Functional substance generating device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a functional material generating device capable of reducing the volume of discharge sound as required. A functional substance generation device (E1) according to the present disclosure is provided with a discharge electrode (21), a voltage application circuit (11), and a signal input unit (14). The voltage application circuit (11) applies an application voltage (Vo) to the discharge electrode (21), causes the discharge electrode (21) to discharge, and generates a functional substance by adjusting a discharge current (Io), which is a current flowing through the discharge electrode (21). A signal input unit (14) receives a first control signal (Y1) and a second control signal (Y2) for controlling the operation of a voltage application circuit (11). The voltage application circuit (11) controls the generation amount of the functional substance and the discharge sound on the basis of the first control signal (Y1) and the second control signal (Y2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a functional substance producing device. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as described in Patent Document 1, a functional substance generating device is provided that includes a discharge electrode, a counter electrode, and a voltage application circuit. The discharge electrode and the counter electrode are arranged facing each other, and the discharge electrode holds a liquid. The voltage application circuit applies a voltage between the discharge electrode and the counter electrode, causing a discharge between the two electrodes. This discharge electrostatically atomizes the liquid held by the discharge electrode.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-89697 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] In a functional substance generating device, discharge electrodes produce a discharge sound when discharging. Furthermore, people near the functional substance generating device may notice the discharge sound and feel annoyed. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the volume of the discharge sound in functional substance generating devices as needed.

[0008] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a functional substance producing device capable of reducing the volume of discharge sound as needed.

[0009] Solutions for solving problems

[0010] A functional substance generating device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a discharge electrode, a voltage application circuit, and a signal input unit. The voltage application circuit applies a voltage to the discharge electrode, causing it to discharge, and produces the functional substance by adjusting the current flowing through the discharge electrode, i.e., the discharge current. The signal input unit receives a control signal for controlling the operation of the voltage application circuit. Based on the control signal, the voltage application circuit controls the amount of functional substance produced.

[0011] Effects of the Invention

[0012] The present disclosure has an effect of being able to reduce the volume of discharge sound as needed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an air-conditioning system including a functional substance producing device according to an embodiment.

[0014] Figure 2 It is a partial cross-sectional view showing a vehicle using the air conditioning system according to the embodiment.

[0015] Figure 3 It is a perspective view showing a vehicle cabin in the embodiment.

[0016] Figure 4A This is a graph showing the relationship between the discharge current and the amount of functional substance produced in the functional substance producing device according to the embodiment.

[0017] Figure 4B This is a graph showing the relationship between discharge current and discharge sound in the functional material producing device according to the embodiment.

[0018] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a discharge sound volume adjustment process in the functional material producing device according to the embodiment.

[0019] Figure 6 This is a block diagram of an air conditioning system including a functional substance producing device according to a first modification.

[0020] Figure 7 This is a flowchart showing a discharge sound volume adjustment process in the functional material producing device according to the first modification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The embodiments generally relate to a functional substance producing device. More specifically, the embodiments relate to a functional substance producing device that generates discharge at a discharge electrode.

[0022] Hereinafter, the functional substance producing device according to the embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings described in the following embodiments are schematic diagrams, and the size and thickness ratios of the components do not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratios.

[0023] The embodiment described below is merely an example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiment, and various modifications can be made according to design and the like as long as the effects of the present disclosure can be achieved.

[0024] (Implementation Method)

[0025] (1) Summary

[0026] The functional substance production device disclosed herein can be applied to devices or systems aimed at improving air quality (e.g., sterilization, deodorization, moisturizing, preservation, and virus inactivation), suppressing harmful substances, and beautifying the skin. Specifically, the functional substance production device disclosed herein can be applied to various air conditioning systems for vehicles, homes, and businesses, air purifiers, and beauty equipment.

[0027] Reference Figure 1 The outline of the functional substance producing apparatus E1 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an air-conditioning system E10 including the functional substance producing apparatus E1 according to the embodiment.

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, the functional substance generating apparatus E1 according to this embodiment includes a voltage applying apparatus 1 and a load 2 .

[0029] The voltage application device 1 includes a voltage application circuit 11 and a signal input unit 14. The voltage application circuit 11 applies an applied voltage Vo, which is a voltage for generating discharge, to the load 2. The signal input unit 14 receives a first control signal Y1 and a second control signal Y2 as control signals for controlling the operation of the voltage application circuit 11.

[0030] The load 2 includes a discharge electrode 21 and a counter electrode 22. The counter electrode 22 is arranged to face the discharge electrode 21 with a gap therebetween. In other words, the discharge electrode 21 is arranged to face the counter electrode 22. In the load 2, a voltage Vo is applied between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22, causing a discharge to occur between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22. This causes a discharge current Io to flow between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22. In other words, the discharge current Io flows through both the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22.

[0031] As described above, the functional substance generating device E1 according to this embodiment includes a voltage application circuit 11, a signal input unit 14, and a discharge electrode 21 as its minimum components. In addition to the voltage application circuit 11, the signal input unit 14, and the discharge electrode 21, the functional substance generating device E1 may also include other components. These other components include a counter electrode 22, a liquid supply unit 3, a detection circuit 12, a power supply unit 13, and a signal generator 4.

[0032] In the functional substance producing apparatus E1 according to this embodiment, the liquid supply unit 3 has the function of supplying liquid L1 to the discharge electrode 21. The discharge electrode 21 holds the liquid L1 supplied from the liquid supply unit 3. The state in which the discharge electrode 21 holds the liquid L1 refers to, for example, a state in which the liquid L1 adheres to the surface of the discharge electrode 21. When the voltage application circuit 11 applies an applied voltage Vo between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22 while the discharge electrode 21 holds the liquid L1, a discharge occurs between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22, and the liquid L1 held by the discharge electrode 21 is electrostatically atomized by the discharge. In other words, the functional substance producing apparatus E1 according to this embodiment constitutes a so-called electrostatic atomization device. In the functional substance producing apparatus E1, the discharge between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22 electrostatically atomizes the liquid L1 held by the discharge electrode 21. In this embodiment, the liquid L1 held by the discharge electrode 21, that is, the liquid L1 to be electrostatically atomized, is simply referred to as "liquid L1."

[0033] The voltage application circuit 11 is electrically connected to the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22. Specifically, the counter electrode 22 is electrically connected to the positive (e.g., positive) output terminal of the voltage application circuit 11, and the discharge electrode 21 is electrically connected to the negative (e.g., ground) output terminal of the voltage application circuit 11. The voltage application circuit 11 applies an applied voltage Vo between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22 to cause a discharge between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22. In particular, in this embodiment, it is preferred that the voltage application circuit 11 intermittently cause the discharge by varying the magnitude of the applied voltage Vo.

[0034] Moreover, the functional substance generating device E1 generates free radicals by causing discharge between the discharge electrode 21 and the opposing electrode 22, and electrostatically atomizes the liquid L1 held by the discharge electrode 21. Then, the functional substance generating device E1 generates nano-sized charged microparticle liquid (for example, charged microparticle water) containing free radicals in the fine droplets of the electrostatically atomized liquid L1. That is, the functional substance generating device E1 functions as a charged microparticle liquid generating device. Free radicals are not limited to groups that play a useful role in sterilization, deodorization, moisturizing, preservation, and virus inactivation, but are groups that play a useful role in a variety of scenarios. Hereinafter, free radicals and charged microparticle liquids are sometimes collectively referred to as functional substances. In addition, functional substances also include air ions described later.

[0035] Furthermore, the functional substance generating device E1 generates a charged microparticle liquid containing free radicals, thereby extending the lifespan of the free radicals compared to when the free radicals are released into the air as a single entity. Furthermore, the charged microparticle liquid is, for example, nanosized, which allows the charged microparticle liquid to be suspended over a relatively wide range.

[0036] The functional substance producing device E1 having the above-described structure can adjust the amount of functional substance produced by adjusting the power supplied to the load 2 (specifically, the discharge current Io and the applied voltage Vo). For example, when the power supplied to the load 2 increases, the amount of functional substance produced increases. When the power supplied to the load 2 decreases, the amount of functional substance produced decreases. Moreover, when a discharge occurs between the discharge electrode 21 and the opposing electrode 22 of the load 2, a sound, i.e., a discharge sound, is generated by the discharge. Moreover, when the power supplied to the load 2 increases, the volume of the discharge sound increases. When the power supplied to the load 2 decreases, the volume of the discharge sound decreases. In other words, when the amount of functional substance produced increases, the volume of the discharge sound increases. When the amount of functional substance produced decreases, the volume of the discharge sound decreases.

[0037] People around the functional substance generating apparatus E1 may notice the discharge sound produced by the functional substance generating apparatus E1 and feel annoyed. Therefore, the functional substance generating apparatus E1 of this embodiment has the following configuration to reduce the volume of the discharge sound as needed.

