Vehicle air-conditioning apparatus

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a vehicle air-conditioning apparatus capable of performing sufficient pressurization when an occupant is boarding a vehicle while avoiding unnecessary pressurization. [Solution] A vehicle air-conditioning apparatus 1 comprises: an air-conditioning part 60 for adjusting the temperature of air to be blown into a cabin; a pressurizing means 95 capable of increasing the atmospheric pressure in the cabin; and a control device 32. When performing pre-air-conditioning control by the air-conditioning part 60, the control device 32 can execute pressurization control for increasing the atmospheric pressure in the cabin to be higher than that at the outside of the vehicle by means of the pressurizing means 95.

Description

Vehicle air conditioning system

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning system for a vehicle.

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known an internal vehicle pressurization device that prevents foreign objects from entering the vehicle when a user opens a door of the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The technology described in Patent Document 1 is configured such that a pressurization device increases the air pressure inside the vehicle when a detection device detects that the vehicle door has been unlocked or that a key is present near the vehicle.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-154707

[0004] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 has problems such as unnecessary or insufficient pressure being applied. For example, if a person with a key approaches a vehicle but does not enter the vehicle, unnecessary pressure is applied. Also, when entering the vehicle, the time from unlocking the door to opening the door is generally very short, which can result in insufficient pressure being applied to prevent the entry of foreign objects.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides an air conditioning system for a vehicle that can provide sufficient pressure when a passenger is in the vehicle while avoiding unnecessary pressure buildup.

[0006] The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioning system comprising an air conditioning unit that adjusts the temperature of air blown into the vehicle cabin, a pressurizing means that can increase the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin, and a control device, wherein the control device is capable of performing pressurizing control using the pressurizing means to increase the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin above that outside the vehicle when performing pre-air conditioning control using the air conditioning unit.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioning system for a vehicle that can provide sufficient pressurization when a passenger is in the vehicle while avoiding unnecessary pressurization.

[0008] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control device of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a control device of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of pre-air conditioning control according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of pre-air conditioning control according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of pre-air conditioning control according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figures 1 to 7 show an example of an embodiment of the present invention, and in the figures, parts with the same reference numerals indicate parts with the same functions, and duplicated explanations in each figure will be omitted as appropriate.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a vehicle air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle air conditioner 1 can be applied to vehicles such as electric vehicles (EVs) that do not have an internal combustion engine or so-called hybrid vehicles that use both an engine and an electric motor for driving. Such vehicles are equipped with an on-board battery 55 and are driven by supplying power charged in the battery 55 from an external power source to a motor unit 65 that includes a driving motor (electric motor). The on-board battery 55 (hereinafter simply referred to as "battery 55") is, for example, a lithium battery. The vehicle air conditioner 1 is also driven by power supplied from the battery 55.

[0011] The vehicle air conditioning device 1 of this embodiment, for example, air-conditions (air-conditions) the passenger compartment of the vehicle and regulates (controls) the temperature of temperature-controlled objects (battery 55, motor unit 65, etc.) mounted on the vehicle, and is equipped with a heat medium circuit that circulates a heat medium that has exchanged heat with a heat source to the temperature-controlled objects, and a control device that controls the heat medium circuit to control the temperature of each temperature-controlled object.

[0012] Referring to FIG. 1 , the vehicle air conditioner 1 includes, for example, a refrigerant circuit R for performing heat pump operation, an air conditioning unit (air conditioning circuit) 60 for adjusting the temperature (heating, cooling, dehumidifying) of air blown into the vehicle cabin, and ventilation, and a temperature adjustment unit (equipment temperature adjustment circuit) 61 for adjusting the temperature of heat-generating equipment (temperature-controlled equipment) such as a battery 55 and a motor unit 65. The equipment temperature adjustment circuit 61 is a heat medium circuit in which a heat medium (e.g., water) different from the refrigerant circuit R circulates, and is connected to the refrigerant circuit R in parallel via a refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger 64, which will be described later. The vehicle air conditioner 1 selectively performs air conditioning operations such as heating operation and cooling operation by heat pump operation using the refrigerant circuit R, thereby conditioning the air in the vehicle cabin and adjusting the temperature of the temperature-controlled equipment such as the battery 55 and the motor unit 65.

[0013] <Air conditioning section> The refrigerant circuit R constituting the air conditioning unit 60 is configured by an electric compressor (electric compressor) 2 that compresses the refrigerant, a condenser 4 that is provided in an air flow passage 3 of the HVAC unit 10 through which air inside the vehicle cabin is circulated and that serves as a heat radiating section (indoor heat exchanger, heating section) that radiates heat from the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2 to heat the air to be supplied to the vehicle cabin, an outdoor expansion valve 6 that serves as a pressure reducing section that reduces and expands the refrigerant during heating, an outdoor heat exchanger (radiator) 7 that performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and outside air to function as a radiator (condenser) that radiates heat from the refrigerant during cooling and as an evaporator that absorbs heat from the refrigerant during heating, an indoor expansion valve 8 that serves as a pressure reducing section that reduces and expands the refrigerant, an evaporator 9 that is provided in the air flow passage 3 and that serves as a heat absorbing section that causes the refrigerant to absorb heat from inside and outside the vehicle cabin during cooling (dehumidifying) to cool the air to be supplied to the vehicle cabin, and an accumulator 12, etc., which are connected by refrigerant pipes 13A to 13H.

[0014] Electronic expansion valves can be used for both the outdoor expansion valve 6 and the indoor expansion valve 8. The outdoor expansion valve 6 reduces the pressure and expands the refrigerant that flows out of the condenser 4 and into the outdoor heat exchanger 7, and can also be fully closed. The indoor expansion valve 8 reduces the pressure and expands the refrigerant that flows into the evaporator 9, and adjusts the heat absorption power of the refrigerant in the evaporator 9, i.e., the cooling capacity of the air passing through.

[0015] The refrigerant outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 7 and the refrigerant inlet of the evaporator 9 are connected by a refrigerant pipe 13A. A check valve 18 and an indoor expansion valve 8 are provided in the refrigerant pipe 13A, in this order from the outdoor heat exchanger 7 side. The check valve 18 is provided in the refrigerant pipe 13A so that the direction toward the evaporator 9 is the forward direction. The refrigerant pipe 13A branches into a refrigerant pipe 13B at a position closer to the outdoor heat exchanger 7 than the check valve 18.

[0016] Refrigerant pipe 13B branching off from refrigerant pipe 13A is connected to the refrigerant inlet of accumulator 12. Refrigerant pipe 13B is provided with, in this order from the exterior heat exchanger 7 side, a solenoid valve 21 that opens during heating and a check valve 20. Check valve 20 is connected so that the direction toward accumulator 12 is the forward direction. Refrigerant pipe 13B branches off to refrigerant pipe 13C between solenoid valve 21 and check valve 20. Refrigerant pipe 13C branching off from refrigerant pipe 13B is connected to the refrigerant outlet of evaporator 9. The refrigerant outlet of accumulator 12 and compressor 2 are connected by refrigerant pipe 13D.

[0017] The refrigerant outlet of the compressor 2 and the refrigerant inlet of the condenser 4 are connected by a refrigerant pipe 13E. One end of a refrigerant pipe 13F is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the condenser 4, and the other end of the refrigerant pipe 13F branches into a refrigerant pipe 13G and a refrigerant pipe 13H before the outdoor expansion valve 6 (on the refrigerant upstream side). One of the branched refrigerant pipes, 13H, is connected to the refrigerant inlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger 7 via the outdoor expansion valve 6. The other branched refrigerant pipe 13G is connected between the check valve 18 of the refrigerant pipe 13A and the indoor expansion valve 8. A solenoid valve 22 is provided on the refrigerant upstream side of the connection point of the refrigerant pipe 13G with the refrigerant pipe 13A.

[0018] As a result, the refrigerant pipe 13G is connected in parallel to the series circuit of the outdoor expansion valve 6, the outdoor heat exchanger 7 and the check valve 18, and becomes a circuit that bypasses the outdoor expansion valve 6, the outdoor heat exchanger 7 and the check valve 18.

[0019] The HVAC unit 10 houses a condenser 4 and an evaporator 9 therein, and an intake unit 10I is provided in the air flow passage 3 on the air upstream side of the evaporator 9. The intake unit 10I includes, for example, an outside air inlet 25A, an inside air inlet 25B, an intake switching damper 26, and an indoor blower (blower fan) 27.

