Air treatment device

Abstract

To provide an air treatment device capable of estimating necessity of maintenance without providing a configuration unnecessary for an original function of the air treatment device.SOLUTION: An air treatment device 100 includes: a water supply section 5 that supplies water; a water level detection section 4 that detects a water level of water in a drain pan 18; a water discharge section 6 that discharges water in the drain pan 18; and a control section 1 that operates the water supply section 5 to immerse the water level detection section 4 in water when the water level detection section 4 is not immersed in water, operates the water discharge section 6 for a preset water discharge inspection time, operates the water supply section 5 to measure a water supply inspection time until the water level detection section 4 is immersed in water again, calculates a water supply / discharge capacity determination value that is a value indicating water supply / discharge capacity on the basis of the water discharge inspection time and the water supply inspection time, and estimates at least either one of the necessity of maintenance or timing necessary for maintenance on the basis of the water supply / discharge capacity determination value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to air treatment devices. [Background technology]

[0002] In air treatment devices such as air conditioners and ventilation equipment with humidifiers, components gradually become dirty as they operate. In air treatment devices with drainage capabilities, this can lead to problems such as water leaks due to a decline in the drainage capacity of drainage units, such as drain pumps, which drain water from inside the device. Furthermore, it is not practical to install a flow meter to constantly monitor the drainage volume of the drainage unit and test the drainage capacity.

[0003] Therefore, maintenance such as cleaning and part replacement is generally performed every time a certain amount of operating time has elapsed, thereby maintaining the functionality of the air treatment device. To encourage the user to perform such maintenance, the air treatment device is equipped with a notification unit that notifies the user whether maintenance is required after a certain amount of operating time has elapsed.

[0004] However, the above-mentioned fixed operating time is merely a guideline and may differ from the actual timing when maintenance is required. Furthermore, because the maintenance and inspection of air treatment devices are left to the user, maintenance tends to be performed less frequently than necessary in order to reduce costs. Furthermore, in the market, maintenance may not be performed until a malfunction occurs. Therefore, there is a need for an air treatment device that can estimate whether maintenance is required and the appropriate timing for maintenance.

[0005] For example, the invention described in Patent Document 1 describes a system that includes an imaging unit that captures images of the drain pan inside the casing, and that estimates when maintenance is required regarding dirt on the drain pan based on image data captured by the imaging unit, operating data, environmental data, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-139673 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, the invention described in Patent Document 1 requires the provision of an imaging unit that is unnecessary for the original function of the air treatment device.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an air treatment device that is capable of estimating at least one of whether maintenance is required and when maintenance is required, without having any configuration that is unnecessary for the original function of the air treatment device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The air treatment device according to the present disclosure is characterized by comprising a water supply unit that supplies water into the device, a drain pan that holds the water supplied from the water supply unit, a submersible water level detection unit that detects the level of the water held inside the drain pan, a drainage unit that drains the water held inside the drain pan to the outside of the drain pan, and a control unit that, if the water level detection unit is not submerged, operates the water supply unit to submerge the water level detection unit, operates the drainage unit for a predetermined drainage inspection time, operates the water supply unit to measure the water supply inspection time until the water level detection unit is submerged again, calculates a water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value that is a value indicating the water supply and drainage capacity based on the drainage inspection time and the water supply inspection time, and estimates at least one of whether maintenance is required and when maintenance is required based on the water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value.

[0010] The air treatment device according to the present disclosure is characterized by comprising a water supply unit that supplies water into the device, a drain pan that holds the water supplied from the water supply unit, a submersible water level detection unit that detects the level of the water held inside the drain pan, a drainage unit that drains the water held inside the drain pan to the outside of the drain pan, and a control unit that, when the water level detection unit is submerged, operates the drainage unit to make the water level detection unit not submerged, operates the water supply unit for a predetermined water supply inspection time, operates the drainage unit to measure the drainage inspection time until the water level detection unit is again not submerged, calculates a water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value based on the drainage inspection time and the water supply inspection time, and estimates at least one of whether maintenance is required and when maintenance is required based on the water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present disclosure, an air treatment device includes a control unit that calculates a water supply / drainage capacity judgment value, which is a value indicating the water supply / drainage capacity based on the drainage inspection time and the water supply inspection time, and estimates at least one of whether maintenance is required and when maintenance is required based on the water supply / drainage capacity judgment value. This makes it possible to provide an air treatment device that can estimate at least one of whether maintenance is required and when maintenance is required, without including components unnecessary for the original function of the air treatment device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a control block diagram of an air treatment device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of an air treatment device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the air treatment device of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 6 is a flowchart showing another example of the operation of the air treatment device of the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The following describes an air treatment device according to an embodiment with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are merely examples, and the embodiments can be combined and modified as appropriate. In the drawings, similar components are designated by the same reference numerals. Note that the relative dimensions or shapes of the components in each drawing may differ from those in reality.

[0014] Embodiment 1 An air treatment device 100 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a control block diagram of the air treatment device 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the air treatment device 100 according to the first embodiment. In the following description, to facilitate understanding, terms indicating directions such as "up," "down," "right," "left," "front," and "rear" will be used as appropriate, but these are not intended to limit the embodiments.