[0038] The functional substance generating device E1 includes a discharge electrode 21, a voltage application circuit 11, and a signal input unit 14. The voltage application circuit 11 applies a voltage Vo to the discharge electrode 21, causing discharge at the discharge electrode 21. This voltage application circuit 11 regulates the discharge current Io flowing through the discharge electrode 21, thereby generating the functional substance. The signal input unit 14 receives control signals (Y1, Y2) for controlling the operation of the voltage application circuit 11. The voltage application circuit 11 controls the amount of functional substance generated based on the control signals (Y1, Y2).

[0039] The functional substance generating device E1 having the above-described structure can reduce the volume of the discharge sound by suppressing the amount of functional substance generated when achieving quietness through the control signals (Y1, Y2). In other words, the functional substance generating device E1 can reduce the volume of the discharge sound as needed.

[0040] (2) Details

[0041] Next, refer to Figure 1-Figure 5 The functional substance producing apparatus E1 according to this embodiment and the air conditioning system E10 including the functional substance producing apparatus E1 will be described in detail.

[0042] (2.1) Air conditioning system

[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, the air-conditioning system E10 according to the present embodiment includes a functional substance producing device E1 , an air-conditioning device 5 , and an operating unit 6 . Figure 2 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a vehicle using the air conditioning system E10 according to the embodiment. Figure 3 : is a perspective view showing the cabin of the vehicle C1 in the embodiment. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the air conditioning system E10 is used in a vehicle C1. The vehicle C1 is a car driven by a person, a passenger car, a large vehicle such as a truck or a bus, a train, an electric vehicle, or a construction machine.

[0044] like Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle C1 includes a vehicle body 91, a vehicle interior 92, an instrument panel 93, a plurality of seats 94, an equipment room 95, and an air duct 96. The vehicle C1 corresponds to a target space to which the functional substance is supplied.

[0045] The vehicle body 91 forms the outer shell of the vehicle C1. A passenger compartment 92, serving as a space for passengers, is formed within the vehicle body 91. Multiple seats 94, including a driver's seat and a passenger seat, are arranged within the passenger compartment 92. A steering wheel and an instrument panel 93, which houses various instruments, are mounted at the front of the passenger compartment 92. An equipment compartment 95 is formed at the front of the vehicle body 91, separated from the passenger compartment 92 by the instrument panel 93 and other components. The functional substance producing device E1 and the air conditioner 5 are housed within the equipment compartment 95. An air duct 96 is formed into a cylindrical shape, extending from the air conditioner 5 to the instrument panel 93. Air blown out of the air conditioner 5 flows through the air duct 96. The air flowing through the air duct 96 is blown out into the passenger compartment 92 from an outlet 96a at the end of the air duct 96. In other words, the air blown out of the air conditioner 5 flows through the air duct 96 and is delivered into the passenger compartment 92 from the outlet 96a.

[0046] The air conditioning device 5 performs both air conditioning and ventilation operations. Air conditioning generates conditioned air using air inside the vehicle C1 or outside air, and delivers the conditioned air from the outlet 96a via the air duct 96 into the vehicle interior 92. Ventilation delivers outside air from the outlet 96a via the air duct 96 into the vehicle interior 92. Conditioned air is air whose temperature and humidity have been adjusted, and examples of conditioned air include cooling, heating, dehumidified air, and humidified air.

[0047] The functional substance generating device E1 generates a functional substance and delivers the functional substance to the air duct 96. The functional substance is contained in the air supplied from the air conditioning device 5 within the air duct 96, flows along with the air within the air duct 96, and is delivered into the vehicle interior 92 from the air outlet 96a. In other words, when the functional substance generating device E1 is in operation, the air supplied from the air conditioning device 5 contains the functional substance, and the air containing the functional substance is delivered into the vehicle interior 92.

[0048] The operating unit 6 is provided on the instrument panel 93 (see Figure 3 ). The operating unit 6 has, for example, a touch panel display. The operating unit 6 accepts operations performed by a person. Examples of human operations include settings for various actions of the air-conditioning device 5 and the functional substance generating device E1. The action settings of the air-conditioning device 5 include switching between operation and stop of the air-conditioning device 5, switching between cold air operation and warm air operation, temperature setting, air volume setting, and switching between internal air ventilation and external air ventilation. The action settings of the functional substance generating device E1 include switching between operation and stop of the functional substance generating device E1, setting of the amount of functional substance generated, and setting of the action mode of the functional substance generating device E1 described later. In addition, the operating unit 6 may also have a microphone, etc., and have a voice input function for accepting voices uttered by a person.

[0049] As described above, when the functional substance generating device E1 generates functional substances and the air containing the functional substances is sent into the vehicle cabin 92, the functional substances achieve useful effects such as sterilization, deodorization, moisturizing, preservation, and virus inactivation in the vehicle cabin 92.

[0050] (2.2) Functional substance production device

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, the functional substance producing device E1 includes a voltage applying device 1 , a load 2 , a liquid supply unit 3 , and a signal generating unit 4 .

[0052] (2.2.1) Load

[0053] The load 2 includes a discharge electrode 21 and a counter electrode 22. The discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22 are arranged to face each other.

[0054] The discharge electrode 21 is a rod-shaped electrode. The discharge electrode 21 is formed into a rod-shaped shape with a circular cross-section, and its cross-sectional area tapers as it approaches the tip of the discharge electrode 21. In other words, the discharge electrode 21 is a needle electrode with a tapered tip. The term "tapered shape" is not limited to a sharp tip; it also includes a rounded tip.

[0055] The counter electrode 22 is positioned so as to face the front end of the discharge electrode 21. The counter electrode 22 is, for example, a flat plate with a recess 221 formed approximately in the center. The recess 221 is formed into a truncated cone shape by recessing the approximate center of the counter electrode 22 toward the discharge electrode 21. Furthermore, a truncated cone-shaped (for example, dome-shaped) protrusion is formed in the center of the bottom wall of the recess 221, protruding toward the side opposite the discharge electrode 21.

[0056] The thickness direction of the counter electrode 22 (i.e., the concave direction of the recessed portion 221) coincides with the longitudinal direction of the discharge electrode 21. Furthermore, when viewed from above (i.e., viewed from the thickness direction of the counter electrode 22), the tip of the discharge electrode 21 is located near the center of the recessed portion 221 of the counter electrode 22. Furthermore, a gap (i.e., space) is maintained between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22. In other words, the counter electrode 22 is arranged to face the discharge electrode 21 with the gap therebetween, thereby being spatially separated from the discharge electrode 21.

[0057] (2.2.2) Liquid supply unit

[0058] The liquid supply unit 3 supplies liquid L1 for electrostatic atomization to the discharge electrode 21. As an example, the liquid supply unit 3 is implemented using a Peltier element. The liquid supply unit 3 cools the discharge electrode 21, causing condensed water to form on the discharge electrode 21 as liquid L1. In other words, moisture in the air condenses and adheres to the surface of the discharge electrode 21 as condensed water. This condensed water is retained on the discharge electrode 21 as liquid L1. In this structure, the liquid supply unit 3 can use moisture in the air to supply liquid L1 (i.e., condensed water) to the discharge electrode 21, eliminating the need to supply and replenish liquid to the functional substance generating device E1.

[0059] (2.2.3) Voltage application device

[0060] The voltage applying device 1 includes a voltage applying circuit 11 , a detection circuit 12 , a power supply unit 13 , and a signal input unit 14 .

[0061] like Figure 1As shown, the voltage application circuit 11 has a driving circuit 111 and a voltage generating circuit 112. The driving circuit 111 is a circuit that drives the voltage generating circuit 112. The voltage generating circuit 112 is a circuit that receives power supply from the power supply unit 13 and generates a voltage applied to the load 2, namely, an applied voltage Vo. The power supply unit 13 is, for example, a power supply circuit that generates a DC voltage of several V to several tens of V. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 13 is described as a component included in the voltage application device 1, but the power supply unit 13 may not be included in the component of the voltage application device 1. The voltage generating circuit 112 generates the applied voltage Vo by periodically boosting the input voltage from the power supply unit 13, and applies the applied voltage Vo to the load 2.

[0062] The voltage application circuit 11 is electrically connected to the load 2 (strictly speaking, the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22). The voltage application circuit 11 applies a periodically varying applied voltage Vo to the load 2. For example, the voltage application circuit 11 sets the discharge electrode 21 to a negative electrode (e.g., ground) and the counter electrode 22 to a positive electrode (e.g., positive), and applies the applied voltage Vo between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22.

[0063] In this embodiment, the voltage applying circuit 11 operates based on the monitoring target of the detection circuit 12. The "monitoring target" here refers to the applied voltage Vo output by the voltage applying circuit 11 and the discharge current Io output by the voltage applying circuit 11.

