Air treatment device

Abstract

To provide an air treatment device that can carry out air treatment according to purpose.SOLUTION: The air treatment unit 10 comprises a housing 11, a fan 61, an ultraviolet light source 64, an ozone generator 75, and a control unit. The housing 11 has a treatment space 42 inside. The fan 61 sucks air outside the housing 11 into the treatment space 42 by blowing air, and exhausts the air sucked into the treatment space 42 to the outside of the housing 11. The ultraviolet light source 64 irradiates the treatment space 42 with light in the ultraviolet region. The ozone generator 75 generates ozone and releases it into the air blown by the fan 61. The control unit controls the fan 61, the ultraviolet light source 64, and the ozone generator 75, and interlocks the operations of the ultraviolet light source 64 and the ozone generator 75.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE Embodiments of the present invention relate to an air treatment device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been an air treatment device that draws outside air into a housing using a fan, treats the air by irradiating the air with ultraviolet light from an ultraviolet light source, deodorizing it with a photocatalyst, or releasing ozone from an ozone generator, and then exhausts the treated air to the outside.

[0003] In such an air treatment device, it is desirable to be able to perform targeted air treatment based on the user's requests, operating conditions, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-99515 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an air treatment device capable of performing air treatment according to a purpose. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The air treatment device of the embodiment includes a housing, a fan, an ultraviolet light source, an ozone generator, and a controller. The housing has a treatment space inside. The fan draws air from outside the housing into the treatment space by blowing air, and exhausts the air drawn into the treatment space to the outside of the housing. The ultraviolet light source irradiates the treatment space with light in the ultraviolet region. The ozone generator generates ozone and releases the ozone into air blown by the fan. The controller controls the fan, the ultraviolet light source, and the ozone generator, and links the operations of the ultraviolet light source and the ozone generator. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the embodiment, it is expected that air treatment can be performed according to the purpose. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an air treatment device according to one embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the air treatment device with the front panel removed. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the air treatment unit of the air treatment device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the internal structure of the air treatment device. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a front view showing an ozone generator of the air treatment device. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ozone generator seen from the inside of the air treatment device. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the air treatment device. [Figure 9] 4 is a graph showing the relationship between ozone concentration and operating time when the ultraviolet light source of the air treatment device is turned on and off. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] The air treatment device in the following embodiment is a device that performs air treatment of any of sterilization, disinfection, sterilization, sterilization, deodorization, and deodorization by a predetermined method on the air flowing inside the air treatment device or the outside air. The air treatment of the air treatment device can be interpreted as any of sterilization, disinfection, sterilization, sterilization, deodorization, and deodorization. The predetermined method here is light irradiation, photocatalysis, ozone, and the like. Light irradiation refers to irradiation with light of wavelengths such as the UV-C region, UV-B region, UV-A region, visible light region, and infrared region. Photocatalysis refers to suppressing the activity of bacteria, viruses, and odor sources floating in the air, or decomposing them into water and carbon dioxide, by active enzymes and OH radicals generated by irradiating light (ultraviolet light or visible light) to a photocatalyst such as titanium oxide arranged inside the air treatment device. Ozone refers to oxidizing and deodorizing odor components in the air and odor components attached to the surface of an object.

[0011] 1 shows a perspective view of a free-standing air treatment device 10. The air treatment device 10 includes a housing 11 and leg members 12 that support the housing 11 in an upright position, for example, on a floor surface. The housing 11 is formed in a vertical shape that is wider in the left-right direction than it is deep in the front-rear direction, and is longer in the up-down direction than in the front-rear and left-right directions.

[0012] The housing 11 includes a main body 14 and a front panel 15 detachably disposed on the front side of the main body 14. A first ventilation port 16 through which air is ventilated is provided on the lower side of the housing 11, and a second ventilation port 17 through which air is ventilated is provided on the upper side. In this embodiment, the first ventilation port 16 is an intake port that draws air from the outside into the inside of the housing 11, and the second ventilation port 17 is an exhaust port that exhausts air from the inside of the housing 11 to the outside. On the upper surface of the main body 14, in front of the second ventilation port 17, an operation panel 18 having an operation unit for operating the air treatment device 10 and a display unit for displaying the operating state, etc. is provided. On the operation panel 18, an operation / stop button, a wind speed selection button, an ozone drive / stop button, an operation mode selection button, a timer button, etc. are arranged. The housing 11 may be formed as a rectangular housing having a rectangular tube shape (approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape) or a cylindrical housing having a cylindrical shape (approximately cylindrical shape).

[0013] The leg member 12 is placed on, for example, a floor surface and supports the housing 11 in an upright position. The leg member 12 forms a gap between the first ventilation hole 16 on the underside of the housing 11 and the floor surface, allowing air to be sucked in through the first ventilation hole 16.

[0014] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the housing 11 includes an outer housing 20 which is a resin housing forming an outer shell, and an inner housing 21 which is a metal housing covered by the outer housing 20 so as to be disposed within the outer housing 20.

