JP2003185236A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air conditioner possible to be diagnosed by a remote controller for operating an outdoor equipment when a failure is generated. <P>SOLUTION: When a command to diagnose a failure is operated by an operation unit 34 of the remote controller 4, a transmission unit 32 of the remote controller 4 transmits the command signal showing the command to diagnose a failure to a remote controlled receiver unit 24 of the outdoor equipment 1. On the basis of the command signal from the remote controller 4, a failure diagnosing circuit 32 diagnoses a failure, and a remote controlled transmission unit 25 transmits a result of the diagnosis. The remote controller 4 receives the result of the diagnosis from the remote controlled transmission unit 25 of the outdoor equipment 1, and displays the result of the diagnosis in a display unit 35. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner having a function of performing failure diagnosis according to a command from a wireless remote controller.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an air conditioner shown in FIG. 5 (see, for example, Patent Document 1). As shown in FIG. 5, this air conditioner includes a control board 52 including a self-diagnosis circuit provided in the indoor unit 51, and a wireless remote controller 53 connected to the control board 52 by a connection cable 56. ing. At the time of failure diagnosis of the air conditioner, a command signal representing a failure diagnosis command is transmitted from the remote controller 53, and the command signal is transmitted to the control board 52 via the receiver 55 provided in the indoor unit 51. After performing the self-diagnosis, the control board 52 sends the diagnosis result from the control board 52 to the remote controller 53 via the connection cable 56. Then, the remote controller 53 displays the diagnosis result from the indoor unit 51 on the display unit 54.

Thus, the air conditioner is the indoor unit 51.
The failure diagnosis is performed by using the wireless remote controller 53 connected to the PC via the connection cable 56.

[0004]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-11168

[0005]

When the air conditioner has a plurality of indoor units 51 and each indoor unit 51 is installed in, for example, a different room, a remote controller 53 is provided for each indoor unit 51. Since the failure diagnosis is performed by connecting the terminals, there is a drawback that the failure diagnosis takes time.

Further, there is a problem that it is difficult for an operator to enter the user's private room during inspection, repair, etc., and it is difficult to perform the work.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner capable of performing a failure diagnosis by a remote controller which directly gives an instruction to an outdoor unit.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, an air conditioner according to claim 1 is connected to an outdoor unit having a failure diagnosing means and the failure diagnosing means of the outdoor unit via a transmission line. In an air conditioner including an indoor unit, the first outdoor unit is provided in the outdoor unit and wirelessly transmits a signal indicating a failure diagnosis result from the failure diagnosis unit; The failure diagnosis command signal is received by the first receiving means for receiving the failure diagnosis command signal representing the failure diagnosis command and outputting the failure diagnosis command signal to the failure diagnosis means and the first reception means of the outdoor unit. Second transmitting means for transmitting, second receiving means for receiving a signal indicating the failure diagnosis result by radio from the first transmitting means of the outdoor unit, and the failure diagnosis result received by the second receiving means. table Based on to signal, it is characterized by comprising a remote controller of a wireless system and a display means for displaying the fault diagnosis result.

According to the air conditioner of the first aspect, when the failure diagnosis command signal indicating the failure diagnosis command is wirelessly transmitted from the second transmission means of the wireless remote controller, the first reception means of the outdoor unit is operated. It receives a failure diagnosis command signal by radio and outputs the failure diagnosis command signal. The failure diagnosis means for the outdoor unit receives the failure diagnosis command signal and performs failure diagnosis. Then, when the first transmission means of the outdoor unit wirelessly transmits a signal indicating the failure diagnosis result from the failure diagnosis means of the outdoor unit and the second reception means of the remote controller receives the signal indicating the failure diagnosis result, The display means of the remote controller displays the failure diagnosis result based on the signal representing the failure diagnosis result. For example, in the case of an air conditioner having a plurality of indoor units, the failure diagnosis time can be shortened without performing failure diagnosis for each indoor unit. In addition, since the worker does not need to enter the user's private room for inspection, repair, etc., the work is facilitated. Furthermore, the failure diagnosis of the outdoor unit can be performed without opening the casing of the outdoor unit.

The air conditioner of claim 2 is the same as that of claim 1.
In the air conditioner, the outdoor unit is provided with branching means for connecting the first transmitting means to the transmission line and connecting the first receiving means to the transmission line.

