JP6922357B2 - Air purifier - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an air purifier.

In the air purifier, a motion sensor that detects the presence of a human body in a predetermined area, a dust sensor that detects dust such as house dust and pollen, and a gas sensor that detects gas such as odorous components and gas components. It is provided with a control means for driving the fan block with the weakest air volume based on the output of the detection result of the motion sensor, and then controlling the drive of the fan block based on the output of the detection result of the dust sensor and the gas sensor. Is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-06228

As described above, the air purifier as shown in Patent Document 1 controls the air volume based on the presence of the human body and the detection result of the pollutants of dust and gas. However, it cannot operate actively at a time when a phenomenon in which pollutants are generated may occur in a room in which an air purifier is installed. Therefore, when a pollutant is generated, an air flow that immediately guides the pollutant from the place of generation to the air purifier cannot be formed. For this reason, after the pollutants have diffused into the room, they are sucked in by the air purifier, which may cause temporary discomfort when there are a plurality of people in the room, for example. Also, the cleaning rate for removing contaminants from the air in the room is not fast enough.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem. The purpose is to clean the air by removing pollutants in a short time after the generation of pollutants in the room and before the pollutants diffuse, and to suppress the diffusion of pollutants and the increase of pollutant concentration. To get an air purifier that can.

The air purifying device according to the present invention passes through an air purifying means for purifying the air by removing one or more of odorous substances, dust, pollen, fungi, viruses and VOC pollutants from the passing air. A first sensor that detects the concentration of a pollutant that can be removed from the air by the air purifying means in the air, a blowing means that allows air to pass through the first sensor, the air purifying means in that order, and the air. An exhaust unit that sends out air purified by the purification means, an exhaust direction changing means that changes the air delivery direction from the exhaust unit, and a second sensor that detects the position of a person within a preset human detection range. When the operation timing of the appliances in the room, and a third sensor for detecting one or more of the change timing of air pressure generation timing及beauty in a room of sound in the room, the air blowing means and the exhaust redirection The control means includes a control means for controlling the operation of the means, and the control means blows air according to the detection result of the first sensor, the detection result of the second sensor, and the detection result of the third sensor. One or both of the control for stopping the operation of the means or reducing the air volume and the control for operating the blower means and the exhaust direction changing means so that air is sent from the exhaust portion toward the position of a person. conduct.

According to the air purifier according to the present invention, after the pollutants are generated in the room, the pollutants are removed in a short time before the pollutants diffuse to purify the air, and the pollutants diffuse and the pollutant concentration. It has the effect of suppressing the rise of.

It is a perspective view of the air purifier which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a vertical sectional view of the air purifier which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a main part in FIG. 2 showing operating states (a) and (b) of the movable louver and the rectifying mechanism. It is sectional drawing which shows typically the structure of the 2nd sensor provided in the air purifier which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the arrangement and the light distribution viewing angle of each light receiving element provided in the 2nd sensor which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the rotation operation (a), (b), (c) of the 2nd sensor which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the control system of the air purifier which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure explaining an example of the operation of the air purifier which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flow figure which shows an example of the operation flow of the air purifier which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention.

A mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be appropriately simplified or omitted. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Embodiment 1.
1 to 9 relate to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air purifier, FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the air purifier, and FIGS. 3A and 3B are states (a) and (b). ), FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the second sensor included in the air purifier, and FIG. 5 is an arrangement and arrangement of each light receiving element included in the second sensor. A perspective view showing the optical viewing angle, FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing the rotation operations (a), (b), and (c) of the second sensor, and FIG. 7 is a block view showing the configuration of the control system of the air purifier. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation of the air purifier, and FIG. 9 is a flow diagram showing an example of the flow of operation of the air purifier.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the air purifier 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is, for example, a floor-mounted air purifier. The air purifier 1 includes a casing 2, a pedestal 3, a suction port 4, an outlet 5, a blower 6, an air passage 7, a cleaning device 8, a movable louver 9, a louver drive unit 10, an opening variable mechanism 11, and an opening drive unit. 12, a rectifying mechanism 13, a horizontal rotation mechanism 15, and the like are provided.

The casing 2 is formed, for example, in the shape of a substantially quadrangular square cylinder. The casing 2 is supported by a pedestal 3 installed on the floor of the room so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. As shown in FIG. 2, in the space from the suction port 4 to the air outlet 5 in the internal space of the casing 2, the cleaning device 8, the blower 6 and the air passage 7 are arranged in order from upstream to downstream. ing.

In the following description, of the side surface portions of the casing 2, the portion arranged mainly facing the indoor space is referred to as a front surface portion. Further, the portion of the side surface portion of the casing 2 opposite to the front portion is referred to as a back portion. The direction in which the front portion of the casing 2 faces is referred to as the front. Further, the direction corresponding to both the left and right sides of the casing 2 viewed from the front is referred to as the left-right direction. Further, in some cases, the vertical direction is called the vertical direction.

The air purifier 1 is installed on the floor at a position close to any wall of the room. The air purifier 1 is used with the back surface of the casing 2 facing the wall surface and the front surface of the casing 2 facing the indoor space.

The suction port 4 is an opening for sucking indoor air into the casing 2. The suction port 4 is provided, for example, on the front portion of the casing 2. The air outlet 5 is an opening for blowing out the air sucked into the casing 2 to the outside. Two outlets 5 are formed, for example, on the upper surface of the casing 2. That is, the outlet 5 includes a first outlet 5A and a second outlet 5B. The two outlets 5, the first outlet 5A and the second outlet 5B, extend parallel to each other along the left-right direction of the casing 2.

In the following description, when the first outlet 5A and the second outlet 5B are not particularly distinguished, they may be simply referred to as "outlet 5". Further, the air blown out from the air outlet 5 may be referred to as "blowing air".

FIG. 2 shows the wind direction vector 50 at the maximum wind speed of the blown air. The wind direction vector 50 is composed of a vertical direction vector 50a, a front-back direction vector 50b, and a left-right direction vector (not shown). In FIG. 2, the blown air of the first outlet 5A and the second outlet 5B are combined and shown as one wind direction vector 50. However, to be more precise, there is a wind direction vector 50 for each of the first outlet 5A and the second outlet 5B.

