Temperature detection device and vehicle air conditioner using the same

Abstract

In a vehicle air conditioner, a non-contact temperature sensor is used as a temperature detecting device. The non-contact temperature sensor has a plurality of temperature detection elements for detecting surface temperatures of a plurality of temperature detection ranges in a vicinity of at least one of seats of a passenger compartment in non-contact. The non-contact temperature sensor is provided in a ceiling portion of the passenger compartment in an arrangement area of the ceiling portion between a front end and a rear end of the one seat in a vehicle front-rear direction. Accordingly, even when the size and seated height of the passenger are changed, the temperature detection ranges can contain the passenger, and a passenger's temperature can be stably detected by using the non-contact temperature sensor.

1 . A temperature detection device for a vehicle having a plurality of seats in a passenger compartment, the temperature detection device comprising: 
 a non-contact temperature sensor having a plurality of temperature detection elements for detecting surface temperatures of a plurality of temperature detection ranges in a vicinity of at least one of the seats in non-contact, wherein:    the non-contact temperature sensor is disposed to detect a surface temperature of a passenger seated on the one seat and to send a detected temperature signal to an air conditioner; and    the non-contact temperature sensor is provided in a ceiling portion of the passenger compartment in an arrangement area of the ceiling portion between a front end and a rear end of the one seat in a vehicle front-rear direction.    
   
   
       2 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the arrangement area is an area of the ceiling portion between a frontmost end of a seat cushion portion of the one seat to a rearmost end of a seat back portion of the one seat; and    the non-contact temperature sensor has a sight center line that is substantially perpendicular to the front-rear direction.    
   
   
       3 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the arrangement area is an area of the ceiling portion between a frontmost end and a rearmost end of a seat cushion portion of the one seat.  
   
   
       4 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature detection elements of the non-contact temperature sensor are arranged to detect surface temperatures of at least the shoulder portion and the thigh portion of a passenger on the one seat.  
   
   
       5 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature detection elements of the non-contact temperature sensor are arranged to detect a surface temperature of a passenger on the one seat, a surface temperature of a side window adjacent to the passenger, and a surface temperature of a trim panel between the passenger and the side window.  
   
   
       6 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the one seat is a front seat having right and left seat portions or a rear seat having right and left seat portions in the passenger compartment; and    the non-contact temperature sensor includes 
 a right matrix IR sensor having a plurality of right temperature detection elements which are arranged such that temperature detection ranges of the right temperature detection elements include at least a passenger on the right seat portion of the one seat, and  
 a left matrix IR sensor having a plurality of left temperature detection elements which are arranged such that temperature detection ranges of the left temperature detection elements include at least a passenger on the left seat portion of the one seat.  
   
   
   
       7 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the right matrix IR sensor is provided in the ceiling portion above the right seat portion; and    the left matrix IR sensor is provided in the ceiling portion above the left seat portion.    
   
   
       8 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the right matrix IR sensor is provided in the ceiling portion at a position shifted from a center of the right seat portion to a side window adjacent to the right seat portion.    
   
   
       9 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the right matrix IR sensor is provided in the ceiling portion above a cushion portion of the right seat portion; and    the left matrix IR sensor is provided in the ceiling portion above a cushion portion of the left seat portion.    
   
   
       10 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 6 , wherein the right matrix IR sensor and the left matrix IR sensor are arranged in the ceiling portion adjacent to each other in an approximate center position in a vehicle right-left direction.  
   
   
       11 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the air conditioner including 
 an air conditioning unit which adjusts an air conditioning state in the passenger compartment, and    a control unit for controlling operation of the air conditioning unit; and    wherein the control unit calculates a target temperature of air to be blown into the passenger compartment based on a surface temperature of a passenger detected by the non-contact temperature sensor, and controls the air conditioning unit based on the target temperature.    
   
   
       12 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 11 , wherein: 
 the control unit calculates a passenger's temperature on the one seat by a weighting calculation of the surface temperature of the passenger on the seat, a surface temperature of a side window adjacent to the passenger, and a surface temperature of a trim panel between the passenger and the side window, which are detected by the non-contact temperature sensor; and    the control unit calculates the target temperature based on the passenger's temperature.    
   
