air conditioner

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner which can improve blowing efficiency.SOLUTION: An air conditioner comprises: a suction port arranged in a housing; a blowout port 41 for blowing air conditioned by an air-conditioning part upward; a pedestal part 110 having a pedestal part side surface 112 arranged on an upper surface and having a surface which faces in at least front-rear and right-left directions, and an accommodation space 110a formed inside the pedestal part side face 112; and an air blowing part 130 having a suction surface 132a facing the blowout port 41 and sucking the blown air, and a blowout surface 132b for blowing out air sucked from the suction face 132a, and supported in the accommodation space 110a so as to swing within a prescribed range around an axis along a right-left direction. The pedestal part 110 has a pair of right and left suction ports 121 for sucking air outside the pedestal part 110 from the suction surface 132a on the inside of the pedestal part 110 when the air blowing part 130 is swinging, on a pedestal-part right side surface 112c facing a right side and on a pedestal-part left side surface 112d facing a left side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner having a detachable blower unit.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner provided with a blower unit that can be attached to and detached from a cooling unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The air conditioner of Patent Document 1 was configured to enhance the blowing capacity by providing a blower unit in addition to the cooling unit. However, for example, sufficient consideration was not given to how efficiently the blower unit blows dehumidified air, and there is room for improvement.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an air conditioner capable of improving the blowing efficiency.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The air conditioner according to the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by comprising: a housing having a bottom surface facing the installation surface, a top surface facing upward, and sides that connect the top and bottom surfaces in the vertical direction and have surfaces facing at least in the front, back, left, and right directions perpendicular to the vertical direction; an intake port disposed in the housing; an air conditioning unit housed in the housing that harmonizes the air drawn in from the intake port; an outlet disposed on the top surface that blows out the air harmonized by the air conditioning unit upward; and a base disposed on the top surface that has surfaces facing at least in the front, back, left, and right directions. The air blower comprises a base portion having a side surface and a housing space formed inside the side surface of the base portion, and an air blower portion having an intake surface facing the air outlet and drawing in the air blown out, and an outlet surface that blows out the air drawn in from the intake surface, and is supported in the housing space so as to oscillate within a predetermined range around an axis along the left-right direction, and the base portion has a pair of left and right intake ports on the right side surface of the base portion facing to the right and the left side surface of the base portion facing to the left, which cause the air outside the base portion to be drawn in from the intake surface inside the base portion when the air blower portion oscillates. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The air conditioner according to the present invention can improve airflow efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [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] A vertical cross-sectional view of a dehumidifier with a built-in circulator. [Figure 4] Decompressed perspective view of a dehumidifier with a built-in circulator. [Figure 5] A schematic functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of a dehumidifier with a circulating fan. [Figure 6] A schematic functional block diagram specifically illustrating each power supply unit among the functional blocks in Figure 5. [Figure 7] A perspective view of the circulator from the front when it is separated. [Figure 8] External perspective view of the circulator as seen from the rear when separated. [Figure 9] An external perspective view showing an example of the dehumidifier's usage during separation. [Figure 10] A cross-sectional diagram illustrating the range of oscillation of the air blower. [Figure 11] A cross-sectional diagram primarily illustrating the left and right intake ports. [Figure 12] A cross-sectional diagram primarily illustrating the rear intake port. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] An embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention will be described based on the attached drawings. In this embodiment, the air conditioner according to the present invention will be described in relation to a dehumidifier with a circulator that dehumidifies the air by condensing moisture contained in the air using a vapor compression refrigeration cycle and blows out the air.

[0010] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the integrated dehumidifier with circulator 1 in this embodiment. 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.

