EP2333441A1

EP2333441A1 - Humidifying apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP2333441A1
Application number: EP09809805A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mitsuhisa Nagao
Original assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
Priority date: 2008-09-01
Filing date: 2009-08-18
Publication date: 2011-06-15
Also published as: EP2333441A4; CN102119302A; JP2010078310A; WO2010024152A1; CN102119302B; JP4434308B1

Abstract

There are provided a fan 20 placed in a casing 1, a humidifying filter 40 for humidifying air flow produced by the fan 20, a water tray 90 placed below the humidifying filter 40, a water sprinkling device 60 having a rotation frame on which the humidifying filter 40 is mounted and which is rotatably supported by the casing 1 and bucket parts 61 which are provided on the rotation frame and which are for drawing up water from the water tray 90 and sprinkling the water on the humidifying filter 40, a geared motor 74 for rotating the rotation frame of the water sprinkling device 60, and a control unit 200 for controlling the fan 20 and the geared motor 74. The control unit 200 carries out a humidification preparing operation for infiltrating the water into the humidifying filter 40, by controlling the geared motor 74 and thus controlling the rotation of the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60, before carrying out a humidifying operation.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a humidifying device.

BACKGROUND ART

There has conventionally been a humidifying device having a fan, a humidifying filter, and a water sprinkling device for sprinkling water on the humidifying filter, in a casing having a suction opening and a blow-off opening (see JP 2005-282980 A (Patent Literature 1), for instance).
The water sprinkling device of the humidifying device is composed of a plurality of dippers that rotate along a vertical plane, the dippers provided with bucket parts on extremities of rods that rotate along the vertical plane. The bucket parts of the dippers that are rotating continuously supply the humidifying filter with water drawn up from a water tank below.
The humidifying device, however, has a problem in that waterdrops may adhere onto surfaces of the humidifying filter with the water repelled by the humidifying filter without permeation therethrough upon start of an humidifying operation on condition that scale has occurred on the surfaces of the humidifying filter in dry state, in particular, and in that the waterdrops may be flown by air flow from the fan and may result in downwind water escape. In this case, the adherence of the waterdrops onto air passages, the blow-off opening and/or the like downwind of the humidifying filter may increase a possibility of water leakage.

CITATION LIST

PATENT LITERATURE

PATENT LITERATURE 1: JP 2005-282980 A

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

TECHNICAL PROBLEM

An object of the invention is to provide a humidifying device that is capable of preventing water escape resulting from water repelled by a humidifying member upon start of an humidifying operation.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM

In order to achieve the object, a humidifying device of the invention comprises:

a casing having suction openings and blow-off openings,
a fan provided in the casing,
a humidifying member for performing humidification for air flow produced by the fan,
a driving device for rotating the humidifying member,
a water reservoir part that is placed below the humidifying member,
a water supplying device for supplying water from the water reservoir part to the humidifying member, and
a control unit for controlling the fan, the driving device, and the water supplying device, wherein
the control unit carries out a humidification preparing operation prior to a humidifying operation by controlling the driving device and the water supplying device so that at least one of a rotation velocity of the fan and a rotation velocity of the humidifying member are made lower than lower limit rotation velocities of the humidifying operation and so that the water is infiltrated into the humidifying member by supply of the water from the water reservoir part onto the humidifying member being rotated by the driving device.

According to an above configuration, water escape resulting from the water repelled by the humidifying member can be prevented by the performance of the humidification preparing operation in which the control unit controls the water supplying device and the driving device so that the water is infiltrated into the humidifying member by the supply of the water from the water reservoir part onto the humidifying member being rotated by the driving device, prior to the performance of the humidifying operation.
Herein, the term "humidifying operation" refers to an operation in which humidification from the humidifying member impregnated with the water for air flow from the fan is performed by the supply of the water from the water supplying device onto the humidifying member being rotated by the driving device, with the rotation velocity of the fan being not lower than the lower limit rotation velocity for fan and with the rotation velocity of the humidifying member being not lower than the lower limit rotation velocity for humidifying member. In the "humidification preparing operation," the fan may be stopped so as to have the rotation velocity of zero or an average rotation velocity of the humidifying member may be made lower than the lower limit rotation velocity for humidifying member in the humidifying operation by combination of the rotation and stoppage of the humidifying member.
In one embodiment, the water supplying device comprises a rotation frame on which the humidifying member is mounted and which is rotatably supported by the casing and bucket parts which are provided on the rotation frame in order to draw up the water from the water reservoir part and in order to sprinkle the water on the humidifying member, wherein
the driving device is a motor for rotating the rotation frame of the water supplying device, and wherein
the control unit carries out the humidification preparing operation prior to the humidifying operation by controlling the motor so as to rotate the rotation frame of the water supplying device and so as to thereby infiltrate the water into the humidifying member.
According to the above embodiment, water escape resulting from the water repelled by the humidifying member can be prevented by the performance of the humidification preparing operation in which the control unit controls the motor and the rotation of the rotation frame of the water supplying device so as to infiltrate the water into the humidifying member mounted on the rotation frame, prior to the performance of the humidifying operation. In the humidifying device of the embodiment, having the motor doubling as the driving device and a driving part for the water supplying device, the configuration thereof can be simplified and the control thereof can be facilitated.
In one embodiment, the control unit controls the motor so as to rotate the rotation frame of the water supplying device by a predetermined quantity of rotation and so as to thereafter stop the rotation frame for a predetermined period of time in the humidification preparing operation.
According to the above embodiment, the water escape can more reliably be prevented because the control unit controls the motor so that the normal humidifying operation is performed after the water is sufficiently infiltrated into the humidifying member in the humidification preparing operation by the rotation of the rotation frame of the water supplying device by the predetermined quantity of rotation and the subsequent stoppage thereof for the predetermined period of time in the humidification preparing operation.
In one embodiment, the control unit controls the motor so as to rotate the rotation frame of the water supplying device by at least one and a half revolutions and so as to thereafter stop the rotation frame for a predetermined period of time in the humidification preparing operation.
According to the above embodiment, the water escape can more reliably be prevented because the control unit controls the motor so that all the bucket parts of the water supplying device draw up the water from the water reservoir part and sprinkle the water on the humidifying member in the humidification preparing operation with the rotation of the rotation frame of the water supplying device by at least one and a half revolutions and the subsequent stoppage thereof for the predetermined period of time in the humidification preparing operation and because the normal humidifying operation is performed after the water is thus sufficiently infiltrated into the humidifying member.
In one embodiment, the control unit controls the motor so as to rotate the rotation frame of the water supplying device by a predetermined quantity of rotation and so as to thereafter stop the rotation frame for one minute in the humidification preparing operation.
According to the above embodiment, the water escape can more reliably be prevented because the control unit controls the motor so that the normal humidifying operation is performed after the water is sufficiently infiltrated into the humidifying member in the humidification preparing operation by the rotation of the rotation frame of the water supplying device by the predetermined quantity of rotation and the subsequent stoppage of the rotation frame of the water supplying device for one minute in the humidification preparing operation.
In one embodiment, the humidifying member has a pleat structure in which directions of creases parallel one another, and wherein
the control unit controls the motor so that the directions of the creases of the pleat structure of the humidifying member become horizontal in general when rotation of the rotation frame of the water supplying device is stopped in the humidification preparing operation.
According to the above embodiment, start-up of the humidifying operation can be quickened by infiltration of more moisture into the humidifying member because the water is restrained from falling by being caught by the creases of the pleat structure of the humidifying member, when the rotation of the rotation frame is stopped, by the control over the motor by the control unit such that the direction of the creases of the pleat structure of the humidifying member becomes horizontal in general when the rotation of the rotation frame of the water supplying device is stopped in the humidification preparing operation.
One embodiment further comprises:

a rotational position detector unit for detecting a rotational position of the rotation frame of the water supplying device, wherein
the control unit stops the rotation frame in the humidification preparing operation on basis of the rotational position of the rotation frame of the water supplying device which position is detected by the rotational position detector unit.

According to the above embodiment, the control unit controls the motor so as to stop the rotation frame of the water supplying device in the humidification preparing operation on basis of the rotational position of the humidifying member on the rotation frame of the water supplying device which position is detected by the rotational position detector unit. The humidifying member is mounted on the rotation frame so that the direction of the creases of the pleat structure becomes horizontal in a position in which the rotation frame is stopped, and thus the direction of the creases of the pleat structure of the humidifying member can reliably be made horizontal in general when the rotation is stopped.
In one embodiment, the humidifying member is positioned relative to and mounted on the rotation frame of the water supplying device.
According to the above embodiment, the humidifying member is positioned relative to and mounted on the rotation frame so that the direction of the creases of the pleat structure becomes horizontal in the position in which the rotation frame is stopped, and thus the direction of the creases of the pleat structure of the humidifying member can reliably be made horizontal in general when the rotation is stopped.
One embodiment further comprises:

a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of air sucked by the fan, and
a humidity sensor for detecting a humidity of the air sucked by the fan, wherein
the control unit carries out the humidifying operation by controlling the fan and the motor on basis of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the humidity detected by the humidity sensor when the temperature satisfies a predetermined temperature condition and when the humidity satisfies a predetermined humidity condition.

