Patent Publication Number: US-2022227206-A1

Title: Air conditioning device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-005583 filed on Jan. 18, 2021, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to an air conditioning device. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     As an air conditioning device mounted on an open cabin type vehicle such as a forklift, an air conditioning device that controls the blowing direction of temperature-adjusted air is known. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-326964 (JP 2003-326964 A) describes a technique of controlling a louver of an air outlet provided in a front portion of a ceiling of the vehicle to blow air downward when the vehicle travels forward and to blow air in the traveling direction of the vehicle when the vehicle travels rearward, that is, to blow air rearward when the vehicle travels rearward. Thus, when the vehicle travels rearward, the temperature-adjusted air is pushed by the opposing wind generated by inertia due to the traveling of the vehicle, enabling the air in the vicinity of a passenger to become a mixture of the temperature-adjusted air and the outside air. 
     SUMMARY 
     However, when blowing air toward the moving direction of the vehicle, the temperature-adjusted air is agitated by receiving the opposing wind generated by the inertia of the air. Thus, there is a possibility that the temperature-adjusted air does not flow to the assumed position. Therefore, a technique capable of sending the temperature-adjusted air to a desired position has been required. 
     The present disclosure has been made in order to solve the above-described issue, and can be implemented in the following modes.
     (1) According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an air conditioning device mounted on a vehicle in which a cabin on which an occupant boards is open to an outside of the vehicle. The air conditioning device includes: a front air blowing port provided further forward than a boarding position on which the occupant boards in a front-rear direction of the vehicle to blow temperature-adjusted air toward the boarding position; a rear air blowing port provided further rearward than the boarding position in the front-rear direction of the vehicle to blow temperature-adjusted air toward the boarding position; and a control unit for controlling the air conditioning device. The control unit performs control to blow the air from the front air blowing port when the vehicle travels forward, and performs control to blow the air from the rear air blowing port when the vehicle travels rearward. According to the air conditioning device of this mode, the control unit controls the air conditioning device so that the temperature-adjusted air is blown out in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle. Therefore, the air conditioning device can blow the air toward the position in which the occupant boards, without blowing air against the airflow caused by the movement of the vehicle. As a result, the temperature-adjusted air can be sent to the desired position.   (2) In the air conditioning device of the above aspect, when a speed of the vehicle is equal to or less than a predetermined speed, the control unit may perform control to blow the air from the front air blowing port and the rear air blowing port. With such an aspect, for example, when a strong airflow does not occur by the movement of the vehicle, air can be blown from both the front air blowing port and the rear air blowing port. Therefore, it is possible to perform air conditioning more efficiently compared to the case where air is blown only from either one of the front air blowing port and the rear air blowing port.   (3) In the air conditioning device of the above aspect, the vehicle may be a working vehicle that lifts a placed object to transport the object. In such an aspect, working vehicles travel rearward frequently. Therefore, blowing the air from the rear air blowing port is particularly effective when the vehicle travels rearward.   (4) In the air conditioning device of the above aspect, the rear air blowing port may include a first rear air blowing port provided on a right portion of the vehicle and a second rear air blowing port provided on a left portion of the vehicle. With such an aspect, even when receiving wind from the right side of the vehicle or when receiving wind from the left side of the vehicle, it is possible to send the temperature-adjusted air to a desired position.   (5) In the air conditioning device of the above aspect, the front air blowing port may include a first front air blowing port provided on a right portion of the vehicle and a second front air blowing port provided on a left portion of the vehicle. With such an aspect, even when receiving wind from the right side of the vehicle or when receiving wind from the left side of the vehicle, it is possible to send the temperature-adjusted air to a desired position.   (6) In the air conditioning device of the above aspect, the vehicle may include a steering wheel that supports and travels the vehicle, and changes a traveling direction of the vehicle, and another wheel that supports and travels the vehicle together with the steering wheel. The air conditioning device may include a wind direction adjusting unit able of changing, to the right and left, an air blowing direction of at least an air blowing port on the same side as the steering wheel with respect to the boarding position, of the front air blowing port and the rear air blowing port. When the vehicle changes the traveling direction while traveling in a direction from the other wheel toward the steering wheel, the control unit may control the wind direction adjusting unit such that the air blowing port on the same side as the steering wheel blows the air in a direction adjusted to a direction toward which the vehicle changes. With such an aspect, since the control unit controls the wind direction adjusting unit, it is possible to send the temperature-adjusted air to the space of the moving destination of the boarding position when the vehicle changes the direction.   

