Humidifier

Abstract

To provide a humidifier capable of alleviating excessive humidification and suppressing generation of dew condensation.SOLUTION: A vaporization type humidifier 100 includes: a sensor 36 for detecting a temperature and relative humidity of a humidification object space; a blower 31 for imparting energy to the air, and for supplying the air to the humidification object space; an air quantity control part 44 for controlling the air quantity of the air which is supplied to the humidification object space; an absolute humidity calculation part 42 for calculating current absolute humidity in the humidification object space from the temperature and relative humidity detected by the sensor 36; a storage part 41 for storing a limited air quantity which is the air quantity of the air supplied to the humidification object space, in the case where the threshold value of the absolute humidity and the current absolute humidity have become equal to or higher than a threshold value; and a threshold value determination part 43 which determines whether the current absolute humidity has become equal to or higher than the threshold value. The air quantity control part 44 limits the air quantity of the air to the limited air quantity, in the case where the threshold value determination part 43 has determined that the current absolute humidity has become equal to or higher than the threshold value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a humidifier equipped with a blower that supplies air into a space to be humidified. [Background technology]

[0002] Humidifiers are widely used to maintain a comfortable indoor humidity level. Humidifiers humidify air by bringing it into contact with a humidification module containing moisture for humidification. Humidifiers are equipped with a blower that draws in air from the space to be humidified and expels it toward the humidification module.

[0003] During operation of the humidifier, moisture for humidification is supplied to the humidification module by a water supply device. The moisture supplied to the humidification module by the water supply device comes into contact with the gas and humidifies the gas. The humidified gas is then released into the space to be humidified at a specified airflow rate. In this way, the humidifier operates by adjusting the airflow rate to achieve the humidity set by the user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6611823 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-227369 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-025619 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When the space being humidified becomes over-humidified and reaches the saturated water vapor amount, which is the maximum amount of water vapor that can exist, condensation is likely to occur. The saturated water vapor amount decreases when the temperature is low. Furthermore, if the absolute humidity is constant, as the temperature rises, the relative humidity decreases, and the humidification operation continues, making it easy for the unit to become over-humidified.

[0006] For example, in winter, when the temperature of the space to be humidified rises due to heating, the relative humidity drops, so humidifiers tend to increase their airflow. Meanwhile, areas near windows, for example, can experience low temperatures due to the influence of outside temperatures. Therefore, if a humidifier continues to humidify at its normal operating airflow rate to achieve the set humidity level, it can over-humidify the air, potentially causing condensation near windows.

[0007] The present invention has been proposed to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a humidifier that can reduce over-humidification and suppress the occurrence of condensation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The humidifier of the present invention comprises a sensor that detects the temperature and relative humidity of a space to be humidified, a blower that imparts energy to air and supplies the air to the space to be humidified, an air volume control unit that controls the volume of air supplied to the space to be humidified, an absolute humidity calculation unit that calculates the current absolute humidity of the space to be humidified from the temperature and relative humidity detected by the sensor, a memory unit that stores an absolute humidity threshold and a limited air volume that is the volume of air to be supplied to the space to be humidified when the current absolute humidity is equal to or greater than the threshold, and a threshold judgment unit that judges whether the current absolute humidity is equal to or greater than the threshold, and the air volume control unit switches from normal operation to limiter operation and limits the volume of air to the limited air volume when the threshold judgment unit determines that the current absolute humidity is equal to or greater than the threshold.

[0009] The air volume control unit may switch from the normal operation to the limiter operation and limit the air volume to the limited air volume when the target relative humidity setting in the space to be humidified set by the user is less than 100% and the threshold determination unit determines that the current absolute humidity is equal to or greater than the threshold.

[0010] The threshold may be 0.01000 kg / kg or greater.