[0015] 1 shows an outline of the internal configuration of the control unit 1 and an outline of the configuration for inputting and outputting information to and from the control unit 1. That is, Fig. 1 also shows configurations other than the internal configuration of the control unit 1. The control unit 1 includes an input interface 2, an output interface 3, and a microcomputer 7.

[0016] The input interface 2 receives information about the water level detected by the water level detection unit 4 and remote controller operation information input from the control remote controller 12. As will be described later, the water level detection unit 4 is included in the configuration of the air treatment device 100. The remote controller 12 is used by a user to operate the air treatment device 100. The remote controller operation information includes maintenance information for the air treatment device 100, etc. The maintenance information includes any information related to the maintenance of the air treatment device 100, and may be, for example, the frequency of performing control to estimate the need for maintenance, as described below.

[0017] Information from the control unit 1 is output as output information from the output interface 3 to the output information processing unit 13. The control unit 1 also operates the water supply unit 5 and the drainage unit 6. The water supply unit 5 and the drainage unit 6 are included in the configuration of the air treatment device 100, as will be described later.

[0018] The water supply unit 5 receives an output command from the microcomputer 7 and supplies water from outside the air treatment device 100 to the inside of the air treatment device 100. The water supply unit 5 supplies or stops water from outside the air treatment device 100, for example, by switching a solenoid valve on or off. In other words, the water supply unit 5 can switch between performing and not performing an operation to supply water to the inside of the air treatment device 100 or an operation to generate water. In the first embodiment, it will be described that water is supplied to the inside of the air treatment device 100 when the water supply unit 5 operates.

[0019] The drain unit 6 receives an output command from the microcomputer 7 and drains water from inside the air treatment device 100 to the outside of the air treatment device 100. The drain unit 6 drains or stops water from inside the air treatment device 100, for example, by switching a drain pump on or off. In other words, the drain unit 6 can switch whether or not to perform an operation to drain water to the outside of the air treatment device 100. In the first embodiment, it will be described that water is drained to the outside of the air treatment device 100 when the drain unit 6 operates.

[0020] The output information processing unit 13 processes output information upon receiving an output command from the microcomputer 7. The output information output to the output information processing unit 13 includes maintenance information, such as whether or not maintenance is required and when maintenance is required, as estimated by the control unit 1. The output information processing unit 13 is an external device, such as a remote controller, smartphone, or tablet terminal, and can notify the user of the maintenance information. In this case, the output information processing unit 13 has at least one of a display unit and an audio output unit, and notifies the user of the maintenance information via them. The output information processing unit 13 is not limited to an external device, and may also have at least one of a display unit and an audio output unit as an internal component of the air treatment device 100. The maintenance information may also be output to the output information processing unit 13 as a contact signal. The output information processing unit 13 may also collect and process numerical data output as a communication signal.

[0021] The microcomputer 7 includes a timer unit 8, a maintenance information storage unit 9, a water supply capacity calculation unit 10, and a drainage capacity calculation unit 11. The microcomputer 7 estimates the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value K according to the first embodiment, the degree of water supply capacity deterioration, and the degree of drainage capacity deterioration based on the water level information and remote controller operation information received from the input interface 2. The microcomputer 7 also outputs signals to the output interface 3 and processes information. The functions of each unit of the microcomputer 7 are realized by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), non-volatile memories such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory), and a timer.

[0022] The timer unit 8 measures the water supply time T_in and the drainage time T_out based on the water level information and the water supply and drainage status. The maintenance information storage unit 9 is realized by the above-mentioned memory and stores setting information for selecting output information based on the estimated drainage capacity and setting information related to drainage capacity estimation. The water supply capacity calculation unit 10 estimates the water supply capacity based on the water supply time measured by the timer unit 8. The drainage capacity calculation unit 11 estimates the drainage capacity based on the drainage time measured by the timer unit 8.

[0023] The air treatment device 100 includes a casing 17, a control unit 1, a water supply unit 5, a drainage unit 6, a humidifier 20, a drain pan 18, and a water level detection unit 4. The air treatment device 100 of the first embodiment may be any device capable of draining drain water from the drain pan 18, such as a ventilation system, a humidifier, or an air conditioner with a cooling function. FIG. 2 illustrates only the components necessary for the control unit 1 to calculate the water supply / drainage capacity discrimination value K, estimate the degree of deterioration of the water supply capacity, and estimate the degree of deterioration of the drainage capacity. Therefore, FIG. 2 does not illustrate components of a typical air treatment device 100, such as a blower and air inlet, that are not related to the control unit 1's calculation of the water supply / drainage capacity discrimination value K, estimate the degree of deterioration of the water supply capacity, and estimate the degree of deterioration of the drainage capacity. Here, the water supply / drainage capacity discrimination value K is a value indicating the water supply / drainage capacity of the air treatment device 100.

