JPH0445204B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an air cleaner having a function of counting and displaying the usage time of a filter that adsorbs and collects dirt and dust in indoor air.

BACKGROUND ART In conventional air purifiers, as shown in FIG. 5, when a user replaces a filter with a new one, the user sets the next replacement time (estimate) using a dial gauge or the like. The one shown in Figure 5 is an example of this, indicating that the next replacement will be in June.

There are also devices that count the usage time of the filter, but when the expiration date of the filter has reached, it is notified that it is time to replace the filter by, for example, flashing a lamp.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In this type of device for setting the next filter replacement time, it is troublesome to set the replacement time, and there are inconveniences such as forgetting the setting. Also,
Since the dial gauge could be moved freely, there was a risk that the set value would change during use. Furthermore, with filters that count usage time, the user cannot know when it is time to replace the filter until the expiration date has arrived.
In addition, the filter usage time display section is provided separately from the air volume display section, etc., which increases the size of the operation section and increases the manufacturing cost. Furthermore,
For example, even if a dial gauge indicates when it is time to replace a filter, the actual usage time will differ depending on whether it is used continuously or intermittently during that period, and in the former case, when it is time to replace the filter. The latter method was too slow and air purification was insufficient, while the latter method was too fast and the filter was wasted. The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems.The present invention allows you to know the time until filter replacement at any time by lighting or blinking a plurality of indicator lights. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a small, inexpensive air purifier that is easy to use and maintain, and can also be used as a display part for a timer or the like.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a setting means for setting a timer and an air volume, a display means consisting of a plurality of indicator lights for displaying the setting values set by the setting means, and an electric motor. It has a counting means for counting the operation time of the blower, a storage means for storing the counted time, a filter usage time display switch included in the setting means, and a control device for mutually controlling each of the means, Since the time stored in the storage means is displayed on the display means by operating the filter usage time display switch, the actual usage time of the filter up to the present can be displayed at any time, and the time to replace the filter can be displayed. can be predicted.

Effects According to the present invention, with the above-described configuration, the display means, which displays the airflow rate, timer, etc. during normal use, can be switched to display the filter usage time at any time. Moreover, since the filter usage time display is converted according to the air volume setting, it is possible to know the progression of time that is approximately proportional to the degree of dirt on the filter. In addition, since this filter usage time display section also serves as the display section for air volume, timer, etc., there is no need to enlarge the operation section.
Manufacturing costs can also be kept low.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an external view of the air purifier of the present invention,
Figure 2 shows a block diagram. In the figure, 1 is the main body, air is taken in from the intake port 2 provided on the front of the main body 1, and is discharged from the exhaust port 3 on the top surface, and a filter 4 provided in the flow path absorbs dust from the inhaled air. An electric blower that generates airflow is installed inside the main body 1 and arranged in a flow path between the filter 4 and the exhaust port 3. This electric blower is driven by operating a setting means 10 provided on a remote control device 6 which is detachably attached to the main body 1. Further, a control means 7 for controlling these is also built into the main body 1. Note that 5 is a power cord.

Next, the remote control device 6 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. In the figure, reference numeral 6 denotes a remote control device, which has a setting means 10, a display means 11, and a filter replacement indicator light 13. The setting means 10 includes a timer setting switch 10a for setting the operating time of the air purifier, and setting the air volume of the electric blower 12 to high, medium, and high.
Air volume setting switch 1 that switches to 4 stages of low and stop
0b, a filter usage time display switch 10c for temporarily displaying the filter usage time on the display means 11, and the display means 11 also displays the operating time of the air purifier set by the timer setting switch 10a (e.g. 1, 2, 6, 12 consecutive hours, etc.), a timer setting value display section 11a consisting of a plurality of light emitting diodes, and an air volume of the electric blower 12 set by an air volume setting switch 10b.
It consists of an air volume setting value display section 11b consisting of a plurality of light emitting diodes that display strong, standard, weak, and stop. 7 is a control means formed by a microcomputer, etc., inputs the output from the setting means 10;
The setting status is displayed on the display means 11, and an operating signal is output to the electric blower 12. Timer setting value display section 11a and air volume setting value display section 1
1b always displays the set value while the air purifier is operating, but the filter usage time display switch 10c
The display of the setting value is interrupted by the operation of , and the usage time of the filter 4 is displayed by assigning a time range to each indicator light as shown in FIG. 4. 8 is a counting means that counts the operation time of the electric blower 12, that is, the usage time of the filter 4 via the control means 7. Reference numeral 9 denotes a storage means that stores the usage time of the filter 4 counted by the counting means 8 in unit time (for example, 1 hour) via the control means 7.
time). Note that if the storage means 9 is constructed of a non-volatile memory or the like, the memory will not be lost even when the power is turned off or there is a power outage. 12 is an electric blower, 13 is a filter replacement indicator light, which lights up when the usage time of the filter reaches a predetermined time, that is, the time when the filter needs to be replaced;
A lighting signal is issued from the storage means 9 via the control means 7.