According to the above embodiment, the control unit controls the fan and the motor and thereby controls the humidifying operation on basis of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the humidity detected by the humidity sensor so that the temperature satisfies the predetermined temperature condition and so that the humidity satisfies the predetermined humidity condition, and thus the humidifying operation providing satisfactory comfort can be performed with the control over the humidifying operation on basis of AND conditions of the temperature condition and the humidity condition.
In one embodiment, the control unit controls the motor so as to rotate the rotation frame of the water supplying device for a predetermined period of time at a velocity lower than that in a normal humidifying operation before the humidifying operation is performed.
According to the above embodiment, the water escape can more reliably be prevented because the control unit controls the motor so that the normal humidifying operation is performed after the water is sufficiently infiltrated into the humidifying member, mounted on the rotation frame that is rotating at the lower velocity, by the rotation of the rotation frame of the water supplying device for the predetermined period of time at the velocity lower than that in the normal humidifying operation before the humidifying operation is performed.
In one embodiment, the control unit controls the motor so as to alternately perform rotation and stoppage of the rotation frame of the water supplying device for predetermined periods of time before the humidifying operation is performed.
According to the above embodiment, the water escape can more reliably be prevented because the control unit controls the motor so as to alternately perform the rotation and stoppage of the rotation frame of the water supplying device for the predetermined period of time before the humidifying operation is performed and thereby carries out the normal humidifying operation after the water is reliably and sufficiently infiltrated into the humidifying member mounted on the rotation frame that is alternately rotated and stopped.
In one embodiment, the control unit stops the fan in the humidification preparing operation.
According to the above embodiment, waterdrops that have not yet been infiltrated into the humidifying member can be prevented from being flown by air flow from the fan, by the stoppage of the fan by the control unit in the normal humidifying operation.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the humidifying device of the invention, as seen from above, the humidifying device that is capable of preventing the water escape resulting from the water repelled by the humidifying member upon the start of the humidifying operation can be obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a humidifying device of a first embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the humidifying device;
Fig. 3 is a cross section of the humidifying device;
Fig. 4 is a front view of the humidifying device from which a front panel has been removed, as seen looking from a side of a water tank;
Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a comparative example;
Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a relation among a fan, a humidifying filter, and a partition plate of the humidifying device;
Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a relation among the humidifying filter, a bell mouth, and the partition plate of the humidifying device;
Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a relation among a humidifying filter, a bell mouth, and a partition wall of a modification;
Fig. 9 is a view of a water sprinkling device as seen looking from a front side;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a rotation frame;
Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing an important part of a rotation frame;
Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing bucket parts;
Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a water tray;
Fig. 14A is a table showing a result of a test for quantity of humidification in the humidifying device and the comparative example;
Fig. 14B is a graph showing a result of a test for quantity of humidification in the humidifying device and the comparative example;
Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the water sprinkling device in which the humidifying filter is mounted;
Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the water sprinkling device mounted in the water tray;
Fig. 17 is a control block diagram for the humidifying device;
Fig. 18 is a diagram for description of control by the control unit of the humidifying device over a humidifying operation on basis of room temperature;
Fig. 19 is a diagram illustrating the control over the humidifying operation under a condition that the room temperature is increasing;
Fig. 20 is a diagram illustrating the control over the humidifying operation under a condition that the room temperature is decreasing;
Fig. 21 is a diagram for description of control by the control unit of the humidifying device over the humidifying operation on basis of humidity;
Fig. 22 is a diagram illustrating humidity zones on occasions of increase in humidity and decrease in humidity;
Fig. 23 is a diagram illustrating control over the humidifying operation in the humidity zones;
Fig. 24 is a diagram illustrating control over rotation of the rotation frame of the water sprinkling device at start-up of the humidifying operation;
Fig. 25 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration for detecting a position of the rotation frame of the water sprinkling device;
Fig. 26A is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of positioning of the humidifying filter relative to the rotation frame of the water sprinkling device;
Fig. 26B is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of positioning of the humidifying filter relative to the rotation frame of the water sprinkling device;
Fig. 27 is a perspective view of an air conditioner using a humidifying device of a second embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 28 is a perspective view of a humidifying unit of the air conditioner; and
Fig. 29 is a perspective view of the humidifying unit as seen looking from downstream side of air flow in Fig. 28.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinbelow, the invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

(First Embodiment)

