KR102342407B1 - Humidifier and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a humidifier and a method for controlling the same. In the humidifier according to the spirit of the present invention, there is a case, a water tank installed inside the case, a pollution measuring device for measuring the degree of contamination of water accommodated in the water tank, a pollution removing device provided to irradiate UV rays with the water accommodated in the water tank, and the pollution measurement A control unit for controlling the decontamination apparatus is included to determine the degree of pollution measured by the apparatus as a plurality of pollution stages, and to take different measures corresponding to each pollution level.

Description

Humidifier and its control method

The present invention relates to a humidifier and a method for controlling the same.

A humidifier is one of home appliances that include moisture in the air discharged to increase the humidity in the air and discharge it.

These humidifiers include an ultrasonic humidifier that generates fine water droplets such as mist by using ultrasonic vibration by a vibrator, an electric humidifier that generates steam by heating water with a heater or electricity, and an electric humidifier with excellent sterilization effect; Composite humidifiers having the advantage of ultrasonic humidifiers that reduce the economic burden due to low power consumption and vaporization humidifiers that evaporate water by allowing air to pass through a wet filter can be distinguished.

In addition, recently, products such as air washers that increase the humidity in the air by discharging the air having moisture by adding water to the air passing through the rotation of a plurality of disks, and filtering the dust of the passing air into water have been developed. are being produced

As described above, the humidifier for humidifying air in various ways is provided with a water tank accommodating a predetermined amount of water. A portion of the water accommodated in the water tank is heated or sprayed and supplied into the air, and new water is introduced by a predetermined supply device.

At this time, since predetermined water is maintained in the water tank, contamination such as microorganisms may occur. As such, there is a problem in that the polluted water generates a bad odor or is supplied into the air to give discomfort to the user.

Therefore, in order to prevent this, the conventional humidifier sterilizes the water tank by irradiating ultraviolet rays to the water tank at predetermined intervals. However, there is a problem in that the water tank is discolored by repeated ultraviolet irradiation, and the lifespan of the light emitting part irradiating ultraviolet rays is reduced.

In addition, there is a problem of inefficiency because ultraviolet rays are irradiated at predetermined intervals regardless of the occurrence of contamination. In addition, in some cases, there is a problem in that the contamination in the water tank is not removed despite the irradiation of ultraviolet rays.

In order to solve this problem, the present embodiment aims to propose a humidifier and a control method thereof for measuring the degree of pollution and sterilizing it according to the degree of pollution.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to propose a humidifier and a control method therefor that divide and display the degree of pollution into a plurality of stages and take appropriate measures according to each pollution level.

In the humidifier according to the spirit of the present invention, there is a case, a water tank installed inside the case, a pollution measuring device for measuring the degree of contamination of water contained in the water tank, a pollution removing device provided to irradiate UV rays with the water accommodated in the water tank, and the pollution measurement A control unit for controlling the decontamination apparatus is included to determine the degree of pollution measured by the apparatus as a plurality of pollution stages, and to take different measures corresponding to each pollution level.

The decontamination device may be provided with a light emitting unit for irradiating ultraviolet rays of different intensities.

The control unit includes a first sterilization step in which the light emitting unit irradiates an ultraviolet ray of a first intensity, a second sterilization step in which the light emitting unit irradiates an ultraviolet ray of a second intensity having an energy greater than the first intensity, and the light emitting unit in the second sterilization step The decontamination apparatus may be controlled by any one of the third sterilization steps of irradiating ultraviolet rays of a third intensity having an energy greater than two intensity.

The control unit controls the pollution removal device to the first sterilization step when the pollution level measured by the pollution measurement device is greater than or equal to A, and when the pollution level measured by the pollution measurement apparatus is greater than or equal to B having a larger value than A, The decontamination device may be controlled in the second sterilization step, and when the degree of contamination measured by the pollution measuring device is C or more having a value greater than B, the decontamination device may be controlled to the third sterilization step.

When the pollution level measured by the pollution measuring device is greater than D having a value greater than C, a display unit informing that the water tank needs to be cleaned may be further included.

The pollution measuring device and the pollution removing device may be disposed inside the water tank to be submerged in the water accommodated in the water tank.

The pollution measuring device and the pollution removing device may be disposed side by side on one side of the water tank.

