JP6399097B2 - Air cleaner - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an air cleaner having a function of purifying sucked air and blowing it out.

As a conventional technique, for example, Patent Literature 1 discloses an air cleaner having a function of detecting a temperature difference between a ceiling and a floor to reduce indoor temperature unevenness. The prior art air purifier includes a first temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the ceiling and a second temperature sensor that detects the temperature near the floor. And in a prior art, the temperature difference of a ceiling and a floor surface is calculated by calculating the difference of the output value of each temperature sensor, and ventilation is started according to the said temperature difference.
The applicant has recognized the following documents including the above-mentioned documents as related to the present invention.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-56147 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-41518

  However, the above-described prior art air cleaner does not control the direction of the air during circulation, but only performs an operation of blowing air toward the top. As a result, air is diffused randomly in the vicinity of the ceiling, so that dirt such as smoke existing in the vicinity of the ceiling easily diffuses in a wide range together with the air. For this reason, in the prior art, there is a problem that the air cleaning speed of the entire room is slowed due to the diffusion of dirt generated in the vicinity of the ceiling, which makes the user uncomfortable.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and can circulate air efficiently while sufficiently exhibiting air cleaning ability, and can improve user comfort. It aims to provide an air purifier.

An air purifier according to the present invention has a casing having an air inlet and an air outlet that blows air obliquely upward, and sucks air into the casing from the air inlet and blows out the air from the air outlet. A configured air blowing means, a cleaning means configured to clean air flowing inside the casing, a wind direction varying means configured to change the air direction of the air blown from the air outlet, The temperature difference detection means configured to detect a temperature difference between the floor and the ceiling, the person detection means configured to detect a person existing in the room, and the temperature difference detected by the temperature difference detection means When the air pressure is larger than a preset reference value, air blowing control is executed to increase the air volume of the blown air by controlling the air blowing means as compared with the case where the temperature difference is smaller than the reference value. Or , When a person is detected by the man-detecting unit in the blowing control, and configured the control means so as to blow the air blown into the overhead of the person area by controlling the wind direction changing means, the Prepare.
An air cleaner according to the present invention includes a casing having an air inlet and an outlet, and air blowing means configured to suck air into the casing from the inlet and blow out the air from the outlet, A cleaning means configured to clean the air flowing inside the casing, a wind direction varying means configured to change the wind direction of the air blown from the air outlet, and the temperature difference between the indoor floor and the ceiling A temperature difference detecting means configured to detect a person, a person detecting means configured to detect a person existing in the room, and a temperature difference detected by the temperature difference detecting means from a preset reference value If the air pressure is too large, the air flow control unit is controlled to change the air direction of the blown air obliquely upward compared to the case where the temperature difference is smaller than the reference value, and This If the person is detected by the man-detecting unit in the blast control, and a control unit configured to blow the air blown into the overhead of the person area by controlling the wind direction changing means.
An air cleaner according to the present invention includes a casing having an air inlet and an outlet, and air blowing means configured to suck air into the casing from the inlet and blow out the air from the outlet. Cleaning means configured to clean air flowing inside the casing, wind direction varying means configured to change the air direction of the air blown from the outlet, and temperature of the floor and ceiling in the room A sensor unit composed of an element serving as both a temperature difference detection unit for detecting a difference and a human detection unit for detecting a person existing in the room, and the direction of the sensor unit with respect to the casing for scanning the room by the sensor unit The sensor driving unit that can be changed in response to the temperature difference and the temperature difference detected by the sensor unit is greater than a preset reference value to control the air blowing means or the wind direction varying means Further, air blowing control is performed to change at least one of the air volume and direction of the blown air as compared with the case where the temperature difference is smaller than the reference value, and the sensor unit performs indoor control during the air blowing control. And a control means configured to blow the blown air to an area above the person 's head by controlling the wind direction varying means.

According to this invention, when the temperature difference between the floor and the ceiling is larger than the reference value, at least one of the air volume and the direction of the blown air is compared with the case where the temperature difference is smaller than the reference time. It can be changed . Thereby, the air near the ceiling can be agitated while the air cleaning operation is performed, and the air can be actively circulated between the ceiling and the floor surface. Therefore, the air can be efficiently circulated while sufficiently exhibiting the air cleaning ability, and the user's comfort can be improved.

It is a perspective view which shows the air cleaner by Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the air cleaner in FIG. It is a principal part enlarged view in FIG. 1 which shows the operation state (a) of a movable louver and a rectification | straightening mechanism, (b). It is a block diagram which shows the control system of the air cleaner by Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of an infrared sensor typically. It is a perspective view which shows arrangement | positioning of the light receiving element which comprises an infrared sensor, and the detection range of each light receiving element. It is explanatory drawing which shows the rotation state (a), (b), (c) of the infrared sensor by a sensor drive part. In Embodiment 1 of this invention, it is a flowchart which shows an example of the wind direction control performed by the control apparatus. In Embodiment 1 of this invention, it is a flowchart which shows an example of the air volume control performed by the control apparatus.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing used in this specification, common elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and can be variously modified without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an air cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the air cleaner in FIG. As shown in these drawings, the air cleaner 1 according to the present embodiment is configured as a floor-mounted air cleaner. The air cleaner 1 includes a casing 2, a pedestal 3, a suction port 4, an air outlet 5, an air blower 6, an air passage 7 (7 </ b> A, 7 </ b> B), a cleaning device 8, a movable louver 9, a louver drive unit 10, and an opening variable mechanism. 11, an opening drive unit 12, a rectification mechanism 13, a rectification drive unit 14 (see FIG. 4), a horizontal rotation mechanism 15, and the like.

