U.S. patent application number 13/574338 was filed with the patent office on 2012-11-15 for ceiling-mounted indoor unit for air conditioning apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to Daikin Industries, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Yoshiharu Michitsuji, Yoshiteru Nouchi, Tsuyoshi Yokomizo, Yoshiaki Yumoto.
Application Number | 20120288363 13/574338 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44319327 |
Filed Date | 2012-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120288363 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yumoto; Yoshiaki ; et
al. |
November 15, 2012 |
CEILING-MOUNTED INDOOR UNIT FOR AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS
Abstract
A ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning apparatus
is disposed in a ceiling of an air-conditioned room. The
ceiling-mounted indoor unit includes a casing having an air outlet
formed along a peripheral edge portion of an undersurface of the
casing, at least four horizontal blades rotatably disposed in the
air outlet, and a controller. The horizontal blades have
airflow-direction angles that are independently changeable in an
up-and-down direction. The control unit controls the horizontal
blades such that at least two first horizontal blades of the at
least four horizontal blades synchronously swing while taking the
same posture. The first horizontal blades are adjacent to each
other, and a combination of the at least four horizontal blades
forming the first horizontal blades shifts in order along the
peripheral edge portion.
Inventors: |
Yumoto; Yoshiaki;
(Sakai-shi, JP) ; Yokomizo; Tsuyoshi; (Sakai-shi,
JP) ; Michitsuji; Yoshiharu; (Sakai-shi, JP) ;
Nouchi; Yoshiteru; (Sakai-shi, JP) |
Assignee: |
Daikin Industries, Ltd.
Osaka-shi, Osaka
JP
|
Family ID: |
44319327 |
Appl. No.: |
13/574338 |
Filed: |
January 26, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
January 26, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2011/051505 |
371 Date: |
July 20, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
415/182.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 13/14 20130101;
F24F 1/0014 20130101; F24F 1/0047 20190201 |
Class at
Publication: |
415/182.1 |
International
Class: |
F04D 17/00 20060101
F04D017/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 26, 2010 |
JP |
2010-014629 |
Claims
1. A ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning apparatus
disposed in a ceiling of an air-conditioned room, the
ceiling-mounted indoor unit comprising: a casing having an air
outlet formed along a peripheral edge portion of an undersurface of
the casing; at least for horizontal blades rotatably disposed in
the air outlet, the horizontal blades having airflow-direction
angles that are independently changeable in an up-and-down
direction; and a control unit configured to control the horizontal
blades such that at least two first horizontal blades of the at
least four horizontal blades synchronously swing while taking the
same posture, the first horizontal blades being adjacent to each
other, and a combination of the at least four horizontal blades
forming the first horizontal blades shifts in order along the
peripheral edge portion.
2. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning
apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further
configured such that the combination of the at least four
horizontal blades forming the first horizontal blades shifts
sequentially one blade at a time.
3. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning
apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further
configured such that the combination of the at least four
horizontal blades forming the first horizontal blades shifts every
time the first horizontal blades reciprocally rotate a
predetermined number of times in the up-and-down direction with
respect to the air outlet.
4. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning
apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further
configured such that the combination of the at least tour
horizontal blades forming the first horizontal blades shifts every
time the first horizontal blades swing for a first predetermined
amount of time.
5. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning
apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further
configured such that second horizontal blades of the at least four
horizontal blades are put into a state where the second horizontal
blades are fixed at a predetermined angle while the first
horizontal blades synchronously swing while taking the same
posture, and the second horizontal blades are a remainder of the at
least four horizontal blades excluding the first horizontal
blades.
6. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning
apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first horizontal blades
reciprocally rotate in the up-and-down direction with respect to
the air outlet, and the control unit is further configured to
temporarily stop actions of the first horizontal blades when
rotational directions of the first horizontal blades change.
7. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning
apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during a second
predetermined amount of time after a start of operation, the
control unit controls the at least four horizontal blades such that
the first horizontal blades synchronously swing while taking the
same posture and the combination of the at least four horizontal
blades forming the first horizontal blades shifts in order along
the peripheral edge portion, and after elapse of the second
predetermined amount of time after the start of operation, the
control unit tilts the first horizontal blades at a predetermined
angle.
8. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning
apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the undersurface of the
casing has a substantially four-sided shape as seen along a
direction perpendicular to the ceiling, four of the horizontal
blades are disposed in correspondence to each side of the
undersurface, and the air outlet has corner-portion air outlets
that are divided by the horizontal blades and correspond to each
corner portion of the undersurface.
9. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning
apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first horizontal blades
are configured by two of the horizontal blades adjacent to each
other.
10. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning
apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first horizontal blades
are configured by three of the horizontal blades adjacent to each
other.
11. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning
apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is further
configured such that the combination of the at least four
horizontal blades forming the first horizontal blades shifts every
time the first horizontal blades reciprocally rotate a
predetermined number of times in the up-and-down direction with
respect to the air outlet.
12. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning
apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is further
configured such that the combination of the at least four
horizontal blades forming the first horizontal blades shifts every
time the first horizontal blades swing for a first predetermined
amount of time.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a ceiling-mounted indoor
unit for an air conditioning apparatus and particularly a
ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning apparatus where
at least four horizontal blades whose airflow-direction angles in
an up-and-down direction are capable of being changed independently
are disposed in an air outlet.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Conventionally, as an indoor unit for an air conditioning
apparatus, that is a type of indoor unit that is mounted in a
ceiling in an air-conditioned room. Examples of this kind of indoor
unit include the indoor unit disclosed in patent document 1
(Japanese Patent Unexamined publication No. 2009-103417). In the
indoor unit for an air conditioning apparatus pertaining to patent
document 1, one air inlet and four air outlets positioned so as to
surround the air inlet are disposed, and rotatable horizontal
blades are disposed in the air outlets. This indoor unit has a
so-called dual mode where two horizontal blades in air outlets
opposing each other and two horizontal blades in the other air
outlets opposing each other swing in mutually opposite
directions.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0003] However, in the dual mode, horizontal blades adjacent to
each other rotate in mutually opposite directions. That is,
arbitrary horizontal blades rotate in the up direction but the
horizontal blades positioned adjacent to those horizontal blades
rotate in the down direction. For that reason, in the dual mode, it
is difficult to send the air blown out from the air outlets to
places away from the indoor unit and, moreover, it is difficult to
say that this effectively agitates the air in the air-conditioned
room.
[0004] Therefore, it is a problem of the present invention to
improve the far reach of blown air and to improve the agitation of
air in an air-conditioned room.
Solution to Problem
[0005] A ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning
apparatus pertaining to a first aspect of the present invention is
a ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning apparatus
disposed in a ceiling of an air-conditioned room and is comprised
of a casing, at least tour horizontal blades, and a control unit.
An air outlet is formed in an undersurface of the casing along a
peripheral edge portion of the undersurface. The at least four
horizontal blades are rotatably disposed in the air outlet, and
their airflow-direction angles in an up-and-down direction are
capable of being changed independently. The control unit controls
the horizontal blades in such a way that at least two of the
horizontal blades (hereinafter called "first horizontal blades")
adjacent to each other among the horizontal blades synchronously
swing while taking the same posture. Moreover, the control unit
controls the horizontal blades in such a way that a combination of
the first horizontal blades shifts in order along the peripheral
edge portion of the undersurface.
[0006] According to this ceiling-mounted indoor unit, the at least
two horizontal blades adjacent to each other--that is, the first
horizontal blades--synchronously swing while taking the same
posture. For that reason, in this ceiling-mounted indoor unit, the
air blown out into the air-conditioned room from the air outlet in
the indoor unit can be sent even farther and a higher agitating
effect can be obtained compared to a case where adjacent horizontal
blades perform individually different swings. Moreover, the
combination of the first horizontal blades shifts in order along
the peripheral edge portion of the undersurface. For this reason, a
higher agitating effect can be obtained compared to a case where
the combination of the first horizontal blades that synchronously
swing is fixed.
[0007] A ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning
apparatus pertaining to a second aspect of the present invention is
the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning apparatus
pertaining to the first aspect, wherein the control unit shifts the
combination of the horizontal blades sequentially one blade at a
time.
[0008] According to this ceiling-mounted indoor unit, the
combination of the first horizontal blades shifts sequentially one
blade at a time. For that reason, the air in the air-conditioned
room becomes more easily agitated.
[0009] A ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning
apparatus pertaining to a third aspect of the present invention is
the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning apparatus
pertaining to the first aspect or the second aspect, wherein the
control unit shifts the combination of the first horizontal blades
every time the first horizontal blades reciprocally rotate a
predetermined number of times in the up-and-down direction with
respect to the air outlet.
[0010] According to this ceiling-mounted indoor unit, the timing
when the combination of the first horizontal blades shifts becomes
matched to the action of the reciprocal rotation of the first
horizontal blades. For that reason, by setting the number of times
that the first horizontal blades reciprocally rotate, the far reach
of the blown air can be given priority or the agitation of the air
in the air-conditioned room can be given priority.
[0011] A ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning
apparatus pertaining to a fourth aspect of the present invention is
the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning apparatus
pertaining to the first aspect or the second aspect, wherein the
control unit shifts the combination of the first horizontal blades
every time the first horizontal blades swing for a first
predetermined amount of time.
[0012] According to this ceiling-mounted indoor unit, the
combination of the first horizontal blades is shifted after the
first horizontal blades swing for the first predetermined amount of
time. For this reason, by setting the first predetermined amount of
time, the far reach of the blown air can be given priority or the
agitation of the air in the air-conditioned room can be given
priority.
[0013] A ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning
apparatus pertaining to a fifth aspect of the present invention is
the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning apparatus
pertaining to any of the first aspect to the fourth aspect, wherein
the control unit puts second horizontal blades into astute where
the second horizontal blades are fixed at a predetermined angle
while the first horizontal blades synchronously swing while taking
the same posture. The second horizontal blades are the remaining
blades among the at least four horizontal blades excluding the
first horizontal blades.
