JP3046773B2 - Operation controller for negative ion generator - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operation control device for a negative ion generator for generating negative ions in air.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A technique for purifying room air by washing dirty air in the room with water and releasing negative ions generated by the Leonard effect due to the splitting of water droplets into the room to purify the room air is a method and a device for producing anions. No. 5-58755). This device basically consists of a water splitting section and a gas-liquid separation section. In the water splitting section, a device that injects high-pressure water from a nozzle toward an impingement wall to split into fine water droplets, rotates A device that injects water onto a disc and applies centrifugal force to the water to break it into fine water droplets, a device that uses an ultrasonic humidifier to vibrate water to break it into fine water droplets, or a rotating impeller A device that sprays water and hits the water with an impeller to break it into fine water droplets is used. The gas-liquid separation unit is, for example, a cyclone separator. According to the cyclone separator, the humid air containing negative ions can be extracted to the outside by centrifugally separating the fine water droplets from the air while swirling the fine water droplet mixed air.

An example in which a negative ion generator is miniaturized and used as a home air cleaner is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 4-1267.
No. 17 publication. The negative ion generator using the Leonard effect circulates the water in the water tank to generate negative ions, and at the same time, cleans the dirty air in the room. It is necessary to change to new water after time driving. Although a drain valve is provided in the water tank of the negative ion generator, there is also an example of forcibly draining water using a drain pump.

[0004]

Since the water tank of the negative ion generator is incorporated in the case, the amount of water in the water tank cannot be visually checked. For this reason, when using the drain pump, the timer is operated and the water in the water tank is drained within the set time of the timer. As the set time of the timer, a time required for draining the amount of water when the water tank is full is secured. But usually,
Even if the water tank is full at first, the water in the water tank is drained within the set time of the timer because it is consumed and reduced during operation, and then until the set time of the timer elapses Means that the drain pump runs idle. When the pump runs idle, excessive current is consumed and the life characteristics are reduced, and a high sound is emitted, which causes noise. This problem is not limited to the drainage of water in the aquarium. The same problem occurs when the tank is emptied during operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide an operation control device of a negative ion generator for monitoring the presence or absence of water in a water tank and automatically stopping the operation when the water tank becomes empty.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, according to an aspect of, in the discharge control method of the stored water according to the present invention, negative pooled water in the water tank heading 汲, by dividing into fine water droplets in the air An operation control device of a negative ion generator that generates ions and blows humid air containing generated negative ions to the outside, the control device including a control processing unit, and the control processing unit determines whether water is present in the water tank. This is to detect and output a command to stop the operation of the negative ion generator when there is no more water in the water tank.

Also, the control processing unit has a pump for pumping water in the water tank, detects a change in current or voltage generated in a power supply circuit of a motor for driving the pump, and detects the value when the pump runs idle. When this is indicated, a pump drive stop command is output.

In addition, a current or voltage value of the motor to be generated when the pump is idle due to emptying of the water tank is set in advance as a reference value, and the control processing unit determines the current or voltage value of the motor driving the pump. The measured value is compared with a reference value, and when the measured value reaches the reference value, a pump drive stop command is output.

The pump for pumping water in the water tank is a drain pump, and the drain pump drains water in the water tank.

[0010] Further, the pump for pumping water in the water tank is a water supply pump, and the water supply pump supplies the water in the water tank to the water splitting section. The water splitting section splits the water into fine water droplets. This is the portion that generates negative ions in the nearby air.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are diagrams showing an embodiment of a negative ion generator to which the present invention is applied. 1 and 2, the negative ion generator has a water splitting unit 1, a gas-liquid separating unit 2, a water tank 3, and a pump 4 in a case 5.

The water splitting unit 1 is a part that splits water supplied from the water tank 3 into fine water droplets and generates negative ions in nearby air. The gas-liquid separation unit 2 is a unit that receives air containing fine water droplets generated in the water splitting unit 1, centrifugally separates the fine water droplets from the air, and sends out humid air containing negative ions to the outside. The water tank 3 is filled with water, and the water supply pump 4 pumps out the water in the water tank 3 and supplies it to the water splitting unit 1.

