JPH10151313A - Valve mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a valve open only when a tank is fitted by simple constitution so as to prevent liquid leakage. SOLUTION: A valve mechanism 13 is constituted of a discharge port valve (valve disc) 131 fitted to a main body discharge port 123 and a pressing boss 66 for pushing up the discharge port valve 131. With a tank being fitted, the pressing boss 66 of the tank is abutted on the back surface of the discharge port valve 131 and pushes up the discharge port valve 131 against energizing force of compression spring 136. Therefore, the discharge port valve 132 is opened, and water flows in the tank through the body discharge port 123. And with the tank being removed, since the exerted pressure by the pressing boss 66 is eliminated, by energizing force of the compression spring 136, an umbrella shaped body 132 of the discharge port valve 131 comes into close contact with the body discharge port 123 to close the valve. By such simple constitution, opening/closing of the discharge port valve 131 is performed corresponding to attaching/detaching of the tank.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a valve mechanism suitable for application to an air purifying apparatus or the like. Specifically, a protrusion is provided on the tank that is the liquid recovery section, and a contact portion of this protrusion is provided on the valve mechanism provided on the main body side of the device. When the tank is mounted, the protrusion contacts the contact portion to open the valve mechanism. The present invention relates to a valve mechanism that is opened only when a tank is mounted with a simple configuration by maintaining a valve state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, humidifiers have been used as devices provided with water supply and drainage tanks for using liquids such as water and oil.
A cooler, an air purifier, an oil stove and the like are known. The tanks used in these devices are detachable so that liquid can be replenished and replaced.

[0003]

However, in the above-described apparatus, when the tank is removed, there is a possibility that the liquid remaining inside the apparatus leaks out of the connection pipe on the main body side. The leakage of the liquid may stain the user's hands, clothes, and the like, which makes attaching and detaching the tank cumbersome.

[0004] In order to prevent such a situation, there is an apparatus which is provided on the main body side and mechanically opens and closes a valve in accordance with attachment and detachment of a tank. However, in this case, a part for opening and closing the valve and a means for detecting the attachment / detachment of the tank are required, and the configuration is complicated, resulting in an increase in cost.

In view of the above, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and proposes a valve mechanism which has a simple structure and is opened only when a tank is mounted.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a valve mechanism for an apparatus using a liquid such as water, the valve mechanism comprising a liquid for recovering the liquid used in the apparatus. Provided between the collection unit and the device, the liquid collection unit has a projection, and the valve mechanism has a contact part with which the projection abuts, and the projection is formed when the liquid collection unit is located at a predetermined position. Abuts on the abutting portion to hold the valve mechanism in an open state.

In a state where the liquid recovery section is disposed at a predetermined position, the projection abuts against one surface of the valve mechanism, and holds the valve open state against the urging force. Therefore, the liquid flows into the liquid recovery section through this valve mechanism. Here, when the liquid recovery unit is moved to a position other than the predetermined position, the protrusion separates from the valve mechanism, and the valve mechanism is closed by the urging force. With such a simple configuration, the valve mechanism can be easily opened and closed corresponding to the position of the liquid recovery unit.

[0008]

Next, an embodiment of an air purifying apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an air cleaning apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The air purifying device 1 purifies air taken in from an intake port 11 using water and discharges the same through an exhaust port 12, and its function is roughly divided into suction and discharge of air and a cleaning process. Of these, the air cleaning process is performed by a spray device 2 that sprays a liquid in a mist state, and the water used here is stored in a tank 3 provided in the device.
Supplied from

First, the air flow path will be described. The air purifying device 1 is entirely cylindrical, and an intake port 11 is provided on an upper side surface (upper right side in the figure) of a cabinet 21 of the air purifying device 1, and an exhaust port 12 is provided on an upper surface of the cabinet 21. The air flow path is formed by a path leading from the intake port 11 to the exhaust port 12 through the intake duct 22 and the exhaust duct 23.

An inclined partition plate 24 inclined downward from the upper portion of the inner edge of the intake port 11 is provided. In addition, a transparent portion 26 containing an LED 25 for an illumination effect is provided below the inner edge of the intake port 11.
Is attached. The inclined partition plate 24 and the transparent portion 26
The space formed between them becomes the intake duct 22. The intake duct 22 guides the air obliquely downward, and the spray device 2 is disposed in the middle of the intake duct 22.

The lower part of the inclined partition plate 24 serves as a first vertical partition plate 27, which is arranged to face the spray device 2. In addition, one surface of the transparent portion 15 is arranged to face the spray device 2. In the vicinity of the spray device 2, the intake duct 22 guides air vertically downward.

The flow of air is turned upward from the pool 28. That is, a second vertical partition plate 31 is provided on the left side of the first vertical partition plate 27, and these vertical partition plates 2
An exhaust duct 23 is provided between 7, 31. Exhaust duct 23
A fan (intake / exhaust portion) 4 that forms a flow of air is arranged on the upper side of the inclined partition plate 24 in the middle of the process. The air is sucked obliquely upward by the exhaust duct 23 along the inclination of the upper surface of the inclined partition plate 24.

The fan 4 discharges the air sucked from below to the side. A curved partition plate 32 that is curved upward is provided on the side of the exhaust duct 23. Air is the curved partition 3
2 and is discharged upward through the exhaust port 12 on the upper surface of the cabinet 21. Thus, the intake port 11
An air flow path from the air to the exhaust port 12 is formed.

A horizontal partition plate 33 is provided above the fan 4 to partition the inside of the cylinder horizontally, and a motor (driving unit) is provided above the horizontal partition plate 33.
5 is mounted and fixed with the shaft 33 as a drive shaft facing downward. The shaft 33 is disposed substantially at the center of the interior of the cabinet 21, and has a length set so that the tip reaches the vicinity of the bottom surface of the tank 3.

In addition to the fan (intake / exhaust portion) 4, a spray device (liquid supply portion) 2 and pumps (liquid transfer portions) 34 and 35, which will be described later, are connected to the shaft 33. In this way, by using the single motor 5 for the drive means of the fan 4, the spray device 2, and the pumps 34 and 35, the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.

