JP2001324191A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] To provide an air conditioner with an air conditioning function and a fire detection function. In the air conditioner, a device main body provided on an underside of a ceiling and a decorative panel provided on a ceiling surface are provided.
A fire detection sensor 33 and a signal output device 35 for emitting a fire occurrence signal and the like are provided. The fire detection sensor 33 includes a smoke sensor 41, a gas sensor 45, a suction temperature sensor 42 for detecting the temperature of the air in the room 6, and a heat exchanger temperature sensor 43 for detecting the temperature of the heat exchanger 25. The temperature sensors 42 and 43 are used for both air conditioning and fire detection. When the fire detection sensor 33 detects a fire, the output circuit 61 of the signal output device 35 outputs a fire occurrence signal to the fire alarm 8.
0, and the control unit 32 stops the air conditioning operation. [Effect] When the blower 22 operates, the occurrence of a fire can be quickly detected. The work of installing the fire alarm 80 can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an air conditioner such as an air conditioner. For example, the present invention relates to an air conditioner of a ceiling arrangement type in which an outlet is arranged on a ceiling.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An air conditioner of a ceiling arrangement type has, for example, a main body arranged behind a ceiling and a decorative panel attached to a lower surface of the main body. The decorative panel is installed on the ceiling surface facing the room, and has an air inlet at the center and a plurality of air outlets arranged around the air inlet. The air conditioner is provided with a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the air, the air taken in from the room is set to a predetermined temperature, and this air is blown into the room from the outlet.

[0003] In addition to the air conditioner, the ceiling may be provided with a heat detector or a smoke detector of a fire alarm for detecting a fire. These sensors are connected to a fire alarm. When a fire occurs, the sensor detects a temperature increase caused by the fire, and the alarm issues an alarm in response. As described above, when a fire alarm and an air conditioner are installed in a building, installation work of the fire alarm and installation work of the air conditioner are required, and the work is troublesome.

[0004] In addition, there is a case where a gas leak alarm is provided for detecting and notifying a gas leak causing a fire. In this case, installation work of the gas leak alarm is also required, so that much work is required for the work. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned technical problems and provide a novel air-conditioning apparatus that has a function of air conditioning and a function of detecting a fire or a cause of a fire and that can reduce the work of construction. is there.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner for air-conditioning air drawn in from a room, wherein at least one of information attributable to a fire and information attributable to a fire cause is provided. When the detection sensor detects at least one of information caused by a fire and occurrence information of a fire cause, the detection sensor outputs at least one of a fire occurrence signal and a fire cause occurrence signal in response to the detection. And an output unit for outputting the signal.

According to the present invention, for example, when a fire occurs, a fire occurrence signal is output. The occurrence of a fire can be detected based on this signal. Similarly, the occurrence of a fire cause can be detected. Thus, a novel air conditioner having a function of detecting a fire or a cause of a fire and a function of air conditioning can be realized.
In addition, since the detection sensor is incorporated in the air conditioner, the detection sensor can be installed together with the installation of the air conditioner, so that the installation work of the detection sensor does not need to be separately performed. As a result, the labor for the construction can be reduced as compared with the case where the detection sensor and the air conditioner are separately installed.

When the air conditioner and the fire alarm are used together, the detection sensor of the air conditioner can be used instead of the detector of the fire alarm, so that the fire detection capability can be maintained. Meanwhile, the number of detectors of the fire alarm can be reduced. As a result, the work of installing the fire alarm can be reduced. Also, when using both the air conditioner and the fire alarm, the detection sensor of the air conditioner can be used in addition to the detector of the fire alarm. The fire detection ability can be enhanced without extra time and effort.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the air conditioner according to the first aspect, wherein the detection sensor includes a smoke sensor. According to the present invention, the occurrence of fire can be reliably detected by the smoke sensor detecting smoke generated due to the occurrence of fire. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the air conditioner of the first or second aspect, wherein the detection sensor includes a sensor for detecting a temperature of indoor air.

According to the present invention, the occurrence of a fire can be reliably detected by the sensor detecting an increase in the temperature of the indoor air caused by the occurrence of the fire. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the air conditioner according to the third aspect, the sensor for detecting the temperature of the air in the room includes a sensor for detecting a temperature of air sucked into the air conditioner main body, and a heat exchanger. An air conditioner comprising at least one of a sensor for detecting a temperature of a vessel is provided.

[0010] According to the present invention, the sensor for the function of air conditioning can be used also for the function of detecting a fire. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide a sensor for detecting the temperature of indoor air. The structure of the device can be simplified. For example, a sensor that detects the temperature of the intake air or a sensor that detects the temperature of the heat exchanger can be used. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the air conditioner according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the detection sensor includes a sensor for detecting a temperature of air behind the ceiling. I will provide a.

According to the present invention, the occurrence of a fire behind the ceiling, which is usually difficult to detect, can be detected by detecting the temperature rise caused by the fire by the sensor. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the air conditioner of the fifth aspect, the sensor for detecting the temperature of the air behind the ceiling is a sensor provided on an outer wall of an air conditioner main body arranged behind the ceiling. An air conditioner characterized by including: According to the present invention, the above-described sensor is preferable for detecting the occurrence of a fire behind the ceiling.