[0015] The external housing 20 includes a pair of side panels 23 attached to the left and right sides of the internal housing 21, a back cover 24 attached to the back side of the internal housing 21, an upper cover 25 attached to the upper surface of the internal housing 21, and a front panel 15 detachably arranged to cover the front side of the internal housing 21. The side panels 23 on both sides, the back cover 24, the upper cover 25, and the internal housing 21 constitute a main body 14, and the front panel 15 is detachably attached to the front side of the main body 14. An operation panel 18 is disposed on the front side of the upper surface of the upper cover 25, and a second ventilation port 17 is formed on the rear side of the upper surface. A louver 26 is disposed in the second ventilation port 17 to rectify the direction of the exhaust air so that it is, for example, diagonally forward. The external housing 20 is a resin housing in which the front panel 15, the side panels 23, the back cover 24, and the upper cover 25 are all formed of a resin material.

[0016] 3 and 4 show the internal housing 21. The internal housing 21 includes a reflecting cylinder 28 that opens in the vertical direction, and a pair of side frames 29 attached to both the left and right sides of the reflecting cylinder 28. The reflecting cylinder 28 includes a front reflector 30, left and right side reflectors 31, and a rear reflector 32, and is formed in a rectangular cylinder shape with a wide width in the left and right direction. The side reflectors 31 and the rear reflector 32 on both sides are integrally formed by bending, and the front reflector 30 is separately attached to the front edge of the side frames 29 on both sides that are attached to the side reflectors 31 on both sides. The internal housing 21 is a metal housing in which the reflectors 30, 31, and 32 of the reflecting cylinder 28 and the side frames 29 are all made of metal materials. The reflecting cylinder 28 may have a structure in which the side reflectors 31 on both sides, the rear reflector 32, and the front reflector 30 are integrally formed by bending.

[0017] An intake side unit 34, which is a first unit disposed on the lower side of the internal housing 21, is attached between the lower ends of the side frames 29 on both sides at the lower side of the reflecting cylinder 28, and an exhaust side unit 35, which is a second unit disposed on the upper side of the internal housing 21, is attached between the upper ends of the side frames 29 on both sides at the upper side of the reflecting cylinder 28. A lower mounting part 36 for mounting the intake side unit 34 is provided at the lower end of each of the side frames 29, and an upper mounting part 37 for mounting the exhaust side unit 35 is provided at the upper end of each of the side frames 29. A power supply part 38, which is an AC / DC converter that converts commercial AC power into a predetermined DC power, and a control part 39 that controls each device provided in the air treatment device 10 are attached to the side frame 29 on one side, and a light source power supply part 40 is attached to the side frame 29 on the other side.

[0018] An air processing unit, which is a main unit, is configured by the inner housing 21, the intake side unit 34, the exhaust side unit 35, the power supply units 38, 40, and the control unit 39. The air processing unit is disposed inside the housing 11 (outer housing 20).

[0019] FIG. 5 shows the internal structure of the air treatment device 10.

[0020] The lower side of the internal housing 21 (reflecting tube 28) is connected to the first ventilation port 16 on the lower side of the housing 11, and the upper side of the internal housing 21 (reflecting tube 28) is connected to the second ventilation port 17 on the upper side of the housing 11. Inside the internal housing 21 (reflecting tube 28), a processing space 42 is formed in which air flows between the first ventilation port 16 and the second ventilation port 17. The processing space 42 includes a processing section 43 region through which air flows and is irradiated with ultraviolet light, a first processing opening 44 region on the first ventilation port 16 side, and a second processing opening 45 region on the second ventilation port 17 side. Air is sucked into the processing section 43 from the first processing opening 44, and air is exhausted to the outside of the processing section 43 from the second processing opening 45. It is preferable that the first processing opening 44 and the second processing opening 45 are configured to be approximately parallel to each other. The processing space 42 is surrounded on its front, back, left and right sides by metallic reflecting plates 30, 31 and 32 that reflect light in the ultraviolet region.

[0021] 4 and 5, the intake side unit 34 is attached to the lower side of the internal housing 21 and disposed in the first processing opening 44 of the processing space 42. The intake side unit 34 includes a light shielding device 50, a foreign matter trapping filter 51, and a photocatalyst 52. The light shielding device 50, the foreign matter trapping filter 51, and the photocatalyst 52 are disposed in this order from the upstream side of the air flow direction (air blowing direction A by the fan 61, hereinafter referred to as blowing direction A). Note that the foreign matter trapping filter 51, the light shielding device 50, and the photocatalyst 52 may also be disposed in this order from the upstream side of the air flow direction.

[0022] The light shielding device 50 includes a frame 54 with upper and lower openings, and a plurality of plate-shaped light shielding members 55 arranged inside the frame 54 along the upper and lower openings. The frame 54 is made of a metal material. The light shielding members 55 are preferably made of a material that has high light resistance, particularly to ultraviolet light, and low reflectance of ultraviolet light and visible light, and are made of, for example, metals such as iron, galvanized steel, and stainless steel, or fluoride resin, ABS resin, and the like. The light shielding members 55 are formed in a substantially dogleg-shaped cross section having a vertex 56 bent at a predetermined angle and a pair of light shielding plate portions 57 extending from the vertex 56 in a direction at a predetermined angle.

[0023] Adjacent light-shielding members 55 of a light-shielding device 50 are arranged at a pitch such that, when viewed from above, the vertex 56 or light-shielding plate portion 57 of one adjacent light-shielding member 55 overlaps with the light-shielding plate portion 57 or vertex 56 of the other adjacent light-shielding member 55.

