KR102383583B1 - Pollution detecting sensor, air cleaning device having the same and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

An air purifier is disclosed. The disclosed air purifier includes: a main body having an inlet through which air is introduced and an outlet through which air is discharged; a filter unit disposed inside the body and purifying polluted air; and a contamination detection sensor disposed adjacent to the filter unit, wherein the contamination detection sensor integrally includes a light emitting unit for irradiating light toward the filter and a light receiving unit for receiving the light emitted from the light emitting unit.

Description

Pollution detection sensor, air purifying device having same, and control method thereof

The present invention relates to a pollution detection sensor, an air purifier having the same, and a control method therefor, and more particularly, to a pollution detection sensor capable of checking the contamination level of a filter, an air purification apparatus having the same, and a control method therefor.

Recently, as air pollution has become more serious in large cities, air purifiers are becoming more popular. Such an air purifier is sold as an air purifier having only an air purifying function, or an air conditioner with the function is included.

In general, an air purifier sucks polluted indoor air, filters dust, odor particles, etc. contained in the air with a filter, and purifies the sucked air into clean air. To this end, the air purifier includes a blower for introducing and purifying ambient air and then discharging the purified air, and a filter for filtering out dust and odor particles contained in the introduced air.

These filters are polluted in the process of performing air purification, and therefore need to be replaced periodically or non-periodically.

However, in such a conventional air purifier, in order to check the degree of contamination of the built-in filter, the filter installed inside the air purifier is drawn out to the outside of the air purifier, and the only method is to visually check the filter. As such, in the conventional air purifier, the process of checking the filter is cumbersome as well as the user has to touch the filter when taking the filter out of the air purifier, so there is a problem in that the user may be exposed to an unsanitary work environment with dirt such as dust on his hand. . In addition, there is a problem in that the dust attached to the filter may be scattered around the user again in a state in which the filter is removed and withdrawn to the outside.

In order to solve this problem, in the prior art, various sensors have been applied to the air purifier to check the replacement time of the filter, and one of them is a pollution sensor using light. In the pollution detection sensor using such light, the light emitting part and the light receiving part were spaced apart from each other at a considerable distance, and for this purpose, each was formed as a separate part.

However, in general, since the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, the conventional contamination detection sensor using light has a long arrangement distance between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, so the contamination measurement sensitivity is low. It was difficult to pinpoint exactly.

In addition, the conventional air purifier measures the contamination level of the filter using either the amount of light received from the light receiving unit or the time the filter is used, and thus it is difficult to accurately determine the contamination level of the filter.

An object of the present invention to solve the above problems is to provide a pollution detection sensor with improved sensitivity, an air purifier having the same, and a control method therefor.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pollution detection sensor with improved pollution level determination ability of a filter, an air purifier having the same, and a control method therefor.

Another object of the present invention is to automatically determine whether or not the filter is replaced and whether the filter is installed correctly and notify the user, and when replacing the filter, the pollution detection sensor is automatically adjusted to match the replaced filter for convenient contamination detection An object of the present invention is to provide a sensor, an air purifier having the same, and a control method therefor.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a body having an inlet through which air is introduced and an outlet through which the air is discharged; a filter unit disposed inside the body and purifying polluted air; and a contamination detection sensor disposed adjacent to the filter unit, wherein the contamination detection sensor is integrally provided with a light emitting unit for irradiating light toward the filter and a light receiving unit for receiving the light irradiated from the light emitting unit. do it with

In this case, the light irradiated from the light emitting unit may be reflected or transmitted by the filter unit and may be directed to the light receiving unit.

In addition, the light emitting unit may be arranged to irradiate light toward a first surface of the filter unit from which contaminants of the air introduced from the inlet are filtered or a second surface opposite to the first surface.

Here, the light receiving unit may be disposed to face the first surface or the second surface of the filter unit.

In particular, the light receiving unit may be disposed to face the same surface as the first or second surface of the filter unit toward which the light emitting unit faces.

In addition, the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit may be arranged in parallel or arranged to form a predetermined angle in a direction facing each other.

In addition, the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit may be arranged to face each other so that the light irradiated from the light emitting unit passes through the filter unit and is received by the light receiving unit.

In addition, the filter unit may include a HEPA filter, and the light emitting unit may radiate visible light toward the HEPA filter.

In addition, the light emitting unit may irradiate infrared, ultraviolet or visible light toward the filter unit.

Moreover, the pollution detection sensor may be provided in plurality.

In addition, the pollution detection sensor may be characterized in that it is attached to or inserted into the body.

In addition, the present invention is a control unit for determining the degree of pollution by receiving the amount of light received by the light receiving unit; and a contamination confirmation unit connected to the control unit so that a user can check the contamination level.

Here, the contamination confirmation unit may be at least one of a display and a speaker.

Moreover, the contamination confirmation unit may be characterized in that the level of contamination of the filter unit is displayed in stages.

In addition, an air purifying apparatus for achieving the object of the present invention includes: a body having an air flow path including an inlet through which air is introduced and an outlet through which the introduced air is discharged; a filter unit disposed on the air passage that enters the inlet and is discharged to the outlet; and a pollution detection sensor in which a light emitting unit irradiating light to the filter unit and a light receiving unit receiving light reflected from the filter unit are integrally formed, wherein the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are a first filter unit corresponding to the inlet. It may be characterized in that the surface or the second surface of the filter unit corresponding to the discharge unit is disposed to face together.

Here, the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit may be disposed in parallel or may be disposed to form a predetermined angle in a direction facing each other.

In addition, the filter unit may include a HEPA filter, and the light may be visible light.

In addition, the pollution detection sensor for achieving the object of the present invention is a housing; a light emitting unit disposed in the housing and irradiating light toward the filter unit; and a light receiving unit disposed in the housing and receiving light reflected by the filter unit or passing through the filter unit; and outputting a different signal corresponding to the degree of contamination of the filter unit according to the amount of light received by the light receiving unit. can be done with

Here, the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit may be disposed to face the same surface with respect to the filter unit or may be disposed with the filter unit interposed therebetween.

Furthermore, the filter unit may include a HEPA filter, and the light irradiated from the light emitting unit may be visible light.