The suction port 4 may be arranged on the back surface portion, the side surface portion, the lower surface portion, or the like of the casing 2. Further, the air outlet 5 may be arranged on the front surface portion, the side surface portion, or the like of the casing 2. Further, the casing 2 may be provided with only one outlet 5, or may be provided with three or more outlets 5.

The blower 6 sucks air into the casing 2 from the suction port 4 and blows out the air from the outlet 5. The blower 6 includes a fan 6A and a motor 6B. The motor 6B is an electric motor that rotates the fan 6A. Inside the casing 2, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, two blowers 6 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction with their positions shifted in the front-rear direction.

Further, an air passage 7 is provided inside the casing 2. The air passage 7 connects the blower 6 and the air outlet 5, and guides the air blown from the air blower 6 to the air outlet 5. The air passage 7 is divided into a first air passage 7A on the front side and a second air passage 7B on the back side by a partition wall 2A provided inside the casing 2. The two air passages 7 of the first air passage 7A and the second air passage 7B extend in the vertical direction inside the casing 2, and are arranged in parallel in the front-rear direction when viewed in a horizontal cross section, for example.

The lower side of the two air passages 7 is connected to different air blowers 6. Further, the upper side of each of the two air passages 7 is connected to each of the two air outlets 5. That is, the upper side of the first air passage 7A is connected to the first air outlet 5A, and the upper side of the second air passage 7B is connected to the second air outlet 5B. Therefore, the air purifier 1 has a first air system that reaches the first air outlet 5A from one air device 6 through the first air passage 7A, and a first air passage from the other air device 6. It is provided with a second air blowing system that reaches the first air outlet 5A via the 7A. Then, in these ventilation systems, the air volume, the wind direction, and the wind speed can be controlled separately.

In this way, the partition wall 2A is arranged inside the casing 2, and the two air passages 7 are formed in parallel in the front-rear direction. Further, of the two blowers 6, at least one of the blowers 6 located on the upper side in FIG. 2 is composed of a blower with a built-in motor in which a part of the motor is embedded inside the fan. .. As a result, the installation area of the air purifying device 1 can be miniaturized while efficiently forming the two air blowing systems inside the casing 2, and a compact and high-performance air purifying device 1 can be realized.

The cleaning device 8 purifies the air passing through the inside of the casing 2. The cleaning device 8 is provided between, for example, the suction port 4 and the blower device 6. Here, "cleaning" refers to pollutants composed of, for example, dust, smoke, pollutants, viruses, molds, fungi, allergens, odor molecules, VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and the like floating in the air. It means to remove. Therefore, "cleaning" is specifically an action of collecting, inactivating, adsorbing or decomposing these pollutants.

Here, as a device capable of such cleaning, for example, a dust collecting filter that collects dust in the air, a deodorizing filter that adsorbs an odor component, and a pollutant by applying a high voltage to an electrode. The cleaning device 8 is configured by any one of the voltage application devices and the like for removing and disassembling, or a combination thereof. The purifying device 8 is an air purifying means for purifying the air by removing one or more of odorous substances, dust, pollen, bacteria, viruses and VOC pollutants from the passing air.

A first sensor 20 is provided on the upstream side of the cleaning device 8 in the air flow direction. The first sensor 20 detects the amount of contaminants sucked into the casing 2. The first sensor 20 is composed of, for example, a dust sensor, a gas sensor, a wind speed sensor, or the like, or is composed of a composite type sensor in which these sensors are combined. According to the first sensor 20, the degree of air pollution in a specific direction is determined by blowing air in a specific direction by the air purifier 1 and detecting the amount of pollutants in the air returning from this direction. Can be detected.

The first sensor 20 can detect the above-mentioned odorous substances, dust, pollen, fungi, viruses and VOC pollutants that can be removed from the air by the cleaning device 8. That is, the first sensor 20 detects the concentration of the pollutant that can be removed from the air by the cleaning device 8 in the passing air.

When the air purifying device 1 configured as described above is operated, first, the blower 6 and the purifying device 8 are driven. As a result, air is sucked into the inside from the suction port 4 of the casing 2, and this air is purified by the cleaning device 8. Then, the purified air reaches the air outlet 5 via each of the air blowers 6 and the air passage 7, and is blown to the outside from the air outlet 5. That is, the blower device 6 is a blower means for passing air through the first sensor 20 and the cleaning device 8 in this order. The air outlet 5 is an exhaust unit that sends out the air purified by the cleaning device 8.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part in FIG. 1 showing operating states (a) and (b) of the movable louver and the rectifying mechanism. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the movable louver 9 swings the wind direction of the blown air in the vertical direction. One movable louver 9 is provided for each of the two outlets 5 of the casing 2. More specifically, the movable louver 9 is formed of, for example, an elongated flat plate extending in the left-right direction of the casing 2. The base end side of the movable louver 9 is attached to each outlet 5 via a louver drive unit 10 provided at each outlet 5.

Further, the tip side of the movable louver 9 can be swung in the vertical direction by the louver drive unit 10. The two movable louvers 9 are configured so that the wind direction of the air blown out from the outlet 5 can be individually changed. Although the case where two movable louvers 9 are provided is illustrated here, a configuration may include only one or three or more movable louvers 9 depending on the number of outlets 5.

By swinging in the vertical direction, the movable louver 9 swings the wind direction of the blown air between the front and the upper in the vertical direction according to the swing angle. The elevation angle of the wind direction is changed to an angle substantially equal to the elevation angle of the movable louver 9. In addition, in this specification, "elevation angle" means the angle inclined upward with respect to the horizontal direction parallel to the floor surface. That is, the elevation angle = 0 ° represents the horizontal direction, and the elevation angle = 90 ° represents the direction directly above the vertical direction.

