JP2002238993A - Ion generator and air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air conditioner with which the production cost can be reduced and a short circuit or a leak can be prevented. SOLUTION: The air conditioner is provided with an ion generating element 45 for generating positive ions and negative ions simultaneously by applying a voltage, a power supply section 48 for applying a voltage to the section 45, an ion blower 43 for sending ions generated in the section 45, and a housing case 49 for housing the sections 45, 48 and the blower 43. A unitized ion generator 36 is arranged between a front panel 3 and a heat exchanger 30 to send the ions generated by the generator 36 to a blowing port 4 by the blower 43.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to an air conditioner capable of transmitting ions into a room.

[0002]

[Prior art]

[0003] A conventional air conditioner capable of delivering ions is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 7-23777. According to the publication, a high-voltage alternating current is applied to a discharge needle to generate positive ions and negative ions, and the sedation of the negative ions sent into the room eliminates irritation and improves work efficiency. You can do it.

[0004] In recent years, with the increase in the density and sealing of residential environments, there has been a demand for the removal of airborne bacteria harmful to the human body. For this reason, an air purifier that sends positive ions and negative ions into a room and sterilizes floating bacteria with active species generated by both ions has been put to practical use.

[0005]

According to the air conditioner and the air purifier described above, an ion generator is disposed in a ventilation passage for sending air into a room to generate ions.
The air flow collides with the ion generator to generate a turbulent flow, and the blowing efficiency is reduced. Further, in the air conditioner, there is a possibility that the electrode of the ion generator is exposed or short-circuited during the cooling operation. For this reason, the above-described problems are avoided by providing a main blower that sends out air adjusted to a desired temperature and cleanliness (hereinafter, referred to as “conditioned air”) and an ion blower that sends out ions to a room. It is possible to do.

However, according to the ion generator provided with the ion blower, it is necessary to provide a high-output ion blower in order to spread the ions sent out by the ion blower to every corner of the room. For this reason, there is a problem that the power consumption of the air conditioner is increased.

[0007] In the above air conditioners and air purifiers, the ion generating element is attached by screws.
For this reason, it was necessary to perform insulation treatment between the screw and the ion generating element. Therefore, providing an insulated screw hole in the ion generating element is costly, and causes insulation failure due to oxidation of the screw and the like, and there is a risk of a short circuit or a short circuit.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that can save power. The present invention also provides
It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner that can reduce manufacturing costs and prevent short circuit and electric leakage. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ion generator capable of reducing manufacturing costs and preventing short-circuits and short-circuits.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, an ion generator according to the present invention comprises an ion generating element for generating positive ions and negative ions simultaneously by applying a voltage, and applying a voltage to the ion generating element. A power supply unit to be applied; an ion blower for sending out ions generated by the ion generating element; and a storage case for storing the ion generating element, the power supply unit, and the ion blower. An element locking portion for locking is provided integrally with the storage case.

According to this structure, the ion generator is unitized by storing the ion generator, the ion blower and the power supply unit in the storage case, and the ion generator is screwed by the element locking portion. It is locked without.

Further, according to the present invention, in the ion generator having the above structure, the ion generating element includes a cylindrical dielectric, an inner electrode disposed along an inner surface of the dielectric, and an outer electrode of the dielectric. And an external electrode disposed along the outer surface of the ion generating element, and the element locking portion comprises a rib for supporting both ends of the ion generating element. According to this configuration, when an AC voltage is applied between the inner electrode and the outer electrode disposed with the dielectric interposed therebetween, an ion generating element that simultaneously generates positive ions and negative ions is formed in a cylindrical shape. Both ends are locked by element locking portions formed of ribs.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that in the ion generator having the above-mentioned configuration, the ribs are formed along the air flow from the ion blower. According to this configuration, the air flow generated by the ion blower is straightened by traveling along the ribs, and the pressure loss due to collision with the ribs is suppressed.

Further, according to the present invention, in the ion generator having the above structure, a discharge port for discharging ions is formed in the storage case, and a protection means for preventing foreign matter from entering from the discharge port is provided in the discharge port. It is characterized by. According to this configuration, the contact between the high pressure ion generating element and the foreign matter is prevented by the protection means, and the safety is improved.

Further, the air conditioner of the present invention comprises the ion generator of each of the above constructions, a heat exchanger for taking in indoor air from a suction port and exchanging heat, and supplying heat-exchanged air to a room from an outlet. And a main blower for sending.

