Deodorization device

Abstract

This invention provides a deodorizing device that is not likely to cause discomfort to humans and can effectively utilize ozone for deodorization. The ozone deodorizing device (1) includes: an ozone emitting section (150) for emitting ozone; a mist emitting section (50) for emitting mist; a control section for controlling the ozone emitting section (150) and the mist emitting section (50); and a human detection sensor (160) for detecting whether a person is present within a specified range of the ozone deodorizing device (1). When no human presence is detected, the control section causes the ozone emitting section (150) to emit ozone. When the presence of a person is detected while ozone is being emitted, the control section causes the ozone emitting section (150) to stop emitting ozone and causes the mist emitting section (50) to emit mist.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a deodorization device that utilizes ozone for deodorization. Background Technology

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 describes an ozone sprayer that generates ozone by electrolyzing water stored in a container and spraying out ozone water containing the generated ozone.

[0003] The ozone sprayer described above is a device that sprays ozone water onto objects such as toilets in bathrooms and sinks in kitchens to disinfect and sterilize them. Therefore, the amount of ozone water released needs to be sufficient to fully wet the objects. Consequently, it is difficult to produce a small-particle mist of ozone water, making it difficult to widely diffuse indoors. Therefore, it is difficult to use the aforementioned ozone sprayer for indoor deodorization.

[0004] Therefore, consider releasing ozone-containing air into the room instead of using ozone water for deodorization. Unlike ozone water, ozone-containing air diffuses more easily and widely into the room.

[0005] However, when deodorizing devices release gaseous ozone for deodorization, the ozone odor, which can be perceived by people, can easily spread to the surrounding area depending on its concentration. When people come near the deodorizing device, for example, in a narrow room such as a bathroom, there is a risk of discomfort caused by the ozone odor when they enter the room.

[0006] Existing technical documents

[0007] Patent documents

[0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 6249200 Summary of the Invention

[0009] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0010] The present invention was made in view of this problem, and its object is to provide a deodorizing device that is less likely to cause discomfort to people and can effectively utilize ozone for deodorization.

[0011] Solution for solving the problem

[0012] The main solution of this invention relates to a deodorizing device. The deodorizing device comprises: a first emission section that emits ozone; a second emission section that emits mist; a control section that controls the first and second emission sections; and a human detection section that detects whether a person is present within a predetermined range of the deodorizing device. When the human detection section does not detect the presence of a person, the control section causes the first emission section to emit ozone. When the human detection section detects the presence of a person while ozone is being emitted, the control section causes the first emission section to stop emitting ozone and causes the second emission section to emit mist.

[0013] According to the above structure, when someone approaches the deodorizing device while the first emission section is emitting ozone, the residual ozone in the vicinity will be decomposed by the mist emitted from the second emission section, causing its concentration to decrease rapidly and the ozone odor to weaken quickly. This makes it less likely for people to feel uncomfortable.

[0014] The deodorization device in this solution further includes: a temperature detection unit for detecting the ambient temperature of the deodorization device; and a human detection unit that employs a structure comprising a human sensor that outputs a detection signal that varies in response to the magnitude of temperature changes caused by infrared radiation emitted by a person, and a determination unit that determines whether a person is present by comparing the detection signal with a predetermined threshold. In this case, the control unit can be configured to adjust the threshold so as to determine the presence of a person based on the temperature change detected by the temperature detection unit, which increases as the temperature decreases.

[0015] Based on the above structure, the detection range of human presence can be suppressed due to changes in ambient temperature. Therefore, it is less likely that ozone will continue to be released regardless of whether there are people near the deodorizing device or not, due to factors such as room temperature.

[0016] The deodorization device of this solution also includes: a temperature detection unit for detecting the ambient temperature of the deodorization device, and the first emission unit may be structured as an ozone generating unit that generates ozone from oxygen in the air. In this case, the control unit may be structured such that the lower the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit, the greater the amount of mist emitted by the second emission unit per unit time.

[0017] According to the above structure, the lower the ambient temperature of the deodorization device, the higher the concentration of ozone emitted from the first emission section, and the more fog is emitted per unit time from the second emission section. Therefore, it can suppress the unnecessary consumption of fog, and regardless of the ambient temperature, it can quickly reduce the ozone concentration to an appropriate level and quickly weaken the ozone odor to an appropriate state.

[0018] In the deodorization device of this solution, the first emission unit can be structured as an ozone generating unit that generates ozone from oxygen in the air and an air supply unit that delivers the ozone generated by the ozone generating unit to the outside of the first emission unit. In this case, the following structure can be adopted: when the presence of a person is not detected by the person detection unit, the control unit operates the ozone generating unit and the air supply unit; when the presence of a person is detected by the person detection unit while ozone is being emitted, the control unit stops the ozone generating unit and operates the air supply unit.

[0019] According to the above structure, when someone approaches the deodorizing device while it is emitting ozone, the ozone generation unit stops emitting ozone, while the air supply unit operates to release air. This released air diffuses the mist emitted from the second discharge unit, preventing the area around the deodorizing device from becoming wetted by the mist.