The louver drive unit 10 includes a support shaft that swingably supports the movable louver 9 and an actuator (not shown) that rotates the support shaft. The movable louver 9 and the louver drive unit 10 constitute a specific example of a wind direction variable mechanism capable of changing the wind direction of the blown air in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the opening variable mechanism 11 is provided at a position facing, for example, one of the movable louvers 9 in the front-rear direction. The opening variable mechanism 11 changes the opening area of the air outlet 5 in cooperation with the movable louver 9. In FIG. 1, the opening variable mechanism 11 is not shown in order to clarify the rectifying mechanism 13 described later. Further, in FIG. 2, the case where the opening variable mechanism 11 is arranged only in one outlet 5 is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the opening variable mechanism 11 is provided in only the other outlet 5 or both outlets 5. It may be arranged.

The opening variable mechanism 11 is formed of, for example, an elongated flat plate extending in the left-right direction of the casing 2. The base end portion of the opening variable mechanism 11 is attached to the air outlet 5 via the opening driving portion 12. The opening drive unit 12 has substantially the same configuration as the louver drive unit 10. The tip of the opening variable mechanism 11 is swung in the front-rear direction by the opening driving unit 12, and is displaced so as to approach and separate from the movable louver 9. As a result, the opening variable mechanism 11 can increase or decrease the opening area of the air outlet 5 and change the wind speed of the blown air according to the opening area. That is, the opening variable mechanism 11 and the opening driving unit 12 constitute a specific example of the blower changing means capable of changing the wind speed of the blown air. The opening variable mechanism 11 may be arranged not in the air outlet 5 but in one or both of the air passages 7 and may be a mechanism for changing the opening area (that is, the flow path area) of the air passage 7.

The rectifying mechanism 13 adjusts the wind direction in the left-right direction while maintaining the elevation angle of the wind direction set by the movable louver 9. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rectifying mechanism 13 is formed of, for example, substantially triangular (or fan-shaped) fins. A plurality of fins forming the rectifying mechanism 13 are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction. These fins are provided so as to project from the wind receiving surface side of each movable louver 9. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, each rectifying mechanism 13 swings in the left-right direction, and the wind direction of the blown air is changed in the left-right direction according to the swing angle.

Further, the swinging operation of the rectifying mechanism 13 is executed by, for example, a rectifying drive unit 14 (not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) provided in the movable louver 9. That is, the rectifying mechanism 13 and the rectifying driving unit 14 constitute a specific example of a wind direction variable mechanism capable of changing the wind direction of the blown air in the left-right direction. It is not always necessary to provide the rectifying mechanism 13. Further, the rectifying mechanism 13 may be arranged one by one only on the left and right ends of the movable louver 9, for example.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 is provided between the casing 2 and the pedestal 3. The horizontal rotation mechanism 15 rotates the casing 2 on the pedestal 3 at least in the left-right direction. Since the direction of the air outlet 5 changes in the horizontal direction together with the casing 2, the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 constitutes a specific example of a wind direction variable mechanism capable of changing the wind direction of the blown air in the left-right direction. Similarly, since the direction of the suction port 4 also changes in the horizontal direction together with the casing 2, the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 constitutes a specific example of the suction port horizontal rotation mechanism that rotates the suction port 4 in the horizontal direction. There is.

In the first embodiment, two blower devices 6 are arranged in the vertical direction as described above. By doing so, it becomes easier to make the casing 2 square or circular in a plan view as compared with the case where one blower 6 tries to obtain the same air volume, and the installation area can be reduced. In particular, by making it square or circular, it is possible to reduce the installation area required for horizontal rotation operation.

The wind direction variable mechanism configured as described above, that is, the movable louver 9, the louver drive unit 10, the rectifying mechanism 13, the rectifying drive unit 14, and the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 has an air discharge direction from the outlet 5 which is an exhaust unit. It is a means for changing the exhaust direction. This exhaust direction changing means can change the air delivery direction from the air outlet 5 to the left or right. Further, the exhaust direction changing means can change the air delivery direction from the air outlet 5 up and down. The air delivery direction and the exhaust direction are synonymous with the wind direction. In the following, these terms will be used without distinction.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the second sensor 21 is attached to the upper front side of the casing 2. The second sensor 21 includes an infrared sensor 40 and a sensor operating unit 44. The infrared sensor 40 is a person detection sensor that detects a person using infrared rays. The sensor operating unit 44 is a sensor horizontal rotation mechanism that drives the infrared sensor 40 to rotate in the horizontal direction (that is, both sides in the left-right direction) with respect to the casing 2.

Next, the configuration of the second sensor 21 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the infrared sensor. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the light receiving elements constituting the infrared sensor and the detection range of each light receiving element. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing rotation operations (a), (b), and (c) of the infrared sensor by the sensor operating unit.

As described above, the second sensor 21 includes an infrared sensor 40 and a sensor operating unit 44. The infrared sensor 40 detects infrared rays generated from a detection object. As shown in FIG. 4, the infrared sensor 40 includes a multi-element light receiving unit 41 and a condenser lens 42. The multi-element light receiving unit 41 is composed of a plurality of light receiving elements 41a to 41h.

Note that FIG. 4 illustrates a case where the multi-element light receiving unit 41 is composed of eight light receiving elements 41a to 41h. However, the number of light receiving elements is not limited to eight, and the multi-element light receiving unit 41 may be composed of any number of light receiving elements of 7 or less or 9 or more.

Each of the light receiving elements 41a to 41h is a detection element capable of individually executing the light receiving of infrared rays and the detection of a person. These light receiving elements 41a to 41h are arranged side by side in a straight line in the vertical direction, for example. As a result, the infrared sensor 40 has a function of dividing and detecting the temperature in the room into eight areas having different heights from each other. The condensing lens 42 efficiently condenses infrared rays on the multi-element light receiving unit 41. The condenser lens 42 is composed of, for example, a convex lens. The infrared sensor 40 detects the temperature of the object to be detected in a non-contact manner by the individual light receiving elements 41a to 41h, and outputs a signal corresponding to, for example, thermal image data in the room.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the arrangement and light distribution viewing angle of each light receiving element of the infrared sensor. As shown in this figure, the light distribution viewing angles 43a to 43h of the light receiving elements 41a to 41h are set as rectangular areas having the same size. Further, the light distribution viewing angle 43a (43b to 43h) of one light receiving element 41a (may be 41b to 41h) has, for example, a vertical light distribution viewing angle set to 7 ° in the vertical direction and horizontal light distribution in the horizontal direction. The viewing angle is set to 8 °.

