Building

The building's handrail-integrated air conditioning system efficiently controls temperature near handrails, addressing the inefficiencies and costs of traditional room-wide temperature adjustments.

JP2025166916APending Publication Date: 2025-11-07DAIWA HOUSE INDUSTRY CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024071112
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-04-25
Publication Date
2025-11-07

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing air conditioning systems that adjust the temperature of entire rooms increase load and cost, and installing circulators to equalize room temperature further escalates these issues, particularly in spaces where people are near handrails.

Method used

A building with handrails equipped with an air conditioning unit and a hollow body forming part of the handrail, featuring a displacement mechanism that adjusts temperature-controlled air supply around the handrail, allowing for efficient temperature control near the handrail.

Benefits of technology

The system efficiently adjusts temperature near the handrail, reducing the need for extensive room temperature adjustments, lowering installation and operational costs, and minimizing risks of overheating nearby objects.

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Abstract

To provide a building that can efficiently adjust temperature in the vicinity of a handrail that is installed in a building.SOLUTION: A residence H includes: an air conditioner 10 for supplying temperature-controlled air into a room R to which a handrail T is installed; a hollow body 12 disposed in the room R to serve as an air supply passage and including a peripheral wall provided with an air outlet 20; and a displacement mechanism 22 for displacing the air outlet 20 in a circumferential direction of the peripheral wall. A cylinder part 14 forming the peripheral wall of the hollow body 12 constitutes at least part of the handrail T.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a building, and more particularly to a building in which handrails are installed in spaces within the building. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of equipment for adjusting the temperature (room temperature) of rooms in a building is the air conditioning system described in Patent Document 1. The air conditioning system described in Patent Document 1 is a central air conditioning system that sends air to each of multiple rooms (occupancies) in a building and equalizes the temperature of each room throughout the rooms. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-148654 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, adjusting the temperature of the entire room in each room, as in the air conditioning system described in Patent Document 1, increases the air conditioning load, requiring time for adjustment and reducing the operating efficiency of the air conditioning system. Also, if a circulator is installed in the room to equalize the temperature throughout the room, the cost of installing and managing the equipment (the circulator and its associated equipment) increases, resulting in higher air conditioning costs.

[0005] On the other hand, in many cases, the space in each room of a building where people are present is limited to a certain area of ​​the room. Furthermore, in rooms with handrails, it is possible that users of the room will be near the handrail. In this case, in order to operate the air conditioning system more economically, it is necessary to efficiently adjust the temperature of the space near the handrail where people are present.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a building that can efficiently adjust the temperature around handrails installed inside the building. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above problems are solved by the building of the present invention, which is a building with a handrail installed inside, and which is equipped with an air conditioning unit that supplies temperature-controlled air to the space in the building where the handrail is installed, a hollow body that is placed in the space to form an air supply path and has air outlets on the peripheral wall, and a displacement mechanism that displaces the outlets circumferentially around the peripheral wall, and the hollow body forms at least a part of the handrail. In the building of the present invention configured as described above, the hollow body with the air outlet constitutes at least a part of the handrail, and temperature-controlled air is supplied from the air outlet, thereby making it possible to efficiently control the temperature around the handrail.

[0008] Furthermore, in a more preferred configuration of the building of the present invention, the handrail is preferably installed in a position closer to the floor than to the ceiling or floor of the space. With the above configuration, since there is a high possibility that a person will be near the handrail, the configuration that can efficiently adjust the temperature near the handrail becomes even more meaningful.

[0009] In the building of the present invention, the hollow body may be configured by a cylindrical portion forming a peripheral wall, and the cylindrical portion may be configured so that the position of the air outlet in the open state can be changed in the circumferential direction. In this case, it is preferable that the displacement mechanism moves the cylindrical portion so that the position of the air outlet in the open state can be changed in the circumferential direction. With the above configuration, the direction in which air is blown out from the outlet can be changed with a relatively simple structure.

[0010] In the building of the present invention, the cylinder portion may include an inner cylinder having an inner cylinder-side opening on its outer periphery, and an outer cylinder into which the inner cylinder is inserted and having an outer cylinder-side opening on its outer periphery. In this case, the inner cylinder is disposed within the outer cylinder in a state in which it can rotate circumferentially relative to the outer cylinder, and the inner cylinder rotates relative to the outer cylinder to connect the inner cylinder-side opening and the outer cylinder-side opening to each other, thereby opening the air outlet. With the above configuration, the direction in which air is blown out from the outlet and whether or not air is blown out can be switched with a simpler structure.

[0011] In addition, in the building of the present invention, the inner tube rotates relative to the outer tube, moving the position at which the inner tube side opening and the outer tube side opening communicate with each other, thereby changing the direction of the air outlet in an open state in the circumferential direction. With the above configuration, the direction in which air is blown out from the outlet can be changed with an even simpler structure.

[0012] In the building of the present invention, it is preferable that the outer periphery of the inner tube has inner tube-side openings at a plurality of positions in the central axis direction of the inner tube, and the outer periphery of the outer tube has outer tube-side openings at a plurality of positions in the central axis direction. In this case, it is preferable that the positions where the inner tube-side openings are provided correspond to the positions where the outer tube-side openings are provided in the central axis direction. With the above configuration, the structure for changing the direction in which air is blown out from the outlet can be further simplified.

