Air cleaner

Abstract

To provide an air cleaner capable of achieving both an air cleaning function and a heater function.SOLUTION: An air cleaner includes: a housing in which an air passage is formed having a suction port, a first blowout port and a second blowout port; a filter provided in the air passage; an air blowing part for generating an airflow flowing in the air passage; and a heater provided in the air passage, and for heating the air. The air passage is branched into a first branch air passage communicating with the first blowout port, and a second branch air passage communicating with the second blowout port. The filter is provided closer to the upstream side of the airflow than the first branch air passage and the second branch air passage. In the first branch air passage, the air heated by the heater flows.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air purifying device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, air purifying devices have been disclosed.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an assembly applicable to an air purifying device. Such an assembly includes a motor-driven impeller for generating an air flow, a nozzle including a first air outlet, and a heater element.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the above structure, when the wind speed is increased to enhance the air purifying function, the wind speed of the warm air also increases, resulting in a decrease in the perceived temperature. Therefore, it has been difficult to achieve both the air purifying function and the heater function.

[0006] In view of the above problems, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an air purifying device capable of achieving both an air purifying function and a heater function.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] An air purifying apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing in which an air passage having a suction port, a first air outlet, and a second air outlet is formed, a filter provided in the air passage, a blower unit that generates an air current flowing through the air passage, and a heater provided in the air passage that heats air. The air passage branches into a first branch air passage leading to the first air outlet and a second branch air passage leading to the second air outlet. The filter is provided upstream of the air current with respect to the first branch air passage and the second branch air passage. The first branch air passage is characterized in that air heated by the heater flows therethrough.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] As described above, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an air purifying apparatus that can achieve both an air purifying function and a heater function without degrading the air purifying function.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail. It should be noted that the embodiments described below do not unduly limit the content of the present disclosure described in the claims, and not all of the configurations described in the embodiments are necessarily essential as the solution means of the present disclosure. In the drawings, the left-right X direction is the front-rear direction of the air purifier 100, the Y direction is the width direction of the air purifier 100, and the Z direction is the height direction of the air purifier 100.

[0011] FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an air purifier 100 according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the air purifier 100 according to the present disclosure includes a housing 10, a filter 20, a blower unit 30, and a heater 40. Further, the air purifier 100 according to the present disclosure is preferably used for an electric air purifier with a warm air function.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, an air passage P is formed inside the housing 10.

[0013] The air passage P has a suction port 11, a first air outlet 12, and a second air outlet 13. Further, the air passage P branches into a first branch air passage P1 leading to the first air outlet 12 and a second branch air passage P2 leading to the second air outlet 13.

[0014] The suction port 11 is an opening for sucking air from the rear surface, which is the rear of the housing 10, as indicated by the arrow shown in FIG. 2. The air sucked from the suction port 11 passes through the air passage P and blows out from the first air outlet 12 and / or the second air outlet 13.

[0015] The suction port 11 is provided at the rear of the housing 10. Further, it is preferable that the suction port 11 is provided at the rear and lower part of the housing 10.

[0016] The first air outlet 12 is provided in front of the housing 10. Also, the first air outlet 12 is preferably provided in front of and below the housing 10. Further, the first air outlet 12 blows out an air current in front of the housing 10. Also, a wind direction plate 16 is provided at the first air outlet 12.

[0017] The second air outlet 13 is provided above the housing 10. Also, the second air outlet 13 blows out an air current above the housing 10. A louver 60 may be provided at the second air outlet 13. By rotating the louver 60, the air blown out from the second air outlet 13 can be blown out not only upward but also upward and forward, and upward and backward. Also, a shaft 61 is provided on the louver 60 so that the louver 60 can rotate.

[0018] Also, the angle of the air blown out above and behind the housing 10 is preferably 10° to 30° with respect to the vertical direction. In this way, the Coandă air current can be generated more efficiently.

[0019] The air purifying device 100 according to the present disclosure preferably includes a discharge device 15 that generates ions in the housing 10. The discharge device 15 discharges positive ions H + (H2O) m (m is an arbitrary natural number) and negative ions O 2- (H2O) n (n is an arbitrary natural number), which are ions in which water molecules are aggregated, into the air flowing through the air passage P in the housing 10. The discharge device 15 includes a discharge electrode and an induction electrode exposed in the air passage P, and a corona discharge is generated by applying a high voltage to the discharge electrode and the induction electrode, and the above ions are generated. The above ions have a sterilizing effect, a deodorizing effect, a virus action suppressing effect, and an electrostatic suppression effect. Note that the discharge device 15 is not limited to generating the above ions in the air. The discharge device 15 may discharge positive and negative ions other than the above ions, or negative ions.