In addition, the pollution detection sensor for achieving the object of the present invention is a housing; a light emitting unit disposed in the housing and irradiating light toward the filter unit; and a light receiving unit disposed in the housing and receiving the light reflected by the filter unit, wherein the light receiving unit outputs a different signal corresponding to the degree of contamination of the filter unit according to the amount of received light, the light emitting unit and the The light receiving units may be arranged in parallel or arranged at a predetermined angle in directions facing each other.

In addition, the present invention is a filter unit mounting step of mounting the filter unit to the air purifier; a sensor adjustment step of adjusting the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the pollution sensor to match the filter unit; counting the usage time of the filter unit; and a pollution degree measurement step of measuring the pollution degree of the filter part, wherein in the pollution degree measurement step, the pollution degree of the filter part is divided into at least two or more steps based on the usage time of the filter part and the amount of light received by the light receiving part. It is possible to achieve the above-mentioned object by providing a control method of an air purifying device.

In this case, the step of measuring the level of pollution may include: a first measurement step of measuring the level of pollution of the filter unit based on the usage time of the filter unit; and a second measuring step of measuring the contamination level of the filter unit based on the amount of light received by the light receiving unit.

Here, the contamination level may be changed only when the amount of light received by the light receiving unit in the second measurement step is greater or less than the boundary light amount serving as the boundary of each contamination step by a predetermined amount of light.

Also, in the step of measuring the level of pollution, the level of pollution of the filter unit may be measured at a predetermined period of time.

In addition, the method further includes a filter unit replacement determining step of determining whether the filter unit has been replaced by measuring the amount of change in the amount of light received by the light receiving unit after the pollution level measurement step, and if the filter unit is not replaced, use the filter unit The step of counting the time may be performed, and when the filter unit is replaced, the pollution detection sensor may be reset.

Here, the step of determining whether to replace the filter unit further comprises the step of determining whether the replaced filter unit is a new filter unit or a filter unit used for a predetermined period based on the amount of light received by the light receiving unit, wherein the replaced filter unit is a new filter In the negative case, the sensor adjustment step is performed, and when the replaced filter unit is a filter unit used for a predetermined period, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is used to determine the amount of time the replaced filter unit has been used, and reflecting this, Counting the usage time of the filter unit may be performed.

Moreover, counting the use time of the filter unit or determining whether to replace the filter unit may be repeatedly performed for a preset time.

In addition, in the sensor adjustment step, when the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is less than the minimum amount of light, the duty of the light emitting unit is increased, and when the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is greater than the maximum amount of light, the duty ( duty) can be reduced.

In addition, a filter unit checking step of determining whether the filter unit is mounted or whether the filter unit is mounted with the wrapping paper removed by the amount of light received by the light receiving unit between the filter unit mounting step and the sensor adjustment step may be further included can

Furthermore, in the filter unit checking step, when the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is less than a preset light amount, it is determined that the filter unit is not mounted, and this may be notified to the user.

In addition, in the filter unit checking step, at least a portion of the filter unit wrapping paper corresponding to the contamination detection sensor is formed in a color lower in brightness than the color contaminated by the filter unit, and the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is greater than a preset light quantity If it is small, it may be determined that the filter unit is installed in a state in which the wrapping paper is not removed, and this may be notified to the user.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing an air purifier according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the pollution detection sensor shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is a combined cross-sectional view of the air purifier taken along line AA shown in FIG. 1 .
4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example in which the position of the pollution detection sensor shown in FIG. 3 is changed.
5 is a cross-sectional view showing an air purifying device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a cross-sectional view showing an air purifying device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example in which the position of the pollution detection sensor shown in FIG. 6 is changed.
8 is a block diagram of a method for controlling an air purifier according to embodiments of the present invention.
9 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an air purifier according to embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating in detail step S200 shown in FIG. 9 .
11 is a flowchart illustrating in detail step S400 shown in FIG. 9 .
12 is a schematic diagram illustrating a range of a pollution degree of a filter unit according to the amount of light received by the light receiving unit.
13 is a flowchart showing in detail the steps below step S421 shown in FIG. 11 .
14 is a flowchart showing in detail the steps below step S431 shown in FIG. 11 .
15 is a flowchart showing in detail steps following step S441 shown in FIG. 11 .
16 is a flowchart illustrating in detail step S500 shown in FIG. 9 .

Hereinafter, embodiments of an air purifier according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, in the following description of the present invention, when it is determined that a detailed description of a related well-known function or component may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description and specific illustration thereof will be omitted. In addition, in order to help understanding of the invention, the accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale, but dimensions of some components may be exaggerated.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the air purifier 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a body 100 , a cover 101 , a filter unit 200 , and a pollution detection sensor 300 .

The main body 100 forms the exterior of the air purifier 1 , and includes a filter mounting part 110 , an internal grill 103 , and an exhaust part 105 .

The cover 101 is mounted on the main body 100 so as to cover the filter unit 200 after the filter unit 200 is mounted on the filter mounting unit 110 . In this case, the cover 101 is detachably mounted on the body 100 so that the filter unit 200 can be replaced, and for this purpose, a connection structure (eg, a coupling protrusion for snap coupling, or a fastening screw, etc.) can be provided.

In addition, the cover 101 is formed with an inlet 102 for introducing external air. Such inlet 102 is made of a plurality of long holes. However, in the present embodiment, the inlet 102 is formed on the cover 101 and is described as being located on the rear side of the main body 100 , but the inlet 102 is formed on the side surface of the cover 101 and of the main body 100 . It is also possible to form on the side or upper surface.

In addition, in FIG. 1 , the inlet 102 is illustrated as having a plurality of long holes disposed at intervals in the vertical direction, but is not limited thereto, and the inlet 102 may be formed of a plurality of circular or polygonal holes, such as The holes may be formed in a regular or irregular arrangement.

In addition, the inlet 102 is preferably distributed in an area approximately corresponding to the area of the filter unit 200 so that the outside air can be filtered using the entire filter unit 200 .