     The present disclosure can be implemented in various aspects. For example, it is possible to implement the present disclosure in the aspect of a vehicle having an air conditioning device of this aspect, an air conditioning method using the air conditioning device of this aspect, or the like. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like signs denote like elements, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning device; 
         FIG. 2  is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning device in a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning device in a third embodiment; and 
         FIG. 4  is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning device in a fourth embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     A. First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning device  110  in a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The air conditioning device  110  is mounted on a vehicle  100  in which a cabin on which an occupant boards is open to the outside of the vehicle. In the present embodiment, the vehicle  100  is a working vehicle that lifts a placed object to transport the object. The vehicle  100  is, for example, a forklift. The vehicle  100  may be a tractor.  FIG. 1  shows an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis that are perpendicular to each other. The x-axis indicates the front-rear direction of the vehicle  100 , the y-axis indicates the right-left direction of the vehicle  100 , and the z-axis indicates the up-down direction of the vehicle  100 . These axes correspond to the axes shown in  FIG. 1  and later. 
     The vehicle  100  includes steering wheels  120  and other wheels  130 . The steering wheels  120  are wheels that support and travel the vehicle  100 , and change the traveling direction of the vehicle  100 . The other wheels  130  are wheels that support and travel the vehicle  100  together with the steering wheels  120 . In the present embodiment, the rear wheels (minus x-axis direction side) of the vehicle  100  are the steering wheels  120  and the front wheels (plus x-axis direction side) of the vehicle  100  are the other wheels  130 . 
     The air conditioning device  110  is a spot air conditioner for blowing air to a limited target. The air conditioning device  110  blows the air, targeting the occupant aboard the open cabin of the vehicle  100 . The air conditioning device  110  includes a front duct  10 , a rear duct  20 , a control unit  30 , and an air conditioning unit  40 . The air conditioning unit  40  generates temperature-adjusted air. In the present embodiment, the air conditioning unit  40  is disposed on the upper portion of the vehicle  100 . 
     The front duct  10  has a front damper  11  and a front air blowing port  12 . The front duct  10  is a pipe for circulating the air whose temperature has been adjusted by the air conditioning unit  40 . The front damper  11  is provided in the front duct  10  to open and close the front duct  10 . The front air blowing port  12  is an open end of the front duct  10 . The front air blowing port  12  is provided further forward (plus x-axis side) and upward (plus z-axis side) than a boarding position P 1  in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction of the vehicle  100 , respectively. More specifically, the front air blowing port  12  is disposed above the occupant&#39;s head so as not to interfere with the view of the occupant located in the boarding position P 1 . The front air blowing port  12  blows the temperature-adjusted air toward the boarding position P 1  in which the occupants boards. 
     The rear duct  20  has a rear damper  21  and a rear air blowing port  22 . The rear duct  20  is a pipe for circulating the air whose temperature has been adjusted by the air conditioning unit  40 . The rear damper  21  is provided in the rear duct  20  to open and close the rear duct  20 . The rear air blowing port  22  is an open end of the rear duct  20 . The rear air blowing port  22  is provided further rearward (minus x-axis side) and upward (plus z-axis side) than the boarding position P 1  in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction of the vehicle  100 , respectively. The rear air blowing port  22  blows the temperature-adjusted air toward the boarding position P 1 . 
     The control unit  30  controls the air conditioning device  110 . The control unit  30  performs control to blow the air from the front air blowing port  12  when the vehicle  100  travels forward. In contrast, the control unit  30  performs control to blow the air from the rear air blowing port  22  when the vehicle  100  travels rearward. The control unit  30  performs these controls, for example, by controlling the front damper  11  and rear damper  21 . The control unit  30  can determine the traveling direction of the vehicle  100  from the directions of the steering wheels  120  of the vehicle  100 . The control unit  30  is composed of, for example, a microcomputer or the like composed of a central processing unit (CPU) provided in the air conditioning unit  40 , a random access memory (RAM), and a read-only memory (ROM), and these controls are implemented when the microcomputer executes a program installed in advance. However, some or all of these controls may be implemented in hardware circuitry. 
     When the vehicle  100  moves in the arrow A 1  direction (plus x-axis direction), the inertia generates an opposing wind toward the arrow A 2  direction (minus x-axis direction) that is the direction opposite to the arrow A 1  direction. In this case, the control unit  30  performs control so as to blow the air from the front air blowing port  12 . Therefore, it is possible to send the temperature-adjusted air blown out from the front air blowing port  12  to the boarding position P 1  along the opposing wind. Further, the temperature-adjusted air blown out from the rear air blowing port  22  can be suppressed from being agitated by the opposing wind. 
