Dehumidifier

Abstract

The present invention provides a dehumidifier (1) that can efficiently select air purification operation and dehumidification operation, suppresses operating noise, and has excellent dehumidification ability. The dehumidifier (1) includes: a first air passage formed inside the housing (3) through which air flows through an air purification mechanism and reaches a dehumidification mechanism; a second air passage formed inside the housing (3) through which air reaches the dehumidification mechanism without passing through the air purification mechanism; and an air flow restricting mechanism (51) that restricts the flow of air in the second air passage. The inlet of the second air passage is located on the outer peripheral side of the air purification mechanism, and the outlet of the second air passage is located at a position closer to the center side of the air purification mechanism than the inlet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a dehumidifier. Background Art

[0002] A dehumidifier is described in Patent Document 1. This dehumidifier has an air purification function, and a user can select either an operation focusing on air purification effect or an operation focusing on dehumidification effect.

[0003] The dehumidifier shown in Patent Document 1 dehumidifies air inhaled from an intake port by passing it through a heat exchanger. A filter is disposed between the ventilation path of the intake port and the heat exchanger in such a manner as not to cover a part of the front side of the heat exchanger, that is, the upstream side of the air flow when viewed from the heat exchanger. Moreover, a baffle capable of blocking the air flow is provided at a portion where the filter does not cover the front side of the heat exchanger. The baffle is selectively provided at a position covering a part of the passage leading to the heat exchanger and a position not covering this passage.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-211913

[0005] In the above Patent Document 1, since the filter is disposed between the ventilation path of the intake port and the heat exchanger in such a manner as not to cover a part of the heat exchanger, the ventilation area of the filter is smaller than the ventilation area of the heat exchanger. Therefore, the air before dehumidification passes through a portion with a small ventilation area, and the pressure loss (hereinafter, simply referred to as "pressure drop") of the filter becomes large. In addition, in the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, the air that has not passed through the filter in the state where the baffle is opened passes only through a part of the heat exchanger. Therefore, the air that has passed through the filter and the air that has not passed through the filter pass through the heat exchanger, resulting in deterioration of the velocity distribution of the air flow and a decrease in dehumidification efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present disclosure is made to solve the above-described problems. An object of the present disclosure is to provide a dehumidifier that reduces the pressure drop in the air passage and improves the dehumidification performance.

[0007] The dehumidifier according to the first aspect of the present disclosure includes:

[0008] a housing having an intake port and an outlet port formed therein;

[0009] a blower mechanism that generates an air flow from the intake port to the outlet port;

[0010] an air purification mechanism disposed inside the housing; and

[0011] a dehumidification mechanism disposed inside the housing that removes moisture from the air flow,

[0012] wherein,

[0013] comprising:

[0014] a first air passage formed inside the above-mentioned housing for the above-mentioned air flow to reach the above-mentioned dehumidifying mechanism through the above-mentioned air purification mechanism;

[0015] a second air passage formed inside the above-mentioned housing for the above-mentioned air flow to reach the above-mentioned dehumidifying mechanism without passing through the above-mentioned air purification mechanism; and

[0016] an air flow restricting mechanism for restricting the flow of the above-mentioned air flow in the above-mentioned second air passage,

[0017] the inlet of the above-mentioned second air passage is located on the outer peripheral side of the above-mentioned air purification mechanism,

[0018] the outlet of the above-mentioned second air passage is located at a position closer to the center side of the above-mentioned air purification mechanism than the above-mentioned inlet,

[0019] the above-mentioned air flow in the above-mentioned first air passage after passing through the above-mentioned air purification mechanism merges with the above-mentioned air flow in the above-mentioned second air passage and flows into the above-mentioned dehumidifying mechanism.

[0020] The dehumidifier according to the second aspect of the present disclosure includes:

[0021] a housing formed with a suction port and a blowout port;

[0022] a blowing mechanism for generating an air flow from the above-mentioned suction port to the above-mentioned blowout port;

[0023] an air purification mechanism disposed inside the above-mentioned housing; and

[0024] a dehumidifying mechanism disposed inside the above-mentioned housing for removing moisture in the above-mentioned air flow,

[0025] wherein,

[0026] comprising:

[0027] a first air passage formed inside the above-mentioned housing for the above-mentioned air flow to reach the above-mentioned dehumidifying mechanism through the above-mentioned air purification mechanism;

[0028] a second air passage formed inside the above-mentioned housing for the above-mentioned air flow to reach the above-mentioned dehumidifying mechanism without passing through the above-mentioned air purification mechanism; and

[0029] an air flow restricting mechanism for restricting the flow of the above-mentioned air flow in the above-mentioned second air passage,

[0030] the above-mentioned suction port exists in front of the above-mentioned housing,

[0031] the projected shape of the above-mentioned suction port as viewed from the front side of the above-mentioned housing is square or rectangular,

[0032] The inlet of the second air passage is adjacent to the outer sides of the left and right edge portions of the suction port and is formed symmetrically left and right.

[0033] When viewed from the front side of the housing, the evaporator constituting the dehumidifying mechanism is substantially located inside the outer edge of the projected shape of the suction port.

[0034] The air flow in the first air passage after passing through the air purification mechanism merges with the air flow in the second air passage and flows into the dehumidifying mechanism.

[0035] The dehumidifier according to the third aspect of the present disclosure includes:

[0036] A housing formed with a suction port and a blowout port;

[0037] A blower mechanism that generates an air flow from the suction port to the blowout port;

[0038] An air purification mechanism disposed inside the housing; and

[0039] A dehumidifying mechanism disposed inside the housing to remove moisture from the air flow.

[0040] Wherein,

[0041] It has:

[0042] A first air passage formed inside the housing for the air flow to pass through the air purification mechanism and reach the dehumidifying mechanism;

[0043] A second air passage formed inside the housing for the air flow to reach the dehumidifying mechanism without passing through the air purification mechanism; and

[0044] An air flow restricting mechanism that restricts the flow of the air flow in the second air passage.

[0045] At the position where the air flow passing through the first air passage merges with the air flow passing through the second air passage, a rectifying member having a plurality of ventilation windows is disposed so as to cross immediately in front of the evaporator constituting the dehumidifying mechanism.

[0046] According to the present disclosure, by providing a second air passage that does not pass through the air purification mechanism and guiding dehumidifying air to the second air passage during dehumidifying operation, compared with the case of performing dehumidifying operation using only the first air passage, the pressure loss can be reduced and the operating noise can be reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Figure 1 It is a front view of the dehumidifier of Embodiment 1.

[0048] Figure 2It is a longitudinal sectional view of the dehumidifier of Embodiment 1.

[0049] Figure 3 It is a horizontal sectional view of the dehumidifier of Embodiment 1.

[0050] Figure 4 It is an enlarged Figure 3 sectional view showing a part.

[0051] Figure 5 It is a view with dimensions added to the same transverse sectional view as Figure 3 the one.

[0052] Figure 6 It is a transverse sectional view at the same position as Figure 5 the one, and is a view showing the dimensions of each part by hypothetically separating the main components.

[0053] Figure 7 It is a simplified perspective view of the evaporator.

[0054] Figure 8 The (A) and (B) of

[0055] Figure 9 are perspective views showing the sizes of both the HEPA filter and the activated carbon filter that make up the air purification mechanism.

[0056] Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the air flow restriction mechanism of Embodiment 1.

[0057] Figure 11 It is a block diagram showing the main control-related components of the dehumidifier of Embodiment 1.

[0058] Figure 12 It is a flowchart showing the operation steps during the dehumidification operation of the dehumidifier of Embodiment 1.

[0059] Figure 13 It is a flowchart showing the operation steps during the air purification operation of the dehumidifier of Embodiment 1.

[0060] Figure 14 It is a flowchart showing the operation steps during the dehumidification and air purification operation of the dehumidifier of Embodiment 1

[0061] Figure 15 It is a flowchart showing the basic operation steps of the main control device at the start of operation of the dehumidifier of Embodiment 1

[0062] Figure 16 It is a longitudinal sectional view showing the air flow of the dehumidifier of Embodiment 1.

[0063] Figure 17 It is a horizontal sectional view showing the air flow during the dehumidifying operation of the dehumidifier according to Embodiment 1.

[0064] Figure 18 It is a horizontal sectional view showing the air flow during the air purification operation of the dehumidifier according to Embodiment 1.

[0065] Figure 19 It is a longitudinal sectional view showing the air flow during the dehumidifying operation of the dehumidifier according to Embodiment 2.

[0066] Figure 20 It is a longitudinal sectional view showing the air flow during the air purification operation of the dehumidifier according to Embodiment 2.

[0067] Figure 21 It is a partial simplified perspective view of the dehumidifier according to Embodiment 3.

[0068] Figure 22 For (A) and (B) of Figure 21 It is an exploded cross-sectional view of the front housing part when the C-C line part of the dehumidifier is cut.

[0069] Figure 23 It is in Figure 21 The front view of the suction port frame used in the dehumidifier. Detailed implementation mode

[0070] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals in each figure denote the same or corresponding parts. In addition, in the present disclosure, repeated descriptions are appropriately simplified or omitted. Furthermore, the present disclosure may include all combinations of combinable structures among the structures described in the following embodiments.

[0071] Embodiment 1

[0072] Figures 1 to 20 It shows the dehumidifier according to Embodiment 1. Among them, the size and position of the structures of the dehumidifier may be different from the illustrated examples in practice. In addition, for ease of explanation, it may also be appropriately omitted in each drawing.

[0073] Figure 1 It is the front view of the dehumidifier 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 2 It is the longitudinal sectional view of the dehumidifier 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 2 It is Figure 1 The sectional view at the A-A line shown. Figure 3 It is the horizontal sectional view of the dehumidifier 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 3 It is Figure 1 The horizontal sectional view at the B-B line shown. Figure 4 It is an enlarged Figure 3A sectional view represented by a part of...

[0074] In the present disclosure, in principle, the dehumidifier 1 is described based on the state where the dehumidifier 1 is placed on a horizontal surface such as a floor. In addition, in the following description, it is described on the premise that the surface where the suction port 11 is located is the front (front face). However, in actual use of the dehumidifier 1, the surface on which the suction port 11 is formed is the back face.

[0075] First, for... Figure 1 An explanation will be given.

[0076] The dehumidifier 1 includes a housing 10. The housing 10 forms a part of the frame 3, and the frame 3 forms the outer shell of the dehumidifier 1. The frame 3 has a bottom plate 4 on which a plurality of wheels 20 described later are mounted. The hollow box-shaped frame 3 is formed by the housing 10 and the bottom plate 4.

[0077] One wheel (caster) 20 for moving the dehumidifier 1 can be arranged at each position where the front, rear, left, and right of the bottom plate 4 are separated from each other. Heavy objects such as the electric compressor 6 described later are placed on the bottom plate 4. Therefore, the bottom plate 4 is made of a metal plate with a greater strength (rigidity) than the housing 10.

[0078] The housing 10 is assembled into a box shape by joining the ends of a plurality of metal thin plates to each other with a binder (not shown) such as a screw. Alternatively, the housing 10 is assembled into a box shape by joining a plurality of components formed by integral molding using a thermoplastic resin (plastic) material with a binder (not shown) such as a screw.

[0079] In Embodiment 1, the housing 10 has a rear housing 10B and a front housing 10F. The rear housing 10B is a component that forms the back part of the housing 10. The front housing 10F is a component that forms the front part of the housing 10. The front housing 10F is fixed to the rear housing 10B with a binder (not shown) such as a screw.

[0080] A flat upper housing 10U is connected to the upper end portions of the rear housing 10B and the front housing 10F. The upper housing 10U is composed of both a front portion 10UF and a rear portion 10UB. The front portion 10UF and the rear portion 10UB abut against each other in a front-to-back facing manner to form a flat surface. This surface becomes the top surface of the housing 10 itself.

[0081] A suction port 11 and a blowout port 12 are formed in the housing 10. The suction port 11 is an opening for taking in air from the outside to the inside of the housing 10. The blowout port 12 is an opening for sending out air from the inside to the outside of the housing 10.

[0082] In Embodiment 1, the suction port 11 is formed in a square window shape at the central portion of the front housing 10F. The blowout port 12 is formed in the top surface portion of the housing 10. As...Figure 16 As shown, the air outlet 12 is opened by lifting the rear part 10UB of the upper housing 10U upward to a certain angle with the front end as a fulcrum, thereby being opened wide.

[0083] As Figure 1 shown, the suction port 11 is square when the housing 3 is viewed from the front. The suction port 11 may be rectangular or circular. The suction port 11 may directly utilize the square window formed in the front housing 10F of the housing 3, or a frame in the shape of a border may be fitted inside the window, and the inside of the frame may be used as the suction port 11.

[0084] The dehumidifier 1 is provided with a suction port cover 11A that covers the suction port 11. The suction port cover 11A is formed in a lattice shape, for example. Alternatively, the suction port cover 11A may be a thin overall louver (louver shape). The suction port cover 11A prevents foreign matter from entering the inside of the housing 10 through the suction port 11. The suction port cover 11A is detachably fixed to the rear housing 10B by fixing members such as screws, for example.

[0085] A "net" for preventing foreign matter from entering is integrally installed on the entire surface of the suction port cover 11A. Alternatively, the suction port cover 11A may be formed by integrally molding with a plastic material. The suction port cover 11A can prevent large foreign matter (such as paper scraps and fiber scraps of clothing) flying in the air from entering the inside of the housing 3. However, the suction port cover 11A has a small pressure loss and lacks an air purification effect on fine particles and the like, and is not a kind of the air purification mechanism described later. The "air purification mechanism" in the present embodiment refers to the activated carbon filter 42 and the HEPA filter 41.

[0086] In Figure 1 , reference numeral 11A1 is a vertical bar constituting the suction port cover 11A. In Figure 1 , reference numeral 11A2 is a horizontal bar constituting the suction port cover 11A. Through these vertical bars 11A1 and horizontal bars 11A2, a plurality of windows 5 for ventilation are partitioned and formed in the suction port cover 11A.

[0087] In Figure 1 , reference numeral 6 is an electric compressor. The electric compressor 6 may be of any type such as a reciprocating type or a rotary type. The electric compressor 6 has a motor (not shown) and forcibly circulates the refrigerant in a refrigerant pipe (also referred to as a "refrigerant circuit") 22 connected to an evaporator 31 and a condenser 32 described later. That is, the electric compressor 6 compresses and supplies the refrigerant to a refrigeration cycle formed by connecting the evaporator 31, the condenser 32, etc. with the refrigerant pipe 22.