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a humidifying device of the invention. As shown in Fig. 1, this humidifying device has a casing 1, which is composed of a casing body 2 and a front panel 3 that is detachably attached to the casing body 2.
Suction openings 5, 5 are provided on both side faces of the casing 1 (see Fig. 3), and a blow-off opening 6 is provided on rear part of a top face of the casing 1.
In the humidifying device, in this manner, suction openings and blow-off openings are omitted on a rear face 7 of the casing 1 with the suction openings 5, 5 provided on the side faces of the casing 1 and with the blow-off opening 6 provided on the top face of the casing 1, and thus the rear face 7 of the casing 1 of the humidifying device can be brought into close contact with a wall surface of a room not shown, so that a degree of freedom for installation of the humidifying device is increased.
Conventional humidifying devices cannot be brought into close contact with a wall surface of a room and have small degrees of freedom for installation thereof because suction openings provided on a rear face of a casing thereof increase suction resistance unless a clearance with a certain degree of size is provided between the casing and the wall surface of the room.
In the casing 1, as shown in Fig. 2, a water tank 10 is vertically placed on front side and a fan 20 that is driven by a fan motor 21 is placed on rear side. In the water tank 10, which has the same widely known structure as an oil tank of an oil heater has, a check valve not shown is provided on an outlet of bottom part, and is pressed and opened in a state in which the water tank 10 is vertically positioned. Between the water tank 10 and the fan 20, an air cleaning filter unit 30 and a disc-shaped humidifying filter 40 as an example of a humidifying member are provided in order of mention from the front side.
In Fig. 2, reference numerals 111, 112, 113, 114, and 115 denote a printed circuit board for power supply, a printed circuit board for operation control, a printed circuit board for display, a dust sensor, and a reserve filter, respectively; however, those components have slight relations with purport of the invention and therefore detailed description thereof is omitted. Numeral 200 denotes a control unit for controlling the humidifying device.
As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the water tank 10 and the air cleaning filter unit 30 are generally rectangular in front view and overlap each other in generally most part thereof as seen looking in a front-to-back direction. Lower part of the air cleaning filter unit 30 and the humidifying filter 40 overlap each other as seen looking in the front-to-back direction. The water tank 10, the air cleaning filter unit 30, and the humidifying filter 40 are placed so as to overlap with at least a portion of a bell mouth 23 of the fan 20, i.e., so as to cover at least the portion of the bell mouth 23, and noises from the fan 20 are thereby reduced.
Herein the bell mouth 23 refers to a concept including an opening surrounded by the bell mouth 23, as well as the bell mouth 23 itself.
An order of frequency of maintenance, from the highest to the lowest, is the water tank 10, the air cleaning filter unit 30, and the humidifying filter 40, in general. For instance, the water tank 10 has to be replenished with water everyday in general, the air cleaning filter unit 30 requiring cleaning or replacement once about every two weeks to a year and a half, the humidifying filter 40 requiring replacement once about every two years. Among the water tank 10, the air cleaning filter unit 30, and the humidifying filter 40, namely, the frequency of the water replenishment for the water tank 10 is the highest, the frequency of the cleaning, replacement or the like of the air cleaning filter unit 30 is the second highest, and the frequency of the cleaning and replacement of the humidifying filter 40 is the lowest. That is, the order of frequency of maintenance operations, from the highest to the lowest, i.e., the water tank 10, the air cleaning filter unit 30, and the humidifying filter 40, is an order of nearness to the front side of the casing 1, i.e., nearness to the front panel 3.
Thus the higher the frequency of maintenance of a member is, the nearer to the front side of the casing 1, i.e., the front panel 3, the member is placed, so that workability for the maintenance of the water tank 10, the air cleaning filter unit 30, and the humidifying filter 40 is improved.
The air cleaning filter unit 30 includes a prefilter 31 for collecting large-size dust, hairs of pets and the like, an ionization part 32 for charging dust, motes and the like, a dust collection filter 33 for collecting the charged dust, motes and the like, the dust collection filter composed of, e.g., a pleat filter, and a deodorizing filter 34 for collecting malodorous components such as odors of cigarette, pets and the like. The prefilter 31, the ionization part 32, the dust collection filter 33, and the deodorizing filter 34 are arranged generally on a straight line, in an order of mention from the front side of the casing 1. Thus the water tank 10, the prefilter 31, the ionization part 32, the dust collection filter 33, the deodorizing filter 34, and the humidifying filter 40 are arranged in an order of mention from the front side of the casing 1.
An order of frequency of maintenance, from the highest to the lowest, is the water tank 10, the prefilter 31, the ionization part 32, the dust collection filter 33, the deodorizing filter 34, and the humidifying filter 40, in general. For instance, the water tank 10 has to be replenished with water everyday in general, a frequency of cleaning of the prefilter 31 is once about every two weeks, a frequency of maintenance of the ionization part 32 is once about a half year, a frequency of cleaning or replacement of the dust collection filter 33 is once about a year, a frequency of cleaning of the deodorizing filter 34 is once about a year and a half, and the humidifying filter 40 requires replacement once about every two years. The order of frequency of maintenance, from the highest to the lowest, is the water tank 10, the prefilter 31, the ionization part 32, the dust collection filter 33, the deodorizing filter 34, and the humidifying filter 40, this order coinciding with an order of nearness to the front side of the casing 1, i.e., nearness to the front panel 3.
Thus the higher the frequency of maintenance of a member is, the nearer to the front side of the casing 1, i.e., the front panel 3, the member is placed, so that workability for the maintenance of the water tank 10, the prefilter 31, the ionization part 32, the dust collection filter 33, the deodorizing filter 34, and the humidifying filter 40 is improved because members having lower frequencies of maintenance works are prevented from interfering with members having higher frequencies of maintenance works.
The ionization part 32 is placed on upstream side of the humidifying filter 40 with respect to air flow, and thus dust and motes deposited on the ionization part 32 are prevented from containing moisture from the humidifying filter 40, so that failure of electric discharge can be prevented.
The deodorizing filter 34 is placed on upstream side of the humidifying filter 40 with respect to air flow, and thus moisture from the humidifying filter 40 is prevented from filling in absorption holes in the deodorizing filter 34, so that deterioration in deodorizing performance can be prevented.
The dust collection filter 33 is the pleat filter having a large surface area, and thus ventilation resistance therethrough can be decreased.
Rear surfaces of the water tank 10 are made to double as guide surfaces for guiding air sucked through the suction openings 5, 5, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to make separate guide members unnecessary and so as to reduce a size of the humidifying device in the front-to-back direction.
Specifically, the water tank 10 has a horizontal section generally shaped like a trapezoid as shown in Fig. 3, and the rear surfaces 11 are composed of slant surfaces 12, 12 on both sides and a flat surface 13 at center so that thicknesses of the tank gradually increase from side parts toward a center part thereof.
The slant surfaces 12, 12 on the rear surfaces 11 of the water tank 10 gradually guide air, sucked through the suction openings 5, 5 of the casing 1, toward the prefilter 31 of the air cleaning filter unit 30 and thereby reduce the ventilation resistance.
In place of the slant surfaces 12, 12, there may be used curved surfaces, not shown, for gradually guiding air from the suction openings 5 toward the prefilter 31.
The center part of the water tank 10 having the flat surface 13 has a thickness larger than the thicknesses of the side parts and thus the part that might be a dead space at center is effectively used as the center part of the water tank 10 so as to increase a capacity of the tank.
The prefilter 31, the ionization part 32, the dust collection filter 33, and the deodorizing filter 34 of the air cleaning filter unit 30, and the humidifying filter 40 are arranged generally on a straight line so as to partially overlap one another as seen looking in the front-to-back direction, and a number of turns of air flow sucked through the suction openings 5 is thereby decreased so that the ventilation resistance is reduced.
As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the deodorizing filter 34, the dust collection filter 33, and the like of the air cleaning filter unit 30 are made to overlap the whole bell mouth 23 of the fan 20, while the humidifying filter 40 is made to overlap lower part of the bell mouth 23 without overlap with upper part of the bell mouth 23. Therefore, air flowing through a non-humidifying passage 51 extending from upper part of the deodorizing filter 34 to the upper part of the bell mouth 23 does not pass through the humidifying filter 40, and thus a ventilation resistance against the air flowing through the non-humidifying passage 51 can be reduced, so that a sufficient quantity of air flow (quantity of air) can be ensured when only air cleaning operation is performed without performance of humidifying operation, in particular.
A partition plate 50 effects partition between a humidifying passage 52 extending from the lower part of the deodorizing filter 34 of the air cleaning filter unit 30 to the humidifying filter 40 and the non-humidifying passage 51 extending from the upper part of the deodorizing filter 34 to the upper part of the bell mouth 23 for the fan 20.
The partition plate 50 prevents air flow from the humidifying passage 52 to the non-humidifying passage 51, that is, prevents air flow from the humidifying passage 52 from bypassing the humidifying filter 40, and thus almost all of air flowing through the humidifying passage 52 is made to flow into the humidifying filter 40, so that a great quantity of humidification can be attained.
If it were not for the partition plate 50, air flow A3 flowing through the humidifying passage 52 would flow into the non-humidifying passage 51 and would bypass the humidifying filter 40 as in a comparative example shown in a schematic diagram of Fig. 5, so that the quantity of humidification would be decreased.
The partition plate 50 extends from the deodorizing filter 34 of the air cleaning filter unit 30 to vicinity of the fan 20. Though not shown, alternatively, the partition plate 50 may extend from the deodorizing filter 34 to vicinity of the bell mouth 23.
This prevents turbulence that might be caused by collision between humidified air coming out of the humidifying filter 40 and non-humidified air flowing through the non-humidifying passage 51, thus reduces ventilation resistance, and reduces noises.
For specific description with reference to schematic diagrams of Figs. 6 and 7, separation between the non-humidifying passage 51 and the humidifying passage 52 by the partition plate 50 extending to the vicinity of the fan 20 prevents collision between air flow A1 flowing through the non-humidifying passage 51 and air flow A2 flowing through the humidifying passage 52, thus prevents turbulence that might be caused by the collision, and reduces the ventilation resistance and noises.
As shown in a modification of Fig. 8, a partition plate 58 may extend from the air cleaning filter unit 30 to the humidifying filter 40.
With this configuration also, air flow that bypasses the humidifying filter 40 can be prevented by the partition plate 58 and thus sufficient air can be passed through the humidifying filter 40, so that a great quantity of humidification can be attained.
As shown in Fig. 4, the partition plate 50 is composed of horizontal parts 53, 54 and a slant part 55 linking the horizontal parts 53, 54 and extends along the humidifying filter 40 and a water sprinkling device 60.
The humidifying filter 40 is a so-called evaporating filter or the like composed of nonwoven fabric or the like, for instance, allows passage of air therethrough, and humidifies the passing air with evaporated moisture. As shown in Figs. 2 through 4, the humidifying filter 40 is shaped like a disc and is fixed to the water sprinkling device 60.
As schematically shown in Figs. 2 and 3, bucket parts 61 of the water sprinkling device 60 are inclined so as to sprinkle water toward upstream side of the humidifying filter 40 with respect to the air flow, that is, so that upstream side, with respect to the air flow, of inner surfaces 62 of the bucket parts 61 in vicinity of openings 81 and on side of the humidifying filter 40 is in lower position when the humidifying filter 40 is sprinkled with the water.
As shown in Fig. 9, the water sprinkling device 60 has a support leg part 63, a rotation frame 65, and the bucket parts 61, 61, .... The rotation frame 65 is mounted on the support leg part 63 so as to be rotatable along a vertical plane. More specifically, a boss part 66 at center of the rotation frame 65 is rotatably mounted on upper part of the support leg part 63 through a bearing part 64.
As shown in Fig. 10, the rotation frame 65 has the boss part 66, a ring-like disc part 67, and a plurality of radial arms 68, 68, ... linking the ring-like disc part 67 and the boss part. The arms 68, 68, ... are connected to one another by a ring part 69 for reinforcement.
As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the plurality of bucket parts 61, 61, ... are circumferentially provided at uniform intervals on one end surface of the ring-like disc part 67 of the rotation frame 65. Though the humidifying filter 40 is not shown in Figs. 10 and 11, an outer circumferential surface of the humidifying filter 40 is exposed from the rotation frame 65 between the bucket parts 61.
Thus water released from the bucket parts 61 can be made to permeate through the outer circumferential surface of the humidifying filter 40 exposed from the rotation frame 65 between the bucket parts 61, so that the quantity of humidification can be increased.
A gear 130 (see Fig. 16) is connected to an output shaft of a geared motor 74 as an example of a motor shown in Fig. 2, and the gear 130 is made to mesh with a gear 79 formed on outer circumference of the ring-like disc part 67, so that the rotation frame 65 can be driven by the geared motor 74.
As shown in Fig. 2, the geared motor 74 is placed so as not to overlap the humidifying filter 40 in the direction of the air flow, and thus the geared motor 74 is prevented from disturbing the air flow passing through the humidifying filter 40.
Thus a quantity of air passing through the humidifying filter 40 and the quantity of humidification can be increased.
On inner circumferential side of the ring-like disc part 67 of the rotation frame 65, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 in detail, inner flange parts 71, 71, ... are intermittently provided and holder parts 75 are provided that extend radially inward from vicinity of first openings 81 of the bucket parts 61 which openings face forward in a direction of rotation and that are generally shaped like nails. On side walls 61a on windward side of the bucket parts 61 are provided second openings 82 that extend from edges connected to the holder parts 75 while curving rearward in the direction of rotation so as to be shaped like angle brackets. Both end surfaces of the humidifying filter 40 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 but not shown in Figs. 10 and 11 are bound with and held by the inner flange parts 71, 71, ... and the holder parts 75, 75,... of the ring-like disc part 67, and the outer circumference of the humidifying filter 40 is held by an inner circumferential surface 76 of the ring-like disc part 67 and surfaces 77 on inner circumferential side of the bucket parts 61 (see Fig. 15).
A linear rib 89 is provided on each of the arms 68, 68, ... of the rotation frame 65, and the humidifying filter 40 is rotated together with the rotation frame 65 with the ribs 89 ingrowing in the humidifying filter 40, though not shown.
The holder parts 75 not only hold the front surface of the humidifying filter 40 but also double as water guides for guiding water discharged from the first and second openings 81 and 82 of the bucket parts 61, radially inward on the front surface of the humidifying filter 40. The water inside of the buckets 61 is discharged mainly through the second opening 82.
Thus the water discharged from the first and second openings 81 and 82 of the bucket parts 61 is guided radially inward and rapidly on the front surface of the humidifying filter 40 by the holder parts 75 and is thus rapidly spread over a wide area, so that the quantity of humidification can be increased.
As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, portions 78 of the ring-like disc part 67 that are forward of the first openings 81 of the bucket parts 61 with respect to the rotational direction of the rotation frame 65 function as wall parts that block the water from the openings 81 from going rearward with respect to the air flow without going onto the humidifying filter 40.
The wall parts 78 that are the portions of the ring-like disc part 67 prevent the water discharged from the first openings 81 of the bucket parts 61 from going rearward from the humidifying filter 40 together with the air flow without going onto the humidifying filter 40 and guide the water from the first openings 81 onto the humidifying filter 40.
Accordingly, the wall parts 78 prevent water escape rearward from the humidifying filter 40 so as to increase the quantity of humidification, and prevent water escape from the fan 20 and the blow-off opening 6.
As shown in Figs. 2 and 12, the bucket parts 61 of the water sprinkling device 60 are inclined so that the upstream side (the right side in Fig. 2 and Fig.12), with respect to the air flow, of the inner surfaces 62 in vicinity of the first and second openings 81 and 82 and on the side of the humidifying filter 40 is in lower position when the humidifying filter 40 is sprinkled with water.
Owing to the inclination of the inner surfaces 62 of the bucket parts 61 in vicinity of the first and second openings 81 and 82 and on the side of the humidifying filter 40 such that the upstream side thereof, with respect to the air flow, is in lower position when the humidifying filter 40 is sprinkled with water from the first and second openings 81 and 82, the water discharged from the first and second openings 81 and 82 has a velocity component directed toward the upstream side with respect to the air flow. Thus the upstream part of the humidifying filter 40 with respect to a direction of a thickness thereof is sprinkled with the water, and the sprinkled water is spread together with the air flow over downstream part of the humidifying filter 40 with respect to the thickness direction and is consequently spread over the whole humidifying filter 40 with respect to the thickness direction, so that a great quantity of humidification can be attained.
Inner surfaces of each of the buckets 61 on side of the humidifying filter 40 are formed of two steps, i.e., the inner surface 62 in vicinity of the first and second openings 81 and 82 on side of the humidifying filter 40 and an inner surface 72 in a position deeper than the inner surface 62 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 12, whereas the inner surfaces on the side of the humidifying filter 40 may be formed of one step composed of the inner surface 62 and an extension surface thereof. Curved depression surfaces 62a and 72a connected to a wall part 78 are formed on the inner surface 62 and the inner surfaces 72, respectively, of the buckets 61. Thus the water drawn up by the buckets 61 is smoothly discharged from inside of the buckets 61 through the first and second openings 81 and 82.
As shown in Figs. 2 and 11, a width of the first openings 81 of the bucket parts 61 in the thickness direction of the humidifying filter 40 is smaller than the thickness of the humidifying filter 40, and the first openings 81 of the bucket parts 61 correspond to the upstream part of the humidifying filter 40 with respect to the thickness direction (though not shown in Fig. 11, the humidifying filter 40 is interposed between the inner flange parts 71 and the holder parts 75).
Thus the water discharged from the first and second openings 81 and 82 of the bucket parts 61 is sprinkled on the upstream part of the humidifying filter 40 with respect to the air flow in the thickness direction thereof, and is prevented from being directly sprinkled on the downstream part of the humidifying filter 40 with respect to the air flow in the thickness direction.
Accordingly, the water is not only spread over the upstream part of the humidifying filter 40 sprinkled with the water with respect to the thickness direction but also the sprinkled water is spread together with the air flow over the downstream part of the humidifying filter 40 with respect to the thickness direction, so that the water is consequently spread over the whole humidifying filter 40 with respect to the thickness direction, and so that a great quantity of humidification can be attained.
The water is prevented from being directly sprinkled on the downstream part of the humidifying filter 40 with respect to the thickness direction, so that the water escape from the humidifying filter 40 to the downstream side and thus the water escape from the fan 20 and the blow-off opening 6 can be prevented.
As shown in Fig. 2, the water sprinkling device 60 is sized and positioned so that the humidifying filter 40 is not immersed in water in the water tray 90 as an example of a water reservoir part and so that the bucket parts 61 are capable of drawing up the water from a draw-up part 92 by being immersed in the water in the draw-up part 92.
The humidifying filter 40 is positioned so as not to be immersed in the water in the water tray 90, and thus a humidifying function is turned off, when the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60 is stopped, so that the humidifying filter 40 is not sprinkled with water from the bucket parts 61 and is prevented from being immersed in the water in the water tray 90 and absorbing the water.
Therefore, on-off control over the humidifying function can be attained by on-off control over the rotation of the rotation frame 65 by the geared motor 74.
In the water tray 90, as shown in Fig. 2, a partition wall 91 having a section in shape of an inverted letter "L" is provided for partition between the draw-up part 92 and a non-draw-up part 93. The bucket parts 61 draw up water from the draw-up part 92. The non-draw-up part 93 is subjected to an air pressure on upstream side of the air cleaning filter unit 30.
Upper part of the partition wall 91 is in close contact with lower parts of the prefilter 31, the ionization part 32, the dust collection filter 33, and the deodorizing filter 34 of the air cleaning filter unit 30, so that a differential pressure between the air pressure on the non-draw-up part 93 and the air pressure on the draw-up part 92 is caused by a resistance loss of air passing through the air cleaning filter unit 30.
A float switch 94 is provided in the non-draw-up part 93, and a display or an alarm indicating lack of water in the water tank 10 is provided by a display unit or an alarm unit not shown once the water level in the non-draw-up part 93 is lowered from a steady state by a specified value.
In the water tray 90, as shown more particularly in Fig. 13, the partition wall 91 (only a portion thereof is shown) is provided for the partition between the wide draw-up part 92 from which water is drawn up by the bucket parts 61 and the non-draw-up part 93 which is subjected to the air pressure on the upstream side of the air cleaning filter unit 30, and a horizontally long slot 95 as a water passage hole is provided on lower part of the partition wall 91.
When the differential pressure between the upstream side and the downstream side of the air cleaning filter unit 30 increases according to increase in the rotation velocity of the fan 20, the water level in the draw-up part 92 becomes higher than the water level in the non-draw-up part 93, according to magnitude of the differential pressure, so that a quantity of water drawn up by the bucket parts 61 can automatically be adjusted according to the rotation velocity of the fan 20.
Therefore, a quantity of water sprinkled on the humidifying filter 40 can automatically be adjusted according to the rotation velocity of the fan 20 and thus the quantity of humidification can easily and automatically be adjusted.
The horizontally long slot 95 provided on the partition wall 91 of the water tray 90 resists being exposed to air when the water level is lowered, quickly supplies water from the non-draw-up part 93 to the draw-up part 92, and thus increases a speed of response for the automatic adjustment of the water level in the draw-up part 92.
A water tank installation part 98 in which the water tank 10 is installed is provided in the non-draw-up part 93, and a height of a bottom surface 98b of the water tank installation part 98 is greater than a height of a bottom surface 93b of the non-draw-up part 93 in vicinity of the partition wall 91. On a peripheral wall of the water tank installation part 98 is provided a cutout 101 extending from an upper end thereof.
When suspension of the rotation of the fan 20 eliminates the differential pressure between the upstream side and the downstream side of the air cleaning filter unit 30, causes the water to return from the draw-up part 92 to the non-draw-up part 93, and makes the water level in the non-draw-up part 93 not less than a specified value, the water is discharged from the non-draw-up part 93 through the cutout 101 into a buffer water container part 99 and thus overflow of the water from the non-draw-up part 93 to outside is prevented.
In place of the cutout 101, through holes may be provided on upper parts of peripheral walls of the water tank installation part 98.
Reference numerals 121, 122, 123, and 124 in Fig. 4 denote a printed circuit board for high voltage, an odor sensor, a streamer, and a light receiving part, respectively; numerals 96 and 97 in Fig. 13 denote a hole for attachment of a case for antibacterial agent and a float attachment hole, respectively; however, those components have slight relations with purport of the invention and detailed description thereof is therefore omitted.
The humidifying device having the above configuration operates as follows.
When the fan 20 is driven by the fan motor 21 and when the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60 is driven by the geared motor 74, air is sucked through the suction openings 5, 5 on the side faces of the casing 1, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The sucked air has a direction of flow changed once by 90 degrees from between the rear surfaces 11 of the water tank 10 and the prefilter 31 of the air cleaning filter unit 30 toward the prefilter 31, thereafter flows straight in general in a horizontal direction through the prefilter 31, the ionization part 32, the dust collection filter 33, and the deodorizing filter 34 of the air cleaning filter unit 30, the humidifying filter 40, and the fan 20 that are arranged generally on a straight line, thereby undergoes purification and humidification, thereafter has the direction of flow changed once by 90 degrees to a generally vertical upward direction when exiting from the fan 20, and is discharged through the blow-off opening 6 on the top face of the casing 1.
Thus the humidifying device has a small ventilation resistance because a number of turns of air flow sucked through the suction openings 5, 5 of the casing 1, i.e., the number of turns of an air passage is as small as two, in general, of once from the suction openings 5, 5 on the side faces of the casing 1 to the prefilter 31 of the air cleaning filter unit 30 and once in the exit from the fan 20.
The air sucked through the suction openings 5, 5 of the casing 1 is gradually guided by the slant surfaces 12, 12 on both the sides of the rear surfaces 11 of the water tank 10 toward the prefilter 31 of the air cleaning filter unit 30, and thus undergoes little abrupt change in the direction thereof and the small ventilation resistance.
The purified air coming out of the upper part of the deodorizing filter 34 of the air cleaning filter unit 30 flows through the non-humidifying passage 51 separated from the humidifying passage 52 by the partition plate 50, passes through the upper part of the bell mouth 23 without passing through the humidifying filter 40, and is drawn into the fan 20, while the purified air coming out of the lower part of the deodorizing filter 34 flows through the humidifying passage 52, passes through the humidifying filter 40 so as to be humidified, passes through the lower part of the bell mouth 23, and is drawn into the fan 20.
In this manner, the air flowing through the non-humidifying passage 51 extending from the upper part of the deodorizing filter 34 to the upper part of the bell mouth 23 does not pass through the humidifying filter 40, and thus the ventilation resistance against the air flowing through the non-humidifying passage 51 can be reduced. In particular, a sufficient quantity of air flow (quantity of air) can be ensured by presence of the non-humidifying passage 51 when only the air cleaning operation is performed without performance of the humidifying operation, with operation of the water sprinkling device 60 suspended by suspension of the geared motor 74.
The purified air flowing through the humidifying passage 52 is prevented by the partition plate 50 from flowing from the humidifying passage 52 into the non-humidifying passage 51 while bypassing the humidifying filter 40, and thus almost all of air flowing from the lower part of the deodorizing filter 34 into the humidifying passage 52 is made to pass through the humidifying filter, i.e., humidifying rotor 40. Thus the partition plate 50 extending from the deodorizing filter 34 to vicinity of the fan 20 prevents air flow from the humidifying passage 52 from bypassing the humidifying filter 40, and thus a great quantity of humidification can be attained.
Figs. 14A and 14B are a table and a graph showing a result of a test for quantity of humidification in the first embodiment and a comparative example.
In Fig. 14B, reference character P denotes the first embodiment and character N denotes the comparative example different from the first embodiment only in that the partition plate 50 is removed from the first embodiment.
On condition that quantities of air flow (quantities of main air flow) from the fan 20 in the first embodiment P and the comparative example N were both 7.5 m³/min, as seen from Figs. 14A and 14B, a quantity of air passing through the humidifying filter 40 in the first embodiment increased to 3.50 m³/min from 3.21 m³/min in the comparative example N, and the quantity of humidification in the first embodiment increased to 597 cc/h from 556 cc/h in the comparative example N.
A ratio of increase of the quantity of humidification in the first embodiment P to that in the comparative example N is (597 - 556)/556 = 0.074.
In the first embodiment P, namely, the quantity of humidification increased by about a little over 7% in comparison with that in the comparative example N.
The partition plate 50 extending from the deodorizing filter 34 of the air cleaning filter unit 30 to vicinity of the fan 20 prevents the collision between humidified air coming out of the humidifying filter 40 and non-humidified air flowing through the non-humidifying passage 51 and thus prevents occurrence of turbulence. As a result, the ventilation resistance and noises can be decreased.
The humidifying filter 40, as shown in Figs. 2, 10, 11 and 12, is sprinkled with water from the first and second openings 81 and 82 of the bucket parts 61 of the water sprinkling device 60. Specifically, the rotation frame 65 having the bucket parts 61, 61, ... is driven and rotated through the gear 79 by the geared motor 74, so that the bucket parts 61, 61, ... sequentially draw up water from the draw-up part 92 of the water tray 90 and sprinkle the water on the humidifying filter 40.
The water discharged from the first openings 81 of the bucket parts 61 is prevented from going rearward from the humidifying filter 40 together with the air flow, by the wall parts 78 that are the portions of the ring-like disc part 67 of the rotation frame 65 forward of the first openings 81, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, and thereby falls toward the humidifying filter 40.
Accordingly, the wall parts 78 prevent the water escape rearward from the humidifying filter 40 so as to increase the quantity of humidification, and prevent the water escape from the fan 20 and the blow-off opening 6.
As shown in Fig. 2, the partition wall 91 blocks air from bypassing the air cleaning filter unit 30. The pressure difference between the upstream side and the downstream side of the air cleaning filter unit 30 is caused by the resistance loss of air passing through the prefilter 31, the ionization part 32, the dust collection filter 33, and the deodorizing filter 34 of the air cleaning filter unit 30. The pressure difference increases according to increase in the rotation velocity of the fan 20, that is, increase in the quantity of air flow.
The pressure on the upstream side of the air cleaning filter unit 30 and the partition wall 91 is generally equal to an atmospheric pressure, which acts on water in the non-draw-up part 93 of the water tray 90, while the pressure on the downstream side of the air cleaning filter unit 30 and the partition wall 91 is a low pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure by a value corresponding to the resistance loss, the low pressure acting on water in the draw-up part 92 of the water tray 90. There is the pressure difference described above between the generally atmospheric pressure acting on the water in the non-draw-up part 93 of the water tray 90 and the low pressure acting on the water in the draw-up part 92.
The non-draw-up part 93 and the draw-up part 92 of the water tray 90 communicate with each other through the slot 95 on the lower part of the partition wall 91, and the water level in the draw-up part 92 of the water tray 90 is thereby made higher than the water level in the non-draw-up part 93 by a height corresponding to the pressure difference. The pressure difference increases according to increase in the rotation velocity of the fan 20, that is, increase in the quantity of air flow.
Accordingly, the water level in the draw-up part 92 increases according to increase in the rotation velocity of the fan 20, that is, increase in the quantity of air flow.
As a result, the bucket parts 61 of the water sprinkling device 60 are capable of drawing up water from the draw-up part 92 and sprinkling the water on the humidifying filter 40 so that the quantity of the water drawn up increases according to increase in the rotation velocity (quantity of air flow) of the fan 20.
By such automatic adjustment in the water level in the draw-up part 92 according to the rotation velocity of the fan 20, the quantity of water sprinkled on the humidifying filter 40 can automatically be adjusted according to the quantity of air flow (quantity of air) without control over the rotation velocity of the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60, and thus the quantity of humidification can easily and automatically be adjusted.
The automatic adjustment in the water level in the draw-up part 92 is performed by the supply of water to the draw-up part 92 through the slot 95 on the lower part of the partition wall 91 and thus can quickly be performed with a satisfactory response. In particular, the horizontally long slot 95 that resists being exposed to air is used, so that the automatic adjustment in the water level in the draw-up part 92 can be performed with a satisfactory response by quick supply of water through the slot 95.
Then suspension of the rotation of the fan 20 eliminates the differential pressure between the upstream side and the downstream side of the air cleaning filter unit 30, causes the water to return from the draw-up part 92 having had the higher water level to the non-draw-up part 93 having had the lower water level, and may make the water level in the non-draw-up part 93 not less than a specified value.