[0020] The filter 20 is provided upstream of the air passage P and downstream of the suction port 11. In other words, the filter 20 is provided upstream of the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2 on the upstream side of the air flow.

[0021] The filter 20 is a dust collecting filter for collecting and removing fine dust contained in the air taken into the housing 10 from the suction port 11. Examples of the filter 20 include a HEPA filter.

[0022] The blower unit 30 generates an air flow flowing through the air passage P. The blower unit 30 also has a common fan 31 provided upstream of the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2 on the upstream side of the air flow.

[0023] The common fan 31 is a fan that blows air into the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2.

[0024] The blower unit 30 may also have a first branch fan 32 provided in the first branch air passage P1 and a second branch fan 33 provided in the second branch air passage P2. The first branch fan 32 is a fan that blows air into the first branch air passage P1, and the second branch fan 33 is a fan that blows air into the second branch air passage P2. Furthermore, the blower unit 30 may be configured to have the common fan 31 and the first or second branch fan. By providing the first branch fan 32 and the second branch fan 33, the air volume of the air flow flowing through the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2 can be adjusted more finely than in the case where the first branch fan 32 and the second branch fan 33 are not provided.

[0025] The heater 40 is provided in the air passage P and heats the air. In this embodiment, the heater 40 is disposed in the first branch air passage P1. The air heated by the heater 40 passes through the first branch air passage P1 and is blown out from the first outlet 12 ahead.

[0026] Here, as the wind speed increases, the perceived temperature of a person may decrease. When the air purifying device 100 is electric, for ordinary household use, there is a limit to the power consumption of the heater 40. For example, the maximum power is about 1200 W, and there is an upper limit to the heating temperature of the heater 40. Therefore, in order to obtain a sufficient sense of warmth, it is necessary to reduce the warm air volume flow rate to, for example, about 2 CMM. In such a case, in the case of a structure in which all the air passing through the filter 20 passes through the heater 40, reducing the warm air volume flow rate also reduces the amount of air passing through the filter 20, so the air purification effect is reduced.

[0027] Therefore, the air purifying device 100 according to the present disclosure includes the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2, so that the air purification function and the heater function can be made compatible without degrading the air purification function.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, the air purifying device 100 according to the present disclosure preferably further includes an adjustment unit 50 that adjusts the air volume ratio between the air flow flowing through the first branch air passage P1 and the air flow flowing through the second branch air passage P2. Further, the adjustment unit 50 adjusts the opening degree of at least one of the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2. This will be described in detail below.

[0029] The adjustment unit 50 of the present embodiment has a damper 51 that opens and closes both inlets of the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage. The damper 51 is an air flow control valve. The damper 51 is provided at the branch point between the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2 in the air passage P. The damper 51 is configured to be movable between a position where the inlet of the first branch air passage P1 is closed and a position where the inlet of the second branch air passage P2 is closed. When the damper 51 opens both the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2, it is located between the inlet of the first branch air passage P1 and the inlet of the second branch air passage P2 (see FIG. 2). The adjustment unit 50 adjusts the opening degrees of the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2 according to the position of the damper 51, thereby adjusting the air volume ratio between the air flow flowing through the first branch air passage P1 and the air flow flowing through the second branch air passage P2.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state where the adjustment unit 50 opens both the inlet of the first branch air passage P1 and the inlet of the second branch air passage P2. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state where the adjustment unit 50 completely closes the inlet of the second branch air passage P2 and adjusts the air volume ratio between the air flow flowing through the first branch air passage P1 and the air flow flowing through the second branch air passage P2. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state where the adjustment unit 50 completely closes the inlet of the first branch air passage P1 and adjusts the air volume ratio between the air flow flowing through the first branch air passage P1 and the air flow flowing through the second branch air passage P2. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state where the adjustment unit 50 closes a part of the inlet of the second branch air passage P2 and adjusts the air volume ratio between the air flow flowing through the first branch air passage P1 and the air flow flowing through the second branch air passage P2. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state where the adjustment unit 50 closes a part of the inlet of the first branch air passage P1 and adjusts the air volume ratio between the air flow flowing through the first branch air passage P1 and the air flow flowing through the second branch air passage P2.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6, the adjustment unit 50 adjusts the air volume ratio between the air flow flowing through the first branch air passage P1 and the air flow flowing through the second branch air passage P2. In the air purifier 100 shown in FIG. 3, the adjustment unit 50 completely closes the second branch air passage P2 and opens the first branch air passage P1, and adjusts so that all the air from the suction port 11 is blown out from the first blowout port 12. On the other hand, in the air purifier 100 shown in FIG. 4, the adjustment unit 50 completely closes the first branch air passage P1 and opens the second branch air passage P2, and adjusts so that all the air from the suction port 11 is blown out from the second blowout port 13. And in the air purifier 100 shown in FIG. 5, the adjustment unit 50 closes the second branch air passage P2 about halfway and opens the first branch air passage P1, and adjusts so that more air from the suction port 11 is blown out from the first blowout port 12 than from the second blowout port 13. Also, in the air purifier 100 shown in FIG. 6, the adjustment unit 50 closes the first branch air passage P1 about halfway and opens the second branch air passage P2, and adjusts so that more air from the suction port 11 is blown out from the second blowout port 13 than from the first blowout port 12.

