JP2010065972A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a quiet air conditioner with improved safety, capable of surely generating electrostatic mist. <P>SOLUTION: An indoor unit of the air conditioner includes inlet ports 2a, 2b for sucking indoor air in, a prefilter 5 for removing dust included in the air sucked by the inlet ports 2a, 2b, a heat exchanger 6 for exchanging heat with the sucked air, an indoor fan 8 for conveying the air heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger 6, an outlet 10 for blowing out the air sent by the indoor fan 8, and a main passage 20 communicated with the inlet ports 2a, 2b and the outlet 10. The indoor unit is further provided with a bypass passage 22 bypassing the main passage 20, a bulkhead 46c for separating the bypass passage 22 from the main passage 20, and an electrostatic atomizing device 18 provided in the bypass passage 22, having a silencer 32, and generating electrostatic mist. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioner including an indoor unit having an air cleaning function for purifying indoor air.

  Some conventional air conditioners have a deodorizing function, for example, adsorb odor components with an air cleaning pre-filter provided at an air inlet of an indoor unit, or have an oxidative decomposition function provided in the middle of an air passage. Odor components are adsorbed by the deodorizing unit.

  However, since the air conditioner with a deodorizing function removes odor components contained in the air sucked from the suction port and deodorizes it, the odor components contained in the indoor air and the odor adhering to curtains, walls, etc. The component could not be removed.

  Therefore, an odorous component contained in the indoor air is provided by providing an electrostatic atomizer in the air passage of the indoor unit, and blowing out the electrostatic mist generated by the electrostatic atomizer with a nanometer-size electrostatic mist. An air conditioner that removes odorous components adhering to curtains and walls has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1 or 2).

  In such an air conditioner, the electrostatic atomizer is disposed in the vicinity of the suction port or the outlet, or downstream of the heat exchanger or the indoor fan.

In addition, the electrostatic atomizer includes a water transport unit that transports water by capillary action, a heat exchange unit that supplies condensed water generated by cooling air on the heat absorption surface to the water transport unit, and a water transport unit. An application electrode for applying a voltage to the water to be transported, a counter electrode facing the water transport unit, and a high voltage application unit for applying a high voltage between the application electrode and the counter electrode are provided to replenish water. The thing which can be used continuously is proposed (for example, refer patent document 3).
JP 2005-282873 A JP 2006-234245 A JP 2005-131549 A

  In the case of an air conditioner, during cooling, the low-temperature air that has passed through the heat exchanger of the indoor unit has a high relative humidity. For example, in an electrostatic atomizer, a Peltier element is provided to replenish moisture. Since dew condensation tends to occur not only in the pin-shaped discharge electrode of the Peltier element but also in the entire Peltier element, it is not possible to guarantee high safety by applying a high voltage to the Peltier element itself. On the other hand, during heating, the high-temperature air that has passed through the heat exchanger has a low relative humidity, so there is a high possibility that no condensation will occur on the discharge electrode.

  Therefore, as in the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1 or 2, the electrostatic atomizer is arranged in the vicinity of the inlet or outlet, or downstream of the heat exchanger or indoor fan. However, there is still room for improvement in order to ensure high safety while reliably generating electrostatic mist by the electrostatic atomization phenomenon regardless of the operation mode, that is, regardless of the season.

In addition, since the electrostatic atomizer generates electrostatic mist by utilizing the discharge phenomenon, the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1 or 2 is inevitably accompanied by a reduction in discharge noise. Not considered. In particular, in an air conditioner equipped with an indoor unit installed near the ceiling, the noise from the indoor unit reaches people in the room without any obstacles. Compared to air purifiers etc., it is easier to get on the ear.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a silent air conditioner that can reliably generate electrostatic mist and has improved safety. It is said.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is an air conditioner provided with an indoor unit that is installed on a wall surface in the vicinity of an indoor ceiling and has an air purifying function for purifying indoor air. The indoor unit sucks indoor air, a prefilter for removing dust contained in the air sucked from the suction port, a heat exchanger for exchanging heat with the sucked air, and the heat An indoor fan that conveys air heat-exchanged by the exchanger, an air outlet that blows out air blown from the indoor fan, and a main channel that communicates the air inlet and the air outlet, at least the heat exchange A bypass channel that bypasses the vessel and communicates with the main channel, a partition that separates the bypass channel from the main channel, and an electrostatic atomizer that is provided in the bypass channel and generates electrostatic mist More The electrostatic atomizer includes: an electrostatic atomization unit that generates electrostatic mist; a high-voltage power source that applies a high voltage to a discharge electrode of the electrostatic atomization unit; A silencer for reducing the discharge sound of the electrostatic atomization unit, the electrostatic atomization unit comprising a discharge electrode, a Peltier element that supplies moisture to the discharge electrode, and a heat dissipation part that promotes heat dissipation from the Peltier element It is characterized by having.

  With this configuration, an electrostatic atomizer that is installed on a wall surface near the ceiling of the room and has an indoor unit having an air cleaning function to purify indoor air, and that generates electrostatic mist due to discharge However, it is possible to reliably generate electrostatic mist, improve safety, and provide a silent air conditioner that suppresses discharge noise.