  The casing 2 is formed in, for example, a substantially rectangular square tube shape, and is supported in a horizontally rotatable state by a pedestal 3 installed on the floor surface of the room. As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning device 8, the blower device 6, and the air passages 7 </ b> A and 7 </ b> B are sequentially provided in the space from the inlet 4 to the outlet 5 in the internal space of the casing 2 in order from upstream to downstream. Has been placed. In the following description, a portion of the side surface portion of the casing 2 that is disposed mainly facing the indoor space is referred to as a front portion, and a portion that faces the front portion is referred to as a back portion. Moreover, the direction which the front part of the casing 2 faced is described as the front, the direction corresponding to the left and right sides of the casing 2 as viewed from the front is expressed as the left and right directions, and the vertical direction is also expressed as the up and down direction in some cases. The air cleaner 1 is installed on the floor surface at a position close to any wall of the room, for example, and is used in a state where the back surface portion of the casing 2 faces the wall surface and the front surface portion of the casing 2 faces the indoor space. Is done.

  The suction port 4 is an opening for sucking indoor air into the casing 2, and is provided in the front portion of the casing 2, for example. The blower outlet 5 is an opening for blowing the air sucked into the casing 2 to the outside, and is constituted by, for example, two blower outlets 5 </ b> A and 5 </ b> B opened at the upper surface of the casing 2. The air outlets 5 </ b> A and 5 </ b> B extend in parallel with each other along the left-right direction of the casing 2. In the following description, when the air outlets 5A and 5B are not particularly distinguished, they may be simply referred to as “air outlet 5”. Further, the air blown out from the blowout port 5 may be referred to as “blowout air”.

  In FIG. 2, a wind direction vector 50 represents a wind direction vector at a position where the wind speed of the blown air becomes maximum. The wind direction vector 50 is a combination of a vertical direction vector 50A, a front-rear direction vector 50B, and a left-right direction vector 50C (not shown). The outlet 5 has a function of blowing air obliquely upward by the action of the movable louver 9. In addition, in FIG. 2, since the blowing air of blower outlet 5A, 5B is synthesize | combined, although the wind direction vector 50 is illustrated in one place, the wind direction vector 50 exists in each of the blower outlets 5A, 5B. Moreover, in this invention, the suction inlet 4 may be arrange | positioned in the back surface part, side part, lower surface part, etc. of the casing 2, and the blower outlet 5 may be arrange | positioned in the front part, side part, etc. of the casing 2. Good. Furthermore, only one blower outlet 5 may be arrange | positioned in the casing 2, and three or more blower outlets 5 may be arrange | positioned. That is, in the present invention, the position and the number of the air outlets 5 are not limited to the first embodiment.

  The blower device 6 sucks air into the casing 2 from the suction port 4 and blows out the air from the blower outlet 5, and constitutes a specific example of the blower means in the present embodiment. The blower device 6 includes a fan 6A that is a main body portion of the device, and an electric motor 6B that rotates the fan 6A. The rotational speed of the fan 6A is controlled by the control device 23, and the air volume of the blown air is changed according to the rotational speed. As shown in FIG. 2, for example, two air blowers 6 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction in the casing 2 with their positions shifted in the front-rear direction.

  In addition, an air passage 7 that connects the blower 6 and the blower outlet 5 and guides the air blown from the blower 6 to the blower outlet 5 is provided inside the casing 2. The air passage 7 is divided into a front air passage 7A and a rear air passage 7B by a partition wall 2A provided inside the casing 2. The two air passages 7A and 7B extend in the vertical direction inside the casing 2, and are arranged in parallel in the front-rear direction when viewed in a horizontal section, for example.

  The lower sides of the air passages 7A and 7B are connected to different air blowers 6, and the upper sides of the air passages 7A and 7B are connected to the air outlets 5A and 5B, respectively. That is, the air purifier 1 reaches the blower outlet 5B from the first blower 6 via the air passage 7A to the blowout outlet 5A and the other blower 6 via the air passage 7B. And a second air blowing system. In these ventilation systems, the air volume, the wind direction, and the wind speed can be controlled separately.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, the partition wall 2A is arranged inside the casing 2, and the two air passages 7A and 7B are formed in parallel in the front-rear direction. Of the two air blowers 6, at least one of the air blowers 6 positioned on the upper side in FIG. 2 is configured by a motor built-in air blower in which a part of the motor 6B is embedded in the fan 6A. Has been. Thereby, the installation area of the air cleaner 1 can be reduced in size while efficiently forming two air blowing systems inside the casing 2, and a small and high-performance air cleaner 1 can be realized.

  The cleaning device 8 cleans the air passing through the inside of the casing 2 and constitutes a specific example of the cleaning means in the present embodiment. The cleaning device 8 is provided between the suction port 4 and the blower device 6, for example. Here, “cleaning” means removing contaminants such as dust, smoke, pollen, viruses, molds, fungi, allergens, and odor molecules floating in the air. More specifically, “cleaning” means an operation of collecting, deactivating, adsorbing and decomposing the various pollutants. The cleaning device 8 is configured by a dust collection filter, a deodorizing filter, a voltage application device, or the like, or a combination thereof. The dust collection filter collects dust in the air, and the deodorization filter adsorbs odor components. The voltage application device removes and decomposes contaminants by applying a high voltage to the electrodes. In the air flow direction, a dirt detection device 20 described later is provided on the upstream side of the cleaning device 8.

  FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part in FIG. 1 showing operating states (a) and (b) of the movable louver and the rectifying mechanism. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the movable louver 9 swings the direction of the blown air in the vertical direction, and is provided one at each of the outlets 5 </ b> A and 5 </ b> B of the casing 2. More specifically, the movable louver 9 is formed of, for example, an elongated flat plate that extends in the left-right direction of the casing 2. And the base end side of the movable louver 9 is attached to each blower outlet 5A, 5B via the louver drive part 10 provided in blower outlet 5A, 5B, respectively. Further, the distal end side of the movable louver 9 can be driven in the vertical direction by the louver driving unit 10. In addition, the two movable louvers 9 are configured such that the direction of the air blown out from the outlets 5A and 5B can be individually changed. In the present embodiment, the case where two movable louvers 9 are provided is illustrated. However, the present invention may be configured to include only one or three or more movable louvers 9 according to the number of outlets 5.