[0013] In the building of the present invention, an inner tube side drain hole may be provided on the outer periphery of the inner tube at a position different from the inner tube side opening, and an outer tube side drain hole may be provided on the outer periphery of the outer tube at a position different from the outer tube side opening. In this case, when the relative position of the inner tube with respect to the outer tube in the circumferential direction is such that the inner tube side drain hole and the outer tube side drain hole are in communication with each other, the inner tube side opening and the outer tube side opening may be offset from each other in the circumferential direction. With the above configuration, condensed water present inside the inner cylinder can be properly discharged.

[0014] In the building of the present invention, the inner cylinder may be slidable relative to the outer cylinder in the direction of the central axis of the inner cylinder. In this case, the opening of the air outlet may be changed by sliding the inner cylinder relative to the outer cylinder while the inner cylinder opening and the outer cylinder opening are in communication with each other. With the above configuration, the strength (wind speed) of air blown out from the outlet can be more easily changed by changing the opening of the outlet.

[0015] In the building of the present invention, the displacement mechanism may include an operating unit that is operated when moving the tubular part so as to change the position of the air outlet in the open state in the circumferential direction. With this configuration, a person can manually operate the operating unit to change the position of the air outlet and freely change the direction in which air is blown out from the air outlet.

[0016] In the building of the present invention, the displacement mechanism may include a drive device, and the drive force of the drive device may be used to move the tubular portion so as to change the position of the air outlet in the open state in the circumferential direction. In this case, the building of the present invention may further include a control device that controls the drive device. With this configuration, the air outlet can be appropriately displaced under the control of the control device.

[0017] Furthermore, in the building of the present invention, a convex portion may be provided on the wall surface that is disposed vertically between the ceiling and the tokonoma of the space and faces the space. In this case, it is preferable that the portion of the handrail that is formed by the hollow body is disposed below and adjacent to the convex portion. According to the above configuration, the space formed below the convex portion on the wall surface (the recessed area outside the space relative to the convex portion) can be utilized to appropriately position the portion of the handrail that is made of a hollow body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the building of the present invention, the temperature around the handrails installed in the space inside the building can be efficiently adjusted. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a building according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a handrail installed inside a building according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a tubular portion that constitutes a handrail according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4A] FIG. 3 is a view showing the cross section II of FIG. 2, showing a state in which the air outlet is open. [Figure 4B] FIG. 3 is a view showing the cross section II of FIG. 2, showing a state in which the air outlet is closed. [Figure 5A] FIG. 3 is a view showing the JJ cross section of FIG. 2, showing a state in which the air outlet is open. [Figure 5B] FIG. 3 is a view showing a cross section taken along line JJ in FIG. 2, showing the state in which the drainage hole is open. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the connection structure between the general part of the duct and the tubular part that constitutes the handrail. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a handrail according to a modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a view showing a KK cross section of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of a building according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration near a handrail in a building according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a view showing a cross section LL of FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a first modified example of a displacement mechanism. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the displacement mechanism. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a third modified example of the displacement mechanism. [Figure 15] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a configuration in which an inner cylinder is slidably movable relative to an outer cylinder. [Figure 16] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing modified examples of the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings referred to below, the devices are shown somewhat simplified and schematic to make the explanation easier to understand. Furthermore, the size of each device and the spacing between devices shown in the drawings may differ from the actual size. Furthermore, in the following, when describing the position, posture, state, etc. of each device, unless otherwise specified, the description will be of the position, posture, state, etc. when the device is in use. In addition, in this specification, the meanings of the terms "same," "identical," and "equal" may include a range of error generally accepted in the technical field to which the present invention belongs.

[0021] <<First embodiment of the present invention>> The building of the present invention is a structure (architecture) that has one or more spaces available for people to use, and handrails are installed in specific spaces within the building. In the present invention, a handrail is a device that a person in the space can grasp, hold, or touch with their hand to support the person and assist their movements (for example, standing up, sitting down, lying down, etc.).

[0022] The building of the present invention may be a building for various purposes such as a house, a store, an office, a commercial facility such as a movie theater or a department store, a public facility such as a hospital or a school, a factory, or a building, etc. In the first embodiment of the present invention, a description will be given assuming a house H shown in Fig. 1 as an example of the building of the present invention.

[0023] As described above, handrail T is installed within house H, and the space in which handrail T is installed is one room (hereinafter referred to as room R) that can be used by the residents of house H. Room R is a space partitioned by a ceiling, floor, and side wall (interior wall). The wall surface of the side wall on the interior side (hereinafter referred to as wall surface W) is positioned vertically between the ceiling and alcove of room R and faces room R, and handrail T is installed in a position adjacent to wall surface W, as shown in Figure 1. The house H may be a detached house or a single dwelling unit in a housing complex such as an apartment or condominium.

[0024] In room R, the handrail T extends horizontally and is installed vertically at a position closer to the floor than to the ceiling or floor of room R. More specifically, for example, when a resident of house H uses room R and is near the handrail T, the handrail T is positioned vertically opposite a part of the resident's body as shown in FIG.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1 , the house H is also equipped with an air conditioner 10 that supplies temperature-controlled air to room R. The air conditioner 10 is configured, for example, by an air conditioner or other heating and cooling equipment. The air conditioner 10 is equipped with a fan (not shown), and the air that has been temperature-controlled by the air conditioner 10 is sent from the fan through a duct to room R. Here, the air conditioner 10 may be an individual air-conditioning device installed in room R, or may be a central air-conditioning device that sends air to each of multiple rooms in the house H, including room R.

