JP2020134037A - Drive shaft and filter cleaning unit using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an inexpensive filter drive shaft, and a filter cleaning unit using the filter drive shaft.SOLUTION: A drive shaft comprises: a first drive shaft member 14a including a first shaft part 17a having a substantially semicircular cross section, and a first gear 18a provided at one end of the first shaft part 17a; and a second drive shaft member 14b including a second shaft part 17b having a substantially semicircular cross section, and a second gear 18b provided at one end of the shaft part. The first shaft part 17a and the second shaft part 17b have a curved surface side including an arc of a substantially semicircular cross section, and a flat surface side including a chord of a substantially semicircular cross section, and the first drive shaft member 14a and the second drive shaft member 14b are overlapped with each other at a flat surface part to form a substantially cylindrical shaft. Consequently, a resin material can be integrally molded without using any metal part. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture the drive shaft at low cost, and reduce the twist between the first gear and the second gear.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present invention relates to a filter drive shaft used in an air conditioner or the like and a filter cleaning unit using the same.

Patent Document 1 discloses a filter drive shaft that is rotated by a drive source such as a motor. The filter drive shaft disclosed in Patent Document 1 rotates so that the filter slides. This filter is generally provided in air conditioners, air purifiers, and the like in order to remove dust and the like from sucked air.

FIG. 9 shows a cassette provided with a filter and a filter drive shaft of the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1. The filter 101 is sandwiched from the vertical direction and is held by the filter holding frames 102 and 103. The filter holding frames 102 and 103 have a quadrangular shape, and one of the four sides is open.

The cassette has a quadrangular shape when viewed in the suction direction. A filter drive shaft 104 is provided on one side of the cassette. The filter drive shaft 104 includes a resin gear-shaped gear portion 106 on both sides of the filter drive shaft 104, and a metal shaft portion 105 connecting the gear portions 106. Here, the filter 101 is provided with a rack on the back surface thereof, and is configured so that the rack and the teeth of the gear portion 106 mesh with each other.

With such a configuration, the gear unit 106 rotates as the filter drive unit rotates. At this time, the shaft portions 105 interlock the gear portions 106 on both sides. Then, the teeth of the gear portion 106 mesh with the rack provided on the back surface of the filter 101, and the filter 101 moves as the filter drive portion 104 rotates. At this time, the filter 101 moves so as to slide in the open position direction of the filter holding frames 102 and 103.

Then, the dust and the like adhering to the filter are removed by a brush or the like provided so as to come into contact with the filter 101 that slides and moves.

JP-A-2018-66563

The filter drive shaft 104 of the filter cleaning unit of the air conditioner configured as described above includes a metal shaft portion 105 and a resin gear portion 106. The gear portions 106 at both ends of the shaft portion 105 are connected by the shaft portion 105 and rotate with the rotation of one end side.

However, although the filter holding frames 102 and 103 and the gear portion 106 can be molded with resin, the shaft portion 105 needs to be molded with metal. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare two types of parts, a metal part and a resin part, and the metal part has holes as compared with the resin part. Then, it is necessary to connect the gear portions 106 to the shaft portion 105, respectively, and when the gear portions 106 are mounted, it is necessary to connect the gear portions provided at both ends of the shaft portion 105 so as to be aligned with each other. Therefore, the manufacturing process also increases.

As described above, the filter drive shaft 104 has a problem in its manufacturing surface and is expensive. The present invention has been made in view of these points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a filter drive shaft that can be provided at low cost and a filter cleaning unit using the same.

The present invention includes a first drive shaft member including a first shaft portion having a substantially semicircular cross section and a first gear provided at one end of the first shaft portion, and a second shaft having a substantially semicircular cross section. A second drive shaft member including a portion and a second gear provided at one end of the second shaft portion is provided, and the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion are arcs having a substantially semicircular cross section. It has a curved surface side including, and a flat side including a string having a substantially semicircular cross section, and the first drive shaft member and the second drive shaft member overlap on the flat side to form a substantially cylindrical shaft. It is a configuration.

The drive shaft in the present invention can be integrally molded with a resin material without using metal parts. Therefore, the drive shaft can be produced at low cost, and the twist between the first gear and the second gear can be reduced.

A perspective view showing an indoor unit of an air conditioner incorporating a drive shaft according to the first embodiment and a filter drive device using the drive shaft. Sectional drawing which shows the filter cleaning unit of the indoor unit of the air conditioner which concerns on Embodiment 1. The perspective view which shows the filter cleaning unit of the indoor unit of the air conditioner which concerns on Embodiment 1. Enlarged sectional view around the filter driving device according to the first embodiment. Front view of the drive shaft according to the first embodiment An exploded perspective view of the drive shaft according to the first embodiment. An exploded perspective view showing the inside of the drive shaft according to the first embodiment. An exploded plan view of the drive shaft according to the first embodiment. An exploded perspective view showing a conventional filter cleaning unit and a filter drive shaft.