[0014] According to this ceiling-mounted indoor unit, the remaining
blades other than the first horizontal blades--that is, the second
horizontal blades--are fixed at the predetermined angle while the
first horizontal blades are swinging. For that reason, the air in
the air-conditioned room becomes agitated by the first horizontal
blades that are swinging, and the air in the air-conditioned room
becomes sent far, for example, by the second horizontal blades.
[0015] A ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning
apparatus pertaining to a sixth aspect of the present invention is
the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning apparatus
pertaining to any of the first aspect to the fifth aspect, wherein
the first horizontal blades reciprocally rotate in the up-and-down
direction with respect to the air outlet. Additionally, the control
unit temporarily stops the actions of the first horizontal blades
when the rotational directions of the first horizontal blades
change.
[0016] In this ceiling-mounted indoor unit, so-called rest periods
in which the actions of the first horizontal blades temporarily
stop when the rotational directions of the first horizontal blades
change are disposed. Because of this, as the air in the
air-conditioned room is being agitated, the air blown out from the
air outlet is reliably blown out in a horizontal direction or a
vertical direction, for example.
[0017] A ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning
apparatus pertaining to a seventh aspect of the present invention
is the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning
apparatus pertaining to any of the first aspect to the sixth
aspect, wherein during a second predetermined amount of time after
the start of operation, the control unit controls the horizontal
blades in such a way that the first horizontal blades synchronously
swing while taking the same posture and the combination of the
first horizontal blades shifts in order along the peripheral edge
portion of the undersurface. Additionally, after the elapse of the
second predetermined amount of time after the start of operation,
the control unit tilts the first horizontal blades at a
predetermined angle.
[0018] In this ceiling-mounted indoor unit, when the second
predetermined amount of time elapses after the start of operation,
the action of the first horizontal blades synchronously swinging
and the action of the combination of the first horizontal blades
sequentially shifting end. Additionally, the first horizontal
blades tilt at the predetermined angle. Because of this, air with
the desired temperature can be supplied to the air-conditioned room
whose air has been sufficiently agitated, so discomfort that a user
feels because of a draft can be suppressed and the air-conditioned
room can be made comfortable.
[0019] A ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning
apparatus pertaining to an eighth aspect of the present invention
is the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning
apparatus pertaining to any of the first aspect to the seventh
aspect, wherein the undersurface of the casing has a substantially
four-sided shape as seen in a plan view. Four of the horizontal
blades are disposed in correspondence to each side of the
undersurface. Additionally; the air outlet has corner-portion air
outlets that are divided by the horizontal blades and correspond to
each corner portion of the undersurface.
[0020] In this ceiling-mounted indoor unit, the first horizontal
blades adjacent to each other across an arbitrary corner-portion
air outlet synchronously swing while taking the same posture.
Moreover, the combination of the first horizontal blades shifts
sequentially. For that reason, the air blown out from the
corner-portion air outlet is, together with the air blown out from
the sections of the air outlet opened and closed by the first
horizontal blades adjacent to each other across this corner
portion, reliably sent far by the first horizontal blades while
incorporating some of the air in the air-conditioned room.
Consequently, the air in the air-conditioned room can be agitated
by even more of the air that is blown out, and even more of the
conditioned air can be sent far, compared to the case of causing
the individual horizontal blades to swing separately without
synchronizing them.
[0021] A ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning
apparatus pertaining to a ninth aspect of the present invention is
the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning apparatus
pertaining to the eighth aspect, wherein the first horizontal
blades are configured by two of the horizontal blades adjacent to
each other.
[0022] Because of this, the air in the air-conditioned room can be
effectively agitated and even more of the conditioned air can be
sent far.
[0023] A ceiling-mounted indoor unit for an air conditioning
apparatus pertaining to a tenth aspect of the present invention is
the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air conditioning apparatus
pertaining to the eighth aspect, wherein the first horizontal
blades are configured by three of the horizontal blades adjacent to
each other.
[0024] Because of this, the air in the air-conditioned room can be
effectively agitated and even more of the conditioned air can be
sent far.
Advantageous Effects of invention
[0025] As stated in the above description, according to the present
invention, the following effects are obtained.
[0026] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air
conditioning apparatus pertaining to the first aspect of the
present invention, the air blown out into the air-conditioned room
from the air outlet in the indoor unit can be sent even farther and
a higher agitating effect can be obtained.
[0027] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air
conditioning apparatus pertaining to the second aspect of the
present invention, the air in the air-conditioned room becomes more
easily agitated.
[0028] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air
conditioning apparatus pertaining to the third aspect of the
present invention, by setting the number of times that the first
horizontal blades reciprocally rotate, the far reach of the blown
air can be given priority or the agitation of the air in the
air-conditioned room can be given priority.
[0029] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air
conditioning apparatus pertaining to the fourth aspect of the
present invention, by setting the first predetermined amount of
time, the far reach of the blown air can be given priority or the
agitation of the air in the air-conditioned room can be given
priority.
[0030] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air
conditioning apparatus pertaining to the fifth aspect of the
present invention, the air in the air-conditioned room becomes
agitated by the first horizontal blades that are swinging, and the
air in the air-conditioned room becomes sent far, for example, by
the second horizontal blades.
[0031] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air
conditioning apparatus pertaining to the sixth aspect of the
present invention, as the air in the air-conditioned room is being
agitated, the air blown out from the air outlet is reliably blown
out in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction, for
example.
[0032] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air
conditioning apparatus pertaining to the seventh aspect of the
present invention, discomfort that a user feels because of a draft
can be suppressed and the air-conditioned room can be made
comfortable.
[0033] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air
conditioning apparatus pertaining to the eighth aspect of the
present invention, the air in the air-conditioned room can be
agitated by even more of the air that is blown out, and even more
of the conditioned air can be sent far.
[0034] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air
conditioning apparatus pertaining to the ninth aspect of the
present invention, the air in the air-conditioned room can be
effectively agitated and even more of the conditioned air can be
sent far.
[0035] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit for the air
conditioning apparatus pertaining to the tenth aspect of the
present invention, the air in the air-conditioned room can be
effectively agitated and even more of the conditioned air can be
sent far.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an air
conditioning apparatus in which a ceiling-mounted indoor unit
pertaining to an embodiment of the present invention is
employed.
[0037] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the
ceiling-mounted indoor unit pertaining to the embodiment of the
present invention.
[0038] FIG. 3 is a schematic side sectional view of the
ceiling-mounted indoor unit pertaining to the embodiment of the
present invention and is a sectional view taken along I-O-I in FIG.
4.
[0039] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing astute where atop
plate of the ceiling-mounted indoor unit pertaining to the
embodiment of the present invention has been removed.
[0040] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a decorative panel of the
ceiling-mounted indoor unit pertaining to the embodiment of the
present invention, that is, a plan view where the decorative panel
is seen from within an air-conditioned room.
[0041] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing flows of conditioned
air blown out from an air outlet in the ceiling-mounted indoor unit
pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention and a
detection range of a presence sensor.
[0042] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of
the presence sensor disposed in the ceiling-mounted indoor unit
pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention.
[0043] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the detection range of
the presence sensor as seen in a side view of the ceiling-mounted
indoor unit pertaining to the embodiment of the present
invention.
[0044] FIG. 9 is a block diagram schematically showing an indoor
control unit pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention
and various devices in the ceiling-mounted indoor unit that are
connected to the control unit.
[0045] FIG. 10 is a view showing a change range of airflow
directions of horizontal blades of the ceiling-mounted indoor unit
pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention.
[0046] FIG. 11 is a timing chart for describing actions of the
horizontal blades of the ceiling-mounted indoor unit pertaining to
the embodiment of the present invention.
[0047] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a combination of first
horizontal blades shifting in order.
[0048] FIG. 13 shows examples of screens displayed on a display of
a remote controller when setting various modes.
[0049] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an overall flow of actions of
the air conditioning apparatus in which the ceiling-mounted indoor
unit pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention is
employed.
[0050] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an overall flow of actions of
the air conditioning apparatus in which the ceiling-mounted indoor
unit pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention is
employed.
[0051] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the combination of the first
horizontal blades pertaining to another embodiment (A) shifting in
order.
[0052] FIG. 17 is a timing chart for describing the actions of the
horizontal blades pertaining to another embodiment (D).
[0053] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the combination of the first
horizontal blades pertaining to another embodiment (D) shifting in
order.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT
[0054] An embodiment of a ceiling-mounted indoor unit pertaining to
the present invention will be described on the basis of the
drawings.
<Configurations>
--Overall--
[0055] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an air
conditioning apparatus 1 in which a ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4
pertaining to the embodiment of the present invention is employed.
The air conditioning apparatus 1 is a split type air conditioning
apparatus, mainly has an outdoor unit 2, the ceiling-mounted indoor
unit 4, and a liquid refrigerant connection tube 5 and a gas
refrigerant connection tube 6 that interconnect the outdoor unit 2
and the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4, and configures a vapor
compression refrigerant circuit 10. The air conditioning apparatus
1 is capable of performing a cooling operation and a heating
operation.
--Outdoor Unit--
[0056] The outdoor unit 2 is installed outdoors or the like and
mainly has a compressor 21, a four-way switching valve 22, an
outdoor heat exchanger 23, an expansion valve 24, a liquid-side
stop valve 25, and a gas-side stop valve 26.
[0057] The compressor 21 is a mechanism for sucking in low-pressure
gas refrigerant, compressing the low-pressure gas refrigerant into
high-pressure gas refrigerant, and thereafter discharging the
high-pressure gas refrigerant. Here, a closed compressor, where a
rotary or scroll positive-displacement compression element (not
shown) housed inside a casing (not shown) is driven by a compressor
motor 21a similarly housed inside the casing, is employed as the
compressor 21. The rotational speed (that is, the operating
frequency) of the compressor motor 21.a can be varied by an
inverter device (not shown), whereby it becomes possible to control
the capacity of the compressor 21.
[0058] The four-way switching valve 22 is a valve for switching the
direction of the flow of the refrigerant when switching between the
cooling operation and the heating operation. During the cooling
operation, the four-way switching valve 22 is capable of
interconnecting the discharge side of the compressor 21 and the gas
side of the outdoor heat exchanger 23 and also interconnecting the
gas-side stop valve 26 and the suction side of the compressor 21
(see the solid lines of the four-way switching valve 22 in FIG. 1).