Next, the spraying device (liquid supply unit) 2 for performing an air cleaning process will be described. The spraying device 2 is disposed below the intake duct 22 and above the water pool portion 28, and has a cylindrical rotating portion 41 having a lower opening as shown in FIG. It is composed of a water receiving groove (liquid receiving part) 42 provided and a discharge port (discharge part) 44 of a water pipe 43.

The spray device 2 sprays the water jetted from the water discharge port 44 in the outer peripheral direction by two water diffusion sheets 45 and 46, and the small holes (spout holes) 5 of the rotating part 41 which rotates.
1 to supply and spray mist of water for air purification into the intake duct 22. This spraying device 2
Is a steam-water mixing section for mixing the air sucked from the outside with the sprayed air.

A large number of small holes 51 are formed in the outer peripheral surface of the rotating portion 41 for jetting water for purifying air. Small hole 5
1 is hollowed out in a conical shape so as to promote the diffusion of the sprayed mist water, and the large diameter portion is located on the outer surface side and the small diameter portion is located on the inner surface side. Further, a water receiving groove 42 is formed on the inner lower end of the rotating portion 41 over the entire circumference. The water receiving groove 42 is for temporarily storing water jetted from the water discharge port 44 before spraying.

From the center on the inner side of the upper surface of the rotating portion 41, the cylindrical portion 5
2 is projected downward, the cylindrical portion 52 is inserted and fixed to the shaft 33, and the rotating portion 41 is driven to rotate by the motor 5 (FIG. 1).

A water discharge port 44 of a water supply pipe 43 is provided inside the rotating section 41. This water pipe 43 is connected to the tank 3 (FIG. 1).
A shaft 33 that is driven to rotate is disposed in the center of the inside of the water pipe 43. The water pipe 43 is inserted into the water pool 28 (FIG. 1), and the shaft 3
Even if 3 rotates, it does not rotate.

A circular thin plate-shaped upper water diffusion sheet (first liquid diffusion section) 45 is horizontally mounted at the lower end of the cylindrical section 52 of the rotating section 41 and opposed to the water discharge port 44. Most of the water jetted upward from the water discharge port 44 hits the upper water diffusion sheet 45 and falls.

Below the upper water diffusion sheet 45, a lower water diffusion sheet (second liquid diffusion section) 46, also in the form of a circular thin plate.
Is horizontally attached to the water discharge port 44. The lower water diffusion sheet 46 diffuses water that has fallen on the upper water diffusion sheet 46 in the outer peripheral direction.

At the center of the lower water diffusion sheet 46, a round hole corresponding to the water discharge port 44 is provided, and four mounting holes 53 are provided so as to surround the round hole. Four projections 54 projecting above the water discharge port 44 are inserted into the mounting holes 53, and the lower water diffusion sheet 46 is mounted. The outer edge of the lower water diffusion sheet 46 is formed in a tooth shape. Thus, the water jetted from the water discharge port 44 is evenly distributed over the entire circumference.

In this spraying device 2, as shown in FIG.
And fall into the water receiving groove 42. This water rises along the inner wall surface due to the rotational force of the rotating rotating part 41, and the water is ejected from the small holes 51 to the outside as atomized water (fine water droplets). Further, the jetted water collides with the inner wall of the vertical partition plate 27 or the like constituting the air-water mixing section, thereby further promoting the formation of fine water droplets.

The spraying device 2 is detachably attached to the main body by connecting portions 153 and 154, as described later. As shown in FIG. 1, a transparent part 26 is attached to the side of the spray device 2 so that a user can observe the inside through the transparent part 26. A plurality of LEDs 25 are mounted inside the transparent section 26. When the spray device 2 is driven, the LED 25 is turned on to illuminate the atomized water to be sprayed, thereby providing an electric decoration effect.

Next, the tank (liquid storage device, storage unit, liquid recovery unit) 3 for storing air cleaning water used in the spray device 2 will be described. The tank 3 is constituted by a tank case 61 which is a cylindrical hollow body as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 which is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. .

The tank case 61 is formed of a transparent material, and its outer diameter is set slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the lower opening 63 (FIG. 1) of the cabinet 21 (FIG. 1) so as to be inserted into the apparatus main body. You.

The cylinder opening 62 is provided with a press-fit portion 64 of the main body (FIG. 1).
0) is a part to be press-fitted, and is mounted offset from the center of the tank case 61. This cylinder mouth 6
2, the position of the press-fitting portion 64 (FIG. 10) on the main body side is also set, so that when the tank 3 is mounted on the main body, it always has a predetermined orientation. It is arranged at a predetermined position.

A non-slip knurl 69 is provided on the outer periphery of the cylinder opening 62. As shown in FIG. 4, the pump device 6 is provided inside the cylinder port 62 and on the upper surface of the tank case 61.
A circular pump insertion hole 63 into which (FIG. 1) is inserted is formed. Further, a crescent-shaped tank inlet 65 into which water flows in from the main body side is provided adjacent to the pump insertion hole 63.

A circular tank lid (lid) 71 is attached to the upper inner surface of the tank 3 as indicated by a dotted line. The tank lid 71 closes the pump insertion hole 63 and the tank inlet 65 when the tank 3 is removed from the apparatus main body, thereby preventing water from leaking.

As shown in FIG. 6, an upper plate 79 is fitted inside the cylinder opening 62 and on the upper surface of the tank 3, and the cylinder opening 62 is mounted from above to fix an end of the upper plate 79. . The upper plate 79 is provided with holes of the same shape corresponding to the above-described pump insertion hole 63 and the tank inlet 65.
On the upper surface of the upper plate 79 and on the edge of the tank inlet 65, a pressing boss (projection) 66 for pushing up an outlet valve 131 (FIG. 10) described later is provided upright.

A thin rubber drainer spatula 64 is sandwiched between the upper plate 79 and the upper surface of the tank 3. The draining spatula 64 slightly projects inward from the inner peripheral surface of the pump insertion hole 63 to drop water droplets attached to the outer surface of the pump device 6 when the pump device 6 is extracted.