[0020] Invention Effects

[0021] According to the present invention, a deodorizing device is provided that is not likely to cause discomfort to people and can effectively utilize ozone for deodorization.

[0022] The effects and significance of this invention will become clearer through the following description of the embodiments. However, the following embodiments are merely illustrative examples of carrying out this invention, and the invention is not limited in any way by the contents described in the following embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the ozone deodorization device according to the embodiment.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the ozone deodorization device according to the embodiment.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the water supply section, rain discharge section, and mist discharge section of the embodiment.

[0026] Figure 4 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the rain discharge section of the embodiment. Figure 4 (b) is a cross-sectional view of the mist emission section of the embodiment.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating the structure of an ozone sprayer according to an embodiment.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the charger according to an implementation method.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the control processing of the ozone sprayer implemented by the control unit in the ozone gas mode of the embodiment.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the control processing of the charger implemented by the control unit in the ozone gas mode of this embodiment.

[0031] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0032] 1: Ozone deodorization device (deodorization device); 2: Ozone sprayer; 3: Charger; 50: Mist emission section (second emission section); 81: Control section; 104: Air duct; 120: Ozone generator (ozone generation section); 130: Fan (air supply section); 150: Ozone emission section (first emission section); 160: Human sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Hereinafter, an ozone deodorization device, which is one embodiment of the deodorization device of the present invention, will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional view of ozone deodorization device 1. Figure 2 This is a longitudinal sectional view of ozone deodorization device 1. Figure 3 It is a three-dimensional view of the water delivery section 30, the rain discharge section 40, and the fog discharge section 50. Figure 4 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the rain discharge section 40. Figure 4 (b) is a cross-sectional view of the fog emission section 50.

[0035] It should be noted that the following description will focus on the side of the rain discharge section 40 as the front side of the ozone deodorization device 1.

[0036] The ozone deodorization device 1 consists of an ozone sprayer 2 and a charger 3.

[0037] The ozone sprayer 2 has a generating section 20, a water supply section 30, a rain discharge section 40, a mist discharge section 50 and an operating section 60 inside the housing 10.

[0038] The ozone sprayer 2 delivers ozone-rich water generated by the generating unit 20 to the rain discharge unit 40 via the water supply unit 30, and then discharges it outward in a rain-like manner from the rain discharge unit 40. Furthermore, the ozone sprayer 2 delivers ozone-rich water generated by the generating unit 20 to the mist discharge unit 50 via the water supply unit 30, generates ozone-containing mist from the ozone-rich water, and then discharges the mist outward from the mist discharge unit 50.

[0039] Furthermore, the ozone sprayer 2 has a power supply unit 70 including a rechargeable battery 710 within the housing 10. The ozone sprayer 2 is detachably mounted on the charger 3 to charge the rechargeable battery 710.

[0040] The charger 3 includes a power supply unit 110 within the housing 100. When the ozone sprayer 2 is installed, the power supply unit 110 supplies power for charging the rechargeable battery 710. Furthermore, the charger 3 includes an ozone generator 120 and a fan 130 within the housing 100. The fan 130, when operating, causes ozone generated by the ozone generator 120 from oxygen in the air to be released into the outside. It should be noted that the ozone released from the charger 3 is a gas and can also be referred to as ozone gas.

[0041] Reference Figures 1 to 4 (b) provides a detailed description of the structure of the ozone sprayer 2.

[0042] The housing 10 is composed of a torso 10a, a neck 10b, and a head 10c. The torso 10a has an upper portion that is a generally bottomed cylindrical cone that tapers towards the neck 10b. An elongated display window 11 is formed in the torso 10a. Furthermore, a mode switching button 12 and a mode display section 13 are formed in the torso 10a. Whenever the mode switching button 12 is pressed, the operating mode switches between an ozone rain mode (emitting ozone water in a rain-like manner from the rain emitter 40) and an ozone fog mode (emitting ozone-containing fog from the fog emitter 50). The mode display section 13 includes LEDs that can illuminate in multiple colors, corresponding to the operating mode.

[0043] The neck 10b is generally cylindrical and extends vertically. The head 10c is generally square-shaped and extends forward-backward.

[0044] The generating unit 20 includes: a container 210 for storing water; an electrolysis unit 220 for taking in water from the container 210 and generating ozone from the water through electrolysis; and a pump 230 for delivering ozone water containing ozone generated by the electrolysis unit 220 to the rain discharge unit 40 and the fog discharge unit 50 via the water delivery unit 30.

[0045] The container 210 is translucent and is shaped to correspond to the shell 10. The container 210 stores water such as pure water or tap water. The height of the top surface of the container 210 is lower than the height of the neck 10b of the shell 10. Therefore, a space is formed in the upper part of the neck 10b for assembling components such as the pump 230, the switching unit 360, and the operating unit 60.

[0046] In the container 210, a protrusion 211 corresponding in shape to the display window 11 is formed on the front side. The protrusion 211 protrudes outward from the display window 11. The user can check the water level in the container 210 through the display window 11. In addition, a water inlet 212 for dispensing water into the container 210 is provided on the rear side. The water inlet 212 protrudes slightly outward from the opening 14 provided in the housing 10. A cover 15 that blocks the water inlet 212 is inserted into the opening 14.

