JP7364207B2 - air shower - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an air shower that removes foreign matter adhering to objects such as human bodies and objects by blowing air in an open space, that is, an open air shower.

Air showers installed at clean room side entrances generally have a shower room that is a closed space, and inside this closed space, air blows from the side to the target to remove dust, and the dust is collected inside the shower room. Not only is it complicated to enter and exit a closed space by opening and closing a locked door, but the door is also large and the manufacturing cost is high.Since the door is opened and closed frequently, door repairs, etc. are required. There is a problem that maintenance is required and various expenses are incurred.

Therefore, the air shower device described in Patent Document 1 has removable air blowers attached to the side chambers on both sides of the shower room, and the air blowers themselves are constructed from separate members that can be assembled with each other to reduce costs. However, further cost reductions were desired.
However, if air blowing is performed in an open space, there is a possibility that foreign matter removed from the object to be dusted will spread to the surrounding area.

Patent Document 2 relates to a clean space maintenance device that maintains clean a work space on a table where work is performed on a workpiece, and as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a blow-off unit 102 on one side of the work space, A suction unit 104 is disposed in the air, and the air blown out from the blow-off unit 102 is collected by the suction unit 104. At first glance, it gives the impression of an air shower, but the upper surface of the work space is covered by an eaves 118 (Fig. 7 , FIG. 8), the rear part of the work space is closed by a member 120 that connects the blow-off unit 102 and the suction unit 104. Therefore, the work space is formed in a substantially box shape and has closed characteristics. As a result, dust generated within the work space is effectively collected by the suction unit 104. On the other hand, in an air shower having a structure such as that disclosed in Patent Document 2, since the inlet and outlet are the same, it is difficult for people who are targeted for dust removal to enter and exit.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-70902 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-111031

By realizing an open air shower, the present invention increases processing capacity, reduces size, and reduces costs, while ensuring a sufficiently high dust removal rate and preventing removed foreign matter from dispersing to the surrounding area. With the goal.

The air shower according to the present invention includes a dust removal air flow generating means for blowing a dust removal air flow onto a dust removal target in an open space, and a dust removal air flow generation means disposed on the opposite side of the dust removal air flow generation means with the dust removal target in between, and , a dust collecting means for generating a dust collecting air flow flowing around the dust removal target, a first casing in which the dust removing air flow generating means is provided, and a dust collecting means provided in the air shower. a filter provided in the second housing that purifies the dust collection air flow, and a filter that communicates with the first and second housings, and which also communicates with the purified dust collection air. A return flow path for returning the air flow to the surroundings of the dust removal air flow generation means, and a fan provided in the first casing, the dust collection air flow returned to the first casing through the return flow path. , further comprising: a sheath air flow generating means that causes a sheath air flow that thickly surrounds the dust removal air flow to flow along the dust removal air flow; The foreign matter removed by the air flow and the sheath air flow are sucked as the dust collecting air flow.

According to the present invention, it is possible to miniaturize the air shower by making it an open type, increase processing capacity, reduce costs, ensure a sufficiently high dust removal rate, and prevent the spread of removed foreign matter to the surrounding area. .

1 is a partially cutaway front view showing Example 1 of the air shower according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a right side view taken along the line of arrow III in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a side view taken along the line of arrow IV in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view taken along the line of arrow V in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a dust removal air flow generating means and an air ion emitting means. FIG. 1 is a plan view (FIG. 1) showing Example 1 in Patent Document 2. FIG. 3 is a perspective view (FIG. 3) showing Example 3 in Patent Document 2.

Next, an embodiment of the air shower according to the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 5.

The air shower 100 according to the present invention places a dust removal target MM such as a person in an open space OS without an opening/closing means such as a door, and blows a dust removal air flow DR to remove foreign matter D attached to the dust removal target MM. do. The air shower 100 includes an air supply unit 200 and an air suction unit 300, and the dust removal air flow DR is blown out from the air supply unit 200. The open space OS is provided between both units 200 and 300, and the air suction unit 300 sucks the air in the open space OS and also sucks the foreign matter D removed from the object to be dusted.