[0011] The device may include a display unit that displays multiple thresholds using combinations of multiple temperatures and relative humidities, and an input unit that accepts a user's selection from the multiple thresholds displayed on the display unit, and the absolute humidity calculation unit may calculate the absolute humidity that becomes the threshold based on the temperature and relative humidity input to the input unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, a humidifier can be obtained that can reduce excessive humidification and suppress the occurrence of condensation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of an evaporative humidifier according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control unit. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing a switching operation between normal operation and limiter operation. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a plurality of threshold values ​​displayed on a display unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] [1. Embodiment] [1-1. Configuration of the embodiment] A humidifier according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the humidifier will be described as an evaporative humidifier 100. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of evaporative humidifier 100 according to this embodiment. Note that in FIG. 1, housing 1 is shown as transparent to show the internal configuration. In each drawing, thickness, dimensions, positional relationships, proportions, shape, etc. may be exaggerated to facilitate understanding, but the present invention is not limited to such exaggeration.

[0015] Evaporative humidifier 100 is a device that humidifies by blowing air over a moisture-soaked filter to vaporize and release the moisture. Evaporative humidifier 100 of this embodiment is installed on the ceiling of a building. That is, evaporative humidifier 100 has humidifier main body 10 embedded in the ceiling, and air intake 21 and air outlet 22 attached to the ceiling surface. However, evaporative humidifier 100 is not limited to being installed on the ceiling, and may also be installed on the floor or a table.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 1, evaporative humidifier 100 comprises a humidifier main body 10 and a control unit 4. Control unit 4 may be built into humidifier main body 10 or may be provided external to humidifier main body 10. Humidifier main body 10 comprises a housing 1, a decorative grill 2, and a humidifying device 3. Humidifying device 3 comprises a blower 31, a humidifying module 32, a water supply device 33, a drain pan 34, an electrical component 35, and a sensor 36. Control unit 4 controls the amount of humidification by evaporative humidifier 100 by controlling each component of humidifier main body 10.

[0017] (housing) The housing 1 is a box-shaped component placed inside the ceiling of a building. The housing 1 houses a blower 31, a humidification module 32, a water supply device 33, a drain pan 34, an electrical component 35, and a sensor 36. A rectangular opening is provided on the bottom surface of the housing 1. Each component is housed inside the housing 1 through this opening.

[0018] (decorative grill) The decorative grill 2 is a rectangular decorative plate that covers an opening provided on the underside of the housing 1. The decorative grill 2 has approximately the same shape and size as the opening of the housing 1. The decorative grill 2 is fixed to the housing 1 so as to be able to open and close. The decorative grill 2 has an intake port 21 and an outlet port 22.

[0019] Air intake 21 is a roughly rectangular opening provided on one end side of decorative grille 2. Air intake 21 takes in air from inside the building into the housing. Air intake 21 supplies the taken-in air to blower 31. A filter (not shown) is provided between air intake 21 and blower 31 so as to cover the back surface of air intake 21.

[0020] The air outlet 22 is a generally rectangular opening provided on the other end side of the decorative grille 2. After the air taken in through the air intake 21 is humidified by the humidification module 32, the humidified air is supplied from the air outlet 22 to the space to be humidified.

[0021] (Blower) The blower 31 is a device that imparts kinetic energy to air and sends it out. For example, a fan can be used as the blower 31. The blower 31 is provided inside the housing 1 on the side of the air inlet 21 of the decorative grille 2. The blower 31 is disposed above the air inlet 21 and draws in the air taken in by the air inlet 21. Both side surfaces perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the air inlet 21 are the intake ports of the blower 31. The outlet port of the blower 31 is provided to face one side surface of the humidifying module 32. The blower 31 supplies the air drawn in through the air inlet 21 to one side surface of the humidifying module 32. An intermediate spacer may be provided on the outlet side of the blower 31 so that the air supplied to the humidifying module 32 spreads over the entire side surface of the humidifying module 32.

[0022] (Humidification module) The humidifying module 32 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped member formed by laminating multiple plate-like humidifying materials with corrugated cross sections, formed from, for example, nonwoven fabric. The humidifying module 32 temporarily retains moisture supplied from the water supply device 33 and uses this retained moisture to humidify the air supplied from the blower 31. That is, air supplied from the blower 31 to one side of the humidifying module 32 is humidified as it passes through the humidifying module 32, and the humidified air is discharged from the other side of the humidifying module 32. The humidifying module 32 is removably fixed to a drain pan 34.