A claw-shaped lid mounting portion 72 is protruded downward from the upper inner surface of the tank 3 at the edge of the pump insertion hole 63, and the tank lid 71 is rotatably hooked here. . Further, a spring mounting portion 73 protrudes downward from the upper inner surface of the tank 3 near the lid mounting portion 72, and a spring 74 is wound around the spring mounting portion 73.

One end of the spring 74 is inserted through a spring engaging portion 75 provided on the lower surface side of the tank lid 71, and the other end is connected to the tank 3.
Abuts on the inner surface of the upper side. The spring 74 urges the tank lid 71 in the closing direction. The ribs 76 surround the pump insertion hole 63 and the tank inlet 65.
When the tank lid 71 is closed, it comes into close contact with the rib 76.

The tank lid 71 is opened by being pressed by the pump device 6 inserted into the pump insertion hole 63, and is closed by the urging force of the spring 74 when the pump device 6 is pulled out. The tank lid 7 corresponding to the insertion and removal of the pump device 6
By opening / closing the tank 1, it is possible to effectively prevent leakage of water during transportation or the like after the tank 3 is removed.

The tank 3 is detachably attached to the lower part of the cabinet 21 by a tank attaching / detaching mechanism 7 as shown in FIG. In the tank attaching / detaching mechanism 7, the tank 3
Are fixed to both side surfaces of the cabinet 21 so as to be rotatable.

The lower ends of the fixed levers 81 are bent inward to form claw-shaped locking portions 82. On the other hand, locked portions 85, 85 are recessed on the side surface of the tank 3, and the locking portions 82, 82 are locked here, and the tank 3 is held. Lever operation holes 83, 83 are provided on the left and right side surfaces of the tank 3, through which the user can fix the fixing levers 81, 81.
Can be locked or released. The outer surfaces of the fixed levers 81, 81 in the state of holding the tank 3 coincide with the outer peripheral surface of the cabinet 21, thereby giving a uniform appearance.

On the upper portions of the fixed levers 81, tank pressing portions 84, 84 are provided to protrude inward. That is,
The shafts of the fixed levers 81, 81 are arranged between the locking portions 82, 82 and the pressing portions 84, 84. This means that the locking levers 81, 81 are rotated to release the locking by the locking portions 82, 82, and at the same time, the tank pressing portions 84, 84 come into contact with the upper surface (pressed portion) of the tank 3 and This is for extruding downward.

When the tank 3 is mounted on the main body, the press-fitting portion 64 (FIG. 10) on the main body side is press-fitted inside the cylindrical port 62 and the pump device 6 is inserted into the pump insertion hole 63. The tank lid 71 is opened by being pressed by the lower end of the pump device 6. The details of the mounting and detaching operations of the tank 3 will be described later together with the operation of the outlet valve 131.

Next, the pump device 6 (liquid transport unit) 6 for supplying the water in the tank 3 to the spray device 2 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 7, the pump device 6 has a cylindrical outer cylinder 91 and a filter device 8 attached to the lower end thereof.
And two pumps 34 attached inside the outer cylinder 91,
35.

The filter device 8 shown in FIG. 8 is for removing dust and the like contained in the water to be sucked. The case 92 of the filter device 8 is formed in a circular thin hollow body, and the inner center thereof is partitioned by a partition plate 93. One partitioned first chamber 96 is provided with a freely openable and closable inlet valve (valve element) 97 made of elastic rubber or the like, and the other second chamber 94 is provided with a filter element (filter material) 95.
Is packed.

Therefore, the first chamber 96 in which the inlet valve 97 is arranged and the second chamber 94 in which the filter element is arranged are arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction, and the filter device 8 is made thinner. Is planned.

A circular filter inlet 104 is provided on the bottom of the first chamber 96 and below the inlet valve 97. The suction valve 97 is substantially T-shaped on a thin disk.
In some cases, a V-shaped valve latch 98 is provided. The valve hook 98 is fitted between two protruding portions 101, 101 erected on the inner bottom surface of the case 92 to form a shaft, which can be opened and closed freely.

A part of the partition plate 93 is cut off, and a through hole 102 communicating with the filter element 95 is provided. Also,
A semicircular filter outlet 103 is provided on the upper surface of the second chamber 94 filled with the filter elements 95. Unnecessary dust and the like are removed from the water flowing from the filter inlet 104 by the filter element 95, and sent to the pumps 34 and 35 (FIG. 7) from the filter outlet 103.

The opening and closing of the inlet valve 97 is controlled by the pressure inside the pump device 6 and the filter device 8. That is, when the pumps 34 and 35 (FIG. 7) are driven and water or air is forcibly sent upward, this flow causes the inside of the case 92 to have a negative pressure, and the suction valve 97 is opened. Further, when the pump device 6 is removed from the tank 3 (FIG. 1), the negative pressure disappears, so that the suction valve 97 is closed by its own weight. By performing the opening and closing of the inlet valve 97 using the negative pressure in this manner, the mechanism for opening and closing the valve can be simplified,
Cost can be reduced.

As shown in FIG. 7, a pump casing 111 is mounted above the filter device 8. The pump casing 111 is formed so as to include the pumps 34 and 35, the lower pump 34 is arranged close to the filter device 8, and the upper pump 35 is arranged at a certain distance from the pump 34. The upper and lower pumps 34, 35 are connected by a water supply channel 112 having a relatively large inner diameter. Two pumps 34,
The reason why 35 is provided is to increase the water feeding power.

A pump partition plate 113 is provided on the upper surface of the upper pump 35 so as to cross the inside of the cylinder of the pump casing 111, and a plurality of through holes 114 are formed in the outer periphery thereof in the circumferential direction. You. Water is sent upward from the pumps 34 and 35 through the passage holes 114.

The pumps 34 and 35 are provided with a vertical shaft 39
The shaft 39 is connected to the shaft 3
3 is inserted and fixed. The lower end of the shaft 33 is rotatably inserted and supported by a bearing 115 below the pump casing 111.

