air conditioner

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner capable of inhibiting operations of driving sections of a dehumidification unit and a circulator from becoming an unmatched state when a power supply is recovered from instantaneous power failure.SOLUTION: When power source supply is recovered from instantaneous power failure due to a capacity difference between a dehumidification unit side power storage section 88 and a circulator side power storage section 188, even if whether a reset state is satisfied varies between a dehumidification unit side control section 70 and a circulator side control section 170, a driving section on the circulator 3 side is operated in accordance with the reset state of the dehumidification unit 2 side. This configuration can inhibit operations of driving sections of the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 from becoming an unmatched state when the power supply is recovered from instantaneous power failure, and can prevent a user from arousing a feeling of distrust due to the unmatched state of the operations of the driving sections, so as to improve product performance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner provided with a blower unit that operates in conjunction with an air conditioning unit.

Background Art

[0002] In Patent Document 1, during the interlocking operation in which an air conditioner as an air conditioning unit and a humidifier as a blower unit operate in conjunction, the blower unit receives a control signal transmitted from the air conditioning unit, thereby preventing the blower unit from independently performing an operation that does not conform to the interlocking operation, and discloses content that enables efficient interlocking operation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in this conventional device, regarding the power storage unit that stores power for retaining the memory of the operation instruction to the drive unit during an instantaneous power failure when the power supply is temporarily interrupted, if the power storage unit of the air conditioning unit has a larger capacity than the power storage unit of the blower unit, when the power is restored from an instantaneous power failure during the interlocking operation, the air conditioning unit will not enter a reset state where it forgets the memory of the operation instruction of the drive unit before the instantaneous power failure because the power of the power storage unit is sufficient, and the drive unit will resume operation. However, the blower unit will enter a reset state where it forgets the memory of the operation instruction to the drive unit before the instantaneous power failure because the power of the power storage unit is insufficient, and the drive unit will not resume operation. That is, when the power is restored from an instantaneous power failure, there is no disclosure regarding any countermeasures against the mismatch in the operation of the drive units of the air conditioning unit and the blower unit. When the power is restored from an instantaneous power failure, there is a possibility that the operation of the drive units of the air conditioning unit and the blower unit will be in a mismatched state, giving the user a sense of distrust, so there is room for improvement. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To solve the above problems, claim 1 of the present invention provides an air conditioning unit and An air conditioner comprising a blower unit that operates in conjunction with the air conditioning unit, The aforementioned air conditioning unit is The air conditioning side drive unit operates when power is supplied, The air conditioning side power storage unit is charged by the aforementioned power supply, A transmitting unit that transmits a control signal for controlling the interlocking operation to the blower unit during the interlocking operation, It includes an air conditioning-side microcontroller that controls the operation of the air conditioning-side drive unit during the aforementioned linked operation, The aforementioned microcontroller on the air conditioning side is During a momentary power outage in which the power supply is temporarily interrupted, the power stored in the air conditioning-side power storage unit is supplied. When the power supply is restored after the momentary power outage, if the system is in a reset state where it forgets the memory of the operation instructions to the air conditioning drive unit prior to the momentary power outage, the operation of the air conditioning drive unit will not be restarted. If the system is not in a reset state, the operation of the air conditioning drive unit will be restarted. The aforementioned blower unit is The blower-side drive unit operates when the aforementioned power supply is provided, A fan-side power storage unit, the capacity of which the power supply charges the fan-side power storage unit is smaller than that of the air conditioning-side power storage unit, A receiving unit receives the control signal transmitted from the transmitting unit, It includes a blower-side microcontroller that controls the operation of the blower-side drive unit during the aforementioned linked operation, The aforementioned microcontroller on the fan side is During the aforementioned momentary power outage, the power stored in the blower-side power storage unit is supplied. When the power supply is restored after the momentary power outage, if the system is in a reset state where it forgets the memory of the operation instructions to the blower-side drive unit prior to the momentary power outage, the operation of the blower-side drive unit will not be restarted. If the system is not in a reset state, the operation of the blower-side drive unit will be restarted. When the power supply is restored from the momentary power outage that occurred during the linked operation, the air conditioning microcontroller transmits the control signal, including the operating status of the air conditioning drive unit, from the transmission unit. The aforementioned blower-side microcontroller is characterized by operating the blower-side drive unit in accordance with the operating status of the air conditioning-side drive unit received by the receiving unit.

[0006] Furthermore, in claim 2, the blower unit is operated either integrally with or separately from the air conditioning unit. When the power supply is restored after the momentary power outage that occurred during the linked operation, the transmission of the control signal, including the operating status of the air conditioning drive unit, from the transmitting unit is performed simultaneously with the air conditioning unit.

[0007] Furthermore, in claim 3, the air conditioning drive unit is a heating heater that heats at least the air passing through the air conditioning unit, The blower-side drive unit is characterized by being a fan that draws in air from within the air conditioning unit and blows it out. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this invention, when power is restored from a momentary power outage during linked operation, the air conditioning microcontroller transmits a control signal from the transmitting unit that includes the operating state of the air conditioning drive unit. The blower microcontroller then operates the blower drive unit in accordance with the operating state of the air conditioning drive unit received by the receiving unit. As a result, when power is restored from a momentary power outage, the operation of the air conditioning unit's drive unit and the blower unit's drive unit do not become mismatched, which does not cause distrust among users and thus improves product quality. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A front view perspective of the dehumidifier in its integrated state according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] A perspective view of the dehumidifier as an integrated unit in this embodiment, as seen from the rear. [Figure 3]Vertical sectional view of the dehumidifier with a circulator when integrated. [Figure 4] Exploded perspective view of the dehumidifier with a circulator when integrated. [Figure 5] Schematic functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the dehumidifier with a circulator. [Figure 6] Schematic functional block diagram for specifically explaining each power supply unit among the functional blocks of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] External appearance perspective view of the circulator when separated, seen from the front. [Figure 8] External appearance perspective view of the circulator when separated, seen from the back. [Figure 9] External appearance perspective view showing an example of the usage state of the dehumidifier when separated. [Figure 10] Flowchart for explaining the control signal invalidation process executed by the circulator side control unit in the circulator. [Figure 11] Sequence diagram executed by the dehumidifier corresponding to the process of FIG. 10. [Figure 12] Diagram for explaining the state of the power storage unit from the moment of instantaneous power failure to the restoration of power in this embodiment. [Figure 13] Flowchart for explaining the operation at the time of instantaneous power failure on the dehumidification unit side in this embodiment. [Figure 14] Flowchart for explaining the operation at the time of instantaneous power failure on the circulator side in this embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] An embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the air conditioner of the present invention is applied to a dehumidifier with a circulator that uses a vapor compression refrigeration cycle to condense moisture contained in the air for dehumidification and blow air, and will be described.

[0011] FIG. 1 is an external appearance perspective view of the dehumidifier 1 with a circulator in this embodiment, seen from the front when integrated. Figure 2 is a rear view perspective of the dehumidifier with circulator 1 in this embodiment when it is assembled. Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the dehumidifier with circulator 1 in its integrated form. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the dehumidifier with circulator 1 in its integrated form. Figure 5 is a schematic functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the dehumidifier with a circulator 1. Figure 6 is a schematic functional block diagram that specifically explains the power supply units 83 and 183 within the functional block shown in Figure 5. Figure 7 is a front view perspective of the circulator 3 when it is separated. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the circulator 3 from the rear when it is separated. Figure 9 is an external perspective view showing an example of the usage state of the dehumidifier 1 during separation.