[0023] (water supply device) The water supply device 33 includes a water supply header and the like, and the water supply header is disposed on top of the humidification module 32. The water supply device 33 supplies moisture to the humidification module 32. The water supply device 33 is provided with a solenoid valve and the like (not shown), and by controlling the solenoid valve and the like, water supply can be started, stopped, and the amount of water supply can be adjusted.

[0024] (Drain pan) The drain pan 34 is provided below the humidification module 32. The drain pan 34 has a box-like shape with an open top. The dimensions of the drain pan 34 are greater than the width and depth of the humidification module 32, but shorter than its height. The drain pan 34 receives and stores water that flows down from the humidification module 32.

[0025] The drain pan 34 is designed to receive and store leaking water even if it leaks from the solenoid valve of the water supply device 33. The drain pan 34 is removably fixed to a support member provided on the housing 1. A drain outlet is provided on the bottom surface of the drain pan 34. The bottom surface of the drain pan 34 is inclined toward the drain outlet. A pipe extending downward is provided at the drain outlet, and a drain cap is inserted into this pipe.

[0026] (Electrical Equipment Department) The electrical component 35 is a rectangular parallelepiped member provided between the air intake 21 and the blower 31. The electrical component 35 is configured to be connectable to a connector of the sensor 36. The electrical component 35 receives detection information detected by the sensor 36.

[0027] (sensor) The sensor 36 detects the temperature and relative humidity of the space to be humidified. The sensor 36 may be constantly operating to detect the temperature and relative humidity that fluctuate from moment to moment, or may detect the temperature and relative humidity at predetermined intervals, such as every minute. The sensor 36 may be a module type in which a sensor body, such as a humidity sensor or temperature sensor, is mounted on a circuit board. The detected temperature and humidity information is sent to the electrical component 35.

[0028] The sensor 36 is provided inside the humidifier main body 10. In this embodiment, the sensor 36 is provided upstream of the air flow path, and is provided on the side of the electrical component section 35 as shown in Fig. 1. The sensor 36 is fixed to the electrical component section 35 with fixing devices such as screws. However, the sensor 36 does not necessarily have to be provided inside the humidifier main body 10, and may be installed in the space to be humidified.

[0029] The sensor 36 in this embodiment is housed in a protective cover. The protective cover has a plurality of slits to prevent air from accumulating inside the cover. Note that the sensor 36 does not necessarily have to be housed in a protective cover.

[0030] (Control unit) Control unit 4 is composed of a computer, a driver circuit, etc. The computer is composed of storage such as flash memory, RAM, a CPU, etc. Control unit 4 controls the various components of evaporative humidifier 100. In particular, control unit 4 in this embodiment limits the airflow to a fixed amount when the absolute humidity is equal to or greater than a threshold. Note that a mode in which the airflow is limited to a fixed amount is sometimes referred to as limiter operation, and modes other than limiter operation are sometimes referred to as normal operation.

[0031] 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 4 includes a storage unit 41, an absolute humidity calculation unit 42, a threshold determination unit 43, and an air volume control unit 44.

[0032] Storage unit 41 stores the control program and setting information for evaporative humidifier 100. Storage unit 41 also stores an absolute humidity threshold value that serves as a criterion for activating or stopping limiter operation. This threshold value may be set in advance or may be input by the user via input unit 6, which will be described later. The threshold value is preferably, for example, 0.01000 kg / kg or more in terms of weight absolute humidity.

[0033] The memory unit 41 stores the relationship between temperature, relative humidity, and absolute humidity in the form of a quick reference table such as Table 1 below. Note that relative humidity refers to the ratio of the water vapor partial pressure of moist air to the water vapor partial pressure of the saturated air in that moist air, and absolute humidity refers to weight absolute humidity, which is expressed as the mass of water vapor contained in moist air per 1 kg of dry air. Note that absolute humidity may also be set as volume absolute humidity.

[0034] [Table 1]

[0035] The memory unit 41 stores in advance a limited airflow rate, which is the airflow rate during limiter operation. The limited airflow rate is the lower limit of the airflow rate set to reduce excessive humidification. The limited airflow rate is, for example, 20% of the maximum airflow rate of the blower 31.