The air supply unit 200 has a hollow first casing 210, and the casing 210 has a substantially vertical air supply surface 220 in contact with the open space OS, and a substantially vertical intake surface on the back side of the air supply surface 220. 230 is provided. The air supply unit 200 is provided with a dust removal air flow generation means 400 that blows out a dust removal air flow DR in a vertical line and approximately horizontally from approximately the left and right center of the air supply surface 220. An intake filter 410 that opens on the surface 230, a fan 420 that sucks air from the intake filter 410 and supplies the air toward the open space OS, and a blower that blows out the air supplied from the fan 420 toward the open space OS. 430. The blowout section 430 extends vertically downstream of the fan 420, and has discharge holes 435 arranged in a vertical line formed in its downstream surface.
The intake filter 410, the fan 420, and the blowing section 430 function together as a dust removal air flow generating means 400.

An ionizer 500 is disposed near the outlet 430 of the dust removal air flow generating means 400, and the ions IN generated by the ionizer 500 ride on the dust removal air flow DR and are emitted to the dust removal target MM as air ions AI. As a result, the foreign matter D and the dust removal target MM are neutralized, and the foreign matter D easily separates from the dust removal target MM. The dust removal air flow generating means 400 and the ionizer 500 function together as an air ion emitting means 600.

A mesh-like protection member 225 is provided on the air supply surface 220 of the air supply unit 200, and the dust removal air flow generating means 400 and the air ion emitting means 600 are protected by the protection member 225.
At the horizontal center of the protection member 225, a plurality of dust removal air flow outlets 226 that blow out the dust removal air flow DR are provided in a vertical row, and dust is evenly removed from the entire vertically long object of dust removal MM such as a human body. Air flow DR can be blown.
A plurality of air ion emitting ports 227 that emit air ion AI are provided in a vertical line on both sides of the dust removal air flow outlet 226, and the air ion emitting ports 227 are arranged in a vertical line on both sides of the dust removal air flow outlet 226, so that air ion emitting ports 227 that emit air ion AI are provided in a vertical line, and the air ion emitting ports 227 are arranged in a vertical line to emit air ion AI evenly over the whole of the vertically elongated dust removal target MM such as a human body. Air ion AI can be sprayed.

The air suction unit 300 has a hollow second housing 310 , and the housing 310 is provided with an intake surface 320 that faces the air supply surface 220 . A dust collection air flow CA containing the dust removal air flow DR, foreign matter D, sheath air flow SA, and air in the open space OS flows into the intake surface (intake port) 320 by the suction force of the dust collection means 700.
A filter 900 facing the intake surface 320 is provided inside the housing 310, and the dust collecting air flow CA is purified by the filter 900. A return passage 810 is connected to the bottom of the housing 310, and the return passage 810 communicates with the housings 210 and 310 at the bottom. The casing 210 is provided with a fan 800 that sucks air inside the casing 310 through a return flow path 810. The fan 800 sends the sucked air into the casing 210, particularly around the dust removal air generating means 400. At the same time, on the air supply surface 220, a sheath air flow SA is supplied from around the dust removal air generation means 400 toward the open space OS. The fan 800 is housed in a guide box 830 that guides air only in the direction of the casing 210 from the return flow path 810, and the fan 800 supplies the air into the casing 210 while sufficiently boosting the pressure and to the surroundings. Air leakage is prevented. Note that the function of the sheath air flow SA will be described later.
The housing 310, the filter 900, the return flow path 810, the fan 800, and the housing 210 work together to generate the dust collection air flow DR and function as the dust collection means 700 that purifies the dust collection air flow DR. At the same time, the casing 310, the filter 900, the return passage 810, the fan 800, and the casing 210 function as a sheath air flow generating means 820 that generates the sheath air flow SA.
A mesh-like protection member 325 is provided on the intake surface 320 of the housing 310 to protect the housing 310 and the filter 900.
Note that the return channels 810 do not necessarily need to communicate with each other on the bottom surfaces, and can be freely selected from mutually different positions, positions on the top surface (ceiling), positions on the side surfaces, etc., depending on the installation situation of the air shower 100.