[0088] The motor (not shown) of the electric compressor 6 can change the rotational speed per unit time by the supplied power supplied from the drive circuit 27 described later. If this rotational speed is changed, the refrigerant supply capacity can be changed, and thus the cooling capacity can be increased or decreased (adjusted). The main control device 18 designates the drive frequency of the drive circuit 27 to control the rotational speed of the motor (not shown) of the electric compressor 6.

[0089] In Figure 1 , reference numeral 7 is a water storage tank. The drainage water generated on the outer surface of the evaporator 31 during the dehumidifying operation drips directly and is guided to the water storage tank 7. Alternatively, the drainage water is guided to the water storage tank 7 through a guide plate such as a drain gutter. In addition, the water storage tank 7 can be taken out of the housing 3 from an outlet (not shown) formed on the side surface of the rear housing 10B or the housing 10. In addition, the outlet is covered with a door (not shown) that can be opened and closed except when the water storage tank 7 is taken out.

[0090] Next, Figure 2 will be described.

[0091] The dehumidifier 1 includes louvers 13.

[0092] In the first embodiment, as described above, the louver 13 is composed of only one piece, the rear portion 10UB of the upper housing 10U. In addition, the louver 13 may be composed of a plurality of plate-like members. The louver 13 is used to adjust the direction of the air sent out from the air outlet 12. The louver 13 is disposed near the air outlet 12 so as to be able to open and close.

[0093] The louver 13 changes its posture by a louver drive motor (not shown) connected thereto. By the louver drive motor (not shown), the tilt angle of the louver 13 with respect to the air outlet 12 changes in multiple levels or more. Thereby, the direction of the air (airflow AF) blown out from the air outlet 12 can be adjusted. In addition, the louver drive motor (not shown) controls the operation with a drive signal from a control board (not shown). This control board (not shown) is housed in a board box 16 formed of a metal plate or a non-combustible heat-resistant plastic housing.

[0094] The dehumidifier 1 includes an operation reporting unit 15. The operation reporting unit 15 is composed of an input operation unit 17 for the user to operate the dehumidifier 1 (refer to Figure 11 ) and a reporting unit 23 (refer to Figure 11) The reporting unit 23 displays the status of the dehumidifier 1 and the like to the user as visible information such as text. Additionally, the reporting unit 23 can also report via sound. Inside the housing 10 facing the operation reporting unit 15, an operation display substrate 8 that controls the operation reporting unit 15 is arranged. On the operation display substrate 8, an operation switch for starting / stopping the operation of the dehumidifier 1 is arranged. In addition, the operation display substrate 8 can also be composed of two or more parts, namely an operation substrate 8A on which circuit components of the input operation unit 17 described later are installed and a display substrate 8B on which circuit components related to the display unit 23D are installed.

[0095] The operation display substrate 8 has an operation mode switching switch 17S (refer to Figure 11 ), and this operation mode switching switch 17S switches the operation mode to any one of the three modes: "dehumidification operation mode", "air purification operation mode", and "dehumidification and air purification operation mode".

[0096] The operation display substrate 8 respectively has a reporting unit 23 (refer to Figure 11 ). In the reporting unit 23, below the front part 10UF (upper wall surface) of the upper housing 10U in the operation reporting unit 15, a liquid crystal display unit 23D capable of displaying information is arranged. The display information of the display unit 23D is displayed upward above the upper housing 10U through the front part 10UF. Through the display unit 23D of the operation reporting unit 15, the operation conditions, operation status, etc. of the dehumidifier 1 are displayed to the outside of the housing 3. The operation display substrate 8 is arranged horizontally near the inner top of the front housing 10F.

[0097] In the space below the operation display substrate 8, a power supply substrate (not shown) and a substrate box 16 containing one or more control substrates are arranged. On this control substrate, a drive circuit 28 for the later-described fan 21 and a drive circuit (inverter circuit) 27 for the electric compressor 6 are respectively installed.

[0098] As a mechanism for conveying air, a fan 21 (rotating blade) is provided at the rear part inside the housing 10. The fan 21 is a device that takes air into the inside of the housing 10 and conveys the taken-in air to the outside of the housing 10. The fan 21 rotates to generate an air flow AF from the suction port 11 towards the blowout port 12 in the air passage from the suction port 11 to the blowout port 12.

[0099] A motor 21A is housed inside the housing 10. The motor 21A is a device that rotates the fan 21. In Embodiment 1, the fan 21 and the motor 21A are arranged at the rear part of the housing 3. That is, they are arranged on the back side of the dehumidifier 1. The motor 21A is connected to the rotation center part of the fan 21 via a rotation shaft 21b extending in the horizontal direction. The rotation operation of the motor 21A is controlled by the later-described drive circuit 28 (refer to Figure 11) Control. That is, the start, stop, and rotational speed of the rotation of the motor 21A are respectively controlled by the drive circuit 28.

[0100] The fan 21 is a Sirocco fan (multi - blade fan), and the central part of the rotation is fixed by the rotating shaft 21B. The fan 21 sucks air from the front into the interior of the fan housing 36 described later, and blows the air out from the air outlet 12.

[0101] The fan housing 36 surrounds the periphery of the fan 21 and the motor 21a. In the front - side wall surface of the fan housing 36, a flaring portion 37 is formed at a position corresponding to the fan 21. The flaring portion 37 is a large - sized circular opening, and the edge portion is bent significantly downward on the downwind side. The flaring portion 37 smoothly sucks the air flow that has passed through the condenser 32.

[0102] The dehumidifier 1 includes an evaporator 31, a condenser 32, an electric compressor 6, and a decompression device (not shown) as an example of a dehumidification mechanism for removing moisture contained in the air. The evaporator 31 and the condenser 32 together with the electric compressor 6 and the decompression device (not shown) form a refrigerant circuit.

[0103] The evaporator 31, the condenser 32, the electric compressor 6, and the decompression device (not shown) are housed inside the housing 10. As Figure 2 shown, the evaporator 31 and the condenser 32 are respectively arranged vertically so as to block the front side of the flaring portion 37. As Figure 1 shown by the dashed line, the electric compressor 6 is arranged at the bottom of the housing 10.

[0104] In Figure 2 the figure, the reference numeral 38 is a flat - shaped rectifying member, which is formed of a thermoplastic plastic material as a whole, for example. As Figure 4 shown, a frame 38B intersecting in the longitudinal and transverse directions is formed in the rectifying member 38, and a plurality of ventilation windows 38A are formed between the frames 38B. That is, each ventilation window 38A is an independent opening. The ventilation windows 38A are regularly arranged in the horizontal and vertical directions throughout the rectifying member 38.

[0105] The front, rear, left, and right surfaces of the frame 38B are flat guiding surfaces with a certain length D5 (refer to Figure 4 ) so that the air flow AF flows linearly. Among them, the length D5 is set to a size (for example, 12 mm) within the range of 10 mm to 15 mm, for example. In addition, the aperture (opening area) of the ventilation window 38A is uniformly set throughout the rectifying member 38.

[0106] The rectifying member 38 faces the front of the evaporator 31, which is a part of the heat exchanger described later, across the first space 33. That is, the rectifying member 38 is separated by a predetermined distance D3 (refer to Figure 5, Figure 6 ) is opposed to the evaporator 31.

[0107] In addition, the rectifying member 38 faces a second space 34 across from the back surface of a part of an air purification filter (air purification mechanism) described later, i.e., the activated carbon filter 42. That is, the rectifying member 38 is opposed to the back surface of the activated carbon filter 42 with a prescribed distance D4 therebetween.

[0108] The evaporator 31, the electric compressor 6, the condenser 32, and a decompression device (not shown) are connected in sequence via a refrigerant pipe (not shown) and the like. Refrigerant from the electric compressor 6 flows in a refrigerant circuit formed by the evaporator 31, the electric compressor, the condenser 32, and the decompression device (not shown).

[0109] The evaporator 31 and the condenser 32 are heat exchangers for performing heat exchange between the refrigerant and air. Figure 1 The electric compressor 6 described in is a device for compressing the refrigerant. The decompression device (not shown) is a device for decompressing the refrigerant. The decompression device (not shown) is, for example, an expansion valve or a capillary tube.

[0110] In addition, the dehumidifier 1 includes an air purification filter, i.e., a HEPA filter 41 and an activated carbon filter 42, for purifying air, as an example of an air purification mechanism for removing dust and odors in the air. The HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 are housed inside the housing 10. In Embodiment 1, the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 are housed inside the front housing 10F between the suction port 11 and the rectifying member 38.

[0111] The HEPA filter 41 is a filter for trapping fine dust in the air. The activated carbon filter 42 is a filter for deodorizing odors in the air. As described above, the activated carbon filter 42 is arranged in a space (the "second space 34" described later) separated from the front surface of the rectifying member 38 by a prescribed distance D4.

[0112] The HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 can be inserted through the suction port 11 to a position in front of the rectifying member 38 in a state where the suction port cover 11A is removed from the front housing 10F. The HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 are detachably provided inside the housing 10.

[0113] The rectifying member 38 also serves as a protection member for preventing a user from contacting the evaporator 31 in a state where the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 are removed from the rear housing 10B. Therefore, even if pressed by a user's finger from the front, the finger or the like will not contact the evaporator 31.

[0114] In Embodiment 1, an air passage leading from the suction port 11 to the blowout port 12 is formed inside the housing 10. The air flow AF flowing inside this air passage sequentially passes through the suction port cover 11A, the HEPA filter 41, the activated carbon filter 42, the evaporator 31, the condenser 32, and the fan 21 from the suction port 11. A series of air passages are formed for the air entering from the suction port 11 to flow from the air purification filters (the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42) to the fan 21 through the heat exchangers (the evaporator 31, etc.).

[0115] Here, the upstream side and the downstream side are defined using the air flow AF flowing in the air passage leading from the suction port 11 to the blowout port 12. For example, the side where the suction port 11 exists with respect to the heat exchanger (the evaporator 31, etc.) is set as the upstream side. In addition, the side where the blowout port 12 exists with respect to the heat exchanger (the evaporator 31, etc.) is set as the downstream side.

[0116] In Figure 2 , the reference numeral 62 is a dust sensor. This dust sensor 62 is disposed at the uppermost part inside the housing 10. Near the dust sensor 62 in the housing 10, a small-diameter opening 62A (not shown) for communicating the dust sensor 62 with the outside of the housing 10 is provided. By obtaining dust detection information through the dust sensor 62 and the main control device 18 described later, the amount and concentration of dust in the indoor space where the dehumidifier 1 is installed can be measured. The dust sensor 62 has, for example, the performance of detecting particles of 0.1 μm. The detection result of the dust sensor 62 is obtained by the main control device 18, and the obtained dust detection information can be displayed on the display unit 23D arranged on the operation display substrate 8.

[0117] In Figure 2 , the reference numeral 63 is a gas sensor 63. This gas sensor 63 is disposed inside the housing 10 at a position below the suction port 11. On the wall surface of the housing 10 near the gas sensor 63, a small-diameter opening 63A (not shown) for communicating the outside of the housing 10 and the gas sensor 63 is provided. By obtaining gas detection information through the gas sensor 63 and the main control device 18, the odor of the indoor air can be measured. The measurement result of the gas sensor 63 is obtained by the main control device 18, and the obtained gas detection information can be displayed on the above-mentioned display unit 23D arranged on the operation display substrate 8.

[0118] In Figure 2 , the reference numeral 26 is a wireless communication unit (wireless communication module) housed near the top inside the housing 10. The wireless communication unit 26 can perform wireless communication with local area network devices such as a wireless router (not shown) installed in a home or office where the dehumidifier 1 is provided. The wireless communication unit 26 may sometimes be connected to a network line (not shown) via the local area network device.

[0119] Therefore, the wireless communication unit 26 can transmit and receive information through a network line with an information processing terminal (not shown) such as a smart phone located at a remote location and other communication devices. Among them, the so-called local area network device can be a command device that controls the total power consumption within a home or an office, or an integrated management device that collects information from multiple electrical devices and combines them, etc. Sometimes it is also called an "access point".

[0120] As Figure 2 shown, the rotating shaft 21B of the motor 21A extends in the horizontal direction. HL is a horizontal center line passing through the center of the rotating shaft 21B. The position of this center line HL is located at the central part in the vertical direction of the suction port 11. That is, in the suction port 11 with a height dimension of H1, the rotating shaft 21B exists at the height position of its half.

[0121] Next, Figure 3 will be described.

[0122] In Figure 3 , on the left and right of the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42, there are side ventilation paths 43 adjacent to each other. The side ventilation paths 43 are spaces provided inside the front housing 10F throughout the entire region in the height direction of the suction port 11.

[0123] As Figure 3 shown, the side ventilation paths 43 are air paths extending rearward from the suction port 11. That is, a narrow path extending from the front to the rear. In Figure 3 , the reference numeral 46 is a wind tunnel extending rearward from the edge portion of the suction port 11. The entire wind tunnel 46 is formed by a thin plate metal part or a thermoplastic part.

[0124] The gap between the front end of the wind tunnel 46 and the left and right side surfaces of the HEPA filter 41 becomes the inlet 43A of the side ventilation path 43. On the contrary, the rear end of the wind tunnel 46 contacts the outer peripheral end of the rectifying member 38, so that the air flow AF does not leak to the outside midway. The gap between the rear end of the wind tunnel 46 and the left and right side surfaces of the activated carbon filter 42 becomes the outlet 43B of the side ventilation path 43.

[0125] From the above description, it can be seen that the air path leading from the suction port 11 to the blowout port 12 is composed of both the main air path 44 and the side ventilation path 43. The main air path (also called the "first air path") 44 is an air path that passes through the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 from the suction port 11 and reaches the rectifying member 38. The side ventilation path (also called the "second air path") 43 is an air path that reaches the above-mentioned rectifying member 38 from the suction port 11 without passing through the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42.