The water splitting section 1 and the gas-liquid separating section 2 are formed in a cyclone unit 6,
Is composed of a combination of a first cyclone tube 7 and a second cyclone tube 8, and has a body integrally provided with a flange 9 projecting from the periphery. The first cyclone cylinder 7 and the second cyclone cylinder 8 have a vertically long cylindrical shape with an open lower edge, are arranged in parallel, and communicate with each other by a communication groove 6a. The cyclone unit 6 is composed of each cyclone cylinder 7,
The lower edge 8 is inserted into the water tank 3, and the flange 9 is set on the water tank 3 with the flange 9 seated on the opening edge 3 a of the water tank 3.

The water supply pump 4 is supported by the flange 9 of the cyclone unit 6 with its water inlet 4a facing downward.
It is immersed in the water filled in the tank at a certain interval from the bottom of the water tank 3.

An intake port 10 provided at a lower portion of the case 5 is connected to an upper portion of the first cyclone cylinder 7 through a duct 11, and an exhaust port 12 provided at an upper portion of the case 5 is connected to an exhaust passage 1.
The duct 11 is connected to the upper part of the second cyclone cylinder 8 through 3, and the duct 11 is provided with a blower 14 for sucking outside air. Inside the first and second cyclone cylinders 7 and 8, a blower 14 is provided.
Thus, a flow path of the outside air taken in is formed, and the outside air flows while rotating in the cylinders 7 and 8 sequentially, and is discharged from the exhaust port 12 into the outside air.

First cyclone cylinder 6 forming water splitting section 1
In the inside, there is provided a rotating body 15 which receives the supply of water in the water tank 3 and jets it into the first cyclone cylinder 7.

In this embodiment, an inner cylinder 16 is provided concentrically within the first cyclone cylinder 7, and the inner cylinder 16 is provided with a rotating body 15 and a ring 17 serving as a collision wall.
A motor 18 for rotating the rotating body 15 is mounted in the inner cylinder 16, and its rotating shaft is mounted on a shaft hole of the rotating body 15, and the rotating body 15 is installed in a horizontal position in the body of the first cyclone cylinder 7. doing.

The rotating body 15 is a hollow body having a water receiving portion 19 on an upper surface and a water discharging portion 20 on a peripheral surface.

Water is supplied to the rotating body 15 through the supply pipe 21.
Supplied from above. The water supply pipe 21 is connected to the water outlet 4 b of the pump 4, rises upward, is inserted into the inner cylinder 16 from above the first cyclone cylinder 7, and is opened on the rotating body 15. . The water received in the rotating body 15 is converted into the rotating direction of the rotating body 15 and is sprayed in the centrifugal direction from the peripheral water discharge section 24.
7 and breaks into fine water droplets. The surface on which the water spouted from the rotating body 15 collides is a collision wall that splits the water into fine water droplets. The released water is split into fine water droplets to produce negative ions in the air, and the air is blown by the blower 14 to separate the gas and liquid 2
Sent inside.

The inside of the first cyclone cylinder 7 forming the gas-liquid separation unit 2 receives air containing fine water droplets generated in the water splitting unit 1 and separates the fine water droplets from the air by centrifugal force to contain negative ions. The humid air is sent from the exhaust port 12 to the outside air.
The inside of the second cyclone cylinder 8 is hollow, forms a swirling flow path of air, and has an upper end communicating with an exhaust port 12 through an exhaust passage 13.

The cartridge tank 22 supplies or replenishes water into the water tank 3, is housed in a space in a case 5 formed above the pump 4, and is detachably held by the flange 9. The water filled inside is transferred into the water tank 3 in an inverted posture.

The water in the water tank 3 is pumped up by the water supply pump 4 and supplied to the water splitting unit 1. Excess water generated in the water splitting unit 1 and water centrifugally separated in the gas-liquid separation unit 2 are removed from each cyclone cylinder. It is returned to the water tank 3 along the inner walls of 7, 8. Aquarium 3
Has a drain port 23 at the bottom thereof, and a drain pump 24 is connected to the drain port 23.