[0036] The absolute humidity calculation unit 42 calculates the absolute humidity based on the temperature and the relative humidity. The absolute humidity calculation unit 42 calculates the absolute humidity from the relationship between the temperature, the relative humidity, and the absolute humidity stored in the storage unit 41.

[0037] The absolute humidity calculation unit 42 calculates the current absolute humidity. The current absolute humidity is the current absolute humidity in the space to be humidified. The absolute humidity calculation unit 42 calculates the current absolute humidity based on the temperature and relative humidity detected by the sensor 36. The absolute humidity calculation unit 42 calculates the current absolute humidity both during normal operation and during limiter operation.

[0038] The threshold value determination unit 43 compares the current absolute humidity calculated by the absolute humidity calculation unit 42 with the threshold value stored in the memory unit 41. When the threshold value determination unit 43 determines that the current absolute humidity is equal to or greater than the threshold value, it switches from normal operation to limiter operation.

[0039] The air volume control unit 44 controls the volume of air supplied to the space to be humidified. The air volume control unit 44 controls the volume of air supplied to the space to be humidified by controlling the blower 31. The evaporative humidifier 100 has manual and automatic modes for the air volume, which the user can switch between using the input unit 6. The manual mode allows the user to freely select the air volume, and is set to three levels, for example, "weak," "medium," and "strong." The automatic mode automatically adjusts the optimal air volume to achieve the set humidity in the space to be humidified, depending on the difference between the set humidity and the humidity detected by the sensor 36. The air volume control unit 44 controls the volume of air supplied to the space to be humidified, taking into account the load caused by the air supplied from the blower 31 passing through the humidification module 32, etc.

[0040] During normal operation, the air volume control unit 44 controls the blower 31 so as to supply air to the space to be humidified at the air volume set or calculated in either the manual mode or the automatic mode. On the other hand, during limiter operation, the air volume control unit 44 controls the blower 31 so as to achieve the limited air volume stored in the memory unit 41. When switching from normal operation to limiter operation, the air volume control unit 44 does not limit the air volume in stages, but immediately limits the air volume from the air volume during normal operation to the limited air volume.

[0041] (Display) Display unit 5 displays the state, temperature, and humidity of evaporative humidifier 100. Display unit 5 is configured with a liquid crystal display or the like, and displays images and text information.

[0042] The display unit 5 displays a plurality of absolute humidity thresholds that can be selected by the user. It is preferable that all of the plurality of thresholds displayed by the display unit 5 are such that the weight absolute humidity is 0.01000 kg / kg or more.

[0043] It is preferable that the display unit 5 displays the threshold value not as absolute humidity but as temperature and relative humidity. By displaying the threshold value as temperature and relative humidity, the user can set the threshold value using familiar parameters such as temperature and relative humidity. When displaying the threshold value as temperature and relative humidity, the absolute humidity calculation unit 42 calculates the absolute humidity based on the selected temperature and relative humidity, and stores the calculated absolute humidity in the storage unit 41 as the threshold value.

[0044] (Input section) The input unit 6 accepts various operations from the user and outputs information about the user's operation to the control unit 4. The input unit 6 accepts the user's selection of the absolute humidity threshold value displayed on the display unit 5. The input unit 6 is, for example, a touch panel, a keyboard, a mouse, or a microphone.

[0045] [1-2. Operation of the embodiment] The operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of switching between normal operation and limiter operation.

[0046] First, the limit airflow rate for limiter operation is set (step 01). The limit airflow rate is set in advance in evaporative humidifier 100. The limit airflow rate is, for example, 20%. Next, the absolute humidity that serves as the threshold for switching from normal operation to limiter operation is set (step 02). The threshold value may be set in advance in evaporative humidifier 100, or may be set by the user. In this embodiment, a case where the threshold value is set by the user will be described.

[0047] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a plurality of thresholds displayed on the display unit 5. As shown in Fig. 4, the display unit 5 displays three options: "(1) Temperature 22°C, Humidity 60%," "(2) Temperature 22°C, Humidity 65%," and "(3) Temperature 22°C, Humidity 70%." The user selects from the three options displayed on the display unit 5.