According to the air conditioner of the second aspect, in the air conditioner of the first aspect, the failure diagnosis command signal received by the first receiving means is broken through the branching means and the transmission line. After transmitting to the diagnostic means, a signal representing the fault diagnostic result of the fault diagnostic means is transmitted to the first transmitting means via the transmission line and the branching means. Therefore,
The first transmission means and the first reception means can be easily added by providing the branching means in the transmission line that connects the failure diagnosis means of the outdoor unit of the conventional air conditioner and the indoor unit.

The air conditioner of claim 3 is the same as that of claim 1.
In the second air conditioner, forced operation is performed by causing the remote controller to wirelessly transmit a forced operation command signal indicating a forced heating operation command or a forced cooling operation command from the second transmission means to the first reception means of the outdoor unit. It is characterized by having means.

According to the air conditioner of the third aspect, in the air conditioner of the first or second aspect, the forced receiving means of the remote controller causes the second receiving means to change to the first receiving means of the outdoor unit. When the forced command signal indicating the forced heating operation or the forced cooling operation is wirelessly transmitted, this air conditioner performs the forced heating operation or the forced cooling operation.
Therefore, by sending a forced operation command signal from the remote controller to the outdoor unit, it is possible to instruct forced heating operation or forced cooling operation, so it is necessary to open the casing of the outdoor unit and operate the internal forced operation switch. There is no.

The air conditioner of claim 4 is the same as that of claim 3.
In the air conditioner described in the above item, in the outdoor unit, when the first receiving unit of the outdoor unit continuously receives the forced operation command signal from the second transmitting unit of the remote controller. While the forced heating operation or the forced cooling operation is performed, the first reception means of the outdoor unit receives the forced operation command signal from the second transmission means of the remote controller during the forced heating operation or the forced cooling operation. When it is stopped, the control means for stopping the forced heating operation or the forced cooling operation of the outdoor unit is provided.

According to the air conditioner of the fourth aspect, in the air conditioner of the third aspect, the control means of the outdoor unit has a first receiving means of the outdoor unit and a second transmission of the remote controller. When the forced operation command signal from the means is continuously received, the outdoor unit is made to perform the forced heating operation or the forced cooling operation. On the other hand, when the first receiving means of the outdoor unit does not receive the forced operation command signal from the second transmitting means of the remote controller during the forced heating operation or the forced cooling operation, the control means of the outdoor unit causes the forced heating operation or Stop forced cooling operation. Therefore, if the worker takes the remote controller home after the inspection, repair, etc., the forced operation command signal will not be received by the first receiving means of the outdoor unit, and the forced operation will automatically stop. You can prevent forgetting to return.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The air conditioner of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is an outdoor unit, 2 and 3 are indoor units connected to the outdoor unit 1, and 4 is the outdoor unit 1. It is a wireless remote controller for remote control of.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the outdoor unit 1 and the remote controller 4. The outdoor unit 1 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 10 as control means and the CPU.
10 is connected to the indoor units 2 and 3 to mutually transmit signals, the CPU 10 is connected to the timer unit 21 for managing various operation time periods, and a current detection unit for detecting an operation current. A power source unit 22 for outputting a signal indicating an operating current to the CPU 10, a failure diagnosis circuit 23 for diagnosing each unit of the outdoor unit 1 and outputting a signal indicating the diagnosis content to the CPU 10, and a remote controller 4. The command signal from the CPU is received and the received command signal is sent to the CPU.
Remote control receiver 2 as first receiving means for outputting to 10
4 and a remote control transmitter 25 as a first transmitter that receives a signal indicating the diagnosis result from the CPU 10 and transmits the signal indicating the diagnosis result to the remote controller 4. In addition, a signal from a sensor (not shown) that detects the temperature of each part of the outdoor unit 1 is input to the CPU.
10, a sensor input unit 26 that outputs a signal indicating the temperature from each sensor, a relay output unit 27 that turns on and off a plurality of relays (not shown) based on a control signal from the CPU 10, and an operating frequency from the CPU 10. And a compressor operating frequency command unit 28 for controlling the operating frequency of the compressor (not shown) based on the signal indicating The CPU 10 and the failure diagnosis circuit 23 constitute failure diagnosis means.