Further, during the heating operation, the four-way switching valve
22 is capable of interconnecting the discharge side of the
compressor 21 and the gas-side stop valve 26 and also
interconnecting the gas side of the outdoor heat exchanger 23 and
the suction side of the compressor 21 (see the dashed lines of the
four-way switching valve 22 in FIG. 1).
[0059] The outdoor heat exchanger 23 is a heat exchanger that
functions as a radiator for the refrigerant during the cooling
operation and functions as an evaporator for the refrigerant during
the heating operation. The liquid side of the outdoor heat
exchanger 23 is connected to the expansion valve 24, and the gas
side of the outdoor heat exchanger 23 is connected to the four-way
switching valve 22.
[0060] The expansion valve 24 is a motor-driven expansion valve
which, during the cooling operation, is capable of reducing the
pressure of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant that has given off
heat in the outdoor heat exchanger 23 before sending the
refrigerant to an indoor heat exchanger 42 (described later) and
which, during the heating operation, is capable of reducing the
pressure of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant that has given off
heat in the indoor heat exchanger 42 before sending the refrigerant
to the outdoor heat exchanger 23.
[0061] The liquid-side stop valve 25 and the gas-side stop valve 26
are valves disposed in openings that connect to external devices
and pipes (specifically, the liquid refrigerant connection tube 5
and the gas refrigerant connection tube 6). The liquid-side stop
valve 25 is connected to the expansion valve 24. The gas-side stop
valve 26 is connected to the four-way switching valve 22.
[0062] Also disposed in the outdoor unit 2 is an outdoor fan 27 for
sucking outdoor air into the unit 2, supplying the outdoor air to
the outdoor heat exchanger 23, and thereafter exhausting the air to
the outside of the unit 2. That is, the outdoor heat exchanger 23
is a heat exchanger that uses the outdoor air as a cooling source
or a heating source to cause the refrigerant to give off heat or
evaporate. Here, a propeller fan driven by an outdoor fan motor 27a
is employed as the outdoor fan 27. The rotational speed (that is,
the operating frequency) of the outdoor fan motor 27a can be varied
by an inverter device (not shown), whereby it becomes possible to
control the air volume of the outdoor fan 27.
[0063] Although they are not shown, also disposed in the outdoor
unit 2 are sensors that detect the suction pressure and the
discharge pressure, a sensor that detects the temperature of the
refrigerant on the liquid side of the outdoor heat exchanger 23,
and a sensor that detects the outside air temperature.
[0064] Moreover, the outdoor unit 2 has an outdoor control unit 39
that controls the actions of the devices configuring the outdoor
unit 2. The outdoor control unit 39 is configured by a
microcomputer comprising a CPU and a memory and can exchange
control signals and so forth with an indoor control unit 67
(described later) of the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4.
--Liquid Refrigerant Connection Tube--
[0065] The liquid refrigerant connection tube 5 is a refrigerant
tube connected to the liquid-side stop valve 25. The liquid
refrigerant connection tube 5 is a refrigerant tube which, during
the cooling operation, is capable of carrying the refrigerant out
from the outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 23 functioning as a
radiator for the refrigerant to the outside of the outdoor unit 2.
Further, the liquid refrigerant connection tube 5 is also a
refrigerant tube which, during the heating operation, is capable of
carrying the refrigerant in from the outside of the outdoor unit 2
to the inlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 23 functioning as an
evaporator for the refrigerant.
--Gas Refrigerant Connection Tube--
[0066] The gas refrigerant connection tube 6 is a refrigerant tube
connected to the gas-side stop valve 26. The gas refrigerant
connection tube 6 is a refrigerant tube which, during the cooling
operation, is capable of carrying the refrigerant in from the
outside of the outdoor unit 2 to the suction side of the compressor
21. Further, the gas refrigerant connection tube 6 is also a
refrigerant tube which, during the heating operation, is capable of
carrying the refrigerant out from the discharge side of the
compressor 21 to the outside of the outdoor unit 2.
[0067] --Ceiling-Mounted Indoor Unit--
[0068] For the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4, here, a form of
ceiling-mounted air conditioning unit called a ceiling-embedded
type is employed. As shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 and FIG. 9, the
ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 has a casing 51 that stores various
configural devices inside, four horizontal blades 71a, 71b, 71c,
and 71d, various sensors 61, 62, and 63, the indoor control unit 67
(corresponding to a control unit), and a remote control-use
receiving unit 69.
--Casing--
[0069] The casing 51 is configured from a casing body 51a and a
decorative panel 52 that is placed on the underside of the casing
body 51a and corresponds to an undersurface of the casing 51. As
shown in FIG. 3, the casing body 51a is inserted and placed in an
opening formed in a ceiling U of an air-conditioned room.
Additionally, the decorative panel 52 is placed in such a way as to
be fitted into the opening in the ceiling U. Here, FIG. 2 is an
external perspective view of the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4.
FIG. 3 is a schematic side sectional view of the ceiling-mounted
indoor unit 4 and is a sectional view taken along I-O-I in FIG. 4.
FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing a state where a top plate
53 of the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 has been removed. FIG. 5 is
a plan view showing the decorative panel 52 of the ceiling-mounted
indoor unit 4 as seen from within the air-conditioned room. FIG. 9
is a block diagram schematically showing the indoor unit control
unit 67 and various devices in the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4
that are connected to the control unit 67.
[0070] The casing body 51a is a box-like body that has a
substantially eight-sided shape where long sides and short sides
are alternately formed as seen in a plan view, and the undersurface
of the casing body 51a is open. The casing body 51a has the top
plate 53, which has a substantially eight-sided shape where long
sides and short sides are alternately and consecutively formed, and
a side plate 54, which extends downward from the peripheral edge
portion of the top plate 53. The side plate 54 is configured from
side plates 54a, 54b, 54c, and 54d, which correspond to the tong
sides of the top plate 53, and side plates 54e, 54f, 54g, and 54h,
which correspond to the short sides of the top plate 53. The side
plate 54h configures a section penetrated by indoor refrigerant
tubes 43 and 44 for interconnecting the indoor heat exchanger 42
and the refrigerant connection tubes 5 and 6 (see FIG. 4).
[0071] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 3, an indoor fan 41 and the
indoor heat exchanger 42 are mainly placed inside the casing body
51a.
[0072] The indoor fan 41 is a centrifugal blower that sucks the air
in the air-conditioned room via an air inlet 55 into the casing
body 51a and, after the air has exchanged heat in the indoor heat
exchanger 42, blows out the air via an air outlet 56 from the
casing body 51a. The indoor fan 41 has an indoor fan motor 41a,
which is disposed in the center of the top plate 53 of the casing
body 51a, and an impeller 41b, which is coupled to and driven to
rotate by the indoor fan motor 41a. The impeller 41b is an impeller
with turbo blades and can suck the air into the impeller 41b from
below and blow out the air toward the outer peripheral side of the
impeller 41b as seen in a plan view. The rotational speed (that is,
the operating frequency) of the indoor fan motor 41a can be varied
by an inverter device (not shown), whereby it becomes possible to
control the air volume of the indoor fan 41.
[0073] The indoor heat exchanger 42 is a heat exchanger that
functions as an evaporator for the refrigerant during the cooling
operation and functions as a radiator thr the refrigerant during
the heating operation. The indoor heat exchanger 42 is connected to
the refrigerant connection tubes 5 and 6 (see FIG. 1) via the
indoor refrigerant Mhos 43 and 44 and is configured by a
fin-and-tube heat exchanger that is bent and placed in such a way
as to surround the periphery of the indoor fan 41 as seen in a plan
view. The indoor heat exchanger 42 can perform heat exchange
between the refrigerant and the air in the air-conditioned room
that is sucked into the casing body 51a; during the cooling
operation, the indoor heat exchanger 42 can cool the air in the
air-conditioned room, and during the heating operation, the heat
exchanger 42 can heat the air in the air-conditioned room.
[0074] A drain pan 45 is installed on the underside of the indoor
heat exchanger 42 and in the lower portion of the casing body 51a.
The drain pan 45 is for receiving drain water produced as a result
of moisture in the air being condensed by the indoor heat exchanger
42. Further, a bellmouth 41c for guiding the air sucked in from the
air inlet 55 to the impeller 41b of the indoor fan 41 is placed in
a suction port 45j in the drain pan 45.
[0075] The decorative panel 52 is a plate-like body that has a
substantially four-sided shape as seen in a plan view, and the
decorative panel 52 is mainly configured from a panel body 52a that
is fixed to the lower end portion of the casing body 51a. The air
outlet 56 and the air inlet 55 are formed in the panel body 52a.
The air outlet 56 is an opening for blowing out the air into the
air-conditioned room and is positioned along the peripheral edge
portion of the panel body 52a as seen in a plan view. The air inlet
55 is an opening for sucking in the air in the air-conditioned room
and is positioned in the substantial center of the panel body 52a
as seen in a plan view--that is, in such a way as to be surrounded
by the air outlet 56. More specifically, the air inlet 55 is an
opening that has a substantially four-sided shape, and a suction
grille 57 and an intake filter 58 that is for removing dirt and
dust in the air sucked in from the air inlet 55 are disposed in the
air inlet 55. Additionally, the air outlet 56 is an opening with a
substantially four-sided ring shape. Because of this, the
conditioned air is blown out not only in directions corresponding
to each side of the four-sided shape of the panel body 52a (see the
directions of arrows X1, X2, X3, and X4 in FIG. 5) but also in
directions corresponding to each corner portion of the four-sided
shape of the panel body 52a (see the directions of arrows Y1, Y2,
Y3, and Y4 in FIG. 5).