[0047] The electrolysis unit 220 includes an anode, a cathode, and an ion exchange membrane, and is disposed at the bottom of the container 210. The electrolysis unit 220 is provided with a water inlet 221 and an outlet 222.

[0048] Pump 230 is, for example, a small diaphragm-driven pump. A suction pipe 240 is connected to the suction port 231 of pump 230. The suction port 241 at the front end of the suction pipe 240 is located at the bottom of the container 210. One end of a discharge pipe 250 is connected to the discharge port 232 of pump 230. The other end of the discharge pipe 250 is connected to the inlet 221 of the electrolysis section 220.

[0049] When pump 230 operates, water in container 210 is drawn in through suction port 241, and then sent to electrolysis unit 220 via suction pipe 240, pump 230, and discharge pipe 250. With the anode and cathode energized, the water is electrolyzed in electrolysis unit 220 to generate ozone. The generated ozone dissolves in the water, forming ozone water.

[0050] The water delivery unit 30 includes a water delivery pipe 310, a rain pipe 320, a mist pipe 330, a rain valve 340, and a mist valve 350.

[0051] Water supply pipe 310 is connected to outlet 222 of electrolysis unit 220. Rain pipe 320 and mist pipe 330 branch from water supply pipe 310 and are respectively connected to rain outlet 40 and mist outlet 50. Rain pipe 320 and mist pipe 330 are composed of two pipes, with rain valve 340 and mist valve 350 respectively arranged between the two pipes. Rain valve 340 and mist valve 350 are solenoid valves, forming a switching unit 360 that switches which pipe, rain pipe 320 or mist pipe 330, the ozone water flowing from generation unit 20 should flow to.

[0052] When pump 230 is not working, rain valve 340 and fog valve 350 are closed. When pump 230 is working, one of the valves is opened.

[0053] The ozone water discharged from pump 230 flows in water supply pipe 310. When the rain valve 340 is open, the ozone water delivered to water supply pipe 310 is sent to rain discharge section 40 through rain pipe 320, and when the fog valve 350 is open, it is sent to fog discharge section 50 through fog pipe 330.

[0054] A rain discharge section 40 is disposed at the front end of the head 10c of the housing 10. An annular discharge port 41 with a truncated cone shape on its outer periphery is provided on the front surface of the rain discharge section 40. The discharge port 41 protrudes outward from the front end of the head 10c. A circular discharge plate 42 is fitted onto the discharge port 41. Multiple holes 42a are formed dispersedly on the discharge plate 42. A connection port 43 is provided at the rear of the rain discharge section 40, to which a rain tube 320 is connected. Inside the rain discharge section 40, a flow path 44 is formed from the connection port 43 to the discharge port 41. Figure 4 As shown by the dashed arrow in (a), ozone water delivered by the rain pipe 320 to the rain discharge section 40 is forcefully released, i.e., sprayed, from multiple holes 42a of the discharge plate 42 in a rain-like manner.

[0055] A mist discharge section 50 is disposed at the rear end of the head 10c of the housing 10. The front surface of the mist discharge section 50 is exposed to the outside from the rear end of the head 10c. The mist discharge section 50 includes a housing 510, an ultrasonic transducer 520, and a water tank 530. The mist discharge section 50 corresponds to the second discharge section of the present invention.

[0056] In the housing 510, a circular recess 511 is formed on the front surface, and a disc-shaped ultrasonic transducer 520 is mounted in the recess 511. The ultrasonic transducer 520 has a vibrating surface 521 with a plurality of micropores for performing ultrasonic vibration.

[0057] A water tank 530 is disposed in the upper part of the outer casing 510. The volume of the water tank 530 is much smaller than the volume of the container 210. An inflow pipe 531 is formed on the top surface of the water tank 530. The inflow pipe 531 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the outer casing 510. A misting pipe 330 is connected to the inflow pipe 531. In addition, an overflow port 532 is formed on the upper part of the rear surface of the water tank 530. The overflow port 532 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the outer casing 510. An overflow pipe 540 is connected to the overflow port 532. The front end of the overflow pipe 540 is inserted into the container 210.

[0058] The water tank 530 has a portion extending obliquely downward toward the recess 511 of the outer casing 510, and an outlet 533 is provided at the front end of this portion. The outlet 533 is connected to the vibration surface 521 of the ultrasonic transducer 520 within the recess 511.

[0059] The water storage tank 530 stores ozone water that is delivered to the mist outlet 50 via the mist pipe 330. When the ultrasonic transducer 520 operates, the vibrating surface 521 undergoes ultrasonic vibration. Thus, as... Figure 4 As shown in (b), the ozone water in contact with the vibrating surface 521 at the outlet 533 of the water tank 530 is atomized into an ozone-containing mist. The mist is released from a number of micropores in the vibrating surface 521, which serves as the outlet.