[0064] like Figure 1 As shown, the detection circuit 12 has a voltage detection circuit 121 and a current detection circuit 122. The voltage detection circuit 121 monitors the applied voltage Vo of the voltage application circuit 11 to detect the magnitude (i.e., voltage value) of the applied voltage Vo. The voltage detection circuit 121 then outputs a voltage detection signal Yv containing data on the detection value of the applied voltage Vo to the drive circuit 111 of the voltage application circuit 11. The current detection circuit 122 monitors the discharge current Io output by the voltage application circuit 11 to detect the magnitude (i.e., current value) of the discharge current Io. The current detection circuit 122 then outputs a current detection signal Yi containing data on the detection value of the discharge current Io to the drive circuit 111 of the voltage application circuit 11. The drive circuit 111 drives the voltage generation circuit 112 based on the voltage detection signal Yv and the current detection signal Yi, and controls the applied voltage Vo and the discharge current Io.

[0065] Furthermore, there is a correlation between the applied voltage Vo (i.e., the secondary-side voltage) output by the voltage generating circuit 112 and the input voltage (i.e., the primary-side voltage) of the voltage generating circuit 112. Therefore, the voltage detecting circuit 121 can also indirectly detect the applied voltage Vo based on the input voltage. Similarly, there is a correlation between the discharge current Io (i.e., the secondary-side current) output by the voltage generating circuit 112 and the input current (i.e., the primary-side current) of the voltage generating circuit 112. Therefore, the current detecting circuit 122 can also indirectly detect the discharge current Io based on the input current.

[0066] Furthermore, as the voltage application circuit 11 increases the applied voltage Vo over time, corona discharge begins at the discharge electrode 21 due to local dielectric breakdown, causing a discharge current Io to flow. After the discharge current Io flows, the voltage application circuit 11 reduces the applied voltage Vo to cut off the discharge current Io. Specifically, after the load 2 discharges, the voltage application circuit 11 eliminates the discharge current Io (for example, immediately) by reducing the applied voltage Vo. The voltage application circuit 11 then increases the applied voltage Vo over time, repeating this process.

[0067] In this embodiment, the voltage application circuit 11 performs constant current control to control the output so that the discharge current Io matches the target current value when the load 2 is discharging. The voltage application circuit 11 can control the magnitude of the discharge current Io by varying the target current value.

[0068] As described above, the functional substance generating device E1 generates free radicals by generating a discharge between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22, and electrostatically atomizes the liquid L1 held by the discharge electrode 21. The functional substance generating device E1 then generates nanometer-sized charged microparticle liquid (e.g., charged microparticle water) containing free radicals within the fine droplets of the electrostatically atomized liquid L1. In other words, the functional substance generating device E1 generates a functional substance (e.g., free radicals and charged microparticle liquid) by generating a discharge between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22.

[0069] In this manner, the voltage application circuit 11 of the functional substance generating device E1 applies a voltage Vo between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22, causing a discharge between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22. This generates the functional substance by adjusting the discharge current Io, the current flowing between the discharge electrode 21 and the counter electrode 22. There is a correlation between the discharge current Io and the amount of functional substance generated: as the discharge current Io increases, the amount of functional substance generated increases. As the discharge current Io decreases, the amount of functional substance generated decreases. In other words, the voltage application circuit 11 can control the amount of functional substance generated by varying the target current value.

[0070] The signal input unit 14 includes a first input circuit 141 and a second input circuit 142. The first input circuit 141 receives a first control signal Y1 from the signal generator 4. The second input circuit 142 receives a second control signal Y2 from the signal generator 4. The voltage application circuit 11 controls the amount of functional substance generated by adjusting the discharge current Io based on the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2.

[0071] (2.2.4) Signal generation part

[0072] The signal generator 4 generates a first control signal Y1 and a second control signal Y2 based on the operating state of the air conditioner 5 and the operating state of the operating unit 6. The first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 are each a binary voltage signal or a current signal that can be switched between a high level (hereinafter referred to as "H level") and a low level (hereinafter referred to as "L level"). Specifically, if the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 are voltage signals, the H level is, for example, 5V, and the L level is, for example, 0V.

[0073] The voltage application circuit 11 controls the amount of generated functional substances by adjusting the discharge current Io based on a combination of the levels of the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 .

[0074] (2.2.5) Discharge sound

[0075] The functional substance generating device E1 generates the functional substance by discharging electricity, and thus generates a discharge sound when generating the functional substance. People (eg, passengers) in the vehicle cabin 92 may notice the discharge sound generated when generating the functional substance and feel annoyed.

[0076] Figure 4A Graph showing the relationship between the discharge current Io and the amount of functional substance generated in the functional substance generating apparatus E1 according to the embodiment. Figure 4B : is a graph showing the relationship between the discharge current Io and the discharge sound in the functional substance production device E1 according to the embodiment. Figure 4A As shown in Figure 1, there is a correlation between the discharge current Io and the amount of functional substances produced. When the discharge current Io increases, the amount of functional substances produced increases. When the discharge current Io decreases, the amount of functional substances produced decreases.

[0077] In addition, if Figure 4B As shown in Figure 1, there is a correlation between the discharge current Io and the volume of the discharge sound. When the discharge current Io increases, the volume of the discharge sound increases. When the discharge current Io decreases, the volume of the discharge sound decreases.

[0078] As described above, there is a correlation between the discharge current Io and the amount of functional substance produced, and a correlation between the discharge current Io and the volume of the discharge sound. Therefore, there is also a correlation between the amount of functional substance produced and the volume of the discharge sound. Specifically, as the amount of functional substance produced increases, the volume of the discharge sound increases. As the amount of functional substance produced decreases, the volume of the discharge sound decreases. Furthermore, the correlation between the discharge current Io and the amount of functional substance produced can be either linear or nonlinear.

[0079] Therefore, in the functional substance generating device E1 of this embodiment, the voltage application circuit 11 adjusts the discharge current Io based on the control signal (specifically, the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2) received by the signal input unit 14 from the signal generating unit 4. By adjusting the discharge current Io, the functional substance generating device E1 controls the amount of functional substance produced. By controlling the amount of functional substance produced, the functional substance generating device E1 can adjust the volume of the discharge sound. In other words, the functional substance generating device E1 can reduce the volume of the discharge sound as needed based on the control signal received by the signal input unit 14.

[0080] (3) Adjusting the volume of the discharge sound

[0081] Hereinafter, the volume adjustment of the discharge sound in this embodiment will be described.

[0082] The signal generator 4 receives the air conditioning monitoring signal Ya from the air conditioner 5 and the operation signal Yb from the operation unit 6. The signal generator 4 generates a first control signal Y1 and a second control signal Y2 based on the air conditioning monitoring signal Ya and the operation signal Yb.

[0083] The air conditioning monitoring signal Ya indicates the operating status of the air conditioning unit 5. In this embodiment, the air conditioning monitoring signal Ya indicates whether the air conditioning unit 5 is running or stopped, and the air supply volume. Specifically, the air conditioning monitoring signal Ya indicates whether the air conditioning unit 5 is running or stopped. Furthermore, the air supply volume of the air conditioning unit 5 can be adjusted to three levels: "high," "medium," and "low." When the air conditioning unit 5 is running, the air conditioning monitoring signal Ya indicates whether the air supply volume of the air conditioning unit 5 is "high," "medium," or "low."

[0084] The operation signal Yb is a signal indicating the operating state of the operating unit 6. In the present embodiment, it is a signal indicating the operation mode of the functional substance generating device E1. The operation mode of the functional substance generating device E1 is set by a person operating the operating unit 6. Specifically, the operation mode of the functional substance generating device E1 includes a normal mode and a discharge priority mode. The normal mode is an operation mode in which the amount of functional substance generated is adjusted based on the air supply volume of the air conditioning device 5, and the volume of the discharge sound is adjusted based on the air supply volume of the air conditioning device 5. The discharge priority mode is an operation mode in which the amount of functional substance generated is prioritized over quietness. This operation mode is set by a person operating the operating unit 6, and the person sets the operation mode to the normal mode or the discharge priority mode according to his or her own wishes.

[0085] The signal generator 4 generates a first control signal Y1 and a second control signal Y2 based on the air conditioning monitoring signal Ya and the operation signal Yb. Specifically, the signal generator 4 sets the levels of the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 according to the operating state and operating mode of the air conditioning unit 5. The first control signal Y1 is a control signal indicating whether the air conditioning unit 5 is on / off and is used to determine whether the functional substance can be produced. The second control signal Y2 is a control signal generated based on the air flow rate of the air conditioning unit 5 and the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1 and is used to determine the amount of functional substance produced. If the air conditioning unit 5 is in operation, the signal generator 4 sets the first control signal Y1 to an H level. If the air conditioning unit 5 is in a stopped state, the signal generator 4 sets the first control signal Y1 to an L level. The signal generator 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to an H level or an L level according to the air flow rate of the air conditioning unit 5 and the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1.