[0020] The intake unit 10I uses an intake switching damper 26 to appropriately switch between inside air, which is air inside the vehicle cabin, and outside air, which is air outside the vehicle cabin, and introduces the air into the air flow passage 3 through an intake port 25 (outside air intake port 25A or inside air intake port 25B). Although not shown, an air filter is provided at each of the outside air intake port 25A and the inside air intake port 25B. An interior blower fan 27 is provided downstream of the intake switching damper 26 and supplies the introduced inside air or outside air to the air flow passage 3.

[0021] Furthermore, in the air flow passage 3 on the air downstream side of the condenser 4, there are formed air outlets for FOOT, VENT, and DEF (shown representatively as air outlet 29 in FIG. 1), and this air outlet 29 is provided with an air outlet switching damper 31 that switches and controls the air blowing out from each of the above air outlets.

[0022] An air intake 91 is provided at the front of the vehicle VH (for example, at the rear end of the hood or the base of the front window), and an exhaust port (drafter) 93 is provided at the rear of the vehicle VH (for example, at the top or bottom of the rear window) near the rear bumper, passing through a trunk or the like. In this embodiment, the drafter 93 is provided with, for example, an opening / closing means for opening and closing the opening, so that the amount of air discharged from the vehicle interior can be freely controlled by the opening / closing means. The opening / closing means is, for example, an opening / closing damper 94 or a shutter.

[0023] In the case of outside air introduction, outside air (air) is guided from the air intake 91 to the outside air intake 25A of the HVAC unit 10 and then blown into the vehicle cabin through the air outlet 29. In the case of inside air circulation, the air blown into the vehicle cabin from the air outlet 29 is sucked through an intake duct provided near the feet at the front of the vehicle VH and guided to the inside air intake 25B of the HVAC unit 10. The air inside the vehicle cabin is also exhausted to the outside of the vehicle through the drafter 93.

[0024] 1, an auxiliary heater 23 is provided as an auxiliary heating device. The auxiliary heater 23 is, for example, a PTC heater (electric heater), and is provided in the air flow passage 3 downstream of the condenser 4 with respect to the air flow in the air flow passage 3. When the auxiliary heater 23 is energized and generates heat, it can supplement the heating of the vehicle interior.

[0025] An air mix damper 28 is provided in the air flow passage 3 on the air upstream side of the condenser 4 to adjust the ratio of air (indoor air or outdoor air) that flows into the air flow passage 3 and passes through the evaporator 9 to the condenser 4 and the auxiliary heater 23.

[0026] The vehicle air conditioner 1 of this embodiment has a pressurizing means 95 capable of increasing the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin. The pressurizing means 95 is, for example, an air intake, the interior blower fan 27 of the HVAC unit 10, a drafter 93, and its opening / closing damper 94. The air intake is the air intake 91 and the outside air intake 25A, or the inside air intake 25B. Note that the pressurizing means 95 can also take in outside air from the outside air intake 25A instead of the air intake 91.

[0027] <Temperature Adjustment Unit> In addition to the air conditioning unit 60 as described above, the vehicle air conditioning system 1 further includes a temperature adjustment unit (equipment temperature adjustment circuit) 61 for circulating a heat medium through a heat-generating device (such as the battery 55 or the motor unit 65) that is a temperature-adjusted device, thereby adjusting the temperature of the device.

[0028] The temperature adjustment unit 61 is a heat medium circuit configured to be thermally connectable to at least one of a heat radiation unit (condenser 4) or a heat absorption unit (evaporator 9). The motor unit 65 also includes heat-generating devices such as an electric motor for driving the vehicle and an inverter circuit that drives the electric motor. The devices to be temperature-controlled are not limited to the battery 55 and motor unit 65, but can also include other heat-generating devices mounted on the vehicle.

[0029] The temperature adjustment unit 61 includes, for example, a first circulation pump 62 and a second circulation pump 63 as circulation devices for circulating the heat medium to the battery 55 and the motor unit 65, a refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger (hereinafter referred to as a "chiller heat exchanger") 64, a heat medium heater 66, an air-heat medium heat exchanger 67, a three-way valve 81 as a flow path switching device, a heat storage tank 85, etc.

[0030] The heat medium used in the temperature adjustment unit 61 can be, for example, water, a refrigerant such as HFO-1234yf, a liquid such as a coolant, or a gas such as air. In this embodiment, water is used as the heat medium, for example. In addition, a jacket structure is provided around the battery 55 and the motor unit 65, which allows the heat medium to circulate in a heat exchange relationship with the battery 55 and the motor unit 65.

[0031] When the first circulation pump 62 is operated, the heat medium discharged from the first circulation pump 62 flows in this order: heat medium pipe 68A, check valve 82, heat medium pipe 68B, heat storage tank 85, the heat medium flow path of the chiller heat exchanger 64, heat medium pipe 68A, heat medium heater 66, and battery 55, before being drawn into the first circulation pump 62. In this flow path control state, the heat medium circulates between the battery 55, heat storage tank 85, and chiller heat exchanger 64. Furthermore, when the three-way valve 81 is switched to a state in which the inlet communicates with the outlet on the chiller heat exchanger 64 side, and the second circulation pump 63 is operated, the heat medium discharged from the second circulation pump 63 flows in this order: heat medium pipe 68C, motor unit 65, three-way valve 81, heat medium pipe 68B, heat storage tank 85, the heat medium flow path of the chiller heat exchanger 64, and heat medium pipe 68B, before being drawn into the second circulation pump 63. In this flow path control state, the heat medium is circulated among the motor unit 65, the heat storage tank 85, and the chiller heat exchanger 64. The heat storage tank 85 absorbs heat from the heat medium circulating in the temperature adjustment unit 61 and is capable of storing heat.

[0032] When the auxiliary expansion valve 73 is open, some or all of the refrigerant flowing out from the refrigerant pipe 13G or the outdoor heat exchanger 7 flows into the branch pipe 72, is decompressed by the auxiliary expansion valve 73, and then flows into the refrigerant flow path of the chiller heat exchanger 64 and evaporates. As the refrigerant flows through the refrigerant flow path of the chiller heat exchanger 64, it absorbs heat from the heat medium flowing through the heat medium flow path, and then passes through the accumulator 12 and is drawn into the compressor 2.

[0033] <Controller> Fig. 2 shows an outline of the hardware configuration of the controller 32 that controls the vehicle air conditioner 1. Note that Fig. 2 shows only the main components for explaining the vehicle air conditioner 1 of this embodiment, and the hardware configuration of the controller 32 includes known components other than those shown in the figure, but these components are not shown.

[0034] When the vehicle air conditioner 1 is mounted on the vehicle VH, the control device 32 is connected to a vehicle controller (vehicle ECU (Electronic Control Unit)) 35, which controls the overall operation of the vehicle VH, including drive control of the motor unit 65 and charge / discharge control of the battery 55, via a vehicle communication bus, and transmits and receives information to and from the control device 32 via an in-vehicle network such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) or a LIN (Local Interconnect Network).

[0035] The control device 32 of this embodiment includes a processor (or electrical circuit) 321, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a memory 322, such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory), a non-volatile storage unit 323, such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive), and a communication control unit 324. The CPU 321, memory 322, storage unit 323, and communication control unit 324 are connected to each other via an internal bus so as to be able to communicate with each other. The storage unit 323 stores various programs and data, including a temperature adjustment control program described below.

[0036] Various sensors (detectors) 30 are connected to the control device 32, and their outputs are input. The various sensors 30 include at least an outside air information sensor 300 that detects information about the outside air of the vehicle VH and a sensor that detects the temperature inside the vehicle cabin (a vehicle cabin temperature sensor 305). Specifically, the outside air information sensor 300 includes, for example, an outside air temperature sensor 301, a humidity sensor 302, a PM (fine dust) sensor 303, an odor sensor 304, etc.

[0037] The interior temperature sensor 305 is, for example, a sensor that detects (estimates) the air temperature inside the vehicle cabin, and may be an interior air temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the air inside the vehicle cabin (inside air), or an outlet temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the air blown into the vehicle cabin from the outlet 29. The interior temperature sensor 305 may be, for example, an outlet temperature sensor that detects the outlet temperature of the evaporator 9 or the condenser 4 of the HVAC unit 10, or an HVAC intake temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the air drawn into the air flow passage 3 from the intake 25.

[0038] Although not shown in the figure, various sensors 30 are also connected, such as a rotation speed detection sensor that detects the rotation speed of the compressor 2 and a discharge pressure sensor that detects the discharge refrigerant pressure of the compressor 2, and other known sensors that can be controlled by the control device 32.