[0024] 2 is housed inside casing 17, but is not limited to this. That is, as long as control unit 1 can perform the control in embodiment 1, it may control each unit by communication from the outside, for example.

[0025] The control unit 1 has a memory function and a timer function, and calculates the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value K, estimates the degree of water supply capacity degradation, estimates the degree of drainage capacity degradation, and inputs and outputs the calculated or estimated information. The control unit 1 also measures the water supply inspection time T_in_chk and the drainage inspection time T_out_chk based on whether the water supply unit 5 and the drainage unit 6 are operating and the water level detected by the water level detection unit 4. The control unit 1 also calculates the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value K based on the water supply inspection time T_in_chk and the drainage inspection time T_out_chk. The control unit 1 also estimates the degree of water supply capacity degradation based on the measured multiple water supply inspection times T_in_chk. The control unit 1 then estimates the degree of drainage capacity degradation based on the degree of water supply capacity degradation and the calculated water supply and drainage capacity judgment value K. The measurement procedures for the water supply inspection time T_in_chk and the drainage inspection time T_out_chk and the calculation procedures for the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value K performed by the control unit 1 will be described in detail below.

[0026] The control unit 1 estimates at least one of whether maintenance of the water supply unit 5 and the drainage unit 6 is necessary and when maintenance is necessary, based on at least one of the calculated water supply and drainage capacity judgment value K, the degree of water supply capacity deterioration, and the degree of drainage capacity deterioration. The control unit 1 also determines whether the operating state of the air treatment device 100 is normal. If the control unit 1 determines that maintenance is necessary or that the operating state of the air treatment device 100 is abnormal, it performs protective operation. In protective operation, the control unit 1 either stops, intermittently outputs, or reduces the output of the water supply unit 5 until maintenance is performed or the operation of the air treatment device 100 returns to normal.

[0027] The water supply unit 5 supplies water to the interior of the air treatment device 100 in accordance with a water supply operation output command from the control unit 1. Water supply 19 is guided from a water supply path 21 through the water supply unit 5 to the humidifier 20. The humidifier 20 performs humidification processing using the water supplied from the water supply unit 5. The drain pan 18 holds water supplied to the interior of the device or water generated within the device, such as drain water generated within the device, such as drain water from the humidifier 20. The drain unit 6 drains water to the outside of the air treatment device 100 in accordance with a drain operation output command from the control unit 1. The drain water 22 is discharged from a drain path 23 via the drain unit 6 to the outside of the device.

[0028] The water level detection unit 4 detects the level of water held inside the drain pan 18. In other words, the water level detection unit 4 detects whether the water inside the drain pan 18 has reached a predetermined level. In the first embodiment, the water level detection unit 4 is described as a submersible water level detection unit 4, such as an electrode type or a float type. Here, the predetermined water level when a submersible water level detection unit 4 is used is the lowest water level that indicates that the water level detection unit 4 is submerged. In other words, the water level detection unit 4 inputs a signal indicating submersion to the control unit 1 when the water inside the drain pan 18 has reached the predetermined level. Furthermore, the water level detection unit 4 inputs a signal indicating empty space to the control unit 1 when the water inside the drain pan 18 is below the predetermined level. In this way, the water held in the drain pan 18 determines whether the water level detection unit 4 is submerged. In other words, the submersible water level detection unit 4 can detect whether the water inside the drain pan 18 has reached the predetermined level.

[0029] Although the above description concerns a submersible water level detection unit 4, the water level detection unit 4 can achieve the same effect as long as it can detect a predetermined water level. For example, the water level detection unit 4 may be an optical or electronic balance type. When using an optical water level detection unit 4 to detect a predetermined water level, it is necessary to measure in advance the output voltage of the optical water level detection unit at the predetermined water level. Furthermore, when using an electronic balance for the water level detection unit 4 to detect a predetermined water level, it is necessary to measure in advance the weight of the water inside the drain pan 18 at the predetermined water level.

[0030] The humidifier 20 has a plurality of sheet-like humidifiers made of a porous material. The plurality of humidifiers are stacked one on top of the other. Each of the plurality of humidifiers is spaced apart from the adjacent humidifiers. Supply water is dripped onto the plurality of humidifiers from above the humidifier 20 and soaks into each of the plurality of humidifiers. The humidifier 20 humidifies the air with moisture evaporated from the plurality of humidifiers by blowing air over the surfaces of the plurality of humidifiers. The remaining moisture from the dripped supply water, excluding the moisture evaporated in the plurality of humidifiers and the moisture retained in the plurality of humidifiers, is retained in the drain pan 18 as drain water.

[0031] Although the humidifier 20 has been described as a drip type in which water is dripped from above, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the humidifier 20 may have multiple bag-shaped humidifiers formed from permeable membranes. In this case, the water that has passed through the water supply unit 5 is stored inside the bags of the multiple humidifiers. The water then passes through a drain pipe that connects the bottom of the multiple humidifiers to the drain pan 18. The drain pipe is also provided with a drain valve, and opening the drain valve directs the drain water into the drain pan 18.