[0060] The operation unit 60 is located on the front side of the neck 10b of the housing 10. The operation unit 60 includes an operation button 61, which, when pressed, activates an internal contact-type switch.

[0061] The power supply unit 70 includes a rechargeable battery 710 and a charging device 720. The rechargeable battery 710, for example, is a lithium-ion battery, which outputs power to drive electrical components such as the electrolysis unit 220, pump 230, and switching unit 360. The charging device 720 includes a receiving coil 721 and a charging circuit board 722, which charges the rechargeable battery 710. The receiving coil 721 is formed by winding wires into a spiral shape and is arranged close to the bottom surface of the housing 10. The rechargeable battery 710 and the charging circuit board 722 are disposed within the housing 10 at the lower rear of the container 210.

[0062] A proximity switch 16 is provided at the bottom of the housing 10. The proximity switch 16 is composed of a reed switch or the like, and is activated by responding to the magnetic force of the magnet 140 provided on the charger 3 when the ozone sprayer 2 is placed on the mounting surface 102 of the charger 3.

[0063] Figure 5 This is a block diagram showing the structure of ozone sprayer 2.

[0064] In addition to the above-mentioned structure, the ozone sprayer 2 also includes: a control unit 81, a storage unit 82, an operation detection unit 83, a display drive unit 84, an electrode energizing unit 85, a pump drive unit 86, a valve drive unit 87, an oscillator drive unit 88, and a communication unit 89.

[0065] When the operation button 61 or mode switching button 12 of the operation unit 60 is pressed, the operation detection unit 83 outputs an operation signal corresponding to the pressed button to the control unit 81. When the proximity switch 16 is turned on, an on signal is output from the proximity switch 16 to the control unit 81.

[0066] The display drive unit 84 illuminates the mode display unit 13 according to the control signal from the control unit 81. The electrode energizing unit 85 applies a voltage for electrolysis between the anode and cathode of the electrolysis unit 220 according to the control signal from the control unit 81. The pump drive unit 86 drives the pump 230 according to the control signal from the control unit 81.

[0067] The valve drive unit 87 drives the rain valve 340 and the fog valve 350, i.e., the switching unit 360, according to the control signal from the control unit 81. The vibrator drive unit 88 drives the ultrasonic vibrator 520 according to the control signal from the control unit 81.

[0068] The communication unit 89 communicates with the communication unit 186 of the charger 3 via short-range wireless communication methods such as infrared communication.

[0069] The storage unit 82 includes ROM (Read-Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The storage unit 82 stores programs for causing the control unit 81 to perform prescribed processes. Furthermore, the storage unit 82 stores various parameters and control flags for program execution.

[0070] The control unit 81 controls the display drive unit 84, electrode energizing unit 85, pump drive unit 86, valve drive unit 87, oscillator drive unit 88, communication unit 89, etc., based on various signals from the operation detection unit 83, proximity switch 16, etc., and according to the program stored in the storage unit 82.

[0071] Refer again Figure 1 and Figure 2 The structure of charger 3 will be described in detail.

[0072] The charger 3 has a generally cylindrical housing 100 that is flattened at the top and bottom. A slightly recessed portion 101 is formed on the top surface of the housing 100. The bottom surface of the recess 101 serves as a mounting surface 102 for holding the ozone sprayer 2 and is parallel to the bottom surface of the housing 100. An outlet 103 is formed on the upper rear side of the circumferential surface of the housing 100. The outlet 103 is composed of a plurality of slit holes arranged circumferentially. When the ozone sprayer 2 is installed on the charger 3, the outlet 103 and the vibrating surface 521 of the outlet, which serves as the mist emission portion 50 of the ozone sprayer 2, face the same direction.

[0073] The housing 100 contains a power supply unit 110 and a magnet 140. The power supply unit 110 includes a power supply device 111 and a power supply coil 112. A plug (not shown) is connected to the power supply device 111. When the plug is connected to a socket, the power supply device 111 is powered from a commercial power source. The power supply coil 112 is formed by winding a wire into a spiral shape and is positioned close to the mounting surface 102, opposite to the receiving coil 721 when the ozone sprayer 2 is placed on the charger 3. The magnet 140 is positioned close to the mounting surface 102, opposite to the proximity switch 16 when the ozone sprayer 2 is placed on the charger 3.

[0074] Furthermore, an air duct 104 extending in the front-rear direction is provided within the housing 100. The front side of the air duct 104 is parallel to the bottom surface of the housing 100, and the rear side is inclined upward relative to the bottom surface. A receiving chamber 105 is formed in the housing 100 such that the front side of the side is recessed inward, and the inlet 104a of the air duct 104 is connected to the receiving chamber 105. The outlet 104b of the air duct 104 is connected to the outlet 103. An ozone generator 120 is disposed within the air duct 104, and a fan 130 is disposed within the receiving chamber 105. The ozone generator 120, the fan 130, and the air duct 104 constitute an ozone emission section 150 that emits ozone. The ozone emission section 150 corresponds to the first emission section of the present invention. Furthermore, the ozone generator 120 corresponds to the ozone generating section of the present invention, and the fan 130 corresponds to the air supply section of the present invention.

