Air conditioning system and air conditioning control device

Abstract

A main air conditioning device (6) is capable of blowing conditioned air separately to a plurality of seat regions (3, 5). Auxiliary temperature control devices (7‒9) are configured so as to be capable of exerting a temperature control effect disproportionately in a specific seat region (3) among the plurality of seat regions (3, 5). During a specific state in which the temperature control effect provided by the auxiliary temperature control devices (7‒9) is exerted disproportionately in the specific seat region (3), the ECU (10) executes control such that a limit on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning device (6) in the specific seat region (3) is greater than in an air conditioning state that is not in the specific state. Furthermore, the ECU (10) executes control that makes the limit on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioner (6) on the other seat regions (5) excluding the specific seat region (3) smaller than the limit on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioner (6) in the specific seat region (3) during the specific state.

Description

Air conditioning system and air conditioning control device Cross-reference to related applications

[0001] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-006884 filed on January 17, 2025, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This disclosure relates to an air conditioning system and an air conditioning control device for a vehicle.

[0003] Conventionally, as an air conditioning system for a vehicle, there is known one including a main air conditioning device that air-conditions the interior of the vehicle and auxiliary temperature control devices such as a radiation heater and a seat heater that directly control the temperature of passengers sitting on each seat.

[0004] The radiation heater as an auxiliary temperature control device included in the air conditioning system described in Patent Document 1 is provided on the surface of the instrument panel or the in-pan under cover. That is, the auxiliary temperature control device is provided only in the area of the driver's seat. This air conditioning system executes control to reduce the output of the main air conditioning device according to the number of operations of the auxiliary temperature control device. Thereby, this air conditioning system achieves both the maintenance of the comfort of the passenger sitting in the driver's seat and the power saving (that is, fuel saving or power saving).

[0005] Japanese Patent No. 7517122

[0006] However, the air conditioning system described in Patent Document 1 executes control that only considers the comfort of the driver sitting on a single seat (specifically, the driver's seat) provided with the auxiliary temperature control device, and does not consider the case where there is a difference in the degree of enrichment of the auxiliary temperature control device for each seat. When the control of this air conditioning system is executed, the driver sitting on the seat with a well-equipped auxiliary temperature control device can maintain comfort, but the passengers sitting on the other seats lack comfort. On the other hand, if the output of the main air conditioning device is increased with priority given to the comfort of passengers sitting on other seats where the auxiliary temperature control device is not well-equipped, the air conditioning effect on the driver becomes excessive and the power saving effect cannot be obtained.

[0007] This disclosure aims to provide an air conditioning system and an air conditioning control device that can maintain the comfort of each occupant in each seat while also saving power, even when there are differences in the level of auxiliary temperature control equipment in each seat.

[0008] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an air conditioning system installed in a vehicle with multiple seats in the passenger compartment includes: a main air conditioning unit capable of individually supplying conditioned air to multiple seat areas; an auxiliary temperature control unit configured to exert a temperature control effect biased towards a specific seat area among the multiple seat areas, and assisting the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit; and an air conditioning control unit that, when a specific state is reached in which the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control unit is biased towards a specific seat area, increases the limit on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the specific seat area compared to an air conditioning state that is not in a specific state, and reduces the limit on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the other seat areas excluding the specific seat area compared to the limit on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the specific seat area in a specific state.

[0009] According to this, under certain conditions, the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control device on a specific seat area is greater than the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control device on other seat areas. In that specific condition, the air conditioning control unit limits the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit on the specific seat area more than in other air conditioning conditions. Therefore, it prevents the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit on the specific seat area from becoming excessive. Thus, it is possible to achieve power savings while maintaining the comfort of the specific seat area. Furthermore, in that specific condition, the air conditioning control unit limits the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit on other seat areas to less than the limit on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit on the specific seat area. Therefore, the air conditioning system of this disclosure can maintain the comfort of other seat areas by compensating for the difference in the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control device between other seat areas and the specific seat area with the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit on other seat areas. As a result, the air conditioning system of this disclosure can achieve both comfort for the specific seat area, comfort for other seat areas, and power savings.

[0010] Furthermore, in this disclosure, "reducing the limitation on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning system to other seating areas" includes not limiting the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning system to other seating areas.

[0011] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the air conditioning control device is installed in a vehicle equipped with a main air conditioning unit capable of individually supplying conditioned air to multiple seat areas within the vehicle cabin, and an auxiliary temperature control unit configured to exert a temperature control effect biased towards a specific seat area among the multiple seat areas, and controls the drive of the main air conditioning unit. When the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control unit is biased towards a specific seat area, the air conditioning control device performs control such that, when a specific state is reached in which the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control unit is biased towards a specific seat area, the limit on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit for the specific seat area is increased compared to an air conditioning state that is not in a specific state, and the limit on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit for the other seat areas excluding the specific seat area is reduced compared to the limit on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit for the specific seat area in the specific state.

[0012] According to this, an air conditioning control device according to another aspect of this disclosure can achieve the same effects as an air conditioning system according to one aspect of this disclosure.

[0013] This is a schematic diagram of the interior of a vehicle equipped with the air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the first foot mode of the main air conditioning unit of the air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. This is a block diagram for explaining the air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. This is a flowchart for explaining the heating control performed by the air conditioning control device of the air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the second foot mode of the main air conditioning unit of the air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. This is a block diagram for explaining the air conditioning system according to the second embodiment. This is a flowchart for explaining the heating control performed by the air conditioning control device of the air conditioning system according to the second embodiment. This is a flowchart for explaining the heating control performed by the air conditioning control device of the air conditioning system according to the third embodiment. This is a schematic diagram of the main air conditioning unit of the air conditioning system according to the fourth embodiment. This is a schematic diagram of the vehicle equipped with the air conditioning system according to the sixth embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the first face mode of the main air conditioning unit of the air conditioning system according to the sixth embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the second face mode of the main air conditioning unit of the air conditioning system according to the sixth embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the first foot mode of the main air conditioning unit of the air conditioning system according to the seventh embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the second foot mode of the main air conditioning unit of the air conditioning system according to the seventh embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the first foot mode of the main air conditioning unit in the air conditioning system according to the eighth embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the second foot mode of the main air conditioning unit in the air conditioning system according to the eighth embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the main air conditioning unit in the air conditioning system according to the ninth embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the second foot mode of the main air conditioning unit in the air conditioning system according to the tenth embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the second foot mode of the main air conditioning unit in the air conditioning system according to the eleventh embodiment.

[0014] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, parts that are the same or equivalent to each other will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0015] (First Embodiment) The first embodiment will now be described. As shown in Figure 1, the air conditioning system of this embodiment is installed in a vehicle 1 which has multiple seats in the passenger compartment. The vehicle 1 may be an engine-powered vehicle that runs on the power of an engine, an electric vehicle that runs on the power of an electric motor, or a hybrid vehicle that runs on the power of both.

[0016] In the following explanation, the area on the side of the front seat 2 within the vehicle interior space will be referred to as the front seat area 3, and the area on the side of the rear seat 4 will be referred to as the rear seat area 5. In Figure 1, for the sake of explanation, the boundary between the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5 is shown by a dashed line B, but the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5 are actually a single continuous space.

[0017] The air conditioning system includes a main air conditioning unit 6 for air conditioning the interior of the vehicle, radiant heaters 7 and seat heaters 8 and 9 as auxiliary temperature control devices to assist the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6, and an air conditioning control device 10 that controls the operation of the main air conditioning unit 6 and the auxiliary temperature control devices.

