JP3816351B2 - Air conditioner for bathroom - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bathroom air conditioner. In particular, the present invention relates to a bathroom air conditioner equipped with an ozone generator.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An example of a conventional air conditioner for a bathroom is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-14116. As described in this publication, conventional air conditioners for bathrooms generate ozone in the conditioned air that is blown out into the bathroom by an ozone generator, and this ozone is used to sterilize, deodorize, or dry the bathroom. The clothes in the bathroom were sterilized, deodorized and bleached (hereinafter, sterilized, deodorized and bleached are collectively referred to as sterilized).
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The higher the temperature or humidity of the air, the higher the sterilizing effect of ozone. However, in the conventional bathroom air conditioner described above, the timing at which the ozone generator generates or stops ozone is set regardless of the temperature and humidity of the bathroom air. For this reason, sterilization etc. of the bathroom and clothes were not necessarily performed effectively.
[0004]
The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a bathroom air conditioner capable of effectively sterilizing a bathroom and clothes stored in the bathroom.
[Means for solving the problem, operation and effect]
The bathroom air conditioner according to claim 1 includes a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the bathroom, an ozone generator that generates ozone in the conditioned air, and a controller connected to the ozone generator. Then, the controller activates the ozone generator when the temperature sensor detects a value exceeding a predetermined temperature .
The bathroom air conditioner here means one having a heating operation function of blowing warm air to warm the bathroom. You may provide the drying operation function which dries a bathroom by ventilating simultaneously with blowing warm air.
When the bathroom air conditioner starts heating operation or drying operation, warm air is blown into the bathroom and the bathroom air is warmed. When the air in the bathroom is warmed and its temperature rises, water evaporates from the water stored on the floor of the bathroom and the clothes stored in the bathroom for drying, increasing the humidity in the bathroom. As described above, the higher the temperature or humidity of the air, the higher the sterilizing effect of ozone. According to the air conditioner for a bathroom with the above configuration, after the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the bathroom exceeds the predetermined temperature, that is, the temperature of the bathroom becomes high, and the sterilizing effect of ozone becomes high. The ozone generator is activated to generate ozone in the conditioned air. For this reason, a bathroom and clothing can be sterilized effectively.
[0007]
The air conditioner for a bathroom according to claim 2 , a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the bathroom, a humidity sensor for detecting the humidity of the bathroom, an ozone generator for generating ozone in the conditioned air, a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor And a controller connected to the ozone generator. The controller activates the ozone generator when the temperature sensor detects a value exceeding a predetermined temperature and the humidity sensor detects a value exceeding the predetermined humidity.
According to the bathroom air conditioner configured as described above, after the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the bathroom exceeds the predetermined temperature and the humidity sensor detects that the humidity of the bathroom exceeds the predetermined humidity, that is, The ozone generator is activated after the ozone sterilization effect is high. For this reason, a bathroom and clothing can be sterilized effectively.
[0008]
In the bathroom air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2 , it is preferable that the controller stops the operation after a predetermined time from the start of the operation of the ozone generator.
According to the bathroom air conditioner having the above configuration, the operation of the ozone generator is stopped a predetermined time after the operation of the ozone generator. For this reason, the waste of the operation of the ozone generator being continued even though the sterilization of the bathroom and clothing has been completed is prevented.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The bathroom air conditioner described in the above-described claims can be suitably implemented in the form shown below.
(1st Embodiment) In the air conditioner for bathrooms of Claim 1 or 2 , predetermined temperature is temperature between 25 degreeC-35 degreeC , for example.
When the air temperature exceeds 25 ° C. to 35 ° C., the sterilizing effect of ozone increases. For this reason, if an ozone generator operates after the temperature of bathroom air exceeds 25 degreeC-35 degreeC , a bathroom and clothes can be disinfected effectively.
[0014]
( 2nd Embodiment) The air conditioner for bathrooms of Claim 2 WHEREIN: Predetermined humidity is humidity between 35%-45% of relative humidity, for example.
When the humidity exceeds 35% to 45%, the sterilizing effect of ozone becomes high. For this reason, if the ozone generator operates after the humidity of the bathroom exceeds 35% to 45%, the bathroom and the clothes contained in the bathroom can be effectively sterilized. Since the ozone generator is not operated in a humidity range where the sterilizing effect of ozone is low, wasteful generation of ozone is prevented.
[0015]
( 3rd Embodiment) In the air conditioner for bathrooms of Claim 3 , predetermined time is time between 15 minutes-60 minutes, for example.
