JP6976312B2 - Filter cleaner and air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

One aspect of the present invention relates to a filter cleaning device provided in an air conditioner or the like and for removing dust adhering to a filter. Further, another aspect of the present invention relates to an air conditioner provided with a filter cleaning device.

The air conditioner is provided with a filter for removing dust contained in the sucked air at the air suction port of the indoor unit. In the conventional air conditioner, the dust adhering to the filter is manually cleaned. That is, it was necessary to manually remove the filter from the indoor unit and manually clean the filter.

However, it is difficult to remove the filter depending on the installation location of the indoor unit, and especially when the indoor unit is installed in a high place, cleaning the filter is a very time-consuming work. Therefore, some air conditioners these days have a function of automatically cleaning the filter inside the device without removing the filter.

The filter cleaning device provided in the air conditioner is configured to scrape off dust adhering to the filter by a rotating brush arranged adjacent to the filter while moving the filter in a predetermined direction. .. For example, the cleaning device 30 for an air conditioner disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a rotary cleaning body 34 that scrapes off dust adhering to the air filter 21, and a dust collecting body 34 that stores the dust scraped off by the rotary cleaning body 34. It is equipped with a box 33. The rotary cleaning body 34 is rotationally driven by the driving means. Further, in the air conditioner disclosed in Patent Document 1, the air filter 21 is moved by a driving means 26 different from the driving means of the rotary cleaning body 34 during the dust removing operation.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-57923

As described above, the filter cleaning device that scrapes off dust with a rotating brush while moving the filter includes a drive motor for driving the moving operation of the filter and a drive motor for driving the rotating operation of the rotating brush. It is provided separately. If the separately provided drive motors can be integrated into one, the number of parts can be reduced and the drive unit can be miniaturized.

However, when the moving operation of the filter and the rotating operation of the brush are executed by the same drive motor, the rotation direction of the drive motor becomes a problem. That is, since the movement of the filter is usually a reciprocating operation, it is necessary to rotate the drive motor in both forward and reverse directions. On the other hand, it is preferable that the rotating brush is rotated only in a predetermined direction in order to scrape off the dust with respect to the dust collecting box.

Therefore, in one aspect of the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide a filter cleaning device capable of appropriately driving off the dust on the filter surface by driving the moving operation of the filter and the rotating operation of the brush with the same drive motor. And.

The filter cleaning device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a filter through which air taken in from the outside passes, a dust removing member for removing dust adhering to the filter, a moving operation of the filter, and a rotating operation of the dust removing member. Between the drive motor that drives the drive motor, the motor gear that is connected to the drive motor, the rotary drive gear that transmits the drive force from the drive motor to the dust removing member, and the rotary drive gear and the motor gear. It is equipped with an arranged transmission member. Then, when the drive motor moves the filter in the first direction, the transmission member drives the rotation drive gear so as to rotate the dust removing member in a predetermined direction, and the drive motor drives the filter. When moving the filter in the second direction, the transmission member either stops transmitting the driving force to the rotation drive gear, or rotates so as to rotate the dust removing member in the predetermined direction. Drive the drive gear.

According to the filter cleaning device according to one aspect of the present invention, the movement of the filter and the rotation of the brush can be driven by the same drive motor. Further, according to the filter cleaning device according to one aspect of the present invention, the rotation of the brush is appropriately controlled and the dust on the surface of the filter is scraped off while the movement of the filter and the rotation of the brush are driven by the same drive motor. Can be done.

It is a perspective view which shows the appearance of the indoor unit of the air conditioner which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the state which the front panel of the indoor unit shown in FIG. 1 is opened. It is a perspective view which shows the filter and the filter cleaning device provided in the indoor unit shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the filter and the filter cleaning device provided in the indoor unit shown in FIG. 1, and is the figure which shows the drive part of the filter cleaning device shown in FIG. 3 disassembled. It is sectional drawing which shows the filter and the filter cleaning device provided in the indoor unit shown in FIG. This figure shows the state when the filter is driven in the positive direction (direction at the time of cleaning). It is a side view which shows each gear provided in the drive part of the filter cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. This figure shows the operation of the gear when driving the filter in the positive direction. It is sectional drawing which shows the filter and the filter cleaning device provided in the indoor unit shown in FIG. This figure shows the state when the filter is driven in the reverse direction (the direction in which the filter is returned to the state at the time of air conditioning). It is a side view which shows each gear provided in the drive part of the filter cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. This figure shows the operation of the gear when driving the filter in the opposite direction. It is a top view which shows the drive part of the filter cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. This figure shows the operation of the gear when driving the filter in the positive direction. This figure is a view when the drive unit is viewed from below. It is a top view which shows the drive part of the filter cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. This figure shows the operation of the gear when driving the filter in the opposite direction. This figure is a view when the drive unit is viewed from below. It is a perspective view which shows the 1st gear of the clutch gear provided in the drive part of the filter cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the 2nd gear of the clutch gear provided in the drive part of the filter cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows the drive part of the filter cleaning apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. This figure shows the operation of the gear when driving the filter in the positive direction. It is a top view which shows the drive part of the filter cleaning apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. This figure shows the operation of the gear when driving the filter in the opposite direction. It is a perspective view which shows each gear provided in the drive part shown in FIG. This figure shows the operation of the gear when driving the filter in the positive direction. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the clutch gear provided in the drive part shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the one way clutch provided in the clutch gear shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows the drive part of the filter cleaning apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. This figure shows the operation of the gear when driving the filter in the positive direction. It is a top view which shows the drive part of the filter cleaning apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. This figure shows the operation of the gear when driving the filter in the opposite direction. It is a perspective view which shows each gear provided in the drive part shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the clutch gear provided in the drive part shown in FIG. It is a side view which shows each gear provided in the drive part of the filter cleaning apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment. This figure shows the operation of the gear when driving the filter in the positive direction. It is a side view which shows each gear provided in the drive part of the filter cleaning apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment. This figure shows the operation of the gear when driving the filter in the opposite direction.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are the same. Therefore, the detailed description of them will not be repeated.

[First Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, an air conditioner having a built-in filter cleaning device for automatically cleaning the filter will be described as an example. FIG. 1 shows the external configuration of the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the front panel 11 of the indoor unit 1 is opened. FIG. 3 shows a filter 21 and a filter cleaning device 20 provided in the indoor unit 1.

<Overall configuration of air conditioner>
First, the overall configuration of the air conditioner according to the present embodiment will be described. The air conditioner according to the present embodiment is a separate type air conditioner, and is mainly composed of an indoor unit 1 and an outdoor unit (not shown).

The outdoor unit is equipped with a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a four-way valve, an outdoor fan, and the like. A refrigeration cycle is formed by these and an indoor heat exchanger (not shown) provided on the indoor unit 1 side.

Next, the configuration of the indoor unit 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the indoor unit 1 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is usually used by being hung on the upper part of a wall of a room. As described above, the indoor unit 1 is provided with an indoor heat exchanger. This indoor heat exchanger is connected to a compressor or the like on the outdoor unit side via a refrigerant pipe (not shown). As a result, the indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit form a refrigerating cycle, and as a result, function as an air conditioner.