When the tank 3 is mounted as shown in FIG. 1, the pump device 6 is inserted into the tank 3, and both pumps 34 and 35 are submerged in the water. This is for the following reason. For example, when the pumps 34 and 35 are arranged in the air and the water is delivered only when used, the pumps 34 and 35
Water must be sucked in by discharging air at the start of rotation. That is, since water is sucked in using the negative pressure due to the discharge of air, a highly airtight pump is required, which leads to an increase in cost and poor durability.

However, if the pumps 34 and 35 are already immersed in water at the time of stoppage as in the present application, water can be sucked in at a negative pressure generated by water supply at the start of rotation. That is, since water can be supplied without depending on the discharge of air, a highly airtight pump is not required, and an inexpensive and highly durable pump can be used.

Returning to FIG. 7, at the center of the pump partition plate 113, a column 116 is set upright, and the shaft 33 is rotatably inserted and supported here. This column 11
6 functions as a bearing for the shaft 33.

The upper part of the pump casing 111 has the conical part 1
17 and the water supply pipe 43 is connected to the upper end thereof. The water pipe 43 supplies water to the above-described spray device 2 (FIG. 2). The provision of the conical portion 117 allows the water to flow into the water pipe 43 having a small inner diameter without interruption.

Next, a description will be given of the liquid transfer mechanism 9 as a means for collecting the water sprayed by the spray device 2 into the tank 3 in FIG.

The liquid transfer mechanism 9 includes a water reservoir 28 for collecting water from the spray device 2 and an annular drainage (transportation) 121 for guiding the water from the water reservoir 28 to the tank 3.

The water pool 28 is formed in a concave dish shape and is arranged below the spraying device 2. Here, the periphery of the water supply pipe 43 is slightly swelled and formed in a substantially conical shape so that water can be reliably collected.

The water pool 28 has an annular drainage channel 121.
Is provided with a water receiving and draining port 122 that leads to the water. Although not shown, the water collecting portion 28 is slightly inclined as a whole so that the area around the water receiving / draining port 122 becomes lowest so that water collects in the water receiving / draining port 122.

As shown in FIG. 9, the annular drainage channel 121 forms a path extending substantially one round from the water receiving drainage port 122 to the main body discharge port 123. The annular drainage channel 121 has a main body outlet 123.
The slope becomes gentler so that it becomes lower as it gets closer to, and water is guided by this slope.

The reason why the drainage is performed by the annular drainage channel 121 will be described later. When the apparatus is turned over, water accumulates in the annular drainage channel 121 to prevent inflow of air, thereby preventing water leakage. That's why.

As shown in FIG. 10, the periphery of the main body discharge port 123 of the annular drainage channel 121 is one step lower, and a press-fit portion 64 for press-fitting the cylindrical port 62 of the tank 3 is attached to the outer peripheral side. The press-fit portion 62 has a slightly curved outer periphery and swells. When the press-fit portion 62 is press-fitted, the curved portion is pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical opening 62 to ensure the mounting of the tank 3.

The main body discharge port 123 is provided with a valve mechanism 13 for preventing water leakage. This valve mechanism 13 is shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the outlet valve (valve element) 131 attached to the main body outlet 123 and a pressing boss 66 for pushing up the outlet valve.

The outlet valve 131 comprises an umbrella 132 made of elastic rubber or the like, and a support shaft 133 provided on the upper curved surface of the umbrella 132.
2 is mounted on the bottom. The outer diameter of the umbrella 132 is set to be larger than the inner diameter of the main body outlet 123, and closes the outlet valve 131 when the outlet valve 131 comes into close contact with the main body outlet 123. The lower surface of the outlet valve 131 is provided with a concave contact portion 134 which is curved in accordance with the shape of the upper end of the pressing boss 66.

On the other hand, a cylindrical portion 135 is erected downward on the ceiling surface facing the outlet valve 131, and a compression spring 136 is inserted inside the cylindrical portion 135. The support shaft 133 is inserted. Therefore, the discharge port valve 131 is urged downward, that is, in the closing direction by the compression spring 136.

When the tank 3 is mounted, the pressing boss 66 of the tank 3 contacts the lower surface of the outlet valve 131,
The compression spring 136 is pushed up against the urging force. Therefore, the outlet valve 131 is open, and water flows into the tank 3 through the main body outlet 123.

FIG. 11 shows a state in which the tank 3 is removed.
As shown in (2), the pressing of the pressing boss 66 is stopped, so that the umbrella-shaped body 132 of the outlet valve 131 comes into close contact with the main body outlet 123 and is closed by the urging force of the compression spring 136. In addition,
Packing (not shown) on the upper side of body outlet 123
Is attached, and the outlet valve 131 closely contacts the packing to prevent water leakage.

Since the outlet valve 131 is opened and closed in accordance with the attachment / detachment of the tank 3 with such a simple configuration, the water remaining in the water pool 28 and the annular drainage channel 121 when the tank 3 is removed from the main body. Is prevented from leaking out of the main body discharge port 123 to the outside.

The operation of the air cleaning device 1 configured as described above will be described below. In FIG. 1, when the power is turned on and the start of the air cleaning process is instructed, the fan 4, the spray device 2 and the pumps 34 and 35 are driven by the motor 5.
Is driven to rotate. A suction force is generated by the rotating fan 4, and external air is drawn in from the air inlet 11.

The fan 4 also has a function of generating a forced air circulation route to the inside and outside of the air purifying device 1.
It is possible to promote indoor air purification and purify a wide range of indoor air.

On the other hand, pumping from the tank 3 is started by the pumps 34 and 35 which are driven to rotate, and water is sent to the spraying device 2 through the water pipe 43. As shown in FIG. 3, this water spouts from a water discharge port 44 of the water pipe 43. The jetted water hits the upper water diffusion sheet 45 and the lower diffusion sheet 46.
Fall on. This water joins the water directly flowing out from the water discharge port 44 and is scattered from the outer edge of the lower water diffusion sheet 46 in the outer peripheral direction. At this time, since the outer edge of the lower water diffusion sheet 46 is formed in a tooth shape, water is sprayed substantially uniformly over the entire circumference.