[0086] Table 1 below shows the correspondence between the conditions indicating the operating state and operating mode of the air conditioner 5 and the respective levels of the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2.

[0087] [Table 1]

[0088]

[0089] As a condition, if the air conditioner 5 is stopped and the operating mode is normal mode, the first control signal Y1 is set to an L level, and the second control signal Y2 is set to an L level. If the air conditioner 5 is stopped and the operating mode of the functional substance generator E1 is the discharge priority mode, the first control signal Y1 is set to an L level, and the second control signal Y2 is set to an H level. In other words, if the air conditioner 5 is stopped, the first control signal Y1 is set to an L level regardless of the operating mode of the functional substance generator E1.

[0090] As a condition, if the air conditioner 5 is in operation, the air flow rate is set to "weak," and the operating mode of the functional substance producing apparatus E1 is normal mode, the first control signal Y1 is set to H level, and the second control signal Y2 is set to L level. If the air conditioner 5 is in operation, the air flow rate is set to "strong" or "medium," and the operating mode of the functional substance producing apparatus E1 is normal mode, the first control signal Y1 is set to H level, and the second control signal Y2 is set to H level. That is, if the air conditioner 5 is in operation and the operating mode of the functional substance producing apparatus E1 is normal mode, the second control signal Y2 is set to H level or L level depending on the air flow rate of the air conditioner 5.

[0091] As a condition, if the air conditioner 5 is in operation, the air flow rate is set to "High," "Medium," or "Low," and the operating mode of the functional substance generator E1 is the discharge priority mode, the first control signal Y1 is set to an H level, and the second control signal Y2 is set to an H level. In other words, if the operating mode of the functional substance generator E1 is the discharge priority mode, the second control signal Y2 is set to an H level regardless of the air flow rate of the air conditioner 5.

[0092] As described above, the signal generator 4 sets the levels of the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 according to the operating state of the air conditioner 5 and the operating mode of the functional substance producing device E1. The signal generator 4 then outputs the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 to the signal input unit 14.

[0093] The signal input unit 14 includes a first input circuit 141 and a second input circuit 142. The first input circuit 141 receives a first control signal Y1 from the signal generator 4. The second input circuit 142 receives a second control signal Y2 from the signal generator 4. The signal input unit 14 then outputs the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 to the driver circuit 111 of the voltage application circuit 11.

[0094] The drive circuit 111 drives the voltage generating circuit 112 based on the combination of the levels of the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2, thereby adjusting the discharge current Io. Specifically, the drive circuit 111 sets the target current value of the discharge current Io to one of the first target current value Io1, the second target current value Io2, and the third target current value Io3 based on the combination of the levels of the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2. In other words, the drive circuit 111 adjusts the discharge current Io to one of the first target current value Io1, the second target current value Io2, and the third target current value Io3 based on the combination of the levels of the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2. The first target current value Io1 is greater than the second target current value Io2. The second target current value Io2 is greater than the third target current value Io3. In this embodiment, the third target current value Io3 is 0 (i.e., zero). That is, the magnitude relationship among the first target current value Io1 , the second target current value Io2 , and the third target current value Io3 is Io1 > Io2 > Io3 , and Io3 = 0 (ie, zero).

[0095] Furthermore, the amount of functional substance produced by load 2 increases as the target current value increases, and decreases as the target current value decreases. Furthermore, the volume of the discharge sound increases as the target current value increases, and decreases as the target current value decreases.

[0096] Therefore, the driving circuit 111 reduces the target current value as needed to reduce the amount of generated functional substances, thereby reducing the discharge noise.

[0097] Specifically, as shown in Table 1 above, when the first control signal Y1 is at an L level, the drive circuit 111 sets the discharge current Io to the third target current value Io3 (=0), regardless of the level of the second control signal Y2, to prevent the generation of the functional substance. At this time, the load 2 is not discharging, and therefore, no discharge sound is generated. In other words, when the air conditioner 5 is stopped, the voltage application circuit 11 sets the amount of functional substance generated to zero (i.e., zero), regardless of the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1, to prevent the generation of the discharge sound.

[0098] If the first control signal Y1 is at an H level and the second control signal Y2 is at an H level, the drive circuit 111 sets the discharge current Io to the first target current value and sets the amount of functional substance produced to "high". In this case, the air supply volume of the air conditioner 5 is "strong" or "medium", or the operation mode of the functional substance producing device E1 is the discharge priority mode. Moreover, the discharge current Io is at the first target current value, so the amount of functional substance produced increases and the volume of the discharge sound becomes louder. However, if the air supply volume of the air conditioner 5 is "strong" or "medium", the operating sound of the air conditioner 5 also becomes louder (that is, it becomes louder than the operating sound when the air supply volume is "weak"), so the discharge sound is mixed with the operating sound of the air conditioner 5 and is not easy to be heard by people. In addition, if the operation mode of the functional substance generating device E1 is the discharge priority mode, the production amount of the functional substance is prioritized over quietness according to the human's wishes. Therefore, when the air supply volume of the air-conditioning device 5 is "strong" or "medium", the human naturally allows the discharge sound, and even if the air supply volume of the air-conditioning device 5 is "weak", the human is also likely to allow the discharge sound.

[0099] On the other hand, if the first control signal Y1 is at an H level and the second control signal Y2 is at an L level, the drive circuit 111 sets the discharge current Io to the second target current value, setting the amount of functional substance produced to "low." In this case, the air supply volume of the air conditioner 5 is "weak," and the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1 is normal mode. Furthermore, since the air supply volume of the air conditioner 5 is "weak," the operating sound of the air conditioner 5 becomes quieter (i.e., quieter than when the air supply volume is "high"). However, since the discharge current Io is at the second target current value, the amount of functional substance produced is low, and therefore the discharge sound becomes quieter. This can prevent people from noticing the discharge sound or feeling annoyed.

[0100] As described above, the voltage application circuit 11 controls the amount of generated functional substances by adjusting the discharge current Io based on the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 .

[0101] Specifically, the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 are signals based on the operating state of the air conditioner 5. Furthermore, the voltage application circuit 11 adjusts the discharge current Io based on the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2, thereby controlling the amount of functional substance generated according to the operating state of the air conditioner 5.

[0102] Furthermore, the second control signal Y2 is also a signal reflecting the operation mode based on human operation. The voltage application circuit 11 adjusts the discharge current Io based on the second control signal Y2, thereby being able to control the amount of functional substance generated based on human operation.

[0103] Therefore, the functional substance generating device E1 determines whether to reduce the volume of the discharge sound to achieve silencing based on the operating state of the air conditioning device 5, thereby reducing the volume of the discharge sound as needed. Furthermore, the functional substance generating device E1 determines whether to reduce the volume of the discharge sound to achieve silencing based on human operation (strictly speaking, the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1), thereby reducing the volume of the discharge sound as needed. In other words, the functional substance generating device E1 can suppress the discharge sound to a volume that is acceptable to humans as needed.

[0104] For example, when the air flow rate of the air conditioner 5, which diffuses the functional substance generated by the functional substance generating device E1 into the interior 92 of the vehicle C1, is set to "high" or "medium," the discharge sound is mixed with the operating sound of the air conditioner 5 and is less noticeable. Therefore, the functional substance production can be prioritized over quietness, thereby increasing the production of the functional substance. Furthermore, when the air flow rate of the air conditioner 5 is set to "low," the discharge sound is more noticeable. Therefore, quietness can be prioritized over the production of the functional substance, thereby suppressing the discharge sound to a volume that is acceptable to humans. Furthermore, if the operating mode is set to discharge priority mode, prioritizing the production of the functional substance over quietness is selected as desired by the user. Therefore, the production of the functional substance can be prioritized over quietness, thereby increasing the production of the functional substance.

[0105] Furthermore, the functional substance generating device E1 can perform the volume adjustment process of the discharge sound using a simple configuration based on a combination of two control signals (ie, the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 ).

[0106] If we summarize the above-mentioned discharge sound volume adjustment process, Figure 5 is shown in the flow chart. Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing a discharge sound volume adjustment process in the functional material producing apparatus E1 according to the embodiment.