[0018] The main air conditioning unit 6 is located, for example, inside the instrument panel 11 and is configured to individually supply conditioned air to multiple seating areas (i.e., the front seating area 3 and the rear seating area 5). Specifically, the vehicle interior is provided with a front seating outlet that blows conditioned air to the front seating area 3 and a rear seating outlet 15 that blows conditioned air to the rear seating area 5. The main air conditioning unit 6 can blow conditioned air from the front seating outlet and the rear seating outlet 15 via a duct (not shown). The front seating outlet includes a defroster outlet 12 that blows conditioned air toward the windshield 16 of the vehicle 1, a face outlet 13 that blows conditioned air toward the upper body of the occupant seated in the front seat 2, and a front seating foot outlet 14 that blows conditioned air toward the lower body of the occupant.

[0019] As shown in Figure 2, the main air conditioning unit 6 includes an air conditioning case 21 that forms the air passage 20, a blower 22 that blows air, a cooling device 23 that cools the air flowing through the air passage 20, a heating device 24 that heats the air flowing through the air passage 20, and various doors.

[0020] The air conditioning case 21 has an outside air intake 25 for drawing in outside air (hereinafter referred to as "outside air") and an inside air intake 26 for drawing in inside air (hereinafter referred to as "inside air"). The air drawn in from the outside air intake 25 and the inside air intake 26 flows through the ventilation passage 20. The ventilation passage 20 is provided with an inside / outside air switching door 27 that switches the ratio of outside air drawn in from the outside air intake 25 to inside air drawn in from the inside air intake 26.

[0021] The blower 22 is configured such that an electric motor (not shown) rotates the fan. The blower 22 can be a centrifugal fan, an axial fan, or a once-through fan, etc.

[0022] The cooling device 23 consists of an evaporator of a refrigeration cycle (not shown). The cooling device 23 cools the air by evaporating the refrigerant through heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the tube and the air flowing through the air passage 20.

[0023] The heating device 24 is a heater core through which engine coolant flows. The heating device 24 heats the air by heat exchange between the coolant (hot water) flowing through the tubes and the air flowing through the air passage 20. The heating device 24 is not limited to a heater core, but may also consist of an electric heater (e.g., a PCT heater), a condenser of a heat pump cycle (not shown), or a heat exchanger through which a heat transfer medium (e.g., hot water) that has undergone heat exchange in the condenser of the heat pump cycle flows.

[0024] The air mix door 28, located between the cooling device 23 and the heating device 24, adjusts the ratio of the airflow that passes through the cooling device 23 and the heating device 24 to the airflow that passes through the cooling device 23 and bypasses the heating device 24.

[0025] The air conditioning case 21 has an outlet on the downstream side of the heating equipment 24 that blows out conditioned air adjusted to an appropriate temperature in the ventilation passage 20. The outlet includes a defroster outlet 30, a face outlet 31, a front seat foot outlet 32, and a rear seat outlet 33. The defroster outlet 30 is connected to the defroster outlet 12 via a defroster duct (not shown). The face outlet 31 is connected to the face outlet 13 via a face duct (not shown). The front seat foot outlet 32 ​​is connected to the front seat foot outlet 14 via a foot duct (not shown). The rear seat outlet 33 is connected to the rear seat outlet 15 via a rear seat side duct (not shown).

[0026] The defroster door 34, located at the defroster outlet 30, adjusts the airflow of the conditioned air blown from the defroster outlet 12 to the front seat area 3 (specifically, the windshield 16). The face door 35, located at the face outlet 31, adjusts the airflow of the conditioned air blown from the face outlet 13 to the front seat area 3 (specifically, the upper body side of the occupant seated in the front seat 2). The front foot door 36, located at the front foot outlet 32, adjusts the airflow of the conditioned air blown from the front foot outlet 14 to the front seat area 3 (specifically, the lower body side of the occupant seated in the front seat 2). The rear seat ventilation door 37, located at the rear seat outlet 33, adjusts the airflow of the conditioned air blown from the rear seat outlet 15 to the rear seat area 5.

[0027] Note that the various doors mentioned above (i.e., the interior / exterior air switching door 27, the air mix door 28, the defroster door 34, the face door 35, the front foot door 36, the rear ventilation door 37, etc.) are not limited to the panel doors shown in Figure 2. Various types of doors can be used for the above-mentioned doors, such as rotary doors, sliding doors, and film doors.

[0028] Figure 2 shows the first foot mode of the main air conditioning unit 6. The first foot mode is an example of a foot mode when occupants are seated in both the front seats 2 and the rear seats 4. In the first foot mode, the front foot door 36 fully opens the front foot air outlet 32, and the rear air blower door 37 fully opens the rear air outlet 33. The interior / exterior air switching door 27 is set to the outside air intake mode position, and the defroster door 34 slightly opens the defroster air outlet 30. The face door 35 closes the face air outlet 31. The air mix door 28 is set to a position where almost all of the air that has passed through the cooling equipment 23 passes through the heating equipment 24 (i.e., max hot).

[0029] As shown in Figure 1, the radiant heater 7 and seat heaters 8 and 9, which serve as auxiliary temperature control devices, are configured to exert a temperature control effect biased towards a specific seat area among multiple seat areas. In the first embodiment, the auxiliary temperature control device is configured to exert a temperature control effect biased towards the front seat area 3, which is the specific seat area. Specifically, the seat heaters 8 and 9, which serve as auxiliary temperature control devices, are provided in both the front seats 2 and the rear seats 4, but the radiant heater 7 is provided only in the front seat area 3, which is the specific seat area, and not in the rear seat area 5, which is the other seat area excluding the specific seat area. Therefore, the auxiliary temperature control device is configured to exert a temperature control effect (specifically, an effect of warming the occupants) biased towards the front seat area 3 because the radiant heater 7 is provided only in the front seat area 3. In the following description, the state in which the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control device is biased towards the front seat area 3 will be referred to as the "specific state".

[0030] The radiant heater 7 is an electric heater that generates heat using electricity. The radiant heater 7 is installed, for example, on the door trim in the front seat area 3. However, the radiant heater 7 is not limited to the door trim; for example, it may be installed on the surface of the instrument panel 11 or the instrument panel under cover in the front seat area 3. The radiant heater 7 can directly heat parts of the occupant's body that are not in contact with the seat (for example, parts of the occupant's body facing forward or to the side) by radiant heat. Therefore, the radiant heater 7 has better heating efficiency than the main air conditioning system 6, which warms the occupant by convective heat transfer through the air. Due to the temperature control effect of this radiant heater 7, it is possible to reduce the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning system 6 on the front seat area 3. In the following description, the radiant heater 7 installed in the front seat area 3 may be referred to as the "front seat radiant heater 7".

[0031] The seat heaters 8 and 9 are electric heaters that generate heat using electricity. The seat heaters 8 and 9 can heat the parts of the occupant's body that are in contact with the seat. In the first embodiment, the seat heaters 8 and 9 are provided in both the front seat 2 and the rear seat 4. In the following description, the seat heater provided in the front seat 2 will be referred to as the front seat heater 8, and the seat heater provided in the rear seat 4 will be referred to as the rear seat heater 9. The output of the front seat heater 8 and the rear seat heater 9 are equivalent.

[0032] As shown in Figure 3, the air conditioning control device 10 controls the operation of the main air conditioning unit 6 and the auxiliary temperature control unit based on information input from various sensors 40-46 and the operation panel 47 mounted on the vehicle 1. Hereinafter, the air conditioning control device 10 will be referred to as the ECU 10. ECU stands for Electronic Control Unit. The ECU 10 consists of a computer including a processor and memory, and its peripheral devices. The memory consists of a non-transitional physical storage medium. The processor reads and executes the program stored in the memory. When the processor executes the program stored in the memory, the method corresponding to the program is executed.