[0024] The light shielding members 55 arranged in each of the left and right regions with the center of the light shielding device 50 in the left-right direction as a boundary are arranged at equal intervals with their vertices 56 facing each other. As a result, the air sucked into the processing space 42 through the light shielding members 55 of the light shielding device 50 flows so as to spread in the left-right direction of the processing space 42, and the air circulating in the processing section 43 flows diffusely without bias. The light shielding members 55 may be arranged so that all of their vertices 56 face the same direction, or so that their vertices 56 face the front and rear directions, or so that they are arranged circumferentially with their vertices 56 facing the circumferential direction when the housing 11 is cylindrical, square, or other tubular.

[0025] The foreign object trapping filter 51 is disposed so as to cover substantially the entire first ventilation port 16 or the surface of the frame portion 54 of the light blocking device 50 facing the first ventilation port 16. The foreign object trapping filter 51 traps foreign objects such as dust and pieces of paper sucked in together with the air from the first ventilation port 16. A metal mesh is used for the foreign object trapping filter 51. The foreign object trapping filter 51 is removable from the front side of the main body portion 14 after the front panel 15 is removed, and can be cleaned or replaced. The foreign object trapping filter 51 may be formed of a non-metallic material that has low resistance to ultraviolet light (for example, resin, cloth, paper, etc.). In this case, by disposing the foreign object trapping filter 51 upstream of the light blocking device 50 in the airflow direction A, deterioration due to irradiation with ultraviolet light can be prevented and the filter can be used for a long period of time.

[0026] The photocatalyst body 52 is supported by a support having a plurality of ventilation holes and a photocatalyst such as titanium oxide, and receives ultraviolet light or visible light with a wavelength component of at least 315 nm to 400 nm of UV-A from a light source unit disposed in the exhaust unit 35 or from a light source unit separate from this light source unit, thereby generating active enzymes and OH radicals, which decompose odor components in the air to deodorize and eliminate odors or suppress virus activity. The photocatalyst body 52 is detachable from the front side of the main body unit 14 after removing the front panel 15, and can be cleaned or replaced.

[0027] The foreign matter capturing filter 51 and the photocatalyst 52 are integrally combined to form a filter unit, which can be attached and detached as a whole from the front side of the main body 14 with the front panel 15 removed. On both the left and right sides of the frame 54 of the shading device 50, filter unit holding parts 54a are provided to hold the filter unit detachably from the front side of the main body 14.

[0028] 3 and 4, a metal door 58 is attached to the frame 54 of the light blocking device 50 in an openable and closable manner to press and cover the foreign matter trapping filter 51 and the photocatalyst 52 attached to the intake side unit 34 from the front side. Note that the door 58 is not shown in FIG.

[0029] Next, the exhaust side unit 35 is shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5. The exhaust side unit 35 is attached to the upper side of the internal housing 21 and disposed on the second processing opening 45 side of the processing space 42. The exhaust side unit 35 includes a light source unit 59, a mounting member 60 to which the light source unit 59 is attached in an insulated state, and two fans 61 disposed on the mounting member 60. The insulated state here means that, for example, the insulation resistance between the two members is a predetermined value or more, the distance between the two members is a predetermined distance or more, or an insulating member is interposed between the two members, thereby satisfying a predetermined insulation standard or safety standard. The light source unit 59, the mounting member 60, and the fan 61 are disposed in this order from the upstream side of the air blowing direction A.

[0030] The light source unit 59 includes a light source module in which one or more ultraviolet light sources 64, which are light emitting elements such as LEDs, organic electroluminescence (EL), and laser diodes, are mounted along the longitudinal direction of the surface of an elongated substrate 63. In this embodiment, two light source modules are used for the light source unit 59, which are attached to the lower surface side of the mounting member 60 at two locations spaced apart in the front-rear direction, and irradiate light in the ultraviolet region toward the inside of the processing unit 43 below, opposite the fan 61. The light source unit 59 may include one light source module, or three or more light source modules.

[0031] The substrate 63 has a base plate formed of a metal material such as aluminum, a resin material such as glass epoxy, or an inorganic material such as ceramics such as aluminum oxide or aluminum nitride. If the base plate is made of metal, an insulating layer is formed on the front side of the base plate, and a wiring pattern is formed on the base plate or insulating layer, including a plurality of pads for mounting the ultraviolet light source 64 and wiring sections for connecting these pads in series or series-parallel.

[0032] The ultraviolet light source 64 includes a first ultraviolet light source (sterilizing LED) that emits ultraviolet light having a wavelength component of UV-C with a peak wavelength of 280 nm or less for sterilizing air, preferably a wavelength component of 260 to 280 nm, and a second ultraviolet light source (photocatalyst LED) that emits light having a wavelength component of at least 315 nm to 420 nm in the UV-A or visible region for exciting the photocatalyst supported on the photocatalyst body 52. ​​The wavelength of the light emitted by the first ultraviolet light source (sterilizing LED) is shorter than the wavelength of the light emitted by the second ultraviolet light source (photocatalyst LED). The UV-C ultraviolet light source 64 and the UV-A ultraviolet light source 64 are arranged in a mixed state in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 63, for example, alternately arranged. The ultraviolet light source 64 is turned on by receiving a predetermined lighting power from the light source power supply unit 40. When the light source unit 59 includes two or more light source modules, the light source unit 59 may include a light source module including only the first ultraviolet light source and a light source module including only the second ultraviolet light source. Furthermore, when the air treatment device 10 is configured to include a second ultraviolet light source (photocatalytic LED) in addition to the light source unit 59, the light source unit 59 may be configured to include only the first ultraviolet light source (sterilizing LED).