[0026] 1, a supply path for the air temperature-adjusted by the air conditioner 10, i.e., a portion of the duct, is provided in the room R in which the handrail T is installed. An outlet for the temperature-adjusted air (hereinafter also simply referred to as air) is provided on the peripheral wall of a portion of the duct provided in the room R, and the air that has flowed through the duct is blown out from the outlet and supplied into the room R.

[0027] A portion of the duct provided in room R constitutes at least a portion of a handrail T installed in room R, as shown in Fig. 1. Specifically, the portion of the duct provided in room R is made up of a hollow body 12, and more specifically, is constituted by a cylindrical tubular portion 14 shown in Fig. 2. In the configuration shown in Fig. 2, the handrail T is constituted by the tubular portion 14 and a holder 16 that holds the tubular portion 14, and the tubular portion 14 mainly constitutes the portion of the handrail T that a resident holds, grabs, or touches with their hand.

[0028] The tubular portion 14 forms the peripheral wall of the hollow body 12 and is disposed in the room R, extending horizontally. Air supplied from the air conditioner 10, i.e., wind, flows through the tubular portion 14. The tubular portion 14 is also provided with an air outlet 20, and the air supplied from the air conditioner 10 passes through the tubular portion 14 and is blown out from the outlet 20.

[0029] Explaining the configuration of the cylindrical portion 14, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5B, the cylindrical portion 14 has a double-cylinder structure and includes a cylindrical inner cylinder 30 and a cylindrical outer cylinder 32. The inner cylinder 30 and the outer cylinder 32 each extend linearly along the horizontal direction, with the inner cylinder 30 inserted into the outer cylinder 32. When the inner cylinder 30 is inserted into the outer cylinder 32, the central axis of the inner cylinder 30 and the central axis of the outer cylinder 32 are on the same line, and the central axis directions of the inner cylinder 30 and the outer cylinder 32 are the same. Hereinafter, the central axis directions of the inner cylinder 30 and the outer cylinder 32 will be collectively referred to as the "central axis direction."

[0030] The inner cylinder 30 constitutes the portion of the duct (i.e., the supply path) extending from the air conditioner 10 that is arranged inside the room R, and the air supplied from the air conditioner 10 flows through the inner cylinder 30. The material of the inner cylinder 30 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a viscoelastic body, more specifically, an elastomer.

[0031] If the air conditioner 10 is a central air conditioning system, the portion of the duct located within room R is replaced with the inner tube 30, and the inner tube 30 is connected to a general portion 72 of the duct (the portion other than the portion replaced by the inner tube 30). The general portion 72 of the duct has a relatively large diameter and is laid close to room R, whereas the inner tube 30 has a smaller diameter than the general portion 72. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6 , a joint 18 for different diameters is used to connect the general portion 72 of the duct to the inner tube 30. If gaps are formed between the joint 18 and the duct, and between the joint 18 and the inner tube 30, the gaps may be filled and sealed with a known sealant such as a lipped packing, an O-ring, or a flat ring. Alternatively, for example, the duct and inner tube 30 may be press-fitted into the joint 18, or the duct and inner tube 30 may be biased against the joint 18 using a spring ring or the like, thereby connecting the duct and inner tube 30 to the joint 18 without any gaps.

[0032] The inner cylinder 30 is disposed within the outer cylinder 32 in a state in which it can rotate in the circumferential direction of the inner cylinder 30 relative to the outer cylinder 32. The circumferential direction of the inner cylinder 30 corresponds to the circumferential direction of the hollow body 12, and will hereinafter be simply referred to as the "circumferential direction."

[0033] 3 to 5B, inner tube-side openings 34 that penetrate the outer periphery of the inner tube 30 are provided at multiple positions in the central axis direction on the outer periphery of the inner tube 30. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, n sets (n is a natural number) of m (m is a natural number) inner tube-side openings 34 are provided on the outer periphery of the inner tube 30, arranged at regular intervals in the central axis direction. Each inner tube-side opening 34 is a circular or elliptical hole and is arranged at the same position in the circumferential direction. The positions of the inner cylinder side openings 34 in the circumferential direction and the central axis direction are not particularly limited.

[0034] The outer cylinder 32 is a pipe into which the inner cylinder 30 is inserted, and is made of, for example, a metal pipe, a resin pipe, or a PVC pipe. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5B , outer cylinder side openings 36 penetrating the outer cylinder 32 are provided on the outer periphery of the outer cylinder 32 at a plurality of positions in the central axis direction. The number of outer cylinder side openings 36 provided on the outer periphery of the outer cylinder 32 is the same as the number of inner cylinder side openings 34 provided on the outer periphery of the inner cylinder 30, i.e., m×n. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B , the m×n outer cylinder side openings 36 are slit-shaped holes formed elongated along the circumferential direction, and are provided at the same positions in the circumferential direction.

[0035] 5A, the positions where the inner tube-side openings 34 are provided and the positions where the outer tube-side openings 36 are provided correspond to each other in the central axial direction. Specifically, the range where each inner tube-side opening 34 exists and the range where the outer tube-side openings 36 paired with each inner tube-side opening 34 exist overlap with each other in the central axial direction. Here, the outer tube-side openings 36 paired with each inner tube-side opening 34 refer to the outer tube-side openings 36 located closest to each inner tube-side opening 34 in the central axial direction. The positions of the outer cylinder side opening 36 in the circumferential direction and the central axis direction are not particularly limited as long as the positional relationship with the inner cylinder side opening 34 described above is satisfied.