[0012] In the following explanation, the definitions of front, back, up, down, left, and right shown in each drawing will be followed. The side facing forward on which the dehumidification unit side operation section 74 is located may be called the front, and the side facing backward on the opposite side of the front may be called the rear. The direction along the front, back, left, and right directions will be called the horizontal direction. The definitions of front, back, up, down, left, and right of the circulator 3 may differ depending on whether the circulator 3 is attached to the dehumidification unit 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "integrated") or separated from the dehumidification unit 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "separated"). In the integrated state, the definitions in Figures 1 to 4 will be followed, and in the separated state, the definitions in Figures 7 and 8 may be followed.

[0013] The dehumidifier with a circulator 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as "dehumidifier 1") comprises a dehumidification unit 2 (air conditioning unit) that blows out dehumidified (conditioned) air, and a circulator 3 (air blowing unit) positioned above the dehumidification unit 2 that draws in ambient air and blows it out. As shown in Figure 4, the circulator 3 is detachable from the dehumidification unit 2 (housing 10) and can blow air in conjunction with or independently of the dehumidification unit 2. Furthermore, the circulator 3 can be operated integrally with or separately from the dehumidification unit 2.

[0014] The dehumidifying unit 2 has a housing 10 that forms the external appearance of the dehumidifying unit 2. The housing 10 has a front frame 11, a rear frame 12, a top panel 14, and a base 15.

[0015] The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 are joined together via connecting lines 13 that extend vertically at approximately the center of the housing 10 in the front-to-back direction, forming a roughly rectangular prism-shaped side surface 23 with four faces that connects the top surface 21 and the bottom surface 22 of the housing 10. The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 each have a top frame portion 24 that is formed by bending horizontally inward from their upper ends. The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12, which are the right side surface 23c and the left side surface 23d, also have handle cutouts 25 for the placement of handles 43. The handle cutouts 25 are formed at the upper ends of the right side surface 23c and the left side surface 23d, and approximately in the center in the front-to-back direction. The front-facing surface of the front frame 11 is the front surface 23a of the side surface 23.

[0016] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rear frame 12 (rear surface 23b) has an intake port 31, a tank insertion port 32, and a power cord port 34. The intake port 31 has multiple slits 36 and has a filter 37 and a filter case 38 on its outer surface. The filter 37 is made of a resin mesh or nonwoven fabric and removes dust and odor components mixed in with the intake air. The filter case 38 fixes the filter 37 to the intake port 31. The tank insertion port 32 is located below the intake port 31, and the drain tank 69 is inserted and removed from here. The power cord port 34 is located in the lower right of the rear frame 12, and the power cord 4 connected to the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 is routed from the power cord port 34 to the outside of the housing 10.

[0017] The top plate 14 has a base portion 14a facing upward and a peripheral wall portion 14b extending downward from the periphery of the base portion 14a. The top plate 14 is positioned to cover the opening 24a (Figure 3) formed by the inner edge of the top frame portion 24. Together with the top frame portion 24 described above, the base portion 14a forms the top surface 21, which is the surface facing upward of the housing 10. On the top surface 21, the peripheral wall portion 14b forms a step with respect to the top frame portion 24, so that the base portion 14a functions as an upwardly convex upper surface portion 90 (Figure 4) relative to the top frame portion 24.

[0018] The top panel 14 also has an air outlet 41, an air guide wall 42, a handle 43, and left and right intake recesses 45.

[0019] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the air outlet 41 is formed in a rectangular shape at approximately the center of the base 14a. The air outlet 41 is equipped with a louver 48 that can control the direction of the dry air discharge and a louver motor 49 (Figure 5) that drives the louver 48.

[0020] The air guide wall 42 is a wall that rises a predetermined amount upward from the base 14a, surrounding the outlet 41 on the outside when viewed from above. The air guide wall 42 directs the air blown out from the outlet 41 towards the circulator 3 above. The air guide wall 42 forms a space that serves as a passage for the air blown out from the outlet 41, and is connected to the inside of the housing 10.

[0021] The handles 43 are formed above the right side 23c and left side 23d of the top plate 14, at positions corresponding to the handle notches 25 of the front frame 11 and rear frame 12, on the left and right sides of the top plate 14. The handles 43 have handle recesses 51 and finger rests 52 that are recessed inward in the left-right direction from the right side 23c and left side 23d, and are used by the user when transporting the dehumidifier 1.

[0022] The left and right suction port recesses 45 are recesses for forming the left and right suction ports 121, which will be described later. The left and right suction port recesses 45 are formed in a position that overlaps with the handle recess 51 (handle 43) in the left-right direction with respect to the finger rest 52.

[0023] As shown in Figure 3, the base 15 is positioned to cover the opening 22a formed below by the combined front frame 11 and rear frame 12. The base 15 serves as the base of the dehumidifier 1 and is the bottom surface 22 that is installed directly on the floor or other installation surface, or, if the dehumidifier has legs, through a gap.

[0024] The dehumidification unit 2, as shown in Figure 3, has a fan case 61, a sirocco fan 62, a blower motor 63, a compressor 65, a heat exchanger 66, a heating element 67, a drain pan 68, and a drain tank 69 as its main internal components housed in the casing 10.

[0025] The fan case 61 is positioned on the base 15 and primarily supports and positions the sirocco fan 62, the blower motor 63, and the drain tank 69.

[0026] The sirocco fan 62 rotates due to the rotation of the blower motor 63, which acts as the air conditioning drive unit, drawing in air from the intake port 31 and creating an airflow that is blown out from the outlet port 41. The sirocco fan 62 and the blower motor 63 are mounted on the fan case 61 such that their rotation axes are aligned in the front-rear direction.

[0027] The compressor 65, which serves as the air conditioning drive unit, is fixed on the base 15 and connected to the heat exchanger 66 via piping 65a and a pressure reducing device.

[0028] The heat exchanger 66 exchanges heat with the air drawn in from the intake port 31. The heat exchanger 66 has an evaporator 66a positioned close to the intake port 31 and a condenser 66b positioned in front of the evaporator 66a. The evaporator 66a and condenser 66b are fin-tube type heat exchangers in which fins 66d are attached to a U-shaped refrigerant pipe 66c. The refrigerant pipe 66c has multiple straight sections extending horizontally (left and right) and a bent section that curves vertically in a U shape, connecting two straight sections. These straight sections and bent sections appear continuously along the length of the refrigerant pipe 66c.

[0029] The compressor 65, piping 65a, pressure reducing device, and heat exchanger 66 form a refrigeration cycle through which the refrigerant flows. The refrigeration cycle consists of the compressor 65, condenser 66b, pressure reducing device, and evaporator 66a, in the order in which the refrigerant flows. As the refrigerant flows through the evaporator 66a, it absorbs heat from the air passing through the evaporator 66a and evaporates. As the refrigerant flows through the condenser 66b, it reheats the air passing through the condenser 66b and condenses. As a result, the air drawn in from the intake port 31 has dust and odor components removed by the filter 37, is cooled and dehumidified in the evaporator 66a, and then heated in the condenser 66b to become low-humidity air.

[0030] The heating heater 67, acting as the air conditioning drive unit, heats the low-humidity air that has passed through the condenser 66b before the outlet 41.

[0031] The drain pan 68 has a drain port and receives the drain water generated and falling from the evaporator 66a, and discharges it through this drain port. The drain pan 68 supports and fixes the heat exchanger 66 from below.

