Panasonic Corporation

Japan Climate Systems Corporation

Yoshihiko Otake

Kou Komori

Subaru Matsumoto

Hiroshi Hamamoto

Kohei Fukawatase

Katsuyoshi Wakano

Norihiro Miyamura

Mio Furui

An exterior heat exchanger is provided with paths P1-P4. The flow rate of the air being blown by an exterior blower to pass through the path P4 closer to a refrigerant outlet of the exterior heat exchanger is set to be higher than that of the air being blown by the exterior blower to pass through the path P1 closer to a refrigerant inlet of the exterior heat exchanger. An air-conditioning controller activates cooling fans during a defrosting mode of operation.

Vehicle air conditioner

A heat pump device includes an air conditioning control device configured to switch the heat pump device among a plurality of operation modes including an air-heating operation mode in which an indoor heat exchanger serves as a radiator and an outdoor heat exchanger serves as a heat absorber, and an air-cooling operation mode in which the indoor heat exchanger serves as a heat absorber and the outdoor heat exchanger serves as a radiator. The air conditioning control device switch a refrigerant pipe such that refrigerant is, in the air-cooling operation mode, supplied to part of the outdoor heat exchanger serving as a refrigerant inlet in the air-heating operation mode.

An exterior heat exchanger is provided with first to fourth paths. The flow rate of the air being blown by an exterior blower to pass through the first path closer to a refrigerant inlet of the exterior heat exchanger is set to be higher than that of the air being blown by the exterior blower to pass through the fourth path closer to a refrigerant outlet of the exterior heat exchanger.

A air conditioning control device is configured to estimate whether or not the temperature of refrigerant on a high-pressure side in a heat pump device is equal to or lower than a predetermined low temperature and to switch a flow path switching device to an air-heating start-up mode when it is estimated that the temperature of refrigerant on the high-pressure side in the heat pump device is equal to or lower than the predetermined low temperature and switch the flow path switching device to a normal air-heating mode when it is estimated that the temperature of refrigerant on the high-pressure side in the heat pump device is higher than the predetermined low temperature.

Air conditioning device for vehicle

A vehicle air conditioner comprising a heat pump device including a compressor that compresses refrigerant, first and second heat exchangers disposed inside the vehicle cabin within an interior air-conditioning unit, and a pressure reducing valve. The vehicle air conditioner further comprises an air-conditioning controller which controls the heat pump device and interior air-conditioning unit, an exterior heat exchanger temperature sensor and a degree-of-heating requested detecting section. If the quantity of heat absorbed by the exterior heat exchanger has decreased, the controller operates the heat pump device to operate in a mode in which a refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows through the first and second heat exchangers, bypasses the exterior heat exchanger, and then is sucked into the compressor, and a second mode in which the refrigerant is flow throughs the first heat exchanger and is bypassed around the second and exterior heat exchanger after pressure has been reduced.

If an exterior heat exchanger is sensed to be frosted while a heat pump device is operating in a first heating operation mode in which two interior heat exchangers are used, the operation modes are switched into a second heating operation mode in which one interior heat exchanger is used, and then switched into a defrosting operation mode.

Vehicle heat pump with defrosting mode

A heat pump deviceis operated so as to make a switch between multiple operation modes including a first dehumidification and heating operation mode in which a refrigerant discharged from a compressor is circulated through a downstream interior heat exchanger, a first pressure reducing valve, an upstream interior heat exchanger, and an exterior heat exchangerin this order so that the heat exchangerfunctions as a radiator and the heat exchangerfunctions as a heat absorber, and a second dehumidification and heating operation mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is circulated through the downstream interior heat exchanger, a second pressure reducing valve, the exterior heat exchanger, and the upstream interior heat exchangerin this order so that the heat exchangerfunctions as a radiator and the heat exchangerfunctions as a heat absorber.

Growing community of inventors

Hiroshima, Japan

Yoshihiko Otake