JP2000291987A - Humidifier - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To control humidification by a humidity sensor, prevent troubles due to excessive humidification and maintain a comfort by stopping the humidification upon sudden change of room temperature. SOLUTION: A humidifier comprises a water tank 2, an evaporating pan 3 for evaporating water by a heater 5, a controller 9 for controlling the operation of the heater 5, a humidity sensor 8 for detecting humidity and an operating part 10 for setting a humidifying operation mode, in which the heater 5 is controlled to be turned on relative to a setting humidity. In the humidifier, setting humidity values including a humidity upper limit value D0, a maximum value D1 of humidity change during a prescribed time and a reference value D2 are provided. The controller 9 is provided with functions for stopping humidification, when the humidity sensor 8 detects the humidity upper limit value D0 and for starting the humidifying operation, irrespective of the value of the humidity upper limit value D0, when the humidity change during a prescribed time is not lower than the maximum value D1 and the humidity change after that is not higher than the reference value D2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a humidifier of an electric heating type or the like for preventing indoor drying due to use of a heating appliance used in a general household.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional general humidifier is, for example, shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, a main body case 1, a water tank 2, an evaporating dish 3 for heating and evaporating water, a guide 4 for discharging heated and evaporating steam to the outside, and a lid 1 for covering these.
5, a heater 5 for heating, a fan 6 for cooling components and steam, a motor 7, a humidity sensor 8 for detecting humidity, and a control device for controlling these operations. 9.

An operation unit 10 for setting a humidification operation mode is provided on the outer surface of the main body case 1, and a control device 9 controls the operation in accordance with the set humidification operation mode.

[0004] The humidification operation mode includes a continuous humidification operation mode in which the humidification amount per unit time is continuously constant, and an automatic humidification operation mode in which the humidification operation is performed intermittently with respect to a set humidity to adjust the indoor humidity. The operation unit 10 has a continuous humidification operation mode setting key and an automatic humidification operation mode setting key. (For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-1
Also, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-52392, there is known a device in which the amount of humidification per fixed time can be changed according to the size of a room and the humidity.

Although the amount of humidification per hour is determined by the power consumption of the evaporating dish 3 and the heater 5, the amount of humidification per hour can be controlled by intermittent operation by controlling the power or controlling the duty ratio.

As described above, the weak humidification operation mode in which the humidification amount is set smaller than the continuous humidification operation mode is provided.
A setting key is provided at 0 so that the humidity is lower than in the continuous humidification mode, the humidification time when the water tank 2 is full is lengthened, and a state suitable for a slightly smaller room is provided.

[0007]

In the humidifier according to the above-mentioned conventional configuration, the continuous humidification operation mode and the weak humidification operation mode keep the humidification amount per fixed time constant. Various problems occur.

[0008] For example, when the room is lowered, the humidity becomes high, which may cause dew condensation.

In addition, even when the device is used in an extremely small room, the humidity may increase and dew may occur. In order to eliminate such a problem, there is a method of detecting when the humidity rises with a humidity sensor and stopping the operation.However, when the relative humidity rises due to a temporary decrease in room temperature, the moisture in the air is low. Then, there is a problem that the humidity further decreases and the indoor humidity changes greatly, which is not comfortable.

Although there is a method of adding a room temperature sensor for detecting the room temperature, there is a problem that the price is increased.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and comprises a water tank, an evaporating dish for evaporating water by a heater, and a control device for controlling the operation of the heater. , A humidity sensor that detects humidity,
A humidifier that controls the energization of the heater with respect to the set humidity, and a humidity upper limit value D0 and a maximum value D of a humidity change amount for a certain period of time.
Set a humidity value of 1 and a reference value D2, a function to stop humidification when the humidity sensor detects the humidity upper limit value D0, and the amount of change in humidity for a certain period of time is equal to or more than the maximum value D1, and the change in humidity after that is the reference. When the value becomes equal to or less than the value D2, a function to start the humidification operation regardless of the value of the humidity upper limit value D0 is provided in the control device.

A humidity upper limit value D0, a maximum humidity change amount D1 for a predetermined time, and a set humidity value of a reference value D2, and a function of stopping humidification when the humidity sensor detects the humidity upper limit value D0; When the amount of change in humidity for a certain period of time is equal to or less than the maximum value D1, and when the change in humidity thereafter is equal to or more than the reference value D2, a function of controlling the humidification operation with the value of the upper humidity limit D0 is provided in the controller.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention is constructed as described above. For example, when a window is opened during heating and ventilated, or when a person enters or exits, the room temperature drops sharply. Rises temporarily.