[0033] The input side of the ECU 10 is connected to an outside air temperature sensor 40, an inside air temperature sensor 41, a humidity sensor 42, a solar radiation sensor 43, a seat temperature sensor 44, and a radiant heater temperature sensor 45, a seat occupancy sensor 46, and so on.

[0034] Furthermore, an operation panel 47 for controlling the operation of the main air conditioning unit 6 is connected to the input side of the ECU 10. The operation panel 47 is equipped with an auto switch 48 for turning the automatic air conditioning function of the main air conditioning unit 6 on and off.

[0035] The output side of the ECU 10 is connected to drive equipment that drives the main air conditioning unit 6 (specifically, the electric motor for the blower 22, actuators that drive various doors, etc.), front seat heaters 8, rear seat heaters 9, front seat radiant heaters 7, etc. The ECU 10 takes information from various sensors connected to the input side as input and controls the operation of each device connected to the output side according to a program stored in memory.

[0036] As described above, the front seat radiant heater 7 can directly heat the parts of the occupant's body facing forward or to the side when seated in the front seat 2 using radiant heat. Therefore, when occupants are seated in both the front seat 2 and the rear seat 4, and the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control device is biased towards the front seat area 3, the ECU 10 executes control to reduce the heating effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the front seat area 3 compared to air conditioning conditions other than the specific condition. In other words, when in that specific condition, the ECU 10 executes control to increase the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the front seat area 3 compared to air conditioning conditions other than the specific condition. Furthermore, when in that specific condition, the ECU 10 executes control to decrease the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the rear seat area 5 compared to the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the front seat area 3 in that specific condition. Furthermore, reducing the limitation on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the rear seat area 5 includes not limiting the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the rear seat area 5.

[0037] The control processing performed by the ECU 10 of the air conditioning system in the first embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to Figure 4.

[0038] The control routine shown in the flowchart of Figure 4 is executed periodically (for example, every few seconds) by the ECU 10 when the auto switch 48 is turned on. In the first embodiment, the on / off switching of the seat heaters 8 and 9 and the radiant heater 7 is automatically controlled by the ECU 10. In the following description, steps will simply be denoted as "S".

[0039] As shown in Figure 4, in S10, the ECU 10 acquires various measured values ​​based on signals input from various sensors. Examples of these measured values ​​include outside temperature, inside temperature, interior temperature, and the presence or absence of occupants in each seat.

[0040] Next, in S20, the ECU 10 determines whether or not an occupant is seated in the rear seat 4. If the ECU 10 determines that no occupant is seated in the rear seat 4, it proceeds to S30. In S30, based on various measured values, the ECU 10 decides whether to turn the front seat heater 8 and the front seat radiant heater 7 on or off, and sets the rear seat heater 9 to off. The ECU 10 also determines the air conditioning air temperature, air outlet mode, blower level (i.e., the airflow rate of the blower 22), etc., based on various measured values.

[0041] On the other hand, if the ECU 10 determines in S20 that an occupant is seated in the rear seat 4, it proceeds to S40. In S40, the ECU 10 determines whether to turn on or off the front seat heater 8, the rear seat heater 9, and the front seat radiant heater 7 based on various measurement values.

[0042] In S50, following S40, the ECU 10 proceeds to S60 if at least one of the front seat heater 8, rear seat heater 9, and front seat radiant heater 7 is off (i.e., not all are on). Here, if at least one of the front seat heater 8, rear seat heater 9, and front seat radiant heater 7 is off, the heating load is considered to be relatively small. In S60, the ECU 10 determines the air conditioning air temperature, outlet mode, blower level, etc., based on various measured values.

[0043] When the ECU 10 sets the blowing mode to the foot mode in S60, for example, it can be set to the first foot mode shown in FIG. 2. The first foot mode is an example of the foot mode when passengers are seated in both the front seat 2 and the rear seat 4. As shown in FIG. 2, in the first foot mode, the front seat foot door 36 fully opens the front seat foot blowing opening 32, and the rear seat blower door 37 fully opens the rear seat blowing opening 33. The inside / outside air switching door 27 is set to the outside air introduction mode position, and the defroster door 34 slightly opens the defroster blowing opening 30. The face door 35 closes the face blowing opening 31. The air mix door 28 is not limited to the max hot position and may be changed according to the determined air conditioning wind temperature.

[0044] When the heating device 24 is composed of an electric heater, a condenser of a heat pump cycle, or a heat exchanger through which a heat medium (e.g., warm water) that has exchanged heat with the condenser of the heat pump cycle flows, the output of the heating device 24 may be changed according to the determined air conditioning wind temperature.

[0045] On the other hand, in S50, when all of the front seat heater 8, the rear seat heater 9, and the front seat radiant heater 7 are on, the ECU 10 proceeds to S70. Here, when all of the front seat heater 8, the rear seat heater 9, and the front seat radiant heater 7 are on, it is considered that the heating load is large. Also, when all of the front seat heater 8, the rear seat heater 9, and the front seat radiant heater 7 are on, a "specific state" occurs where the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control device is biased and exerted in the front seat area 3.

[0046] Therefore, in S70, the ECU 10 sets the air conditioning wind temperature to max hot and sets the blowing mode to the second foot mode. Also, based on various measured values, the blower level is determined.

[0047] Here, as shown in FIG. 5, in the second foot mode, the front seat foot door 36 reduces the opening degree of the front seat foot blowing opening 32 compared to the first foot mode. The rear seat blower door 37 fully opens the rear seat blowing opening 33. The inside / outside air switching door 27 is set to the outside air introduction mode position, and the defroster door 34 slightly opens the defroster blowing opening 30. The face door 35 closes the face blowing opening 31. The air mix door 28 is set to the max hot position.

[0048] Thus, when in a specific state, the ECU 10 sets the blowing mode of the main air conditioner 6 to the second foot mode, thereby increasing the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioner 6 on the front seat area 3 compared to an air conditioning state that is not the specific state (i.e., the first foot mode). Also, in the second foot mode, the ECU 10 makes the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioner 6 on the rear seat area 5 smaller than the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioner 6 on the front seat area 3 when in the specific state.

[0049] Here, in the first embodiment, the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioner 6 on the front seat area 3 is the ratio of the area where the front seat foot door 36 closes the front seat foot blowing opening 32 to the total opening area of the front seat foot blowing opening 32. Also, the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioner 6 on the rear seat area 5 is the ratio of the area where the rear seat blower door 37 closes the rear seat blowing opening 33 to the total opening area of the rear seat blowing opening 33.

[0050] In the second foot mode, since the front seat foot door 36 reduces the opening degree of the front seat foot blowing opening 32, the air volume of the conditioned air blown out from the front seat foot outlet 14 communicating with the front seat foot blowing opening 32 decreases. At the same time, the air volume of the conditioned air blown out from the rear seat outlet 15 communicating with the rear seat blowing opening 33 increases by the amount by which the air volume of the conditioned air blown out from the front seat foot outlet 14 decreases. Thereby, in a specific state, it becomes possible to compensate for the difference in the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control device between the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5 by the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioner 6, and the comfort of both the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5 can be maintained. Also, it is possible to prevent the air conditioning effect on the front seat area 3 from becoming excessive, and a power saving effect can also be obtained.

