JP2002071165A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air conditioner excellent in minus ion generating efficiency. SOLUTION: The air conditioner is provided with a humidity sensor to detect indoor humidity, and a humidity control means to regulate humidity in a room by effecting humidification operation or dehumidification operation according to a detecting output Hi of the humidity sensor 11. An ion generating means 13 is provided to generate minus ion and contain minus ion in air supplied in a room through control of humidity by a humidity control means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has a humidity sensor for detecting indoor humidity, and performs humidity control or dehumidification operation in accordance with the detection output of the humidity sensor to adjust the indoor humidity. The present invention relates to an air conditioner provided with:

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A typical conventional air conditioner controls a room temperature so that a room temperature becomes a desired value. However, the perceived temperature is related not only to the temperature itself but also to the humidity. By performing the humidity control alone or in addition to the temperature control, a comfortable living environment can be realized even in the rainy season, for example. Therefore, an air conditioner including a humidity sensor for detecting indoor humidity and a humidity control unit for performing a humidifying operation or a dehumidifying operation so as to achieve a predetermined indoor humidity according to a detection output of the humidity sensor is widely used. ing.

On the other hand, a negative ion generator is also provided to add negative ions to the blown air. Negative ions are said to have the effect of reducing the fatigue of the occupants, increasing the sense of relaxation, and reducing the tension, and in recent years, air conditioners equipped with a negative ion generator have also been seen. .

[0004]

However, conventionally,
No organic link between humidity control and negative ion generation has been made. Therefore, the negative ion generation efficiency was not always good.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner having good negative ion generation efficiency.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 has a humidity sensor for detecting indoor humidity, and performs humidification operation or dehumidification according to the detection output of the humidity sensor. In an air conditioner equipped with a humidity control unit that adjusts indoor humidity by performing operation, negative ions are generated, and under the humidity control by the humidity control unit, negative ions are included in air blown into the room. A negative ion generating means is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the air conditioner according to the first aspect, the negative ion generating means controls the amount of negative ions generated in accordance with the humidity detected by the humidity sensor. It is characterized by having control means.

[0008]

FIG. 4 shows the structure of an indoor unit of an air conditioner. The unit body 1 includes a front panel 2, an upper panel 3, and a rear plate 4, and is formed in a horizontally long box shape. Inside the unit main body 1, an indoor heat exchanger 5 formed in a V-shape when viewed from the side is arranged. The heat exchangers 5 located on the front side and the rear side are connected via pipes, and are opened in the middle of the cooling or heating operation to allow the entire heat exchanger to function as an evaporator or a condenser, and in the dehumidification operation. A throttle valve (not shown) is provided, which is closed to perform a throttle function so that the upstream heat exchanger functions as a condenser and the downstream side functions as an evaporator.

Drain pans 6a and 6b, which are integrally formed on the rear plate 4, respectively, are disposed below the front and rear lower portions of the indoor heat exchanger 5.

[0010] Inside the indoor heat exchanger 5, an indoor blower 7 constituted by a cross flow fan is disposed in a ventilation path 8. Further, an outlet 9 is provided at a lower portion of the front surface of the unit body, and a louver 10 for changing the wind direction is provided at the outlet.

On the other hand, a stem inlet is formed in the front panel 2 and the upper panel 3, and a temperature sensor 11 and a humidity sensor 12 are arranged in a ventilation path on the back side of the front panel 2.
In the ventilation passage 8 near the outlet 9, a negative ion generator 13 described in detail later is provided.

Next, the configuration of the control means of the indoor unit is shown in FIG.
Shown in The control device 14 controls a preset temperature, based on an operation mode, an operation condition, and the like sent from a remote controller or the like.
Receives signals from the indoor temperature sensor 1 and humidity sensor 2 and the like so as to satisfy the humidity condition, transmits an operation signal to the outdoor unit side, controls the operation of the indoor blower 7, the wind direction angle control of the louver 10, and the indoor heat exchange. It has a function of controlling the opening and closing of the dehumidifying throttle valve 15 interposed in the vessel 5 and transmitting a signal to operation display means (not shown). Further, a needle electrode 17 for generating negative ions controlled by the control device is provided, and the case is grounded.