--Horizontal Blades--
[0076] The four horizontal blades 71a to 71d are positioned in
correspondence to each side of the four-sided shape of the panel
body 52a and are rotatably disposed in the air outlet 56. The
horizontal blades 71a to 71d are capable of changing the
airflow-direction angles, in the up-and-down direction, of the
conditioned air blown out into the air-conditioned room. More
specifically, the horizontal blades 71a to 71d are plate-like
members extending long and narrow along each side of the four-sided
shape of the air outlet 56; both lengthwise direction end portions
of each of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d are supported on the
decorative panel 52, in such a way that the horizontal blades 71a
to 71d are rotatable about shafts in their lengthwise directions,
by pairs of blade support portions 72 and 73 that are placed in
such a way as to block parts of the air outlet 56. Additionally,
the horizontal blades 71a to 71d are driven by blade drive motors
74a, 74b, 74c, and 74d. Because of this, the airflow-direction
angles, in the up-and-down direction, of the horizontal blades 71a
to 71d are capable of being changed independently, and the
horizontal blades 71a to 71d can reciprocally rotate in the
up-and-down direction with respect to the air outlet 56. The blade
drive motors 74a to 74d here are disposed in the blade support
portions 72 and 73.
[0077] The air outlet 56 is divided by the blade support portions
72 and 73 into side-portion air outlets 56a, 56b, 56c, and 56d,
which correspond to each side of the four-sided shape of the panel
body 52a, and corner-portion air outlets 56e, 56f, 56g, and 56h,
which correspond to each corner portion of the four-sided shape of
the panel body 52a. Here, the area where air conditioning is
performed mainly by the conditioned air blown out mainly from the
side-portion air outlet 56a (see arrows X1, Y1, and Y2 in FIG. 5)
is an "air conditioning target area A" (see FIG. 6). Further, the
area where air conditioning is performed mainly by the conditioned
air blown out from the side-portion air outlet 56b (see arrows X2,
Y2, and Y3 in FIG. 5) is an "air conditioning target area B,"
Further, the area where air conditioning is performed mainly by the
conditioned air blown out from the side-portion air outlet 56c (see
arrows X3, Y3, and Y4 in FIG. 5) is an "air conditioning target
area C." Moreover, the area where air conditioning is performed
mainly by the conditioned air blown out from the side-portion air
outlet 56d (see arrows X4, Y4, and Y1 in FIG. 5) is an "air
conditioning target area D."
--Various Sensors--
[0078] Examples of the sensors disposed in the ceiling-mounted
indoor unit 4 pertaining to the present embodiment include an
intake air temperature sensor 61, a presence sensor 62, and a floor
temperature sensor 63.
[0079] The intake air temperature sensor 61 is a temperature sensor
that detects an intake air temperature Tr that is the temperature
of the air in the air-conditioned room sucked into the casing body
51a through the air inlet 55. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the intake
air temperature sensor 61 is disposed in the air inlet 55.
[0080] The presence sensor 62 is an infrared sensor that detects
the distribution of persons in the air-conditioned room (here,
whether or not persons are present in the air conditioning target
areas A to D pertaining to FIG. 6). One presence sensor 62 is
placed in a position where it can be placed on the lower portion of
the decorative panel 52; here, this is in a corner portion of the
decorative panel 52 (see FIGS. 2 and 5). More specifically, the
presence sensor 62 is disposed in such a way as to project downward
from the surface of the decorative panel 52 in a position on the
outer peripheral side of the corner-portion air outlet 56f, and the
presence sensor 62 has a substantially circular shape as seen in a
plan view of the decorative panel 52. The presence sensor 62 is a
type of sensor that detects whether or not persons are present in
the air-conditioned room by fluctuations in infrared radiant energy
radiated from objects; as shown in FIG. 7, an open portion 62a for
receiving infrared light is formed in an infrared light-receiving
element (not shown). Here, the open portion 62a may be covered by a
transparent member capable of allowing the infrared light to be
received by the infrared light-receiving element. Additionally, the
open portion 62a is capable of rotating 360.degree. as seen in a
plan view of the decorative panel 52, so that whether or not
persons are present in each of the air conditioning target areas A
to D can be detected. Further, as shown in F 6, the detection range
of the presence sensor 62 as seen in a plan view is a range where
detection angles .alpha., .beta., .gamma., and .delta. are about
90.degree. in any of the cases of detecting whether or not persons
are present in the air conditioning target areas A to D. Further,
as shown in FIG. 8, the detection range of the presence sensor 62
as seen in a side view is a range where detection angles .epsilon.,
are about 135.degree. in any of the cases of detecting whether or
not persons are present in the air conditioning target areas A to
D.
[0081] The presence sensor 62 is not limited to the structure
described above and may, for example, also be a sensor where the
infrared light-receiving element rotates instead of the open
portion 62a rotating or a sensor having four infrared
light-receiving elements that face the directions of each of the
air conditioning target areas A to D.
[0082] The floor temperature sensor 63 is an infrared sensor that
detects a temperature Tf of the floor in the air-conditioned room.
The floor temperature sensor 63 is placed in a position where it
can be placed on the lower portion of the decorative panel 52;
here, this is in a corner portion of the decorative panel 52. More
specifically, the floor temperature sensor 63 is disposed in such a
way as to face downward from the surface of the decorative panel 52
in a position on the outer peripheral side of the corner-portion
air outlet 56f. The floor temperature sensor 63 detects the
temperature Tf of the floor in the air-conditioned room by infrared
radiant energy radiated from objects.
--Indoor Control Unit--
[0083] The indoor control unit 67 is a microcomputer comprising a
CPU and a memory and controls the actions of the devices
configuring the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4. Specifically, as
shown in FIG. 9, the indoor control unit 67 is electrically
connected to the various sensors 61 to 63 in the indoor unit 4, the
indoor fan motor 41a, the blade drive motors 74a to 74d, an outdoor
unit-use communication unit 68, and the remote control-use
receiving unit 69. The outdoor unit-use communication unit 68 is
for exchanging control signals and so forth with the outdoor
control unit 39 of the outdoor unit 2 and is electrically connected
via a wire 9 to the outdoor control unit 39 (see FIG. 1).
[0084] The indoor control unit 67 performs drive control of the
indoor motor 41a and performs drive control of the blade drive
motors 74a to 74d on the basis of the detection results of the
various sensors 61 to 63, various instructions that have been given
via a remote controller 99 (see FIG. 1) by a user in the
air-conditioned room, and control signals that have been sent from
the outdoor control unit 39. For example, in a case where an
instruction to start the heating operation or the cooling operation
has been given via the remote controller 99 by a user, the indoor
control unit 67 starts driving the motors 41a and 74a to 74d. In
this case, the outdoor unit-use communication unit 68 sends to the
outdoor control unit 39 a control signal indicating that the
outdoor control unit 39 is to start driving the outdoor unit 2 and
indicating the operation for which the start instruction has been
given. Further, in a case where an instruction to stop the
operation has been given via the remote controller 99, the indoor
control unit 67 stops driving the motors 41a and 74a to 74d. In
this case, the outdoor unit-use communication unit 68 sends to the
outdoor control unit 39 a control signal indicating that the
outdoor control unit 39 is to stop driving the outdoor unit 2.
--Control of Airflow-Direction Angles of Horizontal Blades--
[0085] Here, control of the airflow-direction angles of the
horizontal blades 71a to 71d by the indoor control unit 67 will be
described. While the air conditioning apparatus 1 is performing the
heating operation or the cooling operation, the indoor control unit
67 can set the horizontal blades 71a to 71d to a fixed state or a
swing state, on the basis of a request from the remote controller
99 and the detection values of the various sensors 61 to 63. The
fixed state is astute where the airflow-direction angles of the
horizontal blades 71a to 71d are fixed at a desired
airflow-direction angle by the driving of the horizontal blade
motors 74a to 74d. As shown in FIG. 10, the airflow-direction
angles of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d are changeable in plural
stages between an airflow direction P0 (a horizontal airflow
direction), which is an airflow-direction angle at which the
conditioned air is blown out in an approximately horizontal
direction, and an airflow direction P4, which is an
airflow-direction angle at which the conditioned air is blown out
in a most down direction. Here, the airflow-direction angles of the
horizontal blades 71a to 71d are changeable in five stages: the
airflow direction P0, an airflow direction P1 that faces more
downward than the airflow direction an airflow direction P2 that
faces more downward than the airflow direction P1, an airflow
direction P3 that faces more downward than the airflow direction
P2, and the airflow direction P4 that faces most downward. The
swing state is a state where the horizontal blades 71a to 71d are
reciprocally rotated by driving the blade drive motors 74a to 74d
and repeatedly changing up and down the airflow-direction angles of
the horizontal blades 71a to 71d in a change range of the airflow
directions (here, between the airflow direction P0 and the airflow
direction P4). The indoor control unit 67 is capable of controlling
the airflow-direction angles described above with respect to the
individual horizontal blades 71a to 71d.
[0086] In astute where the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 is not
operating, the horizontal blades 71a to 71d take a state where they
close the air outlet 56 (specifically, the side-portion air outlets
56a to 56d). Below, for the sake of conveyance of description, the
airflow-direction angle in a case where the horizontal blades 71a
to 71b are in the closed state will be expressed as an "airflow
direction P0c" (see FIG. 11). Additionally, in a state where the
ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 is operating, the horizontal blades
71a to 71d are capable of taking any of the airflow directions P0c
to P4 in the fixed state or the swing state.
--Control for Synchronously Swinging Adjacent Horizontal
Blades--
[0087] However, when the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 starts
operation, an imbalance arises in the temperature distribution in
the air-conditioned room. For that reason, when the ceiling-mounted
indoor unit 4 starts operation, it is good to effectively agitate
the air in the air-conditioned room, before performing the heating
operation or the cooling operation, by sending conditioned air at
actually desired airflow-direction angles.
[0088] Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, the indoor control unit 67
pertaining to the present embodiment performs rotation control of
the horizontal blades 71a to 71d by performing drive control of the
blade drive motors 74a to 74d in such a way that two of the
horizontal blades adjacent to each other (hereinafter called "first
horizontal blades") among the four horizontal blades 71a to 71d
synchronously swing while taking the same posture for a
predetermined amount of time (corresponding to a second
predetermined amount of time) after an instruction for the
ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 to start operation has been given.
Moreover, in the rotation control, the indoor control unit 67 puts
the remaining horizontal blades (e.g., the horizontal blades 71c
and 71d; hereinafter called "second horizontal blades") among the
four horizontal blades 71a to 71d excluding the first horizontal
blades (e.g., the horizontal blades 71a and 71b) in a state where
the second horizontal blades are fixed at a predetermined angle
(e.g., the airflow direction P0).