In FIG. 4, the area where the dust removal air flow outlet 226 exists is a narrow central part of the air supply surface 220, and the sheath air flow SA is fed from a wide area around it, so that the sheath air flow SA is the dust removal air. It is clear that the flow DR is surrounded thickly. That is, since the sheath air flow SA flows from the air supply surface 220 toward the intake surface 320 along the dust removal air flow DR while surrounding the dust removal target MM and the dust removal air flow DR, the foreign matter removed by the dust removal air flow DR is removed. D smoothly reaches the intake surface 320 as a dust collecting air flow CA without being diffused. As a result, the dust collecting air flow CA purified by the filter 900 is reused as the sheath air flow SA having the effect of preventing foreign matter diffusion, and the diffusion of foreign matter is prevented. In the air shower 100 in which the foreign matter diffusion prevention effect is guaranteed in this way, it is possible to blow a powerful dust removal air flow DR to the object MM to be removed, and the dust removal rate of the object MM to be removed can be significantly increased. If there is excess air in the open space OS that exceeds the capacity of the open space OS, a part of the sheath air flow SA surrounding the open space OS may overflow from the open space OS. The environment around the air shower 100 will not be contaminated.

When the dust removal air flow DR flows into the open space OS, it has a momentum toward the dust collection means 700, and the dust removal air flow DR whose momentum has decreased by colliding with the dust removal target MM and the dust removal target MM The foreign matter D separated from the MM is carried toward the intake surface 320 along the periphery of the MM to be dust removed by the dust removal air flow DR in which momentum remains and the sheath air flow SA surrounding it. At this time, the foreign matter D is guided by the dust collection air flow CA, flows toward the intake surface 320, and flows into the intake surface 320.
That is, by arranging the dust collection means 700 on the opposite side of the dust removal air flow generation means 400 across the dust removal target MM in the open space OS, it is possible to prevent the foreign matter D from spreading around the open space OS.

As described above, the air shower 100 of this embodiment does not have a door and removes dust from the MM to be removed in the open space OS, so it can be downsized, and costs such as manufacturing costs and maintenance costs can be reduced. Diffusion of foreign matter D can be prevented and a high dust collection rate can be ensured.

In the above embodiment, the dust removal air flow DR was blown onto the dust removal target MM while it remained stationary in the open space OS. It is also possible to install the supply unit 200 and the air suction unit 300 and spray the dust while the object MM passes through the open space OS.

AI Air ion CA Dust collection air flow D Foreign object DR Dust removal air flow FB Return air flow IN Ion MM Dust removal target OS Open space SA Sheath air flow 100 Air shower 200 Air supply unit 210 First housing 220 Air supply surface 225 Protective member 226 Dust removal air flow outlet 227 Air ion emission port 230 Intake surface 300 Air suction unit 310 Second housing 320 Intake surface 325 Protective member 400 Dust removal air flow generation means 410 Intake filter 415 Outside air intake port 420 Fan 430 Blowout Port 500 Ionizer 600 Air ion emitting means 700 Dust collecting means 800 Fan 810 Return passage 820 Sheath air flow generating means 830 Guide box 900 Filter

Claims (4)

a dust removal air flow generating means for blowing a dust removal air flow onto a dust removal target in an open space; and a dust removal air flow generating means disposed on the opposite side of the dust removal air flow generation means with the dust removal target in between, and the dust removal air flow flowing around the dust removal target by suction force. a dust collecting means for generating a dust collecting air flow; an air shower comprising: a first casing in which the dust removing air flow generating means is provided; a second casing in which the dust collecting means is provided; , a filter provided in the second housing that purifies the dust collection air flow communicates with the first and second housings, and the purified dust collection air flow is used to generate the dust removal air flow. A return flow path for returning the air to the periphery of the means and a fan provided in the first casing are provided, and the dust collection air flow returned to the first casing by the return flow path is thickly surrounded by the dust removal air flow. The dust collection means further includes a sheath air flow generating means for causing a sheath air flow to flow along the dust removal air flow, and the dust collection means is configured to generate a sheath air flow that collides with the dust removal target, foreign matter removed by the dust removal air flow, and an air shower that sucks the sheath air flow as the dust collecting air flow. The air according to claim 1, wherein the dust removal air flow generating means has a filter that purifies and takes in air around the air shower, and blows the air purified by the filter onto the object to be dusted as a dust removal air flow. shower. The air shower according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising air ion emitting means that generates air ions to be carried on the dust removal air flow and radiates the air ions together with the dust removal air flow onto the dust removal target surface. The air shower according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the open space is not provided with an opening/closing means such as a door.

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