Ozone generator

Abstract

To provide an ozone generator capable of maintaining ozone concentration within an appropriate range.SOLUTION: An ozone generator 24 comprises an ozone generating device 16 and a control unit 23. The control unit 23 outputs a control signal comprising an on period for causing the ozone generating device 16 to generate ozone and an off period for stopping generation of ozone, and controls generation of ozone by the ozone generating device 16. The control unit 23 is configured to enable changing a duty ratio of the on period and the off period of the control signal, and executes changing of the duty ratio at a timing of the off period.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an ozone generator.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, an ozone generator that emits ozone may be used to treat the air in a room. In such an ozone generator, when the concentration of the emitted ozone exceeds a certain value, people in the room may feel discomfort or there may be an impact on the human body. Therefore, it is necessary that the concentration of the emitted ozone is within an appropriate range.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an ozone generator that can maintain the ozone concentration within an appropriate range.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The ozone generator according to the embodiment includes an ozone generator and a control unit. The control unit outputs a control signal including an on period for causing the ozone generator to generate ozone and an off period for stopping the generation of ozone, and controls the generation of ozone by the ozone generator. The control unit can change the duty ratio of the on period and the off period of the control signal, and executes the change of the duty ratio at the timing of the off period.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] According to the embodiment, it can be expected to maintain the ozone concentration within an appropriate range.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, one embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0009] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an air treatment apparatus 10. The air treatment apparatus 10 is, for example, a stationary type arranged on the floor surface of a room or a ceiling-embedded type embedded in the ceiling of a room, and sterilizes and deodorizes the air in the room.

[0010] The air treatment apparatus 10 includes a housing 11 and an air treatment tank 12 provided inside the housing 11. In the air treatment tank 12, air from the outside of the room is circulated by a fan 13.

[0011] In the air treatment tank 12, a photocatalyst filter 14, an ultraviolet light source 15, an ozone generator 16, and a fan 13 are arranged in order from the upstream side in the air flow direction a.

[0012] The photocatalyst filter 14 has a photocatalyst such as titanium oxide held and coated on a carrier, and generates active enzymes and OH radicals by receiving ultraviolet light or visible light having a wavelength component of UV-A of at least 315 nm to 400 nm from a light source unit. The generated active enzymes and OH radicals decompose odor components in the air to deodorize and eliminate odors, or suppress the activities of viruses.

[0013] The ultraviolet light source 15 is ultraviolet light having a wavelength component of UV-C with a peak wavelength of 280 nm or less for sterilizing air, preferably ultraviolet light having a wavelength component of 260 to 280 nm, and includes a first ultraviolet light source (sterilization LED) that emits ultraviolet light and a second ultraviolet light source (photocatalyst LED) that emits light having a wavelength component in the UV-A or visible region of at least 315 nm to 420 nm for exciting the photocatalyst supported on the photocatalyst filter 14.

[0014] The ozone generator 16 has, for example, a pair of rod-shaped electrodes covered with a dielectric such as glass arranged in parallel, and a silent discharge (dielectric barrier discharge) occurs when a high voltage is applied between both electrodes. Ozone is generated from oxygen in the air by the electrons generated by this silent discharge. The generated ozone is discharged into the external room together with the air flowing through the air treatment tank 12.

[0015] AC power supplied from the AC power source E is input to the air treatment device 10, and this AC power is supplied to the lighting circuit 17 and the control power supply unit 18.

[0016] The lighting circuit 17 is connected to the ultraviolet light source 15, converts the input AC power into lighting power which is a predetermined DC power, supplies it to the ultraviolet light source 15, and lights the ultraviolet light source 15.

[0017] The control power supply unit 18 converts the input AC power into a predetermined control power which is DC power and supplies it to the ozone control circuit 19 and the operation control circuit 20.

[0018] The ozone control circuit 19 is connected to the ozone generator 16 and controls the generation of ozone by the ozone generator 16.

