CN102474676A - Remote controller - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to remote controls. When using a universal battery (33), the battery switching switch (20) of the remote controller is connected to terminal (a) and terminal (b) by a slide switch (20a), and is connected to terminal (d) and terminal (e). Since the terminal (d) and the terminal (e) are connected, the microcomputer (30) can be supplied with electric power from a general-purpose battery (33). At this time, since the terminal (a) and the terminal (b) are connected, the solar battery (12) becomes the state not connected to the microcomputer (30), the terminal (f) becomes the state not connected, and the lithium primary battery (32) also becomes The state of not being connected to the microcomputer (30). As a result, the connection of the solar battery (12) and lithium primary battery (32) to the microcomputer (30) is completely cut off.

Description

remote control

technical field

The invention relates to a wireless remote controller for operating electronic equipment.

Background technique

In recent years, wireless remote controllers are often used to operate electronic devices.

Among the batteries used in such remote controllers, it has been proposed to use a lithium primary battery capable of obtaining a large current capacity instead of a general-purpose battery such as an alkaline manganese battery as a method for extending the useful life. Furthermore, a technology has been proposed in which a solar panel (solar cell) is mounted to convert sunlight energy into electrical energy for power assistance.

Disclosed is a technology that can replace a general-purpose battery such as an alkaline manganese battery (for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2).

Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a rechargeable secondary battery is mounted on a mobile phone to supply power, but in an environment where charging is difficult, an alkaline primary battery can be used in an emergency by mounting it on a dedicated socket. In addition, a diode for preventing backflow of current from the secondary battery is provided in the alkaline primary battery.

Patent Document 2 discloses a technology related to electronic equipment in which a secondary battery charged by a solar cell is used as a main driving power supply, and when the secondary battery serving as the main driving power supply is interrupted (cut れ), the assembly is detachable. An external battery can be used as an auxiliary drive source.

In recent years, due to an increase in environmental awareness, batteries used in remote controllers have been required to provide high-availability products equipped with a function to extend the effective lifespan.

In Patent Document 1, a rechargeable secondary battery is mounted, and an alkaline primary battery can be mounted in an environment where charging cannot be performed, thereby having a function not to be influenced by the environment in which it is used. However, there is a limit to the number of times the secondary battery can be charged, and when the limit has been reached, the secondary battery must be replaced. In addition, in the method of preventing backflow using a diode, since there is no diode that does not leak at all, it may exceed the allowable amount of charging current when used in this state for a long time.

In Patent Document 2, the following situation is considered: when the secondary battery charged by the solar battery is over-discharged and the battery power supply is interrupted, the external battery is loaded, and the external battery is connected to the circuit using a switch for emergency use. Since a secondary battery charged by a solar cell is used as a power source, there must be overdischarge of the secondary battery in which the amount of power generated by the solar cell cannot be obtained sufficiently, so-called battery power failure, and the device cannot be frequently used. In this case, although the external battery can be used for emergency use, it is necessary to frequently connect the external battery.

In addition, when the frequency of use of electronic equipment is high, it is also assumed that the amount of power generated by the solar cell is always insufficient under indoor conditions such that the amount of power generated by the solar cell cannot be obtained sufficiently. Finally, during the entire use of the electronic device, the general-purpose battery is repeatedly replaced for use. This brings inconvenience to the user and also becomes a situation that is unfavorable to the environment. In addition, due to the relatively short guarantee of the storage effect and the number of charge and discharge times of the secondary battery, the use frequency of the external battery will increase with the use of the device.

Furthermore, in Patent Document 2, when the frequency of use of electronic equipment is low and the power generation of the solar battery is sufficient, although it is not necessary to load an external battery in a relatively long period of time, the frequency of using the switch is also limited. fewer cases. In this case, although it depends on the environment in which the electronic device is used, the following possibilities are considered: For example, in areas with a lot of humidity, especially in salty areas such as coastal areas, it is easy to rust, and when you want to install an external battery auxiliary When used in the ground, the contacts will be poor due to rust, and electronic equipment cannot be used.

prior art literature

patent documents

Patent Document 1: Patent No. 3642769

Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-325840

Contents of the invention

The problem to be solved by the invention

As mentioned above, in order to prolong the effective life of the battery used in the remote control, there is a method of incorporating a lithium primary battery alkaline battery capable of obtaining a large current capacity instead of a general-purpose battery such as an alkaline manganese battery.