At this time, if the humidifier is humidifying, the controller of the humidifier determines that the humidification has exceeded the upper humidity limit,
Stop humidification. Opening the window and lowering the room temperature by ventilation, closing the window again, and continuing heating as it is, increases the room temperature and lowers the relative humidity.

In this case, even if the humidity once exceeds the upper limit of humidity, if the amount of change in humidity within a certain period of time after a sudden increase in humidity decreases, the humidification is started again even if the upper limit of humidity is exceeded. I do.

When there is no sudden change in humidity, or when the amount of change in humidity for a certain period of time does not decrease after the sudden change in humidity, it means that heating has been stopped or the window has been kept open. Stop humidification. As a result, the amount of change in humidity due to a change in room temperature can be reduced with only a sensor that detects relative humidity, and a comfortable humidity environment is provided.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body case, which is a molded article made of synthetic resin and has an evaporating dish 3, a heater 5, a fan 6, a motor 7, a humidity sensor 8, an overheat prevention device 20, and a control device 9 inside. And an operation unit 10.

The main body case 1 includes a water tank 2 and an evaporating dish 3.
A guide 4 is provided at an upper portion of the device, a lid 15 is provided at an upper portion, and a steam outlet 24 is provided.

The water tank 2 has a water inlet at its lower part, and a cap 16 is provided.

A valve 17 is provided at the center of the cap 16. The valve 17 is pushed and opened by the convex portion 18 of the main body case 1 so that the water in the water tank 2 flows out and accumulates in the evaporating dish 3. Has become.

A heater 5 for humidification is provided outside the evaporating dish 3.
Are provided in close contact with each other.

In the vicinity of the heater 5, an overheat prevention device 2 is provided.
0 is provided.

The fan 6 attached to the motor 7 sends air into the guide 4 through the through hole 21 of the main body case 1 for cooling the heater 5 and for cooling steam blown out.

This wind takes in outside air through an opening 22 provided between the main body case 1 and the outside, and a filter 23 is provided therein to prevent dust from entering the inside.

A humidity sensor 8 for detecting the humidity of the outside air is provided near the opening 22, and is connected to a control device 9.

The control device 9 includes a microcomputer for processing information from the humidity sensor 8 and a controller for controlling the operation of the heater 5 and the fan 6.

The control unit 9 is connected to an operation unit 10, and the operation unit 10 can set a humidification operation mode and display an operation state.

The humidifying operation mode includes a continuous humidifying operation mode in which the heater 5 is continuously energized, and a humidity sensor 8.
The humidification amount is controlled as an operation mode such as an automatic humidification operation mode in which the energization of the heater 5 is controlled by the information of the humidification amount, a humidification amount variable operation in which the humidification amount per time is controlled by controlling the energization of the heater 5 in advance. There is a weak humidification operation mode to be controlled. The operation unit 10 has a continuous humidification operation mode setting key 11, an automatic humidification operation mode setting key 12, and a weak humidification operation mode setting key 13, and the setting can be selected with the respective setting keys. .

The amount of humidification per unit time during continuous operation is determined by the power consumption of the heater 5, but the humidification amount is set in accordance with the size of the room to be applied.

If the size of the room normally used is 6 to 8 tatami mats, the humidification amount per hour is 400 to 450 ml / hour.

In the weak humidification operation mode, in order to reduce the humidification amount, the energization of the heater 5 is controlled to perform the intermittent operation. The duty ratio of the heater 5 is set according to the amount of humidification per hour.

Normally, the duty ratio is set to a humidification amount adapted to a room size smaller than the room to which the continuous humidification operation mode is applied, or to a humidification amount capable of humidification for a long time with respect to the capacity of the water tank 2. .

In the continuous humidification operation mode and the weak humidification operation mode, the humidification amount per time is humidified irrespective of the humidity. For this reason, if humidified as it is beyond a certain humidity,
Since there is a possibility of dew condensation, the control device 9 is provided with a function of setting a humidity upper limit value D0 and stopping humidification when the humidity upper limit value D0 is exceeded.