  The invention according to claim 2 is an air conditioner including an indoor unit having an air purifying function for purifying indoor air, wherein the indoor unit includes a suction port for sucking room air, and the suction port. A pre-filter that removes dust contained in the sucked air, a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the sucked air, an indoor fan that conveys the air heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger, and air blown from the indoor fan An air outlet that blows out air, a main flow path that connects the air inlet and the air outlet, and an electrostatic atomizer that generates electrostatic mist, wherein the electrostatic atomizer generates electrostatic mist. An electrostatic atomizing unit to be applied; a high voltage power source that applies a high voltage to a discharge electrode of the electrostatic atomizing unit; and a silencer that passes the electrostatic mist to reduce discharge noise of the electrostatic atomizing unit. The electrostatic atomization unit The discharge electrode, a Peltier element that supplies moisture to the discharge electrode, and a heat dissipation portion that promotes heat dissipation from the Peltier element, and electrostatic mist generated by the electrostatic atomizer flows through the main flow path It is configured to join the flow.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the indoor unit includes a partition wall that separates the main flow path and the accommodating portion adjacent to the main flow path, and includes an electrostatic atomizer. And an electrostatic atomizer that generates an electrostatic mist, a high-voltage power supply that applies a high voltage to a discharge electrode of the electrostatic atomization unit, and the electrostatic atomizer. A silencer that passes the mist and reduces the discharge sound of the electrostatic atomization unit. The electrostatic atomization unit includes a discharge electrode, a counter electrode, a Peltier element that supplies moisture to the discharge electrode, and the Peltier element. A heat radiating portion that promotes heat radiation from the element and communicates with the bypass outlet pipe, the bypass outlet pipe is connected to and communicates with the main flow path, and the accommodating portion has at least one opening for sucking in ambient air. Have the air sucked into the housing part There was to be incorporated into the electrostatic atomizing unit, the receiving portion is characterized by being configured such that the bypass flow path for bypassing at least the heat exchanger.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the bypass outlet pipe is connected to a negative pressure portion that is attracted by the air flow in the main flow path.

  The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 4, the bypass outlet pipe is connected to the downstream side of the indoor fan.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the electrostatic atomizing unit and the silencer are arranged close to each other.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to claim 6, wherein the silencer housing that houses the silencer, and the inlet opening and the outlet opening before and after the silencer through which the electrostatic mist of the silencer housing passes. The center of the inlet opening and the outlet opening and the tip of the discharge electrode of the electrostatic atomization unit are arranged in a straight line.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to claim 7, wherein the inner diameter D3 in which the silencer is formed in a cylindrical shape is compared with the diameter D2 of the inlet opening and the diameter D4 of the outlet opening. D3 ≦ D2 ≦ D3 is satisfied.

  The invention according to claim 9 is the invention according to claim 7, wherein the electrostatic atomizing unit has a discharge electrode and a counter electrode, the aperture D1 of the opening of the counter electrode, and the inlet opening The diameter D2 of the inlet opening is at least larger than the diameter D1 of the opening of the counter electrode.

  The invention described in claim 10 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claims 6-9, the silencer is made of a material having flame retardancy.

  The invention described in claim 11 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claims 1-10, the silencer is composed of a plurality of combinations.

  According to the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner including an indoor unit that is installed on a wall surface near the ceiling of the room and has an air cleaning function for purifying indoor air, wherein the main flow path and the bypass flow path are separated by the partition wall. Since the electrostatic atomizer that generates electrostatic mist is provided in the bypass flow path, air that does not pass through the heat exchanger and is not adjusted in temperature and humidity is supplied to the electrostatic atomizer. In the air conditioner, it is possible to effectively prevent the occurrence of condensation on the entire Peltier element of the electrostatic atomization unit, thereby improving safety and ensuring that electrostatic mist is generated during heating. It is possible to provide a silent air conditioner that can stably generate electrostatic mist regardless of the season, regardless of the season, and suppresses discharge noise.

  In addition, since the air flow blown out from the bypass blowing pipe constituting the bypass flow path is directed so as to be directed substantially orthogonal or upstream with respect to the air flow flowing through the main flow path, from the electrostatic atomizer This discharge noise is not directed toward a person in front of or in front of the indoor unit, and is effective in reducing noise.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The air conditioner is composed of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit that are usually connected to each other by refrigerant piping. FIGS. 1 and 2 show the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the indoor unit has a front suction port 2a and a top suction port 2b as suction ports for sucking room air into the main body 2, and the front suction port 2a has a movable front panel that can be opened and closed. 4 (hereinafter simply referred to as the front panel). When the air conditioner is stopped, the front panel 4 is in close contact with the main body 2 and closes the front suction port 2a. The front panel 4 moves in a direction away from the main body 2 to open the front suction port 2a.

  Inside the main body 2, a prefilter 5 is provided on the downstream side of the front suction port 2 a and the upper surface suction port 2 b for removing dust contained in the air, and a front suction is provided on the downstream side of the prefilter 5. Air is blown from the heat exchanger 6 for exchanging heat with the indoor air sucked from the mouth 2a and the upper surface suction port 2b, the indoor fan 8 for conveying the heat exchanged by the heat exchanger 6, and the indoor fan 8. The upper and lower blades 12 change the air blowing direction up and down, and the left and right blades 14 change the air blowing direction left and right. Further, the upper portion of the front panel 4 is connected to the upper portion of the main body 2 via a plurality of arms (not shown) provided at both ends thereof, and a drive motor connected to one of the plurality of arms ( By driving and controlling the air conditioner, the front panel 4 moves forward from the position when the air conditioner is stopped (closed position of the front suction port 2a) during the air conditioner operation. Similarly, the upper and lower blades 12 are connected to the lower portion of the main body 2 through a plurality of arms (not shown) provided at both ends thereof.

  In addition, a ventilation fan unit 16 for ventilating room air is provided at one end of the indoor unit (on the left side when viewed from the front of the indoor unit and on the bypass channel 22 side of a partition wall 46c described later). In addition, an electrostatic atomizer 18 having an air cleaning function that generates electrostatic mist and purifies indoor air is provided behind the ventilation fan unit 16.