[0011] In the following description, the explanation will be made in accordance with the definitions of front, back, top, bottom, left, and right shown in each drawing. In some cases, the surface facing the front where the operation unit 74 on the dehumidifying unit side is provided is defined as the front surface, and the surface opposite to the front surface facing the rear is defined as the back surface. Also, the directions along the front-back, left-right directions are defined as the horizontal directions. The definitions of the front, back, top, bottom, left, and right of the circulator 3 may be different when the circulator 3 is attached to the dehumidifying unit 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "when integrated") and when it is separated from the dehumidifying unit 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "when separated"). When integrated, it follows the definitions in FIGS. 1 to 4 and FIGS. 10 to 12, and when separated, it may follow FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0012] The dehumidifying machine 1 with a circulator (hereinafter simply referred to as "dehumidifying machine 1") includes a dehumidifying unit 2 (air conditioning unit) and a circulator 3 (air blowing unit) disposed above the dehumidifying unit 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the circulator 3 is detachable from the dehumidifying unit 2 (housing 10) and can blow air either in conjunction with or independently of the dehumidifying unit 2. Also, the circulator 3 can be operated either integrally with or separated from the dehumidifying unit 2.

[0013] The dehumidifying unit 2 has a housing 10 that forms the appearance of the dehumidifying unit 2. The housing 10 includes a front frame 11, a rear frame 12, an upper panel 14, and a base 15.

[0014] The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 are combined via a connecting line 13 extending in the vertical direction at approximately the central position in the front-rear direction of the housing 10, forming a substantially prismatic side surface 23 with four sides that connects the upper surface 21 and the bottom surface 22 of the housing 10. The side surface 23 has a front surface 23a, a rear surface 23b, a right side surface 23c, and a left side surface 23d (FIG. 11), which are surfaces facing the front-rear, left-right directions. The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 each have an upper surface frame portion 24 formed by bending inward in the horizontal direction from the upper end. Also, the front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 serving as the right side surface 23c and the left side surface 23d have a handle notch 25 for arranging the handle 43. The handle notch 25 is at the upper end of the side surface 23 and approximately at the central position in the front-rear direction, and is formed along the boundary (boundary line 5) between the housing 10 and the pedestal portion 110. The boundary is perpendicular to the vertical direction and is formed along the horizontal direction.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rear frame 12 (rear surface 23b) has a suction port 31, a tank insertion port 32, and a power cord port  34. The suction port 31 has a plurality of 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, non-woven fabric, etc., and removes dust, odor components, etc. mixed in the inhaled air. The filter case 38 fixes the filter 37 to the suction port 31. The tank insertion port 32 is arranged below the suction port 31, from which the drain tank 69 is inserted and removed. The power cord port 34 is arranged at the lower right of the rear frame 12, and the power cord 4 connected to the control unit 70 on the dehumidification unit side is routed outside the housing 10 from the power cord port 34.

[0016] The top panel 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 panel 14 is arranged to cover an opening 24a (FIG. 2) formed by the inner edge of the upper surface frame portion 24. The base portion 14a, together with the above-described upper surface frame portion 24, forms the upper surface 21, which is the surface facing upward of the housing 10. On the upper surface 21, the peripheral wall portion 14b forms a step with respect to the upper surface frame portion 24, so that the base portion 14a functions as an upper surface side convex portion 90 (FIG. 4) that protrudes upward with respect to the upper surface frame portion 24.

[0017] 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.

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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 guides the air blown out from the outlet 41 towards the upward-facing circulator 3. The air guide wall 42 is connected to the inside of the housing 10 and forms a space that serves as a passage for the air blown out from the outlet 41 on the inside.

[0020] The handles 43 are provided in pairs on the right side 23c and left side 23d (side 23), 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 are formed above the side 23, along the boundary (boundary line 5). The handles 43 have a handle recess 51 and a finger rest 52 that are recessed inward from the side 23 in the left-right direction, and are used by the user when transporting the dehumidifier 1.

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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 with a gap between legs or other parts if the dehumidifier has legs.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] The sirocco fan 62 rotates due to the rotation of the blower motor 63, drawing in air from the intake port 31 and forming 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.

[0026] The compressor 65 is fixed on the base 15 and connected to the heat exchanger 66 via piping 65a and a pressure reducing device.