However, there are problems in that the built-in lithium primary battery is difficult to replace as described above, it is necessary to extend the useful life, and there is a need for a mechanism that can replace the general-purpose battery used to suppress the decline in user convenience.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a remote controller that can prolong the useful life of a built-in primary battery and has a mechanism for replacing a general-purpose battery.

method used to solve the problem

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a built-in primary battery and a remote controller equipped with a solar battery used together with the primary battery, and is characterized in that it includes: an insertion mechanism for inserting a general-purpose battery into the above-mentioned remote controller; The battery switching mechanism for switching the battery and the aforementioned solar cell to the aforementioned universal battery.

In addition, the present invention is characterized in that, in a remote controller with a built-in primary battery and a solar cell used together with the primary battery, it includes: a display mechanism for displaying the operation content of the remote controller; When the device is not used for a predetermined period, control is performed to transition to the standby mode, and when the standby mode has transitioned, control is performed to stop the display of the above-mentioned display means.

In addition, according to the present invention, in the remote controller with a built-in primary battery and a solar cell used together with the primary battery, it is characterized in that an insertion mechanism for inserting a general-purpose battery into the remote controller is provided, and when the primary battery is over-discharged, the above-mentioned The first power supply circuit to which the primary battery is connected and the second power supply circuit to which the solar cell is connected are connected to the third power supply circuit to which the general-purpose battery inserted into the insertion mechanism is connected.

According to the present invention, an insertion mechanism for inserting a general-purpose battery is provided instead of a built-in primary battery that is difficult to replace, thereby avoiding an inoperative state due to interruption of battery power supply and improving usability.

In addition, by stopping the display of the display means in the standby mode, it is possible to reduce the load current of the built-in primary battery and prolong the effective life of the primary battery.

In addition, when switching from the primary battery and the solar battery to the general-purpose battery, the charging current to the general-purpose battery can be prevented by disconnecting the primary battery and the solar battery.

The effects of the present invention are as follows.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a remote controller that achieves a longer useful life of a built-in primary battery and is equipped with a mechanism for replacing a general-purpose battery.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an appearance configuration of an air conditioner controlled by a remote controller according to this embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a front view showing the appearance of the remote controller.

Fig. 3 is a rear view showing the appearance of the remote controller.

Fig. 4 is a side view showing the appearance of the remote controller.

Fig. 5 is a side sectional view showing the remote controller.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a battery socket of a remote controller.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of a transmitter and receiver unit of the remote controller.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing a control structure of a remote controller.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a battery changeover switch and a peripheral circuit configuration.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a battery changeover switch and a peripheral circuit configuration.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a circuit configuration as a comparative example.

Detailed ways

Hereinafter, a remote controller according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an appearance configuration of an air conditioner controlled by a remote controller according to this embodiment. The air conditioner 1 is configured by connecting the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 with the connecting pipe 4, and performs air conditioning in the room. At the lower right end of the indoor unit 2 shown on the lower right in the figure, an indoor transmitter-receiver 7 for receiving an infrared ray operation signal from a separate remote controller 5 is provided. That is, the remote controller 5 can operate the air conditioner 1 through the indoor transmitter-receiver 7 provided on the indoor unit 2 .

<Explanation of the remote control>

Next, the overall configuration of the remote controller 5 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7 . FIG. 2 is a front view showing the appearance of the remote controller 5 . FIG. 3 is a rear view showing the appearance of the remote controller 5 . FIG. 4 is a side view showing the appearance of the remote controller 5 . FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the remote controller 5 . FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a battery socket of the remote controller 5 . FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a transmitting and receiving unit of the remote controller 5 .