[0051] The air conditioning system of the first embodiment described above has the following effects: (1) The ECU 10 of the air conditioning system of the first embodiment performs control to make the restriction of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the front seat area 3 larger when in a specific state compared to when the air conditioning is not in a specific state. This prevents the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the front seat area 3 from becoming excessive when in a specific state. Therefore, power saving can be achieved while maintaining the comfort of the front seat area 3. Furthermore, when in a specific state, the ECU 10 performs control to make the restriction of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the rear seat area 5 smaller than the restriction of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the front seat area 3 when in a specific state. This makes it possible to compensate for the difference in the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control unit between the rear seat area 5 and the front seat area 3 with the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the rear seat area 5, and maintain the comfort of the rear seat area 5. Therefore, this air conditioning system can achieve a balance between comfort in the front seat area 3, comfort in the rear seat area 5, and energy efficiency.

[0052] (2) In the first embodiment, the specific state is a state in which occupants are seated in both the front seat 2 and the rear seat 4, and the temperature control effect exerted by the auxiliary temperature control device in the front seat area 3 is greater than the temperature control effect exerted by the auxiliary temperature control device in the rear seat area 5. Accordingly, as described in the first embodiment, an example of the characteristic state is a state in which the radiant heater 7 and the front seat heater 8 are operating in the front seat area 3, and only the rear seat heater 9 is operating in the rear seat area 5. Note that the configuration of the auxiliary temperature control device that produces the specific state is not limited to that described in the first embodiment, but various configurations are exemplified as described in the fifth embodiment later.

[0053] (3) In the first embodiment, the ECU 10 limits the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 in a specific state by adjusting the airflow rate of the conditioned air blown individually from the main air conditioning unit 6 to the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5. With this, the main air conditioning unit 6 can be a simple configuration in which the airflow rate of the conditioned air blown to the front seat area 3 and the airflow rate of the conditioned air blown to the rear seat area 5 can be adjusted individually, and the present disclosure can be realized at low cost. In other words, since it is not necessary to use a complex configuration in which the temperature of the conditioned air blown to the front seat area 3 and the temperature of the conditioned air blown to the rear seat area 5 can be adjusted individually, the control of the present disclosure can be realized without increasing costs.

[0054] (4) In the first embodiment, the specific seat area in which the auxiliary temperature control device can exert a biased temperature control effect is the front seat area 3, and the other seat areas excluding the specific seat area are the rear seat area 5. Accordingly, the air conditioning system of the first embodiment is preferably installed in a vehicle 1 in which the temperature control effect exerted by the auxiliary temperature control device in the front seat area 3 is greater than the temperature control effect exerted in the rear seat area 5.

[0055] (5) In the first embodiment, the auxiliary temperature control device includes a radiant heater 7. The radiant heater 7 is provided in the front seat area 3 but not in the rear seat area 5. With this configuration, conventional seat heaters 8 and 9 cannot heat parts of the occupant's body that are not in contact with the seat (i.e., parts of the occupant's body that face forward or to the side), so heating those parts had to rely on the hot air blown from the main air conditioning unit 6. Therefore, even with seat heaters 8 and 9, the amount of hot air blown from the main air conditioning unit 6 to a specific seat could not be reduced significantly. In contrast, the radiant heater 7, which has appeared in recent years, directly heats parts of the occupant's body that face forward or to the side with radiant heat. The temperature control effect of this radiant heater 7 has made it possible to significantly reduce the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to a specific seat, which has made the issues of this disclosure apparent. Therefore, this air conditioning system is preferably installed in a vehicle 1 in which the radiant heater 7 is provided in a specific seating area but not in other seating areas.

[0056] (6) In the first embodiment, the limiting of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the front seat area 3 is the ratio of the area that blocks the air passage (for example, the front seat foot outlet opening 32) to the total opening area of ​​the air passage through which the conditioned air blown from the main air conditioning unit 6 to the front seat area 3. Similarly, the limiting of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the rear seat area 5 is the ratio of the area that blocks the air passage (for example, the rear seat outlet opening 33) to the total opening area of ​​the air passage through which the conditioned air blown from the main air conditioning unit 6 to the rear seat area 5. According to this, the ECU 10 can limit the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 in a specific state by adjusting the airflow rate of the conditioned air blown from the main air conditioning unit 6.

[0057] (Second Embodiment) The second embodiment will now be described. In the first embodiment described above, the on / off of the auxiliary temperature control device was automatically controlled by the ECU 10. In the second embodiment, however, the on / off of the auxiliary temperature control device will be manually operated by the occupant. The second embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment as described above, and is otherwise the same as the first embodiment, so only the differences from the first embodiment will be described.

[0058] As shown in Figure 6, the control panel 47 connected to the input side of the ECU 10 is equipped with an auto switch 48 for turning the automatic air conditioning function of the main air conditioning unit 6 on and off, and a switch 49 for turning the auxiliary temperature control unit on and off. The switch 49 for turning the auxiliary temperature control unit on and off includes switches for turning the front seat heaters 8 on and off, switches for turning the rear seat heaters 9 on and off, and switches for turning the front seat radiant heaters 7 on and off.

[0059] The control processing performed by the ECU 10 of the air conditioning system in the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 7. The control routine shown in the flowchart of Figure 7 is executed periodically (for example, every few seconds) by the ECU 10 when the auto switch 48 of the main air conditioning unit 6 is turned on.

[0060] As shown in Figure 7, in S10, the ECU 10 acquires various measured values ​​based on signals input from various sensors. Next, in S20, the ECU 10 determines whether or not an occupant is seated in the rear seat 4. If the ECU 10 determines that no occupant is seated in the rear seat 4, it proceeds to S31.

[0061] In S31, the ECU 10 determines whether the front seat heater 8 and the front seat radiant heater 7 are turned on or off by the occupants. The ECU 10 also determines the air conditioning air temperature, air outlet mode, blower level, etc., based on various measured values.

[0062] On the other hand, if the ECU 10 determines in S20 that an occupant is seated in the rear seat 4, it proceeds to S41. In S41, the ECU 10 determines whether the front seat heater 8, the rear seat heater 9, and the front seat radiant heater 7 are each operated on or off by the occupant.

[0063] In S50, following S41, the ECU 10 proceeds to S60 if at least one of the front seat heater 8, rear seat heater 9, and front seat radiant heater 7 is off (i.e., not all are on). Here, if at least one of the front seat heater 8, rear seat heater 9, and front seat radiant heater 7 is off, the heating load is considered to be relatively small. In S60, the ECU 10 determines the air conditioning air temperature, blowing mode, blower level, etc., based on various measured values. In S60, if the ECU 10 sets the blowing mode to foot mode, it is possible to set it to, for example, the first foot mode shown in Figure 2.

[0064] On the other hand, in S50, if the ECU 10 has the front seat heater 8, rear seat heater 9, and front seat radiant heater 7 all turned on, it proceeds to S70. Here, if the front seat heater 8, rear seat heater 9, and front seat radiant heater 7 are all turned on, it is considered that the heating load is high. Also, if the front seat heater 8, rear seat heater 9, and front seat radiant heater 7 are all turned on, it is a "specific state" in which the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control device is biased towards the front seat area 3.

[0065] Therefore, in S70, ECU10 sets the air conditioning air temperature to maximum hot and the air outlet mode to the second foot mode shown in Figure 5. In addition, the blower level is determined based on various measured values.

[0066] The air conditioning system of the second embodiment described above can achieve the same effects and advantages as the air conditioning system described in the first embodiment. That is, under specific conditions, it can achieve both comfort in the front seat area 3, comfort in the rear seat area 5, and energy savings.

[0067] (Third Embodiment) The third embodiment will now be described. In the first embodiment described above, the output of the auxiliary temperature control device was only switched on and off. In the third embodiment, however, the output of the auxiliary temperature control device can be automatically adjusted in multiple stages. The third embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment as described above, and is otherwise the same as the first embodiment. Therefore, only the differences from the first embodiment will be described.