In addition, in the control method of the humidifier according to the spirit of the present invention, the degree of contamination of water accommodated in the water tank is measured, the measured contamination level is divided into a plurality of contamination stages, and when it is determined as the first contamination stage, the ultraviolet rays of the first intensity are When the water contained in the water tank is irradiated, and it is determined that the second level of pollution has a greater degree of pollution than the first level of pollution, UV rays of a second intensity having energy greater than the first intensity are irradiated to the water contained in the water tank, When it is determined that the third pollution step has a greater degree of pollution than the second pollution step, ultraviolet rays of a third intensity having energy greater than the second intensity are irradiated to the water accommodated in the water tank.

When it is determined that the fourth pollution level has a greater degree of pollution than the third pollution level, cleaning of the water tank may be displayed.

The measured contamination level may be divided into a plurality of contamination stages and determined, and each contamination stage may be displayed.

According to the proposed embodiment, the humidifier and the control method thereof of the present invention can measure the pollution level by the pollution measuring device and take the optimal action.

In particular, there is an advantage in that contamination can be efficiently removed by controlling the decontamination device in stages according to the degree of contamination.

In addition, as the UV rays are differently irradiated according to the occurrence and degree of contamination, discoloration of the water tank is relatively small and the lifespan of the light emitting part is relatively extended.

In addition, in the case of contamination that is not removed by the decontamination device, there is an advantage in that contamination can be effectively removed by notifying the user of cleaning.

In addition, there is an advantage in that trust can be given to the user by classifying and displaying the contamination stages according to the measured contamination level.

In addition, since the pollution measuring device and the pollution removing device are disposed in water to measure water pollution, there is an advantage in that the installed device does not require additional modifications.

1 is a view showing a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a diagram illustrating an exploded view of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a view showing a water tank of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram illustrating a control structure of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a diagram illustrating a control flow of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. In adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are given the same reference numerals as much as possible even though they are indicated on different drawings. In addition, in describing the embodiment of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function interferes with the understanding of the embodiment of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, in describing the components of the embodiment of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are only for distinguishing the elements from other elements, and the essence, order, or order of the elements are not limited by the terms. When it is described that a component is "connected", "coupled" or "connected" to another component, the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but another component is between each component. It will be understood that may also be "connected", "coupled" or "connected".

Also, a configuration of a humidifier to which a disk assembly is mounted will be described as an embodiment of the humidifier according to the spirit of the present invention.

1 is a diagram illustrating a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the humidifier 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention has an external shape by a case 10 in the form of a jar having an outer side surface curved in the longitudinal direction as a whole. Such an appearance is exemplary and is not limited thereto.

The case 10 is formed to have a predetermined internal space. A water supply assembly 70 in which a water supply port 701 for supplying water is formed is located on the upper surface of the case 10 , and the base 20 forming a lower exterior is located on the lower surface of the case 10 . In addition, a discharge port 16 through which humidified air is discharged is provided on the outside of the water supply assembly 70 .

In addition, the case 10 includes a front case 11 forming a front exterior and a rear case 12 forming a rear exterior. The front, rear, and both sides of the humidifier (1) are formed by the combination of the front case (11) and the rear case (12).

In addition, the case 10 includes an upper case 13 forming an upper half appearance and a lower case 14 forming a lower half outer appearance. The upper and lower halves of the humidifier 1 are formed by the combination of the upper case 13 and the lower case 14 .

First, a configuration in which the front, rear, and both sides of the case 10 are formed by the combination of the front case 11 and the rear case 12 will be described.

The case 10 is formed to have a predetermined internal space by the combination of the front case 11 and the rear case 12, an upper surface is formed by the water supply assembly 70, and the lower surface is An exterior is formed by the base 20 .

And, looking at the configuration in which the upper and lower halves of the case 10 are formed by the coupling of the upper case 13 and the lower case 14, the case 10 includes the upper case 13 and the lower case. It is formed to have a predetermined internal space by coupling the case 14, and the upper case 13 and the lower case 14 are detachably coupled.

This is to facilitate the separation of the disk assembly or the water tank, which will be described later, by separating the case 10 in the vertical direction.

In addition, the rear case 12 is formed with a suction port 12a providing a passage through which external air is introduced. The suction port 12a is formed in the form of a grill to filter out foreign substances contained in the intake air.

A suction filter (not shown) for filtering foreign substances in the air that passes through the suction port 12a and is sucked into the inner space of the case 10 may be further installed in the suction port 12a.