The filter mounting unit 110 is a space in which the filter unit 200 is mounted, and has a size approximately corresponding to the size of the filter unit 200 . In addition, an inner grill 103 is formed on the inner surface 111 of the filter mounting unit 110 .

The internal grill 103 is made of a plurality of through-holes, and the air that has been filtered through the filter unit 200 once again removes contaminants from the air before it goes to the discharge unit 105 . As such, the secondary filtered air passing through the inner grill 103 is discharged to the outside through the discharge unit 105 formed in the body 100 .

The discharge part 105 may be formed of a plurality of through holes or a plurality of long holes similar to the inlet portion 102 . However, although the discharge part 105 is shown as being formed on the upper surface of the main body 100 in FIG. 1 , it is also possible to be formed on the front, rear or side surfaces of the main body 100 .

The filter unit 200 is present on the air passage inside the body 100 through which external air is introduced into the inlet 102 and discharged through the outlet 105, and collects pollutants in the air from the air. Allow only purified air to pass through.

In addition, the filter unit 200 includes a plurality of filters having different functions, such as a pre-filter, a deodorizing filter, and a HEPA filter. However, for convenience of explanation, a HEPA filter among a plurality of filters included in the filter unit 200 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 7 , but the present invention is applicable to other filters other than the HEPA filter. The filter unit 200 needs to be replaced because pollutants are accumulated as the air purifying function is performed.

1 and 2 , the contamination detection sensor 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is disposed adjacent to the filter unit 200 to detect contamination of the filter unit 200 . The pollution detection sensor 300 includes a light emitting unit 311 and a light receiving unit 312 in a housing 321 together. As described above, since the light emitting unit 311 and the light receiving unit 312 are integrally provided in the housing 321 , the distance between the light emitting unit 311 and the light receiving unit 312 can be kept to a minimum unlike in the related art.

In addition, although FIG. 1 shows that two pollution detection sensors 300 are provided for convenience, only one may be provided, or three or more may be provided.

In addition, the pollution detection sensor 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention receives the light reflected from the filter unit 200 to measure the contamination level of the filter unit 200, but the second and third implementations to be described later As an example, it is also possible to measure the degree of contamination of the filter unit 200 by receiving the light passing through the filter unit 200 .

Referring to FIG. 2 , the light emitting unit 311 and the light receiving unit 312 are integrally formed by the housing 321 as described above. Accordingly, the light emitting unit 311 and the light receiving unit 312 are disposed adjacent to each other, and accordingly, the sensitivity of the light receiving unit 312 receiving the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 311 may be improved.

In this case, the light emitting unit 311 and the light receiving unit 312 are disposed to face the same surface of the filter unit 200 . Also, the optical axis 311a of the light emitting unit 311 and the optical axis 312a of the light receiving unit 312 may be disposed to face each other at a predetermined angle α. In this arrangement, a greater amount of light is received by the light receiving unit 312 compared to a case in which the light emitting unit 311 and the light receiving unit 312 are simply arranged in parallel, and thus the sensitivity thereof is improved.

The light emitting unit 311 of the pollution detection sensor 300 arranged as described above irradiates light toward the filter unit 200 , and the light receiving unit 312 receives the light reflected from the filter unit 200 . Most of the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 311 is absorbed while being reflected by the filter unit 200 , and only a portion of the light that is not absorbed is received by the light receiving unit 312 .

At this time, when the contamination level of the filter unit 200 is high, more light is absorbed by the filter unit 200 , so the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 312 is reduced. Since a small amount of light is absorbed by the filter unit 200 , the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 312 increases. In this way, the pollution sensor 300 measures the pollution degree of the filter unit 200 according to the difference in the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 312 .

In addition, the light emitting unit 311 may irradiate any one of infrared rays, ultraviolet rays, and visible rays. However, when measuring the degree of contamination of the HEPA filter among a plurality of filters included in the filter unit 200 , it is preferable that the light emitting unit 311 irradiate visible light with the highest sensitivity to the HEPA filter.

In addition, the light emitting unit 311 may be configured to irradiate infrared rays, and in this case, the manufacturing cost may be lowered compared to the light emitting unit 311 which irradiates visible light.

On the other hand, the light emitting unit 311 and the light receiving unit 312 may be arranged parallel to each other as shown in FIG. 2 . In this case, as the distance between the light emitting unit 311 and the light receiving unit 312 is shorter, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 312 increases. However, in order to prevent the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 311 from being directly received by the light receiving unit 312 according to the scattering of the light from not accurately measuring the contamination level of the filter unit 200 , the light emitting unit 311 and the light receiving unit 312 . ), it is preferable to include a blocking member (not shown) that is formed to protrude by a predetermined length.

Referring to FIG. 3 , in the air purifier 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the pollution sensor 300 is mounted on the inner surface 111 of the filter mounting part 110 formed in the body 100 . In this case, the pollution sensor 300 faces the rear surface 201 of the filter unit corresponding to the discharge unit 105 . Accordingly, the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 311 is reflected by the rear surface 201 of the filter unit disposed toward the discharge unit 105 and received by the light receiving unit 312 .

In addition, in FIG. 3 , the pollution sensor 300 is disposed on the inner surface 111 of the filter mounting unit 110 , but is not limited thereto, and the intermediate point of the inner surface 111 of the filter mounting unit 110 or It is also possible to be disposed at the bottom. In addition, as described above, the contamination detection sensor 300 may be provided in plurality, and may be arranged to have a regular arrangement pattern on the inner surface 111 of the filter mounting unit 110 or may be arranged irregularly.

In addition, the contamination detection sensor 300 may be inserted and fixed in a predetermined fixing groove (not shown) formed on a part of the inner surface 111 of the filter mounting unit 110 . This configuration can help to reduce the thickness of the air purifier (1).

Also, referring to FIG. 4 , in the air purification apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the pollution sensor 300 may be mounted on the cover 101 of the main body 100 .

In this case, the light emitting unit 311 irradiates light from the filter unit 200 toward the front surface 202 corresponding to the inlet 102 , and the irradiated light corresponds to the inlet 102 . Since it is reflected from the front surface 202 of the filter unit 200 and received by the light receiving unit 312 , the contamination level of the filter unit 200 can be measured more accurately compared to the arrangement shown in FIG. 3 . However, in this case, it is preferable to be disposed on a part of the inner surface 301 of the cover 101 that can avoid the inlet 102 so as not to block the inlet 102 formed in the cover 101 to prevent the inflow of air. Do.