[0027] The heat exchanger 66 (air conditioning unit) 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 66, 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] The heating element 67 (air conditioning unit) heats the low-humidity air that has passed through the condenser 66b before the outlet 41.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] The dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 is at least one control board positioned in front of the fan case 61, supported by a required case. The dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 comprehensively controls the operation of the dehumidifier 1 by electrically controlling various parts such as the louver motor 49, blower motor 63, compressor 65, heating heater 67, and display unit 75 based on instructions from the dehumidification unit-side operation unit 74 and pre-stored programs. The dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 also controls various parts of the circulator 3, such as the oscillating motor 138, by transmitting infrared signals, both when the unit is integrated and when it is separated.

[0035] The dehumidification unit side control unit 70 has a storage unit 77 and a timer 78. The storage unit 77 stores the operation programs for each part, etc. The timer 78 measures time for timer operation of the dehumidifier 1, etc.

[0036] The temperature sensor 71 and humidity sensor 72 are installed at predetermined locations on the dehumidifier 1 main unit 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.

[0037] 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, for example, for the dehumidifier unit-side operation unit 74, the display unit 75, and the dehumidifier unit-side communication unit 82, which is arranged approximately parallel to the front 23a. 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, a switch for setting the operation of the circulator 3, etc. The display unit 75 displays the operating status of the dehumidifier 1, etc., by the lighting status of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes).

[0038] 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, and a power switching unit 84.

[0039] The circulator detection sensor 81 is a reed switch that detects the magnetic field of a magnet placed at a predetermined position on the circulator 3, for example. The circulator detection sensor 81 detects the attachment / detachment state (integrated or separated) of the circulator 3 to the dehumidification unit 2 based on the presence or absence of magnetic field detection. The dehumidification unit side communication unit 82 is an infrared antenna that transmits and receives required infrared signals (wireless signals) to and from 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 and receives infrared signals from a dehumidification unit side transparent window 86 that transmits infrared rays and is provided in the panel 76 on which the dehumidification unit side operation unit 74 is formed.

[0040] 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 a direct current power supply and supplies it to each part of the dehumidification unit 2.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] The circulator 3 has a base portion 110 and an air blower portion 130. The air blower portion 130 is supported so as to be able to oscillate around an axis that runs along the left-right direction relative to the base portion 110.

[0044] As shown in Figures 1, 7, and 8, the base portion 110 is a cylindrical casing that forms a housing space 110a (a through-hole that penetrates vertically) 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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 surfaces that face in the front, back, left, and right directions: the front surface 112a, the back surface 112b, the right side surface 112c, and the left side surface 112d.

[0048] Furthermore, the side surface 112 of the base has left and right suction ports 121 and a rear suction port 122.

[0049] The left and right intake ports 121 are a pair of intake ports formed on the right side 112c and left side 112d of the base portion. The left and right intake ports 121 connect the outside and inside (accommodating space 110a) of the base portion 110, and allow air from the outside of the base portion 110 to be drawn in from the intake surface 132a on the inside of the base portion 110. The left and right intake ports 121 are positioned approximately in the center in the front-to-back direction of the right side 112c and left side 112d of the base portion, and are formed by cutting out a predetermined amount upward from the boundary (boundary line 5) between the right side 112c and left side 112d of the base portion and the bottom surface 111 of the base portion.

[0050] As shown in Figure 2 and other figures, the left and right intake ports 121 have a shape that is almost vertically symmetrical with respect to the handle 43 on the side 23 of the housing 10 with respect to the finger rest 52, or with respect to the boundary line 5 between the top frame 24 (housing 10) and the bottom surface 111 (base 110). As described above, the top plate 14 has left and right intake port recesses 45 formed therein, and the space formed in these left and right intake port recesses 45 and the left and right intake ports 121 interact to connect the outside of the base 110, which is the perimeter of the dehumidifier 1, to the inside of the base 110 via the left and right intake ports 121. Details of the left and right intake ports 121 will be described later.

[0051] 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 outside and inside of the base portion 110 via the rear intake port 122, allowing air from the outside of the base portion 110 to be drawn in from the intake surface 132a inside the base portion 110.

[0052] 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.