  The movable louver 9 has a base end side (support shaft of the louver driving unit 10) as a fixed point, and rotates in a vertical direction on a circle centered on the fixed point. Thereby, the wind direction of the blown air is swung in the vertical direction between the front and the upper according to the rotation angle of the movable louver 9. The elevation angle of the wind direction is changed to an angle substantially equal to the elevation angle of the movable louver 9. In the present specification, the “elevation angle” means an angle inclined upward with respect to a horizontal direction parallel to the floor surface. That is, the elevation angle = 0 ° represents the horizontal direction, and the elevation angle = 90 ° represents the vertical direction. The “rotation angle” of the wind direction represents the angle of the wind direction rotated in the left-right direction by the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 or the like.

  The louver drive unit 10 includes a support shaft that supports the movable louver 9 so that it can be driven, and an actuator (not shown) that rotates the support shaft. The movable louver 9 and the louver drive unit 10 constitute a specific example of a wind direction changing means for changing the wind direction of the blown air in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the opening variable mechanism 11 is provided, for example, at a position facing one movable louver 9 in the front-rear direction, and changes the opening area of the outlet 5 </ b> A in cooperation with the movable louver 9. is there. In FIGS. 1 and 3, the opening variable mechanism 11 is not shown in order to clearly show a rectifying mechanism 13 described later. Moreover, in FIG. 2, although the case where the opening variable mechanism 11 was arrange | positioned only to one blower outlet 5A was illustrated, this invention is not restricted to this, Only the other blower outlet 5B or both blower outlets 5A and 5B are shown. It is good also as a structure which arrange | positions the opening variable mechanism 11. FIG.

  The opening variable mechanism 11 is formed by, for example, an elongated flat plate extending in the left-right direction of the casing 2. A base end portion of the opening variable mechanism 11 is attached to the air outlet 5 </ b> A via an opening driving unit 12 having a configuration substantially similar to that of the louver driving unit 10. The distal end portion of the opening variable mechanism 11 is driven in the front-rear direction by the opening driving unit 12 and is displaced so as to approach and separate from the movable louver 9. Thereby, the opening variable mechanism 11 can increase / decrease the opening area of 5 A of blower outlets, and can change the wind speed of blowing air according to the said opening area. That is, the opening variable mechanism 11 and the opening driving unit 12 constitute a specific example of the air blowing changing means capable of changing the wind speed of the blown air. Note that the opening variable mechanism 11 may be disposed not on the outlet 5 but on one or both of the air passages 7A and 7B and change the opening area of the air passage 7 (that is, the flow passage area).

  The rectifying mechanism 13 adjusts the wind direction in the left-right direction while maintaining the elevation angle of the wind direction set by the movable louver 9. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rectifying mechanism 13 is formed by, for example, a substantially triangular (or fan-shaped) fin. A plurality of rectifying mechanisms 13 protrude from the wind receiving surface side of each movable louver 9 and are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction. And each rectification | straightening mechanism 13 rotates to the left-right direction, as shown to Fig.3 (a), (b), and changes the wind direction of blowing air to the left-right direction according to the said rotation angle.

  The rectifying mechanism 13 is driven by a rectifying drive unit 14 (shown only in FIG. 4) provided in the movable louver 9, for example. That is, the rectification mechanism 13 and the rectification drive unit 14 constitute a specific example of a wind direction variable mechanism that can change the wind direction of the blown air in the left-right direction. In the present invention, the rectifying mechanism 13 is not necessarily provided. Further, for example, one rectifying mechanism 13 may be arranged only on both the left and right ends of the movable louver 9.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 is provided between the casing 2 and the pedestal 3 and rotates the casing 2 on the pedestal 3 at least in the left-right direction. Since the direction of the blower outlet 5 changes in the horizontal direction together with the casing 2, the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 constitutes a specific example of wind direction rotating means for rotating the wind direction of the blown air in the horizontal direction. Similarly, since the direction of the suction port 4 changes in the horizontal direction together with the casing 2, the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 constitutes a specific example of a suction port horizontal rotation mechanism that rotates the suction port 4 in the horizontal direction. .

  In the first embodiment, as described above, the two air blowers 6 are arranged in the vertical direction. According to this structure, it becomes easy to form the air cleaner 1 in a vertically long tower type as compared with an air cleaner that generates the same air volume by a single blower 6. Thereby, the cross-sectional shape of the air cleaner 1 can be shape | molded in square or circular, and the installation area can be reduced in size. Particularly, the square and circular cross-sectional shapes can reduce the installation area required when rotating in the horizontal direction, and are optimal for using the horizontal rotation mechanism 15. Thereby, even if the air cleaner 1 is equipped with the horizontal rotation mechanism 15, it can be easily installed between furniture. Moreover, the installation place of the air cleaner 1 can be easily changed according to the situation of a room, etc., and versatility can be improved.

(Control system)
Next, with reference to FIG. 4 etc., the control system of the air cleaner 1 is demonstrated. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a control system of the air cleaner according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The air cleaner 1 includes a sensor system including a dirt detection device 20, a sensor unit 21, and an infrared sensor 40, an operation unit 22 for operating the air cleaner 1, and control means for controlling the operating state of the air cleaner 1. As a control device 23.

  The dirt detection device 20 detects the amount of contaminants sucked into the casing 2 and constitutes a specific example of the dirt detection means in the present embodiment. The dirt detection device 20 is constituted by, for example, a dust sensor, a gas sensor, a wind speed sensor, or the like, or a composite sensor in which these sensors are combined. According to the dirt detection device 20, air is blown out in a specific direction by the air cleaner 1, and the amount of pollutants in the air returning from this direction is detected, so that the degree of air pollution in the specific direction is determined. Can be detected.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the dirt detection device 20 constitutes a specific example of a dirt degree information detection unit that detects information serving as an index of the degree of dirt. That is, the dirt detecting means of the present invention is not limited to the dirt detecting device 20 exemplified in the first embodiment, and may be any means that can grasp various state quantities that can detect or estimate the air quality. . Depending on the detection method, the position of the dirt detection means is not limited to the inside of the casing 2. That is, in the present invention, a dirt detection means may be installed outside the casing 2 depending on the situation.