The entire light distribution viewing angle 43 including the light distribution viewing angles 43a to 43h is set as an elongated area in the vertical direction, and the upper limit of the viewing angle 43max, which is the upper limit of the light distribution viewing angle 43, and the lower limit of the light distribution viewing angle 43 are set. It has a lower limit of the viewing angle of 43 min. The light distribution viewing angles 43a to 43h do not necessarily have the same shape and the same size, and the specific values of the vertical light distribution viewing angle and the horizontal light distribution viewing angle are also limited to the above examples. is not it.

The sensor operating unit 44 is configured so that the direction of the infrared sensor 40 can be rotated in the horizontal direction with respect to the casing 2. As the sensor operating unit 44, for example, a stepping motor capable of accurately adjusting the rotation drive angle of the infrared sensor 40 is used. The stepping motor of the sensor operating unit 44 is configured to be controllable independently of the operation of the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 described above.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the rotation operation of the infrared sensor by the sensor operating unit. In the figure, (a) shows a case where it is rotationally driven to the right end portion, (b) shows a case where it is rotationally driven to the central portion, and (c) shows a case where it is rotationally driven to the left end portion. .. As shown in the figure, the second sensor 21 first rotationally drives the direction (detection direction) of the infrared sensor 40 in the left-right direction by the sensor operating unit 44. More specifically, the direction of the infrared sensor 40 is rotationally driven from the right end portion shown in FIG. 6 (a) to the left end portion shown in (c) via the central portion shown in (b). Then, when it reaches the left end portion shown in (c), the rotation direction is reversed and the rotation direction is reversed and returned from the left end portion shown in (c) to the right end portion shown in (a) via the central portion shown in (b). By repeating such an operation, the second sensor 21 scans the temperature detection target range in the room in the left-right direction and detects the temperature in order.

According to such a configuration of the second sensor 21, the room is obtained by comparing the thermal image data for each time within the movable range in the left-right direction of the infrared sensor 40, that is, within the preset human detection range. The direction and height of the person appearing in the space (that is, the position of the person) can be detected. Further, by comparing the positions of the persons detected in this way for each detection time, it is possible to detect the time change of the position of the person, that is, the movement of the person.

According to the second sensor 21, the eight light receiving elements 41a to 41h of the infrared sensor 40 capture the thermal image data of the areas of the light distribution viewing angles 43a to 43h, respectively. It is possible to detect the height of the human body with high accuracy depending on whether the presence of a person is detected in the area of the optical viewing angle. In addition, since the sensor operating unit 44 can operate independently of the operation of the horizontal rotation mechanism 15, the infrared sensor 40 can be rotationally driven in the left-right direction without affecting the wind direction control.

Furthermore, the second sensor 21 does not necessarily have to be composed of an infrared sensor 40, and if it is a sensor capable of detecting the position of a person, it is either an ultrasonic sensor, a pyroelectric sensor, or any of these sensors. It may be configured by combining the infrared sensor 40 and the infrared sensor 40. Further, the second sensor 21 may simultaneously detect the positions of not only humans but also moving objects such as animals and robots.

As shown in FIG. 2, a third sensor 24 is provided on the lower side of the casing 2. The third sensor 24 is the operation timing of the home appliance in the room where the air purifier 1 is installed, the sound generation timing in the room, the operation timing of the person in the room, the change timing of the illuminance in the room, and the room. Detects one or more of the change timings of the atmospheric pressure.

When detecting the operation timing of the home electric appliance in the room, the third sensor 24 includes, for example, a power sensor that detects the electric power supplied to the home electric appliance in the room. The operation timing of the home electric appliance is detected from the timing when the electric power supplied to the home electric appliance changes. At this time, the third sensor 24 may acquire information on the electric power supplied to the home electric appliances in the room from the HEMS (Home Energy Management System).

When detecting the operation timing of a person in the room, the third sensor 24 includes, for example, any of an infrared sensor, a moving body sensor, a distance sensor, a camera, and the like similar to the second sensor 21. Then, by comparing the position of the person detected by these sensors for each detection time, the time change of the position of the person, that is, the movement of the person is detected. The infrared sensor, the moving object sensor, the distance sensor, the camera, and the like may be shared by the second sensor 21 and the third sensor 24.

When detecting the generation timing of the sound in the room, the third sensor 24 includes a sound sensor such as a microphone. Further, when detecting the change timing of the illuminance in the room, the third sensor 24 includes an illuminance sensor. Then, when detecting the change timing of the atmospheric pressure in the room, the third sensor 24 includes an atmospheric pressure sensor.

Next, the configuration of the control system of the air purifier 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The air purifying device 1 includes an operation unit 22, a control device 23, and a storage unit 25. The control device 23 controls the operating operation of the air purifying device 1. The storage unit 25 stores various types of information necessary for the control process in the control device 23. The storage unit 25 and the control device 23 are connected so that bidirectional communication is possible.

The operation unit 22 is for operating the air purifier 1. The user of the air purifier 1 operates the operation unit 22 when making various settings and switching the operation. The operation unit 22 includes, for example, a power switch and a display unit. The power switch is for starting and stopping the air purifier 1. The display unit displays various information such as the operating state of the air purifier 1. The operation unit 22 and the control device 23 are connected so that bidirectional communication is possible.

The control device 23 includes an arithmetic processing unit (not shown), an input / output port, and the like. A sensor system including an infrared sensor 40, a first sensor, and a third sensor 24 is connected to the input side of the control device 23. An actuator including a blower 6, a cleaning device 8, a louver drive unit 10, an opening drive unit 12, a rectifier drive unit 14, a horizontal rotation mechanism 15, a sensor operating unit 44, and the like is connected to the output side of the control device 23. There is. Then, the control device 23 operates the air purifying device 1 by controlling the actuator based on the output of the sensor system.