     In contrast, when the vehicle  100  moves in the arrow A 2  direction, the inertia generates an opposing wind toward the arrow A 1  direction that is the direction opposite to the arrow A 2  direction. In this case, the control unit  30  performs control so as to blow the air from the rear air blowing port  22 . Therefore, it is possible to send the temperature-adjusted air blown out from the rear air blowing port  22  to the boarding position P 1  along the opposing wind. Further, the temperature-adjusted air blown out from the front air blowing port  12  can be suppressed from being agitated by the opposing wind. 
     According to the air conditioning device  110  of the present embodiment described above, the control unit  30  controls the air conditioning device  110  so that the temperature-adjusted air is blown out in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle  100 . Therefore, the air conditioning device  110  can blow the air toward the boarding position P 1  in which the occupant boards, without blowing air against the airflow caused by the movement of the vehicle  100 . As a result, the temperature-adjusted air can be sent to the desired position. 
     The vehicle  100  is a working vehicle. Working vehicles travel rearward frequently. Therefore, blowing the air from the rear air blowing port  22  is particularly effective when the vehicle  100  travels rearward. 
     B. Second Embodiment 
       FIG. 2  is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning device  110 B in a second embodiment. The air conditioning device  110 B in the second embodiment differs from the air conditioning device  110  in the first embodiment in that, the front air blowing port  12  includes a first front air blowing port  12   a  and a second front air blowing port  12   b , and that the rear air blowing port  22  includes a first rear air blowing port  22   a  and a second rear air blowing port  22   b . Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.  FIG. 2  is a diagram of the vehicle  100  viewed from the upward direction (plus z-axis direction). For convenience of illustration, the control unit  30  and the air conditioning unit  40  are omitted. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the front air blowing port  12  includes the first front air blowing port  12   a  provided on the right portion of the vehicle  100  (plus y-axis side), and the second front air blowing port  12   b  provided on the left portion of the vehicle  100  (minus y-axis side). The rear air blowing port  22  includes the first rear air blowing port  22   a  provided on the right portion of the vehicle  100 , and the second rear air blowing port  22   b  provided on the left portion of the vehicle  100 . 
     When the vehicle  100  travels forward, the control unit  30  performs control to blow the air from the first front air blowing port  12   a  and the second front air blowing port  12   b . In contrast, when the vehicle  100  travels rearward, the control unit  30  performs control to blow the air from the first rear air blowing port  22   a  and the second rear air blowing port  22   b.    
     According to the air conditioning device  110 B of the second embodiment described above, the rear air blowing port  22  includes the first rear air blowing port  22   a  and the second rear air blowing port  22   b  to the right and left of the vehicle  100 . Therefore, for example, even when receiving wind from the right side of the vehicle or when receiving wind from the left side of the vehicle, it is possible to send the temperature-adjusted air to a more desired position by the air blown from the first rear air blowing port  22   a . Further, the front air blowing port  12  includes the first front air blowing port  12   a  and the second front air blowing port  12   b  to the right and left of the vehicle  100 . Therefore, for example, even when receiving wind from the right side of the vehicle or when receiving wind from the left side of the vehicle, it is possible to send the temperature-adjusted air to a more desired position by the air blown from the first front air blowing port  12   a.    
     C. Third Embodiment 
       FIG. 3  is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning device  110 C in a third embodiment. The air conditioning device  110 C in the third embodiment differs from the air conditioning device  110  in the first embodiment in that the air conditioning device  110 C includes a wind direction adjusting unit  50 , and other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.  FIG. 3  is a diagram of the vehicle  100  viewed from the upward direction (plus z-axis direction). For convenience of illustration, the control unit  30  and the air conditioning unit  40  are omitted. 
     The wind direction adjusting unit  50  can change, to the right and left, the air blowing direction of the rear air blowing port  22  on the same side as the steering wheels  120  with respect to the boarding position P 1 . In the present embodiment, the wind direction adjusting unit  50  is a louver provided in the rear air blowing port  22  and a motor for driving the louver. The louver is composed of a plurality of wing plates having elongated plate shapes that is arranged in parallel with gaps therebetween. 
     When the vehicle  100  changes the traveling direction while traveling in the direction from the other wheels  130  toward the steering wheels  120  (minus x-axis direction), the control unit  30  controls the wind direction adjusting unit  50  so that the rear air blowing port  22  blows the air in a direction adjusted to a direction toward which the vehicle  100  changes. 
     According to the air conditioning device  110 C of the third embodiment described above, since the control unit  30  controls the wind direction adjusting unit  50 , it is possible to send the temperature-adjusted air to the space of the moving destination of the boarding position P 1  when the vehicle  100  changes the direction. 