The indoor unit 1 mainly includes a housing 10, a filter cleaning device 20 (see FIG. 3), a filter 21 (see FIG. 3), an air conditioning unit (not shown), and the like. Hereinafter, each of these constituent members will be described in detail.

The housing 10 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped resin molded product. As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 10 is mainly composed of a front panel 11, a main body panel 12, and a back panel 13. Inside the housing 10, a filter cleaning device 20, a filter 21, an air conditioning unit, an electrical component unit, and the like are housed.

For convenience of explanation, the side where the front panel 11 is arranged is the front side of the indoor unit 1, and the side where the back panel 13 is arranged is the back side of the indoor unit 1. The direction from the front side to the back side of the indoor unit 1 or from the back side to the front side is called the front-rear direction. Further, in the normal installation state of the indoor unit 1, the direction from the upper side to the lower side or from the lower side to the upper side is referred to as a vertical direction or a vertical direction. Further, the direction that intersects or is orthogonal to the vertical direction is referred to as a horizontal direction or a horizontal direction. Further, with the front panel 11 viewed from the front, the side surface of the indoor unit 1 located on the right side is the right side surface, and the side surface of the indoor unit 1 located on the left side is the left side surface. Therefore, moving to the right in the indoor unit 1 means moving from the left side to the right side of the indoor unit 1, and moving to the left in the indoor unit 1 means moving from the right side to the left side of the indoor unit 1. That means.

A suction port 14 is provided on the upper surface of the housing 10. From the suction port 14, the air in the room where the indoor unit 1 is installed is taken into the indoor unit 1. A filter 21 is arranged directly below the suction port 14.

The front panel 11 is located on the front surface (front surface) of the housing 10. The front panel 11 is attached to the main body panel 12 so as to be openable and closable. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the front panel 11 is open. As shown in FIG. 2, dust boxes 22R and 22L of the filter cleaning device 20 are arranged on the back surface side of the front panel 11.

Further, a blowout port for sending out air sucked from the suction port is provided in the lower part of the main body panel 12, and a flap 15 is provided at the blowout port so as to be openable and closable. A drive motor (not shown) is connected to the flap 15. The drive motor is communicatively connected to the electrical component unit via a signal line, and adjusts the rotation angle of the flap 15 according to a control signal from the control unit in the electrical component unit during operation of the air conditioner.

Although not shown, the air conditioning unit mainly consists of an indoor heat exchanger and a cross-flow fan.

The indoor heat exchanger is a combination of a plurality of heat exchangers like a roof (inverted V-shape) covering a cross-flow fan. Each heat exchanger has a large number of heat radiation fins attached to heat transfer tubes that are folded back at both left and right ends, and functions as an evaporator during cooling operation and as a condenser during heating operation.

The cross-flow fan is connected to a drive motor (not shown). Then, while the air conditioner is in operation, the cross flow fan is rotationally driven by its drive motor, sucks indoor air into the housing 10 and supplies it to the indoor heat exchanger, and heat exchanges with the indoor heat exchanger. The air is sent indoors.

The electrical component unit is arranged, for example, at the right end portion in the housing 10. The electrical component unit is composed of a central processing calculation unit (control unit), a signal transmission / reception unit, and the like. The electrical component unit is connected to the drive motor 25 of the filter cleaning device 20 (see FIG. 3), each component of the refrigeration cycle, and the like via a signal line. Then, the control unit in the electrical unit controls the refrigeration cycle based on the instruction of the user and the detection signals of various sensors such as the temperature sensor that detects the room temperature and the outside air temperature, and performs the cooling operation and the heating operation.

The filter 21 is provided between the suction port 14 and the indoor heat exchanger. For convenience of explanation, the surface of the filter 21 facing the suction port 14 is used as the front surface, and the surface of the filter 21 facing the indoor heat exchanger is used as the back surface of the filter. The filter 21 is arranged so as to follow the shape of the suction port 14 provided in the housing 10. The filter 21 captures dust and dirt contained in the air taken into the interior of the indoor unit 1 from the suction port 14. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of dust and dirt in the air taken into the interior of the indoor unit 1.

Although not shown, two filters 21 are arranged side by side in the indoor unit 1 according to the present embodiment. The number and arrangement of filters in the air conditioner is not limited to this. For example, the filter may be configured to cover the entire area of the suction port 14.

The filter cleaning device 20 is a device that removes dust and dirt adhering to the filter 21. A filter 21 having a rectangular plate shape is attached to the filter cleaning device 20 so as to follow the shape of the filter cleaning device 20. The filter cleaning device 20 is provided with a dust box 22 for accommodating dust, dust, dust, etc. adhering to the filter 21. The dust box 22 is provided for each filter 21. That is, the indoor unit 1 of the present embodiment is provided with one dust box 22 for each of the filter 21R on the right side and the filter 21L on the left side. More specifically, the right dust box is indicated by 22R, and the left dust box is indicated by 22L.

<About the filter cleaning device>
Subsequently, a more specific configuration of the filter 21 and the filter cleaning device 20 provided in the indoor unit 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the filter cleaning device 20 for cleaning the filter 21R on the right side. The structure and arrangement of each component in the filter cleaning device 20 for cleaning the filter 21L on the left side can be basically the same as that of the filter cleaning device 20 for cleaning the filter 21R on the right side. Further, in the case of the filter cleaning device 20 for cleaning the filter 21L on the left side, the drive unit 60 described later is generally attached to the left side of the filter 21L on the left side. In that case, the configuration of the drive unit 60 that drives the filter 21L on the left side is such that the gear arrangement, the motor position, and the like are arranged so as to be symmetrical with the drive unit 60 that drives the filter 21R on the right side. In the present specification, when the right side and left side filter cleaning devices are described separately, they are referred to as a filter cleaning device 20R and a filter cleaning device 20L, respectively. In FIG. 3, the dust box 22 is not shown.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which each component provided in the drive unit 60 of the filter cleaning device 20 is disassembled. FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional configuration of the filter cleaning device 20. In FIG. 5, the filter 21 is also shown.

The filter cleaning device 20 is mainly arranged on the front side of the filter 21. When the air conditioner is performing air conditioning operation (cooling operation, heating operation, dehumidifying operation, blowing operation, etc.), as shown in FIG. 5, the filter 21 has a filter cleaning device only at the front end portion thereof. They are arranged in a positional relationship so as to overlap with 20. When the filter 21 is cleaned by the filter cleaning device 20, the filter 21 is driven by the drive motor 25 and moves, and the entire surface of the filter 21 is on the brush (dust removing member) 23 of the filter cleaning device 20. It is configured to pass through.

The filter 21 is composed of a mesh portion 51 and a frame portion 52 surrounding the mesh portion 51.

The mesh portion 51 is formed of, for example, polyethylene terephthalate in a mesh shape, and the frame portion 52 is formed of, for example, a synthetic resin such as polypropylene resin. Alternatively, the mesh portion 51 and the frame portion 52 may be integrally molded with a synthetic resin such as polypropylene resin.

Further, the frame portion 52 has a plurality of ribs 53. Each rib 53 extends vertically or horizontally at substantially equal intervals inside the frame portion 52, whereby the surface of the mesh portion 51 is partitioned in a grid pattern. With this configuration, the strength of the filter 21 is increased.