[0039] Although not shown in detail, the output of the control device 32 is connected to components that make up the air conditioning section 60, such as the compressor 2, outdoor expansion valve 6, indoor expansion valve 8, outdoor heat exchanger 7, and HVAC unit 10 including pressurizing means 95. In addition, although not shown in detail, the output of the control device 32 is connected to components that make up the temperature adjustment section (equipment temperature adjustment circuit) 61, such as a first circulation pump 62, a second circulation pump 63, and a chiller heat exchanger 64.

[0040] 3 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functions of the control device 32 in this embodiment. The control device 32 executes an air conditioning control program stored in the storage unit 323 and functions as an air conditioning controller that controls the air conditioning unit 60. The control device 32 also executes a temperature adjustment control program stored in the storage unit 323 and functions as a temperature adjustment controller that controls the temperature adjustment unit 61.

[0041] Furthermore, as a function of the air conditioning controller, the control device 32 is capable of performing pre-air conditioning control, which automatically starts operating the air conditioning unit 60 before an occupant gets into the vehicle VH to maintain a comfortable temperature inside the vehicle cabin. The control device 32 is also capable of performing pre-air conditioning control and air conditioning control when an occupant is in the vehicle cabin or when the vehicle is being driven (hereinafter referred to as "normal air conditioning control" in contrast to pre-air conditioning control). The following description will mainly focus on the pre-air conditioning control of the control device 32.

[0042] 3 is a functional block diagram of the air conditioning control, particularly pre-air conditioning control, performed by the control device 32. The control device 32 includes, for example, a pre-air conditioning control unit 325, an outside air information acquisition unit 326, an outside air condition determination unit 327, and a pressurization control unit 328.

[0043] When the pre-air conditioning control unit 325 receives a request (reservation) for pre-air conditioning control, it controls the air conditioning unit 60 to control the air conditioning in the vehicle cabin (air conditioning control). The request (reservation) for pre-air conditioning control is transmitted to the control device 32, for example, by operating application software installed on a mobile terminal (smartphone) carried by the occupant, operating a wearable terminal by the occupant, or operating a remote control attached to the key of the vehicle VH by the occupant.

[0044] Since pre-AC control is a known control, an example will be briefly described. The request for pre-AC control includes, for example, a planned boarding time T1, which the pre-AC control unit 325 acquires and sets. The planned boarding time T1 is information indicating a "predetermined time" in the case where, for example, "boarding will occur after a certain predetermined time (10 minutes, 20 minutes, etc.) has elapsed since the request for pre-AC control was received." The planned boarding time T1 may be a predetermined time stored in the memory unit 323, or may be a time (time) set by the occupant's operation each time and transmitted as part of the request for pre-AC control. The pre-AC control unit 325 also sets a target temperature K for the vehicle interior. The target temperature K may be a predetermined temperature stored in the memory unit 323, a temperature set by the occupant's operation each time and transmitted as part of the request for pre-AC control, or a temperature set each time based on the outside air temperature at the start of pre-AC control.

[0045] The pre-AC control unit 325 also calculates the time required to reach the target temperature K (necessary air conditioning time T2) based on the target temperature K and the temperature at the start of the pre-AC (air conditioning start temperature). In this example, the control device 32 starts pre-AC upon receiving a request for pre-AC control, and starts measuring the pre-AC elapsed time using a timer (pre-AC elapsed time timer) that measures the elapsed time from the start of the pre-AC control (pre-AC elapsed time). When the necessary air conditioning time T2 has elapsed and the target temperature K has been reached, the pre-AC is terminated. Furthermore, if the expected boarding time T1 has elapsed and no occupant has boarded the vehicle and the temperature in the passenger compartment has fluctuated (rised or dropped) from the target temperature K, the pre-AC is started again. Note that the pre-AC control is not limited to the above control as long as it is configured to air-condition the passenger compartment to a certain target temperature K before the occupant boards the vehicle VH.

[0046] The outside air information acquisition unit 326 acquires outside air information (in this example, at least one of temperature, humidity, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) state, and odor) using at least one of the outside air information sensors 300 (in this example, the outside air temperature sensor 301, humidity sensor 302, PM sensor 303, and odor sensor 304).

[0047] The outside air condition specifying unit 327 specifies the state of the outside air based on the outside air information acquired by the outside air information acquiring unit 326. Specifically, it specifies whether the environment is such that air that has a negative effect on the body of the occupants or that makes the occupants feel uncomfortable is likely to enter the vehicle cabin based on the level (amount) of foreign matter contained in the outside air and the level (good or bad) of the quality of the outside air. The "foreign matter" contained in the outside air is a substance that can deteriorate the air quality, such as dust, particles, pollen, PM2.5, etc.

[0048] As an example, when the acquired PM value is equal to or greater than a threshold and the humidity is less than a threshold, the outside air condition specifying unit 327 determines that there is a lot of foreign matter in the outside air and that the environment is one in which foreign matter is likely to invade the vehicle cabin. Furthermore, when the acquired PM value is equal to or greater than a threshold and the humidity is also greater than a threshold, the outside air condition specifying unit 327 determines that there is a lot of foreign matter in the outside air but also a lot of mist and that the environment is one in which foreign matter is unlikely to invade the vehicle cabin. Furthermore, when the acquired PM value is equal to or less than a threshold, the outside air condition specifying unit 327 determines that there is a little foreign matter in the outside air and that the environment is one in which foreign matter is unlikely to invade the vehicle cabin.

[0049] Note that the outside air condition determination unit 327 may obtain weather information about the vicinity of the vehicle VH via, for example, an in-vehicle navigation system instead of or in addition to the above-described outside air information, and determine the outside air condition based on this information. For example, if the weather information indicates that there is a lot of pollen in the air or that there is a strong wind on a sunny day that is likely to scatter foreign objects, the outside air condition determination unit 327 may determine that the environment is likely to allow foreign objects to enter the vehicle cabin.

[0050] The pressurization control unit 328 performs pressurization control in accordance with the outside air information acquired by the outside air information acquisition unit 320. Specifically, the pressurization control unit 328 determines whether or not to perform pressurization control in accordance with at least one of the amount of foreign matter in the outside air, the outside air temperature, the outside air humidity, the level of odor (especially bad odor), etc. Furthermore, if pressurization control is necessary, pressurization is performed for a predetermined arbitrary time period. Alternatively, pressurization is performed until the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin reaches a predetermined pressure (pressurization target value). The pressurization target value is a pressure that is predetermined and stored in the memory unit 323. The pressurization target value may be corrected in accordance with the outside air information.

[0051] Specifically, the pressurization control unit 328 uses the pressurization means 95 to increase the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin relative to the air pressure outside the vehicle. The pressurization means 95 is composed of, for example, the air intake 91, the interior blower (blower fan) 27 of the HVAC unit 10, a drafter 93, and its opening / closing damper 94 (see FIG. 1 ). Depending on the outside air condition identified by the outside air condition identification unit 327, specifically, if the outside air condition is determined to be poor (e.g., containing a large amount of foreign matter or having a foul odor), the pressurization control unit 328 increases the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin relative to the air pressure outside the vehicle when performing pre-air conditioning control using the air conditioning unit 60. Specifically, the pressurization control unit 328 closes the drafter 93 using the opening / closing damper 94 and operates the blower fan 27 of the HVAC unit 10 to introduce outside air. The outside air is guided from the air intake 91 to the outside air intake port 25A of the HVAC unit 10 and blown into the vehicle cabin through the air outlet 29. At this time, the drafter 93 is closed, so the air pressure in the vehicle compartment rises.

[0052] By using pressure control to create a pressure inside the vehicle cabin that is higher than the pressure outside the vehicle (atmospheric pressure) (creating a positive pressure), it is possible to suppress or reduce the intrusion of foreign matter (dust, particles, pollen, PM2.5, etc.) contained in the outside air and poor quality air (hereinafter collectively referred to as "foreign matter, etc.") into the vehicle cabin when an occupant opens the vehicle door to get in.

[0053] The pressurization control unit 328 stops pressurization control when the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin reaches a predetermined pressure (pressurization target value). The pressurization target value is a pressure that is higher (positive pressure) than the air pressure outside the vehicle (atmospheric pressure) to a degree that can suppress or reduce the intrusion of foreign matter contained in the outside air into the vehicle cabin, but is not higher than necessary. An example of a pressure that is not higher than necessary is a pressure that does not force the vehicle door open more than necessary.