As shown in Figure 2, remote controller 5 is equipped with: the operation button 10 that is used to carry out operation indication; Display the liquid crystal display screen (LCD module) 11 of operation content; Solar battery (solar panel) 12; The remote control transmitting and receiving part 13 covered with the light receiving cover 13a which performs bidirectional communication.

As shown in FIG. 3 , a battery socket cover 14 is provided on the back of the remote controller 5 .

As shown in FIG. 4 , the remote controller 5 includes a finger grip 34 at a substantially central portion of the back surface.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the remote controller 5 incorporates a lithium primary battery 32 which is a difficult-to-replace battery. In addition, the remote controller 5 includes a battery socket 15 into which a general-purpose battery is inserted and a caution label 35 inside covered by the battery socket cover 14 .

6 shows the state after the battery socket cover 14 (refer to FIG. 3 ) is removed, and the battery connection terminals 16, 17, 18, 19 are provided in the above-mentioned battery socket 15, so that the user can easily replace the battery. A general-purpose battery such as an alkaline manganese dry battery is inserted into the battery socket 15 and can be supplied as a power source for the remote controller 5 . In addition, the general-purpose battery is a battery generally available at a convenience store or the like, such as an AAA battery or an AAA battery.

In addition, a battery changeover switch 20 is provided near the battery socket 15 .

In addition, a notice label 35 shown in FIG. 5 is disposed in the battery socket 15 so that the user can read it when the battery socket cover 14 is opened. The purpose of setting this note label 35 is to impel the user to notice: the use method of the battery changeover switch 20 when inserting general-purpose battery in battery socket 15 and lithium primary battery 32 are usable state do not insert general-purpose battery (urge user to notice Mechanisms that use general-purpose battery usage).

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the remote control transmitting and receiving unit 13 of the remote control 5 . FIG. 7 is a view of the remote controller 5 viewed from the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 2 . The remote control transmitter/receiver 13 includes an infrared light receiving element 21 and an infrared light emitting diode 22 . In addition, a room temperature thermistor 23 for detecting room temperature is mounted near the remote control transmitter/receiver 13 so that the room temperature around the remote control 5 can be detected at any time.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing a control structure of the remote controller 5 . The remote controller 5 includes a microcomputer 30 for overall control. The operation buttons 10 , the liquid crystal display screen (LCD module) 11 , and the transmission circuit 31 are connected to the microcomputer 30 .

Electric power is supplied to the microcomputer 30 from the lithium primary battery 32 and the solar battery 12 . The lithium primary battery 32 is connected to the microcomputer 30 through the battery switching switch 20, the diode 41, the booster circuit 42, the diode 43 connected in parallel to the booster circuit 42, and the diode 44 to supply power to the microcomputer 30 (the first power supply circuit ).

In addition, since a large current of about 500 mA flows through the transmission circuit 31 , electric power is directly supplied from the lithium primary battery 32 . In order not to be affected by the voltage drop of the lithium primary battery 32 by the transmission circuit 31 , a booster circuit 42 is used in the first power supply circuit connected to the microcomputer 30 .

The solar battery 12 is connected to the microcomputer 30 through a capacitor 51 for charging, a regulator 52 , a battery changeover switch 20 , and a diode 53 , and supplies power to the microcomputer 30 (second power supply circuit). A diode-OR circuit (dio-door circuit) 50 is constituted by diode 44 and diode 53 , and power is supplied to microcomputer 30 from the higher supply voltage of lithium primary battery 32 or solar battery 12 .

The battery changeover switch 20 has six terminals a, b, c, d, e, f, and between each terminal and the slide switch 20a in contact with each terminal is an effective anti-rust gold contact, which becomes a structure that can simultaneously switch two circuits ( double circuit double contact).