[0089] Moreover, the indoor control unit 67 also performs
combination shift control of the first horizontal blades in such a
way that a combination of the first horizontal blades shifts in
order along the peripheral edge portion of the decorative panel 52
during a predetermined amount of time after an instruction for the
ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 to start operation has been given. In
particular, the indoor control unit 67 pertaining to the present
embodiment shifts the combination of the first horizontal blades
every time the first horizontal blades reciprocally rotate a
predetermined number of times in the up-and-down direction with
respect to the air outlet 56.
[0090] Actions that the horizontal blades 71a to 71d take under the
rotation control and the combination shift control will be
specifically described below using FIG. 11 and FIG. 12. FIG. 11 and
FIG. 12 show, as an example, a case where the combination of the
first horizontal blades shifts every time the first horizontal
blades reciprocally rotate one time--that is, swing one time--in
the up-and-down direction. In FIG. 12, the horizontal blades that
are blacked out represent the first horizontal blades, and the
horizontal blades that are not blacked out represent the second
horizontal blades. Before starting operation, the horizontal blades
71a to 71d are in a posture (the airflow direction P0c) where they
close the air outlet 56.
[0091] When operation starts, first, the horizontal blade 71a and
the horizontal blade 71b adjacent to each other across the
corner-portion air outlet 56f in the decorative panel 52 correspond
to the first horizontal blades, and those blades 71a and 71b start
swinging at the same timing and while taking the same posture.
Specifically, the horizontal blades 71a and 71b both rotate at the
same rotational speed in a direction in which they rotate from the
airflow direction P0c to the airflow direction P4--that is, in the
down direction. Consequently, the airflow-direction angles of the
horizontal blades 71a and 71b go from the airflow direction P0 to
the airflow direction P1, the airflow direction P2, and the airflow
direction P3 at the same timing and before long reach the airflow
direction P4 at substantially the same time. After the horizontal
blades 71a and 71b have reached the airflow direction P4, the
rotational direction of the horizontal blades 71a and 71b changes
from the down direction to the up direction, and the
airflow-direction angles of the horizontal blades 71a and 71b
before long reach the airflow direction P0 at substantially the
same time. During this time, the horizontal blades 71c and 71d
adjacent to each other across the corner-portion air outlet 56h are
fixed in the posture (the airflow direction P0c) where they close
the air outlet 56. That is, while the horizontal blades 71a and 71b
are the first horizontal blades, the horizontal blades 71c and 71d
correspond to the second horizontal blades.
[0092] When the horizontal blades 71a and 71b reciprocally rotate
one time in the up-and-down direction, the combination of the first
horizontal blades changes from the combination of the horizontal
blades 71a and 71b to the combination of the horizontal blades 71b
and 71c. Meanwhile, the combination of the second horizontal blades
changes from the combination of the horizontal blades 71c and 71d
to the combination of the horizontal blades 71a and 71d. The
horizontal blades 71b and 71c that have become the new first
horizontal blades swing just one time in the up-and-down direction
at the same timing and while taking the same posture like the
horizontal blades 71a and 71b that were the first horizontal blades
immediately before. During this time, the horizontal blades 71a and
71d that are the second horizontal blades are fixed in states of
the airflow-direction angles corresponding to the airflow
directions P0 and P0c, respectively.
[0093] After the horizontal blades 71b and 71c have reciprocally
rotated one time in the up-and-down direction, the combination of
the first horizontal blades changes from the combination of the
horizontal blades 71b and 71c to the combination of the horizontal
blades 71c and 71d. Meanwhile, the combination of the second
horizontal blades changes from the combination of the horizontal
blades 71a and 71d to the combination of the horizontal blades 71a
and 71b. The horizontal blades 71c and 71d that have become the new
first horizontal blades swing just one time in the up-and-down
direction at the same timing and while taking the same posture, and
the horizontal blades 71a and 71b that have become the second
horizontal blades are fixed in states of the airflow-direction
angles corresponding to the airflow direction P0.
[0094] These actions are repeated, whereby two of the horizontal
blades adjacent to each other across the corner-portion air outlets
56e to 56h among the four horizontal blades 71a to d become the
first horizontal blades, and every time the first horizontal blades
swing one time the combination of the first horizontal blades
changes one after another from the horizontal blades 71a and 71b to
the horizontal blades 71b and 71c, then from the horizontal blades
71b and 71c to the horizontal blades 71c and 71d, and then from the
horizontal blades 71c and 71d to the horizontal blades 71d and 71a.
That is, in the present embodiment, the combination of the first
horizontal blades shifts sequentially one blade at a time clockwise
as seen in a bottom view of the decorative panel 52 (see FIGS. 5
and 12). Consequently, the combination of the first horizontal
blades shifts sequentially in such a way as to become a combination
of the horizontal blade positioned on the left side of the two
horizontal blades that had been the first horizontal blades until
then and the horizontal blade positioned further to the left of and
adjacent to that horizontal blade and which had been a second
horizontal blade until then. Additionally, the remaining two
horizontal blades 71a to 71d at those times (the two horizontal
blades adjacent to each other across the other corner-portion air
outlets 56e to 56h) become the second horizontal blades, and the
combination of the second horizontal blades also sequentially
changes in accompaniment with the shift in the combination of the
first horizontal blades. That is, focusing on the individual
horizontal blades 71a to 71d, after each of the horizontal blades
71a to 71d has consecutively swung two times, their postures are
fixed for two swings of the other blades. The timings when the
horizontal blades 71a to 71d start swinging again from their fixed
postures do not coincide among the horizontal blades 71a to 71d but
differ for each of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d. Because of
this, compared to the case of causing the individual horizontal
blades 71a to 71d to swing separately without synchronizing them,
the air blown out from the air outlet 56 is reliably sent far by
the first horizontal blades while mixing with some of the air in
the air-conditioned room. Moreover, because the combination of the
first horizontal blades shifts in order, the air is not sent in
just one direction but rather the air becomes sent in various
directions. For this reason, compared to a case where only one
horizontal blade swings and that blade shifts in order, for
example, the air is powerfully guided in various directions and the
agitation of the air in the air-conditioned room also
intensifies.
[0095] Moreover, as shown in FIG. 11, the indoor control unit 67
performs control that temporarily stops the actions of the first
horizontal blades when the rotational directions (in the
up-and-down direction) of the first horizontal blades (e.g., the
horizontal blades 71a and b) change. For example, in FIG. 11, in a
case where the rotational directions of the horizontal blades 71a
and 71b swinging as the first horizontal blades are the down
direction and the airflow-direction angles thereof have both
reached the airflow direction P4, the horizontal blades 71a and 71b
are both fixed during a rest period TA in the state of the airflow
direction P4. In this case, the air blown out from the side-portion
air outlets 56a and 56b and the corner-portion air outlet 56f
becomes blown out in a substantially vertical direction by the
horizontal blades 71a and 71b during the rest period TA. Further,
for example, in a case where the rotational directions of the
horizontal blades 71c and 71d swinging as the first horizontal
blades are the up direction and the airflow-direction angles
thereof have both reached the airflow direction P0, the horizontal
blades 71a and 71b are fixed during the rest period TA in the state
of the airflow direction P0. In this case, the air blown out from
the side-portion air outlets 56c and 56d and the corner-portion air
outlet 56h becomes blown out in a substantially horizontal
direction by the horizontal blades 71c and 71d during the rest
period TA. In this way; the actions of the first horizontal blades
are temporarily stopped when the rotational directions of the first
horizontal blades change, on the air blown out from the air outlet
56 can be reliably sent in a vertical direction or a horizontal
direction.
[0096] The rest period TA is decided to be a predetermined value
beforehand by working it out on paper, simulation, or experiment on
the basis of the volume of air blown out from the air outlet 56 to
the air-conditioned room and the set temperature in the
air-conditioned room. In this case, the duration of the rest period
TA is a maximum of 5 seconds and is decided to be 3 seconds, for
example.
[0097] Further, after the elapse of the predetermined amount of
time after the start of operation, the indoor control unit 67 ends
the rotation control and the combination shift control and tilts
the horizontal blades 71a to 71d at a predetermined angle. Because
of this, the first horizontal blades that were synchronously
swinging during the predetermined amount of time after the start of
operation stop their swinging actions, the second horizontal blades
that were fixed at the predetermined angle are unfixed, and the
airflow-direction angles of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d become
any of the airflow directions P0 to P4. For example, after the
elapse of the predetermined amount of time after the start of
operation, the airflow-direction angles of the horizontal blades
71a to 71d can take any of the airflow directions P0 to P4
depending on the type of operation, the set temperature, and the
air volume that has been set via the remote controller 99. Further,
in a case where swinging actions have been set via the remote
controller 99, the horizontal blades 71a to 71d can take any of the
airflow directions P0 to P4 by performing swinging actions where
they individually and independently rotate in the up-and-down
direction.
[0098] Here, the predetermined amount of time in which the rotation
control and the combination shift control are performed can be 5
minutes, for example, and may also be decided beforehand by working
it out on paper, simulation, or experiment. Further, the
predetermined amount of time may also be appropriately decided by
the indoor control unit 67 in accordance with conditions in the
air-conditioned room at those times (specifically, the temperature
Tf of the floor, whether or not there are persons in the
air-conditioned room, and the intake air temperature Tr).
--Air Volume Control--
[0099] Further, the indoor control unit 67 performs control of the
air volume of the indoor fan 41. The air volume of the indoor fan
41 can, as a result of the indoor control unit 67 changing the
rotational speed of the indoor fan motor 41a, be changed in four
stages between a high air volume H where the rotational speed of
the indoor fan motor 41a is the highest, a medium air volume M
where the rotational speed of the indoor fan motor 41a is lower
than the rotational speed for the air volume H, a low air volume L
where the rotational speed of the indoor fan motor 41a is even
lower than the rotational speed for the air volume M, and a minimum
air volume LL where the rotational speed of the indoor fan motor
41a is even lower than the rotational speed for the air volume L.