When the ozone generator is operated for 15 to 60 minutes, the bathroom and the clothes stored in the bathroom can be effectively sterilized.
[0017]
( 4th Embodiment) The air conditioner for bathrooms of Claims 1-3 WHEREIN: The blowing of the air-conditioning air to a bathroom is performed strongly in the state which the ozone generator is operating.
According to the bathroom air conditioner having such a configuration, the conditioned air containing ozone is strongly blown to the bathroom and clothes, so that the sterilizing effect of ozone can be further enhanced.
[0018]
( Fifth Embodiment) In the bathroom air conditioner according to claim 3 , after the operation of the ozone generator is stopped, the ozone generator may be operated again before the bathroom air conditioner finishes the operation.
According to the bathroom air conditioner having such a configuration, careful sterilization can be performed in the finish.
[0019]
【Example】
(First Embodiment) A first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a heater which is a kind of bathroom air conditioner will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration and operation of the heater 10 and its peripheral devices will be briefly described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the heater 10 is installed on the back side of the ceiling 14 of the bathroom 12. Inside the bathroom 12, a bathtub 18 for bathing and a pipe 18 for hanging clothes 17 are provided. Hot water heated by the hot water heater 24 placed outdoors is sent to the heater 10 through the supply pipe 22. The heater 10 heats the air sucked from the bathroom 12 with warm water sent from the water heater 24 and returns it to the bathroom 12 as warm air, thereby heating and drying the bathroom 12. The hot water whose temperature has decreased because the air has been heated by the heater 10 is returned to the hot water heater 24 through the return pipe 23. The hot water returned to the water heater 24 is heated again by the water heater 24 and sent to the heater 10. That is, the hot water circulates between the water heater 24 and the heater 10. Further, the heater 10 has a function of sucking air in the bathroom 12 and leading it to the outside through the ventilation duct 21.
[0020]
Electric power is transmitted to the heater 10 via the breaker 26 and the electric wiring 27. In addition, the heater 10 and the water heater 24 are connected by a signal line 28, and the mutual operation status is transmitted as an electric signal via the signal line 28, so that the heater 10 and the water heater 24 are appropriately connected. Be controlled. A remote controller 25 for operating the heater 10 by a user is attached to the wall surface next to the door 12 a of the bathroom 12. The remote controller 25 is a wireless type remote controller, and transmits an infrared signal to a light receiving unit (not shown) of the heater 10.
[0021]
The configuration of the heater 10 will be described with reference to FIG. The heater 10 includes a heating fan 32, a heat exchanger 34, a ventilation fan 36, a controller 38, an ozone generator 44, and the like. An air inlet 43 and an air outlet 46 are opened on the lower surface of the heater 10. The air inlet 43 and the air outlet 46 are provided with louvers (43a, 46a) in which a plurality of elongated plates are arranged. Although the louver 43a of the air inlet port 43 is fixed, the direction of the louver 46a of the air outlet port 46 is changed by being driven by a mechanism (not shown). When the direction of the louver 46a changes, the direction of the air blown out from the air outlet 46 changes.
The heat exchanger 34 includes an air flow path and a hot water flow path, and has a function of performing heat exchange between the air and the hot water. The hot water heated by the hot water heater 24 and sent through the supply pipe 22 passes through the hot water flow path of the heat exchanger 34. As indicated by an arrow 47, an air flow path that communicates from the air suction port 43 to the heat exchanger 34, the heating fan 32, and the air outlet 46 is formed inside the heater 10. The heating fan 32 is rotationally driven by the electric motor 32 a and blows air in the direction of the air outlet 46. In addition, an air flow path is formed which is indicated by an arrow 48 and communicates from the air suction port 43 to the outside through the ventilation fan 36 and the ventilation duct 21. The ventilation fan 36 is rotationally driven by the electric motor 36 a and blows air in the direction of the ventilation duct 21.
[0022]
An ozone generator 44 is provided between the heating fan 32 and the air outlet 46. The ozone generator 44 generates ozone from the air passing between the electrode plates by applying a high voltage between the electrode plates arranged opposite to each other to cause discharge. A constant voltage is applied between the electrode plates of the ozone generator 44.