[0032] The drain tank 69 stores the drain water discharged from the drain port of the drain pan 68. The drain tank 69 is attached to and detached from the housing 10 by sliding it in the front-rear direction from the tank insertion port 32. When the drain tank 69 is inserted into the housing 10, it is placed in a tank chamber formed by the fan case 61.

[0033] The drain tank 69 has a tank lid 69a and a float housing 69b. The tank lid 69a allows drain water from the drain port of the drain pan 68 to fall into the drain tank 69. The float housing 69b houses a float, for example, one with a magnet, for detecting the water level in the drain tank 69. The magnetic field of the magnet, corresponding to the water level, is detected by a water level sensor 69c, such as an AMR sensor (Anisotropic-Magneto-Resistance sensor), which is mounted on the dehumidification unit side control unit 70, and the user is notified that the drain tank 69 is full.

[0034] As shown in Figure 5, the dehumidification unit 2 further includes a dehumidification unit-side control unit 70, a temperature sensor 71, a humidity sensor 72, a notification unit 73, a dehumidification unit-side operation unit 74, and a display unit 75.

[0035] The dehumidification unit side control unit 70, which is the air conditioning side microcontroller, is a control board positioned in front of the fan case 61, supported by the required case.

[0036] The dehumidifier unit-side control unit 70 outputs control signals based on instructions from the dehumidifier unit-side operation unit 74 and input signals from pre-stored programs, and comprehensively controls the operation of the dehumidifier 1 by electrically controlling each part such as the louver motor 49, blower motor 63, compressor 65, heating element 67, and display unit 75. The dehumidifier unit-side control unit 70 also controls each part of the circulator 3, such as the oscillation motor 138, by transmitting infrared signals, both when the units are integrated and when they are separated. In this embodiment, the dehumidifier unit-side control unit 70 controls the interlocking operation of the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3.

[0037] The dehumidification unit side control unit 70 has a storage unit 77, a timer 78, and a calculation unit 79. The storage unit 77 stores the operation programs for each part. The timer 78, acting as a one-sided timing means, counts the elapsed time of linked operation with the circulator 3 for an operating time arbitrarily set by the user or a predetermined time that is a preset upper limit (for example, 24 hours). The calculation unit 79, acting as a one-sided remaining time calculation means, calculates the remaining time of timer operation by subtracting the elapsed time of timer operation counted by the timer 78 from the predetermined time of timer operation.

[0038] The temperature sensor 71 and humidity sensor 72 are installed at predetermined locations on the dehumidifier 1 body and measure the ambient temperature and humidity of the dehumidifier 1. The dehumidification unit side control unit 70 uses the temperature and humidity as needed to control each part. The notification unit 73 outputs an alarm sound or the like to inform the user of the situation based on the instructions of the dehumidification unit side control unit 70.

[0039] The dehumidifier unit-side operation unit 74 and display unit 75 are located at the top of the front 23a (side 23, front frame 11) of the housing 10, approximately in the center in the left-right direction. The dehumidifier unit-side operation unit 74 and display unit 75 are located on a control board 70a, which is arranged approximately parallel to the front 23a, and is for the dehumidifier unit-side operation unit 74, the display unit 75, and the dehumidifier unit-side communication unit 82. The dehumidifier unit-side operation unit 74 has multiple input buttons that implement, for example, an operation switch, a timer switch, an operation mode selection switch, and a switch for setting the operation of the circulator 3. The display unit 75 displays the operating status of the dehumidifier 1, etc., by the lighting status of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes).

[0040] The dehumidification unit 2 further includes a circulator detection sensor 81, a dehumidification unit side communication unit 82, a dehumidification unit side power supply unit 83, a power switching unit 84, and a dehumidification unit side energy storage unit 88.

[0041] The circulator detection sensor 81 is located on the dehumidification unit 2 (either the dehumidification unit 2 or the circulator 3) and detects the attachment / detachment status, indicating whether the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 are integrated or separated. The circulator detection sensor 81 is a reed switch (proximity sensor) that detects the presence or absence of proximity to the circulator 3 by detecting, for example, the magnetic field of a magnet placed at a predetermined position on the circulator 3.

[0042] The circulator detection sensor 81 outputs whether or not a magnetic field is detected to the dehumidification unit side control unit 70. Based on the acquired detection result, the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 acquires the attachment / detachment status, assuming that the circulator 3 is integrated if a magnetic field is detected, and separate if no magnetic field is detected.

[0043] The dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 is an infrared antenna that transmits the required infrared signal (wireless signal) to the circulator-side communication unit 182 of the circulator 3 based on the control of the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70. As shown in Figure 1, the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 transmits infrared rays from a dehumidification unit-side transparent window 86 that transmits infrared rays and is provided in the panel 76 in which the dehumidification unit-side operation unit 74 is formed.

[0044] The dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 transmits the necessary information to the circulator 3 via the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82. Specifically, the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 transmits to the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 information regarding the attachment / detachment status obtained from the detection result of the circulator detection sensor 81, and information regarding operation control necessary to link the operation of the circulator 3 with the operation of the dehumidification unit 2. Therefore, in this embodiment, the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 functions as a transmitter that transmits control signals to the circulator 3 to control the linked operation.

[0045] As shown in Figure 6, the dehumidification unit's power supply unit 83 converts the alternating current supplied from the power cord 4 connected to the commercial power supply into direct current and supplies it to each part of the dehumidification unit 2.

[0046] The power switching unit 84 switches whether or not to supply AC current from the commercial power supply to the power output terminal 87. As shown in Figure 4, the power output terminal 87 is exposed above the top surface 21 where the circulator 3 is mounted. When the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 is integrated, it closes the power switching unit 84 and supplies power from the power output terminal 87 to the power input terminal 187 of the circulator 3. On the other hand, when the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 is separated, it opens the power switching unit 84 and does not supply power to the power output terminal 87.

[0047] The dehumidifier-side power storage unit 88, which serves as the air conditioning-side power storage unit, is a capacitor installed in the dehumidifier-side control unit 70. It charges with power supplied by the dehumidifier-side power supply unit 83 and discharges during a momentary power outage when the power supply is temporarily interrupted. The amount of energy that can be charged in the dehumidifier-side power storage unit 88 varies depending on the capacitor's inherent capacity. That is, the larger the capacity, the greater the amount of energy that can be charged. Furthermore, the discharge during a momentary power outage allows the dehumidifier-side control unit 70 to continue issuing operation commands to the air conditioning-side drive units such as the blower motor 63 and compressor 65, which were in place before the momentary power outage occurred. As a result, when power is restored after a momentary power outage, the operation of the air conditioning-side drive units such as the blower motor 63 and compressor 65 can be resumed in the state it was in before the momentary power outage.

[0048] When the circulator 3 is integrated, it primarily draws in the dehumidified air blown out from the dehumidification unit 2. When it is separated, it draws in the surrounding air and circulates and mixes the surrounding air while blowing it out.

[0049] The circulator 3 has a base portion 110 and an air blower portion 130. The air blower portion 130 is supported on the base portion 110 so as to be able to oscillate around an axis that is aligned with the left-right direction when the unit is integrated.