[0032] Here, the calculation procedure of the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value K performed by the control unit 1 in the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the air treatment device 100 in the first embodiment.

[0033] In step S101, the control unit 1 operates the water supply unit 5 to supply water to the onboard humidifier 20. At this time, the control unit 1 measures the water supply time T_in. Specifically, the control unit 1 starts counting a timer from 0 and measures the water supply time T_in. Note that before the control unit 1 supplies water, there is no water in the drain pan 18, or the drainage is complete and the remaining water amount in the drain pan 18 is known. At this time, the water in the drain pan 18 is below a predetermined water level. That is, the control unit 1 supplies water when the water level detection unit 4 is not submerged and there is no water in the drain pan 18, or the drainage is complete and the remaining water amount in the drain pan 18 is known. The control unit 1 may also operate the drain unit 6 to drain the water in the drain pan 18 before step S101 in order to reduce the water level in the drain pan 18 to below the predetermined water level.

[0034] In step S102, the control unit 1 determines whether the water inside the drain pan 18 has reached a predetermined level. That is, in the case of a submersible water level detection unit 4 as in the present embodiment, the control unit 1 determines whether the water level detection unit 4 is submerged. If the control unit 1 determines that the water inside the drain pan 18 has reached the predetermined level (step S102: YES), that is, if the control unit 1 determines that the water level detection unit 4 is submerged, the process proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the control unit 1 determines that the water inside the drain pan 18 is below the predetermined level (step S102: NO), that is, if the control unit 1 determines that the water level detection unit 4 is not submerged, the process returns to step S102 and determines whether the water inside the drain pan 18 has reached the predetermined level.

[0035] In step S103, control unit 1 stops water supply unit 5 and ends the supply of water to on-board humidifier 20. At this time, control unit 1 ends measurement of water supply time T_in. That is, control unit 1 stops counting the timer and stores the counted value in non-volatile memory as information on water supply time T_in.

[0036] In step S104, the control unit 1 operates the drain unit 6 to drain water to the outside of the apparatus. At this time, the control unit 1 measures the drain time T_out. Specifically, the control unit 1 starts counting the timer from 0 and measures the drain time T_out.

[0037] In step S105, the control unit 1 determines whether the drainage time T_out is equal to or greater than a preset drainage inspection time T_out_chk. The drainage inspection time T_out_chk is set to an arbitrary time. The shorter the drainage inspection time T_out_chk is set, the lower the accuracy of estimating the degree of drainage capacity deterioration, but the shorter the inspection time can be. If the control unit 1 determines that the drainage time T_out is equal to or greater than the drainage inspection time T_out_chk (step S105: YES), the control unit 1 proceeds to step S106. If the control unit 1 determines that the drainage time T_out is less than the drainage inspection time T_out_chk (step S105: NO), the control unit 1 returns to step S105 and determines whether the drainage time T_out is equal to or greater than the drainage inspection time T_out_chk.

[0038] In step S106, the control unit 1 stops the drain unit 6 and ends draining water to the outside of the apparatus. At this time, the control unit 1 ends measurement of the drain time T_out. That is, the control unit 1 stops counting the timer.

[0039] In step S107, control unit 1 operates water supply unit 5 again to supply water to on-board humidifier 20. At this time, control unit 1 measures water supply inspection time T_in_chk. Specifically, control unit 1 starts counting the timer from 0 and measures water supply inspection time T_in_chk.

[0040] In step S108, the control unit 1 determines whether the water inside the drain pan 18 has reached the predetermined water level again. That is, the control unit 1 determines whether the water level detection unit 4 is submerged again. If the control unit 1 determines that the water inside the drain pan 18 has reached the predetermined water level (step S108: YES), that is, in the case of a submersible water level detection unit 4, when it determines that the water level detection unit 4 is submerged, the control unit 1 proceeds to step S109. On the other hand, if the control unit 1 determines that the water inside the drain pan 18 is below the predetermined water level (step S108: NO), that is, in the case of a submersible water level detection unit 4, when it determines that the water level detection unit 4 is not submerged, the control unit 1 returns to step S108 and determines whether the water inside the drain pan 18 has reached the predetermined water level.

[0041] In step S109, control unit 1 stops water supply unit 5 and ends the supply of water to on-board humidifier 20. At this time, control unit 1 ends measurement of water supply inspection time T_in_chk. That is, control unit 1 stops counting the timer and stores the counted value in non-volatile memory as information on water supply inspection time T_in_chk.

[0042] In step S110, the control unit 1 calculates the water supply / drainage capacity discrimination value K. The water supply / drainage capacity discrimination value K is calculated as the ratio of the drainage capacity Q_out to the water supply capacity Q_in, as shown in the following equation. Here, the drainage capacity Q_out is the value obtained by dividing the drainage volume during the drainage inspection time T_out_chk by the drainage inspection time T_out_chk. Furthermore, the water supply capacity Q_in is the value obtained by dividing the water supply volume during the water supply inspection time T_in_chk by the water supply inspection time T_in_chk. Since it can be assumed that the drainage volume during the drainage inspection time T_out_chk and the water supply volume during the water supply inspection time T_in_chk are the same, the water supply / drainage capacity discrimination value K is calculated as the ratio of the water supply inspection time T_in_chk to the drainage inspection time T_out_chk.