Further, the remote controller 4 includes a receiving section 31 as a second receiving means for receiving a signal indicating the diagnosis result from the remote control transmitting section 25 of the outdoor unit 1,
In addition to receiving a signal indicating the diagnosis result from the transmission unit 32 as the second transmission means for transmitting a failure diagnosis command signal to the remote control reception unit 24 of the outdoor unit 1, and the reception unit 31,
In response to a control unit 33 that outputs a command signal to the transmission unit 32, an operation unit 34 that outputs a signal indicating an operation command to the control unit 33 based on a key operation input, and a display signal from the control unit 33. A display unit 35 that displays the diagnosis result, the operating current, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, the operation unit 34 of the remote controller 4 has a room changeover switch 14 for switching the indoor units A, B, C, a heating switch 15 for forced heating operation, and a forced cooling operation. It has a cooling switch 16 for turning on and a display changeover switch 18. Also,
The display unit 35 of the remote controller 4 displays L indicating that any one of the indoor units A, B, C has been selected.
ED display 11, 12, 13 and L for displaying diagnostic results etc.
It has a CD (liquid crystal display) display unit 17. The display changeover switch 18 is for changing the display contents of the LCD display device 17. The LED display 1
The indoor units A and B displayed by 1 and 12 correspond to the indoor units 2 and 3 shown in FIG. 1, and the indoor unit C displayed by the LED indicator 13 is displayed.
The indoor unit corresponding to is not connected.

On the LCD display 17, the display contents shown in the following examples 1) to 6) are sequentially displayed according to the operation of the display changeover switch 18. In addition, in the display of the failure mode of 1), a code is determined in advance according to various failure contents, and the code corresponding to the failure contents is displayed, and 2) to 6) display the operating state of the outdoor unit 1. .

[0022] In the air conditioner configured as described above, when the heating switch 15 and the cooling switch 16 of the remote controller 4 are simultaneously pressed for about 10 seconds, the failure diagnosis process starts. It should be noted that, after about 1 hour has passed after the above-mentioned failure diagnosis processing is started and the forced operation state is set, or when a driving operation is performed inside the room, the normal operation state is restored.

The operation of the failure diagnosis process of the remote controller 4 will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step S1, the LCD display 17 displays that the remote controller 4 has started the failure diagnosis. That is, the LCD display 17 displays a failure diagnosis start, and at the same time, the transmitter 32 of the remote controller 4 transmits a signal representing a failure diagnosis command. Then, the remote control receiver 24 of the outdoor unit 1 receives the signal representing the failure diagnosis command, and the outdoor unit 1 performs the failure diagnosis by the failure diagnosis circuit 23. Then, the CPU 10 of the outdoor unit 1 transmits a signal representing the diagnosis result of the failure diagnosis circuit 23 from the remote controller transmission unit 25. Next, in step S2, the reception unit 31 receives a signal indicating the diagnosis result from the remote control transmission unit 25 of the outdoor unit 1, and when the failure diagnosis result is a failure, the failure mode is displayed on the LCD display unit 17. . If the result of the failure diagnosis is normal, "000" is displayed.

Then, in step S3, the room changeover switch 14 is pressed to select one of the indoor units A, B and C for which forced operation is to be performed. Next, the LED display 11 corresponding to the indoor unit selected in step S4,
One of 12, 13 is turned on. Each time the room changeover switch 14 is pressed, the indoor units A, B, C are sequentially selected, and the LED indicators 11, 12, 13 are sequentially turned on, and A →
Repeat B → C → all lights off. Next, in step S5, the display changeover switch 14 is pressed to display the LCD display 17 in the operation mode. Then, in step S6, the heating switch 15 is pressed to perform the forced heating operation, or the cooling switch 16 is pressed to perform the forced cooling operation. That is, either one of the indoor units 2 and 3 selected in step S3 and the outdoor unit 1 are set to the forced heating operation or the forced cooling operation. Next, in step S7, the display changeover switch 18 is operated to change the display content to be examined.

When the selection of the indoor units A, B and C is changed, the heating switch 15 and the cooling switch 16 are simultaneously pressed for about 10 seconds, and step S
The failure diagnosis process is restarted from 1.

As described above, since the failure diagnosis is performed by operating only the outdoor unit 1 without performing the failure diagnosis for each of the indoor units 2 and 3 installed in different rooms, for example, a plurality of indoor units are provided. In the case of an air conditioner, it is possible to shorten the failure diagnosis time. Further, in the inspection and repair, since the outdoor unit 1 installed outdoors is operated by the remote controller 4, it is not necessary to enter the private room of the user in which the indoor unit is installed, and the workability is improved. Further, since the failure diagnosis of the outdoor unit 1 is performed without opening the casing of the outdoor unit 1, the work efficiency of inspection, repair, etc. can be improved.