[0019] The operation control circuit 20 has an operation unit 21 that is operably arranged on the outer surface of the housing 11, and a display unit 22 that is arranged so as to be visible corresponding to the operation unit 21. The operation unit 21 has a power button for turning on and off the power of the air treatment apparatus 10, an air volume button for changing the air volume, a setting button for changing the operation mode of the ozone generator 16, a timer button for setting the operation time, and the like. The display unit 22 has an indicator lamp, a display, and the like for displaying the operation state, the setting state, and the like.

[0020] The operation modes include operation modes such as "strong", "medium", and "weak". Each time the setting button of the operation unit 21 is pressed once, the operation mode switches to the next operation mode, and when the setting button of the operation unit 21 is continuously pressed, it switches to the next operation mode in order. For each operation mode, the ozone generation amount by the ozone generator 16 is set. For example, in the case of the "strong" operation mode, the ozone generation amount is maximum, and in the case of the "weak" operation mode, the ozone generation amount is minimum.

[0021] The operation control circuit 20 is connected to the fan 13 and controls the change of the rotation speed of the fan 13 according to the set air volume.

[0022] The operation control circuit 20 is connected to the ozone control circuit 19, outputs a control signal of the set operation mode to the ozone generator 16 through the ozone control circuit 19, and controls the generation of ozone by the ozone generator 16.

[0023] And the operation control circuit 20 is a control unit 23 that outputs a control signal to the ozone generator 16 to control the generation of ozone. The ozone generator 24 is constituted by the ozone generator 16, the control power supply unit 18, the ozone control circuit 19, and the operation control circuit 20 (control unit 23).

[0024] Next, FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the ozone generator 24.

[0025] The ozone control circuit 19 is connected between the control power supply unit 18 and the operation control circuit 20 and the ozone generator 16, and the ozone control circuit 19 that supplies the control power input from the control power supply unit 18 to the ozone generator 16 is connected to the high potential side of the control power and includes a cutoff circuit 30 and a current detection unit 31.

[0026] The cutoff circuit 30 is composed of a switch element such as a relay, transistor, or MOSFET that can connect and disconnect the high potential side power supply path between the control power supply unit 18 and the ozone generator 16, and cuts off the control power flowing from the control power supply unit 18 to the ozone generator 16 when a cutoff signal is input from the operation control circuit 20.

[0027] The current detection unit 31 arranges a current detection resistor in the high potential side power supply path and detects the current flowing from the control power supply unit 18 to the ozone generator 16.

[0028] Connected to the current detection unit 31 is an abnormality determination unit 32 that determines whether an abnormality has occurred in the ozone generator 16 based on the resistance voltage value corresponding to the current flowing through the ozone generator 16 obtained from the current detection unit 31. The abnormality determination unit 32 has a timer circuit. This timer circuit is composed of a combination of an integration circuit using an operational amplifier and a comparator circuit. When an abnormality occurs such that the ozone generator 16 continuously generates ozone, the detected voltage value obtained by the current detection unit 31 increases linearly or exponentially, and in the timer circuit, when the detected voltage value becomes equal to or greater than a certain threshold value, a High signal or a Low signal is output. By arbitrarily setting the threshold value, the time when the detected voltage value reaches the threshold value, that is, the time to stop the operation in which the ozone generator 16 continuously generates ozone, can be determined. The High signal or Low signal output from the timer circuit is output to the operation control circuit 20 as an abnormality signal from the abnormality determination unit 32.

[0029] The operation control circuit 20 outputs a control signal of the set operation mode to the ozone generator 16, and controls the ozone generator 16 at a constant voltage to generate ozone. As shown in FIG. 3, the control signal is a duty signal including an on period (on time) for generating ozone in the ozone generator 16 and an off period (off time) for stopping the generation of ozone. FIG. 3 shows an example where the on period is 1 second and the off period is 1 second.