[0075] Ozone generator 120 is a discharge-type ozone generator that generates corona discharge, silent discharge, and other discharges between a pair of electrodes, producing ozone from oxygen in the air passing between the electrodes.

[0076] Fan 130 is an axial fan that draws in air from outside the housing 100 and directs the intake air to the ozone generator 120 within the air duct 104. Furthermore, fan 130 encapsulates the ozone generated by ozone generator 120 in the air and discharges it to the outside through outlet 103. It should be noted that fan 130 can also be a centrifugal fan.

[0077] To detect whether there are people within a specified range of the ozone deodorization device 1, a human detection sensor 160 is provided at the rear of the housing 100. In addition, to detect the ambient temperature of the ozone deodorization device 1, a temperature sensor 170 is provided at the rear of the housing 100.

[0078] There is a positioning structure between the ozone sprayer 2 and the charger 3. The positioning structure consists of a protrusion 106 formed in the housing 100 of the charger 3 and a recess 17 formed in the housing 10 of the ozone sprayer 2 and accommodating the protrusion 106. With this positioning structure, the ozone sprayer 2 will not be placed on the charger 3 in an upside-down state.

[0079] Figure 6 This is a block diagram showing the structure of charger 3.

[0080] In addition to the above-mentioned structure, the charger 3 also includes: a control unit 181, a storage unit 182, an inverter 183, a generator drive unit 184, a fan drive unit 185, and a communication unit 186.

[0081] Inverter 183 generates an AC voltage from the voltage supplied from power supply unit 111 and applies it to power transmission coil 112 based on the control signal from control unit 181. Inverter 183, together with power supply unit 111 and power transmission coil 112, constitute power supply unit 110.

[0082] The generator drive unit 184 drives the ozone generator 120 according to the control signal from the control unit 181. The fan drive unit 185 drives the fan 130 according to the control signal from the control unit 181. The communication unit 186 communicates with the communication unit 89 of the ozone sprayer 2 via short-range wireless communication.

[0083] The human sensor 160 is a thermoelectric or thermoelectric infrared sensor, and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 181 that varies in response to the temperature change caused by the infrared radiation emitted by a person. The control unit 151 determines whether a person is present within a specified range of the ozone deodorization device 1 by comparing the input detection signal with a predetermined threshold. For example, the detection signal has a waveform in which the peak voltage increases as the temperature difference between the infrared radiation emitted by a person and the ambient temperature increases. The control unit 181 compares the peak voltage with a predetermined voltage that serves as a threshold, and determines that a person is present when the peak voltage is higher than the predetermined voltage. The control unit 181 is equivalent to the determination unit of the present invention, and the human sensor 160 and the control unit 181 constitute the human detection unit of the present invention.

[0084] The temperature sensor 170, for example, is a thermistor, which outputs a temperature signal corresponding to the detected temperature to the control unit 181. The temperature sensor 170 is equivalent to the temperature detection unit of the present invention.

[0085] The storage unit 182 includes ROM, RAM, etc. The storage unit 182 stores a program that enables the control unit 181 to perform predetermined processes. Furthermore, the storage unit 182 stores various parameters and control flags used for program execution.

[0086] The control unit 181 controls the inverter 183, generator drive unit 184, fan drive unit 185, communication unit 186, etc., according to the program stored in the storage unit 182.

[0087] The ozone deodorization device 1 can operate in ozone rain mode and ozone mist mode when the ozone sprayer 2 is disconnected from the charger 3. The processing for these two modes is performed by the control unit 81 of the ozone sprayer 2.

[0088] When the ozone rain mode is set, pressing the operation button 61 opens the rain valve 340, causing the pump 230 and electrolysis unit 220 to operate for a predetermined time (e.g., 3 seconds). As a result, the ozone water generated by the electrolysis unit 220 (i.e., the generation unit 20) is sent to the rain discharge unit 40, where it is sprayed as rain-like ozone water from the discharge outlet 41 for a predetermined time. Users can spray ozone water onto objects such as toilets in bathrooms and kitchen sinks to clean them.

[0089] On the other hand, when the ozone mist mode is set, pressing the operation button 61 opens the mist valve 350, causing the pump 230 and electrolysis unit 220 to operate. This stores ozone water in the water tank 530. Then, the control unit 81 operates the ultrasonic transducer 520. This releases ozone-containing mist from the vibrating surface 521, which serves as the outlet of the mist release unit 50. The ultrasonic transducer 520 operates until almost all the ozone water stored in the water tank 530 has been released. Users can deodorize indoor spaces by diffusing the ozone-containing mist into the room. Furthermore, users can deodorize objects such as clothing by exposing the ozone-containing mist to contact with them.

[0090] In the ozone deodorization device 1, the ozone sprayer 2 is charged when it is placed in the charger 3. When the proximity switch 16 detects that the ozone sprayer 2 is placed in the charger 3, the control unit 81 of the ozone sprayer 2 uses short-range wireless communication to instruct the control unit 181 of the charger 3 to start charging. The control unit 181 activates the inverter 183, and alternating current flows through the power supply coil 112. Through electromagnetic induction, the alternating current flows to the power receiving coil 721 on the ozone sprayer 2 side, generating an alternating voltage. The alternating voltage is converted into a direct current voltage by the charging circuit board 722 and supplied to the rechargeable battery 710. Thus, the rechargeable battery 710 is charged.

