# US 10,371,419 B2 · Vehicle air conditioner with programmed flow controller > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,419 B2 - Document ID: US10371419B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/895,005 - Filed: 2014-06-03 - Published: 2016-04-21 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-06 - Assignees: Denso Corporation - Applicants: Denso Corporation - Inventors: Norihiko Enomoto; Nobuharu Kakehashi; Michio Nishikawa; Yoshiki Katoh; Kengo Sugimura; Takashi Yamanaka; Masamichi Makihara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371419B2 ## CPC - F25B 13/00: Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle (defrosting cycles F25B47/02) - B60H 1/00899: {Controlling the flow of liquid in a heat pump system (controlling the properties of the refrigerant liquid, e.g. pressure or temperature, B60H1/3204)} - B60H 1/32284: {comprising two or more secondary circuits, e.g. at evaporator and condenser side} - F25B 25/005: {using primary and secondary systems} - F28F 27/02: for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels ({static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026}; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12) - B60H 2001/00961: {comprising means for defrosting outside heat exchangers} - F25B 30/02: of the compression type - F25B 2339/047: Water-cooled condensers - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract A vehicle air conditioning apparatus includes: at least one processor programmed to control a flow rate of at least one of a heat medium and outside air flowing through a heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger such that a temperature of blast air cooled in an air-cooling heat exchanger is adjusted toward a first target temperature, and to control a flow rate of a refrigerant discharged from a compressor such that a temperature of blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one of the air-cooling heat exchanger and an air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into a vehicle interior, is adjusted toward a second target temperature. Accordingly, a surface temperature of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the temperature of the blast air into the vehicle interior can be properly controlled. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle air conditioning apparatus comprising: a first pump and a second pump that take in and discharge a heat medium; an adjusting heat exchanger that adjusts a temperature of the heat medium by causing the heat medium to undergo heat exchange; a heat medium-to-air heat exchanger that adjusts a temperature of blast air flowing into a vehicle interior by exchanging heat between the heat medium, the temperature of which has been adjusted in the adjusting heat exchanger, and the blast air; a heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger that exchanges sensible heat between the heat medium, the temperature of which has been adjusted in the adjusting heat exchanger, and outside air; a compressor that takes in and discharges a refrigerant; a condenser that condenses the refrigerant and heats the heat medium by exchanging heat between the refrigerant discharged from the compressor and the heat medium circulated by the second pump; a decompression unit that decompresses and expands the refrigerant flowing from the condenser; an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant and cools the heat medium by exchanging heat between the refrigerant decompressed and expanded by the decompression unit and the heat medium circulated by the first pump; an air-cooling heat exchanger that cools the blast air by exchanging heat between the heat medium cooled in the evaporator and the blast air; an air-heating heat exchanger that heats the blast air by exchanging sensible heat between the heat medium heated in the condenser and the blast air; at least one processor coupled to a corresponding memory, the at least one processor being programmed to control at least one of the first pump and the second pump to adjust a flow rate of at least one of the heat medium and the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger such that a temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in the heat medium-to-air heat exchanger, is adjusted toward a first target temperature, and control the compressor to adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor such that the temperature of the blast air cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger is adjusted toward a second target temperature; and a switching unit which switches between a state in which the heat medium cooled in the evaporator is allowed to flow to the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger and a state in which the heat medium heated in the condenser is allowed to flow to the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger; wherein the adjusting heat exchanger includes the evaporator and the condenser, wherein the heat medium-to-air heat exchanger includes the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger, wherein the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger is a heat exchanger which exchanges sensible heat between the heat medium heated in the condenser and the outside air such that the heat medium radiates heat to the outside air, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to adjust the flow rate of at least one of the heat medium and the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, is adjusted toward the first target temperature, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to, based on a determination that the flow rate of the heat medium or the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger is lower than a predetermined flow rate, and that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, is lower than the second target temperature: control the switching unit to switch to the state in which the heat medium cooled in the evaporator is allowed to flow to the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger, control the flow rate of at least one of the heat medium and the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger such that the temperature of the blast air cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger is adjusted toward the first target temperature, and control the flow rate of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, is adjusted toward the second target temperature. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an air-volume ratio adjustment unit that adjusts an air volume ratio between a volume of blast air, which has been cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger and passes through the air-heating heat exchanger, and a volume of blast air, which has been cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger and does not pass through the air-heating heat exchanger, such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an air volume control unit that controls a volume of the blast air such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an inside air-to-outside air ratio adjustment unit that adjusts a ratio of inside air to outside air in the blast air such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an electric heater that heats the blast air by heat generated when electric power is supplied; and an electric heater control unit that controls an amount of heat generated by the electric heater such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 6 A vehicle air conditioning apparatus comprising: a first pump and a second pump that take in and discharge a heat medium; an adjusting heat exchanger that adjusts