Most of the sprayed water falls into the water receiving groove 42 inside the rotating part 41 rotating at high speed. Water receiving groove 42
The water that has been temporarily stored rises along the inner wall surface due to the rotational force of the rotating part 41, and is ejected outward from the small holes 51.

As shown in FIG. 12, the water passes through the small holes 51 of the rotating part 41 and is divided into a large number of fine particles, and is scattered in the intake duct 22. And this is the air / water mixing section. Dust and odor components contained in the inhaled air are adsorbed and collected by the atomized water. By subdividing and spraying water in this manner, the contact area between air and water can be increased, dust and the like can be easily adsorbed to water droplets, and the air cleaning efficiency can be improved.

Since the spraying device 2 sprays water using the rotational force of the rotating section 41, the pumps 34, 3 are used as compared with the case where water is directly sprayed by the pumping power of the pump, for example.
5 (FIG. 1) can perform sufficient spraying even if the water supply power is low. Therefore, an inexpensive pump can be used,
Cost can be reduced.

The air containing the water drops reaches the lower water pool 28 as it is. In the water pool part 28, the air turns its flow upward so as to flow into the exhaust duct 23. here,
Water droplets containing dust and dirt are dropped into the water pool portion 28, and water adhered to the inner wall surface around the spray device 2 is also removed from the water pool portion 2.
Add dropwise to 8. This removes dust and dirt contained in the air together with the separated water, thereby purifying the air.

The water accumulated in the water pool 28 flows into the annular drainage channel 121 from the water receiving drainage port 122, and is guided to the annular drainage channel 121 to reach the main body discharge port 123. From here, water is collected in the tank 3 through the tank inlet 65 of the tank 3, and is used again as water for air cleaning.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the purified air rises in the exhaust duct 23 and is discharged outside from the exhaust port 12 by the fan 4. Thus, the air cleaning device 1
Forcibly brings air and water into contact with each other and adsorbs dust in the air, so that air can be efficiently purified with a simple configuration.

In this embodiment, the water flows into the tank 3 through the tank inlet 65 as shown in FIG. 12, but as shown in FIG. 3 may be used as a transport mechanism.

In this case, a suction port 141 and a discharge port 142 are provided on the side surface of the outer cylinder 91 of the pump device 6. Inlet 141
Is a terminal portion 143 located at the innermost periphery of the annular drainage channel 121.
, And the discharge port 142 is opened corresponding to the lower part of the conical portion 117 and disposed inside the tank 3. That is, the inner peripheral side inside the outer cylinder 91 is used as a water supply passage (water carrying out means), that is, the water supply pipe 43, and the outer peripheral side is used as a drainage passage 144 (water carrying in means).

The water guided through the annular drainage channel 121 flows into the outer cylinder 91 through the suction port 141. This water falls downward in the drainage channel 114, is guided to the inclined surface of the conical portion 117, flows out of the outlet 142, and is collected in the tank 3.

As described above, the water supply pipe 43 is arranged on the inner peripheral side inside the outer cylinder 91 of the pump device 6, and the outer peripheral side of the water supply pipe is set as the drainage channel 144, so that the tank 3 There is no need to provide the inlet 65 (FIG. 4), and only one pump insertion hole 63 needs to be provided. Therefore, the shape of the tank 3 becomes simple, and the processing cost can be reduced. Further, since the conical portion 117 is used, water does not accumulate in the drainage channel, and drainage is performed without delay.

Next, the operation of attaching and detaching the tank 3 will be described. The water used in the spraying device 2 is reused while circulating, but the water used for a long period of time becomes dirty and must be periodically disposed of.

First, an operation of removing the tank 3 from a state in which the tank 3 is mounted on the main body as shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

First, as shown in FIG.
The locking portions 82, 82 of the left and right fixed levers 81, 81 are removed from the locked portions 85, 85 of the tank 3 through the third and 83, and are lifted upward to rotate the fixed levers 81, 81.
At this time, the tank pressing portions 84 abut against the upper surface (pressed portion) of the tank 3 and press it downward. Thereby, the tank 3 is slightly pushed out from the lower opening 63.

At the same time, the press-fitting portion 64 on the main body side, which has been press-fitted inside the cylinder opening 62 of the tank 3, comes off. Further, the pressing boss 66 of the tank 3 is separated from the outlet valve 131, and the outlet valve 131 is in close contact with the main body outlet 123 to prevent leakage of water.

When the tank 3 is pulled downward by pulling the handle (not shown) of the tank from this state as shown in FIG. 15, the pump device 6 gradually comes off from the pump insertion hole 63. Along with this, the tank lid 71 that has been opened in contact with the tip of the pump device 6 is closed by the urging force of the spring 74.

When the tank 3 is pulled out from the lower opening 63 of the main body as shown in FIG.
Is completely removed from the pump insertion hole 63. At this time, the pump insertion hole 63 and the tank inlet 65 are completely closed by the tank lid 71. Thus, the removal of the tank 3 is completed.

As described above, the locking of the tank 3 can be released and pushed out simultaneously only by pulling up the fixing levers 81, 81, so that the tank 3 can be easily removed.

When the pump device 6 is detached from the tank 3, the draining spatula 64 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the pump device 6 to remove the attached water. No water dripping.

Further, even when water drips from the filter device 8 of the pump device 6, the tank 3 is drawn downward, so that it falls into the inside of the cylinder opening 62 on the upper surface of the tank, and Your hands never get wet.

On the other hand, when the tank 3 is mounted, the tank 3 is pushed through the lower opening 63 of the main body. As a result, the press-fit portion 64 of the main body is press-fitted into the cylindrical port 62, and the pressing boss 66 pushes up the discharge port valve 131 to open. Tank 3
Are completely mounted, and the locking portions 82, 82 are locked to the locked portions 85, 85 of the tank 3. Thus, the tank 3 is securely held.