[0107] First, the signal generating unit 4 determines whether the air conditioning device 5 is in operation (step S1). If the air conditioning device 5 is in operation, the first control signal Y1 is set to H level (step S2). Then, the signal generating unit 4 determines whether the air supply volume of the air conditioning device 5 is "weak" (step S3). If the air supply volume of the air conditioning device 5 is "weak", the signal generating unit 4 determines whether the operation mode of the functional substance generating device E1 is the discharge priority mode (step S4). If the operation mode of the functional substance generating device E1 is the discharge priority mode, the signal generating unit 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to H level (step S5). After entering step S5, the signal generating unit 4 outputs the first control signal Y1 of H level and the second control signal Y2 of H level to the functional substance generating device E1. When receiving the first control signal Y1 of H level and the second control signal Y2 of H level, the functional substance generating device E1 sets the production amount of the functional substance to "more" (step S6).

[0108] If the operating mode of the functional substance generating apparatus E1 is set to normal mode instead of discharge priority mode in step S4, the signal generating unit 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to an L level (step S7). After entering step S7, the signal generating unit 4 outputs an H-level first control signal Y1 and an L-level second control signal Y2 to the functional substance generating apparatus E1. Upon receiving the H-level first control signal Y1 and the L-level second control signal Y2, the functional substance generating apparatus E1 sets the amount of functional substance produced to "low," thereby reducing the volume of the discharge sound (step S8).

[0109] If the air flow rate of the air conditioner 5 is not "weak" but "strong" or "medium" in step S3, the signal generator 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to an H level (step S9). After entering step S9, the signal generator 4 outputs an H-level first control signal Y1 and an H-level second control signal Y2 to the functional substance generating device E1. Upon receiving the H-level first control signal Y1 and the H-level second control signal Y2, the functional substance generating device E1 sets the production amount of the functional substance to "high" (step S10).

[0110] If the air-conditioning device 5 is not in operation but in a stopped state in step S1, the signal generating unit 4 sets the first control signal Y1 to an L level (step S11). At this time, the signal generating unit 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to a level corresponding to the operation mode (i.e., an H level or an L level). After entering step S11, the signal generating unit 4 outputs the first control signal Y1 at an L level and the second control signal Y2 at an H level or an L level to the functional substance generating device E1. When the functional substance generating device E1 receives the first control signal Y1 at an H level, regardless of the level of the second control signal Y2, the amount of functional substance produced is set to "none" (step S12).

[0111] (4) First Modification

[0112] Figure 6 1 is a block diagram showing an air-conditioning system E11 according to a first modification.

[0113] The air conditioning system E11 further includes a detection unit 7. The detection unit 7 generates a vehicle detection signal Yc and outputs it to the signal generation unit 4. The vehicle detection signal Yc is based on at least one of the status of the occupants of the vehicle C1 and the state of the vehicle C1. Furthermore, the voltage application circuit 11 of the functional substance generating device E1 controls the amount of functional substance generated based on at least one of the status of the occupants of the vehicle C1 and the state of the vehicle C1. The vehicle C1 corresponds to the target space.

[0114] The detection unit 7 includes at least one of a radio sensor, a pressure sensor, a human sensor, an infrared sensor, and a camera device in order to detect the state of the people in the vehicle C1. Furthermore, the detection unit 7 detects at least one of the number of people in the vehicle C1 (for example, the number of passengers), heart rate, respiratory rate, and movement as the state of the people in the vehicle C1. In addition, the detection unit 7 includes a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, or a gyro sensor in order to detect the state of the vehicle C1. Furthermore, the detection unit 7 detects the speed, acceleration, or posture of the vehicle C1 as the state of the vehicle C1. That is, the vehicle detection signal Yc is a signal that shows at least one of the number of people in the vehicle C1 (for example, the number of passengers), heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, and movement as the state of the people in the vehicle C1, and shows the speed, acceleration, or posture of the vehicle C1 as the state of the vehicle C1.

[0115] The signal generating unit 4 generates a first control signal Y1 and a second control signal Y2 based on at least one of the status of a person in the vehicle C1 and the status of the vehicle C1, the operating status of the air conditioner 5, and the operating status of the operating unit 6. The voltage applying circuit 11 controls the amount of functional substance generated by adjusting the discharge current Io based on the combination of the levels of the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2.

[0116] Hereinafter, as examples of the discharge sound volume adjustment in the first modification, (4.1) discharge sound volume adjustment according to the number of occupants in the vehicle and (4.2) discharge sound volume adjustment according to the speed of the vehicle will be described.

[0117] (4.1) Adjustment of the volume of the discharge sound according to the number of passengers in the vehicle

[0118] In this example, the detection unit 7 detects the number of people in the vehicle C1 , that is, the number of passengers, as the state of the people in the vehicle C1 .

[0119] The signal generating unit 4 receives the air conditioning monitoring signal Ya from the air conditioning device 5 , receives the operation signal Yb from the operating unit 6 , and receives the vehicle detection signal Yc from the detecting unit 7 .

[0120] The air conditioning monitoring signal Ya is a signal indicating the operating state of the air conditioning device 5. Specifically, the air conditioning monitoring signal Ya is a signal indicating whether the air conditioning device 5 is on or off.

[0121] The operation signal Yb indicates the operating status of the operating unit 6. Specifically, the operation signal Yb indicates the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1. The operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1 is set by a person operating the operating unit 6. As in the above-described embodiment, the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1 is set to the normal mode or the discharge priority mode.

[0122] The vehicle detection signal Yc is a signal indicating the state of people in the vehicle C1. Specifically, the vehicle detection signal Yc is a signal indicating the number of passengers in the vehicle C1.

[0123] The signal generator 4 generates a first control signal Y1 and a second control signal Y2 based on whether the air conditioner 5 is running (i.e., the operating state of the air conditioner 5), the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1 (i.e., the operating state of the operating unit 6), and the number of passengers (i.e., an example of the state of the people in the vehicle C1). Specifically, if the air conditioner 5 is running, the signal generator 4 sets the first control signal Y1 to an H level; if the air conditioner 5 is stopped, the signal generator 4 sets the first control signal Y1 to an L level. The signal generator 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to an H level or an L level depending on the number of passengers in the vehicle C1 and the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1.

[0124] Table 2 below shows the correspondence between the conditions indicating the operation / stop of the air conditioner 5 , the operation mode of the air conditioner 5 , and the number of occupants of the vehicle C1 , and the respective levels of the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 .

[0125] [Table 2]

[0126]

[0127] As a condition, if the air conditioner 5 is in the stopped state, the first control signal Y1 is set to the L level and the second control signal Y2 is set to the initial value (ie, the H level or the L level) regardless of the operation mode and the number of occupants.

[0128] As a condition, if the air conditioner 5 is in operation, the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1 is in normal mode, and the number of passengers is zero, the first control signal Y1 is at an H level and the second control signal Y2 is at an L level. If the air conditioner 5 is in operation, the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1 is in discharge priority mode, and the number of passengers is zero, the first control signal Y1 is at an H level and the second control signal Y2 is at an H level. That is, if the air conditioner 5 is in operation and the number of passengers is zero, the second control signal Y2 is set to an H level or an L level depending on the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1.

[0129] As a condition, if the air conditioner 5 is in operation, the operation mode of the functional substance generating device E1 is in normal mode or discharge priority mode, and the number of passengers is one, the first control signal Y1 is set to an H level and the second control signal Y2 is set to an L level. In other words, if the air conditioner 5 is in operation and the number of passengers is one, the second control signal Y2 is set to an L level regardless of the operation mode of the functional substance generating device E1.

[0130] As a condition, if the air conditioner 5 is in operation, the operating mode of the functional substance generator E1 is in normal mode or discharge priority mode, and there are multiple passengers, the first control signal Y1 is set to an H level and the second control signal Y2 is set to an H level. In other words, if the air conditioner 5 is in operation and there are multiple passengers, the second control signal Y2 is set to an H level regardless of the operating mode of the functional substance generator E1.

[0131] As described above, the signal generator 4 sets the levels of the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 based on the operation / stop of the air conditioner 5, the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1, and the number of passengers. The signal generator 4 then outputs the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 to the signal input unit 14. The signal input unit 14 outputs the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 received from the signal generator 4 to the driver circuit 111 of the voltage application circuit 11.

[0132] The driving circuit 111 adjusts the discharge current Io by driving the voltage generating circuit 112 based on a combination of the levels of the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 .

[0133] Specifically, as shown in Table 2 above, when the first control signal Y1 is at an L level, the drive circuit 111 sets the discharge current Io to the third target current value Io3 (=0), regardless of the level of the second control signal Y2, to prevent the generation of the functional substance. At this time, the load 2 is not discharging, and therefore no discharge sound is generated. In other words, when the air conditioner 5 is stopped, the voltage application circuit 11 sets the amount of functional substance generated to zero (i.e., zero), regardless of the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1 or the number of occupants in the vehicle C1, to prevent the generation of the discharge sound.