[0033] The back side of the substrate 63 is attached to the heat dissipation block 65 by screwing, and the substrate 63 is attached to the mounting member 60 via this heat dissipation block 65. The heat dissipation block 65 is made of a metal such as aluminum, and is formed in a rectangular column shape with approximately the same length and width as the substrate 63.

[0034] The mounting member 60 is formed of a metal plate such as aluminum. The mounting member 60 is formed to have a substantially U-shaped cross section, including an upper surface portion 67 to which the fan 61 is attached, and a light source mounting portion 68 to which the light source portion 59 is attached, which is bent downward from the front and rear portions of the upper surface portion 67. Mounting piece portions 69 protrude from both ends in the left-right direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the upper surface portion 67. The mounting piece portions 69 at both ends are disposed on the upper mounting portions 37 at both ends in the left-right direction of the internal housing 21 and screwed, thereby mounting the mounting member 60 to the internal housing 21. The mounting member 60 also functions as a part of the internal housing 21. Two fans 61 are attached to the upper surface of the upper surface portion 67 in a line in the left-right direction. Two air outlets communicating with each fan 61 are provided in the upper surface portion 67 in a line in the left-right direction in correspondence with the mounting positions of each fan 61.

[0035] The fan 61 is an exhaust fan disposed on the exhaust side of the housing 11, and an axial fan is used. The fan 61 includes an impeller 71 that blows air in the axial direction, a motor 72 that rotates the impeller 71, and a frame 73 that supports the motor 72 and in which the impeller 71 is rotatably disposed. The fan 61 draws outside air into the processing unit 43 through the first ventilation port 16 on the lower side of the housing 11 and exhausts air in the processing unit 43 to the outside through the second ventilation port 17 on the upper side of the housing 11 by rotating the impeller 71 in a clockwise direction as viewed from above, generating an airflow in the blowing direction A and circulating the air from the outside to the processing unit 43 in the housing 11.

[0036] The fan 61 is attached to the mounting member 60 so as to communicate with an air outlet in an upper surface portion 67 of the mounting member 60. The fan 61 is supplied with a predetermined operating power from the power supply unit 38 and rotates.

[0037] The number of fans 61 may be one, or three or more. The fan 61 is not limited to an axial flow fan, and other fan types such as a centrifugal fan or a sirocco fan may be used.

[0038] 5 to 7, an ozone generator 75 that generates ozone is disposed inside the housing 11. The ozone generator 75 is disposed downstream of the photocatalyst 52, the ultraviolet light source 64, and the fan 61 in the air blowing direction A, and between one of the fans 61 and the second ventilation port 17.

[0039] The ozone generator 75 may be of any type, such as a silent discharge type, an electrolysis type, an ultraviolet lamp type, etc. In the ozone generator 75 of this embodiment, a silent discharge type is used.

[0040] The ozone generator 75 has a resin case 76, an ozone generating unit 77 arranged outside the case 76, and an ozone generating circuit unit (not shown) that is housed inside the case 76 and generates silent discharge in the ozone generating unit 77.

[0041] The case 76 includes a main body case 78 that houses the ozone generating circuit, and an electrode case 79 that is provided below the main body case 78 and in which the ozone generating unit 77 is disposed. The main body case 78 and the electrode case 79 may be provided separately, or the electrode case 79 may be provided so as to protrude from the lower surface of the main body case 78 as shown in Fig. 7. A connector 80 that connects a power supply cable from the power supply 38 to the ozone generating circuit is provided on the upper part of the main body case 78. The electrode case 79 is provided with an opening 81 that penetrates in the front-rear direction and in which the ozone generating unit 77 is disposed.

[0042] In the ozone generator 77, a pair of rod-shaped electrodes 83, the periphery of which is covered with a dielectric such as glass, are arranged in parallel, and a silent discharge (dielectric barrier discharge) occurs when a high voltage is applied between the two electrodes 83, and ozone is generated from oxygen in the air by electrons generated by this silent discharge. The pair of electrodes 83 of the ozone generator 77 are arranged parallel to the front or back of the case 76, perpendicular to the opening direction, which is the front-to-back direction of the opening 81 of the electrode case 79, and penetrating horizontally through the opening 81, with both ends supported within the electrode case 79.

[0043] The ozone generator 75 is attached to the rear side (inner side) of a front cover part 87 provided on the front side of the upper cover 25 by a mounting member 86. The mounting member 86 is made of metal and has a front part 88, side parts 89 on both sides of the front part 88 bent backward, claw-shaped pressing parts 90 bent from rear edges of the side parts 89 on both sides to face the front part 88, bottom parts 91 bent from lower edges of the side parts 89 on both sides to approach each other, and mounting piece parts 92 bent outward from upper edges of the side parts 89 on both sides and protruding. The mounting piece parts 92 on both sides of the mounting member 86 are disposed on a pair of mounting parts 93 protruding from the rear side of the front cover part 87 of the upper cover 25 and fixed by screws or the like.

[0044] An accommodation portion 94 that opens upward is formed between the front portion 88, both side portions 89, and the pressing portion 90 of the mounting member 86, and the ozone generator 75 is inserted into this accommodation portion 94 from above and removably attached.