[0036] The cylindrical portion 14 configured as described above is provided with m×n outlets 20, the number of which is the same as the combination of the inner cylinder side openings 34 and the outer cylinder side openings 36. As shown in Figures 4A and 5A, each outlet 20 is opened when the inner cylinder 30 rotates circumferentially relative to the outer cylinder 32, bringing the inner cylinder side openings 34 and the outer cylinder side openings 36 into communication with each other. Conversely, as shown in Figures 4B and 5B, each outlet 20 is closed when the inner cylinder side openings 34 and the outer cylinder side openings 36 move away from each other in the circumferential direction.

[0037] Furthermore, as described above, because the outer cylinder side opening 36 is formed long in the circumferential direction, the inner cylinder 30 can be rotated relative to the outer cylinder 32 while maintaining a state in which the inner cylinder side opening 34 and the outer cylinder side opening 36 are in communication with each other. This causes the position at which the inner cylinder side opening 34 and the outer cylinder side opening 36 are in communication with each other to move in the circumferential direction, and as a result, the orientation of the open outlet 20 changes in the circumferential direction. In other words, the cylinder portion 14 is configured so that the position of the open outlet 20 can be changed in the circumferential direction.

[0038] The number of outlets 20 provided in the tubular portion 14, that is, the number of sets of inner-tube-side openings 34 and outer-tube-side openings 36, is not particularly limited as long as it is at least one.

[0039] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 5B, drain holes 42 are provided on the outer periphery of the tubular portion 14 for draining liquid water such as condensation water that has accumulated inside the tubular portion 14 (strictly speaking, inside the inner tube 30). This allows the liquid water inside the inner tube 30 to be periodically drained through the drain holes 42. Specifically, by increasing the pressure (blowing pressure) of the air supplied from the air conditioner 10 compared to that during normal operation, the liquid water inside the inner tube 30 is ejected together with the air from the drain holes 42. As a result, it is possible to prevent liquid water from dripping from the outlet 20 during normal operation.

[0040] The drain holes 42 are provided at positions different from the outlets 20 in the circumferential direction. Explaining in more detail, as shown in Figures 3 to 5B, an inner tube side drain hole 38 is provided on the outer periphery of the inner tube 30 at a position different from the inner tube side opening 34 in the circumferential direction, i.e., at a position offset from the position where the inner tube side opening 34 is provided. On the other hand, an outer tube side drain hole 40 is provided on the outer periphery of the outer tube 32 at a position overlapping in the circumferential direction with the range where the outer tube side opening 36 is provided. As shown in Figure 3, each of the inner tube side drain hole 38 and the outer tube side drain hole 40 is a relatively large rectangular hole. However, the shapes of each of the inner tube side drain hole 38 and the outer tube side drain hole 40 are not particularly limited, and for example, each of the inner tube side drain hole 38 and the outer tube side drain hole 40 may be composed of a plurality of minute holes.

[0041] When the inner cylinder 30 rotates relative to the outer cylinder 32, the inner cylinder drain holes 38 and the outer cylinder drain holes 40 communicate with each other, opening the drain holes 42, allowing liquid water within the inner cylinder 30 to be discharged to the outside of the outer cylinder 32 through the drain holes 42. When the inner cylinder 30 is positioned relative to the outer cylinder 32 in a circumferential direction such that the inner cylinder drain holes 38 and the outer cylinder drain holes 40 communicate with each other, the inner cylinder opening 34 and the outer cylinder opening 36 are offset from each other in the circumferential direction, as can be seen in FIG. 5B . In other words, when the drain holes 42 are open, each outlet 20 is closed. This prevents liquid water from being sprayed together with air from the outlet 20 and splashing on residents near the outlet 20 while the liquid water within the inner cylinder 30 is being discharged through the drain holes 42.

[0042] The position of the drain hole 42 in the central axis direction is not particularly limited, but it is preferably a position different from the outlet 20. From the viewpoint of efficiently draining liquid water from the inner cylinder 30, it is preferable that the drain hole 42 be provided at the end of the tubular portion 14 in the central axis direction, and more preferably, it is preferable that the drain hole 42 be provided at each of both ends of the tubular portion 14 in the central axis direction. In addition, in order to drain liquid water in the form of a mist from the drain hole 42, a mesh, a water-permeable filter, a sponge, or the like may be attached to at least one of the inner tube side drain hole 38 and the outer tube side drain hole 40.

[0043] The holder 16 holds the tubular portion 14 and is fixed to the wall of the room R. The holder 16 also functions as a cover that externally covers the outer tube 32 of the tubular portion 14. For this reason, the holder 16 is made of, for example, a resin molded product, and its surface is decorated with, for example, painting, film deposition, mirror finishing, blasting, hot stamping, or the like.

[0044] 2, the holder 16 has two fixing portions 16a arranged on either side of the cylindrical portion 14 in the central axis direction, and a connecting portion 16b arranged between the two fixing portions 16a and connecting the fixing portions 16a to each other. Each fixing portion 16a is fixed to a wall surface of the room R, and the connecting portion 16b extends in the central axis direction while being aligned with the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 14.

[0045] 2, the holder 16 has an engaging portion 16c that protrudes from an intermediate position of the connecting portion 16b, and an extending portion 16d that protrudes in the opposite direction from the engaging portion 16c from the same position as the engaging portion 16c. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the engaging portion 16c is curved in a substantially C-shape and has a claw portion 16e at its tip. The claw portion 16e engages with the outer tube 32 by being caught in an engaging recess 32a formed on the outer periphery of the outer tube 32. The holder 16 holds the tube portion 14 by engaging the engaging portion 16c with the outer tube 32. The extending portion 16d is fixed to the wall surface of the room R, similar to the fixed portion 16a.