Here, the air volume H, the air volume M, and the air volume L can
be set on the basis of a request from the remote controller 99 and
the detection values of the various sensors 61 to 63. However, the
air volume LL cannot be set by a request from the remote controller
99 but is set in a controlled manner in the case of a predetermined
control state.
--Remote Control-Use Receiving Unit--
[0100] The remote control-use receiving unit 69 is for receiving
various requests from the remote controller 99 and is configured by
an infrared light-receiving element, for example. Specifically, the
remote control-use receiving unit 69 can receive instructions to
start the cooling operation or the heating operation that have been
given by a user via the remote controller 99 and can receive
settings relating to the set temperature in the air-conditioned
room, the air volume, and the airflow direction and instructions to
switch operation on and off with a timer.
[0101] In particular, the remote control-use receiving unit 69
pertaining to the present embodiment can receive various settings
relating to the airflow direction that have been given via the
remote controller 99 from a user and, for example, the setting of a
"cycle swinging" mode where the rotation control and the
combination shift control descried above are performed. Here, FIG.
13 shows, as an example, screens D1 and D2 that are displayed on a
display 99a of the remote controller 99 in a case where various
settings received by the remote control-use receiving unit 69 are
given by a user. The screen D1 is a main menu screen, and when "set
the airflow direction" is selected from the main menu, a mode
selection screen D2 is displayed. From the screen D2, either an
"independent swinging" mode where the horizontal blades 71a to 71d
rotate individually and independently or the "cycle swinging" mode
where the rotation control and the combination shift control are
performed can be selected as the content of the actions of the
horizontal blades during the predetermined amount of time after the
start of operation.
<Actions>
(1) Overall Flow of Actions of Ceiling-Mounted Indoor Unit
[0102] FIGS. 14 and 15 are flowcharts showing an overall flow of
actions of the air conditioning apparatus 1 in which the
ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 pertaining to the present embodiment
is employed.
[0103] Step S1: In a case where an operation such as the heating
operation or the cooling operation of the air conditioning
apparatus 1 has been instructed to start by a user via the remote
controller 99 (YES in Sp, the outdoor unit 2 and the
ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 start the operation.
[0104] Steps S2 and S3: In a case where the "cycle swinging" mode
has been set via the remote controller 99 before the instruction to
start the operation is given (YES in S2), the indoor control unit
67 performs the rotation control of the horizontal blades 71a to
71d and the combination shift control of the first horizontal
blades pertaining to FIGS. 11 and 12 (S3). That is, the indoor
control unit 67 performs the rotation control in such a way that
the first horizontal blades synchronously swing while taking the
same posture and performs the rotation control that fixes the
second horizontal blades at the predetermined angle. Moreover, the
indoor control unit 67 shifts the combination of the first
horizontal blades one blade at a time clockwise as seen in a bottom
view of the decorative panel 52 every time the first horizontal
blades swing one time.
[0105] Step S4: In a case where the "independent swinging" mode has
been set in step S2 (NO in S2), the indoor control unit 67
individually rotates, rather than synchronously rotates, the
horizontal blades 71a to 71d (S4).
[0106] Steps S5 and S6: In a case where the predetermined amount of
time has elapsed after the instruction to start the operation
pertaining to step S1 was given (YES in S5), the indoor control
unit 67 ends the control of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d
pertaining to steps S3 and S4 (56).
[0107] Steps S7 and S8: In a case where the content of the
operation that was instructed in step S1 is the "heating operation"
(YES in S7), the indoor control unit 67 performs control of the
airflow-direction angles of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d and
air volume control on the basis of the airflow direction and the
air volume that have been requested via the remote controller 99 in
such a way that the air-conditioned room is heated in accordance
with the desired settings (58).
[0108] Steps S9 and S10: in a case where the content of the
operation that was instructed in step S1 is the "cooling operation"
(YES in S9), the indoor control unit 67 performs control of the
airflow-direction angles of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d and
air volume control on the basis of the airflow direction and the
air volume that have been requested via the remote controller 99 in
such a way that the air-conditioned room is cooled in accordance
with the desired settings (S10).
[0109] Step S11: The operation in steps S8 and S10 is performed
continuously until the operation of the air conditioning apparatus
1 is instructed to end via the remote controller 99 (NO in S11).
When the operation of the air conditioning apparatus 1 is
instructed to end (YES in S11), the outdoor unit 2 and the
ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 end the operation,
(2) Heating Operation
[0110] Actions in the case where the air conditioning apparatus 1
performs the heating operation (step S8) will be described
below.
[0111] The heating operation is an operation where the air
conditioning apparatus 1 heats the air in the air-conditioned room
and supplies the heated air as conditioned air to the
air-conditioned room by causing the refrigerant in the refrigerant
circuit 10 to circulate in such a way that the outdoor heat
exchanger 23 functions as an evaporator for the refrigerant and the
indoor heat exchanger 42 functions as a radiator for the
refrigerant.
[0112] In the heating operation, the four-way switching valve 22 is
switched in such a way that the outdoor heat exchanger 23 functions
as an evaporator for the refrigerant and the indoor heat exchanger
42 functions as a radiator for the refrigerant (that is, the state
indicated by the dashed lines of the four-way switching valve 22 in
FIG. 1).
[0113] In this state of the refrigerant circuit 10, the
low-pressure refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle is sucked into
the compressor 21, is compressed to a high pressure in the
refrigeration cycle, and is thereafter discharged. The
high-pressure refrigerant that has been discharged from the
compressor 21 is sent through the four-way switching valve 22, the
gas-side stop valve 26, and the gas refrigerant connection tube 6
to the indoor heat exchanger 42. The high-pressure refrigerant that
has been sent to the indoor heat exchanger 42 exchanges heat in the
indoor heat exchanger 42 with the air in the air-conditioned room
supplied by the indoor fan 41 and gives off heat. Because of this,
the air in the air-conditioned room is heated, becomes conditioned
air, and is blown out into the air-conditioned room from the air
outlet 56 (specifically; the side-portion air outlets 56a to 56d
and the corner-portion air outlets 56e to 56h). The high-pressure
refrigerant that has given off heat in the indoor heat exchanger 42
is sent through the liquid refrigerant connection tube 5 and the
liquid-side stop valve 25 to the expansion valve 24 where its
pressure is reduced to a low pressure in the refrigeration cycle.
The low-pressure refrigerant whose pressure has been reduced in the
expansion valve 42 is sent to the outdoor heat exchanger 23. The
low-pressure refrigerant that has been sent to the outdoor heat
exchanger 23 exchanges heat in the outdoor heat exchanger 23 with
the outdoor air supplied by the outdoor fan 27 and evaporates. The
low-pressure refrigerant that has evaporated in the outdoor heat
exchanger 23 is again sucked into the compressor 21 through the
four-way switching valve 22.
[0114] In the heating operation, the intake air temperature Tr is
controlled on as to become a target air temperature Trs that has
been requested from the remote controller 99 or the like. That is,
in the heating operation, in a case where the intake air
temperature Tr is lower than the target air temperature Trs, the
indoor control unit 67 performs the operation control (hereinafter
this state will be called a "heating thermostat ON state").
Additionally; in a case where the intake air temperature Tr has
reached the target air temperature Trs, the indoor control unit 67
performs control that stops the compressor 21 to ensure that the
refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 10 is not circulated and
changes the air volume of the indoor fan 41 to the air volume U.
(hereinafter this state will be called a "heating thermostat OFF
state").
[0115] Further, in a case where the control based on the requested
airflow direction and the requested air volume is performed, the
indoor control unit 67 can control the airflow-direction angles of
the horizontal blades 71a to 71d and the air volume of the indoor
fan 41 while setting them to a variety of airflow directions and
air volumes on the basis of the detection results of the various
sensors 61 to 63 so that the comfort level of the user in the
air-conditioned room can be raised.
[0116] For example, in a case where the presence sensor 62 has
detected the presence of a person in the air conditioning target
areas A to D, the indoor control unit 67 can set, on the basis of
the detection value, the airflow-direction angle of the horizontal
blade in the side-portion air outlet corresponding to the air
conditioning target area in which the presence of the person has
been detected to the airflow direction P0. On the other hand, in
the air conditioning target areas in which no presence of a person
is detected among the air conditioning target areas A to D, the
indoor control unit 67 can set the airflow-direction angles of the
horizontal blades in the side-portion air outlets corresponding to
the air conditioning target areas in which no presence of a person
is detected to the airflow directions P1 to P3 that face more
downward than the airflow direction P0. Because of this, discomfort
caused by a draft on a user present in the air conditioning target
areas A to D can be suppressed and the comfort level of the user
can be improved.
[0117] Further, in a case where the temperature Tf of the floor in
the air-conditioned room detected by the floor temperature sensor
63 is lower than a target floor temperature Tfs, the indoor control
unit 67 can set the airflow-direction angles of the horizontal
blades 71a to 71d to downward-facing airflow directions (e.g., the
airflow directions P3 and P4). On the other hand, in a case where
the temperature Tf of the floor in the air-conditioned room has
reached the target floor temperature Tfs, the indoor control unit
67 can set the airflow-direction angles of the horizontal blades
71a to 71d to airflow directions (e.g., the airflow directions P0
and P1) that face more upward than the airflow directions P3 and
P4. Because of this, in a case where the vicinity of the floor in
the air-conditioned room is not sufficiently heated, heated air can
be caused to reach the floor and the comfort level of the user in
the air-conditioned room can be improved.
[0118] In addition, the indoor control unit 67 may also change the
airflow-direction angles of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d and
the airflows on the basis of an average temperature of the intake
air temperature Tr detected by the intake air temperature sensor 61
and the temperature Tf of the floor in the air-conditioned room and
also a combination of the average temperature and the detection
result of the presence sensor 62,
(3) Cooling Operation
[0119] Actions in the case where the air conditioning apparatus 1
performs the cooling operation (step S10) will be described
below.
[0120] The cooling operation is an operation where the air
conditioning apparatus 1 cools the air in the air-conditioned room
and supplies the cooled air as conditioned air to the
air-conditioned room by causing the refrigerant in the refrigerant
circuit 10 to circulate in such a way that the outdoor heat
exchanger 23 functions as a radiator for the refrigerant and the
indoor heat exchanger 42 functions as an evaporator for the
refrigerant.