  FIG. 1 shows a state in which a main body cover (not shown) covering the front panel 4 and the main body 2 is removed, and FIG. 2 clearly shows a connection position between the indoor unit main body 2 and the electrostatic atomizer 18. Therefore, the electrostatic atomizer 18 accommodated in the main body 2 is separated from the main body 2. The electrostatic atomizer 18 actually has the shape shown in FIG. 3 and is attached to the left side of the main body 2 as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the electrostatic atomizer 18 includes a main channel that communicates from the front suction port 2 a and the upper suction port 2 b to the blowout port 10 via the heat exchanger 6, the indoor fan 8, and the like. 20, a high-voltage transformer 24 and a bypass blower fan 26 serving as a high-voltage power source are provided on the upstream side of the bypass flow path 22 and are provided in the middle of the bypass flow path 22 that bypasses the heat exchanger 6 and the indoor fan 8. An electrostatic atomizing unit 30 and a silencer 32 that are provided and have a heat radiation portion 28 that promotes heat radiation of the electrostatic atomization unit 30 are provided on the downstream side of the bypass flow path 22. Therefore, in the state where the high voltage transformer 24, the bypass blower fan 26, the heat radiating unit 28, the electrostatic atomizing unit 30, and the silencer 32 are arranged in order from the upstream side, the casing 34 constituting a part of the bypass flow path 22 is arranged. Contained. By housing in the casing 34 in this way, the assembly is improved and the flow path is formed by the casing 34, so that space is saved and the flow of air by the bypass blower fan 26 is changed to a high voltage that is a heat generating part. The transformer 24 and the heat radiating section 28 can be reliably applied and cooled, and the electrostatic mist generated from the electrostatic atomization unit 30 can be reliably introduced into the air outlet 10 of the air conditioner. Electric mist can be discharged into the air-conditioned room.

In addition, the direction of the air flow flowing through the inside of the casing 34 is such that the casing 34 has the main flow path 20.
Is arranged in a vertical direction so as to be parallel to the direction of the airflow flowing through the indoor unit main body 2 when viewed from the front, thereby overlapping the ventilation fan unit 16 when viewed from the front of the indoor unit main body 2. It can be arranged adjacent to the position, and further space saving is achieved.

  The high-voltage transformer 24 is not necessarily accommodated in the casing 34, but is cooled by the ventilation of the bypass flow path, so that it is accommodated in the casing 34 from the viewpoint of suppressing temperature rise or saving space. preferable.

  Here, a conventionally known electrostatic atomizing unit 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the electrostatic atomization unit 30 includes a plurality of Peltier elements 36 having a heat radiating surface 36a and a cooling surface 36b, and the above-described heat radiating portion connected in thermal contact with the heat radiating surface 36a. (E.g., radiation fins) 28, a discharge electrode 38 installed in thermal contact with the cooling surface 36b via an electrical insulating material (not shown), and a predetermined distance from the discharge electrode 38. It is comprised with the counter electrode 40 arrange | positioned. Although not shown here, the counter electrode 40 has a shape like a donut by providing an opening in a portion corresponding to the front end of the discharge electrode 38.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the Peltier drive power supply 44 and the high voltage transformer 24 are electrically connected to the control unit 42 (see FIG. 1) disposed in the vicinity of the ventilation fan unit 16, and the Peltier element 36 and the discharge electrode 38 are electrically connected to the Peltier drive power supply 44 and the high voltage transformer 24, respectively.

  In addition, in order to discharge the high voltage from the discharge electrode 38 as the electrostatic atomizing unit 30 and generate the electrostatic mist, the counter electrode 40 may be omitted. For example, if one terminal of a high-voltage power supply is connected to the discharge electrode 38 and the other terminal is connected to the frame, the portion close to the discharge electrode 38 of the frame-connected structure and the discharge electrode 38 Will be discharged between. In such a configuration, the frame-connected structure can be regarded as the counter electrode 40.

  In the electrostatic atomization unit 30 configured as described above, when the control unit 42 controls the Peltier drive power supply 44 to cause a current to flow through the Peltier element 36, heat is transferred from the cooling surface 36 b toward the heat radiating surface 36 a, and the discharge electrode 38. Condensation occurs on the discharge electrode 38 due to a decrease in temperature. Further, when the high voltage transformer 24 is controlled by the control unit 42 and a high voltage is applied to the discharge electrode 38 to which the condensed water has adhered, a discharge phenomenon occurs in the condensed water, and electrostatic mist having a particle size of nanometer size is generated. appear. In the present embodiment, since a negative high voltage power source is used as the high voltage transformer 24, the electrostatic mist is negatively charged.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the main flow path 20 includes a rear wall 46 a of the base frame 46 constituting the main body 2, and both side walls extending forward from both ends of the rear wall 46 a ( 7 shows only the left side wall 46b, a rear wall 48a of the rear guider 48 formed below the underframe 46, and both side walls extending forward from both ends of the rear wall 48a (left side in FIG. 7). 48b, a partition wall separating the bypass channel 22 from the main channel 20 by one side wall (left side wall) 46b of the underframe 46 and one side wall (left side wall) 48b of the rear guider 48. 46c is constituted. Further, the bypass suction port 22a of the bypass channel 22 is formed on one side wall 46b of the frame 46, while the bypass outlet 22b of the bypass channel 22 is formed on one side wall 48b of the rear guider 48.

In the case of an air conditioner, during cooling, the low-temperature air that has passed through the heat exchanger 6 of the indoor unit has a high relative humidity, and the electrostatic atomizer 18 includes a Peltier element 36 for replenishing moisture. In this case, dew condensation tends to occur not only on the pin-shaped discharge electrode 38 of the Peltier element 36 but also on the entire Peltier element 36. On the other hand, at the time of heating, the high-temperature air that has passed through the heat exchanger 6 has a low relative humidity, so there is a very high possibility that no condensation will occur on the discharge electrode 38 of the Peltier element 36.

  Thus, as in the above configuration, the main flow path 20 and the bypass flow path 22 are separated by the partition wall 46c, and an electrostatic atomizer 18 that generates electrostatic mist is provided in the bypass flow path 22. Air that has not passed through and that has not been adjusted in temperature and humidity is supplied to the electrostatic atomizer 18. Thereby, safety is improved by effectively preventing the occurrence of condensation on the entire Peltier element 36 of the electrostatic atomization unit 30 during cooling. Moreover, electrostatic mist can be reliably generated during heating.