When the water in the water tank is contaminated or when the operation of the apparatus is stopped for a long time, the drain pump 24 is activated to discharge the water in the water tank 3. When the water in the water tank 3 is discharged, the water in the water supply pump 4 and in the pipe 21 leading from the water supply pump 4 to the water splitting unit 1 also falls into the water tank 3 from the water suction port 4a, and the pump 4 and the pipe The water in 21 is completely drained.

The present invention has a control processing unit for automatically stopping the operation when the water in the water tank runs out. That is, the control processing unit detects the presence or absence of water in the water tank, and outputs an operation stop command to the negative ion generator when the water in the water tank runs out. In the following embodiments,
The case where the water in the water tank is pumped up by the drainage pump 24 and forcedly drained will be described. The procedure is exactly the same when the water is pumped up by the water supply pump 4.

The water retained in the water tank 3 is drained by a drain pump 24
At the time of pumping and forced drainage, the control processing unit reads a change in current or voltage generated in the power supply circuit of the drive motor 24a of the drainage pump 24, and the change is read as the drainage pump 2
When the value indicating the completion of the drainage by 4 or the value indicating the completion of the drainage is indicated, the power supply circuit of the drive motor 24a of the pump is cut off and the drainage pump 24 is automatically stopped.

The change in the current or voltage generated in the power supply circuit of the motor for driving the pump is, specifically, a change in the current or voltage value of the motor or a cycle of a ripple combined with the voltage or a change amount thereof. . The measured value of the resistance value of the motor is clearly different between when the load is applied to the drain pump and when the drain pump idles after the drain is completed. The value regarded as the completion of drainage is a case where it is set as a reference value without depending on actual measurement. When the electric change occurring in the power supply circuit of the motor reaches the reference value, the operation of the drain pump 24 is stopped on the assumption that the entire amount of water in the water tank 3 has been drained.

FIG. 3 shows a power supply circuit of the drive motor 24a of the drain pump. In the figure, a motor 24a is driven by direct current, and is wired in parallel with a power supply voltage Vo to apply a constant voltage to the motor 24a. A resistor R is connected in series to the motor 24a.

[0028] When the power switch S ₁ is turned on, which is rotated by energizing the motor 24a, and drives the drain pump 24 the waste water is started, the current flows I _P is the resistance R.
When drainage is completed and the water tank 3 is emptied and the drainage pump starts idling, the current I _P changes in a decreasing direction and the resistance R
The voltage V _R across the terminals decreases accordingly. Idle rotation of the pump when the pump wastewater at V _R = -3.4V, according to the experiment, a V _R = -2.8 V (the reference value), 0.6V
Difference occurs. 0.6V is a voltage level that can be detected by the microcomputer 25. Thus, by wiring the drive motor 24a in series with resistor R ₁ of the drainage pump, the voltage value replaced the energizing current value of the motor 24a to the terminal voltage value of the resistance R or the variation of the voltage value Is read by the microcomputer 25, and a stop command for the motor 24a can be output. Further, the drainage pump drive motor 24a are the DC motor terminal voltage V _R of the motor 24a in series connected resistor R will voltage waveform ripple caused by the noise is synthesized by the rotation of the motor 24a. Figure 4 shows an example of the waveform of the voltage V _R at the time of idling and during draining of the pump. As is clear from the figure, when no load is applied, the rotation speed of the motor increases, so that the period during idle rotation (3.0 msec) is shorter than the period during drainage (3.8 msec). Therefore, the microcomputer reads the cycle of the ripple from the change in the waveform of the voltage V _R , and determines whether draining or idling is complete based on the ripple cycle or the amount of the change. Command can be output.

The operation of the microcomputer which determines completion of drainage from a change in current or voltage generated in the power supply circuit of the drive motor of the drainage pump and outputs a stop command to the drainage pump is shown in FIGS.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which the operation of the drainage pump is controlled based on the intake voltage value. After the power switch of the drain pump is turned on (Step 101) and the drain pump is started (Step 102), the voltage value V _(a) across the resistor R connected in series with the motor in FIG. 3 is captured. (Step 103). On the other hand, the microcomputer previously stores the voltage value at both ends of the resistor R when the pump is idling as _a reference value V, compares the voltage A obtained from the measured value V _(a) with the reference value V, and obtains the voltage A Is larger than the reference value V (step 104), a drain pump stop command is output (step 105), and drainage completion display is performed (step 106).