[0053] Furthermore, since the height of the upper surface 113 of the base is lower at the front than at the rear, the front surface 112a of the base has a vertical height that is smaller than the vertical height of the rear surface 112b of the base. Also, when the front surface 112a of the base faces the intake surface 132a, the front surface 112a uses the area above the front surface 112a as a flow path to draw air from the outside of the base 110 into the intake surface 132a. Also, when it faces the discharge surface 132b, the front surface 112a uses the area above the front surface 112a as a flow path to blow air out from the discharge surface 132b to the outside of the base 110.

[0054] The blower unit 130 includes a cover 131, a fan motor 135, and a fan 136.

[0055] The cover 131 is a bone-like member for protecting the user's fingers, etc., from the fan 136. The cover 131 has, for example, a nearly hemispherical intake side cover 131a that covers the intake side (upstream side) of the fan 136 and becomes the intake surface 132a, and a flat outlet side cover 131b that covers the outlet side (downstream side) of the fan 136 and becomes the outlet surface 132b. The intake 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 nearly horizontally and the rotation axis of the fan 136 is aligned vertically, as shown in Figure 3 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "stopped position"), the intake side cover 131a has a motor support portion 131c that is formed as an upward recess at the central position facing downward.

[0056] In the stopped position, the fan motor 135 and fan 136 are housed inside the cover 131 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 surface 132a of the intake-side cover 131a, and air drawn into the intake-side cover 131a from the outside of the dehumidifier 1, through the outlet surface 132b of the outlet-side cover 131b.

[0057] The air 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 air 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 along the left-right direction from its stationary position when assembled, by means of an oscillation motor 138. The oscillation motor 138 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.

[0058] Here, Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the oscillation range of the air blower unit 130. The upper figure shows the air blower unit 130 when it is oscillating furthest forward, and the lower figure shows the air blower unit 130 when it is oscillating furthest backward. As shown in Figure 10, for example, the air blower unit 130 has different oscillation angles for forward and backward from its stop position, making it easier to blow air forward.

[0059] The circulator 3 further includes a circulator-side control unit 170, a circulator-side operation unit 174, a circulator-side communication unit 182, and a circulator-side power supply unit 183.

[0060] The circulator-side control unit 170 is a control board located in the internal space 115 of the base unit 110. The circulator-side control unit 170 electrically controls the fan motor 135 and the oscillating motor 138 based on instructions from the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 or the circulator-side operation unit 174.

[0061] The circulator-side control unit 174 (fan-side control unit) is positioned approximately in the center of the left-right direction on the front base side surface 112. The circulator-side control unit 174 has multiple input buttons, for example, to implement an operation switch and an oscillation switch. The circulator-side control unit 174 is located on a control board for the control unit 174.

[0062] The circulator-side communication unit 182 is an infrared antenna that transmits and receives required infrared signals (wireless signals) to and from the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 based on the control of the circulator-side control unit 170. The circulator-side communication unit 182 transmits and receives infrared signals from, for example, the circulator-side transparent window 186 that transmits infrared rays and is 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 upper surface 113 of the base portion and the front frame 11 where 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.

[0063] 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.

[0064] 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.

[0065] In its integrated state, 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 oscillation axis that runs along the left-right direction, alternately directing the outlet surface 132b in the front-back direction.

[0066] Furthermore, when separated, the circulator 3 is positioned at a predetermined distance from the dehumidification unit 2. 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 by oscillating up and down around an oscillating axis that aligns with the left and right directions, as shown in Figure 10 as an example.

[0067] Furthermore, when separated, the circulator 3 can operate independently of the dehumidification unit 2, based on the control of the circulator-side control unit 170.

[0068] In both integrated and separated configurations, the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 can transmit an infrared signal consisting of required control information to the circulator-side control unit 170 by controlling the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82. Upon receiving the infrared signal via the circulator-side communication unit 182, the circulator-side control unit 170 can control the operation of the circulator 3 based on the received control information.

[0069] Such a dehumidifier 1 is suitably used in the following applications, for example. When the dehumidifier 1 is used to dry laundry hung indoors, the laundry can be dried efficiently by using 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 position the dehumidifier 1 directly beneath the laundry, and the dehumidifier 1 must be positioned away from the laundry so as not to overlap it. In contrast, in this embodiment, the circulator 3 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.