On this occasion, the water is discharged from the non-draw-up part 93 through the cutout 101 into the buffer water container part 99 and thus overflow of the water from the non-draw-up part 93 to outside is prevented.
Fig. 15 shows a perspective view of the water sprinkling device 60 on which the humidifying filter 40 is mounted. As shown in Fig. 15, the humidifying filter 40 shaped like a disc is mounted on inner circumference of the ring-like disc part 67 of the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60. The boss part 66 at center of the rotation frame 65 penetrates a hole (not shown) provided at center of the humidifying filter 40, and a shaft part 110 provided with a flange part 110a for holding down the humidifying filter penetrates a hole provided in the boss part 66 of the rotation frame 65, so that the humidifying filter 40 is fixed to the rotation frame 65.
Fig. 16 shows a perspective view of the water sprinkling device 60 mounted in the water tray 90. The support leg part 63 (the water sprinkling device 60) mounted on side of the draw-up part 92 of the water tray 90 has a bearing part 64 shaped like a letter U on upper part thereof. The shaft part 110 that penetrates the boss part 66 of the rotation frame 65 is rotatably supported by the bearing part 64 of the support leg part 63. A gear 130 meshes with the gear 79 on the outer circumference of the rotation frame 65, and an output shaft of the geared motor 74 is connected to the gear 130.
Fig. 17 shows a control block diagram of the humidifying device. The control unit 200 is composed of a microcomputer, an input/output circuit, and the like, and controls the fan motor 21, the geared motor 74, the printed circuit board 113 for display, and the like on basis of detection signals from the dust sensor 114, an odor sensor 122, a temperature sensor 201, a humidity sensor 202, and a rotational position detector unit 203 and signals from the light receiving part 124 and the printed circuit board 112 for operation control. The temperature sensor 201 and the humidity sensor 202 detect a temperature and a humidity, respectively, of air sucked through the suction openings 5, 5 (shown in Figs. 1 and 3). The light receiving part 124 receives optical control signals from a remote controller (not shown).
Fig. 18 shows a diagram for description of control by the control unit 200 over the humidifying operation on basis of room temperature in which the humidifying operation is permitted at the room temperature not lower than 1°C and lower than 40°C when the room temperature is increasing and in which the humidifying operation is permitted at the room temperature not lower than 0°C and lower than 37.5°C when the room temperature is decreasing, as shown in Fig. 18. On other conditions, the humidifying operation is prohibited (see Figs. 19, 20).
Fig. 21 shows a diagram for description of control by the control unit 200 over the humidifying operation on basis of humidity, and Fig. 22 shows humidity zones on occasions of increase in humidity and decrease in humidity.
When the percentage humidity increases, as shown in Figs. 21 and 22, a condition that a difference between target percentage humidity and present percentage humidity is lower than 20% is designated as a zone D, a condition that a difference between target percentage humidity and present percentage humidity is higher than 10% and not higher than 20% is designated as a zone C, a condition that a difference between target percentage humidity and present percentage humidity is higher than 0% and not higher than 10% is designated as a zone B, and a condition that a difference between target percentage humidity and present percentage humidity is not higher than 0% is designated as a zone A. When the humidity decreases, a condition that a difference between target percentage humidity and present percentage humidity is lower than 23% is designated as a zone D, a condition that a difference between target percentage humidity and present percentage humidity is higher than 13% and not higher than 23% is designated as a zone C, a condition that a difference between target percentage humidity and present percentage humidity is higher than 3% and not higher than 13% is designated as a zone B, and a condition that a difference between target percentage humidity and present percentage humidity is not higher than 3% is designated as a zone A. The humidifying operation is turned off when the percentage humidity is in the zone A, and the humidifying operation is turned on when the percentage humidity is in the zone B, C or D (see Fig. 23).
The fan motor 21 for the fan 20 and the geared motor 74 are controlled by the control unit 200 so that the humidifying operation is turned on when the temperature condition described with reference to Figs. 18 through 20 is satisfied and when the humidity condition described with reference to Figs. 21 through 23 is satisfied on basis of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 201 and the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 202, and thus the humidifying operation providing satisfactory comfort can be performed with the control over the humidifying operation on basis of AND conditions of the temperature condition and the humidity condition.
Fig. 24 shows control over the rotation of the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60 at the start of the humidifying operation. In Fig. 24 are shown ON/OFF of the operation of the fan, ON/OFF of a humidifying mode, ON/OFF of a humidifying request on basis of the AND conditions of the temperature condition and the humidity condition, and ON/OFF of the geared motor 74 for the humidifying filter, from top thereof.
Upon initial power-on of the humidifying device, as shown in Fig. 24, the operation of the fan 20 is turned on, the humidifying mode is subsequently turned on by an instruction, e.g., from the remote controller, and then the control over the humidifying operation on basis of the AND conditions of the temperature condition and the humidity condition is started. Then the humidifying request is turned on according to a result of determination of the AND conditions of the temperature condition and the humidity condition. On this occasion, the geared motor 74 for the humidifying filter is not immediately turned on and the humidification preparing operation is started five seconds later. This is intended for preventing hunting in which ON/OFF of the geared motor 74 is repeated with frequent change in the result of determination of the AND conditions of the temperature condition and the humidity condition. In the humidifying operation posterior to the humidification preparing operation, the rotation velocity of the fan 20 is set to be not lower than a lower limit fan rotation velocity, and the rotation velocity of the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60 is set to be not lower than a lower limit rotation frame rotation velocity.
Once the humidification preparing operation is started, the geared motor 74 is turned on so as to rotate the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60 by about one and a half revolutions, is then stopped for one minute, and the normal humidifying operation is thereafter performed. In the embodiment, a rotation velocity of the fan 20 is set to be lower than the lower limit fan rotation velocity for the humidifying operation, and an average rotation velocity of the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60 is set to be lower than the lower limit rotation frame rotation velocity for the humidifying operation; however, the humidification preparing operation may be performed under only either one of the conditions.
In the humidifying device having the above configuration, the control unit 200 controls the geared motor 74 and thus controls the rotation of the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60, when the humidifying operation is started, so that water escape resulting from the water repelled by the humidifying filter 40 can be prevented when the humidification preparing operation for infiltrating the water into the humidifying filter 40 is performed upon the start of the humidifying operation.
Though the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60 is rotated by about one and a half revolutions and is thereafter stopped for one minute in the humidification preparing operation in the first embodiment, a quantity of the rotation and a time period of the stoppage of the rotation frame in the humidification preparing operation may appropriately be set according to configurations of the water sprinkling device, the humidifying filter and the like. In that case also, the water escape can more reliably be prevented because the normal humidifying operation is performed after the water is sufficiently infiltrated into the humidifying filter 40 in the humidification preparing operation.
Besides, the geared motor 74 is controlled by the control unit 200 so that a direction of creases of a pleat structure of the humidifying filter 40 becomes horizontal in general when the rotation of the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60 is stopped in the humidification preparing operation, thus the water is restrained from falling by being caught by the creases of the pleat structure of the humidifying filter 40 when the rotation of the rotation frame 65 is stopped, so that start-up of the humidifying operation can be quickened by infiltration of more moisture into the humidifying filter 40.
As shown in Fig. 25, for instance, a magnet 210 is fixed to a specified position on outer circumferential side of the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60, and the rotational position detector unit 203 for detecting magnetism of the magnet 210 by a Hall element or the like is provided on side of the casing 1. Then the direction of the creases 40a of the pleat structure of the humidifying filter 40 is made to surely become horizontal in general when the rotation frame 65 is in a rotational position in which the magnet 210 and the rotational position detector unit 203 face each other. The humidifying filter 40 is mounted on the rotation frame 65 so that the direction of the creases of the pleat structure becomes horizontal in a position in which the rotation frame 65 is stopped in the humidification preparing operation, and thus the direction of the creases 40a of the pleat structure of the humidifying filter 40 can reliably be made horizontal in general when the rotation is stopped.
Figs. 26A and 26B show examples of positioning of the humidifying filter relative to the rotation frame of the water sprinkling device; as shown in Fig. 26A, a humidifying filter 140 has a cutout 140b with a crescent shape including a chord parallel to a direction of creases 140a of pleat structure, and a positioning part 141 with the identical shape is provided on the side of a rotation frame 165. The humidifying filter 140 is mounted on the rotation frame 165 with the cutout 140b of the humidifying filter 140 in agreement with the positioning part 141 of the rotation frame 165, and the direction of the creases 140a of the pleat structure of the humidifying filter 140 is thereby fixed relative to the rotation frame 165. The magnet 210 is provided on a specified position (on a horizontal plane passing through a rotational center of the rotation frame 165 in Fig. 26A) on outer circumferential side of the rotation frame 165.
On a humidifying filter 240, as shown in Fig. 26B, a rectangular hole 240b is provided at center thereof so that a longitudinal direction of the rectangular hole 240b parallels a direction of creases 240a of pleat structure of the humidifying filter 240. A boss part 266 provided at a rotational center of a rotation frame 265 has generally the same shape in section as the rectangular hole 240b has. The humidifying filter 240 is mounted on the rotation frame 265 by agreement and penetration of the boss part 266 of the rotation frame 265 with and through the rectangular hole 240b of the humidifying filter 240, and the direction of the creases 240a of the pleat structure of the humidifying filter 240 is thereby fixed relative to the rotation frame 265. The magnet 210 is provided on a specified position (on a horizontal plane passing through a rotational center of the rotation frame 265 in Fig. 26B) on outer circumferential side of the rotation frame 265.
Thus the humidifying filter 140, 240 is positioned relative to and mounted on the rotation frame 165, 265 so that the direction of the creases 140a, 240a of the pleat structure of the humidifying filter 140, 240 can reliably be made horizontal in general when the rotation is stopped in the humidification preparing operation.
Besides, the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60 is rotated for a predetermined period of time at a velocity lower than that in the normal humidifying operation by the control over the geared motor 74 by the control unit 200 when the humidifying operation is started, and thus the normal humidifying operation is performed after the water is sufficiently infiltrated into the humidifying filter 40 mounted on the rotation frame 65 that is rotating at the lower velocity, so that the water escape can more reliably be prevented. Instead of the operation in which the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60 is stopped for one minute after one and a half revolutions as in the first embodiment, in this situation, only the low-speed rotation may be performed as the humidification preparing operation, for a specified period of time.
Besides, the rotation and stoppage of the rotation frame 65 of the water sprinkling device 60 are alternately performed for a predetermined period of time by the control over the geared motor 74 by the control unit 200 when the humidifying operation is started, and thus the normal humidifying operation is performed after the water is reliably and sufficiently infiltrated into the humidifying filter 40 mounted on the rotation frame 65 that is alternately rotated and stopped, so that the water escape can more reliably be prevented.
In the humidification preparing operation, the fan 20 may be stopped by the control unit 200. Thus waterdrops that have not yet been infiltrated into the humidifying filter 40 can be prevented from being flown by air flow from the fan 20.
In the humidifying device of the first embodiment, the quantity of air passing through the humidifying filter 40 and the quantity of humidification can be increased because the geared motor 74 for driving the gear 79 provided on the outer circumference of the rotation frame 65 is placed so as not to overlap the humidifying filter 40 in the direction of the air flow and because the geared motor 74 is thereby prevented from disturbing the air flow passing through the humidifying filter 40.
In the humidifying device of the first embodiment, the on-off control over the humidifying function can be attained by the on-off control over the rotation of the rotation frame 65 by the geared motor 74 because the humidifying filter 40 is placed so as not to be immersed in water in the draw-up part 92 of the water tray 90.
The blow-off opening 6 is provided on the top face of the casing 1 in the first embodiment, whereas blow-off openings may be provided on side faces of the casing or on the top and side faces of the casing.
The air cleaning filter unit 30 in the first embodiment includes the prefilter 31, the ionization part 32, the dust collection filter 33, and the deodorizing filter 34, whereas the air cleaning filter unit may include a bacteria removing filter in addition thereto, or the ionization part 32, the deodorizing filter 34 and/or the like may be omitted therefrom. For instance, the air cleaning filter unit may include only the prefilter and the dust collection filter or may be composed of only a single filter. Alternatively, the air cleaning filter unit 30 may be omitted.
Though the partition plate 50 is provided in the first embodiment, the partition plate may be omitted.
Though the humidifying filter 40 that rotates together with the rotation frame 65 is used as the humidifying member in the first embodiment, a stationary humidifying member separate from the water sprinkling device may be used instead and water may be sprinkled on upstream part of the stationary humidifying member from the bucket parts provided on the rotation frame of the water sprinkling device.
Though the first embodiment has both the configuration in which the inner surfaces 62 of the bucket parts 61 in vicinity of the first and second openings 81 and 82 on the side of the humidifying filter 40 are inclined so that the upstream side thereof with respect to the air flow is in lower position and the configuration in which the openings 81 of the bucket parts 61 correspond to the upstream part of the humidifying filter 40 with respect to the thickness direction, only either one of the configurations may be provided or both the configurations may be omitted. The holder parts 75 and the wall parts 78 may be omitted.
Though the gear 79 is provided on the outer circumference of the rotation frame 65 in the first embodiment, the rotation frame may be driven by a belt with a pulley part for belt provided in place of the gear, or the rotation frame may directly be driven by a motor with a shaft of the motor connected to a center of the rotation frame.
In the first embodiment, the partition wall 91 is provided in the water tray 90 for the partition between the draw-up part 92 and the non-draw-up part 93, and the slot 95 as the water passage hole is provided on the lower part of the partition wall 91, whereas the water passage hole may be one slit or round hole or a plurality of slits or round holes.
In the first embodiment, the partition wall 91 for the partition between the draw-up part 92 and the non-draw-up part 93 is provided in the water tray 90, and the water passage hole is provided on the partition wall 91, so that the quantity of water drawn up from the draw-up part 92 can automatically be adjusted according to the quantity of air flow, whereas the function of the automatic adjustment of the water level may be omitted by removal of the partition wall 91.
Though the first embodiment is provided with the buffer water container part 99 into which water flows from the non-draw-up part 93 through the cutout 101 once the water level in the non-draw-up part 93 becomes the predetermined given value or larger values, the buffer water container part 99 and the cutout 101 may be omitted.
The humidifying device having the air cleaning filter unit 30 and the humidifying filter 40 has been described for the first embodiment, whereas the invention may be applied to the humidifying device having no air cleaning filter unit.