[0134] If the first control signal Y1 is at an H level and the second control signal Y2 is at an H level, the drive circuit 111 sets the discharge current Io to the first target current value and sets the amount of functional substance produced to "high". In this case, there are multiple passengers, or there are zero passengers and the operation mode of the functional substance production device E1 is the discharge priority mode. Moreover, the discharge current Io is at the first target current value, the amount of functional substance produced is high, and therefore the volume of the discharge sound becomes louder. However, if there are multiple passengers, the sounds inside the vehicle C1 also become louder (i.e., louder than when there is only one passenger) due to conversations between the people inside the vehicle C1, and therefore the discharge sound is mixed in with the sounds and is not easily heard by people. In addition, if there are zero passengers and the operation mode of the functional substance production device E1 is the discharge priority mode, there are no passengers in the vehicle C1, and therefore the discharge sound does not affect people. Furthermore, although there is no one in the vehicle 92, the discharge priority mode is selected according to the person's wishes because the person wants to operate the air conditioner 5 before the next ride and produce a large amount of functional substances in the vehicle 92, thereby effectively utilizing the functional substances in the vehicle C1 before the person boards the vehicle C1.

[0135] On the other hand, if the first control signal Y1 is at an H level and the second control signal Y2 is at an L level, the drive circuit 111 sets the discharge current Io to the second target current value and sets the amount of functional substance produced to "small". In this case, the number of passengers is 1, or the number of passengers is 0 and the operation mode of the functional substance production device E1 is the normal mode. If the number of passengers is 1, the sound inside the vehicle C1 becomes smaller (that is, it becomes smaller than the sound when there are multiple passengers), but because the discharge current Io is the second target current value, the amount of functional substance produced is small, so the volume of the discharge sound becomes smaller. Thus, it is possible to prevent people from noticing the discharge sound or feeling irritated. In addition, if the number of passengers is 0 and the operation mode of the functional substance production device E1 is the normal mode, there is no need to produce a large amount of functional substances.

[0136] As described above, the voltage application circuit 11 controls the amount of generated functional substances by adjusting the discharge current Io based on the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 .

[0137] Specifically, the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2 are signals based on the operating state of the air conditioner 5 and the number of occupants of the vehicle C1 (i.e., an example of the state of the people in the vehicle C1). Furthermore, the voltage application circuit 11 adjusts the discharge current Io based on the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2, thereby controlling the amount of functional substance generated based on the operating state of the air conditioner 5 and the number of occupants of the vehicle C1.

[0138] Furthermore, the second control signal Y2 is also a signal reflecting the operation mode based on human operation. The voltage application circuit 11 adjusts the discharge current Io based on the second control signal Y2, thereby being able to control the amount of functional substance generated based on human operation.

[0139] Therefore, the functional substance generating device E1 determines whether to reduce the volume of the discharge sound to achieve silencing based on the operating state of the air conditioning device 5, thereby reducing the volume of the discharge sound as needed. Furthermore, the functional substance generating device E1 determines whether to reduce the volume of the discharge sound to achieve silencing based on human operation, thereby reducing the volume of the discharge sound as needed. Furthermore, the functional substance generating device E1 determines whether to reduce the volume of the discharge sound to achieve silencing based on the number of passengers, thereby reducing the volume of the discharge sound as needed. In other words, the functional substance generating device E1 can suppress the volume of the discharge sound to a level that is acceptable to humans as needed.

[0140] If we summarize the above-mentioned discharge sound volume adjustment process, Figure 7 is shown in the flow chart. Figure 7 This is a flowchart showing a discharge sound volume adjustment process in the functional material producing apparatus E1 according to the first modification.

[0141] First, the signal generating unit 4 determines whether the air-conditioning device 5 is in operation (step S21). If the air-conditioning device 5 is in operation, the first control signal Y1 is set to H level (step S22). Then, the signal generating unit 4 determines whether the number of passengers in the vehicle C1 is "multiple people" (step S23). If the number of passengers in the vehicle C1 is "multiple people", the signal generating unit 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to H level (step S24). After entering step S24, the signal generating unit 4 outputs the first control signal Y1 of H level and the second control signal Y2 of H level to the functional substance producing device E1. When the functional substance producing device E1 receives the first control signal Y1 of H level and the second control signal Y2 of H level, the functional substance producing device E1 sets the amount of functional substance produced to "more" (step S25).

[0142] If the number of passengers in the vehicle C1 of the functional substance producing device E1 is not "multiple" in step S23, the signal generating unit 4 determines whether the number of passengers in the vehicle C1 is "1" (step S26). If the number of passengers in the vehicle C1 is "1", the signal generating unit 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to the L level (step S27). After entering step S27, the signal generating unit 4 outputs the first control signal Y1 at the H level and the second control signal Y2 at the L level to the functional substance producing device E1. When the functional substance producing device E1 receives the first control signal Y1 at the H level and the second control signal Y2 at the L level, it sets the amount of functional substance produced to "low" to reduce the volume of the discharge sound (step S28).

[0143] If the number of passengers in the vehicle C1 of the functional substance producing device E1 is not "1 person" in step S26, the signal generating unit 4 recognizes that the number of passengers in the vehicle C1 is "0 people" and determines whether the operation mode is the discharge priority mode (step S29). If the operation mode is the discharge priority mode, the signal generating unit 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to the H level (step S30). After entering step S30, the signal generating unit 4 outputs the first control signal Y1 of the H level and the second control signal Y2 of the H level to the functional substance producing device E1. When the functional substance producing device E1 receives the first control signal Y1 of the H level and the second control signal Y2 of the H level, the amount of functional substance produced is set to "more" (step S31).

[0144] If the operating mode is set to normal mode instead of discharge priority mode in step S29, the signal generator 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to an L level (step S32). After entering step S32, the signal generator 4 outputs an H-level first control signal Y1 and an L-level second control signal Y2 to the functional substance generator E1. Upon receiving the H-level first control signal Y1 and the L-level second control signal Y2, the functional substance generator E1 sets the functional substance production level to "low," thereby reducing the volume of the discharge sound (step S33).

[0145] If the air conditioner 5 is not operating but is stopped in step S21, the signal generator 4 sets the first control signal Y1 to an L level and the second control signal Y2 to an initial value (H or L level) (step S34). After entering step S34, the signal generator 4 outputs the first control signal Y1 at an L level and the second control signal Y2 at an initial value to the functional substance generator E1. Upon receiving the first control signal Y1 at an H level, the functional substance generator E1 sets the amount of functional substance produced to "None" regardless of the level of the second control signal Y2 (step S35).

[0146] (4.2) Adjusting the volume of the discharge sound according to the vehicle speed

[0147] In this example, the detection unit 7 detects the speed of the vehicle C1 as the state of the vehicle C1 .

[0148] The signal generator 4 receives the air conditioning monitoring signal Ya from the air conditioning device 5, the operation signal Yb from the operation unit 6, and the vehicle detection signal Yc from the detection unit 7. The air conditioning monitoring signal Ya and the operation signal Yb are the same as those described in (4.1) above. The vehicle detection signal Yc indicates the state of the vehicle C1. Specifically, the vehicle detection signal Yc indicates the speed of the vehicle C1.

[0149] The signal generator 4 generates a first control signal Y1 and a second control signal Y2 based on whether the air conditioner 5 is running (i.e., the operating state of the air conditioner 5), the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1 (i.e., the operating state of the operating unit 6), and the speed of the vehicle C1 (i.e., an example of the state of the vehicle C1). Specifically, if the air conditioner 5 is running, the signal generator 4 sets the first control signal Y1 to an H level; if the air conditioner 5 is stopped, the signal generator 4 sets the first control signal Y1 to an L level. The signal generator 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to an H level or an L level depending on the speed of the vehicle C1 and the operating mode of the functional substance generating device E1.

[0150] For example, if the operating mode is normal and the speed of vehicle C1 is above a threshold, signal generator 4 sets second control signal Y2 to an H level. If both first control signal Y1 and second control signal Y2 are H levels, driver circuit 111 sets the amount of functional substance generated to "high." In this case, the amount of functional substance generated is high, and the volume of the discharge sound increases. However, if the speed of vehicle C1 exceeds the threshold, the running sound of vehicle C1 becomes louder, making the discharge sound less audible and more perceptible to humans.

[0151] Furthermore, if the operating mode is normal and the speed of vehicle C1 is less than the threshold, signal generator 4 sets second control signal Y2 to an L level. If first control signal Y1 is at an H level and second control signal Y2 is at an L level, driver circuit 111 sets the amount of functional substance generated to "low." In this case, the running sound of vehicle C1 is reduced, but the volume of the discharge sound is also reduced due to the reduced amount of functional substance generated. Consequently, the discharge sound is less audible to humans, making it easier for them to tolerate it.