The controller 38 and the ozone generator 44 are connected by a signal line 53. The controller 38 includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, an input processing circuit, an output processing circuit, and the like, processes an input signal according to a predetermined program, and outputs a control signal to the ozone generator 44. This control signal controls on and off of the voltage applied between the electrode plates of the ozone generator 44. Further, the controller 38 is also connected to the light receiving unit for the operation signals from the heating fan 32, the ventilation fan 36, and the remote controller 25 by a signal line (the light receiving unit and the signal line are not shown). The controller 38 controls the ozone generator 44, the heating fan 32, the ventilation fan 36, etc. according to the operation signal from the remote controller 25 received by the light receiving unit.
[0023]
Then, the operation | movement operation | movement in each operation mode of the heater 10 is demonstrated. The heater 10 is operated in each operation mode of “heating”, “drying”, “ventilation”, and “sterilization”.
(Heating mode) Hot water is supplied to the heat exchanger 34, and the heating fan 32 operates. When the heating fan 32 is activated, the air in the bathroom 12 is sucked from the air suction port 43 and passes through the air flow path of the heat exchanger 34. The air passing through the air flow path of the heat exchanger 34 is warmed by the hot water supplied from the water heater 24 and passing through the hot water flow path to become hot air. The air heated by the heat exchanger 34 to become warm air is returned to the bathroom 12 from the air outlet 46 to heat the bathroom 12. When the bathroom 12 is heated, the bather can comfortably bathe even if the temperature is low as in winter.
[0024]
(Drying mode) This driving | operation mode is used in order to dry the bathroom 12 and the clothing accommodated in the bathroom 12. FIG. In this drying mode, the ventilation fan 36 is operated in addition to the heating of the bathroom 12 by the operation of the heat exchanger 34 and the heating fan 32 in the heating mode. When the ventilation fan 36 is activated, the air in the bathroom 12 is led out to the outside, so that the bathroom 12 does not accumulate moisture. For this reason, the bathroom 12 becomes hot and dry, and the bathroom 12 and the clothes 17 are dried.
[0025]
(Ventilation mode) Only the ventilation fan 36 operates. When the ventilation fan 36 is activated, the air in the bathroom 12 is led to the outside via the ventilation duct 21 and the bathroom 12 is ventilated. When the bathroom 12 is ventilated, moisture is prevented from being accumulated in the bathroom 12. It is effective to operate the heater 10 in the ventilation mode after taking a bath in which the humidity in the bathroom 12 is high.
[0026]
(Sterilization mode) In this sterilization mode, warm water is supplied to the heat exchanger 34, and the heater 10 starts operation in a drying mode in which the heating fan 32 and the ventilation fan 36 are operated. The ozone generator 44 does not operate when the heater 10 starts operation. When the heater 10 is operated in the dry mode, the temperature of the bathroom 12 rises, moisture is evaporated from the water stored on the floor of the bathroom 12 and wet clothes 17, and the humidity of the bathroom 12 also rises. Then, 10 minutes after the operation of the heater 10 is started, a control signal for instructing the operation to the ozone generator 44 is transmitted from the controller 38. As described above, the higher the temperature and humidity of the air, the higher the sterilizing effect of ozone. When 10 minutes have passed since the operation of the heater 10 has started, the temperature and humidity of the air in the bathroom 12 are high. For this reason, when the ozone generator 44 is activated 10 minutes after the operation of the heater 10 is started and air containing ozone is blown out into the bathroom 12, the bathroom 12 and the clothes 17 stored in the bathroom 12 are used. Is effectively sterilized. When the ozone generator 44 starts operating and 20 minutes have passed since the ozone was blown into the bathroom 12, the bathroom 12 and the clothing 17 are sufficiently sterilized. Twenty minutes after the ozone generator 44 starts operation, the operation is stopped. For this reason, even though the sterilization of the bathroom 12 and the clothes 17 has been completed, waste that the ozone generator 44 generates unnecessary ozone is prevented.
In addition, you may comprise so that the ventilation of the heating fan 32 may be strengthened (rotation speed is raised), while the ozone generator 44 is act | operating. When the heater 10 is configured in this manner, the ozone-containing air is strongly blown to the bathroom 12 and the clothes 17, so that the ozone sterilizing effect can be further enhanced.