According to this configuration, the room air taken in from the suction port by driving the main blower exchanges heat with the heat exchanger to adjust the temperature or humidity, and is sent out from the outlet port into the room. In addition, positive ions and negative ions are sent into the room by driving the ion generating element and the ion blower. Then, the positive ions and the negative ions aggregate to surround floating bacteria such as microorganisms contained in the indoor air, generate active species such as hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide, and sterilize the floating bacteria.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that in the air conditioner having the above structure, the ion blower, the ion generating element, and the power supply unit are arranged in a straight line. According to this configuration, the ion generator is disposed, for example, in a gap between the front panel and the heat exchanger in parallel with the heat exchanger, so that the space of the air conditioner can be saved.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that in the air conditioner having the above structure, the ion generating element is arranged on one side of the ion blower and the power supply section is arranged on the other side. According to this configuration, the influence of noise generated from the ion generating element during ion generation on the power supply unit is reduced.

According to the present invention, in the air conditioner having the above structure, a control circuit for controlling the operation of the air conditioner is provided, and the control circuit is arranged at one end of the air conditioner and at the other end. It is characterized in that the ion generator is arranged. According to this configuration, the influence of noise generated from the high-voltage power supply unit on the control circuit is reduced.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that, in the air conditioner having the above-described configuration, the power supply unit is disposed on a side remote from the control circuit in the ion generator.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that in the air conditioner having the above configuration, ions generated by the ion generator are sent to the outlet by the ion blower. According to this configuration, by disposing the ion generator between the front panel and the heat exchanger,
It is installed near the outlet provided on the front side of the air conditioner. Then, the ions are sent toward the outlet by the ion blower, and the ions are released into the room together with the conditioned air by the main blower.

According to the present invention, in the air conditioner having the above structure, the ion generator is arranged between the front panel having the suction port and the heat exchanger. According to this configuration, the distance between the outlet provided on the front surface of the air conditioner and the ion generator is shortened, and the disappearance of ions due to collision with a wall surface in the distribution channel is suppressed.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that in the air conditioner having the above structure, a heat insulating material is provided between the heat exchanger and the ion generator. According to this configuration,
Dew condensation around the ion generator due to the heat exchanger on the low temperature side is prevented.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that in the air conditioner having the above structure, a filter is provided on a suction side of the ion blower, and the filter is detachable from a front surface of the air conditioner.

[0024]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an indoor unit of the air conditioner of one embodiment. The indoor unit 1 is configured by arranging a heat exchanger and a blower described later in a housing 2, and a front surface of the housing 2 is covered by a front panel 3. A suction port 5 is formed in the front panel 3 so that room air is sucked.

An outlet 4 for sending temperature-controlled air into the room is formed below the front panel 3 in the drawing. A display panel 6 is provided between the outlet 4 and the inlet 5 to display an operation state of the air conditioner designated by a remote controller (hereinafter, referred to as a “remote controller”) 7. The installation position of the display panel 6 is not particularly limited as long as it is visible from the user.

The details of the display panel 6 are as shown in FIG. The display panel 6 includes an operation lamp 12 that is turned on when the air conditioner is in an operation state, a temperature display unit 13 that displays an indoor or outdoor temperature, and an ion generator 3 that will be described later.
6, an air purifying lamp 14 for indicating that the air purifying operation is being performed;
5. A timer lamp 16 for notifying a timer reservation and an odor cut lamp 17 for displaying an odor cut operation state are provided.

The remote controller 7 is as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). As shown in FIG. 3A, the lower portion of the remote controller 7 in the figure of the main body 7a is covered with a lid 7b pivotally supported by a hinge 7c. When the lid 7b is opened, as shown in FIG. 3B, the lower part 7a 'of the main body is exposed.

In the upper part of the main body 7a in the figure, a remote control display 18 for indicating an operation state is provided. The remote control display unit 18 is provided with a transmission display unit 19 that lights when a signal is transmitted to the indoor unit 1. In the figure of the remote control display unit 18,
At the bottom, "Auto" button 2 for automatically operating the air conditioner
0, "heating" button 21 for heating operation, "cooling" button 22 for cooling operation, "dehumidification" button 23 for dehumidification operation
And a temperature button 24 for setting the room temperature.

The lid 7b has an ion generator 3 to be described later.
6 (see FIG. 5), an "cleaning" button 25 for turning ON / OFF the operation, a "stop" button 26 for stopping the operation of the air conditioner, and the like are provided. When the lid 7b is opened,
The "odor cut" button 27, the timer setting button 28, and the like for suppressing the smell of the air emitted from the outlet 4 (see FIG. 1) are exposed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the front panel 3 is supported so as to be openable and closable. The housing 2 has a filter guide 34
(See FIG. 5), and the filter guide 34 is formed.
The filters 8 and 9 are mounted so as to face the suction port 5. The filters 8 and 9 are provided detachably, and can be removed and cleaned by opening the front panel 3.