[0054] This target pressurization value is set appropriately depending on the size of the vehicle VH (the volume of the interior space of the vehicle), the size and number of vehicle doors (the ratio of the vehicle door openings to the volume of the interior space of the vehicle), the airtightness of the vehicle VH, the structure of the vehicle VH, etc. In other words, the target pressurization value is a value set for each vehicle VH within a range (called the "positive pressure range"), with a lower limit of a positive pressure that is sufficient to suppress or reduce the intrusion of foreign matter contained in the outside air into the vehicle interior, and an upper limit of a positive pressure that does not force the vehicle doors open more than necessary.

[0055] After starting pressurization, the pressurization control unit 328 pressurizes the air to at least the lower limit of the positive pressure range, and does not pressurize the air beyond the upper limit of the positive pressure range. In one pressurization control, a single target pressurization value within the positive pressure range is set, pressurization is performed to reach that target pressurization value, and pressurization ends when the target pressurization value is reached. In this embodiment, the state in which the air pressure is pressurized to within the positive pressure range is referred to as a "positive pressurization state." The pressurization control unit 328 maintains the positive pressurization state for a predetermined period of time (for example, until a passenger gets in the vehicle).

[0056] To reiterate, the positive pressure range and pressurization target value vary depending on the vehicle VH size (interior space volume), the size and number of vehicle doors, the airtightness of the vehicle VH, the structure of the vehicle VH, etc., and an appropriate range is selected and set for each vehicle VH. If the pressurization is insufficient, the air pressure inside and outside the vehicle (atmospheric pressure) will be balanced even if the vehicle door is opened for just a short time when entering the vehicle, and the intrusion of foreign objects into the vehicle VH will not be sufficiently prevented. On the other hand, if the pressurization is excessive, the fluctuation in air pressure will cause discomfort to occupants when they enter the vehicle. Furthermore, when the vehicle door is opened, excessive force will be applied in the opening direction, which may cause the vehicle door to break or collide with something, resulting in personal injury or property damage.

[0057] In a positive pressure state, for example, when an occupant enters the driver's seat, the interior of the vehicle is pressurized to a level at which a positive pressure can be maintained within the vehicle cabin for at least the typical opening and closing time (e.g., several seconds to several tens of seconds) required to open and close at least one vehicle door. This is the lower limit of the positive pressure range. For example, when entering the driver's seat, the air pressure near the driver's seat equilibrates with the outside air in an extremely short time the moment the vehicle door is opened, but the air pressure in the passenger seat and rear seats, etc., takes longer to equilibrate with the outside air than the driver's seat, and positive pressure is maintained. In addition, air within the vehicle cabin is exhausted to the outside through the open driver's seat vehicle door. During this period of air movement from the interior to the outside of the vehicle, the intrusion of foreign objects into the vehicle cabin is suppressed or reduced. In other words, if the average air pressure throughout the vehicle cabin is positive, the intrusion of foreign objects into the vehicle cabin can be suppressed or reduced.

[0058] In addition, the upper limit of the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin in the positive pressure state (upper limit of the positive pressure range) is set to a pressure that does not excessively force the vehicle door in the direction of opening (for example, when the vehicle door is not being held down by an occupant, the pressure is set to a level that prevents the vehicle door from opening any further.

[0059] Specifically, the positive pressure range achieved by pressure control is, for example, approximately atmospheric pressure +1 hPa to atmospheric pressure +15 hPha, or approximately atmospheric pressure +5 hPa to atmospheric pressure +10 hPha.

[0060] The pressurization control unit 328 pressurizes the vehicle interior up to a predetermined pressurization target value and ends the pressurization when the pressurization target value is reached. Meanwhile, while pre-AC control is being executed, the pressurization target value is generally maintained until an occupant gets in the vehicle. In other words, even if pressurization has once ended, if pre-AC control is being executed and no occupant is in the vehicle, the pressurization control unit 328 starts (resumes) pressurization again within a range that does not exceed the upper limit of the positive pressure range.

[0061] In this embodiment, the pressurization control unit 328 creates a positive pressure inside the vehicle cabin, thereby suppressing or reducing the intrusion of foreign matter contained in the outside air into the vehicle cabin. In addition, the opening of the vehicle door is appropriately assisted, making it easier to open than in a state where the vehicle cabin is not positively pressurized (non-positively pressurized state).

[0062] The pressurization control unit 328 also acquires the time (required pressurization time) required from the start of pressurization until the target pressurization value is reached. The required pressurization time affects the outside air introduction capacity (air volume characteristics) of the blower of the pressurization means 95 (in this example, the blower fan 27 of the HVAC unit 10) and the vehicle airtightness, etc., so taking these factors into consideration, for example, a value determined by experimentation in advance is stored in the storage unit 323 and acquired. Alternatively, the required pressurization time may be estimated by calculating the rate of air pressure increase per unit time based on the outside air introduction capacity of the blower fan 27 and comparing this with the target pressurization value (the difference from atmospheric pressure).

[0063] As described above, the pressurizing means 95 in this embodiment is composed of, for example, the air intake 91, the indoor blower (blower fan) 27 of the HVAC unit 10, the drafter 93, and its opening / closing damper 94. For example, it is possible to prevent foreign objects from entering from the outside by forming an air curtain, but this would require significant design changes to the vehicle VH, such as changing the position of the air outlet 29. In this embodiment, it is possible to prevent or reduce the entry of foreign objects from the outside without using special parts or significant design changes.

[0064] <First Example of Pre-Air Conditioning Control> An example of the pre-air conditioning control among the air conditioning controls executed by the control device 32 of this embodiment will be specifically described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figures 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing an example of the pre-air conditioning control.

[0065] The pre-AC control is initiated prior to the passenger's entry, for example, by receiving a request for pre-AC control including a planned entry time T1, and conditions the interior of the vehicle until the temperature reaches a certain target temperature K. Furthermore, the control device 32 of this embodiment can execute control to positively pressurize the interior of the vehicle (pressurization control) during the pre-AC control. The pre-AC control shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is executed each time a request for pre-AC is received while the vehicle VH is charging. In this example, when pressurization control is required, the pre-AC control prioritizes pre-AC (bringing the interior temperature to the target temperature K) and starts pressurization control when the interior temperature approaches or reaches the target temperature K. After the interior of the vehicle is positively pressurized by the pressurization control, the pressurization is intermittently performed as needed to maintain the positively pressurized state.

[0066] First, in step S01, the control device 32 sets pre-AC based on a request for pre-AC control. Specifically, for example, the control device 32 acquires a target temperature K for pre-AC control within the vehicle cabin. The target temperature K is, for example, a temperature stored in advance in the storage unit 323. However, it may also be a temperature included in the pre-AC control request based on the occupant's operation to set the temperature each time. The control device 32 also acquires a planned boarding time T1. The planned boarding time T1 is, for example, a predetermined time (10 minutes, 20 minutes, etc.) stored in advance in the storage unit 323 that indicates how much time has elapsed since the request for pre-AC control was received. However, the planned boarding time T1 is not limited to this, and may also be a time included in the pre-AC control request based on the occupant's operation to set the time each time. Furthermore, the control device 32 clears a timer (pre-AC elapsed time timer) that measures the elapsed time since the start of pre-AC control, and starts measuring the pre-AC elapsed time.

[0067] In step S03, the outside air information acquisition unit 326 acquires outside air information (e.g., PM value and humidity) around the vehicle VH based on the detection results of the various sensors 30 (here, as an example, the PM sensor 303 and the humidity sensor 302). The outside air information acquisition unit 326 may acquire weather information via a car navigation system as the outside air information.

[0068] In step S05, the outside air condition specifying unit 327 specifies the state of the outside air based on the outside air information acquired by the outside air information acquiring unit 326. Specifically, for example, the outside air may be specified as a state in which there are many foreign objects, etc. in the outside air, making it easy for foreign objects, etc. to invade the vehicle interior; a state in which there are many foreign objects, etc. in the outside air, but also a lot of mist, making it difficult for foreign objects, etc. to invade the vehicle interior; or a state in which there are few foreign objects, etc. in the outside air, making it difficult for foreign objects, etc. to invade the vehicle interior.

[0069] In step S07, it is determined whether the environment is such that foreign matter, etc., in the outside air is likely to enter the vehicle compartment, and if the environment is such that foreign matter, etc., can easily enter the vehicle compartment, it is determined that pressurization control is necessary in the pre-air conditioning control, and the process proceeds to step S09. If the environment is not such that foreign matter, etc., can easily enter the vehicle compartment, it is determined that pressurization control is not necessary in the pre-air conditioning control, and the process proceeds to step S21.