[0012] The invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to claims 1 to 6.
The air conditioner according to any one of the above, wherein the detection sensor includes a gas sensor that detects a concentration of a gas caused by a fire. According to the present invention, the sensor detects a change in gas concentration caused by the occurrence of a fire, for example, a decrease in oxygen,
The occurrence of a fire can be reliably detected. The invention according to claim 8 is the air conditioning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the detection sensor includes a gas sensor that detects a concentration of a gas that causes a fire. Provide equipment.

According to the present invention, the sensor detects a flammable gas such as propane gas or city gas, thereby detecting a gas leak causing a fire. According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the air conditioner according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, the signal output means outputs a fire occurrence signal or a fire cause occurrence signal to a fire alarm. To provide an air conditioner. According to the present invention, an alarm can be issued with a simple configuration using the alarm function of the fire alarm.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the air conditioner according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, the signal output means outputs a fire occurrence signal or a fire cause occurrence signal to a fire engine. An air conditioner is provided. According to the present invention, even if the fire alarm is not provided, or even if the fire alarm does not operate,
An air conditioner can alert a fire engine. As a result, the fire department can conduct fire fighting and reduce the damage caused by the fire.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the air conditioner according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, the fire occurrence signal or the fire cause occurrence signal is a signal for issuing a warning to a person. An air conditioner is provided.
According to the present invention, for example, even if a fire alarm is not provided, or even if the fire alarm does not operate, the air-conditioning apparatus alerts a person at a fire occurrence location or a nearby person. Can be issued. As a result, people can be evacuated reliably.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the air conditioner according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, control means for controlling the operation of the air conditioner is provided. Provided is an air conditioner having a stop-time monitoring mode in which room air is intermittently sucked at predetermined time intervals when the device is stopped to monitor information resulting from a fire or information on the cause of a fire. According to the present invention, it is possible to monitor the occurrence of a fire or the like even when the air conditioner is stopped. In addition, since the room air is sucked, the occurrence of a fire or the cause of the fire can be detected quickly.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the air conditioner according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects, control means for controlling the operation of the air conditioner is provided, and the control means includes a detection sensor. Detects at least one of the information resulting from the fire and the information on the cause of the fire,
An air conditioner characterized by stopping an air conditioner function of an air conditioner. ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, when a fire or the cause of a fire occurs, these can be prevented from propagating to another.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the air conditioner according to any one of the first to thirteenth aspects, the control means responds to a signal from a fire alarm to provide an air conditioning function of the air conditioner. And an air conditioner characterized by stopping the operation. According to the present invention, when a fire occurs, it is possible to reliably prevent these from propagating to another. Claim 1
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the air conditioner according to any one of the first to fourteenth aspects, wherein an air conditioner main body arranged behind the ceiling, a suction port attached to a lower surface of the air conditioner and arranged on the ceiling surface, An air conditioner comprising: a decorative panel having an outlet formed therein.

Preferably, the present invention is applied to a ceiling-mounted air conditioner. Further, since the detector of the fire alarm is usually arranged on the ceiling, it is easy to use the detection sensor of the air conditioner instead of the detector of the fire alarm.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of the air conditioner described above. The air-conditioning apparatus 1 includes a ceiling-mounted indoor unit that is embedded and an outdoor unit (not shown) connected to the indoor unit, and is configured as an air conditioner that cools and heats. The indoor unit has an air-conditioning apparatus main body 2 (hereinafter also referred to as “apparatus main body 2”) that is buried in a ceiling and disposed behind a ceiling, and a decorative panel 4 attached to a lower surface 3 of the main body 2. I have. The decorative panel 4 is arranged along the ceiling surface 5 so as to face the room 6.

The decorative panel 4 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and a substantially rectangular suction port 10 is provided at the center thereof.
A plurality of, for example, four, outlets 11 surrounding 0 are provided. Each outlet 11 is provided with a wind direction plate 13 for guiding the blown wind in a predetermined direction. Also,
Above the suction port 10, a filter 12 for removing dust is arranged. The apparatus main body 2 defines an air passage 20 inside, and the air passage 20 is formed by the suction port 10 and each of the air outlets 11.
And communicates. The apparatus main body 2 includes a casing 21 formed in a box shape, a centrifugal blower 22 disposed at a central portion of the casing 21, and a fin coil type heat disperser disposed around the blower 22 in an annular shape. Exchanger 2
5 is provided. The blower 22 includes a turbo fan 23
And a fan motor 24 that rotationally drives the turbo fan 23 in a predetermined rotation direction.
Rotate about a rotation center axis extending along the vertical direction. In addition, the apparatus main body 2 includes a heat insulating material 26 disposed along the inner surface of the casing 21 to insulate the air passage 20 and the outside of the casing 21 from the heat exchanger 25. An annular drain pan 27 for receiving water droplets, and a suction port 10 arranged inside the drain pan 27.
Bell mouth 28 that guides air from the air to turbo fan 23
And an electrical component box 29 which is arranged on the lower surface of the bell mouth 28 and accommodates electrical components such as a circuit board.