  Further, the dirt detection means may be formed separately from the main body of the air purifier 1, and the detection data may be transmitted by the communication means from a position away from the main body. In particular, in the present invention, the dirt detection means may be mounted on a small unit that can be attached to and detached from the casing 2. In this case, the small unit can be removed from the casing 2 and placed in a place where the user is concerned. Thereby, the dirt state of the place away from the air cleaner 1 can be detected quickly, and an appropriate air cleaning operation can be executed according to the detection result. Therefore, for example, it is possible to quickly purify the room without letting a person inhale dirty air.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the sensor unit 21 is provided, for example, on the upper front side of the casing 2, and includes an infrared sensor 40 and a sensor driving unit 44 (see FIG. 4) described later. The sensor unit 21 has a function of detecting the position of a person existing in the room, and constitutes a specific example of the person detecting means in the present embodiment. The sensor unit 21 has a function of detecting the temperature of the indoor floor and ceiling, and constitutes a specific example of temperature difference detection means for detecting the temperature difference between the floor and ceiling.

  On the other hand, the operation unit 22 is operated when the user of the air purifier 1 performs various settings and switching of operation. The power switch for starting and stopping the air purifier 1 and the air purifier 1 And a display unit for displaying an operation state and the like. The operation unit 22 is connected to the control device 23 in a state where bidirectional communication is possible.

  The control device 23 controls the operating state of the air purifier 1 and includes an arithmetic processing device, an input / output port, a storage circuit, and the like (not shown). As shown in FIG. 4, a sensor system including a dirt detection device 20, a sensor unit 21, and an infrared sensor 40 is connected to the input side of the control device 23. An actuator including a blower 6, a cleaning device 8, a louver drive unit 10, an opening drive unit 12, a rectification drive unit 14, a horizontal rotation mechanism 15, a sensor drive unit 44, and the like is connected to the output side of the control device 23. Yes. And the control apparatus 23 operates the air cleaner 1 by controlling an actuator based on the output of a sensor system | strain.

(Configuration of sensor unit)
Next, the configuration of the sensor unit 21 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the infrared sensor. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the light receiving elements constituting the infrared sensor and the detection range of each light receiving element. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing rotation states (a), (b), and (c) of the infrared sensor by the sensor driving unit. As shown in these drawings, the sensor unit 21 includes an infrared sensor 40 and a sensor driving unit 44. The infrared sensor 40 detects infrared rays generated from a detection target, has a function as a temperature detection sensor, and detects an indoor thermograph using infrared rays.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the infrared sensor 40 includes a multi-element light receiving unit 41 including a plurality of light receiving elements 41 a to 41 h and a condensing lens 42. FIG. 5 illustrates the case where the multi-element light receiving unit 41 is configured by eight light receiving elements 41a to 41h. However, in the present invention, the number of light receiving elements is not limited to eight, and the multi-element light receiving unit 41 may be configured by an arbitrary number of light receiving elements of 7 or less or 9 or more.

  Each of the light receiving elements 41a to 41h is a detection element that can individually perform infrared light reception and human detection, and is arranged, for example, in a straight line in the vertical direction. Thus, the infrared sensor 40 has a function of detecting the indoor temperature by dividing it into eight areas having different heights. The condensing lens 42 efficiently condenses infrared rays with respect to the multi-element light receiving unit 41, and is constituted by, for example, a convex lens. The condenser lens 42 may be disposed above the multi-element light receiving unit 41 in the Z direction (vertical direction). The infrared sensor 40 detects the temperature of the object to be detected by the individual light receiving elements 41a to 41h, and outputs a signal corresponding to, for example, indoor thermal image data.

  Each of the light receiving elements 41a to 41h has a light distribution viewing angle 43a to 43h as shown in FIG. The light distribution viewing angles 43a to 43h correspond to the detection ranges of the individual light receiving elements 41a to 41h. The light distribution viewing angles 43a to 43h are set as, for example, square areas having the same size. The light distribution viewing angle 43a (43b to 43h) of one light receiving element 41a (which may be 41b to 41h) is set, for example, to a vertical light distribution viewing angle of 7 ° in the vertical direction, and the horizontal light distribution in the horizontal direction. The viewing angle is set to 8 °.

  The total light distribution viewing angle 43 including the light distribution viewing angles 43 a to 43 h is set as an elongated area in the vertical direction. The viewing angle upper limit 43 max that is the upper limit of the light distribution viewing angle 43 and the lower limit of the light distribution viewing angle 43. And a viewing angle lower limit of 43 min. In the present invention, the light distribution viewing angles 43a to 43h do not necessarily have the same shape and size, and the specific values of the vertical light distribution viewing angle and the horizontal light distribution viewing angle are also limited to the above examples. Is not to be done.

  The sensor drive unit 44 has a function as a sensor horizontal rotation mechanism, and rotationally drives the direction of the infrared sensor 40 with respect to the casing 2 in the horizontal direction (that is, both sides in the left-right direction). For example, a stepping motor capable of accurately adjusting the rotation angle of the infrared sensor 40 is used for the sensor driving unit 44. And the sensor drive part 44 is controlled separately from the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 by the control apparatus 23, and rotates the infrared sensor 40, as shown in FIG. 7A shows a state where the infrared sensor 40 is rotated to the right end, FIG. 7B shows a state where the infrared sensor 40 is held at the center, and FIG. 7C shows an infrared sensor. The state which rotated 40 to the left end part is shown.

  As described above, the control device 23 repeats the operation of rotating the direction of the infrared sensor 40 in the left-right direction via the sensor driving unit 44. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C, the direction of the infrared sensor 40 reaches from the right end to the left end via the center, and from the left end to the center. Repeat the rotation operation to return to the right end. Thereby, the sensor part 21 scans the indoor temperature detection object range in the left-right direction, and detects the temperature of each part sequentially.