(Second Embodiment)

Fig. 27 shows a perspective view of an air conditioner using a humidifying device of a second embodiment of the invention.
In the air conditioner, as shown in Fig. 27, a fan 302, a dehumidifying unit 303, a humidifying unit 304 as an example of the humidifying device, an air cleaning part 305, and a control unit 300 are housed in a casing 301.
The fan 302 is positioned opposite to the air cleaning part 305 with respect to the casing 301, and the air cleaning part 305, the dehumidifying unit 303, the humidifying unit 304, and the fan 302 are arranged in order of mention from side of the air cleaning part 305. When the fan 302 is run, an air flow passage A is formed in which air is sucked through suction openings 305a, 305b, 305c on the side of the air cleaning part 305, passes through the dehumidifying unit 303, thereafter passes through the humidifying unit 304, and reaches the fan 302. The air from the fan 302 blows out through the blow-off opening 301c provided on a top face of the casing 301. The control unit 300 is provided on a top part of the casing 301, and controls the air cleaning part 305, the dehumidifying unit 303, the humidifying unit 304, and the fan 302.
As shown in Fig. 27, a first door 301a of drawer type is opened and then a water container 390 as an example of the water reservoir part is taken out together with a water sprinkling device 360 as an example of the water supplying device through a drawer opening 312 of the casing 301. A disc-shaped humidifying filter 340 as an example of the humidifying member can be taken out through a drawer opening 313 of the casing 301 after a second door 301b of pivot type is opened.
Fig. 28 shows a perspective view of the humidifying unit 304 of the air conditioner. As shown in Fig. 28, the humidifying unit 304 has the water container 390, the humidifying filter 340, the water sprinkling device 360, a geared motor 343 as an example of a motor for the water sprinkling device and a motor for the humidifying member, and a driving gear 431 meshing with a gear 343a connected to an output shaft of the geared motor 343. The driving gear 431 meshes with a first gear 351 provided on outer circumferential part of a rotation frame 350. The water container 390 is a water source for moisture supplied for air passing through the air flow passage A, and is detachably housed in the casing 301 (shown in Fig. 27).
The humidifying filter 340 is shaped like a disc with use of nonwoven fabric and is mounted on the rotation frame 350. Water supplied from the water container 390 evaporates while the humidifying filter 340 is rotated together with the rotation frame 350. The humidifying filter 340 is placed above a water level in the water container 390 filled with water and therefore is not in direct contact with the water in the water container 390.
Fig. 29 shows a perspective view of the humidifying unit as seen looking from downstream side of the air flow in Fig. 28. As shown in Fig. 29, the water sprinkling device 360 is rotatably supported by the water container 390 so as to draw up the water in the water container 390 and so as to discharge the water toward the humidifying filter 340. For reduction in a size of the humidifying unit 304 in a direction of thickness thereof, the humidifying filter 340 and the water sprinkling device 360 have rotational axes paralleling each other and face each other in positions adjacent to each other. A plurality of bucket parts 421a each having a trapezoidal opening are provided on a side surface of the water sprinkling device 360 in vicinity of outer circumference thereof.
A second gear 423 fixed coaxially with the water sprinkling device 360 meshes with the first gear 351 provided on the outer circumferential part of the rotation frame 350. A diving force of the geared motor 343 is transmitted through the gear 343a, the driving gear 431, and the first gear 351 to the rotation frame 350, so that the humidifying filter 340 rotates together with the rotation frame 350. Then transmission of the rotation of the humidifying filter 340 to the second gear 423 of the water sprinkling device 360 causes rotation of the water sprinkling device 360 opposite the direction of the rotation of the humidifying filter 340. Thus the plurality of bucket parts 421a of the watering device 360 sequentially draw up the water in the water container 390 and sprinkle the water toward upstream side of the humidifying filter 340 with respect to the air flow.
As shown in Figs. 28 and 29, the humidifying filter 340 mounted on the rotation frame 350 is formed in a shape such that a rotation shaft thereof does not protrude, in order that removal of the humidifying filter 340 from the casing 301 may be facilitated. For that reason, the humidifying filter 340 is supported by engagement of the first gear 351 with the driving gear 431 and the second gear 423. In order to maintain a stable posture of the rotation frame 350, the driving gear 431 and the second gear 423 are positioned below a rotation axis of the first gear 351 and opposite to each other with respect to a vertical center line of the humidifying filter 340. Accordingly, the humidifying filter 340 mounted on the rotation frame 350 stably rotates even though the filter is not supported through the shaft.
In the air conditioner having an above configuration, a heating operation mode and a heating and humidifying operation mode can be performed, with activation of a heat source part (not shown) of the dehumidifying unit 303 with dehumidifying capability suspended in the heating operation mode and with simultaneous activation of the heat source part of the dehumidifying unit 303 and the humidifying unit 304 in the heating and humidifying operation mode .
In the air conditioner in the heating and humidifying operation, air flow produced by the fan 302 passes through a heat exchange part of the dehumidifying unit 303 with the dehumidifying capability suspended and flows into the humidifying unit 304. The air is heated by the heat exchange part of the dehumidifying unit 303 and thus the air having a decreased relative humidity comes into the humidifying unit 304, so that humidification by a large quantity of moisture is attained. The air passing through the dehumidifying unit 303 has been heated by the heat exchange part, thus has a small increase in temperature, and is suitable for heating on a small scale.
In the air conditioner in a dehumidifying operation mode, humidifying capability of the humidifying unit 304 is suspended and moisture in the air is absorbed by the dehumidifying unit 303.
In the air conditioner having the above configuration, the control unit 300 controls the geared motor 343 so that the water is supplied from the water sprinkling device 360 to the humidifying filter 340 being rotated by the geared motor 343, when the humidifying operation is started, and thus water escape resulting from the water repelled by the humidifying filter 340 can be prevented when the humidification preparing operation for infiltrating the water into the humidifying filter 340 is performed upon the start of the humidifying operation.
The air conditioner of the second embodiment has the same effects as the humidifying device of the first embodiment has, providing that the same configuration and control as those of the humidifying device of the first embodiment are applied thereto and performed therein, respectively.
In the humidifying device used in the air conditioner of the second embodiment, the geared motor 343 doubles as a driving device for rotating the humidifying filter 340 that is the humidifying member and a driving part for the water sprinkling device 360 that is the water supplying device, whereas the water supplying device may be driven by driving means separate from the driving device for the humidifying member.
Though the first gear 351 is provided on the outer circumferential part of the rotation frame 350 in the second embodiment, the rotation frame may be driven by a belt with a pulley part for the belt provided in place of the gear, or the rotation frame may directly be driven by a motor with a shaft of the motor connected to a center of the rotation frame.
The humidifying device using the water sprinkling device 60, 360 having the bucket parts 61, 421a as the water supplying device has been described for the first and second embodiments, whereas the water supplying device is not limited thereto but may be a device that supplies the water from the water reservoir part to the humidifying member with use of a pump or the like, for instance.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

