JP2008267683A - Blowing apparatus equipped with air filter, and air filter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a blowing apparatus equipped with an air filter capable of reducing the number of parts and accurately detecting the concentration of carbon dioxide gas contained in air with superior responsiveness. <P>SOLUTION: In the blowing apparatus provided with the air filter 17 in an air duct 11, a carbon dioxide gas sensor 19 is disposed on an inner wall 11a of the air duct 11 to be positioned between the air filter 17 and a blowout port. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a configuration for detecting the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in air in a blower such as an air conditioner or an air purifier mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile.

Conventionally, for example, in a vehicle such as a passenger car, a configuration as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 has been proposed as a carbon dioxide sensor for detecting the concentration of carbon dioxide in a passenger compartment. In the conventional configuration of Patent Document 1, a gas detection chamber is formed inside the sensor housing, and a through hole for introducing air into the gas detection chamber is formed on the side wall of the housing. An infrared light emitting element is disposed at one end of the housing with the gas detection chamber interposed therebetween, and a bandpass filter and an infrared detecting element are disposed at the other end. And the infrared rays irradiated from an infrared light emitting element are detected by an infrared detection element, and the detection signal which shows gas concentration is output. Since infrared rays are absorbed by carbon dioxide, the concentration of carbon dioxide can be determined by detecting the amount of absorption.
JP 2006-275980 A

  The carbon dioxide sensor is configured such that the air in the gas detection chamber in the housing is constantly replaced through the through hole in the side wall of the housing. For this reason, foreign matter such as dust may enter the gas detection chamber together with air. When a foreign substance enters in this way, the foreign substance may block the infrared light path and the concentration of carbon dioxide gas may not be accurately performed.

  In order to cope with such a problem, it is conceivable to arrange a filter for removing dust in the through-hole portion of the housing to prevent entry of dust or the like into the gas detection chamber. However, in such a configuration, not only the number of parts increases, but also pressure loss at the filter portion hinders the replacement of air between the gas detection chamber and the outside, and the detection of carbon dioxide concentration. Responsiveness deteriorates. Furthermore, there is a possibility that the detection responsiveness of the carbon dioxide gas concentration is further deteriorated due to the accumulation of dust and the like on the filter and the occurrence of clogging.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems existing in the prior art. The purpose is to provide an air filter equipped with an air filter that can accurately detect the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in the air with good responsiveness, without the need to provide a filter for the sensor. The object is to provide an apparatus and an air filter.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in the blower provided with an air filter, a carbon dioxide sensor is disposed at a position downstream of the air filter and between the air filter and the outlet. It is characterized by. Here, the carbon dioxide sensor refers to a type that optically detects the carbon dioxide concentration.

  Therefore, according to the air blower provided with this air filter, it is not necessary to provide a sensor filter separately from the air filter of the air blower, and the number of parts can be reduced. Further, since foreign matter such as dust contained in the air is filtered by the air filter of the blower and does not enter the detection area of the carbon dioxide sensor, the concentration of carbon dioxide can be accurately detected. Furthermore, since no filter for the sensor is provided, air can be smoothly exchanged into the detection region of the carbon dioxide sensor, and the possibility of deteriorating the detection responsiveness of the carbon dioxide concentration can be suppressed. .

In the above configuration, the carbon dioxide sensor may be provided on the inner wall of the air duct.
In the above configuration, a carbon dioxide sensor may be provided at a position downstream of the air flow in the air filter.

Furthermore, when the air filter is constituted by a frame body and elements housed in the frame body, the carbon dioxide sensor may be provided on the frame body.
The carbon dioxide sensor may be provided on the element instead of the frame.

In the present invention, the air filter attached to the air blower is characterized in that a carbon dioxide sensor is provided at a position downstream of the air flow.
And when an air filter is comprised by the frame and the element accommodated in the frame, it is good to provide the said carbon dioxide sensor in the said frame.

  The said structure WHEREIN: You may provide a carbon dioxide sensor in an element instead of the said frame.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to provide a filter for the sensor, the increase in the number of parts can be suppressed, and the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in the air can be accurately detected with good responsiveness. Demonstrate the effect that you can.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
As shown in FIG. 1, the air blower of this embodiment constitutes an air conditioner for a vehicle. In this air blower, the inside air inlet 12 and the outside air inlet are provided at the inlet side end of the air duct 11. 13 is branched. A switching damper 14 is rotatably disposed at the inner ends of the inlets 12 and 13. The switching damper 14 is switched between the position indicated by the solid line and the position indicated by the chain line in FIG. 1, whereby the inside air introduction port 12 and the outside air introduction port 13 are selectively opened and closed, and the vehicle is placed in the air duct 11. Indoor air or outside air is introduced.

  A blower fan 15 is disposed in the air duct 11, and the blower fan 15 is rotated by a blower motor 16, whereby air from the inside air introduction port 12 or the outside air introduction port 13 is sucked into the air duct 11. Thus, an air flow is generated in the air duct 11. An air filter 17 is detachably disposed in the air duct 11 so as to be disposed on the upstream side of the air flow with respect to the blower fan 15, and foreign matters such as dust contained in the introduced air are filtered by the air filter 17. Is done.