[0126] The main air passage 44 and the bypass air passage 43 merge immediately in front of the rectifying member 38. In Figure 3 , W5 is the front width dimension of the suction port 11. In other words, it is the lateral width dimension. In this Embodiment 1, W5 is 315 mm. As Figure 2 shown, Figure 3 in, HL is the center line passing through the center of the rotating shaft 21B of the through-motor 21A.

[0127] In Figure 3 , reference numeral 51 is an air flow restricting mechanism that performs an opening and closing operation, and this air flow restricting mechanism restricts the flow of the bypass air flow AF2 by substantially opening and closing the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43. The air flow restricting mechanisms 51 are respectively arranged on the left and right of the suction port 11 and will be described in detail in Figure 4 .

[0128] Next, Figure 4 will be described. Figure 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view that magnifies the E portion of Figure 3 .

[0129] As Figure 4 shown, the bypass air passage 43 is an air passage through which the air flow AF flows downstream without passing through the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42. Relative to this bypass air passage 43, the air passage through which the air flow AF passes through the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 is the main air passage 44.

[0130] The bypass air passage 43 is formed on the right and left sides thereof with the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 interposed therebetween. That is, the bypass air passage 43 and the main air passage 44 are adjacently arranged in parallel in the front-rear direction.

[0131] In addition, there is a wall fixed by the wind tunnel 46 outside the bypass air passage 43, but there is no wall inside where the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 are present. That is, there is no fixed object at the boundary between the bypass air passage 43 and the main air passage 44. However, the air flow passing through the bypass air passage 43 (hereinafter referred to as "bypass air flow". The reference numeral used is AF2) and the air flow passing through the main air passage 44 (hereinafter referred to as "main air flow". The reference numeral used is AF1) do not merge inside the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42.

[0132] As Figure 4As shown, by arranging the bypass air passage 43, which is the air passage not passing through the air purification filter, and the main air passage 44, which is the air passage passing through the air purification filter, adjacent to each other, the air passage in the dehumidifier 1 can be constructed compactly, and miniaturization of the dehumidifier 1 can be achieved. Further, when observing the dehumidifier 1 from the front (front side), the height dimension in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the bypass air passage 43 is preferably set to be approximately the same as the length in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the HEPA filter 41. These dimensional relationships are described in detail using Figure 5 and Figure 6 in detail.

[0133] The bypass air flow AF2 flowing in the bypass air passage 43 and the main air flow AF1 flowing in the main air passage 44 merge in the space downstream of the activated carbon filter 42, that is, in the first space 33 separated by a distance D3 starting from the rectifying member 38 and in the second space 34 having an interval of a distance D4 starting from the rectifying member 38.

[0134] That is, the bypass air flow AF2 and the main air flow AF1 merge near the evaporator 31 arranged downstream of the activated carbon filter 42, and then flow in one air passage inside the housing 10. Further, the main air flow AF1 passing through the portions near the left and right ends of the activated carbon filter 42 in the main air flow AF1 flowing in the main air passage 44 merges with the bypass air flow AF2 when passing through the left and right ends of the rectifying member 38 immediately after passing through the activated carbon filter 42.

[0135] In the structure described above, the first space 33 and the second space 34 are provided, but as long as the air flows flowing in the bypass air passage 43 and the main air passage 44 can merge near the evaporator 31. Therefore, it is sufficient to have at least the first space 33. When the first space 33 cannot be ensured with a sufficient size, the second space 34 may be provided. For example, in the case where it is assumed that the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42, which are subject to the air resistance when the main air flow AF1 passes, move or bend downstream and come into contact with the rectifying member 38, the second space 34 may be provided.

[0136] A wind guiding surface 46A is formed on the downstream side of the bypass air flow AF2 in the wind tunnel 46. A pair of left and right wind guiding surfaces 46A are provided at the position where the wind tunnel 46 is connected to the rectifying member 38. As Figure 4 shown, in a plan view, the wind guiding surface 46A is symmetrically inclined (at the same angle) in a manner approaching the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42.

[0137] The air guiding surface 46A is used to guide the bypass air flow AF2 coming through the bypass air passage 43 toward the center of the front side on the upstream side of the heat exchanger (such as the evaporator 31). In other words, it has the function of slightly changing the traveling direction of the bypass air flow AF2 toward the center line HL side passing through the rotation axis 21B of the through motor 21A.

[0138] Figure 4 The shown air guiding surface 46A is integrally composed of a flat inclined surface. By adjusting the normal direction (inclination angle) of this inclined surface, the direction of guiding the bypass air flow AF2 can be adjusted. In addition, since the air guiding surface 46A is composed of a single surface without any uneven portions in the middle, the resistance when the bypass air flow AF2 flows is small, and no unnecessary turbulent flow is generated.

[0139] Alternatively, the air guiding surface 46A can be composed of a curved surface. By adjusting the curvature of the curved surface, the diffusion of the bypass air flow AF2 guided by the air guiding surface 46A can be adjusted. In this way, since a part of the second air passage (bypass air passage 43) and on the upstream side of the heat exchanger (such as the evaporator 31), there is an air guiding surface 46A that guides the bypass air flow AF2 in a specified direction (in Figure 3 , it is the center line HL direction), the bypass air flow AF2 passing through the bypass air passage 43 can be efficiently introduced into the heat exchanger, and the dehumidification efficiency can be improved.

[0140] Continue to explain Figure 4 .

[0141] An air flow restricting mechanism 51 is provided in the bypass air passage 43. The air flow restricting mechanism 51 is shown in detail in Figure 10 , and has a plate-shaped wind deflector or partition plate that opens and closes the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43. This wind deflector or partition plate is collectively referred to as the baffle 51S.

[0142] The baffle 51S is arranged at a position downstream of the suction port cover 11A. The baffle 51S is configured such that one end thereof is supported by a rotation shaft 51E (refer to Figure 10 ). The baffle 51S is fixed to the open position and the closed position by a motor 51B (refer to Figure 10 ) that serves as an opening and closing mechanism, and is driven in such a way that it also maintains a stopped state at a specific position between the above open position and the closed position. The air flow restricting mechanism 51 has a function of determining whether the bypass air flow AF2 flows in the bypass air passage 43, and an adjustment function of being able to increase or decrease the amount of the bypass air flow AF2 flowing in the bypass air passage 43.

[0143] Next, explain Figure 5 . Figure 5 is a view in which dimensions are added to the same cross-sectional view as Figure 3 .

[0144] D1 represents the thickness (depth dimension) of the condenser 32 in the front-rear direction, which is 51 mm. D2 represents the thickness (depth dimension) of the evaporator 31 in the front-rear direction, which is 38 mm. In this evaporator 31, two rows (double layers) of refrigerant pipes 22 are arranged in the front and rear. Since the refrigerant pipes 22 are arranged in double layers in this way, the cooling capacity is higher than that of a single layer. In addition, in each figure, for the sake of simplifying the explanation, the evaporator 31 and the condenser 32 are not depicted in a size proportional to the actual thickness, but are depicted in equal sizes in these figures.

[0145] D4 is the opposing interval (distance) between the activated carbon filter 42 and the rectifying member 38, which is 15 mm. In addition, this opposing interval D4 does not need to be exactly the same throughout the entire rectifying member 38. When the activated carbon filter 42 is locally bent downward due to the passage of the air flow AF, the opposing interval D4 may become slightly smaller in this part.

[0146] D3 is the opposing interval (distance) between the above-mentioned rectifying member 38 and the above-mentioned evaporator 31, which is 10 mm. In addition, as Figure 7 shown, in the evaporator 31, countless thin metal plates 31F for heat exchange called plate fins are arranged at a minute interval (pitch) of 1 mm or less, and the refrigerant pipes 22 are arranged so as to penetrate through these thin plates 31F. The opposing interval D3 is the interval between the thin plate 31F and the rectifying member 38.

[0147] W1 is the lateral width dimension (front width dimension) of the substantially main air passage 44 obtained by removing the part blocked by the above-mentioned air flow restricting mechanism 51 from the lateral width dimension (front width dimension) of the suction port 11, and is set to 255 mm. W5 is the lateral width dimension (front width dimension) of the suction port 11, and is set to 315 mm.

[0148] Next, an explanation will be given for Figure 6 this. Figure 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view at the same position as Figure 5 and is a view that hypothetically separates the main components to clarify the dimensions of each part.

[0149] W2 is the lateral width dimension of the evaporator 31, and is set to 270 mm. W3 is the lateral width dimension of the condenser 32, and is set to 270 mm.

[0150] W4 is the diameter of the opening of the bell mouth portion 37, and is set to 230 mm. BL is a horizontal reference line extending in the front-rear direction passing through the center point (in the up-down and left-right directions) of the opening of the bell mouth portion 37.

[0151] W6 is the rear air duct 47 that surrounds the left and right sides of the rectifying member 38 (refer to Figure 4) The lateral width dimension of the window 47A is set to 270 mm. A rectifying member 38 is embedded in the window 47A. H2 is the height dimension of the window 47A of the rear air duct 47. This height dimension H2 is the same as the height dimension H3 of the evaporator 31 and is 252 mm.

[0152] The lateral width dimensions of the condenser 32 and the evaporator 31 are each 270 mm. The condenser 32 and the evaporator 31 are arranged to be close in the front-rear direction and, when viewed from the front, appear to overlap at the same position. In addition, the lateral width dimension W6A of the rectifying member 38 is also 270 mm, which is close to the dimension W6, due to being fitted into the window 47A. The three components of the rectifying member 38, the evaporator 31, and the condenser 32 are arranged in a line in the front-rear direction in a state consistent with the position of the window 47A of the rear air duct 47.

[0153] In addition, the three components of the rectifying member 38, the evaporator 31, and the condenser 32 are arranged in a line in the front-rear direction in a state consistent with the reference line BL. When viewed from the suction port 11, the rectifying member 38, the evaporator 31, the condenser 32, and the bell mouth portion 37 are arranged to overlap on a straight line (reference line BL).

[0154] Moreover, on the reference line BL, the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 are in a positional relationship of overlapping on a straight line. Therefore, the airflow FA inhaled from the suction port 11 flows linearly from the front to the rear within a range centered on the reference line BL regardless of whether it passes through the bypass air duct 43 or the main air duct 44. Thus, the air duct resistance is small and the operating efficiency can be improved.

[0155] From the above description, it can be seen that the horizontal reference line BL is a straight line passing through the center point of the opening of the bell mouth portion 37 and is also a straight line passing through the center points of the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 respectively. Therefore, the reference line BL is also referred to as the center line of the air purification mechanism (HEPA filter 41 and activated carbon filter 42).

[0156] The reference line BL is in a position consistent with the center line HL passing through the center of the rotation shaft 21B. The central portions of the rectifying member 38, the evaporator 31, the condenser 32, the HEPA filter 41, and the activated carbon filter 42 are on the reference line BL. In other words, the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 are arranged symmetrically left and right with the reference line BL in between.

[0157] Next, an explanation will be given for Figure 7 This is an explanatory note. Figure 7 This is a simplified perspective view of the evaporator 31. Figure 7Indicates the relationship between the lateral width dimension W6 of the rectifying member 38 and the evaporator 31.

[0158] In Figure 7 , W2 is the lateral width dimension of the evaporator 31, which is set to 270 mm as described above. The refrigerant pipe 22 penetrates through the evaporator 31 in a two-stage (double-layer) manner in the front-rear direction. The refrigerant pipe 22 meanders through the evaporator 31 from the first specified position to the second specified position. As Figure 7 shown, a part of the refrigerant pipe 22 protrudes in a buckled shape midway.

[0159] Figure 7 As shown, the protruding amount L2 of the refrigerant pipe 22 is 14 mm on the right side of the evaporator 31 and 26 mm on the left side. The height dimension H3 of the evaporator 31 is 252 mm.

[0160] On the other hand, as described above, the lateral width dimension W6 of the window 47A of the rear wind tunnel 47 that surrounds the left and right of the rectifying member 38 is set to 270 mm. OB is the center point (second center point) of the left-right and up-down directions when observing the evaporator 31 from the front. CL1 is the horizontal center line that horizontally cuts through the second center point OB of the evaporator 31. CV1 is the vertical center line that vertically cuts through the second center point OB of the evaporator 31. In addition, D2 is the depth dimension of the evaporator 31, which is 38 mm as described above.

[0161] Next, explanations will be given for Figure 8 of (A) and (B). Figure 8 of (A) and (B) are perspective views showing the sizes of both the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 that constitute the air purification mechanism.

[0162] Explanation will be given for Figure 8 of (A).

[0163] The activated carbon filter 42 is composed of a filter main body 42A that functions to capture dust and adsorb odor components and a frame 42B that protects the entire periphery of the filter main body 42A. Although the filter main body 42A itself has flexibility, it is given a certain rigidity by being integrated with the frame 42B, making it easy to operate even when the user performs replacement work.

[0164] W8 is the lateral width dimension of the frame 42B, which is set to 255 mm. That is, as explained in Figure 5 and Figure 6 , the lateral width dimension W8 of this frame 42B is set to the same size as the lateral width dimension W1 (255 mm) of the substantial main air passage 44.

[0165] H4 is the height dimension of the housing 42B and is set to 252 mm. That is, it is the same size as the (inner) height dimension H2 of the window 47A of the rear wind tunnel 47 described in Figure 7 In addition, this height dimension H4 is the same size as the height dimension H3 of the evaporator 31.

[0166] D6 is the depth dimension of the housing 42B. In other words, it is the "thickness" when viewed from the left - right direction and is set to one of the dimensions in the range of 5 mm to 15 mm (for example, 10 mm). In addition, the filter main body 42A has the same depth dimension as the housing 42B. The depth dimension of the activated carbon filter 42 is determined by the depth dimension D6 of the housing 42B. In addition, the thickness of only this housing 42B when viewed from the front is about several millimeters.

[0167] Next, an explanation will be given of Figure 8 (B).

[0168] The HEPA filter 41 is composed of a filter main body 41A that performs a dust - trapping function and a housing 41B that protects the entire periphery of the filter main body 41A. Although the filter main body 41A itself has flexibility, it is given a certain rigidity by being integrated with the housing 41B, making it easy to handle even when the user performs a replacement operation.

[0169] W9 is the lateral width dimension of the housing 41B and is set to 255 mm. That is, as described in Figure 5 and Figure 6 , the lateral width dimension W9 of this housing 41B is set to the same size as the lateral width dimension W1 (255 mm) of the substantial main air passage 44.