[0043]

number

[0044] In step S111, the control unit 1 stores the information data "water supply time T_in," "drainage inspection time T_out_chk," "water supply inspection time T_in_chk," "water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K," and "accumulated power supply time T_on" in the non-volatile memory as a time-dependent status data set DT. The "accumulated power supply time T_on" is used to explicitly capture the time-dependent status.

[0045] Specifically, if the initial value data group DT_ini has not been stored, the control unit 1 stores the time-varying status data group DT as the initial value data group DT_ini. Also, if the initial value data group DT_ini has already been stored, the control unit 1 stores the time-varying status data group DT as the latest data group DT1. This concludes the explanation of the procedure for calculating the water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K performed by the control unit 1.

[0046] Here, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the past five temporal condition data groups DT1 to DT5 are stored, but the number of temporal condition data groups DT is not particularly limited. The control unit 1 shifts the past data groups one by one and re-stores them to store the latest data group DT1. That is, the control unit 1 re-stores the stored contents of the four-times-ago data group DT4 as the five-times-ago data group DT5, the stored contents of the three-times-ago data group DT3 as the four-times-ago data group DT4, the stored contents of the two-times-ago data group DT2 as the three-times-ago data group DT3, and the stored contents of the one-time-ago data group DT1 as the two-times-ago data group DT2, and stores the temporal condition data group DT obtained by the above control as the latest data group DT1.

[0047] In step S112, the control unit 1 outputs the measurement results obtained by the above control and the calculated output information to the output information processing unit 13. The output information may include the initial value data group DT_ini and all of the time-series state data groups DT1 to DT5, or may include only the latest data group DT1 or a combination of the latest data group DT1 and some past data groups.

[0048] Through the above control, the air treatment device 100 of embodiment 1 can calculate the water supply / drainage capacity discrimination value K, which is the ratio of the drainage capacity Q_out to the water supply capacity Q_in, based on the drainage inspection time T_out_chk that has been arbitrarily set in advance and the actually measured water supply inspection time T_in_chk. The water supply / drainage capacity discrimination value K serves as an index for the control unit 1 to estimate the timing for maintenance of the air treatment device 100, such as whether maintenance is necessary and when to replace parts of the air treatment device 100.

[0049] The control unit 1 can estimate at least one of whether maintenance is required and when maintenance is required based on the water supply / drainage capacity discrimination value K and a preset threshold. For example, the control unit 1 may notify the user that maintenance is required when the calculated water supply / drainage capacity discrimination value K falls below a preset threshold, i.e., when the drainage capacity Q_out falls below an allowable threshold for the water supply capacity Q_in. Furthermore, for example, the control unit 1 may calculate a slope from the multiple water supply / drainage capacity discrimination values ​​K included in the multiple time-varying state data sets DT and compare the slope value with a preset threshold to estimate when maintenance is required.

[0050] The control unit 1 also outputs output information including information about the acquired or determined status of the parts to the output information processing unit 13. Here, the information about the status of the parts includes the estimated necessity of maintenance, the timing when maintenance is required, the degree of deterioration of the water supply capacity, and the degree of deterioration of the drainage capacity. For example, the control unit 1 may estimate whether the deterioration of the water supply capacity Q_in and the drainage capacity Q_out is faster than normal deterioration over time based on the estimated degree of deterioration of the water supply capacity and the drainage capacity, and output this as output information to the output information processing unit 13. For example, when the calculated water supply / drainage capacity discrimination value K falls below a predetermined threshold, i.e., when the drainage capacity Q_out falls below a threshold value acceptable for the water supply capacity Q_in, the control unit 1 outputs information indicating that maintenance is required to the output information processing unit 13 as output information.

[0051] Furthermore, the control unit 1 can determine whether the operating state of the air treatment device 100 is normal or not based on the water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K and a preset normal operating range. For example, if the calculated water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K falls within the preset normal operating range, the control unit 1 determines that the operating state of the air treatment device 100 is normal, and if the water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K does not fall within the preset normal operating range, the control unit 1 determines that the operating state of the air treatment device 100 is abnormal.

[0052] In addition, when an instruction is set to periodically perform control to calculate the above-mentioned water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K, the control unit 1 stores the state of the water supply unit 5 or drainage unit 6 over time, and outputs to the output information processing unit 13 as output information an indication of when maintenance will be required based on information on whether maintenance is required or information on the normal operating range.

[0053] The air treatment device 100 of the first embodiment may further include a remote controller that visually displays information using at least one of the initial value data group DT_ini and all of the time-varying state data groups DT1 to DT5. For example, the air treatment device 100 may display a data group in the form of a table or graph in chronological order for each power-on time on the remote controller. This allows the user to visually perceive the degree of deterioration over time of the water supply unit 5 or the drainage unit 6 and the timing of the need for maintenance estimated by the air treatment device 100.

[0054] The air treatment device 100 of the first embodiment may further include a remote controller 12 that can change the content of the information on whether maintenance is required or the information on the normal operating range. The information that can be changed by the remote controller 12 includes at least one of the following information: a water supply / drainage capacity determination threshold, a water supply capacity determination threshold, a drainage capacity determination threshold, a drainage capacity inspection frequency, a schedule setting, and an inspection time required, all of which are used to notify that it is time to replace a part.

[0055] Next, another example of the calculation procedure for the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value K performed by the control unit 1 in the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing another example of the operation of the air treatment device 100 in the first embodiment. When the operation in Fig. 4 is performed, the submersible water level detection unit 4 is provided in the drain pan 18 at a position that detects a water level lower than the water level at which the drain pan 18 is filled with water. This allows the water supply unit 5 to continue supplying water without causing water to overflow from the drain pan 18, even when the water level detection unit is submerged.

[0056] In step S201, the control unit 1 operates the drain unit 6 to drain water to the outside of the machine. At this time, the control unit 1 measures the drain time T_out. Specifically, the control unit 1 starts counting a timer from 0 and measures the drain time T_out. Before the control unit 1 performs drainage, the drain pan 18 is full of water, or the water supply has been completed and the remaining water level in the drain pan 18 is known. At this time, the water in the drain pan 18 is equal to or higher than a predetermined water level. That is, the control unit 1 performs drainage when the water level detection unit 4 is submerged and the drain pan 18 is full of water, or the water supply has been completed and the remaining water level in the drain pan 18 is known. Furthermore, the control unit 1 may operate the water supply unit 5 to supply water before step S201 in order to raise the water level in the drain pan 18 to equal to or higher than the predetermined water level.

[0057] In step S202, the control unit 1 determines whether the water inside the drain pan 18 has reached a predetermined level. That is, the control unit 1 determines whether the water level detection unit 4 is submerged. If the control unit 1 determines that the water inside the drain pan 18 is below the predetermined level (step S202: NO), that is, if the control unit 1 determines that the water level detection unit 4 is not submerged, the control unit 1 proceeds to step S203. If the control unit 1 determines that the water inside the drain pan 18 has reached the predetermined level (step S202: YES), that is, if the control unit 1 has a submersible water level detection unit 4 and has determined that the water level detection unit 4 is submerged, the control unit 1 returns to step S202 and determines whether the water inside the drain pan 18 has reached the predetermined level.

[0058] In step S203, the control unit 1 stops the drain unit 6 and ends draining water outside the machine. At this time, the control unit 1 ends measurement of the drain time T_out. That is, the control unit 1 stops counting the timer and stores the counted value in the non-volatile memory as information on the drain time T_out.

[0059] In step S204, the control unit 1 operates the water supply unit 5 to supply water to the on-board humidifier 20. At this time, the control unit 1 measures the water supply time T_in. Specifically, the control unit 1 starts counting the timer from 0 and measures the water supply time T_in.

[0060] In step S205, the control unit 1 determines whether the water supply time T_in is equal to or greater than a preset water supply inspection time T_in_chk. The water supply inspection time T_in_chk is set to an arbitrary time. The shorter the water supply inspection time T_in_chk is set, the lower the accuracy of estimating the degree of drainage capacity deterioration, but the shorter the inspection time can be. If the control unit 1 determines that the water supply time T_in is equal to or greater than the water supply inspection time T_in_chk (step S205: YES), it proceeds to step S206. On the other hand, if the control unit 1 determines that the water supply time T_in is less than the water supply inspection time T_in_chk (step S205: NO), it returns to step S205 and determines whether the water supply time T_in is equal to or greater than the water supply inspection time T_in_chk.

[0061] In step S206, control unit 1 stops water supply unit 5 and ends the supply of water to on-board humidifier 20. At this time, control unit 1 ends measurement of water supply time T_in. That is, control unit 1 stops counting the timer.

[0062] In step S207, the control unit 1 operates the drain unit 6 again to drain the water outside the apparatus. At this time, the control unit 1 measures the drain inspection time T_out_chk. Specifically, the control unit 1 starts counting the timer from 0 and measures the drain inspection time T_out_chk.

[0063] In step S208, the control unit 1 again determines whether the water in the drain pan 18 has reached the predetermined water level. That is, the control unit 1 again determines whether the water level detection unit 4 is submerged. If the control unit 1 determines that the water in the drain pan 18 is below the predetermined water level (step S208: NO), that is, in the case of a submersible water level detection unit 4, when it determines that the water level detection unit 4 is not submerged, the control unit 1 proceeds to step S209. On the other hand, if the control unit 1 determines that the water in the drain pan 18 has reached the predetermined water level (step S208: YES), that is, in the case of a submersible water level detection unit 4, when it determines that the water level detection unit 4 is submerged, the control unit 1 returns to step S208 and determines whether the water in the drain pan 18 has reached the predetermined water level.