(Control of air purifier)
Next, the basic operation of the air cleaner 1 will be described. When the air cleaner 1 is in operation, first, the blower 6 and the cleaning device 8 are driven by the control device 23. Thereby, air is sucked into the inside from the suction port 4 of the casing 2, and this air is cleaned by the cleaning device 8. And the purified air reaches | attains blower outlet 5A, 5B via each air blower 6 and wind path 7A, 7B, and is ventilated outside from blower outlet 5A, 5B. The air blown out in this way is circulated through the room and then sucked into the suction port 4 together with contaminants in the air. By repeating this circulation operation, indoor air is purified.

  At this time, the control device 23 of the air cleaner 1 according to the present embodiment executes temperature difference / person detection control, wind direction control, and air volume control. In the temperature difference / person detection control, the sensor unit 21 is used to detect the temperature difference between the floor and the ceiling, and the direction of the person in the room and the height of the person are detected. In the wind direction control, the wind direction of the blown air is controlled based on the temperature difference between the floor surface and the ceiling by driving the movable louver 9, the variable opening mechanism 11, the rectifying mechanism 13, the horizontal rotating mechanism 15, and the like. Further, in the wind direction control, the wind direction may be controlled so that the blown air is blown to the detected overhead area of the person. On the other hand, in the air volume control, the air volume of the blown air is controlled based on the temperature difference between the floor and the ceiling by changing the rotation speed of the blower 6. Hereinafter, these controls will be described in order. Note that wind direction control, air volume control, and wind direction rotation control, which will be described later, represent specific examples of air blowing control in the present embodiment.

(Temperature difference / human detection control)
In this control, the control device 23 acquires thermal image data of the indoor wall and floor using the sensor unit 21, and detects a person in the room based on the thermal image data. More specifically, first, the control device 23 causes the sensor drive unit 44 to rotate the direction of the infrared sensor 40 in the left-right direction by a predetermined movable angle (here, for example, 1.6 °). Next, the infrared sensor 40 is stopped for a predetermined standby time (for example, 0.1 to 0.2 seconds). During this standby time, thermal image data is detected by the eight light receiving elements 41a to 41h of the infrared sensor 40, respectively. The detected thermal image data is read into the control device 23.

  Then, the control device 23 stops the infrared sensor 40 only for the waiting time at each rotation angle while rotating the direction of the infrared sensor 40 in the horizontal direction by the movable angle, and is detected by the light receiving elements 41a to 41h. Repeat the process of reading thermal image data. This process is performed, for example, at 94 positions every movable angle of 1.6 °. In this case, the angle range in which the infrared sensor 40 is rotationally driven in the left-right direction, that is, the movable range in the left-right direction of the infrared sensor 40 is about 150.4 °.

  Further, the control device 23 detects the temperature difference between the floor surface and the ceiling based on the thermal image data of the floor surface and the ceiling acquired by the infrared sensor 40. In this detection process, first, using the thermal image data, an average temperature at a location estimated as a floor and an average temperature at a location estimated as a ceiling are respectively calculated. And the temperature difference of a floor surface and a ceiling is calculated by calculating the difference of these average temperature.

  According to the temperature difference / person detection control, the direction and height of a person appearing in the room are detected in the movable range in the left-right direction of the infrared sensor 40, for example, by comparing thermal image data at regular intervals. be able to. Moreover, according to the sensor part 21 of this Embodiment, the thermal image data of the area of each light distribution viewing angle 43a-43h can each be acquired with the eight light receiving elements 41a-41h of the infrared sensor 40. FIG. As a result, the height of the human body can be detected with high accuracy depending on in which light distribution viewing angle the person is detected. Further, the control device 23 individually controls the sensor driving unit 44 and the horizontal rotation mechanism 15. Thereby, the direction of the infrared sensor 40 can be rotated in the left-right direction without affecting the wind direction control described later.

  In the present invention, the sensor unit 21 is not necessarily configured by the infrared sensor 40. That is, the temperature difference detection means may be constituted by a dirt sensor, a moving body sensor, a distance sensor, a humidity sensor, an illuminance sensor, or the like as long as it can detect a temperature difference between the ceiling and the floor. You may comprise by combining a sensor and the infrared sensor 40. FIG.

  Here, the dirt sensor (dust sensor) includes a semiconductor element, an optical element, and the like, and detects the concentration of dust, smoke, pollen, etc. in the air. The distance sensor is composed of, for example, a non-contact sensor such as an ultrasonic sensor, an optical sensor, or an image recognition sensor, and detects the distance between the air cleaner 1 and the detection target object using sound waves or electromagnetic waves. Objects to be detected include indoor walls, ceilings, furniture, people, animals, and the like. The illuminance sensor detects the presence, movement, etc. of people and animals in the room based on changes in illuminance. The output of the humidity sensor is used when correcting the sensitivity of each sensor according to the humidity. In addition, the combination of each said sensor is only an example, and this invention is not limited to the person detection means by the combination of each said sensor.

(Wind direction control and its effect)
Next, the wind direction control executed by the control device 23 and the effects thereof will be described. The control device 23 determines whether or not the temperature difference between the floor and the ceiling detected by the temperature difference / person detection control is larger than a preset reference value. And when it determines with the said temperature difference being larger than a reference value, wind direction control is performed. In the wind direction control, the wind direction of the blown air is changed upward (preferably obliquely upward) as compared with the case where the temperature difference between the floor and the ceiling is smaller than the reference value.

  Here, the reference value is a threshold value for avoiding erroneous determination. In the above-described temperature difference / person detection control, when the average temperature of the floor and the ceiling is detected, an error (variation) of about ± 1 ° C. may occur in each detected value. This error is reflected in the calculated value of the temperature difference. For this reason, it is preferable to set the reference value to about 2 ° C., for example.

  Further, the elevation angle of the wind direction realized by the wind direction control may be set to an arbitrary angle except for 0 ° and 90 ° (90> elevation angle> 0), but is preferably set to about 45 °, for example. That is, the angle of the wind direction vector 50 is preferably set so that it hits the ceiling, not the wall or floor. When the blown air hits the ceiling, the air in the vicinity of the ceiling can be efficiently stirred and a large stirring effect can be obtained. The wind direction vector 50 preferably has a horizontal component (at least one of the front-rear direction vector 50B and the left-right direction vector 50C). Thereby, the direction which flows after blowing air hits a ceiling can be limited, and the unnecessary spreading | diffusion of blowing air can be suppressed.