a temperature of the heat medium by causing the heat medium to undergo heat exchange; a heat medium-to-air heat exchanger that adjusts a temperature of blast air flowing into a vehicle interior by exchanging heat between the heat medium, the temperature of which has been adjusted in the adjusting heat exchanger, and the blast air; a heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger that exchanges sensible heat between the heat medium, the temperature of which has been adjusted in the adjusting heat exchanger, and outside air; a compressor that takes in and discharges a refrigerant; a condenser that condenses the refrigerant and heats the heat medium by exchanging heat between the refrigerant discharged from the compressor and the heat medium circulated by the second pump; a decompression unit that decompresses and expands the refrigerant flowing from the condenser; an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant and cools the heat medium by exchanging heat between the refrigerant decompressed and expanded by the decompression unit and the heat medium circulated by the first pump; an air-cooling heat exchanger that cools the blast air by exchanging heat between the heat medium cooled in the evaporator and the blast air; an air-heating heat exchanger that heats the blast air by exchanging sensible heat between the heat medium heated in the condenser and the blast air; at least one processor coupled to a corresponding memory, the at least one processor being programmed to control at least one of the first pump and the second pump to adjust a flow rate of at least one of the heat medium and the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger such that a temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in the heat medium-to-air heat exchanger, is adjusted toward a first target temperature, and control the compressor to adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor such that the temperature of the blast air cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger is adjusted toward a second target temperature; and a switching unit which switches between a state in which the heat medium cooled in the evaporator is allowed to flow to the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger and a state in which the heat medium heated in the condenser is allowed to flow to the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger; wherein the adjusting heat exchanger includes the evaporator and the condenser, wherein the heat medium-to-air heat exchanger includes the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger, wherein the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger is a heat exchanger which exchanges sensible heat between the heat medium heated in the condenser and the outside air such that the heat medium radiates heat to the outside air, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to adjust the flow rate of at least one of the heat medium and the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, is adjusted toward the first target temperature, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to, based on a determination that the flow rate of the heat medium or the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger is lower than a predetermined flow rate, and that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, is lower than the second target temperature: control the switching unit to switch to the state in which the heat medium cooled in the evaporator is allowed to flow to the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger, control the flow rate of at least one of the heat medium and the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger such that the temperature of the blast air heated in the air-heating heat exchanger is adjusted toward the second target temperature, and control the flow rate of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor such that the temperature of the blast air cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger is adjusted toward the first target temperature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: an air-volume ratio adjustment unit that adjusts an air volume ratio between a volume of blast air, which has been cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger and passes through the air-heating heat exchanger, and a volume of blast air, which has been cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger and does not pass through the air-heating heat exchanger, such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: an air volume control unit that controls a volume of the blast air such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: an inside air-to-outside air ratio adjustment unit that adjusts a ratio of inside air to outside air in the blast air such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: an electric heater that heats the blast air by heat generated when electric power is supplied; and an electric heater control unit that controls an amount of heat generated by the electric heater such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 11 A vehicle air conditioning apparatus comprising: a first pump and a second pump that take in and discharge a heat medium; an adjusting heat exchanger that adjusts a temperature of the heat medium by causing the heat medium to undergo heat exchange; a heat medium-to-air heat exchanger that adjusts a temperature of blast air flowing into a vehicle interior by exchanging heat between the heat medium, the temperature of which has been adjusted in the adjusting heat exchanger, and the blast air; a heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger that exchanges sensible heat between the heat medium, the temperature of which has been adjusted in the adjusting heat exchanger, and outside air; a compressor that takes in and discharges a refrigerant; a condenser that condenses the refrigerant and heats the heat medium by exchanging heat between the refrigerant discharged from the compressor and the heat medium circulated by the second pump; a decompression unit that decompresses and expands the refrigerant flowing from the condenser; an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant and cools the heat medium by exchanging heat between the refrigerant decompressed and expanded by the decompression unit and the heat medium circulated by the first pump; an air-cooling heat exchanger that cools the blast air by exchanging heat between the heat medium cooled in the evaporator and the blast air; an air-heating heat exchanger that heats the blast air by exchanging sensible heat between the heat medium heated in the condenser and the blast air; at least one processor coupled to a corresponding memory, the at least one processor being programmed to control at least one of the first pump and the second pump to adjust a flow rate of at least one of the heat medium and the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger such that a temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in the heat medium-to-air heat exchanger, is adjusted toward a first target temperature, and control the compressor to adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor such that the temperature of the blast air cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger is adjusted toward a second target temperature; and a switching unit which switches between a state in which the heat medium cooled in the evaporator is allowed to flow to the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger and a state in which the heat medium heated in the condenser is allowed to flow to the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger; wherein