[0050] As shown in Figures 1, 7, and 8, the base portion 110 is a cylindrical casing that forms a space (a through-hole that penetrates vertically when the components are integrated) inside the base portion 110 capable of housing the blower portion 130. The base portion 110 has a base portion bottom surface 111, a base portion side surface 112, and a base portion top surface 113. The base portion side surface 112 consists of an outer surface and an inner surface, and the internal space 115 formed by closing the base portion bottom surface 111, the base portion side surface 112, and the base portion top surface 113 is partially or entirely hollow, as shown in Figure 3.

[0051] The bottom surface 111 of the base portion is a frame-shaped surface having substantially the same shape as the upper surface 21 formed by the upper frame portion 24. When the base portion is assembled, the bottom surface 111 is placed on the upper frame portion 24 and becomes a surface that contacts the upper frame portion 24.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 8, the base bottom surface 111 has a circulator-side recess 190 located inward from the inner peripheral edge 111a of the base bottom surface 111. The circulator-side recess 190 is a recessed space that is recessed upward, corresponding to the vertical length of the peripheral wall portion 14b of the top plate 14 and the shape of the top surface convex portion 90. Because the circulator-side recess 190 corresponds to the shape of the top surface convex portion 90, it engages with the top surface convex portion 90 when they are in a single unit. As a result, the base 110 is restricted from moving horizontally parallel to the installation surface, i.e., from moving on the top surface 21, by the top surface convex portion 90. Also, since the circulator 3 is supported by the housing 10 by a simple interlocking of recesses and protrusions, it can be easily removed by lifting it upward.

[0053] The side surface 112 of the base portion has an outer surface shape that is almost identical to the outer surface shape of the side surface 23 of the housing 10. That is, when the circulator 3 is assembled, the side surface 112 of the base portion is flush with the side surface 23 of the dehumidifying unit 2 and has an appearance that is integrated with the housing 10. The side surface 112 of the base portion has left and right intake ports 121 and a rear intake port 122.

[0054] The left and right intake ports 121 are positioned approximately in the center in the front-to-back direction on the left and right side surfaces 112c of the base portion, and are formed by cutting out a predetermined amount upward from the boundary between the left and right side surfaces 112c of the base portion and the base portion bottom surface 111. As shown in Figure 2 and other figures, the left and right intake ports 121 have a shape that is approximately vertically symmetrical with respect to the handle 43 on the side surface 23 of the housing 10 with respect to the finger rest 52, or with respect to the boundary line 5 between the top frame portion 24 and the base portion bottom surface 111. As described above, left and right intake port recesses 45 are formed in the top plate 14, and the space formed in these left and right intake port recesses 45 and the left and right intake ports 121 act to connect the periphery of the dehumidifier 1 to the inside of the base portion 110 (base portion side surfaces 112) via the left and right intake ports 121.

[0055] As shown in Figure 1, the side surface 112 of the base portion faces forward in the same direction as the front surface 23a when the parts are integrated, and has a front surface 112a which is the front of the base portion 110. It also has a rear surface 112b which faces backward when the parts are integrated, and is the back of the base portion 110.

[0056] The rear intake port 122 is positioned approximately in the center of the base portion rear surface 112b in the left-right direction, and is formed by cutting out a predetermined amount upward from the boundary between the base portion rear surface 112b and the base portion bottom surface 111. The rear intake port 122 interacts with the shape of the upper surface 21 of the housing 10 to connect the surrounding area with the inside of the base portion 110 via the rear intake port 122.

[0057] The upper surface 113 of the base consists of a surface 113a that is parallel to the horizontal direction from the rear to approximately the center in the front-rear direction, and a surface 113b that curves downward from approximately the center to the front. Due to this configuration, when the base is assembled, the upper surface 113 is located above the bottom surface 111 of the base and faces upward (approximately upward). The upper surface 113 of the base has a curved recess 113c at the rear. The recess 113c is formed to create an airflow path without the base 110 obstructing the airflow from the circulator 3 when the base is assembled.

[0058] The blower unit 130 includes a cover 131, a fan motor 135, and a fan 136.

[0059] The cover 131 is a bone-like member for protecting the user's fingers, etc., from the fan 136. The cover 131 has a suction-side cover 131a, for example, which is hemispherical and covers the suction side (upstream side) of the fan 136 and forms the suction surface, and a flat outlet-side cover 131b, which covers the outlet side (downstream side) of the fan 136 and forms the outlet surface. The suction-side cover 131a and the outlet-side cover 131b are combined to form a single unit. In the position of the air blower 130 where the outlet-side cover 131b is aligned in a substantially horizontal direction and the rotation axis of the fan 136 is aligned in a vertical direction, as shown in Figure 3 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "stopped position"), the suction-side cover 131a has a motor support portion 131c that is concave upward at a central position facing downward.

[0060] The fan motor 135 and fan 136, which serve as the blower-side drive unit, are housed inside the cover 131 in the stopped position such that the rotation axis of the fan motor 135 (fan 136) is aligned vertically and passes through the center of the sphere that makes up the cover 131. The fan motor 135 rotates the fan 136 around its rotation axis. The fan 136 blows air from the outlet 41 that is drawn in from the intake-side cover 131a, and air drawn into the intake-side cover 131a from the outside of the dehumidifier 1, through the outlet-side cover 131b.

[0061] The blower unit 130 is supported on the base unit 110 in a stationary position such that the direction of airflow from the fan 136 almost coincides with the direction of airflow from the outlet 41, which is almost upward. The blower unit 130 is also supported on the base unit 110 so that it can oscillate within a predetermined range of angles around an oscillation axis that runs in the left-right direction (a predetermined direction) from its stationary position when assembled, by an oscillation motor 138. The oscillation motor 138, which acts as the blower-side drive unit, is located in the internal space 115 of the base unit 110. The oscillation axis of the oscillation motor 138 is positioned almost in the center of the front-to-back direction of the circulator 3. The oscillation axis also passes through the center of the sphere that forms the hemispherical intake-side cover 131a. Furthermore, the oscillation axis is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the fan 136.

[0062] The circulator 3 further includes a circulator-side control unit 170, a circulator-side operation unit 174, a circulator-side communication unit 182, a circulator-side power supply unit 183, and a circulator-side energy storage unit 188.

[0063] The circulator-side control unit 170, which functions as the blower-side microcontroller, is a control board (Figure 3) located in the internal space 115 of the base unit 110. The other-side microcontroller, the circulator-side control unit 170, electrically controls the fan motor 135 and the oscillating motor 138 based on input signals from the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 or the circulator-side operation unit 174. In this embodiment, the circulator-side control unit 170 functions as a blower-side control unit that controls the circulator 3 based on control signals received from the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 (dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82).

[0064] The circulator-side control unit 174 is positioned approximately in the center of the front surface 112a of the base unit in the left-right direction. The circulator-side control unit 174 is positioned on a control board 170a that is positioned approximately parallel to the front surface 112a of the base unit, similar to the dehumidification unit-side control unit 74. The control board 170a is a control board for the circulator-side control unit 174 and the circulator-side communication unit 182. The control board 170a of the circulator-side control unit 174 is positioned to approximately overlap with, or as close as possible to, the control board 70a of the dehumidification unit-side control unit 74 when viewed from above. The circulator-side control unit 174 has a plurality of input buttons that implement, for example, an operation switch and an oscillation switch. In particular, in this embodiment, the circulator-side control unit 174 functions as a blower-side control unit that inputs user instructions to the circulator-side control unit 170 to stop or start the operation of the circulator 3.

