U.S. patent application number 14/614639 was filed with the patent office on 2015-09-10 for air-conditioning apparatus.
The applicant listed for this patent is Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. Invention is credited to Masanori AOKI, Yoshiki KATO.
Application Number | 20150253031 14/614639 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52446268 |
Filed Date | 2015-09-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150253031 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KATO; Yoshiki ; et
al. |
September 10, 2015 |
AIR-CONDITIONING APPARATUS
Abstract
An air-conditioning apparatus includes: an outdoor unit; and an
indoor unit that is connected to the outdoor unit via a refrigerant
pipe and performs air-conditioning of an indoor space in
combination with the outdoor unit based on manipulation of a remote
control. The outdoor unit includes: a stop switch and a
return-to-operation switch; and a microcomputer that, when the stop
switch is turned on while the indoor space is being
air-conditioned, stops operation of the indoor and outdoor units,
to stop performing air-conditioning of the indoor space, and that,
when the return-to-operation switch is turned on while the
air-conditioning of the indoor space is inactivated by turning on
the stop switch, resumes the operation of the indoor unit to
perform air-conditioning of the indoor space in combination with
the outdoor unit.
Inventors: |
KATO; Yoshiki; (Tokyo,
JP) ; AOKI; Masanori; (Tokyo, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
52446268 |
Appl. No.: |
14/614639 |
Filed: |
February 5, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/175 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 11/70 20180101;
F24F 11/59 20180101; F24F 11/30 20180101; F24F 11/62 20180101; F24F
11/65 20180101; F24F 1/20 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F24F 11/00 20060101
F24F011/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 7, 2014 |
JP |
2014-045107 |
Claims
1. An air-conditioning apparatus comprising: an outdoor unit; and
an indoor unit that is connected to the outdoor unit via a
refrigerant pipe and performs air-conditioning of an indoor space
in combination with the outdoor unit based on manipulation of a
remote control, wherein the outdoor unit comprises: a stop switch
and a return-to-operation switch; and an outdoor control unit that,
when the stop switch is turned on while the indoor space is being
air-conditioned, stops operation of the indoor and outdoor units to
stop performing air-conditioning of the indoor space, and that,
when the return-to-operation switch is turned on while the
air-conditioning of the indoor space is inactivated by turning on
the stop switch, resumes the operation of the indoor unit to
perform air-conditioning of the indoor space in combination with
the outdoor unit.
2. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indoor
unit comprises an indoor control unit that disables manipulation of
the remote control when the operation is inactivated by turning on
the stop switch.
3. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the
manipulation of the remote control is disabled, the indoor control
unit displays a notification that represents that the manipulation
is disabled on a display of the remote control.
4. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the indoor
control unit, when stopping performance of air-conditioning of the
indoor space by turning on the stop switch, holds operating
information before the stop, and, when resuming the operation by
turning on the return-to-operation switch, returns to an
operational state before the stop based on the operating
information, so as to perform the air-conditioning of the indoor
space in combination with the outdoor unit.
5. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outdoor
control unit starts a trial run when the operation is in an
inactivated state due to turning on the stop switch and if ON time
of the return-to-operation switch is longer than a first set time
and equal to or shorter than a second set time, the second set time
being longer than the first set time, and stops the trial run when
the trial run has been performed and if the ON time of the
return-to-operation switch is longer than the second set time.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an air-conditioning
apparatus provided with a function to stop operation of an indoor
unit through an outdoor unit upon conducting maintenance on the
outdoor unit.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A conventional air-conditioning apparatus is known that is
provided with an operation manipulation switch so that any
operation for starting refrigerant recovery, starting a trial run,
or inactivating (stopping operation is performed depending on the
ON time (length of time duration over which the operation
manipulation switch is turned on) of the operation manipulation
switch (see, e.g., Patent Literature 1).
[0003] Another example of the conventional air-conditioning
apparatuses is that an outdoor unit is provided with a trial run
switch and a stop switch so that a trial run is started when the
trial run switch is turned on, while the trial run is stopped when
the stop switch is turned on (see, e.g., Patent Literature 2).
[0004] Further example of the conventional air-conditioning
apparatuses is that an outdoor unit is provided with a trial run
switch so that the trial run switch makes a plurality of indoor
units operate sequentially one by one (see, e.g., Patent Literature
3).