At substantially the center of the filters 8 and 9, cleaning filters 10 and 11 for removing odors in the air are provided, respectively. The filter 9 is partially cut away so that the outlet 46 and the intake hole 47 formed in the housing 2 are exposed. The outlet 46 is configured to attach and detach a sub-filter 44 (see FIG. 5) described later.

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view passing through the air inlet 47 of the indoor unit 1. Inside the indoor unit 1, a U-shaped heat exchanger 30 is installed, and a lower front part 30 a and an upper front part 30 b of the heat exchanger 30 are arranged facing the filter guide 34. An upper suction port 12 is formed on the top surface of the housing 2, and the upper suction port 12 and the suction port 5 are formed.
The air sucked from the air is exchanged by the heat exchanger 30.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing a heat cycle of the air conditioner of the present embodiment. The heat exchanger 30 disposed in the indoor unit 1 is connected to a compressor 72 provided in the outdoor unit 70. One end of the outdoor heat exchanger 71 is connected to the compressor 42, and the other end is connected to the heat exchanger 30 via the expansion valve 73. Incidentally, reference numeral 74 denotes an outdoor blower for releasing or taking in heat from outside.

The high-temperature refrigerant compressed by the compressor 72 emits heat in the heat exchanger 30 and condenses. The refrigerant liquefied by condensation expands at the expansion valve 73, takes heat of vaporization at the outdoor heat exchanger 71, and returns to the compressor 72. Thereby, the indoor heating operation is performed. When a switching valve (not shown) is switched, the high-temperature refrigerant compressed by the compressor 72 releases heat in the outdoor heat exchanger 71 and condenses. The refrigerant liquefied by condensation expands at the expansion valve 73, takes heat of vaporization at the heat exchanger 30, and returns to the compressor 72. Thereby, the indoor cooling operation is performed.

In FIG. 5, the main blower 31 is arranged so as to be surrounded on three sides by a U-shaped heat exchanger 30. By driving the main blower 31, room air is sucked from the upper suction port 12 and the suction port 5. Then, the conditioned air whose temperature has been adjusted by exchanging heat with the heat exchanger 30 is sent out from the outlet 4 into the room as shown by an arrow A. Further, the outlet 4 is provided with a horizontal louver 29a for changing the direction of airflow in the vertical direction, and a vertical louver 29b for changing the direction of airflow in the horizontal direction is provided inside the horizontal louver 29a. I have.

At the lower part of the heat exchanger 30 in the drawing, drain pans 35 and 38 for collecting drain generated at the time of heat exchange are arranged at the front and rear in the housing 2, respectively. The drain pans 35 and 38 are attached to the housing 2, and the guide part 2 a provided integrally with the rear drain pan 38 and the front drain pan 35 constitute a ventilation passage 2 b through which the regulated air flows. And the drain pan 3 in front
5 forms a space between the heat exchanger 30 and the filter guide 34. In the space, an ion generator 36 for simultaneously generating and sending positive ions and negative ions is arranged.
Are attached to the drain pan 35 by screws.

The ion generator 36 includes an ion blower 43
, And a sub-filter 44 is provided on the front side of the ion blower 43. The sub-filter 44 is disposed so as to face the air inlet 47 and to have one end protruding from the outlet 46. As described above, the sub-filter 44 is detachable by being pulled up substantially upward in the drawing from the outlet 46. By driving the ion blower 43, air is taken into the ion generator 36 from the intake port 47 provided in the housing 2 via the sub-filter 44.

Accordingly, the inflow of dust into the ion generator 36 can be suppressed by the sub-filter 44, and ions can be generated stably. Further, by providing the sub-filter 44 separately from the filters 8 and 9 through which the air for heat exchange passes, maintenance can be easily performed.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the ion generator 36. The ion generator 36 includes a power supply unit 48, an ion blower 43, and an ion generating element 45 in a storage case 49.
Is housed in a unit. The storage case 49 is
It comprises a front cover 57 covering the front side of the ion generator 36, a power supply cover 59 covering the rear side, a fan case 66, and an electrode cover 58, and a claw 61 is engaged with a projection 60 provided on each peripheral edge. It can be assembled together.

The ion generating element 45 for generating ions is held by the electrode housing 57a at one end of the front cover 57 and the electrode cover 58. As shown in FIG. 8, the ion generating element 45 includes an inner electrode 51 along the inner surface of the cylindrical dielectric 50.
Are arranged, and the outer electrode 52 is arranged along the outer surface. In the present embodiment, a glass tube having an outer shape of 10 mm is used as the dielectric 50. SUS3 is used as the inner electrode 51.
04 is rolled and used as the outer electrode 52.
US 304 or SUS 316 wire rods which are plain woven with 16 mesh and roll processed are used.