[0048] For example, the user selects "(3) Temperature 22°C, Humidity 70%." When the user selects "(3) Temperature 22°C, Humidity 70%," the absolute humidity calculation unit 42 calculates the absolute humidity to be 0.01166 kg / kg from the quick reference table of Table 1 above. The memory unit 41 stores 0.01166 kg / kg as the threshold value for absolute humidity.

[0049] While evaporative humidifier 100 is operating, absolute humidity calculation unit 42 calculates the current absolute humidity (step 03). First, sensor 36 detects the temperature and relative humidity of the space to be humidified. Sensor 36 then transmits information about the detected temperature and relative humidity to absolute humidity calculation unit 42. Upon receiving the temperature and relative humidity information, absolute humidity calculation unit 42 calculates the current absolute humidity from Table 1 above, which is stored in memory unit 41.

[0050] The control unit 4 determines whether limiter operation is enabled (step 04). If limiter operation is disabled (step 04: No), the control unit 4 proceeds to step 09 and continues normal operation. If limiter operation is enabled (step 04: Yes), the control unit 4 proceeds to step 05.

[0051] The control unit 4 determines whether the user's set humidity for the space to be humidified is set in relative humidity (step 05). If the set humidity is set in absolute humidity, it is not affected by a decrease in relative humidity due to temperature changes. Therefore, condensation due to excessive humidification is likely to occur when the user's set humidity is set in relative humidity. Therefore, limiter operation is activated only when the set humidity, which is prone to excessive humidification, is set in relative humidity. If the user's set humidity is set in relative humidity (step 05: Yes), the control unit 4 proceeds to step 06. On the other hand, if the user's set humidity is set in absolute humidity (step 05: No), the control unit 4 proceeds to step 09, and normal operation continues.

[0052] The control unit 4 also determines whether the target relative humidity setting for the space to be humidified set by the user is less than 100% (step 06). As shown in Table 1 above, the absolute humidity increases as the relative humidity or temperature increases. Therefore, in high-temperature and high-humidity conditions, the operation is likely to switch to limiter operation.

[0053] For example, evaporative humidifier 100 may be subjected to a test run. If this test run is performed in a high-temperature, high-humidity environment, limiter operation may be activated at a time not desired by the user, preventing the test run from being performed properly. Therefore, if a user, particularly a test run operator, sets the set humidity to 100% using input unit 6, limiter operation is temporarily disabled. If control unit 4 determines that the relative humidity setting is 100% (No in step 06), the process proceeds to step 09, where normal operation continues. On the other hand, if control unit 4 determines that the relative humidity setting is less than 100% (Yes in step 06), the process proceeds to step 07.

[0054] The threshold determination unit 43 compares the current absolute humidity calculated by the absolute humidity calculation unit 42 with the threshold stored in the memory unit 41 and determines whether the current absolute humidity is equal to or greater than the threshold (step 07). If the current absolute humidity is equal to or greater than the threshold (step 07: Yes), the threshold determination unit 43 switches to limiter operation (step 08). For example, when the temperature is 25°C and the relative humidity is 60%, the current absolute humidity is 0.01204 kg / kg, so the threshold determination unit 43 determines that this is equal to or greater than the threshold of 0.01166 kg / kg and switches to limiter operation. That is, the air volume control unit 44 limits the air volume of air supplied to the space to be humidified to the limited air volume of 20%.

[0055] On the other hand, if the current absolute humidity is less than the threshold value (No in step 07), the process proceeds to step 09, and normal operation continues. For example, when the temperature is 20°C and the relative humidity is 45%, the current absolute humidity is 0.00661 kg / kg, so the threshold value determination unit 43 determines that it is less than the threshold value, and normal operation continues.

[0056] Furthermore, even after the limiter operation is started, the steps from step 03 onwards are repeated. That is, the current absolute humidity is calculated at any time by the absolute humidity calculation unit 42. Then, the threshold determination unit 43 compares the current absolute humidity calculated at any time with the threshold, and when it determines that the current absolute humidity exceeds the threshold (step 07: No), the limiter operation is stopped and normal operation is resumed.