[0027]
(2nd Example) The heater 60 which concerns on 2nd Example of this invention is demonstrated. In the following, description that overlaps with the first embodiment will be omitted, and only the characteristic part of the second embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 3, a temperature sensor 66 and a humidity sensor 67 are mounted between the air inlet 43 of the heater 60 and the heat exchanger 34. The temperature sensor 66 is a thermistor type temperature sensor whose resistance value changes depending on the temperature, and the change in resistance value is output as an electrical signal. The humidity sensor 67 has a detection unit made of porous ceramics, and outputs humidity as an electrical resistance value by utilizing the characteristic that the electrical resistance changes when moisture is adsorbed to the porous ceramics. When the heating fan 32 is activated, the air in the bathroom 12 is sucked from the air suction port 43, the sucked air passes around the temperature sensor 66 and the humidity sensor 67, and the temperature and humidity in the air of the bathroom 12 are detected. The
[0028]
The controller 62 is connected to the temperature sensor 66 and the humidity sensor 67 by signal lines (65, 64), respectively. The controller 62 processes input signals from the temperature sensor 66 and the humidity sensor 67 according to a predetermined program and outputs a control signal to the ozone generator 44. The controller 62 operates the ozone generator 44 when the temperature sensor 66 detects a temperature of 30 ° C. or higher, or when the humidity sensor 67 detects a relative humidity of 40% or higher. When the ozone generator 44 is activated, air containing ozone is blown into the bathroom 12. When ozone is blown out into the bathroom 12 in such a high temperature and humidity state, the bathroom 12 and the clothes 17 stored in the bathroom 12 can be effectively sterilized. When the inside of the bathroom 12 is dried and the humidity sensor 67 detects a humidity of 40% or less, the operation of the ozone generator 44 is stopped.
The controller 62 may activate the ozone generator 44 when the temperature sensor 66 detects 30 ° C. or higher and the humidity sensor 67 detects 40% or higher. When the controller 62 is configured in this manner, the ozone generator 44 does not operate in a state where the relative humidity is high although the absolute humidity is small because the temperature in the bathroom 12 is low and the amount of saturated water vapor is small as in winter. . That is, when the humidity sensor 67 is a type that detects relative humidity instead of detecting absolute humidity, an ozone generator is used in a state where the amount of moisture contained in the air in the bathroom 12 is small and the sterilization effect by ozone is low. Is prevented from operating.
[0029]
The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. However, this is only an example, and the present invention is implemented in various forms, for example, in the following forms based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Can do.
(1) When the sterilization mode is selected, the heater is operated in the heating mode for a predetermined time after the start of operation. The ozone generator starts to operate after the bathroom temperature and humidity are high.
When the heater is operated in the heating mode, the air in the bathroom circulates in the bathroom without being ventilated, and the temperature and humidity of the bathroom rapidly increase. Thus, if the ozone generator is operated after rapidly increasing the temperature and humidity of the bathroom, the bathroom can be sterilized in a short time. Then, after a predetermined time (for example, 20 minutes) elapses, the ozone generator is stopped, and the heater is operated in a ventilation mode in which a ventilation fan operates.
[0030]
(2) The remote control is provided with an ozone amount adjustment switch that can adjust the amount of ozone generated.
If comprised in this way, the user can adjust the intensity | strength of the disinfection by ozone.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state where a heater according to a first embodiment and a second embodiment is installed in a bathroom.
FIG. 2 is an internal configuration diagram of the heater according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is an internal configuration diagram of a heater according to a second embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
10: Heater 12: Bathroom 12a: Door 14: Ceiling 16: Bathtub 17: Clothing 18: Pipe 21: Ventilation duct 22: Supply pipe 23: Return pipe 24: Water heater 25: Remote control 26: Breaker 27: Electrical wiring 28 : Signal line 32: heating fan, 32a: electric motor 34: heat exchanger 36: ventilation fan, 36a: electric motor 38: controller 43: air inlet, 43a: louver 44: ozone generator 46: air outlet, 46a : Louvers 47 and 48: Arrows indicating the direction of air flow 53: Signal line 60: Heater 62: Controller 64 and 65: Signal line 66: Temperature sensor 67: Humidity sensor

Claims (3)

An air conditioner for a bathroom, comprising a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the bathroom, an ozone generator for generating ozone in the conditioned air, and a controller connected to the temperature sensor and the ozone generator,
The controller operates the ozone generator when the temperature sensor detects a value exceeding a predetermined temperature. An air conditioner for a bathroom, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the bathroom, a humidity sensor for detecting the humidity of the bathroom, an ozone generator for generating ozone in the conditioned air, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and ozone generation And a controller connected to the vessel,
The controller is an air conditioner for a bathroom, wherein a temperature sensor detects a value exceeding a predetermined temperature, and an ozone generator is activated when the humidity sensor detects a value exceeding a predetermined humidity. The bathroom air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the controller stops the operation after a predetermined time from the start of the operation of the ozone generator.

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