[0046] 2, two engaging portions 16c and two extending portions 16d are provided at intervals in the central axis direction, but the number of engaging portions 16c and the number of extending portions 16d are not particularly limited. In addition, the positions of engaging portions 16c and extending portions 16d in the central axis direction are not particularly limited as long as they avoid air outlet 20.

[0047] The house H also has a displacement mechanism 22, which rotates the inner cylinder 30 relative to the outer cylinder 32 in the circumferential direction, thereby displacing the air outlet 20 provided in the tubular portion 14. In other words, the displacement mechanism 22 moves the tubular portion 14 so that the position of the air outlet 20 in the open state changes in the circumferential direction. This makes it possible to change the direction in which air is blown out through the air outlet 20, i.e., the airflow direction.

[0048] The displacement mechanism 22 may include, for example, an operating unit 24 shown in Fig. 2. The operating unit 24 is a manual operating unit that is attached to one end of the inner cylinder 30 in the central axis direction and has a portion that protrudes outward from the outer cylinder 32 in the central axis direction. A resident of the house H operates the operating unit 24 when moving the cylinder portion 14 so as to change the position of the air outlet 20 in the open state in the circumferential direction. Specifically, by pinching a portion of the operating unit 24 that is positioned outside the outer cylinder 32 and rotating the operating unit 24 around the central axis, the inner cylinder 30 and the operating unit 24 are rotated integrally with each other relative to the outer cylinder 32.

[0049] The operating unit 24 is not particularly limited as long as it is operated to rotate the inner cylinder 30, and may be, for example, a convex knob or dial connected to one end of the inner cylinder 30 as shown in Fig. 2. Alternatively, the operating unit 24 may be a plug or cap fitted to one end of the inner cylinder 30, and the operating unit 24 may be rotated integrally with the inner cylinder 30 by inserting the tip of a tool such as a screwdriver into a recess provided at the top of the plug or cap and turning the tool.

[0050] With the configuration described above, in the house H, in the room R where the handrail T is installed, air supplied from the air conditioner 10 is blown out from the outlet 20 of the tubular portion 14 that constitutes the handrail T. This makes it possible to adjust the temperature and humidity around the handrail T in the room R. As a result, when adjusting the temperature around the handrail T, it is not necessary to adjust the temperature of the entire room R, and the temperature around the handrail T can be adjusted efficiently. With this effect, when a resident is near the handrail T, the temperature around the handrail T can be adjusted to a temperature that is comfortable for the resident.

[0051] Furthermore, because there is no need for equipment such as a circulator to equalize the temperature throughout room R, the number of pieces of equipment is reduced, which reduces the cost of installing the equipment, the running cost of the equipment, and the space required for installing the equipment. Furthermore, if a heater is installed in room R as a heat source to warm the entire room R, there is a risk that furniture, clothing, etc. near the heater may be burned by the heat of the heater due to carelessness. In contrast, with the configuration of house H described above, there is no need to install a heater in room R, which reduces the risk of burning furniture, clothing, etc.

[0052] Furthermore, when an air conditioner is installed in room R, the air outlet of the air conditioner is usually located near the ceiling of room R, and is therefore often far away from the occupants (especially those who are seated) in room R. In contrast, with the configuration of house H described above, air is blown out near handrail T, which is located relatively close to the occupants, so the temperature around the occupants can be efficiently adjusted to a comfortable temperature for the occupants. Furthermore, when lining up laundry to dry indoors in room R, the laundry is placed near the handrail T and air is blown out near the handrail T, so that air whose temperature has been adjusted by the air conditioner 10, more specifically, air dehumidified in dry operation, can be blown directly onto the laundry. As a result, indoor drying in room R can be performed efficiently, and the laundry can dry faster.

[0053] Furthermore, the resident of the house H can freely displace the air outlet 20 by operating the operating unit 24 in the room R. With this relatively simple configuration, the direction in which the air is blown out through the air outlet 20, i.e., the air blowing direction, can be freely changed. The range within which outlet 20 can be displaced (the range indicated by the arrow marked with X in FIG. 4A) is not particularly limited. For example, when outlet 20 is positioned facing directly downward in the vertical direction as a reference position (0 degrees), tubular portion 14 may be rotated in the circumferential direction within a range of 5 degrees to 180 degrees, and more preferably within a range of 30 degrees to 150 degrees.

[0054] <<Regarding Modifications of the First Embodiment>> In the first embodiment, a handrail T was described that is composed of a tubular portion 14 and a holder 16, which are separate components. However, as a modified example, a handrail in which the outer tube 32 of the tubular portion 14 is integrated with the holder 16 (hereinafter referred to as a modified handrail Tx) can also be considered, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0055] To explain the handrail Tx according to the modified example, the handrail Tx according to the modified example is configured with a double-tube structure tubular portion 14, which includes an inner tube 30 and an outer tube 32, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The configuration of the inner tube 30 according to the modified example is the same as the configuration of the inner tube 30 according to the first embodiment described above.

[0056] 7, the outer cylinder 32 according to the modified example has outer cylinder fixing portions 32b at both ends in the central axis direction. The outer cylinder fixing portions 32b correspond to the fixing portions 16a of the holder 16 according to the first embodiment, and are fixed to the wall surface of the room R.