   
       13 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the weighting calculation has a first weighting coefficient relative to the surface temperature of the passenger, a second weighting coefficient relative to the surface temperature of the side window, and a third weighting coefficient relative to the surface temperature of the trim panel; and    the first weighting coefficient is the largest value among the first, second and third weighting coefficients, and the second coefficient is the smallest value among the first, second and third weighting coefficients.    
   
   
       14 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the non-contact temperature sensor is provided above a passenger's seating position of the one seat at a side of a side window adjacent to the passenger's seating position from a center of the passenger's seating position;    the non-contact temperature sensor has a predetermined temperature detection range which includes at least an upper portion of the shoulder of the passenger on the side of the side window; and    the air conditioner has a control unit which controls an air conditioning state of the passenger compartment based on the temperature detected by the non-contact temperature sensor.    
   
   
       15 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 14 , wherein the non-contact temperature sensor is provided above the passenger's seating position of the one seat at a front side in the passenger's seating position.  
   
   
       16 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 14 , wherein the non-contact temperature sensor is provided above the passenger's seating position of the one seat at a rear side in the passenger's seating position.  
   
   
       17 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 14 , wherein the temperature detection range of the non-contact temperature sensor includes the upper portion of the shoulder adjacent to the side window and a trim panel portion around the side window.  
   
   
       18 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 14 , wherein the temperature detection range of the non-contact temperature sensor includes the upper portion of the shoulder adjacent to the side window and the side window.  
   
   
       19 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 14 , wherein the temperature detection range of the non-contact temperature sensor includes the upper portion of the shoulder at a side end of the face portion of the passenger in the temperature detection range.  
   
   
       20 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the non-contact temperature sensor includes a right sensor portion that is provided above a right passenger's seating portion of the one seat at a side of a right side window from a center of the right passenger's seating portion, a left sensor portion that is provided above a left passenger's seating portion of the one seat at a side of a left side window from a center of the left passenger's seating portion;    the right sensor portion has a predetermined temperature detection range which includes at least an upper portion of the shoulder of a passenger on the right passenger's seating portion; and    the left sensor portion has a predetermined temperature detection range which includes at least an upper portion of the shoulder of a passenger on the left passenger's seating portion.    
   
   
       21 . The temperature detection device according to claim  14 , wherein the air conditioning control unit calculates a target temperature of air to be blown to the passenger compartment based on the temperature detected by the non-contact temperature sensor, and controls the air conditioning state in the temperature detection range based on the target temperature.  
   
   
       22 . The temperature detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature detection ranges to be used are changed in accordance with positions of the seats in the vehicle front-rear direction.  
   
   
       23 . An air conditioner for a vehicle having a front right seat, a front left seat, a rear right seat and a rear left seat in a passenger compartment, the air conditioner comprising: 
 an air conditioning unit for respectively independently adjusting air conditioning states of first and second air conditioning zones positioned at right and left sides of a front seat in the passenger compartment, and third and fourth air conditioning zones positioned at right and left sides of a rear seat in the passenger compartment;    a front non-contact temperature sensor having a front right matrix IR sensor for detecting a temperature of a passenger on the front right seat, and a front left matrix IR sensor for detecting a temperature of a passenger on the front left seat;    a rear non-contact temperature sensor having a rear right matrix IR sensor for detecting a temperature of a passenger on the rear right seat, and a rear left matrix IR sensor for detecting a temperature of a passenger on the rear left seat; and    a control unit for controlling the air conditioning unit by using the temperatures detected by the front right matrix IR sensor, the front left matrix IR sensor, the rear right matrix IR sensor and the rear left matrix IR sensor, wherein:    the front non-contact temperature sensor is provided in a ceiling portion of the passenger compartment in an arrangement area of the ceiling portion between a front end and a rear end of the front right and left seats in a vehicle front-rear direction; and    the rear non-contact temperature sensor is provided in the ceiling portion of the passenger compartment in an arrangement area of the ceiling portion between a front end and a rear end of the rear right and left seats in the vehicle front-rear direction.    
   