[0065] The circulator-side control unit 170 includes a memory unit 177, a timer 178, a calculation unit 179, and a built-in oscillator circuit 180. The memory unit 177 stores programs and information necessary for controlling each unit. The timer 178, acting as the other-side timing means, counts the elapsed time of linked operation with the dehumidifier unit 2 for a predetermined time (e.g., 24 hours) that is either an operating time arbitrarily set by the user or a predetermined upper limit. The calculation unit 179, acting as the other-side remaining time calculation means, calculates the remaining time of timer operation by subtracting the elapsed time of timer operation counted by the timer 178 from the predetermined time of timer operation. The built-in oscillator circuit 180 is built into the circulator-side control unit 170, which is the other-side microcontroller, and generates a clock signal. The timer 178 counts the elapsed time of timer operation based on the clock signal generated by the built-in oscillator circuit 180.

[0066] The circulator-side communication unit 182 is an infrared antenna that receives the required infrared signals (wireless signals) transmitted from the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 based on the control of the circulator-side control unit 170. In this embodiment, the circulator-side communication unit 182 functions as a receiver that receives control signals transmitted from the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82, which acts as a transmitter. The circulator-side communication unit 182 receives infrared rays from, for example, the infrared-transmitting circulator-side transparent window 186 provided on the upper surface 113 of the base portion 110. The circulator-side transparent window 186 and the dehumidification unit-side transparent window 86 are realized, for example, by making the areas on the upper surface 113 of the base portion and the front frame 11 in which the circulator-side transparent window 186 and the dehumidification unit-side transparent window 86 are formed thinner or by forming them with a material that has high infrared transmittance.

[0067] As shown in Figure 6, the circulator-side power supply unit 183 converts the alternating current supplied from the power input terminal 187 into direct current and supplies it to each part of the circulator 3. As shown in Figure 8, the power input terminal 187 is positioned so that it can be directly connected to the power output terminal 87 which is exposed from the upper surface 21 of the dehumidification unit 2 when it is integrated.

[0068] When integrated, the circulator-side power supply unit 183 supplies power to each component from the power input terminal 187, which is directly connected to the power output terminal 87 of the dehumidification unit 2. When separated, it supplies power to each component from the power input terminal 187, which is connected to the power cord 8 (Figure 9) connected to the commercial power supply. The connection of the power output terminal 87 and the terminals of the power cord 8 to the power input terminal 187 can be facilitated for the user by, for example, using magnetic attraction.

[0069] The circulator-side power storage unit 188, which functions as a blower-side power storage unit, is a capacitor installed in the circulator-side control unit 170. It charges with power supplied by the circulator-side power supply unit 183 and discharges during a momentary power outage when the power supply is temporarily interrupted. The amount of energy that can be stored in the circulator-side power storage unit 188 varies depending on the capacitor's inherent capacity. That is, the larger the capacity, the greater the amount of energy that can be stored. Furthermore, the discharge during a momentary power outage allows the circulator-side control unit 170 to continue issuing operation commands to the blower-side drive unit, such as the fan motor 135, from the state it was in before the momentary power outage. This allows the operation of the blower-side drive unit, such as the fan motor 135, to resume in the state it was in before the momentary power outage when power is restored.

[0070] In this embodiment, the capacity of the circulator-side power storage unit 188 is smaller than the capacity of the dehumidifier-side power storage unit 88. This reduces component costs, but it also means that the time during which the fan-side drive unit can continue to receive operating instructions during a momentary power outage is shorter than the time during which the air conditioning-side drive unit can continue to receive operating instructions. As a result, if the momentary power outage is prolonged, when power is restored, the operation of the drive units on the dehumidifier-side 2 and the circulator-side may not match, potentially resulting in a mismatch. Further details will be described later.

[0071] In its integrated operation, the circulator 3 primarily draws in the dehumidified air blown out from the dehumidification unit 2, and circulates and mixes the surrounding air while blowing this air upwards. The circulator 3 also operates by oscillating around an oscillating axis that runs along the left-right direction, alternately directing its air outlet in the front-back direction.

[0072] Furthermore, when separated, the circulator 3 is positioned at a predetermined distance from the dehumidification unit 2 (Figure 9). In this configuration, the circulator 3 is positioned and used upright at a 90-degree angle from its integrated state, with the rear surface 112b of the base facing the floor or other surface, the front surface 112a of the base facing upwards, and the top surface 113 of the base facing the dehumidification unit 2. The circulator 3, positioned in this manner, draws in ambient air from the bottom surface 111 of the base (rear), and circulates and agitates the ambient air by blowing this air towards the top surface 113 of the base (front). The circulator 3 also operates while oscillating up and down around an oscillating axis that runs along the left-right direction.

[0073] By operating the dehumidifier 1 with the circulator 3 integrated, the circulator 3 can draw in most of the air dehumidified by the dehumidification unit 2, and the dehumidified air can be blown out effectively, thereby improving dehumidification efficiency. Furthermore, by operating the dehumidifier 1 with the circulator 3 separated, it can be suitably used in applications such as the following.

[0074] When a dehumidifier 1 is used to dry laundry hung indoors, the laundry can be dried efficiently by placing the dehumidifier 1 directly beneath the laundry. In this case, it is preferable to position the dehumidifier 1 so that it does not overlap with the laundry. However, depending on the height of the clothesline and the type of laundry, it may be difficult to place the dehumidifier 1 directly beneath the laundry, and the dehumidifier 1 must be placed at a distance from the laundry so as not to overlap it. In contrast, in this embodiment, the circulator 3, which is positioned above the dehumidifier 1, can be removed and placed separately on the installation surface. Therefore, if the dehumidifier 1 overlaps with the laundry, the circulator 3 can be separated and the height of the dehumidifier 1 can be lowered, making the dehumidifier 1 more user-friendly depending on the situation.

[0075] In this embodiment, even when the dehumidifier 1 and the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 are physically separated, the dehumidifier unit side control unit 70 transmits control signals to the circulator side control unit 170 via the dehumidifier unit side communication unit 82 and the circulator side communication unit 182, thereby enabling operation that is suitable for the surrounding environment.

[0076] Specifically, the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines the airflow rate (rotation speed of the blower motor 63), temperature, airflow rate of the circulator 3, and operating time of the dehumidifier 1 based on the ambient temperature and humidity obtained from the temperature sensor 71 and humidity sensor 72 acquired by the dehumidification unit 2, and can then perform appropriate control in conjunction with the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3.

[0077] While the acquisition of temperature and humidity and the determination of appropriate control settings according to the surrounding environment could be performed individually by the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 and the circulator-side control unit 170, this would necessitate the use of high-performance control boards in both the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 and the circulator-side control unit 170, and could lead to increased complexity in the processing required for mutual coordination. Therefore, in this embodiment, the dehumidifier 1 addresses the above problem by having the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 control the circulator 3 in order to control the dehumidifier 1 as a whole during linked operation. Hereinafter, the operation in which the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 transmits a control signal to the circulator-side control unit 170 in order to operate the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 in linked operation, and the operation of the circulator-side control unit 170 based on this control signal, will be referred to as "linked operation."