At both ends of the dielectric 50, an insulating packing 5 is provided.
The insulating packings 53, 54 are attached by fitting with the grooves 53a, 54a formed in the 3, 54. The inner electrode 51 and the outer electrode 52 have a power supply 4
8 (see FIG. 7) are welded, respectively, and the outer electrode 52 is grounded. Note that the lead wire 55 is inserted into and held by an insertion hole 53 a formed substantially at the center of the insulating packing 53.

When a high AC voltage is applied between the inner electrode 51 and the outer electrode 52, positive ions mainly composed of H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n are generated by corona discharge when the applied voltage is a positive voltage, If a negative voltage is mainly O ₂ ^- (H ₂ O) negative ions of _m is generated.

[0043] H ⁺ (H ₂ O) _n and _{^{O 2 - (H 2 O)}} m is aggregated on the surface of airborne fungi, such microorganisms in air, surrounding the floating bacteria microorganisms. Then, as shown in formulas (1) to (3), the active species [.OH] (hydroxyl radical) and H ₂ O ₂ (hydrogen peroxide) are generated and suspended on the surface of microorganisms and the like by collision. Sterilize bacteria.

[0044] ^{_{H + (H 2 O) n}} + O 2 - (H 2 O) m → · OH + 1 / 2O 2 + (n + m) H 2 O ··· (1) H + (H 2 O) n + H ^{_{+ (H 2 O) n '}} + O 2 - (H 2 O) m + O 2 - (H 2 O) m' → 2 · OH + O 2 + (n + n '+ m + m') H 2 O ··· _{^{(2) H + (H 2}} O) n + H + (H 2 O) n '+ O 2 - (H 2 O) m + O 2 - (H 2 O) m' → H 2 O 2 + O 2 + (n + _{n '+ m + m')} H 2 O ··· (3)

As shown in FIGS. 9 (a) and 9 (b), three ribs 62 (element locking portions) are provided at both ends on the inner surfaces of the electrode housing portion 57a of the front cover 57 and the electrode cover 58, respectively. It is integrally molded. The rib 62 has an R portion 62a and an R portion 6
And a step portion 62b which is one step higher than 2a (see FIG. 7). The three ribs 62 have lower central ribs and higher ribs at both ends because the R portions 62a are in contact with the peripheral surfaces of the insulating packings 53 and 54.

The left and right directions in the figure of the ion generating element 45 are positioned by the step 62b. Further, a boss 63 is integrally formed on the inner surface of the electrode housing portion 57a, and the ion generating element 45 is positioned vertically in the drawing. The ribs 62 are juxtaposed substantially in parallel with the airflow flowing in the axial direction of the ion generating element 55 by the ion blower 43 (see FIG. 7). As a result, while rectifying the air flow, it is possible to prevent the reduction of the blowing efficiency without interrupting the air flow, and to send the ions far away.

Then, the insulating packings 53 and 54 are sandwiched by the electrode housing portion 57a and the R portion 62a of the electrode cover 58, and the ion generating element 45 is locked. Thereby, the ion generating element 45 can be easily locked without using a screw or the like. Therefore, the ion generator 36
And the number of assembly steps can be reduced.

Further, since it is not necessary to provide a screw hole or the like insulated from the inner electrode 51 and the outer electrode 52 in the ion generating element 45, the ion generating element 45 can be simplified and the cost can be reduced. To prevent short-circuiting and earth leakage.

The electrode housing 57a and the electrode cover 5
8 has a substantially arc shape along the cross-sectional shape of the ion generating element 45. Thereby, the ion generating element 4
The generation of the vortex of the air flowing around 5 is suppressed. Therefore, the blowing efficiency of the ion blower 43 can be improved, the collision of ions with the wall surface can be reduced, and the disappearance of ions can be suppressed.

In FIG. 7, an intake portion 57b having an opening 64 is formed substantially at the center of the front cover 57.
The ion blower 43 is attached to the fan case 66 and is covered by the fan case 66 and the suction part 57b. The ion blower 43 is a so-called sirocco fan that rotates an impeller 43a provided on the outer periphery by driving a motor (not shown) disposed at the bottom of an opening 43b formed in the center, and discharges air sucked from the opening 43b to the outer periphery. Has become.