1 casing
3 front panel
5 suction opening
6 blow-off opening
10 water tank
11 rear surface
12 slant surface
20 fan
23 bell mouth
30 air cleaning filter unit
31 prefilter
32 ionization part
33 dust collection filter
34 deodorizing filter
40 humidifying filter
50 partition plate
51 non-humidifying passage
52 humidifying passage
60 water sprinkling device
61 bucket part
62 inner surface
62a edge
65 rotation frame
66 boss part
67 ring-like disc part
68 arm
69 ring part
71 inner flange part
72 inner surface
74 geared motor
75 holder part
76 inner circumferential surface
77 surface
78 wall part
79 gear
81 first opening
82 second opening
89 rib
90 water tray
91 partition wall
92 draw-up part
93 non-draw-up part
95 slot
96 hole
97 float attachment hole
98 water tank installation part
99 buffer water container part
101 cutout
110 shaft part
114 dust sensor
121 printed circuit board for high voltage
122 odor sensor
130 gear
200 control unit
201 temperature sensor
202 humidity sensor
203 rotational position detector unit
300 control unit
301 casing
301c blow-off opening
302 fan
303 dehumidifying unit
304 humidifying unit
305 air cleaning part
305a, 305b, 305c suction opening
340 humidifying filter
343 geared motor
350 rotation frame
360 water sprinkling device
351 first gear
390 water container
421a bucket part
423 second gear
431 driving gear