  An air conditioner including an evaporator, a heater and the like (not shown) for adjusting the temperature of the air is connected to the air duct 11 so as to be disposed downstream of the air flow with respect to the blower fan 15. A blower outlet (not shown) that opens toward the passenger compartment is formed at the outlet side end of the air duct 11, and the air that has been filtered by the air filter 17 and temperature-adjusted by the air conditioner passes through the passenger compartment from the blower outlet. Is blown out.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a carbon dioxide sensor 19 is disposed on the inner wall 11 a of the air duct 11 on the downstream side of the air flow from the air filter 17. The carbon dioxide sensor 19 detects the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air blown out from the outlet. Even if the carbon dioxide gas sensor 19 is disposed at a position downstream of the blower fan 15 as shown by a solid line in FIG. 1, it is located at a position between the air filter 17 and the blower fan 15 as shown by a two-dot chain line. Any of them may be arranged. However, in order to avoid disturbance light from the vehicle interior and adverse effects from vehicle interior dust, it is preferable that the carbon dioxide sensor 19 be disposed at the back of the duct near the air filter 17 away from the air outlet.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the carbon dioxide gas sensor 19, a gas detection chamber 21 is formed inside a cylindrical housing 20. A plurality of through holes 22 are formed on the side wall of the housing so as to face each other, and the air in the gas detection chamber 21 is exchanged through these through holes 22. An infrared light emitting element 23 is disposed in the housing 20 so as to be positioned at one end of the gas detection chamber 21. An optical filter 24 and an infrared detection element 25 are disposed in the housing 20 so as to face the infrared light emitting element 23 and be positioned at the other end of the gas detection chamber 21. Infrared rays emitted from the infrared light emitting element 23 are detected by the infrared detecting element 25 via the optical filter 24. That is, the infrared detection element 25 outputs a detection signal indicating the amount of infrared light absorbed at a specific wavelength in accordance with the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in the air in the gas detection chamber 21.

Next, the detection operation of the carbon dioxide sensor 19 in the air blower configured as described above will be described.
Now, during operation of this blower, air in the vehicle compartment or air outside the vehicle compartment is introduced into the air duct 11 through the inside air introduction port 12 or the outside air introduction port 13 by the rotation of the blower fan 15. The introduced air is filtered by the air filter 17, and then the temperature and humidity are harmonized by an air conditioner (not shown) and blown out from the air outlet into the vehicle interior.

  In this case, air enters the gas detection chamber 21 of the housing 20 of the carbon dioxide sensor 19 through the through hole 22, and the air escapes from the gas detection chamber 21 through another through hole 22. In the gas detection chamber 21, infrared rays from the infrared light emitting element 23 are received by the infrared detection element 25, and a detection signal indicating the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air is output from the infrared detection element 25.

  Based on this detection signal, the level of carbon dioxide gas concentration in the air is determined by a control device (not shown), and when the carbon dioxide gas concentration exceeds a predetermined threshold value, for example, an alarm operation is executed.

This embodiment has the following effects.
(1) In detecting the carbon dioxide concentration, foreign matter such as dust contained in the air in the air duct 11 is filtered by the air filter 17 of the blower. Therefore, even if a sensor filter is not provided in the portion of the through hole 22 on the housing 20 of the carbon dioxide sensor 19, there is almost no possibility that foreign matters such as dust enter the gas detection chamber 21 of the housing 20. Therefore, the carbon dioxide concentration can be accurately detected by the infrared detection element 25.

  (2) Further, since it is not necessary to provide a sensor filter in the portion of the through hole 22 of the housing 20, it is possible to avoid a pressure loss caused by the sensor filter. Therefore, since air smoothly passes through the inside and outside of the gas detection chamber 21, the detection response of the carbon dioxide concentration by the infrared detection element 25 can be kept good.

(3) Furthermore, since there is no need to provide a sensor filter, the number of parts can be reduced.
(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In each of the embodiments and modifications after the second embodiment, the description will focus on the parts different from the first embodiment.

In this 2nd Embodiment, as shown in FIG.3 and FIG.4, the carbon dioxide sensor 19 is provided in the downstream position of the element 32 in the air filter 17 of an air blower.
That is, the air filter 17 includes a frame body 31 and an element 32 that is detachably accommodated in the frame body 31. The element 32 is formed by bending a sheet-like filter medium 32a into a pleat shape. The carbon dioxide sensor 19 is attached to the central portion of the frame 31 so as to be disposed downstream of the element 32 in the air flow. The carbon dioxide sensor 19 is located between the pleat peaks of the element 32. A connector 39 that is electrically connected to the carbon dioxide sensor 19 is attached to the outer surface of the frame 31. When the air filter 17 is mounted in the air duct 11, the connector 39 is electrically connected to a connector (not shown) on the air duct 11 side, and the carbon dioxide sensor 19 is connected to the control device (not shown).