[0068] The control processing performed by the ECU 10 of the air conditioning system in the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 8. The control routine shown in the flowchart of Figure 8 is executed periodically (for example, every few seconds) by the ECU 10 when the auto switch 48 of the main air conditioning unit 6 is turned on.

[0069] As shown in Figure 8, in S10, the ECU 10 acquires various measured values ​​based on signals input from various sensors. Next, in S20, the ECU 10 determines whether or not an occupant is seated in the rear seat 4. If the ECU 10 determines that no occupant is seated in the rear seat 4, it proceeds to S32.

[0070] In S32, the ECU 10 determines the output of the front seat heaters 8 and front seat radiant heaters 7 based on various measured values, and sets the rear seat heaters 9 to off. The ECU 10 also determines the air conditioning air temperature, air outlet mode, blower level, etc., based on various measured values.

[0071] On the other hand, if the ECU 10 determines in S20 that an occupant is seated in the rear seat 4, it proceeds to S42. In S42, the ECU 10 determines the output of the front seat heater 8, the rear seat heater 9, and the front seat radiant heater 7 based on various measurement values.

[0072] In S51, following S42, the ECU 10 proceeds to S60 if at least one of the front seat heater 8, rear seat heater 9, and front seat radiant heater 7 is off (i.e., not all are on). Also in S51, the ECU 10 proceeds to S60 if the front seat heater 8, rear seat heater 9, and front seat radiant heater 7 are all on, but the specific state is not met. In the third embodiment, for example, if the output of the front seat heater 8 and front seat radiant heater 7 is low and the output of the rear seat heater 9 is high, the specific state in which the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control device is biased towards the front seat area 3 may not be achieved. Furthermore, if the output of the front seat heater 8 and front seat radiant heater 7 is adjusted to a low level by the occupant's operation, the specific state may not be achieved. In S60, the ECU 10 determines the air conditioning air temperature, air outlet mode, blower level, etc., based on various measured values. In the S60, when the ECU 10 sets the blow-out mode to foot mode, it is possible to set it to, for example, the first foot mode shown in Figure 2.

[0073] On the other hand, in S51, if the front seat heater 8, rear seat heater 9, and front seat radiant heater 7 are all on, and a specific condition is met, the ECU 10 proceeds to S70. For example, a specific condition occurs when the front seat heater 8, rear seat heater 9, and front seat radiant heater 7 are all at maximum output, or close to it. When the front seat heater 8, rear seat heater 9, and front seat radiant heater 7 are all on, and a specific condition is met, it is considered that the heating load is high.

[0074] In S70, ECU10 sets the air conditioning air temperature to maximum hot and the air outlet mode to the second foot mode shown in Figure 5. It also determines the blower level based on various measured values.

[0075] The air conditioning system of the third embodiment described above can achieve the same effects and advantages as the air conditioning system described in the first embodiment. That is, under specific conditions, it can achieve both comfort in the front seat area 3, comfort in the rear seat area 5, and energy savings.

[0076] (Fourth Embodiment) The fourth embodiment will now be described. In the first embodiment described above, the opening degree of the front foot door 36 was described in three stages: fully open, half open, and fully closed. Specifically, in the first embodiment, the opening degree of the front foot door 36 was set to the fully open position in the first foot mode, the half open position in the second foot mode, and the fully closed position in modes other than foot mode. In contrast, the fourth embodiment will be described in which the opening degree of the front foot door 36 can be adjusted in multiple stages. The fourth embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment in the above-mentioned points, and is otherwise the same as the first embodiment, so only the parts that differ from the first embodiment will be described.

[0077] As shown by the dashed lines 36a, 36b, and 36c in Figure 9, the opening degree of the front foot door 36 can be adjusted in multiple stages or continuously in the second foot mode. The opening degree of the front foot door 36 is not limited to the positions shown by the dashed lines 36a, 36b, and 36c in Figure 9, but can be set to any position. This allows the main air conditioning unit 6 to flexibly adjust the airflow ratio between the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5 according to the difference in air conditioning requirements between the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5.

[0078] (Fifth Embodiment) The fifth embodiment will now be described. In the first embodiment described above, the air conditioning system was described as being equipped with a front seat radiant heater 7, a front seat heater 8, and a rear seat heater 9 as auxiliary temperature control devices. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the difference between the auxiliary temperature control devices in the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5 was the presence or absence of the radiant heater 7, but as shown in the fifth embodiment, the difference between the auxiliary temperature control devices in the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5 is not limited to that.

[0079] In the fifth embodiment, the difference between the auxiliary temperature control devices in the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5 can be configured as follows: (A), (B), (C), etc. (A) A radiant heater and a seat heater are installed in the front seat area 3. In contrast, no auxiliary temperature control device is installed in the rear seat area 5. (B) Two radiant heaters are installed in the front seat area 3. In contrast, one radiant heater is installed in the rear seat area 5. The two radiant heaters installed in the front seat area 3 are, for example, a radiant heater that irradiates radiant heat to the occupant's toes and a radiant heater that irradiates radiant heat to the occupant's knees. In contrast, the one radiant heater installed in the rear seat area 5 is, for example, a radiant heater that irradiates radiant heat to the occupant's knees. (C) A radiant heater with a high maximum output is installed in the front seat area 3. In contrast, a radiant heater with a lower maximum output is installed in the rear seat area 5.

[0080] In the fifth embodiment described above, a specific state can be reached when all auxiliary temperature control devices are activated in the configurations of (A), (B), and (C) described above. Note that the difference between the auxiliary temperature control devices in the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5 is not limited to the configurations exemplified in (A), (B), and (C) above, and various configurations can be adopted.

[0081] (Sixth Embodiment) The sixth embodiment will now be described. In the first embodiment described above, an example of a specific condition occurring during heating was explained. In contrast, the sixth embodiment will describe an example of a specific condition occurring during cooling. The sixth embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment in the points mentioned above, and is otherwise the same as the first embodiment, so only the parts that differ from the first embodiment will be described.

[0082] As shown in Figure 10, the air conditioning system of the sixth embodiment includes a main air conditioning unit 6 for air conditioning the interior of the vehicle, seat air conditioning units 50 and 51 as auxiliary temperature control units to assist the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6, and an ECU 10, etc., which controls the operation of the main air conditioning unit 6 and the auxiliary temperature control units.

[0083] The seat air conditioning units 50 and 51 are installed in the front seats 2, which are designated as specific seats, and not in the rear seats 4, which are designated as other seats. Therefore, the seat air conditioning units 50 and 51 are configured to exert a temperature control effect (specifically, an effect of cooling the occupants) that is biased towards a specific seat area among multiple seat areas. The seat air conditioning units 50 and 51 are devices that can draw air from the vehicle interior to the seat or blow air from the seat into the vehicle interior by driving a blower that blows air using electricity.

[0084] In the sixth embodiment, the ECU 10 performs control to reduce the cooling effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the front seat area 3 when occupants are seated in both the front seat 2 and the rear seat 4, and the temperature control effect of the seat air conditioning units 50 and 51 is biased towards the front seat 2. In other words, in that specific state, the ECU 10 performs control to increase the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the front seat area 3 compared to air conditioning conditions other than that specific state. Furthermore, in that specific state, the ECU 10 performs control to decrease the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the rear seat area 5 compared to the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the front seat area 3 in that specific state.

[0085] Figure 11 shows the first face mode in the main air conditioning unit 6 of the sixth embodiment. The first face mode is an example of a face mode when occupants are seated in both the front seat 2 and the rear seat 4, and the seat air conditioning units 50 and 51 are not operating (i.e., an air conditioning state that is not a specific state).

