Dehumidifier
The dehumidifier addresses temperature variations in conventional designs by using a duct with a rectifier to stabilize heater temperature, enhancing moisture desorption performance.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2024181005
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-16
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-27
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-01-31
AI Technical Summary
Conventional dehumidifiers experience wide variations in heater surface temperature, leading to deteriorated moisture desorption performance of the dehumidifying rotor.
A dehumidifier design with a rotatably supported dehumidifying rotor, a heater positioned upstream, a receiver and cooler downstream, and a duct with a rectifier that directs air towards the heater, ensuring consistent temperature control.
The design achieves stable heater surface temperature, improving moisture desorption performance and heating efficiency.
Smart Images

Figure 2024180791000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a dehumidifier that removes moisture from the air. [Background technology]
[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been a dehumidifier that includes a dehumidifying rotor for adsorbing and desorbing moisture in the air and a heat generating unit for heating the dehumidifying rotor, the heat generating unit being equipped with a heater (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4442062 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] However, the dehumidifier described in Patent Document 1 has a drawback in that the surface temperature of the heater varies widely, which reduces the moisture desorption performance of the dehumidifying rotor. An object of the present invention is to provide a dehumidifier in which the surface temperature of the heater has little variation. [Means for solving the problem]
[0005] The dehumidifier of the present invention comprises a rotatably supported dehumidifying rotor, a heater arranged upstream of the dehumidifying rotor, a receiver arranged downstream of the dehumidifying rotor, a cooler arranged downstream of the receiver, a blower for sending air through the heater, the dehumidifying rotor, the receiver and the cooler, and a duct connecting the blower and the heater, the duct comprising a straightening section for straightening the air sent in by the blower and supplying it to the heater, and the straightening section is bent so that the air flows toward the heater of the heater. Effect of the Invention
[0006] According to the above configuration, a dehumidifier with small variation in the surface temperature of the heater can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a dehumidifier according to an embodiment, as viewed from above the front, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the dehumidifier, as viewed from above the rear, with the blower in a swinging state. [Diagram 2] 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views of a dehumidifier, where (a) is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the left-right direction, (b) is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction as viewed from the rear, and (c) is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction as viewed from the front. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dehumidifier in a disassembled state, seen from above on the front side. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dehumidifier in a disassembled state, seen from below and rearward. [Diagram 5] 1 is a perspective view of the dehumidifying function unit in a disassembled state, seen from above on the front side. FIG. [Figure 6] 11 is a perspective view of the dehumidifying function unit in a disassembled state, seen from below and rearward; FIG. [Figure 7] 4A and 4B are perspective views of the dehumidifying rotor in an exploded state, in which FIG. 4A is a view from above the front side, and FIG. 4B is a view from above the rear side. [Figure 8] 1A is a rear view of the heater and duct, and FIG. 1B is a front view of the heater, duct, and dehumidification rotor. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the heater and the duct in a disassembled state, viewed from above on the rear side. [Figure 10] 1A is an enlarged view of the cross-sectional state of the heater and the duct, where (a) is a view of the cross section parallel to the rotation axis of the dehumidifying rotor as viewed from the left-right direction, (b) is a view of the cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis of the dehumidifying rotor as viewed from the front-back direction, and (c) is an oblique view of the irregular cross section parallel to the rotation axis of the dehumidifying rotor as viewed from above the rear side. [Figure 11]1A is a rear view of the frame with the heat exchange unit removed, and FIG. 1B is a rear perspective view of the frame with the cooler removed, seen from below. [Figure 12] This is an oblique view of the state in which the receiver, cooler, and drainage tray have been removed from the frame (heat exchange section is omitted), where (a) is a view from the lower rear, and (b) is a view from the upper rear. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the receiver and the upstream flow path body as viewed from below and in front. [Figure 14] 13 is a perspective view of the drainage tray and the lower communicating body as viewed from above the front side. FIG. [Figure 15] 4A and 4B are perspective views of the intake and exhaust functional section, in which FIG. 4A is a view from above the front side, and FIG. [Figure 16] 13 is a diagram for explaining the position of the temperature sensor in the receiver, and is a diagram seen from the rear side with the upper communicating body removed. FIG. [Figure 17] 11 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between a blower motor and a sensor that detects whether the drainage tank is full. FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dehumidifier with the blower (excluding the lower base) removed, in which the dehumidifier is viewed from above and the blower is viewed from below. [Figure 19] 4A and 4B are exploded perspective views of the lower base, where FIG. 4A is a view from above the front side, and FIG. 4B is a view from below the front side. [Figure 20] 1A and 1B are perspective views of a cross section of the blower device as viewed from above, where FIG. 1A is a cross section perpendicular to the front-rear direction, and FIG. 1B is a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0008] <Embodiment> 1. Overall In the embodiment, a so-called desiccant type dehumidifier X that removes moisture using a moisture absorbent or the like will be described. 1, the dehumidifier X includes a dehumidifier A that dehumidifies the air sucked in through an air intake 5a (covered with a filter 57) of a housing 5 and exhausts the air from an exhaust 5b, and a blower B that blows the air exhausted from the dehumidifier A or the air in the room, on the top and bottom. In other words, the dehumidifier X is a so-called circulator dehumidifier. Here, for the sake of convenience, the side where the air intake 5a is located is defined as the rear side in the front-to-rear direction, the side where the blower B is located is defined as the upper side in the up-down direction, and the direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction and the up-down direction is defined as the left-to-right direction. Incidentally, blower B is provided so as to be rotatable about a left-right axis and a top-bottom axis, and in FIG. 1(b), blower B is rotating to the right, and the blowing portion is rotating upward.
[0009] 2.Dehumidifier 3 and 4, the dehumidifier A includes a dehumidifying function unit 1 and an intake and exhaust function unit 3. The dehumidifying function unit 1 and the intake and exhaust function unit 3 are housed in a housing 5 while being supported by a frame 4. The dehumidifier A further includes a control function unit 6 and a wastewater storage unit 7, the control function unit 6 is supported by the frame 4, and a wastewater tank 71 of the wastewater storage unit 7 is detachable from the housing 5. Each part will be explained below.
[0010] (1)Dehumidification function section As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the dehumidifying function unit 1 comprises a rotatably supported dehumidifying rotor 11, a heater 13 arranged upstream of the dehumidifying rotor 11, a receiver 15 arranged downstream of the dehumidifying rotor 11, a cooler 17 arranged downstream of the receiver 15, and a blower 19 for blowing air through the heater 13, the dehumidifying rotor 11, the receiver 15 and the cooler 17. The intake and exhaust function unit 3 includes a fan 31 and a drive motor 32 . As a result, the dehumidifier A adsorbs moisture in the air sucked in from the air intake 5a of the housing 5 with the dehumidifier rotor 11, and releases the adsorbed moisture when the dehumidifier rotor 11 is heated by the heater 13, and the released moisture is collected by the cooler 17. The collected moisture is stored in the drainage storage section 7, and the air from which the moisture has been released is exhausted by the fan 31 to the outside of the housing 5 (to the blower B in this case). Each part will be explained.
[0011] (1-1) Dehumidifying rotor 7, the dehumidifying rotor 11 includes at least a water absorbent (moisture absorbent) 111 such as zeolite. The dehumidifying rotor 11 includes a disk-shaped water absorbent 111, a rotor frame 112 disposed on the outer periphery of the water absorbent 111, a rotor cover 113 that covers the rear side of the rotor frame 112, and a fitting 114 that fits into a central through-hole 111a of the water absorbent 111 and is fixed to the rotor cover 113.
[0012] The rotor frame 112 has an engagement portion 112a for engaging with a gear 115 (see FIG. 6) that rotates the dehumidifying rotor 11, and a fixing portion 112b for fixing the rotor cover 113 to the rotor frame 112. Screws 118 are used for fixing, and the fixing portion 112b is formed by a screw hole. The screws 118 protrude inward from the screw holes, and also function to fix the water absorbent material 111.
[0013] The rotor cover 113 has a central portion 113a, an outer peripheral portion 113b that abuts against the rear end of the rotor frame 112 and fits into the outer peripheral portion 112c from the rear side, a plurality of connecting portions 113c that connect the central portion 113a and the outer peripheral portion 113b at intervals in the circumferential direction, and an annular portion 113d that connects the plurality of connecting portions 113c in the circumferential direction. The connecting portions 113c are arc-shaped.
