Control method and apparatus for air conditioners

An electric control method for an automobile air conditioner including an air duct for allowing the flow of air into the passenger compartment of the automobile, a blower arranged within said air duct for controlling the quantity of air flow discharged therefrom into said compartment, and a temperature control means arranged for controlling the temperature of air flow from said blower, said method comprising the steps of:

• producing a first electric binary signal indicative of the actual temperature of air in said compartment;
• producing a second electric binary signal indicative of the actual ambient temperature outside said compartment;
• producing a third electric binary signal indicative of a desired temperature of air in said compartment;
• calculating the quantity of air flow in accordance with a value of said second binary signal;
• calculating, in response to said first, second and third binary signals, the quantity of heat necessary for adjusting the actual temperature in said compartment to the desired temperature and maintaining it at the same;
• calculating the temperature of air flow in relation to the calculated quantity of air flow necessary for discharging the calculated quantity of heat into said compartment;
• controlling the setting of said blower in response to the calculated quantity of air flow;
• and
• controlling the setting of said temperature control means in response to the calculated temperature of air flow.

An electric control method for an automobile air conditioner including an air duct for allowing the flow of air into the passenger compartment of the automobile, a blower arranged within said air duct for controlling the quantity of air flow discharged therefrom into said compartment, a cooler-core arranged within said air duct for cooling the air flowing therethrough, a heater-core arranged for warming a portion of the cooled air flowing from said cooler-core to said compartment therethrough, and an air-blend control device arranged between said cooler-core and said heater-core for selectively controlling the relative proportions of cooled air flowing to be warmed by said heater-core and of cooled air directly flowing into said compartment, said method comprising the steps of:

• producing a first electric binary signal indicative of the actual temperature of air in said compartment;
• producing a second electric binary signal indicative of the actual ambient temperature outside said compartment;
• producing a third electric binary signal indicative of a desired temperature of air in said compartment;
• calculating the quantity of air flow in accordance with a value of said second binary signal;
• calculating, in response to said first, second and third binary signals, the quantity of heat necessary for adjusting the actual temperature in said compartment to the desired temperature and maintaining it at the same;
• calculating the temperature of air flow in relation to the calculated quantity of air flow necessary for discharging the calculated quantity of heat into said compartment;
• controlling the setting of said blower in response to the calculated quantity of air flow;
• and
• controlling the setting of said air-blend control device in response to the calculated temperature of air flow.

An electric control apparatus for an automobile air conditioner including an air duct for allowing the flow of air into the passenger compartment of the automobile, a blower arranged within said air duct for controlling the quantity of air flow discharged therefrom into said compartment, and a temperature control means arranged for selectively cooling and/or warming the air flowing from said blower into said compartment,

• the improvement comprising:
• first means for producing a first electric binary signal indicative of the actual temperature of air in said compartment;
• second means for producing a second electric binary signal indicative of the actual ambient temperature outside said compartment;
• third means for producing a third electric binary signal indicative of a desired temperature of air in said compartment;
• a digital computer programmed to calculate the quantity of air flow in accordance with a value of said secondary binary signal taking into consideration the deviation between values of said first and third binary signals, said computer being programmed to calculate the quantity of heat necessary for adjusting the actual temperature in said compartment to the desired temperature and maintaining it at the same and further programmed to calculate the temperature of air flow in relation to the calculated quantity of air flow necessary for discharging the calculated quantity of heat into said compartment, said computer producing a first control signal indicative of the calculated quantity of air flow and a second control signal indicative of the calculated temperature of air flow;
• fourth means for controlling the setting of said blower in response to said first control signal from said computer;
• and
• fifth means for controlling the setting of said temperature control means in response to said second control signal from said computer.

An electric control apparatus for an automobile air conditioner including an air duct for allowing the flow of air into the passenger compartment of the automobile, a blower arranged within said air duct for controlling the quantity of air flow discharged therefrom into said compartment, a cooler-core arranged within said air duct for cooling the air flowing therethrough, a heater-core arranged for warming a portion of the cooled air flowing from said cooler-core to said compartment therethrough, and an air-blend control device arranged between said cooler-core and said heater-core for selectively controlling the relative proportions of cooled air flowing to be warmed by said heater-core and of cooled air directly flowing into said compartment;

• the improvement comprising:
• first means for producing a first electric binary signal indicative of the actual temperature of air in said compartment;
• second means for producing a second electric binary signal indicative of the actual ambient temperature outside said compartment;
• third means for producing a third electric binary signal indicative of a desired temperature of air in said compartment;
• a digital computer programmed to calculate the quantity of air flow in accordance with a value of said second binary signal taking into consideration the deviation between values of said first and third binary signals, said computer being programmed to calculate the quantity of heat necessary for adjusting the actual temperature in said compartment to the desired temperature and maintaining it at the same and further programmed to calculate the temperature of air flow in relation to the calculated quantity of air flow necessary for discharging the calculated quantity of heat into said compartment, said computer producing a first control signal indicative of the calculated quantity of air flow and a second control signal indicative of the calculated temperature of air flow;
• fourth means for controlling the setting of said blower in response to said first control signal from said computer;
• and
• fifth means for controlling the setting of said air-blend control device in response to said second control signal from said computer.