[0070] Next, the details of the left and right suction ports 121 and the rear suction port 122 will be described. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the left and right suction ports 121. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the rear suction port 122.

[0071] As described above, the left and right intake ports 121 are provided to draw air from outside the base portion 110 into the intake surface 132a of the blower portion 130. As a result, the circulator 3 draws in the air 201 and 202 from outside the base portion 110 along with the air 200 blown out from the outlet 41 side of the dehumidification unit 2, thereby increasing the airflow rate drawn in by the circulator and ensuring an amount of air that matches the performance of the dehumidification unit 2.

[0072] At this time, as shown in Figure 11, the dehumidified air 200 blown out from the dehumidification unit 2 flows almost upward near the outlet 41. It is preferable that this air 200 blown out from the dehumidification unit 2 is drawn into the intake surface 132a of the circulator 3 without leakage and blown out from the outlet surface 132b. From this viewpoint, by arranging the left and right intake ports 121 symmetrically with respect to the outlet 41, the air 201 and 202 drawn in from the left and right intake ports 121 are drawn into the intake surface 132a in such a way that they uniformly cover the outside of the air 200 blown out from the outlet 41, and act to reliably guide the air 200 to the intake surface 132a without disturbing it.

[0073] Furthermore, in order to effectively obtain such effects, it is preferable that a constant amount of air 201 and 202 obtained from the left and right intake ports 121 is drawn in from the intake surface 132a almost always, even when the unit is oscillating. In order to draw in a constant amount of air 201 and 202 from the intake surface 132a, it is preferable that the left and right intake ports 121 are positioned so that the intake surface 132a can always draw in air 201 and 202 when the unit is oscillating. From this viewpoint, the left and right intake ports 121 are positioned so as to face the intake surface 132a within the oscillation range of the blower unit 130 shown in Figure 10. That is, it is preferable that the left and right intake ports 121 are positioned in a region h that is behind the position of the intake surface 132a (upstream side of the fan 136) at the front when the blower unit 130 is oscillating furthest forward, and in front of the position of the intake surface 132a at the rear when the blower unit 130 is oscillating furthest backward.

[0074] In this case, since the blower unit 130 rotates around the oscillating axis, the left and right intake ports 121 are positioned directly below the oscillating axis, that is, in a position that overlaps with the oscillating axis when viewed from above. This makes it possible to minimize changes in the intake surface 132a with respect to the left and right intake ports 121, and thus makes it easier to control the amount of air 201 and 202 drawn in.

[0075] Furthermore, control boards and mechanical components are placed in the internal space 115 of the base portion 110, rather than in the flow paths of the left and right intake ports 121 and the rear intake port 122. This prevents dust from adhering to control boards and mechanical components due to the air outside the base portion 110.

[0076] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, similar to the left and right intake ports 121, the air 205 drawn in from the rear intake port 122 and the air 206 drawn in from above the front surface 112a of the base unit act to guide the dehumidified air 200 blown out from the outlet port 41. As a result, the dehumidifier 1, through the action of the left and right intake ports 121, the rear intake port 122, and the front surface 112a of the base unit, can draw in the dehumidified air 200 from the dehumidification unit 2 through the intake surface 132a while suppressing leakage to the surroundings, and blow it out through the outlet surface 132b.

[0077] Furthermore, depending on the axial direction of the sirocco fan 62, the direction in which the dehumidified air 200 is blown may not be directly upwards but may be inclined. Even in such cases, the dehumidifier 1 can control the direction in which the dehumidified air 200 is blown out by using the left and right intake ports 121, the rear intake port 122, and the air intake ports 201, 202, 205, and 206 drawn in from above the front surface 112a of the base unit as guides to blow the air 200 straight up.

[0078] Therefore, the dehumidifier 1 in this embodiment can improve airflow efficiency.