[0014] As shown in Fig. 7, the fitting 114 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and includes a bottom 114a, a peripheral portion 114b, and an outer flange portion 114c that extends radially outward from the front end of the peripheral portion 114b. The bottom portion 114a is provided with a fixing portion 114d that fixes the fitting 114 to the rotor cover 113 with the outer flange portion 114c in contact with the front surface of the water absorbent material 111. A screw 119 is used for fixing, and the fixing portion 114d is formed, for example, by a screw hole formed in the boss. The peripheral portion 114b is formed with a rib portion 114e for restricting slippage between the water absorbent material 111 and the rotor frame 112. In the dehumidifying rotor 11, the water absorbent material 111 is sandwiched between the fitting 114 and the rotor cover 113, thereby preventing the water absorbent material 111 from powdering due to friction between the water absorbent material 111 and the resin rotor frame 112. This prevents the motor 116 from locking, making strange noises, smelling strange, and the like, due to powder getting into the bearings of the motor 116 that drives the gear 115 (see FIG. 6). In addition, the center of rotation of the water absorbent material 111 is determined, preventing the gear 115 from coming off or locking due to eccentricity.
[0015] (1-2) Heater 5, the heater 13 has a sector shape and is provided on the frame 4 in a state where it covers a part of the dehumidifying rotor 11 from the upstream side (front side). The heater 13 is located in the second quadrant of the dehumidifying rotor 11 when viewed from the front side. As shown in FIG. 9, the heater 13 includes at least a heater 131 and a heater case main body 132 that houses the heater 131 and has an inlet 132a. The “heater case main body” corresponds to an example of the “case” of the first invention. The heater 13 further includes a heater case lid 133 that is provided on the opening 132b side of the heater case main body 132 and has an outlet 133a, and a heater holder 134 that holds the heater 131 in the heater case main body 132. As a result, the air that flows in from the inlet 132a is heated by the heater 131 and flows out from the outlet 133a of the heater case lid 133 toward the dehumidifying rotor 11.
[0016] The heater 131 is, for example, formed of a nickel-chromium wire or the like in a coil shape, and has a linear shape as a whole, and as shown in Fig. 10(b), it has a zigzag shape that extends along the circumferential direction of the dehumidifying rotor 11 and then turns back in the opposite direction. Here, as shown in Fig. 10(a), there is a front portion 131a and a rear portion 131b, which are configured to overlap in the front-rear direction. As shown in Fig. 10(a), the heater 131 is disposed on the dehumidification rotor 11 side in the heater case body 132. That is, the heater 131 is located closer to the dehumidification rotor 11 side (rear side) than the middle in the front-to-rear direction of the heater case body 132. This makes it possible to prevent the side wall portion (front end wall portion) 132c of the heater case body 132 from excessively increasing in temperature. Note that the heater holder 134 is not shown in Fig. 10(b).
[0017] As shown in Figure 9, the heater case main body 132 has a fan-shaped box shape when viewed from the rear, and has a side wall portion 132c facing the heater 131, a peripheral wall portion 132d extending rearward from the periphery of the side wall portion 132c, and a flange portion 132e extending radially outward from the rear end of the peripheral wall portion 132d, and an inlet 132a is formed in a portion located on the lower side of the peripheral wall portion 132d. Heater case lid 133 has a sectorial plate portion 133b and a bent portion 133c bent forward from the circumferential edge of plate portion 133b. Plate portion 133b fits into flange portion 132e of heater case body 132 so as to abut against it. The heater holder 134 is made of multiple metal plates and has a groove in which the linear heater 131 fits.
[0018] (1-3) Air blower 8, the blower 19 is disposed on the side that is point-symmetrical to the heater 13 with respect to the center O of the dehumidifying rotor 11. The blower 19 is provided on the upstream side of a duct 21 that connects to the heater 13, and the duct 21 is attached to the frame 4. The blower 19 includes a fan 191 disposed inside the duct 21 and a motor 193 disposed outside.
[0019] (1-4) Duct As shown in FIG. 8, the duct 21 is V-shaped and configured so that its width (dimension in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction) increases toward the downstream (upper side). The duct 21 includes a duct body 211 that constitutes an air flow path together with the frame 4, and a duct cover body 213 that covers a portion of the duct body 211 that corresponds to the dehumidifying rotor 11. 9 and 10, the duct 21 includes a rectifying section 211a that rectifies the air sent in by the blower 19 and supplies the air to the heater 13. The rectifying section 211a is provided at the end 21a of the duct 21 on the heater 13 side. The end 21a of the duct 21 has a rectangular, square or similar shape, and the rectifying section 211a is provided at a front wall section (wall section on the side away from the dehumidifying rotor 11) 211b of the duct 21 (duct main body 211). The "front wall" corresponds to an example of the "wall" of the first invention.
[0020] As shown in (b) of Fig. 10, the flow straightening section 211a has an inclined portion 211c so that the air flows toward the heater 131 of the heater 13. The flow straightening section 211a has a parallel portion 211d upstream of the inclined portion 211c. The parallel portion 211d is provided so as to be parallel to the flow of air from the blower 19 toward the heater 131. The parallel portion 211d has a function of straightening the air flowing toward the heater 131, and is configured so that the straightened air flows toward the heater 131 by the inclined portion 211c. The inclined portion 211c is inclined at an angle of 20 to 40° with respect to the parallel portion 211d. This allows the air to be efficiently directed to the heater 131 even if the duct 21 is bent in an L-shape. The angle of the bent portion of the duct 21 is within a range of 100 to 140°. Also, "A to B" includes A and B.
[0021] The airflow rectifying portion 211a is provided in a plurality of portions (for example, three portions) at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the air flow path (here, the left-right direction). This makes it possible to prevent air from flowing into the side where the heater 131 does not exist, thereby improving the heating efficiency. The flow straightening portion 211a stands up from the front wall portion 211b in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the dehumidifying rotor 11 toward the dehumidifying rotor 11. In other words, the flow straightening portion 211a extends in a rib shape from the front wall portion 211b. This makes it possible to easily provide the flow straightening portion 211a as an integrally molded product. As shown in (a) and (c) of FIG. 10, the front wall portion 211b is inclined so as to approach the heater 131 side as it approaches the heater 13. This allows air to be supplied toward the heater 131 located at the rear side of the heater case main body 132, thereby improving the heating efficiency. In addition, since air is supplied toward the heater 131, it is possible to prevent air from stagnating in the region 136 shown by hatching in FIG. 10(a).
[0022] (1-5) Receiver The receiver 15 is disposed behind the dehumidifying rotor 11 so as to face the heater 13. The receiver 15 supplies the air that has passed through the dehumidifying rotor 11 to the cooler 17. As shown in Fig. 12 or 13, the receiver 15 has a fan shape when viewed from the rear side and a box shape with an open front side. The receiver 15 has a side wall portion 151 facing the dehumidifying rotor 11, a peripheral wall portion 152 extending forward from the periphery of the side wall portion 151, a first flange portion 153 extending radially outward from the front end of a straight portion 152a of the peripheral wall portion 152, and a second flange portion 154 extending forward in an "L" shape from an arc portion 152b of the peripheral wall portion 152, and a communication port 155 is formed in the arc portion 152b. The receiver 15 is attached to the frame 4 by using a screw 159 so that the arc portion 152b (communication port 155) is on the upper side.
[0023] (1-6) Cooler The cooler 17 is provided on the rear side of the frame 4, as shown in FIG. The cooler 17 includes at least a heat exchange section 171 and a communication passage 172 that connects the upstream side of the heat exchange section 171 with the receiver 15 . The cooler 17 further includes a communication passage 173 that connects the downstream side of the heat exchanger 171 with the blower 19. In order to distinguish between the communication passages 172 and 173, for convenience, the communication passage on the upstream side is referred to as the "upper communication passage" and the communication passage on the downstream side is referred to as the "lower communication passage." The "upper communication passage" corresponds to an example of the "communication passage" of Inventions 1, 3 and 4. The upper communicating passage 172 has a function of supporting the upstream side of the heat exchanger 171, and the lower communicating passage 173 has a function of supporting the downstream side of the heat exchanger 171. That is, the heat exchanger 171 of the cooler 17 is supported by the upper communicating passage 172 and the lower communicating passage 173 and is fixed to the frame 4. From this point of view, the upper and lower communicating passages can also be said to be upper and lower support sections. The lower communication passage 173 constitutes a part or the whole of a drainage path that guides the moisture collected in the heat exchange section 171 to the wastewater storage section 7. From this point of view, the lower communication passage 173 can also be said to be a drainage path.