Further, about 1 hour after the forced operation command is issued, the forced operation is automatically stopped and the normal operation is resumed, so that it is possible to prevent forgetting to turn off the forced operation operation. Further, when the forced operation command signal is periodically transmitted from the remote controller 4 and the forced operation is continued while the outdoor unit 1 receives the forced operation command signal, inspection, repair, etc. When the remote controller 4 is brought back after the work is finished, the signal of the forced operation command is not received by the remote control receiver 24 of the outdoor unit 1 and the forced operation is automatically stopped. You can also The forced operation command signal may be continuously transmitted from the remote controller 4.

Further, the remote controller 4 commands the outdoor unit 1 to perform a forced operation, and the indoor units 2 and 3 and the outdoor unit 1 are instructed.
It is possible to easily check the operating state of.

In the above-described embodiment, the remote controller transmitter 25 as the first transmitter of the outdoor unit 1 and the remote controller receiver 24 as the first receiver are connected to the CPU 10. However, as shown in FIG. , A branch circuit 29 is provided on the transmission line between the CPU 10 and the indoor transmission section 20, and the reception signal from this branch circuit 29 is connected to the remote control reception section 24, while the transmission signal from the branch circuit 29 is transmitted to the remote control transmission section 25.
You may connect to. In this case, the first conventional air conditioner
The transmitting unit and the first receiving unit can be easily added, and the transmission circuit and the like can be made common to realize a low-cost air conditioner. In FIG. 5, the same components as those in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The remote controller 4 is provided with three LED indicators 11, 12 and 13 so that one of the three indoor units A, B and C can be selected.
Of course, the number of D indicators and the number of selected indoor units are not limited to this.

Further, although the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor units 2 and 3 are forcedly heated or forcedly cooled by the remote controller 4, even if only the failure diagnosis is made without the forcedly heating or forced cooling operation. Good.

Further, although the failure diagnosis result and the operating state of the outdoor unit 1 are displayed on the display section 35 of the remote controller 4, the failure diagnosing means of the outdoor unit sends a signal indicating the operating state from the first transmitting means. The display means of the remote controller may display only the failure diagnosis result of the outdoor unit without transmitting the failure.

[0034]

As is apparent from the above, the air conditioner according to the invention of claim 1 is an outdoor unit having a failure diagnosing means, and an indoor unit connected to the failure diagnosing means of the outdoor unit via a transmission line. In the air conditioner provided with, the first transmitting means provided in the outdoor unit wirelessly transmits a signal indicating the failure diagnosis result of the failure diagnosing means, and the first receiving means provided in the outdoor unit Receiving a failure diagnosis command signal representing a failure diagnosis command by radio and outputting the failure diagnosis command signal to the failure diagnosis means, while the second transmission means of the wireless remote controller is the first transmitter of the outdoor unit. While wirelessly transmitting the failure diagnosis command signal to the receiving means,
The second receiving means of the remote controller receives the signal indicating the wireless failure diagnosis result from the first transmitting means of the outdoor unit, and the display means of the remote controller displays the failure diagnosis result received by the second receiving means. The failure diagnosis result is displayed on the basis of the signal indicating the.

Therefore, according to the air conditioner of the first aspect of the invention, in the case of an air conditioner having a plurality of indoor units, the failure diagnosis time can be shortened without performing a failure diagnosis for each indoor unit. In addition, the operator does not have to enter the user's private room for inspection, repair, etc., and the work can be easily performed. Further, the failure diagnosis can be performed without opening the casing of the outdoor unit.

An air conditioner according to a second aspect of the present invention is the air conditioner according to the first aspect, wherein the outdoor unit is connected to the transmission line to the first transmitting means and is connected to the transmission line. The branch means for connecting the first receiving means is provided.

Therefore, according to the air conditioner of the second aspect of the present invention, by providing the branching means in the transmission line connecting the failure diagnosing means of the outdoor unit of the conventional air conditioner and the indoor unit, the first transmission is performed. The means and the first receiving means can be easily added, and the circuit for transmission and the like can be made common to realize a low-cost air conditioner.

