JP2006122177A - Sleeping apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sleeping apparatus in simple constitution, which can be easily installed and put away. <P>SOLUTION: The sleeping apparatus is provided with a cover 10, a mixing means capable of adjusting the mixing ratio of air sucked from the inside of the cover and outdoor air, a heating means, a blowing means for blowing air, a temperature measurement means for measuring a temperature, and a control means for controlling at least one of the mixing means, the heating means and the blowing means so as to be suitable for sleeping on the basis of a measured result by the temperature measurement means. Since a tick generation source such as a counterpane is not used, allergen is not inhaled and the worsening of a symptom is prevented. Sound sleep is attained in a comfortable state all through the year regardless of an air temperature or humidity by an air conditioning function. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a sleeping apparatus, and more particularly to a sleeping apparatus that does not use a futon.

  Traditionally, futons that are generally used do not have temperature and humidity control functions, and due to changes in daily temperature and humidity, not only can it be too cold, too hot, or sweat may not dry, etc. There were even health problems such as catching a cold. Also, if you are allergic to mites, the symptoms worsen if you inhale mite feces and dead body powder, which are allergens generated from the futon during sleep, so wash the futon regularly or use a vacuum cleaner. Although it was necessary to perform a treatment such as applying, allergen inhalation could not be completely prevented by these treatments.

Therefore, as a sleeping device that can adjust temperature and humidity and does not use a futon that is a source of mites, for example, Patent Document 1 below describes a sleeping device that supplies conditioned air to the inside of a cover body. Yes.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-154062

  The conventional sleeping apparatus as described above has a problem that the apparatus becomes large and needs to be fixedly installed, and occupies the installation place. An object of the present invention is to provide a sleeping apparatus that solves the above-described problems of the prior art and that can be easily installed and cleaned with a simple configuration.

  The sleeping device according to the present invention has a space in which at least a space that can be inserted horizontally from a person's chest is secured inside, and a flexible front sagging that covers at least the opening of the cover means. The main feature is that it is provided with an air conditioning means for controlling the temperature and humidity of the air inside the cover.

  Further, in the sleeping apparatus described above, the air conditioning unit includes a blowing unit that sends out air sucked from the internal space of the cover unit to the internal space of the cover unit, and an outside air that is taken into the suction port of the blowing unit from the ventilation port. Valve means for introducing air, heating means for heating the air sent by the blower means, measuring means for measuring the temperature and humidity of the air in the cover means internal space, and based on the measurement results by the measuring means, the valve means And a control means for controlling at least one of the heating means and the air blowing means to be suitable for sleeping.

  In the sleeping apparatus described above, the valve means includes a fixed-side slit member having an opening, and a movement having the opening that slides linearly on the fixed-side slit or rotates about an axis. You may consist of a side slit member and the slit drive means to which the said movement side slit member is moved.

  Moreover, the above-mentioned sleeping apparatus WHEREIN: The said air-conditioning means may be provided with the several outlet which can adjust the sending direction for sending the adjusted air to the internal space of a cover means. In the sleeping apparatus described above, the air conditioning unit may include a power switch unit capable of turning on and off the power independently in the internal space of the cover unit and the outside of the cover unit.

  In the sleeping apparatus described above, the control means periodically outputs the target value and the measured value of temperature and humidity to the outside, and performs control according to the control signal when the control signal is input from the outside. Output means may be provided. Further, in the sleeping apparatus described above, the cover means may have no support column on at least the front side surface, and the front upper surface of the cover means may be supported by the rear portion of the cover means.

The present invention has the following effects.
(1) The air conditioning function makes it possible to sleep comfortably throughout the year regardless of temperature and humidity.
(2) Installation / storage is easy.
(3) Since water vapor diverges from human skin, it is not necessary to humidify to maintain the optimum humidity, and the humidity is controlled by replacing it with the outside air. Is simplified.

(4) Since a tick source such as a traditional comforter is not used and only a minimally washable front sag member is used, the user does not inhale allergens and deterioration of symptoms can be prevented.
(5) It can be used for sleeping people who cannot hang futon due to illness or injury.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the configuration when the first embodiment of the sleeping apparatus of the present invention is used. 1B is a view when the front hanging member 13 is removed and viewed from the front, and FIG. 1C is a view when viewed from the rear. The sleeping device of the first embodiment is composed of a cover device that is roughly divided into a front cover 10 and a rear cover 11.
A front hanging member 13 is attached to the front opening of the front cover 10, an air conditioner 12 is attached to the upper center of the rear part of the rear cover 11, and a bottom plate 14 is attached to the rear part (bottom part). Yes. From the bottom plate 14, the bottom (ventilation port 16) of the air conditioner 12 is exposed to the outside, and a power cord 15 is attached.