[0024] The heat exchange section 171 is composed of a plurality of resin pipes 175, each of which has a rectangular or square cross section and is supported so that its cylindrical axis is parallel to one another.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 11, the upper communication passage 172 has an arc portion 172a located on the outer periphery of the arc portion 152b of the receiver 15, and an extension portion 172b extending in the left-right direction from the downstream end of the arc portion 172a. The upper communication passage 172 is provided with an upright portion 172f that stands up toward the center O of the dehumidifying rotor 11 at or near a connection portion 172e between an upper wall portion 172c of the extension portion 172b and an upper wall portion 172d of the arc portion 172a. This allows the upright portion 172f to hinder the movement of air flowing along the upper wall portion 172d of the arc portion 172a, making it easier for the air to enter the resin pipe 175. Note that the upper wall portion 172c of the extension portion 172b is an outer peripheral wall on the opposite side of the center O of the dehumidifying rotor 11 in the extension portion 172b, and the upper wall portion 172d of the arc portion 172a is an outer peripheral wall on the opposite side of the center O of the dehumidifying rotor 11 in the arc portion 172a. The upper wall portion 172c of the upper communication passage 172 is inclined so as to approach the heat exchange section 171 side as it moves downstream. This makes it easier for the air flowing through the upper communication passage 172 to enter the resin pipe 175. The extending portion 172b has an opening at the bottom, into which a plurality of resin pipes 175 are fitted.
[0026] The upper communication passage 172 is defined by the upper communication passage forming portion 42 of the frame 4 and an upper communication body 176. The upper communication passage 172 has a first side wall and a second side wall in the left-right direction, a rear wall, a front wall, and an upper wall. As shown in FIG. 13, the upper communicating body 176 has a rear plate portion 176a that forms the rear wall of the upper communicating passage 172, a first side plate portion 176b that forms the first side wall, an upper plate portion 176c that forms the upper wall of the arc portion 172a of the upper communicating passage 172, and a second side plate portion 176e that forms the second side wall. 12, the upper communication passage forming portion 42 of the frame 4 is located above the rotor support portion 41 that supports the dehumidification rotor 11. The upper communication passage forming portion 42 has a front plate portion 42a that forms the front wall of the upper communication passage 172, second side plate portions 42b, 42d that form the second side walls, and an upper plate portion 42c that forms the upper wall of the extension portion 172b and the arc portion 172a of the upper communication passage 172. The upright portion 172f of the upper communication passage 172 is formed in the upper plate portion 42c of the frame 4. Additionally, the second side plate portion 42b is inclined downward toward the downstream side, and may be a part of the upper plate portion 42c.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 11, the lower communication passage 173 extends below the heat exchanger 171 in the left-right direction. 12, the lower communication passage 173 is box-shaped with an opening 173a on the upper side, and a through hole 173b for communication with the duct 21 that houses the blower 19 is formed in the wall (front wall) on the dehumidification rotor 11 side. The bottom wall (177c) of the lower communication passage 173 is configured so that the center part in the left-right direction is the lowest, and a through hole 173c for flowing water to the wastewater storage section 7 is formed in the center part. This makes it possible to separate the air that has passed through the heat exchange section 171 from the collected water, and to send the air to the blower 19 side and the water to the wastewater storage section 7 side. A plurality of resin pipes 175 are fitted into the openings 173 a of the lower communication passage 173 .
[0028] The lower communication passage 173 is defined by the lower communication passage forming portion 43 of the frame 4 and a lower communication body 177. The lower communication passage 173 has a first side wall and a second side wall in the left-right direction, a rear wall, a front wall, and a bottom wall. 14, the lower communication body 177 has a rear plate portion 177a that constitutes the rear wall of the lower communication passage 173, a pair of side plate portions 177b that constitute the first and second side walls, and a lower plate portion 177c that constitutes the bottom wall of the lower communication passage 173. The lower plate portion 177c has a recessed portion 177d in the center in the left-right direction, and both left and right sides of the recessed portion 177d form inclined portions 177e that become lower toward the center. A through hole 173c is formed in the recessed portion 177d. As shown in Fig. 12, the lower communication passage forming portion 43 of the frame 4 is located below the rotor support portion 41 that supports the dehumidification rotor 11. The lower communication passage forming portion 43 has a front plate portion 43a that constitutes the front wall of the lower communication passage 173. The lower communication passage forming portion 43 has a support function that supports the lower communicating body 177 from the outside. The support function is composed of a lower plate portion 43b that supports the lower plate portion 177c of the lower communicating body 177 from below, and side plate portions 43c that face or abut against the pair of side plate portions 177b of the lower communicating body 177.
[0029] (2) Intake and exhaust function section The intake and exhaust functional section 3 is disposed on the opposite side (front side) of the dehumidification rotor 11 to the cooler 17 . As shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6, the intake and exhaust functional unit 3 is fixed to the frame 4 with at least the fan 31 and the drive motor 32 supported by an intake and exhaust frame 33. As shown in Fig. 15, the intake / exhaust frame 33 has a flat plate portion 331 and a hood portion 332 extending forward from the periphery of the flat plate portion 331. The hood portion 332, together with the housing 5 (front housing 51), constitutes an exhaust passage for exhausting air from inside the housing 5. The exhaust passage has an opening 333 at the top. As a result, dry air inside the housing 5 is supplied from the opening 333 to the air blower B above. The opening 333 may be the exhaust port 5b of the dehumidifier A, or a through hole 961 of the lower base 95 shown in Fig. 18 may be the exhaust port 5b of the dehumidifier A.
[0030] (3) Control function section The control function unit 6 includes a control unit that controls the dehumidification function unit 1, the suction and exhaust function unit 3, the blower B, etc. in accordance with operations received by the operation receiving unit 92, and a power supply unit that generates driving power for the dehumidification function unit 1, the suction and exhaust function unit 3, the blower B, etc. from a commercial power source received via an outlet. The control function unit 6 is constructed by mounting a plurality of electronic components on a circuit board configured as a circuit, and is housed in a circuit case 61, and is fixed to the upper side of the frame 4 as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Here, the circuit case 61 is disposed between the frame 4 and the intake and exhaust function unit 3 with a part of it protruding upward. The control unit controls the driving of the heater 131 of the heater 13 based on the detection results of the temperature sensors 271, 273, and 276. Based on the detection result of the sensor 277, the control unit stops the driving of the device or notifies the user that the drainage tank 71 is full of water.
[0031] (4) Frame As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the frame 4 has a rotor support portion 41, an upper communicating passage forming portion 42, a lower communicating passage forming portion 43, an air passage forming portion 44 which, together with the duct 21, forms an air passage to the heater 13, a case support portion 45 which supports the circuit case 61 of the control function portion 6, and a fixing portion which fixes the dehumidifying function portion 1 or the suction and exhaust function portion 3. The frame 4 has a plate-shaped portion 46 and an extension portion 47 extending from the plate-shaped portion 46. As shown in Fig. 12, the lower extension portion 471 extends rearward from the entire region in the left-right direction at the lower end of the plate-shaped portion 46. This enables the lower side of the plate-shaped portion 46 to be reinforced. The lower extension portion 471 is located below the lower communication passage forming portion 43, and has a through hole 471a formed therein corresponding to the through hole 173c of the lower communication passage 173 (lower communication body 177).
[0032] (5) Drainage tray 11, the drainage tray 23 is provided at least below the receiver 15 and the cooler 17. The drainage tray 23 is provided below the frame 4, specifically between the frame 4 and the drainage storage section 7. The drainage tray 23 is fixed to the underside of the lower extension section 471 of the frame 4 by screws 239 or the like. When the drainage tray 23 attached to the frame 4 is viewed from below, most of the receiver 15 and the cooler 17 are hidden by the drainage tray 23. The drainage tray 23 is provided on the rear side of the plate-shaped portion 46 of the frame 4, as shown in FIG. 11(b). As shown in Figs. 12 and 14, the drainage tray 23 has a recess 231 that is long in the left-right direction, and a groove 232 that extends in the front-rear direction is formed on the left-right central side of the recess 231. The bottom wall portions on both the left and right sides of groove portion 232 are inclined so as to become lower toward groove portion 232. This allows water received in recess 231 to flow toward groove portion 232. Furthermore, through hole 173c of lower communication passage 173 and through hole 471a of lower extension portion 471 of frame 4 (see FIG. 12) are located above recess 231.
[0033] The groove 232 is inclined so as to become lower toward the front. In other words, the front end of the groove 232 is connected to the drain outlet 233 of the drainage tray 23. As a result, the water received in the recess 231 passes through the groove 232 and is drained from the drain outlet 233 on the front side to the drainage reservoir 7. The drainage tray 23 has a horizontal extension portion 234 extending outward from the opening edge (upper edge) of the recess 231, and an upper extension portion 235 extending upward from the rear end of the horizontal extension portion 234. The drainage tray 23 is fixed to the frame 4 in a state in which the upper extension portion 235 abuts against or is close to the rear end of a lower extension portion 471 of the frame 4, and the horizontal extension portion 234 abuts against or is close to the lower extension portion 471. This makes it possible to restrict water from flowing out of the drainage tray 23 from the rear end of the lower extension portion 471.
[0034] The drainage tray 23 is provided with a water stop valve 25 that opens and closes the drain outlet 233 in accordance with the attachment and detachment of the drainage tank 71. The water stop valve 25 comprises a valve 251 supported so as to be movable in a direction toward or away from the exhaust outlet 233, a lever 253 for moving the valve 251 in the direction toward or away from the exhaust outlet 233, and a biasing means 255 for biasing the valve 251 in a direction toward the exhaust outlet 233 (in a blocking direction). The lever 253 is supported so as to move in accordance with the insertion and removal (attachment) of the drainage tank 71 of the drainage storage section 7, and when the drainage tank 71 is attached, the valve 251 moves in a direction (opening direction) away from the discharge port 233 (open state), and when the drainage tank 71 is removed, the valve 251 moves in a direction (closing direction) toward the discharge port 233 by the biasing means 255 (closed state). This makes it possible to prevent water from flowing from the discharge port 233 toward the drainage storage section 7 when the drainage tank 71 is not attached.
[0035] (6) Wastewater storage section The wastewater reservoir 7 is provided on the lower side of the housing 5, that is, below the dehumidifying function unit 1 and the intake / exhaust function unit 3, as shown in FIG. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the drainage storage section 7 includes a drainage tank 71 that is detachably (insertably) attached to the opening 5c at the bottom of the housing 5. The drainage tank 71 includes a tank body 73 and a tank lid 75 that covers the upper opening of the tank body 73. The tank lid 75 has a recess 751 in the center and a receiving port 753 at its bottom. The receiving port 753 receives drainage from the drainage tray 23. The tank lid 75 has a moving part 755 for moving the lever 253 of the stop valve 25 provided on the drainage tray 23 when the drainage tank 71 is attached. The moving part 755 is configured with a convex part that protrudes upward so as to abut against the lever 253.
[0036] (7) Sensors The dehumidifier A is provided with temperature sensors for detecting the temperatures of the heater 13, the receiver 15, and the like. As shown in Fig. 8(b), the heater 13 is provided with a temperature sensor 271 and a fuse 272 on the side wall portion 132c of the heater case body 132. A temperature sensor 273 (see Fig. 9) is provided which is attached to the heater case body 132 and detects the temperature inside the heater case body 132. This allows the temperatures inside and outside the heater case body 132 to be detected with high accuracy.
[0037] 11, the receiver 15 is provided with a temperature sensor 274 on the side wall portion 151. This makes it possible to detect the temperature of the receiver 15. The temperature sensor 274 has a temperature detection portion 274a disposed inside the receiver 15, as shown in FIG. The receiver 15 is provided with a fuse 275 (see FIG. 16). The fuse 275 is disposed upstream (rear) of the dehumidification rotor 11 in the flow of air generated by the intake and exhaust functional unit 3.
[0038] As shown in (a) of Fig. 11, the upper communication passage 172 is provided with a temperature sensor 276 that detects the temperature inside the communication passage. As shown in Fig. 13, the temperature sensor 276 is provided in the upper communication body 176, and a tip portion 276a extends from a through hole of the boss portion 176d. The tip portion 276a extends parallel to the rotation axis of the dehumidification rotor 11. As shown in Fig. 16, the tip portion 276a is provided above the communication port 155 so as to face the communication port 155 of the receiver 15. This makes it possible to detect the temperature of the air flowing inside the upper communication passage 172.
[0039] The frame 4 is provided with a sensor 277 for detecting the amount of drainage water stored in the drain tank 71. In the drain tank 71, a magnet 77 is provided on a float that moves up and down depending on the amount of water, and the sensor 277 detects the magnetism of the magnet 77 of the float. That is, the sensor 277 is a magnetic sensor. As shown in FIG. 17, the sensor 277 is provided at a position where it is not easily affected by the magnetic field of the motor 193. Specifically, the sensor 277 is provided so as not to be located between imaginary lines L1 and L2 that are parallel to the central axis C1 of the coil 195 of the motor 193 and pass through the position farthest from the central axis C1. The sensor 277 is mounted on a board and provided on the lower extension 471 of the frame 4 in a state where it is housed in the case 281. The motor 193 is a so-called shaded motor or skeleton motor.
[0040] 15(b), the intake / exhaust function unit 3 is provided with a detection sensor 278 that detects the rotation of the fan 31. The detection sensor 278 is configured by applying a marker (silver) to the rotating part of the fan 31 and by an infrared sensor that detects the marker. The marker is provided on the wheel 311 of the fan 31 facing the infrared sensor.
[0041] (8) Housing As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the housing 5 includes a front housing 51 and a rear housing 53, and a handle 55 is provided across the left and right walls of the front housing 51 and the rear housing 53. An air intake 5a is provided in a wall (rear wall) of the dehumidifying function unit 1 facing the cooler 17, and a filter 57 is detachably provided in the air intake 5a. The housing 5 has an opening 5c for the drain tank 71 formed in the front wall or rear wall, here in the rear wall.
[0042] 3. Blower As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the air blowing device B includes an air blowing unit 8 and a base 9 that supports the air blowing unit 8. The air blowing unit 8 is supported by the base 9 so that the air blowing direction can be adjusted with the left-right direction as a rotation axis. The base 9 is supported by the dehumidifier A so that the air blowing direction can be changed with the up-down direction as a rotation axis. (1) Blower function section As shown in FIG. 20, the air blowing function unit 8 includes an air blower fan 81, a drive motor 82 for driving the air blower fan 81, and a case 83 for accommodating the drive motor 82, all of which are arranged in an air blower housing 84. As shown in FIG. The blower housing 84 has a shaft portion 841 that protrudes outward in the left-right direction. An upper surface 84a and a lower surface 84b of the blower housing 84 are provided with through holes 84c, 84d for communication.
[0043] (2) Bass As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the base 9 has a box-like overall shape with a recessed portion 9a spanning the top wall and the front wall, and the air blowing function portion 8 is disposed in the recessed portion 9a. As shown in FIG. 18, the base 9 includes an upper base 90 that supports the air blowing function unit 8, and a lower base 95 that is attached to the upper surface of the dehumidifier A.
[0044] The upper base 90 has a rotation function unit 91 that rotates about a vertical axis relative to the dehumidifier A, and an operation receiving unit 92 that allows a user to operate the dehumidifier A and the blower B, in an upper base housing 93. The operation reception unit 92 includes an operation button 921 and a substrate 923 on which the operation button 921 is mounted, and is attached to the rear side of the upper wall body 934 .