Further, in the present embodiment, a plurality of racks 54 are formed on the back surface side of the frame portion 52 extending in the vertical direction. Such a rack 54 meshes with a second filter driving gear 24 (24R / 24L) that drives the movement of the filter 21. Then, when the second filter drive gear 24 is rotationally driven by the drive motor 25, the filter 21 moves in conjunction with this. That is, when the drive motor 25 starts operation, the filter 21 moves in the indoor unit 1 in the front-rear direction along the filter support (filter guide) (not shown) and in the indoor unit 1 in the vertical direction. Moving.

Next, the configuration of the filter cleaning device 20 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the filter cleaning device 20 has, as main components, a dust box 22, a brush (dust removing member) 23, a second filter driving gear 24 (24R / 24L), a rear roller 41, and the like. It also includes a drive unit 60 and the like.

The dust box 22 collects dust, dust, dust, etc., which have been removed from the surface of the filter 21 by the brush 23, inside the dust box 22. The dust box 22 is arranged in the front portion on the front surface side of the filter 21. The dust box 22 (specifically, the dust box 22R on the right side and the dust box 22L on the left side) is arranged so as to extend from one end to the other end of the filter 21 along the left-right direction (horizontal direction) of the filter 21. ing. The dust box 22 is detachably attached to the filter cleaning device 20.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the dust box 22 is formed with a plate-shaped protrusion 27 at a position where it comes into contact with the tip end portion of the brush 23. When the filter cleaning device 20 is performing the cleaning operation of the filter 21, the tip portion of the brush 23 comes into contact with the protrusion 27, so that the dust adhering to the brush bristles can be dropped to the dust box 22. The protrusion 27 may be comb-shaped.

The brush 23 generally has an elongated cylindrical shape. The brush 23 is arranged so as to extend from one end to the other end of each dust box 22 (22R and 22L) along the left-right direction (horizontal direction) of the dust box 22.

More specifically, the brush 23 has a rotation axis inside. The brush bristles 23a constituting the brush 23 are embedded in the surface of the rotation axis. The brush 23 is arranged so that the tip of the brush bristles 23a is in contact with the surface of the filter 21, and scrapes off the dust adhering to the surface of the filter 21. The brush bristles 23a are formed by bundling a plurality of fibers having appropriate rigidity (for example, synthetic fibers such as nylon and natural fibers such as animal hair). The brush 23 can also be formed by covering the surface of the rotating shaft with a pile-like raised fiber (for example, a synthetic fiber such as nylon or a natural fiber such as animal hair) instead of the brush bristles 23a.

Further, gear portions 23R and 23L are provided at both ends of the rotation shaft of the brush 23, respectively. The gear portion 23R provided on the right side meshes with the brush drive gear (rotational drive gear) 63, and the driving force from the drive motor 25 is transmitted. As a result, when cleaning the filter 21, the brush 23 rotates in the direction of arrow B3, for example (see FIG. 5).

Further, the brush 23 of the filter cleaning device 20L for the filter 21L on the left side is driven by the drive motor 25 provided in the filter cleaning device 20L.

The second filter driving gear 24 is arranged at a position facing the brush 23 with the filter 21 sandwiched between them when the filter 21 is cleaned. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the second filter driving gear 24 includes a shaft portion 24a and gear portions 24R and 24L.

The shaft portion 24a is arranged along the left-right direction (horizontal direction) of the filter 21. The shaft portion 24a is driven by the drive motor 25. As a result, the second filter drive gear 24 rotates.

Gear portions 24R and 24L are provided at both ends of the shaft portion 24a. The gear portions 24R and 24L also rotate in conjunction with the shaft portion 24a rotated by the drive motor 25. The gear portions 24R and 24L are arranged so as to face a plurality of racks 54 provided in the vertical frame portion 52 of the filter 21. That is, each rack 54 of the filter 21 meshes with each tooth of the gear portion 24R and 24L of the second filter driving gear 24. As a result, when the second filter drive gear 24 is rotationally driven by the drive motor 25, the filter 21 moves along the guide (not shown) of the filter support in conjunction with the rotation drive.

When cleaning the filter 21, the rear roller 41 is arranged at a position facing the brush 23 with the filter 21 sandwiched between them. For example, the rear roller 41 is arranged diagonally downward on the slightly front side of the shaft portion 24a of the second filter driving gear 24. The rear roller 41 has an elongated cylindrical shape (cylindrical shape). The rear roller 41 is arranged so as to extend from one end side to the other end side of the filter 21 along the left-right direction (horizontal direction) of the filter 21. The rear roller 41 is arranged so as to be located inside the gear portions 24R and 24L of the second filter driving gear 24 in the side view (see FIG. 5).

The rear roller 41 has gears at both ends in the longitudinal direction. In the present embodiment, the rear roller 41 is rotationally driven by the filter 21. That is, the rear roller 41 rotates in conjunction with the movement of the filter 21. Specifically, the gears provided at both ends of the rear roller 41 mesh with the rack 54 formed in the frame portion 52 of the filter 21, so that the rear roller 41 rotates in conjunction with the movement of the filter 21.

A brush is provided on the surface of the rear roller 41. The brush of the rear roller 41 can be formed of, for example, the same material as the brush 23.

The brushes on the front surface of the rear roller 41 are arranged so as to be in contact with the back surface of the filter 21. Then, during the cleaning operation, the rear roller 41 rotates in conjunction with the movement of the filter 21. As a result, in the filter 21 arranged between the brush 23 and the back roller 41, dust and the like adhering to the front surface are pushed out to the front side by the action of the brush of the back roller 41 on the back side. Therefore, the rotation operation on the surface of the filter 21 by the brush 23 can scrape off the dust adhering to the filter 21 to some extent.

<About the drive unit>
Subsequently, a more specific configuration of the drive unit 60 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8, 11, and 12. As shown in FIG. 4, the drive unit 60 includes a drive motor 25, a motor gear 61, a filter drive gear 62, a brush drive gear (rotary drive gear) 63, a clutch gear (transmission member) 64, and the like. .. Each component of the drive unit 60 may be housed in a casing (also referred to as a housing). In another aspect, some components such as the drive motor 25 may be arranged outside the casing, and the remaining components may be housed in the casing.

The drive motor 25 is a motor capable of switching between forward and reverse rotation, and as described above, the filter 21 is moved by rotating the second filter drive gear 24. Specifically, when the drive motor 25 is rotated in the normal direction, the filter 21 moves forward and downward (in the direction of arrow A2 in FIG. 5). As a result, the dust accumulated on the filter 21 is blown off by the brush 23 in order from the bottom, and is dropped into the dust box 22 (see FIG. 5). As described above, the rotation direction of the drive motor 25 and the movement direction of the filter 21 when the filter 21 is cleaned by the filter cleaning device 20 are defined as a forward direction or a first direction in the present specification.

On the other hand, when the drive motor 25 is reversed, the filter 21 moves backward and upward (in the direction of arrow C2 in FIG. 7). As a result, the cleaned filter 21 is returned to the specified position during the air conditioning operation. As described above, the rotation direction of the drive motor 25 and the movement direction of the filter 21 when the filter 21 is returned to the position during the air conditioning operation are set to the reverse direction or the second direction in the present specification. That is, the second direction is the direction opposite to the first direction.