The air passage 20 is located at the center of the casing 21 and has a first portion through which air flows upward from the suction port 10 to the turbo fan 23, and the air is substantially horizontally directed radially outward by the turbo fan 23. It has a second portion that flows and passes through the heat exchanger 25 and a third portion that flows downward along the side surface of the casing 21 and reaches each outlet 11.
When the fan motor 24 is driven, air is sucked in from the suction port 10, passes through the first portion and the second portion of the air passage 20, and is heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger 25. The air is heated during heating and cooled during cooling. And the air
The air is blown from the four outlets 11 toward the room 6 through the third portion of the air passage 20.

In the present embodiment, the air conditioner 1 has a function of air-conditioning air drawn in from the room and a function of detecting the occurrence of a fire 99 or a fire cause 98 (also referred to as a fire or the like). I have. As shown in FIG. 2, the air conditioner 1 controls the above-described device main body 2 that realizes a function of air-conditioning the room 6, a monitoring mechanism 31 that monitors the occurrence of a fire or the like, and controls each unit of the air conditioner 1. And a control unit 32 that performs the control.

The monitoring mechanism 31 includes a plurality of detection sensors 36 for detecting at least one of information caused by a fire and information on the occurrence of a fire (also referred to as information on a fire or the like). It has a plurality of signal output devices 35 that, when detected, output at least one of a fire occurrence signal and a fire cause occurrence signal (also referred to as a fire occurrence signal or the like) in response to information such as a fire. The detection sensors 36 include a plurality of fire detection sensors 33 for detecting information resulting from a fire, and a cause detection sensor 34 for detecting information on the occurrence of a fire cause. The signal output device 35 functions as a fire signal output device that outputs a fire occurrence signal when the fire detection sensor 33 detects information resulting from a fire, and the cause detection sensor 34 outputs the fire occurrence information. It functions as a cause signal output device that outputs a fire cause occurrence signal when it is detected, and both devices are shared.

The plurality of fire detection sensors 33 include a smoke sensor 41 for detecting smoke, a suction temperature sensor 42 for detecting the temperature of air sucked into the apparatus main body 2 to detect the temperature of the air in the room 6, and A heat exchanger temperature sensor 4 for detecting the temperature of the heat exchanger 25 to detect the temperature of the air in the room 6
3, an outer wall temperature sensor 44 for detecting the temperature of the air behind the ceiling 7, and a gas sensor 45 for detecting the concentration of gas caused by the fire. The smoke sensor 41 is provided at the inlet 10 of the decorative panel 4. As the smoke sensor 41, for example, a known configuration such as an ionization type and a photoelectric type can be used.

The suction temperature sensor 42 is a temperature sensor such as a thermistor provided in the bell mouth, and also serves as a sensor provided for the function of air conditioning.
As shown in FIG. 3, the heat exchanger temperature sensor 43 is a temperature sensor such as a thermistor provided in the refrigerant pipe 51 of the heat exchanger 25 and capable of detecting an abnormal rise in the temperature of the refrigerant. The heat exchanger 25 includes a plurality of refrigerant pipes 51 through which the refrigerant passes,
The tube 51 has a number of fins 52 (only some of which are shown) for heat exchange with air passing through the air passage 20. The ends of the plurality of refrigerant pipes 51 are connected to a single collecting pipe 55.
It is summarized in. The heat exchanger 25 and the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit are connected via a pair of collecting pipes 55 (only one is shown) corresponding to a pair of ends of the refrigerant pipe 51, and the refrigerant can move between the heat exchangers. It has been. FIG. 3 shows only one end of the refrigerant pipe 51. The heat exchanger temperature sensor 43 is provided on one refrigerant pipe 51 on the liquid side of the heat exchanger 25 on the indoor unit side. During cooling, the sensor 43 detects the refrigerant temperature at the inlet side of the refrigerant pipe 51. During heating, the sensor 43 detects the refrigerant temperature at the outlet side of the refrigerant pipe 51. The sensor 43 is also used for detecting an abnormality of the heat exchanger 25.

As shown in FIG. 1, the outer wall temperature sensor 44 is provided on a side surface 53 of the casing 21 which is an outer wall of the apparatus main body 2 disposed on the ceiling 7 and detects a temperature of a thermistor or the like for detecting the temperature of the outer wall. It is a sensor. This sensor 44
Is a heat insulating material 26 provided on the side surface 53 of the casing 21.
Thus, since the inside of the apparatus main body 2 is insulated from the inside, the temperature change at the ceiling 7 can be detected without being affected by the operation of the apparatus main body 2. The outer wall temperature sensor 44
May be provided on the upper surface 54 of the casing 21 as an outer wall.

The gas sensor 45 is provided at the suction port 10 of the decorative panel 4 and detects a change in gas concentration caused by a fire, for example, a decrease in oxygen concentration. The gas sensor 45
A known gas sensor that can detect the oxygen concentration can be used.
The cause detection sensor 34 is a gas sensor 46 that detects the concentration of a gas that causes a fire, for example, a flammable gas such as city gas or propane gas. This gas sensor 46 is also arranged at the suction port 10 of the decorative panel 4. Examples of the gas sensor 46 capable of detecting the flammable gas include semiconductor gas sensors such as SnO ₂ and ZnO, and known sensors can be used.