[0005] All of the air-conditioning apparatuses mentioned above
presume that the operation of the air-conditioning apparatus is
turned into a non-operating state; that is, after the operation is
inactivated (or stopped; herein, "inactivate" and "stop" may be
used interchangeably) by manipulating a remote control placed
indoors, the apparatus is manipulated through the outdoor unit.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
[0006] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
2011-202924 (Pages 3-4, FIGS. 1-3)
[0007] Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
2009-144990 (Pages 3-4, FIG. 1)
[0008] Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
2001-324197 (Pages 2-3, FIGS. 1, 4)
[0009] As mentioned above, when stopping the operation of the
conventional air-conditioning apparatus for maintenance, etc., it
is required to perform the manipulation to stop the
air-conditioning apparatus with a remote control installed indoors.
For this reason, when conducting maintenance on the outdoor unit
side, it is necessary for an operator to go back indoors to
manipulate the remote control. There have been problems in that it
may be substantially time-consuming to return to the operation
depending on the installation conditions of the air-conditioning
apparatus, and in that the operation of the indoor unit cannot be
inactivated (stopped) if it is impossible to enter indoors where
the indoor unit is installed.
[0010] The present invention is made to overcome the
above-mentioned problems, and the first object thereof is to
provide an air-conditioning apparatus that can stop operation of an
indoor unit through an outdoor unit while conducting maintenance of
the outdoor unit and can resume the operation.
[0011] The second object thereof is to provide an air-conditioning
apparatus that can make an indoor unit unable to be manipulated by
a remote control when the operation of the indoor unit is
inactivated while conducting maintenance of the outdoor unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] An air-conditioning apparatus according to the present
invention includes: an outdoor unit; and an indoor unit that is
connected to the outdoor unit via a refrigerant pipe and performs
air-conditioning of an indoor space in combination with the outdoor
unit based on manipulation of a remote control, wherein the outdoor
unit includes: a stop switch and a return switch; and an outdoor
control unit that, when the stop switch is turned on while the
indoor space is being air-conditioned, stops operation of the
indoor and outdoor units to stop performing air-conditioning of the
indoor space, and that, when the return switch is turned on while
the air-conditioning of the indoor space is inactivated by turning
on the stop switch, resumes the operation of the indoor unit to
perform air-conditioning of the indoor space in combination with
the outdoor unit.
[0013] According to the present invention, when the stop switch is
turned on while the indoor space is being air-conditioned, the
operation of the indoor and outdoor units is inactivated to stop
performing air-conditioning of the indoor space, and when the
return switch is turned on while the air-conditioning of the indoor
space is inactivated by turning on the stop switch, the operation
of the indoor unit is resumed to perform air-conditioning of the
indoor space in combination with the outdoor unit. With this
configuration, the operation of the indoor unit can be inactivated
and returned without manipulating the remote control of the indoor
unit. This eliminates the labor to manipulate the remote control
installed indoors to stop the operation from the indoor unit side
upon conducting maintenance on the outdoor unit, so that the time
required for maintenance can be reduced. It also allows the
maintenance to be conducted if it is impossible to enter indoors
where the indoor unit is installed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram illustrating a schematic
configuration of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit of an
air-conditioning apparatus according to a first embodiment.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating operation of the
air-conditioning apparatus based on manipulation of a maintenance
manipulation unit of the outdoor unit shown in FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 3 illustrates a relation between ON time of a return
switch and an operational mode of the air-conditioning apparatus
according to a second embodiment. and
[0017] FIG. 4 is a circuit block diagram illustrating a schematic
configuration of an outdoor unit in a variation of the second
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
First Embodiment
[0018] FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram illustrating a schematic
configuration of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit of an
air-conditioning apparatus according to the first embodiment.
[0019] An air-conditioning apparatus 100 includes an outdoor unit 1
and an indoor unit 11 connected to the outdoor unit 1 via a
refrigerant pipe. The outdoor unit 1 is installed outdoors, and
includes an outdoor control substrate 2, a compressor, a four-way
valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, an outdoor
fan, and the like. The outdoor heat exchanger of the outdoor unit 1
serves as a condenser in the cooling operation or as an evaporator
in the heating operation. The indoor unit 11 is installed indoors
on the wall or ceiling, and includes an indoor control substrate
12, an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor fan, and the like. The
indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit 11 serves as an evaporator
in the cooling operation or as a condenser in the heating
operation.