[0032] For example, when operating the air purifier 100 in the heating mode, the position of the damper 51 is set to a position that opens both the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2 (see Fig. 2). The air sucked in from the suction port 11 and passing through the filter 20 branches into the air passing through the first branch air passage P1 and the air passing through the second branch air passage P2. Therefore, while reducing the air volume blown out from the first air outlet 12 through the heater 40 to a small amount (e.g., 2 CMM), the air volume of the air flow passing through the filter 20 can be ensured (e.g., 6 CMM). Thereby, a decrease in the perceived temperature of the user hit by the air blown out from the first air outlet 12 can be suppressed, and the air purification function can be improved. Further, by setting the position of the damper 51 to a position that closes a part of the first branch air passage P1 (see Fig. 6), the air volume of the air flow blown out from the first air outlet 12 can be further reduced, and the decrease in the perceived temperature due to the air flow can be more effectively suppressed.

[0033] Also, in the heating mode, it is preferable that the louver 60 adjusts the direction of the air flow so that the air flow blows out in a direction inclined with respect to the vertical direction. That is, when the heater 40 is operating, in order to blow the air above and behind the housing 10, the angle of the louver 60 is 10° to 30° with respect to the vertical direction, and it is preferably tilted upward and backward. Alternatively, a slope of 10° to 30° may be provided on the wall surface behind the second air outlet 13 with respect to the vertical direction, and the direction of the air flow may be adjusted so that the air flow blows out in the inclined direction. In this way, the Coanda air flow can be generated more efficiently. The warm air near the ceiling can be circulated to warm the entire room. Therefore, in this way, efficient heating can be achieved.

[0034] Also, for example, when operating the air purifier 100 in the air cleaning mode (heater 40 stopped), the position of the damper 51 is set to a position that closes the first branch air passage P1 (see FIG. 4). Substantially all of the air sucked in from the suction port 11 and passing through the filter 20 is blown out from the second air outlet 12 and not blown out from the first air outlet 13. Thereby, while ensuring the amount of air in the air flow passing through the filter 20, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the perceived temperature due to the wind directly hitting the user in front of the air purifier 100.

[0035] Also, for example, when operating the air purifier 100 in the air blowing mode (heater 40 stopped), the position of the damper 51 is set to a position that closes the second branch air passage P2 (see FIG. 3). Substantially all of the air sucked in from the suction port 11 and passing through the filter 20 is blown out from the first air outlet 12. Thereby, while ensuring the amount of air in the air flow passing through the filter 20, it is possible to give a cold feeling by directly blowing the wind on the user in front of the air purifier 100 to lower the perceived temperature. Further, by setting the position of the damper 51 to a position that closes a part of the second branch air passage P2 (see FIG. 5), a part of the air sucked in from the suction port 11 is blown out from the second air outlet 13, and the amount of air blown out from the first air outlet 12 is reduced. Thereby, while ensuring the amount of air in the air flow passing through the filter 20, it is possible to adjust the amount of air blown out from the first air outlet 12.

[0036] The heater 40 preferably operates in a state where the adjustment unit 50 has opened the first branch air passage P1. In other words, when changing the heater 40 from the non - operating state to the operating state, first, the adjustment unit 50 opens the first branch air passage P1 (see FIGS. 2 and 6), and then the heater 40 is set to the operating state. By doing so, it is possible to suppress overheating in the air passage P (in the first branch air passage P1) due to the wind not hitting the heater 40 (stagnation of air).

[0037] Also, when the heater 40 is operating, it is preferable to provide a lower limit position (see FIG. 6) of the adjustment unit 50 so as not to completely block the first branch air passage P1. In this way, since air is blown out from the first branch air passage P1 at least a little, overheating in the air passage P (in the first branch air passage P1) can be suppressed.