  The bypass passage 22 includes a bypass suction pipe 22c, a casing 34, and a bypass outlet pipe 22d, and the bypass suction pipe 22c having one end connected to the bypass suction port 22a formed in the frame side wall 46b is located on the left side ( The bypass outlet 22d, which extends in a direction substantially orthogonal to the left side wall 46b and extends in a direction substantially parallel to the front panel 4, is connected to one end of the casing 34 and further connected to the other end of the casing 34. The other end of the rear guider 48 is connected to the bypass outlet 22b of the side wall 48b. Thus, by comprising a part of bypass channel 22 with casing 34, space saving can be achieved, and electrostatic atomization unit can be formed via bypass outlet pipe 22d by comprising these in series. The electrostatic mist can be reliably attracted from 18 toward the main flow path 20, and the electrostatic mist can be discharged into the air-conditioned room.

  The bypass suction port 22a is located between the prefilter 5 and the heat exchanger 6, that is, downstream of the prefilter 5 and upstream of the heat exchanger 6, and is sucked from the front suction port 2a and the upper suction port 2b. Since the dust contained in the air is effectively removed by the pre-filter 5, it is possible to prevent the dust from entering the electrostatic atomizer 18. Thereby, it can prevent effectively that dust accumulates on the electrostatic atomization unit 30, and can discharge | release electrostatic mist stably.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the prefilter 5 serves as a prefilter for the electrostatic atomizer 18 and the main flow path 20, but this requires maintenance to clean only the prefilter 5. Since it is not necessary to care for each separately, the care can be simplified. Furthermore, in an air conditioner equipped with a pre-filter automatic cleaning device as will be described later, the pre-filter 5 does not require special care, and can be made maintenance-free.

  On the other hand, the bypass air outlet 22b is positioned in the vicinity of the air outlet 10 on the downstream side of the heat exchanger 6 and the indoor fan 8, and the electrostatic mist discharged from the bypass air outlet 22b rides on the air flow in the main flow path 20. It spreads and fills the entire room. The bypass outlet 22b is arranged on the downstream side of the heat exchanger 6 as described above. If the bypass air outlet 22b is arranged on the upstream side of the heat exchanger 6, since the heat exchanger 6 is made of metal, the electrostatic mist that is charged particles is This is because most of the heat exchanger 6 (approximately 80 to 90% or more) is absorbed. In addition, the bypass outlet 22b is arranged on the downstream side of the indoor fan 8. If the bypass outlet 22b is arranged on the upstream side of the indoor fan 8, turbulent flow exists in the indoor fan 8 and passes through the indoor fan 8. This is because a part (about 50%) of the electrostatic mist is absorbed in the process of air colliding with various parts of the indoor fan 8.

In addition, the main flow path 20 side of one side wall 48b of the rear guider 48 provided with the bypass outlet 22b is given a predetermined speed to the air flow by the indoor fan 8, so that the main flow path 20 side of the side wall 48b is bypassed. A pressure difference is generated on the side of the path 22, a negative pressure portion in which the main channel 20 side is relatively low in pressure relative to the bypass channel 22, and air is attracted from the bypass channel 22 toward the main channel 20. Accordingly, the bypass blower fan 26 has a small capacity, and the bypass blower fan 26 may not be provided in some cases.

  Further, the bypass outlet pipe 22d is provided on the partition wall 46c (side wall 48b of the rear guider 48) so as to be directed in a direction substantially orthogonal to the air flow in the main channel 20 at the junction with the main channel 20 (bypass outlet 22b). It is connected. This is because the electrostatic atomization unit 30 generates the electrostatic mist by utilizing the discharge phenomenon as described above, so that the discharge sound is inevitably accompanied and the discharge sound has directivity. is there. Therefore, by connecting the bypass passage 22 to the front panel 4 substantially parallel to the front panel 4 at the junction of the bypass passage 22 and the main passage 20 (bypass outlet 22b), a person in front of the indoor unit or diagonally forward Thus, it is possible to reduce the noise by configuring so that the discharge sound is not directed as much as possible.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8, when the bypass outlet pipe 22 d is inclined with respect to the partition wall 46 c at the junction with the main flow path 20 and connected so as to be directed upstream with respect to the air flow in the main flow path 20, It is effective in reducing noise due to further discharge noise.

  In addition, even when the direction in which the bypass outlet pipe 22d is directed is connected to the downstream direction of the air flow in the main flow path 20, if the extension line does not come out from the outlet 10, it will occur. Since the amount of discharge sound that goes out directly from the air outlet 10 is small and does not directly enter the user's ear, a noise reduction effect can be achieved.

  As described above, the main flow path 20 and the bypass flow path 22 are separated by the partition wall 46 c, and the electrostatic atomizer 18 that generates electrostatic mist bypasses the heat exchanger 6 and communicates with the main flow path 20. Since the air that has not been passed through the heat exchanger 6 and has not been adjusted in temperature and humidity is supplied to the electrostatic atomizer 18 because it is provided in the path 22, the Peltier element 36 of the electrostatic atomization unit 30 is used during cooling. Effectively preventing the occurrence of dew condensation on the whole, safety is improved, and electrostatic mist can be reliably generated during heating, regardless of the operation mode of the air conditioner, that is, the season The electrostatic mist can be generated stably regardless of the above.