[0020] The outdoor control substrate 2 is implemented with a
microcomputer 3 for controlling the outdoor unit, a maintenance
manipulation unit 4 having a stop switch 4a to stop the operation
of the air-conditioning apparatus 100 and a return-to-operation
switch 4b to return to the operation thereof, an outdoor
communication circuit 5, and the like. The microcomputer 3 includes
an outdoor control unit for controlling operation of the
compressor, switching of the four-way valve depending on either
cooling or heating operation, an opening degree of the expansion
valve, and operation of the outdoor fan.
[0021] The above-mentioned microcomputer 3, when the stop switch 4a
is turned on, sends a stop signal to stop the operation of the
indoor unit 11 to the indoor unit 11 via the outdoor communication
circuit 5. In addition, when the operation of the indoor unit 11 is
inactivated by turning on the stop switch 4a, i.e. the operation of
the air-conditioning apparatus 100 is stopped, and then the
return-to-operation switch 4b is turned on, the microcomputer 3
sends an operation return-to-operation signal to return to the
operation of the indoor unit 11 to the indoor unit 11 via the
outdoor communication circuit 5.
[0022] The indoor control substrate 12 is implemented with a
microcomputer 13 for controlling the indoor unit, an indoor
communication circuit 14, a memory 15, and the like. The indoor
control substrate 12 is connected with a remote control 16 via a
communication line 17, the remote control 16 having operating
buttons 16a for setting the air-conditioning of the indoor space
and a liquid crystal display 16b. The communication line 17 is
connected with the microcomputer 13 via the indoor control
substrate 12.
[0023] Although the remote control 16 is shown as a wired remote
control, it may be a wireless remote control instead. If the remote
control 16 is provided as a wireless remote control, the indoor
control substrate 12 is implemented with a photodetector for
receiving infrared radiation emitted from the remote control 16 to
convert it to an electric signal to input into the microcomputer
13.
[0024] The microcomputer 13 includes an indoor control unit to
control the operation of the indoor fan depending on the degree of
airflow set by the remote control 16. The microcomputer 13, when
the stop signal from the outdoor communication circuit 5 is
received via the indoor communication circuit 14, stores operating
information in the memory 15, including a current operational
state, an operational mode of e.g. either cooling or heating
operation, a preset temperature of the indoor space, and the like,
and stops the operation of the indoor unit 11.
[0025] Moreover, the microcomputer 13, when the return-to-operation
signal from the outdoor communication circuit 5 is received via the
indoor communication circuit 14, resumes the operation of the
indoor unit 11 so as to return to the operational state before the
stop based on the operating information stored in the memory 15,
and sends the operating information to the outdoor communication
circuit 5 via the indoor communication circuit 14 to cause the
outdoor unit 1 to resume the operation.
[0026] With reference to FIG. 2, the description is provided
regarding the operation of the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit
11 based on the manipulation of the maintenance manipulation unit 4
in the air-conditioning apparatus 100 configured as described
above.
[0027] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating operation of the
air-conditioning apparatus based on manipulation of the maintenance
manipulation unit of the outdoor unit shown in FIG. 1. Here, the
flowchart on the left in this figure illustrates the operation of
the outdoor unit 1, while the flowchart on the right illustrates
the operation of the indoor unit 11.
[0028] When the operation has been continued based on the
manipulation of the remote control 16 (S1), and the stop switch 4a
of the maintenance manipulation unit 4 is turned on (S2), the
microcomputer 3 of the outdoor unit 1 sends the stop signal to the
indoor communication circuit 14 of the indoor unit 11 via the
outdoor communication circuit 5 (S3).
[0029] Then, the microcomputer 3 stops the operation of the outdoor
unit 1 (S4). Stopping the operation of the outdoor unit 1
corresponds to stopping the operation of the compressor, closing
the expansion valve, and stopping the operation of the outdoor fan
after stopping the operation of the indoor unit 11 as described
below. At this point, maintenance of the outdoor unit 1 can be
conducted. The microcomputer 3 determines whether the
return-to-operation switch 4b of the maintenance manipulation unit
4 is turned on (S5), and, if the return-to-operation switch 4b is
not turned on, waits until the return-to-operation switch 4b is
turned on.