The plurality of signal output devices 35, as shown in FIG.
An output circuit 61 for outputting to a receiving unit 84 of 0, a speaker for outputting a fire occurrence signal or the like composed of an acoustic signal, a sound output device 62 exemplified by a bell, a buzzer, a siren, and the like;
A warning light 63 exemplified by a lamp for outputting a fire occurrence signal or the like composed of an optical signal, a blinking light, a rotating light, or the like, and a communication device 64 for transmitting a fire occurrence signal or the like composed of an electric signal to a receiving facility of the fire engine 87. And

The output circuit 61 is built in the control unit 32. The communication device 64 is provided between the control unit 32 and an external communication line such as a telephone line. Output circuit 61
The communication device 64 outputs a fire occurrence signal and a fire cause occurrence signal under the control of the control unit 32 so that it is possible to distinguish whether a fire has occurred or a fire cause has occurred. The sound output device 62 and the warning light 63 are
And is connected to the control unit 32 via a drive circuit (not shown). Sound output device 62
The fire occurrence signal from the warning light 63 is a signal for issuing a warning to a person, and is the same signal in the case of a fire and the case of the cause of the fire. You may be able to.

The control section 32 includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like constituted by a microcomputer or the like. The control unit 32 has a built-in timer for measuring time.
Based on programs and data stored in the OM, etc.
The control of each part of the air conditioner 1 is performed. For example, the controller 32 is connected to the fan motor 24, an outdoor unit compressor (not shown), the monitoring mechanism 31, and the like. Also,
An operation remote controller (not shown) for operating the air conditioner 1 is connected to the control unit 32.

The control section 32 has a first section for controlling each section of the apparatus main body 2 for air conditioning, and a second section for controlling each section of the air conditioning apparatus 1 in relation to a fire or the like. For the first part, a known control configuration of the air conditioner 1 can be used. The second part controls the monitoring mechanism 31 and controls the apparatus main body 2 in association with the monitoring mechanism 31 and the fire alarm 80. The control unit 32 is always supplied with electric power, and the second part operates in preference to the first part. Also, a fire detection switch (not shown) for operating and stopping the second portion is provided on the operation remote controller.

The control section 32 is connected to the fire alarm 80 so that signals can be exchanged in both directions. The fire alarm 80 includes a heat detector 81 and a smoke detector 82 arranged on a ceiling for detecting a fire,
Receiving unit 8 that receives signals from these sensors 81 and 82
4 and an alarm 85 for notifying a fire in accordance with a command from the receiving unit 84. The alarm device 85 includes a bell or a lamp for issuing an alarm to a person, and is arranged on the wall surface 8 of the room 6. In addition, the receiving unit 84 of the fire alarm 80 outputs a fire occurrence signal to the control unit 32 of the air conditioner 1 when the occurrence of a fire is detected by the sensors 81 and 82.

Hereinafter, the control of the second part of the control unit 32 will be mainly described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the control contents of the control unit 32. When the fire detection switch is turned on (step S1), the following processes are repeatedly performed at predetermined time intervals. Regardless of the operating state of the air-conditioning function, the monitoring mechanism 31 constantly monitors information such as a fire. This makes it possible to reliably detect a fire or the like.

In step S2, a judgment process for judging whether or not a fire has been detected is performed. Step S2
Then, when at least one fire detection sensor 33 detects information resulting from a fire, the control unit 32 determines that a fire has occurred, and can promptly detect the occurrence of the fire. It should be noted that when a plurality of fire detection sensors 33 obtain both of the above information, it may be determined that a fire has occurred.
In this case, it is possible to prevent an erroneous notification that a fire is reported when the fire is not a fire.

At the time of normal operation, no fire has occurred and no information due to the fire occurs. Therefore, the fire detection sensor 33 and the fire alarm 80 do not detect anything (NO in step S2 and step S3). At this time, under the control of the first portion, the apparatus main body 2 is enabled to operate (step S4), and the function of air conditioning can be exhibited. For example, in response to the operation switch (not shown) of the operation remote controller being turned on, the blower 22 and the heat exchanger 25 operate to start cooling or heating. In addition, during cooling or heating, the operation is maintained. The blower 22 responds to the operation switch being turned off.
And the heat exchanger 25 is stopped, and cooling or heating is stopped. Then, steps S2 to S4 are repeated every predetermined time.

A case where a fire occurs will be described. When a fire occurs near the apparatus main body 2 during operation of the apparatus main body 2, the temperature of the air in the vicinity increases, and the heated air rises to the ceiling. The air is quickly sucked from the suction port 10 by the blower 22 and passes through the heat exchanger 25. In addition, smoke and gas may be generated due to a fire, and the concentration of oxygen may decrease. Accordingly, each of the fire detection sensors 33 detects information resulting from a fire.