  The side surfaces, the top surface, and the bottom plate 14 of the front cover 10 and the rear cover 11 are each formed of a light airtight and heat insulating member. The front cover 10 is slidably engaged with the rear cover 11 without any gaps. By sliding the front cover 10 back and forth, the entire length of the cover is adjusted to the height of the user 18. It is adjustable.

  The front sag member 13 is a member for sealing a gap between the opening of the front part of the front cover 10 and the body of the user 18, for example, a blanket or a quilting material, which is flexible and heat-insulating, and has a soft touch. Made of good material. In addition, you may produce the last part (bottom plate) of each side and upper surface of the front cover 10 and the rear cover 11, and the rear cover 11 with the same material as a front drooping member.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view and a side view showing the appearance of the air conditioner 12 of the sleeping apparatus of the present invention. 2A is a diagram when the air conditioner 12 is viewed from the front, and FIG. 2B is a diagram when the air conditioner 12 is viewed from the rear. 2C is a diagram when the air conditioner 12 is viewed from the side, and FIG. 2D is a diagram when the air conditioner 12 is viewed from below.

  On the front surface of the air conditioner 12 shown in FIG. 2A, four outlets 20 to 23, a temperature adjusting variable resistor (temperature adjusting knob) 26, an internal power switch 24, and an internal LED 25 are arranged. Each air outlet is configured to be able to adjust the wind direction. For example, the air outlets 20 and 21 are used by adjusting the direction so that the air outlets 20 and 21 are blown forward and the air outlets 22 and 23 are blown rearward.

  On the back of the air conditioner 12 shown in FIG. 2B, there is a filter 28 covering the ventilation port 16, a ventilation fan 27, a humidity adjusting variable resistor (humidity adjusting knob) 29, an external power switch 30, an external LED 31, and for communication. A connector 32 is disposed. On the lower surface of the air conditioner 12 shown in FIG. 2 (d), a filter 33 and a temperature / humidity sensor 34 for covering the air intake port inside the cover are arranged.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view and a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the air conditioner of the sleeping apparatus according to the present invention. The air in the cover that has been sucked and passed through the filter 33 that covers the intake port is sent out by the crossflow fan 40, heated by the heater 41, and blown out again from the blowout ports 20 to 23. When the valve device 42 is open, the outside air flows in through the filter 28 due to the negative pressure generated by the cross flow fan 40 and is mixed with the air from the inside of the cover. Note that the air inside the cover corresponding to the amount of outside air that has flowed in is released to the outside of the cover, for example, from the gap between the cover and the user.

  The control device 43 inputs measured values from the in-cover temperature sensor 47, the humidity sensor 48, the outside air temperature sensor 49, the outlet temperature sensor 44, the heating detection temperature sensor 45, the photo sensor 46, etc., and the heater power, cross flow The fan power, the opening degree of the valve device 42 (stepping motor 50) and the like are controlled.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the valve device of the sleeping device of the present invention. The valve device 42 is composed of two rectangular plates each having a large number of slits provided at equal intervals. The moving plate 61 is configured to be slidable on the fixed plate 60, and outside air is sucked through the overlapping portions of the slits of the two plates.

Since the shaft on which the screw that is rotated by the stepping motor 50 is cut is fitted into the screw hole of the protrusion fixed to the moving plate 61, the moving plate 61 is moved by rotating the motor 50, and the valve device The opening area changes. In order to detect that the moving plate 61 has reached the fully closed position, a photo sensor 46 that irradiates infrared rays and detects reflected light from the moving plate 61 is disposed.
The valve device may be composed of a fixed slit member having a circular fan-shaped opening and a moving slit member having a fan-shaped opening that rotates about the axis on the fixed slit. Is possible. Furthermore, a plurality of the circular valve devices may be arranged in parallel, and a gear may be formed around the moving side slit member to engage the moving side slit members.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control device of the sleeping device of the present invention. The CPU 70 is a one-chip microcomputer provided with a CPU, RAM, ROM, digital and analog input ports, digital output ports, a timer circuit, and the like. Such a one-chip microcomputer is well known, and any one having a necessary function can be adopted.