[0030] On the other hand, when the operation has been continued
based on the manipulation of the remote control 16 (S11), and the
stop signal from the outdoor communication circuit 5 is received
via the indoor communication circuit 14 (S12), the microcomputer 13
of the indoor unit 11 displays the disability of manipulation of
the remote control 16 on the liquid crystal display 16b of the
remote control 16 and disables the manipulation of the operating
buttons 16a of the remote control 16 (S13, S14). This prevents the
air-conditioning apparatus 100 from operating by manipulating the
remote control while the outdoor unit 1 is in maintenance.
[0031] Next, the microcomputer 13 stores the operating information
immediately before stopping the operation of the indoor unit 11 in
the memory 15 (S15), and stops the operation of the indoor unit 11
(S16). Stopping the operation of the indoor unit 11 corresponds to
stopping the operation of the indoor fan and closing a louver.
Then, the microcomputer 13 determines whether the
return-to-operation signal from the outdoor communication circuit 5
is received via the indoor communication circuit 14 (S17), and, if
the return-to-operation signal is not received, waits until the
return-to-operation signal is received.
[0032] The microcomputer 3 of the outdoor unit 1, when the
return-to-operation switch 4b is turned on while being in the
waiting state at step S5, sends the return-to-operation signal to
the indoor communication circuit 14 of the indoor unit 11 via the
outdoor communication circuit 5 (S6). Next, the microcomputer 3
determines whether the operating information immediately before the
stop is received via the outdoor communication circuit 5 (S7), and,
if the operating information is not received, waits until the
operating information is received.
[0033] On the other hand, the microcomputer 13 of the indoor unit
11, when the return-to-operation signal is received via the indoor
communication circuit 14 while being in the waiting state at step
S17, clears the disability notification of manipulation displayed
on the liquid crystal display 16b (S18), and enables the
manipulation of the operating buttons 16a of the remote control 16
(S19). Then, the microcomputer 13 retrieves the operating
information immediately before the stop stored in the memory 15,
and sends the operating information to the outdoor communication
circuit 5 of the outdoor unit 1 via the indoor communication
circuit 14 (S20). Next, the microcomputer 13 resumes the operation
of the indoor unit 11 so as to return to the operational state
before the stop based on the operating information (S21). In this
case, the variable control of the louver, the operation of the
indoor fan, and the like are performed based on the above-mentioned
operating information.
[0034] The microcomputer 3 of the outdoor unit 1, when the
operating information is received via the outdoor communication
circuit 5 while being in the waiting state at step S7, resumes the
operation of the outdoor unit 1 based on the operating information
(S8) so as to return to the air-conditioning state before the stop
in combination with the indoor unit 11.
[0035] As described above, according to the first embodiment, when
the stop switch 4a of the outdoor unit 1 is turned on, the
operation of the indoor unit 11 is inactivated along with the
outdoor unit 1, and when the air-conditioning has been inactivated
by turning on the stop switch 4a and then the return-to-operation
switch 4b is turned on, the operation of the indoor unit 11 is
resumed along with the outdoor unit 1. With this configuration, the
operation of the indoor unit 11 can be inactivated and resumed
without manipulating the remote control 16 of the indoor unit 11.
This eliminates the necessity to manipulate the remote control 16
installed indoors to stop the operation from the indoor unit 11
side upon conducting maintenance on the outdoor unit 1, so that the
time required for maintenance can be reduced. It also allows the
maintenance to be conducted if it is impossible to enter indoors
where the indoor unit 11 is installed.
[0036] When the indoor unit 11 resumes its operation, the
air-conditioning is conducted in combination with the outdoor unit
1 so as to return to the operational state before the stop based on
the operating information stored in the memory 15 immediately
before the stop. With this configuration, the air-conditioning is
conducted in the operating state before conducting the maintenance,
so that it can eliminate the necessity of resetting by a user and
provide better service of maintenance.