[0045] As shown in FIG. 20, the upper base housing 93 has an upper base frame 931, a pair of outer wall bodies 932 arranged on the left-right outside of the upper base frame 931, a rear wall body 933 covering the rear side, and an upper wall body 934 covering the upper side. The bottom wall 931a of the upper base frame 931 has a through hole 931b for supplying the air discharged from the dehumidifier A to the air blowing function unit 8, and a protruding portion 931c for accommodating the rotation function unit 91 in the front-rear direction. The inner wall 931d of the upper base frame 931 has a notch 931e into which the shaft 841 of the air blowing function unit 8 fits, and a fitting portion 935 that can appear and disappear in the multiple recesses 841a of the shaft 841. The fitting portion 935 includes a convex body that fits into the recess 841a, and a biasing means that biases the convex body toward the recess 841a. This makes it possible to adjust the air blowing direction of the air blowing function unit 8. The rear wall 933 has a through hole 933a for supplying air to the blowing function unit 8 from the rear side.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 18, the upper base frame 931 supports the abutment body 94 that abuts against the upper surface of the rail member 97 of the lower base 95 when the blower B rotates in the left-right direction. The tip (lower end) of the abutment body 94 is spherical, and the tip protrudes downward from the support part 941. The abutment body 94 is made of a material such as polyethylene or SUS304. The rail member 97 is made of POM resin. Conventionally, a glass material was used for the abutment body 94, but the rail member 97 was scraped by sliding with the rail member 97, and the scraped POM powder adhered to the glass ball surface, and the POM powder rubbed against the rail member 97, generating a creaking sound. However, by making the rail member 97 from polyethylene or SUS304, the scraping of the rail member 97 can be suppressed, and the generation of the creaking sound can also be suppressed. The support portion 941 is composed of a cylindrical portion 941a which is partially missing along the vertical cylindrical axis, and a plate portion 941b which has a recess or hole into which a part of the abutment body 94 fits, faces the cylindrical portion 941a, and elastically deforms so as to be movable toward and away from the cylindrical portion 941a.
[0047] 20(b), the rotation function unit 91 has a motor 911 and a gear body 913 mounted on a base plate 915, and the base plate 915 is fixed to a bottom wall portion 931a of an upper base frame 931. The gear body 913 meshes with a gear body 98 of the lower base 95, so that the blower B can rotate counterclockwise or clockwise with respect to the dehumidifier A about a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction. 18, the base plate 915 is provided with a tubular portion 916 through which a cable that connects the dehumidifier A and the blower B is inserted. The tubular portion 916 extends downward.
[0048] As shown in Figure 19, the lower base 95 comprises a plate-shaped lower base main body 96, a rail member 97 arranged on the upper surface of the lower base main body 96, a gear body 98 that meshes with the gear body 913 of the rotating function part 91 of the upper base 90, and a guide member 99 for inserting a cable that electrically connects the blower device B and the dehumidifier A.
[0049] The lower base main body 96 has a through hole 961 for supplying air from the dehumidifier A to the air blowing function unit 8, a through groove 962 through which a fixing device is inserted to prevent the upper base 90 from coming off the lower base 95, a through hole 963 for the control function unit 6, a recess 964 for fitting the rail member 97, a cylindrical portion 967 through which the cylindrical portion 991 of the guide member 99 is inserted, fixing portions 965a, 965b for fixing the guide member 99, a fixing portion 966 for fixing the gear body 98, etc. The through groove 962 has an arc shape centered on the vertical rotation axis of the upper base 90. A screw 952 is inserted from below through a washer 951 that is disposed below the through groove 962 and is not allowed to pass through the through groove 962, and is screwed into a screw hole 931f of the upper base frame 931 shown in Fig. 18. This allows the upper base 90 to rotate around the rotation axis and prevents it from coming off the lower base 95. The fixing device is composed of the washer 951 and the screw 952.
[0050] 19, the rail member 97 is annular. The inner periphery is configured to be positioned outside the through holes 961, 963 and the front and rear arc-shaped through grooves 962. The rail member 97 has arc-shaped contact portions 971 on the front and rear that come into contact with the contact bodies 94 of the upper base 90. The arc of the through groove 962 corresponds to the rotation range of the upper base 90, centered on the axis of rotation about which the upper base 90 rotates. The rail member 97 is fixed to the lower base body 96 by screwing a screw 953 that passes through a through hole of the lower base body 96 from below into a screw hole (screw hole) 972 of the rail member 97.
[0051] The gear body 98 has a lidded cylindrical shape, and its peripheral wall portion constitutes a gear portion 981. The gear body 98 is fixed to the lower base body 96 in a state where it is fitted into the cylindrical portion 967 of the lower base body 96 by inserting a screw 954 passing through a through hole in the lid portion from above and screwing into a screw hole that is a fixing portion 966 of the lower base body 96. As shown in FIG. 18, the tubular portion 916 of the upper base 90 passes through a through hole 983 of the gear body 98 and fits into the inside of the tubular portion 967 of the lower base main body 96 .
[0052] The guide member 99 has a tubular portion 991 that fits into a tubular portion 967 of the lower base main body 96, and a base portion 993 that protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the lower end of the tubular portion 991. The guide member 99 is detachably attached to the lower base main body 96 by engaging an engagement claw 995 extending upward from the base portion 993 with an engagement hole 968 of the lower base main body 969. At this time, the tubular portion 991 is inserted inside the tubular portion 916 of the upper base 90 (the tubular portion 991 is located on the innermost peripheral side). The guide member 99 is fixed to the lower base main body 96 by screwing a screw 955 that passes through a through hole of the base portion 993 from below into a fixing portion (screw hole) 965b of the lower base main body 96. As a result, the cable connecting the dehumidifier A and the blower B passes through a tubular portion 991 fixed to the lower base 95, and even if the cable is in contact with the tubular portion 991, wear between the cable and the tubular portion 991 due to the left and right rotation of the blower B can be reduced.
[0053] <Modification> Although the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and may be modified as follows, for example. In addition, the embodiment and the modified examples may be combined, or the modified examples may be combined. Furthermore, the present invention also includes examples that are not described in the embodiments and modified examples, and design changes that do not deviate from the gist of the invention.
[0054] 1.Dehumidifier In the embodiment, the dehumidifier is provided with the air blower B, but when the focus is on the dehumidifier A, the dehumidifier may not be provided with the air blower B. In addition, the dehumidifier may be provided with other devices such as a humidifier and an air cleaner.
[0055] 2.Dehumidifier (1) Dehumidifying rotor The dehumidifying rotor 11 is required to include at least the water absorbent material 111, and when the retention structure (rotor cover 113) of the water absorbent material 111 is not of interest, the retention structure of the water absorbent material 111 may be a structure other than that of the embodiment. As another structure, the rotor cover 113 is not provided, and the connecting portion 113c and the annular portion 113d of the rotor cover 113 are provided on the frame 4. The drive structure of the dehumidifying rotor may be other than that of the embodiment, such as a structure in which the dehumidifying rotor 11 is driven by a central shaft. The rotor cover 113 is configured as a separate body from the rotor frame 112, but may be an integrated part formed integrally with the rotor frame. The rotor cover 113 is provided on one side (rear side) in the front-back (front-rear) direction of the water absorbent material 111, but may be provided on the other side (front side) or on both sides. The extending direction of the rotation axis of the dehumidifying rotor 11 is the front-rear direction, but it may be the left-right direction, the up-down direction, or a direction intersecting these directions.
[0056] (2) Heater The heater 13 is required to include at least the heater 131 and a holder for holding the heater 131 (here, the heater case main body 132), and may or may not include the heater case lid 133. The heater 131 uses nickel-chromium wire, but may use other materials, for example, iron-chromium wire. The heater 131 has a zigzag shape with both ends in the circumferential direction folded back, but may have a zigzag shape with both ends in the radial direction folded back, or may have a spiral shape. Although the heater 131 is double-layered in the thickness direction of the dehumidifying rotor 11, it may be single-layered or may be triple-layered or more. The heater 131 is arranged on the rear side (dehumidification rotor 11 side) of the heater case main body 132, but if the duct 21 does not have a straightening section 211a, the heater 131 may be arranged other than on the rear side of the heater case main body 132, or may be arranged over a wide range in the front-to-rear direction from the rear side to the front side. Heater case body 132 and heater case lid 133 are fan-shaped, but may also be triangular, trapezoidal, or polygonal. However, when dehumidifying rotor 11 is disk-shaped, a triangular or fan-shaped shape can cover (heat) a wider range from the center to the circumferential edge of dehumidifying rotor 11 while reducing the area facing dehumidifying rotor 11. The heater 13 may be located in any position other than the second quadrant of the dehumidifying rotor 11 when viewed from the front side, as long as it can heat the dehumidifying rotor 11.