In the state of "normal; no universal battery" shown in FIG. 8 , the battery selector switch 20 is connected to the terminal b and the terminal c by the slide switch 20 a, and is connected to the terminal e and the terminal f. That is, the microcomputer 30 can be supplied with electric power from the solar cell 12 by connecting the terminal b to the terminal c, and can supply electric power from the lithium primary battery 32 by connecting the terminal e to the terminal f.

As shown in FIG. 8 , the electric power for operating the remote controller 5 is supplied from a lithium primary battery 32 as a main power source, and also from a solar cell 12 . In addition, generally, as shown in FIG. 8 , the battery socket 15 is in an empty state.

The effect of this structure is as follows: when the illuminance in the room where the remote controller 5 is used is high and the amount of power generated by the solar battery 12 can be sufficiently ensured, the solar battery 12 bears a part of the load current, for example, the load of the microcomputer 30 in the standby mode. Electric current is not supplied from the lithium primary battery 32 to prolong the battery life of the lithium primary battery 32 .

In addition, in order to prolong the battery life of the lithium primary battery 32, the microcomputer 30 controls to stop the display of the liquid crystal display screen 11 and reduce the load current when the remote controller 5 is not used, that is, in the standby mode.

Here, in setting the transition to the standby mode, the transition to the standby mode is made by detecting, for example, a non-use state such as a case where there is no input of the operation button 10 for three hours. In addition, the setting of shifting to standby mode is not limited to three hours, and can also be set in day units such as one day, two days, three days, or hour or minute units. In short, as long as the user's convenience is ensured, and the shift In energy saving mode.

In addition, the transition to the standby mode may be set based on the presence or absence of detection so that a change in the electrostatic capacity of the remote controller 5 can be detected, that is, whether a person's hand is in contact with the remote controller 5 . In addition, a cover may be provided on the remote controller 5, and the transition to the standby mode may be set by opening and closing the cover.

In addition, if the lithium primary battery 32 is used as the main power source and the solar battery 12 is used in combination, assuming that the illuminance of the room is low and the power generation of the solar battery 12 is not sufficient, the air conditioner will not be damaged because the remote control 5 cannot be used. The use of 1 creates restrictions, thereby maximizing user convenience.

In addition, generally, with regard to lithium primary batteries, although a small amount of charging current is allowed, there is a limit, and therefore it is necessary to reduce the charging current as much as possible. Therefore, the circuit shown in FIG. 8 of the present embodiment is configured such that charging current does not flow from the solar battery 12 to the lithium primary battery 32 when the lithium primary battery 32 and the solar battery 12 are used together.

<Description of the case of using a general-purpose battery>

As described above, even if the remote controller 5 powered by the lithium primary battery 32 and the solar cell 12 uses the lithium primary battery 32 with a large current capacity, the service life of the battery must be limited. When the frequency of use is much higher than expected, it is assumed that the lithium primary battery 32 is over-discharged within the lifetime of the air conditioner 1 .

However, in general, since battery replacement of the lithium primary battery 32 built in the remote controller 5 requires relatively specialized technology, it is necessary to prevent general users from performing battery replacement.

Therefore, in this embodiment, a general-purpose battery such as an alkaline manganese battery can be mounted. That is, as shown in FIG. 6 , a general-purpose battery such as an alkaline manganese battery can be inserted into the battery socket 15 . When the general-purpose battery is inserted, the switch of the battery changeover switch 20 is switched, the connection circuit is switched, and the power supply from the lithium primary battery 32 and the solar battery 12 is switched to the power supply from the general-purpose battery.

9 and 10 are diagrams showing a circuit configuration when the universal battery 33 is inserted into the battery socket 15.

FIG. 9 shows the state of the battery changeover switch 20 where the lithium primary battery 32 and the solar battery 12 are connected to the microcomputer 30 .

FIG. 10 shows the state of the battery selector switch 20 where the general-purpose battery 33 is connected to the microcomputer 30 .

In the state shown in FIG. 9 "when a universal battery is placed", the battery selector switch 20 is connected to the terminal b and the terminal c by the slide switch 20a, and is connected to the terminal e and the terminal f. That is, the microcomputer 30 can be supplied with electric power from the solar cell 12 by connecting the terminal b to the terminal c, and can supply electric power from the lithium primary battery 32 by connecting the terminal e to the terminal f.