By the way, there is a close correlation between the amount of generated negative ions and humidity, and the amount of negative ions that can exist as ions changes depending on the humidity. By increasing the amount of electricity when possible and increasing the amount of negative ions generated, and conversely, by suppressing the amount of electricity when the possible amount is small, unnecessary electricity is eliminated and the negative ion generation effect is not greatly impaired Power consumption can be suppressed, and highly efficient ion generation control can be achieved.

In FIG. 1, in order to improve the generation efficiency of negative ions, the control device 14 adjusts the detected indoor humidity based on the indoor temperature and humidity conditions from the temperature sensor 11, the humidity sensor 12, and the like. Value, for example 50-6
In the summer, the evaporation amount of the indoor heat exchanger 5 is adjusted so as to be 0%. In the rainy season, etc., the reheat dehumidification is performed by the dehumidifying throttle valve 15 to adjust the temperature and humidity, or during the low temperature drying in winter. Controls the temperature and humidity using a humidifier (not shown).

Further, the control device 14 controls the humidity sensor 12
In order to control the output of the negative ion generator 13 in accordance with the detection output of, the amount of generated negative ions is controlled.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart for implementing such negative ion generation control. The humidity Hi in the room is detected (step 21), and humidity control is performed according to the detected humidity so that the humidity Hi becomes appropriate humidity, for example, 50% or more and 60% or less (step 22). Here, Hi <50 according to the value of the humidity Hi (step 23).
Alternatively, if Hi> 60, the generation amount of negative ions is suppressed (step 24). Here, the "suppression" may be such that the output is zero, that is, the generation amount is zero. In step 23, when 50 ≦ Hi ≦ 60, the generation amount of the negative ions is increased to the original generation amount (step 2).
5). After steps 24 and 25, the process returns to step 21 to control the humidity and the amount of negative ions generated according to the humidity Hi.

[0017] Figure 3, depending on the humidity Hi, in the case of Hi <50 or Hi> 60 suppresses the negative ion generation amount Qi a constant suppression value _{Q L,} in the case of 50 ≦ Hi ≦ 60 negative ion generator illustrates the fact that the amount Qi to the original value or enhanced value Q _H. This figure shows that Hi <50 or H where the possible amount of negative ions in the air is small.
In the case of i> 60, the amount of negative ions generated, that is, the output of the negative ion generator is suppressed to suppress the amount of current, so that the power can be saved without sacrificing the ion generating effect.

[0018]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner having good negative ion generation efficiency, as compared with the case where negative ions are included in air blown into a room under humidity control.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control unit of an air conditioner embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing control functional blocks of main components housed inside the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating the relationship between the amount of detected humidity and the amount of generated negative ions according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an indoor unit of the air conditioner embodying the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 5 indoor heat exchanger 7 indoor blower 8 ventilation path 11 temperature sensor 12 humidity sensor 13 negative ion generator 14 controller 15 dehumidifying throttle valve 16 electrode plate 17 needle electrode Hi detection humidity Qi negative ion generation amount

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] September 7, 2000 (2009.7)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] All figures

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG.

FIG. 2

FIG. 4

FIG. 3

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3L051 BC10 3L053 BC02 BC08 BD01 3L060 AA05 AA07 AA08 CC06 DD02 DD07 EE01 EE25 EE45

Claims (2)

[Claims] A humidity sensor for detecting indoor humidity;
In an air conditioner equipped with humidity control means for adjusting indoor humidity by performing a humidifying operation or a dehumidifying operation in accordance with the detection output of the humidity sensor, negative ions are generated, and humidity control by the humidity control means is performed. An air conditioner characterized by comprising negative ion generating means for including negative ions in air blown into the room. 2. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said negative ion generating means includes an ion generation amount control means for controlling the generation amount of negative ions according to the humidity detected by said humidity sensor. An air conditioner characterized by that: