Air filter module and air filter device

Abstract

To provide an air filter module and an air filter device that unify at least a rain water intrusion prevention function and an air filter function in a compact manner by using a louver having the high rain water intrusion prevention function and that enable space saving.SOLUTION: An air filter module includes a frame body having openings on upstream and downstream sides on which air flows. Inside of the frame body is partitioned into at least a louver holding section in which a louver for preventing rain water intrusion is accommodated and held and an air filter holding section in which an air filer is accommodated and held from the upstream side to the downstream side in this order. The louver has both ends that are mounted to a bottom plate and a top plate of the frame body in the louver holding section, respectively, and includes a plurality of vanes juxtaposed between both side plates of the frame body. A water vent hole is formed on the bottom plate of the frame body in the louver holding section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air filter module having a louver for preventing the infiltration of rainwater, and an air filter device including the air filter module. [Background technology]

[0002] In a conventional air conditioner, as shown in Fig. 7, a rainproof hood 102 is attached to an outside air intake 101 on a wall 100 of a building through which outside air is taken into the room, and downstream of the hood, a louver 103 for preventing rainwater from entering, an insect mesh filter 104, a pre-filter 105, a medium-performance filter 106, and a pressurized fan 107 (pressurized ventilation fan) are installed in this order. Outside air is introduced through the rainproof hood 102, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 7. The louver 103 is housed in a louver casing 103A, the insect-proof mesh filter 104 in an insect-proof mesh filter casing 104A, and the pre-filter 105 and medium-performance filter 106 in an air filter casing 106A, and the casings 103A, 104A, and 106A are connected by screws, etc. A drain pan 109 for draining rainwater is provided at the bottom of the louver casing 103A.

[0003] However, in the case of a typhoon or localized heavy rain, rainwater will infiltrate through the louvers 103. This causes the rainwater to infiltrate into the air filter casing 106A, wetting the pre-filter 105 and the medium-performance filter 106, causing an increase in static pressure and a decrease in efficiency. In particular, in coastal areas close to the sea, fine seawater particles stirred up by wave spray are likely to infiltrate into the air conditioner. This causes salty water to accumulate inside the casings 103A, 104A, and 106A, causing rust to form from the inside. When rust forms on the casings 103A, 104A, and 106A, maintenance such as replacement is required.

[0004] Furthermore, as described above, when the louver casing 103A, the insect-proof mesh filter casing 104A, and the air filter casing 106A are connected, the space of the entire ventilation device, including the space for the pressure fan 107, becomes larger.

[0005] Patent Document 1 describes a unit-type ventilation system in which exhaust machinery such as fans are arranged inside and a unit (consisting of a louver, insect screen, silencer or filter, and fan) stored with a louver exposed at the tip can be inserted and removed from the exhaust port by a guide rail. Patent Document 1 describes a system in which the unit is stored with the louver flange abutting the outer periphery of the exhaust port, and does not describe a louver that prevents rainwater from entering, resulting in the above-mentioned problem of rainwater entering the unit. On the other hand, Patent Document 2 describes a weather louver having a louver unit in which multiple louvers are arranged in parallel within an enclosure, but does not describe the overall configuration of an air conditioner using such weather louvers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-257708 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-196833 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] If the louver is not sufficient in preventing rainwater from entering, it is necessary to install the pre-filter 105 and the medium-performance filter 106 as far away as possible from the louver 103 in order to maintain the performance of the air filter, as shown in Figure 7. This poses the problem of the device becoming larger.

[0008] Therefore, the problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide an air filter module and an air filter device that use a louver with high rainwater intrusion prevention functionality to compactly combine at least the rainwater intrusion prevention functionality and the air filtering functionality into one, thereby saving space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The air filter module of the present invention for solving the above problems comprises a frame body having openings on the upstream and downstream sides of the air flow. The interior of the frame body is divided, from the upstream side to the downstream side, into at least a louver holding section that houses and holds a louver for preventing rainwater from entering, and an air filter holding section that houses and holds an air filter. The louver has both ends attached to the bottom plate and top plate of the frame body in the louver holding section, respectively, and comprises a plurality of blades arranged in parallel between both side plates of the louver holding section. A water drain hole is formed in the bottom plate of the frame body in the louver holding section.

[0010] The air filter device of the present invention comprises the above-mentioned air filter module, a casing in which the air filter module is housed and which has openings on the upstream and downstream sides through which air flows, and a drain pan detachably attached to the bottom plate of the casing, and the air filter module is installed in the air flow path within the casing. Effect of the Invention

[0011] The air filter module of the present invention uses a louver with a rainwater intrusion prevention function, and by compactly combining at least the rainwater intrusion prevention function and the air filter function into a module, it is possible to save space and simplify installation work, etc. Furthermore, since it is possible to avoid problems such as the air filter getting wet with rainwater, the performance of the air filter can be maintained for a long period of time, and energy savings are also possible. In addition, a drain hole is formed in the bottom plate of the louver holder of the air filter module, so that rainwater captured by the louver can be guided from said drain hole to the drain pan in the casing of the air filter device and discharged from said drain pan. Therefore, even if salty water infiltrates in coastal areas, rust will be limited to the drain pan or drain piping where the water accumulates, so if the drain pan etc. are made removable, maintenance will be easier. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an air filter device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of an air filter module housed in the air filter device. [Figure 2B] 2B is a cross-sectional view of the air filter module shown in FIG. 2A taken along line XX. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an exploded state of the blades that constitute the louver in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the structure of an air filter module. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the air filter device shown in FIG. 1 is used. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an air filter device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a conventional air filter device is used. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an air filter module according to one embodiment of the present invention and an air filter device having the air filter module will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] 1 shows an air filter device 1 according to this embodiment. The air filter device 1 comprises a casing 2 and an air filter module 3 housed in the casing 2. The casing 2 has an upstream opening 2a and a downstream opening 2b so that air flows in the direction shown by the arrow. The air filter module 3 is installed in an air flow path (flow path shown by the arrow) in the casing 2. A drain pan 4 that receives rainwater inside the casing 2 is detachably provided on the bottom plate of the casing 2. That is, the drain pan 4 is held at both sides by holding frames 42, 42 so as to be slidable in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface, and can be removed from the casing 2. The casing 2 is installed on the stand portion 22.

[0015] The air filter module 3 is mounted so as to be movable on rails 20 provided inside the casing 2. The rails 20 are provided in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the air flow path, and the side of the casing 2 is provided with an opening (not shown) for removing the air filter module 3 and a door for opening and closing the opening. In addition, the air filter module 3 is provided with rotating cams 21 (pressing members) above and below the upstream side while housed in the casing 2. By rotating the shaft of the rotating cams 21, the air filter module 3 can be pressed against the inner periphery of the downstream opening 2b of the casing 2. This prevents air introduced into the casing 2 from the upstream opening 2a from leaking from the downstream opening 2b into the room without passing through the air filter module 3. In addition, by rotating the shaft of the rotating cam 21 to release the air filter module 3 from the pressed contact, the air filter module 3 can be removed, as described above.

[0016] The air filter module 3 includes a frame 5 having an upstream opening 5a and a downstream opening 5b on the upstream and downstream sides of the air flow, respectively. The inside of the frame 5 is partitioned, in order from the upstream side to the downstream side, into a louver retaining section 61, an insect-proof mesh filter retaining section 71, and a medium-performance filter retaining section 81 (air filter retaining section). The louver holding portion 61 houses and holds a louver 6 for preventing rainwater from entering. The insect-proof mesh filter holding portion 71 houses and holds an insect-proof mesh filter 7 (see FIG. 4). The medium-performance filter holding portion 81 houses and holds a medium-performance filter 8 (air filter).

[0017] 2A and 2B, the louver 6 is composed of multiple vertical slats 9 so that water can easily run off. Each slat 9 has mounting plates 9a formed on both ends in the longitudinal direction, and is attached to the bottom plate 51 and the top plate 52 of the frame body 5 by the mounting plates 9a, respectively, using screws or the like. The multiple slats 9 are arranged in parallel between both side plates 53, 53 of the frame body 5.

[0018] 3, the slat 9 includes an L-shaped main body 91 in plan view, first return pieces 92, 92 formed on both ends of the main body 91, and a second return piece 93 protruding from the bent portion of the main body 91 or near the bent portion. By providing the first return pieces 92, 92 and the second return piece 93 on the main body 91, it is possible to prevent rainwater from passing between the slats 9, 9. The first return piece 92 may be formed on only one of both ends of the main body 91. The second return piece 93 is attached to the main body 91 by welding, screws, or the like. The first and second return pieces 92, 93 have the function of preventing rainwater from passing through the gaps between the blades 9, 9. The main body 91 having the first return pieces 92, 92 and the second return piece 93 can be made of, for example, an aluminum extrusion.

[0019] It is preferable that the L-shaped main body 91 is disposed at an angle with respect to the air flow direction indicated by the arrow within the louver holding portion 61. The angle of inclination α of the main body 91 with respect to the air flow direction (arrow A shown in FIG. 3) may be determined according to the opening ratio of the louver 6. In the present invention, the opening rate of the louver 6 is 60% or less, preferably 40% or less. If the opening rate of the louver 6 is 60% or less, it is possible to suppress the infiltration of rainwater and prevent the medium-performance filter 8 from becoming wet with rainwater and losing its performance. Here, the opening rate is also called the effective ventilation area, and refers to the area through which air passes in the louver 6. Specifically, the opening rate can be calculated by the following formula. Opening ratio = {Opening area of ​​louver 6 L / Opening area of ​​frame 5 M} x 100 Here, the opening area L of the louver 6 can be calculated from (side opening area L1 of the louver 6)+(opening area L2 of the louver 6). Side opening area of ​​louver 6 L1 = w1 × H Opening area of ​​louver 6 L2 = w2 × H w1: Width of the side opening of the louver 6 (see Figure 2B) w2: the minimum gap width between the blades 9, 9 including the first return piece 92 and the second return piece 93 (see FIG. 2B) H: Height of the upstream opening 5a of the frame 5 (see FIG. 2A) Opening area of ​​frame 5 M = W × H W: width of the upstream opening 5a of the frame 5 (see FIG. 2A) H: Height of the upstream opening 5a of the frame 5 (see FIG. 2A) Although the side opening of the louver 6 is shown with a width w1 only on one side in FIG. 2B, there may be openings on both sides, in which case the total area of ​​both openings should be calculated.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 2B, a drain hole 10 is formed in the bottom plate 51 of the frame body 5 at the louver retaining portion 61. Rainwater prevented from entering by the louver 6 flows downward along the slats 9, is discharged from the drain hole 10 into the casing 2, flows down into the drain pan 4, and is discharged to the outside from the drain port 41.

[0021] A first partition frame 11 is provided downstream of the louver holding section 61, and an insect-proof mesh filter holding section 71 is separated through this first partition frame 11, and a medium-performance filter holding section 81 is further separated downstream thereof through a second partition frame 12.

[0022] Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the structure of the air filter module 3. Note that the louver 6 attached to the louver holding portion 61 is omitted in Fig. 4. 4, as described above, the frame body 5 of the air filter module 3 has the upstream opening 5a and downstream opening 5b through which air flows, and the bottom plate 51 in the louver holding portion 61 is formed with a water drain hole 10. Also, the top plate 52 of the frame body 5 in the insect-proof mesh filter holding portion 71 and the medium-performance filter holding portion 81 is formed with an opening 13 for attaching and detaching the insect-proof mesh filter 7 and the medium-performance filter 8 from the frame body 5 for replacement or the like.

[0023] A first partition frame 11 is interposed between the louver holding portion 61 and the insect-proof mesh filter holding portion 71. The lower end of this first partition frame 11 and the lower end of the upstream opening 5a rise up from the bottom plate 51, so that the space between them serves as a rainwater receiving portion 14 that temporarily collects rainwater that has flowed down from the louver 6. The rainwater that has collected in the rainwater receiving portion 14 is continuously drained through the drainage holes 10. This prevents the rainwater that has flowed down from the louver 6 from flowing out into the insect-proof mesh filter holding portion 71.

[0024] Next, the insect-proof mesh filter 7 and the insect-proof mesh filter holding portion 71 will be described. The insect-proof mesh filter 7 is a predetermined insect-proof net stretched within a frame body 7a. The insect-proof mesh filter 7 is inserted into the insect-proof mesh filter holding portion 71 from the opening 13 of the top plate 52. In the insect-proof mesh filter holding portion 71, a first gasket 15 for preventing air leakage and insect intrusion is attached to the peripheral surface of the first partition frame 11 by adhesive or the like, and the frame body 7a of the insect-proof mesh filter 7 is pressed against the peripheral surface of the first partition frame 11 via the first gasket 15, as described below.

[0025] In order to press the frame 7a of the insect-proof mesh filter 7 against the peripheral surface of the first partition frame 11, the insect-proof mesh filter holding portion 71 has an inclined surface such that the gap gradually decreases from top to bottom, and is configured so that the gap near the bottom plate 51 is approximately equal to the thickness of the frame 7a of the insect-proof mesh filter 7. That is, as shown in Fig. 4, the second partition frame 12 facing the insect-proof mesh filter 7 is formed into an inclined surface.

[0026] A pressing member 23 for pressing the insect-proof mesh filter 7 against the first partition frame 11 is provided on the upper part of the insect-proof mesh filter holding portion 71. This pressing member 23 includes a threaded rod 23a that is screwed into the upper part of the second partition frame 12 in a horizontal position, and a disk-shaped operating portion 23b fixed to the threaded rod 23a. By rotating the operating portion 23b by hand, the threaded rod 23a is advanced toward the first partition frame 11, and the upper part of the insect-proof mesh filter 7 is pressed against the first partition frame 11.

[0027] As a result, the lower part of the insect-proof mesh filter 7, combined with being sandwiched between the first partition frame 11 and the second partition frame 12, allows the entire frame body 7a of the insect-proof mesh filter 7 to be pressed against the first partition frame 11 via the first gasket 15. In addition, the pressing member 23 may be, for example, a wedge other than the above, and this wedge may be pressed into the gap between the insect-proof mesh filter 7 and the second partition frame 12 through the opening 13 of the frame body 5.

[0028] Next, the medium-performance filter 8 and the medium-performance filter holding portion 81 will be described. The medium-performance filter holding portion 81 is a space partitioned by the second partition frame 12 and the third partition frame 16. The third partition frame 16 is disposed on the inner periphery of the downstream opening 5b of the frame body 5. A second gasket 24 is attached to the outer periphery of the downstream opening 5b by adhesion or the like. The medium-performance filter 8 is accommodated in the medium-performance filter holding portion 81 through the opening 13 of the frame body 5.

[0029] After the insect-proof mesh filter 7 and the medium-performance filter 8 are housed, the opening 13 of the frame 5 is closed with an upper cover 17 and fixed with screws 18. When it is necessary to replace the insect-proof mesh filter 7 and / or the medium-performance filter 8 after long-term use, the upper cover 17 is removed from the frame 5 of the air filter module 3, and the insect-proof mesh filter 7 and / or the medium-performance filter 8 are replaced.

[0030] The air filter module 3 thus housing the insect-proof mesh filter 7 and the medium-performance filter 8 is housed within the casing 2 by rails 20, as shown in Figure 1, and is fixed by a rotating cam 21 by pressing it against the inner periphery of the downstream opening 5b of the casing 2 via a second gasket 24. The casing 2, frame 5, and drain pan 4 are preferably made of a material that is resistant to rust, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or resin.

[0031] Fig. 5 shows an example of a usage state of the air filter device 1 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, a rainproof hood 31 is attached to the upstream opening 2a of the casing 2, and a pressurized fan 32 (pressurized ventilation fan) is attached to the downstream opening 2b. The rainproof hood 31 is attached to an outside air intake 101 on a wall portion 100 of a building. Outside air is introduced into the rainproof hood 31 by operation of the pressurized fan 32 as shown by the arrow, and is sent into the room via the air filter device 1 and the pressurized fan 32.

[0032] As described above, in this embodiment, even in the event of a typhoon or localized heavy rain, the louver 6 provided on the front surface of the air filter module 3 can prevent rainwater from entering, preventing the medium-performance filter 8 from getting wet and causing a decrease in performance, thereby enabling energy savings. In other words, when the medium-performance filter 8 gets wet, the pressure loss of the medium-performance filter 8 increases and the air volume decreases. Therefore, by increasing the rotation speed of the pressure fan 32 to maintain the air volume, the power consumption of the pressure fan 32 increases. Moreover, the louver 6, the insect-proof mesh filter 7 and the medium-performance filter 8 can be housed compactly within the air filter module 3, thereby enabling space saving. Rainwater that flows down from the louver 6 is drained into the casing 2 through drainage holes 10 at the bottom of the louver retaining portion 61, collected in the drain pan 4 provided on the bottom plate of the casing 2, and quickly discharged to the outside. This makes it possible to prevent the casing 2 from rusting due to, for example, rainwater containing salt remaining there for a long period of time, facilitating maintenance and extending the life of the product. Furthermore, the insect-repellent mesh filter 7 can reduce the risk of insects or other foreign objects entering the room.

[0033] Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the air filter device 1' shown in Fig. 6, a prefilter holding section 30 is formed between a louver holding section 61' and an insect-proof mesh filter holding section 71' in an air filter module 3', separated by a partition frame, and a prefilter (not shown) is housed and held in the prefilter holding section 30. The prefilter can be replaced by removing the top cover 17 on the top of the frame 5, just like the insect-proof mesh filter 7 and the medium-performance filter 8. Since the rest is the same as the above-described embodiment, the same components are given the same reference numerals and detailed description is omitted.

