Vehicle air conditioner having surface temperature sensor

An air conditioner for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, comprising:

• a surface temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature on a clothes portion of a passenger and for outputting a clothes temperature signal;
• estimation-value calculating means for calculating an estimation value of thermal feeling for a passenger in the passenger compartment, based on the clothes temperature signal;
• and
• a control unit for performing air-conditioning control in the passenger compartment, in accordance with a difference between the estimation valve of the thermal feeling, and a target value of the thermal feeling that is an estimation value of target thermal feeling comfortable for the passenger, in such a manner that the estimation value of the thermal feeling coincides with the target value of the thermal feeling.

An air conditioner for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, comprising:

• a surface temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature of a passenger in the passenger compartment;
• and
• a mode switching unit being capable of automatically switching one of a first mode where air is blown at least toward an upper side of the passenger, and a second mode where air is blown at least toward a lower side of the passenger while a flow of air blown toward the upper side of the passenger is interrupted,
• wherein the mode switching unit switches between the first mode and the second mode based on the surface temperature of the passenger detected by the surface temperature sensor.

An air conditioner for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, comprising:

• a first mode switching unit for switching one of a plurality of modes in accordance with an air-conditioning condition, the plurality of modes at least including a first mode where air is blown at least toward an upper side of a passenger in the passenger compartment, and a second mode where air is blown at least toward a lower side of the passenger while a flow of air blown toward the upper side of the passenger is interrupted;
• a surface temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature of the passenger in the passenger compartment;
• and
• a second mode switching unit for switching one of the first mode and the second mode in accordance with the surface temperature of the passenger detected by the surface temperature sensor, wherein:
• the first mode switching unit switches one of the plurality of modes in an air-conditioning stationary operation;
• and
• the second mode switching unit switches one of the first mode and the second mode in a warming-up control operation where temperature of air is increased after heating in a passenger compartment is started.

An air conditioner for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, comprising:

• calculation means for calculating a target air temperature to be blown into the passenger compartment;
• a first mode switching unit for switching one of a plurality of modes in accordance with the target air temperature, the plurality of modes at least including a first mode where air is blown at least toward an upper side of a passenger in the passenger compartment, and a second mode where air is blown at least toward a lower side of the passenger while a flow of air blown toward the upper side of the passenger is interrupted;
• a surface temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature of the passenger in the passenger compartment;
• a second mode switching unit for switching one of the first mode and the second mode in accordance with the surface temperature of the passenger, detected by the surface temperature sensor;
• and
• determination means for determining a warming-up control operation in which temperature of air blown into the passenger compartment is increased after heating in the passenger compartment is started, wherein:
• when the warming-up control operation is determined by the determination unit, the first mode and the second mode are switched by the second mode switching unit based on the surface temperature of the passenger;
• and
• when an air-conditioning stationary operation is determined by the determination unit, the plurality of modes are switched by the first mode switching unit based on the target air temperature.