  Next, an air conditioner further provided with a prefilter automatic cleaning device having a suction device that sucks and removes dust adhering to the prefilter 5 will be described. The ventilation fan unit 16 will be described with reference to FIG. 9. Even if the ventilation fan unit 16 is dedicated to ventilation, the ventilation fan unit 16 also serves to supply air to a suction device provided in an indoor unit having a pre-filter automatic cleaning device. May be. The ventilation fan unit 16 shown in FIG. 9 is incorporated in the suction device 58 of the automatic prefilter cleaning device on the bypass flow path 22 side of the partition wall 46c. However, since the automatic prefilter cleaning device is already known, see FIG. While briefly explaining. The detailed structure and operation method of the pre-filter automatic cleaning device are not particularly limited.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the pre-filter automatic cleaning device 50 includes suction nozzles 52 that are slidable along the surface of the pre-filter 5, and the suction nozzles 52 are installed at the upper and lower ends of the pre-filter 5. The pair of guide rails 54 can smoothly move left and right while maintaining a very narrow gap with the prefilter 5, and dust adhering to the prefilter 5 is sucked and removed by the suction nozzle 52. Further, one end of a bendable suction duct 56 is connected to the suction nozzle 52, and the other end of the suction duct 56 is connected to a suction device 58 having a variable suction amount. Further, an exhaust duct 60 is connected to the suction device 58 and led out to the outside.

Further, a belt (not shown) that is slidable along the suction nozzle 52 is wound around the suction nozzle 52 in the vertical direction. A slit-like nozzle opening having a length substantially equal to the vertical length of the filter 5 is formed, while a slit-like suction hole having a length of, for example, 1/4 of the vertical length of the prefilter 5 is formed in the belt. ing.

  The automatic prefilter cleaning device 50 configured as described above sequentially cleans the cleaning ranges A, B, C, and D of the prefilter 5 as necessary. When the range A is suction-cleaned, the belt is driven and the suction holes are driven. In the state where the position is fixed to the position of the range A, the suction nozzle 52 is driven from the right end to the left end of the prefilter 5 while sucking, whereby the horizontal range A of the prefilter 5 is suction-cleaned.

  Next, the belt is driven to fix the suction hole at a position in the range B, and the suction nozzle 52 is driven from the left end to the right end of the prefilter 5 while sucking in this state, so that the horizontal direction of the prefilter 5 is now achieved. A range B is suction-cleaned. Similarly, the areas C and D of the pre-filter 5 are also cleaned by suction.

  Dust adhering to the pre-filter 5 and sucked by the suction nozzle 52 is discharged to the outside through the suction duct 56, the suction device 58, and the exhaust duct 60.

  Further referring to FIG. 9, an opening 62 is formed in the suction path of the suction device 58, and a damper 64 for opening and closing the opening 62 is provided. The ventilation fan unit 16 includes the damper 64. When the opening 62 is opened, it is used for ventilation. When suction cleaning is performed, the opening 62 is closed by a damper 64 and used for sucking dust from the suction hole of the belt. That is, the same suction device 58 is used to realize the suction cleaning function and the ventilation function.

  Although the exhaust duct 60 is not shown in FIG. 9, the exhaust duct 60 is connected to the exhaust port 58 a of the suction device 58.

  FIG. 11 shows an electrostatic atomizer 18A that does not have a casing 34, and this electrostatic atomizer 18A is incorporated in the indoor unit body 2 as shown in FIG. Alternatively, it is incorporated into a broken line region 18B shown in FIG. 12 (substantially the same position as the electrostatic atomizer unit 30 and the silencer 32 provided on the downstream side of the bypass flow path 22 in the electrostatic atomizer 18 shown in FIG. 9). It is. These are disposed at a position overlapping the ventilation fan unit 16 when the electrostatic atomizer 18A is viewed from the front or top surface of the indoor unit, and the electrostatic atomizer 18A is disposed at the opening 62 and the damper 64 of the ventilation fan unit 16. Is disposed in a portion where the suction air by the ventilation fan unit 16 flows.

  More specifically, the electrostatic atomizing device 18A of FIG. 11 includes an electrostatic atomizing unit 30 having a heat radiating portion 28 and a silencer 32 integrally attached, and the electrostatic atomizing unit 30 portion excluding the heat radiating portion 28; The silencer 32 is accommodated in each housing (unit housing 66 and silencer housing 68), and one of the bypass blowing pipes 22d is connected to and communicated with the silencer housing 68, and the other of the bypass blowing pipes 22d is connected to the main flow path 20. Communicate. In this case, the housing portion 22e that is separated from the main flow path 20 by the partition wall 46c and formed between the left side surface of the main body cover (not shown) and in which the ventilation fan unit 16, the electrostatic atomizer 18A, and the like are disposed is described above. In addition to the bypass suction pipe 22c and the casing 34, the bypass blow-out pipe 22d is also accommodated to constitute the bypass flow path 22.

  As described above, the bypass blow-out pipe 22d can reduce noise in a direction directed to the air flow of the main flow path 20. However, this is not always necessary, and the bypass blower pipe 22d directly bypasses the silencer housing 68. You may connect to the outlet 22b. Thereby, the structure of 18 A of electrostatic atomizers can be simplified more. However, it is the same as the bypass outlet pipe 22d that consideration of the direction is necessary for noise reduction.

Thus, the air sucked into the main body 2 through the prefilter 5
The air flow direction is sucked into the accommodating portion 22e from the downstream bypass inlet 22a, and the direction of the air flow is parallel to the direction of the air flow flowing through the main flow path 20 when the indoor unit body 2 is viewed from the front. Will flow inside. Thus, the heat radiating portion 28 is cooled by the air flowing through the housing portion 22e, and taken into the electrostatic atomizing unit 30 through an opening (not shown) formed in the unit housing 66.

  With this configuration, the space around the ventilation fan unit 16 that overlaps the ventilation fan unit 16 when viewed from the front or top surface of the indoor unit becomes the bypass flow path 22, and the ventilation fan unit 16, the electrostatic atomizer 18 </ b> A, etc. Space can be saved by effectively utilizing the accommodating portion 22e. In this configuration, the high voltage transformer 24 is disposed at an arbitrary portion in the housing portion 22e such as the ventilation fan unit 16 and the electrostatic atomizer 18A, and the bypass blower fan 26 is not provided.

  Further, the bypass flow path 22 is described in detail above by configuring the bypass flow path 22 so that the air flow flows in parallel with the air flow passing through the main flow path 20 as viewed from the front. Thus, since the main flow path 20 and the bypass flow path 22 can be branched with a simple configuration of the partition wall 46c, the bypass flow path 22 can be easily formed, and the number of parts can be reduced.