[0037] Moreover, while the outdoor unit 1 is in maintenance, the
liquid crystal display 16b of the remote control 16 of the indoor
unit 11 displays that the manipulation is disabled, and the
manipulation of the remote control 16 is disabled. With this
configuration, the outdoor unit 1 can be maintained safely.
Second Embodiment
[0038] The second embodiment is configured so that, while the
operation of the indoor unit 11 along with the outdoor unit 1 is
inactivated by turning on the stop switch 4a, the manipulation of
the return-to-operation switch 4b allows a trial run of the outdoor
unit 1 and the indoor unit 11 to be performed or stopped.
[0039] FIG. 3 illustrates a relation between ON time (time duration
over which the operation manipulation switch is turned on) of the
return switch and the operational mode of the air-conditioning
apparatus according to the second embodiment. The configuration of
the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment as
shown in FIG. 1.
[0040] In the second embodiment, the microcomputer 3 of the outdoor
unit 1 includes an outdoor control unit which starts the trial run
if ON time t of the return-to-operation switch 4b is longer than a
first set time t1 and equal to or shorter than a second set time t2
(t1<t.ltoreq.t2), and stops the trial run if, while the trial
run has been performed, the ON time t of the return-to-operation
switch 4b is longer than the second set time t2 (t2<t). The
trial run is performed when the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit
11 have been inactivated by turning on the stop switch 4a.
[0041] This microcomputer 3, when determined that the trial run is
to be performed based on the ON time t of the return-to-operation
switch 4b, sends a trial run start signal for performing the trial
run to the microcomputer 13 of the indoor unit 11 via the outdoor
communication circuit 5 and the indoor communication circuit 14. In
addition, the microcomputer 3, while the trial run has been
performed and when determined that the trial run is to be
inactivated based on the ON time t of the return-to-operation
switch 4b, sends a trial run stop signal for stopping the trial run
to the microcomputer 13 of the indoor unit 11 via the outdoor
communication circuit 5 and the indoor communication circuit
14.
[0042] Moreover, when the ON time t of the return-to-operation
switch 4b is equal to or shorter than the first set time t1
(0<t.ltoreq.t1), the operation of the indoor unit 11 which has
been inactivated by turning on the stop switch 4a is resumed along
with the outdoor unit 1, as in the first embodiment. Upon resuming
the operation, the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit 11 operate
based on the operating information immediately before the stop
stored in the memory 15 with the indoor unit 11.
[0043] As described above, according to the second embodiment, the
trial run can be performed in the state where the operation is
inactivated and the manipulation of the remote control 16 is
disabled on the outdoor unit 1 side, so that the maintenance can
also be conducted smoothly and safely if it is impossible to enter
indoors where the remote control 16 is installed.
[0044] While in the second embodiment the trial run is started when
the ON time t of the return-to-operation switch 4b is longer than
the first set time t1 and equal to or shorter than the second set
time t2, either operational mode of cooling or heating may be
selected arbitrarily when performing the trial run.
[0045] FIG. 4 is a circuit block diagram illustrating a schematic
configuration of the outdoor unit in a variation of the second
embodiment. As shown in the figure, the outdoor control substrate 2
of the outdoor unit 1 is provided with a DIP switch 18 for
switching the operational mode to select either operational mode of
cooling or heating by the DIP switch 18 before the trial run is
performed with the return-to-operation switch 4b.
[0046] A microcomputer 19 selects either operational mode of
cooling or heating based on the switching operation of the DIP
switch 18 in addition to the function of the microcomputer 3 as
described in the second embodiment. This microcomputer 19 performs
the selected operational mode (cooling or heating) when determined
that the trial run is to be performed from the ON time t of the
return-to-operation switch 4b (t1<t.ltoreq.t2).
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0047] 1 outdoor unit, 2 outdoor control substrate, 3
microcomputer, 4 maintenance manipulation unit, 4a stop switch, 4b
return switch, 5 outdoor communication circuit, 11 indoor unit, 12
indoor control substrate, 13 microcomputer, 14 indoor communication
circuit, 15 memory, 16 remote control, 16a operating button, 16b
liquid crystal display, 17 communication line, 18 DIP switch, 19
microcomputer, 100 air-conditioning apparatus.
* * * * *