Claims

A humidifying device comprising:
a casing (1, 301) having suction openings and blow-off openings,

a fan (20, 302) provided in the casing (1, 301),

a humidifying member (40, 340) for performing humidification for air flow produced by the fan (20, 302),

a driving device for rotating the humidifying member (40, 340),

a water reservoir part (90, 390) that is placed below the humidifying member (40, 340),

a water supplying device (60, 360) for supplying water from the water reservoir part (90, 390) to the humidifying member (40, 340), and

a control unit (200) for controlling the fan (20, 302), the driving device, and the water supplying device (60, 360), wherein

the control unit (200, 300) carries out a humidification preparing operation prior to a humidifying operation by controlling the driving device and the water supplying device (60, 360) so that at least one of a rotation velocity of the fan (20, 302) and a rotation velocity of the humidifying member (40, 340) are made lower than lower limit rotation velocities of the humidifying operation and so that the water is infiltrated into the humidifying member (40, 340) by supply of the water from the water reservoir part (90, 390) onto the humidifying member (40, 340) being rotated by the driving device.
The humidifying device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein
the water supplying device (60) comprises a rotation frame (65) on which the humidifying member (40) is mounted and which is rotatably supported by the casing (1) and bucket parts (61) which are provided on the rotation frame (65) in order to draw up the water from the water reservoir part (90) and in order to sprinkle the water on the humidifying member (40), wherein
the driving device is a motor (74) for rotating the rotation frame (65) of the water supplying device (60), and wherein
the control unit (200) carries out the humidification preparing operation prior to the humidifying operation by controlling the motor (74) so as to rotate the rotation frame (65) of the water supplying device (60) and so as to thereby infiltrate the water into the humidifying member (40).
The humidifying device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein
the control unit (200) controls the motor (74) so as to rotate the rotation frame (65) of the water supplying device (60) by a predetermined quantity of rotation and so as to thereafter stop the rotation frame (65) for a predetermined period of time in the humidification preparing operation.
The humidifying device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein
the control unit (200) controls the motor (74) so as to rotate the rotation frame (65) of the water supplying device (60) by at least one and a half revolutions and so as to thereafter stop the rotation frame (65) for a predetermined period of time in the humidification preparing operation.
The humidifying device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein
the control unit (200) controls the motor (74) so as to rotate the rotation frame (65) of the water supplying device (60) by a predetermined quantity of rotation and so as to thereafter stop the rotation frame (65) for one minute in the humidification preparing operation.
The humidifying device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein
the humidifying member (40) has a pleat structure in which directions of creases parallel one another, and wherein
the control unit (200) controls the motor (74) so that the directions of the creases of the pleat structure of the humidifying member (40) become horizontal in general when rotation of the rotation frame (65) of the water supplying device (60) is stopped in the humidification preparing operation.
The humidifying device as claimed in Claim 6,
the humidifying device further comprising a rotational position detector unit (203) for detecting a rotational position of the rotation frame (65) of the water supplying device (60), wherein
the control unit (200) stops the rotation frame (65) in the humidification preparing operation on basis of the rotational position of the rotation frame (65) of the water supplying device (60) which position is detected by the rotational position detector unit (203).
The humidifying device as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, wherein
the humidifying member (40) is positioned relative to and mounted on the rotation frame (65) of the water supplying device (60).
The humidifying device as claimed in Claim 1, the humidifying device further comprising:
a temperature sensor (201) for detecting a temperature of air sucked by the fan (20), and

a humidity sensor (202) for detecting a humidity of the air sucked by the fan (20), wherein

the control unit (200) carries out the humidifying operation by controlling the fan (20) and the motor (74) on basis of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor (201) and the humidity detected by the humidity sensor (202) when the temperature satisfies a predetermined temperature condition and when the humidity satisfies a predetermined humidity condition.
The humidifying device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein
the control unit (200) controls the motor (74) so as to rotate the rotation frame (65) of the water supplying device (60) for a predetermined period of time at a velocity lower than that in a normal humidifying operation before the humidifying operation is performed.
The humidifying device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein
the control unit (200) controls the motor (74) so as to alternately perform rotation and stoppage of the rotation frame (65) of the water supplying device (60) for predetermined periods of time before the humidifying operation is performed.
The humidifying device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein
the control unit (200) stops the fan (20) in the humidification preparing operation.