Air Conditioner For A Vehicle and Vehicle

Abstract

An air conditioner reduces fuel consumption of a vehicle. The air conditioner includes a control device which controls an operation state of a compressor. The control device determines whether control of a temperature of an evaporator based on a traveling state of the vehicle is to be performed in an ordinary mode or in a cool storage mode. When the control device determines that the temperature control is to be performed in the ordinary mode, the control device controls the driving of the compressor using an ordinary mode target temperature map. When the control device determines that the temperature control is to be performed in the cool storage mode, the control device controls the driving of the compressor using a cool storage mode target temperature map.

1 . An air conditioner for a vehicle ( 1 ) which is capable of traveling by an engine ( 31 ) and has an engine automatic start and stop function capable of automatically starting and stopping the engine ( 31 ), the air conditioner comprising:
 a refrigerating cycle ( 22 ) which is constituted by joining a compressor ( 23 ) which is driven using the engine ( 31 ) as a drive source and compresses a refrigerant, a condenser ( 24 ) which condenses the compressed refrigerant, a decompression and expansion device ( 26 ) which decompresses and expands the condensed refrigerant, and an evaporator ( 5 ) which evaporates the decompressed and expanded refrigerant and has a cool storage function by piping;   an evaporator temperature detection means_( 21 ) which detects a temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ); and   a control means ( 35 ) which controls an operation state of the compressor ( 23 ), wherein   the control means ( 35 ) is capable of controlling the temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) by controlling the operation state of the compressor ( 23 ),   the control means ( 35 ), when the control means ( 35 ) determines that the temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) is to be controlled in an ordinary mode, controls the operation state of the compressor ( 23 ) such that the temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) detected by the evaporator temperature detection means_( 21 ) approaches a target temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) introduced from an ordinary mode target temperature map, and   the control means ( 35 ), when the control means ( 35 ) determines that the temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) is to be controlled in a cool storage mode, controls the operation state of the compressor ( 23 ) such that the temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) detected by the evaporator temperature detection means approaches a target temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) introduced from a cool storage mode target temperature map.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the ordinary mode target temperature map and the cool storage mode target temperature map are, within a range where a heat load is a first predetermined value or more, set such that the target temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) set in the cool storage mode target temperature map is lower than the target temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) set in the ordinary mode target temperature map, and
 the target temperatures have a first temperature difference.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the ordinary mode target temperature map and the cool storage mode target temperature map are, within a range where a heat load is smaller than the first predetermined value, set such that the target temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) set in the cool storage mode target temperature map is lower than the target temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) set in the ordinary mode target temperature map,
 the target temperatures have a second temperature difference, and   the second temperature difference is smaller than the first temperature difference.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 3 , wherein the ordinary mode target temperature map and the cool storage mode target temperature map are, within a range where the heat load is further smaller than a second predetermined value which is a value smaller than the first predetermined value, set such that there is no second temperature difference. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the ordinary mode target temperature map and the cool storage mode target temperature map are respectively set such that a second target temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) corresponding to a state where a heat load is the second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value is set higher than a first target temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) corresponding to a state where the heat load is the first predetermined value. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the evaporator ( 5 ) includes a cool storage agent which changes a phase thereof within a predetermined temperature range thus capable of storing a cold or radiating heat, and
 in the ordinary mode target temperature map, the target temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) is set such that a compressor OFF temperature at which the control means turns off the driving of the compressor ( 23 ) becomes higher than the predetermined temperature range of the cool storage agent within a range where the heat load is the first predetermined value or more.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the evaporator_( 5 ) includes a cool storage agent which changes a phase thereof within a predetermined temperature range thus capable of storing a cold or radiating heat, and
 in the cool storage mode target temperature map, the target temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) is set such that a compressor ON temperature at which the control means turns on the driving of the compressor_( 23 ) becomes lower than the predetermined temperature range of the cool storage agent within a range where the heat load is the first predetermined value or more.   
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein a heat load is an air conditioning comprehensive signal which is calculated based on at least an outside air temperature of the vehicle ( 1 ), an inside air temperature of the vehicle ( 1 ), an air conditioning set temperature set by an occupant of the vehicle ( 1 ), and an amount of solar radiation. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein a heat load is an outside air temperature of the vehicle ( 1 ). 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the traveling state of the vehicle ( 1 ) is determined based on a result of comparison between a speed of the vehicle ( 1 ) and a predetermined speed, and
 the control means ( 35 ) determines that a temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) is to be controlled in an ordinary mode when the speed of the vehicle ( 1 ) is the predetermined speed or more, and determines that the temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) is to be controlled in a cool storage mode when the speed of the vehicle ( 1 ) is less than the predetermined speed.   
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the traveling state of the vehicle ( 1 ) is determined based on a result of comparison between deceleration of the vehicle ( 1 ) and the predetermined deceleration, and
 the control means ( 35 ) determines that a temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) is to be controlled in an ordinary mode when the deceleration of the vehicle ( 1 ) is less than the predetermined deceleration, and determines that the temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) is to be controlled in a cool storage mode when the deceleration of the vehicle ( 1 ) is the predetermined deceleration or more.   
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a cool storage heat exchanger ( 57 ) which is provided downstream of the evaporator ( 5 ) in an air flow and is capable of being cooled by air cooled by the evaporator ( 5 ); and   a cool storage heat exchanger temperature detection means_( 58 ) which detects a temperature of the cool storage heat exchanger, wherein   the control means ( 35 ) is capable of controlling the temperature of the cool storage heat exchanger by controlling an operation state of the compressor ( 23 ), and   the control means ( 35 ), when the control means ( 35 ) determines that the temperature of the cool storage heat exchanger is to be controlled in an ordinary mode, controls the operation state of the compressor ( 23 ) such that the temperature of the cool storage heat exchanger detected by the cool storage heat exchanger temperature detection means ( 58 ) approaches a target temperature of the cool storage heat exchanger introduced from the ordinary mode target temperature map, and   the control means ( 35 ), when the control means ( 35 ) determines that the temperature of the cool storage heat exchanger is to be controlled in a cool storage mode, controls the operation state of the compressor ( 23 ) such that the temperature of the cool storage heat exchanger detected by the cool storage heat exchanger temperature detection means_( 58 ) approaches a target temperature of the cool storage heat exchanger introduced from the cool storage mode target temperature map.   
     