[0152] If the operating mode is discharge-priority mode, signal generator 4 sets second control signal Y2 to an H level. If both first control signal Y1 and second control signal Y2 are H levels, driver circuit 111 sets the amount of functional substance generated to "High." In this case, prioritizing the amount of functional substance generated over quietness is preferred, making it easier for people to tolerate discharge noise.

[0153] In this manner, the functional material generating device E1 determines whether to reduce the discharge noise to achieve silencing based on the speed of the vehicle C1 , thereby being able to reduce the discharge noise as needed.

[0154] (5) Second Modification

[0155] The operation signal Yb may also be a signal indicating the result of setting the amount of functional substance produced. The amount of functional substance produced is set by a person operating the operation unit 6. In this case, the person can determine the amount of functional substance produced as desired, adjust the discharge sound to a volume they can tolerate, or adjust the amount of functional substance produced to their desired level.

[0156] For example, the amount of functional substance produced can be set to "more" or "less" by operating the operating unit 6. In this case, the operation signal Yb indicates "more" or "less" as the setting result of the amount of functional substance produced. If the setting result of the amount of functional substance produced is "more", the signal generating unit 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to the H level. If the setting result of the amount of functional substance produced is "less", the signal generating unit 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to the L level. In addition, if the air conditioning device 5 is in the operating state, the signal generating unit 4 sets the first control signal Y1 to the H level, and if the air conditioning device 5 is in the stopped state, the signal generating unit 4 sets the first control signal Y1 to the L level.

[0157] Furthermore, if the first control signal Y1 is at an H level and the second control signal Y2 is at an H level, the drive circuit 111 sets the amount of functional substance generated to "high." Alternatively, if the first control signal Y1 is at an H level and the second control signal Y2 is at an L level, the drive circuit 111 sets the amount of functional substance generated to "low."

[0158] In this manner, the functional substance generating device E1 determines whether to reduce the volume of the discharge sound to achieve silencing based on the operation state of the operation unit 6 , thereby being able to reduce the volume of the discharge sound as needed.

[0159] Furthermore, the operating unit 6 is located within the vehicle cabin 92 of the vehicle C1. However, the operating signal Yb may be transmitted to the signal generating unit 4 by operating an operating terminal located outside the vehicle C1. In this case, the amount of functional substance generated can be set by remote operation using the operating terminal. The operating terminal may be, for example, a smartphone, tablet computer, or dedicated terminal.

[0160] (6) Third Modification

[0161] The signal generating unit 4 may also set the level of the second control signal Y2 based on the timer's timing result. For example, if the current time based on the timer's timing result is within a predetermined time period, the signal generating unit 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to an H level. If the current time based on the timer's timing result is not within the predetermined time period, the signal generating unit 4 sets the second control signal Y2 to an L level.

[0162] Furthermore, the signal generating unit 4 sets the first control signal Y1 to the H level when the air conditioner 5 is in the operating state, and sets the first control signal Y1 to the L level when the air conditioner 5 is in the stopped state.

[0163] Furthermore, if the first control signal Y1 is at an H level and the second control signal Y2 is at an H level, the drive circuit 111 sets the amount of functional substance generated to "high." Alternatively, if the first control signal Y1 is at an H level and the second control signal Y2 is at an L level, the drive circuit 111 sets the amount of functional substance generated to "low."

[0164] In this way, the functional substance generating device E1 determines whether to reduce the volume of the discharge sound to achieve silencing based on the current time (for example, the timer's timing result), thereby being able to reduce the volume of the discharge sound as needed. For example, if the air conditioner 5 is in operation and the current time is within a predetermined time period, the functional substance generating device E1 sets the production amount of the functional substance to "high." If the air conditioner 5 is in operation and the current time is not within the predetermined time period, the functional substance generating device E1 sets the production amount of the functional substance to "low" to achieve silencing.

[0165] (7) Fourth Modification

[0166] The detection unit 7 may also include at least one of an odor sensor, a PM2.5 sensor, an ozone sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a CO2 sensor. In this case, the signal generation unit 4 sets the level of the second control signal Y2 based on the detection result of at least one of the odor sensor, the PM2.5 sensor, the ozone sensor, the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, and the CO2 sensor.

[0167] For example, if the detection result of at least one of the odor sensor, PM2.5 sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, and CO2 sensor is above a threshold, the second control signal Y2 is set to an H level, and the amount of functional substance produced is set to "High." Alternatively, if the detection result of at least one of the sensors is below the threshold, the second control signal Y2 is set to an L level, and the amount of functional substance produced is set to "Low," thereby prioritizing quietness over the amount of functional substance produced.

[0168] Alternatively, if the ozone sensor detection result is less than a threshold, the second control signal Y2 is set to an H level, setting the functional substance production level to "High." Alternatively, if the ozone sensor detection result is greater than the threshold, the second control signal Y2 is set to an L level, setting the functional substance production level to "Low," prioritizing quietness over functional substance production.

[0169] (8) Fifth Modification

[0170] Air conditioning systems E10 and E11 are not limited to use in vehicles C1. Air conditioning systems E10 and E11 can also be used in facilities such as office buildings, offices, stores, factories, and commercial facilities. Alternatively, air conditioning systems E10 and E11 can be used in apartment buildings, single-family homes, and the like. Furthermore, air conditioning systems E10 and E11 can be used in spaces where large numbers of people gather, such as elevators, trains, airplanes, and large rooms within buildings.

[0171] The functional substance producing device E1 is not limited to being used in the air conditioning systems E10 and E11. The functional substance producing device E1 can be used alone or in systems or devices other than the air conditioning systems E10 and E11.

[0172] Furthermore, the functional substance generating device E1 is not limited to a configuration in which the discharge sound volume adjustment process is performed based on a combination of two control signals (the first control signal Y1 and the second control signal Y2). The functional substance generating device E1 may also be configured to adjust the discharge sound volume based on a single control signal or a combination of three or more control signals.

[0173] In addition, the functional substance generating device E1 may have any of a structure for adjusting the generation amount of the functional substance stepwise and a structure for adjusting the generation amount of the functional substance continuously.

[0174] Furthermore, the functional substance generating device E1 is not limited to a configuration in which the amount of functional substance generated is adjusted by controlling the discharge current Io. The functional substance generating device E1 may also be configured to adjust the amount of functional substance generated by controlling at least one of the magnitude, frequency, or duty ratio of the applied voltage Vo. Alternatively, the functional substance generating device E1 may be configured to intermittently or randomly drive the discharge current Io or the applied voltage Vo to adjust the amount of functional substance generated.

[0175] In addition, the functional substance generating device E1 can also be a structure that adjusts the amount of functional substance generated according to the volume of sound, music, etc. in the target space where the functional substance acts, the brightness of the target space, or the number of times the door installed in the target space such as elevators and trams is opened and closed.

[0176] Furthermore, the functional substance generating device E1 may be configured to generate the functional substance not only when the air conditioner 5 is operating but also when the air conditioner 5 is stopped, and to reduce the volume of the discharge sound as needed.

[0177] Furthermore, when the functional substance generating device E1 is used in a target space where a large number of people gather, such as an elevator, a train, an airplane, or a large room in a building, it is preferable to set a predetermined number of two or more people as the threshold. Furthermore, if the number of people in the target space is less than the threshold, the functional substance generating device E1 sets the amount of functional substance generated to "low" to reduce the volume of the discharge sound and achieve quietness. If the number of people in the target space is greater than the threshold, the amount of functional substance generated is set to "high," prioritizing the amount of functional substance generated over quietness. Alternatively, the threshold may be set based on the number of seats or the occupancy rate of the target space.

[0178] Alternatively, the functional substance producing apparatus E1 may omit the counter electrode 22. In this case, discharge occurs between the discharge electrode 21 and a member (e.g., a housing) surrounding the discharge electrode 21. Furthermore, the functional substance producing apparatus E1 may omit both the liquid supply unit 3 and the counter electrode 22.

[0179] In addition, the functional substance generating device E1 can be configured to set the amount of functional substance generated step by step (for example, a structure set to three levels of "large", "medium" and "small"), or it can be configured to set the amount of functional substance generated steplessly.

[0180] In addition, the voltage applying device 1 preferably includes a computer system that implements at least a part of the above-mentioned discharge sound volume adjustment process by executing a program. The computer system includes a processor that operates according to the program as its main hardware structure. The type of processor is not limited as long as it can implement the function by executing the program. The processor is composed of one or more circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) or LSI (Large Scale Integration). Here, it is called IC or LSI, but its name changes according to the degree of integration, and it can also be called system LSI, VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) or ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) for the same purpose. A field programmable gate array (FPGA) that is programmed after the LSI is manufactured, or a reconfigurable logic device that can reconfigure the connection relationship within the LSI or set the circuit area within the LSI can also be used for the same purpose. Multiple circuits can be integrated into one chip or provided in multiple chips. Multiple chips can be concentrated in one device or possessed by multiple devices. The program is recorded in a non-transitory recording medium such as a ROM, optical disk, hard disk drive, etc. that is readable by the computer system. The program may be stored in advance in a non-transitory recording medium, or may be supplied to the non-transitory recording medium via a wide area communication network including the Internet.