[0030] The operation control circuit 20 changes the duty ratio of the on period and the off period of the control signal in response to a change in the operation mode. In this case, the change in the duty ratio is executed after a cycle period including at least one cycle from the start of the on period to the end of the off period of the control signal. As the cycle period, one cycle is defined as from the start of one on period to the end of the subsequent one off period, and for example, a cycle period including two cycles is used. Note that the cycle period may include only one cycle or three or more cycles.

[0031] Note that the change in the duty ratio may be executed at the timing of the off period of the control signal. The timing for executing this change in the duty ratio may be any timing within the off period, but preferably does not include the timing at the start of the off period, and is the timing after an off period exists between the on periods, and more preferably is the timing at or near the end of the off period.

[0032] When the operation control circuit 20 receives an abnormal signal from the abnormality determination unit 32, it stops outputting the control signal to the ozone generator 16, outputs a control signal only for the off period, and outputs a cutoff signal to the cutoff circuit 30 to stop the generation of ozone from the ozone generator 16.

[0033] Next, the operation of the air treatment device 10 will be described.

[0034] By operating the power button of the operation unit 21, the operation of the air treatment device 10 is started. During operation, the ultraviolet light source 15 is turned on, the fan 13 is rotated according to the set air volume, and ozone is generated by the ozone generator 16 according to the set operation mode.

[0035] By the rotation of the fan 13, the air in the room is circulated into the air treatment tank 12. The ultraviolet light or visible light from the ultraviolet light source 15 irradiates the photocatalyst filter 14, and the photocatalyst filter 14 decomposes the odor components in the air passing through the air treatment tank 12 to deodorize, eliminate odors, or suppress the activities of viruses. The ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source 15 irradiates the air passing through the air treatment tank 12 to sterilize the air passing through the air treatment tank 12.

[0036] The ozone generated by the ozone generator 16 is discharged into the room outside the air treatment device 10 together with the air passing through the air treatment tank 12. Ozone decomposes the odor components in the air to deodorize, eliminate odors, or suppress the activities of viruses, and by being discharged into the room, it also decomposes and deodorizes the components of the adhering odor adhering to the ceiling, walls, floor of the room, and further articles arranged in the room.

[0037] Also, in the ozone generation device 24, a duty signal including an on period and an off period, which is a control signal corresponding to the set operation mode from the operation control circuit 20, is output to the ozone generator 16.

[0038] The ozone generator 16 inputs the control power from the control power supply unit 18 through the ozone control circuit 19, and based on the control signal output from the operation control circuit 20, in the on period, a voltage is applied between a pair of electrodes to generate silent discharge (dielectric barrier discharge), and ozone is generated from oxygen in the air by the electrons generated by this silent discharge. The generated ozone is discharged into the room outside the air treatment device 10 together with the air passing through the air treatment tank 12.

[0039] During the operation of the ozone generator 24, the current detection unit 31 detects the current flowing through the ozone generator 16, and the abnormality determination unit 32 obtains a resistance voltage value corresponding to the current detected by the current detection unit 31, and determines whether an abnormality has occurred in the ozone generator 16 based on the resistance voltage value. When the abnormality determination unit 32 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the ozone generator 16, it outputs an abnormality signal to the operation control circuit 20.

[0040] When the operation control circuit 20 receives an abnormality signal from the abnormality determination unit 32, it stops outputting the control signal to the ozone generator 16, outputs a control signal only during the off period, and outputs a cutoff signal to the cutoff circuit 30.

[0041] The ozone generator 16 stops generating ozone when the input of the control signal from the operation control circuit 20 stops or when a control signal only during the off period is input.

[0042] When the cutoff circuit 30 receives a cutoff signal from the operation control circuit 20, it cuts off the control power flowing from the control power supply unit 18 to the ozone generator 16 and stops the ozone generator 16.