[0091] In the ozone deodorization device 1, when the ozone sprayer 2 is installed in the charger 3, it operates in ozone gas mode, releasing ozone-containing air from the outlet 103 of the charger 3. The ozone concentration in the released air is higher than the ozone concentration in the mist released from the ozone sprayer 2 in ozone mist mode. Furthermore, ozone does not decompose due to water in the mist. Therefore, the deodorization effect in the room is high.

[0092] On the other hand, the ozone gas mode is more likely to produce an ozone odor than the ozone mist mode. Many users find the ozone odor uncomfortable. Therefore, in ozone gas mode, ozone is released from the charger 3 when no one is near the ozone deodorizing device 1. Moreover, if someone approaches the ozone deodorizing device 1 while it is releasing ozone, the ozone release stops and a mist is released from the ozone sprayer 2 so that the ozone decomposes quickly to reduce the ozone odor.

[0093] The processing for operation in ozone gas mode is performed collaboratively by the control unit 81 of the ozone sprayer 2 and the control unit 181 of the charger 3. The control unit of the present invention is constituted by the control unit 81 of the ozone sprayer 2 and the control unit 181 of the charger 3.

[0094] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the control processing of the ozone sprayer 2 implemented by the control unit 81 in ozone gas mode. Figure 8This is a flowchart illustrating the control processing of the charger 3 implemented by the control unit 181 in ozone gas mode.

[0095] Reference Figure 7 In the ozone sprayer 2, the control unit 81 determines whether the ozone sprayer 2 is set to the charger 3 (S101) based on the on / off state of the proximity switch 16.

[0096] When the user finishes using the ozone sprayer 2, the ozone sprayer 2 should be placed in the charger 3.

[0097] When the ozone sprayer 2 is set to the charger 3 (S101: Yes), the control unit 81 sends a setting notification to the control unit 181 of the charger 3 using short-range wireless communication (S102). Afterwards, the control unit 81 monitors the ozone sprayer 2 as it leaves the charger 3 (S107) while waiting for an instruction from the control unit 181 regarding mist generation (S103).

[0098] Reference Figure 8 In the charger 3, the control unit 181 determines whether the ozone sprayer 2 is set in the charger 3 (S201). When it receives a notification from the control unit 81 of the ozone sprayer 2 that it is set in the charger 3, the control unit 81 determines that the ozone sprayer 2 is set in the charger 3.

[0099] When the ozone sprayer 2 is set to the charger 3 (S201: Yes), the control unit 181 first sets a threshold to be compared with the detection signal from the human sensor 160 based on the ambient temperature of the ozone deodorization device 1, and sets the output of the ultrasonic transducer 520 of the mist emission section 50 of the ozone sprayer 2 (S202~S207).

[0100] That is, the control unit 181 detects the ambient temperature through the temperature sensor 170 (S202) and determines whether the ambient temperature is lower than the specified temperature (S203).

[0101] In the human sensor 160, given the same distance from the sensor to a person, the lower the ambient temperature, the greater the temperature change caused by the infrared radiation emitted by the person, and the higher the peak voltage of the detection signal. Therefore, when the ambient temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature (S203: Yes), the control unit 181 sets a relatively high threshold value for comparison with the detection signal from the human sensor 160 so as to determine the presence of a person based on a relatively large temperature change (S204). On the other hand, when the ambient temperature is above the predetermined temperature (S203: No), the control unit 181 sets a relatively low threshold value so as to determine the presence of a person based on a relatively small temperature change (S206). By adjusting the threshold in this way, the detection range of the presence of a person using the human sensor 160 is suppressed due to changes in ambient temperature.

[0102] Furthermore, in the ozone emission section 150, when the same voltage is applied to the ozone generator 120, the lower the ambient temperature, the more ozone is generated by the ozone generator 120, resulting in a higher ozone emission and a higher ozone concentration. If the ozone concentration is not high, the amount of water required to decompose the ozone and reduce the ozone concentration to a specified level increases. Therefore, when the ambient temperature is lower than the specified temperature (S203: Yes), the control unit 181 sets the output of the ultrasonic transducer 520 to a relatively high value so that the amount of mist emitted from the mist emission section 50 per unit time is relatively higher (S205). On the other hand, when the ambient temperature is above the specified temperature (S203: No), the control unit 181 sets the output of the ultrasonic transducer 520 to a relatively low value so that the amount of mist emitted from the mist emission section 50 per unit time is relatively lower (S207). To change the output of the ultrasonic transducer 520, for example, the amplitude and period of the ultrasonic vibration can be changed. By adjusting the amount of mist emitted from the mist emission section 50, unnecessary mist consumption can be suppressed during the ozone sprayer 2 processes described later in steps S104 to S106, and the ozone concentration can be rapidly reduced to the specified level regardless of the ambient temperature.