The motor gear 61 is connected to the drive motor 25. The driving force of the driving motor 25 is directly transmitted to the motor gear 61. Therefore, when the drive motor 25 rotates in the forward direction (rotates in the forward direction), the motor gear 61 rotates in the direction of arrow A0 shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the drive motor 25 reverses (rotates in the opposite direction), the motor gear 61 rotates in the direction of arrow C0 shown in FIG.

The filter drive gear 62 is arranged so as to mesh with the motor gear 61 (see FIG. 6). Then, when the motor gear 61 rotates in the direction of arrow A0, the filter drive gear 62 rotates in the direction of arrow A1. On the other hand, when the motor gear 61 rotates in the direction of arrow C0, the filter drive gear 62 rotates in the direction of arrow C1 (see FIG. 8).

Further, the filter drive gear 62 has a shaft portion 62a. The shaft portion 62a is fitted into a hole formed in the center of the gear portion 24R of the second filter driving gear 24. This hole is located coaxially with the shaft portion 24a. With this configuration, when the filter drive gear 62 rotates, the rotational force is transmitted to the second filter drive gear 24, and the second filter drive gear 24 rotates.

The brush drive gear 63 has a small gear portion 63a and a large gear portion 63b arranged coaxially. As shown in FIG. 3, the small gear portion 63a is arranged so as to mesh with the clutch gear 64 (specifically, the second gear 66 of the clutch gear 64). Further, the large gear portion 63b is arranged so as to mesh with the gear portion 23R of the brush 23.

As a result, the driving force of the drive motor 25 can be transmitted to the brush drive gear 63 via the clutch gear 64. Further, the brush driving gear 63 can transmit the driving force from the drive motor 25 to the brush 23 to rotate the brush 23.

The clutch gear 64 is arranged between the motor gear 61 connected to the drive motor 25 and the brush drive gear 63. The driving force of the drive motor 25 is transmitted to the clutch gear 64 via the motor gear 61. Further, the clutch gear 64 transmits the driving force of the drive motor 25 to the brush drive gear 63.

The clutch gear 64 has a first gear 65, a second gear 66, and an elastic member 67.

The first gear 65 is arranged so as to mesh with the motor gear 61, and the driving force from the drive motor 25 is transmitted via the motor gear 61. The second gear 66 is arranged coaxially with the first gear 65 (that is, so that each rotation axis overlaps) and is arranged so as to mesh with the small gear portion 63a of the brush drive gear 63. In this embodiment, the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 have substantially the same diameter. That is, the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 are arranged so as to overlap each other.

FIG. 11 shows the first gear 65. FIG. 11 illustrates the structure of the surface facing the second gear 66. Further, FIG. 12 shows the second gear 66. FIG. 12 illustrates the structure of the surface facing the first gear 65.

As shown in FIG. 11, in the first gear 65, a protrusion (inclined portion) 65a having an inclination is formed in a circular shape about the rotation axis of the gear on the surface facing the second gear 66. In the present embodiment, the protrusion 65a is formed with two stepped portions 65b. The two stepped portions 65b are arranged at positions facing each other.

Further, as shown in FIG. 12, in the second gear 66, a protrusion (inclined portion) 66a having an inclination is formed in a circular shape around the rotation axis of the gear on the surface facing the first gear 65. There is. In the present embodiment, the protrusion 66a is formed with two stepped portions 66b. The two stepped portions 66b are arranged at positions facing each other.

Further, in the protrusions 65a and 66a provided on the first gear 65 and the second gear 66, the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 are arranged coaxially, and the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 are connected to each other. It is formed so that the positions of the protrusions 65a and 66a coincide with each other when they are in contact with each other.

In this embodiment, the protrusions 65a provided on the first gear 65 and the protrusions 66a provided on the second gear 66 have the same inclination angle. As a result, when the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 are in contact with each other, the protrusion 65a and the protrusion 66a are surely aligned with each other. In addition, it is possible to reduce wear due to friction when the protrusions come into contact with each other. Further, since two stepped portions are formed on each of the protrusions 65a and 66a, the stepped portions are aligned with each other at two positions (a first position and a position rotated 180 degrees from the first position). be able to.

However, in another aspect of the present invention, the protrusion 65a provided on the first gear 65 and the protrusion 66a provided on the second gear 66 may have different inclination angles. Further, for example, only one of the protrusions 65a and 65b may be inclined, and the other may be a wall-shaped protrusion (step portion) having a constant height. As described above, the shape of the protrusion 65a provided on the first gear 65 and the shape of the protrusion 66a provided on the second gear 66 may be different from each other.

Further, in the present embodiment, the number of the stepped portions 65b is the same as the number of the stepped portions 66b. As a result, when the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 are in contact with each other, the protrusions 65a and the protrusions 66a are surely aligned with each other. However, in another aspect of the present invention, the number of stepped portions may be different.

Further, the height of the step portion 65b may be the same as or different from the height of the step portion 66b.

The elastic member 67 is arranged on the rotation axis of the first gear 65. In this embodiment, the elastic member 67 is formed of a coil spring. One end of the coil spring is connected to the rotating shaft of the first gear 65, and the other end is connected to the wall surface of the casing accommodating the constituent members of the drive unit 60. This coil spring applies a force in a direction in which the distance between the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 is shortened. That is, the elastic member 67 is urging the first gear 65 in the direction of approaching the second gear 66.

In the drive unit 60 having the above configuration, when the drive motor 25 is rotated in the positive direction, the first gear 65 rotates in the direction of arrow B1 (the direction in which the height of the protrusion increases toward the step portion 65b) (FIG. 11). Then, the protrusion 65a of the first gear 65 rotates in a circumferential shape while being in contact with the protrusion 66a of the second gear 66, and the step portions of the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 come into contact with each other (the step portions are in contact with each other). (Face to face), the rotational force of the first gear 65 is transmitted to the second gear 66, and the second gear 66 rotates.

Here, the fact that the stepped portions of the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 face each other means that the vertical surface 65c of the stepped portion 65b (see FIG. 11) and the vertical surface of the stepped portion 66b, as shown in FIG. It means that it comes into contact with 66c (see FIG. 12). The vertical surface 65c is erected substantially perpendicular to the rotation direction of the first gear 65. Further, the vertical surface 66 is erected substantially perpendicular to the rotation direction of the second gear 66.

On the other hand, when the drive motor 25 is rotated in the opposite direction, the first gear 65 rotates in the direction of arrow D1 (the direction in which the height of the protrusion decreases from the step portion 65b) (see FIG. 11). At this time, the protrusion 65a of the first gear 65 rotates in a circumferential shape while being in contact with the protrusion 66a of the second gear 66, but the step portions of the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 are in contact with each other (step). The parts do not face each other). Therefore, the rotational force of the first gear 65 is not transmitted to the second gear 66, and the second gear 66 does not rotate.

<About the operation of filters and brushes>
Subsequently, the operation of the filter 21 and the brush 23 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 10.