The base 20 forms the outer appearance of the lower surface of the humidifier 1 , and is detachably mounted to the case 10 . As such, since the base 20 is detachably coupled to the case 10 , the lower surface of the case 10 can be opened through the separation of the base 20 .

Referring to FIG. 2 , the base 20 is formed in the form of a disc with an open upper surface and a flat lower surface thereof. Accordingly, when the humidifier 1 is installed, the base 20 is in contact with the ground to stably support the case 10 .

The base plate 21 is positioned on the open upper surface of the base 20 , and the water tank 30 is positioned on the upper side of the base plate 21 . At this time, the water tank 30 is supported by the base plate 21 .

While the central portion of the base plate 21 is recessed downward, a seating portion 21a for seating the water tank 30 is formed. The water tank 30 is seated on the seating part 21a, so that vibration of the water tank 30 can be reduced.

In this case, the upper surface of the seating portion 21a may be formed to correspond to the lower surface of the water tank 30 . Accordingly, the water tank 30 may be stably supported while the lower surface of the water tank 30 is seated on the seating portion 21a.

In addition, a drain hole (not shown) may be further formed in the base plate 21 so that water leaking from the water tank 20 can flow to the base 20 . This is to facilitate the user to empty the overflowing water by draining the water to the base 20 when overflow of water occurs due to the movement of the humidifier 1 or the detachment of the water tank 30 .

The water tank 30 is formed in the form of a cylinder with an open upper surface while having a predetermined internal space. Water for humidifying the air sucked in through the suction port 12a is accommodated in the inner space of the water tank 30 .

The water tank 30 is located at the lower end of the inner space of the case 10 , and is supported by the base 20 or the base plate 21 . In addition, the water tank 30 corresponds to the center of gravity of the humidifier 1 , so that when water is accommodated in the water tank 30 , the humidifier 1 can stand on its own in a stable state. also do

A water level sensor (not shown) for detecting the water level to be accommodated may be mounted inside the water tank 30, and the water level detected by the water level sensor (not shown) is displayed so that the user can check it from the outside. can be

At least a portion of the disk assembly 40 is accommodated in the inner space of the water tank 30 . The disk assembly 40 performs a function of supplying moisture to the air that is sucked in and passed through the suction port 12a while rotating.

A disk accommodating part 31 (refer to FIG. 3 ) for accommodating the disk assembly 40 is formed in the water tank 30 by being depressed downward. In detail, the disc accommodating part 31 is recessed downward in a shape corresponding to the lower end of the disc assembly 40 so as to accommodate the lower end of the disc assembly 40 . In addition, the disk accommodating part 31 is formed to be able to be matched with the lower surface of the inner space of the base plate 21 or the base 20 .

In addition, the disk accommodating part 31 has a shape corresponding to the seating part 21a formed on the base plate 21 . Accordingly, when the water tank 30 is mounted, the seating portion 21a and the disk receiving portion 31 may be coupled to each other.

The disk assembly 40 includes a rotation shaft 41 having a predetermined length as a whole, and a plurality of disks 42 coupled in the longitudinal direction of the rotation shaft 41 . The disk 42 is formed in the form of a disk having a predetermined oil, and irregularities or patterns on which water can form are formed on the surface of the disk 42 .

In addition, the plurality of disks 42 are axially coupled to the rotation shaft 41 so that the rotation shaft 41 passes through the center. In addition, each disk 42 is configured to provide a passageway through which the air passes by being sequentially arranged spaced apart at a predetermined interval.

As the plurality of disks 42 rotate by the rotation shaft 41 , water accommodated in the inner space of the water tank 30 is supplied as flowing air. By the supply of water, the flowing air is discharged to the outside through the discharge port 16 in a humidified state to increase the humidity of the space in which the humidifier 1 is installed.

In addition, a driving disk 43 that transmits power for rotating the rotation shaft 41 is disposed in the disk assembly 40 . The driving disk 43 is formed in the shape of a disk having a certain thickness, and is shaft-coupled to the rotation shaft 41 so that a central portion passes through the rotation shaft 41 .

The driving disk 43 may be disposed outside the disk 42 positioned at the outermost side among the plurality of disks 42 . That is, the drive disks 43 are respectively disposed at both ends of the rotation shaft 41 , and the plurality of disks 42 are positioned between the drive disks 43 .