[0057] 7, outer tube side openings 36 are provided at a plurality of positions in the central axis direction on the outer periphery of the outer tube 32. More specifically, n sets (n is a natural number) of opening groups 36A are provided, each consisting of m (m is a natural number) outer tube side openings 36 arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction. The m outer tube side openings 36 included in each opening group 36A are, for example, circular or elliptical holes and have the same shape and size as the inner tube side openings 34. The m outer tube side openings 36 are arranged at regular intervals in the central axis direction and are offset from each other by a regular angle (for example, 10 to 20 degrees) in the circumferential direction. The positions in the circumferential direction of the m outer cylinder side openings 36 included in each opening group 36A are aligned among the opening groups 36A.

[0058] Furthermore, the number of outer tube side openings 36 provided on the outer periphery of the outer tube 32 (i.e., m × n) is the same as the number of inner tube side openings 34 provided on the outer periphery of the inner tube 30. Furthermore, in the central axial direction, the positions where the inner tube side openings 34 are provided and the positions where the outer tube side openings 36 are provided correspond to each other, and more specifically, the range where each inner tube side opening 34 is present and the range where the outer tube side opening 36 paired with each inner tube side opening 34 is present overlap each other.

[0059] The handrail Tx according to the modified example differs from the handrail T according to the first embodiment in that it has the above configuration, but is otherwise common to the handrail T according to the first embodiment. That is, as shown in FIG. 8 , each of the air outlets 20 provided in the tubular portion 14 constituting the handrail Tx according to the modified example is opened when the inner tube 30 rotates circumferentially relative to the outer tube 32, bringing the inner tube-side opening 34 and the outer tube-side opening 36 into communication with each other. Furthermore, the rotation of the inner tube 30 relative to the outer tube 32 moves the position at which the inner tube-side opening 34 and the outer tube-side opening 36 communicate with each other; more specifically, the air outlet 20 in an open state is switched in the circumferential direction. As a result, the direction in which air is blown out from the air outlet 20 in an open state can be changed in the circumferential direction.

[0060] <<Second embodiment of the present invention>> In the first embodiment of the present invention, when rotating the inner tube 30 relative to the outer tube 32, the operating unit 24 attached to the inner tube 30 is operated (more specifically, the operating unit 24 is rotated) to manually rotate the inner tube 30. However, this is not limited to this, and the inner tube 30 may also be rotated electrically. This configuration is the second embodiment of the present invention, and the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 9. In the second embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter simply referred to as the second embodiment), differences from the first embodiment described above will be mainly described, and descriptions of configurations common to the first embodiment will be omitted unless necessary.

[0061] 9, the displacement mechanism 22 includes a driving device 26. The displacement mechanism 22 uses the driving force of the driving device 26 to move the tubular portion 14 so that the position of the air outlet 20 in an open state changes in the circumferential direction, specifically, to rotate the inner tube 30 relative to the outer tube 32. The driving device 26 may be any device that applies a driving force to the inner tube 30 for rotating the inner tube 30, and may be a known driving device, for example, an actuator such as a drive motor or a solenoid.

[0062] The house H according to the second embodiment further includes a control device 28 that controls the moving machine 26. When a predetermined condition is met, the control device 28 controls the moving machine 26 in accordance with the condition to rotate the inner cylinder 30 by an amount corresponding to the control amount. As a result, the position of the open air outlet 20 is adjusted to a predetermined position in the circumferential direction under the control of the control device 28. For example, if a human presence sensor (not shown) is installed in room R and the human presence sensor detects a resident entering room R, the control device 28 controls the moving machine 26 in accordance with the location of the resident to rotate the inner cylinder 30. As a result, the position of the open air outlet 20 is adjusted to a position corresponding to the location of the resident in room R, so that air is blown out toward the resident, for example. The means for identifying the location of the resident within room R is not particularly limited, but for example, the temperature distribution within room R may be measured using a thermographic camera installed in room R, and the resident's location may be identified based on the measured temperature distribution.

[0063] <<Third embodiment of the present invention>> In the first embodiment of the present invention, the wall W is a flat surface (vertical surface), and as shown in FIG. 1, a handrail T consisting of a tubular portion 14 is arranged adjacent to the wall W. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the wall W may be provided with a protrusion Wa that protrudes toward the interior of the room. In this case, the handrail T can be arranged to fit snugly in consideration of the protrusion Wa. This configuration is the third embodiment of the present invention, and the third embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. In the third embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter simply referred to as the third embodiment), differences from the first embodiment described above will be mainly described, and descriptions of configurations common to the first embodiment will be omitted unless necessary.

[0064] The protrusion Wa provided on the wall W extends horizontally, and more specifically, the entire portion of the wall W that is a predetermined distance or more from the floor forms the protrusion Wa, as shown in Figures 10 and 11. In other words, the portion of the wall W that is located below the protrusion Wa is recessed relative to the protrusion Wa, and a step is formed between the protrusion Wa and the wall W.

[0065] 10 and 11, in the third embodiment, the portion of the handrail T formed by the tubular portion 14 (i.e., the hollow body 12) is disposed below the protrusion Wa, more specifically, directly below the protrusion Wa and adjacent to the protrusion Wa. This allows the handrail T (strictly speaking, the portion of the handrail T formed by the tubular portion 14) to be positioned comfortably in the room R, utilizing the space provided below the protrusion Wa of the wall W.