FIG. 6 shows an example in which the drainage pump is controlled by the amount of change in the intake voltage value. When the power switch of the drain pump is turned on (Step 201), the drain pump is activated (Step 202). Next, the value of the voltage V _(a) across the resistor R in FIG.
03) Then, the next voltage V _{(a + 1)} is fetched as B (step 204), and the difference between the previous fetched voltage value (A) and the next fetched voltage value (B) is taken as the reference value V. By comparison (step 205), the amount of change in the voltage is equal to the reference value V
, The drain pump is stopped (step 206), and a drain completion display is performed (step 207).

FIG. 7 shows an example of controlling the drain pump by reading the cycle of the ripple combined with the voltage V _(a) across the resistor R in FIG. 3 by the rotation of the motor. Power switch drainage pump is turned on (step 301), after the drain pump is started (step 302), detects the incorporation voltage B of V uptake voltage value _(a) A and the following voltage V _{(a + 1)} The ripple is detected by comparing the difference between the actually measured values B and A with the reference value V (steps 303 to 305).
Next, the timer is started (step 306), and the voltages A and B are fetched during the timer setting period, and the next ripple is detected from the difference (steps 307 to 30).
9), and stops the timer to confirm the measurement period of the ripple (step 310), and a measurement period t ₁ compared to the reference period T ₁ is a period of the ripple produced during drainage ending (step 311), the measurement period t ₁ stops drainage pump when it becomes smaller than the reference period T ₁ (step 31
2) The completion of drainage is displayed (step 313).

FIG. 8 shows an example of controlling the drainage pump by reading the amount of change in the cycle of the ripple due to the rotation of the motor. The power switch of the drain pump is turned on (Step 4)
01), the pump is started (step 402), and the measured values V _(a) and V _{(a + 1) of the} voltage across the resistor R in FIG.
The voltage values A and B are fetched, and the first value is obtained from both the fetched voltages B and A.
(Steps 403 to 40)
5) Then, the timer is started, and the second ripple detection is performed during the operation of the timer (steps 406 to 406).
409), the timer is stopped, and the ripple period (t
₁ ) is determined, and this is read into the microcomputer as t _{A, and is set} as a reference cycle of the ripple when there is water in the water tank (step 410). Similarly, after detecting the third ripple (steps 411 to 413), a timer is started to measure the ripple period (step 414), and the time until the next ripple detection (steps 415 to 417) is measured. The ripple period t _{2 of the} next stage is determined (step 418). Read to the microcomputer so as t _B, it calculates the difference between t _B and t _A (step 419), stops drainage pump when the difference is larger than the reference value T ₁ is a period of the ripple at the time of drainage ending (Step 420), completion of drainage is displayed (Step 421).

Although the power switch of the drain pump is manually turned on arbitrarily, the water in the water tank is contaminated by adsorbing dust and the like in the air due to long-term use, or is left for a long time. When it rots, it becomes stinking. For this reason, the negative ion generator has an automatic drainage function of automatically turning on the power and forcibly draining the water after a certain period of time from the water supply. The time period during which the automatic drainage function operates is determined by the elapsed time from the water supply, and may be at night.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the operation of the automatic drainage function of the microcomputer. When the power of the drainage pump is turned on (step 501), it is determined whether or not the drainage pump is in the automatic drainage mode (step 502). When the drainage pump is in the automatic drainage mode, the operation of the pump is controlled to be a weak operation ( Step 503) After the entire amount of water in the water tank is drained (step 504), the drain pump stops (step 505).

In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which when the drain pump is driven to forcibly drain the water in the water tank, the operation of the drain pump is controlled by detecting the presence or absence of water in the water tank. According to the present invention, the same applies to the case where the water in the water tank is pumped out and supplied to the water splitting section. During operation of the negative ion generator, the water in the water tank is pumped out by the water supply pump and supplied to the water splitting section, most of which is returned to the water tank, but part of the water is humid air, Released and consumed. Therefore, when the water tank is operated for a long time without refilling water, the water tank may be empty. Therefore, during the operation of the negative ion generator, the control processing unit is operated to detect a change in the current or voltage of the motor that drives the water supply pump, and when the value indicates the value at the time of the pump running idle, the same as above. The operation of the negative ion generator can be stopped by outputting a drive stop command of the water supply pump in a similar manner.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention, a control processing unit is provided, and the control processing unit takes in a current or voltage change generated in the power supply circuit of the motor for driving the drainage pump or the feedwater pump, and obtains the electrical change. When the value indicates the completion of drainage by the pump or the value considered to be the completion of drainage, the power supply circuit of the motor is cut off and the pump is automatically stopped, so the idle time of the pump is reduced as much as possible to save power consumption and shorten the life. It can be extended to eliminate noise.