[0034] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the present invention. In the above embodiment, a medium-performance filter 8 (MEPA filter) is used as the air filter, but a pre-filter may be disposed in front of the medium-performance filter 8 in the medium-performance filter holder 81, and an ultra-high performance filter (ULPA filter), a high performance filter (HEPA filter), or even a chemical filter may be used instead of the medium-performance filter. Also, for example, the insect-proof mesh filter 7 and the insect-proof mesh filter holder 71 in the air filter module 3 may be omitted if necessary. In that case, the opening 13 is mainly used for replacing the medium-performance filter 8. Furthermore, the opening 13 is provided in the top plate 52 of the frame 5 for replacing the medium-performance filter 8 and the like, but the opening 13 may be provided in the side plate 53 of the frame 5 and closed with a lid. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1 Air filter device 2 Casing 2a Upstream opening 2b Downstream opening 3, 3´ Air Filter Module 4 Drain pan 41 Drain port 5 Frame 5a Upstream opening 5b Downstream opening 51 Bottom plate 52 Tabletop 53 Side Panel 6. Garari 61, 61´ Grille retainer 7. Insect-proof mesh filter 7a Frame 71, 71´ Insect-proof mesh filter holder 8. Medium-performance filter (air filter) 81 Medium-performance filter holder (air filter holder) 9 feather board 9a Mounting plate 91 Main unit 92 First piece 93 Second return piece 10 Drain hole 11 First partition frame 12 Second partition frame 13 Aperture 14 Rainwater receiving section 15 First Gasket 16 Third Partition 17 Top lid 18 Bis 20 Rail 21 Rotating cam (pressure contact member) 22 Mounting section 23 Pressing member 23a Threaded rod 23b Operation section 24 Second Gasket 30 Pre-filter holder 31 Rainproof hood 32 Pressure fan 100 wall 101 Fresh air intake 102 Rainproof hood 103 Garari 103A Grille Casing 104 Insect-proof mesh filter 104A Insect-proof mesh filter casing 105 Pre-filter 106 Medium Performance Filter 106A Air filter casing 107 Pressure fan 109 Drain Pan

Claims

1. An air filter module having a frame body with openings on the upstream and downstream sides through which air flows, In the frame, in order from the upstream side to the downstream side, at least a louver retaining portion that accommodates and retains a louver for preventing rainwater from entering; An air filter holder that holds and accommodates an air filter. the louver includes a plurality of blades each having both ends attached to the bottom plate and the top plate of the frame body in the louver retaining portion and arranged in parallel between both side plates of the frame body, An air filter module, wherein a drain hole is formed in the bottom plate of the frame body in the louver retaining portion.

2. 2. The air filter module according to claim 1, wherein the air filter holder comprises a medium-performance filter holder that houses and holds a medium-performance filter.

3. 3. The air filter module according to claim 1, wherein an insect-proof mesh filter holding section for accommodating and holding an insect-proof mesh filter is provided downstream of said louver holding section.

4. 4. The air filter module according to claim 3, wherein a pre-filter holding section for housing and holding a pre-filter is interposed between said louver holding section and said insect-proof mesh filter holding section.

5. 3. The air filter module according to claim 1, wherein the louver has an opening ratio of 60% or less.

6. 3. The air filter module of claim 1, wherein the blade comprises, in a plan view, an L-shaped main body, a first return piece formed on at least one of both ends of the main body, and a second return piece protruding from the folded portion of the main body or its vicinity, and the L-shaped main body is positioned within the grille holding portion at an angle to the air flow direction.

7. 3. The air filter module according to claim 1, wherein the top plate of the frame on which the air filter holding portion is located is provided with an opening for attaching and detaching the air filter into the air filter holding portion, and a top cover for covering the opening.

8. The air filter module of claim 3, wherein the top plate of the frame body on which the air filter holding portion and the insect-proof mesh filter holding portion are located has an opening for attaching and detaching the air filter and / or the insect-proof mesh filter into the air filter holding portion, and a top cover for covering the opening.

9. 3. An air filter module according to claim 1 or 2, a casing in which the air filter module is housed and which has openings on the upstream and downstream sides through which air flows, and a drain pan detachably provided on a bottom plate of the casing, The air filter module is disposed in an air flow path within the casing.

10. 10. The air filter device according to claim 9, further comprising a pressing member for pressing the air filter module against an opening frame on the downstream side of the casing.

11. 10. The air filter device according to claim 9, wherein a rail for placing the air filter module is provided inside the casing in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the air flow path, and a side of the casing is provided with an opening for removing the air filter module and a door for opening and closing the opening.

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