  As the temperature sensors 44, 45, 47, and 49, for example, a known temperature sensor that outputs a voltage corresponding to temperature, for example, LM35DZ of National Semiconductor (registered trademark) can be used. As the humidity sensor 48, for example, a humidity sensor CHS-UGS of TDK (registered trademark) can be adopted. A well-known DC amplification circuit 73 using an operational amplifier amplifies the output voltage of the sensor so that it matches the full scale of the A / D converter built in the CPU, and outputs it to the analog input terminal of the CPU 70.

  The photosensor 46 includes, for example, an LED that emits infrared light and a photodiode that detects reflected light from the moving plate 61. As the photosensor 46, for example, TLP909 manufactured by Toshiba (registered trademark) can be used. The sensor circuit 78 converts the output signal of the photodiode into a digital signal that can be input to the CPU. Outputs of the target temperature and target humidity setting variable resistors 26 and 29 are connected to an analog input terminal of the CPU 70.

  The zero cross detection circuit 72 detects a zero cross of the commercial power source using, for example, a bridge rectifier circuit and a photocoupler, and outputs a pulse having a predetermined length to the digital input port of the CPU 70. The CPU 70 detects a zero cross by an interrupt process described later.

The ventilation (cooling) fan motor 27 is always operating while the power is on. The stepping motor 50 of the valve device is driven by a known stepping motor drive circuit 80 based on control from the CPU 70.
As will be described in detail later, the circulating crossflow fan motor 40, which is an induction motor, rotates by controlling the well-known solid state relay (SSR) circuit 81 using a phototriac when the AC100V is at a desired phase angle. Speed is controlled.

  Although the heater 41 using nichrome wire will be described in detail later, the average heat generation amount is controlled by on / off controlling a known solid state relay (SSR) circuit 81 using a phototriac at a desired ratio. For example, by turning on only 0.5 seconds within a 1 second period, the average heat generation amount is halved.

  The transmission / reception terminal for start-stop synchronization communication provided in the CPU 70 is connected to the communication connector 32 via a well-known RS-232C transceiver circuit 83. By connecting a personal computer or the like to this connector, the target value and measurement are externally performed. Values, control values, etc. can be constantly monitored, and the air conditioner can be controlled from the outside.

  The AC / DC converter 71 generates DC5V from AC100V. The internal power switch 24 and the external power switch 30 are connected as shown in the figure, and the power can be turned on / off by inverting any switch. This is because, for example, the external power switch 30 is operated to be turned on when sleeping, and the internal power switch 24 is operated to be turned off when waking up.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the CPU 70 which is the control device of the sleeping device of the present invention. When the power is turned on, the memory and registers are initialized in S10. In S11, the target temperature and target humidity are read by using an A / D converter incorporating the output voltages of the target temperature and target humidity setting variable resistors 26 and 29 to set the target temperature and target humidity.

  In S12, for example, whether or not a control signal is received from the outside is determined based on whether or not a specific character code is received in the reception buffer. If the determination result is negative, the process proceeds to S13. If yes, the process proceeds to S16. In S13, it is determined whether or not an air conditioning control cycle (for example, 1 second to several tens of seconds) has elapsed. If the determination result is negative, the process returns to S11, but if the determination is positive, the process proceeds to S14.

  In S14, an internal temperature, an internal humidity, an outside air temperature, an outlet temperature, and the like are measured by a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor. In S15, based on the set target values of temperature and humidity and the measured value of S14, the control values of the heaters, circulation fan motors, and valve devices that are the control targets are calculated and updated by a predetermined calculation formula.

  As an example of the calculation formula, for example, when the measured humidity is higher than the target humidity, the opening degree of the valve device is increased by one, and when the measured humidity is lower, the opening degree is decreased by one. Further, when the measured internal temperature is higher than the target temperature, the heater is turned off. When the measured internal temperature is lower, the control value is determined so that the heater-on ratio increases as the temperature difference increases. Further, when the outside air is introduced, the correction may be performed in the direction in which the heater power is increased based on the opening degree of the valve device and the outside air temperature or the temperature of the outlet. Further, the circulation fan motor 40 is controlled so as to be proportional to the control value of the heater, or is controlled so that the temperature of the outlet does not rise above a predetermined value. However, the predetermined number of rotations is maintained at least.

  In S16, each control object is controlled based on the obtained control value. When a control signal is received from the outside, the control value is followed. In S17, device information such as a target value, a measured value, and a control value is converted into a character code and output to the outside using an RS-232C line.