The inner walls of the fan case 66 and the intake section 57b have an involute curve in cross section, and the air discharged by the ion blower 43 is guided to a communication port 66a provided in the fan case 66. Further, the opening 64 is disposed so as to face the air inlet 47 (see FIG. 5) of the housing 2 of the indoor unit 1. Therefore, the air sucked from the opening 64 through the intake port 47 is sent to the ion generating element 45 through the communication port 66a by the ion blower 43.

A power supply storage portion 57c is provided on the side of the front cover 57 opposite to the electrode storage portion 57a with respect to the suction portion 57b. The power supply storage portion 57c is provided with ribs (not shown) projecting inward on all sides, and the power supply portion 48 for applying a voltage to the ion generating element 45 is fitted to the ribs. Then, by attaching the power supply cover 59 to the power storage section 57c, the power supply section 48 is covered and held. It is more preferable that the entire power supply unit 48 be shielded by a metal cover because the adverse effect of noise generated from the power supply unit 48 can be reduced.

When assembling the ion generator 36,
First, a fan case 66 to which the ion blower 43 is attached.
Is attached to the intake section 57b of the front cover 57. next,
The power supply unit 48 is installed at a predetermined position on the front cover 57, and the power supply cover 59 is attached to the power storage unit 57c. Then, the insulating packings 53 and 54 of the ion generating element 45 are arranged on the ribs 62 formed on the electrode housing 57a of the front cover 57, and the electrode cover 58 is attached to the electrode housing 57a.

By disposing the ion generator 45 on one side and the power supply 48 on the other side with the ion blower 43 interposed therebetween, the distance between the ion generator 45 and the power supply 48 can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to reduce adverse effects on a circuit board (not shown) in the power supply unit 48 due to noise generated when the ion generating element 45 is discharged.

The ion generator 36 has an ion generating element 45, an ion blower 43, and a power supply 48 arranged in a straight line. Thereby, the ion generating element 45
The ion generator 36 can be installed in a narrow space between the heat exchanger 30 and the front panel 3 by disposing the axial direction in parallel with the lower front surface 30a of the heat exchanger 30. Thereby, the space in the indoor unit 1 can be effectively used to save space, and the indoor unit 1 can be reduced in size and size.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show sectional views of the indoor unit 1 at both ends of the ion generator 36. FIG. Ion generator 3
6 is a rib 35a provided integrally with the drain pan 35,
The storage case 49 is positioned in the longitudinal direction by 35b, and is attached to the drain pan 35 by inserting screws into attachment holes 65 and 67 (see FIG. 7) provided in the electrode cover 58 and the power supply cover 59, respectively. The ion generator 36 includes an ion generating element 45, a power supply unit 48, and an ion blower 4
Since the unit 3 is integrally housed and unitized, the assembly of the indoor unit 1 is facilitated and the number of assembling steps can be reduced.

Further, in FIG. 4 described above, the intake port 47 is provided near one side wall of the indoor unit 1, and the light receiving section 15 is provided near the other side wall. Therefore, the ion generator 36 facing the intake port 47 is installed near one side wall, and the power supply unit 48 is arranged on the side closer to the side wall in the ion generator 36. Meanwhile, the main blower 3
Since a control circuit (not shown) for driving the compressor 1 and the compressor 72 (see FIG. 6) is installed behind the light receiving section 15, it is arranged near the other side wall. Thus, the control circuit is arranged at a distance from the power supply unit 48, which has a high voltage, so as to reduce the effect of noise generated from the power supply unit 48.

In FIG. 11, the filter guide 3
4, a shielding plate 34 for covering the upper part of the power supply cover 59 in the drawing.
a is formed. The shielding plate 34a includes the filter 8,
When the user removes the filter 9, the finger or the like is inserted into the opened filter guide 34 to prevent a risk of contact with the power supply unit 48 (see FIG. 7) that generates a high voltage.

As shown in FIG. 12, the ion generator 36
The electrode storage portion 57a of the front cover 57 is fitted in an opening 35c provided in the drain pan 35. A discharge port 37 is formed on the lower surface of the electrode housing 57a. The ions generated by the ion generating element 45 are discharged from the discharge port 37 by driving the ion blower 43, penetrate the drain pan 35, and are guided to the blow passage 2 b. Then, the air is combined with the adjusted air by the main blower 31 and the outlet 4
From the room.

Therefore, by providing the ion blower 43, the backflow of the air sent out by the main blower 31 can be prevented. That is, when the horizontal louver 29a is oriented in a predetermined direction, there is a possibility that the air from the main blower 31 is reflected by the horizontal louver 29a, flows into the ion generator 36, and the ions are not delivered indoors. But,
By the ion blower 43, the ions generated by the ion generating element 45 are surely merged with the conditioned air passing through the air passage 2b and sent out from the outlet 4 into the room. This allows
It enables stable ion delivery.