For example, the suction temperature sensor 42 detects that the temperature of the air in the room 6 is abnormally high as information resulting from the fire. The temperature measured by the suction temperature sensor 42 is
When the temperature is higher than a predetermined fire determination temperature, occurrence of a fire can be determined. Here, the fire determination temperature is set to an abnormally high temperature, for example, 200 ° C. as compared with the normally assumed air temperature. The heat exchanger temperature sensor 43 detects the refrigerant pipe 51 of the heat exchanger 25 as information resulting from the fire.
It is detected that the temperature change degree is abnormal. The refrigerant pipe 51 of the heat exchanger 25 when a fire has not occurred.
The temperature at the liquid-side end of is known in advance. On the other hand, when a fire occurs, the heat exchanger 25 is heated by the high-temperature air in the room 6 and the temperature measured by the sensor 43 becomes
The temperature becomes abnormally higher than the temperature when there was no fire, and it can be determined that a fire has occurred.

The outer wall temperature sensor 44 detects that the temperature of the air above the ceiling 7 is abnormally high, as information resulting from the fire. If the temperature measured by the outer wall temperature sensor 44 is higher than a predetermined fire determination temperature, the occurrence of a fire can be determined. Here, the fire determination temperature is an abnormally high temperature,
For example, it is set to 200 ° C. The smoke sensor 41 detects that the amount of generated smoke is abnormally large as information resulting from the fire. When the smoke sensor 41 detects that the amount of generated smoke is abnormally large, it is possible to determine the occurrence of a fire.

The gas sensor 45 detects that the oxygen concentration is abnormally low as information resulting from the fire. Thereby, the occurrence of a fire can be determined. If it is determined in step S2 that a fire has occurred based on the detection result of each of the fire detection sensors 33 described above (YE in step S2).
S), an output process for causing each signal output device 35 to output a fire occurrence signal is performed (step S5). Also,
In response to the fire occurrence signal, the fire alarm 80 also turns on the alarm 85
To work. Further, when a fire or the like occurs, the control unit 32 stops the air conditioning function of the apparatus main body 2 (step S6). That is, the fan motor 24 is stopped. Further, the compressor of the outdoor unit is stopped, and the heat exchanger 25 is stopped.
Is stopped. Thereby, the apparatus main body 2 does not need to perform unnecessary operations.

When the fire is eliminated, the apparatus main body 2 is operable. Until it becomes safe, for example, until the occurrence of a fire is no longer detected (YES in step S2, step S2).
5, step S6) or until the user determines that it is safe to operate the restart switch (not shown) of the operation remote controller (NO in step S7), the suspension of the air conditioning function is maintained. When the restart switch is operated (YES in step S7), a restart permission state is set (step S7).
8). That is, the apparatus main body 2 is operable under the control of the first part for a predetermined time after the operation of the restart switch, as in step S4. Thereby, for example, the operation of the air-conditioning apparatus 1 can be promptly restarted at a place away from the fire site or the like. Also, during the predetermined time, the air conditioning function is not stopped even if the occurrence of a fire is detected.

A fire may occur while the apparatus body 2 is stopped. Also in this case, the temperature of the air in the vicinity of the fire becomes high, and the air with the high temperature rises to the ceiling, and the suction port 1
It enters the inside of the apparatus main body 2 from 0. Then, the occurrence of a fire is detected by the fire detection sensor 33, a fire occurrence signal is output, and the apparatus main body 2 is kept stopped (YES in step S2, step S5, step S6).
Further, a fire may occur in a place away from the apparatus main body 2. In this case, the detectors 81 and 82 of the fire alarm 80 precede the fire detection sensor 33 of the air conditioner 1.
Detects a fire. In response to a fire occurrence signal from fire alarm 80 (YES in step S3), control unit 3
2 stops the operation of the device body 2 (step S
6). As a result, unnecessary operations are not performed.

Even if no fire has occurred, the cause of the fire may have occurred. In such a case, the conventional fire alarm 80 could not detect, and would notify after a fire had occurred. In the present embodiment, step S
In step 2, based on the detection result of the cause detection sensor 34, when a fire cause occurs (YES in step S2), a fire cause occurrence signal is output from each signal processing device 35 (step S5).

In step S2, it is determined whether or not the occurrence of a fire cause has been detected. In step S2, when the cause detection sensor 34 detects information causing a fire,
The occurrence of the cause of the fire is determined, and the occurrence of the cause of the fire can be quickly detected. The gas sensor 46 detects the presence of flammable gas such as city gas as information causing a fire. When the measured value of the concentration of the flammable gas by the gas sensor 46 is higher than a predetermined cause determination concentration, it is determined that a gas leak causing a fire has occurred. Here, the cause determination concentration is set to an abnormally higher value than the normally assumed concentration of the combustible gas. Since the concentration of the combustible gas is usually assumed to be extremely low, the cause determination concentration may be set to the lowest concentration that can be stably detected by the gas sensor 46.

If it is determined in step S2 that the cause of the fire has occurred (YES in step S2), each signal processing unit 35
Output a fire cause occurrence signal (step S
5). In response, the fire alarm 80 also operates the alarm 85. Further, the control unit 32 stops the operation of the apparatus main body 2 (Step S6). The restart of the air-conditioning function is performed when the occurrence of a fire cause is no longer detected (NO in step S2), similarly to the case where the occurrence of a fire is detected.
Alternatively, it becomes possible when the user determines that it is safe and operates the restart switch (not shown) (YES in step S7).

By the way, when the apparatus main body 2 has been stopped for a long time, the air in the room 6 stagnates, and even if the air or smoke is high in temperature, it is difficult for the air to diffuse in the room 6 and It is also assumed that it will be difficult to enter. In the air-conditioning apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the control unit 32 intermittently sucks the air in the room 6 every predetermined time when the air-conditioning function of the air-conditioning apparatus 1 is stopped, and information resulting from the fire or information on the cause of the fire. Has a stop-time monitoring mode for monitoring

In the stop-time monitoring mode, it is possible to set the above-mentioned predetermined time T1 for determining the timing of sucking the air in the room 6, the operation time T2 for operating the blower 22, and whether or not to execute this mode. It is set appropriately according to the installation location. The control unit 32 uses a timer to measure an elapsed time (indicated as a stop time in FIG. 4) from a time immediately after the blower 22 of the apparatus main body 2 was stopped, and the elapsed time is a predetermined time T1, for example, one hour. Exceeds (YES in step S9), the blower 22 is operated for an operation time T2, for example, one second (step S10), and the air in the room 6 is sucked into the apparatus main body 2. Here, the operation time T2 is
By the operation of the blower 22, the time is set so that substantially the entire air in the room 6 can be passed through the blower 22. Note that the latest point in time includes, in addition to the point in time when the blower 22 is stopped from operation, the elapsed time from the point in time when the fire detection switch is turned on, and the elapsed time in which the fan 22 is not operating.

At predetermined intervals, the air in the room 6 is
2 circulates, so that high-temperature air is prevented from stagnating near the ceiling. Thereby, the air having a high temperature or the air containing gas due to the fire easily reaches the ceiling and easily enters the inside of the apparatus main body 2 from the suction port 10. As a result, a fire or the like is detected by the fire detection sensor or the like (YES in step S2). As a result, a fire occurrence signal or the like is output, and the apparatus main body 2 is kept stopped (steps S5 and S6).

Even if a fire or the like has occurred and the fire or the like has not yet been detected, the air in the room 6 is quickly discharged from the suction port 10 to the The fire enters the inside and a fire or the like is reliably detected by a fire detection sensor or the like (YES in step S2). As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a fire or the like occurs, the monitoring mechanism 31 outputs a fire occurrence signal or the like. The occurrence of a fire or the like can be detected based on this signal. Thus, a novel air-conditioning apparatus 1 having a function of detecting a fire or the like and a function of air-conditioning can be realized.

Further, since the fire detection sensor and the like are incorporated in the air conditioner 1, the fire detection sensor and the like can be installed together with the installation work of the air conditioner 1, and the fire detection sensor and the like can be installed. There is no need for separate construction. As a result, the labor of the construction can be reduced as compared with the case where the fire detection sensor and the like and the air conditioner 1 are separately installed. Here, if at least one of the above-described fire detection sensors 33 and cause detection sensors 34 is provided, the above-described operation and effect can be obtained. However, a large number of fire detection sensors 33 and cause detection sensors 34 are provided. It is more preferable to use it for quickly and reliably detecting a fire or the like. Further, in order to output a fire occurrence signal and the like, at least one signal output device 35 may be provided.

Since the air conditioner 1 has a function of issuing a warning to a person, the air conditioner 1 can be used alone. The air conditioner 1 and the fire alarm 8
0 may be used in cooperation with each other to quickly detect the occurrence of a fire. Furthermore, the present air conditioner 1 and a gas leak alarm (not shown) may be used in cooperation with each other, and the occurrence of gas leak can be detected quickly. When both the air conditioner 1 and the fire alarm 80 are used, the fire detection sensor or the like of the air conditioner 1 is used instead of at least a part of the detectors 81 and 82 of the fire alarm 80. Therefore, the number of detectors of the fire alarm 80 can be reduced while maintaining the fire detection ability. As a result, the labor for installing the fire alarm 80 can be reduced.

When the air conditioner 1 and the fire alarm 80 are used together, a fire detection sensor or the like of the air conditioner 1 can be used in addition to the sensors 81 and 82 of the fire alarm 80. Therefore, the fire detection capability can be enhanced without extra work for installing the air conditioner 1 and the fire alarm 80. Fire detection sensor 33
Is preferably a smoke sensor 41. The smoke sensor 41 detects the smoke generated by the fire, so that the fire can be reliably detected. In addition, during a fire, a large amount of smoke may be generated before the temperature of the air becomes sufficiently high. In such a case, it is preferable to detect the occurrence of the fire quickly.

In particular, since the smoke sensor 41 detects smoke in the air sucked into the apparatus body 2, the smoke sensor 41
As a result of the smoke swiftly reaching the smoke sensor 41 as the air is sucked, the smoke can be detected more quickly.
Further, since the smoke is provided near the air inlet 10 of the room 6, the smoke can be more quickly reached by the smoke sensor 41, which is preferable. The fire detection sensor 33 is provided in the indoor 6
A sensor for detecting the temperature of the air, for example, the suction temperature sensor 42 or the heat exchanger temperature sensor 43 is preferable. Such a sensor can reliably detect the occurrence of a fire by detecting an increase in the temperature of the air in the room 6 caused by the occurrence of the fire.