Further, according to the present invention, a resistor is wired in series with the motor for driving the drainage or water supply pump, and a change in current of the pump driving motor can be detected by replacing it with a voltage. Using the voltage when the pump runs idle as a reference value, the voltage is directly compared with the reference value, and the stop of the pump is controlled based on the amount of change in the captured voltage, thereby absorbing variations in the current value of the pump driving motor and absorbing water. Can be correctly determined when is empty.

Further, the ripple period synchronized with the rotation of the motor changes greatly between the drainage or water supply of the pump and the idle rotation because of the change in the voltage of the resistor connected in series with the motor for driving the pump. By detecting the cycle or the amount of change thereof, it is possible to easily distinguish between water supply and drainage and idle rotation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a negative ion generator to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a negative ion generator.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a power supply circuit of a motor for driving a drainage pump.

FIG. 4 is a voltage waveform diagram on which ripples are superimposed.

FIG. 5 is a first flowchart of the operation of the microcomputer.

FIG. 6 is a second flowchart of the operation of the microcomputer.

FIG. 7 is a third flowchart of the operation of the microcomputer.

FIG. 8 is a fourth flowchart of the operation of the microcomputer.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an automatic drainage function operation of the microcomputer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Water splitting part 2 Gas-liquid separation part 3 Water tank 3a Opening edge 4 Pump 4a Water inlet 5 Case 6 Cyclone unit 6a Communication groove 7 1st cyclone cylinder 8 2nd cyclone cylinder 9 Flange 10 Intake port 11 Duct 12 Exhaust port 13 Exhaust passage 14 Blower 15 Rotating body 16 Inner cylinder 17 Ring 18 Motor 19 Receiving part 20 Water discharging part 21 Water supply pipe 22 Cartridge tank 23 Drain outlet 24 Drain pump 24a Driving motor 25 Microcomputer

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-10-216213 (JP, A) JP-A-9-308678 (JP, A) JP-A-9-264574 (JP, A) JP-A-9-24294 (JP, A) JP-A-8-290034 (JP, A) JP-A-6-327754 (JP, A) JP-A-5-31198 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB Name) A61L 9/00-9/22

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A headings 汲the stored water in the water tank, is split into fine water droplets by generating negative ions in the air, negative ion generator for blowing humid air containing negative ions generated outside An operation control device having a control processing unit,
The control processing unit detects the presence or absence of water in the water tank, and outputs an operation stop command of the negative ion generator when the water in the water tank runs out, and controls the operation of the negative ion generator. apparatus. 2. A pump for pumping water in a water tank, wherein the control processing unit detects a current or voltage change occurring in a power supply circuit of a motor driving the pump, and the value is a value when the pump runs idle. 2. The operation control device for a negative ion generator according to claim 1, wherein the operation control device outputs a pump stop command when the following is displayed. 3. A current or voltage value of a motor to be generated when the water tank is emptied and the pump runs idle is set in advance as a reference value, and the control processing unit determines the current or voltage value of the motor driving the pump. 2. The operation control device for a negative ion generator according to claim 1, wherein the measured value is compared with a reference value, and a drive stop command for the pump is output when the measured value reaches the reference value. 4. The negative ion generator according to claim 2, wherein the pump for pumping water in the water tank is a drain pump, and the drain pump drains water in the water tank. Operation control device of the device. 5. A pump for pumping water in a water tank is a water supply pump, and the water supply pump supplies water in the water tank to a water splitting unit. The water splitting unit splits the water into fine water droplets. The operation control device for a negative ion generator according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the operation control unit is a part that generates negative ions in the air nearby.