  In S18, information is displayed on the LEDs 25 and 31, which are display devices, and the process returns to S11. As the information, for example, the on / off state of the heater may be displayed. In this way, for example, the LED blinks at a cycle of 1 second, so that the on / off state of the power source can be recognized, and the lighting time varies depending on the temperature in the cover, so whether the CPU is operating normally or not. Can be checked.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the contents of the timer interrupt process of the CPU 70. The control device controls speed control by phase angle control of the circulation fan motor 40 by software. For this purpose, an interrupt with a period of, for example, 200 microseconds is generated by a hardware timer built in the CPU. In the case of 50 Hz, since the zero-cross cycle is 10 milliseconds, it is possible to control power in almost 50 steps, not at regular intervals, by controlling the number of interrupts with a period of 200 microseconds from the zero cross at which the SSR 81 is turned on. Therefore, the control accuracy of the present invention is sufficient.

  In S30, 1 is added to the phase angle counter value stored in the RAM. In S31, it is determined whether or not it is time to turn on the SSR 81. If the determination result is affirmative, the process proceeds to S32. If the determination result is negative, the process ends and returns. In S32, the SSR 81 is controlled to be turned on by a short pulse.

  For example, if the fan control value = on time is 25, the fan motor SSR is on-controlled when the phase angle timer value is 25, so the SSR 81 is turned on for approximately half of the time until the next zero cross, Turns off at zero crossing time. When the fan motor 40 is strengthened, the on time is set to 0 or −1, and when the fan motor 40 is stopped, the on time is set to 51 or more.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the contents of the zero-cross interrupt process. In S40, the phase angle counter value is cleared to zero. In S41, 1 is added to the value of the zero cross counter. In S42, it is determined whether or not the zero cross counter value has reached the maximum value max (for example, 100). If the determination result is negative, the process proceeds to S45, but if the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to S43. In S43, the zero cross counter value is cleared to zero. In S44, the heater SSR 82 is controlled to be off.

  In S45, it is determined whether or not it is the heater on-time depending on whether or not the value of the zero cross counter has exceeded the heater control value. If the determination result is negative, the process ends and returns. Then, the heater SSR 82 is turned on. For example, when the heater control value is 30, the heater is turned on when the value of the zero cross counter becomes 30, and turned off when the value becomes 100. Therefore, the average heat generation amount of the heater is 70% of that during normal energization.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the contents of the signal reception interrupt process. In S50, the data received from the RS-232C line is added to the reception buffer and stored. With the configuration and function as described above, the sleeping device of the present invention can sleep in a comfortable state throughout the year regardless of temperature and humidity. The inventor made a prototype of the apparatus of the present invention and conducted an experiment, and as a result, it was confirmed that it was possible to sleep without cooling the room even in summer in Tokyo.

  Next, a second embodiment will be described. FIG. 10 is a plan view and a side view showing the configuration of the second embodiment of the sleeping apparatus of the present invention. In the first embodiment, since the side surface of the user up to the vicinity of the shoulder is covered with a cover, there is a possibility that the user may hit the support column or wall surface when turning over. Therefore, in the first embodiment, it is necessary to make the width of the cover as large as, for example, a mattress, and the apparatus cannot be downsized. Moreover, if only the front part of the cover is opened, it is inconvenient for the user to put the body in and out of the apparatus.

  Therefore, in the second embodiment, the support is integrated with the cover, the upper surface of the cover is supported by the rear bottom plate and the side plate, and the support member and the wall surface are removed from at least the front side surface by extending the front hanging member to cover the side surface. It is a thing. Moreover, in order to make a user in / out easier, the front upper surface of the cover is configured to be rotatable upward.

  FIG. 10A shows a configuration in which the upper surface 90, the supporting rods 93 on both sides, and the bottom plate 92 are fixed by side plates 91 to support the upper surface plate 90 in the second embodiment. In addition, in FIG. 10, the state which removed the front drooping member is shown. A front portion 94 of the upper surface plate 90 is configured to be rotatable by a hinge. This hinge may be provided with a mechanism that keeps the front portion 94 vertical, for example. In this structure, in order to store the mattress in the cover, the width of the upper surface needs to be the same as or slightly narrower than that of the mattress.

  In FIG. 10B, in the second embodiment, the top plate 100 and the bottom plate 102 are fixed by the triangular side plate 101 to support the top plate 100, and the bottom plate 102 and the support bar 104 are fixed by the triangular side plate 103. The top plate 100 is configured to be supported. In this structure, the interval between the support rods 104 on both sides is required to be about the same as that of the mattress, but the mattress can be taken in and out without removing the sleeping apparatus even if the width of the upper surface is narrower than that of the mattress.