In the filter cleaning device 20 according to the present embodiment, when the filter 21 is cleaned, that is, when the drive motor 25 moves the filter 21 in the positive direction (first direction), the clutch gear 64 determines the brush 23. The brush drive gear 63 is driven so as to rotate in the direction of. Here, the predetermined direction means the direction in which the brush 23 brushes the dust on the filter 21 onto the dust box 22. Further, when the filter cleaning device 20 finishes cleaning and returns the filter 21 to the original state, that is, when the drive motor 25 moves the filter 21 in the opposite direction (second direction), the clutch gear 64 is brush-driven. The transmission of the driving force to the gear 63 is stopped.

Hereinafter, the operation when the drive motor 25 moves the filter 21 in the forward direction and when it moves in the reverse direction will be specifically described.

5, FIG. 6, and FIG. 9 show the operation of the filter 21, the brush 23, and each gear when cleaning the filter. At this time, the drive motor 25 rotates in the positive direction. The rotational force of the drive motor 25 is transmitted to the motor gear 61. Then, the motor gear 61 rotates in the direction of arrow A0 (see FIG. 6). When the motor gear 61 rotates in the direction of arrow A0, the driving force F1 is transmitted to the filter driving gear 62 that meshes with the motor gear 61 (see FIG. 9). As a result, the filter drive gear 62 rotates in the direction of arrow A1 (see FIG. 6).

The rotational force of the filter driving gear 62 is transmitted to the second filter driving gear 24 via the shaft portion 62a, and the second filter driving gear 24 also rotates in the direction of arrow A1 (see FIG. 5). When the second filter driving gear 24 rotates in the direction of arrow A1, the filter 21 moves in the direction of arrow A2 (that is, in the direction approaching the brush 23 and the dust box 22) (see FIG. 5). At this time, the rear roller 41 arranged so as to mesh with the rack 54 of the filter 21 rotates in the arrow A3 direction in conjunction with the operation of the filter 21.

Further, the motor gear 61 is arranged so as to mesh with the clutch gear 64. Therefore, when the drive motor 25 rotates in the positive direction, the drive force F2 of the drive motor 25 is transmitted to the clutch gear 64 via the motor gear 61 (see FIG. 9). As a result, the first gear 65 of the clutch gear 64 rotates in the direction of arrow B1 (see FIG. 6).

At this time, the protrusion 65a of the first gear 65 and the protrusion 66a of the second gear 66 are fitted. That is, the stepped portions of the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 are in contact with each other (the vertical surface 65c of the stepped portion 65b (see FIG. 11) and the vertical surface 66c of the stepped portion 66b (see FIG. 12) are in contact with each other. do). When the protrusions of the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 are fitted to each other, the driving force F3 of the first gear 65 is transmitted to the second gear 66. Then, the driving force F3 transmitted to the second gear 66 is transmitted as a driving force F4 to the small gear portion 63a of the brush driving gear 63 that meshes with the second gear 66 (see FIG. 9).

As a result, the brush drive gear 63 rotates in the direction of arrow B2 (see FIG. 6). Then, when the brush drive gear 63 rotates in the direction of arrow B2, the gear portion 23R of the brush 23 that meshes with the large gear portion 63b of the brush drive gear 63 rotates in the direction of arrow B3 (see FIG. 5). As a result, when cleaning the filter, the brush 23 can be rotated in a direction in which dust is scraped off from the filter 21 and collected in the dust box 22.

7, 8, and 10 show the operation of the filter 21, the brush 23, and each gear when the filter is returned. At this time, the drive motor 25 rotates in the opposite direction. The rotational force of the drive motor 25 is transmitted to the motor gear 61. Then, the motor gear 61 rotates in the direction of arrow C0 (see FIG. 8). When the motor gear 61 rotates in the direction of arrow C0, the driving force F1 is transmitted to the filter driving gear 62 that meshes with the motor gear 61 (see FIG. 10). As a result, the filter drive gear 62 rotates in the direction of arrow C1 (see FIG. 8).

The rotational force of the filter driving gear 62 is transmitted to the second filter driving gear 24 via the shaft portion 62a, and the second filter driving gear 24 also rotates in the direction of arrow C1 (see FIG. 7). When the second filter driving gear 24 rotates in the direction of arrow C1, the filter 21 moves in the direction of arrow C2 (that is, in the direction away from the brush 23 and the dust box 22) (see FIG. 7). At this time, the rear roller 41 arranged so as to mesh with the rack 54 of the filter 21 rotates in the direction of arrow C3 in conjunction with the operation of the filter 21 (see FIG. 7).

Further, when the drive motor 25 rotates in the opposite direction, the driving force F2 of the drive motor 25 is transmitted to the clutch gear 64 that meshes with the motor gear 61 (see FIG. 10). As a result, the first gear 65 of the clutch gear 64 rotates in the direction of arrow D1 (see FIG. 8).

At this time, the first gear 65 rotates in the direction of arrow D1 (the direction in which the height of the protrusion decreases from the step portion 65b) (see FIG. 11). At this time, the protrusion 65a of the first gear 65 rotates in a circumferential shape while being in contact with the protrusion 66a of the second gear 66, but the step portions of the first gear 65 and the second gear 66 are in contact with each other (step). The parts do not face each other). Therefore, the rotational force of the first gear 65 is not transmitted to the second gear 66, and the second gear 66 does not rotate (see FIG. 10). In other words, it spins idle. Therefore, when the drive motor 25 returns the filter 21 to the state during the air conditioning operation, the brush 23 does not rotate.

If the brush 23 rotates in the direction opposite to the arrow B3 direction in conjunction with the drive motor 25 that rotates in the opposite direction, the dust scraped off from the filter 21 may reattach to the filter 21. be. On the other hand, according to the filter cleaning device 20 according to the present embodiment, the rotation of the brush 23 can be stopped when the drive motor 25 rotates in the opposite direction. Therefore, when the filter 21 is returned to the state during the air conditioning operation, it is possible to prevent the dust from reattaching from the brush 23 to the filter 21.

In the filter cleaning device 20 of the present embodiment, the rotation speed when rotating the drive motor 25 in the forward direction and the rotation speed when rotating the drive motor 25 in the reverse direction may be different. As a result, the moving speed V1 of the filter 21 when cleaning the filter (moving in the first direction) and the moving speed V2 of the filter 21 when returning the filter (moving in the second direction) are made different. Can be done.

For example, the drive motor 25 may change the rotation speed so that the moving speed V2 is larger (faster) than the moving speed V1. As a result, the filter 21 can be returned to the original state in a shorter time after the cleaning of the filter 21 is completed. Therefore, the total time required for cleaning the filter using the filter cleaning device 20 can be shortened.

As described above, according to the filter cleaning device 20 of the present embodiment, one drive motor 25 can be used to drive both the movement of the filter 21 and the rotation of the brush 23. Therefore, the number of drive motors can be reduced.

Further, according to the filter cleaning device 20, when the filter 21 is returned to the state during the air conditioning operation, the rotation of the brush 23 can be stopped. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the dust scraped from the filter 21 toward the brush 23 from reattaching to the filter 21.

In another aspect of the present invention, the gear portion 23L and the second filter driving gear 24L provided on the left side of the filter cleaning device 20R for the filter 21L on the right side are the filter cleaning device 20L for the filter 21L on the left side. The gear portion 23R on the right side of the brush 23 and the second filter driving gear 24R may be connected to each other. As a result, the driving force from the drive motor 25 is also transmitted to the brush 23 of the filter cleaning device 20L and the second filter driving gear 24. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the drive unit 60 in the filter cleaning device 20L for the filter 21L on the left side.