[0045] The ozone generator 75 can be attached to and detached from the mounting member 86 through an opening on the upper surface of the top cover 25 by removing the operation panel 18 from the upper cover 25 and removing the control board 95 for the operation panel arranged below the operation panel 18. The ozone generator 75 can also be replaced.

[0046] In the ozone generator 75 attached to the mounting member 86, the electrode case part 79 and the ozone generating part 77 protrude downward from the bottom surface part 91 of the mounting member 86. The opening direction of the opening 81 of the electrode case part 79 faces the front-rear direction of the housing 11, the opening 81 faces the front cover part 87 of the upper cover 25 substantially in parallel, and the pair of electrodes 83 of the ozone generating part 77 are disposed substantially in parallel with the front cover part 87 and along the horizontal direction (left-right direction).

[0047] A maintenance window 96 is provided in the front cover part 87 of the upper cover 25 at a position facing the ozone generating part 77 of the ozone generator 75 so as to expose the electrode 83 of the ozone generating part 77. The window 96 is provided long along the left-right direction, which is the longitudinal direction (axial direction) of the electrode 83 of the ozone generating part 77.

[0048] The ozone generator 75 disposed in the housing 11 is disposed in an upper region of the outer shape of one of the fans 61, that is, in an air discharge region where air is discharged upward from one of the fans 61. Therefore, the air discharged from the fan 61 flows to the ozone generating section 77 of the ozone generator 75 and is exhausted to the outside from the second ventilation port 17 above. Therefore, the ozone generated in the ozone generating section 77 is efficiently supplied to the air exhausted to the outside from the second ventilation port 17. Ozone decomposes odor components in the air to deodorize and eliminate odors, and suppresses virus activity. When released into the room, it also decomposes and deodorizes odor components attached to the ceiling, walls, and floor of the room, as well as objects placed in the room.

[0049] The housing 11 has one surface in a direction intersecting the airflow direction A, and the front surface of the main body 14 exposed by removing the front panel 15 is configured as a work surface 14a for performing maintenance work. From the work surface 14a of the main body 14 with the front panel 15 removed, the foreign matter capturing filter 51 and the photocatalyst 52 can be attached and detached, and the electrode 83 of the ozone generator 75 exposed through the window hole 96 can be cleaned.

[0050] Furthermore, a front panel detector 98 such as a microswitch that detects attachment / detachment of the front panel 15 to the main body 14 is disposed on the front cover portion 87 of the upper cover 25. When the front panel detector 98 detects the front panel 15 attached to the main body 14, the control portion 39 enables the operation of the fan 61, the ultraviolet light source 64, and the ozone generator 75, and may also prohibit the operation of at least the ultraviolet light source 64 and the ozone generator 75, and further prohibit the operation of the fan 61, when the front panel detector 98 does not detect the front panel 15 due to the front panel 15 being detached from the main body 14.

[0051] FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of the air treatment device 10.

[0052] The air treatment device 10 includes a plug-equipped cord 101 that is connected to an outlet to which AC power is supplied from a commercial power source, a filter circuit 102 that reduces noise superimposed on the power line, an AC / DC power supply unit 103 which is the power supply unit 38, a drive control device 104 that controls the drive of the air treatment device 10, and an operation panel 18, a fan 61, an ultraviolet light source 64, and an ozone generator 75 all connected to the drive control device 104.

[0053] The drive control device 104 includes a fan power supply unit that rotates the fan 61, a light source power supply unit 40 that turns on the ultraviolet light source 64, and an ozone generator power supply unit that operates the ozone generator 75.

[0054] Furthermore, the drive control device 104 includes a control unit 39 that controls the operations of the fan 61, the ultraviolet light source 64, and the ozone generator 75. The control unit 39 has a plurality of operation modes that link the operations of the fan 61, the ultraviolet light source 64, and the ozone generator 75, for example, first to fourth operation modes.

[0055] In a first mode of operation, the fan 61, the UV light source 64 and the ozone generator 75 are all operated.

[0056] In the second operating mode, the fan 61 and the ozone generator 75 are operated, and the ultraviolet light source 64 is turned off or turned on at a reduced output.

[0057] In a third mode of operation, the fan 61 and UV light source 64 are operated and the ozone generator 75 is turned off.

[0058] In the fourth operation mode (first stop mode), the fan 61 and the ozone generator 75 are stopped, and the ultraviolet light source 64 is turned on.

[0059] The control unit 39 operates in an operation mode selected by operating the operation mode selection button on the operation panel 18, or by selecting an automatic operation mode, automatically switches the operation mode depending on the situation, such as when operation starts or stops, or the ozone concentration measured when an ozone sensor is used.

[0060] In addition, in the first and fourth operating modes in which the ultraviolet light source 64 and the ozone generator 75 are operating, the control unit 39 may turn off the ultraviolet light source 64 or reduce its lighting output for a predetermined period of time when the ozone generator 75 starts operating, and after the predetermined period has elapsed, turn on the ultraviolet light source 64 or set it to a predetermined lighting output.

[0061] Furthermore, when stopping operation from the operating state in the first and second operating modes in which the ozone generator 75 operates, the control unit 39 may stop the ozone generator 75, continue operating at least the fan 61 for a predetermined time, and stop the fan 61 after the predetermined time has elapsed (fifth operating mode or second stop mode).