[0078] Here, the dehumidifier 1 is equipped with a circulator-side control unit 174 separate from the dehumidifier unit-side control unit 74 for inputting instructions to stop and start the operation of the circulator 3. This ensures user-friendliness for inputting operations to the circulator 3, which is separated from the dehumidifier unit 2, even when the units are separated. However, if an instruction to stop the operation of the circulator 3 is input from the circulator-side control unit 174 while the linked operation is in progress, coordination with the dehumidifier unit 2 will be lost, which may cause malfunctions. For example, if a timer is set for a predetermined time to stop the operation of the dehumidifier 1, and the operation of the circulator 3 is stopped via the circulator-side control unit 174, then if the operation of the circulator 3 is started via the circulator-side control unit 174 afterward, the time until the timer expires will not be shared, and the circulator 3 may continue to operate even though the dehumidifier unit 2 has stopped.

[0079] Furthermore, if the operation of the circulator 3 is stopped and restarted sequentially via the circulator-side control unit 174 during linked operation, there is a risk that the circulator 3 may be operated independently without the instructions from the dehumidifier unit 2 being reflected, even though optimal air conditioning would normally be possible through linked operation based on the control of the dehumidifier unit-side control unit 70.

[0080] Therefore, in order to further improve the air conditioning efficiency and suitably perform linked operation, the dehumidifier 1 in this embodiment has a function in which, when an instruction to stop the operation of the circulator 3 is input from the circulator-side control unit 174 during linked operation, the circulator-side control unit 170 performs a process to invalidate the control signal.

[0081] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating the control signal invalidation process performed by the circulator-side control unit 170 in the circulator 3.

[0082] Figure 11 is a sequence diagram showing the process performed by the dehumidifier 1, corresponding to the process shown in Figure 10.

[0083] This control signal invalidation process is performed when the circulator 3 is separated from the dehumidifier unit 2 and linked operation based on the control of the dehumidifier unit side control unit 70 begins (step S21 in Figure 11). The dehumidifier unit side control unit 70 also transmits control signals for linked operation when there is a change in the control content and at predetermined intervals (e.g., every hour). The transmitted content includes, for example, the control values ​​of each part such as the airflow rate and oscillation angle, as well as the operation stop and the remaining time of timer operation.

[0084] In step S1, the circulator-side control unit 170 determines whether or not it has received an instruction from the circulator-side operation unit 174 to stop the operation of the circulator 3. If the circulator-side control unit 170 determines that it has not received an instruction to stop the operation (NO in step S1), it waits until it receives an instruction to stop the operation.

[0085] On the other hand, if the circulator-side control unit 170 determines that it has received an instruction to stop operation (YES in step S1, step S22), it stops the operation of the circulator 3 in step S2 (step S23). In step S3, the circulator-side control unit 170 invalidates the control signal for interlocking operation received from the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 (step S24). As described above, the circulator-side communication unit 182 only receives control signals from the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 and does not transmit them, so the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 is unaware that the operation of the circulator 3 has stopped. In addition, even when the circulator 3 is stopped, the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 repeatedly sends control signals to the circulator-side control unit 170 if there is a change in the control content or at a predetermined period (step S25).

[0086] In step S4, the circulator-side control unit 170 determines whether or not it has received a control signal from the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 at the circulator-side communication unit 182. If the circulator-side control unit 170 determines that it has received a control signal (YES in step S4, step S25), in step S5 it determines whether or not the received control signal is an instruction to stop the circulator 3 in conjunction with the stopping of the dehumidification unit 2. If the circulator-side control unit 170 determines that it is not an instruction to stop the circulator 3 (NO in step S5), in step S6 it stores the received control signal in the storage unit 177 (step S26).

[0087] If the reception determination step S4 determines that no control signal has been received (NO in step S4), and after the control signal storage step S6, in step S7, the circulator-side control unit 170 determines whether or not it has received an instruction from the circulator-side operation unit 174 to start operating the circulator 3. If the circulator-side control unit 170 determines that it has not received an instruction to start operation (NO in step S7), it returns to the reception determination step S4 and repeats the subsequent processing.

[0088] On the other hand, if the circulator-side control unit 170 determines that it has received an instruction to start operation (YES in step S7, step S27), in step S8, the circulator-side control unit 170 starts operating the circulator 3. At this time, the circulator-side control unit 170 starts operation based on the control signals received while the operation was stopped, which are stored in the storage unit 177 (step S28). After the operation start step S8, in step S9, the circulator-side control unit 170 releases the deactivation of the control signal (step S29). As a result, the circulator-side control unit 170 performs linked operation based on the control signal transmitted from the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70. Furthermore, if the control signal received in the stop determination step S5 is determined to be an instruction to stop the circulator 3 in conjunction with the stopping of the dehumidification unit 2 (YES in step S5, step S25'), the circulator-side control unit 170 also releases the deactivation of the control signal in step S9 (step S29'). As a result, both the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 are stopped, and the linked operation is completed for both, and the deactivation of the control based on the control signal is released. In other words, the circulator 3 can operate based on the received control signal, and the next linked operation can be started without any problems.

[0089] Such a dehumidifier 1 can suitably operate the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 in a synchronized manner, and can also suitably address the issues that arise with synchronized operation, making it easy for the user to use. Specifically, when the dehumidifier 1 performs synchronized operation, the circulator 3 is also operated based on the control of the dehumidification unit side control unit 70. However, if the operation of the circulator 3 is stopped on the circulator 3 side, the control based on the control signal from the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 is disabled, even though the control signal is received. As a result, the dehumidifier 1 can refer to the received control signal even when the operation of the circulator 3 is restarted.

[0090] Furthermore, when the operation of the circulator 3 is resumed, the dehumidifier 1 can release the deactivation of the control based on the control signal and, at the same time, quickly resume linked operation based on the control signal received while stopped.

[0091] Furthermore, since the dehumidifier 1's dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 transmits control signals at predetermined intervals, it is possible to reduce the situation in which control signals cannot be received, even in situations where communication tends to become unstable, especially when the units are separated, due to the presence of obstacles between the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3.

[0092] Next, the control of the dehumidifier 1 in this embodiment during a momentary power outage will be described.

[0093] If a momentary power outage occurs during the synchronized operation of the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3, causing a temporary interruption of the power supply, the power supply to the drive unit in the dehumidifier unit 2 and the drive unit in the circulator 3 will stop, and the operation of the drive units in the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 will cease. At this time, the dehumidifier unit's power storage unit 88 and the circulator's power storage unit 188 discharge power, supplying power to the dehumidifier unit's control unit 70 and the circulator's control unit 170. As a result, the operation instruction signals from the dehumidifier unit's control unit 70 to the drive unit in the dehumidifier unit 2 and from the circulator's control unit 170 to the drive unit in the circulator 3, which were output just before the momentary power outage, can continue to be output even during the momentary power outage.

[0094] During a momentary power outage, discharge occurs from the dehumidifier-side power storage unit 88 and the circulator-side power storage unit 188, causing the voltage (V) of the dehumidifier-side power storage unit 88 and the circulator-side power storage unit 188 to decrease over time (t), as shown in Figure 12. When the voltage value of the power storage unit falls below a predetermined reset voltage value, the dehumidifier-side control unit 70 and the circulator-side control unit 170 enter a reset state, forgetting the memory of the operation instructions to the respective drive units of the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 immediately before the momentary power outage. If the system is not in the reset state when power is restored after a momentary power outage, the memory of the operation instructions given to each drive unit immediately before the momentary power outage remains, and when power is restored to the drive units, the dehumidifying unit 2 and the circulator 3 resume operation of their drive units according to the linked operation instructions given immediately before the momentary power outage. If the system is in the reset state when power is restored after a momentary power outage, it will have forgotten the memory of the operation instructions given to each drive unit immediately before the power outage. As a result, even when power is restored to the drive units, the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 will not resume operation based on the linked operation instructions given immediately before the power outage.