Next, a maintenance method of the air cleaning device 1 will be described. When the air cleaning device 1 has been used for a long period of time, it is preferable to periodically clean the device because the inside of the device is soiled by the circulation of water containing dust and the like.

In the air cleaning device 1, the spraying device 2, the liquid transfer mechanism 9 and the pump device 6 are integrally removed from the state where the tank 3 shown in FIG. it can.

The outer edge of the water reservoir 28 is raised upward and a press-fit portion 155 is erected over the entire circumference. When the press-fit portion 155 is press-fitted into the main body, the liquid transfer mechanism 9 is mounted on the main body. I have. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the shaft 33 can be separated above the spraying device 2.

As shown in FIG.
The upper shaft 151 is fixedly inserted into the upper connecting portion 153, while the upper portion of the lower shaft 152 is fixedly inserted into the lower connecting portion 154. The rotating unit 41 of the spray device 2 is attached to the lower connecting unit 154.

As shown in FIG. 19, the upper connecting portion 153 is a columnar body having a lower portion formed with an upper triangular pyramid portion 156 (guide portion). An insertion hole 161 (FIG. 3) is provided. The cross section of the insertion hole 161 has two opposing surfaces formed in an arc shape, and the other two surfaces formed in a flat shape (FIG. 20A).

On the other hand, the lower connecting portion 154 is a column having a lower triangular pyramid portion 157 (guided portion) formed on the upper portion, and its cross section is inserted into the insertion hole 161 (FIG. 20A) of the upper connecting portion 153. It is formed corresponding to this as possible.

Further, as shown in FIG.
In the inside of the insertion hole 161, connecting projections 162 and 162 are provided on two opposing surfaces. On the other hand, connecting concave portions 163 and 163 on which the connecting convex portions 162 and 162 are engaged are provided on two opposing surfaces of the lower connecting portion 154.

The connection projections 162 and 162 are engaged with the connection recesses 163 and 163, whereby the upper and lower connection portions 153 and 154 are connected. Also, as shown in FIG. 20A, since the lower connecting portion 154 is formed by a combination of an arc surface and a plane, when the upper connecting portion 153 rotates, the lower connecting portion 154 also rotates.

Next, an operation procedure for removing the spray device 2, the pump device 6, and the liquid transfer mechanism 9 in the air cleaning device 1 will be described. From a state where the tank 3 is removed as shown in FIG. 17, the pump device 6 and the like are pulled downward. As a result, as shown in FIG. 18, the press-fitting portion 155 comes off from the main body, the lower connecting portion 154 comes off from the upper connecting portion 153, and the spraying device 2, the pump device 6, and the liquid transfer mechanism 9 are integrated from the main body. They can be separated and extracted from the lower surface opening 63.

By removing the spray device 2, the pump device 6, and the liquid transfer mechanism 9, dirt adhering to the spray device 2 and the water reservoir 28 can be easily cleaned.
Also, when each component such as the pumps 34 and 35 breaks down, it is easy to replace the component.

When the spraying device 2, the pump device 6, and the liquid transfer mechanism 9 which are removed are mounted on the main body, they are inserted through the lower opening 63 of the main body, and the press-fitting portion 155 is press-fitted into the main body. At this time, as shown in FIG. 20A, the lower connecting portion 154 needs to be inserted in a predetermined direction with respect to the shape of the insertion hole 161 of the upper connecting portion 153.

Here, when connecting the lower connecting portion 154 to the upper connecting portion 153 as shown in FIGS. 20B and 21, the triangular pyramids 156 and 157 first come into contact with each other. At this time, the top of the lower triangular pyramid part 157 of the lower connecting part 154 is guided by the slope of the upper triangular pyramid part 156 of the upper connecting part 153, and as shown in FIG. Are rotated in opposite directions. As a result, the lower connecting portion 154 is inserted into the insertion hole 1 as shown in FIG.
It is in a predetermined direction with respect to 61.

In this state, the lower connecting portion 154 is inserted into the insertion hole 16.
1, the connecting projections 162, 1 as shown in FIG.
62 is engaged with the connection recesses 163 and 163, and the upper shaft 151
And the lower shaft 152 are connected. Therefore, the upper connecting portion 153
When connecting the lower connecting portion 154 to the lower connecting portion 154,
There is no need to worry about the orientation of the camera, making it easier to mount.

As described above, the air cleaning device 1 comprises the spray device 2,
Since the pump device 6 and the liquid transfer mechanism 9 can be integrally removed, maintenance such as cleaning or component replacement can be easily performed.

Next, the water level detecting device 10 of the air cleaning device 1 according to the present invention will be described. This air purifier 1
Is controlled so that the rotation of the motor 5 is automatically stopped when the amount of water stored in the tank 3 decreases below a specified amount, or when the tank 3 is removed from the main body during operation of the apparatus. You.

The determination of the fluctuation and presence / absence of the water level in the tank 3 is performed by the water level detecting device 10 shown in FIG.
The water level detection device 10 detects a fluctuation in the water level of the tank 3 and the presence or absence of the tank 3 without electrically connecting the tank 3 and the main body with a signal line or the like.

The water level detecting device 10 comprises a floating portion 171 mounted inside the tank 3 and a detecting portion 172 for detecting a fluctuation of the floating portion 171. The floating portion 171 is composed of a rod-shaped body 173 that is vertically movably mounted in the tank, and a float 174 attached to the lower end of the rod-shaped body 173.

A cylindrical bottom cylindrical portion 175 is formed on the inner bottom surface of the tank 3, and a cylindrical projecting cylindrical portion (projecting portion) 176 is provided on the upper surface of the tank 3. Rod 1
The lower end of 73 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the inside thereof is an insertion hole 177.
Here, the bottom cylindrical portion 175 is inserted. The upper end of the rod-shaped body 173 is inserted into the protruding cylindrical portion 176 of the tank 3.

