 4, and then ends the process. The warm air is the airflow of conditioned air sent out by the indoor unit 2.

[0055] <Blow direction determining section 28Bd> The airflow direction determining unit 28Bd determines the airflow direction of the fan 4 based on the determination result of the determining unit 28Bc. In this embodiment, when the airflow direction determination unit 28Bd determines, based on the judgment result of the judgment unit 28Bc, that the airflow of the conditioned air sent out by the conditioned air does not reach the blower 4, it determines the airflow direction of the blower 4 to be in the direction of the area (airflow reaching section) where the conditioned air sent out by the conditioned air reaches in a planar view.

[0056] In addition, when the airflow direction determination unit 28Bd of this embodiment determines, based on the judgment result of the judgment unit 28Bc, that the conditioned air sent out by the conditioned air reaches the blower 4, it determines the airflow direction of the blower 4 to be in the direction of the temperature deviation section in a planar view. If the air current reaching section cannot be detected, the air direction of the blower 4 is not adjusted, or the direction of the air blown by the blower 4 is determined to be the direction of the temperature deviation section in plan view.

[0057] An example of the processing of the airflow direction determination unit 28Bd will be described with reference to Fig. 9. This processing is repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle (for example, every 5 minutes).

[0058] First, in step S200, airflow direction determination unit 28Bd determines, based on the determination result of determination unit 28Bc, whether the airflow of conditioned air sent out by indoor unit 2 has reached fan 4. If it has determined that the airflow has not reached (S200-Y), the process proceeds to step S210. If it has determined that the airflow has reached (S200-N), the process proceeds to step S270.

[0059] In step S210, airflow direction determination unit 28Bd identifies the section closest to the set temperature among the multiple sections into which the floor is divided, based on the information acquired by floor temperature acquisition unit 28Ba, and designates the identified section as floor temperature area β. Floor temperature area β corresponds to the airflow arrival section. Then, the process proceeds to step S220.

[0060] In the above explanation, the section closest to the set temperature is set as the floor temperature area β, i.e., the airflow reach section, but this is not limited to this. When the air conditioning operating mode is cooling mode, the section with the lowest temperature may be set as the floor temperature area β, i.e., the airflow reach section, as the area where the conditioned air reaches.

[0061] Furthermore, when the air conditioning operating mode is heating, the section with the highest temperature may be set as the area reached by the conditioned air current, that is, the floor temperature area β, i.e., the air current reach section. However, because warm air tends to accumulate at the top during heating, the floor temperature acquisition unit 28Ba also divides the ceiling side into multiple sections, acquires the temperature of each section, determines the section with the highest temperature among the ceiling-side sections, and sets the floor-side section located below and opposite the determined section as the floor temperature area β, that is, the air current reach section.

[0062] Furthermore, the floor temperature area β, that is, the airflow reach section, may be set by estimating the direction of the airflow sent out from the indoor unit 2 from the state of the airflow direction adjuster 23.

[0063] In step S220, the airflow direction determination unit 28Bd determines the direction (horizontal direction) of the floor temperature area β starting from the installation area α in the preset XY coordinate system, and sets the determined direction as the direction XY. The direction XY is determined as an angle with respect to a reference direction, for example. Then, the process proceeds to step S230. In step S230, it is determined whether the current air conditioning operation of the indoor unit 2 is cooling operation or heating operation. If it is cooling operation (S230-Y), the process proceeds to step S240. If it is heating operation (S230-N), the process proceeds to step S250.

[0064] In step S240, airflow direction determination unit 28Bd determines the vertical orientation of the fan of blower 4 to be diagonally upward or diagonally downward, and sets the determined direction as direction Z. Then, the process proceeds to step S260. In step S250, airflow direction determination unit 28Bd determines the vertical direction of the fan of blower 4 to be diagonally upward, and sets the determined direction as direction Z. Then, the process proceeds to step S260.