[0121] In the cooling operation, the four-way switching valve 22 is
switched in such a way that the outdoor heat exchanger 23 functions
as a radiator for the refrigerant and the indoor heat exchanger 42
functions as an evaporator for the refrigerant (that is, the state
indicated by the solid lines of the four-way switching valve 22 in
FIG.
[0122] In this state of the refrigerant circuit 10, the
low-pressure refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle is sucked into
the compressor 21, is compressed to a high pressure in the
refrigeration cycle, and is thereafter discharged. The
high-pressure refrigerant that has been discharged from the
compressor 21 is sent through the four-way switching valve 22 to
the outdoor heat exchanger 23. The high-pressure refrigerant that
has been sent to the outdoor heat exchanger 23 exchanges heat in
the outdoor heat exchanger 23 with the outdoor air supplied by the
outdoor fan 27 and gives off heat. The high-pressure refrigerant
that has given off heat in the outdoor heat exchanger 23 is sent to
the expansion valve 24 where its pressure is reduced to a low
pressure in the refrigeration cycle. The low-pressure refrigerant
whose pressure has been reduced in the expansion valve 24 is sent
through the liquid-side stop valve 25 and the liquid refrigerant
connection tube 5 to the indoor heat exchanger 42. The low-pressure
refrigerant that has been sent to the indoor heat exchanger 42
exchanges heat in the indoor heat exchanger 42 with the air in the
air-conditioned room supplied by the indoor fan 41 and evaporates.
Because of this, the air in the air-conditioned room is cooled,
becomes conditioned air, and is blown out into the air-conditioned
room from the air outlet 56 (specifically, the side-portion air
outlets 56a to 56d and the corner-portion air outlets 56e to 56h).
The low-pressure refrigerant that has evaporated in the indoor heat
exchanger 42 is again sucked into the compressor 21 through the gas
refrigerant connection tube 6, the gas-side stop valve 26, and the
four-way switching valve 22.
[0123] In the cooling operation, the intake air temperature Tr is
controlled so as to become the target air temperature Trs that has
been requested from the remote controller 99 or the like. That is,
in the cooling operation, in a case where the intake air
temperature Ti is higher than the target air temperature Trs, the
indoor control unit 67 performs the operation control (hereinafter
this state will be called a "cooling thermostat ON state").
Additionally, in a case where the intake air temperature Tr has
reached the target air temperature Trs, the indoor control unit 67
performs control that stops the compressor 21 to ensure that the
refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 10 is not circulated and
changes the air volume of the indoor fan 41 to the air volume LL
(hereinafter this state will be called a "cooling thermostat OFF
state").
[0124] Further, in a case where the control based on the requested
airflow direction and the requested air volume is performed, the
indoor control unit 67 can control the airflow-O direction angles
of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d and the air volume of the
indoor fan 41 while setting them to a variety of airflow directions
and air volumes on the basis of the detection results of the
various sensors 61 to 63 so that the comfort level of the user in
the air-conditioned room can be raised.
[0125] For example, in a case where the presence sensor 62 has
detected the presence of a person in the air conditioning target
areas A to D, the indoor control unit 67 can set, on the basis of
the detection value, the airflow-direction angle of the horizontal
blade in the side-portion air outlet corresponding to the air
conditioning target area in which the presence of the person has
been detected to the airflow direction P0. On the other hand, in
the air conditioning target areas in which no presence of a person
is detected among the air conditioning target areas A to D, the
indoor control unit 67 can set the airflow-direction angles of the
horizontal blades in the side-portion air outlets corresponding to
the air conditioning target areas in which no presence of a person
is detected to the airflow directions P1 to P3 that face more
downward than the airflow direction P0. Because of this, discomfort
caused by a draft on a user present in the air conditioning target
areas A to D can be suppressed and the comfort level of the user
can be improved.
<Characteristics>
[0126] The ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 pertaining to the present
embodiment has the following characteristics.
(1)
[0127] In a conventional indoor unit, the indoor unit agitates the
air in the air-conditioned room by causing adjacent horizontal
blades to swing mutually oppositely. However, in this indoor unit,
the airflows sent into the air-conditioned room from the adjacent
horizontal blades end up weakening each other and the airflow
velocity ends up dropping. Consequently; the force with which the
air in the air-conditioned room is agitated ends up becoming
weaker, and it ends up becoming difficult to send the air blown out
from the air outlet to places away from the indoor unit. Further,
even if the indoor unit causes just one horizontal blade to swing
and shifts the swinging horizontal blade in order, the volume of
air guided from the one horizontal blade into the air-conditioned
room is small, and the air in the room cannot be sufficiently
agitated.
[0128] In contrast, in the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 pertaining
to the present embodiment, the first horizontal blades that are two
of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d adjacent to each other
synchronously swing while taking the same posture. Because of this,
the air blown out from the air outlet 56 is sent into the
air-conditioned room in such a way as to be surrounded by the first
horizontal blades, and the air in the air-conditioned room becomes
agitated. Consequently, in the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4
pertaining to the present embodiment, a higher agitating effect can
be obtained compared to a case where adjacent horizontal blades
perform individually different swings, and the air blown out into
the air-conditioned room from the air outlet 56 in the
ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 can be sent farther.
[0129] In particular, in the present embodiment, the combination of
the first horizontal blades is shifted in order along the
peripheral edge portion of the decorative panel 52. For that
reason, a higher agitating effect can be obtained compared to a
case where the combination of the first horizontal blades that
synchronously swing is fixed.
(2)
[0130] Further, in the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 pertaining to
the present embodiment, the combination of the first horizontal
blades shifts sequentially one blade at a time. For that reason,
the air in the air-conditioned room becomes more easily
agitated.
(3)
[0131] Further, in the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 pertaining to
the present embodiment, the combination of the first horizontal
blades is shifted every time the first horizontal blades
reciprocally rotate a predetermined number of times in the
up-and-down direction with respect to the air outlet 56. That is,
the timing when the combination of the first horizontal blades
shifts becomes matched to the action of the reciprocal rotation of
the first horizontal blades. For that reason, by setting the number
of times that the first horizontal blades reciprocally rotate, the
far reach of the blown air can be given priority or the agitation
of the air in the air-conditioned room can be given priority.
(4)
[0132] Further, in the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 pertaining to
the present embodiment, the second horizontal blades that are the
remaining blades excluding the first horizontal blades are fixed at
the predetermined angle while the first horizontal blades
synchronously swing while taking the same posture. For that reason,
the air in the air-conditioned room becomes agitated by the first
horizontal blades that are swinging, and the air in the
air-conditioned room becomes sent far, for example, by the second
horizontal blades.
(5)
[0133] Moreover, in the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 pertaining to
the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the so-called rest
periods TA in which the actions of the first horizontal blades
temporarily stop when the rotational directions of the first
horizontal blades change are disposed. This is because when the
rotational directions end up immediately changing from the down
direction to the up direction during the heating operation, for
example, it becomes difficult for the vicinity of the floor in the
air-conditioned room to become heated. Because of this, as the air
in the air-conditioned room is being agitated, the air blown out
from the air outlet 56 is reliably blown out in a horizontal
direction or a vertical direction, for example. Consequently, when
the rotational directions change from the down direction to the up
direction during the heating operation, for example, the heated air
from the air outlet 56 becomes blown out in the down direction, so
the vicinity of the floor can be heated while remedying the
imbalance in the temperature in the air-conditioned room.
[0134] Further, when the rotational directions change from the up
direction to the down direction during the cooling operation, for
example, the cool air from the air outlet 56 becomes blown out in
the up direction, so discomfort that a user feels because of a
so-called cold draft can be suppressed.
(6)
[0135] Further, in the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 pertaining to
the present embodiment, until the predetermined amount of time
elapses after the start of operation, the action of the first
horizontal blades synchronously swinging while taking the same
posture and the action of the combination of the first horizontal
blades shifting in order along the peripheral edge portion of the
undersurface are performed. However, after the predetermined amount
of time elapses, these actions end and the horizontal blades 71a to
71d tilt at the predetermined angle. Because of this, air with the
desired temperature can be supplied to the air-conditioned room
whose air has been sufficiently agitated, so discomfort that a user
feels because of a draft can be suppressed and the air-conditioned
room can be made comfortable.
(7)
[0136] Further, in the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 pertaining to
the present embodiment, the first horizontal blades adjacent to
each other across an arbitrary corner-portion air outlet 56e to 56h
synchronously swing while taking the same posture. Moreover, the
combination of the first horizontal blades shifts sequentially. For
that reason, the air blown out from the corner-portion air outlets
56e to 56h is, together with the air blown out from the
side-portion air outlets 56a to 56d opened and closed by the first
horizontal blades, reliably sent far by the first horizontal blades
while incorporating some of the air in the air-conditioned room.
Consequently, the air in the air-conditioned room can be agitated
by even more of the air that is blown out, and even more of the
conditioned air can be sent far, compared to the case of causing
the individual horizontal blades to swing separately without
synchronizing them.
(8)
[0137] In particular, in the present embodiment, the first
horizontal blades are configured by two of the horizontal blades
71a to 71d adjacent to each other. Because of this, the air in the
air-conditioned room can be effectively agitated and even more of
the conditioned air can be sent far.
Other Embodiments
[0138] An embodiment of the present invention has been described
above on the basis of the drawings, but the specific configurations
thereof are not limited to this embodiment and are changeable
without departing from the gist of the invention.
(A)
[0139] In the above embodiment, a case was described where the
combination of the first horizontal blades shifts every time the
first horizontal blades swing one time. However, the indoor control
unit 67 may also shift the combination of the first horizontal
blades after the first horizontal blades swing two or more times
rather than one time.
[0140] Further, as shown in FIG. 16, the indoor control unit 67 may
also shift the combination of the first horizontal blades every
time the first horizontal blades swing for a predetermined amount
of time (corresponding to a first predetermined amount of time).
Here, as an example. FIG. 16 shows a case where the combination of
the first horizontal blades changes every minute. In FIG. 16, like
in FIG. 12, the horizontal blades that are blacked out represent
the first horizontal blades, and the horizontal blades that are not
blacked out represent the second horizontal blades.