[0062] The operation of air treatment system 10 will then be described.

[0063] As the fan 61 rotates, outside air is sucked into the processing section 43 of the processing space 42 through the first ventilation opening 16 on the lower side of the housing 11, via the shading device 50, the foreign matter capturing filter 51 and the photocatalyst 52, and the air inside the processing section 43 is exhausted to the outside through the second ventilation opening 17 on the upper side via the fan 61, so that air from the outside circulates inside the processing section 43.

[0064] When the ultraviolet light source 64 is turned on, the ultraviolet light source 64 irradiates the processing section 43 with the above-mentioned UV-C and UV-A ultraviolet light, and the air flowing through the processing section 43 is sterilized with at least the UV-C ultraviolet light with a peak wavelength of 280 nm or less. The air irradiated with the ultraviolet light is exhausted to the outside from the second ventilation port 17 on the upper side through the fan 61.

[0065] Heat generated when the ultraviolet light source 64 is turned on is transferred to the heat dissipation block 65, and is further transferred from the heat dissipation block 65 to the mounting member 60 and dissipated. Furthermore, since the ultraviolet light source 64, the heat dissipation block 65, and the mounting member 60 are arranged in the air passage of the air from the processing unit 43 toward the second ventilation port 17, the heat transferred to each location is efficiently dissipated into the air, the temperature rise of the ultraviolet light source 64 is suppressed, and the output of the ultraviolet light source 64 is maintained and the life of the ultraviolet light source 64 is extended.

[0066] In addition, in the light blocking device 50 of the intake side unit 34, outside air is sucked into the processing section 43 from the first ventilation port 16 through the gaps between the multiple light blocking members 55. Furthermore, in the light blocking device 50, the light in the ultraviolet region passing through the opening region of the photocatalyst 52 and the foreign matter capturing filter 51 is blocked, thereby preventing light leakage from the first ventilation port 16.

[0067] The foreign object capture filter 51 captures foreign objects such as dust and pieces of paper that are sucked in together with the air from the first ventilation port 16 on the lower side. The foreign object capture filter 51 is preferably disposed on the path of air from the first ventilation port 16 to the photocatalyst 52. The foreign object capture filter 51 is disposed, for example, between the first ventilation port 16 and the light shielding device 50, or between the light shielding device 50 and the photocatalyst 52. Since the foreign object capture filter 51 is made of a metal material, even if it is disposed together with the photocatalyst 52 downstream of the light shielding device 50 in the air blowing direction A, deterioration due to irradiation with light in the ultraviolet region can be prevented.

[0068] When the photocatalyst 52 is irradiated with ultraviolet light or visible light of at least the UV-A wavelength component with a peak wavelength of 315 nm to 420 nm emitted from the ultraviolet light source 64, active enzymes and OH radicals are generated, and the generated active enzymes and OH radicals decompose odorous components in the air to deodorize and eliminate odors and suppress viral activity.

[0069] Furthermore, operation of the ozone generator 75 causes ozone to be generated from the ozone generating unit 77, which is supplied to the air flowing from the fan 61 to the second ventilation port 17 and released to the outside together with the air. Ozone decomposes odorous components in the air to deodorize and eliminate odors and suppresses viral activity, and when released into the room, it also decomposes and deodorizes odorous components attached to the ceiling, walls, and floor of the room, as well as objects placed in the room.

[0070] In addition, the ozone generated by the ozone generator 75 is disposed within the upper region of the outer shape of the fan 61, that is, within the air discharge region where air is discharged upward from one of the fans 61. Therefore, the air discharged from the fan 61 flows upward through the ozone generating section 77 of the ozone generator 75 to the second ventilation port 17, and the ozone generated in the ozone generating section 77 is efficiently released together with the air exhausted to the outside from the second ventilation port 17.

[0071] In addition, the photocatalyst 52 is preferably washed periodically since dirt adheres to it over time and the processing capacity is reduced. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the front panel 15 is removed from the main body 14 to expose the work surface 14a of the main body 14, the opening and closing door 58 is opened (not shown in FIG. 2, see FIG. 3 and FIG. 4), and the integrally combined foreign matter trapping filter 51 and photocatalyst 52 are pulled out forward. The pulled-out photocatalyst 52 is washed, and the foreign matter trapping filter 51 is cleaned of dust adhering thereto. After maintenance, the foreign matter trapping filter 51 and photocatalyst 52 are inserted back into the main body 14 from the front, and the front panel 15 is attached to the main body 14.

[0072] In addition, if dust adheres to the electrode 83 of the ozone generating unit 77 of the ozone generator 75, the discharge area of ​​the electrode 83 decreases, and the ozone generating capacity decreases, so it is preferable to periodically clean the electrode 83 to remove dust. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the front panel 15 is removed from the main body 14 to expose the working surface 14a of the main body 14, and the electrode 83 of the ozone generating unit 77 exposed through the window 96 provided in the front cover part 87 of the upper cover 25 is cleaned with a cleaning tool such as a nonwoven fabric, a cotton swab, or a brush. The range in which the electrode 83 of the ozone generating unit 77 can be cleaned through the window 96 is the front side, upper side, and lower side of the electrode 83, and it is difficult to clean the rear side where the cleaning tool cannot reach. However, the rear side of the electrode 83 is less likely to attract dust because the flow of air discharged from the fan 61 is stronger than that of the front side, and the impact on the decrease in the ozone generating capacity is small. After cleaning, the front panel 15 is attached to the main body 14.