[0057] [1-3. Effects of the embodiment] Evaporative humidifier 100 of the present embodiment, having the configuration and operation described above, comprises sensor 36 that detects the temperature and relative humidity of the space to be humidified, blower 31 that imparts energy to the air and supplies it to the space to be humidified, airflow control unit 44 that controls the volume of air supplied to the space to be humidified, absolute humidity calculation unit 42 that calculates the current absolute humidity of the space to be humidified from the temperature and relative humidity detected by sensor 36, memory unit 41 that stores the absolute humidity threshold and the limited airflow rate during limiter operation, and threshold determination unit 43 that determines whether the current absolute humidity is above the threshold. When threshold determination unit 43 determines that the current absolute humidity is above the threshold, airflow control unit 44 limits the airflow rate to the limited airflow rate.

[0058] In this way, when the threshold is exceeded, the volume of air supplied to the space to be humidified is limited, and the supply of moisture-containing air to the space to be humidified is restricted, preventing the amount of water vapor from reaching saturation. This reduces over-humidification and reduces condensation on windows in the space to be humidified.

[0059] Furthermore, if the humidifying operation is stopped, the user may mistakenly believe that evaporative humidifier 100 has malfunctioned. However, in this embodiment, the humidifying operation is not stopped, but the airflow is restricted by switching to limiter operation. This makes it easy to see that the humidifying operation is in progress, preventing the user from making any mistakes.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 4 determines whether limiter operation is enabled or disabled, and if it is disabled, normal operation continues. Some users place more importance on humidifying the space to be humidified than on preventing condensation. For such users, the unit is designed to allow limiter operation to be disabled in advance. This setting may be performed remotely. This design makes it possible to provide an evaporative humidifier 100 that meets the needs of the user.

[0061] The air volume control unit 44 limits the air volume supplied to the space to be humidified to the limited air volume when the target relative humidity set by the user in the space to be humidified is less than 100% and the threshold determination unit 43 determines that the current absolute humidity is equal to or greater than the threshold.

[0062] Because the limiter operation is enabled or disabled in advance, enabling it requires a system change. Changing the setting requires effort. On the other hand, there are cases where limiter operation may not be enabled temporarily, such as during a test run. In this case, the test operator simply sets the relative humidity to 100%. This allows limiter operation to be temporarily disabled by the simple act of setting the relative humidity to 100%. As a result, the limiter function can be prevented from operating during a test run, allowing the status of the evaporative humidifier 100 to be checked properly and without hindrance. Furthermore, even outside of a test run, if a user wishes to temporarily prioritize humidification over condensation, the user can easily disable limiter operation temporarily, thereby providing an evaporative humidifier 100 that meets the user's needs.

[0063] In this embodiment, the threshold value is set to 0.01000 kg / kg or greater. Because winter is generally dry, evaporative humidifiers 100 are often used in winter. A comfortable temperature range in winter is said to be approximately 18°C ​​to 22°C and a relative humidity range of approximately 40% to 60%. Since a relative humidity of 40% to 45% is particularly common, if the humidifier were to simply switch from normal operation to limiter operation within this relative humidity range, the humidified space would not be kept at the relative humidity set by the user, making it difficult to provide a comfortable humidified space for the user. Therefore, the threshold value is set to 0.01000 kg / kg or greater. This prevents the humidifier from switching to limiter operation until the temperature reaches 27°C or 25°C when the relative humidity is 40% to 45%, which is frequently used by users. This reduces condensation caused by excessive humidification while providing a comfortable humidified space for the user.

[0064] In this embodiment, the system further includes a display unit 5 that displays a plurality of thresholds based on combinations of temperature and relative humidity, and an input unit 6 that accepts a user's selection from the plurality of thresholds displayed on the display unit 5. The absolute humidity calculation unit 42 calculates the absolute humidity that serves as the threshold based on the temperature and relative humidity input to the input unit 6.