In addition, the contamination detection sensor 300 according to the first embodiment described above has an optimal distance preset with respect to the filter unit 200 so that the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 311 can be smoothly received by the light receiving unit 312 . are spaced apart as much as possible.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the contamination detection sensor 400 according to the second embodiment of the present invention receives the light transmitted from the filter unit 200 to measure the contamination level of the filter unit 200 . As in the first embodiment, the pollution detection sensor 400 includes a light emitting unit 411 and a light receiving unit 412 integrally provided in the housing 421 . However, in this case, the light emitting unit 411 and the light receiving unit 412 are disposed to face each other with the filter unit 200 interposed therebetween.

In addition, the light emitting unit 411 may irradiate light toward the front surface 202 of the filter unit 200 corresponding to the inlet unit 102 , and the rear surface of the filter unit 200 corresponding to the discharge unit 105 . It is also possible to irradiate light toward (201). In addition, it is preferable that the optical axis of the light emitting unit 411 and the optical axis of the light receiving unit 412 are arranged on the same straight line (or coaxial).

At this time, the light receiving unit 412 measures the contamination level of the filter unit 200 according to the amount of light emitted from the light emitting unit 411 passes through the filter unit 200 and is received. That is, when the amount of light passing through the filter unit 200 is small, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 412 is also decreased. Conversely, when the amount of light passing through the filter unit 200 is large, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 412 also increases. In this case, it may be determined that the less the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 412 is, the higher the contamination of the filter unit 200 is, and the higher the amount of light received, the lower the contamination of the filter unit 200 is. The light receiving unit 412 transmits a different signal according to the amount of light received to the control unit 600 to be described later.

In addition, the housing 421 of the pollution detection sensor 400 according to the second embodiment of the present invention is approximately 'c' so that the light emitting unit 411 and the light receiving unit 412 face different surfaces of the filter unit 200 . It may have a ruler shape.

The housing 421 may be attached to the upper surface of the filter mounting part 110 of the main body 100 as shown, or may be attached to the lower surface or the side surface of the filter mounting part 110 although not shown. However, the shape of the pollution detection sensor 400 is not limited thereto, and any shape is possible as long as it can receive light transmitted by irradiating light toward the filter unit 200 .

6 and 7, the contamination detection sensor 500 according to the third embodiment of the present invention has a light emitting part ( 511 ) and the light receiving unit 512 are arranged to face each other, and a portion including the edge 203 of the filter unit 200 is arranged to be located in the inner space 522 of the housing 521 . Accordingly, the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 511 passes through the surfaces of the filter unit 200 and is received by the light receiving unit 512 .

The contamination sensor 500 receives the light transmitted from the filter unit 200 by the light receiving unit to measure the contamination level of the filter unit 200 , and in particular, the contamination level of the HEPA filter among the plurality of filters included in the filter unit 200 . suitable for measuring

In this case, the light emitting unit 511 and the light receiving unit 512 are disposed to face each other with some protruding portions of the filter unit 200 interposed therebetween, as shown in FIG. 6 . In this case, the light emitting unit 511 may be disposed on the upper side and below the light receiving unit 512 . Accordingly, the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 511 is received by the light receiving unit 512 after passing through the protruding portion of the filter unit 200 .

On the other hand, it is of course possible to install the light emitting unit 511 and the light receiving unit 512 opposite to the above-described arrangement. That is, the light emitting unit 511 may be disposed on the lower side to radiate light toward the light receiving unit 512 disposed on the upper side.

In addition, the pollution sensor 500 may be disposed on the inner surface 111 of the filter mounting unit 110 as shown in FIG. 6 or may be disposed on the cover 101 as shown in FIG. 7 . At this time, as described above, the pollution detection sensor 500 is preferably disposed avoiding the through hole so as not to block the inlet portion 102 formed in the cover 101 to block the inflow of air.

At this time, the light receiving unit 512 measures the contamination level of the filter unit 200 according to the amount of light emitted from the light emitting unit 511 passes through the filter unit 200 as in the second embodiment.

Also, in the housing 521 of the pollution detection sensor 500 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the light emitting unit 511 and the light receiving unit 512 are different from each other on the filter unit 200 as in the second embodiment. It may be formed in an approximately 'C' shape to face. As described above, the housing 521 may be disposed on the inner surface 111 of the filter mounting unit 110 or may be mounted on the cover 101 . In addition, when mounted on the cover 101, it is preferable to be disposed in a position that does not interfere with the inlet (102).

In addition, when a plurality of pollution detection sensors 300 , 400 , 500 according to the above-described first to third embodiments are provided, one pollution detection sensor 300 , 400 , 500 includes a light emitting unit 311 , The light irradiated from 411 and 511 is disposed at a position where it can be directly received by the light receiving units 312, 412, and 512 without transmitting or reflecting the filter unit 200, so that the reference value of the amount of received light can be determined. there is.

Furthermore, referring to FIG. 8 , the air purification apparatus 1 according to embodiments of the present invention may further include a control unit 600 and a contamination confirmation unit 700 .

The control unit 600 is connected to the above-described pollution detection sensors 300, 400, and 500, and receives signals according to the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312, 412, and 512 from the pollution detection sensors 300, 400, and 500. .

In addition, the control unit 600 compares the signal received from the pollution detection sensors 300 , 400 , and 500 with the boundary value of each contamination step stored in the memory provided in the control unit 600 to determine the degree of contamination of the filter unit 200 . judge Thereafter, the control unit 600 transmits the information on the determined contamination level to the contamination confirmation unit 700 to be described later so that the user can recognize it.

The contamination check unit 700 is connected to the control unit 600 and receives information on the degree of contamination from the control unit 600 . In addition, the contamination confirmation unit 700 determines whether the filter unit 200 is not mounted, whether the filter unit 200 is mounted without being removed, and the usage time of the filter unit 200 in addition to information on the degree of contamination. related information may be transmitted from the control unit 600 to inform the user.