[Second Embodiment]
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 to 17. In the second embodiment, the configuration of the filter cleaning device in the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is different from that of the first embodiment. For other configurations, the same configurations as in the first embodiment can be applied. Therefore, in the following, the configuration of the filter cleaning device 120 according to the second embodiment will be mainly described. The components to which the same configuration as that of the first embodiment can be applied are designated by the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

13 and 14 show the configuration of the drive unit 160 provided in the filter cleaning device 120 according to the second embodiment. These figures show a state in which the drive unit 160 is viewed from below. The drive unit 160 includes a drive motor 25, a motor gear 61, a filter drive gear 62, a brush drive gear (rotational drive gear) 63, and a clutch gear (transmission member) 164 as main constituent members.

Since the same configurations as those of the first embodiment can be applied to the drive motor 25, the motor gear 61, the filter drive gear 62, and the brush drive gear 63, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The clutch gear 164 is arranged between the motor gear 61 connected to the drive motor 25 and the brush drive gear 63. The driving force of the driving motor 25 is transmitted to the clutch gear 164 via the motor gear 61 (see arrow F2 in FIG. 13). Further, the clutch gear 164 transmits the driving force of the driving motor 25 to the brush driving gear 63 (see the arrow F3 in FIG. 13).

FIG. 16 shows a cross-sectional configuration of the clutch gear 164. As shown in FIG. 16, the clutch gear 164 has a first gear 165, a second gear 166, and a one-way clutch 167. As shown in FIG. 16, each component of the drive unit 160 such as the clutch gear 164 is housed in the casing (housing) 170.

The first gear 165 is arranged so as to mesh with the motor gear 61, and the driving force from the drive motor 25 is transmitted via the motor gear 61. The second gear 166 is arranged coaxially with the first gear 165. More specifically, the shaft portion 166a of the second gear 166 is fitted into the hole 165a formed in the central portion of the first gear 165 (see FIG. 16). Further, the second gear 166 is arranged so as to mesh with the small gear portion 63a of the brush driving gear 63.

Similar to the first embodiment, the first gear 165 and the second gear 166 have substantially the same diameter. That is, the first gear 165 and the second gear 166 are arranged so as to overlap each other.

Further, as shown in FIG. 16, a one-way clutch 167 is fitted in the hole 165a of the first gear 165. The one-way clutch 167 is arranged around the shaft portion 166a of the second gear 166.

FIG. 17 shows a one-way clutch 167. The one-way clutch 167 is a substantially annular member. A plurality of ball bearings 167a are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the annular one-way clutch 167. A generally known one-way clutch structure can be applied to the one-way clutch 167.

In the filter cleaning device 120, when the drive motor 25 rotates in the positive direction (direction of arrow A0 in FIG. 15), the first gear 165 of the clutch gear 164 rotates in the direction of arrow B1 (see FIG. 15). When the first gear 165 rotates in the direction of arrow B1, the first gear 165 and the second gear 166 are connected by the action of the one-way clutch 167. As a result, the driving force F2 transmitted from the motor gear 61 to the first gear 165 can be transmitted to the second gear 166 as the driving force F3 (see FIG. 13). Then, the second gear 166 rotates in the direction of arrow B1 together with the first gear 165 (see FIG. 15).

Then, the driving force F3 transmitted to the second gear 166 is transmitted as a driving force F4 to the small gear portion 63a of the brush driving gear 63 that meshes with the second gear 166 (see FIG. 13). As a result, the brush drive gear 63 rotates in the direction of arrow B2 (see FIG. 15). Then, when the brush driving gear 63 rotates in the direction of the arrow B2, the gear portion 23R of the brush 23 rotates in the direction of the arrow B3 as in the first embodiment (see FIG. 5). As a result, when cleaning the filter, the brush 23 can be rotated in a direction in which dust is scraped off from the filter 21 and collected in the dust box 22.

On the other hand, when the drive motor 25 rotates in the opposite direction, the connection between the first gear 165 and the second gear 166 is released by the action of the one-way clutch 167. Therefore, the driving force F2 transmitted from the motor gear 61 to the first gear 165 is not transmitted to the second gear 166 (see FIG. 14). Therefore, when the drive motor 25 returns the filter 21 to the state during the air conditioning operation, the brush 23 does not rotate.

As for the configuration of the filter cleaning device 120 other than the drive unit 160, the same configuration as that of the filter cleaning device 20 according to the first embodiment can be applied.

As described above, according to the filter cleaning device 120 according to the present embodiment, the rotation of the brush 23 can be stopped when the drive motor 25 rotates in the opposite direction. Therefore, when the filter 21 is returned to the state during the air conditioning operation, it is possible to prevent the dust from reattaching from the brush 23 to the filter 21.

[Third Embodiment]
A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 18 and 21. In the third embodiment, the configuration of the filter cleaning device in the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is different from that of the first embodiment. For other configurations, the same configurations as in the first embodiment can be applied. Therefore, in the following, the configuration of the filter cleaning device 220 according to the third embodiment will be mainly described. The components to which the same configuration as that of the first embodiment can be applied are designated by the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

18 and 19 show the configuration of the drive unit 260 provided in the filter cleaning device 220 according to the third embodiment. These figures show a state in which the drive unit 260 is viewed from below. The drive unit 260 includes a drive motor 25, a motor gear 61, a filter drive gear 62, a brush drive gear (rotary drive gear) 63, and a clutch gear (transmission member) 264 as main constituent members.

Since the same configurations as those of the first embodiment can be applied to the drive motor 25, the motor gear 61, the filter drive gear 62, and the brush drive gear 63, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The clutch gear 264 is arranged between the motor gear 61 connected to the drive motor 25 and the brush drive gear 63. The driving force of the driving motor 25 is transmitted to the clutch gear 264 via the motor gear 61 (see arrow F2 in FIG. 18). Further, the clutch gear 264 transmits the driving force of the driving motor 25 to the brush driving gear 63 (see the arrow F3 in FIG. 18).

FIG. 20 shows a square spring (coil spring) 267 provided inside the clutch gear 264. Further, FIG. 21 shows a cross-sectional configuration of the clutch gear 264. As shown in FIG. 21, the clutch gear 264 has a first gear 265, a second gear 266, and a square spring 267.

The first gear 265 is arranged so as to mesh with the motor gear 61, and the driving force from the drive motor 25 is transmitted via the motor gear 61. The second gear 266 is arranged coaxially with the first gear 265. More specifically, the protrusion 265a formed on the shaft of the first gear 265 and the protrusion 266a formed on the shaft of the second gear 266 are arranged at positions facing each other (FIG. 6). 21). Further, the second gear 266 is arranged so as to mesh with the small gear portion 63a of the brush driving gear 63.

Similar to the first embodiment, the first gear 265 and the second gear 266 have substantially the same diameter. That is, the first gear 265 and the second gear 266 are arranged so as to overlap each other.