The plurality of disks 42 axially coupled to the rotation shaft 41 may rotate while the rotation shaft 41 axially coupled by the rotation of the driving disk 43 rotates. By the rotational movement of the plurality of disks 42 , moisture may be supplied to the air flowing between the disks 42 .

Teeth are formed on the circumferential surface of the drive disk 43 , and these teeth are configured to mesh with the teeth formed on the circumferential surface of the drive gear 44 positioned above the drive disk 43 .

The drive gear 44 is rotated by rotational power provided from the disk motor 45 by shaft coupling with the disk motor 45 located on one side. Then, the drive disk 43 with the teeth engaged by the rotational movement of the drive gear 44 is rotated. Accordingly, the rotation shaft 41 is rotated and the plurality of disks 42 are rotated.

In addition, at least a portion of the disk 42 is located at a height corresponding to the inlet 12a, and external air sucked in through the inlet 12a flows while passing through the plurality of disks 42. .

At this time, the lower portions of the plurality of disks 42 are submerged in water, and the water stored in the water tank 30 is repeatedly entered and exited according to the rotation of the rotation shaft 41 , Water existing on the surface can be naturally vaporized by the air introduced through the inlet 12a.

In this way, by the rotation of the plurality of disks 42, the water vaporization action is made more effectively, it can be made continuously.

The driving gear 44 and the disc motor 45 are located in the inner space of the upper case 13 , and the driving disc 43 is located in the lower case 14 , so that a user can use the upper case 13 . By coupling (13) and the lower case (14), the drive disk (43) and the drive gear (44) can transmit power to the drive disk (43) while the teeth formed on the outer surfaces are engaged.

An air guide 15 is mounted on an upper portion of the disk assembly 40 , in particular, one side adjacent to the suction port 12a. The air guide 15 allows the air sucked in through the suction port 12a to pass through the disk assembly 40 to more efficiently humidify the intake air.

An inner case 50 is disposed above the disk assembly 40 . The inner case 50 is configured to guide the flow of air while accommodating the fan motor assembly 60 . In addition, the inner case 50 performs a function of guiding the water supplied from above the case 10 toward the inner space of the water tank 30 .

That is, the inner case 50 may be divided into a part for guiding the movement of supplied water and a part for guiding the flow of air passing through the disk assembly 40 .

At this time, the portion for guiding the movement of the supplied water of the inner case 50 has a larger diameter than the portion for guiding the flow of the humidified air.

In addition, the fan motor assembly 60 is disposed inside the inner case 50 . The fan motor assembly 60 has a configuration including a fan motor 61 that generates rotational power by an applied power, and a blower fan 62 axially coupled to a rotation shaft of the fan motor 61 .

The blowing fan 62 performs a function of sucking the external air of the case 10 into the inner space of the case 10 through a rotational movement. That is, the inner space of the case 10 has a suction force due to the rotational movement of the blowing fan 62 . The external air of the case 10 is sucked into the inner space of the case 10 through the suction port 12a by this suction force.

The blowing fan 62 is formed to suck air in an axial direction while rotating and blow air in a circumferential direction. Due to the configuration of the blowing fan 62 , the air blown in the circumferential direction flows upward along the inner surface of the inner case 50 .

Although the type of the blowing fan 62 or the shape of the blade is not disclosed in detail, the fan formed to suck air in the axial direction by rotational motion and discharge it in the circumferential direction may be variously applied, so the shape does not limit

The water supply assembly 70 is positioned above the fan motor assembly 60 . In the water supply assembly 70, a water supply guide 71 positioned above the fan motor assembly 60, a guide cover 72 mounted on the upper surface of the water supply guide 71, and the guide cover 72 The water supply case 73 in which the water supply port 701 is formed in the central part while being located on the upper side is included.

In addition, between the water supply case 73 and the guide cover 72, a display unit 80 for displaying the operation state of the humidifier 1 and allowing the operation of the humidifier 1 to be operated is provided. more can be formed.

The upper surface of the case 10 is formed by the upper surface of the water supply assembly 70 . The water supply case 73 is at least partially formed of a transparent material, so that the user can operate the display unit 80 or the user can recognize various information displayed on the display unit 80 .

The display unit 80 may include a display for displaying the operating state of the humidifier 1 by the operation of a plurality of electrical components, and a manipulation unit for directly inputting a manipulation by the user. In addition, a plurality of control components including a PCB for controlling the operation of the humidifier 1 may be mounted on the display unit 80 .