[0070] In step S09, the time T2 required to reach the pre-air-conditioning target temperature K (required air-conditioning time) is calculated. Specifically, for example, the rate of increase in air pressure inside the vehicle cabin per unit time is calculated based on the capacity of the blower fan 27 of the pressurizing means 95 to introduce outside air, and the required air-conditioning time T2 is estimated from this rate and the pressurization target value (the difference from atmospheric pressure). Furthermore, when pressurization control is performed, the time T3 required from the start of pressurization until a positive pressure state is achieved (required pressurization time) is obtained. The required pressurization time T3 is obtained in advance, for example, experimentally, and stored in the memory unit 323.

[0071] In step S11, it is determined whether there is sufficient time until the scheduled boarding time T1. Specifically, it is determined whether the time until the passenger's scheduled boarding time is long enough to execute the pressurization control and pre-air-conditioning control within the scheduled boarding time T1 (i.e., whether the scheduled boarding time T1 is equal to or longer than the sum of the required air-conditioning time T2 and the required pressurization time T3 (T1≧T2+T3)). If the scheduled boarding time T1 is sufficiently long, the process proceeds to step S19. On the other hand, if the time until the passenger's scheduled boarding time is short enough to execute the pressurization control and pre-air-conditioning control within the scheduled boarding time T1 (i.e., whether the scheduled boarding time T1 is shorter than the sum of the required air-conditioning time T2 and the required pressurization time T3 (T1<T2+T3)), the process proceeds to step S13.

[0072] In step S19, it is determined whether to start pressurization control or pre-air-conditioning control, the pressurization time measurement timer is initialized, and measurement of the actual pressurization time T4 is started. In this case, the pre-air-conditioning is executed with priority. That is, in step S19 and thereafter, the pre-air-conditioning control is started first, and when the temperature in the passenger compartment approaches the target temperature K, the pressurization control is started.

[0073] In step S13, the state of the intake unit 10I is determined. If the outside air introduction mode is selected, the process proceeds to step S15. If the inside air circulation mode is selected, the process proceeds to step S21. The state of the intake unit 10I is arbitrarily set based on the settings made during the previous air conditioning operation or the settings made on the vehicle side. In this case, the drafter 93 is open.

[0074] In step S15, air conditioning (pre-air conditioning control) is started in the outside air introduction mode. At this timing, the drafter 93 (opening / closing damper 94) is open, and no pressure is applied.

[0075] In the next step S17, the vehicle interior temperature is obtained by the vehicle interior temperature sensor 305, and the difference between the target temperature K and the vehicle interior temperature (vehicle interior temperature difference Δt) is calculated. The vehicle interior temperature difference Δt is compared with a predetermined threshold, and if the vehicle interior temperature difference Δt is smaller than the threshold (approaching the target temperature K), the process proceeds to step S19, where pressurization control and pre-air conditioning control are executed. If the vehicle interior temperature difference Δt is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, the process returns to step S15, and air conditioning by introducing outside air (pre-air conditioning control) continues.

[0076] In step S21, only pre-air conditioning control is started in the inside air recirculation mode. Note that if it is determined in step S07 that there are few foreign objects in the outside air, the outside air introduction mode may be selected. In this case, pressurization control is not performed, and when the temperature inside the vehicle compartment reaches the target temperature K, the pre-air conditioning control process is terminated.

[0077] In this way, in the first example, the pre-air conditioning control may be performed in either the pressurization control or the non-pressurization control. When the pre-air conditioning control and the pressurization control are performed, the pre-air conditioning control takes priority, and the pressurization control is started when the temperature in the passenger compartment approaches the target temperature K.

[0078] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the pre-air conditioning control and the pressurization control following step S19 in FIG.

[0079] In step S23 following step S19, the pressurizing means 95 is put into operation. Specifically, the intake unit 10I is set (or maintained) in the outside air introduction mode, and the open / close damper 94 of the drafter 93 is closed. This pressurizes the vehicle interior. The air conditioning unit 60 continues to be controlled to perform air conditioning control (continuation of pre-air conditioning). The outside air intake 25A and the inside air intake 25B of the intake unit 10I are each provided with an air filter (dust and pollen removal filter), so that foreign matter, etc., is prevented from entering the vehicle interior even when outside air is introduced.

[0080] The state of the vehicle interior at this timing is that the pre-air conditioning target temperature K has not been reached, the target pressure value for the vehicle interior has not been reached, and the states of the air conditioning unit 60 and the pressurization means 95 are such that the intake unit 10I is in the "outside air introduction" mode, the blower fan 27 is "operating," and the drafter 93 (opening / closing damper 94) is "closed" (state [1] in the "pre-air conditioning state table" shown in the upper left of Figure 5).

[0081] In the next step S25, it is determined whether the required pressurization time T3 has elapsed. Specifically, the pressurization time T4 is compared with the required pressurization time T3, and if the required pressurization time T3 has not elapsed, the process returns to step S23, where the pressurization control and pre-air-conditioning control are continued. If the required pressurization time T3 has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S27.

[0082] In step S27, it is determined whether the temperature inside the vehicle compartment has reached the target temperature K. If the temperature has not reached the target temperature K, the process proceeds to step S29, and if the temperature has reached the target temperature K, the process proceeds to step S31.

[0083] In step S29, pressurization by the pressurizing means 95 is stopped, and the positive pressure state is maintained. Furthermore, pre-AC control continues with the internal air circulation, and the process returns to step S27. At this timing, the state inside the vehicle cabin is such that the pre-AC target temperature K has not been achieved. However, since the required pressurization time T3 has elapsed, the target pressure value inside the vehicle cabin has been achieved, and the desired positive pressure state is achieved. Therefore, the intake unit 10I is set to the "internal air circulation" mode to stop pressurization, the blower fan 27 is "operated," and pre-AC control is continued. The drafter 93 (its opening / closing damper 94) is "closed," maintaining the positive pressure state (state [2] in the "Pre-AC Status Table" in the upper left of Figure 5).

[0084] In step S31, the pressure controller 95 switches the intake unit 10I to the internal air circulation mode, stopping the pressure application, and also stops the blower fan 27 to maintain the positive pressure. At this point, the vehicle interior is in a state where the pre-air conditioning target temperature K is "achieved," and the vehicle interior pressure target is "achieved," resulting in the desired vehicle interior temperature and positive pressure. Therefore, the intake unit 10I is set to the "internal air circulation" mode, the blower fan 27 is "stopped," and the drafter 93 (and its opening / closing damper 94) is "closed" to maintain the positive pressure state (state [4] in the "Pre-Air Conditioning Status Table" in the upper left of Figure 5). The timer for measuring the stop time of the blower fan 27 is also cleared, and measurement of the stop time of the blower fan 27 is started.

[0085] In the next step S33, it is determined whether or not a vehicle door is open, and if the vehicle VH door is open, the process proceeds to step S39, and if not, the process proceeds to step S35. In step S35, it is determined whether or not the stop time of the blower fan 27 has exceeded a predetermined time.

[0086] In this embodiment, for example, a time (allowable stop time) is set for allowing the blower (blower fan 27) of the pressurizing unit 95 to be stopped. When the blower fan 27 serving as the pressurizing unit 95 is stopped, the level of positive pressure in the vehicle cabin decreases. Therefore, the allowable stop time is set as the time it takes for the level of positive pressure in the vehicle cabin to decrease to an arbitrary lower limit after the blower fan 27 is stopped. The allowable stop time is obtained in advance through experiments, such as the time it takes for the positive pressure to decrease by half from the upper limit of the positive pressure range, and is stored in the memory unit 323. Then, when the blower fan 27 is stopped in step S31, measurement of the stop time of the blower fan 27 is started, and in step S33, the allowable stop time is obtained and compared with the stop time of the blower fan 27.

[0087] In step S35, if the stop time of the blower fan 27 does not exceed the allowable stop time, the process returns to step S33, and if the stop time exceeds the allowable stop time, the process proceeds to step S37.

[0088] In step S37, the estimated boarding time T1 is compared with the elapsed time of pre-air conditioning, which measurement began in step S01, and if the elapsed time of pre-air conditioning is within the estimated boarding time T1, the process returns to step S23. Although the allowable stop time for the blower fan 27 has been exceeded, the elapsed time of pre-air conditioning is within the estimated boarding time T1, so the process returns to step S23 and pressurization is performed again.