[0066] In the third embodiment, the handrail T may be fixed directly to the wall W while in contact with the wall W, as shown in FIG. 11 . Alternatively, the handrail T may be positioned slightly away from the wall W and fixed to the wall W via a fixing rod (not shown) protruding from the wall W. Incidentally, the outer tube 32 of the tubular portion 14 that constitutes the handrail T may have a square cylindrical outer shape in consideration of ease of fixing to the wall W. In this case, the outer tube 32 can be effectively used as the handrail T by providing a protrusion or recess in the lower part of the square cylindrical outer tube 32.

[0067] <<Other embodiments>> Although several specific embodiments of the building of the present invention, particularly the structure and equipment used for air conditioning within the building, have been described above, these embodiments are merely examples to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the engaging portion 16c provided on the holder 16 engages with the outer tube 32, which is a part of the tube portion 14, thereby holding the tube portion 14 in the holder 16, but the method of holding the tube portion 14 in the holder 16 is not limited to this. For example, the outer tube 32 may be fixed to the holder 16 with a screw, or the outer tube 32 may be joined to the holder 16 with an adhesive, double-sided tape, or the like.

[0069] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the handrail T formed by the tubular portion 14 extends horizontally, but this is not limited to this, and the handrail T formed by the tubular portion 14 may also extend vertically.

[0070] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the tubular portion 14 constituting the handrail T has a double-tubular structure, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the tubular portion 14 may be constituted by a single tubular body. In this case, the single tubular body constituting the tubular portion 14 may be held in a state in which it can rotate in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, a plurality of air outlets 20 may be provided on the outer periphery of the single tubular body in the central axial direction. In this case, among the plurality of air outlets 20, the air outlet 20 on the upstream side in the air flow direction and the air outlet 20 on the downstream side may have a uniform air blowing strength, or there may be a difference in strength.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the operating unit 24 of the displacement mechanism 22 is a knob or dial connected to one end of the inner tube 30, or a plug or cap fitted into one end of the inner tube 30. However, the displacement mechanism 22 may have a configuration other than the above as long as it rotates the inner tube 30 relative to the outer tube 32. For example, as shown in Fig. 12, a pinion 60 may be attached to the end of the inner tube 30, and a rack 62 meshing with the pinion 60 may be disposed inside the outer tube 32 in a state operable from outside the outer tube 32, and the inner tube 30 may be rotated by a pinion-rack mechanism. 13, one end of the wire 64 may be wound around the outer periphery of the inner tube 30, and the other end of the wire 64 may be wound around a cylindrical wire winding body 66. In this state, the inner tube 30 may be rotated by changing the amount of winding of the wire 64 around each of the inner tube 30 and the wire winding body 66 using a wire winding mechanism (not shown). In this configuration, the inner tube 30 and the wire winding body 66 may be rotatable in both forward and reverse directions by transmitting a rotational force via a known rotational force transmission mechanism such as a spring. 14, a first bevel gear 68 may be attached to one end of the inner cylinder 30, a second bevel gear 70 may be disposed inside the outer cylinder 32 so as to mesh with the first bevel gear 68, and the inner cylinder 30 may be rotated by the rotational driving of these two bevel gears. In this case, the operating unit 24 that is operated to rotate the second bevel gear 70 may be disposed outside the outer cylinder 32. The second bevel gear 70 is not limited to being rotated manually via the operating unit 24, and may also be rotated using the rotational force of a drive motor or the like.

[0072] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the inner tube 30 of the tube portion 14 forming the handrail T may be rotatable in the circumferential direction relative to the outer tube 32 of the tube portion 14 and slidable in the central axis direction. In this case, as shown in FIG. 15 , the inner tube 30 can be slidably moved relative to the outer tube 32 while the inner tube side opening 34 and the outer tube side opening 36 are in communication with each other in the circumferential direction. This changes the degree of overlap between the inner tube side opening 34 and the outer tube side opening 36 in the central axis direction, i.e., the opening degree of the air outlet 20. Changing the opening degree of the air outlet 20 changes the strength (in other words, the wind speed) of the air blown out from the air outlet 20; the smaller the opening degree, the greater the strength. As a result, the temperature and flow rate of the air supplied from the tube portion 14 forming the handrail T can be adjusted, allowing for more appropriate adjustment of the environment around the handrail T. The sliding distance of the inner tube 30 is preferably set smaller than the width of the inner tube opening 34 in the central axis direction (i.e., the diameter of the hole that forms the inner tube opening 34). An operating unit, such as a knob or handle, that is operated to slide the inner tube 30 is preferably provided on the inner tube 30 and can be operated outside the outer tube 32. For example, the operating unit 24 described above may be repurposed as an operating unit for sliding the inner tube. In this case, the operating unit 24 may be configured to be pushable and pullable along the central axis direction. For example, a flexible member such as a coil spring may be attached to the main body of the operating unit 24, allowing the operating unit 24 to reciprocate in the central axis direction between a normal position and a drawn-out position that is further outward than the normal position.