[0170] H5 is the height dimension of the housing 41B and is set to 252 mm. That is, it is the same size as the (inner) height dimension H2 of the window 47A of the rear wind tunnel 47 described in Figure 7 . In addition, this height dimension H5 is the same size as the height dimension H3 of the evaporator 31.

[0171] D7 is the depth dimension of the housing 41B. In other words, it is the "thickness" when viewed from the left - right direction and is set to one of the dimensions in the range of 20 mm to 40 mm (for example, 30 mm). In addition, the filter main body 41A has the same depth dimension as the housing 41B. The depth dimension of the HEPA filter 41 is determined by the depth dimension D7 of the housing 41B. In addition, the thickness of only this housing 41B when viewed from the front is about several millimeters.

[0172] Next, an explanation will be given of Figure 9 . Figure 9It is a dimensional explanatory diagram of the suction port 11 portion when the dehumidifier 1 of Embodiment 1 is observed from the front side. Figure 9 It is the same front view in terms of position as Figure 1 However, in order to show the dimensional relationship, the sizes of the suction port 11 etc. are represented by dashed frames.

[0173] In Figure 9 CL1 is the horizontal center line that crosses the center point (first center point) OA of the suction port 11 when the housing 10 is observed from the front. CV2 is the vertical center line that passes through the center point (first center point) OA of the suction port 11.

[0174] As described in Figure 2 H1 is the substantially maximum dimension of the suction port 11 in the height direction and is 270 mm. As described in Figure 5 and Figure 6 W1 is the lateral width dimension of the substantially main air passage 44 and is set to 255 mm. W5 is the lateral width dimension (front width dimension) of the suction port 11 and is set to 315 mm. W7 is the lateral width dimension of the inlet portions of the side air passages 43 provided on the left and right of the suction port 11 respectively and is set to 30 mm respectively.

[0175] Figure 9 The position of the first center point OA of Figure 7 and the position of the second center point OB of

[0176] are the same position that completely coincides when observed from the front. In other words, the second center point OB is located on the horizontal line passing through the first center point OA from the front. Figure 10 Next, an explanation will be given for Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the air flow restricting mechanism 51 of Embodiment 1.

[0177] One end of a baffle 51S in the shape of a wind deflector or a flat plate is supported on the rotating shaft 51E of a motor 51B (for example, a stepping motor). In Figure 10 As shown by the dashed line, the baffle 51S is in the "open position" OP where it retracts laterally from the side air passage 43. When the baffle 51S is driven by the motor 51B, it moves to the position (closed position CL) of the side air passage 43 with a closed height dimension of H1 (270 mm) and a lateral width dimension of the inlet 43A of W7 (30 mm). That is, in the case of maximum movement, it maintains its closed state at the closed position CL.

[0178] In addition, for the baffle 51S, it is not required to completely seal the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43 in a sealed state at the closed position CL. Even if a minute gap is generated around the baffle 51S at the closed position CL, it will not pose a problem with respect to the basic performance of the dehumidifier 1. Further, a sealing member formed of an elastic silicone rubber material or the like may be provided at the inlet 43A so that the baffle 51S is in close contact with the sealing member to improve the airtightness during closing.

[0179] In Figure 10 , reference numerals 51C and 51D are sensors for electrically detecting the states of the baffle 51S at the open position OP and the closed position CL. The sensors 51C and 51D are, for example, optical sensors such as infrared sensors or magnetic detection sensors. Detection signals from these sensors 51C and 51D are input to the opening / closing detection unit 53 and finally input as opening / closing detection signals to a main control device 18 (see Figure 11 ).

[0180] Next, Figure 11 will be described. Figure 11 is a block diagram showing main control-related components of the dehumidifier 1 according to Embodiment 1. In addition, Figure 10 the sensors 51C and 51D described in

[0181] The main control device 18 has a function of controlling the entire dehumidifier 1. The main control device 18 includes an electronic circuit board on which electronic components such as a drive circuit, a power supply circuit, and sensors for controlling the operations of respective parts constituting the dehumidifier 1 are mounted, a CPU (central processing unit) 24 such as a microcomputer mounted on the electronic circuit board, and storage devices such as a ROM and a RAM. The CPU 24 has a timer unit 24T for performing a time measurement function such as an operation time.

[0182] The main control device 18 receives an input instruction signal corresponding to an operation of the input operation unit 17 and issues an instruction signal to the drive circuit (inverter circuit) 27 of the electric compressor 6. In addition, an instruction signal is issued to the drive circuit 28 to control the operation of the motor 21A of the fan 21. Further, the main control device 18 issues an instruction signal to the drive circuit 29 to control the airflow restricting mechanism 51.

[0183] The main control device 18 issues respective instruction signals for transmitting and receiving information to the wireless communication unit 26. In addition, when the wireless communication unit 26 is not always used, an instruction signal for stopping the supply of power to the wireless communication unit 26 and an instruction signal for starting the supply of power to the wireless communication unit 26 are also issued.

[0184] In addition, when the main control device 18 receives a user's instruction from the input operation unit 17, it sometimes issues an instruction to connect to a network line (not shown) via a local area network device described later, and obtains necessary "control data" and "report data" (these will be described later) from the outside.

[0185] Moreover, based on the detection signals from the opening / closing detection unit 53, the room temperature sensor 35, the dust sensor 62, the humidity sensor 61, and the gas sensor 63, the main control device 18 controls the driving circuits (inverter circuits) 27 and the driving circuit 29 of the airflow restriction mechanism 51, respectively. The airflow restriction mechanism 51 that receives the driving instruction from the driving circuit 29 is the baffle 51S (refer to Figure 10 ), the motor 51B, etc.

[0186] The input operation unit 17 has an operation mode changeover switch 17S. The reporting unit 23 has a display unit 23D and a voice reporting unit 23V.

[0187] The main control device 18 has a storage unit 25 that stores various "operation programs" for controlling the dehumidifier 1, data such as parameters (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as "control data"); and display data for the display unit 23D and voice reporting data for the voice reporting unit 23V (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as "report data"). In addition, the above "operation program" is also called a control program, but hereinafter it is collectively referred to as a "program".

[0188] The main control device 18 functions as a main computer that comprehensively controls the entire dehumidifier 1. In order to control the input operation unit 17, the reporting unit 23, or the driving circuit 27 of the electric compressor 6, etc., one or more microcomputers (also called "sub-control devices" or "subordinate microcomputers") in a relationship subordinate to the main control device 18 can be further provided. Moreover, the sub-control device can be dedicated to information processing of input operations, reporting, and driving control of the electric compressor 6.

[0189] Figure 11 The constituent elements of each of the circuits, components, and devices shown are functional concepts, and physically they do not necessarily have to be configured as shown in the figure. The functions of these circuits can also be dispersed and integrated, and the specific manner is not limited to that shown in the figure. All or part of the functions can be dispersed and integrated functionally or physically in any unit according to functions, operating conditions, etc.

[0190] The functions of the timer unit 24T, the driving circuit 29, and the opening / closing detection unit 53 are implemented by a processing circuit. The processing circuit that implements each function can be dedicated hardware or one or more processors that execute a program stored in the storage unit 25.

[0191] In addition, it is also possible to set up a dedicated processing unit that centrally collects detection data of various sensors such as the room temperature sensor 35, the dust sensor 62, the temperature sensor for monitoring the temperature of important parts of the dehumidifier 1 (such as the electric compressor 6), and the gas sensor 63, etc., to determine whether the operating state is appropriate or whether there is any abnormality, etc., and input the determination signal from this processing unit into the main control device 18. In addition, in this case, the processing unit can be dedicated hardware or can be implemented by a processor that executes a program stored in the storage unit 25.

[0192] In addition, each function of the main control device 18 is implemented by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software and firmware are described as programs and are stored in the storage unit 25 which is a memory. The CPU (processor) 24 realizes each function of the main control device 18 by reading and executing the programs stored in the storage unit 25.

[0193] In addition, the so-called storage unit 25 is typically a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.

[0194] Moreover, part of the data and programs in the storage unit 25 may not be saved by the dehumidifier 1 but saved in an external recording medium (such as a storage server). In this case, the dehumidifier 1 obtains the necessary data and program information by accessing the external recording medium (storage server) wirelessly or in a wired manner via the wireless communication unit 26.

[0195] Furthermore, the operation programs of the main control device 18, the input operation unit 17, the reporting unit 23, etc. can also be updated to appropriately improved programs according to the wishes of the user or the manufacturer of the dehumidifier 1, etc. In this case, the dehumidifier 1 can obtain the correction program through the wireless communication unit 26, for example.

[0196] As Figure 11 shown, in this Embodiment 1, the dehumidifier 1 has a humidity sensor 61 (refer to Figure 3 ). The humidity sensor 61 is arranged inside the housing 10. An opening (not shown) is provided near the humidity sensor 61 in the housing 10, and this opening is used for the communication between the humidity sensor 61 and the outside of the housing 10. By obtaining humidity detection information through the humidity sensor 61 and the main control device 18, the humidity inside the room can be measured. The measurement result of the humidity sensor 61 is displayed by the display unit 23D that receives the display instruction from the main control device 18.

[0197] In Figure 11In this case, reference numeral 19 denotes a power supply unit, which receives AC power from a commercial power supply 40 and supplies power of a specified voltage to each part. For example, the power supply unit 19 receives power of 200V or 220V, 50Hz or 60Hz from the commercial power supply 40, and converts it into AC power or DC power of multiple voltages such as 5V, 15V, and 220V, and supplies it to the main control device 18, the drive circuit 27, the reporting unit 23, the drive unit 29, etc.

[0198] An operation button for a power switch (not shown) is arranged on the input operation unit 17, and the user can use this operation button to open and close (turn on - turn off) the main power switch (not shown) between the power supply unit 19 and the commercial power supply 40.

[0199] In Figure 11 In this case, reference numeral 13A denotes a drive circuit for opening and closing the louver 13 provided at the top of the housing 10, and reference numeral 13M denotes a motor that receives power from the drive circuit 13A and opens and closes the louver 13.

[0200] Next, the operation of the dehumidifier 1 according to Embodiment 1 will be described. In Embodiment 1, several "operation modes" set in advance are stored in the storage unit 25 of the main control device 18.

[0201] As an example of the "operation mode", there are a "dehumidification operation mode", an "air purification operation mode", and a "dehumidification and air purification automatic operation mode". Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the operation steps during the dehumidification operation of the dehumidifier 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the operation steps during the air purification operation of the dehumidifier 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 14 is a flowchart showing the operation steps during the dehumidification and air purification operation of the dehumidifier 1 according to Embodiment 1.

[0202] During the stop of the operation of the dehumidifier 1, the main control device 18 controls to stop all the drive motors (not shown) of the compressor 6, the drive motor 13M of the louver 13, and the motor 21A. That is, no power is supplied to the drive motors (not shown) of the compressor 6, the motor 13M, and the motor 21A.

[0203] Therefore, the louver 13 and the baffle 51S are respectively maintained in the state of closing the air outlet 12 and the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43.

[0204] Next, use Figure 12 to illustrate the case of starting the "dehumidification operation mode".

[0205] The "dehumidifying operation mode" is an operation mode for dehumidifying the interior. For example, the user can start the operation of the dehumidifier 1 by turning on the operation switch (main power switch) of the input operation unit 17 to start the main control device 18.

[0206] If the dehumidifying operation mode is selected by the operation mode changeover switch 17S, the dehumidifier 1 starts the dehumidifying operation through the steps shown below.

[0207] First, the main control device 18 starts energizing the motor 13M for louver drive and controls the opening position of the louver 13 so that the louver 13 opens the air outlet 12 (step S001).

[0208] The motor 13M uses a stepping motor, for example, and thus rotates a certain angle each time in a specified direction corresponding to the drive signal from the drive circuit 13A. Due to the mechanical structure inside the motor 13M, high-precision positioning can be performed even through open-loop control. According to the number of pulses from the drive circuit 13A, the motor 13M operates in a stepping angle. Thereby, the state of opening the louver 13 to a specified angle (for example, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, or 75 degrees) can be maintained.

[0209] Next, the main control device 18 issues a command signal to the drive circuit 29, supplies drive power to the motor 51B, and controls the opening position so that the baffle 51S opens to the open position OP (refer to Figure 10 ).

[0210] The motor 51B uses a stepping motor, for example, and thus the baffle 51S rotates a certain angle each time in a specified direction corresponding to the drive signal from the drive circuit 29. Through this rotational movement, the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43 is opened (step S002).

[0211] As Figure 10 indicated by the dashed arrow in, the fact that a drive command is issued from the main control device 18 to the drive circuit 29 is also transmitted to the opening / closing detection unit 53 through a signal. From the moment the opening / closing detection unit 53 receives this signal, the sensors 51C and 51D are started.

[0212] In the case of closing the bypass air passage 43, the sensor on the side corresponding to the closed position CL detects the change of the baffle 51S from the "state of being in a specified position" to the "state of not being in a specified position".

[0213] The sensor on the other side corresponding to the open position OP detects the change of the baffle 51S from the "state of not being in a specified position" to the "state of being in a specified position". Thereby, the main control device 18 can determine that the baffle 51S has reliably opened the bypass air passage 43.

[0214] As described above, since the motor 51B uses a stepping motor, the shutter 51S rotates by a certain angle in a specified direction each time in correspondence with the drive signal from the drive circuit 29. Therefore, the opening / closing detection unit 53 and the sensors 51C and 51D can also be omitted.

[0215] In the first embodiment, importance is attached to the opening / closing operation of the shutter 51S related to the basic function of the dehumidifier 1, and the opening / closing detection unit 53 and the sensors 51C and 51D are provided so that safe operation can be performed even when there are some problems in this opening / closing.

[0216] Next, after the main control device 18 determines the open state of the shutter 51S in step S002, it controls the motor 21A to rotate so that the fan 21 rotates at a preset strong rotation speed (step S003). In addition, it controls to drive the drive motor (not shown) of the electric compressor 6. Thereby, the electric compressor 6 starts the refrigerant compression operation (step S004).

[0217] The main control device 18 grasps the humidity using the humidity sensor 61. The humidity sensor 61 starts the humidity detection operation of the air around the humidity sensor 61 and sends the detection data to the main control device 18. Thereby, in the main control device 18, it is determined whether the humidity is 50% or more (step S005). When the humidity is 50% or more, the drive operation of the drive motor of the electric compressor 6 is continued for dehumidification operation (S006), and after a certain time, it returns to step S005.