[0089] At this timing, the state of the vehicle interior is such that the pre-air conditioning target temperature K is "achieved," but the state of the vehicle interior pressurization target value is "not achieved" due to a decrease in the degree of positive pressure. Therefore, the intake unit 10I is set to "outside air circulation" mode, the blower fan 27 is "operated," and the drafter 93 (its opening / closing damper 94) is "closed" to resume pressurization (state [3] in the "pre-air conditioning status table" in the upper left of Figure 4).

[0090] In step S37, if the elapsed time of pre-AC exceeds the estimated boarding time T1, the vehicle door is not opened and the elapsed time of pre-AC exceeds the estimated boarding time T1, so the process proceeds to step S41 and pre-AC control is terminated. In this case, the drafter 93 remains closed. In this case, if the occupant requests pre-AC control again, pre-AC control is executed from step S01 in FIG. 4. On the other hand, if the occupant gets into the vehicle without requesting pre-AC control again and the vehicle ignition is turned on, the drafter 93 is opened and normal air conditioning control is executed by the air conditioning unit 60.

[0091] If the vehicle door is opened in step S33, the process proceeds to step S39, where the drafter 93 is opened, and the process proceeds to step S41, where the pre-air conditioning control is terminated.

[0092] Although not shown in the drawings, if the vehicle door is opened during execution of the pressurization control (the period from step S19 to step S29), the pressurization control is interrupted. Specifically, the blower fan 27 is stopped and the drafter 93 is opened. In other words, the pressurization control starts when the drafter 93 is closed and ends when the drafter 93 is opened. The condition for interrupting the pressurization control is not limited to when the vehicle door is opened while the pressurization means 95 is operating. For example, it may be when a signal indicating that the key lock of the vehicle VH has been released is received. In this case, only the blower fan is stopped and the drafter 93 remains closed.

[0093] Regarding the required air conditioning time T2, since the pressurization control results in an increase in the amount of air in the vehicle cabin compared to normal air conditioning (when the drafter 93 is open), the required air conditioning time T2 is corrected to achieve the target temperature K in the vehicle cabin. Regarding the target temperature K, when an occupant gets in after the pressurization control, it is assumed that the air in the vehicle cabin will be blown out of the vehicle when the vehicle door is opened. In this case, the amount of air in the vehicle cabin will decrease, which may impair the comfort of the occupant. Therefore, by correcting the target temperature K, the decrease in comfort when the vehicle door is opened is suppressed.

[0094] Specifically, for example, if there is a large temperature difference between the outside air temperature and the target temperature K, the temperature inside the vehicle will drop when outside air is introduced. Therefore, when heating is performed using pre-air conditioning control, the target temperature K is corrected higher and / or the required air conditioning time T2 is corrected longer to account for this, and when cooling is performed, the target temperature K is corrected lower and / or the required air conditioning time T2 is corrected longer.

[0095] Furthermore, if the vehicle door is large relative to the volume of the vehicle interior, the amount of air flowing in and out increases when the vehicle door is opened and closed, and the target temperature K and / or the required air conditioning time T2 may be corrected taking this into consideration.

[0096] <Second Example of Pre-Air Conditioning Control> Another example of the pre-air conditioning control of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIGS. 6 and 7 are flowcharts illustrating an example of the pre-air conditioning control. The pre-air conditioning control shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is executed each time a pre-air conditioning request is received while the vehicle VH is being charged. In this pre-air conditioning control, as an example, when pressurization control is required, pre-air conditioning (to bring the cabin temperature to a target temperature K) and pressurization are executed in parallel, and the ratio of inside air to outside air in the intake unit 10I is changed depending on the required air conditioning time T2 or the degree to which the target temperature K has been achieved. After the positive pressure state is achieved, pressurization is performed intermittently as needed to maintain the positive pressure state. Note that descriptions that overlap with the first example of the pre-air conditioning control (FIGS. 4 and 5) will be omitted as appropriate.

[0097] In step S101, pre-AC settings are made based on a request for pre-AC control. Specifically, for example, the target temperature K for pre-AC in the vehicle cabin is acquired. The estimated boarding time T1 is also acquired. Furthermore, the pre-AC elapsed time timer is cleared, and measurement of the pre-AC elapsed time is started. Details are the same as those in the first example of pre-AC control (step S01 in FIG. 4), so a detailed description is omitted.

[0098] In step S103, the outside air information acquisition unit 326 acquires outside air information (e.g., PM value and humidity) around the vehicle VH based on the detection results of the various sensors 30 (here, as an example, the PM sensor 303 and the humidity sensor 302). The outside air information acquisition unit 326 may acquire weather information as the outside air information via a car navigation system.

[0099] In step S105, the outside air condition determination unit 327 determines the state of the outside air based on the outside air information acquired by the outside air information acquisition unit 326. Details are the same as in step S05 of FIG.

[0100] In step S107, it is determined whether there are many foreign objects in the outside air and whether they are likely to enter the vehicle interior.If the state is such that foreign objects are likely to enter the vehicle interior (pressurization control is required), the process proceeds to step S109; if not, the process proceeds to step S141.

[0101] In step S109, it is determined that the pre-air conditioning control and the pressurization control are to be executed in parallel, the required air conditioning time T2 is calculated, and the required pressurization time T3 is obtained. The required air conditioning time T2 and the required pressurization time T3 are calculated and obtained in the same manner as in step S09 of FIG.

[0102] In the next step S111, the intake unit 10I is set to a predetermined inside / outside air ratio (for example, inside air ratio:outside air ratio = 50:50), the open / close damper 94 of the drafter 93 is closed, and the process proceeds to step S113. In step S113, pre-air conditioning is performed while pressurization is performed. That is, the operation of the blower (blower fan 27) of the pressurizing means 95 is started to pressurize the vehicle cabin.

[0103] In the next step S115, the elapsed time of pre-air conditioning, which was started to be measured in step S101, is compared with the required time T2 of air conditioning. If the elapsed time of pre-air conditioning is within the required time T2 of air conditioning, the process returns to step S113, and pressurization and pre-air conditioning are continued. If the elapsed time of pre-air conditioning exceeds the required time T2 of air conditioning, the process proceeds to step S117.

[0104] In step S117, the vehicle interior temperature sensor 305 acquires the current vehicle interior temperature, and calculates the difference between the target temperature K and the vehicle interior temperature (vehicle interior temperature difference Δt). The vehicle interior temperature difference Δt is then compared with a threshold value. In this example, a first threshold value and a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value are used as threshold values ​​for comparison. If the vehicle interior temperature difference Δt is relatively small, specifically, if the vehicle interior temperature difference Δt is smaller than the first threshold value (if the vehicle interior temperature is approaching the target temperature K), the process proceeds to step S121 shown in FIG. 7. If the vehicle interior temperature difference Δt is relatively large, specifically, if the vehicle interior temperature difference Δt is greater than the second threshold value, the process returns to step S113, where pressurization and pre-air conditioning are continued. If the vehicle interior temperature difference Δt is relatively medium, specifically, if the vehicle interior temperature difference Δt is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and equal to or less than the second threshold value, the process proceeds to step S119.

[0105] In step S119, the ratio of outside air in the intake unit 10I is increased. The ratio is set to, for example, 25:75. Then, the process returns to step S113, and pressurization and pre-air conditioning are continued.

[0106] 7, in step S121, which is reached when the determination in step S117 is that the cabin temperature difference Δt is relatively small, the outside air ratio of intake unit 10I is further increased. The inside / outside air ratio is set to, for example, inside air ratio:outside air ratio=0:100. Although pre-air conditioning control is still being executed, this increases the priority of pressurization control.

[0107] In this second example, when pre-air conditioning and pressurization start (step S111), the inside / outside air ratio of the intake unit 10I is set to, for example, the same, and the outside air ratio is gradually increased as the cabin temperature approaches the target temperature K (as the cabin temperature difference Δt decreases). Whether the cabin temperature has approached the target temperature K is determined by setting multiple thresholds (temperature thresholds) for the cabin temperature difference Δt (first threshold, second threshold) as shown in step S117 in this example. Alternatively, a single temperature threshold may be used. Alternatively, the elapsed time of pre-air conditioning may be determined using one or more thresholds without using a temperature threshold, and the outside air ratio may be increased if a sufficient amount of time has passed since the start of measurement of the pre-air conditioning elapsed time.

[0108] In step S123 following step S121, it is determined whether or not the required pressurization time T3 has elapsed (the elapsed time of pre-air conditioning is compared with the required pressurization time T3), and if the required pressurization time T3 has not elapsed, the process returns to step S121. If the required pressurization time T3 has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S125.