[0073] In the above embodiment, both the inner tube 30 and the outer tube 32 of the tube portion 14 constituting the handrail T are primarily cylindrical. However, at least one of them may be rectangular. For example, as shown in FIG. 16 , the inner tube 30 may be cylindrical, the outer tube 32 may be rectangular, and the tube portion 14 including these may form a rectangular handrail T. In this configuration, a small space is inevitably formed between the inner tube 30 and the outer tube 32. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 16 , an intermediate member 54 may be interposed between the inner tube 30 and the outer tube 32 to fill this space. The surface of this intermediate member 54 facing the outer tube 32 may be flat along the inner circumferential surface of the outer tube 32, while the surface facing the inner tube 30 may be curved (arcuate) along the outer circumferential surface of the inner tube 30. In the configuration shown in FIG. 16 , the inner tube 30 may be rotatable relative to the outer tube 32 and the intermediate member 54. The intermediate member 54 is provided with a plurality of intermediate member-side openings 56 as through holes formed from the inner cylinder 30 toward the outer cylinder 32. Each intermediate member-side opening 56 is always in communication with the outer cylinder-side opening 36, while the communication state between the inner cylinder-side opening 34 and the intermediate member-side opening 56 switches depending on the displacement of the inner cylinder-side opening 34 due to rotation of the inner cylinder 30. The positional relationship between the inner cylinder-side opening 34 and the outer cylinder-side opening 36 is the same as in the above embodiment. Therefore, even in the configuration shown in FIG. 16 , by rotating the inner cylinder 30 relative to the outer cylinder 32 and the intermediate member 54, the outlet 20 can be displaced in the circumferential direction, and the air blowing direction can be changed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 10 Air conditioner 12 Hollow body 14 Cylinder part 16 Holder 16a Fixed part 16b Connection part 16c Engagement part 16d Extension 16e Claw part 18 Joints 20 Air Outlet 22 Displacement mechanism 24 Control section 26 Drive equipment 28 Control Device 30 Inner cylinder 32 outer cylinder 32a Engagement recess 32b outer cylinder fixing part 34 Inner cylinder side opening 36 Outer cylinder side opening 36A aperture group 38 Inner cylinder side drain hole 40 Drainage hole on outer cylinder side 42 Drain hole 50 Drive equipment 52 Control device 54 Intermediate member 56 Intermediate member side opening 60 Pinion 62 racks 64 wires 66 Wire winding body 68 First bevel gear 70 Second bevel gear 72 General section H. Residential (building) R Room (space) T Handrail Tx Modified handrail W wall Wa convex part

Claims

1. A building with handrails installed inside, An air conditioning device that supplies temperature-controlled air to a space in the building where the handrail is installed; a hollow body disposed in the space to form a supply path for the air and having an outlet for the air on a peripheral wall; a displacement mechanism that displaces the air outlet in the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall, The building, wherein the hollow body constitutes at least a part of the handrail.

2. The building according to claim 1 , wherein the handrail is installed at a position closer to the floor than to the ceiling or floor of the space.

3. the hollow body is configured by a cylindrical portion forming the peripheral wall, The cylindrical portion is configured so that the position of the air outlet in an open state can be changed in the circumferential direction, The building according to claim 1 , wherein the displacement mechanism moves the tubular portion so that the position of the air outlet in an open state changes in the circumferential direction.

4. The cylindrical portion is an inner cylinder having an inner cylinder side opening on its outer periphery; an outer cylinder into which the inner cylinder is inserted and which has an outer cylinder side opening on its outer periphery, the inner cylinder is disposed within the outer cylinder in a state in which the inner cylinder is rotatable in the circumferential direction relative to the outer cylinder, The building according to claim 3, wherein the inner cylinder rotates relative to the outer cylinder, and the inner cylinder side opening and the outer cylinder side opening communicate with each other, thereby opening the air outlet.

5. The building described in claim 4, wherein the inner tube rotates relative to the outer tube, moving the position at which the inner tube side opening and the outer tube side opening communicate with each other, thereby changing the direction of the air outlet in an open state in the circumferential direction.

6. the inner cylinder has inner cylinder-side openings at a plurality of positions in a central axial direction of the inner cylinder on an outer circumferential portion of the inner cylinder, the outer circumferential portion of the outer cylinder is provided with the outer cylinder side openings at a plurality of positions in the central axis direction, The building according to claim 5 , wherein a position where the inner cylinder side opening is provided and a position where the outer cylinder side opening are provided correspond to each other in the central axis direction.

7. an inner tube side drain hole is provided at a position different from the inner tube side opening on the outer periphery of the inner tube, an outer cylinder side drain hole is provided at a position different from the outer cylinder side opening on the outer periphery of the outer cylinder, The building described in claim 4, wherein when the relative position of the inner tube with respect to the outer tube in the circumferential direction is such that the inner tube side drainage hole and the outer tube side drainage hole are connected to each other, the inner tube side opening and the outer tube side opening are offset from each other in the circumferential direction.

8. the inner cylinder is slidable relative to the outer cylinder in a central axis direction of the inner cylinder, The building according to claim 4, wherein the opening degree of the air outlet is changed by the inner cylinder sliding relative to the outer cylinder while the inner cylinder opening and the outer cylinder opening are in communication with each other.

9. The building described in any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the displacement mechanism includes an operating part that is operated when moving the tubular part so as to change the position of the air outlet in the open state in the circumferential direction.

10. the displacement mechanism includes a driving device, and uses a driving force of the driving device to move the tubular portion so that the position of the air outlet in an open state changes in the circumferential direction; The building according to claim 3 , further comprising a control device that controls the driving equipment.

11. The wall surface of the wall is disposed between the ceiling and the floor of the space in the vertical direction and faces the space, and a protrusion is provided on the wall surface, The building according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the handrail constituted by the hollow body is disposed below the convex portion and adjacent to the convex portion.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Whole building air conditioning system and control method thereof

    JP2023148654A