[0141] The number of times that the first horizontal blades swing
and the amount of time in which the first horizontal blades swing,
which serve as the timing when the combination of the first
horizontal blades shift, may be decided beforehand by working it
out on paper, simulation, or experiment or may be appropriately
decided by the indoor control unit 67 in accordance with conditions
in the air-conditioned room at those times (specifically, the
temperature Tf of the floor, whether or not there are persons in
the air-conditioned room, and the intake air temperature Tr). By
appropriately setting the amount of time in which the first
horizontal blades swing, the far reach of the blown air can be
given priority or the agitation of the air in the air-conditioned
room can be given priority.
(B)
[0142] In the above embodiment, a case was described where the
combination of the first horizontal blades shifts sequentially
clockwise as seen in a bottom view of the decorative panel 52.
However, the combination of the first horizontal blades may also
shift sequentially counter-clockwise as seen in a bottom view of
the decorative panel 52. Whether the combination of the first
horizontal blades shifts clockwise or counter-clockwise may be
decided beforehand by working it out on paper, simulation, or
experiment or may be appropriately decided by the indoor control
unit 67 in accordance with conditions in the air-conditioned room
at those times (specifically, the temperature Tf of the floor,
whether or not there are persons in the air-conditioned room, and
the intake air temperature Tr).
(C)
[0143] In the above embodiment, a case was described where, as
shown in FIG. 11, the second horizontal blades are fixed in the
airflow direction "P0." However, the angle at which the second
horizontal blades are fixed is not limited to the airflow direction
"P0" and may be any angle. For example, the second horizontal
blades may be fixed at an angle corresponding to the
downward-facing airflow direction "P4" in the case of the heating
operation and fixed at an angle corresponding to the upward-facing
airflow direction "P1" in the case of the cooling operation.
[0144] Further, the second horizontal blades may also swing to a
small extent between the airflow direction P0 and the airflow
direction P1, for example, rather than being fixed at a
predetermined angle while the first horizontal blades swing between
the airflow direction P0 and the airflow direction P4. In this
case, the swing of the second horizontal blades is sufficiently
small compared to the swing of the first horizontal blades.
(D)
[0145] In the above embodiment, a case was described where the
first horizontal blades are configured by two blades. However, the
number of blades configuring the first horizontal blades may also
be more than two, such as three, for example. In this regard,
however, in a case where N represents the number of the horizontal
blades disposed in the ceiling-mounted indoor unit, the upper limit
of the number of blades configuring the first horizontal blades
should be equal to or less than N-1. That is, it is necessary that
a number M of the blades configuring the first horizontal blades
satisfy the condition of "2.ltoreq.M.ltoreq.N-1."
[0146] FIGS. 17 and 18 show a case where the first horizontal
blades are configured by three of the horizontal blades adjacent to
each other. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, examples of
combinations of the first horizontal blades include the combination
of the horizontal blades 71a, 71b, and 71c, the combination of the
horizontal blades 71b, 71c, and 71d, the combination of the
horizontal blades 71c, 71d, and 71a, and the combination of the
horizontal blades 71d, 71a, and 71b. Additionally, in a case where
the combination of the first horizontal blades is the horizontal
blades 71a to 71c, thr example, the horizontal blade 71d other than
the horizontal blades 71a to 71c becomes the second horizontal
blade. In this case, the horizontal blades 71a to 71c that are the
first horizontal blades synchronously swing while taking the same
posture, and the horizontal blade 71d that is the second horizontal
blade is fixed at a predetermined angle (e.g., the airflow
direction P0). Additionally, after the first horizontal blades
swing one time, the combination of the first horizontal blades is
shifted in order along the peripheral edge portion of the
decorative panel 52. Specifically, in FIGS. 17 and 18, the
combination of the first horizontal blades shifts one blade at a
time clockwise as seen in a bottom view of the decorative panel 52.
That is, focusing on the individual horizontal blades 71a to 71d,
after each the horizontal blades 71a to 71d has consecutively swung
three times, they take postures in which they are fixed at a
predetermined angle for one swing of the other blades. The timings
when the horizontal blades 71a to 71d start swinging again from
their fixed postures do not coincide among the horizontal blades
71a to 71d but differ for each of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d.
Because of this, the air in the air-conditioned room can be
effectively agitated and even more of the conditioned air can be
sent far.
[0147] Further, in FIGS. 17 and 18, a case was described where the
combination of the first horizontal blades shifts one blade at a
time as shown in the shift from the combination of the horizontal
blades 71a, 71b, and 71c to the combination of the horizontal
blades 71b, 71c, and 71d. However, in a case where the first
horizontal blades are configured by three of the horizontal blades,
the combination is not limited to a case where it shifts one blade
at a time and may also shift two blades at a time. Examples of
cases where the combination of the first horizontal blades shifts
two blades at a time include a shift from the combination of the
horizontal blades 71a, 71b, and 71c to the combination of the
horizontal blades 71c, 71d, and 71a.
(E)
[0148] In the above embodiment, a case was described where, as
shown in FIG. 11, all of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d tilt at
the (predetermined angle after the cycle swinging mode is performed
and the predetermined amount of time elapses after the start of
operation. However, the horizontal blades that switch over to the
action of tilting at the predetermined angle after the elapse of
the predetermined amount of time may also be just the horizontal
blades that were the first horizontal blades immediately before the
elapse of the predetermined amount of time. For example, the
horizontal blades that were the second horizontal blades
immediately before the elapse of the predetermined amount of time
may also, even after the elapse of the predetermined amount of
time, continue to take the posture that they had taken in which
they were fixed without swinging.
(F)
[0149] In the above embodiment, a case was described where there
were four horizontal blades--that is, a case where the conditioned
air is blown out in four directions. However, the number of the
horizontal blades is not limited to this and may also be more than
four. That is, the ceiling-mounted indoor unit 4 pertaining to the
present invention can also be applied to a case where it blows out
the conditioned air in more than four directions.
(G)
[0150] In the above embodiment, a type of the ceiling-mounted
indoor unit 4 where the air outlet 56 and the four horizontal
blades 71a to 71d are disposed in the decorative panel 52
corresponding to the undersurface of the casing 51 was described.
However, the ceiling mounted indoor unit pertaining to the present
invention can also be employed in a type of indoor unit where air
outlets are disposed in each side surface of the casing.
(H)
[0151] In the above embodiment, a case was described where the rest
periods TA are decided to be a predetermined value beforehand.
However, the rest periods TA may also be appropriately changed in
accordance with the detection results of the various sensors 61 to
63 at those times.
[0152] For example, let it be assumed that during the heating
operation a person in the air conditioning target areas A to D was
not detected by the presence sensor 62. In this case, in a case
where the temperature Tf of the floor is low and the temperature
difference between the intake air temperature Tr detected by the
intake air temperature sensor 61 and the temperature Tf of the
floor detected by the floor temperature sensor 63 is equal to or
greater than a first temperature difference, the indoor control
unit 67 may set the rest periods TA to a long duration (e.g., 5
seconds). Conversely, in a case where the temperature 717f of the
floor is high and the temperature difference is equal to or less
than a second temperature difference and is lower than the first
temperature difference, the indoor control unit 67 may set the rest
periods TA to a short duration (e.g., 1 second).
[0153] Further, the duration of the rest periods may differ
depending on whether the content of the operation that has been
instructed to start is heating or cooling or may differ in
accordance with the airflow direction of the air blown out from the
air outlet 56. For example, during the heating operation, the rest
periods may be set to a short duration in a case where the
airflow-direction angles of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d are
the airflow direction P0 and set to a long duration in a case where
the airflow-direction angles of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d
are the airflow direction P4. Because of this, when the rotational
directions change, the air that has been heated by heat exchange is
not blown out much in an approximately horizontal direction but
becomes blown out for a relatively long time in an approximately
vertical direction. Consequently, the temperature Tf of the floor
can be raised while agitating the air in the air-conditioned room.
Further, during the cooling operation, the rest periods may be set
to a long duration in a case where the airflow-direction angles of
the horizontal blades 71a to 71d are the airflow direction P0 and
set to a short duration in a case where the airflow-direction
angles of the horizontal blades 71a to 71d are the airflow
direction P4. Because of this, even as the air in the
air-conditioned room is being agitated, when the rotational
directions change, the air that has been cooled by heat exchange is
not blown out much in an approximately vertical direction but
becomes blown out for a relatively long time in an approximately
horizontal direction. Consequently, the discomfort that a user
feels because of a cold draft can be suppressed.
(I)
[0154] In the above embodiment, the action of the first horizontal
blades synchronously swinging while taking the same posture and the
action of the combination of the first horizontal blades shifting
sequentially were described as being performed until the
predetermined amount of time elapses after the start of operation.
However, these actions are not limited being performed during the
predetermined amount of time after the start of operation (i.e.,
immediately after the air conditioning apparatus starts up) and may
also be performed during normal operation where the air
conditioning apparatus regulates, by heating and cooling, the room
to the temperature requested by a user.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0155] The present invention is widely applicable to
ceiling-mounted indoor units for air conditioning apparatus where
plural horizontal blades whose airflow-direction angles in an
up-and-down direction are capable of being changed independently
are disposed in an air outlet.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0156] 1 Air Conditioning Apparatus [0157] 4 Ceiling-mounted Indoor
Unit [0158] 39 Outdoor Control Unit [0159] 10 Indoor Fan [0160] 51
Casing [0161] 56 Air Outlet [0162] 56a, 56b, 56c, 56d Side-portion
Air Outlets [0163] 56e, 56f, 56g, 56h Corner-portion Air Outlets
[0164] 61 Intake Air Temperature Sensor [0165] 62 Presence Sensor
[0166] 63 Floor Temperature Sensor [0167] 71a, 71b, 71c, 71d
Horizontal Blades [0168] 67 Indoor Control Unit [0169] 69 Remote
Control-use Receiving Unit [0170] 99 Remote Controller [0171] 99a
Display [0172] D1, D2 Screens Displayed on Display of Remote
Controller
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
[0172] [0173] Patent Citation 1: Japanese Patent Unexamined
publication No. 2009-103417
* * * * *