[0103] Next, the control unit 181 determines whether there is a person within a specified range of the ozone deodorization device 1 by comparing the detection signal from the human sensor 160 with the value set in S204 or S206, i.e., the threshold (S208). If no one is present (S208: No) and ozone is not being emitted (S209: Yes), the control unit 181 activates the ozone generator 120 and the fan 130 (S210). As a result, ozone is released from the outlet 103 of the charger 3 along with the air.

[0104] Subsequently, when someone approaches the designated area of ​​the ozone deodorization device 1 while ozone is being emitted, the control unit 181 determines that someone is present (S208: Yes) and that ozone is being emitted (S211: Yes). In this case, the control unit 181 stops the ozone generator 120 (S212). At this time, the fan 130 continues to operate without stopping. As a result, the emission of ozone from the outlet 103 of the charger 3 stops, and only air is emitted from the outlet 103.

[0105] Furthermore, the control unit 181 uses short-range wireless communication to instruct the control unit 81 of the ozone sprayer 2 to generate mist (S213), and notifies the output value of the ultrasonic transducer 520 set in S205 or S207 (S214). Then, when the ozone generator 120 stops after a predetermined time (S215: Yes), the control unit 181 stops the fan 130 (S216).

[0106] return Figure 7In the ozone sprayer 2, when an instruction to generate mist is received (S103: Yes), the control unit 81 opens the mist valve 350 (S104), and then operates the pump 230 (S105). As a result, water in the container 210 is sent to the mist discharge unit 50 and stored in the water tank 530. The control unit 81 causes the ultrasonic transducer 520 to operate according to the output notified by the control unit 181 (S106). As a result, mist is released from the mist discharge unit 50. The released mist comes into contact with the ozone remaining around the ozone deodorization device 1. The remaining ozone is decomposed by the mist, i.e., water. As a result, the ozone concentration around the ozone deodorization device 1 rapidly decreases, and the ozone odor rapidly weakens.

[0107] At this time, through the operation of fan 130, air (wind) is delivered from the outlet 103 of the charger to the periphery of ozone deodorization device 1, so the fog will spread due to the wind, which will inhibit the fog from wetting the periphery of ozone deodorization device 1.

[0108] When the user removes the ozone sprayer 2 from the charger 3 for cleaning or other purposes, the control unit 81 determines that the ozone sprayer 2 has been removed from the charger 3 (S107: Yes). The control unit 81 sends a notification of removal to the control unit 181 of the charger 3 (S108), and the control processing of the ozone mode ends.

[0109] return Figure 8 In the charger 3, after the fan 130 stops, if no one is present within a specified range while the ozone sprayer 2 is set in the charger 3, the control unit 181 activates the ozone generator 120 and the fan 130, and ozone is released by the ozone emission unit 150. On the other hand, when the control unit 81 of the ozone sprayer 2 receives a notification of departure and determines that the ozone sprayer 2 has left the charger 3 (S217), the control unit 81 terminates the ozone mode control process.

[0110] It should be noted that the ozone mode control process implemented by control units 81 and 181 starts from the beginning immediately after it ends.

[0111] <Effects of the Implementation Method>

[0112] According to this embodiment, when someone approaches the ozone deodorization device 1 while ozone is being emitted from the ozone emission section 150, the residual ozone in the vicinity will be decomposed by the mist emitted from the mist emission section 50, its concentration will rapidly decrease, and the ozone odor will rapidly weaken. As a result, people are less likely to feel uncomfortable.

[0113] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a human detection sensor 160 is provided that outputs a detection signal that varies in response to the magnitude of temperature changes caused by infrared radiation emitted by a person. The presence of a person is determined by comparing the detection signal with a predetermined threshold. The threshold is adjusted so that the presence of a person is determined based on temperature changes that are greater as the ambient temperature of the ozone deodorization device 1 decreases. This suppresses fluctuations in the detection range of a person's presence caused by changes in ambient temperature, thus preventing situations where ozone emission continues regardless of whether a person is near the ozone deodorization device 1 or stops regardless of whether no one is near the ozone deodorization device 1, due to factors such as room temperature.

[0114] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the lower the ambient temperature of the ozone deodorization device 1, the higher the concentration of ozone emitted from the ozone emission section 150, and the more fog is emitted per unit time from the fog emission section 50. Therefore, unnecessary fog consumption can be suppressed, and the ozone concentration can be quickly reduced to an appropriate level regardless of the ambient temperature, and the ozone odor can be quickly weakened to an appropriate state.

[0115] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when someone approaches the ozone deodorization device 1 while it is emitting ozone, the ozone generator 120 is stopped from emitting ozone, and the fan 130 operates to release air. Thus, the released air diffuses the mist emitted from the mist emission section 50, preventing the area around the ozone deodorization device 1 from being wetted by the mist.

[0116] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, etc. In addition, various modifications can be made to the embodiments of the present invention beyond the above description.