Next, the operation of the air cleaner having the above configuration will be explained. First, when a necessary operating time is set using the timer setting switch 10a, the set time is displayed on the timer setting value display section 11a. Next, when the required air volume is set using the air volume setting switch 10b, the air volume is displayed on the air volume setting value display section 11b.
When the electric blower 12 starts operating, the counting means 8 starts counting the operating time of the electric blower 12, that is, the usage time of the filter. This counted time is stored in the storage means 9, and thereafter, the time is integrated every time the electric blower 12 is operated. Incidentally, the electric blower 12 is operated with the air volume selected to be strong, standard, or weak, and the amount of dust collected by the filter 4 is smaller when the air volume is set to weak than when it is set to high.
That is, the operating time of the electric blower 12 and the filter 4
This means that there is no need for a 1:1 correspondence between the usage time and the usage time. Therefore, it is reasonable to weight the usage time of the filter according to the air volume. For example, if the air volume is “strong”, it is three times that of “weak”.
If it is "standard", it can be made to count twice as much as "weak".

In this way, each time the user sets the air volume and operates the filter, the usage time of the filter is counted, integrated, and stored in the storage means 9. The stored filter usage time can be found as follows.

When the filter usage time display switch 10c of the controller 6 is pressed, the displays on the timer setting value display section 11a and the air volume setting value display section 11b that had been displayed until then are turned off, and each display is changed in advance as shown in FIG. If the time range assigned to the lamp is 800 hours, for example, the filter usage time is 800 hours.
The 1H indicator light on the timer setting value display section 11a lights up, indicating that the usage time of the filter is 720 hours or more and less than 900 hours. Then, when the filter usage time display switch 10c is released, the indicator light 1H indicating the filter usage time goes out, and the previously set timer setting value and air volume setting value are displayed again.

In addition, the filter replacement indicator light 13 is stored when the preset filter usage time reaches 1440 hours (8 hours x 30 days x 6 months = 8 hours x 30 days x 6 months), for example, if the filter life is 6 months when used 8 hours a day. A lighting signal is issued from the means 9 via the control means 7,
Lights up to indicate that it is time to replace the filter.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the air purifier of the present invention can display the filter usage time in stages at any time using the timer setting and air volume setting display parts, so the actual usage time of the filter can be secured. , the filter can be replaced just in time for the allowable usage time of the filter, and overuse and waste of the filter can be eliminated. Further, the filter replacement indicator light allows the filter to be replaced without exceeding or shortening the filter life, and air purification can always be performed in a normal state. Furthermore, the usage time of the filter can be calculated based on the strength or weakness of the air volume, and from this point of view as well, it is possible to use the filter effectively over its lifespan.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an external perspective view showing an embodiment of the air purifier of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the control circuit of the air purifier, and Fig. 3 shows the operation section of the remote control device of the air purifier. FIG. 4 is a front view showing the allocation of the filter usage time, and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a device showing the filter usage time of a conventional air purifier. 1...Body, 2...Intake port, 3...Exhaust port, 4
... Filter, 6 ... Remote control device, 7 ... Control means, 8 ... Counting means, 9 ... Memory means, 10
... Setting means, 11 ... Display means, 12 ... Electric blower, 13 ... Filter replacement indicator light.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Setting means for setting a timer and air volume, display means consisting of a plurality of indicator lights for displaying the setting values set by the setting means, and counting means for counting the operating time of the electric blower. , a storage means for storing the time counted by the counting means, and the setting means is provided with a filter usage time display switch and a control device for mutually controlling each of the above means, and the display by the control device is The configuration is such that the setting value display function of the display means is switched to the time display function stored in the storage means by operating the filter usage time display switch, and the number of lighting or blinking of the plurality of indicator lights is controlled depending on the time display. Air purifier that is variable. 2. The air purifier according to claim 1, wherein the counting means converts and counts the filter usage time according to the air volume set by the setting means. 3. The air purifier according to claim 1, wherein the counting means converts the time when the air volume setting of the setting means is large to a longer time than when the air volume setting is small.