In the state of "using a general-purpose battery" shown in FIG. 10, the battery selector switch 20 connects the terminal a and the terminal b, and connects the terminal d and the terminal e through the switched slide switch 20a. That is, since the terminal d and the terminal e are connected, only the power from the general-purpose battery 33 can be supplied to the microcomputer 30 (third power supply circuit). That is, in this case, since the terminal a and the terminal b are connected, the solar cell 12 is not connected to the microcomputer 30, and the terminal f is not connected, so the lithium primary battery 32 is also not connected to the microcomputer 30. .

As a result, the connection of the solar battery 12 and the lithium primary battery 32 to the microcomputer 30 is completely cut off.

In addition, the battery switching switch 20 may also be configured to automatically switch from the solar battery 12 and lithium primary battery 32 to the inserted universal battery 33 when the universal battery 33 is inserted into the battery socket 15 . In this case, user convenience can be further improved.

In addition, the general-purpose battery 33 such as an alkaline manganese battery does not allow charging current at all, unlike the lithium primary battery 32 . Therefore, even if the current leakage is prevented by using a diode or the like, the leakage current cannot be completely prevented. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the general-purpose battery 33 is used, the charging current can be prevented from flowing in the general-purpose battery 33 by completely cutting off the circuit between the lithium primary battery 32 and the solar battery 12 using the battery changeover switch 20 .

In addition, the battery changeover switch 20 is configured to simultaneously switch two circuits, and is configured to simultaneously switch a circuit connected to the lithium primary battery 32 and a circuit connected to the solar cell 12, thereby preventing misoperation.

In addition, in the normal time when the lithium primary battery 32 has a remaining amount, the lithium primary battery 32 built in the remote controller 5, because a part of the load is borne by the solar battery 12, and the display of the liquid crystal display screen 11 is stopped in the standby mode. It has been shown that the current consumption is suppressed to be low, so over-discharge will not occur for a long time, and a usable state can be maintained. Therefore, there is a chance that the general-purpose battery 33 will be inserted and used after a long time has elapsed.

In addition, normally, the changeover switch switches the contacts to regenerate mechanically and electrically. In this embodiment, as described above, the life of the lithium primary battery 32 can be extended, and the frequency of using the battery changeover switch 20 is extremely low. , The moment of use is also after a long time has passed, and the contact regeneration obtained by the contact opening and closing cannot be expected, and the contact may be defective due to contact rust. This contact rust is more severe in coastal areas where there is a lot of salt floating in the air. In this embodiment, rust-proof gold contacts are used for the battery changeover switch 20 .

In addition, the reason why the lithium primary battery 32 is used as the primary battery built in the remote controller 5 is that the capacity can be increased at relatively low cost, and the financial burden on the user can be reduced. In addition, regarding the appropriate selection of the built-in primary battery, the same effect can be obtained even if a primary battery other than lithium is used.

In addition, when using the general-purpose battery 33, by accommodating the caution label 35 describing the usage method of the battery switch 20 for switching the power supply circuit in advance in the battery socket 15, the usage method is correctly conveyed to the user, and it is possible to prevent the This is the case where the lithium primary battery 3 is usable but a general-purpose battery is inserted by mistake. In addition, when the general-purpose battery is used after the lithium primary battery 32 has been over-discharged, because the usage method of the battery changeover switch 20 for switching the battery is described in advance on the caution label 35, correct operation can be promoted.

FIG. 11 shows the structure of the battery socket 15 in which the power switch 20 is not inserted and the universal battery 33 is inserted as a comparative example.

According to this embodiment, even if a primary battery that is difficult to replace is built in, by adding a structure that allows the user to easily replace the battery (universal battery), usability can be improved, and the remote controller can be continuously used. As a result, effective use of the air conditioner can be realized Long term.