The controller 9 reads the humidity change D for a certain period of time, and the controller 9 is provided in advance with a maximum value D1 of the humidity change and a reference value D2 of the humidity change after the humidification is stopped.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.

The water that has flowed out of the water tank 2 is stored in the evaporating dish 3, heated by the power supplied to the heater 5, boiled, turned into steam, passed through the guide 4, and blown out from the outlet 24.

At this time, the steam is cooled by the wind blown into the guide 4 through the through hole 21 of the main body case 1, and is blown out to the outside of the blowout port 24.

Humidifying operation mode setting key 1 of operation unit 10
The continuous humidification mode, the weak humidification operation mode, and the automatic humidification operation mode can be selected by 1 and 12. In the continuous humidification operation mode, the heater 5 is continuously energized, and the humidification operation is performed with the humidification amount per time determined by the power consumption of the heater 5.

According to the humidification amount at this time, a comfortable humidity of about 6
The size of the application room that can be kept at 0% is determined.

In the weak humidification operation mode, the heater 5 is turned on and off.
When turned off, intermittent operation is performed to control the humidification amount.

The pattern of the intermittent operation and the like are stored in advance in the microcomputer of the control device 9 to control the humidification amount. Heating is stopped during use of the continuous humidification operation mode, the humidity rises when the room temperature falls, and the power supply is stopped when the humidity reaches the humidity upper limit value D0, thereby suppressing excessive humidification.

As shown in FIG. 3, when ventilation is performed by opening a window during heating or when a person enters or exits from the entrance, the room temperature rapidly decreases and the relative humidity rapidly increases.

At this time, if the humidity exceeds the humidity upper limit value D0, the humidification is stopped. However, the humidity change D for a certain time is detected to be larger than the maximum value D1, and after a certain time, the humidity change amount D for a certain time is changed to a reference value D2. If it becomes less than or equal to, the humidifying operation is started even at the humidity upper limit value D0 or more. Further, when the heating is stopped, the room temperature gradually decreases, and the humidity gradually increases.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the humidification is stopped after exceeding the humidity upper limit value D0, but when the humidity change D within a certain period of time is equal to or more than D2, the humidity is stopped as it is.

As a result, humidification is stopped due to a change in relative humidity due to a sudden change in room temperature, and it takes a long time until the humidity lowers due to heating to reach a humidity upper limit value D0 or less, and the amount of change in humidity increases. It can prevent and perform comfortable humidity control.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, as described above,
Set the upper limit of humidity and the maximum value and standard value of the amount of change in humidity for a certain period of time to prevent dew condensation inside the room due to a rise in humidity. In response to changes in humidity, humidification control can be performed with a humidity sensor without using a room temperature sensor, thereby providing inexpensive and comfortable humidity control.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a humidifier showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a humidifier showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a pattern diagram of humidity change and energization control of the humidifier showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a humidifier showing one embodiment of the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body case 2 Water tank 3 Evaporating dish 4 Guide 5 Heater 8 Humidity sensor 9 Control device 10 Operation part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A water tank (2), an evaporating dish (3) for evaporating water by a heater (5), a controller (9) for controlling the operation of the heater (5), and a humidity sensor for detecting humidity. (8) and an operation unit (1) for setting the humidification operation mode
0) and a heater (5) for the set humidity.
When the humidity sensor (8) detects the humidity upper limit D0, the humidifier that controls the energization of is provided with the humidity upper limit D0, the maximum value D1 of the amount of change in humidity for a certain period of time, and the reference value D2. The function of stopping humidification and the amount of change in humidity for a certain period of time is equal to or more than the maximum value D1, and the change in humidity thereafter is changed to the reference value D2.
A humidifier characterized in that a function of starting a humidification operation is provided in the control device (9) when the following conditions are satisfied, regardless of the value of the humidity upper limit value D0. 2. Setting a humidity upper limit value D0, a maximum humidity change amount D1 for a certain period of time, and a reference humidity value D2, and humidification is stopped when the humidity sensor (8) detects the humidity upper limit value D0. The control device (9) controls the function and the function of controlling the humidification operation at the value of the humidity upper limit value D0 when the humidity change amount for a certain period of time is less than the maximum value D1 and the subsequent humidity change is more than the reference value D2.
The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the humidifier is provided in a humidifier.