Further, the ions are not sent out into the room by the ion blower 43, but the ions are sent out to the air passage 2b by the ion blower 43 and discharged to the room by the main blower 31. For this reason, compared to a case where ions are sent into a room only by the ion blower 43, the ion blower 43 is used.
Even if the output of is low, ions can be sent into the room,
Power saving of the ion generator 36 can be achieved.

Further, since the discharge port 37 is directly installed in the opening 35c of the drain pan 35 forming the air passage 2b, the ions generated from the ion generator 36 are directly joined to the conditioned air flowing through the air passage 2b. You. For this reason, the disappearance of the ions before merging is suppressed, and the sterilizing effect in the room can be increased.

In addition, by disposing the ion generator 36 between the front cover 3 and the heat exchanger 30, the distance between the outlet 4 provided on the front side of the indoor unit 1 and the ion generating element 45 can be shortened. can do. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the disappearance of ions after merging with the conditioning air, and to further improve the sterilizing effect. Since the ion generator 36 is attached to the drain pan 35, the ion generator 36 can be easily arranged near the outlet 4.

An opening 35c of the drain pan 35 is provided near the horizontal louver 29a so that
b after being joined to the conditioned air flowing through b
a is emitted into the room in a predetermined direction. Therefore, the air containing ions is circulated to every corner of the room by the horizontal louver 29a, and the indoor sterilizing effect is improved.

As shown in FIG. 9B, the discharge port 3
Reference numeral 7 comprises a plurality of slits 37a formed by lattice bars 37b (protection means). In this embodiment,
Three slits 37a are arranged in two rows, and each slit 37a is formed in a rectangular shape of 3 mm × 50 mm.
Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a foreign object such as a stick or a finger from entering the high-pressure ion generator 36 that has easily reached from the outlet 4 due to the approach between the outlet 4 and the ion generator 36, thereby improving safety. .

The drain pan 35 is integrally formed with a partition plate 35 d for isolating the air guided to the heat exchanger 30 and the air guided to the ion generator 36. Partition plate 35
A heat insulating material 41 such as styrofoam is filled between d and the electrode cover 58 of the ion generator 36.

As a result, the dew condensation of the ion generator 36 and the partition plate 35d by the heat exchanger 30, which is at a low temperature during cooling or dehumidification, is prevented. Therefore, the ion generator 3
6. It is possible to prevent a decrease in the amount of generated ions due to an increase in humidity around the periphery. Further, the insulation resistance between the drain water and the ion generating element 45 can be increased to avoid a danger such as a short circuit.

The partition plate 35d is formed to be inclined so as to descend from the front to the rear. For this reason, even if the drain water generated in the front portion 30a of the heat exchanger 30 is scattered, it flows down the partition plate 35d to drain the drain pan 35.
Will be collected. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a danger such as a short circuit due to the drain water splashing on the ion generator 36.

Next, the operation of the air conditioner of this embodiment will be described. When the “auto” button 20 of the remote controller 7 is pressed, the operation lamp 12 of the display panel 6 of the indoor unit 1 is pressed.
Lights up, and the room temperature is displayed on the temperature display section 13. On the remote control display section 18 of the remote control 7, the effect of automatic operation, air volume, wind direction and the like are displayed. Then, a heating operation or a cooling operation is performed according to the room temperature.

When the "cooling" button 22 of the remote controller 7 is pressed, the cooling operation is performed, and when the "heating" button 21 is pressed, the heating operation is performed. During the cooling operation and the heating operation, the set temperature increases by 1 ° C. when the right side of the temperature button 24 is pressed once, and decreases by 1 ° C. when the left side is pressed once. The set temperature is displayed on the remote control display unit 18.

During the cooling operation, the compressor 72 is driven by switching the switching valve (not shown), and the heat exchanger 30 is set to the low temperature side. When the main blower 31 is driven, indoor air is taken into the housing 2 from the suction port 5, and the conditioned air that has exchanged heat with the heat exchanger 30 flows through the blower passage 2 b below the drain pan 35.

Further, when the "clearing" button 25 of the remote controller 7 is pressed, the clearing lamp 14 of the display panel 6 is turned on and the ion generator 36 is driven. Then, room air is taken into the ion generator 36 from the air inlet 47 by the ion blower 43. Positive ions and negative ions generated by the ion generating element 45 are connected to the communication port 66.
The air from a is guided to the outlet 4 through the outlet 37.

Then, low-temperature conditioned air and ions are discharged from the outlet 4 to every corner of the room. Thus, the inside of the room is brought to a desired temperature, and the suspended bacteria such as microorganisms in the room are sterilized. When the room reaches the set temperature, the compressor 7
2 is stopped, and when the room temperature rises above the set temperature, the compressor 72 is driven again to maintain the set temperature.

