Nippondenso Co., Ltd.

Akio Takemi

Akiro Yoshimi

Takayoshi Kawai

Masao Sakurai

Masashi Takagi

Teiichi Nabeta

Yasuhito Kai

Kazuyoshi Suzuki

Apparatus for controlling an automotive air conditioner comprises first and second air distribution passageways in which blower fans are provided to direct air streams respectively therethrough to first and second areas of a passenger compartment. First and second evaporators located in the first and second passageways respectively are supplied with working fluid to transfer thermal energy from the first and second air streams to the supplied working fluid. A control unit is responsive to the temperatures of the first and second areas and temperature settings for estimating thermal energies of the first and second air streams to be delivered from the passageways and derives first and second control signals from the estimated thermal energies to control actuators which individually regulate the flow rates of the working fluid supplied to the first and second evaporators.

Apparatus for controlling automotive air conditioners

An apparatus for controlling an air conditioner having a refrigeration cycle including an evaporator disposed in an air passage for supplying air to an area to be air-conditioned and a compressor having a mechanism for varying a volume of discharge from the compressor, comprises signal generator responsive to a humidity in the area to be air-conditioned for producing a signal indicative of the humidity; and means responsive to the signal from the signal generator for actuating the mechanism for varying the volume of discharge from the compressor.

Air conditioner control apparatus

A multizone air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle includes a single air-conditioning unit and an air distribution conduit. The air distribution conduit has multiple conduit portions with outlets respectively open to horizontally spaced apart zones of the passenger compartment. Each outlet has a switching damper for diverting a variable amount of conditioned airflow in response to a feedback control signal to vertically spaced apart zones of the compartment to automatically operate the system in one of different air-conditioned modes. The control signal is derived from temperature measurement data and a reference setting establised with respect to each horizontally spaced apart zone. The air-conditioning unit includes air mixing dampers respectively located in the conduit portions and a heating radiator having half portions thereof located respectively downstream of the mixing dampers. A correction signal is obtained from the result of comparison between the settings of air mixing dampers to control the setting of each switching damper to minimize the effect of thermal interferences which might exist between the conduit portions.

Multizone air-conditioning system for motor vehicles

In an air conditioner control method and apparatus, an air flow direction control device is arranged to be adjusted to at least first and second positions in which an air flow is directed respectively to first and second portions in a compartment, and the air flow direction control device is adjusted to its first and second positions in response to each lapse of first and second periods of time which are respectively calculated to maintain the air flow direction toward the first and second portions in the compartment in relation to any deviation between the actual temperature in the compartment and a desired temperature, the air flow direction control device being maintained at the adjusted position during each of the calculated first and second periods of time.

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Kariya, Japan

Akio Takemi