The control device 23 controls the operation of the blower device 6 which is a blower means. Further, the control device 23 controls the operation of the exhaust direction changing means by controlling the operations of the louver drive unit 10, the rectifying drive unit 14, and the horizontal rotation mechanism 15.

Here, the infrared sensor 40 and the sensor operating unit 44 shown in FIG. 7 are components of the second sensor 21. When the second sensor 21 detects the position of a person within the preset human detection range, the control device 23 controls the operation of the sensor operating unit 44 to change the direction of the infrared sensor 40 while changing the direction of the infrared sensor 40. The thermal image data in the room is acquired from the detection result of.

More specifically, first, the control device 23 rotates the sensor operating unit 44 in the left-right direction by a predetermined movable angle (here, 1.6 °). As a result, the infrared sensor 40 is rotated by 1.6 °. Next, the infrared sensor 40 is stopped for a predetermined standby time (for example, 0.1 to 0.2 seconds). During this period, the thermal image data is detected by the eight light receiving elements 41a to 41h of the infrared sensor 40, and is taken into the control device 23. After the standby time has elapsed, the control device 23 again rotates the sensor operating unit 44 in the left-right direction by a movable angle (1.6 °). Then, in the same manner, the thermal image data is taken into the control device 23. Such processing is performed at 94 points every 1.6 ° of movable angle. In this case, the movable range of the infrared sensor 40 in the left-right direction (that is, the angle range for rotationally driving in the left-right direction) is about 150.4 °. Then, from the thermal image data in the room obtained in this way, the position of a person within the person detection range can be detected.

The control device 23 controls the operation of the blower device 6 and the exhaust direction changing means based on the detection results of the first sensor 20, the second sensor 21 (infrared sensor 40), and the third sensor 24. More specifically, the control device 23 controls to stop the operation of the blower device 6 or reduce the air volume according to the detection results of the first sensor 20, the second sensor 21, and the third sensor 24, and One or both of the controls for operating the blower 6 and the exhaust direction changing means so that the air is sent out from the air outlet 5 toward the position of a person are performed.

First, the control device 23 starts the operation of the blower device 6 which is the blower means or increases the air volume according to the detection result of the third sensor 24. If the above-mentioned timing, which is the detection target of the third sensor 24, is detected, there is a possibility that a phenomenon in which pollutants are generated occurs at this timing. In the following, the above-mentioned timing that is the detection target of the third sensor 24 is also referred to as “contamination occurrence estimation timing”.

Specifically, for example, when the operation timing of the home electric appliance in the room is the detection target, there is a possibility that a phenomenon that pollutants are generated occurs especially at the timing when the home electric appliance starts to operate. That is, when a person operates a home electric appliance, for example, when the operation of a vacuum cleaner is started, dust, pollen, etc. may fly up along with the cleaning work. Further, when the operation of cooking appliances such as an electromagnetic cooker is started, smoke, odorous substances, etc. may be generated by cooking.

When the movement timing of a person in the room is the detection target, dust, pollen, etc. may fly up due to the movement of the person.

When the sound generation timing in the room is the detection target, when the generated sound is the opening / closing sound of the window or door of the room, the pollutant flows in from the outside of the room as the window opens / closes or the door opens / closes. there is a possibility. Also, in the case of door opening and closing sounds, airflow is generated by opening and closing the door, and there is a possibility that dust will fly up due to this airflow, and people will come and go in the room as the door opens and closes, and pollutants will come in and out due to this person coming in and out. May occur. In addition, pollutants may be generated when operating sounds such as human walking sounds are generated.

When the change timing of the illuminance in the room is the detection target, it is considered that the illuminance of the room has changed due to the opening / closing of the curtain in the room or the turning on / off of the lighting in the room. In such cases, it is conceivable that a person will start an activity, and this person's activity may generate pollutants.

When the change timing of the air pressure in the room is the detection target, it is considered that the change in the air pressure in the room is due to the opening and closing of the window or the door of the room. Therefore, as with sound, contaminants can occur.

Therefore, when the third sensor 24 detects such a pollution occurrence estimation timing, the control device 23 actually starts the operation of the blower device 6 or increases the air volume, so that the first sensor 20 actually moves. The air in the room can be quickly cleaned before detecting contaminants. Therefore, it is possible to remove the pollutants before they diffuse into the room.

Further, by quickly sucking the generated pollutant into the casing 2, the concentration of the pollutant can be quickly detected by the first sensor 20. Then, after that, more accurate and reliable cleaning control can be performed based on the pollutant concentration actually detected by the first sensor 20.

Next, the control device 23 operates the exhaust direction changing means so that air is discharged from the air outlet 5 which is an exhaust unit toward the position of a person according to the detection result of the second sensor 21. Pollutants are often caused by human activity. Therefore, it can be said that the location of a person is likely to be the place where pollutants are generated.

Therefore, by sending the purified air to a place where the pollutant is likely to be generated, it is possible to reduce the concentration of the pollutant, that is, to purify the air in a shorter time. In addition, it is possible to at least improve the comfort of a person by sending clean air to the location of the person, regardless of whether the pollutant generation is due to the activity of the person.

At this time, the control device 23 changes the blowing direction from the air outlet 5 to at least left and right according to the detection result of the second sensor 21, and directs the blowing direction to the position of a person. That is, the control device 23 controls at least the operation of the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 according to the detection result of the second sensor 21. At this time, the control device 23 may also control the operation of the rectifying drive unit 14 to change the blowing direction from the air outlet 5 to the left or right.

By directing the air blowing direction of the air outlet 5 to the position of a person by the horizontal rotation mechanism 15, the front surface of the air purifier 1, that is, the suction port 4 also faces the position of a person. Therefore, the suction port 4 can be directed in the direction in which the pollutant is likely to be generated, and air can be sucked in from that direction. Then, the generated pollutants can be inhaled more quickly.