[0057] (3) Duct The duct 21 has a "L" shape or a similar shape that is bent midway through the flow path, but it may have another shape having two or more bends (for example, a "C" shape) or another shape having no bends (for example, an "I" shape). The shape of the end 21a of the duct 21 is a rectangle elongated in the radial direction of the dehumidifying rotor 11, but it may be a square or an ellipse elongated in the radial direction. When the flow of air supplied to the heater 13 is not of interest, the duct 21 does not need to include the airflow straightening section 211a. The flow straightening portion 211a is integrated into the duct body 211 by one-piece molding, but a flow straightening member having the flow straightening portion 211a may be provided at the end 21a of the duct 21, or an end member having the flow straightening portion 211a may be provided on the duct body 211.
[0058] (4) Receiver The receiver 15 may face the heater 13 with the dehumidifying rotor 11 in between. The receiver 15 has a fan-like shape, but may also have a triangular, trapezoidal, or polygonal shape. However, when the dehumidifying rotor 11 is disk-shaped, a triangular or fan-like shape can cover (heat) a wider range from the center to the circumferential edge of the dehumidifying rotor 11 while reducing the area facing the dehumidifying rotor 11.
[0059] (5) Cooler The cooler 17 is required to include at least the heat exchanger 171. The heat exchanger 171 is required to be capable of condensing water vapor in the supplied air. The direction of flow through the heat exchanger 171 is the up-down direction, but it may be the left-right direction, the front-rear direction, or a direction intersecting these (including the up-down direction). The upper communicating passage 172 and the lower communicating passage 173 connected to the heat exchange section 171 are composed of a frame 4, an upper communicating body 176, and a lower communicating body 177, but the upper communicating passage 172 or the lower communicating passage 173 may be composed without using the frame 4. The upper communication passage 172 does not need to have the standing portion 172f when attention is not focused on the flow of air supplied to the heat exchange section 171. The upper communication passage 172 has the arc portion 172a and the extension portion 172b, but for example, the arc portion 172a may be provided on the receiver 15 side. In this case, the standing portion 172f may be provided at the downstream end of the arc portion on the receiver 15 side, or may be provided at the upstream end of the upper communication passage 172 (extension portion 172b) without the arc portion.
[0060] (6) Air blower The blower 19 only needs to be able to blow air so that it flows through the heater 13, the dehumidification rotor 11, the receiver 15, and the cooler 17, and the position of the blower 19 does not have to be between the cooler 17 and the heater 13. However, taking into consideration heat and moisture (steam), it is preferable to place the blower 19 between the cooler 17 and the heater 13, which is less susceptible to these effects. The blower 19 is provided at the upstream end of the duct 21, but may be housed in a dedicated case, and the case may be attached to the duct 21. The blower 19 may be provided in the middle of the duct. The blower 19 is provided on the opposite side of the frame 4 to the cooler 17, but may be provided on the cooler 17 side.
[0061] (7) Drainage tray and water stop valve The drainage tray 23 does not need to be provided if there is no interest in drainage generated when the drainage tank 71 is removed. Drainage tray 23 has groove 232 in recess 231, but groove 232 may be omitted by making both sides of the portion corresponding to groove 232 into inclined surfaces. Drainage tray 23 has water stop valve 25, but this may not be included. However, having water stop valve 25 can prevent water from flowing into the attachment portion of drainage tank 71 when drainage tank 71 is removed. Groove 232 is provided along the insertion / removal direction of drain tank 71, but the extension direction is not particularly limited as long as it can guide water received in drain tray 23 toward drain tank 71. However, it is necessary to provide lever 253 so that valve 251 opens and closes in accordance with the insertion and removal (attachment) of drain tank 71. The structure of the stop valve 25 is not particularly limited as long as it can open and close the valve 251 in accordance with the insertion and removal of the drainage tank 71. For example, a fitting portion may be provided on the drainage tank 71, and the fitting portion may directly move the valve 251 in accordance with the insertion and removal of the drainage tank 71. The stop valve 25 is opened and closed mechanically, but it may also be an electronic valve that is provided with a sensor that electrically detects the attachment of the drainage tank 71 and opens and closes the discharge port 233 in response to a signal from the sensor.
[0062] (8) Intake and exhaust function section The hood portion 332 of the intake / exhaust function portion 3, together with the housing 5, constitutes an exhaust passage for discharging air from within the housing 5, but the exhaust passage may be constituted by the hood portion 332 alone. (9) Frame The frame 4 may have any structure as long as it can support the units constituting the dehumidifying function section 1 and the units constituting the suction and exhaust function section 3, and may have a structure other than that of the embodiment. (10) Housing The housing 5 has an intake port 5a, an exhaust port 5b, and an opening 5c corresponding to the positions of the dehumidifying function unit 1, the suction and exhaust function unit 3, and the drainage tank 71, etc., and is not particularly limited in shape, structure, etc. as long as it is able to support the frame 4.
[0063] 3. Blower The air blowing function unit has a function of being rotated around a rotation axis in the vertical direction, but may also have a function of being rotated around a rotation axis in the horizontal direction. The operation reception unit 92 is provided in the blower B, but may also be provided in the dehumidifier A, or the operation reception unit for the dehumidification function may be provided separately in the dehumidifier A and the operation reception unit for the blower function may be provided separately in the blower B. The lower base 95 is configured on the blower B side, but may be configured on the dehumidifier A side.
[0064] <<Invention>> As examples of embodiments and modifications, at least the following inventions are included. <Invention 1> 1. Prior art Japanese Patent No. 4442062 discloses a dehumidifier that includes a dehumidifying rotor for adsorbing and desorbing moisture in the air and a heat generating unit for heating the dehumidifying rotor, the heat generating unit being equipped with a heater. However, the above-mentioned dehumidifier has a drawback in that the surface temperature of the heater (corresponding to the heater in the embodiment) varies widely, and the moisture desorption performance of the dehumidifying rotor decreases. An object of the present invention is to provide a dehumidifier with small variation in heater surface temperature.
[0065] 2. Invention 1 (1) First dehumidifier The first dehumidifier is a rotatably supported dehumidifying rotor; A heater disposed upstream of the dehumidification rotor; A receiver disposed downstream of the dehumidification rotor; a cooler disposed downstream of the receiver; a blower for blowing air through the heater, the dehumidifying rotor, the receiver and the cooler; a duct connecting the blower and the heater; Equipped with the duct includes a rectifying section that rectifies the air sent by the blower and supplies the air to the heater, The airflow straightening section is curved so that the air flows toward the heater of the heater. The straightening section is configured so that the air flows toward the heater, so that the air from the blower flows directly toward the heater, reducing the temperature variation of the heated air. Air with little temperature variation passes through the dehumidifying rotor, improving the moisture desorption performance of the dehumidifying rotor. Invention 1 focuses on the flow of air supplied from the duct to the heater, and the dehumidifying rotor, receiver, cooler, and blower are not limited to those in the embodiment.
[0066] (2) Second dehumidifier The second dehumidifier is a first dehumidifier, the heater includes a case that houses the heater on the dehumidifying rotor side, the airflow straightening section is provided on a wall section of the duct on a side away from the dehumidifying rotor at the heater side end of the duct, The wall portion is inclined so as to approach the heater side as it approaches the heater. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of air remaining between the heater and the wall of the case on the side away from the dehumidifying rotor, thereby improving the efficiency of heating the air. Here, "housing the heater on the dehumidifying rotor side" means housing the heater with the center of the heater positioned between the dehumidifying rotor and the center of the case in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the dehumidifying rotor. Here, "the wall portion on the side remote from the dehumidifying rotor" refers to the wall portion on the remote side in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the dehumidifying rotor.