Further, a square spring 267 is arranged between the first gear 265 and the second gear 266. As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the square spring 267 is attached so as to surround the protrusion 265a of the first gear 265 and the protrusion 266a of the second gear 266, respectively.

Then, when the first gear 265 rotates in the direction of the arrow B1, the square spring 267 emits a force for tightening the protrusion 266a of the second gear 266. As a result, the rotational force of the first gear 265 is transmitted to the second gear 266 (see arrow F3 shown in FIG. 18). Further, the square spring 267 does not generate a force for tightening the protrusion 266a of the second gear 266 when the first gear 265 rotates in the direction of the arrow D1. That is, the connection between the protrusion 265a of the first gear 265 and the protrusion 266a of the second gear 266 is released. As a result, the rotational force of the first gear 265 is not transmitted to the second gear 266 (see FIG. 19).

The square spring 267 may have one end fixed to the first gear 265. As a result, the rotational force of the first gear 265 can be more reliably transmitted to the square spring 267.

In the present embodiment, the clutch gear 264 is formed by using the square spring 267, but in another aspect of the present invention, a coil spring having a round cross section may be used.

From the above, as shown in FIG. 20, when the drive motor 25 rotates in the positive direction (arrow A0 direction), the first gear 265 of the clutch gear 264 rotates in the arrow B1 direction. When the first gear 265 rotates in the direction of the arrow B1, the first gear 265 and the second gear 266 are connected by the action of the square spring 267. As a result, the driving force F2 transmitted from the motor gear 61 to the first gear 265 can be transmitted to the second gear 266 as the driving force F3 (see FIG. 18). Then, the second gear 266 rotates in the direction of arrow B1 together with the first gear 165.

Then, the driving force F3 transmitted to the second gear 266 is transmitted as a driving force F4 to the small gear portion 63a of the brush driving gear 63 that meshes with the second gear 266 (see FIG. 18). As a result, the brush drive gear 63 rotates in the direction of arrow B2 (see FIG. 20). Then, when the brush driving gear 63 rotates in the direction of the arrow B2, the gear portion 23R of the brush 23 rotates in the direction of the arrow B3 as in the first embodiment (see FIG. 5). As a result, when cleaning the filter, the brush 23 can be rotated in a direction in which dust is scraped off from the filter 21 and collected in the dust box 22.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 20, when the drive motor 25 rotates in the opposite direction (arrow C0 direction), the connection between the first gear 265 and the second gear 266 is released by the action of the square spring 267. Therefore, the driving force F2 transmitted from the motor gear 61 to the first gear 265 is not transmitted to the second gear 266 (see FIG. 19). Therefore, when the drive motor 25 returns the filter 21 to the state during the air conditioning operation, the brush 23 does not rotate.

As for the configuration of the filter cleaning device 220 other than the drive unit 260, the same configuration as that of the filter cleaning device 20 according to the first embodiment can be applied.

As described above, according to the filter cleaning device 220 according to the present embodiment, the rotation of the brush 23 can be stopped when the drive motor 25 rotates in the opposite direction. Therefore, when the filter 21 is returned to the state during the air conditioning operation, it is possible to prevent the dust from reattaching from the brush 23 to the filter 21.

[Fourth Embodiment]
A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 22 and 23. In the first to third embodiments described above, the configuration example in which the rotation of the brush is stopped when the drive motor moves the filter in the second direction (that is, the direction in which the filter is returned to the original position) has been described. ..

However, in one aspect of the present invention, when the drive motor moves the filter in the second direction (that is, the direction in which the filter is returned to its original position), it moves to the brush drive gear (in this embodiment, the gear portion 323R). It is also possible to transmit the driving force and rotate the brush in the same direction as when moving the filter in the first direction. Therefore, in the fourth embodiment, this configuration will be described.

In the fourth embodiment, the configuration of the filter cleaning device in the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is different from that of the first embodiment. For other configurations, the same configurations as in the first embodiment can be applied. Therefore, in the following, the configuration of the filter cleaning device 320 according to the fourth embodiment will be mainly described. The components to which the same configuration as that of the first embodiment can be applied are designated by the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 22 shows the configuration of the drive unit 360 provided in the filter cleaning device 320 according to the fourth embodiment. The drive unit 360 includes a drive motor 25, a motor gear 361, a filter drive gear 362, a brush drive gear (rotary drive gear) 363, and a drive force transmission gear (transmission member) 364 as main components. ..

The drive motor 25, the motor gear 361, and the filter drive gear 362 have the same configurations as those of the drive motor 25, the motor gear 61, and the filter drive gear 62 of the first embodiment.

The driving force transmission gear 364 is arranged between the motor gear 61 and the brush driving gear 363, and transmits the driving force from the driving motor 25 to the brush driving gear 363. Further, the driving force transmission gear 364 can directly transmit the driving force to the gear portion 323R of the brush 23 without going through the brush driving gear 363. In the present embodiment, the driving force transmission gear 364 is formed of one gear.

The brush drive gear 363 has a small gear portion 63a and a large gear portion (not shown) arranged coaxially. In the present embodiment, the brush drive gear 363 is configured to be movable in the left-right direction in the indoor unit 1.

Then, when the drive motor 25 rotates in the positive direction, the brush drive gear 363 moves to the right side (front side in FIG. 22) in the indoor unit 1. As a result, the small gear portion 63a of the brush drive gear 363 and the drive force transmission gear 364 mesh with each other, and the drive force from the drive motor 25 is transmitted to the brush drive gear 363. On the other hand, when the drive motor 25 rotates in the opposite direction, the brush drive gear 363 moves to the left side (back side in FIG. 23) in the indoor unit 1. As a result, the small gear portion 363a and the driving force transmission gear 364 are disengaged, and the driving force from the drive motor 25 is not transmitted to the brush drive gear 363.

Further, in the filter cleaning device 320, gear portions 323R and 323L are provided at both ends of the rotating shaft of the brush 23, respectively. The same configuration as in the first embodiment can be applied to the gear portion 323L on the left side. On the other hand, the gear portion 323R on the right side is configured to be able to change the position in the indoor unit 1 in the left-right direction, and when the drive motor 25 rotates in the opposite direction, the gear portion 323R rotates the brush 23. It protrudes from the shaft in the axial direction and moves inside the indoor unit 1 to the right side (front side in FIG. 23). As a result, the gear portion 323R of the brush 23 and the driving force transmission gear 364 mesh with each other, and the driving force from the drive motor 25 is transmitted to the brush 23.

From the above, as shown in FIG. 22, when the drive motor 25 rotates in the positive direction (arrow A0 direction), the drive force transmission gear 364 rotates in the arrow B1 direction. At this time, the brush drive gear 363 moves to the right in the indoor unit 1, and the gear portion 323R of the brush 23 moves to the left in the indoor unit. That is, the driving force transmission gear 364 and the small gear portion 363a of the brush driving gear 363 mesh with each other, and the gear portion 323R of the brush 23 is in a state substantially similar to the state shown in FIG.

As a result, the brush drive gear 363 rotates in the direction of arrow B2. Then, when the brush driving gear 363 rotates in the direction of the arrow B2, the gear portion 323R of the brush 23 rotates in the direction of the arrow B3, as in the first embodiment. As a result, when cleaning the filter, the brush 23 can be rotated in a direction in which dust is scraped off from the filter 21 and collected in the dust box 22.