[0109] Above the rod-shaped body 173, a detecting unit 1 described later is provided.
A light transmitting hole (light transmitting portion) 178 used for detecting 72 is provided. The rod 173 is formed of, for example, a black material so as not to transmit light except for the light transmitting hole 178. The water level detecting device 10 is optically
The tank 3 is formed of a transparent material because it detects the position of 73 and needs to allow light to pass through.

When the rod 173 is at the uppermost position, the bottom cylindrical portion 175 is prevented from falling out of the insertion hole 177. When the rod 173 is at the lowermost position, the projecting cylindrical portion 1 is formed.
The rod 76 does not fall out of the rod 173. That is, the rod-shaped body 173 is held by the bottom cylindrical portion 175 and the protruding cylindrical portion 176, and is attached so as to be vertically movable within a predetermined range.

The rod 173 moves in accordance with the water level inside the tank 3 by the buoyancy of the float 174. For example, when the water level of the tank 3 exceeds the specified water level L,
Due to the buoyancy provided by the float 174, the rod 173 is located at the uppermost position. At this time, the rod 173
The upper end thereof is in contact with the upper part of the inner surface of the protruding cylindrical portion 176 to regulate the position. On the other hand, when the water level of the tank 3 falls below the prescribed water level L, the rod 173 moves downward by the float 174 corresponding to the water level.

The detection unit 172 shown in FIG. 23 and FIG.
It is composed of a photo interrupter 181 which is a transmission type sensor, a light blocking lever 182 for preventing malfunction, and a support portion 183 for supporting the light blocking lever 182.

As shown in FIG. 24, a horizontal partition plate 184 is provided inside the cabinet 21 and above the tank 3, and cylindrical mounting bosses 185, 185 project from the upper surface of the partition plate 184. Is established. Photo interrupter 1
Reference numeral 81 denotes a screw 19 on the mounting bosses 185 and 185 with the light emitting part 187 and the light receiving part 188 (FIG. 25) facing down.
1,191. A round hole 199 into which the protruding cylindrical portion 176 (FIG. 23) is inserted corresponding to between the light emitting portion 187 and the light receiving portion 188 of the photo interrupter 181.
Is provided.

As shown in FIG. 25, the photo interrupter 1
As is well known, a light-emitting portion 187 is attached to one of the U-shaped portions 81, and a light-receiving portion 188 is attached to the other.
Here, a change in the water level of the tank 3 is detected based on whether or not the light from the light emitting unit 187 has reached the light receiving unit 188.

Returning to FIG. 24, the support portion 183 is bent in a substantially L-shape in side view, and the horizontal plate portion 192 is fixed between the mounting bosses 185, 185 and the photo interrupter 181 by screws 191 and 191. . On the upper part of the vertical plate portion 193, a lever mounting plate portion 194 having a substantially U shape in a top view is formed.

A lever shaft 195 is inserted between the opposite plate portions of the lever mounting plate portion 194, and the lever shaft 195
The light-blocking lever 182 is attached rotatably downward. The light shielding lever 182 is provided with a wide light shielding portion 195 by bending the lower end of the prism member.

When the tank 3 is mounted as shown in FIG. 23, the protruding cylindrical portion 176 of the tank 3 is inserted through the round hole 199 to contact the light-shielding lever 182, and rotates it counterclockwise. On the other hand, when the tank 3 is removed,
Are the light emitting unit 187 and the light receiving unit 1 of the photo interrupter 181.
88 (FIG. 25) to block the optical path.

The water level detecting device 10 constructed as described above
The operation will be described below. First, detection of a change in the water level of the tank 3 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 23, the tank 3 is full.
Is attached, the rod 173 is pushed up to the uppermost position by the buoyancy of the float 174. At this time, as shown in FIG. 25, the light transmitting hole 178 coincides with the optical path of the light emitting unit 187 of the photo interrupter 181, and the light from the light emitting unit 187 passes through the light transmitting hole 178 and the light receiving unit 18
Reach 8. Therefore, it is determined that the water level in the tank 3 exceeds the specified water level L.

As shown in FIG. 26, when the water level in the tank 3 falls below the specified value L, the rod 173 moves downward. As a result, the light transmitting hole 178 shifts from the optical path, and the rod 173 blocks light from the light emitting unit 187, and
(FIG. 25) does not detect light. As a result, it is detected that the water level has dropped, and the driving of the motor 5 (FIG. 1) is stopped.

Next, detection of the presence or absence of the tank 3 will be described. When the tank 3 is mounted as shown in FIG. 23, the light blocking lever 182 is in contact with the protruding cylindrical portion 176 of the tank 3 and rotates counterclockwise.

When the tank 3 is removed during the operation of the air cleaning device 1, the restriction of the protruding cylindrical portion 176 is removed, so that the light-blocking lever 182 is rotated clockwise and substantially as shown by a two-dot chain line. It is arranged vertically. At this time, the light shielding portion 195
Is disposed at a position where the light transmitting hole 178 of the rod-shaped body 173 was located,
The light from the light emitting section 187 (FIG. 25) of the photo interrupter 181 is blocked. As a result, the removal of the tank 3 is detected, and the driving of the motor 5 (FIG. 1) is stopped.

As described above, in the air purifying apparatus 1, the tank 3
When the amount of water stored in the tank is reduced below a specified amount or when the tank 3 is removed from the main body during operation of the apparatus, this is detected and the operation is stopped, so that water is not supplied to the main body. This avoids a situation in which the operation is continued.

The water level detecting device 10 can detect the water level in the tank and the presence or absence of the water level without electrically connecting the tank 3 and the main body with a signal line or the like. Therefore, electrical connection between the tank and the main body is not required, and the configuration of the entire apparatus can be simplified.

In this embodiment, the light-blocking lever 182 is placed at the light-blocking position by its own weight. However, the light-blocking lever 182 may be urged to be always placed at the light-blocking position by a biasing means such as a spring. According to this, even when the entire device falls, the operation is stopped without malfunction.

Next, the function of the air purifying device 1 according to the present invention for preventing water leakage at the time of falling will be described. This air purifying device 1 prevents water for air cleaning from leaking from the inside of the main body when the device is accidentally overturned.