     
         13 . A vehicle on which the air conditioner according to  claim 1  is mounted. 
     
     
         14 . An air conditioner for a vehicle ( 1 ) which is capable of traveling by an engine ( 31 ) and has an engine automatic start and stop function capable of automatically starting and stopping the engine ( 31 ), the air conditioner comprising:
 a refrigerating cycle ( 22 ) which is constituted by joining a compressor ( 23 ) which is driven using the engine ( 31 ) as a drive source and compresses a refrigerant, a condenser ( 24 ) which condenses the compressed refrigerant, a decompression and expansion device ( 26 ) which decompresses and expands the condensed refrigerant, and an evaporator ( 5 ) which evaporates the decompressed and expanded refrigerant and has a cool storage function by piping;   an evaporator temperature detection device which detects a temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ); and   a control device which controls an operation state of the compressor ( 23 ), wherein   the control device is capable of controlling the temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) by controlling the operation state of the compressor ( 23 ),   the control device, when the control device determines that the temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) is to be controlled in an ordinary mode, controls the operation state of the compressor ( 23 ) such that the temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) detected by the evaporator temperature detection device approaches a target temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) introduced from an ordinary mode target temperature map, and   the control device, when the control device determines that the temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) is to be controlled in a cool storage mode, controls the operation state of the compressor ( 23 ) such that the temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) detected by the evaporator temperature detection means approaches a target temperature of the evaporator ( 5 ) introduced from a cool storage mode target temperature map.   
     
     
         15 . A vehicle on which the air conditioner according to  claim 14  is mounted.