[0109] In step S125, it is determined whether the temperature inside the vehicle compartment has reached the target temperature K. If the temperature has not reached the target temperature K, the process proceeds to step S127, and if the temperature has reached the target temperature K, the process proceeds to step S129.

[0110] In step S127, the pressurization by the pressurizing means 95 is stopped (the internal air circulation mode is set) and the drafter 93 is closed. The blower fan 27 continues to operate, and air conditioning continues while maintaining a positive pressure state. This step S127 is the same as step S29 shown in Figure 5, and the state inside the vehicle cabin at this timing is state [2] in the "Pre-Air Conditioning State Table" in the upper left of Figure 5.

[0111] In step S129, the pressurization by the pressurizing means 95 is stopped (the internal air circulation mode is set) and the drafter is closed. The blower fan 27 is also stopped to maintain the positive pressure state. This step S129 is the same as step S31 shown in Figure 5, and the state inside the vehicle cabin at this timing is state [4] in the "Pre-AC State Table" in the upper left of Figure 4. The timer for measuring the stop time of the blower fan 27 is also cleared, and measurement of the stop time of the blower fan 27 is started.

[0112] In step S131 following step S129, it is determined whether or not the vehicle door is open. If the vehicle door is open, the process proceeds to step S137. If the vehicle door is not open, the process proceeds to step S133. In step S133, it is determined whether or not the stop time of the blower fan 27 has exceeded a predetermined allowable stop time. The stop time and allowable stop time of the blower fan 27 are the same as in the first example (see step S35 in FIG. 5).

[0113] In step S133, if the stop time of the blower fan 27 has not exceeded the allowable stop time, the process returns to step S131, and if the stop time of the blower fan 27 has exceeded the allowable stop time, the process proceeds to step S135.

[0114] In step S135, the estimated boarding time T1 is compared with the elapsed time of pre-air conditioning, which measurement began in step S101, and if the elapsed time of pre-air conditioning is within the estimated boarding time T1, the process returns to step S121. Although the allowable stop time for the blower fan 27 has been exceeded, the elapsed time of pre-air conditioning is within the estimated boarding time T1, so the process returns to step S121 and pressurization is performed again.

[0115] The state of the vehicle interior at this time is state [3] in the "Pre-AC State Table" in the upper left of Figure 4. In the second example, if the vehicle door is not opened even after the positive pressure state is reached and the pressurization is stopped, the pressurization is resumed intermittently to maintain the positive pressure state.

[0116] In step S135, if the elapsed time of the pre-AC exceeds the estimated boarding time T1, the vehicle door is not opened and the elapsed time of the pre-AC exceeds the estimated boarding time T1, so the process proceeds to step S139 and the pre-AC control is terminated. In this case, the drafter 93 remains closed. In this case, if the occupant requests pre-AC control again, the pre-AC control is executed from step S101 in FIG. 6. On the other hand, if the occupant gets in the vehicle without requesting pre-AC control again and the vehicle ignition is turned on, the drafter 93 is opened and normal air conditioning control is executed by the air conditioning unit 60.

[0117] If the vehicle VH door is opened in step S131, the process proceeds to step S137, where the drafter 93 is opened. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S139, where the pre-air conditioning control is terminated.

[0118] Although not shown in the drawings, if the vehicle VH door is opened during execution of the pressurization control, the pressurization control is interrupted (the blower fan 27 is stopped and the drafter 93 is opened). The interruption of the pressurization control is the same as in the first example, and therefore will not be described here.

[0119] In the second example, the pressurization control is also performed in parallel with the pre-air-conditioning control, so that temperature-adjusted air is discharged from the drafter 93. Therefore, the target temperature K of the pre-air-conditioning control and / or the required air-conditioning time T2 may be corrected in consideration of the discharge from the drafter 93, as in the first example.

[0120] Furthermore, if the vehicle VH door is large relative to the volume of the vehicle interior, the amount of air flowing in and out increases when the vehicle VH door is opened and closed, so the target temperature K and / or the required air conditioning time T2 may be corrected taking this into consideration.

[0121] The control device 32 may be configured to switch between the first example of pre-air conditioning control and the second example of pre-air conditioning control as appropriate. That is, the control device 32 may execute pressurization control during pre-air conditioning control, but may also be configured to change whether or not to execute pressurization control, or, if pressurization control is executed, the start timing of execution of the pre-air conditioning control and the pressurization control, depending on information included in the request for pre-air conditioning control (e.g., reservation information for pre-air conditioning, specifically, for example, the planned boarding time T1) (depending on the length of time until the occupant boards the vehicle). Furthermore, the pre-air conditioning control and the pressurization control may be executed in parallel for at least a portion of the period depending on the reservation information for pre-air conditioning control (e.g., the planned boarding time T1).

[0122] For example, it is thought that passengers are more likely to perceive the temperature of the cabin than the air quality when it comes to comfort, and in that case, it is advisable to prioritize pre-AC control over pressurization control. However, if pressurization control is started (outside air is introduced) at the timing when the cabin temperature approaches the target temperature K due to the pre-AC, the difference between the cabin temperature and the target temperature K will widen due to the influence of the outside air.

[0123] On the other hand, when the time until boarding is short (when the planned boarding time T1 is short), it may be advisable to start the pre-air conditioning control and the pressurization control in parallel (almost simultaneously).

[0124] In other words, whether the pre-air conditioning control and the pressurization control are executed in parallel, or whether the timing of the two is staggered, and in that case which is executed first, will depend on the occupant's purpose (request), such as whether to prioritize air conditioning or pressurization (to prevent the intrusion of foreign matter).Therefore, it is desirable to configure the control device 32 to be able to switch between the first and second examples of pre-air conditioning control as appropriate, as this will increase versatility.

[0125] <Third Example of Pre-Air Conditioning Control> In the first and second examples, the case where the outside air mainly contains pollen, PM, etc. However, this is not limited to this. For example, when the air quality is poor due to a bad odor, it is desirable to prevent that air from entering the vehicle cabin.

[0126] In the third example of pre-AC control, the odor state outside the vehicle is determined, and based on the determined state, pressurization control can be performed during pre-AC control. Specifically, the outside air information acquired by the outside air information acquisition unit 326 includes information about odors.

[0127] For example, in the case of a vehicle VH equipped with a deodorizing function (deodorizing path), the various sensors 30 include an odor sensor 304 (see FIG. 2). The odor sensor 304 is provided, for example, outside the vehicle cabin. In the third example of pre-air conditioning control, the outside air condition determination unit 327 detects a specific odor (particularly a bad odor) using the odor sensor 304 and compares the quantified odor concentration with a predetermined threshold. If the specific odor concentration is equal to or greater than the threshold, it is determined that the environment outside the vehicle has a strong odor (bad odor), and pressurization control is executed. In this case, when outside air is taken into the vehicle cabin, it is passed through the deodorizing path. On the other hand, if the specific odor concentration is equal to or less than the threshold, it is determined that the environment outside the vehicle has a weak odor, and pressurization control is not executed.

[0128] In a vehicle VH that does not have a deodorizing function, odor sensors 304 are installed inside and outside the vehicle, for example. The outside air condition determination unit 327 then compares the concentration of a specific odor in the interior air detected by the odor sensor 304 inside the vehicle with the concentration of a specific odor in the outside air (the same odor as the interior air) detected by the odor sensor 304 outside the vehicle, and determines whether the environment allows for the supply of air from outside the vehicle. That is, if the odor concentration inside the vehicle is lower than the odor concentration outside the vehicle, it is determined that the environment does not allow for the supply of air from outside the vehicle, and pressurization control is not performed. On the other hand, if the odor concentration inside the vehicle is higher than the odor concentration outside the vehicle, it is determined that the environment allows for the supply of air from outside the vehicle, and pressurization control is performed. If pressurization control is performed, the intake unit 10I may be set to an outside air introduction mode, and ventilation control may be performed for a certain period of time by opening the drafter 93, thereby performing pre-air conditioning control. Furthermore, at least two of the ventilation control, the pressurization control, and the pre-air-conditioning control may be performed in parallel for a certain period of time.

[0129] Specifically, an example will be described in which odor is used to determine whether to perform pressurization control in the flow of the first example shown in Fig. 4 (the second example shown in Fig. 6). The following description is an example of a vehicle VH equipped with a deodorizing function.