  The reason why the elevation angle of the wind direction is preferably 45 ° is that the vertical direction vector 50A of the wind direction is well balanced with the other wind direction vectors 50B and 50C. However, depending on the size of the room, the blown air may not reach the ceiling, so it is not necessarily limited to 45 °. More specifically, in the wind direction control of the present invention, for example, by providing means capable of detecting a floor plan of a room or inputting floor plan data, the elevation angle and rotation of the wind direction according to the shape, size, etc. of the room. It is good also as composition which changes a corner. In the present invention, it is important to direct the wind direction vector 50 obliquely upward by wind direction control, and it is not always necessary to adjust the wind direction. Therefore, it is important that the air cleaner 1 has a structure that blows air obliquely upward.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of wind direction control executed by the control device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The routine shown in this figure is repeatedly executed during the operation of the air purifier 1. In the routine shown in FIG. 8, first, in step S100, the detection result of the sensor unit 21 is read. In step S101, a temperature difference between the floor and the ceiling is detected based on the read data. Next, in step S102, it is determined whether or not the temperature difference between the floor and the ceiling is larger than the reference value. When this determination is established, the process proceeds to step S103, and the elevation angle of the blown air is increased from the normal state (when the wind direction control is not controlled). On the other hand, if the determination in step S102 is not established, the process proceeds to step S104, and the elevation angle of the blown air is maintained in a normal state.

  According to the wind direction control, when the temperature difference between the floor surface and the ceiling is larger than the reference value, the wind direction of the blown air can be changed upward as compared to when the wind direction control is not executed. Thereby, the air near the ceiling can be agitated while the air cleaning operation is performed, and the air can be actively circulated between the ceiling and the floor surface. Therefore, the air can be efficiently circulated while sufficiently exhibiting the air cleaning ability, and the user's comfort can be improved.

  Further, after the change of the wind direction, for example, the air blowing time may be set variably according to a parameter including a temperature difference between the floor and the ceiling, a set air volume, an elevation angle of the wind direction, and the like. Here, the temperature difference detected using the infrared sensor 40 corresponds to the temperature difference between the surface temperatures of the substances constituting the floor surface and the ceiling. This surface temperature difference behaves differently from the temperature difference between the floor surface and the ceiling due to the difference in heat transfer resistance. That is, the blowing time required to eliminate the temperature difference does not coincide with the blowing time determined from the surface temperature difference. Therefore, it is preferable to calculate the blowing time by the above-described wind direction control (circulation) not by the output of the infrared sensor 40 but by calculation.

  In particular, when the temperature difference between the room and the room is large, if the circulation is performed for a long time, the contact between the air and the wall increases, and the amount of heat that escapes through the wall increases. In addition, if the circulation time is unnecessarily long, the energy consumption of the air purifier increases. Therefore, it is preferable to set the air blowing time to an appropriate length based on the parameters described above. When a general air cleaner is used to circulate at an average LDK, it is expected that the temperature difference between the floor and the ceiling can be eliminated at a rate of about 1 ° C. per minute. . If possible, it is preferable to detect the size of the room and calculate the blowing time from a temperature cancellation speed calculation formula prepared in advance. However, when this method is difficult, it is preferable to set the blowing time on the basis of a state in which the temperature difference is eliminated at a rate of about 1 ° C. per minute. Thereby, it is possible to perform circulation with little waste even in any room.

  Note that the timing at which the circulation is stopped and then executed again is set based on the time until the infrared sensor 40 can detect that the temperature unevenness on the floor and the ceiling has been eliminated (detectable time). May be. The detectable time may be set in advance by actual measurement or the like. As a result, the determination can be performed after the timing at which it is possible to accurately determine whether or not the uneven temperature on the floor and the ceiling has been eliminated. Therefore, it is possible to further suppress execution of useless circulation.

(Air volume control / effect)
Next, the air volume control executed by the control device 23 and the effects thereof will be described. When it is determined that the temperature difference between the floor surface and the ceiling detected by the temperature difference / person detection control is larger than a reference value, the control device 23 performs air volume control. In the air volume control, the air volume of the blown air is increased as compared with the case where the temperature difference is smaller than the reference value. That is, in the air volume control, when it is necessary to eliminate the temperature unevenness, a larger amount of blown air is blown than in the case where the temperature unevenness is not necessary. At this time, the wind direction of the blown air is set obliquely upward.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of air volume control executed by the control device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The routine shown in this figure is repeatedly executed during the operation of the air purifier 1. In the routine shown in FIG. 9, first, in steps S100 to S102, processing similar to the wind direction control is executed. And when determination of S102 is materialized, it transfers to step S200 and makes the air volume of blowing air increase from a normal state. On the other hand, if the determination in step S102 is not established, the process proceeds to step S201, and the air volume of the blown air is maintained in a normal state.

  According to the air volume control, when the temperature difference between the floor and the ceiling is larger than the reference value, it is possible to increase the air volume of the blown-out air that is blown obliquely upward compared to when the air volume control is not performed. . Thereby, the air near the ceiling can be agitated while the air cleaning operation is performed, and the air can be actively circulated between the ceiling and the floor surface. Therefore, the same effect as the wind direction control can be obtained. In particular, by combining wind direction control and air volume control, a large amount of blown air can be blown while increasing the elevation angle of the blown air, and the agitating effect of air near the ceiling can be maximized. . Therefore, a remarkable circulation effect can be obtained by the synergistic effect of the wind direction control and the air volume control.

  In the case of simultaneous operation with RAC or the like, even if the temperature unevenness is temporarily eliminated, the temperature unevenness is likely to occur again if the blowing air is completely stopped. Therefore, in the air volume control, it is preferable to continue blowing the blown air with a small amount even after the temperature unevenness is resolved. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of temperature unevenness while reducing the air volume and suppressing the temperature drop of the entire room.