Regarding the blowing direction from the air outlet 5, the air blowing distance from the air outlet 5 may be changed in the front-rear direction in addition to the left-right direction. That is, the control device 23 may also control the operation of the movable louver 9 according to the detection result of the second sensor 21.

In this way, after increasing the amount of air blown by the detection result of the third sensor 24 and adjusting the air blowing direction by the detection result of the second sensor 21, the control device 23 uses the detection result of the first sensor 20 to increase the air blowing direction. Depending on the detection result, the operation of the blower device 6 which is a blower means is stopped or the air volume is reduced. Specifically, when the pollutant concentration detected by the first sensor 20 becomes equal to or less than the preset first reference value, the control device 23 stops the operation of the blower device 6 or the air volume. To reduce.

In this way, by stopping the operation of the blower 6 or reducing the air volume based on the pollutant concentration actually detected by the first sensor 20, the removal of the pollutant is not actually completed. Instead, it is possible to prevent the operation of the blower 6 from being stopped or the air volume from being reduced. Then, when the removal of the pollutant is completed and the actual concentration of the pollutant decreases, the operation of the blower 6 can be stopped or the air volume can be reduced immediately. Therefore, the user is not exposed to the operating noise of the air purifying device 1 for a long time, and can spend comfortably.

It should be noted that the pollutants detected by the first sensor 20 even after a predetermined fixed time has elapsed since the operation of the blower 6 was started or the air volume was increased according to the detection result of the third sensor 24. If the concentration of the above does not exceed a preset second reference value, the control device 23 may stop the operation of the blower device 6 or reduce the air volume. The second reference value at this time may be the same value as the first reference value described above, or may be a different value.

By doing so, the estimated timing of pollution occurrence was detected, but in the case of so-called "missing" in which pollutants were not actually generated so much, the operation of the blower 6 was promptly stopped or the air volume was reduced. Can be made to. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the amount of energy consumed, the operating noise, and the like.

As described above, the air purifier 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is operated in advance in preparation for an increase in the pollutant concentration when the pollution occurrence estimation timing is detected, that is, "preventive operation" is performed. .. Therefore, after the pollutants are generated, even before the pollutants reach the first sensor 20 of the air purifier 1, the air is cleaned, the pollutants are removed in a shorter time, and the air is removed. Can be cleaned and pollutant diffusion and increase in pollutant concentration can be suppressed. In addition, it is possible to accelerate the arrival of the generated pollutant at the first sensor 20, and it is possible to perform cleaning control based on the actually detected pollutant concentration in a shorter time.

Next, with reference to FIG. 8, an example of a specific operation of the preventive operation of the air purifier 1 configured as described above will be described. An example of FIG. 8 is a case where the sound generation timing in the room is the detection target of the third sensor 24. Therefore, in this example, the third sensor 24 includes, for example, a microphone that outputs a signal corresponding to the environmental sound.

FIG. 8A is a time chart showing the time change of the environmental sound signal output from the microphone of the third sensor 24. FIG. 8B is a time chart showing changes in the air volume time of the blower device 6. FIG. 8C shows a specific situation in the room including the exhaust direction of the air purifier 1.

The example shown in the figure is a situation in which a person in the room opens the door and exits the room. The air purifier 1 is operated in advance with a "weak" air volume. In this situation, first, the microphone of the third sensor 24 detects the walking sound of the person when the person moves in the room. Then, the control device 23 operates, for example, the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 to direct the wind direction to the position of the person detected by the second sensor 21. At this time, it is preferable to change the wind direction so as to follow the flow line of the person moving toward the door.

Then, when a person opens and closes the door, the microphone of the third sensor 24 detects the sound generated at that time. The third sensor 24 detects the sound generation timing in the room, that is, the contamination generation estimation timing. Then, the control device 23 sets the air volume of the blower device 6 to “strong”. Further, the control device 23 controls the exhaust direction changing means to direct the wind direction to the position of the door where a person is present. Therefore, the air purifier 1 can quickly suck in the dust that has risen and the dust that has flowed in as the door opens and closes. After that, when the door is closed and there is no opening / closing sound, the air volume of the blower 6 is gradually reduced from "strong" to "weak". As described above, since the air purifier 1 is oriented in the direction in which the pollution is generated and can start the operation at the timing when the pollution is generated, the air purifying device 1 can be efficiently removed without diffusing the pollution.

Next, an example of the flow of the control operation of the air purifier 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. In the example described here, it is assumed that the above-mentioned first reference value and the second reference value related to the detection value of the first sensor 20 are the same. Therefore, in the following description with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 9, the first reference value and the second reference value are not distinguished, and both are simply referred to as "reference values".

When the operation unit 22 is operated by the user and the air purifier 1 starts the preventive operation, first, in step S1, the control device 23 controls the blower device 6 to start the operation of the fan 6A. At this time, the air volume of the blower 6 is controlled to be “weak”. After step S1, the process proceeds to step S2.

In step S2, the control device 23 acquires the detection result of the third sensor 24. After step S2, the process proceeds to step S3. In step S3, the control device 23 confirms the detection result of the third sensor 24 acquired in step S2, and has the above-mentioned timing, that is, the pollution occurrence estimation timing, which is the detection target of the third sensor 24, been detected? Judge whether or not. If the pollution occurrence estimation timing is not detected, the process proceeds to step S4.

In step S4, the control device 23 acquires the detection result of the second sensor 21. After step S4, the process proceeds to step S5. In step S5, the control device 23 confirms the detection result of the second sensor 21 acquired in step S4, and determines whether or not a person is detected within the human detection range of the second sensor 21. If no person is detected within the person detection range, the process proceeds to step S20.

In step S20, the control device 23 controls the blower device 6 to make the air volume of the blower device 6 "weak", or stops the operation of the blower device 6. In this way, the control device 23 ends the preventive operation of the air purifier 1. Then, the series of processes is completed.

On the other hand, if a person is detected within the human detection range in step S5, the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6, the control device 23 controls the exhaust direction changing means to direct the wind direction of the blower device 6 to the position of the person detected by the second sensor 21. After step S6, the process proceeds to step S7.