[0130] In step S03 shown in Fig. 4 (step S103 shown in Fig. 6), the outside air information acquisition unit 326 detects the state of the odor outside the vehicle using the odor sensor 304. In step S05 (step S105), the outside air condition determination unit 327 compares the odor concentration quantified by the odor sensor 304 with a predetermined threshold value and determines whether a particular odor (particularly a bad odor) is strong. Because odors are easily affected by wind, it is desirable for the outside air condition determination unit 327 to determine whether the conditions are such that odors are likely to enter the vehicle cabin based on, for example, weather information (wind direction, wind strength, etc.).

[0131] In step S07 (step S107), if the environment outside the vehicle is such that bad odors can easily enter the vehicle interior, the process proceeds to step S09 (step S109), and if not, the process proceeds to step S21 (step S141).

[0132] In the third example, for example, a deodorizing means is provided in the path from the air intake 91 to the air outlet 29, such as by providing a deodorizing filter in each of the outside air intake 25A and the inside air intake 25B of the intake unit 10I. Alternatively, in addition to or instead of this, a path that passes through a deodorizing agent (activated carbon) is provided as a path for introducing outside air.

[0133] Furthermore, ventilation control may be performed when pre-air conditioning control is performed. Ventilation control is a control in which outside air introduced into the vehicle cabin is directly discharged to the outside of the vehicle without being air-conditioned by the air conditioning unit 60. Specifically, the intake unit 10I is set to an outside air introduction mode, the blower fan 27 is operated, and the drafter 93 is opened. It is also desirable that the timing of ventilation control can be appropriately selected and switched depending on the purpose (request) of the occupant.

[0134] The control device 32 may be configured to be able to switch between at least two of the pre-air conditioning controls of the first example, the second example, and the third example.

[0135] Furthermore, when the outside air condition specifying unit 327 specifies the outside air condition in step S05 (step S105), the detection result by the PM sensor 303 of the first example (second example) and the detection result by the odor sensor 304 of the third example may be used. In this case, the detection result by the PM sensor 303 and the detection result by the odor sensor 304 may be determined by logical product or logical sum, or the occupant may be able to select whether to determine by logical product of both sensors, logical sum of both sensors, or one of the sensors.

[0136] As described above, this embodiment comprises an air conditioning unit 60 that adjusts the temperature of the air blown into the vehicle cabin, a pressurizing means 95 that can increase the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin, and a control device 32, and when pre-air conditioning control is performed by the air conditioning unit 61, the control device 32 can perform pressurization control using the pressurizing means 95 to increase the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin above that outside the vehicle.

[0137] With this configuration, the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin can be set to a state (positive pressure) higher than the atmospheric pressure outside the vehicle, specifically during pre-air conditioning, before the occupant gets in. Therefore, when the occupant opens the vehicle door to get in, it is possible to suppress or reduce the intrusion of substances (foreign matter) that cause deterioration of air quality, such as dust, dirt, pollen, and PM2.5, into the vehicle cabin.

[0138] Furthermore, since the pre-air conditioning request sent by the occupant is information that indicates with a high probability that the occupant intends to get in the vehicle, by making it possible to execute pressurization control during pre-air conditioning control, it is possible to avoid executing unnecessary pressurization control.

[0139] In addition, since the pre-air conditioning control can create a positive pressure inside the vehicle cabin, when passengers get in, the opening of the vehicle door is moderately assisted, making it easier to open the vehicle door compared to when the inside of the vehicle VH is not under positive pressure.

[0140] Furthermore, the control device 32 stops the pressurization control when the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin reaches a predetermined pressure, thereby preventing insufficient and excessive pressurization. Insufficient pressurization allows foreign matter contained in the outside air to easily enter the vehicle cabin, while excessive pressurization can cause discomfort to passengers when they get in due to the difference in air pressure. However, this embodiment can avoid these problems.

[0141] The degree of positive pressure in the vehicle compartment is set to a level that does not force the vehicle door open more than necessary, which prevents the vehicle door from being opened too forcefully and prevents accidents caused by the vehicle door being opened too quickly.

[0142] The control device 32 also has an outside air information acquisition unit 326 that acquires outside air information and an outside air condition determination unit 327 that determines the state of the outside air based on the outside air information, and the control device 32 performs necessary pressurization control in accordance with the outside air information and the determined outside air condition. By determining the likelihood of foreign matter entering the outside air based on the level of foreign matter contained in the outside air, the control device 32 can perform just the right amount of pressurization.

[0143] The information on the outside air may also include information on odors. Occupants feel uncomfortable when odors, including pollen, dust, PM2.5, and other foreign matter, enter the vehicle cabin. In this embodiment, positive pressure in the vehicle cabin can prevent or reduce the amount of odors entering the vehicle, thereby improving passenger comfort.

[0144] Furthermore, the control device 32 changes the timing of executing the pre-AC control and the pressurization control according to information included in the request for pre-AC control (for example, reservation information for the pre-AC control, specifically, for example, the estimated boarding time T1). Since it is possible to change which of the pre-AC control and the pressurization control is to be prioritized depending on the length of the time until the occupant gets in (the estimated boarding time T1), it is possible to efficiently air-condition the environment inside the vehicle cabin according to the occupant's request (purpose).

[0145] Furthermore, the control device 32 executes the pre-air conditioning control and the pressurization control in parallel for at least a part of the period in accordance with the reservation information for the pre-air conditioning control, thereby enabling the vehicle interior environment to be efficiently air-conditioned in accordance with the occupant's requirements (purposes).

[0146] The pressurizing means 95 is composed of, for example, the air intake 91, the indoor blower (blower fan) 27 of the HVAC unit 10, a drafter 93, and its opening / closing damper 94. For example, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering from the outside by forming an air curtain, but in that case, a major design change on the vehicle VH side would be required, such as changing the position of the air outlet 29. In this embodiment, it is possible to prevent or reduce the intrusion of foreign matter from the outside without using special parts or making major design changes.

[0147] The pressurizing means 95 is not limited to the above example as long as it is a means for increasing the air pressure in the vehicle cabin. For example, a blower fan dedicated to pressurization may be provided instead of the indoor blower fan 27 of the HVAC unit 10.

[0148] In this embodiment, after the pressure means 95 creates a positive pressure state (a predetermined air pressure) in the vehicle interior, the pressure is stopped and the positive pressure state is maintained. In this case, the air pressure in the vehicle interior decreases after a predetermined time has passed, so if the vehicle door is not opened (no passengers are in the vehicle) after the predetermined time has passed, the pressure is re-applied. In other words, the maintenance of the positive pressure state is managed by time, but this is not limited to this.

[0149] As described above, the vehicle air conditioner 1 of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0150] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Vehicle air conditioning device 3 Air flow passage 4 Condenser 9 Evaporator 10 HVAC unit 10I Intake unit 25 Intake port 25A Outside air intake port 25B Inside air intake port 26 Intake switching damper 27 Interior blower (blower fan) 28 Air mix damper 29 Outlet 31 Outlet switching damper 32 Control device 60 Air conditioning unit (air conditioning circuit) 91 Air intake port 93 Outlet (drafter) 94 Opening / closing damper 25A, 25B, 26, 95 Pressurizing means 300 Outside air information sensor 301 Outside air temperature sensor 302 Humidity sensor 303 PM sensor 304 Odor sensor 305 Vehicle interior temperature sensor 325 Pre-air conditioning control unit 327 Outside air condition identification unit 326 Outside air information acquisition unit 328 Pressurization control unit K Target temperature T1 Planned ride time T2 Time required for air conditioning T3 Time required for pressurization T4 Pressurization time Δt Temperature difference inside the vehicle

Claims

1. A vehicle air conditioning system comprising: an air conditioning unit that adjusts the temperature of air blown into the vehicle cabin; pressurizing means that can increase the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin; and a control unit, wherein the control unit is capable of executing pressurization control by using the pressurizing means to increase the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin above that outside the vehicle when performing pre-air conditioning control by the air conditioning unit.

2. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the control device stops the pressurization control when it determines that the air pressure inside the vehicle compartment has reached a predetermined pressure.

3. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined pressure is such that it does not force the vehicle door open more than necessary.

4. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising an outside air information acquisition unit that acquires information about the outside air, and wherein the control device performs the pressurization control in accordance with the information about the outside air.

5. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device changes the execution timing of the pre-air conditioning control and the pressurization control in accordance with information included in the request for the pre-air conditioning control.

6. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device executes the pre-air conditioning control and the pressurization control in parallel for at least a portion of the period in accordance with information contained in the request for the pre-air conditioning control.

7. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the pressurizing means includes a blower of the air conditioning unit, a drafter, and an opening / closing means for the drafter.

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