The first invention comprises a first drive shaft member including a first shaft portion having a substantially semicircular cross section, a first gear provided at one end of the first shaft portion, and a first shaft member having a substantially semicircular cross section. A second drive shaft member including a two shaft portion and a second gear provided at one end of the second shaft portion is provided, and the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion have a substantially semicircular cross section. It has a curved side including an arc and a plane side including a string having a substantially semicircular cross section, and the first drive shaft member and the second drive shaft member overlap on the plane side to form a substantially cylindrical shaft. It is a drive shaft.

As a result, the shaft portion and the gear can be made of resin. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the material cost as compared with the combination of metal and resin. Further, since the flat side of the shaft portion is overlapped to be integrated, it is easy to assemble and can be provided at low cost.

The second invention has a configuration in which the shaft has a hollow shape in the first invention.

As a result, the material cost of the shaft portion can be reduced and the weight of the filter drive shaft can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to provide an inexpensive and highly convenient drive shaft. Further, when the length along the axis of the rotation axis is long, it is possible to reduce the deflection of the axis line due to sink marks that tends to occur on the solid axis. Therefore, good filter drive performance can be obtained even with a drive shaft made of resin.

A third invention is the second invention or the second invention, wherein the first gear is provided with teeth on the entire circumference of the first drive shaft member.

As a result, the gear becomes a completed gear in each drive shaft member. Therefore, even when the torque applied to the gear is large, the gear is an integral body, so that separation and damage can be reduced. Further, for example, when combined with a filter drive device, the meshing of the gear and the filter is good, so that the phenomenon that the filter slips with respect to the position of the gear can be reduced.

In the fourth invention, in any one of the first to third inventions, the second gear is provided with teeth on the entire circumference of the second drive shaft member.

As a result, by using the second gear as a finished gear, a more reliable drive shaft can be provided.

A fifth aspect of the invention is the fifth aspect of the invention, wherein the plane of the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion includes a convex portion and a concave portion, and the convex portion and the second shaft portion of the first shaft portion. It is configured to fit with the recess of the shaft portion.

Thereby, in the manufacturing process, the convex portion and the concave portion can be combined based on each other. Therefore, the manufacturing method becomes easy, and it can be manufactured at a lower cost.

A sixth invention comprises a drive shaft according to any one of the first to fifth inventions, a filter having a protrusion that meshes with the first gear on one surface, and a filter holding portion that holds the filter slidably. It is a filter drive device provided.

As a result, the cost of the filter cleaning unit can be reduced by using an inexpensive filter drive shaft, and the filter can be provided at low cost.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters or duplicate explanations for substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessarily redundant explanations below and to facilitate the understanding of those skilled in the art.

It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided for those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an indoor unit 1 of an air conditioner including a drive shaft 14 according to the present invention. The indoor unit 1 includes a main body 2, a front opening 2a opened on the front side of the main body 2, and an upper surface opening 2b opened on the upper surface side of the main body 2. The front opening 2a is covered with the front panel 3, and the front panel 3 can be opened and closed. The front panel 3 is normally closed, and the user opens the front panel 3 for maintenance or the like.

A fan 5 is provided inside the main body 2. When the fan 5 rotates, the air in the room is sucked in from the upper surface opening 2b, passed through the ventilation passage 9, and blown out from the air outlet 6 provided below the main body 2.

A heat exchanger 4 having a substantially U shape is provided around the fan 5, and no heat exchanger is provided in the portion of the ventilation path on the outlet 6 side. The air sucked from the upper surface opening 2b is heat-exchanged with the refrigerant by the heat exchanger 4. Then, the heat-exchanged air is blown out from the air outlet 6 by the fan 5 to perform air conditioning.

The air outlet 6 is provided so as to blow out air into the room. Around the air outlet 6 of the main body 2, there are a vertical wind direction changing blade 7 that opens and closes the air outlet 6 and changes the air blowing direction up and down, and a left and right wind direction changing blade 8 that changes the air blowing direction left and right. And are provided.

When the air conditioner starts the air conditioning operation, the vertical wind direction changing blades 7 are controlled to open and the air outlet 6 is opened. By driving the fan 5 in this state, the indoor air is taken into the interior of the indoor unit through the upper surface opening 2b. The taken-in indoor air is heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger 4, passes through the fan 5, passes through the ventilation passage 9 formed on the downstream side in the blowing direction of the fan 5, and is blown out from the air outlet 6.