[0043] In this way, when an abnormality signal is input, the operation control circuit 20 stops the ozone generator 16 by both setting the state of the control signal to stop the generation of ozone by the ozone generator 16 and cutting off the control power supplied to the ozone generator 16 by the cutoff circuit 30. Therefore, even if the ozone generator 16 is in an abnormal state, the generation of ozone can be reliably stopped.

[0044] Also, by operating the setting button of the operation mode of the operation unit 21, the operation mode can be changed, for example, to "strong", "medium", "weak", etc. The ozone generation amount by the ozone generator 16 is set for each operation mode.

[0045] In the ozone generator 24, when the operation control circuit 20 receives a change in the operation mode by an operation of the operation unit 21, it changes the duty ratio of the on-period and the off-period of the control signal according to the operation mode. In this case, the change in the duty ratio is executed after a predetermined cycle period from the start of the on-period to the end of the off-period of the control signal.

[0046] In FIG. 3, even if the operation control circuit 20 receives a change in the operation mode by an operation of the operation unit 21 at the timing t1 of the on-period of the first cycle within the cycle period, or receives a change in the operation mode by an operation of the operation unit 21 at the timing t2 of the off-period of the first cycle within the cycle period, the duty ratio is changed at the timing t3 after the cycle period, that is, after the completion of the last off-period of the cycle period.

[0047] Therefore, when the operation unit 21 is continuously operated or repeatedly operated in a short time when the operation mode is changed, during the on-period of the control signal corresponding to the operation mode, the on-period corresponding to the operation mode to be changed starts, and if the on-period corresponding to the operation mode to be further changed starts during that on-period, ozone will continuously generate as the on-periods are continuous. However, by executing the change in the duty ratio after the cycle period regardless of the timing at which the operation mode is changed during the cycle period, the on-periods do not continue and ozone does not continuously generate.

[0048] Thus, in the ozone generator 24 of the present embodiment, since the change in the duty ratio is executed after a predetermined cycle period from the start of the on-period to the end of the off-period of the control signal, even if the operation unit 21 is continuously operated or repeatedly operated in a short time for the change of the operation mode, the on-period of the control signal does not continue, and the ozone concentration can be maintained within an appropriate range.

[0049] Note that the duty ratio may be configured to be changed at the timing of the off period of the control signal. The timing at which this duty ratio change is executed may be any timing within the off period, but preferably does not include the start timing of the off period, and is preferably the timing after there is an off period between the on period, and more preferably is the timing at the end of the off period or near the end of the off period.

[0050] In this case, even if a change in the operation mode is received during the on period of the control signal, by changing the duty ratio at the timing of the off period of the control signal from the on period to the off period, the on period of the control signal does not continue, and the ozone concentration can be maintained within an appropriate range.

[0051] Note that the ozone generator 24 may include an ozone concentration detection unit and may automatically change the duty ratio according to the ozone concentration. Also in this case, the duty ratio may be changed after a predetermined cycle period or during the off period.

[0052] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and its equivalent scope.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0053] 16 Ozone generator 21 Operation unit 23 Control unit 24 Ozone generator

Claims

1. An ozone generator; A control unit that outputs a control signal including an on period for generating ozone in the ozone generator and an off period for stopping the generation of ozone, and controls the generation of ozone by the ozone generator; Comprising: The control unit can change the duty ratio of the on period and the off period of the control signal, and executes the change of the duty ratio at the timing of the off period An ozone generation device characterized by the above.

2. An ozone generator; A control unit that transmits a control signal including an on period for generating ozone in the ozone generator and an off period for stopping the generation of ozone, and controls the generation of ozone by the ozone generator; Comprising: The control unit can change the duty ratio of the on period and the off period of the control signal, and executes the change of the duty ratio after a cycle period including at least one cycle from the start of the on period to the end of the off period of the control signal An ozone generation device characterized by the above.

3. Comprising an operation unit for operating to change the amount of ozone generated by the ozone generator, The control unit receives the operation of the operation unit and executes the change of the duty ratio The ozone generation device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

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