In addition, it is possible to configure a remote controller that can extend the useful life of the primary battery built in the remote controller, allow replacement of the battery, improve usability, and take into account the global environment.

Symbol Description

1-air conditioner, 2-indoor unit, 3-outdoor unit, 4-connecting piping, 5-remote controller, 7-indoor transmitter and receiver, 10-operation buttons, 11-liquid crystal display screen (LCD module: display mechanism), 12-Solar battery (solar panel), 13-Remote control sending and receiving part, 15-Battery socket (insertion mechanism), 16, 17, 18, 19-Battery connection terminal, 20-Battery switch (switching mechanism), 21 -infrared light-receiving element, 22-infrared light-emitting diode, 23-room temperature thermistor, 30-microcomputer (control mechanism), 31-sending circuit, 32-lithium primary battery, 33-universal battery, 35-attention label, 41, 43, 44, 53-diode, 42-boost circuit, 50-diode "or" circuit, 51-capacitor, 52-regulator.

Claims (12)

1. remote controller, built-in primary cell possesses the solar cell with this primary cell and usefulness, it is characterized in that possessing:

Universal battery is inserted into the insertion mechanism in the above-mentioned remote controller, and

Above-mentioned primary cell and above-mentioned solar cell are switched to the battery switching mechanism of above-mentioned universal battery.

2. remote controller according to claim 1 is characterized in that,

Above-mentioned insertion mechanism is the battery socket that can insert above-mentioned universal battery.

3. remote controller according to claim 1 is characterized in that,

Above-mentioned battery switching mechanism is the switch that above-mentioned primary cell and above-mentioned solar cell is switched to above-mentioned universal battery.

4. remote controller according to claim 1 is characterized in that,

Above-mentioned battery switching mechanism is the switch that second power supply circuit that first power supply circuit that above-mentioned primary cell is connected is connected with solar cell switches to the 3rd power supply circuit that above-mentioned universal battery connects.

5. remote controller according to claim 1 is characterized in that,

Above-mentioned battery switching mechanism is the double circuit double contact switch of second power supply circuit that is connected with above-mentioned solar cell of first power supply circuit that cuts off above-mentioned primary cell simultaneously and connected.

6. remote controller according to claim 1 is characterized in that,

Near above-mentioned battery socket, be provided with above-mentioned switch.

7. remote controller according to claim 1 is characterized in that,

When above-mentioned battery switching mechanism is inserted in the above-mentioned insertion mechanism at universal battery, above-mentioned primary cell and above-mentioned solar cell are switched to above-mentioned universal battery.

8. remote controller according to claim 7 is characterized in that,

When above-mentioned battery switching mechanism is inserted in the above-mentioned insertion mechanism at universal battery, above-mentioned primary cell and above-mentioned solar cell are forcibly switched to above-mentioned universal battery.

9. remote controller according to claim 1 is characterized in that,

Be provided with when above-mentioned universal battery is inserted in the above-mentioned insertion mechanism mechanism that impels the method for using when noting using universal battery.

10. remote controller, built-in primary cell possesses the solar cell with this primary cell and usefulness, it is characterized in that possessing:

The indication mechanism that shows the content of operation of above-mentioned remote controller; And

Controlling organization, this controlling organization above-mentioned remote controller predetermined during under the untapped situation, carry out the control that changes to standby mode, when being converted to this standby mode, stop the control of the demonstration of above-mentioned indication mechanism.

11. according to each described remote controller in the claim 3～6, it is characterized in that,

The contact of above-mentioned switch uses golden contact.

12. a remote controller, built-in primary cell possesses the solar cell with this primary cell and usefulness, it is characterized in that,

Possess universal battery be inserted into the insertion mechanism in the above-mentioned remote controller,

During above-mentioned primary cell overdischarge; Cut off second power supply circuit that first power supply circuit that above-mentioned primary cell connects is connected with above-mentioned solar cell, connect the 3rd power supply circuit that universal battery connected that is inserted in the above-mentioned insertion mechanism.

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