As shown in FIG. 9, the annular drainage channel 121 for guiding the water used for air cleaning to the tank 3 (FIG. 1) forms a path extending substantially one round from the water receiving drainage port 122 to the main body discharge port 123. I do. During operation of the apparatus, water flows continuously through this annular drainage channel 121.

If the air cleaning device 1 falls over during operation of the device due to some external factor, this is detected by a fall detector (not shown), and the driving of the motor 5 (FIG. 1) is stopped.

At this time, the water flowing as shown in FIG. 27 accumulates below the annular drainage channel 121,
1 is completely closed. When water leaks from the main body, it is necessary for air to flow into the main body, but water accumulated in the annular drainage channel 121 prevents the air from flowing. Therefore, leakage of water to the outside is prevented.

If the air purifier 1 falls down unexpectedly even when the air purifier 1 is stopped, water flows into the main body through the pump device 6 (FIG. 1), and water accumulates in the annular drainage channel 121 to prevent air from flowing. Hinder. Therefore, leakage of water from the inside of the main body to the outside is prevented.

The main body of this annular drainage channel 121 is approximately 1
The perimeter prevents water leakage if the device falls in any direction. By providing the annular drainage channel 121 in this way, it is possible to prevent water leakage to the outside with a simple configuration.

The spray device 2, pump device 6, filter device 8, tank 3, water level detecting device 10 shown in FIG.
(FIG. 23), the configuration related to the valve mechanism 13 (FIG. 10) has been described as an example in which the invention is applied to an air purifying device. However, these inventions are applied to other devices using a liquid such as a humidifier, a cooler, and an oil stove. It is very suitable to apply to.

FIG. 28 shows a negative ion generator 201 according to the present invention. The negative ion generator 201 of the present embodiment focuses on atomized water (fine water droplets) generated by the centrifugal force of the spraying device 2 which is a rotating body, and the structure itself is the same as that of the air cleaning device 1 described above. is there.

The operation of the negative ion generator 201 will be described with reference to FIG. When the power supply of the negative ion generator 201 is turned on, the water jetted from the water supply pipe 43 is sprayed into the intake duct 22 as fine mist from the spraying device 2 rotating at high speed, and this serves as a gas-water mixing unit. The air sucked from the inlet 11 passes through the mist water and is discharged from the outlet 12.

As is well known, for example, the mist purified water scattered around a waterhole contains many negative ions due to the so-called "Lenard effect". Therefore, also in the case of the negative ion generator 201 of the present invention, a large amount of negative ions are contained in the clean air exhausted into the room due to the “Lenard effect”, and the negative ions reduce the calming effect and the recovery from fatigue. Many effects on the human body such as promotion can be expected. Other effects of negative ions include enhancing cardiopulmonary function to regulate blood pressure and respiration, lowering blood sugar levels, and healing effects on burns. The negative ion generator of the present invention provides a healthy and comfortable indoor environment. Can be realized. The effect of promoting the growth of living things (plants) can also be improved.

The negative ions are, for example, high voltage (about 30
(00 V or more). However, in this case, power consumption is large and harmful substances such as ozone are generated at the same time, which poses a problem in environmental protection. In this example, since water can be used as described above and the water can be atomized by the spray device 2 to generate negative ions, high power is not required and ozone can be generated. No harmful substances are generated.

As for the negative ions, the finer the water droplets scattered, the more negative ions can be generated. Therefore, only by rotating the spray device 2 at high speed, more negative ions can be generated, so that the negative ion effect can be relatively easily enhanced.

[0138]

As described above, in the valve mechanism according to the present invention, a projection is provided on the liquid recovery portion such as a tank, and the valve mechanism is provided with an abutting portion which comes into contact with the projection. The projection is brought into contact with the contact portion when the valve mechanism is disposed at the position, and the valve mechanism is held in the valve-open state.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the liquid from leaking from the tank with a simple configuration, so that there is an effect that the configuration of the entire apparatus can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a configuration of an air cleaning device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a spray device 2.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the operation of the spray device 2.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the tank 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a configuration of a tank lid 71.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a configuration of a pump unit 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a filter device 8;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the annular drainage channel 121.

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a configuration of a valve mechanism 13.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the outlet valve 131 is closed.

FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view showing an air cleaning process.

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another example of the liquid transport mechanism.

FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional view (1) showing an operation of removing the tank 3;
/ 3).

FIG. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view (2) showing an operation of removing the tank 3;
/ 3).

FIG. 16 is a longitudinal sectional view (3) showing an operation of removing the tank 3;
/ 3).

FIG. 17 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the tank 3 is removed.

FIG. 18 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the spraying device 2 and the like are removed.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a configuration of connecting portions 153 and 154.

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view illustrating connection of connection portions 153 and 154.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view (1/2) for explaining connection of connection portions 153 and 154;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view (1/2) for explaining connection of connection portions 153 and 154.

FIG. 23 is a partial vertical sectional view of the tank 3 showing the configuration of the water level detecting device 10.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a detection unit 172.

FIG. 25 is a front view of the detection unit 172.

FIG. 26 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the tank 3 showing a state where the water level is lowered.

FIG. 27 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the air cleaning device 1 has fallen.

FIG. 28 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a configuration of a negative ion generator 201 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 air cleaning device 2 spraying device 3 tank 4 fan 5 motor 6 pump device 7 tank attaching / detaching mechanism 8 filter device 9 drainage unit 65 tank inlet 66 pressing boss 123 main body outlet 131 outlet valve 132 umbrella 133 support shaft 136 Compression spring

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A valve mechanism for an apparatus using a liquid such as water, wherein the valve mechanism is provided between a liquid recovery unit for recovering the liquid used in the apparatus and the apparatus, The recovery unit has a protrusion, and the valve mechanism has a contact portion with which the protrusion contacts, and the protrusion contacts the contact portion when the liquid recovery unit is disposed at a predetermined position, A valve mechanism, wherein the valve mechanism is maintained in an open state. 2. The valve mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the valve body of the valve mechanism is constantly biased to a valve closing position by a biasing means.