[0073] Furthermore, by removing the front panel 15 from the main body 14, the foreign matter capturing filter 51 and the photocatalyst 52 can be removed from the exposed work surface 14a of the main body 14, and the ozone generator 75 can be cleaned. This means that these tasks can be performed at once, improving maintenance workability.

[0074] Furthermore, when the front panel 15 is removed from the main body 14 and the front panel detection unit 98 no longer detects the front panel 15, the operation of at least the ultraviolet light source 64 and the ozone generator 75 is prohibited, so that light in the ultraviolet range does not leak to the outside when the photocatalyst 52 is removed, and the electrode 83 to which a voltage is applied does not come into contact when the ozone generator 75 is cleaned.

[0075] Furthermore, since the ozone generator 75 is positioned downstream of the ultraviolet light source 64, the fan 61, and even the inner housing 21, which is a metal housing, in the air blowing direction A, the influence of the oxidizing action of ozone on the metal materials of the ultraviolet light source 64 and the fan 61 and on the inner housing 21 can be suppressed.

[0076] By the way, ozone has an absorption peak particularly at 260 nm, and when irradiated with light in the ultraviolet region of UV-C, it has the property of being decomposed into oxygen molecules O2 and oxygen atoms O.

[0077] So, the sealed volume is 25m 3 The air treatment device 10 was installed in the test space, and ozone was generated by operating the ozone generator 75. The change in ozone concentration in the test space was measured when the ultraviolet light source 64 was turned on and off, and the results are shown in Figure 9. In Figure 9, the case when the ultraviolet light source 64 was turned on is indicated as UV-C on, and the case when the ultraviolet light source 64 was turned off is indicated as UV-C off.

[0078] As a result, there was no difference in ozone concentration whether the ultraviolet light source 64 was turned on or off for the first 30 minutes after the start of operation, but the ozone concentration was lower when the ultraviolet light source 64 was turned on after 30 minutes had passed. This is thought to be because the ozone released into the test space was sucked into the treatment space 42 of the housing 11 together with the air, and the ultraviolet light caused the ozone decomposition action.

[0079] Furthermore, the difference in ozone concentration was small from the start of operation until 120 minutes, but after 120 minutes, the ozone concentration was higher when the ultraviolet light source 64 was turned off. The reason for this is that after about 120 minutes, the ozone concentration in the test space increases, and this high concentration of ozone is sucked into the treatment space 42 of the housing 11 together with the air. When the ultraviolet light source 64 is turned on, the high concentration of ozone is efficiently decomposed by the ultraviolet light in the treatment space 42 of the housing 11, and the reduction in the ozone released into the test space is large, and the ozone concentration in the test space is suppressed. On the other hand, when the ultraviolet light source 64 is turned off, there is no ozone decomposition action by the ultraviolet light in the treatment space 42 of the housing 11, and the reduction in the ozone released into the test space is small, so the ozone concentration in the test space is thought to be high.

[0080] Therefore, the air treatment device 10 of this embodiment can also meet the needs of users who want to prioritize deodorization and disinfection in the room, or prioritize sterilization of the air, by controlling the operational relationship between the ultraviolet light source 64 and the ozone generator 75.

[0081] The air treatment device 10 can be operated in an operation mode selected by the user operating the operation mode selection button on the operation panel 18, or can be operated in an automatic operation mode where the operation mode is automatically switched depending on the operating conditions, such as when operation starts or stops, or the ozone concentration measured when an ozone sensor is used.

[0082] During operation in the first operation mode, the fan 61, the ultraviolet light source 64, and the ozone generator 75 are all operated, so that sterilization by ultraviolet light and deodorization and sterilization by ozone are performed in parallel.

[0083] Furthermore, when operating in the second operating mode, the fan 61 and ozone generator 75 are operated, and the ultraviolet light source 64 is turned off or its lighting output is reduced. This means that even if the ozone released into the room is sucked into the treatment space 42 of the housing 11 together with the air, ultraviolet light is not irradiated, or if it is irradiated, the intensity is low, and the reduction in ozone is suppressed. This makes it possible to increase the ozone concentration in the room in a short period of time, for example, when starting operation or when it is desired to reduce odors in the room in a short period of time.

[0084] In addition, when operating in the third operating mode, the fan 61 and the ultraviolet light source 64 are operated and the ozone generator 75 is stopped, thereby making it possible to enhance the sterilization effect of ultraviolet light on the air sucked into the treatment space 42 of the housing 11.

[0085] Also, when the air treatment device 10 stops operating, it may switch to operating in a fourth operation mode (first stop mode) and stop operating after a predetermined time has elapsed. The fourth operation mode (first stop mode) is preferably operated in conjunction with at least one of the first operation mode, the second operation mode, and the third operation mode. In detail, it is preferable to switch to the fourth operation mode (first stop mode) after operating in at least one of the first operation mode, the second operation mode, and the third operation mode. Note that the fourth operation mode (first stop mode) may be independently selectable by the operation panel 18 or the like. During operation in the fourth operation mode (first stop mode), the fan 61 and the ozone generator 75 are stopped and the ultraviolet light source 64 is turned on, thereby preventing ozone in the room from being sucked into the housing 11, and decomposing the ozone remaining in the housing 11 with ultraviolet light, thereby preventing deterioration of metal parts in the housing 11 caused by ozone.