[0095] The amount of charge that can be charged by the dehumidifier-side power storage unit 88 and the circulator-side power storage unit 188 differs depending on the intrinsic capacity of the capacitors. That is, the larger the intrinsic capacity of the capacitor, the greater the amount of charge that can be charged. Capacitors with large intrinsic capacities are expensive and contribute to increasing the cost of the dehumidifier 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, the circulator-side power storage unit 188 is equipped with a smaller capacity than the dehumidifier-side power storage unit 88 to prevent an increase in the cost of the product.

[0096] As a result, the charge levels of the dehumidifier-side power storage unit 88 and the circulator-side power storage unit 188 differ, which causes problems when power is restored after a momentary power outage. Specifically, depending on the length of the momentary power outage, as shown in Figure 12, when power is restored after a momentary power outage, the dehumidifier-side power storage unit 88 does not fall below the reset voltage value and can resume operation of the drive unit in the dehumidifier-side unit 2 in the state it was in before the momentary power outage. However, the circulator-side power storage unit 188 falls below the reset voltage value and cannot resume operation of the drive unit in the circulator 3 in the state it was in before the momentary power outage, resulting in a mismatch in the operation of the drive units in the dehumidifier-side unit 2 and the circulator 3. When the operation of the drive units is mismatched when power is restored after a momentary power outage, the dehumidifier-side unit 2 will be operating but the circulator 3 will not be operating, which may cause users to suspect a malfunction of the dehumidifier 1 and lead to a decrease in product quality.

[0097] Therefore, in this embodiment, the dehumidifier 1 prevents a mismatch in the operation of the drive units of the dehumidifying unit 2 and the circulator 3 when power is restored after a momentary power outage.

[0098] Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating the specific control procedures on the dehumidification unit 2 side during a momentary power outage when the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 of this embodiment are operating in a synchronized manner.

[0099] If the dehumidifier unit side control unit 70 determines that the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 are an integrated unit using the circulator detection sensor 81, it determines whether a momentary power outage has occurred due to changes in the voltage values ​​to each drive unit in the dehumidifier unit 2 (step S31). If it determines that a momentary power outage has occurred, it continues to output operation instruction signals to each drive unit in the dehumidifier unit 2 that were being performed immediately before the momentary power outage using the power discharged from the dehumidifier unit side power storage unit 88 (step S32). If no momentary power outage has occurred, it repeats the determination in step S31.

[0100] After completing the process in step S32, the dehumidifier unit control unit 70 determines whether power has been restored from the momentary power outage because power supply from the dehumidifier unit power supply unit 83 has resumed (step S33). If it determines that power has been restored from the momentary power outage, it determines whether the dehumidifier unit power storage unit 88 is in a reset state where it has forgotten the memory of the operation instructions to the drive unit immediately before the momentary power outage because the voltage is below the reset voltage value (step S34). If the dehumidifier unit control unit 70 determines in step S33 that power has not been restored from the momentary power outage, it repeats the determination in step S33. Furthermore, if the dehumidifier unit's power storage unit 88 falls below the reset voltage value at the time of the decision in step S33, the dehumidifier unit's control unit 70 enters a reset state, forgetting the memory of the operation instructions for the drive unit of the dehumidifier unit 2 during the interlocked operation before the momentary power outage. For the sake of convenience, we will simplify the explanation by assuming that when power is restored from a momentary power outage while the dehumidifier unit's control unit 70 is in a reset state, this control starts from step S33.

[0101] If the dehumidifier unit side control unit 70 determines in step S34 that it is in a reset state, it sends a control signal from the dehumidifier unit side communication unit 82 that includes not restarting the operation of the drive unit of the dehumidifier unit 2 in the interlocked operation before the momentary power outage (step S35). If it determines that it is not in a reset state, it sends a control signal from the dehumidifier unit side communication unit 82 that includes restarting the operation of the drive unit of the dehumidifier unit 2 in the interlocked operation before the momentary power outage (step S36). Once the processing in steps S35 and S36 is completed, the control is terminated.

[0102] Figure 14 is a flowchart illustrating the specific control procedures on the circulator 3 side during a momentary power outage when the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 of this embodiment are operating in a synchronized manner.

[0103] The circulator-side control unit 170 determines whether a momentary power outage has occurred (step S41). If it determines that a momentary power outage has occurred, it continues to output operation instruction signals to each drive unit in the circulator 3 that were being performed immediately before the momentary power outage using the power discharged from the circulator-side power storage unit 188 (step S42). If no momentary power outage has occurred, the determination in step S41 is repeated.

[0104] After completing the process in step S42, the circulator-side control unit 170 determines whether power has been restored from the momentary power outage by the resumption of power supply from the circulator-side power supply unit 183 (step S43). If it determines that power has been restored from the momentary power outage, it proceeds to the next step; if it determines that power has not been restored from the momentary power outage, it repeats the determination in step S43. Furthermore, if the circulator-side power storage unit 188 falls below the reset voltage value at the time of the decision in step S43, the circulator-side control unit 170 enters a reset state, forgetting the memory of the operation instructions for the drive unit of the circulator 3 during the interlocked operation before the momentary power outage. For the sake of explanation, we will simplify the explanation by assuming that when power is restored from a momentary power outage while the circulator-side control unit 170 is in a reset state, this control starts from step S43.

[0105] If the circulator-side control unit 170 determines in step S43 that power has been restored from a momentary power outage, it determines whether the circulator-side communication unit 182 has received the control signal transmitted from the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 in step S35 or step S36 (step S44). If the circulator-side communication unit 182 has received the control signal, it restarts or does not restart the drive unit in the circulator 3 according to whether the operation of the drive unit of the dehumidification unit 2 in the linked operation transmitted by the control signal has been restarted (step S45). If the circulator-side communication unit 182 has not received the control signal, it repeats the determination in step S44. Once the processing in step S45 is completed, the control is terminated.

[0106] The process in step S45 described above will be explained in detail. When power is restored after a momentary power outage, if the dehumidifier unit side control unit 70 is in a reset state as shown in step S35, the circulator side communication unit 182 receives a control signal that includes not restarting the operation of the drive unit on the dehumidifier unit 2 side during the interlocked operation immediately before the momentary power outage. In conjunction with not restarting the operation of the drive unit on the dehumidifier unit 2 side, the circulator side control unit 170 also does not restart the drive unit on the circulator 3 side with the operation it had during the interlocked operation immediately before the momentary power outage. Conversely, when power is restored after a momentary power outage, if the dehumidifier unit side control unit 70 is not in a reset state as shown in step S36, the circulator side communication unit 182 receives a control signal that includes restarting the operation of the drive unit on the dehumidifier unit 2 side during the interlocked operation immediately before the momentary power outage. The circulator side control unit 170 then restarts the drive unit on the circulator 3 side in the same manner as during the interlocked operation immediately before the momentary power outage, in conjunction with restarting the operation of the drive unit on the dehumidifier unit 2 side.

[0107] In this way, a control signal is sent to the circulator 3 that includes whether or not to restart the operation of the drive unit on the dehumidification unit 2 when power is restored after a momentary power outage. The circulator 3 then decides whether or not to restart the operation of its drive unit based on the received control signal, thus preventing a mismatch in the operation of the drive units of the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 when power is restored after a momentary power outage.