[0065] This processing example illustrates a case where the vertical airflow direction of the blower 4 is also controlled depending on whether the air conditioning operation is cooling or heating. This is because, during cooling operation, the conditioned air sent out tends to accumulate on the floor side, and during heating operation, the conditioned air sent out tends to accumulate on the ceiling side.

[0066] In step S270, airflow direction determination unit 28Bd identifies the section with the floor temperature farthest from the set temperature among the multiple sections into which the floor surface is divided, based on the information acquired by floor temperature acquisition unit 28Ba, and designates the identified section as floor temperature area γ. Floor temperature area γ corresponds to the temperature deviation section. Then, the process proceeds to step S280.

[0067] In step S280, the airflow direction determination unit 28Bd determines the direction (horizontal direction) of the floor temperature area γ starting from the installation area α in the preset XY coordinate system, and sets the determined direction as the direction XY. For example, the direction is determined as an angle with respect to a reference direction. Then, the process proceeds to step S290. In step S290, airflow direction determination unit 28Bd determines the vertical orientation of blower fan 41 of blower 4 to be the intermediate direction, and sets the determined direction as direction Z. Then, the process proceeds to step S260.

[0068] In step S260, airflow direction determination unit 28Bd transmits information on the determined directions XY and Z as a wind direction instruction command to fan control unit 45 via transceiver unit 44, and then ends the process.

[0069] <Airflow volume determination unit 28Be> The airflow rate determination unit 28Be obtains the largest temperature difference between the floor temperature of each section and the set temperature of the indoor unit 2 as the maximum deviation temperature, and determines the airflow rate of the fan 4 based on that deviation temperature.

[0070] For example, when the maximum deviation temperature, which is the temperature difference in the temperature deviation section, is large, the airflow rate determination unit 28Be of this embodiment sets the airflow rate to a larger value than when the deviation temperature is small. That is, the airflow rate is set to increase stepwise or continuously according to the maximum temperature difference (temperature difference).

[0071] An example of the processing of the airflow amount determination unit 28Be will now be described with reference to Fig. 10. This processing is repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle (for example, every 5 minutes). First, in step S300, a temperature difference γ between the set temperature and the floor temperature area γ, which is the section (temperature deviation section) farthest from the set temperature among the multiple sections, is calculated.

[0072] Next, in step S310, the fan rotation speed of the blower 4 is calculated as a value proportional to the temperature difference γ based on the following equation (1). That is, the fan rotation speed of the blower 4 is set according to the degree of deviation between the temperature deviation sections, i.e., the degree of temperature unevenness. Here, the temperature difference γ is a parameter that represents the degree of temperature unevenness in the indoor space S.

[0073] Fan rotation speed = c × temperature difference γ + d (1) where c and d are coefficients. In addition, in the formula (1), the set value of the fan rotation speed of the blower fan 41 and the value of the temperature difference γ are linearly related, but may be non-linear.

[0074] Next, in step S320, an instruction for instructing the air volume is transmitted to the fan control unit 45 via the transmitting / receiving unit 44, and the process ends.

[0075] (Blower control unit 45) The blower control unit 45 is a control unit for controlling the blower 4, such as adjusting the direction and airflow rate of the blower fan 41 of the blower 4. The blower control unit 45 is configured by a microcomputer having a CPU and a memory. As shown in FIG. 11, the blower control unit 45 of this embodiment includes a fan position adjustment unit 45A and a fan air volume adjustment unit 45B.

[0076] <Fan position adjustment unit 45A> The fan position adjustment unit 45A adjusts the direction of the blower fan 41 based on a signal from the blower control unit 28B. The fan position adjustment unit 45A of this embodiment drives the airflow direction adjustment motor 42B to match the airflow direction determined by the airflow direction determination unit 28Bd, based on a signal sent from the indoor unit side control unit 28. In this embodiment, the fan position adjustment unit 45A adjusts the horizontal and vertical angles of the orientation of the blower fan 41.

[0077] For example, the fan position adjustment unit 45A acquires the rotation angle of the blower fan 41 relative to the reference direction from the indoor unit side control unit 28, and adjusts the airflow direction to match that rotation angle.