[0067] (3) The third dehumidifier The third dehumidifier is the first or second dehumidifier, The flow straightening portion stands upright from the wall portion in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the dehumidification rotor and toward the dehumidification rotor. This weakens the air flow at the heater side end of the duct, lengthening the time the air is heated by the heater and heating the air more efficiently.
[0068] (4) The fourth dehumidifier The fourth dehumidifier is a dehumidifier according to the first to third dehumidifiers, the cooler has a heat exchanger and a communication passage connecting an upstream side of the heat exchanger and the receiver, the receiver has a sector shape or a similar shape with a central angle at or near the center of the dehumidifying rotor, and is connected to the communication passage by an arc portion; the communication passage has an arc portion located on an outer circumferential side of the arc portion of the receiver, and an extension portion extending from a downstream end of the arc portion, An upright portion that stands up toward the center is provided at or near a connection portion between an outer wall of the extension portion away from the center of the dehumidifying rotor and an outer wall of the arc portion away from the center. As a result, the upright portion blocks the portion of the communication passage where the air velocity is high, and the air that has passed through the receiver is evenly supplied to the heat exchange section. The "connection part or the part nearby" in regard to the position of the upright part includes the connection part (which is also the boundary part) and refers to the area from the connection part to 20% of the radius of the dehumidification rotor on the extension part side or the arc part side.
[0069] (a) The heater side end of the duct has a cross section perpendicular to the flow direction of the air flowing through said end that is rectangular, square or similar in shape, and said wall portion is a wall portion that is parallel to or extends along said dehumidifying rotor and is a wall portion on the side away from said dehumidifying rotor. This makes it possible to ensure a large spatial area at the heater side end of the duct while reducing the dimension in the direction parallel to the rotation axis of the dehumidifying rotor. (b) The extension portion of the communication passage extends tangentially from the downstream end of the arc portion, thereby allowing air to flow smoothly from the arc portion to the extension portion. The communicating passage may be located upstream of the heat exchange section, and the extension section may extend horizontally, extend in a direction intersecting the horizontal direction, extend in the vertical direction, or extend in a direction intersecting the vertical direction. (c) The receiver is positioned so that the central angle of the fan is at or near the center of the dehumidifying rotor. The position of the receiver relative to the dehumidifying rotor may be in the first quadrant when viewed from the receiver side in the extension direction of the rotation axis, or it may be located so as to straddle the first and second quadrants, or it may be located so as to straddle the first and fourth quadrants. It should be noted that "the center or near the center" refers to a position including the center and up to 20% of the radius of the dehumidification rotor from the center.
[0070] <Invention 2> 1. Prior art JP 2021-151648 A discloses a dehumidifier equipped with a drainage tray above a drainage tank that collects water droplets from a heat exchange unit. However, in the above-mentioned dehumidifier, since the drainage tray is disposed at a position to receive the water droplets, the water droplets coming out from places other than the heat exchange unit fall directly into the drainage tank without being received by the drainage tray. Therefore, when the drainage tank is removed immediately after the operation is stopped, water droplets coming out from sources other than the heat exchange unit may not accumulate in the drainage tank, but may accumulate at the bottom of the housing, etc. An object of the present invention 2 is to provide a dehumidifier that can prevent water droplets from falling to the bottom of the housing even when the drain tank is removed.
[0071] 2. Invention 2 (1) First dehumidifier The first dehumidifier is a rotatably supported dehumidifying rotor; A heater disposed upstream of the dehumidification rotor; A receiver disposed downstream of the dehumidification rotor; a cooler disposed downstream of the receiver; a blower for blowing air through the heater, the dehumidifying rotor, the receiver and the cooler; a drainage tank for storing water generated by the cooler and being detachably provided; Equipped with A drainage tray is provided below at least the receiver and the cooler. This allows the drainage tray to receive water droplets from the cooler and from areas other than the cooler, thereby preventing water droplets from falling to the bottom of the housing even when the drainage tank is removed. Invention 2 focuses on the positional relationship between the water droplets generated from the dehumidifying function section and the drainage tray that receives the water droplets, and does not limit the dehumidifying rotor, heater, receiver, cooler, and drainage tank to the embodiments.
[0072] (2) Second dehumidifier The second dehumidifier is a first dehumidifier, a frame supporting the dehumidifying rotor, the heater, the receiver, the blower and the cooler; The drainage tray is disposed below the frame. This allows water droplets that drip from the receiver and the cooler onto the frame to be received by the drainage tray. The drainage tray need only be located below at least the area where the receiver and cooler are located, and may be located below the entire area of the frame.
[0073] (3) The third dehumidifier The third dehumidifier is the first or second dehumidifier, The drainage tray is provided with a water stop valve at a discharge port for draining water into the drainage tank; The water stop valve is in an open state when the drain tank is attached, and is in a closed state when the drain tank is removed. This makes it possible to stop drainage from the drainage tray when the drainage tank is removed.
[0074] <Invention 3> 1. Prior art Japanese Patent No. 5,879,469 discloses a dehumidifier equipped with a temperature detection means for detecting the ambient temperature at the inlet of a heat exchanger. However, the above-mentioned temperature detection means cannot accurately measure the temperature of the heating unit (corresponding to the heater in the embodiment), and therefore cannot accurately control the temperature of the heating unit. Furthermore, since the temperature detection means is located away from the heater (corresponding to the heater in the embodiment), it is not possible to accurately measure an abnormally high temperature in the regeneration air passage (corresponding to the communication passage in the embodiment). An object of the present invention 3 is to provide a dehumidifier capable of controlling the temperature of the heater with high accuracy.
[0075] 2. Invention 3 (1) First dehumidifier The first dehumidifier is a rotatably supported dehumidifying rotor; A heater disposed upstream of the dehumidification rotor; A receiver disposed downstream of the dehumidification rotor; a cooler disposed downstream of the receiver; a blower for blowing air through the heater, the dehumidifying rotor, the receiver and the cooler; Equipped with the cooler has a heat exchanger and a communication passage connecting an upstream side of the heat exchanger and the receiver, A temperature sensor is provided in the communication passage at a position opposite to the communication port of the receiver. This allows the temperature of the air heated by the heater to be measured with high precision, and therefore the temperature of the heater of the heater can be controlled with high precision. Invention 3 focuses on the position of the temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the air heated by the heater, and the dehumidifying rotor, heater, and blower are not limited to those in the embodiment. In addition, the communication passage only needs to connect the heat exchange unit and the receiver, and is not limited to the embodiment, and the receiver only needs to be connected to the communication passage, and is not limited to the embodiment.
[0076] (2) Second dehumidifier The second dehumidifier is a first dehumidifier, the receiver has a sector shape or a shape similar thereto with a central angle at or near the center of the dehumidifying rotor, and is connected to the communication passage by an arc portion; the communication passage has an arc portion located on an outer circumferential side of the arc portion of the receiver, and an extension portion extending from a downstream end of the arc portion, The temperature sensor is provided on the receiver side relative to a connection portion between the extension portion and the arc portion. This allows the temperature of the air flowing through the communication passage to be detected with high accuracy.
[0077] <Invention 4> 1. Prior art JP 2021-151648 A discloses a dehumidifier equipped with an upper communication passage (corresponding to the "communication passage" in the embodiments) that connects a heating unit (corresponding to the "heater" in the embodiments) and a resin pipe (corresponding to the "heat exchange section" in the embodiments). However, in the upper communication passage, the wind speed was high on the upper side and low on the lower side, and the wind speed in the upper communication passage was not uniform. Therefore, the heat exchange performance varied greatly depending on the location of the heat exchanger, resulting in low heat exchange performance.