[0117] For example, in the above embodiment, a human sensor 160, which is a thermal infrared sensor, is used to detect whether a person is present within a specified range of the ozone deodorization device 1. However, a human sensor that is an infrared sensor other than a thermal sensor, or a human sensor other than an infrared sensor, may also be used. In the case where such a human sensor other than a thermal infrared sensor is used, no detection is performed during ozone gas mode operation. Figure 8 The processing of S204 and S206 is based on the adjustment of the threshold based on the ambient temperature.

[0118] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, during ozone gas mode operation, the amount of fog emitted per unit time from the fog emission unit 50 is adjusted according to the ambient temperature. However, it is also possible to set the amount of fog emitted per unit time to be constant regardless of the ambient temperature. In this case, the amount of fog emitted can be determined in conjunction with the time when the ambient temperature is low and the ozone concentration is high.

[0119] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, during ozone gas mode operation, when the presence of a person is detected and the ozone generator 120 stops while ozone is being emitted, the fan 130 continues to operate. However, the fan 130 can also be controlled to temporarily stop along with the ozone generator 120 and then restart operation thereafter. Moreover, if it is unlikely that the area around the ozone deodorization device 1 will be wetted by fog due to the amount of fog emitted, etc., the fan 130 can also stop along with the ozone generator 120 and not operate thereafter.

[0120] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the mist discharge unit 50 uses ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic transducer 520 to atomize and discharge water stored in the water tank 530. However, the mist discharge unit 50 is not limited to the above structure; for example, it may also be a structure with a nozzle having an aperture that discharges water in a mist form.

[0121] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the ozone sprayer 2 is horizontally positioned so that the mist is emitted horizontally from the mist outlet 50. However, the mist can also be emitted diagonally downwards from the ozone sprayer 2 by tilting the mist outlet 50. In this way, the emitted mist can easily cross over with the ozone emitted diagonally upwards from the charger 3 and mix with the ozone, facilitating the decomposition of ozone by the mist.

[0122] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the ozone deodorization device 1 consists of an ozone sprayer 2 and a charger 3. However, the structure of the ozone deodorization device 1 is not limited to this structure. For example, the ozone deodorization device 1 may consist only of the ozone sprayer 2, with the ozone emission section 150, which is originally located in the charger 3, located at the bottom of the housing 10. In this case, the following structure can be used: an AC adapter is connected to the ozone sprayer 2, and power for charging is supplied to the ozone sprayer 2 from the AC adapter.

[0123] Furthermore, the ozone deodorization device 1 may consist of a mist-emitting section that emits only ozone-free mist and an ozone-emitting section, for example, an ozone-emitting section that emits ozone may be provided at the bottom of a sprayer that does not have an ozone generation function but can only emit mist.

[0124] Furthermore, various modifications can be made to the embodiments of the present invention within the scope of the technical concept shown in the technical solution.

Claims

1. A deodorizing device, characterized in that, have: The first emission section emits ozone; the first emission section includes an ozone generating section that generates ozone from oxygen in the air. The second emission section releases fog; The control unit controls the first discharge unit and the second discharge unit; The temperature detection unit detects the ambient temperature of the deodorization device; and The human detection unit detects whether there are any people within a specified range of the deodorization device. When the human detection unit does not detect the presence of a human, the control unit causes the first emission unit to emit ozone to operate in ozone gas mode. When the presence of a person is detected by the human detection unit while ozone is being emitted, the control unit causes the first emission unit to stop emitting ozone and causes the second emission unit to emit ozone-containing mist. The control unit is configured such that the lower the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit, the greater the amount of mist emitted by the second emission unit per unit time. The deodorization device also includes a rain discharge section that releases ozone water in the form of rain.

2. The deodorization device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The human detection unit includes: a human sensor that outputs a detection signal that varies in response to the temperature change caused by infrared radiation emitted by a person; and a determination unit that determines whether a person is present by comparing the detection signal with a predetermined threshold. The control unit adjusts the threshold to determine the presence of a person based on the temperature change, which is larger as the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit decreases.

3. The deodorizing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first emission section further includes an air supply section, which sends the ozone generated by the ozone generating section to the outside of the first emission section. When the human detection unit does not detect the presence of a human, the control unit activates the ozone generation unit and the air supply unit. When the presence of a person is detected by the human detection unit while ozone is being emitted, the control unit stops the ozone generating unit and starts the air supply unit.

4. The deodorizing device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The deodorization device includes a human detection sensor, which can detect whether there is a person within a specified range of the deodorization device.

5. The deodorization device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The deodorizing device has a power supply unit including a rechargeable battery inside the housing, and the deodorizing device is provided with a charger in a detachable manner to charge the rechargeable battery. The charger includes a power supply unit within the housing, which supplies power for charging the rechargeable battery when the deodorization device is installed.

6. The deodorization device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The housing consists of a torso, a neck, and a head. The upper part of the torso is formed into a conical bottom cylinder that narrows towards the neck. A display window is formed in the torso.

7. The deodorizing device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The torso has a mode switching button and a mode display section.

8. The deodorizing device according to claim 5, characterized in that, A temperature sensor is located at the rear of the housing to detect the ambient temperature of the deodorizing device.

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