Therefore, also in the second embodiment, substantially the same effect as that described in the first embodiment can be obtained.
Further, in the second embodiment, since the carbon dioxide sensor 19 may be incorporated in the air filter 17 of the blower in advance, it is not necessary to incorporate the carbon dioxide sensor in the blower, and the assembly work of the blower is prevented from being troublesome. it can.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the air filter 17 is composed of a frame body 31 and an element 32 as in the case of the second embodiment. The carbon dioxide sensor 19 is located at the end in the frame 31.

Therefore, also in the third embodiment, substantially the same effect as that described in the second embodiment can be obtained.
(Fourth embodiment)
Next explained is the fourth embodiment of the invention.

  In this 4th Embodiment, as shown in FIG.6 and FIG.7, the air filter 17 winds the laminated material 33 which consists of the flat filter medium 33a and the waveform filter medium 33b spirally, and is cylindrical as a whole. It is formed so as to form a honeycomb structure. That is, a plurality of air passages are defined by the corrugated filter medium 33b between the flat filter media 33a of the laminated material 33 arranged in a spiral shape. Among the air passages, the first air passages 40 adjacent to every other air passage are opened on the upstream side of the air flow and sealed by the sealing material 41 on the downstream side. On the other hand, as for the remaining second air passage 42, the air flow upstream side is sealed by the sealing material 41 and the downstream side is opened. With this configuration, a first vent 43 is formed at the inlet side end of the air filter 17, and a second vent 44 is formed at the outlet side end.

  Then, as indicated by arrows in FIG. 7, the air is filtered by being introduced into the first air passages 40 from the first vents 43 of the air filter 17 and passing through the flat filter medium 33 a or the wave filter medium 33 b. Is done. Thereafter, the air is led out from the second vent 44 of the air filter 17.

  The carbon dioxide sensor 19 is attached in the second air passage 42 at the center of the spiral shape of the laminated material 33. Further, the carbon dioxide gas sensor 19 of this embodiment has a transmitter 45 with a built-in battery, and the air duct 11 has a receiver 46. The transmitter 45 has a timed measuring function for measuring the carbon dioxide concentration at predetermined time intervals. The measurement result is transmitted by the transmitter 45 and received by the receiver 46. Since the receiver 46 is connected to the input side of the control device, the received detection data is input to the control device, and the level of carbon dioxide gas is determined by the control device.

Therefore, also in the fourth embodiment, substantially the same effect as that described in the first to third embodiments can be obtained.
(Fifth embodiment)
Next explained is the fifth embodiment of the invention.

  In the fifth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the air filter 17 is constituted by a web-like filter medium 34 having a predetermined thickness stretched in a frame 36. A concave portion 35 is formed on the downstream surface of the air flow in the web-shaped filter medium 34, and the carbon dioxide gas sensor 19 having the same periodic measurement function and transmission function as the fourth embodiment is accommodated in the concave portion 35. ing.

Therefore, also in the fifth embodiment, substantially the same effect as that described in the fourth embodiment can be obtained.
(Example of change)
In addition, this embodiment can also be changed and embodied as follows.

-The present invention is embodied in a blower other than an air conditioner, such as an air purifier.
In the second and third embodiments, the attachment position of the carbon dioxide sensor 19 with respect to the frame 31 of the air filter 17 is changed to a different position such as the lower surface of the frame 31, for example.

Sectional drawing of the air blower of 1st Embodiment. The partial expanded sectional view in the 2-2 line of FIG. The disassembled perspective view of the air filter in 2nd Embodiment. Sectional drawing of the air filter of FIG. Sectional drawing of the air blower of 3rd Embodiment. The perspective view of the air filter of 4th Embodiment. Sectional drawing of the air blower of 4th Embodiment. The fragmentary sectional view of the air filter of a 5th embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Air duct, 11a ... Inner wall, 15 ... Blower fan, 17 ... Air filter, 19 ... Carbon dioxide sensor, 20 ... Housing, 23 ... Infrared light emitting element, 25 ... Infrared detection element, 31 ... Frame, 32 ... Element

Claims (8)

In a blower equipped with an air filter,
A blower provided with an air filter, characterized in that a carbon dioxide gas sensor is disposed downstream of the air filter and between the air filter and the outlet. The blower equipped with the air filter according to claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide sensor is provided on an inner wall of an air duct. The blower equipped with the air filter according to claim 1, wherein a carbon dioxide sensor is provided at a position downstream of the air flow in the air filter. The air filter according to claim 3, wherein the air filter includes a frame and an element accommodated in the frame, and the carbon dioxide sensor is provided in the frame. . The blower equipped with an air filter according to claim 4, wherein the carbon dioxide sensor is provided in an element instead of the frame. In the air filter attached to the blower,
An air filter comprising a carbon dioxide sensor at a position downstream of the air flow. The air filter according to claim 6, further comprising a frame and an element accommodated in the frame, wherein the carbon dioxide sensor is provided in the frame. The air filter according to claim 7, wherein a carbon dioxide sensor is provided in the element instead of the frame body.

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