Further, between the upper surface opening 2b and the heat exchanger 4, a filter 10 for removing dust contained in the indoor air taken in from the front opening 2a and the upper surface opening 2b is provided. The filter 10 includes a frame body portion and a net portion held by the frame body portion. The air conditioner according to the present embodiment includes a filter cleaning unit 11 that automatically cleans dust adhering to the net portion of the filter 10.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the filter cleaning unit 11 includes a filter holding unit 12 that slidably holds the filter 10, a drive shaft 14 that slides and conveys the filter 10, dust and the like adhering to the filter 10. A brush 15 that scrapes and removes dust, a dust receiving member 16 that receives and stores dust and the like removed by the brush 15, and an exhaust fan or the like that discharges dust and the like collected in the dust receiving member 16 to a predetermined location. It consists of a device (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 2, the filter holding unit 12 includes a normal guide unit 12A and a folded guide unit 12B for holding the filter 10, and the filter 10 is moved from the normal guide unit 12A to the folded guide unit 12B and vice versa. It is possible to slide and transport in the direction.

As shown in FIG. 5, the drive shaft 14 includes a shaft 17 extending in the width direction (depth direction in FIG. 1) of the indoor unit, and first gears 18a and second gears 18b provided at both ends of the shaft 17. I have. The shaft 17, the first gear 18a, and the second gear 18b have substantially the same diameter. Therefore, the filter 10 is hung around the shaft 17, and the first gear 18a and the second gear 18b are engaged with the rack teeth 19 on the back surface side of the filter 10. The detailed configuration of the drive shaft 14 will be described later.

The brush 15 is provided below the drive shaft 14 in the width direction of the indoor unit along the drive shaft 14 and can be turned upside down. When cleaning the filter, the brush 15 faces upward in contact with the filter 10 and adheres to the filter surface. Scrape off the dust that is being removed.

The dust receiving member 16 is provided along the brush 15 in the width direction of the indoor unit so as to cover the lower part of the brush 15, and is communicated with an exhaust device (not shown) to collect dust and the like accumulated inside in a predetermined place. It can be discharged.

A blade 20 made of an elastic body such as rubber is provided in the lower portion of the brush 15 in the dust receiving member 16, so that dust and the like adhering to the brush 15 can be removed from the brush 15 inverted downward. It has become.

The fill cleaning operation in the filter cleaning unit 11 configured as described above will be briefly described. First, the filter 10 is usually located in the guide portion 12A, and removes dust contained in the indoor air taken in from the upper surface opening 2b.

When instructed to start cleaning the filter 10, the brush 15 turns upward and comes into contact with the surface of the filter 10. Then, the drive shaft 14 is driven by a drive source such as a motor, and the first gear 18a and the second gear 18b rotate in the forward direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 2), and the filter 10 is normally turned back from the guide portion 12A. The slide is conveyed to the portion 12B. When the filter 10 passes through the confluence of the folded guide portion 12B and the normal guide portion 12A and reaches the final end of the normal guide portion 12A, the first gear 18a and the second gear 18b move in opposite directions (clockwise in FIG. 2). ), And the filter 10 is slid and conveyed from the folded guide portion 12B to the normal guide portion 12A.

Normally, the filter 10 scrapes off dust and the like with a brush 15 while being slid and conveyed between the guide portion 12A and the folded guide portion 20B, and the dust and the like are received by the dust receiving member 16, for example, at predetermined time intervals. It is discharged to a predetermined place by a driven exhaust device.

Next, the configuration of the drive shaft 14 that slides and conveys the filter 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8.

In FIGS. 5 to 8, the drive shaft 14 includes a shaft 17 and a first gear 18a and a second gear 18b provided at both ends of the shaft 17 as described above. The shaft 17 is configured by superimposing the first shaft portion 17a and the second shaft portion 17b. The first shaft portion 17a and the first gear 18a are integrally molded with a resin such as ABS to form the first shaft portion 17a. Further, the second shaft portion 17b and the second gear 18b are integrally molded with a resin such as ABS to form the second drive shaft member 14b. Then, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the drive shaft 14 is configured by joining the first drive shaft member 14a and the second drive shaft member 14b, which are a pair of half-split integrated parts in which the shaft 17 is split in half. There is.