[0086] In the first face mode, the face door 35 fully opens the face air outlet 31, and the rear seat ventilation door 37 fully opens the rear seat air outlet 33. The defroster door 34 closes the defroster air outlet 30, and the front seat foot door 36 closes the front seat foot air outlet 32. The air mix door 28 is positioned so that almost all the air that has passed through the cooling equipment 23 bypasses the heating equipment 24 (i.e., max cool).

[0087] In contrast, Figure 12 shows a second face mode in the main air conditioning unit 6 of the sixth embodiment. The second face mode is an example of a face mode when occupants are seated in both the front seat 2 and the rear seat 4, and the seat air conditioning units 50 and 51 of the front seat 2 are operating (i.e., a specific state).

[0088] In the second face mode, the face door 35 reduces the opening of the face air outlet 31 compared to the first face mode. The rear seat ventilation door 37 fully opens the rear seat air outlet 33. The defroster door 34 closes the defroster air outlet 30, and the front seat foot door 36 closes the front seat foot air outlet 32. The air mix door 28 is in the Max Cool position.

[0089] In this way, when a specific condition is met, the ECU 10 sets the airflow mode of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the second face mode, thereby increasing the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 on the front seat area 3 compared to the air conditioning state when no specific condition is met (i.e., the first face mode). Furthermore, in the second face mode, the ECU 10 reduces the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 on the rear seat area 5 to a smaller level than the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 on the front seat area 3 when a specific condition is met.

[0090] In the second face mode, the face door 35 reduces the opening of the face air outlet 31, thus decreasing the amount of conditioned air blown out from the face outlet 13, which is connected to the face air outlet 31. At the same time, the amount of conditioned air blown out from the rear seat outlet 15, which is connected to the rear seat air outlet 33, increases by the amount that the amount of conditioned air blown out from the face outlet 13 has decreased. As a result, in certain conditions, the difference in the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control device between the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5 can be compensated for by the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning device 6, and comfort can be maintained in both the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5. In addition, excessive air conditioning effect on the front seat area 3 is prevented, and power saving effects are also obtained.

[0091] The air conditioning system of the sixth embodiment described above can achieve the same effects and advantages as the air conditioning system described in the first embodiment. That is, under specific conditions, it can achieve both comfort in the front seat area 3, comfort in the rear seat area 5, and energy savings.

[0092] (Seventh Embodiment) The seventh embodiment will now be described. In the first to sixth embodiments described above, a specific seat area was described as the front seat area 3, and the other seat areas as the rear seat area 5. In contrast, in the seventh embodiment, a specific seat area will be described as the driver's seat area, and the other seat areas as the passenger seat area. The seventh embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment, etc., as described above, and is otherwise the same as the first embodiment, etc., so only the parts that differ from the first embodiment, etc. will be described.

[0093] In the seventh embodiment, the auxiliary temperature control device is configured to exert its temperature control effect primarily on the driver's seat area, which is a specific seating area. Specifically, the radiant heater 7, which serves as the auxiliary temperature control device, is provided only in the driver's seat area and not in the passenger seat area.

[0094] As shown in Figure 13, the main air conditioning unit 6 of the seventh embodiment is configured to independently control the airflow volume of the conditioned air supplied to the driver's seat area and the airflow volume of the conditioned air supplied to the passenger seat area. Specifically, the main air conditioning unit 6 has the following outlet openings: a defroster outlet opening 30, a driver's side face outlet opening 311, a passenger's side face outlet opening 312, a driver's side foot outlet opening 321, and a passenger's side foot outlet opening 322. The driver's side face outlet opening 311 is provided with a driver's side face door 351, and the passenger's side face outlet opening 312 is provided with a passenger's side face door 352. The driver's side foot outlet opening 321 is provided with a driver's side foot outlet door 361, and the passenger's side foot outlet opening 322 is provided with a passenger's side foot outlet door 362.

[0095] Figure 13 shows the first foot mode of the main air conditioning unit 6 of the seventh embodiment. The first foot mode is an example of a foot mode when occupants are seated in both the driver's seat and the passenger seat. In the first foot mode, the driver's side foot door 361 fully opens the driver's side foot air outlet opening 321, and the passenger's side foot door 362 fully opens the passenger's side foot air outlet opening 322.

[0096] In contrast, Figure 14 shows the second foot mode of the main air conditioning unit 6 of the seventh embodiment. The second foot mode is an example of a foot mode when occupants are seated in both the driver's seat and the passenger seat, and the radiant heater 7 provided only in the driver's seat area is operating (i.e., a specific state).

[0097] In the second foot mode of the seventh embodiment, the driver's side foot door 361 reduces the opening of the driver's side foot air outlet opening 321 compared to the first foot mode. The passenger side foot door 362 fully opens the passenger side foot air outlet opening 322.

[0098] In this way, when a specific condition is met, the ECU 10 sets the air outlet mode of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the second foot mode, thereby increasing the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the driver's seat area compared to an air conditioning state that is not a specific condition (i.e., the first foot mode). Furthermore, in the second foot mode, the ECU 10 reduces the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the passenger seat area to a smaller level than the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 to the driver's seat area when a specific condition is met.

[0099] In the second foot mode, the driver's side foot door 361 reduces the opening of the driver's side foot outlet 321, thus reducing the amount of conditioned air blown out from the driver's side foot outlet connected to the driver's side foot outlet 321. Simultaneously, the amount of conditioned air blown out from the passenger side foot outlet connected to the passenger side foot outlet 322 increases to compensate for the reduction in the amount of conditioned air blown out from the driver's side foot outlet. This makes it possible to compensate for the difference in the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control device between the driver's and passenger's areas with the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6 in certain conditions, thereby maintaining comfort in both the driver's and passenger's areas. Furthermore, it prevents excessive air conditioning effect on the driver's area and also provides power-saving benefits.

[0100] (Eighth Embodiment) The eighth embodiment will now be described. In the first to seventh embodiments described above, when a specific state is reached, the amount of air blown from the main air conditioning unit 6 to a specific seat area is reduced, and the amount of air blown to other seats is increased. In contrast, in the eighth embodiment, when a specific state is reached, in the second foot mode, the temperature of the air blown from the main air conditioning unit 6 to a specific seat area is made lower than the outlet temperature in an air conditioning state that is not a specific state. Also, in the second foot mode, the temperature of the air blown from the main air conditioning unit 6 to other seats is maintained at the same temperature as the outlet temperature in an air conditioning state that is not a specific state. The eighth embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment, etc., as described above, and is otherwise the same as the first embodiment, etc., so only the parts that differ from the first embodiment, etc. will be described.

[0101] As shown in Figure 15, the main air conditioning unit 6 of the eighth embodiment is configured to independently control the temperature of the conditioned air supplied to the front seat area 3 and the temperature of the conditioned air supplied to the rear seat area 5. Specifically, inside the air conditioning case 21 of the main air conditioning unit 6, there is a first air passage 201 through which the conditioned air supplied to the front seat area 3 flows, and a second air passage 202 through which the conditioned air supplied to the rear seat area 5 flows. The first air passage 201 and the second air passage 202 are separated by a partition wall 29. The air mix door 28 has a first air mix door 281 provided in the first air passage 201 and a second air mix door 282 provided in the second air passage 202. The first air passage 201 is provided with a defroster outlet 30, a face outlet 31, and a front seat foot outlet 32, while the second air passage 202 is provided with a rear seat outlet 33.