  Furthermore, by setting it as this structure, the prefilter of the electrostatic atomizer 18A and the prefilter of the main flow path 20 can be shared by the prefilter 5. Since the sharing effect is as described above, the details are omitted here.

  Note that an opening 46d may be formed in the vicinity of the lower portion of the frame 46 corresponding to the rear portion of the ventilation fan unit 16 so that a pipe (not shown) connecting the indoor unit and the outdoor unit can be drawn out. The bypass suction port 22a described above is one opening in the housing portion 22e formed in the partition wall 46c (the frame side wall 46b) in order to suck air into the housing portion 22e, and communicates with the outside of the indoor unit through the prefilter 5. However, in the opening 46d formed in the lower part of the underframe 46, the accommodating portion 22e is an opening that directly communicates with the outside of the indoor unit and sucks ambient air. In such a case, the accommodating portion 22e serves as a bypass flow path that also bypasses the prefilter 5. Accordingly, the air sucked into the electrostatic atomizer 18A flows from the opening 46d and does not pass through the prefilter 5, so that a separate prefilter for the electrostatic atomizer 18A is provided as necessary. Just do it. Further, even in the configuration in which the opening 46d is formed, the electrostatic atomizer 18A is disposed at a position overlapping the ventilation fan unit 16 when viewed from the front or top surface of the indoor unit, and the housing portion 22e is effectively used. Similarly, space saving can be achieved.

  As described above, the main flow path 20 side of the bypass outlet 22b is a negative pressure part that is attracted by the pressure difference generated by the indoor fan 8 being given a predetermined speed to the air flow. Even if the bypass blower fan 26 is not provided, the heat radiating portion 28 is cooled by the air drawn toward the main passage 20 from the accommodating portion 22e which is a bypass passage via the bypass outlet pipe 22d, and the electrostatic atomizing unit 30 is provided. The electrostatic mist generated by the above is attracted to the main channel 20 and can be discharged into the air-conditioned room. Further, since the heat dissipating part 28 is arranged in the vicinity of the opening 62 and the damper 64 as shown by the broken line area 18B, the air is sucked into the opening 62, so that it is also cooled by the air sucked by the ventilation fan unit 16. .

Here, the silencer 32 for suppressing the discharge noise will be described in detail. 12 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. The electrostatic atomization unit 30 is accommodated in the unit housing 66, the silencer 32 is accommodated in the silencer housing 68, and the electrostatic atomization unit 30 and the silencer 32 are partitioned by the electrode side partition plate 80. The electrode-side partition plate 80 blocks the discharge sound of the electrostatic atomization unit 30 that is a sound source of discharge noise as a part of the inlet side of the silencer housing 68, but discharges electrostatic mist into the adjacent silencer housing 68. An entrance opening 80a of the electrode-side partition plate 80 to be opposed to the counter electrode opening 40a is provided.

  On the other hand, the outlet side of the other end of the silencer housing 68 has an outlet opening 81 a connected to the bypass outlet pipe 22 d for communicating with the main flow path 20 as a pipe-side partition plate 81. The centers of the distal end of the discharge electrode 38, the counter electrode opening 40a, the inlet opening 80a, and the outlet opening 81a are substantially aligned as shown by the center line in FIG.

  The material of the silencer 32 is made of, for example, a foam having a sound absorbing ability. Electrostatic mist is generated by discharge, and although the voltage is adjusted so that ozone is not generated at that time, ozone may be generated slightly. In order to prepare for such a case, the foam is preferably made of a material excellent in ozone resistance. For example, in a rubber system, there is a material that hardly contains double bonds such as EPDM, and other materials such as PE material are preferred.

  The silencer 32 is used by processing this foam into a cylindrical shape so that electrostatic mist can pass through the inside. The shape of the central hole for making the cylinder shape is not limited, and may be a star shape as shown in FIG. 11 or a circular shape as shown in the cross section of FIG. Such processing is generally performed by punching a foam sheet-like base material with a Thomson type because it can be manufactured at low cost. However, in the Thomson mold, there is a problem in workability because the outer wall is “necked” in the shape of a drum when the compressible material having a thickness of a certain level or more is punched. Therefore, a sufficient sound absorbing effect cannot be obtained as compared with a cylindrical shape having a straight outer wall. In particular, when the thickness of the base material is 20 mm or more, the thinning is remarkably reduced, and processing with 20 mm or less is desirable.

  For this reason, in the present embodiment, in order to set the thickness of the silencer 32 to 30 mm, two pieces having a thickness of 15 mm are overlapped and used. By mounting two pieces having excellent workability in this way, it is possible to obtain an excellent sound absorbing effect at a lower cost than mounting one thick piece. Of course, the number of divisions is not limited to two, and may be divided into a large number as necessary, or they may be arranged separately instead of overlapping.

  By configuring the electrostatic atomization unit 30 and the silencer 32 as described above, the electrostatic mist generated by the discharge electrode 38 and the counter electrode 40 of the electrostatic atomization unit 30 is aligned with the discharge electrode 38 in a straight line. It passes through the inside of the silencer 32 punched into a cylindrical shape through the inlet opening 80 a of the electrode side partition plate 80, and the outlet opening 81 a provided in the pipe side partition plate 81 which is the most downstream portion of the silencer housing 68. Passes through and merges with the airflow flowing through the main flow path 20 through the bypass outlet pipe 22d connected to the outlet opening 81a. Thus, by disposing the silencer 32 made of the sound absorbing material in the flow path from the electrostatic atomizing unit 30 to the bypass outlet 22b, the discharge noise can be reduced.