More specifically, the first drive shaft member 14a and the second drive shaft member 14b have a shape in which the shaft 17 is divided in half and has a first shaft portion 17a and a second shaft portion 17b, respectively. It is composed of a first shaft portion 17a and a first gear 18a in a completed gear state integrally molded at one end of the first shaft portion 17a. The first shaft portion 17a has a semicircular cross section parallel to the rotation direction. Therefore, the first shaft portion 17a has a curved surface side including an arc and a plane side including a string in the cross section. The first shaft portion 17a includes a plurality of convex portions 21 so as to protrude from the flat side of the first shaft portion 17a, and includes a plurality of concave portions 22 so as to bite into the curved surface side from the flat side. Similarly, the second shaft portion 17b is provided with a plurality of convex portions 21 so as to protrude from the flat surface side, and is provided with a plurality of concave portions 22 so as to bite from the flat surface side to the curved surface side.

The convex portion 21 of the first shaft portion 17a and the concave portion 22 of the second shaft portion 17b are fitted, and the first shaft portion 17a and the second shaft portion 17b are joined and integrated. The concave portion 22 of the first shaft portion 17a and the convex portion 21 of the second shaft portion 17b may be fitted. Further, in FIGS. 5 to 8, the convex portion 21 of the first shaft portion 17a is fitted into the concave portion 22 of the second shaft portion 17b, and the convex portion 21 of the second shaft portion 17b is fitted into the concave portion 22 of the first shaft portion 17a. Shows what is done. By being fitted in this way, a drive shaft 14 including a shaft 17 including a first gear 18a and a second gear 18b at both ends is configured.

The first drive shaft member 14a is provided with a plurality of recesses 22 on the side having the first gear 18a with the substantially center of the first shaft portion 17a as the boundary, and has the first gear 18a with the substantially center of the longitudinal direction as the boundary. A plurality of convex portions 21 are provided on the non-convex side. Similarly, the second drive shaft member 14b is provided with a plurality of recesses 22 on the side having the first gear 18a with the substantially center of the second shaft portion 17b as a boundary, and the first gear with the substantially center of the longitudinal direction as a boundary. A plurality of convex portions 21 are provided on the side that does not have 18a.

As a result, the first drive shaft member 14a and the second drive shaft member 14b are formed in the same shape, and the convex portion 21 of one of the first drive shaft members 14a is fitted into the concave portion 22 of the second drive shaft member 14b. The drive shaft 14 is formed by joining them together, and the first gear 18a and the second gear 18b are provided at both ends of the shaft 17. The shaft 17 has a hollow shape, and the first shaft portion 17a and the second shaft portion 17b are open from the flat surface side to the curved surface side. Then, the first shaft portion 17a of the first drive shaft member 14a is provided with the first reinforcing rib 23 in the direction of the inner surface axis thereof, and a plurality of second reinforcing ribs 24 are provided in the direction intersecting the first reinforcing rib 23. is there. Similarly, the second shaft portion 17b of the second drive shaft member 14b is provided with the first reinforcing rib 23 in the direction of the inner surface axis thereof, and a plurality of second reinforcing ribs 24 are provided in the direction intersecting the first reinforcing rib 23. There is.

In the drive shaft 14 configured as described above, the first shaft portion 17a and the first gear 18a are integrally molded with resin to form the first drive shaft member 14a, and the same applies to the second drive shaft member 14b. It is configured in. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the material cost as compared with the conventional combination of metal and resin. Moreover, the drive shaft 14 only fits the convex portion 21 and the concave portion 22 provided on the half-split surface of the first drive shaft member 14a, which is a component in which the shaft 17 is half-split, and the second drive shaft member 14b. Since it can be integrated with, it is easy to assemble and can be provided at low cost.

Therefore, the filter cleaning unit 11 configured by using the drive shaft 14 can also be provided at low cost.

Further, since the shaft 17 has a hollow shape by joining the hollow first shaft portion 17a and the second shaft portion 17b, the resin material cost of the shaft 17 can be reduced, and the shaft 17 can be provided at a lower cost. In addition, the weight of the drive shaft 14 can be reduced, and the convenience of handling as a component can be improved.

Moreover, the pair of first drive shaft members 14a and the second drive shaft member 14b constituting the drive shaft 14 are provided with the first gear 18a and the second gear 18b, the concave portion 22 and the convex portion 21 symmetrically on the left and right, and have the same shape. Therefore, parts management can be facilitated, problems due to assembly mistakes can be prevented, and one type of mold can be used, which can greatly reduce the production cost and provide the product at a lower cost.

Further, since the shaft 17 of the drive shaft 14 has a hollow shape, the shaft line deflection due to sink marks caused by the thick wall thickness of the columnar solid shaft having a long length in the direction of the rotation axis can be prevented. Can be reduced. Therefore, even if the filter drive shaft is made of resin, the axis line can be made linear and stable.