[0108] Furthermore, when power is restored after a momentary power outage, if the operation of the heating element 67, which is a drive unit installed in the dehumidification unit 2, resumes, the operation of the fan 136, which is a drive unit installed in the circulator 3, will also resume. As a result, if a mismatch occurs where the operation of the drive unit on the dehumidification unit 2 side resumes when power is restored after a momentary power outage, but the operation of the drive unit on the circulator 3 side does not, the fan 136 of the circulator 3 will not operate, and the amount of airflow around the heating element 67 of the dehumidification unit 2 will decrease due to pressure loss caused by the circulator 3 being installed above the outlet 41. This will reduce the amount of air supplied near the heating element 67, preventing the temperature of components near the heating element 67 from rising and causing thermal damage.

[0109] In this embodiment, when a momentary power outage occurs, the output of operation instruction signals to the drive units in the dehumidification unit 2 or the circulator 3 during the interlocked operation immediately before the momentary power outage is continued, as shown in steps S32 and S42. However, the output of operation instruction signals to each drive unit may be performed intermittently, for example, by temporarily stopping the output of operation instruction signals to each drive unit during a momentary power outage and then resuming the output of operation instruction signals. The method of outputting operation instruction signals to each drive unit during a momentary power outage is not limited to this embodiment.

[0110] Next, the effects of the present invention will be explained.

[0111] When power is restored from a momentary power outage that occurred during linked operation, the dehumidifier unit side control unit 70 transmits a control signal from the dehumidifier unit side communication unit 82 that includes the operating status of the drive unit on the dehumidifier unit 2 side. The circulator side control unit 170 then operates the drive unit on the circulator side according to the operating status of the drive unit on the dehumidifier unit 2 side received by the circulator side communication unit 182. Due to the difference in capacity between the dehumidifier unit side power storage unit 88 and the circulator side power storage unit 188, even if the reset state is established differently between the dehumidifier unit side control unit 70 and the circulator side control unit 170 when power is restored from a momentary power outage, the drive unit on the circulator side will operate according to the reset state of the dehumidifier unit 2 side. This prevents a mismatch in the operation of the drive units of the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 when power is restored from a momentary power outage, thus preventing the user from feeling distrustful due to a mismatch in the operation of the drive units when power is restored from a momentary power outage and improving product quality.

[0112] Furthermore, the circulator 3 operates either as an integrated unit with the dehumidifier 2 or separately. When power is restored after a momentary power outage during linked operation, the dehumidifier unit's communication unit 82 transmits a control signal, including the operating status of the drive unit on the dehumidifier unit 2 side, when the circulator 3 is integrated with the dehumidifier unit 2. When the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 are operating in an integrated linked operation, when power is restored after a momentary power outage, the drive unit on the dehumidifier unit 2 side resumes operation, but the drive unit on the circulator 3 side does not. This results in a mismatch in the operation of the drive units in the integrated dehumidifier 1, which does not cause distrust to the user and improves product quality.

[0113] Furthermore, the drive unit on the dehumidification unit 2 side is a heating heater 67 that heats at least the air passing through the dehumidification unit 2, and the drive unit on the circulator 3 side is a fan 136 that draws in at least the air from the dehumidification unit 2 and blows it out. When power is restored after a momentary power outage, if only the drive unit on the dehumidification unit 2 side restarts operation, the temperature around the heating heater 67 will become high and components near the heating heater 67 may suffer thermal damage. However, by restarting the operation of the fan 136 on the circulator 3 side, a decrease in the amount of airflow near the heating heater 67 is prevented, thus preventing thermal damage to components near the heating heater 67 and improving product performance.

[0114] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. These novel embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents.

[0115] For example, although the air conditioner according to the present invention was described using an example where the air conditioning unit is a dehumidifier 1, it can also be applied to other air conditioning equipment such as humidifiers, dryers, heating and cooling systems, and air purifiers that can adjust the humidity, temperature, and purity of the air, in addition to the dehumidifier 1.

[0116] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes an example of a momentary power outage when the dehumidifier 1 is integrated, the same procedure may be used when the dehumidifier 1 is separate.

[0117] The example described uses a dehumidification unit 2 having a circulator detection sensor 81 for detecting the attachment / detachment state. However, the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 may each detect the attachment / detachment state, or the attachment / detachment state detected by the circulator 3 may be shared with the dehumidification unit 2. For example, the attachment / detachment state may be detected by having an attitude sensor that detects whether the circulator 3 is in an integrated position (with the base bottom surface 111 facing downwards) or in a separated position (with the base rear surface 112b facing downwards (installed on the installation surface)). [Explanation of symbols]

[0118] 1. Dehumidifier with circulator (dehumidifier) 2 Dehumidification Unit 3. Circulator 67 Heating heater 70 Dehumidification unit side control unit 82 Dehumidification unit side communication section 88 Dehumidification unit side power storage section 170 Circulator-side control unit 182 Circulator-side communication unit 188 Circulator-side energy storage unit

Claims

1. Air conditioning unit and An air conditioner comprising a blower unit that operates in conjunction with the air conditioning unit, The aforementioned air conditioning unit is The air conditioning side drive unit operates when power is supplied, The air conditioning side power storage unit is charged by the aforementioned power supply, A transmitting unit that transmits a control signal for controlling the interlocking operation to the blower unit during the interlocking operation, It includes an air conditioning-side microcontroller that controls the operation of the air conditioning-side drive unit during the aforementioned linked operation, The aforementioned microcontroller on the air conditioning side is During a momentary power outage in which the power supply is temporarily interrupted, the power stored in the air conditioning-side power storage unit is supplied. When the power supply is restored after the momentary power outage, if the system is in a reset state where it forgets the memory of the operation instructions to the air conditioning drive unit prior to the momentary power outage, the operation of the air conditioning drive unit will not be restarted. If the system is not in a reset state, the operation of the air conditioning drive unit will be restarted. The aforementioned blower unit is The blower-side drive unit operates when the aforementioned power supply is provided, A fan-side power storage unit, the capacity of which the power supply charges the fan-side power storage unit is smaller than that of the air conditioning-side power storage unit, A receiving unit receives the control signal transmitted from the transmitting unit, It includes a blower-side microcontroller that controls the operation of the blower-side drive unit during the aforementioned linked operation, The aforementioned microcontroller on the fan side is During the aforementioned momentary power outage, the power stored in the blower-side power storage unit is supplied. When the power supply is restored after the momentary power outage, if the system is in a reset state where it forgets the memory of the operation instructions to the blower-side drive unit prior to the momentary power outage, the operation of the blower-side drive unit will not be restarted. If the system is not in a reset state, the operation of the blower-side drive unit will be restarted. When the power supply is restored from the momentary power outage that occurred during the linked operation, the air conditioning microcontroller transmits the control signal, including the operating status of the air conditioning drive unit, from the transmission unit. The air conditioner is characterized in that the air blower-side microcontroller operates the air blower-side drive unit in accordance with the operating status of the air conditioning-side drive unit received by the receiving unit.

2. The aforementioned blower unit operates either integrally with or separately from the aforementioned air conditioning unit. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that when the power supply is restored after the momentary power outage that occurred during the linked operation, the transmission of the control signal, including the operating state of the air conditioning drive unit, by the transmitting unit is performed together with the air conditioning unit.

3. The aforementioned air conditioning drive unit is a heating heater that heats at least the air passing through the air conditioning unit, The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that the blower-side drive unit is at least a fan that draws in air from within the air conditioning unit and blows it out.

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