[0078] <Fan air volume adjustment unit 45B> The fan air volume adjustment unit 45B adjusts the air volume of the blower fan 41 based on a signal from the air blow control unit 28B. When there is no signal from the indoor unit side control unit 28, the fan airflow adjustment unit 45B drives and controls the rotary motor 41B so that the airflow becomes the airflow set by the user operating the input unit of the blower 4 or by obtaining instruction information from a remote control (not shown) for the blower 4.

[0079] On the other hand, when the fan air volume adjustment unit 45B acquires air volume information based on a signal from the indoor unit side control unit 28, it controls the drive of the rotary motor 41B so as to achieve the acquired air volume (motor rotation speed).

[0080] (Operation etc.) When the objective is to eliminate temperature unevenness in the indoor space S, it is desirable to install the blower 4 within the range of the airflow of conditioned air sent out from the indoor unit 2. However, the user may not always install the blower 4 in an appropriate location in the room. If the user does not install the blower 4 within the range of the conditioned airflow sent out from the indoor unit 2, the blower 4 may not be able to fully eliminate temperature unevenness in the indoor space S.

[0081] In contrast, in the system of this embodiment, it is possible to circulate the air in the room more efficiently by adjusting the air blowing direction of the fan 4 according to the installation position of the fan 4. As a result, in this embodiment, it is possible to eliminate uneven temperature in the room.

[0082] Specifically, in this embodiment, even if the user places the blower 4 in a location where the airflow from the indoor unit 2 does not reach, the blowing direction of the blower 4 is automatically adjusted so that it faces the area to which the conditioned air from the indoor unit 2 reaches. As a result, in this embodiment, the air in the area to which the conditioned air from the indoor unit 2 reaches is diffused throughout the room by the blower 4, efficiently circulating the air in the indoor space S. As a result, in this embodiment, it is possible to eliminate temperature unevenness.

[0083] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the blower 4 is placed in a location that is well served by the airflow from the indoor unit 2, the blowing direction of the blower 4 is automatically adjusted so that it faces an area that is not reached by the conditioned air from the indoor unit 2. As a result, in this embodiment, the air in the area that is reached by the airflow of conditioned air from the indoor unit 2 is diffused throughout the room by the blower 4, efficiently circulating the air in the indoor space S. As a result, in this embodiment, it is possible to eliminate temperature unevenness.

[0084] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vertical direction of the air blown from the blower 4 is automatically adjusted depending on whether the air conditioning operation is cooling or heating, thereby making it possible to eliminate temperature unevenness more quickly. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the air volume of the blower 4 is adjusted based on the temperature difference from the set temperature, thereby making it possible to eliminate temperature unevenness more quickly.