the adjusting heat exchanger includes the evaporator and the condenser, wherein the heat medium-to-air heat exchanger includes the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger, wherein the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger is a heat exchanger which exchanges sensible heat between the heat medium heated in the condenser and the outside air such that the heat medium radiates heat to the outside air, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to adjust the flow rate of at least one of the heat medium and the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, is adjusted toward the first target temperature, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to, based on a determination that the flow rate of the heat medium or the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger is lower than a predetermined flow rate, and that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, is lower than the second target temperature: control the switching unit to switch to the state in which the heat medium heated in the condenser is not allowed to flow to the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: an air-volume ratio adjustment unit that adjusts an air volume ratio between a volume of blast air, which has been cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger and passes through the air-heating heat exchanger, and a volume of blast air, which has been cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger and does not pass through the air-heating heat exchanger, such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: an air volume control unit that controls a volume of the blast air such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: an inside air-to-outside air ratio adjustment unit that adjusts a ratio of inside air to outside air in the blast air such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: an electric heater that heats the blast air by heat generated when electric power is supplied; and an electric heater control unit that controls an amount of heat generated by the electric heater such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 16 A vehicle air conditioning apparatus comprising: a first pump and a second pump that take in and discharge a heat medium; an adjusting heat exchanger that adjusts a temperature of the heat medium by causing the heat medium to undergo heat exchange; a heat medium-to-air heat exchanger that adjusts a temperature of blast air flowing into a vehicle interior by exchanging heat between the heat medium, the temperature of which has been adjusted in the adjusting heat exchanger, and the blast air; a heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger that exchanges sensible heat between the heat medium, the temperature of which has been adjusted in the adjusting heat exchanger, and outside air; a compressor that takes in and discharges a refrigerant; a condenser that condenses the refrigerant and heats the heat medium by exchanging heat between the refrigerant discharged from the compressor and the heat medium circulated by the second pump; a decompression unit that decompresses and expands the refrigerant flowing from the condenser; an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant and cools the heat medium by exchanging heat between the refrigerant decompressed and expanded by the decompression unit and the heat medium circulated by the first pump; an air-cooling heat exchanger that cools the blast air by exchanging heat between the heat medium cooled in the evaporator and the blast air; an air-heating heat exchanger that heats the blast air by exchanging sensible heat between the heat medium heated in the condenser and the blast air; at least one processor coupled to a corresponding memory, the at least one processor being programmed to control at least one of the first pump and the second pump to adjust a flow rate of at least one of the heat medium and the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger such that a temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in the heat medium-to-air heat exchanger, is adjusted toward a first target temperature, and control the compressor to adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor such that the temperature of the blast air cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger is adjusted toward a second target temperature; and a switching unit which switches between a state in which the heat medium cooled in the evaporator is allowed to flow to the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger and a state in which the heat medium heated in the condenser is allowed to flow to the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger; wherein the adjusting heat exchanger includes the evaporator and the condenser, wherein the heat medium-to-air heat exchanger includes the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger, wherein the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger is a heat exchanger which exchanges sensible heat between the heat medium heated in the condenser and the outside air such that the heat medium radiates heat to the outside air, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to adjust the flow rate of at least one of the heat medium and the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, is adjusted toward the first target temperature, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to, based on a determination that the flow rate of the heat medium or the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger is lower than a predetermined flow rate, and that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, is lower than the second target temperature: control the switching unit to switch to the state in which the heat medium cooled in the evaporator is allowed to flow to the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger, control the flow rate of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor such that the temperature of the blast air cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger is adjusted toward the first target temperature, and control the flow rate of at least one of the heat medium and the outside air flowing through the heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, is adjusted toward the second target temperature. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising: an air-volume ratio adjustment unit that adjusts an air volume ratio between a volume of blast air, which has been cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger and passes through the air-heating heat exchanger, and a volume of blast air, which has been cooled in the air-cooling heat exchanger and does not pass through the air-heating heat exchanger, such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising: an air volume control unit that controls a volume of the blast air such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising: an inside air-to-outside air ratio adjustment unit that adjusts a ratio of inside air to outside air in the blast air such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The vehicle air conditioning apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising: an electric heater that heats the blast air by heat generated when electric power is supplied; and an electric heater control unit that controls an amount of heat generated by the electric heater such that the temperature of the blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one heat exchanger of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into the vehicle interior, approaches a third target temperature.