The amount of positive ions and negative ions generated varies depending on the voltage applied to the ion generating element 45. In the present embodiment, the applied voltage of the ion generating element 45 is 1.8 k.
V. After driving the ion generator 36, about one hour after the lapse of time, about 80% of the bacteria floating in the room can be removed.

During the heating operation, the switching valve (not shown) switches the compressor 72 to drive the heat exchanger 30 to the high temperature side, and, similarly to the above, positive ions and negative ions are generated together with the high-temperature conditioned air. The air is discharged from the outlet 4 to every corner of the room.

When the "dehumidification" button 23 is depressed, the compressor 72 is driven by switching the switching valve, and the heat exchanger 30 is set to the low temperature side to perform the dehumidification operation. And heat exchanger 3
The moisture contained in the indoor air is condensed by heat exchange with zero, and collected in the drain pans 35 and 38. When the indoor temperature decreases to a predetermined temperature, the compressor 72 is stopped. At this time, the main blower 31 is stopped, and humidification due to evaporation of the drain water is prevented.

When the "odor cut" button 27 is pressed, the driving of the main blower 31 at the start of the cooling operation or the start of the dehumidifying operation is delayed by a predetermined time. Heat exchanger 30
If the surface temperature of the heat exchanger 30 is high, the amount of odor generated from dust adhering to the surface of the heat exchanger 30 increases. However, by delaying the driving of the main blower 31, the surface temperature of the heat exchanger 30 drops, the amount of odor generation decreases, and the conditioned air is released into the room. Thereby, the deodorization of the indoor air can be performed.

When the operation is stopped, the "empty cleaning" button 2
When 5 is pressed, the ion generator 36, the horizontal louver 29
a and the vertical louver 29b, and the ion blower 4
3 allows the ions to be delivered into the room.
Thereby, even when the room temperature is a temperature that does not require air conditioning, it is possible to sterilize the airborne bacteria in the room,
It is possible to purify indoor air.

[0079]

According to the ion generator of the present invention, the ion generator can be easily assembled by integrally providing the element locking portion for locking the ion generating element in the storage case, thereby reducing the number of assembly steps. can do. In addition, since the ion generating element, the power supply unit, and the ion blower are integrally housed to form a unit, the number of assembling steps of a device equipped with the ion generating device can be reduced. Furthermore,
Since it is not necessary to provide a screw hole or the like insulated from the electrode in the ion generating element, the ion generating element can be simplified and cost can be reduced. In addition, insulation failure due to oxidation of the screw and the like can be prevented to prevent short-circuit and electric leakage. be able to.

Further, according to the ion generator of the present invention, the ion generating element is formed in a cylindrical shape, and both ends of the ion generating element are supported by the ribs formed in the storage case, so that the locking portion can be easily integrated. While forming, the ion generating element can be easily locked.

According to the ion generator of the present invention, since the ribs are formed along the airflow of the ion blower, the airflow is rectified, and the airflow is prevented from lowering without obstructing the airflow. Can be sent far away.

According to the ion generator of the present invention, by providing a protection means for preventing foreign matter from entering from the discharge port of the ion generator, foreign matter such as a stick or a finger enters the ion generator which has a high pressure. Can be prevented and safety can be improved.

Further, according to the air conditioner of the present invention, by mounting the above-described ion generator, indoor floating bacteria can be sterilized to clean indoor air, and the ion generator can be unitized. Therefore, the number of assembly steps is reduced. In addition, since it is not necessary to provide a screw hole or the like insulated from the electrode in the ion generating element, the ion generating element can be simplified and cost can be reduced. Can be prevented.

According to the air conditioner of the present invention, since the ion blower, the ion generator, and the power supply are arranged in a straight line, for example, the ion generator is provided in the gap between the heat exchanger and the front panel. The device can be arranged. Effective use of the space inside the air conditioner to save space,
It is possible to reduce the size and size of the air conditioner.

According to the air conditioner of the present invention, the ion generator is disposed on one side of the ion blower and the power supply is disposed on the other side, so that the distance between the ion generator and the power supply is reduced. Can be separated. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the adverse effect on the circuit board in the power supply unit due to noise generated when the ion generating element is discharged.

According to the air conditioner of the present invention, the control circuit for controlling the operation of the air conditioner is arranged at one end of the air conditioner, and the ion generator is arranged at the other end. By arranging the control circuit away from the high-voltage power supply unit, the influence of noise generated from the power supply unit can be reduced.