[0064] In step S209, the control unit 1 stops the drain unit 6 and ends draining water outside the apparatus. At this time, the control unit 1 ends measurement of the drain inspection time T_out_chk. That is, the control unit 1 stops counting the timer and stores the counted value in non-volatile memory as information on the drain inspection time T_out_chk. Subsequent steps S210 to S212 are the same as steps S110 to S112, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0065] Thus, the air treatment device 100 of the first embodiment includes a control unit 1 that, if the water level detection unit 4 is not submerged, operates the water supply unit 5 to submerge the water level detection unit 4, operates the drainage unit 6 for a preset drainage test time, and measures the water supply test time until the water level detection unit 4 is submerged again; or, if the water level detection unit 4 is submerged, operates the drainage unit 6 to return the water level detection unit 4 to an unsubmerged state, operates the water supply unit 5 for the preset water supply test time, and measures the drainage test time until the water level detection unit 4 is not submerged again; calculates a water supply / drainage capacity discrimination value K, which is a value indicating the water supply / drainage capacity, based on the drainage test time and the water supply test time; and estimates at least one of the necessity of maintenance and the timing of the required maintenance based on the water supply / drainage capacity discrimination value K. With the above configuration, the air treatment device 100 can estimate at least one of the necessity of maintenance and the timing of the required maintenance without including components unnecessary for the original function of the air treatment device 100. This allows the air treatment device 100 to notify the user of at least either the need for maintenance or the time when maintenance is required, without having to provide a new configuration for estimating at least one of the need for maintenance and the time when maintenance is required.

[0066] Furthermore, by adopting the above configuration, when estimating the timing of maintenance using environmental data and machine learning, etc., accurate data input and accumulation of past data affect the accuracy of the estimation, so compared to the invention described in Patent Document 1, the air treatment device 100 can improve the accuracy of estimating the timing of maintenance.

[0067] Furthermore, the control unit 1 of the first embodiment calculates the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value K based on the ratio between the drainage inspection time T_out_chk and the water supply inspection time T_in_chk. With the above configuration, the air processing device 100 can estimate at least either the need for maintenance or the timing when maintenance is required, without having any components unnecessary for the original functions of the air processing device 100. As a result, the air processing device 100 can notify the user of at least either the need for maintenance or the timing when maintenance is required, without having to provide any new components for estimating at least either the need for maintenance or the timing when maintenance is required.

[0068] Furthermore, if the water level detection unit 4 is submersible, the air treatment device 100 does not need to measure the amount of retained water in advance to detect a predetermined water level. With the above configuration, the air treatment device 100 can apply the control of embodiment 1 without performing any prior measurement, regardless of the volume of the drain pan 18. This allows the air treatment device 100 to calculate the water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K regardless of the volume of the drain pan 18.

[0069] Furthermore, even when the air processing device 100 of the first embodiment has only one water level detection unit 4, it can calculate the water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K without presetting the amount of water held in the drain pan 18. This allows the air processing device 100 to calculate the water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K regardless of the volume of the drain pan 18.

[0070] Furthermore, the output information processing unit 13 notifies the user of output information including information relating to the status of the part output from the control unit 1. With the above configuration, the output information processing unit 13 can notify the user of information relating to the status of the part output from the control unit 1.

[0071] Furthermore, the control unit 1 estimates at least either the need for maintenance or the timing of when maintenance is required based on the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value K and a preset threshold value. With the above configuration, the air processing device 100 can estimate at least either the need for maintenance or the timing of when maintenance is required without having any components unnecessary for the original functions of the air processing device 100. As a result, the air processing device 100 can notify the user of at least either the need for maintenance or the timing of when maintenance is required without having to provide a new component for estimating at least either the need for maintenance or the timing of when maintenance is required.

[0072] Furthermore, the control unit 1 determines whether the operating state of the air treatment device 100 is normal based on the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value K and a preset normal operating range. With the above configuration, the control unit 1 can estimate at least one of whether maintenance is necessary and when maintenance is necessary, and can also determine whether the operating state of the air treatment device 100 is normal. Therefore, when it is determined that maintenance is necessary or that the operating state of the air treatment device 100 is abnormal, the control unit 1 can perform protective operation. This prevents the condition of each component from further deteriorating due to continuing normal operation when maintenance is necessary or the operating state of the air treatment device 100 is abnormal.

[0073] Although the water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K has been described as being calculated based on the ratio of the water supply inspection time T_in_chk to the drainage inspection time T_out_chk, this is not limiting. For example, the control unit 1 may calculate the water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K based on the difference between the drainage inspection time T_out_chk and the water supply inspection time T_in_chk. Even in this case, the control unit 1 can estimate at least either whether maintenance is required or when maintenance is required by comparing the calculated water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K with a preset threshold value, or by comparing a slope calculated from multiple water supply and drainage capacity discrimination values ​​K with a preset threshold value, etc.

[0074] Furthermore, the control unit 1 may calculate the water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K based on the ratio of the drainage inspection time T_out_chk to the water supply inspection time T_in_chk. In this case, for example, when the calculated water supply and drainage capacity discrimination value K falls below a preset threshold, that is, when the drainage capacity Q_out falls below an allowable threshold for the water supply capacity Q_in, the control unit 1 may notify the user that maintenance is required.