[0079] Furthermore, the left and right suction ports 121 are provided so as to be vertically symmetrical with respect to the handle 43 and the boundary line 5. This gives the left and right suction ports 121 an appearance that makes them appear as part of the handle 43, thus suppressing the deterioration in appearance that would result from providing the left and right suction ports 121. In addition, since the left and right suction ports 121 are recesses similar to the handle recess 51, they can function not only as suction ports but also as handles 43.

[0080] 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.

[0081] For example, although the air conditioner according to the present invention was described using an example in which the air conditioning unit is a heat exchanger 66, 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.

[0082] The shapes and arrangements of the left and right intake ports 121, the rear intake port 122, and the front surface of the base 112a are examples only, and are not limited to these, as long as air can be drawn in from the intake surface 132a to the outside of the base 110 when the unit is oscillating. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1. Dehumidifier with circulator (dehumidifier) 2 Dehumidification Unit 3. Circulator 21 Top side 22 Bottom 23 Side view 23a front 31 Inlet 41 Air outlet 43 Handle 61 Fan Case 62 Sirocco fan 63 Blower motor 65 Compressor 66 Heat exchanger 67 Heating heater 68 Drain pan 69 Drain Tank 70 Dehumidification unit side control unit 74 Dehumidification unit side control panel 81 Circulator detection sensor 82 Dehumidification unit side communication section 83 Power supply unit on the dehumidification unit side 84 Power Switching Unit 86. Transmissive window on the side of the dehumidification unit 87 Power output terminal 110 Base 111 Base bottom 112 Side view of the base 112a Front view of the base 113 Top surface of the base 121 Left and right intake ports 122 Rear intake port 130 Air blower 131 Cover 131a Inlet cover 131b Outlet side cover 132a Suction surface 132b Blowout surface 135 Fan motor 136 Fans 170 Circulator-side control unit 174 Circulator side control panel 182 Circulator-side communication unit 183 Power supply unit for the circulator 186 Circulator side transparent window 187 Power input terminal

Claims

1. A housing having a bottom surface facing the mounting surface, a top surface facing upward, and side surfaces that connect the top surface and the bottom surface in the vertical direction and face at least the front, back, left, and right directions perpendicular to the vertical direction, The suction port located in the housing, The aforementioned housing comprises an air conditioning unit that harmonizes the air drawn in from the intake port, An air outlet is provided on the upper surface, which blows the air conditioned by the air conditioning unit upwards. An air conditioning unit is provided with a fan housed in the aforementioned casing, which forms an airflow that draws in air from the intake port and blows it out from the exhaust port, A base portion having a side surface positioned on the upper surface and having at least surfaces facing the front, rear, left, and right directions, and a storage space formed inside the side surface of the base portion, and a base portion that is detachable from the housing, The air conditioning unit comprises a blower unit which has an intake surface facing the air outlet and drawing in the air that has been blown out, and an outlet surface that blows out the air drawn in from the intake surface, and is supported in the housing space so as to oscillate within a predetermined range about an axis along the left-right direction, and which can be operated integrally with or separately from the air conditioning unit, The base portion has a pair of left and right intake ports on the right side of the base portion facing to the right and the left side of the base portion facing to the left, which allow air from outside the base portion to be drawn in from the intake surface inside the base portion when the air blower portion is oscillating.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the pair of left and right intake ports are positioned to overlap with respect to the axis when viewed from above.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the base portion has a rear intake port on the back surface of the base portion facing the rear, which allows air from outside the base portion to be drawn in from the intake surface inside the base portion when the air blower portion is oscillating.

4. The aforementioned base portion has a front surface facing forward, The front of the aforementioned base portion is, The vertical height is smaller than the vertical height of the back surface of the base portion, The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein when the front surface of the base faces the intake surface, air from outside the base is drawn in from above the front surface of the base, and when it faces the discharge surface, air is blown out from above the front surface of the base to the outside of the base.

5. The base portion is detachably attached to the housing via a boundary perpendicular to the vertical direction. The housing has a pair of left and right handles formed at the boundary on the left side facing left and the right side facing right, The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the pair of left and right intake ports have a shape that is symmetrical with respect to the pair of left and right handles with respect to the boundary.

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