The contamination check unit 700 may be a display 710 through which the user can visually check the level of contamination of the filter unit 200, or a speaker 720 through which the user can visually check the level of contamination of the filter unit 200 . In this case, the display 710 may indicate the level of contamination by step by step numbers or colors, and the speaker 720 may indicate the level of contamination by volume or rhythm.

Also, the contamination check unit 700 may include a display 710 and a speaker 720 to notify the user of the contamination level of the filter unit 200 visually and audibly.

Hereinafter, a process of detecting contamination of the filter unit 200 through the contamination detection sensors 300 , 400 , and 500 according to embodiments of the present invention configured as described above will be sequentially described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 16 . do.

First, referring to FIG. 9 , a user mounts a new filter unit 200 inside the air purifier 1 ( S100 ).

Next, the control unit 600 checks whether the mounted filter unit 200 is correctly mounted (S200).

Specifically, the wrapping paper of the filter unit 200 is formed in a color having a lower brightness than the color when the filter unit 200 is contaminated. At this time, the entire wrapping paper may be formed in a color lower than the color when the filter unit 200 is contaminated, and only the portion corresponding to the pollution detection sensors 300 and 400 is contaminated with the filter unit 200 . It may be formed as a color having a lower brightness than the color in the case of the above-mentioned case. When the filter unit 200 is mounted on the air purifier 1 without removing the wrapping paper, the pollution sensor 500 according to the third embodiment of the present invention is disposed between the grooves formed in the filter unit 500 . There is no problem because the installation of the filter unit 200 itself is impossible because it is disposed in the .

In the case of the pollution detection sensors 300 and 400 according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention, the filter unit 200 is mounted on the air purifier 1 without removing the wrapping paper, and then the air purifier ( If 1) is driven, the pollutants contained in the air cannot be purified smoothly.

Accordingly, when the user mounts the new filter unit 200 inside the air purifier 1, the control unit 600 operates the pollution detection sensors 300 and 400, and accordingly, the light receiving units 312 and 412 Measure the amount of light received. At this time, since the wrapping paper of the filter unit 200 is formed in a color lower in brightness than the color when the filter unit 200 is contaminated, most of the light irradiated from the light emitting units 311 and 411 is of the filter unit 200 . The amount of light absorbed by the wrapping paper and received by the light receiving units 312 and 412 will be very small.

That is, when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 and 412 is less than the preset light amount, the control unit 600 recognizes that the wrapping paper of the filter unit 200 has not been removed, and this through the contamination confirmation unit 700 . You can notify the user.

In addition, in step S200, it can also be checked whether step S100 is omitted.

Specifically, even when the user omits the step of mounting the filter unit 200 to the air purifier 1 and closes the cover 101, as described above, step S200 is carried out and the light emitting units 311, 411, 511) is irradiated with light.

At this time, in the case of the pollution detection sensor 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 311 is reflected by the filter unit 200 so that it can be smoothly received by the light receiving unit 312 . Since the filter unit 200 is spaced apart by a preset optimal distance, when the filter unit 200 is not mounted, the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 311 due to the absence of the filter unit 200 is transmitted to the light receiving unit ( 312), the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 312 will be very small.

On the other hand, in the case of the pollution detection sensors 400 and 500 according to the second and third embodiments of the present invention, when the filter unit 200 is not mounted, the light emitting unit 411 due to the absence of the filter unit 200 . , 511) is directly received by the light receiving units 412 and 512, and the amount of light received by the light receiving units 412 and 512 will be very large.

Accordingly, in step S200 , it may be determined whether the filter unit 200 is mounted on the air purifier 1 , and when the filter unit 200 is not mounted, the user may be informed of this.

Next, the control unit 600 adjusts the pollution detection sensors 300 , 400 , 500 according to the mounted filter unit 200 ( S300 ).

Specifically, referring to FIG. 10 , the light receiving units 312 , 412 , 512 of the contamination detection sensors 300 , 400 , 500 are the light emitting units 311 , 411 , 511 of the contamination detection sensors 300 , 400 , 500 from the The irradiated light is received (S211), and the received light amount is converted into an electrical signal and transmitted to the control unit 600 . The control unit 600 receiving the information on the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 compares it with a preset minimum amount of light ( S212 ).

At this time, when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is less than the minimum amount of light, the amount of light irradiated from the light emitting units 311 , 411 , 511 is insufficient to measure the pollution degree of the filter unit 200 . The duty of the light emitting units 311 , 411 , and 511 is increased ( S215 ). When the duty of the light emitting units 311 , 411 , and 511 is increased, the intensity of light irradiated from the light emitting units 311 , 411 , and 511 is increased. Thereafter, the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 receive the light irradiated from the light emitting units 311 , 411 , and 511 again ( S211 ) to perform step S212 .

On the other hand, when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is greater than the minimum amount of light, it is compared with the maximum amount of light ( S213 ).

In this case, when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is greater than the maximum amount of light, the amount of light irradiated from the light emitting units 311 , 411 , 511 is excessive to measure the pollution degree of the filter unit 200 . Therefore, the duty of the light emitting units 311 , 411 , and 511 is reduced ( S216 ). When the duty of the light emitting units 311 , 411 , and 511 is reduced, the intensity of light irradiated from the light emitting units 311 , 411 , and 511 is reduced. Thereafter, the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 receive the light irradiated from the light emitting units 311 , 411 , and 511 again ( S211 ) to perform step S212 .

On the other hand, when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is less than the maximum amount of light, sensor adjustment is completed ( S214 ).

Then, as the air purifier 1 is driven, the control unit 600 counts the usage time of the filter unit 200 ( S300 ).

Also, the pollution detection sensors 300 , 400 , and 500 start to measure the pollution level of the filter unit 200 ( S400 ). In this case, step S400 is performed in a period of a preset time, preferably, may be performed in a period of 1 hour. In addition, the pollution level may be divided into at least two or more stages and the user may be notified, but hereinafter, for convenience, the pollution level is divided into three levels (high, medium, and low) and limited to those disclosed to the user.