In particular, the sensors for detecting the temperature of the air in the room 6 include the suction temperature sensor 42 and the heat exchanger temperature sensor 43.
Is preferred. By using these, the sensor for the function of air conditioning can also be used for the function of detecting fire, so that a separate sensor for detecting the temperature of the air in the room 6 is not required, and the air conditioner 1 Can be simplified. This operational effect is obtained when at least one of the suction temperature sensor 42 and the heat exchanger temperature sensor 43 is used.

Further, since the suction temperature sensor 42 can directly detect the temperature of the air in the room 6, the temperature rise caused by the fire can be detected quickly and accurately. In particular, the blower 22
During the operation, the air in the room 6 is sucked in, so that the temperature rise of the air is quickly transmitted to the sensor with the flow, and the temperature rise can be detected more quickly. The fire detection sensor 33 is preferably a sensor that detects the temperature of the air behind the ceiling 7. This makes it possible to detect the occurrence of a fire at the ceiling 7 that is usually difficult to detect. In particular, the sensor for detecting the temperature of the air in the ceiling 7 is a device main body 2 disposed in the ceiling 7.
Is preferably provided on the side surface 53 or the upper surface 54 of the casing 21 which is the outer wall of the casing 21 for detecting a fire in the ceiling space 7.

The fire sensor 33 is preferably a gas sensor 45. The gas sensor 45 can reliably detect the occurrence of a fire by detecting a change in gas concentration caused by the occurrence of a fire, for example, a decrease in oxygen. Cause detection sensor 3
4 is preferably a gas sensor 46 for detecting the concentration of a gas that causes a fire, and the gas sensor 46 detects a flammable gas such as propane gas or city gas, so that a gas leak that causes a fire can be detected.

It is preferable that the monitoring mechanism 31 outputs a fire occurrence signal or the like to the fire alarm 80. Using the alarm function of the fire alarm 80, an alarm can be issued with a simple configuration. The monitoring mechanism 31 transmits a fire occurrence signal and the like to the fire engine 8
Preferably, it can be emitted to 7. Fire alarm 8
Even if 0 is not provided or the fire alarm 80 does not operate, the air conditioner 1 can issue an alarm to the fire engine 87. As a result, the fire engine 87 performs a fire extinguishing activity, and the damage caused by the fire can be reduced.

It is preferable that the fire occurrence signal or the like from the monitoring mechanism 31 gives a warning to a person. For example, fire alarm 8
Even if 0 is not provided or the fire alarm 80 does not operate, the air-conditioning apparatus 1 can issue an alarm to a place where a fire occurs or a person near the fire. As a result, people can be evacuated reliably. In addition, the occurrence of a fire or the like can be monitored even when the air conditioner is stopped by the stop time monitoring mode of the control unit 32. Moreover, even when the apparatus main body 2 is stopped, the air in the room 6 can be easily sucked, and the occurrence of a fire or the like can be quickly detected.

When the detection sensor detects a fire or the like, the control unit 32 stops the air conditioning function of the air conditioner 1. Thus, when a fire or a cause of the fire occurs, it is possible to prevent the spread of the fire or the cause of the fire. That is, with the occurrence of a fire, flame, smoke, high-temperature air, and the like are generated. At this time, when the air conditioning function is operating, it is assumed that the high-temperature air may spread to a place other than the fire occurrence site with the operation of the blower. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, since the air conditioning function is stopped, it is possible to prevent the high-temperature air or the like from spreading to other places.

Further, control unit 32 stops the air conditioning function of air conditioner 1 in response to the above-mentioned fire occurrence signal from fire alarm 80. Thereby, when a fire occurs, it is possible to reliably prevent the fire from propagating to another. In addition, when a fire or a cause of the fire occurs, a person usually evacuates, so that there is no need for air conditioning. Unnecessary operation of air-conditioning a space where there are no people can be automatically prevented by the control unit 32.

The monitoring mechanism 31 is preferable for the air conditioner 1 having the apparatus main body 2 disposed on the ceiling 7 and the decorative panel 4 attached to the lower surface 3 and disposed on the ceiling 5. This is because high-temperature air and smoke caused by the fire easily flow near the ceiling, which is a high position in the room 6, and the high-temperature air and smoke flowing through the ceiling are arranged on the ceiling surface and the space above the ceiling. It can be detected by the above-mentioned fire detection sensor 33 attached to the air conditioner 1
This is because the occurrence of a fire can be promptly detected. Further, since the sensors 81 and 82 of the fire alarm 80 are usually arranged on the ceiling, it is easy to use the fire detection sensors and the like of the air conditioner 1 instead of the sensors 81 and 82 of the fire alarm 80.

The air conditioner 1 of the above embodiment
Can be used independently even in an installation place where the fire alarm 80 is not provided, and the function of the fire alarm 80 can be exhibited by the fire detection function and the alarm function. When the air conditioner 1 is used alone, a portion of the control unit 32 of the air conditioner 1 for communication with the fire alarm 80 can be omitted. When the air conditioner 1 is used in combination with the fire alarm 80,
By connecting the air conditioner 1 and the fire alarm 80, it is possible to omit an alarm function for issuing a fire occurrence signal or the like to firefighting or a fire occurrence signal composed of light or sound.
The communication function with the fire alarm 80 may be a one-way function that can output a signal from the air conditioner 1 to the fire alarm 80. Even in this case, the air conditioner 1 can stop the operation based on the detection result of the fire detection sensor or the like.