(Wind direction rotation control)
Moreover, in this Embodiment, you may perform wind direction rotation control by the control apparatus 23 in parallel with the said wind direction control and air volume control. In the wind direction rotation control, the wind direction of the blown air is rotated left and right by the horizontal rotation mechanism 15. Thereby, the wind direction vector 50 can be moved in the left-right direction while maintaining the directionality of the airflow. Therefore, the blown air can be sequentially blown out in a plurality of directions, and the formation of air (dirt) stagnation in the room can be suppressed.

  In addition, the wind direction control, the air volume control, and the wind direction rotation control may be configured to change the control state not only based on the temperature difference between the ceiling and the floor but also based on a human detection result by the infrared sensor 40. Specifically, if there is a person at the blowing air destination, the dirt staying near the ceiling is circulated toward the person at the same time as the circulation, which may cause discomfort to the person. There is. In order to avoid this phenomenon, the presence / absence, position, height, and the like of a person are detected by the sensor unit 21, and the movable louver 9 and the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 are driven based on the detection result, so that no person is present. It is preferable to blow air. Thereby, while fully exhibiting the effect of wind direction control, air volume control, and wind direction rotation control, it is possible to further prevent a person from being blown and to improve comfort. When no pollutant is detected in the room, it is not always necessary to avoid the person and blow the air.

  On the other hand, when there is no person in the room, it is not necessary to eliminate the temperature unevenness rapidly, so the air volume may be reduced as compared with the case where there is a person. Thereby, the energy loss of an air cleaner can be suppressed and operating efficiency can be improved. The air volume control and the wind direction rotation control may be configured to control at least one of the rotation speed of the blower 6 and the horizontal rotation mechanism 15 based on the detection result of the contaminants by the dirt detection device 20. That is, in this control, at least one of the rotation angle of the blown air and the air volume is controlled based on the detection result of the contaminant. Thereby, while exhibiting the effect of the said air volume control and wind direction rotation control sufficiently, blowing air can be ventilated further toward the location where a contamination level is high, and the said location can be cleaned preferentially. In this way, not only a person but also dirt is detected, and control is performed based on both detection results, whereby an optimal air cleaning operation can be efficiently performed.

  Moreover, in this Embodiment, it is good also as a structure linked with the air cleaner 1 and various air-conditioning equipment provided with temperature control functions, such as an air conditioner and a heater, for example. Specifically, the air purifier 1 acquires, for example, operation information of other air conditioners, and changes the operation of at least one of the air direction control, the air volume control, and the air direction rotation control according to the operation information. .

  Generally, during heating operation in winter, warm air tends to stay near the ceiling, and the floor surface is easily cooled by the influence of outside air temperature. As a result, the temperature unevenness between the floor and the ceiling is likely to occur. For this reason, the air cleaner 1 acquires the operation information, for example, when a heating device is activated, and immediately starts monitoring temperature unevenness. When the temperature unevenness exceeding the allowable limit occurs, that is, when the temperature difference between the floor and the ceiling exceeds the reference value, the air blowing control is immediately started. Thereby, comfort can be improved by rapidly stirring the air. Moreover, since the effect which suppresses useless heating operation is also acquired, energy saving can be promoted.

  As an operation information acquisition method, for example, the power consumption of the entire home is measured in real time, and the operating state (ON / OFF) of the air conditioner is determined based on the power consumption of the outlet connected to the air conditioner. It may be estimated. Further, if the air conditioner is an air conditioner or the like operated by a remote controller, an infrared sensor that detects the operation of the remote controller is mounted on the air cleaner 1 and the operating state of the air conditioner is estimated from the operation signal of the remote controller. Good. Moreover, you may use the wireless transmission means which wirelessly transmits the operation information of an air-conditioning apparatus to the air cleaner 1. FIG.

  Moreover, when other air-conditioning equipment is provided with a ventilation function, the airflow which blows off from the air cleaner 1 may be disturbed by other air-conditioning equipment, and the effect of circulation may fall. For this reason, the air cleaner 1 is good also as a structure which acquires the positional information on another air-conditioning apparatus, and controls the wind direction of blowing air according to the said positional information. More specifically, when air is blown out from another air conditioner, the temperature at the blowing position changes. Therefore, for example, based on the detection result of the infrared sensor 40, the control device 23 detects the temperature change of the blowing position and acquires the position information of the other air conditioning equipment. And based on the acquired positional information, for example, blowing air is blown in the direction different from the direction where other air-conditioning equipment exists. According to this control, it is possible to avoid the disturbance of the flow of the blown air due to the collision with the air flow blown from the other air conditioner, and to perform the circulation stably. Further, it is possible to suppress the dirt from being diffused around by the collision of the air flow.

  Moreover, you may connect the air cleaner 1 to the power consumption control system which controls the power consumption of the household appliances arrange | positioned at a house comprehensively. As such a system, for example, HEMS (Home Energy Management System) is known. The controller of HEMS can control the power consumption of the air cleaner 1 which is one of the household appliances, and can improve the power consumption of the whole house. Therefore, it is preferable that the air cleaner 1 is equipped with a cooperation function with the power consumption control system. Thereby, it can cooperate with other household appliances via a power consumption control system.

  More specifically, the air cleaner 1 can play a role as a blower while maintaining the quality of air by cooperating with home appliances such as a ventilation fan and an air conditioner. As a result, it is possible to eliminate temperature unevenness between the vicinity of the floor surface and the vicinity of the ceiling while maintaining the air in the entire room in a clean state. And energy saving can be promoted by being managed by the power consumption control system. In addition, when the power consumption control system has a function of sharing the detection information by the sensor, the data detected and acquired by the air cleaner 1 can be shared with other air conditioners and the like. Thereby, the energy saving effect can be further enhanced.

  In the first embodiment, the case where the wind direction control, the air volume control, and the wind direction rotation control are executed in combination is illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and only the airflow direction control among these controls may be executed, or only the airflow rate control may be executed. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which combines any one of wind direction control and air volume control, and wind direction rotation control.