Specifically, referring to FIG. 11 , the light receiving units 312 , 412 , 512 of the contamination detection sensors 300 , 400 , 500 are light emitting units 311 , 411 , 511 of the contamination detection sensors 300 , 400 , 500 from the The irradiated light is received, and the amount of received light is measured (S411). Thereafter, the measured amount of light is converted into an electrical signal and transmitted to the controller 600 .

First, the control unit 600 receiving the information on the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 compares the usage time of the filter unit 200 with the boundary time between the pollution level “medium” and the pollution level “low” (S412). ).

At this time, when the usage time of the filter unit 200 is shorter than the boundary time between the pollution level “medium” and the pollution level “low”, it means that the time of using the filter unit 200 is not long, and accordingly, the light receiving unit 312 , 412 , and 512 ) are compared with the boundary light amounts of “medium” and “low” pollution levels (S414).

At this time, when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is greater than the boundary light amount of “medium” and “low” pollution, the filter unit 200 is still less contaminated and the light emitting units 311, 411, 511 Since it means that a large amount of the irradiated light is reflected or transmitted and received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , 512 , the pollution degree is determined to be “low” ( S420 ). That is, the usage time of the filter unit 200 is shorter than the boundary time between the pollution level “medium” and the pollution level “low”, and the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is the boundary light amount between the pollution level “medium” and the pollution level “low”. If more, the pollution level is determined to be “low.” In addition, this may be notified to the user through the pollution confirmation unit 700 .

On the other hand, when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is less than the boundary light amount of “medium” and “low” pollution, the filter unit 200 is contaminated to some extent and the light emitting units 311 , 411 , 511 . It means that only a certain amount of the irradiated light is reflected or transmitted and received by the light receiving units 312, 412, and 512. It is compared with the boundary light amount in " and pollution degree" (S415).

At this time, if the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is greater than the boundary light quantity between the pollution level “high” and the pollution level “medium”, the filter unit 200 is contaminated only to some extent, and the light-emitting units 311, 411, 511 Since it means that only a certain amount of the irradiated light is reflected or transmitted and received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , 512 , the pollution degree is determined to be “medium” (S430). That is, even if the usage time of the filter unit 200 is shorter than the boundary time between the pollution level “medium” and the pollution level “low”, if the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is within the light amount range of the pollution level “medium”, the pollution degree It is determined as “medium”. In addition, this may be notified to the user through the contamination confirmation unit 700 .

On the other hand, when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is less than the boundary light quantity between the pollution level “high” and the pollution level “medium”, the filter unit 200 is very contaminated and the light emitting units 311, 411, 511 Since most of the irradiated light is absorbed by the filter unit 200 and almost no light is received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , 512 , the pollution level is determined as “upper” ( S440 ). That is, even if the usage time of the filter unit 200 is shorter than the boundary time between the pollution degree "medium" and the pollution degree "lower", if the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , 512 is within the light amount range of the pollution degree "upper", the pollution degree "Award" is determined. In addition, this may be notified to the user through the contamination confirmation unit 700 .

On the other hand, when the usage time of the filter unit 200 is longer than the boundary time between the pollution level “medium” and the pollution level “low”, it means that the time of using the filter unit 200 has elapsed to some extent, and accordingly, the filter unit 200 ) is compared with the boundary times of "high" and "medium" pollution levels (S413).

At this time, when the usage time of the filter unit 200 is longer than the boundary time between the pollution level “high” and the pollution level “medium”, it means that the time using the filter unit 200 has passed considerably, so the level of pollution is determined as “high” (S440). That is, if the usage time of the filter unit 200 is in the range of the pollution degree "upper", the pollution degree is determined to be "upper" regardless of the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 . In addition, this may be notified to the user through the contamination confirmation unit 700 .

On the other hand, when the usage time of the filter unit 200 is shorter than the boundary time between the pollution level “high” and the pollution level “medium”, it means that the time of using the filter unit 200 has passed to some extent, and for more specific determination of the level of pollution, , compares the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 with the boundary light amount of “high” and “medium” pollution levels (S415). Thereafter, since the determination in step S415 and the determination thereof are as described above, a detailed description thereof will be omitted, and the result will be briefly described. , even if the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is within the light quantity range of “medium” or “low” pollution, the pollution degree is determined to be “medium”, and the usage time of the filter unit 200 is “medium”. Even if it is within the time range of , if the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , 512 is within the light amount range of the pollution degree “upper”, the pollution degree is determined to be “upper”. In addition, this may be notified to the user through the contamination confirmation unit 700 .

As described above, the air purifier 1 according to the embodiments of the present invention considers both the usage time of the filter unit 200 and the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 filter unit 200 . Since the degree of contamination of the filter unit 200 is measured, the degree of contamination of the filter unit 200 can be measured more accurately.

Also, referring to FIG. 12 , when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is at the boundary between the pollution level “medium” and the pollution level “low”, pulse width modulation in the light emitting units 311 , 411 , 511 (Pulse width modulation, hereinafter referred to as "PWM".) By irradiation of light, the amount of light measured by the light receiving units 312, 412, and 512 varies within a predetermined range as indicated by arrow B. In this case, since the contamination level of the filter unit 200 notified to the user through the contamination confirmation unit 700 is continuously changed to “medium” and “low”, the user cannot accurately recognize it, so the embodiment of the present invention When the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is at the boundary of each contamination stage, the control unit 600 performs an additional control step.

Specifically, referring to FIGS. 12 and 13 , when the pollution degree determined based on the usage time of the filter unit 200 in the control unit 600 and the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , 512 is “low” ( S420), the control unit 600 compares the light quantity received by the light receiving units 312, 412, 512 with the lower limit light quantity C of the light quantity range of "lower" pollution degree (S421). At this time, when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312, 412, and 512 is greater than the lower limit light amount C of the light intensity range of the pollution degree "lower", the control unit 600 maintains the pollution degree at "low" (S422), Only in this case, the pollution level is changed to “medium” (S423). In addition, this may be notified to the user through the contamination confirmation unit 700 . When the degree of contamination is determined in this way, a step (S500) of determining whether to replace the filter unit 200 is performed.