[0086] When the air treatment device 10 is stopped, the device may switch to a fifth operation mode (second stop mode) and stop operation after a predetermined time has elapsed. The fifth operation mode (second stop mode) is preferably operated in conjunction with at least one of the first operation mode, the second operation mode, and the third operation mode. The fifth operation mode (second stop mode) may be independently selectable by the operation panel 18 or the like. When the device is operated in the fifth operation mode (second stop mode), the ozone generator 75 is stopped and the fan 61 and the ultraviolet light source 64 are operated, so that the ozone remaining in the housing 11 is quickly discharged to the outside, and the ozone remaining in the housing 11 is decomposed by ultraviolet light, thereby suppressing deterioration of metal parts in the housing 11 due to ozone. The fifth operation mode (second stop mode) can be used when it is desired to remove ozone from a room that is a treatment space or when it is desired to reduce the ozone odor in the room.

[0087] In the first operation mode in which both the ultraviolet light source 64 and the ozone generator 75 are operating, the ultraviolet light source 64 may be turned off or the lighting output may be reduced for a predetermined period when the ozone generator 75 starts operating, and the ultraviolet light source 64 may be turned on or the lighting output may be set to a predetermined value after the predetermined period has elapsed. In this case, when the ultraviolet light source 64 is turned off or the lighting output is reduced, it is difficult to prevent the room from being filled with ozone, so that the ozone concentration can be increased in a relatively short time. Here, the predetermined time for turning off the ultraviolet light source 64 or reducing the lighting output is, for example, 30 minutes or more and 60 minutes or less.

[0088] As described above, in the air treatment device 10 of this embodiment, the operation of the ultraviolet light source 64 and the ozone generator 75 can be linked by the above-mentioned operating modes, so that air treatment can be performed according to the purpose based on the user's requests, operating conditions, etc.

[0089] In addition, since the ozone generator 75 is disposed downstream of the air blowing direction A, the ozone generated by the ozone generator 75 is not reduced by irradiation with ultraviolet light or by contact with the photocatalyst 52 before being released into the room, and the ozone can be efficiently released together with the air exhausted from the housing 11 to the outside by the fan 61.

[0090] Furthermore, the photocatalyst 52 can be attached and detached and the ozone generator 75 can be cleaned from one side of the work surface 14a of the housing 11, improving the ease of maintenance work.

[0091] In addition, the first ventilation port 16 on the lower side of the housing 11 may remain as an intake port, the second ventilation port 17 on the upper side as an exhaust port, and the fan 61 may be disposed on the side of the first ventilation port 16 on the lower side as an intake fan.

[0092] Also, the first ventilation opening 16 on the lower side of the housing 11 may be an exhaust opening, and the second ventilation opening 17 on the upper side may be an intake opening. In this case, the fan 61 may be rotated in the reverse direction, or the fan 61 may be disposed on the first ventilation opening 16 side.

[0093] The air treatment device 10 is not limited to a freestanding type, but can also be used as a wall-mounted type. In the case of a wall-mounted type, the leg member 12 is not used, and instead a ventilation cover disposed on the first ventilation port 16 is used. A wall mounting member that is attached to the wall is separately used, and the back side of the air treatment device 10 is attached to the wall mounting member attached to the wall.

[0094] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 10 Air Treatment Equipment 11. Cabinet 39 Control Unit 42 Processing Space 61 Fans 64 UV light source 75 Ozone Generator

Claims

1. A housing having a processing space therein; a fan that draws air outside the housing into the processing space by blowing air and exhausts the air drawn into the processing space to the outside of the housing; an ultraviolet light source that irradiates the treatment space with light in the ultraviolet region; an ozone generator that generates ozone and releases the ozone into air blown by the fan; a control unit that controls the fan, the ultraviolet light source, and the ozone generator and links the operations of the ultraviolet light source and the ozone generator; An air treatment device comprising:

2. The control unit has a first operating mode in which both the ultraviolet light source and the ozone generator are operated.

2. The air treatment system of claim 1.

3. The control unit has a second operation mode in which the ozone generator is operated and the ultraviolet light source is turned off or the output of the ultraviolet light source is reduced.

2. The air treatment system of claim 1.

4. The control unit has a third operating mode in which the ultraviolet light source is turned on and the ozone generator is turned off.

2. The air treatment system of claim 1.

5. The control unit has a fourth operation mode in which the ozone generator is stopped and the ultraviolet light source is turned on.

2. The air treatment system of claim 1.

6. The control unit has a fourth operation mode in which the ozone generator is stopped and the ultraviolet light source is turned on, and the control unit operates in the first operation mode and then transitions to the fourth operation mode.

3. The air treatment system of claim 2.

7. The control unit has a fourth operation mode in which the ozone generator is stopped and the ultraviolet light source is turned on, and the control unit operates in the second operation mode and then transitions to the fourth operation mode.

4. An air treatment system according to claim 3.

8. The control unit has a fourth operation mode in which the ozone generator is stopped and the ultraviolet light source is turned on, and the control unit operates in the third operation mode and then transitions to the fourth operation mode.

5. An air treatment system according to claim 4.

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