The temperature sensor, the smoke sensor 41 and the cause detection sensor 34 for detecting the temperature of the room 6 are provided with the warning light 63, the sound output device 62, and the remote controller for operation, in addition to the main body 2 and the decorative panel 4. May be arranged. For example, the gas sensors 45 and 46 that detect gas such as combustible gas that is heavier than air are preferable because they can be detected more quickly than when they are arranged on the ceiling. In addition, various design changes can be made without changing the gist of the present invention.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a schematic configuration of an air conditioner showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a schematic configuration of the air conditioner shown in FIG. 1, in which a fire alarm is also shown.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the heat exchanger of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of control contents of a control unit of the air-conditioning apparatus of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Air conditioner 2 Air conditioner main body 3 Lower surface 4 Decorative panel 5 Ceiling surface 6 Room 7 Inside of ceiling 10 Suction port 11 Blow outlet 25 Heat exchanger 32 Control unit (Control means) 35 Signal output device (Signal output means) 36 Detection Sensor 41 Smoke sensor 42 Suction temperature sensor (sensor for detecting the temperature of indoor air) 43 Heat exchanger temperature sensor (sensor for detecting the temperature of indoor air) 44 Exterior wall temperature sensor (detects the temperature of the air behind the ceiling) Sensors) 45, 46 Gas sensor 53 Side (outer wall) 54 Top (outer wall) 80 Fire alarm 87 Fire engine

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3L060 AA02 CC01 CC02 CC13 CC19 DD06 EE01 EE45 3L061 BA03 BA07 5G405 AA01 AB01 AB02 AB03 AC07 CA05 CA55 CA60

Claims (15)

[Claims] An air conditioner (1) for air-conditioning air taken in from a room (6), comprising: a detection sensor (36) for detecting at least one of information caused by a fire and information on a cause of a fire; Signal output means for outputting at least one of a fire occurrence signal and a fire cause occurrence signal in response to the detection sensor (36) detecting at least one of information caused by a fire and occurrence information of a fire cause. (35) An air conditioner comprising: 2. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said detection sensor includes a smoke sensor. 3. An air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2.
The air conditioner according to (1), wherein the detection sensor (36) includes sensors (42, 43) for detecting the temperature of the air in the room (6). 4. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 3, wherein the sensors (42, 43) for detecting the temperature of the air in the room (6).
The air comprises at least one of a sensor (42) for detecting the temperature of the air sucked into the air conditioner body (2) and a sensor (43) for detecting the temperature of the heat exchanger (25). Harmony equipment. 5. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 1, wherein the detection sensor (36) includes a sensor (44) for detecting the temperature of the air behind the ceiling (7). An air conditioner characterized by the above-mentioned. 6. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 5, wherein the sensor (44) for detecting the temperature of the air behind the ceiling (7) comprises:
The outer wall (5) of the air conditioner body (2) placed behind the ceiling (7)
An air conditioner comprising a sensor (44) provided in (3,54). 7. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 1, wherein the detection sensor (36) includes a gas sensor (45) for detecting a concentration of gas caused by a fire. An air conditioner characterized by: 8. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 1, wherein the detection sensor (36) includes a gas sensor (46) for detecting a concentration of a gas causing a fire. An air conditioner characterized by: 9. The air conditioner (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the signal output means (35) outputs at least one of a fire occurrence signal and a fire cause occurrence signal to a fire alarm ( 80) An air conditioner characterized by output to 10. The air conditioner (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said signal output means (35) outputs at least one of a fire occurrence signal and a fire cause occurrence signal to a fire engine (87). ) An air conditioner characterized by emitting air. 11. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the fire occurrence signal and the fire cause occurrence signal is a signal for issuing a warning to a person. And air conditioners. 12. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 1, further comprising control means (32) for controlling the operation of the air conditioner (1). ) Is equipped with a stop-time monitoring mode for intermittently sucking indoor air at predetermined intervals when the air conditioner (1) is stopped and monitoring information resulting from a fire or information on the cause of a fire. Harmony equipment. 13. An air conditioner (1) according to claim 1, further comprising control means (32) for controlling the operation of said air conditioner (1). ) Is an air conditioner that stops the air conditioning function of the air conditioner (1) when the detection sensor (36) detects at least one of the information resulting from the fire and the information on the cause of the fire. 14. The air conditioner (1) according to claim 1, further comprising control means (32) for controlling the operation of the air conditioner (1). ) Is an air conditioner that stops the air conditioning function of the air conditioner (1) in response to a signal from the fire alarm (80). 15. The air conditioner (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the air conditioner main body (2) is arranged on the back of a ceiling (7) and attached to a lower surface (3) thereof. An air conditioner comprising: a suction panel (10) disposed on a ceiling surface (5); and a decorative panel (4) formed with an air outlet (11).