[0085] (others) The present disclosure may also have the following configuration. (1) An air conditioning system comprising an air conditioner that sends conditioned air into a room from an indoor unit located inside the room, and a blower located inside the room, wherein the air conditioning system comprises an air blowing control unit for controlling the air blowing from the blower, and the air blowing control unit comprises a judgment unit that judges whether the conditioned air sent out by the indoor unit has reached the blower, and an air blowing direction determination unit that determines the air blowing direction of the blower based on the judgment result of the judgment unit. (2) The air blowing control unit has a floor temperature acquisition unit that divides the floor of the room into multiple sections and acquires the floor temperature for each section, and a blower position acquisition unit that acquires blower position information, which is information on which section of the multiple sections the blower is located in, and the determination unit determines whether the airflow of the conditioned air is reaching the blower based on the information acquired by the floor temperature acquisition unit, the information acquired by the blower position acquisition unit, and the set temperature of the indoor unit. (3) If the airflow direction determination unit determines, based on the judgment result of the judgment unit, that the conditioned air sent out by the indoor unit has not reached the blower, it determines the direction of the airflow from the blower to be in the direction of the area where the conditioned air sent out by the indoor unit has reached. (4) The blower is provided with a sensor for detecting a position, and the blower position acquisition unit calculates the blower position information based on a signal from the sensor. (5) The air blowing control unit acquires the largest temperature difference between each floor temperature for each section and the set temperature of the indoor unit as the maximum deviation temperature, and has an air blowing volume determination unit that determines the air blowing volume of the air blower based on the maximum deviation temperature, and when the deviation temperature is large, the air blowing volume determination unit sets the air blowing volume to a larger value than when the deviation temperature is small. (6) The determination unit and the airflow direction determination unit are provided in the indoor unit, a fan position control unit that controls the direction of the fan of the airflow unit is provided in the airflow unit, and the indoor unit is further provided with a transmission unit that wirelessly transmits a command for the airflow direction determined by the airflow direction determination unit to the fan position control unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 1. Air conditioner 2 Indoor unit 3 Outdoor unit 4. Blower 5 Remote Control 6. Smart Remote Control 21 Indoor heat exchanger 22 Blower fan 23 Wind direction adjuster 24 Transmitter / Receiver 24A Infrared receiving unit 24B Wireless Unit (Transmitter) 25 Blower position detection sensor 26 Display 27 Thermistor 28 Indoor unit side control section 28A Indoor unit air conditioning control unit 28B Air flow control unit 28Ba Floor temperature acquisition part 28Bb Blower position acquisition part 28Bc Judgment part 28Bd Air blow direction determining section 28Be Airflow volume determination unit 29 Indoor temperature sensor 41 Blower fan 41A Blade 41B Rotary motor 42 Wind direction adjustment section 42A Rotation Mechanism 42B Wind direction adjustment motor 43 Blower position transmitter 43 Blower position transmitter (sensor for detecting position) 44 Transmitter / Receiver 44A Infrared receiving unit 44B Wireless Unit 45 Blower control unit 45A fan position adjustment part 45B Fan airflow adjustment unit S Indoor space

Claims

1. An air conditioning system comprising an air conditioner that sends conditioned air into a room from an indoor unit disposed in the room, and a blower disposed in the room, The air conditioning system includes an air blowing control unit for controlling air blowing by the air blower, The air blowing control unit is a determination unit that determines whether or not the conditioned air sent out by the indoor unit has reached the blower; an air blowing direction determination unit that determines the air blowing direction of the air blower based on the determination result of the determination unit; An air conditioning system comprising:

2. The air blowing control unit is a floor temperature acquisition unit that divides the indoor floor into a plurality of sections and acquires the floor temperature for each of the sections; a fan position acquisition unit that acquires fan position information, which is information about which section of the plurality of sections the fan is located in; and The determination unit determines whether or not the airflow of the conditioned air reaches the fan based on the information acquired by the floor temperature acquisition unit, the information acquired by the fan position acquisition unit, and the set temperature of the indoor unit.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

3. When it is determined based on the determination result of the determination unit that the conditioned air sent out by the indoor unit has not reached the blower, the air blowing direction determination unit determines the air blowing direction of the blower to be the direction of an area where the conditioned air sent out by the indoor unit has reached.

3. The air conditioning system according to claim 2.

4. a position detection sensor is provided on the blower; the fan position acquisition unit calculates the fan position information based on a signal from the sensor; 4. An air conditioning system according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The air blowing control unit is an airflow rate determination unit that obtains the largest temperature difference between each floor temperature of each section and the set temperature of the indoor unit as a maximum deviation temperature, and determines the airflow rate of the fan based on the maximum deviation temperature; When the deviation temperature is large, the airflow rate determination unit sets the airflow rate to a larger value than when the deviation temperature is small.

5. The air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein the air conditioning system comprises: a first air conditioning unit;

6. The determination unit and the airflow direction determination unit are provided in the indoor unit, a fan position control unit that controls the direction of the fan of the blower is provided in the blower; The indoor unit further includes a transmitter that wirelessly transmits a command for the airflow direction determined by the airflow direction determination unit to the fan position control unit.

6. An air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

Images