  The silencer 32 can be expected to reduce noise if it is placed at any position in the flow path from the electrostatic atomization unit 30 to the bypass outlet 22b. If it arrange | positions immediately after the electrostatic atomization unit 30 like embodiment, it is the most effective. This is because the silencer 32 is arranged as close as possible to the discharge sound source, so that the discharge sound can be absorbed before propagating from the inside of the air passage to the outside. This is because a higher noise reduction effect can be obtained.

In addition, when the silencer 32 is arranged in the vicinity of the electrostatic atomization unit 30 as described above, it is desirable that the silencer 32 is made of a material having flame retardancy. This is because electrostatic mist is generated due to a discharge phenomenon, so that even if abnormal discharge occurs, it is prevented from igniting and safety is ensured. In particular, since the electrostatic atomization unit 30 condenses water and releases fine water as electrostatic mist, it is necessary to consider the possibility of water droplets adhering to the silencer 32, unlike a general ion generator. Because there is. The flame retardant grade of such a material is at least UL94 HBF or higher, and preferably HF-1 has higher flame retardancy.

  By the way, the smaller the diameter of the inlet opening 80a serving as the electrostatic mist flow path, the more sound insulation effect can be expected, and the silencer 32 is thicker, that is, the smaller the inner diameter of the cylindrical shape, the better the sound absorption effect. it can. However, when the flow path is narrow, the attenuation rate of the electrostatic mist increases. On the other hand, the electrostatic mist is generated by electric discharge in the electrostatic atomizing unit 30 and has a mass so that it is discharged with an initial speed. That is, an ionic wind is generated, and is first discharged in a conical shape so as to penetrate the counter electrode opening 40a with the discharge electrode 38 as a generation point at the apex, and then the air flow in the main flow path 20 in the flow path It will be transported on an attracting wind. Therefore, it is desirable that the flow path of the electrostatic mist gradually expands in accordance with the conical shape of the generated electrostatic mist in the vicinity of the electrostatic atomization unit 30. As a result, it is possible to achieve both low attenuation of the electrostatic mist and low noise.

  In this embodiment, from the vicinity of the electrostatic atomization unit 30, the diameter φD1 of the discharge electrode opening 40a, the diameter φD2 of the inlet opening 80a, the inner diameter φD3 of the silencer 32, and the diameter φD4 of the outlet opening 81a are gradually enlarged. is doing. The diameter φD4 of the outlet opening 81a and the inner diameter φD5 of the bypass outlet pipe 22d are substantially the same size. This is because in the bypass outlet pipe 22d, the electrostatic mist is carried in an induced wind, and therefore it is preferable to set φD4 = φD5 because less turbulence is generated. These apertures (φD1, φD2, φD3, φD4, and φD5) do not necessarily have to be configured with different dimensions. For example, depending on the location, adjacent portions may have the same diameter. And of course, it is not denied that these diameters (φD1, φD2, φD3, φD4, φD5) are all the same size.

  Moreover, although the division of the silencer 32 has been described above, the divided silencer 32 may have a gradually increasing inner diameter from the side close to the electrostatic atomization unit 30. The smaller the inner diameter, the more the sound absorption effect can be achieved, so that both low attenuation of electrostatic mist and noise reduction can be achieved.

  Further, different materials may be used for the divided silencers 32. By changing the frequency of sound absorption by different materials, it is possible to realize noise reduction corresponding to more frequencies.

  The silencer 32 may be made of a material having a sound absorbing effect such as glass wool or felt so that the electrostatic mist can pass through. Further, a material having a sound insulation effect such as a rubber sheet may be used by wrapping it around, or the sound insulation effect and the sound absorption effect may be effectively used together.

  Although the electrostatic atomizing unit 30 is housed in the unit housing 66 as described above, since the structure of the electrostatic atomizing unit 30 from the Peltier element 36 to the heat radiating portion 28 becomes high temperature, a separate PBT or PC is used. It is made of heat-resistant resin. The unit housing 66 accommodates the electrostatic atomizing unit 30 so as to support this resin, and is spaced apart from the heat radiating portion 28 with a slight gap S. By providing this gap S, the unit housing 66 can use a resin having low heat resistance.

As described above, according to the above configuration, the main passage 20 and the accommodating portion 22e serving as the bypass passage are separated by the partition wall 46c, and the electrostatic atomization unit 30 and the silencer 32 that generate electrostatic mist are provided. Since the electrostatic atomizer 18A is provided in the housing portion 22e, air that does not pass through the heat exchanger 6 and is not adjusted in temperature and humidity is supplied to the electrostatic atomizer 18A. By effectively preventing the occurrence of condensation on the entire Peltier element 36 of the electroatomizing unit 30, safety is improved and electrostatic mist can be reliably generated during heating. Regardless of the operation mode, that is, it is possible to stably generate electrostatic mist regardless of the season, and it is easy to hear noise from indoor units especially by installing it on the wall near the ceiling. If such, it is possible to suppress the noise due to the discharge sound from the indoor unit to generate an electrostatic mist.

  As for the place where the electrostatic atomizer 18A is installed in the indoor unit, as described above, the electrostatic atomizer 18A that generates electrostatic mist bypasses the heat exchanger 6, that is, does not pass. As long as it is not a place where the conditioned air directly contacts the Peltier element 36, such as communicating with the main flow path 20, there is no particular limitation.

  The air conditioner according to the present invention can reliably generate electrostatic mist and sufficiently considers safety or noise, so that it is extremely useful as various air conditioners including general household air conditioners. Useful.