[0102] Figure 15 shows the first foot mode of the main air conditioning unit 6 of the eighth embodiment. The first foot mode is an example of a foot mode when occupants are seated in both the front seat 2 and the rear seat 4. In the first foot mode, both the first air mix door 281 and the second air mix door 282 are set to the maximum hot position. The front foot door 36 fully opens the front foot air outlet opening 32, and the rear air blower door 37 fully opens the rear air outlet opening 33.

[0103] In contrast, Figure 16 shows the second foot mode of the main air conditioning unit 6 of the eighth embodiment. The second foot mode is an example of a foot mode when occupants are seated in both the front seat 2 and the rear seat 4, and under specific conditions. In the second foot mode, the first air mix door 281 is driven so that a portion of the air that has passed through the cooling equipment 23 bypasses the heating equipment 24, and the other portion passes through the heating equipment 24. The second air mix door 282 is set to the maximum hot position. The front foot door 36 may open the front foot air outlet opening 32 to a smaller degree than in the first foot mode, or it may be fully open. The rear air blower door 37 fully opens the rear air outlet opening 33.

[0104] As a result, in the second foot mode, the temperature of the air blown from the main air conditioning unit 6 to the front seat area 3 is lower than in the first foot mode. Also, in the second foot mode, the temperature of the air blown to the other seats is maintained at the same temperature as in the first foot mode. Therefore, in certain conditions, the difference in the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control unit between the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5 can be compensated for by the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6, thus maintaining comfort in both the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5. In addition, excessive air conditioning effect on the front seat area 3 is prevented.

[0105] Furthermore, the heating device 24 is not limited to a heater core through which engine cooling water flows, but may also consist of, for example, an electric heater (e.g., a PCT heater), a condenser of a heat pump cycle, or a heat exchanger through which a heat transfer medium (e.g., hot water) that has undergone heat exchange in the condenser of a heat pump cycle flows. In that case, the output of the heating device 24 provided on the first air passage 201 side may be reduced in the second foot mode. This will result in power saving effects.

[0106] (Ninth Embodiment) The ninth embodiment will now be described. In the first to seventh embodiments described above, in a specific state, in the second foot mode, the amount of air blown from the main air conditioning unit 6 to a specific seat area and to other seats was adjusted by adjusting the opening of the front foot door 36 and the rear seat air blower door 37. In contrast, in the ninth embodiment, the amount of air blown from the main air conditioning unit 6 to other seats is adjusted by the rear seat assist blower 52. The ninth embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment, etc., as described above, but is otherwise the same as the first embodiment, etc., so only the parts that differ from the first embodiment, etc. will be described.

[0107] As shown in Figure 17, the main air conditioning unit 6 of the ninth embodiment is equipped with a rear seat assist blower 52 located in the rear seat air outlet 33 or in the middle of a rear seat side duct (not shown). In the ninth embodiment, the rotation speed of the rear seat assist blower 52 in the second foot mode is set to be higher than the rotation speed of the rear seat assist blower 52 in the first foot mode. As a result, in the second foot mode, the amount of conditioned air blown from the front seat foot air outlet 32 ​​to the front seat area 3 is reduced, and the amount of conditioned air blown from the rear seat air outlet 33 to the rear seat area 5 is increased, compared to the first foot mode. Therefore, in a specific state, the difference in the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control device between the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5 can be compensated for by the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit 6, and comfort can be maintained in both the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5. In addition, excessive air conditioning effect on the front seat area 3 is prevented.

[0108] (Tenth Embodiment) The tenth embodiment will now be described. In the first embodiment described above, the main air conditioning unit 6 set both the first foot mode and the second foot mode to outside air intake mode. In contrast, in the tenth embodiment, the main air conditioning unit 6 will be described in which control is performed to increase the amount of internal air circulation when in the second foot mode compared to the first foot mode. The tenth embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment and the like, and is otherwise the same as the first embodiment and the like, so only the parts that differ from the first embodiment and the like will be described.

[0109] Figure 18 shows the second foot mode of the main air conditioning unit 6 of the tenth embodiment. As shown in Figure 18, the interior / exterior air switching door 27 fully opens the exterior air intake 25 and slightly opens the interior air intake 26. As a result, outside air is drawn into the ventilation passage 20 from the exterior air intake 25, and interior air is also drawn into the ventilation passage 20 from the interior air intake 26. The ratio of interior air circulation is determined by considering the ratio of airflow to the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5, and the increase in the overall anti-fogging load in the vehicle interior due to the increase in the number of occupants in the rear seats 4.

[0110] In the tenth embodiment described above, in the second foot mode, which is performed under specific conditions, the amount of air blown into the front seat area 3 is reduced, so the windshield 16 is less likely to fog up even when internal air is mixed in, making it possible to increase the amount of internal air circulation. This reduces the loss of air conditioning effect due to the introduction of outside air (i.e., ventilation loss) and improves air conditioning efficiency.

[0111] (Eleventh Embodiment) The eleventh embodiment will now be described. The eleventh embodiment is a modification of the tenth embodiment described above. In the eleventh embodiment, the main air conditioning unit 6 will be configured to preferentially flow the interior air drawn in from the interior air intake port 26 into the ventilation passage 20 to the rear seat area 5 when in second foot mode. The eleventh embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment, etc., as described above, but is otherwise the same as the first embodiment, etc., so only the parts that differ from the first embodiment, etc. will be described.

[0112] As shown in Figure 19, the main air conditioning unit 6 of the 11th embodiment has a first air passage 201 and a second air passage 202. Figure 19 shows the second foot mode of the main air conditioning unit 6 of the 11th embodiment. In the second foot mode, the first interior / exterior air switching door 271 fully opens the exterior air intake 25, and the second interior / exterior air switching door 272 opens the interior air intake 26. As a result, outside air is drawn in from the exterior air intake 25 into the first air passage 201 and the second air passage 202, and interior air is drawn in from the interior air intake 26 into the second air passage 202. The ratio of interior air is determined by considering the ratio of airflow to the front seat area 3 and the rear seat area 5, and the increase in the overall anti-fogging load in the vehicle interior due to the increase in the number of occupants in the rear seats 4.

[0113] As shown by arrow F1 in Figure 19, outside air drawn in from the outside air intake 25 into the first ventilation passage 201 is preferentially blown out into the front seat area 3 from the defroster outlet 30 and the front seat foot outlet 32. On the other hand, as shown by arrow F2 in Figure 19, outside air and inside air drawn in from the outside air intake 25 and the inside air intake 26 into the second ventilation passage 202 are preferentially blown out into the rear seat area 5 from the rear seat outlet 33.

[0114] In the 11th embodiment described above, under specific conditions, the proportion of internal air in the conditioned air supplied to the rear seat area 5 is increased compared to the proportion of internal air in the conditioned air supplied to the front seat area 3. This enhances the anti-fogging effect of the windshield 16 while reducing the loss of air conditioning effect due to the introduction of outside air (i.e., ventilation loss). Furthermore, when the air with a large proportion of internal air (i.e., higher temperature) supplied to the rear seat area 5 flows through the internal air intake 26 provided in the front seat area 3, it also has the effect of warming the occupants seated in the front seats 2.

[0115] (Other Embodiments) This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be modified as appropriate. Furthermore, the embodiments and parts thereof are not unrelated to each other and can be combined as appropriate, except in cases where the combination is clearly impossible. In addition, it goes without saying that the elements constituting the embodiments are not necessarily essential unless they are explicitly stated to be particularly essential or are clearly considered essential in principle. Furthermore, when numerical values ​​such as the number, numerical values, quantities, or ranges of the components of the embodiments are mentioned in the embodiments, they are not limited to those specific numbers unless they are explicitly stated to be particularly essential or are clearly limited to a specific number in principle. Furthermore, when the shapes, positional relationships, etc. of the components are mentioned in the embodiments, they are not limited to those shapes, positional relationships, etc. unless they are explicitly stated to be particularly essential or are clearly limited to a specific shape, positional relationship, etc. in principle.