In addition, referring to FIGS. 12 and 14 , when the pollution degree determined based on the usage time of the filter unit 200 by the control unit 600 and the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , 512 is “medium” (S430) ), the control unit 600 compares the light quantity received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 with the upper limit light quantity D of the light quantity range of “medium” pollution degree (S431). At this time, when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312, 412, and 512 is greater than the upper limit light amount D of the light amount range of the pollution degree "medium", the control unit 600 changes the pollution degree to "lower" (S434), and also , this may be notified to the user through the contamination confirmation unit 700 . However, if the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312, 412, 512 is less than the upper limit light amount (D) of the light intensity range of “medium” pollution, the step of comparing with the lower limit light amount (E) of the light intensity range of “medium” pollution is performed (S432).

Next, when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312, 412, 512 is greater than the lower limit light amount E of the light intensity range of the "medium" pollution degree, the pollution degree is maintained at "medium" (S433), but when the pollution degree is "medium", the pollution degree is " up" (S435). In addition, this may be notified to the user through the contamination confirmation unit 700 . When the degree of contamination is determined in this way, a step (S500) of determining whether to replace the filter unit 200 is performed.

In addition, referring to FIGS. 12 and 15 , when the pollution degree determined based on the usage time of the filter unit 200 in the control unit 600 and the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , 512 is “upper” (S440) ), the control unit 600 compares the light quantity received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 with the upper limit light quantity F of the light quantity range of the pollution degree "upper" (S441). At this time, when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is greater than the upper limit light amount F of the light intensity range of the pollution degree "upper", the control unit 600 changes the pollution degree to "medium" (S443), and less In this case, the contamination level is maintained at “phase” (S442). In addition, this may be notified to the user through the contamination confirmation unit 700 . When the degree of contamination is determined in this way, a step (S500) of determining whether to replace the filter unit 200 is performed.

Next, the control unit 600 performs a step of determining whether to replace the filter unit 200 (S500).

Specifically, referring to FIG. 16 , the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 repeat the process of converting the received light amount information into an electrical signal and transmitting it to the control unit 600 , and the light receiving units 312 , 412 , 512 . The control unit 600, which has received the information on the amount of light from the , stores this information and measures the amount of change in the amount of light received by the light receivers 312, 412, and 512 based on the difference in the received amount of light (S511).

Next, the control unit 600 compares the amount of change in the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 with a preset reference amount of change ( S512 ). Here, the preset reference change amount is an amount by which the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is changed as the filter unit 200 is usually contaminated. Specifically, when using the contaminated filter unit 200 and replacing it with a new filter unit 200, the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312, 412, 512 suddenly increases from a very small amount. It is determined whether the filter unit 200 has been replaced.

At this time, when the amount of change in the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is smaller than the preset reference change amount, it is determined that the filter unit 200 is continuously used without replacing the filter unit 200 , and the usage time of the filter unit 200 . It goes to the step of counting (S300).

On the other hand, if the amount of change in the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is greater than the preset reference change amount, it is determined that the filter unit 200 has been replaced, and the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , 512 and A step (S513) of comparing the amount of light received by the new filter unit 200 set in advance is performed. Here, the predetermined amount of light received by the new filter unit 200 is reflected by the new filter unit 200 in which the light irradiated from the light emitting units 311, 411, and 511 is not contaminated or passes through the new filter unit 200 that is not contaminated. Then, the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is greater than the amount reflected by the contaminated filter unit 200 or received through the contaminated filter unit 200 .

At this time, if the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , 512 is greater than or equal to the amount of light received by the new filter unit 200 set in advance, it is determined that the new filter unit 200 is mounted, and the filter unit 200 is In accordance with the step (S200) of adjusting the pollution detection sensor 300 proceeds.

On the other hand, when the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 is smaller than the previously set light receiving amount of the new filter unit 200 , it is determined that the used filter unit 200 used for a predetermined time is mounted, and the light receiving unit 312 . , 412 , and 512 , the amount of light received by the filter unit 200 is estimated using the amount of light received. Thereafter, by reflecting the time estimated in this way, counting the usage time of the filter unit 200 ( S300 ) is performed.

As described above, in the pollution detection sensors 300, 400, and 500 of the present invention, the light emitting units 311, 411, 511 and the light receiving units 312, 412, 512 are integrally formed so as to be located at a close distance, so that light is emitted. The sensitivity of the light receiving units 312 , 412 , and 512 for receiving the light irradiated from the units 311 , 411 , and 511 is good, and accordingly, the degree of contamination of the filter unit 200 can be measured more accurately.

In addition, since the present invention measures the degree of contamination in consideration of both the usage time of the filter unit 200 and the amount of light received by the light receiving units 312, 412, 512, it is possible to measure the level of contamination more accurately, and By automatically determining whether readjustment, replacement of the filter unit, and whether the mounted filter unit is properly mounted, the user is informed of this, thereby providing convenience in use.

As described above, although the present invention has been described with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the technical spirit of the present invention and the following by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Of course, various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of equivalents of the claims to be described.

100; body 200; filter unit
300, 400, 500; pollution detection sensors 311, 411, 511; light emitting part
312, 412, 512; light receiving unit 600; control
710; display 720; speaker

Claims (32)