[0075] (Appendix 1) a water supply unit that supplies water to the aircraft; a drain pan for holding the water supplied from the water supply unit; a submersible water level detector that detects the level of the water held inside the drain pan; a drainage section that drains the water held inside the drain pan to the outside of the drain pan; a control unit that, if the water level detection unit is not submerged, operates the water supply unit to submerge the water level detection unit, operates the drainage unit for a preset drainage inspection time, operates the water supply unit to measure the water supply inspection time until the water level detection unit is submerged again, calculates a water supply and drainage capacity judgment value that is a value indicating the water supply and drainage capacity based on the drainage inspection time and the water supply inspection time, and estimates at least one of whether maintenance is necessary and when maintenance is necessary based on the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value; An air treatment device comprising: (Appendix 2) a water supply unit that supplies water to the aircraft; a drain pan for holding the water supplied from the water supply unit; a submersible water level detector that detects the level of the water held inside the drain pan; a drainage section that drains the water held inside the drain pan to the outside of the drain pan; a control unit that, when the water level detection unit is submerged, operates the drainage unit to put the water level detection unit into a state where it is not submerged, operates the water supply unit for a preset water supply inspection time, operates the drainage unit to measure the drainage inspection time until the water level detection unit is again in a state where it is not submerged, calculates a water supply and drainage capacity judgment value based on the drainage inspection time and the water supply inspection time, and estimates at least one of whether maintenance is necessary and when maintenance is necessary based on the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value; An air treatment device comprising: (Appendix 3) The control unit calculates the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value based on the ratio of the drainage inspection time to the water supply inspection time. 3. An air treatment device according to claim 1 or 2. (Appendix 4) The device further includes an output information processing unit that notifies output information including information related to the state of the component output from the control unit. 4. The air treatment device (100) of claim 1, wherein the air treatment device (100) is a (Appendix 5) The control unit estimates at least one of whether the maintenance is necessary and when the maintenance is necessary based on the water supply and drainage capacity determination value and a preset threshold value. 5. An air treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. (Appendix 6) The control unit determines whether the operating state of the air treatment device is normal based on the water supply and drainage capacity determination value and a preset normal operating range. 6. An air treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. (Appendix 7) The air treatment device is a ventilation device. 7. An air treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 100 air treatment device, 1 control unit, 2 input interface, 3 output interface, 4 water level detection unit, 5 water supply unit, 6 drainage unit, 7 microcomputer, 8 timer unit, 9 maintenance information storage unit, 10 water supply capacity calculation unit, 11 drainage capacity calculation unit, 12 remote controller, 13 output information processing unit, 17 casing, 18 drain pan, 19 water supply, 20 humidifier, 21 water supply path, 22 drainage, 23 drainage path

Claims

1. a water supply unit that supplies water to the aircraft; a drain pan for holding the water supplied from the water supply unit; a submersible water level detector that detects the level of the water held inside the drain pan; a drainage section that drains the water held inside the drain pan to the outside of the drain pan; a control unit that, if the water level detection unit is not submerged, operates the water supply unit to submerge the water level detection unit, operates the drainage unit for a preset drainage inspection time, operates the water supply unit to measure the water supply inspection time until the water level detection unit is submerged again, calculates a water supply and drainage capacity judgment value that is a value indicating the water supply and drainage capacity based on the drainage inspection time and the water supply inspection time, and estimates at least one of whether maintenance is necessary and when maintenance is necessary based on the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value; An air treatment device comprising:

2. a water supply unit that supplies water to the aircraft; a drain pan for holding the water supplied from the water supply unit; a submersible water level detector that detects the level of the water held inside the drain pan; a drainage section that drains the water held inside the drain pan to the outside of the drain pan; a control unit that, when the water level detection unit is submerged, operates the drainage unit to put the water level detection unit into a state where it is not submerged, operates the water supply unit for a preset water supply inspection time, operates the drainage unit to measure the drainage inspection time until the water level detection unit is again in a state where it is not submerged, calculates a water supply and drainage capacity judgment value based on the drainage inspection time and the water supply inspection time, and estimates at least one of whether maintenance is necessary and when maintenance is necessary based on the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value; An air treatment device comprising:

3. The control unit calculates the water supply and drainage capacity judgment value based on the ratio of the drainage inspection time to the water supply inspection time.

3. The air treatment device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The device further includes an output information processing unit that notifies output information including information related to the state of the component output from the control unit.

3. The air treatment device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The control unit estimates at least one of whether the maintenance is necessary and when the maintenance is necessary based on the water supply and drainage capacity determination value and a preset threshold value.

3. An air treatment device according to claim 1 or claim 2.

6. The control unit determines whether the operating state of the air treatment device is normal based on the water supply and drainage capacity determination value and a preset normal operating range.

3. An air treatment device according to claim 1 or claim 2.

7. The air treatment device is a ventilation device.

3. An air treatment device according to claim 1 or claim 2.

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