[0218] On the other hand, when the humidity is determined to be less than 50% in step S005, the main control device 18 controls to stop the drive of the drive motor of the electric compressor 6, thereby stopping the refrigerant compression operation of the electric compressor 6 (step S007). At this time, the main control device 18 controls to continue the rotation drive operation of the motor 21A of the fan 21, and after a certain time, it returns to step S005.

[0219] In the above description, as an example of whether the dehumidification operation mode can operate (determination criterion), the threshold value of the humidity detection by the humidity sensor 61 is set to 50%, but the threshold value can also be other values.

[0220] Next, use Figure 13 , to explain the case of the "air purification operation mode".

[0221] "Air purification operation mode" is an operation mode for purifying indoor air. For example, if the user turns on the main power switch of the input operation unit 17 and selects the air purification operation mode through the operation mode changeover switch 17S, the dehumidifier 1 starts the air purification operation through the following steps.

[0222] First, the main control device 18 sends a start signal to the drive circuit 13A to start the operation of the shutter drive motor 13M so that the shutter 13 opens the air outlet 12. Then, the shutter 13 opens to a specified position (step S101).

[0223] Next, the main control device 18 controls the motor 21A to rotate and drive the fan 21 to rotate at a preset strong rotation speed (step S102). The main control device 18 issues a measurement instruction to the dust sensor 62 and the gas sensor 63. The dust sensor 62 and the gas sensor 63 respectively start the detection operation of the dust and gas in the air around the sensor and send them to the main control device 18. The main control device 18 determines the degree of air pollution based on the acquired data (step S103).

[0224] In the determination of step S103, when it is determined that the degree of air pollution is small, the main control device 18 issues an instruction to change the rotation speed to the drive circuit 28 so that the fan 21 rotating at the preset strong rotation speed rotates at the preset weak rotation speed. The drive circuit 28 controls to reduce the rotation speed of the motor 21A per unit time (step S104), thereby performing the air purification operation (weak) (step S105), and after a certain time, returns to step S103.

[0225] On the other hand, when it is determined in step S103 that the degree of air pollution is large, since the fan 21 has been rotating at the strong rotation speed since the stage of step S102, the main control device 18 performs the air purification operation (strong) to continue this strong operation action (step S106). That is, no instruction to change the rotation speed is issued to the drive circuit 28, and after a certain time, it returns to step S103.

[0226] Next, use Figure 14 , to explain the case of the "dehumidifying air purification operation mode".

[0227] The dehumidifying air purification operation mode switches the operation mode of the dehumidifier 1 to the dehumidifying operation mode or the air purification operation mode, etc., according to the humidity in the room and the pollution state of the air. For example, when the user turns on the main power switch of the input operation unit 17 and selects the dehumidifying air purification operation mode through the operation mode changeover switch 17S, the dehumidifier 1 starts the dehumidifying air purification operation as follows.

[0228] First, the main control device 18 issues a drive instruction to the drive circuit 28 to control the motor 13M for driving the louvers, so that the louvers 13 open the air outlet 12 (step S201). Next, the main control device 18 issues a drive instruction to the drive circuit 29 to control the motor 51B for opening and closing the baffle 51S to open the baffle 51S. Thereby, the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43 is opened (step S202).

[0229] When the main control device 18 determines that the baffle 51S has been opened until a specified position, it issues a specified drive instruction to the drive circuit 28 in order to rotationally drive the motor 21A. The drive circuit 28 controls the rotational speed of the motor 21A so that the fan 21 rotates at a preset strong rotational speed (step S203).

[0230] In addition, the main control device 18 controls in such a way as to start the operation of the motor 6M (not shown) for driving the electric compressor 6 and drive the motor 6M at a specified rotational speed. Thereby, the electric compressor 6 starts the refrigerant compression operation (step S204).

[0231] The humidity sensor 61 starts the humidity detection operation of the air around the humidity sensor 61 and sends the humidity detection data to the main control device 18. The main control device 18 determines whether the humidity is 50% or more (step S205).

[0232] When the humidity is 50% or more, the driving operation of the motor 6M (not shown) for driving the electric compressor 6 is continued. The dust sensor 62 and the gas sensor 63 start the detection operations of the dust and gas in the air around their respective sensors and determine the degree of air pollution (step S206). When the degree of air pollution is small, the operations in steps S202, S203, and S204 are continued to perform the dehumidification operation (step S207). Then, after a certain period of time from step S206, it returns to step S205.

[0233] When the degree of air pollution is large, the main control device 18 controls the motor 51B for driving the air flow restriction mechanism 51 to close the baffle 51S. Then, the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43 is closed (step S208), and the dehumidifying air purification operation "strong" is performed (step S209). After a certain period of time from step S206, it returns to step S205.

[0234] In step S205, when the humidity is less than 50%, the main control device 18 controls in such a way as to stop the driving of the motor 6M for driving the electric compressor 6, thereby stopping the refrigerant compression operation of the electric compressor 6 (step S210).

[0235] In this state, the main control device 18 controls the dust sensor 62 and the gas sensor 63 to start detecting dust and gas in the air around their respective sensors, thereby determining the degree of air pollution (step S211).

[0236] When the degree of air pollution is low, the motor 21A is controlled so that the fan 21 rotates at a preset weak rotation speed (step S212), and a circulation operation of only blowing air without dehumidifying is performed (step S213). After a certain time, the process returns to step S205.

[0237] When the air pollution is high, the main control device 18 issues a closing command signal to the drive circuit 29 to close the baffle 51S. The drive circuit 29 starts the operation of the drive motor 51B to move the baffle 51S to the closed position CL.

[0238] Through the above operations, the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43 is closed (step S214). The fan 21 maintains the "strong operation" mode of step S203 and performs the air purification operation "strong" (step S215). After a certain time from the moment of step 214 or step S215, the process returns to Figure 12 step S205 in the dehumidifying operation mode. Here, as a determination criterion for switching to the dehumidifying operation mode or the air purification operation mode, etc., the humidity threshold of the humidity sensor 61 in step S205 is set to 50%, but the threshold can also be other values.

[0239] Thus, since the air flow restriction mechanism 51 for opening and closing the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43 is provided, it is possible to easily select a suitable air passage for dehumidifying operation and air purification operation from either the bypass air passage 43 or the main air passage 44, and a dehumidifier 1 with good usability can be obtained.

[0240] Next, Figure 15 is described. Figure 15 is a flowchart showing the basic operation steps of the main control device 18 at the start of operation of the dehumidifier 1 according to Embodiment 1.

[0241] First, the main power switch (not shown) is turned on through the input operation unit 17, and the operation mode changeover switch 17S is operated. Thus, an operation mode such as "dehumidifying operation" or "air purification operation" is selected.

[0242] Then, power supply as a power source starts to be supplied from the power supply unit 19 to the main control device 18. The main control device 18 checks whether there is any abnormality in its own internal structure.

[0243] Then, in the case where there is no abnormality in the initial abnormality determination, an instruction signal for opening the louver 13 is sent to the drive circuit 13A (step S300).

[0244] Through step S300, the louver 13 is quickly rotated to a specified open position by the motor 13M. In addition, the main control device 18 sends an open instruction signal for the damper 51S to the drive circuit 29. Then, the timer unit 24T starts measuring the elapsed time from this moment (step S301).

[0245] The motor 51B of the air flow restriction mechanism 51 is started to be driven by the drive circuit 29. The damper 51S is rotated to the open position OP around the shaft 51E by the motor 51B within a range of about 90 degrees. Thereby, the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43 is opened.

[0246] Next, the main control device 18 waits for the arrival of the open detection signal from the opening / closing detection unit 53 and determines whether the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43 has been opened (step S302). If the determination result in this step S302 is "yes", an instruction signal for starting air supply is sent to the drive circuit 28. The instruction for the air supply intensity in this case is "strong", and the operation of the fan 21 is started in the "strong" operation mode defined by the rated air supply capacity (step S303).

[0247] On the other hand, if the determination result in step S302 is "no", it proceeds to step S304. In step S304, if the elapsed time from step S301 does not exceed a predetermined "reference response time" (for example, 10 seconds), it returns to step S302 again, and determines the presence or absence of opening / closing based on the open detection signal from the opening / closing detection unit 53.

[0248] In the process of step S304, if the elapsed time from step S301 exceeds the "reference response time" (for example, 10 seconds), it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the air flow restriction mechanism 51 for some reason, and the fact that the damper 51S is not opened is reported through the reporting unit 23. For example, in the display unit 23D, it is reported in words or pictures. In addition, through the voice reporting unit 23V, reports such as "the bypass air passage is not properly opened" are made in voice. Then, after a certain time (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed from the time of these reports, the main power switch is automatically turned off, and the operation is automatically ended (step S305).

[0249] In addition, instead of step S305, it is also possible to report with the reporting unit 23 in such a way that only the operation without using the bypass air passage 43 is performed, and if no input is made from the input operation unit 17 thereafter, the power is automatically cut off as in step S305.

[0250] Next, the air flow during the above-described dehumidifying operation and air purification operation in the dehumidifier 1 of Embodiment 1 will be described. Figure 16 It is a longitudinal sectional view showing the air flow of the dehumidifier 1. Figure 17 It is a horizontal sectional view showing the air flow during the dehumidifying operation of the dehumidifier 1. Figure 18 It is a horizontal sectional view showing the air flow during the air purification operation of the dehumidifier 1. Figures 17 to 18 The arrows in indicate the air flow (air current AF) when the dehumidifier 1 operates.

[0251] During the dehumidifying operation, after the louver 13 and the baffle 51S are opened, the drive motor 21A is driven and the fan 21 starts to rotate. After that, the electric compressor 6 starts to operate. When the fan 21 rotates, an air current AF from the suction port 11 toward the blowout port 12 is generated inside the housing 10. At this time, since the baffle 51S is in an open state, the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43 is open. The air that has passed through the suction port cover 11A is branched into the bypass air passage 43 and the main air passage 44.

[0252] In the bypass air passage 43 and the main air passage 44, the main air passage 44 has a larger air passage area when observing the dehumidifier 1 from the front. As described in Figure 9 , the projected area of the main air passage 44 when observing the dehumidifier 1 from the front is determined by the height dimension H1 and the lateral width W1. As described above, H1 is 270 mm and W1 is 255 mm. Therefore, the product of the two becomes the projected area.

[0253] On the other hand, the lateral width W7 of the bypass air passage 43 is 30 mm (refer to Figure 9 ). In addition, the height dimension H1 of the bypass air passage 43 is 270 mm. That is, the projected area of one bypass air passage 43 is determined by the product of the height dimension H1 and the lateral width W7 (30 mm).

[0254] Since the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 having a certain thickness or more are arranged in the main air passage 44, the pressure loss of the air current AF is large when passing through the main air passage 44. Therefore, the amount of the bypass air current FA2 passing through the bypass air passage 43 is larger than the amount of the main air current FA1 passing through the main air passage 44.

[0255] The air current (main air current AF1) that has passed through the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 in the main air passage 44 merges with the bypass air current AF2 that has passed through the bypass air passage 43 near the rectifying member 38.

[0256] The bypass air flow AF2 is the air flow that reaches the vicinity of the rectifying member 38 without passing through the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42. The bypass air passage 43 has a wind guiding surface 46A that guides the air flow AF1 advancing from the front in the wind tunnel 46 forming a part of the bypass air passage 43 in the direction of the center of the evaporator 31. Therefore, the air flow AF1 advancing from the front in the bypass air passage 43 changes its advancing path in the direction of the center line HL (refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 ) that passes through the center of the rotating shaft 21b at the upstream side of the evaporator 31 which is a part of the heat exchanger.

[0257] In other words, the air flow AF1 changes its advancing path in the direction of the horizontal reference line BL that extends in the front-rear direction and passes through the center point of the opening of the bell mouth portion 37 (refer to Figure 4 ). Thus, the bypass air flow AF2 passing through the bypass air passage 43 and the main air flow AF1 passing through the left and right peripheral portions of the main air passage 44 are mixed near the rectifying member 38 and flow into the evaporator 31.

[0258] The air volume per unit time of the bypass air flow AF2 is larger than the air volume per unit time of the main air flow AF1 passing through the main air passage 44. And the wind speed of the bypass air flow AF2 is faster than the wind speed of the main air flow AF1. Therefore, in the case where there is no wind guiding surface 46A guiding the air flow in the direction of the center of the heat exchanger in the bypass air passage 43, not only the pressure loss becomes larger, but also the wind speed balance when flowing into the heat exchanger is poor, so the heat exchange efficiency becomes poor.

[0259] In the space downstream of the activated carbon filter 42, the evaporator 31 which is a part of the heat exchanger and the rectifying member 38 are arranged to face each other across the first space 33 (the interval D3 is 10 mm). In addition, the activated carbon filter 42 which is a part of the air purification filter and the rectifying member 38 are arranged to face each other across the first space 33 (the interval D3 is 10 mm). Therefore, the bypass air flow AF2 passing through the bypass air passage 43 and the main air flow AF1 passing through the main air passage 44 are mixed in the second space 34 and the first space 33. Thus, the air flow AF to be introduced into the evaporator 31 can be evenly dispersed and supplied to the evaporator 31, and the heat exchange efficiency can be improved.

[0260] In addition, for the interval D3 of the first space 33, the practical range is 10 mm to 15 mm. If the interval D3 is increased, the dimension of the frame 3 in the depth direction becomes larger. Also, for the interval D4 of the second space 34, the practical range is 15 mm to 20 mm. If the interval D4 is increased, the dimension of the frame 3 in the depth direction becomes larger.

[0261] Further, since the bypass air passages 43 are arranged in parallel on the left and right sides of the main air passage 44, the deviation of the air volume of the air flow flowing into the evaporator 31, which is a part of the heat exchanger, can be reduced as compared with the case where the bypass air passage 43 is arranged only on one side of the main air passage 44, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0262] Heat exchange occurs between the air (air flow AF) passing through the evaporator 31 and the refrigerant flowing in the evaporator 31. As described above, the refrigerant decompressed by a decompression device (not shown) flows in the evaporator 31, and the decompression device is provided in the middle of a refrigerant circuit (not shown) through which the refrigerant flowing from the compressor 6 flows. Therefore, the refrigerant flowing in the evaporator 31 has a temperature lower than the air taken into the interior of the housing 10. The refrigerant flowing in the evaporator 31 absorbs heat from the air passing through the evaporator 31.