[0078] 2. Invention 4 (1) First dehumidifier The first dehumidifier is a rotatably supported dehumidifying rotor; A heater disposed upstream of the dehumidification rotor; A receiver disposed downstream of the dehumidification rotor; a cooler disposed downstream of the receiver; a blower for blowing air through the heater, the dehumidifying rotor, the receiver and the cooler; Equipped with the cooler has a heat exchanger and a communication passage connecting an upstream side of the heat exchanger and the receiver; the receiver has a sector shape or a similar shape with a central angle at or near the center of the dehumidifying rotor, and is connected to the communication passage by an arc portion; the communication passage has an arc portion located on an outer circumferential side of the arc portion of the receiver, and an extension portion extending from a downstream end of the arc portion, An upright portion that stands up toward the center is provided at or near a connection portion between an outer wall of the extension portion away from the center of the dehumidifying rotor and an outer wall of the arc portion away from the center. In this way, by blocking the part with the fastest wind speed with the upright parts, the heated air flows evenly through the heat exchange section, improving the heat exchange function. Here, attention is focused on the air flow in the communication passage of the cooler, and the dehumidifying rotor, heater, and blower are not limited to those in the embodiment. However, the communication passage and the receiver must be configured so that the air flowing on the side farther from the center of the dehumidifying rotor moves faster than the air flowing on the side closer to the center. The "connection part or the part nearby" in the position of the upright part is the same as that in the fourth dehumidifier of Invention 1.
[0079] (2) Second dehumidifier The second dehumidifier is a first dehumidifier, A thermal fuse is provided downstream of the dehumidifying rotor and at an end of the receiver in the direction of rotation of the dehumidifying rotor. This makes it possible to detect the temperature downstream of the dehumidification rotor. (3) The third dehumidifier The third dehumidifier is the first or second dehumidifier, The extension portion of the communication passage extends in a tangential direction from the downstream end of the arc portion. Dehumidifier. This allows air to flow smoothly from the arc portion to the extension portion. The communicating passage may be located upstream of the heat exchange section, and the extension section may extend horizontally, extend in a direction intersecting the horizontal, extend in the vertical direction, or extend in a direction intersecting the vertical direction.
[0080] (4) The fourth dehumidifier The fourth dehumidifier is a dehumidifier according to the first to third dehumidifiers, The receiver is provided with a central angle of the fan at or near the center of the dehumidifying rotor and with the arc portion positioned near the outer periphery of the dehumidifying rotor. This allows the dehumidifying rotor to be heated efficiently. Here, "vicinity" includes the inside or outside in the radial direction relative to the outer periphery, and means that the distance from the outer periphery is within 20% of the radius of the dehumidification rotor. The arc portion of the receiver may be an arc portion in a region where air that has passed through the dehumidifying rotor flows, and may not be an arc portion of the entire receiver. The receiver may be located in the first quadrant when viewed from the receiver side in the extension direction of the rotation shaft, or may be located so as to straddle the first and second quadrants, or may be located so as to straddle the first and fourth quadrants. It should be noted that "the center or near the center" refers to a position including the center and up to 20% of the radius of the dehumidification rotor from the center.
[0081] <Invention 5> 1. Prior art JP 2021-151648 A discloses a dehumidifier having a blower section (corresponding to the blower in the embodiment) above a dehumidifying function section (corresponding to the dehumidifier in the embodiment). However, if the motor for the fan that draws air into the housing and exhausts it out of the housing is broken, driving the dehumidifying function unit and the blowing unit will create negative pressure in the dehumidifying function unit as the blowing unit is driven, and air will be drawn in through the intake port of the housing. As a result, the temperature of the dehumidifying function unit does not rise much, and there are cases where the motor failure cannot be detected. An object of the fifth invention is to provide a dehumidifier capable of detecting a failure of a fan motor.
[0082] 2. Invention 5 (1) First dehumidifier The first dehumidifier is A dehumidifying device having a dehumidifying function section and an intake / exhaust function section in a housing having an intake port and an exhaust port; a blower having a blowing function unit that blows air discharged from an exhaust port of the housing; Equipped with The intake and exhaust function unit has a fan, a motor, and a rotation sensor that detects the rotation of the fan. This makes it possible to detect motor failure. Here, attention is focused on detection of motor rotation, and the housing, the dehumidifying function unit, and the blower are not limited to those in the embodiment.
[0083] <Invention 6> 1. Prior art JP 2021-151648 A discloses a dehumidifier equipped with an air blower above a dehumidifying function unit. In this dehumidifier, the air blower (corresponding to the air blower or air blower in the embodiment) can be rotated left and right relative to the upper wall of the dehumidifying function unit (corresponding to the dehumidifier in the embodiment), allowing the air blower to swing, and a power supply unit for the air blower is provided on the dehumidifying function unit side. However, the wiring between the blower unit and the power supply unit is located near the center of rotation of the swing, and is configured so that the wiring passes through a guide member provided in the blower unit, so there is a risk that the wiring will rub against the guide member when the unit swings, shortening the lifespan of the wiring. Invention 6 provides a dehumidifier whose wiring is less susceptible to chafing.
[0084] 2. Invention 6 (1) First dehumidifier The first dehumidifier is A dehumidification device having a dehumidification function unit and a power supply unit in a housing; a blower provided on an upper wall of the housing so as to be rotatable left and right; Equipped with Wiring between the air blower and the power supply passes through a through hole in the upper wall of the housing, A guide portion through which the wiring passes is provided on the upper wall of the housing. As a result, the guide portion or guide member does not rotate when the blower rotates, reducing friction with the wiring. In other words, the rotation (twist) of the wiring accompanying the rotation of the blower is smaller than the rotation of the blower. When the wiring is in contact with the guide portion, if the guide portion is provided on the blower side, the wiring will come into contact while the blower is rotating. On the other hand, if the guide portion is provided on the dehumidifier, the guide portion does not rotate, so the wiring will only come into contact when it rotates. Here, attention is focused on the wiring of the blower device that can rotate left and right, and the housing, the dehumidifying function unit, the power supply unit, and the blower device are not limited to those in the embodiment. The guide portion may be provided integrally with the housing (for example, in the case of an integrally molded part made of resin material) or may be provided as a separate member.
[0085] <Other> The matters specifying the invention of each invention are not limited by the matters specifying the invention of other inventions. Furthermore, each invention may include the matters specifying the invention of other inventions, or may include the configurations described in the embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]
[0086] X Dehumidifier A Dehumidifier B Air blower 1 Dehumidification function section 3. Intake and exhaust function section 4 Frames 5. Cabinet 5a Air intake 5b Exhaust port 5c aperture 7. Drainage reservoir 8. Blower function section 9. Base 11 Dehumidifying rotor 13 Heater 15 Receiver 17 Cooler 19 Blower 21 Duct 23 Drainage tray 25 Water stop valve 211a Rectifier 211b Front wall
Claims
1. a rotatably supported dehumidifying rotor; A heater disposed upstream of the dehumidification rotor; A receiver disposed downstream of the dehumidification rotor; a cooler disposed downstream of the receiver; a blower for blowing air through the heater, the dehumidifying rotor, the receiver and the cooler; Equipped with the cooler has a heat exchanger and a communication passage connecting an upstream side of the heat exchanger and the receiver, the receiver has a sector shape or a similar shape with a central angle at or near the center of the dehumidifying rotor, and is connected to the communication passage by an arc portion; the communication passage has an arc portion located on an outer circumferential side of the arc portion of the receiver, and an extension portion extending from a downstream end of the arc portion, The dehumidifying rotor has an opening on a central side thereof in the extension section, and an upstream side of the heat exchange section is connected to the opening. a rising portion rising toward the center is provided at a connection portion between an outer wall of the extension portion distant from the center of the dehumidifying rotor and an outer wall of the arc portion distant from the center or a portion in the vicinity of the connection portion; Dehumidifier.
2. a thermal fuse is provided at an end of the receiver on the downstream side of the dehumidification rotor in the direction of rotation of the dehumidification rotor; 2. The dehumidifier of claim 1.
3. The extension portion of the communication passage extends in a tangential direction from a downstream end of the arc portion.
2. The dehumidifier of claim 1.
4. The receiver is provided such that a central angle of the fan is at or near the center of the dehumidifying rotor and the arc portion is located near the outer periphery of the dehumidifying rotor.
2. The dehumidifier of claim 1.
5. The outer wall of the extension section away from the center of the dehumidifying rotor is inclined so as to approach the heat exchange section as it moves downstream.
2. The dehumidifier of claim 1.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Air blower
JP2007205642A
Blowing device
JP2012242038A
Air conditioner
JP2019095106A
Dehumidifier
JP2019150744A
Dehumidifier
JP2021151648A