The display unit 80 is formed so that the display is turned on by the application of power and the user can check the operating state or driving conditions of the humidifier 1 through the display.

In addition, the manipulation unit may be formed in the form of a touch screen so that a user's manipulation can be input by a sensor that detects a change in capacitance or detects a touch, and a separate manipulation unit is printed so that the user can operate it. It may be formed so that

The operation of the humidifier 1 will be described in detail based on the configuration described above.

3 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 shows a cross-section of the humidifier to explain the flow of air and the operation of the humidifier.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the fan motor 61 generates rotational power by the applied power, and as the blowing fan 62 rotates, a flow of air is generated.

The thick arrows shown in FIG. 3 show the flow of air. In detail, the air is sucked into the inner space of the case 10 through the suction port 12a. The air sucked into the inner space of the case 10 passes through the plurality of disks 42 and flows upward toward the blowing fan 62 . The air flowing to the central portion of the blowing fan 62 is discharged to the outer space of the case 10 through the outlet 16 formed on the upper surface of the case 10 .

Meanwhile, the plurality of disks 42 are rotated by the power applied to the disk motor 45 .

At this time, since the lower portions of the plurality of disks 42 are submerged in the water accommodated in the water tank 30 , the water stored in the water tank 30 is repeatedly moved in and out according to rotation. Accordingly, a predetermined amount of moisture is present on the surface of the disk 42 and may be naturally vaporized by the air introduced through the suction port 12a.

That is, the air sucked into the inner space of the case 10 may pass through the plurality of disks 42 and be humidified. The humidified air is discharged to the outside and can humidify a predetermined space.

At this time, the water tank 30 is maintained in a state in which water of a certain level is accommodated. In detail, at least a portion of the water contained in the water tank 30 by the plurality of disks 42 is supplied into the air and evaporated, and water is supplied to the water tank 30 through the water supply port 701 .

In addition, the water tank 30 is provided with a water level sensor (not shown) to measure the level of water accommodated in the water tank 30 . Water may be supplied through the water supply port 701 so that the measured water level is maintained at a predetermined level.

The humidifier 1 according to the spirit of the present invention is provided with a control unit 100 for controlling the structures described above. In detail, the control unit 100 may give a command to apply power to the fan motor 61 and the disk motor 45, or receive information measured by the water level sensor (not shown) and determine it. have.

The control unit 100 may be provided in the form of a control box in which a PCB or the like is accommodated. The control unit 100 may be disposed inside the case 10 , and may be attached to one side of the water tank 30 as shown in FIG. 3 . The position of the control unit 100 is exemplary, and the control unit 100 may be arranged at various positions.

In addition, in the humidifier 1 according to the spirit of the present invention, a pollution measuring device 110 for measuring the degree of contamination of the water accommodated in the water tank 30 , a pollution removal device provided to irradiate ultraviolet rays with the water accommodated in the water tank 30 . 120 is provided. Hereinafter, this will be described in detail.

4 is a view showing a water tank of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the pollution measuring device 110 and the pollution removing device 120 are installed in the water tank 30 . In detail, the pollution measuring device 110 and the pollution removing device 120 may be disposed inside the water tank 30 so as to be submerged in the water accommodated in the water tank 30 . Also, the pollution measuring device 110 and the pollution removing device 120 may be disposed side by side on one side of the water tank 30 .

The pollution measuring device 110 and the pollution removing device 120 may be installed in combination with the control unit 100 . Referring to FIG. 4 , the pollution measuring device 110 and the pollution removing device 120 are installed inside the water tank 30 , and the control unit 100 corresponds to the outside of the water tank 30 . is installed on

However, this is an exemplary arrangement, and it is sufficient that the control unit 100, the pollution measurement device 110, and the pollution removal device 120 are electrically connected.

The pollution measuring device 110 may be provided with a predetermined sensor. For example, the pollution measuring device 110 may be provided in such a way that the transmittance of the water accommodated in the water tank 30 is calculated by measuring the reflected light by irradiating a predetermined light. Accordingly, the pollution measuring device 110 may numerically measure a predetermined degree of pollution.

The decontamination device 120 may include a light emitting unit 122 for irradiating ultraviolet rays. The light emitting unit 122 may be provided as a UV-LED, and may irradiate ultraviolet rays of different intensities. For example, the light emitting unit 122 may irradiate ultraviolet rays having an energy of 2 mW, 4 mW, or 10 mW.