[0263] As described above, the air flow AF passing through the evaporator 31 is heat-absorbed by the refrigerant flowing in the evaporator 31. That is, the air flow AF passing through the evaporator 31 is cooled by the refrigerant flowing in the evaporator 31. As a result, the moisture contained in the air flow AF passing through the evaporator 31 condenses to form dew. The moisture in the condensed air is removed from the air as liquid water. The removed water is stored, for example, in a water storage tank 7 provided inside the housing 10 (see Figure 1 ). The water storage tank 7 can be taken out to the outside of the housing 10.

[0264] The air that has passed through the evaporator 31 is sent to the condenser 32. Heat exchange occurs between the air passing through the condenser 32 and the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant pipes of the condenser 32. The refrigerant flowing in the condenser 32 is cooled by the air passing through the condenser 32. The air passing through the condenser 32 is heated by the refrigerant flowing in the condenser 32.

[0265] The air that has passed through the condenser 32 is in a drier state than the air outside the dehumidifier 1. The air in this drier state passes through the fan 21. The air that has passed through the fan 21 is sent upward from the air outlet 12 to the upper part of the housing 10. In this way, the dehumidifier 1 dehumidifies the introduced air. In addition, the dehumidifier 1 can supply the air in the drier state to the outside of the housing 3.

[0266] Further, during the air purification operation, after the louver 13 is opened and the baffle 51S is in the closed state, the motor 21A is driven to start the rotation of the fan 21. When the fan 21 rotates, an air flow AF from the suction port 11 toward the air outlet 12 is generated inside the housing 10. At this time, since the baffle 51S is in the closed state, the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43 is closed. Since the bypass air passage 43 is closed, the air passing through the suction port cover 11A only passes through the main air passage 44 (only the main air flow AF1 is supplied to the downstream).

[0267] When the fan 21 operates, since the inside of the housing 10 becomes a negative pressure, air is introduced into the main air passage 44. Since the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 are arranged in the main air passage 44, the pressure loss becomes larger than that during the dehumidifying operation. Therefore, since the rotational speed of the fan 21 when flowing the same air volume as during the dehumidifying operation is high and the load on the motor 21A is also large, as a result, the operating sound (such as the wind noise of the fan 21) becomes larger. However, since only the air flow AF1 passes through the main air passage 44, the air blown out from the air outlet 12 of the dehumidifier 1 becomes cleaner air than during the dehumidifying operation. In addition, due to the action of the activated carbon filter 42, the odor components are also removed.

[0268] The air that has passed through the main air passage 44 flows into the evaporator 31. The flow of the air that has flowed into the evaporator 31 is the same as that during the dehumidifying operation.

[0269] Summary of Embodiment 1

[0270] The dehumidifier 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes:

[0271] A housing 3 (housing 10) formed with a suction port 11 and an air outlet 12;

[0272] A blowing mechanism (fan 21) that generates an air flow AF from the suction port 11 to the air outlet 12;

[0273] Two filters 41 and 42, as an air purification mechanism, are arranged inside the housing 3 (housing 10); and

[0274] An evaporator 31, as a dehumidifying mechanism, is arranged inside the housing 3 (housing 10) to remove moisture in the air flow AF.

[0275] Inside the housing 3 (housing 10), there is:

[0276] A first air passage (main air passage 44) through which the air flow AF passes through the filters 41 and 42 and reaches the evaporator 31;

[0277] A second air passage (bypass air passage 43) through which the air flow AF reaches the evaporator 31 without passing through the filters 41 and 42; and

[0278] An air flow restricting mechanism 51 that changes the opening degree (air passage cross-sectional area) of the second air passage (bypass air passage 43) from fully open to fully closed to control the amount of the bypass air flow AF2.

[0279] The inlet 43A of the second air passage (bypass air passage 43) is located on the outer peripheral side of the filters 41 and 42,

[0280] The outlet 43B of the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) is located on the side closer to the center of the filters 41 and 42 (the side closer to the center line BL) than the inlet 43A.

[0281] According to this embodiment, during the dehumidifying operation, since the air flows through the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) without passing through the filters 41 and 42, the rotational speed of the fan 21 can be reduced compared to the case where all the air flows through the filters 41 and 42, and the generation of noise can be reduced. In addition, the air from the bypass air passage 43 can be guided downstream to the evaporator 31 for heat exchange.

[0282] In addition, in the first embodiment, the air purification mechanism is configured to include: a first filter 41 that captures dust from the air flow AF; and a second filter 42 (such as an activated carbon filter) that captures odor components from the air flow AF. With this structure, a dehumidifier 1 capable of removing dust and odors can be provided.

[0283] In addition, in the first embodiment, the first filter 41 is disposed on the upstream side of the air flow AF, and the second filter 42 is disposed on the downstream side of the air flow AF in contact with or close to the first filter 41. With this structure, the depth dimension of the air passage on the upstream side of the evaporator 31 can be minimized, thereby suppressing an increase in the size of the casing 3 (the housing 10) of the dehumidifier 1.

[0284] In addition, in the first embodiment,

[0285] There is an air inlet 11 in the front of the casing 3,

[0286] When observing the air inlet 11 from the front of the casing 3, the projection area including the air inlet 11 and the inlet 43A of the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) is larger than the projection area of the first filter 41 and the second filter 42. That is, as described in Figure 6 and Figure 9 , the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) expands the lateral width dimension W7 (30 mm) in the left - right direction compared to the left - right end faces of the first filter 41 and the second filter 42 respectively. Therefore, during the dehumidifying operation, air can be directly supplied from the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) to the evaporator 31 without passing through the filters 41 and 42. In addition, this structure does not sacrifice the area of the first filter 41 and the second filter 42, so the air purification effect is not impaired.

[0287] In addition, in the first embodiment, when the suction port 11 is viewed from the front of the housing 3, the inlet 43A of the second air passage is located at a position outside the left and right side edges of the suction port 11. That is, when the suction port 11 is viewed from the front of the housing 3, the inlet 43A of the second air passage is located on the right side of the right side edge of the suction port 11 or on the left side of the left side edge. Therefore, during the dehumidifying operation, air can be directly supplied from the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) to the evaporator 31 without passing through the filters 41 and 42. In addition, this structure does not sacrifice the area of the first filter 41 and the second filter 42, so the air purification effect is not impaired.

[0288] The opening area of the inlet 43A of the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) is equal to the opening area of the outlet 43B. Therefore, an air passage with less air passage resistance can be formed, and a large amount of air can be directly supplied from the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) to the evaporator 31 during the dehumidifying operation.

[0289] In addition, in the first embodiment, the second air passage is connected in a straight line from the inlet 43A to the outlet 43B. That is, as described in Figure 4 , the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) can be seen through in a straight line from the inlet 43A to the outlet 43B, so a large amount of air can be directly supplied from the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) to the evaporator 31 during the dehumidifying operation.

[0290] In addition, in the first embodiment, the first filter, which is the HEPA filter 41, has a structure that maintains a specified thickness both when the air to be dehumidified passes through and does not pass through the first air passage. That is, as described in (A) and (B) of Figure 8 , since it has a structure with a housing 41B to maintain the shape of the filter main body 41A, the first air passage (the main air passage 44) will not be significantly deformed, and the ventilation can be maintained.

[0291] In addition, in the first embodiment, the outer peripheral surface in the state where the first filter 41 and the second filter 42 overlap constitutes the inner wall surface of the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43). Therefore, a dedicated wall for separating the first filter 41 and the second filter 42 is not required to form the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43), the structure can be simplified, which is also beneficial in terms of cost.

[0292] In addition, in the first embodiment, a rectifying member 38 is provided on the side opposite to the suction port 11 with the air purification mechanism (the first filter 41 and the second filter 42) interposed therebetween, and the opposing interval between the rectifying member 38 and the evaporator 31 is maintained at a certain dimension (distance D3) or more (refer to Figure 5) Therefore, in the space 34 at the distance D4, the bypass air flow AF2 flowing from the bypass air passage 43 and the main air flow AF1 flowing from the main air passage 44 merge in the space downstream of the second filter 42, that is, in the second space 34 having an interval of the distance D4 starting from the rectifying member 38 and the first space 33 having a separation distance D3. Due to this structure, it is possible to further equalize the distribution of the air flow reaching the upstream stage of the evaporator 31.

[0293] In addition, in the first embodiment, the structure is characterized in that the rectifying member 38 is a flat-shaped structure having a plurality of ventilation windows 38A (refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 ). Therefore, it is possible to further equalize the main air flow AF1 and the bypass air flow AF2 from the first filter 41 and the second filter 42 side at the upstream stage of reaching the evaporator 31. In addition, as described in Figure 4 , it is better that the inner side surfaces of the plurality of mutually independent ventilation windows 38A form flat guiding surfaces over a certain length (D5).

[0294] In addition, in the first embodiment, a rectifying member 38 is provided on the side opposite to the suction port 11 with the first filter 41 and the second filter 42 interposed therebetween, and the opposing interval between the rectifying member 38 and the above-mentioned filters 41, 42 is maintained at a certain size (distance D4) or more. Therefore, it is possible to further equalize the main air flow AF1 and the bypass air flow AF2 from the first filter 41 and the second filter 42 side at the upstream stage of reaching the evaporator 31.

[0295] In addition, in the first embodiment, a rectifying member 38 is provided to prevent the first filter 41 and the second filter 42 from moving toward the evaporator 31 due to the passing main air flow AF1. That is, the rectifying member 38 is a rigid structure and is provided to cross the entire upstream side of the evaporator 31, so that it is possible to prevent the first filter 41 and the second filter 42 from moving downstream or deforming due to the passing main air flow AF1. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the performance degradation caused by deformation and movement.

[0296] In addition, in the first embodiment, the opposing interval between the rectifying member 38 and the evaporator 31 (the distance D3 of the first space 33) is set in the range of 10 mm to 15 mm. Therefore, it is possible to equalize the main air flow AF1 and the bypass air flow AF2 at the upstream stage of reaching the evaporator 31.

[0297] In addition, in the first embodiment, there is a suction port 11 in front of the housing 3 (the casing 10). When observing the suction port 11 side from the front of the housing 3, the inlets 43A of the second air passage are respectively arranged on the left and right sides of the suction port 11. With this structure, during the dehumidifying operation, air can be directly supplied from the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) to the evaporator 31 without passing through the filters 41 and 42. That is, compared with the case where the bypass air passage 43 is arranged on one side of the main air passage 44, the deviation of the air flow from the bypass air passage 43 flowing into the evaporator 31 can be reduced, and the air flow flowing into the evaporator 31 can flow in evenly. In addition, since this structure does not sacrifice the areas of the first filter 41 and the second filter 42, the air purification effect is not impaired either.

[0298] In addition, in the first embodiment, the air flow restricting mechanism 51 is an opening / closing mechanism that can selectively allow the bypass air flow AF2 in the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) to pass through or be blocked. With this structure, as described in Figure 10 , the air flow restricting mechanism 51 can be composed of a baffle 51S that moves between the open position OP and the closed position CL and a driving source such as a motor 51B that opens and closes the baffle 51S. Therefore, the air flow restricting mechanism 51 can be easily arranged inside the casing 10 where the installation space is limited.

[0299] In addition, in the first embodiment, the structure is characterized in that the air flow restricting mechanism 51 has a baffle 51S that can selectively allow the bypass air flow AF2 in the second air passage 43 to pass through or be blocked. Therefore, the air flow restricting mechanism 51 can be easily arranged inside the casing 10 where the installation space is limited.

[0300] In addition, in the first embodiment, the structure is characterized in that the air flow restricting mechanism 51 receives an electric signal to open and close the baffle 51S. Therefore, the user does not need to manually open and close the baffle 51S, and the burden on the user caused by the dehumidifying operation can be reduced.

[0301] In addition, in the first embodiment, the dehumidifier 1 has: a first driving unit (the driving circuit 28) that controls the operation of the fan 21 of the air supply mechanism; a refrigerant supply mechanism (the compressor 6) that supplies refrigerant to the dehumidifying mechanism (the evaporator 31, etc.); a second driving unit (the motor 51B) that changes the position of the baffle 51S; and a control device (the main control device 18) that receives the user's instruction to control the first driving unit (the driving circuit 28). The control device (the main control device 18) issues an instruction to the driving unit (the motor 51B) to open the baffle 51S. Therefore, the user does not need to manually open and close the baffle 51S, and the burden on the user caused by the dehumidifying operation can be reduced.

[0302] When the control device (main control device 18) receives an instruction from the user during the operation of the fan 21, or detects that a specified "environmental condition" is met, it controls the second drive unit (motor 51B) to open the baffle 51S.

[0303] In addition, the so-called "environmental condition" here, as described in Embodiment 1, for example, refers to "the humidity in the room (space) where the dehumidifier 1 is installed exceeds 50%". In addition, as described in Figure 14 , for example, it may also refer to "exceeds 50%, and in addition, the degree of air pollution is small", etc.

[0304] Due to such a structure, the user does not need to manually open and close the baffle 51S, and by performing a specified input on the input operation unit 17, the baffle 51S can be automatically opened. Thus, the burden on the user caused by the dehumidification operation can be reduced.

[0305] In addition, in Embodiment 1, the dehumidifier 1 related to the following Second Embodiment is disclosed.

[0306] The dehumidifier 1 according to the Second Embodiment includes:

[0307] A housing 3 (housing 10) formed with a suction port 11 and a blowout port 12;

[0308] A blowing mechanism (fan 21) that generates an air flow AF from the suction port 11 to the blowout port 12;

[0309] Two filters 41, 42, as an air purification mechanism, are disposed inside the housing 3 (housing 10); and

[0310] An evaporator 31, as a dehumidification mechanism, is disposed inside the housing 3 (housing 10) to remove moisture in the air flow AF.