[0181] Furthermore, the above-described discharge sound volume adjustment process can also be implemented by a discharge sound volume adjustment method, a computer program, or a recording medium containing the computer program. In other words, the functions of the functional substance generating device E1 can also be implemented by a discharge sound volume adjustment method, a computer program, or a recording medium containing the computer program.

[0182] In addition, the functional substance generating device E1 may be an ion generating device or the like other than an electrostatic atomizing device.

[0183] (9) Summary

[0184] A first embodiment of the functional substance generating device (E1) includes a discharge electrode (21), a voltage application circuit (11), and a signal input unit (14). The voltage application circuit (11) applies a voltage (Vo) to the discharge electrode (21) to cause the discharge electrode (21) to discharge, and generates a functional substance by adjusting a current (Io) flowing through the discharge electrode (21). The signal input unit (14) receives a control signal (Y1, Y2) for controlling the operation of the voltage application circuit (11). The voltage application circuit (11) controls the amount of functional substance generated based on the control signal (Y1, Y2).

[0185] When the functional substance generating device (E1) is designed to achieve quietness through control signals (Y1, Y2), the volume of the discharge sound can be reduced by suppressing the amount of functional substance generated. In other words, the functional substance generating device (E1) can reduce the volume of the discharge sound as needed.

[0186] In the functional substance generating device (E1) of the second embodiment, in the first embodiment, the voltage applying circuit (11) preferably controls the amount of functional substance generated by adjusting the discharge current (Io) based on the control signals (Y1, Y2).

[0187] In the functional material producing device (E1) described above, the volume of the discharge sound can be easily controlled by adjusting the discharge current (Io) which is correlated with the volume of the discharge sound.

[0188] In the functional substance generating device (E1) of the third embodiment, in the first or second embodiment, the functional substance is preferably contained in air supplied from the air conditioner (5). The control signals (Y1, Y2) include signals based on the operating state of the air conditioner (5). The voltage application circuit (11) controls the amount of functional substance generated according to the operating state of the air conditioner (5).

[0189] The functional substance generating device (E1) can control the volume of the discharge sound according to the operating state of the air conditioning device (5).

[0190] In the functional substance generating device (E1) of the fourth embodiment, in any one of the first to third embodiments, the functional substance is preferably supplied to the target space. The control signal (Y2) includes a signal based on at least one of the state of a person in the target space and the state of the target space. The voltage applying circuit (11) controls the amount of the functional substance generated based on at least one of the state of the person in the target space and the state of the target space.

[0191] The functional substance generating device (E1) can control the volume of the discharge sound according to at least one of the state of the person in the vehicle (C1) and the state of the vehicle (C1).

[0192] In the functional substance generating device (E1) of the fifth embodiment, in the fourth embodiment, preferably, the target space is a vehicle (C1), and the control signal (Y2) includes a signal based on the number of people present in the vehicle (C1), i.e., the number of passengers. The voltage applying circuit (11) controls the amount of functional substance generated based on the number of passengers.

[0193] The functional substance generating device (E1) can control the volume of the discharge sound according to the number of passengers.

[0194] In the functional substance generating device (E1) of the sixth embodiment, in the fourth or fifth embodiment, preferably, the target space is a vehicle (C1), the control signal (Y2) includes a signal based on the speed of the vehicle (C1), and the voltage applying circuit (11) controls the amount of functional substance generated according to the speed.

[0195] The functional substance generating device (E1) can control the volume of the discharge sound according to the speed of the vehicle (C1).

[0196] In the functional substance generating device (E1) of the seventh embodiment, in any one of the first to sixth embodiments, the control signals (Y1, Y2) preferably include signals based on human operation. The voltage applying circuit (11) controls the amount of functional substance generated based on the human operation.

[0197] In the functional substance generating device (E1), people can determine the amount of functional substance generated according to their own wishes, adjust the discharge sound to a volume they can tolerate, or adjust the amount of functional substance generated to a volume they need.

[0198] In the functional substance producing device (E1) of the eighth embodiment, in any one of the first to seventh embodiments, it is preferred that the device further comprises a counter electrode (22), the counter electrode (22) being arranged to face the discharge electrode (21). The voltage applying circuit (11) applies a voltage (Vo) between the discharge electrode (21) and the counter electrode (22).

[0199] The functional substance generating device (E1) can improve the generation efficiency of the functional substance by the discharge generated between the discharge electrode (21) and the counter electrode (22).

[0200] In the functional substance generating device (E1) of the ninth embodiment, in any one of the first to eighth embodiments, it is preferred that the device further comprises a liquid supply unit (3) for supplying liquid (L1) to the discharge electrode (21). The voltage applying circuit (11) electrostatically atomizes the liquid (L1) held by the discharge electrode (21) by discharge, thereby generating the functional substance.

[0201] In the functional substance generating device (E1), liquid (L1) is automatically supplied to the discharge electrode (21), eliminating the need for a human to supply liquid (L1) to the discharge electrode (21). Furthermore, the functional substance generating device (E1) can generate a charged microparticle liquid containing free radicals. Thus, compared to a case where free radicals are released as monomers into the air, the lifespan of the free radicals can be extended. Furthermore, the charged microparticle liquid is, for example, nanosized, making it possible to suspend the charged microparticle liquid over a relatively wide range.

[0202] Description of Reference Numerals

[0203] E1: Functional substance generating device; 11: Voltage applying circuit; 111: Driving circuit; 112: Voltage generating circuit; 12: Detection circuit; 121: Voltage detecting circuit; 122: Current detecting circuit; 13: Power supply unit; 14: Signal input unit; 141: First input circuit; 142: Second input circuit; 2: Load; 21: Discharge electrode; 22: Counter electrode; 3: Liquid supply unit; 4: Signal generating unit; 5: Air conditioning unit; 6: Operation unit; 91: Vehicle body; 92 : Carriage; 93: Dashboard; 94: Seat; 95: Equipment room; 96: Air duct; 96a: Air outlet; Vo: Applied voltage; Io: Discharge current; Io1: First target current value; Io2: Second target current value; Io3: Third target current value; Ya: Air conditioning monitoring signal; Yb: Operation signal; Yc: Vehicle detection signal; Y1: First control signal; Y2: Second control signal; Yi: Current detection signal; Yv: Voltage detection signal; C1: Vehicle; L1: Liquid.

Claims

1. A functional substance generating device comprising: discharge electrode; a voltage applying circuit that applies a voltage to the discharge electrode to cause the discharge electrode to discharge, and generates a functional substance by adjusting a discharge current flowing through the discharge electrode; and a signal input unit for receiving a control signal for controlling the operation of the voltage applying circuit, in, The voltage application circuit controls the generation amount of the functional substance based on the control signal.

2. The functional substance producing device according to claim 1, wherein: The voltage application circuit controls the generated amount of the functional substance by adjusting the discharge current based on the control signal.

3. The functional substance producing device according to claim 1, wherein: The functional substance is contained in the air supplied from the air conditioner, The control signal includes a signal based on the operating state of the air conditioner. The voltage application circuit controls the generation amount of the functional substance according to an operating state of the air conditioner.

4. The functional substance producing device according to claim 1, wherein: The functional substance is supplied to the target space, The control signal includes a signal based on at least one of a state of a person in the target space and a state of the target space. The voltage application circuit controls the generated amount of the functional substance according to at least one of a state of a person in the target space and a state of the target space.

5. The functional substance producing device according to claim 4, wherein: The object space is a vehicle, The control signal includes a signal based on the number of people present in the vehicle, i.e., the number of occupants, The voltage applying circuit controls the generated amount of the functional substance according to the number of passengers.

6. The functional substance producing device according to claim 4, wherein: The object space is a vehicle, The control signal includes a signal based on the speed of the vehicle, The voltage application circuit controls the generated amount of the functional substance according to the speed.

7. The functional substance producing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control signal includes a signal based on human operation, The voltage applying circuit controls the generated amount of the functional substance according to the human operation.

8. The functional substance producing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: It also includes an opposing electrode, the opposing electrode being arranged to face the discharge electrode. The voltage application circuit applies the voltage between the discharge electrode and the counter electrode.

9. The functional substance producing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: further comprising a liquid supply portion for supplying liquid to the discharge electrode, The voltage applying circuit electrostatically atomizes the liquid held by the discharge electrode by the discharge, thereby generating the functional substance.

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