  In the first embodiment, the wind direction is changed in the left-right direction by the horizontal rotation mechanism 15, but in the present invention, the operation of reciprocating in the vertical direction while changing the wind direction in the left direction and the right direction (such as undulation) A horizontal rotation mechanism capable of operation) may be employed. Moreover, in Embodiment 1, although it was set as the structure which can change the air volume of blowing air with the air blower 6, this invention is not restricted to this, It is good also as a structure which changes an air volume by another mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Air cleaner, 2 Casing, 2A Bulkhead, 3 Base, 4 Suction port, 5, 5A, 5B Air outlet, 6 Air blower (blower means), 6A Fan, 6B Motor, 7, 7A, 7B Air path, 8 Clean Device (cleaning means), 9 movable louver (wind direction varying means), 10 louver drive section (wind direction varying means), 11 opening variable mechanism, 12 opening driving section, 13 rectifying mechanism, 14 rectifying driving section, 15 horizontal rotation mechanism (Wind direction rotating means), 20 dirt detection device (dirt detection means), 21 sensor unit (person detection means, temperature difference detection means), 22 operation unit, 23 control device (control means), 40 infrared sensor, 41 multi-element light receiving Unit, 41a to 41h light receiving element, 42 condenser lens, 43, 43a to 43h light distribution viewing angle, 44 sensor driving unit, 50 wind direction vector, 50A vertical direction vector, 0B longitudinal direction vector, 50C left and right direction vector

Claims (13)

A casing having an air inlet and an air outlet that blows air obliquely upward;
Blowing means configured to suck air into the casing from the suction port and blow out the air from the blowout port;
Cleaning means configured to clean air flowing through the casing;
A wind direction varying means configured to change the wind direction of the air blown from the air outlet;
A temperature difference detecting means configured to detect a temperature difference between the indoor floor and the ceiling;
Human detection means configured to detect a person present in the room;
When the temperature difference detected by the temperature difference detecting means is larger than a preset reference value, the air volume of the blown air is controlled by controlling the blower means when the temperature difference is smaller than the reference value; When the air blowing control to be increased in comparison is performed and a person is detected by the person detecting means during the air blowing control, the air blowing control is performed on the area above the person by controlling the wind direction varying means. Control means configured to blow air;
Air purifier with. A casing having an air inlet and an outlet;
Blowing means configured to suck air into the casing from the suction port and blow out the air from the blowout port;
Cleaning means configured to clean air flowing through the casing;
A wind direction varying means configured to change the wind direction of the air blown from the air outlet;
A temperature difference detecting means configured to detect a temperature difference between the indoor floor and the ceiling;
Human detection means configured to detect a person present in the room;
When the temperature difference detected by the temperature difference detecting means is larger than a preset reference value, the temperature direction of the blown air is controlled to be smaller than the reference value by controlling the wind direction varying means. If the person is detected by the person detecting means during the air blowing control and the person detecting means detects the person, the air direction changing means is controlled to control the head of the person . Control means configured to blow the blown air into an area ;
Air purifier with. A casing having an air inlet and an outlet;
Blowing means configured to suck air into the casing from the suction port and blow out the air from the blowout port;
Cleaning means configured to clean air flowing through the casing;
A wind direction varying means configured to change the wind direction of the air blown from the air outlet;
A sensor unit constituted by an element serving as both a temperature difference detecting means for detecting a temperature difference between the floor surface and the ceiling in the room and a person detecting means for detecting a person existing in the room;
A sensor driving unit capable of changing the direction of the sensor unit with respect to the casing in order to scan the room with the sensor unit;
When the temperature difference detected by the sensor unit is larger than a preset reference value, controlling the air blowing means or the air direction varying means controls at least one of the air volume and the air direction of the blown air. If the air flow control is changed as compared with the case where the air pressure is smaller than the reference value and a person is detected by scanning the room with the sensor unit during the air flow control, the air direction changing means is Control means configured to blow the blown air to an area above the person 's head by controlling;
Air purifier with. A drive unit capable of changing the direction of the temperature difference detection means with respect to the casing;
3. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein when the temperature difference is detected, the control unit controls the drive unit and scans the room with the temperature difference detection unit. A drive unit capable of changing the orientation of the human detection means relative to the casing;
The air cleaner according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 4, wherein, when the control unit detects a person, the control unit controls the driving unit to scan the room with the detection unit. The temperature difference detection means and the person detection means are constituted by the same sensor unit,
A sensor driving unit capable of changing the orientation of the sensor unit with respect to the casing;
3. The air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein when the temperature difference or the person is detected, the control unit controls the sensor driving unit to scan the room with the sensor unit. 4. The person detecting means has a function of detecting at least one information of presence / absence, position and height of a person present in the room,
The air cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control means blows the blown air in a direction different from that of a person according to information detected by the person detection means during the air blowing control. .   The air cleaner according to claim 2, wherein in the air blowing control, the air volume of the blown air is increased by the air blowing means while the air direction of the blown air is changed obliquely upward by the air direction varying means. Wind direction rotation means configured to rotate the wind direction of the blown air in the horizontal direction,
In the said ventilation control, the air cleaner of any one of Claim 1 to 8 which rotates the wind direction of the said blowing air by the said wind direction rotation means. Comprising dirt detecting means configured to detect one or more types of contaminants among dust, odor and pollen contained in the air;
The air cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the control means controls at least one of the blower means and the wind direction rotating means based on a detection result of the dirt detecting means.   It has a function of acquiring operation information of other air conditioners capable of causing a temperature difference between the floor surface and the ceiling in the room and starting monitoring of the temperature difference when the air conditioner is activated. The air cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 10.   The air cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a function of acquiring position information of another air conditioner and controlling a wind direction of the blown air according to the position information.   The power consumption control system which controls the power consumption of the household appliances arrange | positioned at a house, The power consumption can be controlled as one of the household appliances by the said power consumption control system among Claim 1 to 12 The air cleaner according to any one of the above.

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