The perspective view of the indoor unit of the air conditioner based on this invention which shows the state which removed a part 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the indoor unit of FIG. The perspective view of the electrostatic atomizer provided in the indoor unit of FIG. The front view which shows a part of frame of the indoor unit of FIG. 1, and an electrostatic atomizer Schematic configuration diagram of electrostatic atomizer Block diagram of electrostatic atomizer The perspective view which shows the attachment state of the electrostatic atomizer with respect to an indoor unit main body The perspective view of the modification which shows the attachment state of the electrostatic atomizer with respect to an indoor unit main body 1 is a side view of the indoor unit in FIG. 1 showing the positional relationship between the electrostatic atomizer and the ventilation fan unit. The perspective view of the pre-filter automatic cleaning apparatus provided in the indoor unit of FIG. The perspective view which shows the modification of an electrostatic atomizer Sectional view of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

2 indoor unit body, 2a front suction port, 2b top suction port, 4 front panel,
5 Pre-filter, 6 Heat exchanger, 8 Indoor fan, 10 Air outlet,
12 upper and lower blades, 14 left and right blades, 16 ventilation fan unit,
18, 18A electrostatic atomizer, 20 main flow path, 22 bypass flow path,
22a Bypass inlet, 22b Bypass outlet, 22c Bypass inlet pipe,
22d bypass outlet, 22e housing, 24 high voltage transformer,
26 bypass fan, 28 heat radiating section, 30 electrostatic atomizing unit,
32 Silencer, 34 Casing, 36 Peltier element, 36a Heat radiation surface,
36b cooling surface, 38 discharge electrode, 40 counter electrode, 42 control part,
44 Peltier drive power supply, 46 underframe, 46a rear wall, 46b side wall,
46c partition, 46d opening, 48 rear guider, 48a rear wall,
48b side wall, 50 pre-filter automatic cleaning device, 52 suction nozzle,
54 guide rail, 56 suction duct, 58 suction device, 58a exhaust port,
60 exhaust duct, 66 unit housing, 68 silencer housing,
S gap, φD1 diameter of the counter electrode opening, φD2 diameter of the inlet opening,
φD3 The inner diameter of the silencer formed into a cylindrical shape, φD4 The diameter of the outlet opening,
φD5 Inner diameter of bypass outlet pipe.

Claims (11)

An air conditioner including an indoor unit installed on a wall surface near the ceiling of the room and having an air cleaning function of purifying indoor air,
The indoor unit sucks indoor air, a pre-filter that removes dust contained in the air sucked from the suction port, a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the sucked air, and heat exchange using the heat exchanger An indoor fan that conveys the air, a blowout port that blows out air blown from the indoor fan, and a main flow path that connects the suction port and the blowout port,
At least a bypass channel that bypasses the heat exchanger and communicates with the main channel, a partition that separates the bypass channel from the main channel, and an electrostatic fog that is provided in the bypass channel and generates electrostatic mist The electrostatic atomizer further includes an electrostatic atomizer unit that generates electrostatic mist, a high-voltage power source that applies a high voltage to a discharge electrode of the electrostatic atomizer unit, and the static atomizer. A silencer that passes electric mist to reduce discharge noise of the electrostatic atomization unit, and the electrostatic atomization unit includes a discharge electrode, a Peltier element that supplies moisture to the discharge electrode, and a Peltier element. An air conditioner comprising: a heat radiating part that promotes heat radiation. An air conditioner including an indoor unit having an air cleaning function to purify indoor air,
The indoor unit sucks indoor air, a pre-filter that removes dust contained in the air sucked from the suction port, a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the sucked air, and heat exchange using the heat exchanger An indoor fan that conveys the generated air, a blowout port that blows out air blown from the indoor fan, a main flow path that communicates the suction port and the blowout port, and an electrostatic atomizer that generates electrostatic mist And
The electrostatic atomization device includes an electrostatic atomization unit that generates electrostatic mist, a high voltage power source that applies a high voltage to a discharge electrode of the electrostatic atomization unit, and the electrostatic mist that passes through the electrostatic mist. A silencer for reducing the discharge sound of the electrostatic atomization unit, the electrostatic atomization unit comprising a discharge electrode, a Peltier element that supplies moisture to the discharge electrode, and a heat dissipation part that promotes heat dissipation from the Peltier element An air conditioner characterized in that the electrostatic mist generated by the electrostatic atomizer joins with the air flow flowing through the main flow path. The indoor unit includes a partition that separates a main flow path and a storage section adjacent to the main flow path, and an electrostatic atomizer is provided in the storage section, and the electrostatic atomizer generates electrostatic mist. An electrostatic atomization unit; a high-voltage power supply that applies a high voltage to a discharge electrode of the electrostatic atomization unit; and a silencer that passes the electrostatic mist to reduce discharge noise of the electrostatic atomization unit. The electrostatic atomizing unit includes a discharge electrode, a counter electrode, a Peltier element that supplies moisture to the discharge electrode, and a heat dissipation part that promotes heat dissipation from the Peltier element, and communicates with the bypass outlet pipe. The bypass blowing pipe is connected to and communicates with the main flow path, and the housing portion has at least one opening for sucking in ambient air, and the air sucked into the housing portion is taken into the electrostatic atomization unit The housing part At least an air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized by being configured such that the bypass flow path for bypassing the heat exchanger. The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the bypass outlet pipe is connected to a negative pressure portion that is attracted by the air flow of the main flow path. The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein the bypass outlet pipe is connected to a downstream side of the indoor fan. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the electrostatic atomizing unit and the silencer are arranged close to each other. A silencer housing for accommodating the silencer, an inlet opening and an outlet opening before and after the silencer through which the electrostatic mist of the silencer housing passes, and a center of the inlet opening and the outlet opening, The air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein the tip of the discharge electrode of the atomizing unit is arranged in a straight line. 8. An air conditioner according to claim 7, wherein when an inner diameter φD3 in which the silencer is formed in a cylindrical shape is compared with a diameter φD2 of the inlet opening and a diameter φD4 of the outlet opening, φD3 ≦ φD2 ≦ φD4. . The electrostatic atomizing unit includes a discharge electrode and a counter electrode, and at least the diameter φD2 of the inlet opening is larger than the diameter φD1 of the opening of the counter electrode and the diameter φD2 of the inlet opening. The air conditioner according to claim 7, wherein the opening has a diameter φD1 larger than that of the opening. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the silencer is made of a material having flame retardancy. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the silencer includes a plurality of combinations.

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