[0311] Inside the housing 3, there are:

[0312] A first air passage (main air passage 44) through which the air flow AF passes through the filters 41, 42 and reaches the evaporator 31;

[0313] A second air passage (bypass air passage 43) through which the air flow AF reaches the evaporator 31 without passing through the filters 41, 42; and

[0314] An air flow restricting mechanism 51 that changes the opening degree (air passage cross-sectional area) of the inlet 43A of the second air passage (bypass air passage 43) from fully open to fully closed to control the amount of bypass air flow AF2.

[0315] The above suction port 11 exists in front of the housing 3,

[0316] The projected shape of the suction port 11 when viewed from the front side of the housing 3 is square or rectangular.

[0317] The inlet 43A of the second air passage is continuously adjacent to the outer sides of the left and right side edges of the suction port 11 and is formed symmetrically left and right.

[0318] When viewed from the front side of the housing 3, the evaporator 31 is substantially located inside the outer edge of the projected shape of the suction port 11.

[0319] Due to this structure, during the dehumidification operation, air flows through the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) where the air purification mechanism with a large pressure loss is not present. Therefore, compared with the case of operating with all the air flowing through the air purification mechanism, the rotational speed of the fan 21 can be reduced, and thus the generation of noise can be reduced.

[0320] Moreover, when the suction port 11 is viewed from the front of the housing 3, the second air passage (the bypass air passage 43) is structured to expand symmetrically in the outer side direction compared to the left and right end faces of the suction port 11. Therefore, the bypass air flow AF2 can be evenly supplied to the evaporator 31 from both sides without sacrificing the air filtration (purification) area of the air purification mechanism (the filters 41, 42).

[0321] In addition, in the second embodiment, it is characterized in that the projected shape of the evaporator 31 when viewed from the front side of the housing 3 is square or rectangular, and it is provided with a plurality of heat exchange fins having minute gaps through which the air flow AF passes. Therefore, when the evaporator 31 is viewed from the front side, the bypass air flow AF2 can be evenly supplied to the heat exchange fin portions at the right end and the left end from the bypass air passage 43.

[0322] In addition, in the second embodiment, the lateral width dimension W2 (which is 270 mm. Refer to Figure 7 ) of the evaporator 31 when viewed from the front side of the housing 3 is larger than the lateral width dimensions W8, W9 (both are 255 mm. Refer to Figure 8 (A), (B)) of the air purification mechanism (the filters 41, 42), and is smaller than the lateral width dimension (the front width dimension) W1 of the suction port 11 (which is 315 mm. Refer to Figure 6 ). Therefore, when the evaporator 31 is viewed from the front side, the bypass air flow AF2 and the main air flow AF1 can be efficiently supplied to the heat exchange plate fins 31F portions at the right end and the left end of the evaporator 31 from the bypass air passage 43 and the main air passage 44.

[0323] In addition, in this Embodiment 1, a dehumidifier 1 related to the following Third Embodiment is disclosed.

[0324] The dehumidifier 1 related to the Third Embodiment includes:

[0325] A housing 3 (shell 10) is formed with a suction port 11 and a blowout port 12;

[0326] A blower mechanism (fan 21) generates an air flow AF from the suction port 11 to the blowout port 12;

[0327] Two filters 41, 42, as an air purification mechanism, are arranged inside the housing 3 (shell 10); and

[0328] An evaporator 31, as a dehumidifying mechanism, is arranged inside the housing 3 (shell 10) to remove moisture in the air flow AF.

[0329] Inside the housing 3, there is:

[0330] A first air passage (main air passage 44) for the air flow AF to pass through the filters 41, 42 and reach the evaporator 31;

[0331] A second air passage (bypass air passage 43) for the air flow AF to reach the evaporator 31 without passing through the filters 41, 42; and

[0332] An air flow restricting mechanism 51 controls the bypass air flow AF2.

[0333] Moreover, at the position where the main air flow AF1 passing through the first air passage and the bypass air flow AF2 passing through the second air passage merge, a rectifying member 38 formed by dividing a plurality of ventilation windows 38A by a frame 38B is arranged so as to cross immediately in front of the evaporator 31 to be reached.

[0334] Due to this structure, during the dehumidifying operation, the above-mentioned air flows through the second air passage (bypass air passage 43) without passing through the filters 41, 42. Therefore, compared with the case of operating with all the air flowing through the above-mentioned filters 41, 42, the rotational speed of the fan 21 can be reduced, and thus the generation of noise can be reduced.

[0335] In addition, due to the presence of the above-mentioned rectifying member 38, it is possible to suppress the situation where the distribution of the air flow AF in the upstream stage of the evaporator 31 to be reached is only concentrated in a part of the evaporator 31. That is, it is possible to make the air flows in the first air passage and the second air passage efficiently pass through the downstream evaporator 31 side, thereby improving the dehumidifying efficiency.

[0336] Embodiment 2

[0337] Figure 19 and Figure 20 shows a dehumidifier 1 of Embodiment 2.

[0338] Figure 19 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the flow of air during the dehumidifying operation of a dehumidifier 2 of Embodiment 2. Figure 20is a longitudinal sectional view showing the air flow during the air purification operation of the dehumidifier 2 according to Embodiment 2. Among them, parts that are the same as or equivalent to the structure of Embodiment 1 described through Figures 1 to 18 are labeled with the same reference numerals.

[0339] In this Embodiment 2, the position of the bypass air passage 43 shown in Embodiment 1 is changed and is provided below the suction port 11.

[0340] In Embodiment 1, the bypass air passage 43 is arranged on the left and right sides of the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42, and the bypass air passage 43 and the main air passage 44 are arranged in parallel with each other on the left and right sides of the suction port 11.

[0341] In contrast, in Embodiment 2, the bypass air passage 45 is arranged below the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42, and the bypass air passage 45 and the main air passage 44 are arranged in parallel with each other below the suction port 11. In Embodiment 2, bypass air passages are not provided on the left and right sides of the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42.

[0342] In Embodiment 2, below the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42, there is a bypass air passage 45 having a lateral width dimension (W1) corresponding to the lateral width dimension of the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42. The bypass air passage 45 is a space provided inside the front housing 10F and is a part of the air passage leading from the suction port 11 to the blowout port 12.

[0343] Due to this structure, for example, when the lateral width dimension of each of the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 is 255 mm, the lateral width dimension W7 of the bypass air passage 43 in Embodiment 2 is not 30 mm as in Embodiment 1 but about 255 mm. Instead, the vertical dimension of the inlet 43A is set to about 30 mm.

[0344] The bypass air passage 43 is an air passage through which the bypass air flow AF2 flows without passing through the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42. Here, the air passage in which the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 are arranged is defined as the main air passage 44.

[0345] The bypass air passage 43 and the main air passage 44 are in an up-and-down positional relationship and are arranged in the front-rear direction. In this way, since the bypass air passage 43 is adjacently arranged below the main air passage 44, miniaturization of the left-right dimension of the dehumidifier 1 can be achieved.

[0346] When observing the dehumidifier 1 from the front, the lateral (left - right direction) length of the bypass air passage 45 is preferably set to be approximately the same as the lateral (left - right direction) length of the bypass air passage 45 of the HEPA filter 41. In addition, the so - called "front (front side) of the dehumidifier 1" defined here is for the convenience of explaining the second embodiment and is different from the actual use of the dehumidifier 1.

[0347] The bypass air passage 43 and the main air passage 44 communicate with the outside of the housing 10 via the space downstream of the activated carbon filter 42, that is, the second space 34, the rectifying member 38, the first space 33, and the air outlet 12.

[0348] That is, similar to the structure described in the first embodiment, the rectifying member 38 faces the front of the evaporator 31, which is a part of the heat exchanger, across the first space 33. That is, the rectifying member 38 is opposed to the evaporator 31 with a predetermined distance D3 (refer to Figure 5 , Figure 6 ).

[0349] In addition, the rectifying member 38 faces the back of the activated carbon filter 42 across the second space 34. That is, the rectifying member 38 is opposed to the back of the activated carbon filter 42 with a predetermined distance D4.

[0350] The main air flow AF1 passing through the main air passage 44 and the bypass air flow AF2 passing through the bypass air passage 43 merge near the rectifying member 38 disposed downstream of the activated carbon filter 42 to form a single air passage.

[0351] A wind tunnel 46 is provided so as to cover the lower end faces of the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42 at intervals and extends rearward from the edge portion of the suction port 11.

[0352] The gap between the front end of the wind tunnel 46 and the lower end face of the HEPA filter 41 forms the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43. A guiding surface 46A is provided at the rear end of the wind tunnel 46. The guiding surface 46A is used to change the direction of the bypass air flow AF2 traveling in the bypass air passage 43 upward (in the elevation angle direction) and guide it toward the center of the evaporator 31 ( Figure 7 the second center point OB shown).

[0353] For example, the guiding surface 46A is formed by a plane. By adjusting the normal direction of this plane, the direction of guiding the bypass air flow AF2 can be adjusted. In addition, the guiding surface 46A can also be formed by a curved surface. By adjusting the curvature of the curved surface, the diffusion of the guided bypass air flow AF2 can be adjusted.

[0354] A baffle 51S for opening and closing the air passage is provided in the bypass air passage 43. The baffle 51S is composed of a plate-shaped member. The baffle 51S is arranged at a position downstream of the suction port cover 11A. The baffle 51S is supported, for example, by a shaft (not shown) on the lower end side of the plate-shaped baffle 51S on the side opposite to the HEPA filter 41, and is driven by a motor 51B (not shown) for the opening and closing mechanism. The motor 51B controls the rotation angle through the main control device 18 (not shown). Therefore, it is convenient to use a stepper motor for the motor 51B.

[0355] The baffle 51S opens and closes the inlet 43A of the bypass air passage 43. The baffle 51S is driven by a driving motor 51B (not shown) from the position closing the bypass air passage 43 around the rotation shaft 51E (not shown) to the position opening the bypass air passage 43 in the downstream direction of the bypass air flow AF2. Since the baffle 51S is composed of a single plate-shaped member and the rotation shaft 51E driven by the motor 51B for the opening and closing mechanism is one, the dehumidifier 1 with a simple structure and easy opening and closing control can be obtained.

[0356] In the second embodiment, although not shown, a gas sensor 63 is also provided. The gas sensor 63 is arranged inside the housing 10 on the right or left side of the suction port 11 at a position below the suction port 11 or near the suction port 11. In addition, an opening (not shown) communicating with the outside of the housing 10 is provided on the wall surface near the gas sensor 63 of the housing 10. In addition, this opening is used to make it easier for the gas sensor 63 to sense the indoor air around the dehumidifier 1.

[0357] As described in the first embodiment, the gas sensor 63 sends gas detection data to the main control device 18, and through the main control device 18, the odor level of the indoor air can be determined based on the gas detection data. In addition, the measurement result of the gas sensor 63 can be displayed on the display unit 23D by the main control device 18 in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

[0358] The operation of the dehumidifier 2 in the second embodiment is the same as that of the dehumidifier 1 in the first embodiment, and includes a dehumidification operation mode, an air purification operation mode, and a dehumidification and air purification operation mode. The opening and closing control and the opening degree control of the baffle 51S in the dehumidification operation mode, the air purification operation mode, and the dehumidification and air purification operation mode are the same as the opening and closing control of the baffle 51S of the dehumidifier 1 in the first embodiment. Here, the opening degree means the ratio representing the flow rate of the bypass air flow AF2 flowing in the bypass air passage 43 in the range of 100% to 0% (when closed), for example, the opening ratio at an intermediate stage such as 80%, 70%, 50%, 30%.

[0359] Summary of the second embodiment

[0360] In this second embodiment, the following dehumidifier 2 is disclosed. The dehumidifier 2 illustrated in this second embodiment includes:

[0361] A housing 3 (housing 10) formed with a suction port 11 and a blowout port 12;

[0362] A blower mechanism (fan 21) that generates an air flow AF from the suction port 11 to the blowout port 12;

[0363] Two filters 41 and 42, as an air purification mechanism, disposed inside the housing 3 (housing 10); and

[0364] An evaporator 31, as a dehumidifying mechanism, disposed inside the housing 3 (housing 10) to remove moisture in the air flow AF.

[0365] Inside the housing 3, there is:

[0366] A first air passage (main air passage 44) through which the air flow AF passes through the filters 41 and 42 to reach the evaporator 31;

[0367] A second air passage (bypass air passage 43) through which the air flow AF reaches the evaporator 31 without passing through the filters 41 and 42; and

[0368] An air flow restricting mechanism 51 that controls the amount of the bypass air flow AF2 in the second air passage (bypass air passage 43).

[0369] The inlet 43A of the second air passage is located on the outer peripheral side below the filters 41 and 42,

[0370] The outlet 43B of the second air passage 43 is located closer to the center side of the filters 41 and 42 (the side closer to the center line BL) than the inlet 43A.

[0371] Due to this structure, during the dehumidifying operation, the air flows through the second air passage (bypass air passage 43) without passing through the filters 41 and 42. Therefore, compared with the case of operating with all the air flowing through the filters 41 and 42, the rotational speed of the fan can be reduced, and thus the generation of noise can be reduced.

[0372] In addition, in this second embodiment, the following dehumidifier 2 is disclosed.

[0373] The dehumidifier 2 includes:

[0374] A housing 3 (housing 10) formed with a suction port 11 and a blowout port 12;

[0375] A blower mechanism (fan 21) that generates an air flow AF from the suction port 11 to the blowout port 12;

[0376] Two filters 41 and 42, as an air purification mechanism, are disposed inside the housing 3 (the casing 10); and

[0377] An evaporator 31, as a dehumidifying mechanism, is disposed inside the housing 3 (the casing 10) to remove moisture in the air flow AF.

[0378] Inside the housing 3, there is provided:

[0379] A first air passage (main air passage 44) through which the air flow AF passes through the filters 41 and 42 and reaches the evaporator 31;

[0380] A second air passage (bypass air passage 43) through which the air flow AF reaches the evaporator 31 without passing through the filters 41 and 42; and

[0381] An air flow restricting mechanism 51 that controls the amount of the bypass air flow AF2 in the second air passage (bypass air passage 43).

[0382] At the position where the main air flow AF1 that has passed through the first air passage 44 and the bypass air flow AF2 that has passed through the second air passage 43 merge, a rectifying member 38 formed by dividing a plurality of ventilation windows 38A by the passage frame 38B is disposed so as to cross immediately in front of the evaporator 31 to be reached.