[0038] The adjustment unit 50 preferably maintains the state in which the first branch air passage P1 is open (see FIGS. 2 and 6) for a predetermined period after the heater 40 stops. The predetermined period is the time for the heater 40 to cool by the wind, for example, 3 to 10 minutes. In this way, since the heat generation state continues for a predetermined period after the power supply of the heater 40 is turned off, by continuously blowing wind on the heater 40, overheating in the air passage P (in the first branch air passage P1) can be suppressed. Also, the heater 40 can be cooled quickly.

[0039] It is preferable that the suction port 11, the filter 20, the heater 40, and the first blowout port 12 are provided linearly. In this way, efficient heating and air purification can be achieved.

[0040] In addition, in the present embodiment, the adjustment unit 50 has a configuration including a damper 51 that opens and closes the inlets of both the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, the adjustment unit 50 may have a configuration including two dampers that individually open and close the inlets of the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2.

[0041] Also, the adjustment unit 50 may have a configuration including an opening / closing part that opens and closes the middle or the outlet of each of the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2. In this case, the louver provided at the outlet of the first branch air passage P1 and the louver 60 provided at the outlet of the second branch air passage P2 may also serve the function of opening and closing the first branch air passage P1 and the second branch air passage P2.

[0042] Further, the adjustment unit 50 may be configured to include a first branch fan 32 and a second branch fan 33. In this case, the adjustment unit 50 adjusts the air volume ratio between the airflow flowing through the first branch air passage P1 and the airflow flowing through the second branch air passage P2 by adjusting the air volume of each of the first branch fan 32 and the second branch fan 33. Note that the adjustment unit 50 may be configured to include only one of the first branch fan 32 and the second branch fan 33.

[0043] As described above, according to the air purifying apparatus 100 according to the present disclosure, it is possible to achieve both the air purifying function and the heater function without degrading the air purifying function.

[0044] Although each embodiment and each example of the present disclosure have been described in detail as above, those skilled in the art will easily understand that many modifications can be made without substantially departing from the novel matters and effects of the present disclosure. Therefore, all such modified examples are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0045] For example, in the specification or the drawings, a term that has been described at least once together with a broader or synonymous different term can be replaced with that different term anywhere in the specification or the drawings. Further, the configuration and operation of the air purifying apparatus are not limited to those described in each embodiment and each example of the present disclosure, and various modifications can be made.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0046] 10 Housing, 11 Suction port, 12 First blowout port, 13 Second blowout port, 15 Discharge device, 16 Wind direction plate, 20 Filter, 30 Blower unit, 31 Common fan, 32 First branch fan, 33 Second branch fan, 40 Heater, 50 Adjustment unit, 51 Damper 60 Louver, 61 Shaft, 100 Air purifying apparatus, P Air passage, P1 First branch air passage, P2 Second branch air passage

Claims

1. A housing in which an air passage having a suction port, a first blowout port, and a second blowout port is formed; A filter provided in the air passage; A blower unit that generates an air current flowing through the air passage; A heater provided in the air passage and heating air, and comprising: The air passage branches into a first branch air passage leading to the first blowout port and a second branch air passage leading to the second blowout port; The filter is provided on the upstream side of the air current with respect to the first branch air passage and the second branch air passage; The first branch air passage allows air heated by the heater to flow through; An air purifier.

2. The air purifier according to claim 1, further comprising an adjustment unit that adjusts the air volume ratio between the air current flowing through the first branch air passage and the air current flowing through the second branch air passage. The air purifier according to claim 1.

3. The adjustment unit adjusts the opening degree of at least one of the first branch air passage and the second branch air passage. The air purifier according to claim 2.

4. The adjustment unit has a damper that opens and closes the inlets of both the first branch air passage and the second branch air passage. The air purifier according to claim 3.

5. The heater operates in a state where the adjustment unit has opened the first branch air passage. The air purifier according to claim 3.

6. The adjustment unit maintains the state in which the first branch air passage is open for a predetermined period after the heater stops. The air purifier according to claim 5.

7. The blower unit has a common fan provided on the upstream side of the air current with respect to the first branch air passage and the second branch air passage. The air purifier according to claim 1.

8. The blower unit has a first branch fan provided in the first branch air passage and a second branch fan provided in the second branch air passage. The air purifier according to claim 1.

9. The second blowout port blows out the air current above the housing. The air purifier according to claim 1.

10. The air purifier according to claim 9, further comprising a louver provided at the second blowout port. The air purifier according to claim 9.

11. When the heater is operating, the louver adjusts the direction of the air current so that the air current blows out in a direction inclined with respect to the vertical direction. The air purifier according to claim 10.

12. The first blowout port blows out the air current in front of the housing. The air purifier according to claim 1.

13. The suction port, the filter, the heater, and the first air outlet are provided linearly. The air purifying apparatus according to claim 1.

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