Further, the first shaft portion 17a constituting the hollow shaft 17 is provided with the first reinforcing rib 23 in the direction of the inner surface axis thereof, and is provided with a plurality of second reinforcing ribs 24 in the direction intersecting the first reinforcing rib 23. ing. Therefore, even if it has a hollow shape, it can have the same rigidity as the columnar solid shaft. Therefore, the deflection of the axis can be effectively suppressed.

Further, when the first drive shaft member 14a and the second drive shaft member 14b are rotationally driven, torque is transmitted on the plane side of the first shaft portion 17a and the second shaft portion 17b. Therefore, even when a drive motor is provided on the first gear 18a side for driving, the force is reliably transmitted on the flat side of the first shaft portion 17a and the second shaft portion 17b, and the torque is also transmitted to the second gear. .. As a result, even when the drive shaft 14 is used for driving the filter, it is possible to reduce bending and deviation between the first gear 18a and the second gear 18b.

Therefore, the filter cleaning unit 11 configured by using the drive shaft 14 can increase the flatness of the filter 10 mounted around the shaft 17 to improve the contact of the brush 15 with respect to the entire filter width. The filter cleaning performance can be improved.

Further, the drive shaft 14 has a shaft 17 in a half-split shape, but the gear portion 18 is configured to be a completed gear without being split in half. Therefore, even if an excessive torque is applied to the gear portion 18 for some reason while driving the filter or the like, the gear portion 18 will not be separated and damaged.

That is, if the first gear 18a and the second gear 18b are also joined and integrated in a half-split shape like the shaft 17, when an excessive torque is applied to the gear portion, the gear is separated into a half-split state due to the excessive torque. Although there is a concern that it may be damaged, if the first gear 18a and the second gear 18b are set as an integral finished product as in the present embodiment, separation as in the case of a gear in which half of the gears are combined is used. It is possible to prevent damage and make it highly reliable.

Therefore, the filter cleaning unit 11 configured by using the drive shaft 14 does not have to worry about the drive shaft 14 being separated and damaged, so that the reliability of the filter cleaning unit 11 can be improved.

The filter drive shaft and the filter cleaning unit using the filter drive shaft according to the present invention have been described above using the above-described embodiment, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

For example, in the above embodiment, the case of an air conditioner is exemplified as a device using a filter drive shaft and a filter cleaning unit, but this may be an air purifier, and any device using a filter may be used. Equipment may be used.

As described above, it should be considered that the embodiments disclosed this time are exemplary in all respects and are not restrictive, and the scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims and the scope of claims. It includes all changes within the meaning and scope of equality.

As described above, the present invention can provide a filter drive shaft at low cost, and can also provide a filter cleaning unit using the filter drive shaft at low cost. Therefore, it can be widely applied to home and commercial air conditioners.

1 Indoor unit 2 Main body 2a Front opening 2b Top opening 3 Front panel 4 Heat exchanger 5 Fan 6 Air outlet 7 Vertical wind direction changing blade 8 Left and right wind direction changing blade 9 Ventilation path 10 Filter 11 Filter cleaning unit 12 Filter holding part 14 Drive Shaft 14a 1st drive shaft member 14b 2nd drive shaft member 15 Brush 16 Dust receiving member 17 Shaft 17a 1st shaft part 17b 2nd shaft part 18a 1st gear 18b 2nd gear 19 Rack teeth 20 Blade 21 Convex part 22 Concave part 23 1st reinforcing rib 24 2nd reinforcing rib

Claims (6)

A first drive shaft member including a first shaft portion having a substantially semicircular cross section and a first gear provided at one end of the first shaft portion.
A second drive shaft member including a second shaft portion having a substantially semicircular cross section and a second gear provided at one end of the second shaft portion is provided.
The first shaft portion and the second shaft portion have a curved surface side including an arc having a substantially semicircular cross section and a flat surface side including a string having a substantially semicircular cross section, and the first drive shaft member and A drive shaft that becomes a substantially columnar shaft when the second drive shaft member overlaps on the plane side. The drive shaft according to claim 1, wherein the shaft has a hollow shape. The drive shaft according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first gear is provided with teeth on the entire circumference of the first drive shaft member. The drive shaft according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second gear is provided with teeth over the entire circumference of the second drive shaft member. The planes of the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion include convex portions and concave portions.
The drive shaft according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the convex portion of the first shaft portion and the concave portion of the second shaft portion are fitted. The drive shaft according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A filter having a protrusion on one surface that meshes with the first gear,
A filter driving device including a filter holding unit that holds the filter slidably.

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