The air conditioner according to a third aspect of the present invention is the air conditioner according to the first or second aspect, wherein the forced operation means of the remote controller is from the second transmission means to the first outdoor unit. The reception means wirelessly transmits a forced heating operation command or a forced cooling operation command representing a forced cooling operation command.

Therefore, according to the air conditioner of the third aspect of the invention, the remote controller commands the outdoor unit to perform the forced heating operation or the forced cooling operation, and the inspection,
Work at the time of repair can be performed quickly and reliably.

The air conditioner according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the air conditioner according to the third aspect, wherein the forcing means of the outdoor unit is the second receiving means of the remote controller having the first receiving means of the outdoor unit. When the forced operation command signal from the transmitting means is continuously received, the outdoor unit is made to perform the forced heating operation or the forced cooling operation, while the first receiving means of the outdoor unit is remotely operated during the forced heating operation or the forced cooling operation. When the forced operation command signal from the second transmission means of the controller is no longer received, the forced heating operation or forced cooling operation of the outdoor unit is stopped.

Therefore, according to the air conditioner of the invention of claim 4, when the worker brings back the remote controller after the completion of the work such as inspection and repair, the forced operation command signal is received by the first receiving means of the outdoor unit. The forced operation automatically stops, and it is possible to prevent forgetting to restore the forced operation switch.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a remote controller of the air conditioner.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the air conditioner.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a failure diagnosis process of a control unit of the remote controller of the air conditioner.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an air conditioner according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional air conditioner.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Outdoor unit, 2,3 ... Indoor unit, 4 ... Remote controller, 10 ... CPU, 11,12,13 ... LED indicator, 1
4 ... Room changeover switch, 15 ... Heating switch, 16 ... Cooling switch, 17 ... LCD display, 18 ... Display changeover switch, 20 ... Indoor transmission section, 21 ... Timer section, 22 ... Power supply section, 23 ... Fault diagnosis circuit, 24 ... Remote control receiver, 2
5 ... Remote control transmission unit, 26 ... Sensor input unit, 27 ... Relay output unit, 28 ... Compressor operating frequency command unit, 29 ... Branching circuit, 31 ... Reception unit, 32 ... Transmission unit, 33 ... Control unit,
34 ... Operation part, 35 ... Display part.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 3L060 AA01 AA02 DD06                 3L061 BA03 BB03 BC05

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An outdoor unit (1) having failure diagnosing means (10, 23), and the failure diagnosing means (10, 2) for the outdoor unit (1).
3) An air conditioner comprising an indoor unit (2, 3) connected via a transmission line, the failure diagnosis means (10, 2) provided in the outdoor unit (1).
The first transmitting means (25) for wirelessly transmitting the signal indicating the failure diagnosis result from (3) and the outdoor unit (1), which receives the failure diagnosis command signal indicating the wireless failure diagnosis command, and receives the failure diagnosis command signal. The failure diagnosis command signal is wirelessly transmitted to the first reception means (24) for outputting a failure diagnosis command signal to the failure diagnosis means (10, 23) and the first reception means (24) of the outdoor unit (1). And a second receiving means for receiving a signal from the first transmitting means (25) of the outdoor unit (1), which wirelessly represents the failure diagnosis result.
A wireless remote controller (4) having (31) and display means (35) for displaying the failure diagnosis result based on the signal representing the failure diagnosis result received by the second receiving means (31); An air conditioner characterized by having. 2. The air conditioner according to claim 1,
In the outdoor unit (1), the first transmission means in the transmission line
An air conditioner characterized by being provided with branching means (29) for connecting the first receiving means (24) to the transmission line while connecting (25). 3. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the remote controller (4) has the second transmitting means (32) to the first receiving means of the outdoor unit (1).
Forced operation means for wirelessly transmitting a forced operation command signal indicating a forced heating operation command or a forced cooling operation command to (24)
An air conditioner comprising (33). 4. The air conditioner according to claim 3,
In the outdoor unit (1), the first receiving means of the outdoor unit (1)
When (24) continuously receives the forced operation command signal from the second transmission means (32) of the remote controller (4), the outdoor unit (1) is made to perform forced heating operation or forced cooling operation. On the other hand, during the forced heating operation or the forced cooling operation, the first receiving means (24) of the outdoor unit (1) causes the forced operation command signal from the second transmitting means (32) of the remote controller (4). An air conditioner comprising a control means (10) for stopping the forced heating operation or forced cooling operation of the outdoor unit (1) when the outdoor unit (1) is no longer received.