  FIG. 11: is the top view and side view which show the structure of 3rd Example of the sleeping apparatus of this invention. This is an example of a kotatsu sleeping device. The square top plate 110 is supported by four columns 111, the rear portion is closed by the bottom plate 112 except for the back surface of the air conditioner 12, and the front and side surfaces are not shown, but are covered by a front hanging member. Yes. An extension frame 113 is housed under the top plate 110 so as to be slidable back and forth. When used as a kotatsu (FIG. 11A), the extension frame 113 is housed in the lower part of the top plate 110. At bedtime (FIG. 11 (b)), the extension frame 113 is pulled out as shown in the figure, and the gap between the front hanging member and the floor is closed with a blanket or a futon. The air conditioner can switch between the kotatsu mode and the sleep mode, and performs optimum air conditioning control as a kotatsu in the kotatsu mode.

  FIG. 12 is a plan view and a side view showing the configuration of the fourth embodiment of the sleeping apparatus of the present invention. This embodiment is a modification of the second embodiment, and a frame is constituted by a metal pipe. The upper frame 120, the bottom frame 122, and the support frame 123 are integrally formed by a metal pipe such as iron, aluminum, and geralumin. The rear portion is covered with a bottom plate 126, and the front and side surfaces are not illustrated, but are covered with a front hanging member. Note that the bottom plate 126 may also be made of the same material as the front hanging member. An air conditioner is mounted on the upper plate 125 so that the lower portion of the upper plate 125 is flat. The front part 121 of the frame is configured to be extendable and contractable with respect to the upper frame 120, and a bellows-like cover 124 covers the sliding part.

  As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was disclosed, the following modifications can also be considered to this invention. A mattress drying mode may be added as an operation mode of the air conditioner. In the drying mode, for example, the heater and the circulation fan are maximized, and the valve device is controlled so that the humidity is below a certain level. You may make it stop, if it operate | moves for a fixed time.

It is a side view which shows the structure at the time of use of the sleeping apparatus of this invention. It is the top view and side view which show the external appearance of the air conditioner of the sleeping apparatus of this invention. It is the top view and sectional drawing which show the internal structure of the air conditioner of the sleeping apparatus of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the valve apparatus of the sleeping apparatus of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the control apparatus of the sleeping apparatus of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing content of the control apparatus of the sleeping apparatus of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the content of a timer interruption process. It is a flowchart which shows the content of a zero cross interruption process. It is a flowchart which shows the content of a signal reception interruption process. It is the top view and side view which show the structure of 2nd Example of the sleeping apparatus of this invention. It is the top view and side view which show the structure of 3rd Example of the sleeping apparatus of this invention. It is the top view and side view which show the structure of 4th Example of the sleeping apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Front cover 11 ... Rear cover 12 ... Air conditioner 13 ... Front drooping member 14 ... Bottom plate 15 ... Power cord 16 ... Ventilation port 18 ... User

Claims (7)

Cover means in which at least a space that can be inserted horizontally from the bottom of a person's chest is secured, and the front part is open,
Flexible front drooping means that covers at least the opening of the cover means;
Air-conditioning means that is installed on the rear upper side of the cover means, has a ventilation port on the rearmost side, and controls the temperature and humidity of the air inside the cover;
A sleeping device characterized by comprising: The air conditioning means includes:
Air blowing means for sending air sucked from the internal space of the cover means to the internal space of the cover means again;
Valve means for introducing outside air taken from the ventilation port into the suction part of the blowing means;
Heating means for heating the air delivered by the blowing means;
Measuring means for measuring the temperature and humidity of the air inside the cover means; and
2. The bed according to claim 1, further comprising: a control unit that controls at least one of the valve unit, the heating unit, and the air blowing unit based on a measurement result of the measurement unit to be suitable for sleeping. apparatus.   The valve means includes a fixed slit member having an opening, a moving slit member having an opening that slides linearly on the fixed slit or rotates around an axis, and the moving side. The sleeping device according to claim 2, comprising a slit driving means for moving the slit member.   The sleeping apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the air-conditioning means includes a plurality of outlets capable of adjusting the delivery direction for sending the adjusted air to the internal space of the cover means.   The sleeping apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the air-conditioning means includes power switch means capable of turning on and off the power independently in an internal space of the cover means and outside the cover means.   The control means includes an input / output means for periodically outputting a target value and a measured value of temperature and humidity to the outside and performing control according to the control signal when a control signal is input from the outside. The sleeping device according to claim 2. 2. The cover means has no support column at least on the front side surface, the front upper surface of the cover means is supported by the rear part of the cover means, and the front hanging means also covers the front side surface of the cover means. A sleeping device according to claim 1.

Images