Zone air-conditioning control system for motor vehicle compartment

A zone air-conditioning control system for use with a motor vehicle, comprising:

• (a) an air-conditioning unit having:
• a single duct for leading incoming air thereinto,
• a refrigerating unit disposed in said single duct for cooling air led into said single duct,
• first and second ducts respectively communicating with said single duct at a downstream portion of said single duct, and
• first and second temperature adjustment mechanisms respectively disposed in said first and second ducts, each of said first and second temperature adjustment mechanisms including a heat exchanger, for heating air passing therethrough, and being provided for controlling the amount of heat exchanged;
• (b) first to fourth branch ducts for distributing temperature-controlled air to first to fourth air-conditioning zones established in the passenger compartment of said motor vehicle, said air-conditioning zones being respectively defined by the front right seat area, the front left seat area, the rear right seat area, and the rear left seat area of the passenger compartment, said first and third branch ducts being communicated to said first duct and being related to said first temperature adjustment mechanism, and said second and fourth branch ducts being communicated to said second duct and being related to said second temperature adjustment mechanism, said first branch duct communicating with said first air-conditioning zone, said second branch duct communicating with said second air-conditioning zone, said third branch duct communicating with said third air-conditioning zone, and said fourth branch duct communicating with said fourth air-conditioning zone;
• (c) first and second flow rate changing means for changing the flow rate of air flowing through said branch ducts, said first flow rate changing means being disposed in said first duct, and said second flow rate changing means being disposed in said second duct;
• (d) temperature detecting means for generating electrical signals each indicative of the temperature of air in each of said air-conditioning zones;
• (e) temperature setting adjusters with which a desired temperature in each of said first to fourth air-conditioning zones can be set;
• (f) a control unit for controlling said first and second temperature adjustment mechanisms and said first and second flow rate changing means in accordance with electrical signals from said temperature detecting means and electrical signals from said temperature setting adjusters so as to cause temperature detected in each of said first to fourth air-conditioning zones to approach temperature set by means of said temperature setting adjusters, said control unit controlling said first temperature adjustment mechanism in accordance with each difference between said set temperature and said detected temperature in said first and third air-conditioning zones and controlling said second temperature adjustment mechanism in accordance with each difference between said set temperature and said detected temperature in said second and fourth air-conditioning zones, said control unit controlling said first flow rate changing means to proportion a first distribution amount of temperature-controlled air to be supplied between said first air-conditioning zone and said third air-conditioning zone and controlling said second flow rate changing means to proportion a second distribution amount of temperature-controlled air to be supplied between said second air-conditioning zone and said fourth air-conditioning zone;
• and
• (g) actuating means for actuating said first and second temperature adjustment mechanisms and said first and second flow rate changing means in accordance with commands from said control unit.