Further, as shown in FIG. 23, when the drive motor 25 rotates in the opposite direction (arrow C0 direction), the drive force transmission gear 364 rotates in the arrow D1 direction. At this time, the brush drive gear 363 moves to the left in the indoor unit 1, and the gear portion 323R of the brush 23 moves to the right in the indoor unit. That is, the drive force transmission gear 364 and the small gear portion 363a of the brush drive gear 363 are disengaged, and the drive force transmission gear 364 and the gear portion 323R of the brush 23 are in mesh with each other.

As a result, the driving force of the driving motor 25 is transmitted from the driving force transmission gear 364 to the gear portion 323R of the brush 23. Then, the gear portion 323R of the brush 23 rotates in the same direction as when the drive motor 25 rotates in the positive direction, that is, in the arrow D2 direction. As a result, even when the drive motor 25 returns the filter 21 to the state during the air conditioning operation, the brush 23 can be rotated in the same direction as when the drive motor 25 rotates in the positive direction. As described above, in the present embodiment, the gear portion 323R of the brush 23 functions as another rotary drive gear for transmitting the driving force from the drive motor 25 to the brush 23.

As for the configuration of the filter cleaning device 320 other than the above, the same configuration as that of the filter cleaning device 20 according to the first embodiment can be applied.

According to the above configuration, the brush 23 can always be rotated in the same direction during the moving operation of the filter 21 to scrape the dust on the filter 21 into the dust box 22.

(summary)
The filter cleaning device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a filter through which air taken in from the outside passes, a dust removing member for removing dust adhering to the filter, a moving operation of the filter, and a rotating operation of the dust removing member. Between the drive motor that drives the drive motor, the motor gear that is connected to the drive motor, the rotary drive gear that transmits the drive force from the drive motor to the dust removing member, and the rotary drive gear and the motor gear. It is equipped with an arranged transmission member. Then, when the drive motor moves the filter in the first direction, the transmission member drives the rotation drive gear so as to rotate the dust removing member in a predetermined direction, and the drive motor drives the rotation drive gear. When the filter is moved in the second direction (different from the first direction, specifically, the direction opposite to the first direction), the transmission member receives the driving force to the rotary drive gear. The transmission is stopped, or the rotation driving gear is driven so as to rotate the dust removing member in the predetermined direction.

In the above configuration, rotating the dust removing member in a predetermined direction means, for example, rotating the dust removing member in a direction of scraping off the dust adhering to the filter and collecting the dust in the dust box. Further, the first direction means, for example, a direction in which the filter is moved when cleaning the filter. Further, the second direction means, for example, a direction opposite to the first direction, or a direction in which the filter is returned to the position during the air conditioning operation.

In the filter cleaning device according to one aspect of the present invention, the transmission member is arranged coaxially with the first gear to which the driving force of the drive motor is transmitted via the motor gear and the first gear. It may have a second gear that transmits a driving force to the rotary driving gear. Then, when the drive motor moves the filter in the first direction, the driving force from the drive motor is transmitted from the first gear to the second gear, and the drive motor transfers the filter to the second gear. When moving in the direction, the driving force may not be transmitted from the first gear to the second gear.

In the filter cleaning device according to one aspect of the present invention, at least one of the first gear and the second gear is provided with an inclined portion and a stepped portion on a surface facing the other gear. The other gear is provided with a stepped portion on the surface facing the one gear, and when the drive motor moves the filter in the first direction, the stepped portion of the one gear is provided. It may be configured so that the step portion of the other gear is in contact with the step portion.

In the filter cleaning device according to one aspect of the present invention, the transmission member may have a one-way clutch between the first gear and the second gear. Alternatively, the transmission member may have a coil spring between the first gear and the second gear.

In the filter cleaning device according to one aspect of the present invention, when the drive motor moves the filter in the second direction, the transmission member stops the transmission of the driving force to the rotary drive gear. May be good. The moving speed when the drive motor moves the filter in the second direction may be higher than the moving speed when the drive motor moves the filter in the first direction.

Further, the air conditioner according to another aspect of the present invention is provided with any of the above filter cleaning devices.

It should be considered that the embodiments disclosed this time are exemplary in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown by the scope of claims rather than the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims. Further, a configuration obtained by combining the configurations of different embodiments described in the present specification with each other is also included in the scope of the present invention.

1: Indoor unit (of air conditioner) 20: Filter cleaning device 21: Filter 22: Dust box 23: Brush (dust removing member)
25: Drive motor 60: Drive unit 61: Motor gear 62: Filter drive gear 63: Brush drive gear (rotation drive gear)
64: Clutch gear (transmission member)
65: 1st gear 65a: Inclined portion (of 1st gear) 65b: Step portion 66 (of 1st gear): 2nd gear 66a: Inclined portion 66b (of 2nd gear): Step portion (of 2nd gear) 120: Filter cleaning device 160: Drive unit 164: Clutch gear (transmission member)
165: 1st gear 166: 2nd gear 167: One way clutch 220: Filter cleaning device 260: Drive unit 264: Clutch gear (transmission member)
265: 1st gear 266: 2nd gear 267: Square spring (coil spring)
320: Filter cleaning device 360: Drive unit 364: Driving force transmission gear (transmission member)
323R: Gear part (of brush)

Claims (6)

A filter through which air taken in from the outside passes,
A dust removing member that removes dust adhering to the filter,
A drive motor that drives the moving operation of the filter and the rotating operation of the dust removing member,
The motor gear connected to the drive motor and
A rotary drive gear that transmits the driving force from the drive motor to the dust removing member, and
A transmission member arranged between the rotary drive gear and the motor gear is provided.
When the drive motor moves the filter in the first direction, the transmission member drives the rotation drive gear so as to rotate the dust removing member in a predetermined direction.
When the drive motor moves the filter in the second direction, the transmission member either stops transmitting the driving force to the rotary drive gear or rotates the dust removing member in the predetermined direction. Drive the rotary drive gear so as to make it
The transmission member is
The first gear in which the driving force of the driving motor is transmitted via the motor gear, and
It has a second gear that is arranged coaxially with the first gear and transmits a driving force to the rotary drive gear.
When the drive motor moves the filter in the first direction, the driving force from the drive motor is transmitted from the first gear to the second gear.
When the drive motor moves the filter in the second direction, the driving force is not transmitted from the first gear to the second gear.
Filter cleaning device. At least one of the first gear and the second gear is provided with an inclined portion and a stepped portion on a surface facing the other gear, and is provided with a stepped portion.
The other gear is provided with a step portion on the surface facing the one gear.
When the drive motor moves the filter in the first direction, the step portion of the one gear and the step portion of the other gear come into contact with each other.
The filter cleaning device according to claim 1. The filter cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission member has a one-way clutch between the first gear and the second gear. The filter cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission member has a coil spring between the first gear and the second gear. When the drive motor moves the filter in the second direction, the transmission member stops the transmission of the driving force to the rotary drive gear.
Claims 1 to 4, wherein the moving speed when the drive motor moves the filter in the second direction is larger than the moving speed when the drive motor moves the filter in the first direction. The filter cleaning device according to any one item. An air conditioner comprising the filter cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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