[0116] The control unit and its method described herein may be implemented by a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions embodied by a computer program. Alternatively, the control unit and its method described herein may be implemented by a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor by one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the control unit and its method described herein may be implemented by one or more dedicated computers configured by a combination of a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions and a processor configured by one or more hardware logic circuits. Furthermore, the computer program may be stored as instructions executed by the computer on a computer-readable non-transitional tangible recording medium. The memory described above is a non-transitional tangible storage medium. When the computer program is executed, the control method corresponding to the computer program is executed.

[0117] (Perspective of this disclosure) The above disclosure can be understood, for example, from the following perspectives. [First perspective] An air conditioning system installed in a vehicle (1) having a plurality of seats (2, 4) in the passenger compartment, comprising: a main air conditioning unit (6) capable of individually supplying conditioned air to a plurality of seat areas (3, 5); auxiliary temperature control units (7-9) configured to exert a temperature control effect biased towards a specific seat area (3) among the plurality of seat areas, and assisting the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit; and an air conditioning control unit (10) that performs control such that, when the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control unit is biased towards the specific seat area, the restriction of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the specific seat area is greater than in an air conditioning state other than the specific state, and the restriction of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the other seat areas (5) excluding the specific seat area is smaller than the restriction of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the specific seat area in the specific state. [Second viewpoint] The air conditioning system according to the first viewpoint, wherein the specific state is a state in which occupants are seated in both the specific seat and the other seats, and the temperature control effect exerted by the auxiliary temperature control device on the specific seat area is greater than the temperature control effect exerted by the auxiliary temperature control device on the other seat areas. [Third viewpoint] The air conditioning system according to the first or second viewpoint, wherein the air conditioning control device limits the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning device when the specific state is reached by adjusting the airflow rate of the conditioned air blown individually from the main air conditioning device to the specific seat area and the other seat areas. [Fourth viewpoint] The air conditioning system according to any one of the first to third viewpoints, wherein the specific seat area is the front seat area (3), and the other seat area is the rear seat area (5). [Fifth viewpoint] The air conditioning system according to any one of the first to fourth viewpoints, wherein the auxiliary temperature control device includes a radiant heater (7), and the radiant heater is provided in the specific seat area and not in the other seat areas.[Sixth Perspective] The air conditioning system according to any one of the first to fourth perspectives, wherein the auxiliary temperature control device includes a specific seat radiant heater provided in the specific seat area and other seat radiant heaters provided in the other seat areas, and the maximum output of the specific seat radiant heater is greater than the maximum output of the other seat radiant heaters. [Seventh Perspective] The air conditioning control device limits the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning system when in the specific state by adjusting the airflow rate, and when in the specific state, increases the proportion of internal air in the main air conditioning system compared to an air conditioning state that is not in the specific state. [Eighth Perspective] The air conditioning system according to the first or seventh perspective, wherein the specific seat area is the front seat area and the other seat area is the rear seat area, and when in the specific state, the air conditioning control device increases the proportion of internal air in the air conditioning air supplied to the rear seat area compared to the proportion of internal air in the air conditioning air supplied to the front seat area. [Ninth Perspective] The air conditioning system according to any one of the first to eighth perspectives, wherein the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit for the specific seat area is the ratio of the area that blocks the air passage to the total opening area of ​​the air passage through which the conditioned air blown from the main air conditioning unit to the specific seat area, and the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit for the other seat areas is the ratio of the area that blocks the air passage to the total opening area of ​​the air passage through which the conditioned air blown from the main air conditioning unit to the other seat areas.[Tenth Perspective] An air conditioning control device installed in a vehicle equipped with a main air conditioning unit (6) capable of individually supplying conditioned air to multiple seat areas (3, 5) in the vehicle interior, and auxiliary temperature control units (7-9) configured to exert a temperature control effect biased towards a specific seat area (3) among the multiple seat areas, and which controls the drive of the main air conditioning unit, wherein when the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control units is biased towards the specific seat area, the air conditioning control device performs control such that, when a specific state is reached in which the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control units is biased towards the specific seat area, the restriction on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the specific seat area is increased compared to an air conditioning state that is not in the specific state, and the restriction on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the other seat areas (5) excluding the specific seat area is reduced compared to the restriction on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the specific seat area in the specific state. Note that the second to ninth perspectives can be arbitrarily combined with the tenth perspective.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system installed in a vehicle (1) having a plurality of seats (2, 4) in the passenger compartment, comprising: a main air conditioning unit (6) capable of individually supplying conditioned air to a plurality of seat areas (3, 5); auxiliary temperature control units (7-9) configured to exert a temperature control effect biased towards a specific seat area (3) among the plurality of seat areas, and assisting the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit; and an air conditioning control unit (10) that performs control such that, when the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control units is biased towards the specific seat area, the restriction on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the specific seat area is greater than in an air conditioning state other than the specific state, and the restriction on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the other seat areas (5) excluding the specific seat area is smaller than the restriction on the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the specific seat area in the specific state.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the specific state is a state in which occupants are seated in both the specific seat and the other seats, and the temperature control effect exerted by the auxiliary temperature control device on the specific seat area is greater than the temperature control effect exerted by the auxiliary temperature control device on the other seat areas.

3. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air conditioning control device limits the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit when in the specific state by adjusting the airflow rate of the conditioned air blown individually from the main air conditioning unit to the specific seat area and the other seat areas.

4. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the specific seat area is the front seat area (3), and the other seat area is the rear seat area (5).

5. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the auxiliary temperature control device includes a radiant heater (7), and the radiant heater is provided in the specific seat area and not in the other seat areas.

6. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the auxiliary temperature control device includes a specific seat radiant heater provided in the specific seat area and other seat radiant heaters provided in other seat areas, and the maximum output of the specific seat radiant heater is greater than the maximum output of the other seat radiant heaters.

7. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air conditioning control device limits the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit when in the specific state by adjusting the airflow rate, and increases the proportion of indoor air in the main air conditioning unit when in the specific state compared to an air conditioning state that is not in the specific state.

8. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the specific seat area is the front seat area, the other seat area is the rear seat area, and the air conditioning control device increases the proportion of internal air in the air conditioning air supplied to the rear seat area compared to the proportion of internal air in the air conditioning air supplied to the front seat area when the specific condition is met.

9. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit for the specific seat area is the ratio of the area that blocks the air passage to the total opening area of ​​the air passage through which the conditioned air blown from the main air conditioning unit to the specific seat area, and the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit for the other seat areas is the ratio of the area that blocks the air passage to the total opening area of ​​the air passage through which the conditioned air blown from the main air conditioning unit to the other seat areas.

10. An air conditioning control device installed in a vehicle equipped with a main air conditioning unit (6) capable of individually supplying conditioned air to multiple seat areas (3, 5) in the vehicle interior, and auxiliary temperature control units (7-9) configured to exert a temperature control effect biased towards a specific seat area (3) among the multiple seat areas, and which controls the drive of the main air conditioning unit, wherein when a specific state is reached in which the temperature control effect of the auxiliary temperature control units is biased towards the specific seat area, the control device increases the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the specific seat area compared to an air conditioning state other than the specific state, and reduces the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the other seat areas (5) excluding the specific seat area compared to the limitation of the air conditioning effect of the main air conditioning unit to the specific seat area in the specific state.

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