[0065] This allows the user to select a threshold value that is appropriate for the space to be humidified that the user is staying in. Furthermore, since the user only needs to select from multiple displayed threshold values, the user can select without hesitation compared to when options are not displayed, making it easier to set the threshold value.

[0066] In particular, the display unit 5 displays temperature and relative humidity, not absolute humidity. While users are familiar with temperature and relative humidity, they rarely have the opportunity to touch absolute humidity, so even if absolute humidity is displayed, it is difficult for them to determine at what temperature or relative humidity the unit will switch to limiter operation. Therefore, by allowing users to select threshold settings based on temperature and relative humidity, it is easier for them to imagine the environment in which limit operation will be switched on, and they can set thresholds that suit their preferences. As a result, it is possible to provide a humidified space that is suitable for each individual user.

[0067] 2. Other Embodiments Although the present specification describes an embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above-described embodiment can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the claims.

[0068] (1) In the above embodiment, the display unit 5 displays three threshold values ​​(see FIG. 4), but the number of threshold values ​​displayed by the display unit 5 may be two, or four or more.

[0069] (2) When the user sets the threshold, the user may input the temperature and relative humidity or absolute humidity values ​​via the input unit 6, rather than selecting from multiple thresholds displayed on the display unit 5. In this case, it is preferable to prevent the absolute humidity from falling below the absolute humidity level, which is prone to over-humidification. Any method may be used to prevent the absolute humidity from falling below the reference value. Examples include a method in which a reference absolute humidity of 0.01000 kg / kg is stored in the memory unit 41, and if the reference value is exceeded, an error message is displayed on the display unit 5 and the user is prompted to re-enter the humidity value. Alternatively, if a value below the reference value is entered, the absolute humidity value is automatically set to the reference value. In this case, even when the user arbitrarily sets the threshold, it is possible to prevent the device from switching to limiter operation in a frequently used relative humidity range.

[0070] (3) In the above embodiment, the limiter operation is not activated when the control unit 4 determines that the relative humidity setting is 100%, but a separate switch for enabling or disabling the limiter operation may be provided. In other words, if the user selects disable, the limiter operation may not be activated and normal operation may continue even if the current absolute humidity is equal to or greater than the threshold. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 100 Evaporative Humidifier 10 Humidifier body 1. Housing 2 decorative grills 21 Air intake 22 Air outlet 3 Humidifier 31 Blower 32 Humidification module 33 Water supply equipment 34 Drain pan 35 Electrical Equipment Department 36 sensors 4. Control section 41 Storage section 42 Absolute humidity calculation section 43 Threshold judgment unit 44 Air volume control unit 5 Display section 6 Input section

Claims

1. a sensor for detecting the temperature and relative humidity of a space to be humidified; a blower that imparts energy to air and supplies the air to the space to be humidified; an air volume control unit that controls the volume of air supplied to the space to be humidified; an absolute humidity calculation unit that calculates a current absolute humidity of the space to be humidified based on the temperature and relative humidity detected by the sensor; a storage unit that stores a threshold value of absolute humidity and a limit airflow rate that is an airflow rate of air to be supplied to the humidification target space when the current absolute humidity is equal to or greater than the threshold value; a threshold value determination unit that determines whether the current absolute humidity is equal to or greater than the threshold value; Equipped with the air volume control unit switches from normal operation to limiter operation when the threshold determination unit determines that the current absolute humidity is equal to or greater than the threshold, and limits the air volume to the limited air volume. Humidifier.

2. the air volume control unit switches from the normal operation to the limiter operation and limits the air volume to the limited air volume when a target relative humidity setting in the humidification target space set by a user is less than 100% and the threshold determination unit determines that the current absolute humidity is equal to or greater than the threshold. The humidifier of claim 1.

3. The threshold value is 0.01000 kg / kg or more.

3. The humidifier according to claim 1 or 2.

4. a display unit that displays the plurality of threshold values ​​by a plurality of combinations of temperature and relative humidity; an input unit that accepts a user's selection from the plurality of thresholds displayed on the display unit; Equipped with the absolute humidity calculation unit calculates the absolute humidity as the threshold value based on the temperature and relative humidity input to the input unit; The humidifier according to claim 3.

Images