In step S7, the control device 23 waits in that state until a predetermined fixed time elapses. That is, the blowing to the wind direction changed in step S6 is continued for a certain period of time. After step S7, the process proceeds to step S8.

In step S8, the control device 23 acquires the detection result of the first sensor 20. After step S8, the process proceeds to step S9. In step S9, the control device 23 confirms the detection result of the first sensor 20 acquired in step S8, and determines whether or not the pollutant concentration detected by the first sensor 20 is equal to or less than the reference value. If the pollutant concentration detected by the first sensor 20 exceeds the reference value, the process returns to step S7.

On the other hand, when the pollutant concentration detected by the first sensor 20 is equal to or less than the reference value, the process proceeds to step S10. In step S10, the control device 23 confirms whether or not the wind direction has been changed toward the positions of all the people detected in step S5. That is, when a plurality of people are detected and the positions of the persons detected in step S5 are a plurality of locations, it is confirmed whether or not the wind direction has been changed toward each of the plurality of locations.

If the wind direction has not been changed for all the positions of the plurality of people, the process returns to step S6. Then, in step S6, the control device 23 controls the exhaust direction changing means so that the wind direction is directed to a position where the wind direction has not yet been directed among the positions of the plurality of people detected in step S5.

On the other hand, when the wind direction has been changed for the positions of all the persons at the plurality of locations in step S10, the process returns to step S4. Further, even if the position of the person detected in step S5 is only one place, the process returns to step S4.

On the other hand, when the timing of the detection target of the third sensor 24, that is, the contamination occurrence estimation timing is detected in step S3, the process proceeds to step S11. In step S11, the control device 23 controls the blower device 6 so that the air volume becomes “strong”. After step S11, the process proceeds to step S12.

In step S12, the control device 23 acquires the detection result of the second sensor 21. After step S12, the process proceeds to step S13. In step S13, the control device 23 controls the exhaust direction changing means to direct the wind direction of the blower device 6 to the position of the person detected by the second sensor 21. After step S13, the process proceeds to step S14.

In step S14, the control device 23 waits in that state until a predetermined fixed time elapses. That is, the blowing to the wind direction changed in step S13 is continued for a certain period of time. After step S14, the process proceeds to step S15.

In step S15, the control device 23 acquires the detection result of the first sensor 20. After step S15, the process proceeds to step S16. In step S16, the control device 23 confirms the detection result of the first sensor 20 acquired in step S15, and determines whether or not the pollutant concentration detected by the first sensor 20 is equal to or less than the reference value. If the pollutant concentration detected by the first sensor 20 exceeds the reference value, the process returns to step S14.

On the other hand, when the pollutant concentration detected by the first sensor 20 is equal to or less than the reference value, the process proceeds to step S17. In step S17, the control device 23 confirms whether or not the wind direction has been changed toward the positions of all the people detected by the second sensor 21. That is, when a plurality of people are detected and the positions of the persons detected by the second sensor 21 are at a plurality of locations, it is confirmed whether or not the wind direction has been changed toward each of the plurality of locations. do.

If the wind direction has not been changed for all the positions of the plurality of people, the process returns to step S13. Then, in step S13, the control device 23 controls the exhaust direction changing means so that the wind direction is directed to a position where the wind direction has not yet been directed among the positions of the plurality of people detected by the first sensor 20.

On the other hand, when the wind direction has been changed for the positions of all the persons at the plurality of locations in step S17, the process proceeds to step S18. In step S18, the control device 23 acquires the detection result of the third sensor 24. After step S18, the process proceeds to step S19. In step S19, the control device 23 confirms the detection result of the third sensor 24 acquired in step S18, and determines whether or not the above-mentioned timing, which is the detection target of the third sensor 24, has been detected.

The timing detected by the third sensor 24 at this time is not the timing at which the phenomenon of pollutant generation may have occurred, but the timing at which such a phenomenon may have ended. Specifically, for example, when the operation timing of the home electric appliance in the room is the detection target, it is the timing when the operation of the home electric appliance ends. Then, if the timing at which the phenomenon of generating such pollutants may have ended is not detected by the third sensor 24, the process returns to step S12.

On the other hand, when the timing at which the phenomenon of pollutant generation may have ended is detected by the third sensor 24, the process proceeds to step S20. Then, as described above, the air volume of the blower device 6 is set to "weak", or the operation of the blower device 6 is stopped to end the preventive operation, and the series of processes is completed.

The control device 23 stores the control of the blower 6 based on the detection results of the third sensor 24 and the first sensor 20 and the control based on the detection results of the second sensor 21 as described above. It may be performed while referring to the information stored in 25. That is, the storage unit 25 associates the detection result of the first sensor 20, the detection result of the second sensor 21, and the detection result of the third sensor 24 with the operation contents of the blower 6 and the exhaust direction changing means. I remember. Then, the control device 23 determines the operation content of the blower device 6 and the exhaust direction changing means with reference to the information stored in the storage unit 25.

More specifically, the control device 23 is associated with the same or similar detection results as the detection results of the third sensor 24 and the second sensor 21 this time among the information stored in the storage unit 25. The operation contents of the blower 6 and the exhaust direction changing means are adopted. At this time, instead of adopting the value itself stored in the storage unit 25 for the air volume and the exhaust direction of the blower device 6, the value stored in the storage unit 25 is changed by a preset adjustment value. You may.

In this case, the storage unit 25 contains the detection results of the third sensor 24 and the second sensor 21, the operation contents of the blower 6 and the exhaust direction changing means, and the previous first sensor 20 under the conditions. It is stored in association with the time change of the detection result. Then, the control device 23 changes the detection result of the first sensor 20 over time when the air volume and the exhaust direction of the blower device 6 are changed by the adjusted values, and the previous time under the same conditions stored in the storage unit 25. The time change of the detection result of the first sensor 20 is compared.