a body having an inlet through which air is introduced and an outlet through which air is discharged;
a filter unit disposed inside the body and purifying polluted air;
a pollution sensor disposed adjacent to the filter unit and integrally provided with a light emitting unit for irradiating light toward the filter unit and a light receiving unit for receiving the light irradiated from the light emitting unit;
The use time of the filter unit is compared with the boundary time of each contamination stage, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is compared with the boundary light quantity that is the boundary of each contamination stage to determine the degree of contamination, and the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is the a control unit that changes the contamination level only when the amount of light is greater or less than the threshold light amount by a predetermined amount; and
The air purification device including a; a pollution check unit connected to the control unit to display the level of pollution by a user step by step. According to claim 1,
The light irradiated from the light emitting unit is reflected or transmitted by the filter unit and is directed toward the light receiving unit. According to claim 1,
The light emitting unit is an air purifying device, characterized in that it is arranged to irradiate light toward a first surface of the filter unit or a second surface opposite to the first surface from which contaminants of the air introduced from the inlet are filtered. 4. The method of claim 3,
The light receiving part is an air purifier, characterized in that it is arranged to face the first surface or the second surface of the filter part. 4. The method of claim 3,
The light receiving unit is an air purifier, characterized in that it is arranged to face the same side as the first surface or the second surface of the filter unit toward which the light emitting unit faces. 6. The method of claim 5,
The light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are arranged in parallel or arranged so as to form a predetermined angle in a direction facing each other. According to claim 1,
The light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are arranged to face each other so that the light irradiated from the light emitting unit passes through the filter unit and is received by the light receiving unit. According to claim 1,
The filter unit includes a HEPA filter,
The light emitting unit is an air purifier, characterized in that for irradiating visible light toward the HEPA filter. According to claim 1,
The light emitting unit air purifying device, characterized in that for irradiating infrared, ultraviolet or visible light toward the filter unit. According to claim 1,
The air purifying device, characterized in that provided with a plurality of the pollution detection sensor. According to claim 1,
The pollution detection sensor is an air purification device, characterized in that attached to or inserted into the body. delete According to claim 1,
The air purifying device, characterized in that the contamination check unit is at least one of a display and a speaker. delete a body having an air passage including an inlet through which air is introduced and an outlet through which the introduced air is discharged;
a filter unit disposed on the air passage that enters the inlet and is discharged to the outlet;
a pollution detection sensor in which a light emitting unit irradiating light to the filter unit and a light receiving unit receiving light reflected from the filter unit are integrally formed;
The use time of the filter unit is compared with the boundary time of each contamination stage, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is compared with the boundary light quantity that is the boundary of each contamination stage to determine the degree of contamination, and the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is the a control unit that changes the contamination level only when the amount of light is greater or less than the threshold light amount by a predetermined amount; and
Containing a contamination confirmation unit connected to the control unit to display the level of contamination by the user step by step;
The light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are air purifier, characterized in that the air purifier is arranged to face the first surface of the filter unit corresponding to the inlet portion or the second surface of the filter unit corresponding to the discharge unit. 16. The method of claim 15,
The light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are arranged in parallel or arranged so as to form a predetermined angle in a direction facing each other. 16. The method of claim 15,
The filter unit includes a HEPA filter,
The light is an air purifier, characterized in that the visible light. delete delete delete housing;
a light emitting unit disposed in the housing and irradiating light toward the filter unit;
a light receiving unit disposed in the housing and receiving light reflected from the filter unit;
The use time of the filter unit is compared with the boundary time of each contamination stage, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is compared with the boundary light quantity that is the boundary of each contamination stage to determine the degree of contamination, and the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is the a control unit that changes the contamination level only when the amount of light is greater or less than the threshold light amount by a predetermined amount; and
Containing a contamination confirmation unit connected to the control unit to display the level of contamination by the user step by step;
The light receiving unit outputs a different signal corresponding to the degree of contamination of the filter unit according to the amount of light received,
The light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are arranged in parallel or arranged so as to form a predetermined angle in a direction facing each other. A filter unit mounting step of mounting the filter unit to the air purifier;
a sensor adjustment step of adjusting the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the pollution sensor to match the filter unit;
counting the usage time of the filter unit; and
Containing a pollution degree measuring step of measuring the pollution degree of the filter part;
In the pollution level measurement step, the level of pollution of the filter unit is divided into at least two or more stages based on the usage time of the filter unit and the amount of light received by the light receiving unit,
The pollution level measurement step is,
a first measuring step of measuring the degree of contamination of the filter unit by comparing the use time of the filter unit with a boundary time serving as a boundary of each contamination step; and
Comprising a second measuring step of measuring the contamination level of the filter unit by comparing the amount of light received by the light receiving unit with the boundary light amount serving as a boundary of each contamination step,
The control method of an air purifier, characterized in that the pollution step is changed only when the amount of light received by the light receiving unit in the second measuring step is greater or less than the boundary light amount by a predetermined amount. delete delete 23. The method of claim 22,
The control method of an air purifier, characterized in that in the step of measuring the pollution level, the pollution level of the filter unit is measured at a predetermined period of time. 23. The method of claim 22,
Further comprising a filter unit replacement determination step of determining whether the filter unit has been replaced by measuring the amount of change in the amount of light received by the light receiving unit after the pollution level measurement step,
When the filter unit is not replaced, counting the use time of the filter unit is performed,
The control method of an air purifier, characterized in that resetting the pollution detection sensor when the filter unit is replaced. 27. The method of claim 26,
The determining whether to replace the filter unit further includes the step of determining whether the replaced filter unit is a new filter unit or a filter unit used for a predetermined period based on the amount of light received by the light receiving unit,
When the replaced filter unit is a new filter unit, the sensor adjustment step is performed,
When the replaced filter unit is a filter unit used for a predetermined period, determining the time the replaced filter unit has been used using the amount of light received by the light receiving unit, reflecting this, and counting the usage time of the filter unit A control method of an air purifier, characterized in that. 27. The method of claim 26,
Counting the usage time of the filter unit or determining whether to replace the filter unit is repeatedly performed for a preset time. 23. The method of claim 22,
In the sensor adjustment step,
When the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is less than the minimum amount of light, the duty (duty) of the light emitting unit is increased,
When the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is greater than the maximum amount of light, the duty of the light emitting unit is reduced. 23. The method of claim 22,
Between the filter unit mounting step and the sensor adjustment step, the filter unit checking step of determining whether the filter unit is mounted or whether the filter unit is mounted with the wrapping paper removed by the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is further included. A control method of an air purifying device. 31. The method of claim 30,
In the filter unit checking step, when the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is less than a preset light amount, it is determined that the filter unit is not mounted, and the user is notified of this. 32. The method of claim 31,
In the filter unit confirmation step,
At least a portion corresponding to the contamination detection sensor of the wrapping paper of the filter unit is formed in a color lower in brightness than the color in which the filter unit is contaminated,
When the amount of light received by the light receiving unit is less than a preset light amount, it is determined that the filter unit is installed in a state in which the wrapping paper is not removed, and this is notified to the user.

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