At this time, the control unit 100 determines the contamination level measured by the contamination measuring device 110 as a plurality of contamination stages, and controls the contamination removal device 120 to take different measures corresponding to each contamination stage. . Hereinafter, this will be described in detail later.

5 is a diagram illustrating a control structure of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the control unit 100 receives information on the level of pollution from the pollution measurement device 110 , and controls the pollution removal device 120 and the display unit 80 .

In addition, although omitted in FIG. 5 for convenience of description, the control unit 100 may receive information about the operation of the humidifier 1 and control the fan motor 61 and the disk motor 45 , etc. .

As described above, the contamination measuring device 110 may transmit the numerically measured contamination level to the control unit 100 . For example, when the contamination measuring device 100 measures transmittance and the measured transmittance is 30%, it transmits that the transmittance is 30% to the control unit 100 .

The control unit 100 classifies the contamination level measured according to a predetermined criterion into a predetermined contamination level. In addition, each classified contamination stage may be visualized through the display unit 80 and delivered to the user.

Hereinafter, a case in which the degree of pollution is divided into five stages will be described. Classifying the pollution level into five levels is exemplary, and the level of pollution may be divided into various levels according to standards.

Hereinafter, each contamination stage is divided into cleanliness, a first contamination stage, a second contamination stage, a third contamination stage, and a fourth contamination stage. At this time, 'clean' is understood as a stage with little contamination, and from 'first contamination stage' to 'fourth contamination stage' is understood as a stage with severe contamination.

In addition, the control unit 100 controls the decontamination device 110 according to the level of pollution. In detail, the control unit 100 controls the light emitting unit 122 to irradiate different intensities of ultraviolet rays according to the contamination stage.

Hereinafter, the step in which the light emitting unit 122 irradiates UV rays is referred to as a sterilization step, and a case in which three types of UV rays of different energies are irradiated will be described. It is exemplary that the light emitting unit 122 irradiates three types of ultraviolet rays of different energies, and the light emitting unit 122 may radiate ultraviolet rays having various energies.

Hereinafter, each sterilization step is divided into a first sterilization step, a second sterilization step and a third sterilization step. At this time, it is understood that the light emitting unit 122 irradiates ultraviolet rays having greater energy as the 'first sterilization step' goes from the 'third sterilization step'.

Also, when it is determined that the contamination cannot be sufficiently removed by the decontamination device 120 , the control unit 100 may notify the user of cleaning. In detail, the control unit 100 may control the display unit 80 to visualize a cleaning notification phrase or transmit a predetermined notification sound.

Hereinafter, an example of a control method of a humidifier according to such a control structure will be described in detail.

6 is a diagram illustrating a control flow of a humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6 , the contamination level of the water accommodated in the water tank 30 is measured by the contamination measuring device 110 ( S10 ). In this case, the pollution degree is measured immediately before the operation of the humidifier 1 to prevent contaminated water from being supplied into the air. In addition, the measurement of the degree of pollution may be performed at predetermined intervals during the operation of the humidifier 1 .

In addition, the control unit 100 divides the pollution level measured by the pollution measurement device 110 into a plurality of pollution stages and determines the determination. That is, the level of pollution is determined based on the measured level of pollution.

First, it is determined whether the pollution level measured by the pollution measuring device 110 is equal to or greater than A (S20). If the pollution level is less than A, the pollution level is determined as 'clean' (S22). In the case of 'clean', there is no need to take any action because there is almost no contamination inside the water tank 30 .

If the pollution level is greater than A, it is determined whether the pollution level is greater than or equal to B having a greater value than A (S30). If the contamination level is less than B, the contamination stage is determined as the 'first contamination stage' (S32). That is, the first contamination step corresponds to a case where the contamination level is greater than or equal to A and less than B.

When it is determined that the first contamination step is performed, the decontamination device 120 is operated to the first sterilization step (S34). In this case, the first sterilization step is understood as a step in which the light emitting unit 122 irradiates ultraviolet rays of a first intensity. For example, the light emitting unit 122 may irradiate ultraviolet rays having an energy of 2 mW.

If the pollution level is greater than B, it is determined whether the pollution level is greater than or equal to C having a larger value than B (S40). If the contamination level is less than C, the contamination stage is determined as a 'second contamination stage' (S42). That is, the second contamination step corresponds to a case where the contamination level is greater than or equal to B and less than C.