[0383] Due to this structure, during the dehumidifying operation, the air flows through the second air passage (bypass air passage 43) without passing through the filters 41 and 42. Therefore, compared with the case where all the air flows through the filters 41 and 42 for operation, the rotational speed of the fan 21 can be reduced, and thus the generation of noise can be reduced.

[0384] In addition, due to the presence of the rectifying member 38, it is possible to suppress the situation where the distribution of the air flow AF in the upstream stage of the evaporator 31 to be reached is concentrated only in a part of the evaporator 31. That is, the air flows AF1 and AF2 in the first air passage (main air passage 44) and the second air passage (bypass air passage 43) can efficiently pass through the downstream evaporator 31 side, and thus the dehumidifying efficiency can be improved.

[0385] In addition, in the second embodiment, since the second air passage (bypass air passage 43) is disposed below the HEPA filter 41 and the activated carbon filter 42, and the second air passage (bypass air passage 43) and the main air passage 44 are arranged in parallel in the vertical position relationship, the left - right dimension (lateral width) of the dehumidifier 1 can be miniaturized.

[0386] In addition, the baffle 51S is driven by a motor 51B for driving the opening / closing mechanism, and is driven from the position closing the bypass air passage 43 to the position opening the bypass air passage 43 in the downstream direction about the rotation shaft 51E. Since the baffle 51S is composed of a single plate-like member and the rotation shaft 51E by which the baffle 51S is driven by the motor 51B for driving the opening / closing mechanism is one (refer to Figure 10 ), the dehumidifier 1 having a simple structure and easy opening / closing control can be obtained.

[0387] In addition, in the second embodiment, the bypass air passage 43 is disposed adjacent to the lower side of the main air passage 44. Moreover, the air guiding surface 46A provided in the bypass air passage 43 is configured to change the air flow passing through the bypass air passage 43 from the horizontal direction to the upward direction (elevation angle direction) and guide it toward the center of the evaporator 31. The bypass air passage 43 may also be disposed adjacent to the upper side of the main air passage 44. In this case, the air guiding surface 46A provided in the bypass air passage 43 may also be configured to change the air flow passing through the bypass air passage 43 from the horizontal direction to the downward direction (depression angle direction) and guide it toward the central portion of the evaporator 31.

[0388] Embodiment 3

[0389] Figures 21 to 23 The dehumidifier 1 showing Embodiment 3 is illustrated. Figure 21 It is a partial simplified perspective view of the dehumidifier. Figure 22 (A) and (B) of Figure 21 are exploded cross-sectional views of the front housing portion when the C-C line portion of the dehumidifier 1 of Figure 23 is cut. Figure 21 is a front view of the suction port frame used in the dehumidifier 1 of Figures 1 to 20 . Among them, the same reference numerals are assigned to the parts having the same or equivalent structure as those of the respective embodiments described through

[0390] This Embodiment 3 modifies the structure of the component constituting the bypass air passage 43 shown in Embodiment 1.

[0391] As shown in Figure 21 , a suction port frame 50 that is square when viewed from the front (front) side is embedded in the front housing 10F having the suction port 11. The entire suction port frame 50 is integrally formed from a thermoplastic plastic material.

[0392] When the suction port frame 50 is viewed from the front (front) side, as shown in Figure 23 , it is connected from the right peripheral wall 50R to the left peripheral wall 50L through the upper wall portion 50T and the lower wall portion 50U. In addition, a right bypass air passage 43 is formed between the upper wall portion 50T and the lower wall portion 50U and the right peripheral wall 50R.

[0393] Figure 22 (A) shows the state where the suction port frame 50 is installed in the front housing 10F, but as shown by the dashed line, the suction port cover 11A is in the state of not being installed.

[0394] Figure 22 (B) shows the state before the suction port frame 50 is installed in the front housing 10F. Therefore, the cross-sectional shapes of the suction port frame 50 and the front housing 10F can be clarified. In addition, in this Figure 22 (B), as shown by the dashed line, the suction port cover 11A is in the state of not being installed.

[0395] A left side bypass air passage 43 is formed between the upper wall portion 50T and the lower wall portion 50U and the left circumferential wall 50L. The sizes (calibers) of the inlets 43A and outlets 43B of the two left and right bypass air passages 43 are set to the same size.

[0396] Reference numeral 50B is a step (depression) formed at the front end portions of the circumferential walls 50L and 50R, and this step is used to embed the suction port cover 11A. That is, through this step 50B, the suction port cover 11A can be detachably provided on the housing 10 in a manner that does not protrude forward from the front surface of the front housing 10F.

[0397] As described above, one of the characteristic configurations of the third embodiment is as follows: The right circumferential walls 50R1 and 50R2 and the left circumferential walls 50L1 and 50L2 are formed as partition walls continuous from the edge of the suction port 11 to the downstream side of the air flow AF, and the space between the inlet 43A and the outlet 43B of the bypass air passage 43 is partitioned into two spaces by the partition walls (circumferential walls 50R1, 50R2, 50L1, 50L2).

[0398] Moreover, one of these spaces becomes the first air passage, and the other space becomes the second air passage (bypass air passage 43). That is, instead of forming the bypass air passage 43 using the outer peripheral end surfaces of the two filters 41 and 42 as described in the first and second embodiments, a structure in which a bypass air passage 43 of a specified size is partitioned and formed inside the suction port frame 50.

[0399] Summary of the third embodiment

[0400] As described above, in the third embodiment, the suction port frame 50 is installed in the front housing 10F to form the bypass air passage 43.

[0401] That is, it is not a structure in which the bypass air passage 43 is formed using the outer peripheral end surfaces of the two filters 41 and 42 as shown in the first and second embodiments.

[0402] Therefore, a bypass air passage 43 is formed such that the air permeability is not affected by the positions, shapes, etc. of the outer peripheral end faces of these filters 41 and 42. In other words, when the filters 41 and 42 are temporarily removed for replacement or inspection and then reinstalled for operation, if the installation positions of the filters 41 and 42 change, there is a concern that the air permeability of the bypass air passage 43 may decrease.

[0403] In contrast, according to the structure of the third embodiment, even if the installation positions of the filters 41 and 42 change, there is no concern that the air permeability of the bypass air passage 43 is directly affected. Therefore, even after long-term use, the desired ventilation can be ensured. As a result, stable dehumidifying performance can be maintained. In addition, for other advantages, they are the same as those described in the first and second embodiments.

[0404] Industrial availability

[0405] The dehumidifier according to the present disclosure can be used, for example, to dehumidify the air in a room.

[0406] Explanation of reference numerals

[0407] 1... dehumidifier; 2... dehumidifier; 3... housing; 5... window; 6... electric compressor; 7... water storage tank; 8... operation display substrate; 10... casing; 10F... front casing; 10B... rear casing; 11... suction port; 11A... suction port cover; 11A1... vertical grid; 11A2... horizontal grid; 12... air outlet; 13... louver; 15... operation reporting unit; 16... substrate box; 17... input operation unit; 17S... operation mode changeover switch; 18... main control device; 19... power supply unit; 20... wheel; 21... fan; 21A... motor; 22... refrigerant pipe; 23... reporting unit; 23D... display unit; 23V... sound reporting unit; 24... CPU; 24T... timer unit; 25... storage unit; 26... wireless communication unit; 27... drive circuit; 28... drive circuit; 29... drive circuit; 31... evaporator; 32... condenser; 33... first space; 34... second space; 35... room temperature sensor; 36... fan housing; 37... bell mouth portion; 38... rectifying member; 41... HEPA filter; 42... activated carbon filter; 43... bypass air passage; 44... main air passage; 46... air duct; 46A... air guiding surface; 50... suction port frame; 50B... step portion; 50R1... peripheral wall (partition wall); 50R2... peripheral wall (partition wall); 50L1... peripheral wall (partition wall); 50L2... peripheral wall (partition wall); 51... air flow restricting mechanism; 51B... motor; 51C... sensor; 51D... sensor; 51S... baffle; 53... opening / closing detection unit; 61... humidity sensor; 62... dust sensor; 63... gas sensor.

Claims

1. A dehumidifier, The dehumidifier includes: A casing formed with a suction port and a blowout port; A blower mechanism that generates an air current from the suction port to the blowout port; An air purification mechanism disposed inside the casing; and A dehumidification mechanism disposed inside the casing to remove moisture from the air current, Characterized in that It has: A first air passage formed inside the casing for the air current to pass through the air purification mechanism and reach the dehumidification mechanism; A second air passage formed inside the casing for the air current to reach the dehumidification mechanism without passing through the air purification mechanism; and An air current restricting mechanism that restricts the flow of the air current in the second air passage, The inlet of the second air passage is located on the outer peripheral side of the air purification mechanism, The outlet of the second air passage is located at a position closer to the center side of the air purification mechanism than the inlet, The air current in the first air passage after passing through the air purification mechanism merges with the air current in the second air passage and flows into the dehumidification mechanism.

2. The dehumidifier according to claim 1, Characterized in that The air purification mechanism has: a first filter that captures dust from the air current; and a second filter that captures odor components from the air current.

3. The dehumidifier according to claim 2, Characterized in that The first filter is disposed at a position upstream of the second filter with respect to the air current, The second filter is disposed in contact with or close to the first filter.

4. The dehumidifier according to claim 2 or 3, Characterized in that The suction port is present on the front surface of the casing, When observing the suction port from the front of the casing, the projection surface including the suction port and the inlet is larger than the projection surfaces of the first filter and the second filter.

5. The dehumidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 4, Characterized in that The suction port is present on the front surface of the casing, When observing the suction port from the front of the casing, the inlet is present at a position outside the left and right side edges of the suction port.

6. The dehumidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 4, Characterized in that The opening area of the inlet is equal to the opening area of the outlet.

7. The dehumidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 4, Characterized in that From the inlet to the outlet, the second air passage is formed in a straight line.

8. The dehumidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 4, Characterized in that A partition wall is formed continuously from the edge of the suction port to the downstream side of the air current, Through the partition wall, the space between the inlet and the outlet of the second air passage is divided into two spaces, One of the two spaces is the first air passage, The other of the two spaces is the second air passage.

9. The dehumidifier according to any one of claims 2 to 4, Characterized in that The first filter is a HEPA filter, The first filter is configured to maintain a specified thickness in both cases where the air to be dehumidified passes through and does not pass through the first air passage.

10. The dehumidifier according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The outer peripheral surface of the first filter in a state where it coincides with the second filter constitutes the inner side wall surface of the second air passage.

11. The dehumidifier according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The first filter and the second filter each include a filter main body and a frame that covers the outer peripheral edge portion of the filter main body, The outer peripheral surface of the frame constitutes the inner side wall surface of the second air passage.

12. The dehumidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 4, It is characterized in that A rectifying member is provided on the side opposite to the suction port with the air purification mechanism interposed therebetween, and the opposed interval between the rectifying member and the evaporator constituting the dehumidifying mechanism is maintained within a certain range.

13. The dehumidifier according to claim 12, It is characterized in that The rectifying member is a flat-shaped structure having a plurality of ventilation windows.

14. The dehumidifier according to claim 13, It is characterized in that The ventilation window is surrounded by a frame, and the frame has a flat guiding surface whose length in the flowing direction of the air flow is equal to or greater than a specified dimension.

15. The dehumidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 4, It is characterized in that A rectifying member is provided on the side opposite to the suction port with the air purification mechanism interposed therebetween, and the opposed interval between the rectifying member and the air purification mechanism is maintained within a certain range.

16. The dehumidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 4, It is characterized in that A rectifying member is provided on the side opposite to the suction port with the air purification mechanism interposed therebetween, and the opposed interval between the rectifying member and the evaporator constituting the dehumidifying mechanism is maintained within a certain range, and is used to prevent the air purification mechanism from moving toward the evaporator side due to the air flow.

17. The dehumidifier according to claim 12 or 16, It is characterized in that The certain range is a range of 10 mm to 15 mm.

18. The dehumidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 7, It is characterized in that The suction port exists in front of the frame, When observing the suction port from the front of the frame, the inlets are respectively arranged on the left and right sides of the suction port.

19. The dehumidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 5, It is characterized in that The air flow restricting mechanism is an opening and closing mechanism capable of selectively allowing or blocking the air flow in the second air passage.

20. The dehumidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 5, It is characterized in that The air flow restricting mechanism is a mechanism capable of performing multi-stage control on the amount of air flow passing through in the second air passage.

21. The dehumidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 7, It is characterized in that The air flow restricting mechanism has a baffle capable of controlling the amount of air flow passing through in the second air passage.

22. The dehumidifier according to claim 21, It is characterized in that The air flow restricting mechanism has a motor with a position control function that receives an electric signal and changes the position of the baffle.

23. The dehumidifier according to claim 21 or 22, It is characterized in that The dehumidifier further has: A first driving unit that controls the operation of the air supply mechanism A refrigerant supply mechanism that supplies refrigerant to the dehumidifying mechanism; A second drive unit that changes the position of the baffle; And A control device that receives a user's instruction and controls the first drive unit.

24. The dehumidifier according to claim 23, Characterized in that When the control device receives an instruction from the user during the operation of the air supply mechanism or detects that a specified environmental condition is satisfied, the control device controls the second drive unit to change the position of the baffle.

25. A dehumidifier, The dehumidifier includes: A housing formed with an air inlet and an air outlet; An air supply mechanism that generates an air flow from the air inlet to the air outlet; An air purification mechanism disposed inside the housing; and A dehumidifying mechanism disposed inside the housing to remove moisture in the air flow, Characterized in that It has: A first air passage formed inside the housing for the air flow to pass through the air purification mechanism and reach the dehumidifying mechanism; A second air passage formed inside the housing for the air flow to reach the dehumidifying mechanism without passing through the air purification mechanism; and An air flow restricting mechanism that restricts the flow of the air flow in the second air passage, The air inlet exists in front of the housing, The projected shape of the air inlet as viewed from the front side of the housing is square or rectangular, The inlet of the second air passage is adjacent to the outer sides of the left and right side edges of the air inlet and is formed symmetrically left and right, When viewed from the front side of the housing, the evaporator constituting the dehumidifying mechanism is substantially located inside the outer edge of the projected shape of the air inlet, The air flow in the first air passage after passing through the air purification mechanism merges with the air flow in the second air passage and flows into the dehumidifying mechanism.

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