     D. Fourth Embodiment 
       FIG. 4  is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioning device  110 D in a fourth embodiment. The air conditioning device  110 D in the fourth embodiment differs from the air conditioning device  110  in the first embodiment in that the air conditioning device  110 D is disposed in a lower portion of the vehicle  100 , and other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the front air blowing port  12  is provided on the front lower portion of the vehicle  100 . The fourth embodiment also has substantially the same effect as the first embodiment. 
     E. Other Embodiments 
     (E1) In the embodiments described above, the vehicle  100  is a working vehicle that lifts a placed object to transport the object. The configuration is not limited thereto, and the vehicle  100  may be, for example, a three-wheel vehicle such as a tuk-tuk or a golf cart. 
     (E2) In the embodiments described above, the air conditioning device  110  includes only one air conditioning unit  40 . The configuration is not limited thereto, and the air conditioning device  110  may include a plurality of air conditioning units  40 . More specifically, the air conditioning device  110  may include an air conditioning unit  40  for each air blowing port. For example, the air conditioning device  110  may include a front air conditioning unit for generating temperature-adjusted air blown only from the front air blowing port  12 , and a rear air conditioning unit for generating temperature-adjusted air blown only from the rear air blowing port  22 . 
     (E3) In the embodiments described above, the control unit  30  may perform control to blow air from both the front air blowing port  12  and the rear air blowing port  22  when the speed of the vehicle  100  is equal to or less than a predetermined speed. According to such a mode, for example, when a strong airflow does not occur by the movement of the vehicle  100 , air can be blown from both the front air blowing port  12  and the rear air blowing port  22 . Therefore, it is possible to perform air conditioning more efficiently compared to the case where air is blown only from either one of the front air blowing port  12  and the rear air blowing port  22 . 
     (E4) In the embodiments described above, the control unit  30  determines the traveling direction of the vehicle  100  from the directions of the steering wheels  120  of the vehicle  100 . The configuration is not limited thereto, and the control unit  30  may determine the traveling direction of the vehicle  100  from the detection result of a gyro sensor mounted on the vehicle  100 , for example. 
     (E5) In the embodiments described above, the rear wheels of the vehicle  100  are the steering wheels  120 . The configuration is not limited thereto, and the front wheels of the vehicle  100  may be the steering wheels  120 . Further, both the front and rear wheels of the vehicle  100  may be the steering wheels  120 . 
     (E6) In the second embodiment described above, in the air conditioning device  110 B, the front air blowing port  12  includes the first front air blowing port  12   a  and the second front air blowing port  12   b , and the rear air blowing port  22  includes the first rear air blowing port  22   a  and the second rear air blowing port  22   b . Instead, the configuration of the air conditioning device  110 B may be such that only the rear air blowing port  22  includes a plurality of air blowing ports, whereas the front air blowing port  12  includes only one air blowing port. Alternatively, the configuration of the air conditioning device  110 B may be such that only the front air blowing port  12  includes a plurality of air blowing ports, whereas the rear air blowing port  22  includes only one air blowing port. 
     (E7) In the second embodiment described above, the air conditioning device  110 B may be provided with the wind direction adjusting unit  50 . The wind direction adjusting unit  50  is, for example, a damper provided in the first rear air blowing port  22   a  and the second rear air blowing port  22   b  to adjust the air volume. The control unit  30  controls the wind direction adjusting unit  50  to control the air volume of the first rear air blowing port  22   a  and the second rear air blowing port  22   b , thereby changing the air blowing direction of the rear air blowing port  22  to the right and left. More specifically, the control unit  30  performs control so that air is blown from only the first rear air blowing port  22   a  and air is not blown from the second rear air blowing port  22   b , thereby changing the air blowing direction of the rear air blowing port  22  to the left direction with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle  100 . 
     (E8) In the third embodiment described above, the wind direction adjusting unit  50  is a louver provided in the rear air blowing port  22  and a motor for driving the louver. Instead, the configuration may be such that the wind direction adjusting unit  50  changes the direction of the rear duct  20  to change the direction of the rear air blowing port  22  itself. 
     (E9) In the third embodiment described above, the wind direction adjusting unit  50  is provided only in the rear air blowing port  22 . The configuration is not limited thereto, and the wind direction adjusting unit  50  may be also provided in the front air blowing port  12 . It is preferable that the air conditioning device  110 C includes the wind direction adjusting unit  50  that can change, to the right and left, the air blowing direction of at least the air blowing port on the same side as the steering wheels  120  with respect to the boarding position P 1 , of the front air blowing port  12  and the rear air blowing port  22 . 
     The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented with various configurations without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, technical features in the embodiments corresponding to technical features in each mode described in SUMMARY can be replaced or combined as appropriate, to solve the issues described above or to achieve some or all of the effects described above. Also, if the technical features are not described as essential in the present specification, they may be deleted as appropriate.