When it is determined that the second contamination step is performed, the decontamination device 120 is operated to the second sterilization step (S44). In this case, the second sterilization step is understood as a step in which the light emitting unit 122 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays of a second intensity having an energy greater than the first intensity. For example, the light emitting unit 122 may irradiate ultraviolet rays having an energy of 4 mW.

If the pollution degree is C or more, it is determined whether the pollution degree is D or more having a value greater than C (S50). If the contamination level is less than D, the contamination stage is determined as a 'third contamination stage' (S52). That is, the third contamination step corresponds to a case where the contamination level is greater than or equal to C and less than D.

When it is determined that the third contamination step is performed, the decontamination device 120 is operated to the third sterilization step (S54). In this case, the third sterilization step is understood as a step in which the light emitting unit 122 irradiates ultraviolet rays of a third intensity having an energy greater than the second intensity. For example, the light emitting unit 122 may irradiate ultraviolet rays having an energy of 10 mW.

If the contamination level is D or higher, the contamination stage is determined as a 'fourth contamination stage' (S60). When it is determined that the fourth contamination stage is determined, it is displayed that cleaning of the water tank 30 is necessary (S70).

In this way, the control unit 100 according to the spirit of the present invention determines the contamination level measured by the contamination measuring device 110 as a plurality of contamination stages, and takes the optimal action corresponding to each contamination stage. 120 and the display unit 80 are controlled.

1: Humidifier 10: Case
30: water tank 80: display unit
100: control unit 110: pollution measuring device
120: decontamination device

Claims (10)

case;
a water tank installed inside the case;
a pollution measuring device for measuring the degree of pollution of the water accommodated in the water tank;
a decontamination device provided to irradiate ultraviolet rays with the water accommodated in the water tank; and
a control unit configured to determine the degree of contamination measured by the contamination measuring device as a plurality of contamination stages, and control the contamination removal device to take different measures corresponding to each contamination stage;
The pollution measuring device and the pollution removing device are positioned inside the water tank to be submerged in the water accommodated in the water tank, and the humidifier, characterized in that it is arranged side by side on one side of the water tank inside the water tank. The method of claim 1,
In the decontamination device,
A humidifier comprising a light emitting unit irradiating ultraviolet rays of different intensities. 3. The method of claim 2,
The control unit is
a first sterilization step of irradiating the light emitting unit with ultraviolet rays of a first intensity;
a second sterilization step of irradiating the light emitting unit with ultraviolet rays of a second intensity having an energy greater than the first intensity; and
a third sterilization step of irradiating the light emitting unit with ultraviolet rays of a third intensity having an energy greater than the second intensity;
A humidifier, characterized in that for controlling the decontamination device with any one. 4. The method of claim 3,
The control unit is
When the pollution level measured by the pollution measuring device is A or more, the pollution removing device is controlled to the first sterilization step,
When the pollution level measured by the pollution measuring device is greater than B having a value greater than A, the pollution removal device is controlled to the second sterilization step,
When the pollution level measured by the pollution measuring device is greater than or equal to C having a value greater than B, the humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the pollution removal device is controlled to the third sterilization step. 5. The method of claim 4,
When the pollution level measured by the pollution measurement device is greater than D having a value greater than C, the humidifier further includes a display unit informing that the water tank needs cleaning. delete delete Measure the contamination level of the water contained in the water tank,
The measured contamination level is divided into a plurality of contamination stages and determined,
When it is determined as the first pollution stage, ultraviolet rays of the first intensity are irradiated to the water accommodated in the water tank,
When it is determined that the second pollution level has a greater degree of pollution than the first pollution level, ultraviolet rays of a second intensity having an energy greater than the first intensity are irradiated to the water accommodated in the water tank,
When it is determined that the third pollution step has a greater degree of pollution than the second pollution step, the control method of the humidifier is to irradiate the water accommodated in the water tank with ultraviolet rays of a third intensity having an energy greater than the second intensity. 9. The method of claim 8,
The control method of a humidifier, characterized in that when it is determined that the fourth contamination stage having a greater contamination level than the third contamination stage, the need to clean the water tank is displayed. 9. The method of claim 8,
A control method of a humidifier, characterized in that the measured contamination level is divided into a plurality of contamination stages and determined, and each contamination stage is displayed.

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