When the time change of the detection result of the first sensor 20 this time reduces the pollutant concentration in a shorter time, the control device 23 operates the blower 6 and the exhaust direction changing means under the present conditions. Is overwritten with the adjusted one and stored in the storage unit 25. On the other hand, when the time change of the detection result of the first sensor 20 in the previous time reduces the pollutant concentration in a shorter time, the storage unit 25 retains the current stored contents as it is.

In this way, the control device 23 changes the operation contents of the blower device 6 and the exhaust direction changing means stored in the storage unit 25 by a preset adjustment value, and changes the blower device 6 and the exhaust direction changing means. Control. Then, according to the comparison result between the detection result of the first sensor 20 and the detection result of the first sensor 20 stored in the storage unit 25 at that time, the blower 6 and the exhaust direction stored in the storage unit 25 Learn to update the operation content of the changing means.

By doing so, under the conditions in which the detection results of the same or similar third sensor 24 and second sensor 21 are obtained, learning is performed each time, and the pollutant concentration is reduced in a shorter time. It becomes possible to control the air volume and the wind direction so as to make the air flow.

When another blower device is installed in the room where the air purifier 1 is installed, the control device 23 operates the blower device 6 and the exhaust direction changing means in consideration of the operating status of the other blower device. It is preferable to determine the content. That is, it is preferable to connect the air purifier 1 to another blower device so as to be able to communicate with another blower device by wire or wirelessly so that the air purifier 1 can be linked with the other blower device. For example, when another blower is operating, the airflow in the room may change, and the wind direction and volume that can efficiently purify the air with the air purifier 1 may also change. Therefore, it is possible to purify the air more efficiently by coordinating with other blowers and determining the operation contents of the blower 6 and the exhaust direction changing means in consideration of the operating conditions of the other blowers. can. Further, when the other blower device also has an air purifying function, it is possible to purify the air in a shorter time by interlocking the air purifying device 1 with the other blower device.

Further, the first sensor 20, the second sensor 21, and the third sensor 24 do not necessarily have to be mounted on the air purifying device 1. Even if the first sensor 20, the second sensor 21, and the third sensor 24 are installed outside the air purifying device 1, these sensors and the control device 23 can be connected by wire or wirelessly so as to be communicable. good.

For example, it is desirable that the first sensor 20 is installed at a position close to the space where a person lives. Specifically, for example, if the first sensor 20 is mounted on a smartphone or the like, it is possible to detect the concentration of pollutants around a person who actually wants to suck clean air. Further, the second sensor 21 is preferably installed at a high position such as the ceiling of the room. By detecting the position of a person from above from a bird's-eye view, the influence of furniture and the like can be minimized, and the position of a person can be detected accurately. Then, it may be better to mount the third sensor 24 on a device other than the blower device. For example, when the third sensor 24 detects sound, the blown sound becomes noise in the vicinity of the blower device, which may cause erroneous detection.

1 Air purifier 2 Casing 2A Partition 3 Pedestal 4 Suction port 5 Air outlet 5A 1st air outlet 5B 2nd air outlet 6 Blower 6A Fan 6B Motor 7 Air passage 7A 1st air passage 7B 2nd air passage 8 Cleaning device 9 Movable louver 10 Luber drive unit 11 Opening variable mechanism 12 Opening drive unit 13 Rectifier mechanism 14 Rectifier drive unit 15 Horizontal rotation mechanism 20 First sensor 21 Second sensor 22 Operation unit 23 Control device 24 Third Sensor 25 Storage unit 40 Infrared sensor 41 Multi-element light receiving unit 41a to 41h Light receiving element 42 Condensing lens 43 Light distribution viewing angle 43a to 43h Light distribution viewing angle 44 Sensor operating part 50 Wind direction vector 50a Vertical vector 50b Front-back direction vector

Claims (7)

An air purification means that purifies the air by removing one or more of odorous substances, dust, pollen, fungi, viruses, and VOC pollutants from the passing air.
A first sensor that detects the concentration of pollutants that can be removed from the air by the air purification means in the passing air, and
The first sensor, the ventilation means for passing air in the order of the air purification means, and the air blowing means.
An exhaust unit that sends out air purified by the air purification means,
Exhaust direction changing means for changing the air delivery direction from the exhaust unit, and
A second sensor that detects the position of a person within a preset human detection range, and
Operation timing of the appliances in the room, and a third sensor for detecting one or more of the change timing of air pressure generation timing及beauty in a room of sound in the room,
The blower means and the control means for controlling the operation of the exhaust direction changing means are provided.
The control means controls to stop the operation of the blower means or reduce the air volume according to the detection result of the first sensor, the detection result of the second sensor, and the detection result of the third sensor. In addition, an air purifying device that controls one or both of operating the ventilation means and the exhaust direction changing means so that air is sent from the exhaust unit toward a person's position. The air purifying device according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the blowing means is stopped or the air volume is reduced according to the detection result of the first sensor. The air purifying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the exhaust direction changing means is operated so that air is sent from the exhaust unit toward a person's position according to the detection result of the second sensor. .. The air purifying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the operation of the blowing means is started or the air volume is increased according to the detection result of the third sensor. The control means is detected by the first sensor even after a predetermined fixed time has elapsed since the operation of the blower means was started or the air volume was increased according to the detection result of the third sensor. The air purifying device according to claim 4, wherein the operation of the air blowing means is stopped or the air volume is reduced when the concentration of the pollutant does not exceed a preset reference value. A storage means for storing the detection result of the first sensor, the detection result of the second sensor, the detection result of the third sensor, and the operation contents of the ventilation means and the exhaust direction changing means in association with each other. Further prepare
The air purification according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control means refers to the information stored in the storage means to determine the operation contents of the ventilation means and the exhaust direction changing means. Device. The control means controls the blower means and the exhaust direction changing means by changing only preset adjustment values from the operation contents of the blower means and the exhaust direction changing means stored in the storage means. At that time, the blower means and the exhaust direction change stored in the storage means according to the comparison result between the detection result of the first sensor and the detection result of the first sensor stored in the storage means. The air purifying device according to claim 6, wherein learning for updating the operation content of the means is performed.

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