Further, according to the air conditioner of the present invention, since the power supply section is further arranged in the ion generator on a side remote from the control circuit, the influence of noise can be further reduced.

Further, according to the air conditioner of the present invention, the ions are sent to the outlet by the ion blower and released to the room by the main blower, so that the output of the ion blower can be reduced, and the ion generator can be used. Power saving can be achieved.

According to the air conditioner of the present invention, by disposing the ion generator between the front cover and the heat exchanger, the distance between the outlet provided on the front side of the indoor unit and the ion generator can be reduced. Can be shorter. Therefore,
It is possible to suppress the disappearance of ions due to collision with a wall surface or the like in the distribution channel, and increase the number of ions sent indoors, thereby improving the sterilizing effect.

Further, according to the air conditioner of the present invention, since the heat insulator is arranged between the heat exchanger and the ion generator,
Dew condensation around the ion generator due to the heat exchanger on the low temperature side can be prevented, and a decrease in the amount of ions generated due to an increase in humidity around the ion generator can be prevented.

Further, according to the air conditioner of the present invention, the filter provided on the suction side of the ion blower is detachable from the front of the air conditioner, so that the filter can be easily cleaned and the room can be cleaned indoors. The delivered air can be kept clean.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a display panel of an indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a remote controller of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a front cover of an indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention is opened.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention, which passes through an ion blower.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing a heat cycle of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the ion generator of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing an ion generating element of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of the ion generator of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view passing through one end of the ion generator showing the inside of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the inside of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention, which passes through the other end of the ion generator.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view passing through the ion generating element showing the inside of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of Signs] 1 indoor unit 2 housing 3 front cover 4 outlet 5 inlet 6 display panel 7 remote controller 8, 9 filter 29a horizontal louver 29b vertical louver 30 heat exchanger 31 main blower 35 drain pan 36 ion generator 37 spout Outlet 37a Bar 37b Slit 41 Insulation material 43 Ion blower 44 Sub-filter 45 Ion generating element 46 Outlet 47 Inlet 48 Power supply 49 Storage case 50 Dielectric 51 Inner electrode 52 Outer electrode 53, 54 Insulation packing 55, 56 Lead wire 57 Front Cover 58 Electrode Cover 59 Power Cover 62 Rib 63 Boss 64 Opening 66 Fan Case 70 Outdoor Unit 71 Outdoor Heat Exchanger 72 Compressor 73 Expansion Valve 74 Outdoor Blower

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Morikawa Mamoru F-term in Sharp Co., Ltd. 22-22 Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 3L051 BA02 BC02 4C080 AA09 BB05 4D054 AA13 BA19 EA01

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. An ion generating element for simultaneously generating positive ions and negative ions by applying a voltage, a power supply for applying a voltage to the ion generating element, and an ion for transmitting ions generated by the ion generating element. A blower, and a storage case for storing the ion generating element, the power supply unit, and the ion blower, wherein an element locking portion for locking the ion generating element is provided integrally with the storage case. Ion generator 2. The ion generating element has a cylindrical dielectric, an inner electrode disposed along an inner surface of the dielectric, and an outer electrode disposed along an outer surface of the dielectric. The ion generator according to claim 1, wherein the element locking portion is formed of a rib that supports both ends of the ion generating element. 3. The ion generator according to claim 2, wherein said ribs are formed along an air flow from said ion blower. 4. The discharge port according to claim 1, wherein a discharge port for discharging ions is formed in the storage case, and a protection means for preventing entry of foreign matter from the discharge port is provided in the discharge port.
The ion generator according to claim 3. 5. The ion generator according to claim 1, a heat exchanger for taking in room air from a suction port to perform heat exchange, and supplying the heat-exchanged air to a blow port. An air conditioner comprising: a main blower for sending indoors. 6. The air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein the ion blower, the ion generating element, and the power supply unit are arranged in a straight line. 7. The air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein the ion generator is disposed on one side of the ion blower and the power supply section is disposed on the other side. 8. A control circuit for controlling the operation of the air conditioner, wherein the control circuit is arranged at one end of the air conditioner and the ion generator is arranged at the other end. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 5 to 7. 9. The air conditioner according to claim 8, wherein the power supply unit is disposed in the ion generator on a side remote from the control circuit. 10. The air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein the ions generated by the ion generator are sent to the outlet by the ion blower. 11. The air conditioner according to claim 10, wherein the ion generator is disposed between a front panel having the suction port and the heat exchanger. 12. The air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein a heat insulating material is provided between the heat exchanger and the ion generator. 13. The air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein a filter is provided on a suction side of the ion blower, and the filter is detachable from a front surface of the air conditioner. Machine.