   
       24 . The air conditioner according to  claim 23 , wherein: 
 the front right matrix IR sensor is disposed in the ceiling portion above the front right seat;    the front left matrix IR sensor is disposed in the ceiling portion above the front left seat;    the rear right matrix IR sensor is disposed in the ceiling portion above the rear right seat;    the rear left matrix IR sensor is disposed in the ceiling portion above the rear left seat;    the control unit calculates a first target temperature of air to be blown to the first air conditioning zone based on a temperature of a passenger detected by the front right matrix IR sensor, and controls the air conditioning state in the first air conditioning zone based on the first target temperature;    the control unit calculates a second target temperature of air to be blown to the second air conditioning zone based on a temperature of a passenger detected by the front left matrix IR sensor, and controls the air conditioning state in the second air conditioning zone based on the second target temperature;    the control unit calculates a third target temperature of air to be blown to the third air conditioning zone based on a temperature of a passenger detected by the rear right matrix IR sensor, and controls the air conditioning state in the third air conditioning zone based on the third target temperature; and    the control unit calculates a fourth target temperature of air to be blown to the fourth air conditioning zone based on a temperature of a passenger detected by the rear left matrix IR sensor, and controls the air conditioning state in the fourth air conditioning zone based on the fourth target temperature.    
   
   
       25 . An air conditioner for a vehicle having a plurality of seats, the air conditioner comprising: 
 a non-contact temperature sensor having a plurality of temperature detection elements for detecting surface temperatures of a plurality of temperature detection ranges in a vicinity of at least one of the seats in non-contact;    an air conditioning unit for adjusting an air conditioning state of a passenger compartment; and    a control unit for controlling the air conditioning unit based on a temperature detected by the non-contact temperature sensor,    wherein the non-contact temperature sensor is provided in a ceiling portion of the passenger compartment in an arrangement area of the ceiling portion between a front end and a rear end of the one seat in a vehicle front-rear direction.    
   
   
       26 . The air conditioner according to  claim 25 , wherein: 
 the arrangement area is an area of the ceiling portion between a frontmost end of a seat cushion portion of the one seat to a rearmost end of a seat back portion of the one seat; and    the non-contact temperature sensor has a sight center line that is substantially perpendicular to the front-rear direction.    
   
   
       27 . The air conditioner according to  claim 25 , wherein the arrangement area is an area of the ceiling portion between a frontmost end and a rearmost end of a seat cushion portion of the one seat.  
   
   
       28 . The air conditioner according to  claim 25 , wherein the temperature detection elements of the non-contact temperature sensor are arranged to detect a surface temperature of at least the shoulder portion of a passenger on the one seat.  
   
   
       29 . The air conditioner according to  claim 25 , wherein the control unit calculates a target temperature of air to be blown into the passenger compartment based on a surface temperature of a passenger detected by the non-contact temperature sensor, and controls the air conditioning unit based on the target temperature.  
   
   
       30 . The air conditioner according to  claim 29 , wherein: 
 the control unit calculates a passenger's temperature on the one seat by a weighting calculation of the surface temperature of the passenger on the seat, a surface temperature of a side window adjacent to the passenger, and a surface temperature of a trim panel between the passenger and the side window, which are detected by the non-contact temperature sensor; and    the control unit calculates the target temperature based on the passenger's temperature.    
   
   
       31 . The air conditioner according to  claim 30 , wherein: 
 the weighting calculation has a first weighting coefficient relative to the surface temperature of the passenger, a second weighting coefficient relative to the surface temperature of the side window, and a third weighting coefficient relative to the surface temperature of the trim panel; and    the first weighting coefficient is the largest value among the first, second and third weighting coefficients, and the second coefficient is the smallest value among the first, second and third weighting coefficients.    
   
   
       32 . The air conditioner according to  claim 25 , wherein the control unit selects the temperature detection ranges to be used in accordance with positions of the seats in the vehicle front-rear direction.